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eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Blake and Jess met when Jess’s brother and Blake’s friend, Jamie, got sick and she came over to take care of him. They bickered the whole time …And also hooked up. Then Jess went back. Now Jess’s brother is getting married and she’s planning the wedding, in which Blake is the best man. She wants nothing to do with him while he’s hoping for another hook-up.
Sadly, Blake, the goof that he almost always is, thinks that the best way to achieve that is to piss Jess off even more. It doesn’t work very well but he’s determined, especially after Jess moves to the city for college.
The city we’re talking about is Toronto. Blake is a player in the Toronto NHL team so he’s used to getting what he wants, often without having to ask. He loves that Jess can’t stand him. He finds it refreshing and he likes how feisty she is. Jess, on the other hand, thinks of him as kind of a dumb jock. He’s loud, wild, goofy and half the shit he says makes no sense. But as she gets to know him, her opinion changes.
With Sarina Bowen, you don’t have to worry about the book not being well-written or the pacing being off. She’s a great writer. So I’m just concerning myself with story and characters. Mainly the characters since that’s who the story’s about.
Blake is a great guy. He has a very big heart and cares so much about people. He always puts other people above himself. You’ll see that for yourself when you read the book. Though if you’ve read the [b:Him|25686927|Him (Him #1)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436433289s/25686927.jpg|45514970] duology, you probably already have some idea. The problem, though, with being so good is that sometimes people take advantage of that. Jess balances that out. If you try to hurt Blake, she will slap you.
Jess’s own story is about her career. She’s spent many years trying to figure out what she wants to do. So many times, she’s sure she’s got it, only to realize that she hasn’t. It’s something that anyone who’s struggled with trying to find their right path can relate to. And even though her family never pressures her, she lacks confidence from having disappointed them so often. It’s difficult and it makes her quite stiff for a while. It was a tiny bit annoying, waiting for her to stop being mean, but we got through it.
Her and Blake’s story is good. They have chemistry and their bickering is entertaining. It took me a while to figure out why they work together, and I have some idea now (some I stated above), but they still don’t click like I want them to. And the fact that I read this novel so quickly doesn’t help. I’m gonna reread this one. Maybe I missed something.
The main problem I had with the novel was with Blake’s character. He’s overdone in how goofy-ness. In [b:Us|27797842|Us (Him #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454072715s/27797842.jpg|47775179], he’s kind of the comic relief. And there’s a reason comic reliefs don’t get their own books and movies. It’s because there’s not enough emotional depth. And even though the author added some, it wasn’t enough. He still felt too much like the funny-guy-who-breaks-the-tension. Blake really is a great guy. I wanted more for him, that’s all.
Overall, a good novel but it’s missing something. I really do hope the reread will change that. I’ll update the review regardless. Still recommend reading it, especially if you’ve read the Him duology. Jamie and Wes are the cutest. I’m obsessed with those two and I adored them in the novel.
Blake and Jess met when Jess’s brother and Blake’s friend, Jamie, got sick and she came over to take care of him. They bickered the whole time …And also hooked up. Then Jess went back. Now Jess’s brother is getting married and she’s planning the wedding, in which Blake is the best man. She wants nothing to do with him while he’s hoping for another hook-up.
Sadly, Blake, the goof that he almost always is, thinks that the best way to achieve that is to piss Jess off even more. It doesn’t work very well but he’s determined, especially after Jess moves to the city for college.
The city we’re talking about is Toronto. Blake is a player in the Toronto NHL team so he’s used to getting what he wants, often without having to ask. He loves that Jess can’t stand him. He finds it refreshing and he likes how feisty she is. Jess, on the other hand, thinks of him as kind of a dumb jock. He’s loud, wild, goofy and half the shit he says makes no sense. But as she gets to know him, her opinion changes.
With Sarina Bowen, you don’t have to worry about the book not being well-written or the pacing being off. She’s a great writer. So I’m just concerning myself with story and characters. Mainly the characters since that’s who the story’s about.
Blake is a great guy. He has a very big heart and cares so much about people. He always puts other people above himself. You’ll see that for yourself when you read the book. Though if you’ve read the [b:Him|25686927|Him (Him #1)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436433289s/25686927.jpg|45514970] duology, you probably already have some idea. The problem, though, with being so good is that sometimes people take advantage of that. Jess balances that out. If you try to hurt Blake, she will slap you.
Jess’s own story is about her career. She’s spent many years trying to figure out what she wants to do. So many times, she’s sure she’s got it, only to realize that she hasn’t. It’s something that anyone who’s struggled with trying to find their right path can relate to. And even though her family never pressures her, she lacks confidence from having disappointed them so often. It’s difficult and it makes her quite stiff for a while. It was a tiny bit annoying, waiting for her to stop being mean, but we got through it.
Her and Blake’s story is good. They have chemistry and their bickering is entertaining. It took me a while to figure out why they work together, and I have some idea now (some I stated above), but they still don’t click like I want them to. And the fact that I read this novel so quickly doesn’t help. I’m gonna reread this one. Maybe I missed something.
The main problem I had with the novel was with Blake’s character. He’s overdone in how goofy-ness. In [b:Us|27797842|Us (Him #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454072715s/27797842.jpg|47775179], he’s kind of the comic relief. And there’s a reason comic reliefs don’t get their own books and movies. It’s because there’s not enough emotional depth. And even though the author added some, it wasn’t enough. He still felt too much like the funny-guy-who-breaks-the-tension. Blake really is a great guy. I wanted more for him, that’s all.
Overall, a good novel but it’s missing something. I really do hope the reread will change that. I’ll update the review regardless. Still recommend reading it, especially if you’ve read the Him duology. Jamie and Wes are the cutest. I’m obsessed with those two and I adored them in the novel.
charliereads24's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kerithesmutslut's review against another edition
4.0
3 1/2 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Jess kinda annoyed me. I was hoping to see a little more depth from Blake early on, but overall I enjoyed the story, and I loved Blake from about the halfway point on.
Jess kinda annoyed me. I was hoping to see a little more depth from Blake early on, but overall I enjoyed the story, and I loved Blake from about the halfway point on.
michelle904's review against another edition
5.0
This was book #39 for Romanceopoly 2020.
Pack: Sun
Square: Coffee Shop
Challenge: Read a book recommended to you by a friend, a book on any of our recommendation lists.
Pack: Sun
Square: Coffee Shop
Challenge: Read a book recommended to you by a friend, a book on any of our recommendation lists.
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
Cheezus, qu'est-ce que j'ai ri avec ce bouquin !
J'avais vraiment "flashé" sur Blake dans [b:Him|25686927|Him (Him, #1)|Sarina Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436433289l/25686927._SY75_.jpg|45514970] & [b:Us|29475332|Us (Him, #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457596574l/29475332._SY75_.jpg|47775179], et je rêvais de son tome. Si j'ai mis bien du temps à sortir cette romance de ma PAL, je dois dire que je l'ai fait juste au bon moment. Rien de tel qu'un bouquin comme ça pour décompresser lors de la rentrée !
Alors bon, autant vous le dire tout de suite, la romance n'a rien d'extraordinaire, elle manque de substance, et pour l'effet wahou, frissons de mimitude et compagnie, on repassera. Pourtant, j'ai passé un super moment avec ce bouquin, parce que ... Blake quoi !
Blake, vous voyez, c'est un boulet. Un MÉGA boulet, lourd, bruyant, obsédé par une certaine partie de son anatomie, le genre de mec qui n'a aucune discrétion et pourrait très bien passer pour un beauf, quand on y pense. Je me souviens l'avoir comparé à un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine dans mon avis sur un des tomes de la duologie M/M, et c'est toujours ça. Par moments, je l'ai vraiment trouvé lourdingue, et j'avais envie qu'il la boucle avec ses répliques graveleuses.
Alors pourquoi est-ce que je l'ai aimé, malgré tout ça ? Eh bien parce qu'il m'a fait rire (et là soudainement je pense à l'adage "Femme qui rit ..."). Oui c'est un boulet, il est lourd, il en fait des caisses, on dirait un gros chien qui court partout et vous saute dessus, mais il est super gentil, généreux, et drôle. Il a vraiment un coeur en or ce type (trop même !).
