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Headstrong
Some hearts only want what they can’t have…
Libby Prentiss is ready to simply be herself. After half a lifetime rebelling against her privileged family’s expectations, she hopes her biological research trip to New Zealand will cut the cord for good.
It doesn’t take long to spot the hopelessly amateurish spy her overprotective father has hired to keep an eye on her. Fortunately, Reece Nolan’s desperation to save his family’s pub makes it all too easy to convince him to turn double-agent. Yet there’s something different about him. His icy reserve sets her on fire…and ignites a secret yearning to let him see the mass of insecurities she hides behind her provocative persona.
Where Reece is a glacier of cool self-control, his brother Colin is a hot-blooded, unpredictable volcano. Libby’s instant friendship with Colin is more satisfying than anything she’s ever known—and traps her in completely foreign territory. She’s caught between one man determined to hold her at arm’s length, and another who offers her the intense connection she’s worked so hard to avoid.
Something’s got to give or the fallout could tear them all apart…and put the Nolan family’s future in serious jeopardy.
Warning: Contains an emotional love triangle guaranteed to launch your heart into your throat.
Libby Prentiss is ready to simply be herself. After half a lifetime rebelling against her privileged family’s expectations, she hopes her biological research trip to New Zealand will cut the cord for good.
It doesn’t take long to spot the hopelessly amateurish spy her overprotective father has hired to keep an eye on her. Fortunately, Reece Nolan’s desperation to save his family’s pub makes it all too easy to convince him to turn double-agent. Yet there’s something different about him. His icy reserve sets her on fire…and ignites a secret yearning to let him see the mass of insecurities she hides behind her provocative persona.
Where Reece is a glacier of cool self-control, his brother Colin is a hot-blooded, unpredictable volcano. Libby’s instant friendship with Colin is more satisfying than anything she’s ever known—and traps her in completely foreign territory. She’s caught between one man determined to hold her at arm’s length, and another who offers her the intense connection she’s worked so hard to avoid.
Something’s got to give or the fallout could tear them all apart…and put the Nolan family’s future in serious jeopardy.
Warning: Contains an emotional love triangle guaranteed to launch your heart into your throat.
301 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2011
151 people want to read
About the author
Meg Maguire
31 books270 followersSince she began writing in 2008, Meg Maguire has published nearly forty romances and erotic novels with a variety of publishers, sometimes under the pen names Cara McKenna and C.M. McKenna. Her stories have been acclaimed for their smart, modern voice and defiance of convention. She was a 2015 RITA Award finalist, a 2014 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award winner, a 2012 and 2011 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee, and a 2010 Golden Heart Award finalist. She lives with her husband and baby son in the Pacific Northwest, though she’ll always be a Boston girl at heart.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 24, 2012
I'll write a full review later. Pros and cons for now.
Pros:
- Delightfully insane heroine
- Not set in small-town America, or America at all for that matter
- A love triangle that neither shows its cards too early nor makes me sad for the one left out
- Fabulous, rich characterization
- Great exploration of sexuality in all of its weird messyness
-
Cons:
- The fabulous character study was cheapened a bit by the book's use of a bunch of genre cliches.
- never sings It's Not Unusual during any of the karaoke scenes. Inexcusable.
Pros:
- Delightfully insane heroine
- Not set in small-town America, or America at all for that matter
- A love triangle that neither shows its cards too early nor makes me sad for the one left out
- Fabulous, rich characterization
- Great exploration of sexuality in all of its weird messyness
-
Cons:
- The fabulous character study was cheapened a bit by the book's use of a bunch of genre cliches.
- never sings It's Not Unusual during any of the karaoke scenes. Inexcusable.
January 7, 2012
I’ll be honest. The only reason I bothered finishing this book is because I’ve loved so many other works by this author. If this had been the first thing I’d ever read by her, I would’ve been done by the third chapter and written off trying anything else.
The plot is straightforward love triangle. Libby is a free-spirited rebel, living on a boat, certified genius who likes to stir the pot. Reece is uptight and glacial, with an eye for the straight and narrow, while his brother Colin is much like Libby. Libby meets both brothers in separate incidents – Colin when he rescues her from an annoying drunk, Reece when she catches him spying on her for her father. Soon, she’s wormed her way into their lives, and all three of them are left wondering just what is going on.
