Review: Undecided

Title: Undecided
Series: Burnham College #1
Author: Julianna Keyes 
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance 
Publisher: Julianne Keyes 
Publication Date: April 4, 2016 
Source: Bought 

Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.
Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.
But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding… 

Find Undecided online!

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository 

OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVED THIS ONE.  Seriously, this is the type of romance I like to read.  It all felt so . . . nice and fun.  Sure, it had a little angst in it, but for the most part, I just thoroughly enjoyed reading about these characters and watching them figure out how great they were for each other.  

Nora and Crosbie were so freaking wonderful and cute together, I couldn't stand it.  I loved how their friendship and romantic relationship grew so slowly.  Every time they interacted, I was basically on the edge of my seat, trying to force them to finally be together with the power of my mind.  I really, really loved that this wasn't an insta-love sort of read, though.  Reading about their slow burning romance and their new friendship made me so much more invested in them as a couple (and as characters).  Crosbie especially was what really kept me so invested in this.  I loved how he was so different from what everyone expected, how he loved his illusions, and how he was just a little bit shy.  At first, I thought there was going to be a love triangle between Nora, Crosbie, and Nora's new roommates (and Crosbie's best friend), Kellan.  Luckily, that did not happen.  It was nice to have a couple that was solely interested in each other, without any real competition from second parties.  

As far as conflict and plot goes, I was a little frustrated at times with Nora because she was so worried about appearances, but I get it.  After what she went through last year and how she was on such thin ice, I could totally understand why she would be more worried that usual about who she was seen with and seen doing.  Still, it was frustrating and made me feel especially bad for Crosbie who liked her so much.  

This was easily one of the best book I've read so far this year.  I loved Nora and Crosbie and really enjoyed reading about their journey.  There is a second book in the series but I don't know if I'll be reading it, since it follows Kellan and I'm not a super huge fan of him.  Either way, this book was definitely worth the read! 

"You okay?" he asks, shifting closer.  "Want some cape?" He flings the tail end over my shoulder before I can answer. 

"Thanks" I say, fingering the flimsy fabric. "All better." 

"They don't call me a superhero for nothing."

Five Teapots

     

Waiting on Wednesday #96

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #3

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's 

Publication Date: May 2, 2017

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

Find A Court of Wings and Ruin online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

Why I'm waiting on A Court of Wings and Ruin this Wednesday: YOU GUYS, WE'RE SO CLOSE TO THIS RELEASE DATE.  I need this book.  I've needed it since I read the last sentence of the second book.  Seriously.  This is probably my favorite series at the moment.  I've reread A Court of Mist and Fury an embarrassingly amount of times.  I'm counting down the days until May 2!

Do you guys love this series?!  I'm so excited to finally read what happens next.  If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.  The first book is good but the second book is AMAZING.  Anyways, what books are you guys waiting on this Wednesday? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: Punk 57

Title: Punk 57
Series: None
Author: Penelope Douglas
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penelope Douglas, LLC
Publication Date: October 21, 2017
Source: Bought

“We were perfect together. Until we met.”
Misha
I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.
In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.
It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…
And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.
Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.
We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?
Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?
F*ck it. I need to meet her.
I just don’t expect to hate what I find.
Ryen
He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.
Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something.
He could be gone forever.
Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

Find Punk 57 online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository 

I feel like I've had a love/hate relationship with a lot of books by this author.  The thing is, I always find myself entertained but either frustrated or annoyed out of my mind by the characters.  The ones in this book were all just so . . . melodramatic?  Especially Ryen and Misha when they were interacting with each other.  Everything just felt so over the top, I found it hard to take seriously.

You can probably guess that most of the problems I had with this book stemmed from the characters.  While they weren't all bad, I couldn't look past the way Ryen acted.  I get that it wasn't her "true self" or whatever, but I'm a strong believer that actions speak louder than words.  And from her actions, Ryen is a total jerk.  I hated reading about how she acted and treated others.  She didn't stand up for those around her and sometimes even became a bully herself.  Because of that, I couldn't really find it in my to sympathize or like her.  In her letters, she was great.  Outside of them, not so much. 

Even Misha at times wasn't very likable, particularly when he was around Ryen.  Like, it seemed like they just brought out the worst in each other, at least in the beginning.  Or rather, Ryen's toxicity bled into Misha the long her was around her.

