Readers will find this romantic tale of a nerdy girl finding love unexpectedly a delightfully entertaining read. Keep reading to learn my impressions of Her Winning Formula by Shannyn Schroeder, the third book in the Hot & Nerdy series. You'll also get a glimpse of the heroine from Ms. Schroeder and can learn even more about this book by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $10 bookstore GC and print copies of the first two books in this series.
Learning to Flirt..........
As easy as it was for me to write my heroine Felicity because of her social awkwardness, it was hard to figure out how to teach her to flirt. You see, I’ve been married a long time (almost 19 years) and we dated for years prior to getting married. Without doing all the math, let’s just say it’s been a long time since I’ve actively flirted. And even when I was at a point in my life where flirting should’ve been the norm, I wasn’t good at it.
Socially inept like Felicity, remember?
So I had to figure out the nuts and bolts of flirting. Of course, I went to the Internet. (Where else do you get good dating tips?) I pored over articles about what to do and not do and how to show you’re interested. I pulled from them the things that popped up repeatedly. And although they’re really common sense things, I believe they work.
Once I had these small things chosen, I needed to put them into a plan, a formula, so to speak, so Felicity would have a tool to memorize.
Lucas tells Felicity the key to flirting is EAST:
E – eye contact “In general, that will be enough of an invitation for a guy if he’s looking.”
A – attention “You need to really pay attention when a guy talks to you… First, when he approaches, angle your body toward him. Show him you’re open to his approach. When he introduces himself, he’ll probably lead with a question, like asking your name. I know you can handle the Q and A from there. I watched you do it at the wedding.”
S – smile “Offer a smile. A real one. Laugh at jokes he makes. We all like to think we’re funny.”
T – touch “Then when it’s comfortable, touch him innocently. I’m not talking about a grope session… Touch his arm, brush your hand against his as you reach for your drink, that kind of thing.”
After the quick lesson, Lucas has Felicity put it into action. At first, her nervousness and lack of confidence prevent her from finding success, but some more practice with Lucas fixes it all.
Chemistry major Felicity Stone can tell you everything about the way chemicals interact, but when it comes to social interaction, she needs schooling. Abandoned by her friends, Felicity is faced with spending spring break alone—unless she accepts a gorgeous stranger’s invitation to pose as his girlfriend at a family wedding. Not one to turn down a research opportunity, Felicity never expected it to produce such breathtaking results…
Teacher and baseball coach Lucas Tanner is fascinated by Felicity’s potent mix of spirit and scientist, not to mention her delicious curves. When Felicity asks him to return the favor by teaching her how to pick up guys, he can’t refuse—but he’s not at all happy with the idea of her using a formula for flirting on anyone but him. Can he convince her that together they have the perfect chemistry?
EXCERPT:
Felicity was beginning to think this trip was cursed.
Lucas stood there staring at her, then he sighed. “Take my car. I can have someone from my family come get me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can. I’m probably going to be at the hotel most of the time.” He leaned over the counter and flashed a sexy smile at the clerk. “You can change that reservation, right? I’d like to give my friend Felicity here my car.”
The girl’s face brightened. “Of course, we can do that.”
Felicity pulled out her credit card. “Thank you.”
Lucas had stepped away from the counter and pulled out his phone. She watched him and knew she should do or say something. Thank you didn’t quite cut it. She thought about Layla and Charlie and even her mother and what they would do in this situation. “Don’t call your family. I’ll take you to your hotel.”
“You sure?”
“It doesn’t make sense for someone to drive thirty miles to get here and then have to turn back. It’s the least I can do.” She signed the paperwork, and they walked outside to get the car. Felicity slid her sunglasses on her face as Lucas stowed their bags in the trunk. He climbed in beside her, looking no more comfortable than he had on the plane. “I’m a safe driver.”
He jiggled the handle to adjust the seat and shoved it back to allow more legroom, and then he relaxed. He typed his hotel information into the onboard GPS, and Felicity began driving. Lucas made call after call while they drove. From what she could hear, he’d been roped into taking care of a bunch of wedding details, but nothing seemed to bother him.
When he finally clicked his phone off and tucked it back in his pocket, she knew she should say something.
“Sorry for all the calls. My family was a little panicked that I wasn’t going to make it on time.”
“Okay.” In the silence, she thought about what she’d wanted to get out of this vacation, besides time with her two closest and oldest friends. She wanted to have fun. She’d been counting on Layla and Charlie to help with that. It was bad enough that Charlie refused the trip, but now Layla was late. As they neared Lucas’s hotel, she blurted, “Okay, I’ll go to the wedding with you.”
“You make it sound like it might be torture.”
She laughed. “After you see me in a big crowd, you might think that way too.”
“It’ll be fun.”
Ha! Volunteering to put herself into a group of people she didn’t know didn’t sound fun at all, but being with Lucas did. He made her laugh, which was something she didn’t get from most guys.
***
Lucas relaxed his shoulders. He had a date for the wedding. This would be perfect. Felicity would be able to keep Becky from clawing at him, and he might actually have a shot of enjoying this week.
Felicity pulled up in front of his hotel. “Give me a call and let me know what time I should be here tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? No, I need you now.”
Her eyes widened, and he realized how his words sounded. “I mean, there’s rehearsal in a couple of hours and then dinner after. My family will expect my date to be there. Plus, you’ll need a crash course on me and my family if we’re going to pull this off.”
Felicity’s brows furrowed, and a cute wrinkle waved along her forehead. “Pull this off? I thought you just needed a date.”
He released a slow breath. “I need a date to keep my ex away. If she knows we just met on the plane, it’ll be like waving a red cape at a bull. She needs to think we’re in a relationship.”
Felicity swallowed hard.
“We don’t need to make them believe we’re getting married or anything, just dating, but that means we need to know about each other.”
“But…but I have to check in at my hotel.”
“Call and tell them you’ll be late. You can go there after dinner tonight.” Lucas waited patiently, like he did in the classroom when a student needed time to develop an answer.
Felicity faced forward, staring out the windshield, looking like she was carrying on a conversation in her head. She blew out a breath and shook her head. “Fine. Get the bags from the trunk and I’ll park. I need to change before dinner.”
“Thanks. I could kiss you.”
She turned, and one eyebrow arched up above her sunglasses. “Is that part of our deal?”
He smiled. “Only if you want it to be.”
Lucas stood there staring at her, then he sighed. “Take my car. I can have someone from my family come get me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can. I’m probably going to be at the hotel most of the time.” He leaned over the counter and flashed a sexy smile at the clerk. “You can change that reservation, right? I’d like to give my friend Felicity here my car.”
The girl’s face brightened. “Of course, we can do that.”
Felicity pulled out her credit card. “Thank you.”
Lucas had stepped away from the counter and pulled out his phone. She watched him and knew she should do or say something. Thank you didn’t quite cut it. She thought about Layla and Charlie and even her mother and what they would do in this situation. “Don’t call your family. I’ll take you to your hotel.”
“You sure?”
“It doesn’t make sense for someone to drive thirty miles to get here and then have to turn back. It’s the least I can do.” She signed the paperwork, and they walked outside to get the car. Felicity slid her sunglasses on her face as Lucas stowed their bags in the trunk. He climbed in beside her, looking no more comfortable than he had on the plane. “I’m a safe driver.”
He jiggled the handle to adjust the seat and shoved it back to allow more legroom, and then he relaxed. He typed his hotel information into the onboard GPS, and Felicity began driving. Lucas made call after call while they drove. From what she could hear, he’d been roped into taking care of a bunch of wedding details, but nothing seemed to bother him.
When he finally clicked his phone off and tucked it back in his pocket, she knew she should say something.
“Sorry for all the calls. My family was a little panicked that I wasn’t going to make it on time.”
“Okay.” In the silence, she thought about what she’d wanted to get out of this vacation, besides time with her two closest and oldest friends. She wanted to have fun. She’d been counting on Layla and Charlie to help with that. It was bad enough that Charlie refused the trip, but now Layla was late. As they neared Lucas’s hotel, she blurted, “Okay, I’ll go to the wedding with you.”
“You make it sound like it might be torture.”
She laughed. “After you see me in a big crowd, you might think that way too.”
“It’ll be fun.”
Ha! Volunteering to put herself into a group of people she didn’t know didn’t sound fun at all, but being with Lucas did. He made her laugh, which was something she didn’t get from most guys.
***
Lucas relaxed his shoulders. He had a date for the wedding. This would be perfect. Felicity would be able to keep Becky from clawing at him, and he might actually have a shot of enjoying this week.
Felicity pulled up in front of his hotel. “Give me a call and let me know what time I should be here tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? No, I need you now.”
Her eyes widened, and he realized how his words sounded. “I mean, there’s rehearsal in a couple of hours and then dinner after. My family will expect my date to be there. Plus, you’ll need a crash course on me and my family if we’re going to pull this off.”
Felicity’s brows furrowed, and a cute wrinkle waved along her forehead. “Pull this off? I thought you just needed a date.”
He released a slow breath. “I need a date to keep my ex away. If she knows we just met on the plane, it’ll be like waving a red cape at a bull. She needs to think we’re in a relationship.”
Felicity swallowed hard.
“We don’t need to make them believe we’re getting married or anything, just dating, but that means we need to know about each other.”
“But…but I have to check in at my hotel.”
“Call and tell them you’ll be late. You can go there after dinner tonight.” Lucas waited patiently, like he did in the classroom when a student needed time to develop an answer.
Felicity faced forward, staring out the windshield, looking like she was carrying on a conversation in her head. She blew out a breath and shook her head. “Fine. Get the bags from the trunk and I’ll park. I need to change before dinner.”
“Thanks. I could kiss you.”
She turned, and one eyebrow arched up above her sunglasses. “Is that part of our deal?”
He smiled. “Only if you want it to be.”
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Just as the title suggests this story contained many of my favorite elements and put a smile on my face from the very first page. From its likable main couple to their carefree and lighthearted interactions this story was a heartwarming story of a woman who finally starts battling her insecurities to start living life to the fullest and the supportive man drawn to her. It's a great end to the romantic journey to HEA for a nerdy trio of friends.
Felicity is going to meet her friends for a much-deserved celebration before they all move on to their next stage of life when she's left alone through a twist of fate. She's not totally alone though after meeting the super sweet and sexy Lucas who needs a date for his brother's wedding to keep his ex from trying to rekindle things. She surprises herself by saying yes to pretending to be his girlfriend and is surprised even further by how comfortable she is around him and the inspiration he soon becomes for her to want more out of life. Felicity has always been devoted to science and success and has never felt comfortable in social situations, but being with Lucas has her embracing all the things she's read about in books. Felicity is immensely likable and seeing her come out of her shell is endearing and cheer-worthy as she gets the guy over the perky cheerleader-type. Felicity is a tell-it-like-it-is person and her honesty is refreshing to Lucas after dealing with his ex's duplicitous nature and I loved watching them grow closer together.
Lucas is the perfect hero with his sweet, supportive, and sexy nature. He's caring and close to his family which makes him even sexier. He's drawn to Felicity's unique qualities and refreshing honesty and wants to help her finally start living life. Though she doesn't think she's sexy he finds everything about her desirable and as their relationship progressed the sexual tension built. What first started out as a friendship easily evolved into more through their subtle verbal foreplay and crackling connection that was endearingly sweet and sexy. Lucas never rushed Felicity, knowing her fears, but pushed her to embrace all that he was offering as he felt a deep connection to her he hadn't felt before. For all that, I hereby make Lucas my new book boyfriend and I'm left still dreaming about him.
This was a light hearted read with very little conflict beyond the usual. It was a carefree read with delightfully witty banter between Felicity and Lucas. Their relationship teemed with sexual tension and sensual verbal foreplay that culminated in steamy sexual interludes. Though the story got a bit slow at the midway point and was a bit rushed at the end it was still a satisfying story due to its delightful main couple and their entertaining and heartwarming journey to HEA.
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary romances centered around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the new Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends and their last spring break. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.
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