2.5 StarsI somewhat enjoyed this book. The sex scenes were smokin', however, the plot--for me--left something to be desired. Romance needs a foundation, and if there isn't one, I have trouble believing it. So yeah, I had trouble believing in Protecting What's His for that reason.Ginger and Willa are new to Chicago, escaped from a terrible mother in Nashville who hasn't taken care of them a day in their lives. They're both spunky girls with attitude, and when they meet their new neighbor, Derek Tyler, a Homicide Lieutenant for the Chicago PD, sparks fly between him and Ginger. Their chemistry was palpable in the beginning, of that I had no doubt, but as the book progressed, their relationship in particular had no real basis for its development in my mind. Both characters were wishy-washy in spots, and did things I felt were a bit out of character for what I expected from them. Now, don't get me wrong, I like a dirty talking alpha-male as much as the next lady, but Derek was a little much for me. Especially considering the things he did without specific knowledge of Ginger's past in the sexual relations department. I don't mind a little dirty, dirty--obviously--but I want it coupled with sweetness, and swoons and romance. There was very little of that for me here. Like I said, Derek was a little too much of a hard-ass for me and I didn't fully understand Ginger's attraction to him (other than the fact that he was a hot cop with a dirty mouth), especially considering she seemed so independent.In the end, I didn't hate this one. Like I said before, the UST/smut made up for the lack of relationship building between the two main characters and actually kept me reading until the end, so that's a plus. However, I think I would have liked to read about Willa and her boyfriend, Evan much more. He was a total sweetheart in the few small parts he played here, and it left me wishing for more of him.Full review: http://www.fictionators.com/review/protecting-whats-his-by-tessa-bailey/
