Love Show

by Audrey Bell

Hadley Arrington is the career-driven Editor-in-Chief of her university’s prestigious newspaper. Jack Diamond is a laid back student whose good looks have made things even easier than they need to be. She’s the girl who came out of nowhere and kissed him in the rain. He’s the boy who made her do something crazy.

When the stakes seem too high, they have to decide if they’ll let their love show or if they’ll walk away for good.


Out of print.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, College, Contemporary, College Romance, Contemporary Romance, Humor

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2014

About the author

Audrey Bell is a writer living in New York.

Reviews

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit 01/20 : You know what? I'm bumping this rating to the full 5. Who cares that the characters laugh too-much (yes, I'm talking about the verb) and that some parts were a little cliché? I have been completely UNABLE to stop rereading parts since I read it. Fuck my rules. My adorable Jack gets all the stars.

► If someone had told me that the first book I’d fall in love with in 2016 would be a New Adult romance, I would have nicely but intently told them to stop fucking with me.

I would have been wrong.

I’ll write a real review as soon as I can sleep a few hours – hey, it’s 5 am over there – but I wanted to share some thoughts before my overanalyzing mind gets a hold on me. Sleep I did. It didn't change anything.

Perfect this book isn’t: it is in a great need of editing, and the writing is awkward (cheesy ? Stereotypical?) at times. The characters are far from free of stereotypes, especially David, Hadley’s gay best-friend. When we take an unflinging look at the plot, what we see screams typical NA romance.

Except typical NA romance it is not.

As far as peeves are concerned, I have several that I know I can’t overlook. They aren’t there.

✘ There’s no slut-shaming and not an ounce of girl hate.

✘ There’s no asshole as a hero but an ADORABLE male lead with whom I fell hopelessly in love almost instantly. I mean, Jack is funny, considerate, loyal, and really, I couldn’t get enough of him. So, yeah, I can see how people would say that he’s not believable. But fuck that. FUCK. THAT. All men aren’t broken/controlling jerk/assholes, and many behave in such an adorable way when they’re falling in love with someone. Not to mention that he has his own flaws – he’s just not as intent on showing them that our regular NA jerkface. Also, he makes jokes about Titanic. It does count.

"I smiled at him. “And you slept over. Again.” (…)
“You made me.”
“I don’t remember that.”
“Well,” he said. “You don’t remember very much. Do you? Jack, I’ll never let go,”, he mimicked.
“Oh god.”
“Never let go.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said, even though I totally believed him.
“Jack!” he mimicked.”

I fucking love this guy.

✘ Hadley isn’t flawless either and have her annoying (and indecisive) sides but she’s in no need of saving. She hasn’t been raped or abused. So, okay, she has rules. Like a tons of rules.

”No presents. Definitely no flowers. I’m not doing your laundry, making you cookies, or coming to your formal. Don’t ask me too,” I said. I cocked my head. “No dates. No romantic comedies. No sleep-overs. No saying I love you. No buying me drinks. No Valentine’s Day, nicknames, baby talk, chocolate, or Taylor Swit concerts.”

Yet as much as I wanted to strangle her sometimes, I can’t deny that I really appreciated the fact that she was driven and independent. THANK YOU. I am an overachiever. I am annoying. I’m sure happy that people around me see that being a workalcohic doesn’t begin to define who am I. That's why I could relate to her.

✘ There’s neither love triangle nor instalove, and their struggles are realistic - how to know what we're willing to put above everything else? This is not as easy as it sounds, trust me. Hadley and Jack both have their dreams, and they’re not so ready to abandon them - I love them even more for that. Despite the somewhat cheesy writing at times, the situations are real: who never waited to be drunk to send text messages? You’re so not allowed to say never.

What about their banter? Loved it.

► To sum-up :
- The writing feels sometimes repetitive and forced.
- The characters and the story are not exempts of stereotypes.

+ You’re in for a good laugh.
+ The male-lead is adorable and heart-warming.
+ The MC doesn’t feel the need to bitch about other girls.
+ The MC doesn’t forget her dreams as soon as she meets the hero.
+ Their banter is fantastic.
+ There’s no pointless drama (some families issues and questioning about the future, that’s all)
+ They have FRIENDS.

In the end, reading a book is like making a deal, don’t you think? I asked Love Show to make me smile and care. If my 5 am ramblings should tell you something, it’s that it delivered. I mean, I actually clutched the damn book to my chest. Several times. So what if the writing isn’t always great? I can say without doubt that right now, I don’t care, and my daytime self will have to chill out and deal with it (you chill out! I still don’t give a damn!)

After that creepy note where I talk about myself in third person, I’ll tell you one last thing: don’t read Love Show if you’re looking for an original and thought-provoking book. If you want to spend a couple of hours smiling and start the year surrounded by heart-warming vibes, though?

Do it.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had my fair share of New Adult novels. Some I loved, some I loathed but I haven’t really come across a lot of socially significant ones as this book and now I believe my friends who said this is a different kind of NA read. I’m not really a big fan of “friends with benefits” stories and though this one started out exactly like that with lots of PG-13 stuff (which I thought would end there but thankfully didn’t), I appreciate that it isn’t entirely focused on the romance. It’s tackling several other important subjects too as homophobia, the relevance/dangers of unbiased journalism and several other equally essential topics but without overwhelming the reader. (although the writing could use a little more editing)^^

The main heroine isn’t your typical NA female character because Hadley is an independent, idealistic, cynical, feisty, career-driven gal who doesn’t believe in love. She’s actually got good reasons but I’m not saying that I agree with her. I kind of even hated her during the first half of the story because I thought she was too self-absorbed and too independent to the point of haughtiness but during the latter part of the story, she grew on me and in the end, I perfectly understood her. I learned to admire her loyalty and relationship with her best friend, David, her dedication and passion for her work and her desire to contribute something good to the world, yep, the world!

Oh and Jack! I won’t say anything about him except that he’s totally adorbs, funny and worthy to be enlisted in my book boyfriends list.



(Except she lets go. Lol!)

Finally, I just have to express myself on the ending:



You want amazingly comprehensive reviews? Let me refer you to Henz’s (who is celebrating her birthday today) and to Anna’s (who’s having her birthday on Love Day. This is a very appropriate read indeed for her birthday, hehe!) .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WONDERFUL LADIES! MAY YOUR SPECIAL DAY BE FILLED WITH FUN, LOVE AND ALL THINGS THAT’LL BRING SMILES ON YOUR PRETTY FACES!^^

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaaaah, a 'rom com' college romance. Who doesn't love a good chick flick? I love those feel good movies and books. You always know you are in for angst, romance and comedy.

One of my favorite rom-com movie is The Proposal.


Hadley is a heroine similar to Sandra Bullock in The Proposal...career focused. No time for a boyfriend and determined to do everything in her power to make sure romance is off the plate.

Jack is the loyal to the end hero. At times he had me "aaaaah-ing" for how sweet he was in certain situations.

Not wanting to turn out like her mom, going from guy to guy, Hadley won't allow herself to be vulnerable. Unlike Jack who laid his heart on the table Hadley just can't let go enough to do that. It isn't until Hadley's dream job becomes a reality that she begins questioning her choices to hold her family and friends at an arms length.

Love Show has song, book and movie references throughout it. My friend, Kat, did a review listing the movie references. Click here to see her awesome review.

Standalone

**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[DKristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Well...







So basically, what I'm trying to say is that this is one of the best books that I have read this year and has wiggled it's way on to my all time favorites list for sure!






Hadley Arrington is a college senior she has her future figured out, she knows what she does and doesn't want and nowhere in that equation does love or relationships fit in. She's brilliant, beautiful, and a real friend! She stands up for those that she loves and tries to do the right thing when she can. She's been dealt some pretty shitty parents and even though they have impacted her life greatly, including destroying her belief in love, she keeps her head on straight and works to make a happy life for herself doing what she loves...




Jack Diamond is hot, he's intelligent, he's confused, and conflicted about life and he is everything that Hadley doesn't know she wants. He has his own demons and difficulties and when she proposes a no strings attached relationship he thinks she is the coolest girl ever and that it couldn't possibly go wrong....



David is Hadley's best friend. He is also a senior. He's gay and unlike some stories he has a realistically challenging road to travel, without it being stereotypical or overly predictable. He's comical and a great friend, he's caring, and kind, and love is not easy for him...

I really enjoyed all of the supporting characters, except Ben whose balls I wanted to chop off and then shove them into his ears!!! I just cannot say enough about this story... I won't tell you anymore as I don't want to give away ANYTHING at all! What I will say is that this is not just a romance and the accompanying story and journey it takes Hadley especially on is so worth the ride. The banter between Jack and Hadley and Hadley and David will have you rolling on the floor laughing. There are plenty of "Oh my gosh" moments and "Awwww that's fucking adorable" moments as well as "Whoa, this is intense." So seriously get it and read it and love it!!!!!





ARC graciously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa Baez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ROMCOM MOVIE!

I don't know what words to use to make you pick this up, so I'm going for simple as heck.

In terms of NA, this is as perfect as it gets!

The banter...


The dialogue...


David...


Hadley...


Jack...


THIS BOOK...



Just stop wasting your time and go read this amazing book with a strong heroine that doesn't abandon all sense in the presence of testosterone along with a male lead that will undoubtedly have you swooning paired with a dialogue that will leave you cackling and awesome friendships that will have you wishing there were more NAs like this out there.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I enjoyed this story, and I think Audrey Bell excels at writing fun banter!

Hadley Arrington is extremely bright, career driven college senior. She dreams of being a journalist in Syria for The New York Times but she does have one flaw, she doesn’t believe in love.

Hadley's amazing roommate, David has egged her on to make out with anyone because she has spent all her time at college busy running the school newspaper.

”I stepped forward and kissed him. Suddenly and impulsively. Because I wanted to. Because I had nothing to lose. Because I believed, for once, there wasn’t anything to lose here.”



Hadley can't stop thinking about that hot stranger and luckily their paths cross again.

Hadley and Jack agree on a friends’ with benefits relationship, while the two get closer and closer.

”I like you,” he said. He smiled, his eyes twinkling. You’re the best person I’ve met all year.”



”I’m a little bit of a disaster, Hadley.”

“Then, you’re my favorite disaster, Jack.”

Hadley’s roommate David’s storyline was a strong addition to the story.

When Jack learns of Hadley’s career plans for after graduation things between the two fall apart.

”I cried over Jack Diamond when I got home. Instead of crying at graduation, I cried over Jack.”

Hadley finds herself in the pits of hell in her dream job but is it really what she always wanted?

Will Jack and Hadley have an hea?

”I wanted him.
I missed him.
I would trade this for him.
I would trade this for nothing.
But I wanted to trade this for him.”

Overall, this was a good read with a really likable heroine!

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'm a little bit of a disaster, Hadley."
"Then, you're my favorite disaster, Jack."

Ahhh….now that’s how you write a male lead. Sigh. Yes-It’s official. My first sentence in this review is about the male lead. And, ya know, there’s so much more to the story than him, but I can’t help but say he was my absolute favorite part. I know I tout a lot of men throughout the year-I’m, admittedly, a little shameless. It’s all in fun, though, you know?? It’s fun to imagine these men, whether you’re married or not, come on now, actually existing. They are the literal perfect men we seek in the world, and to see the finest of the fine emerging from certain stories…yeah, it makes me a tad giddy and breathless.

"He did it just fine," I said.
"No, he definitely did it wrong," he said. "Which is criminal. I could fix that though."
"Excuse me?"
He looked at me. "I mean, if I were so lucky as to have the chance to sleep with you, you would be, you know, impressed."
"You're extremely arrogant."
"Right back at you."
"How am I arrogant?"
"What kind of person gives sex one chance and decides it's not for them?"
"This kind."

And this isn’t even my real point-I just ended up going off on a tangent because I got lost in Jack fantasy land. For real…he’s that great. Just let me get to him when it’s his turn, though. I’m working super hard to build him up, a right he wholeheartedly deserves, because not many guys really compare. Again, my point is that this story had so much more than a beautiful book cover (it’s not in print anymore, boo, what the f) pretty faced college boy, and romantic adventure.

It's funny how quickly you begin to talk yourself out of your own dreams.

That’s the thing I can’t quite put my finger on-Just how deep this story was. I can’t tell if it’s a stroke of brilliance, or a case of shit gone wrong. I’m more than aware I gave this an extremely high rating, but at a certain point in this book it stopped being so….light and fluffy. Jobs took precedent, choices had to be made, friendships were tested, loyalty was as delicate as glass, close to bending and breaking-but tougher than a diamond, grittier than dirt in it’s determination….and hearts were broken. Or should I say heart? Shit became real….and I wasn’t ready for it.

