Her Best Shot by Shannyn Schroeder – a Review

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Description:

With college graduation looming, three childhood friends vow to make spring break their last blast of pure fun. But at least one of them didn’t count on such incredible heat…

Layla Sharpe is definitely more math ninja than bikini babe, and her future has been calculated with razor precision. Convinced to let loose over spring break, Layla is finally ready to party—until her car breaks down halfway to her destination, leaving her stranded in Georgia with a mouthwateringly hot pool shark. She knows more than enough about angles to learn the game, but this week she wants him to appreciate her curves…

Phin Marks has never met a girl like Layla. She’s more Star Wars geek than seductress, and when he offers her a place to stay while her car is in the shop, he’s counting on the attraction between them to set the nights ablaze, no strings attached. But every moment he spends with Layla makes it harder to let her go. Can he persuade her to gamble in the most dangerous way possible…on forever

Review:

Her Best Shot by Shannyn Schroeder is the 1^st book in her new Hot and Nerdy series. I love Shannyn’s O’Leary series, and couldn’t wait to see what she will do with this one.

Layla Sharpe is our heroine, and we meet her immediately. Layla is a math genius, and is just starting her spring break before graduation, by applying for an internship at NSA. She ends up being offered a job, and wants to celebrate with her two friends. Plans are made to meet her friend Felicity in Texas, but on her way, her car breaks down in Atlanta; she is low on money, and stranded. Layla goes to a bar to get a drink to calm down while waiting to see how long her car will take. She begins to watch a pool game ongoing, and a hot hunk catches her eye. Phin our hero, is a pool shark, who makes money winning against the competition; he is also a car mechanic. While Layla watches him, Phin begins to notice her.

With her car going to take a few days, Phin feels bad for Layla, as she does not have money to find a place to stay. He offers her to stay at his place, she could sleep on the couch. Of course, we know that the chances of that happening are slim. What follows is a sweet and sexy romance between Phin and Layla that started off as a one night stand. Felicity offers to pay for Layla to fly to Texas, but she decides to stay and have fun with Phin.

Layla gets anxiety attacks occasionally, and she is nervous about the job offer. She makes a quick decision to go with Phin to a tournament in California. I found this part to be somewhat far-fetched that Layla would decide to leave right before graduation to follow Phin.

Phin himself, a gypsy, found himself caring about Layla, but he did not want her to give up a promising career to follow him, so he pretends to make advances to another girl; which forces Layla to leave angrily and go back to school.

Layla graduates, accepts the job offer, and teaches herself how to play pool. Before she starts her new job, she attends the pool tournament, so she can be vengeful to Phin. Once Phin sees her, he forgets that he was really looking out for her, and goes all out to win her back. You will need to read the book to see what happens.

The story was a bit longer then a novella, but I did feel the ending was rushed, too abrupt. I thought it was a sweet romance, but I am not truly a fan of falling in love in a day or so. I liked both Layla and Phin, and thought they were a nice couple; though I felt something missing.   I plan to read the next two books in this series, as I do want to know what happens with Layla’s two friends.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher