Review: Sweet, Steamy, and Thoughtful
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2013
The story of two college students who decide to use Spring Break, a week and a day, to step out of their quiet lives, Take What You Want is a story that turned up the heat and stole my heart.Guys, I don't even know where to begin with this book! The story totally took me by surprise, getting off to a wicked hot start. I usually prefer to know the characters a little bit before I know them, if you catch my drift. But Grey really made this work. Take What You Want begins with Ellen, who can't afford to go on Spring Break vacation with her friends, picking up Josh in a bar, expecting a one night stand. Josh, realizing that Ellen honestly doesn't know him, doesn't tell her that he goes to school with her, and takes her up on the offer. The two make a surprisingly erotic and emotional connection, and the one night stand becomes a Spring Break fling. Despite her intention to only let go for the break, Ellen finds herself wanting more with Josh. Josh, who's wanted Ellen's attention since Freshman year, doesn't want to let her go. Each realize they have a chance at a forever type of love, but both need to figure out how to tell the truth about who they really are without pushing the other away.I adored Ellen and Josh, and I love that Take What You Want is told from both points of view. Both are pre-med students, living a life of responsibility before fun. Ellen is a character with whom a lot of readers can identify. She is quiet, used to blending in among the crowd. She uses Spring Break, and being alone, to step out of her comfort zone. To finally take what she wants. I loved to see her gain more resolve throughout the story and to not sit and wait, but to ask for what she wants of Josh. It was very inspiring, really. And Josh... I adored him. Josh is a lot like Ellen, quiet and studious, but there is a fire in him that stole my heart. The way he sensed Ellen's hesitations and vulnerabilities, and the way he cared for her, made me swoon. I loved Josh's strength, and his resolve to not let Ellen slip away from him.As for the steam. Let me just say, Jeanette Grey knows how to catch a reader's attention. As I said before, the story begins with a one night stand, which doesn't seem especially romantic. But, the way Grey wrote the scene, exposing exactly why Josh and Ellen want this, and how each is feeling in the moment, it felt anything but cheap or sleazy. It was very erotic and surprisingly emotional. And that's the very best thing I have to say about all of the steamy scenes in Take What You Want, they are both erotic and emotional. Very, very hot, but also beautiful and thoughtful.Take What You Want was a pleasant surprise for me. Based on the synopsis and a guest post by Grey, I had very high hopes. All my expectations were exceeded. I loved this book. It is the first of Jeanette Grey's I've read, but it will not be the last. This is a story that I intend to re-read again and again and I am jealous of those of you about to read it for the first time.