I’m not going to talk anymore about the plot. It’ll spoil everything, and the way it’s played out, it’s impossible to tell just who is going to end up with who until almost the end. Each is given time to explore their point of view, turning it into a bona fide love triangle. There’s just one major problem. I absolutely couldn’t stand Libby. At all. And without liking her, I just got angrier and angrier at how she acted with both brothers.
That’s not to say she’s not well-drawn. She’s clear as day. She manipulates, she likes creating trouble, and she has no problems keeping people on edge. While I liked her initial introduction, as soon as I saw her behavior outside of that specific incident, my opinion of her plummeted. It didn’t matter whose eyes I saw her through, whether it was Reece’s or Colin’s, and it only got worse when it was her own and I could follow her manipulative thoughts. What was probably meant to be forthright and quirky annoyed me to the bone. I loathed how she treated people, and wished more than once she would just go away.
Reece and Colin are much more sympathetic, even as different as they are. Their family is the emotional core of the story, and their presence helps a little bit to mitigate some of the damage having Libby around did for me. But it wasn’t enough. And I was definitely not satisfied with the ending. I was so frustrated with Libby’s treatment of both men that it wouldn’t have mattered which one she ended up with. They both deserved better, frankly. None of her backstory that was meant to help make me understand or like her did anything but make me roll my eyes.
I wouldn’t suggest this as an introduction to this author’s work. I’m not even sure I’d suggest it for a fan of her work. My reactions to Libby are extreme, though, so maybe others might not have the issues with her that I did.
The plot is straightforward love triangle. Libby is a free-spirited rebel, living on a boat, certified genius who likes to stir the pot. Reece is uptight and glacial, with an eye for the straight and narrow, while his brother Colin is much like Libby. Libby meets both brothers in separate incidents – Colin when he rescues her from an annoying drunk, Reece when she catches him spying on her for her father. Soon, she’s wormed her way into their lives, and all three of them are left wondering just what is going on.
I’m not going to talk anymore about the plot. It’ll spoil everything, and the way it’s played out, it’s impossible to tell just who is going to end up with who until almost the end. Each is given time to explore their point of view, turning it into a bona fide love triangle. There’s just one major problem. I absolutely couldn’t stand Libby. At all. And without liking her, I just got angrier and angrier at how she acted with both brothers.
That’s not to say she’s not well-drawn. She’s clear as day. She manipulates, she likes creating trouble, and she has no problems keeping people on edge. While I liked her initial introduction, as soon as I saw her behavior outside of that specific incident, my opinion of her plummeted. It didn’t matter whose eyes I saw her through, whether it was Reece’s or Colin’s, and it only got worse when it was her own and I could follow her manipulative thoughts. What was probably meant to be forthright and quirky annoyed me to the bone. I loathed how she treated people, and wished more than once she would just go away.
Reece and Colin are much more sympathetic, even as different as they are. Their family is the emotional core of the story, and their presence helps a little bit to mitigate some of the damage having Libby around did for me. But it wasn’t enough. And I was definitely not satisfied with the ending. I was so frustrated with Libby’s treatment of both men that it wouldn’t have mattered which one she ended up with. They both deserved better, frankly. None of her backstory that was meant to help make me understand or like her did anything but make me roll my eyes.
I wouldn’t suggest this as an introduction to this author’s work. I’m not even sure I’d suggest it for a fan of her work. My reactions to Libby are extreme, though, so maybe others might not have the issues with her that I did.
February 11, 2012
Romance is not my usual genre so I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. The heroine is a bit of a free spirit and reminded me so much of a wild friend I had in high school - I couldn't help but love her. She's not as tough as she makes out, and falls into a weird love triangle/friendship with two (hot) brothers - one who is a reserved Ice Prince and the other who is more willing to give up his heart but is healing from events in his dark past. I really enjoyed how that aspect was resolved, HEA and all. I thought the characterizations were really well done.
My only gripe with this was that it was set in Wellington and I just didn't believe it. Sure, the author had the geography all OK and name dropped the street names regularly enough but I never got the sense that she had ever been to Wellington or if she has, hasn't spent enough time there. I see another reviewer stating "this was set in a quaint town in NZ" - um, Wellington is a major city in this country, the CBD is a collection of high rise buildings that tower over you, and it's where you work you if you are a "suit". Wellington houses the government and all the bureaucracy that goes with it. It's hardly "quaint" (does this look quaint to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExlPPj...). But then, you never really get that "sprawled out city nestled between endless hills and the beautiful blue harbour" atmosphere from this novel. And she only mentions the wind once, I think. I love Wellington and would move there in a heartbeat, and I think the author didn't quite nail the sense that (every kiwi knows) "you can't beat Wellington on a good day." /getsoffmyWellingtonsoapboxnow.
