Author: Kasie West (Page 2 of 3)

Synopsis:

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door.

With three older brothers, Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, has always been more comfortable calling the shots on a basketball court than flirting with the opposite sex. So when her police officer dad demands she get a summer job to pay for the latest in a long line of speeding tickets, she's more than a little surprised to find herself working at a chichi boutique and going out with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game. Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with her neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden, sitting back-to-back against the fence that separates them. Braden may know her better than anyone. But there's a secret Charlie's keeping that even he hasn't figured out—she's fallen for him. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Review:

On the Fence made me want to spin circles while laughing and smiling.  Seriously.  This book was beyond adorable.  I had a permanent smile on my face, and I closed that last page feeling incredibly happy!  If you’re in need of a super cute book, that also has some deeper moments, then definitely pick this one up!

“A girl who plays disc golf?” Jerom said. “That’s hot.” Gage curled his lip. “I don’t know. A girl who plays disc golf? She’s probably a dog. Some aggressive, burly thing.”
The guys laughed, not seeming to realize I was standing right there . . . playing disc golf. Maybe that’s how they saw me. Maybe that’s how most guys saw me.

Charlie is a 16 year old tomboy, and it took me a few chapters to warm up to her.  I was somewhat of a tomboy when I was younger, and I spent my weekends shooting guns, racing four-wheelers, playing baseball and climbing trees with my 5 male cousins and brother.  But when I hit 12/13 I realized that I also loved shopping, fingernail polish and obsessing over my latest Hollywood crush ha.  So it took me a little while to find a connection to a more intense tomboy. But once I did, this book became everything I was looking for!

“What did you mean by that, anyway?”
“By what?”
“That you don’t know my type of girls?”
“I hang out with athletes.”
“And?”
I paused, a little surprised. Was he saying he would date my teammates if I set him up? It had been a while since Braden had a girlfriend, but I was pretty sure his last one knew more about nail patterns than defensive patterns. “And . . . I guess I don’t know your type.”
He chuckled. “I find that hard to believe.”

Charlie is surrounded by males!  Her dad, three older brothers, and neighbor, Braden, are her world.  Well sports are too.  She spends her days playing sports games with them along with wrestling, goofing around, watching tv, and just hanging out.  Charlie easily fits in and is one of the guys.  But after getting a speeding ticket, her dad forces her to get a job.  Where she ends up working, starts to make her world split in two.  Because at work she is surrounded by clothes, makeup, girl friends outside of sports, and even a potential boyfriend.  Charlie feels as though she has no clue how to mesh the person she is at work to the person she is with the family she loves.  And I loved watching her try and figure it all out.

“He trusts you. You’re like our brother.”
“But you’re their sister.”
“And yours.”
“You’re not my sister, Charlie. And they know that. They are very protective of you. More than you could possibly know.”

My favorite part of this book was Charlie interacting with Braden.  He is her neighbor that she has known forever, and one of her older brother’s best friends.  After starting her new job, she realizes that she has some feelings for him. And the electricity that you felt springing from her chest when he would talk a little too close or touch her had me squeeling!  But their friendship become even deeper when they started to meet by the fence that separated their two houses and talk in the middle of the night.  Charlie is trying to escape her nightmares and Braden is escaping his drunk father.  Their talks were friendship, hope, desire and they reached a level of deepness that hadn’t ever existed before between them. And each of those talks helped to create a flutter in my heart.  I adored their time alone, and I kept wishing for that version of them to be brought into the daytime.  But all truths eventually make their way out, and watching theirs progress was so much fun!

He grabbed hold of my arms, preventing me from falling. Something he would’ve never done pre–fence chat. He would’ve let me fall on my butt and then I would’ve tried to sweep his legs out from beneath him. Our eyes met for the briefest of moments and then he quickly released me. As if realizing he’d breached some unwritten rule, he grabbed my arm, bent down, and threw me over his shoulder.
Walking to the couch, he unceremoniously plopped me down on my back. “There. If you’re going to fall on your butt,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he said the word, “choose a better place.”

So yeah, I fell for this book!  And I can definitely say that I have become a huge fan of Kasie West!  She has the ability to create males that are to die for, heroines that pull you into their emotional webs and a story that is completely heartwarming.  I definitely recommend reading this book.  Especially if you are in need of some smiles in your life!

PS I have to say that one of my favorite scenes was the nerf game.  You’re definitely going to want to read that part!  *giggles while fanning face*

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!

Synopsis:

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

“I could try to guess your preferences.”

“My preferences in a kiss?”
I nodded, our faces still very close together.
“My preference is simple-you.”

I can’t say these aren’t clichéd. I can’t say they haven’t been done before. I can’t say there are bad boys and perilistic moments. And I certainly can’t say they are perfect. But what I can say? They may have clichéd moments, but they are written impeccably well. They may have been done before, but never as adorably. There may not be bad boys, but there are guys who would do anything to make you happy. Guys who, for all intents and purposes, aren’t only out for themselves. They are the heroes we deserve in real life, the boys we should strive to be with-And they always keep a permanent smile on my face. And instead of perilous parts, there are heart-wrenching and angsty moments-moments that break your heart and make you want to reach in the book and shake the main characters. And perfection….isn’t that speculative?

