Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 46 of 87)

BOOK REVIEW: Be my Hero (Forbidden Men #3) by Linda Kage

January 20, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3)
by Linda Kage
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Once upon a time, there was this pampered rich girl who was kind of full of herself. She really only cared about appearances and hiding all her dark, ugly secrets under the guise of an opinionated snob. But then Eva Mercer got pregnant, shot by a psycho, and kicked out of the only home she knew. Now she’s broke, unemployed, and has to start anew with a newborn to raise. But how?

On the other side of town, sexy, tattooed orphan, Patrick Ryan, can’t get a break. He’s out on parole for defending the last damsel in distress while trying to help her support her child, but all he wants is to find his one true love. He knows this woman by scent, smile, and laugh, but he’s never actually met her. He doesn’t even know her name. He just knows she’s the key to fixing everything.

One kind of hero can save you from physical harm. Another can rescue you from a different kind of doom. To reach their dreams, Eva and Pick can save each other. But first, they must open their hearts and learn how to trust.

“You’re the best man I’ve ever met, Patrick Ryan. Thank you for choosing me.”
“I’ll always choose you.”

Ahhh and here I am again, back in one of my most favorite worlds from 2015. I won’t say it wasn’t a shock when I picked this series up, knowing it was cheesy as hell, and immediately fell for not only the forbidden men it touts…but for the wonderful dynamics each and every character share together. Whether they are frenemies (however you spell that lol), lovers, friends, or co-workers, each person fits into the group perfectly. And I guess you can say that this is one of my favorite literary families ever. They are all so utterly loyal, behind all the ribbing, and they would do anything for one another.

“…I’d say the fact he’s already shared a woman with….well, you, isn’t something he needs to find out about.”
“Wow, now wait a sec. What’s wrong with me?” Ten pointed to himself, clearly insulted. “I’m fucking flawless.”
I snickered and lifted my hands. “No offense, but I certainly wouldn’t want to stick my dick in anything you’ve already had yours in.”
“Amen,” Mason seconded.
“Hey.” Ten scowled at us.

Every story I pick up, no matter the content, I know I am going to be swooning after one of my favorite men and their relationship even if I hate the story. And hey!!! I have only hated one book….some side characters just don’t need to exist-they can literally obliterate even the sweetest of men’s stories. But all that aside, it comes down to one thing: No matter what type of mood I’m in when I pick up these books, I always have the best time reading them and the most abundant warm fuzzies after.

“Tink, you are the most flirt-worthy girl I know,” Pick spoke up, striding over with his arms open. “Here. I’ll hold Skylar while you get yourself something to eat. Then come back and sit by me. I’d be happy to hit on you.”

And here’s the thing: THEY ALL CRY. All of them. I mean…..I can’t…I just…*takes some odd breaths*…WHERE THE FUCK ARE THESE MEN IN MY LIFE??? I’m married you say?? Yeah, well, technicalities. I love my guy, I truly do, but if Mason Lowe or Noel Gamble, Pick, Quinn, hell, even fucking Ten walked into my life…..okay, I won’t finish that horribly presumptuous sentence lest I burst into flames, but you get my point, yes??? These men, they are just something else.

No, we weren’t going to lose Eva tonight. She was going to be okay. The baby was going to be okay. Everyone was going to be okay, except maybe her baby daddy. I kind of hoped he died.

And that’s all there is to it. I come to these books not because they are believable, without cheese, nor are they written in the best way. But the fact of the matter is, when I open a Forbidden Men story, I do, in fact, get a sexy forbidden and tortured man….and the author actually follows through with it. She doesn’t dick around and find technicalities-she goes balls to the wall and makes her men (almost) every woman’s wet dream (god I’m being disgusting in this review):

-Tortured
-Forbidden (duh)
-Loyal
-Utterly (and most often inexplicably) into the female lead
-Passionate about her
-Fiercely protective
-Willing to sacrifice it all for her

My point? These men are one page away from selling their left nut to be with these women, no matter the cost…and I find it, not-so-inexplicably, addictive as hell.

