My Not So Wicked Stepbrother (My Not So Wicked Series Book 1) by Jennifer Peel

Loveless is more than a name, it's a curse.

I, Emma Loveless, have a destiny. It's not the greatest of destinies, but when you have a name like Loveless, what can you do? I'm cursed to always be the friend, never the girlfriend. Unless you count my love affair with Duncan Hines, Dr. Pepper, and the ever-lovable Pillsbury Doughboy. They've seen me through it all, but a girl needs more than refined sugar to curl up to every night. It doesn't help that I have a meddling, albeit wonderful, mother who can't help playing matchmaker. Thanks to her, I can say I've been on a date with a felon. Now she swears she's found the one for me, her new optometrist, Dr. Sawyer King. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for the inevitable restraining order. That is, until I meet the sexy doctor and have to admit my mother is right--love at first sight does exist.

Unfortunately, my last name means business. Not only do I find myself in the friend zone, but also the twilight zone. Only in my world would Mr. Right turn into my stepbrother. To top it off, he brings with him a wicked stepmother who will do anything to keep us apart. Despite all this my heart--or is that my mom?--keeps telling me Sawyer is the one. But what if true love isn't strong enough to interfere with my destiny? It'll be me and the Doughboy...for eternity.

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First of all, I think this is my favorite Jennifer Peel book cover- and that's saying something because I think all her book covers are awesome.  But this one just makes me happy.  That classy man sitting there looking all sexy and then that pink to off set the black?  Yum.  Yeah, the glitter doesn't hurt either.  This book cover says to me, "grab your chocolate, girl and settle in because Jennifer Peel is going to take you for a yummy ride!"  This cover doesn't lie.

Emma is funny and that is awesome for me because I love a book with humor.  I love to be entertained by banter and sarcasm and wit.  Between Emma and Sawyer, I got my fill.  And Sawyer?  Oh my goodness.  Oh my soul.  He has to be the sweetest, most attentive "step-brother" on the face of the planet.  The things he would do for Emma.  <sigh>  So swoony.  

Lest you think this book is all swoony, mushy stuff, let me also say that there are plenty of emotional, personal feelings in this book.  Jennifer Peels always brings in a fantastic balance of the harder emotional situations that make the characters feel real and down to earth.  It gives them substance and helps me relate to them on an emotional level.

The romantic tension kept building throughout this whole book.  I swear to you I was ready to pull my hair out.  Sweet torture.  That's what it was.  I can be so impatient at times.  But then.  💗 door scene💗.  That's what I'm calling it.  It's where my whole world paused for a minute and my heart raced and then sighed, "Yes.  Finally."  I'm telling you, it's one of my favorite scenes ever.  I've read it a few (cough, cough) times.  

I read an ARC copy of this book but I've also bought my own copy.  I'm going to read it again, the whole thing (not just the 💗 door scene 💗).  Today.  I can't wait!!  

Oh, and this book is also on Kindle Unlimited!  Wa-hoo!

Content:  kissing