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5 stars, Book Review

Jennifer Vester did it again.

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newarcbannerblurbdamageWhat if the pivotal moment in your life, hinged upon all the events that happened in your past?

Suzanne had survived, had endured. At least that’s what she told herself. So many mistakes littered her life, and she was determined not to repeat them.

Living in Lakefield, with the memories of a man she loved and lost hanging over her, she decides to embark on a new life. It’s a choice that will put a series of events in motion, that could ultimately save her or break her.
When she meets a man who isn’t who he says he is, her reality is suddenly altered, and nothing is quite what she thought it was. Everything in both of their lives will dramatically change.

Fighting against their pasts and a determined killer, two people that thought they knew what defined them, will have to rethink what they know about themselves and each other.

With love and their future on the line, they’ll have to find a way to survive the maniac that’s working to destroy them.
Release Date: April 24th, 2018

Goodreads — Amazon(Coming Soon) — Seriesauthor

Jennifer Vester is a romance author whose ambition is to entertain readers with off-beat female characters and the over-the-top alpha men that love them.

Her books revolve around romantic suspense with a little something for every reader. Always an HEA….(but look out for those twists!) It’s romance suspense after all.

The Lakefield series deals with some very serious subjects at times.

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Or, join my reader’s group on Facebook:
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Newsletter  —   Website

reviewdamage2

I just want to start out by apologizing in advanced for the shouty caps- there will probably be a lot of them.

Can I give something more than five stars? Because that’s what this was. It was amazing. It was everything I wanted and needed from the last Lakefield book (though I’m sad it’s over!). This book wrecked me. I was 15% in, FIFTEEN PERCENT IN when Jennifer Vester started breaking me with this book. Did it get any better? NO. If I thought Break had plot twists, it was nothing– NOTHING– compared to Damage. Ok, now to try and write this without giving anything away…

Suzanne has been a figure in the Lakefield series since Olivia’s story. She and Cade had been dancing around each other for awhile, but they hadn’t acted on it. And then Break happened and Cade DIED. And left me completely destroyed. Eight months after his death, Suzanne decides it’s time to move back home, away from Lakefield and the memories, and help her mom. When she moves home, she meets Mark, the manager of the bar and grill she applied to work at.

Sparks fly immediately between these two. But what happens when a serial killer targets Suzanne? Alpha Mark comes out. And, Mark is hiding his own secrets– secrets that will wreck Suzanne all over again. Can she handle it?

Well, duh she’s awesome. She can handle anything. Including alpha males that don’t know when to shut up, or trust her to make the right decisions. She can handle the FBI and Latimer security getting involved. She’s a fighter, so she’s going to fight for everything, and everyone, she wants.

This book was gold. GOLD. And it was an amazing conclusion to the series. (Can I get a petition to add Brock’s brothers to the series? I’m not ready to let the craziness go). I hope my review got across how much I loved EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of this book, I devoured this book. It wrecked me in all the best ways. I have a book hangover now. Excuse me while I try to drown myself in another book while I desperately try to move on from the epicness this novel was.

Cracked Grunge Background.5star

5 stars, Book Review

Love on Hold by Mia Miller

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newarcbannerblurbloveonholdWe both put love on hold until now. How long will love wait for us?

3:45 in the morning: unknown number calling.
Send the stranger on their way and go back to sleep, right? Except – his gruff voice made me think twice.
I was a small girl with big dreams. I juggled college, charity, and a job, while dodging an annoying ex. Getting to know a guy? That was way down on my list. So I had every intention of ignoring sexy Joel Thomas when he woke me up.
But he wouldn’t let me. When did texting and calling turn into feelings? We kept our identities a secret, and didn’t see each other. Yet, we fell in love.

Will our chemistry stand the test of reality?
Release Date: April 26, 2018

Goodreads — Amazon (Coming Soon)

authormiamillerMia Miller started writing as a getaway from a taxing day job in a multinational corp. A lover of all things romance since forever, Mia tries to find a little bit of a love story even in zombie movies. She likes her book boyfriends Alpha and her novels naughty.

Nowadays Mia can be constantly found typing away, with her Dogo Argentino at her feet. Mia brings to her readers books in the New Adult and Contemporary Romance genre.

— Goodreads — Amazon (Coming Soon) — Website — Twitter — Instagram — Newsletter — Readers Group — Facebook

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Have you read Teagan Hunter’s Let’s Get Textual? Because this book reminded me of that. It was still different, Joel is SO not like Zach and Leonie definitely not like Delilah- just similar concept: wrong number leading to the love of your life. I love when books include texting banter, but when a book is centered around it? You have me at hello!

