Senin, 11 April 2011

Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

ISBN-13: 9780425224205
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: October 2008
320 pgs
Source: Personal Library



I came across Julie James’ second book, Practice Makes Perfect, last year and loved it (my review here). At that time, I thought that was Julie’s debut novel, not knowing that Just the Sexiest Man Alive is actually the one. Anyway, given the fact that I haven’t been reading a contemporary romance for a while, I decided that Just the Sexiest Man Alive would be my next read.

Taylor Donovan, the heroine of the book, is a brilliant lawyer and she is very much confident that the current sexual harassment case she’s undertaking would be a winner. She took pride in her job, thus when her superior assigns her to coach Jason Andrews, People’s Sexist Man Alive, for his role in his next blockbuster legal thriller, she isn’t too thrilled herself. She thought she has better cases to work on instead of helping him to prep for the courtroom drama for his movie; and it doesn’t faze her even if Jason happens to be the hottest Hollywood heartthrob and not to mention a very good-looking man too.

When Taylor and Jason first met each other, sparks fly but it wasn’t the love-at-first-sight kind given that Jason has left a bad impression on her when he didn’t show up for their first meeting. Jason, on the other hand, finds her intriguing for he has never met any woman like her especially when she didn’t appear to be smitten by his charms, unlike the other women he met and dated. As they began to work together and seeing more of each other, they see something in each other in which they have never seen before but then is it too much to ask for love and commitment from a famous celebrity?

I’ve to say Just the Sexiest Man Alive was an entertaining read and while I very much enjoyed reading Practice Makes Perfect, I find this novel paled in comparison with the former though Julie James maintains her witty prose which I find a delight to read. However, I was not so impressed with the hero as I find him immature at times, and some of his behaviour just irked me though I knew they are intentional implemented by the author. Taylor, on the other hand, impressed me a lot and I simply liked her principles and the way she handles things. All in all, Just the Sexiest Man Alive was just an OK read to me. There are a few clichéd moments but suffice it to say they are enough to capture my attention.