Side Swiped (Off the Map #2) - Lia Riley

It was only meant to last the summer . . .

Talia Stolfi has seen more than her share of loss in her twenty-one years. But then fate brought her Bran Lockhart, and her dark world was suddenly and spectacularly illuminated. So if being with Bran means leaving her colorless NorCal life for rugged and wild Australia, then that’s what she’ll do. But as much as Talia longs to give herself over completely to a new beginning, the fears of her past are still lurking in the shadows.

Bran Lockhart knows that living without the beautiful girl who stole his heart will be torment, so he’ll take whatever time with her he can. But even though she has packed up her life in California and is back in his arms for the time being, she can’t stay forever. And the remaining time they have together is ticking by way too fast. Though fate seems determined to tear them apart, they won’t give up without a fight—because while time may have limits, their love is infinite . . .

At the end of Upside Down, the first book in the Off the Map series, I was left with a sense of… why not just write a fabulous epilogue and end it here? What is there left to tell.  What I didn’t realize was, in a sense we were going to go back to the beginning.   

In Side Swiped, we spent more time with Talia and Bran as a couple.  When she leaves California this time, on a temporary visa, they are constantly on the run from the impending end date on the visa.  What will they do? How will they be able to stay together? 

We also spend more time with each of them individually and I have to say for me, I really enjoyed Bran more in this book than I did in Upside Down.  In the first book, I really had trouble connecting with both characters, and up until the end of this book, he really started to win me over in this book.  We get to learn more about him and his family and what he wants out of life.  We also learn what he will do when faced with competing priorities.  

On the other hand, I still feel a lack of connection to Talia.  I’m starting to feel like it just might be me though.  Being in a faraway place with a time limit and no answers has triggered a lot of her issues from before Bran…not that OCD ever goes away but in the first book he was the one that soothed her and made her symptoms not as bad.  In this book, they are back and stronger than ever.  

Sometimes this happens to me in the second book though.  It’s hard to live up to the first and it is a pathway to the last… 

Then I read the excerpt to the next book at the end of this one, and that might just be what saved the day for me.  The third book looks like it might be the best one yet.

 

 

Black Lies - Alessandra Torre

 

Brant:
Became a tech billionaire by his twentieth birthday. Has been in a relationship with me for 3 years.
Has proposed 4 times. Been rejected 4 times.

Lee:
Cuts grass when he’s not banging housewives. Good with his hands, his mouth, and his cock. Has been pursued relentlessly by me for almost 2 years, whether he knows it or not.

Go ahead. Judge me. You have no idea what my love entails.

If you think you’ve heard this story before, trust me – you haven’t. 

 

 

Ummm…. I think it’s possible that I am broken.  Before you readthis review, I will acknowledge the fact that many, many people absolutely adored this book.  Most of my friends have given it 5 stars wishing they could give it more.  For me, I just never had buy in. 

Part of that was that I just couldn’t connect with Layana.  She grew up feeling stifled under the weight of her parents and their expectations as she came from a well off family.  She was to go to the best schools, and meet and marry the best kind of man and spend her life dedicating it to her family and a charity.  She’s so upset by this and wants  to go outside of what is expected of her that she gets a degree from a great university and then *gasp* gets a job…the horror.  She holds out at said job until her trust fund kicks in where she promptly leaves her job and then dedicates her time to a charity a few days a week…so other than not getting married, what exactly are you fighting against? 

So for me, from the beginning I couldn’t connect with her.   

From there, I just had a hard time with the story.  There isn’t one specific thing…it was the lack of connection, the bouncing from first to third person in Brant’s head to first person in Layana to first person in Brant to Jillian and so on, it was hard to feel connected for me.  (That is a personal quirk, I have to love both characters to love a dual POV…and any more than two and I start to get unhappy).

 

The story wasn't always easy to follow because at some point even the main character knows the secret but it is still being kept from the reader and it's just frustrating...I've spent more time trying to get through reading this book and writing this review than any other book I've ever read. 

Here’s my other issue, I was pretty sure I knew what the big secret was…and I was right.  I tried to talk myself out of it, told myself it couldn’t be…but it was.  The clues were there and I followed them.  But I think Torre waited too long to reveal the secret to the point where I almost didn’t care what it was anymore.  When you have to have your friends talk you into continuing to read a story…it just loses something. 

All that being said, I am in the absolute minority of this.  Everyone else I know fell in love with this book.  It is not your typical romance…and when she says you think you’ve heard this story but you haven’t – she’s right.  But in the broken minority here, it just didn’t work for me.

 

 

Scratch - Rhonda Helms

The most painful scars are the ones you never see. In her DJ booth at a Cleveland dance club, Casey feels a sense of connection that's the closest she ever gets to normal. On her college campus, she's reserved, practical-all too aware of the disaster that can result when you trust the wrong person. But inexplicably, Daniel refuses to pay attention to the walls she's put up. Like Casey, he's a senior. In every other way, he's her opposite. Sexy, open, effortlessly charming, Daniel is willing to take chances and show his feelings. For some reason Casey can't fathom, he's intent on drawing her out of her bubble and back into a world that's messy and unpredictable. He doesn't know about the deep scars that pucker her stomach - or the deeper secret behind them. Since the violent night when everything changed, Casey has never let anyone get close enough to hurt her again. Now, she might be tempted to try.

Okay, the premise of this story really caught my attention, I mean - how often do we get to go behind the scenes with a deejay? I was really excited to see the club world through the eyes of someone who was so passionate about music.  

I knew that Casey was holding something back, she had a secret but I thought as the story unfolded and we learned everything about her, I would like her even more.  

Unfortunately, the connection never really happened for me.  I felt more like when I watch the news on tv and something bad happens.  It's sad, you feel bad...you have twinge of guilt for feeling happy that it wasn't anyone you knew, but that was it for me.  I never really FELT what Casey was feeling.  

Not that the tragedies are the same, but if you take for example, This is Falling by Ginger Scott it's a similar plot in that we know something happens but we don't quite know what it is...however in that story I felt what she felt.  It tore at my heart and made me feel.  

This story had potential but didn't quite live up to it like I had hoped. 


On the plus side, it was a quick read so if you think it might interest you, I'd say go ahead and give it a try.  There will be plenty of people who really like this story, but for me it was just missing enough story.  

**ARC provided via Net Galley**

Remember When (Remember Trilogy #1) - T. Torrest

Years before Trip Wiley could be seen on movie screens all over the world, he could be seen sitting in the desk behind me in my high school English class.

This was back in 1990, and I cite the year only to avoid dumbfounding you when references to big hair or stretch pants are mentioned. Although, come to think of it, I am from New Jersey, which may serve as explanation enough. We were teenagers then, way back in a time before anyone could even dream he’d turn into the Hollywood commodity that he is today.

In case you live under a rock and don't know who Trip Wiley is, just know that these days, he’s the actor found at the top of every casting director’s wish list. He’s incredibly talented and insanely gorgeous, the combination of which has made him very rich, very famous and very desirable.

And not just to casting directors, either.

I can’t confirm any of the gossip from his early years out in Tinseltown, but based on what I knew of his life before he was famous, I can tell you that the idea of Girls-Throwing-Themselves-At-Trip is not a new concept.

I should know. I was one of them.

And my life hasn’t been the same since.

**Remember When is the first book in an NA romantic comedy trilogy, but there is NO CLIFFHANGER. It is intended for mature teen readers and immature adult ones due to some high school sex scenes, underage drinking, questionable language and 1980s flashbacks.**

*Ducking and hiding from all my friends who LOVED this story*

Okay so there were some things I absolutely did love about Remember When by T. Torrest. I loved the late 80's early 90's references. While Layla and Trip were a few years older than I was, I definitely remembered a lot of the things they talked about...and the fact that they grew up in North Jersey - just a hop, skip, jump and a couple inches of big hair away from my hometown in New York made a lot of it very relevant to me. 

I mostly loved reading this story from Layla's POV. The things she went through as a high school girl, while I couldn't necessarily relate to all of them, I felt like I could find my inner high school girl in most of it. 

Every high school has it's Trip...not necessarily the hot guy turned Hollywood super star, but that unattainable hot guy that you just drool after. I too (with friends), would peek out the window at the hot guy a couple years old than us when he was mowing the lawn across the street on Saturday mornings...so when she would creepy stalk Trip running through her neighborhood - I actually laughed along picture us all sitting at the window literally watching grass get cut. 

Trip was a typically high hot boy. He was lovable from Layla's POV and I couldn't wait to see how it would all play out.

There were times (*ducks now*) that I did feel parts of the story were drawn out and I found myself skimming through to get to the next important plot point. I wanted the next pieces of witty banter, or the next trip down my own memory lane - but sometimes the story itself wasn't enough to hold my attention. Before you chop my head off (or my fingers for typing it), I am well aware that I am in a minority here. 

However, I would say the humor, the memories, the fun of it was totally worth the read. I would totally recommend it to these girls that grew up in the 80's and graduated high school in the 90's that will remember all the references Torrest reminds us of. To my Jersey girls...this one is definitely for you.

**Copy provided by Net Galley**

***Side note - when reading reviews for the next book I read the spoiler for not just book 2 but book 3 as well.  I recommend if you are going to read this book, and plan to read them all - stay away from reviews until you are done with all three books.**

Right Kind of Wrong (Finding Fate #3) - Chelsea Fine

Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie.

Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

First we met Levi & Pixie, their story has a little bit of a YA feel to it, in my opinion but for a first go at a different type of writing, I could see there was a lot of potential for what was to come. 

In the second book of the Finding Fate series, we join Kayla and Daren on their adventure. I really enjoyed that book and felt Chelsea Fine had really found her way of telling an NA story. The one thing that I thought was really missing was one more current chapter or an epilogue. (This was my favorite book in the series) 

All three of the books in the Finding Fate series intersect at different points, so they are all really being told at the same time. 

On this third leg of the journey we are road-tripping with Pixie's roommate Jenna and her friend Jack. Jack is yummy! Sexy and confident... 

"...the sound of Jack's voice poured into my ears and dripped down my spine, melting me one syllable at a time." 

You definitely got that feel for him as the story was told. 

This book definitely upped the mark on language and sexy talk, so there is no mistaking it for YA...but (don't shoot me!) Jenna annoyed the hell out of me. 

I read the story because I loved Jack. There was enough drama with his family that I didn't think it needed to be as over the top in Jenna drama. She wanted to be so fiercely independent but indecisive that it made me want to scream at times. 

Jack was steady though, and even seeing the different sides of him - there wasn't a side I couldn't get behind. 

One of the things this story did have though, were GREAT love quotes from Jack and Jenna's family and Pixie's Aunt Ellen...

"Love isn't an obedient whim. It's an unruly force. And it answers to no one." - so true!

"Choosing to love a man, and letting that man love you back, is the most independent thing a girl can do for herself. No independent person is truly successful on their own." Go Aunt Ellen!

This story comes full circle with the others and ends in the same place...and again I'd say I needed a little bit more at that point. An extra chapter or an epilogue...I just needed a little more to pull me past the finish line. 

(Come and) Get Me (The Keatyn Chronicles #6) - Jillian Dodd

Will Keatyn get her life back?
And if she does, which life will she choose?

This is the 6th and final book in the series.

<--- Sucker for the original covers!! :)

Before I started this last book, I went back and read my reviews for the previous books just to see where my head was at for each one.  Here’s what I found, I fell in love with Cush in the first book.  Head over heels and completely and totally – until she went to Eastbrooke. 

I had a little love for a certain Hottie God, but he drove me crazy so then I totally fell completely, worshiping in love with Dawson and I pretty much stayed that way until I heard he wasn’t even originally supposed to be in the books AND Jillian had written the end in the beginning – she already knew who Keatyn was going to wind up with…that was a bummer.   

After I let Dawson go, and realized that Damian was pretty much Riley’s equivalent in her early life, I was down to the same two choices that every other female loving these books was down to; A or B… Aiden or Brooklyn.  And reading back through, it was easy for me to pick a team because after I let Dawson go after Date Me (and the bad news) there was only one other guy I ever let have a little piece of my heart (I was starting to feel it was getting broken more than not).  But then I read Adore Me and it was over – while I still wanted to love Dawson, and I still do… I truly believed Aiden was the one for our Keats.  I just never felt a connection to B…but here was the problem with that – Keatyn did AND Jillian kept saying everything would come full circle. 

I was nervous starting this book.  Between wondering where/when Vincent would pop up, who was going to get hurt, who was going to survive – I was petrified.  And so it began… 

OBVIOUSLY, I can’t tell you who Moon Boy is…  

So here’s what I can tell you.  Jillian Dodd found a way throughout this whole series to make you want to read this guilty pleasure, Gossip Girls meets Mean Girls meets 90210 series.  I don’t even feel bad that I’m in my 30’s reading about a 17 year old and her friends.   

While this probably wasn’t my favorite installment of the series, it was definitely a must-read! I read it all in one night – I had to know who Moon Boy was and Jillian is a storyteller.   

My Loves:

The way the story is mostly told…I always devour a KC book
Tommy, Cooper, Riley – I loved them all in this book

Not so loves:

Not enough time with certain characters – it was the last book and I wanted more of some of them buuuttt I can’t tell you who L

The switching in the last few chapters – when you read it, you’ll know what I mean

The way it all wraps up – but not because of her choice.  Again, you’ll just have to read it. 

What I can say is Jillian absolutely told the truth, the book will come full circle.  You’ll just have to jump on the train for the ride through the Chaos.   

Good luck on your journey, may fate, luck and chaos – and lots of hot kisses, be with you!

Bridge Over the Atlantic & Bridge of Hope - Lisa J. Hobman

 

Mallory Westerman is a full-figured, successful, young business woman living in Yorkshire, England. Though very career minded, she is extremely self-conscious about her ample curves and so her love life tends to pay the price. Concentrating solely on her business, she has almost given up on finding someone to love. That is until she literally trips into the arms of a stranger who becomes her Knight in shining armour. The immediate sexual and romantic spark that blossoms into love and the events that follow, irrevocably change Mallory’s life-path and self-image forever, but only go to prove that the road to true love is never smooth and that things don’t always turn out how you expect…

 

COMPANION NOVEL TO BRIDGE OVER THE ATLANTIC
Love is like a snowflake; beautiful but fleeting in its presence…
I’ve been in love. But I’ve also been lied to, betrayed by those closest to me and I’ve suffered loss. Sadly it’s those last three things that stick with me the most. The only real constants in my life are music, Angus my dog and Rhiannon; my guitar.
But things changed when she walked into my place of work. All blue eyes, curves and a warmth that could melt even my hardened heart. I was taken over by feelings that I didn’t expect so soon. Guilt plagued me and I took my anger out on her.
On Mallory.
But I fell fast and hard and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she too became the victim of heartbreak I was the only one who understood her pain but I was the last person she wanted help from.
Would I ever convince her that we could be friends? And would I ever accept that she couldn’t love me back?

Okay, so I am an idiot! - At least I can admit it right? 

Anyway…here’s why I am an idiot…today.  I was looking on Net Galley, trying to find the next great read and saw the above blurb for Bridge of Hope and thought, well now that sounds interesting.  I loved the cover of the guy playing guitar and said – okay let’s give this one a try.  I completely and totally missed the little blue box off to the side that said “THIS IS A COMPANION NOVEL YOU IDIOT – DON’T REQUEST THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK IT GOES WITH!” Okay, so maybe it didn’t exactly say that but it was something to that effect.  But when I went on Goodreads to add the book, I saw in big bold letters COMPANION NOVEL – and thought, well that’s no good – I’ve got to read the original book first and off to Amazon I went. 

So, this review will sort of be a review of both books since I read them together.   

Bridge of the Atlantic for me was a cute fun story…in the beginning.  I loved Sam and Mallory, and honestly thought how cute these two found each other and she literally falls in love with him.  He was such the perfect guy and I was like, sweet I can’t wait to stay tuned for this happily ever after.  (Also wondering why this seemed like a completely different story than the blurb I read for Bridge of  Hope – ummm, yeah) 

Then, this book became a train wreck because as soon as the chain of events started I KNEW what was going to happen, but I couldn’t look away.  I watched the story unfold and my heart was ripped out of my chest and pounced on.  I cried, literally big drop, sad tears.  And I fell apart. 

For a while after that I had a hard time pulling it together.  I struggled, not with the writing at all, I think this writer is a great story teller, but it was more the story itself.  I was still not over it.  Honestly, after all is said and done – I’m still not sure I’m over it.  I’ve accepted it, but my heart still hurts.   

And then we learn Greg’s story and damn if my heart didn’t break just a little bit more.  Holy hell, how do two people like this find each other to lean on when their lives have completely and totally fallen apart. 

The journey for me was a struggle.  But in the end I was happy to have taken the trip.  Now, that’s not to mean sometimes I didn’t want to shake the hell out of both of these characters – but to me, that’s just a testament to how invested I was in the story. 

Greg’s story, Bridge of Hope, it completed me.  I think I needed it.  Reading them back to back like I did, almost made me wish the first book had been dual POV, because I wonder if I would have struggled as much if I had been able to know all of what was going on in his mind.  What was going on in his beautiful, broken heart.  For such a self-proclaimed grumpy arse…the love he had for Mairi and the way his heart became open again – I wanted to reach into the story and hug him tight.   

The only negative I would have is the present/past back and forth.  Once the incident occurs, I didn’t want to go back in time with Sam and Mallory anymore.  It was too hard and I knew it wouldn’t lead me to anywhere good.  My wish was that we had gotten through all their past/present stuff earlier in the novel so I didn’t have to suffer as long.  And then I could have focused on moving forward and the future without being dragged back through the hurt.  But, that was me!  

All that being said I think Hobman did a beautiful job telling these heart-wrenching stories because the truth is, she didn’t just tell one story.  She told both in BotA and gave us more details in BoH.  If you read and love BotA, you absolutely have to read Greg’s story.  It’s a MUST!

This is Falling - Ginger Scott

 

First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

And then I met Nate Preeter.

An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall. 

Okay, first I just need to say before a month and a half ago, I had never heard of Ginger Scott.  I know, but it’s true.  Until I saw the blurb on NetGalley for How We Deal With Gravity, I didn’t know she existed.  Gravity was not her first book, but it’s the first book I read.  It pulled at me, so I did what any normal obsessive book reader would do… I cyber stalked her.  I liked her Facebook page and started following her on twitter, all the while still thinking – who is this Ginger Scott lady? 

So there I am trolling NetGalley for my next read, it’s really hit or miss lately and I see This is Falling, by Ginger Scott and thought to myself – heck yeah! So, I request the book and wait (not so) patiently to see if they’ll approve me… and they did…and I fell.   

This is Falling is another work of blending a serious situation with a beautiful story.  You almost forget how terribly tragic what happened to her is because you are so focused on how she’s getting through her day to day now…and I’ll be honest, I was completely smitten with Nate and he was very distracting!  

