Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 45 of 97)

BOOK REVIEW – Pretty Face by Lucy Parker

February 20, 2017 / Anna / 0 Comments

Pretty Face (London Celebrities #2)
by Lucy Parker
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Highly acclaimed, award-winning author of Act Like It Lucy Parker returns readers to the London stage with laugh-out-loud wit and plenty of drama

The play's the fling

It's not actress Lily Lamprey's fault that she's all curves and has the kind of voice that can fog up a camera lens. She wants to prove where her real talents lie—and that's not on a casting couch, thank you. When she hears esteemed director Luc Savage is renovating a legendary West End theater for a lofty new production, she knows it could be her chance—if only Luc wasn't so dictatorial, so bad-tempered and so incredibly sexy.

Luc Savage has respect, integrity and experience. He also has it bad for Lily. He'd be willing to dismiss it as a midlife crisis, but this exasperating, irresistible woman is actually a very talented actress. Unfortunately, their romance is not only raising questions about Lily's suddenly rising career, it's threatening Luc's professional reputation. The course of true love never did run smooth. But if they're not careful, it could bring down the curtain on both their careers…

I had written a little bit of a warning at first, stating that I would probably come across as condescending in this review and reaffirming that my aim was not to shame readers for enjoying romance novels I personally want to burn (not Pretty Face!), but then my warning *did* come across as condescending so I guess I CANNOT WIN so let’s write this review okay don’t hate me.

I need to face facts : I’ve not been able to call myself a romance reader for a long time. Those days are long gone, crushed under the weight of eight packs, sexism, instalove, slut-shaming and *secret wounds* (that will only be revealed around 70% because WHERE’S THE FUN OTHERWISE HUH). Also, I’m kind of… cynical? Sometimes? (which is funny for someone born on February 14th, but moving on). If there was a period of my life when I couldn’t stop reading them (you don’t want to know), now… Not so much.

Actually, I haven’t read a contemporary romance since –

*scrolls through shelves*
*scrolls some more*

I got one! October 26th, and, oh, MY, I had forgotten this one!

(never underestimate the bliss of oblivion. Truly. It was a gift)

I’m not even sure it counts, given that I had to DNF it due to a)extreme stupidity, b)girl hate, c)this sentence : “He smiled and I smiled. It was sort of contagious.” Wow, what a dream. *shivers* How can we possibly recover from such nonsense?

I won’t lie, I stopped reading romance novels because I just couldn’t stand them anymore – and this is the moment someone usually walks in to tell me that we choose to be angry about offensive tropes, that we just fucking choose to disconnect from the story we’re reading, that we refuse to let it go and just enjoy it, that we –

I can’t get past slut-shaming in a book, let alone a romance novel. I can’t. Not only because
✔ it’s offensive,
✔ often includes sex-shaming,
✔ polices what women should/shouldn’t wear in public,
✔ contributes to rape culture,
but because it’s lazy storytelling at its best. Yes. It IS. No author who includes slut-shaming in his romance deserves my praise. Period.

Why am I saying it’s lazy? Because see, in Pretty Face (that does not contain slut-shaming in any way) : Lucy Parker‘s story could have derailed a million times.

① Margo, the love interest’s ex, could have so easily been a vapid and hateful woman because of *reasons*. She is not, which means that the author had to actually create a real personality for her, complex and real – the author who uses a stereotypical and damaging portrayal does not. And do not even tell me some women act that way, because that argument doesn’t hold one second : in 90% of romance novels, the exception becomes the norm. Pl-ease. It’s Lazy Writing 101.

② When the male lead expresses sexist bullshit towards the MC, it won’t disappear from my mind later because he’s in love and we must forget and forgive he even said that (because he’s hot, because he’s a man – stereotypes work both ways – because the author couldn’t be bothered to actually deal with this issue) Nope. In Pretty Face , Luc has to actually think about it and deconstruct his biased ~~bullshit~~ narrative. Not lazy, and how so much more interesting.