À côté, J-Bomb, alias Jess, ne fait pas vraiment le poids, cependant, elle ne se laisse pas démonter face à lui. Pas facile pour elle d'exister au sein de cette famille où tout le monde est casé, professionnellement et sentimentalement.
Si elle n'est pas à mon goût, la romance est néanmoins sexy et fraîche ; les scènes de sexe sont assez nombreuses, et comme je le disais plus haut, je n'ai pas eu l'effet chamallow choubidou. En revanche, cet effet là, je l'ai eu lors de LA scène du début, ahlala quel bonheur ! J'ai été évidemment ravie de retrouver mes petits "Wesmie", Cindy, la meilleure maman de romance, de voir quelques joueurs de l'équipe de hockey et disons quand on voit la mère de Blake, on se dit que la pomme n'est pas tombée bien loin de l'arbre ! ^^
Donc oui, la romance est un peu plate, mais ce livre est rempli de bonne humeur, et je me suis parfois retrouvée à rire à gorge déployée devant les débilités de Blake. J'ai vraiment passé de chouettes moments de lecture, et rien que pour ça, je vous recommande ce livre, en espérant que la VF arrive à retranscrire le vocabulaire ... créatif de Blake !
J'avais vraiment "flashé" sur Blake dans [b:Him|25686927|Him (Him, #1)|Sarina Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1436433289l/25686927._SY75_.jpg|45514970] & [b:Us|29475332|Us (Him, #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457596574l/29475332._SY75_.jpg|47775179], et je rêvais de son tome. Si j'ai mis bien du temps à sortir cette romance de ma PAL, je dois dire que je l'ai fait juste au bon moment. Rien de tel qu'un bouquin comme ça pour décompresser lors de la rentrée !
Alors bon, autant vous le dire tout de suite, la romance n'a rien d'extraordinaire, elle manque de substance, et pour l'effet wahou, frissons de mimitude et compagnie, on repassera. Pourtant, j'ai passé un super moment avec ce bouquin, parce que ... Blake quoi !
Blake, vous voyez, c'est un boulet. Un MÉGA boulet, lourd, bruyant, obsédé par une certaine partie de son anatomie, le genre de mec qui n'a aucune discrétion et pourrait très bien passer pour un beauf, quand on y pense. Je me souviens l'avoir comparé à un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine dans mon avis sur un des tomes de la duologie M/M, et c'est toujours ça. Par moments, je l'ai vraiment trouvé lourdingue, et j'avais envie qu'il la boucle avec ses répliques graveleuses.
Alors pourquoi est-ce que je l'ai aimé, malgré tout ça ? Eh bien parce qu'il m'a fait rire (et là soudainement je pense à l'adage "Femme qui rit ..."). Oui c'est un boulet, il est lourd, il en fait des caisses, on dirait un gros chien qui court partout et vous saute dessus, mais il est super gentil, généreux, et drôle. Il a vraiment un coeur en or ce type (trop même !).
À côté, J-Bomb, alias Jess, ne fait pas vraiment le poids, cependant, elle ne se laisse pas démonter face à lui. Pas facile pour elle d'exister au sein de cette famille où tout le monde est casé, professionnellement et sentimentalement.
Si elle n'est pas à mon goût, la romance est néanmoins sexy et fraîche ; les scènes de sexe sont assez nombreuses, et comme je le disais plus haut, je n'ai pas eu l'effet chamallow choubidou. En revanche, cet effet là, je l'ai eu lors de LA scène du début, ahlala quel bonheur ! J'ai été évidemment ravie de retrouver mes petits "Wesmie", Cindy, la meilleure maman de romance, de voir quelques joueurs de l'équipe de hockey et disons quand on voit la mère de Blake, on se dit que la pomme n'est pas tombée bien loin de l'arbre ! ^^
Donc oui, la romance est un peu plate, mais ce livre est rempli de bonne humeur, et je me suis parfois retrouvée à rire à gorge déployée devant les débilités de Blake. J'ai vraiment passé de chouettes moments de lecture, et rien que pour ça, je vous recommande ce livre, en espérant que la VF arrive à retranscrire le vocabulaire ... créatif de Blake !
___rei's review against another edition
4.0
Simply GREAT. Love the characters. I loved them already in the Him and Us books, but this one is awesome too. Reading the book and listening to the audiobook at the same time gives a more real feeling (sorry about grammar, not an english speaker)
rellimreads's review against another edition
5.0
Good Boy is the first book in the WAGs series by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This is a spinoff from the Him series and chronologically falls almost immediately after the end of Us. While you could enjoy this book &/or the series on it’s own – Blake & Jess are introduced in Us and having listened to that first adds to Good Boy. As such, this review may contain spoilers of events from Him/Us.
Look, I absolutely loved Him & Us (and Epic too!) #Wesmie is awesome. But they wouldn’t even have the name Wesmie without Blake Riley. Kennedy and Bowen have given Blake the perfect compliment in Jess Canning. However, it’s a winding road for these two to move from friends-with-benefits to finding their own HEA.
Blake may have superficially appeared to be a goofy & carefree character but he turns out to be multi-layered and carrying pain no one knows about. I adore Jess. That she desperately wants to love what she does for a living but struggles to find the right fit despite giving all her effort. I like that she keeps Blake on his toes and plays his hilarious verbal sparring.
While this does have it's serious moments, I spent the majority of the audio ridiculously laughing out loud. I have listened to this so many times and continue to adore it every time.
Narration:
Tanya Eby & Teddy Hamilton are terrific here. It’s always great when you love the way that both narrators do all the voices. Blake has such a gregarious and unique personality and I truly enjoy Eby & Hamilton’s versions of him. This dual narration makes Blake Riley smiley.
Look, I absolutely loved Him & Us (and Epic too!) #Wesmie is awesome. But they wouldn’t even have the name Wesmie without Blake Riley. Kennedy and Bowen have given Blake the perfect compliment in Jess Canning. However, it’s a winding road for these two to move from friends-with-benefits to finding their own HEA.
Blake may have superficially appeared to be a goofy & carefree character but he turns out to be multi-layered and carrying pain no one knows about. I adore Jess. That she desperately wants to love what she does for a living but struggles to find the right fit despite giving all her effort. I like that she keeps Blake on his toes and plays his hilarious verbal sparring.
While this does have it's serious moments, I spent the majority of the audio ridiculously laughing out loud. I have listened to this so many times and continue to adore it every time.
Narration:
Tanya Eby & Teddy Hamilton are terrific here. It’s always great when you love the way that both narrators do all the voices. Blake has such a gregarious and unique personality and I truly enjoy Eby & Hamilton’s versions of him. This dual narration makes Blake Riley smiley.
annaprmaia's review against another edition
5.0
Tá pra nascer junção mais engraçada e bem escrita do que Elle Kennedy + Jogadores de Hóckey.
Quem já leu a série "Campus" sabe do que eu to falando.
Esse livro é uma delícia de se ler. Tantas cenas engraçadas, tantas surpresas, tanto romance... Blake Riley e Jess Cannings são um casal digno!
Amei demais!!
Quem já leu a série "Campus" sabe do que eu to falando.
Esse livro é uma delícia de se ler. Tantas cenas engraçadas, tantas surpresas, tanto romance... Blake Riley e Jess Cannings são um casal digno!
Amei demais!!
brittanyreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Quick read that kind of rubbed me the wrong way with how pushy MMC was but also kind of worked out in the end? Idk conflicting feelings but it worked out in the end because I finished it and didn't hate it?
