BOOK REVIEW (25): The Texas Ranger's Reward (Undercover Heroes #3)

BOOK REVIEW:

The Texas Ranger's Reward

Earlier this month I kicked off my reading challenge with a Harlequin Superromance, which was then a new category line for me. So when I had a choice between reading another Superromance and Harlequin’s American Romance series—yet another new Harlequin line, I decided to go with the American Romance.

Thankfully more than a year ago I subscribed to the Harlequin’s Reading Services and I got 2 free American Romance books. I eenie’d and found my head burrowed in Rebecca Winters’ The Texas Ranger’s Reward.

Now I was at least halfway through the book before I decided to search the author up on the interwebs and I found out the book is actually part of a trilogy. Yes. What is with all the trilogies right?

Naw. That wasn’t what I was thinking. I was thinking ‘please let this be the first in the trilogy’. Unfortunately it wasn’t, AND I’m warning you now. The end ruins a heckuva lot of the plot of the first story in the trilogy. I mean, A LOT, as in the mystery subplot of that novel is completely blown away.

Which is fine because I don’t blame the author. I blame myself for ignoring the shiny badge on the cover with the overarching trilogy name. Shoulda known what that was… -sigh-.

Thankfully I really had no regrets reading The Texas Ranger’s Reward.

Set in my fourth favourite state—yes, I have favourite states—the novel follows the story of orthopedic therapist Melissa Dalton and former Texas Ranger-now-P.I.

When I read the back of this book I thought it was a twin trope. As in the heroine, Melissa, was Travis’ late wife’s identical twin sister.

BTW I’m not spoiling anything. It’s all in the back cover blurb. Go. Read it.

And spoiler! It’s not a twin trope story. Melissa isn’t related to Travis’ wife, so no extra melodrama. Phew.

But she looks like her, and that’s what makes this story really cool to read.

“Have you ever been told you looked like someone else or that someone else looked like you? Do you like being compared?”

The author, Rebecca Winters, asks this question in her ‘Dear Reader’* section at the front of the novel. My answer is “yes” and “it depends”. If we’re talking celebrity look-a-like—I’m kidding.

But it does depend. For instance I’ve been compared to my mom before by her friends. Sometimes I look like her and other times I sound like her, or it is other little nuances I share with her.

Looking at it this way I don’t mind. But if I’m being compared to a really nasty-piece-of-work human, I’m better off not knowing what you think. Thank you. Don’t come again.

Veering back from my tangent into the review, we get Melissa’s response to this question in the novel when Travis tells her early on and in a very up front manner I enjoyed that Melissa looked like his deceased wife and mother to his seven-year-old son.

Naturally Melissa is totally freaked out, and it doesn’t help that she’s attracted to Travis. Especially when she can’t bring herself to ask him: So is it lust/love on your side, too? Or is it that I’m your type—as in your dead wife-type?

Big, big questions. And Travis better answer them right or no nookie! In all seriousness he’s a single father though, and it isn’t entirely about how he feels about Melissa. See this is how single parenting works. At least good and healthy single parenting works. Disclaimer: I’m not from a one parent family. My parents have been happily married for more years than I’ve been born, and hopefully many more years at that. BUT I do understand that for a moment if I put myself in Travis’ pants I would be considering how my child felt about a possible love interest.

And like a good father Travis worries if his son sees his mother in Melissa. Which is a prime concern—a perfect seat of main romantic conflict if I do say so myself, and I say “oh yeah”!

Besides that main conflict there is a mystery/suspense subplot. Actually 2 kinda. One is more overarching and that’s the mystery one, and the other is a short suspense ride filling the hole that the mystery subplot left.

What I didn’t like was everything was wrapped up in a neat bow. All tucked in and tidy presentation that was gag-worthy fake. Really? There was some ridiculous melodrama at the end of this novel.

BTW coming out of having just read/reviewed a sexier romance, I’ve learned through experience that American Romance is behind-doors sexy time. As in scene-blank and couple is laying in each other’s arms after the deed. I’m cool with that, but for those of you looking for on-screen nookie this book is not your friend.

Still it’s a great read. A fun couple of days spent avoiding studying for finals, and what more could I ask for, right?

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮

(4 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (24): An Exquisite Challenge (The Delicious De Campos #2)

BOOK REVIEW:

An Exquisite Challenge

For some strange reason I ordered books 1 & 2 of The Delicious De Campos trilogy, but forgot the 3^rd story.

Well, that’s for another day I suppose. Right now I DO have book 2 and I’ve read it soooo that means another review! Yay.

Now that Lilly and Riccardo De Campo got their HEA, Alexandra and Gabriele get their own stab at ‘The End”. A quick refresher is an order at this point, and it’s totally spoiler-free: Alex is the twin sister of Lilly. And Gabe is Riccardo’s younger brother, or the middle child mediator of the three De Campo men.

-End Refresher-

In An Exquisite Challenge Alex and Gabe are forced together because of dents in their career paths. You see, they’re both actually really admirably dedicated to their jobs. Despite the fact that we’re reminded Alex is an Iowa farm girl-turned-extraordinaire entrepreneur and Gabe’s fortune allowed him to be born into a wealthy family, but of course privilege doesn’t buy talent, skill and hard work.

I have to admit, Jennifer Hayward comes a long way with characterization in her sophomore novel. I really loved Gabe much more than Riccardo. The alpha male thing doesn’t always work for me…which is odd because Harlequin Presents/M&B Modern Romance lives for the alpha. But I do believe it takes a lot of skill to pull off an alpha character without making him come off as a jackass.

There was more layer to the story as well. Gabe actually—surprise!—had an on-screen passion. With Riccardo there was racing, but he never got behind the wheel on a racetrack. Gabe loves his wine-making and the wine industry and you can hear it, feel it, see it—and I guess it helped that I learned stuff about wine-making. I mean, who knew you had to actually air wine? I thought people did that in movies and shows for the “suave appearance”… Haha. Can you tell I’m totally alcohol abstinent?

But it was the same betweent he twin sisters! Lilly was just…there.

Alex actually HAD a job. Like she did stuff. Important money-making stuff. What I mean is that Lilly had a job, yes. She was actually a successful physiotherapist. But we never got to see her in action. The first story’s plot and word count of the category romance didn’t allow for it.

Because Alex’s job as a public relation specialist/person is a key factor in the external conflict of this story, readers get to see more of the heroine’s life outside the romance.

And speaking of the romance, let’s talk Gabe + Alex, you know, together.

They have a history. A short, but tumultuous history kicking the book off from page 1, but you need to read the story to find out what that is.

They’re also fire-water, hot-cold, black-white, -insert other opposites to get point across that there is an opposites attract trope here-.

But like all really different people on the outside, on the inside they’re both nursing broken hearts from previous love slights, so the internal conflict is born! Dun dun.

But on a more serious note, I loved this novel because it touched on an important topic. One I’m going to go ahead and assume that the average person doesn’t expect a romance novel to dwell into: the extramarital affair/cheating.

I mentioned this already in my review for the first book in Ms. Hayward’s trilogy because Lilly and Riccardo’s story touched on it a bit, but it also kinda left it hanging.

An Exquisite Challenge doesn’t. At least not nearly as much as its predecessor does, and I’m glad for it. It was hard to read, but I had this internal dialogue and it made me more involved in the character’s decision-making process and the consequences of their actions.

Trust me when I say it isn’t a black and white decision here. There’s a lot to swallow in this book, and it’ll make you question where you stand as of now on the issue of cheating.

…

And I’ve said all I’m going to say about that. Now go out and buy the book! Read it and enjoy! Just one final note as well, this trilogy contains three companions not sequels.

You can read An Exquisite Challenge (book 2) without having read The Divorce Party (book 1). There isn’t a lot of know-how from book 1 that can’t be readily understood in book 2.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮✮

(5 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (23): Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8)

BOOK REVIEW:

Cryptic Cravings

And here we are with the penultimate book in the Vampire Kisses series. I started reading VK1-3 during my 2013 winter holiday break, so this was a LONG time in coming. I broke off from the series after book 6 (Royal Blood) released, but I had been following the release of the series throughout the next few years. And I’ve always been dying to find out whether Raven was turned into a vampire or not.

Sadly this book doesn’t answer that HUGE mystery/romance conflict just yet.

Still we have a lot going on in VK8, at least enough to tie up a couple points.

Cryptic Cravings picks up a year after Alexander Sterling moves into the Mansion on Benson Hill and Raven’s dull and bloodless existence in her small town, Dullsville suddenly brightens—or is that darkens?—with this fated meeting between our series’ couple.

Now that a year has passed Raven realizes that her relationship with Alexander is culminating to something…but just what, Cryptic Cravings doesn’t say. I mean, that title is a dead giveaway. There are a lot of cravings, mostly of the blood and teen sexual wangst variety, and even more secrets—some revealed at the end, some still remain hidden.

We get more teen male vampy heartthrob scenes in this one, too. I have a crush on Sebastian and Jagger, so we get to see a whole lot more of them both! –squee-

Raven’s bully-slash-secret admirer Trevor Mitchell’s kinda growing on me, too. I always liked how author Ellen Schreiber writes the witty, cute banter between Raven and her “nemesis” (btw, every time I read that name for Trevor all I think about is Resident Evil. And I srsly doubt that’s what the author was intending. Just throwing that image out there to pollute your mind, too.)

And here. Why don’t you take a picture too?

Meet Nemesis. He isn’t a “blonde jock” as you can see...

So this book didn’t fare any better than its predecessors. As far as I’m concerned the series is just a bunch of “okay, they’re fine but they ain’t gonna get better than this” reads.

My problems with Cryptic Cravings are problems I found in the other books, but some that I haven’t mentioned yet.

One: Raven isn’t a normal teen.

What 16/17-year-old uses the word “nefarious”? Hell. What grown-ass 21^st century adult uses the word “nefarious”? And it isn’t even this book. I haven’t really mentioned it much, mostly cause I figure I’ve been trying to suppress it but Raven doesn’t sound like a regular, red-blooded teenager. I mean, especially since we’re supposed to believe she doesn’t care about school all that much and she’s not very book-savvy. This isn’t the first time either—just in the last book there was a scene where her best friend, Becky gets injured scrapping her knee or something and Raven asks for a tourniquet. Okay. If that doesn’t make you stop reading I salute you.

A frickin’ tourniquet.

What? When did asking for a Band-Aid or bandage go out of vogue?

And even if she was, it would still make me suspicious if anyone IRL convo used the word “nefarious” in ways like this (I only started documenting the use of Schreiber’s pet word from p. 65 onwards. Who knows how many times she used it earlier?):

“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean that about you. I meant nefarious vampires,” I said… (p.65)

“You know I mean nefarious, unknown vampires.” (p.76)

AND A PAGE LATER…

“…But if they get wind of anything nefarious, then they will want to shut down…” (p.77)

Alexander kept a watchful eye on the incoming boxes, making sure that there were no nefarious items or clues… (p.82)

Jagger sidled up to Becky. I was ready to pounce if he did anything nefarious to my best friend. (p.89)

Lol. Personally I think Becky could use something nefarious done to her… xD Dirty mind is very dirty.

At least it wouldn’t have been caused by Jagger and his nefarious plans. (p.119)

It was worse. Far worse than opening the present to find an empty box. What I saw was by far more nefarious and cunning. Trevor really got me this time. (p.161)

Got her a birthday gift! Yeah! And a really pretty one, you guys, I mean—this girl I swear, Raven needs to be killed like for good.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, or do both to save time. I was so frustrated I’m glad I got a good night’s sleep before I decided to write this review. I mean, WHAT. Anyways, after this my brain shut down.

Also, Raven is starting to piss me off. Unfortunately this story is told in first-person from her perspective so I’m forced to stick it out if I wanna see this series through to the final book—we’re one away now!

Which brings me to point two: Raven’s love triangle FAIL..

Now if you haven’t read the series, and to be honest I don’t know how clear I’ve been in these impromptu reviews of these books thus far, but the romance mostly goes like this: Alexander + Raven. And then there’s really a bunch of Raven admirers that don’t really get the full access to Raven’s midnight lip lock sessions: Trevor and Jagger, some random vamp guys from Book 5 (Coffin Club) and very briefly Sebastian.

Then in Cryptic Cravings Raven decides she’s bothered that Trevor is seeing a new girl, one of her vampire friends, so she throws down like a jealous hog. For reals.

Like she doesn’t want the so-called preppy snob, WANT want him—but she won’t let him be with someone else who does?

Forget turning into a bat, Raven, because you’re already a beyotch!

