Review: Right of First Refusal by Dahlia Adler

On the lacrosse field, Cait Johannssen gets what she wants. Off the field is another story. Because what she wants is the school's hot new basketball student-coach, Lawrence Mason, who also happens to be the guy who broke her heart in sports camp two years earlier.

But it's Cait's new roommate who's got him.

Cait and Mase agree it's best to keep their past a secret, but she doesn't expect him to completely ignore their history...or how much it'll hurt when he does. So when a friend on the basketball team asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a night, Cait can't turn down the opportunity for distraction. (Okay, and a little spite.) But what starts as an evening of fun turns into a fake relationship with more lies than the usually drama-free Cait can handle, and it's only keeping her from the one truth that's nagged at her for years: Why did Mase cut her out of his life to begin with?

And is it really too late to get him back?

My Review: 5 Stars

Dahlia Adler is officially one of my favorite authors of all time.  I have read all her books so far, except for Last Will and Testament, which I will be sure to read soon.  I loved three of the four and very much liked the other.  I just want to keep reading more Dahlia Adler books, because they are seriously so good.  Everything about this book was just so good.  The characters were fully developed, the voice was strong, and the pace was great, making it easy for me to speed through this book.  

My favorite thing about this book was, without a doubt, the Cait Lizzie Frankie friendship trio.  They were supportive of each other, and I loved how it was clear that they really knew each other, including random details about the other's lives from before they knew each other.  Also, I loved Lizzie and Frankie both so much in this book, so I now definitely need to read their books.  The interactions among the group were often hilarious.  

This book also dealt with some family issues.  Cait's dad is marrying his receptionist who he got pregnant.  He also scheduled the wedding for the day of the lacrosse championships against Cait's wishes.  Cait isn't happy with him for this.  He also is moving all the way across the country and wants Cait to transfer to a school in California, which isn't what she wants.  The book shows the contrast between Cait's relationship with her dad and her sister, Cammie's, relationship with him.  Cammie doesn't care if she ruins her relationship with him because that already happened a while ago.  She has been against their dad for a while.  Cait, on the other hand, had a good relationship with him, but it is becoming messed up by the choices that he makes in this book. 

The romance was good, but it wasn't my favorite thing about this book.  Mase was a good guy though, and I did like seeing the development of his romance with Cait occurring for the second time.  The situation was awkward at first, due to him dating her new roommate.  I thought this was dealt with realistically in showing his relationship with Andi vs. his relationship with Cait and the differences.  I also thought the problems between Andi and Cait due to this were dealt with well and made sense.

I also really enjoyed the plot with Jake.  He was Cait's friend and a really nice guy.  I really liked him and their friendship.  There was a period of time that they pretended to date to hide that he was gay.  They were really good as friends and supportive to each other and to their relationships.

If you like NA, or even if you don't like the usual NA, read this book.

Katie