Review: Act Like You Love Me by Cindi Madsen

Act Like You Love Me
(Accidentally In Love, #2)
By: Cindi Madsen
Publisher: Bliss
Published: June 10, 2013
Genre: Romance
Rating:

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What would you do for a second chance with your first crush?
 Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.

After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.

As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?

We’ve all had a crush on someone in our life and Brynn is no exception. She was awkward in her high school days and of course found herself crushing on the football player who didn’t even look her way. So when she finally got the nerve to talk to him and ask him to prom she’s crushed when he blows her off. Almost a decade later and not only is Sawyer back in town but he’s now the director of the play she’s in. He has no idea who she is and not wanting to be that girl anymore she decides to pretend to be someone else. Pretty soon Brynn finds herself caught in her web of lies.

I really liked Falling For Her Fiancee and was really excited to start this one but I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the story. I found Brynn’s character really immature. Instead of confessing who she is, she plays along that she’s some actress from Los Angeles. She then decides to practice her flirting on Sawyer. Meanwhile, she’s cursing him in her head for the way he ignored her in high school. I just felt like she held her grudge against him a bit too long. Not only that but she ran so hot and cold when it came to him that I just couldn’t keep track.

I did like Sawyer’s character though. It wasn’t that he was outright rude to Brynn as a teen. He just didn’t pay her any mind. At the time his father was dying and he was dealing with a lot of stuff at home that he sort of wasn’t really that into all the high school stuff.

I liked that they lived in a small town. So everyone knows everyone. It was hard for Brynn to keep her secret around Sawyer but somehow she managed to keep her real life separate. If Brynn didn’t hold such a grudge against Sawyer throughout the entire book, I think I would’ve enjoyed this story a bit much but I just wasn’t a fan of the main character.

“Guys are like fish. You wave something shiny at them and then once you get your hook in, you yank real hard and reel him in.”

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

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Previous reviews from Accidentally In Love
Falling For Her Fiance