The plot . . . didn't feel much like a plot, honestly.  It was mainly just waiting to see what would happen next without really knowing what story line we were following.  The big "mystery" in the story was what really drove the plot but the thing is that the readers know the mystery pretty early on in the novel and it's basically just a waiting game to see what the characters will figure it out.  

I know I've listed a lot of negative things in this review but I really did find this book entertaining.  I was invested enough that I finished it pretty quickly.  Despite my problems, I wouldn't say this was a bad book or that I'm even disappointed I've read it.  

“We’re all ugly, Ryen. The only difference is, some hide it and some wear it.”   

Three Teapots

Most Anticipated Reads of 2017

I love the beginning of the year!  It means there's a fresh start and a whole new year full of possibilities in front of us.  Also, it means that there's tons of new amazing books getting ready to publish!  There were a lot of good books that released in 2016 and the ones releasing in 2017 look just as promising.  There's been a lot of amazing posts with 2017 releases posted recently.  The ones I've been visiting the most are "Your Guide to 2017" posted by Rachel at A Perfection Called Books and "What I Am Looking Forward to Reading in 2017" posted by Alyssa at The Eater of Books!  Both lists are so comprehensive and so amazing and I've decided to use them to pick some of the book I'm most excited for this year!

 Carnaval by Stephani Garber (January 31, 2017)

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (February 7, 2017)

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (February 28, 2017)

Poison's Kiss by Breeana Shields (January 10, 2017)

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (May 16, 2017) 

Roar by Cora Carmack (June 13, 2017)

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare (May 23, 2017)

Hunted by Meagan Spooner (March 14, 2017)

Rosebud by A.G. Howard (January 10, 2017)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (February 28, 2017)

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios (June 13, 2017)

Romancing the Throne by Nadine Jolie Courtney (May 30, 2017)

Gilded Cage by Vic James (February 14, 2017)

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (May 2, 2017)

And, last on this list is the sixth book the the Throne of Glass series, which does not yet have a title or cover.  But I am still excited!  

I can go on and on about all the books I want to read this year but these are just a few of the ones that I've been making grabby hands at for a while.  I can't wait to get the chance to read them all! 

Let me know in the comments below what books you're most looking forward to this year!  Are any of these on your list?

Review: The Edge of Never

Title: The Edge of Never
Series: The Edge of Never #1
Author:  J.A. Redmerski
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Createspace
Publication Date: November 15, 2012
Source: Gifted.  Thank you!

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.
Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.
With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.
But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Find The Edge of Never online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

So, I kind of feel like I'm missing something here.  I just . . . didn't like this book.  Like, at all.  And from what I've seen on Goodreads, this book has a huge following and tons of people like it (I mean, it has an overall rating of 4.27.  That's pretty damn good).  From what I've read about it, I thought this would be an easy four or even five star rating from me but I couldn't even get all the way through it.  I marked it as DNF at 58%.  

 So, my main issues stem from the characters.  Oh man, the characters.  Our lead lady, Cam, is absolutely horrible.  I'm sorry, but she is.  She's was like a cardboard cutout.  Pretty on the outside but flat and lacking depth on the outside (despite her "deep thoughts".  Seriously, look at this quote: "Instead of sitting around dreaming up new sex positions, as Natalie often does about Damon, I dream about things that really matter. What the air in other countries feels like on my skin, how the ocean smells, why the sound of rain makes me gasp."  That's an actual freaking quote.  I rolled my eyes so hard when I read that).  Besides that, she was also leading the slut shame parade.  I can't even count the number of times she called her supposed "best friend" a slut in the first chapter.  Literally every other girl in this book was called a slut at one point or another.  It's ridiculous.  

Oh, and lets not forget the best part about her: the fact that she threw a tantrum and got on a bus without telling anyone and without a destination . . . WTF is this logic.  Why would you do that?  I get wanting to be spontaneous but even after spending days riding on the bus, she still didn't see how absolutely idiotic she was.  Of course, when she meets super hot and dreamy Andrew on this bus, that's when the story really gets rolling.  

And Andrew.  Sweet little Andrew.  I hate this guy, too.  He was a walking contradiction, honestly.  It was most obvious when he said how non-violent he was when we first read from his point of view but then every single chapter after that he talks about wanting to punch something to deal with his frustrations.  Was this supposed to be hot?  This wasn't hot, it was scary and creepy.  Not a good time.  He also says things like this: "if you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you" and like this “I’m so hard right now my dick can cut diamonds.”  What is this.  This is supposed to be attractive?  I honestly can't figure out why so many people like him.  I couldn't jump onto the "We Love Andrew" train with everything he did and said throughout the book.  