My lips fluttered with amusement. “You’re never going to get over that nickname, are you? A girl wears Tinker Bell on her shirt one time-“
“Embrace it.” He grinned before nuzzling his nose against my temple. “Not everyone can pull off the Tink image.”

I think it goes without saying, or maybe it doesn’t-I don’t know who reads my reviews if you aren’t in my immediate text circle-I have always, always been a sucker for romantic books with peril. And, hey, no matter how brief, how dramatic, how cheesy these perilous scenes are…they tend to pop up in these stories so…yeah….I love….because….boy saves girl. Yeah. I mean, what else do you need (okay, besides poetic, beautiful writing and some actual solidarity that these things could happen in real life-but hey, we don’t want to live in reality-that’s why we read)?? Drama, angst, peril….no matter how cheesy or forced…they are always around. And, for me, that’s a wonderful combo after a long day at work. And yeah, yeah, it’s all somewhat horrid but…sue me…I need my tortured man fix every now and again (ALWAYS).

His gray eyes glittered silver as he grinned at me. “My lips are sealed. But only because I owe you one.” Then he glanced toward the doorway leading into the hall, which lead to his and Reese’s bedroom. “You think it’s been two minutes yet?”
“I think it’s only been thirty seconds, you big horn ball.”
Scowling, he shoved his hands into his pockets and grumbled around a moment before muttering, “Well, I can’t wait anymore.” Then he was off, hurrying down the hall in pursuit of his View Spoiler »fiancee « Hide Spoiler.[fiancée. (hide spoiler)]

So, before I go and disappear, let’s talk about the story and why I almost didn’t read it. For one, and don’t smack me here, I hate pregnancy romances-I have to say I’m not sorry, as well. I want a guy and girl to fall in love and for it to be new and fresh and squeaky clean, not burdened by another man’s discrepancies. That sounds harsh, but it’s one of my book rule no-no’s and it just is what it is. And, you know, I hated Eva in Reese and Mason’s story. She was childish and had no reason to be the way she was (so I thought, and really, she didn’t, but we had to make her story juicy, now didn’t we??). All she did was cause my boy Mason problems. So why my sudden change of heart? Well…there are multiple reasons, but two really stick out:

1. I adore this series, and I knew I would smack myself if I didn’t get more time with these addicting characters
2. Mason. I. Am. Obsessed. With him. He is, without a doubt, my favorite boy (okay ugh and Noel) and when I figured out Eva lived with them in this story…?? I immediately decided to read it because…Mason. Need I say more? MASON.

And I really had heard a ton about this Pick fella who, by the way, really is the f’ing sweetest guy ever, in the generic sense of the word. I mean, he just really does put everyone else ahead of himself and it’s the most selfless thing.

And when he decides he’s guna go for his Tinker Bell??? No one can stop him. He would do anything for her, no matter what it cost him (see above). And even caring for his child-which really isn’t his own-is above caring for himself. And honestly?? He’s hilarious-

A small cry rent the air, and I immediately spun toward the sound. But Pick was already holding up a hand as he cradled Skylar in the other arm. “We’re good,” he called. “Ten just looked at her. That mug’ll make any girl cry.”
I arched an eyebrow at Ten. He lifted his hands in surrender. “I didn’t even touch her.”
“I think it was his awful breath,” Pick offered casually.

I don’t know. I just really loved everything about him. But to those who said I’d love Pick more than my men? You were dead wrong. I’m a stubborn little shit, so don’t feel bad. Almost every series I read I have people saying who I’m ‘going to love more’ and 99% of the time they are wrong (unless they know me really really well). Exhibit A? This series. Exhibit B? The Calloway Sister series. No one-and I do mean no one–will ever touch my dear Connor and his icy Rose.

“Honestly, though,” I told him, my voice winded. “The wet shirt look is totally working for you. You sure you want this dull, old dry one?”
Surprise filled his brown eyes before he gave a slow, hooded smile. Using the shirt we were both holding onto to rein me in closer, he lowered his voice. “Why, Eva Tinker Bell Mercer,” he murmured, his tone a teasing scold. “Are you flirting with me?”

