Tag: jealousy

Posted in Anna Bloom

The Art of Keeping Faith (#2) – Anna Bloom

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

cover_pink_fade_no_spSynopsis

Lilah and Ben. They are meant to be a thing.

Well, they were. The best thing ever. That was until Lilah decided to teach herself a lesson and let go of Ben since she’s learned The Art of Letting Go. 

Now it’s a new academic year, and Lilah has it all to play for and it all to lose as she battles scary lecturers, evil PR girls, and her own inability to make the right decision at the right time.

Life has moved on for Lilah and her friends, and life off campus is more complicated than any of them would have guessed. As the reality of being second-year students sets in and the study starts to build up, cracks begin to appear in the very fabric of their friendships. There is a chance that none of them are going to complete Year Two in one piece.

Facing down her worst enemy, herself, Lilah has to try and change her own past mistakes when she realizes that the only way she is going to get the future she wants is if she manages to learn The Art of Keeping Faith in herself.


The Art of Keeping Faith is the second year in The Uni File Series and continues Lilah McCannon’s diary as she searches for love, tries to find and earn trust, and ultimately discovers who she is really meant to be.

Sometimes the only way to meet your future is to face your past.

5 out of 5 stars!

REVIEW: The Art Of Letting Go – Anna Bloom (+ DELETED SCENE)
EXCLUSIVE: Benjamin Chambers and Trafalgar Square – Anna Bloom

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My Reviews

You know you have the best friend ever when she sends you ARCs, sends you teasers and will let you text her screaming in cap-locks when things happen whilst reading The Art of Keeping Faith. And this was basically me to Anna throughout the whole book. I would text her when things went right, when I wanted to rant about a certain character *COUGH*RICHARD*COUGH*, rant about Lilah and rant about Ben. Basically I just ranted and shouted and raved about The Art of Keeping Faith and I had a lot of feels.

My love for Anna and her books goes waaaaaay past the point of being acceptable. There is just something about the way Anna writes that draws you in, keeps you entranced and flipping page after page until you at the end, holding the book and wondering where the time has gone, why book three is not out yet and badgering Anna for it. (Although I told her not to tell me when she is writing it nor send me teasers because when she does eventually send it to me, it will be the best day ever!)

As I mentioned in my The Art of Letting Go review, the dairy entries are completely unique. You can hear Lilah’s voice throughout it, visualise her writing it all down after each event, and I adore that Lilah still documents her life. Not many people do and I really like that it seems to help Lilah, especially when she re-reads her entries and re-evaluates her life.

I’m going to say that The Art of Keeping Faith was definitely an emotional one. I was filled to the brim with all these different emotions. From joy, fear, heart ache; feeling sick to my stomach and an overpowering sense of anger, before going back to feeling on top of the world with love and grinning from ear to ear.

You feel every single emotion from all the characters, especially Lilah and Ben. Dear god these two! We all know what happens at the end, and have been on tenterhooks needing book two to know what happens. I want to shout from the rooftop about what happens but I shant, i’ll let you read it. I’ll let your emotions wiggle all around and make you lose yourself in the magic and pain of Ben and Lilah. You really do go from highs to low, feel exhausted but your heart races and your smile widened and you squeal at the end and it makes all the pain go away.

Lilah grows up in this book. She has to. With Ben off around the world with his band she has to learn to be alone, be wiithout the love of her life and she gets there. She delves into her work, she meets new people and gets on with her life. But she feels paranoid. She’s seeing and reading things about Ben that you know arent true. It’s hard being in a long distance relationship and it tests your trust and your faith in each other. As someone who has done the whole LDR, I could really sympathise with Lilah. I understood her emotions and everything she was feeling. She’s still her quirky and fun self, but you know she is missing Ben like no other, yet she has to get on with her life.

Those moments with Ben were special and you could see how they both just wanted to shut the world out and spend those few days together. Lilah goes through a lot during the second half of the book, and I could feel her frustration, her heartache and the pain she was feeling. She needed Ben, she needed to let him know something and the texts to him had my chest hurting, and tears in my eyes and I felt as sad and lonely as Lilah did, without Ben by her side. But you know as soon as she gets Ben back in her life, as soon as he is there everything will be right in the world because when its just those two? They are the only two people in the world.

My Benny boy, my Benjamin Chambers. I am so sorry I went though a small phase of doubting you, but those damn articles, those damn photos. I knew you werent like that, but with everything going on I couldnt help but think the worst. But you are the best guy I know, the one who loves so fiercely and would do whatever to have Lilah in your life. But when all that stuff went down and I had no idea where you were, you broke me apart. You broke my heart and I was shouting at Anna to tell me just what the hell was happening. I understood your pain, how you needed to just go away for a little while and sort your head out. You and Lilah had been through so much, you had wanted her, searched for her and you had her. You had her heart and in a way you broke it too. (I realise I am ‘talking’ to Ben, but it makes it easier hahah). But your heart was breaking as well. You and Lilah are made for one another. You bring out the best and you have been through a lot as well. Everything you both went through only made you stronger, made you love stronger and you knew, just knew that nothing and no one would ever come between you again. Benjamin, you redeemed yourself and I love you so much for that. I know music is your everything, but Lilah means so much more to you. It was your turn to evaluate your life and I am so proud of you.

