| Title | : | I Can Explain (Awkward Love, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 232 |
| Publication | : | First published February 15, 2018 |
Not how I expected to start my Saturday morning.
I guess I should’ve thought harder about going home with my sexy new gym instructor, especially since I had no idea the guy was married.
When he pushed me outside five seconds before his wife walked through the door, I jumped one balcony over. I thought it would be less embarrassing for a total stranger to find me than his wife.
That was a smart move.
So here I am, wearing next to nothing and freezing my ass off, staring through the living room window at my young, sexy, and very intimidating boss, Chase Winston.
I have two choices: I can sit here and try to think of another way out of this and risk dying of hypothermia. Or I can suck it up and knock on that window.
After a long, internal argument with myself, I choose option two.
Here goes nothing…
I Can Explain (Awkward Love, #2) Reviews
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2! I Can Explain (stand-alone). Will awkward moments, hilarious bantering & a fuck-fest with the boss get in the way of Lanna’s dream-job?
Books in Awkward Love series are stand-alones:
Book 1:
It’s Complicated
Book 2:
I Can Explain
Book 3:
Too Much Information
Book 4:
Comfort Zone
I Can Explain (stand-alone) centers around an overworked, underappreciated and sexually frustrated junior assistant, Alanna Morrison, Lanna. She has endured fetching coffee and dry-cleaning for her infuriatingly handsome and cocky boss CEO Chase Winston in hopes her degree will be put into better use with a promotion.
Trying to channel her frustration in a one-night-stand Lanna is about to find herself locked out, stripped down to her underwear, on Chase’s balcony, but not before being caught talking about his cock. Everything pretty much goes down-hill from there as lust clouds their better judgement and they fall into an affair.
Seven words to describe Chase Winston: Blunt, loyal, secretive, forgiving, mature, conflicted and observant.
Seven words to describe Alanna Morrison, Lanna: Smart, outspoken, easy-going, trusting, emotional, lonely and feisty.
I Can Explain, told from dual POVs, is an entertaining RomCom mixing contemptuous attraction with a secret office affair. Misunderstandings, screw-ups, razor-sharp bantering, smoking hot sex and two lonely souls finding solace, truth, love and acceptance.
***
Hero: ★★★★1/2
Heroine: ★★★★1/2
Plot: ★★★★1/2
Storytelling: ★★★★1/2
Sexual tension: ★★★★1/2
Sex scenes: ★★★★1/2
Story ending: ★★★★
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Angst: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Darkness: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Humor: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Kink: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Romance: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Suspense: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
ARC provided to me by author Missy Johnson in exchange for an honest review. -
*****3.75 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
I CAN EXPLAIN is another fun and steamy novella from the ”Awkward Love” series. Each couple so far has either started their romance under ”FORBIDDEN” or extremely
”EMBARRASSING” circumstances. There are several cringe-worthy moments that befall the Heroine while in the presence of our sexy and downright arrogant Hero. While romances between the executive assistant and the handsome but obnoxious CEO have been played out to death, I still enjoy this trope and I give the author credit for coming up with the most preposterous and embarrassing scenario for the couple’s romance to ignite. This is a book to be taken for its level of enjoyment and not for the substance of the story. The entire series is basically a ”guilty pleasure” read.
Lanna Morrison hates her job. She also despises her boss, but if she’s being honest he’s been the star of all her naughty fantasies as well. She has a master’s degree in business analytics and feels she is overqualified to be working as a junior personal assistant. Her days are spent running errands for Chase Winston all over town and even though she’s done an exceptional job for nearly two years, he manages to ream her for getting his coffee order wrong just one time. While on a tirade about Chase with her best friend and co-worker, she mentions what a complete ass he is but that she’d still love to get it on with him, anyway he’d have her. Unbeknownst to her and to her utter horror, Chase had been standing behind her the entire time and heard the whole embarrassing monologue.
Chase is amused by Lanna’s naughty fantasies and he has been harboring an attraction for her as well, but office romances are frowned upon and a past relationship has scared him off from getting serious with another woman. Lanna’s alluring and her feisty attitude is a huge turn on for Chase. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to find her out on his balcony at 6 AM in the morning in a next to nothing bra and panty set.
Lanna thought she’d never get over the mortification of having Chase overhear her raunchy fantasies about him, but yet again, her misfortune has landed her practically naked on his balcony. Her one and only attempt at a one-night stand with her gorgeous gym instructor turned out disastrous when his wife unexpectedly came home early. Lanna had no idea that he was married and while she freezes out on their balcony she weighs her option of going back into their apartment to face the wrath of a jealous wife or to jump over to the neighbor’s balcony and deal with a brief embarrassing moment with a stranger that she’ll never have to see again. She’s horrified when she sees that the neighbor is her boss but having no other choice she swallows her embarrassment and tries to get through the situation with what little dignity she has left.
The dynamic between Chase and Lanna changes dramatically after the balcony fiasco. Soon a hot and heavy romance blossoms between them and while they both are on a high just being together, there are painful secrets from Chase’s past that could wind up tearing the couple apart.
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Plot: 3
Angst:2
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4
I CAN EXPLAIN is currently available!
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3.5
Alanna Morrison is stuck in a job she's over-qualified for where she spends her days doing menial tasks for a boss that is...well, a dick. Despite that, she still finds him incredibly attractive. When he hears her talking to her coworker about his actual dick and what she would like to do to it, she's mortified. Thinking her fixation on her boss, Chase Winston, is merely a result of not getting laid recently, she goes out one night to do just that.
Let's just say things don't go exactly as planned. I mean, who would ever guess her intended one night stand would end with her climbing off her date's balcony half naked and unsatisfied? On top of that, who would think she would have to knock on a stranger's door in that state of undress or that said stranger would be her boss?! NOBODY would...but that's what happened. It's where Alanna and Chase's love story truly began.
I Can Explain by Missy Johnson is a sexy, contemporary, standalone romance that will put a smile on your face! It's light, sweet, and just a lot of fun! The banter between Alanna and Chase and the awkward situations the heroine gets herself into were extremely entertaining. The beginning pulled me in immediately, and the ending was absolutely perfect! I swooned, I laughed, and I enjoyed myself the whole time. If you're looking for a fluffy, office romance with a side of comedy, this one's for you! -
NOW LIVE
Amazon US *
Amazon UK
I Can Explain was a well written and intriguing story following Alana and some very awkward encounters she has with her boss, Chase. I liked Alana okay, there were times I just couldn't connect to her character but I didn't have any actual problem with her. There were many moments that she had me laughing at the situations she would get herself in and I liked that as a whole it felt like a very fun and light book.
My issues came mostly from Chase and the fact I didn't particularly like his character. I honestly can't pinpoint what exactly it was about him that just didn't sit well with me but I had a hard time with him and it made the connection between him and Alana nonexistent for me. I struggled with his character so it lessened how much I enjoyed this story but overall it didn't make me hate it.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review. -
Alana works for Chase as the assistant to his assistant. Chase is a bit of a cranky boss. Alana messes up ONE time, and it seems like she can’t get off of his radar. Pile on top of that the fact that when she goes out one night to let off some steam with Jake, the cute trainer from her gym, his never mentioned wife comes home early, and he kicks Alana outside on his balcony to hide. Where she proceeds to escape on to the closest neighbors balcony. What are the odds that the neighbor just so happens to be the boss that she can’t seem to catch a break from lately? Well I’ll tell you, its him. Chase is the one who finds her in all her nearly naked glory on his balcony. From there... the sexual tension ensues.
I Can Explain was a GOOD read. When I read the blurb I thought, wow... this is going to be FUNNY! That hilarious situation can only end with laughter or well, sex. And it did end with me laughing my butt off and hoping the two MC’s would get it on. I enjoyed their banter. I enjoyed their sexual tension. I also enjoyed when they eventually gave into their desires. I just think somewhere along the line of this story I started to get a little bit aggravated by some things the characters were choosing to do. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story overall. Some of the situations between the two characters felt very unique, but a few felt like any other office romance I’ve read. That being said I read so many books. If you’re someone who hasn’t read a bunch of office romance, then this book may feel 100% fresh out of the oven to you.
I’d still recommend this book to ANYONE who loves an office romance, with a hero who is a bit of a jerk, and a heroine who is willing to stick up to him. The story is well written, and the sexual tension is real in this one. Plus the characters each have a bit of side plot to add to their story and those were also enjoyable!
