I first came across If You Want Me on Instagram when Helena Hunting was promoting the release, and I will admit it, I caved. The way she marketed it, leaning into the forbidden, age-gap “dad’s best friend” trope, hit all my weak spots. This is also my first Hunting book, and I was curious to see how she would deliver on the promise.

As noted earlier, If You Want Me takes a forbidden love setup and infuses it with just the right amount of angst to keep the pages turning. This is the story of Hollis Hendrix, a thirty-year-old hockey player carrying emotional scars from a failed relationship, and Peggy Aurora Hammerstein, the twenty-year-old daughter of his best friend, a vibrant, determined young woman who knows exactly what she wants, and that happens to be Hollis. Their connection begins as a spark that neither of them can quite ignore, no matter how many reasons Hollis gives himself to resist.

Hollis is the kind of hero who is as strong on the ice as he is tender off it. His scars make him cautious, even fearful, of risking his heart again, but they also make his journey that much more relatable. Peggy, on the other hand, is a heroine who radiates confidence and determination. She might be younger, but she is in no way naïve about what she feels or wants. I really liked Peggy wasn’t simply there to chase Hollis, but to push him to confront his fears and see her as his equal partner.

The age-gap dynamic, compounded by the fact that Peggy is Hollis’ best friend’s daughter, sets up a deliciously forbidden undercurrent. Hollis wrestles constantly with his desire for her, knowing how much is at stake if he crosses the line. Peggy, though, does not shy away from the truth of her feelings. The push and pull between them is intense, angsty at times, and grounded in a very real emotional conflict. It is the kind of romance where you find yourself holding your breath, waiting to see when the hero will finally give in.

The forbidden element; the fact that Peggy is Hollis’s best friend’s daughter, drives most of the angst, and Hunting plays it well. Hollis struggles with the possible fallout while Peggy refuses to let convention dictate her choices. Yet even here, the book has a modern lens. Peggy’s mother, who herself is in an open relationship and embraces a progressive lifestyle, still finds it hard to accept her daughter entangled with an older man. It is a reminder that even the most liberal or vulnerable people can turn surprisingly conservative when it comes to protecting their own blood.

I think Hunting also did an excellent job in the portrayal of the Hollis’ vulnerability. Seeing a hero who is physically strong but emotionally scarred is always good, especially when it is handled well, and Hunting did justice to his struggle. I also loved the sense of community in this book; Peggy’s girl squad, the supportive teammates, and the generally healthy relationships around them created a balance that kept the story from being weighed down by angst.

That said, I did wish Hollis’ passion came across a little more fiercely in the bedroom. The setup promised a level of intensity that never quite delivered once they gave in to their feelings; it was sweet, yes, but perhaps too sweet for the initial vibes I expected.

Overall, If You Want Me is a very modern, heartfelt romance. There are no contrived miscommunications here, just two people navigating a complicated relationship with honesty and care. I enjoyed the maturity of the storytelling, even if I longed for a bit more fire and angst in certain moments.

Recommended for: readers who love forbidden romances, age-gap dynamics, sports romance settings, and emotionally vulnerable heroes.

Final Verdict: A tender, modern take on the dad’s best friend trope with angsty undercurrents. While it didn’t fully match the intensity I anticipated, Hollis and Peggy’s love story was still deeply satisfying.

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