My Valentine is the story of Darnell and Maya, two of the characters from The Average Girl’s Guide to Getting Laid. It is not necessary to read the first book in order to understand My Valentine. Darnell and Maya have been friends since they were children. Darnell has been in love with Maya for what feels like an eternity. He decides to make a move but things don’t go as easily as he hopes. There are issues of trust between them even after having known each other for twenty two years. Maya isn’t ready to let Darnell touch her the way he wants to. Old habits die hard and he will need to learn to take things on Maya’s terms.

Annie Dean’s talent for writing dialogue makes this story a knockout. She makes every sentence stand out, letting the reader see exactly what is going on. The characters seem like regular people, like anyone any of us would know. I like that. By the time I reached the end of the first chapter I felt like I knew the characters. I had been sucked back in time and was already hooked. The way murder came into play so early made this impossible to put down. Then I was brought right into the present. When Maya is in Darnell’s kitchen, wondering how she got there and what she will do next, I was fully engaged in this story. I realized I was lost in it and wanted so much for this couple to finally find each other. My Valentine is unforgettable.

Reviewed by: Carly