*ARC read!* -
It was ok.
I was really looking forward to this book, and even though I did enjoy it it fell a little short for me.
I never truly felt the connection or chemistry between Chase and Alana. They go from practically him not knowing her name to feeling lust and love in a couple of weeks. It just wasn't believable to me. I liked Chase but he could be a total douche and not in a cute way. He did have his moments of tenderness and you could glimpse that he's actually a nice guy, but I would've like to see more of that. I just never truly believed he loved Alana.
Alana on the other hand was a contradiction to me. She's an educated woman with a Master's Degree that wants to be taken seriously at her job, but she's constantly lusting after Chase and putting his needs before her career. I liked her, don't get me wrong, but she didn't seem too professional to me. I just wish she would've stood her ground and not fall for Chase so easily.
Overall this was a fun, sexy read, that was just ok for me. I did like the author's writing so I look forward to reading more books from her.
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~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~
So I enjoyed this one. Did it blow me away? No. There were a couple of things that made me scratch my head and I didn't particularly like either of the main characters. But it was still a very well written and well-paced book. It was a fairly quick read. The page count falling somewhere between a novella and a full-length book I would guess. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. And it all wrapped up on a sweet note although I would have liked to have seen a further in the future look at this couple.
~HERO~
CHASE...he was OK. Honestly, I thought he was an a$$hole on and off for most of the entire book. And not the kind that you just can't help to love because he is just so swoon-worthy in his a$$holeness. Nope, he was pretty much just a straight-up a$$hole in both his private life and especially in his professional life. Like honestly how did this guy keep ANY employees around? I thought his behavior towards Alana in a professional setting was very childish. I also didn't quite get WHY he needed to keep something a secret from Alana for the entire book. I mean seriously, did he not think she wouldn't NOTICE? It left me scratching my head (lol). That said, there were times (few and far between) where I did find him likable and swoon-worthy. Just not enough to sway me into loving him.
~HEROINE~
ALANA...I did like her slightly more than Chase but that was it. Her behavior had me scratching my head a lot of the time as well. She was supposed to be this highly intelligent and totally overqualified for her position woman but she let Chase treat her like a doormat. And maybe this was just MY interpretation of her actions but she seemed totally fine with the idea of sleeping her way into a better position. *shrug* But like Chase, there were moments that I really liked her spunk when she stood up to Chase. So she was a bit of a mixed bag as well.
~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There was really only a couple worth mentioning. Peyton, Alana's friend and coworker and Chase's brother who is marrying Chase's ex-wife <--- nasty I know (lol). Peyton, I liked a lot. There were a couple times I was confused about what direction the author was going in regard to her character. Like she couldn't decide if she wanted to make Peyton a backstabbing b!tch or a BFF. Josh was a WHOLE other ball game. DUDE it is BROS before HOES my brotha. I don't care what type of sob story your brother's wife is giving you, you simply DO NOT go there. Alas, he did. Therefore...Josh will forever more be known as a douchebag.
~HEAT LEVEL~
Medium to High. The sex scenes in this one were both smokin and plentiful. They had some good sexual chemistry at times while at other times I struggled to connect with them as a couple. I'm chalking this up to me just not liking either of them very much overall.
~ANGST LEVEL~
Low to Medium. I didn't find this one particularly angsty. There wasn't really any OW or OM drama per se. The hero came across as a manwhore (but not an UBER manwhore) and I didn't see the actual point of it being mentioned that he had sex with his PA Jade. In fact, the whole "JADE" scenario was just odd to me. Anyways, the heroine goes home with an OM and plans to have sex with him. Decides not to follow through but before she can leave the wife shows up. She wasn't aware he was married.
~IN THE END~
Like I said, I enjoyed it for the most part. I struggled with a few things but they never bothered me enough to have me setting the book aside. So yours truly is going to give this one a thumbs up and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see what this author has up her sleeve for us next.
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4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Alana Morrison is a gorgeous woman living in Boston. She has her master's in statistics & business, and is extremely overqualified for the job she's doing at Winston Property Consultants. She's been there for two years hoping to work her way up, but she's still just the assistant to her boss's personal assistant. Her boss is Chase Winston. An arrogant, rude, beautiful, intimidating, self made millionaire. She can't stand her job, but stays because she wants to learn from the best. She keeps hoping she'll get a chance to show him what she's capable of. He's so annoyingly sexy she's constantly torn between hating him & wanting him. He doesn't really acknowledge her, and she's not even sure he knows her name.
Then one evening after a date goes extremely wrong, she finds herself in an awkward position, in her underwear standing in front of her boss. She has no idea Chase has definitely noticed her before. Now he has to try and keep things professional at the office while continually picturing Alana in next to nothing. Soon they cross that line as things get physical between them. They've both been hurt in the past & have baggage to work through. Will they take a chance on love?
I really enjoyed this book, & adored the delicious Chase Winston! This book was such a fun, sexy read! Just loved it!
-All I think about is you.
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3.5 stars
This is second book in the Awkward Love series and like the first story it is a complete stand alone. I guess you could say that these are kind of forbidden love stories but that is really a matter of the readers perspective ☺
Alana has dreams of being a junior analyst but for now has to settle for being an assistant to Chase Winston’s personal assistant. You’ve got to start somewhere right? If collecting his coffee and dry cleaning means she gets a foot in the door to the career she has always wanted then she will do whatever it takes to get there.
Knocking on his balcony door in her underwear at the crack of dawn was not what she had in mind for ‘getting noticed’ but it certainly gets his attention – in every physical way. There is a long story behind how she got there but hey, he knows who she is now!
Chase has a complicated family life, his parents are no longer alive and his only sibling, his brother Josh is about to marry his girlfriend Casey – Chase’s ex-wife. Needless to say the relationship between the two brothers is strained and the impending wedding is weighing on Chase’s mind.
Alana has a huge lady boner for Chase but is very cautious of protecting her heart after a bad break up left her with massive trust issues. It takes a long time for her to offer that trust up to people and when she does she expects the same in return. However, this still leaves her feeling quite vulnerable with a man like Chase Winston. She will only be with someone who can be completely honest with her.
How can Chase be honest with her when he is not even being honest with himself and hasn’t been for years. The same goes with his relationship with his brother, secrets are like the inside of a tooth that is slowly rotting they fester away until they inevitably collapse leaving a bad taste in your mouth.
It has been so long since Chase has felt the way he does about Alana and he knows he needs to be honest if he ever has any chance of a future with her. She is smart, beautiful and way too good for him but he wants a life with her. Nothing good ever came easy and he is about to learn the hard way, it’s gonna hurt too.
I really liked Alana, I thought she was a strong confident woman but then she confused me at times when she would be so easily swayed by Chase after standing her ground. Must have been the allure of the potential orgasms perhaps? Chase was a really decent guy with flashes of arseholeness at times. He could have saved them both a lot of heartache if he had just manned up a bit earlier!
A quick easy read that I enjoyed reading on a weekend afternoon. -
Chase Winston, 29, my arrogant, rude, adorably beautiful, attractive asshole of a boss. A self-made millionaire, but he’s also hot, intimidating, sexy, smart
Alana Morrison, 24, has a master in statistics and business and has been working as one of the junior assistants who answers to his personal assistant for two years.
Frustrated to have to do mediocre tasks while being overqualified, Alana is ready for more and is seriously thinking about her future.
Having been through a bad break up she hooks up for a one night stand “You’re going to go out with Jake, have some fun, and if you end up back at his place, then you’re going to fuck the cobwebs out of your vagina“
Alana founds herself in a series of embarrassing situations and somehow her boss constantly ends up being a witness to them
“Alana Morrison, on my balcony at six in the morning, in her underwear?
I’m pretty sure I had this fantasy last night.“
I Can Explain is told in dual POV’s alternating between Chase and Alana, which I enjoyed but would have liked to know the whole Casey situation earlier on. I probably would have been more understanding towards Chase, while now I found his actions a bit way too chivalrous.
I have enjoyed reading this, it was humorous and fast paced, and I hope we get to read Peyton’s story as well as Josh’s. Would really like to know how that ends, once a cheater always a cheater.
