Synopsis The image was seared into my mind. Imprinted. Emblazoned. Etched.
Did I blame him for what I saw? Or myself, for allowing him the ability to cause the pain coursing through me?
Betrayal was a weapon that cut to the core—the ‘what ifs’ the infection that festered in the wound.
I’d thought we’d had roadblocks thrown in front of us before. Damn. Those would have seemed like mere speed bumps if I’d seen what was coming…
Little did I know that what was headed our way would prove to be the biggest test of all—putting impossible choices in front of us. None of which seemed to lead to a happy ending in which the two of us were together.
****This is the FINAL volume in Max & Chloe’s story!***
My Review Volume 4 picks up on the heels of Volume 3 as Chloe and Max deal with the fallout from the charity event. This final installment wraps up loose ends, builds to a dramatic climax, and ends with a satisfying conclusion. At 152 pages, it’s the longest book in the series and it has a lot of ground to cover, and does so while remaining true to the story and to the characters. I felt this book lacked some of the intense heat from the earlier books, but all relationships cool somewhat with time, so it’s probably okay. Plus it’s just less intense, not non-existent. I was thrilled to discover I was dead wrong about who was behind the weird things happening to Chloe, but I found the revelation a flat.
Plot
This volume is more plot-driven than the previous books in the series and a lot takes place. I won’t spoil anything, but we get answers to all of our questions, and new events are introduced that threaten to tear the happy couple apart again. This is by far the most emotional installment and I think everyone will be able to relate in some way to a pivotal event. I will say that I was surprised more than once. I knew something bad was coming, because author Elisabeth Grace foreshadowed it, but I wasn’t prepared for how it evolved, which kept me on my toes and reading until the very end.
Characters The characters evolve more fully in the final book, growing, changing and becoming the people they need to be in order to be together. We finally learn Max’s secret and find out why he keeps everyone at arms’ length. It’s interesting to examine both Chloe and Max at the end of their story in light of how they originally met.
Bottom Line A satisfying conclusion to the series that wraps up loose ends and gives us our happily ever after.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Indiscretion: Volume Four Series: Indiscretion Series #4 Author: Elisabeth Grace Release Date: September 15, 2014 Pages: 152 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
Author Elisabeth Grace
About the Author I have a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! I currently live outside Toronto, Canada with my hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story and to share my love of reading and writing with others.
I’d been an avid reader my entire life, but when I discovered romance novels during my first pregnancy I was hooked! Not sure if it was the hormones or the lack of a life that was headed my way once my daughter was born, but since then I’ve been devouring several romance books a week. I love nothing more than reading about some serious alpha males and a happily ever after.
It’s a mad dash to the finish line as I wrap up final edits to get advanced reader copies (ARCs) out by September 30. I hired InkSlingerPR to coordinate a blog tour to unveil the cover. I’m so excited about showing it off.
I’m worked with the uber talented, award-winning graphic artist, and fellow San Diegan, Mark Sgarbossa. As always, his work blew me away. Check out his art on Pinterest. I can’t wait to see The Union’s cover pinned up there with the rest of his creations.
I also put the book up on Goodreads so you can add it to your To Be Read list, if you so wish.
Between the Sheets (The Boys of Bishop Series #3) by Molly O’Keefe
Synopsis After years of running, Wyatt Svenson has now parked himself in Bishop, Arkansas, trying to do the right thing and parent a son he didn’t even know he had until recently. Over six feet tall and packed with muscles and power, Ty likes to get his hands dirty, fixing his motorcycle at night and keeping his mind away from the mistakes he’s made.
Then his pretty neighbor shows up on his driveway, doesn’t bother to introduce herself, and complains about the noise. First impression? She should loosen up. Funny that she turns out to be his son’s elementary school art teacher—and the only one willing to help his troubled boy. Ty needs her. In more ways than one.
Though Shelby Monroe is safe in her structured life, she is drawn to Ty’s bad-boy edge and rugged sexuality. What if she just lets it all go: her worries about her mother, her fear of heartbreak, and her tight self control? What if she grabs Ty and takes a ride on the wild side? “What if” becomes reality—intense, exhilarating . . . and addictive.
But Ty wants more than a secret affair. He wants it all with Shelby. But will she take a chance and open her heart? Ty is determined to convince Shelby to take the biggest risk of her life: on him.
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My Review Between the Sheets ended up being a little different from what I was expecting. For one, there were no sheets involved. At all. All the steamy sex takes place outside the bedroom. It was good to get back to Bishop and catch up with Sean, Cora, Brody, Ashley, Monica and the gang. I loved getting a glimpse of Ashley and Brody, happily settled down. This time around, we’re introduced to newcomers Tye and Casey, and local art teacher, Shelby.
Ty arrives shortly after discovering he has a ten-year old son when Casey walks away from foster care to find his dad after his mom is incarcerated. I loved watching that relationship evolve, seeing how uncomfortable Ty was in the role of fatherhood, and watching the angsty nervousness of a fifth grader trying to find his place in the world. I also love the alzheimer’s subplot. I thought that was handled so well.
