Full Package

Slow claps....

Rolls up sleeves....

Takes a seat....

These two, if I may be blunt, are two of the dumbest dumbfucks I have ever read about.

So look, I'm a fan of these types of tropes. BFF little sister, friends to lovers, roommate situations. LOVE LOVE LOVE. But this book is an exercise in how weak all those can wind up being when the story isn't crafted well enough.

There's no tension because of the Best Friend's little sister. So who cares (frankly this is the way I prefer it-I actually just like the little hint of oh, shit, this might cause some conflict but you're embedded in my family already so that is handy) It served no purpose here. It was clear the main friendship for both MCs was theirs.

They both basically realize they are show more attracted to one another, but are putting their friendship above all else, so you know what's a grand idea? Being roommates. Either it will be the height of awkward, you'll end up hating the shit out of each other anyway, or you will fall into bed at some point. Can you guess which happened.

Why is friends-to-lovers so fraught with peril? Because the protagonists put a friendship, though it may be strained, above love. As if it's not an issue to you know love your friend and that's all going to work out. As if deciding to stay friends isn't a decision and a rejection in and of itself that you don't a) trust the other person or b) like them like that.

Both were steady people. No one was crazy. There's no good reason they didn't just say you know what? I 'm kind of falling for you, is that bad? Should I move out? Nah, I'll just move out and neither of us will mention the way things have changed, or were changing. Or that moment when you asked Josie what she was looking for and she said someone who wants her the way she wants them, it was like 30 pages in. Chase could've mentioned it then.

But this: We'll do it constantly, and maybe even date a little bit, and when it's a risk to our legendary friendship, we'll stop. That's not the way it works, you fucks. And if it were, why wouldn't you just fess up to how you are feeling then count on things going back to normal? What.is.the.difference?


But look, it was an easy read, it is why I read these. I give it 2.5 dumbfuck stars, rounded up because it's the holidays and I'm both crabby and feeling generous as a result.

If, however, you are looking for friends-to-lovers with better execution, I suggest you move along. Check out [b:The Hot Shot|29541797|The Hot Shot (Game On, #4)|Kristen Callihan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489760751s/29541797.jpg|49842497] where they knew the risks walking in and decided they had to be friends instead. Or [b:Sutphin Boulevard|25404499|Sutphin Boulevard (Five Boroughs, #1)|Santino Hassell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1435776893s/25404499.jpg|45158379] for the a long-standing friendship (but prepare to be gutted) or [b:I Temporarily Do|35828620|I Temporarily Do|Ellie Cahill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501030439s/35828620.jpg|57333389] for a ride on the sweet side.

I'm not very good at keeping up that shelf, apparently. show less

Full Package is the fourth full-length novel in Lauren Blakely’s Big Rock romantic comedy series that is all written from the first-person male POV. This time we have Chase who is best friends with Wyatt (Well Hung). He’s also good friends with Wyatt’s sister, Josie, and is about to become a whole lot more. Chase is a doctor who, after a major heartbreak, went on a year-long Doctors Without Borders mission. He’s only recently returned and is looking for a place to live, but affordable apartments are hard to find in New York City and every one he’s been interested in has thus far fallen through. Enter Josie, a bakery owner who needs a new roommate. After hanging out a few times, Chase and Josie realize how incredibly well they show more get along and that they would be the perfect roommates… except for one tiny detail: Chase has had the hots for Josie for a long time. However, since compartmentalization is his gift, Chase thinks he can separate the two, no problem. But it becomes increasingly difficult when he sees Josie every day, sometimes in various states of undress, and they’re flirting incessantly, and talking about their sex lives. Then one night Josie crawls into Chase’s bed, looking for a little comfort and all bets are off. Soon they’re far more than mere roommates, but a shared powerful need to always remain friends no matter what happens may make them miss out on something far deeper and more enduring.

