Disastrous (Disastrous Series) - E.L. Montes

After struggling with the loss of yet another person so dear to her heart, Mia Sullivan channeled her frustration and loneliness into focusing on her future career. At the top of her class at Harvard Law, she was nervous and excited when given the opportunity to work as a summer extern at one of the top firms in Boston. Her new boss was the young, extraordinarily handsome, and successful Marcus DeLuca. As she falls for his charms, she discovers he is keeping something from her.

Marcus DeLuca was living two separate lives: one that involved his successful career and the other that could potentially ruin his entire reputation. His secret could jeopardize not only his life but everyone he loves. There was no room in his life for a serious romantic relationship, but after meeting Mia, he makes room. He cannot resist her. She is innocent, humble, and pure—the total opposite of him. She distracts him from all of his deep dark secrets. He knows once Mia finds out the things he has done and who he truly is, she will never want to look at him again. Deep down he knows he must stay away, but he can’t.

Mia and Marcus are heading down a path of love, lies, heartbreak, and betrayal. Can their love conquer all, or will the web of deceit be too much to overcome? 

WOW! That’s the first thing I thought of when I finished.  For a debut book, I was blown away by E.L. Montes.  You would never know this was her first.  It was dramatic, steamy and I couldn’t put it down…I loved it!!!  

I immediately loved Mia, she was hard-working, smart, determined, insecure and abandoned in a way.  She was completely relatable.  I think anyone that has gone through that kind of loss can understand how she felt so broken and I could immediate sympathize with her.  My heart still breaks for all the loss she has experienced.   

Marcus was completely lovable! How can you not love a guy that says things like, "you’re everything, Mia Without you, there’s no reason for me.” He was successful, good looking, powerful and smart.  He’s a family man, which gets extra points in my book.  His secret life kills me! KILLS ME!!! I wanted so badly for him to be able to open up to Mia and not let his secrets get in the way of their love. 

Mia and Marcus together…the drama, the steaminess, the EVERYTHING - was soooo good, even when things between them were bad! I can tell you this for sure, E.L. Montes can write a kiss!!! The way she would describe it made my stomach do flips along with Mia’s! Even when they fought, they did it with so much passion you could tell they still loved each other.  My heart was a mess for them and I just so badly wanted them to be able to work through the issues and be happy together.  I truly believe to be happy they will have to be together, I just worry for what kind of danger is in store for them if they do get/stay together. 

The other thing I loved about this book was Marcus’ family.  They were so welcoming and loving toward Mia! Considering how quickly their love came to be, I was surprised his mother was so open to it.  She truly wanted her son to be happy.  I even started to like his brother Jimmie toward the end.  And his niece (Jimmie’s daughter), Elle, was perfect! Loved her!!! I really want Mia to be able to be a part of the family.  She had been through so much already, she shouldn’t have to lose this family too.   

I seriously cannot wait for book 2!!! I hope Mia & Marcus can find a way to be together and be safe.  This book was a series of twists and turns and I cannot imagine what E.L. Montes has in store for us next!

 

What the Heart Needs (Soulmate Series #2) - Kelli McCracken

Bound by destiny, can their love survive those that would tear them apart?
Dylan thought he had it all after Heaven agreed to marry him. But the secrets surrounding them continue to build. His best friend's keeping something from him. As are his parents. And someone wants Heaven dead. Can he protect his soulmate and solve the mystery before it's too late?

The best way I can describe this book is to compare it to a roller coaster....it starts off slow (click, click, click) building anticipation giving you just enough to keep you wanting more, turning each page (click, click click)...and just when you think you've figured it out (click, click, click), you've reached the top and the bottom falls out from under you and you're free falling into what you had no idea was headed your way. Then it starts all over again (click, click, click) building you up to another apex, only to have your stomach drop down again (WEEEEEEEEE!!!!). Now, I myself am not a fan of real roller coasters, but what I can tell you is that I will get on the Kelli McCracken roller coaster EVERY freakin' time!!!!

So much happens in this book you can't really prepare yourself for everything. You have to give into the story, let it lead you on the journey...in the end, you will not regret it.

