Book Review: Never Been Kissed by Molly O'Keefe

 

 

 

 

Never Been Kissed by Molly O'Keefe

Expected publication: July 1st 2014 by Bantam

 

Ever been go on a NetGalley frenzy and click a bunch of random books. They look good, but you've not really sure about them. And then suddenly you are overwhelmed with new books (not necessarily a bad thing) and your ratio is shot to crap. And...the book that you were ify about slips to the back burner.

Well... that's what happened with Never Been Kissed. But now that I have picked it up two things come to mind: don't doubt the powers of the NetGalley request frenzy and Why did it take me so long to read this?

Want some x-military, commando, broody hotness? Give this book a go!




Quick Recap

Ashley Montgomery wanting to escape her family hold and name, ventures off to use her money and resources in Africa. And just to be plain Ashley. But when she and her friend are captured by Somali pirates, it's not her name that saves her. But someone from her past.

When Ashely's brother reaches out to Brody, he drops everything and flies to Africa. It has been ten years since he was the Montgomery bodyguard and he didn't leave on the best terms. Still he knows that he has to save this woman from his past.

Returning her to the states and seeing her condition, he doesn't think twice about hiding her away from her overbearing, political oriented family when she asks. Taking her to his small home town in Bishop, AK he helps her fight the demons of her abduction while she helps him face the threads of his home life




My Thoughts

One reason I loved this book so much was because I related a lot to Ashley. Loved seeing her strength and honesty shine through after all she had suffered. On top of that, her ability to hold on to some of her snark and all around stubbornness made for some laugh out loud moments. She's a great character, not only for these qualities, but because she doesn't bounce right back. Still feeling flawed and scared from the capture, she holes up in the small apartment to recover. Only with the man that broke her heart ten years ago and who doesn't take the hint to leave her alone.

Brody was a complex character. I loved his badass exterior, but even more loved moments when he showed his tender side to Ashley. It was sweet to see him care for her and try to coax her out of her funk. Badass with a dash of sweet = perfect hero. The more he opened up, the more I loved his character. Him being back home, opened a whole other emotion filled door -- having to face his brother and dad again. Loved learning about his past and family and what made him act the way he did.

Sean (Brody's brother) was a lot of fun and added some great humor to book. And I appreciated that we got Sean's story in this book. I thought for sure that I was going to have wait and grab a copy of his book to see what happens. Instead, it was a nice surprise to see the author write chapters from his POV and to see his own conclusion. Though I loved staying with Brody and Ashley, it added some layers to see Sean's side of the story.

The beginning especially was quick paced. Enjoyed every single minute of seeing macho Brody care for Ashley. The romance and sexual tension was sizzling between them. The writing flowed well and the characters voices were perfect. I will definitely be trying another Molly O'Keefe book soon.

Great plot line, characters, and romance. 5 Stars

Highly Recommend.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

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