BOOK REVIEW ~ RISKING IT ALL BY JENNIFER SCHMIDT

Blurb from Goodreads



Available September 13, 2012



Kennedy Monroe barely got her foot in her college dorm her freshman year before she was being warned about a certain dark-haired, blue-eyed self-proclaimed Casanova. There were only so many tales of heartache – and incredibly steamy nights – she could listen to before she started to believe them. But after a run in with the most sought after college womanizer, her ill feelings toward him change and soon a friendship forms that surprises everyone.

Twelve years later Kennedy and Memphis Adams are closer than ever - and only friends despite what those around them think, including Kennedy’s boyfriend Ian Brooks. When Kennedy accepts an invitation to vacation in Alaska from Memphis, her relationship with Brooks is tested as is her restraint when it comes to the desire she has always had for her best friend.

Alone with Memphis in Alaska, Kennedy finds it increasingly harder to ignore temptation and wants nothing more than to give into her secret desires with the one man that has always been off limits. But is one night of passion worth the possible risk of losing their friendship over?

Feeling torn between doing the right thing and doing what she wants, Kennedy fears losing her best friend. She knows she needs to sort out her feelings for the two men in her life and deal with the consequences of her actions, but how can she when everything seems to be falling apart so fast? And how much can Memphis take before he’s pushed too far and can no longer take Kennedy’s inability to make a decision about what and who she wants?
Kennedy discovers the harsh reality of how one night can change everything and leave her risking it all.

This is a tough review to write because I flip flopped over my rating for days. Days, people!

I love the romance story of friends to lovers and Kennedy's friendship with Memphis was sweet and caring and spans twelve years when the story really starts.

Kennedy is dating a successful doctor, Brooks, who never really accepted Memphis as Kennedy's bff and Memphis really didn't like. Brooks always insisted that there had to be more to their friendship, and was very insecure with it.

Brooks is also not the most supportive boyfriend in the world. He is ultimately married to his career. Not to mention, their relationship has been on the downward slide since a certain incident that I shall not mention here **spoiler** and Kennedy feels that as a couple, this issue is still standing between them.

When Brooks finally lets her down at her first showing at a Gallery, the house of cards of their relationship come a tumbling down. And Memphis is there to help pick up the pieces.

And they kiss.

WOW!  Suddenly, Kennedy sees Memphis in a different light and fights feelings that seemed to be always under the surface. 

Memphis has invited her to go with him to Alaska; a chance for her to get away and re-think her relationship with Brooks, while Memphis does a photography job at a new resort that hasn't opened yet.

What follows is the blurring of the lines of friendship vs lover, and some very smexy times. But both Memphis and Kennedy forget one key element regarding any relationship: communication. They never talk about what they are truly feeling about the other. And when Memphis finally admits to Kennedy that he had hoped to hook up with her, and that his feelings are somewhat deeper (and have always been), Kennedy turns into a character that I started to dislike...

I really was digging the book, until Kennedy could not make up her mind between Memphis or her doctor. I wanted to scream at her, bitch slap some common sense into her, and almost stopped reading all together. Her wishy washy attitude was growing rather annoying.  I wanted to tell Memphis to move the hell on.

And finally, FINALLY, Memphis grew a set of balls and stepped up to the plate and confronted Kennedy. Thank you, Memphis.

As aggravating as this was, I can now look back and say, "oh, yeah...I guess this was the conflict of the story", but when you are going through it, it was quite a bit off-putting.

So after running through a gamut of emotions and dragging out Kennedy's decision, I felt a little exhausted.

The conclusion seems a little abrupt--would have liked to see more of the HEA, but was glad the roller coaster had ended.



**ARC provided by NetGalley