~Blurb~
Mark Carrington already broke my heart once.
This sexy, temperamental playboy might dominate the major leagues, but there's no way in hell I'm letting him play ball with my heart again.
Until I find myself facing him down every morning on our new radio show, and his undeniable hotness starts to break down my resistance--and almost erase all the memories of how he dumped me back in high school.
We've both grown up since then, and now Mark is even more gorgeous and infuriating than ever. But I can't get away from him--not when my beloved alternative rock station depends on his sexy ass to avoid getting bought out by a greedy corporation.
But when he corners me in the production room to compliment my sexy radio voice and admire my David Bowie T-shirt, it's all I can do to keep my clothes on and my hands off of him. So I don't.
And the more I get to know him, the more I realize he's hiding a big heart behind all that swagger. And the deeper we get, the deeper I fall.
~Book Review~
4.5 Stars
Rose Taylor, 25, manages an alternative radio station in the NY/NJ area. She loves her rock music, but a stress free job she does not have. It only gets worse when her morning blows up over the airwaves and more complicated when she learns that her former classmate, now pro baseball player, Mark Carrington is joining the morning show team.
Mark’s day isn’t going much better. His very public fist fight with the sport’s world golden boy has him in hot water with his agent and part of his penance is a radio show gig that isn’t one of his career goals.
The opening scene hooked me on the story from the first pages, providing some laugh out loud moments. The writing was witty, painting colorful, quirky characters and vivid settings.
I also connected with Rose right away. I hate country music; love rock. Having graduated high school at the height of the grunge era, the station’s playlist spoke to me. (Oh and she went to a Rancid concert instead of prom—cue my envy!) I also loved how Rose was a strong female character, giving back every time Mark tried to rowel her up and keeping him on his toes.
“I wonder if anyone would notice if I undid my jeans right here, wrapped my fist around my cock and pictured exactly what I really wanted to do to Rose Taylor in that DJ booth…”
While Mark was a full of himself, sports celebrity with a big ego and anger management issues in the beginning, he was also a character who grows. I liked how the story developed his character, hinting at his background as a contriving factor to his issues but never using it as a scapegoat for blame. Both Mark and Rose were realistically flawed, and I appreciated how the message of learning from your mistakes and seeking professional help when needed were stressed throughout the story. The themes of public and private self, the downsides to fame, self-esteem, and maintaining your integrity were also central to the plot.
There’s moderate drama with the anvil being dropped in the early chapters. But the romantic angle is developed well throughout the story as you wait for the other shoe to drop. There’s no insta-love. The two have good chemistry as they muster through their new work relationship while subconsciously working out their very different impressions of their high school days and adolescent selves.
“He repositions his body against mine, deep in the zone now, and I don’t think he even feels my ass pressing against his hard dick anymore.”
There were a few places (such as their back-story) that lacked some explanation or could have been expanded further, and the ending felt just slightly rushed in the final chapter and epilogue. The humor is strongest in the beginning but drops off a bit as the plot progresses.
Told via Rose and Mark’s first person POV, this is an upbeat, second chances, love-hate standalone romance.
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~About the Author~
Hi! I'm Lulu. Midwestern-bred, NYC author. My favorite things are wine, wine, and more wine, a steamy book, and a good laugh. If you like any of those three, we will certainly get along. Send me an email or a message and let's get to know each other!
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