Leonie Marsh wakes up at 3am to an unknown caller looking for a booty call (why else do you call at 3am?). Leonie isn’t looking for love. Love is for after. After school, after she gets settled into her career, when she’s ready. But who’s ever ready for love? Leonie is looking to work at the UN, so while she’s studying her butt off with all those languages, she’s also volunteering at the hospital (playing games with the kids), and working as a hairdresser for the campus barber shop.

Joel Thomas moved away from his alcoholic father, who also happens to have a lot of power in the world. While he’s trying to make it in the world of journalism, he has to deal with his father demanding he come home, and blocking any chances of him actually getting a job in the field he wants. For reasons completely unlike Leonie, Joel doesn’t believe in love; He doesn’t believe in relationships. But something about Leonie calls to him, and he can feel the pull with just the sound of her voice.

What starts out as a simple wrong number turns into an everyday interaction, it turns into a relationship, calling each other when they have a bad day, texting each other constantly, even though they don’t even know what the other looks like. They talk about their hopes and dreams, their goals, what they want from the future, they talk about their past. They open up to each other in ways they never imagined they would to a total stranger. What starts out virtual leads to them meeting in person, and the connection they had on the phone only grows.

I loved many things about this book, but one of my absolute favorites was that they were both busy trying to carve out their own futures and they both tried to think of what they could do to help the other. When Leonie gets super busy with all she’s doing, Joel tries to do more with her, like volunteering at the hospital. When Joel gets frustrated with not being able to find work, Leonie tries to help him still follow his dreams while going around his father’s blocks. The way they try to support each other and it. Is. AWESOME.

Also, there’s not much drama between the two. There’s no cheating (thank God!), there’s some other woman/other man drama, but not much. There’s some push and pull between Leonie and Joel, but nothing that makes you go crazy (well nothing that made me want to punch anyone, anyway). They have their own hangups, but they give each other the time and space to work through them. They’re both 21, so they have some immature moments (don’t we all), but they try to work through them the best way possible. Basically, this novel was gold, and it’s only a debut. I cannot wait to see what Mia Miller has in store!! I will definitely commence stalking- eh, following, Mia!

loveonhold25star

5 stars, Book Review

Loving Ben Cooper by CC Monroe Review

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arc review 1blurblovingbencooperSadie

Christ is my redeemer, the drive behind my moral compass, he leads me down every road—the righteous road. My heart full of love, my body pure and untouched, my words clean, my body modest. I do all things because I believe in my Christian faith and I believe that my life has been planned out for me. I will meet the perfect man of God, one who will give me a family and a wholesome life. There is no room for anything less, no room for speed bumps or road blocks. Except for the one man who threw a wrench in my spinning tire. The one man who made me question my faith and what true faith really is. Ben Cooper—my very own sinner.

Ben

Each blow to the face feels glorious, I crave the pain of each punch from my back alley opponent. The high I get from each fight that I antagonize is the same high I get when I strum my guitar and hit the high notes in the microphone. That rush is just like the pain I feel with the blows I take. Violence is my decadence and music is my redemption. I love beautiful women, the taste of whiskey on my tongue, and the smell of tobacco on my breath. I’m a man with no morals and no plan to my madness. I’m a man with only the promise of the day I’m in. Until I find the most beautiful melody, dressed in full clothes and a cross around her neck. Sadie McCallister—my very own saint.

Goodreads — Amazon

authorcc monroe

Author CC Monroe is from the hottest city in the world, Phoenix, Arizona. She spends her days working in fashion and her nights with her face in her laptop telling the stories of the voices in her mind. She left Arizona a few years back and now lives in the beautiful snow state of Utah, where she married her true love!

When she isn’t writing or working, she is making people laugh with her mad sense of humor and tip of the tongue one liners.

Facebook  — Instagram — Readers Group — Goodreads — Amazon

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First, you may be wondering why I used pictures of Brendan Urie from Panic! At the Disco for my graphics. Easy: It’s Brendan Urie. Also, CC has said Brendan was her inspiration for Ben Cooper, and This is Gospel is used in the book, so why not use the ultra expressive Brendan for my pics? (Also, I’m still going through my middle school/emo phase and love all things P!ATD).

Rock star books are so hard for me, mostly because of the drug use that usually comes with them. Drugs make me uber uncomfortable, both in real life, and when I’m reading about them. Even weed. But I love the broken sinner Ben Cooper. He is struggling, even though he thinks he’s doing just fine. Even though he’s not looking for anything serious, Sadie McCallister crashes into his life with her faith, trying to accept Ben for who he is, even though Ben can’t accept himself. 

Sadie is the total and complete opposite of Ben. The saint to his sinner. She goes to church and Bible study, is saving herself for marriage, and believes God will guide her through all things. In two short days she meets Ben and falls in love with him. She tries to accept his life, his drugs, his belief that there is no God, and tries to make the relationship work. She tries to help him in all things, without losing herself in the process.

