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City Chicks #1
Eye Candy
Lydia Vanderwalk has an obsession with candy, so when she invents an NEB--non-existent boyfriend--who turns out to be the male hire-a-date equivalent of a jumbo box of Hot Tamales she knows she’s in trouble. Lydia has worked hard to have the right job, the right wardrobe, and the right everything else, in the quest for the appearance of perfection. Fed up by conversation #3,524—not that she’s counting—about long-since-exed fiancé Gavin, Lydia goes to drastic measures to change the subject. When she needs her NEB for a golden career opportunity, she enlists a talent agent friend’s help to produce perfect date Phelps. He was supposed to be pure eye candy, but there’s more going on beneath the surface than Red Hots looks and Pop Rocks spontaneity.Throw in a banking wunderkind ex-fiancé, a trio of cutthroat couture-climbers, and a designer of questionable orientation and origin, and Lydia soon learns that what you see is often much less than what you get when it comes to people and not everything in life can be solved by a Jolly Rancher and a trip to Ann Taylor.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2011
7 people are currently reading
1643 people want to read
About the author
Tera Lynn Childs
58 books3,097 followersTera Lynn Childs may pretend to be a goddess, but she’s really just a normal person. Well, maybe not normal. She is a writer, after all. Her works include the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romance series, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae fantasy series. Tera currently parks her laptop in the Seattle area and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Learn more about her magical realms and find behind-the-book extras at teralynnchilds.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 12, 2014
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Oh, Tera, you’re no longer on my auto buy list.
This and Stalk Straight about did it to me. I mean, these adults act like they’re about twelve years old. And anyone who ate that much sugar would be dead.
I’m rambling aren’t I.
Sigh…
Well, I’ll give Eye Candy some credit. It’s better than Straight Stalk.
That’s not really saying much.
What’s better about it than Straight Stalk: well, the plot is way less ludicrous.
That is a plus.
But then again, I don’t think you can get that much more ludicrous than Straight Stalk.
There’s also no comedic relief featuring animal abuse in this book.
But there really shouldn’t ben in Straight Stalk. So, all those pluses are just sort of negated when you look at just how terrible Straight Stalk is.
So, Eye Candy…yeah, it was bad.
The plot was more than a little ordinary. The only thing I can say that’s nice about it, from the way it was described I could imagine Captain Hook via OUAT playing Phelps. So, that was some brain candy.
But not even pretty captains can save a book completely.
Maybe a semblance of a plot that isn’t on a terrible three a.m. Lifetime movie could. But this book doesn’t have it.
The center of our plot is that the main character finds out she misjudged her ex and gets involved in a love triangle of sorts and does the thing she harped against for the first half of the book.
And still gets her cake and eats it too at the end of the book.
With very little to no growth.
Yeah, I’m not impressed.
I think this one emphasizes to me what I hate the most about the love triangle trope, that there is often no character growth. The MC picks her man and that’s it. Funny, there was almost a Choose Your Own Adventure-ish end to this before it was revised. Glad, Childs decided to pick a side (and it was the right side, IMHO), but I wanted to see some struggle and growth before these characters got together.
Lydia fucked up. And she should’ve realized it and apologized and had some growth on screen for it. It just ended too abruptly.
And honestly, the other guy…um, please.
Besides being rich and handsome, he was blander than Edward Cullen. I really didn’t know why Childs decided to rekindle their romance. It just seemed stick a fork in it done.
The whole work oriented plot just made me realize how jaded I am. If I was ten years younger, I’d probably be ooing and awing about how put together the MC is and how I want to go to NYC and be a fashion executive. But the fact I am older I’m a little shocked that this moron was able to get into Columbia let alone get a job in the industry.
Oh, right she knew someone.
Oh, Tera, you’re no longer on my auto buy list.
This and Stalk Straight about did it to me. I mean, these adults act like they’re about twelve years old. And anyone who ate that much sugar would be dead.
I’m rambling aren’t I.
Sigh…
Well, I’ll give Eye Candy some credit. It’s better than Straight Stalk.
That’s not really saying much.
What’s better about it than Straight Stalk: well, the plot is way less ludicrous.
That is a plus.
But then again, I don’t think you can get that much more ludicrous than Straight Stalk.
There’s also no comedic relief featuring animal abuse in this book.
But there really shouldn’t ben in Straight Stalk. So, all those pluses are just sort of negated when you look at just how terrible Straight Stalk is.
So, Eye Candy…yeah, it was bad.
The plot was more than a little ordinary. The only thing I can say that’s nice about it, from the way it was described I could imagine Captain Hook via OUAT playing Phelps. So, that was some brain candy.
But not even pretty captains can save a book completely.
Maybe a semblance of a plot that isn’t on a terrible three a.m. Lifetime movie could. But this book doesn’t have it.
The center of our plot is that the main character finds out she misjudged her ex and gets involved in a love triangle of sorts and does the thing she harped against for the first half of the book.
And still gets her cake and eats it too at the end of the book.
With very little to no growth.
Yeah, I’m not impressed.
I think this one emphasizes to me what I hate the most about the love triangle trope, that there is often no character growth. The MC picks her man and that’s it. Funny, there was almost a Choose Your Own Adventure-ish end to this before it was revised. Glad, Childs decided to pick a side (and it was the right side, IMHO), but I wanted to see some struggle and growth before these characters got together.
Lydia fucked up. And she should’ve realized it and apologized and had some growth on screen for it. It just ended too abruptly.
