4 stars! 
 Review at Of Pens and Pages 
 Matthew Hamilton was born to be the next president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. His father, the late President Hamilton, knew it, the world knew it, but Matt fought hard against it when he was younger. 
 Now at thirty-five--the youngest ever candidate--Matt has fully embraced his fate and is determined to continue his father's legacy by running for presidency as an independent candidate. With a team of young but competent and accomplished aides, Matt is on a tight race but he's so close to winning it. 
 Part of his campaign team is Charlotte Wells, the daughter of Senator Wells, a good friend of the late President Hamilton. Like Matt, Charlotte was born into a political family, and she's aware of the repercussions of being in one. Charlotte has had a crush on Matt since the moment she first met him when she was eleven. 
 Told in alternating POVs, we see the budding relationship between the two and the realization that what they have will only end in heartbreak. Matt knows when he becomes president, the country will be his priority. He's not willing to put Charlotte into the same situation his father put him and his mother when he was president. 
 I'm running for the most powerful office in the land. Ironic that I can't promise something as simple as my love to her." 
 But they're not willing to give up. They're drunk on each other, and they can't resist the temptation, even at the risk of scandal. Charlotte is more cautious of the two, but in the end, she still succumbs to the temptation that is Matthew Hamilton. 
 This is my first Katy Evans book, so I didn't know what to expect. It was pleasantly surprising to find out that this book had a bit of a slow burn to it, as the steam didn't happen until somewhere in the middle. I loved the angst, too! I admit I got a bit teary-eyed as I got closer to the ending. 
 Have you ever loved someone so much it hurt like hell? I hadn't until now." 
 Matt is an alpha--obviously, since he's freaking running for President of the US--but he's not the extremely domineering alpha I dislike. He's kind, cares so much about his mother, passionate about his service to the country and his dream to continue his father's legacy, and he cares a lot about Charlotte. I adore this man! 
 I'm not too sure how I feel about Charlotte. There were times when she's assertive, but there were times when she came out too perfect. I don't know. Maybe that's just me. I mean, most times I liked her, but there were a few instances that felt too much for me. 
 But I loved the chemistry between the two! I can't resist a little forbidden romance, but it was especially adorable that Charlotte's had a crush on Matt since she was a kid. She even wrote him a letter that she'll support him on his campaign one day. 
 Politics takes a back seat in this story, with the book focused more on Matt and Charlotte, but there's a glimpse of what it's like to be a part of a political campaign team. I've never really read any political romance books apart from Prime Minister by, so it was quite entertaining to read more about what goes on behind the scenes. 
 The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. And at the perfect time, too. It was as I was finally fully invested in their love story. Haha. Now I'm going to have to wait for the sequel, but I can't wait to read about what happens next to Charlotte and Matt! 
 *ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. 
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