present – Z. Elizabeth

Dark, Erotica

RAW – Belle Aurora

Posted on April 1, 2014March 8, 2014 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

***Author Note: This is not a love story. This is a story of love gone wrong.***

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

5 out of 5 stars!

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My Review

This was the first book I had read of Belle Aurora, but it certainly wont be the last. Since turning to the ‘dark side’ of romance, I had seen many rave about Raw, about Twitch and especially about a certain scene about Twitch that killed them. Of course I had to download Raw, I had never read a book about a stalker and about a heroine falling for said stalker. I needed to know how this would all go down and what the hell made her fall for her stalker.

Once I read of the synopsis and once download, I was opening up the ebook and divulging into the world of Twtich and Lexi, following their every move, their every thought and feelings, and my god, this is such a fucking brilliant book to read if you have yet to.

Twitch and Lexi didnt have the greatest upbringings, Twitch espeically, and years later, Lexi is content in her life, she is helping young people in need, something she never really had growing up. And Twitch, not having a stable upbringing, has turned into a big man – he has money, is the strong and quiet type and he is stalking Lexi from afar.

Although Lexi knows she has a stalker, she doesnt fear him, she feels safe around him and there is no need for her to fear him because he never approaches her, never talks to her, just watches her. We later find out who Twitch is to her and why he has been stalking her for so long.

This is not your typical love story, oh hell no. Twitch may be quiet, but he is fearsome, rich, demanding, definitely an alpha male who likes his women to submit to him, broken but most of you, you cant help for fall in love with the guy, despite feeling some uncomfortableness at some of the things he does. When he finally confronts Lexi, they begin an unconventional relationship and even yourself will be like “what the hell is happening?!” because so much is happening between them and although Twitch is certain he will never love anyone, you can see him slowly caring for Lexi, letting her know that she is his and no one will ever have her apart from him.

There are scenes in which Twitch will shock you, especially near the end where you are screaming at him because he is being the biggest wanker imaginable to Lexi, yet in a way, you will understand why he is acting this way, but you still habour feelings of wanting to hit him so hard for everything he is saying and has done to Lexi that you hate to love him, and love to hate him at the same time.

He is definitely a broken man, but you can see him really trying with Lexi – to love her like she deserves it. And that is why I sobbed so hard at the ending. I am not going to spoil it for you, but my heart hurt, my head hurt and tears streamed down my face at what I was reading. I just hope to god Belle will write a second book because I need to know what is going to happen next.

Lexi is strong headed, shes caring and loves the kids she helps to keep safe. As I;ve mentioned her past isnt the greatest and she doesnt want kids to suffer the way she did. She’s known about her stalker for months yet shes not afraid. He’s given her nothing to be frightened about but now shes been saved by him, she is in two minds over him – but when things progress she is shocked to find she actually likes the things Twitch makes her do, makes her feel. Twitch is someone who doesnt give a damn what people think of them, yet Lexi is.

Their relationship is one that is domineering, sexy as hell, passionate yet polar opposites yet they work. Despite the reasoning that Twitch wants to break her down, everything he does makes her want him even more and in the end, he ends up feeling the same about her. Wanting, needing her in his life – needing to love her although he doesnt want to love. He does. She loves him. They arent about rainbows and glitter, their relationship is hard and unconventional, but as I said, it works for them being together. They need to be together.

The ending, with Lexi, made me cry. You can see the pain, the sorrow, the sadness, but the love is still there. Still implemented in her heart, in her being and I felt, perhaps, the same as Lexi over Twitch, and dear god, my heart and chest were killing me. Despite being characters, I love feeling that bond with them and I really did with Lexi at the end.

There is so much that happens in this book that its a roller-coaster of amazingness. I couldnt put it down and I was completely sucked into the madness that is Lexi and Twitch. Of their lives and their fucked up relationship. IF you are looking for a different book to branch into then RAW should be on your list. I am so happy I picked it up and got to know their characters and Belle’s writing because I need more of her books in my life!

Twisted Perfection (#1) – Abbi Glines

Posted on July 1, 2013July 1, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

5+ stars

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My Review

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You are mine, Della Sloane. I will take care of you. Nothing is taking you away from me. Nothing.”

RIGHT OKAY!! Before I begin my gushing, GET TWISTED PERFECTION NOW! Seriously, this is definitely a 5+ book, I would give it the world because I was completely hooked. I read it within hours and only put it down to pee. Yupp, you wanted to know that really.

I love Abbi Glines. The Too Far series were the first books I had read by Ms. Glines and I was hooked. I would recommend reading this after Never Too Far and definitely before Forever Too Far as some of the storyline entwines in FTF.

Twisted Perfection is my favourite book out of the Rosemary bunch. As you will see in my review, I LOVE Woods. Like completely adore his character. He is not what you expect him to be and after reading NTF, he took a slice of my heart but now, hes got it all.

Abbi surely knows how to write a book where you just cant put it down. She makes you feel. Yes, feel all these emotions throughout her book and this book is deeper and darker than the Too Far series, but that is what I loved about it. There was so much in this book, emotional and mental issues, trying to be free, trying to find yourself, trying to do what is best, demons…. You will laugh, you will sob, you will swoon, fan yourself, become irritated and shout advice and abuse at characters through your kindle. I cant express enough that Twisted Perfection is twisted perfection.

You become addicted to the story, flicking pages until you are at the end and looking at your clock thinking “Where has the time gone”. You will read this book in a sitting, not wanting to put it down and wanting to know how the ending will happen. Will there be a cliffhanger so I’ll panic until the next book? Will it all end happily? Read it and find out for yourself.

We first meet Woods in Fallen Too Far. He had an interest in Blaire and I wasn’t his biggest fan as I wanted her with Rush. But then in Never Too Far I completely loved him. His friendship to Blaire was just so cute, he was there for her through everything and he won me over. NOW, now I am so flaming happy he got his own books, because, and I’m sorry, but I love him more than Rush. Yupp, you read that right. He won my heart. He’s embedded in my heart. No word of a lie.

He is a hunky, sexy, possessive, loveable guy who you just want to have sex with and then want him to make you his everything – like Della is to him. He’s thoughtful, always putting everyone’s needs before his own, especially Della’s when he finds out that not is all it seems with her, he wants to help her out, wants to help her move forward and move on from her past. He loves her with everything.

We know Woods works in the Country Club for his dad so he can take over the business one day, but this poses a major problem along the way. He craves the freedom that Della has and he craves her too but hes stuck and struggles. He wants to take over the business but he doesn’t want the path that is being chosen for him and he wants Della but if he wants the club he can’t have her. What is a boy meant to do?

At certain points I was shaking my head at Woods, hoping and praying he would see the light and tell his dad to stuff it, stuff everything – to not be a puppet anymore and have his life dictated anymore. It really is a big decision because really, this is all he knows, working hard to be the owner of the club, but when Della strolls into his life, she switches everything upside down and makes him really think about what he wants.

He’s never really known love. His family don’t extradite love and the only love hes known is his grandparents. He doesn’t think he can love. Enter Della…

Della stole my heart too. She had gone through so much and still is and I commend her strength and her will to live, to find herself in the world, to carry on and power through every scenario thrown her way. She has been sheltered all her life, shes naive and innocent to the world around her yet she craves to find herself, find where she fits in and it took her a lot of courage to do things alone, to travel alone and try to forget about her past. But despite that, there are certain things that trigger memories from her childhood and that is the scary part of being her. She zones out, gets trapped in her mind and memories come flooding back.

It was pretty freaking scary to see Della introvert into herself when her past floods back and it pretty much scared the crap out of Woods too, who witnessed it more than once. This should bring her down, but she powers through it, her strength grows with every obstacle in her way and trust me, with Woods’ dad trying to get her away from his son, she faced a hell of a lot with that one.

Della is caring and innocent and she craves intimacy. After that one night with Woods, it opened her up. She wanted more, she wanted everything offered to her and she wanted everything Woods would give her. She boasted confidence but inside she was just a scared little girl. When she tells Woods about her past, I was so grateful that he was there for her, wanting to help her through it and let’s just hope everything works out in the second installment in some ways.

