Breathless after reading “Breathe into Me” by Sara Fawkes

 

Lacey is a young girl with a lot of problems.  She lives in a town that has not really felt like home.  She is worried about her baby brother.  Her mom has checked out and doesn’t seem to care about Lacey or 4 year old Davy. Her Grandma is in no way a kind woman.  And, insult to injury, her past won’t stay in the past.  She has cruel friends and an ex-boyfriend from hell.  Lacey is struggling to overcome what she calls her life and start new.  Can she do it?
Everett has his own demons in his past to overcome.  After laying eyes on Lacey in a local bar, Everett is hopeful for a new start himself.

This couple is so adorable!  I loved the interactions between both of them.  Everett has a strong protective instinct when it comes to Lacey and he is her knight in a dull rusty hatchback.  Throughout the story, you see the love building between these two and it’s very refreshing and hopeful.  

I really liked this book!  The storyline was current and refreshing bringing to light the current bullying tactics that young kids and young adults fall victim to.  My heart broke for this couple and the despair was evident on this pages of this book.

A solid 4 star romance in my opinion!

Entranced by “Ruined” by Tracy Wolff

This is a story about two people with tortured pasts.  One is a young girl struggling to make something of herself despite her poor past and the horrific events that got her to an internship at Frost Industries.  The other is the CEO of Frost Industries who is immediately taken by the young intern, Chloe.

Ethan is HOT, beyond HOT.  WHOA, get a fan and cool yourself down hot.  He is vibrant and strong, gorgeous yet humbly so.  He cares about people and what happens to them.  He’s built one of the most successful companies that uses technology to help people, VA vets most profoundly.  He is very down to earth yet he is the CEO.  Oh, and he is GORGEOUS…did I mention how off the chart hot he is?  What is there NOT to love about this guy.

Chloe is beautiful and catches Ethan’s eye at a smoothy stand in the cafeteria of Frost industries on her first day of internship.  Obviously, her lack of knowledge about what the CEO looks like is her downfall as she doesn’t know that she is arguing about smoothies with the CEO, Ethan Frost.  But Chloe is not interested in dating; not interested in anything having to do with the opposite sex.  She is driven to her goal of being a great Intellectual Property Lawyer and this internship is her key.  She is not going to mess it up by getting involved with any guy and risk the distraction.  But can she resist the pull that Ethan has on her?

I loved this book!  Off the chart, Loved this book.  The secrets are endless and keep you intrigued.  I wish I had the second book RIGHT NOW cuz I just don’t want to wait.  I want to crawl in to Tracy Wolff’s head and find out what the next book will reveal…it was that good.
The sex scenes were INTENSE and the love blossoming between these two was encapsulating.  You couldn’t help but root for these two to finally find each other.  I recommend this book to anyone that loves romance with a healthy dose of sexy love scenes.

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review…THANK YOU.

Not Regretting “Take this Regret” by A. L. Jackson

 

After reading the Novella that introduced this couple, there was no question that I would read the rest of the series.  “Take this Regret” begins as Christian and Elizabeth are in their last year of college having met and fell in love on their first year of college (Novella; “Lost to You.)  They’ve been together for the four years and have been happy.  Christian is still struggling with his demanding father but Elizabeth is his happiness.  Until she tells him that he is going to be a father.  The ultimatum he places at Elizabeth’s feet leaves her little choice as she walks out of his apartment and life to have this baby alone…heartbroken…afraid.

For five years, Christian struggles with the decision that he made years ago.  He finds himself heading up the San Diego law firm for his father’s company having realized his plan of being a lawyer while abandoning his child and love of his life.  Yet he wonders if she will be there, in the same city that she grew up in.  Will she be happy with Matthew as he assumed she was?  What about the child; is it a he or a she?  

The encounter is unexpected but profound.  In his heart, he knows it’s her; he can see through the eyes of this little child as she clings to this woman that Christian has never met.  This chance encounter is all that it takes to drive him to find her…them…his family.  But will Elizabeth be ready to embrace Christian in their lives…

Wow, this book was fantastic.  I loved it from page to page.  I read every chance I got just to find out what would happen next in the book and if happiness would finally find them.  It was a page turner and often made me late to do things I was suppose to do.  This is the kind of book where to want to read it cover to cover in one sitting and you don’t want anyone to disturb you until you close the book.  

A.L. Jackson, you really know how to write a book chocked full of angst and emotions that overwhelm your reader and sucks them in to the story from the first page.  I look forward to reading “If Forever Comes” as well and can’t wait to find out what other trials this couple has to go through before they find their happily ever after.

Wanton for “Wanted” by J. Kenner

First of all, thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review!  I truly appreciate what you do to present great authors to the reading population and get the word out about how wonderful some of these books are!

This is a story about a young woman that is struggling with the death of her Uncle Jahn while trying to deal with her past and the brutal death of her sister long ago.  Angie was wild in her youth and she thinks that her being that way caused her sister’s death.  So, since her death, Angie has tread the path of a good girl doing everything expected of her and nothing naughty or bad….Until her uncle’s death and the overwhelming need for Evan Black reaches a the point of must have him.

