3.5 STARS ✮ MEGHAN QUINN ✮ STROKED HARD

STROKED HARD

Stroked #3

MEGHAN QUINN

When you start reading a book by Meghan Quinn you know what you can expect. Quirky humor and low angst. Yet they aren't all the same.

Hollis Knightley is working towards his next Olympic medal as a diver. When he runs into a beauty while on set of his best friend's Reese (Stroked) reality show he knows she is IT. He is not a one-night-stand-man, he loves relationships and how refreshing is that? He pursues her with his funny text messages but the pretty Melony doesn't relent. She keeps saying that relationships aren't her thing. Hollis does everything to change her mind but will her walls crack?

Melony doesn't trust men. The first man in her life left when she was six years old. When she meets the stunningly hot and good looking Hollis she runs as fast as she can. His humor and his chase are too much for her, eventually he will leave her if she gives in, right?

Listen to John Mayer's song "Daughters" and you know everything about Melony and her daddy issues. That time when her father left cut her deeply and set her up for her view on relationships and love. She is guarded like few other heroine's I've read about. When I met her and spent some time with her I thought there was no way her walls will come down. And up until around the 60% mark that held true. I was so relieved when they started to crumble.

Unfortunately something happens and they are right back in place and this is where the story lost me. I wanted to love her, I really did. She keeps Hollis on his toes and had a mouth like a whip...but I wanted a heroine who felt empowered by the love Hollis showed her. I wouldn't have had a problem with her showing insecurities but she wallows in self pity instead of taking control, she just allows her issues to drag her down again, despite him proving repeatedly that he is worthy. Sometimes you could see the sweet coming through and those moments made me like her but at no point did I fall in love with her.

Hollis on the other hand is a hero you can only wish for. His OTT quirky humor is hilarious, he is sweet and hot and a GOOD man. He has the patience of a saint. Hollis' brand of wooing his girl is a mixture of humor and romance. Hollis has all those ridiculous nicknames for Melony (Lactose Lips, Turd Blossom, Bologna Breasts, Sparkle Butt...only to name a few). He isn't the airhead you might think, his serious moments are deep and have lots of insight. And he can be surprisingly intense. I really adored him.

I loved that evil Bellini had her comeuppance in the end. While this might not have been a total winner for me it was still a very enjoyable read. Meghan Quinn's sense of humor is peppered throughout a the whole book and I was left again asking myself how she comes up with this stuff. Please don't let my reservations for the heroine keep you from reading this book. We all have different expectations and this totally might work for you!