Miniviews #18: More Than Exes & Screwdrivered

More Than Exes by Elizabeth Briggs

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: October 28th, 2014

Series: Chasing the Dream #0.5

Pages: 79

Source: Netgalley/Publisher

Rating: 4/5

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I've been seeing the first book in this series, More Than Music going around Goodreads with generally good reviews. We all know how I love me some NA. And with my recent discovery of loving me some NA centered around music it was a no brainer that I would be giving this series a go. More Than Exes is a novella, but I was happy to start with it as it would give me a taste for the writing style and story. NA is very hit or miss, especially now with it folding the market. I can get tricked so easily. That was thankfully not the case here. Although More Than Exes is short, it left me wanting more what's to come for the characters introduced. This novella centers around Kyle, the keyboardist in the band. Although he's covered in tats and piercings he's still categorized as the nice guy, which isn't really the title you want when you're in a band. Or when he's constantly competing with his brother(the lead singer in the band) for attention from the ladies. Kyle's also still hung up on his ex, Alexis. Even though she dumped him three years ago he can't seem to forget her. He might even be going crazy because she can't be at his show right now. But she is. So after three years he's forced to accept they need to talk. As they go on an adventure to find the bands missing bassist, Alexis drops some secrets and feelings that Kyle is having a hard time believing and can't understand.
Like I mentioned, More Than Exes is only a novella, but it's a complete story. Very cute and fun. Introduces us to Jared and Maddie(the MC's for the first book in the series), as well as the rest of the band. I really liked Kyle and Alexis and was happy to see them get their HEA after so many years apart. It's also exciting to know that I'll probably get to see glimpses of their relationship in the next book(the pro to companion series). The writing flowed really easily, with the kind of banter I love in NA. The sexy times weren't forced or cringe worthy. Totally hot and intense. More Than Exes was great introduction into Briggs writing and story telling. I'll be continuing on with the next book, More Than Music as soon as I can pick it up. I can't wait to see what Briggs can do with a few hundred more pages.

Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 2nd, 2014
Series: Cocktails #3
Pages: 320
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4.25/5
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Alice Clayton hasn't failed to deliver on the LOL's in her past books. So I knew going into Screwdrivered I'd be in a for a night of laughs and swoon. Of course I was not wrong. As much as I loved Simon and Caroline's story in the previous books, Viv and Clark have become my favourite of Clayton's characters. We briefly meet Viv in Rusty Nailed. She's Simon's high school friend. So when they reconnected at their high school reunion I knew I was going to love her story. Viv is spunky and vivacious. She hasn't completely conformed to her families lifestyle, so that makes her a little bit of an outcast. Viv also has a soft spot for romance novels. Like so much so that even though her life is nothing like a typical romance novel, so can foresee herself falling in love like the women do in them. So when her estranged great aunt dies and leaves Viv her small town California home, Viv jumps at the chance for a major life change and heads across the country. Unfortunately for Viv the home is nothing like she remembered as a child. It's pretty much on its last leg and falling apart with every step she takes. The biggest surprise though, is the farm hand the house seems to come with. He apparently doesn't own a shirt, but why would Viv mind that? He may be good at ignoring her, but isn't that how all romance novels go? Once he notices her and they have an intense sexual moment they'll fall madly in love. It's hilarious that Viv believes that. But it's totally true because most of us romance readers probably fantasize like that too. I can't be the only one with a ridiculously long list of book boyfriends... Unfortunately for Viv(or fortunately in my opinion) the local librarian/historian/nerd, Clark seems to be making himself a prominent fixture in her life. With his glasses and tweed jackets complete with elbow patches he's nothing like the cowboy in Viv's fantasy. Viv and Clark's banter is fantastic. They're butting heads and arguing every other sentence. But it's intense too. It's that slow intense burn that makes their first sexual encounter that much more hot and steamier. Clark is an old soul. Viv's snarky attitude really gets Clark to his wits end. She may seem impossible to him but that's what makes the attraction super fun. I love how every character Clayton creates is so so different with their own funny quirks. I really don't think I laugh out loud as much as I do when I read one of her books. Screwdrivered has definitely has been the funniest and hottest of the Cocktails books yet. When I'm in the mood for a true romcom there's no second thought that I won't turn to a Clayton book. She's seriously the queen of the romcom. Everything in book form that I love in a movie. Sure the titles and covers might be a little cringe worthy(especially when reading in public), but that's what adds to the humour that goes along with the series. The titles make total sense with the comedy that Clayton brings to her writing. I'm really hoping we're going to get a future novella of Viv and Clark, because what we know is coming into their life would be hilariously fantastic to get to read about.

Happy reading!

Brittany