Miniviews #27: More Than Fashion & No Limits

More Than Fashion by Elizabeth Briggs

Publisher: Elizabeth Briggs Books

Publication Date: July 28th, 2015

Pages: 223

Series: Chasing the Dream #3

Source: Netgalley/Publisher

Surprisingly More Than Fashion is now my favourite from the series. I don't say that because I wasn't expecting to like Julie's story. It's because I'm not into the fashion, designer stuff nor reality TV. Since More Than Fashion is centered around a reality show for designers I thought it might take away from my enjoyment of the story. But nope I was so invested in the competition. Totally right up in there. At points I forgot it was a book and I wasn't actually binge watching the actual show on TV. Behind the Seams has all the types of characters, arguments, romances and just good ol' reality TV fun we watch this kind of show for. And it was done all through text. For me to get caught up in this fictional(I realize that's an oxy moron as 98% of reality TV is partly fictionalized) show through a book is pretty cool. It seems, again, that books can achieve anything.

So Julie was a sassy, fierce little thing. Right off she shows you who she is by taking a racist guy to the cleaners. He sits down at the bar and his pick up line includes calling her Kitty because she's Asian. Yea, far from alright. But how Julie just straight up called him out on it made me love her right away. I just knew she was going to be my kid of women. Being the youngest contestant on the show Julie found herself having something to prove to almost everyone; herself, her parents, the other contestants. Julie was a little hesitant but believing she could make it till the end. I liked that she had some doubts though, it made her relatable. Julie still went in hard with a plan. Just some distraction in the form of a hot Brit might have derailed Julie at some points.

Julies meeting with Gavin was fun. At a bar, Julie wanting a one nighter(high-five for sex positive book) before starting the show. Her being drunk stops them from going all the way. But hey she'll never see him again. Ummm... Not true. Gavin turns out to be another contestant on the show. Oops. Gavin was a all around gentleman. He's the nice guy that everyone just likes. Gavin is considerate but also competitive. He's there to win too. The sexual tension was seeping off the pages when Julie and Gavin were together. It was one of those try to fight it with a bit of arguing but they're mouths always seemed to find each other. It was great fun. Especially with the grade A banter. Fantastic sexual tension, chemistry and banter what more do I need in a romance? I enjoyed their relationship progression immensely. Being competitors on the show really added a more fun and amusing element to their relationship dynamic.
The diverse supporting cast was an added bonus. There was just as much fun banter between Julie and her friends(Trina and Dawn for the win). Or snappy comebacks from Julie when the villains(there's always those horrible drama queen types) of the show got in her way. Just a really fun new adult romance. I gotta say it again, I really loved Julie. Her personality was spot on for being the lead of this story. If I caught myself actually watching a show like this on TV, she'd be exactly who'd I'd be gunning to win.

No Limits by Lori Foster

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication Date: August 26th, 2014

Pages: 432

Series: Ultimate #1

Source: Borrowed from library

Rating: 2.5/5

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This is a well loved series among a lot of my romance friends. So I figured it was about time I checked out what all the fuss was about. Especially since a sport is the back drop to the romance. And although I strongly dislike MMA, put it in a romance and I'm it's biggest fan. Unfortunately No Limits was lacking in the sports department. Cannon is on a high from just winning a big fight, but the MMA takes a way way back seat in this book. The lack luster romance did not make up for that missing plot point for me. I will say that No Limits is very readable. In fact for a decent size book it took me no time to get through it. But the speed at which I read it didn't take away from the fact that everything about No Limits was mediocre at best. The second half being quite a bit stronger than the first half as well.

Yvette was way to silly and submissive. The story tries to hard to make her seem like such an independent lady but in the end she needs a man to save her and only with him can she realize that she is a capable women. I realize Cannon saved her from a disturbing situation(which I still don't understand it and from what I'm gathering is so effing far fetched), but come on, you don't need no man to pick up your pieces and make you whole again.

Cannon was made to come off as a caring and nice man. And he is at times. But a lot of things he says brings out the oh no finger. Like with Yvette. They left each other with no closure, so for three years Cannon was in a foreplay limbo. He sees Yvette again and immediately thinks we will have sex. No hey how are you. Nope just how she got even hotter and he needs to do her. That is his main frame of thought for half the book until all the sudden he's decided he loves her and they will be together forever. What? Their was very little relationship development. It was a lot of Cannon forcing Yvette to be okay with him constantly kissing her even when she's like we shouldn't. That's pretty much a no and raising some flags in my head. But we're supposed to see it as Cannon wearing her walls down. No, not sexy just to forceful.
Yvette is one of the tropes I am so far over. The girl who doesn't realize how beautiful she is. She puts no thought into her appearance; which is fine except here. Enter the romantic interest who is constantly jealous over all the attention this girl attracts. But she's so unaware of it. God, it's the worst trope. And than it tends to make the love interest bring out his inner caveman. Again, something that is so far from sexy. The whole trope and play on it is so overdone and annoying.
I did really enjoy the relationship between Cannon and his gym buddies. It was pretty good banter and teasing. Definitely the strongest part of the book for me. And one of the reasons I am going to continue on with this companion series. I have hopes that I might like the other characters and romance better than Cannon and Yvette.

Happy reading!

Brittany