Review of Love Show

Synopsis

Hadley Arrington is the career-driven editor-in-chief of her university’s prestigious newspaper. Jack Diamond is a laidback student whose good looks have made things even easier than they need to be. She’s the girl who came out of nowhere and kissed him in the rain. He’s the boy who made her do something crazy.

When the stakes seem too high, they have to decide if they’ll let their love show or if they’ll walk away for good.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK


Review

Love Show is a great new adult romance that follows a relatable overachiever who has neglected her romantic and social needs since high school.  After suffering a setback in her career pursuits, her best friend pushes her to make amends in the romantic needs area of her life which she does (with the assistance of alcohol).  She has the same dysfunctional hang ups as many of the “no relationship” types but I appreciate the fact that her predisposition is the result of several factors, though one is predominant. 

 

The story follows her “friends with benefits” arrangement with a sexy guy, her struggle to discover a Plan B for her career, and her dealing with the fallout from her best friend’s toxic relationship.  This is the part of the story that I enjoyed.  The college setting is well-portrayed and as I have some familiarity with Northwestern University, I enjoyed the reference to the students not really caring about the outcome of the football game to which they were tailgating.  Things start to get dicey when the love-interests’ backstory comes to light which presents a major conflict with the heroine’s life path.  I have to admit that there were some very depressing elements to this story.  The “low-point” in the relationship is not brief like it is in some romances and it is heartbreaking to read.  The prolonged low-point is not to the detriment of the story, however, as it was needed for the characters to find a middle ground without compromising their ambitions and personal edicts. 

 

There is a very serious tone to the story due to the theme of combat reporting which was portrayed in a stark light rather than with a glossy sheen.  My only complaint is that I wanted a little more time to appreciate the happy ending after experiencing the prolonged pain and grief.  This was a well-written new adult romance that provides depth and seriousness without resorting to traumatic events beyond the realities of war.

Katie

 

There was just something about this book that I really enjoyed. I don’t know exactly what the reason was, but it just kept me entertained and immersed in the story from the beginning to the end.

Hadley is boring. Her whole life and college experience centers around the school newspaper. As a senior, she has her entire future mapped out, and in her opinion, there is simply no time for a relationship.

Hadley’s roommate David becomes sick of watching her waste away her college life, so he convinces her to go to a tailgate and make out with a stranger, enter Jack Diamond. Hadley and Jack don’t do much talking in their first encounter; heck they don’t even exchange names.

By a twist of fate, Hadley ends up at Jack’s fraternity after members of the frat begin harassing one of her reporters. Jack immediately asks her on a date, but she doesn’t think she has room in her life for a boyfriend, so a different type of relationship forms between the two of them.

I loved watching Hadley and Jack’s relationship. Their relationship was supposed to be strictly friends with benefits and Hadley had specific rules for Jack to follow. Jack of course lived his life pushing all the boundaries and ignoring rules and this is exactly what he did with their relationship.

I also loved Hadley’s relationship with her roommate and best friend, David. She cared so much for David and his well being, that it was hard watching him struggle with his life as a gay college student. The two had many great banter filled conversations, but watching David as he entered into a disastrous relationship was hard, even as a reader.

Hadley’s future eventually drives a wedge between her and Jack. There are serious reasons on both their parts, but it is obvious where Jack’s struggles come from.

You can’t help but read this book and love Jack Diamond. He doesn’t let Hadley and her insecurities ruin their relationship. He pushes her and you can tell that she changes him for the better as well. Their relationship really drives the book, and you can’t help but route for the two of them to figure their shit out and just be together.

Amanda

 

*Copies of this book were received in exchange for an honest review.*

Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK