The narrators? Chef’s kiss. Emotionally engaging, perfectly delivered, and totally nailed the tone.
The Side Project by Laurel Osterkamp gave me all the feels — sweet, emotional, funny, and just the right touch of angst to keep me fully hooked.
Rylee’s already a successful romance author (under a pen name 👀), but she decides to go back to school for creative writing. And who does she run into? Carson — her best friend’s older brother and her old high school crush. He’s a single dad, juggling life, love, and a soon-to-be ex-wife, and let’s just say… messy never looked so good 😏
Their “side project” (aka friends-with-benefits setup) starts off casual, but you know how that turns out — feelings, chaos, and all the heart flutters 💕
Rylee’s personal growth was so satisfying to watch, and Carson’s vulnerability completely pulled me in. Plus, the side characters? Total scene stealers. Carson’s soon-to-be ex-wife Dana and Rylee’s brother Brandon are both amazing — layered, real, and the kind of characters you end up emotionally attached to.
This was my first book by Laurel Osterkamp, but it definitely won’t be my last. Heart, humor, heat, and healing — what more could I want?