My Not So Wicked Stepbrother

My Not So Wicked Series, Book 1

By: Jennifer Peel

Narrated by: Melissa Moran

Loveless is more than a name, it's a curse.

I, Emma Loveless, have a destiny. It's not the greatest of destinies, but when you have a name like Loveless, what can you do? I'm cursed to always be the friend, never the girlfriend. Unless you count my love affair with Duncan Hines, Dr. Pepper, and the ever-lovable Pillsbury Doughboy. They've seen me through it all, but a girl needs more than refined sugar to curl up to every night. It doesn't help that I have a meddling, albeit wonderful, mother who can't help playing matchmaker. Thanks to her, I can say I've been on a date with a felon. Now she swears she's found the one for me, her new optometrist, Dr. Sawyer King. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for the inevitable restraining order. That is, until I meet the sexy doctor and have to admit my mother is right—love at first sight does exist.

Unfortunately, my last name means business. Not only do I find myself in the friend zone, but also the twilight zone. Only in my world would Mr. Right turn into my stepbrother. To top it off, he brings with him a wicked stepmother who will do anything to keep us apart. Despite all this my heart—or is that my mom?—keeps telling me Sawyer is the one. But what if true love isn't strong enough to interfere with my destiny? It'll be me and the Doughboy...for eternity.

©2019 Jennifer Peel (P)2025 Jennifer Peel

Chick Lit with a bit of fun

3.5 stars
My Not So Wicked Stepbrother is really more chick lit than romantic comedy, but it is filled with wit and snark that keep things from getting too heavy. I wouldn't necessarily consider this pair as step-siblings, more like step-siblings twice removed, so if you're looking for a forbidden romance, you won't find that here. The story had its ups and downs for me, but one big up lay with the characters. Love them or hate them, and Jennifer Peel gives us some of both, they're certainly interesting. The romance is a very slow burn, and Emma's inability to see what was right in front of her nearly drove me to distraction. There is a bit too much focus on the mundane details of almost everything, which created some lags in the story, and it's a little more angsty than I care for in what I thought was going to be a lighthearted read. The biggest drawback for me was Emma's focus on fifteen extra pounds, and I do mean focus. It comes up a lot throughout the story, and just felt like a bit too much, especially in a body positive world. Regardless of that, the characters do shine, and that's not just our romantic couple. Even the secondary characters come to life in Peel's writing. Another excellent part of this one was the narration. Melissa Moran breathed that life into Jennifer Peel's terrific characters. She did an excellent job of conveying the emotion of the story, including the snark and at times, the silliness. Even though Moran's voice didn't go as deep as you'd expect for the men, she still did a great job of making each person distinct, and the story entertaining. In the end, this first in the My Not So Wicked series had it's pros and cons for me, but it was certainly worth the listen.

A fun escape

I really appreciated all the different ways Sawyer showed his love in how he cared for her before they kissed. It made that moment all the more meaningful. I also loved how the female lead stood up for herself and showed her strength and capabilities in so many ways. There was some excellent villains too which made those moments of victory all the more enjoyable.

Great Book!

Wonderful storyline with well developed characters. The one-sidled love story keeps your interest because you never think it will develop into a full blown love affair, a slow burn that gets frustrating at times, but I couldn’t put this book down, Narration is good.

Love it

I seriously love everything about this book! The humor is one of a kind! I also enjoy the clean, and funny interactions! It’s the type of book that makes you giddy as well as heart sick all at the right times. It sucks you in!

Sweet Romance

This love story is like a warm blanket that you just want to wrap yourself in .
You might need chocolate and a glass of wine .
Great job ! Can't wait for book 2 .
The narrator did an amazing job ...
five stars ....