Average: 3/5 Honestly, "After We Collided" has almost the same review as "After". Honestly, Tessa’s overreactions are starting to piss me off more than Hardin’s childish antics. Hardin is just a big baby who throws a temper tantrum every time something doesn’t go his way. Tessa is a freaking drama queen who doesn’t seem to care about the consequences of her actions.
(Tessa) Oh, I see you 10 feet away talking to a girl about keeping a secret. The only logical reaction is to go make out with some random guy. I can’t just ask you what’s up. That’s not enough drama.
(Hardin) Oh, you whispered Zed’s name in your sleep? I have to go out, get drunk, and sleep at my ex-fling’s house. I know that I have nightmares most nights and can’t control what happens, but you dreaming about Zed means you don’t love me. While I’m at it, I’m going to lie to you about where I am and get caught because I contradicted my lies.
(Tessa) Oh, Hardin has been ignoring me for a week?! I have to kiss Zed now. God forbid I should go two weeks without a boyfriend.
(Hardin) Let me ignore Tessa so she’ll move on and find someone better and then have a temper tantrum because she’s hanging out with Zed.
(Tessa) Let me tell my boss that I’ll transfer to the Seattle office, but I’m not going to tell Hardin. No, I’m going to tell Zed instead, and then Zed will yell it out in front of Hardin so that Hardin knows I was keeping it from him. (Sorry for the tiny spoiler.)

Ughhhhhhhhh. This is too much, honestly. I need to tag that Facebook group “That Relationship Sounds Exhausting.” I would have dumped both Hardin and Tessa at this point. There’s too much drama. Like how do they even have time to focus on work and school? The writing flowed better in this book compared to the first one. We got the opportunity to learn more about our MCs and their past trauma. I have issues with the lack of substance to the plot, but it was also written to be fanfiction. We could have had some real-world problems that would change the whole book around. I feel like there may be some more substance in the next one with Tessa possibly finding her dad. We will see.

• Trigger Warnings: mentions of past SA, some violent outbursts, sexually explicit content
• World-Building: 2/5 – I have the same complaints as last time. We got to hear a little about the new Seattle office they’re building, but it doesn’t go into much detail. We’re pretty much stuck with the exact information from the first book. I would like to see more about where Hardin grew up in England.
• Relationship Building: 4/5 – Tessa and Hardin are starting to learn a lot more about each other. Tessa finds out about Natalie and some other ****** stuff that Hardin did before moving to the US.
• Conflict(s): 5/5 – Like in "After", Tessa and Hardin always have conflict.
• Heat: 4/5 – There are sex scenes, but they’re mostly just that. There’s a little more buildup and sexual tension than the first book, but it’s still pretty tame. There is a little more romance and a little more “spice” in "After We Collided" vs. "After".
• Cliffhanger, HFN, or HEA: Cliffhanger/HFN. Tessa and Hardin are together for now, so that rates an HFN. However, Tessa just ran into her dad outside the tattoo parlor, and I feel like that qualifies as a cliffhanger.
• Significant Tropes: All the same tropes tbh.
o Afraid to Commit
o Bad Boy (aka Bad Boy who only behaves for the Good Girl)
o Beauty and the Beast (Tessa is the stereotypical “perfect girl,” and Hardin has tattoos and piercings.)
o Bet/Dare (fallout from the exposure of this in the first book)
o Good Girl
o Love Triangle (Hardin, Tessa, and Zed)
o Opposites Attract
o Playboy
• Cheating: Yes
• MFM: No
• MM: No
• Anal: No
• BDSM/Kink: No

Description: Tessa and Hardin could have had it all. Their passion for each other could have burnt down the world around them. Then Tessa learned something about Hardin that she might never be able to forgive. Hardin took her everything from her, and for what? A bet? Was their love even real? Did it mean anything to him? Above all, can Tessa ever forgive him for this? Tessa wanted the love of the boy everyone claims cannot love. Will her dreams go down in flames, or can love truly conquer all?

After We Collided - Likewise Book Reviews

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