Leave Before I Love You is a romantic comedy with an adventure survival twist! It’s the second installment in the Midnight Series, but it can be read as a standalone romance. If you’ve read the first book in the series, characters Beau and June make satisfying appearances. The story features some popular romance tropes, including “brother’s best friend,” “forced proximity,” and “slow-burn to heated romance!”

The story follows Avery Bank, a privileged party girl who has been quietly crushing on Henry Callahan, her brother’s best friend, for years. When a plane ride to a short getaway goes terribly wrong, they’re forced to parachute onto a deserted island. With no escape in sight, their simmering attraction evolves under high-stakes survival.

The story is told from the alternating first-person POVs of protagonists Avery and Henry—and readers get to clearly see how opposite these characters are. Avery’s POV is high energy, sarcastic, and filled with over-the-top inner monologues—and readers will eventually see past her “rich party girl” facade as she speaks to readers of her fears of being judged and longing for connection. Henry’s POV is much more grounded, thoughtful, and dry-humored. He quickly reveals the depth of his long-held feelings for Avery—and his internal struggle with loyalty to her brother, and his tendency to overanalyze make him very likable! Seeing both sides of their banter makes their relationship layered and believable!

Speaking of banter, there’s so much of it throughout that it will keep a smile constantly plastered on readers’ faces! Avery is very emotionally reactive—her privileged, party-girl persona sometimes shines through in her dialogue, and she can be insufferable at times. But after a few days on the island, when the dire reality of their situation sets in, her attitude improves. On the contrary, Henry is A+ book boyfriend material from the onset. On the island he acts as Avery’s protector—and when their relationship becomes intimate, he’s the perfect gentleman, making sure she’s comfortable and her needs are being taken care of every step of the way. He’s almost a “too good to be true” male lead—and some readers may argue too good for Avery!

The island is lushly depicted, and the scenes there—whether it be fishing, foraging for food, or swimming in water—are very immersive, and readers will feel like they’re right there with Henry and Avery! The writing is fresh, snappy, and very readable! While the majority of the story takes place in the present, there are several flashbacks that show the history of attraction between Henry and Avery—from flirtatious conversations in their youth to a shared kiss just a few years earlier that was brushed under the rug. Their chemistry is palpable in every scene together—spending so much time together on the island and relying on each other for survival forces them not only to confront their feelings for each other but also to open themselves up emotionally. For those who love authentic, meaningful dialogue that’s a segway to heated scenes—this book is especially for you!

Overall, Leave Before I Love You is a standout swoony rom-com, as it thrills (at least in the first half) as much as it tugs at your heartstrings. Fans of Max Monroe’s previous books or those who love forced proximity romances, survival stories, and slow-burn to steamy love stories will devour this book!