This should be read together with "Partner" - preferably at the same time - because some events overlap and to really understand what's going on you need both point of views. If you stop reading after the main characters decide to start their looong courtship (which is actually a "we did it a few times, but we should slow down to make this really work)) then it can be a stand alone. I stopped at ch 90, but I might pick it up again.