NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Be With Me (Wait For You #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Be With Me (Wait For You #2), by J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published February 4, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

Jennifer L. Armentrout is really - I mean, REALLY - good at new adult. Cam was perfect in Wait For You. He was even more perfect once we had a chance to look inside his head in Trust In Me. So, I was super excited to see how she turned moody man slut Jase into someone I could love in Be With Me. 
  
Tess is having a reeeeeally bad year. First, her big, lifetime crush, Jase, kissed her, then dissed her. Then, she blew out her knee while dancing, thus waylaying her dream of going to a performing arts school for awhile. Instead, she ends up going to "regular college" with her over-protective brother and is forced to watch his constant PDAs with girlfriend Avery, all the while continually trying to - unsuccessfully, I might add - shut off the feelings she continues to have for Jase. 

Poor Tess - *sigh*. After escaping from a physically abusive relationship as a young teenager, she's been trying to escape the emotional baggage that comes along with something like that. And, I have to give the girl credit. She seems to have come a very long way after something like that. And, when she sees signs that her roomie is in a similar type of relationship, she gets the guts to talk to her about it. That had to have been hard. 

Tess was ridiculously easy to like. This girl has gumption. She rose out of that awful relationship a better person and continued chasing her dreams. And, in the face of potentially having to give up those dreams, she keeps the faith and wisely moves on to plan B, just in case. She's not totally unaffected by any of it. She has her moments of weakness and allows herself moments to wallow in self-pity. Who wouldn't? But, she keeps going. And she keeps her dignity. Which is really hard when you throw Jase into the mix.

Jase is her brother's BFF, and he seems to close himself off to most of the world. He allowed himself that one moment with Tess, then ignored her for a year. And now that they are forced to see each other all the time, he is running very hot and cold. It really throws Tess for a loop. Honestly, I could've killed Jase a few times over. Jase really messes with her head and her feelings before he finally figures out what he wants. Hell - even then, he still has moments of extreme douchiness. 

Honestly, though? I kinda like it when the guy in books like this starts out a total jerk. It makes the moment when he realizes how this one perfect girl could change his life so very, very sweet. Jase is very back and forth for a long while. He too has a lot of baggage to deal with - baggage that he doesn't immediately share with Tess, so it leaves her confused and in the dark for a long time. But, then there is that moment. And yes - it is very sweet. 

The ending was really stressful, sad and scary as things between Tess' roomie and her awful boyfriend as well as things between Tess and Jase come to a head. There were several moments where I was reading with my eyes wide and my hand over my mouth. Jennifer Armentrout deals with some pretty heavy stuff in Be With Me. But, she wades through those sensitive waters expertly. Mad props to her. 

Because Jase is Cam's BFF and Tess is Cam's sister, we see a lot of him and Avery from Wait For You. It was nice to see what they're up to. 

Be With Me was told entirely from Tess' POV. Since Jennifer Armentrout re-wrote Wait For You from Cam's POV, do you think we could talk her into doing the same for Be With Me? Because there was a lot of times when Jase and Tess were apart, and I was always wondering what was going on in that pretty head of his. Can we start a letter writing campaign or something? Because I really want that book. 

A different kind of smile appeared on his lips, one I've never seen before. It was unsure, almost boyish in the way it was lopsided. "I want you to be with me."   

RELEASE DAY EVENT: Be With Me (Wait For You #2)

Holy crap! The wait is FINALLY over - BE WITH ME by J. Lynn released today! Read on for an excerpt and then don't forget to order it, y'all!

Be With Me (Wait For You #2), by J. Lynn
Publisher: William & Morrow
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

Excerpt

“You got a visitor, Tess.” He rested his chin atop my head, which caused my pulse to try to outrun my heart. “Two of them to be exact.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause. “Are your eyes closed?”

“No.”

His chin slid off my head and then his chest rumbled as he laughed. “Your eyes are closed.” He laughed again. “Open them up.” 

Cursing under my breath, I pried one eye open and then jerked against him. His arm tightened. “Oh wow…”

The black-and-white horse was the closest, standing mere feet away from me. The brown one wasn’t too far, shaking its head and making soft snorts. My eyes were wide as they bounced between the two creatures. “They’re not carnivorous, right? Because at their size, they could eat me.”

Jase laughed deeply as his hand shifted up, resting in the center of my stomach, just below my breasts. “Horses do not eat people, you little idiot.”

I started, eyes narrowing. “There’s always a first.”

