Title: The Kissing Game
Series: n/a
Stand alone:
Author: Marie Harte
Genre: Romance
Blurb: “I bet you a kiss you can’t resist me.”
Game on.
Rena Jackson is ready. She’s worked her tail off to open up her own hair salon, and she’s almost ready to quit her job at the dive bar. Rena’s also a diehard romantic, and she’s had her eye on bar regular Axel Heller for a while. He’s got that tall-dark-and-handsome thing going big time. Problem is, he’s got that buttoned-up Germanic ice man thing going as well. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Rena’s about ready to give up on Axel and find her own Mr. Right.
At six foot six, Axel knows he intimidates most people. He’s been crushing on the gorgeous waitress for months. But the muscled mechanic is no romantic, and his heart is buried so deep, he has no idea how to show Rena what he feels. He knows he’s way out of his depth and she’s slipping away. So, he makes one crazy, desperate play…
Favorite Quote(s)/Excerpt(s): “I am yours. Time to make sure you know you’re mine.”
Thoughts: I couldn’t wait to get started on this book – it’s got everything I could want…guy crushing on a girl (and has been for awhile), girl crushing on guy, and a dare that pushes them together. I love Marie Harte and the intensity she manages to bring between her main characters. However, I had a few issues with this book.
Axel is portrayed as a ‘viking’…which I don’t mind except it just didn’t work in this case. In sporadic instances he blurts out in his native tongue that just was a bit too often….in this case it detracted from the actual storyline. The reasons Axel never made a move just didn’t make sense, especially when he still thinks of her as ‘his’ and it is clear that always intended to make a move. Axel’s constant fighting in the bar was a bit contrived, as well. I don’t know, there were just a lot of things with Axel’s character that just bugged me and kept me from liking this book as much as I expected to.
Not one of the better ones from the author…it lacks a certain spark…but not horrible enough that it’s an unreadable DNF.
Rating: B-