Chase is an emergency room doctor, who became invested in a romance with a woman who was more than just a lover. They had so much in common, she also become his best friend. But then she cheated on him and the relationship ended, leaving him floundering over losing someone who’d seemed so perfect for him in more ways than one. Now recently returned from his Doctors Without Borders mission, he needs a place to live, but every time he finds an apartment he both likes and can afford, the deal falls through. Then he and his good friend, Josie, are just hanging out and realize how great they’d be together as roommates and everything falls into place. But Chase has always thought Josie was crazy hot and living in the same small space with her only fuels his desire for her even more. Still, he’s determined not to ruin their friendship by going there until the night Josie slides into bed with him. Then he just can’t keep his hands off her anymore. Soon Chase realizes that he’s fallen madly in love with Josie, but she seems determined to maintain their friendship at all costs. Since Chase is the one who’s better at compartmentalizing, he eventually finds himself faced with either risking that friendship for the chance of something better, or needing to let go of the love of his life in order to keep her in his life as a friend. Overall, I liked Chase and thought he was a great guy, but I couldn’t help feeling that his characterization could have gone deeper, especially since the entire story is written from his POV. In all honesty, his past failed relationship could have played a stronger role. I did like, though, that Chase fell so hard for Josie and embraced those feelings. The only reason he was willing to put them on the back burner is because he thought that’s what Josie wanted.

With this being a first-person POV story, we primarily only get to know Josie through Chase’s eyes. She loves cooking and owns a successful bakery. Josie used to be roomies with Natalie (Well Hung), but then Natalie married Wyatt, leaving Josie needing a new roommate to help with the rent. So far, she hasn’t been able to find anyone who isn’t a total flake, but since she and Chase have been friends forever and get along great, she figures the two of them can help each other with their respective problems. When things start heating up between them, she embraces her desire for Chase, but at the same time, she’s adamant that their friendship is the most important thing. She fully expects their fling to eventually end, and when that time comes, she wants them to go back to the way things have always been for them. Since she’s the one who has a hard time separating out her emotions, she makes Chase promise to be the one to rip off the proverbial Band-Aid when the time comes. Josie was probably even more underdeveloped than Chase. Aside from a recent romance with a guy who just used her for sex and then ghosted her, which didn’t really play much of a role in her relationship with Chase, what I’ve outlined here is about all we get to know of Josie. Interspersed throughout the story are recipes from Josie’s cookbook that give some small insights into what she’s feeling for Chase in the moment, but it’s not really enough to make me feel like I got to know her well. What I did see, I liked, though. She’s a pretty confident woman who isn’t afraid to express herself both in bed and out, except for when it comes to her feelings for Chase. In her zeal to maintain their friendship at all costs, she very nearly lets him get away entirely.

Many of their friends and family members who have their own books in the series play supporting roles in the story. Chase’s brother, Max, is probably the most prominent one, giving Chase brotherly advice. He becomes the hero of the next book, Joy Ride. Josie’s brother and Chase best friend, Wyatt (Well Hung), shows up, also providing advice and camaraderie. Josie’s other brother, Nick (Mister O), and his lady love, Harper, appear on a group date, along with Wyatt’s wife, Natalie, Spencer and Charlotte (Big Rock), and Simon and Abby (The Sexy One), who cross-over from the One Love series. We also hear a little about, but don’t actually see, Max and Chase’s sister, Mia, who becomes the heroine of the sixth book, Hard Wood.

Overall, I enjoyed Full Package. It was a reasonably entertaining read that had some really funny lines that made me chuckle. I liked Chase and Josie for as well as I got to know them and think they were a well-matched couple. I just wish that their characterizations would have dug a little deeper. The story itself was a little too simplistic as well, leaving me feeling like the stakes weren’t quite high enough. The main conflict is simply that Chase and Josie don’t want to lose their friendship, and as a result, they don’t convey their feelings for one another, leaving Chase misconstruing the meaning behind Josie’s words. It wasn’t really the dreaded “big misunderstanding,” more a failure to communicate, but still not my favorite way to stir up trouble between a romance couple. It very nearly kept them apart, and if both of them hadn’t realized just how much they missed each other and decided it was worth risking their friendship after all, they might have been doomed to broken hearts. All’s well that ends well, though, and the last chapter where they finally reveal their true feelings was a very sweet moment. I also can’t deny that Chase and Josie really knew how to generate a lot of steam. Their love scenes were super-hot and very fun. So all in all, Full Package was a respectable entry into the series that had a lot of good points. I liked it, but just wasn’t quite blown away by it like I was with a couple of the earlier books in the series. show less

This series is so good! There's great smut and it's narrated by the amazing Sebastian York. I really like that it's all told from the guy's point of view, since you don't see that much in romance books. Chase was a super hot ER doctor and I liked his friendship with Josie. I'm jealous of all the yummy baked goods she makes. They had great chemistry and the story was fun and flirty and sweet. We also got to see the couples from the first 3 books which I love. I'm looking forward to Chase's brother's story next!