That gripe aside, this was an engaging read and I would definitely read more from this author.
My only gripe with this was that it was set in Wellington and I just didn't believe it. Sure, the author had the geography all OK and name dropped the street names regularly enough but I never got the sense that she had ever been to Wellington or if she has, hasn't spent enough time there. I see another reviewer stating "this was set in a quaint town in NZ" - um, Wellington is a major city in this country, the CBD is a collection of high rise buildings that tower over you, and it's where you work you if you are a "suit". Wellington houses the government and all the bureaucracy that goes with it. It's hardly "quaint" (does this look quaint to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExlPPj...). But then, you never really get that "sprawled out city nestled between endless hills and the beautiful blue harbour" atmosphere from this novel. And she only mentions the wind once, I think. I love Wellington and would move there in a heartbeat, and I think the author didn't quite nail the sense that (every kiwi knows) "you can't beat Wellington on a good day." /getsoffmyWellingtonsoapboxnow.
That gripe aside, this was an engaging read and I would definitely read more from this author.
January 3, 2012
If you enjoyed Meg's Trespass and Reluctant Nude, you're likely to love Headstrong, too. It's a tough book to review without spoilers, so I guess I'll just say it's a fun, quirky story, slow to reveal all its secrets but emotionally satisfying in the end. The heroine, Libby, is -- as the title suggests -- a headstrong, unconventional character. It's fun watching the brothers who make up the other two sides of the book's wacky romantic triangle, Colin and Reese, try to figure out what to make of her (and, as reader, trying to figure her out for myself). If you're expecting instant heroine identification & best friend status, probably best to look elsewhere, but if you like an interesting, unconventional romantic story with strong characters and fabulous dialogue, this one's worth your time.
March 9, 2019
3.5 stars or higher, like all of maguire/mckenna's stuff
it took me a VERY long time to finish this book because the beginning was a rocky start -- some two-dimensional characters, one of whom i simply hated as a person, and an annoying dynamic between the hero and heroine.
so i set this book aside after two chapters for the better part of a year.
a few weeks ago i came back to it, and in relatively short order maguire rescued it for me. the characterizations became deeper and better thought-out. the secondary characters, some of whom became primary characters, were much more likable. the main tension of the novel turned out to not be what i thought it was going to be only two chapters in.
at one point, maguire completely dumbfounded me with the direction of the novel -- and i mean this in a good way. it wasn't incoherent or discordant -- in fact, she'd clearly been setting this up all along, but i am so used to rote readings of mediocre authors that i hadn't considered that she would bother to pull this card out of her sleeve, or even find the card to begin with, for that matter. so, good on her for the feint followed by a satisfying ending.
in the end, maguire delivered another strong, thoughtful, funny, realistic story of people interacting, hurting one another, making each other laugh, and amazing one another.
she's the bomb. don't miss this one, even if maybe the first few chapters put you off.
it took me a VERY long time to finish this book because the beginning was a rocky start -- some two-dimensional characters, one of whom i simply hated as a person, and an annoying dynamic between the hero and heroine.
so i set this book aside after two chapters for the better part of a year.
a few weeks ago i came back to it, and in relatively short order maguire rescued it for me. the characterizations became deeper and better thought-out. the secondary characters, some of whom became primary characters, were much more likable. the main tension of the novel turned out to not be what i thought it was going to be only two chapters in.
at one point, maguire completely dumbfounded me with the direction of the novel -- and i mean this in a good way. it wasn't incoherent or discordant -- in fact, she'd clearly been setting this up all along, but i am so used to rote readings of mediocre authors that i hadn't considered that she would bother to pull this card out of her sleeve, or even find the card to begin with, for that matter. so, good on her for the feint followed by a satisfying ending.
in the end, maguire delivered another strong, thoughtful, funny, realistic story of people interacting, hurting one another, making each other laugh, and amazing one another.
she's the bomb. don't miss this one, even if maybe the first few chapters put you off.
April 16, 2018
DNF 40% (at Ch. 9)
I hate Libby.
I hate Libby.
July 2, 2015
4.5 stars
I loved this one! Took me a while to read it mostly because I didn't have time to read not that I didn't want to!