The problem is that the whole Trevor-Raven thing is SO ridiculously forced, like I can almost hear the author’s cogs working post-Twilight and jumping on the love triangle crap—sure it was pretty obvious reading it that Trevor does have a thing for Raven despite subjecting her to torture BUT Raven never fell for it before. Especially since having met Alexander and they hit it off which was a redeeming quality of hers—her devotion to Alexander and their love and her dream to be a vampire and successfully combine her aspirations for teen romance w/ immortality.

And I could go on and on about the problems with this book. I did enjoy the fast pace. Definitely something I can’t complain about with the Vampire Kisses series. I don’t ever get bogged down.

I really love that cover.

I also like the hook at the end that kinda really works in forcing me to read the final book in the series, and not only because it’s the final book and then I’m forever/eternally/immortally free from Raven and her craziness!

My verdict:

✮✮.5

(2.5 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (22): The Divorce Party (The Delicious De Campos #1)

BOOK REVIEW:

The Divorce Party

Taking a breather from vampires and their vampy world, I decided my next read would remain romance but that I’d move into the contemporary domain.

So although the next read lacks rapidly and often inexplicable eye colour changing—eyes do “darken” a lot, and there’s a lot of the same angsty melodrama: overall, we’re good.

First off to clear the air the title of this book needs to be explored a bit.

I mean who knew there were things called divorce parties? You think I would know considering I’ve heard of weirder things, but I guess you wouldn’t really think divorce = PARTAY OVER HERE!... But in a way I would.

Like if a couple really hated each other and finally sealed the deal with a legal document than logically a party with friends and family, you know, separately makes total sense. Or at least a silent hurray over those papers.

And I guess that’s what makes this one unique: author Jennifer Hayward has her hero inviting, yes you heard right, inviting his soon-to-be (and in her opinion if he’d given her the asked for divorce his shoulda-been) former wife to their joint divorce party.

If this wasn’t a M&B Modern/Harlequin Presents—a line known for their financial fantasy contemp romances—then I would have thought hero Riccardo De Campo and heroine Lilly were trying to combine their parties to save on expenses.

Then I find out their house was a purchase of 35 million dollars! As Riccardo put it so often in the novel: Dio! Out goes the ‘expense’ theory, so what could possibly be a good enough reason to invite your not quite ex-wife to a divorce party? I’d tell you but then there wouldn’t be a point to get you to read it, now would there?

Okay, enough divorce celebratory talk. For anyone interested in more filler on the topic of divorce parties, this recent article might be of interest: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/breakup-blowouts-how-the-divorce-party-is-coming-on-strong-for-young-divorcees/article19349741/

Back to the review!
I really enjoyed Ms. Hayward’s debut. She’s a fellow Canadian so I’m totally biased—I joke!—but seriously, this book is a fast-paced, emotional read. You’ll laugh, maybe cry, maybe rage, maybe roll your eyes, but you’ll like it enough to not regret reading it.

The story follows Lilly De Campo neé Anderson as she actually arrives to her husband’s divorce party shindig. Yah! Girl got guts…or a heck load of curiosity and tbh, I don’t blame her. I’d probably go, too. Though totally incognito.

And she goes and crazy crap happens involving a verbal contract/promises and the divorce is postponed until the end of a six-month deal. And once again you gotta read to find out what the funny fine print entails.

But of course they still party enough for Lilly to pass out (I joke she passes out for migraine-related reasons) and Riccardo to get her back into their marriage bed.

There are twists and turns and the book, like most short contemporary romances particularly of this publisher’s line focuses on the couple and their internal conflicts. Essentially what secrets and actions keep them apart?

This being said then don’t expect an external antagonist. If there is one he’s relatively minor and not really an “antagonist” at all—I said there were twists, right?

As far as sex scenes go this had pretty racy descriptions. Hot, hot for sure so if you’re not into that thing but cool with skimming through they don’t take up huge amounts of space in the book—like 2-5 pages tops of a total of ~182.

What I didn’t like was few and far between. Before I read this book a lot of reviewers who gave it 2 stars below complained about the heroine and how she was SO WRONG for cheating on her husband during the year they were separated. These same reviewers apparently read the whole book and as I read those last pages myself I began wondering if we had read the same book.

(“Hello fellow reviewers, we are all reading The Divorce Party by Jennifer Hayward right? RIGHT? DIO!”)

Seriously weird stuff considering I didn’t find Lilly in the wrong at all. Personally Riccardo was slightly more at fault, and I wished the whole debacle with the doctored photos (read it and you’ll know what I speak of!) was just brushed under the rug. But I don’t know what the heck I really expected—for the story to info-dump techy info on me while the photos were traced back to the source.

Though I definitely don’t want that *shudders* that hardly excuses the way this major source of long-ass conflict was handled.

Re-enactment (not actual textual event):

setting some really expensive island villa or something
Riccardo: I swear those are doctored, you gots to believe me Lilly!

Lilly: Uhh…fine. I guess. I mean it’s not like you and all.

Riccardo: Yeah totally. No where were we mi caro?

Now as for the whole cheating crime blackening Lilly against readers/reviewers let me put it this way: say you're married and your partner refuses to offer you a divorce on w/e messed up grounds--why the eff wouldn't you try to move on anyways? I mean, and this is no spoiler, Lilly is trying to divorce Riccardo for a year. The party doesn't take place the morning she decides to leave his ass--it takes place a friggin' whole year after she choose to separate their living situation.

If anyone refuses you a divorce then THEY'RE in the wrong. And if you have decided to enter the dating scene then why the eff shouldn't you be able to? Technically, yes technically it's extramarital relations, but I think a marriage ends the moment one party decides it ain't a mutual affair anymore.  And no, I won't get into a cultural or religious debate about it.

These are my opinions, okay?

But read the book and maybe post your own thoughts in the form of a review.

I do tip my proverbial hat off to Ms. Hayward for tapping into a sensitive subject. I’m currently in the middle of playing catch up with ABC’s The Mistresses and this whole extramarital affair and divorce topics are just buzzing through my head as of late.

Regardless of what you think, please enjoy The Divorce Party for yourself and don’t let a review sway you from reading it and making your own conclusions about it. Cool?

Chill.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮

(4 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (21): Love Bites (Vampire Kisses #7)

BOOK REVIEW:

Love Bites

Hey this is a first! Usually I let book reviews sit in my head for a bit after I’m done reading the book—half due to laziness and the other 50% because I’m afraid to be too bias. Especially if I don’t like the book.

Book Seven of the teen-seduction vamp dramedy Vampire Kisses is, thankfully, not a crappy book. But once again it didn’t exactly soar past the 3ish star-limit that seems to be stagnating my opinion of this series.

Love Bites is meh—okay—just fine. Sure there’s yet another vampire introduced, and this one of the non-parent, oldsy variety, but it doesn’t save the plot and the omgah-bad levels of humour.

I know that the series is getting close to the end (there’s two more books after #7), Raven’s whole wish to become a vampire has to have its conclusion and all so gurrrl has to worry about whether her man gonna grant their love immortality and shiz, but but…Raven made a lot of statements that drove me up the wall.

Her desperation to be an immortal oozes from her gooey teen pores—actually she usually describes herself and all the other teen goth/vampires as having flawless pale skin… Anyways throughout the other books Raven has casually thrown other girls (especially non-Goth girls who aren’t her blonde, preppy (tho I’d just call it upbeat—and hey! Who doesn’t like an upbeat personality?), “normal” best friend Becky) under the proverbial bus. Basically she came off as a witch—a desperate clingy witch.

And, gah!, Alexander can do no wrong. Whatever bit of normalcy and flaw he’d shown in the other books (in particular #4 where he confesses to Raven about his thirst and his selfishness to wanting to turn her) is gone. Gone, gone, poof.

He was always in the better.

The other reason I keep giving this series a mediocre rating is that any sort of conflict is brushed under the rug. Quickly resolved in the matter of a few pages at tops: your boyfriend isn’t sayin’ he loves you—no problem, he just has to blurt it out in front of an audience and it’s all patched up. –gag-

Still I liked Sebastian and this book offers a bit of Jagger, so all the male vampy goodness is rolled up into one. Thanks Ellen Schreiber's fingers.

My verdict:

✮✮✮.5

(3.5 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (20): Royal Blood (Vampire Kisses #6)

BOOK REVIEW:

Royal Blood

Long time no read, Dullsville. I see you're still looking dull and slightly inhabited with new vampires.