And honestly, the other guy…um, please.
Besides being rich and handsome, he was blander than Edward Cullen. I really didn’t know why Childs decided to rekindle their romance. It just seemed stick a fork in it done.
The whole work oriented plot just made me realize how jaded I am. If I was ten years younger, I’d probably be ooing and awing about how put together the MC is and how I want to go to NYC and be a fashion executive. But the fact I am older I’m a little shocked that this moron was able to get into Columbia let alone get a job in the industry.
Oh, right she knew someone.
May 5, 2011
I requested a review copy of this book from the author, Tera Lynn Childs, as I had heard good things about her work. While I would definitely read her work again, I'm not sure this novel was for me.
The plot of this book is Picture Perfect with an ex-fiancé and a candy addiction thrown in, and it took me a little while to get past that. Thankfully, the story did develop beyond that and had some interesting characters. I loved Ferrero, the crazy artistic designer, and Elliot, the model with surprising depth. They gave the book warmth and humor. However, I was slightly dismayed upon reaching the end of the novel to find that the Tera Lynn Childs had written two endings. While I understand the motivation behind it (I'm sure most readers will feel strongly one way or the other about Lydia's choices) it felt a little like a let down -as if Ms. Childs didn't feel strongly about it. I think I would rather have been apoplectic over Lydia having made what I felt was the "wrong" choice or warm and fuzzy over what I felt was the "right" choice. Instead I was left feeling apathetic.
I also had trouble warming up to this book because I didn't find Lydia particularly likable. She's got a runway figure, a candy addiction with the metabolism to handle it, and body image issues. (Not something a normal-figured woman finds endearing.) She also throws candy terms into her speech like "Double Bubble Damn" that are supposed to be endearing but I found obnoxiously cutesy coming from a grown woman. But the crux of it is Lydia's a society girl who's almost as superficial as the girls from work whom she rejects for being shallow. Lydia is completely self-absorbed, has two men falling all over her, and every opportunity she could wish for. Throughout the book she learns to be more observant of the people around her, and how not to substitute candy for what is missing in her life, but her character growth seems so minimal it was hard for me to appreciate. Though I had warmed to her by the end of the book, I think I was routing for other characters more than for the heroine.
Despite my criticism, there is a lot I like about Ms. Childs' writing style and her sense of humor. Again, I think I just picked the wrong book. She can write interesting characters, I just didn't happen to like this one. I will certainly try another of her books. If you're looking for a fun, frivolous read, you may really enjoy this one.
http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/...
The plot of this book is Picture Perfect with an ex-fiancé and a candy addiction thrown in, and it took me a little while to get past that. Thankfully, the story did develop beyond that and had some interesting characters. I loved Ferrero, the crazy artistic designer, and Elliot, the model with surprising depth. They gave the book warmth and humor. However, I was slightly dismayed upon reaching the end of the novel to find that the Tera Lynn Childs had written two endings. While I understand the motivation behind it (I'm sure most readers will feel strongly one way or the other about Lydia's choices) it felt a little like a let down -as if Ms. Childs didn't feel strongly about it. I think I would rather have been apoplectic over Lydia having made what I felt was the "wrong" choice or warm and fuzzy over what I felt was the "right" choice. Instead I was left feeling apathetic.
I also had trouble warming up to this book because I didn't find Lydia particularly likable. She's got a runway figure, a candy addiction with the metabolism to handle it, and body image issues. (Not something a normal-figured woman finds endearing.) She also throws candy terms into her speech like "Double Bubble Damn" that are supposed to be endearing but I found obnoxiously cutesy coming from a grown woman. But the crux of it is Lydia's a society girl who's almost as superficial as the girls from work whom she rejects for being shallow. Lydia is completely self-absorbed, has two men falling all over her, and every opportunity she could wish for. Throughout the book she learns to be more observant of the people around her, and how not to substitute candy for what is missing in her life, but her character growth seems so minimal it was hard for me to appreciate. Though I had warmed to her by the end of the book, I think I was routing for other characters more than for the heroine.
Despite my criticism, there is a lot I like about Ms. Childs' writing style and her sense of humor. Again, I think I just picked the wrong book. She can write interesting characters, I just didn't happen to like this one. I will certainly try another of her books. If you're looking for a fun, frivolous read, you may really enjoy this one.
http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/...
June 29, 2012
I really liked this book, until I didnt. The end is such a huge copout that it really pissed me off. All books have a struggle or decision, between which job to take, which person to be with, where to go, etc. etc. But rather than make a confident decision and write a definitive ending she put a 12 year old boy version of a book ending, 'if you think she picked this guy click her, if you think she picked this guy then click here'. WTF?! So much potential, yes lots of candy references, a couple of her sayings said a bit too much, but not too bothersome. Just cant get over how dissapointed I am. I was thinking of reading the next one but dont want to see that same crappy ending.
September 17, 2017
Have you ever read a book that begins well and you wanted some more and suddenly piss off you with a bad ending? Ah, this story was kinda like that. All I have to say is, UTTERLY disappointed!
Most ridiculous thing is Lydia Vanderwalk who eats lots of candy, since her childhood, hasn’t died yet. At least, she must suffering with diabetes now. HAHAHAA…….
At the beginning I thought this is going to be a super-interesting story. All the conflicts between Lydia and Ky-clique, love triangle between Lydia, Gavin and Phelps made story very exciting. Then the story becomes confounded with all the shitty things that Lydia did, and the most puerile ending thrust upon to me, I was in a mood of crying.
