Real Challenge by Kemmie Michaels

Review by Jen

Real Challenge is the second book of the trilogy: The Atlanta Series. If you read the review of Unlikely Hero, this story picks up right where it left off in the epilogue, with Cassie and Scott hitting it off at Erin and Marcus's housewarming party. I didn't go into Cassie in my first review because honestly I didn't realize she would be such a major player in the series and you only get to know her in small snippets in the first book.

Cassie Walker is Marcus's little sister and her protector in all ways. He has shielded her from their difficult past and made sure she was successful in life, even compromising in his own life to provide for her. She is quirky, funny, and definitely has a style all of her own. So when Scott, a co-worker of Erin's from the accounting firm, comes into the party-Cassie takes her fun originality to a new level. Scott, is a college athlete who also swam in the Olympics. In fact, that was one of his best pick up lines. He is a pretty boy in every sense. He has nice clothes, comes from a good family, and is working his way up the ranks in a white collar accounting firm. So when Cassie decides to mess with him through her sarcasm, she expects the same reaction she gets from most guys, which is an eye roll and comments about being obnoxious. But Scott finds her fun and interesting.

Cassie lives her life looking only for joy. Scott lives his life looking only for moving forward and up. As they begin their relationship, Cassie asks Scott who he is. This is the theme throughout the book. Cassie wants to show Scott a life he never pictured for himself. They become extremely close and have amazing physical chemistry-but Cassie realizes at times that Scott is trying too hard to be impressive and not letting his natural self come through. As Cassie challenges him more and more, he becomes increasingly frustrated. And when they run into a corporate accountant who Scott is trying desperately to impress, it is the turning point in their relationship because Cassie sees Scott for who he really is.

What comes next is an exploration of what it means to truly find yourself and what makes you happy in life. Does Scott decide that being the youngest partner in his accounting firm is his true desire? OR....does he try to solve Cassie's puzzling question of who he is-which is something different than he's ever known.

In all honesty, I enjoyed Book #1: Unlikely Hero. It was a quick read and kept my interest, and I liked Erin and Marcus. But Book 2: Real Challenge is by far the better book. The feelings felt deeper in the book than in book #1. Maybe I relate more to a character, I'm not sure. But I can say that throughout this book....I could truly feel what she wanted the reader to feel. Finishing up the trilogy, Book 3: Breaking Through, is being written now.

If you read Unlikely Hero and didn't like it, please give Real Challenge a chance. There is a scene that I love so much from the book, I have to post the graphic for it. Enjoy! Oh, and grab this book......quickly!