NEW ADULT
Imperfectly Criminal - Mary Frame (2014)
Law student Freya Morgan thought it would be a good idea to hire Dean, the local bad boy on campus, to rough up her ex-boyfriend after he abused and cheated on her. She thought it would make her feel better. But several months go by, and Freya is no closer to feeling safe around men. Dean thought it would be easy money. Rough up the ex-boyfriend, get some cash, and go on with life. But when word spreads that he's now a bad boy for hire, Dean is bombarded with requests from women to do their dirty work. All is going well, until two of the guys he was hired to rough up are found dead, and Dean is the only connection. Desperate and unsure of where else to turn, Dean asks Freya to help him prove his innocence. With the real killer on the loose, and the gradual discovery that this bad boy really isn't that bad after all, Freya wonders if Dean is worth putting her reputation (and her heart) on the line for. This is the second book in Mary Frame's "Imperfect" series and I could hardly put it down. I laughed, I cried, and marvelled at how Frame managed to create a romantic whodunnit story that was both funny and heartfelt. Freya is eccentric and fun, exactly my brand of crazy. And Dean, was well, so completely lovely. He's my new book boyfriend. Mary Frame, please keep writing! (CK)
Imperfect Chemistry - Mary Frame (2014)
Lucy London, a twenty-year-old microbiologist, feels more comfortable around test tubes than people, and has difficulty understanding emotions. When she's given a grant to study how emotions may act as pathogens, Lucy tries (and fails) to come up with an experiment to test her theories on love, lust, and relationships. If she doesn't come up with an experiment, she risks losing the grant entirely. Not one to back down from a challenge, she enlists the help of Jensen Walker, a knockout law student with a Lothario reputation and recently broken heart. Who could ask for a better study subject? The two quickly realise that experience is often the best teacher, and Lucy's experiment leads to the bedroom. As the deadline for her grant ticks away, she has to decide if it's better to analyse her feelings, or to just let go and enjoy them. I loved this book. Lucy London's personality reminds me of the main character from The Rosie Project. Lucy is logical, takes things way too literally, and often says inappropriate things. It made me laugh a lot! And Jensen is absolutely lovely. The plot is well paced and realistic. I can't wait to read more by Mary Frame. (CK)
