UP BY FIVE

UP BY FIVE                                                  ERIN NICHOLAS
Posted:  May 2, 2015

He's in the middle of the last thing he wanted… and the best thing to ever happen.

Ace paramedic Conner Dixon has sworn to never live with another woman after raising his four younger sisters. They have been giving him gray hair since they lost their father fifteen years ago. Now they're all in love and Conner's ready to retire-- from worrying, fixing problems and cleaning up messes.

Of course, when his fellow paramedic, Gabrielle Evans, needs a place to stay after her apartment burns down, Conner can't say no. But it's no problem-- Gabby's just one of the guys.

Gabby's penchant for poker and her ability to overhaul a transmission definitely make her different from Conner's usual women. She also has no interest in getting involved with him. Conner's crazy mix of family and friends is the last thing Gabby needs right now. She has her sights set on medical school in the fall and knows success depends on focus and commitment.

But within forty-eight hours of moving in, Gabby's in the middle of a family crisis that could disprove all her I-don't-need-anyone bluster and Conner's in the middle of the last thing he wanted-a girl and all her stuff, all over his stuff. Still, the more she makes herself at home, the more he thinks that's maybe exactly where her stuff should be. For good.

Warning: Contains a girl who thinks she wants to be just one of the guys, a guy who happily proves why that won't work, and a very good reason to buy cinnamon roll icing-you know, other than for use on cinnamon rolls.

MY REVIEW:

     This was an absolutely fun story to read.  The characters were so engaging from the very start they just pulled you right in.  They were so funny and close you couldn’t help but like them.  They were people you would want as your own friends and family.  As most of you know I love stories with big families and their interactions, I know it’s because I can relate and can say I truly miss it now that I live so far away from it in spoonful sizes only. Hahaha.

     Yet, I could relate to Connor Dixon and the way he felt he was free now that his 4 sisters were grown and with partners he trusted.  You see at first he hated their partners of choice not the men per se but the fact that each one had secretly dated and chosen on of his best friends to date.  Whatever happened to the “Bro Code?”  Poor Connor! 

     The one he had the hardest time with was Cody because they had been and done everything together.  He was a great guy down deep but in college he was a full on player as Connor was.  The difference was Connor didn’t know Cody had a girlfriend back home he was stringing along.  He found out when she started calling looking for him.

     Connor trying to fix it caused a small riff between him and his roommate because Cody wouldn’t cut this girl loose and do the right thing.  Although they stayed friends Connor knows his true nature.  Connor took his work as caretaker/protector of his mom and sisters very serious.  He was glad when the day came and the last sister was now with a good man but it was strange taking on a new roll.  As he put it he was “retired.”  The thing was his personal life suffered for his way of thinking on his new found freedom.

     Connor only liked one night stands made it clear and wanted no ties.  Was it his fault when the next morning came and he was walking away with the lady of the moment “all pissy?”  Connor had the flirting down to a science all women wanted him and he knew so he played all angles.  One day he’s in the break room talking with Gabby “G” Evans about the shameless way he flirts with Mac’s wife, Sara, for fun to piss Mac off.  He said it was fun to make Sara blush too.  Truth be told he would never ever go near Sara for real.  Anyway, there was an unfortunate situation that happened when he was visiting the happy new parents, Mac and Sara.  He tried to play it off, like Mac told him to, but the girl’s saw right through it.

     Sierra and ‘G’ started teasing him about how not being able to put forever at the end of a sentence and one of his ladies took offence.  He said. “I never said, ’I gotta be with you.  Them thinking the work FOREVER was at the end of that sentence. When really what I said was, ‘suck my co-k’ she heard, ‘Suck my co-k forever.’”  Gabby doesn’t even blink at that she just says, ‘understand no time for a blow job.’  “But maybe you need to be more specific with these women.  Like, ‘suck my co-k until I come so hard I can’t stand up.’”

     Gabby tried to tell him he needed to date a woman who knew he was full of sh-t.  The problem was getting rid of the women after he was with them.  That they believe all your B.S. is charming and romantic.  He tells her he sells it that way.  He was too good because he couldn’t get rid of them after.  ‘G’ says what he really wants is someone who’s hot, sweaty sex, and then to watch the game on TV with pizza, and of course the co-k thing.

     There was a huge fire all were saved from the blaze in big part because of ‘G’ she saved like 18 people by herself getting them out.  When it had slowed down Connor being the lead had no way of knowing this because the scene was crazy.  Things were more under control and he started looking for her but he couldn’t find her.  He started to panic inside a little. 

When Mac called out to him.  When he finely looked at him he saw who he was treating he ran over.  Realizing then she was in night clothes but still yet covered but her hair was down.  He couldn’t stop looking at her.  Her face and everything…She’s beautiful.

     Why hadn’t he ever noticed before?  Once she was checked out she just laid there breathing oxygen.  Then, Sierra and Cody came by to check on her.  Sierra started to tell her she could sleep on her couch.  When all of a sudden Connor gets her to her feet and says, she’s staying with him.  Which shocks even him but in that moment seeing her vulnerable eyes and knowing she was first on scene was because this was her apartment complex just knocked him for a loop.

     You won’t be sorry when you read what goes on from here.  This will be so worth your read.  You will find yourself smiling several times throughout this whole book.  I give this book 5 stars.  Provided by Net Galley.

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