The build up of what might come had me unable to put my kindle down. I took it in with me to blow dry my hair, I took it to my step-daughter's soccer game and read during warm ups and half time, I literally could not stop reading because I had to know what was going to happen. Was Nate McBride going to hurt Heaven? Would Layne break them up? Would Faith break them up? What was going on with Faith anyway? Would Dylan & Heaven make it to the alter...those were the just questions I started with and my list kept on growing as the reading continued. Let's just say, the things I said out loud (yup, I talk out loud while I read) were “Oh My God,” “He did not just do that!” “She did not just do that” “You have GOT to be kidding me!” “I freakin' knew it!!!” and “AHHHHH!!!!!”

“I know Dylan is special, he replied” - well guess what, I knew it too. I truly can't get enough of Dylan McBride...I mean he's a romantic rock star that goes against the stereotypes and wants to love Heaven forever...what's not to love!?! But this time (unlike the first book), I fell a little in love with Layne too. I can understand now why there are many Team Layne girls, a team which I think even Heaven would find herself cheering on because after book two, how could you not love Layne?

This book was sexy, dangerous and consuming. It was frustrating, exciting and lovable. Where the first book was a love story that hinted at a supernatural connection, this book brought in a lot more of the who and what of the paranormal part of the story. I loved that it gave us some answers and still teased us with what could come. It left me wanting more, and that is never a bad thing to end a book with.

I can't even imagine what Kelli has in store for us next, but what I can tell you is that I will definitely be getting on the ride!

“The more we give in to what the heart wants, the more we get what the heart needs...” truer words were never spoken (or written as it were), you can't love with your head, you have to love with your heart...no matter where it leads you.
 

Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Series 1) - Debra Anastasia

He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day. 

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.

I actually was torn whether to give this book four or five stars...if I had half star options, I'd give this book 4.5 stars. This book was WOW! I have to thank Angie for the suggestion and give her the points for picking such a great book.

Blake Hartt is officially the first homeless man I've ever fallen in love with and believe when I tell you...you will fall in love too. Against all odds (by his rough start in life) he's an old school gentleman, with the kindest heart. He's a proud man who won't accept something he hasn't earned and has learned to take care of himself since being out on the street. Blake lives for the daily smiles he receives from Livia. He silently falls for her and watches her from a far never believing he was worthy of her love.

Livia McHugh is a grad student studying psychology. To get to school everyday she takes the train where she makes eye contact and smiles with everyone on the platform, including the homeless man everyone either ignores or makes fun of. She only sees him and treats him with the same kindness she shares with everyone else.

In their journey we meet Blake's foster brothers Beckett and Cole who are the human equivalents to the devil and angel sitting on your shoulders. Heaven and Hell meet in the middle where the three brothers come together. They are a true testament of brotherly love.

We also meet Livia's sister Kyle who is funny, crazy and had a bag of her own issues.

Although they are not the "main" characters, their stories are just as crucial to the overall story. They are all written so well that you will care about them as much as you do Livia and Blake.

I loved this journey, and while it is a long book, I found that it was all necessary to understand what each character had been through and how they got to where they are today.

This story is not like any I've read so far and would certainly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of a story that has a little bit of a darker side to it. I am hoping for a sequel because I definitely would like to know what happens to everyone next.

Here is one of my favorite Blake quotes:
"Livia, you make the rest of the beautiful things in the world cry for even trying at all. You make it hard for me to breathe."

The Perfect Game - J. Sterling

He's a game she never intended to play. 
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.

The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind... like getting Cassie to give him the time of day. They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness.

Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...


If you have read and liked J. Sterling's previous books, you will love this book!  If you haven't had the opportunity to read a J. Sterling book...don't miss this "perfect" opportunity! I believe this book is her game changer.

The first thing you need to know about J. Sterling is that the woman loves an instant connection.  It doesn't always result in an instant relationship, but it does always result in instant attraction.  So, like it or not...that's they way the story is going to go.  My feeling is hop on board with the way you know an author is...don't fight it...she knows best.  In this story, she definitely knew best... I LOVED IT!

