Texting Under the Influence (2024)

Ohhhhhh, yeahhhhh…I love a good book blurb. It’s like foreplay—gets you ready for all the good stuff to follow, like:

1.Hot Irish Boss. The only thing better than a Hot Irish Boss is a Hot Nekkid Irish Boss.

2.Hot Nekkid Irish Boss. See #1. Yeah, that’s in here. I better make sure I have enough batteries to fire up the barbie.

3.Hot Nekkid Irish Boss Who is Hands-Off Because of Those Pesky Sexual Harassment Laws. Sexual harassment laws were meant to be broken, according to every romance book ever written, and is usually done in the supply closet. I will never look at a toner cartridge the same way again.

And, when translating Romancelandia tropes, “hands-off” generally means, “I will get to know you better than your gynecologist, and I guarantee that my speculum is at least nine inches long.”

Now you’re talking—the BOB is locked and loaded and set to Stun.

4.Accidental Drunk Sext Sent to Hot Irish Boss. Sorry, he’s not nekkid. YET. He’s probably warming up that speculum.

Jenna Cho thinks she texting her ex, Jax, for a one-and-done, but it goes to her boss, Jack Kearney, instead. Jack’s always had the hots for her but has held back because of…you know…THE LAW. Despite what the song says, Jack fought The Law, and the Law did not win because The Peen Force is strong in this Jedi.

Yaaaaassss—getting ready to lay back and do everything BUT think of England.

5.Secret, No-Sexual-Position-Too-Difficult-That-A-Few-Hamstring-Stretches-Couldn’t-Help, Affair. EEOC be damned! Jack and Jenna are coming in hot.

Instead, I get:

1.Weepy, Drunk Girl. Jack rushes over for some sexxy times, only to find Drunk Jenna. Drunk, Weepy Jenna, crying about her crappy ex. Because Jack is a stand-up guy and doesn’t want to take advantage of Jenna, he listens to her sad tale of woe, feeds her, and tries to sober her up…right before he performs some stellar cunniling*s on her still-drunk ass. But, hey, he didn’t make her suck his rampant manhood, so it all worked out okay.

NOT OKAY NOT EVER. As my Asian mother would say, “I am disappoint.” Yes, I am looking at you, Jack.

2. Douchey Ex. Jax. Even his name smells douchey. We are entertained with stories about how Jax is basically a cheating, STD-laden petri dish, yet Jenna has spent the past year or so in an off/on pseudo-relationship with him, but she looooooooooooooves him! Can’t give up The D because he’s soooooooooooo hot! She’s never been banged sooooooooooo hard!

Jenna.

Jenna.

JENNA! Look at me. LOOK AT ME.

He’s been dipped in the Herp, sprayed with Chlamydia, and frosted with Syphilis. It’s not rocket science…well, you’re kinda dumb, so maybe it is…put it down and back away. Then go wash your hands. Maybe even sterilize them with a blowtorch. Perhaps call the CDC.

3.HPV. When I am caught up in a sexxy romance, I want to feel like my loins are ON FAHR. I DON’T want to think, “Hmmmm. It burns when I pee.”

Yes, after the requisite puss*-Feels-So-Good-I-Forgot-The-Condom Scene, Jenna has to admit to Jack that she was treated for HPV because of Jax. Jack’s response, “I FEEL MY PENIS FALLING OFF ALREADY! WHERE’S THE NEAREST HOSPITAL! PURGE ME, BROTHER NUMPSAY!”

Oh. Wait. That’s what I would say. Jack’s response…shrug. STDs happen. Yes, STDs happen, and no one should be whipped and dragged through the town with a scarlet S on their chest, but I think he shoulda been a little more concerned. Better yet, why bring it up at all? Jenna was treated and doesn’t have it any more.

The bigger question…why would Jenna have unprotected sex with Jax when she knows he’s a cheating POS?

4.Plan B. Yes, because of the condomless sex, Jenna worries that she coulda gotten knocked up. Because she went off the pill after her last breakup with Jax. I don’t even have words. Points to Jenna for being pro-active about this when most authors would just have the heroine wait until the Red Tide rolls. Minus ten points for Jack getting all bent when he finds the Plan B receipt…What?! Jenna doesn’t want to have his baby?! She’s not invested in a long-term relationship?! She doesn’t love me?!

