Kats Review: Not You It's Me

Not You It's Me by Julie Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Promising start that morphed into the ridiculous.

First of all I really enjoyed the start of the book, like really, like really really. The banter between the two main characters Gemma Summers and Chase Croft had me in stitches. There were literally moments when I laughed out loud while reading this book.

The story starts off with Gemma winning a pair of tickets to a basketball game in hope of igniting (not re-igniting) as stale relationship with her neighbor/boyfriend. I didn’t really buy into why she was with him based on how Julie described him. I mean besides have so so looks and being pudgy the man basically showed her no affection, the sex was bleh and he was a A-double hockey sticks (shaped like an S) to her most of the time. Gemma being gorgeous (if not a little self-deprecating) was more than enough confident not to allow crap from a guy like that.

Chase was your typical misunderstood millionaire that doesn’t do love and has a complicated past. I could forgive that since he and Gemma had so much chemistry. I especially enjoyed their interaction in his car after the basketball game (you’ll know what I mean when you read the book). I also enjoyed the dialogue written for her friends particularly Chrissy (pregnant and hormonal) who was hilarious.

Now on to where it got ridiculous for me…

1. After probably her fifth or sixth misunderstanding with Chase she runs away to her mother but first runs into her neighbor/ex-boyfriend who is so pissed at her he attempts to strangle her in building and after managing to get away surprise surprise does not report him, or tell her mother, or tell Chase (who btw goes after her to bring her home).

2. Chase’s cousin is a complete psychopath who tried to take away everything from him growing up (and is pissed that Chase will be CEO of the family company a position for which he wanted) tries to have Gemma killed after her ex-neighbor/ex-boyfriend along with Chase’s ex-girlfriend that used to sleep with Chase’s cousin kidnaps her and Chrissy (who is in labor) for ransom from Chase. What follows is Gemma getting shot by the idiot ex-boyfriend, getting away in car chase (an actual chase not the hero of the story Chase) only to crash the car and be taken by Chase’s cousin’s gooney to be driven off a bridge (have I lost you in the ridiculous yet???)

3. They fall in love inexplicably in 1 week, no… 5 days

4. Gemma’s father who she was never close to (from which she has her commitment issues) turns out be a millionaire, a secret she was hiding but her ex-boyfriend finds out and spills the beans to Chase’s brother who in turn uses the information to bring her half-sister to a party for the public announcement that Chase will be CEO to… well I’m not exactly sure to what… Anyhow Gemma’s half-sister instantly likes her and declares them friends.

5. Chase’s uncle turns out to be his father and the night his (non biological) father finds out both him and his mother die in a crash (supposedly at his non biological father’s hands although it is not specifically said in the book) over the very same bridge Chase’s cousin… well brother tries to have Gemma killed.

I still gave it though three stars mainly because Julie has a talent for making her characters funny and having that translated well in her book (which btw is not an easy thing to do).

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