③ Think about this : a woman meets her new boss who is full of shit when it comes to double standards – and who’s been pretty vocal about how dumb he thinks she is because she’s hot and plays a man-eater in a stupid soap. 90% of the time, said-woman will exchange a few words with (his abs) him and literally decide that they should get married because hot damn she’s obsessed with that little ass and fall in instalove. As a result, we the readers will get no character growth, not an ounce of building up and barely any tension. What’s the point, then? Tension is everything in romance as far as I’m concerned. But fear no more – in Pretty Face , if Lily’s intrigued by Luc, there’s no such thing as instalust or instalove. The treatment of double-standards, sexist stereotypes and, hey, knowing each other will have to come before exchanging iloveyous. It changes everything.

So I’m sorry, but your romances full of girl hate and sexist jerks? It’s not that I choose to not like them.

Of course it’s predictable and somewhat unrealistic at times, but if Pretty Face made me realize something, it’s that I’m pretty lenient with clichés when they’re not offensive : indeed it contains all the scenes you could expect from a romance novel, yet it didn’t annoy me one second. Perhaps that’s because I rarely read them anymore. Or perhaps the writing and the characters were compelling (and funny!) enough for me to root for them and to enjoy these beloved scenes. Icing on the cake, you get a male lead who actually understand the concept of boundaries, who is not a player (that trope gets old) and a MC who isn’t the Ultimate Lamb Who Is Not Like Other Girls. Mind. Blown. Adds a storyline that was actually interesting (and this is coming from someone who don’t like reading about actors for some reason) and you’ll get a fun, feel-good novel that’ll put a smile on your face (and we sure need them). If I had a complaint to address, though, it would be that as far as I know, the whole cast really lacks diversity – all the characters are straight and white – for a story taking place in London, I found it unrealistic, and that’s a pity. And before people say it – it’s not that diversity is a trend, but that diversity should be a given : we’re (fortunately) not living in a full white, straight world, are we?

Little hearts provided by Vecteezy!

*arc provided by Carina Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Love Story (Love Unexpectedly #3) by Lauren Layne

February 14, 2017 / Jen / 8 Comments

I’m so happy to be on the Love Story Tour because this book was beyond adorable! Check out my 4 Star Review below and enter the fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Love Story (Love Unexpectedly #3) by Lauren Layne

Love Story (Love Unexpectedly #3)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Lucy Hawkins receives a job offer in San Francisco, she can’t wait to spread her wings and leave her small Virginia hometown behind. Her close-knit family supports her as best they can, by handing over the keys to a station wagon that’s seen better days. The catch? The cross-country trip comes with a traveling companion: her older brother’s best friend, aka the guy who took Lucy’s virginity hours before breaking her heart.

After spending the past four years and every last dime caring for his sick father, Reece Sullivan will do just about anything to break free of the painful memories—even if it means a two-week road trip with the one girl who’s ever made it past his carefully guarded exterior. But after long days of bickering in the car turn into steamy nights in secluded motel rooms, Reece learns that, when it comes to Lucy, their story is far from over. And this time, they just might have a shot at a happy ending.

Review:

I quickly devoured Love Story in one sitting, and absolutely adored Lucy Hawkins and Reece Sullivan. Their friendship was volatile, hot and filled with history that we got to witness through flashbacks. It was all centered around a road trip which made for a cute, fun read, that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside when I finished that last page.

He laughs, and my heart hurts at the flood of memories. Of how we used to talk so easily, how we used to laugh so much . . .

Lucy and Reece have known each other almost their whole lives, since Reece is Lucy’s brother’s best friend. After his mother died, when he was a little boy, he became an even bigger part of Lucy’s world. Her family took him in, to a certain extent. But from the beginning, Lucy couldn’t help fall for Reece. Even if she knew he only saw her as his best friend’s little sister. They were the truest of friends, until they pushed their relationship past the friendship boundary. And from that point on, they barely spoke to each other.

“Not at all,” I say sweetly. “See, I just watched the way you attempted to juggle multiple girlfriends and failed, and then did the exact opposite.”
He glances at me then, a mocking smile on his face. “Oh, sweetheart. When did I ever claim you as my girlfriend?”
I suck in a quick breath, because it’s one of the more hurtful things he can say— dismissing that summer as though it were nothing.

Years later, they’re both headed to California for new jobs, and they end up getting stuck together for a road trip. A two-week road trip. Oh this made me so giddy! Because from just those first few minutes being together in the car, I couldn’t stop smiling. Sexual tension and friendship simmered and exploded between the two of them. So emotions definitely flew high, and it made for an exciting trip that was filled with tears, jealousy, anger, and lots of desire!

I glance down at my towel, considering throwing some clothes on first, but then I shrug. It’s just Reece.
My inner skank rolls her eyes. There’s never been anything just Reece about what’s between us.
A fact I’m reminded of when I open the door and his gaze rakes over me.

My favorite thing about this story was definitely the characters. They were the reasons I read this book in one sitting! First off, Reece. I love tortured men, and Reece played the part perfectly. He was highly jaded from his past, since everyone he loved except Lucy’s family left him in one way or another. Yet he seems to harbors so much anger and hatred towards Lucy. And I was dumbstruck why. Things she would say or do would set him off so easily, he was so explosive towards her. Which felt ironic to me, since it was his fault their relationship blew up in a fiery inferno. So Reece was a fun mystery to unravel! And his moments of tenderness that alternated with want towards Lucy made me easily fall for him.

When she held out her small hand expectantly for the card, he took a deep breath and handed it over, meeting her eyes. “Thank you. For staying with me.”
Lucy blinked , looking a little confused, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world that she’d spend an afternoon with a crybaby.
Then she gave him a small smile, looking a little shy for the first time since going to him, as though she’d just realized something. “I’ll never leave if you don’t want me to.”

I liked Lucy from the get go. She was driven and knew exactly what she wanted in life. Whether it was her future job or Reece. But what made me really connect to her were the flashbacks. I loved watching their friendship unfold right from the start! BUT the flashbacks didn’t feel seamless to me. Each and every time I desperately wanted to stay in the present, even though I loved the moments the flashbacks showed. I just wish they would have fit in a little differently to the story-line.

I blow out a breath. “Thanks.”
“For?”
I pluck at the hotel comforter. “For yesterday. For coming after me and holding me, even though I know you hate me.”
I hold my breath, waiting for him to confirm that he doesn’t hate me. Which is stupid. He has no reason to hate me. He’s the one who ruined things.
I hold my breath anyway. Deny it. Say you miss me like I miss you.
There’s a rustling noise, then the creak of a crappy couch. “Night, Lucy.”

So Love Story was an enjoyable, quick read that I easily devoured. While I guessed how a few things turned out, it didn’t take away from how much fun their story was. And just so you know, each book in this series is a standalone and the characters don’t interact with one another from book to book. Except they did listen to a Jenny Dawson song on the radio woohoo, which was a shout out to Good Girl. If you adore road trips and hate to love stories, then there’s a good chance you’ll like Love Story too!

PS The nicknames were kinda different…. Spock, Horny ummm okay lol.

*ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

About Lauren Layne:

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.
A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

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Adorkable by Cookie O’ Gorman

February 13, 2017 / Chelsea / 5 Comments

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal--even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life--and he's completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

“But why? I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”

Adorkable is one of those books that just LOOKS like it’s going to be, well, adorable. Yet, every time I saw it and what people were saying about it, I thought it was going to be cheesy as hell. So, for as long as this has been out, I have passed it up and never marked it on my TBR. Stupid, really, considering all I’m ever looking for is my next addicting YA contemporary that makes me happy even on the saddest of days.