Jack.

Jack.

JACK. Look at me.

It’s a GAT DAMN RECEIPT, not a declaration of her disinterest in you. And you’ve only been going at it for a few weeks--too much insta-love for me.

I can’t even go on. I’m cranky because I have blue balls from the hot promises this book made but failed to deliver. I probably should go rub one out, but this book is obviously not going to help with that.

3.75 stars...not sold on the accent and the sayings felt cliched, but cute story!

Full review to come...

**FULL REVIEW**

“She didn’t know if Jax was her soul mate, or if he was her worst nightmare. Sometimes, it was hard to tell the difference.”

Jenna is in a dating rut…not sure if her on-again-off-again thing with playboy Jax is worth keeping up with.

“One more hookup. What could it hurt? Like a farewell tour? Maybe that’s what she needed to get him out of her system for good. Just one more sleepover.”

At least that is what she thought as she enjoyed a little girls night out…and too much to drink.

It is amazing what can happen when fate intervenes, and drunk texting a booty call sounds like a great idea…until you text the wrong person.
Which is exactly what Jenna does.

“What did you expect, a diamond? You drunk texted…by MISTAKE for a hookup! And he came running. It didn’t mean that he wanted anything more than to scratch an itch. Isn’t that what you wanted, too?”

So, what does a girl do? She’s finding out that a man she never dreamed would want anything to do with her, not only wants her but is a genuinely nice guy who falls too fast himself. Now, she just has to decide if the hookup is more important than an honest-to-goodness relationship with a man who has been in front of her face all this time and she never noticed.

This was a cute story! And an accent is always a plus in my book. I don’t know if it’s an accurate one, but it made the story more interesting with the change in dialect from one character to the next. I love finding a book that has a hero that is just a great guy, one who knows what he wants and goes for it…even if it bites him in the bum more often than not. There is also a lesson in this tale…

Texting Under the Influence: the story is great, but drunk texting itself is NOT a good idea, even if the outcome is a good one. Things could have been so much worse! Please keep a friend close in order to keep your phone messages from going to the wrong person…like your grandmother! No one wants to “hookup” with their grandma! HA!

**3.75 Watch Where Your Texts Go, Stars**

Jenna decides to drunkenly text her ex-boyfriend Jax for one last booty call. Jax was a horrible boyfriend who repeatedly betrayed her, but was good looking and delivered in the sack. Jenna accidentally texts Jack, her hot boss who responds to her out of nowhere sexy text and shows up at her house. The accidental text leads Jenna to a steamy encounter with Jack who turns out to be a better man than Jax in pretty much every way. The catch is that he is scheduled to move back to Dublin and work in his family's business and Jenna finds herself getting more attached than she planned.

This was a pretty quick read, and Jenna was an easy character to root for. Jack was an even easier character to like since his one "flaw" was that he fell in love to easily. There were things that worked out a little too easily and Jack was a little too perfect. However, there was no denying the chemistry between Jenna and Jack, and the story was enjoyable. I liked these characters and wanted good things to happen to them. I would read more by this author in the future. 3.5 stars

*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review

A mistaken text leads to love and passion. He is a serial monogamist, she has been hooked on a bad thing for a long while. He falls hard and fast but their relationship is complicated by the fact that he is her boss. It is a quick read but is a complete novel with love, passion, and happily ever after.

Cute story

HOW TO READ IT. IM NOT ABLE TO READ IT. HELP

This book loses major points for all the cheesy Irish sayings. I guess I can't really say with certainty that sexy Irish guys in their 30s don't go around saying "lass" and other cheesy Irish terms at every turn, but I just didn't buy it here. Jack was more like an Irish grandfather than a sexy young Irish man and that definitely took away from the story.

