Book Review and Giveaway for The Surviving Trace by Calia Read

THE SURVIVING TRACE
by CALIA READ

Our love is timeless.

Will is my fiancé. The shy man I met years ago in college. The person I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

This is the life I’ve always wanted until finding a picture of four men changes everything…

Etienne says he’s my husband and the year is 1912. He can’t stand the sight of me, but I don’t know why.

Oh, and he’s one of the men from the picture.

I’ve done the impossible and have become trapped in time and I know Etienne is my key to going home.

The more time I spend with Etienne, the further I fall for him, until I’m questioning which time I belong in and if the life I left behind is the one I truly desire.

All I know for certain is I need to survive time.

I need to survive love.

And I need to make it out on the other side alive.

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REVIEW: 4.5 Stars....with questions

"His memory is a second heartbeat that echoes against my own."

I'm in a state of shock right now, still....how can I rate this???

It took me a minute to collect myself so I could actually sit down and write my feelings out about this one. To be honest, I'm still pretty raw. I'm usually the type to write my review immediately after finishing a book because I love to purge my honest, gritty feelings as I am working through them.....but this book? It affected me so. It took me days just to come to terms with how I was feeling. To adjust to a world without Étienne and Serene was truthfully a distressing thought!!

This story was the perfect example of reading a new-to-me author and getting caught up in their words. Immediately. I loved that I was able to pick it up and immediately become immersed in a new world full of curiosities, while providing me with some mentally taxing thoughts. How could it be? How did all this work?? It made me challenge normalcy - which was necessary to take this ride. It made me think and smile and love and hurt - a barrage of emotions, for sure. The best emotion? Sounds kind of off, but the hopelessness I felt from both Étienne and Serene at opposing times for situations they couldn't control, that was my favorite part. I was completely giddy when things would happen that were unexplainable, but they were little bits of proof that their times were converging on each other.

"Tell me how to get you out of my system."

Here's why I loved it as much as I did. Not only did the synopsis immediately intrigue me - I honestly hemmed and hawed over the idea of actually giving it a try, but the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about the synopsis after I read it, that told me something. That and the emotions I ended up feeling by the time I finished it were beyond anything I would have ever imagined. Yes, this was not a genre I ever thought I would read. I see them and think there is no way I can relate, but THAT right there is exactly why I loved this as much as I did. I was so completely caught up in their world...their love....their plight. I hurt when they did. I yearned when they did. I loved when they did. I felt it all as if I were there, in their shoes, living her words. My favorite part was getting wrapped up in their emotional journey. The blending of two eras was so neat to read! I could only imagine what was going on in Serene's mind, but the way the story was told, I was able to put myself in her shoes, questioning logic and circumstance, mundane and out of this world wonders. Being that this genre is somewhat of a mystery to me, I was fascinated with every page turn. I was thankful I wasn't rolling my eyes, or screaming no way! I couldn't get enough! I took a ton of notes, but I am sure I missed some clues along the way. The discovery factor with this one is intense. It was definitely a mind game.

I am confused by a few things in this book, but I am also hoping that it is not only my naïveté in this genre, but also info saved for books two and three. I will be paying attention and seeing if my assumptions are right, or if they are better explained. Either way, the story brought me to my knees on more than one occasion. I have never procrastinated on finishing a book ever. EVER. I milked this ending for a good two days while I thought about the story; while I felt the fear and love; while I mourned the inevitable ending that was coming way too fast.

I realize many people say it's just a book, but do they realize how much one affects you when the words pull you in and fuck with your emotions? I feel empty now. . . at a standstill. I seriously questioned what I was supposed to do when this was over. I was already feeling the hangover that was sure to come by 96% into the book. This story made me seriously rethink blindly handing over my emotions to an author. The smiles were bright, the palpitations were rampant, and the emotions were consuming. This wasn't a typical journey for true love that I normally read - this was an adventure and I totally ignored my kids while I read it - HA!! I am so glad I took a chance on it, but now the pain of knowing I have to wait for the next book settles in and I feel like I may die. I feel like I'm addicted and I need my next hit. Rumor has it, September's the month.

"And I blame time. It is a thief that stole her from me."
~BEE

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~MEET CALIA READ~

Calia Read is the author of the Sloan Brothers Series, The Fairfax Series, Figure Eight and The Surviving Trace. She lives in Texas with her husband and their five kids. She is currently hard at work on the second book in The Surviving Time Series.

~CONNECT WITH CALIA~

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Book Review and Giveaway for Tattered by Devney Perry

TATTERED
by DEVNEY PERRRY

Thea Landry has always known her place in modern-day society. It’s somewhere just above the trash can her mother dumped her in as a newborn but below the class where much comes easy. With her tattered shoes and bargain-bin clothes, her life has never been full of glamour.

