The Fangirl

After reading the summary (above) and skimming the sample chapter on Amazon I was sure I was settling down for a fun, light and sexy read. While, Down for the Count is most definitely fun, and sexy there is also depth to this romantic tale of unexpected love.

Right off the bat, I fell in love with Lacey Garrity. She doesn’t react to her new husband’s infidelity like a lot of other romance heroines do, aka having an emotional breakdown and seeking comfort. Nope, Lacey goes off and tears him a new one with style, flare and claws fully extended. She says every thing that every woman who has ever been cheated on wants to say in that horrible moment. It is hilarious and still painfully real enough to win me over to Lacey’s side in an instant.

I love how in that moment we got to see the REAL Lacey, the part of herself that she has almost all but forgotten. It took this extreme circumstances to wake her up to how she has given up control of her life and spurns her to do something just as extreme to change it.

That is where Galen Thomas comes into play. Holy Crap this man. Where do I start?

First off, Galen looks like your typical Alpha male. He’s a professional boxer, rides a motorcycle and talks like an absolute dude!bro. (Seriously, he had some of the most authentic dialogue for a male character I have ever read.) What makes Galen different from a lot of the other cookie cutter alpha males is his empathy, heart and no-none sense attitude.

The emotionless resignation in her tone made him want to go back into the hall and treat Marty Clemson to the uppercut that had earned him the nickname Whalin’ Galen.

We get to see inside both characters’ heads as the story unfolds. That is especially great when it comes to Galen. We not only see that he’s so much more than twisted steel and sex appeal. He decent guy, who at first is concerned for a woman who he has known since they were kids. His empathy for Lacey is one of his most endearing qualities.

Galen wants to help and protect Lacey, but he's mature and intelligent enough to know that if he forced her into it he would be no better than the overbearing family he's attempting to rescue her from. It's this thoughtful awareness and genuine concern that had me swooning at every other thing this man said or thought. He's not a romantic fantasy, quite the opposite. Galen is real guy, flawed and struggling, but his earnest effort to do the right thing despite how it may conflict with his own (carnal) desires. I'm going to stop before this becomes a drooling fangirl ramble. Too late.

Clutching at her thighs, he anchored her still. “Stop wriggling,” he said. His voice was low, gruff, and strained.

She froze. “S-sorry.”

The warm puff of air against his ear and the break in her voice almost threw him right over the edge. What would Little Lacey Garrity do if he stripped aside those tiny bikini bottoms and buried himself in her again and again until she screamed?

Not the plan, asshole.

Then there are the sexy times. This isn’t some wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am smut. These two have a slow burning sexual tension that will have you on your knees begging them to just “do it already!” Galen is especially has a way with words and images that had me blushing and giggling with delight at his dirty thoughts.

“You have to admit, though, you’re bigger than most.”

“Well, I appreciate that, darlin’. You know exactly what to say to a man, don’t you?” He flicked her nose with the tip of his finger and chuckled when she flushed.

“I didn’t mean that.” She gestured to his general groin area in a circular motion and that only made him laugh harder.

The story is fairly straightforward, showing Galen and Lacey getting to know each other again and slowly falling in love, while enjoying the delights of Puerto Rico. They fumble through their romance, and even get into some awkwardly hilarious situations that will have you rolling with laughter. It all combines to make this a heartwarming and fun love story.