The instant connection in this book was between my new book boyfriend Jack Carter and Cassie Andrews, "He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at me like I was some tiny ,helpless creature who didn't have a clue it was about to get eaten alive by the most beautiful, albeit dangerous, creature in the jungle."

Cassie Andrews is a smart, talented girl who already knows what she wants to do with her life.  She is a bit feisty and I love her inner dialogue.  I love that she'll tell Jack she's not interested while we get to know what she's actually thinking when she looks at his sexiness.  "Half of me wanted to punch his gorgeous face, and the other half wanted to make out with it." I definitely side with the make out with it!

Jack Carter is AMAZING and I love him....like seriously, love him.  It helps that I'm a sports loving girl, so I can totally appreciate the love of his life being baseball and the fact that outside of baseball he knows he's good enough and hot enough to get away with being a man-whore.  Let's face it any guy in college with his stats and face would be making the same rounds. For Jack, baseball has been the one love of his life, the one constant he could always count on.  "Jack Carter the guy sucks and should be avoided at all costs.  Jack Carter the baseball player is totally amazeballs and should be observed whenever possible.  You see the difference?" - Ummm, yes! and no! Yes, we should observe Jack Carter whenever possible but no, we should never avoid Jack...

I thought the characters in this book were well thought out and presented to us...I loved Melissa, Cassie's best friend and roommate, I loved Jack's little brother Dean (Oh! By the way...I'm a totally book slut because I want Dean to be my boyfriend too!), and I LOVED Jack's grandparents...they were just too cute!  And I hated all the bitches we were supposed to hate.

The timing of this book could not have been better for me since we are in the middle of MLB playoffs...I loved the journey of a potential draft choice! It all fit together perfectly for me.

The best part of this story was it brought out real emotions for me.  I love any book that can make me feel something.  I felt giddy at their banter, I felt excitement when Jack was pitching, I felt my heart get ripped out and then I had real tears in the end.  Oh, and I felt love for Jack...(and Dean - yup, I'm a book slut!) Grab your quarters, and read on!

Young Adult Author, J. Sterling: The Perfect Game and GIVEAWAYS!

Young Adult Author, J. Sterling: The Perfect Game and GIVEAWAYS!: OH EM GEE!!!!! lovers!  THE PERFECT GAME IS OUT!  RIGHT NOW!  RIGHT F'N NOW!!!!!! http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Game-ebook/dp/B009...

Fall Guy (A Youngblood Book) - Liz Reinhardt

Evan Lennox is going nowhere fast.

She's living with her grandparents after her parents bailed on her, she got kicked out of her posh private school, her ex-boyfriend proved to be the biggest sleaze imaginable, her former best friend is a back-stabber, and her current best friend is stuck in backwoods NJ. To top it all off, one teeny, tiny fire she lit to burn some memories of her ex goes a little out of control and winds up igniting a good piece of a very powerful family's pecan orchard.

Evan lands her pampered behind in court and gets sentenced to community service. Which she knows she deserves. But the hard labor and humiliation may be her undoing.

Until she meets Winchester Youngblood on the site.

Everything about him is tricky, confusing, not at all what it seems, and so sexy, Evan can't resist pulling closer. But every step she takes to get to know him gives her more of a reason to back up and put him as far out of life as she possibly can. Because Winch is one hundred percent complicated, and Evan isn't looking for that. At all. She needs to meet a nice, responsible guy, not share searing kisses with the charming hustler she met after they both got sentenced in court.

But Winch is so much more than what he seems, and Evan finds out that she's falling hard for the guy everyone underestimates and writes off. And Winch realizes that Evan is the one person who's ever challenged him to ask for more out of his life, and her courage inspires him to try to be the person she sees when she looks at him. With every single odd stacked against them, Evan and Winch need to find out whether they have what it takes to fall for each other.

***(If you haven't read the Double Clutch, Junk Miles and Slow Twitch (The Brenna Blixen Novels), and you like to read things in order - you should read those first.  I stopped 6% into this book because I realized it was a spin off and I didn't want to ruin it for myself like I have with other books.  This book could be a stand alone on it's own, but I can't stand not knowing what else is out there!)***

I have read Lengths (probably a couple months ago now) and I have read the Brenna Blixen Novels (just this past weekend) and now I have read Fall Guy and THIS IS MY FAVORITE LIZ REINHARDT BOOK YET!!!! Shhh!! Please don’t tell Jake Kelly… he’s still my favorite boy from her books and I don’t want him to think I’m choosing Winch over him…but I couldn’t put this book down! ;)

Okay, so even though she’s a bit crazy and dramatic, I love Evan Lennox…love her name, love her craziness, even love the fact that she’s not perfect.  Evan is a good person even though she sometimes does bad things, she’s caring, loyal and of course beautiful.  Her downfall is that she probably has some self-esteem issues.  The boys in her past along with her parents have given her a low self-worth that her best friend Brenna (who lives too far away) and her grandparents are trying to help her fix. 

Winchester is what she thinks is another typical bad boy (well at least her typical bad boy), and she figures that must be why she’s attracted to him.  I mean, what else can a guy named after a guy be if not a bad boy? Winch takes loyal to a whole new level when it comes to his family, there isn’t anything or anyone that would stand in the way of him being there for his brothers, sisters or parents – and usually they ask a lot of him.  He is kind of the glue that keeps everything together most days.   

They come from different backgrounds and when they fight it’s like lighter fluid and a match, but the attraction is undeniable and runs deep.  Unfortunately, their families already have other ideas of what type of person they should be with…and it isn’t each other.  Combined with the fact that the way both of them deal with things is to shut it out and not let anyone deep into who they actually are, it’s hard to make anything between them work.  Even though I wanted them to be together and have a HEA, even I was like maybe this just isn’t meant to be.  Maybe it’s too much.   

I like that this book wasn’t a love triangle.  The issues in this book weren’t just another guy or another girl, these issues were about family, and insecurities and whether love really is all you need…is it even more important than your family? It makes you question your own life, is love an Always? Sometimes? or a Never? And then where does family fall? Could you really walk away from the people you have always loved and know that love you for a different kind of love? And if you can’t, where does that leave you? 

I really hope there is more coming from this series…Evan is one of my new favorites!   

 

Slow Twitch (A Brenna Blixen Novel #3) - Liz Reinhardt

Summer scatters three friends, ties them back together, and makes them question who they have been and who they want to be in the future.

Brenna expected to soak up the knowledge of great Irish writers at her summer workshop in Dublin. But there are some things even the best books can't teach you, and a passionate new friend and an old familiar full of surprises challenge Brenna to follow her heart. By the time she's back in the States, she can't wait to throw herself back into Jake's arms and tell him exactly what he means to her.

She puts the brakes on that plan when it becomes clear that Jake may not be ready to shoulder any more. He visits his family's palatial home in the mountains of New York, and is exposed to all the possibilities a life surrounded by his pampered relatives and washed in money would hold for him. But is it possible to accept so much and not change who you are? Jake has to face the reality that changing sometimes means losing things...but how much is he willing to put on the line?

Saxon has been thrust into a life of drudgery and indentured service he never dreamed of after a brush with the law puts him on family-enforced probation. Who would have thought Sussex County's resident bad-ass lay about would fall head-over-heels in love with a girl, an elderly aunt, and a shot at a whole new life. The problem is, he's a Maclean to his marrow, and it's in his blood to be a selfish screw-up. Isn't it?

Brenna, Jake, and Saxon spend one summer growing up, working things out, and doing their best to weather the changes that get thrown their way. But can the love and friendships of one amazing summer last through the ups and downs of the coming years

 

YAY TEAM JAKE!! Thank goodness they got back together in Junk Miles, I don’t know what I would have done with myself if he hadn’t taken her back! *sigh of relief* 

But now Brenna is headed to Ireland for a summer work shop (I swear I will fight her if she cheats on my Jake again!), Jake is headed to spend time with his real family (okay the secret – which wasn’t really much of a secret since Jake already knew- is out), the MacLean’s and Saxon is sent to his own personal hell…working for the summer and living with his great Aunt.  No car, no money, no friends – no fun for Saxon. 

