A wallflower gets seduction tips from a playboy athlete—until love changes the rules.
Socially awkward Joellen Bixby has a date every Saturday—with her cat, a pint of ice cream, and fantasies of the way-too-handsome Michael Maddox. She’d give anything to win over the unattainable CEO of her firm, but how can she when she blends in so well with her cubicle? The answer may be closer than she … closer than she thinks.
Cameron McGregor is a cocky, tattooed Scottish rugby captain who just moved in next door. He’s not Jo’s type—at all—but the notorious playboy is offering to teach the wallflower everything he knows about inspiring desire. Though a lot of women have rumpled Cam’s kilt, Jo is special. Far from the ugly duckling she thinks she is, in Cam’s eyes she’s sharp, funny, and effortlessly sexy. Now, thanks to him, Jo is blooming with confidence and has the man of her dreams within reach.
Unfortunately for Cam, he’s just helped to push the woman of his dreams into the arms of another man—and now he’s in the fight of his life to keep this beauty from getting away.
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“Your ego is your superpower, you know that, prancer?”
J.T. Geissinger never fails to make me laugh, her sense of humor shines through in every story and I love it. She still manages to tackle serious subjects, but she does so in a way that her readers end up wearing a smile. And let me assure you, having a #ScottishBaller who lives next door and jokes about what’s under his kilt is entertaining as hell. I guarantee that you won’t be able to read the #PrincePantyDropper dialogue without mentally ‘hearing’ his sexy Scottish accent and ‘seeing’ his, “shaggy brown hair, hazel eyes, lots of tattoos, and a devastating smile.”
Joellen might be a wallflower, but she’s got some snark too. While she’s forced to keep her opinions to herself at her demanding job, she’s not required to tolerate her noisy disruptive neighbor without giving him a piece of her mind. With the demands of her career keeping her working around the clock, she needs to be able to grab some sleep whenever she can squeeze it into her busy schedule. Listening to the loud music vibrating the walls from the party nearby is more than she can handle after a frustrating and exhausting day. When she heads over to demand that the music is turned down she never expects what she sees through the open door. And once she does see it, she can’t unsee it. Now she’s seeing it in her dreams.
I enjoyed the hell out of Melt for You. The witty banter and sexual tension between Joellen and Cameron are better than Netflix any day. The colorful support characters, pets included, are amazing. Some I wanted to hug and others I wanted to punch. I got so caught up in the drama that I hung my virtual DO NOT DISTURB sign and ignored my other responsibilities as I binged on the #WeirdAndWonderful. I don’t know if there will be more books in the Slow Burn series or not, but I sure hope so. Regardless, I’ll be keeping my eyes open for whatever the author decides to tackle next. The line forms here…
Sonnets, a Scotsman, and Something Special!
This is my first read by J.T. Geissinger and I was thoroughly impressed. Joellen and Cameron made me laugh. The inner dialogue as well as, the banter was top notch. It was sharp, quick, and full of humor. The friendship and sexual tension built consistently and radiated from the pages. The characters weren’t the only ones that were hot and bothered. Melt for You gave me fluttery, swoony, empowering, emotional, and elated feels! There was a little bit of angst, but it leaned more towards achy. Joellen’s character arc is subtle and organic and admirable. It is aided by Cameron’s insightful nature and supportive spirit. Cameron Macgregor is a gift. He reminds Joellen to love herself. He definitely does!
Since my all time favorite by this author is an incredible heartbreaking and intense novel I sometimes tend to forget that J.T. Geissinger also has a different side when writing. But you may believe me when I tell you – for future reference : after reading Melt for You , the second book in the Slow Burn series it will be a LOT harder to forget.
But let me get out one thing first … at first the female character annoyed me so much that I actually found myself talking aloud with the book questioning how one person could be so ignorant bordering on dense.
But the longer this situation continued the more I thought … that maybe that was just the intention of the author … Ms. Geissinger likes to let her readers suffer
(and yes DEAR AUTHOR I am staring at you while I am telling this. I still haven’t forgiven you the still ongoing suffering you are exposing me to because the leads from “My” book only got a HFN… with an never disappearing dark cloud above – I can not spoiler the title here for obvious reasons but followers of your books might have an idea what I am talking about … if not – PM me) …
In this special case the reader gets to suffer along with one of the leads … gosh how I felt for that poor character. I suffered and almost wanted to hold that characters hand telling “hey its not you OK? – I GET IT … trust me IT.IS.NOT.YOU!!”
But then there was this other side of this story … This book made me laugh so hard at times that there were tears running. Really …
The banter between the two leading characters was so good I almost marked every interaction they had as a highlight on my kindle. SO much in fact that I noticed I reached a point where my clipboard said I reached the maximum that it was able to mark for on book. I did not know this feature even existed until a while ago.
So without going into details of the plot I can say is – that while it did not take my book pole position when it comes to this author (but that is only because my heart will always beat a touch faster for the tortured male hero) this was in fact a great book I am pretty sure this book will find tons of lovers.
And I cannot wait to read whatever next leaves this authors mind as a book.
OH and PS I have a great suggestion to fill the spot of that rugby player … ‘cause there is one out there in the book / rugby world already hahahah … he played rugby , he can write and it def. does not hurt to look at him when he fills the covers of books as model – oh and when he reads from his own book yeah … ok I better stop… but in case one needs to know … look for Stuart Reardon
Prancer is everything. Just read it to find out why. Preferably in audio.
And I thought the first book was good! This book was AMAZING! If you are having self esteem issues, you should read this book. It has taken me years to learn how to love myself just as I am. I felt so much validation while reading this. It was beautiful.
If ever there was a more perfect hero than Cameron McGregor! He is every woman’s dream! Big, gorgeous, confident, sassy and such a good man. I just loved him. I would absolutely consider him an alpha male, and yet he was written in a way to not be an asshole to the heroine. It was great! I can’t stand the jerk heroes who are rude and disrespectful to the women they supposedly love. Cameron teased and yanked Joellen’s chain any time he could, but it was never out of meanness or spite. He loved to fluster her and loved the banter. And she loved it too.
Reading from Joellen’s POV throughout the whole book was like reading about myself. I felt like I was understood and that I understood her. I loved that Cam brought out the best in her and would get physically upset when she would talk badly about herself. He taught her to love herself, but she also came to that realization on her own and it was beautiful.
There’s two very sexy sex scenes way towards the end. They’re very detailed. But very hot! Theres a little bit of foul language but I didn’t feel it was excessive or distracting.
Once again, my only complaint is the cover! The model on the front cover is obviously NOT a plus sized nor well endowed woman! It is a gorgeous cover but I was so confused when she called herself fat in the beginning because the woman on the cover is itty bitty! Yes, Joellen loses some weight in the book but she doesn’t loose all her curves! That cover model shouldn’t be so thin and shapeless!
Aside from that, this book is AMAZING! Probably one of my favorites I’ve read all year!
I finished reading Melt For You and I loved it so much that I hope that my review does it justice. I read at least 200 books a year from multiple authors and genres. I spend hours every week at my local library and searching Goodreads looking for new and interesting authors. That is how I discovered J.T. Geissinger. She is so talented and Melt For You is another example of her excellent. It’s the story of a woman (and yes she is a 36 year old woman not a girl) that has been listening to society’s and her family’s ideals of what the perfect woman should look like, what the perfect life should be, who the perfect man would resemble. She is a junior editor for a NYC publisher and lives the lonely life of work, more work and then home to her cat Mr. Bingley. She has unrequited love for her married boss from afar for the past decade. Her life is and endless cycle of nothing new until her neighbor trades places with his rugby playing cousin Cameron from Scotland. At first glance he’s a big brute of a man with questionable morals and values. And Joellen is a chubby, plain woman with nothing interesting to offer. But are they really what society thinks they are? Melt For You is written in first person from Joellen’s perspective. This book made me laugh out loud, cry, smile and want to yell at Joellen. She is every woman that questions her worth and value based on society’s ridiculous expectations. Melt For You will give you laughter, romance and love from a fresh perspective. I received a review copy from Netgalley and this was my freely given, honest opinion.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Joellen Bixby is a woman who seems uncomfortable in social situations. Cameron McGregor is a man who knows what he’s got and not afraid to use it. Are these two going to end up as friends? Will Joellen ever come out of her shell? What’s really going on with Cameron?
Be prepared to laugh, a lot, at some really bad jokes. My dad wouldn’t have read the book but I know he would have loved the jokes. Even Cameron will get you to laugh. Besides the jokes there’s plenty of tension, couldn’t find the right word but maybe after you read their story you will figure out the word I was searching for, between Joellen and Cameron. It’s a book that once you pick it you will find it almost impossible to put down.
I know this was Joellen’s story since it was told from her point of view but there were times where I would have loved to know what Cameron was thinking. You’ll have no trouble knowing what he’s doing – Joellen is very good in letting us know. It’s also smart not having Cameron’s point of view because it leaves you turning the page to see if there are any type of hint. This seemed more like a story about a woman with low self-esteem finally having the light bulb go on and show her that she can’t let her family define her. Cameron is the perfect character for that. He’s also good in showing her that she may say she wants one thing but really doesn’t know that she actually wants something else. At times it may feel like the author is leaving us hanging – have you trying to figure out where she’s taking both us and her characters. But the ending will more than make up for that.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The playboy is about to get played. Feeling like a woman has never come easy for Jo. She’s far too shy and much too plain. When a man finally does catch her eye, she needs all the help she can get. Enter Cam, a playboy athlete with some secret fantasies of his own. With his tutelage, Jo blossoms into the woman she was meant to be, but will Cam let his dream woman slip through away? Geissinger uses heart and humor to deliver a valuable lesson we all now and constantly forget. True beauty lies within. It’s hard not to love such a tempting find.
