Review: Take Me for Granted, by K.A. Linde

4 stars

Reviewed by Karen Lee

Set on the campus of Princeton University, the book is about a young woman named Aribel. Aribel studies hard to keep her perfect 4.0 GPA, always putting her studies first, even ahead of living the college life of friends, parties and bars. After a breakup with her current boyfriend, one that Aribel wasn’t even that upset about, her roommates drag her out to see a popular bar band. Her roommates are convinced she hasn’t dealt with her break-up and is burying her broken heart by working on homework on a weekend night. Fearing it will take less energy to just go to the bar for a little while than argue with her friends, she gives in and goes with them to the bar.

Grant is the lead singer of Contraband, the band playing in the bar and a self-professed man whore. He screws anything with a skirt that catches his eye and tries to stay comfortably numb with alcohol and pot most of the time. After the show, Grant attempts to seduce Aribel. She is totally turned off by his disgusting behavior and cannot believe he thinks she would drop her panties for a smile and a wink from him. She is not a groupie! She is able to get away from him and leaves, repulsed at the more than willing girls throwing themselves at the rocker.

Grant has never been turned down for sex. EVER! Now Aribel is the girl he wants to pursue. The pursuit becomes his mission, but something happens along the way. The pursuit and friendship develops into a relationship, a first for both of them, making them better people in the process. A ying-yang affect transpires. Aribel can keep him grounded, bring him back down to earth. Grant opens her eyes to the real world and experiences, not the prep school and country club life she was raised in.

When his rock star career begins to take off, will he forget how hard he worked to get to this point in his life? A real relationship and a life with no need to numb the pain and block out the past. Can they fight against what other’s expectations are for them, to save their relationship?  Or is the idea of love an illusion not within their grasp, especially when you take what you have for granted.