Part of a series but all can be read as a standalone:
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review by
Missy -
Alana has been working at Chase’s company for two years and her job is going nowhere. When he overhears her talking about him, in a most unprofessional manner, she is suddenly on his radar. Before she knows it, she’s not only moved up the ladder of success – one tiny rung, but she’s sharing his bed.
Chase was once in a relationship that ended badly and he’s had a hard time getting over it. Now with the appearance of Alana in his personal life he hasn’t given a second thought to all of the drama that went down two years ago. He’s instantly captivated by her and all her quirky, tough girl determination. Now if he can just her the truth, perhaps what they’re building toward can become more.
I loved Chase and Alana! Their banter and take no prisoners attitude toward each other was so darn cute. Chase was constantly teasing and antagonizing her and after a few blushes and bumbles, she learned to give it back to him. The chemistry between them was hot and steamy and I wanted to see them move past the sex only and into a deeper relationship. I was totally invested in this couple.
I did struggle a bit with some of the other woman drama that took place, those things that were in his mind, and for that I deducted one star rating. Otherwise this was a wonderful fast read that hit the cute and charming factor at a hundred percent, and the angst just enough to keep the story moving. Perfect.
This is my honest and willing review for an advanced reader copy provided by the author.
Dual POV
No apparent triggers
Safety -
I Can explain is LIVE and Too Much Information has been added to GR. Check out that blurb!
I Can Explain (#1):
www.amazon.com/dp/B079KSSGBJ
It's Complicated (#2):
www.amazon.com/dp/B077BBLF3Y
Too Much Information (#3):
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Book TWO in the Awkward Love series, a series of fun, sexy, standalone novels.
ALL books in this series are COMPLETE standalone novels that can be read in ANY order.
Unedited Excerpt (I CAN EXPLAIN)
“Alana,” Jade frowns, her skin almost cracking under the layers of make-up she has carefully piled onto her face. Two guesses who she’s trying to impress. I chuckle to myself. “Are you listening to me?”
I snap back to attention and nod. “Coffee. Dry-cleaning. Take contracts over to Peterson Walker,” I say, hoping I’ve gotten today’s list right. It was the same as yesterday and the day before, so I’m pretty sure I’m safe.
“Right, well, just don’t stuff it up, okay?” Jade mumbles.
I bite my tongue before I say something that would probably get me fired. You forget the sugar in a guys coffee one time and it’s the end of the fucking world. Sure, that guy just happens to be Chase Winston, my arrogant, rude, adorably beautifully attractive asshole of a boss, but still.
I narrow my eyes at Peyton, who is hunched over her computer, trying not to laugh. The second Jade leaves our office, I let loose with a string of obscenities under my breath.
“One time,” I mumble. “I got it right yesterday, didn’t I?”
Peyton giggles. “You’ve been working here how long? You must’ve gotten the man a few hundred coffees. How on earth did you forget something like that?”
I know exactly how I forgot. I blame the sexy barista for making flirty eyes with me. Okay, so it turned out he was making flirty eyes with the dude behind me, but still. I think my defense still stands.
“Nevermind,” I growl. “I better go do this before he pops an artery or something.”
There’s only one thing worse than being Chase Winston’s Personal Assistant, and that is being one of the junior assistants who answers to his Personal Assistant. I’ve been working at Winston Property Development (WPD) for nearly two years, and it’s been two years of pure torture. The only thing that makes it worthwhile, is Peyton, the other junior who works alongside me. Without her to make this whole thing bearable, I’d have left a long time ago. I grab my keys and my bag and walk toward the door, but I just can’t let it go.
“Seriously, did you see the way she looked at me when she told me not to stuff it up?” I huff, stalking back over to Peyton. “Like, god forbid I put two sugars in his damn coffee instead of one. Hey, maybe I should slip some laxatives in there?” I say with an evil grin. “I mean, he walks around like he’s got something lodged up his ass, maybe all he needs is a good, old fashioned clean out.”
“Lanna—”
“No. I don’t care how ridiculously sexy he is,” I say, cutting her off. I was on a roll and not even Peyton was going to stop me. “He’s an asshole to everyone here but Jade, and I bet that’s only because she’s sucking his cock. Not that I wouldn’t go there if he asked me to—”
“Lanna,” Peyton hisses.
“Oh, come on, like you wouldn’t suck his cock too,” I retort, nodding knowingly at her.
