| Title | : | Vegas Vacation (Destination: Desire, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 140 |
| Publication | : | First published April 16, 2013 |
Destination: Desire, Book 1
It’s spring break, and a group of teachers from Half Moon Bay Middle School are planning to cut loose. History teacher Meg Phillips hadn’t planned on being one of them—Vegas isn’t really a town for a bookworm—but somehow she let her friend Anne talk her into it.
Though honestly, she’d rather indulge in some poolside reading than co-star in an R-rated edition of Teachers Gone Wild.
It took some major arm twisting for Finn Walsh to convince his fellow gym teacher, Anne, to do whatever it took to get Meg to Vegas. For over a year he’s been looking for the chance to get to know her outside of work. He’s drawn to her quiet beauty and intelligence—and the hint of fire beneath her understated exterior.
When he finally gets the opportunity to peel away those layers, the result is far more explosive than he ever fantasized. Now to convince her that the week isn’t a wildly out-of-character mistake, but the start of something amazing…
Product Warnings
Two good teachers doing very naughty things to each other while on vacation in Sin City. Hey, everyone deserves a chance to cut loose, right?
Vegas Vacation (Destination: Desire, #1) Reviews
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Being a Las Vegan myself, I just had to read Vegas Vacation. I don’t know about you, but I love reading books that are set in places I’m familiar with. I’m excited to say I can’t wait for book #2, Hawaiian Holiday, which takes place in Honolulu, Oahu, a neighboring island of the one on which I grew up.
Finn Walsh is a high school gym teacher that’s had his sights set on Meg for the past year, even though his prior attempt at asking her out was a flop. His luck is turning around with the upcoming Spring Break trip he and a group of fellow teachers have planned for Vegas. Finn and Meg have a mutual friend, Anne, who—with a little goading from Finn—convinces Meg to go on the trip with them.
Once in Vegas, there’s no denying their desire for each other and so the week-long fling begins with the understanding that nothing will continue between the two of them once the vacation is over. Of course, that’s easy to say in the beginning, but what drew me in was how their feelings for one another grew with ease.
Throw away any preconceived notions about Meg and Finn. She isn’t a boring history teacher; she is a confident, sexy, desirable woman that just happens to have a hang-up (and for good reason) about dating within the work place. And Finn—Ahh...Finn—He isn’t a womanizer. He’s a charmer, very easy to love right from the get-go. I actually loved how he was the one pursuing her, seriously wanting more than just this week with Meg, and foolishly believing the week would be enough.
It was very enjoyable following these two through the week, including attempts at hiding their arrangement from the other teachers. But some things can’t stay hidden—no matter how hard you try—whether it’s a secret past or blossoming love. What I enjoyed most was the fact that here we have two high school teachers that totally got schooled about the power of love.
To find out if their desire for each other was left behind in Sin City, get yourself a copy of Crystal Jordan’s Vegas Vacation to find out. -
This was my first Crystal Jordan and I liked it a lot! The writing was fast-paced and fluent and loved the voice. I bought it because of the premise of a Vegas vacation (I'm drawn to anything Vegas!), the co-workers romance and the fact that Finn is a PE teacher. The explanation for that last reason is a long story :) And I don't regret the purchase for one second!
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet very sexy contemporary romance with lovely, likeable characters that took me to Las Vegas for a few hours and ended on an emotional high note.
VEGAS VACATION is one of those books that you encounter once in a while. You stumble upon them by accident and they call out to you. Once you start them you just know it's going to be good and when you finish it you just want one thing: MORE!
Fave Scene:
- the first kiss in Finn's hotelroom when they arrive in Vegas > hot!
Fave Quotes:
He bent down and kissed the side of her neck. “Good morning, Meg.” There wasn’t a coherent response she could come up with. Her insides quivered, melted at the feel of his naked body against hers. He stroked a hand up her hip, his fingertips rasping over her flesh while he bit her earlobe. Her nipples went tight, and a shiver passed through her. She had to consciously keep hold of her purse, because it threatened to slip out of her fingers as her body went pliant for his.
