See Jane Score

I can relate to another goodreads reviewer who said they felt like they set feminism back 100 years by reading and liking this - but I'm not sorry about it? So be forewarned that my reflections might really just be post hoc self-justification. First, the plot includes a female journalist getting a temporary assignment following the Seattle hockey team. I think the locker room talk is likely a highly accurate depiction, but that also means...you end up reading a fair bit of locker room talk! Second, the love interest has a reputation as a womanizer, so there's a lot of “he's just in it for the sex” stuff, which is a boring plotline. The thing that redeems this aspect, but not fully, is that we get enough character development of him to see that a lot of that perception of his current actions (not his past, which sounds very par for the “professional athlete” course sorrrrrry that sports pun just came out of left field oh god I can't stop) is actually misperception on the journalist's part. He is legitimately into her pretty quickly, and she is too caught up in her own crap to realize it. Third, journalist actually pays her bills by writing erotica, and I really like that premise, but Gibson didn't use it as effectively/interestingly as she could have. The journalist ends up having an internal virgin/whore battle going on that just...ugh. She shouldn't be apologetic about that!! Even if she's not advertising it to her colleagues!! Anyway, totally unrelated to sexism, Gibson is funnily obsessed with the glamour of the Space Needle, which is easily not one of the best parts of Seattle. All in all, smart woman gets super hot partner who is really into her, sex scenes are steamy, and this was definitely written in 2003.

Normally I don't write reviews, but this book is the exception. How it got such a good ratings is beyond me.

Exhibit A: H apologises for kissing the h by blaming her for the dress she wore.

"So I think maybe I should apologize.” “Apologize for . . . ?” But she knew and she wished he wouldn't. “For kissing you last night. I'm still not sure how it happened.” He looked over her head as if the answer were written on the wall. “If you hadn't cut your hair and been looking so good, I don't think it would have happened ... Probably had more to do with that dress. That dress was designed with ulterior motives ... And the little gold chain hanging down your back was there for only one reason. ” “What? To hypnotize you?” She was being sarcastic, but she wasn't that far off. “Maybe not hypnotize, but it's there so any man seeing it will think about unhooking it...."It puts the blame on me, and I didn't walk into your apartment last night and kiss you. You kissed me.” “You didn't protest.” He didn't know what had shocked him more. Him kissing her, or her response. He never would have guessed that so much passion could be contained in so little a package. “You were so hot for it,” he said in a slow and deliberate drawl as he looked back up at her, “I could have had you naked in no time.”

Is this guy for real?

He only saw Jane once in Philadelphia, but the second she entered the locker room at the First Union Center, he noticed her red lips. And he knew she'd worn lipstick on purpose just to drive him insane .

Up to now the h never indicated (words or actions) that she wants to seduce him. He just assumes and acts on it. Nowhere does the h decide to ‘drive him insane.'

He slid his hand to the back of her neck and he lowered his mouth to hers. “I've never had you my way,” he said, and he kissed her because he couldn't seem to stop himself .

This guy is scary.

Exhibit B: He tells her what to wear so it doesn't inconvenience him.

"Are you wearing a bra?” “Are we back to that?” “Yes. Why don't you wear a bra like most women?” “Why do you care?” His gaze lowered to the front of her wool coat, but of course he couldn't see anything. “Your nipples stick out, and it's distracting.”

Excuse me?!

Exhibit C: He feels entitled to have sex with her, because she is a ‘tease.'

"I'm going to fuck you real good.” She didn't say anything and he looked down into her face. She unwrapped her leg from his waist and lowered her foot to the ground. “In a motel room?” “Yes. We can take my car.” “No.” “Where?” She pushed his hand from her breast. “Nowhere.” “Why the hell not? I'm hard, and I don't have to stick my hand down your pants to know you're wet."

When she still doesn't give in, he throws a tantrum and walks away.

“You're a tease and a damn prude,” he said and turned on his heels.He was sorry he'd ever met Jane. He was sorry he'd ever laid eyes on her, and sorrier that she made him so insane that he'd kissed her and now he was going home hard ... He backed out of the parking space and headed home. Someone should teach the little prude a thing or two about being a tease.

Ladies and gentlemen, our hero.

I. am. done.

I'm glad I kept going with this series even though I didn't finish book 1 because this one was just about perfect!

You see, I have a thing with jocks. So this book is just perfect for me.

Jane, the lead female character is neither pretty nor sexy. She's got an A-cup breast, she wears lesbian glasses (according to Luc and his teammates), she's got no fashion sense and always dresses in drab.

Luc, meanwhile, is THE man most women dream about. He's bad, he's tough, he's smoking hot. But behind that toughness, Luc is just a normal guy with insecurities of his own. He's got that soft spot. Now, this kind of guy, I think us chick-lit lovers is familiar with. But again and again, we have to fall in love with him, no?

Despite their differences, they fall in love. Now, don't we all love that kind of story? Well, I do. And to know that at least there is another not-so-perfect heroine made my day. After all, sometimes in life, Ken didn't always choose Barbie.