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Bluebonnet #4
The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving
Playing innocent is easy.
After being the quiet, shy girl her whole life, Elise Markham is ready for a mental makeover. She’s done keeping to herself and staying out of trouble—it’s time to break out of her shell and maybe meet someone intriguing in the process. So, on a photography trip to Bluebonnet, she has a whole lot more on her mind than snapping photos, especially when Rome walks into the picture.
Playing dirty is fun.
The newest instructor at Wilderness Survival Expeditions has a colorful past, to say the least. Having come from a family of notorious con artists that destroyed his credit and reputation, all before his eighteenth birthday, Rome just wants a decent job and a quiet life in a town where no one knows his name. He’s exactly the kind of bad boy that an innocent girl like Elise should stay far away from.
But Elise is tired of doing what’s right. She’s ready to throw caution to the wind—and let Rome show her just how exciting being bad can be…
After being the quiet, shy girl her whole life, Elise Markham is ready for a mental makeover. She’s done keeping to herself and staying out of trouble—it’s time to break out of her shell and maybe meet someone intriguing in the process. So, on a photography trip to Bluebonnet, she has a whole lot more on her mind than snapping photos, especially when Rome walks into the picture.
Playing dirty is fun.
The newest instructor at Wilderness Survival Expeditions has a colorful past, to say the least. Having come from a family of notorious con artists that destroyed his credit and reputation, all before his eighteenth birthday, Rome just wants a decent job and a quiet life in a town where no one knows his name. He’s exactly the kind of bad boy that an innocent girl like Elise should stay far away from.
But Elise is tired of doing what’s right. She’s ready to throw caution to the wind—and let Rome show her just how exciting being bad can be…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
47 people are currently reading
1340 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Clare
69 books4,461 followersThis is a pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
will-not-read
May 26, 2017DNF
It's not you, it's me. I'm not into tattooed guys but I can take them from time to time... Unless we're talking about piercings and here we're talking about way too many of them.
Poor h went through a lot physically so I can understand her insecurities in her looks. But still she rubbed me the wrong way.
And I got bored too easily.
It's not you, it's me. I'm not into tattooed guys but I can take them from time to time... Unless we're talking about piercings and here we're talking about way too many of them.
Poor h went through a lot physically so I can understand her insecurities in her looks. But still she rubbed me the wrong way.
And I got bored too easily.
June 6, 2014
*Sighs* oh Rome I just wanted to jump on you and ride you like a horny filly, "am I?" Rome laugh at Brenna's outrageous comments. "Maybe I should volunteer to Elise's man-meat, then." The boy seriously puts himself out there for Elise, "oh. Huh." He wondered why, but she didn't seem like she was volunteering the information. "That's a shame. If you ever need to get me shirtless again, though, you just let me know." I loved how innocent Elise was and the conversations she had with Rome about a certain something was just pi** my pants funny:
"Well," she began softly. "Um...I'd really like to have sex."
"Right now?"
She could feel her cheeks heating. "It doesn't have to be right now, no."
His mouth twitched. "Tomorrow, then?"
He says the sexiest things, "god damn, Elise," he murmured hoarsely, leaning in to press a kiss on her jaw as she cuddled closer, "You sure you're a virgin? Because you're making my d*** hard as eff." And I loved how crude he could be, "it's a good thing, I promise. Not every girl's a squirter. And it sounds crude, I know, but I assure you, it's totally natural. You didn't pee on me, Elise. You came so hard that you ejaculated." And he's always one for keeping Elise in high spirits, "are you kidding? I'm effing stoked. You came so hard, and just foe me." His hands ran over her body again, and he buried his face against her neck. "You were so goddamn wet I nearly came in my pants as soon as I touched you. Knowing I turned you on that much? How can I not love that?" God I love this series and the men in them.
"Well," she began softly. "Um...I'd really like to have sex."
"Right now?"
She could feel her cheeks heating. "It doesn't have to be right now, no."
His mouth twitched. "Tomorrow, then?"
He says the sexiest things, "god damn, Elise," he murmured hoarsely, leaning in to press a kiss on her jaw as she cuddled closer, "You sure you're a virgin? Because you're making my d*** hard as eff." And I loved how crude he could be, "it's a good thing, I promise. Not every girl's a squirter. And it sounds crude, I know, but I assure you, it's totally natural. You didn't pee on me, Elise. You came so hard that you ejaculated." And he's always one for keeping Elise in high spirits, "are you kidding? I'm effing stoked. You came so hard, and just foe me." His hands ran over her body again, and he buried his face against her neck. "You were so goddamn wet I nearly came in my pants as soon as I touched you. Knowing I turned you on that much? How can I not love that?" God I love this series and the men in them.
June 3, 2014
Sweet story,guy is dirt poor and I mean dirt poor,has a slew of tatts,piercings to ears,nose,lip,and my favorite,the penis!He is also an ex con .She is the sister of his boss,painfully shy ,self concsious ,virgin ,and a rich girl.
No over the top drama,old characters make an appearance which is always a good thing in these series type books.Smexy times are hot,overall a decent read.
No over the top drama,old characters make an appearance which is always a good thing in these series type books.Smexy times are hot,overall a decent read.
September 13, 2016
Really good, I liked that it was super sexy, but also took time to develop sexually, since Elise is a virgin. :)
B
Read full review here: http://thebookpushers.com/2014/05/30/...
B
Read full review here: http://thebookpushers.com/2014/05/30/...
April 28, 2016
DNF - 20% - I can't take the ridiculously shy heroine. I can normally get behind a shy lead character (they can be so easy to root for), but it's absolutely painful to read this. Moving on.
June 29, 2014
Originally posted on Adria’s Romance Reviews.
I’m going to be upfront, I was apprehensive about this story. I dislike virgins in contemporary romances because while the sexual naivety that usually accompanies a virgin may work well with a historical romance, I find that it’s out of place in a more modern setting where presumably women have come a long way since the time of corsets and demure behavior.
Wow, that was a mouthful but I had to say it. Now, on with the rest of my thoughts on The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving.
I loved it. I loved how wrong I was with my assumptions about almost everything in this book!
I didn’t think this series could get any hotter, especially not with a character like Elise! At first Elise’s extreme shyness got to me at first, she was worse than the women in historical romances with all the blushing, stammering and looking at her feet. She would even go so far as to pull her hair towards the front of her face in an effort to further conceal herself. However, when the reason why she was so damn shy came to light, my attitude towards her softened immediately. I only wish the author hadn’t waited so long to reveal Elise’s secret.
