Review: Hot Mess!
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 12 19, 2013
***Spoilers***Oh where to start???  Well the first major problem with this book is the lack of romance. I’d agree with the other reviewers that felt the ending was rushed. The reason the ending felt rushed is because it took till almost the end before there was anything romantic between the pair.  Goofing off on the beach, their outdoor shower, their play with paint—those were all fun and romantic scenes. If only it hadn't taken til 78% into the book to get to them!  Prior to that we are inundated with their thoughts about how they are attracted to each other, but we are never really shown why they are.  There is too much character exposition and far too little real action that develops or shows the reader why they secretly desire each other.Now for all the unromantic things in the book: First, in Caden’s POV we get sex scenes and sex reference with his fiance who he clearly doesn't want to be with and who comes off as a cold fish, yet he’s still sleeping with her. One minute he says they have a great active sex life, the next minute he says he needs to think about Cicily to get off.  Note to author: romance readers do not want to see or hear about one half of the couple having sex with someone else. We are waiting for the love scenes between the real pair. Second, Cicily’s POV includes a dream of Caden doing his fiance in his office while she watches, and then he pleasures her next! Seriously, what girl fantasizes about watching the guy she is supposed falling for do another girl, yet alone the woman he is engaged to???Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the problems with this book. Half of the time the characters are just wishy washy.  18/19 year old Cicily, while immature about quite a few things, is surprisingly insightful about the problems with 34 year old Caden’s relationship with his fiance. It apparently takes Cicily for Caden to finally come to his full senses about his disastrous engagement even though he clearly senses from the start of the book that he doesn't really want to be with the woman.  She slept with his best friend and acted like it was nothing—why does Caden even consider still marrying her? And when they finally do split the papers report it’s because he has someone else, no mention of her indiscretions!  Meanwhile, at the office Cicily endures all kinds of mixed signals from Caden and sexual harassment from his best friend.  This is an unpaid job she never wanted to start with so it’s hard to understand why she’s doesn't just quit.  While the characters aren't really overly endearing, Caden’s character is completely thrown under the bus when he acts like a jerk over finding out Cicily’s real age. Again, seriously? She works for his company; he can’t get her out of his mind; he never peaked at her employee paperwork and saw her DOB or knew how old she was anyways since her mother worked for him for almost two decades??? And then Caden has the nerve to blame Cicily as the reason he ended his engagement!!! Hello, he was angry and depressed over the fiancé’s betrayal before he even met Cicily. What a low blow.  Personally, the age difference didn't seem like such a big deal since Caden isn't the most mature thirty year old anyways.So many times if this would have been a physical book I would have thrown it across the room in frustration.  Yes, readers want some tension and build-up, but this plot and pacing is ridiculous. In the end the duo finally stands up for themselves and Caden grows some balls. They seem to get their HEA (there is no cliffhanger), but don’t blink or you might miss it. There are some odds and ends that seem a little unresolved in the rush too.  Of course, there’s going to be a second book, and it’s to be about Caden’s arrogant, male chauvinist, womanizing, best friend. How in the world this guys is going to be made likable to have his own “romance” I can’t imagine.  Caden was finally starting to become redeemable in the end and while it would be nice to see more of him and Cicily actually having more real romantic moments, I’m still undecided if I could endure a second book to find out about it.