Review: As Good As New by Jennifer Dawson

He was the high school hottie. She was the teacher’s pet. But in private, none of that mattered...

At the tender age of six, Penelope Watkins fell for her best friend’s brother, Evan Donovan, future hunk. By the time they were teenagers, they were having heart-to-hearts…and hot and heavy top secret make-out sessions. All that changed when Evan’s father suddenly died. Abruptly, Penelope lost him to grief—and to his true love: football. But now an injury had ended Evan's NFL career. The notorious bad boy was in a depression no one could penetrate, except maybe the one woman who still knew him best—and still wanted him most…

Penelope is the last person Evan wants to witness the wreck he’s become. So when she shows up at his door he’s less than welcoming—even though the sight of her brings back the same old rush of desire. As a teenager, the emotions overwhelmed him. Now, when he wanted to be overwhelmed, Penelope wasn’t playing. She was telling the golden boy it was time to man up. It may have taken a concussion for Evan to realize it, but that’s exactly what he wants to do—starting with her…

ebook, 320 pages

Expected publication: March 29th 2016 by Zebra

Terri's Thoughts

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is March 29th, 2016**

I was a little concerned before starting this story.  I have read other stories with the same theme, football player has a career ending injury and is conflicted over his next phase in life.  In the other stories the man was whiny and annoying, this was not the case with this story.  What a relief.

The focus on this story is really the relationship between Penelope and Evan.  The reader is exposed to the shared past between the two and how that has molded their present day relationship.  Let me tell you it is full of angst and sexual chemistry.

The chemistry literally drips off of the page.  For those who do not enjoy reading about the scenes between the sheets this will not be the story for you.  It is clear from the get go that the physical aspect of the relationship is not the issue between these two.  It is the emotional aspect.

I have to admit that I wanted to slap Penelope towards the end.  Her self preservation walls were perhaps too high and this impacted her likeability as it was clear what Evan's intentions were.  Then again as the reader I got to see both sides to the story.

Overall this was a sexy read about two people with a history and the struggle with overcoming the past.  A pleasant read for me.

About the Author

Jennifer Dawson is the author of the popular Something New series, spicy, small town romance released with Kensington, and pens the dark and edgy contemporary romance series Undone.

Jennifer Dawson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from DePaul University with a degree in psychology. She met her husband at the public library while they were studying. To this day she still maintains she was NOT checking him out. Now, over twenty years later, they’re married and living in a suburb right outside of Chicago with two awesome kids and a crazy dog.

Despite going through a light FM, poem writing phase in high school, Jennifer never grew up wanting to be a writer (she had more practical aspirations of being an international super spy). Then one day, suffering from boredom and disgruntled with a book she’d been reading, she decided to put pen to paper. The rest, as they say, is history.

These days Jennifer can be found sitting behind her computer, writing her next novel, chasing after her kids, keeping an ever watchful eye on her ever growing to-do list, and NOT checking out her husband.

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