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You Complicate Me #1
You Complicate Me Lib/E
Grace Montgomery has a very simple plan. Fly to her younger brother’s wedding, stop the wedding, go home, make partner at her law firm. Almost getting arrested by air marshal Nick O’Connor? Not part of the plan. Neither was puking on him. (Don’t ask) Finding out he’s her soon-to-be brother-in-law…also a minor setback to her plan. And don’t even get her started on her untimely attraction to the tall, dark, and dead-sexy jerk.
If Nick had a plan, it wouldn’t include getting involved with a woman as complicated as Grace. It especially wouldn’t include road tripping with her to attend a week of pre-wedding family events. But as it turns out, traveling—and sparring—with the lovely, sharp-witted Grace is the most fun Nick’s had since, well, ever. And their sexual chemistry? Off. The. Charts.
It doesn’t take long for Grace to realize there’s a lot more to her air marshal than a pretty face and a big, um, gun. If she’s not careful, she just might lose her highly prized control—not to mention her heart—to Nick. But before Grace and Nick can set foot on the road to happily ever after, they’ll have to deal with Grace’s meddling ex, a slew of dysfunctional family members, and a contaminated pumpkin bisque (long story) … and that’s all before the end of day two.
It’s gonna be a long, complicated week…
If Nick had a plan, it wouldn’t include getting involved with a woman as complicated as Grace. It especially wouldn’t include road tripping with her to attend a week of pre-wedding family events. But as it turns out, traveling—and sparring—with the lovely, sharp-witted Grace is the most fun Nick’s had since, well, ever. And their sexual chemistry? Off. The. Charts.
It doesn’t take long for Grace to realize there’s a lot more to her air marshal than a pretty face and a big, um, gun. If she’s not careful, she just might lose her highly prized control—not to mention her heart—to Nick. But before Grace and Nick can set foot on the road to happily ever after, they’ll have to deal with Grace’s meddling ex, a slew of dysfunctional family members, and a contaminated pumpkin bisque (long story) … and that’s all before the end of day two.
It’s gonna be a long, complicated week…
Audio CD
First published March 28, 2018
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About the author
Isabel Jordan
33 books495 followersThe normal:
Isabel Jordan writes because it’s the only profession that allows her to express her natural sarcasm and not be fired. She is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. Isabel lives in the US with her husband, her son son, a neurotic Shepherd mix and a ginormous Great Dane mix named Jerkface. (Don't feel bad for Jerkface. He really is a jerk.)
The weird:
Now that the normal stuff is out of the way, here’s some weird-but-true facts that would never come up in polite conversation. Isabel Jordan:
1. Is terrified of butterflies (don’t judge…it’s a real phobia called lepidopterophobia)
2. Is a lover of all things ironic (hence the butterfly on the first edition cover of Semi-Charmed)
3. Is obsessed with Supernatural, Game of Thrones, and Dog Whisperer.
4. Hates coffee. Drinks a Diet Mountain Dew every morning.
5. Will argue to the death that Pretty in Pink ended all wrong. (Seriously, she ends up with the guy who was embarrassed to be seen with her and not the nice guy who loved her all along? That would never fly in the world of romance novels.)
6. Would eat Mexican food every day, if given the choice.
7. Reads two books a week in varied genres.
8. Refers to her Kindle as “the precious”.
9. Thinks puppy breath is one of the best smells in the world.
10. Is a social media idgit. (Her husband had to explain to her last week what the point of Twitter was. She’s still a little fuzzy on what Instagram and Pinterest do.)
11. Kicks ass at Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
12. Stole her tagline idea from her son. Her tagline idea was, “Never wrong, not quite right.” She liked her son’s idea better.
13. Breaks one vacuum cleaner a year because she ignores standard maintenance procedures (Really, you’re supposed to empty the canister every time you vacuum? Does that seem excessive to anyone else?)
14. Is still mad at the WB network for cancelling Angel in 2004.
15. Can’t find her way from her bed to her bathroom without her glasses, but refused eye surgery, even when someone else offered to pay. (They lost her at “eye flap”. Seriously, look it up. Scary stuff.)
Isabel Jordan writes because it’s the only profession that allows her to express her natural sarcasm and not be fired. She is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. Isabel lives in the US with her husband, her son son, a neurotic Shepherd mix and a ginormous Great Dane mix named Jerkface. (Don't feel bad for Jerkface. He really is a jerk.)
The weird:
Now that the normal stuff is out of the way, here’s some weird-but-true facts that would never come up in polite conversation. Isabel Jordan:
1. Is terrified of butterflies (don’t judge…it’s a real phobia called lepidopterophobia)
2. Is a lover of all things ironic (hence the butterfly on the first edition cover of Semi-Charmed)
3. Is obsessed with Supernatural, Game of Thrones, and Dog Whisperer.
4. Hates coffee. Drinks a Diet Mountain Dew every morning.
5. Will argue to the death that Pretty in Pink ended all wrong. (Seriously, she ends up with the guy who was embarrassed to be seen with her and not the nice guy who loved her all along? That would never fly in the world of romance novels.)
6. Would eat Mexican food every day, if given the choice.
7. Reads two books a week in varied genres.
8. Refers to her Kindle as “the precious”.
9. Thinks puppy breath is one of the best smells in the world.
10. Is a social media idgit. (Her husband had to explain to her last week what the point of Twitter was. She’s still a little fuzzy on what Instagram and Pinterest do.)
11. Kicks ass at Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
12. Stole her tagline idea from her son. Her tagline idea was, “Never wrong, not quite right.” She liked her son’s idea better.
13. Breaks one vacuum cleaner a year because she ignores standard maintenance procedures (Really, you’re supposed to empty the canister every time you vacuum? Does that seem excessive to anyone else?)
14. Is still mad at the WB network for cancelling Angel in 2004.
15. Can’t find her way from her bed to her bathroom without her glasses, but refused eye surgery, even when someone else offered to pay. (They lost her at “eye flap”. Seriously, look it up. Scary stuff.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
April 7, 2018
Happy book birthday!
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2Haieu5
Isabel Jordan continues to write stories that are hilarious, lighthearted and spark the reader’s interest from start to finish. This time though, she does it venturing into the contemporary romance genre.
When Grace Montgomery decided to get over her fear of flying to stop her little brother’s wedding, she never imagined the uber sexy, testosterone oozing douche canoe sitting next to her on the plane was not only an air marshal, but also her future brother-in-law.
Nick O’Connor has had a complicated life. He doesn’t need or want complicated anymore. But when he’s forced to spend time with a witty, smart and lovely lawyer during a week of pre-wedding events with their crazy dysfunctional families, their banter and pull turn into much more.
“You were bored.”
“Yep.”
“And antagonizing me entertains you?”
He curse as traffic forced him to stop again, then met her incredulous gaze and smiled. “Yeah. You get all pink and squinty-eyed. It’s sexy.”
Even when opposites attract, can they survive their families, the wedding, Grace’s ex-husband, long distance and find a way to turn complicated into happily ever after?
“You’re driving me absolutely f*cking insane… I barely know you, but you haven’t left my mind since I threatened to cuff you on that plane.”
I fell in love with both characters as quickly as they fell for each other. Even with his doubts, fears, and initial cockiness, Nick is a magnetic leading man with lots of potential. He’s a typical alpha male, rough on the outside, kind, considerate, thoughtful on the inside and once he’s made up his mind, he’ll do just about anything to be with Grace. While she’s charming with a lively presence whose inner monologue has you laughing like a loon. She’s a smart and ambitious career woman who’s been there and done that, she doesn’t need a man but wants Nick.
“Nick looked at her like she was priceless. The most incredible thing he’d ever seen.”
Their relationship was both hot and romantic. But the most amusing parts in the story are in the interactions with the meddling, bat shit crazy family, particularly the two older ladies who aren’t afraid to speak their mind, and of course the food poisoning incident!
I was laughing, snorting, and snickering with delight throughout the story. Jordan writes a delightfully irresistible contemporary debut novel.
You Complicate Me is a standalone contemporary romance by author Isabel Jordan. Told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2Haieu5
Read chapter 1 -> http://www.izzyjo.com/blog/something-...
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
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January 7, 2020
Grace and Nick. They have meet cute moment on the airplane when Grace is under panic attack. This is their rom com story. The story is predictable. The comedy is not so funny according to my taste. Their banter is standard. There is that insta lust/ love.
Character development is minimum. The sex is luke warm and in some parts even feel rushed and forced. The chemistry is standard.
Overall this book is OK read.
3 stars
Character development is minimum. The sex is luke warm and in some parts even feel rushed and forced. The chemistry is standard.
Overall this book is OK read.
3 stars
January 30, 2021
”I want you to complicate me, and I want to complicate you.”
Synopsis:
Planes are apparently problematic for Grace so when she drinks too much and gets a bit disorderly, Air Marshall Nick intervenes.
”She was drunk and disorderly. I only threatened to cuff her to settle her down and keep her from upsetting the other passengers.”
Turns out their respective siblings are marrying in a few days and spending time together and keeping their hands off each other is going to prove difficult
My Thoughts: The following are my thoughts about this book:
General:
- Trigger warning: None
- Setting: Indiana
Characters:
- Nick (late 20’s, early 30’s, Air Marshall):
- Was a sniper in the military
- His only family is his sister Sadie
- The following words/phrases were used to describe Nick: oozed testosterone, funny, kind, sexy
- Grace (27, Corporate Attorney):
- On track to be the youngest partner at the firm
- Divorced, ex cheated on her with a “dumb bimbo” she refers to as “Chesty Cheeto”
- The following words/phrases were used to describe Grace: likes to be in control, complicated, smart, sarcastic, passionate
Story Thoughts:
- Technically Nick was not Grace's brother-in-law. Grace's brother was marrying Nick's sister. So Nick would be Grace's sister-in-law's brother. Two completely different things and that REALLY bothered me that he was constantly referred to as Grace's brother-in-law
- The family saying it was a bit “incestuous” for Grace and Nick to be together was stupid. They. Weren’t. Related!!!
- Penile fracture - huh. The whole Brad character didn’t even need to be in the story as he didn’t add any value. The fact that this ended up happening to him was a bit over the top. And, don’t even get me started on his change of heart at the end of the book. Completely went against the character that had been developed throughout the story. 😏
- And, speaking of changing throughout the story.....I felt like Nick was different too. He started off really kind, but then later on he seemed to have this temper that snapped and he was actually pretty much of an ass. Not once, but twice. So who exactly was he?? 🤔 And, he didn’t grovel at all and he needed to for the way he jumped to conclusions. Honestly, after his second outburst I began to wonder if he had anger issues and she would be better off to walk away.
- The secondary characters.... Oy vey. Were they supposed to eccentric, stupid, mean? A father who cares more about his kindle than his son's wedding??? And, why would the mom invite the ex to the wedding? That was never explained and honestly there wouldn't be any good explanation. And, Lucille and DoucheBrad...what???? The only secondary characters who seemed somewhat normal were Sadie and Gage but I'm sure that was to endear them to the reader so that the reader will pick up the next book, which is their story.
- Insta love.....ugh. Not my favorite and I didn’t believe it. They had chemistry, but I think if they would have had a little more time to build up the sexual tension it would have been better. One day (if even) after they met he was already being possessive and staking his territory and there was something missing that made this instant thing not work for me.
Overview:
- POV: Dual POV
- H likable? In the beginning, yes. Towards the end, not as much.
- h likable? Yes
- h virgin? No
- First time they kiss: 26%
- First time they sleep together: 57%
- First time they say I Love You Nick said it at 84%. Grace said it at 90%
- steamy? Yes
- OW/OM drama? Yes. Grace’s ex husband was around and wanted her back. This aspect didn’t add any value to the story, IMO
- H/h cheat? No
- Time apart? No
- Did I skip pages? No
- Big secrets? No
- Did I cry? No
- Did I laugh? No LOL moments but there was some lightness to the story that made me smile here or there
- Did I swoon 🥰? No. Although Gage came close with his care of Sadie.
- Cliffhanger? No
- HEA? HFN
- Epilogue? No ☹️
- Recommend? It was ok, but wouldn’t rank high on my recommend list.
Quotes
“You were the first unconscious passenger I had to fireman-carry off a plane, though. Thanks for that. It was interesting.”
“On an average day, Grace knew her family was moderately dysfunctional and quirky. But on a day like today, they were really no better than monkeys at the zoo flinging their crap at one another.”
He loved her? Like ‘til-death-do-you-part, let’s-adopt-a-dog-together, here-you-can-have-the-last-brownie kind of love?
“Passionate people yell. It’s when they don’t yell anymore that you have a problem.”
“If you can’t make it work with a guy who loves you as much as Nick clearly loves you, you should just go the fuck home and buy a dozen cats and take up knitting, because you’re gonna die a bitter, lonely old woman.”
Synopsis:
Planes are apparently problematic for Grace so when she drinks too much and gets a bit disorderly, Air Marshall Nick intervenes.
”She was drunk and disorderly. I only threatened to cuff her to settle her down and keep her from upsetting the other passengers.”
Turns out their respective siblings are marrying in a few days and spending time together and keeping their hands off each other is going to prove difficult
My Thoughts: The following are my thoughts about this book:
General:
- Trigger warning: None
- Setting: Indiana
Characters:
- Nick (late 20’s, early 30’s, Air Marshall):
- Was a sniper in the military
- His only family is his sister Sadie
- The following words/phrases were used to describe Nick: oozed testosterone, funny, kind, sexy
- Grace (27, Corporate Attorney):
- On track to be the youngest partner at the firm
- Divorced, ex cheated on her with a “dumb bimbo” she refers to as “Chesty Cheeto”
- The following words/phrases were used to describe Grace: likes to be in control, complicated, smart, sarcastic, passionate
Story Thoughts:
- Technically Nick was not Grace's brother-in-law. Grace's brother was marrying Nick's sister. So Nick would be Grace's sister-in-law's brother. Two completely different things and that REALLY bothered me that he was constantly referred to as Grace's brother-in-law
- The family saying it was a bit “incestuous” for Grace and Nick to be together was stupid. They. Weren’t. Related!!!
- Penile fracture - huh. The whole Brad character didn’t even need to be in the story as he didn’t add any value. The fact that this ended up happening to him was a bit over the top. And, don’t even get me started on his change of heart at the end of the book. Completely went against the character that had been developed throughout the story. 😏
- And, speaking of changing throughout the story.....I felt like Nick was different too. He started off really kind, but then later on he seemed to have this temper that snapped and he was actually pretty much of an ass. Not once, but twice. So who exactly was he?? 🤔 And, he didn’t grovel at all and he needed to for the way he jumped to conclusions. Honestly, after his second outburst I began to wonder if he had anger issues and she would be better off to walk away.
- The secondary characters.... Oy vey. Were they supposed to eccentric, stupid, mean? A father who cares more about his kindle than his son's wedding??? And, why would the mom invite the ex to the wedding? That was never explained and honestly there wouldn't be any good explanation. And, Lucille and DoucheBrad...what???? The only secondary characters who seemed somewhat normal were Sadie and Gage but I'm sure that was to endear them to the reader so that the reader will pick up the next book, which is their story.
- Insta love.....ugh. Not my favorite and I didn’t believe it. They had chemistry, but I think if they would have had a little more time to build up the sexual tension it would have been better. One day (if even) after they met he was already being possessive and staking his territory and there was something missing that made this instant thing not work for me.
Overview:
- POV: Dual POV
- H likable? In the beginning, yes. Towards the end, not as much.
- h likable? Yes
- h virgin? No
- First time they kiss: 26%
- First time they sleep together: 57%
- First time they say I Love You Nick said it at 84%. Grace said it at 90%
- steamy? Yes
- OW/OM drama? Yes. Grace’s ex husband was around and wanted her back. This aspect didn’t add any value to the story, IMO
- H/h cheat? No
- Time apart? No
- Did I skip pages? No
- Big secrets? No
- Did I cry? No
- Did I laugh? No LOL moments but there was some lightness to the story that made me smile here or there
- Did I swoon 🥰? No. Although Gage came close with his care of Sadie.
- Cliffhanger? No
- HEA? HFN
- Epilogue? No ☹️
- Recommend? It was ok, but wouldn’t rank high on my recommend list.
Quotes
“You were the first unconscious passenger I had to fireman-carry off a plane, though. Thanks for that. It was interesting.”
“On an average day, Grace knew her family was moderately dysfunctional and quirky. But on a day like today, they were really no better than monkeys at the zoo flinging their crap at one another.”
He loved her? Like ‘til-death-do-you-part, let’s-adopt-a-dog-together, here-you-can-have-the-last-brownie kind of love?
“Passionate people yell. It’s when they don’t yell anymore that you have a problem.”
“If you can’t make it work with a guy who loves you as much as Nick clearly loves you, you should just go the fuck home and buy a dozen cats and take up knitting, because you’re gonna die a bitter, lonely old woman.”
April 3, 2018
4.5 Hilarious Glorious Stars!
This is my first read from Ms. Jordan. This chick can write funny. Snort coffee out your nose kind of funny.
Grace meets Nick when she's having a melt down over her fear of flying. He's the poor passenger next to her-the one she's falling all over. He has a job to do-that's why he's on that flight. Not to get puked on, not to witness Grace stripping off her clothes, but alas, if a gorgeous girl falling at his feet has to happen...it might as well be with him.
Turns out that Grace and Nick have more than a few things in common. She's on her way to a wedding-her little brother is about to marry....Nick's little sister. This is gonna get interesting.
"Let's start over. Hi, I'm Nick O'Connor, and in a week, I'm going to be your brother-in-law. Can I call you sis?"
The entire clan and I mean both sides of their families are bat shit crazy.
The mother of all bad feelings washed over Grace. The Khaleesi of bad feelings. The kind of bad feeling that other bad feelings aspired to be when they grew up.
There are complications-the bride has some interesting last minute revelations, the in laws can't stop interfering in everyone's else business and Grace's douchbag ex-who left her, is back!
Her husband had left her for a dumb bimbo with Cheeto-colored skin, giant silicone double -D's and a tongue stud.
It's the older ladies who are a real hoot in this story.
"No more awkward than you sitting here trying to win back a woman who was up all night making Wild Kingdom noises with an Irishman who probably goes through her purse while she's sleeping."
"Sometimes I don't even wait until she's asleep." Nick fired back without missing a beat. "Fill 'em up with sperm, rob 'em blind while they search for their panties," he added in a dead-on Irish accent that would've done Colin Farrell proud.