His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed and she wanted to put her mouth on his throat, drink in the scent of him, lick the saltiness of his skin, maybe even bite him. -
3 stars
This was free from allromance in the midweek sale. It sounded OK, and from the excerpt I got the impression that Finn was going to be very Alpha male. But he's not. I wouldn't say that he's a weakling or anything but he's not what I wanted and expected to read at this time, so I couldn't help but be disappointed. (Alright, I'm going to lift my inner 1980's throwback "little woman" head and say I thought he was too gentlemanly and understanding/sensitive at times. You have "feelings"? Just fuck the woman already). Sorry, but that was my deeply suppressed and yes, rather embarassing, underrunning commentary while I read this. I was annoyed by Finn. Then there was Meg. I was annoyed by her too. Even more than by Finn. Plus where was the hurt from lying to her friends all this time? Surely they'd be a bit pissed?
So while there was nothing exactly wrong with this story it didn't really work out for me. On the other hand I did like Anne - enough that I'm vaguely toying with the rest of the series just because of her - book 2 looks uninteresting, 2.5 &
Roman Reunion Destination Desire 3 actually seem OK and presumably book 4 will be Anne's book - but it's not even written yet. I'm not fully decided yet as thanks to my annoying OCD tendencies I can't skip the rest and go straight to Anne's book. I'd have to buy and read 2, 2.5 & 3 first. Sigh. -
This was a sweet, sexy story about two teachers who have a thing for each other. One wants to see where it could go, but the other won't go out with him because she's too afraid of what will happen when it *doesn't* work out. Co-workers who are exes can be a real problem in the workplace, in her experience at least. But Finn is certain they'd be incredible together, so he gets a fellow teacher and one of Meg's friends, Anne, to cajole Meg into going to Vegas with a group of fellow teachers. She agrees, and it's sparks pretty much from day one between Meg and Finn, no matter how much Meg tries to fight it. They agreed it would be for just the week in Vegas. Well, Finn agreed to it, but was sure he could change her mind by the end of the week. Sadly, Meg's too scared to see what could happen once the vacation is over, which makes them both miserable. Thankfully her friends intervened. Nice resolution to the story.
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It was a quick, easy read. I have a couple thoughts..
1. I was annoyed with how often her rule of not dating coworkers came up. We get it. No need to repeat it so much.
2. The POV would change mid chapter. There wasn't a break or anything. It's needed. And a little space or some symbol or something.
3. It's a book that happens in Vegas where they DON'T get drunk and head to the chapel. WHAT?! Didn't think one existed, did you? -
A bit cheesy and predictable but I'm giving it a four star because it's was sexy and a fun quick read.
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What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas ... but Finn Walsh wants Meg Phillips for longer than a week long Spring Break fling.
A group of teachers from Half Moon Bay Middle School are leaving California to spend a wild week in Las Vegas during Spring Break. Gym teacher Finn Walsh begged fellow Gym teacher Anne Kirby to get her best friend and History teacher Meg Phillips to agree to go with the group. After much cajoling by her group of best friends, Meg reluctantly agrees to go on the trip even though she prefers to spend the week at home reading.
Finn likes everything about Meg, and after she has already shot down his request for a date last year because she has a rule against dating a fellow teacher, Finn wants the chance to get to know Meg outside of work, spend time with her, and hopefully change her mind about dating him.
Meg is attracted to Finn, but because of horrible past family and relationship experiences that has made her commitment cautious, she has a personal rule against dating another teacher. Even though Finn makes her all hot and bothered he is strictly off limits.
With the rest of the group spending the week in Sin City doing the Teachers Gone Wild scene, Finn and Meg share a mutual attraction with so much sexual tension and chemistry between them that they agree to spend the week together. But Meg has one rule: they will share a no-strings fling week together and that's it. Finn agrees to the rule, but he has one week to get her to change her mind and give them a chance at something more permanent. Can Finn break through Meg's inhibitions and relationship fears and show her how good they are together? Or will their Vegas Vacation only be a one time fling?
Vegas Vacation is an entertaining story that mixes sweet romance with steamy sex that makes it one hell of a fun read. In the first book of the Destination: Desire Series, author Crystal Jordan weaves a sexy tale of romance and smoking hot sex written in the third person narrative that follows Meg and Finn's journey of intimately discovering each other in Las Vegas during Spring Break.
The author effortlessly transports her readers to Sin City with the quirky group of middle school teachers as they get their groove on during their trip. The description of the various landmarks in Las Vegas is spot on, you feel like you are there right in the middle of the glitter and action that makes up this famous gaming town. While Meg and Finn's week of romance is the main focus of the story, the author also provides a lot of humor and fun from the rest of the group as they enjoy their trip.
Mixed with humor, romance and emotional drama, the reader watches as Meg and Finn's romance develops as they deal with real life issues and fears mixed with delicious descriptions of their sexual attraction and sizzling chemistry. The balance between their touching fun times spent together mixed with their erotic sex scenes is just plain hot, hot, hot. While I love the smoking hot sex scenes, I really appreciated Finn and Meg's back stories as well as the fun touristy things that they did in Las Vegas that helped them develop their relationship. The author does a great job of letting the readers really get to know Meg and Finn, from their past history, to their personalities and emotions, to their undeniable attraction for each other. While I appreciated Meg's character and the inner turmoil of maintaining her personal rule over letting go and starting a relationship with Finn, it was Finn that stole my heart. This sweet sexy man is every woman's fantasy man, he is a man that is a definite keeper because of his desire to have a real relationship with Meg, not just a casual sexual fling. Even as Meg protects her heart and tries to hold back her feelings for Finn, it takes more than just that one week for her to consider all that Finn has to offer. This my friends is a story that is very sigh worthy.
Vegas Vacation is a sweet and steamy romance story that will simply curl your toes and leave a smile on your face!
Vegas Vacation is the first book in the Destination: Desire Series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot... -
Kitty's review posted on
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4 Stars
So, this is a little twist on “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. I don’t know what’s happening but books about Vegas and teachers really seem to be hitting the book stands big this year. I guess it’s going to be a hot and steamy summer after all! Crystal Jordan took a harmless vacation and turned it into a week of indulgence, dreams come true and and some wildly erotic sex.
Meg is a bookworm. Stays home during Spring Break, pampers her depressed dog, has a few glasses of wine and winds down with a good book. She definitely isn’t going to go to Vegas with the rest of the teachers. She doesn’t need the companionship and she sure as hell isn’t going with Finn coming along on the trip. One botched teacher/teacher relationship at her school is enough for her. Especially when she was a catalyst in the whole sordid affair.
Finn just wants to get some time alone with Meg. He knows he could convince her to give him a chance. Not all relationships are going to end bad and he does not have a reputation as a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” type. He knows that there is more to Meg than meets the eye and he really wants to find out what that more is. Well, the lust he has for her is also a huge reason why he wants to spend time with her too.
Finn finally convinces Meg to spend the week with him in Vegas, give him a shot, get to know him. She agrees to one week with him but everything is over when they leave Vegas. Now, he has to find out what really has her spooked and get her to fall for him as hard as he is falling for her.
What was refreshing about “Vegas Vacation”? Well, it was nice to see the guy squirming here. Finn fell for Meg hard and he was working to get her to open up to him and give them a chance. It’s usually the other way around – where the guy is pushing the girl away because of commitment issues. Meg is a hard sell throughout the book. She knows she could fall in love with Finn but her hard and fast rule is no relationship with a co-worker. She really has to rethink her values when she returns home and realizes just how hard she fell for Finn and that she really needs to give him a chance.
I really enjoyed reading “Vegas Vacation”. It was a light, fun read. The story moved along without a lot of “fillers”. The sex scenes were very well written, hot, sexy and fun! A perfect book for a Saturday afternoon, sitting by the pool or on the beach and fantasizing about a hot gym teacher and the love of his life. If gym teachers were this hot when I was in school, I may have taken more interest in “floor exercises”. -
What happens in Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas.
Destination: Desire, Book 1
It’s spring break, and a group of teachers from Half Moon Bay Middle School are planning to cut loose. History teacher Meg Phillips hadn’t planned on being one of them—Vegas isn’t really a town for a bookworm—but somehow she let her friend Anne talk her into it.
