Review: Rush Me by Allison Parr

Rush Me by Allison Parr
Series: New York Leopards #1
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: Netgalley
ISBN: 9781426895333
Release Date: April 8, 2013
Pages: 263

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When post-grad Rachael Hamilton accidentally gate-crashes a pro-athlete party, she ends up face-to-face with Ryan Carter, the NFL's most beloved quarterback.

While most girls would be thrilled to meet the attractive young millionaire, Rachael would rather spend time with books than at sporting events, and she has more important things to worry about than romance. Like her parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law school.

But when Ryan's rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up cohosting Friday-night dinners for half a dozen football players.

Over pancake brunches, charity galas and Alexander the Great, Rachael realizes all the judgments she'd made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy, gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let down her barriers if she wants real love--even if that opens her up to pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.

Rush Me was a book that sounded New Adult, but in reality it read more like a chick-lit book. Our main character Rachael is on her way to a party when she loses track of her best friend and ends up at the wrong place. There she runs into a NFL player who of course despises her and they do not get along. When going back for her scarf the next day, she somehow ends up playing poker and hanging out with the guys and befriends them.

I just did not click with the book. I wasn’t a fan of either main character. Rachael was whinny and immature for most of the novel, and Ryan was not a charming guy. I don’t understand how he was supposed to be charming (as other characters mentions throughout the book). He was a complete ass and manhandles Rachael several times throughout the book. Ryan does simmer down as the book progresses, but I couldn’t get over how rude and condescending he was at the start of the book. He was straight-up rude and an ass to Rachael when he first meets her, and not in the “I’m an asshole, but look how adorable I am” kind of way.

As I said Rachael was whinny throughout most of the book. She was a bit stuck up and instead of having confidence she preferred to look down on others and make snap judgments instead of getting to know them.


I did enjoy the other teammates. They all had distinct personalities and weren’t lumped into the typical jock type of behaviour. They were sweet and treated Rachael as a sister. I wished you saw more interaction with them throughout the book as the relationship was nice. Same with Rachael’s roommate, Eva, a theatre major starting her first real performance. She was an interesting character, but after one point she kind of just disappeared. Does this mean that as soon as Rachael got a boyfriend she just ditched her friends? Because that’s just not cool in my books. Rachael whinnied about Ryan to her for weeks and then when they final hookup she disappears on her?

Review: The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot

The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot
Series: Heather Wells Mysteries #5
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780061734793
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Pages: 294

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Heather Wells is used to having her cake and eating it too, but this time her cake just might be cooked. Her wedding cake, that is.

With her upcoming nuptials to PI Cooper Cartwright only weeks away, Heather's already stressed. And when a pretty junior turns up dead, Heather's sure things can't get worse—until every student in the dorm where she works is a possible suspect, and Heather's long-lost mother shows up.

Heather has no time for a tearful mother and bride reunion. She has a wedding to pull off and a murder to solve. Instead of wedding bells, she might be hearing wedding bullets, but she's determined to bring the bad guys to justice if it's the last thing she does . . . and this time, it just might be.

I've been a huge fan of Meg Cabot for years. I can't think of a single book of hers that I have read and I didn’t love. Now I’m not a big fan of mysteries, but this is one series that is an exception for me. Meg writes hilarious situations that Heather gets into and you can’t help devouring chapter after chapter to see what happens next.

This is Meg Cabot’s fifth book in the Heather Wells series and I absolutely adored it. I love the main character, Heather. She isn’t perfect. She is moody, sarcastic, and quick-witted. She handles the students at New York College so well. She treats them as they were her own. She knows when to be tough and when to overstep her bounds, (which is quite often) and dive into whatever drama is going on at Fisher Hall. I forget how much I missed the secondary characters, Gavin, Magda, Sarah, etc. They add an extra layer to the book. Heather might not have the ideal family, but she made one at New York College and it really shows in this book.

In The Bride Wore Size 12 we are finally at the moment this series has been leading to…Heather and Cooper are engaged and their wedding is just around the corner. But of course nothing is ever quiet for too long in Heather’s world. The new school year hasn't started yet, but Heather is already having a tough year.

Heather, you sat with a young girl’s dead body all day yesterday. Then you went home and your mom, who abandoned you a decade ago, dropped by unannounced. I think there’s a possibility you might need to talk to a mental health specialist.

Heather and Cooper are just too cute together in this book. I just love Cooper to bits. Cooper knows that Heather will get into all kinds of shenanigans no matter what, but still he wants to protect her. They are a great match. Their love for each is so sweet and the wedding was just perfect.

As you pointed out, I should have left well enough alone. But. . . well, it’s not in your nature, either, Heather. That’s why we make such a perfect pair.

Honestly, if this was the final book in the series I would be happy with it. As much as I would love more of Heather’s hijinks, this was the ideal ending. It’s the finale I have been waiting for.

P.S. If you enjoy any of the Heather Wells Mysteries I would recommend checking out Meg Cabot’s Queen of Babble series, which is equally (almost) as funny.

My Rating:

Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Source: Library
ISBN: 9781101468005
Release Date: April 14, 2011

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Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their coworkers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can't seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period.

When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he'd be sifting through other people's inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can't quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can't help but be entertained-and captivated- by their stories.

But by the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? "Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you." After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . even if he can't see exactly where it's leading him.

Written with whip-smart precision and charm, Attachments is a strikingly clever and deeply romantic debut about falling in love with the person who makes you feel like the best version of yourself. Even if it's someone you've never met.

Originally, I found this book while looking for the author's sophomore book, Eleanor & Park, but my local library only had the audio book, not the e-book. So I borrowed this one instead. I'm so glad I ended up reading Attachments. I love books told with epistolary style. It just adds a uniqueness to the story. It reminded me of Meg Cabot's Boy series, but less girly chick-lit.

I feel in love with this book from start to end. I devoured it. You have two best friends, Beth and Jennifer, just wasting time at work by chatting about their day, and Lincoln, a newly grad sifting through their emails. As the story progresses Lincoln falls for Beth, even though she has a boyfriend.

I loved how Lincoln was able to surf the Internet as much as he wanted to but the newspaper was so concerned about the rest of the employees' work productivity. Throughout the majority of the book Lincoln is lonely.

...I was finally done with school. That's when all my friends got lives, after they graduated. That's when they got jobs and got married.

Lincoln is a perpetual student and finally decided to join the working force. He feels like his life is passing him by and doesn't know how to start his life. He still lives with his mother and doesn't have any relationship prospects in sight. He reconnects with his old friend Justin, who is a character. Justin is brass and crude, but somehow lovable. He did seem to reminisce a lot about his ex, Sam, who dumped him in college.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes light fun novels.

My Rating: