The Wild Rose Press Coffee Time Romance Category:  Romance Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Type: Fiction Pages: 20 Copyright: Aug. 22, 2007 Leroy Doyle is paired with Jody Stinson in a chemical laboratory course. He seeks to win her heart despite her barbed comments to him.  Leroy Doyle, a college chemistry major and track star is on the verge of scholastic probation after flunking calculus. As he enters his sophomore year he can’t afford the distractions of having a girl friend, but that changes once he meets Jody Stinson. A chemical engineering major and the smartest student in the sophomore class, she is beautiful, arrogant, and not very happy about being forced into being his lab partner. But Leroy senses there is more to Jody than she portrays to the outside world. Her treatment of him only serves to fuel his interest and despite her barbed remarks, he strives to win her heart.             Excerpt With his grade troubles, he wished for brains like Jody Sstinson, the only sophomore girl who was in chemical engineering. He'd never seen her, but her academic accompolishments during her freshman year were well known. His chem major friends didn't like her, saying she was frigid and arrogant, descriptions they felt too kind for her. He entered the one-story FWA building at three minutes past the hour and rushed down the hall to Room 101. Still breathing hard, he shoved his unruly hair out of his eyes and entered the lab. The students had already paired up and were arranging their allotted glassware and chemicals, bustling with activity among the island benches. "So good of you to join us, Doyle," Doctor Braddock said. "I had a long way to come, Professor." "The track star you are I'd think you could be here with time to spare," the professor said, peering through black horn-rimmed glasses that clashed with his disheveled blonde hair. "Smith Hall is a long way," Leroy answered, as his breathing was nearly back to normal. "Well. . ." Leroy looked around and wondered whom he could partner with. It seemed that everyone was paired up except for one girl at the end of the lab near a window. "I'll see if my literature professor will let me leave class five minutes early," he said. "Do that. You'll be partnering with Miss Stinson over there. Get yourself settled. I'll be handing out the first unknowns in a few minutes," Doctor Braddock said, pointing toward the one lone student. "Would that be Jody. . .?" "Yes, Jody Stinson."

Lab Partners Wild Rose Press-Cocktail Reviews
Late for his chemistry class, Leroy finds himself paired up with Jody, the smartest girl in class, for an experiment. Jody is prickly, and despite her demeanour, Leroy resolves to get along with her. This proves difficult. Though they are supposed to share the tasks in the experiment, Jody insists on working alone. Her attitude is such that I found myself getting worked up over her rudeness! Poor Leroy.
After chemistry lesson, Leroy attempts to make friends with Jody, determined to see if he can break down her icy barrier. She brushes him off. Later, he sees her again when he goes to study. She's rude and abrupt once more. I found myself hoping there was a reason for her attitude and that maybe I would change my mind about hating suh a snark-infested character.
Fun Line: Don't get your Bunsen burner out of whack, Doyle...
Thankfully, the character development arc I'd been waiting for arrived. I went from detesting Jody to feeling immense sorrow for her. Good job, Mr. Hammersley!
An annoying (for good reasons!) and touching read, one I'm glad to have read.

Lab Partners The Long and Short of It
With his life plans firmly on track, Leroy Doyle becomes distracted by beautiful and smart Jody Stinson, though she has walls Leroy will have to tear down if he wants a relationship with the girl everyone calls frigid. What is she hiding? Why does she seem so alone? What has made her this way? All these questions and more revolve around Leroy’s head until he can no longer resist her allure. Chemistry major and the college’s “miler” in track are enough to keep any college guy busy, but how can he resist the woman whose soul calls to him?

A short and sweet love story set in the mid-nineteen fifties, Lab Partners is a nice way to pass a few minutes with. The storyline is fresh, the characters are likable, and the situations are well portrayed. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough story for this reader; I would like to have seen more character development, though the author, Larry Hammersley, did capture my attention in a very heartfelt way. The emotional moments are vividly portrayed, and the chemistry between Jody and Leroy is easily recognized. Lab Partners is a beautiful love story that was just a little too short, but very poignant just the same.