Reaction to... The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram

"'Again?'
'We need to make sure we really test this theory as thoroughly as possible.'
'We do?'
'Yes, Avery. I hereby demand as a completely impartial outside observer with absolutely no personal interest in the outcome of this experiment that you need to kiss me again.'"

I always read romance books; it's very rare that the story I'm starting doesn't have romance somewhere in it. And with that core love story I can take on about every genre, slice of life contemporary being no different (though my least favorite to explore—which funnily enough contains some of my all time favorite stories—don't ask me how that makes sense). And romantic little stories like this I will remain a perpetual sucker for.

You see, Avery Shaw is geeky, quiet, shy, and more than a little anxious (medically speaking). And she believes herself to be in love with her long-time bff, pseudo-twin brother Aiden. Their families have been entwined since the respective mothers' mutual prenatal yoga class. He is her anchor and her crutch and Avery is totally smitten by the idea of being in love with him. That is, until he breaks her heart. Gently but nonetheless brutally, which puts her squarely in the arms—naked ones, I feel compelled to mention—of his older brother, Grayson, whilst in the middle of his shower.

Oram couldn't have created a more perfectly familiar scenario while still making it read as unique. Because of course Post Shower, Grayson has had his eyes opened (and he wouldn't be shy about telling you that her shirt plastered against her ample chest did wonders as far as overdue revelations go). And now he wants her, in all the delicious ways a near-adult high school boy can want an unsuspecting pretty mouse of a girl.

Avery is a nice enough girl, and a decent, likeable main character, but it was Grayson who stole the show. Really, Oram is to blame by giving him rule over his own chapters in the book. He's charming, self-assured—a bit of a cocky bastard really—but still retains this adorable amount of class and sensitivity without reading as unrealistic. And his predicament—crushing on girlfriend material while the girl in question remains almost stubbornly oblivious—helps create a fantastic, hilarious story line.

I had so much incredible fun with this story! If I could copy and paste every single bookmarked page for your benefit, I would completely. But I much rather you read the book and experience the body-seizing laughter you'll be susceptible to as you progress. Anything will do the trick, i.e. Avery's best friend, Libby, and her sexual prowess, Owen's horror at the aforementioned best friend's "objectification" of him, a handful of stereotypical nerds, learning Newton's laws, winning pool, etc etc.

Then there's the somehow innocently sexy bit to it, the way Oram makes the moments pre-kissing somehow far sexier than the much anticipated kissing. Like learning to dance. With Grayson playing the role of tutor.

"Dancing," he said, "is about feeling, not thinking.
Grayson lifted one of my arms above my head and rested it on the back of his neck. My fingers instinctively dug into his soft, thick hair. I hadn't told them to do that. I felt Grayson's cheek lift into a smile against the side of my head, as if he fully approved of my action.
"Now we move together."
His arm came around my waist, and he suddenly knocked his knee forward into the backs of mine, forcing them to unlock. Unprepared for the shift in weight, I buckled, but he'd been ready for this. He caught me, held me up tight against him, and began moving us in an almost-circular motion.
My entire body heaved a shudder of pleasure, and then I drifted away from reality into a world where nothing existed except for the two of us.

It had all the goods of a happy, palette-cleansing contemporary. Feel good, sexy, happy, slightly fluffy, and with decent writing paired along with hilarious characters. I was a gooey mess by the end and to put it bluntly, I enjoyed the hell out of The Avery Shaw Experiment. Honestly, you try it and see if you can resist Grayson Kennedy and his schemes to win the girl by helping her patch up her broken heart.

A wayward kindle deal gone right once again.

Ebook / 278 pgs / May 4th 2013 / Bluefields / Goodreads / $2.99

I bought this because it's a kindle deal without meaning to be.