Full Package

Big Rock #4

by Lauren Blakely

I’ve been told I have quite a gift.

Hey, I don’t just mean in my pants. I’ve got a big brain too, and a huge heart of gold. And I like to use all my gifts to the fullest, the package included. Life is smooth sailing....

Until I find myself stuck between a rock and a sexy roommate, which makes for one very hard… place.

Because scoring an apartment in this city is harder than finding true love. So even if I have to shack up with my buddy’s smoking hot and incredibly amazing little sister, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

I can resist Josie. I’m disciplined, I’m focused, and I keep my hands to myself, even in the mere five-hundred square feet we share. Until the one night, she insists on sliding under the covers with me. It’ll help her sleep after what happened that day, she says.

Surprise—neither one of us sleeps.

And even though we agree to return to roomies-without-benefits, I quickly realise I want more than someone to split the utilities with. Now all I want is to spend every night—and every day—with my gorgeous roommate.

Did I mention she’s also one of my best friends? That she’s brilliant, beautiful and a total firecracker? Guess that makes her the full package too.

What’s a man stuck in a hard place to do?

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Humor, Adult

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2017

About the author

You can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.

Reviews

[Chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package. I need me a house call. Another hot romance brought to us by no other than Lauren Blakely. Just when you think you found your favourite couple she manages to introduce you to yet another.........
Meet Dr. Chase. Handsome, charming and oh so sexy. Finding himself without a place to live the offer from long time friend Josie to move in with him as her new roommate comes at the right time. But soon enough he finds out that being around her in such close proximity proves to be more difficult than he'd imagined.
Josie, Wyatt's little sister, is quite the character. Opening her home up to Chase was supposed to be easy. He would be the perfect roommate because they've been friends for quite some time, he'd be the perfect person to try out her newest sweet treat inventions, he'd be the perfect person to laugh with and play scrabble with. But for her too does his closeness prof to be harder than anticipated.
Because there are feelings, not knowing the other feels the same they venture into "don't do it with your friend" territory........because once you cross that line it's almost impossible to go back to the way things were. Right?
A fun, loving, sexy story about two people who obviously like each other more than either cares to admit. You will fall in love with this couple and their story. Another five star read.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[AC Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Swedish fish stars!!!!

Paging Dr. McHottie to the ER stat! This girl is about to faint :) :)

SQUEEEEEZE! I just finished the sweetest, most beautiful, swoony, delicious friends turned lover romance. I especially love the hero in this book but I am a little biased because my hubby is an ER doctor and I have to brag – he is sweet, handsome, and sexy to me . But seriously, everything Lauren described is spot-on: the doctor porn, the peculiar things that get stuck in different orifices – I kept poking my husband and said: “Listen! Here is another story, sound familiar?” … this story is so hilarious, hot, sweet, flirty, charming … well, just the full package!

Chase and Josie both live in NY – Chase needs to move closer to his work… Josie needs a roommate to help with the rent. They are both desperate. Chase found himself in a predicament way bigger than not finding a decent apartment. He is attracted to his best friend Josie, who also happens to be his best buddy’s sister. Everyone can see it except the man himself. Chase put that “friend only zone” nail in the coffin when he agreed to move in as her roommate. Chase is dying slowly trying to resist Josie because he doesn’t want to lose his best friend crossing that line when things don’t work out. Can Chase separate these feelings and thoughts? Cohabitating with a sexy gorgeous woman that he has the hots for?

I love Chase – he is truly the full package, smart, handsome, sweet, funny, and caring. I also adore Josie – she is like the best girlfriend everyone wants to have. Josie is beautiful, sweet, talented, and giving. These two are obviously stupidly in love with each other. They are meant to be but they are both stubborn and afraid of losing each other to take a leap. I’ve got to say I love Lauren’s book because she writes an incredible male POV. I don’t know how she does it but she understands the mind of the male specimen so well – the way they think or act or talk. This book is no different - I love Chase’s POV but I was also dying to see what is in Josie’s head; what she is feeling or thinking about Dr. McHottie The chemistry between Chase and Josie is guaranteed to burn up your sheets. All the flirting as friends turns into lustful foreplay then combusts to full on passionate sexy love… GAH!!! Uber hot guys!

Full Package is definitely one of my favorite friends to lovers romance. The epilogue is just lovely – adding another level of sweetness to the story. Lauren is the queen of rom com and this book has a perfect recipe of passion, sweetness, fun, heat, and love. So, EAT IT UP you guys!!!

I highly recommend. Enjoy!!!

Purchase ~ http://amzn.to/2hqvXBv

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recipe for a Bestselling Book:
1 hot doctor with a sexy, dirty mouth
1 sassy baker full of passion
2 bags of Swedish fish (you know you’ll eat one bag as you read)
Years of friendship
2 cups simmering desire
1 600 sq. foot apartment
Combine above with clever, witty, sexy writing from Lauren Blakely= Instant Bestseller
It’s no secret that I’ve been chomping at the bit for a chance to read Full Package. This book was full of things I LOVE-friends who become lovers, a sassy heroine (bonus that she’s a baker), a hot as hell hero and delicious writing from Lauren Blakely. This book was definitely the Full Package for me-once I started it I couldn’t put it down.

Lauren Blakely has a way of writing from the male point of view that never fails to amaze me. I have a ton of book boyfriends from her, and while I fully expected to like Chase, I didn’t expect to fall as hard for him as I did. He’s quite simply irresistible. A sexy, smart, flirty and dirty talking man? Sign me up please! At his core, Chase is incredibly protective and sweet which combined with his other attributes? Yep, he’s definitely the full package. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I watched him realize his feelings for Josie and I can’t lie, this book made me cry.

The way we gain insight into how Josie is feeling is so unique and fitting to her character. Her point of view isn’t heard often, but that just makes it all the more powerful and meaningful when it is. This character is definitely in my top 3 of heroines from Lauren Blakely. She provides the balance that Chase needs without losing any of her sassy, strong and sweet self.

This book is a standalone book but it does give us glimpses to characters we’ve met before in Well Hung, Mister O, Big Rock and the Sexy One-and I LOVE that. You don’t need to read them in order to enjoy Full Package, I just personally love getting to revisit old characters. It’s those little touches that help make the writing feel even more real; it’s like I’m part of the cool kids table at lunch when I recognize these other characters and get to catch up with them for a moment.

Friends to lovers is not a new concept in the world of romance but Lauren Blakely’s writing makes it feel fresh and new. Ms. Blakely has truly found the recipe for bestselling books- and I know I’ll buy them every time. If you’re ready for a funny, sweet story with incredible sizzle and heat, grab a bag of Swedish fish and settle in with the Full Package. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

[Shayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy and romantic to the fucking core! I don't know how the hell she does it, but Lauren Blakely melts my heart over and over and OVER AGAIN with each new release! No one brings me to my happy place quite like Ms. Blakely. It's like she has this superpower that puts the BIGGEST SMILES on romance readers faces. Whatever this author is dishing out, it's an ADDICTION and it's a high I NEVER want to get down from.

Her kiss is cupcake and frosting, sex and love. It's everything that turns me on, and everything I need to be happy.

Her.

