4.5 “Sir Handsome McHotpants” Kisses
Why?!?!?! Why did I wait so long to read this book!?!?!? I could kick myself! I should know by now that when it comes to the genius of Penny Reid, I just need to shut up and read the damn book…ASAP. While Neanderthal Seeks Human was Penny’s first book, it was not the first book by her that I read – I popped my Penny-cherry with Truth or Beard, the first book in the Winston Brothers Series, and it was both a joy and a pleasure. But I digress…not reading NSH was my error…and one I’m so glad I remedied. Neanderthal Seeks Human was an unexpected delight and just reaffirmed why I love Penny Reid books as much as I do.
Janie Morris…oh my awkward, fact vomiting, little genius, how do I love thee? I say this with love and pride…but Janie is an odd duck and I adored every odd thing about her. She is unique with a capital “U” and she owned it. I’ll be honest, in the very beginning it was hard for me to get an initial read on Janie…she’s different, she thinks different, she processes things differently and it took me a minute to get used to…but once I had a grasp on her, it was nothing but love. She is off the charts, genius level, blown your mind smart…she can do complex math in her head and her abundant knowledge of facts was both interesting and overwhelming. She can tell you the defining characteristics of mammals, the origin of the idiom ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ and what a group of rhinoceroses is called and yet I can barely remember what I did four days ago. Like I said…crazy smart. But I loved her for it…it made her endearing and quirky and it was all part of her personality. Luckily, I’m not the only one who was completely enamored with the lovely Miss. Morris.
‘Men in general unsettled me; this one in particular turned my insides into a brouhaha of chaos simply by glancing in my direction.’
Quinn Sullivan…aka Sir Handome McHotpants…and oh boy, does he ever live up to that name. Let me just start by saying the second I read that Quinn was 6’3”, I was a lost cause. I am a sucker for a tall man and da-yum…Quinn was a pretty close to perfection for me. He has a very mysterious air about him…he comes across very guarded and aside from his small smiles and his gorgeous and expressive eyes, it’s kind of hard to get a read on him. Given his history and his profession…it all makes sense but regardless of his mystery, there was no denying his captivating power. He’s alluring and it felt like every fact or detail that I learned about him had me feeling like a million bucks and then dying for the next piece of Quinn-formation :-) (I just pulled a Janie and I may or may not be patting myself on the back right now!)
‘I loved that when I looked at him, I didn’t see the blinding McHotpants façade of perfection any more. I saw a frustratingly bossy, hilariously funny, irritatingly teasing, captivatingly intelligent, seriously sexy good guy.’
Quinn and Janie…oh good gravy I was beside myself with these two, they just stole my heart without even trying. They’re so different and yet…they just work. I can’t even tell you any momentous thing that won me over with them…it was just all of the little things that combined to make them perfect. Like how he loved her facts and random bouts of word vomit…I loved that he always wanted to touch her, especially her hair…he admired her for her intelligence…and he was exceedingly patient and sweet to her. And Quinn open Janie up so much…she had lived her life for so long compartmentalizing and keeping her emotions in neat tidy little boxes in a closet, locked away safe and sound…and he blew that closet to bits – but it was the best thing for her. She blossomed like a flower and experiencing those emotions with her was fan-freaking-tastic…I can’t even properly convey how extraordinary it was. He challenged her and she was more than willing to accept the challenge because what he made her feel was worth it.
‘He ignored me. “Well, I have to admit that I can totally see the similarities between you and an ostrich.”
This surprised me; I thought he would try to defend me against my own insults.
“I… uh… you can?” It was my turn to slow-blink.
“Yes.” The slow sexy grin gradually claimed his features.
“Is it because I’m a strange bird who buries my head in the sand?”
He laughed as he rubbed his chin lightly. “No, it’s because you have long legs, large eyes, and—” his eyes moved over my hair, “a lot of plumage.”’
”By the mighty power of Thor” Penny Reid just freaking gets me. Like really, truly, deep down in a part of my heart/soul/brain trifecta that I never knew existed - she just understands all of the things that I like, love, want, need, etc. (sometimes she even gives me things that I didn’t know that I things that I liked, loved, wanted, needed, etc.) and Penny just automatically delivers them to me in the best way possibly. Penny’s style is indescribably amazing…her characters are complex and dynamic, she weaves just the right amount of humor into the story – infusing dry sarcasm and clever whit with perfect timing, the dialogue and banter feels totally natural and just adds to the dynamic of the book – I mean I could go on and on for ages! I also love that Penny writes romance with intellect. Janie is clearly beyond intelligent…mind blowingly smart if you will, and I loved that even though I may not have had a single clue about what she was talking about…it didn’t bother me. If anything, it pulled me in more because it felt like I was learning something as I was enjoying the story – it all flowed together so well and I loved that it made me love Janie and the story more. But achieving an emotionally compelling, angst romance that also talks about international date standards and makes it all incredibly entertaining…that takes freaking skill. She engrosses you in the world of her characters and it’s an all-encompassing experience that I love. The pacing and flow is perfection…it’s a slow and gradual immersion into the wonderful world of Janie and her knitting group and her sexy McHotpants…but that’s what I loved about it. Not one ounce of this felt rushed, every scene was purposeful and critical in the execution of not only the relationship blooming between Janie and Quinn and also Janie’s own personal growth, but also the underlying drama. There is some amazing suspense towards the end that knocked me off my butt and had me on the edge of my seat and gripping my kindle for dear life – it was the best!
“Why are you so afraid?”
“Because I’m not thinking about the fiber content in stain-resistant carpet.” My eyes remained stubbornly shut.
“What does that mean?”
“It means…” I lifted my lids and found him surveying me with simple curiosity. I swallowed a new thickness in my throat, knowing that I needed to tell him the truth. “It means my brain finds you more interesting than all the really interesting trivial facts I could be contemplating or researching at present.”
His answering smile was leisurely and measured. “I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I am totally hooked on this series now…after the introduction I just got to these characters I am over the moon excited about the rest of the books in the Knitting in the City series. Just from NSH I’m in awe of these amazing women and given Penny Reid’s incredible knack for creating magic, I have no doubt their stories are going to be just as captivating as Janie’s was. But before I move on…up next in the series is Neanderthal Marries Human …and after the epilogue in Neanderthal Seeks Human (from Quinn’s POV might I add!!!), I am so freaking ready to read this book. Beyond excited! I’m ready for round two, Sir Handsome McHotpants!
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Top reviews from other countries
Molly84
Funny, sweet and a real page turner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 16, 2016