By Jenn Hype
Genre: Contemporary Romance
**Can be read as a standalone, but backstory and character development from the first two books of the series may make this read more enjoyable.
Synopsis
Carrie is plain, quiet and doesn’t really give a shit what people think. Her priorities in life have absolutely nothing to do with dating or relationships. Quite the opposite, in fact, seeing as how a relationship is the absolute last thing she wants. Ever.
Joe is charming and charismatic, but the only thing he’s ever worked hard at in his adult life is his job. Outside of being a cop, he’s only interested in things that come easily, and that includes women. He gives the women he sleeps with respect, affection, and mind blowing orgasms - but that’s all he gives.
After being brought together by a mutual friend, Stacy, Joe and Carrie don’t exactly hit it off. They are the exact opposite of what the other looks for in a lover, yet they can’t fight the growing attraction that blossoms between them.
Under the pretense of wanting to be friends for the sake of Stacy, Joe sets out to win Carrie over, but his normal charms don’t work on her. And the more he tries to win her friendship, the more he realizes that friendship is not at all what he really wants.
Carrie’s willpower is strong, but it’s no match for Joe’s persistence, and despite her reluctance, Carrie finds herself falling for Joe in a way that she’s sure will cause irreparable damage in the end. Because nothing good ever comes out of hooking up with someone you care about, and why should this time be the exception?
Tainted pasts, crazy ex-lovers and flying dildos notwithstanding, Carrie and Joe find themselves venturing into unknown territory. It’s not easy, but it’s hot as hell, and luckily they are both too stubborn to give up easily on something that feels a lot more real than a short fling.
**Can be read as a standalone, but backstory and character development from the first two books of the series may make this read more enjoyable.
4 ½ out of 5 stars
This series has quickly became one of my favorites of all time. I like interconnected stand alones where the characters are friends, but you could still read any of them without having to read the others in the series...this one was so well played out though that there isn’t anyway I couldn’t have read all three!!!
Joe and Carrie have been in the other books and I already loved Joe...Carrie I was on the fence about. She was so standoffish that I wasn’t sure I would really enjoy her story. Joe was the life of the party -- just like Stacy from Playing Stacy -- and I couldn’t help but want the very best for him.
Carrie had a past that made her close herself off. Joe had a past, too, but he opened himself up instead of closing himself off. Though they seemed to be so very opposite, they also fit so well together.
One of my favorite quotes in the book was this conversation between Joe (who speaks first) and Carrie:
“Okay, just to make sure I’m hearing you correctly...you’re saying the only person who can give you an orgasm is yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Challenge accepted.”
Overall, this story really took a piece of my heart with it and I’m sad to see the series in, but I’ll begin stalking Ms Hype in hopes for getting some snippets of these couples as time goes by.
Buy the Book
Meet the Author
What's up world - I'm Jenn Hype.
Author, mother, wife, singer/songwriter, aspiring comedian - I wear many hats. Some of them fit, some of them look ridiculous, and all of them are fun. Life's too short to take anything too seriously, so I don't.
Sarcasm is my go-to, especially when it's most inappropriate. Need someone to make an uncomfortable situation even more awkward? I'm the girl for the job.
I'm ridiculously A.D.D. and I own it. I have a serious addiction to ecards and the majority of my Pinterest account is dedicated to them. The key to my heart is glitter and caffeine - my needs are basic.
I'm a bookaholic and I crush hard on my book boyfriends and their authors. Some might call me obsessive, but I disagree. That word really doesn't do justice to how crazy I get when it comes to something I'm passionate about. I'm not afraid to go fangirl on you, so don't test me.
Anything else you want to know, feel free to ask. I'm an open book, and I love to hear from readers.
Author Links
Other Books In The Series
Pressing Adalyn - Free on i Books - 28th March – 1st April
Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1KKvvSf
Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/1P9Py2K
Synopsis
3 years after graduating college, Adalyn still isn’t sure what to do with her life. After a traumatic event in college throws her life off course, she bounces between jobs and men aimlessly until deciding to move from her small town in Ohio to live with her college roommate, Stacy, in New York.
