Book Review: Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

Meet Cute

Author: Helena Hunting

Publication Date: 09 April 2019

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Pages: 370

Publisher: Forever Books/Hachette Book Group

Talk about an embarrassing introduction. On her first day of law school, Kailyn ran – quite literally – into the actor she crushed on as a teenager, ending with him sprawled on top of her. Mortified to discover the Daxton Hughes was also a student in her class, her embarrassment over their meet-cute quickly turned into a friendship she never expected. Of course, she never saw his betrayal coming either…

Now, eight years later, Dax is in her office asking for legal advice. Despite her anger, Kailyn can’t help feeling sorry for the devastated man who just became sole guardian to his thirteen-year-old sister. But when her boss gets wind of Kailyn’s new celebrity client, there’s even more at stake than Dax’s custody issues: if she gets Dax to work at their firm, she’ll be promoted to partner.

The more time Kailyn spends with Dax and his sister, the more she starts to feel like a family, and the more she realizes the chemistry they had all those years ago is as fresh as ever. But will they be able to forgive the mistakes of the past, or will one betrayal lead to another?

I read the extended preview on Meet Cute on NetGalley (thank you Forever Books) since the blurb grabbed my attention. After only three chapters, I was firmly latched onto Kailyn and Dax’s story and was devastated that I had to wait another two weeks for the book to release.

When Kailyn Flowers begins her first day of law school at UCLA, she’s so engrossed with her podcast to help calm her nerves that she’s unaware of her surroundings until she literally collides into Daxton Hughes…a famous actor that she has been obsessed with since she was a teenager. Cue typical fangirl moment. Kailyn is barely able to maintain her composure. Following their run in, she quickly learns that Dax is also studying law and eventually becomes her competition for the top spot in their class.

Fast forward 5 years after law school graduation, Kailyn is a successful trust and estate lawyer at a prestigious firm. Out of the blue, Dax shows up to her office alongside his parents to discuss setting up a trust for his 13-year-old sister Emme. While Kailyn immediately recognizes Dax as the gorgeous man that she’s crushed on since her teenage years, she also knows that he’s the jerk that betrayed her in law school and that she can’t trust him.

Unfortunately, Dax’s parents are killed in a car accident leaving him as legal guardian of Emme, and once Dax’s Aunt Linda starts a lawsuit for custody, Kailyn is appointed conservator over Emme meaning that her and Dax must closely work together. And when Kailyn thinks it can’t get even more complicated, her boss has offered her the opportunity to make partner at her law firm as long as she can convince Dax to leave his current firm for hers. Easy, right?!

I would classify this romance as somewhere between the enemies-to-lovers and second chance tropes. Kailyn and Dax were friends for a time during their law school stint, but after Kailyn is betrayed by Dax, they don’t speak to one another until that day in the Kailyn’s office. You could tell just from these two seeing each other again that there’s definitely sexual tension between them even though neither one is willing to admit it. Additionally, the banter between the two of them was spot on.

As the plot progresses, both Kailyn and Dax must learn to trust one another in order to do what’s best for Emme’s well-being. One aspect of the story that I really loved (besides the steamy romance between Kailyn and Dax, of course) was that it also focused on the love that Kailyn developed for Emme. Kailyn personally understands the loss of parents at a young age, and she is determined to do whatever is necessary to make sure that Emme never falls prey to the tumultuous legal system.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. All three characters are flawed, and they have to learn how to rebuild and trust each other after such tragic circumstances.

Have you read Meet Cute? Is it on your TBR? Let’s discuss!