Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: The Dating Alternative
Author(s): Jennifer Woodhull
Character(s):
― Sabrina “Brie” Ball: Brunette/Black, Green Eyed
― Alexander “Max” MacCallum: Brunette, Brown Eyed
Setting: N/A
Tag(s): Romance, Contemporary
Content Rating: R
POV: Alternates between Heroine/Hero
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “She’s a drug, and the more I’m exposed to her, the more addicted I become.”
― “You look beautiful… sexy… and you have my full attention. You always will when we’re together, I promise.”
― “It isn’t an arrangement. It’s so much more.”
― “I’ll be good to you. I’ll never hurt you—never betray you. I want everything though. I could fall for you, Sabrina. Maybe I already have. If we’re going to keep seeing each other, I need to know you’re all mine.”
― “If you’re with me, I plan to make every guy you’ve ever known look like a total asshole. I’m going to sweep you off your feet, Cheese. I plan to ruin you for all other men.”
Overall Opinion:
Three weeks shy of her wedding, Brie is left heartbroken after her fiance ends the engagement and leaves her for a ‘tan goddess’ he had met one month prior. After six months of picking up the broken pieces and her crushed self-esteem, she ultimately decides to try the whole friends with benefits with Max, the local bartender whom she always had a flirty past with.

Their timing was never right so when Max discovers that they are both finally single at the same time, he leaps in heart first ready to win her over even despite her swearing off all relationships and not looking for anything more than a casual fling. Agreeing to her rules of not asking for more, it starts as an arrangement but when Max realized his feelings for her are lot more than he anticipated, he’s doing everything in his power to win her over. But would Brie see this more than an arrangement? Will she finally allow her heart to open up to him? Only time will tell.

Overall, it was a enjoyable read and the lead characters were phenomenal. Nana and Simon, the secondary characters, added additional humor to the story (fingers cross Simon will have his own series too). With the leads strong connection and great chemistry, you can’t help but root for their happily ever after. It was a quick fun read and the twist at the end was unexpected! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking a book filled with great banter, hot scenes, and seconds chances.

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I loved this book so much that I read it in one sitting. Max is adorable!! The perfect book boyfriend in every way. Brie...well she's sweet and sassy at all the right moments with a hint of commitment phobia and utter distrust to round things out!



Max has been crushing on Brie for years; their timing has always been off. First, she was dating his friend--ok sorda of a friend. He was...ok anyway, one of them have always been in a relationship while the other was single. Brie is no longer engaged and neither is he. We will not discuss his trainwreck of an ex. But he would never cheat like Brie's ex did. He thought about it--with Brie. Never, ever acted upon it. He is going to do everything possible to keep the girl he has been drooling, worshiping, and dreaming about for the last five years. None of that will matter if he can't get her to see how much he cares for her. He will even enter into a friends with benefits agreement to get her and hopefully try to convince her how much he loves her.

What guy dates while engaged to someone else? Oh yeah, my douchebag ex who told me weeks! Yes, weeks before our wedding. Who has to cancel of this wedded bliss--yelp you guessed. Is it bad that the only thing I truly miss is sex? How hard is it just to punch the O card? I tried the app...epic fail. If it wasn't for Max who knows what would've happened? Max...he's always been there. Sometimes to fill up my drinks at our favorite watering hole, other times a New Year's Eve dance that I shouldn't've accepted--you know, because I was dating his friend. Water under the bridge. Anyway. I just need a release. Surprise, surprise, Max offered to help. A standing Sunday date to punch that big O in. Now, to keep my heart tightly protected so Max doesn't break me like the douchebag did. ( )