ARC Book #Review: Boy In Luv (In Luv Duet # 2) by Jay Crownover & Rebecca Yarros

Book Title: Boy In Luv ( In Luv Duet)
Author:  Jay Crownover |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Author: Rebecca Yarros |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: Jay Crownover LLC

Genre: New Adult Romance

Series/Standalone: Book 2
Format: ebook, Trade paperback

Cost: $Free w/ Kindle Unlimited. 

Pages: 195

How I got it: ARC From Author

Purchase: Amazon |
Publication Date: October 21, 2019
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Distance sure as hell made his heart grow fonder… But it shattered hers into a million pieces.

Langley Vaughn knows she's never going to make the same mistake again.

Who falls head over heels in love in a week? Langley did, and she's regretted it every day since she handed her heart to a boy with too many secrets and too much baggage. Iker doesn't fit into Langley's world, and he made it clear he doesn't want to. He left before she even got a chance to try and change his mind or to prove to him how good they could be together. Langley's spent the last nine months healing her heart and making big plans for the future. Plans that absolutely don't include Iker… even though he's back, looking better than ever, and saying all the right things.

Iker Alvarez knows he made the biggest mistake of his life.

At first, the pretty blonde in the red dress was nothing more than a means to an end. But, she quickly became so much more. As soon as Iker walked away from Langley, claiming it was for her own good, he knew he screwed up. He left her so she wouldn't worry about him when he deployed, so she wouldn't waste her time waiting around for a guy who was never going to be good enough for her. Only, nine months and a deployment later, Iker still can't get Langley out of his head… and he totally underestimated the hold she has on his hardened heart. He's a guy who's not sure how love should work, or how to go about winning his girl back…he's about to get a crash course in both.

This one picks up right where Girl In Luv left off. It's been a few months since Iker made his move and since that fateful weekend, now he's been rotated home from his assignment overseas and he had realized his mistake in making the choice for them but will Langley???

As this story picks up a few months after the events of Girl in Luv and is being told mainly from Iker's POV.   We learn that pushing people away is a special skill of his.  Learning to navigate this world with Langley in it but not really in it, is hard for him. He realized too late that he was being very much like the people in her life in making the decision for her instead of with her. When he gets back Langley has shown that she's moved on and the news devastates Iker. He's proud of all her recent accomplishments bit when he realizes one of the decisions she's made without him means leaving him behind he's willing to fight to get what he wants.  Hr's not sure how to do this as he's never been in love before and he wants to protect her as he plans to remain in the military and he's always believed it to be too much to ask someone to wait for you.

Langley was devastated the morning after the wedding and finding that letter. She's pushed her way through her studies and is graduating. She's found herself the perfect opportunity to use her degree and it takes her away from town and from all the memories, except now Iker is here and she doesn't know how to navigate this space. She's always been open and trusting and Iker's betrayal showed her she shouldn't trust as easily even if Iker is giving her everything she had wished for, it's too late or is it??

It's funny to see the roles reversed here, int he first one it was Iker with a secret and now it's Langley. I loved that even though she missed him, she moved on, she made some changes and focused in on school. While her time with Iker had been brief he had made some lasting impressions on her. I loved that Langley was such a badass like she didn't breakdown, she just kept going despite the blow he'd dealt her.  I loved that her life was just as full as before and she's made changes that enhance it even more. I enjoyed the back and forth between them and the way in which Iker tries to regain the ground he lost when he made his decision in book 1.

I loved seeing his family in here and learning more about him and the people he'd been willing to date a stranger for.  Due to his family history, Iker isn't used to relying on others, he's always been the one to step up and to be vulnerable with Langley lets him learn about the gaps he'd created with his family. I enjoyed seeing both sides of their families, especially Langley's. The changes form book 1 were pretty good and even if it for me it's eff them bitches for life, I'm glad that there was a good resolution to it.  I loved the tension and how it's eventually resolved because for me it was touch and go there for a few. I didn't know if Iker was going to make it.

There is so much I want to gush about but I don't want to spoil you. Definitely read it and come back my loves so we can talk about it. It's a fantastic romance that talks about so many real things without trying too hard and becoming bogged down. It's a well done interracial romance that doesn't *other* the person of color and finds ways to wind his culture in without it being a glaring 'see we have a person of color in here'.  I loved when they talked about the differences between them from culture to socio-economic classes and how it affected them personally and as a couple. I loved that Iker was career military so that would impact who they became and what they could do.  And that it was a part of the tension in the relationship. It was well done and I loved the discussions they had to have because of it. Of course, it's not a Jay Corwonover romance if the sexual tension doesn't leap off the page and singe you when they are together.  Smoking hot tatted man and just to die for sex scenes?? It's the Crownover brand and I loved every second of it.

