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4 stars, Book Review

The Beauty and the Beefcake by Pippa Grant Review

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newarcbannerblurbbeautyandthebeefcakeThere are two kinds of women in the world – those I can bang, and those I can’t.
My teammate’s sister?
She’s a can’t.
I moved in with her to protect her from a nasty ex, not to be the next guy in line.
She’s the brains.
I’m the brawn.
She’s the fruit.
I’m the sausage.
She talks too much.
I don’t talk at all, if I don’t have to.
Should be easy to resist her.
But every minute I spend with Felicity is another minute she gets under my skin. She makes me feel like something more than a dumb puckhead with a big Zamboni pony. And it’s getting harder to remember why I need to keep my hands to myself.

Beauty and the Beefcake is a vegan-friendly standalone romantic comedy featuring a hockey player whose vocabulary is the only thing smaller than a hockey puck, a book smart but aimless ventriloquist with too many voices in her head, a dilapidated old house that may or may not be haunted, and no cheating or cliffhangers.

— Goodreads — Amazon —

author31542912_356914224798647_7691225132127223808_o (1)Pippa Grant is a stay-at-home mom and housewife who loves to escape into sexy, funny stories way more than she likes perpetually cleaning toothpaste out of sinks and off toilet handles. When she’s not reading, writing, sleeping, or trying to prepare her adorable demon spawn to be productive members of society, she’s fantasizing about chocolate chip cookies.

 

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook —

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At first glance, this book is filled with possibly psychotic women who talk to themselves and empty headed hockey players that may or may not have stolen a monkey. But it is so much more than that. Ok, yes it is filled with craziness that sometimes had my head spinning trying to catch up with what was going on. Between Felicity the ventriloquist who doesn’t like the quiet so vents when she’s nervous or to fill the silence, and Ares the grunting hockey player that tries to keep everyone out by letting them think he’s an idiot, I was caught up in the world that Pippa Grant created.

Ares Berger had my heart from the first “moo” he said to confuse people. He walked in with a hurt ankle, and all he wanted to do was get back onto the ice. His teammate, Felicity’s brother, asked him to watch his sister. So he puts Felicity firmly in the “can’t touch” category even if he wants to. But all he knows is hockey and how to keep people out of his heart. So as much as his heart and his head are screaming that Felicity is his, he does his best to keep her far away from his monkey. *wink wink*

Felicity has sworn off guys because she has a tendency to choose the worst men. And then her brother, the goalie for the hockey team Ares plays on, sends them thousands of cookies with dicks on them. Yes, this was actually in the book. Do you see why I was cracking up the whole time? In between working to becoming a PT, venting at a comedy club on the weekends occasionally, and dealing with Gammy’s ghost, her mind and her heart are going a little crazy with Ares Berger living with her. And the more she gets to know him, the more she wants to know his monkey.

Felicity and Ares have more in common than they originally believe. And with Felicity feeling the need to fill the silence, she becomes attuned to Ares’ thoughts. With a grunt, she can tell what he wants to say. It becomes dangerous to both of their libidos and their hearts. Felicity starts to understand the silence, but she also sees Ares for more than the grunting oaf who says random things to throw people off. And Ares begins to see Felicity, and understand she has no idea what she’s doing with her life, despite having a high IQ and four degrees.

I loved these two so much. I’m not sure if it was because of the craziness or despite it, but I loved so much of this book. As my first Pippa Grant book, it was certainly a good one! I was smiling and laughing the whole time! Even when Gammy’s ghost freaked me out. The only reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 stars, was because sometimes the venting confused the hell out of me. But that’s totally me and my head not being able to keep up sometimes, with the voices and names.

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5 stars, Book Review, happily ever alpha

Until We Meet Again…

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blurbuntil we meet againA Club Alias Crossover

Justin, Kenton, and Nico did their job—catching and putting away the trafficker who had been kidnapping young women all over the state of Tennessee. But with all the money the bastard made from selling women as sex slaves, and lawyers as dirty as his bank accounts, Javier Flores was set free.

