S.I.N.G.L.E. (Still in Need of a Good Loving Equivalent)

Jessica Jacobs is a twenty-two-year-old finance major at the University of Washington, whose brief encounters with blind dating have left her a single, cynical woman. When her best friend, Sara, gets dumped by the love of her life on Valentine’s Day, Jessie proposes a pact boycotting all men for the rest of the semester.

But then Jessie meets Graham, a gorgeous, yet respectable gentleman with the body of a Greek god and a heart of gold. Torn between her commitment to the pact and an undeniable attraction towards Graham, Jessie remains guarded and distant, which only makes Graham want her more. As fate intervenes time and time again, Jessie must embrace the inner fear surrounding her heart or risk losing the only man who would never break it.

*May Contain Spoilers*

S.I.N.G.L.E. by Lindsay Marie Miller is the novel equivalent to the saying that as soon as you stop looking for love, it finds you. Or in this case, it runs right into you after you've had coffee thrown all over you. Miller takes a woman who pushes everyone away from her and introduces her to a man who refuses to give up. Sparks and fights fly as readers witness this blossoming romance. 

Jessie, as Jessica likes to be called, doesn't know how to trust people. Her father abandoned her to start a new life with a new wife and a new daughter when she was young. Jessie believes that her father never loved her and transfers those feelings onto any guy she dates. Jessie is stubborn, quick to anger, snappy, and afraid. Meeting Graham, a man who doesn't give up on what he wants, forces Jessie to see how she's hurting herself by not allowing happiness in her life. It's a tough road to travel but she attempts the trek. The good parts of Jessie make up the woman that Graham falls in love with. She's adventurous, loyal, understanding, and a great friend.

Graham is a man who also has a scar from his past. Though it hurts him everyday, he pushes toward the future. He's handsome, loves family, and is just as stubborn as Jessie is. This commonality leads to a lot of bickering between them, which sort of grows old after a while. The beginning of the book and the end of the book are the most interesting parts. The middle involves more fighting than I thought was necessary followed each time by a sexual make up session. The scene becomes a bit repetitive. Besides repetition, Miller uses a lot of foreshadowing to intrigue the reader. She hints at how this roller coaster of a relationship will end, pushing readers to wonder if Jessie and Graham will make it as a couple.

As a side story, Jessie's roommate has just gone through a difficult break-up and is heartbroken. Sara's single status leads her to meeting Sean, Graham's cousin. Miller offers readers another love story to take part in while also witnessing Jessie's personal growth through love and trust. The series of surprises does keep the story interesting as readers hope Jessie can open her heart to Graham. S.I.N.G.L.E. is a book that explores how trust plays into falling in love and how so much happiness can come from it. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups