What do you think?
Rate this book
Choosing You
Previously published as A Choice Fit For A Queen in the anthology If Ever I Would Leave YouFor perpetual overachiever Madison Lane, a summer studying Arthurian mythology in the Welsh countryside with professor Thomas Evans is a dream come true, and the adventure of a lifetime. Of course, the enormous crush Madison developed on the professor after a semester of his lectures at U of M has absolutely nothing to do with her desire to learn more about the enduring legend of Camelot. At least, that’s what she’s telling her parents. When Madison meets local hottie Rhys Crewe, sparks fly, throwing her plans for a wild fling with Professor Evans completely out of whack—as do her unexpectedly complicated feelings for Thomas. With tales of Arthur and Lancelot haunting her every waking moment, Madison has to make the most difficult choice of her life.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2014
3 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Trout
10 books688 followersJenny Trout is a writer, blogger, and funny person.
Writing as Jennifer Armintrout, she made the USA Today Bestseller list with Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her novel American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online.
Jenny also writes award-winning erotic romance as Abigail Barnette.
When she’s not writing, she’s sleeping or otherwise incapacitated.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to murder her.
Writing as Jennifer Armintrout, she made the USA Today Bestseller list with Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her novel American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online.
Jenny also writes award-winning erotic romance as Abigail Barnette.
When she’s not writing, she’s sleeping or otherwise incapacitated.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to murder her.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 26, 2015
I normally like Jenny Trout's books, but this didn't live up to my expectations. The plot seemed all over the place and I just couldn't bring myself to like the characters.
The female protagonist was suddenly head over heels in love with guy #1 and then she realised that she actually loved guy #2.
I prefer reading Jenny's The Boss series.
The female protagonist was suddenly head over heels in love with guy #1 and then she realised that she actually loved guy #2.
I prefer reading Jenny's The Boss series.
May 3, 2015
Choosing You was a bit of a change from my normal paranormal routine, but it was fun nonetheless. I loved that Madison was all over the place in terms of her emotions in the classic love triangle scenario, but with a neat comparison to the Camelot legend. It got a tad racy for me, but I didn't mind because it was so well-written. Was satisfied with the ending, and overall the story itself was an enjoyable read with a lighthearted tone.
September 24, 2017
I enjoyed this, but something kept me from REALLY liking it. Possibly it's the lack of ramifications for a student/teacher relationship. I felt like the professor was let off way too lightly? Like, someone does mention that he SHOULD NOT BE DATING A STUDENT, but that's basically the only poo-pooing of the professor that happens? For me to be on board with the professor being a good dude (as the book tries to tell us) you have to sell me on a, true love, or b, massive angst and thinking on the professor's part. Since the first doesn't happen, for me to still think the professor is an okay dude and not a MASSIVE CREEP, I have to believe he's had second and third and probably fourth thoughts. But nope.
In short, entertaining light read, but the professor thing kept me from being totally on board
In short, entertaining light read, but the professor thing kept me from being totally on board
March 16, 2017
tl;dr: novella thats short, sweet, and spicy
The story:
There are a few writers out there that can impel me to click on the purchase button with very little debate, and Jenny Trout (or her pseudonym Abigail Barnette) is one of them. This short and sweet novella is new adult, meaning that it is a stepping stone between young adult and regular adult (old adult?) fiction, so basically this story is about college-age adults, who are so new to adulthood that these stories usually present with a few themes, like finding careers, discovering themselves as individuals, and immaturity.
Madison is taking a 6-week course in Wales, partly because she enjoys the subject of Arthurian literature, but let's be real: mostly she wants to make goo-goo eyes at her devastatingly sexy professor. She's shocked when it turns out that her desires aren't unrequited, and they embark on a pretty sexy affair. Madison, however, begins to realize that the daydream of banging her professor and the reality of it are not quite the same, and she needs to do some soul-searching during her 6-week trip.
The only thing that wasn't flawless to me in this novella was the so-called tension between Madison and Professor Hottie. One of the conflicts is that they aren't supposed to have anything in common, and that their entire relationship is sex, but the relationship did not come across totally that way to me.
And the smut was A+.
Technical elements:
Amazing. No complaints.
