Prior to 3:AM Kisses I was only familiar with Addison through her amazing Celestra series. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to review an ARC for this tour because it was awesome!
This is the first in a new series. Our H/h are Bryson and Baya. Baya is a freshman in college who is up for new adventures and shedding her “good girl” status, which was placed on her by her older brother, Cole, who happens to be roommates and best friends with Bryson. But that’s not how Bryson and Baya first meet. I can’t tell you that little tidbit because that initial meeting is priceless!
Bryson is, well, basically a man-whore. He is running from a secret in his past that makes him feel unworthy to be with just one woman; until he meets Baya. She’s different…he likes that she isn’t throwing herself at him, that she’s a little awkward and shy in the beginning but also ready to jump into college life with both feet first. He has an instant need to protect her, which he tries to convince himself is brotherly…or at least needs to be; but that feeling quickly turns to him admitting he wants her for himself.
College life for Baya on the other hand turns out to not be what she thought. She’d had a close relationship with Cole her whole life, especially after the unexpected loss of their father. But when she turns up on his doorstep she sees that he’s not the brother who’d left for college three years prior…he turns out to be just as much a man-whore as Bryson, in fact an even bigger one, which lights a fire in her to revolt against her good girl persona even more. In addition to this new discovery her roommate turns out to be from slutsville USA turning out a new guy almost each day. Never having formally been introduced to the girl, Baya instead makes friends with “Thing One and Thing Two” as they wink and flash at her on a regular basis.
Bryson’s family owns a number of bars, where he offers Baya a waitressing job to make some money…and keep an eye on her while keeping her close. She’s introduced to Laney, another waitress, and through Laney, Roxy. The three become quick friends.
It’s a battle of wills for Bryson and Baya to not give into their desires for each other but it’s in the wee small hours of the night after a shift they finally give in to that first kiss-and what a kiss it was-that sets them on the path of no return.
While Bryson and Baya get closer, Cole has his own ideas about keeping his sister pure and what’s right for her, which most definitely does not go over well with Baya. And as the couple try and hide their relationship from Cole, they begin to fall in love and commit to one another. Despite the memories that haunt Bryson, ones he is not ready to share with Baya, he pushes past them to risk everything to be with her. It’s an “OH SHIT” moment when Cole inevitably finds out…I laughed because I didn’t know what else to do and then I panicked, but luckily Addison didn’t take it where I thought she would.
Cole isn’t the only bump in the road that tries to set the couple off course. Aubree, a friend of a friend, from Bryson’s past has been obsessed with him and getting in his pants, completely put off that she seems to be the one girl he won’t touch. When Baya rushes her sorority she sees it as an opportunity to wedge between Bryson and Baya, revealing secrets from the past not even Bryson knew about.
But through it all, Bryson and Baya stay strong. I loved the trust Baya had in Bryson despite what others, including Cole, were trying to tell her differently. It was refreshing, because in any other story that niggling doubt would have caused major problems for a couple with the womanizing past Bryson had. I thought their interactions were fun, flirty and sexy. Bryson really is a great, lovable character. He’s close to his twin brother, Holt, and younger sister, Annie that allows the reader to connect the way that Baya does with him.
And just so you know, Addison knows how to right good snark! I was practically in tears at some of the narration, especially from Baya. That girl has sass!
You will get your HEA with Bryson and Baya but I hope they pop up in Laney’s novella and through out however many books will be in this series. It’s absolutely one I will be sticking with. So make sure to grab your copy of 3:AM Kisses and check out Addison’s other books. “I double dog dare you!”