Author: Jen (Page 26 of 204)

I ♥ Paranormal, Dystopian, Romance, YA, NA & some Fantasy and Science Fiction. I ♥ not being able to knock that darn smirk off my face, crying my eyes out or feeling every emotion under the sun with characters. I ♥ cheesecake, wakeboarding, snowboarding, being a mommy & wife, dancing, singing and being a beach bum addict!
Find me on: Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW: Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff & Nina Croft

BOOK REVIEW: Star Bringer by Tracy Wolff & Nina CroftStar Bringer by Tracy Wolff, Nina Croft
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The sun is dying…and it’s happening way too damn fast.

With the clock ticking, the Nine Planets’ only hope of survival rests on a fancy space station and the alien artifact it’s carrying. Which is why it really sucks when some jackass doesn’t want the universe saved and blows that station up―while you’re still on it.

So if your only choices are flaming death or stealing a flying hunk of space junk―you pick that busted-ass spaceship. Even if it leaves seven strangers with deadly secrets trapped together: a princess, a prisoner, a con artist, a warrior, a priestess, a mercenary, and an asshole in charge of us all.

Now every faction in the galaxy is hunting this ship―from the Sisterhood to the Corporation, and the rebellion’s joining in on the fun, too. We just need to stop drinking, fighting, and screwing long enough to evade them all and save the freaking universe...somehow.

Because apparently the only thing standing between a dying sun and ultimate salvation is seven unlikely misfits…ahem, heroes.

Review:

Star Bringer was a fast paced romantic Sci-Fi that was so much fun! It felt like a mash up of certain elements from Guardians of the Galaxy + The 100 + The Breakfast Club and a little bit of The Bourne Identity, so I was obsessed! And by just that first chapter I was sucked in. These seven characters were thrown together and were the most unlikely of allies. It was just asking for disaster! It made this story steamy, heartfelt and filled with all the action. Laced with lies, death, secrets, betrayal, friendship and love, this high staked book was impossible to put down!

As crews go, we’re a goddamn disaster. A princess, a priestess, a bodyguard, a prisoner, a con artist, a goofball, and me, self-appointed asshole in charge of them all.

 

Kalinda: Crown Princess of the Nine Planets

If anyone had told me a month ago that I’d be sitting at a bar on Glacea while the only person I’ve ever kissed casually stabs a stranger, I would have laughed them out of the palace. But here we are.

Kali was one of my favorite characters. Her thoughts cracked me up and I loved her sarcasm. Yet even though she was level headed, she had been raised so naïve and sheltered. She hadn’t been aware of what was truly going on in the planets around her, or their galaxy. So as she found herself in the middle of an adventure of a lifetime, she not only got a huge wake up call, but she grew so much from the beginning of this story to the end!

 

Ian: Mercenary and Smuggler and (Very) Occasional Good Guy

He smirks. “Princess Kalinda, the martyr . Not sure the look suits you. Besides, I’ve always been a sucker for a damsel in distress.”
“No, you haven’t!” I tell him, and the desperation is growing inside me. Because time is running out.
“Okay, you’re right, I haven’t.” He blasts some more laser fire in their direction, then looks at me, his expression serious for once.

Ian was right up there with favorite character! His thoughts made me fall so hard for him. And I loved that he was attracted to the Princess from the get go, but that he hated all that she stood for. But Ian was a secretive soul and he held a lot of his cards close to his chest. All I really knew about him in the beginning was that he desperately needed to save Milla. We just didn’t know the why. As the story unfolded we saw that Ian was heroic, brave, cynical and selfless – even though he would deny this to his death haha. Ian was a true book boyfriend that I fell head over heels in love with!

 

Ian & Kali:

No way. Bad boys are one thing. Homicidal assholes are another.
But then he turns and our eyes meet as he watches me watching him.
Shit. Could I be more obvious?
He raises a brow as if inviting me to engage.

