Dearest Clementine (#1) – Lex Martin

Synopsis

Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn’t mind being called bitchy and closed off. It’s safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.

Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out…in the name of research, of course.

As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.

DEAREST CLEMENTINE is a stand-alone novel with two companion novels. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.

5 out of 5 Stars

 

 

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My Review

“Ah, so my book boyfriend is coming over to tutor me? Why didn’t you say so?”

I stumbled upon Dearest Clementine on Amazon and after reading the synopsis and gazing dreamily at the cover, it was an instant 1-Click. Then when I was picking something to read, because we all know how hard it is to choose from the million books we have, I smiled when I came across it on my kindle and I knew I had to gobble it up asap.

For Lex Martin’s debut novel, I LOVED IT! I think I gushed enough…okay, maybe not enough, but I fell head over heels for this book. HARD CORE. The writing is just amazing, its so flawless that you just keep on reading and reading until you are on the last page and wondering just where the time has got to. The emotions that were evoked from me wee constant throughout the book and as a reader, you really want that to happen, to connect with the story, with the words, the characters and I felt like I really did. There is a little bit of mystery surrounding the story too, and that kept me hooked and thinking of different scenarios of what could be happening to certain characters. This is certainly a book I need in paperback, I need to put it on my shelf, so fingers crossed it will be in PB soon. I NEED my hands on it…like yesterday.

Dearest Clementine is about Clementine Avery. She doesnt date, not after being cheated on by her high-school sweetheart. No, she would rather stay closed off, get through college and survive. But when she accidentally signs up for a Romance Writing class, she needs to find material for her assessment. What better than sexy RA Gavin Murphy. He is more than happy to play Book Boyfriend and helps find the inspiration Clementine is looking for.

They grow closer each passing minute and love is just around the corner for them. But they are mixed between the mystery of a missing Boston student and with Clem being a suspected next victim, Gavin does what he has to to make sure she is safe and protected and maybe the best way to do that is the one that hurts the most.

Gavin Murphy. Welcome to the top of my book boyfriend list. Holy Jesus on a pedestal. I haven’t read about a main character in months and months who had my heart fluttering from everything he does and says throughout the whole book. So this makes Gavin utterly irresistible and special in my eyes. He’s a sexy RA majoring in Journalism/English who plays guitar in a band with Clem’s roommates boyfriend and he befriends Clementine on her birthday. This starts the beginning of their friendship.

I don’t even know how to accumulate my thoughts on Gavin because he has actually stolen my heart. He is funny, charming, oh so sexy, and you can see that Clementine has him in a tizzy. He wants to be with her so the only way he can is to be her book boyfriend, to help her write her book and my god does he help her out. He oozes sex appeal wherever he goes, but you know what, he only has eyes for Clementine. He is he utmost gentleman and will do whatever he can to make Clementine see him as more then a friend. He will go slow, he will protect her and he will bear his love for her. There was a small part where my heart hurt because he was pushing her away, and I wanted to slap the shit into him for hurting my girl but then I hated it for doubting him when it all out into the open. I felt so bad that I had been dubious about him when all along it was for Clem. He was the perfect book boyfriend for Clem and he is the perfect book boyfriend for me.

My heart was going ten to the dozen with every single scene is was in. The way he acts around Clem, the words he would say, his actions. He has me head over heels and if you are looking for a new boyfriend, Gavin Murphy needs to be on your list. I just wish he was real. Lex, if you find him, please send him my way, I need a guy like Gavin in my life.

Clementine Avery. She’s a closed off book and she wants to stay that way. He is beautiful but resists all the guys falling at their feet to take her out. She comes from money but she doesnt want it. Her family dynamic is messed up but she tries to ignore that. She is a strong character, she works hard for her money and she is a best-selling author too, under a pen-name, which helps her pay her bills. But now she is in a stump with her romance class and what better way than to take up Mr. Sexy RA’s offer to help her out.

Clem is a sweet girl. She’s been burned by her ex and her best friend, the creepy lecturer she had in freshman is obsessed with her and her family is more than messed up. She’s bitchy, sarcastic and if not a little broken. She doesnt trust easily and has a hand full of friends who know the real her. She hates romance but with Gavin it comes easily. She lets loose, she enjoys her time with him and you can see a change in her. From bitchy and lonely to a girl who has fun and is slowly falling in love. Everyone can see a change in her but she is still protective of her heart, of getting hurt again but she puts her trust in Gavin.

I enjoyed watching the emotions being evoked from Clementine. From her closed off to finally being happy and in love. She started off robot like, not wanting to get close to anyway, being a bitch and just getting through her days, but each passing day, she cracked more and more, until she expressed her emotions, from lust, heart break, love; she went through them all and it made her more human, it made me proud she had opened up, with the help of Gavin and her friends. When you have friends and a boy like that, it’s hard not to feel the feelings rush through you. You will euphoric and seeing Clem like this made me feel like a proud mum.

I loved watching the build up between Gavin and Clem. Watched them turn from friends to falling in love. It was an easy transformation, but one which Clem knew nothing about. As Gavin said:
“Baby, I hate to tell you this, but we’ve been dating” – he leans down to kiss my neck – “for a while”
The build up was melting. I was hooked wanting to know what would happen next and it was beautiful to watch two ‘friends’ turn into something more. It took a while and it was amazing that it wasn’t rushed. That Lex took her time to make these two really see each other to connect to one another and fall in love slowly and breathtakingly.

The secondary characters are just as amazing as Gavin and Clementine. Their best friends are hilarious and you can see how much they care for Clementine throughout everything she has and is going through in the book. They try to open her up, they cheer her up and make her follow her heart. They protect her and will do anything for her. I loved the one game they played over text, and the things they were sending Clementine are just hysterical and I had to wipe away tears because HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS GAME, LEX? I so want to play this game, it sounds freaking awesome.

If you are looking for an amazing book, which will have you swooning, laughing, your chest feelings all tingly throughout it with a little mystery, then pick up Dearest Clementine now. You wont regret reading this book at all because its such a freaking amazing book. I cant wait to delve into Finding Dandelion – which is about Clem’s brother, Jax and her roommate, Dani which is out soon!

Now to go find me a Gavin.