Reviewer: Casee
I Wish You Were Mine by Lauren Layne
Narrator: Lucy Malone
Series: Oxford #2
Also in this series: Irresistibly Yours, I Wish You Were Mine, Someone Like You, I Knew You Were Trouble, I Think I Love You, Irresistibly Yours, Someone like You
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 260
Length: 8 hours, 43 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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Series Rating:

Perfect for fans of Alice Clayton and Emma Chase, Lauren Layne’s Oxford series heats up in this story of forbidden desire as a brooding jock hoping for a comeback falls for a woman who’s strictly off-limits.

A year ago, Jackson Burke was married to the love of his life and playing quarterback for the Texas Redhawks. Now he’s retired, courtesy of the car accident that ruined his career—and single, after a nasty scandal torpedoed his marriage. Just as he’s starting to get used to his new life as a health and fitness columnist for Oxford magazine, his unpredictable ex shows up on his doorstep in Manhattan. Jackson should be thrilled. But he can’t stop thinking about the one person who’s always been there for him, the one girl he could never have: her younger sister.

Mollie Carrington can’t say no to Madison. After all, her older sister practically raised her. So when Madison begs for help in winning her ex-husband back, Mollie’s just glad she got over her own crush on Jackson ages ago—or so she thought. Because as Mollie reconnects with Jackson, she quickly forgets all her reasons to stay loyal to her sister. Tempted by Jackson’s mellow drawl and cowboy good looks, Mollie is sick and tired of coming in second place. But she can’t win if she doesn’t play the game.

I’ve only read the first three books of this series, but this is my least favorite of the three. It wasn’t that I disliked the characters, because I didn’t. I liked Jackson. I liked Mollie. I liked Jackson and Mollie together. Until I remembered that they used to be in-laws. Then it kind of gave me the ick factor. I don’t know why. It just did.

Jackson Burke was a first round draft pick, all star, loves the game of football, football player. That all changes when a truck hits a car he’s in when he is heading to practice. Now he is stuck with an injury that forces him out of the game he loves and into a new life that he doesn’t love. Moving from Houston to New York is only a temporary thing. Working for Oxford as the editor of their Fitness column is only something he is doing until he can go back and coach the Redhawks.

Mollie Carrington fell in love with Jackson the day her sister married him. She was only eighteen at the time, but she knew he was the only one for her. That didn’t change during the time he was married to Madison. Not blind to her sister’s faults, Molly knew it was Jackson that was responsible for the invitation for her to move in during grad school. Knew it was Jackson that bought her Christmas gifts. As much as she loved her sister, she knew exactly who she was.

When his career ending injury brings him to New York, Mollie doesn’t see it as anything other than a chance to reconnect with a friend. Then she finds herself moving into his apartment. Being the roommate of Jackson Burke is the last thing she ever thought she would find herself being. Now she has a front row seat to her sister trying to win Jackson back while she falls even deeper for the man himself.

As Jackson and Mollie find themselves more attracted to each other each day, neither can deny what they feel for each other. As they start an affair, Jackson knows he needs to tell Molly that he’s not in New York for good. Mollie needs to tell Jackson that she feels more than lust for him.

Then it all blows up. Of course it does. There were a few things. Although Mollie knew Madison’s faults, she was blind to a lot of things. Like Madison looked at Molly as a burden. She was a raving, selfish, shrew. Omg, I wanted to smack the bitch. Seriously. Jackson did come to his senses faster than I thought he would, which was a relief because if he didn’t, it would have dropped my grade for this book. The narrator was pretty good, so that was also a plus. All in all, I would suggest you don’t skip this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Oxford

Reviewer: Casee
Irresistibly Yours by Lauren Layne
Narrator: Lucy Malone
Series: Oxford #1
Also in this series: Irresistibly Yours, I Wish You Were Mine, Someone Like You, I Knew You Were Trouble, I Think I Love You, I Wish You Were Mine, Someone like You
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 236
Length: 8 hours, 4 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

Series Rating:

Meet the men of Oxford magazine! In the first captivating spin-off of Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series, a not-so-friendly battle of the sexes turns into a scorching office romance.   Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes—and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.   Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around—or starting something real.  Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

After the win (for me) that was the Summer Reading Challenge, I decided that I needed to ask Rowena about a few of her favorite authors. I’ve been over historicals for a long time, so I had to think about a contemporary author that she’s raved about. One stuck out in my mind. Lauren Layne. Rowena loves her. Loves, loves, loves her. So I asked her which book I should try. When she told me that Irresistibly Yours was free right now on Audible, I jumped at it. And I am so glad I did.

Cole Sharpe is a free lance writer for mens magazine, Oxford. That’s going to change soon. The sports editor position is available and Cole is the man for the job. Alex Cassidy, who runs Oxford, not only knows Cole personally, but he knows that Cole has what it takes. Then he finds out that there is another person in the running. He doesn’t know who this guy thinks he is, but there is no way that he is taking the job that Cole desperately wants. And needs. Little does he know that the he is actually a she.

Penelope Pope loves sports. Every sport. She can spout off sports facts like a pro. After a disastrous almost-relationship in Chicago where her would-be love stole her job and broke her heart, Penelope jumped at the opportunity to move to New York. She knew she was perfect for the job at Oxford, but it was a mens magazine after all. And she knew Cole Sharp would have been good for the job, but she also knew she would do better.

They are both surprised when they are offered the positions of co-editors of the sports section. Now they have to work together. Penelope has never lied to herself about the type of woman she is. She knows she’s plain and frankly, she doesn’t attract men. She never plays games and always tells it like it is. Cole, on the other hand, can’t stop thinking about Penelope. He finds her attitude refreshing. She says what she’s thinking and there is no ulterior motive behind her actions. Although she isn’t his type, Cole soon finds that she is exactly his type.

I really enjoyed these two. I especially liked how Cole was determined to make Penelope see that she wasn’t plain in his eyes. She was the sexiest, most attractive woman that he ever met. Not to mention that she loved watching any game of any sport with him. She even liked drinking beer and eating hot dogs. Penelope was just amazing. I loved her from the beginning all the way to the end.

I didn’t understand how she pined for her would-be love. It seemed a little overdone. They never had a thing. Penelope acts like it was her great love, but it is obvious that it was just an infatuation. I just didn’t get that part at all. Then again, she was very naive. So it was excusable.

I just liked everything about this book. The end though? Cole tells her this:

“Penelope, it’s always been you.”

Sigh.

Review: 4 out 5.

Oxford