Affairytale: CJ English

I don't read a lot of non-fiction these days.  But, I just finished Affairytale, a memoir and I am finding that reading it affected me more than my usual read.

Blurb:

I had an affair. The most forbidden and seductive affair, and fell in Love. 

He was a rare gentleman, intelligent and gorgeous; a man every woman desired. Every cell in my body was telling me that he was my happily ever after. 

I was stuck in a marriage of mediocrity, I ached for red silk romance and carry me away passion, but not with my husband. I craved Him. 

Living without him was cruel and unusual punishment, even for my wandering heart. 

Affairytale is a tantalizing memoir of sultry encounters, hidden grottos and secret hillside cabins. From the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes to the Southern shores of Maui you’ll fall in love with this tell-all memoir that pulls back the veil on infidelity and gives you rare look into hearts and bedroom of a real life extramarital affair. 

Woven with original love letters and scandalous text messages, this engrossing true love story is sure to break then win your heart. 

True Love always finds a way. 
Sometimes...it starts with an affair.

Review: 4.25 Stars

A personal story first: When I was about 17, my mom and I were into going to see psychics, having our tea leaves read...that kind of stuff.  Mostly, the readings I was given were bullshit, vague, could apply to anyone kind of stuff.  But, I recall asking one psychic about my love life.  I think I was asking in the context of my boyfriend at the time.  She said something along the lines of: He is a nice guy, but he isn't the one for you.  But, you know that already (note: I knew that already).  The person you're going to marry is named Rob.  He has brown hair.  You already know him.

The psychic described him further, but I don't recall the information.  The parts I've written about stick out to me because, at the time, I could only think of one guy named Rob, a classmate with blond hair.  Also not someone that I ever felt a connection to (my best friend at the time was infatuated with him).  So, I basically forgot all about the reading and chalked it up to more BS.  

A few years ago, something reminded me of the reading and my memory of the information about Rob came back to me.  Holy shit...my husband's name is Rob and he has brown hair.  Only thing is I didn't meet him until I was 19 or 20.  

What would my life have become if I stuck it out with the guy I was dating at the time (i.e., not the one for me) and never met Rob?  Or, met Rob while in a committed relationship with someone else?  The whole idea just makes me feel sad and grateful that it never came to that.  

______________________________________________

This book was a compelling read.  I really wanted to know how things would unfold.  But, the prevailing feeling I had while reading most of it was sadness.  I felt sad about the time lost with the right person; sad about the abusive and destructive relationship between CJ and Levi; sad about Levi's obliviousness of what a healthy relationship looks like and their co-dependency on something so toxic; sad about the affair; sad about Dani being in an environment where her parents are viciously fighting; sad about CJ undiagnosed pain; sad because her true love was there before CJ got married and she wasn't strong enough to get off the train to nowhere that was her life with Levi; sad because Levi is a real person who may not be the best communicator, but may be someone else's true love (I kind of want to give Levi a hug and find him a woman who will happily give him nightly blow jobs); sad because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with Grant...the list goes on.  

It's just harder to detach from other people's challenges when they're real and not just part of an author's imagination.  I'm glad that things worked out for CJ and Grant.  Being a private person myself, I have a hard time imagining sharing that much of myself with the world and making a name  in the literary world based on an affair. 

Kudos to CJ for being honest (or, at least, her version of things) and not downplaying her ugly behaviour.  I don't fully understand Grant's character -- why was he was ok being with CJ when she was married (he never pressured her to leave her husband)?  He almost seemed to get off on the potential of getting caught.  I was waiting for some bomb to go off with Grant since there was foreshadowing regarding his disaster of an office, canoe full of papers, paying his mom to clean his house, reckless behaviour, trail of exes who weren't "the one"....Those were mostly red herrings.  

Insider: Olivia Cunning

Blurb:

She thought she was ready to rock... 
Toni Nichols put her aspirations on hold while she raised her little sister, but now she's reaching for the stars and living her dreams as the creator of a revolutionary interactive biography about the rock band Exodus End. Creating the book requires her to go on tour and immerse herself in the band's world as an insider, but can she gain the trust of four veteran superstars who've been burned by the media before? Or will her dreams crumble at her feet? 

He's always ready to roll 
Logan Schmidt was born an adrenaline junkie. He lives for the rush he gets from playing his bass guitar before thousands of fans. When he's not performing on stage or in the bedroom, he's looking for his next endorphin high in extreme sports. So what is it about the sweet and innocent journalist on their world tour that gets his heart pumping and captures his full attention? Is she the real deal or is she posing at being his perfect woman to get inside secrets on Exodus End? 