5+ Stars
This was such a MARVELOUS book! I SO adored the characters. Told from Joellen’s POV, we are given a heroine filled with sass and spark, but so introverted very few people get to see that side of her.
Like most women, she’s plagued with body image and self-esteem issues that keep her held back from developing many relationships- friend or otherwise. She was awkward and clumsy and funny as hell! A true spitfire when she had her moments and with Cameron McGregor around…those moments were MANY. His bad boy exterior and playboy attitude didn’t not leave her with the best impression of him. But their frenemy beginning only added a delicious amount of angst and tension between them.
While Joellen was a relatable heroine, Cameron was the perfect book boyfriend. Sexy, muscled, tattooed on the outside and soft, sweet and supportive on the inside. He may have had an ego the size of a stadium…but his heart was bigger. He was so amazing.
Melt For You was such a great story. Not only did JT Geissinger deliver a beautiful and powerful message, but she provided me with an unforgettable reading experience. Page one made me giggle, by ten percent is was chuckling and forty percent I was full on belly laughing.
At work, Joellen was the yes woman. Never declined an assignment and always on time. Then there’s the unfortunate fact she’s been in love with her married boss for a decade. And all I was thinking was girl, please get a life! There’s so much more out there! Outside of work, she had this snarky vibe that I just felt was hiding someone who had the potential to be more, except she lacked the self confidence to find and explore it. When her new neighbor Cameron offers to help her catch her divorced boss’s attention, she takes a leap of faith.
Cameron was my absolute favorite character hands down. He’s got the brains, self confidence, emotional acumen, brawn, cocky arrogance, and holy heck he’s Scottish, but seriously, his intelligence was a beautiful thing to see in action! He was an annoying neighbor, yet his boyish charm made him a little irresistible. Celebrity status aside, he’s also just a guy with ghosts in his closet, so he’s not perfect by any means, yet smack me silly because it took Joellen freaking forever to see past the perfection to a regular guy with his own issues. His lessons with Joellen were hysterical and spot on and I looked forward to whatever bit of advice he tossed out, because it meant tantalizing banter would occur!
Joellen was hard for me to like and I really wanted to! She wasn’t naive, she was just really unaware of her potential. She lit the room on fire with her passion, but was blinded by what she perceived as perfection. I struggled waiting for her to wake up and smell the roses, not just about Cameron, but more so about her own self image. I completely understood her reasoning of not being good enough, but it didn’t mean I had to enjoy the pacing of her decision making process.
Cameron was a one man cheerleader and positive support group. His cocky remarks kept things at a reasonably lighthearted level and balanced out Joellen’s heavy self-berating, and their banter?! It was the best! Granted, it oozed one sided awareness sexual tension, yet I looked forward to whatever off the wall remark would pop out next!
Overall, I liked most of the story. This was an ugly duckling tale full of snarky quips, sexy banter, and steamy kisses I loved. There’s the topics of body image and self esteem that sent a good message. My only issue was that the story dragged on plot progression and the ending just hit out of nowhere.
And I wished Cameron could have kicked Michael’s overinflated, snotty ego across the room.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m melted!
What a great story! What an amazing audio experience! I fell in love with that big love sponge Cam, and the awkwardly clueless Joellen! This was a delicious slow-burn love story with memorable and hilarious side characters, tons of emotion, and buckets of humor. I’ve never laughed out loud listening to an audiobook before, but Pippa Jayne brought Cameron and Joellen to life and it was SO! MUCH! FUN!
I wanted to like it but I just wasn’t thrilled with the main characters. She was a doormat and it just got to be too much. He was a just too much. Perhaps if I had been able to get further in the book but I ran into one of my pet peeves. I don’t mind a man-ho H as long as it stays implied and the h doesn’t have to have know any details. This is a new author for me so I don’t know her style well enough to know if she can get me to reconcile my pet peeves. It takes skill. I don’t care for love triangles. Sure this really wasn’t a technically a real love triangle but it was close enough. There was a third wheel that I didn’t care for and I just wanted him to go away. The book was written well enough, it just wasn’t my kind of romance but give it a shot if you have KU. You may like it more. Three so-so stars.
