Wicked Games by Jill Myles

GENRE: romance, comedy

Woefully Reviewed Rating: Woeful (0.5) by Inga

Abby Lewis never pictured herself on the survival game show, Endurance Island. She’s just not the ‘survival’ type. But when her boss offers her a spot on the show and the opportunity of a lifetime, she packs her bags and heads to the tropics to be a contestant. Once in the game, though, it’s clear that Abby’s in over her head.

No one’s more competitive than sexy, delicious – and arrogant – Dean Woodall. Sure, he’s clever, strong, good at challenges, and has a body that makes her mouth water. He also hates Abby just as much as she hates him. That’s fine with her; she’ll just ignore the jerk.

But the rules of Endurance Island are working against them. Abby and Dean are teamed up – alone – on the beach. It’s either work together, or go home. Stuck with no one’s company but their own, they learn they might just make a good team after all.

And Abby learns that with just a little bit of kindling, the flames of hate can quickly turn to flames of passion…

I feel a little like I'm betraying the Woeful Sisterhood here to start off with something I loved but I'm drunk and probably not thinking clearly.

I love a good love/hate romance. And I love comedy. Basically, I love things that keep me from weeping, and this book has it in spades. Sharp wit, well-drawn and likable characters. There are the common tropes of a romantic comedy of errors: the conniving side characters, the big misunderstanding (and ohhh poor Abby kept going deeper with that one to the point I wasn't sure she'd climb her way out again), etc, but it never felt like a tired or worn out cliche.

Abby gets roped into a Survivor-esque TV show, which I found to be a unique premise, and the book follows her POV so we're treated to her strong, humorous voice throughout. Glimpses are given throughout from Dean's diary. Oh, Dean. I've come to have good associations with this name.

You're welcome, world.

If I ever leave my husband, it'll be for a guy named Dean.

I admit I didn't watch Survivor; I DID watch Temptation Island when I was a teenager and it scared me off of dating for a long time because it was like STDs R' Us (it didn't stick, obviously, as now I have Satan-spawned children who don't even know how to make Mommy a martini yet).

I digress.

Anyway, Wicked Games brings the sexy times with hot, emotionally charged scenes; Abby and Dean have scorching chemistry built at just the right pace. I recommend this as a light, fun, smexy read with just the right dose of drama to keep it interesting without bogging down the book with angst.

Since it didn't annoy me at all, it gets 0.5 martini glasses (out of five).

I'm sorry, Lisa. I'll try harder to uphold our mission statement next time.