I think I loved it so much because I could really relate to Libby. Though our life is different in SO many ways, some things I totally get, especially what happened with our boys which in my eyes were both extremely hot and yummy! Not only because they are beautifully sculpted also because of who they are. They are so different and yet I could find myself attracted to both of them.
We have "care-free" Libby, going off to New Zealand to do a research in biochemistry. Since her father considers her to be a menace he hires Reece to follow her, take pictures of her and basically see that she "behaves". Reece isn't a spy.. far from it, but he needs the money to save his family's bar. Libby totally sees through him and catches him in no-time but instead of ruining Reece's job she decides to try and make him a double spy for extra benefit.
Along the way, Libby gets to know Reece's family - his hunk of a brother - Colin (YUM!), his older sister and their mother. She totally fits into Reece's family and he really doesn't know what to do about it, especially when Libby offers or rather asks Reece to have a strange relationship with her.
Libby feels safe with the cold hearted Reece, she knows he won't hurt her since she isn't even sure how much he likes her.. (with him it's REALLY hard to know..) Colin on the other hand is totally different - a total man-whore (or that's what the "rumors" imply) which she find quite intimidating but he is also great fun (especially on Karaoke nights) so naturally they become best friends. As her best friend, Colin tries helping Libby win his brother's heart which isn't an easy job for him considering he has a major but secretly crush on her.
I'm happy with how this story developed and how it was resolved. As you can guess I'm NOT going to tell you which one Libby ends up with. But I will say that I wasn't sure which one it will be. Maybe someone else will see it with a heartbeat but for me, who would have probably made the EXACT same thing it wasn't that obvious.. In a way I see why both of them are perfect for her but also I see that the one she chooses in the end is the "right one" for her. The one she truly needs but also the one who needs her.
If you're wondering why it's a 4.5 stars and not full 5 it's something to do with Libby which was kinda awkward at certain times and I wasn't sure if she was totally believable. But all in all I loved her and I felt her aches and difficulties.
This is another great book by Meg Maguire which as you already know I was introduced to through "Strangers on a Train" - "Thank you for Riding", but since then I also read the "Wilinski's trilogy" and the "Reluctant Nude" which was also great. I have 3 more books by her I want to read and then I want to read the books she wrote in the name Cara McKenna.
Yeah, totally recommended. I really wish I had a Reece and a Colin near by though I'm not doing ANY Karaoke!
I loved this one! Took me a while to read it mostly because I didn't have time to read not that I didn't want to!
I think I loved it so much because I could really relate to Libby. Though our life is different in SO many ways, some things I totally get, especially what happened with our boys which in my eyes were both extremely hot and yummy! Not only because they are beautifully sculpted also because of who they are. They are so different and yet I could find myself attracted to both of them.
We have "care-free" Libby, going off to New Zealand to do a research in biochemistry. Since her father considers her to be a menace he hires Reece to follow her, take pictures of her and basically see that she "behaves". Reece isn't a spy.. far from it, but he needs the money to save his family's bar. Libby totally sees through him and catches him in no-time but instead of ruining Reece's job she decides to try and make him a double spy for extra benefit.
Along the way, Libby gets to know Reece's family - his hunk of a brother - Colin (YUM!), his older sister and their mother. She totally fits into Reece's family and he really doesn't know what to do about it, especially when Libby offers or rather asks Reece to have a strange relationship with her.
Libby feels safe with the cold hearted Reece, she knows he won't hurt her since she isn't even sure how much he likes her.. (with him it's REALLY hard to know..) Colin on the other hand is totally different - a total man-whore (or that's what the "rumors" imply) which she find quite intimidating but he is also great fun (especially on Karaoke nights) so naturally they become best friends. As her best friend, Colin tries helping Libby win his brother's heart which isn't an easy job for him considering he has a major but secretly crush on her.
I'm happy with how this story developed and how it was resolved. As you can guess I'm NOT going to tell you which one Libby ends up with. But I will say that I wasn't sure which one it will be. Maybe someone else will see it with a heartbeat but for me, who would have probably made the EXACT same thing it wasn't that obvious.. In a way I see why both of them are perfect for her but also I see that the one she chooses in the end is the "right one" for her. The one she truly needs but also the one who needs her.
If you're wondering why it's a 4.5 stars and not full 5 it's something to do with Libby which was kinda awkward at certain times and I wasn't sure if she was totally believable. But all in all I loved her and I felt her aches and difficulties.
