Review: The Last Guy She Should Call by Joss Wood

The Last Guy She Should Call by Joss Wood
published by Harlequin (Harlequin KISS) in January 2014

She'd got his number…luckily!

For savvy antiques dealer Rowan Dunn life is good— until a passport error gets her deported back to South Africa! Stranded at the airport, Rowan can remember only two phone numbers, —her parents' (definitely not an option!) and her best friend's brother's. As much as she hates it, Rowan knows she has no choice. It's time to call Seb Hollis and ask for help…

Seb is even sexier than Rowan remembers —and just as infuriating! He's always pushed her buttons, but at least now she knows how to push them back. Maybe it's time to start sleeping with the enemy— even though Rowan's sure there won't be a whole lot of sleeping going on…!

Genre: Category romance, Contemporary
Series: None

The Story: Rowan Dunn comes from a family of academics and while her parents and brother are reserved, she feels a lot, is very emotional. As such, Rowan never felt like she belonged and as soon as she had the chance, i.e. right after high school, she left to travel the world. She hasn't been back home in nine years and have no plans to... that is until she gets deported back to South Africa due to a visa transgression. Back on South Africa soil with no money and a dead cell phone, Rowan has no choice than to call for back-up and the only two numbers she remembers are her parents and her best friend's home. Except her best friend is out of town and it's now the brother who lives there.

Seb Hollis grew up with Rowan and to him, it was like having another pesky little sister. He never understood why she antagonized her parents so much. It's true they didn't understand her, but they were there for her unlike his mother who abandoned her family to travel the world. When he gets Rowan's phone call asking him to lend her money for a plane ticket to London, Seb refuses. The only plane ticket he'll buy her is to Cape Town where he intends to keep her till her parents return from their trip.

Rowan and Seb had always pushed each other's buttons and that hasn't changed. What neither expected though is the other to look so much better and be sexier. Suddenly, there's another kind of tension between them, one that can lead only to one thing...

My Opinion: I didn't use to be a very big category romance reader and that's mainly due to the length of the books. However, that changed in the past few years, since category romance became one of my source for contemporary romance, but also because I discovered the SuperRomance line which suits me more than Blaze and Presents. When Harlequin announced their new line, KISS, with its cute and colorful covers, I was excited... but we all know how it turned out ^_^; One good thing though that came out of this is that I discovered Ms Wood :) In 2013, I read her three contributions to the KISS line and really enjoyed them all... which entitled her my pick for "Best new-to-me author" and put her on my auto-buy authors list :)

I have to say, even if Ms Wood hadn't been on my auto-buy authors list, I would probably have picked up The Last Guy She Should Call based on the blurb :) I'm a fan of the "falling in love with my best friend's sibling" theme, because it often means a shared childhood and funny anecdotes... and it was definitively the case in The Last Guy She Should Call. What made the story even more interesting is that Rowan and Seb hadn't seen each other in nine years, so upon meeting again, they had to adjust to the adult version and deal with their attraction... and I thought they handled that situation very well and with maturity. I really liked that feeling of familiarity, but at the same time, newness - seeing each other in a different light, it all contributed to a sizzling chemistry between Rowan and Seb :)

I also enjoyed the characters very much. I understand Rowan's need for independence and admire what she's made of herself. I would never have the guts to leave everything behind and travel the world as she did. I would love to, but wouldn't be able to. Her baggage was quite interesting as well, not being understood by her family. Also needing more emotionally, than what they could give her. What I liked is that although she tried to build walls to protect herself, she wasn't able to and she still wants this close relationship with her parents. What I mean is she didn't become jaded and cynical... As for Seb, he was a yummy hero :) Things came naturally for him, so he didn't really understand Rowan, but he made an effort. He also had some mother issues, being abandoned by her... and that's what has prevented him from opening himself. That mother issue was a bit too convenient for the story, i.e. Rowan and his mother both travel the world, but in the end, I think he handled it well. Also, I don't think Rowan needs to travel that much... what she needs most is to be loved and Seb does.

While I enjoyed the characters and their romance, I felt like we didn't see much of the story. I would have loved to see more interactions between Seb and Rowan, more concrete scenes such as Rowan bartending, the night she accompanied Seb to a function, the dinner with her parents. Instead, everything was mentioned. It seems to me Ms Wood focused too much on the internal conflicts and as a result, the story felt very passive... and that's why the grade for The Last Guy She Should Call wasn't higher.

And something I was wondering while reading The Last Guy She Should Call, although it's not specifically aimed at Ms Wood... Is it possible to have an academic family whose members are not cold and reserved?

My Grade: B+. In a very short time, Ms Wood has become one of my favorite category romance authors. Her books and writing style just work for me :)

Review: Girl Least Likely to Marry by Amy Andrews

Hi everyone :) How is going? I had plans to revive my Week-End's Minis feature, but my week-end turned out unexpectedly busy... so that will go for next week. Got a new toy! A new cell phone, the Samsung Galaxy S3 :P I've been debating whether to get a new cell phone and change plan or not, but with the new rules, someone told me I should. I've already started seeing it online and in the newspapers that monthly plans are going to get more expensive, so now was the right time I think. Oh by the way, work-wise, good news! I'm done cutting blocks for a while! Yay!! Hopefully, this means I'll be by a computer more often and that my blogging and blog-hopping should increase :)

In the meantime, the print version of Girl Least Likely to Marry hits the store tomorrow while the e-version is already available online depending on where you shop. I was lucky to get this book from Netgalley and so here is my review, enjoy!


