After losing his best friend to another guy, the notoriously too-confident Max Emory suddenly feels lost. He may have devastatingly good looks, an abundance of charm, and a claim to one of the biggest hotel empires around, but he has no ambition anymore. So when his fed-up friends decide they’ve had enough of his moping, they sign him up to be the next bachelor on the reality series Love Island. And between his pride and his forged signature on an ironclad contract, Max just can’t say no. Now he’s stranded in paradise with twenty-four women, oneterrifying goat, and Becca, the breathtaking barista who already turned him down back home. The closer Max gets to Becca, the more determined he becomes to win her over. As she gets to know him better, things start heating up. But is Becca really after Max’s heart—or is she after the cash prize she could claim once the cameras stop rolling?
EXCERPT
“And . . .” She held up her hand like she was doing a damn
countdown! “You’re kind of, like . . .” She leaned forward and whispered, “A
bit . . .” Her eyes teased. “Metro.”
“As in . . . ,” I baited her.
“Feminine,” she snapped. “Yup, that’s the word. And Max, I
mean that in the nicest way possible.”
“You mean . . .” I licked my lips, then slapped the water.
“In the kindest way you can possibly say it, ‘Oh, look, Max has boobs’? Or you
mean it in the way that says I lack the proper sexual magnetism to get your
engine going?”
Becca rolled her eyes. “Hey, I didn’t come here to fight. I
was just going to go over our date for tomorrow without the watchful eyes of
Big Brother.”
“Hmm.” She was looking down at her feet. So I did what any
desperate man who’d just been insulted in the worst way possible would do. I
grabbed her feet, dragged her into the water, creating a huge splash, and then,
when her head popped up for air, I gave her something else.
My tongue.
Kissing Becca could become a very nice, very addicting . . .
pastime. Her lips were soft, pliant, but her hands were beating against my
chest. Ah, classic move. Listen up, men: women fight us because they’re
expected to. They have to put up the fight so they don’t come off as easy. So
the next time a girl hits you in the chest, go with it, kiss her harder. It
just means she wants more, especially when her chest is heaving and her tongue
is doing . . . that. Yeah, exactly. Oh. Hell. Damn. Kill me now. When her
tongue is doing that? Becca’s tongue pushed against mine and then she sucked.
I felt said sucking all the way through my body.
When she stopped fighting me, I wrapped my arms around her
neck, pulling her as close against me as I could, and then pulled away.
Her eyes furrowed with confusion as she tried to lean
forward.
I pulled back again, and swam her over to the ladder.
“Thanks, Becca,” I whispered. “I needed a little
motivation.”
“M-motivation?”
“Game on.” I helped her up and followed. “And by the way . .
.” I grabbed her hands and moved her flat palms from my chest all the way down
to my waist. “I’m anything but feminine. Have a good night.” As I walked away,
I did what any sane man would do. I paused so she could get her fill and
realize that yes, I was, in fact, still naked. And when I heard her gasp, I
turned around and saluted her in more ways than one.
Point. Max.
Text MAFIA to 66866! You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel's New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Max was probably my favorite thing about book one so I was eager to read his book. After finishing it, I like him even more.
The beginning of this novel is slapstick comedy like the first was. Some is more over the top and even a bit cheesy. I found myself literally laughing out loud. After it really gets into the meat of the story, there are actually several surprisingly deep parts. Max is quite the man. He mostly just shows his easy going, silly, well-groomed side, but he is also very smart, romantic and athletic. I was truly shocked by how hard I fell for him. One minute he had me giggling and the next swooning.
The female lead is easy to like, and her personality fits Max's perfectly. They are a definite match. The rest of the little gang of friends also play their parts. It was nice catching up with everyone again. New characters and animals join the cast. They are great additions.
The overall plot was good, not mind-blowing, but I did enjoy it. I recommend it to those looking for something light and fun, a good-time read. On the other hand, Max, really stands out to me. He's the total package— gorgeous looks, wealth, intelligence, excellent sense of humor and the biggest heart ever. I love him. I want my own Max.
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