Good Girl

Love Unexpectedly #2

by Lauren Layne

Lauren Layne brings all the unpredictable heat of her USA Today bestseller Blurred Lines to an all-new cast of characters! Country music’s favorite good girl is hiding away from the world—only to find herself bunking with a guy who makes her want to be a little bad.
 
Jenny Dawson moved to Nashville to write music, not get famous. But when her latest record goes double platinum, Jenny’s suddenly one of the town’s biggest stars—and the center of a tabloid scandal connecting her with a pop star she’s barely even met. With paparazzi tracking her every move, Jenny flees to a remote mansion in Louisiana to write her next album. The only hiccup is the unexpected presence of a brooding young caretaker named Noah, whose foul mouth and snap judgments lead to constant bickering—and serious heat.
 
Noah really should tell Jenny that he’s Preston Noah Maxwell Walcott, the owner of the estate where the feisty country singer has made her spoiled self at home. But the charade gives Noah a much-needed break from his own troubles, and before long, their verbal sparring is indistinguishable from foreplay. But as sizzling nights give way to quiet pillow talk, Noah begins to realize that Jenny’s almost as complicated as he is. To fit into each other’s lives, they’ll need the courage to face their problems together—before the outside world catches up to them.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook, Chick Lit

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2016

About the author

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

Reviews

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****4.5 STARS*****
{Netgalley ARC}


Somewhere in my heart, I know that it doesn't get better than what I'm feeling right now. Not just the physical pleasure, although that's certainly there, in a major way. But the way he watches me when he thinks I'm not looking, the thoroughness with which he takes care of me and Dolly, the quiet goodness of him...
I want this. I want it all with him, no matter how short our time together.






I’ve read a ton of Lauren Layne books so far and I know that this lady can seriously write a good romcom. She also has the knack for writing stories with gut-wrenching angst as well. Good Girl has that couple that starts off seriously hating each other while at the same time they have an undeniably strong attraction for one another as well. This combination makes for some incredible SCHMEXY times!!



Jenny Dawson is country music’s latest ”IT GIRL”. Her agent had her move out to Hollywood to boost her popularity with her fans, but Jenny hasn’t really loved living so far away from her family and close friends back in Tennessee. The paparazzi have been pretty cruel about her current weight issues in the tabloids, but she’s been somewhat taking it all in stride. Her life is about to become fodder for the front page of all the gossip magazines and social media sites when an actor she barely knows and only spoke briefly to at an awards show, starts spreading ridiculous rumors about her. He claims they had an affair that is currently jeopardizing his marriage. Soon other B-List actors are jumping on the bandwagon spreading lies about her whorish ways, and poor Jenny gets falsely labeled a homewrecker. This has her running from Hollywood to a place in Glory, Louisiana, that she remembers being a safe haven for her when she was a young girl. It’s also the place where she got inspired to write her first album and she’s hoping that it will help her get her creative juices flowing again.



Noah Maxwell, aka Preston Walcott, is the owner of the once musician’s retreat that Jenny has booked a room at to escape the current tabloid frenzy. The place is pretty much falling apart and up until Jenny called to rent out the place, Noah actually had no idea of its existence. Since he’s currently trying to escape drama in his personal life, he decides to stay at the retreat while also taking on some much-needed DIY projects.



When the two meet, they instantly form misguided opinions of each other and the insults start flying pretty quickly. But there is this underlying serious heat between them as well. Jenny thinks that Noah is the caretaker of the retreat and that his best friend, Vaughn, is Preston Walcott, the owner of the establishment. So Noah decides to go along with the charade. Noah is good at throwing the dirty innuendos at Jenny and momma mia, that scene where he just shows up in her bedroom while she is taking care of her needs??!!!!! That could be one of the HOTTEST scenes LL has written to date!



Here’s a first for me. Even though Noah is supposed to be incredibly hot and definitely a good lay, I had a really hard time liking him. He was just too much of a douchebag. I didn’t like his hot & cold attitude towards Jenny, and sometimes he was just downright cruel. I loved Jenny and hated that he would throw insults at her that would cut her so deep. I do enjoy when a couple has a ”love to hate” each other dynamic, but the hero is always adorably cocky and impossible not to fall in love with. Noah was just a straight up jerk with an enormous chip on his shoulder. I didn’t find him very attractive, and definitely not worthy of Jenny’s affections.


But as the story progresses, light is shed on why Noah is so bitter and untrusting of people. He’s had a pretty hard life and when he’s reunited with his wealthy father, he was forced to be someone he wasn’t. Noah didn’t enjoy running with the affluent crowd. He was also in a relationship with a woman who only cared about social status and whom he was not the least bit in love with. Now Noah just wants to live a simple life with a woman who truly wants to share it with him. Is Jenny the woman for him? Can she give up her life as country music’s sweetheart and live in the middle of Glory, Louisiana with Noah?



So towards the latter 30% of the story, my heart warmed up to Noah. I loved how he would come to Jenny’s rescue when she needed him and that he even adored her tiny Pomeranian, Dolly!! Oh my, God, did I love that little furball too!!



This book was just utterly enjoying from beginning to end. I laughed, I cried a little, and I seriously got turned on by the crazy hot steam! I honestly have to say this one packs a punch with the schmexy!!



Good Girl releases tomorrow! Be sure to one-click!!!!


http://amzn.to/22ekh3L

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so DULL!

I read books to feel excited and bittersweet when it's over, so I truly dislike the experience when I can't actually wait for a book to end.

And that is what this book made me think throughout.

And that's not mentioning the 22-year-old, unrelated and unlikable heroine and the cheesy and annoying romance.

I won't rule out this author but that was the second book of hers that didn't make a good impression on me whatsoever.

So I'm taking a break from reading her work for now.

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 "Princess!" stars***



Alright!!! This book was soooo good!!!
I had such a pleasant time while i was reading it...
It was funny, crazy, easygoing, at times emotional and i enjoyed every single moment in it!!!!

The characters were adorable and the plot very cute!!!
I loved it!!! It was soooo refreshing!!!

Well, Jenny Dawson is only 22 years old and her music carreer is on its pick... She is a very famous country singer and she is trying to write the songs of her new album with not much of success...

And not only that but the tabloids are talking all the god damn time about her and some imaginary nasty things... But the things are getting out of hand when a famous married pop singer is admitting that she had slept with him and from that time, the accusations are starting...

And the worst thing of all is that she've never been with that guy... She just saw him once for five minutes!!! So for damage controlling, she is deciding to isolated in some old mansion in Louisiana that she used to go as a kid....

"America's good girl just went bad."
"I hate that label. I hate that a halo's been thrust atop my head simply because someone somewhere decided that I have an innocent-looking face.
I hate even more how easy it is for that halo to be knocked off."

Noah or Preston didn't know that he owned that forsaken mansion somewhere in Louisiana until Jenny Dawson asked to rent it for the summer... Now, he is trying to fix some things in there before she will attend and at the same time, he is trying to put his life in an order...

Noah was having a complicated life as a kid and even as a grown up man... He is living with a foot on a world and the other foot on another world and that is stressing him out... And not even that, but he decided to call off the wedding with his cheating ex...

And when in the equation adds this pampered princess, his snappy self is making an appearance and he is pretending someone that he is not... and he is introducing himself as the caretaker of the house!!!

"I just turned my entire life upside down trying to get away from a woman exactly like this one, so this is definetely a look, don't touch situation.
But I'm looking. I'm definetely looking."

So, from now on, an awkard coexistence is starting...

Jenny and Noah seemed to hate each other and they don't lose the opportunity to provoke each other, but at the same time they are lusting over the other and the air is heavy with sexual frustration...
And add to this situation, two dogs, a very small female and a large male and you will have hilarious situations...


"I don't know what i want from this guy, but it's impressive the way he can take me from horny to irritable and back again in about five seconds." {Jenny}

"Jenny's lips part- in shock? hurt? anger? I don't know, and I don't care, I just know that I need to keep this girl the hell away from me before I lose my damn mind." {Noah}

What will happen with those two???
Will they give in in their sensual insticts and open their hearts to love???
And with what cost???

They are so different personalities and they are seeking opposite things on life....
Can they work it out???

"Whatever Noah and I may be turning into, we're still those two competitive enemies determined to outdo each other in the matters of seduction." {Jenny}

"This girl's as dangerous to me as I am to her" {Noah}

I adored both Noah and Jenny...
Jenny was so cute, so lovely, so funny, so authentic...
Her music career was very important to her...
Even though that Noah had the opinion that she was a pampered diva, she was far away from that role... She just wanted to provoke him and it wasn't so hard to do it...

Noah was in a big crossroad on his life and he had to choose who he wanted to be...
Jenny perplexed the things for him...
From the first moment, he is drawn to her, but he is refusing to aloud to himself to have her....
And even when he can't resist anymore, he is still resisting...

Noah was sweet, caring and funny, but from times to times, he could be very cruel... and he was hurting Jenny!!!

"I want to live my life to the fullest, milk my career for every ounce while I still can.
But I also want him. I want both. The guy and the career.
I want it all." {Jenny}

"I don't want to belong to anyone but myself. I don't want to live anyone's life but my own.
And i do not fit into Jenny Dawson's life. I've known it from the very beginning.
But damned if it didn't feel like she was just starting to fit into mine." {Noah}

Jenny and Noah were fitting so good together, even though they couldn't see it!!!

They were what each other was longing for in their lives and they were so stubborn to realize it....
The sexual tension between them could drive you crazy but i adored every single encounter especially when there was some kind of crazy revenge plan.... Bahahahaha

I also loved the connection with their crazy dogs...
They were fighting, they were arguing, they were laughing, they were bickering back and for, they were having bad and good times together... so i can say that they entertained me very good!!!

"Noah Maxwell is not my boyfriend. I can't imagine him as anyone's boyfriend, truth be told.
And yet he's more than a freaking caretaker.
And more than a lover too.
He's...
Crap. I don't know."