So it wasn’t until recently that my good friend, Jen, read it and told me my preconceived notions were not only false, but that it was actually better than one of my favorites. To this, I thought, bring it on. Why not? What do I really have to lose in the grand scheme of things. My most anticipated releases of the year are rolling out at full steam (always spring time and early winter, why is that???) and I’m just reading fun books during the week to pass the time. If I didn’t like it, the worst that would happen is that I get to pick up an anticipated release right after. Not a shabby deal.

So I picked up this book immediately, heavy on skepticism, low on give-a-shit. I truly didn’t expect much. But from the moment I picked this up, I knew it was just what I needed. Light-hearted, funny, heavy on swoon…I really had no complaints. Sure, there was a little cheese factor, I mean, all the best books have a little bit of cheese when it comes to teen romance, right? But there was just something so sweet and special about this book. I can’t even begin to explain it.

It’s definitely the purest form of ‘first love’, the kind where you pine for your best friend (or, I guess, just your guy friends since that’s how I felt in High School) and just know he couldn’t possibly feel the same about you. Cue the eye roll, I know. But that’s what’s so sweet. How couldn’t it be? Aren’t these sometimes the best forms of YA romance, if done correctly? Well, they are to me. And, even better, we get to add in the ‘fake relationship’ trope and this book just got a whole lot more interesting.

What starts out as a ploy to get her other best friend, Hooker (sigh), to stop setting her up on blind dates becomes much more real, much quicker. Becks does everything in his power to be the alpha boyfriend, the ‘don’t touch my girl’ boyfriend, the one who is wanted by everyone and yet doesn’t want her to grab anyone else’s attention. I mean, we’ve all seen it, right? Hell, that was my husband and I in High School (though, I’d say we were on a pretty level field of ‘don’t you dare fucking look at my girl/guy, takennnnn’). Totally believable.

photo tumblr_o49iy8XR8u1v8hcteo1_500_zpskzqbgsjt.gif

As everyone knows, this is like my favorite thing ever, so I was all SQUEEEEEEEs and EEEEEEEEEs as I read, loving every little look Becks gave Spitz (AGAIN, sigh), every secret emotion he revealed not-so-subtlety. Sally was a moron for not seeing it, sorry, but it’s true. And that might be my largest gripe for the whole book. And, come on, why not just say something!!! What’s he going to do, dump your ass as the best friend he’s ever had since SECOND GRADE?! Not hardly.

“There’s only one thing I know—have always known—that I wanted out of life. And it’s you.”

And, for those of you wondering if this just might suit your fancy enough to be your next ‘mindless YA romance’, here are the only triggers I can think of that people get all fussy about (obviously not me. Girl please, I could care less):

-Girl on girl crime, ie, slut shaming
-An extension of that might be calling other girls names (I think? I can’t remember completely)
-Oblivious to the obvious true love thing they have going on
-I suppose everyone has different opinions on cheesiness, so I’ll say that is one thing
-Jealousy where there shouldn’t be, on her part
-A little back and forth (but honestly, this is my biggest pet peeve and I barely think it applies, that’s up to you)
-Dramatic scene before they make up, like every other book

I mean, I feel like I lost my steam there, forgetting what I was going to say for those of you that get bothered by such things (damn pregger brain), but that just goes to show you how little it bothered me. If you know me, and somewhat agree with me on most things, I imagine most of this doesn’t bother you. But for those of you who do get bothered by slut-shaming and have never read my reviews before, I guess I’d say be very aware of that factor…meaning: don’t blame me, ye be warned.

So, I can’t say I disliked anything about this book. From the moment I met Becks, he stole my heart and I ached for the moment I could pick the story up again just to see how much he loved Sally. It was addicting, heart-warming, and, without a doubt, an instant favorite. And, even though it’s completely cliché….this book was absolutely adorable.

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

February 9, 2017 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
At seventeen, Norah has accepted that the four walls of her house delineate her life. She knows that fearing everything from inland tsunamis to odd numbers is irrational, but her mind insists the world outside is too big, too dangerous. So she stays safe inside, watching others’ lives through her windows and social media feed.

