Next of Kin (Next #1)
If you're here for protective heroes and the women who challenge their need to control everything, prepare for emotional intensity!
What absolutely gutted me was how their struggles felt so achingly familiar. These aren't your polished romance book characters with convenient solutions - they're two kids who grew up way too fast, drowning under responsibilities that should never have been theirs. Every time Chloe bent over backwards trying to make everyone else happy while her own dreams crumbled, I wanted to scream. And Warren's walls were built from years of protecting himself and his little brother? God, my heart just ached for both of them.
The whole guardian situation doesn't feel like some cute romance setup - it feels like survival. Watching these two wounded people try to figure out how to keep their families together while slowly, carefully letting each other in was just beautiful and heartbreaking. Their banter has this perfect mix of defensive snark and underlying vulnerability that makes every interaction feel electric.
Warren's relationship with his deaf brother honestly made me cry. The author doesn't use his brother's deafness as some inspirational plot device - it's just part of who they are as a family, woven in naturally and authentically. The way Warren signs while he's stressed, how protective he gets, how their whole communication flows - it all feels so genuine and lived-in.
The slow burn between Warren and Chloe is absolutely exquisite torture. You can feel them fighting their attraction while being drawn together by shared understanding and genuine care. When they finally stop pretending they don't want each other, it's not just physical - it's this beautiful moment of two people choosing to be vulnerable together.
What really destroyed me was how this story shows that family isn't just who you're born to - it's who shows up when everything falls apart. The way these characters create their own support system, the way love grows in the spaces between trauma and hope - it's devastatingly beautiful.
Fair warning, though - this book doesn't shy away from the heavy stuff. Financial stress, child welfare concerns, the weight of adult responsibilities crushing young shoulders - but it handles everything with such care and authenticity that you feel safe even when your heart is breaking.
This is what contemporary romance should be - messy and real and hopeful all at once!
Ratings: 4.5/5 Smolders✨
