Holy MOLY. Staci Hart did it again. Here's a preview of Piece of Work: a powerful man and beautiful woman; classic art and kisses in front of Jesus; Italian sundresses and candid selfies; swoon-worthy love scenes and TONS of self-growth. If that sounds appealing to you (which, uh, DUH — of course it does!) then keep on reading. Nobody does rom-com/dram (romantic comedy/drama for those not acronymic-ally inclined) like this lady, I'm telling y'all. Just when I think she's hit the peak of an amazing romance, she knocks it clear out of the park with yet another story that captivates your heart and soul. Piece of Work was no deviation from this pattern, so if you don't mind, I'd like to geek out with you right now. Of course, we have to start with the characters. I LOVED these two, especially together. Rin is a great heroine who learns to grow into her own skin and realize her own badass-ery. She is a Dutch-Korean girl, so she is super unique looking (in the BEST way... seriously, check out Staci's Pinterest inspo board), and has to learn to embrace her height and her confidence. The only critique I had was that I felt the transition was really quick, and maybe a tad unrealistic. However, in hindsight, I think this way ended up being better, because it leaves more room for the really complicated plot: Rin & Court. I want to eat an Oatmeal Cream Pie now, because those are her favorite snack. I loved watching her overcome her doubts, learn to become as self-assured and confident as she needs to be to keep up with Court. Speaking of Court…. Court, Court, Court. This man is DANGEROUS. Do you SEE that banner/cover? *fans self* On a real note, the journey for him to let go of his past experiences and memories is looooooong and there were definitely certain parts where I wanted to punch him in his chiseled face! In his own twisted way, for much of the book, he thinks he’s doing a favor for Rin. I could never hate him for it, though, because I could see his potential as a kind, caring lover from the first moment we pop into his head; he just had to grow enough and learn to relinquish his iron-grip control on every facet of his life before he could step into that position. He’s hot, charming, and smart as hell. Sign. Me. Up. The moments in the book where he and Rin geek out over Renaissance art are some of the best in the novel — it shows how well matched they are. The writing was skillful and witty (as always) — I found myself highlighting lots of beautiful, well-worded phrases and just as many laugh-out-loud moments, too. Set in New York City like all of Hart's other novels, PoW is a sexy, sophisticated blend of art and culture. I loved the setting of the Met — it's one of my favorite places to visit in all of the Big Apple -- and I loved the detailed and accurate art mentions. It's clear Staci did her research. And Italy. I now have a lethal dose of Italian wanderlust because of this book. Gelato and sundresses and *hot lunch* and Michaelangelo’s David and GAH! It was simply magical. Also, it was DUAL POV!!!! I love when a romance is from both perspectives, as it truly rounds out the story and makes it so much more REAL. Especially here, being inside of Court’s head and seeing why he does the things he does makes readers fall for him that much more quickly. With Rin, her perspective is needed to see the transition from wallflower to “boss bitch,” and it makes her a lot more relatable to many of the readers of this book. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the novel: "That is feminism — the right to live your life however the hell you want regardless of whether or not you have a vagina.” “I’d finger you in front of Jesus any day of the week." And my personal favorite... “She was sunshine and rain on scorched earth, clean and fresh and honest, and as the first shoots of grass rose from the ash, I found myself kneeling in the dirt, cupping my hands to protect it, willing it to grow.” In case you haven’t figured it out yet: READ THIS FREAKING BOOK! t’s witty and smart, creative and romantic, and just all around an amazing read. Do yourself a favor and pick this bad boy up as soon as it drops. ;)