Plot Between the Sheets covers a lot of territory. With the alzheimer’s thread, school bullying, the evolving relationship of a rebellions man who only recently learned he’s a father, kleptomania, mental abuse, religious zealotry and art therapy. And all of it works really well together. Molly O’Keefe does a masterful job of weaving all the subplots nicely into the story. The push and pull of Ty and Shelby is well done, the writing is strong, and the sex scenes are steamy.
Characters I don’t like Shelby. There, I said it. And that’s a problem for me, because the heart of the story is the romance. Shelby’s not fluff, she’s certainly developed, I just couldn’t identify with her. I understood some of her issues, but she came across to me as too self-centered, too inwardly focused to really be likeable.
Ty on the other hand, is fabulous. He’s solid, complex, deep, and infinitely likeable. He’s perfectly portrayed as the guilt-ridden new dad trying to navigate fatherhood without a map. Casey is authentic as the kid with the rocky childhood, struggling to find stability and unable to accept happiness as normal.
Bottom Line I liked Between the Sheets. It’s well-written, has interesting characters, and covers a lot of important topics. I just didn’t love it.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Between the Sheets Series: Boys of Bishop #3 Author: Molly O’Keefe Publisher: Bantam Pages: 370 Release Date: July 29, 2014 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Author Molly O’Keefe
About the Author
Molly O’Keefe is the RITA Award winning author of over 25 books and novellas.
She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, two kids and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America.
Synopsis Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson’s life lately. Her dad died, her mom numbs the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends have slowly abandoned her.
Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe and should NOT have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt that made her desperate to escape the final moments of Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details to herself and trust no one.
Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky boy, recently transplanted from New York City and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she can’t let him get too close. And summer is just long enough and hot enough to keep a boy like that at arm’s length.
But by the time Rex’s charm wears down her resistance, it’s too late. He’s put Ellen on the “just friends” shelf and has shifted his romantic attentions to the impossibly annoying and perky anti-Ellen. Even worse, the teacher who tried to get her to sleep with him is still at it, preying on other girls while Ellen struggles to come to terms with what happened.
With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about the well-liked teacher and risk retribution, tell Rex how she really feels about him and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside. After all, it’s the only safe place she knows when the only thing louder than words is the fear of being rejected.
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My Review This is one of those young adult novels I didn’t want to end because as soon as I finished it, I missed the characters. Ellen Grayson is so multi-dimensional, she very nearly becomes a living breathing person. There’s a lot going on with her, in addition to longing for new boy, Rex Jacobi, she’s dealing with her father’s death and her mother’s spiral into drug addiction. If it wasn’t for her devoted older brother, she’d be in foster care. She has body image issues, only a handful of friends because she pushed everyone else away, and her favorite teacher put the moves on her. Like many teens in her situation, she harbors guilt, humiliation, and about a dozen other things as a result of her teacher’s behavior and keeps the incident a secret, hoping to put it behind her.
With all of that going, Louder Than Words, at its core is a sweet teen romance. Her relationship with Rex is the best part. I love their playful banter and the way he truly cares about her as a friend first and foremost. It’s painful to watch her feelings develop into something more as Rex turns his romantic attentions to petite, pretty Gracie. The book touches on so many topics, from unrequited love, to family loss, friendship, loyalty, and bullying, but does all of it really well, never sacrificing one to focus on another.
Plot Louder than Words has a complex plot with a lot going on, but underlying the subplots is the thread of Ellen and Rex. Watching their friendship flourish is delightful. I could feel Ellen’s angst as she watches the boy she’s fallen for date someone else. She has a lot going on in her life and she doesn’t have a lot of experience with relationships to begin with, but she pegs Rex as a player and doesn’t want to set herself up for heartbreak. The plot unfolds with impeccable pacing, allowing the reader to get sucked into the ebb and flow that is their friendship, feeling Ellen’s longing while also understanding her fears. I cheered for her when she finally digs deep to find the strength to stand up for what she believes is right.
Characters Iris St. Clair’s characters are solid. Ellen is really well developed. It was easy to understand her motivations even if I didn’t necessarily agree with her. But I can identify with the sixteen-year-old girl hiding out in the bathroom stall to get away from her lecherous teacher. I understand why she didn’t tell anyone, even though the adult in my wanted her to speak up.
Rex is adorable as the New York transplant who befriends Ellen. He clearly wants more than a platonic friendship but doesn’t hesitate to move on when she makes it clear she’s not interested. I love that he pursues a relationship with her outside of romance, showing that he isn’t just into her for physical reasons.
Ellen’s brother, Robbie, is equally well-developed with his own issues. He’s the hero in this story for putting his life on hold to raise Ellen when their mom checks out.
Bottom Line I love Louder Than Words. It’s one of those books that left me feeling good and wanting to read more by Iris St. Clair.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Louder than Words Author: Iris St. Clair Publisher: Swoon Romance Release Date: September 16, 2014 Pages: 240 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Iris St. Clair
About the Author Iris St. Clair is the pen name for a long-suffering cubicle worker by day, a Walter Mitty-like dreamer by night. (Her alter ego Tatiana Ivanadance also choreographs gravity-defying routines in those fantasies, but that’s another bio.)
No matter what genre she writes, she prefers witty, insecure heroines and kind, persistent heroes able to break through to the gooey heart inside.
In high school she was voted most likely to win at Monopoly and Clue, but least likely to throw a ball anywhere near a target. Thank goodness writing requires less hand-eye coordination, punctuation errors notwithstanding.
Iris believes in the two-year “fish or cut bait” dating rule and has a 20+ year marriage and two teenaged sons as proof of concept. She lives, writes, dreams and dances in the rainy Portland, OR area.
Synopsis Sometimes a shattered heart needs to sing to love again . . . Sixteen year old singer-songwriter Shaynee Sullivan hasn’t so much as touched her guitar since her mom died six months ago.
But when she meets a gorgeous and surprising rocker named Dean, her shattered heart begins to mend . . . and then burst at the seams. Heart-wrenching, heart-warming, and sometimes even heart-racing, Heart Shaped Rock will leave you laughing through tears and rooting for love in all its forms.
2014 Readers Favorite Award Finalist in three categories: Young Adult, Young Adult-Coming of Age and Young Adult-Romance!
Check out the full music soundtrack for Heart Shaped Rock at www.LauraRoppe.com at the “Music to HSR” tab!
“If you liked the music collaboration of Maybe Someday, you’ve got to check out Heart Shaped Rock.” — New York Times best-selling author of Maybe Someday, Colleen Hoover
“Laura Roppé has written a moving and emotional novel of first love, accurately capturing the voice and mind of a dramatic and emotional sixteen year old girl caught in a maelstrom of grief and loss, love and heartbreak. And then there’s Dean…you’ll just have to read the book, ‘cause I can’t do him justice in a few short sentences.” –Jasinda Wilder, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Falling into You
My Review I wasn’t aware this book was set in San Diego when I signed up to review it. Somewhere in the first chapter, I not only discovered the setting is my hometown, but some of my favorite local establishments have cameos. My favorite local establishment is Sheila’s coffeehouse, loosely based on Java Joe’s in its Ocean Beach days (now located in Normal Heights). Java Joe’s is where Jewell and Jason Mraz got their starts. Yeah, that Java Joe’s. I’m not sure what locale Wang’s Palace is based on, but in my mind, I was picturing The Red Fox Room the whole time.
Even if you’re not a local, there is so much to love about Heart Shaped Rock by Laura Roppé. It’s a story of sixteen-year-old Shaynee, still reeling six months after losing her mom to cancer. She, her father, and little brother, Lennox, struggle to find a new normal, and Shaynee feels like she’s failing miserably. She’s angry, withdrawn, and believes her heart has shriveled up into a tiny, worthless shard. That is until her best friend, Tiffany, convinces her to get a job working at Sheila’s coffeehouse and drags her to a party on the beach later that night, where Shaynee meets not one, but two incredibly cute boys. Life is about to get interesting!
Plot The story was a little slow to get started for me, but once it did, it took off at a crazy speed, like the first downward hill on the Giant Dipper rollercoaster at San Diego’s Belmont Park. As Shaynee struggles to understand who she is beyond a motherless teen, she discovers love, a different kind of loss and pain, guilt, and ultimately understanding. This angst-ridden teen novel is gripping, at times bittersweet, and extremely hard to put down. Like Shaynee, I found my pulse pounding in anticipation at points of the story. It may have been a few years since I was a teenager, but I don’t think anyone forgets what it’s like to be in love for the first time. That all-consuming desire deep inside to be with the object of your obsession. Laura Roppé does a fantastic job of capturing that and helping the adult reader feel it all over again.
Characters I love the characters. Shaynee has a hard edge to her, but I can’t help loving her more because of it. Even when she talks about wanting to pound on her younger brother as he grieves for their mother. I understood what she was feeling and why. The fact that she didn’t act on those feelings made her even more human to me. Dean, one of the two aforementioned cute boys, is one of the better male characters in a young adult contemporary romance I’ve read this year. He’s not perfect, but he’s believable and sweet, and incredibly hot.
Sheila, Tiffany, and Shaynee’s dad and brother are more than just filler characters. They all add something to the plot and are well developed for their supporting roles. I loved Jared, the third in the love triangle. We probably only get a glimpse at the true Jared through a single phrase uttered by Dean’s buddy, C-Bomb, at the end of the story, but it was enough to put everything into perspective for me.
An unlikely character in the novel is the music. As a singer/songwriter, Laura Roppé has woven lyrics so perfectly into the story, they are more than just words. They take on a life of their own. You can download the soundtrack to the book from the author’s webpage, and I suggest you do that. The songs are wonderful, professionally produced, and bring the story even further to life.
Bottom Line Heart Shaped Rock is a solid young adult romance, filled with gut-ripping angst that will leave you breathless.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Heart Shaped Rock Author: Laura Roppe Release Date: April 22, 2014 Pages: 316 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Soundtrack
Author Laura Roppe
About the Author Laura Roppé is an award-winning singer/songwriter, author, audio book narrator, speaker, and former attorney from San Diego, California.
In 2011, Billboard Magazine ranked her as Number Three on its chart of the Top 50 “uncharted” artists in the world. In May 2013, Laura began hosting Amazon’s weekly podcast, “Kindle Love Stories,” for people who love hearing about love stories, romance, and happily ever afters.
Her first book is the non-fiction memoir, Rocking the Pink. Her latest is a YA-teen romance novel entitled Heart Shaped Rock, featuring a soundtrack.
Synopsis “Her heart wept when she realized that the hardest part about loving him was the idea that his love was never meant for her.”
