Review : One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy

Genre:  NA, Romance, Drama
Overall Score:  4 / 5
Content Rating:  R
Technical Rating:  4 / 5
Series: Yes
Would Recommend?:  Yes

" That's when she said, I don't hate you boy

I just want to save you

while there's still something left to save

That's when I told her, I love you girl

But I'm not the answer

for the questions that you still have "

          Savior - Rise Against

Not quite what I was expecting based on the cover and title. The teaser snippet was closer to being on point, but this book was a bit darker than I thought it'd be. Even so, it was a a solid, enjoyable read.

_Summary_

Fable McGuire is approached by Drew Callahan with a proposition - $3,000 to be pretend to be his girlfriend for a week. He picks her because she's a local with a reputation, an easy lay, no strings attached. She agree's because he's the local U's golden boy wanting nothing more to piss off his rich parents in their fancy house - easy money. What they end up discovering about one another was never part of the deal.

Fable had no choice but to drop out of school to support her family. She's more of a parent to her younger brother than their real mom, a never there alcoholic. Three grand could keep them going for months, leaving her no choice but to take up Drew's offer.

Drew seems to have it all: a full ride to the local uni, popularity, and money. But he avoids going home for a reason. He's hoping Fable can shield him from an overbearing father and a stepmother with one hell of an agenda. Meant to be a human shield to hide behind, Fable soon becomes an ally Drew so desperately needs.

Together, Fable and Drew face skeleton-filled closets and dirty lies - but can a bond built in a week survive it all?

_Technical Review_

First indie/ebook I've read in a while that wasn't completely murdered by poor editing, spelling or grammar. A few mistakes (some typos, minor grammar errors) but nothing major or in anyway overly distracting. In all, this book was a success. It's told in alternating PoVs between Fable and Drew, either splitting a chapter, or taking one all for their own. The author pulls it off without being overly repetitive  though it does happen in a few places and only in small spots. Her character building is strong, giving Drew and Fable distinct personalities and traits that also aid in distinguishing the always swapping narrator.

The pace and flow of the book felt a bit off. It seemed rushed in some places, but I can see the need as the book is given a one week time limit. Even so, there were several spots where whole afternoons or evenings were skipped, which could have been better used to lengthen the overall story as well as even out the pace of events.

_Personal [Spoilered] Review_

I picked it up expecting it to be a quick, mushy romance and what I got was an in-your-face drama that, more than a few times, had me yelling "NO F-CKING WAY" or "OH SHIT" rather loudly in my head. I thought I had it figured out, and I was pretty damn close...except for that bombshell at the end, really did not see that one. I love a good antagonist and Adele was the just right combination of crazy and creepy as all hell to make me love (yet absolutely hate) her character.

Every so often, Fable and Drew got a bit too sappy and mushy about each other, but then, I'm always weary of insta-love books. I just never completely love books that have the main characters declaring love in a week/day/hour or less. The ending is what saved the book for me, at least in this regard. Forever Love in 6 Days with a Happily Ever After makes me gag. So glad that this book is expanding to another book. More time, more relationship building and I'll be much happier with the two of them together.

Overall I was extremely please with this book. I got way more than I was expecting upon picking it up and will for sure be reading the next book. And to anyone who reads this, I'm sending out a personal Code Marshmallow  Someone come save me from the awful wait for the next book to be released.