Review: Sexy, flirty, fun!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 17, 2012
I read the first book in the Arrington Family series a few months ago, and really admired Candace Shaw's fun and flirty writing style. Her characters are the people next door and her stories are relatable. I also saw potential for Bria and Rasheed, the couple introduced in this story, and was ready to dive right in to see what happens with the 'couple who's not really a couple'. When Bria and Rasheed met in book 1, sparks flew immediately, but because both characters have been burned in past relationships and aren't really looking for anything serious, they've decided on a comfortable friendship. This dynamic between the two, filled with sexual tension as well as true friendship between a man and a woman (when people say it can't be done) was, in my opinion, the book's biggest success. The subtle way in which Ms. Shaw wove the characters' history as friends worked for me and had me believing that these two really did care about each other as friends before things got hot.And when they got hot, boy did they get hot. This is one thing about book 2 that surpassed book 1: sexual adventurousness....is that even a word? Oh well. Rasheed is hot, hot, hot, and Bria rises to the challenge of taming the bad boy. They sizzle together, and while their relationship begins in a sort of 'friends with benefits' kind of way, it starts to become something more.Of the two characters, I liked Rasheed the best. While he was written as a 'player', I honestly wasn't getting that from him. What I found in Rasheed was a man who goes from woman to woman because he was looking for something more. He wasn't the cheating sort of player, just a man unsatisfied with mindless bimbos. I liked watching him find his intellectual match in Bria. I also liked watching him open up and drop all of his preconceived notions about relationships, love and marriage. Finding love with Bria seemed to really change that for him. Bria....well, she took a little longer to drop her preconceived notions and seems to struggle a bit with the trust issues. In fact, her issues almost ruin everything and at one point had be wanting to reach into the book and slap her for almost letting that fine, bald piece of chocolate man get away!The drama is not overdone though, in fact I felt it might have been a bit underdone. The drama between Rasheed and Bria climaxes, but then fizzles just as quickly, and it sort of made me feel like I wanted more drama, more struggle, a bit more time for reflection, especially for Bria. I can't say more without getting into it, but I felt that this was something book 2 in the series lacked that book 1 had. That drawing out of tension that left you guessing wasn't quite there in this story....BUT that didn't make it any less enjoyable. Bria and Rasheed are endearing as a couple and the ending was sugary sweet in that way that makes you tilt your head to the side and go 'Awwwww!'Overall, a great read, one not to be missed for someone looking for a good 'friends to lovers' story with a heavy dose of spice!***I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions were not influenced in any way and are my own. I was not compensated for my review.***