Reviewed by Carissa
TITLE: Brandon Mills versus the V-Card
SERIES: Prescott College #2
AUTHOR: Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock
PUBLISHER: Loose Id
LENGTH: 180 pages
BLURB:
Smart, shy Prescott sophomore Brandon Mills is working hard to overcome his troubled past and be normal. With the help of his friends Mark and Deacon, and his brothers at Phi Sigma Kappa, he’s slowly coming out of his shell. But when he accidentally drenches a freshman in orange soda, he faces something he’s not ready for: a boy crushing on him.
Alex Kekoa pledges Phi Sig because it has everything he wants: a house full of nerds who won’t tease him for being smart, a dog, and Brandon Mills. Brandon is just the type of guy Alex needs to help fulfill his college ambition: losing his virginity. Except Alex doesn’t know that Brandon can’t stand to touch or be touched.
When Alex and Brandon are drafted onto the Phi Sig Academic Challenge team, their mutual attraction grows. If there’s anyone who can help Brandon discover it feels good to touch and kiss, maybe it’s klutzy Alex with his cute glasses and his dinosaur obsession. But as the competition–and their relationship–heats up, Alex’s determination not to die a virgin clashes with Brandon’s vow of lifelong celibacy, forcing them to examine what’s truly important to each of them about love.
REVIEW:
This book was a lot of fun.
Brandon is really pleased with his new place at the Phi Sigma fraternity. He may have only signed up to pledge last year because of his father, but after the disaster that was Alpha Delta, Brandon’s new fraternity is really starting to feel like home. Still, finding a place where he is accepted, doesn’t make all his other issues go away. Especially when the cute and somewhat odd Alex Kekoa crash lands himself in a whole pile of those issues. Alex is smart, nerdy, and for some odd reason seriously crushing on Brandon. Even after Brandon freaks out when Alex kisses him. But with all of Brandon’s issues–and his stupid stubborn memories of his past–clinging to him, Brandon doesn’t know if he could ever let go enough to have someone like Alex close to him.
I may or may not have fallen off the bed laughing because of Mark and his bear-or (bear terror) in Mark Cooper versus America, so there was little chance that I wasn’t going to end up reading this book. And while I don’t think it was nearly as hilarious as the first one, it was still a pretty awesome book. I really enjoyed Brandon as an MC and I think his eidetic memory coupled with all of his past issues, made for an interesting twist on the story as to why Brandon reacts the way he does. And bright, bouncy, dinosaur-loving Alex was not someone I would have imagined Brandon falling for, but found that he was perfect for him.
Plus, I just love it when sex is not some perfect fairy-tale romance version of sex. These two had no clue what they were doing, and it was fucking hilarious watching them trying to get there. But it was also incredibly sweet. So while they don’t have nearly as high a heat factor that Mark and Deacon did in the first book, it was probably more realistic and a joy to read.
But the star of the show for me, wasn’t any of these guys. It was Blake. Omigod. I just about died laughing every time he was in a scene. The dude may not be the sharpest tool in the shed (and if he is in the shed at all, it is probably because he was accidentally locked in there and can’t get out) but he was awesome. And I loved how everyone was reacting to his ‘coming out.’ Especially him. I really really want a Blake story. Just several hundred pages of the Awesomeness of Blake Dawson. I would so buy that.
My only real issue with this book is that it seems Mark Cooper is much more entertaining when you are in his head, or in the head of someone who loves him. Because he was starting to get a little over-the-top for a bit there. Not that I don’t still love him, but I can sorta see why some people want to strangle him. (Which reminds me, I also would love a Mr. Grumpy-face Jackson book.)
Overall this was a fan-fucking-tastic book. And when I went downstairs last night after having finished it, and came across my mother watching The Return of the King, I may have had to sit on the stairs and laugh for like five minutes. Much to my family’s confusion. I swear it is like these books are designed to make me do stupid things because I’m laughing too hard. Anyways, I really loved it, and would totally recommend you pick it up.
RATING: 
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