REVIEW: HER PERFECT GAME ~ SHANNYN SCHROEDER

Charlie Castle is an expert archer and a fierce warrior - in her favorite video game, anyway. But college life was a program she couldn't quite master. To land a cybertech job without a degree, she's entering a "hackfest" over spring break, where she also hopes to meet the sweet gamer who's been flirting with her online. Instead, she runs into the man she had once thought was the love of her life; the man who walked away years ago, without saying goodbye.

Jonah Best has never gotten over Charlie, whose kisses were always as deliciously creative as her coding. But now that they're face to face again, he doesn't know how to admit that her online admirer is really him - or how to convince her that he's offering her a job for her incredible skills, not her sex appeal. Can Jonah cut through their communication glitches and persuade Charlie that the next level up for them should be forever?

Kensington Books has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

Her perfect game is the second book in Shannyn Schroeder’s Hot & Nerdy series, and can be read as a standalone novel.

The story focuses on Jonah and Charlie, former lovers facing a second chance at happily ever after.  Their love story started years ago when Charlie’s college room-mate had committed suicide after an old boyfriend released very private materials of her over the internet.  Charlie became determined to prevent such an atrocity from ever happening again and befriended Jonah, who taught her everything she needed to know about hacking.  Charlie became obsessive in her efforts to prowl cyberspace looking for transgressors.  Helplessly watching the girl he loved lose herself, Jonah could no longer stand by and watch Charlie engage in the self-destructive behaviour that had started to take over her life, and walked away from the girl he loved.  Now, years later, he realises the error of his ways and wants a second shot at love.  Charlie is her old self again, the girl he fell in love with, and she’s an even better hacker than he remembers. 

Jonah’s abandonment gave Charlie the wake-up call she needed to get her life back on track.  While she managed to get over her heartbreak, she never forgot the only man she truly loved.  When she unexpectedly meets up with Jonah at a hackfest, Charlie can’t deny the pull she feels towards him, but something is holding her back - Charlie has started to fall for her online friend, "Win".  Can she choose between the man she loved who had broken her heart and her trust, and the safe, reliable friend who had helped her heal her heart? 

I had a hard time really getting into this story for two reasons.  Firstly, I never felt connected to the characters; I never really got immersed in the story to the extent that I was heavily invested in the outcome.  While I respect Charlie as a hacker and gamer, I never came to like her.  I do appreciate, however, that Charlie is not your typical heroine.  She has attitude, she’s nerdy and unapologetic for it.  As for Jonah, I had a hard time dealing with his reason for leaving Charlie the way that he did.  He claims he loved her too much to watch her self-destruct.  For some reason this felt like an easy out to me.  Perhaps because the author didn’t really establish exactly what Charlie had done that was so terrible.  Personally I just didn’t get the impression that she was that far gone.  Either way, to my mind you don’t abandon someone you love when they lose their way – you help them find their way back.  The fact that Jonah left without first breaking up with her, without even saying goodbye? I had a hard time respecting him after that.  Sure he was remorseful and sweet, but I never came to believe Jonah was sincere in his reasoning. 

Secondly, the whole hacking aspect wasn’t really explained in a way that I could understand.  It just didn’t translate well.  I never knew if the characters were playing some kind of game and were using their skills to create cheats, or whether they were working in Matrix like code.  I had absolutely no idea what was going on, on the computer screens.  Having said that, I do appreciate the fact that the author wrote a book about a girl gamer/hacker, and that she was good enough to give the guys a run for their money.  I also enjoyed the convention setting.  The author took me to Comic-Con, if you will, and those scenes were quite enjoyable.  While I may not have bonded with the characters in the way that I wanted, I do think that the author did a good job of portraying the chemistry between Jonah and Charlie.  It was obvious they were still very much infatuated with each other despite their separation, and their connection was tangible.  However, I do feel that Charlie fell back into Jonah’s arms way too easily and way too quickly – he should have had to work for it just a little given the way he had abandoned her.

Product Information:

Title: Her perfect game

Author: Shannyn Schroeder

Publisher: Kensington Books

Year: 2014

Pages: 112

ASIN: B00KM906W2

ISBN-10:1601833342

ISBN-13: 9781601833341

REVIEW: CATCH YOUR BREATH ~ SHANNYN SCHROEDER

Kensington Books has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

As kids they steered clear of one another - but now a beautiful, well-connected reporter and a sexy, driven detective are all grown-up and on the job. Moira O'Leary's work as a reporter gives her access to some of Chicago's swankiest soirées. She knows how to navigate the jet-set crowd, and her style and confidence help her blend right in. But when her childhood crush starts popping up at posh events, her poise begins to falter - until she realizes she has the upper hand in a high-stakes game of secrets and seduction.

Moira O’Leary has been in love with Jimmy O’Malley ever since she was ten years old; too bad for her that he has never given her the time of day.  Little does she know that Jimmy has always been every bit as fascinated by Moira as she is by him, but as his best friend’s little sister she is completely off limits; so he does the only thing he knows will discourage her – he ignores her.  

By her late twenties Moira has had her fair share of relationships, but she’s never met the man who can make her toes curl with a kiss.  She has a strong suspicion Jimmy is that man, but she has never been able to get him to like her.  Determined to meet her match, Moira decides to start being pro-active – not just in her love life, but also her career.  Moira is a reporter, but has failed to make a name for herself.  Hurt by the fact that those around her see her only as a party girl writing fluff pieces on high society events, she is determined to start writing important pieces that will get her noticed; and she’s determined to meet her match.

Moira is not the only one set on making a name for herself.  Jimmy, a new detective, has no intention of remaining a detective for the rest of his life.  Determined to climb the ranks, Jimmy can’t wait for his big break – that one case that will get him a foot in the door.

When Jimmy is assigned an undercover gig to get to the bottom of secret high stakes robberies among the city’s rich and famous, the last person he expects to see at his first party is Moira O’Leary.  He actively avoids her, yet she manages to sneak her way into his life anyway.  Recognising a story waiting to happen, Moira offers Jimmy a deal; she'll help him get the information he needs in exchange for an exclusive interview once the case is closed.  Jimmy wants none of it, but his partner convinces him to agree.  Moira, being a confidante of the elite, turns out to be Jimmy’s ticket to the inner circle, helping him to become a part of the group he needs to investigate.  Who are robbing these men, and why do they refuse to report it?

When Moira’s first serious article happens to cross into Jimmy’s investigation, Jimmy is insistent that Moira stay out of it; but Moira has no intention of letting Jimmy control her, and she just might be his secret weapon in cracking the case wide open – if only he wasn’t too stubborn to see it.

Catch Your Breath by Shannyn Schroeder is the fourth book in the O’Leary’s series.  Each book can be read as a stand-alone.  Catch Your Breath is slated to be published on 03 July 2014.

I was invested in Moira and Jimmy’s relationship from the get-go.  The author managed to endear both of them to me, they complement each other really well, and I can totally see them as a couple.

The storyline is an interesting one, the dialogue is realistic and the dynamics of the relationships are believable.  The characters are interesting and compelling, and the author does a good job of relating their inner psyches.  I understood Moira’s need to prove herself as a serious reporter, and Jimmy’s need to control everything in his life – also, consequently his fear of Moira, being completely unable to control her.  The fact that Jimmy can’t control Moira makes me like her all the more.  In fact, I got a little frustrated with Jimmy’s high-handed tactics.  It did annoy me that Moira constantly had to convince Jimmy to want to be with her, up to the very end, and she was always the one who initiated everything, so I was a little disappointed that she didn’t at least get him grovelling in the end; but then, I guess Jimmy is not the kind of man who will grovel, and the fact that she loves and accepts him just as he is, is what makes Moira, Moira.

I was a little disappointed by the ending of the book, given that expected a much more tense conclusion (regarding the case), and the reader never even learns who are robbing these men.  The author indicated that they were very dangerous several times, but we never learn their identities or motives.  The sexual content in the book is also more explicit than I prefer, and I ended up skipping those scenes.  

All in all I enjoyed the book, liked the characters and the storyline kept my attention.  I am intrigued by Moira's brother, Liam, Jimmy's brother Kevin and his sister, Norah. The author does a good job of balancing the major characters and the minor characters, and I would be interested in learning their stories.

Product information:

Title: Catch Your Breath

Author: Shannyn Schroeder

Publisher: Kensington Books

Year: 2014

Number of pages: 358

ASIN: B00IO3QQZI