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REVIEW – IN HARMONY by Emma Scott

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SYNOPSIS

The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…

At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…

Isaac Pierce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood, and leave Harmony behind for good.

No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.

In Harmony is a standalone NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.

 

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

I wanted to wake her up from this nightmare. Grab her and take her far away. Get in my truck and start driving. Shift into a parallel gear, put it in overdrive and take us out of this world, into some magical fucking place called This Never Happened.

 

 

Emma Scott has once again written another captivating story that left me breathless and undoubtedly proves what a truly gifted author she is. It’s the reason why so many of us drop whatever we’re doing to get to her latest books. The characters in this story are beautiful and haunting in the despair that engulfs them in their day to day lives. My heart ached for Willow and Isaac. I found it hard to put this book down because I was dying for them to reach that ”until” that would lead them out of the darkness and into the light.

Willow Holloway has recently moved from New York City to Harmony, Indiana, with her parents. For most High School seniors, it would be the end of the world to be uprooted right during the middle of the school year, but Willow sees this as her opportunity for a fresh start. There are skeletons from her past that she desperately wants to escape from. Willow was once the popular girl in school. She was a cheerleader, had many friends, and went to parties but then life dealt her a harsh blow. The once vibrant and outgoing girl, became a loner and the light inside her dimmed considerably. Willow keeps her pain hidden and it’s not until she goes to a play at the local theater that she sees a way to help release what she has kept bottled up for over a year.

 

 

 

Isaac Pearce was born and raised in Harmony. There was a time he led a normal happy life, but tragedy struck him at the tender age of eight and his life turned to emptiness and despair. He’s got a reputation for being the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, but that’s what happens when people with small minds are quick to make judgments without knowing all the facts. The one thing Isaac has is his acting and he is BRILLIANT at it. He gets the lead in every play because his talent is awe-inspiring. Willow was intrigued by him when they first met in English class but seeing him up on stage had her mesmerized. These two instantly saw a kindred spirit in each other. It was easy for Willow to figure out that Isaac used acting to escape the horrors of his life and it inspired her to follow in his footsteps.

When they both earn the leading roles in ”Hamlet” the walls that both Isaac and Willow put up to keep anyone from getting too close, come falling down. Isaac finds a sense of peace when he is with Willow. For the first time, he’s comfortable in his own skin and not ashamed to be himself. Willow seeks out any opportunity to be with Isaac. She feels safe whenever Isaac is with her and she’s even starting to develop other feelings that Willow thought she would never be capable of again.

Isaac and Willow have found happiness in each other but it’s also bittersweet. While Willow has found a home in Harmony, Isaac is determined to leave. He needs to break free of the shackles that have bound him to that town. He has planned for a long time to become a successful actor in Hollywood so that he can make enough money to help the people he loves most and now he’s found the one person who makes him want to give up his dreams and stay in a town he’s hated almost his entire life.

When Hollywood comes to Harmony and offers Isaac his dream, will he take it and leave Willow behind? Can Willow let Isaac give up his dreams to be with her?

Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 4.5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5

IN HARMONY is currently available! This is a MUST READ!!

 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GcgVJp
Amazon Universal: http://amzn.to/2swIfQx

 

 

*****Dee’s Review*****

FIVE STARS ******

In Harmony is captivating and heartbreaking from beginning to end. A tale that will leave an everlasting impression in your heart, and will give hope, and perhaps even a voice to those who have lost theirs.

Emma Scott writes from the heart, which is why her stories are designed to reach deep within our souls. Her characters are always so beautiful and memorable to me. This book is definitely a must-read.

 

 

Willow used to be the happy, popular girl that had it all. All the guys wanted to be with her and all the girls wanted to be her. Her life in New York City was all fun and fabulous. On her last year of high school, her future seemed very bright, until one horrible night made her light completely vanish. Broken and lost, Willow can’t sleep in her own bed anymore or even look at herself in the mirror.

Since Willow feels like a dead body walking amongst the living, when her parents tell her that they have to move to a new town in the middle of her senior year, she simply can’t find it in herself to care.

They move to the town of Harmony. A beautiful place with lots of beautiful and big, green trees, fresh air and with lots of charm.

On her first day of school, Willow meets the town’s bad boy. A gorgeous guy who intimidates everyone around him, except Willow. She can’t stop looking at his unique and beautiful eyes, without having an intense feeling of…hope.

Isaac Pearce is counting down the days until he leaves Harmony behind. A town that has given him nothing but pain, and terrible memories. Isaac’s finds respite from all the ugly in his life inside the local theater. On the stage, with bright lights shining on him, Isaac can finally escape his own life and be whoever he could be.

Isaac and Willow feel drawn to one another since the very first time they meet. A feeling of familiarity, then a fierce friendship, and last, a powerful love that will save them both from their dark, and lonely, sleepless nights.

The beauty of this story was that it is packed with so much hope. Harmony was the place Isaac was trying to lose, and Willow trying to find. Both these characters where inside a maze, and inside of all that chaos they found each other, and ultimately the courage to finally leave all the sorrow behind and move on together into a better future.

REVIEW – THE SMALLEST PART by Amy Harmon

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SYNOPSIS

“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” – Unknown

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”

If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.

This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.

 

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****5++++++++ TO INFINITY STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.

 

 

As soon as I dived into this book, I knew it was something special. This book wrecked me and then filled me up with heartwarming feelings. THE SMALLEST PART is the kind of book that will claim a piece of your heart and no matter how much time has passed, it will remain unforgettable! Unbelievably heartbreaking with the overwhelming sadness that existed within the pages and yet by the time all is said and done you will be overcome with a sense of joy. The characters are beautiful, haunting, flawed, and overall AMAZING!! This is going up there as one of my favorites by Amy Harmon and definitely on my ”Best of 2018” shelf!

We are brought from present to past throughout the story which helped to explain the dynamic between the characters. And though the past was not laid out in chronological order, it never caused a bit of confusion. An unthinkable tragedy, in the beginning, sets the tone for the remainder of the story.

 

 

At eight-years-old, Mercedes and Noah became instant best friends from the minute he and his mother moved into their apartment complex. They were two peas in a pod. And then Cora moved into the complex with her parents and two quickly evolved into the ”Three Amigos”. They were inseparable for many years until they became older and feelings started to deepen and life’s ever challenging circumstances led to secrets that had to stay hidden. Mercedes had always loved Noah. He had claimed a big piece of her heart that no one else could ever steal away. But there was one person whom she loved enough to set her feelings aside for… Cora. Once Cora confessed her feelings for Noah to Mercedes, being the true friend that she was, she kept her feelings bottled up and tucked away.

Years later, Cora is gone and has left a huge gaping hole in the lives of those who loved her most. She also had many secrets that if ever revealed could destroy the people who she loved more than anything. Mercedes, ever the constant loyal friend, is there for Noah and his daughter Mia. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do or sacrifice to help ease Noah’s pain. Her loyalty to Cora was admirable but at the same time frustrating.

 

 

When things start to turn passionate between Noah and Mercedes, they both are overwhelmed by guilt and remorse but eventually, the truth has a way of revealing itself. These two have loved each other for a lifetime. They were always two halves of a whole, but let insecurity and fear get in their way. My heart physically ached for these two because of all the years they secretly yearned for each other but missed opportunities kept them from true happiness. Are they going to seize the opportunity this time or let it slip through their fingers once more??

Here are my overall ratings:
Heroe: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 5
Steam: 4.5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5

There are deep spiritual undertones in THE SMALLEST PARTwhich enhanced the plot that much more for me. A character from one of Harmon’s previous books plays a pivotal role in the plot of this story and even though I never read that book, I am convinced that it is one I need to get to and soon!

THE SMALLEST PART is currently available! Make sure you bump this up your TBRs!

Purchase links:
➜ Paperback: http://amzn.to/2Eibfh6
➜ Kindle 🇺🇸: http://amzn.to/2jrXE06
➜ Kindle 🇬🇧: http://amzn.to/2FGauOg
➜ Kindle 🇦🇺: amazon.com.au/dp/B077GMCKXF
➜ Kindle 🇨🇦: amazon.ca/dp/B077GMCKXF
➜ Kobo: http://bit.ly/2z90iip
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➜ iBooks: http://apple.co/2yNKNbn

REVIEW – ROUGH RIDE (Chaos #5) by Kristen Ashley

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SYNOPSIS

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Chaos series…

Rosalie Holloway put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club.

Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club, Bounty—Rosalie knows the stakes. And she pays them when her man, who she was hoping to scare straight, finds out she’s betrayed him and he delivers her to his brothers to mete out their form of justice.

But really, Rosie has long been denying that, as she drifted away from her Bounty, she’s been falling in love with Everett “Snapper” Kavanagh, a Chaos brother. Snap is the biker-boy-next door with the snowy blue eyes, quiet confidence and sweet disposition who was supposed to keep her safe… and fell down on that job.

For Snapper, it’s always been Rosalie, from the first time he saw her at the Chaos Compound. He’s just been waiting for a clear shot. But he didn’t want to get it after his Rosie was left bleeding, beat down and broken by Bounty on a cement warehouse floor.

With Rosalie a casualty of an ongoing war, Snapper has to guide her to trust him, take a shot with him, build a them…

And fold his woman firmly in the family that is Chaos.

Note: Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.

 

*****Patt’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

”Life, Rosie,” he said gently, ”is not about goin’ it alone. It’s about finding the right people to share it with who will make it better when it’s good and be there to hold you steady when it’s not.” 

 

 

I’ve yet to have the pleasure to read the ”CHAOS” series from the beginning and after having read Snapper and Rosalie’s story, I know I’ve been missing out. MOTORCYCLE MAN was my favorite book in the ”Dream Man” series, so to get to spend a little more time with Tack was really a pleasure.

The story opens with Rosalie being badly beaten by her ex-boyfriend and his crew from the Bounty MC. They found out that she was working as an informant for Chaos and sought out to punish her for her betrayal. But Rosalie had her reasons. She knew that the Bounty crew was getting mixed up with many illegal and dangerous activities and Rosalie had hoped to get her boyfriend away from that scene. What she ended up with was a broken body and a fear of getting involved with another man who would turn out to be a bad decision. Ever since her father died, Rosalie has been looking to find a man who could fill the gaping hole in her heart that he left behind. So far she’s gone from one dead end relationship to the next.

 

 

Snapper and the Chaos MC found Rosalie outside the warehouse where she was badly beaten. They all feel a sense of guilt because they view her as one of theirs and no harm should have come to the woman who was under their protection. So they set out to seek vengeance for Rosalie. Snapper is leading the mission since over the months of working closely with her, he ended up falling hard for her.

Rosalie decides that she’s going to live her life on her own terms without any help from a man, but Snapper isn’t about to let her go through with her new life plan. Neither is the Chaos MC. They all set her up with a new place to live and overwhelm her with their unconditional love and support. When Snapper makes his intentions known to Rosalie, she isn’t receptive at first. Her heart had already been broken twice and she’s positive she won’t be able to survive it a third time. But Snapper already sees Rosalie as his and he’s determined to convince her that they are the real deal.

Will Rosalie be able to let down her guard and accept the love of a really good man? Will the Chaos MC be able to keep her safe from those who seek revenge against her?

Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 4.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 3
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4

ROUGH RIDE is currently available!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yd5hhs
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2Bkzgo8
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2H44bWk
Amazon Canada:http://amzn.to/2EtXsq7

REVIEW – REED (Cold Fury Hockey, #10) by Sawyer Bennett

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SYNOPSIS

Hockey season may be over, but in New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett’s new novel, a Carolina Cold Fury heartbreaker is heating things up off the ice and eager to score with the girl next door.

No one skates like Reed Olson. In the off-season, no one plays like him either. After back-to-back championships, Reed craves a different kind of action. Good thing there’s no shortage of women ready for a summer fling with a sports star. Reed has a specific type—blond, busty, not too bright—and a little black book full of options. But when his bed starts rocking, it’s his unexpectedly sexy neighbor who comes knocking. And the brainy beauty is impossible to ignore.

Josie Ives desperately needs something her celebrity neighbor obviously doesn’t: sleep. His headboard banging against the wall is keeping her up at night—not to mention inspiring some very naughty dreams. Reed is everything she imagined: a little too good-looking, with a body that puts Greek gods to shame. But he’s also funny and charming—a tempting combination. Josie’s the opposite of his type, yet the chemistry between them is undeniable. Their friendship certainly has its benefits, and it’s heating up to be so much more.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

We’re like two people stumbling along a path, not knowing where it’s leading and with a little bit of fear causing us to falter even more. But the excitement is there, knowing the destination could be fucking fantastic, so we keep pulling each other along.

 

 

The tenth book in the series focuses on Cold Fury Hockey player, Reed Olson. I’ve really grown attached to this series and romances with Hockey players are one of my weaknesses. This was the first book in the series where not one Hockey game took place. The Cold Fury just won the Stanley Cup. It’s summer and the guys are enjoying the offseason. Reed has got to be the most laid back and sweet-natured player on the team. I developed quite a crush on him. This story is deliciously steamy and low on angst.

Reed has been spending his summer bedding countless blonde bombshells and his sexy antics have caused many sleepless nights for his new neighbor, Josie Ives, whose townhome is adjacent to his. When the feisty brunette shows up on his doorstep and demands that he keep it down with the headboard banging, Reed is amused. After they run into each other a couple more times, Reed starts to seek out Josie’s company. He’s inexplicably drawn to her and the two form an easy friendship.

 

 

One thing leads to another and soon Reed and Josie are heating things up between the sheets. They have out of this world sexual chemistry and the fact that they started out as friends only intensifies their connection. But while it’s plain to see that these two are made for each other, both Reed and Josie are hesitant to jump into a serious relationship for very different reasons.