 ★★★★☆ 

Series In Order

• Girl In Luv  # 1
• Boy In Luv # 2

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Monica Murphy's One Week Girlfriend
• Monica Murphy's Second Chance Boyfriend

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review: Girl In Luv (In Luv Duet) by Jay Crownover & Rebecca Yarros

Book Title: Girl In Luv ( In Luv Duet)
Author:  Jay Crownover |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Author: Rebecca Yarros |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: Jay Crownover LLC

Genre: New Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: ebook, paperback

Cost: $8.50/ Free on Kindle Unlimited 

Pages: 203

How I got it: Author for Blog Tour

Purchase: Amazon |
Publication Date: October 20th, 2019
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Langley Vaughn is in desperate need of a date.

But not just any date.
She’s looking for a date to the wedding from hell. It isn’t every day you’re forced to be in the bridal party while your first love marries your arch nemesis… otherwise known as the world’s worst stepsister. The entire situation is a nightmare, and Langley is sick and tired of taking orders and forcing a fake smile. She’s done being the bad guy when she was the one who was wronged.

She needs to find a date who’s not afraid of her family’s money and someone who is willing to shake things up. She needs someone outside of her normal social circle, someone ready to go to war with the well-to-do. She needs someone who won’t back down. Someone willing to play the complicated game of tug of war she’s been engaged in with her family for years.

Never in a million years did she think she was going to stumble across her very own heroic heartthrob when she set her crazy plan in motion.

Not only does Iker show up for her time and time again, he also forced her to finally fight for herself.

He says he’s only there for the money… but his actions speak so much louder than his words.


Iker Alvarez would do anything and everything to get his hands on some quick cash.

Not just any cash, but enough to make sure his younger brother gets into the college of his dreams.

Thank goodness for a desperate, pretty little rich girl with too much money and her heart set on an outrageous scheme. Being in the right place at the right time might just be the answer to both of their prayers — and this smart soldier has never let a golden opportunity slide by.

Iker doesn’t mind coming to Langley’s rescue and being her plus-one… as long as the price is right.

Only, he didn’t plan on liking the blonde socialite as much as he does. He is totally unprepared for the pull he feels toward her, coupled with his growing desire to protect her from the vultures and villains living under the same roof.

He wants to be the guy who keeps her safe and gives her the courage to fight back that she obviously needs… But someone else, someone far more powerful and influential than Langley’s wealthy family, has dibs on Iker’s time and on his future. He knows he isn’t the guy Langley can count on in the long run, but damn if he doesn’t want to do everything in his power to be that man.

I absolutely loved this romance. Written with these two amazing authors it was an emotional ride that was also fun, funny, sexy and all kinds of crazy.  it's an unconventional love story that moves you while making you cry, yell at the protags and want so much for them to really say what's on their hearts instead of doing stupid face saving things UGH!!!!

Langley comes from a family with money, but her mother passed away years ago and when her father grieved she almost lost him as well. When her father meets a woman who seems to make him want to live she's so grateful she ignores that the woman isn't nice to her, but it's been years and the stepmother makes Cruella Deville seem tame, she and her daughter are horrid, selfish, self centered and honestly the worst of what women can become.  So much so that her stepsister stole her boyfriend and now they are engaged to be married and she's being forced to be part of the wedding to please her stepmother.  Listen, I immediately wanted to pop that woman in the mouth, You trying me and I ain't the one. Langley is the nicest person because the hell I would be in this at all.

Given the circumstances Langley hatches a plan to find someone to ruin her stepmother's plan to humiliate her and in the middle of doing so meets a man worth all the trouble. Iker's only here because he heard the rich girl who was slumming it make an offer he can't refuse, it has nothing to do with the way her eyes make him feel. He's going to do this because it will make a huge difference in his family's life.

While mascaraing as her date he realizes that her life while it might look nice from the outside it is however a nest of vipers on the inside. As the events between the wedding must be endured Iker and Langley work to make their fake relationship appear real. They begin to get to know each other and as the people around them unravel when they see Langley appear to be happy the more Iker wants to protect her. The two work together to make Iker appear as the 'worst' kind of date she could have brought while at the same time disrupting her stepmother and stepsister's plan to make her miserable.

I absolutely loved the story and how it all unfolded. I cackled when Iker and Langley met, because really these are the precautions my friends and I take, we send each other the profiles and the images of people we are with all the time. It made me lol ( I mean we can talk later about the fact that Langley was taking all kinds of risks with drunk strangers but that's for later).  Iker was sweet and just so funny, and I loved that Langley was a realist about her situation and about life. She's working her way through college and has dreams that are almost within her grasp, she just needs to make it through this wedding and she will be golden.  I personally can't relate to family like that, and they are truly trash for the way they treat her, and it's sad that this woman believes that she is worth so much but accepts so little in return for the 'glory' of the mirage.