Frustrated and out of options, the Nashville boys call me, Brian Glover, a BDSM club owner and mercenary.

After a couple of difficult missions, I’m ready to get back to what I’m good at—eliminating bad guys and making it look like an accident. Plus, I’ll jump at any chance to spend time with Clarice, my best friend with benefits who meets me on all of my jobs.

Will this be the mission Clarice finally admits she wants more than friendship? Or will I have to wait… Until We Meet Again?

Happily Ever Alpha Kindle WorldauthorkdrobKD Robichaux wanted to be a romance author since the first time she picked up her mom’s Sandra Brown books at the ripe old age of twelve. She went to college to become a writer, but then married and had babies. Putting her dream job on hold to raise her family as a stay at home mom, who read entirely too much, she created a blog where she could keep her family and friends up-to-date on all the hottest reads. From there, by word of mouth, her blog took off and she began using her hard-earned degree as a Senior Editor for Hot Tree Editing. When her kids started school, and with the encouragement from her many author friends, she finally sat down and started working on her first series, The Blogger Diaries, her very own real life romance.

— Goodreads — Website — Facebook — Facebook Group —

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Um, EXCUSE YOU MRS. ROBICHAUX. How dare you give me this masterpiece without a proper ending? I need their HEA. I give this book NEGATIVE 5 STARS because it’s not done!

Ok, I’m being dramatic. Sue me. This book was more than five stars. It was short and sweet and I may have fallen just a little (ok, a lot) in love with Brian. He’s full of contradictions and I freaking love the giant. The title maybe should have given it away but it didn’t so I want more.

I’m usually a bit hesitant about BDSM club books. By hesitant, I mean I don’t read them. I have to look things up because I have no idea what they’re using, or the sub culture is just too much for me, or the guy is into voyeurism and I like guys that are too alpha to let their women be seen by other guys. BDSM clubs just aren’t my kind of kink.

Usually.

I have the first Club Alias book on my kindle, but haven’t read it yet because of my hesitance of BDSM. I’ve read books with it before, and I’ve liked them, but I don’t usually willingly read a book about it (I suck at reading blurbs!). Plus with all the new releases, I kept pushing it off. But, now that I’ve read this book, I NEED to read the rest of the series. I need to know more about Brian and Clarice. I need it. I’m like that Spongebob meme right now (you know the one so don’t pretend like you don’t). I also need their HEA, which I’ve heard they’re going to get, but obviously I don’t have it in my hands right now.

Like it should be. If I beg, will it come out faster? Please?

I loved reading this because it was all in Brian’s POV. It was so fun to see someone so tall (6’8″, hubba hubba) be so deeply in love with Clarice, be so gentle with her, yet also be a Dom. He loves her, and trusts her, to switch with her. He trusts her with info on his jobs, which I think I love more than anything else. It’s so different than the “I can’t tell you but it’s for your protection” thing. This book was short, sweet, and sexy, so I’m going to make my review short and sweet too (but not sexy). Go get this book, because you will LOVE it. This was my first KD book but it won’t be my last!
untilwemeetagain

5star

Best of 2018, Reading List, Release Blitz!

Release Blits ~ Gillian Jones!

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Presents
 
Release Blitz: Fighting Weight
by Gillian Jones
 
AMAZON
Available with Kindle Unlimited
 
Genre:Inspirational Contemporary Romance
 
 
 
We all have that voice inside our heads.
 
The one that speaks to us incessantly. That voice we trust to make the right decisions, to keep us on a positive path, even when others try to bring us down.
 
But what happens when that voice changes? 
When it’s no longer a voice of reason, a voice of comfort giving us a pep talk when we need one?
 
What happens when that inner voice turns into a bully?
 
