Ready to Love by Franca Storm

You little beauty, I loved this.

It had everything I could have wanted and it was written beautifully.

Nicki and John had that whole unrequired love thing going on, they had been friends for years but it was firmly entrenched in the friend zone, no matter how much the Nicki may have secretly hope that it would eventually sneak its way out into the something more category.

Well guess what, this little love bug fought its way out and the story of how and why is just superb!

Nicki needed John all those years ago to save her ass but being around him has turned her into one tough cookie and despite the fact that John still has his blinkers on she can handle her own shit, she takes self-defence classes and isn’t averse to getting herself in the ring and donning her boxing gloves to let off a little of the pent up frustration that she has going on.

John may think that the way he treats Nicki is special but all he is doing is frustrating the heck out of her, she is waiting for him, her Mr Right, the shame is that he can’t see past the long line of groupies that keep him company to see that the vulnerable girl he saved is all grown up and ready to get it on!

Now in a way I understood where John was coming from, he wasn’t ready to commit and a failed relationship between the two of them would impact more than just them, they had others in the band to think about.

But this little woman is about to yank his chain, because sick of waiting, she takes matters into her own hands… she starts to date Axel.

I got the feeling that this more was more tactical than anything else, a move to force Johns hand so to speak because she really isn’t that into Axel but she knows that John detests the guy.

John knows that if she has a bad night, a nightmare or needs soothing it is him that she needs, he is the one that calms her down but he also knows that, that isn’t exactly going to sit well with Axel but damn it will take bigger and better than him to keep John from her when she needs him. The fun and games are about to commence!

Her wellbeing is paramount to him, just because he doesn’t want a relationship it doesn’t mean he doesn’t care… he cares too much if anything! Confronted by the situation and the turmoil that the whole Nicki and Axel thing has going on, the squabbling and fighting that ensued was inevitable but it awakens John to the fact that if he wants Nicki then he has to man up and get the heck on with it – she isn’t going to hang around forever.

Common sense prevails and he sets about claiming his woman but relationships are far from easy and putting one in the hands of two complete novices when it comes to all things love related is only asking for trouble. 

They have exes to deal with, secrets from the past to survive and a whole host of other angst and drama thrown in for good measure along the way but what they have most is they have each other and the connection that despite it all cannot be broken.

I adored this book, I loved the characters and the realism that they exhibited.

A super read from an author I have never read before – can’t wait to get some more of her work under my belt.