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The Science of Loving
She’s a shy researcher obsessed with muscles. He’s the bad boy of the architectural world, content with his bachelor status until his tattoo artist sister decides to play matchmaker.
Him.. Danny's in love. So, everyone else, meaning me, should be, too.
Her.. He's the scariest man I’d ever seen: Huge, bald, tattooed; a painted Aztec god. All he needs is a bloody altar and a knife.
Him.. Danny's in love. So, everyone else, meaning me, should be, too.
Her.. He's the scariest man I’d ever seen: Huge, bald, tattooed; a painted Aztec god. All he needs is a bloody altar and a knife.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2014
31 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Candace Vianna
1 book65 followersBorn in Seattle, Washington, the daughter of an engineer, I grew up traveling across the United States as my father moved from one project to the next before finally ending up in Charlotte, North Carolina. After serving my country in the United States Army, I spent the next few decades pursuing a career in the measurement sciences then decided to try my hand at writing during the economic downturn.
I recently published "Dead Dwight:a dark comedy" under the pseudonym, E.V. Iverson and I'm working on the next romance novel in the "Science of Loving" series.
I recently published "Dead Dwight:a dark comedy" under the pseudonym, E.V. Iverson and I'm working on the next romance novel in the "Science of Loving" series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 10, 2016
★Book Basics★
Genre : - Contemporary Romance
Series : - Stand Alone
Writing First person Dual POV (Mat and Angie)
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author? - Yes
Rating - 5 stars
★Review★
I think this may go up there with one of my favourite reads this year.
I had had this sat on my kindle for a week or so before I decided to read it.
I was actually about 80% through, when the author very kindly sent me the updated revised edition - that is the edition available on Amazon now - so if looking at any older reviews, about grammar, punctuation etc, be aware this has been revised. Anyway, as I said, about 80% through, when I got sent the updated copy, so I just opened that one, and started reading right from the beginning, quite happily. That is how much I enjoyed this book.
I loved Mat and Angie, and loved them as a couple. They were both accomplished people in their own field, and while indulging in a bit of insta lust, there was an intelligence to their conversation and coming together, an emotion that you felt jumping off the page.
A great cast of secondary characters, that had me giggling at their antics.
Overall, it was quite refreshingly different.
Have to admit, Angie and her self esteem issues, were bothering me, until you get to realise just how awful her Mom is, and then it makes a lot more sense.
But, loved how Mat just fell for her hard, and was so good for her.
Loved it being a dual POV, being inside both Mat and Angie's heads, and experiencing their reactions to each other, was great, and made you fall in love with them both.
An awesome first read by this author (and her first book I believe, which I think is remarkable) and this is definitely an author to watch for me.
Genre : - Contemporary Romance
Series : - Stand Alone
Writing First person Dual POV (Mat and Angie)
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author? - Yes
Rating - 5 stars
★Review★
I think this may go up there with one of my favourite reads this year.
I had had this sat on my kindle for a week or so before I decided to read it.
I was actually about 80% through, when the author very kindly sent me the updated revised edition - that is the edition available on Amazon now - so if looking at any older reviews, about grammar, punctuation etc, be aware this has been revised. Anyway, as I said, about 80% through, when I got sent the updated copy, so I just opened that one, and started reading right from the beginning, quite happily. That is how much I enjoyed this book.
I loved Mat and Angie, and loved them as a couple. They were both accomplished people in their own field, and while indulging in a bit of insta lust, there was an intelligence to their conversation and coming together, an emotion that you felt jumping off the page.
A great cast of secondary characters, that had me giggling at their antics.
Overall, it was quite refreshingly different.
Have to admit, Angie and her self esteem issues, were bothering me, until you get to realise just how awful her Mom is, and then it makes a lot more sense.
But, loved how Mat just fell for her hard, and was so good for her.
Loved it being a dual POV, being inside both Mat and Angie's heads, and experiencing their reactions to each other, was great, and made you fall in love with them both.
An awesome first read by this author (and her first book I believe, which I think is remarkable) and this is definitely an author to watch for me.
own-need-to-read
July 2, 2015Kindle Freebie! Good all day, today, July 2, 2015!
The Science of Loving by Candace Vianna http://amzn.to/1LG8TqZ
The Science of Loving by Candace Vianna http://amzn.to/1LG8TqZ
January 2, 2015
Super shy and nerdy scientist Angie is pursued by super hot and sexy rockstar architect Mat.
The Good
-Kindle Unlimited
-Funny: I enjoyed the snark between the characters alot and I thought there were several classic funny lines throughout the story that I’d use in real life lol.
-Character driven story: Genuine conversations between Mat and Angie helped to display their attraction and chemistry.
-Strong hero: Mat’s a strong hero who has no problems with his feelings for Angie, which I enjoyed. His protectiveness and attraction for Angie was attractive. This is split first person POV with Mat and Angie, and I felt his feelings and actions were the stronger of the two and easier to read/connect with.
-Solid relationships: By far, I think the strength of this story lies within the relationships between Angie’s friends, her father and Mat’s family. I’m Latina, so I loved the little things, like calling his mother mami, or when Danny teased Mat by calling him Biggie or Lurch, like real family does. Their banter and affection for each other was something I found easily relatable, and I enjoyed their scenes throughout.
-Standalone story: Though it works on its own, I would re-visit this little ‘verse. I think Les or Danny have a solid presence that could carry a first person story.
The Bad and Everything in Between
-Angie’s self esteem issues: My biggest obstacle to loving this story. I understand when a character starts off with these issues, and it truly *is* a fine line to ride, but I would have liked to have seen her outgrow it as the story went on. Even as far as 80% in, her inner dialogue was so negative that it was hard to believe in her ability to have an equal relationship with Mat. Angie was a bit too emotionally fragile a heroine for me - Mat and her father had to take care of her, the inevitable crying jags just made her weaker as a heroine.
-Cartoon-ish mother/villain: there was little character development with Angie’s mother. She gave some insight as to why Angie is so insecure, but there was nothing even remotely redeemable about her, which made her pretty one-dimensional.
