Reviewer: Rowena Blurred Lines (Love Unexpectedly #1) by Lauren Layne
Series: Love Unexpectedly #1
Also in this series: Good Girl, Walk of Shame, An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly), Good Girl
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: December 10th 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Pages: 256
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating:
Can a guy and a girl really be 'just friends'? Blurred Lines is the sexy take on this timeless question from Lauren Layne, author of bestselling Sex, Love & Stiletto and Oxford romantic comedy series. Perfect for fans of New Adult romance, Alice Clayton and Emma Chase.
When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate - and platonic. Six years later, they're still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland's trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker's boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben's no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can't seem to get the hang of casual sex - until she tries it with him.
The arrangement works perfectly...at first. The sex is mind-blowing, and their friendship remains as solid as ever, without any of the usual messy romantic entanglements. But when Parker's ex decides he wants her back, Ben is shocked by a fierce stab of possessiveness. And when Ben starts seeing a girl from work, Parker finds herself plagued by unfamiliar jealousy. With their friendship on the rocks for the first time, Parker and Ben face an alarming truth: Maybe they can't go back. And maybe, deep down, they never want to.
Fancy some fun, fresh, flirty and very sexy rom-com? Check out the titles in Lauren Layne's Oxford series: Irresistibly Yours, Playing For Keeps and Someone Like You.
What an appropriate title for this book. This book explores the blurred lines of two best friends who start up a friends with benefits relationship.
Parker and Ben have been best friends since freshman year in college. Six years later and their best friendship is still going strong. It’s still best friendly and platonic and they’re still living together. Ben is living the typical bachelor life with a different girl every night and he wouldn’t change anything about it but when Parker gets dumped and wants to try living Ben’s life, things somehow end up with Ben and Parker trying their hand at being bed buddies and best friends.
What a cute read this turned out to be but as cute as it was, I found myself frustrated with both Ben and Parker. Parker mostly but Ben got in on the annoying Wena action for sure.
So Parker gets dumped and she’s completely thrown so she goes home and cries all over her best friend’s shoulder and when that’s all over and done with, Ben and Parker’s work friend Lori take Parker out to have some fun and forget about the break up. She tries her hand at picking up guys for some no strings attached fun but when that doesn’t pan out, she asks Ben for help on that front and Ben is taken aback because it’s…Parker.
The whole friends with benefits portion of the book worked for me. I thought it was cute and I loved seeing the chemistry between Ben and Parker sizzle. There’s a lot of chemistry between these two but once things started getting complicated and feelings started getting involved, I wanted to strangle both of them.
I get that things got complicated when they started sleeping together but it bummed me out a bit and then frustrated the shit out of me when they would not talk to each other about how they really felt. They just assumed and let things get so bad between them that they weren’t the same people to each other that they started out being. And sure so much of the conflict would have been over and done with if they had just talked to each other but come on, they were best friends! Best friends talk shit out!
In the end, I was glad that they got it together and worked everything out. I was even happy with the way everything turned out but damn Parker, cutting it close much? Still, this was a good romance with two characters that wormed their way into my heart. I adored Ben (even when he was being a jackass) and I liked Parker. I loved the dynamic between Ben and Parker when they were friends and I adored them when they were together so all in all, it was solid read. I definitely need to read more Lauren Layne books.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
I had the same opion of yours about this couple. It’s a good reading and I also want to read more from Lauren Layne.
She’s become one of my favorite authors. You should read all of her books, she’s great!