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After We Fall #1
Man Candy
He’s back.
Not just back in town, but living in the flat right beneath mine. And he looks good enough to eat, which is just one more reason to stay away from him.
But I can’t resist.
The sex is incredible (pretty sure we’ve shaken the house right off its foundation), but he can’t fool me—not this time. A degree in marketing and five years in advertising have taught me that “true love” is a fairy tale used to sell lipstick, diamonds, and perfume. It doesn’t exist.
He thinks I’m wrong, and he wants to prove it.
I think he’s crazy, so I dare him to try.
It might be the biggest mistake of my life.
Not just back in town, but living in the flat right beneath mine. And he looks good enough to eat, which is just one more reason to stay away from him.
But I can’t resist.
The sex is incredible (pretty sure we’ve shaken the house right off its foundation), but he can’t fool me—not this time. A degree in marketing and five years in advertising have taught me that “true love” is a fairy tale used to sell lipstick, diamonds, and perfume. It doesn’t exist.
He thinks I’m wrong, and he wants to prove it.
I think he’s crazy, so I dare him to try.
It might be the biggest mistake of my life.
292 pages, ebook
First published June 20, 2016
About the author
Melanie Harlow
69 books18.9k followersUSA Today bestselling author of sweet and sexy romance. Lover of cocktails, high heels, and history with the naughty bits left in. Michigan girl. INTJ. Always seeking ginspiration...
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Bookbub→harlow.pub/bb
Reader Group→harlow.pub/harlots
Facebook→harlow.pub/ap
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,506 reviews
March 12, 2020
Man Candy by Melanie Harlow is dreamy perfection! I love watching authors get better with each book and Melanie is no exception. Her writing and voice continue to grow with each new novel, and I know when I pick up one of her books that I’ll fall in love.
Our heroine Jaime Owens (love that last name!) is atypical for a romance novel. She’s not waiting around for her prince to rescue her or to fall in love. She’s all about focusing on her career and her friends. When it comes to love, she’s a love ‘em and leave ‘em type! She endured a bit of heartbreak at the tender age of 17 and has been turned off of love ever since then. But then her world gets turned upside down when she is reunited with Quinn Rusek, her brother’s bestie from childhood. She grew up with Quinn hanging around and basically being part of the family. She was brimming with teenage lust / love for the gorgeous Quinn back in the day. What will happen when he comes back home and moves into the flat beneath her?
So who is Quinn? He’s a smoking hot model who happens to be a thoughtful and kind person. Plus, he’s super smart. He’s not just a pretty face, you guys. He’s really funny and charming and gives the best insta hashtags. He’s basically perfect! He’s been through some tough things over the past year and going home sounds like the best cure for him. Plus, he can’t wait to see Jaime again!
This story is so unique because the woman wasn’t pining away for the guy. This time it was the guy who had to convince her that it was ok to bet on love. I was thrilled to see that this novel defied the typical trope of the woman waiting for the guy who can’t commit.
The hijinks and jokes in this book were laugh out loud funny. It’s Mel’s signature humor plus some. I was practically rolling on the floor at so many scenes (the closet and love bug). Plus, Melanie really upped the hot factor in this book. Her books are always left-hand worthy but Man Candy was a fan-myself-need-to-left-hand-it-right-now kind of hot. Melanie wrote one of the most erotic scenes I’ve read (the finger). God, this book is delightful.
All the laughing and sex aside, this book has a lot of heart. Quinn and Jaime both deal with some things that have been weighing on them for years and there is some angst as well as really deep soulful moments in this book. It’s not all fun and games, you guys!
I’d also like to give a shout out to Ms. Harlow for giving us Jaime’s brother and his fiancé. It was refreshing to read about a gay couple in a way that didn’t turn them into silly caricatures. I loved Quinn even more once I saw his love and support for his bestie.
In the end, Man Candy is five perfect, happy, warm, tingly, luminous, beautiful, lovely stars! I love love loved this book! Go one-click Man Candy now! You know you want it!
Our heroine Jaime Owens (love that last name!) is atypical for a romance novel. She’s not waiting around for her prince to rescue her or to fall in love. She’s all about focusing on her career and her friends. When it comes to love, she’s a love ‘em and leave ‘em type! She endured a bit of heartbreak at the tender age of 17 and has been turned off of love ever since then. But then her world gets turned upside down when she is reunited with Quinn Rusek, her brother’s bestie from childhood. She grew up with Quinn hanging around and basically being part of the family. She was brimming with teenage lust / love for the gorgeous Quinn back in the day. What will happen when he comes back home and moves into the flat beneath her?
So who is Quinn? He’s a smoking hot model who happens to be a thoughtful and kind person. Plus, he’s super smart. He’s not just a pretty face, you guys. He’s really funny and charming and gives the best insta hashtags. He’s basically perfect! He’s been through some tough things over the past year and going home sounds like the best cure for him. Plus, he can’t wait to see Jaime again!
This story is so unique because the woman wasn’t pining away for the guy. This time it was the guy who had to convince her that it was ok to bet on love. I was thrilled to see that this novel defied the typical trope of the woman waiting for the guy who can’t commit.
The hijinks and jokes in this book were laugh out loud funny. It’s Mel’s signature humor plus some. I was practically rolling on the floor at so many scenes (the closet and love bug). Plus, Melanie really upped the hot factor in this book. Her books are always left-hand worthy but Man Candy was a fan-myself-need-to-left-hand-it-right-now kind of hot. Melanie wrote one of the most erotic scenes I’ve read (the finger). God, this book is delightful.
All the laughing and sex aside, this book has a lot of heart. Quinn and Jaime both deal with some things that have been weighing on them for years and there is some angst as well as really deep soulful moments in this book. It’s not all fun and games, you guys!
I’d also like to give a shout out to Ms. Harlow for giving us Jaime’s brother and his fiancé. It was refreshing to read about a gay couple in a way that didn’t turn them into silly caricatures. I loved Quinn even more once I saw his love and support for his bestie.
In the end, Man Candy is five perfect, happy, warm, tingly, luminous, beautiful, lovely stars! I love love loved this book! Go one-click Man Candy now! You know you want it!
February 26, 2020
I have a clear instruction that you MUST follow. Read all the way through the acknowledgments and find a Dima diamond.
Now the book. With a fizz in my heart and a butterfly in my stomach I met Quinn Rusek. He is my sweet pea. Please don't tell my husband that because I am his actual sweet pea. He has called me it FOREVER. I totally swear on my life. It made bonding with my new bbf so easy.
For the first half of this book I giggled and chuckled. I started reading on a train journey home from meeting some of Melanie's friends (see my Facebook). Quinn made the standing up from Manchester to Leeds bearable. I am laughing just thinking about Jaime hiding in a cupboard whilst hiccuping and thinking Quinn does not know she is there. Hilarious!
I want to invent games like Quinn and Jaime. I would totally win at naked hide and seek. I am claiming naked pin the tail on the donkey as mine. Naked blind man's buff? Naked postman's knock. I claim the rights and have applied for a copyright.
Loved, laughed and won at Quinning.
This bit had me rolling on the floor with laughter - and yes Quinn could totally laugh my knickers off and laugh me into bed:
"Funny? My dick is funny to you?" Yes, jokes were good. Jokes would distract me.
"I'm sorry, let me try again." She peeked at it.
"You're right. It's a very serious cock. Very no-nonsense. Businesslike. Maybe even presedential."
Brilliant. Melanie at her wittiest best, and sexy. Sweet honeybun Quinn. What a lovebug. I want to cuddle him all night. But as he is busy, can I have Dima?
Now the book. With a fizz in my heart and a butterfly in my stomach I met Quinn Rusek. He is my sweet pea. Please don't tell my husband that because I am his actual sweet pea. He has called me it FOREVER. I totally swear on my life. It made bonding with my new bbf so easy.
For the first half of this book I giggled and chuckled. I started reading on a train journey home from meeting some of Melanie's friends (see my Facebook). Quinn made the standing up from Manchester to Leeds bearable. I am laughing just thinking about Jaime hiding in a cupboard whilst hiccuping and thinking Quinn does not know she is there. Hilarious!
I want to invent games like Quinn and Jaime. I would totally win at naked hide and seek. I am claiming naked pin the tail on the donkey as mine. Naked blind man's buff? Naked postman's knock. I claim the rights and have applied for a copyright.
Loved, laughed and won at Quinning.
This bit had me rolling on the floor with laughter - and yes Quinn could totally laugh my knickers off and laugh me into bed:
"Funny? My dick is funny to you?" Yes, jokes were good. Jokes would distract me.
"I'm sorry, let me try again." She peeked at it.
"You're right. It's a very serious cock. Very no-nonsense. Businesslike. Maybe even presedential."
Brilliant. Melanie at her wittiest best, and sexy. Sweet honeybun Quinn. What a lovebug. I want to cuddle him all night. But as he is busy, can I have Dima?
February 26, 2020
Are you ready to meet your next unforgettable, swoon-worthy book boyfriend?! The answer should be emphatically YES!!! Quinn Rusek has captured my heart and ran away with it.
Sexy, funny and addicting, this new romance from the amazingly talented Harlow will leave you looking for a Quinn Rusek of your own. He is a book boyfriend you need to have in your life, as much as it pains me to share him.
Quinn Rusek is an Adonis. Truly! He is a male model looking for the ‘more’ in life and heads home to Detroit in search of his ‘more.’
Jaime is a twenty-something woman who has a successful career, great friends and a guarded heart. She keeps her iron-clad rules in place to keep her from being hurt, but when a ghost from her past moves into the flat below hers her rules and walls are tested.
Man Candy brought me to tears. I just adore these characters. As with all of Harlow’s novels, the characters are so real. Flawed and fabulous, they show us the true sides of romance. Not the fairy tale kind of love—you know, boy meets girl, they instantly fall in love and never part—No, this story shares insecurities and flaws along with the hopes and dreams. The beauty with the evil beast of doubt and fear of losing one’s self.
I adore the humor that brings this story to life; grabbing hold of the reader and making this novel so hard to put down.
Do yourself a favor and one-click this book ASAP. You will not be disappointed!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **
Sexy, funny and addicting, this new romance from the amazingly talented Harlow will leave you looking for a Quinn Rusek of your own. He is a book boyfriend you need to have in your life, as much as it pains me to share him.
Quinn Rusek is an Adonis. Truly! He is a male model looking for the ‘more’ in life and heads home to Detroit in search of his ‘more.’
Jaime is a twenty-something woman who has a successful career, great friends and a guarded heart. She keeps her iron-clad rules in place to keep her from being hurt, but when a ghost from her past moves into the flat below hers her rules and walls are tested.
Man Candy brought me to tears. I just adore these characters. As with all of Harlow’s novels, the characters are so real. Flawed and fabulous, they show us the true sides of romance. Not the fairy tale kind of love—you know, boy meets girl, they instantly fall in love and never part—No, this story shares insecurities and flaws along with the hopes and dreams. The beauty with the evil beast of doubt and fear of losing one’s self.
I adore the humor that brings this story to life; grabbing hold of the reader and making this novel so hard to put down.
Do yourself a favor and one-click this book ASAP. You will not be disappointed!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **
February 26, 2020
***ARC Provided by the author***
Melanie Harlow is a favorite of mine. A drop everything I am reading to read her new book favorite. There are a number of reasons for this: her characters are genuine; her writing flows and is a pleasure to read; she tells stories of people I would want to know in real life; she describes scenes and settings in a way that I feel like I am there.
Man Candy was a bit of a different story. It is usually the woman in the story who knows how she feels and the man who is unwilling, reluctant, or afraid to commit. In this case, Jaime is the one who is not willing to believe in love and commitment. Quinn, on the other hand, is pretty sure that she is the one for him…he just needs to talk her into it.
This is a friends to lovers story. Jaime and Quinn knew each other when they were younger, Quinn is friends with her brother, Alex. This is how they meet, how they know one another, and ultimately how they end up living in the same duplex.
