Title: Finding Alexei
Author: Kendall Ryan
Release Date: January 7, 2019
He’s bossy, moody, and overprotective.
He’s also a pro athlete who needs to focus on winning games and staying out of the headlines.
I’m fiercely independent and need a man like I need a second period each month.
So when our worlds collide, I never expected him to be the one to jump in and save me. Especially not when my roommate disappears, leaving me with her baby.
I’m clueless about babies—and it shows. Good thing Alexei isn’t. With six nieces and nephews and an apparent hero complex, the dude is both sexy and more than capable. It’s a combination that makes it easy to forget we’re just playing house.
I've been excited for Alexei's book for a while now - I adored him in Dear Jane, and I'm so happy that Finding Alexei is my second read of 2019! (Spoiler alert - I loved this book!)
I know I say this very often (and I talk about this in my review of Dear Jane), but I prefer my romance without all the plot twists and too much angst. I'm good with tropes (is there anybody who isn't?), but I also want my books to be character driven, and that's what Finding Alexei is to me. Ultimately, it's about our main characters' connection. Our heroine, Ryleigh, is desperate to provide for baby Ella who was left to her by her former roommate, and it's in one of her desperate moments that Alexei decides to help her without asking for anything in return.
Oh Alexei. Alexei Alexei Alexei. In romance, the asshole hero is such a common trope that I've almost forgotten what it felt like to have a nice hero. And Alexei is nice without having a hidden agenda! Amaaaazing! He just wanted to help Ryleigh and Emma, and that's what he did. Like Ryleigh, I loved the moments where Alexei knew what to do with Ella, and how he has no qualms with taking care of her. He's just a good guy through and through, and I love that! I would have loved to learn more about Alexei's heritage - it's mentioned several times throughout the book how proud he is of where he came from, and well as how much he loves his family, and I would have been so happy to read more scenes featuring his family!
Our female MC, Ryleigh, was just amazing to read about. I marvel at how strong she is, and how she's always ready to take life by the horns. I love her devotion to Ella, and I love how she has her head held high no matter what she goes through. Sometimes characters being prideful can be portrayed negatively, but I love how author Ryan stresses that accepting help doesn't mean losing your pride. Ryleigh may rely on Alexei, but in no way that that makes her weak.
An interesting plot point is while Alexei does not approve of Ryleigh's job, he also acknowledges that he will never ask her to quit. He understands how important it is for Ryleigh to work on her own, and as long as she want to do this particular job, he respects that. I love this part of the story so much. I love the respect the hero shows the heroine. I also like that Alexei understands that asking Ryleigh would be hypocritical, given that he used to frequent the establishment Ryleigh is working in. I feel like we don't get this self-awareness in heroes a lot, and I love how aware of everything Alexei is.
All in all, I enjoyed Finding Alexei. I love both main characters, and I cannot stop say enough that there is minimal drama in this book. Yay to no drama! I do think that the romance developed a bit too quickly, but I still understood why it did, and it didn't affect my reading experience. Kendall Ryan's latest books are such fun reads that now I need to read her backlist! (I am also happy to report that there are two other books in this standalone series - both already released!)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
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