Latest Read: Frigid

Here are the basics ...
Frigid by J.Lynn / Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: July 30, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Category: New Adult - Contemporary
Source: Received ARC at BEA

Summary: Twenty-one-year-old Sydney and Kyler have been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell hard for him. The problem is Kyler has never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love. Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's everything but he's always hidden away his feelings or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have. But when they're stranded together at a ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. (Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

The good: I have something to admit to you all - I secretly read a lot of New Adult. Surprising, right? I never review them on here because honestly 99% of the time they're terrible. But I always get sucked into the high (and totally misleading) ratings on GoodReads, not to mention they're usually less than $2 on Amazon. How can I resist? I consider them a guilty pleasure, almost like a train wreck that you can't look away from. And they pretty much all have the same plot - the seemingly bad boy with a tragic past, the innocent girl also with a tragic past and romance (plus a lot of supposed sexy times) ensues. It's way too much drama filled with dislikable characters. SO WHY DO I KEEP READING THEM?

Because I want to find the good ones! I believe they're out there and I have found a couple. First, Wait for You by Jennifer L. Armentrout / J. Lynn and now her other New Adult book, Frigid. Which I liked even more because the characters and plot strayed from the NA norm (not completely but enough!). I don't think it's a coincidence that the two NA books I've enjoyed the most so far are by this author. She knows how to write relatable female characters, hot guys and the kind of chemistry that just smolders.

Frigid alternates point-of-views between best friends Sydney and Kyler. Sydney is the girl-next-door type and while she has had a serious boyfriend before, it's never compared to her feelings for Kyler, who she's been in love with practically all her life. Then Kyler is this fiercely loyal, protective friend to Sydney and... kind of a man-whore. The thing is, even as he's hooking up with a different girl constantly, no one has ever compared to Sydney who he feels is just too good for him. I love romances where it's two best friends who belong together. And everyone knows it except the two of them. They're so oblivious to how the other feels! Or they would have completely different interpretations of the same moment or conversation (I could so relate!). Part of the fun (and hotness) was watching these two come together and figure it all out. I gotta give Sydney major points though - for someone who thinks she's boring, she takes some pretty big risks! Ones that definitely pay off. It's a very straight-forward plot but it's truly the characters that make the book.

(Minor) reservations: There's a minor sub-plot that seemed a little far-fetched to me. I could have done without it but it doesn't take up too much of the book so it didn't really bother me. I just didn't think the book needed it.

Do I recommend?: Yes! If you want something that's a quick read, sexy and has likable characters, pick this up! And if you miss winter (which if you do, you are crazy!), this does take place around Christmas time.

Happy reading!