I also would like to be reffered to Noah's two best friends...

Each one of them was a different part of Noah's worlds and they were so opposite to each other, but in a strange way they were fitting really good together...
They weren't stop bickering all the damn time but they were freakin' hilarious!!! I loved them!!!


"Finn represents on side of my life; Vaughn represents the other. It's a juggling act even on best days to fit into both worlds."

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

[• Lisa • · Rating 3 out of 5]

THREE COUNTRY STARS.

"To fit into each other’s lives, they’ll need the courage to face their problems together."



This book right here was one of my most anticipated releases of 2016. Any Layne release is guaranteed to get me excited and I was no different with this latest book by bestselling Author, Lauren Layne. 'Good girl' is a sweet, sexy contemporary romance novel with a splash of glamour and country charm and even though this time around it didn't completely win me over I still found it to be a likeable read, well worthy of my reading time spent.

What did I love?
This book had an original feel to it, I loved how the author set the scene for her characters and introduced a more sexy feel to her story telling. It had a comedy feel beginning to it an entertaining middle and a gloriously likeable happy ending. Lauren Layne proved once again that she is well worthy of a spot as one of my favourites.




Why not five?
I didn't have the connection with this book as I notably always normally have with a Lauren Layne novel. As hot as this book was it was missing the spark of romance that I've come to adore from this author and I felt somewhat distant from the main characters. A likeable, well thought out novel with a lovely backdrop for a romance story just not the wow factor for me this time around. But don't be too concerned this author always produces work with a clean, polished feel to it, so I'm sure romance readers and already established fans across the board will fall in love.



Final thoughts ...
Lauren Layne is unquestionably one of my all time favourite authors. There is something about this authors work that somehow always sticks with me and seems to suit my tastes perfectly. This time around I couldn't shout from the rooftops at how much I fell in love with this book, but what I can say is that this is a solid, contemporary romance that shows exactly what this author can do with a more adult theme. This book is a complete standalone with an endearing plot and likeable characters. Hopefully, it can top the charts as your next loved read. Enjoy ... Kisses.

[Jln · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't believe I'm giving a LL book this rating. She is one of my top favorite, auto buy authors. I usually love her books, and I had high expectations of this one, I mean...look at that cover! When I pick up one of her books, I'm looking forward to a classy, grown-up romance, with awesome banter and memorable, well developed characters. I have swooned over so many of her male leads!

Good Girl, in my opinion, is a cheesy, typical NA novel, filled with eye roll inducing, cringeworthy dialogue, and offensively bad sex scenes.

I can sum up the characters pretty easily. Noah is a complete asshole, who deserved a swift kick in the nuts so many times I lost count. Jenny is a doormat with no self respect. I have no idea what she saw in him. To be honest, the only characters in the book I liked were their pets! It just didn't feel like a Lauren Layne book to me.

Thanks for getting me through this one, Ami!

Full review to come after the release date, so that I can add quotes.

*arc was kindly provided by netgalley

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a love hate relationship with New Adult novels. I either get completely absorbed into the story and love the characters or they are just too young for me and I spend most of my time rolling my eyes at them. It is a really fine line.

Luckily Good Girl falls more on the line of Love and that is all because of Jenny.

In a twitterwars world where social media and tabloid media seems to sometime combine and everyone can have an opinion on absolutely anything and everything I could totally relate to how a newly famous Jenny could feel thrown to the wolves and lose some of her confidence.

My biggest fear isn’t that the world thinks I’m pregnant, or that Stunning magazine thinks my favorite pink lip gloss washes me out, or that anonymous comments on entertainment sites say that because I took my best friend to the Grammys instead of a guy, I must be a lesbian or completely unlovable.
My biggest fear is that all of those things have gotten into my head so thoroughly that they’ve destroyed the one thing that’s always mattered: the music.

Jenny has this sunshine attitude about most of it. She didn’t really want the fame that came with the music but while the world is calling her a homewrecker over some perceived affair with a married man she decides enough is enough and goes somewhere she thinks she can get back to her musical roots and leave all the media drama behind for a little while.

Enter Noah….well he was a bit harder to take at times. Noah has been done wrong by a woman, very wrong and has recently called off his engagement. He is in no good headspace to meet someone new let alone someone he thinks is a homewrecker since he believed all the tabloid stuff about Jenny too. He is also somewhat of a jerk to her and they tend to bicker quite a bit but he can’t deny there is something about Jenny that he can’t get out of his head.

“A little more time, Vaughn,” I say quietly. “I hate having to say this out loud, but I’m . . . I’m reeling, man. I feel like I’ve been in an aimless free-fall for years, and this place . . . it’s helping. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but it’s helping.”
He searches my face carefully. “You sure it’s the place?” he asks slowly. “Or is it the girl?”
I don’t respond, but I know from Vaughn’s sigh that he already suspects the answer. It’s a little bit of both.

Their love story touches on a few social issues such as slut shamming (Noah did it once and Jenny called him hard on that), body issues and how some people can get caught up in their 15 minutes of social media fame and things can get blown completely out of control as they try to ride it longer. Maybe we currently live in a world of too much information at times and it is nice to step back into a small town in Louisiana to step away from all of that and just focus on what matters.

Naoh takes a little time to warm to since he is dealing with the fall out of his bad relationship and tends to screw up a lot. But deep down you know he is a good guy who is probably just as lost as Jenny and in that they find a way to be strong for each other and figure out what they really want to do with their lives.

There is also some comic relief with Noah’s friends. Two men from different sides of Noah’s childhood that never seem to get along but they do however provide some lighter times.

“You know I’m the better catch, right? Caretaker here might have wood, but as an electrician, I know a little something about heat.”
She laughs . “That’s terrible. You can’t tell me that actually works on any girls.”
“Bet you twenty bucks our waitress comes home with me,” Finn says.
“Only if you repeat that lame line about the heat. Twenty bucks absolutely says she’s not letting you in your pants if you say that.”

I met Lauren Layne when I read her Stiletto series and while I really enjoyed this it still didn’t capture me quite as much as that series. So if you have never read a Lauren Layne book start there they are total romantic comedies. But if you, like me, have read all of that series already than this is almost as good.

ARC provided by Netgalley and Loveswept for review. Quotes may not appear in the final product.

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4 stars. Prejudices. We all have them.

We can deny it all we want, and perhaps you're Mère Thérésa, but I'm not free of them. That doesn't mean that I'm judging people according to them, and I mentally slap myself more often than not, but they exist. I started this novel with a shit tons of them : I've read many reviews for Good Girl in the past year and apart from a selected few (yes that's you Chelsea, yes you were right, alright alright alright), they made me expect an awful male-lead, a doormat heroine and an ill-conceived plot.

So you can imagine my shock when I realized that... It wasn't what I was getting. Far from it, actually.

"I deserve nothing less than a slap right now, and I'm well aware of it." - Noah Maxwell, ladies and gentlemen!

Seriously though... Noah's not the Bluebeard I expected? At all? Flawed as hell and absolutely infuriating, sure, prejudiced and sometimes mean-spirited, but that doesn't mean he's a complete asshole. God, I've read far, far worst and these pricks were competing for the book boyfriend of the year on here. Noah's not even really mean. The most horrible things come out of his mouth, especially in the beginning, that I'll gladly admit, but he's aware that he's going too far and he apologizes? So? I wouldn't go as far as saying that he's my type, but come on now. He calls himself on his shit. How is he different from say, Josh from I'll Meet You There, who was beloved by so many?

Plus he calls double-standards out, and that's still way too rare for me so excuse me if I wanted to high-five the guy.

Also, why nobody told me that Jenny was able to hold her ground? The girl's no damsel in distress.

"You know that feeling you get sometimes? Well, okay, rarely. That feeling when you meet a stranger's eyes and something inexplicable and intense sizzles between you?
That.
That's what happened between me and Noah Maxwell, at least on my end.
And then...
And then he had to go and open his mouth."

See, to some extent, I understand why many readers dismissed her as a doormat, because she's easy-going and oddly persistent in her quest to see the good in Noah. Yet she respects herself. She puts a stop to their interactions when he's being a jerk. She doesn't let go of her desires, whether sentimental or professional. Why are we so ready to dismiss strength when it's not expressed in the way patriarchy taught us it should be? There's endless strength in optimist and kindness, and one does not need to fit a certain mold to be strong, dammit. I love a kickass female-lead as much as the next person, but that does not mean that we don't need to see different portrayals of women.

"Her gaze narrows slightly, and I expect her to get pissy that I've just outed our sexual status in front of Finn, but instead she leads forward, running a nail down the front of my shirt. "I think we're a little confused about who seduced whom, princess."

As it is, I could never find in me to despise her. She's way too likeable for that.

Now, as I'm sure you know, there's a difference between not hating and loving. There's nothing groundbreaking in Good Girl and as often with contemporary romances, I have a hard time giving 3+ ratings out because I feel like I've already read a version of them a million times already. So, what does it take to go to 4 stars?

1) Hilarious internal monologues and well-written dialogues, which are Lauren Layne's biggest strengths - as are her final grand gestures, just admit it already.

2) The dog! I wholeheartedly recommend the dog. Dolly was perfect to diffuse the tension, because how am I supposed to go all angsty-angsty when I'm laughing out loud at the dog's antics? Huh? More seriously, it's so rare for a pet to feel like a real character, fleshed-out and not merely a bone thrown here and there. Trust me, you cannot forget that Dolly's here, all the way, and that was so damn refreshing!

3) The chemistry, and how much the author makes me root for the characters : for a long time, that's where the story fell short for me. I could feel Noah and Jenny's attraction, I wasn't bored, but it was certainly lacking something for me to believe in their connection. I didn't quite understand what they saw in each other, and during the first half, on that aspect Good Girl missed the mark for me, keeping my rating at a 3 : I enjoyed my read all right, but it wasn't enough. The sex scenes were hot, the banter was fun, but I wanted more. If Jenny's life interested me, I sure didn't care about Noah's whatsoever, except for his friendship with Finn. It didn't help that I found the plot points regarding his ex-fiancée completely unnecessary. However, it did get better : I thoroughly enjoyed the last 30% and that's why I'm rounding up my rating to 4 stars ; both Jenny and Noah took my breath away and made me smile so big I can't ignore it. I read the last scenes clutching my kindle, grinning like a maniac, and now that's what I want when I read romance novels.

► I'll get more of that, now and thank you. Flaws and all.

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 2 out of 5]

➥ 2 Stars *:･ﾟ✧ dnf @ 62%

“Come on,” I breathe against her throat, trailing soft kisses there. “You can do it.”
I suck on her neck, hard, and she cries out.
“Yours,” she gasps. “I like your fingers better.”
“That’s a good girl,” I say, my fingers resuming their exploration of her hot center.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

I've realised that I don't have the time for frustrating and mediocre reads, no matter how much it hurts me to be disappointed with a book from one of my favourite authors. I'm actually quite sad that I didn't enjoy this because this had so much potential.

➥ Jenny Dawson (h) is why I am so sad this book was disappointing. What an excellent, entertaining, and substantial female main character. I feel like most fmcs I read about are either the quirky, childish, "sunshine", short, busty girls or an attempt at writing a nuanced fmc that just ends in reading about a girl with no substance, mean for no reason (not in a hot girl way) and just annoying. Jenny was not that. She's a singer/songwriter, she's funny, has real emotions but actually stands up for herself. And she's hot as fuck. If only she were given a love interest that deserved her or matched her energy (me), rather than her ending up with the man she was standing up for herself against, due to his misogyny. Nah. The whole second star I gave this book is for my girl Jenny <3. I mean, who else do you know that attacks a man and ties him to the bedpost with pink zip ties and teases him to no end? Me fucking next, please.

I trail a finger over his erection. "I don't know that sorry's enough, Noah."


➥ Preston "Noah" Maxwell (H) ruined this book for me. He's not all that different from other typical asshole love interests but I'm tired of us as women reading books about falling in love with misogynistic men and glamorising it. He believed all the rumours about Jenny (her fucking a married man) and threw words like "homewrecker" in her face when she's literally staying at his rural estate to better her mental health and get away from the media. He was so so desperate to "humble" her, always calling her a spoilt rich girl as if he isn't a spoilt little rich fucker. The author also decided to add this whole OW drama plotline that is so annoying. Who cares to read about a man who's ex wife cheated on him and was such a hooorrible person that he doesn't trust women any more 💔? Not me. It was clearly just an excuse placed there so that he could hate women, talk shit about gold diggers blah blah. It added absolutely nothing to the story, and if anything, that man deserved to get cheated on and have his pockets drained, idc. Literally the opposite of a gentleman.

“I try to tell myself that she’s just a hot piece of ass out for a good time, but the possessive feeling in my gut hasn’t eased up.”

See what I mean? I swear the rest of my review will just be quoting the misogyny in this book and it's frustrating because I had fallen in love with this author particularly because of the way she wrote such a kind and good mmc in Blurred Lines.

I despise the "I hate you (and don't respect you) as a person, but I'm attracted to you" trope because that's literally the way the world is set up. Men fucking hate women, they treat us like disposable, insentient trash, but only still engage with us because they want us to warm their dicks. How am I supposed to put it past me that this man lacks any compassion for this woman, doesn't care about her, and doesn't even respect her, yet he puts that all behind him because he wants to fuck her? Sorry, that's unacceptable to me, Jenny deserves so much better.

What upsets me even more is that the author and the fmc as aware of this. She stands up for herself yet still falls for this man? She processes that he's a misogynistic piece of shit yet still offers him herself: WHY.

My chest fills with hurt and I stare down at him. “You slut-shamed me, Noah. You made me want you, and then you degraded me for wanting you.”

You want more proof that men hate that they're attracted to us? Here:

“Still I press her, wanting to punish her for making me desire her the way I do.”

Literally trying to fuck her rougher as "punishment" for "making" him want her? I'm TIRED.One time, she even makes him dinner because she has a big heart like that, and this is what he fucking says:

“Your cocktail’s not half as good as your blow job,” I say, taking another sip of the drink.”

Of course, she's fucking heartbroken, but why go back to a man like that? Baby, pleeaseeee, stop.

“You know, we’ve done this a couple times now. You’re a jerk—and I mean real, grade-A asshole stuff—and then you apologize. And I say okay. But then you do it again, and I think…”

She's aware of it!!!! And so is he, and yet this romance still occurs. Why, why, why. We need romance books that are not dependent on the woman forgiving the man for being misogynistic.

He leans again, his forehead resting on mine once more as his eyes go even darker. “You’re also sexy as hell and give great head.”

Men actually disgust me more every day. How are these the only compliments you can come up with? I'd simply kill myself if my man just went on and on about how I do well with his dick in my mouth. Like, glad I serve you a purpose???? Shut the fuck up.

Get it the fuck together,” I mutter at my reflection. It’s got to stop. Too often in the past couple of days, I’ve been dangerously close to wishing it could be like this all the time. That I could be with a girl who likes my best friend, doesn’t flinch at dirty dive bars, drinks Jack and Coke, and wears cowboy boots on long, sexy-as-hell legs.”

Have you guys heard the "cool girl" quote from Gone Girl? Let me put it here:

“Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl.

Notice how he's literally describing Jenny as the cool girl? And it makes me sad because she isn't and she shouldn't have to be. He brings his bros to their outing and she's cool with it, when she shouldn't have to be. When she's getting back at you for being misogynistic, she gives you a blow job. When she likes beer. I'm sad that Layne ruined such a great character by trying to make her adhere to the Cool Girl standard.

I'm sad because Jenny has a heart of gold and I literally want to hold her in my arms right now. After he hurts her, she lies about having bought the drink she made for him, that he didn't deserve it, but then we find out that she hand squeezed the lemon and made it all herself. She's playful and kind and caring. Simply undeserved by men like Noah, fuck off.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

#99cents SALE 01/20/2017

An entertainingly hot and zesty romance about a young country singer who while attempting to disappear from prying eyes, mainly the world in general, ends up cohabitating with a man that drives her crazy with equal measures of disdain and desire. Which will win out?

Jenny Dawson’s up and coming fame has made her a center of attention. From paparazzi fixating on her burrito baby belly to rumors and lies about her been too familiar with married men in showbiz. Jenny loves her music and will live through the unwanted fanfare. While the media frenzy dies down though, she wants to focus on her next record. She rents the mansion in which she wrote her first song several years ago which she thought was being taken care of by an elderly couple, not the handsome, prickly man who’s too quick to criticize and harsh remarks cause sparks to fly.

Noah Maxwell (a.k.a. Preston Walcott) didn’t mean to mislead Jenny about his identity, but when the willful singer arrived a day early while he was doing some handy work on the estate and made snap judgment about him being the caretaker and not the owner based on his appearance, the lie slipped out easily. It also had the added bonus of giving him the opportunity to escape his own problems, although the lively woman will likely be a different kind of trouble.

They never thought their taunts and bickering would turn into sultry seduction, much less into something more. But he wants a simple life and she wants to take her career all the way, limelight and all. Can they smooth over their differences and find a way to compromise?

“I want both. The guy and the career. I want it all.”

I've read all of Lauren Layne's books so far. They always bring a smile to my face without fail and Good Girl is no exception. I didn’t want to put it down. It’s well written, with a steady pace, a splash of drama, and the right mix of witty banter and explosive sexiness between a complex hero and a sassy heroine.

The character development was wonderful. Noah has his own issues. He’s trying to reconcile a childhood lived in poverty and an adolescence attempting to live up to the expectations of being heir to a very successful and wealthy man. He’s not sure who is nor what he wants.

“A little more time, Vaughn,” I say quietly. “I hate having to say this out loud, but I’m…I’m reeling, man. I feel like I’ve been in an aimless free-fall for years, and this place…it’s helping. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but it’s helping.”
He searches my face carefully. “You sure it’s the place?” he asks slowly. “Or is it the girl?”

He only knows he wants a simple life that doesn’t include marrying the unfaithful woman his father approved of, and hiding out as caretaker to one of his estates seemed like a good idea until he realizes he has to deal with what he thinks is a pampered princess. He’s surly, short tempered (except when it comes to his dog), rude and sometimes downright mean. But the lovely Jenny gave as good as she got.

“Oh, what’s that? I didn’t mention that my revenge plan is totally creepy and a lot immature? It is. Don’t care.”

Jenny is sweet, good natured and kindhearted who doesn’t take herself too seriously. She’s also vivacious and doesn’t let much get her down. Of course she forgave Noah’s boorishness, but not before she took some delight in torturing him herself. It made me smile and laugh repeatedly.

“There once was a guy named Noah, he was as appealing as a boa. Whatever happened, whoa-oh-oh, whatever happened, who-oh-oh, to rot his soul?” I shake my head. There’s more strumming on the guitar, and her Noah-hate song continues. “His face was average, his eyes were cold. His body flubby, whoa-oh-oh. His kiss was filthy, his flavor bad. He tried to woo me, and it was sad, whoa-oh-oh.”

Noah and Jenny’s dislike was immediate and so fun to witness because their attraction was equally instant with double the intensity. Their verbal sparring was like foreplay stoking the fire between them and I love how they slowly fell for each other, especially Noah because he was a big jerk hiding a vulnerable, good guy center. And you know what they say, they bigger they are…

“You know how I said Jenny’s voice sounded like her heart? I’m wrong. Her voice sounds like my heart. And I want it back. I want her back.”

Noah’s best friends, Finn and Vaught, were completely opposite from each other but very charming and likable. They added an amusing layer to the story and I hope Lane decides to continue this series with their stories. I also need to comment of Noah and Jenny’s dogs, Ranger and Dolly respectively. Unlike their owner they were cute and thick as thieves from the start.

