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Beneath the Hood (Sugarlake Series Book 3) Kindle Edition
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a forbidden age gap romance.
Jackson Rhoades has a perfect smile and a broken heart. When he gets offered his dream job in Hollywood, he packs up his shattered pieces and leaves Sugarlake for good.
He thought he was hired to restore classic cars, but instead his new boss tasks Jackson with keeping an eye on his unruly nineteen-year-old daughter.
Jackson agrees reluctantly, not realizing doing so will change his life forever.
Blakely Donahue is one of the biggest influencers in North America. She’s followed by millions, but has never felt more alone. Obsessed with counting calories and drowning under the pressure of perfection, she’s barely holding herself together. When her father’s new employee starts hanging around, Blakely can’t help but feel a pull.
Jackson is nine years older and entirely off-limits, but he’s the first person to look beyond the surface and see Blakely for who she truly is. Before either of them can stop it, they’re crossing boundaries and breaking all the rules.
They know better than to get too close, but for some reason, neither can stay away.
Even if it means destruction for them both.
****
*Beneath the Hood is the third interconnected standalone in the Sugarlake series. It contains mature and graphic content. Reader Discretion is Advised. Full list of TW can be found on author's website.*
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateApril 6, 2021
- File size1.4 MB
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This option includes 4 books.
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B08NZRLXGC
- Publisher : (April 6, 2021)
- Publication date : April 6, 2021
- Language : English
- File size : 1.4 MB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 422 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #10,516 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #671 in New Adult & College Romance (Kindle Store)
- #944 in Contemporary Romance Fiction
- #1,076 in New Adult & College Romance (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Emily McIntire is a #1 New York Times, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author whose stories serve steam, slow burns, and seriously questionable morals. Her books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and span across several sub-genres within romance.
She's been featured on outlets such as Good Morning Chicago, and in Cosmopolitan.
A stage IV breast cancer thriver, you can find Emily enjoying free time with her family, getting lost in a good book, or redecorating her house depending on her mood.
Instagram: @itsemilymcintire
Facebook Group: The McInCult
Tiktok: @authoremilymcintire
X: @authoremilym
Never After Series:
- Hooked
- Scarred
- Wretched
- Twisted
- Crossed
- TBA
Sugarlake Series:
- Beneath the Stars
- Beneath the Stands
- Beneath the Hood
- Beneath the Surface
Standalone:
- Be Still My Heart
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoyed the story and found it well-written. They felt the book was heartwarming, sad, happy, and sweet. Readers enjoyed reading the book from start to finish. They loved the characters and the writing quality. The book brought out real struggles with abuse and portrayed love as beautiful.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoyed the story. They found the plot engaging and relatable, with an HEA. The characters were interesting. Overall, readers enjoyed the book and series.
"This story hit so good! Jax sees himself as second best, second pick, second choice for everyone...." Read more
"...Otherwise, it was a great book. Burned through it really fast. Predictable, but satisfying HEA." Read more
"...This is steamy, emotional and sweet. I loved the romance story here....two people who while SO different who were exactly what the other needed...." Read more
"What a rollercoaster. I really enjoy this series. I like that the characters go through real-life issues and emotions...." Read more
Customers enjoy the emotional depth of the book. They find it heartwarming, sad, and sweet. The characters are compassionate and true to their feelings. Readers appreciate how they connect with each other's souls and how the story explores mental health issues and family struggles.
"...combination of a really beautiful love stories but with a big dose of real life angst...showing that while love may not conquer all that it can pull..." Read more
"Loving this series Heart warming sad happy sweet just all good all around deff recommend can’t wait to read the rest" Read more
"...She exposes the character's pain, demons, and struggles in their life and journey to healing without shying away from messiness and touchy subjects...." Read more
"...because it brings out real, raw struggles with abuse, neglect, and mental health and having the characters work through those before coming back..." Read more
Customers enjoyed the book and found it engaging. They loved the series and found the ending satisfying.
"...Burned through it really fast. Predictable, but satisfying HEA." Read more
"...Series is definitely worth the read" Read more
"This has been my favorite in the Sugar Lake series! I love Jax and Blake’s story! FIVE STARS! Ready to dive into book 4." Read more
"...Love how these two end up together. Worth the read" Read more
Customers enjoy the characters.
"...I really enjoy this series. I like that the characters go through real-life issues and emotions. Series is definitely worth the read" Read more
"...I particularly love the writting style of Emily McIntire. Her characters feel so real, like they are laughing and crying right next to you...." Read more
"...The characters felt real, fleshed out, like people you’d meet and mesh with perfectly. To all those who feel alone, don’t worry - someone sees you." Read more
"...Blakely’s character was so well written. I haven’t read many characters like hers. So in my opinion, she was unique...." Read more
Customers find the writing quality authentic and well-crafted. They appreciate the author's ability to portray realistic struggles with abuse and messy, beautiful romance. The characters feel believable and fleshed-out, like people you would meet in real life.
