Shaken Not Stirred

Mixology #1

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

*New Adult Romance mixed with humor and garnished with a twist*

Finding the perfect guy is like mixing the perfect drink. It's all about the taste and presentation.

Faced with a pile of med school rejection letters and no plan B, I took a job tending bar in a beach town while living with two male roommates. All of that would have been fine if I'd had a clue what to do with my life or if my love life wasn't just as pathetic as my career path. But in the end I figured one of those things out—and I also discovered his perfect drink.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Ebooks, College

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2014

About the author

Alyssa Rose Ivy is the bestselling author of more than forty novels with over one million books sold worldwide. She loves to weave stories with romance and humor, and she is best known for writing about college boys with wings. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. She lives in Alabama with her two children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Reviews

[Emmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall rating: 2.5 stars

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Plot: 6/10
Ending: 2/10
Writing: 4/10
Hero: 5/10
Heroine: 4/10
Humour: 7/10
Steaminess: 7/10
HEA: Yes

Recommend: Depends but probably not
Re-read: No
Read more from author: No

I didn't hate the book but wasn't desperate to find out what was going to happen. The end just did it all in for me, the more time passes since finishing lower I want to rate it.
It fucked me off how after umming and ahhing so long over how much/whether at all she liked Colin she suddenly decided she loved him after finding out he wrote some songs. I mean come on! That shouldn't decide your relationship girl! A few songs shouldn't make you feel any different after you've gotten to know him and supposedly care about him. Just ruined the story for me. I was kinda please throughout to find a book that wasn't completely about loving/hating another person, more a sense of how every day love works out, then that just fucked it and ruined the basis of the whole book.

[Stephanie ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not you, it's me... wait, is it, It's not me, it's you... I don't know. Ugh, I read this whole book this evening and had no desire to put it down, but I also didn't need to keep reading. I have read tonnes of reviews for this book and everyone has been raving that they loved it, they loved the Maddy, the main character, they loved her roommates and they loved her love interest(s), but for me it just didn't click.

Maddy has recently been denied entrance to medical school, her life isn't anything like what she thought and she is working at a beachside bar just waiting to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Her parents are waiting for her to come home and get back on track with her life, but Maddy seems content to just bartend and live with her two roommates Macon and Brody.

The primary love interest is Colin. He is hot, driven, successful... but boring. Although the author said they had great sex, it didn't jump off the page for me. He was docile, and this is where I'm thinking that my lack of satisfaction is more me than the book. I like my male characters to have edge. I like bad boys, I like dominant men, alphas, backbone. But Colin was lacking in all of that. He was a gentleman in every way.

The love triangle that I thought was going to happen never did. First, I thought it was going to have something to do with Macon, the roommate, who I have to tell you was the highlight of the book for me. Seriously, wrap this sexy man up for me in his own book and I will devour it! Then I thought the other roommate, Brody, but nope that didn't happen either. Not even a spark.

Then there is Lyle. The guy that Maddy is lusting after the entire book... well I will just have to let you read to get the scoop on him! I am thinking we are going to see more of these characters in further books in this series because a lot of plot points were left unresolved. What is going on with Collin's sister? The booze, the guys in her room? The other sister and the parents? The moms reaction towards Maddy? Maddy's parents? What of Maddy's future? It was talked about lots, but left to completely dangle in the wind at the end of the book.

I told you the roommates were the highlight of the book for me, but that is an understatement. I loved Macon. I loved his witty banter, I loved his attitude towards things, but again, he has some story waiting to be told. What of his MBA? His future? His man-whore ways?

I think you need to read this for yourself and let me know what you all think, but for me, I will stick to my alpha male books from now on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See this review on Fabulously Girly Book Blog
Buy this book on Amazon

Fabulously Girly Book Blog
Fabulously Girly Facebook

[Lauren ♥ Inked in Chapters · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read this and other reviews at Madison Says!

Maddy has been rejected from med school. Sucks when your family expects you to attend. Sucks even more when you’re reject from a school that your father has pull at. It’s no surprise that Maddy’s ego took a pretty big hit. Instead of facing life head on, Maddy escapes to the Outer Banks to live with her best friend Macon and his roommate Brody. Both guys seem pretty great and are firmly rooted in the friend zone. While trying to “find herself” Maddy has taken a job tending bar. Every Thursday night, a local named Lyle performs at the bar. Maddy is pretty confident in her ability to match a person’s personality to their drink of choice, but Lyle appears to be a tough egg to crack. While Lyle has caught Maddy’s eye, Colin has his eye on Maddy. He’s determined to make her his. After asking Maddy out numerous times, she FINALLY agrees to a date. Now Maddy must decide if she’ll continue stressing over Lyle or give Colin a shot at her heart.

Some people would say accepting a date with oone guy while obsessing over another was a mistake, but I’d spent the whole summer waiting for Lyle to show me even the smallest amount of interest. It was time to give up.

Can someone please explain Lyle to me? The man had no point. Yeah, yeah. He served a tiny purpose. Maddy couldn’t figure out his drink of choice. Blah, blah, blah. I get that he was the unattainable guy – the man she wanted but just didn’t seem to want her – but let’s get serious, the man was a giant dick. He said maybe five words to Maddy every time she attempted to “surprise” him with an alcoholic beverage. For 8/10th of the story I kept waiting for him to become someone of importance and when his moment in the spotlight finally came, it faded pretty quickly. So Lyle… pointless.

Colin on the other hand wants to give Maddy the whole shebang; a relationship filled with love and commitment. Because of Lyle, Maddy has a hard time fully commiting to Colin. Yeah, Colin seems like the whole package, but she has this connection with Lyle’s lyrics that she just couldn’t shake. Did I mention that Lyle performs at the bar Maddy works at? No? Well, now you know.

I have some lyrics from the Rolling Stones for you Ms. Maddy…

“You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need”

In reality, what Maddy wants isn’t even what she thinks it is. *sigh* The entire story just threw me for a loop. I didn’t particularly like either of the men. Lyle was a complete douche canoe and Colin, that man was clueless. He worked too much causing him to miss dates or show up ridiculously late. He put her in uncomfortable situations. He was a nice enough guy, I guess. I just know that I wouldn’t have put up with everything she did. No sir.

I was tired of always taking a backseat to his job. I was tired of rejection, and I wanted someone who found me important enough to put me first. As Lyle sang in one of his songs, A girl needs to know there’s no one else in the world but her.

This was my first time reading one of Alyssa Rose Ivy’s books, and I’d like to think that it won’t be my last. The characters may have made me batty, but the writing was engaging. I didn’t have any trouble whipping right through this story and I suspect that you’ll feel the same.

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddy may not have the most glamours job as a doctor but she does enjoy her job working as a bartender. Maybe one day she will get into med school but for now she’s enjoying the summer living at the beach with her two friends. Her parents want her to get focus on getting into a program that will help her get into med school but after so many rejection letters she just needs to find herself. Maddy prides herself on being able to figure out everyone’s drink but she can’t seem to figure out Lyle’s drink because he’s hardly said more than a few words to her and she has a little crush on him.

All summer long Colin has been asking her out but she’s not looking for a relationship so she keeps turning him down. Deciding that she will stay a little longer than the summer she decides to give him a shot only to be stuck waiting when he doesn’t show up till later. After two dates Maddy doesn’t hear from Colin and assumes he’s not interested so she decides to take her roommate up on a blind date which turns out terrible her next date happens to turn into a very akward swingers date. When Colin shows back up busy from working she decides to give him another shot, quickly falling head over heels for him as he her but things aren’t always perfect his job keeps getting in the way and he’s keeping something from her. When Maddy learns the truth will she be able to accept it? What about him leaving for Paris for the next three months for work?

Maddy is my favorite type of New Adult character she’s the nice girl with a good heart who just needs to the right guy. I really liked her roommates as well as Colin’s sister and see a lot of potential for them in future book…hint hint. I loved Colin for Maddy he’s very work driven and she’s the most important thing in his life even if he is a little on the workaholic side. I didn’t care for Lyle he waste of time in my opinion.

I’m a huge fan of Alyssa Rose Ivy books so of course I had to jump at the chance to read shaken Not Stirred. I picked up the book and didn’t stop reading till I finished reading from 1% to 100% in just a few hours. I loved the characters of the book they are easy to connect with and I can’t help wishing I had Maddy as a friend she’s just a sweetheart and I loved her. Shaken Not Stirred is a fast paced New Adult romance with humor mixed in to create an enchanting story. While the story does have a few steamy scenes they don’t overwhelm the novel which I like. We don’t have to worry about any potential love triangles which are another plus. It’s your looking for a quick romance novel that you can really sink your teeth that will make you laugh I highly suggest checking out the series. I already have the next book on my kindle. I loved the cover and the book one of my favorites by one of my favorite authors.

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed reading this because I'm a bartender and therefore was able to relate to the main character more so than usual. When the book started off by talking about hating sex on the beach, because of how cliche it is, I knew I was gonna love all that followed.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.

After loving Alyssa Rose Ivy's two Pteron series, I was excited for her new book, Shaken Not Stirred. It's a New Adult novel, but I'm thinking about only sticking with her fantasy/paranormal series from now on. I was sorely disappointed with this book; the plot was very boring, the MC was childish and over-the-top melodramatic, and I wanted more out of the romantic relationship.


Rating: 2 stars!

First of all, that synopsis is incredibly misleading! There is no love triangle. She does live with two men; however, they aren't Colin and Lyle (which is what I thought at first). I was so confused in the beginning when we were introduced to all of these guys, but I finally figured it out after the two "love interests" showed up. But yeah, I thought this was going to be a love triangle, and the synopsis made it sound like she was falling for Lyle. And that is way out in left field, because if not for Maddy's Thursday night challenge to find Lyle's perfect drink, he was completely out of the picture.

*le sigh* I don't want to write this review. This is the first time I've disliked one of Alyssa's books. But I'm just so damn disappointed that this wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. However, it's probably just one of those "It's me, not you" things. Whatever the case, I'm not happy. At all. In the beginning, I was happy. I was laughing so hard, and I really loved the characters. However, that quickly changed once the story kept going.

My main problem with this book was the main character, Maddy. Now I hate it when, in contemporary romances, there's only one point of view. I feel like we miss that other side. But I don't think double POVs would have saved this for me. I had such an issue with Maddy. I loved her sassy personality in the beginning, but it quickly morphed into a childish, whiny, melodramatic main character. Every guy wants her, and so she has a few dates over the course of the book (no more once she becomes exclusive with Colin). She has no close girlfriends, doesn't speak to her parents, and lives with two guys. But what bugged me the most was her personality; she was a dishonest, neurotic child. Colin once told her that he loved how she spoke her mind and how honest she was, and I laughed so hard I cried. She's actually NOT honest. With anyone. Ever. When Colin doesn't call her for two weeks after a date, she decides he didn't want her. Does she call him and actually ask what was going on? NO. When she sees Colin at an ice cream shop (while SHE was on a date, btw) with another girl, she automatically assumes he's on a date or it's his girlfriend. Did she ever actually ask him? NO. She put two and two together when she met his sister, Carly. When she goes to his boss' house for dinner and Colin asks her what's wrong, she lies. Does she ever actually tell him why she was nervous and didn't want to go? NO. She lets his boss' wife do that for her. Seriously, she gets let off the hook for a lot of shit. Some of it was called for (like when Colin didn't put her first before his job) and other times it was just a load of bullshit brought on by her millions of insecurities (like why she wouldn't talk to her parents and getting defensive with comments that were meant to be jokes). Which is hypocritical, since she uses sarcasm and teasing as a defensive armor. There was just absolutely no character development with her; she let Colin and her friend, Macon, do everything for her. And rarely did she ever listen to advice. Her voice was over-the-top dramatic, and she used her snarky attitude to cover up all of those insecurities. And rarely did she ever try to consider someone else's feelings. Not to mention, because she's a bartender, she believes she can psychoanalyze everyone. That just leads to so many assumptions about the other characters. And they were always wrong.

Oh shit, that's a huge paragraph. And really, I could have kept going. We barely get any background information on Maddy, or the other characters. I don't even know them! It's like asking personal questions is so overrated.

Also, I had a problem with the boring, never-went-anywhere plot. It's all about Maddy and her inability to figure out what she wants to do with her life and her constant struggle with her self-image. And trying to find a guy (because, obviously, it's the most important thing). The plot never really went anywhere; the characters never struggled with anything more than insecurities and that awkward getting to know each other phase. It was sometimes a cute relationship; other times, I just wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall in utter disbelief that they weren't using the most useful and important tool in a relationship: COMMUNICATION. They both equally sucked at communicating. Maddy was always angry at Colin, and Colin was always apologizing. And, like I said before, this is NOT a love triangle. So, there wasn't any angst or passion or over-complicated situations. Besides Maddy's insecurities and Colin's workaholic tendencies, nothing ever happened to make their relationship less than easy. Sometimes, that's okay. However, I wanted MORE. And I didn't feel the emotional connection between them.

What really saved this book for me were the side characters, Macon and Brody. They are seriously awesome and fun to watch interact with everyone. And when I wasn't seriously hating Maddy, I actually enjoyed her hilarious banter with her roommates, especially with her best friend, Macon. I just wish I knew more about them.

I'm not exactly sure what the next book in this series will entail, or who it will be about, but I find myself not caring. If it's not about Macon or Brody, I won't be reading it. I'm not even sure I'll try her other contemporary series, Clayton Falls. I was just completely disappointed with Shaken Not Stirred, but I still love Alyssa's books. And I WILL be reading the next book in her Empire Chronicles series, Search.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I have never read a book by Alyssa Rose Ivy before, but with what I have heard about her and reading the blurb for this one I knew that I wanted to change that. This book immediately drew me in with the cover and I was really looking forward to reading this one. For the most part, this story was entertaining and enjoyable. There were a lot of things that I liked, especially Maddy's roommates and Colin's sister Carly. However, the blurb for this story in my opinion is completely misleading. I went into this one expecting a love triangle and there wasn't one. As much as there were parts that I enjoyed, I think that going in with the wrong idea about what this story was about really caused me to not like it as much as I could have. I kept waiting for something to happen, and it just didn't.

Maddy is bar-tending while living with her childhood best friend Macon and their friend Brody. After being graduating college only to be rejected from Med School, she is trying to figure out what to do next. She has a crush on Lyle, a singer of a local band who performs every Thursday night at the bar. She is determined to get him to say more than three words to her and to figure out his drink of choice. But then there is Colin the guy she has been turning down repeatedly. After finally seeing that things with Lyle aren't going anywhere, she agrees to go on a date with Colin. From the first date with Colin, he and Maddy have a connection. They begin seeing each other and things are going well, aside from the fact that Colin is a complete workaholic. Between running late and standing Maddy up a few times, Maddy begins to rethink the relationship she and Colin have been forming. Colin is determined to convince Maddy that relationships are worth fighting for and that theirs could be it. But Maddy is not so sure that she can have a future with someone who isn't willing to make her his top priority. Can Maddy and Colin figure out a way to have it all, or will there be too many things standing in their way?

I am confused by Colin's character. There are times that I really loved him, and times that I almost hated him. For as hard as he would try with Maddy by setting up these really romantic dates and as much as he pursued her, you would think he would be willing to make her a priority. But then he would either show up really late or not at all, or flat out leave her while they were in the middle of something. The worst part is that he expected her to understand and get over it as if it wasn't important that he had just blown her off. It just didn't make sense at all what his character was doing and how he was acting. He seemed pretty shady the whole book, and I kept waiting for a big reveal of why he was doing everything and it just fell pretty flat for me. There never really was much that I could see that explained it other than that he was a workaholic committed to being successful with his company. I liked Maddy's character. I thought that it was great that she was willing to take a look at her life when her original plan fell through, and rather than just follow what someone else wanted to do she was willing to figure out what was right for her. There were several times that people made it seem as though being a bartender was lowly and not a good path, but I loved that she didn't apologize for it and was determined to keep doing it if that's what made her happy. I realize that she liked Colin and felt a connection to him, but I do not understand why she continued to put up with his crap. That was what really kept me from loving her character. I just have a hard time connecting with a heroine who becomes/is a doormat for others, especially if it is the hero. I just didn't understand her reasoning for sticking by him and continuously forgiving him. Maddy and Colin had a lot of chemistry together and they worked really well when he was around. But their relationship just didn't seem entirely believable to me after all of the stuff that he pulled.

Overall, this story had a lot of enjoyable moments and I liked it enough to keep reading. I think the highlights for me were Maddy's roommates Macon and Brody as well as Colin's sister Carly. At first I thought that Macon and Maddy should end up together, but as the story went on I think that he is going to be perfect for Carly, and I can't wait to see where that one goes. Carly and Maddy's instant friendship was a lot of fun to read about, and I loved that they hit it off so well. My other problem with this story is that there were several things that I felt were brought up only to be dropped with no further explanation. Maddy's struggles with her parents was a huge deal, and yet she only really interacts with them once. Maddy mistaking Carly for a girl that Colin was dating was never revealed as why she almost didn't give Colin another chance. It was as though several of these things happened just to stir up some drama and angst, but were never really worked out. For me, things should be worked through once they are brought to light like that only with this one that just never happened and it really affected the way that I felt about this story. All in all I would recommend this story if you are a fan of the New Adult genre and go into it realizing that it is not at all what the blurb leads you to believe. If you go into it without expecting a love triangle, I think that you might find this one enjoyable. I did like the story, but I am honestly more excited to see what happens with Macon and Carly as well as Brody than I was about Maddy and Colin. I can't wait to see more of them and where the author takes their characters.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

[femme fatale Cheunyoung · Rating 2 out of 5]

it wasnt the best, but i didnt dislike it!
we learn alot by reading books, and from this i learned one should not focus on something that is not meant or in your destiny but rather focus on someone or something that is

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big Alyssa Rose Ivy fan so when I saw the tour opportunity for this one pop up, I had to sign up! I absolutely adored her The Hazards of Skinny Dipping earlier in the year- it was a cute, fun read and I loved the quirky characters she had created. I really liked the side characters Ivy has created in Shaken Not Stirred and I really felt they stole the limelight for me. However, the pacing in this one was a lot slower than I anticipated and I felt the plot lacked action. I had a difficult time pinpointing the direction the book was heading toward and felt confused by some of the characters' reactions to certain situations.

I had a really difficult time connecting with the main characters and their relationship in this one. I liked Maddy ok, but I didn't really care for her indecisiveness. We begin the novel with her pining over Lyle, a singer/guitar player, who plays at the bar she works at every Thursday. She wants him to notice her and is determined to make him the perfect drink. Maddy has a knack for making people their perfect drink, yet she can't seem to pin down Lyle's.

I felt for Maddy because I can remember a few guys I was interested in, wishing they would notice me. She believes herself to have formed a connection to him because of his lyrics, but really he's more a result of wishful thinking versus a reality. I honestly felt Lyle would play a larger role in the novel than he did, but I am thankful there wasn't a love triangle. This is where Colin comes in. Colin has been pursuing Maddy for awhile and is very interested in going out with her. Colin is good-looking, successful, and does not give up on asking her out. In the beginning, it didn't seem Maddy was all that interested in Colin, but didn't feel things with Lyle were going anywhere, so she says yes to Colin just because. I had a hard time feeling the chemistry between them.

Colin drove me a bit crazy. I liked that he was a genuine good guy, but I felt some of his actions and things he would say were a bit unrealistic. In the beginning I thought he was a little too perfect and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I kept thinking, 'Surely this guy can't be this perfect, sweet, AND romantic?' But, hey I'm really jaded these days. :)

We did start to see Colin's imperfections come through though. He would get upset over little things with Maddy (like not being ready when he showed up early) and he definitely had some jealousy issues going on with Maddy's male roomies and best friends. He also made a few really big mistakes concerning defining their relationship.

Colin is a few years older than Maddy and I like that he is stable, driven, and has a good job. He is mature for his age, but I felt his devotion to not only his job, but his friends, put Maddy in an awkward place. He would show up late to dates, stand her up, and leave her waiting around while he resolved other things. I honestly believe that Colin really cares for her, but he seemed to have a funny way of showing it. I thought Maddy had every right to be irritated and pissed off at him. Maddy definitely doesn't take crap from others, so I was kind of surprised at her willingness to pursue a relationship with him, especially after being stood up and ignored at a function he brought her to.

However, Maddy likes the way Colin makes her feel when they're together, not being interrupted. He is sensitive and caring to her needs, and isn't looking for a casual thing. He is planning for his future and he wants Maddy to be a part of that.

Even though the relationship in this book didn't quite do it for me, I loved the friendships Maddy had. Macon and Brody, Maddy's roommates and good friends, were awesome. I loved their banter with each other and I loved how the guys really took up for Maddy. If she was in a situation she didn't want to be in, they would come and get her, no questions asked. They are protective of her and want her to be happy.

I also really liked Colin's sister, Carly. She is spunky and fun-loving and while things between the two girls were a bit awkward to start, they easily broke the ice and became friends.

While I'm glad of the way the book ended, I felt like it was lacking resolution on Maddy's end. I admired her for standing up and making the decisions she did, even though they were difficult ones. She is at a transition point in her life and she is trying to decide what she wants to do with her life. I don't really feel we got a sense of where Maddy was going to go by the end and I felt it played a large part in the story.

Overall, Shaken Not Stirred, while not my favorite book from Ivy, is still worth checking out.

*Received a copy of this book from InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Lustful Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

**JEN'S REVIEW**

This is the first time I have ever read anything from Alyssa Rose Ivy and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it. There wasn’t a whole lot of angst but I think that this was meant to be a light flirty read. I was interested in the story, it made me laugh and at one point I was taken for a loop.. I mean I sat here saying Are you kidding me? I did not see that coming. However, I have to admit there are parts where I do have some mixed feelings. The plot was fun, the characters were witty and there was a lot of flirting going on.

Maddy is a 22 year old girl who is working as a bartender. She’s has a lot going on internally and it all stems from her fear of rejection. She doesn’t handle that to well so basically she’s on a road to self discovery and finding a new path in life after her original plans fell through. For the most part I really enjoyed her sarcastic mannerisms. She’s a bit defensive at times and uses that sarcasm as a wall to protect herself from her fears. I really loved that she was straight forward and spoke her mind when it came to people she dealt with. The interactions and banter between her and her two roommates seriously had me laughing out loud. Those two guys were extremely hilarious and honestly I really wanted to know more about them. I’m hoping they will get their stories sometime. I wanted to jump into my kindle and friend them just because they are so much fun. They play a major role in Maddys life and they help keep her grounded and real.

Colin is this workaholic who is looking for love and and after waiting for his chance with Maddy it finally comes. I really would have loved it if I could see more of a connection between the two, just more heartfelt moments.. The chemistry was hot and there were times where I wanted to smack Maddy for acting childish. For me there were times when Maddy’s sarcasm got in the way of certain moments or when I felt like she wasn’t owning up to her stuff because she wasn’t always so forth coming. I have to say though, as much as I enjoyed reading about Colin , I have to admit there was something about him that had me wondering if I could really trust him. Was he right for her. I can’t explain it but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop where he was concerned.

When I read the synopsis I had assumed it was going to be a book about a love triangle. And I guess emotionally in Maddy’s head it kind of was to a degree but honestly Lyle’s role had me confused at times. He’d come into the bar to play but we really didn’t get to know him all that much. Was I disappointed it wasn’t what I initially thought? No, I have to say I liked learning what her fascination was about him and why she had this need to figure him out. I kept wondering is he going to make a move or isn’t he and what does that mean for Colin?

At one point I felt like reaching into my kindle and smacking Maddy because after everything that goes on I did not see that coming. I seriously wanted to shake her. It wasn’t an OMG I’m sitting on the edge of my seat because the angst is off the charts but it was an OMG what the heck are you doing? And I have to say I really wish we had gotten more near the end. I felt like once there was a real turn in Maddy the ending felt rushed. Ultimately I was satisfied that she finally got her act together.

Honestly, if you are looking for a light, flirty, fun read you should really pick this up. For the most part I really did enjoy this story. I just wanted more.

“Mixing the perfect drink is kind of like finding the perfect guy: It’s all about the taste and presentation.”

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading Shaken Not Stirred by Alyssa Rose Ivy. But I was left a little confused. See, I’m not sure if I liked it or not.

This is a story about Maddy and her search for love.

I think.

Maddy goes to the Outer Banks after graduating college and spends her summer bartending. I actually really liked Maddy. She was playful. Obviously smart and mature. She wasn’t your typical silly, superficial young 20 something we often see in books. However, I never connected with her as a character or person. She’s apparently running from her parents and their expectations. She lives with two men one of which is her best friend from childhood. She’s secretly crushing on the musical talent at the bar she works at and she has men begging her for attention.

My issue is that the entire book is dialogue. There is little to no internal dialogue. We get no real grasp on what is happening in Maddy’s head.

After many many failed attempts she finally says yes to a date with Colin. I felt so bad for Colin in the beginning. He obviously had a thing for her and she never gave him the time of day. When she finally does she acts like “he’s the one”. But at the same time she acts like he isn’t. I don’t know it’s confusing.

There were several times when I thought something may spark between her and her roommates. But no. Now that would have been exciting.

The crazy thing is that it was a fast read and it’s a freaking long book. I literally sat and read the entire thing in a couple hours. The writing isn’t bad. Not bad at all. What it needed though, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, is less banter and more description. I actually got a bit bored with all the talking back and forth and the attempts at humor. I most definitely wanted more character development. All the issues Maddy was having with her parents and she interacted with them a total of one time.

All that angst and she talks to them one time. ONE TIME??

As for Colin. Well I never really connected with him either. I just didn’t understand. He comes across as sweet at first but then veers way towards creepy and borderline indifferent and uncaring. Almost abusive without the words or the hitting. Let me try to explain. Colin is a workaholic. He’s trying to get ahead. He works very long days and has little time off. Instead of explaining what he does or why he does it, he just bails. He’s late to dates. Sometimes missing them all together. But he always comes back begging for forgiveness and pleading for another chance. He even stands her up on their anniversary date and shows up begging again and giving her a gift. I was left scratching my head. I won’t give it all away but you’ll see when you read that he’s kind of all over the place. I just wish that I could have gotten to know him like really know him.

So I’m confused because in the end I liked the book. Why you ask? I don’t know. I think I was interested to see where it was all headed. Who would she end up with if anyone. What role would the roommates ultimately play? Would Maddy go back to school or decide what her future would be? I just wanted more of the story. So for me that makes it worth the read. The author kept my attention. She made me want more. Even though I had obvious issues with the writing/character development.

I think maybe I’m left Shaken Not Stirred. :-)

*A copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Ambur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought by the description and the quirky cover that I would love this book, and while I did enjoy it, I didn't end of loving it like I thought that I would. There were certain parts of the book that I absolutely loved, but unfortunately they were overshadowed by several parts that just drove me crazy.

As far as characters go, I actually really enjoyed the main character, Maddy. I thought that she was hilarious, and I absolutely adored the relationships that she had with her two male roommates, Macon and Brody. I loved that she was able to have such strong friendships with both guys, and their teasing banter was fantastic. It brought a really light aspect to the book that made it easy to get absorbed in...unfortunately it was bogged down by the actual romantic relationship in the story.

Oh, Colin. I actually liked Colin most of the time, and when I didn't like him it was usually because Maddy twisted what he did in a way that made him extremely unlikeable. Somehow, Colin was portrayed as both sexy and boring simultaneously throughout the book. On their first date, Maddy is pretty much "meh" about him the whole time, and while she concedes he's attractive, she doesn't really leave you wanting to see a lot more of him. He did get more attractive, and Maddy definitely thinks he's hot...but it wasn't really the best way to get us to like him from the start. Their relationship was also riddled with problems. He worked constantly, then he'd ignore her or something worse, they'd argue...she'd leave, and she'd ignore him...he'd suck up and say something cheesy, and then they'd make up...usually by having sex...and that happened several times throughout the book. Pretty much any time things were tough between these two...they had sex. No talking, no communication to actually fix their issues once and for all...just solved it with sex. It's no wonder that their issues kept cropping back up.

Now, that I've ranted about the fact that all of their relationship drama could've been solved by one simple conversation, I did enjoy their banter when they weren't arguing...and they did have some crazy chemistry, so I could understand Maddy's desires, but I just felt like so much of the conflict in this book was pointless. I loved when we got to see them actually be together, and I loved seeing Maddy get more involved in Colin's life, too. I also loved her friends Macon and Brody, but I was bothered by Colin's dislike towards them...I get that he'd be jealous her best friends were guys, but yet again it was something that was obviously bothering him, but was never brought up. Pretty much all of my issues simply tied in to the lack of communication between Colin and Maddy, and sadly, I never really felt like that was wrapped up by the end of the book.

Overall, Shaken Not Stirred is a quick read, and while I did dislike how certain elements of the relationship were handled, I did enjoy reading it. I would recommend it more for a light read, and I'd say it's worth reading just for the snarky lines and fun banter between characters, but don't take it too seriously and you might enjoy it more than I did. I honestly did love all of the friendships in Shaken Not Stirred, and I enjoyed Colin and Maddy's relationship for the most part. This book also did end in a way that kept me smiling...and that's always a good thing.

* I was provided with an ebook during the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
* This review also appears on my blog and on other social media sites.

[Pretty Sassy Cool · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

This is not the first book that I've read by Alyssa Rose Ivy and it definitely will not be the last. I enjoyed this one!

After not getting accepting into med school, 21 year old Maddy is spending the summer at the beach bartending and living with her BFF, Macon, and his friend, Brody. She's been pining away for Lyle, a musician who sings and plays guitar on Thursday nights at her bar and has never said more than three words to her. He doesn't seem to be interested at all, so after deciding to stay in the Outer Banks when summer's over, she finally accepts a date from Colin, a cute guy who's been asking her out for weeks.

He's a go-getter and a hard-worker and totally crazy about her. Problem is, he works a lot.

I was tired of always taking the backseat to his job. I was tired of rejection, and I wanted someone who found me important enough to put me first.

They have some ups and downs in their relationship as Maddy tries to discover who she is and what she actually wants in life.

I tried to push my depressive thoughts away, but I felt lost. I'd spent my whole life on such a set path, and for the first time, I had no clue where I was going. I wanted it to excite me, but it scared me more.

I liked Maddy even though I didn't understand her motivations sometimes, and I liked Colin, even though I didn't get why he ran so so hot one moment and ice cold the next. I don't know if I bought into how much he professed to be into her, but I could help myself when he said stuff like:

"How am I hard to read? I want you. Whether it's talking over coffee, curled up watching a movie, or having amazing sex, I just want you. Don't worry about reading anything else."

I was definitely rooting for him to get his shit together and get the girl. But I don't understand the long periods of time they didn't see each other and the fact that Colin answered. the. phone. during. sex. O.O

I liked that Macon called Maddy out for her bs, and he was a great friend to her. That doesn't take away from the fact that there were some weird things going on, like the conversations Maddy had with Colin's sister and his boss.

I did like the overall story and had a legit OMG moment that I didn't see coming at all. I wish that there had been some kind of hints about it, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did nevertheless. This is a book that could have really used a professional editor, and it would have been amazing. I loved the ending, even though we can't be sure that the things that weren't so great with them are solved. I can't wait to find out who the next book in the series is going to focus on, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Ivy.

If you're looking for a story about a girl who is experiencing some ups and downs and trying to find her way with a sweet and hot guy, give Shaken Not Stirred a try. I think you'll like it. :)


For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool

[Kendall {Book Crazy} · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really excited when I got an email from the author asking me if I would like an ARC of this book! I had seen the cover on Facebook and it had intrigued me! Plus, I really enjoyed this author's other series! I have to admit that I thought this book was going to be a little different! I was expecting it to have a love triangle in it after I read the synopsis, but it didn't really, which made me really happy! It did have the glimmer of a love triangle, but the plot was more about the main character finding her real love interest and realising who she really wanted in her life! I loved the plot! It went at the perfect pace to keep me wanting to read on! It didn't really have a massive climax in it, but it did have a moment of realisation for the main character! I was waiting for the main character to finally realise who she needed in her life and she finally did! It took her long enough lol! The plot was different to quite a few other books I've read and I really enjoyed it! I especially liked that it exceeded my expectations from what I had in my head! As I said, I was expecting a love triangle, which the plot didn't have, so the entire plot was different to what I was expecting! I still loved it though! The characters were amazing! Maddy was the main character and she was so witty and so honest with people! I loved that about her! I also loved that she didn't want to just settle down with anyone, and instead, she looked for the person who meant a lot to her and who she really did want to be with! I also liked that Maddy didn't fall instantly in love with her love interest, and that it took her until like the last pages of the book to realise just how much he meant to her! Maddy was pretty easy for me to connect with because she was such a genuine person and she was funny and was so normal! Colin was the love interest of Maddy and he let her down quite a few times in this book, but I couldn't resist him! He was pretty, damn smooth when he wanted to be! He also tried his hardest to put Maddy first, but with a demanding job, he found this hard! I did like the surprise with Colin at the end of this book, because I didn't see it coming! It made me love Colin so much more as well! Lyle was the other kind of love interest of Maddy, but their relationship didn't advance further than a teeny, tiny crush, which made me really happy! I did like Lyle, but I just don't think he would have been right with Maddy! Macon and Brody were the roommates of Maddy and they were such a team! They were both really protective of Maddy and they were always there for her! I adored the both of them! I'm not sure if this book is the start of a series, but I really hope it is! I'd love to read more on Maddy and Colin or any of the other secondary characters in this book! The ending of this book was damn prefect for Maddy and Colin though, but I would still love to read another book or even a novella on them as the ending was left open! The cover for this book is so unique! I haven't seen a cover like it! I love how well it suits Maddy, as she worked in a bar as well! Big thank you to Alyssa for an ARC of Shaken Not Stirred!

[Anatea Oroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf.

Reading a book by Alyssa Rose Ivy and not falling in love with it and its characters is impossible. At least, it's like that for me. I loved every single book I read that is written by Alyssa, and Shaken Not Stirred is no exception to that rule. Speaking of rules, here are some of them that you should know before reading one of her books: you won't be able to put it down until you finish it, you will love the characters, you will be really engaged in the story, you will be laughing your ass off through the whole books, and you will be very sad when you realize you just finished the book and you want more. Consider yourself warned!

Shaken Not Stirred has a great storyline. Maddy works as a bartender and she always knows what drink someone would enjoy. But for some reason, she can't figure out Lyle, a guy who sings in her bar every Thursday. While she spends her Thursdays trying to figure out Lyle's drink, she agrees to go on a date with Collin after a whole summer she has been turning him down. They click immediately, but she has a lot going on and while trying to figure out what she wants, she might not even realize what is the right thing for her.

Like I already said, I really loved all the characters, more so because I felt really connected to them. They were just normal people with normal problems. There was nothing that is unusual like in other contemporary romance books. Maddy is a girl who wants to figure out what she wants to do with her life after she is rejected in med school and she ends up working in a bar and living with two friends. I loved Macon and Brody, Maddy's roommates.! They always made me laugh and I really liked that they were always there for Maddy, no matter what.

The romance was really sweet, and while Maddy wasn't so sure if Collin is the right one for her, I cheered for him from the very beginning! I expected a love triangle in this book, but it wasn't really a triangle. It was just another guy who was in the picture, but nothing really happened with him.

While I felt the ending was a little rushed, I still really enjoyed Shaken Not Stirred. If you love light and funny contemporary romance novels, I am sure you will love this one, so give it a chance and try it out!

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

[✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC RECEIVED FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

Maddy is struggling to find her own way in the world. When she receives her rejection letters for medical school, she takes off and moves to the Outer Banks to become a bar tender, much to her parents disappointment.

She serves up a lot of "Sex on the beach" cocktails.

But that's not what she wants a serve of herself!

She is in lust with the entertainment. Lyle is "Mr Thursday Night", the singer she has been drooling over for months. She loves his lyrics, they talk to her - even though he has never said more than 3 words to her. She has a knack for guessing people's favourite drinks, but she still hasn't been able to get his, and it is frustrating her no end.

Enter her two roommates, her best friend since forever, Macon, and Brody. Both are like her big brothers and tease her relentlessly about her obsession with the singer. These two are great. They are her hardest critics and fiercest defenders all wrapped up in two sexy men! And the banter between the 3 did make me laugh.

Then there is Colin. I liked Colin. Sexiness in a suit, he has been pursuing Maddy for weeks, always asking her out, he is relentless in his attention towards her. Was soooo glad when she finally said yes.

I loved the interaction between Maddy and Colin. They are so comfortable with each other, the sexual attraction is so think you can cut it with a knife. But she is still holding back a little because of Lyle.

I did feel sorry for Colin when Maddy kept him at arms length for so long. I was his biggest cheerleader the whole read. Though at times I could not blame her when his workaholic personality got in the way, he tried.

There is a funny but awkward "proposition" along the way.

After reading the synopsis, I was expecting more of a love triangle story. I was glad it wasn't though (even if there was a tinge of a possible one). The love triange story arc is getting a bit worn out these days, soooo many books I read have it.

Shaken Not Stirred is really about the journey that Maddy is taking to find herself. She has been at a loose end for a while, her parents are pressuring her in a direction she doesn't want to go. I really did like this story quite a lot.

I enjoyed being taken along on her journey to find what she wants in her professional and her personal life. Watching her find what she is looking for, even though she was not searching for love. Watching as she struggles with her head and her heart.

There is also a connection between the two love interests that was a twist that I was not expecting.

So, does Maddy get her happy ending?

Nope, for that you are going to have to read and find out for yourself.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shaken Not Stirred provides a refreshing, upbeat story among the myriad of angst filled N.A. currently on the market. Don’t get me wrong I love a good bit of angst as much as the next person, but it felt like a breath of fresh air to just have a nice, quirky story.

Maddy is a lovely character to get inside the head of. Set adrift after her plans for the future go array. It’s immediately apparent that this is a blessing in disguise, her future rather than being her own was a carefully mapped out plan by her parents. Maddy quickly realises that she no longer wants to pursue that path although she is unsure as to which direction she should go in. Shaken Not Stirred provides insight into that moment before adulthood where you are still trying to find yourself and the best path for you regardless of the thoughts of others. Maddy character development and journey of self discovery are the foundation of the story. I loved how she was able to match a drink perfectly to a person, it’s like having a signature character defining drink :) It was her superpower ;)

The way in which certain jobs are discriminated against based on societies assumptions regarding that job role played a clever role within the narrative. Does your job define you, shouldn’t you be allowed to do what makes you happy without fear of bigotry. Just a few issues Maddy has to face in her situation as a bar tender and future career decisions.

I could relate to Maddy’s connection to Lyle based on the song lyrics he sings. I’m sure a few of us feel a personal connection to an artist/group for this particular reason. The way in which Maddy struggled to fit a drink to Lyle enhanced the storyline and ultimate revelations ;)

While the romance plays a large role within the story I did feel it was a secondary to the characterisation. There were a few incidents with Colin that made me re-think the dynamic of their relationship, especially when you have Lyle on the outskirts ;) Alyssa Rose Ivy weaves the relationship ups and downs beautifully, making it very realistic and often laugh out loud funny :)

Maddy’s unique situation of male best friends and roommates rather than adding tension to the plot acted as completely the opposite, it was so nice to have a completely platonic relationship between the opposite sex. While Brody and Macon are protective of Maddy, they are equally supportive and on occasion know what’s best for her when she can’t see the wood for the trees. I am hoping that Macon and Brody will get their own stories as I need to know more about both of these lovely guys. (PLEASE ALYSSA) I need more of the light, refreshing fun that Shaken Not Stirred provided.

[readundancies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's the truth:

I was expecting an epic romance that spanned generations with the emotional turmoil and heartwrenching plotline that made me feel as a reader.

OK, maybe that's a tad exaggerated, but still.

I wanted emotional attachment to this book and it's characters.

I craved it.

Needed it.

And I didn't get it.

Not even a little bit.

Not at all.

Maybe I had expectations going into this. Perhaps too many expectations. But can you blame me? There was a decent synopsis, with a cute cover and Lyle was all hyped up and there was family drama galore and NO.

Not any of anything mentioned in the synopsis was really brought into the plot of this book. Except Colin. Who ends up being the absolute worst male lead I think I've ever come across in a novel.

This book was all about potential. Maddy could've been a great MC, with problems and faults that I could relate to and sympathize with. Colin should've been that annoying character who doesn't get the girl in the end because he's the most dull person ever and really needy but also emotionally unattached and just blech. And then Lyle would've made more than 3 small appearances throughout the entire thing.

But no. This was not meant to be.

Maddy was just OK. She didn't get into med school but in the grand scheme of things, this huge issue never really got resolved. She didn't mend things with her parents like she could've. She didn't come to some epiphany in her life about it. It was all just kinda whisked away into this little box and then never spoken of again. Plus she was so indecisive! She couldn't make up her mind at all which was irritating.

Colin was boring. And more boring. And annoying. And even more boring. He was weirdly hot and cold, aggressive and dismissive and for some reason everything he did irritated the crap outta me making him all around not likable at all.

And what even was the point of Lyle? To get the whole drink analogy out for the book? He was always referred to but never made into an actual character, just skirting around the edges like some extra in a movie.

Macon and Brody were by far my most favourite characters and it seemed like Macon and Maddy had the most chemistry throughout the entire book than she did with Colin, so maybe the love interest should've been him. The only sad part was they too weren't fleshed out as characters, there were so many unanswered questions I had about them.

And the plot? I don't even know what it was. Or where it went. Or how it came into being and then departed from this plane of existence.

So it turns out all that this book ended up being was a book of coulda, woulda, shoulda's.

Which is honestly disappointing.

[Chelsea (Starbucks & Books Obsession) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maddy has just graduated college and was looking to go to med school. However, when she’s rejected from every school she applied to, she runs off to tourist town, Florida and starts bartending. She moves in with her best friend, Macon and his roommate Brody. While she starts dating handsome, successful, sweet Colin, she still harbors a secret crush for the mysterious musician, Lyle, who barely acknowledges her existence. As she struggles to find herself and what she really wants, she learns that sometimes things aren’t always black and white and they are never what they seem.

To be honest, I didn’t really connect well with Maddy. I liked her well enough and I think she was a strong and independent woman but I felt like she was a little flaky. She couldn’t seem to make up her mind when it came to what she wanted. While I wasn’t a huge fan of Colin (I’ll get to him later), I still felt like Maddy wasn’t always fair to him. She was never fully committed to him and her secret crush on Lyle while she was dating Colin was a little annoying, especially since he barely talked to her or noticed her.

Colin isn’t in the running for book boyfriend of the year but I could see that he really cared for Maddy and truly wanted a relationship with her. He was very sweet and charming and seemingly the perfect guy. My issues with Colin were a lot of his actions. Despite how sweet he is, he was very presumptuous and I didn’t like how he threw his money around and tried to “buy” Maddy’s affection. While I respect him for focusing on his career, I think he made some poor decisions when it came to his job and Maddy. He did one thing in particular and I was like, “Oh, hell no!” In the end, I wasn’t in love with him but I felt like he proved his feelings and his love for Maddy.

I really liked the idea behind Shaken Not Stirred and I liked Alyssa’s writing style. I felt like it flowed really well together and there was definitely a storyline there. However, it just didn’t fully capture my attention and drag me in. I didn’t connect with the characters or really “feel” the relationship and romance with Colin and Maddy. I did really like Macon and Brady and I think they were really good friends to Maddy. They supported her and looked out for her. They were definitely a highlight of the book for me. Overall, I liked Shaken Not Stirred but I didn’t love it. It was just missing something for me. I still look forward to reading another book by Alyssa.

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shaken Not Stirred

I have read my fair share of Alyssa Rose Ivy books and I’ve got to say Shaken Not Stirred is one of my favorite plots yet not my favorite set of characters. Does that even make sense? Haha Shaken Not Stirred follows Maddy, a bartender living with her two male roommates and attempting to figure out what she wants to do now that she was rejected from medical school.

Now don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed this book. I had a lot of fun reading it and I think I’m really going to enjoy the series, but the highlight of the book for me was Macon. I absolutely loved his snarky banter with Maddy. I also really liked Maddy in general I thought she was a realistic and well-rounded character. But…I didn’t like Colin at all.

I think this is the first story of hers where I didn’t like the main guy. He was too bossy for my liking and he didn’t seem right for Maddy at all. He was uptight, controlling and couldn’t see what he did wrong when he did things wrong. Like obviously characters aren’t infallible, they’d be boring to read if they were, but he didn’t even admit he did stuff wrong and Macon and Brody had to spell stuff out for Colin and even then he was like…Uh, what?

The thing I always love most about Ivy’s books are the connections I feel to her characters because she creates these real people who have wants, needs, desires, and I can’t help but fall in love with them. And I had that with Macon like right away, I also really enjoyed Brody and I LOVED Colin’s sister Carly. Between Maddy, Macon, Brody and Carly there was definitely enough humor and emotion to keep me entertained and compelled.

I am glad that Maddy realized her feelings and went after what she wanted. I’m not going to lie, for a minute I thought Macon and Maddy might be endgame and I was totally sad they weren’t, but I do love their friendship and I hope we see more of it in the series. I’m really enjoying this series though, it’s a bit lighter than her Clayton Falls series (which is my personal favorite) and it’s fun and perfect for the upcoming summer season.

Colin dislike aside I really enjoyed this book. You should definitely take the time to read and formulate your own opinion on him because you might love him!

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHAKEN NOT STIRRED is a fantastic read that I found increasingly hard to put down as the story flowed. I read through the first half quickly and couldn't wait to get back to it the next day. This book was so darn interesting and entertaining. Of course I knew it would be. Ivy is an extraordinary author that brings even the simplest of stories to life. And the romance was so absolutely perfect. I was smiling all the way through with this one.

Maddy was such a great character. I loved her witty sense of humor and the crazy predicaments she'd find herself in. She also had an odd obsession. Every Thursday night while working as a bartender, she would try to find the perfect drink for the local musician, Lyle. Maddy is usually able to figured out everyone's perfect drink who find themselves seated at her bar. But Lyle was a different case. Never saying more than 3 words to her and rarely taking more than a few sips of her drink she presented to him. She was a woman on a mission to know what his drink was and what inspired him to write such beautiful lyrics.

When Maddy finally accepts a date with Collin, a guy who has been after her all summer, she assumes it will be a fun, sexy fling. But Collin is different than any guy she has ever known. He is wanting to take things slow and it is only adding to the sexual tension growing between them. And taking things slow usually means 'relationship' and that is not what Maddy is willing to face. Because facing that would mean she needs to tackle the other problems in her life. Something she'd rather sweep under the rug.

I gotta admit that this read had me scared a few times. Ivy gets you thinking she is about to make a detour with the story and the characters only to right the course and leaving the reader breathing a sigh of relief. At least it was that way for me. It could have been a very awkward read had it went the other way. I think those little twists actually added to the story and enhanced it considerably. But the storyline was fun and I adored it so. I especially loved Maddy's roommates. I need to see if Ivy plans on continuing on with this as a series. Because I could definitely see a great read focusing on Brody and Macon. They have a story to tell and I need to hear it.

[Unabridged Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shaken Not Stirred is yet another marvelous romance novel from the gifted Alyssa Rose Ivy. Every time I read one of Alyssa Rose Ivy’s novels, I was immediately captured and sucked into the story, and I lose track of everything going on around me. Shaken Not Stirred is no different, and I loved every minute of the story. Maddy’s love story is not a simple and easy love story, which is probably the reason I loved it so much. When love comes exceedingly easy in any romance novel, and only has simple complications, it has a false feel to it. Maddy’s relationship is complex, hard and differently does not come easy, and that makes the journey that much more enjoyable to read.

Maddy is a recent college graduate who rejected from medical school is currently drifting in life and working as a bartender. Even though she is not sure what she wants to do, she loves bartending and finding everyone’s perfect drink. This is enjoyable to see her select drinks for people based on their personality or even their appearance. While trying to find the perfect drink for sexy musician that does not say more than three words to her, she decides to take a chance on the sexy businessman Colin. While their budding relationship has some rocky starts and bumps, but I think, their relationship is still beautiful with a very real quality to it.

The other relationship I really loved reading about was Macon and Maddy. I like their ribbing and banter the best. I also like the protective big brother way he tries to help her see past her anger and fear, but also standing up for her when she has been wronged. While their banter does have a bit of sexual edge to it, you can see that they really are the best of friends. This makes me really excited for “On The Rock” the next book in the Mixology which is Macon story.

With every book of Alyssa Rose Ivy’s I have read I have always enjoyed, and I have read nearly every book she has written, and many of them are in my top books of all time. I am sure that the Mixology series is going to another new Alyssa Rose Ivy series that I am probably going to be addicted too.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book, in exchange for an honest review**

[ysar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddy's got everyone figured out -- everyone except Lyle, that is.  After failing to be accepted into medical school, she's living in the Outer Banks, tending bar during tourist season, and studiously avoiding her parents while wasting time with her roommates.  Most evenings find her behind the bar, where she's made an art and a game out of determining the perfect drink for each new customer.  The only one she can't seem to get right is the drink for Lyle, whose music livens things up every Thursday night and leaves her wishing for more.

Collin, however, is another story.  A few years older than Maddy, and so much more certain about what he wants to do with his life, he's not put off by Maddy's countless rejections.  And when she finally agrees to go out with him, there's nothing to be disappointed about.  Sure, she hasn't exactly forgotten about the drink mystery that is Lyle, but Collin is thoughtful and often romantic, not to mention gentleman enough to take things slow.  But is he the right one for her?

Shaken Not Stirred launched a sneak attack on me.  One moment I was reading along, perfectly content but not blown away, and then before I even realized it, I was hooked beyond measure.

It's a simple story, the journey of a girl undecided about life and men, but that's where the perfection lies.  There is no great damaging secret, no contrived drama, no sudden danger lurking around a dark corner.  Where most contemporary romances thrown in huge cliffhangers and crazy plot twists to dial up the intensity, this story revels in the every day, in the simple normalcy of life that every woman can relate to.  It's the story of a not-entirely-confident girl and a not-entirely-perfect man stumbling their way through dating toward something wonderful.

The more I think about it, the more I love it, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. In fact, if this book is any indication of Alyssa Rose Ivy's usual writing style, it looks like I have a looooong list of her books to get lost in!

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda]

Oh boy.

Where do I begin?

I started this book with the assumption that it was about a girl in her early twenties who was attempting to get to know/date one of her customers by finding his perfect drink. How was I led to this assumption? By the book's own description.

(Here come the spoilers)

As I was reading the book, I was left very confused. If the guy Maddy is trying to find a drink for is Lyle, who's Colin? Ah, Colin must be the required seemingly perfect guy, who messes up and Lyle gets the girl.

Wrong again.

No, instead what we had were three very flat characters:
1) Maddy: the 22-year-old bartender who started bartending after she got her chemistry degree and was rejected from every medical school she applied to. She's crushing on Lyle, the mysterious singer, because of his lyrics.

2) Lyle: the "mysterious" singer who makes maybe three appearances. Maybe.

3) Colin: the seemingly perfect gentlemen who tries to do everything right and yet still holds his job as his number one priority, oftentimes leaving Maddy for hours and forgetting about her.

The most interesting character in this book was Maddy's roommate Macon — and even he had more chemistry with Maddy than Colin did!

Not only were the characters flat, but parts of the plot were just dropped, never to be addressed again or taken advantage of the potential they could have had. Maddy never addresses her parents, who were forcing her to pursue a medical degree. Instead, she leaves her pet and her car at their house and avoids all their phone calls. Lyle, despite the book synopsis being about him, does nothing. And Colin...Colin's entire family is built up to be mysterious and intriguing and "OMG there's something there" but that, too, was left lying on the floor.

