Nikki

I genuinely did not expect Broken Rival to impress me this much.

I enjoy Tessa Bailey’s romcoms, so I expected something fun, romantic, spicy, and a little outside her usual wheelhouse.

What I got was SO much more ambitious.

This story is twisty, emotional, surprisingly intricate, and built around time-travel rules that were genuinely easy to follow. It gave me just enough information to start forming theories without handing me the answers.

And then there’s the romance.

THE YEARNING.

I’m picky about relationships that develop quickly. I don’t mind fast feelings, but I need them to feel earned through something deeper than attraction—danger, protection, shared history, fate… give me a reason to believe these people could become so important to each other so quickly.

Without spoiling anything, Ramsey and Magnolia absolutely worked for me.

Ramsey is broody, protective, complicated, and so painfully devoted that I spent most of the book trying to figure out exactly what was happening inside that man’s head.

Which brings me to something I almost never say: I’m glad we didn’t get much of his POV.

Ramsey knows things Magnolia—and the reader—doesn’t. Instead of revealing too much, the story lets us share her confusion, notice the strange details, and slowly piece everything together. His perspective becomes available exactly when it should, and it was SO smart.

Broken Rival completely changed what I thought a Tessa Bailey book could be. I knew she could write chemistry, spice, banter, and an MMC who is absolutely gone for his girl.

I didn’t expect this level of plotting, foreshadowing, emotional layering, and speculative storytelling.

I’m so impressed.

My biggest recommendation when it hits shelves October 6th?

Go in as blind as possible. The less you know, the more fun you’ll have. Trust me. 🤍