Rowe is a beautifully broken girl who has been drowning for over two years.  She’s lived at home, been homeschooled and barely spoken except to a hand full of people in all that time.  She’s been through something no child should ever go through, and unfortunately there is no rhyme or reason that makes her tragedy make sense…to anyone.  There were times I did get frustrated with her character, the naivety, the back and forth, the inability to just move forward…but then I have never been through what Rowe had been through.  I don’t know where I would be, or if I’d have ever been able to  leave my room after.   

Nate is the boy you want to believe exists when you are young.  He’s honestly perfect.  He really is the All-American, boy next door, take home and introduce to your parents, but still funny, sexy, charming – ok, now I’m gushing.  He’s witty and persistent and I loved that about Nate.  Most guys wouldn’t have even noticed Rowe, except maybe in passing but he saw her and knew she was worth it.  But more importantly, he kept trying.   

Something about his existence challenges Rowe to fight harder, swim stronger, trying to reach the break and pull herself to safety.  And he makes you want that too just as much for him as you want it for Rowe.   

This book is told in the dual POV, which is always hit or miss for me.  Sometimes that back and forth can be distracting, especially like in this case where the back and forth can happen in the same chapter…but Scott nailed it.  I was so sucked into the story, I didn’t even notice.  Their voices were different, but not distractingly so.  It just made the story…more.   

If I had one criticism (I know, I know but I can’t help myself sometimes) …it would be that I felt like I could have used a little more at the end.  I know there is another story in the series, and I’m sure that we will see Rowe and Nate even though the story is Ty and Cass (secondary characters in this story – but totally loveable), but I just felt like I wasn’t quite done with these two and needed a little more.  For me, I think it would have pushed the book from 4.5 to 5 solid stars.   

Either way, I loved the story.  So, Ginger Scott…this is me, and I have fallen.

 

 

Upside Down (Off the Map #1) - Lia Riley

 If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart 

Where to start, where to start? Yes, the beginning. 

Natalia ‘Talia’ Stolfi is heading to the land down under (yes, I am singing the song in my head).  This exchange student trip is in part to get out from under the cloud of despair she’s been living with for over a year since her older sister, Pippa died in a tragic accident.  Her best friends have put her on no contact island so that she must live in the moment while she is away.  Her therapist doesn’t believe it’s the best plan for her, since in addition to the grief that she is dealing with, she’s also dealing with her OCD.  She’s trying to keep herself under control with medication but the doctor truly believes she needs therapy in conjunction with the meds and won’t be able to do that if she leaves…but as we know from the blurb - away she goes.  Oh, and the best part is – they are all (friends, family, etc.) in denial that she even has any OCD issues. 

While in Melbourne, Talia steps out of her comfort zone and makes friends with another exchange student that lives in her building and a local hottie named Jazza (not too much going on upstairs but he seems to be nice enough and hot enough), what happens in Australia… except he’s not really doing much for her in the tingly way.  He’s just there.   

Jazza has an unexpected, rough around the edges, skinny but hot in his own way friend - Insert a *insta-attraction* circa something like J. Sterling would write.  You know, girl looks across the room, sees boy and already starts to feel things she’s never felt before.  (You have to be okay with that type of romance because otherwise it won’t work for you.  You just have to go with it.) 

Brandon ‘Bran’ Lockheart is also mending a broken heart.  He had a rough year, comes from a family that just doesn’t understand his way of thinking and well, I can’t tell you the rest of what he’s gone through because that would be a *spoiler.* I didn’t like him at first, but then you notice that Bran notices everything.  He sees her better than she sees herself and then you kind of want to see him not be such a jerk.  You hope that things work themselves out for these two broken souls.   

There were times when I wanted to throw things at both of them.  Talia, because she comes off as a little younger than she’s supposed to be, a bit immature and she definitely suffers from runaway syndrome.  Bran because he just can’t see past the things that have gone wrong to see that they could in fact go right if he is willing to take a chance.  And because, sometimes he is just a jerk. 

