Hot Finish - Erin McCarthy

Hot Finish
Erin McCarthy

So remember before how I admitted that I really really love reading young adult fiction?  Alright, I'll also admit that I really secretly LOVE reading trashy romance novels.  Like love it love it.  I don't admit it often for two reasons:  1) I think people might lose a bit of respect for my choice of books if they knew.  And even though if those people lost respect for me I wouldn't actually care, 2) if I don't admit it often, it feels like a dirty little secret.  And when you live a relatively Pollyanna life (like I do), it's fun to have a secret.

Alright, so now that my secret is out, here's a trashy novel you should totally read.  Apparently it is part of a series, and though I could tell there were little details I was missing, it works just fine as a stand alone novel.  And yes, I'll admit openly that I picked the book up based mostly on the cover* (hey, I had laundry to do that day and saw the washboard was inspired).  But after reading it in a whopping two evening stint, I have to say that it was pretty darn good.  Yes, it is predictable, but all cheesy Romance novels are predictable.  Here's the equation:  girl and guy either have history or meet and have chemistry.  Girl and guy don't want to end up nekked together, but they do.  Girl or guy tries to break it off but cannot, I repeat CANNOT seem to make it happen.  Girl and guy end up figuring out their differences (usually involving some nekkedness) and riding off into the proverbial sunset together.
*a special thank you to the woman who created this cover for the awesome elastic sneak-peek.  The elastic sneak peek is one of my favorite things ever.  Unless it is accompanied by a beer gut.  Then it is one of my least favorite things ever.  Question - is the elastic sneak-peek the man-equivalent of a whale tale?  Because if so, I might have to like it less.

Hot Finish isn't different from any other cheesy romance novel - it follows this equation nearly to the T (don't act like I just dished out the world's biggest spoiler alert either - you knew it was coming from the minute you checked out the abs on the cover.  Admit it!).  However, the dialog in the book is quite entertaining and the two main characters, Ryder and Suzanne Jefferson - a supposed-to-be divorced couple thrown together to endure the wedding from hell - are endearing and shockingly realistic.

But I won't pretend to be naive and say that I think the book is in any way realistic.  I will say that the nekked scenes?  Wowza.  This book is not kid friendly.  Sure might just be mommy friendly though....wink wink.