I cannot wait to see how you turn out in book three, how doting you are going to be, how much more love you are going to give. I know you are never going to let Lilah down and you are going to go to great length to show her. You already do. I am so glad you found Lilah and she ended up loving you too. You are one of my favourite couples and your love and determination to be together is overwhelming.

Ps. My characters in my book love you. Please give them free tickets to see you play life. They will love you forever 😉

The Art Of Keeping Faith is truly that. About keeping faith in your love, your relationship, your friends and in the end faith prevails everything. Just look at everything Lilah and Ben had to go through to get to where they end up at the end. I had faith and although theirs faltered at points, their love never and that is what makes this series so special to me.

Anna, get writing book three now!!

Posted in New Adult, Samantha Young

Until Fountain Bridge (#1.5) – Samantha Young

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

17665083Synopsis

Ellie Carmichael had a crush on Adam Sutherland, her brother, Braden’s, best friend, for years, and although Adam treated her with proprietary concern he made it clear he thought of her only as a little sister.

Over the years, as Ellie’s crush develops into love, her romantic idealism makes it difficult for her to move on. To make matters worse, as she’s gotten older, Adam’s attitude has changed toward her. His affection for her is now joined by attraction, but his loyalty to Braden, and his fear of losing the only family he has, stops him from claiming Ellie the way she wishes he would.

But one night his attraction is put to the test, and as much as Adam would like things to remain the same everything changes between them in a simple brush of the lips.

Soon lust, love, jealousy and heartbreak combine to force change upon their relationship… and Adam discovers the hard way that life is too damn short to spend it on regret.

5 /5 stars

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My Review

“I want every piece of you. Even the stuff I missed without even knowing I was missing it.”

Ellie has been writing diaries since she was a kid. Shes documented everything throughout her life up until a couple of months ago. Ellie now lives with Adam, the love of her life since she was a child, and he finds her surrounded by her diaries one day.

Intrigued by them and wanting to know her versions of events between them over the years, he starts to read them with her and so this starts the beginning of their ‘relationship’ to the point in which they are at now. The diaries conveyed a lot of jealousy, heartbreaks and hidden attraction until a few pivotal points in their friendship happen changing it up.

Join Ellie and Adam throughout their history, to their present, where they are happy and in love. Life is definitely too short for regrets.

Even since I read On Dublin Street, Ellie just took over me. She was, is, an amazing character to read. She’s caring, loyal, a romantic; tries to see the good in people but she’s also got a spark in her which Adam seems to set off a lot. It makes her feisty, but causes her heartbreak every time.

So when Samantha Young mentioned how she had written a novella about Adam and Ellie which was a freebie for all of those who had pre-ordered Down London Road, I knew I had to email her and get my copy, because I wanted to know about their story. As we know, Ellie has been in love with Adam since a young age. But when did Adam realize he had feelings for her? It fills in the blanks for all the questions we had during On Dublin Street for these two.

As mentioned, Ellie has moved in with Adam and is sorting out boxes that she should have unpacked weeks ago. There she stumbles upon what she is looking for – her old diaries. Adam comes up to see what she is doing and that is how this novella starts. Adam wants to read them and know how much he affected Ellie when they were growing up. With Adam being seven years older, we follow Ellie’s journey of growing up, harbouring these feelings for her brother’s best friend, going through Adam’s over-protectiveness, being angered by Adam’s brotherly ways, to turning into an adult, dating, having her heart broken by boyfriends, being confused over Adam. You name it, Ellie documented every little detail and feeling in her diaries over the years.

Although many of us love Adam, he was a bit of an idiot throughout the diary entries, but alas, he didn’t actually know Ellie’s feelings and when he realized his feelings for her, he wanted her but couldn’t have her because he thought it would affect his friendship with Braden. When you read the novella, you will understand the pain and heartbreak that Ellie encountered time and time again by Adam. Sometimes not on purpose as he didn’t know that he was doing it, but others – he did. And these were the parts I literally wanted to sob for Ellie. (I couldn’t as I read this in the library.)

It was a great yet heartbreaking read. It was heartbreaking to see Ellie go through all the pain of loving Adam since her childhood but great to read the history of their story.  I loved the journey of Ellie growing up, trying to forget her feelings for Adam by dating other guys but none of them seemed to match up to him. She never felt that spark when she kissed them but then everything changes when they brush lips one night. That was it then. She was in love.

I also liked how we got to see Adam’s side to what he was reading after every entry. You could feel his emotions once he read them, see the guilt, the pain, the anguish of how he was making Ellie feel, even if he didn’t know it. My heart really did go out to him because of it because he spent years being in love with her too, but didn’t do anything. You do seem him man-up though, as we also see in On Dublin Street, but we see exactly what happens in the bedroom.

I have to say, I sat in a quiet area of the library, only one person hidden behind the book cases. I had my Ipod in and normally when I read, the music doesn’t go in until I really listen to it and during some pivotal points in the book, two songs came on that just described those scenes brilliantly. So brilliantly that I wanted to burst into tears there and then, but I had to hold my tears back.

The first song is: Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without you.
Not evening joking, this came on when it was Ellie’s illness scene. I am not going to spoil what happens but it kicks someone’s butt into gear. I sat listening to the lyrics, reading the words on my kindle, wanting to sob my little heart out. It truly was a fitting song to what was happening and what had happened previously.

And the next song was The Fray – Look After You.
This came on during the last diary entry where they talk about their future and then into the present, where it ends their journey to where they are at now. I am in love with this song so much, and it fits Ellie and Adam’s love perfectly. It fitted those scenes perfectly and it made my heart ache in a good way over the lyrics and reading what the two of them were talking about. I would highly recommend listening to this song during the last entry.

I command Samantha Young for this amazing novella. I am so happy to have read about Ellie and Adam’s history, to understand their relationship more, to how it all started to where they are at now. For those who haven’t had the chance to receive this freebie by pre-ordering Down London Road, you are missing out. But you won’t be missing out for long, as you will be able to buy this novella in June.

If you loved On Dublin Street, then you really need to read this. You will love Ellie and Adam even more than you probably do. (Then when Down London Road is out – which is amazing btw – you will see even more of these two!)

 

Posted in New Adult, Romance

Waiting For You – Shey Stahl

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

17207108Synopsis

Bailey Gray is tired of her perfectly planned life. Everything about her life has been organized and lived out to the expectations set of her parents. She is the class valedictorian, has perfect grades, the perfect friends, a perfect boyfriend, basically perfect life…or so everyone thought. That’s when she realizes the path planned isn’t always the path chosen.

On graduation day she makes a decision. One that changes everything she thought she knew about her intended future.

On a whim, she runs away with the town rebel, Dylan Wade, in search of the unknown.

Dylan Wade isn’t looking to run away from anything.

He knows what he wants as he’s been waiting on it for years.

On a journey to find the unknown, they discover a friendship they once knew along the open highway and have not a care in the world. Between the yellow and white lines of the heated summer asphalt, a spark draws them together as Dylan’s past and Bailey future try to ripe them apart.

Could it be that Dylan and his GTO are exactly what her perfectly planned life needs?

5/5 stars
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My Review

“Some say a sunset can be too beautiful for words. I’d agree with that. There are a lot of things too beautiful for words for me. To me, it was the earth’s way of saving the best for last.”

Bailey has been raised to be perfect. To be the type of daughter her parents want her to be. Never setting foot out of line. But it comes to a point in your life where you have to stick your fingers up to your parents and say FU, I’m not being this person anymore, I want to be free and that is exactly what Bailey did at her high school graduation. It was like someone had flipped a switch and she just needed to be free from the shackles her family had her tied to her whole life.

Fed up of being controlled by her parents, especially as her dad is the town mayor and expects nothing short of perfection, much like her mother’s attitude, graduation was a humiliation for them both, but I was so proud of Bailey for standing up to them, for ripping that part of her life away and wanting her freedom, to find herself.

Dylan Wade is seemingly nothing of perfection. From losing his mother at a young age and rebelling since then, he is a tattooed bad boy who has been arrested more times than he can count. He and Bailey used to be friends when they were younger, but when appearances meant more to Bailey’s family, she was no longer allowed to see or speak to him. Although everyone judges on appearances and town gossip, even if most are true about him, there’s just something about him that draws you to him, especially Bailey, once again.

Running away together, they slowly build up their friendship once again, as it’s a chance to be free from their town, from their family and just be their selves on this trip, even if they both are just running away from the things in their past and present.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book. I was consumed by its every being, unable to put it down; needing to read it page by page until the very end. Books that include old friends, road trips and freeing/finding yourself are books that I bloody well love to read. It’s the thought that I’d love to be in that very position, experiencing everything the characters are, so if I can’t do it, then I can live through their trip and experiences.

This was my first book by Shey Stahl, although I have her Racing series on my kindle. I loved the way she wrote this book. She captivated me, had me highlighting nearly every sentence, going on this journey along with Bailey and Dylan and had me going through the motions, from happiness, sadness, sexual frustration and tears. Yes, I did really feel everything Bailey and Dylan were. It was really hard not to, especially as I just mentioned I lived through them during this road trip. The one I truly wish I could go on.

As I’ve mentioned, Bailey Grey has grown up doing everything right. Everything by the rules for so long. Shes sick of having her life planned out, from her school to her boyfriend and friends so during graduation, she flips and just wants freedom. Freedom to be her true self, to be reckless and enjoy her life; live for the moment.

Dylan Wade hates being at home with his violent, drunken father. Since his mother died, nothing has been the same. He was very close to his mother and loved her so much. But now he’s just tired of being in the same house as his father, who occasionally beats him in his drunken state. He wants out and after graduation, he knows now is the time to run away, since watching the girl he’s wanted and waited for, for eight years to finally realize she’s had enough of being controlled.

Asking her to come with him, Bailey doesn’t hesitate and goes with Dylan. On a road trip that neither of them were really prepared for. They both live for the moment. They love hard and go through a journey, both alone and together that you know will eventually end but right now, they are just basking in each other, learning to give up and be free, learning to love and feel. Feel that freedom.

I loved the little things they both unveiled. Dylan loved music. He wrote songs, he played guitar and he sang. But he was very timid about his hobby, timid in the sense that he didn’t want to pursue it as a career, he just loved it enough to want to play in pubs and make enough money to live. Timid in the sense he was enclosed on stage, until he came out of his shell and became engrossed in what he was singing about, losing himself in the song.

Bailey hasn’t known much in her controlled life, she knew enough but nothing about running away, feeling the wind in your hair and not knowing where they were going to end up. But what she did know and loved was photography. I really liked that about her. Taking pictures of sunsets, sunrises, of Dylan… But the sun was her thing. Something no one can take away from her.

“There’s something refreshing about a sunrise, it’s just as unpredictable what a new day would bring.”

Every day for Dylan and Bailey was unpredictable, and every day they fell that bit more in love with one another, showing each other how to be free and alive; sharing that piece of special with one another.

I have to mention the sexual frustration/tension/ pent up desire from both of them. It really got to me. No joke. I was frustrated along with Bailey, wanting and needing something to happen because it was just too much for them to not give in, although there were times when it got frigging steamy although it was Dylan who would pull back. I just wanted him to stop thinking and holding back and just f**k her because god knows they both wanted each other. I would have literally jumped his bones and told him to F**k me or I would find someone else haha. Seriously, it got to Bailey, it bloody well got to me too!!

When the secret came out, I kind of had an inkling about what and who it was about. There were kind of clues throughout the book but it only really confirmed it when it all came out. My heart just broke in two for Bailey and Dylan. Their love was pure, it was overpowering, it was dangerous but it was true love and to have the secret come crashing down upon them, it tore them apart.

The next few pages, I was hurting just as much of these two. Hurting for the secret, hurting for it tearing them apart, hurting for the heartbreak they both had but then I thought that maybe that is what they needed. They needed the pain and break after the intensity of their relationship and their love. A break to think about if they really can’t live without one another and if fate decided to step it, then it truly was meant to be.

I truly loved the journey they both went on. From having lies fed to her, from being controlled all her life, it was breathtaking to watch Bailey take control of her own life, the way she wanted it to be and to be carefree and go with the flow. She was sweet and a bit naive but the road trip and being with Dylan made her feel more alive than ever before and make memories together. Memories neither of them will forget.

Dylan was renowned for his recklessness, but we see the sweeter side of him. The side he doesn’t show hardly anyone. He respected Bailey, not pushing her into anything but just letting her experience everything. Although he had a temper, he really meant well and just wanted to protect Bailey. He loved her so much, since he was seven so I suppose waiting for her to feel the same way before pursuing anything, even though she kept pushing him, was so chivalrous of him. He only wanted what was best for her.

I hung onto every sweet word he said and whispered to Bailey, making me fall in love with him too. The way he wanted her, the way he showed her how to live, it was beautiful. And of course, the way they both experience this trip together, as friends to lovers. Making memories that no one can take away from them, no matter how hard they try.

I can’t mention enough times how much I was absorbed within Waiting For You. I fell in love with the characters, with their experiences, with their freedom, with their love for one another and their memories. It’s an amazing book to read, especially if you loved The Edge Of Never too, which I freaking did. I love the road trip books; there is just something about them.

Definitely a 5 star book.

Posted in Family, Jamie McGuire, New Adult, Romance

Beautiful Disaster (#1)- Jamie McGuire

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

11505797Synopsis

INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

5/5 stars

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My Review

Abby Abernathy moves away to college with her best friend America to Eastern University. Wanting to distance herself from her past and everything to do with it, she arrives at college a ‘good girl.’ But when she encounters the univerisity’s walking one-night stander, Travis Maddox, her new beginning far away from her past is now being challenged.

Enter Travis Maddox. Your typical bad boy, covered in tattoos, hoards of girls throwing themselves at him and the ultimate winner in the floating fight ring. He is everything Abby used to know and everything she wants and needs to stay away from. But when his charms are resisted by Abby, he’s suddenly drawn to her and challenges her to a bet. If he loses, he has to stop whoring around for a month and if Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time.

But neither of them realized is that when the month is up, it’s changed both of them.

I read Beautiful Disaster many, many months ago. Long before I set up my book review blog. With Walking Disaster around the corner, and having the privilege to read it, thanks to NetGalley, I read this alongside Walking Disaster as there were certain scenes I had forgotten about. But now I have read it again, I think it’s time Beautiful Disaster graced my blog and had its own review, in courtesy of being such an AMAZING book and so Abby and Travis can go side by side on my blog when my Walking Disaster review goes up tomorrow.

Abby moved as far away as she could to start her life again. She wanted to leave the past in the past and tell no one her secrets, apart from America, of course, who has been her best friend since they were little and been there every step of the way. Wanting to just concentrate on university and not get mixed up with anything that will remind her of her past life, its then that she meets Travis ‘MadDog’ Maddox who ultimately switches her life upside down. She resists his charms, because she had been through this before. But then Travis can’t stay away, so the more time they spend together, the more feelings are starting to change. Making a bet, Abby loses and has to stay with Travis for a month. Easy, she can do that, but then everything from dating, to gossip and rumours being spread about her and Travis is tipping her and with Travis’s hot and cold tempers confusing her, can she make it through the month?

I really liked Abby. She just wanted to disappear from her past and start afresh. A place where no one knew who she was and the type of person she was. She tried to be the ‘good girl’ but throughout the book, you see her spark. The old her is slowly reappearing and you see her spunk, her attack back. But you also see the vulnerable side to her. The side she doesn’t want to show but with Travis and her feelings, she can’t help it. She tries for so long to keep them under wraps, not wanting to be dragged back into what she came to get away from, but it was too damn hard in the end to stay away. I could see her reasoning for not wanting to be with Travis, even though she blatantly wanted him like he wanted her. She wasn’t a doormat to the relationship, she spoke out and stood up for herself, even knowing that being with him probably wasn’t the best idea as the relationship was so turbulent and she even left him for a couple of weeks, but no matter what happened, they always came back together.

Travis is known throughout the university as being a ladies’ man. He bags them then dumps them. That’s just how he is. But every single girl wants to try and tame him, not getting far enough to do so. He’s never wanted to be with a girl long enough to include feelings but then Abby comes along and after one meeting after his fight, he sees something in her that kind of reminds him, of him. She had this innocent look but he could see through her. See that she had been hurt before. Knowing she is different from the girls he sleeps with, he wants to get to know her. So making a bet one night at his fight, Abby loses and moves in with Travis for a month. Never being in love, this month proves to Travis how much he can’t and doesn’t want to be without Abby. She is the first girl to ever make him feel that way and it makes him fight for her – even if he sometimes pushes her too far by his tempers and possessiveness as they aren’t going out…yet.

There are so many obstacles and issues standing between Abby and Travis. Abby acts like she doesn’t want Travis but deep down she does, she just doesn’t and can’t get involved with him. It was a real up and down rollercoaster with these two that at times I wanted to strangle them because they needed to get their shit together and just confess that they loved each other than going around in circles and starting back at the beginning once again.

But when they do get together, it’s still a rollercoaster of a ride. They have high and lows, break-ups, scream and shouts, and tears and I just wanted to throw them into a room, make them talk it all out and get them back together.

Their relationship as Shepley puts it: “When you’re happy, its love and peace and butterflies. When you’re pissed, you rake the whole fucking world down with you!” Yes, this is basically what it was. But, when they get all the jealousy and insecurities out of the way at the end, then yes, their love – even throughout everything that happened in the book – can withstand anything that is thrown their way and the ending was perfect for those two.

It started with a bet and finishes with one.

Many people don’t like this book because of Travis and his temper and possessiveness. The way he flies of the handle in some scenes, trashing the apartment, throwing punches at people who disrespect Abby. Okay, so most of the temper was due to his and Abby’s relationship but he would of NEVER hit Abby and although lashing out probably wasn’t the best way to act, remember he grew up with 4 brothers who, of course, you’re going to play fight and fight when you get angry at each other. (You’ll understand his temper and issues in Walking Disaster so much more better because it’s Travis’s POV). I’m not condoning his actions, but since reading W.D, I can’t see why he’s angry and jealous and insecure in B.D.

But deep down, Travis, to me, has so much love to give, he just needed to find and fight for the right one. The one being Abby. He is a jerk and jealous and protective but to me, I think it’s because she was the one who turned him upside down. The one who unlocked all these unusual and scary feelings within him that he had no idea how to handle it because he was a ‘screw them and leave them’ kinda guy for years but then Abby appears and throws him for account. Although it takes him a long time to control his emotions, you really does love Abby and them having a happily ever after was exactly what both of them deserved after the journey they had gone on to get to that point.

They both truly are a beautiful disaster together and I can’t see them being with anyone else apart from one another. It was a long journey to get where they got to, but in the end, no matter what they both said to one another throughout the book, no matter how much time they spent apart, they always came back together, like a magnet. People say us young ‘un’s don’t know real love…but this love? This hot, possessive, consuming, powerful love they have for one another? You can’t say that teenagers/young adults don’t know love, because it doesn’t matter how old you are, love hits everyone, and it certainly did for Abby and Travis.

If you still haven’t read Beautiful Disaster, I suggest you go and buy it/download it and then pre-order Walking Disaster because once you fall for Travis in B.D, you will definitely want to know his side of the story in Walking Disaster!

Posted in Romance, YA

ARC: Hooked (Hooked #1) – Liz Fichera

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

12369649Synopsis

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile…

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.

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My Review

All Fred Oday wants to do is play golf. It gets her away from her house and into a zone for a few hours. When she’s spotted by her high school coach for the golf team and he offers her a place, she accepts. Little does she know, someone is going to get kicked off for her to take his place and that someone is Seth, Ryan’s best friend.

Ryan Berenger isn’t happy at all that his friend got kicked off the team in favour for a girl, but the more he sees Fred play golf and the more time they spend together, it’s clear that she’s more than amazing at golf and there’s no denying that something is happening between them, something neither of them saw coming.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Writing about two characters from completely different sides of the woods yet they have many things in common from their dysfunctional families to their love of Golf. I never thought I’d ever read a YA about golf, especially a girl being consumed by the sport but I really loved reading about the sport, as I’m not a massive golf fan at all, but Liz made it seem so interesting that I couldn’t put the book down. The alternating POV’s truly made the story come alive as well, getting an insight into both Ryan and Fred’s thoughts and feelings about one another; their voices were prominent and I felt connected to both of the characters. I also loved the Indian culture in this book. In a way, this book reminded me of Shut Up and Kiss Me by Christie Craig with the Indian culture and it made me really interested in learning more about the culture.

Fredricka – or Fred as she’d rather be called is from the Rez, the Indian community where they are all a close knit family. She practices golf every day as it’s a way out from being at home where her mum drinks all the time. She’s never had any golfing lessons, she self-taught herself but anyone who watches her can see she is amazing, and that’s actually what Coach says about her. So much so, he offers her a place on the golf team – but little does she know that someone has to be kicked off in order for her to have a place. As much as being petrified that she’s the only girl on the team, all she wants to do is play golf, and that’s exactly what she does.

I found her to be a strong girl, especially when comments were being passed about her but she held her ground and tried not to let them get to her. She was also confused over liking Ryan but in a way, it seemed to be her destiny to be with him. That’s how I thought about it anyway. Being the only girl on the team especially with her being from a different culture to them, the boys just didn’t know how to act or what to say, but it seemed once they got used to her and began winning they began to see her as a teammate and not the ‘Indian girl’ on a boys golf team. I loved watching her overcome all the obstacles that were placed in her way until she finally found herself, her true self and it genuinely made me happy that everything was coming into place.

Ryan is the popular kid at school. He’s the top golfer on the team and goes to all the parties. When his friend Seth, is kicked off the golf team in favour of Fred, Seth isn’t happy at all, and plans his revenge to get her kicked off. You can instantly see that although Ryan isn’t happy that a girl is on team and replaced Seth, he isn’t happy about being involved in the revenge at all. Throughout the book you see Ryan grow up and become into himself. You can see he’s conflicted about Fred. He’s gone from never seeing her around to seeing her everywhere he goes and he’s confused over his feelings for her. Getting to know her, it’s obvious that he really likes her but people keep messing with his head and getting in the way of them being together properly.

I loved his chapters when Seth was being batshit crazy over Fred and Ryan was there to beat him down – it showed his true feelings for Fred and I just loved him for that. He’s not without his douchery, but he does condone himself and tries to fix everything he’s done wrong. It really does make him think about himself and how he doesn’t want to be like everyone else – at least that is what I got from his character. Whether you feel that too, well, you’ll have to read it and analyse him yourself.

Their journey is not without struggles but throughout their diversions – when they are apart – it seems that neither of them can catch a break. Revenge from Seth was delivered plenty of times, Gwyneth completely got on my nerves with her lying and jealousy and everything that should have been an easy road for Ryan and Fred was just blown up because of the drama caused by people who were happy at all about an ‘Indian chick’ changing everything. But I did like the ending, as I do with many books. Everything seemed to work out perfectly, even if everything wasn’t completely worked out – Seth – but they overcame everything thrown at them, and I was grateful that Liz let them catch a break.

This book is more than just a romance, sporty book – it’s about fighting for your dream, no matter how hard it may be and also overcoming your stereotype – changing people’s perceptions of you. As a Native American, Fred is used to all sorts of comments thrown her way but she tries to be strong and ignore them, never forgetting her roots and never being embarrassed about them. She is proud of where she’s from and who she is. It was great to see a character embracing her culture and never forgetting it. It shows how wrong it is to discriminate against other people when you don’t even know them.

This book is out on the 1st February and I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. I’m going to be super cheesy now but it definitely had me ‘Hooked’ right until the end. Make sure to grab your copy when it comes out. As I’ve said, I’m not a fan of golf but added with the drama and romance, the Indian blessings and prayers and you’ve got yourself a great book!

Posted in Romance

Just The Sexiest Man Alive – Julie James

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

3863861Synopsis

No woman could resist him—except the one he wanted most…

Cool, Calm, Collected…

Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan. In the courtroom she never lets the opposition see her sweat. In her personal life, she never lets any man rattle her—not even her cheating ex-fiancé. So when she’s assigned to coach People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for his role in his next big legal thriller, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob’s charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

Confident, Famous, Irresistible…

Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he’s thrown for a loop. She’s unlike any other woman he’s ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She’s the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize she may just be his perfect match.

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My Review

“Seriously, Taylor – do you know who I am?” He demanded. She smiled at this ” You celebrities actually say that? That’s cute.”

Taylor Donovan is living in L.A for a couple of months while taking on a sexual harassment case. She’s calm, collected and focused on her career and she can definitely give as good as she gets with everyone. But when she’s assigned to coach People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ Jason Andrews, for his next big role in a legal thriller, she is refusing to fall for the heartthrobs charms. Even if it is THE Jason Andrews.

Jason Andrews is used to girls throwing themselves at him, so when Taylor doesn’t bat an eyelid, he’s intrigued and a bit thrown about it. No one has ever given him the cold shoulder; all the women he’s met haven’t resisted him…until Taylor that is. It doesn’t help that he blew off two appointments with her, and that is why she’s less than thrilled to be working with him but the more time they spend together, the more Jason seems to be breaking Taylor’s stance down bit by bit and the attraction is clearly showing from both of them, but the games being played are keeping them apart.

Taylor is such a character and it’s hard not to love her. You would feel exactly the same if you had to clear your schedule with a big court case coming up just to fit in Jason Andrews, only to have to cancel TWICE, when she could have been focusing on her case. When they do met, she definitely brings him down a notch or two, and that’s when you realize that she’s not in to being charmed by a Hollywood heartthrob, even if he is sexy and she’s not thrilled that she has to help out Jason Andrews for his role. She thinks it should only take a couple of days to help him out, but what if he wants it to last longer…?

Jason is a thirty-something Hollywood actor and has been voted ‘Sexiest man alive’ for god knows how long. He knows how to charm the ladies and has seen a lot of action over the years. He knows that one look at him and the panties are dropping. It was easy to dislike him at the start, as his ego is massive and his character is everything that hits the Hollywood stereotype you read about. But when he meets Taylor that is definitely not the case. You start to see the more time they spend together, the more Jason is easing back into the ‘real world’, a world where he wants to prove to Taylor that he’s not the guy that everyone thinks he is, and he really has changed, because he wants to be with her. He’s stopped feeling emotions for years, but around Taylor, all these feelings he’s hid away re-service and the bad boy is reforming, just for Taylor.

The chemistry between Taylor and Jason is blatant from the first meeting, where Taylor knocks him down a notch. The more time they spend together, the more the sparks are lighting up between them but they still do nothing about it apart from trying to make each other jealous to see if the other does, in fact, feel something. The cat and mouse game added to the intensity of them both, but I was shaking my head and telling them both just to stop with the games and just admit their feelings to one another.

I have to say, I loved the part where Jason, who was filming, drops everything when Taylor gets into an accident. It was such a perfect example of how much his walls had dropped and how his emotions were coming back to life for this girl that he would do anything to be around her and keep her safe.

I really did enjoy this book. From the title, you think it’s all about sex, but alas, there isn’t a sex scene, more Julie James telling us where they had sex, but no description of any sex. The story was great and it was a fun romance book to read, which included breaking down barriers, jealousy and finally finding that one person who is perfect for you.

Posted in New Adult, Romance

Losing It – Cora Carmack

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

16034964Synopsis

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible– a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

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My Review

“Best thing that ever happened to me…that girl finding out about us.”…
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say my best friend was the best thing to ever happen to you.”

Bliss is twenty two and about to graduate from college. The thing is, she still has her virginity in tack. Being the only one out of her friends that is still a virgin, she decides the only way to ‘get rid’ of it is to have a one night stand. Only problem is, when she’s about to have sex, she freaks out and leaves the gorgeous guy in her bed, alone, while she watches and waits for him to leave so she can go back in her flat. If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, the next day in class, there’s a new teacher, and it’s none other than the guy she left behind mere hours ago.

Garrick, or Mr Taylor seems more than surprised to see Bliss in his class. After the lesson, he asks her to stay back and they both decide that they should keep things professional, even though you can feel the sexual chemistry between them. Agreeing, Bliss can’t stop her mind from being on Garrick but because he wants to be professional and she doesn’t want to lose her scholarship, she tries to do the same. But there gets to a point where staying away just isn’t going to happen and the chemistry is too strong for them to ignore it, so they decide to keep their relationship a secret until she graduates where they can be together freely.

Bliss and Garrick are the perfect literary couple. The first time they meet you could see the attraction for each other and how affected Bliss was when she was around him. Garrick is British (Like me), loves theatre/acting, reads Shakespeare and is the perfect guy for Bliss as she is doing a theatre degree and loves Shakespeare too! As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews where there is a teacher/student relationship, it is my favourite kind of book. I didn’t think it was a big deal if Bliss and Garrick were together, mostly because they were both around the same age and Bliss only had a few months before she graduated and then she and Garrick would be leaving the school. But I did understand that in the end, he was of authority, so they still had to keep it a secret until she graduated.

When they do have sex, I found it was the right time for Bliss and definitely the best situation as she was in love with Garrick, they had been through quite a lot in the past few months they had been together but worked past it and she was on a high from having the best performance in the college play playing the lead role. It was intense and funny and everything sex should be when you’re first time is with the one you love.  The one line from this sex that had me in stitches was:

“Let me get this straight… you didn’t have a cat? Did you get a cat just so that you wouldn’t have to tell me you were a virgin?”

You don’t need me to tell you what she told him when she bailed the first time. But Garrick was lovely and didn’t want to push her into having sex, but Bliss knew it was the right time for her and so began the next step of their relationship.

The scene I loved the most was when she has mono and Garrick was looking after her, but she thought she was dreaming him being there, and then when he got mono, she looked after him too. It was great to see that they truly did care for one another to make sure they were both doing okay throughout their sickness and it was the first time either of them confessed their feelings.

I found this book to be amazingly brilliant. It had me sighing, laughing and gasping and I was really jealous of their love for one another, even when they decided to stay away and keep it professional, they just kept getting pulled back together until it was inevitable they were made for one another.
You should really download this book and give it a go, it’s definitely one to read and you will fall in love with Garrick…that is a no-brainer!

Posted in Paige Toon, Romance

One Perfect Christmas – Paige Toon

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

One Perfect Christmas picks up with Alice and Joe one year on… He’s a bigger star than ever, and Alice has managed to maintain her anonymity. But how long can that last? Will this be their first – and last – perfect Christmas? And where is Lukas?

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My Review

Okay, so the sequel is around 100 pages long, which is a shame as i would have loved it be longer, this is why i have read it in such a short space of time.

You start off a year later with Jessie and Emily – who are Alice’s friends and ex-housemates from One Perfect Summer – who are getting married. Alice is a bridesmaid for Emily and it was lush to read that after 10 years, they were still friends with Alice and Jessie still messing around together like they were still in uni and work. Jessie calls Alice ‘China’ and Alice calls Jessie ‘Weasley’ after Rupert Grint as he has red hair. You really do find the best of friends at university.

