Lonzo by Kat Madrid

 A SUPERMODEL

After candidly admitting her virginal state, Jordana Almueda, the world's top supermodel, finds herself in the crosshairs of the tabloid media. Worse, she becomes a challenge for men - receiving a record number of proposals (most of them indecent) since her faux pas. Needing a break, she goes off to Italy to play maid of honor to her best friend. Finally, some downtime at last. Or so she thinks.

A BILLIONAIRE

Lonzo Vitale's name exudes power. A billionaire by his early thirties, his undeniable good looks and dynamism inspire awe and grabs headlines. The European business sector follows his boardroom moves, usually a step or two behind, while his bedroom conquests provide fodder for gossip pages. He is a man who vows never to settle - a true serial monogamist. When his best friend suddenly decides to tie the knot, Lonzo agrees to be his best man, in hopes of changing the groom's mind about the pitfalls of matrimony.

A STORY MADE IN TABLOID HEAVEN.

On the eve of the wedding, they find themselves entwined on a bed, naked and with no recollection of how they ended there in the first place.

Or that their naked pictures will be selling tabloids weeks later.

What do you get when you take one virginal supermodel, add a powerful billionaire and name the book “Lonzo”?  One interested reviewer, that’s what you get.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Ok, I was sure this was not going to be all that great.  I was a bit surprised…

Jordana is a supermodel and a virgin.  She wakes up in bed one morning, not knowing how she got there, with billionaire Lonzo.  She’s able to access that she’s still, in fact, a virgin.  But the spark between she and Lonzo cannot be denied, they part ways but this is where the games begin.  Will they deny their chemistry or will they be something to each other that no one has ever been before?

Admittedly, this book was better than I thought it would be.  BUT, I am bothered by the idea of holding on to virginity and putting it on a pedestal.  Even in the context of fictional romance, I find that whole idea a bit ludicrous.  But that’s just a personal opinion.  Jordana really felt that her first time should be special, and I get it…but it didn’t make it any better for me.

I had a few problems with character specifics in this story.  I’ve covered what bothered me about Jordana, but with Lonzo he is just a douche.  A big one.  He has no respect for women at all.  This is why it surprised me so much in the book that he turned out to be romantic.  I guess he just needed to find the right woman to inspire him.

The plot to this book is not original, but at its heart it’s a love story.  And actually, a pretty good love story. Once Lonzo grew on me and I saw that his affections for Jordana were real, I was into it.  I didn’t need all the bells and whistles and manufactured drama in order to appreciate the chemistry and love the two main characters shared, but I guess it did make the book more exciting to read.  Overall, I found myself enjoying this book.  3.5 stars.

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