BUT, the story still has its merits. Jenna has been seeing the total loser Jax for a year, despite the fact that they're not really dating, that he sleeps with other women, and that he gave her HPV. While I don't totally get it myself, I know friends in similar situations so props to Cara Lockwood for making a realistic crappy relationship. After a breakup with Jax (one of many) Jenna texts him for one last night together, but ends up texting her sexy boss JACK who, after getting the text, realizes one of his fantasies has come true, goes over, has steamy sexy with Jenna, and, because he's that guy, falls really hard for her and practically proposes.

The guy being way more into the romance than the girl was a nice change of pace, but it was still kind of heavy-handed. Plus, this is one of those things that seems sexy, but when you really think about it maybe it isn't. Yes, Jack was a nice guy, but when you think about it, what boss not only accepts an employee, who he's never even flirted with, offer for sex, but knows her address off the top of his head and then goes over in the middle of the night to get laid?

However, when you suspend disbelief the story ends up being ok. Jack and Jenna have chemistry and their relationship is sweet. Plus, Jenna is a good character on her own which certainly helps. Their work together at an ad agency was very much in the background, but still interesting. The end was cheesy, but it's still a fine read, even if it isn't the first of the Red Hot Reads that I would recommend.

I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley (thank you!). All opinions are my own.

Jenna is a graphic designer struggling to get over her ex-boyfriend, who was a jerk she just couldn't seem to stay away from. One night, after drinking too much, she tries to text her ex-boyfriend but actually sends it to her handsome boss, who admits that he's had a crush on her but didn't want to make the first move.

This was a cute novella that was easy to read and entertaining, although not particularly mind-blowing. I've read previous works by the author and have typically enjoyed her writing; this was no exception. As usual, the characters were likable, the story was cute, and there was a nice happy ending. Because the story was so short, things moved forward at a very quick pace and seemed awfully compact - for example, the romance between Jenna and her boss over the course of a month progressed very quickly, simply due to space constraints.

The short length did not prevent there from being plenty of drama and conflict, which was fun. The author really does do a good job showing day-to-day conflicts and how personalities and regular lives contribute to problems. I feel like if this had been longer, things would have been even more drawn out (and therefore perhaps a little more realistic when it comes to how long it takes problems to be solved), but it was entertaining as written anyway. The only thing I wasn't thrilled about was how Irish Jack, Jenna's boss, was. He threw around the words "lass" and "lad" so often that I wanted to groan at how cheesy it seemed. Maybe this is just me, though, since I see other reviews that loved his Irish accent!

Cute story overall, and I appreciated it for what it was: a short fluffy read that kept me entertained without having to think too hard. I don't think this was the author's best work, but at the same time, it's a novella and it can be very difficult to pack all the emotions of a novel into a shorter format. An enjoyable escapist read.

3 1/2 Stars

Texting under the Influence was a cute, short read. I really expected to LOVE this book based on the synopsis. I was completely sucked into the concept. It was a good story, but I think my expectations were too high.

The story starts after Jenna and her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Jax, break up (again). Jax is a terrible boyfriend that cheats on her regularly and doesn’t even feel bad about it. Jenna always goes back to him, because he’s hot and really good in bed. Jenna is out drinking with her girlfriend and decides to text Jax for 1 last booty call. He responds instantly and tells her he is on his way over.

When Jenna’s boss, Jack, shows up instead of Jax, it soon becomes apparent that Jenna made a drunken mistake. It turns out that Jack has had his eye on Jenna for a while, but he didn’t think she was interested. Jenna always thought Jack was attractive, but he seemed like a no-nonsense kind of guy that had no interest in her outside of work.

Jenna and Jack quickly fall for each other, but they both have relationship insecurities that stop them from talking about their feelings. Misunderstandings, rash decisions and a lack of communications cause problems in the relationship.

What I liked: The concept. I love these accidental relationships. Throw in some technology concept and it’s even better. This was a short and easy read that would be a cute afternoon read if you have a couple of hours free. There wasn’t a whole lot of angst and it had a happy ending.

What I didn’t like so much: The characters seemed pretty immature and kind of emotionally needy for their age. Jack was supposed to be from Dublin, Ireland, but I didn’t pick that up with the dialogue.

Reviewing on behalf of Fierce and Fabulous Book Diva – check us out at http://www.fierceandfabbookdiva.com/.
Complimentary copy provided for honest review.