They're both ready to experiment 
Though Toni was innocent the first time she climbed the bus steps, that didn't last long once Logan set his sights on her. He's so much more worldly than she is and she's ready to learn how to please a lover and explore all the ways she can be pleased. Logan can't believe his luck. Toni's a phenomenal woman and she wants him to teach her how to rock and roll in the sack? Not exactly a burdensome task. Until she starts to get too close to his heart and takes her insider look to a place he never anticipated.

Review: 4 Stars

I think anyone that has read the Sinners on Tour Series has been eagerly awaiting the start of the  Exodus End Series.  The former series combines fairly smutty erotica with hot musicians and interesting storylines.  What's not to love?

The first book in the series, Insider, features the bass guitarist, Logan.  His personality reminded me a bit of Eric Sticks in that he is high energy and goofy.  Toni, the female MC, comes on to tour with Exodus End to create a interactive biography of the band, which is kind of a cool idea.  It seems a bit far fetched that she would arrive a 25 year old virgin, only to have that "rectified" within an hour.  But, if you're ready to lose it, why not go for it on a tour bus with a hot musician?

Although some sex scenes are explicit, I'd say this book was fairly tame compared to most of the Sinners' books.  I tend to prefer the insta-love story lines over the extended denial of feelings.  But, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next ones to come.

My one beef was the lack of grovelling.  Toni was, at points, treated poorly by the band, by her mother and by her boss.  She really never took any of them to task.  

Every Which Way

I try to balance out my reading.  I read a serious, chaste book then I'll follow it up with something smutty.  Similar idea if I finish a long read or a multi-series binge.  I'll follow it up with something quick.  That's what led me to read Every Which Way.  After reading Kulti, which was fairly long and limited to two short sex scenes (after a long build up to them), I needed something quick and dirty.  Every Which Way contains five short stories, all featuring various kinky relationships.

Blurb

UNABASHED by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Sasha White

She's finally found a man who sees her for the woman she is, and she's not holding back. 

Ian Johnson thrived on training new submissives at Overwatch. He loved helping them explore their kinks, learn their limits, and recognize the power they hold. Then Ronnie Mack strode into the club, and right back into his heart. Now she's his one and only, and he's discovered that training a submissive loves is a whole new adventure.

LOANED by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Annabel Joseph

It's all kinky fun and games, until someone loses their heart.
Bettina's Master gets off on loaning her to strangers. Afterward, she's supposed to report back to him with all the raunchy details. It's all kinky fun and games, until one of those strangers decides he doesn't want to give her back...

BOOTS & WINGS by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Myla Jackson

When a woman comes between brothers, passions take wings
Pilots, partners and brothers, Jake and Tucker Maddox, are both in love with Molly O'Brien and she's in love with them. Because of their crazy sibling rivalry she refuses to choose between them, and instead walks away. On the verge of losing the best gal that ever happened to them, the two brothers hatch a desperate scheme to kidnap Molly, carrying her away to their mountain cabin where they convince her she can have them both, if she dares

Pin Me Up Proper by USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Cathryn Fox

Shackles, blindfolds and ropes, oh my...she's not in Kansas anymore.
Bored with the men in her life, actress Janie Monroe is looking for something different. On a whim, she decides to seduce her cameraman, a guy who comes off as a nerdy video gamer. After enticing him at a pin-up photo shoot, she learns that he does indeed like to play, but instead of a game console and controller, his toys are shackles, blindfolds and ropes. Janie soon finds herself immersed in a world of dark passions where her boundaries are challenged and pleasure beyond her wildest imagination is the prize.

ACCEPTABLE RISK by Candace Blevins

Bethany has joked for years that if she ever settles down, it'll be with a harem of men, only it isn't a joke anymore.

Mac is a new werewolf, and still must be watched at every moment to be sure he stays in control. His kink has always been ménage, so when he overhears the beautiful redhead at the bar wanting to take on not only him, but also the werewolf and wereleopard chaperoning his night out... he has to convince them to let him take her home. He might not be trustworthy with a human woman alone, yet, but with two powerful shapeshifters in bed with them, what could go wrong?

Review: 3 Stars

Well, that was kind of different.  The books all feature BDSM or a menage relationship (or both).  They all go beyond hook ups into something more long term.  The stories are more hard core than most other erotica I've read.   They feature themes like humiliation, sadism, menage/harems, masters as well as one story that features a paranormal storyline.  The last two stories were my favourites.

If you're looking for some quick, smutty stories with some edge, this book might interest you. 

