Monday 11 August 2014

The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: August 19th 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 5 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5
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In this electrifying novel from New Adult sensation Cassie Mae, two close friends surprise themselves by shifting from platonic love to sexual attraction.

Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world.

When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.

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I think I can solidly say that this is now my second favourite Cassie Mae book after Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend. I know that I have said that about every one of her books I have read since, but that only means that her books keep getting better and better! I still have 2 unread published books by her. Well, 3 when counting Unexpectedly You. I really need to get to them now! 

I think there were two major things that made me love this book so much. 1) Eric. :) 2) Mia. Haha, but I will get into more detail than that. 

“I want you to love me with all of you.”

Eric is just so amazing! He is so sweet and vulnerable but he didn't put up with shit. I can't say that he is my fave Cassie Mae hero because that is like trying to pick a favourite flavour of ice cream. :P But let's just say that he is tied for first with like 5 others. Although what he went through in high school, specifically with Ali, breaks my heart, it makes me love him more because he is surviving, even if it is hard sometimes. And the fact that he thinks his panic attacks make him weak just breaks my heart all over again. Gosh, I want an Eric Teddy that I can hug all day!

Mia was so relatable. Not only because she reads a lot, but because she lives on the internet and goes to all the same websites I do. Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Amazon, etc. I can understand her passion for it. I always have my phone with me. Even if I am home and I go from one room to another, I take my phone with me. I know it can be bad, but I don't think I am quite as bad as Mia, because I would never text and drive. And the first day that she saw Eric again after 3 years, she got lost in a book and ignored him for hours. I felt really bad for him. But it doesn't make her a bad person. She was actually a lot of fun, and she was really nice. She was a super affectionate person and the best friend Eric could ask for. I felt so happy that Eric had her in high school. Despite whatever else he may have been dealing with, I hope that he knew that Mia always loved him, even if he thought it was just as a friend in the beginning.
 
I never used to read a lot of contemporary romance. Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend was the first one I read and really loved. I am starting to learn my dos and don'ts of the genre. The things I like, the things I avoid. And I prefer more mature contemps. NA or adult, so I enjoyed the maturity level in this. I haven't read Friday Night Alibi and I didn't enjoy Switched, so this is sort of my first Cassie Mae NA, and I definitely hope to see more. And I have always had a soft spot for the 'friends to lovers' stories since that was my story, but I think this one reminded me the most of myself and my husband. I saw myself in Mia, and a bit of him in Eric, so I couldn't help but feel like this story was real. I got so attached and felt so vulnerable while reading it. Eric and Mia are my new friends. :)

“I can't tell if I hear your heart beating, or if it's mine."
"Aren't they the same thing?”

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