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Not Your Average Joe
Reality TV just got real in this Cinderella story about a factory worker and a CEO's son… Jennifer Wright is finishing a long shift on the assembly line at Brickman Foods when she meets her newest trainee, Jason Baxter – only that's not his name and she knows it. She recognises him instantly as Jared Brickman, internationally renowned playboy and son of the CEO of Brickman Foods, working undercover to film the reality show, Joe Average. Jared is also the father of Jennifer's son, Chris, although he doesn't know it. The six years since they dated have been momentous for Jennifer, but it's clear when they meet again that Jared doesn't even remember her. Jennifer knew Jared the boy – irresponsible and reckless. Now she has the opportunity to discover Jared the man. She'd like to tell him about his son, but fears his reputation as depicted in celebrity magazines. Is Jared an infamous heartbreaker, or is he the man she sees sweet, shy, and dependable – someone who can be trusted in her son's life…and maybe even her own?
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Nell Carson
3 books12 followersI was born in Philadelphia but grew up in Seattle where I quickly learned to appreciate the sun!
After moving to L.A. my senior year in high school, I graduated from the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Literature.
I now live in sunny Denver, Colorado with my husband Ben and our sweet little boy, Cole.
When I'm not writing or chasing Cole around I like to cook, garden and work on the endless renovations of our 1922 bungalow.
After moving to L.A. my senior year in high school, I graduated from the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Literature.
I now live in sunny Denver, Colorado with my husband Ben and our sweet little boy, Cole.
When I'm not writing or chasing Cole around I like to cook, garden and work on the endless renovations of our 1922 bungalow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 6, 2014
3.5⭐ I really enjoyed Not Your Average Joe. A nice story building the relationship up like every good story you have troubles to overcome, secrets to reveal and you have to deal with some horrible people.
Jennifer is an ordinary single mum coping with her life the best she can she works hard, studies hard and loves her son Chris and the only support she has is from her best friend Mandy they help each other out taking care of their sons.
Jared has been a spoiled playboy all his life and goes undercover at Jennifer's workplace his father's business to film a reality show as an "Average Joe" even though he is in disguise Jennifer recognises him straight away well he is the father of her son so they get to know each other both with their own secrets and their relationship begins to grow.
The reason I did not give this 4* is by 50% I was bored with all the facial description's blush, wink etc and the ending was rushed between Jennifer and Jared the epilogue could have been longer.
Jennifer is an ordinary single mum coping with her life the best she can she works hard, studies hard and loves her son Chris and the only support she has is from her best friend Mandy they help each other out taking care of their sons.
Jared has been a spoiled playboy all his life and goes undercover at Jennifer's workplace his father's business to film a reality show as an "Average Joe" even though he is in disguise Jennifer recognises him straight away well he is the father of her son so they get to know each other both with their own secrets and their relationship begins to grow.
The reason I did not give this 4* is by 50% I was bored with all the facial description's blush, wink etc and the ending was rushed between Jennifer and Jared the epilogue could have been longer.
July 8, 2013
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
There is something you should know about me beforehand: I'm a reality TV junkie! There is rarely a show in the US I'm not familiar with. From the housewives to the Kardashians to the storage wars and even some weird shows like Long Island Medium, I've seen them all. They are so fucking entertaining! How can you not enjoy them? And it happens that while I was watching a marathon of Undercover Boss that I got a review request for Not You Average Joe . There was no way I was going to decline it, the junkie in me knew that I was in for a fun ride and that's exactly what I got.
Not You Average Joe starts as a story about a rich playboy heir of Brickman Foods, Jared Brickman participating in a reality show named Not You Average Joe (Obviously!) where he disguises himself as a worker/trainee in his Denver factory with a purpose of observing how things are working on the inside. That's where he meets his trainer, Jennifer and little did he know that she is the same girl he slept with and played around in college, and now she is the mother of his child. Yes! A secret baby and second chance romance storyline! I'm a huge sucker for this type of romance and I can't express how happy and extremely satisfied I was after finishing this book. Jared was a jerk in college, so I completely understand why Jennifer never told him about the child. Though I wish she would have told him sooner after she recognized him on the first day of his job, I didn't get the delay but that wasn't a big issue for me. What I didn't like at all and had to lower my rating a bit for it was that Jennifer forgave her parents way too easily.
Jennifer has suffered a lot. Not only did she get pregnant at a young age, her parents showed her the door when she confided in them. I thought they were the worst parents ever! Who does that with their own child? And the reason behind it was so pathetic. That's why I got so mad at the end, their reasoning for leaving their daughter in her lowest points and then coming back in her life when she's somewhat stable was ridiculous. A little sorry doesn't make up for all the wrong. I had a lot of anguish regarding this whole scenario, so I had to vent it out. It feels better now. I loved Jennifer since the beginning, she was strong, strategic and a smart woman. She didn't back down and build a great life for herself and her son. It wasn't the best by any standard but atleast it was stable. My favorite part was her interaction with her son, he was such an adorable little kid. I loved his scenes!
Not You Average Joe is a fast paced, highly addicting and an entertaining read. I read it the night I received the copy because I just couldn't stop, it had me hooked from the first page. Jared and Jennifer's relation was an unusual one--him transforming from a careless guy to a responsible one and her trying to live her life one day at a time--they just didn't mash together and I wasn't sure if they would work for a long run, but they proved me wrong. In simple words, I loved Not Your Average Joe and highly recommend fans of contemporary romance and reality tv to give this book a try.
A copy was provided by the author for an honest review. (Thank you!)
There is something you should know about me beforehand: I'm a reality TV junkie! There is rarely a show in the US I'm not familiar with. From the housewives to the Kardashians to the storage wars and even some weird shows like Long Island Medium, I've seen them all. They are so fucking entertaining! How can you not enjoy them? And it happens that while I was watching a marathon of Undercover Boss that I got a review request for Not You Average Joe . There was no way I was going to decline it, the junkie in me knew that I was in for a fun ride and that's exactly what I got.
Not You Average Joe starts as a story about a rich playboy heir of Brickman Foods, Jared Brickman participating in a reality show named Not You Average Joe (Obviously!) where he disguises himself as a worker/trainee in his Denver factory with a purpose of observing how things are working on the inside. That's where he meets his trainer, Jennifer and little did he know that she is the same girl he slept with and played around in college, and now she is the mother of his child. Yes! A secret baby and second chance romance storyline! I'm a huge sucker for this type of romance and I can't express how happy and extremely satisfied I was after finishing this book. Jared was a jerk in college, so I completely understand why Jennifer never told him about the child. Though I wish she would have told him sooner after she recognized him on the first day of his job, I didn't get the delay but that wasn't a big issue for me. What I didn't like at all and had to lower my rating a bit for it was that Jennifer forgave her parents way too easily.
Jennifer has suffered a lot. Not only did she get pregnant at a young age, her parents showed her the door when she confided in them. I thought they were the worst parents ever! Who does that with their own child? And the reason behind it was so pathetic. That's why I got so mad at the end, their reasoning for leaving their daughter in her lowest points and then coming back in her life when she's somewhat stable was ridiculous. A little sorry doesn't make up for all the wrong. I had a lot of anguish regarding this whole scenario, so I had to vent it out. It feels better now. I loved Jennifer since the beginning, she was strong, strategic and a smart woman. She didn't back down and build a great life for herself and her son. It wasn't the best by any standard but atleast it was stable. My favorite part was her interaction with her son, he was such an adorable little kid. I loved his scenes!
Not You Average Joe is a fast paced, highly addicting and an entertaining read. I read it the night I received the copy because I just couldn't stop, it had me hooked from the first page. Jared and Jennifer's relation was an unusual one--him transforming from a careless guy to a responsible one and her trying to live her life one day at a time--they just didn't mash together and I wasn't sure if they would work for a long run, but they proved me wrong. In simple words, I loved Not Your Average Joe and highly recommend fans of contemporary romance and reality tv to give this book a try.
A copy was provided by the author for an honest review. (Thank you!)
July 20, 2013
Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson
Six years ago Jared Brickman was a real jerk. Born into a wealthy family, he uses woman like he changed his clothes. One of those women was 17 year old Jennifer Wright. She gave up her virginity to Jared told him she loved him and was on her way to his frat house to let him know he was about to be a father when she caught him in bed with another woman.
Six years later Jennifer has struggled after that fateful night. She was kicked out of her house by her father and forced to grow up really fast. But she has managed to finish high school, keep a roof over head and is raising her son Chris. She also is going to night school at the local college to become a lawyer.
Now Jared has gone undercover for a Television show called Joe Average. Where the boss goes undercover and sees what it is like to do mundane jobs. But Jennifer recognized Jared even with makeup and a fake nose etc. He is pretending to be Jason Baxter. And Jennifer decides to show him what it is like to work her job.
I did not care for the Hero's character that much. I don't believe he changed and found it very hard to believe he did not recognize Jennifer "Jenny" Wright. It had only been six years. And the only change in her was her hair was curly instead of being straight. To me it showed just how shallow of a person he was. He told her that he remembered her after she admitted it was her ... That part of the story was just not believable for me. If he had been drunk six years go or it had been a one night stand etc. maybe I would have believed it. But this one of a few flaws that ruined what was a pretty good book. You also had Jennifer, who was studying to become a lawyer, but she was subjected to sexual harassment on the job and accepted it because she needed to keep a roof over her and Chris’s head. It is called, call the cops and file a complaint. I also didn’t care for how fast she hopped right back into bed with Jared again.
There were good parts to this story and it is worth the read but I just felt it could have been better with a few changes to it.
3.5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
Six years ago Jared Brickman was a real jerk. Born into a wealthy family, he uses woman like he changed his clothes. One of those women was 17 year old Jennifer Wright. She gave up her virginity to Jared told him she loved him and was on her way to his frat house to let him know he was about to be a father when she caught him in bed with another woman.
Six years later Jennifer has struggled after that fateful night. She was kicked out of her house by her father and forced to grow up really fast. But she has managed to finish high school, keep a roof over head and is raising her son Chris. She also is going to night school at the local college to become a lawyer.
