Beatrice Nilsson is what some might call “feisty” (those who love her) and others “combative” (those who don’t). But no matter what you call her, she’s a good lawyer and an even better friend. So when the marriage of her two closest pals ends in divorce, Bea picks a side and storms the office of attorney Nathan Asher to tell him exactly what he can do with his alimony petition. Unfortunately, what should end with a few choice words soon spirals into uncharted territory when Nate shows up at her NYU Law office a few days later as a newly-minted adjunct professor—and her new colleague.

Bea still hates Nathan, of course. But between weekly meetings and networking events, walks around Washington Square Park and late-night pizza, that hate begins to feel a lot like something else. And as uncomfortable truths emerge about the divorce that started it all, she might have to choose between her friends’ happily ever after and her own for the very first time.

Sometimes I read so I can live vicariously through characters who have a heck of a lot more nerve than I do. You see, despite standing at a proud 6 feet, I am unfortunately as confrontational as a humble field mouse. My heroines are often the women I meet in romance novels. It has less to do with their happy endings and more with the personalities they tend to present on the page: loud, messy, and unafraid to stand up for who and what they believe in.

This is most certainly the case with Bea, the star of my new favorite romance, How Freaking Romantic. We kick off at the office of a successful divorce lawyer, Nathan, who is representing Bea’s friend’s ex-husband in their devastating divorce. Bea storms into the office and screams at Nathan (literally imagine!) before randomly running into him at school and networking events in the weeks to follow. Over time, their rivalry melts into a friendship, one thing leads to another, and…

Well, you’ll have to read to find out, of course. Just know that this is the hottest romance I’ve read in years. The tension between Nathan and Bea is sizzling and there are as many emotional high points as there are laugh-out-loud scenes and heated screaming matches. If you’re hoping to free your inner angry girl and also dig into a delectable summer romance, this is your best freaking bet.