Over all, I did enjoy the beginning of the story, how the characters were developing step by step. How the tension building up between the situations until all the things ruined with the worst ending. And my expectations lowered to Zero 00000000000000000000……………………………….. So, I ended up giving 1 star. *
Most ridiculous thing is Lydia Vanderwalk who eats lots of candy, since her childhood, hasn’t died yet. At least, she must suffering with diabetes now. HAHAHAA…….
At the beginning I thought this is going to be a super-interesting story. All the conflicts between Lydia and Ky-clique, love triangle between Lydia, Gavin and Phelps made story very exciting. Then the story becomes confounded with all the shitty things that Lydia did, and the most puerile ending thrust upon to me, I was in a mood of crying.
Over all, I did enjoy the beginning of the story, how the characters were developing step by step. How the tension building up between the situations until all the things ruined with the worst ending. And my expectations lowered to Zero 00000000000000000000……………………………….. So, I ended up giving 1 star. *
June 22, 2011
From my blog: (\__/)nymfaux
Eye Candy is about Lydia Vanderwalk, a candy-holic living a bitter-sweet life in the fashion world, because all her coworkers, family, and friends can talk about is her ex-boyfriend Gavin. They broke up two years ago, so why can't everyone else get over it, already??? Lydia has. And to prove it, she's invented a NEB, or non-existent boyfriend. But it’s not long before her NEB needs to make a real-life appearance. Enter Phelps, a yummy male model, and boyfriend-for-hire.
...
It easily could have been one of those clichéd girl-hires-pretend-boyfriend-to: impress her parents/boss/get a green card story, but instead it was something totally fresh and fun. Despite her candy addiction, Lydia is skinny and pretty and has a great job—Her life should be perfect, except it’s not. Three blondes straight out of college seem to be edging Lydia out of her job. The promotion she’s been striving for is quickly fading from site. And after two-years, Lydia’s friends, family, and her boss are still going on and on about Gavin—the one that got away—or lying cheating jerk, as Lydia thinks of him.
So, in a moment of complete exasperation, of wanting to simply change the subject after one too many conversations involving her ex, Lydia invents a completely new boyfriend. But instead of shutting up her boss, the Jawbreaker, invites Lydia (and her non-existent bf) to the social event of the season. Suddenly Lydia sees her promotion within her grasp again…just as her reputation is about to go up in flames…you know, because she made up a boyfriend…Which is when one of Lydia’s friends suggests hiring somebody for the weekend…which is how Lydia ends up with Phelps. And suddenly Lydia’s life has flipped upside down, and nothing is what she thought—Could her blond office mates and her boss really be human? Does she really even want the promotion she’s fought for so long? Does Gavin deserve a second chance? Is Phelps more than just a pretty package? And could she be falling for them both????
Eye Candy is full of wonderfully rich and detailed characters, and though I was always on Lydia’s side, I loved getting the chance to see her really grow as a character. There were so many fun and surprising things, that it was hard not to fall in love with this story.
It’s a perfect summer read!!!! And since today *is* the first day of summer…I totally recommend it!!!!
Eye Candy is about Lydia Vanderwalk, a candy-holic living a bitter-sweet life in the fashion world, because all her coworkers, family, and friends can talk about is her ex-boyfriend Gavin. They broke up two years ago, so why can't everyone else get over it, already??? Lydia has. And to prove it, she's invented a NEB, or non-existent boyfriend. But it’s not long before her NEB needs to make a real-life appearance. Enter Phelps, a yummy male model, and boyfriend-for-hire.
...
It easily could have been one of those clichéd girl-hires-pretend-boyfriend-to: impress her parents/boss/get a green card story, but instead it was something totally fresh and fun. Despite her candy addiction, Lydia is skinny and pretty and has a great job—Her life should be perfect, except it’s not. Three blondes straight out of college seem to be edging Lydia out of her job. The promotion she’s been striving for is quickly fading from site. And after two-years, Lydia’s friends, family, and her boss are still going on and on about Gavin—the one that got away—or lying cheating jerk, as Lydia thinks of him.
So, in a moment of complete exasperation, of wanting to simply change the subject after one too many conversations involving her ex, Lydia invents a completely new boyfriend. But instead of shutting up her boss, the Jawbreaker, invites Lydia (and her non-existent bf) to the social event of the season. Suddenly Lydia sees her promotion within her grasp again…just as her reputation is about to go up in flames…you know, because she made up a boyfriend…Which is when one of Lydia’s friends suggests hiring somebody for the weekend…which is how Lydia ends up with Phelps. And suddenly Lydia’s life has flipped upside down, and nothing is what she thought—Could her blond office mates and her boss really be human? Does she really even want the promotion she’s fought for so long? Does Gavin deserve a second chance? Is Phelps more than just a pretty package? And could she be falling for them both????
Eye Candy is full of wonderfully rich and detailed characters, and though I was always on Lydia’s side, I loved getting the chance to see her really grow as a character. There were so many fun and surprising things, that it was hard not to fall in love with this story.
It’s a perfect summer read!!!! And since today *is* the first day of summer…I totally recommend it!!!!
June 27, 2014
Eye Candy is a romance that's just as sweet and addicting as candy, without the high sugar content and probability of leading to a stomach ache with large doses. I was able to devour this novel in one sitting, falling in love with the fun, witty dialogue and steamy romance.
