When you’re clueless, Mr. Romance can help.

Charlie
I’m not sure how it happened, but it turns out I’ve unknowingly been dating three people.
Friends don’t spoil other friends, apparently. My trust fund means I can afford to, though, and what’s a meal here and there? Or some clothes? Or textbooks? That doesn’t mean we’re dating, right?
Others disagree. If I want to get through the rest of college knowing who my friends are, I need help from someone who knows all about dating and can tell me what not to do.
Someone like Mr. Romance.

Liam
When people look at me, romance is the last thing they think of… but I’m still the first person they call. Need a first date planned? A big romantic moment? Gotta beg for forgiveness? I’m your man. When it comes to romance, I’ve got it handled.
Not personally, though. My romantic life is… barren. All I really want is someone to snuggle with and spoil me. What I’ve got is planning dates for people who have no clue about romancing someone.
But now I’m somehow Charlie Martin’s anti-romance consultant. Charlie, who’s completely clueless yet the most accepting and friendly person I’ve ever met. Who’s giving and generous. Who’s befriended me and wants me to be happy.
I’m supposed to help him stop his friends from falling for him. The last thing I need is to fall for him myself.

How was it?

I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve read a Louisa Masters‘ book before, but I’ve double-checked and it seems that Mr. Romance is my first, and what a first book to discover a new to me author. This novel is sweet and romantic, like a pleasant-to-watch romcom.

A lot of the sweetness and cuteness of the book comes from Charlie, a character who I thought would become annoying – because oblivious characters aren’t always fun to hang out with – but Charlie was fine, Masters handled his cluelessness with a deft hand and manage to make it so without him seeming completely stupid. In fact, the whole set of the book would have seemed very far-fetched but given how well Charlie’s personality worked it gave his subsequent relationship with Liam plausible.

As for Liam, the way he described his love life, and how his dates perceived him seemed a little too real. As over the top as the premise seemed the characterization of Liam seemed very grounded to me. He almost seemed, but not quite, like a Cyrano de Bergerac-type character. The kind of guy who’s overlooked when it comes to romance and long-term relationships, which made the way Liam and Charlie first got together ring true.

I loved Liam and Charlie’s dynamic, they’re so fun, and the humor in this story is good. I also appreciated that the bottom in the relationship wasn’t the archetypal one. This book is charming and so fun to experience, it’s very different from Playing Games yet it very cohesive to the Franklin U series so far. I could see myself revisiting it because these guys were so great.

Mr. Romance is available on The Book Depository and other book retailers near you.