Review/Giveaway: Take What You Want by Jeanette Grey

Take What You Want
by Jeanette Grey
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Publication date: March 13, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
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ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review
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She needs an escape…and he’s exactly what she had in mind. College senior Ellen Price spends every spare minute studying to get into medical school. Until spring break yawns before her, as empty as her wallet. With no money to hit the beach, she fills her empty to-do list with a plan: for just one week, she will become the kind of take-no-prisoners woman she secretly wishes to be, starting with the hot guy at the bar. It's a no-risk situation: at the end of break, he’ll head back to his campus, and she’ll go back to hers. No muss, no fuss. At first, Josh Markley isn’t sure what to think when the quiet, intense beauty from his pre-med classes approaches him for a night of casual sex. Even more mystifying, she doesn’t seem to return his recognition. But if she wants to play “strangers in a bar”, he’s game. Their passionate night is a welcome respite from life’s stress, but afterward, Josh realizes he wants more—from himself, from life, from Ellen. Except she still thinks he’s a one-off she’ll never see again. Confessing the truth now—before she figures it out on her own—could shatter the fragile beginnings of just what the doctor ordered. A forever love.

Recently I have been enjoying new adult contemporary romances and jumped at the chance to review Take What You Want by Jeanette Grey. She offered a delightful tale about anonymity. A chance to be the brave, confident person you have always dreamed you were and the result that happens. This was a fast paced, smexy read that I consumed on a cold Sunday afternoon and one I would recommend.

The tale begins when we meet Ellen Price a pre-med student in her senior year. All of her friends have gone off somewhere warm and tropical for spring break, but between her rent, waitress job and studies Ellie just cannot afford it. She instead decides to give herself a week to dress, and act the way she secretly wishes too. From clothes to picking up a hot guy at a bar she intends to do it all. At the end of the week she will go back to being plain old Ellen. She decides on a rugged, motorcycle hottie she spies sitting at the bar. Josh Markley can barely believe it when sweet Ellen from class walks up looking like a hot goddess and propositions him. He is mystified that she does not seem to recognize him but decides to play along. The tale that unfolds was sweet, funny, smexy and filled with promise.

The characters in this tale where nicely fleshed out and I loved the situations that arose from their role playing. It’s nice seeing two good, grounded and thoughtful people grow and develop feelings for one another. The author shares both of their backgrounds and problems with us and I developed a real sense of who they were. While the physical part of their relationship started out hot and heavy, the romantic aspect moved more slowly and felt genuine. Josh’s parents were present and I liked how they dealt with him.

As the two characters grow closer and the week is almost over they are faced with confessing who they really are, and the author revealed all of it in such a wonderful way. This is not only a love story; it offers direction and acceptance of who you are and what you want. While the tale itself was relatively short and predictable, it was well done and did not feel rushed.  

Fans of romance and coming of age will enjoy Take What You Want. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Three dark roast coffees out of five

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