+One, by Brian Baleno

In + One, Brian Baleno takes the reader through a modern-day love story where Jake and Kara must decide if their love can withstand the external pressures of Jake's high-powered career.

I was initially drawn to the book because I lived/am living the plot. Nearly five years ago, I met a "Jake". In my case, he was an accountant instead of an investment banker, but he also dealt with the pressure-filled world of corporate mergers. One of the biggest issues in our relationship was his crazy schedule and lack of time to spend with me.

Plot: Since the story hit close to home, I certainly felt the plot was believable. I also appreciated its progression, and that it wasn't a predictable story that wraps things up in a nice bow.

Characters: Jake was likeable enough, and the reader could really feel the internal conflict between his career and his personal life. Kara, on the other hand, drove me pretty nuts. I saw a lot of myself in her (I know I whined a TON in the early stages of my relationship), but man was all her whining annoying. I felt that the true conflict in the book was less about Jake's life and his career decisions and more about how much Kara cared -- or didn't care -- about Jake. Then again, maybe that's my personal bias taking over because I know that a man can have a high-powered career and the love of his life. Kara couldn't seem to see that possibility.

My biggest issue with this book was the editing. While the writing was easy to follow and dig into, there were many passages of Jake's internal monologue that felt tangential and not important. But overall, it was an interesting take on the standard love story. 3 stars.

**While I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, the opinions shared here are all mine!**