Who knew a DORK-A-RAMA would be so DELIGHTFUL?

This book really surprised me. A few chapters in, and I was ready to criticize it in a review. I really didn’t like it. The surfer dude/valley girl/text speech/cutsie pet names hailed down so fast and furious it was painful. The barrage of Yee Boys, hellz yeahs, bee tee dubs, brahs, sweet meats, Pickles, Peenies, Keaneys, kewls, bonin’s, baby dolls, and seshes had me grimacing, and rolling my eyes in sheer repulsion and confusion. Madelyn the Badelyn? Hanna Banana Cream Pie? Dax Frickity Fracks? Peenie Weenie? You could fill up a book with the dude-isms and the cutsie names - and if you did, you’d call it Ball Peen Hammer. This was supposed to be romance novel material? Maybe for some, lord help them. Not for me.

Not, that is, until Maddy and Keane got in a car together. Granted, the Morgan clan and their hilarious text exchange broke the ice for me, but Maddy + Keane = that’s when I started to warm up to this book. I’m not saying that the dude-isms and the swagger-talk eased up - if anything they increased. But, somehow, once I started seeing Keane through Maddy’s eyes, once I got a glimpse past Ball Peen Hammer and into Keane, I found myself giving Keane a real chance. And eventually, like Maddy, I fell a little in love with Keane. I loved the way this book made that happen.

I found this book to be a clever and inventive take on a romance novel. In any other book, Keane would not be the leading man. He’s the gay, best friend sidekick. He’s the too slick lounge lizard giving you the “wink + pleasure + baby doll’.” He’s the sleezy Rico Suave calling women ‘lovely ladies.’ He’s the goofy, irresponsible younger brother who never returns your messages. He’s the cocky, light-hearted, irreverant, stoned surfer dude who dyes his hair blue for his bro. Keane? He’s all of these quirky characters rolled into one. In short, he’s the comic relief. He’s NOT the main man. He’s not romance hero material. Until.... gradually, he IS. That is the genius of this book. As Maddy says, Keane is “Daffy Duck trapped inside Prince Charming’s body,” and it’s so true. Yet, at the same time, it’s not - because this book is a bit of the reverse. This book is all about the reveal - the gradual reveal to both Maddy, the reader, and to Keane, himself, that daffy as Keane may act and seem, Daffy Duck is just the dude persona behind which Keane is hiding a real Prince Charming.

Things this book got right:

We get to know characters 98% through dialogue - there’s very little inner monologue. This makes the book more vibrant and interesting, and helps the reader get to know the characters as they get to know each other and themselves. It’s more real. And because a lot of the dialogue is witty and flirtacious, it’s loads of fun.

The characters are honest, vulnerable, and direct. There is no game playing going on. Keane may talk a big talk, but there’s a brain and a heart of gold behind his fast mouth. Maddy, quick-witted and insightful, parries flawlessly with Keane and quickly sees more to him than his ‘yo-bro’ facade.

There is a very solid, very clear story arc. Everything is there for a reason. Everything helps explain a character or ties into the main storyline. Everything fits. The book is tight.

The author does not employ some of the usual romance novel tricks - evil outside manipulators, glaring ‘if only you’d told the truth earlier’ or stupid misunderstandings. The tension in the novel is created from real issues that each of the characters have, and they grow and deal with those issues in real world ways.


The narration:

All-in-all, I’d have to give the narration a thumbs up. Apparently the author narrated the ‘Maddy’ sections. So... that must BE Maddy! In the beginning of the story, I found her overly chirpy and young which contributed to the maddening dorky/cutsieness of the novel, but I mostly grew to like her over the course of the book. Keane is read as a total surfer dude. John Lane has a great voice, but in the beginning he read Keane really fast - and again, that contributed to my aversion to him - he just sounded SO much more like a caricature than a real character. But, he slowed down later, and as I grew to like Keane, I also grew to like his narrator. Overall, I’d give the narration a 4.3 on 5 scale. Slower would have been sexier. But I don’t think that was what this book was going for.

Things this book didn’t quite get right:

The sex. Well, Keane is well-versed and a self-proclaimed expert. No doubt he is. And even though this book was all about sex, talking about sex, instructing about sex, and eventually the happening of sex, the overall takeaway was not all that hot. I'm not sure how that happened. But, it did... or didn't, depending on how you look at it. I wasn't swept away in the lust/romance department. Somehow Sweet Sassy Molassey waggling' her boobs and bonin' Keaney Peenie Lionel Richie style just never was going to be seriously hot business for those of us living in the non-dork world.

The ending. Rushed. Lackluster. Meh.

26 people found this helpful

BPH

This started out slow for me. It was interesting but easily put down in the beginning. But, I'm glad I picked it up again. Once they got on the road, things got more interesting and engaging. It wasn't just silly, but playful banter. And, and more depth emerged. I ended up really liking this story and felt it had a good balance of humor and realism. It was a fun read, with humor and some depth.

5 people found this helpful

Completely En-Hammered

So, so awesome... Peen enchanted me with his quirkiness and kind-heartedness. Peen is sweet, romantic, and funny. The Morgan family is a wonderful cast of characters - the ultimate secondary characters. Though the two main characters were completely charming. And thier journey was fun to go along with. Don't miss out! It's totally worth the listen.

I review for the Guilty Indulgence Review Site.

5 people found this helpful

Embarrassed to say that I actually fell in love with this d-bag.

Kudos to ms Rowe because she successfully turned an insufferable ass into perhaps one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I am still shaking my head but I am now searching out more Lauren Rowe to obsess about. Awesome job.

4 people found this helpful

MY NEW BOOK BF! BACK OFF LADIES! HE IS ALL MINE!

What made the experience of listening to Ball Peen Hammer the most enjoyable?

I loved ALL OF IT!!! Great narration and a super fun story!!!

What did you like best about this story?

AGAIN ALL OF IT!!!!!!!

What about John Lane and Lauren Rowe ’s performance did you like?

They were great...I loved them both...I would love to listen to them again!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When my Keanie Peenie finally admit to his mom that he loved Maddie, my heart almost burst!!!!!

Any additional comments?

Holy Moly I loved this sooooo much more than I expected too...I went in with an open mind...and within an hour I was hooked and in love! This is such a super fun story...and both these characters are adorbsickles!!!! Peenie is a male stripper and by chance ends up driving with Maddie to CA to live with her sister...they bond very quickly and almost didn't make it...because my Peenie is a jerksickle...but he comes to his senses and they get a very beautiful HEA!! LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!!! Keane is such an adorable character...and Maddie is Awesome too!!!!!

8 people found this helpful

Definitely for the younger crowd

If you could sum up Ball Peen Hammer in three words, what would they be?

Definitely liked the book, had a moment when I cried, but definitely not thrilled with the dialogue of the characters. One can only hear the word "Brah" so many times. The characters were definitely well developed, and I liked the whole "when Harry meets Sally," vibe with most of the book being a car trip where two opposites attract, but definitely for a younger crowd - 25 ish

2 people found this helpful

A little annoying but the story is worth it

I loved this love story and I think that it was well worth the credit. I agreed with one reviewer that mentioned if they heard "bruh" one more time that they were going to lose it. However, once I just accepted that it was part of the character, and focused on the story, I throughly enjoyed this book.

2 people found this helpful

The narration is HORRIBLE!

Lauren Rowe is a very gifted writer but she needs to stop narrating. Period. This is the second time I’ve tried to listen to this book. I’m 3 chapters in and have resolved myself to the fact I’ll have to read it. I can’t stand it anymore! Ugh I’m giving the story 3 stars bc I can’t finish it on Audible, but after reading her other books, it will most likely be 5 when I’m finished.

1 person found this helpful

Cute rom/com about wackiest Morgan brother

Crazy brother Keane Penie is still trying to find himself while making a living as a male stripper. He gets to know Hannah Banana’s (Hen the Hacker’s girl) younger sister on a road trip. Lots of flirty banter but they take 3/4 of the book to get together and then have a sad separation while Penie gets his act together. Eventually they get back on track but both are young and at the start of their careers so know scenes of their future life unlike the 2 older brothers. So many of these books have overlapping timelines and there are some inconsistencies as book 1 is written later. The most recent book , Smitten also has and update on Penie. The narration was acceptable better than some of the previous performances form the earlier books.

1 person found this helpful

Repeated characters

All the women in her books have the same personality. Plus, they even speak using the same humor and language (making up silly names and using a lot of “holy hell” type-phrases). Don’t get me wrong, it was hysterical when it was in her first books where it was the same female character, but now that she keeps expanding her world, all the other women are almost carbon copies.

1 person found this helpful