The chemistry between Della and Woods is instant. From the first meeting you can see the attraction to one another. And even after four months apart when Della rolls up at Rosemary, the attraction is still there, probably even stronger than before. Woods has been thinking about that night and their one night stand was obviously so much more to both of them as they are taken aback when they see each other. But there is a dilemma; Woods is to be engaged to another girl in order to take over from his father. He doesn’t love the girl and all he wants is Della. But this is his life; it’s all hes known despite not wanting to follow his father’s commands anymore. It’s hard enough seeing Della everyday and knowing he can’t have her…its killing him.

Della throws Woods completely. What he thought he wanted, he no longer knows. He doesn’t know what to do, all he knows is he wants Della and shes been embedded in his head from that one night they shared.

The sex they have, Jesus Woods, you are such a dirty talker, I loved it! Dirty talk to me anytime baby 😉 He really is a man; he knows the right things to say and definitely knows what to do. DAMN Woods. The sex intensifies their connection and attraction to each other and only makes their love for each other grow stronger. From what we know about Woods, I reallllly wasn’t expecting this, but I LOVED it, I loved being shocked by him and his sexy ways.

There are POVS from both Woods and Della. You all know how much I love the POVS because we get to delve deep into the heads of both characters and that is exactly what happened with these two. We got to learn more about them, their pasts, their presents, their fears, their love, and their feelings. Everything about each other that the other was thinking. God, it truly made me love each of them more and more.

Twisted Perfection really is different from the Too Far series. It delves deeper into emotional and mental issues, darker pasts and fears. You watch two people who are seemingly lost, find one another, help one another and find love together. They find their purpose in their life.

There is no relationship cliff-hanger but there is a small one to do with Woods. It will be awesome to see how their relationship progresses throughout this small matter and how they survive with what is going to happen. When they finally sort their shit out, it turns around but the love these two have, they can jump through any hoops and obstacles thrown there way. God knows there are a lot in this book and it only made they stronger and more in love with each other. You know they will stay together no matter what.

So hurry up Abbi, I neeeed book two now and I neeeeeed to love Woods and Della even more than I do now. Woods has stolen my heart, and hes in my head and by god, I need him in my bed 😉

Romance

Kept – Elle Field

Posted on June 17, 2013June 16, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

“Did she really just say that? I am fifteen again, except the reality is I am experiencing full parental horror, aged twenty-five. I want to die.”

Life hasn’t quite worked out how Arielle Lockley imagined it would. Becoming the next Coco Chanel was always her childhood dream, but she’s spent the past four years living a dizzying whirl of glitzy parties, luxurious holidays and daily shopping sprees – all paid for by boyfriend Piers – and not doing anything to make her Coco dreams happen.

When the recession hits, it’s not just the economy that takes a tumble and Arielle finds herself living back with her parents, on bad terms with Piers, and having a CV that’s as welcome as a pair of knock-off Jimmy Choos. And maybe it’s the location, but she’s also finding unwelcome thoughts of her childhood sweetheart are popping into her head…

What’s a girl to do? Can Arielle figure out what it is she now wants to do with her life and move on, or will she be doomed to spend the rest of her life dwelling over her worst mistakes, stuck listening to her parents’ embarrassing dinner table talk each night?

4.5 / 5 Hearts

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My Review

I’d like to thank Elle Field for sending me a copy Of Kept in return for an honest review.

Kept is the debut novel for Elle Field and I have to say, I was completely entranced by her book. Albeit, it took me a while to get into it, but when I did, I couldn’t put it down. I loved how Elle set the events of the story, letting us know what was happening before going back to explain how Arielle come to be in the position is in currently in.

I haven’t really read a romance book in a while; New Adult has taken over my life, so it was refreshing to read Kept, read the romance entwined within the book, instead of feeling my panicky self with all the angst that is wrapped up within NA. It was a breath of fresh air and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of Kept.

Ms Field has a way to keep you captivated, wanting to know more about Arielle’s life, wanting to know who she picks, how her life ended up that way and what she is going to do about it. You feel like you go on a journey with Arielle too, by the way she has so much drama and so much pain that she still has harboured inside from her younger years. She’s lost, she had dreams but she never pursued them. It’s a great chick-lit to read, you will laugh, tear up, root for Arielle, ponder over which guy she should be with all the while taking each step with her along the way.

