I became a fan of Delancey Stewart when I read Only a Fling. Having a soft spot for small town romances, I was entranced by what I thought was the first book in the series (FYI – you will want to read Only a Summer first). Add to that how Stewart writes her female characters and you will quickly understand how reading her books in less than day is far too easy.

Back to Only a Fling (I know this a review for Only a Crush so bear with me), to my surprise and delight, Delancey added a bonus epilogue, allowing the reader to dive further into the lives and relationships of the Kasper Ridge Resort crew. We find ourselves witnessing the interaction between Mateo and Annalee, setting the scene for this book and what may potentially build between these two characters.

I am happy to report, she did NOT disappoint!

What I liked about the book: The same wit, charm, sarcasm (my goodness the sarcasm!), and overall laugh out loud moments were front and center in Only a Crush. There were moments I laughed so hard that I had to take a second before continuing (hard to see a screen with tears in your eyes).

The way Stewart wrote Annalee was phenomenal. I swear I wanted to sing “Anything You Can Do”. She was the epitome of that song. She was gorgeous but not a delicate flower. She was smart, quick, talented in anything and everything she tried (pilot, chef, event planning, film critic), and she didn’t take mess from anyone. At the same time, she was fallible, vulnerable, and protected herself from a world that wanted to prove her wrong at every turn, making her believe she was no better than the world she left behind. That constant struggle was hidden behind the persona she carved as Monroe.

She met her match with Mateo, fighting the same two sided struggle – staying true to his past but not wanting to lose the potential of his future. I felt myself being more and more protective of Mateo when it came to Monroe until we finally got to peek behind the curtain of who Monroe/Annalee really was. When that shield was dropped, when we truly saw the real person behind the blonde hair and perfect smile, you couldn’t help but be glad they found each other.

To witness the push and pull between these two characters, the tug of war of want, desire, protection, and honor is what makes you keep turning the page to see how it all plays out.

What I didn’t like about the book: Nothing. There isn’t a single thing I disliked about this book. I LOVED Lily, I always enjoy the background characters and how they contribute to the story. I think if I was forced to pick something, I wasn’t sure what to think of Sass and Antonio. I was unsure if they were introduced last minute as another potential story in the future or what their ongoing purpose would be since they were going to stay. Not knowing how many books this series will be, I will simply accept that it is a soft introduction and we will learn more about them in Only a Secret.

Speaking of which, I can’t wait to read Only a Secret. I have been DYING to get into Brainaic’s head! I will also admit, Stewart knows how to write a steamy scene. I mean WOW! Like fog the glass because I was breathing too hard WOW!

The last thing I will say about this series is you want to know these characters – inside and out. You learn each time that who they appear to be is nowhere near who they really are and the real life experiences they have had make them so relatable. By having an alternative POV, the unsaid moments are so strong, so informative that you fall more and more involved with every single member of this growing family.