Evan is a bad boy.  He’s done things in his past that he is not proud of but would happily do again.  Angie’s Uncle has made Evan promise to stay away from Angie for this reason but Evan is too far gone to follow his promise after Uncle Jahn’s death.

J. Kenner is an amazing author.  She writes with such intensity and her stories always keep me on the edge of my seat to discover what twist is going to be next.  She builds very strong and unique characters that have troubled pasts of some kinds and helps them to overcome those demons in the past to love and be loved.  J. Kenner writes some pretty intense love scenes in her book and “Wanted” is no different.  I would recommend this book to anyone that loves the power hungry man that is softened by the right woman.

Great book, J. Kenner, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

 

Swooning over “Forever My Girl” by Heidi McLaughin

 

Liam’s life is all spelled out for him.  He goes to college on a football scholarship.  He marries his high school sweetheart and they live happily in Beaumont.  Unfortunately, he has a personal dream that he must follow but he’s not sure that pursuing his dream will be understood and accepted by the love of his life, Josie.  So…he leaves her.  

Ten years later, he comes back to say goodbye to his best friend Mason who died in a car accident.  All his emotions are in turmoil.  He convinced himself 10 years ago that he had made the right decision for everyone but now he is not so sure after discovering all that he left behind in Beaumont which turns out to be far more than what he thought he left.

This is a story about a teenage love that was crippled by chance and fear. All it takes though is one look and JoJo is questioning her commitment to her fiance and the life she has lived for ten years. Will she stick with her life as it was after Liam left town or will she take a chance and admit her love for Liam has never diminished.

This was a great story; a solid 4 stars.  It moved at a good speed to keep me interested and had enough of a love triangle to make it intense enough to turn the next page.  Liam is kind of a calm rockstar though.  I would have liked to see a bit more hard core rocker and bad boy come out.  It was a sweet love story and I found it to be refreshing.

I also liked the way that the reader introduced the main characters of her next book and started the story line at the end of this book.  I off to read it now, can’t wait to share my thoughts with you on that one too.

 

Hellish Read for “Hell Without You” by Ranae Rose

First of all…LOVE this cover!  It’s what drew me in initially.  A big thank you to Netgalley for providing this book for an honest review!

This is a story about a seven year separation between two soul mates who met when they were mere teenagers.  Tragedy struck at that young age and through parental force, the couple went their separate ways…until seven years later when fate is determine to bring this couple together again. 

Clementine moves back to her small hometown of Willow Heights in hopes of a short stay while she seeks employment in the nearby metropolis of DC.  She never imagined that she would run into HIM of all people as she stops to reminisce at grandmother’s former home.  This home has wonderful memories for her childhood only the house is no longer her Grandmothers’s….it’s HIS, Donovan’s.

Clementine is dumbstruck when she learns that the love of her life has bought her childhood home and made it his.

Donovan is a brokenhearted man searching for the part of his soul that went missing seven years ago.  His love for her has never wavered and his need for her is exemplified as he begins to spend more time with her.  Old nightmares come back to haunt Donovan and only Clementine can make it right.

From there the love rekindles and the two become inseparable…until once again tragedy threatens to tear them apart for good.  Will their love survive this time?  Hmmmm…

I liked this book and it’s story line.  I adored both Clementine and Donovan and the connections that they shared.  Clementine is this lost woman and only realizes that she was just surviving her years in college without Donovan.  It takes seeing him again for Clementine to truly understand the depths of their love together.  Donovan is this gruff yet cuddly teddy bear that only wants the love of his life in order for his life to be complete.  He is desperate to keep her this time and fight for their love.

With that said however; I felt that while the story was a good story line, it lacked the intensity to hook the reader and make it where you just couldn’t put the book down until it’s completely read.  To be honest, I started this book and read three others between it because I just wasn’t that intrigued to finish.  It’s a good story for sure, just needs more OMG moments and HOT love scenes and SCAREY moments; just something to get the reader’s heart pumping faster.  I really didn’t feel any of those while reading this.  I’m glad I finished the book and would encourage others that like romance with a definite PG-17 rating….to go for it.  You’ll like it but don’t expect intense moments.

I give it a 3 star rating

Hopelessly Addicted to Colleen Hoover!

This is a fantastically beautifully written story about a girl, Sky who since a very young age has been sheltered and protected by her mother Karen.  She was home schooled until this year and has no reasons to doubt her existence as she knows it.  She is numb to emotions and intimacy and thinks that this is just how she is.  Many secrets lay in wait for Sky to discover about herself and her past, she just needs a nudge to discover what is in her past that she has suppressed.   It takes a very strange yet, oddly comforting encounter with a boy she has never met but has heard about to begin to unlock the memories that Sky has locked away in her mind.

Holder has been searching for seven years, for forgiveness, for peace and for Hope!  He moves home to live with his mother after losing his sister to suicide a year prior.  He doesn’t know Sky since she never attended school til this year but there is something that draws him to her and he believes he knows what that something is. 