I exit out the front door just in time to see my big brown Lab leap forward, his clumsy paws finding the shoulders of a blond girl who lets out a shriek, holding a cat above her head like that scene from The Lion King.
“Ranger, no! Down!”
I run forward, my hand finding the collar of my dog and yanking him backward as I search the ground to find the source of the small-dog barks still piercing the air. Then I register that the sound is coming from above, and I realize…
The cotton ball isn’t a cat. That orange peace of fluff is a dog, and Ranger is apparently in love.

Good Girl is book #2 in the Love Unexpectedly series by Lauren Layne. It’s a new adult, contemporary romance that can be read as a standalone. It’s told from both points of view. With a happy ending. If you like a lighthearted, feel good read with sexy back and forth and steam, Lane’s definitely an author to check out.

Rating 4.5 country singer stars

Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2j7CSNH

Pinterest board -> https://es.pinterest.com/LLayneAuthor...

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *

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[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Louisiana Nights Stars!



Jenny Dawson, 22 year old country singer who has moved to L.A. To "make it" or at least that's what her publicist told her. She's supposed to be there writing her music for her third album, but instead she's gotten caught up in what all of the gossip magazines are writing about her.

"My biggest fear is that I've lost the music."

Enter Shawn Bates, a successful married pop singer. Jenny and Shawn get their picture taken together at an awards ceremony and soon after the rumors are flying. And to make matters worse he's "confirmed" a lie to the press that he's fooled around with Jenny, "got caught in her vortex." Now everyone thinks she's a home wrecker. So her only option is to go into hiding until it blows over.

"America's good girl just went bad."

Noah Maxwell (Preston Walcott Jr.) has just called off his wedding. At the same time he gets an email from the country singer Jenny Dawson wanting to stay at a house she visited when she was younger. It just so happens that this house is a part of property that his dad left him. It seems like a good distraction for him because he's not ready to deal with the reasons of why he called off the wedding.

I loved when these two met. It was instant dislike when either spoke, but at the same time appreciation for both of their good looks. Jenny assumes by looks that Noah is the handyman. Because of that attitude he doesn't correct her.

"I've never been sucker-punched with equal waves of lust and disdain before."

The banter between these two was so much fun to watch. Words thrown here and there, always trying to one up the other in insults. I especially loved when he called her "Princess." Originally it was supposed to sting, but it soon changed into something more endearing as they spent more time together.

"I think we're a little confused about who seduced whom, princess."

Coming clean with all of their secrets and figuring out where they both want their lives to go is a big struggle for them. When their "fun" time together turns into something more, will they be singing the same song or will they be on different pages?



The secondary characters were great. I really would like to see a book for both Finna no Vaughn. I absolutely loved the dogs. Jenny's Pomeranian, Dolly, was just the cutest "cotton ball" ever. Mixed with Noah's retriever, Ranger...they were adorable.

This did feel more along the lines of NA to me, maybe because she's 22 and he's 27. BUT, that being said, I absolutely love the hate turned love relationships and Lauren Layne does it so well. She definitely knows how to mix all of the right ingredients together to get a perfect love story every time. There was no over the top unnecessary drama. I was left with a huge smile on my face. I would highly recommend to all who love LL or just easy, fun love stories.



ARC provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

I can't believe I'm saying this but I think there may be too much sex in this book. I know right?! Is there such a thing??! I just wasn't expecting this from a LL book. To be honest the storyline from the very beginning wasn't really my cuppa but I thought for LL I'll soldier through. Turns out the famous person storyline was the least of my worries. I was missing the LL banter. I found the hero an idiot and the heroine with no backbone. I'm sad to say I didn't get my LL swoons while reading this but I hope it will work better for others.

Another one to add to our memories right Jeanne??

ARC provided by NetGalley

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Trying To Just Be Stars
* * * Spoiler Free
Today's Notoriety is very different than the past. Before, people in the Entertainment Industry as well as those of Mega Wealth could live with an ability to control what the public thought of them. There was a distance and type of respect, whether merited or not, which caused a bit of awe. This made them even more intriguing... less accessible, I think. Today with the advent of the Net and 24/7 cable outlets combined with everyone with a blog and/ or smartphone...these people are now more like folly for whatever anyone wants to say... whether true or not.

This felt like the theme for this latest Lauren Layne book, Good Girl. We have this young, up and coming Country Star and she has been hit by a scandal Not of her making. She has been used as a way to manipulate the publicity machine by another in the industry with no regard for the impact it will have on her. She has decided to go back to her roots, in a way... back to the place where she felt she had the strongest sense of self and her music...A place where the publicity machine would never think she would be.

As she settles the details of coming back to this estate which encouraged creativity and freedom to experiment musically, the new owner has his own issues. He has inherited the estate and is using it as a way to hide from the disaster his life has become. He is the mega wealthy, much sought after man who just wants to hide for awhile. He has broken his engagement to a society woman who has planned the wedding of the ages. He somehow was involved with her, didn't take charge and call it quits sooner than later... and now is off the grid renovating the estate himself.

We meet these two...and instead of introducing himself as the one our songwriter had been emailing...he lets one of his friends who was out visiting take the roll... for she assumed it was him by his demeanor and dress. The real owner was in jeans and fixing something when she pulled up... so she had no idea what was up.

What we have here is this tale of immediate assumptions...
He takes offense right away...She is a big time country music artist, la de da...AND buys into all the tabloid BS being told about her...

She, on the other hand, hasn't a clue why he is acting this critical way until she overhears a snide remark...Hurt but strong, she struts into the house without a look back.

This lays the foundation for this relationship of
bicker/banter/interest/want/REPEAT
There are moments of humor, of insight to what the issues are for the both of them and very strong attraction. These two have all the makings of a real couple...one which could actually work for them... Are they willing to give it go...

There are many things to enjoy in this story, however, there were also things which did not sit right with me. Our gal keeps getting mixed messages from the owner of the estate. He is very interested in her despite him not wanting to be.... and there is this push/pull thing happening between them. At some point he realizes she is nothing like what has been plastered about her...and instead of rectifying some of the things he should... he continues on a path which would only be a bigger problem later.

His non actions in confronting what was the root of his own personal issues showed weakness and didn't seem like who he was at his core. Also his delaying in owning up to who he was to our gal took away my usual delight in Layne's crafting. As much as I hate to say it...I felt the guy overall was cowardly in his actions and should have Maned Up in so many situations.

Our gal had charm, talent and I liked that she knew what she wanted to do with her career no matter what the public thought of her. She was young, though, so her wanting to see a relationship when she was getting mixed messages was understandable.

Lauren Layne is an automatic click for me. She has an abundance of talent and creativity. Even when a book may not have the same feel for me as her others, I appreciate her writing and skill. Many have loved this book and my personal take should not deter you from your experience with it.

Blurred Lines (Love Unexpectedly, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Lauren Layne is on a roll....
It is almost like she cannot contain herself...
Writing book after book with characters who capture the imagination...

This is part of the same "book family" as Blurred Lines,
so bring on the songwriting, the running from the paparazzi...
and a fantastic man just for our gal, Jenny...

Cause she is a Good Girl.... thinkin' on have some yummy bad times with her new man, Noah...

Good Girl - May 2016

A gifted copy was provided by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Burrito Baby Stars

"How was it? The kiss, I mean?” Noah doesn’t look back.
“What, you want like a star rating?”
"No, I just . . . you kiss different from the boys I know.”
"Well, maybe that’s your problem,” he says, still not looking at me. “You’ve been kissing boys.”

Country singer Jenny Dawson can't seem to catch a break. When a larger than normal burrito and the inevitable pooch that comes with it gets mistaken for a baby bump, a girl has to laugh. When a non-existent affair with a married pretty boy pop singer is all TMZ wants to report on, it's time to go off grid and get the hell outta dodge!

Outta dodge equates to rural Louisiana and a property that holds some fond childhood memories. What our girl didn't factor in was a moody, cocky, sexy as hell caretaker named. Noah. And we're off!

When Noah meets Jenny, he expects a whole lot if this..



...but is more than surprised to find the country princess isn't exactly what he expected.



Jenny and her down to earth, positive attitude toward just about everything was the big thumbs up factor when it came to my enjoyment of this book.

Did I mention Noah's hiding a couple of big time, you're an asshole for not sharing secrets? Yeah, there's that to contend with, too.

Good Girl is one of those books that could've gone either way for me. The writing as always with a Lauren Layne novel is solid, but this one ain't exactly ground breaking. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized Noah's major bouts of jackassery could've completely ruined the story for me had I not been in a better mood. Luckily I ended up liking Noah/Prescott despite the fact it seemed he worked awfully hard to make sure I wouldn't.

“You treated me like garbage last night, and there’s something you should know by now about us country girls— we can be slow to forgive.”

Why am I giving it 4 stars? I had a fabulous time reading it, bottom line. Jenny's sweet and snarky coupled with Noah's moody and sexy worked for me.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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

Though I enjoyed this read, Jenny put up with way too much @$$h073 behavior from Noah. He was very push and pull. I get it. He's been burned. But dang, it's not Jenny's fault. I did like how they interacted with all that sarcasm and sensual tension. I definitely want my very own pink zip ties :) The story held my attention beginning to end. Jenny's a great heroine despite her letting certain uncalled for things fly. When Noah wasn't being a jerk, he was muy sexy and a great dirty talker :-p The good moments helped me be a little less sore about some of the things he said. I definitely want to see what his and her friends get up to. Safety: No OW/OM despite the rumors. No sharing. No rape/abuse. No condoms. There's definite pushing away.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review



The Good Girl by Lauren Layne was a sweet, heartfelt love story with that added splash of country thrown into the mix. When it comes to reading a Lauren Layne book, I can assure readers that you can always expect her stories to be sexy, sweet and beautifully well done. And in her newest release, The Good Girl, Ms. Layne introduces readers to America’s sweetheart singer who to falls for the handyman. And this is no ordinary handyman especially when the truth of his real identity is revealed. So what happens when romance brews between two unlikely people? Well, you get lots of laughter, banter and fun times ahead.



