Readers who love fun and flirty reads will be drawn to Just a Little Flirt by Renita Pizzitola, the second installment in the Crush series. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of this book, along with my impressions of it, and 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 $25 bookstore GC, FLIRT mug, and nail polish too!
Saying yes has always come easy for Fallon. Now, as Renita Pizzitola’s steamy, poignant Crush series continues, winning her dream job means saying no to the guy she wants the most.
Between all the parties and random hook-ups, Fallon Carr is this close to flunking out of college. But her internship working with pediatric patients means the world to her—especially since, at the end of the summer, one lucky intern will be offered a paid position. Determined to leave her bad reputation behind, Fallon even takes a bet that she won’t sleep with anyone from work. But there’s one little catch. . . .
Not only is Cade Ryan the hottest guy Fallon has ever laid eyes on, he’s a therapy dog handler who volunteers his time to visit kids at the hospital. So when he starts pursuing her, Fallon can’t believe her bad timing. The thing is, Cade is different. He’s not like the college guys who see her as a one-night stand, or the high-school boyfriend who took a part of her she can never get back. Cade genuinely wants to spend time with her—and not just between the sheets.
Fallon won’t let her growing feelings for Cade get in the way of her dreams. Besides, no guy can break down the walls she put up long ago. So what’s the harm in a little flirting? It’s not like she’s falling in love. But she may have seriously underestimated how complicated things can get when the perfect guy falls for her first.
EXCERPT:
“How was your first day?” Brinley asked from the kitchen.
“Great, until some guy tore my shirt open.” I tossed my bag onto the kitchen table.
She paused, a butter knife in one hand, peanut butter jar in the other. Her gaze darted to my shirt then back to my face. “Are you okay?”
I stepped into the kitchen and hoisted myself onto the counter. “Yeah. Just having shitty luck today.”
“What happened?” She turned back to her sandwich. “Want one?” She gestured to the loaf of bread.
“Sure.”
She grabbed another plate.
“So I was hauling ass up the stairs and ran into some guy. His watch or something snagged my shirt, taking the button right off.”
“You’re kidding?” She glanced at me, a tiny grin tugging at her lips.
“He was hot too.” She handed me a plate and I thanked her. “His arms were crazy sexy and any other time or place, he could rip all the buttons off my shirt.”
She laughed and took a bite. “So where’d you get that shirt?” She gestured to my oversized white tee.
“It’s his.”
Her blue eyes widened. “Spill.” She sat on the counter across from me.
I took a bite to avoid smiling at the memory. With a mouthful of peanut butter sandwich, I recounted the event.
Brinley pressed her hand to her chest. “Aw, that’s so sweet.”
It was sweet, but I didn’t really do sweet. And I’d never admit to Brinley how much his gesture had made me swoon.
With another bite, I shrugged. “His shirt smells like fuck me.”
She choked on her sandwich. “Like what?”
“Hot. Sexy. Like a calling card for one hell of a night in bed.”
Grinning, she shook her head. “Only you could describe it so poetically.”
“What can I say, I’m a romantic.” I popped the last of my sandwich into my mouth, hopped off the counter and placed my plate in the sink.
“So does he work at the hospital?”
“I think he was just visiting. He wasn’t wearing a badge or dressed in scrubs or anything.”
She frowned, clearly disappointed I wouldn’t have any more sexy run-ins. “Other than the wardrobe malfunction, how was orientation?”
“Pretty good. They have a part-time paid position opening in the fall. They plan to hire an intern to fill it.”
She slid off the counter. “That’s great.”
I shrugged, totally in agreement, but convinced it was bad luck to talk about things like that.
There was a knock at the door.
“That’s Ryder.” Her entire face lit up at just the mention of her boyfriend’s name.
Seeing them together almost made me want to try the relationship thing. Almost.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a reader who loves witty banter full of sexual tension I was once again captivated by the entertaining, sweet, and sexy tale that Ms. Pizzitola has crafted this time around. As the second installment in her Crush series we're reintroduced to Fallon, the former good girl who's gone a bit bad since her ex dumped her after becoming her first sexual experience. The boy to tempt her and make her believe in love again is Cade, the sexy and kindhearted man who wants more than one-night from her. Their journey to HEA is an engaging one full of self-discovery for her and proof that not all men are dogs as Cade cements "book boyfriend" status through his caring nature and unwavering loyalty.
Since being dumped Fallon has sworn off love and buried herself in drinking, partying, and one-night stands. She revels in her bad girl ways and makes no excuses or apologies for her decadent behavior. On one level I applaud her owning up to her actions but on another level I'm saddened by her behavior as she deserves more. She's a woman worthy and deserving of love but her ex shattered her self-image and self-esteem and it's led to a destructive path she's forging. Her mother only adds to her issues by being callous with her words and showing favoritism towards her sister. With her academics in shambles, and with her father's subtle disappointment weighing on her, she decides it's time for change and sets out to party less. Her plan is quickly thwarted though after a memorable first encounter with Cade that has him literally giving her the shirt off his back. He's a temptation she doesn't need as she's just made a bet to not have sex with co-workers. Seeing him, and his kindness at work with his therapy dog, quickly becomes a temptation she's struggles with which leads to some poor choices as she fights what her heart and mind tell her about him. She doesn't think she's good enough for him and with every step forward she takes two steps back in her plan to improve herself. I truly liked Fallon and could understand her issues, but was often left frustrated by her continuing self-doubts, and it's not until almost the end do I see her really making progress in her self-esteem.
This story was steadily paced once we got through a somewhat slow start. Once Cade and Fallon start their sensual tug of war the story quickly amps up as their witty banter is both playful and teeming with sexual tension. Fallon drives this story as readers root for her to realize her self-worth and accept the love Cade offers, but Cade was the highlight for me as he was sweet and sexy and utterly delightful. There wasn't a whole lot of angst in this story but I still found myself fully engrossed in Fallon and Cade's journey to HEA. Helping them along the way are Brinley, Ryder, and Mason from the previous installment which added a sense of family through their heartwarming and playful interactions. Mason once again made a lasting impression and I look forward to his story being told soon. All in all, this was a delightfully entertaining story about female empowerment with a unique heroine and a wonderful hero that once again leaves me impressed by the talent Ms. Pizzitola displays here. With the growth of the NA genre this is one series that shouldn't get lost in the shuffle.
My rating for this is an A-/B+
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Renita Pizzitola is the author of New Adult contemporary romance and Young Adult fantasy. When not writing, she can be found feeding her caramel macchiato addiction and reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two children.
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