With Chase's hilarious and swoon-worthy dialogue, and the hilarious, love-struck recipes from Ms. Josie, I couldn't put this gem of a romance down! I've said this a million times, and I'll say it again...Lauren Blakely does the male POV like no other! There was a treat that I wasn't expecting in between the pages. A special treat from Josie herself and that just made my smile go even wider.

I think that's why I'm so entranced by Blakely's stories. In each of her romantic comedies she gives us something that we weren't expecting, making the read THAT MUCH MORE enjoyable. Her characters suck me in and spit me out a damn grinning fool. I'm a complete sucker for this author's characters and they each find their way into my heart instantly.

"This is the second-best thing I've ever tasted."

"What's first?"

I curl my hand around her head. "You."

Chase and Josie are EVERYTHING and they will captivate, charm, and seduce you. FULL PACKAGE is a friends to lovers romance you will never forget. It has humor (of course). It has passion. It has a tremendous amount of heart. Do you want a guaranteed 5 STAR romantic comedy? Pick up FULL PACKAGE, or any other Blakely RomCom, and go to town. Believe me, you will not even want to come up for air.

[Ginny Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package is just what the doctor ordered. A prescription, no, a recipe in which your ingredients are:
* Friendship
* Delectable sweets
* Humor
* Sexual chemistry

And you mix all that with love. What do you think you're going to bake? A story that is sultry, sexy, and seductive.

Chase and Josie raise an important question. Can friends be lovers? Or, can you go back to being friends after being lovers? Ahhh, you're going to need to read Full Package and see what Chase and Josie find out.

This romantic, male only POV, sexy story just gets better within it's line of serial standalones. It does. With that being said, did you like:
Big Rock
Mister O
Well Hung
The Sexy One

Then Full Package is going to be just the gift to unwrap. Ms. Blakely does an amazing job in giving us glimpse of the characters you love and bonded with. In addition, Ms. Blakely gives a prelude glimpse of Joy Stick, which I seriously CANNOT wait for it!

The best way to ring the new year, is with this book! Get. On. This.

[Kara Hildebrand (Two Book Pushers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package by Lauren Blakely is her newest hit. It's Fresh, funny and sexy. Lauren has mastered the male point of view and I'm loving the view from Chase's eyes. He's the sexy doctor we met in Well Hung also known as Wyatt's best friend and Josie is the little sister of the Hammer twins, Nick and Wyatt. Can you say friends to lovers AND best friend's little sister? YES! Chase is back from doctors without borders and he needs to find a place to live. He's crashing with his brother, Max (yum!), and is having very bad luck finding a place to live.
Josie lost her roommate, Natalie, to Wyatt and she's looking for a roommate. All the crazies are answering her ads. One day over a Swedish Fish Roll, the brilliant idea of them being roommates strikes! Problem solved. They've been best friends for years. They get along, have fun together. They can totally be roommates. Chase sees it as an opportunity to taste all Josie's delicious dessert creations. Win. Win. What happens when the smell of Josie becomes too delicious? When the thought of her in the shower clouds his senses? Chase makes his move. Or is it Josie? Either way, the result is explosive. They knew their chemistry would be outstanding. They both want this, but they've been burned before and don’t want to lose their friendship. Can they go back to being just friends when it's over? Or will their hearts get involved? I loved this story. Chase really is the full package. Smart, sexy, funny, witty and loves dessert. Josie is beautiful, hilarious and definitely the yin to Chase's yang. I loved how we get to see Chase be a doctor. Treat patients, hear some funny stories and some tragic ones. Josie's love for baking made me hungry and wishing I had a friend to make me desserts, like peanut butter balls :). Overall, this is a beautiful story about friends to lovers where falling in love is the best thing to happen to the friendship. I'm very excited about Max's story! Bring it on!

“For you, I make house calls. The doctor is always in.”

Living with Chase will be like having HBO on all day. Except, you know, minus the nudity. Unless I peek at him in the shower. And I’m totally not going to do that.

“Fine. Pleasure den. Can we call it your Pleasure Den of Personal Delights?”
“Only if I can call the shower your Whack Zone.”

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package by Lauren Blakely

Oh this book!!!!! Loved it sooooo much!

Look, it's no secret that this series is one of my absolute favorites. I've loved every book with varying degrees but Big Rock had a very special place in my nerdy little heart and while all the others were way up there with all sorts of awesomeness, they didn't quite get to Big Rock levels. Until now.

Full Package is the perfect recipe for a friends to lovers slash roommates to lovers slash oldest friends sister. We have emergency room doctor, Chase - aka Dr McHottie, and his best friend Josie - the owner of Sunshine Bakery and, as Chase calls her, a world-class dessertier. Chase is having the worst luck possible finding an apartment to rent and Josie is in need of a roommate. They have a lightbulb moment and decide to move in together and why not? They're besties, they know each other as well as they can, and they have vague guidelines. And if there's a simmering attraction there, well they're both smart enough to lock that shit down. They both have reasons for wanting to ensure they won't lose the precious friendship they currently enjoy so are understandably hesitant in taking things to a new level. They both also know that when best friends turn to lovers, it's hard to get the friendship back. That's all well and good until limits are tested and they reach the (truly sexy) point of no return.

Do you want to know about the characters? Probably not so I'll be quick about them: likable is too mild a word for how I felt about Chase and Josie. Separately, they're fun and loving and yeah, likable but throw them together and they are phenomenally addictive.

I read every single word of this book with a smile on my dial, an occasional snort, and more than a few outright laughs. The book being told in Chase's viewpoint resulted in some seriously swoony moments most particularly, the moment he realizes he's in love with Josie. My heart is still all aflutter. We also get a bit of insight into Josie's thoughts in the form of recipes which adds a lovely touch to their story! And frankly, if I was the cooking kind, I'd be whipping up a dessert storm with some of these.

Aside from the relationship development, there were two other factors that I really loved. The first is that neither of these two was rich or came from any money. They both work damn hard for what they have and appreciate everything all the more for it. The other factor is -and I've said it before- Blakely just keeps giving us characters with close families and friends that genuinely care. I can't express enough how important that is for me when I'm reading. It absolutely enhances my reading experience and this book delivers it in spades. Chase's relationship and interaction with his brother Max had me cracking up as the dynamics there are so easy to relate to. Speaking of Max *deep breath* he's a tattooed mechanic, has a smart mouth, and muscles to boot. How soon can I claim him as mine????

I adore this series. You can read each book as a standalone and almost feel like you're part of the family when older characters pop in. As far as I'm concerned, Blakely delivers the Full Package with this delightful RomCom and wraps it up with a perfect bow.

*arc received in exchange for honest review.

**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this romantic, funny, flirty, page turner and so will you! Lauren Blakely yet again delivers a tale that could not be put down! I am obsessed with her ability to create relatable stories with characters that are unforgettable! Josie and Chase will become your new, favorite book couple! Laced with heat, reality, truth and a bit of angst...Full Pacakge was true to its title in oh so many ways !

[Beth C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her kiss is cupcake and frosting, sex and love. It’s everything that turns me on, and everything I need to be happy.

Books like Full Package are everything *I* need to be happy.