I really got sucked into the writing and it flowed so well you couldn't tell it was two separate authors creating the love story. I loved Iker and Langley as characters. I really enjoyed how they connected even though they didn't want to. They kept trying to keep it light while sinking deep.

As the last few chapters unfolded I was rooting for them and begging Iker to not be stupid but as he said the agreement was for a weekend. Langley's reaction was perfect and so realistic. I was hooked and couldn't wait to dive right into the second book Boy In Luv. I can't wait to see how this all develops.  

 ★★★★☆

Series In Order

• Girl In Luv  # 1
• Boy In Luv # 2

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Monica Murphy's One Week Girlfriend
• Monica Murphy's Second Chance Boyfriend

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Right Kind of Wrong (Finding Fate 3) by Chelsea Fine . @ChelseaFine . @GrandCentralPub

Book Title: Right Kind Of Wrong (Finding Fate 3)
Author: Chelsea Fine |Website| Twitter| Facebook|
Publisher: Forever Grand Publishing

Genre: New Adult Romance, Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 3
Format: Trade Paperback, Ebook

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 320

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

"Tangled with friendship, history and heartbreak - not to mention a huge dose of humor - Chelsea Fine's New Adult novel is not to be missed! Beyond an incredibly HOT read, Pixie and Levi's longing for each other will have you rooting for them till the very end." --- Jay Crownover, New York Times bestselling author of Rule

"Chelsea Fine's style is witty, visceral and fresh. All I wanted to do was crawl inside this book and live with the characters. " ---Chelsea M. Cameron, New York Times bestselling author

Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . .

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.

Finally!! I took forever to read this one and I have loved the series since the first one. I can't wait until she writes a spin-off about Ellen because Aunt Ellen is awesome and deserves a second chance. She drops wisdom on the girls which allows them to see what happens when you take certain paths and I'm here for it.

In this one it's another companion novel about Pixie's roommate and best friend Jenna who doesn't believe a woman needs romantic love; this stems from her past and what she's seen happen to the women in her family. In defiance of what happened to them, she's created the perfect plan, she's decided her future won't include a man in it because they can derail a woman's dreams. While I understand where she's coming from she's not thinking about what happens when the men who love you leave without a choice, they die in some way and still your life is changed but she's only worried about them leaving by choice. She can see that her friends have found men who won't leave but she refuses to believe that can be the same for her.

Jack's family life was batshyt crazy. Being from a small town, there isn't much of a choice about what he's going to do and become. Yet given the chance, he runs away to better himself after doing his best to make sure his family would be ok. While he's gone the past returns to undo everything he's sacrificed for and his brother is left with a price on his head. Can Jack figure out what is going on before someone collects on his brother?? How will this impact his relationship with Jenna??

Jenna's Grandmother is having her annual she's dying moments and Jenna's not happy to have to travel back home due to the old woman's manipulations. Even though she won't say it, this is a great way for her to come home and see the family without feeling guilty about the money she has to spend.

They have a road trip that brings them closer and opens her eyes to who Jack is more than before but because she's not willing to have him in her life she doesn't notice the strain he's under until a big fight happens. I loved that Jack was emotionally stronger of the two. He saw in her what he wanted and even though it hurt he never pushed her into what he wanted because really he wanted her to be happy.  On the way there she and Jack spend time together trying to get past that moment last winter when their relationship changed. Jenna's got a life plan and Jack's not in it. Except for everytime, she thinks about leaving him behind she panics.

I'm not sure I could have dealt with his family issues as calmly as Jenna did, I probably would have had to take some time but this is how we knew she cared more than she was willing to admit. Realizing that Jack was more complex than she gave him credit for opened Jenna's eyes to the fact that she did have love in her life even if it wasn't the romantic love she believed no one needs. Watching her and her family interact and her realizing just how good she had it made her such a great character to read. Their growth was awesome to read, while she doesn't abandon her plans for love, she finally realizes that the right people in your life enhance it. 

I loved their moments together especially when they got intimate. The push and pull of them wanting to be together and Jenna being the one too scared to dive right it made when she did make love to him that much sweeter.  Their love was beautiful and painful and those last few chapters?? Whew it made my heart hurt.

A good conclusion to the friends' stories, I am however hoping for a story on Ellen who helps others realize their potential and is hurting because she came to the conclusion too late.

 

 ★★★★☆

Books In Seris

• Best Kind of Broken (Finding Fate 1)
• Perfect Kind of Trouble (Finding Fate 2)

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Enthralled (The Enslaved Duet 1) by Giana Darling .@GianaDarling

Book Title: Enthralled (The Enslaved Duet 1)
Author:  Giana Darling |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Giana Darling
Genre: Dark New Adult, Dark Romance,
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: ebook, Trade paperback

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 394

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 2019
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

It was the biggest day of my life. I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.

Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.

There are so many feelings I have about this book, I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go with it. First I went into this based on the review of a fave booktuber (Jess from Peace Love, Books) and I'm just a mixed bag of emotions ever since the book finished.  There are so many things going on in this story and it's all so complicated. There are many moving parts and just...OMGawd. The story was extremely engaging and the writing wonderful even if a bit poetic at times but once you got used to the writing style it wasn't a problem. I will give trigger warnings for those who need them, discussion of anorexia, sex trafficking, and suicide are within this novel.

Ok let's start with the fact that the protagonist is being manipulated by so many different people that it's impossible to see where she's going. Everyone has their reasons for using her to get to the other and no one is including her in the choice, of course almost all the people manipulating her young heart and life are the powerful men playing at getting back at each other.

Cosima is a young model struggling to support herself and her family. Born into poverty in a town controlled by the mafia and its violence, she's one of the few people in her family trying to stay above water. Her father is a drunk who gambles the families livelihood away, her mother is a devout wife and Catholic who despite all the reasons she should leave to protect her children actually puts them in deeper harm. She's hellbent on penance and suffering, even though as a child and even now Cosima doesn't' see her failings. (she's an infuriating insufferable idiot but we don't learn all of that until later & I'm so effing pissed at this woman, like all of this could have been avoided if she wasn't such an effing coward).

Cosima and her twin brother are pushed into using their beauty as models so they can earn money to protect their younger siblings from the terrible decisions her parents are and have made.  She puts herself into a risky situation and saves a man's life, in doing so puts the crosshairs of unseen enemies unto herself. Once the ball gets rolling and debts are called in her father who is another massive coward uses her as his trump card and sells her to pay his debts. Cosima sees little alternative to aide her family as her father's enemies are powerful and she's afraid of it blowing back on her family.

Trapped with a beast who now owns her, she's furious when she realizes the ties she has to this person. Forced into sexual slavery, she discovers a part of her craves giving up control. This she fights the best she can until she realizes that she's only hurting herself even more. Her sentence is for five years, and she's negotiated a deal that aides her family in getting out, now she's here not because of her father's debts but because of her own deal. While their initial scenes maybe triggering for some, they are very darkly erotic.

Then the story just unfolds beautifully, we get more mystery as the hands that are pulling the levers begin to be revealed and until the very end, we don't know who all the players in this game are. We get mystery, murder and mayhem, which while going in I didn't expect. I wouldn't necessarily call this one a romance, it's an extremely dark new adult with a few erotic moments.  I will say I was very intrigued by all the moving parts, the mystery the who done it of it all. The past comes back full force and the part that an unsuspecting villain plays is heart rendering. There are moments when Cosima is close to seeing some of the true nature and yet she is unwilling to see it. As the story unfolds and we learn that even her beast has monsters who can and will harm him, I'm even more intrigued. Who scares the big bad?? Unfortunately, we are given the answer to that and I just can't deal. I wanted to reach into the book and break them all. That moment is when we realized even he was making the most of bad situation and it wasn't all that it seemed and we get a glimpse of the hidden man.

As I stated there are many hidden and moving parts. So many enemies masquerading as friends, and hidden friends among them all. It's so engaging that I finished it in one weekend because I just needed to know. I'm on pins and needles until the second comes out in May. I want to know how it all unfolds. I want to know more about her brother and what's happening in his life.   I definitely had a deadly book hangover when I was done and didn't know what to do with all these feels.

Once out of the book, it reminded me of another I read a year or two ago and also a true life story I read about trafficking that told of a fame similar to the one played in this book and by similar men ( I believe even a royal of Europe was arrested in the sting operation). It made it even more real and brutal to know that these games do truly exist.

At the end we are left on a cliffhanger, how does it all turn out?? I looked and saw that the second comes out May 31st (to which I have already pre-ordered) and that the other family members have books. I'm hoping she comes out with a book for the brother soon as well because hello?? That sounds awesome.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Captive In The Dark (The Dark Duet) by C.J. Roberts

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Rush (Breathless 1) by Maya Banks .@Maya_Banks

Book Title: Rush ( Breathless 1)
Author:  Maya Banks |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Romance, Erotic Romance, New Adult
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: Trade Paperback

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 396

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: February 2013
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking...

When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.

Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.

As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.

I went into this one knowing it was Maya Banks and I've seen it all over and I wanted to read it, beyond that no clue of what it was about (I say this in just about every review, I purchase/ or read because of the author and their reputation or my previous experiences with their work not because of the synopsis~~ mostly).  Anyway into this review we go.