-Speaking of offputting:
-Grammar/punctuation/spelling errors: I know to expect some from a self-pub, but there were several peppered throughout the text that distracted me and just took me out of the moment. It’s something that can be corrected with a good editor.
The Bottom Line
Despite my issues with Angie as a heroine, the story was engaging and there’s alot I did like about it. I think this a promising start from a new author. I would recommend for those who don't mind a weepy heroine, and looking for a light, funny read. I would check out more by Ms. Vianna in the future.
The Good
-Kindle Unlimited
-Funny: I enjoyed the snark between the characters alot and I thought there were several classic funny lines throughout the story that I’d use in real life lol.
-Character driven story: Genuine conversations between Mat and Angie helped to display their attraction and chemistry.
-Strong hero: Mat’s a strong hero who has no problems with his feelings for Angie, which I enjoyed. His protectiveness and attraction for Angie was attractive. This is split first person POV with Mat and Angie, and I felt his feelings and actions were the stronger of the two and easier to read/connect with.
-Solid relationships: By far, I think the strength of this story lies within the relationships between Angie’s friends, her father and Mat’s family. I’m Latina, so I loved the little things, like calling his mother mami, or when Danny teased Mat by calling him Biggie or Lurch, like real family does. Their banter and affection for each other was something I found easily relatable, and I enjoyed their scenes throughout.
-Standalone story: Though it works on its own, I would re-visit this little ‘verse. I think Les or Danny have a solid presence that could carry a first person story.
The Bad and Everything in Between
-Angie’s self esteem issues: My biggest obstacle to loving this story. I understand when a character starts off with these issues, and it truly *is* a fine line to ride, but I would have liked to have seen her outgrow it as the story went on. Even as far as 80% in, her inner dialogue was so negative that it was hard to believe in her ability to have an equal relationship with Mat. Angie was a bit too emotionally fragile a heroine for me - Mat and her father had to take care of her, the inevitable crying jags just made her weaker as a heroine.
-Cartoon-ish mother/villain: there was little character development with Angie’s mother. She gave some insight as to why Angie is so insecure, but there was nothing even remotely redeemable about her, which made her pretty one-dimensional.
-Speaking of offputting:
-Grammar/punctuation/spelling errors: I know to expect some from a self-pub, but there were several peppered throughout the text that distracted me and just took me out of the moment. It’s something that can be corrected with a good editor.
The Bottom Line
Despite my issues with Angie as a heroine, the story was engaging and there’s alot I did like about it. I think this a promising start from a new author. I would recommend for those who don't mind a weepy heroine, and looking for a light, funny read. I would check out more by Ms. Vianna in the future.
September 4, 2016
**3.5 Stars**
Angie is a fruit fly scientist. She's a nerdy girl with terrible self-esteem issues. She agrees to attend her friend, Danny's party. There she meets Danny's brother Mat. Mat's a popular architect. He's immediately taken with her and he doesn't let up.
This was difficult for me to rate. I absolutely loved Mat. He was one of the best heroes I've read. He was totally all into Angie and he never wavered at all. Even when many women come on to him, he doesn't give them the time of day and very forcefully tells them no. (A note about that..I found it very unrealistic that he was so attractive that women would come on to him in front of Angie and not even care she was there or take no for an answer. It did begin to annoy me after a while. He has not been with any of these women.)
My biggest issue was Angie. I really wanted to like her. She had moments where I thought she would really come through. But she was just too beaten down for me. I really felt horrible for her but I had a hard time relating to her. Even up to 90% or so she still thinks her and Mat have an expiration date. After all he said and did, I just couldn't believe she still doubted his feelings for her. I could understand why Angie was the was she was but I also needed her to have some backbone against her mother. That someone would use their child for their gain was just horrible. I so wanted that woman to get her due and I don't think she suffered enough.
I loved the side characters. Leslie and Danny were hilarious. I liked Angie's dad and I think he was the only reason Angie had made it as far as she had. But I did wonder why he stayed as long as he had and allowed her mother to treat her like she did.
There was a nice little epilogue but I needed more. Hopefully future books we'll see these two achieve a good future.
So overall, 5 Stars for an awesome hero and 3 for the heroine. It's a good debut for a new author and I look forward to her future books. I think she has great potential though I did find some editing issues mostly missing words here and there.
Angie is a fruit fly scientist. She's a nerdy girl with terrible self-esteem issues. She agrees to attend her friend, Danny's party. There she meets Danny's brother Mat. Mat's a popular architect. He's immediately taken with her and he doesn't let up.
This was difficult for me to rate. I absolutely loved Mat. He was one of the best heroes I've read. He was totally all into Angie and he never wavered at all. Even when many women come on to him, he doesn't give them the time of day and very forcefully tells them no. (A note about that..I found it very unrealistic that he was so attractive that women would come on to him in front of Angie and not even care she was there or take no for an answer. It did begin to annoy me after a while. He has not been with any of these women.)
My biggest issue was Angie. I really wanted to like her. She had moments where I thought she would really come through. But she was just too beaten down for me. I really felt horrible for her but I had a hard time relating to her. Even up to 90% or so she still thinks her and Mat have an expiration date. After all he said and did, I just couldn't believe she still doubted his feelings for her. I could understand why Angie was the was she was but I also needed her to have some backbone against her mother. That someone would use their child for their gain was just horrible. I so wanted that woman to get her due and I don't think she suffered enough.
I loved the side characters. Leslie and Danny were hilarious. I liked Angie's dad and I think he was the only reason Angie had made it as far as she had. But I did wonder why he stayed as long as he had and allowed her mother to treat her like she did.
There was a nice little epilogue but I needed more. Hopefully future books we'll see these two achieve a good future.
So overall, 5 Stars for an awesome hero and 3 for the heroine. It's a good debut for a new author and I look forward to her future books. I think she has great potential though I did find some editing issues mostly missing words here and there.
