The Libby Garrett Intervention by Kelly Oram

Synopsis:
Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson’s hot lovin’. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn’t appreciate all of Libby’s awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they’re dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she’s the only one who can’t see it.

When Libby’s behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen’s Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.

…

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he’s crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he’s the perfect candidate to be Libby’s sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

This follow-up companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment can be read as a stand alone. (But where’s the fun in that?) 😉

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25715945-the-libby-garrett-intervention
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P1gDVK

My Review:
5 stars — Halfway through this book I told my husband this book was so good I was torn between wanting to gobble it up and wanting to stretch out the experience and make it last….  I tried to stretch it, I really did….but mostly I just gobbled.  🙂

This book wholeheartedly lived up to the expectations that I had for it, and even surpassed them.  I am a card carrying Avery Shaw Experiment mega-fan, and could not wait to see more from the world that Ms. Oram created.  And when I say I had expectations for this book, it was more just wanting Libby to have an epic story that stayed true to her character.  It was hard not to fall in love with her in the first book, she was so adorable in an insanely direct and over the top kind of way.  And this book just dived right into her character and gave her so much more depth and believability.  My heart broke for the girl she was turning into b/c of her own insecurities.  While I fell in love with how strong she appeared from the outside in ASE, I really enjoyed the twist of seeing how even she could be susceptible to her own inner demons….if that makes any sense.

There were many moments in this book that reminded me of Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend by Becca Ann.  Both books deal with outwardly strong and bright characters who are almost resigned to their lot in life as bigger girls.  It broke my heart while at the same time speaking to all those insecurities I feel in my own life.  And in the end both books left me feeling good about myself and hopeful about life.  And this is taking a strange philosophical turn….so….

ADAM!!!!!!  OMG!!!!!!  Seriously, I am a Grayson fan for life, but Adam gave him a run for his money.  The thing I love about Kelly Oram books is that the characters are so well developed and realistic.  This book wasn’t just about Libby and the struggles she dealt with in her own life, there was the whole world that surrounded Adam and his own personal demons.  And he was just so freaking adorable!!!  Every time he blushed I just wanted to scoop him up and carry him back to my woman cave.  We can do that right?  I wish I could articulate all the ways he made me feel for him.  He was such a brave and strong but damaged soul.  And it wasn’t like he was without his own faults — hello temper!  But he just seemed to be the perfect foil for our straight talking Libby.  And it doesn’t hurt that he was sexy as hell to boot.

My personal crack when it comes to books is characters….they will make or break a story for me, and this book not only had an amazing pair of main characters, but was RIFE with stellar secondary character performances.  Obviously the Science Squad was amazing — I loved learning even more about each and every one of them.  The intervention scene had me crying for the various characters and the hurts that they felt at the hands of Libby.  And it was so awesome to get glimpses of Avery and Grayson again.  But in addition to the characters I already felt some love for, Ms. Oram added in family characters that stole the show.  Adam’s relationship with his sister Kate was so integral to the story.  And I adored Libby’s unconventional parents.  Her father, Sean, had me laughing as many times as he had me tearing up with his love for Libby.

So I just need to say thank you Kelly Oram.  I don’t know how you write the stories that you do, but they always satisfy something deep inside of me and have me clamouring for more.  So please….GIVE ME MORE!  😉