Brenna makes a new friend in Ireland, Evan Lennox, and meets up with an old friend (that isn’t Saxon this time, thank you Liz!).  She learns a lot about people and friendships and works hard trying to make the most of this opportunity.  She is still fiercely in love with Jake and misses him, but still has love and care in her heart for Saxon…it’s just in a different way than the way she loves Jake.  She is really taking this opportunity to grow as a person, and hope that while she is growing up, she is not growing apart from Jake. 

Jake is trying his hand at being a Maclean for the summer.  Since his biological father has reached out to him, Jake is taking the summer off all his hard work to see what life on the other side is like.  The Maclean’s have a lot of money and money can buy you a lot of things.  While Brenna is afraid it might change all the things she loves about Jake, he feels like this is something he has to do, get to know his biological family.  This kind of money buys big houses, boats and not a lot of rules and responsibility.  It brings similar families together and is meant to keep out those they think are beneath them.  This is nothing Jake is used to being a part of, he is usually on the outside.  This is Saxon’s usual playground.  Will spending too much time with these family members and the kids of families like his turn him into someone he isn’t…will he become more like Saxon? 

Saxon is flipping sides too.  He’s going to spend the summer with his great Aunt that used to watch him when he was little.  He’s going to be washing dishes at a diner and being pretty much the low man on the totem pole.  Nothing Saxon is used to…this kind of labor is meant for guys like Jake.  The owners of the diner are scary and scarier and their kids are mostly nice and easy to get along with, except one.  Cadence refers to Saxon simply as “Crackhead” and wants nothing to do with the druggie dish washer…so of course this is the girl that Saxon falls for.  Since he has no car, no friends and nothing else to do, Saxon puts his spare time to good use by fixing up his Aunt’s house and counting down the days til his inheritance comes through at the end of the summer, and of course he wouldn’t be Saxon if he wasn’t thinking about a girl.  (In this book more than the other two Saxon reminded me of Patrick Hayward from The Eden trilogy and The Patrick Chronicles). 

I like Cadence, she’s smart, hardworking and a bit tougher and rougher than Brenna.  But when Jake looks and notices she’s attractive I find myself disliking her too.  I know it was probably meant for us to be able to see why Brenna fell for the two of them, and how you can love someone so entirely but still think other people are attractive…but I don’t care…I didn’t like it!

So much happens in this book it could almost be two books (thankfully Liz didn’t have that idea)! Their separate summers alone could have been a story, and then when they are all back in Jersey (well Saxon is still away but in Jersey), how things have changed and what happens next could have been its own story as well (although they would have been short stories).  I am still finger nail biting (figuratively) over Jake and Brenna!  

I have to say though, I’m still left with a lot of questions so I’m wondering if we are left up to our own devices, or if there are more chapters of their stories on the way?  

I know there is a spin off for Evan Lennox, Fall Guy (which of course I have already started reading because I just can’t not know what happens!) and I’m hoping we get some insight into the lives of Jake & Brenna since Brenna and Evan are friends. 

So Liz Reinhardt, I have a list of questions for you if you are not planning on writing more…but if you are here is just one girl’s opinion….I NEED THEM TO HAVE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER BECAUSE I FREAKIN LOVE JAKE KELLY!!! I’m totally on the Kelly Boat!! Thank you *smiles*

 

 

Junk Miles (A Brenna Blixen Novel #2) - Liz Reinhardt

Brenna Blixen has the perfect boyfriend. He's sweet, sexy, loyal, and sure that Brenna is the best thing that's ever happened to him. But being the perfect girlfriend isn't as easy as Brenna thought it would be, and the pressure that comes with trying to be Jake's everything is beginning to weigh on her. When her mother surprises her with a trip to Paris over winter break, she's torn. She anticipated spending her vacation snuggling with Jake Kelly, ice-skating, drinking cocoa, and relaxing...but what girl in her right mind would turn down a trip to Paris?

Things only get more confusing when she winds up unexpectedly and unavoidably thrown into Saxon Maclean's

Brenna is determined to figure it all out, even if it means making some of the hardest decisions of her entire life. She also learns that every single thing she does has rippling repercussions, some that fill her with total regret. By the time she figures out what her heart truly wants, she realizes that she may not be able to have it after all.

