Losing It

Losing It
by Cora Carmack
Harper Collins, 2012
Format:  eBook
Audience:  18 and up
ISBN: 9780988393509
Publication Date:  December 5, 2013

Bliss Edwards is a senior in college and a virgin.  This is a huge problem that she plans to solve immediately so when she meets a dreamy British guy in a bar, she takes him home with intentions of having sex that night.  But she freaks out, something she does often in this book, and instead makes up something about picking up her cat, which is nonexistent.  But when she steps into class she finds her failed one night stand teaching.  The whole relationship between Bliss and her leading man Garrick is told in fits and starts wrapped up in the drama of the drama department and all the trappings that come from leaving college.  The series continues with Faking It.  

For having a cover and title like that, this book was actually a little more involved.  I would have liked some of the themes to be covered a little more thoroughly, like Bliss' relationship with her mother and her panic over finding a job, but at least it was mentioned and readers got a passing glance at what the last semester of college is all about.

Bliss is a mess of a character in a good way.  She's awkward and funny and likable.  The whole first episode in which she races out of her own apartment in a panic because she cannot have sex with Garrick is pretty funny.  And then she does have to get a cat to cover her lie, which is also an interesting scene.  More so interesting because of what she has to say to Cade, her male friend who is falling for her too.  Let that be a lesson to you ladies, guys love an awkward and goofy girl!

Garrick is painted a little too perfectly like most romance heroes.  But it's a romantic fantasy to fall for your hunky British professor and have him return the favor.  Plus again we are seeing an endlessly patient man taking his time with his love interest.  This professor - student relationship will be examined again tomorrow in that book.  I'm thinking that professor-student romance is it's own sub genre.

There are funny parts in this book, and there are some that make your eyes roll.  Like when Bliss throws an impromptu party at her place and everyone plays spin the bottle, and contracts mono.  Then of course Bliss has to tell Garrick that he might be infected too.  But luckily, he nurses her back to health, and she him and it's lovely if a little phlegmy.  This whole nursing-back-to-health theme will be explored tomorrow too now that I come to think of it.  I'm starting to develop a pretty good formula for New Adult Romance.  

Time for the Girls Test and Readability Scale.  This is probably my highest scorer on the Girls Test.  While Bliss is in college, she is independent and making mistakes and corrections along the way.  While the sex doesn't come until the end, there is still plenty of other action to add to the drama and I think that Girls fan just might approve of this series.

This is a pretty readable book.  There's some action, but there are other plot points that could support the book should all the steaminess disappear.  I would have still liked those other plot points to have a little more meat, but I'll take what I can get.  After the first few books that I read, this one at least had some substance.

One more NA review tomorrow and then I'll recap what I've learned.  I'm pretty excited to finish up New Adult Week.  I long to get back to fun middle grade books, maybe some graphic novels, heck, I'd take a heavy book club book right about now!

For a book with plenty of steam and a little bit of substance, check out Losing It.

Happy Reading!