September 4, 2016
3.5 stars. If I rated this book based on Mat alone, it would've been close to a 5 star read for me. I just couldn't connect with the h. I totally understand that her mom was terrible and cut her down as much as she could and this affected the h (I can't even remember her name at this time). But she had a very loving father and some people around her that really cared for her yet she still couldn't see her own worth. She was just too immature for me. Her inner dialogue of not being good enough for Mat and just being positive that he would tire of her and leave her at some point, got very old. Mat did absolutely everything in his power to show her how he felt and prove himself to her and she still just held him at arm's length. When her mom would come around and fill her head with shit, she would believe it and push Mat away once again. Personally, I think he could've done better than her. I loved all of the secondary characters, especially Danny and Leslie. They were freaking hilarious. They had me laughing out loud so many times. I did enjoy the book and would read more by this author. Hopefully we will get an h with a smidge of confidence.
November 7, 2014
3.0 RATING- I know I'm in the minority on this one...but this was just okay for me. The story seemed a bit immature and hit a major pet peeve of mine: heroines that are hard to like because they're just too pathetic. I know that's harsh but it's also truthful. I love quirky heroines, I love damsels in distress, but I have a low tolerance for ladies that are doormats and who have such low self esteem they spend an entire book putting themselves down. There was a lot of potential here but it just didn't come together for me they way I was hoping. This was a debut novel for this author so there is potential for development.
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NOTE: This books is currently available to borrow through Amazon's Kindle Unlimited Program.
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December 30, 2016Baby-cakes, honey and sweetie overload. Not my cuppa.
June 15, 2015
The writing style really annoyed me and this was almost a DNF but I managed to finish.
May 20, 2015
Thanks to SamJ in reading this book first and Marta marking it as a freebie so I automatically needed to get my hands on it.
Oh Matt, oh Matt where have you been all my life? Matt gets a whooping 5 Stars from me. Believe me he deserved it although the inner monolgue was slightly overdone and sweetness was used to often for my liking.
Angie, Angie, Angie what are we to do with you? 3 Stars from me. At the beginning she had virtually no back bone and hell it did grow and I put that all on the James Family. Matt's family is great. I loved them. Angie has no idea what affection is when it comes to her mother and lets face it her mother is a grade A cougar and she is married. B*t*h. Angie is set up with Matt by his meddling sister unfortunately she attracts weirdos but Super Matt saves the day.
“He was a beautiful pagan god with the voice of a serial killer, but that didn’t make him any less god like. It just meant rather than dying in some dank basement or isolated cabin, I’d die bound on an altar as part of some gruesome sacrificial rite. Exsanguinating while he stood over my naked body with my blood dripping from an obsidian blade...Angelina Martin”
Matt had some pretty classic lines to go on
“Nice try, sweetheart, but there’s no way you’re leaving me alone with a barely aware drunk chick. Who knows what she’ll accused me of later? This time tomorrow, the cops could show up at my door, and before you know it, I’m rocking an orange jumpsuit, singing “Summer Loving” with a guy named Snake.”
The secondary characters were superb that they sometimes made you forget about the main characters. My favorites were Danny and Les. 3 Stars The book is dual POV which is very refreshing.
The banter in the book was amazeballs and I was in stiches most of the time embarrassing especially when I was on the tram and I laughed out loud. 5 Stars from me on that one.
This gives the book an overall 4 Star rating for me.
Oh Matt, oh Matt where have you been all my life? Matt gets a whooping 5 Stars from me. Believe me he deserved it although the inner monolgue was slightly overdone and sweetness was used to often for my liking.
Angie, Angie, Angie what are we to do with you? 3 Stars from me. At the beginning she had virtually no back bone and hell it did grow and I put that all on the James Family. Matt's family is great. I loved them. Angie has no idea what affection is when it comes to her mother and lets face it her mother is a grade A cougar and she is married. B*t*h. Angie is set up with Matt by his meddling sister unfortunately she attracts weirdos but Super Matt saves the day.
“He was a beautiful pagan god with the voice of a serial killer, but that didn’t make him any less god like. It just meant rather than dying in some dank basement or isolated cabin, I’d die bound on an altar as part of some gruesome sacrificial rite. Exsanguinating while he stood over my naked body with my blood dripping from an obsidian blade...Angelina Martin”
Matt had some pretty classic lines to go on
“Nice try, sweetheart, but there’s no way you’re leaving me alone with a barely aware drunk chick. Who knows what she’ll accused me of later? This time tomorrow, the cops could show up at my door, and before you know it, I’m rocking an orange jumpsuit, singing “Summer Loving” with a guy named Snake.”
The secondary characters were superb that they sometimes made you forget about the main characters. My favorites were Danny and Les. 3 Stars The book is dual POV which is very refreshing.
The banter in the book was amazeballs and I was in stiches most of the time embarrassing especially when I was on the tram and I laughed out loud. 5 Stars from me on that one.
This gives the book an overall 4 Star rating for me.
October 15, 2014
To be honest, I really liked this book. The H, Mat, tall, tatted and absolutely adorable. His feelings for Angie were right out there and he never backed down. The relationship he had with his parents was sweet and the banter he had with his sister made me laugh. What made this a 3 star read for me was the h, Angie. I understand she is a genius, socially awkward, and doesn't have many friends, but all this chick did was cry. I am surprised she didn't get dehydrated. Angie's mother was over the top evil. Almost to the point it was hard to believe.
Like I said, it was a good book and I would read this author again. Maybe a spin off with Mat's sister, Danny. That would be a fun read.
Like I said, it was a good book and I would read this author again. Maybe a spin off with Mat's sister, Danny. That would be a fun read.
March 25, 2015
4 FUNNY, SWEET AND CHEEKY STARS!
1). Did this book contain lots of LICENTIOUS behaviour?
2). Did this book contain lots of LASCIVIOUS behaviour?
3). Did this book contain lots of LUBRICIOUS behaviour ?
4). Did this book contain lots of LIBIDINOUS behaviour?
5). Did this book contain lots of really sexually descriptive words beginning with L?
YES, YES, YES, YES AND ERR HELL YES!
This book had a sweet, hot and filthy mouthed hero attracted to a socially awkward, insecure girl, hot shagging with a little bit of bossiness bedroom business going on too!
Oh and don't forget the camping for the vegetarian readers!