That’s not to say I didn’t adore him-this book actually is up there with my favorite ones, if not right below, and there was one consolation prize: I had heard Eva is better and that I’d understand her more….and everyone was right! But even better than that? I adored her.

She skipped up on her tiptoes and slapped a quick kiss to his cheek, right where she’d just patted it. Then she waved goodbye to me. “Toodles, Tinker Bell. Love ya.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bye, Sweet Pea. Love you, too.”

Gone was the whiney, whorish (sorry not sorry all those who find that offensive) girl who pushed herself on Mason to prove a point (and yeah, she just ‘wanted to prove a point’, riiiiight..it’s not because Mason is fucking amazing…). She is kind, considerate, willing to do anything to help Mason and Reese (mostly Reese because she loves her so much)

“And then…” She nodded, as if coming to the best part of the story. “While the car’s lying on top of her and the only things poking out are her glittery red Christian Louboutins, I say we steal her shoes and run.”
Wow, what was this, the homicidal version of The Wizard of Oz?

and even nudges something along-THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEEEEEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LINDA KAGE GRRR- that made my heart soar. So, to say the mother to be was still a loser party girl would be a lie. And I just really enjoyed seeing the mature woman she grew up to be. Really. I didn’t even hate the baby stuff-It was actually adorable and endearing and totally fit the embodiment of what makes Eva and Pick…well…Eva and Pick lol.

“Whatever,” I snapped, sending her an incredulous glower. There wasn’t a single wild thing about him. And besides, “He’s way hotter than Mason.”
…
Reese didn’t seem to notice the panic on my face; she was too busy choking on her disagreement. “Not even possible. No one-I mean, no one-is hotter than Mason.”
I patted her hand sympathetically. “Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, sweetie.”

So, you know, another beautiful, smutty book gone. It makes me sad I only have a couple more left. And to think, who knows how many are even going to be released??? I sure don’t know. But what I do know is, it’s been a long time since I have wanted a book more than my next breath, and that book is Noel’s Brother/Mason’s sister’s story. I. CAN’T. WAIT. UNTIL. [undisclosed date] LATE 2016 (being totally hopeful and pushy with that). I just….I can’t….I mean…brain overload. My two FAVORITE men who made me fall for this series are going to be in it NON STOP and the people they love most, besides their women, are going to fall in love. I mean….COME ON!!!! PERFECTION!!!! ARGHHH!!!!! COME ON COME ON ALREADY! Phew. Now that I got that over with , it’s admission time: While I adored seeing Pick and Eva’s story unfold, and me falling for yet another forbidden man in this series, I fell the hardest for this story when Reese and Mason were a part of it. They just….have my heart. And they were in it…A LOT.

“Wow.” Pick shook his head, stunned. “You are the complete opposite of your boyfriend, aren’t you?”
Reese scowled. “What do you mean?”
“At work, that boy avoids women like the plague, never checks them out, and he never shares details about you two…I mean, other than the jelly thing.”
Reese gasped, turning a bright tomato red. “I am so going to kill him for that. Now if you two will excuse me, I need to go home and…punish my man, probably with a nice strawberry or grape.” She touched her chin thoughtfully. “Though he does have an affinity for peach jam.”

So…..my fantasies were fulfilled and, frankly, they are the main reason I read this one anyway. I would say I’m a filthy Mason-loving-whore….but you already knew that. ONTO THE NEXT! ♥

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BOOK REVIEW: Underwater by Marisa Reichardt

January 18, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Underwater by Marisa Reichardt
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then, herself.

But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.

When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside.

Underwater is a powerful, hopeful debut novel about redemption, recovery, and finding the strength it takes to face your past and move on.

1. Breathe
2. You are okay.
3. You are not dying.

Probably my newest and most shocking addiction, book genre wise, is realistic fiction. It might be a surprise to some people who don’t know how neurotic I am (cough, everyone knows, cough) that there was a time before GR (B.GR.) I didn’t like books that made me feel too heavy or weighed down. I still, admittedly, don’t like to feel depressed while reading because it is supposed to be an escape, but my views have changed almost completely-Reading a story that isn’t sugar coated doesn’t make me heavier…it makes me feel whole.

