Too Much Of A Good Thing?

by Joss Wood

It’s time for Lu Sheppard to get back in the game—fact. After ten years of playing mom to her younger brothers the boys have left home and she’s determined to make up for lost time! Item number one on her list? A man to have some fun with! Rugby coach Will Scott is just what Lu needs to ease herself back into the dating game. Only in town temporarily, king of the fling…he’s perfect. But his kisses are so electric that remembering they have an expiry date is getting harder. Suddenly Lu starts wondering...maybe it is possible to have too much of a good thing!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Sports

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Joss Wood loves books and travelling— especially to the wild places of Southern Africa and, well, anywhere.

She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers, and is bossed around by two cats and a Great Dane X the size of a baby cow. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full time.


Be sure to follow Joss on BookBub for the latest on my releases https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joss-...

Reviews

[Desere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each and every decent sibling out there will tell you that when losing your parents and you're the most adult one of the kids, you will step up in a heartbeat and do whatever you need to do to raise your brothers or sisters.

It of course is not easy, when your friends are out on dates, you will be home helping with cooking and homework. A full time parent with basically no life at all!

In the newest read from author Joss Wood she takes a look at just how difficult it can be when having to face this exact same situation up the the point where the kids are all grown up and you finally get the time to live.

But getting into the swing of things basically well and truly sucks, how do you get into dating and living it up when all you are use to is making sure homework is done and goals are met? Not easy at all and this is the dilemma Lu faces when her twin brothers are all grow up and she is left behind.

Lucky for her she comes face to face with the best time she will ever have Will Scott! The man is all kinds of delicious temptation and a guaranteed good time. But he is only in town for a short time and thus only fling material , perfect for getting her groove back for a future of fun.

However when Lu realises she has fallen for Will and letting go will be far harder than letting "motherhood" go, she is no longer sure she set out on the correct path of fun, afterall the man will be gone before you know it.

The main characters were both awesome and I totally adored the heat between them. There was loads of humour and fun times in this read and it is one of those reads that will not only give you a fantastically written romance but also is guaranteed to get you out of any kind of sad or bad mood you might be trapped in.

The backdrop settings were so full of life and so inviting I just wanted to jump right in and play along with all the fun. The dialogue was classic Joss Wood, sweet and sensual sexy heat. Lu and Will were both so realistic that it was as good as if I was reading about friends, I truly felt connected to them both and the up's and down's they face.

I am taking away a message of we all dare to wish, but when the time comes being able to handle it is a whole other ball game. Always be prepared to face what you wish for, or else too much of a good thing might just send you free-falling from the sky!

I recommend this read for anyone looking for a great romance read with delightful characters and fun moments that will leave you feeling that perfect little happy ever after feeling we all seek!

5 star review
" The second she steps into his arms skydiving will be the least of her worries"

Copy provided by the author in exchange for a honest review

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems like Joss' books get better and better. This was one of those books where I had to exercise great self-control in not turning into a blubbering idiot while reading it.

Lu is a heroine I could identify with. She's struggling with independence and being alone after looking after her twin brothers for so long. She hasn't had a normal young adulthood exploration period. Now she wants to find herself. She doesn't think she'll fall in love in the process. The hero, Will is the type of alpha hero I like - tough on the outside but he turns to mush when confronted with the right woman. He's a rugby coach. At first I was wary as I'm not a great rugby fan but I really enjoyed him and his story. Loved the secondary characters Mak, Deon and Kerby.

Joss is a master love-story teller. The sexual tension in this book was super-hot yet it was perfectly balanced with a wonderful, tender, touching love story.

Once again, I loved her funny yet perfectly flowing prose and tight dialogue.

Whew, this is def one of the best books I've read this year.

[Ylette Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a sexy-as-sin hero and a feisty, albeit self-depreciating, heroine this story can never be 'too much of a good thing'. And it is good.

The plot is believable, the characters enticingly flawed and the romance super hot. Miss Wood once again succeeded in crafting a hart-warming romance that will have you in stitches while swallowing at the lump in your throat. This book is full of humor and the characters so real you feel like it could be the people living next door.

This is a book that deserves every one of the five stars I gave it.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most parents wonder what would happen to their children if anything happened to them. I wonder how many times older siblings think about their responsibility towards their siblings if their parents died. Such a heavy burden to carry if you're barely an adult yourself.
Lu slipped into the role of both mother and father to ensure her brothers were kept safe and happy at home. In doing so she forfeited an plans of her own that she might have had. I was actually torn when it came to that sub-plot. Being a parent is a 24/7 job, but it doesn't mean you have give up everything to be in that role. Women have careers and children, despite the fact it is hard to find an equal balance between the two paths. Lu seems to shift a lot of blame onto her own choice. She chose not to pursue a career in photography and make her brothers the sole focus of her life. Choosing to be a full time parent isn't a bad thing, but you need to own that decision and not wallow in the what-ifs of Christmas past.
Lu also spends an unhealthy amount of time debating the cobwebs in her private parts, and that includes her brothers (not her brothers cobwebs, her brothers contemplating her cobwebs), which I thought was a tad rude.
Sorry but no sibling or child of mine gets to discuss whether my nether regions are gathering dust and webs due to lack of use and rotation.
I liked the introduction of Will and Lu. It might not have been intentional on the authors part, but that scenario was and is a constant threat in our society. It would be great if more people both men and women could be more vigilant in their observations when it comes to their fellow humans. If you see something dodgy then act on it and don't brush your gut instinct away.
After the two main characters are introduced the reader is privy to their own style of mating dance. The come hither now and go away samba, which leaves them both frustrated and their 'friendship only' relationship doesn't do anything to alleviate the pressure.
This is a fun heartwarming read with quite a few funny moments.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK & Mills&Boon.

[T.M. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads. I am so glad I did.

I don't know Joss personally, but we are Facebook friends, and do chatter a little on there. I was dreading doing this review, but found that the worry had been waste of my time - I LOVED this book set in Durban, South Africa. A place I once called my town...

I am not a fan of rugby players in general, I have always cheered along the hockey players more, but I fell in love with her hero Will, despite his profession.

I loved that Lu the heroine, with her uncertainties and 'empty nest feelings' now that her brothers have gone, is being pushed by these same siblings to get out and get a life, because she had given up so much to look after them. And they recognise that fact. After all, what sister wouldn't step into the mum position in these circumstances. And how darn hard in reality it must be to step out of the almost split-personality again...

Will's bad boy past is convincing. As did his whole having to try to understand the friendship between Lu and her Zulu friend, Mak Sibaya.

Loved that every now and again, Joss would throw in a reminder that they were in Durban, South Africa, like a monkey. Wished there was a bit more of that - but then I'm biased towards wildlife...so I won't hold that against Joss...

Overall a lovely light read - thank you Goodreads - and THANK YOU Joss for writing a great book!

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book – Too Much of a Good Thing? by Joss Wood
Genre – Contemporary Romance
Type – Stand Alone
Cliffhanger - No
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars

Romance - 8/10
Cover - 8/10
Steam Rating – 3 out of 5 Stars
Writing Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Heroine – Headstrong, Likable
Hero – Sweet, Caring, Sexy
Ending - 9/10
HEA Yes
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – People looking for a straight forward romance

Extra book Details:

Great secondary characters


I won this book via Goodreads Competition and here is my honest review.

This is my first Harlequin and Joss Wood book and I have to say that I’m impressed.

Too Much of a Good Thing? Is well written with extremely likable characters, especially Lu and Will.
I loved the friendship that developed between them before they addressed the attraction building towards one another.

I would certainly recommend it to readers that want a straight forward HEA romance with great back and forth banter.