Though honestly, she’d rather indulge in some poolside reading than co-star in an R-rated edition of Teachers Gone Wild.
It took some major arm twisting for Finn Walsh to convince his fellow gym teacher, Anne, to do whatever it took to get Meg to Vegas. For over a year he’s been looking for the chance to get to know her outside of work. He’s drawn to her quiet beauty and intelligence—and the hint of fire beneath her understated exterior.
When he finally gets the opportunity to peel away those layers, the result is far more explosive than he ever fantasized. Now to convince her that the week isn’t a wildly out-of-character mistake, but the start of something amazing…
I have to say I think this is my new favorite Crystal Jordan book! and I think I am in love with Finn. This is an well written story, where you get invested in the characters and root for them to have their HEA.
Finn Walsh is a man determined to get the girl who he has wanted to date for over a year, but Meg Phillips is just as determined not to date a fellow teacher. All that changes when a group of teachers go to Vegas for Spring break, woohoo Vegas baby! I like that Finn is a determined man and knows what he wants, I have a little crush on him right now. He manages to get Meg to agree to one week of spending time with him and enjoying each other. Meg's reluctance to date another teacher is very believable given her past family and work experiences. Most of their time in Vegas is fun and explosively sexy, those intimate scenes are hot! You can see Meg holding back trying to protect her heart and you want to tell her to let go and give in to what Finn has to offer. I love the heartfelt ending.
The other supporting characters are great from Meg's BFF's, to her depressed doggie and Finn's Dad and his new girlfriend Ursula. They add to the whole realism of the book.
I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series
5 stars -
Vegas Vacation is the first book in the Destination: Desire series by none other than Crystal Jordan herself. It makes a series fun to be able to visit new and interesting places as seen through the authors eyes. The next book will release later this year and feature Hawaii! Time to pack the suitcase.
Meg has been bullied a little into taking a vacation to Las Vegas where anything can happen. Unfortunately, Meg is usually the bookworm type and not too keen on the Vegas scene. But she does have the hots for one of her colleagues, but based on several bad experiences Meg is determined not to act on her impulses. Then again what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Well, Meg might just find out. Finn doesn't understand Meg's fears about dating a co-worker and fully intends to use his time wisely while they are on vacation. He is determined that Meg won't know what hit her.
One of the fun parts of Vegas Vacation is that Crystal Jordan takes her characters away from 'The Strip' and popular tourist location and shows some of the less known things in the story. There really are other things to do in Vegas :) ... You will fall in love with Meg as she struggles to be a good girl in public while she is a wildcat in private. She has a passion for history and books which makes this bookworm love her all the more. Finn is a sweet man who tries hard to win Meg over, but has he really peeled away all of Meg's layers or will they grow back so fast that he can't get a foothold on her heart?
Crystal Jordan tells a sweet romantic tale that while takes place on vacation has a lot of heart and heat as her characters struggle with everyday issues and face fears that they really never wanted to admit to. Vegas Vacation is one of those stories that just about every reader will be able to relate to on some level which will make the characters even more endearing and lovable. We give it a strong 4 Stars, grab your copy now and take a vacay to Vegas!
http://www.illustriousillusions.com/2... -
Finn and Meg are both middle school teachers. He asked her out a year ago and she shot him down telling him she didn't think it would work to date a co-worker. His attraction and desire to see her have not changed, so when a group of teachers plan a trip to Vegas for Spring Break he sees his chance. He talks their mutual friend Anna into persuading Meg to go.
Finn and Meg have a heated make out session, that he shuts down because he tells her he wants more. Unfortunately, Meg continues to stick with her no-dating-co-workers policy. She does however, offer Finn a week together with no strings. He decides to accept in hopes of showing her just how serious he is. Surely at the end of the week, she'll want more when she sees how wonderful they are together.
