Cindi Madsen created two fun and entertaining characters for Getting Lucky Number Seven. I received an ARC of this story and finished it in one day. Lyla feeling it is time to change her image from shy, reliable nerdy friend. Sets to work by working to become more sexy and outgoing. Only problem is she needs help doing so. She recruits her best friend Beck to help with the transformation and sparks start to fly.
An enjoyable, entertaining and sexy read that will leave you laughing. ( )

Layla Wilder is a total college nerd who excels in chemistry who has come to the conclusion she needs to shed the façade she’s created for herself and start to live life like the rest of her fellow classmates, especially the young women on campus, and decides to create a bucket she feels she needs to do in order to accomplish this goal.

How would describe Layla’s desire to complete her list? Well for me when it comes to a particular item on her bucket list she would be like Diana Ross singing her song, “I’m Coming Out.” If you’re not familiar with it, you can listen to it on YouTube, and even if you are, here the specific lines of the song which I’m referring to

I'm coming out
I want the world to know
I got to let it show

There's a new me coming out
And I just had to live
And I want to give
I'm completely positive
I think this time around
I am gonna do it
Like you never do it
Like you never knew it
Oh, I'll make it through

The time has come for me
To break out of the shell
I have to shout
That I'm coming out

But, being totally naïve Layla knows she definitely needs help to venture into these unchartered territories of her life. The only individual she feels she can turn to in this regards in her lab partner, Beck Davenport. Beck being a hunk and a member of the college’s hockey team, a guy any woman would desire to save as her own, agrees to her relatively simple request since he doubts she has nothing to offer him in the form of a love interest. As he helps her check off the items on her list, Layla begins to grown on him and by the time she reaches the last item on her list, NUMBER 7, which happens to be a night of uninhibited, mind-blowing sex; Beck has found her to be the woman he’s always longed for. But how can he convince her to have him fulfill the seventh item on her list, without losing the platonic relationship they’ve shared so far.

This book happens to be in the still relatively new genre of romance, New Adult. The characters in these stories are supposed to be either in their senior year of high school or beginning college. Sex is more of flirty nature than anything else, although some stories might go all the way. How far do Layla and Beck go in regards to fulfilling the last item on her bucket I’m saying but is well worth the read, which is the reason Ms. Madsen is getting 5 STARS from me for her book.

I received an e-book copy of this book in connection with the MAVP event The Romance Reviews had on their website. ( )

This was a really sweet book. I loved the nerdy science/hockey humor. Being a bit of a nerd myself I could easily relate to Lyla's awkwardness and wanting to bust out of her rut. I don't think I'd be that bold as to create a bucket list, but I would definitely go out and do something adventurous. A makeover, new wardrobe and tattoo would definitely be on my list that's for sure.

Beck, now that's a guy who really needs the distraction Lyla provides. Once again I can relate to the sense of responsibility he was burdened with, being the eldest child. It's not something that ever really goes away but it can be managed. Which is exactly what Lyla makes him realize even though he breaks her heart before reaching that conclusion; that he does not have to give up doing what he loves just so he could fulfill somebody else's dream.

All in all, this book makes for some good fun reading, with a whole lot of sexy and humor thrown in.

Free copy provided in exchange for an honest review ( )

An awesome best friend to lovers NA story. When ultra geeky introverted Lyla Wilder decides it's time to make a change she comes up with her "College Bucket List" which includes crazy wild sex. When she turns to her best friend, campus man-whore, hockey player Beck Davenport for help he figures it should be easy enough, until he get's a good look at the list and that damn #7 .....

This is a wonderfully written story that will keep you chuckling and turning page after page. You don't want to miss this one! I highly recommend it. ( )

I wanted to read Getting Lucky Number Seven because I like hockey in real life so the male main character intrigued me. I am also kinda nerdy and socially awkward at times so Lyla is certainly a female main character that I can relate with.

Lyla is smart, but she also hasn't really been on a date since her and her steady and also nerdy but long distance boyfriend broke it off. She always seems to find the wrong things to say, and she feels plain. She wants to make some changes so she gets her best friend, who is the aforementioned hockey player, who is also gorgeous, and sweet to her, but he does seem to go through girls with no commitments, so a relationship or anything beyond friends has seemed off the table because that is just how their friendship has worked so far.

He coaches her and goes with her to a party, her wanting to let loose some and experience alcohol, kissing a stranger, and other seeming rites of passage. But as he helps her learn to flirt more, and as she shows some more skin to go along with her corny jokes, and their easy conversation, he can't help but see her in a new light.

They both fight the attraction for above reasons, and that makes it even more delicious for me. The building tension and the theme of friends to lovers kept me involved. I also loved the humor. Cindi writes in a way that makes it easy to get lost in the pages, the romance, the character development, making me alternate between swoon and laughing.

The ending was nice, but they did have to deal with some hard issues, both from the past as well as one that Beck created because he thought he was doing the right thing. But I liked that they got the promise of a HEA together. I liked that Beck gave himself options for the future, instead of making decisions based on what others wanted for him. I also liked that Lyla found a nice balance of keeping up her grades, trying new things and being true to herself.

Bottom Line: Hot and funny story about friends who become more to each other. ( )