I'll admit I stayed with this book until the end to see if something — anything — would come together, and frankly, I was disappointed. Perhaps with a little more "digging" into the characters and plot, this could have been more.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaken Not Stirred – what a cute fun story! I loved it.

Maddy is slightly obsessed with Lyle, a musician who plays at the bar she bartends at. The first time she asked him what he would like to drink he said surprise me, and there she went off on the search for his perfect drink. She could count on one hand the number of words he said to her in one conversation and how much he liked the drink by the number of sips he took. (I think 3 was the record?) She wants to figure him out, I mean, she gets everyone else’s drinks right, why can’t she find his perfect beverage? It is a tad frustrating.

Then there is Colin. Colin has asked her out over and over again, she consistently turns him down, until she surprises herself one night by saying yes.

And so the story goes.

Will she fall for Collin? Will she stick with finding Lyle the perfect drink while hoping for more? Will Macon (childhood best friend) ever approve any guy she dates?

It was fun. I said that already. Maddy is quick witted, the banter between Colin and her is easy and witty and …. I am afraid I have to say it again … fun.

There were quite a few moments that had me laughing (and one that had my mouth dropped open) as Alyssa Rose Ivy tied some things together that I never thought would be related until I turned the page and fell into the storyline. It was perfect.

This is the perfect book to read on a snowy frigid afternoon (286 pages that fly by!), it will give you a chance to be jealous of late night ocean dives, while you are sitting, waiting for the pipes to thaw, or at least that is what I was doing.

I cannot wait for the next book in the Mixology series. I see Colin’s sister coming up in the series soon. I cannot wait to see how her story line plays out. (IF I am right.)

I am so glad I got to be a part of the release day launch! Awesome ARC to enjoy! Thank you!

[Gabic Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review at Gabic Reads as part of the Shaken Not Stirred Blog Tour.

Shaken not Stirred is a cute romance novel. Maddy's self-esteem is kinda screwy. And she's lusting after the musician Lyle, who has these amazing lyrics to his songs. Colin is the guy whose been hitting on her all summer and she finally decides to go out with him. And she finds out that she really likes him. A lot. So they keep dating. And eventually she meets his sister, Carly, who I absolutely adore as crazy and messed up as she is. And Maddy's best friend Macon is super awesome and their other roommate Brody is pretty cool too. Lyle's part isn't as big in the book as the description made it seem. And I was okay with that.

I love Maddy and Colin's relationship. Even though Colin would screw up, they would talk it through and get through it. Same thing if Maddy screwed up. And the ending was super adorable!!! I am seriously in love with that ending. Honestly, I should have seen it coming, but even if I had, it would still be awesome. And Maddy's humor is just plain epic. She had me laughing out loud all the time.

The only things I wish would have been done better would be that I would love to see her repair her relationship with her parents. The other thing is that Maddy was kinda obsessed with finding everybody's perfect drink, which is cool, but I wish she would explained what each drink reveals about somebody's personality. But that's not really a big deal.

I can't wait to read Macon and Cally's story. It's going to be awesome!!!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shaken Not Stirred by Alyssa Rose Ivy is the first book in the Mixology series. It took me a little while to befriend these characters. Carly's sense of humor, while great kept me from really getting into her emotions. Colin was better, he was forthright and genuine but not 100% obvious in his feelings until further into the story.

Carly is bar tending in the Outer Banks because she failed to get into Med School. She is "finding" herself and is really quite content matching drinks to people and living with her very platonic male roommates. One she works with and another she's known very nearly her whole life.

Colin is practically a workaholic. He falls hard for Carly but she turns him down for the longest time until she just doesn't any more. They begin seeing each other and she thinks he's fantastic, but he's not Lyle.

Lyle is the singer/guitarist that plays every thursday at the bar she works at. Lyle's lyrics grab Carly in a way she just can't explain with words. They connect with her soul. If only she could find his drink. so far she has had no luck matching his drink to him.

There is quite a surprising revelation towards the very end of the tale regarding Lyle and it pulls the entire book into focus. This book didn't reach out and grab me like some have in the past but not every book will. I truly enjoyed Carly & Colin's story and I will definitely be reading more in this series and from this author.

[Roxanne Kade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very exciting story and quite different from the usual contemporary romance.


Maddy was a strong character and I took an instant liking to her. Her friendship with Macon and Brody was hilarious and felt so very real. I loved that they could joke with her about her guy issues but they also turned all big brother protective when her guy issues literally came knocking.


I was wondering if there could be more between Maddy and Macon, and for a second I thought this story was going to take that turn, but I’m so happy it didn’t. For once, there was no playing back and forth between guys. Even though she had her eye on Lyle, when she was with Colin and their relationship developed into more than just a casual fling, she was solely focused on him.


But that doesn’t mean this story was boring or one dimensional in any way. Maddy and Colin’s relationship had lots of ups and downs and it was interesting to see how they dealt with their problems. Again, everything about this couple was realistic. I loved the ending, when the real reason for Maddy’s attraction to Lyle came to light. It was quite surprising and added a pleasant twist.


I also liked the addition of Carly. It seemed like Maddy only felt comfortable with people of the opposite sex, but she really seemed to bond with Carly, and it was nice having another female voice amongst all the testosterone.


If you’re look for a quick, fun read that will make you laugh and will feed your craving for romance, this is definitely a book you need to read. I enjoyed every second of it.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin maybe a workaholic but the man knows how to tell the truth, "I usually wait a few days before calling for another date. I usually don't make jokes about sex and toilet paper on a second date. I usually don't tell a date I'm overwhelmed by their beauty on the second date either." He laced his fingers with mine." Colin and Maddy have a sense of ease with each other that they joke about so many things, "non-food dessert? Is that what you're calling sex nowadays?" I enjoyed talking about sex with Colin. The idea had my heart beating a little faster." He tries but he's slowly learning that Maddy isn't like other women he's dated, "I didn't mean it that way." He came up behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder. "I only mean I'd be happy to get you something new. It's harder for girls. Guys can get away with a blazer for almost any occasion." I mean he may be slow at getting their sexual relationship going but the boy knows how to make up for it in good looks, "Colin sat up, the sheet slipping off him in the process. Boxer briefs. He slept in boxer briefs. They were blue ones, that looked incredible against his tan skin." And he knows how to appreciate the efforts Maddy goes through to get their sexual relationship going, "do you usually sleep in things like that, or did you wear it for me?" His voice was gravely, low, and far sexier than I ever imagined it would sound." I hope this is a start of a series because I would love to have Carly's, Macon's, and Brody's stories.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I Know Your Drink Stars <3

This book really surprised me! It started out strong, then mellowed out and then before I knew it I couldn't put it down! After being rejected from Medical School, Maddy moves to the Outer Banks to escape her parents and take some time to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She takes a job tending bar and prides herself in being able to figure out what type of drink her customers would like. Well, except for mysterious musician Lyle. Every Thursday night she makes him a different drink and she can not get it right. When Collin comes into to the bar and relentlessly pursues her she finally gives in and agrees to date him. Collin is a few years older, has a successful career, romantic as heck, and knows what he wants with his life. At this point I thought this book was heading for a love triangle or even a love square with her roommate Macon. No love triangle here ladies! I think the best part of the book is the twist at the end. I usually pride myself in figuring out plots but I didn't see this one!! This story has some funny parts especially between Maddy and her roommates! Very little drama and it also has a mysterious vibe throughout the book, which I totally loved! I enjoy books like this in between some of my more heavier reads and I will definitely be reading the next books in this series <3