TRACY'S REVIEW
4 STARS

Young Jenna Cho finds herself single yet again after her and her on again off again "boyfriend" after she finds out he is cheating on her. Drowning in sorrow and plenty of alcohol at a bar, she receives a text from her ex, Jax, saying he's sorry and wants her back. Jenna thinks to herself, one more time in bed couldn't hurt so she texts him back. Jenna realizes why you should never drink and text. After she sends that very naughty text she heads home and waits for him to show up. Guess who shows up? None other than her very hot boss Jack.

I think everyone can relate to Jenna. We have all been in her shoes and drunk texted someone. Except I'm sure we are all very mindful, to an extent, on who we want to be on the receiving end of our texts.

So while I liked this book and found this story full of adventures, romance and comedy, I had a hard time with the reality of it. It's a good read!

DAWN'S REVIEW
3.5 STARS

This is my first time reading this authors work and I must say I quickly became a fan. Although I cant rate this book higher I must say that this is a very cute book. Its not very long and at some parts seem very rushed such as the ending. I found that I loved the dynamtic between the 2 characters while at the same time wishing there was just a bit more drama. The book glazes over parts that I felt she could have expanded on to make it have a little more drama or even emotional but didn’t. I felt the ending was rushed more than I would have liked it to be. Overall I think this is a very good quick read.

In this sexy story, Jenna has been in an on-again off-again sexual relationship with Jax but catching him cheating, again, is the last straw. Well, until she is drunk and texts him for one last booty call. When her boss Jack shows up instead she realizes she made a mistake but the fact that Jack came calling shows he's more interested in her than she thought. But is having an office affair with her boss the best way to move on? And what will she do if Jax comes crawling back to her again?

There's not a lot of character development in this novella but we do realize pretty early on that Jenna and Jax have a fairly equal opportunity relationship but not one that's going to have any staying power and she's finally wising up to that. I liked Jack's character and that he doesn't take advantage of Jenna when she drunk texts him, waiting until she's sober before letting things progress. The sex scenes are pretty good, and Jack is definitely a much worthier suitor than Jax ever was, a fact that strikes Jenna very quickly. The difficulties in having a secret affair with someone you work with are definitely evident, though I thought the threat of HR intervening was a bit overdone. Jack comes across as a real sweetheart overall, and it was a quick and sexy read. 3 stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.

This was a very cute, fun and short read. Jenna has been stuck in a loop of sex, breakups and getting back together with Jax for the last year, and she is coming off the latest breakup as the story opens. Jax is good in bed but fails at pretty much everything else in life- yet she can't seem to break the cycle. Drowning her sorrows in vodka with her best friend, Jenna decides to text him to come over for one last bit of fun before kicking him to the curb but drunk texts her boss Jack instead.

Jack is an Irish hottie complete with black hair, blue eyes and that panty-melting accent. He has been subtly flirting with Jenna for months but she seems oblivious to it. When he receives her text, he knows it is likely a mistake but decides to take a chance anyway, no matter that he is her boss.

From there, things are a little bit hot, a little bit sweet and a lot of confusion due to inadequate communication. As I mentioned above, this is a novella spanning the course of a month so there is a bit of insta-love as well but all in all it was an enjoyable quick read.

Jenna, young sassy and in a tortures relationship with her on again off again series cheating boyfriend Jax.

Jack a young sexy Irish man with a wicked accent had a major crush on Jenna.

After a drunken night and a random text to the wrong guy sparks fly......

Jack has a soft heart and when he falls he falls hard and fast and he did just that with Jenna and so did she.

Jenna never thought about marriage a serious relationship until she was with Jack but she knows it will only be short as he is moving back to Dublin in a month.

Can they keep it a secret for 4 weeks so No one at work will find out or will the lovely HR lady Pam be onto them or will all jack leave before Pam catches them?
Will he leave Jenna behind?
Will love concur all and there be happy ever after?

Very short read we weren't wowed by it but it was an ok short read!

**I received an ARC for an honest review.**

This is a quick and sexy read, but it felt a bit lacking for me in a lot of areas. I know that this was meant to be a fast pace novella, but I just never felt the connection with the two characters. I felt that the way things started out was a bit of a reach, but I did end up enjoying the story overall.