Team Jake is back and I’m still crushing on Jake! *sigh* 

So, we pick up in this book shortly after we have left off and it’s Christmas time.  Brenna’s mom has not so subtly been telling Brenna that she doesn’t want her settling down and getting too serious with one boy, and that one boy would be JAKE KELLY!!! (I’m still booing Brenna’s mom).  So in all her control freakery, she buys her daughter a plane ticket to Paris (a city Brenna has always wanted to see) under the story that it’s for her teaching job at the college.  Okay, so maybe the school is sending them (other professors and their kids as well) but it’s not why they are going, and I’m as sure of it as Brenna! 

Jake is a super supportive boyfriend who never wants Brenna to miss out on any opportunities and fully encourages her to go to Paris and have the best time with her mom.  Unfortunately, what Jake doesn’t know is that his ex-best friend and the other guy Brenna was crushing on, Saxon Maclean (whose mom is also a teacher) is going to be on the trip (in her defense neither did Brenna).   

Let me just say, while I tried to channel my inner sixteen year old, I still didn’t get it.  I mean yes, Saxon is sexy and smart and all that but you have the perfect boyfriend.  He loves you, you love him…why on earth would you mess things up? WHY!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!???????????? Oh Brenna how you frustrated me! 

But consequences of our actions is something Brenna learned to have to deal with and live with because a hottie sweet guy like Jake Kelly is not going to stay single forever just because you decided to see what was really there with Saxon.  And also, what are the effects long term of trying to be with someone like Saxon (especially when you are used to someone like Jake).   

Okay, so I get it, she’s only sixteen and she is going to make mistakes…but I can’t help but feel for my boy Jake! And I can’t say that I don’t blame him for his lack of enthusiasm when Brenna returns to face the music, even if he is going out of his way to make her jealous.   

So with prom season just around the corner, whose arm with Brenna be holding onto? Or will she be holding on to any arm at all?  

And what about that one secret that Saxon told Brenna, it makes all the difference in the world Jake belongs to…will she tell him? Or will she continue to keep it just between her and Saxon? Can she afford to tell him, and risk his reaction? Can she afford not to tell him and have him find out that she lied…again? Ahhhh!!!! 

Liz Reinhardt, you are killing me! I have got to know if Jake & Brenna are going to live happily ever after, but seeing as they are only sixteen and seventeen…I have a feeling I’m not going to find out anytime soon!

 

You do get bonus points for referencing Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas, one of my all-time favorites! :)

 

 

Double Clutch (A Brenna Blixen Novel #1) - Liz Reinhardt

What happens when you fall for the perfect guy...twice...in one day?

Brenna Blixen spent her freshman year homeschooling in Denmark; now that she's back in the States, she's determined to make her sophomore year unforgettable. And by unforgettable, she imagined awesome classes, fun friendships, and maybe a little romance.

What she got was a whole lot of romance, and all at once.

The same day that dark, brooding Saxon Maclean charmed her with his killer good looks and whip-smart wit, Jake Kelly stole her breath away with his heart-wrenching smile and intelligent, thoughtful focus.

But Saxon is a proud player who makes it clear that he doesn't know why he can't get Brenna off of his mind and out of his system, and Jake's sweet and humble attitude hides a secret past life that might be darker and more complex than Brenna is willing to deal with.

Complicating the matter is the fact that Saxon and Jake were once best friends and are now arch-enemies...and the more Brenna finds out about their connection to each other, the more intrigued and worried she becomes.

Between keeping the peace with her lovingly over-protective parents, designing t-shirts for her high school's rising punk band, keeping up her grades in classes split between academic and technical high school, and running the track like a maniac, Brenna has enough to worry about without juggling two guys who make her heart thud and drive her crazy all at once.

She has to make a choice, but how is she supposed to do that when giving her heart to one of them might mean breaking the other's?

 

Kissing someone other than your boyfriend is cheating.

But what about thinking about kissing someone other than your boyfriend?

What about thinking about it a lot?