"What? It's ridiculous. Control your emotions. Can you imagine if criminals went around saying they fell into hatred or jealousy and that's why they killed four people or robbed the bank? We act like love is this uncontrollable thing. But when it comes to anger and all that ugly stuff, we're expected to control it. We're supposed to handle those emotions without hurting anyone. But throw out the word 'love' and everyone thinks all the rules should go right out the window and who can help it if someone gets hurt?"

I’ll go ahead and admit that this is the first book of the year-and in a long fucking time, I assure you-that made me bawl like a baby. That’s right-2016 is here, bitch, and it’s taking my soul with it. I bet most of you that have read this find that hilarious and highly unbelievable-Well, I’ll tell you this: I was expecting butterflies and rainbows, candy and sunshine….and there was. It was kissing in the rain and spontaneous messaging that encouraged a smile that couldn’t be stifled. It was flirting and supporting each other when things became unbearable. It was friendship and unbreakable bonds and lasting laughs. It was everything love should be, and it was what dreams were made of. And that, my lovely friends, is why I’m tearing up, becoming emotional, and trying to ignore the tightness in my throat even as I type up this review. Their love was something that blinded me from the fire-hot passion they shared…and that’s why I lost it, emotionally speaking…I just couldn’t handle when the fire turned to embers in the ashes.



But enough about the seriousness with which this novel was underhandedly constructed (it took my breath away like a thief in the night, the smug bastard), I want to talk about all the good things-and believe me, there were too many to count (about 90% perfection, for real). I mean, just look at the previous paragraph!! I obviously adored almost every minute of the story…I just had my issues like the next person.

"You've Got Mail could only be the name of a romantic comedy in the 90s," I said. "The only thing I like about my inbox is the delete button."
David took a handful of popcorn. "You. Need. To. Get. Laid."
"I need to get a job." I said. "And a haircut. And new eyes. Have you seen this? My eyes are different sizes."
He looked at my eyes. "It's 'cause you're tired. So, close them. And stop talking. And go to sleep."

One of my favorite parts I’m going to start with, hold your horses, everyone and their brother knows I will most definitely get to Jack (Jack, don’t let me go, Jack-shout out to Anna lol), is the friendship between David and Hadley. I can’t say the first chapter drew me in like it did everyone else, but once the second chapter hit, I was completely and utterly obsessed-And I hadn’t even met Jack yet. David was the typical clichéd gay best friend…except he wasn’t. I was expecting something often seen in romance books-I’m not complaining about this issue in books, by the way-the best friend being placed in a very important position for the main character in the beginning, but then slowly becoming as important as background music in a crowded bar. But here, this wasn’t the case-David may have swayed a little, every relationship is tested in life and not at all for the same reasons, but in the end he was as sturdy as a rock and never once lost sight of who his best friend was.

Nobody should drink alcohol at eleven in the morning. It's a recipe for disaster. Nigel was slurring his words by noon and David was trying to cut my hair and I was singing Ke$ha at the top of my lungs.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I demanded when he came at me with scissors.
"You need a haircut."
"No."
"Trust me."
"No."
He pouted. "But, Hadley, I'm dying to cut somebody's hair."
"Cut your own damn hair."

Their banter was hilarious and much like my favorite duo from The Middle (one of my favorite television shows ever), Sue Heck and Brad. I’m not kidding-from the moment I read one of their interactions, I was laughing out loud (this was a common theme throughout, me barking laughs and giggling like a psycho in a quiet room) and smiling so big that I swear my husband thought something was wrong with me. ’What are you laughing at?’ he asked. ’Nothing, my book,' I said. *Giggles* *continued staring at me* 'Nothing. Really’ *still staring at me* 'YOU WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND, OKAY???’ At this point I think it needs to be declared that I was mostly giggling at Jack and how fucking cute he is. For real. So….yeah, I guess that’s my cue to start heading over that way. But to sum up for these two friends: they cared more deeply about one another than many romantic relationships I know of in real life here, and that is truly saying something…even if its only a book.

"You're scared that our third conversation will devolve? Into what? Silence? That would be awkward, but I bet we could survive it."
"I really don't have the time to date anyone right now," I said. That sounded believable. It was certainly true.
"Aw, I'm not going to give up that easily," he smiled. "You're the one who started it. You shouldn't have kissed me like that if you wanted to be left alone."
"I-"
"I'm going to swing by," he said adamantly. "We can hang out. That's a good idea. No dinner. Anti-date date."

Ahhh and finally, my boy JACK!!! I will admit that the crazy alien amazing friend who forced me to read this reccd this to me staked a claim on this wonderful, adorable, loyal, smitten, obsessed, protective, jealous, and loving boy beforehand. In fact, she was quite clear about this such issue because she just knew this problem would arise. You know, where we both want to marry Jack and lock him up for the rest of eternity? (Or maybe that’s just me…oops, here comes your lovable GR psycho!! Come out come out wherever you arrreeee) Yeah, we had lengthy conversations about this boy I’d never even heard of….but I guess I just don’t give a flying fuck.

"I mean, maybe."
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing, but-"
"Great. I'll swing by tonight."
"No, I don't think you understand. I said dinner wasn't good for me."
"I thought you said dating wasn't good for you. We won't have dinner. It'll be a non-dinner, non-date hangout session."
"I don't even know what that means."
"I just want to talk to you," he said casually.
"Why?"
He laughed.
"What?"
"I think you're fascinating," he said, the same wry amusement coursing through his voice. "I'll stop by tonight." He hung up before I could say anything else.

Jack is, and always will be, a definite top book boy for me, and if anyone has a problem with that (cough, ahem, Bananaaaaaaaaa), then I guess they’ll just have to go through me, won’t they??? Have you seen my list? Could it be any more huge??? (bahahah Friends references, oh boy, I am getting TIRED)

"What are you doing next year?" I asked Jack.
"I'm going to try to find a way not to work," Jack said. "Which I'm actually pretty good at, so I don't foresee any problems."
"Nice."
"Good plan," Xander said sarcastically.
"I think it's a great plan," Jack said simply. "They always tell you to do what you love. And I love not working."