For me personally, I had a hard time connecting to the characters individually and even together.  Even though he wasn’t, Bran seemed so much older than Talia that I had a hard time figuring out why they would want to be together other than the physical relationship.  I think I needed a little more from them to really buy in.  It wasn’t the insta-attraction, it was more like the, why? 

Of course the last few chapters, everything inevitably blows up as it always will in these stories, seemed a bit rushed to me.  Since books two and three will also be about the same characters, I didn’t think there was a need to rush it and that’s how I felt – like we sort of rushed through the end.  I was kinda like, ‘hold up, wait? What just happened?’ I think I needed a little more. 

Instead of an epilogue the beginning of the next book is at the end, and to be honest that just left me with more questions than answers.  Will I read book 2? Probably, mostly because I’m interested to see how this story will turn into a three book series.

 

 

Reckless - Priscilla West

Everything about him warned me to stay away.

I’d seen bad boys before, but he had it all and more. The rippling muscles covered in tatts, the piercing eyes hiding dark secrets, the silky voice that could make a girl come with just a whisper . . .

He was exactly the type of guy that would get me in trouble, but when he jumped off the stage, inked skin glistening with sweat and breathed his seductive words into my ear, I couldn’t resist the temptation.

It was supposed to be the best one-night stand of my life, but fate didn’t let it play out that way. Things happened. I got upset. I got hasty. And worst of all, I got reckless.

After that disaster, I thought it was the last I’d see of him. But what I didn’t know was that I’d started something.

Something that could shatter the very thing I had worked so hard to protect.

I should have known back then that the most seductive things in life are also the most dangerous.
——————————
Reckless - Book One of Two
Reckless 2- Book Two of Two (Coming Fall 2014)

I was truly torn as to how to review this book.  On the one hand, short of the first few chapters and the last few chapters, I enjoyed the flow of this book.  The story was easy to follow and the writer did a good job of keeping us in the point of view of the main character which was how the story was told. 

On the other hand, Riley annoyed the crap out of me.  I could see how West was trying to write her as strong and independent, but even when she was trying to convey that, I found Riley to be annoying and whiney.  But like with most of these types of stories, I did enjoy Jax.  And while he was a little over the top at times, I found more often than not that finding out his story was what kept me reading. 

Another thing that literally caused me to eye roll in the story was the blatant use of pop culture under different names, “Lady Dada” – really? I’m an all in or all out kind of girl.  Either find a way to use her real name (I’ve read plenty of books that reference real people, or name the character something else entirely and explain to me who she/they are – Lady Dada was just too much for me.)

As with all of these good girl, bad boy stories we have the push and pull of “I should stay away from him but I just can’t” type scenarios, and really I’m good with that if the story is good enough and in some ways this one was.   

The last thing I didn’t like was the random chapter toward the end of another POV in the third person.  Again, it’s me personally but I hate mixed persons – First person – awesome, love it.  Third person – not my favorite but sometimes necessary – the mix – turn off for me. 

But like all things, that’s just my opinion.  I think this book is worth the read, and I’m sure I’ll read the sequel in the Fall, just to see what happens.  There is a bit of a cliff hanger at the end, but nothing that I think should stop anyone from reading and waiting for the next book. 

 

**ARC provided via Net Galley**

 

Broken (Redemption #1) - Lauren Layne

Lauren Layne’s New Adult novel tells the story of a girl with secrets, a guy with scars, and a love that could save them both... or destroy them.

When Olivia Middleton abandons the glamour of Park Avenue for a remote, coastal town in Maine, everyone assumes she’s being the kind do-gooder she’s always been. But Olivia has a secret: helping an injured war veteran reenter society isn’t about charity—it’s about penance. Only, Olivia’s client isn’t the grateful elderly man she’s expecting. Instead, he’s a brooding twenty-four-year-old who has no intention of being Olivia’s path to redemption . . . and whose smoldering gaze and forbidden touch might be her undoing.

