Gentlemen Prefer Nerds

I absolutely love romance stories and I am always searching for something new that I might find interesting. I came across this book, `Gentle Prefer Nerds’, and the first thing that came to my mind was `how can this be true?’ I really got to find out what this book has to offer!

Once I started reading this book, I fell in love with the main leads that are involved in this story. Maddie is the nerd in the story and she has some sort of expert knowledge in gems and jewels or whatever. She also was the stereotypical nerd that doesn’t care much about fashion. Fabian, is the sexy and totally mysterious foreigner. He seems like he is a secret agent himself. At first it seems like there is no way that these two totally different individuals are able to fall in love with each, but after each and every page, they begin to surprisingly fall for each other.

All in all, I love the unique blend of romance, comedy and suspense throughout the story. The leads are tolerable and they’re very interesting in their own way. The plot was outrageous and felt like an adventure after what they both have to go through. The story just has you keep guessing what will happen next and it is really hard to stop turning the pages.

The romance between the typical nerd and hottie reminds me of another book that I read called ”

Her Mouth Really Likes Me: a College Virgin’s First Sex Adventure!

” by Sandra Ross. That story is also about your typical college nerd that was able to attract one of the most popular girls in school. If you love nerd romance stories then I also suggest you check that out!

I gotta be honest: I am a closet fan of romance novels. I started reading them way back in middle school (the torrid ones with the heaving bosoms on the covers), and while I don’t often read them now, I can certainly appreciate a good one. I’m a hopeless romantic as a direct result of my younger self’s obsession with them!

Gentlemen Prefer Nerds is my first non-YA review, and as such – I’m a little disappointed that I could only give it a 3. But the story just didn’t live up to my expectations. It tried a little too hard to be everything to everybody.

It was cute. It was fun. And I certainly enjoyed reading it. But…

Oh yes, there’s a but.

Maddie was too nerdy and then miraculously turned into the sex kitten she needed to be when necessary? Okay, so she was still a little clumsy – but it was just a little too neat and tidy for my tastes.

And making Fabian a faux 007 just took the cliches right over the top.

And to further add to the cliches was the writing itself.

“He wasn’t given to lurid descriptors but one word popped into his mind – she was luscious – with all of the life-giving, taste-tempting, juice sweetness of a perfectly ripe mango.”

I actually burst out laughing when I read that. Then I read it again. Then I bookmarked it on my Nook. Then I laughed again.

And really, these things aren’t bad. The book was good! I enjoyed it! But they do prevent it from being great. And it is possible to write some really great romance (see: Diana Gabaldon).

Bottom line: if you want to read a light and fluffy book about a nerd and a Bond-esque Englishman… this is the one to read.

I knew I had to read this book the second I saw the title. I loved the idea of a nerd as the heroine in a romance novel and the play on the famous Marilyn Monroe movie is a nice touch. Gentlemen Prefer Nerds lived up to the promise of its title and I was thoroughly charmed by this light-hearted adventure into the world of jewel thieves and cons.

The bright blue and yellow used for Gentlemen Prefer Nerds’ cover compliment each other nicely and serve to effectively draw the readers attention. If I was browsing in my local bookshop I would definitely stop to pick it up. The male model has a taunting half-smile on his face, as if he knows more than he’s letting on and is a perfect fit for how I pictured Fabian. The female model isn’t quite how I imagined Maddie, but with her glasses, hair pulled back into a sensible ponytail and shy stance she does capture some of Maddie’s nerd-factor. The pink heart-shaped diamond glittering next to the title is the valuable gem that puts the whole story in motion. This is a fun and effective cover and I must compliment the design team at Carina Press.

Gentlemen Prefer Nerds was a delight to read. Joan Kilby writes well, bringing her characters to immediate life on the pages. The story progresses at an entertaining pace with action and drama interspersed with humour to keep the story in balance. One great example of this humour is when, during a dramatic helicopter escape from the police, Maddie stops and stubbornly refuses to abandon her cat, forcing Fabian to perform an impressive feline rescue. Kilby skilfully uses these moments to give us a better understanding of the characters’ histories and personalities.

Maddie is a fabulous heroine. Brilliant and passionate about jewels she lives a rather boring life where she lives vicariously through her books – picturing herself as the daring heroine who saves the day. It was interesting to see how she reacts when she is forced into new and dangerous situations in real life. Maddie really blossoms in the book. Fabian is a mystery when we first meet him, but we slowly learn more about the gorgeous Englishman as the story unfolds. I liked the respect he has for Maddie and her abilities and the quiet strength coiled in him. The chemistry between Maddie and Fabian sizzles through the pages of Gentlemen Prefer Nerds. In fact my only problem with the book was that when they finally made love it wasn’t the exciting event that all of the chemistry and tension had been building towards. It felt like a bit of a let down.

Gentlemen Prefer Nerds is a fun, entertaining read that will have you glued to the pages. Definitely worth reading.

I really enjoyed Maddie’s character she was smart, funny and had a bit of fire. I’m a huge fan of Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Nerd series so this was right up my street. Their adventure was exciting and I loved the way they worked together. I also wished there was more of her family as the scenes with her dad were some of my favourites. I must admit I was really disappointed that so many loose threads were left at the end. Without giving too much away, his family issues were left completely unresolved and I felt that Maddie was expected to make do with whatever Fabian was willing to give her. I’m hoping there is a follow-up that will reveal all.

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