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Do-Gooder, The

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A college girl tries to make up for her bad karma by doing one good deed for anyone willing to ask - a witty, sweet romance perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Abbi Glines.

Lara Montgomery is no good. Having been scorned by her classmates since high school, she's used to it. From where she's sitting, the one with more notches on the bedpost has more fun anyway. At least that's what she tells herself.

Really, a small part of her hopes that her massive amounts of bad karma can be neutralized by wearing her Do-Gooder hat - that thing she does where she'll complete one good deed for anyone who asks. And she does an amazing job at it, if she does say so herself. Still, there's one thing she knows she can't make better, no matter how many problems she solves for other people: On the night her brother died, she was off hooking up with his not-so-single best friend, Fletch.

It's been three years since that night, and Fletch just wants her to let it go. To him, her persistence with the good deeds only serves to remind everyone in their small university town about what they did. As it is, they can't help but get into a heated argument every time they run into each other on campus. And yet neither of them can seem to stop that pesky electricity that runs between them whenever they get too close....

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First published February 22, 2014

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About the author

Jessie L. Star

9 books140 followers
Whilst digging through her childhood scribblings, Jessie L. Star discovered a thrilling saga by her six year old self entitled 'Jessie has Lost her Sock'. This sweeping epic spanned all four corners of her childhood house in outback South Australia as the sock was hunted down (spoiler, it was in Jessie's bed all along). Many years later and the urge to write is still going strong, although lost socks have been replaced with a raft of characters destined to snark and banter at each other until, ultimately, falling in love.

Jessie studied Business at Uni where she primarily learnt that writing and talking were very much her thing and that dealing with numbers was very much not.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Chris  C - A Midlife Wife.
1,839 reviews465 followers
February 11, 2017
Definitely a YA story with plenty of heart and emotion.

I have to say this book was a surprising one for me. I guess I did not expect the level of heated anticipation and in-depth love/hate relationship between the two main characters.

Lara is an angry, sarcastic person that has the weight of the world on her shoulders. The only way she knows how to amend herself is by doing good deeds, for which she catches a lot of flak from Fletch. The only problem with that is the burning desire and heat between the two of them that has lasted for years.

Fletch is a sweet-hearted, amazing guy that has had a huge crush on Lara for years. He cannot help but protect her and yet try to stay out of her way. The only problem with that is he just can't do either.

With some amazingly hot scenes and bursts of flames igniting, these two strike a compromise that is sort of working... until its not.

This author tells an engrossing story loaded with emotion, pain, trust, love, and understanding. Plus, some awesome and deep friendships that comes out of all of the surrounding issues.

A deep, passionate, and thoughtful read that reminds you that everyone has hidden ghosts and pain somewhere in their lives. Some things cannot be buried and a great love connection is one of them,

Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].
1,436 reviews3,769 followers
June 4, 2020
I've been a huge fan of Jessie Star since her FictionPress days, where I first read this story. It was lovely to revisit it in published form.

This is honestly one of the more unusual romance premises I've come across - or maybe it's just Star's fresh, engaging writing that makes it feel that way. Lara Montgomery is a do-gooder: she spends her days at university trying to make up for the sins in her past. Fletcher Townsend is the guy who watches her do it. The two of them have a deep history that's angsty and fulfilling all at once.

The book itself is safe, though their historical relationship isn't always. In the past Fletcher cheated on his girlfriend with Lara; this is not something I personally was bothered by, but it may bother others. It's explicitly stated that Lara has had sex with others since she first hooked up with Fletcher, though matters are left ambiguous on his end. His friends accuse him of living 'like a monk.'

The book is remarkably emotional and I think Star handles the angst very well. I'm completely satisfied with the relationship personally, and I love Lara's bitchy ice-queen demeanour.

[Blog] - [Bookstagram]

 photo c l i m b C2A0e v e r y C2A0m o u n t a i n 2_zpsykn9gbgr.png
Profile Image for Naomi.
1,473 reviews56 followers
June 16, 2017
Original Review @ Naomi’s Reading Palace

3.5 Stars

I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this one up, as I hadn't read anything by Jessie L. Star before. Once I began though, I was swept away into the world the author created. Lara had made it her mission to help anyone who came to her for help, and Fletch couldn't understand why she wouldn't go back to the girl she was before, to stop with the deeds and forgive herself. The Do-Gooder was a fun, lighter read about a second chance for Lara and Fletch.

I don't agree with cheating of any sort, and I did see what happened between Lara and Fletch, but the book quickly moved past that moment, and took off three years later. Lara and Fletch were at uni, where Lara carried out her deeds. Lara came across as quite a bit$h, to put it plainly. She's rude, cold and self centred, but I soon discovered it was her way of keeping people away as she didn't think she deserved any real happiness. It was sad to see her harbouring those feelings and that she was unable to get past one moment in time that changed her life.

Fletch and Lara had one of those love/hate relationships and they continually bickered when they were together. I could see that he really did have feelings for her, but didn't agree with her deeds. Along the way his feelings became more as Lara opened up, although some of the times she didn't do so intentionally. She harboured deep hurt that Fletch was able to relate to, and getting to know their story enabled me to see that they were good together.

I really enjoyed my first Jessie L. Star read, watching the characters grow and understand one another. The Do-Gooder was set here in Australia, and I liked that the author wove the story with that Australian voice, using terms and language any Aussie would use. It had both Lara and Fletch's perspectives (Lara's in the first person POV, and Fletch's in the third person POV), so I was fully able to understand their fears and their connection. I would've liked more to their ending though, maybe an Epilogue. Nevertheless, it was a good read and I'll try Jessie L. Star again in the future.

Complimentary copy provided by Simon & Schuster Australia in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
1,305 reviews104 followers
April 16, 2017
4.5 Stars

http://rpmbt-blog.com/rpmbt/review-th...

The Do-Gooder by Jessie L. Star was a book that kept me intrigued from beginning to end. This was the first book by this author that I’ve read, and it definitely will not be the last.

From the prologue all the way through the epilogue, I was drawn into this story and was unable to put my Kindle down. Lara and Fletch’s story wasn’t your typical romance, and all the twists and turns that Jessie L. Star took us on kept me hooked.

Lara feels after all the things she’s done in her past she needs to atone for her “sins” so she becomes the campus “Do-Gooder” and does good deeds for people who need them. No one really understands truly why she feels the need to do them, even Fletch who was there and a part of the reason why she does this, but it’s her own form of punishment to herself. Fletch gives her crap all the time for it, and every time he confronts her about it, you can feel the sexual tension between the two of them radiating off of your Kindle. It’s only a matter of time before things escalate between these two, you can sense it as a reader and all of the other characters in the book can sense it too.

These two have a history, and both of them see it differently. They see that night, and the years leading up to it differently and have handled everything since that night in different ways. Fletch wants Lara to learn to let go and move forward with her life, but she can’t. Only when they both seem to come to a truce of sorts do they really seem to see things from the other’s point of view.

I really enjoyed watching these two sort of let their guards down around one another, but I knew it was going to blow up. Fletch wanted Lara, but he knew he wasn’t going to get all of her, so he was still hesitant with her and Lara didn’t know what to do with Fletch so even though things were good with them, it was only a matter of time before things got bad. I just wasn’t expecting it to get so bad. My heart broke for Fletch when everything came out, but then it also broke for Lara as well. She had to come to some hard realizations about everything she’d gone through in the past three years and make some hard decisions and truly start letting people help her and let people in.

I not only loved these two characters but also Merry, Lizzy, and all of the other secondary characters in this book. All of the people that Lara didn’t want in her life as friends, but truly cared about her and were there for her no matter what. This book was beautifully written and had a story that captured my heart and kept me intrigued from beginning to end. There was no “fluff” added to this book, it was just an amazingly written story about two people figuring things out the hard way. I highly recommend this book for all lovers of the New Adult genre, this is definitely a must read!

I have received this book as a member of the XOXperts, XOXO After Dark’s official street team, in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jaime Fiction Fangirls.
1,664 reviews153 followers
February 23, 2017
4.5 Stars

This book was so different from most of the books that I've read. The thing that stood out the most for me was that it was written in both first person and third person. The heroines POV is written in first person and alternates chapters with the heroes POV, which was written in third person. I don't ever remember reading a book written this way and I realize that a lot of people won't love it but it worked for me.

Lara and Fletch have a complicated history, one that Fletch doesn't want to forget and one that Lara can't let go of. Three years ago they both had one night where they got everything they desired but afterwards, when everything fell apart, so did they.

Lara spends her free time trying to make up for, what she perceives as, the bad karma she created that night by doing good deeds for anyone who asks. Fletch just wants her to realize that the harder she works at making up for that night, the more attention she brings to it. Can either of them really move on and forget what happened that one night, when really all they both want is more?

This book was a slow-burn, but in the best way, because you could feel the tension between Lara and Fletch but that slow burn was also the reason I found myself annoyed at both characters. It was both frustrating and heartbreaking to watch as Lara based her whole worth on her good deeds. It was equally frustrating that Fletch let himself get so angry with her about her deeds instead of showing her that he understood her need to do them but how she was worth more than what she did for other people. The fact that they couldn't communicate these things to each other in any other way than with contempt made for a lot of back and forth, which also contributed to the tension, which was important to their journey.

Underneath all of the pain and contempt they showed for each other there was deep, pure love waiting to burst to the surface. It was the journey to that burst that made this story so good.

This was my first read from Jessie L. Star but based on how much I enjoyed it, it won't be my last.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review
Profile Image for Leena Dbouk.
113 reviews18 followers
September 15, 2015
The plot was a bit slow. Lara was an irritating character. I found myself skimming a lot. But it came to a nice, clean, feel-goody end so yay.

Also, it might just be a pet peeve, but the author used the word succinct/succinctly all the dern time! But...that was probably just my own neurosis showing through.
Profile Image for Suzana Thompson.
Author 100 books102 followers
May 29, 2017
If you haven't read a Jessie Star book, you're missing out. She excels at writing great chemistry between the romantic leads. Download the free sample to this book and you'll see what I mean. It's there right from the first page. She also has a knack for writing feisty heroines who won't back down. This is a nice change of pace from the usual shy, self-conscious heroines in most romance books. Lara is a bit prickly and stubborn, but I really enjoyed reading her character development. Her shenanigans made me laugh, but there was also a lot of depth to this story. Lara is a flawed character with many layers. If you're looking for another perfect Mary Sue, don't look here. If you like reading about heroines who have both positive and negative personality traits, like say real people, then Lara is your girl. She is never boring, and she eventually goes through some self-reflection. She is certainly a unique female character, because she has a true fear of intimacy.

I loved her dynamic with Fletcher. Although he is long-suffering, he never comes across as weak or a wimp. He maintains a strong, sexy presence in the book. My anticipation for them to get together remained intense even after they hooked up. They never lost their sexual chemistry. Such are the mad skills of Jessie Star.

On a final note, I also found the secondary characters interesting and memorable. It was a well-rounded story that included the importance of family and friends. In the end, Lara realized that it was impossible to disconnect from everyone and go it alone. She wanted to be indispensable to other people but not to need anyone herself. She had to accept that she needed someone's help too.
Profile Image for Mariam.
3 reviews
September 10, 2016
I read this book when it was still posted on Fictionpress. Jessie Star has a way with words. She makes her characters come alive. The Do-Gooder is one of my favorites from her books.

It is an amazing story that will make you want to cry, laugh, smile and then get all mushy. I would recommend this book to everyone. The characters in this book are very well developed. You can feel all the emotions that they are experiencing. Lara Montgomery is a quite complex character that may seem like a b*tch or a little aloof on the outside, but is so vulnerable on the inside. Fletcher Townsend is the boy that every girl can dream of. Their story is epic. This book is worth buying.


“What are we doing?” He whispered, his lips brushing against my neck. “Lara, what the h*ll are we doing?”

“This.” I used my leg to press him even closer against me and then turned my head to nip at his ear. “And don’t you dare stop.”


If you haven't read it yet, read it now!
Profile Image for Francesca.
216 reviews25 followers
March 2, 2017
Note: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with this one and gave up about half way through. I was intrigued by the premise and liked it at first. I enjoyed Lara. She was a smart, tough, take no BS heroine. But I was not feeling the romance between her and Fletch. Their chemistry did not come across well on the page. The story ended up dragging and couldn't hold my interest. I ultimately didn't end up finishing it because I grew bored about half way through.
Profile Image for Alyson Stone.
Author 4 books71 followers
September 5, 2015
As far as Jessie Star books go, this one takes the top. This was the first book I read by this author and I was a little unsure about reading it, but I am sure glad I did! Now, I can't get enough of this author! I just love Lara. She's a strong character, but is not Mary Sue. She cares for people, but puts up a wall. I love the lead couple and all of their struggles. I don't want to say too much and give it away, but I would strongly recommend this!
Profile Image for Carmel March.
664 reviews42 followers
September 13, 2015
I felt like Jessie Star's writing really shone in The Do-Gooder. Not only were her characters complicated and incredibly well-developed, but the plot and the themes explored in this story went deeper than in her previous stories. This one was a little grittier, a litter sharper, and I thought it was brilliant.
Profile Image for ✰  BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰.
3,034 reviews12 followers
June 19, 2017
Copy received from Simon & Schuster Australia for an honest review

I am not going to lie - this little blogger is an old fart, and does not read much YA - I kinda feel a bit pervy thinking the guys are hot when I am old enough to be their mum!

This was my first Jessie L Star read, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up, however I was hooked from the first word to the last.

It is a book full of emotion, guilt, hope. I was not expecting the depth of emotion that I felt throughout the book - not sure why, but probably because of the age of the characters?

Lara is pretty much a one of a kind. She has her guilt from the past guiding her future, and whilst I love what she was doing, I am with the other characters in the book when I tell her it is not healthy.

Fletch. Oh Fletch. Through all the have been through, he has been quite the constant. Constant pain in the ar$e at times, but he was always there, no matter what. I don't know why he kept coming back, but I also understood why he couldn't stay away.

There is a great love/hate, push/pull between Lara and Fletch and you just know that they aren't going to be able to fight it forever.

There are some great secondary characters that really round out this story - particularly Merry and Lizzy. I would love to be their friends.

This was the first book by Ms Star that I have read, and I will be going back to check out her other works in the future.



Smokin Hot Book Blog Email
4,120 reviews116 followers
May 19, 2017
Pocket Star and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Do-Gooder. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Lara Montgomery tries to make up for prior bad acts by doing a good deed for anyone who requests assistance. Her zeal to help others as an act of atonement stems from the night her brother Donny died and she was otherwise occupied with his best friend Fletcher. Bound to see each other on their small college campus, the run-ins between the two only seem to fuel that which lingers below the surface. Will they ever be able to move past their issues with each other and find some common ground?

This NA romance was good, but no part of it really stood out. The reason for Lara's blue book was hardly mentioned, as her brother was barely a footnote in the novel. The Do-Gooder wrapped up too neatly and did not reflect the realities of real life, with all of its messiness and struggles. All that being said, The Do-Gooder was a quick read and a good way to pass an afternoon.
Profile Image for Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten).
2,400 reviews186 followers
September 3, 2017
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!


The Do-Gooder is Jessie L. Star’s recently released novel and is an emotional and intriguing NA about redemption, self-deprecation and the power to forgive oneself.

Lara Montgomery is not a good girl…far from it. She has a reputation and an attitude that’s seen her scorned by the majority of her peers at the University she attends. And it doesn’t help that Lara’s biggest regret is that she was hooking up with her older brother’s not-so-single best friend the night he died. Three years may have passed, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from plaguing Lara’s life and her mistakes from mounting. Now Lara spends her days accomplishing good deeds for others in an effort to turn her bad karma around. Fletcher Townsend has always been Lara’s weakness and he hers. All he wants is for her to let go of what happened all those years ago, but as their relationship is more crash and burn than anything else, Fletch and Lara can’t be in the same room without getting into an a verbal sparring match. Can Fletch convince Lara to let go of her guilt? Or will her determination to make amends destroy any chance she has at happiness?

I want to be honest, The Do-Gooder seems to be different than a lot of the NA novels I’ve read in the past. Though there is plenty of the sex, drama and angst that is typical of these kinds of novel, the overall feel and tone of the book seems to be gloomier than I’ve seen in most NA stories. And I think a lot of that stems from the main characters, Lara and Fletch who have a very dysfunctional relationship.