I seem to read the same themed books this month this one is about Gabe who is one of the three men who make up a successful firm, one of his best friend's little sister is Mia, who Gabe has had the hots for but has stayed away from because he knows his best friend would kill him for even looking in his sister's direction, much less do the things he wants to do to her.  Mia has had a crush on Gabe forever, but he's never even looked her way or so she believes.

With that premise in mind, I wanted to dive right in and see what kind of a mess these two were going to make.  Mia is just barely existing because she's not sure where she wants to go now that she's completed her degree so she's working a dead end job to keep her brother form taking care of her life for her. She decides to go to a party her brother was hosting and this decision changes the course of her life.   Gabe is at the party and knows now no matter what he can't stay away from Mia Offering her a job and a chance at being his lover Gabe takes the chance of a lifetime and Mia doesn't hesitate to take it.

I loved the chemistry between these two they had so much heat coming off the pages. They made me laugh and feel anxious and nervous. I yelled at the pages when Gabe did stupid things especially when he was a coward about certain things.  I loved how well they worked together, and how much Mia grew into her role. I loved that they were such a great duo even if they felt they had to hide it, which in fact kind of made it hotter.

I enjoyed the little office intrigue. I kept waiting to see when it would all blow up in their faces and who was going to find out first. I loved the flow of the book and how the scenes advanced their relationship.  Ohhhh when the Paris scene happened I freaked out because seriously what a freaking loser Gabe was being, just such a coward.  First of all the nerve on him planning something like that without letting me know. I going to kick your balls into your throat you try that again. Mia is way nicer than I am.

I absolutely loved that she had an amazing group of girlfriends who backed her up and loved her. I enjoyed that Mia was very much her own person and had rules and standards she would live by, yes she sublimated them for a while, but when push came to shove she stood up for them and demanded that others meet her on her level.  I absolutely loved how Gabe came correct when he realized Mia was worth it.

We go into romances knowing that they come is going to be together at the end. It's one of the major reasons we read romance, for the fantasy of the perfect romance, this one was messy, it was sexy, emotional *for the characters* and so well done. I loved every second of the drama, the sexy times and of course reading the path that lead to the happy ever after.  I really enjoyed the ending scenes as a native New Yorker.

I can't wait to see how Ash and Mia's brother handle their turns.  Let me know what you think of the story my loves and let's continue the discussion in the comments.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Alessandra Torre's Beautiful Innocence
• Tara Sue Me's The Submissive Trilogy
• Afterburn/ Aftershock by Sylvia Day
• Crave by Monica Murphy

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review & Giveaway: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry .@Katiemcgarry .@InkSlingerPR

Book Title: Only A Breath Apart
Author:  Katie McGarry |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult/ New Adult
Series/Standalone: Stand alone
Format: Hardcover, Ebook

Cost: $17.99

Pages: 368

How I got it: NetGalley ARC

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Jan 22,2019
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart.

Jesse Lachlin is cursed.

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

I don't know why, but going into this I wasn't thinking contemporary, I was expecting something futuristic or maybe a bit more paranormal; I'll take the awesome story we got instead.  If you're a long time reader or follower you are well aware of my love for Katie's writing and her stories.  This story took me out, I wasn't ready for all of it and man it slayed my emotions and I fell into the story and didn't want to come out.

I literally writing this right after I finished the book and I still can't process. Reading this and knowing that there are teens living this everyday breaks my heart. I wanted to rage at the adults in the scenarios that they were failing the children, As the story moved on and we realized that much of what was happening was generational we could see the setup to whether or not Jesse and Scarlett would be able to pull themselves out.  Does what everyone else in town believe about you really make you who you are??

We go into the story from Jesse and Scarlett's perspectives, when they met as children and learned to rely on each other for friendship and complicated love.  I absolutely love that they had each other to help weather the storm of growing up.  As the story progresses and we see the adults pushing their agendas, and ideas ( read that as fears, their failings, and fears) onto the kids and knowing that young children absorb whatever they believe will help I just wanted to yell, no that's not true don't believe it.  Jesse's home life is complicated, his mother doesn't really know how to parent, but luckily for her, her family is there to help even when she can't see it.  For Scarlett, her world changes one summer when her best friend, the boy she's always known distances himself from her and leaves her without a rudder in a world that is slowly suffocating her with its expectations and demands of perfection.

My heart broke so many times reading this, I wanted to yell that talking would help, but then realized the characters were right, it didn't always help.  There were so many lessons to be learned here by both Jesse and Scarlett. I absolutely loved Glory, Pastor Hughes & Marshall.  As adults, there were pretty amazing for the two to have in their corners and learn from.  I loved how Glory was such a great catalyst for change in their lives, was a great sounding board when they needed it and place to come to rest.

I would have loved more from the friends than we got in the story. I do understand the story is really about Jesse and Scarlett, however, their friends made many choices and chances for them and pushed them when needed and I wanted to know more about V, what made her tick, and why the lost boys ended up there. I wanted to know how their story changes and progresses as well.  I'm not sure I like all of Scarlett's friends because of the situation they put her in.

I was so invested in what was happening and I was so nervous the closer we got to the end of the book. I could see some of the solutions that were needed and understood the steps necessary for the characters to grow and change; I was super excited when those came through and understood why Katie made the decisions she did for the characters.  I was fully invested in their development and the progress being made. In the end, I felt proud as if they were my friends because I was so happy to see the success and growth.

I love, love that nothing was glossed over and made perfect, Katie shared the reality of the situation and how it doesn't always go the way we plan or hope.  I absolutely love the scenes where they are viewing the apartments because I had the same thoughts and was like Girl?!! I loved that Jesse knew not to say anything but let her learn the hard way the reality of the situation.  One of my favorite things wasn't the adults who stood for them when they needed, it wasn't the amazing friendships they had, it wasn't even that Jesse and Scarlett had such an amazing bond. I loved that therapy was seen and shown in such a positive light. I loved that the adults who cared gave them room to come to them but also let them know without a doubt I would believe you.  I loved their connection to the land as well, the fact that they felt the Earth breathing and could connect down to that?? Another of my favorite moments.

If you can't tell by now, I highly recommend this one. Be ready to be emotionally invested, to be angry and afraid to be nervous for the characters. To be excited as friendship becomes more, to be sad when reality crashes into the scenes and know fear.

Like all of Katie's books, this one also comes with a soundtrack and I think the songs she picked were perfect. I'll have that up this weekend along with a link to the Youtube playlist.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti  My Review
• Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan  

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Good Luck & Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Spotlight & #Excerpt : After The End by Natasha Preston .@InkSlingerPR .@NatashaVPreston

Book Title: After The End
Author:  Natasha Preston |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: Natasha Preston

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: ebook

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 

How I got it: Blog Tour

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Publication Date: Sept 25th 2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

One fatal mistake changes Tilly and Linc’s lives forever.

After the tragedy, Linc and his family fled a town they were no longer welcome in.

Still grieving the death of her brother, Tilly’s world is rocked again when, three years later, Lincoln Reid has to come home.

Linc tries to stay away from Tilly, but once he sees her fighting feelings for him, he can’t stay in the shadows.

Excerpt

“Tilly,” I groan as she leans flush against my chest.

The alcohol has given her permission to let go of the reservations she has over us being something.

The beach has now cleared completely, everyone has gone, and I’m supposed to take Tilly to Hanna and Jack’s, but she’s making it very difficult.

I want to take her back to mine.

She looks up at me, and her amber eyes lose focus. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Her voice is barely a whisper, but I feel the fear in each word.

“What’s me, Tilly? You really should have stopped drinking about an hour ago.”

“I couldn’t stop.”

“Drinking? Why not?”

“Because I know this is the only way that I won’t feel immediately guilty for being this close to you.” Her eyes flit closed. “I want so badly to be this close to you.”

My breath catches. I want to pull away because her words are gutting me, but my body needs to be closer to her, too. My fingers dig further into her flesh, holding her closer, tighter, never wanting to let go.
“Tilly, there is no need for you to feel guilty. Robbie would have been okay with this.”

“I know. It’s not him I’m worried about.” She leans forward and lays her head against my chest. “My parents are having a hard time with you being here.”

I rest my chin on her head. She’s tucked so closely into me. “Have they told you that?”

“They don’t need to.” Her arms wrap around my back like she’s scared I’ll walk away after hearing this. There is nothing she could ever say to scare me off. I love her unconditionally.

“I don’t want to hurt them, but I don’t want to hurt you either. It’s such a mess, Linc. I wish we were just two normal people without a past.”

“Everyone has a past.”

“Not everyone’s past is all mixed together,” she replies. Her voice is a little slurred, but our conversation seems to be sobering her quickly. “Ours is messy.”

“Yeah, it’s messy.”

But she is admitting she wants me!

With raw emotion clogging her throat, she breathes, “I don’t want our families to fight.”

I bend my head and whisper in her ear, “I’m not giving up on us. It’s worth the fight, Tilly.”

“Then, fight hard, Linc, because I don’t know how to stay.”

These are some quick thoughts I'll do a full gushing review later.

A slow burn romance about friends finding their way back to each other after a tragedy strikes their families. It's told from dual perspectives, of Tilly who is stuck in the same place trying not to hurt her remaining family but beginning to feel stifled and Linc who thought he had gained enough distance that he wasn't going to hurt as much as he was.  Coming back to town may bring the change they both need in their lives.  