Now Jared has gone undercover for a Television show called Joe Average. Where the boss goes undercover and sees what it is like to do mundane jobs. But Jennifer recognized Jared even with makeup and a fake nose etc. He is pretending to be Jason Baxter. And Jennifer decides to show him what it is like to work her job.
I did not care for the Hero's character that much. I don't believe he changed and found it very hard to believe he did not recognize Jennifer "Jenny" Wright. It had only been six years. And the only change in her was her hair was curly instead of being straight. To me it showed just how shallow of a person he was. He told her that he remembered her after she admitted it was her ... That part of the story was just not believable for me. If he had been drunk six years go or it had been a one night stand etc. maybe I would have believed it. But this one of a few flaws that ruined what was a pretty good book. You also had Jennifer, who was studying to become a lawyer, but she was subjected to sexual harassment on the job and accepted it because she needed to keep a roof over her and Chris’s head. It is called, call the cops and file a complaint. I also didn’t care for how fast she hopped right back into bed with Jared again.
There were good parts to this story and it is worth the read but I just felt it could have been better with a few changes to it.
3.5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2013
I have to say I thought this book was going to be a lot better. Sadly, it just wasn’t. From the start I hated the male lead. Jared was such an asshole for what he had done to Jennifer. I didn’t understand how she could fall for him again after what Jared had done to her. I mean, come on Jen! Have some pride…he used you for a bet and left you pregnant! It wasn’t as though it was a misunderstanding either, he purposely used girls for these sex bets by telling them “I need you to show me your love so I can really believe it.” Granted if a girl really fell for that she probably was an idiot, but that is not how you treat people no matter how stupid they are!
If I was Jennifer, I definitely would have not been as nice to him and would have worked harder on humiliating him as he did to her, but that’s just me lol. I just couldn’t get over how Jennifer easily fell back in love with him and his crap. The author wants you to assume that he really did love Jennifer in the past but was afraid to get involved with her so he cheated on her and used her. In the present, we never really get to see the change. We have to assume that he’s a better man. The author didn’t even explain to the readers how he was a different man or that he wasn’t really a playboy. His “reason” to why he did what he did was pathetic.
I wasn’t a fan of Jennifer either. She was just such a pushover and very fickle. Jennifer would go from, going to tell him about Chris, to he doesn’t deserve to know about Chris because she thought he was a playboy. It became very irritating after the hundredth time she said things along those lines. There really wasn’t any drama in this story. This book was so slow at times. Everything between Jennifer and Jared was just peachy but then towards the end of the book they decided it was best that he stayed away…and he did.
*SIGH* I just expected more angst, such as a dramatic reveal of Chris’s paternity. Sadly, it just wasn’t there. Jared wasn’t even mad that Jennifer kept it a secret from him. He just accepted it and said, “Can we tell him? Please, we need to tell him. Right now.” This is not the first thing that would come out of a guy’s mouth if he just found out he was the father of a six year-old. And the epilogue…what a disappointment. Jared wasn’t even in it. In general this book was a disappointment but I didn’t hate hate it. So the book gets 2 stars.
If I was Jennifer, I definitely would have not been as nice to him and would have worked harder on humiliating him as he did to her, but that’s just me lol. I just couldn’t get over how Jennifer easily fell back in love with him and his crap. The author wants you to assume that he really did love Jennifer in the past but was afraid to get involved with her so he cheated on her and used her. In the present, we never really get to see the change. We have to assume that he’s a better man. The author didn’t even explain to the readers how he was a different man or that he wasn’t really a playboy. His “reason” to why he did what he did was pathetic.
I wasn’t a fan of Jennifer either. She was just such a pushover and very fickle. Jennifer would go from, going to tell him about Chris, to he doesn’t deserve to know about Chris because she thought he was a playboy. It became very irritating after the hundredth time she said things along those lines. There really wasn’t any drama in this story. This book was so slow at times. Everything between Jennifer and Jared was just peachy but then towards the end of the book they decided it was best that he stayed away…and he did.
*SIGH* I just expected more angst, such as a dramatic reveal of Chris’s paternity. Sadly, it just wasn’t there. Jared wasn’t even mad that Jennifer kept it a secret from him. He just accepted it and said, “Can we tell him? Please, we need to tell him. Right now.” This is not the first thing that would come out of a guy’s mouth if he just found out he was the father of a six year-old. And the epilogue…what a disappointment. Jared wasn’t even in it. In general this book was a disappointment but I didn’t hate hate it. So the book gets 2 stars.
August 27, 2013
Sometimes you unexpectedly find a gem. This book is one.
From the very beginning the story draws you in and the characters come to life, playing like a movie in your head. They make you love them or hate them. Sometimes both at the same time.
Jared for example – for the first third of the book I was hating him with a fierce and deep passion. He was a gigantic douche and on more than one occasion I felt compelled to kick him in the nuts so hard that he would choke on them. But that changed throughout the story and I started to like him more and more. At the end I was swept of my feet and swooning like a maniac.
Jennifer on the other hand, I liked from the start. She was such a likeable character. A good-natured, loving, caring and friendly woman, without being naive or a push-over. Although there were some decisions she made in her life that weren't the smartest, she was a realistic and sweet character. A fighter, she is still going strong despite the cards that life dealt her. I enjoyed how this book portrayed an adult woman, single-mother and someone working a blue-collar job in a factory, tackling day to day issues like money, health-insurance, fear of unemployment. It was very real. Something that was easy to understand and to experience along Jennifer during the course of the story.
The supporting characters were a joy and well-written without redirecting the attention from Jennifer and Jared. But they were allowed to shine and show their personality. Some of them won my heart over in an instant, like Mandy or Cynthia. Other, mainly Snyder and Adam, made me so angry I was actually growling.
The story had many up and downs, some detours and some unexpected twists up to the end. And even though I was sure, there would be a happy ending, I had no idea how happy it would be.
Despite the lack of real smuttiness, this book was perfect.
5 brilliant, surprising stars.
From the very beginning the story draws you in and the characters come to life, playing like a movie in your head. They make you love them or hate them. Sometimes both at the same time.
Jared for example – for the first third of the book I was hating him with a fierce and deep passion. He was a gigantic douche and on more than one occasion I felt compelled to kick him in the nuts so hard that he would choke on them. But that changed throughout the story and I started to like him more and more. At the end I was swept of my feet and swooning like a maniac.
Jennifer on the other hand, I liked from the start. She was such a likeable character. A good-natured, loving, caring and friendly woman, without being naive or a push-over. Although there were some decisions she made in her life that weren't the smartest, she was a realistic and sweet character. A fighter, she is still going strong despite the cards that life dealt her. I enjoyed how this book portrayed an adult woman, single-mother and someone working a blue-collar job in a factory, tackling day to day issues like money, health-insurance, fear of unemployment. It was very real. Something that was easy to understand and to experience along Jennifer during the course of the story.
The supporting characters were a joy and well-written without redirecting the attention from Jennifer and Jared. But they were allowed to shine and show their personality. Some of them won my heart over in an instant, like Mandy or Cynthia. Other, mainly Snyder and Adam, made me so angry I was actually growling.
The story had many up and downs, some detours and some unexpected twists up to the end. And even though I was sure, there would be a happy ending, I had no idea how happy it would be.
Despite the lack of real smuttiness, this book was perfect.
5 brilliant, surprising stars.
July 25, 2013
3.5 stars
Not Your Average Joe is not the first book I've read by Nell Carson. You can always expect Nell Carson to deliver a sweet contemporary romance and that is exactly what I got in Not Your Average Joe.
Jennifer, our heroine is works hard in the assembly line in Brickman Foods. She needs the job and the money to support her son and herself as her parents abandoned her a long time ago when they found out she was pregnant in college. I really liked Jennifer. She was determined to make the best of her situation and to work with what she got. She was sensible and smart.
While working Jennifer meets Jason, her new trainee who is actually the famous play boy Jared Brickman posing for a new reality show called as Joe Average. Jennifer recognizes him the instant she meets him but she fears losing her son if she confesses that Jared is the father. So begins their journey. It is obvious that Jared is attracted to Jennifer, yet there are secrets keeping them apart.
The romance between Jennifer and Jared was sweet. I liked Jennifer but I didn't really like Jared. He was more of a beta hero and failed to be assertive. I thought he was a bit immature and self centered compared to Jennifer and I would have liked to see a bit more depth to him. Yet, I enjoyed all the conversations between Jennifer and Jared.
The story line of Not Your Average Joe is fairly simple but it still manages to pull you in. It makes for a cute and quick read. You get the very predictable happy ending but it still makes for a sweet read. If you're a fan of sweet contemporary romances, Nell Carson's books are it.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. We thank the author.
Not Your Average Joe is not the first book I've read by Nell Carson. You can always expect Nell Carson to deliver a sweet contemporary romance and that is exactly what I got in Not Your Average Joe.
Jennifer, our heroine is works hard in the assembly line in Brickman Foods. She needs the job and the money to support her son and herself as her parents abandoned her a long time ago when they found out she was pregnant in college. I really liked Jennifer. She was determined to make the best of her situation and to work with what she got. She was sensible and smart.
While working Jennifer meets Jason, her new trainee who is actually the famous play boy Jared Brickman posing for a new reality show called as Joe Average. Jennifer recognizes him the instant she meets him but she fears losing her son if she confesses that Jared is the father. So begins their journey. It is obvious that Jared is attracted to Jennifer, yet there are secrets keeping them apart.
The romance between Jennifer and Jared was sweet. I liked Jennifer but I didn't really like Jared. He was more of a beta hero and failed to be assertive. I thought he was a bit immature and self centered compared to Jennifer and I would have liked to see a bit more depth to him. Yet, I enjoyed all the conversations between Jennifer and Jared.
The story line of Not Your Average Joe is fairly simple but it still manages to pull you in. It makes for a cute and quick read. You get the very predictable happy ending but it still makes for a sweet read. If you're a fan of sweet contemporary romances, Nell Carson's books are it.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. We thank the author.
September 11, 2013
Hott Synopsis:
Little brother needs to learn about the real world.
