Helpful Score: 2
Nothing takes the sheen off a marriage proposal quite like discovering that your prospective fiancé already has a wife. And for newspaper writer Alexandra Kenner, this is just the latest in a series of unfortunate relationships that are good for only one thing--badmouthing over beers with her buddy, Mack Douglas. For a guy--especially a distractingly sexy, determindely single guy--Mack has his decent side, offering to let Alex stay with him while he helps her remodel her house, even setting her up with a potential Mr. Right. What more could Alex ask for--except perhaps an encore of that out-of-the-blue, completely earth-shattering kiss Mack just laid on her?
Mack can't pinpoint the moment Alex stopped being the girl next door and became the marquee name in his wildest fantasies. She's always been gorgeous, but lately the commitment-phobic contractor wants her in ways and places that would change their friendship forever. That's something Alex will never risk, unless Mack can find a way to convince her that together they can build something that's bigger, better, and definitely made to last...
On the first paragraph I was hooked, but as the novel progressed the whininess of Alex and Mack at times became gratting. The subplots of Renee and Tony, and Roy and Emma was also over done and did not contribute anything to the story. The dialogue between Alex and Willow also became tiresome as you just wanted to shake Alex and tell her to get over herself. I was over this book a little over half-way through the book, but was required to stick it out so that I could finish the main story not including the subpar subplots. All and all I was very disappointed as it was my first Shirley Jump book, I do not know if I will continue with another. Her imaging was excellent, the dialogue was fair, the connection to the characters was poor. I give it a 3 out of 10.
Mack can't pinpoint the moment Alex stopped being the girl next door and became the marquee name in his wildest fantasies. She's always been gorgeous, but lately the commitment-phobic contractor wants her in ways and places that would change their friendship forever. That's something Alex will never risk, unless Mack can find a way to convince her that together they can build something that's bigger, better, and definitely made to last...
On the first paragraph I was hooked, but as the novel progressed the whininess of Alex and Mack at times became gratting. The subplots of Renee and Tony, and Roy and Emma was also over done and did not contribute anything to the story. The dialogue between Alex and Willow also became tiresome as you just wanted to shake Alex and tell her to get over herself. I was over this book a little over half-way through the book, but was required to stick it out so that I could finish the main story not including the subpar subplots. All and all I was very disappointed as it was my first Shirley Jump book, I do not know if I will continue with another. Her imaging was excellent, the dialogue was fair, the connection to the characters was poor. I give it a 3 out of 10.