But let’s cut to the GD chase-When I met Jack, in the rain , out of nowhere, completely blind-sided…my breath was stolen in the span of less than 10 seconds. I’d venture to say I was beyond completely and utterly obsessed-I was a fucking ravenous madwoman. He became an instant book boyfriend and I ached to see him even when he couldn’t possibly be a part of the story. And then, as if by magic, he’d appear again-laughing, smiling, ogling, fantasizing, and falling in love with Hadley a little bit more each and every time he saw her. I swear to God, you could literally, literally feeling him falling harder and harder with each passing chapter.



And it’s just…it’s so much more than that, and it’s so hard to explain. This kid, this boy that has no clue what he wants to do with his life, finds a girl that is opposite of him in each and every way, career wise, life-choice wise, and he just…he falls. Hard.



He falls and he doesn’t brace himself and he crashes, he crashes so hard into this sea of emotions he wasn’t prepared for and fights drowning at each and every turn. But resistance is futile, because he drowns anyway.

"I was ready to go. But you were all like stay," he whispered in a breathy imitation of me.
I laughed. "I was not."
"It was like when the Titanic was sinking and the redhead was all like, oh my god, I'm so cold, let's hold hands."
"It was not like that."
"Jack, never let go. I mean, what was I supposed to do?"

But for each breach of surface from the sea of Hadley, he finds a breath of life that makes him feel whole, makes him believe things can be different, that the rules are meant to be broken and one day she’ll realize she loves him as much as he loves her…



but time and again she pushes him back under, only for him to keep kicking and pushing to the surface once again for that next chance of everlasting life in the form of Hadley fucking Arrington-his most suffocating and deadly weakness.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. In my own bed." I kissed him briefly and he reached for my wrist. I held the book he'd given me in one hand and looked into his brown eyes. And I leaned in for another kiss.
I loved the way he kissed me. But this felt more serious, deeper and longer, and we held each other's eyes for a long moment before I cleared my throat and felt a flush rushing to my face.

Jack was the most loyal guy ever, and I’m not just saying that. Lots of guys are loyal-tons. But in this sense, I have to say it’s rare. Its rare that a guy as attractive, kind, and popular as Jack would wait for a girl who only wants to play the friends with benefits card. And I really did like Hadley from chapter two on-she is a fucking badass chick who would do anything for the people she loves. But that’s my thing: as soon as she needed to do something for the person who would literally die for her-even went so far as to imply he’d give his kidney for her (yes, dramatics on my part, I know, but it makes it no less true)-she just couldn’t fucking do it.



And that’s when I kind of lost my undying (apparently it’s not so undying, because, hey, look, it’s dead) love for her. And to clarify, because I see a French frown forming-I don’t mean she should have given up her job, I mean that the bitch should have fucking told him how she FELT. She adored him, even if she didn’t realize it was love until she was gone. And she should have just…UGH FUCKING UGH. And to also clarify in a non-spoilery manner-He could have done a little more, too. Duh. But Jack’s perfect….so…..no. He did no wrong. Obviously.

"Are you seriously hurt?"
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"My knees went out."
"I made you weak at the knees?"
"I'm serious. It hurts," I growled.
"Alright, alright, alright," he said. "Hey!" He shouted to one of the instructors. "She hurt her leg. Can you..." They started running over and he looked back down at me. "Babe, can you stand up?"

This is supposed to be my section on Hadley…but I am a stubborn ass and don’t feel like wasting any more time on her. She’s top dog of the newspaper. She wants to do combat journalism. Her dream job is to work for the NYT. Yada yada. Smart smart. Fierce Fierce. We get it. Later douche.

Anyone who tells you that you should wait for that guy who makes you weak at the knees should be shot.

And there you go. That’s it. Lordy Lordy I could keep going on and boy was that a lot, but some things just need to be said, and Jack deserves every minute of my time. Did you guys know, so conversational I am at this wonderfully late hour on a work night, that I had NO time for a review??? That I should have posted a mini review and said, eh, it’s okay, I know I loved it and that’s all that matters. But no. It was 10 pm when I picked this bad boy up and I sucked it the hell up when hubs started whining because he wanted to hang and when the dogs wanted to cuddle and snuggle (such heinous crimes, the lot of them, whatever am I supposed to do with them??). I did those things while I typed this out (Why yes, I did type a lot of this one-handed, and yes, it was a fucking treat). Jack deserved so much more than he got at one point in this book, and he deserves a long-winded Chelsea review that freaks everyone out as it always does. He is my first BBF of the year and I will send him off right-even at the cost of my own sleep. This was going to be an absolute favorite-hell, it still might be-but when certain things transpired and ripped my heart to shreds, it made it hard to reconcile my turbulent feelings and emotions (which were like a tidal wave, thank you). I’d like to say I’ll get over it completely-I really mostly have-but it did leave a sour taste in my mouth and I think the HEA could have been more epic. But who am I to say??? This book was fucking amazing, and if something had been changed, maybe it would have altered the course of events for the worst and made this a POS novel. Everything happens for a reason and I’m willing to believe that this book will be read by me on numerous occasions to lift my mood and give me the best BBF ever (aka JACCKKKKK) fix. Now I’ll go on my merry way and try to forget the boy (Jack! Don’t let go….Don’t let go, Jack) who gave me instant butterflies the moment I met him (this NEVER happens…SO RARE!!!!!!) and became and instant win. God the fucking feels. They hurt. I love him. Okay. For real. Bye. JACK!!!

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5----Stars!!!

Favorite thing about this book….the banter!



Amongst all of the characters—the MCs and the supporting characters. I laughed throughout the whole book.

Hadley, the heroine is in her senior year at Northwestern. She eats, sleeps and shits school and the newspaper. She wants to be a combat journalist. She’s pretty much all work and no play.



At a tailgate her BFF David dares her to kiss a guy. She picks Jack Diamond. At the time, she has no idea who he is and they don’t exchange names. They eventually cross paths again. Jack wants to date Hadley. Hadley has rules.

"No presents. Definitely no flowers. I’m not doing your laundry, making you cookies, or coming to your formal. Don’t ask me to. No dates. No romantic comedies. No sleepovers. No saying I love you. No buying me drinks. No Valentine’s Day, nicknames, baby talk, chocolate, or Taylor Swift concerts."



Let me know how those rules work out for you.

Hadley agrees to be friends with benefits



So they do a lot of this



Seriously….could Jack have been more perfect?!?!?! I mean other than the lack of motivation to get a job.



I LOVE LOVE LOVED David, Hadley’s roommate. And OMG did my heart break for him.

Ben



How could you do that to David????



