Dirty Like Me (Dirty, #1)

by Jaine Diamond

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Jaine Diamond is a new to me author, nevertheless, I decided to give this book a chance as I was intrigued by the blurb.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into, however, I hoped that my journey into uncharted waters would be a worthwhile one.  That being said I must confess that I enjoyed my journey, despite there being aspects of the story which I had an issue with.
 
This story was told from dual POVs. I enjoy stories that are told from the character’s POVs has it helps me to get an angle on their emotions, thoughts, and actions.  It was told mostly from Katie’s POV, which helped me to understand who she was, and the reason for her actions.
 
She is the kind of character; I think most of us can relate to. She has had her share of heartbreak and emotional turmoil; therefore, it was easy to understand her wariness around Jesse.  For two years she had avoided the dating scene and any form of emotional entanglement. She knew that accepting Jesse’s proposal would wreak havoc on her emotional stability but she was willing to take the risk if meant that she would start living again. The fact that she was willing to take this step was proof of her courage.  What I didn’t like was her constant second-guessing as it relates to Jesse’s feelings towards her.
 
Initially, Jesse came off as an arrogant jerk. However, as the story progressed, I realise that there was more to him than what met the eye. He could be sensitive, especially when it came to those he cared about.  The author touched on his past which provided a little insight into his personality. However, I felt the details provided were limited which led to his character not being fully developed. To be honest, I never felt him the way I was expecting to.
 
I was pulled into the story from the first page. I was eager to see how it would all unfold.   Although, not an original concept I loved it none the less.  What are the chances of barista meeting a hot rock star much less to fall in love with the said rock star?  Katie would discover that life as she knew it would change that fateful day she delivered cherry pies to her best friend’s office. The story was entertaining, however, based on certain events I was expecting more conflicts to arise which would have added to the intensity of the story.
 
There was a lot of sexual tension permeating the pages.  They both wanted each other, but Katie was determined to fight her feelings.  However, her fight only lasted for so long, and when these two finally got together it was explosive.  Sadly, the focus was more on the sexual aspect of their relationship.  I couldn't sense an emotional connection between them.  For most of the book Katie never really had the chance to know Jesse which led to her second guessing his actions towards her. She fell in love with him before she had the chance to get to know him.
 
Usually, I don’t have a problem with the use of the F word, but when it is used on almost every page and in almost every conversation then I have an issue.  I found it distracting and annoying.
 
Verdict:
 
This was a good start to the Dirty series, and I can’t wait to see whose story will be next. If you love rock star heroes and stories that are hot, then you will enjoy Dirty Like Me.