4.5 stars

[Ali Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joss Wood and I are one of a kind – namely, we both have a thing for rugbyplayers (and spend a ridiculous amount of time on Twitter discussing this). So imagine my delight when I realised that her latest novel started an ex-professional rugby player.

He’s thoughtful. And sweet. And mind-blowingly hot.

And his interactions will Lu, Wood’s lovely heroine? Perfect. Lu’s two younger twin brothers – who she brought up following the death of her parents – have made her promise to live a little whilst they’re off at uni. So when she meets Will on a night out, sparks fly and soon he finds himself helping her let loose...

http://exploitsofachicklitaficionado....

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a good reads giveaway.

OH MY DAYS. Amazing. I only started reading the book this morning, read the first chapter with breakfast and picked it up again after work. I couldn't put it down.

The writing was perfect,not over detailed as that is a hate of mine. I like to be able to use my own imagination, I have a tendency to get drawn into the main character. All the characters are likeable and the story tugged at my emotions.

My ONLY criticism is the ending was a bit over kill fairytale happy with the speech they give to the reporter. Oh, and there were one or two punctuation errors but I rarely find a book that doesn't have this.

I will recommend the author, and I will read others by the author.

[Samantha Millicent · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book and it did have a slightly different premise so enjoyed that. A two star doesn't mean I didn't like it, it just didn't absolutely grab me enough to stay with me for a long time. Dialogue was good but there could have been more of it as some of the introspection was repetitive and slowed the pace. How they met - brilliantly original...bad boy past - yep he was definitely a wild one. Again different which is fabulous for the HP line. Author didn't really resolve enough about his first wife for me. Bedroom scenes could have been hotter and a bit more emotion in places. I am writing an honest impression here and in no way bagging the author - would just like to see a bit more development of these areas and would buy a future book of hers down the track.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Posted on HarlequinJunkie.com

Lu Sheppard is on the edge of a new chapter in her life. When she was 19, her parents died unexpectedly and she was left in charge of her 8-year old twin brothers. Now they’re off to University, and she’s left in a huge house with two cats and two dogs – and no idea what to do with herself.Read More

[Dubaduba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing read! I could't put the book down; and even when it ended, I still couldn't put it down! I absolutely loved Will and Lu. Best couple ever. I loved how their relationship began with friendship and went on from there. I even loved Will's moments of overprotective jealousy. The characters, besides Will and Lu, are absolutely lovable. I highly recommend this book :D

[Harlequin Books]

"Lu and Will have genuine chemistry with one another as they navigate this crossroad in their lives, and the secondary characters are also well-developed. The emotional highs and lows will keep readers engaged." RT Book reviews, rated 4 stars

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very sweet touching story about a young woman trying to get back into life after having raised her twin brothers when her parents tragically died. Joss Wood is a new author for me. I am interested in reading more from her.

[Karissa Moeller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really sweet and definitely will make any Durbanite missing South Africa feel a little closer to home. I definitely was rooting for the main characters the whole time. I do think some of the aspects of this book felt very rushed and glossed over, particularly the last couple of chapters. But overall I enjoyed this book.

[Skye Burch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice!

I really enjoyed this book. I was in the mood for a happy read and this definitely fit the bill.

[Kate ✨ is a dreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Much of a Good Thing
This was one of the better Harlequin KISS books I've read.
It's about a girl, who since she was 19 has been playing mother, father, housekeeper, older sister and friend to her 2 younger twin brothers. Now, after over a decade since, the boys are going off to uni, leaving her with empty nest syndrome.

Will Scott (not a member of Robin Hood's Merry Men) saw Lu in a club, in a club, getting slipped a date-rape drug. He rescues her & they soon become fast friends, but how long until the sex appeal between the two of them is no longer ignored?

The Characters
Will Scott is-as of now- a stand-in rugby coach, and has no idea what he wants to do after his 3 month contract is over. Lu really shouldn't factor in, but she does.
Big Time. And it's because of her that he makes the best & worst decision of her life.