Final thoughts:
If you're ever in need of a short novella with steamy smut scenes and a heart of gold, all set on a Welsh landscape, this is a fantastic choice. And while you're there, check out all of her other novels.
The story:
There are a few writers out there that can impel me to click on the purchase button with very little debate, and Jenny Trout (or her pseudonym Abigail Barnette) is one of them. This short and sweet novella is new adult, meaning that it is a stepping stone between young adult and regular adult (old adult?) fiction, so basically this story is about college-age adults, who are so new to adulthood that these stories usually present with a few themes, like finding careers, discovering themselves as individuals, and immaturity.
Madison is taking a 6-week course in Wales, partly because she enjoys the subject of Arthurian literature, but let's be real: mostly she wants to make goo-goo eyes at her devastatingly sexy professor. She's shocked when it turns out that her desires aren't unrequited, and they embark on a pretty sexy affair. Madison, however, begins to realize that the daydream of banging her professor and the reality of it are not quite the same, and she needs to do some soul-searching during her 6-week trip.
The only thing that wasn't flawless to me in this novella was the so-called tension between Madison and Professor Hottie. One of the conflicts is that they aren't supposed to have anything in common, and that their entire relationship is sex, but the relationship did not come across totally that way to me.
And the smut was A+.
Technical elements:
Amazing. No complaints.
Final thoughts:
If you're ever in need of a short novella with steamy smut scenes and a heart of gold, all set on a Welsh landscape, this is a fantastic choice. And while you're there, check out all of her other novels.
November 19, 2022
This felt frothy, not in a bad way but simply light and airy. Madison is torn between two guys while taking a course on Arthurian legends, so some obvious comparisons are made. I enjoyed it.
March 2, 2015
PROS
• This was a well-written romance novel. Yes, you read that correctly. A well-written romance novel. So I guess the biggest ‘pro’ is that Jenny Trout has given me hope! I love romance, I love smut, but I also love language and grammar, and for the most part they have been mutually exclusive concepts. Enter Jenny Trout, my new hero.
• The love interests were delightful. Obviously with a title like Choosing You we can assume that there is a choice to be made, so I'm not spoiling anything. Trout made the choice tough because both dudes were actually worthy of affection and I totally would have boned both of them. These were actual fantasy men. (Yes, 'actual fantasy.' I stand by it.) Trout’s heroes don’t come in and stalk the MC or control her or make her decisions for her, but instead take an interest in her life and opinions. Madison is not treated like some cliched woman cut-out by the men in this novel; rather, they read literature naked together and run away from a half-crazed donkey. You know, SEXY stuff!
• The sex scenes were hot! Yeah! When Madison tumbled into the sheets the first time, I was right there with her. They aren’t hardcore by any means, so if you’re looking for smutsmut you’ll have to look elsewhere. But these scenes were sweet, sexy, and definitely fantasy-worthy.
• The setting was lovely. In this novel, you get to visit a small English village and meet a few of its locals.
• There’s a donkey, and he’s ill-tempered. (IMPORTANT: The donkey is NOT a part of any of the sex scenes.)
• It’s fun to read! I know I already talked about the writing, but you can have good writing and still be boring. This is not the case. Jenny Trout is funny. I laughed out loud, I grinned a lot, and sometimes I even said things like ‘tee hee!’
• I detected a line or two of snark re: a book I loathe, and it tickled me. Oh, it tickled me.
CONS
• It moved a little too fast. We were expected to go places emotionally in a very short period of time. Feasibly it could happen, but I don’t think the characters and situations were fully-developed.
• Madison was supposed to be a 20-year-old college student, but she was coming across more as a 28-year-old grad student... Maybe just because I was so spazzy at that age, I can’t imagine someone being so put-together at 20.
• Before pointing out this ‘con,’ I just want to say that when the criticism of a book gets down to nitty-gritty details, it means that the rest of it was pretty damn good. That being said, this is one of my pet peeves: Thom is a professor of English literature, yet he says “Really, the problem with Jenna and I...” Perhaps I could overlook this if it were said by someone who is NOT an English professor because it’s a common enough mistake. But that really got my goat, especially because later on in the book ‘me’ is used correctly in a similar instance. So somehow this just slipped past the editors, and I’m the kind of asshole who not only noticed it, but who let it ruin a moment for me.
• There’s only two and a half sex scenes.
Couldn’t put it down?
I could put this down, but I was always happy to pick it back up again. It didn’t keep me up at night, but I read it consistently during my reading times.
Would recommend?
Yes! I recommend this book to anyone who wants a real romance with vanilla-but-enticing sex scenes.
Guilty pleasure?
Nope. This is a real pleasure that I don’t feel guilty at all for liking.
Will I read more from this author?
You bet I will! I’m going to form a Jenny Trout fan club and appoint myself Treasurer!
Favorite Quotations:
“The sweetness pitched on its axis and tilted us into hungrier territory.” (You know they’re about to get it on!)
“I was reality-impaired when it came to romance.”
“He touched me like he wanted to live under my skin.”
February 19, 2015
This was previously published as A Choice Fit For A Queen in an anthology of Arthurian stories for a new Generation. It is a love triangle romance so if you are allergic to them you won’t like this story.
Madison Lane has an enormous crush on her Professor, Thom Evans and is visiting Wales to try and impress him further by doing his special summer course. She’s pretty young and massively out of her depth but this is the land of Arthur and the round table and that’s what she’s there for. And maybe for Thom; they kissed once and she wants more. Rooming at one of the two pubs in town, she meets barman Rhys - the young hot guy. She forgot to ask his last name because she was too busy staring at him.
It was a nice read with some funny parts, some sexy parts and a happy for now ending.
So Madison is the titular queen having to choose between the two men, just like Guinevere.
Madison Lane has an enormous crush on her Professor, Thom Evans and is visiting Wales to try and impress him further by doing his special summer course. She’s pretty young and massively out of her depth but this is the land of Arthur and the round table and that’s what she’s there for. And maybe for Thom; they kissed once and she wants more. Rooming at one of the two pubs in town, she meets barman Rhys - the young hot guy. She forgot to ask his last name because she was too busy staring at him.
It was a nice read with some funny parts, some sexy parts and a happy for now ending.
So Madison is the titular queen having to choose between the two men, just like Guinevere.
March 7, 2015
Hurrah for Jenny Trout!
Choosing You is the perfect novella to sit and squander away a lazy Saturday arvo (or Sunday evening in my case), it's fun and quick to read. (and I'd give it a bonus half star for the nod to Little Britain's Llandewi Breffi).
Ever since I had the 50 Shades of God-awful books inflicted on my brain with the creepy-manipulative-abusive-stalker-portrayed-as-the-romance-hero-with-stereotyped-innocent-female-who-must-be-saved/taught (and don't get me stated again on just how dreadful the actual writing is), I now but can't help compare all books that I place in the "fluffy raunch" category to those epic disastaers of shitty fiction.
And that is where Jenny Trout/Abigail Barnette comes into play, she writes her female characters with a sense of self-worth, strength & individuality, and her males with a nice amount of wit and charm, and I very much enjoy reading her books.
In Choosing You her lead female Maddison, whilst young, is not stereotyped into the "romance female" category, she has a stong voice (even if she is at times self-admitedly going to confusion or doubt), and her lead males are distincly more interesting, and lacking in the creep factor, that makes Christian Grey such a gigantic douchelord. IT's enjoyable to read the way JT puts her 'world' together, and the characters within it.
So this book is a "light fluffy raunch" read, and a good one at that.
Choosing You is the perfect novella to sit and squander away a lazy Saturday arvo (or Sunday evening in my case), it's fun and quick to read. (and I'd give it a bonus half star for the nod to Little Britain's Llandewi Breffi).
Ever since I had the 50 Shades of God-awful books inflicted on my brain with the creepy-manipulative-abusive-stalker-portrayed-as-the-romance-hero-with-stereotyped-innocent-female-who-must-be-saved/taught (and don't get me stated again on just how dreadful the actual writing is), I now but can't help compare all books that I place in the "fluffy raunch" category to those epic disastaers of shitty fiction.
And that is where Jenny Trout/Abigail Barnette comes into play, she writes her female characters with a sense of self-worth, strength & individuality, and her males with a nice amount of wit and charm, and I very much enjoy reading her books.
In Choosing You her lead female Maddison, whilst young, is not stereotyped into the "romance female" category, she has a stong voice (even if she is at times self-admitedly going to confusion or doubt), and her lead males are distincly more interesting, and lacking in the creep factor, that makes Christian Grey such a gigantic douchelord. IT's enjoyable to read the way JT puts her 'world' together, and the characters within it.
So this book is a "light fluffy raunch" read, and a good one at that.
September 15, 2018
A short novella, but a perennial favorite -- this is probably the third or fourth time I've read it. I love keeping this light, yet so-full-hearted romance novel always downloaded on my Kindle, just to have when I need it. I didn't expect to re-read it this year, but as I took the train to and fro in the UK, I realized this might be the perfect read. I'm far older than Madison was on her journey abroad, and I certainly don't have two British men vying for my heart, but it was nice to revisit Jenny Trout's version of the Welsh countryside as I begin my own UK adventures. If you've never read anything by Jenny Trout, this is a great, short start. Trout is a brilliant writer and each of her books overflows not only with warm and romance, but great intelligence. Definitely recommended.
March 26, 2015
So I really enjoyed this book.
It was short-ish. The characters didn't act like a bunch of rich spoiled babies. The people I wanted to wind up together did. Overall I'm happy with it.
I'm not really a fan of teacher student relationships. Really not. It's a personal thing. And partially has to do with the power imbalances and the ethics involved. I'll read them regardless but generally don't like them. Especially consequences of when one wants to break up with the other. This book handled it really well. I liked that.
It had adults making adult decisions and not acting like spoiled whiny babies. Like a lot of books unfortunately do.
Also, the sex was hot. I really liked that.
It was short-ish. The characters didn't act like a bunch of rich spoiled babies. The people I wanted to wind up together did. Overall I'm happy with it.
I'm not really a fan of teacher student relationships. Really not. It's a personal thing. And partially has to do with the power imbalances and the ethics involved. I'll read them regardless but generally don't like them. Especially consequences of when one wants to break up with the other. This book handled it really well. I liked that.
It had adults making adult decisions and not acting like spoiled whiny babies. Like a lot of books unfortunately do.
Also, the sex was hot. I really liked that.
May 3, 2015
Actual people!
I've read Jenny's blog before, so when Kindle Unlimited had one of her books available, I wanted to give it a try. To my enjoyment, she writes actual people as well as I'd hoped! The characters were such that I felt I could meet them on the street and have an instant rapport. I also enjoyed. Heroine who acknowledged her own intelligence, good looks, and faults. Great read!
I've read Jenny's blog before, so when Kindle Unlimited had one of her books available, I wanted to give it a try. To my enjoyment, she writes actual people as well as I'd hoped! The characters were such that I felt I could meet them on the street and have an instant rapport. I also enjoyed. Heroine who acknowledged her own intelligence, good looks, and faults. Great read!
April 10, 2015
A sexy romance with an Arthurian twist
I picked up this book wanting to read something new from Jenny Trout. This was a fun light hearted tale that I soon became emotionally involved in. What girl doesn't have a college professor fantasy? It doesn't hurt when it takes place in a tiny Welsh village learning about love and love lost. Take a chance and read this book.
I picked up this book wanting to read something new from Jenny Trout. This was a fun light hearted tale that I soon became emotionally involved in. What girl doesn't have a college professor fantasy? It doesn't hurt when it takes place in a tiny Welsh village learning about love and love lost. Take a chance and read this book.
February 9, 2015
I wasn't a fan. A VERY quick, easy read, I just couldn't get into the characters at all.
Both relationships felt very stilted, sudden and a bit lacking.
Both relationships felt very stilted, sudden and a bit lacking.
April 25, 2016
I sort of resent spending so much time with a relationship that doesn't happen, even if it's telegraphed from the beginning who the heroine is going to end up with.
January 18, 2015
Easy read. Despite the fact I'm not really into romances, I had fun with it.
November 17, 2015
See thoughts at:
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blog...
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blog...
December 14, 2023
Good story with some realism in character
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews