He thinks she's a flake. She thinks he's a stick-in-the mud. But each time Kyle and Mac are together, they feel an undeniable spark.After a long day on her feet, all flight attendant Kyle McKinney wants is a cool glass of wine, a warm bath, and a hot man in her bed. Instead, she ends up in a tug-of-war over misdelivered mail with her sexy-but-nerdy neighbor, Kyle "Mac" McKinney.Thrown together by a shared name and address, Kyle and Mac butt heads as their very different lives begin to overlap. He wears sweater vests and teaches college accounting. She dresses like Carmen Miranda and practices scream therapy. But together, they must deal with a nosy elderly neighbor, a misguided stripper, and an overzealous IRS agent--without killing each other.When opposites attract, it's like playing with fire. But will Kyle and Mac figure out that love is the name of the game . . . before it's too late?"Sensuality Sensual"
Lisa Weseman's debut novel, The Name of the Game, was published July 2012 by Crimson Romance, a division of F+W Media. SOLO, a short film she wrote and executive produced, is currently in post-production.
Born and raised in Florida, Lisa currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Lex Sadasivan, and their two unbearably adorable Doodles.
3.5 stars. Disclaimer #1 - I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Disclaimer #2 - Because I am an idiot, I received said ARC over a year ago, and managed to misplace it until recently.
Kyle McKinney, flight attendant, in apartment 301, does not realize her new neighbor, Mac, in apartment 310, is ALSO named Kyle McKinney, and not even the faux police officer/stripper sent to her door gives her a clue.
Eventually, the two catch on, and Kyle (Mac) is even kind of sexy in a buttoned-down accountant, sweater-vest and khakis kind of way.
There are many sweet, funny scenes, like the sexy dart play at the local bar. There are also a few things that are a little problematic, like the idea that sprinklers would go off INSIDE an elevator (no plumbing) or that the IRS was sending delinquency notices to ONE of them, but they couldn't tell to which Kyle (the IRS always includes the TPIN - a TaxPayer Identification Number on the forms), so they had to make a joint trip to the local IRS office. I would've liked to have known they were in Atlanta before Chapter 6 (possibly this was addressed in the real book). There were also times when Kyle/Mac seemed to be a bit of a caricature, rather than a real man.
I loved Kyle (femme) and her sense of humor, describing their relationship as just friends, but every time they end up alone "we end up making out like we're on a plane that's going down." Kudos to the author for making condom use a non-negotiable deal, ending in some frustrated characters. I liked that when the question of marriage came up, Kyle (femme) was fully aware the timing was all wrong, as opposed to leaping on it like a seagull on a Cheetos.
It's a really light, fun read, and if you like RomCom with much teasing, you'll enjoy it, too.
Kyle McKinney was her own woman and she'd given up a lot to make sure of it. She'd left behind a huge trust fund, an ivy league education, and a willing but boring fiancee' to have the opportunity to claim her own life. The life she'd chosen as a flight attendant.
Mac, also named Kyle McKinney, had worked hard to protect himself and his little brother from further pain and instability after the loss of their parents. As an accountant, he was dependable and organized. And he didn't leave anything to chance, nor did he have time for a flighty (no pun intended) stewardess.
When the two moved into the same apartment complex only doors away, life erupted into a series of funny and heartwarming interactions that take the reader from laughing hysterically to wanting their own 'Mac'. Constant confusion due to sharing their name caused chaos for both.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Light hearted, fun, and warm. Lisa Weseman is creative, not only with words but wit.
Mixed up mail, a stripper-gram sent to her apartment instead of his, accusations of tax evasion! These are just a few of the things that happen to two people who share the same name in the same apartment complex.
Kyle McKinney is a fun-loving woman who has worked hard not to be pushed into a life all laid out for her. Kyle 'Mac' McKinney, is an accounting professor complete with sweater vests. He is cautious and she believes in scream therapy. But opposites do attract in this novel and even though there is plenty to keep them apart there a lot more chemistry to keep them together.
This is a very enjoyable read, written with wit and charm and includes delightful secondary characters too.
Kyle McKinnley is a flight attendant flying around the world. Then some mix up with a stripper looking for Kyle leads to her meeting Mac, a geeky, but cute, neighbor. It also leads to a fight in the mailroom with someone trying to steal her mail. But it’s just Mac… but actually his name is Kyle McKinnley.
Kyle and Mac may share the same name but they are two very different people. She’s a bit crazy and he’s very rigid.
“I’m not as uptight as you think I am. I’m just careful. “ “And I’m not as reckless as you think I am,” Kyle insisted, “I’m just less conservative then I used to be.”
But there is this attraction between them that they can’t seem to help. They fight it at every turn and its funny to see them get all flustered.
