3 - 3 1/2 stars
When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought it was something that I would really enjoy. Unfortunately, there was just too much that kept that from happening. This had a great storyline, humor, a fantastic male lead, a great best friend, a horrible roommate that you'll love to hate, and some surprises that kept things interesting. I like a hero that isn't afraid to go after what he wants and do whatever it takes to get it, and this had just that.
My biggest problem was with the female lead character. I get that she had been hurt in her previous relationship, but her reaction to it was a bit extreme. If these characters had been younger, maybe in their first years of college, I could have understood better, but they're supposed to be seniors. After everything that Juliana, aka Jules, had been through in her life, you would expect her to be stronger than what she was, at least to me anyway.
When she finally gives Tanner a chance to get out of the friend zone after a couple of months, every little thing he does is scrutinized by her. She reacts before knowing the truth, or even asking him about it, and while it should be easy to figure out for her, she's too busy pulling away without giving him a chance to explain anything. I felt like I was reading about high school kids, rather than young adults in their last year of college.
I liked the first part of the story, up until they started dating. I didn't hate the rest of the story, and she tried redeeming herself towards the end, but it was just too late for me at that point. For those who like the push and pull, the games played by others trying to mess up the relationship, and the other things that I have described in this book, then this is a story that you will love. If you are interested, but not sure, please request a sample of the book to see if it's something that you can enjoy.
I have voluntarily reviewed this arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley.