Just One Look by Joan Reeves

Though it has what might seem a somewhat cliché premise, Just One Look by Joan Reeves was a surprisingly fun and flirty romantic comedy that was hard to put down. The story starts off with prim Jennifer waiting in her gynecologist’s office. A short backstory about a jilting in high school and a broken heart leads to the unsurprising entrance of said love, Dr. Matt Penrose. From there a web of deception, romance and hijinks bring these two together.

Cover Art: 2 Stars
I really hate to be so harsh on the cover, but there are several reasons behind this. First, I feel that the art is more reminiscent of erotica than a fluffy romantic comedy with sexual encounters. Also, I just think that it is a very boring cover. The lettering is way too stylized, and the blurb is entirely too prominent. I feel the book would have been better serviced with something portraying the comedy in the book as well as the romantic setting.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Jennifer and Matt are both character that the reader can easily get behind. Both have their own individual qualities that make them appealing. I think my only problem was that there really wasn’t a lot of effort spent on character development. I liked both of the characters, but in the end, I’m not so certain I really knew them, which was a shame since both were really fun to read.

Plot: 4 Stars
I was really surprised to find this book was not as corny as it first appeared. There is a certain pattern in romance books generally expected, but it’s the way the author takes the reader from point A to point B that really matters. I loved that this book evolved along the way. At first, it seemed like it would be more along the wham bam thank you ma’am lines. Instead, I was treated to this great sexual buildup that lead to an explosive end. I loved that, and unlike the trend I’ve been seeing lately in contemporary romances, the author actually spent some time on the buildup. This is a common complaint I have with a number of books. The “deed” is done within the first few chapters, and I’m left wondering why I should keep reading.

The only major issue I have with the plot is the believability of the back story. Yes, it makes sense that she would be upset, but it seems so strange that Jennifer would still be carrying that sort of baggage. Given all the anger she feels, it seems like she should have suffered something much worse than she did. In the end, she moved so she really didn’t even have to deal with the aftermath. It just seemed like too long a time to nurse a broken heart.

Writing: 4.5 Stars

This book is well written. It’s not often that I read without finding issues, but I was only able to spot two actual errors. The story has nice movement, and the progression worked well. There were a few times when the wording didn’t flow as well as the rest of the book but was able to overlook since the issues were minor.

Overall: 4 Stars
Although the story followed the formulaic style of many other contemporary romances, there was enough flare for it to stand out. I liked it so much I was willing sacrifice sleep for it, and from a mom that’s about as much a compliment as you can get. There were some issues with character development, and I really didn’t like the cover but the story was fun. And sometimes fun is exactly what we need.

Happy reading!
My indie, my tea and me