Review: The Girl’s Guide to (man) Hunting (Bluebonnet #1) by Jessica Clare

no-brainer

Title: Girl’s Guide to (man) hunting
Author: Jessica Clare
Publisher/Year: Penguin Publishing 3/5/13
Length:   278 Pages
Series:  BlueBonnet #1

Overview

Once, Miranda felt a little exposed…

 

Miranda Hill’s cocky ex-boyfriend is back in Bluebonnet, Texas. He ditched her—and their little town—just as some rather shocking photos showed up on the Internet. Miranda wasn’t so lucky. Stuck in Bluebonnet and left to fend for herself, she’s never really shaken the scandal—or his betrayal. After nine long years, he’s back…

It’s time she gets even.

 

Former NHL hotshot Dane Croft has returned home to open a survival training school and reinvent himself. When his high-school girlfriend enrolls in the program, he has no idea that Miranda plans to get him in a compromising position. But to carry out her deviously sexy revenge, Miranda will have to get up-close and personal with Dane all over again. She got nowhere being a good girl; it’s time to be a little naughty. But falling in love with the man who broke her heart was never part of the plan…

My Thoughts

I’m a big fan of Ms Clare from the Billionaire’s series and spin-off that i’ve read that i figured that i could give this one a shot.  It’s been out for a while and i haven’t necessarily been compelled to read it, but i guess it’s good that i’ve got some time on my hands.  None the less, what we have is a sweet story, but maybe one that could use a bit more finesse.

As the description tells us, we are back in Bluebonnet Texas, about 9 years after an infamous experience causes our leading lady Miranda to become the laughing stock of the town, all because a picture was taken of her while playing seven minutes in heaven with Dane, a guy she had a major crush on at the time.  This picture then was posted on line and 9 years later people are still talking about it.  Of course when the chance comes to stake her revenge now that he’s back in town after his NHL career goes to crap, things become all that more interesting.

What we have in this story is a tale of a girl trying to get back at the guy who did her wrong, but as we all know, things will always get complicated.  We see that there are actual feelings developing between them, both physically and emotionally and when things seem to be going her way, secrets are found out and htat makes it all the worse for them both.  i think that throughout the week long survival expedition that they are on we are always wondering who’s going to discover what’s going on and then we also wonder at the same time if Miranda will be able to get her revenge without getting hurt.

The path that the story goes on once they are back from the trip makes you wonder what’s real and what’s not.  We know that Miranda hasn’t told him that she’s moving away, and yet we also know that Dane isn’t telling his friends that he’s with her.  All that together makes it dynamic when Miranda does finally move away for her new job and leaves Dane to wonder what the heck is really going on.

Because it’s a sweet story – the ending that we get is exactly what we expect.  I think the right intentions are all there, but the build was maybe not nearly as dramatic as i would have hoped – knowing what i do from the other series from our author.

All in all, it’s sweet.  steamy and engaging from a passion standpoint which is another thing that we do know that we’ll get from Ms Clare.  But i feel like this was perhaps ‘average’ when the others have been ‘hit out of the park’ .  I’ll give the rest of the series a chance though, so i’ll track down book 2 soon and read it.  Have a great day all!

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