Then there’s Rome. Wow. Can you say sex on a stick? I hope so because that’s the best way I can describe him. He first appeared in The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild and gave off the impression of being a silent bad boy. I was so curious about him simply because he is the complete opposite of Elise. He was also the complete opposite of a silent bad boy. Rome may look the part of a rough and tough hoodlum but the way he looks is totally opposite to how he is as a man. He’s guarded but caring, considerate and oddly enough, he’s vulnerable. I loved that about him.
On the surface, Rome and Elise don’t sound like they’d be a good couple. He’s had a very hard life and she’s been sheltered and protected from everything. He’s had life experience, and she’s still a virgin. I thought The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving was going to be a dull bore with Rome chasing after an overly shy Elise but again, I was wrong! Just because Elise was a virgin didn’t mean that the heat factor took a dive, in fact, I would say that this is the hottest book in the series. Rome is the very essence of sex on a stick but add the verbal foreplay that he dishes out and it’s enough to melt any girl’s… Bones. It’s more than just how sexy Rome is, to me it was all about how he treated Elise from the very beginning. He didn’t understand her in the beginning yet he never treated her with anything less than respect and kindness.
Along with Rome and Elise, long time fans like myself got to revisit with previous couples including Elise’s brother Grant and his quirky fiancé Brenna. The relationship between Grant and Elise is given a little more page time in The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving which explains more of Elise’s ingrained behavior of hiding herself away. Grant is a loving brother, he just doesn’t know when to back off and still sees Elise as needing his protection. Then there's Rome's family, including a brother named Jericho who sounds, in a word, delicious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rome and Elise’s romance and am once again impressed by how hooked I am on this series. Author Jessica Clare has managed to take a small town and make it all kinds of interesting and sexy.
Final Verdict: The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving is a great addition to an already enjoyable series. In my opinion this book is the hottest in the series. I do hope the series doesn't end here though.
I’m going to be upfront, I was apprehensive about this story. I dislike virgins in contemporary romances because while the sexual naivety that usually accompanies a virgin may work well with a historical romance, I find that it’s out of place in a more modern setting where presumably women have come a long way since the time of corsets and demure behavior.
Wow, that was a mouthful but I had to say it. Now, on with the rest of my thoughts on The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving.
I loved it. I loved how wrong I was with my assumptions about almost everything in this book!
I didn’t think this series could get any hotter, especially not with a character like Elise! At first Elise’s extreme shyness got to me at first, she was worse than the women in historical romances with all the blushing, stammering and looking at her feet. She would even go so far as to pull her hair towards the front of her face in an effort to further conceal herself. However, when the reason why she was so damn shy came to light, my attitude towards her softened immediately. I only wish the author hadn’t waited so long to reveal Elise’s secret.
Then there’s Rome. Wow. Can you say sex on a stick? I hope so because that’s the best way I can describe him. He first appeared in The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild and gave off the impression of being a silent bad boy. I was so curious about him simply because he is the complete opposite of Elise. He was also the complete opposite of a silent bad boy. Rome may look the part of a rough and tough hoodlum but the way he looks is totally opposite to how he is as a man. He’s guarded but caring, considerate and oddly enough, he’s vulnerable. I loved that about him.
On the surface, Rome and Elise don’t sound like they’d be a good couple. He’s had a very hard life and she’s been sheltered and protected from everything. He’s had life experience, and she’s still a virgin. I thought The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving was going to be a dull bore with Rome chasing after an overly shy Elise but again, I was wrong! Just because Elise was a virgin didn’t mean that the heat factor took a dive, in fact, I would say that this is the hottest book in the series. Rome is the very essence of sex on a stick but add the verbal foreplay that he dishes out and it’s enough to melt any girl’s… Bones. It’s more than just how sexy Rome is, to me it was all about how he treated Elise from the very beginning. He didn’t understand her in the beginning yet he never treated her with anything less than respect and kindness.
Along with Rome and Elise, long time fans like myself got to revisit with previous couples including Elise’s brother Grant and his quirky fiancé Brenna. The relationship between Grant and Elise is given a little more page time in The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving which explains more of Elise’s ingrained behavior of hiding herself away. Grant is a loving brother, he just doesn’t know when to back off and still sees Elise as needing his protection. Then there's Rome's family, including a brother named Jericho who sounds, in a word, delicious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rome and Elise’s romance and am once again impressed by how hooked I am on this series. Author Jessica Clare has managed to take a small town and make it all kinds of interesting and sexy.
Final Verdict: The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving is a great addition to an already enjoyable series. In my opinion this book is the hottest in the series. I do hope the series doesn't end here though.
June 18, 2014
The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving, Bluebonnet #4, by Jessica Clare
Grade: D
“God Damn. Kissing you is like falling into madness, isn’t it?”
Elise Markham has spent her life being the extremely shy girl who can hardly hold a conversation with the opposite sex. Elise is desperate to break free of the physical and emotional things in her past that have made it so hard for her to have normal relationships and there’s only one person she wants to help her: Rome Lozada. Rome is everything Elise has ever wanted: handsome, sweet and looks like a bad boy. Elise is shocked when Rome takes her up on her offer but she refuses to let her shyness rob her of this beautiful man.
Rome Lozada is determined to finally break free of his hippie-con artist family and make it on his own. When he lands a job at the Wilderness Survival Expeditions he feels like his luck is finally changing, especially when he meets his boss’s sister Elise. Elise is way too good for Rome but there’s no way that he can walk away from what she is offering him. As the two start their adventure together Rome finds himself falling in love with the sweet, shy woman but old secrets come back to haunt him and destroy his relationship.
I was a big fan of the first two books in the Bluebonnet series but the last two have not been my cup of tea. i was very excited for Rome and Elise’s book but it really missed the mark for me. I know that Elise is shy but she was painfully shy to the point that it was awkward to read and my heart broke for her. At the same time she could come off as very annoying because she had no experience with men or relationships. I felt at times that I was in the mind of a thirteen year old girl and not a young woman in her twenties and her actions towards the end of the book are also very childish.
I liked Rome at first but after awhile he too got annoying. I hate when any character of a book makes a decision that they think is best for another person without consulting them first. Rome is a good guy but he told way too many lies and sometimes treated Elise like a child. I didn’t understand why he acted the way he did towards the end and the whole thing just really bothered me. Neither Elise or Rome could just be honest and that along with everything else made this book almost unreadable.
Sadly I am done with this series. After two books that were almost painful to read I have no desire to go back and revisit these characters. I really wanted to like this book but it was a giant disappointment for me.
Grade: D
“God Damn. Kissing you is like falling into madness, isn’t it?”