Seriously



Hadley’s on a path and she’s not to be swayed by love. Hadley, whatever you do....



Hadley gets the job offer of a lifetime reporting in war zones.



But where does that leave her and Jack??

I'm not going to lie, I wanted to slap Hadley...but as the story went on--I got it. Both she and Jack did what they had to do at the time. And I'm glad.

Will Hadley and Jack find their way back to each other???



Of course they do!!!

My final thoughts....

Jack





ARC kindly provided by Audrey Bell in exchange for an honest review

[aksana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Lots of reviews say that this book is really funny and that the banter between the MCs is great.



I would love to put in some quotes. But I would need to quote probably whole pages. Seriously the banter between Hadley and Jack was awesome.

Hadley is a real workaholic.

"You're addicted to work."
"I am not addicted to anything." I tried to snatch the book back from him.
"You are. Work and caffeine and possibly sugar," he said mildly, leafing through the pages. "I mean, look at this. You learned how to speak a language in college. You want to know what I learned?"
"Theater?"
He arched an eyebrow. "How to roll a joint."

She is editor-in-chief of her university’s newspaper and she has also big plans for her future. She wants to report about war zones for the The New York Times.

And Jack, well he is the complete opposite of her.

"They always tell you to do what you love. And I love not working."

One day Hadleys best friend and roommate David dares her to make out with a strangers.. and Hadley chooses Jack.



They don't exchange names or anything and don't see each other after that. But when Hadley an Jack meet again Jack wants to go out with Hadley. Hadley claims that she hasn't time to date. And to be honest she also doesn't believe in dating (thanks to her mother who wasn't the best role model for her).

So they decide to be friends with benefits..

I get always really happy when the MCs decide to be friends with benefits but my heart breaks in the process too. One of them always falls in love while the other is in denial. It wasn't much different in this story.. Except that I understood why Hadley wasn't fond of a relationship. For her it wasn't just because of the dependency but also because of her carrier plans.

Now more about Jack. He was really adorable and not your typical man whore frat boy hero. Actually he wasn't a man whore at all.



I'm pretty sure he had his fair share of women. But the author didn't pick at that what is totally unusual for stories with college settings IMO.

I liked it because



I will not give this story full 5 stars because I think it could stand to have more sex. They were friends with benefits after all :D I got lots of "friends" but I wanted more "benefits" :D
Still it didn't bother me much because I really liked the dialogues as well as the characters.

[Jess-i-ca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this one! It definitely made me laugh with quotes such as

"You look like a troll doll, a fucking demented troll doll."

and

"They always tell you to do what you love. And I love not working."



You have college senior Hadley Arrington who is so focused on her future journalism career she doesn't have much of a social life other than hanging with her gay BFF she lives with named David...



She also has a anti-relationship/love stance based off her mother's multiple marriages and her father being absent in her life.




You have hottie Jack Diamond who is the lucky guy who Hadley kisses after a dare. He seems to fall head over heels for her. There is just something about Hadley that draws him in....



They decide to be friends with benefits



and Hadley and Jack are enjoying those benefits....



but of course one is going to fall in love...



And how will that work out since Hadley will be leaving to report in war zones?



So what will be decided??



I will say Hadley seemed to drink.....



ALOT....I mean you are in college but damn....



The supporting characters were pretty awesome in this book, except for Ben......Ben



Should you read this book??




ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this book made up my frustration from the first book of "Friends with Benefits"I've read and I thought,this is also a perfect compensation for my wonderful friend, HENZ(for the book she recommended that I didn't like)who is celebrating her birthday today! HAPPY,HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear HENZY!^^

My Review:
Hadley Arrington is a senior college editor in chief of her University's newspaper.She's a very determined,motivated person in her career and knows exactly what her future be: a "combat journalist". She's beautiful,strong,stubborn,brilliant,and a very good friend.But at the same time,she's vulnerable and doesn't want to get romantically involved because of her parents' issues and didn't want to end up like them.

Jack Diamond on the other hand,is a bit opposite of Hadley because unlike her,Jack doesn't really care of his life's direction..no aspirations,no plans and no job. But mind you,he's also intelligent in his senior year,knows something about arts,a very sweet and handsome,swoon-worthy man!Oh my!^^

Hadley and Jack met in a party,when her bestfriend,David dared her to kiss a stranger.And the stranger she ended up kissing was Jack. And this of course,is where their story had began.

I could have given this a 5 star rating if only,the first half of the book wasn't so slow..and if only the romance bloomed wonderfully inspite of their different outlooks in life. But over all,this was a good book because it only not focuses on two individuals,but it also exude some light on homosexuality,war,abuse,and a lot more.

I loved all the characters,(though Hadley annoyed me at the first half of this novel)especially David! It's also because of him and his heartbreaking story why I didn't give this a lesser rating.(I wish,David's my bestfriend,too!)^^

Once again,Happy Birthday to you Henzy! I have to thank my sister Aj again,for that information! I do hope,you're having a great,big day! Love yah!^^

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars)

(BR with Jennifer Kyle)

(Recommended by DKristin)







I thought this was a wonderful book! I really enjoyed it! I know it's a good one when I can't quit smiling and laughing while reading!

The book is about a girl named Hadley Arrington. Hadley is a senior is college. She is your typical over achiever. She focuses all her time and energy on her schoolwork and planning for the future she envisions for herself. She keeps herself busy with the school newspaper and studying journalism. She leaves no time for dating or a social life. She is perfectly fine being alone, and really doesn't make time for anyone except her best friend/roommate David. David tells her she needs to get out and have a little fun. They go to a campus tailgate together, and David dares Hadley to make out with a stranger.

After a few drinks, Hadley crosses paths with a drop dead gorgeous frat guy named Jack Diamond. She is so attracted to him, and just goes for it! I absolutely adored Jack! He is such a sweet beautiful guy. He asks Hadley out, but she doesn't date. She is afraid to need anyone. She has a dad who wasn't around much, and a mom who only cares about her love life, therefore Hadley really doesn't believe in love. She can't stop wanting Jack, so she suggests a friends with benefits relationship with rules. The rules get blurred along the way, and she sees things can't always be so black and white. Hadley has to learn how to deal with her intense feelings she develops for Jack! This book was just fantastic!

-I looked up into a pair of thick-lashed brown eyes. They were soft. Bedroom eyes. Deep and big. Something you wanted to fall into.

-He was so goddamn handsome.