The final nail in the coffin of this book was the trivialization of mental illness.  Yep, along with all the violence and slut shaming, this book also had that.  Here, let me pull a quote for you: "I always thought depression was so overrated, the way people toss the word around (a lot like the L-word that I will never say to a guy again for as long as I live). I never like to see someone hurting, but I admit whenever I heard someone play the depression card, I'd roll my eyes and go about my business.
Little did I know that depression is a serious disease."  Yeah, that was pretty much when I knew I wouldn't be liking this book.  

Obviously, there's a lot of other people out there who absolutely adored this book.  I'm just not one of them.  I couldn't overlook the things that bothered me in this book enough to enjoy the story and the characters got on my nerves like nothing else.  I don't think I'll be giving this author another shot but if you end up reading this book, I hope you get more out of it than I did.

“Heart always wins out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way.”

One Teapot

Review: Too Late

Title:  Too Late 
Series:  None
Author:  C. Hoover
Genre:  New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher:  Hoover Ink
Publication Date:  November 13, 2016
Source:  Bought

Sloan will go through hell and back for those she loves.
And she does, every single day.
After finding herself stuck in a relationship with the dangerous and morally corrupt Asa Jackson, Sloan will do whatever it takes to get by until she's able to find a way out.
Nothing will get in her way.
Nothing except Carter.
Sloan is the best thing to ever happen to Asa. And if you ask Asa, he'd say he's the best thing to ever happen to Sloan. Despite Sloan's disapproval of Asa's sinister lifestyle, he does exactly what he needs to do in order to stay a step ahead in his business. He also does exactly what he needs to do in order to stay a step ahead of Sloan.
Nothing will get in his way.
Nothing except Carter.
From New York Times bestselling author, Colleen Hoover, writing as C. Hoover. 

Find Too Late online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

I've had both good and bad experiences with Colleen Hoover books in the past.  This one sounded a little more intense (it definitely deals with some very dark and painful topics) and I was interested to see how that would turn out.  With Too Late, I'm feeling pretty . . . meh about it.  When I first finished, I enjoyed it a lot but after the fact, I'm not as excited about the story.  

I think my main problem with liking this story stems from the love interest, Carter.  I just . . . wasn't interested in him at all?  Like, he was an okay character but I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of depth to him.  He was the "good guy" to Asa's "bad guy" and that was about it.  In all honestly, I was a lot more interested in Asa.  I mean, don't get me wrong, he was terrible and abusive and I hate him, but learning about his backstory was engaging and gave depth to his character that just wasn't there with Carter.  Plus, there was a severe case of instalove between Carter and Sloan.  Seriously, they spend one class period together and suddenly can't get each other out of their heads.  

Also . . . Sloan talked so much about how strong and brave she was and I mean, she definitely was in some aspects.  But I was frustrated with her for how dependent she was on Asa.  Obviously she couldn't control her whole situation but there was definitely things she could have done to help it.  Get a job is what immediately comes to mind for me.  But she doesn't do it.  I don't know, though, maybe Asa was keeping her from getting one but I don't remember that ever being discussed in the book.  

What made this book worth it for me was the story.  It was definitely dark and disturbing at times but I was invested in finding out what would happen with the characters.  I wanted to see the story unfold and resolve.  The end felt extremely, extremely long (seriously, there was like, 10 epilogues) but it was still really interesting and I was satisfied with how everything turned out.  

While not one of my favorite Colleen Hoover books, I'm glad I read it.  There's things that I didn't like but the story ultimately kept me hooked.  Even with some characters that drove me up the wall, it was a decent read.  I'm looking forward to seeing if Colleen Hoover writes any other books like this one.

“I guess that's the difference in being loved the right way and the wrong way. You either feel tethered to an anchor...or you feel like you're flying.”

