Sweet (True Believers #2) by Erin McCarthy

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents’ constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house.

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself.

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her…

Type: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Heat: 3 out of 5 (though not much)
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon All Romance Goodreads

If ever there was someone that could win me over the New Adult genre it's Erin McCarthy. And damn but she did it again with Sweet and two awesomely amazing characters that try their damnedest to ignore each other, bicker like hell and mercilessly tease each other when they just can't pull it off. And suddenly having to live together for a week definitely makes for an...interesting few days.

"I think it will be good for you guys," Kylie said, an eternal optimist. Or suffering from massive delusions. "You can become better friends this way."

"Maybe we don't want to become friends," Riley told her. "Maybe we like not liking each other."

I almost laughed. There was a certain truth to that.

It was so much fun watching Riley and Jessica together.They aren't the most romantic of sorts or soft and cuddly. They're both. Not abrasive or hard but I don't even know how to explain it. They're just them with no frilly bits and are so brutally honest and upfront with each other. Might not sound like it would work but damn the chemistry between them and how well they really fit each other was amazing.

Neither of them have had the easiest lives. Their families are broken and difficult and have really made them into masters at hiding and bottling up their emotions. I loved that they both change during the story. Really change and grow and just become better people because of their time together.

Riley's never really let anyone in. He doesn't have many friends and pretty much lives to take care of his brothers and give them a better life. And I loved that Jessica wormed her way in to his heart. That he did start to open up and share and even if he's kind of an ass sometimes and sarcastic as hell he's pretty incredible and does some really sweet things that had me completely melting over his sexy ass.

And Jessica. She's been sheltered and forced her whole life to be someone she's not by her parents--who are just, well, I don't know that there are words strong enough to express how much I hated these two-- and she's finally taking control and making her own decisions. They aren't always the right ones but they're hers and it was such a big step for her and great to see her come into her own.

Now, the steamy bits. Alright, sex was interesting here. Because he wants to wait. Different, right? And he's really serious about it. He wants it to mean something before they take that step. To respect and cherish her and not just be another body. I don't know, as much as I love my steamy get-right-to-it reads I really enjoyed the change of pace. There's not much going on steamy-wise for most of the book because of it but it worked and when it does finally happen. Wow. The two really were just great together.

While there's a nice secondary storyline concerning Riley's little brothers--which omg broke my heart for him--most of the story is just Riley and Jessica being Riley and Jessica. There were so many bust out laughing moments between them but just as many make you hold your breath moments that had me falling for them completely. McCarthy's really created a great little world with this series. It's a bit gritty and life isn't always pretty or easy but that doesn't stop them from really embracing life and finding amazing and touching happily ever afters.

Have you read Erin McCarthy? Have a favorite of hers?

Do you like New Adult?