-I stepped forward and kissed him. Suddenly and impulsively. Because I wanted to. Because I had nothing to lose. Because I believed, for once, there wasn't anything to lose here.

-I knew I had been kissed before. Except for suddenly I was sure I had never been kissed at all. Not really. Not like this. It had never been like this.

-This was exactly what I needed. Something fun. Something without any expectations.

[Patrycja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, romantic read full of fluffy moments, sexy times, stubborn heroine and nice hero. But it wasn't everything I hoped for. As much as I liked it I wasn't all that crazy about it. Which leaves me with a three star rating and a feeling I will give this author a chance in the future, because I defintely want to read more by Audrey Bell.

”I’m a little bit of a disaster, Hadley.”

“Then, you’re my favorite disaster, Jack.”

[Henz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m such a sucker for romance this holiday season and I was in the mood for some Friends with Benefits kind of book and LOVE SHOW was on that list, I think this falls under New Adult so I already expected it to be angsty and sexual (you know that blatant kind?) but it wasn’t what I was expecting, it’s a friends with benefits kind of book, yes it has sex, not the graphical kind but it’s a book that focused more on the relationship of the main characters. It’s a realistic kind of romance that I unexpectedly needed.

I love Hadley, she's the editor-in-chief of Northwestern, she’s smart, and independent and cynical about love, she wants to be a combat journalist. She has this tunnel vision when it comes to what she wants to do with her life. She got it all figured out, goal in mind so there’s absolutely no room for love and commitments. She met Jack and kissed him when her gay BFF David dared her. Things happened then they came into this agreement of being friends with benefits.

What I like about this book is that the heroine is the stronger one, unimpressed by love, she's very cynical but she also has this naive and idealistic way of viewing life and we have a guy that is more vulnerable in the relationship, the one who you don't expect to fall first because he's hot and popular, girls love him but sadly he fell for the cynical one.

“To fall in love with someone who couldn't be worse for me." He shook his head. "I mean, Jesus Christ. You've got a lot of rules. And I've got just about none. But if I had to come up with one it would be: don't sleep with the pretty girl headed for Syria in six months. And if you do sleep with her, be damned sure you don't fall in love with her. But here we are.”

My heart was breaking for him because Hadley is so stubborn and it took her a while, basically the hard way to figure out why I love you’s matter because they really do.
I also loved how this book made the supporting character shine. David, he’s like my gay BFF and I empathized with him because he has to deal with homophobia and abuse, I felt really sad for him but I'm glad he got the right partner for him in the end.

My review may make this book kind of a depressing read but it really isn’t, it’s awesome, it’s mostly funny, they have this silly banters and Jack and Hadley have this swoony moments that made me sigh. I would really recommend this to everyone, including the cynical ones.

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars




Hadley, the anti-relationship, and Jack start a friends with benefits. But with Hadley's heart set on being a reporter in a war zone, how will it end?

I didnt like Hadley's attitude to her mother at the beginning and I wasn't invested in the story until Jack entered the picture. But when he did, fat grin all the way.

You realize I am a library virgin, right?

This is the type of book made for me. Hearts and flowers, cute college couple, plenty of banter, great relationship development and some angst. Great book!

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 favorite stars***
Recommend for fans of The Deal by Elle Kennedy & other friends with benefits college romance stories

(Thank you Alexandra for recommending this!)

Edit:(For some reason I keep coming back to this book every year since I first read it, I think it's the relationship dynamic)

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I think this was just the fixer upper I needed after a load of 2-3 star book slump. I'll keep it short because I've been up all night reading & my eye lids weigh a ton right now

Do not trust the rating, it's misleading. My new goodreads mantra is higher the rating lower the quality writing. Just go for the books with an average of 3.5-4.2 stars & you'll be surprised.
This book has one of the best, more believable relationship stories I've read so far in 2017.

Anyone & everyone read this you must

Meet Jack



There is not a single alpha bone in Jack's body yet he'll win you over because he's mentally sound, capable of forming coherent words & sentences, can hold a meaningful conversation & is the Perfect book boyfriend

Meet Hadley



Hadley is a female lead you'll love. You know how in books they make the female lead seem kind, caring,the perfect goody two shoes yet it all seems very artificial? Like portraying that she is perfect just for the sake of it , even if she seems anything but? Well, in this book, the girl actually is a sweetheart with protective armor even Napoleon would have a hard time getting through.
She is driven, has an actual goal in life which comes above her love life sometimes, which is a good thing. She sees other people, doesn't go all starry eyed over the male lead while other people become a blur in the background; in fact it's the opposite. So refreshing. She has a life outside of him.





Hadley's strongest point is her drive to make something out of herself, and this part is not limited to the first few chapters just to give the reader a false sense of belief that - okay she has a dream -moving on - bring in the hot jerk. Nope, it develops throughout the length of the novel & sticks till the end. Hence the extra star.

[Liz* Fashionably Late · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have our own doubts. We all have weaknesses.
Even in our strong places, we have weaknesses.

I can't believe this is happening. Just when I though NA and I just wasn't meant to be.

Do you want your New Adult without instalove? where there's more than just sex, sex everywhere? where main characters are complex and realistic enough? addressing serious issues like bulling, homophobia and abusive relationships? This is a book for you, then.

NA and I have had a tumultuous relationship. Actually, apart from Easy I can't remember even liking a book as much as this one. It's been said that NA is actually an excuse to write about sex in college but it can be about more than that and if you find the right book and author you can be pleasantly surprised.

And because I'm too lazy, here's Love Show without words. Warning, spoilerish.

















Highlights:
* Jack's Titanic references
* Middle East and journalism
* David and Hadley's relationship

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time)]

Kindle freebie 12/14/15!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever stumble upon a book that's so pleasantly surprising, it just puts you in a good mood? That's me current situation in regards to Love Show by Audrey Bell. I had never heard of this author or book, until one day I was searching for something else and somehow got here.

This is like a perfect mix of everything I like. It's a romcom but with some heavier issues, trust me, no character is without their own hang ups here. It's fun and flirty, but sweet and hopeful too. You deal with a cocky hero who wants nothing more than the heroine and a heroine who wants nothing more than a career. But seeing these two together, you know it has to somehow work out.

And the heroines career? She's going to school to become a combat journalist and wants to report from war zones. Because that's not bad ass or anything. She's serious and dedicated and focused but I love her when she's with Jack and can just let go. I will warn you though: some people will get super annoyed with her. I can see that happening quite easily. I however, liked Hadley.

