Corrupt Me, by Jillian Quinn

5 Romeo and Juliette in the mafia stars!!

I am very hesitant to pick up any NA book, especially for review.  I do not have  a good track record with NA books unless I already know the author. However this book delivered everything I could’ve hoped for and more.  Two strong lead characters, a great plot line, some steam, angst, and character growth.

Izzie’s character is such a great combination of sass, smarts, and sexiness.  It’s almost like half the time she forgets that she is sexy, which is really cute.  In the beginning you can tell she is a no nonsense gal, she is just concentrating on school and not hooking up with guys.  However there is just something about Luca that seems to attract her. They were friends when they were younger however the elders in their families thought it was better to cut ties.  The grown up Luca while attractive is everything she should avoid, he’s on the wrong side of the law and sleeps with almost every girl he meets. I really enjoyed how Izzie didn’t fall for his false charm, she made him really open up to her.  While he was opening up to her she seemed to open up to him without realizing it.  I really enjoyed how in the beginning of the book you think she’s just another one of those college girls, but by the end after peeling back all the layers you see she is a rather amazing young woman.

Luca is the quintessential playboy, he does what he wants when he wants, with whom he wants.  However he has always had a soft spot for Izzie, even when they were younger. He has been watching her for years at college since they seem to have the same college classes.  Then one fateful day he finally gets a run in with the girl he has been wanting.  However things never go according to plan with her.  Luca must change his ways in order to win her over.  You see Izzie won’t just fall for the playboy charm or all of the money, she needs to see what makes Luca different from all the rest.  While there are some sides of Luca I would rather not see, I really enjoyed the nitty gritty of it all.  It really showed how by the end he came out of his frat boy personality and into his grown ass man personality.

I know I said there wasn’t a lot of steam in this NA book, but the steam that there was in the book was so steamy I swear I would’ve had to wipe my kindle screen off so I could continue reading. I was so surprised by the fact that these characters while growing into being adults didn’t sacrifice their core beliefs.  They built each other up instead of tearing each other down, which isn’t in a lot of NA books.

She popped the top of the soda can and took a sip. “This thing between us can’t happen, and I think you know why.”

I didn’t need her to spell out her reasons because Izzie knew more about my family than most girls. 

“I haven’t met a girl who didn’t like me until you.”

Izzie stared through the glass-paneled door leading to the small backyard.  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like you Luca.  It’s just, this could never work. We’re so different. You can’t just fuck me, smack me on the ass, and send me on my way. That’s not how I roll. The other night…” She gulped down another sip of soda and turned her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I”m not interested in being another girl you use and throw away like trash.  And this is a conflict of interest. 

The corners of my mouth curled, but I fought hard to contain my laughter.  She knew me better than I had thought.  Smart girls were hard to navigate, mostly because they were always ten steps ahead. But Izzie wasn’t just smart and confident: she was a mystery. 

A super duper thank you to Jillian Quinn for my copy in lieu of my honest review.  I can honestly say this is probably one of the best first novels an author has ever sent me! Congrats Ms. Quinn you deserve it..

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble