Tag: book review

Posted in Book Blitz, New Adult

BOOK TOUR: Hard Knox – Nicole Williams

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Hard Knox FrontSynopsis

Knox Jagger. The name inspires resent in every male at Sinclair University, want in every female, and contempt in Charlie Chase.

Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time.

As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink is dosed at a party and she wakes up on Knox’s couch the next morning, Charlie’s left with more questions than answers when it comes to Knox Jagger.

How can Charlie ever hope to uncover the truth behind a guy so closed off he’s become . . .

Hard Knox.

4 out of 5 stars

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My Review

***I received an copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*** 

I’ve loved Nicole Williams since reading Crash. Jude Ryder is my first book boyfriend from her and know I can Knox Jagger to that list as well.

I knew I had to be on the tour for Hard Knox once I had read the synopsis. It was and is definitely a book to read. It has mystery and suspense and hella laugh out loud parts. You will be infuriated with characters, love them and be a part of their story all the way to the end.

It took me a little while to get into the story, mainly because I found Charlie a little hard to like. She’s passionate and feisty and independent and will put herself in dangerous situations, not caring about her safety, just wanting to get the story. She also doesnt care who hates or likes her. Yeah, she’s really not got many, if any friends, apart from her roommate. I found her to be a bit too much at times. I was angry at her for being an idiot, angry at her for putting herself in situations she needn’t be in and of course, she made me want to pull my hair out with her idiocy in parts of the book which definitely put her life in the risk zone. On her own she was infuriating but I liked her with Knox. I liked the back and forth of them and I did enjoy seeing her break free, at times, from being so GAH at times. She let loose and I liked that about her. I liked that she stripped back and she still didn’t give a rats arse, and that was okay, because she was showing us, her. Showing us that she isn’t just some annoying journalism student who keeps people away from her. She can let them in. Like she let Knox.

Now Knox. I love a bad boy in books and at the beginning I thought he was obnoxious, a little up himself. He’s known around the university as a playboy, especially when girls come up to him at parties and put their knickers in the back of his pocket with their numbers on. He has an air of mystery around him that you just want to find out, and the more you do, the more you see the layers to him. He isn’t this bad boy, and the things he does is because of his past. He’s trying to make a difference and I loved finding that out about him. I loved finding out the secret and why he does what he does. Okay, very vague, but it will become SO clear when you get to the end and it all comes out. You will think back and be like ‘Holy crap’. He is so protective of Charlie and I loved seeing this side of him. He was also a little vulnerable in the fact he was so protective, but as I mentioned, you will see why. I loved loved loved seeing him slowly fall for Charlie but trying to stay away. He and Charlie felt very real. They went from strangers to living together and becoming friends. Their chemistry was obvious, their banter and fights were passionate and you can see the fire in both of them. Their feelings for each other. And when it comes to blows, dear God, does it come to blows 😉

I have to mention the date-rape part. I felt that although this book is about it, it was handled with care and consideration. I was freaking out at one part and I had guessed from the beginning who the culprit was – I love it when I can do that haha. Despite the fact that I felt that the date-rape storyline kind of took a back story in some parts, it all came together in the end and really did ficus on Charlie and Knox finding out who is doing this to the female college students.

If you love Nicole Williams’ books, then Hard Knox is another book to read. It’s a great read and Knox will definitely end up on your BBF list!

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About the author

8860209I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Buy Links

Amazon UK || Amazon US || Barns & Noble || Kobo || IBooks

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Posted in Kaite Kavinsky, YA

ARC: Still Point (#3) – Katie Kacvinsky

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

17393016Synopsis

In the final installment to the trilogy begun with “Awaken, ” Maddie returns home to make her final stand against Digital School, and uncovers deeply guarded secrets about her family an new truths about herself.

5 out of 5 Stars

2012 review of Awaken
2013 review of Middle Ground

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My Review

 

 Parents show you life is a paved road. Friends show you the road isn’t there yet, its waiting for you to carve it out. Parents show you life is a handbook, with rules set in place. Friends show you how to break the rules you’re handed.

*ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I first read Awaken back in 2012. I was captivated by this dystopian novel because it spoke truth. It’s about a digital era where everyone hides behind a computer, too afriad to go outside and converse face-to-face. And it got me thinking about right now. How we are all attached to our phones and computers and anything else that is digital and means you don’t have to speak to anyone in person. I used to look around the train station on the way to work and count how many were on their phones. It was nearly everyone, including myself. And I think that’s why I became attached to this series, that and because it is amazing. It has so much depth into the storyline, it evolves at every turn and you become fascinated about the characters, the digitalisation of everything, of where Katie is going to take you.

I’m not one for reading YA. It takes my fancy every now and again but this is one series I pined over. For each book released, I have been anxious for them to release so I can get my next fix of Justin and Maddie, the next chapter in the Digital world and how everything will or wont play out.

Still Point is the third and final book in the Awaken and holy crap, it’s full of twists and shocks. I cant even give you a brief overview without spoiling the story, Let’s just say, it shocked me; I was not expecting anything of what happened, to happen in book three!

After the slight cliffy in Middle Ground, I was waiting to see what Maddie was going to do. And although her decision is one I didn’t think would happen, I was proud of her for doing it. She has always been up against her father, fighting against his creation since she was fifteen and she wants to destroy the digital world, wanting people to actually talk face-to-face, go to school in a classroom, and just spend time together without a computer screen in front of them.

I was proud of her for pushing and seeing it through. Although my heart pained when you could see her dilemma about her dad, about Justin, about her feelings, about how she just didn’t know what to do anymore. I felt so sorry for her, because Justin is obsessed with taking down the digital world and yes, Maddie wants it too, but she wants to be at the top of the list, not third or forth and you could see it did effect her to be pushed down the list. You watch her fight against herself, dig deep into her soul and watch her see exactly what she really wants; from herself and from her life. And yes, I was just a little bit shocked at her choice but you know what, I could definitely see it. And I really want to write more about that, but I cant. It will spoil it all so I will just smile to myself and mentally high-five Maddie for taking charge of her life and making the right choice – for her!

Also the tattoo makes an awful lot of sense now. I have read Maddie’s tattoo, the short novella about how she got her tattoo and how it came about. We also meet the guy who designed it, Jax and he is swoon worthy. I really liked him. And that’s all I am saying on him haha. You need to find out about him throughout this book. It was a push and pull situation and I was in the middle not knowing what to do.

Justin’s whole life is taking down the DS (Digital Schools) and DC’s (Detention centers). It goes 1) Destroying DS 2) Maddie and although I completely love Justin; he’s passionate and determined and completely focused on the plan at hand, DS would always be his number one, no matter how much he wants to be with Maddie. And picking and choosing is a hard decision, when your heart wants both.

I loved how selfless he was at the end though. How he actually put Maddie’s feelings first for once. He wanted to see her happy and not sad and broken over him and I felt proud of him for doing what he did, even if I wasn’t expecting it. He has gone through so much in his life – with fighting against DS, recruiting members and then falling for Maddie but when the time came, her happiness definitely meant more to him and although I was shocked at how it ended, it was kind of perfect for Justin too. He got what he had always wanted and he fought the hard way to get there but he deserved it after the hard work he has put in year after year.

I would love to see a little novella about him, Katie. Hint hint;) I think it would be amazing to see him after Still Point or even before Awaken, how he began to be so passionate about taking down the DS and finding Maddie. To be honest, I am being greedy and want more Justin haha.

There are a lot of twists and turns throughout Still Point – many had me gasping and eyes wide open. I was not expecting any of the things to happen. And I love that! I loved that everything I thought I knew during the first two books, just completely messed me over and it wasn’t all that it seemed. But it completely made sense, and I trusted that Katie knew what she were doing and it worked! I also was not expecting that ending. Not after everything that happened in Awaken and Middle Ground. But as I said, it made sense. And I really want to blab about what happened, but I know I cant. I need someone else to read this book so I can talk about it because, man, I NEED to talk about it. I need to know someone else was like “Oh holy crap” and “Oh holy crap, I cant believe Justin did that, but bless him.” SEE, I’m being vague, but you will understand when you get the chance to read this book.

If you haven’t had the chance to get acquainted with this series, I demand that you do. It is one of my favourite dystopian series because, really, it could happen.

Posted in New Adult

Not Yet – Laura Ward

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

22551385Synopsis

Emma Harris is learning that life is just a series of lessons.

Lesson #1: Nothing goes the way you plan.
Lesson #2: You can’t trust men. Especially not the pretty ones.
Lesson #3: Turns out, appearances are almost always deceiving.

Emma thinks she has life all figured out, and what she knows isn’t good. For years, she’s put her big sister, who was born with Down syndrome, first. Now Emma’s ready to start her own life, but fate has other plans. To do the right thing for the sister she loves, Emma’s dreams will just have to wait.

She doesn’t plan on meeting Landon — a rich, flirtatious jock, who never has to wait for anything. Not for attention, not for money, and certainly not for girls. Meeting Emma marks the first time in his life that he’s had to fight for something. And Landon doesn’t know how to lose.

Emma has no interest in wasting her summer with a superficial guy like Landon. But very soon she realizes she is wrong about him. The question is, can she trust him? Or will he let her down like every other guy in her life? But most importantly, can Emma trust herself enough to live the life she’s always dreamed of?

Life has a way of sneaking in the most important lessons when you aren’t looking. And once the heart gets involved, that’s when the real learning begins.

5 Out Of 5 Stars

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My Review

As you know, I have stopped writing reviews in turn for focussing on my writing. But I did say if a book I NEEDED you all to read came along, then I would write a review for it. And here it comes. I HAVE a book for you – Not Yet by Laura Ward. I need to write this review, I need you all to read it and just bask in the beauty of the book with me. Because it is such a 5 star book, its out of this work.

From never reading a book about people with disabilities to finding a whole array and gobbling them down like they are my next breath, Not Yet is definitely a top contender. As a debut novel, Laura pulled me in. Her writing, the story, it hooked me in and I read this book in about three hours, only stepping to express my emotions for what was happening. From smiling, to giggles, to the steam factor. And then the twist. Oh man, my heart stopped, and I kept re-reading that passage. Eyes wide open in shock. And then I felt the emotions from Emma and Landon. The heartbreak, the pain and love. Laura had me throwing my kindle, clutching it to my chest and I cannot think of a better book to read on my lazy Sunday morning.

Not Yet is about Emma. She’s had to finish college early to come home and help her mother out with bills and her sister, Evie, who has Down’s Syndrome. Over the summer she takes a job in a country club managing lifeguards where she meets the devilishly handsome, Landon.

Landon slowly breaks down Emma’s walls and the more time they spend together, the more they fall, but a secret comes to light and ends everything. But they say love prevails, so will it for both Landon and Emma when it really counts?

I was sold on this book from the synopsis and cover and then we meet our two characters and I was sucked into them.

Emma is a strong character. She knows what she wants and is determined to get there but her plans are put on hold when she had to return home. She puts her walls up, she’s bitchy and argumentative and keeps to herself, keeps her personal life private. She loves her family hard, especially her sister and you can really see the love she has for Evie. She will do anything for her older sister. She’s old beyond her years but there is something utterly special about Emma that I was smiling at everything she was doing. Proving and showing that everyone is equal, that everyone is the same regardless of who you are, regardless of your disability. We all want the same – to have and to be loved.

I loved watching her walls break down around Landon. Loved seeing her carefree and smiling and giggling and doing things twenty-one years old should be doing. She learnt life lessons along the way, both negative and positive but it all comes down to learning. Never regretting anything you do because it leads you to the path you finish on. The path in which love prevails if you just wait. If you love hard and deep enough, true love will always be there. Sure Emma went through some dark paths; heartbreak, shock, anger and gossip but she got through it. She proved how strong and selfless and amazing she was and she’s a character that everyone should look up to.

I was hooked on Landon from then get-go. That smoking hot, cocky guy who has all the girls falling at his feet? Who wouldn’t be a part of that? Emma, that’s for sure. A footballer who is starting school in the fall, he’s superficial. He acts all cocky and like a playboy but there’s so much more to him. So much underneath that façade that that side of him gets stripped away the more he spends with Emma.

I loved the changes in Landon. The more time he spent with Evie and Emma, the more he moulded into the guy who was always there, just hidden. He proved himself, he proved he wasn’t an ass, he proved just how amazing he was, asking questions about Evie, helping out Trevor and helping him progress with the water and the pool. I was laughing at him making a fool of himself, swooning over everything he was saying and doing to Emma and I just loved seeing them together, seeing him carefree and seeing him care. He learns some lessons too, about himself, about life and love. About secrets and heartbreak. He begins to see things differently but when his secret comes out, everything around him and Emma comes crashing down. His secret shocked me to the depths. I was not exprecting something like that and it broke trust and everything between them. You could feel the pain from Landon. How utterly upset and shocked and disappointed he was in himself for keeping it from Emma.

The ultimate betrayal. But I loved how he fought for her. He fought for her love, for his love and he would wait forever for you. A year to him was nothing when the end was the love of his life. You see a massive change in Landon. From cocky to loving. From superficial to being his true self. Everyone could see it and I was so proud of him for everything he did throughout the book.

It wasn’t just Emma and Landon’s journey, it was Trevor and Billy and Evie and Garrett and Amy’s journey too. You meet them, you love them and you root for all of them. They all have disabilities but do they let them hinder them? No, not by any means and you feel so happy for them, that they grow stronger and more resilient everyday, teaching us that no matter who you are, you can do it, regardless.

What I adored about this book was that the main focus was love, in all kinds. That everyone deserves something and someone special. How disabilities shouldn’t matter, that we should all be treated equally, because at the end of the day, we ARE all equals. I loved that Laura integrated different people with special needs. From Down’s Syndrome, to Autism and she made me really open my eyes and learn along with Landon. People with special needs can teach us so much more than we can teach them. They are truly amazing and they teach Landon and Emma, at times, so much more. About love, about life and being in the moment.

Please read this book. I really need you to. It will change your whole perception on everything. It really did to me.

Posted in Book Tours, Colleen Hoover

BOOK TOUR: Ugly Love – Colleen Hoover

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

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21210570Synopsis

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

All the Stars!

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My Review

If there is one author who I will come back to EVERY SINGLE TIME, it’s Colleen Hoover. She is my one constant whom I know will never disappoint me with her books. There is something new and refreshing with each book that captivates me and I need to point out now that UGLY LOVE is most definitely her best book to date. I am obsessed with the Slammed series and with Will and the  Hopeless series and Holder and Daniel, but I think I have a new obsession with the deliciously broken Miles Archer and his and Tate’s story.

I can’t even begin to tell you how devastatingly beautiful and haunting Ugly Love is. I cant put into words how much this book tore me apart and then put me back together. Ruined me, tore my heart into tiny pieces and then like a jigsaw, it was put back together perfectly in the most beautiful ending this book could receive.

 I knew it would be a tear-jerker, but holy crap, it was broke me apart. I was tearing up throughout the whole damn book and then the flood gates opened at one critical point in the book and my heart was killing me. My chest was tight and I was texting Holly from Holly’s Hot Reads in all caps because although I kinda guessed this one thing would happen, it still shocked me to the core because it DID happen. Authors, if you make me cry and sob and lose my breath, you have an avid fan in me and Colleen has done that with ALL her books. I LOVE IT.

Ugly Love is told in dual POV’s. With Tate in the present and Mile’s in the past, when he was eighteen, telling us of how he found and fell in love with the love of his life. If there is anything Colleen can do, its differentiation characters voices and to see a carefree younger Miles and a broken 24 year old Miles, well, you definitely feel and get sucked into his past and wonder how it made him how he was in the present. And then we have Tate who is just amazing and she tells us of her and Miles in the present. She doesn’t have time for love, he doesn’t want love. You just know your heart is going to be shredded watching and reading these two. HEARTBREAKING.

I pretty much adored Tate from the get-go and at times I could see myself in her and it killed me. She’s such a strong, selfless and beautiful character who gets her heart broken by how much she loves Miles but can’t have him. That broke me too because i know the feeling. My chest would tighten at certain scenes. I was crying throughout the whole book too because i just felt every single emotion – from each character but especially Tate. What technically starts as fuck buddies inevitably turns into much more for Tate. She wants to be the one to beak down Miles’ wall and be the one who he can see a future with. I was so emotional reading how Tate was falling for Miles. How she wanted to be the one who had a future with him but tried her damn hardest to have him any way she could, even if it meant walking away in the end.

The more she fell, the more she wanted to know Miles. Break his rules and ask him about his life. I urged her to as well. I urged her to break them all. The more she fell, the more my heart pained knowing that she was about to be shattered and ruined and broken by Miles. And when that time came i couldn’t swallow. What i read on the page, dear God, it was heart-breaking and gut-wrenching and fuck, even i cried with and for Tate. How she still had an once of strength i will never know. To just up and walk away, her heart scattered on the floor. To turn her back on the one who she loved. That is a hard decision but an easy one when you deserve to be loved. And as the book is so aptly titled, Love is Ugly.

Miles. He is sexy and mysterious and someone you spend the whole book trying to work out. Pilot Miles who is broken and tortured and can’t get past the events from his past, from six years ago. As mentioned, we learn about his past through flashbacks. I was trying to figure out his past, why he forbid himself to love again, to be happy, to have a future and so I began to create theories. I did, in fact, get it right but that’s not the point. The point is that Miles can’t get past the event and it limits him in his life. My heart was breaking and cracking  for Miles and at times i was so angry at him for the way he was treating Tate but then i thought that, technically, it was sex and they weren’t in a relationship. I enjoyed seeing the later parts of Miles. Especially in the present with Tate. How he would smile and laugh and it made my heart bloom because he doesn’t show any form of happiness when we first see him. We see a broken down man, a vulnerable being and someone who doesn’t feel worthy of himself or being loved. He doesn’t want a future or to move on from the past as he blames himself and that in itself made me want to climb into the book and hug the crap out of him. Let him know that he needs to face his past to be able to face the future.

Despite the fact he was completely ignorant to his feelings for Tate, the way he kind of showed her what he was feeling, in the touches, the smiles, it proved that he did like her. That perhaps, she could break down his barriers and could be someone he could bare his soul to about his past. They made the’relationship’ that bit more real although Miles was adamant that they were never going to be together. That it was just sex.  But when he saw the light, when he faced his past to have a future with Tate, i couldn’t help but cry and feel so utterly proud of him. For accomplishing something that has been on his mind for six years. For breaking him for that long too and putting a leash on him. For making him never want love, nor a future. And Tate was the hidden one, the one who he could see himself with, despite not wanting to see it. She broke him apart and he flew. He flew and uncaged his heart…for her.

The chemistry between Miles and Tate is breath-taking. It’s sizzling  and intense and you can see why they are so drawn to each other; they are magic together. The little touches, the stolen glances, everything that makes you feel giddy is what Tate and Miles do. As the reader, you feel all smiley and fuzzy and full of love. The sex scenes are intimate and sexy without giving too much away. Colleen knows how to keep a scene hot without indulging in too much and that is something i adore of her and all her books. Eeee I get all tingly and swoony just thinking of the times they are together.

This is another unforgettable CoHo book. One that should be read as soon as it’s delivered to your kindle/house because you feel. All the feels in the world are wrapped into this special and unbelievably beautiful and soul-destroying story and i want you to sob your heart out. I want you to become besotted with Tate and Miles and I want you to feel how i did reading it. Put your big girl pants on and stock up on the tissues. You’re going to need them.

Posted in Anna Bloom, Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Gone – Anna Bloom

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

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fd660-gonecoverSynopsis

Rebecca Walters harbours a dark secret, and as the fifty-three bangles she wears on her wrists as a self-imposed sentence of guilt remind her, she can’t even begin to consider moving on. Not after what happened on that night six months ago… a night which she can’t remember and yet managed to change her life forever.

When Rebecca comes across Joshua Adams, man equally haunted by past tragedies, on a moonlit beach, both of their lives are destined to change forever, and when the girl made out of the sun meets the boy made out of the moon and sea, anything can happen… but will the knowledge of their murky pasts bring them together or drive them apart?

Will Rebecca finally be able to claim her freedom? Will she stay and fight to be the girl she found on the sandy beaches of Cornwall or is she destined to keep running and hiding from a past that won’t stay Gone? One thing’s for certain: either way, nothing will ever be the same again.

5 out of 5 stars

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My Review 

If you know me, you know that I am actually pretty much in love with Anna. I read The Art of Letting Go before anyone (okay, so I am boasting now) and she’s been stuck with me ever since. Anything she writes, she knows that I will pester her until she gives it to me. And Gone was no exception. (I’m kind of her writing buddy, BUT I will never ever be bias when writing this review, full honesty is what I am about, and what I have always been about, and regardless, I will never favour anyone).

If you are thinking its similar to The Uni Files then you are sourly mistaken. It couldn’t be further away and d’ya what, I love that. Gone is beautiful and devastating and it’s just refreshing from other books out there that I have read recently. Anna writes with a flare just draws you in. She puts blood, sweat and tears into her books and she produces master pieces. Gone is definitely one and its one that you should recognise too. One that should be downloaded and read immediately.

I love books that are set in the UK too and Gone is set by the beach where a super hot surfer artist called Joshua (or dreadlock boy to me) and a grungy, angry and sad girl called Rebecca, or Bex meet. They are both as broken as each other, both hiding secrets from each other but together, they are something else. They make the past, the bad things just disappear. They ease the pain a little bit more each day. Until they are both ready to bare their secrets to one another.

Rebecca, at eighteen has led a rough couple of months. Due to her secrets, her family up and move to Cornwall from London to leave the past behind. Bex is a feisty one (I just had an Inbetweeners moment). She wears grungy clothes, she stomps around and all she has to do is stay for two weeks, show her parents she can behave and they will let her go and pay her university fees. Can she do it?

I adored Bex. She is keeping a deep secret and the bangles she wears are a reminder of that secret. From start to finish, you feel a sense of pride. Like she is your friend or sister or daughter. We watch her blossom throughout the book. We watch this feisty redhead break her barriers down, and let in Joshua and her family. We watch her style change too. No more heavy make-up, no grungy clothes. She becomes herself. And its all thanks to Josh. That bloody amazing boy.

Despite her guard, there is a sad and vulnerable girl behind the façade and when we see her shed it, you feel so proud of her for letting Josh in. For becoming stronger in herself and welcoming love from everyone in her life. She’s been so scared and afriad of everything, always blaming herself that she didn’t take the time to see how everyone else sees her, especially Joshua, his girl who is made of the sun.

Joshua. Dreadlock boy. I LOVE HIM. I did claim him too but I got called greedy because Ben is mine. This boy. This amazing, broken surfer boy who is a genius with a paintbrush has a secret too. He no longer paints. He no longer goes clubbing or drinking and he feels like he will never be the same again. But a chance meeting with Bex has him all tizzy.

I grinned at how he would describe her, how he would tell us of his thoughts and feelings over her. He is the perfect gentleman and he makes my heart swell watching him become alive. Watching him, just like Bex rid of the guilt and the pain and succumb to each other. He wants to get to know her. He wants to be with her that he will do whatever he can to make her stay.

GAH I cannot begin to explain my love for my dreadlock boy. There is just something about him. Some kind of aura that makes you drawn to him, to his characters, his actions. He is healing as much as Bex is and my heart swelled at the both of them together. How they fought the past, the guilt, the haunting demons and they did it together and alone. They faced them and knew that if they can do that, then they can do anything together. Love prevails after all and the Boy made of the Moon and the Girl made of the Sun deserve every bit of happiness.

Gone is set over a two week period but in no way was it insta-love. To be honest, Anna has done something that a few authors cant. She made it seem like Joshua and Bex had known each other forever. That their relationship was a slow burner and it felt like months instead of two weeks. THAT is why you should pick this book up. And you know, because it is freaking amazing and deserves all the success that comes its way.

The chemistry between the two of them is magical. They dont get off on the right foot but once they talk, you can see that they are both going to change one another. They are going to enjoy each other’s company. There is that spark that will melt your heart and you will insta-love them too ;). They are two characters that you will smile over, laugh over and swoon over. But their stories will break your heart and you will understand so much more about their little titbits, especially Bex’s. But they bring out the best in each other, they bring out so much more than I can say and I am so glad I got to be a part of knowing them because I adore Dreadlock boy and Bex so much.

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About Anna 

Anna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer who writes about life as it happens. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two small children whilst working in a local school and completing The Uni Files series she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys – all in the name of her art.

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Posted in New Adult

REVIEW: The Summer I Fell – Sonja Loveday

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

22447685Synopsis

“So you wanna be part of the Six, huh? You wish…”
~Jared, Ace, Mark, Josh, Aiden & Eli

Riley Clifton can’t remember a time when she wasn’t a part of the Six, a group of rowdy boys who would do just about anything for her. Growing up alongside of six guys is never easy. Especially in high school. Falling in love with one of the Six? Even harder when Ace has a hold of her heart, and he doesn’t even know it.
Jake (Ace) Aceton has loved Riley for a long time, but has kept the secret oath of the Six. Riley was off limits. At least until after graduation. When he overhears Riley admitting to her best friend, Paige how she feels about him, Ace doesn’t let his chance slip by. Riley, in his mind, has always been his.
When her college plan falls through, and her future is left to the hands of fate, Riley finds herself scrambling to keep up with all the changes. But that’s not the hardest part. The hardest part is saying good-bye, especially to Ace.

Heartache, hard lessons, and a love deeper than her Alabama roots will threaten to crumble Riley’s world as she waits for Ace’s return.

Will Riley and Ace’s love be strong enough to hold them together when life tries to tear them apart?

 5 out of 5 stars

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My Review

 ‘We love you Riley. We always have…we always will.’

I just need to say that as I write this review, I am sobbing my heart out and my vision is definitely blurry. OH MY JESUS CHRIST. My heart is actually hurting and being torn apart by The Summer I Fell. I don’t know how to accumulate all my thoughts because my mind is spinning circles over the ending. I need book two asap, I need to know what the hell is going to happening and if my heart will survive it all.

This is my first book by Sonja and she has me in a tizzy. I always say if an author can make me cry, then their book is a damn bloody great one, and The Summer I Fell definitely is a book you all need to read – right now. Sonja has a flare in which you will go from page to page, relishing in the scenes you are reading, loving the relationship between the guys and Riley, the relationship between Riley and Ace and the whole group dynamic. They just all gel, they wind each other up, they show-off but you know that The Seven of them love each other unconditionally. No one else matters to them, no one will get in between them. You know each of their personalities, know who is who – their voices are distinguished. You will laugh at the craziness of the group, their banter, their comebacks and biting, you will swoon over Riley and Ace, you will feel the heat sizzle between them and then comes to barrage of emotional scenes. The scenes which will tear at your heartstrings, both good and utterly devastating ways. Ways in which you can see above – in which I am an utter mess.

The Summer I Fell is about Riley and her boys – The Six. She has been with them for as long as she can remember and she will do just about anything for them, and vice versa. She doesnt have it easy in school, especially as her best friends are six boys. It’s also hard when she’s in love with one of them – Jake ‘Ace’ Aceton. She just cant tell him.

Ace has been in love with Riley for as long as he can remember, but due to an oath The Six made, Riley was off limits until Graduation. When he overhears her telling her best friend she loves him. It’s fair game now, and he wants Riley for himself. He’s pined and waited long enough.

But with Riley’s college plans falling through, and The Six going their separate ways, Riley is trying o hold it all together, hating the change happening but she cant stop it. Saying goodbye is hard, but saying it to Ace is even harder. But when life comes crashing along, crumbling Riley’s world, all she wants is Ace back.

But what happens if that isn’t possible?

Riley is the glue to The Six. The guys will do anything for her; protect her, tease her, love her, make her feel part of the group and you can really see how much they dote on her and how much she adores them all too – apart from one of them. Jake ‘Ace’ Aceton. She is actually head over heels in love with him. I loved her character. She’s feisty, she’s hotheaded yet there is a vulnerability to her. That comes with a parent who works away a lot, how she feels the guys just put up with her and due to her college dream falling through. But once her gets over her inner battle, she is carefree, she’s caring and just wants to see her friends reach their dreams and leave their small town, even if it kills her that she is left behind.

I understood her pain when the guys left, especially Ace. We all have that constant pain in our heart and chest when the one we love goes away, and although I understood why she cracked, I loved that she put herself back together and got on with it. Got on with filling up her day, trying to keep herself and her mind busy until she could wind down and think about Ace. I connected with Riley, I understand how hard long distance is and not knowing when you are going to speak again but she is strong and she had her best friend, Paige and Ace’s mum around, as well as her job and being a surrogate sister, in a way, to Seth. Who was the cutest little guy.
And then everything came tumbling down within weeks. No joke, I sobbed for the last parts of the book. My chest hurting, my eyes blurry and I wanted to reach through my kindle and hug Riley and sooth her, let her know I was there for her. She has a tough ride – she needs the Six with her and you understand her denying, her pain, her tears; everything that leads her to breaking down. Her life has now been altered and its a lot to take in. Man I cried. And I need book two to know just what the hell is going to happen!!!

Jake / Ace is the strong and silent type. You can see why he choose the career he did. He has a bit of a temper, but the guys and Riley know when to reel him in and calm him down. I truly loved his character because from the get-go you could see how much Riley meant to him, how he would do anything to see her happy, take he pain away and to just be with her; chilling with her, comforting her, loving her.

Riley had an affect on him. He was in a trance when she was around, she was is everything and had been for years, but due to an oath the Six made, she was off limits. I loved that he felt the same way as she did for him. How he didn’t want a life without her in it, damn he didn’t want a future without her in it and you knew, just knew, that wherever he went, he would take her with him.

His love for her was unbelievable. You could see the adoration shine from him, could see that he wanted to spend every single moment with her and never let her go. But then he had to leave and you could see how much he didnt want to, but he had to, it was his dream. I loved the little scenes between he and Riley. The teasing, the love, the declarations he made before I left her. Even I wished I was Riley to have Ace. He was the perfect mix of loving, dominant and everything inbetween. A guy who you would be lucky to have, but he would say he was lucky to have Riley. They were lucky to have one another.

There are some sizzling scenes between the two of them as well. Sonja has written their transaction from friends to lovers perfectly. She has gotten their chemistry down to a T. Every little feeling, look and emotion they both convey for each other, when they were friends and to lovers could be felt and you could see the love they had for one another, the bond they had, both in and out o the bedroom. Yeah, these two have been pining over each other for years and now they have each other, there isn’t anything that can tear them apart…

I’m going to reiterate that ending. THAT ENDING THAT KILLED ME. My heart is in pain and I need book two now. Sonja, please don’t make me wait long to find out what happens. I don’t think I could take it!

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Posted in New Adult

Scoring Wilder – R.S Grey

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

21843117Synopsis

What started out as a joke— seduce Coach Wilder—soon became a goal she had to score. 

With Olympic tryouts on the horizon, the last thing nineteen-year-old Kinsley Bryant needs to add to her plate is Liam Wilder. He’s a professional soccer player, America’s favorite bad-boy, and has all the qualities of a skilled panty-dropper.

• A face that makes girls weep – check.
• Abs that can shred Parmesan cheese (the expensive kind) – check.
• Enough confidence to shift the earth’s gravitational pull – double check.

Not to mention Liam is strictly off limits . Forbidden. Her coaches have made that perfectly clear. (i.e. “Score with Coach Wilder anywhere other than the field and you’ll be cut from the team faster than you can count his tattoos.”) But that just makes him all the more enticing…Besides, Kinsley’s already counted the visible ones, and she is not one to leave a project unfinished.

Kinsley tries to play the game her way as they navigate through forbidden territory, but Liam is determined to teach her a whole new definition for the term “team bonding.”

A fun & sexy New Adult Romance (age 17+)

5 out of 5 stars!!

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My Review

‘She believed she could, so she did’

I LOVE sports books so when Scoring Wilder was released and it was about Football – oh, sorry soccer, it was an instant download. Especially with the forbiddeness of coach and player. I love these stories so when I was waiting for my flight to Edinburgh, I sat and became embedded in Wilder and Kinsley forbidden romance. It is the first book of R.S Grey’s that I have had the pleasure of picking up and it certainly wont be the last. Scoring Wilder is firmly on my favourites list and is inexplicably one of the best books of the year so far – without a doubt.

R.S Grey’s writing is flawless. I turned page after page, soaked in every word, every feeling, every character without a blink of an eye. They caught my attention, they drew me in and despite having to put the book down for a few days while I attend the Author Event, Wilder and Kinsley played heavily on my mind. Their personality, their characteristics, everything about them and their friends were all I could think about so when I had to wait hours in the airport due to a cancelled flight, I was straight back to my kindle, devouring the continuation of their story.

Scoring Wilder is about nineteen year old Kinsley Bryant. She may not have the best luck with keeping boyfriends but she is an up and coming soccer star. Now in college, she is focused on her soccer, focused on being picked for the Olympic team and making it big in the football world. Boys can take a seat back, her future is more important to her. Sidetracking the bitchy girls on her team who are ultimately jealous of her, nothing is going to stop her accomplishing her dreams. Her tattoo is proof of that.

But then dangerous sexy and tatted up twenty-five year old Liam Wilder walks into her life. Wilder is big in the soccer world so of course, Kinsley knows who he is. She propositions him one night and the next day he turns out to be her coach. This makes him forbidden to each and every member of the team, but there is something between them that they can’t seem to quit. Why is it about being forbidden that tastes so damn fucking great?

Man, Kinsley is an utter fucking hoot. Seriously! She had me creasing with laughter at every step – just take a look at one of the things I had to try and hold my laughter in for:-

‘His hand had been resting two inches above my shorts. Which is about five inches above my vagina. So…yeah, he was basically touching my vagina.’

SEE! I haven’t come across an amazing female character in a long time that had me pissing myself over her words and actions, and Kinsley was just the breath of fresh air I had been waiting for. I enjoyed her passion for soccer (I write this cursing myself at not writing Football haha), for having a big ass dream and ambition and seeing it through. Putting blood, sweat and tears into making herself the best she can be and more. For pushing herself and being pushed to the maximum.

I loved her determination, especially against the bitches of the team. She stood up to them, she protected her friends, Becca and Emily and although she took shit, she was the better one. The one who proved she was strong, she could do whatever was thrown at her – and she took some shit along the way.

But she’s a strong and feisty and freaking hilarious heroine that you cannot help but fall in love with her and want her to be your best friend. She has some cracking lines that just spurt from her rambling mouth but on the other side, you can see that at points she just wants to give in, to give up on all the bullshit but with her best friends around her, her family and Wilder, she pulls her big pants on and gets on with it. Life can be tough, but if you want it badly, you will push past it and grab it with both hands. And I can say that I am proud of everything Kinsley does because she proved herself that in the end, with determination and love, you can achieve anything you put your mind to – definitely on my book girlfriend list!

SHIT ME NOT. Holy Crap, Wilder is just a man after my own heart. Pinned as the playboy soccer player, he decides to clean his act up and get back on track as the poster boy for the soccer world. And that means helping to coach the girls team on the side. And not falling for the main star of the team – Kinsley.

Wilder exudes sexiness. He can grab the attention of girls as soon as he steps foot anywhere but its Kinsley who has caught his eye and she is off limits. The thing that drew me to Wilder was 1) His tattoos, 2) He plays FOOTBALL OH YEAH! 3) He cant keep his feelings for Kinsley on lock down, no matter how hard he tries.

I love his loyalty, his compassion, his overpowering feelings for Kinsley and the need to love and protect her. Everything was pure with him and there are so many scene where you will swoon like hell over him, over his actions, his words; the way he treats Kelsey and how he cant keep his eyes or hands off of her when they are together. He bickers and banters back with her and you just know that the bad boy of the LA Stars has found ‘the one’.

‘That’s not surprising to hear. Your daughter is definitely in love with me, Mrs. Bryant. She hasn’t told me yet, but she will soon.”

and

‘I’m not playing around with you, Kinsley. I want to be with you.’

How can you not fall in love with him? He will do ANYTHING for this girl and, shit, where do I find me a Liam Wilder?

The chemistry between Wilder and Kinsley sizzled. You can feel it throughout the book and feel it the instant they lock eyes and banter. The connection is genuine and undeniable and unbreakale, with everything that stands in their way – from the forbidden relationship to the utter bitchiness of her team-mates and the media too, once they latch onto Kinsley and Becca, who are set to be rising stars. I loved their moments together, the sweetness of them both, the banter and flirtiness they gave one another and the hopeless devotion and love they put into their relationship, both behind and in front of the doors. R.S Grey added so much depth and fizzle and steam around these two it was easy to see just how flawlessly they fell for one another, how – even though they hated hiding their relationship – they would do just about anything to be together, even if it meant sneaking around. I believed in their feelings, their relationship and it definitely makes a change where I am completely and utterly invested in two characters from start to finish. Wilder and Kinsley for life 😉

I cannot recommend this book enough to you. The writing is perfect, the characters and secondary characters are amazing. Scoring Wilder had the package that I look for in books and it is one that needs to be on my bookshelf asap. If you are looking for a laughable, sweet, fun and low on angst romance then pick up Scoring Wilder, dive into the football world with Kinsley and Wilder and swoon over the whole book. Do not miss out on reading it…AT ALL.

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Posted in Book Tours, Jade C. Jamison

BOOK TOUR: Finger Bang – Jade C. Jamison

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

21935699

Synopsis

Orgasmic Meditation? Therapeutic?! Kaylee Baker is horrified when her girlfriends suggest a trip to artsy Boulder, Colorado, to check out the latest craze. What her friends don’t know about Kaylee is that she is a little repressed, bordering on frigid, and the idea of a complete stranger bringing her to orgasm–therapeutic or not–is horrifying.

Blaze Donahue has admired Kaylee from afar for quite some time, and part of the reason he’s kept his distance is because he’s had no indication that she might even be interested. But when he’s given the opportunity to offer her his own version of OM with no strings attached, he makes an offer she has a hard time refusing.

When there are undeniable sparks between the two, Kaylee runs, afraid of the overwhelming feelings she has for this gorgeous, sensitive guy. Blaze feels compelled to convince her otherwise but wonders if he’ll be able to crack through the ice surrounding this sweet girl. Can they find true love or will it just be a one-time O?

4 out of 5 stars

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My Review

Finger Bang is different from other Jade books i have demolished. It’s more carefree, its more humorous and light hearted and i actually finished it pretty damn fast; flicking through the pages, besotted with Blaze and Kaylee’s relationship. I have to admit, it took a little while for me to get into the book, but once i was in, that was it. I adore Jade and her books, none of them ever letting me down, none of them ever the same and Jade certainly knows how to hook you and how to keep you interested in the story, in the characters, in the development. And even though this book is shorter than her previous ones, i still really really enjoyed the premise of it, of the development of the characters, especially Blaze and Kaylee.

As mentioned, Finger Bang is much more light hearted than her previous books but i loved that. I loved that Jade went ahead and wrote it anyway. It’s a light relief with some dirty erotica thrown in too – but of course, with the title, it was going to be 😉

I felt so much sympathy towards Kaylee. How could you not? I never had a strict upbringing, my family arent religious and i was never felt like i couldnt do anything or tell them anything (okay, some things they SHOULDNT know about 😉 ) but other than that, i didnt have anything along the lines of Kaylee’s upbring. It made her reserved, made her afraid and freaked out and closed off and becuase of that, she came across as icy, bitchy and a little up herself but you could see why. See why she didnt go out, why she didnt like to talk about sex and why she kept herself to herself. She was brought up that way and she had believes that were embedded into her that made her that way.

I enjoyed watching her grow, watching her break out of her shell day by day, watching her take charge of herself and with her parents and her relationship. Although at time she was still timid, it was a nice gradual shell-shredding of discomfort and nigglings at the back of her mind, to someone who blossomed with love and her sexuality with the help of Blaze.

I liked Blaze. He was charming and sexy and completely different from all of Jade’s characters, especially his passion for the environment and i really liked him. He is the brother of one of Kaylee’s friends and has always had a soft spot for her. He never knew why she was so frosty and icy towards everyone but the more he gets to know her, the more he understands. I liked him for taking a chance on her, for being there for her and letting her get used to being in a romantic and sexual relationship; for taking it at Kaylee’s speed.

I liked that he awakened her, both sexually and personally. He brought out a little sexy kitten, letting her know it was okay to like sex and orgasms and everything that comes with being in a sexual relationship. They learned about each other’s bodies, what made them tick, what they liked as well as getting to know each other inside out. I liked Blaze around Kaylee. He was perfect for her, the perfect gentleman with a cheeky side, a dirty mouth and amazing fingers 😉

I adored Blaze and Kaylee together, i liked watching their relationship from the start, to the very end, through all the trails and tribulations they go through, alone and together and i loved being inside their heads. Knowing what they were thinking about the other, their feelings and their worries, especially Kaylee and her reserved, timidness but the more time you spend with these two, the more you know they bring out the best in one another and that is what we all want and need in a relationship.

Finger Bang is a great book to read if you are after steamy sex scenes…holy crap, the first one ;), humour and madness from best friends, a shy, timid girl who grows each day and learns to not be afraid and a smoking hot guy who loves his girl and brings out the best in her. I truly truly adore this book and its a refreshing change from all the books I’ve read recently. If you are looking for something different, something sexy and fun, then Finger Bang it all the way 😉

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Excerpt

Kaylee squeezed her eyes closed and she could feel the anticipation build inside her, waiting for his finger to touch her. God, why wouldn’t her heart slow down? Trying to force herself to relax as he’d requested, she let her head fall back against his shoulder. She heard him whisper, “That’s it.”

And then he slid his finger down her slit. Oh. Okay. Oh, yeah. So…that felt really nice. Yeah, she’d have no problems focusing on the sensations he was going to create. That felt spectacular.

Another stroke. Oh, God, yeah. Yeah. Her last boyfriend had gone down on her a couple of times and it had felt nice, but he’d assaulted her with his tongue, and the sensations had been nice but overwhelming, and she hadn’t relaxed. No. She’d been quite tense, in spite of the good feelings.

Blaze, though, he was taking it slow as though he hadn’t a care in the world. Another stroke, and she had plenty of time to think about it, enjoy it, let the music wash over her while she could take in a deep breath of air and relish what was going on.

Okay, so maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe this was a fucking awesome idea, and she couldn’t wait to talk about it with her roommates. It was—

“Mmm.”

Holy shit. She’d just let a noise escape her mouth. Well, it wasn’t like she could have stopped it. It was feeling so damn—

A gasp. Wow. What the hell was he doing? She didn’t want him to stop. It was amazing. Each time his finger moved up and down over her, she could tell now that something was imminent. If he kept doing it, something was going to happen. She was building to something that was going to blow her mind, that much she knew now, and she wouldn’t have wanted him to quit for anything.

That was when she felt his warm lips on her neck, kissing her. Somehow he knew what to do to make her feel incredible, because his lips just added to whatever the hell he was doing below. Her breath was coming in gasps now, deep, hitting the bottom of her lungs as she drew each one in, and she could feel some weird connection between her clit and her brain. They were working in unison now and the world outside her house might have been burning down for all she knew and cared, because now her whole world was Blaze.

No. Make that his finger.

No. Not just his finger. His lips. His body cupping hers.

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About Jade

Jade-red-1-217x300Jade C. Jamison was born and raised in Colorado, moved from one city/town to the next, and she’s decided she likes it so much she wants to stay…although travel is not out of the question. She lives in a big town in Colorado (not unlike Winchester!) with her husband and four children. She is working on becoming a crazy cat lady. Okay, so maybe not.

Still want more? Jade has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Theater, a master’s degree in English, and a master of fine arts in Creative Writing. Obviously, she loves school and the student loan folks love her. She works in human services by day, teaches English and creative writing at night, and—in between playing soccer mom and community leader—writes like a fiend. Someday soon, she’ll narrow it down to just writing, but let’s get all those kids off to college first.

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter

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Posted in New Adult

Bite & Release – Cory Cyr

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

20983763Synopsis

Ryan Chase left Fairbanks, Alaska, when she was 21 years old to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Somewhere along the way her dreams of stardom crashed and burned, along with her life.

Thirteen years later she is forced to return to Fairbanks because her unforgiving and emotionally-distant father has suddenly died. Ryan seizes the opportunity to not only escape her abusive husband but to be able to attend her best friend’s wedding. What could go wrong? It’s only Fairbanks, Alaska…
While wishing she was anywhere but her father’s funeral and wake, Ryan is struck senseless by a stunning, drop-dead gorgeous man. Her thoughts turn carnal and she desperately wants to know him in every way—and position—possible. There’s only one problem…

He’s the devil’s spawn.
He’s the one who marked her for life.
He’s the kid she used to baby-sit.
And he’s hotter than hell!

Shea Michaels has loved Ryan Chase for most of his life. After surviving an unspeakable childhood, he became a man of whom she could be proud of…if she ever came back.
Now that she’s returned, Shea pursues her with a vengeance, undaunted by the thirteen year age difference that Ryan uses as the shield between them.

Confusion, guilt and lust bombard Ryan as she battles the memories of the little boy she used to know while still being drawn to the heart-stopping man he has become.

***18+ due to explicit sexual situations, graphic language and intense adult themes

5 out of 5 STARS

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My Review

I found out about Bite and Release from a blog on Facebook and am i glad that i downloaded it straight away? HELL YES.  I was hooked from the start and with the twists throughout the book, i was on tenterhooks throughout, needing to know the outcome. I first picked this book up because i was intrigued with the synopsis (the photo certainly helped too). I’m pretty obsessed with friends-to-lover books but this was ex-babysitter/child-now-adult – to lovers (understand? haha). I knew there would be a big age gap and that normally bothers me – dont ask why – but i was happily pleased to find that the age didnt bother it. It was like there wasnt even a gap anyway.

Cory brings out all your emotions. I was laughing, frustrated – in both senses ;), I teared up – both happy and sad. I even shouted at my kindle a few times and i also felt panicky at certain scenes, rushing to read what was going to happen. Seriously, your emotions will be all over the place. AND I LOVED IT! Cory has a writing flare that just keeps you reading page after page until you are at the end and looking at the clock wondering where the time has gone. She makes you feel for the characters, for their stories and i urge everyone to get their hands on Bite and Release and gobble it up just like I did. You will not be disappointed.

Ryan is a hard character at first. She comes back to Alaska after her father dies and its the perfect opportunity to hide from her abusive husband, as well as attend her BFF’s wedding. You can see she has a backbone, that she doesn’t want to be back in Alaska, not after running away from her home town but she has no choice. She’s bitchy, sarcastic and swears like a trooper. Her life hasnt exactly panned out the way she had hoped especially with her acting and with a husband that abuses her but she needs to get away from him, she needs to divorce his ass and hide until everything is final.

Then from across the room at her father’s wake is a sexy, suited up man who has had his eye on her all day. She’s intrigued until she discovers its Shea, the little boy she used to babysit. You can see her conflicting thoughts over seeing him. He looks yummy, sexy, so damn good, but she remembers him as a little devil and he’s 13 years younger than her.

She wants him but she doesnt. You can understand her though, because this is the LITTLE BOY she babysat, the little boy who was a devil and now, well now hes a sexy machine. It’s hard to be annoyed or angry at her back and forth-ness because you could quite possible be thinking the same as her. She had self-esteem issue, she was low in confidence but you watch her grow throughout the book. She becomes stronger and knows exactly what she wants – Shea – even if one part made me gasp in horror and had my heart breaking for her and Shea.

But throughout it all, age is just a number, it doesnt matter and if two people find one another and love each other, no one else’s opinion should matter and that is one thing i adored about this book was that no one took a second glance at the 13 years between them because love is love at the end of the day, and it’s no ones business but your own.

Shea is pretty damn amazing. Even I fell in love with him throughout the book. Despite everything he went through as a kid, despite how tough it was, he got through it and he turned out incredible. Life through him a curveball and he dealt with the hard parts until he cleaned his act up. For a 21 year old, he sure is older and I suppose you would be too. He has loved Ryan since he was eight and she was twenty one and when he sees her again, for the first time in 13 years, his love is still as strong as it was when he was a kid. I adored him from the get go. With his dreamy blue eyes, his tattoos and just his manner. He can turn the charm on full blast but then he can be sweet and vulnerable too. And i think that is what drew me to him as well.

He is such a great character. He knows what he wants and goes for it. He’s a hard worker, wanting to make something of himself and wanting to make Ryan proud of him, to be someone who would want him. You know that he would do anything for Ryan, even if it means staying away from her, but with so many years gone by, he wants her. The things he would say – both steamy and sweet- had my heart and chest clamping together. Gone is the ‘devil’ child and in replacement is the most sweetest, genuine and sexiest guy imaginable. He still habours the pain of his childhood but with Ryan by his side, it become bearable to get over them, to embrace the past to get into the present, into the future.  And what a future they have!

You will most definitely understand where the title of this book comes from too. It’s only a few pages in and in a way, its actually such a sweet memory, even if it wasn’t to those two. But it bonds them together, always has, and always will.

There are a few twists and turns in the book which had me gasping and flicking through the pages so fast because i need to know answers, needed to know just how it was going to end. Cory certainly keep you on edge with this twists that i couldnt put the book down. Not for one second. I stayed in the same place for 3 hours whilst i read Bite and Release, not wanting to put it down for anything.

Bite & Release truly is an awesome book. It was such a relief to see an older woman and younger guy story but it didnt feel like they had an age gap at all – like i already said. There are smoking hot sex scenes, cocky and sweet statements and a whole lot of loving and drama wrapped around. The relationship wasn’t rushed at all, it built up slowly and it seemed genuine and real and it progressed over time – that is what you want in a book. The characters to really know one another, to let each other in and Ryan and Shea really did do that over the book (apart from that one problem that Ryan failed to admit 😉 )

I’m so glad i found out about this book because i truly and utterly enjoy every single minute of reading it!

Posted in New Adult

Dearest Clementine (#1) – Lex Martin

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

22351498Synopsis

Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn’t mind being called bitchy and closed off. It’s safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.

Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out…in the name of research, of course.

As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.

DEAREST CLEMENTINE is a stand-alone novel with two companion novels. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.

5 out of 5 Stars

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My Review

“Ah, so my book boyfriend is coming over to tutor me? Why didn’t you say so?”

I stumbled upon Dearest Clementine on Amazon and after reading the synopsis and gazing dreamily at the cover, it was an instant 1-Click. Then when I was picking something to read, because we all know how hard it is to choose from the million books we have, I smiled when I came across it on my kindle and I knew I had to gobble it up asap.

For Lex Martin’s debut novel, I LOVED IT! I think I gushed enough…okay, maybe not enough, but I fell head over heels for this book. HARD CORE. The writing is just amazing, its so flawless that you just keep on reading and reading until you are on the last page and wondering just where the time has got to. The emotions that were evoked from me wee constant throughout the book and as a reader, you really want that to happen, to connect with the story, with the words, the characters and I felt like I really did. There is a little bit of mystery surrounding the story too, and that kept me hooked and thinking of different scenarios of what could be happening to certain characters. This is certainly a book I need in paperback, I need to put it on my shelf, so fingers crossed it will be in PB soon. I NEED my hands on it…like yesterday.

Dearest Clementine is about Clementine Avery. She doesnt date, not after being cheated on by her high-school sweetheart. No, she would rather stay closed off, get through college and survive. But when she accidentally signs up for a Romance Writing class, she needs to find material for her assessment. What better than sexy RA Gavin Murphy. He is more than happy to play Book Boyfriend and helps find the inspiration Clementine is looking for.

They grow closer each passing minute and love is just around the corner for them. But they are mixed between the mystery of a missing Boston student and with Clem being a suspected next victim, Gavin does what he has to to make sure she is safe and protected and maybe the best way to do that is the one that hurts the most.

Gavin Murphy. Welcome to the top of my book boyfriend list. Holy Jesus on a pedestal. I haven’t read about a main character in months and months who had my heart fluttering from everything he does and says throughout the whole book. So this makes Gavin utterly irresistible and special in my eyes. He’s a sexy RA majoring in Journalism/English who plays guitar in a band with Clem’s roommates boyfriend and he befriends Clementine on her birthday. This starts the beginning of their friendship.

I don’t even know how to accumulate my thoughts on Gavin because he has actually stolen my heart. He is funny, charming, oh so sexy, and you can see that Clementine has him in a tizzy. He wants to be with her so the only way he can is to be her book boyfriend, to help her write her book and my god does he help her out. He oozes sex appeal wherever he goes, but you know what, he only has eyes for Clementine. He is he utmost gentleman and will do whatever he can to make Clementine see him as more then a friend. He will go slow, he will protect her and he will bear his love for her. There was a small part where my heart hurt because he was pushing her away, and I wanted to slap the shit into him for hurting my girl but then I hated it for doubting him when it all out into the open. I felt so bad that I had been dubious about him when all along it was for Clem. He was the perfect book boyfriend for Clem and he is the perfect book boyfriend for me.

My heart was going ten to the dozen with every single scene is was in. The way he acts around Clem, the words he would say, his actions. He has me head over heels and if you are looking for a new boyfriend, Gavin Murphy needs to be on your list. I just wish he was real. Lex, if you find him, please send him my way, I need a guy like Gavin in my life.

Clementine Avery. She’s a closed off book and she wants to stay that way. He is beautiful but resists all the guys falling at their feet to take her out. She comes from money but she doesnt want it. Her family dynamic is messed up but she tries to ignore that. She is a strong character, she works hard for her money and she is a best-selling author too, under a pen-name, which helps her pay her bills. But now she is in a stump with her romance class and what better way than to take up Mr. Sexy RA’s offer to help her out.

Clem is a sweet girl. She’s been burned by her ex and her best friend, the creepy lecturer she had in freshman is obsessed with her and her family is more than messed up. She’s bitchy, sarcastic and if not a little broken. She doesnt trust easily and has a hand full of friends who know the real her. She hates romance but with Gavin it comes easily. She lets loose, she enjoys her time with him and you can see a change in her. From bitchy and lonely to a girl who has fun and is slowly falling in love. Everyone can see a change in her but she is still protective of her heart, of getting hurt again but she puts her trust in Gavin.

I enjoyed watching the emotions being evoked from Clementine. From her closed off to finally being happy and in love. She started off robot like, not wanting to get close to anyway, being a bitch and just getting through her days, but each passing day, she cracked more and more, until she expressed her emotions, from lust, heart break, love; she went through them all and it made her more human, it made me proud she had opened up, with the help of Gavin and her friends. When you have friends and a boy like that, it’s hard not to feel the feelings rush through you. You will euphoric and seeing Clem like this made me feel like a proud mum.

I loved watching the build up between Gavin and Clem. Watched them turn from friends to falling in love. It was an easy transformation, but one which Clem knew nothing about. As Gavin said:
“Baby, I hate to tell you this, but we’ve been dating” – he leans down to kiss my neck – “for a while”
The build up was melting. I was hooked wanting to know what would happen next and it was beautiful to watch two ‘friends’ turn into something more. It took a while and it was amazing that it wasn’t rushed. That Lex took her time to make these two really see each other to connect to one another and fall in love slowly and breathtakingly.

The secondary characters are just as amazing as Gavin and Clementine. Their best friends are hilarious and you can see how much they care for Clementine throughout everything she has and is going through in the book. They try to open her up, they cheer her up and make her follow her heart. They protect her and will do anything for her. I loved the one game they played over text, and the things they were sending Clementine are just hysterical and I had to wipe away tears because HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS GAME, LEX? I so want to play this game, it sounds freaking awesome.

If you are looking for an amazing book, which will have you swooning, laughing, your chest feelings all tingly throughout it with a little mystery, then pick up Dearest Clementine now. You wont regret reading this book at all because its such a freaking amazing book. I cant wait to delve into Finding Dandelion – which is about Clem’s brother, Jax and her roommate, Dani which is out soon!

Now to go find me a Gavin.