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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I listened to the audiobook. It took me much longer to get through bc there were so many times I had to stop bc the dialogue between characters and their own inner dialogue was so cringe inducing. I could only think that these adults were emotionally stunted and spoke like they were still in high school.
Update 2/17/23: dropping down to one star due to the two month reading slump this left me in.
Update 2/17/23: dropping down to one star due to the two month reading slump this left me in.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Spoilers:
After chapter one: I'm regretting the purchase of this audiobook. The heroine meets the hero for the second time and she's been walking around the city with her skirt tucked into her panties, exposing her panties? And she wasn't having an insane/intense day? It was just a normal day? This makes her look stupid and isn't very promising for this story. I don't find this cute. I find it approaching TSTL territory.
After Chapter 7: yeah, this FMC is an idiot. She's texting with the MMC and cuts him off abruptly, saying she's "gotta go" because she has a call. The start of chapter 8, her inner monologue is that she's excited she's getting to know him, but she just gave him the impression she's not interested with her abrupt dismissal! She wasn't on a phone call with him; she was TEXTING him. There was no need for her to send, "gotta go" right after her last text. He hadn't even replied to her yet. I understand, if involved in a long ongoing conversation via text, you would announce your departure from the conversation as if you were talking on a call, but not a very short exchange, which is what this was.
During chapter 11, I can't take this book seriously. The FMC is listing things she wants during sex as if she's ever had sex before. I understand that virgins can have an idea of what they want, but some of the things she lists are things she cannot know she wants until she tries them, but she is listing them as if she has experience. She can want to TRY these things, but saying she loves it... She doesn't know that yet.
After chapter 20: okay, up until this point, the dialogue has been awkward, immature and/or cringe and the main characters have no chemistry, but the scene where the FMC lost her virginity is the final straw.
Look, sex toys are wonderful and are ABSOLUTELY a wonderful thing to use solo or with your partner. I'm a proponent. Men should not feel threatened by them and women should not be ashamed to use them. With that being said, I understand the FMC is a virgin and her only experience has been solo with toys up until this point, HOWEVER, when having sex for the very FIRST time, why in the world would she want to use a vibrator?! Makes sense to want to be adventurous with your partner, but during her first time?! She's had YEARS of self pleasure and using a toy. This is her FIRST time experiencing an actual partner so shouldn't she be focused on enjoying sex with a partner for the first time? It doesn't make sense to me that she wouldn't want to experience an orgasm given to her by a partner without a sex toy being used. It would be different if she discovered she couldn't orgasm without the aid of sex toys, but that's not what happened. Instead, she's having sex for the VERY FIRST TIME and decides she wants to use a vibrator while doing so instead of experiencing sex the first time, with a partner, without the use of any toys.
To be honest, if I were the MMC in this situation, I would be concerned by this. Not because of being jealous or being threatened by toys, but the concern that the FMC is addicted to toys and isn't even interested in experiencing a partner. It's not any different than a man being addicted to corn and not being able to have a sexual experience with his partner without corn being involved and/or a man preferring corn to actual sex with his partner if he can't bring corn into the bedroom. Again, I'm not talking about situations where a person legitimately cannot reach orgasm without the assistance of toys.
After chapter one: I'm regretting the purchase of this audiobook. The heroine meets the hero for the second time and she's been walking around the city with her skirt tucked into her panties, exposing her panties? And she wasn't having an insane/intense day? It was just a normal day? This makes her look stupid and isn't very promising for this story. I don't find this cute. I find it approaching TSTL territory.
After Chapter 7: yeah, this FMC is an idiot. She's texting with the MMC and cuts him off abruptly, saying she's "gotta go" because she has a call. The start of chapter 8, her inner monologue is that she's excited she's getting to know him, but she just gave him the impression she's not interested with her abrupt dismissal! She wasn't on a phone call with him; she was TEXTING him. There was no need for her to send, "gotta go" right after her last text. He hadn't even replied to her yet. I understand, if involved in a long ongoing conversation via text, you would announce your departure from the conversation as if you were talking on a call, but not a very short exchange, which is what this was.
During chapter 11, I can't take this book seriously. The FMC is listing things she wants during sex as if she's ever had sex before. I understand that virgins can have an idea of what they want, but some of the things she lists are things she cannot know she wants until she tries them, but she is listing them as if she has experience. She can want to TRY these things, but saying she loves it... She doesn't know that yet.
After chapter 20: okay, up until this point, the dialogue has been awkward, immature and/or cringe and the main characters have no chemistry, but the scene where the FMC lost her virginity is the final straw.