Books that are funny, lighthearted, cute, sexy and flirty. Books that make me smile. Books that leave my heart feeling like it's just fallen in love. Again.

Ahh, I'm so in love with Doctor McHottie. And Ms. Hammer, the sweet sweet-maker. It always seems to be this way at the end of a book by Lauren Blakely, because it feels like they're written for me. Full Package is just one in a long list of books by Ms. Blakely that I've adored.

So what exactly did I adore about this book? Since everything is probably too broad for a review (although… accurate), let's talk about Josie and Chase’s relationship. It was playful and fun; I couldn't help but recall some of my favorite RomCom films while voraciously reading this book. This couple, their friendship, made me smile and laugh because their banter was lively and their chemistry on point. Not to mention the crackling tension between them. And when that electricity came to life? ALL THE SPARKS, y'all. Full Package should come with a warning—exposure to this book may set your Kindle (and your panties) on fire.

Actually, add your heart to that warning, too. Because their story is just the right amount of swoon and ache. There's longing. Mistakes are made. But there's never any crazed drama or OTT heartbreak. Instead, there's this need for Josie and Chase to figure it out, the belief that they will, and the knowledge that it will make your heart soar.

Mine is. Soaring high and happy. And not just for this couple and this book, which is the Full Package when it comes to romance reads. But for this series of standalone books—and the couples we see cameo here—and for this author who, I swear, writes books just for me.

Books that are everything I need to be happy.

…something is happening. Something wild, and crazy, and undoubtedly incredibly foolish.
But right now, it feels so fucking good, like sailing, like flying, like soaring.

~ FIVE STARS ~

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FLOVED this book! Chase and Josie have been friends for years, and I love how Lauren writes this friends-to-lovers story between them. When he finds himself lusting after his best friend's sister, Chase does what he's done all his life: compartmentalize his dirty thoughts and keep them separate from his friendship w/Josie. When circumstances have them sharing a 600 square foot apartment, separation turns out not to be so easy for Chase.

Josie owns her own bakery, and is a whiz in the kitchen. She and Chase have a flirty, but solid friendship. They know each other pretty well...or so they thought. When they decide to take their friendship to the "friends with benefits" level, watch out!

The sparks between these two are off the charts. I love how Lauren tells a story. She's one of my favorite wordsmiths--it's obvious she loves words, sometimes she'll throw uncommon words or phrases, but they flow perfectly in the story she's telling.

I love that the gang from her previous standalones-that-could-be-a-series appear in this book. I always love catching up with my book boyfriends and their significant others. Sometimes you know from reading who will probably have their own story, but I love when Lauren throws you a curve ball, and someone unexpected will have a full-length or novella.

I give this wonderful, beautiful, silly story that hit all my good spots five stars! I voluntarily read an ARC of this book.

[Maria✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's LIIIIVE!



➦Who's ready to meet Dr. McHottie?
If I ever met him IRL I would probably trip all over myself and act all graceful afterwards.


➦This guy here, he's a full package - he's smart, funny, sexy, super handsome aaaaaaand a doctor. He's got it all. Except, may be... a place to crash.


➦Aw, what's the matter, Dr. McHottie? Your landlord told you to move out and you have trouble finding another place to rent in Manhattan? NO PROBLEM! You can totally crash at my place. :) I'm only like, 2 hours commute into the city, s'all good.


➦Oh, you'd rather crash at your friend Josie's place? Ok, cool. WHAT. EVER.


➦Ha! We all wanna know how living with your best friend's hot sister is going to turn out. :)

➦This is my second favorite book of Blakely's to date! It has a perfect mixture of funny & sexy and is pretty low on angst and any unnecessary drama. There is a lot of yummy sexual tension between these two main characters and I was rooting for them to finally get together. :)

➦This novel is told entirely from male POV, and once in you're in McHottie's head you won't want to leave!

➦Recommended to those who enjoy romantic comedies and friends to lovers/roommate tropes with likable and well developed characters!

[Lauren Blakely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woohoo! The Kindle preorder for FULL PACKAGE is now live! Lots of readers have asked for it, and here it is!

✦Amazon US ✦ http://amzn.to/2j7v4zZ
✦Amazon UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2j6xezI
✦Amazon CA➜ http://amzn.to/2iBofnf
✦Amazon AU➜ http://amzn.to/2iN7SDD
Other retailer links can be found here! http://laurenblakely.com/fullpackage

Can't wait for you all to fall in love with this sexy man!

[Queen of Hearts · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC received in exchange for honest review.

Imagine this. Lauren Blakely nailed it AGAIN.
I'm asking myself how is that even possible?
How is possible she writes perfect books one after another?
How is possible she made perfect charachters over and over again?
How is possible that every time she writes a book I can't stop reading until I finish it?
How the hell is possible?
She made of me a book slave! A monster! Because I'm hungry for more!
I want to force that amazing woman/author to write 24/7.
Isn't that crazy?
I would bring her coffee though.

Now about Full Package...
Dr. McHottie Chase ...oh dear God...
That man is perfection! HOT, SWEET, FUNNY, SMART... and he knows how to do sexy-dirty-talk... I was hot myself most of the time. Thank God on cold water.
So Chase needs a place to live and it seems he doesn't have luck.
Josie is in need of a roommate.
Do you see where this goes?
So yes, they decide to live together because why not?? They are best friends!
But they don't realize they are lusting for each other for years. They don't realize they are in love with each other for years also...
They can do it?? Or...?

“Josie Hammer turns me on, and that’s a big fucking problem.”

Chase is a champion of self-control. So when they agree to have sex just to get each other out of the system, they also agree to go back to the friendship like nothing happend. Yeah right... lol I'm so glad they are not able to do just that.
Chase soon realizes he is falling hard for Josie, but he is scared shitless to confess that to her.
So he made a huge mistake....

“I want what every woman wants.”
“What’s that?”
“The full package. I want the full package.”

So now you'll have to read the book to find out what happend next. I'll just say one more time... THE BOOK is AWESOME! Don't miss it January 9th 2017!!
Now I'm waiting Max's story and I CAN'T WAIT so Lauren please hurry up! He intrigues me!

[litljen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I received an advanced copy and chose to review it ***
(100% spoiler-free review)

Sexy Chase Summers, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....you are hot, you are sexy, you have a filthy mouth, you are smart, you are romantic, you are an amazing friend, you are funny and you are most definitely the full package! Lauren Blakely's newest rom-com is everything readers have come to love from this fabulous author and so much more. Told from Chase's POV (and Josie's in small snippets throughout), it's a best-friends-to-lovers romance that is laugh-out-loud funny, sexy, steamy and a total feel-good story. One thing I really loved is how strong the female lead is. Josie is successful, independent, funny and goes after what she wants. She and Chase have insane chemistry both as best friends and as lovers. And their sex scenes....oh their sex scenes.....Blakely is notorious for her steamy heat level and let's just say that Chase and Josie are scorching hot! Fans of her recent rom-coms will thoroughly enjoy all of Chase and Josie's friends who show up throughout to round out the story (Josie is Wyatt and Nick's sister after all!). As a treat, we also get to know Chase's brother Max who will be the star of Blakely's upcoming book Joy Stick! The Summers boys are both super hot and readers are sure to fall in love with them both.