Elise Markham has spent her life being the extremely shy girl who can hardly hold a conversation with the opposite sex. Elise is desperate to break free of the physical and emotional things in her past that have made it so hard for her to have normal relationships and there’s only one person she wants to help her: Rome Lozada. Rome is everything Elise has ever wanted: handsome, sweet and looks like a bad boy. Elise is shocked when Rome takes her up on her offer but she refuses to let her shyness rob her of this beautiful man.
Rome Lozada is determined to finally break free of his hippie-con artist family and make it on his own. When he lands a job at the Wilderness Survival Expeditions he feels like his luck is finally changing, especially when he meets his boss’s sister Elise. Elise is way too good for Rome but there’s no way that he can walk away from what she is offering him. As the two start their adventure together Rome finds himself falling in love with the sweet, shy woman but old secrets come back to haunt him and destroy his relationship.
I was a big fan of the first two books in the Bluebonnet series but the last two have not been my cup of tea. i was very excited for Rome and Elise’s book but it really missed the mark for me. I know that Elise is shy but she was painfully shy to the point that it was awkward to read and my heart broke for her. At the same time she could come off as very annoying because she had no experience with men or relationships. I felt at times that I was in the mind of a thirteen year old girl and not a young woman in her twenties and her actions towards the end of the book are also very childish.
I liked Rome at first but after awhile he too got annoying. I hate when any character of a book makes a decision that they think is best for another person without consulting them first. Rome is a good guy but he told way too many lies and sometimes treated Elise like a child. I didn’t understand why he acted the way he did towards the end and the whole thing just really bothered me. Neither Elise or Rome could just be honest and that along with everything else made this book almost unreadable.
Sadly I am done with this series. After two books that were almost painful to read I have no desire to go back and revisit these characters. I really wanted to like this book but it was a giant disappointment for me.
June 4, 2014
Shelly‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Elise leads a shelter life with her overprotective family, but she is ready to get out there and find a date and she knows exactly who she wants. Rome isn’t who you might think he is and when he finds out Elise has sights on him the sparks will fly. But first Elise has to convince Rome that she isn’t stuck up or a snob just shy and sheltered. Sneaking around behind her brother is another challenge that they will have to face is her chance to experience life and she wants Rome to show her what she has been missing out on. With love comes family and if Rome and Elise can get through that then they have a solid future ahead of them. Great characters add to the book to make it all that more enjoyable to read.
4.5 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Elise leads a shelter life with her overprotective family, but she is ready to get out there and find a date and she knows exactly who she wants. Rome isn’t who you might think he is and when he finds out Elise has sights on him the sparks will fly. But first Elise has to convince Rome that she isn’t stuck up or a snob just shy and sheltered. Sneaking around behind her brother is another challenge that they will have to face is her chance to experience life and she wants Rome to show her what she has been missing out on. With love comes family and if Rome and Elise can get through that then they have a solid future ahead of them. Great characters add to the book to make it all that more enjoyable to read.
June 7, 2014
A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.
Although this isn’t my first Jessica Clare book, it is the first one I’ve read in her Bluebonnet series, where different couples find love in a tiny but interesting fictional Texas town. I didn’t have any problem diving into the story of a hero and heroine from vastly different worlds who found themselves more compatible than anyone could have predicted. Elise and Rome’s romance is both sweet and hot, and it kept me interested even as another character in the book did her best to try to make me stop reading altogether.
Elise is quiet and shy because she spent her formative years suffering from a self-image severely damaged by a large facial birthmark and scoliosis. The birthmark was mostly removed by lasers, the scoliosis mostly fixed by years in a body brace and major surgery, but some external and internal scars remain. So when Elise finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome stranger covered in piercings and tattoos, she’s as surprised as anyone at her decision to pursue what would be the first real romantic relationship of her life. But will he give her a chance?
Rome has learned to trust no one after the multiple betrayals of his family resulted years spent in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His checkered past and intimidating appearance have kept everyone at arm’s length, until pretty little Elise sneaks past his defenses and convinces him to embark on a passionate affair. But when Elise’s over-protective brother discovers the truth, what will it take to keep the lovers together when it seems like everyone else is working to keep them apart?
For me, reading THE VIRGIN’S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING was a constant battle between the parts of the story I loved and the parts that made me want to throw my ereader against the wall in frustration. Rome and Elise really are a beautifully matched couple. Each has been taught not to trust other people, albeit for entirely different reasons, and even as they realize they want to be together, they each still take turns bracing for what they believe will be an inevitable betrayal by the other. It was wonderful to see how Rome proved he wouldn’t take advantage of Elise’s naivete, and how Elise in turn showed him how he was worthy of her love and the respect of others. Their intimate scenes exquisitely raised the sexual tension and deepened their emotional attachment each time they came together, and by the end of the book, we could see that they’ll continue to grow in their affection and trust as a united team against anyone who would dare threaten their happiness. But Rome and Elise weren’t the problem for me.
The reason I found this book to be as annoying as it was entertaining can be summed up in one word: Brenna. Brenna is the fiancee of Elise’s brother, Grant, and she is as wild and crazy as he is buttoned down and straitlaced. She may be a good person, but she is not a good friend to Elise. Brenna is the reason why Rome thought Elise didn’t like him. Brenna is the reason why Grant finds out about Rome and Elise before they are ready to go public, even after Elise specifically asked her not to tell anyone. And then to top it all off, when Rome leaves town in a misguided attempt to protect Elise from her brother’s wrath, Brenna is the reason why Elise uses a truly reprehensible trick to force Rome into coming back.
I’ll admit it’s possible that if I’d read Brenna’s book before this one, I might have a more rounded picture of who she is and why she behaves as she does here. But as a new reader to the series, I found Brenna to be such an incredible distraction that every time she appeared to mess things up, I wished I could tell her off and make her go away for good. If Brenna is in all the other Bluebonnet books, then frankly, I’m not interested in reading them. Thanks to her, I was only just able to finish THE VIRGIN’S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING so I could enjoy Rome and Elise’s lovely HEA, including a satisfying epilogue that emphasized just how good they would always be for one another. But if you can stomach a relentlessly wacky secondary character like Brenna, you might like this book even better.
Ratings:
Overall: 3
Sensuality level: 3
Although this isn’t my first Jessica Clare book, it is the first one I’ve read in her Bluebonnet series, where different couples find love in a tiny but interesting fictional Texas town. I didn’t have any problem diving into the story of a hero and heroine from vastly different worlds who found themselves more compatible than anyone could have predicted. Elise and Rome’s romance is both sweet and hot, and it kept me interested even as another character in the book did her best to try to make me stop reading altogether.
