The First Time We Met

<b>5 Words: Lust, passion, sexy, hilarious, challenging.</b><br /><br />This is a very steamy NA with more than a sprinkling of Downton-Abbey-esque old money traditions and snobbery. And I freaking loved it.<br /><br />Sometimes I just need my NA fix, something that I won't take too seriously but I can still invest in and that will entertain me and keep me turning the pages.<br /><br />For every cliché in The First Time We Met, there's a reminder that this isn't just your bog standard NA romance. Although there's lots and lots (and lots) of passion and lust and excitement and conflict and deceit and lies and revenge and every other goody that seems a prerequisite in NA that's not the sum total of this books parts.<br /><br />As the first book in the Oxford Blue series, it fantastically sets the scene and introduces the main characters. The side characters also get plenty of attention and I definitely like Immy and detest Valentina.<br /><br />If you're looking for your NA guilty pleasure fix and love a poisonous relationship, then look no further.<br /><br /><i>I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.</i>

<br>*Update* Edited to add: wow, there is a new film coming out in September called The Riot Club, featuring the gorgeous Max Irons (my idea of Alexander!), about an Oxford club of posh boys - just the thing to go with this fab series!!<br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUk1gs1ojT8" rel="nofollow noopener">The Riot Club Trailer</a><br><br><br>This was a brilliant read! <br><br><a href="http://www.picgifs.com/reaction-gifs/" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1403297277ra/10073011.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br><br>All American girl Lauren Cusack and British aristocrat/part time Special Forces officer Alexander Hunt meet while studying post grad courses at the fictional Wyckham college in Oxford. Sparks fly and they enter into an intense and passionate relationship, but however compatible they are between the sheets, things aren't likely to go smoothly given their diverse backgrounds, disparate personalities plus Alexander's emotional baggage and military commitments.<br><br><br>These are fully fleshed out, flawed characters in a great setting - you can really visualise Wyckham college and Oxford - and yay, unlike many steamy and/or erotic romances, it actually has a plot which is fast-paced and holds your attention. And did I mention the sex is hot?! ;0) Above all, it's well written and very very witty - I laughed out loud several times, especially when Lauren is plunged into the brooding, uber-snobbish atmosphere at Falconbury House and encounters Valentina, a wondrous creation and one of the most appalling but truly memorable characters I've come across in a novel. You'll just have to read for yourself to find out what I mean with that one!<br><br>Feisty is sometimes an overused word in relation to heroines but Lauren richly deserves the label. She's independently minded, down to earth and meets every challenge head on. I was rooting for her as she more than held her own among the traditions, tutors and occasional upper class twit characters she encounters at Wyckham. She is particularly in kick-ass mode at Falconbury House where her verbal slug fest with The Bitch With a Capital B was wonderful to read.<br><br>Alexander is a compelling and fascinating hero - he's a handsome, intelligent, wealthy, arrogant, sexy-as-hell aristocrat but as with all the best heroes there's a huge amount going on beneath the surface. Lauren compares getting to know him like dismantling one of those Russian dolls: as soon as you remove one layer there's another underneath. So true, and I'm looking forward to reading MUCH more about the enigmatic, sexy Alexander...<br><br>I couldn't put it down and stayed up way too late to finish First Time We Met. It ends on a cliffhanger - I believe this is going to be a 3 book series - and a teaser excerpt from Book 2 is included (which is out now!) <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/20839586.The_Second_Time_I_Saw_You" title="The Second Time I Saw You by Pippa Croft" rel="noopener">The Second Time I Saw You</a>. I'm so looking forward to the next installment!<br><br>Bring. It. On! <br><br><a href="http://www.picgifs.com/reaction-gifs/" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1403297998ra/10073128.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br><br><br><br>

Avrei voluto lasciare la recensione che ho scritto di getto su Goodreads terminata la lettura, ma poi ho pensato che no, qualche parola in più per questo romanzo va spesa, visto quanto è brutto. Ma non solo brutto, anche scritto male e pieno di farneticazioni che, se apertamente condannano lo stalker di turno, in realtà tacitamente portano ad accettare tutto quanto, dai regali consolatori ai comportamenti minacciosi come ormai nei romanzi rosa non si manca mai di fare. E mi fa dire una sola cosa: Pippa di nome e di fatto.<br />La protagonista de La prima volta che ti ho incontrato, Laurel, è talmente il prototipo della belloccia da fyccina da essere americana, biondissima, intelligente – credo che a un certo punto si faccia riferimento anche al suo QI ma non ne sono proprio sicura – e ricca, ma necessariamente deve avere qualche difettuccio che ce la renda umana: ecco che veniamo scoprire che è un po’ goffa e che ha qualche problema coi genitori che non la capiscono ma non è dato sapere di più. Ora che l’abbiamo resa più vicina, l’immedesimazione da parte delle lettrici è salva! Ad ogni modo, dicevo, è così il modello della solita protagonista banalotta che la prima sera ad Oxford se ne esce con una frase che palesemente ci mostra la sua furbizia assieme alla modestia che la caratterizzerà per tutta la narrazione: “Forse è una mia impressione ma mi sembra che tutti non facciano che guardarmi”. Non le passa neanche per l’anticamera del cervello che magari i compagni la fissano perché è la ragazza nuova, o perché se ne sta impalata al centro della sala. No, chiaramente ha più senso quel che dice la nuova amica, eletta migliore amica dopo qualcosa come un paio d’ore scarse di conoscenza: “I ragazzi probabilmente ti stanno fissando perché vogliono scoparti; le ragazze e i gay, invece, staranno sbavando dietro il tuo vestito”.<br />Non starò qui a dire quanto sia orrido che si continui a dipingere un omosessuale come una donna, perché affermazioni di questo tipo credo di commentino da sole e voglio ben sperare che lascino il tempo che trovano quelle discussioni idiote su chi faccia l’uomo nelle coppie gay. Dirò però che è squallido come passi per un comportamento normale, dovuto alla bellezza di Laurel, quello di due differenti soggetti maschili, di cui uno arriva addirittura a metterle le mani quasi negli slip non appena la conosce e l’altro a metterle un sonnifero nel tè: ragazze, sappiatelo, se vivete in questo romanzo e uno allunga le mani su di voi, ubriaco o sobrio che sia, è sintomo di un apprezzamento e dovreste esserne orgogliose. Ma pure tanto, quindi non osate pensare l’opposto.<br />Aggiungerò che mi ha urtato i nervi il modo in cui Laurel dimentica in un batter di ciglia un’aggressione, anzi due, solo perché si ritrova davanti il bono della situazione (anche se non ho ben chiaro come riesca a riconoscerlo a primo impatto dopo averne visto solo le chiappe ma tant’è): ovviamente ricco in maniera inquantificabile, chiaramente latin lover che seduce e lascia scie di cuori infranti al suo passaggio, naturalmente psicopatico in azione che sbuca in ogni dove, la segue come un segugio e le regala cose a caso prima ancora che le abbia parlato per più di due minuti. Inevitabile intuire come andrà a finire: sesso, litigi, sesso, litigi, e via dicendo, dove ogni volta si arriva allo scontro su problemi che mai vengono risolti ma semplicemente sopiti con scene di sesso di cui facevamo a meno – perché sono anche descritte con un linguaggio da far accapponare la pelle e ben lungi io dall’essere puritana -, finché non si ripresentano, ingigantiti, pronti a schiacciare e mettere di nuovo in crisi la coppia.<br />Procedimento vecchio, solite conclusioni, non c’è niente in questo romanzo che mi abbia convinta. E, stavolta, devo anche aggiungere l’aver trovato orrori grammaticali da far rizzare i capelli anche a Mastro Lindo: la congiunzione o con l’acca e il verbo avere senza si rincorrono un po’ per tutto il testo e mi hanno ulteriormente inorridita. Passi una scrittura davvero ma davvero povera, scarna al limite del telegrafico e incapace di coinvolgere a livello emotivo, il cui unico pregio è quello di scorrere via così veloce che nemmeno ci si rende conto, ma che in un testo possa trovare ripetutamente errori grammaticali mi fa seriamente mettere in dubbio la revisione del testo. Non lo accetto in un self, figuriamoci in un prodotto edito.

3.5 - So When Is The Next Book Due Out Stars :(<br /><br />The First Time We Met is Lauren Cusack's story, after managing to persuade her over-protective parents to allow her to study abroad she arrives at Oxford from Washington to realise her dream. <br /><br />Not looking for any romantic entanglements Lauren is looking to soak up the atmosphere, make a few friends, and focus on her studies, unfortunately she didn't figure Captain Alexander (don't call him Alex) Hunt into the equation. <br /><br />Alexander is tall, dark and handsome, every girls dream. He is also aloof, aristocratic and blunt to the point of being rude. Carrying around demons from his past, and looking to avoid a future that has been mapped out for him due to his heritage, rather than his own choices. <br /><br /><b>He is solidity, uncompromising, maddening.</b><br /> <br />Although Lauren tries to avoid being drawn into his life and to him as a man, Alexander pursues her without compromise, until he gets what he wants...In saying that though she does have an uncanny habit of falling on her arse when he is around, and like the good Knight (or Lord in this case) he dashes to her rescue. <br /><br />I did enjoy The First Time We Met, but if I am honest it isn't really anything new or different. I loved Alexander, but I pretty much love any man in a uniform. His Britishness, and the fact the book is based in the UK is also a big plus, it was nice to actually be able too see the places described in the minds eye, rather than having to Google everything too see what the location area involved looks like.<br /><br />There are an awful lot of chiches in this book, you have your typically rich, aristocratic over indulged tossers running through the tale, going by the names of Rupert (Rupes) and Mr Rafe (handsy tutor). And the name dropping for high end products and designers reads like a list of who's who, at points I wondered if the author was getting kick-backs by said designers for how many times she could squeeze their names/products into the book. Henry Favell.... so described that he reminded me of a certain Mr Cavill.<br /><br />But that being said, it is well written, and if you can get past alot of the god-awful rich English toffs in the story, it is pretty enjoyable. The sex is well written and a little different, and I loved all the Oxfordness of it all. <br /><br />My MAJOR downer is that this book is not a standalone, and I cannot find any information or confirmation as to if or when Lauren and Alexanders story will continue.<br /><br />ARC provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.<br />

