Lingus

I want to start by saying that I have LOVED every single other Mariana Zapata book I've read. She is, by far, my favorite author. I purchased this book over a year ago, and I have put off reading it all this time because of the general subject matter I read about in the synopsis. I bought her new book, Luna And The Lie, the day it came out and read it so quick and loved it so much, I decided to risk reading Lingus. I wish I hadn't read it, honestly. This book was THE most vulgar, raunchy, and crass book I've probably ever read, but definitely the worst that MZ has ever written in my opinion. The sheer amount of religious-themed obscenities and vulgar descriptions of genitalia was frankly offensive. I stopped reading this book 3 or 4 times, only to convince myself that it had to have some redeeming qualities because all of MZ's other books have been SO amazing. About halfway through the book, it did get slightly better and the ending was definitely good, which are the only reasons I didn't rate this with 1 star. I actually wondered (on more than one occasion) if someone else actually wrote this book or something; it was SO unlike her other books, and not in a good way. As sad as it makes me to say this about a book by MZ, I would NOT recommend this book to anyone.

The idea of a porn star and an elementary teacher having a romance is a novel idea. Unfortunately, the author doesn't take advantage of the situation by coming up with a more complex plot. Everything is made too easy. Our hero has a trust fund. There is inadequate explanation about why he got into and stayed with porn. He is also a lawyer. There is little thought, other than washable hair dye, on his legal career. Oddly, when he decides to quit the biz and attends his last convention, the idea seems to be that there is no more risk -- as if the dvds and online videos will just disappear.Like all Zapata's heroines, 25 year old Kat is very immature. The dialogue, her inability to understand relationship clues --even something as simple as someone holding out his hand, are reminiscent of someone at least a decade younger.Just as some authors sanitize MC clubs, here Zapata shows us how sweet porn actors all are and gives an example of a med student, not involved with the adult film industry, who has slept with close to 200 different women in three years. The only possible reason to include this character is to make the other characters more acceptable. Same for the teacher having her own sex tape.The ultimate irritant, though, is the constant references to bodily functions. How many romance heroines end up with major menstrual stains on their garments? Zapata has at least two as in happend in this book and Rhthym. I just don't understand the need to fill adult books with this:"Zoey liked to send me pictures of her turds when they were "special ones," as she called them." In Rhythm, the heroine's twin love to leave toilet presents for her. Who does this?? WHY does this pass for humor in a romance novel."C'mon, I'll show you where it's at before you pee on yourself.""What the hell took so long? You get diarrhea again?""Oooh, I hate it when I get the runs in public places," Zoey winced."I pointed at the puppy's crotch. "He f@rted!"" Yeah and I just threw up in my mouth.

Katherine Berger (Kat) is a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher who lives in Miami. Tristan King is a 29-year-old man who is serving as an intern at a family law firm until he passes the bar. The firm is right down the street from the school where Kat works, but they have not previously run into each other until the day they meet at a porn convention in Miami that she's been dragged to by her two best girlfriends.When Kat meets an extremely handsome, but quite friendly and non-threatening, young man at the porn convention who says his name is Tristan, she is delighted that he seems to have in common with her an offbeat sense of humor. She has high hopes that he will ask her out until, later that same day, she is greatly shocked to discover that Tristan is, and has been for several years, a porn-film star with the provocative stage name, "Robby Lingus."This romance novel is extremely unusual for the genre. In addition to the hero being a porn star, one of Kat's two best friends is also a porn star, and her other female best friend, a loudly, proudly, sexually liberated woman, falls madly in love with yet another porn star, who happens to be Tristan's best friend since childhood.Interestingly enough, like all of this author's romance novels that I have read so far, the hero and heroine don't actually kiss, let alone have sex, until almost the end of the book. So in spite of all the racy talk and off-color language that abounds throughout this novel, the central plot, the romance, involves a "slow burn" development of a close friendship between Kat and Tristan before the two friends finally become lovers. In spite of his unconventional career, the hero is a sweet, metrosexual male. In other words, though his porn career might lead one to believe he is going to be portrayed as the familiar romance-novel "bad boy" AKA "alpha" hero, who normally tends to be an abrasive, moody, control freak, that is definitely not the case. That's a unique twist that adds to the generally light tone of this novel.This book is, for the most part, a romantic comedy. There is cute banter between Kat and Tristan, and quite a bit of nutty antics on the part of Kat's quirky friends.I rate this book as follows:Heroine: 3 starsHero: 4 starsSubcharacters: 3 starsRomance plot: 4 starsWriting: 4 starsOverall: 3.5 rounded to 4 stars

“I liked what I knew about Tristan so far; he was funny and so hot my eyeballs ran the potential of sizzling just by looking at him.”Kat is dragged to a porn convention by her friend, Nicole. Whilst Nicole is fangirling over the porn star of her dreams, Kat is quietly observing and trying to remove a wedgie from her butt. A gorgeous stranger catches her in the act with a cheeky comment, which then kicks off a series of accidental meetings throughout the day between them. Kat is definitely attracted to Tristan and he seems to be giving off the same vibes. It is only right near the end of the day that Kat finds out who Tristan really is – Robby Lingus, porn star.“No one I’d ever met made me feel a fraction of what he did. No one. I doubted I’d ever met anyone who could even be half the man and friend he was to me.”When they meet two weeks later, it is the start of a beautiful friendship between them. Kat tries to put her crush for him aside because he’s already told her that he can’t have a relationship because his job makes it difficult.“I can’t stand this anymore. You’re all I think about.”The more time they spend together, the more confused Kat feels, especially as Tristan seems to want to spend every spare minute with her. Until one day, Tristan tells her that he’s quitting, and their dynamic changes.“I’d do this all over again a hundred times as long as I met you in the end.”This was a fab book! Kat and her three BFFs, Nicole, Zoey and Josh are an irreverent foursome, who have each other’s backs, come what may. I adored the friendship between Kat and Tristan.Told almost wholly from Kat’s POV, we obviously get to know her really well, but reading between the lines, we can definitely see the change Tristan goes through.This story was sweet, sexy, and very funny – I loved the banter and dialogue between all the characters. This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and she’s definitely become a go-to author for me.

My names kat Berger & I love porn.Love can blossom from the most unexpected places....A Porn con for example, kat went along with her friend to a porn convention and while she waited for her friend who was in line to get an autograph kat got chatting with someone else who also claimed was waiting for his friend.Kat and Tristan hit it off right away they laughed, chatted shared lunch all was going great until later she found Tristan at his own booth giving autographs and a sign that said Robbie Lingus.Kat, I loved her she's easy going, funny, honest, witty and has the most quirky friends.Tristan is aspiring to be a lawyer but on the side is a porn star, he's charming, attractive, surprisingly shy at times, a perfect BBF, I loved him.Both Tristan aka Robbie Lingus and Kat become great friends but with his job being what it is Kat pushes her feelings of jealousy and attraction way back and concentrates on being his friend in his limited friend circle.A slow burn progression from friends to a lovers story.I loved Lingus there are so many laugh out loud moments, its a brilliant rom com, witty, charming with great characters and oh so hot.Recommended Rom Com Loved it!I listened this on audio it was brilliantly narrated and with so many witty comments and one liners I'm sure this would be one of those books that when you re-read or listen you would laugh all over again and pick up on things you may have missed the first time

I didn't know what to expect when taking on this book but do glad I did. There were so many funny moments in this book and I was really rooting for Kat and hoping Tristan would know what was truly in front of him. I felt I was there with them and wanted to be their friends. Yes some might say a bit crude but you know what it led into the story. Loved these two and were desperate for them to get together. Great read

What can i say about Lingus??? I truthfully could not ut this book down! Every time I read a Mariana Zapata book I am the same. She depicts the characters so wel you think you know them, I absolutely loved this book. Another day of living in between reading this fantastic book. The blurb for this book tells you the story but omg, what a story it is. I have laughed and sniggered all the way through this, apart from when I messaged friends to tell them to get it!!! An absolutely beautiful book that I wish I could read for the first time again! A ten star read if ever there was one. A proper feel good book.

I didn't think it would be possible to write a slow burn love story about falling for a porn star but I was wrong the queen of the slow burn has done it again and made me love a slow burn romance !I also now understand why this book has a dog on its cover ! Lingus is a sweet, funny, sexy slow burn of a romance that you will love !I listened to the audio and it was perfect really brining the story to life !