I swim. I float. I breathe. I burn. I hope. I dream. I think. I wonder. I am.

Let me explain: Before, when I read a book that wasn’t, I don’t know, action-packed, full of romance, seeped in the paranormal (perhaps another shocking fact seeing as I don’t read many paranormals anymore), I didn’t find it enjoyable. I found it boring, lacking, and without intrigue. But for some reason, the wonderful year of 2015 was my year of change, my year of adventure, my year of trying new things, expanding my horizons, and, ultimately, stepping widely out of my comfort zone. And it greatly benefitted me. I now have so many favorites for 2015 that I couldn’t possibly list them or remember them all. And, believe me, that’s a good thing! Now, since I was so wonderfully stretched this year, I found a new favorite nook to ‘hide’ myself in-Realistic Fiction.

I swear, when I read the first book that was RF in 2015, I literally-literally-face palmed myself. I wasted so many years being a snob, lifting my nose haughtily in the air, turning the other way when realistic fiction was nudged in my direction, that my head was shoved so far up my ass I missed some absolute favorites that I may never find again. Sure, I’ve swept up quite a few…and they were fabulous. But there are so many that I’ve passed over that I will never be able to find all of them again…and that makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry. But that’s neither here nor there. 2015 may have been my best year for books ever, but 2016 will be the year of capitalization. I want to take all the wonderful stories I read in 2015 and use them as inspiration for what I NEED to read in 2016-and this is my first realistic fiction of the year. If this is any indication of what my year will be like…I have no reason to be scared, only good things are heading my way.

He chuckles as he rounds the corner and slides down next to me. He knocks his knee against mine. “You okay? Was it too dark, maybe?”
“I don’t think my problem was the lights being out.”
“I meant the play. That was some pretty dark shit for a bunch of kindergartners.”

LOL >.<

I don’t quite know how to explain what this story is about without ruining it, so I’ll be brief. Morgan’s life has been turned upside down: she doesn’t leave her apartment, she takes online classes instead of attending high school, and she sees a therapist every Tuesday and Thursday…in her apartment. She can’t watch the news and she regularly has panic attacks. Her life used to be normal-parties, boys, best friends, and swimming for her high school team. Her life was everything she could ever hope for….and then it wasn’t. One fateful day-October fifteenth-forever shaped her in ways she never imagined possible. Guilt threatens to smother her and secrets almost bury her alive. If only if only….if only it hadn’t happened. If only he hadn’t been there…if only. What if [less than] one hour of horror took everything good away from you in the blink of an eye-extinguished all your hopes and dreams by taking your freedom from you in an instant. What would you do? Morgan can’t even fathom walking outside her apartment. Well…at least until Evan moves in next door.

And that’s one more thing that makes me know that even though Evan and I live next door to each other, we are miles apart.
He will leave his house every day.
He will traipse through the courtyard of our building.
I will watch him go.
He will be a boy living out in the world.
I will be a girl peeking out from behind a curtain.

Aaahhhh Evan!!!! I adored him, naturally. He was sweet, kind, caring, endearing, loyal, and everything that Morgan needed. He really was so much more than a love interest. He was her rock. He was her light at the end of the tunnel. He was the person that created the spark that stoked her inner fire again. He may have been just one of many inspirations in her life, because she adores her brother and mother, but he was the oxygen she needed to come back to life….he was her lifeline.

“You weren’t swimming. You were sitting at the bottom of the pool doing nothing.”
“I was thinking!”
“Well, stop thinking!”
“How am I supposed to do that?”

And it’s crazy because, while I thought he would have a large part in the story since he was in it so much at the beginning, he really wasn’t in it near as much as I’d have hoped. But that’s my point-he wasn’t an extremely large part, but he had a massive impact and burrowed himself deep in my heart. She pushed him away and pushed him away and shunned him, one of my problems with the story even though I could never possibly understand her pain, yet he never gave up on her. It warmed my heart and soul, lighting me from the inside out, igniting my warm fuzzies and fluttery butterflies.