Full Package is a book that has lovable characters, lots of laughs and lots of heat. Blakely's writing is always superb and longtime fans and new readers will fall head over heels for this fun and beautiful story. With Full Package she adds another 5-star story to the already glowing list of books she has penned. I absolutely loved it!

[book bruin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I could love a book more than I love Full Package! It was absolute perfection with a cherry on top! There was just the right amount of everything - sexual chemistry, humor, angst, family, and friendship. I am a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope and Full Package did not disappoint!

Chase and Josie are deliciously amazing - both individually and together. I loved how strong and independent Josie was, but also vulnerable and sweet at the same time. She is unapologetically honest about her sexuality and it was refreshing to see that celebrated. The witty banter and innuendo between Chase and Josie made for an excellent slow burn and I think Chase has ruined me now for all other book boyfriends. The story is told from his POV (although we get small snippets of Josie through the clever use of recipes) and only made me love him more. He had plenty of swoony moments (ahem, pink hair dye), and holy moly, some absolutely scorching sexy times (ahem, a little hide and seek after walking home from the train after work) that had my heart racing and dying to read more.

Another thing I loved about Full Package, is that there isn't any unnecessary drama. Just the very real concerns and fears about what happens when the lines of friendship become blurred. Yes, it's a romance, but above all it's a story about friendship and what you're willing to do (and deny) to insure that that relationship survives. I loved how perfectly relatable Josie and Chase's situation was. Can friends become lovers? And can you go back after you cross that line?

You definitely don't want to miss this 5 star romantic comedy! Chase and Josie's story will leave you with the BEST book hangover and I can't wait to Max's story next in Joy Stick!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

[Karen Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best relationships begin as friendships.

When fire meets friendship, burning with the flames of desire, that friendship ignites and goes BOOM! Friends to lovers, is there any more perfect match? My perfect match was Lauren Blakely’s latest romance: Full Package. A chemistry-clad friends-to-lovers story full of heat and heart, Full Package will have you swooning and smoldering from beginning to end.

I fell in INSTA-LOVE with Full Package, a story that seduced every ounce of me from the very first page. Full Package wrapped itself around me like a cinnamon roll, full of sweetness and spice that poured from the pages. Butterflies fluttered in my tummy, a tingling of sensations and emotions from laughter to love to smiles to swoon.

Full Package is full of spark—chemistry that binds a bookworm to a book—that brings it to life, bringing the reader to life. Oh did my soul spark with love and life! I was caught like a fish in the water or a Swedish Fish in my mouth as Full Package pierced and caught every part of me. I WAS ALL IN!

Chase Summers, Wyatt Hammer’s best friend with dark hair, hazel eyes, and a tall and muscular body, is pure man candy. Chase is a hot doc who can examine me anytime. I LOVED him and his dirty mouth, big heart, and sweet soul. Chase had me hanging to his every enticing word.

Difficult living situations throw Chase together with Josie Hammer, Wyatt’s little sister and Chase’s close friend. From longtime friends to room-mates, Chase is challenged to stay in the friend zone with the gorgeous, dark-haired, green-eyed, and curvy Josie, a baker whose sweet goods he would definitely not mind sampling.

“Josie Hammer turns me on, and that’s a big f**king problem.”

Josie cooks up sinfully sweet desserts but she would not mind having one hot doc for the sweetest dessert ever. She should not fantasize about her life-long friend, but Chase’s devastatingly handsome looks combined with his flirting and big heart make for one irresistible package. PURE PERFECTION.

“No, I swear I didn’t fantasize about every naked inch of him, and he’s not the reason I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming out his name.”

Oh how Josie and Chase’s friendship is full of sparks that are ready to ignite into a firestorm. Their chemistry sizzled and was even more powerful since it's mixed with friendship...spice and nice. Sparks sprinkled with swoon, and oh did Chase bring the swoon! I melted into a pool of goo all over the pages.

“Josie is my sunshine in this rain-soaked day.”

Josie is sick of dating losers and is ready to chase her happily ever after. This Cinderella is ready to meet Prince Charming. Her Prince Charming may be morphing into her roommate and best friend, Chase. The Chase is on to see if Josie will finally find her full package.

“I want what every woman wants.”

“What’s that?”

“The full package. I want the full package.”

Lauren Blakely has again written a love story that is LITERARY PERFECTION. Full Package is creative writing at its finest: fresh, fun, flirty, and fabulous. I COULD NOT GET ENOUGH!

What I LOVE about Lauren Blakely’s books is that they aren’t just sets of series; they are family that are so perfectly and lovingly linked that they feel familiar. Reading each story with subtle ties to previous tales feels like coming home to characters who have carved out a piece of my heart. Characters who feel close. Characters who I love like family. Characters who feel like more.

The perfect recipe for romance, Full Package is sheer brilliance from beginning to end. A breath of fresh air filled with a lethal dose of heat and heart. The heated innuendos…oh how I melted with thee! The food analogies had me hungry for more. Food has never been so sexy! I LOVED this sweet and spicy story...and Swedish Fish...and EVERYTHING in this romance that made my heart dance! Full Package is a ride to ROMANCE HEAVEN.

Oh how I pant for a fun and flirty friends-to-lovers romance, and Lauren Blakely delivers the goods...the Full Package! Full Package touched me HARD. I was quickly captivated and claimed. Full Package is full of chemistry and has THE CLICK—that connection to the characters and everything about the story from inside out—where I could not help but fall fast and furiously in LOVE. I want to squeeze this Full Package a little longer.

★★★★★ fully satisfying and sweet Swedish Fish (because candy)

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'Perfect blend' Stars!
ARC provided by the author via Ink Slinger PR in exchange for an honest review.


Lauren Blakely never fails. Never. She continues giving her readers books that warm our hearts, make us laugh out loud and squirm in our seats with all the sexiness! Full Package is the first release in a year that will be full of goodness (I mean, have you seen her 2017 lineup? 7 books, guys! Seven!!!) and as always, this one ticked all my boxes!

Full Package is a standalone novel (even though it’s features characters we met in her other four spin offs since Big Rock) and it tells the story of Josie Hammer (sister of Mister O and Well Hung) and Chase Summers (friend of said Hammer twins). Yes, Josie and Chase belong in three tropes: friends to lovers/man falling for his best friend’s little sister/roommates. I love those types of romances so I knew this would be amazing. Josie and Chase are best friends, now they are also roommates and they also have all the sparks flying between them since they met.

“I want what every woman wants.”
“What’s that?”
She cocks her head. Gazes right into my eyes. Licks her lips. “The full package. I want the full package.”

I loved the relationship between the main characters. These two have the most adorable friendship! They love and support each other and they also flirt like crazy! Josie and Chase are so funny together and you can feel their tie in every single word of this book. Both feel the strong connection between them but they are also afraid that if they act on it they will lose each other. Of course, this kind of attraction can’t be forgotten forever. Especially if you live together!

“I’ve been known to watch porn from time to time.”
“Just from time to time?” I ask.
She shrugs naughtily, a little I’ve-got-a-secret look in her eyes.
“It’s okay. Tell the doctor. Masturbation is normal. Don’t be ashamed.”