We’d had a lengthy discussion about this a few weeks ago at over a bottle of tequila, so I knew exactly what she wanted to do with that ten inches of pure stiff muscle. I chuckle to myself and turn around. My heart literally stops beating. Chase leans against Jade’s desk, a smirk on his face as he stares at me.
Oh, god no.
My heart pounds as I wait for him to react. I cannot believe I just said that. Well, I can believe it, because I say shit like that every day, but not when he’s standing right behind me. It’s like a scene from a really bad movie. With any luck, he’ll drag me outside and throw me on the back of his bike and take me somewhere to have his way with me. Or his office will do just fine.
“Is Jade here?” he asks, directing his question at me.
I shake my head, incapable of speaking. It’s worse that he’s ignoring the obvious issue of my outburst. I’d almost prefer for him to say something. Anything. Almost... He walks over to the door, stopping just as he reaches it. I brace myself.
“Alana?” He asks.
I force myself to meet his steel blue eyes, wishing he didn’t find this so damn amusing.
“Yes?” I whisper, feeling sick. God, I am so embarrassed.
“While I appreciate your attentiveness to my health, I can assure you that everything is functioning just as it should. Maybe you should focus more on your job and less on things that don’t concern you?” he asks. “Like who is and isn’t sucking my cock.”
He walks out, briskly closing the door behind him. -
I am so sick of women telling me what they think I want to hear and then just falling to their knees, ready to do whatever I ask of them. That had been Jade in a nutshell. Her second day here, her mouth was on the end of my cock, whether I wanted it or not. It was fine for a while, but I got bored like I always do. I needed a challenge.
1. He fucks his staff. Specifically his PA here. Can it get grosser than that? Plus heroine is becoming his new immediate PA after being his junior PA. So he's known her for ages, and was a piece of shit. I'm rolling my eyes as I type.
I wave him off. “Go to bed. I can catch a cab.” I lean up and give him another kiss on the lips, my cheeks flushing. “See you tomorrow…” I glance at my phone. “Today, later at work.”
“I’d say sleep well, but I’m sure thoughts of me will be keeping you awake all night,” he teases.
I make a face at him, wishing he wasn’t so damn right.”
2. So they've had sex at his place in the night. And he's not taking her home. Idgaf, I want my hero's to take their ladies home safe and sound. She could get raped in a cab at 3am, who the hell knows?!
"For two years after we separated, she still occupied my thoughts. Lately though, it’s not Casey I’ve been thinking about. Hell, I hadn’t thought about Casey at all in two whole weeks.”
3. He's bent up in shape over his ex who fucked him over and is now marrying his brother. And kind of uses the heroine as his shield because... feelings for the ex and ego.
I have more to say of course, but this should be enough. -
But I don’t have much choice. I look at his neighbor’s balcony and weigh up the pros and cons. I could slip and kill myself, but I’m confident I can make it across. The other problem is, what if his neighbor is a psycho? If I jump, I’ll be stuck there, because it’s the corner apartment. What if being there is a worse choice than staying here?
Crawling onto my ass, I lean against the wall and peer inside the window. The light is on, so that’s a good sign. All I have to do now is work up the courage to knock. Easy. You did the hard part. Knock on the window, they’ll let you in, call a cab, and you’ll be home before you know it.
I get to my feet. My whole body trembles as I work up the courage to do this. I’m almost there mentally when I decide to have one more peek inside.
Big mistake.
What the fuck was that?
My head whips sideways to the balcony. I frown because I’m sure I heard something. It could just be my mind playing tricks on me. I’ve been up all night, after all, and I had one hell of a day yesterday. I shake my head. That must be it. But then I hear it again. Okay, that definitely wasn’t my imagination. Someone is trying to break in.
I snap into action mode and hurl myself off the couch, ready to take down whoever the hell has decided to mess with me while I’m in this foul mood. I thrust back the curtains and brace myself for confrontation. My eyes widen. Okay, now I’m sure that I’m imagining things. Alana Morrison, on my balcony at six in the morning, in her underwear?
I’m pretty sure I had this fantasy last night -
This is a sexy standalone contemporary romance with moments of humor that were enjoyable at times. My low rating is mainly because I can't get over the insinuation that having sex with your boss to help gain a promotion is considered OK. Maybe that was not the author's intention but that was the vibe I was getting.
