Review- Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines

Summary-

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter. 

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother. 

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Review-

I am an Abbi Glines fan and I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Fallen Too Far since some time now. It looked like a perfectly good new adult book which would make you sigh at the end of it with all the romance and leave you feeling content. It was all that and more. So much more. But it left me completely frustrated.

Blaire is a nineteen year old who's left her hometown in Alabama because her mother passed away to move in with her father and his new wife. She's naive and innocent and has no clue what lies in wait for her in her father's beach house along the Florida gulf coast. Here she meets her twenty four year old step brother Rush Finlay.

Like all Abbi Glines heroines Blaire was a super sweet one. She was innocent and kind and hard working. She just wanted to move on ahead with her life after the passing away of her mother and she was willing to work for it. She wasn't whiny or stupid. She worked with what she got and tried to make the best of her situation. This made her a really likeable character for me.

Then there's Rush. When we meet him at first he comes out as the jerk of the highest order. He goes out of his way to make Blaire uncomfortable. But soon he starts falling for her and it was so sweet to watch him helplessly fall in love with her. The romance was amazing with the right amount of sweetness and hotness.

But then Rush is keeping secrets from Blaire. Secrets which could destroy what they have. The end of the book is what left me completely heartbroken and frustrated. There is a hell lot of angst and drama which makes you feel Blaire's pain and her anger towards Rush and her father. The end was how it was supposed to be but it left me completely unsatisfied. But thankfully there is another book, Never Too Far which will be out in March 2013. Hopefully that book will give me the ending I want.

 Janhvi

Waiting On Wednesday #24

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Publication Date: April 2nd, 2013

Goodreads Summary:

Walking Disaster is Travis' POV.

How much is too much to love?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire's New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes.

My review of Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

Travis Maddox!!! 

Do I even need to say anything more?

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Sarika

Teaser Tuesday #24

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

                                                               Here's my teaser-

"He gives me that lopsided smile that makes my body heat up like someone's taken a blowtorch to it. But then his eyes cool, searching my face. "Isn't it exhausting?" The pad of his thumb strokes my neck softly.

                                                              "What?"

                                                 "Keeping people out."

- Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A.Tucker

Summary-

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

                                                                          What's your teaser tuesday?

                                                                                 Janhvi

Review- Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Goodreads Summary:

INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

REVIEW:

I have no clue how to even begin writing a review for Beautiful Disaster, which is exactly what the title says it is- a beautiful disaster. 

After reading some reviews for Beautiful Disaster, it is clear that this is a book that readers will either love or loathe. I know that there are certain readers who found the book to be a little too out of the world, but honestly, when it comes to reading, it's an escape for me, like music is, and as long as I can escape into a new world and feel like I'm a part of it by doing nothing but simply reading, it works for me. Beautiful Disaster did exactly that. It worked. In its own messed up, disruptive, disturbing and different way, it was beautiful. And like my favourite band Boys Like Girls say in their song Let Go- 

there's beauty in the breakdown. 

It's just like what Abby says- when it's right and when it's good... it's beautiful.

Abigail 'Abby' Abernathy, daughter of famous gambler Mick Abernathy, moves to a new town for college along with her best friend, America to start a new life and leave her past behind. She was a well formed and well-rounded character. Abby is strong, simple and sweet. Her past was a complete cracker. It was variant, something that I'd never read of before and I loved getting to know every bit of it. For me, Abby is the luckiest girl in the world, but that's only because of my immense love for Travis.

Travis... Travis is... he's unbelievable, exceptional and completely mind blowing. Keeping aside his gorgeous looks and intricate tattoos, he was extremely nice as a person. Gentle and kind aren't the words that can be used to describe Travis, but in his own twisted way, he was that too. He calls Abby 'Pigeon' or 'Pidge' which is so F-ing adorable. His family of five brothers, Trenton, Thomas, Taylor and Tyler and Travis himself with his dad Jim was a bunch of joyful and charming people. Although Travis does seem a little over protective and over possessive, I think it's absolutely fine to be that way, because in the end, love does make the world go round and that's whats happened to the fighter and player- he is in love. I seriously want to hug Jamie McGuire for creating such an extraordinary character. Trav is my book boyfriend, he is perfect. I love him. Too much. 

Abby and Travis share a totally messed up, complicated yet simply beautiful relationship. It was amazing to see how a simple friendship and a simple bet can be so life-changing. I read that some people found the relationship to be quite abusive, but it is not. It is what it is and whatever it is, it is beautiful. I loved seeing how Abby and Travis went from being friends to best friends to lovers. It was amazing. 
Yes, the ending did seem a little crazy and not so believable. Yes, it didn't make sense for Travis to go around having sex with other girls while beating the shit out of the guys who just tried to talk to Abby. Then again, I'm happy that they both get their happily ever after, which they truly deserve and work things out. 

Shepley's following line from the book perfectly describes Abby and Travis.

“I wish you and Travis would just get your shit together! You're a goddamn tornado! When you're happy, it's love and peace and butterflies. When you're pissed, you take the whole fucking world down with you!” 

Abby's best friend America and Travis' cousin Shepley also shared a wonderful relationship. They were adorable and did things their own way which was cute. As individual characters, I liked how Mare was with Abby throughout even when Abby seemed to not return the same gesture. It was a little confusing to see America support Abby and Travis' relationship at one point and go against the idea of them being together the next instance. Nonetheless, the two girls shared a lovely relation and their friendship was fun to read. Shepley, on the other hand, is the prefect guy. He was absolutely beaut and excellent. Too bad he was made to stand next to Travis. I loved Shep for who he was as a person, but I loved Travis more. I would love to know more about Mare and Shep. *subtle hinting, Jamie*

Beautiful Disaster has been one of the most amazing books that I've read. I admit that it was over the top and surreal at times and it is a bit too much- too much of drama, but come on, we all want to believe that love happens and it does- in the most inexplicable and unimaginable ways possible. 
Jamie McGuire has written a beautiful story with characters that are beautiful in their own way. The author has crafted a beautiful story that will stay with me forever, bring a smile to my face, a pounding beat to my heart and a thousand crazy thoughts in my head every time I think of it- which is most of the time. There were some very very minute editorial mistakes in the book, but seriously, who cares when the story in itself weaves its charm and finds a way to your heart where you hold it dear. 

A cheerful, moving, sad and happy and intense read all at once, Beautiful Disaster is disastrously beautiful and beautifully disastrous. You will love it or loathe it. I loved it. Truly, madly and deeply.

RATING:

Sarika

Review- Almost by Anne Elliot

Summary-

At a freshman party she doesn't remember, Jess Jordan was almost raped.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite. Three years later, Jess has managed to make everyone believe she's better. Over it. Because she is.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Unfortunately, until Jess proves she's back to normal activities, her parents won't discuss college. So, she lands a summer internship and strikes a deal with hockey jock, Gray Porter: He gets $8,000. She gets a fake boyfriend and a social life. 

Jess has no idea Gray signed on for reasons other than money. She also never expects to fall in love. But Gray’s amazingly hot, holds her hand all the time, and makes her forget that he’s simply doing his job. It’s like having a real boyfriend.

...Almost. Very nearly. Not quite.

Gray Porter is hiding secrets of his own. About Jess Jordan. About why he’s driven to protect her, why he won't cash her checks, or deny her anything she asks.

Review-

I have read a few books which were related to rape but I hadn't come across an almost rape anytime. So I found it really interesting to read Almost. It seemed like a different book and it was really good. For a book with such a serious subject it had quite a lot of light moments which made the book that much better for me.

Jess Jordan was almost raped at a freshman party. She doesn't remember most of it. Now three years later she is still struggling to get over her nightmares and to live a normal life. She wants to go to college next year but to do that she has to convince everyone that she is normal. Even though she is not. So she lands a summer internship and hires Gray Porter to be her pretend boyfriend.

Jess was an amazing person. She had been through so much at such a young age and still she was determined to make things work for her. She was a sweet girl who didn't want anybody's pity. She thinks that if she had a boyfriend and a social life her parents would finally stop being so overprotective. It was easy to understand what she was going through and it made her that much more easy to relate to.

Gray Porter has his own reasons for agreeing to be Jess' pretend boyfriend which we come to know by the end of the book. He was a genuinely nice guy and just wanted what was best for Jess. He wanted to be her friend. What he never expected was to fall head over heels in love with her. I found Gray's point of view extremely charming. He's a flirt and he doesn't deny it. His internal monologues were hilarious!

Almost turned out to be a much better book than I expected it to be. With Jess and Gray's point of views we understand both their feelings, what they're going through in the present and what happened in the past so much better. The romance was sweet and very realistic. I also loved Gray's friends, Corey and Michelle and Jess' sister Kika. Almost was a refreshing read which left me feeling happy and nice.

Janhvi

Review- Dancing Mirrors by Rakhi Sunil Kumar

Goodreads Summary:

Dancing Mirrors' - a soft, peppy and fresh romantic fiction which takes love as its central focus and attempts to discover emotions and other ingredients, apart from love, that are vital towards ensuring a lasting and happy relationship in the future. 

Naina Handa, a young, beautiful and aspiring ballet dancer yet Gen-next girl of facebook era, who falls in love with Raj through internet friendship and comes to India to explore their relationship more, but soon decides to move realizing that they are poles apart. 

Later she meets Aaryan Oberoi. Rich and Handsome. Completely opposite to Raj. Except they look the same, a mirror image. Can Aaryan fulfill what she desired from Raj?

Dancing Mirrors, the beautiful journey of Naina; her love, disbeliefs,dilemmas and confusions, which will make one think Why do we love someone?

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Dancing Mirrors from author Rakhi Sunil Kumar in exchange for an honest review. We thank Rakhi for the book! 

Dancing Mirrors is the story of Naina Handa, who, after meeting and chatting with Raj online, decides to come all the way from London to India to meet the guy she has fallen in love with. For Naina, Raj is her prince, her knight in shinning armour and in her heart, she knows that he is the perfect guy for her. But the minute she lays eyes on him, she hates him. 

From there begins the journey of Naina and Raj and their journey of finding love. 
Dancing Mirrors reminded me a lot of the 2007 Bollywood blockbuster, Jab We Met starring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor. 

When author Rakhi Sunil Kumar emailed us about her book and when I read the summary of Dancing Mirrors, I really wanted to read the book. And though the story was something new, the many many editorial mistakes were what put me off. The writing was, in my opinion, very rushed and middling. Sentences seemed incomplete and I found it very difficult to separate what Naina was saying from what she was thinking. Despite the short and rather average writing, the story is quite alright. 

Naina, as a protagonist, was naive, confused and extremely whiny and Raj came with his multiple personalities and rather harsh attitude. In spite of the lack of development of the characters, both Naina and Raj were sweet people with their own flaws and insecurities.
The fact that, in today's day and age, when besides just chat, there are so many other platforms where you can look more into a person that you meet online and find out more about them (if they really interest you, of course), is an open option. Even then, Naina doesn't do anything, relies on Raj's sweet-talk and makes the life changing decision of coming to meet him.  
Naina is so confused, she can't even make a decision properly. And though I have a soft spot for Raj because he seemed like a genuinely nice person, his rather rummy way of winning Naina's heart was quite crazy and a bit too filmy. I liked Raj, I really did and maybe he is the sole reason why I sat through the book. 
I know that I am not the best person to judge, but after having read so many books, even I can say that Dancing Mirrors is a hunky-dory  read. 
Author Rakhi Sunil Kumar's book has a good plot and with some improvements here and there, it definitely has the potential of being a good read. 
Dancing Mirrors was the first ever physical book that we received for reviewing and so, the book will always have an important place on my bookshelf. 

RATING:

Sarika 

Feature & Follow Friday #23

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. 

                                                  Today's question is:

What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

Answer: The Sea Of Tranquility by Katja Millay. You can find my review here.

What is your answer?

Follow us and we'll follow back!

Happy Friday everybody! :)

Janhvi

Review- Up In Flames by Nicole Williams

Summary-

One small town girl with a bright future. 
One smokejumper with a dark past. 
One summer that will forever change them both. 
They’re going . . .

Up In Flames. 



Elle’s life couldn’t possibly get any more small town than it already is. She was raised in the same home as the two generations before her were, her family owns the iconic downtown cafe, and she’s been dating the pastor’s son since she was allowed to go on her first date at sixteen. 

Cole’s life couldn’t possibly get any larger. He’s tried. Roaming from town to town for the past three summers as a smokejumper, Cole dreads the thought of putting down roots. The only thing he avoids more than that is settling down with one woman, especially when there are as many willing women as there are trees in the forest he jumps out of planes to save.

Elle Montgomery’s life is going one way. And Cole Carson’s is going the opposite. There’s no reason their paths should ever intersect, even in a small town in central Washington. 

But summer in the Methow Valley has other plans for Elle and Cole. After an awkward run-in at the local swimming hole, Elle tries to keep away from the guy who looks at her like she’s already lying beneath him in bed. She fails. Cole is about as successful at staying away from the girl who seems immune to his charms.

As the summer heats up, and tensions between Elle and Cole run high, he begins to realize there’s more he’s attracted to than Elle’s body, and she discovers there’s a lot more to the man that jumps out of planes into raging forest fires than meets the eye.