Disclaimer: I've received Girl Least Likely to Marry as an eARC from Netgalley

Girl Least Likely to Marry by Amy Andrews
published by Harlequin (Harlequin KISS) in July 2013

Talk nerdy to me...

Samuel Tucker is absolutely the last person scientist Cassie Barclay would ever date. Yes, he's gorgeous, but he's also far too cocky for his own good and thinks that Pi is a tasty afternoon treat. So when he asks her to dance at her friend Reese's non-wedding she's wondering why on earth she says yes!

Tuck is used to people assuming he's all brawn and no brain, and amuses himself by winding Cassie up. But when he finally takes her to bed, suddenly it's Tuck who can show Cassie a thing or two! Can he convince her that love and sex have nothing to do with logic and everything to do with chemistry?

Genre: Category romance, Contemporary romance
Series: The Wedding Season, Book #2

The Story: So the premise of this series is four very different women - Reese Michael, Cassie Barclay, Gina Carrington and Marnie Price - used to be roommates in college. Something happened between them and as a result, they haven't seen each other in years, but are now all reunited for Reese's wedding... except the wedding is not happening because Reese reconnected with her ex-husband. While nobody is getting married, there is still a reception and that's when our heroine, geeky Cassie Barclay, meets the hero, an ex-NFL player, Samuel Tucker... aka the groom's best man and the bride's cousin. Cassie is socially inept because hello, she's a geek! Her life is dictated by logic and she usually doesn't pay much attention to the male population, but for some reasons, she is bewitched by Tuck's pheromones. She decides that one night of sex should sate her libido... but quickly finds out that one night won't be enough. Meanwhile, Tucker is intrigued by Cassie. She's not his usual type, but they do have chemistry together... and soon, he finds himself falling for her. However, he'll need all his charm to persuade her to commit to him.

My Opinion: Harlequin KISS is Harlequin's newest category romance imprint and I really liked my first experience with it which was The One that Got Away by Kelly Hunter. Ever since then, I've been picking up Harlequin KISS books, trying to replicate that feeling... but so far, no cigar ^_^; I requested Girl Least Likely to Marry by Ms Andrews based on the blurb, hoping for a fun story, something that would grab me... and unfortunately, it didn't.

For me, the highlight of Girl Least Likely to Marry was Tucker, the hero. I liked the fact that he was more than just a jock, more than just an ex-NFL player. Yes, it was a big part of him and he still deals with the fame that it brought him - the fans, the women and the paparazzi... but what's interesting is that now that his career is over, he also knows exactly who he is. He is not lost and confused... His status as a NFL player didn't define who he was and I thought it was very refreshing :) I also enjoyed his easy-going attitude which was probably what was needed to deal with Cassie. He didn't get ruffle when she was too honest or did a social faux-pas, although I got to say, her condescending attitude, even though it was not on purpose, got old very fast. He also didn't panic when he realized he wanted more out of his relationship with Cassie and didn't pressure her either and I think that speaks of some self-confidence. All in all, a great hero :)

Cassie on the other hand, didn't work as well for me. I appreciated the fact that she was a different kind of geek heroine that readers are used to. She was less quirky and less cute. Unfortunately, her level of likability was also low ^_^; I felt she was a bit too logical, condescending and just didn't care enough. It's okay not caring about what the gossip papers say about her, but there was such a level of detachment towards everything... even Tucker. It was hard to believe she really cherished him or any of her friendships. Also, her relationship with her co-worker had an "ick" factor to it. Putting out when he was frustrated so he could perform better later? If she at least enjoyed it, you could call their relationship something close to friends with benefits... but for better focus and performance level? Ick. I found Cassie too cold and dry and would have liked more feelings from her. As a result, I didn't see the chemistry between Cassie and Tucker. Perhaps they were sexually compatible, but I think you need a bit more to be a real couple. In this case, I thought Tucker was way too accommodating. Furthermore, is it just me who thought the whole smelling bit was a bit weird? ^_^; Yes a guy can smell good and women can be attracted via that sense, but I felt in this case, it was taken a bit too far... I know it was meant to be sexy, but instead, it fell flat.

Overall, I felt there wasn't much story to Girl Least Likely to Marry and that's a pity because there was actually a lot of potential. Ms Andrews brought up a lot of issues as conflicts, but never fully developed any :( Loss opportunities.

My Grade: C-. The grade would have been a D if not for Tucker. Girl Least Likely to Marry failed to engage and impress me, but on the bright side, I did finish reading it...

Review: The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter

The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Kiss in February 2013

"The man who's always left her wanting more!"