Ian and Kali had the most fabulous of enemies to lovers! Their banter was everything! I loved watching Ian mess with Kali, and Kali throw it back at him. Watching their enemies to lovers relationship transform was my favorite thing about this story! It was real, believable and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Being put in life and death situations, they had to trust each other. Save each other. And watching that trust, friendship and more build was perfect and left my heart beating faster!

 

Rain: High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Light

I feel the stirring of my own rebellion deep inside. The part of me that has lived my life for other people knows I should shove it down and lock it up tight. But the other part… the other part of me wants to take it out for a spin and see where it goes.

Rain was absolutely adorable and oh so sheltered. She had so many expectations put upon her as the High Priestess, so I loved how down to earth she was. How she was a complete disaster the first time she met the Princess. But as we got to learn more about Rain, I loved that she was kind, good hearted and so thoughtful. And she was completely obsessed thinking about kissing Beckett ♥.

 

Beckett: Newly Escaped Prisoner 826

“Nothing about you could ever be boring, Rain,” she whispers back. Then she sweeps my hair over my shoulder and leans forward to press her mouth against the nape of my neck.

Beckett was a mystery. She kept her cards closer to her chest then even Ian did. She had so much hate towards everything Kali stood for, and seemed to have so much darkness around her because of the physical pain she was constantly in. So she took the longest for me to warm up to and like. Watching Rain make Beckett happy finally gave Beckett the light she desperately needed. Yet I felt like Rain and Becket’s relationship wasn’t as developed as Ian and Kali’s. Theirs felt more physical, like an insta lust. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Rain and Beckett’s relationship will develop more as this trilogy unfolds!

 

Their World & The Others:

“What is this?” she asks, and now she’s looking around as well.
“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “I have no fucking idea. But I’m starting to think we should’ve been more scared of the sentient ship we’ve stolen and what she’s capable of.”

Learning about the different planets, and the political mechanisms to it all was fascinating. But we also got to see the horrors that surrounded them and my mind was blown. Torture. Betrayal. Death. Consequences. All seemed to be wherever you looked in their galaxy.
Also on the ship were Merrick, Gage, and Max.  Yet we didn’t get the any of their povs like we do with Beckett, Rain, Ian and Kali. So I’m keeping my lips zipped on them, other then hold on because you’re in for a wild ride! And the same for the ship! I loved the ship in the story almost as much as Kali and Ian! I have sooooo much I want to say, but I can’t wait for you to discover all that is Starlight! She had me clapping, screaming out loud, and cheering her on every step of the way!

Terror rolls through me at the thought of what we’re about to do— and what will happen if we get caught. But some things are worth fighting for. And so are some people.

With perilous action, this story had heart pounding moments that were epic and others that were impossible not to have tears when reading! And while there were happy moments, death still loomed over all of their heads. After finishing this book, I went back and re-read certain scenes and the foreshadowing! Ohhhhh, it was so subtly there! This story was definitely like a puzzle, but you have to look for the pieces since not all of them show themselves to you! Now I am patiently waiting for that next book. While I am nervous about how something will pan out, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I love how it unfolds. And I can;t wait to see what happens next!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

BOOK REVIEW: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah AdamsThe Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The friend zone is not the end zone for Bree Camden, who is helplessly in love with her longtime best friend and extremely hot NFL legend, Nathan Donelson. The only problem is that she can’t admit her true feelings, because he clearly sees her as a best friend with no romantic potential, and the last thing Bree wants is to ruin their relationship. But those abs . . .

Nope! Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for Bree. In any case, she has other things to worry about. After a car accident ended her chance at becoming a professional ballerina, Bree changed paths and now owns her own dance studio, with big dreams to expand it. But one more rent increase could mean the end of the studio entirely.

Then, as usual, Nathan comes to the rescue and buys the entire building. A stubborn Bree is not happy about it and decides to rebel with a couple—okay, maybe more than a couple—of tequila shots. Then her plan backfires as she spills her deepest, darkest secret to a TMZ reporter. One viral video later, the world thinks Nathan and Bree are the perfect couple. Before they can really talk about her confession, Nathan’s publicist proposes a big opportunity that could mean financial security for Bree. The catch? They have to pretend to be in love. For three whole weeks.

What will happen when Bree gives in to the feelings she’s been desperately hiding for so long, and could she be imagining that Nathan is actually enjoying it? Sarah Adams scores more than touchdowns in this exciting romantic comedy.

Review:

The Cheat Sheet was a friends to lovers sports romance that was a lot of fun.  With slow burn romance and fake dating mixed together, this book ended up being so adorable.  If you’re looking for a romance story that’s sweet and low on angst, definitely add this one to your tbr!

To my left is a floor-to-ceiling three-million-dollar view of the ocean, but to my right is the view I would give my soul to see every day for the rest of my life. Obviously, Bree doesn’t know I feel this way about her.

Bree and Nathan had been friends since high school and she had been in love with him for forever.  Yet Nathan treated her as just his best friend, while he dated everyone else. Although I had some guesses when it came to Nathan.  He would pause when saying something or the things he did to help her out were sigh worthy.  I loved trying to look for clues to see exactly how he felt!  So I was surprised that after a couple of chapters we also got his POV!  I was squealing with giddiness!  Especially since we got to know a tiny bit of how he felt in that first paragraph!  But there was still a lot of things to piece together, since we spent a lot more time with Bree.  So when drunk Bree admitted to a reporter her feelings, she found herself fake dating her best friend.  At least until the Super Bowl, since they were doing an ad together.  And the lines of what was real and fake definitely started to blur!

What’s happening?! Why am I reacting this way? It changes nothing really—except I feel like everything I knew has changed tonight. My foundation is shaking.

I loved Bree!  Her thoughts cracked me up and it was impossible not to laugh out loud at her.  Plus she was such a kind hearted soul.  She loved the students she taught dance to and would sacrifice for them, so they could dance.  Even if that left her scrambling for rent money.  And she didn’t want to rely on her bestie to help her.  I understood her need for wanting to make it on her own.  Especially when she pictured her bestie married to some other woman in the future.  So she tried her best to remain strong when it came to Nathan.  My heart hurt that she was jaded from the accident in her past.  She didn’t think she got to keep the good things in her life, and still struggled with that years later.  So the moments she would cave, or allow help from Nathan warmed my heart!  But Bree was in total denial that Nathan could ever want her.  Even though there seemed to be clues everywhere.  So of course Bree was nervous about crossing the lines of friendship while fake dating.  She didn’t think she could ever go back to normal after she crossed those lines!

I watch with a sinking feeling as Nathan’s head tilts ever so slightly and a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. It’s a look I’ve never seen before, like I just got duped by a card shark when I thought I was playing Go Fish against a toddler.
He hands me the pen. “Oh, it’ll definitely be fun. I’ll make sure of it.”

While there were some cheesy moments and miscommunication, it worked perfectly with the low angst in this story.  I did want to shake them and tell them just to be honest with each other.  To be brave.  To take a chance!  And for Bree to not run away when he was practice flirting with her. They had to make it seem real, since he was in the public eye.  So I was glad that Nathan stood his ground, one of them needed to be more mature about it.   And when Nathan started to test the waters to see if she was interested, ohhhh I was so happy!  I loved that he used his friends to help him figure out how to get out of that friend zone.  Their brainstorming session was one of my favorite scenes!  And Jamal was definitely my favorite friend of his!  I loved that his friends were rooting for them to get together, just as much as Nathaniel was!

That’s not me and Nathan in this picture. This is a couple who’s head over heels for each other.
I know why I see that blissful look on my face, but why is it on his too?

With scenes that are forever etched in my brain, I’m looking at you brownie batter! Failed attempts at seduction. Jealousy becoming amusing. Stress and anxiety brought about in an honest way. I loved how this book continued to have a light and fluffy feel to it, even though it covered heavier topics. And it made me so happy! The Cheat Sheet was an absolutely adorable closed door romance. I will definitely be checking out other books by Sarah Adams!

