4 STARS ✬ NATASHA ANDERS ✬ THE WINGMAN

4 STARS

THE WINGMAN

by

Natasha Anders

The three McGregor sisters are the cherished daughters of the local vet. All three have monikers they are being referred to. The pretty one, the cute one and Daisy...well she is "the other one". Daisy is short, with love handles, a bit of a double chin and curls which can't be controlled.
To her utter surprise Mason Carlisle, ex-soldier, ex-bodyguard, ex-underwear model, chats her up and makes her feel a little bit special at her sister's hen/bachelorette party. She has a rude awakening when she overhears Mason talking to his brother and realizes that he was supposed to distract Daisy so that Spencer can make a move on her oldest sister.

When his brother asked him for a favor, he didn't anticipate to be entertained and a little bit enchanted by the plain McGregor sister. When she blackmails him into accompanying her to her sister's wedding he realizes that it isn't exactly a chore. The more he gets to know the spirited, intelligent Daisy, the more he is attracted to her, and the prettier she becomes to him, belly pooch and unruly curls and all. All of  a sudden her 50s bombshell body gives him blue balls 24/7. Sadly, Daisy would never believe him - too often has she been the butt of a joke.

Daisy has dulled to the constant bullying she receives from her sisters' "friends". It was a little bit heartbreaking to see how the catty b*tches tried to make her life hard and how they segregated her. Her self esteem is lower than low. She is still an endearing heroine - funny, forthright with a sharp wit.
I loved that Daisy didn't have to lose weight to be loved by the hero. It was the fact that Mason learned to see her beauty without her changing her appearance that made this story so poignant. When Daisy starts to see herself through his eyes she starts to become more secure about herself and her body. Yes, it was a little bit frustrating that it took her most of the book to come to that conclusion and kept deflecting compliments...yet when she did, she owned it.

“Why do you do that? You’re constantly selling yourself short, and it’s annoying as hell..."

Mason is a good guy, a stubborn one at that. Bossy and often sweet, and he holds a mean grudge. He is utterly charmed by Daisy - she is easily embarrassed and he doesn't leave out an opportunity to make her blush. She is unpredictable and her intelligence, wit and straight shooting character confuse and amuse him. I was happy that he looked past her appearance and fell in love with her character.

“Stop counting my freckles and try to get some sleep,” she whispered, not at all sure what to make of this.
“That’s what I’m trying to do; it’s like counting stars, only so much prettier.” 

Natasha Anders is a new to me author. Her writing style resonates with me - it's fluid and witty. This story is for everyone because I think we all have felt insufficient, deficient and insecure at one point in our life. This story is a hymn to imperfection and I bow to this author for doing right by the characters by making the readers accept them for what they are. I really enjoyed reading Daisy's and Mason's journey to find love.

I hope that we get to see Spencer's and Daffodil's story. There is a past which I can't wait to uncover!

"What do you see when you look at me, Mason?"
"Everything," he grated out. "I see my whole f*cking world, Daisy, I see all my days, my weeks, and my years. Every season of my life. All spent with you. I see everything I want, need, and desire all wrapped up in you."