At the wedding, you FINALLY get to see who Alice ends up with and i totally squealed when it was revealed. I become far too involved with the characters when i read books. Obviously from the synopsis you know its Joe, but still.

Alice hasn’t seen Joe for three months, due to his busy filming schedule, so when he surprises her at the wedding, she’s ecstatic and Jessie and Emily are just about on the same par as Alice as they have yet to meet him. Alice and Joe’s relationship is still under wraps and Alice still has her anonymity although she has to endure her colleague talking about Joe all the time, which of course, would annoy you if your friend was going on about your boyfriend, even though no one knew you were together. Joe is the one who wants to go public, hating being away from Alice, whereas Alice is a bit more reluctant, as it would mean her whole life and career would be turned upside down.

You finally get to know what happened between Lukas and Alice too, as it rewinds 7 months back. As much as i hated Lukas in One Perfect Summer, we find out he quit his job in Germany, moved back to the UK and is still in love with Alice, forgiving her and wanting her back but as soon as you feel sorry for him, he goes back to the arsehole he was in the first book, which is great because Alice wants him to hate her so he will divorce her.

You can see the love and passion steaming off Alice and Joe, and i totally got drawn in when Alice takes Joe to their house for the first time. although they have been together for a year, it was like they were never apart and that pulled at my heart strings that they still felt the same way after 9 years apart.

There was a lot of jealousy on Alice’s part, which i can understand. Her boyfriend is a big movie star, hes away for months on end and there are so many rumours spreading around about him but then Joe is jealous of Alice when it comes down to her ex-husband and Jessie – who she has a platonic relationship with. They both seem to have issues but when you’re away for months on end, its hard and puts a strain on the relationship but they do talk about it and you can see that whatever issue they have, they can get through it.

Although short and sweet, i really wanted it to be longer. It seemed that although it was meant to tie up some issues from the first book, it just left me wanting more. Like going public, how Alice would cope being thrown into the public eye, the crazy fans etc but I suppose, stopping where it did, even though it was mean, just let the reader ponder over what happened in the future for the both of them.

I’d like to hope that everything ended perfectly between them.

Posted in Romance

Her Best Friend’s Brother – T.J. Dell

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

Libby has been in love with Tony Marchetti since she was seven years old. The problem? Tony is her best friend’s older brother. Lately Tony has started looking at her in a new way and he emails her all the time. Could it be possible that he is starting to see her as more than his kid sister’s best friend?

Tony knows Libby McKay is off limits. She’s his sister’s best friend for crying out loud! But she is also smart, funny, and seriously hot. Plus she’s not afraid to get a little sweaty– on the track that is. Tony can’t seem to help himself, besides what’s a few emails? The occasional phone call? He can keep things light and friendly– Can’t he?

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My Review.

So, i bought and read this book last Christmas when I got my Kindle, and I loved it, but the other day Amazon emailed me telling me that this book had been updated and new content had been added. They asked me to reply with a ‘YES’ if i wanted them to send me the new copy. Of course I did! So now I’ve re-read it, I guess its time for my view on the new content.

Libby and Mel have been best friends all their lives and Libby has been in love with Mel’s brother Tony the same amount of time too, fancying him when she was just 7 and he was 11.

The book takes you on a long journey throughout both Libby and Tony’s lives over the span of 15 years, throughout the trials and tribulations of their ‘relationship.’ From becoming friends instead of just being the little sisters best friends to both falling in love with each other but the timing never being great for either of them, plus in the younger years, age has always been an issue with Tony as he is four years older than Libby and Mel.

Communication for both Tony and Libby over the book made me want to put my hand through my kindle and shake them both. Things go horrible tits-up on some parts of their story and you just want them to sit down and talk instead of walking away and ignoring one another – Libby was the main culprit for this – for months on end.

Jealousy for both characters was a main point throughout the book, mainly for Tony. For someone who kept making excuses he seemed to see green a hell of a lot especially when Libby spends 2 years in Rome for uni and a culinary course and spends time with a guy called Gio which was obviously to get over Tony.

It was a real ‘will they, wont they’ book and I could see Tony’s view point over the age thing, but 4 years is nothing and Libby’s feeling for him were so strong at points that I felt so sorry for her when he kept confusing her.

Despite everything over the years happening between them, they still upheld their friendship because if nothing could happen between them, then they still had each other in their life.  You really root for them to get together, because you see both their view points on their relationship and see how hard it is for both of them.

The epilogue was the cutest ending to the book and you get an insight from an email from Gio as to how Libby’s life panned out.

NOW the new content was put at the end of the E-book and showed us Mel’s wedding to her fiancé John – whose relationship is shown throughout the book.  You obviously know Tony and Libby are together but the ending of the new content, I grinned because no one matter how long you wait for someone, when you finally get them, there is nothing in your way anyone and it summed both Tony and Libby up. They waited so long for each other, both loved each other since they were younger, and now, now they had each other and no one and nothing would get in their way.

I really enjoy soppy books like this, especially the ‘forbidden’ kinds, much like best friends siblings, student/teacher (young teachers) relationships etc, so as I’ve said, when I first read this last year, I knew I would love it, and reading it again, I remembered everything I loved about it.