Review: Stalling for Time by Christy Hayes

 

About:

Formerly published in 2013 under the title “A Kiss by Design,” this book has been extensively revised from the original. 

What’s a girl to do when her best friend is making a huge mistake? College sophomore Emily Dilbert has been best friends with Dylan Chamberlain since the second grade. When she finds an engagement ring in Dylan’s backpack, she panics and vows to do whatever it takes to stop him from marrying a girl he barely knows. 

Dylan Chamberlain has been in love with his brother’s girlfriend, Emily, since they were kids. When his brother asks for help planning a surprise proposal, Dylan knows it’s time to bury his feelings and finally let Emily go. If only his heart would cooperate. 

After her roommates fail to lure Dylan away from his girlfriend, Emily is forced to confront him directly. When she accidentally puts them in a compromising position, will Dylan reveal his long-buried feelings, or will Emily realize she’s dating the wrong brother?

My Thoughts:

Sometimes the love of your life has been with you the whole time, you just never noticed. That is exactly what happens to Emily when she discovers an engagement ring in her best friend's Dylan's backpack. How has he gotten so serious over his new girlfriend already, and why should she care so much since she is dating his older brother Zach?

But Emily's feelings have changed for Zach in a big way. She is beginning to see that their relationship is one sided, and she doesn't see herself happy with him anymore. And this nonsense with the ring and Dylan is eating her alive. She concocts a series of plans that in a comedy of errors backfire on her. Meanwhile Dylan has been in love with Emily forever, and that ring is certainly not what she thinks it is. And he is also tortured over all of this.

This is a new adult story that is pretty clean though I would definitely rate it on the PG13 scale as the tension between them sizzles. I really enjoyed this friends to lovers story. This is the second book that I have read in this series and I have been enjoying this group of roommates and their journey through college and life.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.