Early Book Review: Knocked Up (Crazy Love) by Stacey Lynn

Knocked Up is the second book in the Crazy Love series by Stacey Lynn. I was expecting some connection to the characters of the first book, Fake Wife, but never really found one. Frankly, the lack of connection through me for a bit and disappointed me a little. 

Braxton should probably be dead or in jail right now. Instead, thanks to some tough love, I worked my ass off and now I own a string of tattoo parlors throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yet the one thing I’ve always wanted—a family—still seems out of reach. When my best friend gets married, I’m just hoping to blow off some steam with the super-hot maid of honor. But after Cara Thompson tracks me down to tell me she’s pregnant, she’s more surprised than I am when I tell her I’m all in.  Cara is living for herself for the first time—not for her parents and their ridiculous expectations. I gave up on my MBA, dropped out of the Ivy League, and moved to Portland to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. And what’s the first thing I do? Get knocked up. For a tatted-up sex god, Braxton Henley seems way too eager to “be there for me.” Is this guy serious? Maybe. He sure is patient. Because he won’t back down until I admit what I know in my heart: that our one night stand might have led me to the one.

Knocked Up is an emotional contemporary romance. Braxton might be the master of one night stands and tattoos, but underneath it all he wants love and a family. He might look like a hard person, but his thoughtfulness and vulnerability is there, just under the surface. Cara has tried to please her parents, but is done playing by their rules. She is living for herself, and her late brother. Only, things are going from a basic struggle to make it on her own to struggling with the idea of having a baby, and that her only one night stand ever changed everything. I liked getting to understand the viewpoints of both Brax and Cara, and to see them both vulnerable in their own ways. I think Brax's need to be there, and his desire for family driving him to step up and show Cara how special she really made the story for me. There is something about strong men being nurturing and loving that just hits the right notes for me. Cara had a good blend of independance and vulnerability that fit her story perfectly. I enjoyed thier interactions and found their path from one night stand to happily ever after enjoyable. I will admit that the stumbling blocks irk me in the way that problems in real life do, because if people would just talk about what is bothering them with people that have the power to change things life would be so much better for everyone.

Knocked Up is a well paced romance, and the pregnancy issues were realistic and added a layer to the story I have never read written this well. I liked the read, and think that fans of emotional reads, and this author in particular, will enjoy it.