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Review

4.5 ‘Oh Simon, how I love you!’ stars

I am a mad fan of Alice Clayton. She manages to write the perfect blend of romance and comedy to give us sensational books as well as fabulous and loveable characters. Wallbanger is an all-time fave of mine and made me fall in instant love with Simon and Caroline, and while I was a little nervous about them getting another book when the last one finished so well, I’m happy to say that Alice didn’t go down the all-too-often used route of unnecessary angst or drama for the sake of another book. Instead, we get to see the natural progression of their relationship – the laughter, the sweet moments, the hotness – OMG, so much hotness!!! – them dealing with every day life, careers, friends, arguments and moving forward, and then more laughs, sweet moments and hotness. WIN!

Simon and Caroline are still crazy in love.

Fucking gorgeous man. And the best part? The way he looked at me. Like I was the prettiest girl in the room.
“Hey, baby.”
The man was a poet.
“Hey.”
I was too.

They are happily living their lives – Simon is still flying all over the world as a photographer, and Caroline is working hard at her friend, Jillian’s interior design company. Their relationship is mostly long distance, but they make do with daily phone calls and lots of sexting, and of course Simon comes home often, and when he does…. DAYUM!

He lifted his head and opened his eyes. Singularly focused, dark, and of one mind-set.
Simon was about to fuck.

This book is full of hotness! Waaaaay more sex than Wallbanger, and OMG, Simon is so freaking sexy!

Dirty talk is an art. Do it too often, it becomes routine. Never do it, and you’re missing something. Simon did it just right. He was like a perfect bowl of smutty porridge: just right.

Think I even noticed that I had a forehead full of sofa? Hell no, I had a Wallbanger kneeling between my legs.

The story follows them through a period of transition of sorts, as Caroline’s career starts to soar right at the same time that Simon starts to realise what he’s looking for in life. And while there is some conflict, it’s minimal, and there is no stupid from either of them. And I must say, I love that Alice Clayton didn’t turn it into a non-communicative drama-fest. There’s stuff going on, the issues are realistic, and I could completely empathise with what both of them were feeling. Yes, there is a little bit of drama, but they deal with it all together rationally and functionally – and in their own style.

“So what do we do next? Y’know, as people in a relationship after they’ve solved a conflict.”
“Pretty sure a blow job should follow this,” he said seriously.

There is a secondary storyline woven into the story featuring their friends (Caroline’s two best friends hooked up with Simon’s two best friends in the last book) and there is romantic drama going on there, and while some of that behaviour was a bit annoying, it was also really funny, and the way it affected the whole group was, again, realistic but hilarious. And the text messages between the group were absolute gold! And, of course, Clive the entitled cat very much makes his presence felt, and I love the way both Simon and Caroline dote over him.

So yeah, while this book isn’t a necessary part of Simon and Caroline’s story – Wallbanger finished off beautifully after all – I loved getting the opportunity to see them living out their HEA. I thought the progression of their relationship was absolutely gorgeous, and I loved every minute of it.

“I don’t want to put things off, even though we haven’t been together a really long time. I don’t want to wait – you never know what can…Look. I adore you, and I want a home. Again. With you.”
That did it. Cue the waterworks.
“You’re killing me, Simon.” I sniffled, tears and nose beginning to run.
“I know. I’m very cute when I’m vulnerable.”

The story is funny, it’s sexy, and it’s beautifully romantic. I loved it!

4.5 stars.