Plus getting closer to the end, the angst picks up and I honestly didn't know how things would end or fix itself. I'm so please with this book, the characters, the ending, all of it.

This will definitely be a reread in the future.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: This was a fun surprise! I’m a sucker for books that reviewers say have good banter and that is definitely why I picked this one up. I’m glad I did! I liked their relationship. I liked the characters. I also shed a few tears for their damage. I’m just greedy and wanted some more! I think it would have contributed soooo much if we got Jack’s POV for more than the short epilogue. I also wasn’t anywhere near fulfilled in the end. It wasn’t enough! I wanted more closure and an actual HEA for these two!! Still…I enjoyed it for the most part and am happy I gave it a shot.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Hadley and Jack’s story. Hadley is the editor in chief at her college’s newspaper and her roommate makes her go to the tailgate party and kiss a stranger. Jack is instantly intrigued by the girl that kissed him in the rain and accepts her rules and enters a friends with benefits relationship with her. Rules start to get broken, past baggage is revealed, there are some sexy times, and some revelations…and they get a HFN ending.

Point Of View (POV): This was told in Hadley’s POV (Epilogue in Jack’s).

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: Kind of. Instant connection and instalust.

H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Jack. I liked him. He was a mess, but that was kind of his appeal. I liked how he let the h do her thing.

h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Hadley. I liked her. She was messed up by her parents but I appreciated how she was independent and honest.

Sadness level: Moderate. I shed some tears but never needed any tissues

Push/Pull: Yes The h pushes away a good bit and I’d say they both pursue the relationship at times (H more so)

Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very many scenes and not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really There is an OM that gets the h to go to dinner with him and he thinks it’s a date but she doesn’t think of it that way and it causes some jealousy for the H

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Yes They are separated for months. The h isn’t with anyone during this time, but she does see the H with OW (no definitive answer as to if he was with these OW though)

Possible Triggers: Yes Loss of a parent (off page), domestic violence of side character (on page), and violence/murder (on page)

Closure: This ends with them in a good place but what I would call a HFN ending they’ve moved in together

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have the h pushing the H away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse by mcs
- Does Not have a HEA ending

[Aestas Book Blog]

I love the sound of this!!! One more for the TBR!



BLURB: Hadley Arrington is the career-driven editor-in-chief of her university’s prestigious newspaper. Jack Diamond is a laidback student whose good looks have made things even easier than they need to be. She’s the girl who came out of nowhere and kissed him in the rain. He’s the boy who made her do something crazy.

When the stakes seem too high, they have to decide if they’ll let their love show or if they’ll walk away for good.

[♛Tash]

Lightning strike me, I'm gonna read NA this year and like it. I must. In any case, I already bought the book so...

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Aw, I’m not going to give up that easily,” he smiled. “You’re the one who started it. You shouldn’t have kissed me like that if you wanted to be left alone.”

Beautiful, funny and down right loveable. Yes, this book was definitely lovable!!

Love Show has been popping up on my feed and getting in my face for months! Every time it crossed my path, I’d tell it, don’t worry you’re next on my read list, but then I’d get distracted with something else and forget about it. Well ever have that feeling like, oh man I should have read you a lot sooner… you’re what I needed when I wanted to laugh, when I wanted to fall in love, when I wanted to find a couple of characters I could just care about for a bit.That’s what Love Show did to me. I regret not reading this sooner, and I regret finishing it so quickly even more.

Jack Diamond and Hadley Arrington meet at a stormed out tailgate party. Hadley’s roommate dares her to go up to a random guy and just kiss him and she chooses Jack. After the tailgate disbands because of a storm, they don’t see each other again until she runs into him because of a newspaper editorial that spotlights his fraternity with shady behavior.

What ensures is a ‘friends with benefits’ situation that has lots and lots of rules because Hadley refuses to fall in love and Jack feels the deal is too good to be true.

Well, we all know what happens to a couple that enters a ‘friends with benefits' relationship - one person gets hurt and maybe both fall in love.

Overall, I just adored Love Show. The funny banter between Jack and Hadley made me giggle and the smile never left my face. Definitely a book you shouldn’t read in public.

I loved how perfectly imperfect they were for each other, and I appreciated the later half of the book when it was time to take a serious tone. Love Show has it all, romance, awesome dialog, emotional moments, and amazing characters that make this an incredible fictional ride. I will definitely check out Audrey Bell’s other books!

“Just tell me, baby.”
“Do not—”
“I’m allowed to call you ‘baby’ when I’m pretending to be a criminal. That’s how criminals talk.” ~Jack

…You were super-hot in the parking lot and now you're super-cold…I'm talking in degrees of emotional warmth, not physical attractiveness. ~Jack

…You just made it against the rules to do any of the things that every guy doesn't want to do with his girlfriend…This is definitely a trap. ~Jack

I'm not afraid of letting my love show. I'm afraid of not showing it. ~Hadley

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars

I think this is my favorite NA novel. No slut shaming. No unnecessary drama. These characters actually talk to each other. They open their mouths and communicate. No stupid misunderstandings that could have been resolved in two seconds with JUST TALKING. I am so frigging happy!!!


This book mixes up some of the best rom-com plots I love. It starts with such a simple plot; a career driven girl named Hadley deciding to have a bit fun one day by kissing a stranger so ramdomly. In the rain. A totally Notebook moments guys. The guy gets stunned. Hadley gets stunned. The kiss is great but then Hadley runs away. Spends days thinking about the stranger until the day they meet again. The guy wants to take Hadley to dinner but our girl doesnt believe in romance so instead she proposes the stranger a deal. To be 'friends with benefits'. The stranger accepts and therefore the story of one of best well-done romances I've read starts.

The stranger's name is Jack. And believe me when I say you'll spend the whole book swooning over him. This guy is one of the best book boyfriends I've seen! He is not just there to distract Hadley from life. He has his own life, emotions and thoughts. He is a real guy. And a nice one. The best part? He doesnt have a dark, painful past that makes him act like an asshole sometimes. He has a sad story but he doesnt use it do justify his actions.

He also isnt one of your ordinary NA love interests -you know, the arrogant alpha male types. I do like my alpha males but sometimes they just come off as a bit too arrogant for my taste. Jack is arrogant for sure but in a fun way. He is just really really comfortable in his own skin. He knows what he wants. He goes after it but not in a stalkerishly way. He isnt abusive. He has no cringe worthy moments. His relationship with Hadley feels so real. This guy is so sweet.