This is another great book by Meg Maguire which as you already know I was introduced to through "Strangers on a Train" - "Thank you for Riding", but since then I also read the "Wilinski's trilogy" and the "Reluctant Nude" which was also great. I have 3 more books by her I want to read and then I want to read the books she wrote in the name Cara McKenna.
Yeah, totally recommended. I really wish I had a Reece and a Colin near by though I'm not doing ANY Karaoke!
November 26, 2012
4 stars.
EDIT: the edition/format I read was a non-Kindle e-book.
This is only my second Meg Maguire book (and by no means my last!).
Day after the night before impressions:
This is the first book in weeks that really caught my interest and attention. I started it last night and could barely put it down to go to sleep; I awoke in the middle of the night and couldn't settle back for wanting to read more -- so I did! When finished it in the wee hours, I still couldn't sleep for thinking about it. Though currently still sleep deprived (worked a full day today and still haven't been to bed), I have very strong, mixed impressions of the book.
In terms of the plot, I found it heavily soaped, with strained credibility. Furthermore, there was at least one plot point that was not at all resolved. Probably for the best, the story did not take any of the many plot-paths that I expected it would while I was reading it. However, I'm not sure, even now, that I'm happy with how it ended. It might not have been possible to end it handily, as there was just so much going on! That said, and convoluted as everything was, this story was a page-turner!
Credit to the author: it was vividly and deftly written. The characters were drawn with depth and the locale was painted with ... well, lots of local color. I wished to go to New Zealand before, but now I feel as though I've had a visit and loved it enough to want to go back!
More than that, however, I really was caught up in the issues of the people who populated the book. Wow, did they ever have Issues. But, to give the author her due, holy heck, did the characters just jump off the pages!
Believable? Not so much.
Riveting? Absolutely!
I would recommend this book. Meg Maguire is a keen storyteller!
EDIT: the edition/format I read was a non-Kindle e-book.
This is only my second Meg Maguire book (and by no means my last!).
Day after the night before impressions:
This is the first book in weeks that really caught my interest and attention. I started it last night and could barely put it down to go to sleep; I awoke in the middle of the night and couldn't settle back for wanting to read more -- so I did! When finished it in the wee hours, I still couldn't sleep for thinking about it. Though currently still sleep deprived (worked a full day today and still haven't been to bed), I have very strong, mixed impressions of the book.
In terms of the plot, I found it heavily soaped, with strained credibility. Furthermore, there was at least one plot point that was not at all resolved. Probably for the best, the story did not take any of the many plot-paths that I expected it would while I was reading it. However, I'm not sure, even now, that I'm happy with how it ended. It might not have been possible to end it handily, as there was just so much going on! That said, and convoluted as everything was, this story was a page-turner!
Credit to the author: it was vividly and deftly written. The characters were drawn with depth and the locale was painted with ... well, lots of local color. I wished to go to New Zealand before, but now I feel as though I've had a visit and loved it enough to want to go back!
More than that, however, I really was caught up in the issues of the people who populated the book. Wow, did they ever have Issues. But, to give the author her due, holy heck, did the characters just jump off the pages!
Believable? Not so much.
Riveting? Absolutely!
I would recommend this book. Meg Maguire is a keen storyteller!
April 21, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
A handsome, tattooed, bicycle courier vs. an uptight, stick in the mud former Olympian about to become police officer. Who would you choose? This touching story winds its way through secrets and history letting each character make their mistakes and detailing the way they all find their way to the future they want.
The best part of this story is also the worst. Libby, our heroine, seems to have her life in order – but really, it’s a mess. While on the surface, the story deals with her time doing research in New Zealand – making friends and having a good time, what she's really doing is straightening out her past and laying the groundwork for the future. In the mean time, her decisions are not always the safest or the most “sensical”.
Reece, Colin, Libby – They each hold a secret that's keeping them from moving forward, and the plot deals with each and entwines the answers around each of them and the three of them as a whole. No one can heal without the other two.
It’s a nice, in-depth book, and the heros are likeable as well as “hero” material. Libby is a little whiny and damaged, but the plot makes it work. It’s a good book to read when you need an engaging story. Put it on your to-be-read pile today!
A handsome, tattooed, bicycle courier vs. an uptight, stick in the mud former Olympian about to become police officer. Who would you choose? This touching story winds its way through secrets and history letting each character make their mistakes and detailing the way they all find their way to the future they want.