The lips pulled back on the black-and-white horse as if it was smirking at me. “This one right here? Mr. Friendly? Jack calls him Bubba One,” he said in a quiet, calming voice. But air hitched in my throat when his thumb moved in a slow circle over the thin material of my tank top, hitting against the wire in my bra. “And the brown one is Bubba Two.”

Mouth dry, I wetted my lips. “That’s good for remembering names.”

He chuckled as his pinkie and forefinger started to move up and down, reaching my belly button and then sliding back up. It was almost as if he was unaware of what he was doing, or the electrifying response the tiny motions were dragging out of me. “I think so too, but his real name is Lightning.”

Said horse shook his head, tossing the shaggy mane.

“Lightning seems to be a more suitable name,” I admitted, relaxing as the seconds passed. Maybe that was his intention. Distract me with the soft, almost innocent touches. It was working. “What about Bubba Two?" 

“Ah, the one who is staring at the pail like it’s the holy mecca of grain?” His cheek grazed mine as I laughed. “That’s Thunder. And we’re going to feed them. Together.”

The friction his fingers created with my shirt sent tiny shivers up and down my back.

“With our hands?”

His answering laugh tipped the corners of my lips up. “Yes. With our hands.”

“After checking out the choppers on them, I’m not so sure about that.”

“You’ll be okay.” He slid his hand off my stomach and wrapped it around my wrist.

Slowly, he lifted my hand out in front of me. “Hold still.”

My heart lurched. “Jase—”

Lightning trotted forward and pressed his wet nose against my hand. I cringed, waiting for him to eat my poor fingers. The horse didn’t. Nope. It nudged my hand as it whinnied softly.

He guided my hand up over Lightning’s jaw, all the way to the pointy, twitchy ears.

“See?” he murmured. “That’s not too bad, is it?”

I shook my head as my fingers curled along the soft coat. Lightning seemed to anticipate the direction of the petting, pressing his long head against my hand as my fingers tangled in his mane. It wasn’t bad at all.

Jase shifted behind me, and in an instant all thoughts of the horses evaporated. His hips lined up against my backside, and I bit down on my lower lip as I focused on the white splotch covering Lightning’s muzzle.

I could feel him—feel Jase. And there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was affected by how close we were standing. That knowledge and the hard length of him left me dizzy, just like it had done that Saturday night. An all too warm flush spread down my neck. In the back of my head, I was rationalizing his physical reaction. He was a guy. Our bodies were pressed together. If a wind blew on a guy’s private area, they got hard. So I should just ignore it, but my body was so not on board with my head. My body was operating on a different playing field. An ache centered low in my stomach. A sharp and sweet yearning raced through my veins.

“Not so scary, right?” His voice was deeper, richer. “They’re like dogs. Well, like a dog that can carry around two hundred pounds, if not more.” Hand sliding off mine, he stepped back, and the sudden emptiness of his body was like a cold shock. “Trust me.”

Then he smacked my ass.

About the Author

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Learn more about J. Lynn --> Website / Facebook / Twitter

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

COVER REVEAL: Trust In Me (Wait For You #1.5)

I am doing the fangirl dance here because I get to show you something so cool by an author I love. You remember J. Lynn's Wait For You, released earlier this year (check out my review here)? Well, she has written the same story from Cam's POV and called it Trust In Me. Imagine hearing his thoughts and ruminations while he makes his eggs in the morning... So, are you ready to see it?

Ah, that first thing in the morning stubble. YUM.

(Description) It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

Aren't they pretty side-by-side? I, for one, am a total sucker for these alternate POV books. I can't wait to get my hands on Trust In Me so that I can get inside Cam's head. How about you?

Giveaway

The fun isn't over! Fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a cute turtle charm and a signed copy of Wait for You. Then jump down and hit one of the pre-order buttons!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pre-Order Trust In Me

NEW ADULT MONDAY: Frigid

 

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Frigid, J. Lynn
Published July 15, 2013
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Contemporary
Format: ARC - obtained from BEA
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

I received my ARC copy of Frigid on Day 2 at BEA. With all the books I gathered on the first two days, this one was the one I chose to start reading first. I read a few pages that night (before I passed out from exhaustion), and then another 50 pages or so on Day 3 as I waited in lines. It was definitely one of my most anticipated BEA books. 

