Novella Review: Her Winning Formula by Shannyn Schroeder

Her Winning Formula (Hot & Nerdy #3) by Shannyn Schroeder

Publication Date: November 24th 2014 by eKensington

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Spring break was supposed to be a last blast of fun for three friends before the reality of adulthood set in. But for the trio’s science whiz, it’s an education in instant attraction…

Chemistry major Felicity Stone can tell you everything about the way chemicals interact, but when it comes to social interaction, she needs schooling. Abandoned by her friends, Felicity is faced with spending spring break alone—unless she accepts a gorgeous stranger’s invitation to pose as his girlfriend at a family wedding. Not one to turn down a research opportunity, Felicity never expected it to produce such breathtaking results…

Teacher and baseball coach Lucas Tanner is fascinated by Felicity’s potent mix of spirit and scientist, not to mention her delicious curves. When Felicity asks him to return the favor by teaching her how to pick up guys, he can’t refuse—but he’s not at all happy with the idea of her using a formula for flirting on anyone but him. Can he convince her that together they have the perfect chemistry?

My Thoughts:
Felicity is a chemistry major taking time off to meet up with her friends, Charlie and Layla for spring break. Before boarding the plane, Felicity finds out that both will be delayed and so she’ll be on her own for much of the trip. Enter Lucas, a fellow passenger and, of course, the guy she ends up next to for the flight. Lucas is gorgeous and attentive so that’s hardly a bad thing.

Lucas is flying out for his brother’s destination wedding and in hopes of keeping an ex-girlfriend at bay he asks Felicity to be his fake date/girlfriend for the wedding. Felicity’s sexy and different, and Lucas is immediately attracted to her. She reluctantly agrees and soon Lucas finds himself falling for his fake date.

Felicity is brilliant but socially awkward. She has trouble interpreting reactions from other people and so she doesn’t always pick up on social clues. Lucas finds what Felicity thinks of as negatives in her personality endearing. Their “fake” pairing leads to some lusty, chemistry filled moments, yet, Felicity doesn’t believe that he is really serious about her. She doesn’t pick up on the fact that he’s falling for her as much as she’s falling for him even after they share a passion filled night together. So she asks him to tutor her in the art of flirting and picking up a man.

I kind of wanted to smack Felicity upside the head at this, and didn’t care for the direction the plot seemed to be taking. But knowing Felicity’s social limitations had me giving her a bit of a pass for being so obtuse. Thankfully, that situation was short lived, (this is a novella after all) and things were sorted to my liking pretty quickly.

This wasn’t an insta-love romance, something that you always worry a little about when picking up a novella, but it was clear these two were on the right path by the end with a sweet ending.

Her Winning Formula is the third installment of the Hot and Nerdy novella series and I hoped to see a little beyond this little slice of time with an epilogue showing the couples in the future. Still, these stories were fun, sexy, and fast paced. Perfect romance pick me up in under 100 pages.

3 Suns