What do you think?
Rate this book
Reluctant Love: Welcome to Emancipation
If there’s one thing Farrah Gray can’t stand, it’s the smug, arrogant, slightly gorgeous Mekhi Venzant. He misjudged her from the day he met her, and they’ve been enemies ever since. The heated back and forth, the sarcastic commentary, the sly insults—they all infuriate her… almost as much as they exhilarate her. Every time the up-and-coming financier crosses her path, Farrah can’t decide whether she wants to slap his face—or kiss it.
Mekhi matches Farrah’s disdain. The bougie, annoying, slightly beautiful suburban princess had looked down on him from day one. Aggravating her became his mission. He just didn’t expect the annoying little bookworm to give as good as she got.
When dangerous circumstances link them together, Mekhi suddenly finds himself acting as Farrah’s protector. In forced proximity, the duo discover that the passion between them doesn’t all come from anger. As things begin to heat up between them, the world around them is also set ablaze. Can their reluctant love withstand the fire or will it perish in a madman’s flame?
Mekhi matches Farrah’s disdain. The bougie, annoying, slightly beautiful suburban princess had looked down on him from day one. Aggravating her became his mission. He just didn’t expect the annoying little bookworm to give as good as she got.
When dangerous circumstances link them together, Mekhi suddenly finds himself acting as Farrah’s protector. In forced proximity, the duo discover that the passion between them doesn’t all come from anger. As things begin to heat up between them, the world around them is also set ablaze. Can their reluctant love withstand the fire or will it perish in a madman’s flame?
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 23, 2025
471 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Elle Kayson
47 books1,466 followersPublished Author.
Exasperated Mother.
Southern Cook.
Angsty, Beautiful, Clueless Mess.
That's me, in short. I've been writing since elementary school and won my first prize in seventh grade. I am a romantic at heart and love a happy ending! Join me on this writing (and reading) journey--you won't be disappointed!
Exasperated Mother.
Southern Cook.
Angsty, Beautiful, Clueless Mess.
That's me, in short. I've been writing since elementary school and won my first prize in seventh grade. I am a romantic at heart and love a happy ending! Join me on this writing (and reading) journey--you won't be disappointed!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 26, 2025
(4.5⭐️) Mekhi was giving major Daddy Dom energy & Farrah for sure was in her bratty era🤣. That girl stayed poppin off at the mouth to him smh. But I loved their banter and chemistry plus their natural progression from “enemies” to lovers. And I use enemies loosely because they know they liked each other from the beginning lol. There was lots of suspense here and a plot twist that I definitely didn’t see coming. The story had good pacing and kept me locked in.
November 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tension Turned Into Love
Big shoutout to Elle Kayson for gifting us Patreon members this early read and happy birthday to her! 🎉
Farrah and Mekhi had me hooked from the jump. This one ain’t no insta love it’s that back and forth tension that slowly turns into something real. Farrah gave him a run for his money, but Mekhi stood on business behind her and his sister 💪🏾
Elle never misses. I already knew it was gon’ be a 5-star before I even opened the book 😮💨🔥
Can’t wait to see what Elle drops next 👀✨
Tension Turned Into Love
Big shoutout to Elle Kayson for gifting us Patreon members this early read and happy birthday to her! 🎉
Farrah and Mekhi had me hooked from the jump. This one ain’t no insta love it’s that back and forth tension that slowly turns into something real. Farrah gave him a run for his money, but Mekhi stood on business behind her and his sister 💪🏾
Elle never misses. I already knew it was gon’ be a 5-star before I even opened the book 😮💨🔥
Can’t wait to see what Elle drops next 👀✨
November 26, 2025
The story was a good read. I may have missed a few answers to questions about the Mom's actions, the why, I cannot recall.
Read
November 27, 2025I’m not sure exactly how to rate this one. I love Elle and the story was definitely as great as her others. It was most definitely a SLOW burn but the plot as always was plotting. The characters were well developed and the chemistry between the MCs was palpable. There were some very slow parts where nothing was happening but once it picked up it started falling into place quickly. If nothing else I definitely loved Farrah giving Khi a run for his money. She was not to be played with and she wasn’t just taking nothing lying down. 🤣 I’ll have to do a second read to be able to rate and fully appreciate this.
January 18, 2026
I’m actually sad this is over. I was fully locked into Farrah and Mekhi 😭. This book reminds me that blood aint always thicker than water and when in doubt, stress that man out.