Alana is a junior assistant to Chase (basically she is the assistant to his personal assistant). She is a well educated woman with her masters in statistics and business. Currently her role entails fetching coffee and dropping off Chase's dry cleaning. Even though she could probably get a better job in another company, she acknowledges that Chase is the best at what he does. So she sticks with him in the hope he will see her potential. This I find admirable.
There is an obvious attraction between these two and the chemistry is hot. Chase makes it clear that he wants a sexual relationship but Alana firmly states that she wants their relationship to stay professional... for a whole 2 seconds. Chase promises to consider Alana for a promotion but she's not sure if he is only saying that to get sex from her. So guess what she does? That's right, she has sex with him. Then there was the moment when Chase gets caught in a lie when they go on a trip together. Alana's solution for him to make it up to her:"I really appreciate that you are paying me quadruple time for this weekend,"
I cried here for all womankind.
At several times during this book, Alana thinks to herself "I'm so confused..." and "I'm such a fool" and I have to completely agree. This girl finds herself not once but twice in a situation where she is making out with a guy in bed and then gets pushed out of the room to hide when another woman enters the room. I hate pushover heroines. There are several times when Chase is caught in a lie and Alana gets angry for a whole 5 minutes before they start having sex again. Her inability to stand her ground was so frustrating. Don't get me started on Chase. He was such a jerk. Even towards the end of the book when he was attempting to apologize to Alana, these are his thoughts:"...it doesn't matter, because I can't do this anymore..."
"I didn't get where I am today to fuck it all up over some girl."
Yeah... this one's a real keeper.
I will say that the book was very hot and had it's laugh out loud funny moments. It is a fun read but I just couldn't get past the nonchalance of a woman using sex in the workplace to advance her career.
2 Stars
Contemporary Romance
Heat Level: HOT
POV: Dual
HEA
COME FIND ME!
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3ish stars
For some reason I this was going to be all about the smut. It's actually a romcom.
It wasn't bad, but neither was it great. It's another one of those that I don't feel like I necessarily wasted my time, but this one won't stick with me and I don't feel particularly motivated to read more in this series.
Sure, Chase and Alana make a good couple. And there's some decent lolz moments. It also comes with its fair share of sexy times.
IDK. You know how romcoms dance the fine line of being cute & quirky versus being entirely too silly and having too many situations that would not happen IRL? This one fell in the latter category for me.
I also just wanted more from Chase and Alana. And there was a whole bunch of jumping to conclusions, miscommunications, and keeping secrets for no reason along the way. Aaaand I just need epilogues on these kinds of stories. It also has it's fair share of typos.
Would I recommend? Maybe. It's part of kindle unlimited, so for me, it's kind of risk-free in that sense. If you had to outright buy it, I'd say pass. But it does make for some cute, easy-breezy reading. -
Grudging 2.5 stars.
That'd be my expectations when faced with reality. -
I wanted to read I can explain because I liked It's Complicated (the first book in the series), but I ended up being disappointed a little because all the elements that made me like the first book and made it unique were missing from this one. It wasn't bad, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did with the previous book. It also felt way longer than it actually is. It can be read as stand-alone since there is no connection between the two books. Chase situation with his ex-wife and his brother is just weird and messed up. I don't understand why he hadn't revealed the truth from the beginning. Alana has been fetching coffees for the last two years which is unbelievable since she has a degree and is actually good in that field. What kind of person choose to pick someone's laundry every day instead of trying to find a work that pays good and you can do something good? The heroine is a dormant and the hero is just not likable. I am staying neutral on the recommendation.
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The heroine seems to find herself in a series of embarrassing situations and somehow the hero becomes a witness to all of them!
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Fun, sexy romance.
"I've never met anyone who can inspire and irritate me at the same time like Chase Winston can."
Alana is over-qualified for her current job role but she sticks with it because she's at her dream company and she wants to learn all she can from Chase Winston, who's proving to be a difficult, taciturn boss, and doesn't even know she's alive. One extremely inappropriate and embarrassing conversation later, and Alana is suddenly very much on his radar.