While I love reading Lauren Layne’s books, The Good Girl was one of those reads I liked not loved. I’m sure there are plenty of romance fans that will love and enjoy this book but I felt there was something missing in the connection with the hero and heroine. Maybe I was expecting more of that burning connection that I was used to when reading her books. Other than that, I will say that this book did have the playfulness, banter, and fun romance that kept me entertained. Overall, it was a fun, sweet, and cute read.



Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Lauren Layne

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - "America's good girl just went bad." Stars!

Good Girl was so nearly a five star read for me, but once again I found that I struggled with the first person POV, in that for me, it took away the depth and level of emotion I felt was required in certain parts of the story, especially in the early stages of Jenny and Noah’s relationship.



I loved the dynamic between the pair of them though, in that Noah was an absolute ass for most of the book, but it was kind of off-set with the way he tried to make good afterwards. Jenny came over as a little superficial at the beginning of the story, but as it progressed you got too see that there was a lot more to her than initially met the eye.

I’ve been more intimate with him than I have with any other guy, and yet I hardly know him.

I can’t say there is anything particularly new or unusual about the tropes used or the direction the plot takes, as soon as you know the reasonings for why Jenny is where she is and Noah’s justifications for behaving the way he does, you can see the inevitable car crash coming from a mile off, but that didn’t bother me in the least because apart from the dreaded 1st POV issue, this was still a really good, romantic story, with a few laughs and a nice big happy sigh ending.

"I’m a redneck, you’re a red carpet."

Notable mention needs to go to Noah’s friends, Vaughn and Finn, I think the large part of the reason I loved this book so much was the banter between the three of them, and the constant friction between Vaughn and Finn, in that one is Noah’s best friend from the wrong side of the tracks, while the other is in a completely different zip-code.

"The faster the fall, the longer it lasts."

I hope that Lauren has stories for these guys in her head to share at some point in the future as both were a big draw in this story and in their own differing ways.

I have seen mixed reviews for this one, and I can agree with the point that I have seen made a few times in that Good Girl isn’t like LL’s previous books, it is different, I don’t personally think it was bad different as it still had all the attributes that I associate with this authors writing style, I will say that I hope we don’t see a permanent move to 1st person POV though as that is something I really struggle with.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Updated with Safety Gang notes*

So I've not been shy about the fact that I don't particularly like books about bands or singers, they're often clichéd, full of obsessed fans, drink, drugs, STDs etc. But this book really worked and it's mostly because her music career was in the background. Obviously it's a big part of the story - she wants to escape bad publicity and wait for the heat to die down - but the focus was on the build up and romance with Noah.

Sometimes when books have short chapters with alternating POVs I find it hard to connect with the characters because often you don't get enough from them to really feel anything. But in this case the short length in each of their heads really worked for me. Because of their banter around each other I often wanted to know what the others reaction was to certain conversations or scenes and luckily you don't have to wait long to see what they thought because of the chapter lengths. You also don't have to read the scene again from the other persons POV, which really winds me up in books.

The whole setting of this - the run down house in the middle of nowhere, the instant dislike/lust between them, the dogs together, the fact that Noah was a 'proper' hard working hands on man - really worked for me and I enjoyed the whole book. There was never a bit were I wanted to skip. When the drama went down I was gleefully bouncing in my seat. Loved it

Safety Gang There is some OW drama in this one. The H ended his engagement just before meeting the h but his ex doesn't accept it and sends the wedding invites out still. He never tells the h about his ex. The h has only slept with two other people. The H and h never use condoms. There is also some pushing away from the H.

[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauren Layne has done it again! Good Girl was sizzling sexy, laugh out loud funny and pulled at my heartstrings! Upon closing that last page I knew that Good Girl was easily one of my favorite books of this year. I mean, I read it in one sitting. And that happens once a blue moon for me. But I couldn't put it down. I didn't even fake promise myself the 'only one more chapter' line. Nope. I devoured this story!

Good Girl played out in my head as though I was watching a movie. And out of all of Lauren Layne's books, I would absolutely die if this were to get optioned as a movie, it would be fabulous. You see, Jenny is a country singer who had been dubbed as America's good girl. Yet she got thrown under the bus, and instead of fighting it, she stepped away from Hollywood and off the grid. Jenny ended up staying in a house that captured a moment in time of her childhood. In Louisiana. And while Noah was the owner of the house, that's not how he really played it. He painted himself as the caretaker, which had me smiling huge. Being on a rural property lead them into some very passionate, hilarious and heartfelt moments.

Jenny had such an adorable voice. She was funny without even trying, she talked to her Pomeranian named Dolly, and put chocolate chips in her supposed to be healthy smoothie. She was so easy to relate to, especially since all my family and childhood friends call me Jenny, I always talk to my two little Havanese babies and I've tried the whole chocolate chips in a spinach smoothie, because while it sounds great, yeah, it doesn't really work out. But any who, I loved Jenny from the get go! And as the story progressed, she earned my respect by being a woman who had a heart of gold and always saw the best in anyone or any situation. I loved how positive she was!

I can't wait for you to meet Noah! And in case you don't know, the jerky dickheads always tend to be my favorite! So I loved Noah completely and whole heartedly! Noah had a jaded past, and he knew that he didn't want to go down that same road again. Especially with a woman like Jenny. So he called her princess and pushed her away. Yet Noah could only push her so far away, because the sexual attraction between the two of them pulled them straight back to each other. And their attraction and banter was toe curling and probably one of the sexier books that I have ever read by Lauren Layne. I loved it! The scenes between them were SO hot. Who knew pink zip ties could be so sexy?

Noah always seemed to push Jenny away after they had a moment of being close, whether it was physical or emotional. He was hurtful. He was the biggest jerk. Actually, jerk is too nice of a word. He was the biggest asshole. YET, I never once disliked Noah. Since the chapters alternated between the two of them, I got to be in his head. I watched as he struggled. I watched as the realization would hit him with what he just did to hurt Jenny. And it hurt to watch him and Jenny suffer. Still, he always apologized. Those apologies left me with hope that he would work past those issues he struggled with. That he was redeemable. And that hopefully Noah deserved our love.

Lauren Layne continues to write stories that find their way into my heart, make me laugh, make me cry and make me fall in love with all of the characters she creates. This is why she is one of my favorite authors. So if you're a fan of bad boys or reading books that play out in your head like a movie then definitely pick this book up! I have a feeling you're going to fall head over heels in love with this story too!

PS I loved all the dog scenes! And how they played such a large part in their owners lives. Loved, loved, loved.

*ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVE- http://amzn.to/1Oxuwsd

4.25 Love/Hate Romance - Stars!




Lauren Layne never ceases to deliver an enjoyable read for me. Good Girl is one of those angsty great love stories where there's that fine line between love and hate. A grouchy low-maintenance hero coupled with a seemingly high maintenance country music sensation. Throw them into the same place for weeks on end and they're bound to fall for kill each other.


Noah (aka Preston) Walcott just started settling into a dilapidated old mansion his poor excuse for a late father willed him. It's mammoth and nearly falling apart at the seams. Couple that with a massive corporation to now run, Noah is enjoying some time away from the hussle and bustle of life and the fiancée he just broke it off with. The mansion is a nightmare but a little TLC and he can make it...livable. When he receives an email from a woman asking to rent it for a month or so because it has some weird "memories from her childhood," he obliges. He warns it's not quite what it was ten years ago but she doesn't seem to care...


Jenny Dawson needs to get away. She has found herself smack dab in the middle of some made up story of sleeping with someone famous- and married. Just another opportunity to shine negativily in the public eye. Unfortunately, the negative publicity is effecting her song writing so she decides to hide out in rural Baton Rouge, Louisiana- to the old Maxwell estate she has such fond music memories of as a kid. She just doesn't bank on such a surely "caretaker" to be staying there too.





This is one of those tropes where everything about each of the MCs seems to be all wrong- including first impressions. Their banter was freaking hilarious. Noah was unwilling to tell Jenny he truly owns the estate- her look of disgust from his workman attire told him all he needed to know. High maintenance. He wants a break from that courtesy of his ex-fiancée and sure enough, another one finds him.


And then there's the dogs. Noah has a chocolate lab that humps everyone. Jenny a Pomeranian princess... The dog issue was hilarious.

“What the heck is wrong with your dog?” the girl says as she slowly lowers the puffball from over her head, cradling the hideous little monster against her chest as it continues its high-pitched bloody-murder yips.

“At least my dog is actually a dog,” I say, staring in horror at the pointy face of a canine that could fit in one of my hands. “I’ve seen dust bunnies bigger than that thing.”

“Dolly’s a Pomeranian,” she says, setting a hand on top of the monster’s head. “She’s supposed to be this tiny.”

“Well, Ranger’s a Lab. He’s supposed to be this normal.”

This is just one of those easy reads all about bad first impressions, poorly made quick judgments on people, and finding Mr/Mrs Right when you least expect it. Noah is masculine and brooding and has a pretty mean tongue (get your mind out of the gutter- I mean he could say some hurtful things). And his tongue action was pretty epic too.


This is one of the few instances where I fell for the heroine most. She was sweet and a serious casualty of the wicked world around her and Noah didn't make it easy either. His bite was pretty vicious but it took a girl like Jenny Rogers to tame him, to make him realize you can't judge a book by it's cover. And everything you see on social media? Bullsh*t. Because Jenny Rogers is nothing like he thought she was...


A great easy, feel good book!




Advanced copy received by author in exchange for my honest review.

