Book: Intoxicated (Felony Romance #1)
Author: Jeana E. Mann
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Adult Fiction
Rating: 3.8/5 stars
**Quick thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review**
Ally Taylor is an uptight accountant by day and a free spirit by night. Working an office job isn’t the most thrilling profession she could’ve chosen for herself, but it’s what she has been dealt and she’s not complaining. To keep it interesting, she finds herself wandering over to local bar Felony that has a well known reputation for heavy metal and a lot of fighting. Does it stop her? Nope.
Meet Jack Jameson. He’s hot, has tattoos, and works at Felony. He’s known for showing a lot of love to the ladies but not being able to stay very long to build anything of substance with them. In walks Ally for the night and he decides that tonight is the night he does. The real question is, can these two put aside their different lifestyles and find the chemistry that they know stirs between them?
The answer is yes. Between Ally’s uptight attitude and Jack’s self admitted asshole one, we have two characters who are either going to have one great hook up or a handful of them. Either way, they’re going to hook up. You know it, I know it, anyone can tell. And if you couldn’t, you do by the second chapter after they hook up at the bar. After seeing her ex, she has this new mentality of saying “fuck it” and going with her gut. This time her gut said to follow the hot bartender she has been eyeing and see what he has to offer. They have some hot, steamy making out going on and before you know it, it’s over. You know what isn’t over? Brian. Apparently he feels the need to be protective even though he cheated on her…………… WITH HER BEST FRIEND? UHHH HI ASSHOLE. GO AWAY.
So it isn’t enough that this guy cheated on her, no way…. Instead of letting her live her life, he says she was a pity fuck for the bartender and just throws insults out like he’s the one that was hurt. SOME. NERVE. She owes you nothing.
Leave. Now.
We also get introduced to Chelsea’s name who we learn later is his ex-wife who needs assistance too. Jack doesn’t give her the time of day though and sends her on her way when she comes too close.
Jack and Ally still haven’t come to an agreement on what they’re doing together. Jack wants to hook up with her, Ally thinks she’s better than that. In the midst of deciding, Jack shows up to her office with lunch and this turns into a tradition. How sweet is he, am I right?
Even though we know how much he wishes he were doing other things, he isn’t very overbearing in his quest to get her to agree to his offer. He just does things to make her comfortable, not intimidated. Given his character description, it isn’t what you expect but it is enjoyable.
Speaking of enjoyable…… HE SAYS ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. I just swoon every damn time.
I’m not one for long quotes in my reviews but:
“Look. I’ve never really been good at beating around the bush, so I’m going to be straight up with you.” He shifted to face her. “I want you. I’ve wanted you from the first time you walked into my bar. I’ve been watching you and thinking that you would never give me the time of day. Hell, just sitting here with you is a dream come true. And if that’s all I can have, then I’m fine with that. But I would give anything to spend the night in your bed.”
How could you not comment on this. It was one of my favourite lines of his. He was blunt and straightforward. He knew what he wanted and he outright told her in a way that gets it off of his chest but isn’t degrading or crude. HE WAS JUST VERY GENUINE AND I LOVED IT.
After this you can already imagine they have awesome sex and you know there isn’t any going back for either of them – despite their best efforts.
One thing they really need to do, and needed to do throughout the entire book, was learn how to read each other. Both thought this was a one and done, but if someone had just OPENED THE HOLE IN THEIR FACE THAT GOD GAVE THEM, THEY WOULD’VE KNOWN THE OTHER’S FEELINGS.
Ugh so DUMB.
Her mother was awful. I’m sorry I know alcohol abuse is awful and I feel for anyone who is suffering from it or has dealt with it directly, but this girl has had it tough man. Her mom humiliated her in front of all her classmates and threw up on the teacher? And then she’s coming back and has the nerve tow want to see her? I would’ve been mad. Especially because it’s her MOM. I can’t imagine ever turning away from mine so I understand why it was hard for her.
What I loved about Jack’s character was that he wasn’t some guy who dropped out of school and was trying to just make cash in some way. He cared about his job, he had a kid he was trying to fight for, and he was responsible. He was also very wise. He had a bunch of life lessons that he would give Ally and just applied all of his life experiences to help others. I honestly really liked his character. Was he book boyfriend worthy? No. But he was sweet and sexy and I had no complaints about that.
He basically has a heart attack when Ally is trampled in Felony and is so attentive with her.
Okay…. When they share their stories about their parents, and Ally stupidly lies about her mom, I wanted to shove her. WHY LIE? I don’t see the point. Just tell him the truth… why is it such a difficult concept to grasp?
CAN WE TALK ABOUT DRUNK JACK DRESSING ALLY? THE MOST INTIMATE AND SLIGHTLY EROTIC THING HE COULD DO?
He literally picked her clothes for her and physically helped her put them on one by one. Drunk Jack is my fave. I don’t know why but it was just a turn on and one of my favourite scenes in a book.
Jack and Ally bring out the best in one another. Jack shows Ally that the life she has been living hasn’t been living at all and Ally makes Jack want to figure out everything and be good enough for her. They really complimented and balanced each other out. I didn’t like how they didn’t communicate with each other and had a lot of secrets. Jack isn’t even divorced yet…. How is he not telling his currently girlfriend the truth? How do you not see a mess being made from that?!?!???
Speaking of wife, have I mentioned I hated Chelsea? No? Well I do. Chelsea is Jack’s crazy ex wife who doesn’t know how to let him go. She shows up at the bar and spills the beans and Jack is left with this mess that honestly, could’ve been avoided. Ally sits in her shower and SOBS. Fully fledged sobbing. Karly, her best friend that DIDN’T go behind her back and hook up with her boyfriend, comes to comfort her after Jack tells her what happened. I’m really glad that they found this friendship again. Especially after Ally’s history with friends, it was nice to see her have a genuinely great friend.
Overall, I enjoyed most of this book. I would be giving it a much high rating but I did not like the ending at all because it didn’t feel like a proper ending. WHO IS THE BABY DADDY OF CHELSEA’S BABY? I NEED ANSWERS!! I also didn’t like the fact that Ally had the weakest confrontation with Chelsea. It ended so quickly and it wasn’t even satisfying. I think the strongest point in the ending was Ally coming to terms with her feelings for Jack. Their relationship was so cute, but it had a lot of flaws. I know it’s supposed to be a series though, so I had hoped that the next book or novella would answer everything but nOPE. NOTHING IS LEFT FOR JACK AND ALLY. Aside from the ending though, it was a good book. I just wasn’t prepared for the underwhelming end to the story.
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