“I didn’t want it to get cold. That’s why I needed you to open up,” he says.
“Thanks, Superman.”
He grins like he’s relieved I’m calling him that. I notice dimples digging into his tan cheeks. There’s a part of me that wants to nudge my pointer finger into one of them because they’re so cute.
“I’m not superman. Clark Kent, maybe. Not Superman.”

The bonds formed in this book, her mother, brother, Evan, her friends, Brenda [her therapist], they were beautiful. They were by far the biggest highlight and strongest selling point in this story, and I found the relationships wholly realistic-they were honest and raw, gritty and deep. Relationships aren’t all sunshine and rainbows, puppies and kittens, flowers and unicorns-they are harsh and true and fragile as glass…but if you open yourself up, trust in others and in yourself, they can be the most rewarding asset in your life.

Morgan’s struggles resonated deeply within me…until they didn’t. Ouch, okay, hear me out. The beginning was so strong, and I adored every minute, even in the end. But at one point, when she began to push Evan away (repeatedly) I had a hard time connecting with it. And that’s the thing, you don’t have to. It’s the truth. People have moments in their lives where they are at their lowest and they can’t believe someone would want to go through it with them-for them, and that’s where I lost my ability to understand. I hurt when she hurt, I ached when she ached, and I yearned when she yearned….but for about ten percent at one point (you’ll know when) I couldn’t fathom why she went there. Other than that?? This book was perfection..and I can’t imagine never having learned about it.

Her journey, her quest to restore faith in humanity-and the world-is one I don’t know I could have traveled. A quote from my favorite series of all time sums up Morgan’s life perfectly-’It takes ten times as long to pull yourself together as it does to fall apart’. And it’s true. It’s simple. It’s right. But most importantly, it applies to me. If what happened to her had happened to me, I might not have been as strong or as courageous as she (well, she gets there, that’s the whole point). It took one moment, maybe 20 minutes, for her world to shatter into oblivion….yet it took her months to try and walk out her door. Being reduced to a heaping, crumpled pile on the floor is a harsh thing…but it’s what we do after that defines who we are. I only hope I never have to live through such a tragedy…but if I do, I hope I’ll have the courage to put one foot in front of the other and live my life to the fullest. It’s all any of us can do.

Thank you, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, for bringing this wonderful book to my attention ♥

***********

I swim. I float. I breathe. I burn. I hope. I dream. I think. I wonder. I am.

This book was everything I hoped for it to be…yet there was still something that kept it from being an instant favorite. Perhaps my mood, my tiredness (from being severely sick), or just a lack of one little thing were the causes, or maybe it just is what it is: A very endearing, thought-provoking book that touched me deeply, but didn’t stay with me. Staying with that format, I don’t have time to write a review right now, seeing as I’m at work and was late because I’m sick (again), but I will post one tomorrow for this wonderful and heart-warming story.

Hope I can do it justice!

Thank you, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, for bringing this wonderful book to my attention ♥

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BOOK REVIEW – The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

January 14, 2016 / Jen / 6 Comments

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable…convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. The task is simple: two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

The problem is that days after prom, she can't stop thinking about her fill-in boyfriend. But can Gia turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship?

Smartly observed and wonderfully romantic, Kasie West's talent shines in this tale of one girl's unexpected quest to find love…and possibly herself.

Review:

The Fill-In Boyfriend was an absolutely adorable book! I happily smiled through the majority of the story, while giggling like I was in High School all over again. I became a huge fan of Gia as she grew up throughout the story. And I fell head over heels in love with Fill-In Bradley. But that ending left me wanting so much more. It felt as though there was so still much up in the air, and I would have loved to have an epilogue. And of course more time with Fill-in Bradley.

“I can pay you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I’m sure there are services for that. Maybe you can try calling 1-800-HOOKERS or something?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile that came with it. “You know that number well?”
He let out a single laugh.