The great thing about Frigid is that it turned out to be an a-typical new adult book, wrapped in a typical new adult package. On the surface, it's something we've all seen before. Boy and girl have been friends since they were kids, and secretly in love with each other for the most recent few years. Boy deals by screwing lots of faceless girls. Girl deals by shutting herself off from all other guys. Until the fateful day that they are trapped together in a ski lodge. Alone. And all the secrets come out.

Sounds like a new adult book, right? The only thing missing is some horribly tragic event in either the boy's or the girl's (or both) lives. Well, you'll have to keep looking, because it's not there. And, my GOODNESS, is that like a breath of fresh air. There's nothing dark or seedy in either Kyler's or Sydney's past. They simply like each other because... well, because they do. Because they were BFFs first and through hanging out and going to school together, they saw things in each other that they related to and decided they liked more than friends would. It just so happens that they're both big chickens and couldn't tell the other how they felt.

So, Frigid has no horrible event that might cause the reader to bawl through half of it. But, what it does have is a cool mystery. Crazy, right? As time goes on, it seems as if someone(s) is trying to hurt Kyler or Sydney or both of them. If being shut up together in a ski lodge during a blizzard wasn't enough to bring two people with some crazy sexual tension between them together, then being shut up together during a blizzard with someone trying to hurt them definitely would.

I really loved both Kyler and Sydney. They weren't overly sappy. There wasn't some crazy insta-love. They were both strong and weak in different ways. The story developed at a nice pace, and, despite it being a relatively short book, it didn't really seem like it. I really loved this one.

This was a really great one by J. Lynn. It was a really great book, period. If you've been in a new adult slump lately and want something a little different, give Frigid a try.
 

COVER REVEAL: Frigid, by J. Lynn

So, by now most of you are familiar with Jennifer L. Armentrout's (writing as J. Lynn) first novel in the New Adult genre, Wait For You. I mean, it has been breaking records all over the place! And, now, I'm so excited to tell you about another New Adult novel of hers, due out in electronic format on July 30, 2013 and in paperback format November 5, 2013. And, so, without further ado, I give you... Frigid.

(From Goodreads) For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

Frigid will be available in digital formats on July 30th 2013
Print release of Frigid will be November 5th 2012

About the Author

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is a # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Twitter  *  Facebook  *  Website

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Wait For You

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a bi-weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Wait For You, by J. Lynn
Published February 26, 2013
Publisher:  self-published
Format:  e-book - own
Genre:  New Adult

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her? 

Wait For You is Jennifer L. Armentrout's (writing as J. Lynn) first turn at the New Adult genre. I expected a good read; both her YA series rank among my most favorite of all time. Thankfully, she did not disappoint. This was a good book. It was an easy read - I finished it in only 24 hours.

The characters were very likable - especially Cam. He not such a bad boy as many are in this particular genre. In fact, he very much seems like he has a hero complex. He seems to always be ready to save the day, and boy, does he do it with flair. From an act as simple as just making breakfast (and not "morning after" breakfast - just breakfast) to being willing to beat the crap out of people who threaten her, Cam quickly becomes Avery's knight in shining armor.

Avery is the frustrating one in this story. You know how there's always a part in every book (especially these NA books) where a character - usually the girl - does something stupid? And you find yourself yelling at her and ready to throw your book across the room because you know that all she needs to do is just SPEAK UP and she doesn't because of some silly reason or another? Well, that happened many times over in Wait For You.

Avery had several terrible things happen to her years ago. Yet, despite Cam's complete awesomeness, she says nothing. Her terrible things follow her to the present. And she still says nothing. All of these decisions lead to some serious relationship problems (no DUH). It makes you nuts.

There was nothing particularly unique about Wait For You. It follows the NA formula pretty closely. But, despite that, the dialog was witty and believable (they definitely sounded like college kids), the characters were interesting and likable, and the resolution was satisfying. I'm glad I added it to my NA library.

COVER REVEAL: Wait For You by J. Lynn

I am so excited to participate in this cover reveal for J. Lynn's (Jennifer L. Armentrout) first New Adult novel, WAIT FOR YOU!

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU?

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Get it NOW!

Here is the best part - you don't have to wait for WAIT FOR YOU! It's available now in electronic format from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. So, what are you waiting for??

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website:http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

Book #121 - Tempting the Player (Gamble Brothers #2)

Tempting the Player (Gamble Brothers #2), J. Lynn
romance
203 pages (e-book only)
Started 11/3/12
Finished 11/3/12
3.5 STARS

I liked Tempting the Player better than Tempting the Best Man. This, too, only took me about 12 hours to read, but it was longer and a bit more complex than its predecessor. I loved Bridget and all her imperfections and insecurities. I could relate to them.

