Challenging Carter

I think I've mentioned it enough times for all and sundry to know that I absolutely love the friends-turned-lovers theme. I LOVE IT.

What does that mean for this book?

I LOVE IT.

When the stakes are high, she’s ready to shed more than her inhibitions—but will the man of her dreams rise to the challenge?

Dani’s been in love with Carter forever. But she’s nothing like the women he dates—glamorous, exciting, spotlight-ready. Instead, she’s stuck in the “best friend” role and can’t seem to find a way out of it. Until a scheduling mix-up finds her enrolled in a strip aerobics class. Now this buttoned-down wallflower is finding her wicked side—and liking it!

What in the world happened to Carter’s best bud? She’s gone from sweet to sexy in ten seconds flat—and Carter’s lucky enough to be around for the ride of a lifetime. But he knows from past experience that relationships don’t last. He’s got to get things back on track before the most important friendship in his life is damaged forever.

Problem is, Dani has no intention of going back to being “just friends”. It’s about time someone challenged Carter’s assumptions about love and friendship—and Dani’s just the woman to do it!

This novel is the epitome, for me, of the friends to lovers theme. The right amount of history, jealousy and sensuality, Challenging Carter by Kate Davies is sublime. But first the bad: too short (which may not be that bad actually, LOL) and it ended with a marriage proposal, which I thought was a bit fast, but considering their history, is not totally unbelievable.

Now the good stuff! Dani and Carter have been best friends forever. Dani has loved Carter for the same amount of time, but he's always seen her as his best friend. Dani jumps at the chance to join forces with Carter in his business venture because that means they can see each other every day. And they do, for years and years. So Carter's image of Dani has never really changed. But when he starts a Wellness Challenge at work, he coerces Dani into joining along and she grudgingly signs up for step aerobics. She quickly realizes that she had signed up for strip aerobics and had decided to quit when Carter kind of pisses her off, and she decides to show him that she is sexy enough for stripping. And other things...

So why is this good? There's enough introduction to the story that we really feel for Dani. We want her to get Carter because he is a delicious hunk-o-man. And when Carter pulls that old routine of not wanting to ruin a good thing, Dani calls him on it and makes him eat his words. Plus, I love the transformation that Dani goes through. Plus this is one sexy little book.

Which all means good things and I'm very glad I read this book. This is the new standard to which I will hold future friends to lovers themed books.

(Book 18 completed.)