Review: ☆Five Ways to Fall☆ by @KathleenATucker

Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.

Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…

5 Perfect Stars

Word to the wise: if you have to fight over a guy, he’s not worth it. Go for the one who’s waiting for you.”

This was. Hands down. Most definitely. My favorite book in the series. I can’t say I ever gave Ben much thought after the 1st book…or even when I was reading the first book. But now? Move over Trent and Kacey, because Ben and Reese completely stole my heart with this book.

Want me to tell you 5 reasons I loved it? That wasn’t really a question, since I’m going to anyway 🙂

1. Reese
Reese was snarky, sarcastic, smart mouthed and quick witted. Did I mention that she also drive a Harley? This girl was seriously made of pure awesome…too bad her douchebag of an ex husband broke her heart by cheating on her and asking for a divorce. So what’s a girl to do? Get disgustingly drunk in Cancun and exorcise the fuck out of her ex by fucking someone else. Enter, stage right, Ben Morris

I love the angry ones. Of course anyone who knows me would argue that I love any and all women, and I can’t exactly disagree. But I love the angry ones the most. They’re a challenge to be conquered, the reason for their fury usually fitting neatly into three buckets: insecure, scorned, hormonal.
And this purple-haired chick gazing up at me with fire in her caramel eyes?
I’m betting on bucket number two.

Oh Ben, how right you are. Reese also has a verra big side of crazy. This is a not a girl you want to scorn or fuck with.

2. The Banter!
Oh my god, the banter! It was seriously awesome. Any time these two would talk, it was comedy genius. I think I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time I was reading.

And what is it exactly about me that you don’t like?
The womanizing mama’s-boy football-player part who spreads charm on like peanut butter and has a different girl in his hotel room every night this week.
Not every night

Well at least you’re honest about it, Ben

But given enough alcohol and Reese decides to get her exorcism with Ben…too bad it turns into the one night stand from hell. Luckily she never has to seem him again. Right? Imagine Reese’s surprise when it looks like that Ben is her new coworker since he waas just hired as an associate lawyer at her step-father’s law firm where she works.

Which brings me to my next point

3. The banter
Yes, I know I already had it listed. But it deserves more than one mention because it was just THAT good.

They make extra-strong margaritas at Amigos, down the street. Just like you like them. I’ll bring a change of clothes, for after, of course.”
“Get out.”
“We could take a nice long crawl down the boardwalk, and then-“
“Fuck. Right. Off.”

Do you see what I mean? I was highlighting practically every barb and insult that they traded.

4. Ben
Swoon. Ben was just total perfection. Yes, he was a manwhore. But he was also sweet, hilarious, honest, make-no-qualms-about-who-he-is fantastic. He also wanted Reese. Bad. But just for sex, of course. He can’t compromise his career by dating his boss’s daughter PARTICULARLY when there’s a specific no dating rule in place. Reese really doesn’t make it easy for him, but he’s determined

If I laugh, she’ll hate my guts. I need her to not hate my guts. Ideally, I need to find a way to make her love my guts. I get the impression she doesn’t even like most people, so this may be a challenge.

And you are certainly correct in that, Ben. This is a girl that “accidentally” stumbled on her ex husband and his new wife going at it at a paintball game and proceeded to shoot the living hell out of both of them with paintballs. Naked ass and all.

Duly noted.

Now back to Ben. If you’re looking for a hero that’s cocky, but in an endearingly funny way? You will LOVE Ben as much as I did.

Have you always loved yourself this much?”
“I had an awkward year in ‘ninety-nine, but I got over it quick.”

And Reese was no exception. Ben managed to worm himself in to her black little heart and chip away at her defenses and walls little by little.

5. The banter
I’m telling you people, it was just that awesome that it needs to have 3 mentions on my list.

She’s my date.”
“Date? I guess you don’t know Ben very well yet.”
“He lied and used medicinal narcotics to bribe me into coming here, so I think I have him pretty well pegged.”

So there you have it. 5 Ways I absolutely fell for this book. I laughed, I swooned, I laughed some more. I absolutely loved it.

If you’re a fan of NA romance, this is a book that’s not to be missed. Seriously. You’ll see exactly why I loved it as much as I did when you read it. It’s bittersweet to now say goodbye to this series, but what a perfect book and couple to end it with.

***ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***