The writing of Eye Candy is fun and light, and very easy to enjoy. Although the amount of candy references and puns seemed a bit cheesy at times, I really enjoyed what this addiction added to Lydia's character and how she grows throughout the duration of the story.
I loved the settings of the story. Whether it be New York, Milan or SoHo, the bloodthirsty glamor of the high fashion industry was ever present, and made for excellent reading. The independent woman trying to make her way up a career ladder can be a cliche in romance novels and movies alike, but the characterization and use of fashion industry didn't seem stale in this read.
Although the plot was fun, a lot of it was a bit predictable. I can't really complain, because I wanted it to end the way it did, and sometimes - as a reader, I can use a good happy ending.
Still, like most romances, my favorite part of the novel were the characters. I could go on and on about how Franco's artiste-ness made me smile, or how I loved Fiona as a friend, but given that I like to keep my reviews under the length of a short story, I'll only talk about two of the characters.
First of all, Lydia is a great protagonist. She's likeable, funny, and sweet as the candy she enjoys. As a reader, I couldn't help but want her to find that happily ever after romance novels tend to promise. Although, for a bit, she fell into the love V trap, she released how unfair she's being, instead of simply cursing the heavens that she has two wonderful guys into her. It makes the situation feel a lot more natural, and didn't have me getting annoyed with her.
But, speaking of hot Tamales, Phelps is that summer book boyfriend that you're looking for. Not only is he a male model who's fun, spontaneous and confident (you know you love the adorably cocky type) but he has a great heart. Just about everything you could ask for in a romantic lead.
Eye Candy is fun, flirty and absolutely delicious. It is a perfect light summer read to bring along on the beach, and I thoroughly enjoyed it
The writing of Eye Candy is fun and light, and very easy to enjoy. Although the amount of candy references and puns seemed a bit cheesy at times, I really enjoyed what this addiction added to Lydia's character and how she grows throughout the duration of the story.
I loved the settings of the story. Whether it be New York, Milan or SoHo, the bloodthirsty glamor of the high fashion industry was ever present, and made for excellent reading. The independent woman trying to make her way up a career ladder can be a cliche in romance novels and movies alike, but the characterization and use of fashion industry didn't seem stale in this read.
Although the plot was fun, a lot of it was a bit predictable. I can't really complain, because I wanted it to end the way it did, and sometimes - as a reader, I can use a good happy ending.
Still, like most romances, my favorite part of the novel were the characters. I could go on and on about how Franco's artiste-ness made me smile, or how I loved Fiona as a friend, but given that I like to keep my reviews under the length of a short story, I'll only talk about two of the characters.
First of all, Lydia is a great protagonist. She's likeable, funny, and sweet as the candy she enjoys. As a reader, I couldn't help but want her to find that happily ever after romance novels tend to promise. Although, for a bit, she fell into the love V trap, she released how unfair she's being, instead of simply cursing the heavens that she has two wonderful guys into her. It makes the situation feel a lot more natural, and didn't have me getting annoyed with her.
But, speaking of hot Tamales, Phelps is that summer book boyfriend that you're looking for. Not only is he a male model who's fun, spontaneous and confident (you know you love the adorably cocky type) but he has a great heart. Just about everything you could ask for in a romantic lead.
Eye Candy is fun, flirty and absolutely delicious. It is a perfect light summer read to bring along on the beach, and I thoroughly enjoyed it
April 28, 2016
*Received a copy for an honest review.*
Lydia doesn't like the fake girls she works with, and when one mentioned her ex-fiancé is on the cover of a major magazine, her mouth gets her in trouble. With a chance at a possible advancement at risk, there is no way she can show up to the gathering without the fictional boyfriend she created. But luckily for her, her friends are there to help. Now her model turned boyfriend for hire and her are about to find out just how fake a relationship they're out to make.
"Sweetheart, everyone's life is messed up. Most just don't realize it."
I'm already a fan of this author's work, so when there was a chance to read a copy of the first book in her City Chicks series, I had to take it. I flew through the book, and loved every page of it. This book was a chick-lit story with a sugary twist.
This book was well written and entertaining. It had tons of humor, a cute budding romance rivaling an already established connection, and a whole lot of fun. If you are looking for a cute, romance story then try this one.
I liked Lydia. She was insanely addicted to candy, yet somehow endearing with her cheese candy phrases. From the beginning I was curious about her relationship with the ex. I wanted to know why it was called off, and how that was going to affect the obvious attraction she held for Phelps. I'm not normally a fan of male models, but I loved him. He was spontaneous and fun, and yet trustworthy and loving.
"I hoped this was just the effects of jetlag. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I suddenly found respect for everyone I worked with."
Maybe I was already swayed in Phelps' direction, but I really didn't like the ex. It kind of felt like he was hiding something, and not what she thought he was. The whole thing just added a layer of slime that I couldn't bring myself to clean as we learned more about him and their shared past.
If you like fun stories, then I highly recommend this book. Personally, I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
"Mental Post-It: next time you tell yourself that nothing worse could happen, punch yourself in the guy before the world has a chance."
Lydia doesn't like the fake girls she works with, and when one mentioned her ex-fiancé is on the cover of a major magazine, her mouth gets her in trouble. With a chance at a possible advancement at risk, there is no way she can show up to the gathering without the fictional boyfriend she created. But luckily for her, her friends are there to help. Now her model turned boyfriend for hire and her are about to find out just how fake a relationship they're out to make.
"Sweetheart, everyone's life is messed up. Most just don't realize it."
I'm already a fan of this author's work, so when there was a chance to read a copy of the first book in her City Chicks series, I had to take it. I flew through the book, and loved every page of it. This book was a chick-lit story with a sugary twist.
This book was well written and entertaining. It had tons of humor, a cute budding romance rivaling an already established connection, and a whole lot of fun. If you are looking for a cute, romance story then try this one.
I liked Lydia. She was insanely addicted to candy, yet somehow endearing with her cheese candy phrases. From the beginning I was curious about her relationship with the ex. I wanted to know why it was called off, and how that was going to affect the obvious attraction she held for Phelps. I'm not normally a fan of male models, but I loved him. He was spontaneous and fun, and yet trustworthy and loving.
"I hoped this was just the effects of jetlag. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I suddenly found respect for everyone I worked with."
Maybe I was already swayed in Phelps' direction, but I really didn't like the ex. It kind of felt like he was hiding something, and not what she thought he was. The whole thing just added a layer of slime that I couldn't bring myself to clean as we learned more about him and their shared past.
If you like fun stories, then I highly recommend this book. Personally, I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
"Mental Post-It: next time you tell yourself that nothing worse could happen, punch yourself in the guy before the world has a chance."
August 16, 2012
* * * *
Lydia Vanderwalk has an obsession with candy, so when she invents an NEB--non-existent boyfriend--who turns out to be the male hire-a-date equivalent of a jumbo box of Hot Tamales she knows she’s in trouble.
Lydia has worked hard to have the right job, the right wardrobe, and the right everything else, in the quest for the appearance of perfection. Fed up by conversation #3,524—not that she’s counting—about long-since-exed fiancé Gavin, Lydia goes to drastic measures to change the subject. When she needs her NEB for a golden career opportunity, she enlists a talent agent friend’s help to produce perfect date Phelps. He was supposed to be pure eye candy, but there’s more going on beneath the surface than Red Hots looks and Pop Rocks spontaneity.
Throw in a banking wunderkind ex-fiancé, a trio of cutthroat couture-climbers, and a designer of questionable orientation and origin, and Lydia soon learns that what you see is often much less than what you get when it comes to people and not everything in life can be solved by a Jolly Rancher and a trip to Ann Taylor.
I have a confession to make. I am not a chick lit fan. The exception being the Stephanie Plum series. And even then I really have to be in the mood. But after reading Straight Talk and Eye Candy by Tera Lynn Childs, I just might be a convert.
Eye Candy was a delicious read. With a secret locked drawer full of candy and an antique silver soup tureen full of gummy bears, Lydia is a girl after my own heart. The sticky situations Lydia finds herself in are laugh out loud funny and kept me turning the pages to see what happened next. The constant allusion to candy might be too much for some but I ate it up. I think Hot Tamale and Double Bubble Damn will probably be making it into my everyday vocabulary.
And, oh, the ending. The ending will catch you by surprise. All I can tell you is that in the words of one of Lydias’s beaus, Tera is a “naughty, naughty girl.”
I loved both of Tera’s adult contemporary romances. They are original and fun. I highly recommend them. They make for excellent summer reads.
Nat
Lydia Vanderwalk has an obsession with candy, so when she invents an NEB--non-existent boyfriend--who turns out to be the male hire-a-date equivalent of a jumbo box of Hot Tamales she knows she’s in trouble.
Lydia has worked hard to have the right job, the right wardrobe, and the right everything else, in the quest for the appearance of perfection. Fed up by conversation #3,524—not that she’s counting—about long-since-exed fiancé Gavin, Lydia goes to drastic measures to change the subject. When she needs her NEB for a golden career opportunity, she enlists a talent agent friend’s help to produce perfect date Phelps. He was supposed to be pure eye candy, but there’s more going on beneath the surface than Red Hots looks and Pop Rocks spontaneity.
Throw in a banking wunderkind ex-fiancé, a trio of cutthroat couture-climbers, and a designer of questionable orientation and origin, and Lydia soon learns that what you see is often much less than what you get when it comes to people and not everything in life can be solved by a Jolly Rancher and a trip to Ann Taylor.
I have a confession to make. I am not a chick lit fan. The exception being the Stephanie Plum series. And even then I really have to be in the mood. But after reading Straight Talk and Eye Candy by Tera Lynn Childs, I just might be a convert.
Eye Candy was a delicious read. With a secret locked drawer full of candy and an antique silver soup tureen full of gummy bears, Lydia is a girl after my own heart. The sticky situations Lydia finds herself in are laugh out loud funny and kept me turning the pages to see what happened next. The constant allusion to candy might be too much for some but I ate it up. I think Hot Tamale and Double Bubble Damn will probably be making it into my everyday vocabulary.
And, oh, the ending. The ending will catch you by surprise. All I can tell you is that in the words of one of Lydias’s beaus, Tera is a “naughty, naughty girl.”
I loved both of Tera’s adult contemporary romances. They are original and fun. I highly recommend them. They make for excellent summer reads.
Nat
July 5, 2012
I haven't written an actual review in awhile, but I felt compelled to write one for Eye Candy. Now I was looking for a nice light, "fluff" read and essentially that is what I got. This is in no way a bad thing, in my opinion, because ready heavy material becomes too much eventually.
To start off this was the first book I've ever read where I actually laughed genuinely. The beginning scenes where Phelps/Elliot is introduced are really funny. Whenever he opened his mouth I couldn't keep my laughter in. The comedic portions of the novel made it all the more enjoyable to read.