How can an uptight lawyer who lives on the other side of the country make it work with a hot air marshall?
Dies..just dies at this book. Devour it!!!
This is my first read from Ms. Jordan. This chick can write funny. Snort coffee out your nose kind of funny.
Grace meets Nick when she's having a melt down over her fear of flying. He's the poor passenger next to her-the one she's falling all over. He has a job to do-that's why he's on that flight. Not to get puked on, not to witness Grace stripping off her clothes, but alas, if a gorgeous girl falling at his feet has to happen...it might as well be with him.
Turns out that Grace and Nick have more than a few things in common. She's on her way to a wedding-her little brother is about to marry....Nick's little sister. This is gonna get interesting.
"Let's start over. Hi, I'm Nick O'Connor, and in a week, I'm going to be your brother-in-law. Can I call you sis?"
The entire clan and I mean both sides of their families are bat shit crazy.
The mother of all bad feelings washed over Grace. The Khaleesi of bad feelings. The kind of bad feeling that other bad feelings aspired to be when they grew up.
There are complications-the bride has some interesting last minute revelations, the in laws can't stop interfering in everyone's else business and Grace's douchbag ex-who left her, is back!
Her husband had left her for a dumb bimbo with Cheeto-colored skin, giant silicone double -D's and a tongue stud.
It's the older ladies who are a real hoot in this story.
"No more awkward than you sitting here trying to win back a woman who was up all night making Wild Kingdom noises with an Irishman who probably goes through her purse while she's sleeping."
"Sometimes I don't even wait until she's asleep." Nick fired back without missing a beat. "Fill 'em up with sperm, rob 'em blind while they search for their panties," he added in a dead-on Irish accent that would've done Colin Farrell proud.
How can an uptight lawyer who lives on the other side of the country make it work with a hot air marshall?
Dies..just dies at this book. Devour it!!!
December 12, 2019
That was both sweet and fun. I liked it and had a nice time reading it but I had a few problems with it, as well.
*********************************************
This is the first romance book this writer has written. Normally, she writes paranormal books. In my opinion, she has great potential to be a romance book writer, as well. Just my humble opinion, she should avoid repetitions because I read the first two books in this series and they were too similar. Also, in both books, the heroines put themselves in embarrassing situations and I hate it when we are supposed to laugh at the heroine's stupidity or the embarrassing situation she is in. I believe the laugh must come from somewhere else. Why don't writers put the heroes in embarrassing situations but the heroines? Are the women supposed to be ridiculed but not men? That's what bothers me...
But, as I said, all in all, these two books were good and I would definitely read another book from this writer.
*********************************************
In "You Complicate Me", the heroine is a smart lawyer. She is sassy and great. But she still embarrasses herself in a few situations. The hero was awesome at the beginning but then, he made two mistakes and I didn't like him anymore. Although I was going for 4 stars, my dislike for him later on made me give this book 3 stars. Well, he didn't cheat or do something as terrible but still, I didn't like what he did.
Here is what he did:
First, he thought she would go back to her ex and out of his jealousy, he made disgusting comments. Then, he apologized and she forgave him etc.
Days later, when he thought she destroyed his sister's wedding plans (she didn't), he accused her, saying terrible things again. For me, a man who can do this to the woman he is supposedly in love with more than once is not to be trusted so I loved him before he did these things but after these two events, I stopped liking him. I never forgave him although she did. Too bad, because he had the potential to be a great hero. I think the writer killed her own awesome creation of a hero with these two nasty behaviors.
*********************************************
Still, if you need a fun, emotional and hot book, this could be a nice pastime. But also bear in mind that it is insta-love. No cheating is involved. There is drama her ex causes.
The book is written from 3rd person point of view and the writer pulls it off successfully.
The book is short, only 190 pages. The book has no epilogue and as I have read Book 2, I know that they appear as side characters and we learn that they get married and have children in Book 2.
*********************************************
Some quotes from the book
“God, you’re so beautiful.” Okay, so maybe this wasn’t crazy after all. That was a pretty great compliment, and she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d felt so alive. And tingly. There were definitely tingles. Hell, her tingles had tingles at this point. He trailed teasing fingertips over the swells of her breasts and her entire body tightened in anticipation. This was only foreplay, she reminded herself, amazed. If foreplay felt like this, could she actually survive sex with this man? Was death by orgasm possible? She couldn’t wait to find out.
***
"just…go with the flow a little. Let things happen on their own.”
The words sounded foreign to her. She was a born planner, a strategist. She could come up with a plan for how to plan more efficiently, for God’s sake. Enjoying the moment was not something she had much experience with.
***
"I’m not looking for a relationship."
"Yeah, but what would you do if you found one?"
***
“You have no idea how sexy you are right now,” he said, licking the spot right below her ear.
Grace sucked in a deep breath through her nose. “Then why are you torturing me?”
“You think it’s not torture for me, too?” he said with a tight-sounding chuckle. “I’m trying my damnedest to go slow. I’ve been thinking about dead puppies and baseball stats since you opened that door to keep from shredding your clothes like a fucking animal and pounding you into the wall.”
***
Grace blinked down at him. “You’d…you’d consider moving to LA? For me?”
His smile was equal parts sweet and sinfully sexy, and it stirred her libido in a way she wouldn’t have thought possible after everything they’d done during the night. “After last night? I’d consider moving to a dirt-floor hut in the outer reaches of fucking nowhere for you, angel.”
***
“Grace, you can’t be serious. How can you even consider giving this guy—”
“Having a conversation with the man doesn’t mean I forgive him for everything he did. What do you think is going to happen if I talk to him? That I’m going to fall on my back with my legs up in the air just because he utters a half-assed apology or two?”
Nick leaned into her space with a sneer and said, “Why not? I didn’t even have to apologize to get you to wrap your legs around me in that elevator.”
If he could’ve reversed the earth’s rotation to turn back time like Superman did in that old Christopher Reeve movie to snatch the words back, Nick would have done it. It was a horrible thing to say. And shit, he didn’t even mean it. He was just jealous and pissed off. But the words were out there now, and by the way Grace’s face completely shut down, it was way too late to call them back.
*********************************************
* In this book, I was more interested in another male character, Gage. The next book, "You Wrecked Me" is about him and I liked the next book more.
*********************************************
This is the first romance book this writer has written. Normally, she writes paranormal books. In my opinion, she has great potential to be a romance book writer, as well. Just my humble opinion, she should avoid repetitions because I read the first two books in this series and they were too similar. Also, in both books, the heroines put themselves in embarrassing situations and I hate it when we are supposed to laugh at the heroine's stupidity or the embarrassing situation she is in. I believe the laugh must come from somewhere else. Why don't writers put the heroes in embarrassing situations but the heroines? Are the women supposed to be ridiculed but not men? That's what bothers me...
But, as I said, all in all, these two books were good and I would definitely read another book from this writer.
*********************************************
In "You Complicate Me", the heroine is a smart lawyer. She is sassy and great. But she still embarrasses herself in a few situations. The hero was awesome at the beginning but then, he made two mistakes and I didn't like him anymore. Although I was going for 4 stars, my dislike for him later on made me give this book 3 stars. Well, he didn't cheat or do something as terrible but still, I didn't like what he did.
Here is what he did:
First, he thought she would go back to her ex and out of his jealousy, he made disgusting comments. Then, he apologized and she forgave him etc.
Days later, when he thought she destroyed his sister's wedding plans (she didn't), he accused her, saying terrible things again. For me, a man who can do this to the woman he is supposedly in love with more than once is not to be trusted so I loved him before he did these things but after these two events, I stopped liking him. I never forgave him although she did. Too bad, because he had the potential to be a great hero. I think the writer killed her own awesome creation of a hero with these two nasty behaviors.
*********************************************
Still, if you need a fun, emotional and hot book, this could be a nice pastime. But also bear in mind that it is insta-love. No cheating is involved. There is drama her ex causes.
The book is written from 3rd person point of view and the writer pulls it off successfully.
The book is short, only 190 pages. The book has no epilogue and as I have read Book 2, I know that they appear as side characters and we learn that they get married and have children in Book 2.
*********************************************
Some quotes from the book
“God, you’re so beautiful.” Okay, so maybe this wasn’t crazy after all. That was a pretty great compliment, and she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d felt so alive. And tingly. There were definitely tingles. Hell, her tingles had tingles at this point. He trailed teasing fingertips over the swells of her breasts and her entire body tightened in anticipation. This was only foreplay, she reminded herself, amazed. If foreplay felt like this, could she actually survive sex with this man? Was death by orgasm possible? She couldn’t wait to find out.
***
"just…go with the flow a little. Let things happen on their own.”
The words sounded foreign to her. She was a born planner, a strategist. She could come up with a plan for how to plan more efficiently, for God’s sake. Enjoying the moment was not something she had much experience with.
***
"I’m not looking for a relationship."
"Yeah, but what would you do if you found one?"
***
“You have no idea how sexy you are right now,” he said, licking the spot right below her ear.
Grace sucked in a deep breath through her nose. “Then why are you torturing me?”
“You think it’s not torture for me, too?” he said with a tight-sounding chuckle. “I’m trying my damnedest to go slow. I’ve been thinking about dead puppies and baseball stats since you opened that door to keep from shredding your clothes like a fucking animal and pounding you into the wall.”
***
Grace blinked down at him. “You’d…you’d consider moving to LA? For me?”
His smile was equal parts sweet and sinfully sexy, and it stirred her libido in a way she wouldn’t have thought possible after everything they’d done during the night. “After last night? I’d consider moving to a dirt-floor hut in the outer reaches of fucking nowhere for you, angel.”
***
“Grace, you can’t be serious. How can you even consider giving this guy—”
“Having a conversation with the man doesn’t mean I forgive him for everything he did. What do you think is going to happen if I talk to him? That I’m going to fall on my back with my legs up in the air just because he utters a half-assed apology or two?”
Nick leaned into her space with a sneer and said, “Why not? I didn’t even have to apologize to get you to wrap your legs around me in that elevator.”
If he could’ve reversed the earth’s rotation to turn back time like Superman did in that old Christopher Reeve movie to snatch the words back, Nick would have done it. It was a horrible thing to say. And shit, he didn’t even mean it. He was just jealous and pissed off. But the words were out there now, and by the way Grace’s face completely shut down, it was way too late to call them back.
*********************************************
* In this book, I was more interested in another male character, Gage. The next book, "You Wrecked Me" is about him and I liked the next book more.
December 5, 2019
DNF @ 10%
Oh boy, this book was a hot mess.
By page two, I was feeling embarrassed on behalf of the heroine for the kind of situations the author put her in. For all the claims of hilarity and laugh-out moments, I found this book a total cringe-fest.
What's with adult, grown-up women in romance novels turning into mush-brained nincompoops the minute they meet the hero. I think I'm like an inch away from swearing off romance novels forever.
I am done with these silly heroines and Neanderhtals heroes. More so with books that have naked torsos on their covers, because, I've learnt firsthand that in this case, you can definitely judge a book by its cover.
PS: This book is a cliche cannon. It bombards you with cliches until you are buried under a thick layer of cliches and are suffocating from all that weight. If you are in two minds about this book, let me tell you outright- don't. Save that money and go and buy a cupcake or something with that money. This book is just a waste of time.
May 8, 2019
Amazing!
I was having a bad night and couldn't sleep when I started this book. I was thinking a good Rom com was just what I needed to get me in a better mood. So, I had this brilliant plan that I would read a few chapters then try my luck at getting some sleep. Well that was my first mistake. Needless to say I started and then I couldn't put it down! It was that Awesome! Some books take a little bit to get into but this was definitely not one of them. I was hooked from the very beginning! The storyline was amazing as were the characters. NIck was like a breath of fresh air! I do wish there was an epilogue to go with this but that was simply because I didn't want it to end. I want and need more! I can't wait to read Gage's story when it comes out!
I was having a bad night and couldn't sleep when I started this book. I was thinking a good Rom com was just what I needed to get me in a better mood. So, I had this brilliant plan that I would read a few chapters then try my luck at getting some sleep. Well that was my first mistake. Needless to say I started and then I couldn't put it down! It was that Awesome! Some books take a little bit to get into but this was definitely not one of them. I was hooked from the very beginning! The storyline was amazing as were the characters. NIck was like a breath of fresh air! I do wish there was an epilogue to go with this but that was simply because I didn't want it to end. I want and need more! I can't wait to read Gage's story when it comes out!
Want to read
April 18, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/18/2021)! 🎁
May 31, 2022
Lots of fun to read with many laughs and silly situations -- one of those that doesn't complicate your life with too much angst and drudgery. Just a quick fun-filled awkward situation that leads to much more.
Read
April 23, 2022This author’s Semi-Charmed and I had the same problem. Strong start and middle, but the storyline falls apart after 65-70%.
You get the meet-cute.
You get interesting characters.
You get chemistry.
You get sweet romance.
You get descriptive writing.
You get quirky, witty, silly, funny, sweet lines and scenes like this…
“I’m not looking for a relationship, Nick.” He tipped his head to one side, his eyes never leaving hers. “Yeah, but what would you do if you found one?”
BUT….
The final 25% is just such a letdown. It’s flat, predicable, unexciting, irritating, unfulfilling, eye-roll inducing. And, everything is just so SIMPLE in being solved. No angst. No feeling.
The ex storyline just evaporated into an eye roll. Unrealistic limp way to tie the bow on shit.
The wedding couple issues are left feeling like exactly what it was - a plot device to get the MC couple in the same place …. This should’ve blended into the story. Instead, it all stuck out like a sore thumb. Leaves too much unsaid. Like, the MMC just says f’it about his sister and goes off to work without knowing where she went or if she’s okay? Mmkay.
The HEA scene was cute in theory, but it is so whitewashed that it fails to swoon. Suddenly, she thinks pushing him away is the root of this. His lack of trust in her, his accusations, his mistake… wiped away like it never happened. Lame.
^^^ So, we start this story building layers of rom-com that’s entertaining. The MCs have this fast and furious insta love that they’re navigating at a wedding where her bro is marrying his sis. While this doesn’t have explosive, high angst plot devices…. The author takes normal scenes and gives them flare and personality.
Sadly, when the plot and characters reach the end of that wedding week, the author decides to just stick a pre-fab speed bump just before the end… they part ways badly for a few hours. Bam, a plop a HFN bow on the shit and call it a day. When a storyline takes place in just a week, the reader needs something very solid to get behind the story and find closure. You don’t get that here. The speed bump is anticlimactic, and the HFN feels like a pluck and paste.
This author is extremely talented with her writing voice and sucking the reader into it! I rarely like third person, but the author makes this feel like it has the intimacy of first person.
The only reason I didn’t give this four or five stars is because the last quarter of the book just flopped so bad. Same thing happened with the previous book I read by this author…. Please, please, please, Ms. Jordan, STOP cutting the heart out of your storylines. You’re taking your storylines almost to the apex - stopping short of taking the reader to the breathtaking view at the top - and then just letting your story roll back downhill instead of up and over to the other side.
July 1, 2018
Another late night reading, but this book was so freaking hilarious, it was worth it. It was nice to read something that made me laugh out loud. I needed that. The reason I deducted a star was because it was a case of insta-love (never a fan of that), and I actually liked the side characters almost a bit more than the main couple. That's rare. I wanted the hero to be less insecure and the heroine to not sound so young. But there were such funny parts that I still gave it a high rating. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a good laugh with their romance.
November 10, 2018
This is a case of "it's not you, it's me". I wouldn't say this is a bad story (although I skipped all the intimate scenes, which weren't very explicit I don't think, so I can't comment on the writing for those), per se, but it was too young for me. The tone was funny and light which made sense since it featured some pretty immature MCs. I liked that the h wasn't a doormat, but unfortunately she chose some not smart things to stick to her guns about. Ugh- those previous sentences' grammar was terrible, but I'm too lazy to fix it. Anyhoo, if you're looking for a laugh, sexy times, lots of f-bombss, and some silly, totally avoidable angst, this one might be right up your alley. As it was, it was too silly, cheesy and underdeveloped for me to enjoy.
Safety info: The H mentions that he's only done uncomplicated before, whatever that means. There are no intimate details of him with OW and none of the h with OM.
Safety info: The H mentions that he's only done uncomplicated before, whatever that means. There are no intimate details of him with OW and none of the h with OM.
September 22, 2019
This read was rather like a souffle gone wrong. It started off light & fluffy, with lots of potential sweetness, but ultimately it was deflated with no substance what so ever.
There was stuff to like here. The heroine was smart. The Hero was hot and kind. And I kind of bought into the insta-love premise, yet the extremes of the characters end up hurting my ability to connect with them in the end.
He was just too good looking, nice, and willing to surrender to this woman being the love of his life. Which was fine, but then he had several full on jealous emotional outbursts and says things to her he shouldn't. Once? fine, but twice? Nope, this would be a lifetime of this H having jealous tantrums.
And the h, for all her smarts, has one embarrassing moment after another in front of the H. I guess to show how supportive and good he is. But it got repetitive.
And their own queries about whether they are a good match are never answered. He thinks she might be too smart and look down on his lack of education. She thinks he is way too good looking and why would he choose her over every other woman. It would have been nice to have those doubts answered.
There was a supporting cast of characters who I think were supposed to be wacky/eccentric, but too many were under-utilised, like the father and his kindle, and the mother who is supposed to be match making mad but never does any such thing when she appears, and for some reason thinks her daughter would be better off with her lying, cheating ex-husband? Grandma is way over the top and not that funny. And the ex-husband is such an extreme douchebag that he was hard to take seriously as any threat to our H in the romance stakes.
And the plot? I got to the last page and realised nothing happened, nothing. I get it's light and breezy, but other than one embarrassing situation after another for the h, and jealous temper tantrums by the H, there was little for me to hold on to here.
This author writes with clear joy, and there was potential here, I just needed more plot, and layered/funnier characters.
There was stuff to like here. The heroine was smart. The Hero was hot and kind. And I kind of bought into the insta-love premise, yet the extremes of the characters end up hurting my ability to connect with them in the end.
He was just too good looking, nice, and willing to surrender to this woman being the love of his life. Which was fine, but then he had several full on jealous emotional outbursts and says things to her he shouldn't. Once? fine, but twice? Nope, this would be a lifetime of this H having jealous tantrums.
