This was a different romance compared to the contemporary books I usually read, and in a good way because it surprised me and made me laugh. "Melt for you" tells the story of Joellen, a 36 year old woman with low self-esteem because she thinks she's old and she isn't fit. Her thoughts on herself will be questioned after she meets the Scottish baller Cameron, who came to New York to change air. He is not her type, but that will change as well as Joellen realizes that he is more than she thinks he is.

This book was really funny from the first page until the end. Joellen is a witty woman but she's also sassy, and the banter with Cam was exceptional and makes them even more realistic as characters. Their journey was slow paced (maybe this is why the series is called 'slow burn') and there is a slow character development that is given at the right time. These characters were original to me, and you could relate to them in many ways.

Everyone has been or has met a "Joellen" in her life. She is insecure of herself, always thinking she is not fit because she is not skinny or she is not beautiful because of this, or several other worries that most of us surely thought about during their lives. And this is wrong. This is the message the author wants us to receive: that it doesn't matter if we're not fit or we're not something else, we are still valuable people and we deserve to be loved by other people, but above all, we should love ourselves first. We should forgive ourselves because nobody is perfect and it's imperfections that make us unique.

In this book, Joellen had the luck to meet Cameron, who is a good-natured man that doesn't try to judge others by their appearance or other stuff, since appearances can easily deceive. Joellen was deceived by Cam's appearances as well when they met, but then Cam turned out to be a different person than who she made him out to be. From a silly proposition to give her a hand to make her boss Michael fall head over heels with her, Cam helped Joellen believe in herself and her many qualities and accept herself but also him with his baggage. The past of a person doesn't define him/her. We must overlook the differences and ask ourselves if somebody is acting in a certain way because maybe that person is having an inner war with themselves we don't know about. With this I'm not saying we should be nice to everybody to avoid that somebody suffers at our expense, but that we should be balanced. We can't be too nice but we can't be angry at everybody as well.

I will surely read J.T. Geissinger in the future since I loved the sense of humor of her characters. :)

Melt For You is the second book in the Slow Burn series by J.T. Geissinger. I was sold on this book first because of Tattooed Scottish Rugby Captain, but this book was so much more. This book was hilarious and sexy; I couldn’t put it down read it in one day.

Joellen Bixby is wildflower who doesn’t believe she is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. When her new neighbor Cameron McGregor (Tattooed Scottish Rugby Captain) offers to give her some advice on how to catch the man she has been crushing on for ten years, in exchange for her cooking him dinners especially her shepherd’s pie. What could go wrong right? We, romance book-aholics know lots of drama and misunderstandings.

So much sexual tension between Joellen and Cameron that it heats up the page but the bantering between these two was the best. J.T. Geissinger know how to write a good slow burn book, she gives you a little taste to keep you turning the pages and when the characters finally come together she has you wanting a cold shower just to cool off from the hottest.

Highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good romance!

3.75 stars--MELT FOR YOU is the second instalment in J. T. Geissinger’s contemporary, adult SLOW BURN erotic, romance series. This is twenty-nine year old, Scottish rugby captain Cameron McGregor, and thirty-six year old Joellen Bixby’s story line. MELT FOR YOU can be read as a stand alone as there are no apparent connections to the previous story line.

Told from first person perspective (Joellen) MELT FOR YOU follows the acrimonious relationship between New York neighbors Scottish rugby captain Cameron McGregor and Joellen Bixby. Cameron McGregor has come to America, if only temporarily, in order to avoid a scandal back home. Sexy, athletic and an arrogant womanizer Cameron is about to come face to face with a woman whose self-esteem has been shattered; whose maturity level is questionable; whose naïvete and caustic barbs draw our hero like a moth to a flame. Joellen Bixby has spent ten years of her life pining after her boss, a married man she hopes to attract at the upcoming company party. Her self-deprecating humor and attitude gets old pretty fast, so much so that Cameron struggles with her constant put-downs and disparaging personal remarks aimed at deflecting compliments and praise. What ensues is the growing relationship between Joellen and Cameron when Cameron offers to work with Joellen as she sets out to get noticed by the company CEO.

MELT FOR YOU is a story of opposites-attract. Joellen is a wallflower, an ‘ugly duckling’ who hides behind a poor self-image, and a lack of confidence including the inability to say no when it counts. A bit of a push-over whose aggressive attitude hides years of emotional struggles Joellen wants to find love but in doing so dismisses the man who battles his attraction to a woman who is oblivious to his ministrations and growing love.

The world building follows a ‘stream of consciousness’ as the reader is pulled into the mind of a woman caught between what she thinks she wants, and what is right in front of her. Our heroine’s naïvete is compounded by her single mindedness as it involves her attraction to, and desire for the company CEO, missing the growing love of a man who is willing to give her his all. Weeks will pass and our heroine will remain oblivious so much so that she is willing to risk everything for her shot at the top.

MELT FOR YOU is an engaging and entertaining story line but the heroine’s over the top, combative and whiny personality is frustrating such that I was unable to truly enjoy all of the potential humor, and the back and forth repartee between the leading couple. Joellen’s issues of low self-esteem had been branded into her psyche by those she considered more beautiful and worthy, and her character development was questionable as Joellen continued to struggle with body image all the while focusing on her end game of falling in love with the ‘perfect’ CEO. A ‘slow burn’ romance MELT FOR YOU was a bit of a struggle but the kilted Scottish rugby player is worth the price of admission alone.

I will note that the author adds a cautionary tale at the end of the story – a warning of sorts for anyone who battles with, or knows someone who struggles with heart breaking issues of low self esteem that oft times, do not transfer, to a happily ever after.

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Oh my goodness I really loved this book. It had me laughing, crying and relating to Joellen so much. Joellen has low self esteem and has a huge crush on her boss. Cameron who is living next door to her suggests to help her get her bosses attention. The relationship that forms from this is one no one can break. The way they interact and how open Joellen is with Cam and how he just takes his time with her and shows her over and over how pretty she is and how she needs to love her self first is just so so good. They had me laughing from the first moment they met.
I received this as an arc from netgalley

5 bonnie stars

Melt for You can be read as a standalone and is now available on Amazon KU, add the audible for 1.99!

I FLOVED this book.
Who hasn't had a crush on their boss at one point or another? Is he all that he seems to be or does infatuation blind us? Melt for You is being called a slow burn but the chemistry is palpable throughout and consistently builds making a reader eagerly fly through the pages. Not only is it a slow burn but a friends to lovers story as well, two birds one stone trope!

The entire premise is based on infatuation and the heroine not being a confident female but the story line wouldn't work if she was. That said I loved the delightfully flawed Joellen Bixby, she's endearing, smart, funny, and interesting. She is realistic and likable yet not annoyingly weak

Cameron McGregor, SWOOOOOOON! Admittedly I am very partial to Scott's but Cameron is alpha, hunky, hot, kind, and patient ....without being alpha if that makes sense. Cameron has already come full circle in life when he shows up as Joellen's neighbor so the story isn't about his change, just that he did and he's ready to move on.

Throw in the quirky fun side characters and this is the perfect recipe for a quick lighthearted swoony read. Bump it up , you won't regret it!!

Joellen is a socially awkward woman. She has a crush on a CEO of her firm. Cameron is a Scottish rugby player and totally not her type. He moves in next door and agrees to show Joellen how to attract her man. The problem is Cameron is attracted to Joellen and doesn't want her with another man. Will Joellen turn to her crush or choose the hot next door neighbor Cameron? A wonderful sexy read.

Melt for You is pretty much outlined in the synopsis, my fellow romance book loving friends. What you get is a slow burn romance between a sassy but oblivious to reality, insecure leading lady and a too handsome for his own good famous Scottish rugby player, who is temporarily living next door. It takes until nearly the end for their passion to finally be unleashed and completely engulf their hearts, minds, and bodies into flames. Mainly because that is how long it takes for one of them to finally see the light and possibilities of what is right in front of them.