December 16, 2025
i really dont like that i never got to know this man age... but whatever the premise of the story was okay. i dont know if its because i never had it happen to me before but i cant IMAGINE. man fr talking to me crazy and thinking ima listen. and baby someone had one more time bring up my good sis weight and i was finna fuck shit up. i dont even like he kept mentioning it because tuh fuck u little boy
November 26, 2025
(4.5 ⭐️) When I tell you elle kayson is gonna write the hell out of a book?! I just knew this was gonna be a hit!
I really thought I had the story figured out but it was bombshell after bombshell. I really empathize with Mekhi considering the circumstances he grew up in, but with all that, he still had the capacity to desire something different and Farrah was just that something different. They challenged one another. Now Gillian?? Don’t even get me started!
The one thing I didn’t care for in this book is the fat shaming coming from multiple characters towards Farrah. It’s one thing for her to have already been insecure. But she was literally catching strays from every direction besides her family (including one of Mekhi’s slick comments).
Overall this was a great read!
I really thought I had the story figured out but it was bombshell after bombshell. I really empathize with Mekhi considering the circumstances he grew up in, but with all that, he still had the capacity to desire something different and Farrah was just that something different. They challenged one another. Now Gillian?? Don’t even get me started!
The one thing I didn’t care for in this book is the fat shaming coming from multiple characters towards Farrah. It’s one thing for her to have already been insecure. But she was literally catching strays from every direction besides her family (including one of Mekhi’s slick comments).
Overall this was a great read!
December 26, 2025
This was really good. I love a grumpy man / sunshine woman romance, and this one delivered without doing too much.
Mekhi being so young yet so grumpy honestly cracked me up. His whole life being built on a lie about his upbringing and family added real depth to his character, and it explained so much about why he moved the way he did. Farrah, on the other hand, was soft, focused, and quietly ambitious. She kept to herself, stayed locked in on her goals, and balanced that softness with sarcasm and boldness in the best way.
I really enjoyed how their relationship unfolded. The pacing felt natural, the chemistry made sense, and nothing felt forced. This is definitely a book I could reread.
Sign-out thoughts:
This is probably one of my shorter reviews simply because neither main character irritated me—and that’s rare. Okay, maybe his mama a little, but we didn’t get enough of her for it to ruin anything. I love when I can genuinely like the characters because they truly make or break a story. I also understood Trell and why he was going so hard; his actions made sense given what he’d been through.
Overall, solid romance, great character balance, and an enjoyable read from start to finish. 💚📖
Mekhi being so young yet so grumpy honestly cracked me up. His whole life being built on a lie about his upbringing and family added real depth to his character, and it explained so much about why he moved the way he did. Farrah, on the other hand, was soft, focused, and quietly ambitious. She kept to herself, stayed locked in on her goals, and balanced that softness with sarcasm and boldness in the best way.
I really enjoyed how their relationship unfolded. The pacing felt natural, the chemistry made sense, and nothing felt forced. This is definitely a book I could reread.
Sign-out thoughts:
This is probably one of my shorter reviews simply because neither main character irritated me—and that’s rare. Okay, maybe his mama a little, but we didn’t get enough of her for it to ruin anything. I love when I can genuinely like the characters because they truly make or break a story. I also understood Trell and why he was going so hard; his actions made sense given what he’d been through.
Overall, solid romance, great character balance, and an enjoyable read from start to finish. 💚📖
January 8, 2026
The story was good for the most part but I didn’t care for Mekhi. First of all feeling up on a 17 year old when you’re 21 is a no go. Then all the comments about her being overweight. And personally if Mekhi is supposed to look like dude on the cover (yeah it’s just his profile but still) then he doesn’t need to be talking about anybody being slightly beautiful. 🤨 Yeah I wouldn’t have given him the time of day. Sucks about his family and his mama is definitely TRIFLIN!!!! (Yes triflin!! No g lol) Trell’s mama was trifling too. Smdh. Happy how it ended.
The following are all the thoughts I had while reading this book so it may contains some spoilers:
Yeah Farrah is still underage so Mekhi should NOT be touching her.
“She was pretty as ever, if you were into extra-thick chicks.” This is honestly strike 3 for me! But i’ll go back to strike 2.
“Bitch, I just saved your life.” And there’s strike 3! I’m out! ✌🏾🙄
The following are all the thoughts I had while reading this book so it may contains some spoilers:
Yeah Farrah is still underage so Mekhi should NOT be touching her.
“She was pretty as ever, if you were into extra-thick chicks.” This is honestly strike 3 for me! But i’ll go back to strike 2.
“Bitch, I just saved your life.” And there’s strike 3! I’m out! ✌🏾🙄
November 27, 2025
Lawwwd have mercy
It’s the stroke of midnight on Thanksgiving Day and I am sitting on the edge of my couch like…. What in the….
Elle K has done it again. I wont give away any spoilers. I will say. The cute bickering between the FMC and MMC builds up to hawwwt and steamy encounters!
I have a deep respect and appreciate on how Elle K brings to the forefront, real situations and raw human emotions that will have you either cussing the characters out or crying. Also, the hint of mystery revealed at the end, will have you probably sitting on the edge of your cough like me saying… what in the…. 😃😃😃😂
It’s the stroke of midnight on Thanksgiving Day and I am sitting on the edge of my couch like…. What in the….
Elle K has done it again. I wont give away any spoilers. I will say. The cute bickering between the FMC and MMC builds up to hawwwt and steamy encounters!
I have a deep respect and appreciate on how Elle K brings to the forefront, real situations and raw human emotions that will have you either cussing the characters out or crying. Also, the hint of mystery revealed at the end, will have you probably sitting on the edge of your cough like me saying… what in the…. 😃😃😃😂
November 30, 2025
Reluctant Love: Welcome to Emancipation
This book was so good. And these parents, man some of them are so raggedy. Gillian was way too much!
Mekhi was that guy. Smart, calculating, quiet, intense, and ruthless when need be. He and Farrah had a love hate relationship all because she was too shy to say anything when they first met. Fast forward a few years, now he has to protect her from his deranged cousin.
A lot of secrets are revealed and lives are taken, but in the end, love always wins.
I also love the fact that this book takes place in Louisiana....I'm a Louisiana girl who is always throwing the L up!!
Great read!!;;
This book was so good. And these parents, man some of them are so raggedy. Gillian was way too much!
Mekhi was that guy. Smart, calculating, quiet, intense, and ruthless when need be. He and Farrah had a love hate relationship all because she was too shy to say anything when they first met. Fast forward a few years, now he has to protect her from his deranged cousin.
A lot of secrets are revealed and lives are taken, but in the end, love always wins.
I also love the fact that this book takes place in Louisiana....I'm a Louisiana girl who is always throwing the L up!!
Great read!!;;
November 27, 2025
Mekhi didn’t play!!!
Mekhi and Farrah were complicated, but fit perfectly! They didn’t know how to express their feelings, but someone showed it to each other. He thought she was bougie and looked down on him so he in turn name called and was rude… whole time they both crushed on each other. It’s sad that he had beef with a cousin because of his mom. It’s even crazier that his mom gave Farrah to Trell/KeAndre. I’m glad he found out his grandparents still loved him. This was a rollercoaster ride, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end!
Mekhi and Farrah were complicated, but fit perfectly! They didn’t know how to express their feelings, but someone showed it to each other. He thought she was bougie and looked down on him so he in turn name called and was rude… whole time they both crushed on each other. It’s sad that he had beef with a cousin because of his mom. It’s even crazier that his mom gave Farrah to Trell/KeAndre. I’m glad he found out his grandparents still loved him. This was a rollercoaster ride, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end!
December 12, 2025
I absolutely loved Reluctant Love by Elle Kayson! I’m not new to her pen game and this book did not disappoint. Mekhi and Farrah were hilarious, stubborn and meant for each other. An enemies to lovers romance with twists, turns, action and some 'I KNEW IT's in there as well. Just watching them chip at each others defenses down and learn to love one another. Elle Kayson writes the build up and the chase, allowing the readers mind to take them the rest of the way long after the book is completed. I’d definitely read another book with these two if she wrote it though LOL! ♥️
January 16, 2026
An emotional read
Not in the sense of it’ll have you in tears. You’ll laugh, you’ll grin, you’ll roll your eyes, and your heart will drop a few times while reading this book. As much as I loved Everly’s book, I may love this one more. There’s something heartwarming about two bullheaded people finally getting over themselves to realized they love each other. That, along with the suspense and twists of this book? Baby I had Siri reading it to me at work! Finished it in a shift. Def worth the read
Not in the sense of it’ll have you in tears. You’ll laugh, you’ll grin, you’ll roll your eyes, and your heart will drop a few times while reading this book. As much as I loved Everly’s book, I may love this one more. There’s something heartwarming about two bullheaded people finally getting over themselves to realized they love each other. That, along with the suspense and twists of this book? Baby I had Siri reading it to me at work! Finished it in a shift. Def worth the read
November 29, 2025
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This was soooo good. Gillian was so wrong on so many levels. How could she do that to her son. And her attitude was so nasty. She got just what she deserved.