Cynthia Brickman can’t help herself. It’s her last chance to help her brother, Jared, start acting like the man she knows he’s meant to be. Sure, bringing a t.v. crew in to watch him go undercover in the family’s grocery conglomerate may be a bit extreme but hey – maybe making a fool out of himself will do the trick… or at least help her talk her father out of outsourcing everything.
Jennifer can’t believe she’s still here! She’s been working in the Brickman factory for way too long! Every day there’s another chance that one of the Brickman crew will get a look at her son and realize that he’s one of theirs. Jennifer needs to get them both out of here!
Then Jared Brickman walks through the door.
Hott Review:
Absolutely adorable! I couldn’t put it down. Just the perfect romantic mix of Cinderella & Undercover Boss to make the day’s reading thoroughly entrancing. It’s not deep or overly emotional just light, fun & a great read.
More…
Source: Author
Grade: A
Steam: YA
Little brother needs to learn about the real world.
Cynthia Brickman can’t help herself. It’s her last chance to help her brother, Jared, start acting like the man she knows he’s meant to be. Sure, bringing a t.v. crew in to watch him go undercover in the family’s grocery conglomerate may be a bit extreme but hey – maybe making a fool out of himself will do the trick… or at least help her talk her father out of outsourcing everything.
Jennifer can’t believe she’s still here! She’s been working in the Brickman factory for way too long! Every day there’s another chance that one of the Brickman crew will get a look at her son and realize that he’s one of theirs. Jennifer needs to get them both out of here!
Then Jared Brickman walks through the door.
Hott Review:
Absolutely adorable! I couldn’t put it down. Just the perfect romantic mix of Cinderella & Undercover Boss to make the day’s reading thoroughly entrancing. It’s not deep or overly emotional just light, fun & a great read.
More…
Source: Author
Grade: A
Steam: YA
August 4, 2013
Single mother Jennifer Wright works on the production line at Brickman Foods. The hours are long, the standards high and the manager is difficult but it’s the only job she’s been able to get without completing her college education and having little in the way of family support since she got pregnant with her 6yo son at just 18.
One day as she’s finishing her shift, the manager approaches and introduces her to her latest trainee, Jason Baxter only Jennifer knows that’s not really who he is. He’s Jared Brickman, the son of the owner and CEO, playboy, darling of the tabloids…and the father of her son. Jennifer hasn’t seen him since he humiliated her and he has no idea that his son even exists. Jennifer suspects that Jared is undercover to film an episode of the reality show Average Joe where high placed businessmen work at the base levels of their own companies with no one knowing who they are.
It’s clear that Jared doesn’t even remember her. Jennifer is surprised how quickly he picks up on the job and also his suggestions for making things easier. But the manager knows who Jared is and takes his suggestions on board because of that. Jared doesn’t know what it’s like to be under the constant threat of losing his job if he doesn’t meet targets or shows up late for reasons that cannot be helped. And although Jared does pick things up, Jennifer is insulted by several of his opinions and the fact that he doesn’t remember her and she keeps her information to herself, especially about Chris. Jared has money, lots of it and she doesn’t want to face a situation where he might potentially sue her for full custody. She knows she’d never be able to fight that.
The more time she spends with Jared/Jason, the more the old attraction flares between them even though the tabloids have him engaged to a celebrity heiress who loves the limelight as much as he does. Which of the personas is real? The public heartbreaker with the flashy suits or the man that has been working by her side?
Not Your Average Joe borrows its story line from the TV series Undercover Boss where CEO’s etc of large corporations go undercover to work for the company at the lowest levels, all whilst being filmed. The workers have no idea that their new worker is their boss and often hilarious things are captured on camera and in some instances, the boss has been embarrassed by their inability to do the job. Brickman Foods have a plant in Denver but what the workers don’t know is that there’s a danger the plant will move to Mexico where production costs are cheaper. The CEO, Jared’s father, is getting ready to hand the reins over to his son but Jared doesn’t want them – he thinks his sister would be a far better choice but his father would never accept that as an option.
I think a lot of this book hinges on the character of Jared/Jason and because of that, it fall short of the mark for me. Jared is arrogant and shallow, spouting off his views on single mothers and how they’re all lazy/on welfare/deserve what they get etc from his position of being rich and privileged. He has absolutely no idea about anything, especially what it’s like to work in his own company and although he does learn, if you don’t know something maybe you should shut up about it? I don’t think anyone ever looked at single mothers and went gee, that gig totally looks easy, I should do that for all the mad perks of the job. And of course Jennifer is a single mother, the single mother of his child so that doesn’t particularly endear him to her but she seems to get over his views incredibly quickly.
And then there’s the fact that Jared doesn’t even remember Jennifer whom he slept with and told that he loved her 6 years ago. That’s understandable at the beginning, she has the hairnet etc on and he can’t see much of her face. But even after that, when he sees her properly, he doesn’t remember her. How many people do you need to sleep with in 6 years that you forget one of them even when they’re standing right in front of your face? I know he was in college and shallow but it wasn’t just one drunken hook up, it did happen more than that and it was also the scene of something incredibly humiliating – how do you just forget that? I was baffled.
I liked Jennifer, I liked her friend, a fellow single mother who worked a night shift at Brickman Foods. The two women helped each other out with childcare, allowing them to work alternate shifts. I also liked Jared’s sister and the story line about her being the perfect person to run the company and also caring about the workers and not wanting to move the production plant to Mexico. But I didn’t like Jared and his inconsistent character. He was a debonair playboy who blushed all the time and was quiet and shy. If a character has to tell you all the time how shy and charming another character is, then they’re not really. There’s a good exploration of class bias and I think the factory setting makes a refreshing change but unfortunately, the romance angle really didn’t work for me at all.
One day as she’s finishing her shift, the manager approaches and introduces her to her latest trainee, Jason Baxter only Jennifer knows that’s not really who he is. He’s Jared Brickman, the son of the owner and CEO, playboy, darling of the tabloids…and the father of her son. Jennifer hasn’t seen him since he humiliated her and he has no idea that his son even exists. Jennifer suspects that Jared is undercover to film an episode of the reality show Average Joe where high placed businessmen work at the base levels of their own companies with no one knowing who they are.
It’s clear that Jared doesn’t even remember her. Jennifer is surprised how quickly he picks up on the job and also his suggestions for making things easier. But the manager knows who Jared is and takes his suggestions on board because of that. Jared doesn’t know what it’s like to be under the constant threat of losing his job if he doesn’t meet targets or shows up late for reasons that cannot be helped. And although Jared does pick things up, Jennifer is insulted by several of his opinions and the fact that he doesn’t remember her and she keeps her information to herself, especially about Chris. Jared has money, lots of it and she doesn’t want to face a situation where he might potentially sue her for full custody. She knows she’d never be able to fight that.
The more time she spends with Jared/Jason, the more the old attraction flares between them even though the tabloids have him engaged to a celebrity heiress who loves the limelight as much as he does. Which of the personas is real? The public heartbreaker with the flashy suits or the man that has been working by her side?
Not Your Average Joe borrows its story line from the TV series Undercover Boss where CEO’s etc of large corporations go undercover to work for the company at the lowest levels, all whilst being filmed. The workers have no idea that their new worker is their boss and often hilarious things are captured on camera and in some instances, the boss has been embarrassed by their inability to do the job. Brickman Foods have a plant in Denver but what the workers don’t know is that there’s a danger the plant will move to Mexico where production costs are cheaper. The CEO, Jared’s father, is getting ready to hand the reins over to his son but Jared doesn’t want them – he thinks his sister would be a far better choice but his father would never accept that as an option.
I think a lot of this book hinges on the character of Jared/Jason and because of that, it fall short of the mark for me. Jared is arrogant and shallow, spouting off his views on single mothers and how they’re all lazy/on welfare/deserve what they get etc from his position of being rich and privileged. He has absolutely no idea about anything, especially what it’s like to work in his own company and although he does learn, if you don’t know something maybe you should shut up about it? I don’t think anyone ever looked at single mothers and went gee, that gig totally looks easy, I should do that for all the mad perks of the job. And of course Jennifer is a single mother, the single mother of his child so that doesn’t particularly endear him to her but she seems to get over his views incredibly quickly.
And then there’s the fact that Jared doesn’t even remember Jennifer whom he slept with and told that he loved her 6 years ago. That’s understandable at the beginning, she has the hairnet etc on and he can’t see much of her face. But even after that, when he sees her properly, he doesn’t remember her. How many people do you need to sleep with in 6 years that you forget one of them even when they’re standing right in front of your face? I know he was in college and shallow but it wasn’t just one drunken hook up, it did happen more than that and it was also the scene of something incredibly humiliating – how do you just forget that? I was baffled.
I liked Jennifer, I liked her friend, a fellow single mother who worked a night shift at Brickman Foods. The two women helped each other out with childcare, allowing them to work alternate shifts. I also liked Jared’s sister and the story line about her being the perfect person to run the company and also caring about the workers and not wanting to move the production plant to Mexico. But I didn’t like Jared and his inconsistent character. He was a debonair playboy who blushed all the time and was quiet and shy. If a character has to tell you all the time how shy and charming another character is, then they’re not really. There’s a good exploration of class bias and I think the factory setting makes a refreshing change but unfortunately, the romance angle really didn’t work for me at all.
August 1, 2013
Not Your Average Joe. Nell Carson.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
I'm a sucker for a rags-to-riches type romance so this book sounded one I'd enjoy, and it was. Jennifer is a factory supervisor, living with her six year old son, and sharing the care with good friend and fellow worker and her young son. The factory has been selected for a reality show programme where a company boss works anonymously among the staff. Jennifers' boss introduces a new trainee to her one morning, and she recognises him as the company CEO in disguise. She was at school with him, and he doesn't know it but he's the father of her son. She then realises the set up, but feels it will give her a chance to get to know him and see if he really is the arrogant playboy portrayed in the media, or whether he's worthy of knowing he has a son. She wants what’s best for Chris, not a father that dips in and out of his life when it suits him. He doesn't recognise her, after all she didn't know at the time but found out very graphically that she was one of many....