The best part of this story is also the worst. Libby, our heroine, seems to have her life in order – but really, it’s a mess. While on the surface, the story deals with her time doing research in New Zealand – making friends and having a good time, what she's really doing is straightening out her past and laying the groundwork for the future. In the mean time, her decisions are not always the safest or the most “sensical”.
Reece, Colin, Libby – They each hold a secret that's keeping them from moving forward, and the plot deals with each and entwines the answers around each of them and the three of them as a whole. No one can heal without the other two.
It’s a nice, in-depth book, and the heros are likeable as well as “hero” material. Libby is a little whiny and damaged, but the plot makes it work. It’s a good book to read when you need an engaging story. Put it on your to-be-read pile today!
May 6, 2012
I wasn't going to read this book because romances with a love triangle have about as much appeal for me as romances featuring mimes, secret babies or anyone with the last name Kardashian.
But because it was the only book by Meg Maguire that I hadn't yet read, I took the plunge. I'm so happy I did. Oddly, the premise that initially turned me off actually worked to create a strong romantic tension that was incredibly satisfying when it finally becomes clear which brother Libby is going to choose.
The book isn't without its flaws. Libby was somewhat unlikeable in the beginning and the relationship/issues with her father didn't create convincing conflict. Also, anytime her tangled, near dread-locked hair was mentioned, I wanted to grab a pair of scissors along with a good hairbrush and reach into my Kindle to fix it.
Once Libby started to reveal more about herself, though, I found myself liking her quite a bit and all the annoying character traits fell away. The setting of New Zealand was also a nice change of pace.
Overall, like all of Meg Maguire's books, the writing is solid, the characters are believable, the sex is sexy and the endings are happy. What more could a girl want?
But because it was the only book by Meg Maguire that I hadn't yet read, I took the plunge. I'm so happy I did. Oddly, the premise that initially turned me off actually worked to create a strong romantic tension that was incredibly satisfying when it finally becomes clear which brother Libby is going to choose.
The book isn't without its flaws. Libby was somewhat unlikeable in the beginning and the relationship/issues with her father didn't create convincing conflict. Also, anytime her tangled, near dread-locked hair was mentioned, I wanted to grab a pair of scissors along with a good hairbrush and reach into my Kindle to fix it.
Once Libby started to reveal more about herself, though, I found myself liking her quite a bit and all the annoying character traits fell away. The setting of New Zealand was also a nice change of pace.
Overall, like all of Meg Maguire's books, the writing is solid, the characters are believable, the sex is sexy and the endings are happy. What more could a girl want?
March 3, 2013
Liked:
- Writing was ok.
- I enjoyed Reece's character though sometimes he was prone to stupidity.
Didn't Like:
- Someone broke the Bro Code here. Don't go for your friend's girlfriend, especially don't go for you brother's girlfriend. Wow, I really didn't expect Colin and Libby to get together, I thought this was going to be a Libby/Reece book. @.@ Like seriously, I don't know what was so great about Libby that Colin fell in love so instantaneously. I just felt like Colin and Reece deserved better than Libby, who just comes in and messes everything up.
- And WTF was with the "kissing instruction" between Libby and Reece, it was so strange.
- Lost interest in the latter third of the book, when Colin and Libby got together.
- Prone to info dumps. Ex: Between Libby and Colin after they met with her dad. We get quite a few paragraphs of dialogue of them explaining the past.
- Characterization of the supporting cast was very 2 dimensional. Ex: Libby's father, Libby's sister, Reece's sister, Reece's mother.
- I thought this book was going to have more spying in it. >.< It was just setup in the beginning unfortunately.
All in all, didn't like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2014
Certainly, this is a romance--but it breaks a lot of the rules of the genre, and the result is a contemporary romance that feels more like a real-life courtship story. Don't worry...not too much life real life. The premise, for example, is not something that would happen to us normal folks.
Libby has Issues stemming from a terrible relationship with her father. Her super-rich father, who also has Issues, hires a man to follow her around and make sure she's not getting herself into to much trouble. Libby figures him out pretty much immediately, convinces him to turn double agent, and develops a major crush on him.
And meanwhile develops a deep friendship with his brother Colin. Who also (in case you were wondering) has Issues--and develops a major crush on Libby.
I'm not a fan of love triangles, but McKenna made it work for me. And since when have I read a romance novel that surprised me? This one did.
Libby's a great character, far out of the romance-heroine mold, and really, to tell much more would mean spoilers. I think this is a great novel for those of us who love romance, read a lot of it, and appreciate when an author does something that we thought couldn't be done.
Libby has Issues stemming from a terrible relationship with her father. Her super-rich father, who also has Issues, hires a man to follow her around and make sure she's not getting herself into to much trouble. Libby figures him out pretty much immediately, convinces him to turn double agent, and develops a major crush on him.
And meanwhile develops a deep friendship with his brother Colin. Who also (in case you were wondering) has Issues--and develops a major crush on Libby.
I'm not a fan of love triangles, but McKenna made it work for me. And since when have I read a romance novel that surprised me? This one did.
Libby's a great character, far out of the romance-heroine mold, and really, to tell much more would mean spoilers. I think this is a great novel for those of us who love romance, read a lot of it, and appreciate when an author does something that we thought couldn't be done.
September 21, 2013
Between a 3 and a 3.5 for me. Never having read Meg Maguire (or books in her other published name) I was pleasantly surprised by how well she built the chemistry between Libby and Colin. I loved them together-- every scene felt authentic and heartfelt, and eventually really, really wonderfully steamy. I was so excited for them to finally get together! The triangle aspect with Reece was kind of intriguing before I knew where the story was really headed, and then it just got cold and kind of creepy. Why Libby insisted on having "feelings" for someone who obviously had no interest in her was written into the ground. I wish that storyline had petered out long before it actually did. I also found Libby really annoying in the beginning, but she grew on me by the end. No matter the flaws, Libby and Colin's relationship was the star of this book and it made me a fan. It was really well done. I would read more by this author.
February 2, 2012
3.5 Stars
Headstong by Meg Maguire is set in a quaint town in New Zealand. It’s a story about a love triangle involving free spirit Libby and brothers Reece and Colin. Fun ensues with karaoke, paintball combat, and kissing lessons. There is enough serious to balance out the fun, tug at your heartstrings and make this story believable.
To read Angeline's entire review please visit:
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
Headstong by Meg Maguire is set in a quaint town in New Zealand. It’s a story about a love triangle involving free spirit Libby and brothers Reece and Colin. Fun ensues with karaoke, paintball combat, and kissing lessons. There is enough serious to balance out the fun, tug at your heartstrings and make this story believable.
To read Angeline's entire review please visit:
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
February 8, 2012
I think Meg Maguire and her alter ego Cara McKenna are (is?) probably my favorite romance/erotica authors.
This book sucked me in with its totally insane tough cookie heroine who isn't quite what she seems. I adored her.
There were elements that reminded me a littel of Curio but as usual this is not a clone of previous books. It has a gripping story that kept me guessing until the end.
Highly recommended.
This book sucked me in with its totally insane tough cookie heroine who isn't quite what she seems. I adored her.
There were elements that reminded me a littel of Curio but as usual this is not a clone of previous books. It has a gripping story that kept me guessing until the end.
Highly recommended.
October 7, 2015
Would have been much better as a novella. I wound up skipping a bunch of repetitive stuff and the obvious story arc just made me feel bored waiting for what I knew would happen 100+ pages on. The female lead is very new adult - despite her age 28, she acts and thinks like maybe 22 max. As with some other Meg Maguire books, I prefer the male lead to the female. What can I say? She writes great men.
May 2, 2012
4.5 stars- ok where to start... First let me say this was beautifully written! I love this author! Second...although it started a little slow for me realized how complex these character were and quickly became enthralled in there lives, past, present and hopeful for their future. I wish we got a little more in the end but all in all I really did enjoy this read!
January 15, 2012
At first I didn't like the book or the heroine. I finally got into it and was surprised by the change and how Maguire turned it around for me. Sometimes I wanted to shake Libby but I couldn't put it down after that, plus Colin melted my heart.
June 25, 2016
Honestly I would have liked her to end up with the other brother because I think she had the most sexual tension with him and it didn't really satisfy my itch for smut. But overall it was a good read to pass the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2012
review now available at http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/201...
April 20, 2012
Fun book--loved Colin
April 6, 2013
So, so , so good.
March 4, 2016
Didn't finish it.
April 9, 2016
3.75 good. not great, but pretty good. I think it was a bit long, for the amount of storyline it had, but there were certainly points where is really did shine.
June 24, 2016
She's a good writer. very unusual plots and characters.
Read
October 27, 2017Different author. No rating so as not to throw things off. Just keeping track.
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