So when a rich and charismatic man takes interest, she doesn’t fool herself into thinking their encounter is anything more than a one-night stand. Months later, she’s kicking herself for not getting his phone number. Or his last name. She’s given up hope of seeing him ever again.

Until one day, years later, Logan Kendrick waltzes into her life once more and turns everything she’s built upside down. This time around, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s going to fight to keep him in her life—not for herself.

But for their daughter.

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REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"Everything about this man was smooth. Sexy. Even his voice. Definitely the way he licked his lips after taking a sip."

I cannot tell you HOW GOOD this book was without looking like I'm yelling, but OMGOSH, IT WAS SO GOOD! <-- see?? This one is shelf worthy and mark my words: I WILL HAVE IT ON MY SHELF. I am grinning like a fool while I write this review. You know those kinds of stories that are just heartwarming? The kind that make you believe in fate? In true love? In happily ever afters? This one set the bar high. I loved this book from the first page to the very end. The emotional aspect was on point. The alpha smart-ass was swoony. The strong heroine was perfection. The sexy-AF hero was dreamy. This book had everything I needed in a book to keep me engaged. And the nice thing is, I immediately clicked with this story. From the very first page, the vibe and cadence of her words danced on the page.


Thea (Thee-uh) was such a strong, independent, loyal, and admirable heroine. She was really neat to watch grow and mature and evolve throughout this entire book. I loved being in her head, but I also loved being on the outside looking in while opinions were forming and questions were asked. I liked looking AT her and being WITH her, every point of view was good to read. She has to be one of my favorite heroines. The strength and determination was evident with this one!

Ah, but I must confess: LOGAN WAS EVERYTHING!!! Talk about a perfect man - my gosh, he literally had me seeing hearts everywhere. <sigh> I can't contain my smile!! At some points, he was so intuitive and he could do no wrong, but other times - I wanted to shake him! His heart was in the right place, but that intuition flew straight out the window sometimes. But, in all fairness, that made him more relatable and lovable, to me, because he was real. He was genuine. He was fallible. The more I think about this book, the more I smile and giggle. I just loved his demeanor. He had such a candor to him, and it worked well for him. It seriously made me swoon and smile and sigh and yeah....just so stinkin' good!

"We'd burned hot six years ago, and that fire between us was still hard to ignore."

I seriously LOVED this book and she did it right. I'm not a huge fan of misplaced drama in books, and sometimes it's so bad that it overshadows the love story - which is a huge turnoff for me. Well, it's safe to say the drama in this one didn't overshadow the love story AT ALL. They were the focus. Their troubles, their problems, their love, their sexiness....it was all laid out perfectly for your eyes to devour. So. Darn. Good.

There was quite a bit of push and pull in this book, but I could understand their plight. I could understand their fear. I could understand why there was so much going on. I love how relatable Miss Perry made not only their love, but also their fear. The pull was intense. There was an insane draw between them, and that fueled the fears and desires so well. There was so much right in this book.

I don't read a lot of sweet, but I know I will never miss a release of Devney's. She instills sexy with sweet; a story with sass and a side of sweet angst. It's not a stomach-twisting, dramatic angst. It's the kind that makes you keep turning the pages, wanting more. She always gives me a heroine to admire and a Hero to drool over.

I know this book/series will be on my MUST READ list for a while to come. With this one setting up the next few books in the series, following the rest of these characters will be so rewarding. I have decided that Devney Perry is one of my go-to "sweet read" authors, but she's also fast becoming an author I can and will easily recommend now that I have read more of her. I loved this one. Absolutely, hands down loved it. There is an EXTRA bonus epilogue in the back so make sure to download it. I laughed hard while reading that last bit. I feel so complete after finishing this one...

"Fuck, this woman. She was ruining me one kiss at a time."
~BEE

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EXCERPT
He stared at me for a long moment. “You’re sure she’s mine?”

“She’s yours.”

“Then that’s good enough.”

“I—really?” I blinked. He didn’t want to verify paternity? He just . . . trusted me?

He nodded. “Really.”

“I swear, I tried to find you, Logan. On my life, I swear it. But the hotel wouldn’t give me your name no matter how much I begged. And you paid cash for your drinks and never mentioned your last name. I tried, but I just . . . didn’t know where to start.”

“It’s not your fault. I believe you.”

The sincerity in his voice made my throat burn. Goddamn it. I was going to cry.

I’d worked so hard not to cry today. I’d fought to keep my emotions in check and my head from spinning out of control. But this was going to make me break.