But when Luke arrives on her doorstep, he doesn’t see a girl defined by medical terms and mental health. Instead, he sees a girl who is funny, smart, and brave. And Norah likes what he sees.

Their friendship turns deeper, but Norah knows Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can walk beneath the open sky. One who is unafraid of kissing. One who isn’t so screwed up. Can she let him go for his own good—or can Norah learn to see herself through Luke’s eyes?

Some books have flare, have that cover and synopsis that draws you in the moment you lay eyes on it. You know you want to read it, you know it’s a genre you are absolutely obsessed with, but it’s also a genre that makes it difficult to gauge what’s going to be good, and what’s going to be a pile of wasted potential. And under those breathtaking covers and beautiful synopses, you expect (and hope) to find a spellbinding novel, the same level of awesomeness the outside of the book promises…but you almost always end up disappointed, because nothing is ever as good as you wish. But I can promise you-this isn’t that book.

A side effect of worrying about everything and everyone; I cry at least once a week over things that shouldn’t concern me.

It may not be for everyone. And, hey, you might even find it repulsive. I can only assure you one thing-this book feels wholly authentic, and I find that to be one of the hardest things to get past these days. Finding an authentic novel that not only shows you a deep, introspective look at a mental illness, but also lets you see that people understand, that people can be kind, that falling in love is a possible thing, no matter the restrictions or stipulations, is so very rare, and it’s just as captivating as any other love story. I find that fantastic and just plain beautiful.

I just want to have proof that I can think straight, that I am more than the girl who believes that odd numbers will cause a catastrophe.

This story felt so unique to me. I know, I know, mental illness books have been handled well before and so have realistic fiction-gasp!-but the depth to this story…it touched me. And, even more than that, the romance was handled so delicately. I never once felt forced into their relationship. I never once felt uncomfortable (well, aside from when Norah felt uncomfortable). And seeing Luke’s journey from clueless, to informed, to understanding, helpful love interest was a true transformation-and, frankly, also realistic.

Perfection is a feeling; you’ll know it if you’ve ever questioned the competency of your penmanship before writing on the first page of a new notebook.

He didn’t understand-not at all. He said he did. He really wanted to…but he didn’t truly understand until it all fell apart, until he saw how horrifying it was for Norah, how terrifying each and every day was for her if things didn’t go just as she needed them to. He didn’t understand-not at all…but he figured it out, for her.

“Do you need some help?”
I’m drenched in shadow, and boots with steel toecaps take three steps onto the porch. Three steps. That’s awkward. He leaves his back leg trailing behind. I wish he would bring it forward and make it four steps even. My eye twitches.

*This did not happen…but they did hang out on the bed and it was so cute so I had to use one of these!*

Look. Nothing goes perfect in this story, and that’s frankly the best part. Life doesn’t come wrapped up neatly in a perfect little bow, and not everyone gets their happily ever after. It takes work. It takes trust. It takes friendship….and it takes a strong support group surrounding you, people who will stand by your side no matter how tough life gets, and I just loved that about this story. I even felt like there was quite a bit of tough love in this story-Norah’s therapist didn’t let her off the hook, ever, and she constantly tried to push her out of her comfort zone.

It’s possible I’ve ingested enough of my own fingers to call myself a cannibal. They’re so chewed I have trouble straightening them. I very much doubt every girl my age does this. This is perhaps bordering more on my unhealthy levels of panic.

Funny, witty, wholly gripping, and with an adorable romance that stole my heart and took my breath away, this story sunk its claws into me from the moment I started it. I saw this book and just knew it was going to be special…and for once? I was right. It’s refreshing to pick up a story and feel not only giddiness, happiness, elation, true love…but also a life altering reality that many people live through every day. To read about something that hinders someone else’s life to the point of almost ruining it, to read about them and the support they receive but also how hard it still is for them. It broke my heart in the best possible way… and patched it back up again.