This is a story of girl meets boy and begins a crush, then girl meets another boy and crushes on him too.  Both boys seem to have an interest in Brenna too, which makes it hard for her to choose. 

First Brenna meets Saxon, smart, smartass, sexy soccer player who is also known as just a player.  He’s dated his way around and isn’t known for settling down with one girl.  There is something about him that interests Brenna (and most girls for that matter).  He’s a bad boy who likes to be the center of attention, and isn’t used to girls telling him no. 

Then Brenna goes to her Tech school for her afternoon classes and meets Jake Kelly! I am sooo TEAM JAKE KELLY!!!! J! A! K! E! JAKE! JAKE!! JAKE!!! Jake is shy, but Brenna easily figures out he’s hardworking, focused and also sweet and sexy. Since he’s in at the tech school (which has a stigma of the kids not being smart…which Jake is) and he’s from the wrong side of the tracks Brenna knows her mom won’t really approve of him (what? My Jake Kelly is good enough for anybody, I don’t care how much money he has or doesn’t have in this case! – Boo Brenna’s mom!).  He’s still got a bit of a bad boy side to him though, he’s a fierce kisser and races motocross.  *sigh Jake*

So it seems like an easy slam dunk to me, but I forget when you are fifteen…nothing is an easy slam dunk. 

It doesn’t help that Jake has a bit of a past that he has to explain to Brenna.  Nor does it help that Saxon is always throwing himself in Brenna’s face, and even her mom’s face (Saxon goes to the “normal” high school and clearly comes from money which makes him more desirable in the eyes of Brenna’s mom – although she thinks getting serious with any boy is a mistake).  It also doesn’t help that these used to be best friends, can’t stand each other at all.  No bro code between enemies right? But even if she chooses one, she doesn’t want to give up the other…so since they don’t get a long how can that work? 

So, Liz Reinhardt…you’ve got me hooked.  I can’t wait to see how this will all unfold (Jake wins right? I won’t be able to contain myself if she chooses Saxon…I know there are two more books and I don’t know if I can handle it).  

 

 

What the Heart Wants(Soulmate Series Book 1) - Kelli McCracken

Do dreams foretell the future? Are there soul connections that go deeper than love?

He can sense her emotions at any place and time. Their bond is powerful but a mystery. One thing he does know: She's plagued his dreams for months. Maybe even longer.

Being involved with a celebrity is the last thing she imagined...or wanted. Can she forget the pain from the past? Can he let go of his fears?

I never realized before Twilight that I was interested in paranormal romance. Actually, I wouldn't have even known that it was an entire genre of story that went beyond Vampires and Werewolves. This book takes the idea of soulmates  and pushes us to think about it in another way.

Heaven is one of three sisters, fraternal triplets, but neither of her sisters can see into her soul like the man of her dreams...literally the man she has been dreaming about. While she can't remember exactly what he looks like, she remembers his eyes, his lips and the way he makes her feel. She is pulled to this dream guy and she doesn't know who he is.

Faith, Hope and Heaven make a trip to LA to visit Heaven's best friend Chelsea, but what they don't know is they are walking into Chelsea's wedding to her famous rock star fiance, Kyle...and with one rock star comes others.

Dylan McBride is the front man of his own band and one of Kyle's best friends and his best man. Dylan (unlike his band mate and friend Layne) is not a typical rock star...he wants to settle down and find the girl of his dreams...literally. He's been dreaming of the same girl, that he's never met for the last six months.

If you like romance, and you like it in a new an interesting way, you will like this story. With a paranormal heart warming twist, these soulmates have found each other and while they have some issues to deal with from their pasts, and certainly some standing in the way of their future they have finally found each other. Now it's just a matter of making it work in the face of the obstacles in their way...including Dylan's best friend Layne who for some reason (insert eye brow raise at Kelli McCracken here) has an issue with Dylan and Heaven...even though he's known about Dylan's dreams and how finding his dream girl has been so important to Dylan.

Layne, you can't break up soulmates! Plus, you have Faith! She at least looks mostly like Heaven...she is just a much bigger bitch!

This book was a little slow in the start for me, but I think it's because you need such a background of not just the main two characters but really how everyone fits together. You just have to keep reading to get there, I don't believe there is anything Kelli could have changed about that because these little pieces need to be put together to understand their love story.

I am truly looking forward to book two to see where the story goes, whether these soulmates can make a life together because according to Dylan's mom, the only thing that can really separate soulmates is death... (Here is my plea to Kelli not to break my heart!)

(On a side note, if you've read previous posts to my blog...Toni...you may recognize Dylan made my original book boyfriends list early in the summer and Hope made my best of the best friends list as well - this book shares some awesome characters!)

Reflected in You: A Crossfire Novel #2 (Bared to You Sequel) - Sylvia Day

Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction... my every desire... mine.

My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We’d never work. It was too hard, too painful... except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity.
 
We were bound by our need. And our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession...


"He was my drug, and I had no desire to kick the habit." - Oh Gideon Cross, how I've missed you. I don't think I realized how much I missed you until I had you back again.  I think I'm already going through withdrawals and December 31st is too far away! 

While we are talking strictly about Gideon, I will say what I wanted from this sequel was a little bit more insight into the man he was.  Where he came from, why he is the way he is...and while is was spread out throughout the entire book a little bit at a time, I did feel more connected to Gideon in this book than I did in the first one.  That's not to say I wasn't frustrated with him at times.  I wanted him to be able to talk to Eva, just tell her what was going on in his head...but it's understandable why that is so difficult for him.  

Eva...poor Eva...she's still dealing with some major trust and insecurities issues.  She's also struggling with the fear of becoming just a trophy wife like her mother...not something she wants.    So the problem is...can they make it work? Can two people who are so fucked up in the head make a relationship work.  Especially when one of the two is closed off from talking about his feelings.  "The simple fact was, Gideon and I were the best and worst things that had ever happened to each other."

This story had a mix of drama (high and low points for all of the characters), it brought back some of Eva's past as well as Gideon's.  It showed us what someone is willing to do for love, even if that's not what the other person wants.  

I can't wait to see how this story all comes together...all I can hope for is a HEA for Eva & Gideon.  Entwined with You can't get here soon enough!

Bouquet Toss - Melissa Brown

Ever since Daphne Harper graduated from college, all of her friends have fallen in love, become engaged and walked down the aisle. Be it a blessing or a curse, Daphne (a hopeless romantic and perpetual single girl) catches the bouquet at every single wedding she attends. 

Daphne’s love life is a mess. Her first love, Mayson, haunts her heart and keeps her from pursuing happiness with any man who comes along. As she struggles to move on from the one who got away, Daphne wonders if she will ever break her curse and find her happily ever after.

The premise of this story is sort of a "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" mixed in with a "one that got away" story.  Of course she is not a bridesmaid in every wedding she attends and catches the bouquet, but it's similar enough.  

Seemingly it's her "one that got away" college boyfriend who broke her heart by breaking up with her.  In five years, she hadn't really let herself be open enough to meet someone new, comparing everyone to Mayson.  Her best friend Elise and her cousin and friend Morgan both think it's time for her to move and constantly try to set her up or get her out there with online dating.  

Just as she's starting to move on and go on some dates (although not stellar dates), Mayson reappears in her life and she's back to square one.  But is Mayson still the same guy he's always been, the guy that broke her heart (and according to her friends probably will again) or was it meant to be this time? 

I really liked the idea of this story.  I thought the dates she was set up on were great, and realistic.  I had a strange desire to watch the muppets when I was done with this book.  

I thought at times the story was, sometimes serious...but what I had trouble with was connecting to the characters.  I liked Daphne, Elise and Morgan.  I even liked Morgan's boyfriend Matt and their friend Evan (I wondered if Evan was the "one" for a while), but I didn't feel as connected to them as I have some other characters in some of my favorite books.  

I never really truly understand the draw to Mayson because I just didn't feel connected to him.  

I liked this story, I just didn't fall head over heels for it.  I had to give it three stars because compared to my four and five star books, I just didn't think it was as good.  I'm still glad I read it.  

I would give her five stars for the cover though.  I absolutely love it.