It was rather refreshing Joellen seemed completely immune to Cam’s flirtatious, cocky comebacks and demeanor in the beginning. In fact, for someone touted as a wallflower she was quite outspoken with him from the get go. Her antagonist off the cuff responses were a perfect contrast to Cam’s seductive, silver tongue devil banter. In the long run, there was no escaping the heat, passion, and chemistry that keep simmering between them. Unfortunately, something else remained smack dab in the middle most of the time as well, another man named Michael, her married boss.

Joellen’s ten year unrequited obsessive infatuation with Michael blinded her to everything else. She never acted on those feelings in the past, but once he claimed he was getting divorced she thought fate was handing her the man she’s always wished for. Sadly, she learns two valuable life lessons: “Be careful what you wish for” and “All that glitters isn’t gold”. This girl certainly needed more than just her glasses to see what was really going on around her. Sure, she was sweet and sassy when it came to dealing with Cameron, but this gal was completely clueless about pretty everything else.

To my surprise, this author took a type of leading man I wouldn’t normally touch with a ten foot pole and turned him into someone decent and likable. It was sweet how he came to care for clueless Joellen to the point it felt really wrong how he was trying to help her win Michael’s attention and affection.

Being obsessively insecure at 36 and still putting up with put downs from her own family was bad enough, but continuing to pine over a man who never should have been on her radar to begin with made Joellen’s character difficult for me to completely embrace. Her constant negativity regarding her own self image was hard to swallow, as well.

What kept me engaged and reading to the end was the saucy, witty, antagonist to attraction back and forth banter between the main couple, knowing Cam was likely keeping a very big secret. I was pleased as punch I was right, folks. I also absolutely loved how Cam got angry every time Joellen said negative things about herself and tried to help her self-esteem issues. The short epilogue was perfectly done to give a glimpse into their perfect together, right as rain HEA.

Title: Melt for You, Series: Slow Burn (Book 2), Author: J.T. Geissinger, Pages: 344, stand-alone, flirty/cocky/Scottish rugby player, socially awkward/doesn’t know she’s beautiful/clueless to reality heroine, hears him with one random OW, infatuated with her married boss, not romance safe, sassy for a wallflower, funny back and forth antagonist banter, can’t stand him at first, HEA, brief epilogue, slow burn, very steamy scenes near the end.

Book 1 - Burn for You (Bianca & Jackson), Pages: 348
Book 2 - Melt for You (Joellen & Cameron), Pages: 344

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

For me, Melt For You is to rugby what Claire Contreras' The Player was for soccer - it might have singlehandedly turned me into a rugby enthusiast based solely on my love for a fictional player. Hell, the book speaks very little about the actual sport, but Cam McGregor's intense appeal is enough to win anyone over. He is the epitome of the strong yet vulnerable book boyfriend, with the perfect mix of ego, sensitivity, and intelligence. His larger than life personality fills the entire book but Joellen and her wit and snark and REALNESS are his equal match. She is every woman that has ever felt the slightest bit insecure and is so achingly relatable. Between their friendship and inevitable ascension into love - I really didn't want the story to end. Between this and Midnight Valentine, I seriously can not wait to read another book by J.T. Geissinger and she has officially joined the ranks of my "must read/auto buy" authors and I'll be adding all of her books to my physical bookshelves too! She now has 2 books on my "Best of 2018" list! 5 out of 5 wine glasses.

I loved this book so much. Joellen has always thought of herself as an ugly duckling in a family of beautiful people, and still thinks so as an adult. She’s been “in love” with her boss for ten years, and when she finds out he’s getting divorced, she’s thrilled.

Cam is in the states trying to get his life back on track, and he infuriates Joellen. Their sarcastic banter turns into friendship, and Cam tells her that he will help her get her boss to fall for her. But Joellen has no idea what’s in store for her with Cam or her boss.

This story was so heartwarming and funny. The characters were all so great, and I loved the hilarious banter and dialogues. I’d definitely recommend this book.

Joellen is an introvert who prefers to spend her evenings dreaming about her boss at Maddox Publishing as she has for the last 10 years. It doesn’t matter to her that not only is he not available, but he has never looked at her as more than an employee, but it doesn’t stop her from hoping.

Cameron is the sexy rugby player and the neighbor that plays his rap music way too loud! When she finally has had enough she heads over to get him to turn the music down, but she never expected the muscular Scotsman to change her life.

A friendship develops between the two and when her boss may be available she decides that he has the expertise and knowledge to show her how to catch her man. He agrees and hopes that along the way she will realize what she really wants is right in front of her.

The chemistry between them is intense, the banter humorous and Cameron helped Joellen realize she didn’t need to change that she was beautiful as she was, and she brought light to Cameron after his painful past. This is a heartwarming romance that you won’t soon forget.

Joellen Bixby has a new neighbor across the hall, he’s arrogant, crass, and very sexy. The strange thing is, that he wants to help her get the man of her dreams, Michael Maddox who is also her boss. Cameron McGregor is so sure of his sexuality, that he has convinced Joellen that soon she will be able to have her boss falling for her. Only problem is that she has self esteem issues, but Cameron only sees the beautiful woman that Joellen truly is. Cameron figured that giving Joellen these lessons, would have her fall for him, except it’s backfiring.
Will Joellen realize what is right in front of her is the actual man of her dreams.
This was a cute romantic comedy.

Loved this book, OMG I laughed so hard!! Joellen is as snarky and salty as they come, and Cameron..These two are a perfect pair. The slow buildup was so worth it, because...dang it was smoking hot. I loved everything about this book. The pacing was great, there was always something to keep my attention glued to the pages. Such a great read. Told in Joellen's POV.

A modern day retelling of the Ugly Duckling. Captivating, entertaining, romantic and sweet, as a reader you cheer for the underdog, hoping that our heroine will open her eyes. Joellen does what most of us do, turns a blind eye and is her harshest critic. After pining for her boss for the last 10 years, she hopes her dreams will come true. Cameron McGregor is a famous rugby player needing a break from the spotlight, and finds a swan just across the hall from the apartment he’s temporarily staying in.

“You said you wouldn’t get aroused.”
He looks at my mouth like a warlord looking over a kingdom he’s just seized. “I lied.”

We watch page by page how Joellen comes into herself, realizing she deserves true happiness, but only she can give it to herself, well, with a little help from Cam. This standalone novel is well worth your one click.

I love JT Geissinger's snarky and confident female characters and her bad boy heroes who appreciate them! Joeleen and Cameron took me on such a sweet emotional journey and I loved every second of it.

This book was LAUGH OUT LOUD funny. I thought Cameron was so sweet and absolutely hilarious! Joellen and Cameron were seriously like peanut butter and jelly. They simply went together. I would have loved if we could have gotten more face time with them as a couple, but that aside, I really enjoyed reading this and I pretty much fangirled over every scene with Cameron and Joellen. What I really loved most about this novel though was the message at the end from J.T. Geissinger. It's a beautiful message about not letting other people's opinions make you feel bad about yourself. Your self worth isn't what's on the outside.

Joellen Bixby is what people would describe as a wallflower. Quiet, blends in with her surroundings, terrible self esteem. She is secretly in love with the CEO of her firm and has been for 10 years. When Cameron McGregor moves in next door she is appalled by his cocky attitude and music. After coming to an agreement to get him to stop playing his loud rap music Joellen learns to calmly deal with Cameron. When he finds out about Joellen’s feeling for her boss he offers to help her pursue him. She wants to lose weight get toned so Cam helps with an exercise program and better eating habits. He works hard to get her to stop putting herself down and getting upset about the things people say to her. With helping Joellen get what she wants he realizes he is pushing the women of his dreams into another man’s arms. With her boss showing her some attention Joellen is super excited. She is also up for a promotion at work which she is excited for also. When she finds out her boss is not who he seems she is devastated. Cam is there to pick up the pieces. Maybe the man of her dreams has been right in front of her all this time.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

Anyone who has ever felt awkward and insecure, with low to no self-esteem, will be able to relate to Joellen, who lives a pretty lonely life outside of her job as a copy editor for Maddox Publishing in New York City. For ten years she’s been in love with and fantasizing about her CEO, Michael Maddox, who she believes to be the most perfect man alive, all while she considers herself to be a loser. When she finds out that Michael is getting a divorce, Joellen decides it’s time to get in shape before the annual office Holiday Party. Cameron McGregor is a star Rugby player from Scotland who has switched apartments for the holidays with his cousin, Kellen – Joellen’s neighbor. When they meet, Joellen’s impression of Cam is that he’s a narcissistic, obnoxious, rude, man-whore, while also being a huge, tattooed, muscular hottie! The two of them unintentionally get into an uneasy, yet nonetheless fun, friendship, and Cam volunteers to help Joellen get the man of her fantasies. Cam and Joellen are HILARIOUS. I laughed so much while reading this story; a story that shows you can’t always judge a book by its cover, you can’t believe everything you read, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you should always love yourself first, and sometimes what you really want and need is right in front of you. I absolutely loved this story.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily left my review.

J.T. Geissinger has written another fun and interesting novel with Melt For You, the second book from her Slow Burn series. I enjoyed the first installment, so naturally when this novel became available I just had to request it. This is a slightly slow-paced read, replete with an engaging plot, captivating characters, and a complicated romance. The story takes place in Manhattan, and the sights and sounds of the city are well executed. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

Copy editor Joellen Bixby has crushed on her boss's boss, CEO Michael Maddox, for the past ten years. Now Michael is getting a divorce, while showering Joellen with attention. Due to Joellen's low self-esteem, she does not feel that she is good enough for Michael. When her new neighbor, rugby superstar Cameron McGregor offers to help her get into shape, and learn how to be a seductress, she reluctantly accepts his assistance. Cam sees all the goodness in Joellen and wants her to see it as well.

Cameron is big, tattooed and gorgeous. He is also full of himself at times and his womanizing ways are highly publicized. When he walks into a room everyone turns their head. He is also smart, and has made a good life for himself despite his extremely troublesome childhood. Cameron likes Joellen the moment he meets her and he wants to get to know her. With them spending so much time together, it is no wonder they fall in love.

This is an enjoyable story and the characters light up each and every page. Mrs. Dinwiddle, their feisty elderly neighbor, is a real hoot, and her theatrics add lots of humor to the present happenings. I even enjoyed Joellen's cat, due to his finicky qualities. The love triangle is depicted with class and Joellen’s sonnets were quite good. Overall, a solid read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Readers will be wearing a perpetual smile on their face as they watch next door neighbors find romance while engaging in rapid-fire banter teeming with sexual tension. Opposites attract in this charming romance with two unforgettable main characters who deal with their heartbreaking pasts and find unexpected love along the way. By the turn of the final page readers will be full of warm fuzzies and sweet dreams courtesy of a sexy Scotsman who’s the epitome of romantic.

Joellen Bixby is an average gal. She’s been working at the same job for the last ten years, is happy to be the worker everyone goes to when things need doing, and has had a crush on her suave and debonair boss since the day she was hired. She’s also kindhearted, befriends her elderly neighbor, and cares for a deaf cat. She’s got a lot of wonderful qualities, but nothing that makes her stand out. It’s been that way since she was a baby. As the daughter of a professional photographer and successful supermodel, and with a beautiful sister who’s made waves on the pageant circuit, she’s always felt lacking. The insensitivity of her family when it comes to judgments about her weight and inability to find a man has left her self-esteem bruised though. Their constant criticisms have left her in a rut, too scared to go after what she wants but frustrated with herself in an endless loop that leaves her just settling for crumbs. The moment she confronts her noisy new neighbor though is the moment her life changes irrevocably. The moment Cam sees her he takes it upon himself to transform her into the woman she wants to be. Through snarky yet heartfelt interactions the sexy Scotsman slowly worms his way into her heart and along the way she also discovers new things about herself that empower her. Being around Cam pushes all her buttons, frustrates her but forces her into speaking up and working for what she wants, in a connection that crackles. The hurt to her psyche was clear from the moment readers meet her and it had me longing to hug her. She was in a low place at the start but her friendship with Cam invigorated her and like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon she became a much stronger-willed person. Joellen’s the kind of heroine you can easily relate to, the kind you want only good things for. She might’ve been full of uncertainties with others, but she wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with Cam in a scorching friends-to-lovers romance that had me laughing one moment and blushing the next!

Cameron McGregor seems to have it all as a star rugby player. He’s surrounded by beautiful women, has lots of money, and has an invite to party wherever he wants. It’s all starting to get to him though. He’s angry about the superficiality of his life, fueled by his painful past of disability and death. He overcame a lot in his childhood but his anger is finally coming to a head and putting his career and his future in jeopardy. Seeking a bit of peace and quiet he leaves Scotland behind to move into the apartment of a friend. It ends up being a life altering decision where he finds not only love and support but deals head-on with his past to find a future with a woman he sees more clearly than she sees herself. Cam’s a brash Scotsman, rippling with muscles and oozing self-confidence. It’s self-confidence that he’s happy to share with Joellen in a combustible relationship that evolves from friends to something more. Cam at first seems like a carefree playboy, but there’s a lot of substance below his sexy surface. He refuses to let Joellen put herself down in any way, shape, or form. He encourages her but also makes her question things in order for her to find her HEA in a romance that had him wearing his heart on his sleeve. Readers may fall for Cam’s sexiness when they first meet him, but it’s his big heart and protective nature that had me falling for him and rooting for him every step of the way.

This was a decadently delightful book courtesy of its fun and flirty banter between two apparent opposites. Joellen’s steady, smart, and loyal but is also riddled with uncertainties over her weight and looks. She’s an Ugly Duckling by her own admission, but I found her an immensely likable heroine. Her family were hurtful at times with their thoughtless words and though it bruised her emotionally, they didn’t break her. She was easy to relate to and I cheered her on through her empowering actions every step of the way. Cam’s the quintessential book boyfriend. His outer package is appealing, but it’s his charming heart and supportive words that made him drool-worthy. He pushed Joellen to see herself as he sees her, instead of through the judgmental eyes of her family. Though he’s younger than her in years it’s his painful past, his words of wisdom, that made him speak so wisely. He set out to save Joellen as he couldn’t save his own mother and along the way he fell for her. He never pushed her to love him back though. He supported her as she worked through her unrequited love for her boss and his actions made me love him all the more. Alongside this appealing main couple was a small cast of equally entertaining secondary characters. Among my favorites were the dramatic and colorful elderly neighbor, Mrs Dinwiddle, who took over every scene she was in as she didn’t hesitate to tell it like it was. Mr. Bingley, Joellen’s deaf cat, also left an impression as he was drawn to Cam from the very start which showed him to be one smart kitty. On a whole this was an unforgettable romance full of heartfelt words and deeds, heartwarming charm, and a friendship longing to be more that I wholeheartedly recommend!

I ADORED this book! I was completely sucked into Joellen and Cam's story! This was one of those books that I didn't want to put down. I'm in love with Cameron McGregor <3 Looking for your next book boyfriend? Look no further, my friends! I loved the love/hate Cam and Joellen had with each other. This book was laugh out loud funny as these two bantered back and forth! I adored Cam. He came to America to lie low for awhile and he wasn't expecting the sexy, funny girl next door. Joellen REALLY didn't expect the handsome man that showed up. Nor did she ever think the gorgeous man would look her way. This book had ALL.THE.FEELS and I didn't want it to end! This left me with a book hangover and I'm ready to dive back in for a re-read! Do yourself a favor and grab this book today! But don't blame me when you don't want to do anything else! KILLER read!