Jenna Ryan is the kind of girl everyone wants for a friend. Her spunky and carefree outlook on life often leads to trouble of the best kind. She's not afraid to speak her mind, and when it comes to her friends, she's fiercely loyal and protective. When she met Eric, she knew immediately he was her forever, but why was he holding back?
Eric James is the epitome of a Greek God. He parties hard while trying to meet the expectations of his overachiever parents. When he met Jenna, sparks flew, and he knew he'd met his match.
But Eric is hiding a small secret. When Jenna finds out, these two will embark on a wild and hilarious journey to torture each other into submission.
Who will win? And who will learn the true meaning of... Patience?
***Patience is a Jenna and Eric novella with approximately 30k words. It can be read as a stand alone but is much better after reading Choices or Fate.
"I've never met a girl like her. I mean, yeah, she's hot, and that's probably all it is, but I can't wait to find out."
"You know, if you really want to know what it's about, don't have sex with her. The wait might be worth it. It's all about the chase anyway, right?" His eyes glinted with mischief. Did I mention that Declan is the fraternity chaplain? He's the best guy a girl could find but no way was I taking his advice. Not an option.
"Man, I don't know what works for you, but I don't see any reason to wait if we both want it," I smirk. "Besides, I don't need to wait to know she's different." And that was the honest truth.
I already knew.
Declan leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers over his chest. "You know what I think? You don't know how to romance a girl without having sex with her." His gaze challenged me, even as his eyes crinkled in amusement.
I've never been one to turn down a challenge. I'm competitive, and it goes against my grain. So, I opened my big mouth. "Wanna bet?" Two words. One colossal fuck-up.
His smile was so big it almost blinded me. That's when I knew he had me. Bastard. He had planned it all along. "Absolutely. I bet you can't go ninety days without sex."
"Thirty," I countered.
"Sixty."
"Ok. Sixty. So what do you want to wager?" I had walked right into his trap, and I somehow knew I would regret it the minute the words left my mouth.
"If you win, I'll owe you five hundred bucks. If I win..." He raised his eyebrows as if he was pondering the fate of the world. "I get your guitar." Oh, hell no.
"Dec, man, you know I can't do that. I can't put my guitar on the line. What else?" There's no way I'd give up my custom Fender Strat. Not for a bet, not for a girl.
"No. It has to be the guitar." He shook his head slightly, determination in his eyes and the set of his shoulders. "It has to be something you value, something it would hurt to lose, like a hit to the nuts. That's the only way I'll be able to trust you." Looking back on it, that is when I should have backed down. It was the stupidest bet I'd ever made, much worse than betting I could get in some girls pants. Of which, I have outgrown by the way.
"Deal," I agreed, against my own instincts, my better judgment having flown out the window.
"Deal?" His eyes widened with surprise since he'd been expecting a battle. In my mind, this was going to be the easiest sixty days of my life. Jenna was just a girl I met in my Lit class, and like others, she would come and go. I really thought it wasn't going to be a big deal.
I was wrong.
ARC received for an honest review
In Choices and Fate, we get the story of Quincy, Declan and Brody, but what about their friends who get caught up in the fallout?
Patience is Jenna (Quincy's best friend) and Eric's (Brody and Declan's best friend) story, and it runs parallel to Choices and Fate. But don't get me wrong, while we get that story from the outside looking in, this is not that story rehashed.
In Choices and Fate, Eric and Declan made a bet - that Eric would not sleep with Jenna for 60 days.
This is the story of those 60 days.
60 days that will either make or break their budding relationship.
I loved the concept of this story. At an age where the one night stand can be the norm, Jenna and Eric are getting to know each other before they take that step.
I did feel sorry for Jenna for a while there when she was not in on the bet. She was very confused with Eric's behaviour, he seemed to want her but then he wouldn't go any further.
The big thing we all learn from this story ~ Patience. Not jumping straight into a sexual relationship, getting to know the other person, seeing where things take you before you take that next step.
Don't get me wrong, there is enough unresolved sexual tension between Eric and Jenna to light up a room!
There were some funny moments, there were some heartbreaking moments.
And it was an absolute joy to be taken along for the ride while Jenna and Eric fell in love. Patience shows us more depth of their story, and makes us wonder if they would have the depth of love for each other if they had jumped right into bed together? Would they be a couple of would they have just been a wham bam thank you ma'am in each others lives?
I enjoyed also dipping back into the story of Quincy/Brody/Declan and how it affected Jenna and Eric. I felt for them, it was hard for them to be dragged into the other's drama all the while trying to build their relationship.
I just love this series. Ms Lane has drawn me into the lives of these characters, and now I have to show some Patience (see what I did there!) while I wait for the next book in the series.
Sydney Lane lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and children. Growing up in Smalltown, USA, Sydney dreamed of being a writer. After spending an obscene amount of money to go to college, Sydney finally decided to follow her heart. With her babies in bed and husband neglected, she worked by the light of her laptop and wrote Choices. Sydney is very active in charity work for anti-bullying and depression awareness groups.
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