Things get off-the-charts hot when these two become lovers. I loved the slow burn from the start but I have to say.. holy hell, how I love Lauren’s sexy scenes! Dr. McHottie and his baker have the hottest chemistry, in and out of the sheets! And when they can stop the feelings getting in the mix? Of course, it gets even better. I love how they heal each other and how, at the end, being best friends does not stop them to go after their happy ending.

She’s the woman for me.
She’s the one I want.
I’m fucking my friend.
I’m screwing my roommate.
And more than that, I’m also making love to the woman I’m falling in love with.

I also loved catching up with some of the other characters. I love this ‘not series’ so much that I am always happy to read more about Nick, Wyatt and all the others! And can I say, Max (Chase’s brother) sounds SO HOT! I can’t wait to read Joy Stick! And all the others that are coming this year. Lauren Blakely made me a very happy lady when she announced her lineup, can you tell? ;)

She’s everything I missed, everything I want, and everything I love.

Therefore, my rating for Full Package is 5 STARS because Lauren continues making me fall in love with her outstanding writing skills and her marvelous characters. Josie and Chase and their chemistry made my first 2017 read very entertaining! I can’t wait for more! So, if you have read this author’s work in the past or you are in the mood for a fantastic romantic comedy, check this one out! I highly recommend it!

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[Peggy Lee (Reading Keeps Me Sane) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love every book in this series and Full Package is another winner! Full Package is a friends to lovers feel-good story. It's a sweet, humorous story with a heart warming Aha moment that will make you happily misty eyed.

'Amazing humor-producing, big-hearted, glorious-chested, kitchen-taleted' Josie Hammer needs a roommate. Doctor McHottie Chase Summers needs a place to live. The rental market is tough in Manhattan and Chase is having no luck. When the best friends decide to move into together they make it clear that they don't want their friendship to develop into anything more. Chase isn't concerned about having any uncontrollable romantic feelings for Josie because he is a specialist at compartmentalizing his feelings from his thoughts. As it turns out living together created a recipe for unexpected intimacy. Can Dr. McHottie fend off his feelings for the sweet temptress baker or is he in for another heart break?

Full Package is written Chase's POV however the author does a great job sneaking in glimpses of Josie's POV in her recipes. The story delivers, I laughed, smiled and shed happy tears. 5 Stars

[XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my 501st book of 2016!

Chase is a sexy doctor that is the full package, sans a place to lay his head at night. Josie is his best friend's little sis and the woman he can't get out of said head. When Josie is in need of a roommate, it was only right that Chase help her out.

The story has the trademark Blakely wit and humor told from a male POV. I love the comradery Chase and Josie share. The friendship allowed for a more believable relationship. However, there is plenty of sexual tension and chemistry between them. They were developed well and showed complexity. There are some very sweet moments and of course delicious food (swedish fish rolls anyone?) What's even cooler?... The recipes are included :) The secondary and guest characters were used very well to progress the story. Let's just say Chase has some interesting patients that get up to some creative, but dangerous antics lol. The writing was solid with strong prose and good transitions/flow. All in all a very enjoyable read.

Safety: Josie goes on dates with other men but not after she and Chase get together. Nothing appears to have happened on these dates except for fodder for some hilarious tales. Chase seems to be hung up on what an ex did in the beginning. No others. No rape or abuse.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Stars
**** 1/2 Spoiler Free
This is the first sentence of the blurb: "I’ve been told I have quite a gift". Well, I am adjusting it to say Lauren Blakely has quite a gift...She takes Double Entendres to a whole other level with all of her stand-alone yet friend connected books. Blakely takes people who are out there living their lives, puts them in realistic situations, and elevates them to a romantic intensity we all gobble up as soon as they are published.

In Full Package, she takes two best friends...people who have been there for each other; people who have shared fun times, secret embarrassments, and a love of Scrabble to the death-defying levels. These two break the mold of Men and Women Can't be Friends... for they have been, forever. They are now back in the same city having a housing issue...

Chase Summers is back from working with Doctors Without Borders. He gave up the lease he had and now is now back as an ER doc at one of the hospitals in NYC. He has tried to get a place but every time it looks like he has closed the deal... something happens to blow it. Chase is frustrated and really does not want to bunk with his brother Max.

Josie Hammer has been dealing with her own housing complications. She is thrilled her friend Natalie and her brother Wyatt are together, married and happy as all get out... the only hiccup, Natalie was her roommate. Now Josie is juggling the loan for her up and coming Bakery's expansion and her full rent. She placed an ad for a woman roommate but none of them meet her questionnaire answers...They have all been too demanding, restrictive or just plain weird.

These BFF's are having one of their usual tastings... Josie concocts some new and wonderful treat using all sorts of yummy ingredients and Chase gives her his honest opinion. They have been doing this since they met years ago. Both of them just took to each other... No Chase hitting on Josie...and it totally worked. They would talk about his days... the stories from his medical practice... all the crazy things he had to deal with...and also some of the harder ones...She would talk about cooking, friends, movies, or tv shows... Just about everything...

They were tight.
They were real with each other...
Their friendship was important...
In fact, it was the most important thing for both of them.

So when both of them were together shooting the sh!t, it came out that Chase once again missed leasing another place and was about to be homeless. It struck Josie that she was still in a pickle trying to find a roommate to fix her financial bind...

Both looked at each other and came to the same conclusion that they could be the answer each needed...
But both were also scared... because they did not want ANYTHING to harm their special friendship.

That was Key.

Well, Chase reassured Josie not to worry because he was the King of Compartmentalization. He had to do it every day in his work... He couldn't let emotional feelings trigger his concerns about patients while on the table or after they left his care... He had to move forward to the next one.

Josie was convinced Chase would be the one to make sure both of them stayed the course... because she would never let him know, she had been interested in him, for like...forever. Nope... she would keep that to herself...

(Or maybe share that with us in her unique style...
Just sayin'...
Keep your eyes open...)

These two embark on cohabitating in a small 600 sq. foot apartment with one bathroom and two tiny bedrooms. Chase's bedroom is separated by a wall of thin Sheetrock... and as time goes by... it starts to become harder and harder to keep all the mental compartments separate.

This story has such sweet, funny, sexy, and endearing moments...These two people were so perfect for each other... but both had been slain by past experiences ...hurt in such a way as to be fearful of admitting they were crazy for each other...there was too much at stake...because their friendship was too valuable...

What I adored the banter; the way they played with each other. Chase was quick and Josie was his equal. Josie also surprised the hell out of Chase with her ability to own what she wanted out of life; from a relationship, from a man, and sexually.

Yes, let's get to the sexually... because this was where we were able to fully embrace two adults who understood each other... they were open and free from the get-go...Each owned every kiss, stroke, caress, lick, and thrust...The way Blakely set up these specific situations was so perfectly played... They could have been scenes out of a top-grossing Rom/Com...and maybe they should be.

As with all of these stand-alone yet related books, we get little tastes of past characters we have grown to care about. People are pairing up and new ones have been incorporated...Chase's brother Max is next and I think it should be a humdinger...There are others, floating out in the Crafty Mind of Blakely and we shall just have to see what she has planned. Either way, I will be ready...

These can be read in any order although this was how they were published:

Big Rock (Big Rock, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mister O (Big Rock, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Well Hung (Big Rock, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Full Package (Big Rock, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Joy Ride (Big Rock, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hard Wood (Big Rock, #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Knock Knock...
Who's There...
Special Delivery...

Well, That's Strange...
Because I'm Not Expecting anything...

OH... But Wait...
The Only Thing I have Been Waiting For is My
FULL PACKAGE... AND IT IS HERE!!!!!!
●•●•●•●•●•●•●•
He is everything a Gal could want...
The Full Package in Every, I mean Every way...

But he is my Brother's Best Friend....
And mine too...

I need a roommate, He needs a place...
Should be a No Brainer...
We can do this, Right...

Or do we end up Doing This...
After all, He is ...

The Full Package, January 2017

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every girl in the world prays for the FULL PACKAGE. We dream of that perfect lover that will come our way and will encompass our ideal of the FULL PACKAGE ~ Professional, stable, hunky gorgeous, sweet as pie, a girl's best friend, and a passionate lover who knows all the ins and outs of our bodies with the stamina to last the whole night long! Lauren Blakely has given us this fine specimen of man in this story named the FULL PACKAGE.

Chase is our new Dr. McHottie. He is really a great guy! He saves lives during the day, maintains his body (oh, what a body) by cycling everywhere, and by night... well, let's just say he's got all the right moves.

Josie and Chase have been friends forever. I mean, they hang out, walk everywhere and enjoy each other's company. They are great friends that can talk about everything. This friendship has survived years and now, it is about to be tested as they prepare to share an apartment.

I have not laughed this hard in a long time. This story is told from Chase's point of view, which is so refreshing, with his tongue in cheek delivery... and we can read right through it knowing he is so delusional! Josie's input comes in the shape of recipes from her notebook full of quips that will have you laughing and wanting to try these recipes in your kitchen for sure!

Once again, I read this book with a smile on my face... sure sign of a delightfully hot, humorous book that kept me up all night on a cold Winter's night. It deserves every one of those beautiful 5 stars!

I received a free copy of this book. I am reviewing it because it is a delightfully amazing read and deserves to be voluntarily reviewed.

[Kindle Crack Book Reviews Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars
Title: Full-Package
Author: Lauren Blakely
Release date: 1/9
Standalone/no cliffhanger!

My Full-Package Recipe:
Add two best friends.
Share one small apartment.
Stir in a bunch of laughs & sexual chemistry.
Blend in a huge cup of emotions.
Serves a delicious, hot and sweet friends-to-lovers romance. This book is a full-package of perfection.

This review appears on www.kindlecrack.net, www.facebook.com/kindlecrack, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter. A review copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenn_COBB - Collector of Book Boyfriends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package by Lauren Blakely - 5 McHottie stars

Chase Summers is dedicated to his work, to help and save every life he possibly can.
He puts the pieces back together and heal the wounded but who is going to help him?
Who is going to heal his own heart from the greatest danger and breaks known to humankind called love? Will he be able to continue compartmentalizing his feelings or will he finally breakdown and lay it all on the line to his absolute best friend Josie Hammer and admit for them both that there is much more there beyond their strong and solid friendship?

Read this book to find out more . . .



Lauren Blakely had me at the "Spleen scene"!!! *Laughing my brains out*
Let's just cut to the chase and break it down for what this really is...
ANOTHER great story that is simply as divine and heart melting as always.
While reading this book I felt so much inner peace and such a satisfying feeling that spread through my whole body.

I caught myself smiling chapter for chapter and am more content than one could think a book could do for you.
The joy and happiness that this enduring couple like Chase and Josie brought to me is such a sweet sweet taste of how true and cute love can turn out to be that also develops into hot and steamy nights as well.
Their chemistry was so visible that you could almost touch it through the pages.
And again I am thankful for Lauren's desire and ability to keep bringing back previous characters into her current story and slowly introducing us to future ones that are to come.

And somehow after reading plenty of Lauren Blakely's work I have developed a sense to spot more and more of her own personality in her stories.
It is clear to see how much effort and love she puts into them that feel so natural like this is her every day routine like breathing itself.

I can only say this was a perfect best friends to lovers romance book for me and it's like every time I am in with some dark place after reading other kind of books one of Lauren's books comes along and you put everything else on hold and go to what you know will make you happy and leave you smiling by the time you reach THE END.

I adored Chase and Josie as much as I love each one of Blakely's characters and would highly recommend it to everyone because it would be a shame for anyone to miss out on what really IS a FULL PACKAGE!!!!!

[Yvette ~ Nose Stuck in a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Side note: why isn't 6 Stars an option, Goodreads???

Lauren Blakely and romantic comedies go together like peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. In other words, completely and perfectly. This lady is single-handedly responsible for several of my top favorite reads of the year and, her next rom-com, Full Package, just might be my favorite of them all. I realize I’ve said this before but I loved Full Package so much, I had to give it 6 Stars because it’s the type of book I want to read: lighthearted, humorous, outrageously sexy, and just plain fun. I adored everything about this book, especially the relationship between protagonists, Josie and Chase. Full Package is a roommate romance, a friends-to-lovers romance and a best friend's little sister romance all rolled into one. The premise alone is like a guarantee for off-the-charts sexual tension! And you know Lauren Blakely always delivers on the promise of sexual tension...

What happens when you take two longtime friends who have a glaringly obvious (to everyone but each other) mutual attraction and put them in close, intimate quarters? Sparks fly, flirtatious banter abounds, and emotions are spun awhirl! After having zero luck finding a decent place to live in New York, Dr. Chase Summers moves in with his best friend, Josie Hammer. The poor, sweet, delusional man believes he can compartmentalize his attraction to Josie the way he does with other aspects of his life, not taking into account that they’re incredibly compatible, their chemistry is palpable, and that Josie is the star of his dirtiest fantasies. For the first part of the book, I was (metaphorically) rubbing my hands together, eager for Chase to realize that Josie isn’t just a friend. The two of them are ridiculously adorable together, so much that I was awww-ing and swooning pretty much after every sentence, wondering just how long I’d have to wait before they crossed the line between friends and something more.

Not only is Full Package heart-meltingly sweet, it’s undoubtedly the most erotic book I've read this year. There needs to be a new word for sexy invented to accurately describe a Lauren Blakely sex scene because scorching, steamy, and holy-crap-that's-hot just don't quite suffice. Together, Chase and Josie are the perfect mix of sensual and naughty, each possessing a genuine need to fulfill each other's every desire. The sheer pleasure they derive from being the one person to drive the other insane with lust is enough to leave you furiously fanning your flushed cheeks. Everything about their relationship – their effortless rapport, their inside jokes, their overwhelming passion for each other – is captivating, and I don’t think I’ve ever rooted so hard for a couple to find their happily ever after.

With a smart, charismatic, and genuinely decent hero, a heroine who’s bold, vivacious, and determined, and a romance that’ll make you exceedingly jealous of fictional characters, Full Package is a book that I found to be impossible to put down once I got started. I swooned. I sighed. I smiled. I blushed. I. Loved. This. Book! I can’t recommend it enough. Buy it. Read it. Love it. You’re welcome.

