The Guys Are Props Club by Ingrid Seymour
Genre: New Adult
Published: May 13th 2013 by Pen Dreams
Source: Gifted by the author (Thanks, Ingrid!)

Author's website | Goodreads

During her senior year in high school, Maddie Burch promised herself not to ever fall for a cute guy – or any guy – again. Cute guys are players and not to be trusted, a fact she learned the hard way when her first boyfriend ran her heart through a paper shredder. Two years later, her promise is still intact, and she’s determined to make it through college without falling victim to another creep. She has her job, school and The Guys Are Props Club to keep her mind and hormones in check.

The club was founded by Jessica, Maddie’s best friend. It is a sisterhood of girls who have fallen prey to heartless jerks and who have vowed to turn the tables. Once a semester, Jessica requires members to “do onto others as they’ve done unto you.” Setting the example, Jessica’s next play is Sebastian Capello, a theater major with heartthrob looks and a flair for Latin dance, whose heart she plans to break the way hers was once broken.

What the friends don’t know is that Sebastian is different. Despite his perfect looks and popularity, he’s not a jerk. He doesn’t play games to get his way. Instead, he keeps it real and goes after what he wants with honest intentions. And what he wants is not a bombshell like Jessica, but a down-to-earth girl like Maddie – even if it causes a riff in the girl’s friendship. Even if it means getting Maddie to break her personal vow.

*** Due to language and sexual situations this book is recommended for ages 17 and older.

I have always been in search of good New Adult novels ever since my first (and amazing) encounter with Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens. And after reading The GAP Club, I can say that my search, so far, has been successful.

THE NUB AND GIST: 5 STARS

Paris Love Match by Nigel Blackwell
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published: May 2nd 2013 by Bandit Publishing

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Getting a taxi in Paris can be hell.

Piers Chapman expected a boring business trip to Paris. What he didn’t expect was to fight over a cab with a beautiful girl.

After a bad meeting, Sidney Roux just wanted to hail a cab, go home, and have a glass of wine. She didn't expect to fight over a cab with some pompous British tourist.

Neither of them expected another man to jump in their cab.
Or to be involved in a gun fight.
Or a car chase through the streets of Paris.
Or for the man to die.

But they’re thrust together when the mob demands they return what the dead man stole.

Will Piers and Sidney work together?
Will they find what he had stolen?
Will they stay alive?
And will they do the last thing they expected?
Will they fall in love?

Paris Love Match was an unusual read, and I still can't put my finger around it. Piers and Sidney, two strangers coming from completely different walks of life, fight over a taxi when suddenly a frantic man pushes his way inside and orders them around Paris before dying in front of their very own eyes. The two make it out of the shootings alive, but now Piers' picture is all over the national news, and the dead man's enemies think that the dead man stole something big from them- and that Sidney and Piers are his accomplices.

The story played out like an action-comedy movie more than a contemporary romance, and I think that I enjoyed the book a little bit more because of that. The romance was definitely present but it just seemed a bit too forced. Piers was adorable- he's smart and adorably geeky, but he's also athletic and knew how to think fast. His entire aura was refreshing and I liked the fact that he wasn't your typical cocky college kid. Sidney, on the other hand, is anything but refreshing. She's snarky, rude, and vain, and sometimes I can allow myself to like characters with flaws like that, but Sidney didn't get much love from me due to the fact that she was such a flat character.

Again, the romance just didn't work out that well. It felt awkward and plastic. I did enjoy the back and forth banter between the two- they complimented each other really well whenever they agreed to disagree, i'll give you that. However, it seemed more like banter between two best friends than a possible couple. They were hilarious! The things they did to get through all of the weird events thrown their way left me giggling inside my blanket.

The fast-paced chases and high-adrenaline action were to die for- pun intended. Nigel Blackwell has such a talent for illustrating action scenes with clarity and finesse, and I could practically see Sidney and Piers dashing through the streets of Paris in my head. I thought I would get tired of all the chases after a while, but the mystery and suspense had me clinging for my dear life. I have to admit that some parts of it were overdone though, like the whole thing about a certain public figure. He seemed like a cartoon villain because of that.

All in all, Paris Love Match is a fast and easy read that will take you on a thrilling ride around every nook and alleyway in Paris.

THE NUB AND GIST: 3 STARS

Nigel Blackwell was born in rural Oxfordshire in England. He has a love of books, a PhD in Physical Chemistry, and a black belt in pointing out the obvious. As a teenager he toured Europe and loved seeing the wonders of the world and the people in it. Since then he has been fortunate enough to travel across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Japan, and hasn’t been anywhere that doesn’t have the potential for a story.  He now lives in Texas with his wife and daughter, where they enjoy the sunshine and listen to the coyotes howl at night.

Leo (Sign of Love #1)
by Mia Sheridan
Genre: New Adult contemporary
Publisher: Mia Sheridan
Published: April 17th 2013
Source: review copy from author
Author's website | GoodReads

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.


Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job, she has friends, she's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?