The Opportunist

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. There are happy parts. There are sad parts. There are parts that will enrage you and make you want to toss the book across the room. Both main characters have times when they are not very likable people, however what drew me to the story is how intense their love for each other is and what lengths they will go to to sustain it. A very good read, I couldn't put it down once I started. Not sure how I feel about the way it ends but there are two more books after it.

Ok. I admit it. I was entertained. A whole star of the enjoyment did come from the narration by [a:Andi Arndt 6746963 Andi Arndt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1381410479p2/6746963.jpg]. I did a listen/read combo, but much of it came from the sheer what will happen next factor. Everything and nothing happens in this book and it ends in a cliffhanger and I'm jumping right into the next installment.This was like the Mexican/Venezuelan telenovelas I inhaled in my younger years and I mean that as a compliment. Sure improbable things happen, a certain basketball game comes to mind, and our female protagonist/narrator is sometimes annoyingly prejudiced but as a good chunk of the story takes place during college years character flaws are to be expected. Olivia Kaspen is a different and entertaining person to keep company with for a few hours. Sure she becomes fixated on the outrageously perfect Caleb Drake but who wouldn't. He's written that way. Handsome but not pretty, open but mysterious, English but Americanized by having lived in Florida since he was 14, in other words perfect. Not to mention that he has the patience of a saint towards all of Olivia's flaws and drama. Olivia has moxie. She is like one of those dames in those '30s & '40s movies. She fights dirty, people try to beat her but she alway comes back swinging.If you are in the mood for some non serious drama (think Dallas, Dynasty etc) and are okay with a three part series jump right in! The water is pleasantly warm and you'll have fun. A special shout out to Olivia's college roommate/best friend Cammie. I love her.

WHY does Tarryn Fisher's writing have to be so good. I might not have liked [b:Marrow 22253643 Marrow Tarryn Fisher https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1428492928s/22253643.jpg 41629663], but TF sure can write a love story. I HATED the protaganist, Olivia, and at the same time, I could feel her loneliness so I sympathized with her. Not much, shes a terrible person. And I don't thing that Caleb is any better, at least in the beginning. I hope their 30 year old characters are more mature than their 22 year old characters. SpoilerI think I would have given an extra star had this not had a HEA at the end. I always like when a book doesn't give you a neat little package at the end.

Gah. I've teetered between rating this one star to three stars, and I've just decided not to rate it. The problem is that while I didn't like it (which I would generally rate one star), I don't think that's fair. It's well written, intriguing, and different than a lot of romances I've read–and I'm still thinking about it days after reading it. It just wasn't for me. And I'll probably think about reading the next book in the series.