This is the third book in Vicki Lewis Thompson's Nerds series. Though they're called a series, there are no shared characters between them, only a concept, that being that nerds need love, too. The heroes of these books are sweet and considerate and smart, and are flying under their love interests' radars.This book breaks the repetition of the last two. Mitchell Caruthers grew up geek, but then he shed that identity to become a member of law enforcement. His current assignment, where he's the bodyguard for heiress Ally Jarrett, has him slipping back into old habits so she doesn't realize he's her bodyguard. If she knew, she'd never put up with him. So long as she believes he's just a harmless nerd, she lets him be, though she chafes at his overbearing presence.Then she runs off to Porcupine, Alaska in the middle of February to photograph wildlife, and secretly meet up with her disowned uncle. Mitchell follows her, and, between an oversexed lodge owner and a small town full of bored Alaskans, Ally and Mitch find themselves pushed together. Not that either of them mind.The build-up to the relationship was a lot slower in this book than in previous Nerd books, which allows for more sexual tension and believable development. Mitch really is attractive beneath the dweeb costume, and Ally's surprise and gratification upon realizing it seems genuine. Their reasons for not pursuing a relationship, and for resisting it within the book, are logical and unique to their situations.The writing showed some improvement from book 2 to 3. I didn't cringe at the dialogue, and characters weren't spelling things out in their internal dialogue that was already painfully obvious. The story flowed well, and, while hardly poetic, I wasn't stumbling over clunky passages.The sexual tension was good; the main characters don't get together until over halfway through the book, and the first 200 pages are a slow simmer. The sex is described in sensual detail, though some of the imagery made me raise an eyebrow. ("Magic wand?" Really?)However, the book paints S&M adherents as depraved, selfish sexual predators. In one scene early in the book, Mitch looks over evidence that Uncle Kurt is into S&M, and nods knowingly, as if that's all the character reference he needs. I happen to know a lot of perfectly well-adjusted, kind people with kinky tastes, and I can't help but scowl at Thompson's naïveté. I know sexual practices are often confused, in romance novels, for character development, but I didn't appreciate the inclusion of the trope.Overall, this was a fun, quick romp. I enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a steamy romance read featuring a beta male. And, if you start at book 3, you get to skip past the clunkier books in the series. You're not missing much.
"But, oh, sweet heaven. She was sitting across from a Fruit of the Loom poster boy ... She'd begun to suspect that Mitchell J. Caruthers, Jr., might be hiding a babe-magnet body underneath his nerd clothes." With a description like this, does it matter what color his eyes are? This is my first book by Vicki Lewis Thompson and I have to say it was entertaining. Not a lot of depth, true, but the emotions and the sweetness and the hotness were definitely there. Her writing style is reminiscent of Jennifer Crusie, my all-time favorite romantic comedy author.Ally Jarrett has inherited a fortune from her grandmother, but in the process she has also inherited her grandmother's nerdy assistant, Mitchell, who was hired to manage her grandmother's estate. When Ally decides to take up wildlife photography in Alaska, Mitchell follows her. What she doesn't know is that Mitchell's nerdiness is a disguise - he is a PI/bodyguard hired by her grandmother to protect Ally from a greedy uncle with plans to trick her out of her fortune (or worse). Ally and Mitchell have their HEA after a great deal of fast-paced drama, a romantic dinner of moose-meat pie and a very HOT game of strip poker.This book is worth reading just for the subplot with Ally's Uncle Kurt and his S&M lovin' girlfriend, Vivian, alone. There is also a fun subplot with "Kitty-Cat" and "Poopsie" and cast of eccentric characters in the sex-crazed, roadkill eating Alaskan town of Porcupine. Not a lot of nerd-speak or geekiness going on in this book. I've noted that complaint in past reviews and I have to agree with it (after all I'm married to a computer geek!) but this is still a book that I highly recommend if you're looking for a fun read.
What do You think about Nerd Gone Wild (2006)?
Wow! What a doozie! I made my way through my second nerd romance novel, and I'm still somewhat sane. This one is set in Alaska, during the winter. A rich heiress (Ally) is being protected from her scheming uncle (Kurt) and his lusty madwoman (Vivian) by a hunky bodyguard/private investigator (Mitchell) in a nerd disguise. But wait! There's more! This one has...wait for it...kink! Oh, yes, there's whips and nipple clamps and vibrators and strap-ons. Yowsah! Okay, I think I've hit my quota of exclamation points for the day, so I'll just end this by saying it was a naughty little escape romance novel that fulfilled my expectations of nerd romance. Now on to the next one.
—Margot
Ally Jarrett has recently inherited a fortune from her grandmother, but all she's interested in is fulfilling her dream of becoming a wildlife photographer. Dashing off to Alaska to start her career, she is annoyed when her grandmother's personal assistant, nerdy Mitchell, follows her. What Ally doesn't know, however, is that Mitchell is actually a bodyguard hired by her grandmother to protect her from threats and gold-diggers.Another fun installment, with just the right touches of beauty/nerd stereotypes without becoming overwhelming. I thought that the danger plot was a little thin, but I enjoyed the fun characters and setting, as well as an excellent relationship and resolution.
—Diana
Typical dime store novel romance. Like all of the 'Nerd' books, it keeps to the same story line, very predictable. If you're looking for a good intellectual read, this is NOT what you're looking for. There is nothing deeper and honestly I'm really disappointed in these books. It's like she created them for people who have a nerd fetish...but didn't really do any research into them. Ugh. But, if you're looking for something a 3rd grader could read (but really shouldn't due to sexy parts) and want to get turned on a tad (and I do mean a tad), go for it.
—Cathryn Kellenberger