A new to me author, Melt for You is brilliantly written, with an engaging storyline and intriguing characters. I appreciate females like Joellen who have multifaceted personalities, and the sensitive men who love them like Cameron. It’s an exceptional, sexxy love story of self-discovery, acceptance, and real life emotions. I laughed. I signed. I loved this story. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Joellen Bixby is the epitome of socially awkward and a bit of a pushover when it comes to office politics. The one steady thing in her life though is her crush on CEO Michael Maddox who she knows is not in her reach. When she finds her neighbor acting out of sorts playing loud music and partying at all hours of the night, Joellen has enough only to find Cameron McGregor in a kilt at the door. She has no clue Cameron is a Scottish rugby captain and one of the most famous athletes in the world, but she wants him to quiet it down.
When push comes to shove Cameron agrees in return Joellen has to feed him nightly dinners When Cameron becomes aware of Joellen’s secret crush though things change and Cameron offers to help her woo her crush, but is Cameron really helping her or is something else developing between them.
This was amazing. Full of humor and I loved Cameron, he is cocky full of swagger and calculating when it comes to Joellen. Joellen has a bit of a backstory that sets her up for they way she is, she is a bit of a pushover but with Cameron she finds her back bone and is full of sass. Loved every moment of this book.
After reading Midnight Valentine, I started stalking Geissinger’s new releases and I couldn’t get my hands on Melt For You fast enough.
Honestly, I didn’t think it could be as good as Midnight Valentine. I was wrong because my expectations were exceed: I loved it! After I started, I couldn’t put my Kindle down so I’ve read it in one sitting, I was addicted since the very first moment that Joellen and Cameron laid eyes on each other.
Joellen is a smart, independent, beautiful (yes, beautiful!), sensitive, relatable woman, she’s been in love with her boss for ten years and the fact that she was always invisible to him isn’t exactly doing wonders for her self esteem. One day, when she’s arriving home after work, she realizes she has a new neighbor who enjoys loud rap, she just wasn’t expecting knocking on his door to complain about the loud music only to be wowed by a sexy, hot, Scottish dressed in nothing but a kilt…
Cameron is a very famous Scottish rugby player who is used to women falling to his feet, he’s living temporally across the hall from Joellen’s apartment and he’s just being himself, partying, drinking with his loud music always pumping. So, when his neighbor knocks on his door, he’s drunk and partying, so he lowers the music and slams the door on her… Talk about a rocky start!
I absolutely loved this story, the characters, their hilarious banter, their steamy moments, the relationship, their amazing chemistry, how Cam dealt with Joellen’s self depreciation, their imperfect amazing love story, but mostly I loved the strong message in this book (to all the Evas out there – you’ll get it if you read it).
Highly recommended to anyone who loves an imperfect amazing love story with strong, complex characters, lots of funny moments and intense chemistry.
Witty love story with realistic scenarios about low self esteem.
This story is so funny with so much witty banter between the two main characters. I laughed all the way through but at times I just wanted to reach in and knock some sense into Joellen’s head she lean to believe in herself. Then I want to strangle her mother and sister for the part they play in her insecurities. Patents really needs to think twice about what they say to their children because they be so damaged by it. I love how patience Cameron was with her and how his compliments slowly built her confidence until she sees the beauty in herself and believes she deserves to be loved exactly the way she is. Thumbs up to J.T. Geissinger for highlighting the problem Joellen’s experiences because many people experience similar situations and this may give some insight and to how they can seek help.
Best book I’ve read in awhile. Who doesn’t love romance and rugby? Nobody! The humor is side-splitting and the advice is sweet and practical. Although this isn’t a self help book, I will be recommending it to my daughter when she is older. For now, I will quote McGregor’s very astute observations to her because even the best parents can’t undo media negativity. Thanks JT for writing this amazing story!
LOVE THIS BOOK!
This is one of those books that’s just lovely and wonderful and perfect. Granted I wish there were more sexytimez, but really it is a fantastic read. Joellen is a wonderful heroine who is just self-deprecating enough, and Cameron was hotness personified. I loved them both. I tore through the book in a day. Highly recommended.
This book was fantastic. And narrator was beyond a five star read. The book made me laugh and laugh. It has a bit of steam to it but it was necessary to the story and was only at the end of the book. I will definitely look for another book by this author again.
I loved this book. It was an amazing read. Funny, witty, with great interesting characters that are so different from each other that more can’t be a more different and lovely love story. Joellen is a dorky introvert cat-loving person shy and awkward but everything changes when her neighbor becomes Cameron a very sexy Scottish rugby player. They start a mission to get Jollen in to shape and to help her get her long crush boss but they end up falling in love with each other. The story is amazing both Cameron and Joellen’s great character easy to fell in love. I loved their bickering and how they seem to see deep in each other soul and heart. This kind of book is my favorite and I loved reading every page of it. Recommended!
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.