Rock Solid

I really enjoyed this series, and Connor might've just become my favorite guy from all the books.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram ( 3.5 stars)I received a copy of this novel in exchange for a review and blog tour. This does not effect my review in anyway, shape or form. You can find my entry for the blog tour, and the full review, here. Rock Solid was a total surprise! I didn't expect to be accepted into the blog tour but I am so glad I did because frankly, it was a treat to read the latest from Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde. They are SUCH a dynamic duo. I loved that the romance that blossomed between the two felt steamy yet undeniably familiar and a lot deeper than expected--seeing it told from rotating points of view makes the connection deeper between not only the characters, but the story and reader. We know the tropes of romance. It's either love at first sight, lust at first sight or loath at first sight. In the case of Rock Solid, it's the first two. I liked the contrast between the two characters and how the chemistry radiates off the pages and into the veins of the reader. Not many love stories do that for me but Rock Solid really played it heavy and smart--even in such a short time period. Something about this and the connection that Phillips and Wilde pen felt deeply satisfying and unexpected. Let's get to the basics: one night stand, eventual child, a chance at a new kind of love story. It has all the essentials for a romance novel--drama, sweetness and sexy times. I can't believe I just said the phrase sexy times but to be fair, Rock Solid is one giant sexy time and I'm actually a little distracted by it. I didn't expect to like or dislike Connor, for starters. I am used to a totally different archetype, re: male leads. So, I honestly had this idea in my head that I was going to indifferent and unattached to him, but he definitely has a way of warming your heart. Not a lot of men in romance novels are purely good (flaws and all) but Connor is one of the good guys. I liked that he had a different idea of how the night he shared with Katie was going to go because--it was refreshing to see a male character portrayed in such a decent light. (I usually dislike men in romance novels. Sure, the chemistry is often there--but douche-bags, can we not? So, thanks, ladies.) Of course, I loved and am partial to Katie as well. Like Connor, she's a good person. She has a lot more to her than I originally expected. Not that I had it in my mind that she was going to be lackluster, but her development really surprised me in a way that was different to Connor. You really feel for Katie. You want her to succeed in everything she does. You genuinely root for her in all the ways that matter for literary figures and okay, to be fair, I'm a total Katie stan. No shock there. She packs an emotional punch. Needless to say: you want Katie and Connor to be forever. Like, I don't say that a lot? Even about my OTPs? Because, well, it's not realistic. Even in fantasy and romance, it's just not. But you can't help but to want that for them throughout Rock Solid--starting four years ago in the narration to now. AND THE TODDLER. Let's not get into the darling, though. Because I don't want to spoil it for you guys. I will say this: MY HEART. My heart is all melted and and and... aw. I am not much of a kid person (I have the maternal instincts of a dirty shoelace) but even I have to admit... this little nugget is precious and there's something about them as a family unit that works. It moves you. Overall, the reason I rated it lower than a four is simply because (1) I wanted more and (2) I thought a bit more could have been done to confront/tackle various things vs. glossing them over. That being said, I genuinely enjoyed it and found myself swooning. I am definitely going to be purchasing the other books in the Book Boyfriend series--from what I understand, they are all perfectly good as standalones but there was something so beautiful about Rock Solid, that I want to read something similar. It's the perfect book to unwind with this holiday season. So snuggle up. Open your heart. And remember, it's okay to have book boyfriends.