My Nerdy Valentine - Vicki Lewis Thompson

Hello, Lovelies. Sorry it's been a couple of days, but - I know, always a but- I've been busy dealing with the winter blues. Stuck in a house for 5 straight days with two kids who want to do nothing but fight, makes me a tad cranky, and no one wants a cranky me. Trust me on this. School is finally back in session today, and although the ground and roads are still covered in inches of ice, I at least got to see outside, so I'm better. That may not last though, since we're expecting another downpour of snow this week-end, so I thought I'd better get some of these reviews done before Cranky Dee visited again. Don't forget to visit us on MySpace and add us as a friend because you can never have too many friends. Also, dee will be kicking off her FAB pick next week, so look forward to some great reviews, interviews, and a contest! And now, without further ado...

My Nerdy Valentine by Vicki Lewis Thompson
(BCC)

WHEN A NERDY BEAUTY...
Aspiring psychologist Amanda Rykowsky's schedule is certifiable. Between study, bartending, and an internship with a sex therapist whose techniques would make a Playboy bunny blush, there's zero time for romance. Still, Amanda is flattered to receive an anonymous Valentine...until the messages take a sinister turn.

MEETS HER SEXY SOULMATE...
Stockbroker William Sloan swears he's not the one sending Amanda cards, but he suspects the culprit's intentions are more dubious than sharing a box of Godiva. Something about gorgeous, determined Amanda brings out the usually reserved William's inner he-man, and he insists on acting as a decoy boyfriend.

THEY'LL MAKE THIS VALENTINE'S DAY THE HOTTEST ON RECORD...
With a fake relationship masking some very real lust, it's only a matter of time before William and Amanda give in to the sweetest of temptations. And once he's dealt with her secret stalker, William's next mission is to strike Amanda with Cupid's arrow...

You already know how I feel about the nerd books so you may be wondering why I'm even bothering to do this review, right? Easy, I haven't had me a good ole' FGSF in a while and I figure I'm due. What can I say? I'm pretty selfish that way.

Valentine makes book 7 for the nerds, and you would think that by this time I would have grown tired with the formula. Thankfully, I haven't. I think this may have something to do with the fact that I am a nerd. Yep. Band geek (and I don't even have any cool "this one time at band camp" stories, which is sad 'cause I did go to band camp.), NHS, graduated High Honors, I don't care one fig for fashion, and I think one of the coolest things evah is learning something new. So it's nice to have a kindred spirit to read about.

Amanda Rykowsky does indeed have a full schedule she's a psychology student, an intern to Dr. Gloria Tredway, and a bartender at the popular bar (for nerds anyway) Geekland. She has no time for love, nor does she want to make time for it. After watching her mother devote all of her energy to her husband (and then losing herself in grief when he passed away) she vowed never to be that way. Even so, it happened to her once already, and she refuses to let it happen again.

William Sloan is a (nerdy) stock broker in the same building where Amanda interns. After finding his steady girlfriend in the sack with an old flame seven months ago, Will has just now decided it's time to get back in the game. When Amanda drops a bag full of sex toys at his feet, he finds exactly who he'd like to get back in the game with. Unfortunately, when he helps her carry the toys back to the office, it isn't Amanda who seems smitten, but her over-sexed boss. And when Will shows interest in Amanda, she starts getting anonymous Valentines left in her desk drawer that continue to get more suggestive, and she thinks Will is the one doing it.

Finally, Will gets Amanda to believe he isn't the one sending the Valentines and the clock starts ticking when the real culprit starts getting more aggressive. In an attempt to keep Amanda safe and convince the stalker to give up, Will poses as Amanda's boyfriend and moves in with her.

I really did enjoy this book. It was funny and sweet, and filled with some really over-the top characters. There was Amanda's neighbors, the retired school teacher Mavis and the lifelong bachelor Chester who bicker constantly but love Amanda dearly. Justin, Will's best friend who was recently dumped before his wedding and who now just wants to get laid. Even the customers at Geekland provided some interesting reading. Heck, I even like the antagonist, he was twisted and believable.

I did not like Gloria Tredway, the sex therapist Amanda was interning for. I think for the most part, we were supposed to see her as not cruel just very self-involved. But I have to tell you, there were several times in the book I was cussing this lady.
Amanda almost chocked. "I'm not envious."
"Don't be silly. Of course you are. I have both a career and glamour, while you're little more than a drudge."....."In any case, I want to make something perfectly clear. You are not to flirt, or whatever passes for flirting in your world with William. In fact, that goes for any man that walks into this office. Is that understood?" Of course, her obsession with sex, and watching her make a fool of herself in her attempts to get William did add some comic relief, and she does come close to redeeming herself in my eyes at the end. And really, my great disliking of this character just goes to show how well Thompson wrote her.

I say go get this book. It is a fast fun read (and you know I love those) and fans of the "series"* will not be disappointed. New readers to the nerd books - be prepared to go buy all the others when you're done, the nerds are gonna hook ya!

Take Care

*The nerd books are really not what I would classify as a series. They have the general theme in common, but no underlining tie in.