Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
So here’s my problem. The sex scenes in this book were top tier. I mean they sizzled off the page. And then the rest of the plot was a mess and it just didn’t read as realistic to me which is why I had a hard time with it. Also, I started to see Lizzie as selfish after a while, and I hated that it kept getting chalked up to her ADHD after a while. I have one friend with ADHD and some of my friend’s and cousin’s kids have it too. So, I was glad to see a heroine with this as a medical condition she was trying to deal with. But I just didn’t like how it read as her constantly needing others to bail her out all the time. And the issue with Lizzie and her family took way too long to address. I maybe went what in the world when we get to the 60 plus mark and I realized her brother/mother/father have no clue she’s pregnant. Anyway, it’s a shame, I really did like the set-up, but thought the whole thing jumped way too fast with Rake going, yes I will give up my whole life and move from Australia to Philadelphia. I think at one point I went, wait is immigration not a thing anymore? Can people just do that? And then I made my brain shut up because I was not in the mood to research how work permits and staying in the U.S. works for people in Australia. Also, had no idea this was part of a series, so wish I had started with that book first. I hate going out of order in my reading.
“Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake” starts with Lizzie needing some sex. FYI, this book is real upfront with this. Lizzie has a date, but ends up having an insta-lust cute with a guy she meets named Rake at a bar. Lizzie has a firm rule about only having one night stands, so when she offers, Rake is quite happy to accept. The two have a hot night, which actually drifts into another day when they meet up again, breaking Lizzie’s rule. But when Lizzie realizes that her two night stand has left her pregnant, she reaches out to Rake to let him know. He decides to move to the U.S. to set up a place for him and Lizzie, and their eventual baby to live. The book follows as they try to navigate being eventual co-parents who think about how hot the other one is every five minutes.
Lizzie worked my nerves after a while. I think because outside of one friend trying to actually make Lizzie think if she has the means (mentally, financially) to actually raise a baby, everyone acted like this was such a good thing. I was surprised the abortion discussion was like half a page. I wouldn’t have minded there actually being a struggle there. And then of course we have a whole issue going on with Lizzie’s family, but as I said above, you just hear about them, with Lizzie talking to her brother, but just deciding to not tell her mother anything because her mother is always in the wrong.
Rake (that name) just felt very flat to me after a while. He’s a bit too perfect and then there’s a really aggravating thing that is included about this character that left a bad taste in my mouth. Let’s just say it deals with Roe V Wade and leave it at that, will leave a spoiler for those who want to know on Goodreads.
The other characters kind of flit into this one here and there with the main focus being Lizzie and Rake. Lizzie trying to find a new job and Rake trying to make a good impression at work. There is no there there really besides hey we can’t sleep together again which I kept going um why not? Neither of you are dating other people so who cares? They try for some tension later in the book, but it just didn’t work for me.
