Water Under the Bridge (Perks & Benefits Book 1)

Solid workplace romance with plenty of banter, ribbing, and dislike-to-lovers vibes! I love a hero that can’t help but say the wrong things but when you read his pov, he’s obsessed and just wants to say the right thing but can’t help but be flustered!

New book boyfriend type unlocked: sexy ocean lawyer 🌊 🥵ARC Review below! Thank you to Kels and Denise Stone and Between the Sheets Publishing for this ARC.Avery is passionate about conservation having been deeply impacted by the work of her father and her professional idol. Luca is running from his past career, desperate to atone for his perceived sins. Pushed together on an ocean conservation project of a lifetime, they now are in each other’s way constantly. Yet together they are electric, first in their battles between each other, and then when they realize they may better fighting with each other than against…I have truly enjoyed watching the process of Kels and Denise write this book and I could feel the love and devotion they put on these pages. I felt like I really knew who Avery and Luca were and it was exciting to see these characters grow professionally and personally. I enjoyed the deep focus on the work they were both doing. It was integral to their characters and it showed their passionate personalities. It also gave me a a reminder to not lose hope in the good work being done to make the world a better placeAs for the romance, Luca and Avery are the couple I want to double date with! They had the kind of love story that is so big but in the softest of ways, tied together and comprised of small moments and deep vulnerability. Kels and Denise were able to craft an intimacy that felt very authentic. The spice also did. Not. Dissapoint. Let’s just say Luca has a collection of ties that he is finding some new uses for…..Big ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me! I am so in awe of Kels and Denise. I feel very inspired by this book, the characters and their work. Highly recommend!

Was cute ,I really enjoyed the slow burn competition between the main character. The only issue or I guess that's not the right word uhmm... the only thing I would say is there was no real heartbreaking moment. You know the moment where everything seems so up in the air , you don't know how the story will go moment. It was all happy and smooth. Good story very cute like I said. Hallmark movie for sure

It took me a while to actually finish this book. I really didn’t got drawn to it at the beginning but then Luca and Avery are just omg, the banter was so good. I really love them and Luca is that guy that always been so good all the gestures and stuff were so hot. Avery is someone who I related a lot because I know why that means. I wish I also loved how the way the title of the book was in the book too.I really wish to see more scenes from Luca and his family with Avery. I think it would have been a really good scene but I’ll be reading the next books because I love their writing style and the diversity. Love

“Is this what trust feels like? Simply waking up and realizing the person you wanted to throw off a cliff would jump with you?”Tropes: enemies to lovers | workplace romance | slow burn | he falls first (and hard!) | $$The slow burn in this debut novel is top notch! Avery Soko & Luca Navarro appear so opposite and yet as their story unfolds we see how many similarities there are and how their differences compliment each other. The enemies in the workplace story line is well written as we work towards that relationship flip. Some of the Luca lines once he falls ?! ❤️🔥And outside of work we get to meet Lily, the ultimate best friend to Avery (so glad she gets hers own story!) plus the side characters of both Plastech and ORO were well written and not just throwaway mentions so often found in romcoms.Looking forward to more from this author duo.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 75“I know with every molecule of my being that I can ask Luca to rearrange the ground beneath my feet and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it.”

I wanted to like it more after seeing so many recommendations on booktok/bookstagram. I really did. However, the writing is just awkward at times, like the wit can be lacking/painful, some things are repeated over and over (reintroducing characters), over exposition, random flowery descriptions that aren’t in keeping with the rest of the text, euphemisms during spice that are cringe, etc. Perhaps I’m picky, but if inconsistent writing bogs you down then maybe reconsider this book. I was still happy to finish it, but it won’t be on my re-read list.

Denise is an amazing bookstagramer and now safely an even better author. This book by the debut authors is just a great example of enemies to lovers done right. Many enemies to lovers have such fundamentally opposite views it makes no sense and is a huge turn offff, that's why workplace rivals make some of the best of this trope. Which God Avery and Luca dooo so well! No huge miscommunication, just a nice slow burn of a romance unfolding. The banter ooof is sooo adorable. I finished this book in one work day ( so many "work breaks" were sadly taken), it's just such a feel good easy read. Luca is easily tied as best book bf for me :), he is sarcastic, charming and utterly devoted to the fmc without being creepy or obsessive.The side characters are nicely fleshed and if I have one complaint is that I wish I could have more of them in the book, maybe one of them gets their own??

Witty, Swoony and so so so Addictive.Tropes:- Workplace Romance- Enemies/Rivals to Lovers- Grumpy x Sunshine- Soft Only For Her- Hero Falls First and Hard- Slow Burn- SpicyAvery and Luca had me in a chokehold from page one. Avery is sassy, focused, ambitious and independent...and she definitely has no time for a boyfriend. Luca is smitten with her from the very beginning, admiring her passion and commitment to her job, and hates having to crush her dreams with every fiber of her being. Having worked all her life to get this job, Avery obviously takes it personally and declares Luca her archnemesis...or does she?Avery and Luca's banter was witty and laugh-out-loud funny. Their chemistry was palpable from their first interaction and the slow burn was so so so worth it.Also, Luca Navarro is now top tier book-boyfriend material...he was Avery's perfect match and had me swooning with how hard he was pining for her, loving watching her succeed and win every single one of their 'silly' bets.If you liked The Hating Game, you'll love Water Under the Bridge. Hats off to Kels and Denise Stone because this one was one hell of a debut novel! I cannot wait for whatever story they've in store next.

This was a good debut novel and I loved Luca & Avery's dynamic. Their hate chemistry was fun to read but I started to really enjoy the book after the 54% mark tbh. The part before that was just boring but the last half held my attention. The story became fast paced from that mark and Luca said so many swoon-worthy things which made me blush! NGL, the side characters had potential but they weren't involved much in the story. It's like they were just there and were used when it was convenient. Regardless, I liked the setting of the book the tropes were well executed and the romance was appealing!

This book is pure rom-com material and it’s a great one. You can see Denise and Kels know what readers want and they don’t fail to deliver it. I loved Ave and Luca dynamic, their whole rivalry and bets thing it’s so cute! Also I adored that we had Luca’s POV because we get to see everything that Ave can’t even imagine. They also made me intrigued about the side characters and I hope we get to see their love stories soon. For a debut novel, this was a magnificent one and I’m sure these girls will continue to amaze us.

I really enjoyed this one. It’s definitely a rom com enemies to lovers vibe. The start is a little slow and I was screaming at them at points but it ended up really good. I think my criticism of it boils down to you can tell this was a first book but that’s not really a negative. I liked the couple, and the spice was great. Side characters were fantastic. I can’t wait to read the next one.