Trying Not To Love You by Megan Smith

Kenzie aka CC is the youngest child in her family, with three older, very protective brothers.  From the time she is 13 and first meets Hunter, she is in love with him. The only problem is that he's her brothers' best friend.  Throughout her high school years, Hunter gives her mixed signals but will never choose her over her brothers.  When it comes time for college, Kenzie and her best friend go to Old Dominion, where Dominic (her boyfriend) and Hunter go and where none of her brothers are. That's where the story really begins and through circumstances, Hunter and Kenzie finally have a chance to be together, much to the chagrin of her brothers.

What did I like about this story?  I have two older brothers so I know how it can feel to have them watching over you and having crushes on their friend.  Of all the college stories out there, this one has an authentic feel with the vernacular used and actions of the characters.  There were times I wanted to tell Kenzie how dumb she was and tell them all to stop using the language all the time, but it added to the college feel. It took me back to my college days and let me go down memory lane.  I like what happened when Hunter and Kenzie first got together.  Without giving it away, it's one of my favorite tropes. I also really liked the strong family bonds in this story; it's rare to find them in books lately.

What I didn't like/understand? There were two things about this book that I wasn't crazy about.  Of all the brothers, Mason was the most against Hunter and Kenzie having a relationship.  I felt it went overboard with his hatred of the idea and I had a hard time buying it, especially considering whom he was sleeping with. Secondly, I felt I knew very little about the characters beyond their relationships, which sometimes made it hard to connect.

The verdict: Definitely worth the time to read.  There is a lot of angst, typical of the age, but overall it is an enjoyable read. You'll find yourself rooting for the happy ending between Hunter and CC. Be warned; just as they get their HEA, you're left with a cliffhanger.

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