Walking with a pronounced limp all her life has never stopped fifteen-year-old Kiva Mau from doing what she loves. While most girls her age are playing sports and perfecting their traditional Samoan dance, Kiva finds serenity in her sketchbook and volunteering at the run-down art center her extended family owns.
When seventeen-year-old Ryler Cade steps into the art center for the first time, Kiva is drawn to the angry and misguided student sent from abroad to reform his violent ways. Scarred and tattooed, an unlikely friendship is formed when the gentle Kiva shows him kindness and beauty through art.
After a tragic accident leaves Kiva severely disfigured, she struggles to see the beauty she has been brought up to believe. Just when she thinks she’s found her place, Ryler begins to pull away, leaving her heartbroken and confused. The patriarch of the family then takes a turn for the worse and Kiva is forced to give up her dreams to help with familial obligations, until an old family secret surfaces that makes her question everything.
Immersed in the world of traditional art and culture, this is the story of self-sacrifice and discovery, of acceptance and forbearance, of overcoming adversity and finding one’s purpose. Spanning years, it is a story about an intuitive girl and a misunderstood boy and love that becomes real when tested.
My Review Wow. Powerful is the first word that comes to mind, followed by heartwrenching. Scar of the Bamboo Leaf is a coming of age love story that transcends genre. It’s young adult, but it spans more than just the teen years. The story is flawlessly crafted, skillfully told, and evokes all the beauty of one of Kiva’s paintings. Vivid imagery and emotional depth thread through the novel bringing the story powerfully to life. Sieni A.M. has done her research, which is apparent throughout the novel. The setting and characters are so genuine, no you never question their authenticity.
Plot Oh my gosh, where to begin. On the surface, it’s a tale of two people destined to be together, but their deep emotional and physical wounds prevent them from seeing what the rest of us know. But deeper, it’s the story of belonging, of understanding, self-discovery, acceptance, and forgiveness. The book is a tapestry of words, woven together to create a stunning picture when seen from a distance, but up close, you realize every thread is a work of art itself. The author uses descriptive prose to tell the story, the way a cinematographer uses cameras and lighting to create something more than just a movie.
Kiva is a fifteen-year old girl with a pronounced limp due to one leg being shorter than the other. She’s been abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt and uncle. Ryler is a troubled teen sent to reform school in Samoa where he meets Kiva. The two are from different worlds, but have much in common, and form an unlikely friendship. When Ryler graduates and leaves without saying goodbye, Kiva is left broken hearted. The two meet up again years later and realize what the reader knows, that they belong together. But the story is so much more than that.
Characters The characters shine. They are deeply developed, intense, complex and stick with you long after you’ve read the epilogue. Kiva is especially strong. The things she has to deal with…and yet she takes everything life hands her and channels it into her art. Ryler is fantastic. He grows so much. Even Hana, who is less than sympathetic at first isn’t a weak character. She is just as richly characterized as the two main characters.
Bottom Line Scar of the Bamboo Leaf is brilliantly written, complex, poignant and deeply moving. It left me stunned, wrung-out, and touched beyond what I was expecting.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Excerpt
The white van’s presence in the driveway made Kiva’s heart thud against her ribs, and a mysterious anticipation settled over her. Hobbling into the house, she carried out her chores with efficiency, hanging the laundry on the line and checking on Masi’s bowl while stealing curious glances at the art center.
After a long pause, she decided to enter it.
Poised along the far wall to avoid distraction, Kiva perused the students scattered around the room, heads and shoulders bent over their wood carvings, the clink and thud of the chisel and mallet competing over each other. Mau paced his time with each student evenly, making his way around, offering guidance when needed. Kiva couldn’t make out his words from where she sat, only a few low mutterings accompanied by the shake or nod of his head.
Her eyes strayed until they settled on the boy with the mysterious tattoo. Ryler. Her suspicions were correct about his work when she noticed the slab of wood with the sliced words in front of him. He hadn’t spoken a word to any of the other boys, didn’t acknowledge them, and they avoided him too, as if he’d erected an invisible wall and they were aware of it.
Her uncle had no problem stepping through it though. He was with him now, speaking in low tones and gesturing to his work. What was he saying? Kiva strained to hear, but nothing came to her over the cacophony of sounds in the room. A muscle in Ryler’s jaw ticked as he sat, head bent, listening to him. Mau remained with him for some time, talking and listening, acknowledging the need to spend more time. Finally, he gave him a tap on the shoulder and a satisfied nod before moving away.
Kiva noticed when Ryler picked up a carving knife, pausing in concentration, his face tentative and contemplative, before he met it with wood, the muscles in his broad back contorting and flexing from the grip and release of the tool. What had he decided to carve? Kiva wanted to inch her way forward to find out but kept herself firmly planted. An hour passed and still she sat riveted to her spot.
A couple sharp drops on the roof were the only warning to the torrential downpour that followed.
“Makiva!” Hana’s voice shouted from across the yard and made her jump. “It’s raining! Get the laundry!”