The story begins with Jaime in a closet. Literally, it is the first line. With a game of chicken, and with a little history so you know why she is in this closet. Still literally. You find out why Jaime is reluctant to believe in love, you find out about her family, her career, and all of the things that have happened to her in her life that resulted in her belief that love isn’t real and doesn’t last.
Quinn believes in love that lasts, that is work, and that builds into something permanent and deeper than the first attraction. He decides to show Jaime that love is real, and she dares him to try. The book is their story, their dates, his attempts to show her that love is real and her determination to resist believing it is anything other than a fairy tale.
Quinn is instantly likable. He is funny, charming, caring and ridiculously attractive. He’s genuine, and life experience has taught him that he wants to take a path that has more meaning than the one he is on, so he is back in Detroit to make some changes in his life, to find a new direction. It is admirable and he is appealing.
Jaime is likeable, but at the same time, you are a little frustrated with her unwillingness to see what is right in front of her, the chance at real love with Quinn. Harlow does an excellent job of portraying someone who is afraid and reluctant without making the reader dislike her. You understand where Jaime is coming from and what she is thinking, and the talent in Harlow’s writing is this ability to write a character who maybe should be frustrating or hard to relate to…but isn’t. As a reader, you really like Quinn, so you would think it would be hard to relate to Jaime and her reluctance to be with him fully, but you like her, and you understand her, so you never reach the point where you dislike her, even though she is difficult. Credit goes to Melanie Harlow for the writing, the characters, the plot, all of it, for being able to relate to Jaime through the entire book.
Man Candy is delicious. Take a bite.
***This and other reviews featured on our blog “Booked All Night” http://bookedallnight.blogspot.com/ and here: https://www.facebook.com/BookedAllNight/***
Melanie Harlow is a favorite of mine. A drop everything I am reading to read her new book favorite. There are a number of reasons for this: her characters are genuine; her writing flows and is a pleasure to read; she tells stories of people I would want to know in real life; she describes scenes and settings in a way that I feel like I am there.
Man Candy was a bit of a different story. It is usually the woman in the story who knows how she feels and the man who is unwilling, reluctant, or afraid to commit. In this case, Jaime is the one who is not willing to believe in love and commitment. Quinn, on the other hand, is pretty sure that she is the one for him…he just needs to talk her into it.
This is a friends to lovers story. Jaime and Quinn knew each other when they were younger, Quinn is friends with her brother, Alex. This is how they meet, how they know one another, and ultimately how they end up living in the same duplex.
The story begins with Jaime in a closet. Literally, it is the first line. With a game of chicken, and with a little history so you know why she is in this closet. Still literally. You find out why Jaime is reluctant to believe in love, you find out about her family, her career, and all of the things that have happened to her in her life that resulted in her belief that love isn’t real and doesn’t last.
Quinn believes in love that lasts, that is work, and that builds into something permanent and deeper than the first attraction. He decides to show Jaime that love is real, and she dares him to try. The book is their story, their dates, his attempts to show her that love is real and her determination to resist believing it is anything other than a fairy tale.
Quinn is instantly likable. He is funny, charming, caring and ridiculously attractive. He’s genuine, and life experience has taught him that he wants to take a path that has more meaning than the one he is on, so he is back in Detroit to make some changes in his life, to find a new direction. It is admirable and he is appealing.
Jaime is likeable, but at the same time, you are a little frustrated with her unwillingness to see what is right in front of her, the chance at real love with Quinn. Harlow does an excellent job of portraying someone who is afraid and reluctant without making the reader dislike her. You understand where Jaime is coming from and what she is thinking, and the talent in Harlow’s writing is this ability to write a character who maybe should be frustrating or hard to relate to…but isn’t. As a reader, you really like Quinn, so you would think it would be hard to relate to Jaime and her reluctance to be with him fully, but you like her, and you understand her, so you never reach the point where you dislike her, even though she is difficult. Credit goes to Melanie Harlow for the writing, the characters, the plot, all of it, for being able to relate to Jaime through the entire book.
Man Candy is delicious. Take a bite.
***This and other reviews featured on our blog “Booked All Night” http://bookedallnight.blogspot.com/ and here: https://www.facebook.com/BookedAllNight/***
February 26, 2020
I KNEW IT! I just knew that I would LOVE the crap out of this book! Melanie Harlow can DO NO WRONG! TONS of laugh out loud moments and sexy good times, with SO MUCH HEAT you'll be BEGGING for more! WOW! That was the BEST first chapter I've ever read!
MAN CANDY made me deliriously happy! Jaime and Quinn were PERFECT together. Harlow always takes romantic comedy to a new level. Each of her books fill me with a sense of joy and giddiness that I can't get anywhere else. It's so much more than sex, laughter, and game playing. When you read this book and you're laughing your head off, you realize just how invested you are in these characters, and then Melanie kicks you in the gut with an emotional element. The next thing you know, you're reading something where tears are not expected, but nonetheless tears are running down your cheeks and there is no stopping it. Then she leaves you with a perfect ending and a HUGE smile on your face and EVERYTHING is right in the world. This is how EVERY SINGLE ROMANCE should make you feel! Ms. Harlow is a pro at it and I'm always guaranteed one HELL of a love story when it comes to her brilliant writing.
Does love exist? Is it real? Well...Melanie Harlow will do her damnedest to make you believe it in MAN CANDY.
*Gifted copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
MAN CANDY made me deliriously happy! Jaime and Quinn were PERFECT together. Harlow always takes romantic comedy to a new level. Each of her books fill me with a sense of joy and giddiness that I can't get anywhere else. It's so much more than sex, laughter, and game playing. When you read this book and you're laughing your head off, you realize just how invested you are in these characters, and then Melanie kicks you in the gut with an emotional element. The next thing you know, you're reading something where tears are not expected, but nonetheless tears are running down your cheeks and there is no stopping it. Then she leaves you with a perfect ending and a HUGE smile on your face and EVERYTHING is right in the world. This is how EVERY SINGLE ROMANCE should make you feel! Ms. Harlow is a pro at it and I'm always guaranteed one HELL of a love story when it comes to her brilliant writing.
Does love exist? Is it real? Well...Melanie Harlow will do her damnedest to make you believe it in MAN CANDY.
*Gifted copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
February 26, 2020
4.5 Stars
Melanie Harlow books are my happy place. The quirky humor, the steam, the ridiculously endearing characters she writes, all of it simply does it for me. Man Candy was yet another reason why she's become my go-to author when I'm in the mood for something cute and steamy.
I love the older brother's best friend trope, so of course I gobbled this up with a fangirling sort of glee. Add into this the fact that the heroine was basically my long lost twin and it was a recipe for a guaranteed win for me!
Ten years ago, Jaime put her heart on the line and confronted Quinn with her crush...only to have him crush her. She never got over the sexy asshole and when her brother tells her that Quinn is back in town on break from his successful modeling career and will be living in the flat below her, she's not exactly thrilled. But Quinn? He's ready to claim Jaime once and for all. She was too young ten years ago, but he's ready for her now. The only problem? The Jaime of today is a jaded relationship phobe the shuns the idea of true love.
The banter between these two was one of my favorite parts about the book. I loved the way Quinn teases her and Jaime's inevitable crumbling to his sexy ways. It's so refreshing to get a role reversal where the man wants the relationship and the woman is hesitant. But all that hesitancy built up to some of the best banter and sexual chemistry I have read in a long while...
Quinn was absolute perfection. I had expected a cocky manwhore but he was so much better! He was the perfect combination of sweet and intense. He was incredibly sweet with Jaime and understanding when he needed to be. He was meticulous at chipping away at her carefully constructed walls. But when it came down to the sex? Holy mackerel! The man was crazy intense and had one heck of a mouth on him. GAH but I loved it.
Jaime, while stubborn as hell, was so endearing. I'm not even sure what it was about her. Maybe it's because she reminded me of myself with her disgust of mushy relationship stuff, but I loved her even when I wanted to throttle her! She puts on a brave front but there's definitely chinks in her armor where Quinn is involved.
Man Candy was fun and sexy. It was a romance lover's dream! It had me swooning and laughing well into the night, and even panting in some places. I loved it to pieces and can't recommend it enough if you're in the mood for something light but incredible satisfying!
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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You don't believe in love anymore?"
"Not the romantic kind. That's a fantasy used to sell things like lipstick and roses and diamonds."
Melanie Harlow books are my happy place. The quirky humor, the steam, the ridiculously endearing characters she writes, all of it simply does it for me. Man Candy was yet another reason why she's become my go-to author when I'm in the mood for something cute and steamy.
I love the older brother's best friend trope, so of course I gobbled this up with a fangirling sort of glee. Add into this the fact that the heroine was basically my long lost twin and it was a recipe for a guaranteed win for me!
Ten years ago, Jaime put her heart on the line and confronted Quinn with her crush...only to have him crush her. She never got over the sexy asshole and when her brother tells her that Quinn is back in town on break from his successful modeling career and will be living in the flat below her, she's not exactly thrilled. But Quinn? He's ready to claim Jaime once and for all. She was too young ten years ago, but he's ready for her now. The only problem? The Jaime of today is a jaded relationship phobe the shuns the idea of true love.
The banter between these two was one of my favorite parts about the book. I loved the way Quinn teases her and Jaime's inevitable crumbling to his sexy ways. It's so refreshing to get a role reversal where the man wants the relationship and the woman is hesitant. But all that hesitancy built up to some of the best banter and sexual chemistry I have read in a long while...
I couldn't stop thinking it, couldn't stop fucking her, couldn't bear the thoughts that she didn't want me, didn't want this, more than she wanted to protect herself.
I was inside her.
And I didn't want to leave.
Quinn was absolute perfection. I had expected a cocky manwhore but he was so much better! He was the perfect combination of sweet and intense. He was incredibly sweet with Jaime and understanding when he needed to be. He was meticulous at chipping away at her carefully constructed walls. But when it came down to the sex? Holy mackerel! The man was crazy intense and had one heck of a mouth on him. GAH but I loved it.
Jaime, while stubborn as hell, was so endearing. I'm not even sure what it was about her. Maybe it's because she reminded me of myself with her disgust of mushy relationship stuff, but I loved her even when I wanted to throttle her! She puts on a brave front but there's definitely chinks in her armor where Quinn is involved.
Man Candy was fun and sexy. It was a romance lover's dream! It had me swooning and laughing well into the night, and even panting in some places. I loved it to pieces and can't recommend it enough if you're in the mood for something light but incredible satisfying!
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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February 26, 2020
It's official. Melanie Harlow has turned me into a bookwhore. And that would kinda make her my pimp. But I'm ok with that! After every single one of her books I finish, I say "ohhh THIS is my new favorite!!" Or "he is my favorite of all of Melanie's men!" And Quinn is no different. I freaking loved him!!! He is the perfect guy! This whole damn book I devoured the instant I started reading!
What I loved about Man Candy was the pacing of the story. Not once was I bored! From the first few pages, that literally had me dying laughing in a hotel room in Vegas, when Mel asked if I'd read the first chapter. I knew then that we were going to get a Harlow signature classic. Filled with all the humor and that Mel is known for, all the sexiness that she always brings, and always something that makes us go GOD DAMN!!! Such as the The Finger episode.
Quinn and Jaime have known each other since they were kids. Jaime's brother Alex, has been best friends with Quinn for years. And yes, Jaime crushed on Quinn for a long time!! After an embarrassing night many years ago, they parted ways. And guess what, that's all I'm telling you!!! Cause I don't want to take a thing away from this wonderful, fabulous, hysterically funny book!!
Melanie Harlow is one of my favorite authors. An instant one click. I know every time that she will never let me down as a reader. Miss Harlow is a rare gem. She's one of those authors that can write anything she puts her mind to, and turns it into a masterpiece.