Filled with great friends who want to stand with and for them, grieving family learning to stand as a unit again, survivor's guilt and the desire to live for the person who is gone as well as for oneself. I enjoyed the read.  I loved that therapy was discussed the use of medication to aide in getting through the grieving process the discussion on how grief doesn't really go away. I loved that it was discussed so richly and even normalized. Showing how the process works differently for everyone.  While at the same time that grief was both a burden and an excuse. For Tilly and her family they couldn't navigate the after, the what happens next phase even with the therapy; much of the steps that needed to be taken weren't done because Tilly was afraid to hurt those that were left.   I loved that Linc was a catalyst for change, much like he was apart of the problem before.  

I did have a few issues with some of the characters like her friend Greg, I wanted to slap him so bad like boy get off your high horse and come live down here with the rest of us mortals struggling with doing what's right.   I loved the other friends who were great for her and wanted better for her especially Hanna, even when Tilly wasn't ready to hear it.  

A great romance and I loved the way it ended. I must confess when I first saw the preview I was expecting some great mystery to pop up because I had read several of her previous works and know her that way. It took a second to realize nope this is just an emotional rollercoaster and wasn't about some crazy psycho kidnapping people, still a good read though.  

Happy Reading

ARC Book #Review: The Hookup (The Jordan Brothers 1) by Erin McCarthy .@authorerin .#TheHookup #NetGalley

Book Title: The Hook Up (Jordan Brothers 1)
Author:  Erin McCarthy|Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher:  Loveswept/ Random House
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: ebook

Cost: $4.99

Pages: 218

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: May 8,2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Is there an equation for the perfect hookup? Turns out it’s a lot more complicated than one plus one. . . .

Sophie: Numbers are my comfort zone, which explains why my sex life is a big fat zero. Then again, if I’m smart enough to earn a PhD, why can’t I calculate a way to get a guy into bed, just to see what all the fuss is about? With my prima donna sister, Bella, getting married in Maine, I figure her wedding is the perfect opportunity for my little experiment. And Cain Jordan seems hot enough—he’s certainly drunk enough—to show me what I’ve been missing. Judging by the body of evidence, it’s a lot. . . .

Cain: Being stuck in the same town as my lying SOB twin brother, Christian—who may or may not be the father of the son I’m not allowed to see—is a hell of a reason to drink myself silly after the lobster boat docks each day. Any port in a storm . . . But Sophie’s different. She doesn’t play around. And she’s becoming a habit I don’t want to break. Because the smartest woman I’ve ever met is also the sexiest—and the only one who makes me want to change.

Don’t miss Bella and Christian’s story in The Breakup!

I went into this one as always blind beyond knowing that the author is an auto-buy for me. I absolutely loved this one.  The characters were well written, complex, broken and hurting in so many ways.  Sophie is a genius obsessed with numbers and her way to a Ph.D. in math, she's, however, struggling with OCD and social anxiety issues. I both loved and hated her sister Bella because she was a good sister and a terrible sister at the same time, she pushed Sophie to embrace life instead of hiding with her books and totally had her back but at times she aided in Sophie's awkwardness by putting her on the spot.  As we were reading I wanted to know more about Bella, and why Christian was such a terrible brother. I was hooked and I laughed, teared up and rooted for them throughout the whole book.

Sophie is on vacation in Maine for her sister's wedding and while there she's hoping to get a few things checked off the bucket list, she's hoping that her anxiety won't knock her out before she accomplishes her goal. Cain is a local who has been hurt and betrayed in the worst way possible and he's drinking his way into an early grave.  He's not looking for more than a hook-up when he comes across Sophie.

I identified with Sophie more than I did Cain although I understand why he is the way he is.  I totally get Sophie's sense of awkwardness and social anxiety. She's smart yet being smart and out of sync with the crowd is something I can totally understand.  I also admire her because despite being awkward she's going out of her comfort zone to get what she wants.  With friends, I'm great with strangers?? Lost cause.  With that in mind, I loved them hanging out in Cain's home and around town together because this was way more relaxing for them both.

There are some really great moments in the story including their meet-cute because Sophie is way too literal, she totally reminds me of Brennan from Bones and I lol'd during their conversation because too cute.  I loved Sophie's inner monologue as she decides she likes the look of him.  My least favorite moment also happened in a bar, I totally knew the feelings Sophie was having as the scene went down and kept wanting to scream that it wasn't fear and yet I felt her heartbreaking as well.  Oh my gosh, it was so painful to read.  This book ran the gambit of emotions for me, I loved it, I laughed, I was totally turned on by their moments, and I understood their pain.  I was so invested in their story. I was afraid of what the ending could be because I wasn't sure about Cain, but for me, Bella's actions weren't a surprise I mean really.