Eye Candy gets right to the point. I enjoy that Childs didn't add a whole bunch of unneeded information and back story to the beginning of the story. To me this allowed the story to pick up pace almost instantaneously. The addition of back-stories and descriptions as the novel progresses worked very well for me.
Now here's the one reason why this is not a five star rating. The ending of the book really peeved me (almost so much that I was thinking about giving this only 3 stars). Since this is not a series, but a stand alone novel, there should be a definite ending. Here is what happens and the end. Without a true ending I feel cheated out of a real ending.
To start off this was the first book I've ever read where I actually laughed genuinely. The beginning scenes where Phelps/Elliot is introduced are really funny. Whenever he opened his mouth I couldn't keep my laughter in. The comedic portions of the novel made it all the more enjoyable to read.
Eye Candy gets right to the point. I enjoy that Childs didn't add a whole bunch of unneeded information and back story to the beginning of the story. To me this allowed the story to pick up pace almost instantaneously. The addition of back-stories and descriptions as the novel progresses worked very well for me.
Now here's the one reason why this is not a five star rating. The ending of the book really peeved me (almost so much that I was thinking about giving this only 3 stars). Since this is not a series, but a stand alone novel, there should be a definite ending. Here is what happens and the end. Without a true ending I feel cheated out of a real ending.
March 11, 2011
Eye Candy is chick-lit at it's best.Tera Lynn Childs does it again amazing read.
The story is told from Lydia's POV and how she has to choose between Gavin the ex who cheated on her or Elliot the HOT model and 6 years younger.
I loved all of this book and loved how when it got time for Lydia to make up her mind who she wanted to be with the reader got to choose as there were two different endings to pick from. All though reading this book i couldnt make up my mind up who lydia should pick but in the end i choose the Elliot ending and although it was a good ending I then went back and read the Gavin ending and found myself thinking that for me there was no right or wrong man because I ended up loving both of them in different ways just like Lydia. Do I stick with the elliot ending then the answer to that question is yes because I really prefered Lydia as a charcter when she was with him.
The story is told from Lydia's POV and how she has to choose between Gavin the ex who cheated on her or Elliot the HOT model and 6 years younger.
I loved all of this book and loved how when it got time for Lydia to make up her mind who she wanted to be with the reader got to choose as there were two different endings to pick from. All though reading this book i couldnt make up my mind up who lydia should pick but in the end i choose the Elliot ending and although it was a good ending I then went back and read the Gavin ending and found myself thinking that for me there was no right or wrong man because I ended up loving both of them in different ways just like Lydia. Do I stick with the elliot ending then the answer to that question is yes because I really prefered Lydia as a charcter when she was with him.
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October 3, 2013What a great little chick lit read. It was fast paced and fun. I even loved the choose your own ending.
The characterisation of both guys was well done. How was she supposed to make a decision between such two amazing men? I felt the emotional growth of Lydia throughout the book was subtle but well done.
While it may seem like a cop out having the reader decide the ending was clever. Each ending was true to form with what her character would have decided.
I was personally hoping for Lydia to choose Elliot so read that ending first. My only gripe was that there was no mention of the puppy Elliot bought her which I think would have made it better.
In my opinion, the author wanted her to choose Gavin more. It felt like it fit with the rest of the story more.
This was a cute quick read and I loved it except for the constant grammatical errors. Not sure if they were typos but there were enough to annoy me.
The characterisation of both guys was well done. How was she supposed to make a decision between such two amazing men? I felt the emotional growth of Lydia throughout the book was subtle but well done.
While it may seem like a cop out having the reader decide the ending was clever. Each ending was true to form with what her character would have decided.
I was personally hoping for Lydia to choose Elliot so read that ending first. My only gripe was that there was no mention of the puppy Elliot bought her which I think would have made it better.
In my opinion, the author wanted her to choose Gavin more. It felt like it fit with the rest of the story more.
This was a cute quick read and I loved it except for the constant grammatical errors. Not sure if they were typos but there were enough to annoy me.
March 10, 2012
I was really in love with this book until the end. Lydia is in love with her ex fiancé, but also loves Elliott. He's a model that has agreed to play her boyfriend for her family and co-workers. He is a younger man interested in a real romance with her, but the age difference is hard for her to get over. Lydia broke it off with her ex after she thought she caught him cheating. After two years of heartache, she realized she might have been hasty. This would have been a 5 star if not for the option to pick the ending that fits you best. I think that there should be a happy ending for everyone, but soul mates are soul mates. It was interesting because people differ in opinion, and you can pick how it ends, but I think that takes something away from the story. That's just my opinion though.
October 19, 2011
Eye Candy is a decadent treat for contemporary romance fans. Lydia is instantly likable with her passion for candy, ambition for promotion, and love of fashion. The plot is both poignant and comic. My one pet peeve was the "choose your man" ending, I'd rather the author made those difficult choices for me (and clearly Phelps is the right choice!). Childs' writing is adorable and charming as she plays with words, replacing curses with candy lingo. This cute read could make you melt like an M&M, but be careful the problem with a sweet read is it always leaves you wanting more.
Overall: A-
Overall: A-
December 20, 2014
after devouring the forgive my fins series i was a bit thrown by how different the contexts were for these books. I am more of a syfy YA reader and this took a bit of getting used to. I will agree with some of the other reviewers that the candy addiction is kind of a weird angle, but who doesn't love a good story about make believe boyfriends having to come to life and fool the world. but a little to many candy reverences for my taste. i will be passing this book on to a family member for the holidays
July 26, 2014
This is a candy cotton good book, sweet, light and funny. I love how the author throws us candy metaphors and descriptions throughout this story. Candy is a comfort food, making us feel good, just as this story does as the main character struggles with a career challenge, facing an former fiance, and a unexpected cutie-patootie who is just yummy. Lydia is not perfect, and that is part of the fun of this book.
May 22, 2012
Was a good book. Thought some of the angst about her boy choice could have been more drawn out and lasted longer, it seemed that her choices kind of where quick about the whole thing. I also don't know if i totally like the alternate endings that i got to choose ( I totally went for Elliot by the way) but i guess everyone ends up happy that way.
March 23, 2011
Lydia's life was very exciting to get into.
March 25, 2018
I thought I would see how this compares to TLC's YA books. I think I like them better, but this one was alright.
January 6, 2017
I really liked the idea of this book but found myself consistently disappointed with how the main character would not take action and just let herself be acted on for the majority of the book (but somehow was qualified to advise everyone around her?). The cutesy candy references got old very quick. The "choose your own ending" was a major let down.
July 14, 2014
I tried to like Eye Candy, I really did, but the incessant candy name dropping annoyed me from the start. Every page is peppered with phrases like "Bubble gum darn!" and "oh goodness gobstopper" (ok, I may have made that up, but you see the point) that detract from the story because they take a moment of decoding to understand the affect underneath. The protagonist is a woman in her mid-30's who is insecure about both her job and her attractiveness, though we know from the start that she's successful, wealthy, and at least attractive enough to have a ridiculously gorgeous ex-fiancee. We don't learn where this insecurity comes from, and why it's taken her until her 30's to come to terms with her gorgeous self. She's also incredibly judgmental, and draws some very serious and hurtful erroneous conclusions about people in her life with little or no consequence. Actually, she does a lot of things with little or no consequence.
I was curious to see the plot come to its conclusion, and I stuck with the book for the 4 hours it took to speed read it. There are editorial mistakes throughout the book, especially towards the end where the narrative switches from first person to third person repeatedly within singular sentences ("I placed her hands..." Who is her? Is her my?). Also, time is either portrayed in a grossly inaccurate manner, or my e-book was missing some editorial marking to indicate a time lapse within chapters. Otherwise, the narrator drives from the city to the Long Island Expressway in a matter of a 10-second conversation with her passenger. They also get off the Expressway for a pitstop in Massapequa, which is geographically impossible given that the LIE is on the north shore of Long Island and Massapequa is on the south shore-- but I digress.
It's currently free on Amazon and I don't regret reading it, but I wouldn't recommend it.
I was curious to see the plot come to its conclusion, and I stuck with the book for the 4 hours it took to speed read it. There are editorial mistakes throughout the book, especially towards the end where the narrative switches from first person to third person repeatedly within singular sentences ("I placed her hands..." Who is her? Is her my?). Also, time is either portrayed in a grossly inaccurate manner, or my e-book was missing some editorial marking to indicate a time lapse within chapters. Otherwise, the narrator drives from the city to the Long Island Expressway in a matter of a 10-second conversation with her passenger. They also get off the Expressway for a pitstop in Massapequa, which is geographically impossible given that the LIE is on the north shore of Long Island and Massapequa is on the south shore-- but I digress.
It's currently free on Amazon and I don't regret reading it, but I wouldn't recommend it.
October 18, 2016
At first the candy names thrown in was a bit much but I did love seeing some of the names pop up. I enjoyed the story line but was a bit disappointed in the relationship part. Lydia's past with Gavin did not make me want to see her with him at all. When she was with Elliott it was interesting and she seemed happy. I know at first it was a paid deal but I think it became more without them realizing it at first. In the story when Gavin came back into Lydia's life I was really disappointed. It took away from the story and the relationship that was developing with Elliott. Didn't like how she flipped back and forth so quickly after admitting to herself she didn't really love Gavin. She said she wanted to be sure but I don't think that was the way to go about it by romancing both guys and stringing them along. I felt bad for Elliott because he seemed more into Lydia than she was and he really thought of her. Gavin I feel didn't think of her. Where was he all this time if it was truly a misunderstanding? Why didn't he fight for her? She was supposed to be friends with Rhonda but Rhonda just let it go that Lydia disappeared? Didn't ask where she was or what was going on? If the book concentrated more on the relationship development between Elliott and Lydia it would have been a higher starred read for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2016
As easy, light confection that doesn't require a whole lot from the reader, but an enjoyable story nonetheless. Not quite up to Childs other books, but fun anyway. There are clearly some proof reading and continuity issues which is part of the reason I ranked it the way I did. The story is a bit choppy and some of the spelling and pronouns are problematic (however this might be due to reading the book on Kindle, sometimes spelling and punctuation errors are from the conversion to digital media.) I liked Lydia, but I could have done without the using Candy as a way of swearing gimmick. For me it felt a little too sweet (pardon the pun). I also found her relationship with Phelps fun, but unrealistic. However, if one is going to read this kinds of genre of literature, one has to be prepared to suspect disbelief a little and be alright with the idea that the hot model you hired to be your boyfriend for the weekend will be gorgeous, have a heart of gold and fall instantly in love with you. I recommend the book if you are looking for something fun and uncomplicated to fill your time for a few hours.