If you're looking for a laugh out loud and full of so much sexiness..then Man Candy is the book for you!! This is the absolute perfect summer read!!! Grab it now!
What I loved about Man Candy was the pacing of the story. Not once was I bored! From the first few pages, that literally had me dying laughing in a hotel room in Vegas, when Mel asked if I'd read the first chapter. I knew then that we were going to get a Harlow signature classic. Filled with all the humor and that Mel is known for, all the sexiness that she always brings, and always something that makes us go GOD DAMN!!! Such as the The Finger episode.
Quinn and Jaime have known each other since they were kids. Jaime's brother Alex, has been best friends with Quinn for years. And yes, Jaime crushed on Quinn for a long time!! After an embarrassing night many years ago, they parted ways. And guess what, that's all I'm telling you!!! Cause I don't want to take a thing away from this wonderful, fabulous, hysterically funny book!!
Melanie Harlow is one of my favorite authors. An instant one click. I know every time that she will never let me down as a reader. Miss Harlow is a rare gem. She's one of those authors that can write anything she puts her mind to, and turns it into a masterpiece.
If you're looking for a laugh out loud and full of so much sexiness..then Man Candy is the book for you!! This is the absolute perfect summer read!!! Grab it now!
February 26, 2020
4.5 Stars!!
If you haven’t read anything by this author, 'Man Candy' is the perfect book to start with. Melanie Harlow's newest release was the perfect blend of humor and steam and I had a blast reading it. I devoured it from start to finish and I honestly enjoyed it tremendously. While older brother’s best friend trope in not my favorite one, I found this one to be a fantastic read. This fun and sexy little gem made me laugh, grin and smile like a lunatic.
Ten years ago, Jaime declared her undying love to Quinn, her brother’s best friend. She expected Quinn to reciprocate her feelings, of course, but Quinn not only rejected her, he also laughed in her face. This event devastated her, Jaime realizing “the harsh truth about love”. When her brother informs her Quinn is back in town and he will live for at least a month in the flat below her, Jaime is not very excited. She still remembers how humiliated she felt years ago, so of course all she wants now is to avoid Quinn at all costs even if he still can get her hot and bothered without even trying.
But Quinn has other ideas. He always had a thing for his best friend’s sister and he always regretted that he rejected her the way he did, but he had his reasons. All he wants now is Jayme…in every way. He doesn’t want just a hot one-night-stand, he wants to know her, the real Jaime since she matters to him more than she’ll ever know. But there’s a big little problem – Jaime is the biggest commitment-phobic…ever, but Quinn is willing to do anything to make Jaime realize that he wants her in every way and of course to make her realize how good they can be together.
This one was without a doubt my favorite book by this author. I really enjoy her storytelling and her writing and like I mentioned above I devoured this delightful read from cover to cover. I couldn’t put it down for one single minute. I love a book that has a little bit of everything and this one certainly did – sweet and sexy times, plenty of LOL moments and entertaining characters.
My favorite aspect here (besides the smart premise where the heroine is the biggest commitment-phobic ever, instead of the hero) was the banter between the two main characters. I already knew Mrs. Harlow knows pretty well how the write quirky, cleverly written dialogue, but this time she outdid herself. The banter here was fabulous and made me grin more than half of the book. Needless to say I had a fantastic time reading Jaime and Quinn’s story. Jaime was an awesome heroine. I loved her from the beginning and I had such a great time being in her head. She was stubborn as a mule at times, but she was endearing until the end. I loved her sense of humor and how confident she was at times. She simply was my kind of heroine.
Quinn, with his charm and sarcasm won me over from the beginning. Sweet and sexy, he was perfect for our Jaime. He was good with her, tolerating all her quirks, making her fell beautiful and sexy and showing her slowly that he’s the perfect man for her. I love the sweet moments between them and of course all their sexy times, which were hot as hell.
All in all, 'Man Candy' was a very fun, refreshing entertaining read. If you are looking for a sweet and sexy read with some great banter and endearing characters don’t hesitate to pick this one up.
If you haven’t read anything by this author, 'Man Candy' is the perfect book to start with. Melanie Harlow's newest release was the perfect blend of humor and steam and I had a blast reading it. I devoured it from start to finish and I honestly enjoyed it tremendously. While older brother’s best friend trope in not my favorite one, I found this one to be a fantastic read. This fun and sexy little gem made me laugh, grin and smile like a lunatic.
“Sometimes being with someone from your past is like going home again. No matter how long it's been, you don't forget the way.”
Ten years ago, Jaime declared her undying love to Quinn, her brother’s best friend. She expected Quinn to reciprocate her feelings, of course, but Quinn not only rejected her, he also laughed in her face. This event devastated her, Jaime realizing “the harsh truth about love”. When her brother informs her Quinn is back in town and he will live for at least a month in the flat below her, Jaime is not very excited. She still remembers how humiliated she felt years ago, so of course all she wants now is to avoid Quinn at all costs even if he still can get her hot and bothered without even trying.
“You can’t trust people that good-looking. He’s probably an alien or something. He’s just here trying to charm women back to the mother ship to breed his ridiculously beautiful alien babies.”
But Quinn has other ideas. He always had a thing for his best friend’s sister and he always regretted that he rejected her the way he did, but he had his reasons. All he wants now is Jayme…in every way. He doesn’t want just a hot one-night-stand, he wants to know her, the real Jaime since she matters to him more than she’ll ever know. But there’s a big little problem – Jaime is the biggest commitment-phobic…ever, but Quinn is willing to do anything to make Jaime realize that he wants her in every way and of course to make her realize how good they can be together.
“Jaime, there is no secret. There is no magic. There is no way to know what the future holds. The point is that you’re willing to take a chance.”
This one was without a doubt my favorite book by this author. I really enjoy her storytelling and her writing and like I mentioned above I devoured this delightful read from cover to cover. I couldn’t put it down for one single minute. I love a book that has a little bit of everything and this one certainly did – sweet and sexy times, plenty of LOL moments and entertaining characters.
My favorite aspect here (besides the smart premise where the heroine is the biggest commitment-phobic ever, instead of the hero) was the banter between the two main characters. I already knew Mrs. Harlow knows pretty well how the write quirky, cleverly written dialogue, but this time she outdid herself. The banter here was fabulous and made me grin more than half of the book. Needless to say I had a fantastic time reading Jaime and Quinn’s story. Jaime was an awesome heroine. I loved her from the beginning and I had such a great time being in her head. She was stubborn as a mule at times, but she was endearing until the end. I loved her sense of humor and how confident she was at times. She simply was my kind of heroine.
“I wanted him to have me in a way no one else ever had. I wanted to share myself in a way I never had.”
Quinn, with his charm and sarcasm won me over from the beginning. Sweet and sexy, he was perfect for our Jaime. He was good with her, tolerating all her quirks, making her fell beautiful and sexy and showing her slowly that he’s the perfect man for her. I love the sweet moments between them and of course all their sexy times, which were hot as hell.
All in all, 'Man Candy' was a very fun, refreshing entertaining read. If you are looking for a sweet and sexy read with some great banter and endearing characters don’t hesitate to pick this one up.
April 13, 2022
5 Pushing All The Right Buttons Stars
* * * ** Spoiler Free
Melanie Harlow is like that saying of the little girl who when she is good, she's great. I love the way Harlow can take a scene and make me laugh out loud in the middle of the night with total abandon because the writing is that good. In Man Candy, she accomplished that without any effort at all... it was seamless and perfect.
This is a tale of where the man is the one who recognizes the importance of connecting; of finding that one person who will be there through the tough times and easy ones...who has figured out what is important in life the hard way... by the loss of his beloved mom and being close enough to world tragedy to "get it"... that time is fleeting and we should live it to the fullest.
This is a combination of troupes with a dash of big brother's best friend...a kinda friend/enemy to lovers thing and then a full-on push to show how to accept love in your life.
It is done so well and with amazingly current reference points. It could be a story told to you by someone you know right now when you ask... So how did you meet and when did you know he was the one... type of thing.
The major focus of this book is our gal has lost the belief in love. Period.
And it may have started with our guy...
Because there was a teenage crush, a pursuit of a kiss with the said crush, and then the devastating pushback by the fella she informed she loved...
Yup... she told him out loud with all the passion a 17-year-old could and he laughed...
Gah.....
So ten years later, we are there when her brother asks her to let Quinn stay in the furnished lower level of the duplex they own for a month. Only because her brother has been so great to her...and the ass is outside, getting out of his car and walking up to the front door does she tell her brother, yes.
Quinn wasn't really the ass Jaime thought of him. He had all of these questionable feelings for Jaime...new feelings as they sort of grew up together. His mom worked for Jaime's family cooking and Quinn would end up over at their house more times than anyone could count. He was practically like a brother... and would tease her all of the time. He loved getting her all worked up... seeing her feisty, sassy, and full of piss and vinegar. But when Jaime started to change into this woman/girl... Quinn didn't quite know how to react to it... after all Jaime's family was always there for him and he knew it would be wrong to take advantage of her.
So he laughed...and made a joke out of it in order to hide how he felt.
Quinn is back in Detroit because he is at a crossroads. He has been a very successful model and Social Media star for quite some time. Billboards have had him plastered everywhere, commercials with his face hawking the latest fragrance are on and it has been very profitable for him. He was able to provide some relief for his mom.... but it came too late to save her from her fate. After losing her to cancer, he traveled and became a witness firsthand to how fleeting life can be. Quinn was shaken to his core and realized he wanted more out of life. He wanted a community, dear friends, and a home.
He purchased a condo but it will take a few weeks for completion. This puts him in Alex's duplex with Jaime. And that suits him just fine. Because he has always had a soft spot for this woman.
Jaime has her life all worked out... she does not need this hot model/ old crush/family friend living below in her world. She does marketing and knows all the ways branding and manipulation play in sales and this love fantasy everyone believes in. She has learned all her lessons and has enacted her special rules for hookups/dating. She lays it all out with each fella and if they seem to become attached to her, she cuts them loose before they can do it to her.
What we get with this setup is fantastic scenes, dialogue, and a love story based on the willingness to trust and put yourself out there. It is the best.
Quinn's brother Alex is marrying his longtime partner, Ben. Ben is a therapist and his contribution to this story is perfect... he is the voice of reason for both Quinn and Jaime. The long-lasting love Alex and he has is proof love can be real and worth the fight.
I do not have to tell how incredibly hot the relationship is between Quinn and Jaime... from the happy, biting teasing... with buttons pushed to the breaking point... to the dirty talking whispered in ears and out and out pet names to make you giggle like a schoolgirl. The humor is top-notch and all of it flows so naturally.
All of the secondary characters perform their purpose. They do it well and add to the story. So if you can tell...I just loved the story. With this book, Melanie Harlow lives up to being the writer who is very, very good indeed.
Man Candy (After We Fall, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After We Fall (After We Fall, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If You Were Mine (After We Fall, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
From This Moment (After We Fall #4)
~~~~~Before Reading ~~~~~
Ok, let's just say I have no willpower....
When it comes to Melanie Harlow and her wit and sass...
Yeah, we'll use that as the reason why I am drawn to her books...
Because it never could be those
Smokin' Hot,
Steamy Gorgeous,
Wonderfully Splendid
Men....
Man Candy June 20th 2016
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * ** Spoiler Free
Melanie Harlow is like that saying of the little girl who when she is good, she's great. I love the way Harlow can take a scene and make me laugh out loud in the middle of the night with total abandon because the writing is that good. In Man Candy, she accomplished that without any effort at all... it was seamless and perfect.
This is a tale of where the man is the one who recognizes the importance of connecting; of finding that one person who will be there through the tough times and easy ones...who has figured out what is important in life the hard way... by the loss of his beloved mom and being close enough to world tragedy to "get it"... that time is fleeting and we should live it to the fullest.
This is a combination of troupes with a dash of big brother's best friend...a kinda friend/enemy to lovers thing and then a full-on push to show how to accept love in your life.
It is done so well and with amazingly current reference points. It could be a story told to you by someone you know right now when you ask... So how did you meet and when did you know he was the one... type of thing.
The major focus of this book is our gal has lost the belief in love. Period.
And it may have started with our guy...
Because there was a teenage crush, a pursuit of a kiss with the said crush, and then the devastating pushback by the fella she informed she loved...
Yup... she told him out loud with all the passion a 17-year-old could and he laughed...
Gah.....
So ten years later, we are there when her brother asks her to let Quinn stay in the furnished lower level of the duplex they own for a month. Only because her brother has been so great to her...and the ass is outside, getting out of his car and walking up to the front door does she tell her brother, yes.
Quinn wasn't really the ass Jaime thought of him. He had all of these questionable feelings for Jaime...new feelings as they sort of grew up together. His mom worked for Jaime's family cooking and Quinn would end up over at their house more times than anyone could count. He was practically like a brother... and would tease her all of the time. He loved getting her all worked up... seeing her feisty, sassy, and full of piss and vinegar. But when Jaime started to change into this woman/girl... Quinn didn't quite know how to react to it... after all Jaime's family was always there for him and he knew it would be wrong to take advantage of her.
So he laughed...and made a joke out of it in order to hide how he felt.
Quinn is back in Detroit because he is at a crossroads. He has been a very successful model and Social Media star for quite some time. Billboards have had him plastered everywhere, commercials with his face hawking the latest fragrance are on and it has been very profitable for him. He was able to provide some relief for his mom.... but it came too late to save her from her fate. After losing her to cancer, he traveled and became a witness firsthand to how fleeting life can be. Quinn was shaken to his core and realized he wanted more out of life. He wanted a community, dear friends, and a home.
He purchased a condo but it will take a few weeks for completion. This puts him in Alex's duplex with Jaime. And that suits him just fine. Because he has always had a soft spot for this woman.
Jaime has her life all worked out... she does not need this hot model/ old crush/family friend living below in her world. She does marketing and knows all the ways branding and manipulation play in sales and this love fantasy everyone believes in. She has learned all her lessons and has enacted her special rules for hookups/dating. She lays it all out with each fella and if they seem to become attached to her, she cuts them loose before they can do it to her.
What we get with this setup is fantastic scenes, dialogue, and a love story based on the willingness to trust and put yourself out there. It is the best.
Quinn's brother Alex is marrying his longtime partner, Ben. Ben is a therapist and his contribution to this story is perfect... he is the voice of reason for both Quinn and Jaime. The long-lasting love Alex and he has is proof love can be real and worth the fight.
I do not have to tell how incredibly hot the relationship is between Quinn and Jaime... from the happy, biting teasing... with buttons pushed to the breaking point... to the dirty talking whispered in ears and out and out pet names to make you giggle like a schoolgirl. The humor is top-notch and all of it flows so naturally.
All of the secondary characters perform their purpose. They do it well and add to the story. So if you can tell...I just loved the story. With this book, Melanie Harlow lives up to being the writer who is very, very good indeed.
Man Candy (After We Fall, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After We Fall (After We Fall, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If You Were Mine (After We Fall, #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
From This Moment (After We Fall #4)~~~~~Before Reading ~~~~~
Ok, let's just say I have no willpower....
When it comes to Melanie Harlow and her wit and sass...
Yeah, we'll use that as the reason why I am drawn to her books...
Because it never could be those
Smokin' Hot,
Steamy Gorgeous,
Wonderfully Splendid
Men....
Man Candy June 20th 2016
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
March 19, 2020
Man Candy is 5 star Decadent, Delightful, Sexy Stars!!!
When Melanie Harlow writes a new book, there
is never a doubt in my mind that I will push
everything else aside and read the talent of
Melanie's words that flow so effortlessly that
you cannot stop reading. Melanie's imagination
and the way she can write both points
of view, she shines. The conversations, the humor,
the journey of her characters, the settings.
It's all within the pages of her books.
Jamie will pull at your heartstrings. She's witty,
beautiful, smart and a little insecure with letting
love into her heart. When Quinn comes back into
her life after being gone for 10 years, wine nights
with her girlfriends, her brother (who happens to
be Quinn's best friend) and of course Quinn help
her close that wound that has been ingrained in her
heart for a very long time.
Quinn - You will fall incredibly hard for this man.
He is sensitive,extremely funny, so very handsome,
delicate with Jamie's feelings, patient, an awesome
friend, son and so very talented in the bedroom,
the kitchen, well let's just say Melanie gives
the heat factor at a rating of a TEN!!!
Without giving anything away, Quinn comes
back after retiring from modeling and shakes
Jamie's well balanced life up. There's a wedding
in the future of Jamie's brother and his partner.
Places around Detroit that add to the beauty
of this book. A heart that so wants to be loved,
a patient understanding man that will make you melt.
You will shout at your significant other while reading.
Yes, I yelled why can't you make pierogies!!!!
In conclusion to my review, I love Melanie's books,
I love that while I am reading that I can escape
into her creative mind and come away feeling
incredibly blessed that Ms. Harlow has given this
reader her talent.
When Melanie Harlow writes a new book, there
is never a doubt in my mind that I will push
everything else aside and read the talent of
Melanie's words that flow so effortlessly that
you cannot stop reading. Melanie's imagination
and the way she can write both points
of view, she shines. The conversations, the humor,
the journey of her characters, the settings.
It's all within the pages of her books.
Jamie will pull at your heartstrings. She's witty,
beautiful, smart and a little insecure with letting
love into her heart. When Quinn comes back into
her life after being gone for 10 years, wine nights
with her girlfriends, her brother (who happens to
be Quinn's best friend) and of course Quinn help
her close that wound that has been ingrained in her
heart for a very long time.
Quinn - You will fall incredibly hard for this man.
He is sensitive,extremely funny, so very handsome,
delicate with Jamie's feelings, patient, an awesome
friend, son and so very talented in the bedroom,
the kitchen, well let's just say Melanie gives
the heat factor at a rating of a TEN!!!
Without giving anything away, Quinn comes
back after retiring from modeling and shakes
Jamie's well balanced life up. There's a wedding
in the future of Jamie's brother and his partner.
Places around Detroit that add to the beauty
of this book. A heart that so wants to be loved,
a patient understanding man that will make you melt.
You will shout at your significant other while reading.
Yes, I yelled why can't you make pierogies!!!!
In conclusion to my review, I love Melanie's books,
I love that while I am reading that I can escape
into her creative mind and come away feeling
incredibly blessed that Ms. Harlow has given this
reader her talent.
February 27, 2020
Man Candy is a sweet, sassy, and smoldering friends-to-lovers story that hugs the heart and seduces the soul, casting a spell that remains long after the last page. Sugar and spice. Fire and ice. A captivating contradiction. A delicious delight. Man Candy is a beautiful and brilliant present you want to devour yet take your time as it is pure page and panty-pounding pleasure. Melanie Harlow makes magic, weaving a web of allure, angst, and addiction in Man Candy, her best work yet.
I could not wait to devour my sinfully sweet piece of Man Candy like the most delicious chocolate, so when it finally hit my kindle, I may have belted out a squealing bookgasm! After giving the cover a few eyegasms because it’s seriously stunning. The cover is perfect for Mr. Man Candy, a story that is as striking and steamy inside as it is outside.
Barely into the story, and I’m giggling like a school girl from the Harlow High that ensues when this author incorporates heat-laced humor missiles that hit my funny bone every time.
“I imagined him sticking his pig in some gorgeous blonde’s blanket.”
I’m laughing like a loon like someone spiked the party punch and I drank it all.
Diving into Man Candy is like the best bubble bath ever. I bathed myself in this beautiful book. I breathed this brilliant book like ocean air because I didn’t want to look up or stop reading. I wore every word on these powerful pages like my favorite panties because they quickly felt like a part of me. I laughed like a loon. I lusted like a lioness. I cried like I was at the sweetest wedding. I felt it all as the book bled into me.
The beautiful brunette, blue-eyed, and curvy Jaime Owens tried to seduce her brother’s gorgeous best friend, Quinn Rusek, 10 years ago when she was 17 and he was 18. He rejected her. I repeat: he did nothing. One big burn. An ego blow. A knife to the heart.
Fast forward ten years later and Jaime is a fierce firecracker who is more beautiful than ever. She never fully recovered from Quinn’s blow to her heart and now has walls around her heart that rival The Great Wall of China. Jaime loves sex but without strings. Just a wham, bam, and thank you ma’am. Have the big ‘O’ and send them on the go.
I love Jaime! She is refreshing and raw. She holds nothing back and speaks her mind. Jaime’s lady balls rival any man’s.
Oh Quinn…I think Melanie created my favorite male character of hers in my favorite book of hers that’s making me fan myself in my fantasies involving him. All of him. Pure perfection. One luscious Quinnsicle. He’s hotness and heaven and oh so holy amazing. Yes, the gorgeous, tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man candy is sex-on-a-stick-rolled-in-sweet-candy perfection.
Quinn is back in town from Cali to stay for good this time, right next door to Jaime and ready to pick up where Jaime left off though this time he won’t resist. Now Quinn wants to show grown-up Jaime that all of him is in the game now. They have unfinished business. Big business.
“I hadn’t been able to resist trying to get a rise out of her---to see if that girl I knew was there underneath that frosty exterior, the little spitfire with the big eyes and bigger mouth.”
Jaime swore she would forget about the man candy who didn’t want a piece of her, but suddenly it’s raining Hershey kisses.
Quinn Rusek was one fine piece of man candy, and I had a sweet tooth for him that wouldn’t quit.”
Jaime wants a night or few of sinfully hot sex.
“I’m all for no-strings sex…but…I don’t believe in love.”
Quinn wants more. Like during their childhood, it’s the ultimate game of chicken to see who squawks first. Love or lust, which will win?
“Had I not made it clear that I don’t want a boyfriend, but I do want sex? What kind of guy turns down an offer like that?”
The way Jaime wanted to play with Quinn’s he-beast is hilarious. Oh. My. Snort. Laugh.
“I was dying to play with it. Lick it like a Popsicle. Suck it like a peppermint. Ride it like a pony.”
Their chemistry is off-the-charts HOT! Simply sizzling.
I wasn’t sure which side of her made me want her more, the fire or the ice.”
Jaime is still resisting Quinn’s sweetness though is totally game for the scorching sex.
All I’d wanted was a little man candy, and he was offering me an entire meal.”
The meal is too much for Jaime who just wants a sample. This princess may never want a prince.
“This couldn’t happen. It couldn’t be me…I knew I was drowning…I couldn’t even breathe…I had to fix this. Now. Good thing I had an emergency exit strategy all planned out. I always had.”
Though the prince may wait for his princess to get her head together but only for so long before he rides into the sunset solo.
“She turned me away, so I’d give her what she wanted. No matter how much it hurt.”
Man Candy packs a powerful punch filled with lust and love, and angst and allure. The feels fell from the pages straight to my soul. I sweated. I swooned. I scorched. I shook my head. I scowled. I shed tears (The PMS Princess nearly daring me to do so.). I smiled. I sweated. I swooned. Again and again.
The story is over and I’m still swooning. Man Candy is sugar and spice. A bonbon of book bliss. The best guilty pleasure, Man Candy is an entertaining and enthralling escape that embedded me deeply into this book. This tale is as tender and touching as it is sexy and sassy. A sweet, sexy, and seductive story that stole my panties along with my heart, Man Candy is a must-read masterpiece of pure pleasure and is Melanie Harlow’s most sensational story yet. I fell in love with my Man Candy and want to devour it just a bit longer as the taste is simply delicious.
5 sugary sweet and scorching stars
I could not wait to devour my sinfully sweet piece of Man Candy like the most delicious chocolate, so when it finally hit my kindle, I may have belted out a squealing bookgasm! After giving the cover a few eyegasms because it’s seriously stunning. The cover is perfect for Mr. Man Candy, a story that is as striking and steamy inside as it is outside.
Barely into the story, and I’m giggling like a school girl from the Harlow High that ensues when this author incorporates heat-laced humor missiles that hit my funny bone every time.
“I imagined him sticking his pig in some gorgeous blonde’s blanket.”
I’m laughing like a loon like someone spiked the party punch and I drank it all.
Diving into Man Candy is like the best bubble bath ever. I bathed myself in this beautiful book. I breathed this brilliant book like ocean air because I didn’t want to look up or stop reading. I wore every word on these powerful pages like my favorite panties because they quickly felt like a part of me. I laughed like a loon. I lusted like a lioness. I cried like I was at the sweetest wedding. I felt it all as the book bled into me.
The beautiful brunette, blue-eyed, and curvy Jaime Owens tried to seduce her brother’s gorgeous best friend, Quinn Rusek, 10 years ago when she was 17 and he was 18. He rejected her. I repeat: he did nothing. One big burn. An ego blow. A knife to the heart.
Fast forward ten years later and Jaime is a fierce firecracker who is more beautiful than ever. She never fully recovered from Quinn’s blow to her heart and now has walls around her heart that rival The Great Wall of China. Jaime loves sex but without strings. Just a wham, bam, and thank you ma’am. Have the big ‘O’ and send them on the go.
I love Jaime! She is refreshing and raw. She holds nothing back and speaks her mind. Jaime’s lady balls rival any man’s.
Oh Quinn…I think Melanie created my favorite male character of hers in my favorite book of hers that’s making me fan myself in my fantasies involving him. All of him. Pure perfection. One luscious Quinnsicle. He’s hotness and heaven and oh so holy amazing. Yes, the gorgeous, tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man candy is sex-on-a-stick-rolled-in-sweet-candy perfection.
Quinn is back in town from Cali to stay for good this time, right next door to Jaime and ready to pick up where Jaime left off though this time he won’t resist. Now Quinn wants to show grown-up Jaime that all of him is in the game now. They have unfinished business. Big business.
“I hadn’t been able to resist trying to get a rise out of her---to see if that girl I knew was there underneath that frosty exterior, the little spitfire with the big eyes and bigger mouth.”
Jaime swore she would forget about the man candy who didn’t want a piece of her, but suddenly it’s raining Hershey kisses.
Quinn Rusek was one fine piece of man candy, and I had a sweet tooth for him that wouldn’t quit.”
Jaime wants a night or few of sinfully hot sex.
“I’m all for no-strings sex…but…I don’t believe in love.”
Quinn wants more. Like during their childhood, it’s the ultimate game of chicken to see who squawks first. Love or lust, which will win?
“Had I not made it clear that I don’t want a boyfriend, but I do want sex? What kind of guy turns down an offer like that?”
The way Jaime wanted to play with Quinn’s he-beast is hilarious. Oh. My. Snort. Laugh.
“I was dying to play with it. Lick it like a Popsicle. Suck it like a peppermint. Ride it like a pony.”
Their chemistry is off-the-charts HOT! Simply sizzling.
I wasn’t sure which side of her made me want her more, the fire or the ice.”
Jaime is still resisting Quinn’s sweetness though is totally game for the scorching sex.
All I’d wanted was a little man candy, and he was offering me an entire meal.”
The meal is too much for Jaime who just wants a sample. This princess may never want a prince.
“This couldn’t happen. It couldn’t be me…I knew I was drowning…I couldn’t even breathe…I had to fix this. Now. Good thing I had an emergency exit strategy all planned out. I always had.”
Though the prince may wait for his princess to get her head together but only for so long before he rides into the sunset solo.
“She turned me away, so I’d give her what she wanted. No matter how much it hurt.”
Man Candy packs a powerful punch filled with lust and love, and angst and allure. The feels fell from the pages straight to my soul. I sweated. I swooned. I scorched. I shook my head. I scowled. I shed tears (The PMS Princess nearly daring me to do so.). I smiled. I sweated. I swooned. Again and again.
The story is over and I’m still swooning. Man Candy is sugar and spice. A bonbon of book bliss. The best guilty pleasure, Man Candy is an entertaining and enthralling escape that embedded me deeply into this book. This tale is as tender and touching as it is sexy and sassy. A sweet, sexy, and seductive story that stole my panties along with my heart, Man Candy is a must-read masterpiece of pure pleasure and is Melanie Harlow’s most sensational story yet. I fell in love with my Man Candy and want to devour it just a bit longer as the taste is simply delicious.
5 sugary sweet and scorching stars
Read
April 25, 2020Originally posted on Slow Reader's Blog
Well here I am again, in love with another Melanie Harlow novel. I figured this would happen. With each successive release her books continue to impress me and I find so many new things to love about her writing. And just as her most recent releases have, Man Candy brings the big three H’s - humor, heat, and heart.
If you don’t already know, romantic comedies are not my go-to reads. The humor is usually over the top, way too cheesy or ill timed. Many times its poor character development and lack of chemistry that doesn’t cultivate that humor into something that feels authentic. Whatever. My point is, Melanie Harlow writes the type of comedy that I love. Man Candy has dialogue that is smart, lively, and flows seamlessly, characters that are full of complexities yet easy to identify with, and comedic situations and scenarios that are laugh out loud hilarious. All of which come together flawlessly because Melanie Harlow has the most perfect comedic timing. Her pacing is measured, never feeling too eager or too lazy as she gives you exactly what you want from a story, not necessarily when you want it but always when you need it.
You’ve read a Melanie Harlow book before, right? Totally judging if you haven’t, because listen, she can write all the things sexy. Man Candy though, hoo boy, it turns the burner on high. The chemistry between Jaime and Quinn is fiery yet heartfelt which makes for some of the sexiest scenes to date from Ms. Harlow.
Let’s be real here though because those scenes would be nothing without these characters. Jaime is spunky and assertive as well as a dedicated and supportive friend. However, she always opts for no-strings-sex and avoids commitment in fear of losing herself within the confines of a romantic relationship. Quinn is such a good guy. Despite being an accomplished model, he’s not just a pretty face and hot body as he is attentive, introspective and ambitious, looking to settle down after the recent loss of his mother. I loved the fresh take on gender roles and stereotypes when it comes to starting a maintaining a romantic relationship and easily related to Jaime’s feelings on showing and receiving affection. I loved them both, found their love story while complex, wholly relatable, and absolutely want more of them. Maybe a little #lovebug in Margot's book? A novella? Something!
If you are looking for a sexy heartfelt read to kick off your summer, Man Candy is definitely worth picking up. I absolutely recommend it to all Melanie Harlow fans and romance readers who enjoy friends to lovers stories with themes of patience, self-acceptance and trust.
Well here I am again, in love with another Melanie Harlow novel. I figured this would happen. With each successive release her books continue to impress me and I find so many new things to love about her writing. And just as her most recent releases have, Man Candy brings the big three H’s - humor, heat, and heart.
If you don’t already know, romantic comedies are not my go-to reads. The humor is usually over the top, way too cheesy or ill timed. Many times its poor character development and lack of chemistry that doesn’t cultivate that humor into something that feels authentic. Whatever. My point is, Melanie Harlow writes the type of comedy that I love. Man Candy has dialogue that is smart, lively, and flows seamlessly, characters that are full of complexities yet easy to identify with, and comedic situations and scenarios that are laugh out loud hilarious. All of which come together flawlessly because Melanie Harlow has the most perfect comedic timing. Her pacing is measured, never feeling too eager or too lazy as she gives you exactly what you want from a story, not necessarily when you want it but always when you need it.
You’ve read a Melanie Harlow book before, right? Totally judging if you haven’t, because listen, she can write all the things sexy. Man Candy though, hoo boy, it turns the burner on high. The chemistry between Jaime and Quinn is fiery yet heartfelt which makes for some of the sexiest scenes to date from Ms. Harlow.
Let’s be real here though because those scenes would be nothing without these characters. Jaime is spunky and assertive as well as a dedicated and supportive friend. However, she always opts for no-strings-sex and avoids commitment in fear of losing herself within the confines of a romantic relationship. Quinn is such a good guy. Despite being an accomplished model, he’s not just a pretty face and hot body as he is attentive, introspective and ambitious, looking to settle down after the recent loss of his mother. I loved the fresh take on gender roles and stereotypes when it comes to starting a maintaining a romantic relationship and easily related to Jaime’s feelings on showing and receiving affection. I loved them both, found their love story while complex, wholly relatable, and absolutely want more of them. Maybe a little #lovebug in Margot's book? A novella? Something!
If you are looking for a sexy heartfelt read to kick off your summer, Man Candy is definitely worth picking up. I absolutely recommend it to all Melanie Harlow fans and romance readers who enjoy friends to lovers stories with themes of patience, self-acceptance and trust.
February 26, 2020
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So here's the thing, I have a MAJOR crush on Melanie Harlow's books!!!!!
MAJORRRRRRRRRRRRR!
I can't stop reading them.
I can't stop wanting them.
Every time she releases a novel, I get SO FRIGGIN HAPPY! It's an exciting thing. She is a GO TO author for me. A "drop your life, read-read-read-NOW" author. I'm CRAZY IN LOVE WITH HER NOVELS. I find them to be the sweetest, funniest, sexiest, most consistently amazing books.
Not only does she write kick ass characters that are easy to love, but her stories are always busting with FEELLLLSSSS in the best way. And Man Candy was no different!!! It had all the things that make a Melanie Harlow novel special.
Endearing characters.
Sexy scenes.
Funny dialogue.
A fast paced, intoxicating plot.
And incredible writing.
It was one of the cutest friends to lovers/second chance romance novels I've read. Quinn was sweet and charming, yet dirty and delicious. And Jaime was fun, feisty, and completely relatable. These two had a dynamic that had me laughing out loud, swooning, and even shedding a couple of tears. It was just an overall fun, quick, steamy, and lighthearted read that still managed to hit you in the feels. I love it and definitely recommend reading.
So here's the thing, I have a MAJOR crush on Melanie Harlow's books!!!!!
MAJORRRRRRRRRRRRR!
I can't stop reading them.
I can't stop wanting them.
Every time she releases a novel, I get SO FRIGGIN HAPPY! It's an exciting thing. She is a GO TO author for me. A "drop your life, read-read-read-NOW" author. I'm CRAZY IN LOVE WITH HER NOVELS. I find them to be the sweetest, funniest, sexiest, most consistently amazing books.
Not only does she write kick ass characters that are easy to love, but her stories are always busting with FEELLLLSSSS in the best way. And Man Candy was no different!!! It had all the things that make a Melanie Harlow novel special.
Endearing characters.
Sexy scenes.
Funny dialogue.
A fast paced, intoxicating plot.
And incredible writing.
It was one of the cutest friends to lovers/second chance romance novels I've read. Quinn was sweet and charming, yet dirty and delicious. And Jaime was fun, feisty, and completely relatable. These two had a dynamic that had me laughing out loud, swooning, and even shedding a couple of tears. It was just an overall fun, quick, steamy, and lighthearted read that still managed to hit you in the feels. I love it and definitely recommend reading.
April 25, 2020
Jaime's Review
5 Stars
Ok, first I have to acknowledge how much I enjoyed picturing myself as Jaime alongside Dima Gornovskyi as Quinn. It made for a pretty awesome reading experience. Well, that and the fact that the story itself was pretty awesome.
Most importantly, I LOVED that it was the female who pushed for a FWB arrangement because she doesn't believe in love or happy ever afters. This whole book was like a giant role reversal from the norm in romances and I loved it even more because of that. There's even a scene where she demands that Quinn "finish" upon command during an intimate moment. It was very brief but I couldn't help but raise a fist in the air and think, "It's about damn time!" I related SO much to Jaime. I hate to cuddle too!!!