Elise is quiet and shy because she spent her formative years suffering from a self-image severely damaged by a large facial birthmark and scoliosis. The birthmark was mostly removed by lasers, the scoliosis mostly fixed by years in a body brace and major surgery, but some external and internal scars remain. So when Elise finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome stranger covered in piercings and tattoos, she’s as surprised as anyone at her decision to pursue what would be the first real romantic relationship of her life. But will he give her a chance?
Rome has learned to trust no one after the multiple betrayals of his family resulted years spent in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His checkered past and intimidating appearance have kept everyone at arm’s length, until pretty little Elise sneaks past his defenses and convinces him to embark on a passionate affair. But when Elise’s over-protective brother discovers the truth, what will it take to keep the lovers together when it seems like everyone else is working to keep them apart?
For me, reading THE VIRGIN’S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING was a constant battle between the parts of the story I loved and the parts that made me want to throw my ereader against the wall in frustration. Rome and Elise really are a beautifully matched couple. Each has been taught not to trust other people, albeit for entirely different reasons, and even as they realize they want to be together, they each still take turns bracing for what they believe will be an inevitable betrayal by the other. It was wonderful to see how Rome proved he wouldn’t take advantage of Elise’s naivete, and how Elise in turn showed him how he was worthy of her love and the respect of others. Their intimate scenes exquisitely raised the sexual tension and deepened their emotional attachment each time they came together, and by the end of the book, we could see that they’ll continue to grow in their affection and trust as a united team against anyone who would dare threaten their happiness. But Rome and Elise weren’t the problem for me.
The reason I found this book to be as annoying as it was entertaining can be summed up in one word: Brenna. Brenna is the fiancee of Elise’s brother, Grant, and she is as wild and crazy as he is buttoned down and straitlaced. She may be a good person, but she is not a good friend to Elise. Brenna is the reason why Rome thought Elise didn’t like him. Brenna is the reason why Grant finds out about Rome and Elise before they are ready to go public, even after Elise specifically asked her not to tell anyone. And then to top it all off, when Rome leaves town in a misguided attempt to protect Elise from her brother’s wrath, Brenna is the reason why Elise uses a truly reprehensible trick to force Rome into coming back.
I’ll admit it’s possible that if I’d read Brenna’s book before this one, I might have a more rounded picture of who she is and why she behaves as she does here. But as a new reader to the series, I found Brenna to be such an incredible distraction that every time she appeared to mess things up, I wished I could tell her off and make her go away for good. If Brenna is in all the other Bluebonnet books, then frankly, I’m not interested in reading them. Thanks to her, I was only just able to finish THE VIRGIN’S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING so I could enjoy Rome and Elise’s lovely HEA, including a satisfying epilogue that emphasized just how good they would always be for one another. But if you can stomach a relentlessly wacky secondary character like Brenna, you might like this book even better.
Ratings:
Overall: 3
Sensuality level: 3
June 14, 2014
ORIGINAL POST: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
June 14, 2014
VIRGIN'S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING STRIKES A CHORD
E-Galley provided by publisher for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own unless otherwise noted or cited.
While I gave a decent review to the 3rd book in this series, THE EXPERT’S GUIDE TO DRIVING A MAN WILD (http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...), I did feel the language was a little crude, but the story was interesting and quirky. It had a lot of shock value.
But, I found this story really struck a chord with me.
The tattooed and pierced Rome could be an antihero, but there’s no ‘anti’ in him. He has just had a bum rap in life. But a better first lover, and first love, could not be written. For the young woman whose shyness is the result of scoliosis, a birthmark and a sheltered upbringing, he is absolutely perfect even though you would never put the two together at a dinner party.
And Clare strikes the right notes with the situation as well — we can all sympathize with Elise — every woman can. Almost everyone has been hurt by some guy in her past, made to feel lesser and unsexy.
So when Elise is filled with doubt because what she hears from him seems too good to believe, I TOTALLY understood it even though it has been over 33 years since I experienced it. It is the kind of experience you remember. He said he’ll call but then he doesn’t call. Or, he swears his undying love, or tells you he thinks your are so beautiful/special/brilliant only and you learn it was all an act to get into your pants. And ,I love it when Elise grows a spine and gets the job done. I even like how her brother tries to “protect” her from the nasty boy.
The writing is uneven though with one moment a character is tender and the next, s/he is crude. The use of the word “squirting” to describe female ejaculation was interesting in that the term is explained as such, but I certainly sympathized with Elise’s reaction to what would, to the inexperienced, feel like urination.
We get some brief glimpses into Grant, Brenna Beth Ann and other characters from the other books in the series. But, this one won me over for its sensitive (if repetitive) treatment of Elise’s issues and the very fine man who she hooks up with.
I recommend it!
June 14, 2014
VIRGIN'S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING STRIKES A CHORD
E-Galley provided by publisher for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own unless otherwise noted or cited.
While I gave a decent review to the 3rd book in this series, THE EXPERT’S GUIDE TO DRIVING A MAN WILD (http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...), I did feel the language was a little crude, but the story was interesting and quirky. It had a lot of shock value.
But, I found this story really struck a chord with me.
The tattooed and pierced Rome could be an antihero, but there’s no ‘anti’ in him. He has just had a bum rap in life. But a better first lover, and first love, could not be written. For the young woman whose shyness is the result of scoliosis, a birthmark and a sheltered upbringing, he is absolutely perfect even though you would never put the two together at a dinner party.
And Clare strikes the right notes with the situation as well — we can all sympathize with Elise — every woman can. Almost everyone has been hurt by some guy in her past, made to feel lesser and unsexy.
So when Elise is filled with doubt because what she hears from him seems too good to believe, I TOTALLY understood it even though it has been over 33 years since I experienced it. It is the kind of experience you remember. He said he’ll call but then he doesn’t call. Or, he swears his undying love, or tells you he thinks your are so beautiful/special/brilliant only and you learn it was all an act to get into your pants. And ,I love it when Elise grows a spine and gets the job done. I even like how her brother tries to “protect” her from the nasty boy.
The writing is uneven though with one moment a character is tender and the next, s/he is crude. The use of the word “squirting” to describe female ejaculation was interesting in that the term is explained as such, but I certainly sympathized with Elise’s reaction to what would, to the inexperienced, feel like urination.
We get some brief glimpses into Grant, Brenna Beth Ann and other characters from the other books in the series. But, this one won me over for its sensitive (if repetitive) treatment of Elise’s issues and the very fine man who she hooks up with.
I recommend it!
June 19, 2014
The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving is not my fave installment of the series though I enjoyed it just the same. Jessica Clare executed yet another fun and sexy read.
Rome is in his late 20’s, Rome is trying to straighten up his life. He’s had a rough life growing up and his experience has lead him to seek a quiet and hidden life. Let me tell you, his mysterious streak made him so desirable. Not to mention his rough tatted persona which will melt your undies away just by looking at him. This man is hot.
Elise, on the other hand, is Rome’s polar opposite. She has been sheltered all her young life. Certainly sweet but also naive and innocent. Due to her physical attributes as a child, she has always been timid and shy until she meets Rome, who makes her want to break out of her shell. I can’t blame her, Rome is just a sight for sore eyes.
Rome and Elise’s sexual tension was off the charts from the beginning to end. I really liked their chemistry. There’s a hint of New Adult in this small town romance. Not only that the protagonists are in their twenties, there was also a bit more angst to the story. Don’t get me wrong, this book is full of love and just like the previous books, it is very steamy. This is Jessica Clare’s novel after all…sexy is a must!
My only complaint is how Elise acted in some of the scenes. She acted as a teenager and it was a bit annoying to see her act that way. Granted she wanted to break out of her shell, but the lack of experience left her in the playing field and a bit desperate. Literally. She played games to get what she wanted and once she even cried wolf to get Rome’s attention. By the end of the book, Elise’s personality does make a turn and acted accordingly. It is why she never made to the TSTL list.
I’m not sure if this is the last of the Blue Bonnet series, but I’m hoping for more. Small town romance is definitely one of Ms. Clare’s forte.
*ARC provided by publisher
August 10, 2016
Shy, scarred virgin and tatted-up, pierced biker with a heart of gold fall in love ever-so-sweetly in The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving (book 4 in the Bluebonnet series). This was a 4.5 star read for me. I am a fan of this series and have read the previous three novels and two novellas.
Though The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving can work as a stand-alone, I firmly believe that my rating would have been lower (a 3 or 3.5) had I read it that way. My advice is to at least read The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild first. Elise and Rome, the leads in Virgin’s Guide, are introduced as characters and have several interactions in Expert’s Guide. While this history is summarized in Virgin’s Guide, I feel that witnessing those events in “real-time” provides significantly more character depth. Additionally, the behaviors and personalities of secondary characters Grant and Brenna make way more sense if you are familiar with their story. (If this book had been my first encounter with Brenna, I’m fairly certain I would have been wishing her dead. By knowing her background, this was more like a fun reunion with a wacky friend.)
Elise is an adorable, vulnerable heroine. There were several instances in the book when I just wanted to scoop her up and put her in my pocket. Rome is an incredibly sweet and sexy hero. He looks like a bad boy, but is the nicest guy in the universe. The chemistry between Elise and Rome is delicious. My need for them to be together was so great that my heart hurt any time they were separated. I repeatedly teared-up just for Rome and his situation in life. This emotional response was so strong that it overrode my rational brain’s two issues with the book: (1) Rome is simply too good to be true and (2) when Elise finally overcomes her shyness, her personality change in that respect is quick and complete. But the feels! The feels were so strong I just didn’t care.
Jessica Clare has stated that this is the final book in the series. Goodbye, Bluebonnet, TX. It’s been fun. I’ll be back to visit (reread) some day. You can count on it.
Though The Virgin’s Guide to Misbehaving can work as a stand-alone, I firmly believe that my rating would have been lower (a 3 or 3.5) had I read it that way. My advice is to at least read The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild first. Elise and Rome, the leads in Virgin’s Guide, are introduced as characters and have several interactions in Expert’s Guide. While this history is summarized in Virgin’s Guide, I feel that witnessing those events in “real-time” provides significantly more character depth. Additionally, the behaviors and personalities of secondary characters Grant and Brenna make way more sense if you are familiar with their story. (If this book had been my first encounter with Brenna, I’m fairly certain I would have been wishing her dead. By knowing her background, this was more like a fun reunion with a wacky friend.)
Elise is an adorable, vulnerable heroine. There were several instances in the book when I just wanted to scoop her up and put her in my pocket. Rome is an incredibly sweet and sexy hero. He looks like a bad boy, but is the nicest guy in the universe. The chemistry between Elise and Rome is delicious. My need for them to be together was so great that my heart hurt any time they were separated. I repeatedly teared-up just for Rome and his situation in life. This emotional response was so strong that it overrode my rational brain’s two issues with the book: (1) Rome is simply too good to be true and (2) when Elise finally overcomes her shyness, her personality change in that respect is quick and complete. But the feels! The feels were so strong I just didn’t care.
Jessica Clare has stated that this is the final book in the series. Goodbye, Bluebonnet, TX. It’s been fun. I’ll be back to visit (reread) some day. You can count on it.
August 3, 2016
I have been a fan of Jessica Clare ever since I first read her Succubus Diaries (writing as Jill Myles) years ago. I quickly fell in love with her contemporary romance series. Her Bluebonnet series is great, and A Virgins Guide to Misbehaving, is a wonderful addition.
Rome and Elise are two people from very different worlds.
Elise, the daughter of very wealthy, over protective parents, has hidden herself away from the world. Bullied and teased as a young woman, now an adult, she still only sees the scars and odd shape of her body.
Rome on the other hand, has only known the rougher side of life, a family he's on the run from, a prison record, arrest warrants from various states, bad credit, and more secrets than he cares to think about.
From the first moment Elise laid eyes on Rome, she only saw the incredibly sexy, Harley riding, pierced, tattooed man of her dreams. Now if she could just break free of her terminal shyness to actually speak to him, rather than running away anytime he enters a room, maybe, just maybe he might like her too.
Rome enjoys spending time with Elise, slowly drawing her out of her shell. He only sees how beautiful she is. But Elise's brother happens to be Romes boss. And Grant has made it perfectly clear, if Rome wants to keep his desperately needed job, stay away from his sister.
I loved this story. A nice lesson on not judging a book by its cover. No matter what people see on the outside, you never know what truly lays beneath the surface, until you take the time and make the effort to get to know that person. That's Rome and Elise. Two very different books on the outside.
Rome and Elise are two people from very different worlds.
Elise, the daughter of very wealthy, over protective parents, has hidden herself away from the world. Bullied and teased as a young woman, now an adult, she still only sees the scars and odd shape of her body.
Rome on the other hand, has only known the rougher side of life, a family he's on the run from, a prison record, arrest warrants from various states, bad credit, and more secrets than he cares to think about.
From the first moment Elise laid eyes on Rome, she only saw the incredibly sexy, Harley riding, pierced, tattooed man of her dreams. Now if she could just break free of her terminal shyness to actually speak to him, rather than running away anytime he enters a room, maybe, just maybe he might like her too.