Kyle and Mac are also hiding from things in their past which hold them back from truly living life. Watching them learn about themselves and each other was a real treat. It also tugged on my heartstrings. I just wanted these two to work out their issues.
Favorite Quote
“But…tonight he was different. Confident, charming. And Lord help me, the nerd was sexy.” Kyle threw her head down on the table and let out a sigh worthy of Scarlett O’Hara.
Overall
I have a weakness for guys in khaki pants. I have no idea why but if I have to have a reason I’m going to say it’s because of Mac. He males khaki pants and sweater vests sexy. Seriously. He does. He’s got that uptight, preppy thing going. Nerds can be sexy too.
I really liked reading this. It was short and cute and funny. I immediately liked both Kyle and Mac and loved to see them try and get together. Also the secondary characters were a hoot. My main thing is that I wish that it was longer. It felt just a little rushed at the end. But at the same time there were parts where it dragged.
A few pages in to Chapter One, I thought, "This is going to be a fun read!"
I was right!
I'm a sucker for people falling in love, but I need at least a few laughs along the way. Lisa Weseman delivers the goods with this romantic comedy. I got plenty of laughs (out loud!), and lotsa the "Will they or won't they?" moments that make my stomach do little flips.
The characters are so well-drawn in this fun story. Kyle McKinney, a flight attendant who practices a little primal screaming after a bad day, is not a damsel-in-distress heroine, but a strong and capable woman. I loved that I never felt like Kyle (whose first name I loved, too!) was waiting for her prince to come or desperate to find Mr. Right. She might not have it all together just yet, but when life assembly's required, she's holding her own hammer. I also loved that Kyle "Mac" McKinney, the sexy hero of the tale, wasn't your typical romance-novel Alpha Male, but a sweetly nerdy, sweater vest-wearing accountant and yet (as I mentioned above) really sexy on the page.
These opposites instantly attract when they meet, but Weseman keeps them apart with a real, relate-able relationship conundrum: Can a hot attraction trump all if a couple thinks they are just TOO different? (Even if they share the same name?) Readers will definitely want it to, but I'm giving nothing away! You'll have to read this great book to find out.
This book might just be the most charming story I've ever read. Filled with warmth and wit, it was an absolute joy to read. I'm a staunch paranormal romance fan (don't believe me, check out my book shelf) and this couldn't have been further from what I normally flock to, but I loved every minute of it. The hero is a sexy nerd (w/ secret muscles he hides under sweater vests) and the heroine is strong and sassy w/ a huge heart and each teaches the other not to judge a book by its cover. I found myself laughing out loud more times than I could count, but also enjoying the deeper moments of the book. I can't say enough about this authors way with words; from her dialog to her descriptions, everything reads seamlessly. As a reader, it's something you don't think about until you're reading a passage that's either so choppy or wordy or dialog that is so robotic that it pulls you right out of the story. This author writes so smoothly, it felt like I was watching a movie. Hope to see more from her in the future!!!
A delightful contemporary romance full of sparkling dialogue and sweet/sexy scenes. The premise is a case of mistaken identity (kind of) as the hero and the heroine share the same name - Kyle McKinney - but don't worry, there is no confusion over who is who. The author handles that issue skilfully and gracefully and we soon come to know (and love) our hero as 'Mac'. I don't want to include any spoilers so I'll just touch on some of the highlights in this book for me. The dart-in-the-groin insident was very sweet and funny. The secondary characters, particularly Mrs. Gradomski were sketched in very nicely and I quote 'better a crazy friend than a crazy enemy'. There is some very believable sexual tension between the hero and heroine and I loved the proposal scene. I also thought there was some great insights into the realities of being an flight attendant that told us some of the behind the scenes story without spoiling the glamor girl image completely. Loved it.
The Name of the Game is a fun, flirty story. Kyle McKinney, a flight attendant makes the surprising discovery that there’s someone else in her apartment building who shares her name. He’s a college professor, though, and she translates that to boring. She’s tried to live that kind of life before - and it wasn’t for her. No matter how polite or how cute he is, he’s not the kind of guy she has in mind as a possible date.
Until a few moments in a non-functional elevator changes her point of view about him.
Filled with a delightful cast of supporting characters - the nosy next-door-neighbor (with a fondness for potato dishes) was a favorite of mine...especially when she started trying to set Kyle up with eligible bachelors.
Kyle and Mac definitely show the reader that opposites can attract.
Two words- funny and heartwarming. Kyle McKinney. Kyle McKinney. Yes, one misplaced letter leads to a lot of laughter in Lisa Weseman’s The Name of the Game. Kyle McKinney is a flight attendant who has a big heart, but is restless. She wants more in life. When she meets her neighbor, Kyle “Mac” McKinney after a tug-of-war over their mail confusion, the fun and laughter begins. But can straight-laced, non-risk-taker, Mac, win over Kyle’s adventuresome heart?
