Review: The Pickup by Nikki Ash (Imperfect Love #1)


Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Enticing Journey Book Promotions.

The Pickup is the first in the Imperfect Love series, and it also happens to be my first ever read penned by Nikki Ash. This is labeled a "secret baby" romance but the baby isn't really a secret. I'll get more into that in a little bit. We've got Nick Shaw, a talented football player who believed in love. His parents treat him more like a commodity--a precious one that maintains the lifestyle they've gotten used to but a commodity nonetheless. While he can't do much regarding his relationship with his parents, he isn't ready to give up on love quite yet, and an unforgettable one-night stand gives him hope, considering the connection he shared with the girl who gave her name as "Liv" felt different--it felt special. But then she disappears after their night together, leaving nothing more than a note. When she shows up months later and looks very much pregnant, Nick can't help but feel as if she's like everyone else in his life, looking for nothing more than money from him. What he doesn't realize is that "Liv"--aka Olivia Harper--isn't looking for a handout; all she was looking for was "Cole", the father of her unborn child. With tempers flaring and suspicions rising, how can these two find some sort of middle ground to be the best possible parents to their baby? If these two have any shot at all, Nick will have to believe in love again and give Olivia her happily-ever-after.

This book had a good start, and Nick was definitely an interesting male main character, what with his belief in true love and wanting to have the kind of family he never really experienced with his own parents. Everything that happened after his one-night stand with Olivia, however, felt choppy at times. I get that he thought he felt he had a connection with her and that she disappeared on him without any way for him to contact her, but the guy was a complete and utter asshat when they saw each other again. Yes, he redeems himself and Olivia doesn't give in too easily, but still, he needed an attitude check. He also came off as a bit simple at times--the whole bit with the Disney cartoons may have been meant to be cute, but it was more cringe-worthy. Speaking of Olivia, I definitely need to give Nikki Ash props for creating a female main character who had as much fortitude as she did. She didn't go looking for "Cole" because she needed anything material from him; she believed in having the same sort of family she grew up with and the saw kind of love that she saw her parents share. Overall, I did like this story, and it did make me curious about certain supporting characters who I hope we'll be learning more about as the Imperfect Love series moves forward. Here's hoping book two exceeds my expectations! I am giving four stars to The Pickup.

Date Read: 08 February 2019

Learn more about Nikki Ash.

Purchase The Pickup on Amazon.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Release Blitz: Saved by Hazel James

Book Spotlight: Cherry Pie by Samantha Kane

Review: The Wrong Kind of Angel by Ruby Moone