Through a natural progression, the relationship starts to move past a casual ”friends with benefits” label and both Reed and Josie start to realize that they’ve fallen in love. This scares Reed because he’s got a ridiculous notion stuck in his head that he’ll never be able to give Josie everything she deserves. The sudden reappearance of Josie’s ex-boyfriend doesn’t help matters, and deep down Josie is afraid Reed will eventually get bored with her and turn back to his endless string of ”Barbie” look-alikes.

Here are my overall ratings:

Heroe: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 3
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5

I have to admit, it was nice to get a romance that was low on drama and to have a Hero who was truly a good guy who had enough confidence in himself that he wasn’t constantly flying into jealous rages. You’d think this would have been boring but it wasn’t in the slightest. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Looks like this one will be the calm before the storm because the next book promises to be filled with drama and angst!

REED is currently available. Well worth a one-click because Reed is one sexy and swoon-worthy book boyfriend!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xD3wdr
B&N: http://bit.ly/2f41j2F
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xvVzq3
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2wUuADW
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REVIEW – RUNAWAY GROOM (I DO, I DON’T #2) by Lauren Layne

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SYNOPSIS

For one charming playboy, getting cast on a Bachelor-esque reality TV show is the shock of a lifetime—until he finds love where he least expects it. And now the chase is on!

Gage Barrett’s reputation as a ladies’ man has been greatly exaggerated, but none of that matters after a drunken bet lands him on Jilted, a reality TV show that matches runaway grooms with wannabe brides. Now he’s stuck at a Hawaiian resort with nineteen women competing to drag him back to the altar—and one contestant who’s even more miserable than he is. Gage has no idea how feisty, independent Ellie Wright wound up in the cast, but it’s obvious she hates his guts. And if there’s one thing Gage likes, it’s a challenge. . . .

Ellie can’t believe she let her best friend talk her into exchanging her dignity for a glorified bikini contest. Still, she could use the exposure—her business is struggling—and she’ll probably be one of the first to get eliminated anyway. But Gage isn’t the shallow jerk Ellie anticipated—and he’s in no rush to send her home. As stolen kisses turn into secret trysts, she finds herself losing track of what’s real and what’s for the camera. With the wedding finale looming, this runaway groom is tempting Ellie to start believing in storybook endings.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

I’ve had my fair share of kisses in my life, with a lot of decent ones, I’d thought at the time, but kissing Gage is on a whole other level. The man knows what he’s doing because I feel like the only woman in the world—the only woman in his world.

 

 

This is why I will always be a die-hard Lauren Layne fan! So far she has knocked it out of the park with this series!! RUNAWAY GROOM was a funny, sexy, and fabulous good time! The I DO, I DON’T series has been amazing so far. Definitely going on the list of one of my top fave Lauren Layne series. I simply can’t wait for the next installment!

Gage Barrett is Hollywood’s hottest leading man and due to losing a bet with one of his buddies, he finds himself being the latest star of a reality show called JILTED which is very similar to “The Bachelor”. The only difference is when the show ends, he will wind up being married to the winning contestant. This is the last thing he wants to be associated with but there is a tiny piece of him that is curious to see if the show will help him find his true love. Gage had his heart broken in the worst way by the woman he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with. She couldn’t handle everything that came with his fame so she ended up settling down with a regular guy—his brother!

 

 

 

Ellie Wright is not the least bit happy about being one of the contestants on the show. She only agreed to be a contestant in order to help advertise her women’s t-shirt clothing line that she runs with her best friend. The plan was to stay on for an episode or two and then she would end up being one of the many women not chosen to marry Gage. Ellie was sure she wouldn’t make it past round one as there was no way she was going to parade around in skimpy bikinis and dresses to attract a man who was so far out of her league and probably a complete douchebag to boot. BUT from their very first encounter there was no way to deny the incredible chemistry between them.

 

 

 

 

Their connection only grows stronger as they secretly meet up every night in a supply closet and engage in deep conversations. As Ellie starts to care about Gage she also warns him about the many different contestants who are either mentally unstable or who are planning to use dishonest tactics in order to trap him in a relationship with them. Gage ends up convincing Ellie to stay to help him weed out the bad seeds, but also deep down he’s starting to fall for her and hopes that she will realize that having his love is worth dealing with all of the BS that comes with his fame.

 

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5

RUNAWAY GROOM releases on January 30th!! I highly recommend it!!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lNEuQa

REVIEW – THE COACHING HOURS (How To Date A Douchebag, #4) by Sara Ney

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SYNOPSIS

THERE ARE NO DOUCHEBAGS IN THIS STORY.

Well, there are, but they’re not who this story is about.
This story is about me—the coach’s daughter.
When I moved to Iowa to live with my dad, the university’s take-no-prisoners wrestling coach, I thought transferring would be easy as pie—living with my father would be temporary, and he’d make sure his douchebag wrestlers left me alone.
Wrong on both counts.

