Title: The Cad and the Co-Ed
Authors: L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
Series: Rugby #3
Release date: February 14, 2017
Cliffhanger: No
Rating: 5 stars
Synopsis:
Keeping a secret this big is going to take lots of balls. Specifically, rugby balls.
THE CAD
Bryan Leech is a cad.
Or, he *was* a cad.
No one is quite certain.
Once the quintessential playboy, Bryan claims he’s done with wild parties and weekend benders. No more one night stands leading to mornings he can’t remember; no more binges and blackouts; no more exploits plastered all over the tabloids and rag sheets. According to Bryan, he’s cleaning up his act.
The only problem is, no one believes him.
THE CO-ED
Eilish Cassidy never thought she’d be a mother at nineteen or still in college at twenty-four. Cut off from every member of her family except her favorite cousin, she’s finally managed to put her life back together. Stronger and wiser, Eilish enters her last semester of university determined to stand on her own. Now she just needs to find an internship.
The only problem is, her best option—by far—places her directly in the path of her son’s father, and he doesn’t remember her at all.
THE PLAN
Bryan is determined to prove he’s changed. Eager to settle down with the right woman, he’s got his sights set on the gorgeous redhead who seems terribly familiar.
Eilish is determined to hide her secret. She’ll do anything to keep her child safe, even if that means ignoring her own wishes and desires.
But what happens when Bryan starts to remember? And what will it take for Bryan to convince the girl he forgot that she’s unforgettable?
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Excerpt:
I coughed, choking on nothing, and sputtered, “What? What did you say?”
“I said seduce her. And do it now. She has more unresolved feelings for you than Jennifer has for Brad.” He paused, then added, “And do a good job. Do a great job.”
I stared at him for several seconds, dumbfounded. “Of course I’ll do a great job.”
Sean pointed at me accusingly. “I’m serious. Look up some moves or watch some videos, do whatever it takes to make sure she enjoys herself.”
Now I was offended. “Fuck you, Sean. Of course she’ll enjoy herself. She’ll like it so much she’ll beg for-”
“Hey.” My teammate narrowed his eyes, slicing his hand through the air. “I don’t need or want to know the specifics. I’m just saying, take good care of her. Take excellent care of her. Give her everything she needs. And don’t be selfish.”
“I won’t be.” I shook my head with the denial, staring at Sean.
Staring at him because . . .
Did he just tell me to seduce his cousin?
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I’d been naïve, too trusting before. Too honest. Too uninhibited. Too reckless. Too stupid. But I would never make that mistake again. I needed a plan and it needed to be a good one.
Five years later...
Bryan is sober now and trying to move past the mistakes of his past. He truly wants to be a better man, but his reputation precedes him. You can hardly blame everyone for doubting him though. You know those characters that pop up in series that you loathe? The ones that never have anything good to say or do? That would be this guy, but there was never a doubt I would read his book.
If anyone could successfully reform him, it would be these two brilliant authors. Once again, Reid and Cosway have proved themselves to be an unbeatable writing team. Not only did I like Bryan, he's now one of my favorite heroes from them. I LOVED him. Fuuuu- er...FORKS! He was everything. Sweet, sexy, funny, and committed to not only winning Eilish over, but steps up to the plate like a man when finally confronted with his child. He melted my heart, people. MEL-TED.
He was filled with such honest remorse and shame for his own actions, for the consequences of that night that he wished still haunted him.
What would it feel like to be on the receiving end of being forgotten? She didn’t deserve to be forgotten. She deserved to be treasured. And I was going to do everything in my power to make up for what I’d done.
And Patrick into the mix, and you now you've exploded off the charts of adorable. This kid. This man. This family. I can't form full sentences here, remembering what magic they are together. Eilish was strong, hilarious, sassy, and an amazing mother. Bryan was tender, eager to prove himself and take a load off of her shoulders, and hot like you wouldn't believe.
The attraction and energy between them was unbelievably good. He needed to earn her trust, she needed to let go of the past and see the new man waiting patiently for her. It created some delicious tension, and I devoured every scene with them together.
Her eyes flickered back and forth between mine.
Say you want me to stay.
Say you wouldn’t regret it.
Say you never could.
I wouldn't call this particularly oversaturated with angst. They had a lot to work through, but there was a perfect balance of heat, humor, and romance to cut through the conflict. The humor is exactly as good as you're expecting. Witty, charming, and oh so entertaining. The personality quirks of both characters had me laughing and smiling uncontrollably. Like Eilish's love of organization and her cuss word replacements. And then there was Bryan. He went from party boy to the guy who likes to sit at home in a robe and slippers while grumbling about his neighbors making a racket. He likes quiet, predictability, and comfort. And his teammates don't let him forget about his grandpa ways.
The only thing I felt like I needed was some closure with Bryan's mother. I wanted to see how her promise to him worked out after they had their talk, but that's a minor blip in the overall scheme of things. In the end I decided I still couldn't give it any less than five stars. I was entertained, romanced, and thoroughly delighted with this feel-good book. I urge (and I'm not above bossing) everyone to read this. That's right, I'm looking at you.
*This is a complete standalone, told in dual POV.
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