The Best Man was a book I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC as part of the blog tour for Michelle Lee’s promotion for it’s release. The Book It – In News Today article for it is very pretty, if I do say so myself. DaYUM, I’m good, huh? The promo is to support the 02/13/2014 release and I took my time reading this book because I knew there was no great rush to have it finished ASAP. I think maybe it was because of that that I began to see certain things that I may not have seen otherwise.
First of all, this book is a sweet lil’ love story and if you like the “will she, won’t she”–girl’s-got-issues-but-the-guy’s-kind-magical-tales this one is your sort of book. Also if you like books that make you wait for payout and like it, you will relish Davis and Kassidy’s relationship. At the beginning of the book I know I was on board myself. Kassidy is introduced as this knock out character who is always having internal conversation between her id and ego:
Shit, I’m gonna have to get up early just to get ready. And what am I gonna wear?
Don’t worry we’ll think of something hot, that will hopefully send him over the edge, which is what we want and it will be so worth it. Trust me.
I am totally Trusting you. You are leading this dance, not me.
Good, cause if you were to lead you’d probably pussy out.
What?!?
She is supposedly this hot up and coming lawyer who is bowling down cases and despite her internal debates she is put together.
Davis is introduced as this cocky, sexy and controlled guy. He meets Kassidy at a club when she is out with her friends and he is overconfident and kind of a jackass. She thinks he’s an ass but he’s left enough of an impression to play a starring role in her naughty naughty nighttime dreams.
Then they both have personality devolutions into the opposite of what makes them great characters. Kassidy’s strength of character folds in the face of her two best friends who bully her into a Jello mold, where she confesses all and can be convinced to do almost anything. Davis becomes pubescent and blushes and swallows a great deal in Kassidy’s presents like he is sucretting enough saliva to water a botanical garden–which Michelle makes a point of repeatedly noting his adam’s apple bobbing which after a while I started to visualize as a flesh covered yo-yo. It’s almost like she neutered him which is a shame because cocky Davis was to die for.
And just a word of caution: the “crimson wave” is not a term to use for someone blushing. The phrase is slang for a chick having her time of the month. I would sincerely hope that the look in Davis’s eyes did not bring on Kassidy’s crimson wave. It sounds distressing and a bit disturbing. There is a whole lot of blushing going on between Kassidy and Davis in this book but of all the blood rushing around to be seen–let’s hope Kassidy is not visited by Aunt Flo.
I guess while I’m at it I should hit upon the fact that I felt that the book hit the wrong age group. The way that Kassidy, Macy and Chloe interact with one another felt incredibly reminiscent of teenagers more so than adult women. Women don’t demand that someone gives every detail of a kiss unless they haven’t had one due to a near record setting dry spell and need to be reminded of what a kiss is like. The bullying I mentioned earlier also felt incredibly immature and like that hierarchy that girls form in high school. This book would have done a lot better to have been written as a mature YA under a different context and set of circumstances with the same characters. –And the only people who send texts with those ridiculous shortcuts are tweens and TV shows with a target audience of tweens, jsyk.
Now I’ve been incredibly critical and that really isn’t my style. I generally look for the very best to say about something because I don’t believe in send negativity out there into the world. I also don’t believe in giving a false review when I need to give a direct review. It would do absolutely no good in this situation for me to just state my happy feelings. (I will do that below) I would love to interview Michelle Lee and I mean to approach her about the possibility of doing that because I believe that the best way to understand how an author came to write a book like this is to find out her or his story. This review reflects my feelings on the aspects of The Best Man that did not work for me. I bought Four Letter Word this morning because I have every faith that she is a capable storyteller.
And as far as this book goes–there is NOTHING wrong with the story of Kassidy and Davis. This truly is a sweet romance with a touch of fire. I love the pacing. I love the happenings that Kassidy has going on at work. I love the deal with Jackson. I love her romance with Davis and I love that it doesn’t come easy. I love that I got the chance to review the book and be part of the blog tour.
This book is great for those who liked Flat Out Love by Jessica Park or Wallbanger by Alice Clayton.
Michelle Lee’s Web Tracks:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page
Michelle Lee Books:
Four Letter Word Synopsis:
Zoey has had a crush on Evan since they first met in high school, but has never acted on those feelings. She has always felt she wasn’t Evan’s type and their friendship means too much to her to jeopardize. At a Halloween party, Zoey meets Griffin, something Evan isn’t too happy about. Zoey and Griffin’s budding relationship grows into something Zoey never thought she would find, that four letter word, love. When she is ready to marry Griffin, Evan decides to let his true feelings be known. Ultimately, Zoey has to decide, marry the one the currently loves, or be with the one she’s always loved.
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