BOOK REVIEW: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

BOOK REVIEW: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Crush (n.): a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that's inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

Review:

99 Percent Mine was a hilariously sexy romcom that was laced with deeper moments filled with emotions. Darcy had known Tom Valeska since she was 8, and her twin claimed him as his best friend for life.  Tom was now engaged and was overseeing the cottage renovation of the twin’s late grandmother.  And usually when things got too emotional for Darcy, she bolted.  And flew somewhere distant.  Yet this cottage was a piece of her heart, and she was going to try her best to stick around. So she got a say in how it was renovated.  So while Darcy and Tom had been friends for a long time, there was definitely a sticky background there.  Darcy wasn’t the best with sensitive words or sensitive topics. And she hurt Tom years ago.  So nowadays, Darcy was obsessed with what percent she had of Tom and what part belonged to her brother.  And each time she won something, she bumped up that percentage a little higher.

I’m the liability he swore to take care of.

Darcy Barrett’s thoughts were absolutely hilarious and so ridiculous at times!  While she was rough around the edges, and maybe that’s an understatement, I loved her!  With her sugar and sweet wine addiction, the two didn’t go hand in hand with her lifelong heart arrythmia.  I will say as someone who’s so conscious of her heart issues, it did bother me that Darcy didn’t take better care of her heart *cries*.  Especially when it was obvious that alcohol was messing up her life.  She didn’t do photography anymore and seemed to be skating by in life while making some bad choices.  Life style choices, not great…alcohol choices, not great…job choices, not great.  I couldn’t wait for Darcy to actually face something.  And not run away like she always did in the past.  Darcy was definitely the queen at bailing on life!

“What do I get in return?”
“You know, heart, soul. The usual.”
“Oh, Darce.” He sighs like I’ve learned nothing. “You’re messing with me again.”

And then there was Tom. Ohhh Tom. He was my favorite. Some of Tom’s words knocked the breath out of my lungs. And I loved how he messed with Darcy and would make the reader laugh too. Especially with the underwear thing! Yet Tom saw so much. So I wanted to cheer when he would hit the mark in regards to Darcy. But at the same time, I wanted to wrap my arms around myself while stating that it was way harsh Tai! As they worked through things between themselves and each other, I was cheering for them each step of the way. That they could love themselves. That they both could heal. And that they would find love together.

He laughs, and the afternoon sunlight turns the floating dust particles into glitter around us. It turns his eyes to whiskey, and they get me drunk. A guy like this? He’s the only one who’s ever made my stomach flip.

One thing that stuck out to me was that Darcy was a very sexual being and she had no problem sexualizing everything Tom did. It was so hot and you could just feel the tension electrifying between them! Yet miscommunication was the name of their game.  He thought she had a wild night?  She was truly at McDonalds lol.  And neither seemed to be completely honest with the other. But as the renovation unfolded, they worked together. Helped each other. And threw in a little jealousy here and there. If you love slow burns, this book is for you! Darcy and Tom had the most fabulous slow burn!

Fuck it. If he wants honesty, I’ll give it to him. “I would have undone your belt and got down on my knees, and made you pray to God.”
“Jesus,” he says with no air.

There were also deeper emotional moments within the pages. It shocked me how much it hurt to watch Darcy fight with her twin.  They both could be so stubborn. So I loved the relationship Darcy had with her bestie Truly. She told her everything! And I loved that Truly held her accountable and made her realize things. She was the most amazing woman! Yet the writing style wasn’t my favorite. It had very flowery, out there descriptions. Almost purple prose, but that’s not entirely the correct description. Once you read it, or if you already have, then you’ll know what I mean. So while I adored this book, I still had a few issues. But that epilogue was perfect! There was not only a 99 Percent Mine epilogue BUT also one for The Hating Games! And it left me closing this book with a smile on my face and being soooo happy!

His unforgettable eyes are the last thing I see before he pulls me up onto my tiptoes and puts his mouth on mine. Thunder cracks above us and then, the world goes silent.

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Theoretically by Ali HazelwoodLove, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Review:

Love, Theoretically was a heartwarming, academic romance.  With a smidgen of enemies to lovers, this book was so easy to binge in a day!

I hate that I look at Jack Smith, with his good jaw and his good dimples and those good hands, and find him handsome.

Elsie Hannaway was a theoretical physicist.  She wanted to be a researcher, yet she was currently adjuncting at three different colleges.  So on the side to help pay for her bills, she was a fake girlfriend.  Her favorite client’s older brother was Jack Smith.  Who was my favorite *screams*, totally not biased at all haha!  Yet when Elsie went on an interview for a dream job, she realized Jack was actually Dr. Jonathan Smith-Turner, the head of the MIT Physics Institute.  Elsie hated that man with a passion.  His past published work ruined her mentor’s career and undermined her career field.  So with her nemesis standing in the way of her dream job, Elsie was determined, focused and set to get that job! 

I remember his hands, warm, unwavering around my waist, a hushed settle down murmured against my temple, and I suppress a shiver. Have I mentioned that I hate him?

My heart hurt for Elsie.  Her shock at who Jack was, was so palpable.  She got it all wrong.  And during that interview dinner, I was laughing way too hard.  Jack had no problems messing with her and I loved that.  But what I loved most of all was that Elsie was finally herself with Jack.  With everyone else, she tried to be who they wanted her to be.  Even with her best friend.  With Jack, she was always true to herself.  She let him know she hated him.  She let him know what he did to her field and how she has struggled because of that.  She let it all out!  As she continued to go through the interview process over the days, I loved that she killed it time and again!  Yet Elsie could definitely be her own worst enemy.  By not being herself.  By reading other people wrong.  By blinding following along.  And at times being clueless and assuming too much.

I notice it, the amused gleam in his eyes, like he knows exactly what I’m trying to say. I press my lips together, because I don’t want to encourage him, I don’t want to smile, but I’m about to. “I hate you.”
“Sure you do.”

While Jack Smith was closed off with his expressions and feelings, I just knew that time and again Elsie had to be reading him wrong.  Her preconceived notions made her see him in a completely different light than who he truly was.  I loved how he interacted with his brother.  I loved how much passion he had.  But most of all, I loved when Jack would mess with Elsie.  It felt like he secretly liked her.  So when he could see through her BS, facades and called her out on it, I was cheering!  He seemed to want what was best for her.  Even if he did damage her field of study in the past, but I knew there had to be a solid reason behind it.  He didn’t seem like the type to not have reasons behind his actions.  So as we got to watch Jack stand up for Elsie and protect her, I continued to fall for him.  He not only showed that he cared, but he was smart, kind, compassionate and beyond sexy.  And as Jack got vocal, sigh, he completely had me melting into a puddle!

“Bold of you to assume that the real me is my best hand.” That stupid, crooked half smile is back.
“Foolish of you to think it isn’t.”

Jack and Elsie’s progression had me grinning from ear to ear.  I loved the banter and sexual tension between them.  I loved that it wasn’t aways easy.  So as they slowly started to become friends, I loved watching them build that foundation.  And when more happened, ohhh their story was so steamy!  The side characters were my absolute fabulous too.  I adored Jack’s Grandma, his brother and Elsie’s bestie too.  AND we got to see Adam and Olive from The Love Hypothesis *cheers*!  My only hiccup with this book was I hate being pulled out of a story.  I don’t mind pop references, but political people no matter if I adore or hate them are a big no for me.  There were multiple references and each time it appeared on the pages I was pulled out of my happy place and put into the real world.  I desperately need a break from the real world when I’m reading and this book didn’t fully give me that, sigh.

“You could be my entire world,” he whispers in my ear before moving to my collarbone. “If you let me.”

This was just one of those stories where it’s so easy to sit down and read it in a day.  It flowed so quickly and was so much fun!  While The Love Hypothesis still holds the spot as my favorite Ali Hazelwood book, this story was so much fun!  It’s also a great book to buddy read with a friend and talk about!  I loved how binge worthy this story was, and I’m hoping that Ali’s next book will hopefully become my next favorite story ever!

BOOK REVIEW: The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

BOOK REVIEW: The True Love Experiment by Christina LaurenThe True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work but when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

Review:

With a fun and flirty vibe, The True Love Experiment was so easy to devour! This story took place one year after The Soulmate Equation, and I definitely recommend reading that book first!  There were so many easter eggs for feelings! This time around, a company was using the dating technology within a tv show. And watchers got to determine who would progress to the next level. Connor was in charge of the show and I loved that he knew he needed Fizzy to be the leading lady. So when Fizzy, an author, threw out that the males had to be tropey oh my heart exploded. I couldn’t wait to see how it all unfolded!

The world seems intent on beating us down, and I don’t remember the last time I was genuinely happy.

Fizzy was so different then I perceived her in The Soulmate Equation.  She came across as bubbly, happy and fun in the previous book and in listening to her thoughts in this story she was cynical, jaded and could be harsh on men.  She was stuck in a writing block, didn’t know if true love was for her and hadn’t had sex in a year. My heart hurt for her.  But I struggled connecting with her at first.  She could be so harsh and was quick to judge Connor without blinking an eye. She had no problems assuming and painting others as a villain.  I was so thankful when I got to page 58 because then I finally saw the Fizzy I had fallen in love with!  She started to mess with Connor and I loved that her playful ways were coming out!  And I love that her friends were horrified when they learned that her first impression of him was soooo wrong *cheers for Connor!*. While Fizzy wasn’t one my favorite Christina Lauren character, I was so happy to see that she grew in leaps and bounds. And I loved her by the end of this story!

You’re going to be setting her up with other men. The reminder crashes into the forefront of my thoughts, and I blink away.

I loved Conor within those first few pages.  I loved that he would agree to her outlandish terms!  I loved how he had such an open and honest relationship with his ex, the mother of his daughter.  That warmed my heart how he could confide and talk to her. She was such an amazing best friend for him.  And I loved how they co-parented their daughter.  Connor was sexy, good hearted, kind and loyal. The company Connor worked for was making a major pivot from socially conscious programming to reality television.  And Connor was in charge. I was happy to know that he wasn’t aware of who Fizzy’s true match was, so I kept trying to guess as the pages unfolded. But at the same point, I was wondering how Connor would match up with her since there was a definite spark between them. And as Connor was in the background during the shoots, Fizzy couldn’t ignore him. She was pulled to him, as strongly as he was pulled to her!

I know what love looks like— and I’ve written it so many times— but I’ve never felt it myself.

I loved watching Connor and Fizzy form a true friendship as the story progressed.  It was so effortless, once they got past their beginning hiccups. And we got to alternate this story between the two of them!  Yet Fizzy wanted more. And I loved seeing how Connor wasn’t capable of compartmentalizing his feelings like Fizzy. He knew he couldn’t get his heart invested. So with Connor being the voice of reason, I wondered how long that would last haha. Because lines were crossed. And they both made not the best life decisions. Especially with contracts dictating behavior ack. So while their times were hot, they were also a recipe for disaster. And I kept waiting for it all to blow up in their faces. I loved them together, but it left a bad taste in my mouth that she wasn’t being in good faith for the show.

“This is a plot twist I should have expected,” I grumble.

So while I had so much fun devouring this story, I still had my hiccups. I struggled with Fizzy’s behavior at times, I didn’t like an aspect of Connor’s past, and their struggle later in the book just showed me that they could both be dumb at times *shrugs*. But things have a way of working out the way it should, and I loved the ending of this story! If you’re looking for a beach read and don’t have some of my issues, then this book is definitely will be it!

The sneakiest of thoughts escapes, unguarded: As great as these Heroes are, none are him.

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