ARC Review: Full Package by Lauren Blakely

A cynical playboy with a smart mouth, quick wit and raging sex drive. Chase is a wet dream come to life. His ego hides a big heart and a secret fantasy that risks the two friendships he values most. Josie is his biggest fan but also his largest weakness. A sweetheart with big dreams and a few secrets of her own, her delectable desserts are tempting but her guilty pleasure involves a certain doctor with a sweet tooth and a knack for rule breaking. Lauren Blakely stays true to the title with Josie and Chase. She delivers a humorous story full of heart, overflowing with temptation and characters that are charismatic scene stealers in every way. Full Package is the whole enchilada.

Chase Summers is the full package - sexy, smart and every bit of male Greek God reincarnate.

Josie Hammer, is Wyatt's little sister, but has also become Chase's best friend. They have the ultimate friendship, but neither want to take that step out of the friend zone despite how the thoughts flutter through their minds.

Becoming roommates should be easy. They know all there is to know about one another. Or so they thought...

Once they cross that line, it's nearly impossible to get back. Will their friends to lover relationship be the real deal? Can they both have the full package?

Another one of Lauren Blakely's gems that exceeds all my expectations. Lauren Blakely has written FULL PACKAGE (along with many others) with such a whimsical show more finesse to each and every page. She has the humor to make you laugh out loud and the talent to make you blush and look around to see if anyone sees just how rosy cheeked you are. HOT!!! SEXY!!!

Bravo to Ms. Lauren Blakely for blessing her readers with these standalone/continuations that keep getting better and better. Just when you feel like you found your favorite book boyfriend... just when you swoon over the cutest couple... she shocks us with more amazing characters that she has created.

Without a doubt, this is a must read! Full Package can indeed be read as a standalone, but would be much better read with the others as there is a beautiful build up of the characters, their relationships and how well they are connected and intertwined with each other. These romantic comedies can be read in any order:
Big Rock
Mister O
Well Hung
The Sexy One
Full Package

FYI: Once you start, you will want to put the kiddies to bed, lock yourself in your room and dive into Lauren's fiction world! show less

I liked this book. I decided to buy this book during a recent Audible sale because it sounded like fun and Sebastian York was listed as the narrator. I knew that this would be a great book to listen to when I was in the mood for something fun and sexy. I ended up listening to this book for hours at a time and finished it within a few day. It wasn't a life changing read or anything but I had fun with it.

This story is told from Chase's point of view. Chase is an emergency room doctor at one of the local hospitals. He has been best friends with Josie's older brother for years and has always spent a lot of time with Josie. Chase and Josie have become great friends themselves so when Josie has an opening for a roommate and Chase needs a show more place to live the answer seems obvious.

They are great together as roommates but Chase soon realizes that he wants something more from Josie. He decides not to act on it because their friendship is too valuable to risk. Of course, things take a turn and they become more than friends. I liked these characters as a couple and thought they had great chemistry. They really just seemed to belong together.

My only real complaint with this book was that it was too predictable. There were literally no surprises. And I like surprises. The story felt so similar to other things that I have read which took some of the fun out of the whole experience. I just felt like this was a story that really could have used some kind of element that could set it apart from other books.

Sebastian York did a fantastic job with the narration. He does such a great job with this kind of book. He really made Chase's character come to life. He also handled all of the other voices in the story, including Josie, very well. Everything in the story felt very natural with his narration. This narrator is one of the main reasons that I bought this audiobook and I thought his performance was at the caliber that I have come to expect.

I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I had a lot of fun with this book and wanted to see Chase and Josie get their happily ever after. I plan to read more for Lauren Blakely soon. show less

Full Package by Lauren Blakely (Audio Edition)
Narrated by Sebastian York

4.5 Stars - What a great friends to lovers story. Chase and Josie are wonderful together. Fun banter, great chemistry and I felt the sincerity between them, that only happens between truly good friends. I love that he is a good guy who has a good heart. Josie’s cookbook recipes were great - they cracked me up. There were a few sigh worthy moments and a major one... that totally brought a huge grin to my face! Sebastian York did a great job narrating. This book was a win for me!

~Paragraphs and Petticoats~

Original review posted at: http://paragraphsandpetticoats.blogspot.ca/