Farrah and Mekhi went through so much. I think I’ve heard of Ajani before. The way their dislike for each other changed was traumatic but beautiful. To find love from trauma was different but real.
Farrah got on Mekhi’s nerves and I loved it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This was soooo good. Gillian was so wrong on so many levels. How could she do that to her son. And her attitude was so nasty. She got just what she deserved.
Farrah and Mekhi went through so much. I think I’ve heard of Ajani before. The way their dislike for each other changed was traumatic but beautiful. To find love from trauma was different but real.
Farrah got on Mekhi’s nerves and I loved it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
December 21, 2025
Reluctant Love: Welcome to Emancipation
This book was a good read. Great penmanship Elle Kayson, you gave us another great book to read. You gave us suspense, and drama, creativity, craziness and evilness at its finest. There was a beautiful love story birthed from misunderstanding of a couple who turned out to create a beautiful relationship between each other’s. I most definitely would recommend reading this book.
This book was a good read. Great penmanship Elle Kayson, you gave us another great book to read. You gave us suspense, and drama, creativity, craziness and evilness at its finest. There was a beautiful love story birthed from misunderstanding of a couple who turned out to create a beautiful relationship between each other’s. I most definitely would recommend reading this book.
January 26, 2026
It was a pretty engaging book, to say the least. I enjoyed the banter in Farrah and Mekhai’s relationship because it was enemies to lovers and that’s one of my favorite tropes. However, Farrah did annoy me at times and Mekhai was a little gullible. I’m glad Gillian got what she deserved, but I was actually sad for Trell because he was just misunderstood. He allowed everyone to get in his head instead of having a mind of his own which ended in his demise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2025
Elle Kayson has done it again! I’m obsessed. Mekhi and Farrah had me hooked from the get go. They are perfect for each other. Their banter was fun. Seeing them slowly open up to each other was so cute! Like yes girl! You better claim your man that’s not your man! Yet, anyway lol. His family ain’t shit though.
November 29, 2025
I love this book! Mekhi is all man and it’s incredible. Farrah didn’t put up with his shit and gave it right back to him. Reading their journey warmed my heart. Them both fighting their true feelings for each other to him calling her his everything 😫 Oh gosh, when Mekhi found out she was kidnapped, I felt his pain. Just incredible writing
November 30, 2025
Loved It
This was so beautifully written. It’s very immersive. They have an instant attraction that gets misinterpreted on both ends then after that, it’s on sight for both of them basically…that is until they find that they have a common enemy and Farrah needs Mekhi’s support bc he got her in the mess in the first place. Sort of lol I ate this up in one sitting.
This was so beautifully written. It’s very immersive. They have an instant attraction that gets misinterpreted on both ends then after that, it’s on sight for both of them basically…that is until they find that they have a common enemy and Farrah needs Mekhi’s support bc he got her in the mess in the first place. Sort of lol I ate this up in one sitting.
December 3, 2025
edge of my seat…
This story had me on edge the entire story and I enjoyed every single minute of it! Talk about reluctance, both Farrah and Mekhi were and I liked that they were both fighting feelings and falling at the same time. Between them bickering and trying to track down Trell, then that raggedy Gillian my nerves never got a break and oh so good.
This story had me on edge the entire story and I enjoyed every single minute of it! Talk about reluctance, both Farrah and Mekhi were and I liked that they were both fighting feelings and falling at the same time. Between them bickering and trying to track down Trell, then that raggedy Gillian my nerves never got a break and oh so good.
December 13, 2025
Pretty good 3.5 🌟
I enjoyed this book. It lagged a bit sometimes, but it made up for that with the strong ending where everything came together. Farrah was an FMC, I could say I liked, and Mehki was definitely the type of MMC I like to read about. Overall, the spice was good, and the plot was decent.