The only thing that made me want to scream in frustration was Miss Whiney McGiney, God almighty she could go on about how she wasn't good enough, or pretty enough ..blah..blah...blah! If your that fucking hideous go hide and stay away munter features! Did this spoil the book for me? No, I still really loved it and oh my god it had wordgasms galore.
I really thought I'd died and gone to word ejaculation heaven!
MEPHISTOPHELIAN - best word ever!
1). Did this book contain lots of LICENTIOUS behaviour?
2). Did this book contain lots of LASCIVIOUS behaviour?
3). Did this book contain lots of LUBRICIOUS behaviour ?
4). Did this book contain lots of LIBIDINOUS behaviour?
5). Did this book contain lots of really sexually descriptive words beginning with L?
YES, YES, YES, YES AND ERR HELL YES!
This book had a sweet, hot and filthy mouthed hero attracted to a socially awkward, insecure girl, hot shagging with a little bit of bossiness bedroom business going on too!
Oh and don't forget the camping for the vegetarian readers!
The only thing that made me want to scream in frustration was Miss Whiney McGiney, God almighty she could go on about how she wasn't good enough, or pretty enough ..blah..blah...blah! If your that fucking hideous go hide and stay away munter features! Did this spoil the book for me? No, I still really loved it and oh my god it had wordgasms galore.
I really thought I'd died and gone to word ejaculation heaven!
MEPHISTOPHELIAN - best word ever!
July 26, 2015
Angie is a timid women, her mother has made sure that she firmly lets her know that she is lacking where men are concerned. Although Angie is a genius and socially awkward in certain situations she is adorably humorous.
Mat's sister wants to set him up, now that she has found love everyone around her deserves to be too. Mat just hopes to get it over with until he meets Angie. He is enchanted and the more he unravels the mysteries of Angie, the more he understands she will be his happily ever after. That is if an interfering mother doesn't tear them apart.
I so did not want this book to end. Absolutely hands down one of the best this year I have read. I loved Mat and he is so understanding with Angie, he is alpha male when he needs to be and seductively naughty in other moments. I can see this becoming one I reread frequently. Cannot wait for authors next book.
Mat's sister wants to set him up, now that she has found love everyone around her deserves to be too. Mat just hopes to get it over with until he meets Angie. He is enchanted and the more he unravels the mysteries of Angie, the more he understands she will be his happily ever after. That is if an interfering mother doesn't tear them apart.
I so did not want this book to end. Absolutely hands down one of the best this year I have read. I loved Mat and he is so understanding with Angie, he is alpha male when he needs to be and seductively naughty in other moments. I can see this becoming one I reread frequently. Cannot wait for authors next book.
July 26, 2017
4.25 stars
I'm upping the stars from 3 to 4 since newest addition has been edited. I didn't notice any editing & grammar mistakes I liked the previous cover more.
Mat is the perfect H w/ his confidence, intelligence & humor. He adores the h. He is a 5 star+ H. I love his internal dialogue.
Angie the h b/c of her mom's BS has some self esteem issues. She was also funny intelligent & sweet.
The side characters added nice depth to the story. Story is told from 1st pov alternating between H & h. Book is a standalone w/ a HEA.
There are some very light bondge sex scenes that are hot.
Author has talent. Her writing style is fluid. Dialogue is smooth.
I'm upping the stars from 3 to 4 since newest addition has been edited. I didn't notice any editing & grammar mistakes I liked the previous cover more.
Mat is the perfect H w/ his confidence, intelligence & humor. He adores the h. He is a 5 star+ H. I love his internal dialogue.
Angie the h b/c of her mom's BS has some self esteem issues. She was also funny intelligent & sweet.
The side characters added nice depth to the story. Story is told from 1st pov alternating between H & h. Book is a standalone w/ a HEA.
There are some very light bondge sex scenes that are hot.
Author has talent. Her writing style is fluid. Dialogue is smooth.
July 20, 2015
Well... it didn't completely suck. But I was hoping for much more. More from the MC's, the plot, execution, all of it.
This one just left me like..
This one just left me like..
July 25, 2017
re read...love this book
November 16, 2017
I liked this book well enough. It was recommended because it had the KA alpha male feel and it does for the most part. As a first book from this author it was wonderful, but compared to Kristen Ashley there is still a ways to go. I do like the fact that the characters used intelligent words and it doesn't make them seem pretentious. It flows so that it seems these are the words that the characters would say.
It didn't hit it out of the park for me like Where I Belong did. I can't seem to put my finger what was preventing me from giving the last star, you KNOW when a book is that special 5 star and this one just fell short. I guess everyone is different which is why I do like to read others' reviews on how they feel about books.
But I did like the hot, bald, muscled, tattooed Mat. Who could not? He let his sister use his gorgeous body as her canvas. The heroine was ok. I liked that she was a brainiac, but she seemed lacking in character. Not sure if it was because she seemed unsure and scared and not spunky enough like other KA heroines. This is probably one of the reasons I didn't give it the 5 stars.
It didn't hit it out of the park for me like Where I Belong did. I can't seem to put my finger what was preventing me from giving the last star, you KNOW when a book is that special 5 star and this one just fell short. I guess everyone is different which is why I do like to read others' reviews on how they feel about books.
But I did like the hot, bald, muscled, tattooed Mat. Who could not? He let his sister use his gorgeous body as her canvas. The heroine was ok. I liked that she was a brainiac, but she seemed lacking in character. Not sure if it was because she seemed unsure and scared and not spunky enough like other KA heroines. This is probably one of the reasons I didn't give it the 5 stars.
May 16, 2015
I'm not very good at reviews, but wanted to let you know, how much I enjoyed this book.
Considering this is the first book , from this author, I was very impressed.
I'll mention the aspects that I liked.
That the h was smart, but somewhat socially awkward. This made me identify, we all have those insecurities.
That the H was into her from the start, I don't always want H's that indulge in ass-wipery ( not sure that's a word ), while they can't decide how they feel.
Low angst ( Personally, I only like angst, if it is followed by adequate grovelling )
The Humour, the characters snarking was good.
