suey_library's review
4.0
***Received an Advanced Readers Copy during a blog tour with Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review***
Whew. I am honestly not entirely positive on what I expected with this novel, I mean the synopsis was like 'whoa' and my curious kitty peer pressured me into needing to read this. And now my curiosity is sitting here thinking - well nuggets, what the heck did I just read? But not in a bad way.. I just was not expecting that...
I say this because let me admit that at the jump, I liked the writing style, I liked the intro to the characters but within the first couple of chapters it really made me question my sanity. I was not sure if this would be a book for me. This was mostly in part because once you dive into the prologue with Jordan, then meeting Oaklee and Law it more or less confused me. Like, maybe I was missing a piece to this puzzle of the plot, it made me feel like I was just thrown into a pit and hit my head because I did not understand why Oaklee needed this boyfriend. Though to be fair, I have not read books one and two, now I think I need to, but honestly I don't think that was specifically the missing puzzle - it was just how Oaklee treated Law in the first meeting, like - why? Which I don't want to say where my thoughts are because HUGE spoiler, but just felt like I was thrown in the middle of a story and maybe I was missing something...
On top of this, I couldn't get a feel on the characters. Normally in the first tidbits you always get that initial connection of who you anticipate on liking or disliking, a feel for the plot twist, but that definitely doesn't happen here. It is a build. Not disappointing in the least, just took a smidge to get invested, but once I kept trucking along I got the feel that this was going to be a whirlwind of fun, entertaining swoonage.
So what did I eventually pick up from the characters that made me keep reading? Honestly I can tell you I was on the fence about Oaklee for majority of the novel; she was slight crazy and borderline insane, but not unjustified. I liked her personality, she was fun, cunning and I really needed to be her best friend, that is for sure. I questioned her in a lot of moments because as the plot thickens of her brewing business, her nemesis Hanna, and her earth shattering growing affections for the charming Law who was supposed to just be a hired show boyfriend, she just has these awkward moments. So I was really back and forth with her, do I trust her, should we trust her, or is she playing a game too... couldn't quite put my finger on it.
And then of course, the delicious, charismatic Law. Lawton at first annoyed me. There I said it, I admit it. But he grew on me. My issues mostly dive from the fact that his inner monologue somewhat hinges on this awkward feminine view point. Literally his inside thoughts were what I imagine a woman to think like... it bothered me a little, but as the story developed, he started to appear more masculine. And please don't take that the wrong way, I just think at times he was more a valley girl and not this macho man meat. But again, as the story continues he changes a bit, and a bit for the better. I really liked how he treated Oaks, he was respectful and just a decent guy.
Though both have questionable motives for this contract they have in place during Jordan's Game, they still build a really great insta-love relationship that really felt real. As their chemistry really takes flight they become this all-consuming, just intense feels with that lean on me kind of romance. They build into this bubble together where they explore one another and grow together.
Seriously.... the sexy time - oh my.... delicious.
Overall, I liked it. I won't deny that it did take a bit for me to really invest in the characters, allowing myself to really connect with the characters. Even as the plot continued to twist and turn I was constantly thrown for a loop which definitely kept me interested through to the end. And even though Oaks was absolutely bat-shit crazy, she was fun, quirky (definitely my kind of crazy) and blended really well with Law. They just had this amazing build with one another that made the ending the perfect spot for them. And that ending..... just more shockers that just kept rolling in.
I definitely want to add more Huss to my TBR, after getting a feel for her writing style I think she is definitely an author I need more in my life.
Whew. I am honestly not entirely positive on what I expected with this novel, I mean the synopsis was like 'whoa' and my curious kitty peer pressured me into needing to read this. And now my curiosity is sitting here thinking - well nuggets, what the heck did I just read? But not in a bad way.. I just was not expecting that...
I say this because let me admit that at the jump, I liked the writing style, I liked the intro to the characters but within the first couple of chapters it really made me question my sanity. I was not sure if this would be a book for me. This was mostly in part because once you dive into the prologue with Jordan, then meeting Oaklee and Law it more or less confused me. Like, maybe I was missing a piece to this puzzle of the plot, it made me feel like I was just thrown into a pit and hit my head because I did not understand why Oaklee needed this boyfriend. Though to be fair, I have not read books one and two, now I think I need to, but honestly I don't think that was specifically the missing puzzle - it was just how Oaklee treated Law in the first meeting, like - why? Which I don't want to say where my thoughts are because HUGE spoiler, but just felt like I was thrown in the middle of a story and maybe I was missing something...
On top of this, I couldn't get a feel on the characters. Normally in the first tidbits you always get that initial connection of who you anticipate on liking or disliking, a feel for the plot twist, but that definitely doesn't happen here. It is a build. Not disappointing in the least, just took a smidge to get invested, but once I kept trucking along I got the feel that this was going to be a whirlwind of fun, entertaining swoonage.