[Fill-In Bradley] pointed at the olives I had picked off my pizza. “What’s going on there?”
“I’m not an olive fan.”
“There were other options without olives.”
“I like the flavor the olives leave on the pizza. I just don’t like the texture of the olive itself.”

I swear to God, that’s me (for most vegetably things)-I love this reference^^^^^^^!

Oh man. I just….I am so tired. I have had a bad couple weeks (yes there have been happy moments, like Cedar Point) and the only thing that I really have been looking forward to are these happy little books that make your heart beat faster than should be humanly possible and the [good] boys I have been falling for in my binge-read-for-happiness. So, when I finally decided to read this one and give it a try, it was just what I needed.

My dad folded his hands on the table. “Chin up. There are other fish in the sea. It’s a big ocean. Sometimes we need to catch and release a few before we find the keeper. Just keep swimming.”
“I don’t think that last one applies here.”
“I was on a water roll. I just went with it.”

This story centers around Gia. She has a boyfriend named Bradley and her [horribly annoying] friends don’t really believe her. He is a UCLA college student and they have never met him. But, at Prom, she is determined to show him off to her friends-it’s finally going to happen…they have to believe her now, right? Yeah, things rarely go according to plan, do they?

He glanced over my shoulder, toward where my friends were still sitting. “Nice friends you got there.”
“They’re mostly nice. Jules is just constantly trying to oust me.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. I think she thinks I’m the alpha of our pack and that there is only room for one without resorting to cannibalism.”
“I’m going to take your weird wolf analogy and assume you mean that she wants to be the leader of your group.”

Bradley dumps her in the school parking lot, leaving her dateless and, well, looking like a liar. So, when she sees an adorable boy sitting in the parking lot (reading, mind you), she asks him to fill his place so it won’t look like she was lying-Yes, I see the irony here-and she can prove her horrid frienemy wrong.

He was still looking at me like I was crazy. I felt crazy. “You want me to pretend to be Captain America?” He pointed toward the street.
I was confused at first but then realized that’s what he was calling Bradley, whose build was on the beefy side. “They’ve never met him so they have no idea what he looks like. Besides you’re…” I gestured toward him without finishing the sentence. I tried to think of a different superhero to compare him to but nothing came to mind. I wasn’t well versed in superheroes. Were there some who were on the thinner side? Spiderman? That didn’t seem like a compliment.

Again, LOVE superhero movies, so I was giggling like a moron lol^^

Let’s just say things don’t go perfectly. But for those few blissful moments of triumph, she gets to see Fill-In Bradley for the good person he is. I mean, what guy would run home and put on a suit and actually come back for a random stranger? A nice one, I tell you. As they dance and talk a little, his lingering stares and smoldering looks start to get into her head. Long after the charade is over, she sits at home wondering what his name really is, why he took her to the dance, what he’s doing…and then she realizes he might have gotten into her head more than she even realized.

“This is Gia, by the way, Mom.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners?” She extended her hand to me. “I’m Olivia. I’m sorry for stealing this boy away but I need his gorgeous face. I mean, tell me that face doesn’t inspire creativity.”
Both [Fill-In Bradley] and Bec rolled their eyes.
“She says that every time she pulls us in here and then she creates things like that.” He pointed to a painting of a half-insect, half-zebra face splitting open to reveal a blooming flower. “My face did not inspire that.”

I absolutely adored Fill-In Bradley. He was adorable with his messy, hardly manageable (brown) hair and piercing blue eyes. And he was always worried about Gia-her feelings, her friends, how things were going for her. I know it sounds cliché (okay, we covered this, yes?) but he would pretty much do anything for her…even though they had just met. And it was just so….okay, shut up shut up….adorable. I just…sigh…I just loved him.

“I will save you from yourself, then. You cannot get the Rocky Road. Anything else…except vanilla because that’s so boring. Who would even think of getting that? I don’t even know why they stock it.”
I smiled.
“It’s actually the most popular ice cream flavor,” Blake said while adding a scoop of strawberry to a cup.
“Well, I feel validated now. I should’ve gotten vanilla.” >.<

I’m not saying this is the most creative book ever, I’m just saying that it was a good book that had lots of fun, sweet, and happy moments. I am not in the business of passing up absolutely gorgeous book covers with irresistible writing and a wonderful plot…I’m just not. So I will likely continue to devour these types of books (by this and other Chelsea-approved happy-go-lucky authors) and not feel a damn bit guilty about it. If you need to smile, if you want a break from the shittiness that is life sometimes, then I suggest you pick this story up. The Distance Between Us is still my favorite Kasie West book (XANDER!) but this one is my second (FILL IN BRADLEY!) favorite. So…yeah…just read them, ‘kay?