I started out the book easily feeling sorry for Gia. She got dumped by her boyfriend, Bradley, in the parking lot, right before they were to walk into her school dance. Ack, how awful! But she was a little more devastated over the fact that now she was going to be labeled a liar. By Jules, the newest addition to their clique, who didn’t believe Gia’s long distance boyfriend was real. And Jules was slowly trying to turn Gia’s friends against her. In her desperation, Gia luckily saw a boy who watched the whole tragedy unfold. An older brother sitting in the car after dropping his sister and her date off for the dance. Gia worked her magic and convinced him to take her to the dance. And be her Fill-in Bradley.

I loved Fill-in Bradley. Can I please steal him out of this book?! Please? He was mesmerizing and quickly pulled me under his spell. Not only did he step up to the plate and help out Gia, but he defended her, watched out for her, and treated her with love and respect. Well fake love and respect, since it’s all a charade….but still!! He gave me chills with his actions and words, and I easily melted into a puddle of goo. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Or not. Haha!

His amused look softened. “So you still don’t know my name?
“No. And I need it for tonight.”
He didn’t provide me the answer but instead asked, “What have you been calling me in your head, then?”
“What makes you think you’ve been in my head?”
He just smirked like he knew he had. And he was right. “Fill-in Bradley.”

You see, Fill-in Bradley’s younger sister, Bec, is making Gia return the favor. Gia now gets to pretend to be Fill-in Bradley’s girlfriend at his ex’s bbq. Shrieks of excitement escaped out of me when that was announced! I had so much fun watching them play their little charade, and I had even more fun the second time around. But like Gia, I too became confused at times. Because sometimes their actions as a fake boyfriend and fake girlfriend felt real. And what would happen if one of them wanted more?

He greeted several people then scooted his chair extra close to mine. While he ate with one hand, his other was always resting on the back of my chair, or on my shoulder, or playing with the ends of my hair. I knew it was for show and I had to keep telling myself that as chills radiated down my spine every time he touched me.

But you want to know what surprised me the most about The Fill-In Boyfriend? How much I loved Fill-in Bradley’s sister, Bec. She was hilarious, endearing and honest. I loved how she meddled with Gia and Fill-in Bradley’s relationship. How she helped remind them that they were just pretending, damn it. But what I loved most about her SPOILER was how she taught Gia what being a true friend meant. Because let me tell you, Gia definitely didn’t have much experience in that department.

I let him take me to the makeshift dance floor across the sand. I let him wrap my arms up around his neck and then rest his hands on my hips. For one moment I forgot we had an audience and it was for them that we were performing this show. He made me forget I had come here to try to get him out of my head.

So, thank goodness for Fill-in Bradley and Bec stepping into Gia’s life, because her old friends desperately needed to grow up and disappear. They were a group of catty bitches. And her parents and brother weren’t much better than them unfortunately. But lucky for us, Gia does learn and grow throughout the story. I was more than pleasantly surprised!

Looking back, I still can’t believe I flew through this book in under a day! It was that addicting! And I was that obsessed wanting to know what was going to happen with fill-in Bradley. What can I say? I get obsessed with my fiction male characters haha! I just wish there was an epilogue or another chapter or two explaining some loose ends, because this book could have easily been 5 Stars!

BOOK REVIEW: Attraction (Elements of Chemistry #1; Hypothesis #1.1) by Penny Reid

January 13, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Attraction by Penny Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?

Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.

Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family's billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.

When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?

A beautiful man is the devil’s most potent weapon.

Parker:

Annoying;

irritating, infuriating, exasperating, maddening, trying, tiresome…

Martin (Really? Lol):

Aggressive:

assertive, pushy, forceful..

Yet…I enjoyed. At least, in some parts. In many ways, this was a VERY short book. it was meant to be-it’s a three part novella…for some odd reason that I don’t get-Yet it took me almost a full week to read it. Not good. This story-and author, for that matter-holds all the components to an excellent NA romance. Literally, it has everything going for it. Specifically, it has a hot, swoony male lead that is tortured and feels like no one sees him as anything other than a cash cow. He is lonely and has fallen for his lab partner who sees him for who he really might be, not just a label. She doesn’t give him much credit and often judges him even though he says he only wants her.

