THIRD DEGREE
A New Adult Contemporary
Romance
By Julie Cross
Release is March 25,
2014
Published by Flirt
(Imprint of Random House)
I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.
But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.
My Thoughts:
4 stars - Fast paced, funny, sexy and fresh, this NA will please you.
First Impressions...
Of course I love the cover but what really drew me to this book was the blurb. It sounds totally different from other New Adult books. Izzy is like other eighteen year-olds. She's a genius without social skills. I couldn't wait for the fun to begin.
The Characters...
Even though I have been around students who have similar lack of social skills and lack of filters, I was floored at some of the things that Izzy did and said. One particular one-night stand her roommate has had trying to decide if I should die laughing or for embarrassment for her. It's like she's been emotionally turned off and she only sees things through the lens of her medical training. She reacts with that in mind and with no thought to how the people involved feel. But what was so incredible was how she woke up emotionally. Marsh was the reason. Her feeling for him developed and then as things about his life came to light, she found herself feeling. It was fascinating to watch her emotionally engage.
As for Marsh, I was totally in love. He's so sweet. As the RA, he shouldn't be "getting frisky" with the residents but he can't seem to help himself. I love his creative excuses to touch Izzy. I loved how he called her out on behavior and was patient with her as she figured things out. I loved how he got jealous but tried so hard to keep Izzy at arms length. Yeah, right - all the while finding excuses to touch her. And speaking of touching, that hands-on anatomy lesson was brilliant.
The Story...
So unique, this story isn't like any other NA book I've read. Though it's clearly a "figuring out who you are" kinda of NA book, the approach is completely new. Loved that.
I enjoyed the writing as well. I've read other books by this author and wasn't surprised that the book was so readable and that I loved the characters so much.
Could I Put It Down...
I didn't want to. That annoying problem of needing to sleep before I face a class or middle schoolers forced me to put it down. I did read it in two evenings.
In The End...
If you enjoy New Adult but have been looking for something fresh, then this is the one you need to pick up.
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Advance praise for Third Degree“With quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a touching romance, Third Degree is a refreshing entry in the New Adult genre. I can’t wait to read what Julie Cross comes up with next!”—Roni Loren, bestselling author of Need You Tonight“I fell for quirky, brainy, socially awkward child prodigy Izzy and even more so for her sweet, compassionate, and hot RA, Marshall. I was rooting for their happily-ever-after and was sighing with satisfaction by the end.”—Christina Lee, author of the Between Breaths series“Loved! Fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick’s My Life Next Door and Tammara Webber’s Easy will fall hard for this book.”—Krista Ritchie, co-author of the Addicted to You series
About the Author
Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and New Adult genres. She’s also a committed (but not talented) long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
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(1) Flirt Tote Bag and (1) Flirt Coffee Mug
(1) $25.00 Gift Card to the Retailer of you choice
Everyone seems to be really enjoying this one, and mentioning how it is so different for NA, which means I need to read it. Great review!
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to be loving this! Marsh sounds like such a good guy. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteGreat Review Val! I loved the hands on anatomy lesson too! This was my first book by Julie Cross, but I plan on reading more by her now!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Great review. I am definitely checking this out.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good one.
ReplyDelete