After the Kiss
Lauren Layne

Genre:
Contemporary
Heat Level: Sensual/Hot
Rating:

In the first book of a delightful new series from Lauren Layne, the star columnist of Stiletto magazine will do anything for a story. Anything . . . except fall in love.

Julie Greene loves flings. Loves steamy first dates, sizzling first kisses, and every now and then, that first sexy romp between the sheets. Comfy pants, sleepy Sundays, movie nights on the couch? Shudder. But when Julie gets assigned the hardest story of her career—a first-person account of that magical shift between dating and “I do”—she’ll need a man brave enough to give a total commitment-phobe a chance at more.

Normally, Mitchell Forbes would be exactly that man. A devastatingly hot workaholic who tends to stay in relationships for far too long, he should be the perfect subject for Julie’s “research.” But what Julie doesn’t know is that Mitchell is looking to cut loose for once in his life. And the leggy journalist notorious for avoiding love is exactly the type of no-strings fling he’s looking for. In other words, Mitchell is the polar opposite of what Julie needs right now. And, at the same time, he’s exactly what she wants.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Trying to Score, Long Simmering Spring, and The Story Guy.

Review

Julie Greene had built a career out of falling in love. Staying in love? Not so much.”

That quote pretty much sums up the heroine of After the Kiss. Her problem? She’s given the task of doing a two-page spread titled, “How to Take Relationships to the Next Level”, something she knows nothing about. First unable, then unwilling to get out of doing the assignment, she has to learn and learn fast. But who’s going to be the guinea pig perfect for a boring relationship? Enter Mitchell Forbes.

Mitchell Forbes has just come out of a long-term relationship. When his friend, Colin accuses him of not being able to let go when it comes to women and relationship, Colin bets him Yankee season tickets that he can’t see a woman without getting halfway to the altar. That’s a bet Mitchell can’t turn down so game on.

So as you can see, the hero and heroine are at cross purposes. And the attraction between them is not immediate so no insta-love or even insta-lust at first sight—which is so refreshing. I like to see a couple have to work at that every once in a while. Actually, when they first see each other, she equates him to dry toast and he thinks she lacks subtlety and is attractive in a predictable, manufactured way. Their lack of attraction to the other causes them to believe the other is perfect for their purposes. Not!

Again, I love this setup. I love the fact they aren’t instantly attracted to the other. Quite the opposite in fact. It makes for a more interesting faux relationship/fling.  

Their initial meeting is fantastic. It sets the tone for their relationship. When she first approaches him, he’s not admiring of her, which is what she expects. He is in fact, nothing like what she expects. And the sexual chemistry she feels when he touches her shocks her. And it’s the same with their first kiss. He turns her into a “moaner”, which isn’t what she is. At least not until him.

I swear Julie has everything and everyone categorized. But Mitchell is the one guy who doesn’t fit into any of her pre-made categories and she finds herself having to make up categories just for him.

Honestly, I love an attractive hero who first comes across to the heroine as a bit stodgy and uptight. And then watching as he shatters her preconceived notion of him.  Mitchell is all about that—not being predictable. He starts off treating her as a fling but soon his feelings get in the way. He does want more but he doesn’t want to want more. Plus there’s the bet…

If I had one complaint about After the Kiss is that the story seemed to skip over the ramp up of their relationship. First they’re having sex for the first time, then in the next scene it’s a week later. I wanted to know what went on during that week because they’d only just started dating so I felt I’d missed something. I wanted to know how they got to that next place so I guess I felt the book could have been longer.

Other than that, this was a great read. The premise was great, Julie and Mitchell were great characters and her friends and co-workers, Grace and Riley definitely need and deserve to get their own books. I know I look forward to reading them and hopefully catching up with Julie and Mitchell.

Reviewed by Beverley