Smexy times were HAWT ! He can use " The Voice " on me any day.
And obviously the HEA.
I would definitely read more by this author, and look forward to the next book in the series, about Les & Bob.
Considering this is the first book , from this author, I was very impressed.
I'll mention the aspects that I liked.
That the h was smart, but somewhat socially awkward. This made me identify, we all have those insecurities.
That the H was into her from the start, I don't always want H's that indulge in ass-wipery ( not sure that's a word ), while they can't decide how they feel.
Low angst ( Personally, I only like angst, if it is followed by adequate grovelling )
The Humour, the characters snarking was good.
Smexy times were HAWT ! He can use " The Voice " on me any day.
And obviously the HEA.
I would definitely read more by this author, and look forward to the next book in the series, about Les & Bob.
June 7, 2015
This was just "meh..." for me. The h started to really annoy me with her constant insecurities. I thought the whole book made the h into this Cinderella type character that was perfect and sweet and meekly took everybody's shit; while the H was perfectly perfect and never got frustrated with the h constantly questioning how he felt about her. The bad guys--similar to the evil step monsters in Cinderalla--were these horrid evil people that used the h as a punching bag for kicks. Just seemed more like a fairytale type of read that I wasn't expecting in a contemporary romance and was just ridiculous--and not in a funny ha-ha way.
October 10, 2014
4.5 Star Rating!!
Really, really enjoyed this story. Mat was so great - there was just so much to love about him. He had a great sense of humor, smart, sexy, tattooed, faithful, caring and oh man, he was a dirty talker with an awesome bathroom!! He always handled Angie and her insecurities with such care, reassuring her in the best possible ways. Mat's family was awesome too and their friends just added to the enjoyment of the book for me. For a first book from a new author I think she did an excellent job with this story.
Really, really enjoyed this story. Mat was so great - there was just so much to love about him. He had a great sense of humor, smart, sexy, tattooed, faithful, caring and oh man, he was a dirty talker with an awesome bathroom!! He always handled Angie and her insecurities with such care, reassuring her in the best possible ways. Mat's family was awesome too and their friends just added to the enjoyment of the book for me. For a first book from a new author I think she did an excellent job with this story.
October 7, 2014
The editing needed a bit of work but this book was off the charts. I LOVED IT! For a first time effort Miss Vianna you did well. I can help with editing for your next book. Your characters are great and I would love to see you bring all of them to life with their own stories. Keep it up, great job.
June 14, 2015
The crude humor was fun at first then became crass. Would I be friends with any of these characters? Nope. If my family talked to me like they do, I wouldn't stand for it. My brothers Do Not swear at me or my own.
I went from sympathizing with the heroine to being frustrated and disappointed with her anxiety--get meds already!
The over the top side characters and blatant women hitting on the hero were off-putting. The hero started out great but immediately is physical with her in public. Do other women allow that much hands on during the first date?
Oh no! At the campground
I stopped reading when
Many reviews say how great this is when at 37% I couldn't take all of the characters anymore. This book reminded me of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. It is not for me.
I went from sympathizing with the heroine to being frustrated and disappointed with her anxiety--get meds already!
The over the top side characters and blatant women hitting on the hero were off-putting. The hero started out great but immediately is physical with her in public. Do other women allow that much hands on during the first date?
Oh no! At the campground
I stopped reading when
Many reviews say how great this is when at 37% I couldn't take all of the characters anymore. This book reminded me of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. It is not for me.
October 14, 2014
2.5 to 3 Stars
This is one of those situations where an editor could work wonders. I really liked what this book could have been. It has quirky characters, humorous situations and a decent flow along the plot line. It's definitely what I would consider one of those beach reads. It kind of follows the fairly predictable pattern for that type of book, but when you are looking for that, this one definitely hits the mark. The downside of all of that was the editing though. It isn't really grammatical errors, though they are there, but more of the general feel of some sections of the book. I do feel that those sections are something that could be corrected and make this book truly enjoyable. On an even better note, the author did suggest contacting her with any typos or inconsistencies, so kudos for her being willing to take help when offered. I love that in a new author. =)
So, overall opinion is that I really liked potential of this book. It's there in spades, it just needs to be fully realized..
This is one of those situations where an editor could work wonders. I really liked what this book could have been. It has quirky characters, humorous situations and a decent flow along the plot line. It's definitely what I would consider one of those beach reads. It kind of follows the fairly predictable pattern for that type of book, but when you are looking for that, this one definitely hits the mark. The downside of all of that was the editing though. It isn't really grammatical errors, though they are there, but more of the general feel of some sections of the book. I do feel that those sections are something that could be corrected and make this book truly enjoyable. On an even better note, the author did suggest contacting her with any typos or inconsistencies, so kudos for her being willing to take help when offered. I love that in a new author. =)
So, overall opinion is that I really liked potential of this book. It's there in spades, it just needs to be fully realized..
November 17, 2014
This was a did-not-finish book. It was creepy. It was supposed to be a shy, genius scientist girl meets bad boy with tattoos book. Instead, it was creepy.
They go on a camping trip right after meeting each other, with his family. The hero, the heroine, and the hero's sister all share a tent. The hero initiates sex with the heroine while the sister is pretending to sleep in the same tent. Then he tells the heroine afterwards, that she was too loud and even his sister can't pretend to sleep through that. And the heroine is like, what do you mean pretending to sleep? And the hero says she was awake the whole time. So creepy.
Then on the same camping trip he talks to a 4 year old girl and tells her he is an ogre and doesn't eat princesses unless they ask nicely. The 4 year old says why would they want you to eat them? And he says to the 4 year old, I only nibble a bit.
So creepy and wrong. I stopped reading. Did not finish book.
They go on a camping trip right after meeting each other, with his family. The hero, the heroine, and the hero's sister all share a tent. The hero initiates sex with the heroine while the sister is pretending to sleep in the same tent. Then he tells the heroine afterwards, that she was too loud and even his sister can't pretend to sleep through that. And the heroine is like, what do you mean pretending to sleep? And the hero says she was awake the whole time. So creepy.