05/23/17 - I am glad I paid $.53 for this book and not $9.99 which is the price I originally saw it for on Amazon. Actually, I want my fifty-three cents back, but I think Amazon's return policy is 7 days.<br /><br />Too much name dropping of high end products. This book felt like an advertisement for Neiman Marcus. And the heroine did not just stop at name dropping of products, but famous people too and for no reason except to say it or brag (even though she said she did not brag. *eye roll* This is the problem with rich girl stories with rich girl problems, it is too hard to connect. I wanted to like to story. I tried very hard, but Lauren was not likable. A bit whiny at times. A bit everything that I can not stand in a heroine. Why did the hero like her? Was she that attractive???<br /><br />Here is some of the name-dropping she did in the first 15% of the book. <br /><br />"Into my Ralph Lauren flats." (Loc page 1)<br /><br />"...new Kate Spade tote." (Loc page 4)<br /><br />"Sure, I've been to France and Italy with my parents before, and to London a couple of times on vacation." (Loc page 11)<br /><br />"I have actually met John Cusack at a fundraiser for a kids' caner charity that was hosted by my mother. And Michele Obama was guest of honour and Hillary Clinton dropped by. But I don't normally say any of that stuff because I genuinely don't like name-dropping and I don't want to play the Pushy Yank on my first day." (Loc page 15) <b>YEAH RIGHT!! That is all the heroine does in the first 20% of the book before I had to call it quits.</b><br /><br />"I wore my leather jacket and DKNY ankle boots." (Loc page 47)<br /><br />"...my Cartier tell me it's ten thirty." (Loc page 51)<br /><br />"The guys are probably staring because they want to shag you; the girls and the gay men will be lusting after your dress. Is that a Donna Karan?" "Uh-huh." (Loc page 19)<br /><br />"As he slides my sock over my foot, I am glad I got a pedi before I left Washington." (Loc page 66)<br /><br />Like I had said, I had to quit after 20%, it was too much. <br /><br />Reading is subjective. You may love it. <br /><br />05/09/17 - Well awhile ago I complained how the Kindle edition of this book was $9.99. Today, I checked and it is only $.53!!! <br /><br />01/02/17 - $9.99 for kindle edition - let me know when there is a sale.

Thanks to the beautiful setting and quality of writing, Croft brings a touch of class to the erotic genre. Lauren is a likeable character from the start and the reader can't help but fall in love with arrogant, repressed but vulnerable Alexander. Croft writes sex in a distinctive style, without the cringe-factor which is no mean feat. It's a fast-paced read and difficult to put down, with a great cliff-hanger ending. Bravo!

The First Time We Met appealed to me greatly as it is set in Oxford. It was wonderful to read the characters visiting places I know, and to imagine the story unfolding locally.<br /><br />This book has everything you want in a page-turner; likeable as well as obnoxious characters, a female protagonist you can relate to and a smouldering, tall dark and drop-dead gorgeous hero with enough flaws to keep him interesting and human. When you add in rolling countryside, horses and dogs, the backdrop is as close to perfect as you can get.<br /><br />I particularly enjoyed the more prickly and nasty characters. Everyone will have met a Rupert, Valentina or General Hunt in their time, not to mention the sleazy tutor or the predatory Henry. These characters make your hackles rise, and I am hoping in the next books of the series they will get the sort of treatment they deserve. They add a lot to the story, and make sure the path of true love isn’t an easy one.<br /><br />The maddening (in a good way) end of this book leaves me keen to read the second in the series and find out where the characters go from here. I absolutely can’t wait for the next book now. <br /><br />In summary, a guaranteed page-turner which is very hard to put down or stop thinking about when you’re not reading it. Bravo.<br /><br /><br /><br />I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br /><br />

<b>1 stellina perchè sono gentile</b><br /><br />Questo libro è <b>insulso</b>.<br />Ma tanto.<br />La storia d'amore non ha sentimenti, nemmeno uno.<br />I personaggi non pensano (e grazie al cielo abbiamo avuto a che fare solo con il POV di Lauren).<br /><br />Ecco come sono state riempite 300 PAGINE di libro:<br /><br />descrizione di vestiti talmente-costosi-che-non-voglio-nemmeno-sapere-che-esistono, descrizione di palazzi, sesso, altri vestiti, descrizione di opere d'artee, sesso, altro sesso, altri vestiti, ancora sesso, palazzi, vestiti, sesso, non ho ben capito che stia succedendo, vestiti, altro sesso, boh credo stiano litigando, boh <b>grazie al cielo è finito</b>

The first book in the author's new series for a big publisher. A gripping story for anyone who loves the quirks of Oxbridge colleges and the upper classes all seen through the eyes of an outsider who knows how privileged she is and isn't in comparison. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, but we don't have many months to wait for part two. Definitely recommended.

Another great read by one of my favorite romance authors. If I had to describe the book using only two words...Smart and Sexy.