Heat Factor: It’s pretty hot. Except for the chlamydia. Chlamydia is not hot.
Character Chemistry: He fills her, pussy and heart (which might be one of my favorite lines EVER)
Plot: Chlamydia brings people together
Overall: Undeniably fun
Heat Factor: So pure. Like, shy first kisses pure.
Character Chemistry: Off the charts.
Plot: Teen boy has no interest in dating, is dared by his peers to date anyone who asks. Other teen boy asks.
Overall: I am dying of the sweetness.
Baldwin Village, Book 1
Heat Factor: This pie is piping hot
Character Chemistry: Lau nails that giddy/awkward feeling right when you meet someone new
Plot: He hires her to cater a nerd party
Overall: Breezy and low angst – and I never thought I’d say this, but maybe there should be more angst than there is?
New Beginnings, Book 2
Heat Factor: “…if I were reading into my countenance on a purely superficial level I’d attribute it to getting stellar pipe as the sun rose…”
Character Chemistry: When you know what you want, you know what you want.
Plot: Shocked by a personal loss, a young woman decides to shake things up. The man she made a marriage pact with during a vacation years ago lets her know he’d like to collect.
Overall: I was looking for a soccer romance, and this is not that, but it was totally sweet.
The Brown Sisters, Book 1
Heat Factor: P-r-e-t-t-y steamy
Character Chemistry: They spend a ton of time together so it’s very good.
Plot: Near death experience triggers desire for living more fully; very good-looking super helps
Overall: I’m in squee territory
If Holly were to review this book, she would call it a Recommended Read. If Erin were to review this book, she would write a Rant. Clearly, we needed to review this book together.
Welcome to Dueling Reviews.
Moderated by Ingrid, who stirs the pot.
Erin’s Take:
Heat Factor: No heat in the traditional sense, but Khalid and Ayesha throw sparks
Character Chemistry: There’s a lot of “I shouldn’t but I still want” between these two
Plot: Pride and Prejudice retelling from a Muslim immigrant viewpoint
Overall: My rage at some of the plot points really detracted from the romance
Holly’s Take:
Heat Factor: Very chaste
Character Chemistry: Who knew that a brush of the finger tips could be so sexy?
Plot: Pride and Prejudice, but Muslim, with some extra side plots to make the central relationship more complicated
Overall: Enjoyable
First Comes Love, Book 1
Heat Factor: Mildly steamy
Character Chemistry: Like an old pair of jeans
Plot: A widow starts a school and rubs a neighbor the wrong way…but then kind of the right way…
Overall: It’s cute, you’ll fall in love with the characters, it’s well-written. It’s a keeper.