**********************************

Omg guys. These books are like damn fairy-tales….every time.

I do, in fact, want my HEA.

Review to come.

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Oh my dear, dear Kasie West…Where have you been all my life?? Well, in all fairness, it’s my fault I’ve never picked up a masterpiece that is a KW novel. My friend, Anna, has been more than clear about how I would love this author, if only for her adorable, yes, absolutely adorable male leads. And, ya know, she was right-as usual. Damn know it all Alien. Anyway, I digress. My whole point is that when I was down and tired and couldn’t hardly read this weekend, what did I do? I listened to someone’s advice and picked up a fun book that was supposed to be light, funny, and altogether an easy read. I’ve never been so glad I did.

He laughs a little. “You live above a porcelain-doll store; your best friend lives in a cemetery. You’ve pretty much grown up surrounded by creepy things. Is there anything you’re afraid of?”
You.

I have been in a perpetual bad mood for the last two weeks-I won’t lie about that. It’s been horrible. I haven’t cared about much and yes, I come off as (generally) pretty normal/happy most of the time. I’ve even found some amazing books to read. But, what happens when an already bad mood turns just plain sour the minute Thursday strikes? Why, you pick up a fluffy book. All the booze and/or medicine in the world couldn’t salvage my mood, but guess what did? This book cured a two week streak of surliness and altogether inexcusable snark on my part. This book did what no person could do, no matter how hard they tried, and that’s how I know I waited until the perfect time to start obsessing over this woman’s books.

A lot of people don’t get my humor. My mom calls it dry humor. I think that means “not funny,” but it also means I’m the only one who ever knows it’s a joke. Maybe if I laugh afterward, like my mom does when she’s helping customers, more people would humor me, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

It’s more than that, though. I don’t do cheesy. I loathe easy peasy story-lines, unless it’s my dear Lauren Layne. And I don’t really venture from my dystopian or fantasies very often-but for this author? I think I’m going to start making an exception. From page one I was giggling, smiling ear-to-ear, and felt immediately lighter. The snarkiness of our main character was parallel to some of my all time favorite snark-masters and Xander was…oh my, what was Xander? Xander was the equivalent to every good person in the world I feel like I would date.

After he climbs in as well, he starts the engine and then gives me a long look. “What’s wrong, babe?” Xander grabs my hand and puts it on his knee.
“Is that the pet name we’re going with? Babe?”
He backs out of the parking stall and starts driving. “You don’t like it?”
“It’s okay. It makes me think of the pig, though.”
“Are you putting in a request, then?”
“I’ve always been partial to sweetie, mostly because I’m not sweet so it makes me laugh.”

I don’t know. He just…there was just something so special about him. He may have been rich and a tad spoiled, but it never once showed in his demeanor and he never let it effect who he was as a person (namely, he didn’t act like a pompous, spoiled brat). Sure, he might have worn driving gloves (BAHAHA okay, that was unnecessary of me to say, but come on, Xander-driving gloves?? LMAO) and he may not own anything shoddier than a high-brow polo, expensive jeans, and loafers, but he was a total boy-next-door type, and his sweetness never once effected me as it does with other books. I like dark, tortured guys the most, lately, but I also have always had a soft spot for the good ones. Those boys that we should all aspire to date, if they existed beyond these pages. And yeah, my heart is super easy to break into (and break, when it comes to book boys) but lately the boys in these stories have had to work really hard for my fangirl affection….But with Xander? It was effortless.

He pockets his phone. “Caymen.”
“Xander.”
“Does this mean I won the game?”
“I didn’t realize we were playing a game.”
He picks up the doll and backs away with his lower-lip-biting smile. “I think you did.”

Even now as I am finishing up this review my heart is soaring and I have the biggest smile on my face as I recall my favorite quotes and moments from this story. It wasn’t without it’s flaws, much like any other book, but the flaws were hardly a blip on my radar. But, hey, that’s the way I am. I truly believe that, if a book made you extremely happy and you weren’t without warm and blissful feelings throughout, it deserves every star in the world. But that’s only if the flaws don’t outweigh the good-in that case, yeah, it probably stunted your enjoyment a tad. But, even with some of the miscommunications and rude preconceived notions, my smile never slipped once (Okay, lie, there was definitely some angst that made me frowny face-but only because I love my dear Xander so much!!!).

So, you know, I loved this. The rich, beckoning boy and the not-so-rich girl meeting and finding a spark they’ve never felt before, mixed with funny shenanigans to find each other’s destiny, this story was perfection. From the way Xander looked at Caymen all the way to how much he was willing to do to make her a part of his life-I couldn’t put this one down. Pre-sipped drinks and bakery made blueberry muffins never sounded so wonderful, thanks to Xander, and I know I’ll be re-reading this many times over if only to read about Xander’s hard earned smiles and Caymen curiosities. Anna, I owe you one, ya ol’ dark pup. 😛

View all my reviews