Book Review: I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre

I Want It That Way

2B Trilogy Ann Aguirre Genre: NA Contemporary

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B….

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other.

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

Review copy provided by Authorxx and the author

I Want It That Way is not my usual cup of tea. I don’t read New Adult that much or at all if I could avoid it. There’s something about them NA books that don’t sit well with me: all that angst, being a responsible adult and finding your own place to be… basically where I am right now in my life. That’s why I read books – to escape reality and go be someone else for a while and worry about their problems. Add to the fact that all most of these books sound the same: little lost girl falls for the bad boy or good boy rescues little lost girl. Same. Same. Same. That’s why I was hesitant to read I Want It That Way. 

Surprisingly, the book wasn’t like that. Not really. And I liked it…?

The characters put their responsibilities first, their goal in life before their own carnal and romantic desires. They weighed the pros and cons if they went into a relationship. They thought about others first, particularly Ty’s son. And I loved that about this relationship. I love the maturity of the relationship despite it being a friends-with-benefits kind of relationship. I wasn’t happy about the kind of relationship they had. Booty call! I wouldn’t say no to the phone sex though. XD

I don’t mind a little dose of contemporary reality fiction in my reading. I, my responsible, realist self says now and again, need it so as to ground myself and to prevent me from flying away in soapy heels.