Its a good set up, and I felt like Jennifer that at first he was just a stupid pampered burke. Some of his swinging statements about people were just what I feel those in his position really think sadly :( As the Native Americans say “ walk a month in a man's shoes” or something along those lines, to see what his/her life is really like. Its easy to judge when you've never had to fight for something, whether is a roof over your head, food or paying the bills. Working alongside the others Jared/Jason got a real insight into the practicalities of life, and it was an experience that made him think more about the work, the workers and his own life. Underneath the arrogance was a good man, but shaped and prejudiced by his upbringing.
There were incidences on the factory floor that really happen, lack of maintenance, problems that take too long to fix, supplies that are needed but cost money and of course that old tradition of sexual harassment. Of course there's laws against it but they're expensive and hard to prove, and usually people need the job and money more than the hassle of dealing with it, so as Jennifer does they simply suck it up and try to work round it.
Jennifer was likable, strong person, working hard for a better life for her and Chris, Jared was arrogant at first, but learned such a lot about life and himself over his few days at the factory and the months following. Mandy, Jennifers best friend was a true friend, funny and supportive and played a big part in the final actions in the tale.
I loved this book, it was a sweet romance, with a fairly decent story to carry it. Having worked in similar positions I know what happened is what so often true...and that added to the reality of the story for me. Of course in real life Jared would probably remain a prick, and Jennifer would still be struggling but who wants to read that sort of reality? Not me, I want a HEA. There were moments of humour, moments of romance and some sad parts that had me feeling a little choked.
Overall its an enjoyable story, light and gentle, with some great funny moments (him indoors says he sees me smile when its a humorous novel) The romance was sweet, not whirlwind, breathtaking, heart-stopping but gentle and felt true.
Priced at £2.67 for 212 pages its in the lower end of my VFM scale – Its not one I'd re read, I enjoyed it as a one off but would need it to be richer, with stronger highs and lows to be a keeper. Sadly shorter books as this rarely get that depth, one reason I like longer books but for a quick escape for a few hours of romance and a HEA its perfect.
Stars: nice solid four.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
I'm a sucker for a rags-to-riches type romance so this book sounded one I'd enjoy, and it was. Jennifer is a factory supervisor, living with her six year old son, and sharing the care with good friend and fellow worker and her young son. The factory has been selected for a reality show programme where a company boss works anonymously among the staff. Jennifers' boss introduces a new trainee to her one morning, and she recognises him as the company CEO in disguise. She was at school with him, and he doesn't know it but he's the father of her son. She then realises the set up, but feels it will give her a chance to get to know him and see if he really is the arrogant playboy portrayed in the media, or whether he's worthy of knowing he has a son. She wants what’s best for Chris, not a father that dips in and out of his life when it suits him. He doesn't recognise her, after all she didn't know at the time but found out very graphically that she was one of many....
Its a good set up, and I felt like Jennifer that at first he was just a stupid pampered burke. Some of his swinging statements about people were just what I feel those in his position really think sadly :( As the Native Americans say “ walk a month in a man's shoes” or something along those lines, to see what his/her life is really like. Its easy to judge when you've never had to fight for something, whether is a roof over your head, food or paying the bills. Working alongside the others Jared/Jason got a real insight into the practicalities of life, and it was an experience that made him think more about the work, the workers and his own life. Underneath the arrogance was a good man, but shaped and prejudiced by his upbringing.
There were incidences on the factory floor that really happen, lack of maintenance, problems that take too long to fix, supplies that are needed but cost money and of course that old tradition of sexual harassment. Of course there's laws against it but they're expensive and hard to prove, and usually people need the job and money more than the hassle of dealing with it, so as Jennifer does they simply suck it up and try to work round it.
Jennifer was likable, strong person, working hard for a better life for her and Chris, Jared was arrogant at first, but learned such a lot about life and himself over his few days at the factory and the months following. Mandy, Jennifers best friend was a true friend, funny and supportive and played a big part in the final actions in the tale.
I loved this book, it was a sweet romance, with a fairly decent story to carry it. Having worked in similar positions I know what happened is what so often true...and that added to the reality of the story for me. Of course in real life Jared would probably remain a prick, and Jennifer would still be struggling but who wants to read that sort of reality? Not me, I want a HEA. There were moments of humour, moments of romance and some sad parts that had me feeling a little choked.
Overall its an enjoyable story, light and gentle, with some great funny moments (him indoors says he sees me smile when its a humorous novel) The romance was sweet, not whirlwind, breathtaking, heart-stopping but gentle and felt true.
Priced at £2.67 for 212 pages its in the lower end of my VFM scale – Its not one I'd re read, I enjoyed it as a one off but would need it to be richer, with stronger highs and lows to be a keeper. Sadly shorter books as this rarely get that depth, one reason I like longer books but for a quick escape for a few hours of romance and a HEA its perfect.
Stars: nice solid four.
August 19, 2013
Review:
Well, I confess that I live for Cinderella and secret baby tropes (among others of course) and thus, this story was just up my alley. And, in general, it fulfilled and met all my expectations on what I prefer to read about when taking on a book with these particular favorite themes.
Gist: Hardworking single mother Jennifer is working her pretty butt off at Brickman food factory when her evil ex and, coincidentally, father of her son and heir to the food empire Jennifer is an employee of, saunters in with a quite questionable disguise (according to her) and introduces himself as her trainee. He, of course, is filming Undercover Boss, where he must show how brilliant or pathetic he is at the most basic jobs in his own food factory, so that audiences can laugh at his failure. And between sorting carrots, Jared and Jennifer have time to rekindle their love without him knowing her and her admitting she knows him.
My interest and fascination with reality tv is basically zero so I wasn’t too excited for this part of the plot, but it all tied together nicely and it gave the book something original next to everything else. I don’t recall many stores with the reality show element.
The romance was sweet and subtle, there was no overwhelming passion and love declarations here. Jared and Jennifer got to know each other, there was attraction, they grew close, and after trials and tribulations and misunderstandings and confusion, they came together. I liked how their relationship developed and didn’t jump from stage one to happy-ever-after. They actually got to know each other first (with or without Jared’s lousy disguise).
Meh parts:
There were some really cliché and rolling my eyes moments and I couldn’t contain my anger towards the two dads – they deserved hard kicks in the backside area. In addition, the fact that Jared couldn’t recognize Jennifer didn’t really speak in his favor and was quite odd, people don’t change that much. Do they?
I was also hoping that the big revelation about Chris would have been more special with some decent bonding scenes and not just as an afterthought. Then again, it wasn’t too shabby, so I’ll leave my complaints regarding this here.
Characters:
Jennifer was admirable and hardworking, always present for her colleagues and trying to balance her heavy work and study load with her time with her cute son. She was likable and easy to root for, but I would have liked her to kick more butt in regards to the nasty boss, Jared taking responsibility for their relationship and her fighting for their love.
Jared, despite the wealth, looks and charm, came across a normal person – human – , making mistakes, doubting oneself, having regrets, being embarrassed, blushing, not knowing what he wants, etc, I really felt that he stood apart from all the typical macho millionaire hunks who have all figured out and just needed a woman to complete their lives. Jared was a simple vulnerable guy underneath it all, someone who could change only for the better. I’d like to read more about such heroes who are not hard as rock and too flawless to take seriously.
Overall:
This was a charming quick and easy read. It had some really adorable moments, an array of likable characters and a sweet love story. It’s not without its issues, but I still recommend this as light reading.
Well, I confess that I live for Cinderella and secret baby tropes (among others of course) and thus, this story was just up my alley. And, in general, it fulfilled and met all my expectations on what I prefer to read about when taking on a book with these particular favorite themes.
Gist: Hardworking single mother Jennifer is working her pretty butt off at Brickman food factory when her evil ex and, coincidentally, father of her son and heir to the food empire Jennifer is an employee of, saunters in with a quite questionable disguise (according to her) and introduces himself as her trainee. He, of course, is filming Undercover Boss, where he must show how brilliant or pathetic he is at the most basic jobs in his own food factory, so that audiences can laugh at his failure. And between sorting carrots, Jared and Jennifer have time to rekindle their love without him knowing her and her admitting she knows him.
My interest and fascination with reality tv is basically zero so I wasn’t too excited for this part of the plot, but it all tied together nicely and it gave the book something original next to everything else. I don’t recall many stores with the reality show element.
The romance was sweet and subtle, there was no overwhelming passion and love declarations here. Jared and Jennifer got to know each other, there was attraction, they grew close, and after trials and tribulations and misunderstandings and confusion, they came together. I liked how their relationship developed and didn’t jump from stage one to happy-ever-after. They actually got to know each other first (with or without Jared’s lousy disguise).
Meh parts:
There were some really cliché and rolling my eyes moments and I couldn’t contain my anger towards the two dads – they deserved hard kicks in the backside area. In addition, the fact that Jared couldn’t recognize Jennifer didn’t really speak in his favor and was quite odd, people don’t change that much. Do they?
I was also hoping that the big revelation about Chris would have been more special with some decent bonding scenes and not just as an afterthought. Then again, it wasn’t too shabby, so I’ll leave my complaints regarding this here.
Characters:
Jennifer was admirable and hardworking, always present for her colleagues and trying to balance her heavy work and study load with her time with her cute son. She was likable and easy to root for, but I would have liked her to kick more butt in regards to the nasty boss, Jared taking responsibility for their relationship and her fighting for their love.
Jared, despite the wealth, looks and charm, came across a normal person – human – , making mistakes, doubting oneself, having regrets, being embarrassed, blushing, not knowing what he wants, etc, I really felt that he stood apart from all the typical macho millionaire hunks who have all figured out and just needed a woman to complete their lives. Jared was a simple vulnerable guy underneath it all, someone who could change only for the better. I’d like to read more about such heroes who are not hard as rock and too flawless to take seriously.
Overall:
This was a charming quick and easy read. It had some really adorable moments, an array of likable characters and a sweet love story. It’s not without its issues, but I still recommend this as light reading.
August 28, 2013
As reviewed by Meg on fic-talk.com
When I was first asked to read and review Not Your Average Joe, by Nell Carson, I immediately started thinking of that old reality bachelor-wannabe show Joe Millionaire (I think that was the name of it? OMG it seems like soooo long ago!) Even those the summary was clearly NOT along those lines, that's just what imagery the title evoked. That being said, this was a quick and easy read, and I was pretty surprised with it by the end.
Not Your Average Joe follows Jennifer, an assembly line worker at a food processing plant, who has a young son, a thin wallet, and a very busy life. She sees very little of her child, works long hours, and then spends her nights working on her degree. Needless to say, she's shocked when her son's filthy stinkin' rich baby daddy (ain't no shame, that's what he is, sheesh) shows up at her work in the disguise of a new trainee, and she's the one who has to train him. Funny thing is, Jennifer knows he's not a trainee, because her kids baby daddy is the son of the CEO of the company she works for. He's there filming a reality show based on CEO's having to go to work for their own companies (someone should really make that show happen, I could totally go for seeing the Walton's running a cash register at the local Walmart or Donald Trump getting his hands dirty at whatever Donald Trump's companies do…).
The other funny thing is? Baby Daddy has NO clue who Jennifer is. Apparently he's loved on enough women since they hooked up that he doesn't recall her and obviously, he has no clue that he has a kid with his new trainer. Looks like the makings of some entertaining drama.
I have to say that as the book unfolds, and Jennifer and Jared embark on their little adventure in the Brickman Foods assembly line, it doesn't turn out quite like I expected. Jennifer flip flops back and forth on whether or not to like Jared, and as we learn more about him, he seems to be nothing like we're originally told he was. I spent most of the time reading wishing that Jared would find his testicles and man up to his dad, and that Jennifer would do the same and man up to Jared about his kid. That being said, I did enjoy the development of their relationship and the interactions between Jennifer and everyone around her. The characters were sound and full of life, they developed over the course of the book and the author did a great job of creating a solid backstory for Jennifer and her son Chris. However, I did have issues with the backstory with Jared. It was never cohesively pulled together to mesh with the story of present-day Jared.
Not Your Average Joe was fairly well written, even though at times the plot felt rushed and lacked cohesion. The characters were fun, and to be honest, I enjoyed the book as a quick weekend read. My only major complaint was that the ending lacked any credibility as far as Jared's reaction to the truth. I felt that there should have been a little more anger in regards to his reaction to Jennifer hiding his son from him, but hey! It was definitely a happily ever after kinda ending :)
When I was first asked to read and review Not Your Average Joe, by Nell Carson, I immediately started thinking of that old reality bachelor-wannabe show Joe Millionaire (I think that was the name of it? OMG it seems like soooo long ago!) Even those the summary was clearly NOT along those lines, that's just what imagery the title evoked. That being said, this was a quick and easy read, and I was pretty surprised with it by the end.
Not Your Average Joe follows Jennifer, an assembly line worker at a food processing plant, who has a young son, a thin wallet, and a very busy life. She sees very little of her child, works long hours, and then spends her nights working on her degree. Needless to say, she's shocked when her son's filthy stinkin' rich baby daddy (ain't no shame, that's what he is, sheesh) shows up at her work in the disguise of a new trainee, and she's the one who has to train him. Funny thing is, Jennifer knows he's not a trainee, because her kids baby daddy is the son of the CEO of the company she works for. He's there filming a reality show based on CEO's having to go to work for their own companies (someone should really make that show happen, I could totally go for seeing the Walton's running a cash register at the local Walmart or Donald Trump getting his hands dirty at whatever Donald Trump's companies do…).
The other funny thing is? Baby Daddy has NO clue who Jennifer is. Apparently he's loved on enough women since they hooked up that he doesn't recall her and obviously, he has no clue that he has a kid with his new trainer. Looks like the makings of some entertaining drama.
I have to say that as the book unfolds, and Jennifer and Jared embark on their little adventure in the Brickman Foods assembly line, it doesn't turn out quite like I expected. Jennifer flip flops back and forth on whether or not to like Jared, and as we learn more about him, he seems to be nothing like we're originally told he was. I spent most of the time reading wishing that Jared would find his testicles and man up to his dad, and that Jennifer would do the same and man up to Jared about his kid. That being said, I did enjoy the development of their relationship and the interactions between Jennifer and everyone around her. The characters were sound and full of life, they developed over the course of the book and the author did a great job of creating a solid backstory for Jennifer and her son Chris. However, I did have issues with the backstory with Jared. It was never cohesively pulled together to mesh with the story of present-day Jared.
Not Your Average Joe was fairly well written, even though at times the plot felt rushed and lacked cohesion. The characters were fun, and to be honest, I enjoyed the book as a quick weekend read. My only major complaint was that the ending lacked any credibility as far as Jared's reaction to the truth. I felt that there should have been a little more anger in regards to his reaction to Jennifer hiding his son from him, but hey! It was definitely a happily ever after kinda ending :)
July 8, 2013
When I was first asked to read and review Not Your Average Joe, by Nell Carson, I immediately started thinking of that old reality bachelor-wannabe show Joe Millionaire (I think that was the name of it? OMG it seems like soooo long ago!) Even those the summary was clearly NOT along those lines, that's just what imagery the title envoked. That being said, this was a quick and easy read, and I was pretty surprised with it by the end.
Not Your Average Joe follows Jennifer, an assembly line worker at a food processing plant who has a young son, a thin wallet, and a very busy life. She sees very little of her child, works long hours, and then spends her nights working on her degree. Needless to say, she's shocked when her son's filthy stinkin' rich baby daddy (ain't no shame, that's what he is, sheesh) shows up at her work in the disguise of a new trainee, and she's the one who has to train him. Funny thing is, Jennifer knows he's not a trainee, because her kids baby daddy is the son of the CEO of the company she works for. He's there filming a reality show based on CEO's having to go to work for their own companies (someone should really make that show happen, I could totally go for seeing the Walton's running a cash register at the local Walmart or Donald Trump getting his hands dirty at whatever Donald Trump's companies do…)
The other funny thing is? Baby Daddy has NO clue who Jennifer is. Apparently he's loved on enough women since they hooked up that he doesn't recall her and obviously, he has no clue that he has a kid with his new trainer. Looks like the makings of some entertaining drama.
I have to say that as the book unfolds, and Jennifer and Jared embark on their little adventure in the Brickman Foods assembly line, it doesn't turn out quite like I expected. Jennifer flip flops back and forth on whether or not to like Jared, and as we learn more about him, he seems to be nothing like we're originally told he was. I spent most of the time reading wishing that Jared would find his testicles and man up to his dad, and that Jennifer would do the same and man up to Jared about his kid. That being said, I did enjoy the development of their relationship and the interactions between Jennifer and everyone around her. The characters were sound and full of life, they developed over the course of the book and the author did a great job of creating a solid backstory for Jennifer and her son Chris. However, I did have issues with the backstory with Jared. It was never cohesively pulled together to mesh with the story of present-day Jared.
Not Your Average Joe was fairly well written, even though at times the plot felt rushed and lacked cohesion. The characters were fun, and to be honest, I enjoyed the book as a quick weekend read. My only major complaint was that the ending lacked any credibility as far as Jared's reaction to the truth. It was definitely a happily ever after kinda ending :)
3.5 Stars
November 27, 2013
First reviewed for Red Hot Books: http://redhotbooks.com/2013/11/review...
One of my favorite tropes is the secret baby one so when I read the blurb for Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson, I knew this book would be right up my alley. Although the plot for these types of books is predictable, I still enjoy them and read pretty much every book I come across with this theme.
Jennifer Wright is a single mom who works during the day at Brickman Foods and attends law school at night. At the end of her shift one day her boss brings over new employee Jason Baxter and asks Jennifer to train him. The only problem is Jennifer instantly recognizes him as Jared Brickman, the son of the owner of the plant – and the father of her 6 year old son. Jared is there to film an “Undercover Boss” type show so she plays along and doesn’t let on that she knows him. Jennifer has always struggled with whether or not to tell Jared about their son, and their close working relationship makes the urge to tell him even stronger.
The back story between Jennifer and Jared really portrays him as a cheating asshole and it is a little hard to overcome that dislike even as the story progresses. Granted we’ve all done things we weren’t proud of in college, but it seems that he is still an asshole. His comments about single moms and daycares really do not help us like him at all. Jennifer on the other hand I really liked. After getting pregnant in high school her parents kicked her out and she was on her own. She had to drop out of school because she was so ill during her pregnancy but now that her son is older she has gone back and not only completed high school and college, but she is in law school.
Jennifer is being sexually harassed by the plant manager and her friend Mandy is determined to do something about it. Unbeknownst to her, Mandy has been in contact with Jared’s sister in an attempt to get the manager fired. When their father won’t do anything about it, Jared and his sister take matters into their own hands. A video is obtained of the manager assaulting Jennifer and they show it during the live airing of the show. I found myself cheering for Mandy and Cynthia and I’m hoping they get their own books.
I enjoyed the book overall but there were just a few things that irked me. One was the fact that the author never really redeemed Jared which made it a little difficult to cheer for him in the end. The second thing was the big reveal that Jared was Chris’ father. It was just blurted out, he took her word for it and they ran and told Chris immediately. There was no time to absorb the shock, none of the normal are you sure questions, nothing. I felt like so much more could have been done with that scene.
If you are looking for a fast read with a predictable story then you will enjoy this one. I wouldn’t hesitate to try more of Ms. Carson’s books and if this happens to turn into a series I will be reading them all.
One of my favorite tropes is the secret baby one so when I read the blurb for Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson, I knew this book would be right up my alley. Although the plot for these types of books is predictable, I still enjoy them and read pretty much every book I come across with this theme.
Jennifer Wright is a single mom who works during the day at Brickman Foods and attends law school at night. At the end of her shift one day her boss brings over new employee Jason Baxter and asks Jennifer to train him. The only problem is Jennifer instantly recognizes him as Jared Brickman, the son of the owner of the plant – and the father of her 6 year old son. Jared is there to film an “Undercover Boss” type show so she plays along and doesn’t let on that she knows him. Jennifer has always struggled with whether or not to tell Jared about their son, and their close working relationship makes the urge to tell him even stronger.
The back story between Jennifer and Jared really portrays him as a cheating asshole and it is a little hard to overcome that dislike even as the story progresses. Granted we’ve all done things we weren’t proud of in college, but it seems that he is still an asshole. His comments about single moms and daycares really do not help us like him at all. Jennifer on the other hand I really liked. After getting pregnant in high school her parents kicked her out and she was on her own. She had to drop out of school because she was so ill during her pregnancy but now that her son is older she has gone back and not only completed high school and college, but she is in law school.
Jennifer is being sexually harassed by the plant manager and her friend Mandy is determined to do something about it. Unbeknownst to her, Mandy has been in contact with Jared’s sister in an attempt to get the manager fired. When their father won’t do anything about it, Jared and his sister take matters into their own hands. A video is obtained of the manager assaulting Jennifer and they show it during the live airing of the show. I found myself cheering for Mandy and Cynthia and I’m hoping they get their own books.
I enjoyed the book overall but there were just a few things that irked me. One was the fact that the author never really redeemed Jared which made it a little difficult to cheer for him in the end. The second thing was the big reveal that Jared was Chris’ father. It was just blurted out, he took her word for it and they ran and told Chris immediately. There was no time to absorb the shock, none of the normal are you sure questions, nothing. I felt like so much more could have been done with that scene.
If you are looking for a fast read with a predictable story then you will enjoy this one. I wouldn’t hesitate to try more of Ms. Carson’s books and if this happens to turn into a series I will be reading them all.
September 10, 2013
NOTE: I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Clean, fast-paced and light is how I can sum up this NA novel. Truth be told, I love clean NA novels. The other kind is jut too intimate and personal and not my type of read. Most of the time.
Anyway, the story was quite simple. Girl met boy and fell in love. He knocked her up and ditched her. She told him nothing about the baby. They met again after years but he didn't even recognize her.
And that's how the story begins.
Jennifer had a hard time dealing with her new status of a teenage mom with nowhere to go to and no one to get help from. But she made it through. Now she has a job that supports her and her son and she's about to make it through college. Now that's a good definition of a hardworking, independent woman, who knows what she's capable of. it's sad though that there is even a need to be like that.I mean, the best case scenario is almost always a family where there is a mom and a dad. But Jennifer is doing her best to fill up for both parental roles.
Enter Jason and Jennifer's world goes 180 degrees in a different direction. He didn't recognize little Jenny, the sweet girl he'd so easily broken the heart of. But she recognized him right away. Of course, Jennifer didn't welcome him with open arms, nor did she tell him who she was. I can't blame her. He was an unreliable playboy whose list of female conquests was quite long.
Then a bunch of drama happens and we finally get a glimpse of Jason's real personality. The truth is that Jason is unsure of himself. He's been told some things about his male predecessors that horrify him. Because of them he believes that he could only ever hurt the woman he ends up falling in love with. Which is why he doesn't allow himself to get so attached that he'd end up loving anyone.
To be honest, out of all the characters (besides Jennifer), I liked Jason's sister the most. She was brilliant in scheming and figuring out how to solve the whole mess of problems and drama that had been so easily manufactured.
Summary: This was a truly amazing book about the strength of a mother's character. I loved it, every bit of it. And the contents were clean, no in-depth intimate scenes or offensive language. Exactly my kind of read!
Clean, fast-paced and light is how I can sum up this NA novel. Truth be told, I love clean NA novels. The other kind is jut too intimate and personal and not my type of read. Most of the time.
Anyway, the story was quite simple. Girl met boy and fell in love. He knocked her up and ditched her. She told him nothing about the baby. They met again after years but he didn't even recognize her.
And that's how the story begins.
Jennifer had a hard time dealing with her new status of a teenage mom with nowhere to go to and no one to get help from. But she made it through. Now she has a job that supports her and her son and she's about to make it through college. Now that's a good definition of a hardworking, independent woman, who knows what she's capable of. it's sad though that there is even a need to be like that.I mean, the best case scenario is almost always a family where there is a mom and a dad. But Jennifer is doing her best to fill up for both parental roles.
Enter Jason and Jennifer's world goes 180 degrees in a different direction. He didn't recognize little Jenny, the sweet girl he'd so easily broken the heart of. But she recognized him right away. Of course, Jennifer didn't welcome him with open arms, nor did she tell him who she was. I can't blame her. He was an unreliable playboy whose list of female conquests was quite long.
Then a bunch of drama happens and we finally get a glimpse of Jason's real personality. The truth is that Jason is unsure of himself. He's been told some things about his male predecessors that horrify him. Because of them he believes that he could only ever hurt the woman he ends up falling in love with. Which is why he doesn't allow himself to get so attached that he'd end up loving anyone.
To be honest, out of all the characters (besides Jennifer), I liked Jason's sister the most. She was brilliant in scheming and figuring out how to solve the whole mess of problems and drama that had been so easily manufactured.
Summary: This was a truly amazing book about the strength of a mother's character. I loved it, every bit of it. And the contents were clean, no in-depth intimate scenes or offensive language. Exactly my kind of read!
May 25, 2016
I agreed to read this book because I absolutely loved The Gingerbread House. Not Your Average Joe did not disappoint. The main character, Jennifer, falls in love with Jared as a student and falls prey to a fraternity prank involving several young girls. She becomes pregnant but never tells Jared because she catches him in bed with another girl. This devastates her since she thought they were in love. Her father disowns her and throws her out of the house, forbids her mother to have anything to do with her, so she is alone in the world to raise a baby. She is strong, smart, and devoted to her son. She takes a job at Brickman Foods, which Jared's father happens to own. One day Jared prances in, disguised for reality tv, and Jennifer recognizes him right away. But, it seems she meant even less to him than she originally thought since he has no clue who she is. She plays along with his game because she doesn't want him to find out about their son and try to take him away. He flirts and pursues, she dodges and deflects. But their attraction becomes stronger and their joining inevitable. Finally she admits she knows who he really is, but struggles with whether or not to tell him about their son. The decision is taken away from her when it is revealed by accident. Jared is supposed to take over his father's company and is technically supposed to marry someone else. He watched his mother fall to depression and alcoholism over the years as his father strayed from their marriage over and over again and worries he will be the same way. Jennifer doesn't want to settle for less than everything and Jared isn't sure he can give it to her. Watching them work through the mire of emotions and conflicts of their hearts, and the added twist of reality tv makes this a good read. I was very pleased with it.
I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2013
A cute modern fairy tale.
What interested me the most, it is not really the love story aspect as much as the backdrop of reality in the setting in which the author has placed her story.
First, I enjoyed the social climate of the company with the assembly-line work and the determination to do their best from the employees. For once, it's not some fancy story about some fancy job about a young executive!
Indeed, the author shows the prejudices and class bias that come with the workers, single mothers and the financial benefits provided by the state . I liked this realistic look and the widow open by the author about real peoples life and real daily problems to struggle with. It's a change of scenery in the usual path of the romance.
I also liked the case of harassment and how Nell Carson describes the behavior of the manager. It's creepy but, once again, very realistic.
Finally, what touched me the most was how a love dream from a young innocent girl was cruelly broken by the immaturity and pathetic joke from a bunch of drunkard guys.
My heart was bleeding for the young Jenny.
After this interesting reality is somewhat marred by the glitters. Playboy jerk side of the hero was also annoying especially if it's to get an happy ending...
I found that the desire to create a fairy tale at all costs removed something that should have been deeper in the feelings and story to make it a lighter, cuter reading. It's a shame because there is really beautiful promises laying underneath the falseness of a reality tv show.
A romance with beautiful moments and lovely characters.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
What interested me the most, it is not really the love story aspect as much as the backdrop of reality in the setting in which the author has placed her story.
First, I enjoyed the social climate of the company with the assembly-line work and the determination to do their best from the employees. For once, it's not some fancy story about some fancy job about a young executive!
Indeed, the author shows the prejudices and class bias that come with the workers, single mothers and the financial benefits provided by the state . I liked this realistic look and the widow open by the author about real peoples life and real daily problems to struggle with. It's a change of scenery in the usual path of the romance.
I also liked the case of harassment and how Nell Carson describes the behavior of the manager. It's creepy but, once again, very realistic.
Finally, what touched me the most was how a love dream from a young innocent girl was cruelly broken by the immaturity and pathetic joke from a bunch of drunkard guys.
My heart was bleeding for the young Jenny.
After this interesting reality is somewhat marred by the glitters. Playboy jerk side of the hero was also annoying especially if it's to get an happy ending...
I found that the desire to create a fairy tale at all costs removed something that should have been deeper in the feelings and story to make it a lighter, cuter reading. It's a shame because there is really beautiful promises laying underneath the falseness of a reality tv show.
A romance with beautiful moments and lovely characters.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
July 2, 2013
You know you’re reading a great book when you give up precious sleep so you can finish it! I adored this book so much I couldn’t put it down! I always love a good Cinderella story and I love it even more when the “Cinderella” is a strong, outgoing, hard-working woman!
Jennifer Wright had everything going for her as a young adult. She had a loving family, was excelling in school, and was in love. But one night changed everything for her. Winding up pregnant without the support she was depending on, Jennifer finds herself alone and heartbroken. Over the years, she works hard to create a life she can be proud of for herself and her son. Everything is going well for Jennifer until, six years later, her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Jared Brickman comes back into her life. As heir to the Brickman family company, Jared, the internationally known playboy, pops into her work pretending to be someone else for a reality TV show. She recognizes him immediately but he doesn’t remember who she is. As she is forced to work together with Jared aka Jason, she begins to see glimpses of the boy she used to love. Weighing different options and scenarios in her head, Jennifer has to make a decision on if she should come clean to Jared or leave him in her past.
Any book I can’t put down gets an automatic 5 out of 5 champagne glasses! Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson will be available for purchase August 1, 2014. You can pre-order it now at:
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Averag...