*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review

Rating: 6 Stars

[Renee Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read!!! Lauren Blakely is such a talented and wonderful author. Once again she has the perfect recipe for a best seller. Friends to lovers is a wonderful way to start a relationship as Chase and Josie embark on the fine line to discovering what everyone else already knew. So pick up some Swedish fish a warm blanket and settle in to enjoy one hot delicious mouth watering delight.

[Jocqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package is The Full Package! If someone would have told me last year that I'd be hooked on romance as a preferred genre, I would have laughed in their face. But, once I stumbled upon the writings of Lauren Blakely, life for my reading palette changed for the better.

I've never been disappointed with anything that Blakely has written. Her characters are full of life and character, you can't help but get involved with the story. What I love most about Full Package, and the preceding novels, is that the characters aren't new to the reader. We've met them over a period of books and in that time frame, we've already fallen in love with who they are. And that brings me to Josie and Chase.

When we met them, we got a glimpse of their familiarity with each other, and with high hopes, I wanted to see more of them. I got what I asked for. The chemistry was already stirring in Well Hung. Chase, the successful doctor, completing his residency at Mercy Hospital finds himself in a bind. Josie, the successful business owner is also in a similar predicament. The two of them decide to give the roommate thing a try and what happens next gives a new meaning to "if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Better yet, "if you like the heat, stay in the kitchen."

I love how Blakely wrote this particular story. Usually, we see the stories written in the male POV with shared POV'S from the female. This was so different in that Josie didn't have full chapters, she had snippets. And because I want you to enjoy how her POV was presented, I'll just say it's tasty and such a refreshing concept.

Full Package was full of everything you want, need and expect from the Queen of Rom-Com. And I was so happy to unwrap the package. Chase has advanced and taken over as TBLOML (The Blakely Love of My Life) and Josie just does it for me. If you enjoy a friends to lovers romance, that leaves you begging for more, then you'll want to dive right in and let your heart embrace another Blakely Super Couple!

[Lauren Lascola-Lesczynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeppp...squeeeee...awwwww....I mean I can go on, but I will save you the trouble and just cut to the chase (see what I did there) anywho...Chase Summers is the ideal man...smart, good looking, fit, kind, caring, funny, charming...ohhhh and HELLO he is a Doctor!!!!!!!
Josie Hammer is gorgeous, sexy, funny, kind and has a nice rack, and I am not talking about her baking supplies people! Chase loves her treats, her homemade, made with love-just for him treats!
Chase and Josie are Bff's who are very flirty and never once crossed that line, although everyone else can see they have major chemistry when they are together. They are quirky and cute and fit together like they were made for each other.
I mean I would Swedish Fish with Chase any day...I would peanut butter brownie with him as well...hell I would mushroom and cheese pizza with him and I HATE mushrooms!!!!!!!
I love to read a LB book like I love to breath...she always writes these story with heart and soul and her characters have so much personality that you fall instantly in love with them. She makes them likable and relatable.
Her words make you swoon all over the place...Chase and Josie were more then your classic BFF turned lover story...they were everything to each other and more. They had a deeper connection and love was the foundation of their relationship. I fear if I keep writing I will let the proverbially cat out of the bag so I shall leave you with this:
"She is my favorite place."~ Chase Summers









Chase Summers

[Krystal Amora Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Package by Lauren Blakely

Another spectacular book from Lauren that has all of the elements we have come to love. The characters are strong, sexy, witty and genuinely are easy to fall in love with. Anyone who is an avid reader of Laurens’ book have seen these characters before.

Met Josie Hammer, sister to Wyatt and Nick Hammer. She is a baker who owns and operates Sunshine Bakery. She is a sweet, happy and all around good person but has a naughty mind when it comes to Chase. The naughty girl caught me off guard and made me laugh. She is a closet sex kitten that has claws. She is looking for a roommate after Natalie marries Wyatt and moves to his apartment.

Met Chase Summers aka,”Dr. McHottie” as Josie calls him. He is an ER physician at Mercy Hospital and is between apartments at this time. He is in need of a place to live that isn’t on a couch. When we meet Chase he is trying to figure out why he is having such bad luck finding a place to live. Every time he finds a potential it falls through.

Josie and Chase have been best friends for a long time. Everyone knows Chase loves Josie but the 2 of them are oblivious to this fact. As the story progress’ we get a glimpse into the inner turmoil they are going through. This story is mostly told from Chase’s point of view but we learn what Josie thinks when we are given her recipes for baked good. They decide to move in together which solves both of their issues. Then one night Josie asks to get in bed with Chase…..now get your mind out of the gutter it was all innocent……hehehe

How will this turn out for these 2 oblivious lovers? How will Chase do being a good boy when it comes to Josie and keeping in the best friend zone? Guess you will just need to read to find out.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of problems with this book. I didn't enjoy it.

Not that I'm slamming Ms. Blakely. Actually, I thought her Well Hung and Big Rock and ... I'm sure there was a third one, a third funny one... Oh, well. ANYWAY, I'm just saying that I don't hesitate to purchase her books and I have enjoyed them in the past. They're usually cute.*

However, this book drove me up a wall. I was rolling my eyes and gagging half the time. Here are some problems:

1.) No plot. Josie and Doctor (I can't remember his name) are friends and have been friends for a long time. They cutely flirt and they are good friends. Then they take an apartment together. Of course they go to bed together. And then.... Well, then what? I was thinking "What on Earth is going to be the conflict here? They love each other, they're living together, they are having a lot of fun in bed together.... I mean, where's the beef?" At which point Blakely tries to craft some sort of problem in the shape of "This will ruin our friendship."

And it's completely ridiculous. Even though THEY BOTH love each other, they allow themselves to "break up" and be miserable for about two seconds before the happy ending. It's dumb. It's really, really dumb and such a stretch. I couldn't buy it. Blakely was REALLY reaching here.

"I do know that," she says, then stretches across the couch to ruffle my hair.

The gesture both warms my heart and makes me think. Josie's always been a toucher, so it's not out of place. But it feels so... couple-y. So boyfriend-girlfriend. There's a part of me that desperately wants that with her. That wants to just crack open my heart and tell her how I feel.

Because inside, I'm on cloud nine. I'm a happy motherfucker, just kicking back, eating pizza with the best girl I know. Our physical connection is mind-bogglingly good. We get along like two peas in a pod. She's been my friend forever. Hell, we're about to play a game of Scrabble before we go for round two.

But there's a rub.

Because all this floating on a cloud of complete and utter dirty, sexy, fantastic happiness is just smoke and mirrors. It's a trick designed flawlessly by the human body. Why, oh fucking why, does falling for someone have to be such a rush? Such a high?

But I know the answer.

There's a reason for the release of those endorphins. Chemicals are in our system so falling in love will make us procreate. This rampant contentment swirling inside me is all just basic survival-of-the-species shit. It's an illusion of brain chemistry.

And as long as I keep my head on straight, I can't be fooled by risky feelings.

Even though a part of me wants to throw caution to the wind, to listen to this hammering in my chest, to just say, "Hey, it's you and me, let's defy the odds." Fucking, eating pizza, and playing Scrabble.

And it completely baffles me that they aren't just together, and that they fashion this completely fabricated "problem" that is keeping them apart. It makes absolutely no sense.


2.) The dialogue is so sappy and cutesy and trite and it just made me gag. And I LOVE romance novels. I should be lapping this shit up. However, after the fortieth conversation of them telling each other how cute and perfect and quirky they are, I was done. DONE.

3.) The sex. It's just not my thing. One, I don't like how Doctor acts during blowjobs. Two, they love 69 and I am a Carrie Bradshaw on 69**. Three, she arranges it so that he walks in on her masturbating and she's like, "Please jerk off on me." He does so. I'm fine with this, technically, and I'm fine with boob jobs, too, but even though I may be fine with engaging in this behavior in real life it is just NOT sexy or romantic to read about, #sorrynotsorry, or if it is, then Blakely is not good at capturing it.

4.) And this is really the kicker, these two will NOT shut up in bed and their bed-banter is SO OBNOXIOUS. I'm like, "Just shut up and fuck / make love. STOP TALKING." But they insist on talking and talking and talking during sex and it is grating.

"This is how we were the other week," I say as I move my hand up and down my erection. "Jerking off to each other."

She opens her eyes, her green irises hazy with lust. "I thought about you so many times, Chase," she moans as she rubs her sweet little clit with abandon.

"Did I make you come every time?"

She nods as she rocks her hips. "Every time. All the time. You fucked me so many times." Her pace quickens and her breathing turns erratic.

"Josie," I say on an upstroke that sends a hot tremor through me. "Fuck yourself with your fingers."

Argh, stop, stop stop. Just stop.

This is what I have to put up with.

Now, is it realistic? Yeah, pretty much. This whole book is pretty much a realistic portrayal of a cutesy couple who have just started to enjoy sex with each other. The downside of this is that it is very boring. These two are very boring. I didn't care about them, I didn't care about their nonexistent angst and I certainly didn't care about their stupid sex lives.

"Gonna come," I grunt, and with a loud groan I shoot jets over her chest. I shudder, my shoulders shaking as my climax shudders through me.

"Holy fucking shit," I mutter. Because it was so fucking good.

Because of her.

When I come down from my high, I reach over to her nightstand and grab some tissues. "Let me clean this."

I wipe me off her chest as she murmurs, "I liked it, though."

"Yeah? Were you going to wear my come all night?"

She laughs lightly and shrugs. "I like it when you come on me."

I stand and toss the tissues in a trash can, then return to her, gathering her up in my arms. "You do?"

She nods and tilts her chin up, meeting my eyes. "It's my favorite thing - making you come," she says softly, then runs a finger down my chest. Her touch is electric, and even though I just finished, I'm getting hard again. "I like when you come inside me." Her fingers trail down my pecs. "And in my mouth." Then to my abs. "And on my body." Over my hip. "I just love it when it feels good for you."

UGH. I don't care about any of this and I don't want to read about it, either.

5.) Doctors are a real turn-off to me. This is personal, not a problem with Blakely's writing, but doctors and dentists are a big no-no for me. Wildly unsexy and I hate their hands. Ummmmmmmm.... Yeah. They are so clean and neat and tidy. It's highly yucky.


Tl;dr - This book is sweet. It's perfectly unoffensive. Two people are in cutesy, quirky love with each other. They spend hours having cutesy, quirky sex with each other, having long, cutesy conversations with each other, and sadly attempting sex talk. Which is realistic but sadly not sexy. :( The problem is that the book is fucking boring. SO fucking boring. And Blakely is not a dud - she definitely has written better books than this - please check out her cuter stuff that I mentioned earlier.

There's nothing malicious or "bad" here. I don't want to make it sound like this is one of those disgusting alpha asshole books or, even worse, a boring, limp American Romance from Harlequin. Of course Blakely does not hit those lower-levels of "Bad." But this is a snoozefest. There's absolutely no reason to read it. Not a great love story, not full of exciting sex scenes, and not funny enough that you'll be laughing out loud.

Skip this.

*Why didn't you review the cute ones, Carmen?

Trust me, I will. I owe Blakely some positive press after ripping on this one.

I read about twice or even triple of what I record here on GR, but I don't always review it because if I DID - I would have no job and I would be glued to my computer 24 hours a day. But I read at least a hundred or two hundred more books than I list here every year.

I will definitely be reviewing Blakely's other work - and being a more positive reviewer - so please don't despair. She's actually a pretty competent romance novelist.

**"It's my belief that the last time anyone actually enjoyed the 69 position was in 1969."

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chase Summers is an ER Doctor in need of a place to live. His good friend, Josie Hammer, just happens to be in need of a new room mate. They've been friends for years and she is his best friend Wyatt's little sister. They are both attractive and they have a flirty banter, but they've never acted on anything.

What could possibly go wrong if they start sharing a small apartment?

A whole helluva lot...

Josie is sassy, outgoing, bright, and a bit quirky. She wants the full package and an all inclusive happy future. But she is stumbling around with online dating trying to find her Prince Charming. Chase is charismatic, intelligent, dedicated, funny, and caring. But he is untrusting of relationships especially involving already established friendships for good reason.

Chase has faith in his ability to avoid any complications due to his compartmentalization skills. Josie thinks she can control herself despite his good looks and the way he makes her laugh. Friendship has to come first...lust needs to be kept locked away.

But they eventually start breaking some friendship rules: Friends should not flirt. Friends should not get jealous. Friends should not ogle each other. Friends should not talk about sex. Friends should not ever be in the same bed together (or heck, a couch or kitchen counter might even provide too much temptation)...

Will their resistance hold up or will the walls come tumbling down? Can they manage a friends with benefits situation? Or will it all get messy and end up damaging their close bond?

Complications arise as his ability to keep things compartmentalized starts to get a bit muddled. And she knows she is an emotional person and does not do as well keeping things in separate boxes. And both have fears of sharing too much and ruining the good thing they have going.

Friendship, lust, fear, fun, avoidance, secrets, and hidden feelings could be a recipe for disaster. Or the right combination could mean everything.

This is told in Chase's point of view with just a bit of Josie mixed in the story in a creative way. I really liked them both so much. I loved their rapport and banter. They were fun, flirty, and playful, but also had serious sexual tension and chemistry. They were totally hot together, but also sweet and compatible. It becomes a flurry of lust and hidden feelings. I was so tense waiting for one of them to admit to their feelings.

It's about realizing how important it is to live life without regrets. But it also involves taking a risk of losing a friendship in the pursuit of something more. Is it better to take the safe route or the leap of faith? Are the risks worth the possible rewards?

Lauren Blakely puts together a hot, charming, and swoony hero then adds a saucy, sweet heroine and delivers the full package in the form of an engaging, heartwarming, panty-melting story...and finishes with a little extra delectable treat with the epilogues! Oh how I adore epilogues!

I enjoyed getting more with other friends from this series of stand-alones especially with her brother, Wyatt, and his brother, Max. This whole group of friends and family is fun and interesting, and I enjoy getting to spend more time with them. I am really looking forward to Max's story in Joy Stick.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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