Joint Review: Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

It’s been awhile, but once again Ames and I read the same book at the same time. Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins. We decided to post our discussion of it (we could call this a joint review but it really isn’t).

Being one of the guys isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…

So when journalist Chastity O’Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it’s time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she’s five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she’s cursed with four alpha male older brothers.

While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there’s only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she’s never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.

Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can’t seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys.…

As always, beware spoilers.
Holly: What did you think?

Ames: I really liked it! I thought some things were annoying (blah blah bleeping blah – can’t believe she actually said that!) but I liked the character and her huge family. I also liked how the memories were introduced. It was all very smooth.

What about you?

Holly: I really liked it, too. I am disappointed it was in first person so we didn’t get to see Trevor’s thoughts. As much as I enjoyed the ending (and I did, I even got kind of weepy over it) it fell a bit flat because we didn’t see why Trevor was pushing her away. Or more of his feelings, I guess. The blah blah freaking blah just made me laugh.

Ames: I thought it was corny. But this book on a whole made me laugh. A couple of times I was laughing out loud.

I agree, I would have liked to have seen things from Trevor’s POV. Like his yearning for her. His speech at the wedding was just awesome. Heck, if some guy said that to me I’d marry him too. LOL

Holly: I laughed out loud a couple times too. Man, she really had it bad in the beginning. I was cracking up when she met her brother on that dating site. haha I would, too. That speech was just..awwww inspiring.
Ames: Oh I laughed at that too.

Ok, it bothered me how baby crazy she seemed to be. Like she didn’t want a relationship, she wanted to jump immediately into a marriage and start popping them out. That’s the only thing that turned me off.

I absolutely loved Buttercup. That scene when Chas is on a date with Ryan and Buttercup is running down the street with Matt’s underwear on? LMAO!!

Holly: That bothered me, also. She really came across as desperate. I did like her better towards the second half of the book, though. She seemed to calm down some from there, don’t you think (about becoming a baby-machine, I mean)? It also bothered me how chilish she was about her parents. I suppose you always want to think of them as your parents and nothing more, but..well, I suppose I just expected more maturity out of her about that. I loved Buttercup, too, and I really howled at that part. I loved her brothers, period. I liked how close they all were and how they relied on each other and cared for each other. It’s nice to see a close family where we’re shown they’re close, rather than just being told.
Ames: Yeah, I thought she calmed down too. Once her and Ryan together, she didn’t even seem to want to be in a relationship anymore. LOL I thought that was Chastity not seeing how other people saw Ryan was something that could happen in real life. I mean, he was doing the same thing about her, seeing only what he wanted to see.

I laughed at how they picked fights with each other so they could have hot sex. LOL

I liked her brothers too! They weren’t these cardboard cut out figures either. They all had a story. And Elaina – I laughed when Chastity described Elaina’s first day of school. When she told her she could do 100 situps and Elaina said “do it then.” And they’ve been friends ever since. I thought that was cute.

I also thought it was sweet how Chas was going to be friends with Michelle, but also sad how Michelle died and they adopted Trevor.

Holly: Yep, I thought they’re relationship was really real, too. And it’s funny, because Ryan didn’t seem like a jerk. I mean, he did, but I didn’t dislike him like I probably should have. I disliked him for Chas, but in the end I was glad he would be happy. does that make sense? The make-up sex made me laugh, too. And OMG, I cracked up when she fell out of the closet naked in front of his dad. Bwahaha. I thought Elaina was a good friend. And I liked that she and Chas were still friends even though her and Mark were having problems. I guess in other novels I’ve read it’s awkward for the SIL to be friends with the sister, but that wasn’t the case here. Which brother was your favorite?

Ames: Matt was my favourite. To attract a cool Lord of the Rings loving chick like Angela means he’s a really cool guy. LOL

I thought it was cute that Chas’s dad didn’t realize about her and Trevor but all her brothers did. 😛

Ryan wasn’t a jerky face to Chastity, so he wasn’t a horrible character. He was just wrong for her. Although I can’t see him with Lucia either because she comes across as an older character even Chas does mention them being around the same age.

I love how Chas is all athletic and big and comfortable with her body. Yeah she says she’s never going to be the size six perfect Hayden, but she’s ok with that. I can just see Trevor telling her he loves her shoulders and kissing them, naked. Rowr.

Holly: You said jerkyface. hahaha! Matt was my favorite, too, for the same reason. I don’t know, I though of Lu as more of an..I guess immature twenty-something than as an older character. I actually thought the Perfect Hayden would be good for Ryan. I really loved that Trevor supported Chas in everything. Especially when she was going through the EMT class. I’m thinking about that speech again and when he says he’s loved her since the day she took him home to her family. Awww.
Ames: I thought Perfect Hayden was going to go for Ryan too. That scene in the bar, when they’re introduced. He seemed really friendly to her. Ooh, another reason why Ryan wasn’t a bad guy is due to the fact that he still wanted to see Chas even after she kicked his ass! LOL I laughed in that scene.

Trevor was super supportive. I liked that.

Holly: Yep, that’s what I thought, too. I guess it worked out, though. So did I. I just liked Trevor period. Still wish we’d seen more from his POV. Especially after their first time together.

Ames: Yeah, and what was going through his mind each time he showed up where Chas was going to be? Like he said he had to go to the grocery store for coffee, but you just know he was looking for an excuse. I was really worried there when Chas saw him with Perfect Hayden all the time. Eeek! LOL

Holly: Exactly! I mean, we knew he wasn’t really just accidentally there, but I wondered if he was there to watch out for her or if it was because he secretly wanted to be with her. Especially after Perfect Hayden came back. It did make me feel better that while he didn’t push Perfect Hayden away, he didn’t encourage her either.

Ames: I think he was showing up at places Chas was to be around her, and also to keep an eye on the competition.

Holly: I think he was, too, I just wish we knew for certain. Most of the time I don’t mind 1st person, but in this case I did. A lot. Anyway, overall I think it was really well done. The pacing was right on and I loved all the secondary characters. Chas annoyed me every now and again, but not enough to take away from my overall enjoyment. I think my biggest problem was not getting anything from Trevor’s POV. 4 out of 5 You?

Ames: I’m giving it a 4.25 (B+). It made me laugh and Trevor almost made me cry. LOL

This book is available from HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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