Rome enjoys spending time with Elise, slowly drawing her out of her shell. He only sees how beautiful she is. But Elise's brother happens to be Romes boss. And Grant has made it perfectly clear, if Rome wants to keep his desperately needed job, stay away from his sister.
I loved this story. A nice lesson on not judging a book by its cover. No matter what people see on the outside, you never know what truly lays beneath the surface, until you take the time and make the effort to get to know that person. That's Rome and Elise. Two very different books on the outside.
May 25, 2016
As I said in my review for the prior book of this series, I love the secondary set up for the next couple but have found myself not so interested when it comes to their turn as the main couple. You think after 4 books I would learn as the same thing happened here. Elise, incredibly shy sister to Grant, and Rome, new hire at the outdoor adventure business (see all prior books) share some incredibly cute, little misunderstandings in the prior book. Now that it's their turn, I found Elise's extreme shyness extremely annoying at first, but not so annoying as her miraculous cure after some time with Rome. I liked Rome better, but am tired of the "leaving for your own good" trope. I liked this one better than the last 2 books of the series, but Clare's Hit Man and Billionaire Boy's Club series are both better overall.
August 8, 2014
Can we talk about how much I loved Elise and Rome. First off, I love that Rome isn't some perfect specimen of a man with a great job and confidence coming out of his ears. He's actually very low in self esteem and humble and that was very appealing. Elise was just about the best character of this series. She cracks me up and I totally get her because I am an introverted mess myself. Favorite one of the series!
January 16, 2016
This love story is about Elise and Rome. Elise is the virgin that wants to experience sex and she wants Rome to be the lucky guy to teach/show her. Rome is willing to help her out. How they get to that point is unique. When they fall out, then come back together is unique in a way that I have yet to read in any book. Of course this is a HEA. I have enjoyed this series and will miss all the characters. Good job Jessica Clare. Great reads.
May 23, 2014
4 1/2 STARS!
Oh, wow -- what a truly FUN read, and so sexy! Don't even get me started with Rome . . . *swoon*
I received this ARC through NightOwlReviews. My review will not go up on GR or my blog, TBQ's Book Palace, until after it's "release" on NOR's website. Please stay tuned for an exact date!
Oh, wow -- what a truly FUN read, and so sexy! Don't even get me started with Rome . . . *swoon*
I received this ARC through NightOwlReviews. My review will not go up on GR or my blog, TBQ's Book Palace, until after it's "release" on NOR's website. Please stay tuned for an exact date!
September 28, 2015
2.5 stars
This story could've been awesome. I loved the setting and the premise. BUT. Elise was an almost ridiculous caricature of the uber-innocent virgin and Rome was an equally over-the-top text book "bad boy" - tattoos, piercings, dysfunctional childhood, motorcycle... I had a hard time believing the relationship between these two. The chemistry wasn't really there for me, sadly.
This story could've been awesome. I loved the setting and the premise. BUT. Elise was an almost ridiculous caricature of the uber-innocent virgin and Rome was an equally over-the-top text book "bad boy" - tattoos, piercings, dysfunctional childhood, motorcycle... I had a hard time believing the relationship between these two. The chemistry wasn't really there for me, sadly.
July 23, 2016
Bad, bad, bad title. But it's a quick, easy read -- just like the other books in this series. I liked the characters. I liked seeing more of Brenna and Grant (my faves of the series). And this book got me out of a reading slump. So yay.
own-need-to-read
June 25, 2014ARC bound galley - review for Affaire de Coeur Magazine.
June 11, 2014
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! Out of 4.5 books in the series, this one is one of my absolute FAVS!!!!!
August 4, 2014
It's the best one of the serie.
November 24, 2014
Another winner from Jessica Clare. I hope there is more to come in this amazingly fun and sexy series!
January 7, 2015
I don't know how I haven't read a JC book before now, but glad I did. Adored this book so much I read it in one sitting.
December 26, 2016
Title: The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving
Author: Jessica Clare
Publisher/Year: Penguin Publishing 6/3/14
Length: 304 Pages
Series: BlueBonnet #4
Overview
Playing innocent is easy.
After being the quiet, shy girl her whole life, Elise Markham is ready for a mental makeover. She’s done keeping to herself and staying out of trouble—it’s time to break out of her shell and maybe meet someone intriguing in the process. So, on a photography trip to Bluebonnet, she has a whole lot more on her mind than snapping photos, especially when Rome walks into the picture.
Playing dirty is fun.
The newest instructor at Wilderness Survival Expeditions has a colorful past, to say the least. Having come from a family of notorious con artists that destroyed his credit and reputation, all before his eighteenth birthday, Rome just wants a decent job and a quiet life in a town where no one knows his name. He’s exactly the kind of bad boy that an innocent girl like Elise should stay far away from.
But Elise is tired of doing what’s right. She’s ready to throw caution to the wind—and let Rome show her just how exciting being bad can be…
My Thoughts
There are so many folks for us to get into their stories for in this series, so it's nice that we get to see what happens when Grant's sister Elise crosses paths truly with Rome -their new employee.
From what you'll remember from Grant's story, Elise is in town with the family for a visit, and she's quite the complex young lady. We know that she's really shy and reserved and that she has this past that we don't know much about - she never went to school in town and that's something that makes you take pause right?
She met Rome when he came to the ranch in search of a job, and he's exactly the kind of bad boy that ideally would have been perfect for Brenna, but the sort of guy that makes Elise think and feel things that she's never experienced before.
Her time back in Bluebonnet is an opportunity for her to stand on her own two feet, to be an adult since she's been protected and sheltered by her parents her whole life. Rome wakes something up inside her and if he's strong enough to take on that challenge, what we'll likely see is something intense and passionate.
The nice thing about this story is that where we had opposites in Grant and Brenna, there's an even deeper level of opposites here with these two, and Rome is definitely not what he seems on the outside. He's got a past that's shaped him into the kind of guy he is now, and all he wants to do is get by. He's not even searching for happiness anymore just freedom.
In true form of our author, we get a sweet story more of romance than sex, which takes us in a different direction than the last installment. there are true and real feelings that develop in this story and it's really a question of when Grant's going to find out and what that will mean since we know that he won't approve.
Secrets are revealed, Rome's past comes to haunt him in both the form of his brother and his parents, and you really don't know what that's going to mean for his sanity, his career and his hopes for ever being with Elise.