I found both characters fun and funny, especially Kyle. Weseman does a great job putting her characters in awkward situations. Kyle and Mac’s roller coaster ride of “are we right for each other?” to “we are totally wrong for each other” had me smiling as I kept turning the pages. And the ending, funny and heartwarming, was worth getting to know Kyle and Kyle McKinney.
A fun, romantic comedy about two people who happen to share the same name, live in the same building and drive the same car. It could happen, right?
The author has a penchant for sharp, witty dialogue and the banter between the two main characters is definitely the highlight of the book. There are also some hidden gems in a few of the phrases used in the book - my favorite being the reference to a jilted thesaurus.
Overall it was quick, fast-paced read with a little something for everyone. Looking forward to seeing more by this first-time author in the future.
My only complaint is that the cover features a picture of one of the characters - who is suppose to be an accountant - with rather long side-burns. Stereotype accountants all you want, but as one I can tell you we would avoid that kind of hair-style like the plague. Ha-ha.
This book read like a movie – a great romantic comedy, in fact. I spent most of my time reading it trying to picture various movie stars in the lead roles. I love that both the main characters are named Kyle McKinney – a coincidence that leads to one hilarious moment after another – mixed up mail, mixed up deliveries, and a ‘Who’s on First’ moment when the two Kyles meet for the first time.
This isn’t just a laugh-a-minute read, though. Lisa Weseman gives her Kyles some real issues to work through. Flight Attendant Kyle isn’t quite as air-headed as she seems, and nerdy accountant Mac isn’t very logical where relationships are concerned. If you love romantic comedy, keep an eye on Lisa Weseman – I hope there is more where this came from!
The Name of the Game by Lisa Weseman is a charming novel reminiscent of the romantic comedies of Doris Day and Rock Hudson. (casting note—Ann Hathaway and Steve Carrell?) Carefree flight attendant Kyle McKinney meets a new neighbor in her apartment building who shares her name. Luckily for the readers, uptight accountant Kyle goes by the nickname Mac. The sexual attraction between the pair is undeniable but they both realize how unsuited they are for each other. Circumstances (misdirected mail, a stripper and a box of sex toys) conspire to throw them together as they attempt to control their lust. Snappy dialogue and screwball physical comedy make book this an enjoyable beach read.
Kyle McKinney is a flight attendant. She is tired after a trip and the last thing she wants is to fight over her mail. Her neighbor believes she has been stealing his mail. To her surprise he has her name too. Kyle "Mac" McKinney can't believe the woman in front of him. She is strong, stubborn and sexy. He is an accountant professor and looks more like a sexy nerd. But the sparks are flying. After they realize that they share more than a building, they start a friendship. This is a case of mistaken identity and opposites attract. I found the book to be entertaining. 3/5 Fangs cross posted at my blog http://mrsleifs.blogspot.com
DNF. I enjoy light, humorous romance but the situations were so silly, unrealistic, absurd (take your pick) that I lost all patience. In the description, the hero is said to view the heroine as a flake. That is much too kind an adjective. Who would look at correspondence from the IRS as junk mail and throw it out because if it was important they would call or email? That much stupidity so consistently, even in half of a short novel is way too much. I am sorry I gave it almost half the book to improve before giving up.
The Name of The Game a sweet novella about 2 people who on the outside appear to be opposites with the same name. In my opinion it isn't that they are so opposite but the each of their responses to events in their lives have caused them go react the way they do.
Overall I enjoyed the story. The continual angus between Mac & Kyle go a little much without out more emphasis on the times they were good together. It was hard for me to totally connect with either of them totally. Others may not have this problem as it is a matter of point of view.
The Name of the Game is a funny, sweet, well-written romance. I love the unique concept of the hero and heroine sharing the same name. Very cleverly written with fantastic characters that are so different from one another, yet you can’t help adore them both. I laughed out loud in places, and I don’t often read books that make me react that way. Looking forward to more by Lisa Weseman.
Actual: 3.5/4 stars. Good pacing, character development, and progression. Felt realistic, loved the dialogue - it was the best part. Weseman has a talent for creating such realistic character interactions. I just didn't feel the connection between Mac and Jeff, and there were a couple of other aspects that I have to call shenanigans on.
This was a GREAT read! A clever storyline, unforgettable characters, laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of romance. This is what romantic-comedy is all about!
There was a little too much back and forth (like/cant' be with you) and then suddenly they were in love. I did like that Mac didn't get let off easy in his apology at the end.