Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick 
 #1 Crush is the first book in the Loose Ends series by Kaia Bennett. She has said that each book will be a full length novel and there will be three books total. I loved the cover of this book and couldn't wait to read it from that alone, but the face that it was a best friend's little sister book just sealed the deal for me. This book was really great, and I honestly couldn't put it down. I am anxious for the next book and hope that Kaia Bennett doesn't make us wait too long for more of Nicole and Gabriel. 
 Nicole has watched Gabriel from afar for years. She has only ever been looked at as the younger sister of his good friend and has had to watch him date other women. But when she is left alone at the apartment Gabriel shares with Nicole's sister Jackie and her boyfriend Ian, Nicole ends up doing a little exploring and gets caught in a compromising position by none other than Gabriel. Nicole is embarrassed, but Gabriel begins to view her completely different than he ever allowed himself to before. Soon they are engaging in a passionate affair that goes beyond just the physical. But with Nicole leaving soon and both of them not looking for a serious relationship, can they turn her crush into something real? 
 Let me just say that I loved Nicole and Gabriel. They might not have spent a ton of time together or really ever had anything beyond friendship, but it was clear that they have always connected with one another. They enjoy the same books and music, and never had any problems discussing things. Even if they didn't agree, they always had an easy way to their friendship. But as this book really got into the new side to their relationship, it was also clear that they had both been noticing each other from afar and it wasn't just Nicole that had feelings for Gabriel. These two were super steamy together, and I enjoyed seeing them explore their fantasies and physical connection as much as the friendship that they already had. They were downright hot, and I couldn't get enough of their sexy times. 
 Overall, I thought that this was a great first installment in this series. I loved seeing them discover each other's bodies and their physical connection, and couldn't wait for more of them. I did think that this one was a lot of sex and steam, but it didn't bother me at all. They already had the friendship and this was the start of something more for them. While we didn't get a lot of emotional development in this book, I did see that they were both developing real feelings for one another whether they were ready to admit that or not. They both knew that what was happening between them was more than what they had felt with others. I can't wait to see what the next book in this series has in store for these two. I will say that this book was one I couldn't put down, and it would have been a five star read for me if it wasn't for the fact that I felt the back and forth in time was a bit confusing. It would switch from present to an event or conversation in the past, and I found it a bit disorienting. Otherwise, this book was everything I could have asked for and more. If you are looking for a sexy read to dive into, I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot. The story will continue in the next book, but this one didn't end with a huge cliffhanger or anything like that. Kaia Bennett did a great job with this story, and she absolutely left me hungry for more. 
 **ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**