Book Review - Off the Shelf by Lucy Felthouse

At 35, travel writer Annalise is fed up with insensitive comments about being left “on the shelf”. It’s not as if she doesn’t want a man, but her busy career doesn’t leave her much time for relationships. Sexy liaisons with passing acquaintances give Annalise physical satisfaction but she needs more than that. She wants a man who will satisfy her mind as well as her body. But where will she find someone like that?

It seems Annalise may be in luck when a new member of staff starts working in the bookshop at the airport she regularly travels through. Damien appears to tick all the boxes – he’s gorgeous, funny and intelligent, and he shares Annalise’s love of books and travel.

The trouble is, Damien’s shy and Annalise is terrified of rejection. Can they overcome their fears and admit their feelings, or are they doomed to remain on the shelf?

I haven't reviewed a book on my blog in a while, but I had to give this one the thumbs up. I have read Lucy before and really enjoyed her shorties, so when she asked me to review this novella, I jumped at the chance. In fact, she jumped straight to the top of my reading pile.

I went into this expecting to like it, but you know what, I loved it. Right from the first page I loved the heroine. She is just so likeable with her no nonsense approach to sex and relationships and the phone call from mum, berating her that she was never going to find a husband, lol.

Annalise is a travel writer. She flits around the world, writing about her destinations. A job she loves, but not one conducive to finding a husband, opportunities for hot, casual sex notwithstanding. I really liked that about Annalise. She owns her sexuality. Of course she wants to settle down and have kids one day, but in the meantime she is not afraid to enjoy herself, be that with hot men or her toys. There are quite a few masturbation scenes in this novella, beautifully written, I must add.

I think any woman who has been single for a while will really get those, lol.

Annalise is heading out to Portugal on business and even though she is an experienced traveller, the whole security check out palaver puts her on edge. To calm down she visits the book shop and there she encounters new employee Damien.  Despite him not being her usual type, she is instantly drawn to the quiet, bookish, shy young man and they hit it off over coffee and muffins.

They talk so much that she almost misses  the call for he gate. Once in Portugal she cannot get Damien out of he mind. So much so that despite opportunities to indulge in some light relief of the sexual kind, she can't go through with it. She tracks Damien down on Facebook and her inner turmoil at sending the friend request and then waiting for his answer is both heart warming and hysterical.

Damien is no alpha hero, but he is so damn sexy and adorable seen through her eyes, you cannot help but love him.

I laughed so much reading this book and nodded away in agreement. I even read hubby bits of it, much to his bemusement. The humour throughout this novella is simply fantastic, and something that is always present in Lucy's writing but she really outdid herself in this one.

If there is one criticism I have it's that at times the author gets lost in the small details. We all know how to make a coffee, for instance so all the minute details of 'she put the kettle on the way" etc. had me rolling my eyes in a good natured way, but it's no biggie really. And maybe I just wanted her to hurry up and get back to Damien and the good bits!

The sexual tension is portrayed beautifully and the actual sex scenes are hot, hot, hot. And humorous, perfect combo, really.

I shall leave you with one of my favourite lines from the book...

"It was incredibly cheesy, but she figured that if they were meant to be together, it wouldn't matter whether they went to bed on the first date or the hundredth. Except perhaps he'd end up with blue balls, and she with whatever the female equivalent was..."

See, what did I tell you, laugh out loud stuff! Read it, you won't be disappointed!