The Delight
A nerdy hero, looking for long-term relationship signs up with a dating agency only to show the heroine being nerdy doesn’t mean you are bad in bed. The lusty love scenes left me breathless wanting to grab up my own geeky man!
When given a chance to read Searching for Perfect by Jennifer Probst, I jumped. I loved her book, The Marriage Bargain and couldn’t wait to have a chance to read some of her other works. But I do have to admit I never read the premise of the book and when I saw the cover, I did a big *sigh*. Thinking it was a New Adult romance, I struggled to make myself actually pick up the book. HUGE MISTAKE! This book is not New Adult at all. So do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
When geeky Ned decides he wants a wife, kids, basically a love life, he turns to speed dating and totally screws it up. He tried to prepare…skin bronzer (turned orange), worked to late (wore his lab coat stained with coffee), long hair (his brother said chicks dig long rocker hair), coke bottle glasses (because nothing is being stuck in his eyes). Not that appearance is everything, but Ned blurts out whatever comes to mind and often at the advice of his older brother Connor. Oh, he’s a aerospace engineer as well (think rocket scientist) who adores golf.
Kennedy is part owner of Kinnections, a match making agency. Fighting an abusive childhood filled with weight gain and loss, Kennedy has built herself into a confident well balanced woman (if only in her own mind). She plans to just set Ned straight on his rudeness, but finds her diamond in the rough. Now she only has to remake this nerd into a catchable date. Never mind that with each step in the process she falls a little more under his spell.
OMG!!! I fell so in love with Ned turned Nate! Nate has his heart in such a good place. His mother left his father when he was eight. So you would think he would have a bad attitude about women. Nope, Connor got all that. Nate actually wants to try find a woman to share his life with. He’s not a virgin, but he is inept at social interaction. He can quote Cosmo, but also references erotica and he totally knows how to work a woman’s body.
Part of his study to understand women included a range of erotic novels and how to manuals to guarantee perfect sexual stamina and performance. ~Nate
His heart is in the right place. He believes in his brother who practically raised him even though he is a total dickwad. Putting up with all the torture Kennedy puts him through to chance the outside, I almost came through the book to smack three women when they used shock therapy on him. I am not a fan of golf, but Man, Nate makes me want to get out there and try it, clear my mind and just live in the moment.
Kennedy hit home with me at the heart. Overweight as a teen, led to some abuse from bullies that I can remember even if mine wasn’t to the degree hers was. While she turned her weight around into a healthier lifestyle, she denies herself the simple joys of living. (Maybe I should deny myself some of those simple joys more often). Every day is a battle, not looking into mirrors and never taking relationships seriously as she coaches her clients into long term relationships.
“Golf is good. Anything else?”
He pulled back his shoulders. “Books.”
She scribbled something. “Reading is a definite plus. What were the last three books you read?”
“The Kama Sultra. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty. Fifty Shades of Gray.”
The pen stilled. Her mouth opened, and her tongue slid over her lower lip. Ah yes, he’d finally elicited a feminine reaction. He tamped the flood of satisfaction. She was his matmaker, intent on finding him his soul-mate. No reason to muddy the waters by crushing on her like a schoolboy. Still, he enjoyed the dilation of her pupils as she processed his statement.
What grabbed me was Nate saw her. He saw the beauty she is, was and will always be on the inside as well as the outside. He saw her. There are some scenes where he forces her to see herself for more than her outer shell that broke my heart but also built me up to what a good man should be. When he admits to her he loves her, I almost broke down and cried. I highlighted that part and I so want to share it, but really I want to save it for you to read. It will break and mend you heart wanting your man to say this to you.
“You’re very…well endowed.”
He grinned. A totally masculine, seductive, “curl your toes and surrender now” kind of grin. “The more to pleasure you with, my dear.”
“Or kill me.”
“I’ll make sure you’re ready first.” His eyes gleamed. “Three orgasms beforehand should do it.”
“Wh-wh-what?”
“Shush. I’m busy.”
And Nate went on to fill all my sexual fantasies for Kennedy…I mean I needed a cold shower after he was done.
While I went in not expecting to like this book, I came out adoring this book as one of the best books I have read this year. I recommend everyone read this romance. It is deeper than the surface, but not overblown with too much darkness. It has funny parts, sexy parts and deeply emotional parts that will leave you breathless in the end.
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34% - DNF