Lu is trying to find things to do that take up her time, pottery class, dirt bikes, skydiving, dance classes, and finds Will the perfect partner to do it all with. And thanks to him, empty nest syndrome leaves when in his presence, until it rears back worse than ever.

The Situation
I liked what Will did, and I liked what Lu did when they "broke up".
She went to a neighboring town for 2 weeks after Will broke her heart & did all sorts of things, like skydiving. He went to Auckland & took a contract there, but barely made it in his door before he turned & left once more. One problem, he didn't know where to find Lu! 2 weeks later, he finds her back home & lays his intentions, and by lays I mean he kind of screams at her, and yum, it's all good.
I like this kind of ending, not just him coming back & apologizing, but something happening!

The Letdown
The lack of Romance. That was a big letdown. They didn't "tell" anything but the kisses (no sex, no foreplay) and that kind of sucked.

[Mina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introductory chapters were painful to read due to excruciating conversation and clumsy exposition, but I'm glad I pushed through because the rest of the story was great. The meet not-exactly-cute of the hero saving the heroine from date rape was memorable to say the least. The relationship developed at a believable pace, and both leads were equal measures likable and exasperating. I don't think the heroine's tough backstory got played out as well as it deserved to, but it was really only at the end that I felt things were getting too tidy and shallow - otherwise it was very well used. I don't know why I fell hard and fast for the hero, but I totally did, and it was good to see him work his way to a happy ending. A fun, just-this-side-of-reality type read all told.

One thing though: "ethnic" earrings, really? Couldn't be more specific than that, given all the detail establishing the Durban setting?

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really surprised me. It had so much more heart that I usually expect from a book with Harlequin on the spine. Not sure if this will be a pattern with the "Harlequin Kiss" books or with this author, but I plan to read more of both.

So onto the main story. With so few pages the author did a really good job or filling out the main characters and making them more real through descriptions of their struggles. I really liked the characters becoming friends before becoming lovers as well.

One other note, the setting of this book in South Africa is very different from my normal reads, and I would have liked for it to have just a little bit more of a presence in the book.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

My has taken care of her twin brothers since their parents died a decade earlier. Now they are all grown and off to University and Lu has to figure out where to go with her life.

Will is in town as a temporary rugby coach. The first night he lays eyes on Lu he ends up rescuing her from major disaster. Soon they are spending a lot if time together and Will has taken his bosses advice to be friends with a woman for once.

There is a lot of frustration for both of them as they are attracted to each other but have bowed to be friends.

[Bungluna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different story premise with a bad boy who actually was a bad boy and is somewhat redeemed. The heroine was also good, a reasonable product of her experiences and past. I felt the end was a bit abrupt and left some unresolved issues hanging, but overall very original for this short format.

[Josie]

I ended up skimming through this book because, although I loved the premise and I liked the characters, the pacing frustrated me. Nothing really happened for the first few pages, and then when the heroine had her drink spiked and the hero came to the rescue, I wasn't entirely engaged by this. There were a few scenes I liked but I wish this had been a longer book.

[Jinae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my taste really, but as I am an emotional sap, it did make me cry a bit but not a the parts you'd think. Too many parts made me cringe not from awkwardness but from disappoint i guess because some parts seemed a bit misogynistic.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious little story where the H/h become friends first and then lovers. Joss Wood has a gift for writing 'normal' yet heroic characters. Totally fell in love (or should that be lust?) with Will, LOL.

[Nath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 (B+)

[Pauline Destinugrainy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well tidak terlalu istimewa sebenarnya. Sebagian besar ceritanya berisi ketegangan antara Will dan Lu yang sejak awal saling tertarik tapi berusaha menahan diri. Dan sekali lagi kisah romance ini membuktikan tidak ada yang namanya persahabatan dekat antara pria dan wanita, khususnya yang sejak awal sudah saling menyukai