Review-

Up In Flames is not the first book I've read by Nicole Williams. I'd read Crash and Clash and I found them to be okay reads. But I am so glad to have picked up Up In Flames because it seemed like this book was a vast improvement from her previous books. Maybe I enjoyed it more because it is New Adult but to me it seemed more realistic and the characters didn't get on my nerves.

Elle is a small town girl. She's the town's sweet heart. She has the perfectly safe boyfriend whom everyone thinks she's going to marry soon and then live in town like the two generations before her. What everyone doesn't know or see is that Elle feels suffocated in the small town. She finds her life incredibly predictable and boring and she wants so much more.

Cole is a smokejumper. He dreads the though of putting  down roots anywhere and likes the way he lives his carefree life. Settling down with one woman is the farthest thing from his mind. But then he meets Elle and he can't keep away from her. Cole has never met a girl immune to his charms and that is what makes Elle all the more attractive to him.

Cole and Elle together were combustible. The title Up In Flames is seriously apt for them cause you can actually feel their chemistry sizzle whenever they're together. I loved all the romance and the tension between them. It was intense. The only thing I didn't like was the cheating aspect. Logan was a really nice guy who truly loved Elle and what was done to him was wrong. But Elle and Cole both feel enough remorse for their actions that they don't come off as flaky characters.

There was one time when I felt that the misunderstandings between Cole and Elle could be sorted out by simple means of communication but that just didn't go with their personalities. But it was still an enjoyable read. Up In Flames has quite a bit of similarities with Abbi Glines' The Vincent Boys so if you enjoy these kinda stories like me Up In Flames should definitely be a book on your list.

Janhvi

Review- A Shade Of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Summary-

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.
A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. 
She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.
An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. 
Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. 
Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.
Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

Review-

A Shade Of Vampire is a young adult paranormal romance. I went into the book with zero expectations of what was to come. This book pleasantly surprised me. I found myself reeled into the world and wanting to know more about it. It had everything one would want in a book and I enjoyed reading it. I hadn't read a young adult paranormal romance in some time so this book was a nice change for me.

Sofia Claremont is sucked into a nightmare she cannot escape. On a quiet evening she is kidnapped by a pale creature that craves much more than her blood. She is trapped on an island where it is forever dark. Sofia was a sensible and sweet girl. When she's kidnapped and taken to an unknown island she doesn't lose her mind. She has a healthy dose of fear but that doesn't keep her from taking a stock of her surroundings and her determination to escape was commendable.

What she doesn't know but later finds out is that she has been chosen out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. Despite his addiction to power and his thirst for her blood Sofia finds an unexpected shelter in Derek. It seems like being with him is the safest place on the island where everyone is looking to take her blood.

The book moves from Sofia and Derek's point of view. This gives us a very good understanding of the whole situation from both the sides. Derek was a really nice guy who just wanted what was best for his family and his coven. He wanted to build a sanctuary. His unexpected attraction to Sofia confuses him but she is the only one who reminds him of humanity, something he can never have again. He is enchanted by Sofia's innocence and she is the light to his dark world.

The romance between Sofia and Derek is sweet and slow. It was realistic and light and really well portrayed. With a little bit of mystery and politics thrown into the mix, A Shade Of Vampire makes for a great and quick read. This book doesn't end on a cliffhanger but it definitely leaves you wanting more. I am waiting for book 2. If you're a fan of young adult paranormal romance you should give A Shade Of Vampire a try.

Janhvi

Waiting On Wednesday #23

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

Publication Date: February 26 2013

Summary-

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. 

Everything she had known was no longer true. 

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. 
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? 

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

Fallen Too Far ended on a major cliffhanger. I so desperately want to see Blaire and Rush's happy ending. Hope this one will be just as good as any Abbi Glines book.

What are you waiting on?

Janhvi

Teaser Tuesday #23

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Here's my teaser: 
"I think they're doing just fine", James replied coldly. 
"Fine? We have one son who's an alcoholic, homeless thief. Our other son needs treatment for drug addiction, and we have no idea where he is right now. You'd say they're doing fine? Would you say we're doing a good job of parenting, James?"
He said nothing. It was rare for Commander Scott to be speechless. 
-Streamline by Jennifer Lane 

Goodreads Summary: 

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He's captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother's crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father's abuse, battered and alone. 

Leo's girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida's top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there's an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder. 

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything's on the line . . . streamline.

What's your teaser?

Happy reading, everyone! 

