Review: Total Package
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 10, 2013
Danielle (Dani) is living the dream in New York (well it's my dream anyway and I am so jealous) but makes the return trip to her hometown, Serenity Cove, to lend a hand with the family. Dani is one those characters that I love. She's independent, strong and mature.  Before she gets down to business, she decides to get down to some personal bizness and scout out a local hotspot for some much needed action. The kick the tires and start the fires action if you know what I mean. I love that she treats herself to a night out all by herself (better to scope and swoop) and she eyes Corey. Corey is the bartender/owner of The Underground and cue cute meet. But Dani isn't interested in a boyfriend. She wants a no strings booty call, friend with benefits arrangement. And what benefits! Corey is gorgeous, strong, sweet and a gentleman to boot - the total package.  They make a great couple and the dialogue is strong.  Oops, no coupledom just yet - friends, remember?  This being a hometown tale there is an ex lurking around, Oliver.  Lurking is right. He shows up at the most inopportune times. Ugh. He is a thorn in the side of true love. Love?  There's no love in a "just friends" relationship right? Well Corey seems to fall fast and Dani, well she's not sure.  Dani has had a lot of heartbreak in her life and she is positive she doesn't want any romantic entanglements. But tell that to her heart, because this girl is one big ball of confusion.The love scenes are plenty hot and I really enjoyed the banter between Dani and Corey. The exposition is adequate, but I would have liked to know more about Dani's family dynamic, especially the contentious relationship between Dani and her grandmother. Dani's mother's substance abuse problems play a big part in the animosity as does the grandmother's indifference during the growing up years. I just didn't feel that the brief mention of family obligation and loyalty entirely explained why Dani came back.Now I am not a big fan of superfluous cliffhangers, trilogies, etc. but a good story always trumps my misgivings. Fool For You is the first book of the `For You' series and so would have a cliffhanger of sorts. I don't know if I would call it so much a cliffhanger as an abrupt mid thought end.  I want a cliffhanger to leave me in suspense not confusion. I honestly thought I was missing a few pages.  Aside from this misstep, Fool For You is a good read. On the surface it is one of those, "you can't go home again," stories. But if my hometown were full of guys like Corey I would be booking my ticket right now.