Good job? "Tick." Newly purchased apartment? "Tick." Evie's life is on a pretty even keel at the moment. The only thing missing? A man with an edge to keep things interesting.

Enter Logan Black. Tortured, distant and sexy, Logan has edge written all over him. He's also the man who tipped Evie "over" the edge a few years back - she gave him everything, but he didn't know when to stop taking.

Leaving Logan was the hardest thing Evie's ever done. Until now. Because Logan's back, the chemistry is as blistering as ever and this time he's not going anywhere....

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: None

The Story: If you've read reviews for The One That Got Away, then you probably already heard about how the cover is misleading. Contrarily to what the cover projects, The One That Got Away is not a happy-go-lucky, fun or fluffy story; instead, it is dark and intense. Hopefully, my summary will give you a better idea of what you're getting into :)

Ten years ago, Evangeline Jones and Logan Black had a week-long affair in London. Back then, Evie was only 19 years old and very malleable which suited Logan's dominant personality just fine. However, after one of their bed games went wrong and resulted in Evie being injured, Logan called it quits and disappeared from Evie's life.

Now a successful engineer, Evie and her business partner, Max Carmichael, are about to bid for their biggest project. However, in order for everything to go smoothly, Max needs to have access to his trust fund which will only happen when a) he turns 30 or b) he gets married. Therefore, Max and Evie are planning on a marriage of convenience... But the last person Evie expected to meet when Max introduces her to his family is Logan who turns out to be Max' half-brother.

Very quickly, Evie and Logan realize that their chemistry is still present and as sizzling as ever. But losing control all those years ago has scared Logan... and he knows that there's no way he can lead a normal life if Evie becomes his sister-in-law; therefore, he wants her gone. However, Evie has grown into a strong and confident woman. This time around, she won't let him call all the shots. What she wants is to explore their chemistry and see where it will lead.

My Opinion: It's funny because when you pick up a book, you can never tell whether or not you'll connect with it. If it's an author that you enjoy, chances are higher that you will... but there's still the possibility this will be the exception, the miss. Quite frankly, I didn't have high expectations when I started The One That Got Away, mainly because the last book of hers that I've read, Cracking the Dating Code, while enjoyable, was far from a wowzer. However, as soon as I started The One That Got Away, it immediately grabbed me and I could not put it down... so it doesn't come as a surprise that I ended up loving the book, right? :)

So what was it about The One That Got Away that got me hooked? The intensity. It was the intensity of what Logan and Evie were feeling for each other, almost like an obsession. In the beginning of the story, it made the sexual tension between them palpable and also just enhanced their chemistry. I'm aware that this intensity is not for everyone, but for me, it really worked :) Also, I thought it fit well with the storyline. It made it believable for me that after 10 years, they haven't forgotten and still craved each other.

Aside from the intensity, what did I enjoy? Well , pretty much everything LOL. I liked Logan and Evie's characters. Part of the intensity comes from Logan's personality in my opinion. He's very focus, determined and can be ruthless. He also has a lot of baggage which has pretty much molded his life, but he's aware of it and I was glad for that awareness.  In retrospective, he reminds me a lot of Jayne Ann Krentz and Linda Howard's businessman heroes, but with a lessen jerk factor LOL. He's really the kind of heroes I enjoy reading about in contemporary romance. In real life, I think he'd be a bit too much, but in fiction, just perfect. As for Evie, I really liked her as well. I loved how she stood her ground with Logan. She has definitively matured into a strong and confident woman since her affair with Logan and she did not hesitate to let him know which is exactly what Logan needed. Something else that I really liked about Evie was her patience with Logan when it came to their relationship. She gave him space and was understanding... and perhaps at times, too understanding and forgiving, but in the end, I think it was the perfect way to deal with Logan. Between, something else I enjoyed about Evie and Logan's relationship aside from the intensity was the communication and honesty. I feel Evie and Logan communicated more than in most contemporary romances I've read. Oh they didn't tell each other everything, but it was still more than most couple and there was no misunderstanding between them which I really appreciated.

As for the storyline, once again, it worked for me. I liked that Ms Hunter didn't drag on the false engagement  too long. I liked how it was resolved, because really, it was obvious that Max and Evie could not get married. I also really liked Max as a secondary character. He was a great friend to Evie and had her back. His romance was very surprising, but refreshing as well :) By the way, this reminds me that I need to credit Ms Hunter for the risk she took in The One That Got Away with the dominant/submissive affair Evie and Logan had 10 years ago. This topic is not very common in category romance, but seriously, I think the risk really paid of for Ms Hunter because it set The One That Got Away apart and that's a good thing in a genre that is full of stereotypes.

Of course, The One That Got Away was not perfect... but I thought the flaws were minor. I think what was most disappointing was the climax of the book. Almost all of the book was a build-up to it, but in the end, the climax was very short and seemed to have little impact. I think Ms Hunter could have expanded a little bit... but at the end, I'm still very happy with the book.

My Grade: A-. I really loved The One That Got Away, it just hit me in the right spots :) It might still be early in the year, but it's safe for me to predict that this book will be my favorite category romance read of the 2013 :)