The only cliche that comes with the genre in this book is 'the gay friend'. But who cares? He was so well-done. He is not just there to give fashion advice to the heroine, instead he has his own storyline going. He is a real character. ALL of the characters were fleshed out in this story, to be honest.

The book both has fun an emotional moments but it also had some big grammatical errors. Hence the reason I gave it a 4,5 stars instead of 5.

Overall I do reccommend reading this story. The book is not just about Hadley's relationship with Jack. It also involves her relationship and bond with other people. Hadley's life does not revolve around Jack. She has to study, find a job and take care of her beloved friend David. She doesnt just drop out of live because she meets with Jack. This girl who doesnt believe in love doesnt stop being herself just because she starts falling in love. She doesnt give up her dreams either. What else you can ask from a good heroine really? ^^

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a good editor this could be a five star story.
Despite that, this was actually one of the best stories I've read this year. I don't know why it surprised me, but it did.

The thing becomes even more surprising, since this is a new adult story, and I normally have the worst luck with those. I think this is probably the second NA that I've liked, so far.

The thing that makes "Love Show" a great story, besides the characters (Hadley, Jack and David) and their interactions, are the dialogues.

I loved the dialogues.
~I'm a sucker for intelligent and witty dialogues. Or monologues.~

It was eight o’clock in the morning. I told myself that civilized
people woke up at eight o’clock, which meant I was allowed to
disturb the uncivilized people who were still sleeping. Maybe
teach them some good habits.

I loved the fact that the author didn't use the same old clichés to represent college life ( well, at least the college life that is mainly represented in YA books).
There's no slut shaming.
No over-abundance of angst.
We get a main character who feels real: someone that doesn't forget her friends, or her work just because she finds someone she likes.

There's a friendship relationship that is just as important as the romance.
The romance between Jack and Hadley was sweet, cute and hot. Their chemistry was off the charts.

Then unlike what normally happens in this type of stories, one gets actual portraits of real life. Towards the end of the book when we got to read about an event that took place in Syria, it was like I was seeing it once again: the images that passed on TV of the chemical attack.
It was once again heartbreaking to "witness it".

But I liked how the author didn't try to turn Hadley into some sort of hero. She ends up being just someone who is passionate about her beliefs.
In the end, my favourite part has to be the fact that Hadley keeps herself faithful to whom she was.
Definitely recommended.
A read that I wouldn't have found weren't it for Melissa's review!:D

[-ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hadley~
She promised herself she was never going to give anything up for love.

Jack~
He fell in love with Hadley and tried hard to let her go.

I admit I wanted to punch Hadley a few times. She was an idealist. I thought her rules with Jack went OTT for my taste. But I understood how she shaped her views. Yes, she was admirable for not giving up her career. But I also greatly respect a woman who let go of her dream for love and family.

Jack was such a wonderful hero. I loved his character and personality. I only wished there were more of him in the story.

Overall, it is a good read if you look for banter, no OTT drama, some funny moments, and awesome hero.

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good way to start of 2014!

[Hiba · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

After some bitter experiances, I've become really choosy about my new adult or college romances. I only read those books that are reviewed positively by people who I know won't tolerate stupid girl hating slut shaming douchbag of a heroine/hero. But after reading few NA books, I've realized that all these college romances follow same old idea. These books aren't offensive in any way but really, they're not any thing different and refreshing; just like 'Love Show'. This one got some pretty rave reviews so I thought this might be different from all other ones but nah, it follow the same old formula. So here's the timeline of every new adult book (a non sexist, non slut shaming new adult book that is) out there:

▪ An extremely nerdy girl who is mostly found in a library. She's cynical and character driven, had sex once and decided it's not worth it, does not want to do anything with romance. That's because for one reason or another, she cannot afford any romance.

▪ Divorced parents who are pain in the ass.

▪ One gay best friend, whose story is much more interesting then the actual story, and abso-fucking-lutely no female friends. No, there are female friends that are mentioned few times in passing.

▪ A fraternity guy who is extremely handsome and a sex god. He's carelesss and scary and blahblah everything girl is suppose to stay away from.

▪ A kiss for no reason.

▪ They decided to become friends with benefits.

▪ sexsexsex

▪ accidental I love you.

▪ Angst

▪ More angst

▪ Drama Drama Drama

▪ Seperation and Celibecy

▪ Angst

▪ An awkward meeting.

▪ Another meeting with few cheesy dialouges.

▪ lots and lots of I love yous and then stupid kissing followed by sappy sex.

▪Epilogue cheese fest.

You can say it's different then others since it discuss socil issues and syrian war but somewhere between useless drama and characters I did not care about I lost my interest.

[Joan (official heroine hater) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Congratulations, Ms. Bell, you have managed an almost impossible feat….writing a really good New Adult novel! I really, really enjoyed this book, couldn’t put it down and managed to plow through the whole thing in one day. Really enjoyed all the characters in this-they all felt real and flawed without the overblown angst and hysterics. And the banter was GREAT-really well done.
Hadley, our heroine, was intelligent and driven and acted like a real 22 year old would. No overblown dramatics, crying, whining, or sobbing. Yes, she had her issues but they made sense and not once did I want to smack her. Yes, I wanted her to “see the light” but she wasn’t obtuse and her gradual “wake up” fit her character. Jack, our hero, was sweet without being a weakling sap, and not some overbearing dominate alpha. He let Hadley find her way with just the right amount of pushing. Even all the side characters were good, not a bunch of caricatures and clichés.
The writing was good, the dialogue great and with just a few misspellings and grammatical errors.
I really only had two little problems with this book: the sexy scenes were just a little lacking. There were really only two and they left me a little….unfulfilled? I get that the story was more about the relationship between these two than the sex, and I appreciate that greatly, but I would have liked to have had those scenes ramped up just a tad bit. My only other issue would be that the ending felt kind of rushed. I wanted a little bit more and I wanted to know how Jack got to where he was at the end. That felt a little glossed over.
Overall, this was a great addition to the genre and I will most definitely be looking forward to more from this author!

[Jln · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this! Very refreshing. The writing was smart, engaging and funny. I loved the banter and dialogue between the characters. It was so nice to read a book in this genre that didn't fall back on the same old cheesy lines and contrived drama. The characters were likable and believable. I will definitely keep an eye out for other books from this author!