Sums up everything for me: 
 Way too much back and forth passive aggressive dialogue which got in the way of my enjoyment of this. The whole 'this is a pretend relationship, real, pretend, REAL!' merry go round just muddled everything for me. It left me confused with all the contradicting dialogue. I think Shalvis over did it with the forced tension and unspoken feelings between Jack and Leah. I don't get how one drunk night of almost (not really) sex thirteen years ago lead to such supposed strained tension between them years later as adults. I mean...seriously? I had a really hard time buying this. Call me insensitive but I really thought this event was overblown and a lousy reasoning to use as tension & distrust between them. I don't remember seeing any of this supposed strained tension between these two in the previous book. This felt very contrived. Also most of the reasons used over why they couldn't/shouldn't be together were inconsistent and not viable enough to keep them apart. I really felt Shalvis was reaching here. The reasons why they shouldn't be together kept changing every time these two would get around to having a serious conversation. 
 The whole 'pretend' relationship and the rules they kept putting on just didn't work for me. If it's a fake relationship then what's with the rules? I didn't like the fact that a silly white lie forced them into playing along and eventually becoming friends with benefits. It cheapened what they had and all the history they shared. I've always loved reading best friends becoming lovers but going the friends-with-benefits route just doesn't work especially if 80% of the story they are denying any feelings and 'pretending' it doesn't matter. Really wish Shalvis would use another trope at this point because this sex-with-no-strings schtick is getting really old. What worries me is that she seems to be using the same formula in most of her books now, to the point that a lot of her stories are very similar and predictable. I'll be honest, I keep getting the deja vu feeling of 'haven't we been here before?' in the last handful of books from this series. 
 I thought all the flip flopping and Leah running off avoiding Jack like the plague was tiring, overdone and immature. I tried really hard to empathize with her given what she went through growing up with an abusive asshole father but honest to g-d the girl tested my patience with all the back and forth and going in circles. And the repetitive contradicting conversations just made them both come off silly and confusing. One minute her and Jack are talking about giving it a serious try and the next they are reminding each other it's all for pretend. Um..what? This goes on for more than half of the story. Leah I felt had a lot more growing up to do and I don't think there was a lot of character growth for her in here, it happened a little too late for me with all the hedging and avoiding facing her issues till the very last few chapters. I do think Jack was adorable and a total sweetheart and yeah he was a bit of a play boy and needed to get his shit together. It's like the both of them were their own worst enemy. At one point Leah self-depricatingly admits she needs therapy and I found myself agreeing. I understood her crippling fear of being a failure but I think Shalvis poured it on real thick with Leah's flighty testy indecisive personality. She didn't want to face or accept the fact that she would self-sabotage herself. It just muddled everything with all the back and forth conversations that would go nowhere. 
 I loved Kevin, Jack's rambunctious Great Dane. Once again the pet is the stand out star of the story. LOL He was hilarious and so adorable. Shalvis's animals are so much fun but it's starting to seriously come across like this at times: 
 I thought the arson subplot was a little bit forced especially how the culprit was 'caught' at the very end. Way too convenient and rushed. Jack not being able to figure it out through the entire book until the very end when he notices how someone walks and stands up? Eh. Seemed very contrived and a last minute wrap-up. 
 Shalvis's writing is enjoyable, she's a hit or miss author for me but I always come back to her for a light fun read. And the fact that brooding silent Ben gets a book next has me coming back for more again. *sigh* Aubrey better treat him right!