I just felt that a little more time could have been taken in cultivating the relationship between Jack and Jenna, mostly from the past. There was mention office flirtation and stuff but it just wasn't enough for me. I also thought that there could have been a little bit more of a separation between the two names of the men in Jenna's life, Jax and Jack were just too much at times and cause a bit of confusion.

This little novella just didn't do it for me, but that does not mean it isn't for you or someone you know.

Such a fantastic book. From the first chapter i was hooked. Let's face it who has not sent a text to someone they should not have? Hands up everyone, i have. But here is what made this story different - the tenderness and laughs i had while reading it. Seriously there is this moment at the beginning of the story between Jack and Jenna that is so sweet and tender and felt real. Which is what i adored about this book, i usually read to get escapism but this book was grounded and funny and so heartfelt, and don't panic it was also seriously hot. I found myself laughing along to this book and having a big grin on my face while reading it in my local cafe. I strongly recommend you read this story.

Texting Under the Influence is a short and sweet read about it all working out in the end. Jack and Jenna work together at an advertising firm and are actually forbidden to even date. Jenna was drinking to deal with her failed relationship with a guy who couldn't and wouldn't commit to her. Jack receives Jenna's text and decides to act upon his crush since she reached out. The two are good together and all parts fall into place by the end.

It should be noted that Cosmo reads are not meant to be long novels like Since Drew, Black Rainbow, or This Man. This novel served its purpose and was constructed well. Everyone loves a sweet Irish accented man. An easy four stars is what this gets.

Holy Cow! Can I just say how much I enjoyed reading this book?
Cara Lockwood is a new to me author. Sqeee! Another favorite.
It's so easy to get hurt and let what you see in your past, or what happens in your past influence how you live your life.
That is exactly what happens to Jenna.
She's seen up close and personal all the bad things that can happen when a couple stays together to long. And there is no way she's letting that happen to her.
Jack knows what he wants in life and a job taking up all his time is not it.
I love that there is a definite flip to the whole falling in love thing that goes on in the world.
This author has written a fun, witty and smoldering story.
Well Done.

Cara Lockwood's "Texting Under The Influence" is a steamy novella. You have to love a leading man with an accent! I also like how the leading man, Jack, falls in love too fast...nice to see a guy struggling with moving too quickly! The premise is great - certainly drunk texting the wrong person is a story line for our times! My one issue is that there was a lot of drama packed into this short story - you can't pack every situation into a novella (or even a full-length novel). I'd like to see what else this author has out there.

I like this light hearted romance by Cara Lockwood. It was paces well and kept me enthralled throughout the entire piece.

I adore the pretense that one might find romance by accidental text. If that’s true there’s hope for everyone. By the way my number is….

Just kidding.

It should give you the warm and fuzzies so grab it and snuggle in.

I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

Texting Under the Influence is the perfect book to turn to when looking for a quick and fun read. This story is hilarious, quirky and fun all at the same time. Cara Lockwood created the perfect characters for the perfect situation in the right book. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this story. Read this book for a good time. Received this book for an honest review.

When Jax become Jack in a drunken haze, Jenna life becomes more fulfilling. This is a nice short read of how what one really wants is what makes them realize what they need. Jenna addiction to the habitual cheater Jax become null in void when a real man steps up to take his claim.

It was pretty much what I expected. The way the author wrote the Irish accent drove me crazy. All the pieces fell into place just a little too perfectly and holy insta-love. I also think it would have been better if there was an epilogue.

Loved the premise, execution just didn't work for me. Too much time in the characters heads, so many annoying aspects of the plot. Neither of the main characters appealed, they were too wishy-washy, too boring. Just no.

Bought from Harlequin.

Dnf

This book was a fun short read. The writing was good. The characters were great. A very easy read, only 11 chapters.

Book provided by netgalley

A cute story of a drunken text to the wrong person-who then turns into the right person. ARC from NetGalley.

Eh

This is your typical love story. Nothing hidden, no surprises... Just your average book. Easy read but had a hard time keeping my attention. Didn't seem believe-able at all...