Then on the same camping trip he talks to a 4 year old girl and tells her he is an ogre and doesn't eat princesses unless they ask nicely. The 4 year old says why would they want you to eat them? And he says to the 4 year old, I only nibble a bit.
So creepy and wrong. I stopped reading. Did not finish book.
April 15, 2017
I wanted to like this book., It has all sorts of catnip I likeL shy heroine, big guy, genius heroine, close family...
The writing needs a lot of work. We have alternating 1st person point of view. However, it is still hard to track whose point of view we are in even with the labeling because the character voices aren't
fine tuned.
It would be much better if the book was in third person and the outside conflict dropped away to just leave the characters who are interesting enough.
I will check out later books by this first time author to see if her craft improves.
The writing needs a lot of work. We have alternating 1st person point of view. However, it is still hard to track whose point of view we are in even with the labeling because the character voices aren't
fine tuned.
It would be much better if the book was in third person and the outside conflict dropped away to just leave the characters who are interesting enough.
I will check out later books by this first time author to see if her craft improves.
January 19, 2016
Although Dr. Angelina Martin, the heroine of this story, is a certified genius, I think author Candace Vianna may be the real genius. How else do you explain the ability to make a female PhD biology wizard with the ability to rebuild classic cars and an alpha rebel architect with as many muscles as brains relatable to little ole me?
The geek love theme drew me in, then the brilliant, insightful internal reflections and delicious dirty-talk kept me there. Terrific, irreverent characters and lightning-quick banter were highlights, too. Plus, who would have thought I would like an introverted cry-baby and a bossy bad-a** with tattoos quite so much?
Told in dual POVs, the reader gets the luxury of seeing some scenes from both Angie's and Mat's perspectives, which I LOVED! Vianna had a knack for switching POV at just the right time. It made the story just that much more satisfying.
Angie is the resident genius, mapping genetic codes for fruit flies and trying to get laid on the side. Apparently this is pretty tough for someone with an off-the-charts IQ, but I would think the muscle car would help. She is shy and dislikes crowds and has amazingly poor self-esteem for someone so smart. But then again, a critical mother who is monumentally precise with well-aimed digs at a daughter's insecurities could easily shred her sense of self-worth over time. Like I said - relatable. "Mommie Dearest" becomes the person you love to hate, and hero Mat leads the charge. Quite a bit of this book is consumed with Angie's horrid relationship with her mother and her nurturing connection to her father. Due to the James family corralling around Angie, the story never sinks to maudlin. The prolific snarky commentary helps keep the tone light, too.
Mat James, of the bald head and beefy build, is the prototypical alpha, even down to the insta-love he has for his new-found geeky sweetheart. You know in the first moments that he opens his mouth that his brains match the brawn. I knew I loved Mat only 10% of the way into the book when he said:
"I'd rather stick a fork in my brain then [sic] be forced to design these pricey cookie cutter developments."
I have to admit that Mat is quite unlike any architect I've ever met, but they do tend to have a bit of edge and universally appreciate art. It was totally believable (and endearing) that he would allow his sister to use his skin as her practice canvas for her tattoos. He is unutterably handsome, and it does Angie's self-esteem no favors that women endlessly hit on him, even when she is sitting there. Fortunately, Mat is the master of put-downs. This is one of those over-the-top elements that verged on ridiculous, but being the mother of a muscly and younger-than-he-looks teenage son, I actually have witnessed the cougar comments in action. Like I said, relatable.
Even the physical side of Angie's and Mat's relationship was filled with humor. Angie is shy and Mat is domineering, so the exploration of a little bondage was not unexpected. Angie's internal reflection of comparing her situation to "an unwelcome image of a frog ready for dissection" had me roaring with laughter. It was like reading A Geek's Guide to BDSM. Hilarious. Or at least it was hilarious when you weren't fanning yourself. These two are as verbal with their bedroom talk as they are the rest of the time. Regrettably, there is one scene where I wish they had also been a little more discreet.
Anytime a new character is introduced, there is great observational commentary that brings he or she to technicolor life.
"Thank God for Leslie....She'd whisper snarky observations on everything from wardrobe choice to sexual orientation. It was like a bizarre stream of consciousness, unpredictable, funny and occasionally uncomfortable."
This book is filled with larger-than-life characters. Angie's co-workers are adorably inept yet sharply observant. We all can feel good about loving to hate the plastic Scream Queens that constantly hit on our hero. Mat's family is singularly unique. The parents remind me a little of Sandra Bullock's character's parents in Two Weeks Notice: slightly Bohemian, wonderfully kind and ferociously smart. Luckily, they adopt Angie and help fortify her emerging confidence. Mat's sister Danny is the matchmaker and does everything she can to put Angie and Mat together. The dress-up scene before the faculty/work luncheon is priceless.
"I'm gonna get you in touch with your inner skank. I mean goddess. No, I was right the first time."
As if the characters aren't enough, Ms. Vianna manages to squeeze in a little suspense near the end of the book.
Finally, I really should be dropping this a star for the unrelenting grammar and punctuation mistakes (Kindle Unlimited version downloaded on 9/23/15), but I won't. I liked it that much. I loved this author's voice and hope to see more of it. Comedy and characters trump copy editing!
The geek love theme drew me in, then the brilliant, insightful internal reflections and delicious dirty-talk kept me there. Terrific, irreverent characters and lightning-quick banter were highlights, too. Plus, who would have thought I would like an introverted cry-baby and a bossy bad-a** with tattoos quite so much?
Told in dual POVs, the reader gets the luxury of seeing some scenes from both Angie's and Mat's perspectives, which I LOVED! Vianna had a knack for switching POV at just the right time. It made the story just that much more satisfying.
Angie is the resident genius, mapping genetic codes for fruit flies and trying to get laid on the side. Apparently this is pretty tough for someone with an off-the-charts IQ, but I would think the muscle car would help. She is shy and dislikes crowds and has amazingly poor self-esteem for someone so smart. But then again, a critical mother who is monumentally precise with well-aimed digs at a daughter's insecurities could easily shred her sense of self-worth over time. Like I said - relatable. "Mommie Dearest" becomes the person you love to hate, and hero Mat leads the charge. Quite a bit of this book is consumed with Angie's horrid relationship with her mother and her nurturing connection to her father. Due to the James family corralling around Angie, the story never sinks to maudlin. The prolific snarky commentary helps keep the tone light, too.
