Unwrapping: Review of CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson

I recently received an eARC of the contemporary romance novella, CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson. This is #2 in her Lovett, Texas series. CRAZY ON YOU is an Avon Impulse release coming to ereaders everywhere on May 1, 2012.

Blurb for CRAZY ON YOU:

Lily Darlington's been called crazy in her day—and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband's living room probably wasn't the smartest move ever made—but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she's turned it all around. She knows she's a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package.

A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn't need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it's time to go a little crazy . . . and fall in love.

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I've often said that everyone's tastes are different and thank heaven for that or we would lead very boring lives. We would all enjoy the same foods, the same television shows, the same movies, the same men and most certainly, the same books. Since becoming an Avon Addict, I've been introduced to some new authors, new genres, and more contemporary romance than I ever expected to be reading. Some of these contemporary romances I have found quite enjoyable and have even put some of the authors on my to be read in the future list. Before I say anything more let me give you a little insight into CRAZY ON YOU.

Lily Darlington is a thirty-eight year old single mother who has made a success of a day spa and brought her life back from the brink of disaster after her husband left her for another woman. Always one to overreact, perhaps even go a little crazy, Lily didn't react well to her husband's abandonment of her and her young son so she ran her car through her ex-husband's living room. Personally, I don't call that crazy so much as not having a properly adjusted and well working social filter - after all, how many women haven't wanted to do the exact same thing?

Tucker Matthews is an ex-Army man who after returning from Afghanistan after being shot in the head, decided to make his career in law enforcement which brought him to Lovett, Texas and the house right next door to Lily and her young son, Pippen. Tucker's never known the love and loyalty of a real family but recognizes real affection when he sees it - it most definitely exists between Lily and Pippen.

CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson is a cute story about a man whose never known the love of a real family but when he meets Lily and Pippen finds himself wanting to be part of one. From the moment he first meets Lily, which happens to be when he gives her a ticket on the highway between Amarillo and Lovett, he's drawn to her. After meeting her son, Pippen, he's pulled to the ferocious way that she theatens to cause bodily harm to anyone who even attempts to harm her child. Tucker is relentless just as the tattoo on his forearm reads. He tells Lily that he wants her, all of her. But even after she tells him that being eight years old than him is more than she wants to deal with and even after she hides their secret love affair from everyone including her mother who lives just on the other side of Lily, he continues to pursue her. I'm not convinced, even after he declares his love for Lily, that his falling in love with her the first time he sees her with her son isn't more a need to be part of a family filled with love, loyalty, with a sense of protection than actually being in love. I just didn't feel it.

I've said before that I'm not a great fan of contemporary romance.  Reading cutesy, formulaic type stories is part of the reason. Having not read anything else by Rachel Gibson, I'm not sure if her other stories are as simplistic but I will soon be finding out since I've got an ARC print copy of RESCUE ME (book #3) waiting for me. I guess it will tell me what I need to know.

I recommend the novella, CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson, if you are a fan of hers, if you are a fan of contemporary romance, if you are looking for a fast read that is cute and provides you with that just want to read something mindless that doesn't make me have to think too much feeling. If you love stories set in Texas and characters that make you feel like you're meeting up with old friends, and meeting new quirky ones. If this is what you want from an afternoon of reading - CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson is the one you want to read. If you're wondering, yes, I liked this novella. Did I love it and crave more of her writing? No. I found it a delightful, charming and nice way to spend some time reading but nothing to rave about.

Happy Reading Everyone!


CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson, an Avon Impulse release will be available on May 1, 2012 in ebook format. You can't go wrong at $1.99.