Review: Undercover Professor by December Gephart

Undercover Professor by December Gephart

Published: November 19th 2012 by Carina Press

Purchase: Amazon

Rule Number One: Must not lie.
Rule Number Two: Must not live with parents.
Rule Number Three: Must have a job.
Rule Number Four: Must not be a friend's ex.

These dating rules shouldn't be hard for Lucy Benoit to follow—after all, she made them. But she didn't plan on falling for Andy Sullivan, a scruffy-yet-attractive man who lives with his mother and is between jobs. These should be deal-breakers, but in other ways Andy is just her type. And there's something intriguing about him…

Andy isn't the geeky gamer he claims to be—not by a long shot. But what seemed like a harmless social experiment has put his chances of a relationship with Lucy at risk. Even if she can get past the silly rules she has set for herself, will she ever forgive him for breaking Rule Number One?

My Thoughts:

Undercover Professor was not really what I expected, but it was a fun and sexy read, anyhow. 

I adore romances about social opposites coming together and falling in love.  I guess to some degree this was sort of the case. It was the case in Lucy’s mind when she fell for Andy.  Lucy is a successful hardworking responsible girl who’s been burned by love.  Because of this, she compiles a list of “don’ts” for men.   This way she’ll end up with someone who won’t stomp all over her heart and someone who is looking for the same things in life as she is.  Her number one rule is: does not lie. By all appearances, Andy lives with his mother, has no job and spends him time talking about or playing online games, so yes, completely opposite to Lucy.  But this isn't true. 

Andy breaks the most important of Lucy’s rules, don’t lie, because he hiding his identity and posing as something he is not.  Andy is in town undercover to do research for a gaming article he wants to publish. He’s a pretty famous professor in the gaming world and couldn’t do the research in his own town, so the fact that his mother needs care after hip surgery works out perfect for him.  He’ll stay with his mom to help her recuperate while posing as a between jobs gamer and be able to gather information incognito. What he doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for Lucy.  She lives in the same building as his mother and they immediately are attracted to each other with easy conversation, witty banter, and off-the-charts chemistry.  Lucy doesn’t want to fall for Andy because he breaks so many rules on her list, so she thinks.  But she can’t help the way they connect, and have fun together, and did I mention the off-the-charts chemistry?!! Well, that she can’t ignore. 

I had fun reading Undercover Professor, and it is a relatively short read, but for some reason, it felt like it took me ages to get through. There is a miscommunication with Lucy’s cousin, Becca and Andy in the beginning, where Becca, who is highly delusional, thinks Andy is going for her.  Lucy doesn’t want to hurt her cousin by carrying on with Andy until he gets it straightened out.  This goes on for about 50% of the story, and it annoyed the heck out of me.  I hate miscommunications that drag on and seem completely senseless. 

The relationship between Lucy and Andy was very magnetic, and I really liked them together, but the cover-up that Andy goes on with for his article seemed ridiculous.  I can’t imagine not fessing up with this sooner, especially if he really cared for Lucy.  I didn’t see the need for secrecy that would’ve made this situation believable.  At any rate, I do think this author can write captivating chemistry and characters, and some spice that got my blood pumping!  I look forward to what she’ll come up with next. 

A copy of this was provided by Carina Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

 3 Suns