"...It was real, raw, ugly and beautiful all at the same time...." Read more
"...Emily McIntire’s writing is absolute perfection in this book. There is not one thing I wish would change, no questions unanswered...." Read more
"...I love this series because it brings out real, raw struggles with abuse, neglect, and mental health and having the characters work through those..." Read more
"...The characters felt real, fleshed out, like people you’d meet and mesh with perfectly. To all those who feel alone, don’t worry - someone sees you." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's beauty. They find the love between Jackson and Blakely lovely, and the story sweet, emotional, and raw at the same time.
"...This is steamy, emotional and sweet. I loved the romance story here....two people who while SO different who were exactly what the other needed...." Read more
"Beneath The Hood is one of the most beautiful and emotional stories, I have read...." Read more
"...Their love is real and beautiful, and a little bit forbidden due to the age gap and her father being his boss...." Read more
"...Blakely is everything every young girl wants to be. Beautiful, entrepreneur, fit, in charge of our lives, people wanting to be like us...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Beautiful and Emotional
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2025This story hit so good! Jax sees himself as second best, second pick, second choice for everyone.
First his best friend who he secretly had a crush on. Then his other best friend who was in love with that friend and betrayed her but then came back to fix things.
He needs space from those he loved most but he didn’t expect to find comfort in the daughter of the man who’s dangling his dream like a toy in front of him. At first Blakely seems like a typical brat child of someone rich and famous. But she turns out to be more than meets the eyes. Blakely is trying to make it as an influencer but even tho her charm is effortless the people around her seemed hell bent on breaking her spirit. But it’s Jax who lets her see she’s perfect the way she is and not dealing with her problems anymore isn’t ok. Blakely will have to decide what’s more important…her career or her feelings for Jax.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024I like Jax probably the most of anyone so far in this series. And honestly, I think you can read this book without having read the first two. I think Blakely seems older than most 19yo, but I you could attribute that to her upbringing. The things she seems immature about seem more like mental health issues then immaturity issues to me.
Spoilers***
There’s 2 things that bum me out about this book. The first being, that I think there could’ve been some more time spent on her struggles with recovery. In the previous book, the fact that rehab isn’t the magic cure all was well covered. There was a discussion about the type of therapy Blake received, but not really how thing progressed for her. Especially with her relationship to food & exercise, this could’ve been covered more extensively.
Secondly, Jax’s reunion with Chase is extremely superficial. Because not much is covered from the other books, (or what’s covered is super high level,) his reconciliation with Chase is very shallow. I think a lot more background could have been provided.
Otherwise, it was a great book. Burned through it really fast. Predictable, but satisfying HEA.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021Beneath The Hood (Sugarlake #3) took me on a emotional journey. This is a slow burn age gap romance between Jax and Blakely. Blakely is the famous and beautiful young influencer whose entire life is about being seen. However, she has never really felt seen at all despite everyone always watching her. Jax is her fathers employee who is trying to mend his own broke heart while reaching his goals in life. They don’t make sense until they make perfect sense. This is steamy, emotional and sweet. I loved the romance story here....two people who while SO different who were exactly what the other needed. The age difference didn’t seem like a big deal even though it was pretty big (10 years) because Jax actually treated Blakely like the successful woman she was. Their road is paved with paparazzi, secrets, betrayals but also friendship, caring and love.
This is also the story of how Blakely and her mental health and family struggles. A young woman who had basically been left alone by her father because he couldn’t handle his own grief after his wife passed away during childbirth. He gave Blakely everything she could possibly want except his attention and affection. So she sought that attention and love from her followers and in order to keep it she sacrificed so much of herself. This book deals with her mental health struggles including OCD and disordered eating. I appreciated how this was dealt with in a real way and didn’t gloss over or glamorize. It showed that even the most beautiful and successful people don’t have the perfect lives we see in social media. Such a relevant topic.
This book both was exactly what I wanted for Jax and also completely decimated my heart at times. It was real, raw, ugly and beautiful all at the same time. It’s the perfect combination of a really beautiful love stories but with a big dose of real life angst...showing that while love may not conquer all that it can pull you through the darkest of times. I would highly recommend Beneath The Hood. It’s definitely a 5⭐️ read for me.
Now onto Lily’s story which I have a feeling is going to be a doozy.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025What a rollercoaster. I really enjoy this series. I like that the characters go through real-life issues and emotions. Series is definitely worth the read
- Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2025Okay book is better in 2 areas!!!
1. She didn’t have these characters separate and stay stagnant for almost a decade. I did not like that with the other stories the characters didn’t grow or change in several years!!! Until they were reunited with their “soul mate,” and then they were able to progress.
2. We have 3 stories of 3 rich, passionate young men, and 3 flailing, wondering aimlessly through life women. This one Blakey is all kinds of insecure, but at least she has more of a defined goal for her life.
What I struggle with still… Our brains are not fully developed until 25, which means we make more emotionally charged choices, and again we accept the age difference from a story because we know Jax’s character (which is actually not that great, since he ditched Chase to woo Lee, but I digress 😉), but in reality girls that young should not attach themselves to men that old. Wait a few more years.
And I think it is sad that authors want to normalize stiff like that. I think in real life most people in these situations just get hurt.
Also Eli is still my favorite character and there was not enough of him in the book!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2021I love this series. This one was a bit disappointing though. It was nice that the ending was a bit of an opening for Lily's story, and I'm sure we'll hear about Chase and Lee (who sounds pregnant) and Jax and Blake in her story. But still a great read. 4.5 stars
- Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025Loving this series
Heart warming sad happy sweet just all good all around deff recommend can’t wait to read the rest
- Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2025This has been my favorite in the Sugar Lake series! I love Jax and Blake’s story! FIVE STARS! Ready to dive into book 4.
Top reviews from other countries
- Mrs HHReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars My favourite in the series so far
I went into this book knowing it was Jackson and some woman I didn't have a connection with and thinking it won't top the first two but I think this has been my favourite. Rather than a spoilt brat Emily's clever writing had me feeling for Blakely and understanding and most importantly caring for her. It tackles some sensitive issues but it handles them very well. Jackson is my favourite guy in the series and the relationship dramas are very believable. Love this book!
- Leyendo ForeverReviewed in Mexico on April 8, 2021
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 🍭🍭🍭🍭
Spanish & English Opinion
ESP ::
Me encantó. Esta serie es súper emocional. Los personajes me hacen sentir muchas cosas y me encanta ver las historias interconectadas.
Jax es de mis favoritos y su historia con Blakely es hermosa. Ambos se merecían todo lo bueno y el enorme crecimiento que muestran durante el libro.
El final... ¡Shock total!
ENG ::
This series keeps making me feel so many things! I loved this book. The characters are amazing and I love how we can keep getting updates of our favorite couples.
Jax is definitely one of my favorites and his love with Blakely was amazing. Their story was raw, emotional but it was lovely to see them grow and achieve the epic story they both deserve.
And the end... WHAT! Need the next book ASAP!
- KikiReviewed in Germany on June 6, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Aber really enjoyed all the books in this series. Finished them in record time. Can’t wait for the next one.
- L. StarlaReviewed in Australia on April 26, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars A forbidden love in Hollywood’s shadows
If you haven’t already fallen in love with Jackson Rhoades after reading the first two books of the Sugarlake series, I guarantee you will in this, his own story. Jax is the tragic hero, broken by unrequited love and abandoned by his best friend. Attempting to move on with his life, he moves to Los Angeles to focus on his career. Enter Blakley: entitled Hollywood princess and royal pain in Jackson’s backside. But there is more to her than first appearances and the more her gets to know her, the more he wants to be with her. Problem is, she’s the boss’ daughter, the forbidden fruit, and far too young for him. How are they supposed to keep such an affair secret with the Paparazzi breathing down their necks?
As with McIntire’s previous books, this one is a beautiful blend of steamy scenes and sweet romance. The characters come to life and the story evokes a multitude of emotions. The author is skilled in her use of language, painting pictures that capture the reader’s imagination. I highly recommend the Sugarlake series.
L. StarlaA forbidden love in Hollywood’s shadows
Reviewed in Australia on April 26, 2021
As with McIntire’s previous books, this one is a beautiful blend of steamy scenes and sweet romance. The characters come to life and the story evokes a multitude of emotions. The author is skilled in her use of language, painting pictures that capture the reader’s imagination. I highly recommend the Sugarlake series.
Images in this review
- Yelena SantosReviewed in Canada on January 11, 2022
4.0 out of 5 stars Great advocate for self help
This was another good addition to the series. Emily McIntyre really focuses on trying to build health relationships one they've been toxic and puts emphasis on mental health.
Both characters were really well fleshed out and great to read. The only issue I had was with Blakely being 19.I know this was an age gap book, but 19 is barely an adult and it really took me out if the book.