Romance Rehab

You Ruined Me by Isabel Jordan

4/28/2021

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Romantic Comedy
Publication date: 04/30/2021
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: No

I am ON A ROLL with the great rom coms this week!! Check it out:

Plot overview: Michael, bummed about having to go to his ex-fiancée's wedding (to his cousin, no less), is at the grocery store buying depression supplies when he meets Delilah, who has just run into HER ex and his new girlfriend. Michael pretends to be her boyfriend to rescue her from an awkward situation, she agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend at the wedding to save HIM from awkwardness, and hijinks and hilarity ensue.

Trope bingo: wedding romance, friends to lovers, slow burn, fake relationship, nerdy hero and heroine

There's a lot to love here, so hang in there with me while I gush a bit:

It's actually FUNNY!

So, I don't know if you've noticed, but there are a LOT of romances out there masquerading as rom coms that are not funny. No. Laughs. Whatsoever. You Ruined Me is not one of those reads. There are some truly laugh-out-loud moments here. There are also hijinks, which are ESSENTIAL to a successful rom com, in my not-so-humble opinion. This book is advertised as a rom com, and it delivers on every front.

Rom com with banging!!

The other thing I've noticed about a lot of rom coms these days is a distinct lack of banging. I mean, I have nothing against G-rated romance. Truly, I don't. But...sometimes the lack of sex can be a bit of a letdown. Like a lot of foreplay that never leads anywhere, you know? So, I'm pleased to say that while there weren't a ton of sex scenes in this one, the sex scene that was there was, um, satisfying. Ahem. (It was super hot, in other words.)

Michael, the hero

So, we met Michael in You Complicate Me. In that book, he was a complete turd. We met him again in You Wrecked Me, where he was a bit less of a turd--but only a bit. So, when the author announced that Michael was getting his own book, I was kind of like, "Huh? But I hated that guy!" I'm pleased to say that in THIS book, Michael has grown and matured into a really great guy--not a turd at all. He's funny and sweet and hot and nerdy...in other words, he's practically perfect in every way. He even offers a really great apology for his past turdishness. (Yes, I made that word up. What of it?) I mean, grumpy Gage from You Wrecked Me will probably still be my all time favorite hero in this series (I have a serious weakness for the grumpy, antisocial ones), but Michael is completely awesome in his own unqiue way and I seriously loved him.

Delilah, the heroine

Delilah is non-stop awesomeness from the beginning of the book to the end. She's smart and hilarious, and some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth made me snort-laugh. If I was to update my list of the best quirky and awesome heroines, she'd be right at the top.

Sexy nerds

I love sexy nerds in romance. In a world full of brooding alpha males, it's nice to find the occasional former band geeks who have strong opinions about Star Wars and Star Trek, you know? (So nice, in fact, that I plan to update my favorite romance nerds list this Friday. Stay tuned!)

It can stand alone

Look, I clearly loved this series. But the cool thing is that if you want to only read this book or read the books out of order, you can. You won't be lost or anything. I mean, I have no idea why you wouldn't want to read the rest of the series because it's AWESOME, but hey...I don't judge. You do you.

RUTHIE

It can not be overstated how much I love Michael's grandma Ruthie. That is all.

So, if you're in the market for a light, hilarious rom com that includes banging, this is the book you've been waiting for. Enjoy!

Full disclosure: I received an ARC from the author, but that in no way influenced my review.

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
No rehab needed. This one's totally stigma free.