Paul Langdon doesn’t need a mirror to show him he’s no longer the hotshot quarterback he was before the war. He knows he’s ugly—inside and out. He’ll do anything to stay in self-imposed exile, even accept his father’s ultimatum that Paul tolerate the newest caretaker for three months or lose his inheritance. But Paul doesn’t count on the beautiful twenty-two-year-old who makes him long for things that he can never have. And the more she slips past his defenses, the more keeping his distance is impossible.

Now Paul and Olivia have to decide: Will they help each other heal? Or are they forever broken?

3.75 stars

If I judged this book by it's cover - I'd have loved it. 

If I judged this book by it's first chapter - I would never have finished it.

Good thing, I'm not that type of reader!

The first chapter presents us with a sad little rich girl who is living in NYC with her parents. It reminded me much of Sophie in Vain by Fisher Amelie. I couldn't stand her in the first chapter of her book either, and it was that...knowing I came to love her that had me continuing. 

While I didn't feel bad for Olivia in this book in the first chapter, I came to really enjoy her growth throughout this story. It's what I look for in a main character. Yeah, maybe in the beginning she wasn't perfect, she'd made a mistake, but I got to see her change and develop and learn to forgive herself. 

Paul is broken, mentally, physically, just all around broken. He's angry, bitter and takes it out on everyone around him. But unlike with Olivia, you can actually understand why he is that way...to a point.

I loved the chemistry between Olivia and Paul. I loved their interactions and what they drew out of each other. I got caught up in the story line and couldn't put it down. Layne did a great job in keeping me interested.

I think what was missing for me was the something in the end. I needed a little bit more. I know, it sounds selfish - but without telling you what happens, I can't explain it. I think though, an epilogue would have really finished this off nicely for me pushing it definitely into 4 stars. All that said, I'd definitely recommend the book and read another by Layne again.

**ARC provided via NetGalley**

Her Best Shot - Shannyn Schroeder

With college graduation looming, three childhood friends vow to make spring break their last blast of pure fun. But at least one of them didn’t count on such incredible heat… 

Layla Sharpe is definitely more math ninja than bikini babe, and her future has been calculated with razor precision. Convinced to let loose over spring break, Layla is finally ready to party—until her car breaks down halfway to her destination, leaving her stranded in Georgia with a mouthwateringly hot pool shark. She knows more than enough about angles to learn the game, but this week she wants him to appreciate her curves… 

Phin Marks has never met a girl like Layla. She’s more Star Wars geek than seductress, and when he offers her a place to stay while her car is in the shop, he’s counting on the attraction between them to set the nights ablaze, no strings attached. But every moment he spends with Layla makes it harder to let her go. Can he persuade her to gamble in the most dangerous way possible…on forever?

I recognize by the other reviews that I'm in the minority here giving this book three stars, but I have to go with my gut on this one. I had a hard time in the beginning of this book. It just felt a little flat to me. I will be honest and say I do usually prefer books told in the first person but the third person in the beginning of this book was not just a lack of preference, for me it was just awkward. I also felt like I needed more, it just felt a little flat. I was even beginning to consider a DNF - I'm glad I didn't though. At about 37% into the book, once her car had already broken down and we had already met Phin, the book did seem to pick up. I enjoyed learning about Phin's background and I even seemed to ease better into the third person (though I still think first person dual POV might have worked better). If you are the kind of person who can get on board with an instant connection and likes a quick, sweet read - this may be the book for you. For me, while I was happy once the book picked up, I felt like it also ended too quickly. Just when I thought things were going well, it was over! To be complete, I needed something more. Maybe we'll see these characters again in the next books of the series (which follow other characters) but I would have liked an epilogue or something to close it out. **ARC provided by Net Galley*