Sarika

Review- The Bro-Magnet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Goodreads Summary:

Women have been known to lament, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." For Johnny Smith, the problem is, "Always a Best Man, never a groom." At age 33, housepainter Johnny has been Best Man eight times. The ultimate man's man, Johnny loves the Mets, the Jets, his weekly poker game, and the hula girl lamp that hangs over his basement pool table. Johnny has the instant affection of nearly every man he meets, but one thing he doesn't have is a woman to share his life with, and he wants that desperately. When Johnny meets District Attorney Helen Troy, he decides to renounce his bro-magnet ways in order to impress her. With the aid and advice of his friends and family, soon he's transforming his wardrobe, buying throw pillows, ditching the hula girl lamp, getting a cat and even changing his name to the more mature-sounding John. And through it all, he's pretending to have no interest in sports, which Helen claims to abhor. As things heat up with Helen, the questions arise: Will Johnny finally get the girl? And, if he's successful in that pursuit, who will he be now that he's no longer really himself? THE BRO-MAGNET is a rollicking comedic novel about what one man is willing to give up for the sake of love.

REVIEW:

I got a copy of The Bro-Magnet when it was free on Amazon and I was so eager to read the book. The whole concept of the book seemed great and refreshing as we get a glimpse into a man's head. About what men think about women, about dating, about relationships and about marriage. We've all read about women always being the bridesmaids and never the bride, but this was the first time I came across the tag line 'always a best man... never a groom'. I was excited to begin reading this book and I was not disappointed. 
The Bro-Magnet is a hilarious, awesome and an absolutely refreshing read that had me laughing out loud innumerable times. I mean it when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed every page and it was a totally colourful and entertaining ride. 
The Bro-Magnet is the story of Johnny who has a great family and a great bunch of friends, who wanted to become a lawyer but follows his father's footsteps by taking up the family's painting job, who is looked up to, appreciated and admired by majority of the male population, who has been best man in so many weddings, whose best man wedding speech is a hit among the crowd and who is a HUGE baseball and beer fan. 
Unfortunately, he has never had any luck with women. His mother dies after giving birth to him, his aunt Alfresca accuses him of killing her sister, his first crush, Alice hates him and marries his best friend, his best friend, neighbour and co-worker, Sam is a lesbian. After looking at his married buddies, Johnny feels the absence of a woman in his life and that's when he deicides to take matters in his own hands and gets serious about finding his own life partner. 
I loved being with Johnny on his journey to find the right woman. His family comprising of his dad 'Big John' and his aunt Alfresca was a riot. They are people with a big heart and an even bigger sense of humour. 
His friends made loyal and a strong gang. It was fun reading about the changes that Johnny sees in his friends after their respective marriages. 
His best friend/neighbour Sam was, for me, the coolest character. She was fun, lively and had a kind of razzmatazz personality. 
Another significant character in the book is Leo, the coffee-shop owner and his wife whom he calls 'The Little Lady'. His story and the role he plays in shaping Johnny's views about love was moving and touching. 
When Johnny finally meets lawyer Helen Troy at a baseball game, he is intrigued by her and wants to get to know her. This is where Johnny's world turns upside down. 
With a lot of help and advice (necessary and unnecessary) from family and friends, he goes from being Johnny to 'John', remodels his home by throwing in flowers and little girly things, almost gives up his love for sports, buys a rather lazy and crazy cat, finds himself asking other men about how to woo women and women about how to impress them, but most importantly, he evolves as a man. 
I enjoyed reading about this phase and transition of John. He is so nervous about dates (on the first date, Johnny does not eat anything because he is afraid of having bad breath!) that sometimes I found myself thinking 'do guys even bother so much about such things?' and the answer was yes, they do. It matters so much to John what Helen thinks of him, how she looks at him, how selfless he is when it comes to Helen that he willing to do whatever she says. 
The meetings between Johnny and Helen's very close-knit, huge and jolly family and between Helen and Johnny's riotous and fun-loving family were gratifying and very sweet.
Johnny was cute, funny, sincere and loving while John was still the same guy with only a stronger belief in himself and in his relationships. Helen is smart, cool, very kind and warm-hearted. They are great as a couple, balance each other perfectly and are similar in more ways than one, which I cannot elaborate further without giving away spoilers! 
Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted's writing keeps you awake and alive and laughing and wanting more. At times, a few things did seem a bit too girly, nonetheless The Bro-Magnet was an awesome book and in the end, that is what matters- enjoying what you are reading and The Bro-Magnet ensures that you do just that- relax, read and enjoy.
The Bro-Magnet is a hilarious refreshing read that makes you laugh, appreciate a man's efforts, look at how much relationships matter to men, how willing they are to make it work when they know 'she's the one' and how a little bit of help and lots of humour goes into making a beautiful relationship. 

RATING: 

Sarika