Theo Prescott has been in love with his best friend for years but he won’t admit it to anyone, not even himself. His parents’ volatile marriage and emotional neglect of their children left him sour on relationships. He became a divorce lawyer himself to stop parents’ like his from using their children as pawns in divorce court so he has no idea what a healthy relationship looks like and seems to doubt they can even exist.
Lauren MacKinnon is Theo’s best friend and she’s equally head-over-heels for him, but she knows how he is about relationships so she’s content to be platonic besties, until she’s not. They both rationalize their avoidance by insisting that taking a chance on romance together would destroy their friendship. When a well-meaning mutual friend pushes them together on a double-date, sparks fly but not with their dates, so they’re forced to acknowledge their feelings.
Their chemistry is off the charts when they finally spend an amazing night together. Theo has minor surgery and, under the effects of anesthesia, reveals that he’s in love with Lauren, but doesn’t remember telling her afterward. Things are getting interesting at this point but then the action kind of stops. The rest of the story is just Theo telling himself he “can’t” date Lauren. There are no emotional examples of past broken hearts or funny stories about things that scared him off of dating, there’s just this same declaration over and over, like a broken record. The characters were likeable enough but we never get enough of Theo to really get invested in this character. Showing us anything more about him instead of just repetitive telling us this one thing would have brought so much depth to the character. Unfortunately, it’s an opportunity the author chose not to take. The second half of the book was boring. They’re together all the time so she believes he’s working past his hang-ups, until she overhears him telling someone they’re just friends.
This story was predictable but okay. The love scenes are super steamy but unfortunately, the character development isn’t nearly as detailed. I did finish it and I’m not sorry I read it but I don’t expect to continue the series because the author’s writing style just isn’t for me.
Stupid Love on Amazon
Stupid Love
by Tara Wyatt
The Prescotts book 1
Published 2020
The Prescotts book 1
The sexiest man Lauren MacKinnon knows also happens to be her best friend. He’s six-foot-four of masculine perfection. He’s smart, and funny, and has one of the biggest hearts around. And she has no idea that he’s completely in love with her.
Theo Prescott, however, is in denial. Or at least, he’s trying to be. See, he’s not exactly boyfriend material. After growing up in a volatile household and now as a successful divorce lawyer, not to mention his utterly disastrous dating track record, he’s come to accept the fact that he sucks at love, and he’s not willing to risk his friendship with Lauren. Who is gorgeous and awesome and probably perfect for him. But he’s terrified of breaking her heart. No matter his feelings, she’s his best friend, and that’s where she needs to stay.
Because there are rules that come with having a best friend. Rules like no kissing, no thinking about each other naked, no having sex. And no matter what, no falling in love.
But one by one, Theo and Lauren are going to break the rules . . .