Jennifer Wright had everything going for her as a young adult. She had a loving family, was excelling in school, and was in love. But one night changed everything for her. Winding up pregnant without the support she was depending on, Jennifer finds herself alone and heartbroken. Over the years, she works hard to create a life she can be proud of for herself and her son. Everything is going well for Jennifer until, six years later, her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Jared Brickman comes back into her life. As heir to the Brickman family company, Jared, the internationally known playboy, pops into her work pretending to be someone else for a reality TV show. She recognizes him immediately but he doesn’t remember who she is. As she is forced to work together with Jared aka Jason, she begins to see glimpses of the boy she used to love. Weighing different options and scenarios in her head, Jennifer has to make a decision on if she should come clean to Jared or leave him in her past.
Any book I can’t put down gets an automatic 5 out of 5 champagne glasses! Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson will be available for purchase August 1, 2014. You can pre-order it now at:
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Averag...
June 8, 2014
Note Your Average Joe
Nell Carson
The stage for this story is a reality show about an undercover boss working in his factory. Jennifer Wright is asked to train the newbie Jason Braxter. Unfortunately for her she recognizes him as Jared Brickman the man she feel in love with years ago, the one that cheated on her, the one that broke her heart...... and the one that fathered her young son.
Jennifer is a hard working single mother, who is struggling to raise her son and taking college courses at night. I admire her struggles as she tries to balance out her budget and her struggles to make ends meet , her struggles to spend enough time with her son and be a good mother.
Jared is the rich son on the CEO of the company and does not want for anything. He looks down on those less fortunate and does not really understand the value of the dollar. His shoes are probably worth a month's rent.
Add in a few best girl friends, Jared's money hungry father, his wonderful sister and of course a creepy boss and you have the setting for a real page turning novel. Jared is a real jerk at first and has me cursing his stupidity. I was rooting for Jennifer as she struggles with single motherhood and whether to tell Jared the truth about Chris, their son.
The author did a great job with the story line. Just a little bit of romance to keep things going. The scene with them sharing a peanut butter sandwich was really sweet. I truly recommend this story. I was cursing Jared at parts and cheering for Jennifer as I learned just how brave she could be, but at the end the tears were just rolling. Good job, great read!!
I received this advance copy in exchange for doing an honest review!!
Nell Carson
The stage for this story is a reality show about an undercover boss working in his factory. Jennifer Wright is asked to train the newbie Jason Braxter. Unfortunately for her she recognizes him as Jared Brickman the man she feel in love with years ago, the one that cheated on her, the one that broke her heart...... and the one that fathered her young son.
Jennifer is a hard working single mother, who is struggling to raise her son and taking college courses at night. I admire her struggles as she tries to balance out her budget and her struggles to make ends meet , her struggles to spend enough time with her son and be a good mother.
Jared is the rich son on the CEO of the company and does not want for anything. He looks down on those less fortunate and does not really understand the value of the dollar. His shoes are probably worth a month's rent.
Add in a few best girl friends, Jared's money hungry father, his wonderful sister and of course a creepy boss and you have the setting for a real page turning novel. Jared is a real jerk at first and has me cursing his stupidity. I was rooting for Jennifer as she struggles with single motherhood and whether to tell Jared the truth about Chris, their son.
The author did a great job with the story line. Just a little bit of romance to keep things going. The scene with them sharing a peanut butter sandwich was really sweet. I truly recommend this story. I was cursing Jared at parts and cheering for Jennifer as I learned just how brave she could be, but at the end the tears were just rolling. Good job, great read!!
I received this advance copy in exchange for doing an honest review!!
August 8, 2013
4.5 Stars
I really loved the idea of this book and how it played out. The plot was really great if not totally unique. Even if it wasn’t a unique story line it was a well created story and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. I also thought that the flow of the book was really great. I never felt rushed and I absolutely loved how the ending was a smooth transition and I didn’t feel like I was suddenly arriving at the end of the story.
Jennifer is such a great and admirable character. I loved how she went from losing everything to gaining everything through hard work, sacrifice, and effort. I felt that her character was very genuine and easy to connect with. I did like how she held herself together when faced with Jarred and held her own against him and his charm. She definitely wasn’t a character to allow a repeat in mistakes.
Jarred was an interesting character that was really dynamic. He was actually more dynamic then Jennifer and I liked how he changed through the book. I could tell that while working for the company his eyes are opened to new ideas and it really affects the way he acts and thinks about people. Overall I really enjoyed his character, especially when seen through the eyes of Jennifer.
Overall this book was pretty great and I can’t wait to read more by this author. I will be keeping an eye out for companion’s to this book.
***I received an e-copy of this book for my honest review and opinion.***
I really loved the idea of this book and how it played out. The plot was really great if not totally unique. Even if it wasn’t a unique story line it was a well created story and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. I also thought that the flow of the book was really great. I never felt rushed and I absolutely loved how the ending was a smooth transition and I didn’t feel like I was suddenly arriving at the end of the story.
Jennifer is such a great and admirable character. I loved how she went from losing everything to gaining everything through hard work, sacrifice, and effort. I felt that her character was very genuine and easy to connect with. I did like how she held herself together when faced with Jarred and held her own against him and his charm. She definitely wasn’t a character to allow a repeat in mistakes.
Jarred was an interesting character that was really dynamic. He was actually more dynamic then Jennifer and I liked how he changed through the book. I could tell that while working for the company his eyes are opened to new ideas and it really affects the way he acts and thinks about people. Overall I really enjoyed his character, especially when seen through the eyes of Jennifer.
Overall this book was pretty great and I can’t wait to read more by this author. I will be keeping an eye out for companion’s to this book.
***I received an e-copy of this book for my honest review and opinion.***
March 14, 2014
I was expecting more from this one.
The pace was really off, it continuously dragged until the very end, and then everything was resolved in the last couple of chapters.
Jared was an asshole, back then and now. I could never see any evolution in his character. He was sorry, but not really; and then he was in love with Jennifer, but had to stay away. He was just all over the place and it made want to punch him.
As for Jennifer, I understood why she didn't want to tell Jared about the kid, but then she changed her mind, and then again... over and over again. It was frustrating and I ALSO wanted to punch her. I could never really see why she fell for Jared. He wasn't too horrible, but he certainly wasn't the guy I'd want for myself.
Just too much of a rushed ending and unresolved business.
The pace was really off, it continuously dragged until the very end, and then everything was resolved in the last couple of chapters.
Jared was an asshole, back then and now. I could never see any evolution in his character. He was sorry, but not really; and then he was in love with Jennifer, but had to stay away. He was just all over the place and it made want to punch him.
As for Jennifer, I understood why she didn't want to tell Jared about the kid, but then she changed her mind, and then again... over and over again. It was frustrating and I ALSO wanted to punch her. I could never really see why she fell for Jared. He wasn't too horrible, but he certainly wasn't the guy I'd want for myself.
Just too much of a rushed ending and unresolved business.
July 21, 2013
I received a request from author Nell Carson to review this book since I have read and enjoyed her other books. This book was another winner from her though not quite as clean as the first two. It's not graphic. It just has a little too much information for readers younger than 17.
Not Your Average Joe is a quick read because it is so cute, and you just don't want to stop reading it. I loved the characters in the book. Jennifer is one tough woman. She is a single mom, and though her son's father is extremely wealthy, she refuses to ask him for help. Jared is not what you'd expect. Though he may have been a jerk when he was in college, he is nothing like his public persona. He is sweet and kind and really wants to help all of the workers in the plant. He uses his power for good! Mandy is a great best friend who always has Jennifer's back. Though Nina was a minor character, I love how well-developed her part in this book was. She faces problems that so many single working moms face.
The descriptive scenes in the story really make you feel like you are right there with the characters. Nell uses things from modern culture that make the story funny and believable. It feels like it could be totally happening down the street. Let's hope that modern day Cinderella stories still do exist!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a love story :)
Not Your Average Joe is a quick read because it is so cute, and you just don't want to stop reading it. I loved the characters in the book. Jennifer is one tough woman. She is a single mom, and though her son's father is extremely wealthy, she refuses to ask him for help. Jared is not what you'd expect. Though he may have been a jerk when he was in college, he is nothing like his public persona. He is sweet and kind and really wants to help all of the workers in the plant. He uses his power for good! Mandy is a great best friend who always has Jennifer's back. Though Nina was a minor character, I love how well-developed her part in this book was. She faces problems that so many single working moms face.
The descriptive scenes in the story really make you feel like you are right there with the characters. Nell uses things from modern culture that make the story funny and believable. It feels like it could be totally happening down the street. Let's hope that modern day Cinderella stories still do exist!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a love story :)
January 30, 2015
Single mom Jennifer Wright works hard at the town factory to make a living for her and her son. The last person she ever expected to see again is the father of her son, one-night-stand, playboy Jared Brickman. It is even more surprising that Jared is posing as an average worker instead of Richie Rich.
Jared Brickman has never been interested in taking over his father’s business like his sister. However, his father has his own agenda when he sets Jared up for the latest hit Reality TV show. This brings Jared to the Brickman Foods factory floor where he meets a woman that drives him crazy.
When Jennifer realizes that Jared doesn’t recognize her she decides it is high time she has a little fun. But will her fun lead her to Trouble or Love?
Nell Carson’s Not Your Average Joe is a romance that pairs humor and love sweetly. Ms. Carson uses the Reality TV show as a brilliant plot point in the novel. Jennifer is a strong and smart single mom. She is really a strong role model for her son. Jared starts off a carefree guy but soon learns that carefree isn’t always fulfilling. When Jennifer and Jared are together things get steamy fast! Everything about Not Your Average Joe is great. If you are looking for a light afternoon read that will leave you with a huge smile then pick up your copy of Not Your Average Joe today.
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
Jared Brickman has never been interested in taking over his father’s business like his sister. However, his father has his own agenda when he sets Jared up for the latest hit Reality TV show. This brings Jared to the Brickman Foods factory floor where he meets a woman that drives him crazy.
When Jennifer realizes that Jared doesn’t recognize her she decides it is high time she has a little fun. But will her fun lead her to Trouble or Love?
Nell Carson’s Not Your Average Joe is a romance that pairs humor and love sweetly. Ms. Carson uses the Reality TV show as a brilliant plot point in the novel. Jennifer is a strong and smart single mom. She is really a strong role model for her son. Jared starts off a carefree guy but soon learns that carefree isn’t always fulfilling. When Jennifer and Jared are together things get steamy fast! Everything about Not Your Average Joe is great. If you are looking for a light afternoon read that will leave you with a huge smile then pick up your copy of Not Your Average Joe today.
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
July 25, 2013
Jennifer Wright's life as a young adult has not been smooth, realizing the man she gave her heart and soul to was a mirage, she finds herself pregnant and alone. Jennifer could have rolled over and faltered, but she fought tooth and nail to provide the best for her son. She often wondered if the day would come that she would tell his father about him, but from the numerous tabloid articles it looks as if he has yet to mature enough to be a father in any capacity.
Jared Brickman has always had money at his fingers, eventually he plans to become the CEO of Brickman Foods. For now he is going undercover for a television show attempting to be a normal worker and getting a handle on the plant that is under performing. Jared is trained by Jennifer, who he does not recognize. Jennifer wants Jared to go away, especially if he does remember who she is. Despite the awkward situation, Jennifer finds herself falling for Jared again, but is he worth her trust?
Full review on Cataromance
http://cataromance.com/2013/07/review...
Jared Brickman has always had money at his fingers, eventually he plans to become the CEO of Brickman Foods. For now he is going undercover for a television show attempting to be a normal worker and getting a handle on the plant that is under performing. Jared is trained by Jennifer, who he does not recognize. Jennifer wants Jared to go away, especially if he does remember who she is. Despite the awkward situation, Jennifer finds herself falling for Jared again, but is he worth her trust?
Full review on Cataromance
http://cataromance.com/2013/07/review...
August 2, 2013
I enjoyed reading this book. Yes, it had a few problems, both of which were mentioned earlier:
She’s a law student. Her boss almost rapes her. She goes quietly into the night. WTF?!
He and she were dating for over a month. He said he loved her. He gave her a long guilty stare when she walked in on him with the other woman. And 6 years later he doesn’t remember her??? It’s not like people age that dramatically from 17 to 23, and even not straightening hair shouldn’t cause that. That just didn’t work for me. Maybe he did a lot of pot or something.
However, I still managed to like Jennifer and Jared. And Chris. And Cynthia. And the best friend (whose name totally escapes me right now and I’m too lazy to look it up). On the negative side, both fathers totally sucked.
But still, I read it in one afternoon and was completely entertained. For $.99, you can’t ask for more than that. Definitely worth the read – it’s fiction, it doesn’t have to make sense, it just has to make you happy.
She’s a law student. Her boss almost rapes her. She goes quietly into the night. WTF?!
He and she were dating for over a month. He said he loved her. He gave her a long guilty stare when she walked in on him with the other woman. And 6 years later he doesn’t remember her??? It’s not like people age that dramatically from 17 to 23, and even not straightening hair shouldn’t cause that. That just didn’t work for me. Maybe he did a lot of pot or something.
However, I still managed to like Jennifer and Jared. And Chris. And Cynthia. And the best friend (whose name totally escapes me right now and I’m too lazy to look it up). On the negative side, both fathers totally sucked.
But still, I read it in one afternoon and was completely entertained. For $.99, you can’t ask for more than that. Definitely worth the read – it’s fiction, it doesn’t have to make sense, it just has to make you happy.
September 20, 2013
Jennifer was senior in high school when she fell for a older guy in college. Unfortunately one night she found out she was just girl #2 in what would most likely be a long line of girls he convinces to sleep with him. Soon after that she realizes she is pregnant and is kicked out of her house.
It is now years later and Jennifer is busy raising her son, working a dreadful job on an assembly line and going back to school to get her degree. At work one day she is introduced to a new worker she has to train. He is called Jason but she knows him as Jared the CEO son and the father to her son.
This is just a good contemporary romance story. I love that it was easy to read with likable characters and a solid plot. I also liked the reality tv aspect of it. This isn’t a type of show I watch but I am familiar with the concept. Then when you add in a modern twist to the Cinderella fairytale, well you have a book that will give you a good escape for the afternoon.
It is now years later and Jennifer is busy raising her son, working a dreadful job on an assembly line and going back to school to get her degree. At work one day she is introduced to a new worker she has to train. He is called Jason but she knows him as Jared the CEO son and the father to her son.
This is just a good contemporary romance story. I love that it was easy to read with likable characters and a solid plot. I also liked the reality tv aspect of it. This isn’t a type of show I watch but I am familiar with the concept. Then when you add in a modern twist to the Cinderella fairytale, well you have a book that will give you a good escape for the afternoon.
July 22, 2013
I absolutely adored this novel. I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down.
The characters are addictive. Jennifer is such a strong, amazing woman and I can honestly say I look up to her as a character. She's resilient, courageous, dependable, and very determined to make the best life for herself & her son. I could’ve read an entire series with her starring as the lead female character.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of the other starring characters and adored the fact that a show similar to “Undercover Boss” was featured in the story. I thought that this plot twist made the story seem like it really occurred. I felt as though I could’ve walked into any of the characters on the street tomorrow.
Overall, it was a great novel with a great plot sequence. It was easy to read and heart-warming. I felt a sense of pride at the outcome of the “Average Joe” episode.
Definitely 5 stars for this one.
The characters are addictive. Jennifer is such a strong, amazing woman and I can honestly say I look up to her as a character. She's resilient, courageous, dependable, and very determined to make the best life for herself & her son. I could’ve read an entire series with her starring as the lead female character.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of the other starring characters and adored the fact that a show similar to “Undercover Boss” was featured in the story. I thought that this plot twist made the story seem like it really occurred. I felt as though I could’ve walked into any of the characters on the street tomorrow.
Overall, it was a great novel with a great plot sequence. It was easy to read and heart-warming. I felt a sense of pride at the outcome of the “Average Joe” episode.
Definitely 5 stars for this one.
September 6, 2013
This was not what I expected. There were no steamy sex scenes, not full front breakdowns, and no super moments where I wanted to slap the leading lady or leading male.
Jennifer fell for the college guy and got her heart ripped to shreds. Six years later, Mr. Playboy is entering her world again but "trying" to hide his real self for a reality show. Funny thing...no matter his disguise she knows him anywhere.
Jared is a playboy and spoiled thanks to Daddy's money. He does what Daddy tells him no matter what he wants. He isn't made to love.
We also have Chris, an adorable little boy who you can't help but want to love.
This book was a gem really. It was a sweet read and refreshing after some of the drama filled books I have read lately. Sometimes it's nice not to have the massive explosive girl and boy drama, relationship ending confrontation to have both people just plainly miserable! If you want an enjoyable read this is it!
Jennifer fell for the college guy and got her heart ripped to shreds. Six years later, Mr. Playboy is entering her world again but "trying" to hide his real self for a reality show. Funny thing...no matter his disguise she knows him anywhere.
Jared is a playboy and spoiled thanks to Daddy's money. He does what Daddy tells him no matter what he wants. He isn't made to love.
We also have Chris, an adorable little boy who you can't help but want to love.
This book was a gem really. It was a sweet read and refreshing after some of the drama filled books I have read lately. Sometimes it's nice not to have the massive explosive girl and boy drama, relationship ending confrontation to have both people just plainly miserable! If you want an enjoyable read this is it!
August 20, 2013
There is just something about the way that Nell writes. I feel in love with the first book I read from her, The Gingerbread House, and ever since I can't wait to find another read by her.
This book is no different in quality than her other awesome reads. Nell has done another great job at writing an amazing female role that has a cocky, smexy man opposite. I love Jen and Jared. They dynamics between the two is smoldering.
Nell has done a great job at developing the world around her characters. She has a flair for character arcs and pulling the reader into the story in a way that makes you truly care about what happens to the characters.
I've read a great mix from her, and I hope that she keeps on writing, because I will certainly keep reading!
This book is no different in quality than her other awesome reads. Nell has done another great job at writing an amazing female role that has a cocky, smexy man opposite. I love Jen and Jared. They dynamics between the two is smoldering.
Nell has done a great job at developing the world around her characters. She has a flair for character arcs and pulling the reader into the story in a way that makes you truly care about what happens to the characters.
I've read a great mix from her, and I hope that she keeps on writing, because I will certainly keep reading!
September 8, 2013
This was a nice sweet read.
Jenny fell in love with a boy in college, got pregnant and when she went to tell hi, found him in bed with another girl.
Six years later she is s single mom, working in factory and doing the best she can after being disowned by her parents.
Fate intervenes and brings Jared Brickman, the father of her son, back into her life. His family owns the company she works for and he has been sent in as part of a tv show called Not Your Average Joe. Jenny recognises him despite the disguise but he doesn't remember her.
They form a friendship, only problem is that he is engaged to someone else and she is hiding the fact he is a father from him.
Can she keep the facade up for the week or will she break?
This was a really nice read :)
Jenny fell in love with a boy in college, got pregnant and when she went to tell hi, found him in bed with another girl.
Six years later she is s single mom, working in factory and doing the best she can after being disowned by her parents.
Fate intervenes and brings Jared Brickman, the father of her son, back into her life. His family owns the company she works for and he has been sent in as part of a tv show called Not Your Average Joe. Jenny recognises him despite the disguise but he doesn't remember her.
They form a friendship, only problem is that he is engaged to someone else and she is hiding the fact he is a father from him.
Can she keep the facade up for the week or will she break?
This was a really nice read :)
July 23, 2013
http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2...
There was a nice little subplot with the plant manager (and I thoroughly approved of how that plot got resolved) being a real piece of work, and we got a nice look at the secondary characters without being overwhelmed by them.
All in all, a pretty clean, smooth read. I’ll definitely keep Ms. Carson’s work in mind in the future.
There was a nice little subplot with the plant manager (and I thoroughly approved of how that plot got resolved) being a real piece of work, and we got a nice look at the secondary characters without being overwhelmed by them.
All in all, a pretty clean, smooth read. I’ll definitely keep Ms. Carson’s work in mind in the future.
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