Look, sex toys are wonderful and are ABSOLUTELY a wonderful thing to use solo or with your partner. I'm a proponent. Men should not feel threatened by them and women should not be ashamed to use them. With that being said, I understand the FMC is a virgin and her only experience has been solo with toys up until this point, HOWEVER, when having sex for the very FIRST time, why in the world would she want to use a vibrator?! Makes sense to want to be adventurous with your partner, but during her first time?! She's had YEARS of self pleasure and using a toy. This is her FIRST time experiencing an actual partner so shouldn't she be focused on enjoying sex with a partner for the first time? It doesn't make sense to me that she wouldn't want to experience an orgasm given to her by a partner without a sex toy being used. It would be different if she discovered she couldn't orgasm without the aid of sex toys, but that's not what happened. Instead, she's having sex for the VERY FIRST TIME and decides she wants to use a vibrator while doing so instead of experiencing sex the first time, with a partner, without the use of any toys.
To be honest, if I were the MMC in this situation, I would be concerned by this. Not because of being jealous or being threatened by toys, but the concern that the FMC is addicted to toys and isn't even interested in experiencing a partner. It's not any different than a man being addicted to corn and not being able to have a sexual experience with his partner without corn being involved and/or a man preferring corn to actual sex with his partner if he can't bring corn into the bedroom. Again, I'm not talking about situations where a person legitimately cannot reach orgasm without the assistance of toys.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Virgin Next Door, and Mr Sexy Pants…. I absolutely LOVE this book! Lauren Blakely had me with the prequel for this book… when I finished that, I was so excited to read this.. and I was SO not disappointed!!!
These characters are real, thought provoking, and so fun to read about. I love how this happened, even though it was not easy for Vanessa, and it pushed her out of her comfort zone. I always recommend Lauren Blakely to everyone I know who reads. I will definitely recommend this to everyone. You need to read this, as in true Lauren Blakely fashion, it’s fun, it’s easy to read and the characters will burrow their way into you heart! Not only the person characters, but the animal characters as well.
These characters are real, thought provoking, and so fun to read about. I love how this happened, even though it was not easy for Vanessa, and it pushed her out of her comfort zone. I always recommend Lauren Blakely to everyone I know who reads. I will definitely recommend this to everyone. You need to read this, as in true Lauren Blakely fashion, it’s fun, it’s easy to read and the characters will burrow their way into you heart! Not only the person characters, but the animal characters as well.
Back on my Lauren Blakely backlist game and this might be the best version of the virgin trope I've ever read! She's a virgin at 26 simply because she's picky and hasn't felt the zing she wants with anyone yet. She's super sex positive, has a dirty mind, and now writes a sex and dating column as Your Friendly Neighborhood Virgin. She has a crush, an email disaster happens, she ends up working for her crush after losing her job. He's great and likes her too and when they eventually have sex it's not this super huge deal aside from him wanting to make sure it's what she wants and how she wants it. This book is about shame-free pleasure and so often virginity is looked at as something moral or, once you're older, shameful, so it was a great change. Also, I'm reading these connected series out of order so it's fun to see side characters in the before.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
It was super fun! It wasn’t highly erotic, but it was sexy.
If you’re looking to read something emotional and deep, this is not the book for you. It’s exactly how it’s marketed — it’s a feel good romance.
I love Milo! He’s super sweet and nerdy. I think the heroes in Lauren Blakely’s books have always left a mark on me because of their characteristics.
Hot Stuff’s epilogue was so entertaining and funny! It’s such a unique addition to the book.
Veronica and I work in the same field, but I’m envious if her writing career because I wish I have more room for creativity and fun pieces!
It’s a quick and easy read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come.
If you’re looking to read something emotional and deep, this is not the book for you. It’s exactly how it’s marketed — it’s a feel good romance.
I love Milo! He’s super sweet and nerdy. I think the heroes in Lauren Blakely’s books have always left a mark on me because of their characteristics.
Hot Stuff’s epilogue was so entertaining and funny! It’s such a unique addition to the book.
Veronica and I work in the same field, but I’m envious if her writing career because I wish I have more room for creativity and fun pieces!
It’s a quick and easy read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come.
lighthearted
fast-paced
It was cute and fluffy. Easy listen
funny
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I didn’t vibe with this unfortunately.
It felt strange that the FMC made a lot of the fact that she was a virgin but then when things got steamy it was just like oh right yep now that’s done. Even a bit of a paragraph about how she felt before/during/after would have drawn me into it a bit more. I found the writing in general just a bit too cringe.
Very light-hearted read but I wouldn’t pick it up again and am not keen to continue the series. Maybe this author just isn’t for me.
It felt strange that the FMC made a lot of the fact that she was a virgin but then when things got steamy it was just like oh right yep now that’s done. Even a bit of a paragraph about how she felt before/during/after would have drawn me into it a bit more. I found the writing in general just a bit too cringe.
Very light-hearted read but I wouldn’t pick it up again and am not keen to continue the series. Maybe this author just isn’t for me.