July 17, 2014
3 to 3.5 stars
I found myself without a book today while I was waiting for something. Good thing I always have my phone with me with my Kindle App. I quickly chose this book, as I have liked other books in other genres by Tera Lynn Childs. I was looking for a nice, quick, fluffy read and that is exactly what I got. I read this entire book in few hours. I found it to be an enjoyable read. I liked the writing style. I like the different references to all sorts of candy. I liked our narrator. I even liked all of the side characters. I liked some of the humor too.
I would recommend this book to a friend. When I picked this up from Amazon, it was FREE. It is now a $2.99 purchase OR you can borrow for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library. It's worth checking out, if this is the type of book you are in the mood for.
This is the first in a series of books that all exist in the same world, but follow different narrators. I see the second book is also $2.99 or available to borrow through the Kindle Lending Library. I will most likely check it out too.
Happy Reading!
I found myself without a book today while I was waiting for something. Good thing I always have my phone with me with my Kindle App. I quickly chose this book, as I have liked other books in other genres by Tera Lynn Childs. I was looking for a nice, quick, fluffy read and that is exactly what I got. I read this entire book in few hours. I found it to be an enjoyable read. I liked the writing style. I like the different references to all sorts of candy. I liked our narrator. I even liked all of the side characters. I liked some of the humor too.
I would recommend this book to a friend. When I picked this up from Amazon, it was FREE. It is now a $2.99 purchase OR you can borrow for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library. It's worth checking out, if this is the type of book you are in the mood for.
This is the first in a series of books that all exist in the same world, but follow different narrators. I see the second book is also $2.99 or available to borrow through the Kindle Lending Library. I will most likely check it out too.
Happy Reading!
August 1, 2014
An easy, cotton candy fluff read. Ah look at that, I can make candy references too. I won't say that the MC's candy references were the worst thing about her, but it was up there. Like really up there.
No, what really upset me about Lydia was her about-face concerning her ex-fiance. And then how she treated the ex and Phelps. Do you remember that one group from the Twilight fandom? The ones who wanted nothing more than for Jacob and Edward to say "Fuck her," and leave Bella in the dust? I was one of those girls for this book. Gavin and Phelps should have ridden off into the sunset on a motorcycle, giving Lydia the finger and singing Sweet Caroline at the top of their lungs.
Okay, I got a little carried away there. No, I didn't. This tots should've happened.
Looking past all that though, this really was something to break up my reading and have a little fun. And it worked for the most part. Don't take this one seriously, and you'll like it.
Check out A Goddess Reads for more reviews!
No, what really upset me about Lydia was her about-face concerning her ex-fiance. And then how she treated the ex and Phelps. Do you remember that one group from the Twilight fandom? The ones who wanted nothing more than for Jacob and Edward to say "Fuck her," and leave Bella in the dust? I was one of those girls for this book. Gavin and Phelps should have ridden off into the sunset on a motorcycle, giving Lydia the finger and singing Sweet Caroline at the top of their lungs.
Okay, I got a little carried away there. No, I didn't. This tots should've happened.
Looking past all that though, this really was something to break up my reading and have a little fun. And it worked for the most part. Don't take this one seriously, and you'll like it.
Check out A Goddess Reads for more reviews!
September 2, 2012
I wish I had read other reviewers about the choose-your-own ending. I really hate books like that. Such a cop out!
The character's obsession with candy is cute for the first couple chapters, and the cuteness stop and it just becomes uncomfortable. Also, the jumping from one scene to another really confuses me. At times I feel like I've accidentally skipped a page or two.
I am giving this book a 3 since I did enjoy it for a free book, but I wouldn't pay $$ for it. I really really hate the ending!
The character's obsession with candy is cute for the first couple chapters, and the cuteness stop and it just becomes uncomfortable. Also, the jumping from one scene to another really confuses me. At times I feel like I've accidentally skipped a page or two.
I am giving this book a 3 since I did enjoy it for a free book, but I wouldn't pay $$ for it. I really really hate the ending!
May 18, 2013
I would have given this book five stars, if it weren't for the countless typos and grammatical errors(I mean, did the author just give up on editing, or what?), and the surprise *SPOILER ALERT* "choose your own adventure" ending–that really threw me off. If the book didn't start off this was way, than why end it this way? That aspect nearly made me want to stop reading, but of course, I had to see what the alternate endings were. Otherwise, though, I found the story entertaining, and enjoyed the main character.
June 13, 2012
I totally enjoyed this book...until the very last chapter. Then I was disappointed. It's hard to write this review without spoiling it, but I'll try...
The story is cute, fun, entertaining. The characters were likeable, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. but the ending felt like a bit of a cop-out, and it felt rushed, not flushed out, and well...left a lot to be desired. Disappointing for an otherwise pretty good book.
The story is cute, fun, entertaining. The characters were likeable, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. but the ending felt like a bit of a cop-out, and it felt rushed, not flushed out, and well...left a lot to be desired. Disappointing for an otherwise pretty good book.
January 23, 2015
This book was not one of my favorite. I didn't like how the end was. I don't like how it wasn't choose your ending kind of book. Some people might find this to be something they like. Because in the ending will come out exactly how they want it. I like books that have a definite ending because it shows how that character thinks. All in all this was not one of my favorite books and I probably will not recommend it to anyone I know.
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October 5, 2012This was a pretty fun book to read. The main character is obsessed with candy of all kinds. There are a lot of really funny 'candy jokes' but as you watch the main character grows the 'candy jokes' fizzled out with was sad. It was also really cool and fun that this story had alternate endings!
June 1, 2011
I chose Elliot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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