A passionate vice principal and a guarded science teacher compete for a grand prize, only to realize their budding relationship might be the real jackpot.
Brianna Rogers has been told a time (or six) she needs to stop jumping into things head first. But when the principal rescinds his approval for a library upgrade, deciding to spend the money on a football field instead, she sees red. Literally. Brianna throws her hat in the ring and joins a team of teachers who will spend their summer in a Mars simulation. As the sister of an astronaut, this should be easy, right? What she didn’t count on was the last-minute addition to the team—Roman science teacher, son of the principal, and too handsome for his own good.
Roman and Brianna have been hot and cold all year, and living in close quarters intensifies their animosity and attraction. Brianna is sure he’s been sent by his father to sabotage them, foiling their chance at prize money that will cover all of the school’s actual needs. But each day, Roman proves himself to be a dedicated teammate—and Brianna finds herself falling harder and harder. While it’s clear the feeling is mutual, she can’t shake the sense that he’s hiding something. As the simulation nears its end, Brianna realizes she may have to make an impossible choice, between the school she’s dedicated herself to, and the man who has won his way into her heart.
Read: February 25, 2026 – March 1, 2026
Final Rating: 3.25/5 – solid read, I liked parts of it but some elements didn’t quite land for me
The last few chapters were a bit of a struggle to get through. I enjoyed the narration very much, though! She brought the pages to life and I found myself laughing when the funny bits came on.
Main gripe: There were 3 hours left of the audiobook and Bri and Roman were the only ones left… I had no clue how they were going to stretch out the plot for the rest of the book because they still had several weeks of tasks to complete. Additionally, though I understand her reservations, Bri’s constant accusations felt a tad over the top. When she sabotaged his oxygen tank, I wasn’t surprised because she’d been second guessing his every step.
The romance felt a bit rushed. I didn’t know enough of their history to understand why they liked each other outside of a physical attraction, or why they felt deeply for each other. I will say that I am open to reading other books of the author. Perhaps this specific one wasn’t for me.