Flirting with the Frenemy by Pippa Grant

Contemporary romance
Romantic comedy

Publication date: 03/01/2019
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: No

The first book I read by this author was Stud in the Stacks and I loved it to the point that I gushed about it in an embarrassingly girly manner in my review. So I went into this one with really high expectations. And for the most part, those expectations were met. But there were just a few things that irked me and kept it from being the kind of 5-star keeper that Stud in the Stacks was.

But first, here’s what I loved:

1. There are some really funny moments in this book. I’m talking laugh-until-you-pee-a-little moments. And who doesn’t need a good laugh-until-you-pee-a-little moment every now and then?
2. Wyatt is a great hero. He’s an awesome single dad, a test pilot for the military (how freakin’ cool is THAT?), and he’s a genuinely nice guy who, had I read this book sooner, might’ve found his way onto my book boyfriends who’d make the best real life boyfriends list. I loved that even when he was teasing Ellie or trying to get her riled up, he was never mean to her or degrading. He always treated her with respect, and that makes him a keeper in my book.
3. Ellie is a decent heroine, too. She’s not as awesome as Wyatt, but she’s a survivor with impressive emotional fortitude, and I respect that.
4. Tucker, Wyatt’s son, is all kinds of adorable. He’s never annoying or age inappropriate like so many other kids are in Romancelandia. (You know the kids I’m talking about. The quirky, way-too-smart-to-be-realistic 5-year-olds with lisps who pop up in the story to dispense sage romance advice to the adults? I HATE those kids.)
5. I kind of wish I’d had a pirate-themed wedding after reading this. But in all fairness, my fascination with pirates dates back to when this guy first appeared on my TV screen. But I digress… 

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Now, for the stuff that didn’t work for me…

Who is that again?

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There were SO MANY characters in the book (pretty obvious sequel bait) that I often found myself confused about who was who. I thought maybe I’d stumbled into book 5 in a series or something, but no, this was book 1. I liked all the characters and will most likely read their books, but I had trouble keeping them straight. 

Ugh...really?

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Ellie’s reason for putting the brakes on a relationship with Wyatt just struck me as...well, kind of stupid, honestly. I won’t give any plot points away, but if you read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it. 

And the point of that was?

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There was some seemingly unnecessary drama with Ellie’s ex and his new girlfriend. I’m not sure what all that was about since it never really caused too many problems for Wyatt or Ellie. And if there’s one thing I can’t stand in a romance it’s unnecessary drama.  

But, all that said and minor irks notwithstanding, I still think this one’s worth a read. For me, the funny and sweet and sexy moments made up for the stuff that wasn’t so great. I’ll definitely be reading more books in the series, and I really like this author’s style. 

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
No rehab needed. This one’s clean and sober.

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