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

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

“A little more time, Vaughn,” I say quietly. “I hate having to say this out loud, but I’m…I’m reeling, man. I feel like I’ve been in an aimless free-fall for years, and this place…it’s helping. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but it’s helping.”
He searches my face carefully. “You sure it’s the place?” he asks slowly. “Or is it the girl?”

Romance is an escape. It’s a good break from the hardcore fantasy and soul-crushing dystopian. And, most importantly, if it’s a romance novel by an author I like, then it makes all the bad things go away, turns my frown upside down, and gives me the laughs I need to make it through the day. And as it turns out?? This is an author I really enjoy and this was a week where I needed a little bit of happiness.

I look from her to the dog, who I belatedly realize is now wearing a pink bow.
No. Just hell no.
What have I gotten myself into?
More important, how do I get myself out?

It’s no secret that I’ve never really rated an LL below a four-I always feel like that day is coming, yet it hasn’t. And it may not be the author so much as me-Do you ever feel like an author just…gets you?? Like, if you were to write a book in this genre, or write a book at all, that author takes almost all the words out of your mouth and handles things just as you would? Almost as if he/she is you in author form. Well…I think LL is that person. She never fails to make me smile and I’ve yet to be near the end of one of her books and wishing it would ‘just be over already’. LL is my author soul mate and I’m not afraid to admit it. If ever I need a smile…I know just where to go. But, as it turns out, I’m always out of her books lol.

I hurriedly grab my stuff, making sure there’s no sign of my presence before I can dash into Noah’s tiny closet, leaving it open just a crack so I can breathe and see what I’m doing.
Oh, what’s that? I didn’t mention that my revenge plan is totally creepy and a lot immature? It is.
Don’t care.

This book has been getting a really bad rap. I mean yeah, there are lots of four star reviews in the community section, sure. But, more often than not, my feed has made me cringe with the status updates and reviews. And, ya know, I get it. I went into this expecting to hate it (even though I am almost always on my own in the 'LL is the best' fan club) because a lot of my close friends did. And I’m not going to name any names, that would be ridiculously rude, but even someone who I think is my equal in LL love gave this a three. Why, you ask?? Well…let me list the ways.

I stand still, my body humming in anticipation, as Noah comes in the door.
“Hey, boy,” I hear him say quietly to Ranger. “Where’d you get that bone, huh? You steal it from the stupid cotton ball?”
I roll my eyes. Sure, my dog’s the stupid one. I saw Ranger barking at his own shadow the other day.

Noah is an asshole. Noah is an asshole who continually hurts Jenny. Noah is an asshole who says things that are basically unforgivable….yet he is always forgiven. Jenny is the girl who wants to see the good in everybody (much like me-something that didn’t escape my attention as I was reading-EEPS) and wants to believe Noah isn’t a total jackass. Now, some people believe she was a doormat….but I disagree (See reason above…why would I diss on myself, flawed or not?).

But anyway, back to Jenny.
Am I avoiding her? Yes.
Out of embarrassment? No.
I’m avoiding her because I can’t even think her name without remembering what it felt like to have her hands and mouth all over me. I can’t blink and not see her in that sexy black bra. I can’t breathe and not smell her scent, all sweet and innocent.

Just because you repeatedly forgive someone doesn’t make you a doormat…it makes you someone who just wants, I don’t know, the happiest life with the person you have feelings for. And hey, let me just say, I don’t like doormats for main characters, and I know a damn doormat girl when I see one, and Jenny was distinctively different based on her actions. Or, at least, I’ve seen much worse. Namely…myself.

I dump a handful of chocolate chips into the blender. Chocolate fixes everything.
Tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder, I put the lid on and flick the blender back on, sort of relishing the hacking noise the chocolate chips make as they whir.
“What the heck is that noise?” Amber asks.
“Just throwing some carrots into the blender,” I lie.
“Oh, good call! I love how carrots add that delicious bit of sweetness,” she says.
I roll my eyes. Sweetness my ass. They’re carrots.

Oh yeah, didn’t see that coming, did ya??? Well, it might not surprise a lot of you, but for those of you just tuning in and who don’t text me every day, I love my husband so much it’s almost embarrassing. Seriously…I would do anything for him. Literally. I met him when I was sixteen and he had JUST turned seventeen-High school sweethearts and all that jazz. And he was the kindest, sweetest, most attentive, attractive boy I’d ever met. And he played football and basketball…come on now. How’s a girl supposed to breathe, am I right? Lol. I remember, on Friday nights, after soccer practice I’d run home so quick and shower and get all prettied up for my boy and then I’d immediately be in the stands of our high school football field cheering him on. Or, hey, wherever they were playing. And no, that’s not the doormat part. I don’t diss my husband publicly-I really don’t-but the truth is the truth, and the truth is harsh-Off we went to college together….and then we got a house sophomore year to rent…and he changed. Out of NOWHERE. And he wasn’t perfect in HS, mind you, but he was still that guy who would go to the ends of the earth for me. But Sophomore year in college??? I swear someone took over his body, because that was not my guy.

HE screwed up. HE caused us problems. And HE broke my heart-no, he didn’t cheat or anything like that, but he broke it all the same. And yet…I found MYSELF groveling. I did anything he asked to make him happy, so we wouldn’t have problems, so he could be happy and live the life he thought he deserved-I resent myself a lot, sometimes, for doing this. It gave him a sense of entitlement no man-or woman-deserves: That he was above being an equal. That he was above treating me like I deserved to be treated. I love him with all my heart, and I always will-ALWAYS HAVE-but he became a very cruel person in that year, and for a while he wasn’t the same. He is my best friend and the kindest, most loyal, most sincere person on the earth, now-he always was, but we all have our demons and he let his show-and I’m glad he’s back…I’ll never know what happened, to be honest. But…for a while after, he’d snap at me for no reason. He’d say the meanest, most heartbreaking, most devastating, most unforgivable things…and I let him. In fact, I did more for him because obviously I was doing something to piss him off. And just…it was bad.

And it sounds bad, I’ll admit. It pains me to think that people might believe that a leopard doesn’t change it’s spots…but he never lost his spots, they just got a little convoluted for a while. And God damn it, my whole point in bearing my heart and soul in that is this: Noah’s cruel, unforgiveable words have nothing on what I’ve heard directed at me, so forgive me if I found him rather tame. And no-I don’t go for assholes in books and I don’t think the alpha vibe is amazing or an end all-I just really love the broken, tortured heroes that Layne creates…perhaps because I married one.

So here is my disclaimer, and it is different from the one that I put in my pre-review: This is unlike any LL book I’ve ever read….and I’ve read them all. If you don’t want change or something different than you’re used to with LL, then don’t read this one. That can be the only warning I give you. I may have loved the different style of this story, but ratings have proven that others don't. It is what it is-just use your gut and go from there. I can’t make that decision for you.

I exit out the front door just in time to see my big brown Lab leap forward, his clumsy paws finding the shoulders of a blond girl who lets out a shriek, holding a cat above her head like that scene from The Lion King.
“Ranger, no! Down!”
I run forward, my hand finding the collar of my dog and yanking him backward as I search the ground to find the source of the small-dog barks still piercing the air.
Then I register that the sound is coming from above, and I realize…
The cotton ball isn’t a cat.
That orange peace of fluff is a dog, and Ranger is apparently in love.

So, the good stuff! This is my favorite atmosphere yet by this author-



I both loved and hated this book in equal measure, making this a completely foreign feeling, which I’m totally unaccustomed to. I went into this not expecting to like it, yet came out with the goofiest smile on my face, scolding myself all the while because it felt wrong to love something that, at times, was vile. But it made me feel strongly, and that’s all I ever really want when I read-To feel strong emotion for a story, both good and bad, instead of the typical, ’Okay, onto the next!’ This was a situation of ‘like-love-hate’, but love-more-than-dislike and happy-more-than-not that it was a 5 star love/hate relationship rather than a 3 star love/hate. Does that make sense? No?? Oops.

I climb into the truck, moving the seat slightly, since Finn’s a couple inches shorter than me. I glance over at Jenny, hoping she doesn’t ask why I’m adjusting the seat in what she thinks is my truck, but she’s too busy fiddling with something orange and hideous on her head.
I pause in the process of jamming the key into the ignition, staring at her in horror. “What the hell is that?”
“A wig,” she says, pulling down the visor to look in the mirror. Only there isn’t one, it having broken long ago, so she turns to me. “So how does it look?”

The writing, the banter, the conversations, her eye-rolls, Noah’s looks of horror when Jenny did something moronic. The humming her songs in secret and then humming them to taunt her. The way he always walked her back to her house no matter what so she’d be safe. Jenny reminded me of myself, wanting to hold her resolve but unable to when Noah looked hurt or hopeful. And hey! He teared up..I can’t even.

You know how I said Jenny’s voice sounded like her heart?
I’m wrong.
Her voice sounds like my heart.
And I want it back. I want her back.

I do have to say this: this book set a record of firsts for me: One being her Pomeranian, Dolly!!!! LL has a pom, and I have a pom, so naturally we know the breeds mannerisms and what makes them so fucking perfect…and it all translated perfectly onto the page. I just….it was so sweet to feel like I was reading about my baby every time I read. It was just awesome. And then, oh yeah, Noah was so cruel one time that I actually found myself tearing up for Jenny. Like…wow. That has NEVER happened before. Bravo…or…ouch, I dunno.

“What the heck is wrong with your dog?” the girl says as she slowly lowers the puffball from over her head, cradling the hideous little monster against her chest as it continues its high-pitched bloody-murder yips.
“At least my dog is actually a dog,” I say, staring in horror at the pointy face of a canine that could fit in one of my hands. “I’ve seen dust bunnies bigger than that thing.”
“Dolly’s a Pomeranian,” she says, setting a hand on top of the monster’s head. “She’s supposed to be this tiny.”

^YES



Yet I liked him, loved him, swooned over him (at times) –especially at the end. It definitely makes me want to re-evaluate what types of dudes I like (book wise). I get what she was trying to create-A different guy, a different atmosphere….and she succeeded-He was so mean, almost unforgivably so, and I’m always on the guy’s side.

