Thursday, May 21, 2015

The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan

Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.
The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…

Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to win Ivy’s heart. Game on.

BIG ASS SPOILERS AHEAD....

Have you ever read a book that's so  fucking good you can't stand it and then out of nowhere it becomes a completely different book?

The Friend Zone was that book for me.

Ivy and Gray are an awesome couple. They become best friends with an easy chemistry. Funny and brash, they're complete equals and delightful to read. I mean, I was in love with both of them by page 2. This was easily one of the best books I'd read this year, it was so delicious.

For possibly 70% of the book it was all fun and funny with heart felt sexual longing and good heat and believable. I freaking fracking loved it.

Then they became a couple. Maybe 70% in. It was awesome. Gray was the perfect hero and Ivy was a fun heroine and they loved each other and should be a HEA and life is good. If only the book ended there.

It didn't.

So we know that Gray's mother died of cancer. And Ivy's parents are divorced, but both successful. But none of that really matters except for understanding who these characters are. But then after everything they get together and in the last part of the book:

Grey's brother, hitherto unmentioned, shows up to fight with Gray. Unnecessarily.
Ivy has a lump on her breast and Gray freaks out.
Gray falls apart because his mother died from breast cancer.
Ivy doesn't have breast cancer, she's pregnant.
Gray wants to get married.
Ivy doesn't want to get married and doesn't know if she wants the baby.
Ivy decides to have the baby.
Gray plays an important game and Ivy miscarries during the game.
Gray is mad that the big game wasn't interupted so he could be with Ivy.
Gray's dad shows up for no reason whatsoever and disappears as quickly.
Ivy and Gray get over the miscarriage.
Ivy and Gray decide to get married.

It was like this perfectly wonderful book with amazing humor and heat that suddenly, so near the end, became a fucking soap opera. It was horrible. I was so pissed.

So my suggestion: read the book because it's wonderful. When Gray and Ivy become a couple, pretend the book says THE END and stop reading.

You'll thank me for it.

8 comments:

  1. I hate the book fizzled on you. These NA books are all scrambled in my mind, but I guess you gotta have the angst or it's not NA, lol.

    Another thing: "most valuable" player tight ends in college football are few and far between. I can't think of any except Ozzie Newsome back in the 70's. He was the 23rd pick in the draft, but since I can't remember the number of teams in the 70's I don't know if that was first round or not. :-)

    Tight end is a position that is utilized more as a blocker in modern play plans; every now and then they'll throw the ball to him as a sop, but believe me, it would be next to impossible for a tight end to be MVP.

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  2. By the way Carolyn, this book was also the one that had the finger up the anus out of nowhere.

    Yeah, another moment that left me puzzled. As well as the fact that Ivy supposedly only had one boyfriend in high school that she lost her virginity too, says that was all the sex she had and then the first time with Gray she goes down on him like a pro.

    Smack my silly head... but WTH?

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  3. Yup. Yup. Cleanliness is next to godliness, ya know ...

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  4. LOL those comments... :D

    Sounds like a good book to almost finish? And is it me or does the dude on the cover almost look like Channing Tatum?

    Do you need to understand American football to enjoy? I don't know tight ends from the kicker guy... I suppose it would be the same as me writing about fullbacks, full forwards and rucks... lol

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  5. I don't think so, Lea. I mean, Lori read it and she doesn't know doodly squat about football, American or otherwise. ;-)

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  6. Cool, thanks Carolyn :) Might have to think about my own footy story... or not lol

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  7. I know about football.

    I know I don't know anything about it except they wear tight pants.

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  8. You mean there's more to know? Bugger.... :D

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