"I needed a challenge. Something to distract me, someone, where there's no risk of feelings developing, because inevitably, that's what always ruins things for me."
After hearing Alana's conversation, Chase just can't get her out his head. He's dealing with his personal issues and he's finding Alana a sexy, welcome distraction. When she ends up on his balcony, of all places, all bets are off.
This was a such a fun, humorous, super sexy read. Alana's predicaments made me laugh out loud. The chemistry between them was so hot! I loved how flirty Chase was, although I had to shake my head and facepalm when he thought he could pull the wool over Alana's eyes! LOL. I loved Alana's losing battle to keep him at arm's length, and how irresistible she found him.
Overall, a really great, light read with a fab ending! -
Can Explain (Awkward Love, #2) by Missy Johnson is a cute and funny tale of Alana and Chase. Eventhough this is book 2 in the Awkward Love series it can be read as a standalone. Alana wants nothing more than to work for Chase in a job she went to school for but she finds herself a junior assistant. She is just an errand girl. After one embarrassing encounter with Chase she now finds herself looking at him from his balcony in her underwear. Chase has had a thing for Alana but once he sees her on his balcony in her underwear he is hooked. What started out as a relationship of physical attraction turns into more much more. The interaction between the two was first of denial than hurt than acceptance. Loved theses two. Quite the pair. Enjoyed how the author told thier story. I give this story 4 stars
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I was really excited to start this book since the blurb hooked me the minute i read it. And the story was just as exciting to read. The chemistry between Chase and Alana was hot. I was laughing every time she did something that she wishes she didn't or at least not in front of Chase.
Chase was a bit of a rude-cocky bastard. I needed a couple of chapters to start worming up to him. He was a bit hard to read but by the end when all the truth is reviled we get to see that he's actually a good guy.
Alana has a tendency to look silly in front of Chase with talking about how hot he is while he's standing behind her or showing up on his balcony wearing only sexy lingerie. I found a kinder spirit in her as I too have had experience with a cheating bastard I so understood why she reacted like she did when she thought she knew the truth.
This story was a fun read – but I got to say I wanted a few more chapters, because it was too short for my liking :)
*** Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog*** -
The Awkward Love series is perfect for those looking for a quick, funny, flirty read. Poor Alana isn’t having the best week. First she makes a fool of herself in front of her boss, Chase and then after a humiliating date she finds herself on his balcony in her underwear. I was laughing so hard and really applaud Ms. Johnson for making the situations both hysterical and believable. Now I’m dying to see if she can do the same with the next book, Too Much Information (you must go read the blurb 😂)
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Loved it! I really enjoyed reading about the characters and the storyline. This book is fun, sexy, emotional with a HEA. I'm looking forward to reading the next book written by Missy Johnson. I received an advance readers copy of this book.
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Well, it's in the Awkward Love series, and it doesn't get much more awkward than getting trapped on your boss's balcony in your underwear. This was a quick, fun read with a suitably happy ending.
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Alana and Chase are an amazing Boss/Employee due.
I devoured this story and love it so much.
I volunteered to read a copy of this book -
Wow
What an amazing exciting read. Loved this book full of surprises. Laughed my butt off on some parts. Loved the ending! -
This was a cute, funny, sexy story with a bit of angst and web of tangled lies! If you are in the mood for a fast paced, fun read, I recommend it!
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I Can Explain is such an enjoyable read from beginning to end. A romantic-comedy story about a boss who's arrogant, self-assured, but a sex-on-the-stick nonetheless. And a female employee who's overqualified to the job of an errand girl, but sticking it out hoping that someday her boss will give her the chance to prove that she's more than a girl Friday.
This book will definitely give you a laugh-out-moment especially when Alana caught in some compromising situation, which happens a lot in front of Chase, her boss. The witty exchange of dialogue will get you engage to the story. Moreover, you'll be interested to know why Chase blindsided Alana in a scene which can make or break their blossoming relationship.
What I also like about this book is how it moves from one scene to another flawlessly at a steady pace. The characters are well defined. Missy Johnson is a new author to me and I cannot wait to read more of her books. If you want to read a feel-good book, I highly recommend this one.
Won this ARC thru Shh... Author Corner
https://goo.gl/uC3mVM
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3 STARS