One of my favorite things about Sadie is that she gives up a lot to be with Ben when he needs her. She tries to be everything he needs to help him with recovery. But when push comes to shove, she refuses to back down from her beliefs. She tries to learn as much about him and why he feels he needs the drugs as she can. But when Ben messes up, which he inevitably does, one too many times, she keeps her promise to him, but realizes shes too close to losing herself, and straightens her spine. Ben knows his words aren’t working anymore. He knows he needs to get better, but he also knows he’s put too much in the hands of Sadie, and not enough on himself.

Another one of my favorite things is that the common theme in the book is that Ben cannot change unless he wants to change for himself. Neither Sadie nor Ben want to change the other. Sadie wants to help Ben, but he needs to want it. When it’s clear Ben doesn’t want it as much as Sadie believed, she’s done. Ben starts to want to heal for himself. I love the positive view of the use of therapy, group therapy, and meditation, instead of the “I’m not sick, I don’t need it” attitude. There are so many things about Loving Ben Cooper that made me fall in love with both the saint and the sinner, but you’ll just have to get the book for yourself to fall in love with them.

Thank you CC! Your words are amazing ❤

lovingbencooper25star

5 stars, Book Review

Truck Stop Tempest by Krissy Daniels

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arc review 1blurbtruckstoptempestMy stay in Whisper Springs was supposed to be temporary. A slight detour on my flight to freedom.
Then Tito Moretti stormed into town.
He was everything I wished I could be. Everything I’d been taught to fear.
Confident. Fearsome. Untouchable.

I wasn’t supposed to make friends. I never meant to fall in love.
When Tito learned the truth, would he break me,
Or help me break free?

Tuuli Holt was off limits
Young. Naïve. Pure.
I had no right wanting the blue-eyed bunny.
But damn, that little beast stormed into my life, and scattered my demons.

She had her share of secrets, but they were nothing compared to my sins.
Tuuli said my past didn’t matter.
I wanted to believe her, but when my crimes were exposed, would she bolt?

I should’ve stayed away, set her free.
We could never work.
Church girls didn’t fall in love with executioners.

Goodreads — Amazon — Truck Stop Tango — Truck Stop Tryst

author

krissy.jpgKrissy is a full time writer, avid reader, and lover of dark and dirty romance.
Growing up surrounded by the great outdoors, her childhood was full of adventure that fueled an overactive imagination and ignited a passion for storytelling. Whether it be dolls, or running free through the wooded areas surrounding her home, playtime always included a tormented villain, a damsel in distress and a larger than life hero.
After relentless encouragement from friends and family, she finally put the characters in her head to pen and paper. The only thing she loves more than curling up with a steamy romance novel, is cozying up to her desk and writing her own sexy adventures to share with others.

Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook

reviewtruckstop2

OK FIRST THIS BOOK IS LIVE EARLY. Which means you should go one click the hell out of that button. This book is that good. After reading this, I went and bought Truck Stop Tango (which is free) and then bought Truck Stop Tryst as well. I’ve read all three books and can say, with full authority, Tito is mine. I don’t care what you say, he is mine.

Now that the ugly is out of the way…

I didn’t know when I read this that it was a continuation of two other books. It didn’t hinder my ability to read and enjoy this book thoroughly. It can be read as a standalone, but it’s probably better to read the book third. After reading the first two books, things made more sense (which means I need to do a re-read). Tito is broken, damaged, by the life he was dealt. He believes he is unlovable, and that he can’t love. When he meets Tuuli, he is drawn to her, but he tries to stay away.

Tuuli has her own secrets. Secrets that could ruin everything she built, everything she was trying to get away from. She is drawn to Tito, but her secrets, her past, and Tito’s feelings that he can’t do forever stop her from jumping in head first into Tito.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, for both of them, they are drawn to each other in inexplicable ways. Spoiler: they end up together.

One of my favorite things about this book (and ultimately about the series) is that each couple has something special, something just for them. Tango and Slade have dancing, Tucker and Aida have singing. Tito and Tuuli have “Tell me something I don’t know about you,. Something big.” Each moment, each secret revealed, results in a kiss. And they ultimately end up healing each other, giving each other the strength they need to heal.

I love, love, love Tito, and his journey to heal. Tuuli pulls him back from the souls that torture his heart. And Tito gives Tuuli the peace to move on from the secrets holding her back. Basically, I love everything about this book. And this series. I need epilogues, and novels of these three like 10 years in the future. I’m obsessed with this family. Because these couples, and those they bring into it, are family.

truckstop35star

5 stars, Book Review

On the Edge by Dr. Rebecca Sharp Review!

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arc review 1blurbontheedgeFrom International Amazon Bestselling Author, Dr. Rebecca Sharp, comes the new standalone in the Winter Games series.

Emmett
Do. Not. Touch. 
Alice Ryder came with more warning signs than a museum exhibit.
Under twenty-one. Best friend’s baby sister. Heart-broken.
I was only supposed to keep an eye on her and keep my hands to myself.
But her sunshine sucked me in.
Why did she have to want me? Why did she have to want me to save her?
I wasn’t her savior. I wasn’t the prince in her fairytale.
I was only the asshole in shining armor.

Ally
For some, heartbreak becomes a habit.
Losing so much had taught me that it’s easier to just give up the things you care about before they are taken.
Because you can’t lose what you don’t have.
I gave up the warmth of the sun and sand hoping that the cold, snowy mountains of Colorado would be able to numb whatever feelings I had left and bury the pieces of my heart under the frost.
And then I met Emmett Jameson – the King of the Mountainand my brother’s best friend.
He was cold and controlling – treating me like the child that I wasn’t.
He was everything that promised to break what was left of me.
And I needed him for it.
My shattered heart would be safe wanting someone like him.
Then again, heartbreak was my bad habit.

Goodreads — Amazon — Book 1

authordrrebecca**Healing Heartaches One Alpha at a Time**
I’m a dentist by day and author by night!
Dr. Rebecca Sharp is an International Amazon Best-selling author of contemporary romance. By day, she is also a doctor living in Pennsylvania with her husband. Growing up, she always loved a good love story and let’s face it, when you include a romance novel on your 8th grade summer reading list just to see if the teacher would notice (she didn’t!), she was bound to give writing one of her own a go. She also enjoys traveling with her husband, snowboarding, and cooking.

Looking for more? 😉

Website — Facebook — Instagram — Goodreads
reviewontheedge

Holy broken, Batman. This is one story that gutted me. Not only do you have an alpha who immediately connects with the heroine, but they’re both so messed up they become enemies.

So yes, this is an enemies to lovers romance. But it’s not hate at first sight.

Emmett, the King of the Mountain, is best friends with Ally’s brother, Chance. She’s so far off limits in his mind, it’s not funny. Not only can he not chance(heh) his relationship with Chance, aka Pride, he doesn’t do long term. He’s the ultimate player, drowning himself in women, booze, and drugs to forget Ally and everything he thinks he doesn’t deserve. As much as he wants to stay away from Ally, though, he can’t. He’s obsessed, wanting to keep her away from every man and anything that could possibly hurt her, and that includes himself.

Ally is hurting too. Her boyfriend, her soulmate, was in an accident and died, so she moves away from sunny Florida, back to Aspen with her older twin siblings, Chance and Channing. She’s hurting, trying not to feel anything. Her reaction to Emmett is not what she wants nor needs while she’s trying to heal. These two cannot help their reactions to each other, but they cut each other down for months, trying to hurt the other, to remind themselves not to cross the line they so desperately want to cross.

But holy hell, Ally is stubborn. When she decides to hell with the consequences, she wants Emmett, she does whatever she can to prove to him, to prove to those around her, they can be together. At the end, it’s up to Emmett to decide to forgive himself, to heal himself, so he can be with Ally. When they finally get together it’s freaking EXPLOSIVE.

AND I LOVE IT. My heart aches for these two, for the pain they both carried while they tried to live half a life. Rebecca brought these characters to life, through pain and heat ache, but also through alpha possessiveness and sheer determination to help heal another person, and to heal yourself. I loved everything about this book, and was captivated from the very first page, the first line. I needed to see this happily ever after.

I need an epilogue!

ontheedge25star

4 stars, Book Review

Intuitive Series by BJ Bentley Review

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intuitivebannerblurbintuitive1aSabrina Rhodes is a small town psychic with a knack for choosing the wrong men. You’d think being psychic would give Sabrina a leg up in the dating game, but that’s just not her luck.

After one particularly bad date, Sabrina’s crush, Sheriff Drake Hayes, comes to her rescue. So, when Sabrina’s not talking to ghosts in her kitchen or playing peasant to her feline overlords, Petal and Duchess, can she finally find ‘the one’ in Drake Hayes?

This short novella is a light, quick, feel-good read. It’s also what I’d call a palate cleanser- what you’d want to read in between all those dark romances or while nursing a book hangover.

Goodreads — Amazon

intuitive2 Caty

I’m an art teacher in need of a second job. I find exactly what I need, but don’t want, working part time for Stonewall Construction. This job is going to be dull, but it’s going to pay for the art supplies I need in order to showcase my talent. I just need to keep it long enough.

Archer

I’ve got a reputation for being a serial dater and a flirt. That’s okay; I know who I am. Being one half of the team that owns Stonewall Construction keeps me out of (most) trouble. Until that pixie-faced firecracker blows into my world.

These two develop a rivalry that tests their sanity. Constantly trying to one-up each other, they’ve declared war. But office pranks soon turn to stolen kisses.

This is a ~20,000 word novella with a HEA.

Goodreads — Amazon

intuitive3Mia Potter is an introverted bookworm who harbors sexy fantasies starring her dream man, Mitch Hayes. Unfortunately, they’re just friends. What Mia doesn’t know is that Mitch has always wanted more.

He’s just been biding his time. And things are about to change.

This rom-com short story is the conclusion to the Intuitive series and includes a bonus epilogue!

Goodreads — Amazon

author29136192_175603263078789_8700093008424468480_nFrom her Amazon: I’m a psychic medium, romance author, and cat mom. I shamelessly based my character, Sabrina Rhodes, on myself (write what you know, and all that.) Weaknesses include alpha males and badass babes.
The Intuitive series is a collection of rom-com novellas, and I’m also working on a full-length dark romance novel.
I’m very active on social media, so feel free to stalk me! (Please stalk me, this is a cry for attention.)
Follow me!

—  Facebook — Twitter —  Instagram —  Website — Amazon—  BookBub  —review

intuitive2.jpg

I put all my reviews in one place because these are shorties; I can only write so much before I give away the whole plot.

Do you need something to get you through to the next book? Something to make you smile and laugh until you have to pick up the next soul-stealer? Have you cried your eyes out about a book and now need something short and sweet to cheer you up? Well look no further. These three short “palate cleansers” are definitely the books for you. These three books follow three friends and them falling in love with three brothers.

Handcuffs and Coffee is the story of Sabrina Rhodes, a small time medium, full time cat mom. She is used to people not believing that she has a gift. She meets the sheriff when her neighbor’s house has a small fire, and he is immediately suspicious out by her and her “gift”. Hey, cut him some slack, he’s a cop. Drake Hayes, a.k.a. Sheriff Hunka Hunka Hanky Panky, likes to surprise Sabrina, which she hates, but I’m pretty sure that’s why he does it. There was no drama with this love, which was exactly why I needed it and loved it from the first page. Sabrina and Cat’s friendship was pure gold, and Sabrina’s interactions with those around her were comical. I had a smile on my face through the entire short story. My complaint? This is only in Sabrina’s POV and I’d LOVE to have Drake’s POV.

intuitive3

Masonry and Margaritas is the story of Cat, Sabrina’s best friend, and Asher, Drake’s brother. Cat is an aspiring artist, who teaches classes and works at Asher and Mitch’s construction company. Asher immediately takes to Cat, and loves to piss her off, but mostly because Cat dishes it back. Cat thinks Asher is hot, but that he’s also a jerk, which is fair. What starts out as a simple prank war, turns into margaritas and drunken hookups, and Asher, a.k.a. Anal Wart, claiming that they were gonna happen so get over it (*alphas! swoon*) Cat and Asher’s story was so much fun to read, because who doesn’t love a good prank war? And Asher does everything possible to get Cat to be with him. It doesn’t take a whole lot, because it is a fluff, short novel, but it was still good to see the chase.

intuitive4.jpg

I think Temptation and Tea was my favorite installment. Shy, sweet, emptath Mia is hiding her temptress behind a woman who is bogged down with excess emotions. She has admired Mitch from afar, but was always too shy to do anything about it. Mitch realizes right away that she’s shy, so he starts out their relationship as friends. For six months. But once these two get together it is hot, hot, hot! I loved every bit of this novel from Mitch’s obsession with all things Marvel, never DC, and Mia’s sweet demeanor and her love of books. I really loved this fluffy romantic comedy. Plus there’s an extra sweet epilogue at the back of the book, that shows you the lives of these three couples. It’s like a double epilogue for all three books. Double epilogue!

These three books were exactly what I needed to get me through to the next dark/emotional romance. Oh and these books are free on Kindle Unlimited.

4star

 

5 stars, Book Review

The Hardest Fall by Ella Maise Review

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arc review 1blurbthehardestfallThe first time you meet someone, you make eye contact. You smile, say hello. Should be simple, if you’re anyone but me. The first time I met Dylan Reed, I found myself making eye contact with a different part of his body. You see, I’m very good at being shy, not to mention extremely well-versed in rambling nonsense and, unfortunately, rather highly skilled at making a fool of myself in front of a guy I’m attracted to.

At the time, I knew nothing about him and thought none of what I said would matter since I’d never speak to him again. Turns out, I was very wrong. He was the star wide receiver of the football team, one of the few players expected to make it into the NFL, and I ended up seeing him all over campus.
I might have also propositioned him, run away from him, attacked him with a cooking utensil…and…uh, maybe I shouldn’t tell you all of it. It’s pretty normal stuff, things you’d expect…from me. Eventually, the time came when I couldn’t hide anymore—not that he’d have let me even if I tried.
Before now, he never knew I was secretly watching him. Now that we see each other every day, he knows when I have a hard time looking away. It doesn’t help that I’m not the most subtle person in the world either.

He smiles at me and tells me he finds me fascinating because of my quirks. I can’t even tell him that I think my heart beats differently whenever he’s around.

He thinks we’re going to be best friends. I think I have a big thing for him, and the more I get to know him, the more I don’t care that I’m not allowed to be his friend, let alone fall for him.

The thing is, that’s exactly what I’m doing—what we’re doing, I think.

Goodreads — Amazon

authorProcessed with VSCO with x1 presetWriting has become my world and I can’t imagine myself doing anything other than giving life to new characters and new stories. You know how some things simply makes your heart burst with happiness? A really good book, a puppy, hugging someone you’ve been missing like crazy? That’s what writing does to me. And all the hard work, all the sleepless nights, all the anxiety…everything is worth it at the end. And I’m hoping that reading my books will leave you with that same happy feeling.

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review
the hardest fall.jpg

I. Love. Dylan. He’s mine and you can’t have him. Not even if your name is Zoe. I’ve claimed him. He is the sweetest guy, nowhere near a player like the usual jock trope. He is an admittedly “one woman” guy. The SWEETEST guy. He plays football, wide receiver, and is destined to be in the NFL. Although he meets Zoe twice before, things haven’t lined up for them to get together. At the beginning of his senior year, things finally seem to line up for these two… maybe.

Zoe is awkward as hell. She is awesome, but can’t seem to keep her mouth shut when she’s in the same room as Dylan. Two awkward and completely embarrassing encounters later, and Zoe sees Dylan again. And she’s just as completely ridiculous as you would hope from her. And it doesn’t stop there. Due to some circumstances neither one was expecting, they end up living together.

I have to admit, although I loved Zoe and Dylan, I almost didn’t finish reading. I was going to PM the author and ask for some spoilers or something so I could keep reading because I really did love them. There were just some issues I had with the book, but because of plot twists and part of the suspense of the book, I can’t really talk about which issues I had with it. (This book releases on the 20th so when ya read it please message me on Facebook so we can talk as you read.)

I gave this book 5 stars, because even though I wanted to put it down, I couldn’t. I was so completely and totally invested in everything that had to do with these two. From the very first page, their very first encounter, I was hooked. I’ve never read anything from Elle Maise before, but I’m currently stalking her now. Because I’m gonna need more.

Basically, this book was funny, awkward, cringe inducing, plot twist central and it was SO good. So go get it. Add it to your TBR. You’ll love it.

the hardest fall 2.jpg5star

5 stars, Best of 2018, Book Review

Jeremy by SM Shade Review

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arc review 1blurbjeremyThis is the fifth and final book in the In Safe Hands Series. Book one is titled Landon, and is free.
Melissa
I escaped.
For the first time in almost four years, I’m free.
My freedom came at a steep cost, leaving me on my own with no family or friends. I have a lot of healing to do, and this beautiful lake house seems like a perfect setting to find myself again.
I can do this.
The only thing I have left is hope.
Jeremy
I ran.
For the first time in my life, I’m alone.
I failed to appreciate what I had until it was too late, and now I can’t bear the grief of my friends while suffering my own. That’s not the only reason I’ve relocated.
Twenty-two people were murdered, including the woman I love.
The only thing I have left is revenge.

— Goodreads — Amazon —

author26910413_1997184187215986_936334541699866775_oI’m a full time author who is hopelessly addicted to Dr. Pepper, love stories, sunshine, and men with full sexy lips, though not necessarily in that order. A voracious reader since I sounded out my first word, I started writing as a teenager and rediscovered my love of writing as an adult. Originally from Indianapolis, I now live in a small Kentucky town with my college age son.

I love to hear from readers so please feel free to contact me or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.

— Website — Facebook — Twitter — Email —

reviewjeremy1

Holy. Shit. That’s it. That’s my review.

Ok, not really. Jeremy is the EPIC conclusion to the In Safe Hands series by S.M. Shade. And by epic, I mean GLORIOUS. If you haven’t read the series yet, go start now, because Jeremy releases May 22nd. When this beautiful baby showed up on my kindle, I dropped everything else to start reading this. I was not disappointed. I was expecting epicness, because it is S.M., and she always delivers, but this -THIS- put me in a book hangover.

