Title: How To Date A Douchebag: The Failing Hours
Author: Sara Ney
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance, College Romance
Release Date: January 31, 2017
Zeke Daniels isn't just a douchebag; he's an asshole.
A total and complete jerk, Zeke keeps people at a distance. He has no interest in relationships—most assholes don’t.
Dating? Being part of a couple? Nope. Not for him.
He's never given any thought to what he wants in a girlfriend, because he's never had any intention of having one.
Shit, he barely has a relationship with his family, and they're related; his own friends don’t even like him.
So why does he keep thinking about Violet DeLuca?
Sweet, quiet Violet—his opposite in every sense of the word.
The light to his dark, even her damn name sounds like rays of sunshine and happiness and shit.
And that pisses him off, too.
"Best Read of 2017! A one click must for any lover of hot, sexy romance done RIGHT ! [This] story is the quintessential slow burn effect...Zeke will come to own your body and soul--I am OBSESSED with this series and The Failing Hours has just shot to my 'Best of All Time' list. Be prepared to fall in love with a douche bag and the woman who sets him straight. " - Books and Boys Book Blog
“That was EVERYTHING I expected, wanted, dreamed of. . . this is a MUST FREAKING READ. UNFORGETTABLE goodness. NA romance at it's best.” - Angie’s Dreamy Reads
"Sara Ney has delivered a sexy, jerkwad douchebag with soul-deep feelings and the sweet, kind, unassuming girl to reach his hidden heart in one of the best NA romantic comedies I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Ney's impeccable writing, fresh characters, and feel-good story will stick with you forever." - Bestselling Author Staci Hart
"I took so much pleasure in Zeke’s looming destruction (insert evil laugh)...." - The Reading Belles
The clock on the wall counts the seconds, steady as the rhythm of my beating heart, which thumps wildly within my chest until the glass door to the library opens, propelled by a gust of wind.
Some new fallen leaves flutter in, the heavy doors slamming from the draft.
Along with them? Zeke Daniels.
He shuffles in, dark gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, black Iowa Wrestling hoodie pulled up over his head, the university’s bright yellow mascot screen-printed across the chest. Backpack slung over one shoulder, black athletic flip-flops, and a pair of black sunglasses perched on the bridge of his strong nose complete the overall ensemble.
He is utterly…ridiculous.
Unapproachable.
Daunting.
His arrogance knows no bounds; I can see it in his loose gait, the exaggerated swagger, and the too-casual way he’s dragging his flip-flops across the cold, marble tile floor. It’s noisy, irritating, and completely uncalled for.
In the moment, my mind drifts to his personal life, and I theorize that he listens to heavy metal music to sooth his foul temperament, drinks his coffee black—as black as his soul—and his liquor straight up. I imagine once he’s had sex with someone, they’re never invited back. I go one step further and theorize that they’re never invited to spend the night at his place, either.
Zeke Daniels makes his way to a table at the far end of the room, near the periodicals, one out of the way with plenty of privacy.
Sets his bag down in one of the four wooden chairs. Flicks on the small study lamp. Plugs his laptop cord into the base and stands.
Turns.
Our eyes would have met then were it not for those ludicrous sunglasses. I choose the exact moment he lifts his gaze to look down at the ground. Busy myself with shuffling papers on the counter. Count to ten instead of chanting, Please don’t come over, please don’t come over, please don’t come over…
But luck isn’t on my side because he most decidedly does.
Makes his way over like a predator at a pace so deliberate, I’m convinced he’s doing it on purpose. As if he suspects I’m watching from under my long lashes, dreading his imminent arrival.
He basks in my discomfort.
The distance between us closes, his strides purposeful.
Twenty feet.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Eight.
Three.
His large hand reaches up, pushing down the hood of his sweatshirt, his fingertips pinching the earpiece of his sunglasses and pulling them off his face. My eyes follow the movements as he folds them closed, hanging them on the neckline of his hoodie.
His gaze lingers—those clear gray eyes famous around campus—and finds the shiny silver bellhop bell perched on the counter with the sign next to it that reads, Ring for help.
Ding.
The tip of his forefinger presses down on the small bell.
Ding.
He hits it again, despite me standing not three feet in front of him.
What an ass.
Purveyor of all things witty & romantic, I love: iced latte's, traveling, and bright, bold colors. On any given day, you can find me in my office, lovingly gazing at my bookshelf or shuffling my Bic felt-tip pen collection. I love hand writing letters, and sarcasm. I live in the midwest, but "Will Write for Travel," and believe everyone should follow their dreams, no matter how big or small. My favorite authors include Cindy Miles, S Walden, Suzanne Enoch, Tessa Dare (to name a few). I am a glutton for Historical, RomCom, Sports and MC romance.
One husband. Two daughters. Plenty of chaos.
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REVIEWED BY Melinda Lazar
The Failing Hours by Sara NeyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
How to Date a Douchebag: The Failing Hours by Sara Ney.
The Failing Hours is the story of Zeke (obviously) and his tutor Violet - the very same tutor who stood him up in one of the first scenes of The Studying Hours.
Surprise, surprise. Zeke has been pissing a whole lot of people off, not the least of which is his wrestling coach who decides that if Zeke wants to stay on the team, he's going to have to put some time and effort into a mentoring program for younger and mainly underprivileged children. Now let me just say, Zeke is as far away from warm and fuzzy as you can get so the idea of him mentoring and being a Big Brother to a young and impressionable child is beyond laughable. He takes the 'chore' on with as little grace as possible and it was so fitting watching him deal with a younger version of himself, attitude and all. While Zeke and Violet meet per his tutoring requirements, they further develop a friendship of sorts when they bump into each other on his first Big Brother outing.
Zeke comes across as such a hateful person who gives zero fucks about anyone but himself. He has no family to speak of and he even keeps his friends - if you can call them that - at a far-off distance. He doesn't do relationships, doesn't do attachments, and he certainly doesn't do girlfriends. His treatment of Violet was at times cringe-worthy and once I understood why he was the way he was, I really wanted so much more for him. He had so much heart and generosity in him, but refused to allow anyone any glimpse of that in order to protect himself.
Violet is such a beautiful person. She's an orphan and hasn't seen the small family she has remaining due to financial costs. Essentially, her roommates are her best friends as well as her family. Everything instinct of hers is to give, give, give and she does, with all her heart: whether it's baby sitting, helping a friend in need, or helping someone see their true worth. For all of this, for all her understanding of Zeke and his temperament, she was far from a pushover. She knew her limits of tolerance and wasn't about to let anyone push her beyond those. She was honestly the perfect match for Zeke.
I was so apprehensive about this book, given what we knew of Zeke in book one: he was mean, he was nasty, he was a douchebag of the first degree and I honestly, I didn't think he was redeemable. To say the least, Ney had her work cut out for her buttttt she came through with brilliantly flying colors! The Failing Hours doesn't have the same humor we experienced in The Studying Hours and THAT'S OK! There was still some snorts and smiles throughout but it wasn't the laugh out loud comedy of its predecessor and that's a fact that I'm glad about. This book and these characters have a different story to tell and it's not always a pleasant one: this was intense and sweet and utterly enthralling and an absolutely perfect story for the douchiest of all. I think Ney was true to the characters with the way the book played out and I commend her for it. While this book is a standalone, I'd still suggest you read book one first so you can get a better knowledge of how much of a douchebag Zeke can be. Plus I loved Oz & James so I'm a tad biased!
*Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
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