Slammed

As Slammed is a romance novel, love and attraction are thoroughly explored through Lake and Will’s relationship. Their immediate attraction is clear through exposition, as Lake’s analysis of Will’s physical appearance indicates physical attraction: “[H]is sleeves are snug around the muscles in his arms” (18). Furthermore, their first handshake lingers, the first of many touches signifying their mutual attraction. When Will takes a meandering route to the supermarket, Lake concludes that “the flirtation on his end is blatantly obvious” (29). Despite having just met, Will clearly wants to spend as much time as possible with Lake, leading him to prolong their outings as much as possible.

Lake’s nervous excitement for her and Will’s first date is characterized by her careful preparation: “I brush my teeth, touch up my makeup, brush my teeth again, and let down my ponytail” (33). Her attraction to Will leads her to pay extra attention to her cleanliness in the hopes that he, too, will be attracted to her. She brushes her teeth twice, alluding to her desire to kiss Will. The intensity of Lake and Will’s attraction is further emphasized at the site of their first date—a