I don’t know how Vi does it, but I pick up one of her books with the intention of taking my time, only to blink and be done because I couldn’t put it down. For those who have read The Summer Proposal and loved it, you are in for a treat. While Something Borrowed, Something You is completely different in many ways, it carries the same magnetic pull and emotional depth that made me fall in love with The Summer Proposal. This book is steamy, sweet, and had me laughing, but be prepared – it does touch on sensitive issues and delves into darker moments. Simply put, there were tears, and for some, potential triggers, but Vi did an exceptional job navigating these ups and downs, making this an absolute must-read.

Natalia Rossi has officially had it with love. Divorced at 28 and stepmother to a fifteen-year-old who would rather play in traffic than spend quality time with her, she’s eager to break her dry spell of 18 months and finally move forward with her life. When her best friend’s wedding comes around, Natalia sees the perfect opportunity for a one-night stand with a groomsman. But just as Natalia’s preparing herself for the night ahead, her world is turned upside down by the crude yet captivating voice of Hunter Delucia. Breathtakingly handsome and every woman’s fantasy come true, Hunter boldly offers to scratch Natalia’s itch. Unfortunately, Hunter’s dazzling smile and alluring swagger reminds her too much of her conniving ex-husband, and Natalia already vowed she was done falling for charming smiles and smooth talk. Alcohol, however, has other plans – and the next thing Natalia knows, she wakes up with Hunter beside her. After confirming nothing happened (and determined to put as much distance between them as possible), Natalia gives Hunter a fake phone number, convinced she’s rid of him for good.

Little does she know, Hunter is far from ready to let her go. A year later, a quick trip back to California brings Natalia face-to-face with him once again. After another close call and finding Hunter far too tempting to resist, Natalia gives him her mother’s phone number, thinking her mom’s obsession with grandbabies and marriage would scare off any sane man. Weeks later, when another traditional Sunday dinner with her family comes around, Natalia is left dumbfounded as she opens her mother’s front door to find Hunter waiting on the porch. Tired of running and resisting their electric chemistry, Natalia agrees to Hunter’s intriguing proposal: eight weeks, no strings, just sex. It seems like the perfect plan to get each other out of their systems once and for all. But as they navigate their arrangement, it soon becomes clear that their hearts have very different plans.

Hunter was a lot – but somehow, still not enough! You wanted to be offended by the crass things that came out of his mouth, yet like Natalia, you couldn’t help but be irresistibly drawn to him. Their banter made this book incredibly engaging and fun. Whether it was Natalia’s sharp one-liners or Hunter’s witty retorts, their interactions were pure gold. Add in a sassy fifteen-year-old and an Italian mother who can expertly wield a meat grinder, and you’re left laughing out loud, tearing up, and gasping in a rinse and repeat fashion. Another relationship that stood out was Natalia’s bond with her best friend, Anna. Their friendship was a breath of fresh air – completely free of unnecessary drama and as solid as a yin-yang match. In that same respect, Vi crafted a similar dynamic between Hunter and his best friend, Derek, showing how two seemingly opposite men could complement and support each other in life.

Be warned – this book is scorching hot right out of the gate. The chemistry between Natalia and Hunter is explosive from their very first encounter. Vi sets up a tantalizing cat-and-mouse game within the opening pages, and it’s every bit as thrilling as you’d imagine. While I’d categorize it as a slow burn, Natalia’s resistance to Hunter’s charm only made the moments when she slipped that much more intoxicating. From fleeting kisses to lingering moments, every interaction between them was blazing hot.

Vi masterfully used dual narration to tell their story, but what truly made it unique was the timeline she chose. Natalia narrated the present, while Hunter’s chapters revisited his past. These significant glimpses into his history revealed exactly why he struggled with commitment, why he carried so much guilt, and why he believed detachment was his best way to keep Natalia safe – even if it inadvertently caused her pain.

At its core, this book explores the difference between simply being alive and truly living. Through Natalia, Hunter, and even Minnie, Vi showed how fear can set boundaries around how far someone is willing to go in life. For Natalia, fear meant constantly looking in the rearview mirror, terrified of repeating past mistakes and unable to fully embrace the future. For Hunter, it was just the opposite – he refused to look ahead, living solely in the present because the past had taught him that the future was never guaranteed. It was fascinating to see how Vi brought them together from opposite ends of the spectrum, like two magnets repelling each other at first before ultimately finding the force to push them both out of their comfort zones and finally start living their lives again.

The emotional depths of Hunter’s backstory caught me completely by surprise and left a genuine ache in my chest. Understanding his pain and why he built walls around his heart added so much depth to his character. You can’t help but grieve for his losses and desperately root for the future he doesn’t yet believe he deserves. The theme of regret was artfully woven throughout the story, whether it was Bella reflecting on how she’d spent her younger years questioning herself, Natalia constantly blaming herself for missing red flags, or Hunter struggling to accept the hand fate dealt him.

This book is a much needed reminder of the difference between survival and truly living. Playing it safe may keep you from getting hurt, but it also prevents you from experiencing the fullness of life. Take the risks, make the mistakes, and embrace the uncertainty – because that’s where life truly happens.

Spoiler alert to give a trigger warning – please stop reading if you do not want the reveal ruined for you. 

Trigger Warning: A suicide occurs in the story. While the act itself takes place off-page, the discovery of the body is on-page, along with a description of its condition.