I enjoyed this book. It lagged a bit sometimes, but it made up for that with the strong ending where everything came together. Farrah was an FMC, I could say I liked, and Mehki was definitely the type of MMC I like to read about. Overall, the spice was good, and the plot was decent.
December 16, 2025
I enjoyed this trek with Mekhi and Farrah! This focused more on the specific story around them instead of building/building on the world around the main characters like the previous entry in this series, which made a big difference in the flow of the story. I hope subsequent entries follow this path because it works well.
December 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I loved a forced proximity romance! Farrah and Mekhi’s mouths kept them at each others throats until they had no choice, but then they are forced to live together to keep Farrah safe. All of their feelings that they hid with sarcasm become exposed when you are forced to spend time with someone. Loving it her in Empancipation.
I loved a forced proximity romance! Farrah and Mekhi’s mouths kept them at each others throats until they had no choice, but then they are forced to live together to keep Farrah safe. All of their feelings that they hid with sarcasm become exposed when you are forced to spend time with someone. Loving it her in Empancipation.
December 21, 2025
4/5
- Mekhai & Farrah! The tension and forced proximity between these two, loved it. Mekhai was a protector before anything and I loved that for Farrah. They couldn’t deny their chemistry as hard as they tried, it was inevitable. — Farrah had a smart mouth that he couldn’t get enough of, lol his lil thug.
- Mekhai & Farrah! The tension and forced proximity between these two, loved it. Mekhai was a protector before anything and I loved that for Farrah. They couldn’t deny their chemistry as hard as they tried, it was inevitable. — Farrah had a smart mouth that he couldn’t get enough of, lol his lil thug.
December 25, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
whew at first i was like i don’t like mekhi smart ass mouth but he grew on me. mekhi ain’t play about farrah at all. farrah being forced to live with mekhi allowed them to get to know each other, actually become friends, build a relationship that they both needed time to admit they were in since they swore up and down they ain’t like each other.
trell saying “you can’t kill me, what about family? we blood” like sir fuck all that you was just saying how you wanted to take everything from him and then kill him but now you want to say yall family. him and gillian got what they deserved.
whew at first i was like i don’t like mekhi smart ass mouth but he grew on me. mekhi ain’t play about farrah at all. farrah being forced to live with mekhi allowed them to get to know each other, actually become friends, build a relationship that they both needed time to admit they were in since they swore up and down they ain’t like each other.
trell saying “you can’t kill me, what about family? we blood” like sir fuck all that you was just saying how you wanted to take everything from him and then kill him but now you want to say yall family. him and gillian got what they deserved.
November 24, 2025
Elle does it again!
I was at the final 20 pages nervous about how you were going to wrap this story scared of a cliffhanger and it couldn’t have been more perfect! Love the story line and writing style and love the little citizens of
emancipation of
I was at the final 20 pages nervous about how you were going to wrap this story scared of a cliffhanger and it couldn’t have been more perfect! Love the story line and writing style and love the little citizens of
emancipation of
November 26, 2025
Love this down!
Elle is the queen. The story. The pacing. The twists. But mostly that man. Whew Mekhi! He is everything I want in a MMC. A Leo is going to do it for you every time. This book will definitely be in rotation. Finished it in 24 hours. Couldn’t put it down!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Elle is the queen. The story. The pacing. The twists. But mostly that man. Whew Mekhi! He is everything I want in a MMC. A Leo is going to do it for you every time. This book will definitely be in rotation. Finished it in 24 hours. Couldn’t put it down!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
November 26, 2025
Wow
This book kept me smiling the entire time. I loved this so much. The characters were well developed, they storyline was anything but predictable. As always, Elle gave a story full of drama, trauma, and redemption. A must read.
This book kept me smiling the entire time. I loved this so much. The characters were well developed, they storyline was anything but predictable. As always, Elle gave a story full of drama, trauma, and redemption. A must read.
November 26, 2025
Whew
Mekhi and Farrah didn’t hate each other. They tried to hate the way they felt around each other but babyyyyy they kept slipping up. I love the pop up of the Real’s love characters and mentioning the Kingsleys. This was a good enemies to lovers.
Mekhi and Farrah didn’t hate each other. They tried to hate the way they felt around each other but babyyyyy they kept slipping up. I love the pop up of the Real’s love characters and mentioning the Kingsleys. This was a good enemies to lovers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews