Sunday, December 18, 2016

Book Review for Yours to Bare by Jessica Hawkins


YOURS TO BARE
by JESSICA HAWKINS

FINN
No matter how cruel it's been to me in the past, I've never been able to flip fate the bird. I'm a romantic at heart. So when fate drops a leather-bound journal at my feet, I know I should walk away.

I don't. I pick her up, bend her spine, spread her pages. From the first word, I'm a goner. The owner didn't give me access to her most intimate desires, but I devour them anyway. Her private darkness, her candid, sensual poetry--it all goes down like warm milk. And from that point forward, I drink, eat, and sleep her.

HALSTON
I went to his apartment and let him take my picture. Just once, to see how it would feel. I'm not his to look at, to inspire, to touch, but when he watches me through his lens, it gives me a high I don't want to come down from...

My journal is the one place I can be myself--as long as I can tie it up and put it away when I'm finished. But when Finn undoes the bow, he pulls strings that could unravel each of us.



REVIEW: 4.5 Stars
"Fate doesn't stick around for happy endings -- it only gives you the opportunity to work for one."

FATE - That word meant a lot to Finn. He is a true believer, as am I...which is why I think I could easily fall into this story and did. Finn is an artist, as well as Halston, so they already had that certain depth to them. So for these two people to be connected on such an intimate level, so quickly and almost so effortlessly, that was amazing to see blossom. They lived and breathed raw lust, and the fact that it started with her words that inspired him are what made my head spin as their relationship went as intense as it had, so quickly. He found a certain truth behind her words. It was liberating and sexy, all in one. It's intimate the way he viewed her and that showed through his work. It was SO sexy. I got caught up in them and it set the tone for the book for me.

But as I was reading this story, trying to understand where it was going to go, I had to stop and realize ONE thing: this wasn't my story to expect anything. This wasn't my love life on the pages. It wasn't up to me to decide for it to go a certain way, even though this was my Finny Finn Finn. It was exhilarating. It was happy. It was messy. It was sad. It was hot. But most of all, it was real. Putting it into that perspective allowed me to follow along, a willing slave to Jessica's words. She's telling me this story of an emotionally stunted, but very capable woman that needs love and guidance. I had to accept that side of Halston, because that is the side that Finn fell in love with and I was at the mercy of his heart.

I was waiting for this big explosive ending, but I didn't get that. Nope. Not at all. Instead, I got this well manicured, perfect and very fitting ending for Halston and Finn. Because, in true Jessica fashion, she brought the characters to life and we lived their story. Lived their pain. Lived their love. It would have been a lot easier to hate Halston with her issues, the whole outlook she had, but then I had to stop and really look deep into both characters. In hindsight, everything led up to them meeting....they just ultimately had a hand in the way fate played out for them in the end.

As usual, Jessica forced me to face the tumultuous world of yet another character, flaws and all....with a stark realization that even though this is a book, it still brought out my own personal opinions, but then forced me to realize that life isn't always roses and it doesn't button up easily. I loved how this book showed the need they each had for each other and allowed them both to grow from it.

My Finny Finn Finn. Let me just get that out there....no matter what, I am and always will be irrevocably in love with him. After having met him in Slip of the Tongue, I knew how much he wore his heart on his sleeve and this book solidified my love for him. The ugly side of falling in love, and the emotional turmoil you put yourself through as you learn what real love is like was definitely a learning curve for these two. Finn knew what it meant to take care of someone and make sure they were not hurt, but he needed to learn that not always does his 'ways' work for Halston. The entire theme of this book, hands down, was the unconditional love Finn has for Halston. This was an emotional book in all aspects, but I loved their story. The ugly and the beautiful.

"I've been sleeping for the last year, and she's the only thing that's made me feel awake."
~BEE

This is available on Kindle Unlimited



~MEET JESSICA HAWKINS~
Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California.

She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. To her, the most intriguing fiction is forbidden, and that's what you'll find in her stories. Currently, she resides wherever her head lands, which is often the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.

~CONNECT WITH JESSICA~

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THIS WAS NOT AN ARC REVIEW

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Book Review and Giveaway for Max by Sawyer Bennett




The ice is a cold mistress. As the league’s most eligible goalie, Max Fournier has access to his fair share of willing puck bunnies, but right now he’s more interested in bringing home another championship than a one-night stand. A romantic at heart, Max believes in love; he’s just not great at relationships. So when he finally meets a nice girl who’s not blinded by his celebrity, he’s feeling the heat—and the pressure to save her from herself.

Between working two jobs and raising her sister’s kids, Julianne Bradley doesn’t have time for sports—or men. All she knows about Max is that he’s the sexiest customer to ever grace her gas-station counter. And he sees past her tired eyes and makes Jules yearn for things she can’t have: a glamorous fling, a passionate lover, and the time to enjoy both. Max makes her feel like Cinderella, even though Jules has enough baggage to crush a glass slipper. Luckily, he’s no prince—only a fierce competitor determined to win her heart.



REVIEW: 4.5 SWEET STARS
"There's something about you that makes me believe everything is possible."

For being the sixth book, this series does NOT get old!!! I really love this series and the guys are all hot. That counts for something, right? Hahaha! Ok, for serious. I know I'm pretty much guaranteed a crush on her men when I'm reading her stories, and once again, I was not let down. Not only was this signature Bennett perfection, but it was also a dose of reality that hit close to home. 

Sawyer Bennett has yet again written a man that is swoogle worthy. Seriously. All things Max are what made me smile. The characters in this book were really good, but Max was a little different in that he was a sweeter side of her alphas. I LOVE alpha, and I love a man that goes after what he wants. But this side of Max, this sweet side that knew ALL the right things to say? Swoon worthy!!! Not to mention his comebacks? He made me giggle on quite a few occasions! Hence the word swoogle. 

This book had some aspects that made me really feel the emotions at times. I usually read her books with a smile on my face. Her books really work for me and I know I can get lost in them, being guaranteed a good read - no questions asked. This time,  however, there were some parts that mirrored my life and so I was able to look at it from both points of view and really FEEL both sides of the coin with a better understanding of things. 

Was there some whiny times? Sure. 
Was Julianne insecure? A little.
Was Julianne strong and confident and someone to admire? Definitely.

That is what makes this story understandable and completely believable. If you think about it, insecurities are very normal. Very. When we get insecure and something happens, we end up complaining about it or just get down on ourselves. It's sometimes hard to see the end of the tunnel. But, besides having Max by her side who would do A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G for her, she was an overall very strong and stubborn person. I have to admit that being strong comes with a silent downside that is very hard to reconcile with your stubborn and strong side, but I think that it was written wonderfully. I really liked how this story played out and how it ended. I love Sawyer's HEA's!!! 

"His lust becomes my lust and his need becomes mine."
~BEE


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~ABOUT SAWYER BENNETT~
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series, the Last Call Series and the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Series.

~CONNECT WITH SAWYER~

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ARC REVIEW

Excerpt for Jaded Hearts by Harper Sloan


EXCERPT

Goddamn, that smile is dangerous.

Who am I kidding? He is dangerous.

I do my best to ignore him, but it’s impossible. The steady brush of his arm against where mine is resting on our shared armrest constantly reminds me how much my body wants his touch. The scent of his delicious cologne hits my senses, making me want to climb in his lap and rub my face over his chest to get a potent lungful of it.

I can’t even remember the last time I was this horny, which is pathetically sad, since it was probably around the same time I actually got laid. Years. I think.

Close to three. Maybe that’s why I’m a hot mess lately. I turn my head to study the side of his face and wonder if I can use this situation to my advantage. I mean, after all, we are in a ‘relationship’ now.

He turns and gives me a questioning arch of his dark brows, but I brush it off in favor of playing Disney Emoji Blitz on my phone.

By the time we had hit cruising altitude, I could hear the other men around me snoring away but not Chance. He’s fiddling with his phone, completely ignorant of the fact I’m about to start humping his leg.

“Excuse me,” I breathily say, unbuckling my belt and standing to move around him. I stand there, my head bent slightly because of the overhead, and wait.

He doesn’t move, though. Instead, he drops his phone to his lap and gives me his complete attention; his eyes even dance a little like he’s finding this whole damn thing funny. “Excuse me,” I repeat, no longer breathy, and seconds away from coming.

No, that’s a lie. I’m still breathy and very much seconds away from soaking my panties even more than they already are.

His large hands grab my hips, and he guides me down on his lap with no resistance from my treacherous body.

“Not what I meant,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to sound harsh and offended, but I just sound dazed and turned on. I wiggle in his hold, trying to get free, but he’s too strong for me.

He leans up in his seat, his chest hitting my back and buries his face in my neck. I’m sure anyone who saw us would see a loving couple who just can’t keep their hands to themselves. He’s playing a dangerous game, though, because the second the solid, hard length of him presses against my backside, I forget this is supposed to be a game and squirm a little more. His teeth nip at my shoulder at the same time his groan hits my ears.

“Stop moving, Wren,” he demands, tightening his fingers on my hips.

“You’re the one who put me on your lap.” I curl my fingers over the empty seat in front of me and squeeze my eyes shut when I feel him growing harder under me.

“Yeah, because the flight attendant who just walked by had her phone out and pointed right at us. She’s doing a shit job of making it look like she’s doing something with her paperwork.” His hand comes off my hip, and he cups my jaw, turning my head to the side just when I was about to look up at where I last saw the attendant, forcing me to shift until all it would take is me throwing one leg over his body to be face-to- face. “Do not look at her,” he stresses; the sudden movement of twisting my body makes me bounce slightly in his lap, rubbing my legging-clad ass against his erection. His eyes drop to my mouth where I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and groan.

“Give me a reason not to look,” I dare him.

“You don’t want to go down that road, Wren. I’ll protect you from the world, but you need to protect yourself from me.”

“No one is asking you to.”

Not even knowing if we’re still being watched, I twist my torso the rest of the way, pulling my legs up until they’re bent at his stomach between us. Now that I’m facing him completely, I bring my hands up to curl them both around his shoulders before dragging them up to wrap around the corded muscles at the sides of his neck.

His nostrils flare, but he doesn’t stop me. I give him the chance, but it never comes.

Dropping my head, I press my lips to his. I explore his lips with small pecks and little licks of my tongue, learning his mouth before pressing more firmly. He sucks in a breath when I open my mouth and slowly drag the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip.

And then his control snaps.

His hands—still at my hips—lift me effortlessly until my legs are no longer folded between us, but now digging into the hard armrests with my knees pushing into his thighs, my back hitting the seat in front of me. His mouth opens, and his tongue meets mine, no hesitation whatsoever, as he deepens the kiss.

Our breathing echoes around us, making it sound like everyone on this plane could hear us, but I know it’s just because our faces are so close. I let out a moan, one that he swallows, that turns into a whine when he pulls back.

“That can’t happen again,” he softly scolds, just as breathless as I am.

What the hell? I might not have been into this whole fake-boyfriend- slash- bodyguard thing before, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to take advantage of the situation. Especially now that I know how alive he makes me feel. Three years since I had pleasure from anything other than my own hand, and if that kiss is anything to go by, what Chance could make me feel is ten times more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my whole life.

I’m not passing that up.

Nope.

No fucking way.

“We’ll see about that.”



PURCHASE:



Signing with Brighthouse Records was supposed to be everything we ever wanted—our better life. Our chance at everything we never had but always wanted. All our dreams would finally come true and we were on top of the world. It was our chance at the happiness we never had in life.

Our every desire was at our fingertips and the power of that feeling was all consuming. But then it took every dream we thought would come true and it slapped us in the face with the cold hard reality.

Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.

Happiness…that feeling is a joke.

In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.


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~MEET HARPER SLOAN~
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed 'Estrogen Ocean', much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero­­the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn't take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

~CONNECT WITH HARPER~

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Friday, December 9, 2016

Book Review for Womanizer by Katy Evans


WOMANIZER
by KATY EVANS

You've seen the headlines: Womanizing billionaire player! Watch out! Stay away!
We were just two strangers. Facing a forbidden attraction, a chemical connection. Neither of us expected or wanted it to amount to more.
But I had never been drawn to a guy the way I was drawn to this one: my brother's best friend, and CEO of the company where I interned.
Even knowing I should stay away, I proved to be too human, after all.The chemistry was amazing.
The laughs were incredible.
I opened up to him in more ways than I'd opened up to anyone before.
But sex was as far as I'd go.
Just sex because he was too irresistible.
Just sex because I wouldn't be falling for him.
Just sex because I'd leave in three months, and I'd like for my brother not to kill me, and for nobody to find out he was my wicked little secret.
He wasn't the One.
He was just a womanizer.
But for a time, he would be mine.



REVIEW:3+ STARS
"No more thinking about consequences; there are none. The risk is ours and ours alone -- only between us."

Well....as I was reading this, all I could say was "I am not impressed". After falling in love with her Real Series, with the depth of her characters, the entire plot, and everything that went on to cause me to have my first ever book hangover, this one left me squinting my eyes and shaking my head.

^^^^^^^
That's how my original DNF review started for this book. I'm going to be REAL with you here, because all my reviews are honest and I have to be true to myself. I seriously questioned why I was going to continue this book. The writing was very different from Katy's normal writing that I usually find easily entertaining and very hot. It didn't read as a polished book that I would normally expect from her, and it had some godawful comments and sentences that made me say WHAAAT!!

--> For instance: "He doesn't even remove my panties, he tugs them aside until they're hooked to the side by my swollen labia..." First thing I'm thinking is, nice visual....time for some surgery!!

It was almost formulaic in some places and robotic in others. The thing that kills me is that by looking at the teasers and the synopsis for this book, it should have been a slam dunk!! Classic Katy, swoony and sexy that I know she writes. It sounded amazing.....but sadly, it didn't read that way at first and I was very sad about that. I know Katy can elicit feelings and emotions out of me with her characters and storylines. I know this.

IN COMES A FRIENDLY CHAT!!  I am so glad I phoned a friend!! Ok....not really, but I am sure glad I messaged a friend that ended up finishing it and she recommended I continue on. I am glad I did. Yes, I am GLAD I DID. While I didn't LOVE the book like I wanted to, I found it to be a pretty good book.

Callan MADE this book....he made it. He has a witty mouth and I loved the way he talked to Olivia. I loved the way he pushed her and made her truly think about who she was and what she honestly wanted in life. He was a very determined man, very business savvy and headstrong. I reeeally liked him.

Olivia/Livvy was another story. She was an interesting one and it took a loooong time for me to get used to her and her personality....and I will say that it took well past the 50% mark to where I wasn't finding myself dropping my jaw as much. I couldn't get over the way she verbalized everything, or the way she gave us a play by play of what she was doing or thinking. And the things she said and did? I seriously shook my head and was pulled out of the intensity of some of the scenes because she just word vomits everywhere. I just didn't understand her. There was no allure, no ability to discover anything....she basically said it ALL.

Their relationship started out with them meeting on the terrace where they work...and I really liked that part of it. She didn't know who he was at first and it worked...it really did. Intrigue with no sense of obligation on how you're supposed to act and you can just be friendly and chatty. At first, Callan was quiet and mysterious, and I liked that about him. It was an interesting (almost questionable at first) match between these two characters, but it eventually worked out really well. I know that the right woman can make you let your guard down, make you fall in love against your will. I get that....that's what love is. That was the best part about this book. Love was very apparent and so very perfect.

Overall, this book was a good read. It was HOT when Olivia and Callan came together....like, inferno hot. That was classic 'Katy' that I know and love. Some of it was juvenile in the way things were said and how she acted, but again, I am very glad I finished this book. It was a cute book after it was all said and done. I know many people will absolutely love the book. I loved the storyline....it was perfect. I just struggled with the writing and the content a little. I can recommend this book though and I will. I want to read the rest of this series because it all sounds interesting based on the characters, and I am actually looking forward to Emmett and Wynn's story.

"They say you're never truly wealthy until you have something money can't buy."
~BEE




~MEET KATY EVANS~
Hey! I’m Katy Evans and I love family, books, life, and love. I’m married with two children and three dogs and spend my time baking, walking, writing, reading, and taking care of my family. Thank you for spending your time with me and picking up my story. I hope you had an amazing time with it, like I did. If you’d like to know more about books in progress, look me up on the Internet, I’d love to hear from you!

~CONNECT WITH KATY~

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ARC REVIEW

Excerpt for A Veil of Vines by Tillie Cole

Caresa

I closed my eyes as the music pounded through my body. The air was sticky from the mass of bodies on the dance floor. My body swayed to the beat, my feet ached from the five-inch Louboutin heels I was wearing, and my skin was flushed from the copious amounts of 1990 Dom Pérignon I had consumed.

“Caresa!” My name split through the harsh sound of drums and synthesized piano notes. I rolled my eyes open and looked across our cornered-off section of the club at my best friend.

Marietta was sitting on an oversized plush couch, waving a new bottle of champagne in my direction. Laughing, I followed my throbbing feet to where she sat and slumped down beside her. In seconds, a champagne flute was in my hand and the bubbly was flowing once more.

Marietta sat forward, swishing her long blond hair over her shoulder. She raised her glass as though she was going to make a toast. But instead, her bottom lip jutted out into a pathetic pout.

I tipped my head to one side, silently asking her what was wrong.

“I was going to make a toast to the Duchessa di Parma, my very best friend,” she shouted over a new but similar-to-the-last song. “To my best friend leaving me here in dull old New York to go marry a real-life godforsaken prince in Italy.” Marietta sighed and her shoulders slumped. “But I don’t want to. Because that would mean this night is almost over, and tomorrow I lose my partner-in-crime.” A sudden sadness bloomed in my chest at her words. Then, when her eyes filled with tears, those words became a punch in the gut.

Placing my glass on the table before us, I moved forward and put my hand on her arm.

“Marietta, don’t get upset.”

She put down her own drink and grabbed my hand. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

My stomach rolled. “I know,” I said. Then I didn’t say anything else, but I could see Marietta register my unspoken words. I don’t want to go either.

Keeping my hand in hers, I slumped back against the couch and let my eyes drift over the busy dance floor below. I watched the throng of Upper East Siders losing themselves in the music. A pang of fear swept through me.

This really would be my last night in New York. In the morning, I would fly to Italy, where I would live from that day on.

Marietta shuffled closer to me and cast me a watery smile. “How are you doing?” she asked as she squeezed my hand.

“I’m okay. Just nervous, I guess.”

Marietta nodded her head. “And your papa?”

I sighed. “Ecstatic. Overjoyed that his precious daughter will be marrying the prince he chose for me as a child.” I felt a pang of guilt for speaking about him so negatively.

“That was uncalled for,” I said. “You know as well as I do, Baroness von Todesco” —Marietta scowled playfully at my use of her title— “that we don’t really get a choice in whom we marry.” I leaned forward and picked up my champagne. I took a long swig, enjoying the feel of the bubbles traveling down my throat. I handed Marietta her glass and raised mine in the air. “To arranged marriages and duty over love!”

Marietta laughed and clinked her glass with mine. “But seriously,” Marietta said, “are you okay? Truly okay?”

I shrugged. “I honestly don’t know how to answer that, Etta. Am I okay with the arranged marriage? I suppose so. Am I okay with moving to Italy permanently? Not really. I love Italy—it’s my home, I was born there—but it’s not New York. Everyone I know is here in America.” Marietta’s eyes softened with sympathy. “And am I okay with marrying Zeno Savona? The infamous Playboy Prince of Toscana?” I took a deep breath. “I have no idea. I guess that will become apparent in the next three months.”

“In your ‘courting period,’” Marietta said using air quotes, and snorted with laughter.

“What a joke. What twenty-three-year-old woman and twenty-six-year-old man need a courting period?”

I laughed at her sassy tone, but then soberly replied, “Ones who don’t know each other at all? Ones who have to see if they can stand each other’s company before sealing their marital fates forever?”

Marietta shuffled closer. “You know as well as I do that you could hate this so-called prince, detest everything he is—and he you—and I’d still be your maid of honor at your wedding on New Year’s Eve.” She sputtered a laugh. “The very fact that the date has been set says it all. This marriage is happening.” Marietta held up her glass, got to her feet and, with arms spread wide, shouted, “Welcome to the life of the European blue bloods of the Upper East Side! Drowning in Prada and Gucci, dripping in diamonds, but having no free will to call our own!”

I laughed, pulling her back down. She broke into hysterics as her ass hit the couch, spilling champagne all over the expensive upholstery. But our laughter waned as the house lights came on one by one. The last of the dance music drifted into silence, and the rich patrons of Manhattan’s most exclusive nightclub began making their way to their limos and town cars. It was three o’clock in the morning, and I had six hours left in the city I loved beyond measure.

ADD TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE:


MEET TILLIE COLE
Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

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