It’s [her] name is Parker *lets out frustrated growl (a verb our author is practically obsessed with)* the closet hiding, synonym loving, virgin chemist enthusiast. Yeah…a mouthful indeed…she’s a lot to take, for sure.

Parker:

Childish;

immature, babyish, infantile, juvenile, puerile..

Martin:

Harsh;

cruel, savage, dictatorial…

Like i said-that first chapter??? It hooked me. I loved it. Really. It seemed like this was really for me. But then we got deeper inside Parker’s headache inducing mind. Good god, this chick. I mean.. A lot of times she made me smile and huff out a reluctant laugh, you know?? She’s cute and quirky. Really. But then it’s like…how fucking naive can you really be???

I don’t believe it, or rather, I didn’t care for it. I was as naive as a freshman in high school could be, and even I wouldn’t be as neurotic as this chick. I’m not kidding-naivety was my middle name. Hello, mortifying-I-never-want-to-remember-you-again memories. They’re just ghastly. But as a college freshman I don’t believe for one second she couldn’t have been more mature for Martin or that she couldn’t have produced more adult-like conversions than she provided. She didn’t do too bad, I’ll give her that, but her decision making certainly left something to be desired. I don’t know. Aren’t you glad the blurry, indecisive Bitch is back?? Lol

And, for once, she wasn’t my only problem. I loved Martin-God he has BBF tattooed all over him. However…I think the author blurred that line of sexy, tortured, and persistent, with sexy, tortured, and forceful. Ugh, that’s not the right word, perhaps, but even I, the girl who loves all men in her books, found Martin to be a bit too pushy at times. But here’s the kicker!!! It’s Parker’s fault, too. If she doesn’t want to be with him (her reasons are ruh-tarded, by the way), say so. Like, UGH. But she obviously is extremely attracted to him, fantasizes about him, and dreams of being the girl he wants forever like any normal hot-blooded female would in books and in real life…so…I blame her a lot. Her indecisiveness is sure to confuse not only us, but the male she’s obsessed with as well. So. Again. I don’t know. Boo, Parker. Boo. Figure your shit out, you indecisive cow.

I must say, I only liked the book when Martin was around. I don’t quite get the authors style of writing-it’s like she can be excellent…but is missing something that makes her so. It’s almost childish, but then some passages really gripped me and seemed super intellectual. They were far and fleeting, but that’s where Martin filled the gaps. 😉

A cute little book, but missing some key components that could have made it addictive. When I put it down, I didn’t think of it. When I picked it up, I either pined for Martin to return or was fantasizing about my next read (woo buddy I can’t wait!). But, for some reason, I still enjoyed this enough to try for book two. This was a thoughtful gift from a wonderful, best friend, and I know there was a reason she bought this with me in mind. And I agree-it seems Martin and Parker are about to get some shit worked out-I do so hate stupid, childish misunderstandings. So, here soon I will start novella two and see where they are in their relationship. I hope they can finally move forward and Parker will stop with her indecisive relationship fears and misconceptions. Just…sigh. I can’t help but like her sometimes-

figure it out, little girl, for all of us.

Parker:

Sweet; (and non-judge mental, for that matter)

nice, kind, thoughtful, considerate, friendly…

Martin:

Passionate;

hot-blooded, loving, sexy, sensual, amorous, ardent…

A wonderful Christmas gift from my Jenny!!

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW – Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1) by Jessica Park

January 7, 2016 / Anna

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
omething is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.

And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul.

To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.

Congrats, Flat-Out Love. Welcome to the very limited circle of books I hated. Say hello to The Perfect Game for me, would you?

Buddy read with Kat (click to read her review), who saved my sanity (thanks for the support through this!!)

But because my inner circle of doom rewards its members as they deserve, let’s start with little awards, ‘kay?

But first of all…….. Music!

► It comes as no surprise that Julie easily earns the most insufferable ès judgmental heroine medal for her endless efforts throughout the story. The jury was really impressed by the abilities she showed in being a disrespectful and arrogant friend and daughter.

Here’s a little presentation of her greatest deeds : Indeed through her constant inner monologues, we see her unfailing perseverance in making fun of others, whether she thinks they’re dumb, lame, or annoying. Kudos for never forgetting that everyone and everything is beneath her.

✘ About her former friends : “Now she was out of small-town Ohio, out of that below average high school, and out of a social circle dominated by girls blindly cheering on their sports boyfriends.”

✘ About her ex-boyfriend : “Speaking of Jared, Julie wondered what he was doing right now. Probably sporting a toga and doing keg stands at the miserable state university he was attending. She hoped he was lost in a crowd of dumb jocks and getting rejected by every busty, tank-top-wearing, fake-tanned airhead he hit on.”

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

✘ About random girls she doesn’t even know (but hey, she listened to their vocal messages, I’m sure it counts somewhere) : “She didn’t know if she was jealous of that fourth roommate or not. That Sally sounded an awful lot like the perky-yet-vacant crowd she’d left behind at home. On the other hand, there was something to be said about for a core gaggle of girls who would love nothing more than to order pizza, do each others’ hair, and watch tawdry reality shows.”

Wow. She got all these details out of the way the girl says hello on her vocal message? I’m really impressed.

✘ Her conversations with Matt, the son of the family welcoming her in their house, are full of “witty” bullying and aggressive remarks the poor guy never deserved.

“Let’s discuss your choice of attire for the evening.”
Matt hit the touchpad a few times. “Really? What aspects would you like to discuss?”
“Let’s discuss how lame it is.“

This is just fantastic, isn’t it? Don’t you see how CLEVER and WITTY she is? What do you mean, you DON’T? Come on. Don’t be like that. Not to mention that she does think about his life, too. Well, she doesn’t want to invite him to come along when she goes out because, well, duh, he’s so freaking beneath her (can you please follow?) but she considers keeping an eye on his sister someday to give him the occasion to attend a party. How’s that for best roommate ever, huh?

“Not that he looked like the sort who was aching to do keg stands in a frat house, but still. There might be a physics bee some Friday night, and he could return home with a nice ribbon for having spelled “coulomb” or “neutralino” correctly“

Again, so freaking WITTY and CLEVER.

✘ About her mother, in a text message : “Mom is OK. A little… lacking depth, maybe? But nice.”

Don’t worry though, because she really wants to help Celeste, the daughter of the house who is going through difficult times. Indeed she decides to take her under her wing, and manages to develop a bond between them without never making me care. That’s an achievement to behold really. What can I say, I guess that telling me that she cares isn’t enough for me to believe her. Come on. We’re talking about self-absorbed Julie here.

See, I have no problem with unlikeable characters, as soon as their behavior is acknowledged as being offensive. Never, at any point, is she called on her shit. Am I supposed to think that belittling everything and everyone is okay? That being plain bully with someone we just met is okay? That talking about a family welcoming you with your professor of psychology is okay? FUCK NO.

To be honest, at one point Kat and I considered the possibility that Julie suffered from a mental-illness because the distortion between what we see and what she describes is freaking HUGE. Don’t bother wondering, that’s not the plot twist (more about that later).

► For the unrealistic and over-the-top quirky conversations, Flat-Out Love wins the award of the most unbelievable and fake set of characters. Woohoo!

Look, I always considered myself as a nerd but by no means could I relate – or connect, at least – with any of these characters. Their interactions are ridiculous, roll-eyes worthy and more generally, completely unbelievable. Jessica Park’s writing isn’t bad, but she tries way too much to convey a sense of oddity. Her characters aren’t weird, they’re freaking cyborgs.

► Finally, for the predictable, “I-saw-it-coming-at-20%” plot “twist”, I’d like to offer Flat-Out Love the Golden Globe of easy roads. I’m sorry, but when the big revelation is obvious from 20%, I consider myself insulted in my intelligence.

☻ ☻ ☻ Now, because I want to prove that I’m not one to hold a grudge, I prepared several little games about that *cough* ridiculous *cough* story. You’re welcome. *blows kiss*

Find the words!