Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Review: Game of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons, Book One) by Melissa Foster

Hello readers and fans; welcome to 2016's round of PC&B reviews. We took a break in December for the holidays, so this is our first joint review for the year. We decided to go with a book that happened to already be on our e-readers: Game of Love by Melissa Foster, a sweet romance with some spicy sex scenes.

Here's the blurb:

Ellie Parker is a master at building walls around her heart. In the twenty-five years she's been alive, Dex Remington has been the only person who has always believed in her and been there for her. But four years earlier, she came to Dex seeking comfort and then disappeared like a thief in the night, leaving him a broken man. 

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Dex Remington is one of the top PC game developers in the United States. He's handsome, smart, and numb. So damn numb that he's not sure he'll ever find a reason to feel again. 

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A chance encounter sparks intense desires in Ellie and Dex. Desires that make her want to run--and make him want to feel. A combination of lust and fear leads these young lovers down a dangerous path. Is it possible to cross a burned bridge, or are they destined to be apart forever?

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This contemporary romance series features alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy new adult romance, contemporary romance, and women's fiction. While each book may be read as a standalone, you might enjoy reading the entire Love in Bloom series.

My Impressions

Dex Remington is definitely NOT an alpha male, which isn't a bad thing actually. He's a geek who happens to have made it big. He's sweet and strong but definitely shows his vulnerable side.

Ellie is flawed and fighting demons from her past. Although I couldn't really relate to her, I kind of understood where she was coming from.

To be frank the first fifth or so of the book tried my patience. The author dwells too much on the past. While the past as big implications for the present, I really didn't need the reiteration of what she did to him. Another thing I didn't care for was the author hammering in certain things - especially how in tune Dex and Ellie are. 

However once the book's focus settled on the present, I found myself liking the story and the characters. We see Dex & Ellie developing in love and character. I definitely buy their HEA. I was a little surprised at the set of coincidences leading to a scene in a dark alley toward the end of the story. Oh and there's no actual black moment. There could have been but but I felt the direction the author went was believable and satisfying.

Three stars for me

Don't forget to head over to read what Nana Prah and Cathrina Constantine thought of the book