Mat James, of the bald head and beefy build, is the prototypical alpha, even down to the insta-love he has for his new-found geeky sweetheart. You know in the first moments that he opens his mouth that his brains match the brawn. I knew I loved Mat only 10% of the way into the book when he said:
"I'd rather stick a fork in my brain then [sic] be forced to design these pricey cookie cutter developments."
I have to admit that Mat is quite unlike any architect I've ever met, but they do tend to have a bit of edge and universally appreciate art. It was totally believable (and endearing) that he would allow his sister to use his skin as her practice canvas for her tattoos. He is unutterably handsome, and it does Angie's self-esteem no favors that women endlessly hit on him, even when she is sitting there. Fortunately, Mat is the master of put-downs. This is one of those over-the-top elements that verged on ridiculous, but being the mother of a muscly and younger-than-he-looks teenage son, I actually have witnessed the cougar comments in action. Like I said, relatable.
Even the physical side of Angie's and Mat's relationship was filled with humor. Angie is shy and Mat is domineering, so the exploration of a little bondage was not unexpected. Angie's internal reflection of comparing her situation to "an unwelcome image of a frog ready for dissection" had me roaring with laughter. It was like reading A Geek's Guide to BDSM. Hilarious. Or at least it was hilarious when you weren't fanning yourself. These two are as verbal with their bedroom talk as they are the rest of the time. Regrettably, there is one scene where I wish they had also been a little more discreet.
Anytime a new character is introduced, there is great observational commentary that brings he or she to technicolor life.
"Thank God for Leslie....She'd whisper snarky observations on everything from wardrobe choice to sexual orientation. It was like a bizarre stream of consciousness, unpredictable, funny and occasionally uncomfortable."
This book is filled with larger-than-life characters. Angie's co-workers are adorably inept yet sharply observant. We all can feel good about loving to hate the plastic Scream Queens that constantly hit on our hero. Mat's family is singularly unique. The parents remind me a little of Sandra Bullock's character's parents in Two Weeks Notice: slightly Bohemian, wonderfully kind and ferociously smart. Luckily, they adopt Angie and help fortify her emerging confidence. Mat's sister Danny is the matchmaker and does everything she can to put Angie and Mat together. The dress-up scene before the faculty/work luncheon is priceless.
"I'm gonna get you in touch with your inner skank. I mean goddess. No, I was right the first time."
As if the characters aren't enough, Ms. Vianna manages to squeeze in a little suspense near the end of the book.
Finally, I really should be dropping this a star for the unrelenting grammar and punctuation mistakes (Kindle Unlimited version downloaded on 9/23/15), but I won't. I liked it that much. I loved this author's voice and hope to see more of it. Comedy and characters trump copy editing!
November 22, 2014
Okay, I'm going to assume that you read the summary and just jump off from there.
Mat is hella hawt! He's a six foot plus, bald, tattooed love god with a serial killer voice (oh wow! wait until you hear Angie's explanation of the serial killer voice! I was laughing soooo hard I got stink-eyed from passersby), a healthy business slash career, no mommy issues and no biological need to stick it and hit it with as many females as possible (I know right? Where do I sign up to have one like him on my X-Mas list!). He has a disconcerting need to steal panties, but only Angie's, so it's cute (not stalkerish slash creepy...CUTE dammit).
Angie is that chick that has everything; uber (almost scary) brainy, skyrocketing career, money, and a sahweet, orgasm inducing slice of American Muscle to tool around in. She, however, has severe mommy issues of the wire hanger variety. She is also painfully, mortifyingly, tragically, damn near debilitatingly...shy. Which would normally do nothing but get on my damn nerves PDQ...but no, Candace has a way of writing that clicks these two opposites into the perfect puzzle.
There is lots of drama (not of the cheating kind FYI), TONS of heat, a plethora of one-liners to have you laughing out loud at inopportune times, side characters that are guaran-dayum-teed to steal your heart, and a couple that beat the odds and are dragged (oft times blushing hard enough to start a forest fire) into their happy ending.
I hate to compare authors, each one is unique in their own way, so I'm NOT comparing...I'm gonna give you an "if you like..." scenario. (I am SUPER picky about who and what I read, these books bounce around in my head forEVAH, and I don't want too many disturbing, to me at least, images up there). If you like Kristen Ashley, Aurora Rose Reynold, Lila Rose, Penny Reid, Sugar Jamison or Bella Aurora, then you'll love Candace Vianna. She's definitely going on my Stalk Her (uhh I mean, biggest fan of) List.
Mat is hella hawt! He's a six foot plus, bald, tattooed love god with a serial killer voice (oh wow! wait until you hear Angie's explanation of the serial killer voice! I was laughing soooo hard I got stink-eyed from passersby), a healthy business slash career, no mommy issues and no biological need to stick it and hit it with as many females as possible (I know right? Where do I sign up to have one like him on my X-Mas list!). He has a disconcerting need to steal panties, but only Angie's, so it's cute (not stalkerish slash creepy...CUTE dammit).
Angie is that chick that has everything; uber (almost scary) brainy, skyrocketing career, money, and a sahweet, orgasm inducing slice of American Muscle to tool around in. She, however, has severe mommy issues of the wire hanger variety. She is also painfully, mortifyingly, tragically, damn near debilitatingly...shy. Which would normally do nothing but get on my damn nerves PDQ...but no, Candace has a way of writing that clicks these two opposites into the perfect puzzle.
There is lots of drama (not of the cheating kind FYI), TONS of heat, a plethora of one-liners to have you laughing out loud at inopportune times, side characters that are guaran-dayum-teed to steal your heart, and a couple that beat the odds and are dragged (oft times blushing hard enough to start a forest fire) into their happy ending.
