Review: Absolutely LOVED!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 6, 2013
Lauren Layne is my new favorite author! After the Kiss was the perfect blend of sass, humor, and spice all wrapped around a romance that will make your heart swoon! After the Kiss is only 180 pages long but I literally have nine pages worth of highlighted quotes/passages, evidence of how much I loved this story.Julie is a writer for Stiletto magazine and specializes in writing about falling in love: the first date, first kiss, and all the highs you get from a new romance. She's had plenty of practice at this, and brings her personal experience to her readers. But taking it to the next step? Not so much. The thought of being comfortable enough with someone that you'd stay in, *gasp* wear the typical comfy clothes, and have a movie night, spells horror and boredom to Julie. She's content with having a few dates filled with fun and kisses, and then moving on.This is where the trouble begins. Julie's editor wants a piece about taking the next step, with her hallmark personal touch bringing life into the article. How is Julie going to tackle this? Well at the urging of her friends, and fellow Stiletto writers, Grace and Riley, she plans on snagging a typical "relationship" type of guy, and going through the motions for the purpose of the article. Julie thinks Mitchell is the perfect test subject, a boring relationship type guy through and through. Little does she know that Mitchell has his own agenda, and things do not go as she's planned.Mitchell is the relationship type of guy. He doesn't want to waste time on someone just for a fling. When a co-worker eggs him on into a bet, saying that he can't casually date a girl without having an eventual plan to marry in mind, Mitchell gives in to the taunts and agrees to the challenge. Have a fling, move on after he's had his fun, and then gain prime season tickets to the Yankees.Julie and Mitchell thought they knew what they were getting into, but when each of them plans to do exactly the opposite of their usual MO, both of them are surprised and unsettled. Mitchell isn't the type of guy Julie can woo and win over with her usual routine of flighty, fun, and flirty. He only responds when the real Julie comes out and exposes her heart. Julie, in turn surprises Mitchell when she doesn't act as the girl he's heard about, and he finds himself strangely drawn to her no nonsense behavior.I loved that Julie and Mitchell's plans are thrown out the window because they're both so taken by each other! The intensity of some of these scenes is toe-curling HOT!! I love that Mitchell turns out to be anything BUT the boring, safe "relationship" guy Julie assumes him to be, and she winds up craving the heck out of him! Same thing with Mitchell, he's surprised and overwhelmed with how strong his feelings are for Julie."Julie. What the hell are we doing?" he whispered in her ear. She felt a stab of relief. So this wasn't normal for him either. She liked that she made him lose control. Liked even more that he made her lose control.I lapped this story up! Julie and Mitchell's romance utterly consumed me! I'm in love with Lauren Layne's writing! Her brand of humor, classy but oh-so-hot sex scenes, and gift for writing romance puts her in "authors-I-stalk status" *ahem* I mean follow. I can't wait for poor Grace's story next: Love the One You're With. December is too far away *sobs*!!