Review: I Want it That Way by Ann Aguirre

Author: Ann Aguirre

Series: 2B Trilogy

Publisher: Harlequin

Pages: 352

Amazon

Release date: 26^th August 2014

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. 

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. 

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Ann Aguirre’s Razorland series so I was more than curious to read her latest New Adult novel despite being quite disillusioned by the genre most recently, I have to also admit that storylines with children involved are usually a big no go for me but this one seemed to work. I Want it That Way is the first book in the 2B trilogy.

Twenty year-old Nadia Conrad is a struggling student working part-time to pay her way and has recently moved into an apartment – 2B, with her best friend Lauren and friends Max and Angus, her life is chaotic so when she meets a gorgeous hot and cold guy from 1B her feelings about not dating certainly change.

Daniel Tyler was a broken character for obvious reasons, as a single dad he was working and taking night classes to make a decent life for him and his gorgeous little four year-old son, Sam but relationships aren’t on the cards for him when he is so exhausted but his obvious attraction to Nadia certainly changed his outlook. I think Nadia’s lovey feelings for Ty were a little too instant for my liking and progressed at a rapid pace but it was entertaining none the less and it was nice watching their interactions despite Ty’s reluctance; the overall relationship though spanned over time which was more realistic. Their chemistry was off the charts and the dialogue between them was written well as were the smexy times which did pass into more adult content with the descriptive details.

The storyline is more or less told in the synopsis so I won’t expand on this aspect but it all didn’t come without drama and miscommunication, their situation wasn’t an easy one with little Sam involved so the angst was there. But it didn’t just come from the MC’s, there is also a bit of side stories going on with Angus who is gay and is suffering from a relationship fallout and also Lauren and Max, I won’t expand on their drama but it was a difficult circumstance. In the end, I was happy with the outcome. The exchanges between all of the characters was wonderful, the friendships were written well and were true to life as they were sharing their experiences and hardships as well as their unclear thought processes about their futures.

You can’t fault Ann Aguirre’s writing, it is addictive and despite not being overly thrilled by the NA genre right now I Want it That Way kept me interested right from the beginning and I couldn’t help but hope for happiness and a HEA after for all of the characters.

Thank you to Harlequin via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review I Want it That Way.

  

About the author: Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. She likes all kinds of books, emo music, action movies and Doctor Who. She writes all kind of fiction in multiple genres, both YA and for adults.