Three Teapots

Waiting on Wednesday #89

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

Title:  Royally Matched 
Series:  Royally #2
Author:  Emma Chase 
Genre:  NA, Romance, 
Publisher:  Emma Chase, LLC
Publication Date:  February 21, 2017

Some men are born responsible, some men have responsibility thrust upon them. Henry John Edgar Thomas Pembrook, Prince of Wessco, just got the motherlode of all responsibility dumped in his regal lap.
He’s not handling it well.
Hoping to force her grandson to rise to the occasion, Queen Lenora goes on a much-needed safari holiday—and when the Queen’s away, the Prince will play. After a chance meeting with an American television producer, Henry finally makes a decision all on his own:
Welcome to Matched: Royal Edition.
A reality TV dating game show featuring twenty of the world's most beautiful blue bloods gathered in the same castle. Only one will win the diamond tiara, only one will capture the handsome prince’s heart.
While Henry revels in the sexy, raunchy antics of the contestants as they fight, literally, for his affection, it’s the quiet, bespectacled girl in the corner—with the voice of an angel and a body that would tempt a saint—who catches his eye.
The more Henry gets to know Sarah Mirabelle Zinnia Von Titebottum, the more enamored he becomes of her simple beauty, her strength, her kind spirit... and her naughty sense of humor.
But Rome wasn’t built in a day—and irresponsible royals aren’t reformed overnight.
As he endeavors to right his wrongs, old words take on whole new meanings for the dashing Prince. Words like, Duty, Honor and most of all—Love.

Why I'm waiting on Royally Matched this Wednesday:  I adored Royally Screwed, the first book in this series.  It was super interesting and the characters were amazing.  I'm really excited we're getting a follow up story about Henry.  I'm especially excited that this sounds like it's going to be The Bachelor in book form.  Yeah, that show is a guilty pleasure of mine and this book sounds amazing.  

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?  Have you read anything by Emma Chase?  You definitely should because she's amazing!  Join in on the discussion down below!  

Review: Broken Prince

Title:  Broken Prince
Series:  The Royals #2
Author:  Erin Watt
Genre:  Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Publisher:  Everafter Romance
Publication Date:  July 25, 2016
Source:  Bought

These Royals will ruin you…
From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.
Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.
What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.
Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.
She might be right.
Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.

Find Broken Prince online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository

These books are the equivalent of watching a soap opera to me.  They're full of drama, angst, and some pretty unbelievable scenarios.  Oh, and cliff hangers.  Terrible, terrible cliff hangers that make it impossible not to want the next book.  Seriously, reading this book was addictive and the moment I turned the last page, I was desperate to get my hands on the next one in the series!

 Okay, as much as I enjoyed reading this book, I've got to say that I find the majority of the things that happened in it to be totally unrealistic.  I just . . . I couldn't figure out why they did the things that they did, especially the love interest, Reed.  This kid just had absolutely no sense of what he should or shouldn't do.  It pissed me off how he always had an explanation to the things he did.  They were such bad excuses.  I didn't see how Ella was able to forgive him.  I mean, maybe it's just me but I was definitely wanting Ella to be mad at Reed for a longer time.  I don't know, maybe I just don't really sympathize with what he did.  

Now, don't get me wrong, when he wasn't giving his excuses and explanations, Reed was pretty awesome.  I mean, he's hot, protective, and obviously cares a lot about Ella.  He was pretty swoon worthy at times.  And I really enjoyed seeing from his perspective.  You could feel how concerned he was for Ella.  Their relationship, while not always the healthiest, was really entertaining and full of a lot of strong feelings on both sides.  

At the end of this book I was absolutely wrecked.  I thought the cliff hanger at the end Paper Princess was bad . . . this one was so much worse!  I can't believe we have to wait to figure out what happens next.  Seriously.  I.  Can't.  Wait.

“She’s mine and always has been. From before we even met, she was mine and I was hers. I fought it too long, but I’m giving in now. I’m all in now.”  

Four Teapots

  

Review: Fall With Me

Title:  Fall With Me
Series:  Wait For You #4
Author:  Jennifer L. Armentrout (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  Avon Books
Publication Date:  March 31, 2015
Source:  Bought

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.
Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.
But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

Find Fall With Me online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | The Book Depository 

After reading the third book in this series and not totally loving it, I was worried that this series was going to start to go downhill which is such a sad thought for me because I normally love all JLA books.  Luckily, that wasn't the case.  I fell absolutely in love with this series again after this book!  It was filled with all the signature awesomeness Jennifer L. Armentrout brings.  It has made me, once again, so anxious to continue reading the stories she is willing to give us!