And the h, for all her smarts, has one embarrassing moment after another in front of the H. I guess to show how supportive and good he is. But it got repetitive.
And their own queries about whether they are a good match are never answered. He thinks she might be too smart and look down on his lack of education. She thinks he is way too good looking and why would he choose her over every other woman. It would have been nice to have those doubts answered.
There was a supporting cast of characters who I think were supposed to be wacky/eccentric, but too many were under-utilised, like the father and his kindle, and the mother who is supposed to be match making mad but never does any such thing when she appears, and for some reason thinks her daughter would be better off with her lying, cheating ex-husband? Grandma is way over the top and not that funny. And the ex-husband is such an extreme douchebag that he was hard to take seriously as any threat to our H in the romance stakes.
And the plot? I got to the last page and realised nothing happened, nothing. I get it's light and breezy, but other than one embarrassing situation after another for the h, and jealous temper tantrums by the H, there was little for me to hold on to here.
This author writes with clear joy, and there was potential here, I just needed more plot, and layered/funnier characters.
October 19, 2019
This book advertises itself as 'hilarious' and full of 'snark'. It's a lot of hype to live up to and unfortunately the plot and characters fall sadly short.
There was stuff to really like here. The writing is good and the author clearly loves her world/characters, that shines through.
But... the set-up was predictable and no where near as funny as it was clearly supposed to be. The H falls fast for the h, and that was fine. But then he has these temper tantrum jealous rages that made him seem about 3 years old. And the h was forced to forgive him again.. and again.
Likewise the secondary characters were a little on the extreme side and obviously meant to be a barrel full of monkey fun - but... again with the but. They just weren't that funny. The characters, their dialogue, the set-ups all too contrived. As were the bumps in the road for our couple.
There was stuff to really like here. The writing is good and the author clearly loves her world/characters, that shines through.
But... the set-up was predictable and no where near as funny as it was clearly supposed to be. The H falls fast for the h, and that was fine. But then he has these temper tantrum jealous rages that made him seem about 3 years old. And the h was forced to forgive him again.. and again.
Likewise the secondary characters were a little on the extreme side and obviously meant to be a barrel full of monkey fun - but... again with the but. They just weren't that funny. The characters, their dialogue, the set-ups all too contrived. As were the bumps in the road for our couple.
July 10, 2018
3.5 stars. Another decent book, nothing earth shattering and nothing terrible. It was a little ridiculous at some parts and I didn’t like the way the H lost his temper twice in the story but it was still tolerable. And I’ll give the author extra credit for the Smirnoff smoothie idea! That was original!!
April 6, 2018
Loved this book. Contemporary romance is not usually my go to genre but I loved the other books by this author so I gave it a shot. This book is fantastic with snarky main characters and a fabulous story line. I felt myself get pulled in and I couldn’t get out. I found myself laughing out loud at the relatable side characters. I think everyone should give this book a read you won’t regret it.
May 16, 2018
Yes, there was instalove. Yes, the family shenanigans were a little campy. HOWEVER, this was a quick, fun, cute read, with very little angst and quite a bit of fun to get into!
July 3, 2021
The constant reference that Nick would become Grace’s brother in law was a bit annoying as that would make him related to her somehow. Hate to break it to you, but that doesn’t make them related at all.
But despite that I did liked the characters. They have a great chemistry. The story was interesting with funny dialogue. And kinda insta-love, but it worked.
But despite that I did liked the characters. They have a great chemistry. The story was interesting with funny dialogue. And kinda insta-love, but it worked.
August 25, 2020
I liked this book even though I was embarrassed for the heroine & her puking sprees...😕 anyways good book even though the secondary characters were much more interesting than the main but overall it worked.
June 11, 2018
“I like that we’re so different; it keeps us interesting. I want you to complicate me, and I want to complicate you.”
When I first heard about You Complicate Me, I couldn’t wait to dive in. I mean this book is right up my alley. Romantic comedy: check. Stand-alone novel: check. Fun characters: Check Check! This is my first book by this author and it certainly won’t be my last.
You Complicate Me follows the story of Nick and Grace. Grace’s life is anything but simple. One might say it’s even complicated. She’s sworn off men and romance. The last thing she ever planned on was meeting Nick. Nick doesn’t do complicated, but when he meets Grace, he just couldn’t stay away. She was perfectly imperfect; a total hot mess and she gave him a run for his money. The chemistry between these two is instant and undeniable. They shouldn’t get involved, but can’t stay away. Will these two take a chance on romance despite all the complications or will Grace end up swearing off men for good? You’ll just have to pick up this book to see for yourself.
You Complicate Me was a really enjoyable read for me. It was well written and entertaining. I loved getting to know Grace and Nick. Nick doesn’t do complicated and Grace is 100% complicated. She’s not looking for love, but can’t deny the pull she feels towards Nick. Add in one regretful ex, pre-wedding festivities and an entertaining family and you’ve got all the elements for a totally fun read. I loved Grace’s family. They were a little intense, but you could tell they meant well and loved hard. I loved how real Grace was. She was a total riot and even though she made a fool out of herself time and time again in front of Nick, I just couldn’t get enough. I loved their story and loved watching the two of them fall. Was it insta-love? Kind of, but let me tell you, it worked.
Overall, I thought this book was a great read. You Complicate Me is author Isabel Jordan’s first attempt at contemporary/romantic comedy and for me, I think she knocked it out of the park. I was hooked on these characters and hooked on their story. I can’t wait to read more in this series and discover the other books this author has written. Great debut in this genre!
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
When I first heard about You Complicate Me, I couldn’t wait to dive in. I mean this book is right up my alley. Romantic comedy: check. Stand-alone novel: check. Fun characters: Check Check! This is my first book by this author and it certainly won’t be my last.
You Complicate Me follows the story of Nick and Grace. Grace’s life is anything but simple. One might say it’s even complicated. She’s sworn off men and romance. The last thing she ever planned on was meeting Nick. Nick doesn’t do complicated, but when he meets Grace, he just couldn’t stay away. She was perfectly imperfect; a total hot mess and she gave him a run for his money. The chemistry between these two is instant and undeniable. They shouldn’t get involved, but can’t stay away. Will these two take a chance on romance despite all the complications or will Grace end up swearing off men for good? You’ll just have to pick up this book to see for yourself.
You Complicate Me was a really enjoyable read for me. It was well written and entertaining. I loved getting to know Grace and Nick. Nick doesn’t do complicated and Grace is 100% complicated. She’s not looking for love, but can’t deny the pull she feels towards Nick. Add in one regretful ex, pre-wedding festivities and an entertaining family and you’ve got all the elements for a totally fun read. I loved Grace’s family. They were a little intense, but you could tell they meant well and loved hard. I loved how real Grace was. She was a total riot and even though she made a fool out of herself time and time again in front of Nick, I just couldn’t get enough. I loved their story and loved watching the two of them fall. Was it insta-love? Kind of, but let me tell you, it worked.
Overall, I thought this book was a great read. You Complicate Me is author Isabel Jordan’s first attempt at contemporary/romantic comedy and for me, I think she knocked it out of the park. I was hooked on these characters and hooked on their story. I can’t wait to read more in this series and discover the other books this author has written. Great debut in this genre!
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
July 26, 2025
This book was funny and a little bit spicy 🌶️.
This book is about a woman named Grace Montgomery. She has a simple plan: Fly to her younger brother’s wedding, stop the wedding , go home, make partner at her law firm. She is on a flight ✈️ sitting next to a guy named Nick O’ Conner. It turns out that she is medicated by valium, she is also drunk on tequila. Air marshal Nick O’ Conner is not in her plans. She is almost arrested by him. She pukes on him. She finds out that he’s her soon-to-be brother-in-law
The other problem is that she has an attraction to him to the dark and dead sexy jerk. If Nick had a plan it wouldn’t include getting involved with a woman as complicated as Grace. It also wouldn’t include road tripping with her to attend a week of pre-wedding family activities. As it turns out traveling and spending time with the sharp-witted Grace is the most fun Nick’s had since well, ever. Their sexual chemistry is also off the charts. It doesn’t take long for Grace to realize that there’s a lot more to her air marshal than a pretty face and a big, um, gun. If she’s not careful, she just might lose her highly prized control. She also might just lose her heart. This story was funny. Their banter was hilarious, and their moments of her puking on him made reading this book well worth reading.
This book is about a woman named Grace Montgomery. She has a simple plan: Fly to her younger brother’s wedding, stop the wedding , go home, make partner at her law firm. She is on a flight ✈️ sitting next to a guy named Nick O’ Conner. It turns out that she is medicated by valium, she is also drunk on tequila. Air marshal Nick O’ Conner is not in her plans. She is almost arrested by him. She pukes on him. She finds out that he’s her soon-to-be brother-in-law
The other problem is that she has an attraction to him to the dark and dead sexy jerk. If Nick had a plan it wouldn’t include getting involved with a woman as complicated as Grace. It also wouldn’t include road tripping with her to attend a week of pre-wedding family activities. As it turns out traveling and spending time with the sharp-witted Grace is the most fun Nick’s had since well, ever. Their sexual chemistry is also off the charts. It doesn’t take long for Grace to realize that there’s a lot more to her air marshal than a pretty face and a big, um, gun. If she’s not careful, she just might lose her highly prized control. She also might just lose her heart. This story was funny. Their banter was hilarious, and their moments of her puking on him made reading this book well worth reading.
April 5, 2018
I have to say I have read all of Isabel’s pnr books and I was totally looking forward to her foray into contemporary. Isabel has such a style that you can’t put her books down, from the start to finish of this book I read it it one sitting. Snarkorgasims is definitely going to be a word!!!. I loved the chemistry between the main characters, the storyline was relatable and the humor had me laughing so hard I had tears. Isabel has left lots of room for spin off’s into the other characters and I can’t wait for more
January 5, 2022
You Complicate Me is a cute romcom. I really enjoyed this one. Grace is feisty and full of life. Nick is protective. There is such an instant connection between Grace and Nick that you are going to love. This one will have you giggling out loud as Grace and Nick navigate wedding weekend with their families and an ex-husband who won't give up. I love the banter between Grace and Nick. There is just something so sweet about this one. A fun read that will keep you glued to the pages. I cannot wait for more in the You Complicate Me series.
April 3, 2018
I love, love, love this author's PNR series. And even though this one is contemporary, I knew she'd hit it out of the park, and I was right. I loved Nick and Grace, the two main characters. Very relatable and the romance is HOT. And the side characters are a chaotic group that had me literally LOL'ing through the entire book.
I highly recommend, whether Contemporary is your normal gig or not. You won't be sorry!
Thank you for another great read!
I highly recommend, whether Contemporary is your normal gig or not. You won't be sorry!
Thank you for another great read!
May 22, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author and it definitely won't be my last. I've become super choosy about reading new authors but something about this book just caught my attention. I was hooked from the very first page. Nick and Grace were hilarious. From the get go with Grace being terrified of flying and that whole scene had me in tears from laughing so hard. I must say Nick just grabbed my heart. He is super swoon worthy and had me rooting for him to win Grace's heart. I read this book in one sitting and simply can not wait to read the next one. So glad I took a chance on a "new for me" author.
Review by Tabitha
Review by Tabitha
February 1, 2022
Hilarious
I came across this book as a suggestion, read the synopsis and thought, I need something funny. This book did not disappoint with the emotions too. I was giggling and laughing all the way through the book. Ruthie is my spirit grandma. Grace and Nick were hot and amazing. Can't wait to read the next book.
I came across this book as a suggestion, read the synopsis and thought, I need something funny. This book did not disappoint with the emotions too. I was giggling and laughing all the way through the book. Ruthie is my spirit grandma. Grace and Nick were hot and amazing. Can't wait to read the next book.
July 9, 2021
2.7 stars.
Overall the plot was nothing special but there were plenty of light fluffy passable funny moments. I skimmed quite a bit of annoying internal dialogue. Only read this because the 2nd in the series caught my eye. I hope it’s better than this one.
Overall the plot was nothing special but there were plenty of light fluffy passable funny moments. I skimmed quite a bit of annoying internal dialogue. Only read this because the 2nd in the series caught my eye. I hope it’s better than this one.
July 29, 2018
4.5 Stars
July 18, 2019
3.5 star rating
Review to be written soon
Review to be written soon
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