You’re fat.
Don’t you dare eat that. 
You’ll never be as pretty as her
You’ll never be as good as them.
You’re lazy. You’re stupid.
You are disgusting.
You. Are. Nothing.
What happens when that inner voice makes your body takes its side?
Binge.
Purge.
Binge.
Purge.
And what happens when the bully starts to win?
If your name is Alina Cassidy, then you fight like hell.
Warning: Deals with subject matter some readers might find sensitive. But I promise an HEA.
 

 

About the Author
 
Wife, mother, proud Canadian. Shoe addict, red wine connoisseur, lover of laughter and the friendships that cause it. I’m a sucker for those epic romances that steal my breath and leave me always wanting more.
 
Follow the Author
 
 
 
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 Check out my review here!

 

Book Review, romance

Wallflowers: Three of a Kind (Wallflowers #1) by C.P. Smith Review

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wallflower1

 

blurb

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WARNING: Author believes in soul mates and insta-love. Proceed with caution if you’re not a romantic at heart.
“Romance and poetry, ivy, lichens, and wallflowers, need ruin to make them grow.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

They say money is the root of all evil, but sometimes, evil lurks in the most unlikely places.

Calla Lily Armstrong spent her whole life shielding her heart. Now she’s ready to break down her walls and see what’s hiding on the other side. With the help of her new friends, Poppy Gentry and Sienna Miller, the three band together to find their happily ever after. One Wallflower at a time.

Former Atlanta Homicide Detective, Devin Hawthorne, moved to Savannah for a change of pace and a fresh start as a Private Investigator. He finds it right under his nose in the form of a Southern beauty who drives him to distraction, and deadly secrets that threaten her very life.

Rated mature for language and sexual content.

author

CP Smith writes humorous, ooey-gooey romantic suspense with OTT alphas, insta-love, and LOTS of dead bodies! She believes books should be about escape rather than reality. Ms. Smith writes what she likes to read and leaves the rest to those with better imaginations. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five children. You can follow her on Facebook.

review

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CP Smith did such an amazing job with this novel. I truly enjoyed the antics of the Wallflowers, and I really liked watching the men in the novel try to keep up with them. Although Calla is a self-proclaimed Wallflower, she is not weak. Calla, a.k.a Cali, lost her parents and brother when she was very young, so tried to keep herself away from everyone to protect herself, and protect those she could possibly love. She doesn’t see the beauty she innately has, and it draws Devin in like a moth to a flame. She puts herself in some uncomfortable positions to help others, she reads a lot of historical romance novels, and she makes sure she backs her friends up when they need her. I would love to have a friend like Calla in my life.

Not only does es-Atlanta cop Devin have to come to terms with the insta-love he feels for Calla, and the surging of protective alpha in his veins for a woman that loves to make his job difficult, he has to deal with a missing woman, two murders, and someone trying to hurt Cali. And the plot continues to thicken as the novel continues. I’m not sure how it works in real life, but it seemed to play out like a TV show with trying to connect the dots. And HELLO PLOT TWIST at the end! That was a complete shocker, and it just made the novel that much better.

The one thing I wish was done differently was to have a better distinction between Calla and Devin’s point of view. The novel starts off with Cali covertly watching *cough*stalking*cough* Devin, and it’s written in first person. Devin’s point of view is written in third-person. Although this was a clever way to do it, it definitely made it a tad bit confusing when there wasn’t a real line break, just an extra space in between the paragraphs. This was just a personal preference though. Once I got into the book more, it was easier to keep up.

C.P had me hooked from the first time Calla saw Devin, and then reading how Devin felt when he saw Calla, and I just could not put this novel down. I can’t wait to read Until Susan for the Happily Ever Alpha Kindle Worlds!

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Book Review

Back to Her by Dani Wyatt Review

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blurb

38598834Going to prison and taking the fall was my gift to Mia. How was I to know her father would disappear with her and I would lose her forever? After serving my five years I’m finally out, but bars or no bars, I’m still in hell.

I never believed in miracles until today. Because I’ve found her. All plush softness, sorrowful eyes and lips that call to be kissed. She’s right here in the same place I’d met her all those years ago when she was too young. Before I could touch her.