As Holder and Sky get to know each other and become more than just friends the truth slowly comes out causing heartache, pain and eventually some closure to the loss that Sky has had in her life. 

I LOVED THIS BOOK!  It is a solid 5 star (and beyond) book and everyone should read it.  I was enthralled in this story from page one and couldn’t put it down.  I walked around with my e-reader connected to my hand until I completed it and I really wanted to go right back to page one and start all over again.  The feelings conveyed in this book were so profound I felt it in my toes!  My spine literally tingled when Sky encountered demons of her past.  I waited with baited breath for the love to flourish between Holder and Sky. 

Colleen Hoover…YOU are FABULOUS!!!!  I love love love your books!  You are a beautiful storyteller and can’t wait for future books from you.  

Tantalizing “Touch” Part Five and Relentless “Caress” Part Six of The Dining Club series by Marina Anderson

In the fifth part of the Dining Club, Grace is entering her third trial.  In this trial she is competing against one of the twins – Amy – who has a strong endurance.  With experience, knowledge and strength on her side, Amy is the sure winner of this challenge with immensely delights Amber, Andrew and…David?  Grace is fueled though by her jealousy of Amber and is determined to do what is necessary to keep David’s affections focused on her.  David doesn’t play fair thought and excites Grace even before the trial began then teases her to no end.

I found myself becoming less and less of a David fan as this part five played out.  His behavior is that of a controlling bastard who doesn’t really know what will satisfy him for the long hall and he is playing with strong emotions in Grace and using them against her.  Andrew’s affections continue to grow while Amber’s determination to eliminate Grace from David’s life exponentially grows.  Andrew takes matters into his own hands and decides to run into Grace and explain a few things to her.  Grace reluctantly invites him up to her flat but doesn’t feel comfortable with this at all.

Personally, I think Grace should tell them all to go to hell and find her Mr. Perfect elsewhere but with that said, I again couldn’t wait for what happened and had to read part six too.

In Part six, David is away on Business and Andrew has taken the opportunity to visit Grace at a pub and discuss David’s past.  As Grace learns what she has feared all along, she is angered and enlightened by the revelations from Andrew.  David has mixed emotions and is extremely conflicted as to whether or not he wants Grace to be successful in the fourth trial.  He goes so far as to purposely tire her out the night before but he does admit – to himself at least – that he was extremely angered and jealous of Andrew’s visit.  As they drive to the Dining Club for the trial , he is purposely evasive about the events about to play out.  He gives Grace minimal details and has yet to determine if he wants her to succeed or fail. 

I like David but hate him too.  I think he has a cruelty to him that Grace in her sweetness does not deserve. 

I’m still at a solid 4 star and can’t wait to read Part Seven!  I’m getting NOTHING done today!

Stiring after reading “Seduce” Part Four in the Dining Club series by Marina Anderson

In Part four, Grace is in the middle of her second trial.  She is struggling to understand the way that David loves and that he will enjoy her being in pain.  She doesn’t understand that David is trying to show her the pleasure that one can feel through a little bit of pain.  Grace is having a hard time wrapping her head around this as she has seen the other woman in the trial give up the man she loves and leave the Dining Club.  David encourages her while Amber is secretly hopeful that Grace is about to end this.

The jealousy is mounting and the love is growing.  Grace is getting more and more jealous of Amber thus becoming more and more determined to get through each trial and prove her love for David.  Amber in turn is even more determined to get Grace to fail.  Andrew’s affections for Grace and need to protect her is strengthening even though he is not fully participating in Grace’s second trial .  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

David is FINALLY showing some emotions and we are learning why he is so stand offish and cold at times.  I am beginning to believe that he truly loves her but is protecting himself in case she doesn’t succeed through the trials.  I’m starting to like him more but think I might be rooting more for Andrew because he seems more willing to accept Grace as she is.

I’m still at a strong 4 star for this series and it’s getting quite interesting.  I love the play on various emotions that the author is conveying through all the characters  Really liking the writing!

Caputred by “Crave” Part three of the Dinning Club series by Marina Anderson

In part three, Grace is going back to the Dining Club to go through her second trial.  As the time draws nearer, Grace is informed that she won’t be alone in the second trial.  She is informed that last month’s guest must repeat the trial do to employee errors from the previous month.  She gets more nervous because of this but soon takes comfort in the fact that she won’t be alone as she breaches her fears and relaxes into the trial.  Andrews affections for Grace continues to grow while Amber gains steam in her resolve to end Grace’s time at the Club through ensuring Grace fails.  “Crave ends halfway through her second trial so I must say that I read on to part four because I just couldn’t wait long enough to write this review. 

I’m getting more engaged in the characters of the series and find myself rooting for Grace’s success through all four trials even though I continue to believe that David remains aloof and unaffectionate towards Grace as she is struggling to try and understand what is happening and what will happen next.  Her ignorance in this lifestyle increases her apprehension to continue and he does nothing (in my opinion) to calm her.

Still at a 4 star as we get through this third part.