Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

"I realized that the one person who could break my heart

is the only one who should have it."

"You had me at Shit Happens."

I think I am betraying the 27 books that I’ve read for my so-called Reading Challenge plus the other books that I’ve read after that, for writing a review of this book first. It’s just that I’m at home on a 2-day holiday and I’ve just finished reading the novel. I was such in good spirits after I turned the last page that I decided to open my laptop and start writing this review.

The Blurb: 

No woman could resist him—except the one he wanted most...

Cool, Calm, Collected...

Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan. In the courtroom she never lets the opposition see her sweat. In her personal life, she never lets any man rattle her—not even her cheating ex-fiancé. So when she's assigned to coach People's "Sexiest Man Alive" for his role in his next big legal thriller, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob's charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

Confident, Famous, Irresistible...

Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he's thrown for a loop. She's unlike any other woman he's ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She's the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize she may just be his perfect match.

From: Goodreads.com

IMO:

It’s quite refreshing to read a novel not from the first person POV again. I’ve been reading quite a number of YA and contemporary novels and most of them are in first person POV. Reading the words I Or My gets tiring after some time.

I also find it interesting that readers get to know the thoughts of some of the minor characters. It’s the one thing that I haven’t seen done often in a novel like this. Mostly, they stick to the lead characters.

Jason Andrews is the hottest thing in Hollywood right now. His movies are all sold out and People Magazine named him “The Sexiest Man Alive” for the third time. His fans and the paparazzi cannot get enough of him. Not to mention the women too. A tabloid just recently published an article about him and his so-called women.

Taylor Donovan is a smart, hardworking lawyer from Chicago currently in the middle of a sexual harassment case that brought her to Los Angeles. She knows the case is all under the control but that doesn’t mean she wants to babysit a spoiled actor (who wants to learn how to be a lawyer for his next film) as a favor to her boss. But she’s just an associate so no luck in trying to turn down the project.

Jason’s the stereotypical Hollywood brat. Spoiled and obviously used to getting what he wants. It was kind of hard to believe for him that someone will actually not answer his calls and will turn him down when he wants to meet up. There was even a scene in the book where he asks the female lead, “do you know who I am?” But aside from that, he is also funny (the bar scene when he was playing darts comes to mind) and loyal to people close to him.

I really like Taylor’s character. She’s driven but not to the point of distraction. I like that she wasn’t taken with Jason’s golden boy persona and managed to snark at him and also to treat him normal. Her backstory provided the reason why she’s cautious but thankfully, we didn’t see the past coming to the present. I was kind of expecting the ex-fiancee to pop up somewhere in the story and already hating that idea. How the writer used another means for Jason to learn about it was executed very well.

I like the minor characters in this book, like Jason’s friend Jeremy and Taylor’s friends, Valerie and Kate. Scott is devious and insecure but I like the contrast with Jason’s character to him.

The book is oozing with unresolved sexual tension all throughout the story but that didn’t happen until the last two chapters and they weren’t detailed. Some might like more heated moments but I found the whole scenario cute and endearing and I’m just glad that finally they’re together.

Conclusion:

It was definitely a fun read. The story is well-written and readers will certainly root for Jason and Taylor to be together. The last two chapters of the book are bordering on cheesy but are simply delightful.

A- 

*pic from Goodreads