Very himbo vibes. Like super super sweet great boyfriend MMC but also just like not the brightest and pushy. I HATED his nickname for her- it was so weird?? Like that's your girlfriend, but go off I guess. So overall not terrible, but not a favorite.
also pet peeve of mine re: the cover <i> the dog on the cover is the old dog he had that he left with his ex. Then the ex proceeded to give the dog away??? And like I get you can't exactly just ask for the dof back but that was just totally glossed over?? She said she left the dog with a friend and he didn't ask for more info? THEN FMC got him a dog but its a black puppy. So forgetting the overlooking of his ex rehoming his "beloved" dog and him just moving on. WHY is the dog on the cover white??? Okay that's it rant over .Thanks for coming to my ted talk! <i/>
Very himbo vibes. Like super super sweet great boyfriend MMC but also just like not the brightest and pushy. I HATED his nickname for her- it was so weird?? Like that's your girlfriend, but go off I guess. So overall not terrible, but not a favorite.
also pet peeve of mine re: the cover <i> the dog on the cover is the old dog he had that he left with his ex. Then the ex proceeded to give the dog away??? And like I get you can't exactly just ask for the dof back but that was just totally glossed over?? She said she left the dog with a friend and he didn't ask for more info? THEN FMC got him a dog but its a black puppy. So forgetting the overlooking of his ex rehoming his "beloved" dog and him just moving on. WHY is the dog on the cover white??? Okay that's it rant over .Thanks for coming to my ted talk! <i/>
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars!
Cheezus!!
There are very few authors these days that can tempt me to read M/F but Sarina Bowen (including Elle Kennedy) are one of the few that can do so, and they did not fail me this time around!
Blake is unlike any male protagonist I have ever read. Introduced in [b:Us|27797842|Us (Him #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454072715s/27797842.jpg|47775179], he’s the biggest man child ever, with several layers that aren’t readily obvious. He’s gregarious, the ultimate optimist, sexy never broody, and just barrels his way through life, pretty much getting whatever he wants with his unusual brand of charm. However, there just might be one female who’s more resistant than most, which just makes Blake that more determined to get what he wants.
That female would be Jess. She’s not had the most stellar track record when it comes to adulting, and she wants to prove herself that she has what it takes to go back to school and become a nurse. Jess doesn’t have time to mess around with Blake and his ginormous snake, no matter how much she’s gagging for it, because have no doubt, she is. Blake is everywhere, persistently pressing his luck and formidable assets, and it’s so very hard to say no and BOOM!! - before she knows it, her panties are missing. Ha!
Suffice it to say, Blake (as unrealistic as he is) was the standout here. A gentle giant with an unnameable charisma that is so obviously very difficult to resist. I had a perpetual smile or smirk on my face the entire time I read this. It was also plenty hot and great fun, and I just have to say that I’m so freaking thankful that there was basically no melodrama between these two at all. You just don’t know how much that means to me.
A fabulous read - I think M/F enthusiasts (or not) will have a hard time finding much fault!
Cheezus!!
There are very few authors these days that can tempt me to read M/F but Sarina Bowen (including Elle Kennedy) are one of the few that can do so, and they did not fail me this time around!
Blake is unlike any male protagonist I have ever read. Introduced in [b:Us|27797842|Us (Him #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454072715s/27797842.jpg|47775179], he’s the biggest man child ever, with several layers that aren’t readily obvious. He’s gregarious, the ultimate optimist, sexy never broody, and just barrels his way through life, pretty much getting whatever he wants with his unusual brand of charm. However, there just might be one female who’s more resistant than most, which just makes Blake that more determined to get what he wants.
That female would be Jess. She’s not had the most stellar track record when it comes to adulting, and she wants to prove herself that she has what it takes to go back to school and become a nurse. Jess doesn’t have time to mess around with Blake and his ginormous snake, no matter how much she’s gagging for it, because have no doubt, she is. Blake is everywhere, persistently pressing his luck and formidable assets, and it’s so very hard to say no and BOOM!! - before she knows it, her panties are missing. Ha!
Suffice it to say, Blake (as unrealistic as he is) was the standout here. A gentle giant with an unnameable charisma that is so obviously very difficult to resist. I had a perpetual smile or smirk on my face the entire time I read this. It was also plenty hot and great fun, and I just have to say that I’m so freaking thankful that there was basically no melodrama between these two at all. You just don’t know how much that means to me.
A fabulous read - I think M/F enthusiasts (or not) will have a hard time finding much fault!