Driven to Distraction (Lovestruck Librarians #5)
Publication Date: January 17, 2017
Contemporary Romance
Lyrical Shine

Reviewed by Kini

IF THE BOOKMOBILE’S ROCKING…

Constance Chen is not the demure kind of librarian. Sure, her high-horsepower ride is Big Bertha the Bookmobile, but Con swears a blue streak, does her own home improvement, and wears steel-toed boots. She has a tight circle of friends, a demanding, beloved sprawl of a Chinese-American family, and a strict hookups-only policy when it comes to men. Her life is just how she wants it. Except for one maddeningly sexy footnote.

Sam Wolcott, her friend’s baby brother and the library’s IT star, has been throwing sparks with Con since he moved to town. To everybody else, he’s a thoughtful, sensitive sweetheart. To Con, he’s a cantankerous pedant, because if they don’t fight nonstop their clothes will spontaneously combust. Sam needs a commitment Con won’t–can’t–give. And neither of them will chance their hard-won bonds for pure lust.

Too bad Con and Sam have a whole week in a very tiny, very private space to sustain their dumb arguments. Alone. What happens in the Bookmobile might take their resistance right out of circulation…

If smart and sassy heroines are your thing, this book features a foul-mouthed librarian and the hot ginger “beardo” she falls for. This is fifth in the series but can be read as a stand alone. The characters from previous books are featured in this book, but Dade does a great job of telling the necessary pieces without it being overwhelming.

Constance is in charge of the bookmobile. She is also from a large family and has been taking care of several of her siblings from afar. They appear to be college age and demand a lot of Constance. Because of this and other reasons, Constance is sex ‘em and leave ‘em kind of woman. She’s tired of feeling like everyone is demanding time and affection from her.

Sam is an IT guy for the library and is pretty much amazing. He is the little brother of Penny, heroine from book one. Sam grew up an only child and really longs to have a family. He takes on the task of showing Con that being in a relationship can enhance her life and not be another burden.

Con and Sam initially have a rocky relationship because of their need to fight their attraction. Thankfully the time spent in the bookmobile is not just them sniping at each other. There is definitely some irritated back and forth between them, but it lasts an appropriate amount of time and not too long.

It was great to see Sam work to show Constance how being in a relationship doesn’t have to be draining. He sneaks into her heart slowly but surely. I also love how Dade challenges things in her books. Sam had sex with one of Con’s friends in a previous book. This is something I’ve not seen much of in romance books. Constance is unapologetic about her lack of desire for a relationship and she’s never shamed by Sam or any of the other characters.

The sex in this book is pretty darn hot. It is a nice change to see the heroine being more of the dirty talker. (Spoiler tag for dirtiness.)

[spoiler]“He kissed the faint line where her thigh met her mound. “So you’ll have to trust me when I say your pussy is exemplary. Beyond gorgeous.”

“Really?” Con propped herself up on her elbows, her hair swirling around her shoulders. “Does it smell good? Does it taste good?”

‘Yeah. Definitely.”… She flopped back down. “Then stop being lazy. Eat it”

[/spoiler]

I really enjoyed this book. It is has witty banter, sassy heroines, and a caring and bearded hero.

Grade: B+

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