I wanted so badly for Logan to believe that I hadn’t kept Charlie from him intentionally. The fact that a man like him would trust someone like me without proof meant more than he’d ever know.

“Thank you,” I choked out past the lump in my throat.

“So, um, is Charlie inside with your husband? Or boyfriend?”

The urge to cry disappeared and I barked out a laugh. “Smooth.”

He chuckled. “It’s been a long day for me. Give me a break, will you? This morning I was in New York, then I came to Montana for a business meeting and discovered a daughter. I’m off my game.”

~MEET DEVNEY PERRY~

Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories.

Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.

www.devneyperry.com

~CONNECT WITH DEVNEY~

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Book Review and Giveaway for Rough Edge by CD Reiss

ROUGH EDGE

by CD REISS

"Unzip that dress before I shred it."
I married a decent man.

A rock solid, arrogant war hero who knows exactly who he is and what he wants.

He wants me, and I'm all his.

But he's becoming a different man. He's my husband, but he's not the man I married.

He's intense. Dominant. Possessive. 

He takes me like a king, giving me pain and pleasure in a single dose.

Every day, he shifts a little further from decent and closer to dangerous-and even still, I'm not sure I want the man I married to come back.

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REVIEW: --> YOU NEED TO READ THIS
"The tricky part was explaining things to her as the man she'd married, not the monster I was."

WHAT DID I JUST READ!!? Ok, first off, I was cautioned that this was a 'different' and heavy subject kind of read. In all actuality, after reading this book, I now know what they meant, but it wasn't a concern I needed to heed. Now, that may not be the same for everyone and the warning is there for a reason, I will say that much...but it just wasn't necessary for me. I like these kinds of mentally taxing reads, and the heavier, the better, but it has to have substance to it's heavy. This one most definitely had some substance! Holy cow, bear with me. I am going to try to put my thoughts into words since you can't see me sitting here wide-eyed and slack-jawed, shaking my head. I don't even know how I am going to explain this without giving away the basis of my very limited understanding of the world I just dipped my toes into!!

I AM HOOKED!!! In a sea of raving reviews, I know I won't stick out for saying anything different, but this book caught me by surprise. The synopsis was enticing and it made me really want to read it something fierce. I love a good complex storyline that makes me get caught up in everything that is going on. This one did exactly that. This one completely messed with my mind. Completely. With amazing characters leading the charge in this ever-changing, constantly moving, mind-numbing read, the story just moved and shifted while I became more and more committed to them. Greyson was an amazing woman and wife, professionally and emotionally. The exact person Caden needed in his corner to go through "this" with. I loved the way her mind worked, and how strong she was for not only Caden, but herself as well. She is definitely an admirable woman. Caden was a lucky man with a smooth soul and a pure heart, but he had a very coarse, yet passionate side. There was such an unexplainable, murky side to him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. He was the kind of man that you could easily fall in love with, all the while shying away in fear of his next move because he was a complex, multi-dimensional character in every sense of the word. But I loved him so much. Gosh, did I ever. There was such an exquisite honesty to his love and devotion to Greyson. I am completely caught up in their love and their world.

"I loved her so much, I wanted to marry her every single day for the rest of my life."

These characters were perfectly matched for one another and they complimented each other rather well in and out of the bedroom. Why is that important? Well, it should be noted because as you can see in that synopsis, their lives are changing and it's soooo intriguing wading through it all with them, but it's also painful to watch as it all swirls around them with the answers just out of their reach. This book seriously held me hostage. I hate using that generic line....I really do, but I don't have any other way to say I was completely engrossed and couldn't put the book down and have you understand that I seriously could.not.walk.away. It read really quickly, and it's not a long book, but the whirlwind of emotions surrounding the very difficult things they were dealing with were so neat to read through.

There is so much more going on "underneath" the story in the background. I know that sounds weird, but it's like a whole other storyline is spinning while we are watching this couple that is undeniably in love, live their daily lives with a brewing intensity that is unexplainable in so many ways, yet completely fascinating at the same time! There was SO much information coming at me, I almost felt lost a few times. Not in the "I can't follow the story" lost, but my head was spinning with all the information I was trying to catch. I found myself making mental notes for all the potential clues she dropped along the way, but I am also aware that I will inevitably miss things. There was such a slow, meticulous leak of information rolling out that I feel like I had to pay extra special attention to every little nuance as it happened. I will say I am pleasantly confused as of right now. HAHAHA!! I am so intrigued!!! My mind is on repeat with everything I just read.

With so much unfolding, so much happening in every corner of this book, confusion thrived in my mind while I was trying to figure things out. I know I should've just let it play out and held on for the ride, but my thoughts were running 100 mph while I read it. I felt like I was mentally pacing in anticipation while awaiting the rush of more words in yet another chapter. I felt like an addict craving more and more.

Since this is a four part series with a prequel, I know that it will deliver answers slowly, but I feel like after reading this story, it's going to be a rich one with a lot of depth and loopholes. There is absolutely no way I can possibly review it completely without giving something away, so I have to be very careful what I say. Welcome to my ramblings...come inside my head, get cozy and hold on.

"We doubt what we're gifted with."
~BEE

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SERIES ORDER:

CUTTING EDGE (PREQUEL)

(FREE and can be read anytime before book 3)

ROUGH EDGE

My review on Goodreads

ON THE EDGE

BROKEN EDGE

OVER THE EDGE

~MEET CD REISS~

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestselling author. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

~CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE~

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This Week's Cover Reveals

These last few weeks have had some amazing cover reveals and I am so excited to share them here!

This post will be playing catch-up on some of the ones I have shared lately, but from now on they will be weekly.

The Naked Truth by Vi Keeland will be releasing on July 23rd. Here is the cover, preorder links, TBR link and synopsis:

It was just a typical Monday.

Until the big boss asked me to make the pitch for a prospective new client.

After two years on shaky ground at work because of my screw up, an opportunity to impress the senior partners was just what I needed.

Or so I thought…

Until I walked into the conference room and collided with the man I was supposed to pitch.

My coffee spilled, my files tumbled to the ground, and I almost lost my balance.

And that was the good part of my day.

Because the gorgeous man crouched down and looking at me like he wanted to eat me alive, was none other than my ex, Gray Westbrook.

A man who I’d only just begun to move on from.

A man who my heart despised—yet my body obviously still had other ideas about.

A man who was as charismatic and confident as he was sexy.

Somehow, I managed to make it through my presentation ignoring his intense stare.

Although it was impossible to ignore all the dirty things he whispered into my ear right after I was done.

But there was no way I was giving him another chance, especially now that he was a client…was there?

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Why Stars Chase the Sun by CR Ellis will be releasing on June 26th. Here is the cover, preorder links, TBR link and synopsis:

JADE

Twenty-four hours.

A no-strings-attached adventure with the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen—this was my alcohol-slash-lust-fueled proposal, and given before I could consider the potential ramifications. While his looks alone are enough to make a girl swoon, it’s the rest of him—a perfect balance of mysterious, sweet, and effortlessly charming—that draws me in. Through his cryptic comments and half-answers, he’s quickly become an enigma I’m determined to solve.

One way or another, this adventure promises to snap the stagnant, lackluster pattern my love life has been locked in lately.

Is it naïve and a little reckless to think this won’t blow up in my face? Probably.

But the bigger question is the only one I need to answer…

Is the chance to soar among the stars worth the risk of being burned when the sun eventually rises?

EMMETT

Love is a mistake I won’t make again.

My rules are simple. Keep things surface-deep. Don’t make plans. And never, ever get attached.

One look at her is all it takes for me to break my first rule.

One conversation with her is all it takes for me to question everything.

Which means accepting her proposal is bound to be a mistake.

She has no idea who I am or what kind of demons I live with, so I tell myself there’s no harm in spending one day with her. But the more I lose myself in her, the more she brings me out of the darkness and into her light, the harder it’ll be to let her go.

When reality comes crashing down on us in the worst way possible, I have to decide between walking away…or risking everything for the woman who breaks all of my rules.

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It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott will be releasing on August 7th. Here is the cover, preorder links, TBR link and synopsis:

Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was.

Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete had been left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town.

Seven years on, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back all those old feelings.

Sometimes first loves are the truest.

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Shameless King by Maya Hughes will be releasing on June 22nd. Here is the cover, TBR link and synopsis:

A deliciously steamy enemies with benefits romance.
Declan McAvoy. Voted Biggest Flirt. Highest goal scorer in Kings of Rittenhouse Prep history.
Everyone’s impressed, well except one person…

After a blow out in high school, Makenna Halstead and I were happy to never have to cross paths again. Except life has a way of knocking you straight in the teeth with a puck when you least expect it. She hasn’t just returned to my life, she crashed into it like a wrecking ball...into my college kingdom, into my class, and smack dab into the seat next to mine. My new lab partner to be exact.

For years we hated each other... I may be King on the ice, but she is the Ice Queen. She has no problem calling me out, doesn’t back down, and her piercing blue eyes have me picturing more than than just my arms wrapped around her.

Now we’re stuck with each other and there’s no getting around that fact that we have to work together. My hockey career hangs in the balance. Problem? Oh, yeah.

I can’t deny it. I want her. More than I ever thought I could want a woman. I’ve got one semester–only four months–to convince her everything she thought about me was wrong.

Will my queen let me prove to her I’m the King she can’t live without?

Only one way to find out...

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Hunting Butterflies by Kimberly Carrillo will be releasing in Fall 2018. Here is the cover, TBR link and synopsis:

Lily has been in love with the boy next door since she was in elementary school. He was her entire world, until the day he left.

Now the world is in love with him too.

Tristan is the most famous actor in Hollywood, he has everything he's ever wanted except for her - the one girl he's always loved.

Years come and go, heartache makes its mark, but can true love heal the deepest of wounds?
Can it fill the hole born of a troubled marriage to the wrong person?

Lily isn't sure, but Tristan is determined to prove her wrong.

The one thing she can’t deny is the flutters she feels when she sees him again. Her mom’s advice was always “Never stop hunting the butterflies.” Is she brave enough to try one more time?

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Bring Down the Stars will be releasing on July 26th and Long Live the Beautiful Hearts will be releasing on August 9th. Here are the covers, TBR links and synopsis:

BRING DOWN THE STARS: 

I fell for Connor Drake. I didn’t want to; I fought against it, but I fell in love with him anyway. With his words. With his poetry. With him. The gentleness and beauty of his soul that speaks directly to mine. He writes as if he can feel my heart, hear its cadence and compose the exact right lyrics to accompany every beat and flow. 

I’m in love with Connor…so why do I feel an inexplicable pull to his best friend, Weston? Grouchy, sullen, brooding Weston Turner, who could cut you down with a look. Fiercely intelligent with a razor sharp wit and acid tongue, he’s the exact opposite of Connor in every way, and yet there’s electricity in the air between us. The thorny barbs Weston wraps around himself can’t keep me away. 

But the more time I spend with these men, the more tangled and confused my emotions become. When they both sign up for the Army Reserves during a time of increasing strife in the Middle East, I fear I’ll never unravel my own heart that sometimes feels as if it will tear straight down the middle…for both of them. 

LONG LIVE THE BEAUTIFUL HEARTS:

And then there were two . . .

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Broken Love Story by Natasha Madison will be releasing on July 10th. Here is the cover, TBR link, preorder links and synopsis:

When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Samantha 

I had the perfect life; a husband who loved me, and two kids who were my world. 

Until someone else answered his phone and my perfect life shattered. 

When he died, I was left with answers he couldn't give me and a box full of lies. 

He left me broken. 

Blake 

I fell in love when I was fifteen, knowing she was the one. 

For five years, she was my everything—my every breath, every heartbeat, every thought. 

She made me promise to move on, promise to find love again, but I broke those promises because I can't move on. 

Two broken souls brought together by tragedy and heartbreak. 

Can a broken love story be fixed?

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Someone Else's Ocean by Kate Stewart will be releasing on July 27th. Here is the cover, TBR link and synopsis:

The first time I met Ian Kemp in the sparkling blue waters of St. Thomas, I was six years old and we shared a summer beneath the stars.

The second time I met Ian Kemp, he was a shell of the boy I once knew. Turbulent and infuriating, he refused my friendship at every turn. Like me, he was a casualty of life’s cruelty, but we were planets apart. 

We’d both sought refuge on the island, hoping to find our anchor. Instead, we found each other and managed to reclaim our stars...until we both got swept away.

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Memories of Us by Fabiola Francisco will be releasing on July 18th. Here is the cover, TBR link, preorder links, and synopsis:

The life I’m living was supposed to be ours, not just mine, and without her it means nothing. 

I couldn’t climb on stage and sing to a crowd, knowing the one person my songs were meant for was miles away from me. Writing songs about her is the best I can do until she comes back because I know we’re not over. We’re just on pause, like your favorite song when you need a moment to take it in. But as soon as I find her, I’m pressing play on our love story.

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READ AN EXCERPT HERE

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Book Review and Giveaway for SALT by Mara White

SALT 

by MARA WHITE

Salana Livingston did everything right, from taking her multi-vitamin to kneeling before bed to say her prayers every night. She followed the path her parents had planned before she was born, never questioned the role until the day a bus-load of sweaty kids from the Bronx got dropped at her parents' horse farm.

Tiago Alcazar knew a life of hard knocks. An incarcerated father, a missing and strung-out mother who left him to rely on his aged grandmother for most of his life.

Tiago runs the mean streets of the neighborhood that raised him, living hand-to-mouth, everyday a gift, if he can just make it.

Burdened by a world that only wants to see her as perfect, Salana finds her greatest confidant in a boy society has labeled as worthless. Their paths cross too many times for their stubborn hearts to deny the connection, but can the delinquent and the debutant defy the odds and overcome the social constructs that condemn them?

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REVIEW: 4 STARS

"Why did his heart call to hers and block out all the meaningless noisy stuff?"

Y.E.S. This book. This love. This truth. This depth. I am not sure I will accurately be able to convey all that I loved about this book. At some points it was an uphill battle for me, but I loved it by the time I was finished with it. Not only did Mara White jump into a very deep love that was, for all intents and purposes, an "unconventional match" between two people at very different social standings in life, but she did it in such a powerful way that mastered every hurdle thrown their way. I love that they manipulated the odds in their favor just by living life. I felt this book from the first page until the very last, and the emotions were so intense, I almost chucked my kindle!! I think my favorite part about this book was that none of it was conventional in the truest sense of the word. 

Salana was an amazing person, inside and out. She had insight mixed with innocence and that was admirable, but her unbiased mentality was a beautiful thing to witness. She was an honest person with a good soul, deep down. She didn't allow others to dictate acceptance in her eyes. She had such a strong sense of self, and I feel that strength was her guiding light throughout all the crazy these two dealt with. Not only in their collective circumstances, but in their bubble together as well. Their pull and their chemistry was absolutely evident and completely undeniable. 

Tiago was the very description of a boy from the 'hood. His upbringing, his lifestyle, his world, is vastly different than Salana's, and to "picture" him? I saw the cornrows and the saggy pants, the white tank and the gold chains around his neck, but I also saw him. The way he was on the outside most definitely did not match who he truly was on the inside...or maybe it did? Was he a softie? No. No way. He was from the mean streets. He had a very distinctive "don't mess with me" attitude that he had NO problem sharing with anyone and everyone. To add to it, he was rather crass as well...but that's just who he was. He was a rough hewn young man taking what he wanted, but the flip side to that was seeing how he carried himself. There was a deep-seated truth to him. A very protective and moral side that was unshakeable to it's core and I admired that about him. 

Their love, their story, it wasn't an easy one. There was such a sexy intensity between them, social standards be damned, but there was also natural insecurities with bold issues. I honestly felt like I was going through the motions with them - I felt the whole darn thing. But Tiago, he made this story for me. His unwavering strength and conviction in his love for Salana....there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He was such a dynamic character. There was so much more to him than meets the eye. I loved his personality, his depth....his devotion. There was a confidence and swagger in him that showed the streets he was raised on, yet there was such an intimacy when he was around Salana that was a force to be reckoned with. He was the physical interpretation of 'weak in the knees' for me. A bit (read: a lot) of bad boy with a whole lotta heart. I loved him!

Now for a few harsh truths - A few times I had to re-read some passages because they were quite confusing. Overall I was caught up in the storyline and the love so I kept pushing through, but a few times had me squinting. I also ended up putting this book down and walking away around the 30% mark. I was so bummed that I needed to take a breather from it. I mean, this book was sooo good. I was deep into it, enjoying it and loving it - time escaping me. The ridiculous reason? The first sex scene had me like....whuuuut? This is a joke, right? It was just, I don't know, not what I would have imagined it to be, given the circumstances. I was completely caught up in the story, in the happenings, in the push and pull of these very different worlds colliding, but that first sex scene seriously took me out and made me step back while scrunching my nose. Obviously I went back in, and I am glad I took a moment and cleared my mind, because the rest of this story had me once again completely engrossed and twisting my fingers in anticipation while I was reading it. I was anxious as to how this story was going to turn out, because at one point, Salana - she was going to get the wrath of me!! I mean, c'mon!! I wanted to shake her so damn hard! Argh!! Talk about frustrating! But see? That's good. That means I was invested and completely devoted to this story!!

I am sitting here shaking my head while I write this because the emotions I felt while reading this were so very real. So very palpable. When a book can pull out the feels, when it can make me physically feel the emotions that are coursing through me, that is a sign of a good book for me. This was such an amazing story, so emotional and turbulent. I loved Tiago and Salana. Loved them. I will easily and quickly recommend this one. So. Darn. Good. I loved it. Mara White proved yet again that she can write words that affect my heart in all the ways possible. 

"....as if their destiny were already written."

~BEE

PURCHASE: AMAZON Kindle Unlimited

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~MEET MARA WHITE~

Mara White is a contemporary romance and erotica writer who laces forbidden love stories with hard issues, such as race, gender and inequality. She holds an Ivy League degree but has also worked in more strip clubs than even she can remember. She is not a former Mexican telenovela star contrary to what the tabloids might say, but she is a former ballerina and will always remain one in her heart. She lives in NYC with her husband and two children and yes, when she’s not writing you can find her on the playground. 

~CONNECT WITH MARA~

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Book Review and Giveaway for Confessions: JULIEN by Ella Frank

CONFESSIONS: JULIEN
by ELLA FRANK

People are complex.
Love a double-edged sword.
And when it comes to a broken heart, there are no rules, only time…

For the past eight years, Julien Thornton has been living with a secret. One that only a handful of people know about.

To the outside world, he has it all.
A thriving career. A loving husband. And a face that the American public fell for by the millions, on a reality show that inadvertently saved his life.

But behind the shine of celebrity, behind the easygoing nature, a crippling truth fills Julien with pain and self-loathing. It’s a truth that he fights to overcome daily with the help of his husband, Joel Priestley, and now their boyfriend, Robbie Bianchi.

But unlike Priest, Robbie doesn’t know what he’s helping Julien to fight. He doesn’t know what Julien did all those years ago. And with the anniversary of his sister’s death fast approaching, the time for explanations is running out.

And thus the question: will the princess be able to forgive the prick as the priest once did?

Only time will tell.

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REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"We all have a role here, Robert. No one's is greater or more important than the other. It's just different. That's why we work, and will continue to work, if we're honest with one another."

As I sit here, typing up my feelings in regards to this book, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this book took me longer to process than normal. My review is late. My feelings are still in turmoil. My heart hurts for Julien. I can easily sit in a corner, re-reading my highlights and closing my eyes to envision the emotions and the love. The book, simply put, was captivating. I know many say that about plenty of books, but the fact that I've only read two books now by Miss Frank, I know that I am wondrously in love with the love these men have for each other. Her writing is magical. She pulls me in with her story. She makes me feeeel all the feelings. I can shrug my shoulders. I can shout from the rooftops. I can sigh and try to explain....but I am just not sure I can adequately get across the intimacy that I feel from these men. I feel like a part of their world. Privy to their emotions and their hidden funny side. I feel like I'm peeking in, but that I was invited as well. What a concept, I know.

I feel like this storyline, as embellished as it may seem to some, it spoke to me. Whether it was her smooth writing, her flawless storytelling, or a love that flowed effortlessly....I was taken away, immersed into a world of genuine love. A love that was meant to be. This story showcases three men, all in various stages of their life, but they are together and.they.work. The WAY they acclimated to one another, the ease in which they fell in step? I feel like that side of the story was what had me sighing the most. I can easily say I am in love with this triad. Completely, unabashedly in love. Robbie adds the drama and the giggles, the pomp and circumstance they crave in their life - or, dare I say, the flash they allow into their structured world. Julien is the depth and emotion, determined to love and provide for his men, even with his tortured soul. But to take care of them and show them unconditional love, that is one of his greatest pleasures. Priest is the intensity and the alpha they both love to please, but he has his moments of playfulness that I know for a fact are brought out by Robbie. But when you mix them all together, you have a relationship worthy of envy. One that ebbs and flows; the give and take is beautiful to witness. I just want to hug them all.

"And how does Priest look at me, princesse?"
"Like you're everything he needs to survive another day."

These characters affected me in different ways and they truly felt like individual characters. Their personalities were so different but they complimented each other so perfectly. Julien may have been in pain, but in seeing this side of him, it brought out the best in his lovers as well. I got to see Robbie GROW so much in this book. Not only in his comfortability within his new relationship with Julien and Priest, but also in his compassion. Not saying he wasn't compassionate before, but there was a more giving side to him in this one, one that shows he wants to please others and not just himself, and I really liked that side of him. And of course, Mr. Priest...his ability to soothe Julien's pain, to comfort him when he needed it the most. I loved seeing that softer side of him. I loved the "not necessarily" vulnerable side to Priest, but the quiet strength he portrayed. I just freaking love these men. Their dynamic was so intriguing. I just want more...

"A broken heart of gold, that's what our Julien has."

This one. This one had so many more sensual, more intimate times than I remember being in the first book. Was it too much? Nah. I don't think so. It served a very definite purpose in the story for me because it just reminded me of the honeymoon phase of when you're with your first true love/love of your life. You want to touch. You want to explore. You want to hold on tight and never let go. And I hope that is what Miss Frank set out to do, because that's exactly how I took it. It was a carnal need, this conviction shared between three men that wanted nothing more than to love one another. And, holy schnikees, was it hot. Wooh. HOT. And quite descriptive, which definitely made me able to visualize it and potentially blush a bit. Will I complain about the gratuitous amount of sex in this one? Again, no - because I remember that feeling in the early stages of falling in love, and she did such an amazing job making these characters relatable. I was able to connect with them not only on an emotional level, but on a "personality" level too. I just loved being a part of their world for the few days I read it.

Embarrassing truth moment: my French is a whole lot of a little bit of rusty....but dammit if I didn't read Julien's words with an accent completely made up in my mind. HA!!

Let's not forget the perfection that is embodied with this cover. That is Julien. 100%, hands down, flat out -- totally Julien. Pout and all. I loved being able to "see" him as Julien while I read this story, just as I feel that Robbie's cover was absolutely HIM while reading that one. I cannot recommend this series enough, but the wait for Priest's book may just be the best form of torture. I want it desperately, but I know that it will be the end of this series and I am not ready to let them go....I'm just not.

I'll leave you with this quote and I think it was easily one of my favorites and I highlighted A LOT:

"Sometimes the best way to forget the past is to lose yourself in the present. But even then, the past often has a way of finding you."

~BEE

PURCHASE ROBBIE: AMAZON

My review: http://bit.ly/2p5Oi9E

PURCHASE JULIEN: AMAZON

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~MEET ELLA FRANK~

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.

~CONNECT WITH ELLA~

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Book Review and Giveaway for Unexpected Love Story by Natasha Madison

UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY
by NATASHA MADISON

When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Crystal

I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees.

It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love.

I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams.

Until the unthinkable happened.

Gabe

I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams.

I wore a smile on my face every single day.

I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did.

My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.

What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true?

This is the story of unexpected love.

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REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
"With Crystal, I know I won't let her live without me."

SO, after meeting Crystal and Gabe in Perfect Love Story, I couldn't even begin to imagine what the source of all their volatility was. You can read my review for Perfect Love Story HERE. There was so much contention between them that my curiosity was that much more piqued going into this one, and I wanted to know the why of all of it! However, having read this one now, looking back, all I can say now is HA! HA! HA! Madison did such a good job making me smile throughout this entire story. And yet again, I am completely in love with another set of characters, both individually and part of a series. I liked how she incorporated them all in each story, but also gave them their own voices. I really liked this one.

I think it's important to note that this one was written as a standalone, but if you read it, you will know the entire first story, so I would recommend reading them in order if you don't want to ruin the first book. I know I am that type of crazy reader that has to read in order, but if you do read this one, just know you will have the entire backstory of book one because Crystal and Gabe are an integral part of Hailey and Jenson's story. Having said that, I loved the back and forth we had in the very beginning of this book - the proverbial trip down memory lane to catch us up on all things Crystal and Gabe. Obviously we saw book one in Hailey's POV, but being able to relive it from Crystal's POV gave me a little more of an in-depth look at all the emotions swirling around on that fateful day. I loved seeing that aspect. I loved feeling the pain from another perspective. And I loved how Crystal is the kind of friend we all desperately need in our lives. I really liked this story so much!

"I can't breathe without her."

I know sometimes you find a book or a storyline by an author that just takes you by surprise and it's so out of your norm that you have to tell everyone. This series, so far, is gonna be that one for me. I haven't read Natasha Madison until now, but I can honestly say that I am truly enjoying this series and all the characters. Yes, I know the tagline originally sucked me in, but this normally wouldn't be a writing style I would shout about. It's very different than what I would normally read. I don't want to undermine her ability to tell a story, because clearly she can and it's why I keep coming back, but her storytelling is a basic layout of exactly how everything happened - a no frills, fast paced storytelling that I can appreciate. But, it made for a very entertaining read. It was just that good for me. I connected. It resonated. It worked. I really liked this one!!

Once again; SO FREAKING EASY to read! I was genuinely giddy and excited while reading this one. Natasha's voice is fresh, her story reads complete and fun, and I'm addicted to the energy her writing evokes. It was just one of those books that I could fall into and wonder where the time went; completely caught up in it. I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times, and I may have even shed a tear with the jaunt down memory lane, but overall, this is my favorite book in the series so far. Interestingly enough, I feel the setup for the third book was a notion planted in the very beginning of this one, so by the time I got to the end, I seriously high-fived myself for knowing where it was going! HAHAHA! I am excited for Broken Love Story now!!! And if you haven't figured it out by now, I am admitting that I really liked this one. Like....really.

"Tonight you're coming home with me, and we are going to fuck each other out of our systems."
~BEE

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UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY #2

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OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

PERFECT LOVE STORY #1
My review: http://bit.ly/2LWyS2h

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BROKEN LOVE STORY #3

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~MEET NATASHA MADISON~

When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips.

It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

~CONNECT WITH NATASHA~

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