I hope others will find the same love and enjoyment from this book as I did, but if not, I’ll cherish it all by my lonesome-and I won’t feel the least bit guilty about it.

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BOOK REVIEW – Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

February 2, 2017 / Jen / 6 Comments

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal--even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life--and he's completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

Review:

Adorkable was filled with laughter, butterfly and smile inducing moments, and I couldn’t get enough of it! The characters quickly found a place in my heart, and the story-line was so cute! It involved the fake boyfriend trope, and it was done in a way that made it feel fresh and fun. So this addicting book easily made its way onto my favorites shelf!

I was so tired of surprises. If I had to meet one more blind date, I would literally go insane.

Just a heads up, nicknames can rub me the wrong way. But these were hilarious! Our heroine is Sally Sue Spitz and her classmates call her Spitz. And her best friend is Lillian Hooker, who Sally calls Hooker. Loved it! So Sally was forever single and Hooker, trying to be the best friend ever, always set Sally up on blind dates. But these weren’t regular blind dates. Or even regular guys it would seem. Each and every interaction Sally had with them had me laughing, groaning or doing both out loud. After a horrible double-double date (you’ll see what I mean lol) gone terribly wrong and a misunderstanding, Sally comes up with the idea that she needs a fake boyfriend. It was the only way to stop Hooker’s attempts. So she begged Becks, her best friend forever who’s been in her life since grade school, to be her fake boyfriend.

Ducking, he placed a lingering kiss on the spot right below my ear. The move made my hand shoot out to grip his jersey. Becks laughed silently, little puffs of air hitting my neck, as I shivered.

Becks. Oh Becks. He was one of my many favorite things about this book. The way Becks looked at Sally, the way he claimed her as his, the way he protected her, his jealousy, oh my gosh even the way he touched her, it all made my heart beat so fast. But here’s the confusing part, I had NO clue what he thought at times. You see, he would say and do these things that would imply that he liked Sally more than just friends, but then again he was just playing a part. And his words would reinforce that idea. So I desperately wanted to get in that sexy head of his and know all of his thoughts. Especially when he suggested that they should start practicing….hello butterflies!

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”
As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

So not only did I adore Becks, but Sally too. I loved how Sally easily sprinkled Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek etc into her daily life. She embraced her geekiness, and I loved how she didn’t second guess herself in that regards. But at the same point, she could be self-conscious. Especially when it came to her feelings towards Becks. You see, while Becks was her BFF, he was also beautiful, smart, a player, a jock and everyone easily loved him. Including Sally. Knowing that Sally wanted to be more than friends with Becks put my heart on the line right with her. I flipped through the pages as fast as possible for both of our stakes!

“Spitz, the guy’s wearing Chinos, and he tried to shake my hand.” She tugged at one end of her bob. “I found him bent over a book bigger than my head in the sci-fi/fantasy section at Barnes and Noble.”
That sounded suspicious. “And what were you doing in Barnes and Noble?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” she laughed. “I was looking for the male version of you.”
I laughed despite myself. – Spitz (Sally) and Hooker

The only slight hiccup I had, was with Hooker. I wanted her to be a better friend at times and to listen to Sally more. But we all have our flaws, and what Hooker thought was best for Sally wasn’t always what was truly the best for her. The rest of the side characters that helped round out this book felt so real to me. Including Ash, Sally’s mom and dad, and Beck’s family. My favorites were Ash, Becks’ fellow soccer teammate and Sally’s fellow classmate and also Clayton, Becks’ oldest brother. I could easily and happily read a book about each of them!

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.
A lot.

So if you’re a fan of cute books that leave you with the hugest smile ever, or if you adore the fake boyfriend trope, then I highly recommend you pick up Adorkable! Now I can’t wait to read future books written by Cookie O’Gorman, since she created characters that were so easy to connect with and love, and of course had a fabulous, addicting story-line too!