We first see Arielle on the train. She has no money, no train ticket and just a weekend bag. She’s been kicked out of her house by her boyfriend Piers. She then takes us back to the beginning, how she met Piers, how they came to be, what shes been doing the past four years right up to that very moment on the train.

Throughout the book, you see the past and present of Arielle. How to came to where she is now, how it shaped her into someone she didn’t want to be. She had dreams, which took a backburner. She changed but now it’s all about getting her dreams back, she just needs to figure out what she wants to do, and how to go about it.

Piers, her boyfriend, dotted on Arielle but after a bad day, he loses it and kicks her ‘lazy’ ass out. The only place she has to go is her parents house and she doesn’t even want to step foot back in New Forest, it holds too many memories.

But after some guidance, from Piers, her parents and a special fairy godmother, she is trying to get her life back on track, trying to show everyone and herself she can pursue her dreams and make them a reality. Baring in mind she hits some bumps along the way, bumps from her past and it makes her head all fuzzy but in her heart, she knows the right guy is waiting for her, she just needs to sort herself out first.

So what does Arielle do? You’ll have to find out yourself.

I really loved the character of Arielle. Albeit she is a pain in the ass at the start and she is spoilt when you are taken back into the past four years of her relationship with Piers. She see that although she started off strong and spunky and independent when she first met Piers, over time she became a former figure of herself, spending Piers money, buying expensive clothes and holiday and not even bothering to thank him. This is the tipping point for Piers after a stressful day and he kicks her out. You see her vulnerable side break through, with no money, nowhere to really go and with no jobs under her belt, shes lost.

BUT over time, she begins to think about her future, having to work through her past and present, with some advice from her best friend Ob. She has to fight her past, working through her demons from her old teenager boyfriend Noah, who broke her heart. She goes on a journey, transforming herself into someone that everyone can be proud of. She overcomes her past, figures out her present and how to stand on her own two feet without anyone’s help and it made me so proud of her to do this, without anyone’s contributions. In the end she turns back into the independent woman that everyone knew she was, she just lost her way.

What can I say about Piers? I realllllly liked him. He is a gentleman, makes a lot of money and truly loved and cared for Arielle. How they met will have you giggling and what he says to her will make your heart melt. She really is everything to him and he just wants to care for her. BUT, and this is a big BUT, he is one of the reasons that Arielle has never worked during those four years. Because he tells her he will provide for her.

I’m kind of conflicted over him when he kicked her out, because it was his idea for her not to work (If I was told not to work, I would FIND work and not spend his money) and then he calls her selfish and lazy for not having a job. Bit hypercritical don’t you think? But then I can see his point of view, as she became selfish and ungrateful by his generosity. I don’t blame him for needing some time apart from Arielle. She wasn’t the girl he fell in love with.

Despite all this, he still loved her and wanted her back. The time did all the difference to him and to Arielle and he was always there to support her from afar. I think this is why I was rooting for him till the very end.

The supporting characters are brilliant. I completely loved Ob and I do hope that he will have his own book. I’d love for him to find love, seeing as he is married to his job. He made me laugh, he gave some good advice and you can always find him down the pub 😉 Even though he and Arielle haven’t talked for years, it was like they were never apart and that is why I love friendships like this. Arielle and Ob definitely are the best friends despite years apart.

I think my favourite scene is when Arielle is redesigning the shop. That is all I’m going to say but she proves her worth, proves she can do it and proves that with a bit of spunk you can achieve anything you put your mind to. This is one of the reasons I was so proud of her. She took something that was empty and transformed it into something that was popular around New Forest. It was something she loved and was good at. She found her worth.

Kept is a great chick-lit novel. You will be laughing, swooning, rooting for Arielle and end up so proud of her. It was refreshing to read something other than NA and if you need a book to get over the angst, then Kept is definitely the book for you. It has everything to keep you entertained and hooked and Elle Field, I will definitely be checking out more of your books when they are written!

New Adult, Samantha Young

Until Fountain Bridge (#1.5) – Samantha Young

Posted on April 27, 2013April 25, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

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!)