Review: Just One of the Guys

Just One of the Guys
by Kristan Higgins

4 Stars
Genre: Contemporary
Subgenre: Chick lit (IMO)
Heat level: Sort of steamy
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I don't think I've read a Harlequin in a while, so this one caught me by surprise. It's sort of crosses the line from romance into chick lit, but in a good way. (Nothing wrong with chick lit, but romance readers often seem to want something more traditional.)

The heroine (Chastity) was absolutely awesome. She's smart, snarky, full of life, but with a vulnerability that makes her completely identifiable. Like most of us, she has body issues. The entire story is told from her POV, and she's so funny, I had to stop working out while I read because I was laughing so hard.

I also like that she was at that vulnerable age - thirties and unmarried. That age appeals to me because when they find their 'happily ever after,' I figure it's going to last a little longer than the HEAs in a teen romance.

I really liked the hero, as well, but I wish we had gotten more from his POV. Or at the very least, I wish there had been more interaction. There was enough to not frustrate me, but I still wanted more. The focus on the heroine's life and perspectives is one of the primary reasons I say it dipped a toe over the line into chick lit. Nevertheless, the author did a decent job of giving him a fleshed-out background and motivation.

The second big element that may surprise some traditional romance readers is the drama that surrounds Chastity. Her family is a mess. I wasn't crazy about the way some of their drama was wrapped up. It didn't feel like an HEA to me, although they seemed perfectly content with life giving them less than a fairy-tale ending.

Finally, although this wasn't a clean romance, there wasn't a lot of swearing. (I'm trying to remember if there was any.) And, although the storyline contained sex scenes, we were forced to endure a play by play.

All in all, well worth the read, and I will definitely be picking up more by this author. Reading through other reviews, some of her fans that didn't like this book named other books of hers they really liked. I'll move on to those, but I think this one is a great one to start with if you haven't read Kristan Higgans before.

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