Elise on the other hand has a load of experiences that she wants to get under her belt - she really hasn't done much in the form of living through her life and being with Rome and around the girls makes her take leaps that are so new to her. I love the progression that we see her take and i love that the girl that we met in book 3 is not the same that we see towards the end of book 4. It's a sweet romance, but one that's really destined not to work out. Can't wait to see what happens next in this series.
Author: Jessica Clare
Publisher/Year: Penguin Publishing 6/3/14
Length: 304 Pages
Series: BlueBonnet #4
Overview
Playing innocent is easy.
After being the quiet, shy girl her whole life, Elise Markham is ready for a mental makeover. She’s done keeping to herself and staying out of trouble—it’s time to break out of her shell and maybe meet someone intriguing in the process. So, on a photography trip to Bluebonnet, she has a whole lot more on her mind than snapping photos, especially when Rome walks into the picture.
Playing dirty is fun.
The newest instructor at Wilderness Survival Expeditions has a colorful past, to say the least. Having come from a family of notorious con artists that destroyed his credit and reputation, all before his eighteenth birthday, Rome just wants a decent job and a quiet life in a town where no one knows his name. He’s exactly the kind of bad boy that an innocent girl like Elise should stay far away from.
But Elise is tired of doing what’s right. She’s ready to throw caution to the wind—and let Rome show her just how exciting being bad can be…
My Thoughts
There are so many folks for us to get into their stories for in this series, so it's nice that we get to see what happens when Grant's sister Elise crosses paths truly with Rome -their new employee.
From what you'll remember from Grant's story, Elise is in town with the family for a visit, and she's quite the complex young lady. We know that she's really shy and reserved and that she has this past that we don't know much about - she never went to school in town and that's something that makes you take pause right?
She met Rome when he came to the ranch in search of a job, and he's exactly the kind of bad boy that ideally would have been perfect for Brenna, but the sort of guy that makes Elise think and feel things that she's never experienced before.
Her time back in Bluebonnet is an opportunity for her to stand on her own two feet, to be an adult since she's been protected and sheltered by her parents her whole life. Rome wakes something up inside her and if he's strong enough to take on that challenge, what we'll likely see is something intense and passionate.
The nice thing about this story is that where we had opposites in Grant and Brenna, there's an even deeper level of opposites here with these two, and Rome is definitely not what he seems on the outside. He's got a past that's shaped him into the kind of guy he is now, and all he wants to do is get by. He's not even searching for happiness anymore just freedom.
In true form of our author, we get a sweet story more of romance than sex, which takes us in a different direction than the last installment. there are true and real feelings that develop in this story and it's really a question of when Grant's going to find out and what that will mean since we know that he won't approve.
Secrets are revealed, Rome's past comes to haunt him in both the form of his brother and his parents, and you really don't know what that's going to mean for his sanity, his career and his hopes for ever being with Elise.
Elise on the other hand has a load of experiences that she wants to get under her belt - she really hasn't done much in the form of living through her life and being with Rome and around the girls makes her take leaps that are so new to her. I love the progression that we see her take and i love that the girl that we met in book 3 is not the same that we see towards the end of book 4. It's a sweet romance, but one that's really destined not to work out. Can't wait to see what happens next in this series.
June 11, 2018
3.5 stars
I thought the story was unexpectedly sweet. I got a bit frustrated with Elise at times with her self-consciousness but not enough to really take me away from the story.
I couldn’t stand Brenna though. She was annoying enough in her own book but in this one she was especially insensitive and arrogantly self-centred that I wanted to reach in and shake her.
The biggest issue with Brenna was that she went digging for information about what Rome and Elise were up to, got Elise to confess that they were hooking up, then she swore to Elise that she wouldn't tell Grant and then we're told during Elise's POV when Rome stops returning her texts that there's no way Grant found out because Brenna swore up and down that she would keep it in confidence. It was a complete breach of trust and yet Brenna never apologized for it, didn't even act as if she did anything wrong, nor did she bother to tell Elise that Grant knew which left Elise suffering for several days wondering about what went wrong.
That entire scenario made Brenna look like she was a horrible busybody who got her jollies causing drama. I wanted a scene where Elise confronted Brenna for doing what she did but that never happened, as if it was no big deal. I can understand that Brenna didn't want to keep a secret from her fiancé but then she had no business fishing for the information when it was clear that Elise wasn't ready to make the relationship known. She also should have confessed to Elise that she spilled the beans to her fiancé, which would have at least made it appear as if Brenna was capable of thinking of anything other than her own entertainment off of other peoples' misery.
I thought the story was unexpectedly sweet. I got a bit frustrated with Elise at times with her self-consciousness but not enough to really take me away from the story.
I couldn’t stand Brenna though. She was annoying enough in her own book but in this one she was especially insensitive and arrogantly self-centred that I wanted to reach in and shake her.
The biggest issue with Brenna was that she went digging for information about what Rome and Elise were up to, got Elise to confess that they were hooking up, then she swore to Elise that she wouldn't tell Grant and then we're told during Elise's POV when Rome stops returning her texts that there's no way Grant found out because Brenna swore up and down that she would keep it in confidence. It was a complete breach of trust and yet Brenna never apologized for it, didn't even act as if she did anything wrong, nor did she bother to tell Elise that Grant knew which left Elise suffering for several days wondering about what went wrong.
That entire scenario made Brenna look like she was a horrible busybody who got her jollies causing drama. I wanted a scene where Elise confronted Brenna for doing what she did but that never happened, as if it was no big deal. I can understand that Brenna didn't want to keep a secret from her fiancé but then she had no business fishing for the information when it was clear that Elise wasn't ready to make the relationship known. She also should have confessed to Elise that she spilled the beans to her fiancé, which would have at least made it appear as if Brenna was capable of thinking of anything other than her own entertainment off of other peoples' misery.
August 13, 2025
i was enjoying this book tbh but i just HAD to dnf it bc of that bitch ass loser motherfucking WHORE BRENNA. truly the worst side character ive read in a while and i just came back from reading some girls are… brenna i will beat you to death. rome and elise were rlly cute tbh but that dark cloud looming over everyones happiness brenna truly ruined this book for me. why did she get sm appearances??? the other girls barely got their time author chose the WORST one to get all the screen(?) time 😭😭 again… brenna i will GET you
July 20, 2024
I will start with I am an avid dark, bully, touch ‘em and he will unalive you, k!nk, reverse harem reader. I like to read sweet ones as palate cleansers. This was sweet, and man, if Rome was in my harem we would be doing some rotten dirty things he is my book boyfriend type… she was just way too painfully shy. Like I get shy, but this was overboard shy.
July 1, 2014
Sometimes you have to suffer for a little while to get to the good stuff. That's kinda how I felt about The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving. Whew. There were definitely some bumps in the road for me as two unlikely souls found each other and helped heal the other's hurts and insecurities. It was a lovely romance with an entirely swoon-worthy hero that by the end easily had me smiling even if there were parts that had me reading to bite someone. And not in a fun way. *nods*
Okay the quick of it is that Elise has led a very sheltered life and while visiting her brother at his survival camp she decided she's had enough and it's time to live a little and get some experience--including losing her virginity--and she knows just the man to help her...her brother's newest employee. If she can just work up the courage to actually talk to him. There were some funny moments along the way, some painful, some sad and some so very endearing and sweet as these two get to know each other.
I loved Rome. He was just so tasty. Covered in tattoos, pierced everywhere (though alas he didn't have my favorite piercing--sobs!) and just a sweet guy that's had a hell of a hard life. Including some prison time. He's trying to start his life over and is used to being treated like trash because of his appearance and past and had a bit of a chip on his shoulder from that but honestly I totally got it and I really felt for him. And wanted to wrap him up and hug him fiercely. He's also dirt broke because of it all. Something you don't see often in romance, right? He's just an average guy who's had a rough go and really needs a break in life. I loved pretty much everything about him and how he was with Elise.
Elise though. Yep. She was the one I had to suffer through for a while before things got good. She's painfully excruciatingly shy because of a birth "defect" and medical issues she had when younger that have really had an impact on how she saw herself and how others saw her. I had a hard time with her for a good half of the book. Instead of sympathy I just felt annoyed when she couldn't let go of thoughts of being imperfect and how ugly she was, etc. Even after having all of her "problems" had been fixed she still saw that damaged girl from her childhood. And I got it. But I had to really fight with myself to not put the book down at one point I was so over her wallowing and whining. With Rome's help she did grow as the book went along though and by the mid-way point I was starting to climb on board where she was concerned. She was making better choices and wasn't so exasperating to be around though her insecurities did sneak in now and again. She also turned into a fierce mama bear towards the end which I loved seeing and was just good to and for Rome. Saw him and not what was on paper or on his skin.
The chemistry was pretty killer and was so working for me. Once they got past that initial shyness of Elise's whew, yeah, the two had trouble keeping their hands off each other. There were some very sweet moments between them and things got nicely heated. Gotta say, I enjoyed that bit. *nods* There were some pretty silly/funny moments because of her being all innocent and learning her way around things. Plus Rome was... not a dirty talker exactly, but just a talker when things were going down which was oddly entertaining to me. While they were as different as night and day they still had things that weighed on both of them. They each knew loneliness and were good people who just wanted or needed a new life and someone to call their own. Who loved them for exactly who they were. And seeing them bring out the best in each other was really rather sweet and had me going all girly.
All in all, The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving was a decent read. It took me a little while to get into it but by the end I was actually pretty on board. I don't know that I'd go back and read the earlier books though--those characters just didn't grab my attention or flat out annoyed me--but I wouldn't mind reading a little about Rome's big brother Jerico. He was rather yummy and seemed interesting.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Okay the quick of it is that Elise has led a very sheltered life and while visiting her brother at his survival camp she decided she's had enough and it's time to live a little and get some experience--including losing her virginity--and she knows just the man to help her...her brother's newest employee. If she can just work up the courage to actually talk to him. There were some funny moments along the way, some painful, some sad and some so very endearing and sweet as these two get to know each other.
I loved Rome. He was just so tasty. Covered in tattoos, pierced everywhere (though alas he didn't have my favorite piercing--sobs!) and just a sweet guy that's had a hell of a hard life. Including some prison time. He's trying to start his life over and is used to being treated like trash because of his appearance and past and had a bit of a chip on his shoulder from that but honestly I totally got it and I really felt for him. And wanted to wrap him up and hug him fiercely. He's also dirt broke because of it all. Something you don't see often in romance, right? He's just an average guy who's had a rough go and really needs a break in life. I loved pretty much everything about him and how he was with Elise.
The room was decorated in a Victorian style, and the large bed in the center of the room was a four-poster covered with an ornate purple quilt.
"Cute," Rome said. Elise was silent, so he looked over at her and was surprised to see her expression, her face bright red. He squeezed her hand. "What's wrong?"
"It's just...one bed." She brushed her hand against her cheek, almost automatically.
"One bed," he agreed. "And one shower." He touched her cheek. "And one guy that is perfectly fine with waiting on sex if you're not ready. This weekend is about you."
Elise though. Yep. She was the one I had to suffer through for a while before things got good. She's painfully excruciatingly shy because of a birth "defect" and medical issues she had when younger that have really had an impact on how she saw herself and how others saw her. I had a hard time with her for a good half of the book. Instead of sympathy I just felt annoyed when she couldn't let go of thoughts of being imperfect and how ugly she was, etc. Even after having all of her "problems" had been fixed she still saw that damaged girl from her childhood. And I got it. But I had to really fight with myself to not put the book down at one point I was so over her wallowing and whining. With Rome's help she did grow as the book went along though and by the mid-way point I was starting to climb on board where she was concerned. She was making better choices and wasn't so exasperating to be around though her insecurities did sneak in now and again. She also turned into a fierce mama bear towards the end which I loved seeing and was just good to and for Rome. Saw him and not what was on paper or on his skin.
The chemistry was pretty killer and was so working for me. Once they got past that initial shyness of Elise's whew, yeah, the two had trouble keeping their hands off each other. There were some very sweet moments between them and things got nicely heated. Gotta say, I enjoyed that bit. *nods* There were some pretty silly/funny moments because of her being all innocent and learning her way around things. Plus Rome was... not a dirty talker exactly, but just a talker when things were going down which was oddly entertaining to me. While they were as different as night and day they still had things that weighed on both of them. They each knew loneliness and were good people who just wanted or needed a new life and someone to call their own. Who loved them for exactly who they were. And seeing them bring out the best in each other was really rather sweet and had me going all girly.
"You remember what I called you?"
---
"Bo Peep," she breathed. "You said I looked lost."
"You still feel lost, baby?"
"Not with you," she said, and he felt his chest ache again.
"That's a good answer," he told her in a husky voice.
All in all, The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving was a decent read. It took me a little while to get into it but by the end I was actually pretty on board. I don't know that I'd go back and read the earlier books though--those characters just didn't grab my attention or flat out annoyed me--but I wouldn't mind reading a little about Rome's big brother Jerico. He was rather yummy and seemed interesting.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
February 27, 2024
DNF the MMC just put me off. Too many piercings. Especially for the type of work he is doing. And the ears? Sorry, I just find that gross. I really wanted to read their story. But he was just a no go for me.
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