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This was fun but not as remotely outstanding as you all told me. What’s in Colin Beck that everyone finds so charming?

Firstly, the story. It’s cute and kind of predictable, but if you're a fan of the big-brother’s-friend trope this’d do for you. I like how the texts were included in the narration and the dual povs at needed times.
Also, I like the fact that he hadn't a crush on her before but fell in love because of the texts. I think it's significant in this trope to let the readers see the difference between Olivia the girl - a pain in the ass for Colin as much as for her brother, the classical little sister - and Olivia the woman - the adult she became.

And this brings us to the characters.
Olivia is the classical romantic heroine, a troublemaker to whom everybody is attracted like a magnet due to her good intentions. She's young and naive in a good way, but she's also annoying and impolite sometimes. I mean, who actually opens a new bottle of liquor when she's a guest in someone else house?
Colin is, obviously, the opposite of her: too stiff, too cocky, too good-looking. He's nice with everyone but her because for some reason he finds it hilarious to be a bully and a jackass with her. I think the purpose of the author was to write some sort of knight with shiny armour, kind of rude and sarcastic but with a good heart. In her mind was probably a perfect idea, but I'm not sure if it worked on paper.
On one thing I just know we all agree: both their families are horrible. Colin’s father is the classic guy who gets killed in CSI but since he was such a bad person nobody’s sad, and his mother gets along with it because appearances are more important than everything else. And Olivia’s family is just as awful as his: Jack’s supposed to be mean but caring because he’s her older brother - and I don't know if his it's normal behaviour - but I’d have loved it if she had punched him; her father has no personality; finally, the only word I can use to describe her mother is “bitch�, and I waited for all book long for her to finally start shouting back at her mother but unfortunately it didn’t happen.

So did I like it? Yes, but I need to read at least another book by Lynn Painter to make sure she's capable of writing about romance. As I said, it's a cute and funny story about two people who “unconventionally� fell in love, but there is no chemistry between them.
Olivia and Colin can't apparently stand each other, then they start texting, having sex and end up together. But the excruciating passion, the uncontrollable feeling of even needing to be in the same room with the other person doesn't exist.
Also, I’d like to say that not every romance story needs sex scenes. Kissing and then waking up the next day is totally enough if it's too difficult to write to them.

� 3 stars