Lara was a hard character to really get behind and she wasn’t altogether likable most of the time. She was self-deprecating, angry, moody, bitchy and prone to acting out. Oddly enough she embraced the way in which people saw her and played up to their low expectations of her. I’ve never really read about a character like her before, so being inside her head was a new experience for me. It was actually very sad to see someone with much attitude and persona have so little self-worth. She genuinely believed that all the unkind and untactful words spoken about her were stemmed in truth.

Though The Do-Gooder was entertaining and had some really shining moments, there were a few times when I very much struggled with connecting Lara and Fletch. I really wanted to, but I found myself at odds with the way in which they often reacted. I wanted to see them end up together and I wanted them to overcome their demons, but I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be. I can’t put my finger on it, but something kept me from connecting to the extent I’d hoped for.

Overall however, The Do-Gooder was still a decent read and I’ll look for more from this author in the future. The Do-Gooder was a unique NA novel from Jessie L. Star that dares to be different.
Profile Image for Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten).
2,400 reviews186 followers
January 21, 2026
The Do-Gooder is Jessie L. Star’s recently released novel and is an emotional and intriguing NA about redemption, self-deprecation and the power to forgive oneself.

Lara Montgomery is not a good girl…far from it. She has a reputation and an attitude that’s seen her scorned by the majority of her peers at the University she attends. And it doesn’t help that Lara’s biggest regret is that she was hooking up with her older brother’s not-so-single best friend the night he died. Three years may have passed, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from plaguing Lara’s life and her mistakes from mounting. Now Lara spends her days accomplishing good deeds for others in an effort to turn her bad karma around. Fletcher Townsend has always been Lara’s weakness and he hers. All he wants is for her to let go of what happened all those years ago, but as their relationship is more crash and burn than anything else, Fletch and Lara can’t be in the same room without getting into an a verbal sparring match. Can Fletch convince Lara to let go of her guilt? Or will her determination to make amends destroy any chance she has at happiness?

I want to be honest, The Do-Gooder seems to be different than a lot of the NA novels I’ve read in the past. Though there is plenty of the sex, drama and angst that is typical of these kinds of novel, the overall feel and tone of the book seems to be gloomier than I’ve seen in most NA stories. And I think a lot of that stems from the main characters, Lara and Fletch who have a very dysfunctional relationship.

Lara was a hard character to really get behind and she wasn’t altogether likable most of the time. She was self-deprecating, angry, moody, bitchy and prone to acting out. Oddly enough she embraced the way in which people saw her and played up to their low expectations of her. I’ve never really read about a character like her before, so being inside her head was a new experience for me. It was actually very sad to see someone with much attitude and persona have so little self-worth. She genuinely believed that all the unkind and untactful words spoken about her were stemmed in truth.

Though The Do-Gooder was entertaining and had some really shining moments, there were a few times when I very much struggled with connecting Lara and Fletch. I really wanted to, but I found myself at odds with the way in which they often reacted. I wanted to see them end up together and I wanted them to overcome their demons, but I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be. I can’t put my finger on it, but something kept me from connecting to the extent I’d hoped for.

Overall however, The Do-Gooder was still a decent read and I’ll look for more from this author in the future. The Do-Gooder was a unique NA novel from Jessie L. Star that dares to be different.
Author 1 book5 followers
July 22, 2017
The Do-Gooder isn’t your typical romance novel — in a genre full of bad guys chasing the good girls, it was refreshing to find the story of a good guy being caught up in the affections of a bad girl.

Lara has a reputation around campus, yet she doesn’t care. Whilst the people on campus go out of their way to slut-shame her, Lara doesn’t let it get to her and maintains an aura of confidence and boldness. To ‘atone’ for her ‘sins’ (yes, they’re in quotation marks deliberately!), she has started her own deeds system where she grants people good deeds. Fletch is the good guy everyone loves — he surfs, is nice, and is an overall good dude. On the night Lara’s brother (and Fletch’s best friend) died of cancer, he and Lara give in to their attraction to one another and finally hook up, even though he had a girlfriend at the time. The book follows their journey a few years after that happened, Fletch’s displeasure with Lara’s deed system and an attraction they can’t seem to ignore.