I adored Finn. He is a wonderful leading male character. He's kind, considerate, hot, funny, passionate. He's the whole package. Meg on the other hand was not very likeable to me. Her parents fought and did not set a good example for relationships, plus she finally confesses that she had a bad experience dating in the past. I didn't think this confession justified her actions, and she uses these experiences as excuses to push Finn away. I honestly just did not like her. I tried, but the more she pushed and was dishonest about her feelings, the more I disliked her character. I thought she used Finn and was cheering for him when he called her out on it. I felt that he deserved someone who would treat him better and appreciate what he was offering.
It's no spoiler to say there is a happy ending. Most of the other reviews already give that away. This is not a very long book and had it been, I probably would have given up before the end. But I kept reading for Finn. He's worth it. Remember this is my personally opinion and you may not agree. -
As posted on The Smutty Kitty
4 out of 5 Licks
I think by now we all know that Crystal Jordan is a go to author for me. To date I haven't read anything by her that I didn't enjoy and Vegas Vacation is no different. I was more than excited when asked to read this book. I love the idea of a group of teachers cutting loose and having a good time on spring break. The fact that they are doing it in Vegas just added to the fun. All I could think of was drunk teachers running all over Vegas Hangover style. lol That's not exactly how it all goes down though. I can relate to Meg in a lot of ways. I am not a very outgoing person in real life. Online I can be KittyKelly and be crazy and wild but in person I tend to be a bit shy until I get to know you. I love that Meg's version of Vegas wasn't all about partying. I also love that Finn is determined to convince Meg that he's perfect for her. After watching a particularly difficult breakup between colleges at work she is more than gun-shy about work relationships, but Finn isn't going to let anything stop him. He is so persistent, yet patient and when they finally hit the sheets it is more than hot enough to set the hotel on fire. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and I can't wait for the next in the series. I'm not 100% sure who gets the next book but I'm sure it will be just as much fun as this one. -
A lot of people gave this novel four stars or above but I thought it was missing a bit on the whole "Vegas" theme. First of all, it took so long to get the relationship going. These two knew each other for years, you really wouldn't fault the author for throwing them together in the hotel room after one night. Obviously, they had previous chemistry. Yes, I understand he was trying to romance her and win her long term but really, this a book, where is the heat? When I read something about Vegas, I expect the characters to be very, very naughty and these two were sedate compared to some others I've read. Then how the woman carried on and on when he was so obviously the perfect guy. If it was that big of a deal, to him, why didn't he find another job and quit his job? Just saying... Other than those two things, the story was enjoyable. I loved, loved the dog. It is a good, light read to pass a couple of hours. Yes I would recommend it to romance lovers. No, I probably won't read it over and over again like I do "The Stand" or "Promise Me Dark" but it did make me smile. Enjoy the books, fellow readers!! Be safe!
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This was just okay for me. There weren't any surprises or anything particular different about this story.
Some teachers go to Las Vegas for Spring Break. Meg is the heroine. She is reluctant to take the vacation. She'd rather stay at home, but her friend Anne convinces her. Anne convinces Meg to go because the hero, Finn, asks Anne to help him get Meg there. Finn has liked Meg for some time. He asked her on a date about a year ago and she refused. Meg is attracted to Finn, but she has a "no dating fellow teachers" rule thanks for a previous experience. Finn thinks if he can get Meg away from school and out of her comfort zone, he might have a chance with her.
Finn and Meg hook up in Vegas. Meg puts a stipulation on it that it's for that one week only and they have to be discreet so their fellow teachers on the trip don't catch on. Finn thinks he can convince Meg that they should be together for the long haul.
That's it in a nutshell. There was a lot of sex, but nothing extraordinary and I actually found myself skipping over some of it (unusual for me). -
I've been meaning to get to this one for a while, but it kept getting pushed off. With the announcement that Samhain Publishing is going under, I'm in a scramble to read a bunch of what I currently own that has been published by them, so I know if I want to pick up the series' or not. This book fell into the category of somewhat decent story, but not great.
Meg drove me crazy with all of her emotional hang ups! She was so afraid of being in a relationship that she just about lost the best thing to ever happen to her! However, despite my annoyance with her, I found myself liking the rest of her personality.
