Anti-Stepbrother by Tijan

Blurb: He told me to ‘settle, girl.’
He asked if ‘something was wrong with me?’
He said I was an ‘easy target.’
That was within minutes when I first met Caden Banks.
I labeled him an *sshole, but he was more than that. Arrogant. Smug. Alpha.

He was also to-die-for gorgeous, and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother.

Okay, yes I was a little naive, a tad bit socially awkward, and the smallest amount of stalker-ish, but if Caden Banks thought he could tell me what to do, he had another thing coming.

I came to college with daydreams about being with my stepbrother, but what if I fell for the anti-stepbrother instead?

4 stars

I love me some Tijan. This is her best work so far in my opinion. I was expecting a step-brother romance even though the title clearly states it’s the anti-stepbrother. And we kinda-sorta get a little something.   I loved the slow burn of this novel.  It isn’t as fast and intense at The Fallen Crest Series and it definitely doesn’t have nearly the drama.  You almost don’t realize when they fall.

And the step-brother!  He was a great jackass! Head of a big fish but poor kid didn’t seem to realize he was in a little pond.  I almost felt sorry for him.  But then he would go and say something and ‘Bam’ I’d remember why I didn’t like him.  He was almost unredeemable…almost.  I think the author did a great job of giving you the mixed emotions regarding his character.

And I really liked Caden.  Yeah, he may have been a bit stereotypical when it comes to frat boys: alpha, muscle-filled, arrogant, and dominant.  But then you get to see the underneath and you are are all, “Damn, this is why you don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” He has a way with words my friends.  That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Summer was a bit flat as far as female leads go.  With her stubborn, yet soft side and her blind attraction to her step-brother. She couldn’t seem to be alone, and her lack of dealing with shit was pretty lame to me.  But she redeemed herself by the end of the book.

Now, I must say that the ending was a bit anti-climatic for me.  But the overall story was so good I was able to overlook it.  This is my second read through and I don’t think it will be my last, in fact, I’m kinda itching to re-read it again right now.