The NerdHerd Reads: Last Will and Testament {by Dahlia Adler}

Title: Last Will and Testament

Author: Dahlia Adler

Series: Radleigh University #1

Genre: NA contemporary

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Received from author

Lizzie Brandt was valedictorian of her high school class, but at Radleigh University, all she's acing are partying and hooking up with the wrong guys. But all that changes when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, making her guardian to her two younger brothers. To keep them out of foster care, she'll have to fix up her image, her life, and her GPA—fast. Too bad the only person on campus she can go to for help is her humorless, pedantic Byzantine History TA, Connor Lawson, who isn't exactly Lizzie's biggest fan.

But Connor surprises her. Not only is he a great tutor, but he’s also a pretty great babysitter. And chauffeur. And listener. And he understands exactly what it’s like to be on your own before you're ready. Before long, Lizzie realizes having a responsible-adult type around has its perks... and that she'd like to do some rather irresponsible (but considerably adult) things with him as well. Good thing he's not the kind of guy who'd ever reciprocate.

Until he does.

Until they turn into far more than teacher and student.

Until the relationship that helped put their lives back together threatens everything they both have left.

I don't usually read NA. And I don't like teacher-student relationships, so I also tend to stay away from those. (But he's actually a TA, not a teacher, so its not even the same thing, right?) But I enjoyed this so much.

I enjoyed Lizzie as a character. I think I related a lot to Lizzie. Not the wild child part, but I know what it's like to do so well in high school (not that I was valedictorian, but I wasn't so far off) and then to do not well in college. When everyone thinks you're going to one of the big, nice universities and then you... don't and seem to lose all your friends in the process. It's a hard thing to deal with. (My parents should be so much more thankful that I turned to books and blogging instead of partying and hooking up).

But then, all of a sudden, Lizzie is an orphan and in charge of her two little brothers. She needs to get in her life in order, pronto. Enter Connor, the nerdy, way too serious TA. But soon, he becomes more than just her TA, putting them both at risk.

I loved how their relationship wasn't instant. It progressed slowly and realistically. It was both sweet and sexy, and enjoyable to read about. But this book wasn't centered on romance, as it also focused on Lizzie's relationship with her brothers. I enjoyed their interactions. Suddenly becoming responsible for two young lives at 18 is hard, and that wasn't downplayed.

This progressed in a realistic matter, but also was such a fun read. It hooked me from the beginning, and I enjoyed it the whole way through. I also enjoyed how it ended realistically. Sometimes I feel that with fiction, the correct consequences never happen, and everyone just ends up happy ever after. But there are certain consequences for some actions, and that was portrayed (while also getting their happy ever after!).

This was a fun story that I loved the whole way through. It also had its deep and serious moments, though. I thought this was a great story, all-around.

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