I loved Finn! He was very patient and understanding, yet called Meg on her crap when he needed to. He did have a slight stalkerish vibe at first, but I could understand why.
I enjoyed the secondary characters a good bit as well, and wanted to see how things worked out for them as well! All things considered, this was a decent read, but I'm more interested in seeing how the rest of the series pans out. -
This is book has the perfect length for the story. Right when the angst level was starting to annoy me, the book came to its very satisfying conclusion. It was really good to read a book that didn't have the angst drag on for umpteen pages. So many books have endless navel gazing and it's making me crazy.
The hero was a great guy - intelligent, self-aware, and a good person. Self-aware is a amazingly uncommon trait for heroes. The heroine was ok and way much less self-aware. I liked that she was pretty forceful in general and I really liked how she owned up to her issues and took care of business at the end. -
A hot, sweet story about Finn, a PE teacher falling for his coworker Meg and trying to convince her to give a relationship with him a chance. Meg has had a negative experience in the past with workplace romance and is very reluctant to get involved with Finn, though she has a thing for him too. Will a trip to Vegas and a weeklong affair changer her mind?
Finn is sweet and sexy and just awesome. Meg is very hesitant and a little too hung up on the past. I wish she wasn't quite so stubborn but she eventually wakes up and moves past the hurt. The sex scenes were nice and steamy!
My only complaint is the lack of an epilogue, which I really need! -
Two teachers at a middle school. Both of them wanting a relationship with the other. One of them is afraid of what will go wrong. One week in Vegas. Will this change everything? Meg and Finn both would love to be with the other. I liked Finn much better than Meg. She totally got on my nerves with her relationship phobia with a co-worker. I get where she is coming from, but come on Finn is like the perfect boyfriend. These two will burn up the sheets for a week. Dual point of view. No cliffhanger. Gave four stars instead of five only because I didn't like the female lead and though Finn was too good for her.
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A cute, fun story of a Vegas spring break for teachers needing a good time. Finn has been crushing on Meg for a while even though she's turned down his request for a date. He talks her friend into getting her to join them so he can spend time with her away from school. A past mistake and her parents nasty divorce have scared her off co-worker relationships but that doesn't mean she can't have a spring break fling with Finn. But what she doesn't count on is Finn telling her that he loves her. It's also painful to admit she's in love with him but can't let it go further. Intervention in the form of her best friends makes her see her mistake. Can she get Finn to forgive her the mistake?
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Meg refuses to date co-workers and Finn can't get Meg off his mind. When they are on spring break in Vegas they take a gamble and let themselves enjoy each other's company. These two have such a chemistry, but Meg fights it every step of the way. It was interesting to watch Meg work through her history and try to realize if Finn was like the men from her past or not. Finn was such a great guy.
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Really enjoyed this sweet, sexy, hot story.
Finn is a great guy and Meg is cautious. With the help of Meg's friend, Anne, he's finally manoeuvred Meg into giving in to their attraction to one another. However, will what happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas?
I loved Finn's passion and tenacity. Meg is fearful of being involved with a work colleague due to something in her past. Once they get together, their chemistry is fantastic!
This is a great read and I really liked the characters. -
3.5*
I enjoyed this book. Finn and Meg had really good chemistry and the sex was hot and well written.
I liked Meg's friends Ann, Karen and Julie. I enjoyed their dialog, it was all written and you felt like they were great friends and that they truly cared about each other. I'm looking forward to he next book. -
I actually really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters - compared to a lot of the books I've been reading lately they seemed real and were easy to relate to (though Meg really clung to her issues). Loved that Finn was a nice, but real, guy. No alpha bullshit or domineering but still he knew what he wanted and went for it. And what girl doesn't love to be chased? ;)
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Meg has been a very bad teacher. What would you do if you had a week long fling with the man who sets you on fire? How would you react when the time ends? This story is just that.
But it is more than just that... The two main characters really come to life. There is such chemistry with them. The sex parts are pretty good too. -
This was a truly amazing stories. Finn & Meg were made for each other from the beginning, but considering what happened to Meg in the past, she fought her feelings. Good thing she had her three best friends and the right guy in her life to push her in the right direction.
