Review: Did something for me a lot of other books can't do
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 18, 2013
"To what, Kyle? To defend me? To judge me? I'm not some playground kid who's being bullied. You don't need to protect me. I'm a smart, independent woman who understands how the game is played."This was an emotional read. I'm not ever sure why I got the book because normally I'm not into the whole man-wh*re thing. For someone reason I clicked it, started reading it, and didn't put it down until I was finished.Kyle Manchester is a womanizer without a doubt. We open up into a scene with him at a bar waiting for his friend Brad to arrive. Within the first 5 seconds of the book I already disliked him. Kyle's friend, Brad, is calling in a favor to make Kyle go on a blind date with his girlfriend's sister, Lanie. Kyle reluctantly fights going, but in the end agrees to the date."Because tens are born, not made. I'm a ten, Brad's a ten, and this Kyle Manchester is definitely a high ten, but you are not."Lanie, I'm not ever sure where to start with her. She caught me off guard and I loved her deeply. The first light we get of her is when she is getting ready for her blind date with Kyle and the scene made me uncomfortable. Her beautiful sister is putting her down with not only backhanded passive aggressive remarks, but she also just comes out and says them too. When Lanie arrives on the date with Kyle we are again suffering blows from him and this is when Lanie catches me off guard. She doesn't care. Here I am eyes watering about to burst in tears for her and she was strong for both of us. She couldn't give two shits what Kyle thinks of her because she's not here for him. She wants Brad and she wants to strike a deal to make that happen."How could he describe this girl as shy? She was very full of herself."This is when my dislike for Kyle turned to hate. It pi$$ed me off that Kyle thought Lane was "full of herself." I saw freaking red is how pissed I was. I even thought about putting the book down I was getting so upset. Just because a woman is sure of her intellect she is "full of herself" and here he is full of himself just in a completely different way. While Lanie seemed to be able to handle the reality of what and who she was, I was having trouble with it. It was so weird to feel sorry for Lanie, but at the same time be so jealous of her. Her strength and confidence in her intelligence moved me and is what was kept me going. If she hadn't been as strong as she was I don't think I could have pushed through.-She was a total paradox, a puzzle that Kyle wanted to solve or at least understand.Kyle agrees with Lanie's plan to try getting Brads attention because he himself is somewhat intrigued by Lanie, but also hates Brad's girlfriend who is Lanie's sister. I think we all can see where this is going of course. Womanizer is going to fall for the ugly duckling thing and while you are completely right, it's the best version of the story I've read. The author made it feel real and the progression worked for me.I slowly started to fall for Kyle and got a better understanding of why he is the way he is while he started to fall for Lanie. His feelings for Lanie weren't instant by any means. It was a slow evolution that he wasn't even catching himself doing. It was sweet, endearing, and it made me love him. I liked that Lanie didn't fall for Kyle quickly. In fact, I think Kyle was long gone for her before she was for him. She was the one who seemed to be able to keep such a level head through everything. She never turned into this needy woman who acted like a kicked little puppy. I truly felt like she could and would pull herself through anything and there is nothing better than a strong female lead that can see right through people.I'm giving this story five stars because it did something for me a lot of other books can't do. It took my hatred for a character and truly turned it around. I have no bitter taste left in my mouth. I found that hard to do and I'm a very unforgiving reader when it comes to the hero hurting my leading lady. The author drew so many different emotions and I can't wait to read what she does next.Mistress M