xo, Zach

There was a lot of hype leading up to the release of Kendall Ryan's brand-new standalone. The question is, does xo, Zach live up to it all? This contemporary romance brings with it some humor as well as some angst. It's the story of Zachary Austin a twenty-nine-year-old writer who works as an adviser at a university and whose dating life--or lack thereof--has given his well-meaning mother free reign to poke her nose in his personal business. Who would have thought he would meet the woman who would consume his every waking thought and live in his every dream and fantasy at a frat party while pretending to be her boyfriend? They part ways with only a singular soul-burning kiss and without last names or contact information exchanged. All hope is lost...then she walks through his office door. There's a bit of a forbidden love element in this story in terms of Zach being an authority figure and Poppy being under him (although not in the way he kept hoping she was). I liked that these two shared one unforgettable kiss that lay the foundation for all the sexual tension between them as they struggled to toe the line. Zach didn't pussyfoot when it came to what it was he wanted for the two of them, and that was something that I appreciated. Poppy, on the other hand, was a walking, talking contradiction, and it did get to the point of frustration at times. I understood that she had priorities but I also felt that she had all these preconceived notions about Zach and she would be all flirty and touchy feely with him only to run off and avoid the poor guy. So yeah, I wasn't that much of a fan of hers. As far as the author's writing is concerned, the story itself was enjoyable and Ryan's created a male main character who I wouldn't be surprised to find on more than one book boyfriend list. There were times where the transition between scenes would be somewhat abrupt. However, this was a quintessential Kendall Ryan read, one that was both sweet and steamy and had a couple of memorable supporting characters that helped to bolster the story without necessarily trying to be scene-stealers. Okay, maybe Kody (Poppy's neighbor and close friend) was scene-stealer material, as was Zach's filter-less mom. So, what's the answer to the question I posed at the beginning of my review? Did xo, Zach live up to the hype? It almost did, which is why I'm giving it 4.5 stars out of a possible five. ♥

xo, Zach is...sigh. (The dopey grinned, sigh of absolute contentment.) This book is sweet and all around wonderful. Zach is the definition of perfect. He's gorgeous with some ink. He has a wickedly naughty mouth, a great sense of humor, and he is uniquely in touch with his emotions. He has a job, he writes, and he owns his own house. I can't possibly come up with all the ways I want to knock a certain someone out of the way and snatch him up myself. (Don't tell my hubs.) Oh and he's ready for love...likes kids...hangs out with his mom on occasion. Seriously, I feel like you aren't getting the amazingness- totally a word, a made up word, but a word nonetheless- that is Zach. Did I mention patient, kind, and extremely considerate? ( I know I sound like grandma trying to set up their grandkids.) xo, Zach is just...sigh. Well Zach is sigh worthy! All kinds of sighs... exasperated lustful tired fulfilling... Plenty of sighs to go around.

xo, Zach is witty, sexy, and all around fun to read! Oh and the old fashion romance with love letters were the icing to the cake! Zach wooed me with his words. I didn't realize the direction that this story was going to take at the beginning would suck me in until the end. I love that both the hero and heroine have a love for words. Poppy worked so hard as she tried to juggle though life and the unexpected surprises that come along. I truly enjoyed meeting little Connor. My heart melted when Zach stepped up and showed Poppy he was in it until the end. My heart strings were pulled to the max with the poetry going on between Zach and Poppy. Poppy was not easily convinced. Will she finally let go and give herself a chance for more? That my friends you will have to find out once you get this book. I could not get enough of Zach's mom. I loved that she did not have a filter when she spoke. The sexual tension was so thick that I was biting my nails to see if the Deed would finally get done. xo, Zach was an enjoyable read and gives you all the warm and fuzzies. There were also some laugh out loud moments, and high temperature scenes. I loved it all!