Poppy Sterling is used to interviewing the rich and famous in her job as a celebrity journalist in London. She stakes out the red carpet and even hosts her own interview show, making her a bit of a celeb in her own right. But there’s one person who can get under her skin: Rory Wallace, the man who broke her heart five years ago. A Scottish rugby player and her brother’s childhood friend, Rory was the man Poppy nursed a crush on for years, and eventually they even kissed. But due to a misunderstanding and a disastrous interview, Rory walked away from her and never looked back. Now he despises her and makes sure she knows it. He also hates press, photos, and publicity of any kind—but unfortunately, he needs plenty of it to promote the fundraiser he’s planning for his terminally ill friend. Luckily, this is Poppy’s area of expertise, so she offers to help out for a good cause. Everyone involved loves her bubbly personality, and even Rory admits he’s still attracted to her, but their incipient romance immediately hits a roadblock because he doesn’t trust her. While Tate shines at building tension and writing spicy sex scenes, Rory’s anger and dismissiveness make it hard to believe in the love story. He reacts to perceived slights by calling Poppy stupid or insulting her career. He does grow and apologize throughout the story, but he’s cruel so many times, even after declaring his love for Poppy, that their happily-ever-after doesn’t feel stable. The grumpy hero archetype exists for a reason, but Rory isn’t merely charmingly uptight or taciturn—he’s mean. As Poppy frequently says that she deserves better, it’s hard not to agree with her.