Do you know when you’re reading a book, and you check to see how many pages are left because IT’S GOING DOWN, and you think Wait, there’s not enough pages left! How can the book be almost over? How?! Yeah. It’s that kind of book.

If you’ve read the series, I think we all expected Jeremy’s book to be about him getting his head out of his ass and finally being with Frannie for real. When she died, I think I cried, (I’m a crier- I cry for everything). Jeremy mourns the only way he can- by getting piss drunk for an entire month. In that month, he meets Melissa, but doesn’t really remember being a huge jerk to her in their interactions.

Melissa isn’t looking for her soulmate. She escaped a cult, and is trying to find herself again. She meets Jeremy, but being the epic mess he is while he’s drunk, she doesn’t really like what she sees. She’s a mess too, she just goes about coming to terms with her life in different ways, more mature ways. She buys a house, starts painting again, and tries to cope with the things that happened when she was in the cult; the cult her sister is still in.

Jeremy and Melissa feel a pull to each other, but due to circumstances out of their control, they try not to get involved with each other. I’m not going to give it away, but let’s just say Jeremy continues to be a jerk while also trying to help out Melissa. And when he wants to be, he is the biggest sweetheart ever.

I love him. Probably more than Mel does. Maybe.

Even though Jeremy moved away to deal with the loss of Frannie, the guys don’t give up on him. We get to see the whole crew together, doing what they do best: Take down the bad guys. They’re like the secret Justice League. I loved them all coming together to help Jeremy and Melissa, like the family they are and the family Mel needs.

Even with the dark themes in this book, S.M. Shade had me laughing. Her balance of dark and light was perfect. She brings enough suspense to keep you on your toes, with enough humor to break up the tension. Her characters come to life in a way that makes you feel like you’re watching a movie instead of reading a book. As far as conclusions go, this was a SLAM FREAKING DUNK.

By the way: this review was so hard to write. I want to talk about this book so bad but I also don’t want to give it away because duh, it’s better when you read it yourself. So if anyone wants to talk to me while they read it so I can freak out about it all over again while they’re reading, I am SO down for it.

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5 stars, Best of 2018, Book Review

Lost in the Shadows by Tracie Douglas

3 Comments

arc review 1blurblostintheshadowsDIZZY IS LOST

Lost in his own grief, Damien Reynolds hides the man he is behind a mask of jokes and laughter. He’s spent years fooling everyone, including himself, hiding the pain he struggles through every day. Now, Dizzy finds himself assigned to the hardest case Cole Securities has ever taken on. He’s wearing a new kind of mask, one that leaves him questioning the goodness of humankind and the world he lives in.

Surviving this mission is the last thing on his mind. Until the night he’s faced with a difficult choice: To save her or not…

PENNY CAPTIVATES HIM

Sold by her family to a group of criminals, Penelope Lopez finds herself lost into a world so dark, very few survive. She must find the strength within herself to endure her new life, but as it is once again tossed into the winds of fate, Penny decides enough is enough and vows to fight. Even if it means losing her life.

But fate has a different plan for her, one in the shape of an imposing man, who casts a shadow about her. A man who, at first sight, decides he can’t ignore the fire in her eyes and makes a vow of his own: To protect her at all costs…

Will Dizzy let her into his heart, allowing her to show him there is still good left in this world? Or will the danger swirling around them be a power even love can’t overcome?

Goodreads — Amazon — Rest of the series

authortraciedouglasSurviving on caffeine most days, Tracie Douglas lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, two dogs and one really fat cat. She spends her days chasing children and fur babies, all while maintaining the illusion of sanity.

Her nights are spent toiling away at the keyboard, creating a world filled with hot men and strong women. She loves to read and write all types of book but tends to lean on the darker side of the spectrum. She’s pretty handy with a crochet hook too.

Tracie loves to hear from her readers!
Facebook — Reader’s Group — Amazon — Goodreads — Emailreview
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HOLY CRAP!! HOW HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS SERIES?! Lost in the Shadows is the third book in the Lost Series, and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC. I don’t know WHAT I was expecting when I started this book, but I am absolutely captivated by Tracie Douglas and her amazing writing skill, and the story she was able to weave. Reading the first two books in the series probably would have been helpful (getting on that ASAP) but it wasn’t necessary for me. There’s enough background, without giving too much away, for this to be read as a standalone.

This book released today (April 9th) and HOLY CRAP is it good! Not just good but INCREDIBLE. If you’re looking for a dark romance, you need this book. Dizzy, or Damien, left me absolutely heartbroken in his resolute determination that he was too broken for Penny. Dizzy is on a dark mission, one that took nine months to complete, that left him even worse than when he started. He is fragmented emotionally, and tries to deny his immediate reaction to Penny(spoiler: his reaction is mine). Even before he comes to terms with Penny, and her role in his life, he doesn’t want anyone to touch her or look at her.

Penelope, or Penny, was sold by her stepfather to sex traffickers. Due to her virginity, she reaches a higher price. This leads her to meeting the beautifully broken Damien. But, he’s undercover so she believes she’s just been sold to her owner, and she’s not sure what to make of it. When she learns the truth of who Damien is, she vows to make him let her in past his walls, and see they could be wonderful together. She wants to heal him, but she stands by his side giving him the strength to do that.

They heal each other, and it is so wonderful and amazing that I am trying not to cry. This is a dark romance, which I think is obvious with the theme of the book. It is suspenseful, thrilling, and has plot twists GALORE. I was halfway through the book thinking it was almost over, since Damien decided to go all alpha on Penny, when I realized HOLY CRAP THERES MORE.

I’m saying holy crap a lot… but that was my literal reaction to about half of what transpired in this book. I absolutely ADORED this novel, and will be going back to read the others in the series, if only because that epilogue was great and I need more.

Tracie, you’ve got me talking in run on sentences. How dare you. In my humble opinion, this is so much more than 5 stars, it should be 10. I love it. I love Tracie. BRB, I’m going to go stalk her on social media.

GO GET THIS BOOK!! Did I mention the series is free on Kindle Unlimited?
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5star

4 stars, Book Review

Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige

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Looking for a college romance series? How about a free book with some insta-love but its full length? Then stop over to Amazon and check out Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige.

blurb

pushtheenvelopeLooking for an alpha male in your new adult romance read?
You just found one.

“I love alpha males…. Yes I know Alpha males are the in thing but they need to be done right and in this book Drake is perfect.” -Aurora Rose Reynolds, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of the Until Series

“Absolutely loved! I’m a sucker for the over the top, crazy in love alphas. You give me one of those and I’m sold.” -Harper Sloan, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of the Corps Security Series
Alexa is just your average college junior, attending classes and piloting Mile High Club charter flights. Boys haven’t been on her radar for a couple years after a disastrous breakup with her high school sweetheart. Her plans to focus on school hit a bit of a snag when she meets bad-boy Drake Bennett and he sets his sights on making her his own.

Drake transferred to Blythe College for the rugby team, not for a new assortment of college girls. He’s sexy and cocky, and he attracts women like moths to a flame. When he meets Alexa, Drake knows he’s met his match. She tries to resist him, but Drake isn’t used to taking no for an answer.

This is the first book in the Blythe College series by Amazon Bestselling Author Rochelle Paige. Push the Envelope does not have a cliffhanger.
Warning: 18+ due to sexual content.

Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes & Nobles. Kobo. Google Play.

 

author

rochellepaigeI absolutely adore reading – always have and always will. My friends growing up used to tease me when I would trail after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. If I have downtime, odds are you will find me reading or writing.

I am the mother of two wonderful sons who have inspired me to chase my dream of being an author. I want them to learn from me that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

When I told my mom that my new year’s resolution was to self-publish a book in 2013, she pretty much told me “About time!”

 

review
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I am late to the game when it comes to Ms. Paige. I just recently found out that Rochelle Paige and Elle Christensen together write as Fiona Davenport(that has an AWESOME Mafia series that I adore and re-read every chance I get!) This book was free on Amazon so of course I grabbed it up. It’s got some of my favorite things: alphas, college romances, and girls that say HELL NO when a guy is being a dick. And Drake can be a dick of epic proportions.

Alexa and Drake feel an instant pull towards each other, but due to some miscommunication, Drake is rude to Alexa because he thinks she is with someone else. But when Drake finds out that Alexa is very single, he makes sure to wrap it up really quickly.  He makes sure every guy on campus knows there together. And short of tattooing across her forehead, he shows Alexa he’s in it for the long haul. Convincing Alexa of this is a different story.

I absolutely adored Alexa’s take-no-shit attitude and Drake’s alpha-machoness (is that even a word?). I loved Alexa’s relationship with her Dad, and her relationship with her best friend’s family. And I loved the drama! It was the kind of drama that makes you want to bash in Drake’s head, and shake Alexa, but also know that Alexa made smart decisions, while Drake was too busy coming to terms with his excess of emotions.

Plus, Alexa can fly a plane (thanks dad!) and uses that to pay for school. How? Mile-High Plane rides. That’s right ladies and gents, Alexa has a program that lets rich people pay to get their rocks off in the air for a few hours. Not only can Rochelle Paige write a really good book, she’s an entrepreneur. I don’t know if things like this exist, but they should.

And lord, that snippet at the end, it gives you Drake’s POV for some very important scenes. Basically, I loved everything about this book and it is FREE on Amazon! So go get your copy no!

Shoo! Go!
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4star