Kiva scrambled off the floor, the noise drawing attention, and limped as quickly as she could to the line. The knifelike raindrops hit her on the back, stinging, and soaked through her shirt. Ignoring the pricks, she rushed to unpeg each piece of clothing, throwing it in the bucket and returning for more. The rain came down harder and faster, blurring her eyesight, the sound of a thunderclap roaring in her ears. Tea towels, Mau’s shirt, Hana’s school skirt. Breathless, her quick movements had long ago uncoiled her hair, wild and swirling in the wind; the pencil slipped out, lost somewhere. She was nearing the end of the line, grappling with a sheet, when she glanced up and noticed the boys running from the center to the van, their lesson over.
Ryler appeared last through the door, his brown eyes trained on her, and descended the stairs with heavy, deliberate steps. Kiva stared wide eyed as he stepped into the rain and came toward her with unhurried, even strides. She watched as raindrops pelted his gray shirt, soaking through to his shoulders until the wet dots spread and connected.
When he was a foot away, he lifted his hand.
“You dropped this,” he said, his voice low and hoarse, as if he was just getting over a cold. He smelled of wood dust and sweat.
She glanced down at his hand and saw the pencil she used to pin up her hair. It must have fallen in the art center in her haste to get to the laundry. Reaching for it, she noticed the deep scars on his left wrist and paused. From this close they looked even worse.
“It’s not what you think,” he answered, interpreting her thoughts.
Kiva snapped her eyes to his face. His brown eyes penetrated hers, thick lashes dripping from the rain, a line formed between his eyebrows. She tried not to fidget under his gaze and glanced to the right of his face. She saw a scar near his eye, something she hadn’t noticed before.
She calmly returned her gaze to him. “And what do I think?”
Ryler took a step closer. “You think that I did this to myself on purpose.”
“Did you?” She breathed.
He shook his head. “It was from a fight. The other guy had a broken bottle and I tried to block him.”
Kiva hissed as if she had been the one cut open and bleeding. Her eyes found the scar again and her stomach plummeted at the thought of the pain it must have caused. She felt suddenly light-headed and blinked to clear the blur clouding her mind.
“Are you alright?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.
She took slow, even breaths and nodded her head.
The sound of the van’s horn blared from the drive way.
“Ryler! Hurry up, we’re going!” A superior impatiently gestured for him in the rain.
“You better go,” Kiva said hastily. “Thanks for returning this.” She took the pencil from his hand and curled her fingers around it.
Ryler remained unmoving. Why wasn’t he going? Did he want to get into trouble? He finally stepped away and turned, jogging over to the waiting van, his shirt now drenched through and stuck to his retreating back.
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About the Book Title: Scar of the Bamboo Leaf Author: Sieni A.M. Release Date: July 9, 2014 Pages: 358 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
Author Sieni A.M.
About the Author Sieni A.M. is a coffee addict, Instagram enthusiast, world traveler, and avid reader turned writer. She graduated as an English and History high school teacher from the University of Canterbury and is currently living in Israel with her husband and two daughters. “Scar of the Bamboo Leaf” is her second novel.
Synopsis Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of, a love they believed bonded them together for life.
When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.
For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.
Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?
My Review The story has some really heartfelt moments, deeply-flawed characters, and a moving story. The author grabbed me early on, hinting at secrets and lies that I was dying to learn. But I feel like I got the answers to all of them too soon. At first, the backstory unfolded at a good pace, and I only learned what I needed to know in order to understand what was happening. But then they all sort of exploded at once. I would have liked them to have been doled out a little slower and maybe not learned the last one until closer to the end.
I think my biggest issue with the story is that it seemed to take forever to get to the climax. I get what the author was trying to do — show us some long-awaited sweet moments between Melanie and Daniel, but I think the story would have been just as good, maybe even better, without so many of them. All of that said, I did really enjoy the story.
Plot I’m not typically a fan of love-at-first sight, but A.L. Jackson made me believe it with Melanie and Daniel. I pulled for them as circumstances beyond their control pulled them apart for nine years. I was a little bothered by the heavy psychic elements, the way the two could always feel each other. This is more common in paranormal books and felt out of place in a contemporary romance. But I could easily ignore this aspect of the story. Where the plot really shines is the conflict between Melanie and her husband, Nicolas, Danial and Vanessa, the pharmaceutical rep he knocks up, and between a teenage Melanie and her parents shown through flashback.
The ending was a little disappointing. I thought it wrapped up neater than it needed to. It would have felt more authentic with a little more messiness in the mix.
Characters I felt like I connected with Melanie and Daniel more when they were teens. Once they’d grown, I sort of lost sight of who they are. And maybe that’s because we jump ahead nine years. I was disappointed that we never got to learn more about Nicholas and what drove him to be so controlling, but that wasn’t critical to the story. I was just interested. I like to know what drives the bad guys. There were times Melanie came across as too perfect. Even when she made mistakes, it was always with the best intentions. I found Daniel to be the most interesting character. He screwed up time and again, and yet he never stopped trying. His character development is definitely the most dramatic.
Bottom Line Pulled is a contemporary romance with an interesting twist. The emotional heartbreak the characters endure doesn’t destroy them, but instead inspires them. I like that they don’t wallow in the time they lost but look forward to embracing their future.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Pulled Author: A.L. Jackson Release Date: June 2, 2014 Pages: 355 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Author A.L. Jackson
About the Author A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014.
She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.
Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.
Synopsis Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.
I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen.
Stay, he says.
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters.