I hate to compare authors, each one is unique in their own way, so I'm NOT comparing...I'm gonna give you an "if you like..." scenario. (I am SUPER picky about who and what I read, these books bounce around in my head forEVAH, and I don't want too many disturbing, to me at least, images up there). If you like Kristen Ashley, Aurora Rose Reynold, Lila Rose, Penny Reid, Sugar Jamison or Bella Aurora, then you'll love Candace Vianna. She's definitely going on my Stalk Her (uhh I mean, biggest fan of) List.
Read
March 22, 2017Candace Vianna’s The Science of Loving is probably the worst new adult book that I have read thus far in my quest to find decent new adult books. Crammed with hella slut shaming, over the top internalized misogyny, emotional manipulation, sexual assault (this really pissed me off because it was ~acknowledged for like two sentences and then was brushed under the rug because of ~reasons-- cue vomiting), and so many other bullshit tropes that really irritate me, this is one of those books that have been filed under “my evens can’t even.” The female lead, Angie, was essentially a damsel in distress blow up doll with no sense of agency of her own but with multiple doctorates which I guess is supposed to make it better but it did the opposite. Do not even get me started on Mat, the male love interest, because otherwise I may go into cardiac arrest. Described as tall, muscled, heavily tattooed and essentially perfect architect with a heart of gold who has countless people throwing themselves at him for no reason other than he looks like a ~bad boy. Let’s just say that I would probs poison the guy if I ever met a non-fictionalized version of him on the street. Also homeboy needs to work on his game because his kind of dirty talk is vomit inducing. Notice I have not mentioned any sort of plot? Yeah because there wasn’t one outside of Angie being in a situation, Mat ~saving her and being hit on by “sluts” and “skanks” (which piss off with that disgusting name calling), and then they go off and do the do. Yawn. I understand that new adult is aimed towards the 18 to 20-something set hence the more “adult” situations but we deserve better than this.
January 12, 2015
Very well written with a few editing and punctuation issues. This is a stand-alone book with no cliffhangers. 4.5 stars rounded up. Were it not for the editing issues, this would have been a five star read for me, but the juxtaposition with such high quality writing was a jarring distraction.
This book was such a happy surprise. I don't think I've ever read a book about a group of really smart people that had such complex and sophisticated dialog -- and that is not code for boring. This book was funny, sexy, sweet, emotional, intellectual and hot. It's definitely the first romance I've ever read that used vocabulary like exsanguinate, concupiscent and vitiating, while pulling off references to fem-bots, the Wiggles and Comi-con. This was a group of smart, accomplished, successful, happy people who have normal insecurities and dysfunctional families -- people I am probably not smart enough to hang out with, but would love to be invited to be part of the group.
The male lead character is off the charts hot, with big muscles, lots of tattoos, loads of alpha-male attitude, a very dirty mouth, with an even dirtier inner dialog. What makes him even hotter is his inner softy and his strong family bond. The female character is off-the-chart smart, a little neurotic and a fair amount naïve. But, she's not weak, just shy.
I really loved this story and would recommend it to fans of the off-beat romance, nerd love, hot-tattooed guys, smart chick lit and drum-roll, improvised BDSM.
This book was such a happy surprise. I don't think I've ever read a book about a group of really smart people that had such complex and sophisticated dialog -- and that is not code for boring. This book was funny, sexy, sweet, emotional, intellectual and hot. It's definitely the first romance I've ever read that used vocabulary like exsanguinate, concupiscent and vitiating, while pulling off references to fem-bots, the Wiggles and Comi-con. This was a group of smart, accomplished, successful, happy people who have normal insecurities and dysfunctional families -- people I am probably not smart enough to hang out with, but would love to be invited to be part of the group.
The male lead character is off the charts hot, with big muscles, lots of tattoos, loads of alpha-male attitude, a very dirty mouth, with an even dirtier inner dialog. What makes him even hotter is his inner softy and his strong family bond. The female character is off-the-chart smart, a little neurotic and a fair amount naïve. But, she's not weak, just shy.
I really loved this story and would recommend it to fans of the off-beat romance, nerd love, hot-tattooed guys, smart chick lit and drum-roll, improvised BDSM.
November 20, 2018
The nerdy science genius Angie gets invited to her friends party to meet her friends brother. Danny's brother is not at all what Angie thought he would be. At first she's afraid of him because he's a tall tattooed god, but then she and Mat seem to hit it off even though Angie isn't sure at all she can keep his interest things seem to move quickly for them. But with lots of people out to hurt them and get in between them they have a lot to work through before coming out on top!
The Science of Loving was a hilarious good read with lots of drama, and a nerdy heroine with insecurities and an alpha male who wasn't just an alpha male but also funny and slightly immature at times. They really balanced each other out, and made the book very enjoyable! Also the side characters like Angie's friend, and Mat's sister were equally hilarious and brought a lot of laughs to the book.
The only thing that bothered me at times was how Angie seemed to cry quite often! It was a tad bit annoying after a while. But really that was the only thing that got on my nerves. The rest of the book was good, and I really enjoyed it!
The Science of Loving was a hilarious good read with lots of drama, and a nerdy heroine with insecurities and an alpha male who wasn't just an alpha male but also funny and slightly immature at times. They really balanced each other out, and made the book very enjoyable! Also the side characters like Angie's friend, and Mat's sister were equally hilarious and brought a lot of laughs to the book.
The only thing that bothered me at times was how Angie seemed to cry quite often! It was a tad bit annoying after a while. But really that was the only thing that got on my nerves. The rest of the book was good, and I really enjoyed it!
October 3, 2014
This is a 2.5 stars for me, but I'm rounding up because it's the first book I've read by this author. What I liked about this book was the majority of the characters and the dialogue between them-I love quirky peeps and witty banter. I really liked Mat the H as well, he was perfectly written, sweet and strong. I was pretty much sucked into the book until one too many times the h's nearly paralyzing insecurity was fed by yet another random hitting on Mat. So much of the drama stemmed from random women throwing themselves at the H-feeding that stereotype that all women (especially if they are attractive) are bitches. I think I would have enjoyed more meaningful dialogue between the H and h, and less drama because this author is fabulous at the dialogue. Looking forward to future reads by Candace Vianna.
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