Every decision that Lisa Michaels has ever made has been based on the expectations placed on her, there is not really a time when she can remember making a choice for herself, and now that she has been dumped at the altar she is starting to realize maybe it was the wrong approach all along. She has never really done anything because she wanted to, it was always what was proper, never once being brave or daring. So she starts to think maybe she needs a little reboot of sorts, do things on a whim, say yes when she would normally say no, and take a little walk on the wild side. So when she spots an handsome tattooed guy at the bar, she decides to be a little brave and invite him to come home with her, it's so uncharacteristic of her, and yet it tickles her a little to do something totally out of the norm! And from there her brave little adventure continues to heat up!



This was such a pleasurable read, it had moments that inspired, moments that made me blush, and moments that squeezed my heart... definitely one of my favorites from this author! It was so fun to watch Lisa step out of her comfort zone, embrace this new side to herself and push the boundaries a little... and really fun to watch her explore her chemistry with Dax! I enjoy a good opposites attract tale every now and then, and I have to admit this one ranked high amongst my favorites, it was a fresh and engaging take on the trope. It was really hard to put this one down once I cracked the cover, these amazing characters pulled me into their world, had me mesmerized in a matter of minutes, and wanting to stick around to see if they had what it took to go the distance. Such a great read!! Highly recommend you get your hands on this one, these two are sure to keep you captivated from start to finish!

Requested an advanced copy from NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed.

True story, I was going to read the new Sarah Ballance book, but I had just finished another contemporary English romance so decided to read this instead. But then forgot my decision. So I'm reading this thinking "wow, Sarah has really gone in a different direction with this series!". Anyhoo.

Lisa Michaels is an interior designer in Portland. Her long-term relationship with a wealthy stockbroker ended six months ago when he left her at the altar and she is rethinking her entire lifeplan, lifestyle choices and instincts. Sitting in a hipster bar with her two sisters her eye is caught by a guy the exact opposite of her ex. This guy, Granite Ass as she calls him in her head, is big, muscular, heavily tattooed and wearing jeans and a t-shirt. When he comes over and starts flirting with Lisa she makes a split-second decision to do the opposite of her instincts and, just for once, experience life with a bad boy.

Dax Kensington might look like a biker thug, he might even tell people that he is a steelworker, he most definitely was brought up in a trailer but he has also made a ton of money inventing a steel-walled reusable water bottle. He initially mistakes Lisa for his bitchy ex-girlfriend but hey if this snooty blonde wants to have some kind of revenge sex with a bit of rough he has no objections.

What starts out as a one-night stand walk on the wild side soon morphs into the most intense experience Lisa has ever had, and Dax is nothing like she imagined. So she proposes an experiment, The Test, in which she will do the opposite of her usual choices. Swap a night at the Opera schmoozing potential clients for a night in a biker bar - you get the idea, and she asks Dax if he will help her.

This is a Scorched imprint so there are plenty of smexy times as Lisa and Dax explore her wild side, and yet it is also a sweet romance where Dax and Lisa discover how much they like talking and laughing together, but will either of them have the courage to suggest their relationship could last longer than the 30 day Test? Or are they really too different to have a long term chance?

I was totally engrossed by this sexy yet sweet romance. I see that it is the second in a series but you can totally read this as a stand-alone (having said that, how did I miss the first book?). Dax and Lisa are such likeable characters, I just wanted to grab Dax all to myself.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

That good Old line .. we shouldn't judge a book by its cover? Pretty much made for this book.

Lisa can most definitely come across as stuck up, snobby and uptight. It's not purposely done though. What happens when you question every choice you've made?. Well, She jumps head first into the deep end testing all things new and exciting. She's sweet, funny with an almost innocence about her. She opens herself to all things completely opposite to what she'd normally do and I loved that side of her!. She grows as a character flourishing through the story! Not into a different person but a more rounded character.

Dax although a total hottie, was quicker to judge than Lisa. He constantly made assumptions about her regardless of what she said or did. He's a little broken, a lot of cynical with a dash of brooding. He worked his way up to greatness yet still felt like that boy from the wrong side of the tracks who didn't fit in. But I loved him!. His sweet, his bossy alpha granite ass and his cute funny side. It took longer for him to get with the program but when he did it was nice to see him take note that he had his own issues to sort through, take ownership for them and apologise like a man.

They clicked from the start! The chemistry was just palpable. That connection instantaneous. Two completely opposite in everyway characters fit together like a perfect puzzle. I loved the naughty antics they got up to!.. delicious. The sweet moments so freaking good it gave me a toothache and even the times where they clashed a little were interesting. I really enjoyed this story. Seemlessly written at a great pace there's no unnecessary angst or drama just a fabulous romance. All kinds of sweet, sexy and funny. I didn't expect anything less from this author because every book I've read of hers has delivered! This is no different.

I kindly received this ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Deliciously Amorous Refreshingly Erotic

Learning about yourself to stretch boundaries and question your decisions and behavior.
Very cleverly done.

3.5 Stars. This is one of those books that is difficult for me to review because I think I'm being too negatively influenced by one thing that bugged me. So I'll try to focus on what I liked first. I liked the premise of the book. It's different, and cute, and leads to some good laughs. I like the author's writing style a lot; I was pulled into the story immediately and stayed engaged for the most part. I LOVED the character of Dax. He is sexy, sweet, funny, kindhearted, and just hot, hot, hot. So what's my problem? Well, I just didn't like Lisa. I wanted to. I really wanted to get past the air of snobbery and cut her some slack. And she probably deserved for me to do so. But I didn't. I didn't admire her, or identify with her, and I just didn't think she was good enough for Dax. I'm probably just jealous. ;-) This is the first book I've read by this author, and I enjoyed her writing style enough that I would definitely like to read more.

Well this is a test I would like to take! I mean Dax was such a fabulous guy and Lisa was the perfect woman for him. Even though Lisa comes off as snobby on first impression that couldn’t be further from the truth. Dax is your good guy with a crappy childhood which still affects him to this day even though he has made something of himself. Once Dax starts talking to Lisa he realizes that she isn’t what she seemed, yes she has classy tastes but a lot of it also has to do with her job as an interior designer. Every time these two are together you can feel the sexual tension between them. I really liked Cassie and Simon together but these Dax and Lisa are just as great. There are some hilarious parts in this book and I just love when I can laugh and still get some hot sex scenes. And there were some HOT sex scenes! If you loved The List then you will love The Test.

What a fun idea, The Test, doing the opposite of what you would usually do. It helps Lisa and Dax to open up about what they really want.