Review- Scoring with the Wrong Twin by Naima Simone

Summary-

Shy, awkward Sophia Cruz has a hard time telling her vivacious identical twin “no.” But when her sister begs her to swap places for a modeling shoot, she caves … again. Then Zephirin Black walks onto the set. The brooding, aloof, and gorgeous tight end for the Washington Warriors. But she can keep it professional… She has to. Because the adorkable Cruz twin has no luck with guys once they compare her to her sister. 

After a bad break-up, Zeph hasn’t been big on second chances—and even less with trust. But he finds himself giving please-call-me-by-my-middle-name-Sophia both. The woman he’d dismissed as a spoiled cover model is different from the first time he met her. Quirkier. Funnier. Definitely sexier. What started as one night turns into another…and another…and another…

Still, Sophia can’t go on keeping her secret from him. But telling Zeph the truth will mean losing him for good.

Release date: January 15th, 2018

Published by: Entangled Publishing

Page numbers: 236

Review-

Scoring with the Wrong Twin by Naima Simone was a book I impulsively hit request on on Netgalley after reading the summary. The plot sounded nice and it had elements which made for the kind of romance I usually end up enjoying. Some things were pretty unrealistic but then again this is fiction and overall the book was enjoyable.

Let's start with Sophia. Sophia is the shy awkward twin. She is more into creating things such as apps on the computer than making herself look model like and pretty like her twin sister. When Sophia's sister needs her to stand in her place Sophia agrees for it as a one time deal. What she doesn't expect is the chemistry she has with Zeph, the tight end for the Washington Warriors.

Zeph has known what it feels like to be betrayed by a loved one. He is not into giving second chances and is already wary of anyone who claims to love him. When Zeph meets Sophia he expects a spoiled model but what he finds is a gorgeous girl with a refreshing personality. Zeph doesn't want a relationship at first but the more he gets to know Sophia the more he wants her.

The author has done a great job of showcasing the chemistry between Zeph and Sophia. They were genuinely attracted to each other and it was there for all to see. Sophia was keeping a big secret from Zeph and when it comes out it definitely explodes but you can see that she has her reasons behind it.

Naima Simone has done a great job of fleshing out the characters with their personalities. Sophia and Zeph both have insecurities and vulnerabilities. It was nice to see them work through their issues to be together in the end. Zeph also had a great group of friends and there was definitely something going on between a few of them. Maybe we'll get a book for someone. All in all you Scoring with the Wrong Twin was a quick romance. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

 

Review- Aced by Jennifer Lane

Goodreads Summary:

Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.

Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?

Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.

Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.

Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk. 

Read my review of Blocked (Blocked #1) by Jennifer Lane

REVIEW:

If you liked author Jennifer Lane's Blocked, you will love Aced. Trust me. Because I really liked Blocked and I ended up liking Aced even more. The combination of sports and politics was brilliant in the first book, so naturally I was looking forward to read more of the same. And oh my God! I instantly fell in love with Maddie and Alejandro. 

Maddie is a volleyball star and studies medicine at Highbanks, where she is friends with Lucia. The two girls have been with each other through thick and thin and it was really nice to read about this beautiful friendship. Maddie was a sweetheart. I liked how she was portrayed as a real and very relatable 21 year old girl, who is strong, intelligent and independent but also vulnerable, sensitive yet super sweet. During one of the games, Maddie meets Lucia's bother, Alejandro. Sparks were literally flying off of the pages of the book and the chemistry between the two was amazing. 

Alejandro is son of the president of America and he is charming- oh, so charming. Alex is an innocent boy until he falls head over heals in love with Maddie. His portrayal was a fresh change in New Adult, and a change I really liked and appreciated. He wasn't your normal bad boy sleeping around with girls and pretending to be the coolest of the lot. Rather, Alex is a hardworking and respectful person who, beyond anything else, is a wonderful soul. His love for Maddie was so cute and it had me smiling most of the time. 

What I loved the most about Aced was the very realistic portrayal of Maddie and Alex. It's not often that book characters end up being just like normal people that you and I know or that may be you and I. But Jennifer Lane nailed it, and it was fabulous. Not just Maddie and Alex though, there were also families from both sides who were portrayed excellently and it was fantastic to get to know Maddie's family and meet Alex and Lucia's young brother Mateo and their parents again. The sports and politics added to a lot of fun and drama. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the White House and getting a hint of how it works.  It was all excellent. 

It's not often that I read or even like to read romances, so the few authors who are my exceptions when it comes to the genre have to be good at what they do. Clearly, Jen does an amazing job because I always end up liking her stories and in the case of Aced, loving them too. 

*A copy of Aced was provided as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. We thank the tour host and Jennifer for the book. 

RATING: 

Review- Blocked by Jennifer Lane

Goodreads Summary:

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player.¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. 

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Blocked by Jennifer Lane from AToMR Tours in exchange for an honest review. We thank the author and the tour company for the book! 

I took so long to read Blocked that I thought about giving it up more than once. But because it's a book by Jennifer Lane whose Streamline was a great read that I really liked, I decided to take my time with Blocked and trust me, it was worth the wait, although I really really wish we got to know the final results of the elections. I do have my theory on who wins, and I love books that end abruptly, but this time, I really wanted to know. The slow pace of my reading (which really had nothing to do with the story, but my pure laziness) and the abrupt ending are the only two negatives that I can come up with. 

Blocked is the story of two star athletes Dane Monroe and Lucia Ramirez who also happen to be the children of the two governors who are contesting for the US presidential elections. Politics and sports are two topics that I find very interesting so that there is a great combination. I really liked the glimpse into the lives of Dane and Lucia who are living in the same apartment for safety purposes, who in spite of being the children of such high profile people, were simple and had normal issues like you and I do. They were both great individuals and made for a great pair. The chemistry between the two was quite sizzling and hot. 

Lucia was a really nice girl. I got her whole eating disorder issue, but I failed to understand why a determined and strong girl would let herself be demotivated that way. Dane was a great guy who appeared quite the jerk at first, but made up for all his mistakes and stupidity later on by showing how great he is. Both the protagonists gave importance to their respective siblings and family which I loved so much. 

In Blocked, we already have two topics that form a major part of newspapers and it's not just that, there's secret service, competition, separation, media, issues like alcoholism, eating disorders, domination, blood sugar, etc. that make it such a realistic read. Not to mention, heaps of knowledge since we get inside scoops and even some psychological know-hows. So Blocked is basically packed with reality. The importance given to family was really appreciative as well. I found this one to be a great read. 

RATING: