Breathless (a Love Serial) by Maria Luis

Title: Breathless

Author: Maria Luis

I downloaded Breathless by Maria Luis for one reason.  It was free.  That’s one of the best reasons to download a book, in my opinion.  Yes, I have a million and a half novels on my shelves waiting to be read.  Yes, I have almost no time to read those books, let alone a new one.  But yes, I have no self-control, so basically I thought fuck it and downloaded it anyways.  It was a quick, breezy read that took no more than two hours, though I’ll admit I’m a quick reader.

Breathless was wonderfully unique.  Author Maria Luis wrote this ‘love serial’ novel chapter by chapter pausing between each to allow her readers the opportunity vote on what happened next for her characters Jake and Claire.  The best part of the whole thing is that you can’t even tell that the story was a mix of different reader’s votes.  It flowed just as perfectly as any novel out there which is certainly a testament to Maria Luis’ talent regarding this writing business.   I would have loved to be a part of the voting process, but hopefully I can be a part of the next go around.  I’ve got some ideas.

Breathless follows Claire Halloway, an aspiring actress, as she takes odd jobs from investigating cheating boyfriends to wearing a chicken costume and handing out samples outside a restaurants.  Her most recent gig as a chicken has put her directly in the path of Jake Matthews, rich attorney with a handsome face and a sweet car.  She enjoys looking at him—who wouldn’t?  He’s hotter than sin--, but she’s not willing to let herself go any further than that, until one night when Jake shows up at her home with an interesting proposition.

Claire is a stubborn, independent young woman with a past that she’s trying to keep firmly in her past.  Her internal dialogue had me laughing out loud multiple times as I read.  Jake was sexy, cocky, and in desperate need of a woman to shake up his life.  He wasn’t an insufferable asshole though, which I so appreciated.  I loved the banter that Claire and Jack shot back and forth as they desperately fought to ignore their feelings for one another (however short-lived that fight way).

The whole story was pretty short, which obviously meant that there were some sacrifices regarding plot, but overall the story had a great pace and an enjoyable amount of action, sexual and otherwise (wink).  I think that nearly all romance readers would appreciate this speed read with all its quirks and hilarity.  And it’s free for two more days (until December 18^th).  Order here.