If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful story about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make. Based on the book by the same name by Gayle Forman, the movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley.
My Review I went to see this movie not having read the book first, something I almost never do. But when my 14-year-old daughter begged me to take her, and my ever-growing list of ARCs prevented me from getting to it anytime in the next few weeks, I decided to break with tradition. Afterall, it’s impossible for a movie to disappoint me by not being true enough to the book when I haven’t read the book. And since that keeps happening, I figured this might even be a welcome change. I ended up loving it. I thought it was beautifully filmed, the acting was great, the story is moving, and soundtrack is simply amazing.
Story Because I haven’t read the book, I don’t know how true the movie is to Gayle Forman’s story, but what I saw on screen was wonderful. The dialogue was witty, the chemistry between the characters felt really authentic, and the telling of the story through flashbacks was well done. All I knew of the story was what I’d seen in a trailer on TV. But because I know there’s a second book in this series, I had a pretty good idea Mia would survive the car accident. What I didn’t know was how or why. I love the way it all unfolds through flashback with bits of Chloe in an out-of-body existence woven in as she struggles with incredible loss and intense longing. Living feels like a bigger chore than giving up as her family and friends beg her to come back via bedside vigil.
Characters I’m dying to read the book now because the characters are so strong, and I want to see how close they come to the characters created by the author. I loved the way Chloe Grace Moretz portrays Mia, the teen cellist with dreams of Juilliard who falls in love with rocker, Adam. Speaking of Adam, Jamie Blackley is phenomenal as the boy who seems to have it all and is still believably insecure when it comes to the girl he loves. I couldn’t help but feel for Adam when Mia tells him she got an audition for Julliard, knowing the school is on the opposite side of the country. But I also pulled for Mia because, well, it’s freaking Julliard. And that age, do you really make choices about your future based on teen love? What they feel for each other is so real, the angst comes across so vividly on screen.
Music The soundtrack is awesome. From classical music to 90s grunge, and modern indie, it fits the whole symphony meets PNW music scene vibe. With music by Beck, Sonic Youth and the movie’s fictional Willamette Stone, there is a little bit of something for everyone.
Acting
The acting was just flat-out incredible. I never once questioned that these characters were who they presented themselves to be. The actors so thoroughly immersed themselves in their characters, I got lost in the story as the acting itself faded into the background.
Bottom Line I thoroughly enjoyed If I Stay. I thought it was emotional, beautifully acted, gorgeously filmed, and has a fantastic soundtrack. If the movie is any indication, I’m going to love the book.
Title: If I Stay Screenplay: Shauna Cross Based On: If I Stay by Gayle Forman Director: R.J. Cutler Producers: Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan Cinematography: John de Borman Music: Heitor Pereira Release Date: August 22, 2014 Link: IMDb | Movie Site | Trailer
Synopsis The twist of a knife shredded Niko Kincaid’s world all around him, leaving him with two choices—accept his fate and die, or fight to live.
He chose to fight, but the aftermath became a daily reminder, carved into his once flawless flesh.
Despite years of self-imposed solitude, Niko hungers for companionship and suffers from an aching loneliness that the darkness cannot satisfy. He temporarily soothes his pain with women, hired women, whose only purpose is to service him. Easy.
He didn’t expect a complication like Cambree Evans, but desperation corrupts even the most innocent.
When emotions blend with lust, will Cambree’s softness and ability to look past Niko’s flaws be the one thing that releases him from his own personal hell?
Will the monster in the dark prove that his savaged heart is worth saving?
My Review Part Beauty and the Beast and part Little Red Riding Hood, this new adult contemporary romance has a little bit for everyone. There’s the purchase of sexual favors that hints at eroticism, the romance that unfolds when Cambree is more than Niko bargained for, the mystery of who attacked Niko Kincaid, and the thriller aspect when Niko’s worlds collide. With so much going on, I was afraid this novel would get away from itself, but it’s woven together nicely as all the pieces flow together.
Plot
The plot ties together all of the aspects mentioned above, but it’s primarily a romance, focused heavily on the relationship between Niko and Cambree. The other elements help build tension and conflict, but at the end of the day, it’s their story. At times, it felt predictable, but at others, it was anything but your average steamy romance with a wounded bad boy and the good girl who saves him. There was always the potential underlying the surface that things could go off in a completely unexpected direction, which kept me on my toes.
Characters Both Niko and Cambree are both likeable, wounded, and in need of healing. All things considered, both characters could have been darker and more brooding considering their circumstances in life, and the fact that they weren’t made them more interesting in my opinion. At times, Cambree spoke in a way that seemed too mature for a woman of her age who dropped out of college and worked a minimum wage job, but otherwise, she was believable as a 22-year old orphan willing to do anything, at first for her grandmother, and later for Niko.
Bottom Line I liked the edginess of this story, the fairy tale elements, and the fact that both main characters were equally flawed. It’s a solid NA contemporary romance.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Savaged Author: Nacole Stayton Release Date: September 12, 2014 Pages: 177 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Author Nacole Stayton
About the Author Nacole Stayton is the Amazon Bestselling author of The Upside of Letting Go, as well as other new adult and contemporary romance titles, including A Graceful Mess and In the Lyrics.
She is twenty-something years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass State where she spends her days working at a local hospital in the billing department and nights writing vigorously on her current novel.