Yes. Book 6 of Ellen Schreiber's Vampire Kisses series introduces Alexander's family.

Aptly titled Royal Blood reveals somebody's--I won't say who!--royal lineage. And no it's not Raven, though that would be pretty cool.

But that's hardly the focus of this sixth novel now we're more than 2/3 of the way through the series, our favourite mortal-vampire duo are facing the same old, same old and only after a short respite in their summer vacation.

Raven has to get back to school, and like the most of us, she's none to happy about it. But then again for her it particularly means no more late nights smooching her vampy bf in his coffin or w/e crazy things lovesick teens do nowadays.

And if junior year and college applications looming isn't bad enough, Alexander's parents drop by for a visit--you know, considering they own the Sterling mansion and all. Srsly. I wish my parents left my 17-year-old self in a family-owned mansion.

Rich vampires these days...

Setting aside the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Sterling are hella more irresponsible than Esme and Carlisle, I could not have been more glad for these two as parents. I'm totally paraphrasing, but Raven says something of their being the coolest parents.

In a lot of ways they sounded like pretty cool parents. I think I liked Mrs. Sterling more. Have you ever seen people who whip out their umbrellas on an especially hot, sunny day--well, first off regular umbrellas are useless against the UV rays; you'll need special, UV-protected umbrellas for that--Alexander's mother walks around with an umbrella AT NIGHT. Yeah. And for the cutest reason: the moonlight is too harsh on her skin.

And did I mention the author loves her description? Especially of the gothic wear? For once I actually think I enjoyed reading about Mrs. Sterling's outfits because I usually just grit my teeth and roll my eyes at the excessive detail. (I get it. Is this a frickin ad for Hot Topic?)

Overall the Sterlings reminded me of the Addams' patriarch and matriarch (only with a little more Dracula-like cape and fangs). xD

My compliment doesn't get higher than that.

Yes, of course the drama is centered around Alexander's parents and their approval of Raven and their son's relationship with a mortal, which had its ups and downs as far as suspense and conflict construction goes but I can't stress how Vampire Kisses as a series sucks with its resolutions.

Everything is rushed and wrapped up in a bow and surprised no one slits their finger. I sure as hell turn these pages slowly--way more slowly than I'm supposed to because I have to force myself to read sometimes.

Nothing new, so big surprise what my rating is.

My verdict:

✮✮✮

3 stars

BOOK REVIEW (19): Too Close to Resist (Bluff City #1)

BOOK REVIEW:

Too Close to Resist 

Wow.

So I haven't had a leisure read for the past month. The sacrifices I made for my Canadian lit. class...oh man. Not that I didn't enjoy my forced readings, I mean they weren't Bret Easton Ellis and American Psycho bad.

And seeing as I derailed my CampNaNo plan for rewrites I decided to use this month to reach the 3/4 mark of my reading + reviewing goal for this year.

I need another 4-5 books in order to do this. And I started late but I just polished off two books this past week. :) YAY for being on track.

My Book 1 of a 5-book challenge was "Too Close to Resist" by Nicole Helm, the first in the Bluff City trilogy from Harlequin Superromance.

This is Ms. Helm's debut w/ Harlequin and it's also my first with this longer contemp romance category line. As usual (lol!) I made a super (haha. See what I did there) choice.

"Too Close to Resist" follows Grace McKnight and Kyle Clark and the thematic strand connecting them and their stories is fear and the need to control every evil in their pasts.

See the thing with romances are that, sure, they're love stories, but they're NOT just love stories. As in the protagonists have conflicts outside the main romantic plot--after all before they existed as a couple our hero and heroine existed as individuals.

Mini-rant aside "Too Close to Resist" is a down-to-earth read: realistically gritty yet uplifting. The language is frank, and although there was no knight-in-shining armour I promise there's a HFN/happy for now.

And that's what I LOVE about this novel. Grace and Kyle save themselves from their own monsters. They support each other, but they also come to understand that there's an insurmountable barrier where external heroics are null and void. Kinda like how your parents can't help you with everything even if they want to protect you 24/7 (and my family SO would)...

Anyways lotsa sexual tension builds up to two sexy-sheet times, which to be honest were described more sweetly than the diction suggested leading up to the act, but other than that I recommend this to other first-timers to longer contemporary romances like Superromance.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮✮

(5 stars)