Fool Me Once by Katee Robert
Publication Date: August 1, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Aubry Kaiser doesn't like people—actually, that's not right. She loathes people. With her crippling anxiety, there's no way she can demo her favorite video game at a convention with five thousand other people. Maybe if she brings someone to act as a shield...

But the only person available is the sexy cowboy she can't stand.

Quinn Baldwyn is in a mess of his own. He's been dodging his wealthy family's matchmaking attempts—and life advice—for years, but with his sister's wedding on the horizon, he needs a shield of his own.

He and Aubry can barely hold down a civil conversation, but in bed...fireworks. And the closer they get to Quinn's sister's wedding, the more he realizes that he might actually like Aubry. 

Now it's up to him to convince her she might actually like him, too.

Review:
Aubry has terrible social anxiety so when she gets an invitation to a convention in order to play a new video game, she's both in paradise and hell. Paradise because it's her favorite game and only a dozen people get this special invitation, and hell because a convention equals thousands of people, which will be a nightmare for her anxiety. Quinn's in a similar situation because his sister's wedding is coming up and he knows he's going to be ridiculed by his parents for not yet settling down. So both Aubry and Quinn come up with the idea of using each other; Quinn will act as Aubry's shield so she won't feel as uncomfortable at the convention and Aubry will act as Quinn's girlfriend to keep his parents at bay. The only problem is that they can't stand each other. But as they spend more time together on their trip, hate soon turns into something else and before they head home they have to figure out exactly what that something else is.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with this one, especially after reading all the great reviews on Amazon. Yes, the author is an amazingly talented writer, and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story with Aubry being one of the best video gamers in the world. I also almost always enjoy a good love/hate relationship, but I think that's where the story fell short for me. At times I didn't believe the chemistry between Aubry and Quinn, which is a necessity in a romance. Aubry and Quinn were just too different—Aubry had bright red hair, was constantly on her laptop for work and playing video games, and was very standoffish and at times rude, while Quinn was an athletic cowboy that never wanted to settle down. While I'm a firm believer that opposites attract, there was something about this couple that didn't read believable to me. But the author's writing, especially the great love scenes, though, makes up for the lack of chemistry, and I have to admit that it was a fun read.

While I won't be rereading this one, I recommend it for anyone looking for a fast paced and fun romance with a love/hate relationship.

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