Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

Synopsis: Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be… So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers. While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine. Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys.…

My Thoughts: Being completely character driven I found it hard to completely enjoy this book as I really couldn't stand Chastity. Where others found her to be charming and quite vulnerable when it comes to the hero, Trevor, I found her a bit abrasive and annoying as she pined for her first love for a decade or so.

We first meet Chastity as she is being dumped by her current boyfriend which actually is quite amusing until she regresses into childhood and says something to the effect of "oh yeah? Well you throw like a girl." Many of my reading buddies enjoyed Chastity and her attitude. Unfortunately she annoyed me.

However, the rest of the characters in the book (including Chastity's big lazy dog) are phenomenal. Higgins really knows how to bring depth and a sense of realism to the people she writes about. She does not gloss over family issues within the O'Neill clan nor does she sugar coat anything. The O'Neills are people I know. They yell, they fight, they make up, they love, they laugh, they protect what's theirs. Everything you would expect from a big Irish family. As I said, truly excellent characters.

With that said I really wasn't a complete believer of the ending. Trevor's actions leading up to his declaration didn't fully jive together for me but it did balance out nicely the bitter sweet HEA for Mike and Betty the heads of the O'Neill clan.

Overall I very much enjoyed my first Higgins book. I wish it would have been told in the third person narrative though. I would have loved to have known what Trevor was actually thinking. Even with the 1st person narrative it was a book well done and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more by Kristan.