Being closed off and sarcastic has helped Adalyn cope with her past, but when Ian, Stacy’s sexy and successful friend, comes into the picture, her carefully constructed defense mechanisms start to fail.
Determined not to let Ian get under her skin, Adalyn fights hard to appear unaffected by Ian’s charm and devastating good looks. Undeterred and unconvinced by Adalyn’s attempts to feign indifference to him, Ian continues to push Adalyn out of her comfort zone, unwilling to give in to her efforts to push him away.
Slowly, Ian starts to break through to the core of who Adalyn really is, but both of their pasts threaten to destroy any semblance of a relationship that could ever exist between the two of them.
4 out of 5 Stars
I love this story because the female character isn’t the only one fighting invisible battles. I love this book because Adalyn and Ian are such great characters and seem like real people I would want to have as friends in my real life. I love the humor that is spread throughout the book and the tender moments that made my heart smile.
Adalyn is obviously battling something big from the beginning. She doesn’t like to be touched even by her best friend Stacy -- who, by the way, is one of new favorite book best friends. She prefers control in everything and doesn't even drink alcohol because it will make her lose a little of her control.
Ian seems to be in total control. He has everything - good looks, money, charm, but he’s hiding behind his suit and not showing the world who he really is. He is also totally smitten with Adalyn from the beginning:
As I drift off to sleep with a smile on my face, anxious to see what tomorrow would bring, I couldn't help but think that it had only taken this girl less than twelve hours to flip my life completely upside down.
Together they fight their inner battles and some outer ones, too. I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a great read with wonderful characters that you’ll want to squeeze the neck on one minute and then cuddle and hug the next. It is a wonderful story and I look forward to finding more by Ms Hype.
Playing Stacy
Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1KKuYQb
Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/1Wo3HtP
Synopsis
Stacy’s no stranger to trouble, considering that’s where her smart ass remarks usually land her...in trouble.
A drunken night out with her best friend Adalyn lands her in jail. Not that she’d done anything wrong, except for hit on the incredibly sexy cop who showed up to take a report from Adalyn who’d had her purse stolen.
Chad, a no-nonsense officer who takes himself and his job very seriously, has no patience for Stacy’s shenanigans and over the top flirting. So he hauls her to jail to teach her a lesson, but didn’t expect it to cause Stacy to become a regular fixture in his life.
Stacy ends up befriending Chad’s partner, Joe, who keeps her company after Chad dumps her in a holding cell for the night. Joe and Stacy hit it off right away, resulting in Stacy always being around, no matter how much Chad tries to avoid her.
The constant bickering and sarcastic insults only heighten the sexual tension between Chad and Stacy, and Chad’s ability to control his emotions and actions becomes increasingly difficult.
A low scale war is declared between them, but their actions continue to both hurt each other while simultaneously pulling them together. When the fighting leads to literal bloodshed, they begin to wonder if they both should surrender before the war destroys them both.
4 ½ out of 5 stars
I loved this book! Stacy made me laugh so, so many times that I lost track. She is so feisty and such a great character that it was hard to read and not just love her. She has a “take no prisoners” and “don’t give a damn” attitude and it was so refreshing to see a female lead that really didn’t need a male to swoop in and save her.
Chad was amazing, too. He was so standoffish and aloof that I didn’t think I would really enjoy getting to know him, but once he opened up, the story really took off.
I did get frustrated with their on again/off again status and wanted to strangle both of them at several points in the story...but it was so well written that I just couldn’t give up and it didn’t matter that I was unhappy with them, I had to keep reading!
The story was well planned and played out in a great sequence and left me feeling good about choosing to read it. Though there were a few flashbacks to Pressing Adalyn, I felt the story was still fresh and kept me entertained. I can’t wait to read Joe & Carrie’s story. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
Giveaway
0 comments