She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors, Nacole enjoys the finer things in life, like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle. She is passionate about her faith, family, and The Vampire Diaries.
Synopsis A summer of f*ck buddies? Something to take the edge off? I was down.
But when Chloe shows up at my hotel door, wanting to rip my head off, rather than give me head—I cared. A lot. Too much, in fact.
This is turning into more. And I can’t do more.
Like the ink under my skin she’s becoming permanent. Enduring. Immovable.
Was I ready to let her go though?
Not a f*cking chance.
***Note: This is the third installment in the Indiscretion serial. There are 4 Volumes total. Volumes 1-3 are approximately 23K-25K in length, with the final fourth installment being longer.
My Review This is my favorite book in the series so far. Everything is amped up from the desire, to the emotions, and especially the stakes. While Max and Chloe still each insist their relationship is purely physical and will be over with last waning days of summer, neither can deny, to themselves anyway, their feelings are evolving. When it appears that someone is stalking Chloe, Max’s protectiveness kicks in. His actions are not those of a guy who’s only looking to get a piece of ass.
The added suspense is a nice change up from just crazy hot sex. And like any relationship, as a reader, I’m ready to move beyond the bedroom and explore the rest of the word. Elisabeth Grace seems to know that and adds a little kick at just the right place. I’m a little frustrated by the cliffhanger, but after reading the first two books, I knew it was coming. Because the wait between the books is so short, I’m not letting that impact my rating. A little anticipation is a good thing.
Plot
The plot really develops in this volume, building on the seeds planted in the first two. The added subplot of the potential stalking amps things up. And while I think I know who it is, the fact that I might not, keeps me questioning everyone’s motives. The sneaking around and clandestine sex is just pure fun, knowing at any moment they could be caught. At this point, the reader knows these two belong together, but we’re still missing a couple of pieces of the puzzle — the big secrets that prevents each of them to committing. Everything in this volume leads to the big charity event and a surprise guest that turns Chloe’s world upside down.
Characters I like Max and Chloe by now. They’ve grown on me, despite their many flaws. And I love that Chloe’s best friend, Jackie, is back in the picture. I missed her. Both characters still have a lot of issues to work through, so Volume 4 has its work cut out for it, but as the longest book in the series, there’s plenty of room for that.
Bottom Line My favorite book in the series so far with lots more conflict, action, and even more clues thrown in to keep us on the edge of our seats.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Indiscretion: Volume Three Series: Indiscretion Series #3 Author: Elisabeth Grace Release Date: September 1, 2014 Pages: 79 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
Author Elisabeth Grace
About the Author I have a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! I currently live outside Toronto, Canada with my hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story and to share my love of reading and writing with others.
I’d been an avid reader my entire life, but when I discovered romance novels during my first pregnancy I was hooked! Not sure if it was the hormones or the lack of a life that was headed my way once my daughter was born, but since then I’ve been devouring several romance books a week. I love nothing more than reading about some serious alpha males and a happily ever after.
About the Book Title: Here Series: Here Trilogy #1 Author: Ella James Release Date: February 15, 2012 Genre: Young Adult Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis Milo Mitchell’s life used to be charmed, but that was before her family dissolved, she went a little crazy, and her best friends started acting more like strangers.
Spending Saturday morning in a treehouse with a stun gun for company and a herd of deer for friends is the only exciting thing in her life…until she shoots a fawn and finds her dart stuck in a guy.
Her gorgeous victim is dressed in a Brioni tux and armed with a hanky. He has no idea who or where he is. Afraid her dart caused his amnesia, Milo takes him in, names him Nick, and vows to help him solve his mystery.
Soon the pair find Nick’s face in a newspaper obituary, and Nick beings to have strange, ethereal memories of Milo–who is sure she’s never met him. Suddenly Nick knows things he shouldn’t know and is doing things he shouldn’t do.
When the Department of Defense shows up, Nick and Milo run–toward a shocking conclusion that could destroy both their worlds.
About the Author Ella James is a Colorado author who writes teen and adult romance. She is happily married to a man who knows how to wield a red pen, and together they are raising a feisty two-year-old who will probably grow up believing everyone’s parents go to war over the placement of a comma.
Ella’s books have been listed on numerous Amazon bestseller lists, including the Movers & Shakers list and the Amazon Top 100; two were listed among Amazon’s Top 100 Young Adult Ebooks of 2012.
Synopsis Fraternizing with the competition? Check.
Risking everything I’d worked so hard for? Check.
Mind-shattering orgasms? Double check.
Max Richfield made me forget myself. Forget all the reasons why I’d chosen to be alone for so long. I had goals. I needed stability. He brought chaos. I’d taken years erecting my walls. And with good reason, I would soon discover.
Now my inability to see beyond Max’s charm could cost me everything.
***Note: This is the second instalment in the Indiscretion serial. There are 4 Volumes total. Volumes 1-3 are approximately 23K-25K in length, with the final fourth installment being longer. The release schedule for the remaining instalments is as follows: Volume 3: Sept 1st, Volume 4: Sept 15th.
My Review Indiscretion Volume 2 picks off where Volume 1’s cliffhanger left us, in the crosshairs of a bear. In this second installment, Chloe and Max acknowledge and then disregard their growing feelings for each other, determined to keep the other at emotional arms’ length. This time around, the sex scenes are more numerous and infinitely more mind blowing.