Roxy and Reece had a chemistry that was seriously off the charts.  Every single time they were on the page together, it was bursting with tension and wit.  Their conversations were absolutely hilarious except for when they were so sweet.  When I wasn't chuckling, I was swooning at their epic romance.  Together, they were awesome.  Apart, they were still awesome, which I feel is such an important part of any romantic couple.  I loved how loyal and quirky Roxy was.  She was a total nerd and totally not afraid to flaunt it.  Reece was a genuinely good person and his sweetness toward Roxy and his other friends really made it impossible for me to not adore him.  

The plot was actually a surprising point for me.  I wasn't prepared for all the subtle creepiness and the mystery surrounding the events that kept happening to Roxy.  I was legitimately freaked out by it at certain parts!  The things that were happening weren't outrightly scary but thinking about that happening to me or anyone I know gives me chills.

Overall, this is a book that kicked this series back into high gear for me.  I'm so happy I didn't let me slight disappointment about the last one keep me from picking Fall With Me up.  Full of romance, humor, and mystery, this is a JLA book you're going to want to pick up.

“Let yourself go and fall with me, and baby, I will catch you. I will get you through this. You just got to take that risk.” 

Five Teapots

Review: No Kissing Allowed

Title:  No Kissing Allowed
Series:  None
Author:  Melissa West (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  Entangled Embrace
Publication Date:  July 28th, 2015
Source:  Bought

No kissing. No touching. And definitely no falling in love...
Armed with her besties, an embarrassing number of shots, and her list of 10 Wild Things To Do Before Adulthood, recent grad Cameron Lawson is partying it up before she starts her dream job at New York's biggest ad agency. Her last task? Hook up with a random guy. And while it's so not her style, the super-sexy guy sitting next to her is definitely game. No names. No details.
At least, that was the plan.
On her first day of work, Cameron discovers her hook-up is none other than Aidan Truitt—her new boss's boss. Talk about failing the “no fraternizing with coworkers” policy on an epic level. Especially when Aidan makes it clear their one night was only the beginning. Falling for him could cost her everything, but sometimes the only way to get what you want is by breaking a few rules... 

Find No Kissing Allowed online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | The Book Depository

As sad as it is for me to say it, I just don't think that this author and I are meant to be.  I didn't really like her YA book, Gravity, but I figured maybe we'd click in New Adult.  Well, I don't think that's going to happen either.  There is just something that gets in between myself and her writing and I find myself unable to enjoy it which is so disappointing because her books always sound so amazing and wonderful.  

My main problems with this book stemmed from none other than Cameron.  Yes, our main character was the thing that lead me to scream into pillows and internally rant at the book while reading.  She was just so not the type of lead female character I like.  While she had a lot of promise (seemingly very independent, hard working, and practical), she just didn't live up to my hopes.  She wasn't able to see from any other view point than her own and expected Aidan to bend to her wishes throughout the duration of the book, despite knowing why he was so wary of commitment.  Rather than try to coach him through it, she instead basically was just like "get over it" than threw a fit when he didn't immediately.  She was also repetitive, especially in the beginning.  I swear, I read the same paragraph about her dad's money at least five times in the first seven chapters and that really got on my nerves.  

Besides those issues, I also disliked Aidan and Cameron's relationship as a whole.  I just didn't get it. They meet randomly one night and then it goes from there when she realizes the hook up was her boss.  She didn't want any attachments with him in the beginning and now suddenly she's madly in love with him and can't be away from him for three measly days without basically falling into a well of sadness.  There was no build up with them whatsoever and that aspect seriously brought this book down for me.  Also, Aidan kept preaching about how he was a no commitment type of guy and how they would never work but then he would go and say things like "You're worth the risk" to Cameron and in general act very boyfriend-y.  While I didn't like Cameron, it felt unfair of him to lead her on like that.

To tie up my unfortunate dislike of this book, the ending was very blah to me.  While I was okay with how it actually ended (like, the outcome of their relationship), this book seriously lacked a climax.  Suddenly I was 10 pages from the end and just sitting there like wait...isn't something big supposed to happen?  Looking back, I do see what was supposed to be the climax but it just wasn't done in a way that made me feel like there was anything major at stake and that may have stemmed from the fact that I just didn't care much about Aidan and Cameron's relationship.  

Overall, I'm disappointed I didn't like this book.  It had tons of potential but it just was not for me.  There was too many things throughout that wore on my nerves and kept me from enjoying it.  I don't think I'll be picking up any more Melissa West books but that doesn't mean you shouldn't if you think the summary of this book sounded interesting!

“Ask me to stop. Tell me you don’t want this.”

“I can’t.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

Two Teapots