So what did I eventually pick up from the characters that made me keep reading? Honestly I can tell you I was on the fence about Oaklee for majority of the novel; she was slight crazy and borderline insane, but not unjustified. I liked her personality, she was fun, cunning and I really needed to be her best friend, that is for sure. I questioned her in a lot of moments because as the plot thickens of her brewing business, her nemesis Hanna, and her earth shattering growing affections for the charming Law who was supposed to just be a hired show boyfriend, she just has these awkward moments. So I was really back and forth with her, do I trust her, should we trust her, or is she playing a game too... couldn't quite put my finger on it.
And then of course, the delicious, charismatic Law. Lawton at first annoyed me. There I said it, I admit it. But he grew on me. My issues mostly dive from the fact that his inner monologue somewhat hinges on this awkward feminine view point. Literally his inside thoughts were what I imagine a woman to think like... it bothered me a little, but as the story developed, he started to appear more masculine. And please don't take that the wrong way, I just think at times he was more a valley girl and not this macho man meat. But again, as the story continues he changes a bit, and a bit for the better. I really liked how he treated Oaks, he was respectful and just a decent guy.
Though both have questionable motives for this contract they have in place during Jordan's Game, they still build a really great insta-love relationship that really felt real. As their chemistry really takes flight they become this all-consuming, just intense feels with that lean on me kind of romance. They build into this bubble together where they explore one another and grow together.
Seriously.... the sexy time - oh my.... delicious.
Overall, I liked it. I won't deny that it did take a bit for me to really invest in the characters, allowing myself to really connect with the characters. Even as the plot continued to twist and turn I was constantly thrown for a loop which definitely kept me interested through to the end. And even though Oaks was absolutely bat-shit crazy, she was fun, quirky (definitely my kind of crazy) and blended really well with Law. They just had this amazing build with one another that made the ending the perfect spot for them. And that ending..... just more shockers that just kept rolling in.
I definitely want to add more Huss to my TBR, after getting a feel for her writing style I think she is definitely an author I need more in my life.
readaholic7's review
4.0
Was a decent audio book with a happy ending. They came together in a game to help achieve their individual goals and found a partnership.
lifeinthebooklane's review
3.0
After a slow start this turned into one humdinger of a read
3.5 stars
This is a contemporary romance with a lot of intrigue and some very unexpected twists. I loved the turning point series, though I struggled with the first book in the Jordan's Game series. However the blurb sounding interesting and I really wanted to give another JA Huss book a try. I was expecting something a little different to what I got. This author is known, amongst her fans, for playing mind games with readers, so part of me expected an intense read. The first half of the book, whilst not exactly bland, didn't reel me in. However the second half was everything I wanted and expected.
Oaklee hires a 'boyfriend' to lure a much bigger fish and try and beat an opponent who, it seems, is trying to take over her life. Lawton just needs someone interesting to pretend to be his partner for a TV pitch. Neither get what they think they want, but they do get what they need.
This was a book that I struggled to get into at first. By the 48% mark I had put it down and lost interest three times. Whilst I really liked Law at that point, I wasn't so sure about Oaklee as a character. I also felt the pace was too slow, leaving me a little uninspired. I think perhaps it's just too 'contemporary' for me, I like the story to have some darkness, kink or suspense too.
Whether it was taking a break from the book or whether it was genuinely that the story picked up but when I picked it back up I found that I felt a lot more involved. I really grew to like Oaklee, she wasn't quite the self-centred and brash individual she had first appeared to be. Law and Oaklee made a very special couple and I enjoyed seeing how both discovered that what they thought they wanted in life wasn't necessarily the same as what they needed. They made a really wonderful couple and their chemistry was intense.
Following a revelation given by Oaklee regarding her childhood I suspecting that. Well didn't the author play a blinder there and totally twist things around.
The second half of the book was fantastic, so much happened, so many twisty turns and revelations, almost to the point of feeling rushed. I would have liked the whole saga of Law not knowing who to believe to have been dragged out a little more and for the tension to have been built up over a longer period. That said this is still a well written and overall entertaining read. I even didn't mind that it was very insta-lust and even a little insta-love! Most of the book was set over a few days, though it felt much longer than that.
3.5 stars
This is a contemporary romance with a lot of intrigue and some very unexpected twists. I loved the turning point series, though I struggled with the first book in the Jordan's Game series. However the blurb sounding interesting and I really wanted to give another JA Huss book a try. I was expecting something a little different to what I got. This author is known, amongst her fans, for playing mind games with readers, so part of me expected an intense read. The first half of the book, whilst not exactly bland, didn't reel me in. However the second half was everything I wanted and expected.
Oaklee hires a 'boyfriend' to lure a much bigger fish and try and beat an opponent who, it seems, is trying to take over her life. Lawton just needs someone interesting to pretend to be his partner for a TV pitch. Neither get what they think they want, but they do get what they need.
