Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Review: Concerto

Concerto Concerto by Skye Warren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Having read Overture , book 1 in the North Security series, I was anxious and excited to see what would happen to Samantha Brooks violin prodigy and Liam North, her once guardian and constant protector. I didn't love this book as much as Overture, but I find that to be a trend for me. I am not the person who is going to tell you that Empire Strikes Back was the best of the original Star Wars trilogy, I always preferred Return of the Jedi. I think that is for a few reasons which are mirrored in this story. First, you know going into it that you will be left with a cliff hanger and the story will be unresolved. I feel that the second book is often used to set up the third, and so it doesn't hold its own the same way the first or third will. In the case of Concerto, I felt that Samantha was a little wishy washy in her resolve. In certain parts you would see her growing up, standing up, fighting back and holding her own, only to question her own confidence a few minutes later. There is a lot of push and pull between her and Liam, which is very realistic, but at the same time made it seem like the characters didn't know where they were going or what they really wanted. I found my self thinking "huh, really?" a few times when characters made decisions. That being said the last 1/4 of the book picked up speed and there was some great intrigue and action (both kinds ;)). I definitely enjoyed this book and i recommend that it be read or listened to. Grace Grant and Teddy Hamilton were stellar as always. I am really looking forward to reading Book 3.

I received a copy of this audiobook and voluntarily give my review.

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Saturday, July 27, 2019

Review: Handle With Care

Handle With Care Handle With Care by Helena Hunting
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Helena Hunting is a genius and her characters always jump off the page and this was no different for Lincoln and Wren. I was hooked from the first page and read it straight through in one sitting. I was laughing hysterically and emotionally invested through the whole book. I Could Not Put It Down! Wren was such a strong Bad A$$ woman. She was so competent in her job and had so much confidence, she was feisty and refreshing. Lincoln, Lincoln Lincoln... he's my new BBF, I love him so much. Every chapter I read I loved the two of them more and more. This story was perfection! I can't say enough good things.

I received an ARC of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway by St. Martin's Press and Voluntarily give my review.



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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Review: Overture

Overture Overture by Skye Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this audiobook and voluntarily give my review.

Overture tells the story of child violin prodigy Samantha Brooks as she approaches her 18th birthday and grapples with her impending adulthood. As an almost adult Samantha lives with her legal guardian Liam who is 18 years older than her in their secure compound. Liam owns a security company, but his number one charge is to protect Samantha, and he finds that increasingly difficult when the person he most wants to protect her from is himself.

I was not new to North Security or the forbidden love between Liam and Samantha. I had previously read the kindle version of this book and wavered about listening to the audio, thinking that maybe I should spend the time listening to something new. I am so very glad I didn't skip this one! This story was elevated by the amazing narration done by Grace Grant and Teddy Hamilton. I feel like I got so much more out of the story, and have a greater understanding of the characters from their interpretations. I can't wait to see how this continues in Concerto.

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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Review: Married in the Mountains

Married in the Mountains Married in the Mountains by Alexa Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was super sweet and still possessive and steamy everything I love about an Alexa Riley book. The lead characters were also mature adults, married with an 18 year old son. It was refreshing to read about a married couple that was still completely passionate about each other. I can’t wait to read the rest of the camp hardwood books!

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.

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Review: Embracing Her Heart

Embracing Her Heart Embracing Her Heart by Melissa Foster
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

This book was completely beautiful, a romance where you get to live in the love. Angst was at a minimum and our hero, Reed was an honest, mature, no game playing, determined heartthrob. Grace is a country girl who has shucked her roots in order to thrive in the big city, but since coming home, she realizes that maybe the country is not so bad. This second chance romance by Melissa Foster completely captivated me and the narration by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt my favorite duo was perfect for these characters. I feel so complete after finishing this book, it is the only way to describe it.

I received a copy of this audiobook and voluntarily give my review.

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Monday, July 22, 2019

Making Up by Helena Hunting

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"I LOVED both Cosy and Griffin! This story was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!"- Kendall Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

Making Up an all-new laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

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Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list.

Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him.

As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world.

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Download your copy today!

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Excerpt:

We’re a couple of minutes away from my apartment, which also means we’re almost at the end of our date. End-of-date protocol often means a goodnight kiss. And I’ve eaten onions. Lots of them. What the hell was I thinking? I feel around in my shorts pocket, hoping I have a random stick of gum. I find a tiny square packet and pull it out, along with an old tissue. I shove that back in my pocket and sigh with relief as I carefully open the Listerine Pocketpak. There’s one strip left. I pop it in my mouth, wishing I had water since my mouth is dry and I’m suddenly super nervous. Griffin pulls up in front of my apartment building. I swallow a bunch of times, trying to get the strip to dissolve on my tongue and glance out the tinted window, seeing it from his perspective. I don’t live in a bad part of town, but I sure as hell wouldn’t leave this car sitting out here for any length of time unless I wanted it keyed or stripped down. Griffin shifts into park and turns to me, one hand resting on the back of my seat near the headrest. “I had a great time, Cosy.” “Me too, thanks for dinner.” I tried to fork over my share, but he was quick on the credit card draw. “It was my pleasure.” He leans in the tiniest bit, a nonverbal cue that he’s going in for a kiss. I mirror the movement, giving him the go ahead. My stomach flutters in anticipation. I exhale slowly through my nose. Even though the Listerine strip should be doing its job to mask the onions, I don’t want to ruin the moment by breathing that in his face. His fingertips skim my jaw, and I close my eyes. And then his lips brush my cheek. I wait for them to move a couple of inches to the right, but after what feels like a lot of seconds—and is probably only a few—I crack a lid. Griffin is still close, a wry smile on his lips and a smolder in his eyes. “Seriously, that’s it? A kiss on the cheek?” His smile widens, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. He’s nothing like the guys I usually end up on dates with. College boys don’t take things slow. If I were out with one of the guys from school, I’d be sitting in a beat-up Civic with some stupid music playing, and he’d be all over me with his tongue halfway down my throat, copping a feel. “I thought all the onions you ate were the equivalent to garlic for vampires.” Griffin fingers my hair near my shoulder. I’d really like him to finger something else. Wait. I mean I’d like to feel his hands on me. Not in my pants. Okay, maybe I’d like them in my pants, but not after date number one. “I wasn’t thinking, and I really like onions. A lot. In hindsight, it’s not a great date food. I feel kinda dumb. And I guess at first I wasn’t so sure about you. How was I supposed to know you’d actually be kind of normalish?” “Normalish?” “Well, you drink club soda on purpose, so you can’t be all there.” I tap his temple. Griffin circles my wrist with his fingers and drops his head, lips brushing over my knuckle. “We can’t all be perfect, now, can we?” “I suppose not, and perfect is boring.” “That it is.” He hums against my skin, and I feel it through my entire body. “I would like to try that kiss again, if you’re still interested.”

About Helena

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She's writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helenahunting Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenaHunting Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5 Facebook Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/385795934890523/ Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/ Never miss an update! Subscribe to Helena's mailing list: http://bit.ly/2MlRKq6

Monday, July 15, 2019

Review: Strip Me

Strip Me Strip Me by Margay Leah Justice
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am a huge Sebastian York fan, so i was over the moon to listen to this book. The narration was fantastic, and will definitely be looking for additional books narrated by Kale Williams as well, a new to me narrator. The story was a little outrageous, but i went with it. Sam's friends take him to a co ed strip club for his birthday where he makes an instant intense connection with a male stripper, and Rico reciprocates the connection. What starts as a hook up develops into more as they explore the pull between them. Rico wants something more than a meaningless fling and they explore what there connection really could be and it is steamy and full of tension and heat. I did feel that the book just ended, the last ten minutes being a quick resolve to as many problems as possible, but I don't feel that everything was resolved. I have so many questions about these two characters left unanswered, but i don't know if the author intends to write a sequel, turning this into a duet or even a trilogy. I really hope she does.

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Sunday, July 14, 2019

Review: Their Love

Their Love Their Love by Fiona Davenport
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review. This is the 3rd book in this series and unfortunately my least favorite. I liked that this tells the story of a couple already married and you get some information on how they met, but the bulk of the story takes place in their love which is sweet. There were a few things that bugged me, Jamie referred to hazel as his "Country bumpkin" which is meant to be endearing but I found off putting. Also for all his protective, alpha male possessiveness it bothered me that he put his pregnant wife in a hot bath. When you are pregnant you are instructed not to take hot baths or go in hot tubs as the sustained heat isn't good for the baby, and I had a difficult time with that part of the book. Overall I liked this book, the insta love quick reads by Fiona Davenport are some of my favorite for a Sunday afternoon and this one was no different.

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Review: Lies

Lies Lies by Kylie Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is a reason that Kylie Scott is one of my favorite authors and I will read everything she writes. The reason is this: She is brilliant! Lies only reinforces this opinion. This suspenseful story had me hooked from page 1 and I could not put it down. Betty is in the process of leaving her fiancé when her condo is blown up and she is thrust into a world she never imagined with gun fights, secret identities and enemies everywhere. The world her fiancé lives in, the reason he was so boring, because he was hiding his true self. I loved watching them get to know each other again, learning the truth about their strength both individually and together. While this book had quite a lot of suspense, I also found myself laughing out loud at some of the snarky dialogue "Good job- you just mildly inconvenienced the enemy. Try again and actually hit him this time" & "This is my life now Unicorns and Rainbows and guns" had me waking up my husband because I was laughing in bed at 2 in the morning. Whether you are new to Kylie Scott or addicted to her writing like I am, you will flip for this book.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily give my review.

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Review: Smooth Kisses

Smooth Kisses Smooth Kisses by Ella Goode
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review. This book was so sweet and full of love, I enjoyed every second of it. Smooth successfully runs a resort, and has built a successful life for herself, despite having a mother who is less than encouraging. Andrew thinks he has found someone competent enough to take over for his assistant, but he gets so much more. The instalove in this story is swoon worthy and the whirlwind courtship of Selena Smooth is realistic for this type of story. She is naturally reticent of Andrew's advances and he convinces her of his affection without resorting to cave man like behavior. I loved this story, and I really hope the next book follows her best friend Violet...theres a nice tease to her story in this book.

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Friday, July 12, 2019

Review: Stay With Me

Stay With Me Stay With Me by Nicole Fiorina
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.

This story was dark, raw, and intense and sucked me in. This story was full on angst and at times difficult to read. I stayed up late reading because I needed to know what was happening and my heart and mine were completely invested. The emotions and interactions were so passionate and intense that there were a couple of times where I needed to put the book down and walk away. Some of the side characters were a little grating to me, the catty cliquey behavior is never my favorite, but the affection between Ollie and Mia kept me hooked on this story as they navigated their relationship and their own personal demons.

This was an amazing debut novel by Nicole Fiorina I will definitely follow this author and look forward to reading her future work.

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Review: Cruel Fortune

Cruel Fortune Cruel Fortune by K.A. Linde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book covered a lot of character development for Natalie Bishop as she navigates her reluctant reintroduction to the Upper East Side. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was perfection. I was extremely distrustful of all the characters while listening to this book, and by the end of the book I felt justified in that distrust. I can't wait to pick up Cruel Legacy to see if those upper east siders get what's coming to them! Such a great series and there was even a cameo and update on the Wright family!

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Saturday, July 6, 2019

Review: Making Up

Making Up Making Up by Helena Hunting
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.

Having devoured the first 3 books of the Shacking Up series months ago I pounced on the opportunity to read Making Up. When reading a book from Helena Hunting I have come to expect a few things.
1) I am going to laugh, a lot.
2) There will probably be some drama, bad decisions or misunderstandings
3) When the couple gets together the sparks will fly.

Cosy and Griffin are fantastic characters independently and when they are together. Cosy's job, attitude towards life and level of experience (or lack there of) makes her a firecracker who is a little unpredictable. Griffin is clearly outside of his comfort zone in pursuing Cosy, but there is something so addicting in his awkwardness and nerves when it comes to her.

I have read most of Helena Hunting's books and found this one to be relatively tame in terms of adult content, but still smokin' hot. I couldn't put this book down, I read until 3 in the morning and have no regrets.

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Thursday, July 4, 2019

Review: Merciless

Merciless Merciless by Willow Winters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very dark romance, a little slow for me to get into, but the narration was great and there was enough good in the characters that I kept going, and was hooked by the end. I think i am going to love this series overall, and I am excited to see how it continues.

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Review: Ace of Hearts

Ace of Hearts Ace of Hearts by Ella Goode
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.

This was such a sweet enjoyable read about young love. I'm a sucker for a hero like Owen who knows what he wants and is devoted and respectful when he finds it, but still 100% alpha. I love that Alice was intelligent and confident, she was not a character tormented by demons or parents who didn't love her. She new what she wanted, and she spoke up for herself. This story had all the feelings and hormones surrounding a first love and was a perfect summer read.

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