His eyes rake over me. “Playing dumb won’t change the fact that you’ll be thinking about me all night, princess. Your fingers will be a poor stand-in for my tongue, I can promise you that.”
“I’m trying to figure out which word better applies here, delusional or disgusting. I’m thinking it’s a tie.”
Noah bends down slightly, enough so that I can feel his warm breath on my mouth. “Enjoy your night, princess.”

Soooo yeah. Feeling super vulnerable after this one, but the review took me there, and I respected it’s wishes. I don’t think this one is for everyone, but I think a lot of people will still love it-If you like the type of book that makes you smile so big your face is bursting or you like laugh out loud banter and conversations or inner monologues, LL is the author for you, and this book is most likely something you’ll enjoy….just know that this one has a crueler guy and he’s unlike any of her other heroes-Even Paul was kinder (I ADORE PAUL I LOVE YOU PAULLLLL). I giggle snorted (hey, a new first) and covered my mouth to stifle my smiles and giggles and, frankly, LL won again. But is this a shock to anyone?? Hmmm…no. Even when I try not to like it…I like it harder. Whatevs. I lose...like usual.


For more of my reviews, please visit:








************
Soooo yikes. Black sheep much??? Okay, so, here is the most honest thing you will ever hear me say, so listen closely: I legitimately feel guilty for loving this book. There-I said it. The way Noah treats Jenny is deplorable, disgusting. And yet....I just couldn't help smiling and, ultimately, falling in love with this story. And the sickest part: I DID NOT WANT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY BECAUSE IT FELT SHAMEFUL TO DISAGREE WITH THE VALID POINTS MY FRIENDS HAVE SO ASTUTELY POINTED OUT.

And the bottom line? I loved this fucking book, even though I tried to not like it, just so I would feel like everyone else. And it makes me extremely mad at myself. Shame on me. I can like whatever the fuck I want and I shouldn't feel like I first did when I got on GR. So. There it is. I don't give a fuck if I have five starred fifty books this month- I like what I like and I refuse to feel ashamed about it.

I loved the Louisiana setting. I loved Dolly. I loved Ranger. I loved Jenny and Noah and Finn and Vaughn. They are flawed and they are wrong and they make lots of mistakes...but my heart wants what it wants.

I didn't like this because it was an LL-I liked this because I was having a shitty week and this cheered me up immensely. *shrugs* whatever.

Baaaaah


Review to come-a less crazy sounding one, for sure

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I survive the first week of being Jenny Dawson's bitch.
Oh, I'm sorry, I mean caretaker of her run-down place."

Lauren Layne is my love. She knows exactly what I need after a long and stressful week full of exams. Something beautiful, light-but-no-too-light, with a tear-jerking HEA.



I liked both Jenny and Noah and their amazing dogs, of course! Ranger is da boss. I think Lauren Layne incredibly realistically portrayed the life of a famous country singer who is human like all of us. Sometimes we forget that celebrities are just people and that maybe they didn't expect their talent to be accepted everywhere which makes them the center of attention wherever they show up. Jenny is a beautiful character and I loved her POV. I liked Noah as well because he is in a way all of us - we judge celebrities without knowing anything about them or their lives. But when he gets to know Jenny - everything changes. I especially liked this part.

"If the girl can't handle the shit people are saying, maybe she shouldn't have fucked a married dude."
It's on the tip of my tongue to argue that there are two parties involved. That Shawn whatever-his-name-is was there too, and nobody seems to be giving him more than an indulgent eye roll beofre smearing shame all over Jenny."

I loved that ending as well! Such a great story honestly. I really needed this.

[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Country Stars

Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books



Noah, Noah, Noah. My notes about you read like this:

- jerk
- grumpy bastard
- wow, what an asshole
- prick

I found more colorful words for him but let's not get carried away.

Before I started this I thought it would be connected to Blurred Lines, the first installment of the Love Unexpectedly series. It is not. You can read it as a standalone, it is not connected in any way. This story is told in dual-POV which makes the experience always more multi-layered, I find.

Jenny Dawson is a good girl. She is also a singer and songwriter and the darling of the country music scene. She tries to stay out of the tabloids - the worst that has been written about her up until now is that she has a baby belly, courtesy of a burrito, unbeknownst to the author of the article. When a fellow singer claims that he and Jenny had an affair outside of his marriage and she is painted as a homewrecker she loses it and takes a break from LA. She seeks out the loneliness of the Louisiana Bayous.

Noah Maxwell is a Southern boy with the sexy drawl to go with. He is also the illegitimate spare because the heir to his father died when Noah was fourteen. Dirt-poor and living in a trailer until then he all of a sudden was a rich kid, bending his will to his father's. Noah owns a fixer-upper in the Bayous he didn't know of until a short while ago. When a famous country singer wants to rent it he starts to reconstruct, renovate and fixing it. He finds he is good at it, working with his hands gives him peace.

"...there's something about it that calms me. It's one of those places where you hear your thoughts louder and more clearly than anywhere else."

Jenny arrives a day early and Noah, not wanting to reveal that he is famous in his own right claims to be the caretaker. Noah hates everything Jenny stands for and knowing she is a homewrecker doesn't really endear her to him. But damn, she is hot and makes him feel all kinds of things he has no business feeling.

"Playing dumb won't change the fact that you'll be thinking about me all night, princess. Your fingers will be a poor stand-in for my tongue, I can promise you that."

Jenny is a sweet heroine with spunk. She can't hold a grudge for long - not once while reading did I think it was because she was weak. I think she doesn't because she is inherently nice and sweet. She has that fresh-faced spirit of a down-to-earth country girl. I loved that.

"You know, we've done this a couple times now You're a jerk - and I mean real, grade A asshole stuff - and then you apologize. And I say OK. But then you do it again, and I think..."

Noah, what a complicated guy. A grade A asshole who I can only forgive because he has an appendage I don't have. Yeeeaaaah, I'm cheap like that and love a-holes in books. He doesn't pull any punches and becomes outright mean when he feels cornered. It took a while for him to get his sh*t together but when he did it was amazingly sweet.

"The hope in his eyes gets to me.
Please, his eyes say. Stay.
And damn it, now I feel like crying again, only for a different reason. No matter how much this complicated guy thinks he doesn't need anyone or anything, there's a coarse vulnerability there that nearly undoes me.

The side characters were awesome too. Finn and Vaughn are Noah's most loyal and best friends and they are hilarious! I hope we get to see their story too.

Lauren Layne has a talent. She made me love someone who I started out hating in the span of 220 pages. There is little angst which is a Lauren Layne trademark. Not a surprise that she is my go-to author when I need to shake up things. If you dig a-holes like I do and a sweet heroine who can take it and gives it back as good, this definitely is for you.


**ARC provided by Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

Jenny Dawson is a famous countrysinger, always followed by paparazzi, her life always on display. Unfortunately, she's now on all tabloids not because of her music, but because of a scandal, even though everything they say is false.
She needs to concentrate on music and on her next album, so she decides to go back to the ranch where she wrote her first album...that's where she meets Preston Noah Maxwell Walcott, the owner of the estate, who decides to tell her that he's the caretaker... they didn't start off on the right foot , but they have to live at the estate together for a few weeks, will they be able not to kill each other?

Good Girl is one of those books that will put a smile on your face and will make you spend a few good hours. I found it really different from her other books, this one was definitely hotter!!

If you love a good enemies to lovers book, then this one is for you. Their banter made me laugh so many times. I didn't absolutely want to put it down, that's why I read it in one sitting.. but that seems to happen with all Lauren Layne's books, they're so addictive and I just can't stop reading them once I've started!

I discovered LL's books less than a year ago and so far, I have read four books by her and I loved them all. If you haven't read any of her books, I strongly suggest to check them out!

Arc kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★ 4 Stars ★★★★

I really enjoyed this one, it was a fun read that I managed to devour in one sitting.

Jenny Dawson is a famous country singer who is looking for a retreat to escape some untrue scandals that the press are having a field day with, which leads her to a ranch in Louisiana.

Noah Maxwell Walcott is the owner of the ranch, but tricks her into thinking he is the caretaker. He has a few issues he's dealing with, and taking care of his run down farm seem to be helping him see things more clearly.

“It’s starting to feel a lot less like running from something and a lot more like . . . home.”

This starts off as a love/hate story which quickly leads to a steamy tale of two people who are trying to find their true path in life.

A great fun read.

Good Girl is a complete standalone, told in dual POV

ARC gratefully received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Francoise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars !

I enjoyed this light and refreshing romantic comedy. In true Lauren Layne’s style, this story was funny, sweet and sexy ! I loved both characters, they were likable and well developed. Their witty banter made me smile all through the story!

Country singer Jenny Dawson is America’s sweetheart. But after being wrongly accused of having an affair with a married man, the media pressure forces her to consider a change of scenery. She decides to go on a creative retreat in Louisiana, in a house recently inherited by Noah Maxwell/ Preston Walcott. She hopes the magical surroundings of the property will help her write her new album. The house, however, is not in pristine condition, and Noah offers to fix it, which is the least he could do given its somewhat run-down state! But as a consequence, Jenny mistakes him for the caretaker.

Noah/Preston is a complex character, with a dual identity. He spent the first part of his childhood living with his single mother in a trailer park and the second part living also with his wealthy father, in shared custody. He has never been able to find his true identity and still has to juggle to fit in two very different worlds, represented by his childhood friends, Finn and Vaughn.

I loved Jenny. She is a sweet and honest girl, passionate about the music she creates. And she has the courage to put up with Noah’s snarky remarks and grumpy attitude!

Despite their respective initial prejudice and wrong assumptions, Jenny and Noah have great chemistry. Both need some time away and being together is a unique chance at a new start. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed, from enemies to lovers.

I can’t forget to mention two important characters in this story, Jenny’s dog Dolly, inspired by Lauren Layne’s own Pomeranian, and Noah’s Labrador Ranger. Ranger has a mad crush on Dolly, resulting in some delightful scenes!

If you are in the mood for a charming, humorous and sexy read, look no further and try this book !

ARC kindly provided by publisher Random House Publishing - Loveswept, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life

I liked this story quite a bit. This one definitely had some wonderful moments and I really liked Jennie and Noah. This book had a wonderful balance of the things that I love in a contemporary romance. There was a thread of humor throughout the story and the banter between the couple was great. The chemistry between the pair and the overall romance was well done. This was such a fun read.

Jenny Dawson is a country music star. She finds her pictures on the cover of every tabloid out there. When the story being told becomes a bit more vicious, she decides to leave Hollywood and go Louisiana to work on her next album and get away from it all. She makes plans to go to the home that she went for a music retreat when she was younger despite the fact that it has fallen in disrepair.

Noah owns the home that Jenny has rented out to work on her album. He is working to get it in a somewhat decent condition before Jenny's arrival. When she shows up early and assumes that he is the caretaker, he doesn't correct her but instead assumes that role. Noah stays in the caretaker's cottage during the length of Jenny's stay working on the house while Jenny works on her music.

I loved these characters! I was worried that Jenny would turn out to be a diva but she was so down to earth. She really wasn't bothered by the condition of the house or much at all. She really had a tough skin regarding what the media said about her and was able to focus on real relationships. Noah was more of a mystery for me. He was really learning about himself during the course of the book and learning to live the life he wants instead of what was expected of him. The dogs in this story played a really important role and I loved both Dolly and Ranger.

I liked Jenny and Noah as a couple. I thought that they were perfect for each other even if they didn't seem to realize it for a long time. The chemistry between them was great. There were a few moments that I thought Noah was a bit mean by throwing the things the media was saying about Jenny in her face. I really wish that she would have stood up for herself a little more with him. By the end of the story, I was really excited to see them work everything out.

I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This book is listed as the second book in a series but it can be read as a stand alone. I have read both books in the series and seriously don't even remember how they might be connected. Lauren Layne is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

[Vasiliki · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!!

ARC kindly provided by House Publishing Group - Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

This is the story of Jenny and Noah. A famous country singer and a very confused man, both of them looking to get away from the world.

I totally loved this book! The plot is not surprising but it moves smoothly and fast! The writing of Ms. Layne is fantastic! I laughed a lot and I cried a couple of times and I forgot to breathe as well! The writing is so alive that I could actually picture every single word in my head! I had so many emotions while reading this book that it became immediately a favorite! The book is written in a dual POV and it is perfectly done!

Jenny is a young country singer that has to suffer the consequences of being famous, meaning paparazzi and lies on magazines! I love the way Jenny is reacting on this madness. She doesn't play the "game" and she doesn't hide! She just focus on herself by doing her job, writing songs! I also love her reactions to Noah! She is sincere and straight-forward in everything she does! Oh, I can speak for hours for Jenny! She has my heart!

Noah is a man with issues. He is tired of being told what he is supposed to do and with whom. He wants to taste freedom and that's his reason for hiding! What I like about him is that although he was horrible to Jenny at first sight, he was actually looking after her in his way. I also admire a man who can admit that was wrong and Noah could do this very nicely!

Their interactions were amazing! Both of them were intense and honest and I couldn't get enough of them.

The end of the book was also beautiful! It gave me a big smile on my face!
Last but not least, I need to mention their amazing dogs, Dolly and Ranger. Without them the story wouldn't be the same!

I definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a funny and intense love story!

[Joëlle · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** ARC kindly provided by the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ***

Country singer Jenny wants to escape her life, the paparazzi, attention for some time after being accused of sleeping with a married man. Retreating to a place from her childhood in the middle of nowhere she gets to deal with cranky jerk Noah. Noah doesn't reveal his true identity. He also has been engaged recently and his ex-fiancee has a hard time accepting this. He's not ready yet to fall again but you can't help falling in love. How will Jenny react when she finds out his lies. Will Noah figure out what he wants before it's too late?

I liked both of Noah's best friends. Both Finn and Vaughn were very likable and I loved the banter between them. I would have love more of it ;) As for Noah, he was such a Jerk during the major part of the book. Luckily in the very end this changed. I liked this entertaining sweet romance and give it 3,5 stars. This was my first read from this author and I'd love to read more...

[monica ♪ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Good Girl
Series: Love Unexpectedly #2 (Can be read as stand-alone)
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: May 17th 2016
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Writing Style: First Person, Dual POV
HEA: Yes

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MY REVIEW

As a fan of Lauren Layne, this book is one of the most anticipated books in 2016 for me. Honestly I don't even bother with the synopsis because when it comes to LL books, I'll just read them all.
And it goes to this book too. I have a high expectation for this book because, hello it's LL new book! And look at that beautiful cover!!
I was actually hoping to find the usual LL's classy, funny, great banter, sweet and right amount of sexiness-style. But I think I don't find them in this book.
Instead, I find this book so cheesy.



I basically don't really like a story where the main character is a famous person and involves with the Hollywood life. Because you know, Hollywood in real life is already full of crap, and you can imagine how more dramatic it is in a fiction book.
I already rolled my eyes even when I was reading the first chapter.
And then add an asshole hero and a weak heroine to the already dramatic story.



Another thing that makes this book is so un-LL-like is the main characters.
One of my favorite things from LL book is the strong, smart, kickass heroine. But Jenny Dowson is definitely not included in that category.
She can't even defense and stand up for herself when strangers spreading bad rumors about her, and instead she just runs away and hides in Louisiana like a coward...



And did I mention that the hero is an asshole? Because Noah Maxwell is definitely a grade A asshole.
I don't like the little 'charade' he played to begin with.
Usually I'm okay with the bad boy kind of hero, but Noah is not a bad boy. He's just the ordinary guy with bad attitudes toward the girl he sleeps with.



Fortunately though, the supporting characters are all great. I love Amber (Jenny's best friend), Finn and Vaughn (Noah's best friends).
I hope they'll get their own story too. I have a feeling that Amber and Vaughn will get their story in the next book ;)

Even the dogs are so cute. And I'm not a dog person.

So although the main characters are pretty annoying, the supporting characters make the story more interesting.

Not a very great book from LL, but I quite enjoyed it. Looking forward to another new releases from LL this year!

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars

“I’m starting to feel a lot less like running from something and a lot more like…home.”
Finn pulls out his phone.
“I need to write that down. See if Ma will stick it on a quilt for me.”

WOW! This book was absolutely perfect for my mood right now. I just finished a very long and emotionally exhausting book, and I was in serious need for a pick-me-up. Good Girl was a light hearted romance with a cute and relatable MC, sizzling romance and hilarious banter!

Jenny Dawson the famous 'innocent', 'good girl' country singer has been caught sleeping with multiple married men... or at least that's what the media says. Jenny only moved to Hollywood because her publicist convince her that it would be good for her image. She never wanted the constant paparazzi attention or media scrutiny, she just wanted to write her songs. Now that she has been labeled a "home wrecker", Jenny decides to herself from the publics' eye so she can focus on her music. Jenny flees to an old mansion in Louisiana to get her life back in order, but she also has to deal with the grumpy, brooding caretaker Noah who she is dangerously attracted to.

Noah is in need of a break from his personal life, in particular his ex-fiancé from hell. So, instead of telling Jenny that he is in fact Prescott Noah Maxwell Walcott — the owner of the mansion she's decided to inhabit, he pretends to be the caretaker. On first impression, Jenny is nothing more than a spoiled princess, but after much time spent together Noah realises that he wants nothing more than to bed her. With much verbal sparring and fighting, Noah comes to realise that Jenny is so much more than she seems.

"I survive the first week of being Jenny Dawson's bitch. Oh, I'm sorry, I mean caretaker of her run-down palace."

Saying that Jenny and Noah got off on the wrong foot would be an understatement. Their dislike for each other, as well as their unwanted attraction was obvious from the first time they met. I've never been a big fan of hate to love relationships, but this one is definitely an exception (although I wouldn't say that they exactly hated each other, strong dislike would be more accurate). Right from the beginning, their banter was hilarious and created some serious sexual tension. I do admit that Noah sometimes crossed the line from teasing to just a plain asshole more than once, but I honestly thought he'd be worse. I read a couple of reviews before starting this book that mentioned how awful Noah was to Jenny. I admit that he was often mean and hurt her, but it definitely wasn't unforgivably bad.

Jenny was absolutely hilarious and adorably quirky. Right from the beginning, her internal dialogue was relatable as well as being wildly entertaining. Just the way she thought about things was enough to make me smile uncontrollably. It's safe to say that I loved her from the very beginning. She was so relatable and even though we live completely different lives, I totally connected with her story. She was sweet and caring but was also sassy and feisty, especially towards Noah.

As I mentioned before, Noah definitely has some asshole-ish qualities. He was brooding, grumpy and rude at the best of times. But, I also loved him to pieces. It seems that I have a 'thing' for asshole male characters and Noah is not an exception. There is no mistaking his jerk qualities but, Noah also had a good side, he always apologised when he was an ass and could be very thoughtful towards Jenny. Since this is a dual P.O.V book it would be hard to dislike Noah because we also get to hear his side of the story and understand his actions. I loved reading from his perspective as he struggled to deal with and understand his growing feelings for Jenny. He was also super sweet at the end and in the epilogue.

One of my favourite things about this book was the side characters, and yes I am including the dogs in this. Dolly and Ranger — Jenny and Noah's adorable dogs — definitely had personalities of their own and added to my enjoyment of the book. As a proud dog owner myself, I loved how they played such a large role in the book. They were arguably the best characters in the book! I also loved Vance and Finn who were Noah's best friends. They were polar opposites which gave us even more hilarious banter to enjoy!

I can't wait to read more from this author!