I loved Lara’s character from the get-go. I love her confidence and the fact that people could say the nastiest things to her and she serves something back to them. I also thought she was a funny character and some of her replies back to others in the book were downright hilarious. The author’s construction of Lara’s character was excellent, and it was hard not to love her.

Though the book is perfect rainy-day reading material, it also touches on serious issues. The one area I thought was particularly important was the slut-shaming. Though Lara can be commended for showing those who tried to shame her that she wasn’t bothered, Fletch made a great point in their dialogue that they shouldn’t have the right to use to word ‘slut’ to demean her in any way. Lara views being called a ‘slut’ as a form of empowerment, whereas others use it to belittle her and she accepts it as she thinks she deserves to be punished for the things she blames herself for in her past.

I also enjoyed how Lara’s perspective was written in the first person, and Fletch’s in the third person. This allows the read to focus on how Lara develops and the ways Fletch supports her growth.

You would be wrong to discount The Do-Gooder as a light read. Containing complex characters, an intriguing plot and the complicated events many late adolescents endure, you won’t want to put it down.

I received this book from Simon & Schuster Australia in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Jae Mod.
1,719 reviews219 followers
April 13, 2017
*** ARC provided by author for an honest review ***

The ‘Do-Gooder’ by Jessie L. Star is surely your next read of 2017. I haven't read anything by her yet until this novel and it is a great read.

The Do-Gooder, started out with an intriguing prologue. I found myself wanting to finish this whole book in one night. Her characters came alive through these pages. Some authors have a hard time keeping their storylines flowing, but Jessie was able to keep her’s intact.

Lara wasn't that type of girl that believed on superstitions, however, when bad things happen, and your luck is crap... what does a girl do? She makes her own Lady Luck. Lara needs good karma, trying everything to get everything back in order. A simple college student will change your life, one good deed at a time. Only thing you have to ask her first.

Fletch, heard the gossip. He knew what Lara was doing but what good deeds can erase the events they shared that devastating night. They knew they weren't meant for each other, but that didn't stop them. Nothing could.

With three years behind them. Can they let everything go? Or will their hatred of each other burn into something more?

If you’re a fan of Abbi Glines you will truly enjoy Jessie’s writing. Jessie has a way with writing characters you can relate to and each chapter flowed right into the next one. It was a great, witty romantic novel. Don't get me wrong, some parts are devastating but Jessie was able to connect with the hardships.
I grew closer to Lara and Fletch, watching them grow up. Jessie is a gifted writer to be able to allow her readers to feel the emotions coming from the pages. If you loved The Do-Gooder, you need to check out the rest of the novels.



Profile Image for A Hopeless Romantic's Booklandia .
1,589 reviews17 followers
February 21, 2017
The Do-Gooder intrigued me from the moment I saw the title, and after reading the synopsis, I couldn't wait to read it! The love/hate/fighting relationship is one of my favorite tropes and I'm always down for reading one. And Ms. Star definitely delivered - it was excellent and I enjoyed reading The Do-Gooder!

I can honestly say that in all the books I've read, with all the heroines I've met, I've never met one like Lara - she is without a doubt one of a kind. Lara is confident, driven, determined, and she tries to always be cool, calm, and collected. She's the type to hate irrationality (we bonded over that), she can be cold at times and push people away and while I didn't love that, I understood where she was coming from. Lara is prickly and sarcastic, but in a way that grows on you. I can't tell you for sure that I loved her, but I absolutely did like her - she's a good apple.

I loved Fletch - he's a really great guy! Even though he rags on Lara about her choice of doing all these good deeds, he's still there for her whenever she needs him. He's completely in love with her and despite the fact that she drives him crazy and visa versa, he, well, both of them can't stay away. Fletch doesn't need much explanation - he's warm, protective, and he will make you fall for him.

The Do-Gooder is humorous but serious, heartbreaking but heartwarming, and sweet and passionate. You can feel Fletch and Lara's desire leap from the pages and the sexual tension can be a little intense sometimes. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and every last bit of this story had me cheering for our hero and heroine to get their happy ending. I loved The Do-Gooder and I'm excited to see more of Ms. Star!

The Do-Gooder is a standalone, it's told from Fletch and Lara's POV, and they do get their happy ending.

~ Sonja, 4 Stars
Profile Image for Becky.
3,439 reviews142 followers
February 26, 2017
Originally I thought the premise of this story sounded pretty good--could be cute, definitely showed promise. I started the book, and initially wasn't terribly crazy about Lara's character. She's just so darn prickly and jaded, it felt like an effort to get to know her. Fletch showed some promise, though, so I kept reading.

I'm not even sure what point I was at--30%? 40%?--when I suddenly realized that I really did care an awful lot about both Fletch and Lara. The more she revealed herself to the reader, the more sympathetic Lara became, and soon it started to feel like my life was going to be negatively affected if those two crazy kids couldn't manage to end up together in the end. Seriously, there were multiple parts in that last 20% that nearly had me in tears.

I'm not sure how much of that all was in the original version, but I can absolutely say that I recommend the rewrite! I'm putting Ms. Star on my list of authors to watch :)

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Profile Image for Brandi Hodges.
62 reviews6 followers
May 11, 2017
Lara has made some mistakes in life...including, she thinks, an affair with her deceased brother's best friend. Three years later, she has little care of her own reputation and is known to many as the "do-gooder." A person you can come to and ask a favor - one per person - and Lara will do her best to help. She stumbles a bit when Fletch, the aforementioned fella, can't stay out of her business. He wants to watch out for her - while seeming to judge her at the same time. Lara tries really hard not to care, not to let things show. But as they always seem to when these two, things simmer to the surface.

Will they decide to stop dancing around one another and try to make it work? Will they continue to butt heads? Find out wen you read "The Do-Gooder" by Jessie L. Star.
Profile Image for Megan.
Author 18 books430 followers
May 23, 2018
Lara Montgomery is no good. How true. She is messed up and rightfully so; she is in pain for what she believes was a terrible crime. And she's rude, confrontational and hard to get close to because of it. However I'm not entirely sure she was that nice before that night either.

I found it hard to like Lara for most of this book. I also wanted to shake Fletch and tell him to wake the hell up, to man up and tell Lara what's what. To make his move and become a little alpha.

As frustrating as these two were I couldn't help but become intrigued by their story and come to love them by the perfect end. I found this book to be unique and well-written and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Natarsha.
281 reviews
August 22, 2017
While I loved the premise of this story I didn't love what I read and I think that was mostly because Lara is such an unlikable character. She's very complex but she even acknowledges that when it's all stripped back, she's just a bitch. There are redeeming qualities to her though and she start to put things right which made it a little easier to connect with her but it was probably too little too late. While it was still a very decent read, the constant use of larger synonyms made it fell like a thesaurus was overused to try make the writing seem more sophisticated or impressive but was not in style with the characters
Profile Image for T. Rosado.
1,922 reviews60 followers
May 28, 2017
3.5 Stars

This was well written with highly developed characters that I felt drawn to discover and see change. My biggest stuggles were the pacing and Lara's personality. There were times that I wanted the story to hurry along, but I stayed invested and was rewarded with a sweet and satisfying ending. Lara never really won me over. Her self-blame and prickly personality wore thin at times while the turn-around came late with little time to enjoy it. Overall, worth the read and it piqued my interest in the author's back list.
Profile Image for Vy (thelibrocubicularist).
73 reviews59 followers
September 8, 2017
When I'm in the mood for fluff, Jessie Star hits the sweet spot for me. The characters are just quirky and interesting enough to make them stand out from most of those you find in chick lit, and there's a healthy amount of humor to break up the tension. I could do without the epilogue, but still a story I could listen to for hours through a long flight. Recommended if you're looking for a fun and fast-paced read with sizzling romance!
Profile Image for Kristy G.
402 reviews
September 6, 2020
Meh. I just couldn’t at all appreciate Lara’s character, how she handled herself....she came across snarky and selfish, despite all the “deeds” she performed along the way. She has a very long ways to go in maturing, and the book drops off at that very point....I still enjoy the writing style, as this is the second book of Star’s I’ve read....
675 reviews6 followers
February 24, 2017
3.5 stars! I loved the setting and the story is quirky and a bit different, but well-written. I will look for more from this author.
Profile Image for Laura .
370 reviews27 followers
May 21, 2017
great. a bit slow. enjoyed male's POV.

full review to come
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