There is no force on heaven or earth that will take her from me again. No force that will keep my hands off her now. I will take her. I will do as I please with her because she is mine. Now and forever. God help us both.

Author’s Note: Take five years waiting for her to be legal. Then another five locked up in prison and you’ve got one powder keg of alpha naughtiness waiting to explode. This love at the speed of light novella will warm your heart and your nether regions. All you expect…safe, smutty, swoony and happily ever after.

author

From the bio of Dani Wyatt on Goodreads: 
Since I was a little girl, I’ve made up stories. I would lay in my bed at night and before I knew what a trope was, I would make up these trope filled stories. Boy sees girl, boys falls for girl, boy saves girl….happily ever after. As I got older, the stories turned steamier and more intricate, but the basics never changed.

Now, my books are still full of romance but the naughty bits are naughtier, my hero’s are obsessed alpha types and my heroines are quirky, real women who come in all shapes and sizes.

So, sit back, banish the real world and get lost in some over the top romance with a heaping helping of hot. xoxoxo

Amazon:
Dani Wyatt used to feel bad about having such dirty thoughts. Luckily, one day she decided to starting writing them down. Her uber alpha heros have a wicked possessive streak and an insatiable libido. Her heroines are intelligent, quirky and worry about having too much muffin top. With her books, you can count on a heaping helping of HOT and always a happily ever after.

When she’s not writing (which is not often) she is probably laughing about some irony (like A-1 Steak Sauce is vegan), riding her horse, wondering why The Walking Dead can’t have a new episode every night, or looking cross-eyed at some piece of technology sent to ruin her day.

Friend her on Facebook here.

review

3-stars

I’ve read quite a few Dani Wyatt books, and I’ve always loved her OTT Alphas, but Walker just didn’t do it for me like some of Dani’s other alphas. The book started out strong, but eventually Walker and Mia just bothered me.

First, I don’t know what the heck Walker did to make money. When he first got out of prison he said he still had a lot of money, but that he needed more. But then later he doesn’t have enough money to help Mia and her Nana? And then there’s Mia, who has been kept inside her whole life by her father and no longer wants to be trapped hoping a man could take care of her. Admirable, but the first thing she does is lie to Walker and meet with a creep. A creep she didn’t like before her father disappeared with her. There was also a lot of unexplained things in the book, and it made parts of it feel rushed. Then there seemed to be unnecessary drama, that was resolved very quickly.

I still gave this book three stars because Dani always delivers on at least two things: the quality of writing, and super steamy love scenes. While the flow of the novel wasn’t my favorite, I can’t complain about her style of writing. While Walker wasn’t my favorite alpha that Dani has created, he is still Over The Top and completely in love with Mia. He knows what he wants, and waiting ten years to get it doesn’t stop him.

This is a short, insta-love story available free on Kindle Unlimited. Goodreads.

Reading List

Books to Get You Out of a Book Slump

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We’ve all been there… you read an AWESOME, amazing book and then everything you try to read after it just can’t compare… and you’re stuck wanting to read a book, sometimes by authors you know you like, or wanting to read anything but you just can’t. Here are 10 books I try to read to get me back into my book flow.

  1. Becoming a Vincent (Wild Ones #1) by C.M. Owens
    35487055.jpgGenre: Romantic Comedy
    Setting: Tomahawk, WA.
    I found C.M. Owens earlier this year and MAN can this woman write. Everything from paranormal, to romantic comedies, she is amazing. The Wild Ones Series is like nothing I’ve read before. The antics the Wild Ones pull in Tomahawk make me want to find this place and move there. This is the story of Layla Vincent, Benson Nolans, and beards. Yes, I’m serious, beards. Benson and Layla have been friends for three years. While both feel a certain way for the other, neither is willing to take the risk of losing their friendship, until one night everything changes. Fireworks, crazy brothers pranks, and a water cannon fight ensues. This book is pure hilarity from the Wild Ones Rules at the beginning of each chapter to the challenges the community has. If you’re looking for a pick me up: this series is for you. More books are coming in this series, so keep a look out!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  2. When You Dare (Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor #1) by Lori Foster
    men1Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance
    Setting: Kentucky
    This definitely has some triggers and the whole series is based off of darker themes. Although I highly recommend this book and the series, please read the description first. Dare Macintosh meets Molly Alexander in the most unusual setting: she was kidnapped by the same sex traffickers that kidnapped his best friend’s little sister. Dare tracked them down and rescued Alani, and the other women that were held there, but Molly didn’t look like the usual suspect. She was beaten and starved. So why was she kidnapped? Dare finds himself helping and protecting Molly. And doing something he was never supposed to do, especially not with a client: fall in love.
    Dare and Molly’s story is filled with suspense, crazy people, and love. It is a story with angst, action and adventure, and love that will blow you away. If you’re looking for a dark romance: this is the book for you. Lori Foster always writes amazing novels, but this is my favorite series of hers, and the first book I ever read from her.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  3. A Gentle Feuding by Johanna Lindsey
    774029Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: Scotland
    Do you remember the first romance novel you read? The one that had *sex* in it? In high school, I read a lot of YA, and a lot of YA romance, but A Gentle Feuding was my first historical romance novel that started my downhill slide into addiction. It is the typical grudge match, starting with a misunderstanding, with some plaid and lots of manly Scottish men in their kilts. It is the story of Sheena, the jewel of the Fergusson tower, and Jamie MacKinnion, a violent man feared by all, and their love blossoming under years of clan duty dictating they hate each other.
    Because this was the first historical novel I read, I go back to it often when I need to re-read a book and get me out of a slump. Each time, I fall in love with Sheena and Jamie all over again. Each time, I yell at them both for being stubborn. And each time, I fall back down the rabbit hole that is the romance genre. *enter girlie sigh here*
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  4. Property of Drex (Death Chasers #1) by C.M. Owens
    29516776Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Halo, Texas
    This is the second C.M. book on the list because it’s one of my favorites of hers. It’s a motorcycle club book, which ensures there’s death, drugs, guns, and some serious daddy issues. This book ends on a cliff hanger, but the second in the series doesn’t. The first two in the series follow Evie Marks and Drex Caine. Evie’s family is struggling financially since her father’s death so she does the only thing she can think to do, sell herself. She ends up with Drex Caine and the Death Dealers, and she is there permanently. The others don’t trust her, she doesn’t trust her feelings, and there’s dissent within the club. Evie struggles coming to terms with the fact that she loves life in the club, and Drex struggles with someone who once wanted to be a math teacher wanting to stay in the club. This book is inherently darker in it’s nature, but if you’re into the darker themed books, this one is so worth it. The first is even free on Amazon and B&N so download your copy.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  5. Born of Night (The League/Nemesis Rising #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
    2992061Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
    Setting: 3000 years in the future.
    This was the first sci-fi book I ever read. I was working at a convenience store as a cashier, and a woman I was ringing up had this book with her and recommended it to me. Sherrilyn Kenyon has the amazing ability to interweave her stories together, creating multiple timelines and intricate stories. This is the first in the series, and it blows my mind every time I read it. Every. Time. This is the love story of ex-assassin Nykrian Quiakides and ballerina Kiara Zamir. It is the love story of how they find each other, and how they save each other (although Nyk would argue that Kiara saved him not the other way around.) I never thought I would be into the sci-fi thing, and in many ways I’m still not a big fan, but the universe Sherrilyn creates, and the languages she makes, are stunning. I have read the entire series three times (I think) and I always pre-order the books when they come out. The characters are dynamic, and you end up falling in love with characters you swore you would always hate. It’s truly stunning. Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  6. The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn
    110391Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: London, England, 1813.
    This is the first in the Bridgerton series, and it is one that always warms my heart. Daphne and Simon struggle so much, and not in the typical “I’m a Duke/Duchess and cannot marry you because you’re beneath my station” way. Julia Quinn weaves a story filled with heartache, laughter, and a love that I want for myself. Daphne is an almost-on-the-shelf lady looking for a good husband, and hopefully a love match that her parents had. Simon is a duke looking to avoid marriage at all costs. Daphne is also the little sister of Simon’s best friend.
    Daphne and Simon’s love story starts with friendship, a fake courtship, and grows into love. I picked this book up at the library one day, and ever since, when I want to read a historical romance, I go to this book if I have nothing else. It is definitely one of my favorites.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  7. It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
    73070Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Chicago, IL.
    This is the love story of Phoebe Somerville and Dan Calebow. I don’t know if I can count how many times I have re-read this book. Phoebe is a Marilyn Monroe-type blonde bombshell who uses her good looks to make people think she’s an idiot. (Spoiler: she’s not). Dan Calebow is the coach for the Chicago Stars, a fictitious football team that Phoebe has just inherited from her dead father. Dan’s not happy, Phoebe’s not happy. The two struggle to find a balance, both professionally and personally.
    This novel has everything I love: football, women who are in power and ROCK it, men who find intelligence and women in power sexy, and romance. This is a mostly fun novel to read. There are some dark themes in it, which led to Phoebe’s act of the dumb blonde, but it is not so much that it weighs the book down. If you’re looking for some fun with football, you need to check this out.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  8. Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
    30281Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
    Setting: St. Louis, MO.
    If you’re looking for a traditional romance, move along. This is a 25 (26th coming this summer) book series that covers everything from vampire hunting, zombie animator, were-animals, polyamory, and lots and lots of death. There’s also some old school monsters/gods/goddesses in there too. Seriously, it’s a lot. It begins with Anita Blake and her single minded dislike for vampires (with very good reason) and being the Vampire Hunter with the most legal kills in her name, and her coming to terms with love. Love with many, many people. And what love means when it comes to working with the police department. It is one of the most original series I have ever read, and it’s always fun to re-read Guilty Pleasures to see how far Anita has come since she started out 10 years earlier. There’s lots of bloodshed, lots of sex, and lots of paranormal crap explained. Laurell weaves an intricate web, creating an entire world that I so want to live in.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  9. Fallen Crest High (Fallen Crest #1) by Tijan
    21936321Genre: YA/Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Fallen Crest, CA (it’s not a real place but Tijan has confirmed it’s somewhere in Cali).
    This series starts with Sam, Mason and Logan all in high school, but as the series continues you see them go to college. Sam’s mom divorces her dad and moves in with Mason and Logan’s father. Both parents put their children through hell, and Sam doesn’t deal with her mother well. Mason and Logan take Sam under their wing, protecting her from her mother and from the other school girls that are infuriated that Sam is living with the Kade brothers (because obviously their star football players and very popular), and that she starts dating Mason (the un-dateable of the two brothers.)
    I actually found this series while reading a different book, read the first chapter on Amazon for free, and was hooked. Mason, even in high school, is super protective of Sam and I adore it. Sam finding her way in life as more and more curve balls are thrown at her, while falling in love and gaining a brother, is dramatic, suspenseful, and everything I need when I want a darker, high school novel. Tijan always delivers the emotional punches to the gut in the absolute best way possible.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  10. #Nerd (Hashtag #1) by Cambria Herbert
    23493256Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Maryland
    This is your typical nerd girl/popular boy love story. Rimmel and Romeo seem like complete opposites, and they really are, but their love story is one of my favorites. Rimmel is the A+ scholarship student, hiding behind her baggy clothes and big glasses, afraid to make friends; and Romeo is the alpha Quaterback that’s looking to make a name for himself in the NFL. He is popular on campus, and is loved everywhere he goes. The growth of Rimmel and Romeo as individuals and as a couple, both coming to love and accept each other’s faults, is beautiful. When I need a good pick me up, I read this.
    It does have some darker themes, with crazy psycho stalkers and dealing with the death of Rim’s mother, but for the most part, it’s not a scary read. And the flow of the novel is perfect. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited so download it now!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.