I think the thing that bugged me the most about this book is that the so-called villain didn't get her comeuppance. In fact, at the end, it almost seemed as if our main characters decided not to care that Bridget was blackmailed and threatene...more I purchased Tempting the Best Man and Tempting the Player at the same time, and had planned all along to read them one after the other. I hadn't initially counted on being disappointed in any way with Best Man. I thought about putting Player off for awhile then, but ended up just forging on 

Bridget wasn't expecting Chad Gamble, professional baseball player and all-around hot god, to take her home with him when they met in a bar. But, he did and it shook her - so much so that she ran and didn't look back. But she can't shut her mind off for a whole month, and then another chance meeting turns into an indecent proposal. Which turns into something a whole lot more than that. 

I liked Tempting the Player better than Tempting the Best Man. This, too, only took me about 12 hours to read, but it was longer and a bit more complex than its predecessor. I loved Bridget and all her imperfections and insecurities. I could relate to them. Chad was the typical romance book guy who falls in insta-love the second he lays eyes on Bridget. Insta-love is okay every now and again, but honestly, in this case, it was pretty unbelievable. A pro ball player is in a bar and falls madly in love with a girl who is totally not his type after just a few minutes of conversation. Riiiiiight. It could happen.

But, no - I think the thing that bugged me the most about this book is that the so-called villain didn't get her comeuppance. In fact, at the end, it almost seemed as if our main characters decided not to care that Bridget was blackmailed and threatened social, financial and legal ruin. I don't know - if that had been me, I really don't think I'd have forgiven all that very easily, despite how things turned out. It was irritating and unfulfilling. Beyond that, I have a sneaking suspicion that the villain will be the subject of the last Gamble Brothers book.  Not cool.

The end was fun and satisfying, though, and Player provided me with another 12 hours of entertainment. So, it's all good.

Book #120 - Tempting the Best Man (Gamble Brothers #1)

Tempting the Best Man (Gamble Brothers #1), J. Lynn
romance
172 pages (e-book only)
Started 11/2/12
Finished 11/2/12
3 STARS

Tempting the Best Man was satisfying and sexy and sweet... and completely cliche and cheesy. I enjoyed it for the 12 hours or so it took for me to read it from beginning to end. It's a good thing it was fairly short and a very easy read, because if it have been longer, I think I would've gotten annoyed by how predictable it was.

Madison has loved her brother's best friend Chase ever since she was a kid, but after she made a move and he rejected her, she has tried her hardest to avoid him at all cost. Out of sight out of mind, right? And, it would've been ok, had her brother not decided to get married and make her the maid of honor and Chase the best man. Now, Madison and Chase are not only forced to see each other, but they're forced to interact and play nice. And, that's going to be harder than either of them thought. Not because they dislike each other so much. But, because it appears they can't keep their hands off each other.

J. Lynn is the adult pen name for one of my favorite YA authors, Jennifer L. Armentrout. So, I had high hopes. And, the wit and snark that I've come to love in her writing was definitely there. No, the problems I had with Tempting the Best Man were definitely not rooted in the quality of the writing, but rather in the plot.

Chase and Madison were loveable characters, and you find yourself rooting for them from the outset. And, I don't really think I'm giving away any spoilers here when I say that yes, they do end up together in the end. But, how they get there was almost ridiculous at times. They are thrown together in the most classically corny way possible, and in the real world, it would've never happened like that. Color me crazy, but I do prefer a lot of realism in my contemporary romance books.

There were loose ends that didn't get tied up to my satisfaction. Toward the end, again in expected fashion, there's a huge misunderstanding between Madison and Chase that threatens to keep them apart. And, strangely, that misunderstanding was never addressed - it was never talked about or resolved in any way. I kept waiting and waiting for one of them to bring it up and get it all out in the open so they could have their group catharsis and hug it out. But, it never came, and I felt cheated because of it.

For all my complaining, I do need to mention that there were good parts of this book. I loved the writing and when Madison and Chase were together, I liked the chemistry and rapport they had with each other. The side characters (Chase's two brothers, Madison's assistant at work and her brother and new sister-in-law) were solidly fleshed out and a nice addition to the main couple's story. This book, although pretty short, was entertaining. Which, I guess, is the whole point, isn't it?