But on the upside I've learned something about my self. I really, really hate writing reviews for books that I didn't enjoy. I know...I'm not alone. I've been procrastinating and putting this one off. Seriously did you know I have a million and one things that I need to do before I can get this done...ok, not really but I wish I did.

So here goes short version. In theory this sounded good, cute a nice feel good story about love at first sight...insta-love, whatever term you want to use. I was ready to settle in for a cute, feel good read that would leave me sighing happily and smiling. Sadly that did not happen.

In execution what I got was a story about a small town deputy who had the day from hell, crashed his ex's engagement party because even though he was sent an invitation he wasn't actually suppose to go, got drunk and honestly I don't blame him. If I'd had his day I'd have been heading for the bar as well. Then he ended up being taken home but the deputy mayor whose name was Hawk Black and let me just say we're not having this conversation because I've deleted it twice. Anyways, so Hawk Black who is the deputy mayor and laid eyes on Clint once then proceeded to close his business as a political and managerial consultant in DC and move across the country from Washington DC to New Mexico based on seeing a guy once to pursue him..."HELLO!!! Can we say STALKER!" and this is where the story went from cute and fluffy to a big old clusterf*ck of a train wreck for me. 

I needed not to know this...If dear, sweet Hawk Black had moved to New Mexico for the job and discovered that Clint floated his boat, I would have been all over this. I know it's just one  teeny, tiny, little detail but for me it's a biggy. It's the detail that took this from aaaahhhh!!!! to eeeewwww!!!! Because not only did he move half-way across the country to pursue Clint but he basically continued to stalk him and then picked him up when he was drunk under the pretense of taking him home but instead took Clint to his place to 'sober him up' so they could have copious amounts of sex...what-the-hell? Where's the relationship?

Ok so now that I'm over my little hissy fit about this story. I just want add that while this story obviously didn't work for me, I know it worked for a lot of other people so at the end of it all am I saying this is a bad story...no, it's simply not the story for me. I've read a few other stories by this author and I've loved them and I plan on reading more. This for me is a case of we all got the same words and just didn't read the same story.

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An ARC of "Jumping In" was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, this is going to be hard.

Because I adore Kade Boehme, as a person and as a writer. He and his books are always authentic, alsways real, always funny and smart and sexy and everything else I like - in books and people.

And I liked the MCs in this story, too. Jay is a sweatheart. Unsure of his sexualtiy, he likes his uncomplicated life, even though he does have his ups and downs with his ex-wife and his level of contentedness. And I loved Landon. Sure of his sexuality, but not exactly clear on what exactly he wants to do with the rest of his (love) life, he is one adorable and loveable guy. The story line also worked fine for me. I know some complained about the ex being an awful harpy - again. I didn't think so. Yes, she was upset first and said some pretty awful things. But come on! Her ex - the one she might or might not still have had positive and negative feelings for - just told her he was gay and blamed himself for the failure of their marriage. So she had a freak out moment - I felt like she might have been a tiny little bit entitled to it. Plus, she came around pretty fast afterwards and apologized. That's not what a harpy looks like to me. So yeah, I didn't have a problem with that, either.

I'm really sad to say it, but this time the writing was the thing turned me off. Parts of it felt too stilted. Sometimes I was wondering if it was really Kade Boehme who wrote this, because every so often a sentence, an akward phrasing or a conversation that felt too forced and wrong, threw me so completely, I couldn't really enjoy the book. It pains me, it really does, but this didn't click with me. Which is a real shame because I could have loved it so much, but I didn't, because for the first time ever the writing absolutely didn't work for me.