Tag: Gavin

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.

Posted in Book Tours

BOOK TOUR: Collide – Gail McHugh

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

18775299Synopsis

A missed first encounter…..

Colliding with a second chance…..

On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.

While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.

Until she meets Gavin Blake-a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over.

This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.

 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

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My Review

I have had Collide on my TBR list for months and months. Everyone has been telling me how amazing Gavin is and so when The Hot Bed said they were doing a tour for this week, i had to join in. I want to say thanks to Kate for sending me the paperback – the cover is freaking beautiful and all i did when i received it was stare at it and stroke it. I tend to stay away from love triangle books because they make me panicky and annoyed at the main character and one of the guys – mainly the boyfriend who ends up being a major asshole (I wasnt wrong).

The main reason I didnt give this book 5 stars is down to the fat that i was utterly annoyed at Emily throughout the majority of the book. And also i despise Dillon like no other. I actually ended up skim reading or skipping parts with him in because i hated the way he treated Emily. I just couldnt stand it nor stand how Emily put up with it.Saying that, Gail had me addicted to Collide – I needed to know more about Gavin, what Emily was going to do and if Dillon was going to get his ass handed to him on a plate. Gail really knows how to evoke emotions from you and dear God, i had them all. From swooning, to anger, to tears, you name it, my chest was hurting – good and bad.

As you know Collide is based around Emily. Her mother has recently died and she has uprooted her life to live in NYC where her boyfriend, Dillon and her BFF Olivia live. After finding a job, she goes on an errand and meets Gavin Blake. Just that brief encounter has her twisted up inside and when they meet again she wants to deny the connection but Gavin wont let it go easily. Oh no.

They become friends despite the growing want and when Dillon’s true colours appear she runs to Gavin but when a misunderstanding happens, Emily is torn up inside and does the one thing she will later go onto regret. Will she choose the right path and more importantly the right guy?

I really really wanted to like Emily but deep down she annoyed me. I understood that really, its a massive step to move away from your birth place, to step inside the busy and bustling city where you only know your boyfriend, your best friend and her brother. It’s got to be overwhelming. And really, she did great integrating into this way of life. But what i hated was how she felt she had to owe her life to Dillon because he was there throughout everything with her mother. I felt so sorry for Emily due to her thinking that. When she wasnt around Dillon, I could tolerate her. She seemed to relax, enjoy herself, BE herself and have fun without being tethered on a string.

And then came along Gavin. You could instantly see the connection, but she felt so bad about it because of Dillon. I wanted her to dump his ass and get on the Gavin train because HELLO SEXUAL TENSION. It was off the page with these two and you could very well see the feelings they both had for each other but they hid it well from Dillon but no one else. I liked that she could let loose with Gavin, as i’ve said, be herself, be the girl who can say what she wants, dress how she wants and be friends who whom she wants. You knew how she was falling for him yet she was scared. I did love it when these two were together, it was obvious they felt deeply and I hate hate hate the fact that a major misunderstanding broke both their hearts, until it was really only too late. I’m just glad that Emily, albeit very late, got her ass into gear but is it too late?

I have nothing to say about Dillon. I wanted to stab him (Yes, that’s quite violent but bah). He treated Emily like crap. He was a grade A-Douchebag who manipulated her, who put her down slowly, who got angry at the way she dressed, who she was friends with. And really, he was emotionally abusing her but she couldnt see it…I just got so angry and wound-up that he was doing this to her. And his mother was just as bad as he was. AHHHH i need to see him just gone in Pulse please. Leave Emily alone.

And now the guy who everyone loves – Gavin Blake. I am totally aboard this love train. He is just *sigh*. I feel for him the first meeting. That once glance and Emily and he was a goner. I love that it was the guy who feel first, the guy who, in that instant knew the girl was the one for him. It makes a really nice change. Yes, he’s a smirky, smarmy, cocky guy, but you know, you just know that they way he is acting around Emily, hes in deep. He wants her for his own and he actually doesnt care that she is Dillons. He really doesnt have a loyalty to him. The things he said, the beautiful words that came out of his mouth. The way he will love Emily so hard and deep but then the heartbreak. I could take seeing him like that. Seeing how much it cut him, how his heart broke into tiny pieces that he couldnt take it anymore.

There’s drama and angst and so much confusion wrapped into this book – confusion that comes from Emily about Dillon and Gavin. I didnt like how much Gavin got led on by her, but yano what, shes gotta learn from her mistakes now and how it ended with Gavin, yupp it was her fault and I side with Gavin.

Anyway, if you love love triangles with a sexy, sweet guy, a confused girl and a douchebag boyfriend then pick up Collide and get reading it. It is addictive but I wasnt as addictive as i have been with other books.

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Posted in Colleen Hoover, New Adult, Romance

Point Of Retreat (Slammed #2) – Colleen Hoover

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

13496084Synopsis

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart.

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

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My Review

Point of Retreat picks up from where Slammed ends. If you haven’t read Slammed, don’t read anymore of this review, as it will tell you what happens next in Lake and Will’s life.

After Julia’s death and the hardships to get to where they are now, Lake and Will are together, with nothing to keep them apart anymore. Lake and Will have proved that love can concur all, and they have waited so long to be together. The four of them are now a little family and although Julia is missed every day, they get by; with the love they have for each other.

But when someone from Will’s past emerges, she seems to do more damage than good and when Layken watches an interaction between Will and that person, it devastates her and leaves her questioning and doubting everything about their relationship.

With Lake heartbroken and not listening to a single word Will wants to say, it’s up to Will to prove just how much he loves this girl and how he can’t live without her. And with the help of his new neighbour, he’s determined to make Lake realize just how much he needs and loves her. Will he succeed in getting his soul mate back?

Colleen Hoover is perfection. Utter perfection. Oh Point of Retreat has my emotions all over the place. I was smiling, I was cursing, my heart fluttered, I was angry and I was in floods of tears. WHAT.A.SEQUEL! I couldn’t put this book down either.  In Slammed, it’s about the forbidden relationship, the love but also about the loss of the one remaining parent between them both – Julia. Point of Retreat shows us the bind that both Will and Lake have, not only losing both parents, but having to bring up their respective brothers. But more than that, their love and connection that binds them together is also foremost in Point of Retreat too. Their determination to be together, to stand strong together and still try to be the young adults they are whilst helping each other find that balance between being parents and still acting their age.

With Julia’s death, Lake and Will have more in common, dealing with the heartbreak of another family member’s death, but could this be something that could tear them apart? Having so much in common? With them both attending college, yet on different days, Will encounters a blast from the past that he would rather forget about, but since she’s in his classes, he can’t.

Enter Vaughn, the ex-girlfriend who deserted him when he needed her the most. Deciding it’s probably best not to tell Lake about her being in his class, Vaughn wants Will back after coming to her senses and realizing she threw someone as amazing as Will away. But no matter what Will tells her, that he loves Lake, Vaughn hits him with a hard blow and asks him the question: What if he’s only with her because he knows how it feels and he feels sorry for her?

After a confrontation and witnessing something so heartbreaking, Lake takes that question and turns it into something that could ruin their relationship forever. Yes, they have the loss of parents, the bringing up their brothers in common but is that why he loves her? Lake is planted with doubts over his love and tells him he can have days, weeks, even months to think about why he loves her. Months? Like he needs months to tell her but if only she would listen and not block him out, then he could tell her how much she means to him. So what does a guy like Will do to prove him love? Slam Dunk with poetry of course!

But with their love back on track, something even worse is coming their way and now it involves everyone. It’s times like these where this small close family of friends need to stick together and pray that it will all be okay.

I felt every single emotion when this happened – around the 75% mark. Will was frightened, he was scared, he was tired of waiting, not knowing what was happening, but he had to be strong. I cried so much during these few chapters because I hated seeing Will hurting so badly and I just wanted to crawl into my kindle and give him a hug and console him. His love was so strong and powerful that he would do whatever it took to make sure Lake was okay.

Lake kind of annoyed me when she began questioning Wills love for her, but in a way, I could see where she was coming from. They had so much in common at such a young age, that it could be seen as just being together for the sake of this, but in Slammed, they overcame so many obstacles to be together and proved that even when they weren’t together, their love couldn’t be vanquished. I know that now Lake has had to grow up after losing her dad and now her mum, and with Will already knowing what it’s like, their love could be built on that foundation, but even when she’s not here, Mama Julia knows best and is still there in spirit and there with her advice and wisdom to guide both of them through the hard times they are both experiencing.

And she of course, has something for every scenario and feeling both of them are going through, to prove that they can get through anything together. The lyrics, quotes and wisdom throughout the book gave it so much depth and meaning and each one integrated into the scene that was happening with grace and gave a whole lot of emotion back.

I loved the determination of Will to make everything right again with Lake, to prove that their relationship isn’t just based on the factors they have in common, that it runs much deeper than that – about the little things about Lake, her personality, their favourite band, the booth they shared their first Slam together. He poured his heart out during his Slam to win her back and prove that he was so in love with her; everything about her that who cares if they have deceased parents and brothers to look after, he loves her despite those factors.

Point of Retreat was in Will’s POV and I absolutely butterflying love it when authors write in the guys POV because so many are in the females’ that you have to guess their feelings and go off from what the girl is saying. HOLY SHIT! This book made me fall even more in love with this god of a man. I love that we got to see his true feelings, his emotions, his love and his fears come through. He wasn’t a guy afraid to show anything, he bared his soul, and of course, his soul is also bared through his poetry which is why he is so passionate about it. Can’t wait to read the third book which will also be in Will’s POV 😀 WOOP WOOP!

Gavin and Eddie are heavily involved within this book and I love them as much as I did in Slammed, as are my favourite boys Kel and Caulder who are now 11. Oh my boys are growing up! But two new characters in the form of Shelly and Kiersten, the new neighbours are brought into the book.

Oh Kiersten! She’s the boy’s age but well old before her time. I loved her wisdom and advice, which she had obviously inherited from her amazing mother Shelly. She and the boys are really close and they protected and stuck up for her when things in school weren’t going too well, but she never once had a sad smile on her face, she was always happy and always happy to help, much the same as Shelly who was like the adopted mum to Will, Caulder, Lake and Kel. She was there with advice and medicine when they all got ill. It was great to see that even though Julia had gone, they had Shelly to go to.

This close knit family of friends were always there for one another, through thick and thin and you could see how much they loved one another and would help out whenever they could.

I can’t say how much I love this series and Colleen Hoover. This series is perfection. Its powerful, its full of love, its full of amazing poetry and quotes that integrate within the situations at hand and it’s about finding that one person who will own your heart forever, even though the hardships and it’s about loss. I can’t wait to read Slammed from Will’s POV now when it’s out later this year. I can’t get enough of Colleen’s writing. She has be hooked from the beginning, the book begging me to keep going until the end and not stopping till I’ve finished. Read Slammed and then this book – you will not be disappointed and I assure you, you will fall in love with Will and Lake and everyone else involved in this series! I butterflying LOVE IT.

Posted in M. Leighton, New Adult

Up to Me (The Bad Boys #2) – M. Leighton

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

16093188Synopsis

Happily ever after doesn’t come easy. But for love, it’s always worth the fight.

Olivia finds bliss unlike any she’s ever known in Cash’s arms. He sets her skin on fire and melts her heart right inside her chest. Unfortunately, their happily ever after is short-lived when a shadow from Cash’s past threatens to turn their world upside down.

Dangerous people from his father’s world have discovered that Cash holds information that could put them away for a very long time. And they’re willing to do anything—and hurt anybody—to get it back. Giving it up means Cash must choose between the life of his father and the life of Olivia.

Having nearly overcome her wariness of bad boys, Olivia’s trust is shaken when this new threat arises. Now she finds that Cash is not only a danger to her heart, but his family has associations that are a danger to her life as well. She soon discovers that there are some situations in life where trust is a girl’s only option. And this is one of them. If she’s to live, she must trust Cash with her life. But to Olivia, that’s much, much easier than letting go and trusting him with her heart.

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My Review

Olivia and Cash have finally found bliss like no other with each other. They are finally with the person who sets their world alight at every corner. But their happily-ever-after is threatened abruptly when people from Cash’s past begin to turn his world upside and they will do anything – even if it means killing – to stop the information Cash has from getting out.

Giving up the information is a hard bargain and it means that Cash must choose between his father’s life and Olivia’s life. He will do whatever it takes to keep them both safe, but he needs Olivia to trust him if it means she can be protected and kept alive. Can Olivia trust Cash? Even when she is utterly scared of the situation at hand? Especially when her life is now also in danger? Trusting Cash with her life is easy; it’s just trusting him with her heart that’s the hard part.

It’s really hard to write a review for Up To Me because so much of it is spoilers! So I’m going to have to be very careful in what I say about this book so if anyone who hasn’t read it yet, won’t go into the book knowing too much about the plot. It does start off from where Down To You finishes so if you haven’t read that, what are you waiting for?

A lot happens in this book. There is more action, more suspense and steamier sex scenes. But that is all I’m going to say because I’ll be a spoiler review and I really want you to go into the book not knowing a hell of a lot about what it’s about.

Cash is still his sexy self. Even more so in this book because you see his character develop even more throughout his chapters. He’s even more determined to keep Olivia safe and his feelings for her shine with every page. Being a ‘bad boy’ and never staying with one girl, it was great to see how much he cared for Olivia and how much it scared him too. He’s just as vulnerable as the next guy when threats are targeted at him and people he loves and I really liked seeing so much emotion from him. It proves how strong his feelings are for Olivia and just how he will do anything to be with her.

The sexiness of Cash throughout the book to me stems from him being in danger – yes, I’m a girl who likes a guy who will protect her at any cost – and taking reins on the plans of putting away the dangerous people from his father’s past in order to keep everyone safe. Even when trying to protect everyone, he’s still the same old Cash we all fell in love with in book one, the one who knows how to swoon Olivia and knows how to work her body in the bedroom. The sex scenes, Jesus Christ, I need to find someone who will re-in-act those scenes with me! They were hot and steamy and you could feel the sexual tension pouring from the pages when those two were together. I’d also like a bottle of Jack Daniels and Cash ASAP please!

With Olivia, she’s obviously had to grow up a lot since book one, even though it continues straight away but with everything that has happened in the first few pages, it was obvious that although she totally loved Cash, she was utterly scared shitless about everything that was happening and going to happen in her and Cash’s life. They were in danger and she was petrified to lose Cash. And although she had mental battles, she knew she’d never leave Cash and their relationship just grew stronger and stronger towards the end of this book. It did start off a little rocky, with Olivia seemingly pulling away from Cash and when she didn’t listen to Gavin in the middle – STUPID GIRL! But Olivia went through a lot in this book and with both alternating views, I loved how much they were both scared to be without one another and would do anything to be with each other in the end.

Uhhh Gavin! Can I have him and Cash in my bed please? Gavin is Cash’s partner at the club but he also has a dark past. He used to be a mercenary and his character makes him out to be a sexy, hot, dangerous and mysterious bad boy. He’s one you should definitely stay away from but holy hell, since when do any of us listen?! I’d have him in a heartbeat. Despite his past, he’s cheeky and funny and his banter with everyone, especially Cash is great to read. You can see that they truly are best friends and he will do anything for Cash. I hope down the line, he gets his own book, because I’d love to know more about him.

I do have to say that there is a MAJOR surprise in this book. One I was not expecting at all but by god, it was a bloody good one! I’m so not going to say what it is, but you will be going ‘HOLY SHIT’ when it’s revealed.

Up To Me is a sexy and exciting follow up to Down To You which includes sexy times, action, twists, bad guys and banter. I cannot wait for book three to be out and I know who it is about…but I’m not going to say as you have to read Up To Me to find out. But from the epilogue, I am definitely curious about what is going to happen. DEFINITELY read Down To You and Up To Me. You will not be disappointed and you too, will fall for Cash Davenport. YUMMY!