Throb
By Vi Keeland
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
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Teasers
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Synopsis
Author's note - Throb is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Star Rating
(3.75 Stars)
Review
I am a fan of Vi
Keeland. When she writes a book, I plan to read it. Some, I've adored. Some
I've just liked. This was definitely a like, opposed to love but yes, I liked
it. I hovered around 3.5 vs. 4 stars as I read it and in the end I just needed
to compromise on 3.75 stars.
Throb is about a
reality television series named ironically, Throb. There is a rock star (kinda
delicious by the way) named Flynn (who is getting his own book this spring). It's
basically a The Bachelor show with the bachelor being Flynn. One of the lovely
ladies is Kate, our heroine. Flynn really likes her and as delicious as he is,
Kate just isn't quite there.
Our Kate tried out
for the show as a possible way to solve a family debt problem. She knows if she makes it to the final four,
it's a Band-Aid toward the debt but she'll need to keep working toward a
solution. If she wins, it's a problem solved.
When she was chosen to compete, she agreed to No Dating, No Sex outside
of the Game, and No Disclosing the Terms of the Contract. She's single so... no
problem...right? But then she never
counted on meeting Cooper.
Cooper is a dynamic
executive within the production company sponsoring the reality show. He meets
Kate over a poker game with old friends
(without knowing who she is) and is delighted with her. And Cooper is
not the type of guy to take no for an answer...
"Listen, I'd
love to take you to dinner." "Dinner?" "You left me a couple of bucks, figured
I'd like spending them on you as much as I liked losing them to you." "You liked losing to me?" I
contemplate the question for the moment.
"Oddly, yes. Which is
strange because I hate to lose." "I'm guessing it doesn't happen
often." "What?
Losing?" She nods. "No,
actually. It doesn't. I tend to go after what I want until I
win." Our eyes lock on each other,
something passing between the two of us, a thick tension swirls in the
air. "So...dinner?" Kate smiles, but the uptick at the corners of
her mouth quickly turns down. "I
can't." She looks hesitant, but
offers no further explanation. "I
had fun tonight." ... I lift her hand to my mouth. My lips brush the top lightly, my tongue
sneaking out to fleetingly touch her skin.
The brief contact stirs an ache inside me. This woman tugs at something - more than
arousal - something that makes me want to slow down time just to spend a few
more minutes standing here. "Did
you just..." she stammers a bit.
"Did I just what?" She
squints at me. "You know."
"Do I?" I felt your
tongue on my hand. You...you licked
me." .... "I wouldn't say licked, maybe just a little
taste." "So you tasted
me?" My entire body suddenly has
interest in this conversation. "I
suppose I did. But it wasn't nearly
enough. That brings us back to my
invitation for dinner. Tomorrow night?" "I can't."...
Kate has a
dilemma. She likes Cooper a lot. But
according to the rules of the contract she signed when agreeing to do the show,
outside relationships are forbidden, but...some rules are meant to be broken,
right?... He family is in a pretty desperate situation so she must remain on
the show. But her heart is calling out
to Cooper and it's a pull too strong to completely resist. She begins seeing
Cooper anyway in secret and tries to keep it quiet. It becomes increasingly
hard for Cooper to deal with Kate being seen with Flynn and things become
strained...
"It's
intolerable," he says with a breath of frustration..."Seeing him
touch you." A few seconds of
silence pass as I internally debate how to respond. "I'm sorry." "You looked happy." There's an ache in my chest. "I am happy. You
make me happy." "Then I
should be the one on the receiving end of your smile." "You are." "I wasn't this afternoon."...
Kate is trying to do
the right thing, she's trying to help her family, and she's just a kind person.
Cooper, on the other hand, has never had a serious relationship in his
life. Remember the way you acted when
you were in middle school or a few years before or after that and you had your
first crush? Remember you probably didn't always act rationally around that
person and about that person? This is
what Cooper reminded me of. He was like
a boy with his first crush but as an adult with money. I felt for him,
sometimes I even liked him. But there
were times when I just kind of rolled my eyes and wanted to tell him to grow
up. This is why the 3.75 stars rather than a solid 4. There were times when I
just didn't want to hear any more of his thoughts (this book is told in
alternate POVs). You know, when you want to take a man aside and tell him to
grow the hell up and "just support your woman instead of adding to her
stress?" That being said, I did enjoy this book enough to still recommend
it. Just know the guy is in the throws of learning what it means to have his
heart involved for the first time and leads to a couple of decisions that will
make you roll your eyes.
Flynn's book this
spring should be awesome. He's a bit more evolved in a lot of ways than Cooper
(at least that's the impression I got from reading this story). Vi
Keeland is really a good author but there are just some characters we aren't
completely crazy about and that's what I felt here. However, if an author can
inspire eye-rolling emotions, she's doing a pretty good job, right?
Purchase Throb Here:
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