This was a book that I struggled to get into at first. By the 48% mark I had put it down and lost interest three times. Whilst I really liked Law at that point, I wasn't so sure about Oaklee as a character. I also felt the pace was too slow, leaving me a little uninspired. I think perhaps it's just too 'contemporary' for me, I like the story to have some darkness, kink or suspense too.
Whether it was taking a break from the book or whether it was genuinely that the story picked up but when I picked it back up I found that I felt a lot more involved. I really grew to like Oaklee, she wasn't quite the self-centred and brash individual she had first appeared to be. Law and Oaklee made a very special couple and I enjoyed seeing how both discovered that what they thought they wanted in life wasn't necessarily the same as what they needed. They made a really wonderful couple and their chemistry was intense.
Following a revelation given by Oaklee regarding her childhood I suspecting that
Spoiler
Hanna was her sister or half sister. I'd already wondered if this was the case and they were related via Dad but then wondered if the connection was via their MumThe second half of the book was fantastic, so much happened, so many twisty turns and revelations, almost to the point of feeling rushed. I would have liked the whole saga of Law not knowing who to believe to have been dragged out a little more and for the tension to have been built up over a longer period. That said this is still a well written and overall entertaining read. I even didn't mind that it was very insta-lust and even a little insta-love! Most of the book was set over a few days, though it felt much longer than that.
belladonna_loves_to_read's review
5.0
4.5 Stars
Have you ever been in one of those moods where you wanted a romance, but you weren't sure what you wanted to read? It's been happening to me quite a bit, lately. Contemporary, Suspense, Comedy or something that brings all the sexy? Well, with this book, I hit the jackpot. It had all the things.
Lawton Ayers needs help. A real estate millionaire who's sick of the city, he thinks he has the perfect plan to get away from it all and start the next phase of his life. But he needs a partner for this to work, preferably female, pretty, and successful. That's where his friend Jordan comes in.
Jordan has a client who wants an unusual game, The Boyfriend Experience. Oaklee Ryan is beautiful, a wealthy brewery owner—and a bit of a handful; which is why he has such a hard time finding someone for this game. With seventy grand on the line and just one day left to fill the contract, Lawton is his last hope.
They both need something, so it's the perfect match. Sounds easy, right? I mean, how could this possibly go sideways?
This book had me giggling out loud and on the edge of my seat AT THE SAME TIME! Lawton knows how to do romance (deluxe boyfriend experience, please). There's banter between Oakley and Lawton that will have you laughing one minute and swooning the next, all while you're trying to figure out what is going to happen. The suspense is real, and I wasn't expecting that aspect of the book at all. I may have thought I had it figured out how this would end, but I was so wrong, and that was such a pleasant surprise.
While I've read the Turning series by this author, I haven't read any of the Jordan's Game books yet. So, I read this book as a standalone—and it works that way. But I loved this one so much; I'm going to go back and read the rest of the series to catch up in time for [b:Play Dirty|39711623|Play Dirty (Jordan’s Game, #4)|J.A. Huss|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1522778181s/39711623.jpg|61369446]. Jordan needs his happy ending, too.
Have you ever been in one of those moods where you wanted a romance, but you weren't sure what you wanted to read? It's been happening to me quite a bit, lately. Contemporary, Suspense, Comedy or something that brings all the sexy? Well, with this book, I hit the jackpot. It had all the things.
Lawton Ayers needs help. A real estate millionaire who's sick of the city, he thinks he has the perfect plan to get away from it all and start the next phase of his life. But he needs a partner for this to work, preferably female, pretty, and successful. That's where his friend Jordan comes in.
Jordan has a client who wants an unusual game, The Boyfriend Experience. Oaklee Ryan is beautiful, a wealthy brewery owner—and a bit of a handful; which is why he has such a hard time finding someone for this game. With seventy grand on the line and just one day left to fill the contract, Lawton is his last hope.
They both need something, so it's the perfect match. Sounds easy, right? I mean, how could this possibly go sideways?
This book had me giggling out loud and on the edge of my seat AT THE SAME TIME! Lawton knows how to do romance (deluxe boyfriend experience, please). There's banter between Oakley and Lawton that will have you laughing one minute and swooning the next, all while you're trying to figure out what is going to happen. The suspense is real, and I wasn't expecting that aspect of the book at all. I may have thought I had it figured out how this would end, but I was so wrong, and that was such a pleasant surprise.
While I've read the Turning series by this author, I haven't read any of the Jordan's Game books yet. So, I read this book as a standalone—and it works that way. But I loved this one so much; I'm going to go back and read the rest of the series to catch up in time for [b:Play Dirty|39711623|Play Dirty (Jordan’s Game, #4)|J.A. Huss|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1522778181s/39711623.jpg|61369446]. Jordan needs his happy ending, too.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
5.0
The Boyfriend Experience was positively devious. And I mean that in the best way! I loved it! The subterfuge was expertly done - and the end game impossible to guess. The beer sounded so, so good. And the Eastereggs abounded.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
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