As things heat up between the sheets (as well as on the floor, couch, massage table, against the window), complications in their own lives threaten their relationship with each other. Elisabeth Grace definitely raises the stakes this time around, making this book more gripping than the first.
Plot
There is much more of a plot in Volume 2 as the characters wrestle with their feelings, their desires, their careers, and their inner demons that are still mostly still hidden from the reader, building a sense of mystery. The author puts several balls into play in this book and we see them all converging as we approach the end. Because the end of book 2 is only the halfway point of the story, we’re left with more questions and answers, but it’s still a satisfying wrap up to many of the issues introduced in Volume 1 and even some in Volume 2.
Characters I was able to understand and get into the characters so much more in this book. We learn a lot more about what makes both Max and Chloe tick. There is some sprinkled backstory that helps us understand some of their motivations and a hint of the character growth to come.
Bottom Line Volume 2 takes off as the story builds, characters are developed, and conflict increases. I had a difficult time putting it down. Now I’m off to read Volume 3.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Indiscretion: Volume Two Series: Indiscretion Series #2 Author: Elisabeth Grace Release Date: August 17, 2014 Pages: 72 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
Author Elisabeth Grace
About the Author I have a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! I currently live outside Toronto, Canada with my hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story and to share my love of reading and writing with others.
I’d been an avid reader my entire life, but when I discovered romance novels during my first pregnancy I was hooked! Not sure if it was the hormones or the lack of a life that was headed my way once my daughter was born, but since then I’ve been devouring several romance books a week. I love nothing more than reading about some serious alpha males and a happily ever after.
Synopsis F*ck and chuck. Pump and dump. Hit it and quit it. One night stand. Didn’t matter how I branded it—that’s all she had wanted it to be. That much was clear when she left me with my pants down and my dick still out.
What she hadn’t counted on was fate intervening and our worlds colliding—again.
The day I showed back up in the life of Chloe Griffins, I knew I had to have her again. My body was hungry for another taste. Like an addict, I’d been craving another hit for months, and there she was—flesh and bone, tits and ass.
The fact that she worked for the competition should’ve been reason enough for me to leave her alone. I had a job to do that summer and f*cking Chloe wasn’t part of it. But I was like a man possessed.
I’d do whatever it took to have her again.
My Review Indiscretion is a series of novellas that tell the story of Chloe and Max. Volume 1 introduces the characters to each other as well as the reader, and lets us get to know them, what they want, and more importantly, what they don’t want — strings. The two meet at a nightclub in New York where Max is alone, and Chloe is helping her best friend celebrate her last days of freedom at a bachelorette party. A steamy tryst leads to embarrassment for Chloe and she disappears without another word.
Things get interesting when Max stumbles on Chloe in her hometown and discovers they’re business rivals in competing housing developments in the small town of Bar Harbor, Maine. But like a bad house guest, sexual chemistry cannot be ignored and they agree to enter into a physical relationship with no emotional ties, and it seems to be exactly what they both need.
Plot
While Volume 1 does a good job of setting up the story, introducing the characters and the conflict, I felt like something was lacking and it took me until I was well into Volume 2, to figure out what that was. And I also realized I didn’t feel invested in either of the characters. It’s not because they’re unlikeable, but more like I didn’t really know them. There are hints in Volume 1 of what each character cares for, but it isn’t until Volume 2 that I really felt like I understood why. But the sexual tension is palpable, the sex scenes are steamy, the dialogue is witty, and the story moves.
Characters I didn’t really get a true sense of the characters in Volume 1, but because Elisabeth Grace really digs into that in the second book, I’m okay with it being somewhat lacking in the first. Both Chloe and Max come across as a little superficial at first, but toward the end of the the book, we begin to see something more substantial in both of them.
Bottom Line It’s a decent opening for the series. At 73 pages, there’s only so much the author can accomplish. She sets the stage, introduces the characters, builds the conflict and left me wanting to pick up Volume 2, so I say, mission accomplished.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Indiscretion: Volume One Series: Indiscretion Series #1 Author: Elisabeth Grace Release Date: August 4, 2014 Pages: 73 Genre: Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
Author Elisabeth Grace
About the Author I have a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! I currently live outside Toronto, Canada with my hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never to busy for a good story and to share my love of reading and writing with others.
I’d been an avid reader my entire life, but when I discovered romance novels during my first pregnancy I was hooked! Not sure if it was the hormones or the lack of a life that was headed my way once my daughter was born, but since then I’ve been devouring several romance books a week. I love nothing more than reading about some serious alpha males and a happily ever after.
I’m delighted to spotlight author, Heather Hildenbrand, today. Here is a little about Heather:
Author of Across the Galaxy, Whisper, and the Dirty Blood series. I write, read, and fuss at my kids. Oh, and I do laundry, lots of laundry. I’m pretty good at it, too. Sometimes I even read WHILE doing laundry – and fussing at my kids. I’m a multi-tasker.
For more information on my books, release dates, or just general stalker material, um, I mean FAN material, visit my website. www.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers!
Likes and dislikes? I love vintage tees, hate socks with sandals, and if my house was on fire the one thing I’d grab is my DVR player!
