Review: An Honest and Real Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2013
3 `Friendly' KissesWhen a book starts off with a bang, literally, guns were actually being fired - you have my attention. I read the first chapter of Just Good Friends on fictonpress a few months ago and was really intrigued to know the rest of the story -the anticipation was killing me.`She glanced up at both of them to drive home her point. "I'm not ashamed of the life I live. I make an honest living, I pay my taxes, and I vote. If anyone doesn't like it, they know where the door it."'We meet Audrey Hoffinger, a strong, self-assured woman. She has not had it easy by any stretch; she's got her master's degree but spends her days working two full time non-stop manual labor jobs (waitress and shelf stocker) with one day off a week...Tuesdays. After months and months of this, she needs something new...and she gets the idea to place an online ad for a `friends with benefits' type relationship. She doesn't have time for a relationship, but everyone needs human companionship, right?`Audrey turned back towards Mike. "Because that's not who I am. At the end of the day, I need to be able to look at myself in the mirror and be alright with the person who stares back. Everyone deserves respect, until they've shown me otherwise."'Long story short, she meets Michael Kowalski, a former marine and cop and he proceeds to stick his foot in his mouth, forever ruining any chances with Audrey except for friendship. He was kind of a douche. So the plan is set, they are going to be friends - and that works, kind of. Mike goes above and beyond to make up for his actions and he is a terrific friend, which is part of what makes it so hard for Audrey."I'm sorrier than you'll ever know. I'd like us to be friends. I think you'll be good for me." She raised her brow questioning his statement. "I think you'll keep me honest. No one has forced me to think about my actions before quite like you, and I've never had a female friend."They work into the comfortable routine, he comes in with his other officers and Srgt, they eat, talk, build a bond, a friendship. All the time you're screaming at Audrey on your kindle, `Good gravy girl, wake up and smell the sexy incredible man who is allllllll about you!'Audrey is logical...practical....intellectual, but insanely frustrating in that aspect. She does finally give in and with one kiss she is lost for good."He gets under my skin like no one else. I don't really understand it, and I don't like it," she admitted, feeling uncomfortable just thinking about the way he made her feel whenever he looked at her, never mind when he opened his mouth."The call that love," Calvin said, putting his hand on her shoulder sympathetically.'I mentioned the logical, practical, intellectual stuff? Yeah...well just cause she likes kissing Mike, doesn't mean that everything is going to be peachy keen. She sets up rules for their....whatever...and she is sticking to them. Kinda. :-) It was kinda cute that every time they got asked what was going on, they both always answered `just good friends' - it was like the secret they thought they were keeping.`She missed him much more than she ever wanted to admit. The world didn't feel right until she was nestled in his arms. During her unstimulating, soul crushing jobs she felt as though she was sleepwalking. Audrey wasn't sure when it happened, but she began to realize she coasted through her days on autopilot, barely registering what was even happening. The evidence became overwhelming when she was with Mike, every nerve ending firing brilliantly. When she inhaled, she was now finally, truly breathing.'It's hard not to swoon a little bit over Mike. He's Mr. Alpha Male...plus the marine thing really did it for me, and then the whole `man in uniform' thing. I don't do spoilers, so I can't spoil the bang. And there are a few good surprises thrown in at the end, but it's all HEA and no cliffhanger, so all is well.`Her friend, lover, man she did everything with, was insane, belonging on his own plane of craziness. Normalcy seemed pretty overrated, though, she supposed.'So by all accounts, this was a good book...and it was, I don't want that to be confused, but I had to be honest with myself. I can't be in love with every book I read, I understand that, it's illogical to think so. And don't get me wrong, there were a lot of things I did like about this book, just not enough to push me over into the `I love it so much I can't get over it' category. That's not to say it's not a very well written book, great story line with awesome characters. Was I wow'd...no. Was I entertained...yes. There were a few things that started to become frustrating. I enjoy detail and description, but sometimes it felt forced and unnatural, maybe even unnecessary at times, which distracted me. And this is purely a personal feeling, but if the word `pocketbook' was used one more time, I was going to loose it.`"Why does it matter?" He asked."It matters to me," she shouted. It matters a lot. I can't give you everything you want, everything you need." She sighed. "Not yet.""I don't need anything but you," he protested.'With the way Mike and Audrey's story was left, I am craving more - luckily this is part of a series and I am anxious to know more of their story. There is a lot left to be seen as to where this couple will go, so I'm excited to see how their story plays out.