Jaime is very much afraid of letting herself believe, or fall, in love after she's been burnt time and time again, especially the time she declared her love for Quinn when they were younger, and she refuses to let herself go there with him again. Quinn on the other hand believes that Jaime just might be his HEA and he's determined to prove to her that they ARE worth the effort. What he refuses to do is accept anything less than her complete commitment to their relationship and belief that love IS real.
This was such a refreshing take on a second chance romance and I was so happy to read about a confident hero who believes in love and commitment and has to work hard to convince the heroine, for once. Jaime and Quinn's story is steady-paced, sweet and fun and I literally laughed out loud while reading. The closest scene was hilarious!! The sex scenes were just the right amount of sexy and steamy without being overdone, just like I like them. This story ended up being one of my favorites from Melanie Harlow and I cannot wait for you all to read it!!
Dena's Review
4.5 Stars
Man Candy is Melanie Harlow's newest hit! Jaime has known Quinn almost her whole life. He's her brothers best friend and also the son of her family's old housekeeper. This is one of those stories where the girl is in love with the boy at a young age and he doesn't take her seriously... fast forward 10 years and they are all of a sudden roomies, well sort of. Quinn moves in temporarily into the flat below Jaime's while his place is being remodeled. Jaime no longer believes in the happily ever afters and love and soul mates. She's a hard woman who is all about the one night stands and her career. Quinn is back and he wants Jaime, but he doesn't want what she's offering... he wants more! Much much more! Hearts and flowers, love and marriage, the whole 9 yards. Will Quinn be able to get through Jaime's walls or will he fall for her rules of no-strings attached?
"I was dying to play with it. Lick it like a Popsicle. Suck it like a peppermint. Ride it like a pony."
"I couldn’t stop thinking it, couldn’t stop fucking her, couldn’t bear the thought that she didn’t want me, didn’t want this, more than she wanted to protect herself. I was inside her. And I didn’t want to leave."
Quinn is one of those book boyfriends you don't want to end up with the female character because you want them for your damn self! Quinn is not only sexy and a Sex God, Quinn is hilarious, flirty and so much fun! He's the perfect book boyfriend with all his cute nicknames and irresistible charms. If you want a fun, flirty and super sexy smutty book to read, Man Candy is definitely one you will laugh and fall head over heels in love with! 4.5 super sexy stars!!! #Quinning #LoveBug #SweetPea #LoveisReal
*We received ARCs from the author in exchange for an honest reviewThis review was originally posted on Fiction Fangirls
5 Stars
Ok, first I have to acknowledge how much I enjoyed picturing myself as Jaime alongside Dima Gornovskyi as Quinn. It made for a pretty awesome reading experience. Well, that and the fact that the story itself was pretty awesome.
Most importantly, I LOVED that it was the female who pushed for a FWB arrangement because she doesn't believe in love or happy ever afters. This whole book was like a giant role reversal from the norm in romances and I loved it even more because of that. There's even a scene where she demands that Quinn "finish" upon command during an intimate moment. It was very brief but I couldn't help but raise a fist in the air and think, "It's about damn time!" I related SO much to Jaime. I hate to cuddle too!!!
Jaime is very much afraid of letting herself believe, or fall, in love after she's been burnt time and time again, especially the time she declared her love for Quinn when they were younger, and she refuses to let herself go there with him again. Quinn on the other hand believes that Jaime just might be his HEA and he's determined to prove to her that they ARE worth the effort. What he refuses to do is accept anything less than her complete commitment to their relationship and belief that love IS real.
This was such a refreshing take on a second chance romance and I was so happy to read about a confident hero who believes in love and commitment and has to work hard to convince the heroine, for once. Jaime and Quinn's story is steady-paced, sweet and fun and I literally laughed out loud while reading. The closest scene was hilarious!! The sex scenes were just the right amount of sexy and steamy without being overdone, just like I like them. This story ended up being one of my favorites from Melanie Harlow and I cannot wait for you all to read it!!
Dena's Review
4.5 Stars
Man Candy is Melanie Harlow's newest hit! Jaime has known Quinn almost her whole life. He's her brothers best friend and also the son of her family's old housekeeper. This is one of those stories where the girl is in love with the boy at a young age and he doesn't take her seriously... fast forward 10 years and they are all of a sudden roomies, well sort of. Quinn moves in temporarily into the flat below Jaime's while his place is being remodeled. Jaime no longer believes in the happily ever afters and love and soul mates. She's a hard woman who is all about the one night stands and her career. Quinn is back and he wants Jaime, but he doesn't want what she's offering... he wants more! Much much more! Hearts and flowers, love and marriage, the whole 9 yards. Will Quinn be able to get through Jaime's walls or will he fall for her rules of no-strings attached?
"I was dying to play with it. Lick it like a Popsicle. Suck it like a peppermint. Ride it like a pony."
"I couldn’t stop thinking it, couldn’t stop fucking her, couldn’t bear the thought that she didn’t want me, didn’t want this, more than she wanted to protect herself. I was inside her. And I didn’t want to leave."
Quinn is one of those book boyfriends you don't want to end up with the female character because you want them for your damn self! Quinn is not only sexy and a Sex God, Quinn is hilarious, flirty and so much fun! He's the perfect book boyfriend with all his cute nicknames and irresistible charms. If you want a fun, flirty and super sexy smutty book to read, Man Candy is definitely one you will laugh and fall head over heels in love with! 4.5 super sexy stars!!! #Quinning #LoveBug #SweetPea #LoveisReal
*We received ARCs from the author in exchange for an honest reviewThis review was originally posted on Fiction Fangirls
February 28, 2020
4.5 Love Bug Stars
All I’d wanted was a little man candy, and he was offering me an entire meal.
Confession time. I had to psych myself up before I started Man Candy. To say my last couple of reads have been less than stellar would be the understatement of the century. Between the book where the dude complained about his schlong being too big and the book I was supposed to love but didn’t, I needed this to be good. Scratch that. I needed this to be fan-FREAKING-tastic! Luckily, I got my wish.
As a teenager, Jaime had a huge crush on her brother’s best friend, Quinn. What better way to profess her undying devotion than to corner him in a bathroom at his graduation party and lay it all on the line? When Quinn not only doesn’t return her sentiments but LAUGHS at her, Jaime’s understandably devastated. It’s also the beginning of keeping every romantic interest in her life at arm’s length. Best to avoid complicated entanglements and all that jazz.
Fast forward ten years of no contact and Jaime and Quinn find themselves temporarily living in the apartment building Jaime’s brother owns. At first, Jaime’s only goal is to avoid Quinn at all costs. A girl’s got to give into her curiosity once in a while, though, and before you can say “off the charts hot sex” these two are hitting the sheets and falling for each other all over again.
You know, it seems really unfair that he got the looks and the big dick. If I was a guy, I’d hate him. He’s way too gorgeous to be real. Any minute now he’s going to sparkle like a vampire or shapeshift into a bear.
Man Candy could’ve easily been a mediocre read for me but thankfully Melanie Harlow excels at this type of story. The funny, the hot and the feels are all woven together in a way you just can’t help but be entertained by. Jaime and her constant need to keep Quinn at a distance emotionally should’ve rubbed me the wrong way almost immediately. Instead, her character’s written in such a way that you get why she does what she does and I found myself rooting for her to figure things out once she realized her feelings for Quinn ran deeper than a hot hookup.
”Jaime, there is no secret. There is no magic. There is no way to know what the future holds. The point is that you’re willing to take a chance.”
Let’s talk about Quinn for a minute. Charming, sarcastic and hot as f**k Quinn! Yes, the sexytimes between Quinn and Jaime were scorching, but what endeared me to his character above all else was his ability to read Jaime and give her what she needed while at the same time pushing her to accept more from him, relationship rules be damned. His pushing and her refusing to budge provided the levity the story needed.
“Come on, love bug. Can I call you love bug? What am I saying— of course I can! I can do anything I want tonight.”
And I mentioned this book’s sexy as hell, right?
If you’re a Melanie Harlow fan, there’s absolutely no reason not to pick this one up the next time you need a solid, feel good read. If you’ve never read anything by Ms. Harlow, time to lose that v-card and give this one a shot.
All I’d wanted was a little man candy, and he was offering me an entire meal.
Confession time. I had to psych myself up before I started Man Candy. To say my last couple of reads have been less than stellar would be the understatement of the century. Between the book where the dude complained about his schlong being too big and the book I was supposed to love but didn’t, I needed this to be good. Scratch that. I needed this to be fan-FREAKING-tastic! Luckily, I got my wish.
As a teenager, Jaime had a huge crush on her brother’s best friend, Quinn. What better way to profess her undying devotion than to corner him in a bathroom at his graduation party and lay it all on the line? When Quinn not only doesn’t return her sentiments but LAUGHS at her, Jaime’s understandably devastated. It’s also the beginning of keeping every romantic interest in her life at arm’s length. Best to avoid complicated entanglements and all that jazz.
Fast forward ten years of no contact and Jaime and Quinn find themselves temporarily living in the apartment building Jaime’s brother owns. At first, Jaime’s only goal is to avoid Quinn at all costs. A girl’s got to give into her curiosity once in a while, though, and before you can say “off the charts hot sex” these two are hitting the sheets and falling for each other all over again.
You know, it seems really unfair that he got the looks and the big dick. If I was a guy, I’d hate him. He’s way too gorgeous to be real. Any minute now he’s going to sparkle like a vampire or shapeshift into a bear.
Man Candy could’ve easily been a mediocre read for me but thankfully Melanie Harlow excels at this type of story. The funny, the hot and the feels are all woven together in a way you just can’t help but be entertained by. Jaime and her constant need to keep Quinn at a distance emotionally should’ve rubbed me the wrong way almost immediately. Instead, her character’s written in such a way that you get why she does what she does and I found myself rooting for her to figure things out once she realized her feelings for Quinn ran deeper than a hot hookup.
”Jaime, there is no secret. There is no magic. There is no way to know what the future holds. The point is that you’re willing to take a chance.”
Let’s talk about Quinn for a minute. Charming, sarcastic and hot as f**k Quinn! Yes, the sexytimes between Quinn and Jaime were scorching, but what endeared me to his character above all else was his ability to read Jaime and give her what she needed while at the same time pushing her to accept more from him, relationship rules be damned. His pushing and her refusing to budge provided the levity the story needed.
“Come on, love bug. Can I call you love bug? What am I saying— of course I can! I can do anything I want tonight.”
And I mentioned this book’s sexy as hell, right?
If you’re a Melanie Harlow fan, there’s absolutely no reason not to pick this one up the next time you need a solid, feel good read. If you’ve never read anything by Ms. Harlow, time to lose that v-card and give this one a shot.
February 27, 2020
First time reading Melanie Harlow and what a fun ride it was. Filled with humour and brilliant dialogue, this second chance/enemies-to-lovers story was just what the doctor ordered.
February 27, 2020
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Audio re-read 12/3/18
This book had me like...
The characters...
The story...
I really enjoyed this one and I can't believe I waited this long to read a book from this author. I liked the writing style and how the story kept a pretty fast pace, but never got too fast that we started to miss things. The connection between Jaime and Quinn was a hot one and I loved reading about these two. It was nice that they didn't take forever to get together but that even when they were finally admitting their feelings for one another we still got a heavy dose of sexual tension.
Bottom line, read this book! It's a great story and you get a little of the brother-best-friend trope mixes in, which was amazing.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Audio re-read 12/3/18
This book had me like...
The characters...
The story...
I really enjoyed this one and I can't believe I waited this long to read a book from this author. I liked the writing style and how the story kept a pretty fast pace, but never got too fast that we started to miss things. The connection between Jaime and Quinn was a hot one and I loved reading about these two. It was nice that they didn't take forever to get together but that even when they were finally admitting their feelings for one another we still got a heavy dose of sexual tension.
