Rating: 4🌈
I struggled with the rating for many reasons. I had been looking forward to a story that was about the strange dynamic between Seven and Xander, two of my favorite characters. And I wondered how James would create a perfect person to fold into the existing tight relationship. And what that personality would be like.
Honestly, Molly wouldn’t be my choice of person or character to fit into the tight family. But that’s just me. I found Molly swung between irritating or grating while still appreciative of some of the aspects of his personality that James’ wrote into his character.
I thought her portrait of Seven’s as someone afraid of being hurt, again was so well done. Of being open to the exact same emotions that ended up being the thing that damaged him was so beautifully written. It goes perfectly with the well established abuse suffered by Xander. The reader can understand how their dynamic developed and why they are so codependent upon each other still, deeply emotional as family/brothers.
It’s such a strong element here that Molly , is a lesser player just by being himself. I liked that James wrote in the way he was able to examine his own actions and past experiences. And then try to understand how to use people’s help to move on. But he equally at times just feels too superficial in comparison.
I don’t know. I just felt that his character, the“I’m so cute “ personality came across as too much so often of the time. Couldn’t invest in his character or his romantic life.
Which was a shame because I adore Seven and Xander. So two thirds of this story I was anticipating a different kind of partnership. Oh well.
Many will feel differently.
I’m enjoying the series and look forward to the next book.
Accidental Love:
✓ The Husband Hoax #1
✓ Not Dating Material #2
â—¦ The Revenge Agenda #3 -Feb 28, 2024
Buy Link:
Not Dating Material (Accidental Love Book 2)
Blurb:
MOLLY
Moving to Seattle is supposed to be all about getting a fresh start and leaving the bitter man I was becoming behind.
I have new roommates–quirky, sometimes strange, roommates–a nosy, next door neighbor and a grumpy kitty for company, but even surrounded by people, I still don’t feel like I belong. Plus, it turns out the men in Seattle are exactly the same as the ones I left behind, and my string of romantic disconnections continues.
It’s not until one of my roommates, Seven, hits me with some hard truths that I realize where I was going wrong.
Maybe the men aren’t the problem.
I am.
And there’s only one way to fix that.
SEVEN
Being found tied up naked to my bed by my cute new roommate isn’t an ideal way for us to start a friendship.
But apparently a quid-pro-quo is.
He keeps his pretty lips zipped about the compromising position, and I step in as his dating coach. We go out, I note where he’s going wrong, and he magically becomes dating material.
The problem is, between my codependent brother Xander and a new best friend I can’t get rid of, Molly and I are the target of a matchmaking scheme. My life is way too busy to add another person to it, and Molly is the kinda guy who needs to be made a priority, which I just can’t do. Xander’s medical anxiety takes up too much of my time, and I’ve never found a partner who doesn’t resent it.
I’m determined to help Molly find his ever after.
But that guy will never be me.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 