The Boyfriend Experience

Hard to Love - Kendall Ryan

3 STARS

 

This book had me at "... starring in adult movies". Who could resist THAT?! I've always been curious how such a story would go in a romantic setting without being hampered by depressing issues of infidelity, drugs, HIV, EMOTIONS... Sometimes, I just want to see some fluffilicious McLovin for the porn star with the heart of gold (in this case, with a cute sickly sister). This one has that in spades.

 

I loved Caden's character. Admittedly the cage-fighter slash adult entertainer slash CONSTRUCTION WORKER background is just begging to be ridiculed with girly giggles and knowing looks, I liked how well-fleshed he turned out: he's a confident young man burdened by the difficulty of making a life for him and his little sister. His reactions and his dialogue made all that believable. The author's writing was pretty tight, no wince-worthy moments and she kept things interesting.

 

My problem lay with Alexa. The entire Country Club scene.... I don't know if the author was intentionally making me HATE her. It made me think back how she ingratiated herself into Cade and Lily's lives and felt she was laying on the condescension pretty thick. There was a scene where she asked Cade to swipe her credit card for her and Lily's spa treatment because she had to buy cupcakes , that one bordered on insensitive and rude. And every time they got the sexytimes going on (which by the way, thumbs and toes up for hotness) I can't help but feel that's all she wants from her relationship with Caden.

 

Speaking of, the sex was great in terms of addressing issues I was really wondering about porn stars and how their job affects actual sexual relationships. That was very well done, I felt.