ASSHOLES ALWAYS COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

A bet is placed, and I’m on the table. After one humiliating night and too much alcohol, I find the last nice guy on campus. And when he offers to rent me his spare bedroom, I go all in. It’s time for the nice guy to finish first.
Midnight chats and spilling my problems turn to lingering touches. Lingering touches turn to more.
And the ultimate good guy has the potential do more damage than any douchebags ever could.

The Coaching Hours — the fourth book in the USA Today Bestselling “How to Date a Douchebag” New Adult series, available February 5, 2018

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

I was in love with him, and I want to point out that sometimes suffering through a love you never had is worse than suffering through one you did. Everything with Elliot and me was left unfulfilled.

 

 

I finally had to see what all the fuss was about for myself. There has been so much love for this series that my curiosity was piqued! Leave it to me to join the party late. I was able to follow the storyline easily even though there was mention of other characters from the previous books. That being said, this can be read as a standalone. While the previous Heroes have been ”Douchebags”, that cannot be said about the Hero of this one. Elliot St. Charles made this book one heck of a sweet, sexy enjoyable read!

When the story starts, it wasn’t clear who the Hero was going to be. There were two other characters who were on Iowa’s wrestling team who were vying for the Heroine’s affections but truth be told they were only in it to win a bet. Once Elliot and Anabelle have their first interaction in the storyline it was obvious that he was the man who was going to steal not only the Heroine’s heart but this reader’s too.

 

 

Anabelle is Coach Donnelly’s estranged daughter, who has recently transferred from her university in Massachusetts to finish out her college career at Iowa University. Her parents split up years ago and her mother has tried her hardest to keep Ana away from her father, but she’s twenty-one now and wants the opportunity to build a relationship with her Dad. While she wants to reconnect, she doesn’t necessarily want to live under his roof. Ana is desperate to find affordable housing near campus. After making a complete fool of herself by getting drunk at a frat party, a perfect opportunity practically falls into her lap. Elliot was at the party and saw that she needed rescuing and brings her back to his apartment to sleep it off. Their friendship only seems to strengthen from that point and soon they become roommates when she moves into his spare room.

From the moment they first met both Elliot and Ana secretly felt an attraction. They fell into an easy friendship and became an integral part of each other’s lives. Elliot was ever the perfect gentleman and incredibly sweet. His inability to read the situation that was building between Ana and him made him extremely endearing. The anticipation for things to heat up between the couple almost made me lose my mind!! Just wait for the Back Massage scene!! OMG! Holy freaking H-O-T-N-E-S-S!!!

 

 

Once things start to heat up for the couple, there is no quelling their insatiable desires. But the guy who has continuously been the ”Knight in Shining Armor” isn’t exactly ready to start a serious relationship. Elliot has had plans set in motion for some time which were in place before Ana became a part of his life. But Ana isn’t the kind of girl who can keep love and sex separate. She’s already fallen hard for the beautiful man who’s become the only true best friend she’s ever had.

Will she be able to move on from Elliot? Can Elliot easily forget the woman who has somehow managed to claim a piece of his heart?

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Heroes: 5
Heroine: 3
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5

THE COACHING HOURS is currently avialable!! One-click to find out how Elliot and Ana’s story ends! Get ready for some steamy good times as well!!

AMAZON: http://amzn.to/2DKdYTv
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2nqo1BU
AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2GrLKus

REVIEW – NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA by Chanel Cleeton

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SYNOPSIS

After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity–and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution…

Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba’s high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country’s growing political unrest–until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary…

Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa’s last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.

Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba’s tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she’ll need the lessons of her grandmother’s past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

In one step, I know power, the drugging effect of it coursing through my veins. With one step I am removed from the fringes and thrust in the middle of my life. In that space of the step, my world shifts. Everything is different now, and nothing will ever be the same again.

 

 

 

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA is beautifully written and at times excessive in the detailed description of the surroundings and landscape of Cuba and its inhabitants. It did enable me to picture a Country I will never get to see in my lifetime and in that aspect, I did appreciate the descriptive narrative. This read more like a history book than a romance. While there are two sets of couples, they seemed to play a secondary role to that of the main characters which were Cuba and its history of unrest and rebellion.

The story switches from past to present. The past being 1958-59 Havana, where Elisa Perez lives with her parents and sisters. In the present, Elisa’s granddaughter, Marisol Ferrera, is on a journey from Miami to Cuba where she has been assigned the task to spread her grandmother’s ashes. Although having been exiled from Cuba for nearly sixty years, Elisa always yearned for a chance to someday return to the Country she called ”home”. When she was nineteen she fled Cuba with her family after Fidel Castro came into power. Her family was one of the wealthiest and powerful in Havana and a prime target for Castro.

 

 

Marisol was very close to her grandmother and her death affected Marisol deeply. She knows that it still isn’t safe for her to be going to Cuba but is determined to fulfill her grandmother’s dying wish. She’s also excited to be going to the place that her grandmother spent so many nights telling stories about. Marisol embraces her heritage. When she meets Ana Rodriguez, Elisa’s childhood best friend, Marisol is given a box that Elisa left behind. What she discovers inside is a secret that Elisa took with her to her grave and Marisol questions whether she ever truly knew her grandmother. Marisol sets off on a mission to uncover her grandmother’s secret past and along the way finds her own romance with Luis, a history professor at the University of Cuba and also Ana’s grandson.

 

 

During flashbacks, we learn how Elisa meets her one true love and how a happily ever after for them is nearly impossible. When we are back in the present we see that history is repeating itself with Marisol and Luis.

Will Marisol have the HEA that her grandmother was unable to attain?

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Heroes: 4
Heroines: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 3
Steam: 2
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 3

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA is currently available.

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REVIEW – LOOK THE PART by Jewel E. Ann

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SYNOPSIS

Flint Hopkins finds the perfect tenant to rent the space above his Minneapolis-based law office.

All the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted on Ellen’s application. Her references are good. And she’s easy on the eyes.

Until …

Flint discovers Ellen Rodgers, Board-Certified Music Therapist, plays music. Bongos, guitars, singing—not Beethoven administered through noise-cancelling headphones.

The cut-throat attorney serves up an eviction notice to the bubbly, constantly humming redhead who’s too sexy for her own good. But luck is on Ellen’s side when Flint’s autistic son, Harrison, takes an instant liking to her. A single dad can’t compete with guitars—and rats. Yes, she has pet rats.

This woman …

She’s annoyingly happy with a constant need to touch him—adjust his tie, button his shirt, invade his space, and mess with his mind.

Still …

She must go.

Their lust-hate relationship escalates into something beautiful and tragic. This sexy, romantic-comedy explores the things we want, the things we need, and the impossible decisions parents and children make to survive.

 

*****Dee’s Review*****

5++++ Hopeful Stars *****

Raw and beautiful. Look The Part is a story that evoked a million emotions in me as I was reading it. The characters and the story felt so real and relatable. I have no doubt that anyone who reads this book will fall irrevocably in love with Harrison, Ellen, and Flint.

 

 

 

Flint Hopkins was living inside his own personal hell until a new tenant, Ellen Rodgers rented the space above his office, and starts to turn his world upside down one musical note at a time.

Ellen is a music therapist that always smiles, and gives it to you straight no matter what. She too has a lot of emotional baggage but she copes with her painful past, in the opposite way Flint does.

In the equation of Flint plus Ellen, the result equals a powerful explosion. They fight hard and they do other things even harder.

Harrison, Flint’s autistic son is a beautiful and amazing character that sort of symbolizes a truce between Flint and Ellen. And then the three of them eventually form a sweet bond that ultimately will save them from all the heartache of the past.

A beautiful story from beginning to end. I really loved everything about it. Don’t hesitate, read it today.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

We’re that moment of light and whisper of hope that sprouts from the barren ground after the end of the world. It’s not him. It’s not me. It’s us. We defy the laws of existence. We are forgiveness and redemption. What we have is not a victory against all odds, it’s the inevitable.

 

 

There are a few things that can be said of Jewel’s books. They are unique and phenomenal. You can just tell she puts a lot of her soul into her writing and that she’s one of those authors who takes the time to get it right instead of hitting ”Publish” just to meet her quota! LOOK THE PART has a flawed Hero haunted by a tragic past. The Heroine has her unconventional quirks and an over the top sassy attitude. Their journey to love everlasting is filled with many obstacles and unexpected twists and that’s what made this such an entertaining read.

Flint Hopkins is a successful lawyer and father of a twelve-year-old boy who is mildly autistic. His life was turned upside down ten years ago when his wife died in a car accident. Caring for his son, Harrison, has become Flint’s life’s purpose. There is no room in his heart for anyone else and he truly believes that he doesn’t deserve another shot at happiness. He wasn’t expecting that the new tenant in his office building was going to barrel through his world like a tornado and awaken something in him that he thought died along with his wife.

Ellen Rodgers is a music therapist who’s moved to a new town in hopes of making a fresh start. She’s been burned badly by love and doesn’t think her heart could take another beating. The minute she meets her new landlord, her hormones take over her brain and she finds it nearly impossible to refrain from jumping his bones. She’s a sucker for the beautiful man who looks killer in a three-piece suit. But the two don’t necessarily get off on the right foot when Ellen’s sessions with her patients immediately grate on Flint’s nerves. Apparently, he didn’t realize that part of her therapy sessions involves the playing of loud instruments.

The two have some heated arguments when Flint decides to evict her, but when Harrison starts to develop a friendship with Ellen over their music appreciation and her four pet rats, Flint realizes it’s not going to be that easy to get rid of her. And whenever these two get a moment alone, passion takes over and neither of them can fight it.

I loved how Ellen genuinely bonded with Harrison and that she never sugarcoated Flint’s past for him. Her love was constant and unwavering. And Flint, he was surprising. At first, he seemed to be an uptight suit unable to show compassion but as the story unfolds and all his layers were peeled back, we see that this man has an unbelievably huge heart who would go to any lengths to protect and care for the people he loves.

 

 

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Heroes: 4.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5

LOOK THE PART is currently available! It’s a no-brainer that this is a must-read!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GlCHel
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2BAPI00

REVIEW – THE BEAU AND THE BELLE by R.S. Grey

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SYNOPSIS

Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.

Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.

My old friend, Mr. Fortier.

But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.

When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.

Let’s hope he knows how to guard his.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

This is the kiss I wanted 10 years ago. This is what I begged him for, and now that I have it, I don’t want to let it go.

THE BEAU AND THE BELLE is a sweet second chance romance between two people who couldn’t act on their feelings the first time they became a part of each other’s lives but ten years later things have changed and now it’s a battle of wills that stand in their way.

Beau Fortier was in his last year of law school at Tulane University when he met the sweet and beguiling Lauren LeBlanc. He answers an ad for a studio apartment in the home of one of New Orleans oldest and most influential families. Long ago, the Fortier’s were just as esteemed and powerful as the LeBlanc’s but during the 60s and 70s the family fell upon hard times and lost their fortune. Beau is determined to graduate from Tulane and to become a successful lawyer so that he can rebuild his family’s empire and provide the kind of lifestyle to his mother that she once grew up in.

When Beau and Lauren first meet, you can tell there’s a special chemistry there, BUT there’s an eight-year age gap between them. Lauren is seventeen and Beau is twenty-five. He knows that it would be highly improper for anything to happen romantically between them, but this doesn’t stop the lovesick and innocent teenager from hitting on Beau. While nothing happens between them during this team, deeply rooted feelings have developed. Then Hurricane Andrea steps in and ends up separating them for the next ten years.

Lauren went off to the east coast to finish out her senior year of high school and then ended up attending an ivy league university in Connecticut as well. After graduating from college, she secured a job on the art acquisitions team for Sotheby’s in NYC. Now, ten years after she left New Orleans, she’s returning home and about to open her own art gallery/coffee shop.

The years that separated Beau and Lauren have not managed to diminish the attraction they each felt for each other and when they cross paths at a formal ball held in Lauren’s honor, there is no denying that the chemistry is still very strong between them. Beau is determined to stake his claim but while Lauren may have blossomed into a stunning young woman, she’s still very much stuck in the past and the insecure seventeen-year-old girl seems to still be making all her decisions! Beau knows that Lauren is the only one for him and he’s on a mission to convince her that they belong together.

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Heroes: 4.5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5

THE BEAU AND THE BELLE is currently available!

 

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*****Mel’s Review*****

4.5 Stars!

 

 

Lauren LeBlanc is a 17 yr. old junior in high school that comes from one of the oldest families in New Orleans. She grew up in New Orleans society as a debutante attending cotillions. She was sweet, innocent, & completely naive when it came to boys. Then a hot older guy moves in to the guest house apartment her family is renting. His name is Beau Fortier. He’s a 24 yr. old law student at Tulane with big dreams to build up his family name to what it once was. He comes from humble beginnings, but hopes to one day live up to the Fortier name his ancestors made prominent. Beau has completely stolen Lauren’s attention, & stars in most of her teenage fantasies. He’s all man & she has an all consuming crazy crush on him. She just wants him to see her as more than a young silly girl. They become good friends and Lauren is soon very attached to him. Then their lives go in different directions. Beau puts everything into his career, & Lauren finishes school and then moves to New York. She returns home after ten years, & crosses paths with the man she’s never been able to forget.

 

-I see the sparkle in her eyes that seems to whisper, The rules have changed. Back then, her beauty was irrelevant, like a delicate work of art tucked safely behind museum glass. The thought never entered my mind to cross the velvet rope.

-She might have grown up, but those damn eyes are just as communicative as they’ve always been.

-She’s a woman now, and she doesn’t have to try to be seductive. She just is.

 

Lauren is back in New Orleans, & Beau is ready to make his move. She was too young and off limits to him, but now she’s 27 and all grown up. There’s nothing stopping him from taking everything he’s always wanted. He’s always had feelings for Lauren & just couldn’t act on them because of her age. He never quit thinking of her, and wants to be with her. Lauren isn’t so easily convinced, & is fighting it, and holding a grudge. She beautiful and confident. She was in love with Beau ten years ago, & thinks he didn’t return her feelings. As far as she’s concerned he’d missed his chance. Except time hadn’t lessened her feelings, and he still made her feel like that same emotional teenage girl. Suddenly Beau is everywhere & she can’t escape him. She makes him work for it, and he doesn’t give up till she’s his.

Another fabulous book is this series I love! Can’t get enough of R.S. Grey’s stories!

 

-He’s here now and he’s so much more than I remember- more handsome, more sure of himself, more magnetic.

-At 27, I can barely handle this feeling. At 17, I’d have gone comatose.

-This is how I wanted to be touched all those years ago.

-I used to dream about him like this when I was a teenager. I used to wonder what it would be like to have him stare at me just the way he is right now.

REVIEW – HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN (Cracks Duet #2) by L.H. Cosway

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SYNOPSIS

He came back to me 16 minutes and 59 seconds into Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7.

We parted amid tragedy, so it seemed poetic. Dylan O’Dea, my childhood sweetheart, had once meant everything to me. Now we were strangers, and honestly, after eleven years I never thought I’d see him again.

I lived in the world of the average, of getting paid by the hour and budgeting to make ends meet. But Dylan, he lived in the world of wealth and success. He’d achieved the great things I always suspected he would. The dissatisfaction he’d felt as a teenager had obviously been an excellent motivator.

He started a business from scratch, pioneered a brand, and created perfumes adored by women across the globe. I was just one of the people who’d been there before. Now he was living his best life in the after.

And me, well, I’d been in a dark place for a while. Slowly but surely, I was letting the light back in, but there was something missing. I was an unfinished sentence with an ellipsis at the end. And maybe, if I was brave enough to take the chance, Dylan could be my happy ending.

How the Light Gets In is Book #2 and the concluding installment in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.

 

*****Dee’s Review*****

4 Bright Stars****

This book is the second part of The Cracks Duet. It was a sweet and beautiful conclusion to a truly captivating story.

These two best friends and lovers were never able to get over each other, and now ten years later, little by little the old cracks of the heart will finally fill up, so love can flourish once again.

 

 

Evelyn stayed behind in the horrible town that took away all the beautiful parts of her life. Dylan left in hopes to one day come back and take his precious girl with him. But Evelyn’s heart felt broken beyond compared, plus she needed to stay and take care of her grandmother.

10 years have passed since Evelyn lost her love and now she finds herself in New York City with the mission of starting over. Little does she know that the beautiful boy she once quit will be waiting for her, offering her not only a new world but something she thought she would never have again…hope.

This was one of the sweetest novels I’ve ever read. The words tasted like candy and I swear I could even smell all the flowers, as I was reading about the meaningful scents Dylan and Evelyn were creating together. This is a book about hope and second chances. Fantastic read, one I would definitely recommend to all my friends.

 

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

The way he looked at me was all-consuming. Most people could only dream of being looked at in such a way. And there he was right in front of me, his eyes telling me I could have him if only I was brave enough to reach out and take. He made me weak. He made me want. Every part of me fizzled with the need to feel his touch, to touch him.

 

 

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN picks up eleven years after where the first installment ends. YES. ELEVEN YEARS!! I may have screamed and cried a bit!! Oh, so much time lost for our Hero and Heroine. You could feel just how much in love this couple was and for them to lose over a decade of being in each other’s universe felt like the biggest travesty!

Evelyn is twenty-nine and has been living in New York with her Aunt Yvonne for two months. After her Gran passed away, there was nothing left for Ev in Ireland, and her Aunt convinced her to come to New York. Yvonne sets Ev up with a bartending job at a restaurant she manages. Eleven years after her tragic loss, Ev still has lost the joyous and carefree soul that used to reside within her. She has been wandering aimlessly through life, but she’s in for a shock when Yvonne invites an unexpected guest for dinner…Dylan! She’s completely stunned, and a little embarrassed by how her life has turned out because Dylan pursued his dreams and has become a highly successful entrepreneur. His fragrance line is sold all over the world at his chain of high-end fragrance boutiques.

She tries to keep Dylan at a distance, but the man is determined more than ever to have her back in his life. He lost her twice and there’s no way he’s letting Ev slip through his fingers again. Every time they are together you can almost feel his adoration pouring out from the pages of the book. I fell even harder for Dylan. What I couldn’t understand was why Ev kept trying to fight it and why at times she almost seemed resentful, when she was the one that sent him away all those years ago. I wanted a Heroine that was more deserving of his love.

Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Heroes: 5
Heroine: 3.5
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4.5

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN releases on February 6th!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2GfvMmO
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