Mess With Me by Nicole Helm (A Mile High Romance #2)
Released: August 29, 2017
Contemporary Romance
Zebra

Reviewed by Mandi

This author has written some really cute romances but …and it’s a big but. I don’t like this series. I didn’t like book one, but I decided to give this one a try because I enjoy her voice so much – and I didn’t like this book either. What I don’t like about this book (and series in general) is the overall tone. It’s just not a fun read. I like darker books with more serious issues. But – this book isn’t dark, it just has characters that don’t treat other very nice. They don’t speak respectfully to each other. I don’t see myself being friends with these people in real life. Instead of being angsty or intense, it’s just people I don’t like. Which is a total bummer because this author has written really adorable characters in the past that I still love. It’s just this darn town, I don’t like.

Sam is a reclusive hero, quiet, and angry over drama in his past, and not able to move forward. His two best friends, Will and Brandon, and himself own an adventure company. Will and Brandon stepped into Sam’s life when he was very down, and basically made him start working, and start living – they were there for him and he wants to repay the favor. That comes in the form of our heroine, Hayley.

Hayley discovers that Will and Brandonare her half-brothers, and drops that bombshell on them, before fleeing. She is scared to really meet them, and is conflicted about pursuing a relationship with them, because of disappointing her mother and that side of the family. She likes the town of Gracely, but is also desperate for a job. One lands in her lap when the cranky Sam shows up at her doorstep. He offers her a job at the adventure company, and even to train her in hiking and other adventury things, in exchange for when she is ready, she will sit down with Will and Brandon and get to know them. Her half-brothers don’t want to pressure her into having a relationship with them, but they want a chance – and having her work for them is that chance. Hayley agrees, and off she goes with Sam to learn the ropes of hiking and the company in general.

I wanted to like Sam – he is damaged. He wears flannel, has a wild beard, would rather live alone that face anyone in the world. And honestly, Hayley is vibrant and cute. But their romance never took off for me. They had some fun, surprise, more intense kisses, but I didn’t feel like they fell in love. The declaration of love felt very out of place. There is a lot more emphasis and build-up on Hayley meeting Will and Brandon – and Brandon’s relationship with his fiance Lily, than the romance with Sam and Hayley in this one.

And I as mentioned earlier, I don’t like how they talk to each other:

“Does that mean I can observe you?” she asked hopefully?

Sam all but ground his teeth together. “If you can shut up, you can follow me around all damn day. The minute you say a word that is not expressly sanctioned by me, you’re gone. Got it?”

I know that’s not a shocking, disrespectful thing to say by any means – but it continues like that a lot throughout the book. Not necessarily with Sam and Hayley, but with Will and Brandon. I’m not reading the next book because of my history with the first two and I already don’t like Will and Tori, his heroine who we meet in this book.

But I am looking forward to future books of by author. And if you haven’t tried her, I highly recommend her Farmer’s Market series, Too Friendly to Date, and Rebel Cowboy.

Grade: D

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