I loved Blurred Lines so much, so, I was looking forward to this book. It was not as good as Blurred Lines, but it was still fun and entertaining. Both MCs were wounded. Jenny was licking the wounds inflicted by a fickle fandom, and Noah was recovering from a broken engagement, and general unhappiness with his "double" life. I liked that there was a lot more to Jenny than met the eye. She had some depth, and Noah came a long way from the start of the story to the end. His story was actually a little heavier, and his character a little more complicated. A lot of really fun moments that made me giggle, and plenty of sweet moments which made me smile.
Lauren Layne is the boss when it comes to writing. Her stories are brilliant with relate-able characters that you just want to adopt and love them forever. This was totally the case with Good Girl, which didn't disappoint one bit.
I was on the cruise, waiting for Bingo Night to be over so in the mean time, I was reading Good Girl. I thought it would be as fun as Blurred Lines, and it was but it had so many feels! Do you know how hard it is to contain your feelings in a place that's full?! I was trying so hard not to laugh and then... I was trying not to cry! Noah broke my heart! He stomped on it! *throws papers in the air* I'm done..... Okay, I can't be done because I have to finish this review. But man, do I agree with Jenny? This man can make you turned on and irritable in a matter of five seconds.
I don't know what I want from this guy, but it's impressive the way he can take me from horny to irritable and back again in about five seconds.
I was warned that Noah was mean and that's why many people weren't liking him, but I actually did like his brooding persona, despite all the hurt Jenny and I went through. Yes, I suffered with Jenny through everything. The thing is Noah is very conflicted and he so wants to keep Jenny away, to not get involved with her at all, but he just wants more from her and with her. I don't think he realizes he's saying mean things until he sees the hurt in Jenny's eyes, and let me tell you, he always regrets what he says and makes it up to her. I think that's another reason why I liked him. He wasn't trying to hurt her and when he would, he would become so vulnerable and try to make her happy again.
I've never met someone so skilled at subtly stalking a weaker creature and watching for flaws, just waiting to exploit them.
Jenny was so sweet. You'd think she would be all high-class, but she definitely wasn't. She was very down-to-earth and you could tell she loved her music and she loved to write. I was shipping Noah and Jenny so hard! When all your feelings are involved with a book couple, you know you ship them and love them so much! I really loved that the story was set a little in the outskirts of town so the characters had their privacy, which was needed for Jenny. I loved that Noah, despite coming from money and prestige, he was unbelievably humble, as well as Jenny. They fit together on every aspect and their chemistry was off the chain! Also, the friendships in this story were so good and funny, too. Finn and Vaughn are Noah's friends and they are total polar opposites and always disagreeing, but they were a great and funny addition.
Overall, Good Girl was a very romantic, sexy and thrilling story!
Jenny Dawson is a new Hollywood star thanks to a five-minute cameo appearance in a new film. Yet, her rise to stardom is through her music...country music! With the world at her feet, she quickly experiences the ugly side of fame when she's accused of having an affair with a famous married actor. To escape the negative publicity, she seeks refuge in a place that holds happy memories for her...in rural Louisiana.
Noah Maxwell's life changed forever when he met his father for the first time aged fourteen. He's suddenly plunged into a world where he has everything he wants. However, as he's gotten older, he's realised that something is missing from his life. Something that money can't buy. When he's asked to rent out an old house he's inherited, he's reminded of his desire to stay away from high maintenance women like his new tenant, only to find out she isn't the woman he thought she was!
Their first impressions of each other may have been a little negative.
Noah:"I just turned my entire life upside down trying to get away from a woman exactly like this one, so this is definitely a 'look, don't touch' situation." "But I'm looking. I'm definitely looking."
Jenny:"...And then he had to go and open his mouth. It would figure that the first guy I'm attracted to in a good long time turns out to be a total jerk..."
The undoubtable seeds of attraction are firmly sown as Jenny and Noah learn to live around each other in the old mansion. Both sharing a similar humble background whilst trying to escape lives that they don't fit in with. It isn't long before neither can deny the overwhelming lust hanging between them. Noah unconsciously aids Jenny to push sexual boundaries in a way that he himself couldn't have believed possible...zip ties! Yes, Jenny is a good girl in a not quite innocent way but she's also curious and eager to learn!
I've always enjoyed the first person dual point of view and I love it when a favourite author shakes things up a bit. Good Girl certainly fills that criterion. The old antebellum house is a surprising backdrop for Jenny and Noah's story, yet it feels like a breath of fresh air. Its presence is full of future promises just like its a reminder of the past.
The writing is what I've come to expect from this author and doesn't disappoint. There's the usual funny, witty banter between the protagonists and the secondary characters, which have always been entertaining and relevant in all the previous books I've read by her. The heat factor has been ramped up a notch in this novel but isn't gratuitous. It's very much an integral part of Jenny and Noah's story, just as both are craving a more honest world that's more familiar to them, away from the obvious trappings of wealth and fame.
Lastly, a special mention to Dolly and Ranger. I was initially sceptical to your presence, but I admit your inclusion is unexpectedly light-hearted and fun.
***arc generously received courtesy of Loveswept Publishing via NetGalley***