Bottom line, read this book! It's a great story and you get a little of the brother-best-friend trope mixes in, which was amazing.
February 27, 2020
Sometimes being with someone from your past is like going home again. No matter how long it's been, you don't forget the way."
4.5 stars!
I think I've found my favorite 2016 Book Boyfriend. I am in love. Make way for Quinn Rusek, everyone!
(Yes, he's the man in the cover of Man Candy. @dimagornovskyi on IG)
I've never mentioned this before, but aside from the fake-relationship/marriage trope, I gush over the big brother's best friend love trope. No, I don't have a big brother, so I'm not projecting (not that it's wrong to fantasize over a brother's friend. Fantasize all you want, my friend. Act on it if you want! I'll be here to cheer you on.)
Jaime Owens confessed her love for her brother Alex's friend, Quinn Rusek, at the tender age of seventeen. Instead of a kiss and a declaration of undying love, Quinn laughed at her instead. Cue heart breaking into a thousand little pieces.
Ten years later, when Jaime no longer believes in love and happily ever afters, Quinn comes back into her life and tries to convince her that #loveisreal. With Quinn’s charms and assets *wink wink*, Jaime might just learn to give this man and love a second chance. And when you're stuck inside the man's closet, there really isn't that much of a choice.
The sexual attraction between these two is off the charts! Obviously, Jaime's attracted to Quinn because she practically seduced the man when they were teenagers, but Quinn's just as attracted to her especially now that she's no longer a girl, no longer just Alex's little sister.
Jaime is a strong, independent woman who tends to keep men at arm's length to protect herself. Having experienced heartache and betrayal herself, she learned not to believe in love. Her parents' relationship wasn't one to be admired, too.
I related to Jaime (maybe because we have the same job lol) in the sense that she stopped seeing things at face value. When something looks too good to be true, it probably is or it's probably going to royally fuck you up. Which of the two is worse?
I love Quinn! He is an amazing book boyfriend—sweet, thoughtful, funny, good looking, and amazing in bed. He's loyal to his family and everyone he cares about. He never pushes Jaime, and he understands her enough to know what she needs. He knows when to be in charge and knows when to give way. I love this man.
We need more book boyfriends like Quinn. Seriously. I couldn't stop laughing/gushing whenever he's teasing or being sweet with Jaime. The nicknames! Gah. I love it when he's posting photos of Jaime on Instagram. He's so sweet. I'm so lonely HAHAHA
And I love his Instagram activities, okay? Loved it so much I made a manip.
I also loved Jaime's friends, Claire French and Margot Lewiston. They're amazing friends, and their GNO are hilarious. Jaime's lucky to have friends like them. I hope they find their happily ever afters too!
And Alex Owens! He is an amazing brother. He wasn't as present in the story as Jaime and Quinn were, but when he was, he gave sage advice to his little sister.
I liked how internal the conflict was; the story didn't involve cheating or any other third party influence. The conflict revolved around Jaime's reluctance to start a serious relationship because of her jaded view of love. With help from Quinn, her brother and friends, Jaime found out that love is real and love is worth it.
The book is hilarious and sweet. I'm so thankful I read this book because Quinn Rusek is amazing and I love him and we all deserve our own sweet peas and okay I'll stop now.
And a little advice to future Man Candy readers: If you haven't heard of "I Will" by The Beatles, please listen to it. It's a lovely song.
I would have given it a 5, but there was a bit too much sex for my taste.
Due to explicit sexual content, I will only recommend this to more mature readers.
This review was posted on
February 28, 2020
Funny, cute, smutty - perfect chick-lit.
Jaime, our girl had her heart broken by Quin when she was a teenager with a crush. Since then she has grown up to be kind of a cynic. She loves her girlfriends, her brother, her job, and has the eating habits of a college student. She's not a fan of the mushy stuff or the feels. I really liked this girl....
Plus, she mentions her hatred of lizards. If you have ever seen me in the presence of a lizard (I live in Texas - they are literally hanging out on my porch every freaking day!), you would know that I hate them with the burning heat of a thousand suns. They are just small snakes with legs as far as I'm concerned and they are fucking wily. Running at you when you least expect it.
Every time I turn around, it's like:
Stop messing with my head and leave me alone!!!!
So, Jamie is a cool girl.
Quin shows up back in her life and he wants to get together with her - and of course they do. blah blah blah...
But, here's the thing, Quin is kind of a douche if you ask me. I know you didn't, but you would if you were here. He is a male model who constantly works out, eats healthy, and posts selfies to Instagram every day with cutsie hashtags. #Douche.
Hey, who knew that Mona Lisa was a basic bitch?
Personally, I don't want a guy who will hog the mirror in the bathroom. If he's going to take longer than me to get ready to go out - he can go out with his favorite person - himself. But, if my new bff Jaimie wants a pretty boy-toy, then I will allow it.
Not only was the book cute and funny, but the smut in it was pretty smoldering. Some of that stuff is illegal in many states. Probably mine included. But, woowee, you are going to need one of those little hand fans that they sell to menopausal women and soccer moms.
She just read the book...
I also loved how the author interviewed the male model who posed for this book cover. Apparently, he is NOT a mimbo, but an intelligent man who speaks seven languages, plays piano, and keeps lists of his goals. Here is the author's response:
YOU LOVE LISTS? Wow, we have a lot in common! Other than the fact that you are much younger and better looking and speak seven languages, I'd say we were separated at birth..
Okay, I like the author at least as much as I liked Jaimie! She speaks sarcasm and that is the language of my people.
Jaime, our girl had her heart broken by Quin when she was a teenager with a crush. Since then she has grown up to be kind of a cynic. She loves her girlfriends, her brother, her job, and has the eating habits of a college student. She's not a fan of the mushy stuff or the feels. I really liked this girl....
Plus, she mentions her hatred of lizards. If you have ever seen me in the presence of a lizard (I live in Texas - they are literally hanging out on my porch every freaking day!), you would know that I hate them with the burning heat of a thousand suns. They are just small snakes with legs as far as I'm concerned and they are fucking wily. Running at you when you least expect it.
Every time I turn around, it's like:
Stop messing with my head and leave me alone!!!!
So, Jamie is a cool girl.
Quin shows up back in her life and he wants to get together with her - and of course they do. blah blah blah...
But, here's the thing, Quin is kind of a douche if you ask me. I know you didn't, but you would if you were here. He is a male model who constantly works out, eats healthy, and posts selfies to Instagram every day with cutsie hashtags. #Douche.
Hey, who knew that Mona Lisa was a basic bitch?
Personally, I don't want a guy who will hog the mirror in the bathroom. If he's going to take longer than me to get ready to go out - he can go out with his favorite person - himself. But, if my new bff Jaimie wants a pretty boy-toy, then I will allow it.
Not only was the book cute and funny, but the smut in it was pretty smoldering. Some of that stuff is illegal in many states. Probably mine included. But, woowee, you are going to need one of those little hand fans that they sell to menopausal women and soccer moms.
She just read the book...
I also loved how the author interviewed the male model who posed for this book cover. Apparently, he is NOT a mimbo, but an intelligent man who speaks seven languages, plays piano, and keeps lists of his goals. Here is the author's response:
YOU LOVE LISTS? Wow, we have a lot in common! Other than the fact that you are much younger and better looking and speak seven languages, I'd say we were separated at birth..
Okay, I like the author at least as much as I liked Jaimie! She speaks sarcasm and that is the language of my people.
July 24, 2016
3.75-4 stars!
Man Candy was a funny and intense read! Jaime threw herself at her brother's best friend Quinn when she was a teenager and he rejected her. Now ten years later she still feels that rejection, and it's brought to the surface when he moves into the apartment below her while his place is ready. The two embark on a sexual relationship, but Jaime doesn't believe in love and wants a no strings attached situation. Quinn decides it's up to him to prove to her love exists.
I love role reversal in romance novels, where the man has to do the convincing and chasing instead of the woman. I wish there were more of these types of romance novels. And while I expected angst from this book it was surprisingly angst free (good for those of you angst allergic readers). This book was cute, steamy and humorous and I need to read more by Harlow asap!
Man Candy was a funny and intense read! Jaime threw herself at her brother's best friend Quinn when she was a teenager and he rejected her. Now ten years later she still feels that rejection, and it's brought to the surface when he moves into the apartment below her while his place is ready. The two embark on a sexual relationship, but Jaime doesn't believe in love and wants a no strings attached situation. Quinn decides it's up to him to prove to her love exists.
I love role reversal in romance novels, where the man has to do the convincing and chasing instead of the woman. I wish there were more of these types of romance novels. And while I expected angst from this book it was surprisingly angst free (good for those of you angst allergic readers). This book was cute, steamy and humorous and I need to read more by Harlow asap!
Shelved as 'consider-later'
February 19, 2017
FREE on Amazon US today (2/19/2017)
Stand-alone.
FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Candy-Mela...
BLURB:
He’s back.
Not just back in town, but living in the flat right beneath mine. And he looks good enough to eat, which is just one more reason to stay away from him.
But I can’t resist.
The sex is incredible (pretty sure we’ve shaken the house right off its foundation), but he can’t fool me—not this time. A degree in marketing and five years in advertising have taught me that “true love” is a fairy tale used to sell lipstick, diamonds, and perfume. It doesn’t exist.
He thinks I’m wrong, and he wants to prove it.
I think he’s crazy, so I dare him to try.
It might be the biggest mistake of my life.
FREEBIES are often good for MORE than one day. I have gathered all my FREEBIES on a special shelf: Kindle-freebies (currently over 600 books)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
January 31, 2021
4 The secret to love Stars
Man Candy is my first book by Melanie Harlow and I really liked it. I fell hard for Quinn. He was so sweet and charming. I liked Jaime, but at times I wanted to shake some sense into her for her fear of relationships and love. They made a super cute couple. I did like that Jamie had such a close relationship with her brother and her two besties Margot and Claire. This book was really funny. It had me cracking up so many times. The way Quinn and Jaime called each other's bluffs. The sexy time was hot and the connection between Quinn and Jaime was really strong. Overall I really like this book and can't wait to read the next one.
Man Candy is my first book by Melanie Harlow and I really liked it. I fell hard for Quinn. He was so sweet and charming. I liked Jaime, but at times I wanted to shake some sense into her for her fear of relationships and love. They made a super cute couple. I did like that Jamie had such a close relationship with her brother and her two besties Margot and Claire. This book was really funny. It had me cracking up so many times. The way Quinn and Jaime called each other's bluffs. The sexy time was hot and the connection between Quinn and Jaime was really strong. Overall I really like this book and can't wait to read the next one.
February 26, 2020
4 'I Will' Stars!
This was much needed after my last read! I was looking for something light in drama, funny and sexy: Man Candy was a great decision for me!
I enjoyed this story a lot, I loved the writing and I really loved Quinn, so no complains on those departments.. Definitely, this will not be my last book by Melanie Harlow!
This was much needed after my last read! I was looking for something light in drama, funny and sexy: Man Candy was a great decision for me!
I enjoyed this story a lot, I loved the writing and I really loved Quinn, so no complains on those departments.. Definitely, this will not be my last book by Melanie Harlow!
February 28, 2020
COPY provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Addicted. That’s right, I’m seriously addicted to Melanie Harlow and the fact that she wrote one of my favorite trope of best friend’s little sister romance, I knew that I would be once again be spellbinded by her latest new release, Man Candy.
Man Candy was fresh, sexy, sweet, raw and deliciously addicting. Melanie Harlow has redefined the best friend’s little sister romance trope as she put in her fun twist as she made the heroine, Jaime a non-believer in love. Usually in most books, it is the other way around but Ms. Harlow allowed readers to see and feel the raw emotional pull of a young 17 year old girl who believed in love to now a 27 year old girl who doesn’t believe in happily ever afters and soul mates.
“I want you I want you I want you.I couldn't stop thinking it, couldn't stop fucking her, couldn't bear the thoughts that she didn't want me, didn't want this, more than she wanted to protect herself.I was inside her.And I didn't want to leave.”
When Jaime was 17 years old, she confessed her love to her older brother’s best friend, Quinn but he turned her down saying that she’s too young and it’s just crush. So fast forward to ten years later, Jaime comes face to face with Quinn when he temporarily moves into the duplex that her family owns in Detroit. Quinn is back and is ready to settle down and this time he wants Jaime but the problem is Jaime doesn’t do the hearts and flowers kind of romance. How far will Quinn go to make her a believer in love?
Man Candy was smart, funny, sexy, and raw. Melanie Harlow can make any reader a believer in romance with her quick-witted banter while still maintaining a sizzling and palpable chemistry. What I love about this book was that Ms. Harlow made her characters relatable. She showed us flawed characters who just needed time, growth, and a push in the right direction to open up their heart, mind, and soul to the one person that truly can show her love. So if you are looking for a sizzling, detectable, and fresh modern romance then Man Candy is the book for you.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Melanie Harlow
Addicted. That’s right, I’m seriously addicted to Melanie Harlow and the fact that she wrote one of my favorite trope of best friend’s little sister romance, I knew that I would be once again be spellbinded by her latest new release, Man Candy.
Man Candy was fresh, sexy, sweet, raw and deliciously addicting. Melanie Harlow has redefined the best friend’s little sister romance trope as she put in her fun twist as she made the heroine, Jaime a non-believer in love. Usually in most books, it is the other way around but Ms. Harlow allowed readers to see and feel the raw emotional pull of a young 17 year old girl who believed in love to now a 27 year old girl who doesn’t believe in happily ever afters and soul mates.
“I want you I want you I want you.I couldn't stop thinking it, couldn't stop fucking her, couldn't bear the thoughts that she didn't want me, didn't want this, more than she wanted to protect herself.I was inside her.And I didn't want to leave.”When Jaime was 17 years old, she confessed her love to her older brother’s best friend, Quinn but he turned her down saying that she’s too young and it’s just crush. So fast forward to ten years later, Jaime comes face to face with Quinn when he temporarily moves into the duplex that her family owns in Detroit. Quinn is back and is ready to settle down and this time he wants Jaime but the problem is Jaime doesn’t do the hearts and flowers kind of romance. How far will Quinn go to make her a believer in love?
Man Candy was smart, funny, sexy, and raw. Melanie Harlow can make any reader a believer in romance with her quick-witted banter while still maintaining a sizzling and palpable chemistry. What I love about this book was that Ms. Harlow made her characters relatable. She showed us flawed characters who just needed time, growth, and a push in the right direction to open up their heart, mind, and soul to the one person that truly can show her love. So if you are looking for a sizzling, detectable, and fresh modern romance then Man Candy is the book for you.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Melanie Harlow
February 27, 2020
Okay, I haven't done this before and since I don't know what to say about this book that hasn't already been said, I'm doing my review in relation to my favorite quotes in this book.
"The one girl I couldn't have was the one I wanted." Yes, this hot, yet bang my kindle on the wall, kind of book is exactly that kind. However, it really wasn't that kind of book, the one where he couldn't have her. He could have her, also could have had her, had he actually tried. Yes there are circumstances, but he just has to try.
"Sometimes being with someone from your past is like going home again. No matter how long it's been, you don't forgot the way." Quinn & Jaime definitely find their way back to each other. It isn't necessarily how they imagined, maybe they both had hoped for it, yet it was perfect non the less.
"I was dying to play with it. Lick it like a Popsicle. Suck it like a peppermint. Ride it like a pony." Did I mention this book was hotttttt?!!
February 26, 2020
There's a certain type of book boyfriend that I find completely irresistible. I mean, I like all kinds of things (and I'm pretty vocal about what I like), but there's one particular type that just completely owns me—and Quinn Rusek is exactly that type of book boyfriend.
Funny. Cocky. Incorrigible. He laughs at rules and thumbs his nose at boundaries and does all these things while somehow remaining respectful, adorable, and safe. He has an incredible sense of humor, sharp wit, a playful personality and a heart of gold. Y'all, I am POWERLESS against his charms. Completely powerless. Quinn owned my heart from the very first sexy, flirty, hilarious scene. It was all easy, swoony, dreamy sailing after that.
Well, maybe not all easy.
But, even when things got hard, and sometimes frustrating, it was a delight to read. With Man Candy, Melanie Harlow sort of gently turns relationship stereotypes on their heads, and the result is refreshingly emotional in a way that I didn't exactly expect. I loved Quinn and Jaime—their brand of friends-to-lovers romance was just exactly what I was craving. It's lighthearted and fun and still packed full of heart and...erm...heat. Lord, the heat. *fans self*
It took me a little bit to warm to Jaime; she's slow to warm in a way that I identify with completely and, while I didn't immediately latch on to her the way I did with Quinn, I did completely enjoy her story arc—so, so, so much. It was so touching and emotional for me, and her relationship with her brother, the role he played in helping her to stop getting in her own way, was so wonderful. My heart belongs to this whole book right now.
This is not your average romantic comedy. It's funny and romantic, but not in an over-the-top, or even an always obvious way. The beauty of this story sometimes lies in its subtleties, and I loved it for that. I loved it for so many things actually. It was so deeply satisfying—I turned the last page and everything felt...right. That's the mark of an excellent book and this might be my favorite Melanie Harlow book yet. ~ Shelly, 5 "Fire & Ice" stars
Funny. Cocky. Incorrigible. He laughs at rules and thumbs his nose at boundaries and does all these things while somehow remaining respectful, adorable, and safe. He has an incredible sense of humor, sharp wit, a playful personality and a heart of gold. Y'all, I am POWERLESS against his charms. Completely powerless. Quinn owned my heart from the very first sexy, flirty, hilarious scene. It was all easy, swoony, dreamy sailing after that.
Well, maybe not all easy.
But, even when things got hard, and sometimes frustrating, it was a delight to read. With Man Candy, Melanie Harlow sort of gently turns relationship stereotypes on their heads, and the result is refreshingly emotional in a way that I didn't exactly expect. I loved Quinn and Jaime—their brand of friends-to-lovers romance was just exactly what I was craving. It's lighthearted and fun and still packed full of heart and...erm...heat. Lord, the heat. *fans self*
It took me a little bit to warm to Jaime; she's slow to warm in a way that I identify with completely and, while I didn't immediately latch on to her the way I did with Quinn, I did completely enjoy her story arc—so, so, so much. It was so touching and emotional for me, and her relationship with her brother, the role he played in helping her to stop getting in her own way, was so wonderful. My heart belongs to this whole book right now.
This is not your average romantic comedy. It's funny and romantic, but not in an over-the-top, or even an always obvious way. The beauty of this story sometimes lies in its subtleties, and I loved it for that. I loved it for so many things actually. It was so deeply satisfying—I turned the last page and everything felt...right. That's the mark of an excellent book and this might be my favorite Melanie Harlow book yet. ~ Shelly, 5 "Fire & Ice" stars
July 25, 2023
3.5 stars
Man Candy is a brother's best friend romance from Melanie Harlow. Quinn, Jamie's high school crush and her brother's best friend, is back in town and living in the same building as Jamie. Jamie tries to avoid him at first, but that doesn't work. Quinn is determined to make friends with her.
I loved Quinn and I was hoping to love this one. It's been on my tbr for forever. It's not bad by any means, but Jamie's push and pull was a bit frustrating. I couldn't relate to her and I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Overall, I liked this one, but it wasn't my favorite Melanie Harlow book.
Man Candy is a brother's best friend romance from Melanie Harlow. Quinn, Jamie's high school crush and her brother's best friend, is back in town and living in the same building as Jamie. Jamie tries to avoid him at first, but that doesn't work. Quinn is determined to make friends with her.
I loved Quinn and I was hoping to love this one. It's been on my tbr for forever. It's not bad by any means, but Jamie's push and pull was a bit frustrating. I couldn't relate to her and I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Overall, I liked this one, but it wasn't my favorite Melanie Harlow book.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Lee Samuels & Brooke Bloomingdale
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 6h 49m
June 28, 2022
Man Candy is not exactly as sweet as it is promised. I am having hard time to write on the review.
The story between Quinn and Jamie is childhood crush trope. What I feel lacking is the connection between Quinn and Jamie.
It is interesting that the heroine, Jamie is the one who have difficulty committing into the relationship. While Quinn is ready to commit.
Miss Harlow's writing style is more subdue in Man Candy. And that is my missing connection with the story. I need more kick/ twist/ drama into the plot. The story feels flat for me and dragging with Jamie push and pull.
Overall the book is OK read for me.
3 stars
The story between Quinn and Jamie is childhood crush trope. What I feel lacking is the connection between Quinn and Jamie.
It is interesting that the heroine, Jamie is the one who have difficulty committing into the relationship. While Quinn is ready to commit.
Miss Harlow's writing style is more subdue in Man Candy. And that is my missing connection with the story. I need more kick/ twist/ drama into the plot. The story feels flat for me and dragging with Jamie push and pull.
Overall the book is OK read for me.
3 stars
June 30, 2016
I’ve loved everything Melanie Harlow has written, and while Man Candy has the witty and sexy feel that I’ve come to expect from her work, it wasn’t a total winner for me.
Jaime doesn’t believe in true love. In fact, she’s allergic to meaningful relationships with men. Although sex with Quinn is phenomenal, she’s determined to guard her heart by sticking to a strict set of dating rules. Of course, Quinn wants more than a no-strings arrangement.
I don’t fault the quality of the writing. My main problem with the story is that it was difficult for me to relate to Jaime. For her, having sex doesn’t equal intimacy. She has built up so many walls that she objects to hugging or hand holding, yet has no problem having down and dirty sex with Quinn. I might have understood her behavior better if she had some major events in her past to justify being so extremely fearful of getting hurt. One incident with Quinn when they were teenagers hardly explains keeping men in general at arms length. Jaime also comes across as rather immature.
I enjoyed the humor, the sexual innuendos and the flirty banter though, and Quinn is definitely a dreamy catch. A model who cooks, has impeccable manners, a fantastic sense of humor, and is a god in the bedroom? Yes, please! I loved all his Instagram photos with clever and tender captions. And although the plot is rather predictable, I appreciated Jaime’s transformation.
Man Candy is sweet and entertaining, and should please those who want to curl up with a quick lighthearted but steamy romantic comedy. For me, it was just okay.
Recommended for fans of:
Romantic comedy
Steamy reads
Instagram
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
Jaime doesn’t believe in true love. In fact, she’s allergic to meaningful relationships with men. Although sex with Quinn is phenomenal, she’s determined to guard her heart by sticking to a strict set of dating rules. Of course, Quinn wants more than a no-strings arrangement.
I don’t fault the quality of the writing. My main problem with the story is that it was difficult for me to relate to Jaime. For her, having sex doesn’t equal intimacy. She has built up so many walls that she objects to hugging or hand holding, yet has no problem having down and dirty sex with Quinn. I might have understood her behavior better if she had some major events in her past to justify being so extremely fearful of getting hurt. One incident with Quinn when they were teenagers hardly explains keeping men in general at arms length. Jaime also comes across as rather immature.
I enjoyed the humor, the sexual innuendos and the flirty banter though, and Quinn is definitely a dreamy catch. A model who cooks, has impeccable manners, a fantastic sense of humor, and is a god in the bedroom? Yes, please! I loved all his Instagram photos with clever and tender captions. And although the plot is rather predictable, I appreciated Jaime’s transformation.
Man Candy is sweet and entertaining, and should please those who want to curl up with a quick lighthearted but steamy romantic comedy. For me, it was just okay.
Recommended for fans of:
Romantic comedy
Steamy reads
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
January 31, 2018
Not feeling this one, but I may try again later.
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