The thrill of a Katee Robert novel is figuring out what drives her characters. What's the hidden story behind the bitter women or the distant alpha male? Aubry was a character with complications that ranged from trust issues, anger management issues and well hidden bouts of anxiety brought on by insecurities. She wears more armor than a porcupine has quills. She's not a mean spirited person, just a misunderstood one. In her mind, not letting anyone close is a way to stop unnecessary hurts but it isolates her from the people who care and ultimately leaves her missing out on her own chance at happiness. Jules is the one person she has counted on and allows into her world. Her protector, her friend wants her to be happy and with a little bit of unwitting help from an unexplored direction, Aubry may find her slice of heaven. I received an ARC of Fool Me Once in exchange for an honest review. There's a great deal of baggage on the part of both main characters but the fact that they have friends that care, in their corner helping them along makes for a cool bonus. ( )

Fool Me Once by Katee Robert
Book #2: Foolproof Love Series
Source: Publisher/Author/Netgalley
My Rating: 5/5 stars
My Review:

I’m about to make a very bold statement here so hold on to your hats . . . . Fool Me Once may be my favorite Katee Robert book to date!! I devoured this book in just a couple of hours and am already considering a second read through.

Let’s just start at the top. What a cover!! I love this thing and feel like it really represents the characters Robert describes in the text. From the tattoos to the smokin’ hot man, this cover has everything that makes me want to pick up a book and dive right in.

The premise to this book is kind of crazy, just like the first book. Quinn needs a date to his beloved little sister’s wedding who won’t get attached and Aubry needs a chaperone to a huge gaming convention. Quinn’s family is beyond awful and are pushing him to come home, take up his rightful place as an oil baron, and marry a socially acceptable girl who will make pretty babies. Aubry has a boat load of irrational fears and can’t stand being around real people so going to a gaming convention is a no-go unless she has someone there to talk her off the ledge she seems to constantly live on. Since they absolutely cannot stand one another there’s absolutely nothing that can wrong with this half-cocked plan.

From the moment they begin making plans, Aubry and Quinn butt heads. For a variety of purely irrational reasons, Aubry refuses to fly which means and even longer trip in a cramped vehicle. With nothing to do but drive, Quinn begins unabashedly flirting with Aubry, Aubry slaps him down at every turn with snarky little comments and tries to ignore the fact that his flirting is pushing all her buttons in all the right ways. For Quinn’s part, the flirting was meant to be a way to pass the time and rile up Aubry but it quickly turns into a study in insanity and he fights to keep his mind and body in check.

Both Quinn and Aubry know that if they had any sense of self-preservation, they would stay the hell away from one another but their chemistry is far too hard to deny and before either knows what’s happening they are shagging like crazed weasels. Outwardly, the two agree that the shagging can only be temporary but inwardly, each is faced with a harsh truth, they genuinely like the other person and have no idea what to do about that. With Aubry’s troubled background, she has a very hard time seeing herself as good enough for Quinn and his uber-wealthy parents and Quinn has his hands full trying to constantly keep Aubry’s vast and sundry phobias and fears in check. When the sh*t finally hits the fan, at his sister’s wedding, Quinn and Aubry both say a lot of things they instantly regret which tears them apart. Admitting their own faults and failings and apologizing will bring them back together but baggage, both past and present is hard to let go of.

The Bottom Line: Are you effing kidding me??? Aubry and Quinn are the perfect couple from page one and I loved every single minute of their story. Yeah, the whole 120 minutes it took me to get through their story  Aubry is prickly, surly, intelligent, often out of bonds, and completely freaked out by the world in general. For years, she has given into her fears and only allowed a handful of people to get anywhere near her. Quinn certainly wasn’t in her plans but he is a hard man to deny and when the circumstances are right, Aubry sees no reason to deny. Quinn is a master at reading Aubry and pulling her through some of her darker moments. He is steady, kind, sexy as sin, and so very willing to protectively and lovingly help Aubry test her true limits. Quinn unleashes a wildcat which makes the naughty bits in this read some of Katee Robert’s hottest to date. The cherry on top of the awesome sundae is the epilogue which contains one of the cutest, sweetest, and hottest HEAs. Don’t wait, dear reader, one-click this bad boy, now! ( )

Quinn Baldwyn enjoyed his life working as a cowboy on the Rodriguez Ranch far, far away from the piranhas he called his parents; the only reason there was even contact between him and his oil tycoon father, is because of his sister Jenny. And it was only because it was Jenny's wedding was he even going to be near them, but it didn't stop Quinn from dreading the nasty dig and gold digging women that were going to be thrown in his way by his parents, trying to get him back into the family firm. But until then, he can hang out with his friends Adam and his new wife Jules and poke at the one women who hates him with a passion…Aubry Kaiser.

Aubry Kaiser hates people! (I can totally relate) Not even being dramatic with that statement! Aubry social anxiety and fear of the Zombie and werewolf apocalypse (hey! Ya never know ( )