In this, even the secondary characters were pretty well done since they didn't have a POV in the story we didn't get their motivations for their actions it made the story more real because in reality we never really know why people do the things they do.  I did love the POV of Cain andSophiee though, especially Sophie because she was just as honest with herself as she was with Cain.  She was pretty raw and real, she was so confident in so many things and like many of us doubting in outers.  This story was sadly way too believeable in some aspects especially int he sense of betrayal because way too many people don't respect boundaries.

I highly recommend it for lovers of romance and finding our place stories.

 ★★★★★

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Rule by Jay Crownover
• True (True Believers Series) by Erin McCarthy
• One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Did I Mention I Miss You (DIMLY 3) by Estelle Maskame .@estellemaskame

Book Title: Did I Mention I Miss You (DIMLY 3)
Author:  Estelle Maskame |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Mature YA, New Adult, Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 2
Format: ebook, Trade Paperback

Cost: $10.99

Pages: 352

How I got it: Purchased 

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: Dec 2016
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

One last chance for love.

It’s been a year since Eden last spoke to Tyler. A year since he left her all alone after nearly destroying their family. But Eden picked herself up and headed to Chicago for college where she found a new boyfriend—someone who doesn’t run when things get tough. She’s finally moved on from Tyler…right?

Despite their breakup, Tyler’s determined to rekindle what they once had. He’s restarted his life in Eden’s hometown of Portland, and he wants her in it. But when a tragedy draws them together, Eden must search her heart and decide if Tyler is worth the risk once and for all. (

Even months later this book has been stuck in my head. I ended up ordering physical copies so I can re-read the series whenever I want to.  I loved this one especially.  We are back in the world of Eden who is back home for the summer from her first year of college. She's just bidding the time until it's August so she can go back to school, her life had imploded back home and she's been surviving by suppressing all the memories.  Tyler who is working on his recovery ended up breaking Eden's heart when he made the choice to pick himself instead of her because he needed to make sure his recovery hinged not only on her love and acceptance of him but on his own strength. Which is admirable, however that left Eden dealing with the fallout of their declaration to their families. 

I felt so many emotions reading this book. At the end of the story, I smiled.   I absolutely loved Eden & Tyler as well as their friends because they were amazing in this novel. Her friends were the first to really embrace them as a couple and they were the ones to push her to face her fears about Tyler and to confront him. And her biggest ally?? Man I didn't see that coming. I absolutely loved it.   Eden is afraid because she tried to go outside of society's norms and is now building herself back up despite the heart breaking failure. Most of this story happens back in Eden's hometown I loved how the cities played a part in the story & how each city brought it's own change to their relationship with it. In NYC they could be anyone they wished to be and that brought its own level of freedom.  LA was where it all began and that brings with it so much history.  Chicago is where she ran to recover and here in Oregon where she came from; they really could learn to be more.

Both characters have both broken each other's hearts in each book and Eden's left to face the fallout from their families.  In this third book, it takes a while for Tyler to gain her trust and they start again from scratch.  I loved that the characters learned that happily ever after is what you make it and that it may not look like what you originally thought you wanted.  There was so much growth from the characters int heir understanding of themselves, of what they would accept from their families and what they wanted the world to see.

My favorite part of the books came from their drive from LA to his new home.  Because it's how they begin to rebuild their friendship, which allows them to begin to learn each other from the ground up.  Both who they were before and who they have become since is shared in such a great way.  Once again Eden's dad's reaction is my least favorite part of the book. He's still mad at Eden and as an adult, you should be better at handling this when dealing with your child.  Especially because you haven't understood that she was too young to understand what was happening in your relationship with her mother.  Being angry at the child who once hero worshipped you for picking her mother makes you very childish. 

Once again the ending wasn't predictable because the author has lied to us before and kicked our teeth in from the previous books.  But omigawd I loved the ending just amazing, very sweet and totally worth the read.  I loved that the series came full circle and the place that Eden originally ran to California from became the place she could be her best self.  One of my favorite parts of the story was Eden learning what happened to Tyler when he was away from her, as they took their road trip it helped to unravel the story is such an amazing way and finally we get to hear from Tyler as well!!!

A great story about learning to love yourself and trust who you are. It's also an amazing story about the power of love, and how it makes a person want to not just be better for the person you love but for yourself. Tyler's journey was very admirable and he needed to learn who he was away from all that he thought he had to be.  He first had to confront the past in order to claim his future, and it was amazing to read. 

 ★★★★★

Series Order

• Did I Mention I Love You (1)
• Did I Mention I Need You (2) 

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Rules Series Monica Murphy
• Shattered Past Series Cecy Robson

Happy Reading my loves,