Saturday, February 1, 2014

Books 5 and 6 - one day reads!

Posted by Dawn Dalton on 8:32 AM

Book 5The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

It's been a while since a book kept me up reading all night long, but The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight had me at the prologue. Once I started, I couldn't stop until I had devoured every delicious last word.

The blurb: Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a swoon-to-be-stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Set over a 24-hour period, this is a cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves.

This is not a thick book but it says everything it needs to at such a fast pace, you can't help but caught up in the romance of it all. I bought Hadley and Oliver's love — hook, line and sinker. And I fell hard for Smith's refreshing writing style. So much so that I bought another of her books, This is What Happy Looks Like.

Book 6White Trash Beautiful
Author: Teresa Mummert
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Intrigued by the premise of White Trash Beautiful (not to mention the great title), I really wanted to love this book. While I read it one night, I can't say as I got totally swept up in the story.

Cass Daniels isn't waiting for her knight in shining armour. She knows that girls like her don't get a happily ever after. Not if you live in a trailer with your mom, work at a greasy spoon diner, and get leered at by old men. Maybe that's why she puts up with Jackson—her poor excuse for a boyfriend, who treats her like dirt. Cass has learned to accept her lot in life. That is, until he walks into her diner…

His name is Tucker White, and he's different from any man Cass has ever known. Tall, tattooed, and bad-ass gorgeous, he's the lead singer of the rock band, Damaged. From the moment they meet, Tucker sees something in Cass he just can't shake. Something beautiful. Something haunted. Something special. And he's determined to find out what it is—if only he can get her to open up and let him in…

My issues with book are laid out in the synopsis — Cass has a serious case of "woe is me" and by the last half of the book I just wanted her to do something more, be more proactive, leave her douche bag boyfriend. While there are many reasons for her to stay with the abusive ass (such as the hold he has over her drug-addicted mother), I kept waiting for the inspiring burst of strength. It never really happens.

Then there's Tucker. I should love him — he drives a motorcycle, sings in a band, has that rebellious look about him. He should be just my kind of guy. But we never really learn enough about him for me to connect, really connect, with him.

Which is sad, because the author has some serious writing chops. I wanted this book to be longer, to really get into Cass's head, to understand WHY Tucker falls for her insta-fast. There's some obvious Pretty Woman parallels (even a breakfast buffet order with the words "I didn't know what you'd like, so I ordered everything on the menu) that were kind of cute, but overall, I felt the story was too short lacked the kind of depth I needed to buy into their love.

That said, I love Teresa Mummert's writing style and I'd pick up more of her work.

- Dawn

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