Very fun, kickstarted my interest in romance

This is an incredibly fun, fairly chill romance that was my intro to the genre as an adult, basically. I've since read almost all of Jasmine Guillory's novels, and this remains one of the best. I've learned I'm not usually a fan of the fake dating plot device, but here it worked well, and I loved the way the characters transitioned from strangers to flirty friends to lovers. Both of the central characters were fairly fun and kind, which I appreciated, as it ensured that the novel was low-stakes and low on confrontation. I also appreciated all of the secondary characters and the fact that later Guillory novels expand on their relationships and personalities. In all, this book establishes a world that's very fun to visit and escape from the problems of reality, particularly in these overtly racist times. I appreciated how the book dealt with race and interracial relationships in a [seemingly] forthright and straightforward way. Highly recommend.