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Uncharted: Claudia Y. Burgoa

Blurb:

Jacob

As a rule, men don’t grow up believing in a happily ever after. We don’t believe in meeting the love of our lives; or the white picket fence, and 2.5 children. Every man thinks that those stupid dreams or fantasies are just nonexistent shit until it happens to them. We should have been forewarned.

I wish I was prepared for someone to appear in my life and change all my priorities. I suddenly wanted that fence and children. The part of meeting the love of my life became very real, but I wasn’t ready for suddenly losing it all, and my life plummeting into this shithole forever.

The heartbreak of losing your soulmate is one of the worst pains you will ever live with. I should campaign and warn the young people. Vaccinate against love because if you lose it, you could lose yourself for the rest of your life. The burden on your back will forever mark you and wither away your soul, darkening your days and the rest of your natural life.

This isn’t false advertisement or a dramatic display of one bitter soul.

Pria

I fought by my mother's side until her last breath, and tried to help my father until his last memories dissipated. My sister is the last one standing, but her life is a miracle that can end at any given moment. All my life I’ve never been alone, but always felt lonely.

Today, my options on how to live my life are endless, yet my heart and my best friend limit them. Stay in Seattle, close to the one person that will never let me inside his world.

The thug, as mom would've called him. A man with a bad boy attitude and a heart bigger than the ocean.

Review: 3.5 Stars

The synopsis for Uncharted drew me in.  I usually prefer to read a series in order, even if each book can be a stand alone.  However, I opted to skip the first two books of the Unexpected Series.  In hindsight, it probably detracted a bit from my enjoyment since I didn't feel the connection to the characters featured in the first two books that I would have if had read them.  But, it didn't affect my understanding of the story.

The book starts off ten year in the past, where Pria and JC meet.  It seems like fate that they keep running into each other.  They connect quickly and deeply.  It's amazing how a simple meeting (or a few days) can change the course of your life.  Sometimes for the better...and sometimes for the worse.      If their connection is fate, the subsequent events show just how bitter fate can be.  Life spirals for both MCs in a way that is frustrating and gutting,

The writing is compelling -- I stayed up well into the night to finish the book.  But, I can't say I liked the storyline.  I didn't like how off track their lives became; much of it hinging on chance and stupidity.

When Ana and JC meet (10 years later), I wanted an explosion - some sort of come to Jesus blow out where the truth is revealed.  That doesn't really happen.  One seriously frustrating thing about the characters is that they don't listen to each other.

"Then you didn't hear a word I said, Jacob," [Mae] utters with an exasperated voice.  "No, you didn't want to hear what I said.  Think about it."

Even when they are giving each other clear insight into how they were affected by what happened 10 years ago, it's as if the other person doesn't hear it.  There's hardly a reaction to what, IMO, should be  pivotal moments.  So, that frustrated me enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book.

At times, there is a quick progression between scenes.  I ended up having to re-read portions to clarify what had happened.  Maybe it's just the formatting of the ARC that tripped me up.

I received a ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Break Your Heart: Rhonda Helms

Blurb:

Fearless and flirtatious, Megan Porter isn't your typical math major. On the fast track to graduating with honors, a spot in her school's masters program is nearly guaranteed. But her senior year is quickly turned upside-down by her new thesis advisor, cryptography professor Dr. Nick Muramoto. Young, effortlessly good-looking, and intellectual, he's far more intriguing than the immature jocks Megan usually goes for. And as she decodes the hidden messages he leaves in the margins of her assignments and in their emails, she realizes this might be more than a schoolgirl crush--especially after they share a passionate kiss...

Soon Nick and Megan grow closer, and their different worlds begin to merge. But if their relationship is discovered, Nick's career could be over. With Megan's parents close to campus on business, hiding their love becomes an even greater challenge. Yet keeping secrets will lead Megan to discover hers is just one piece in a much larger puzzle--next to her mother's stash of painkillers--that may put her carefully laid plans for the future in jeopardy.

Review: 3.5 Stars

Clearly, I am a sucker for student-professor stories.  The consensual, yet forbidden dynamic draws me in.  Break Your Heart was right in the pocket of traditional student-professor stories and from that perspective, I quite enjoyed the read.  I also really enjoyed the moments where Megan and Nick were together, with lust building between them.  Nick has some great, sexy lines.  I really liked the way Nick said Megan's name in his sentences.  Maybe in person it would sound strange, but in writing, it helped to make his words seem more personal.

I have to say, though, that there was something missing in this book for me.  Whenever I read a book and find it lacking in some way, I try to nail down exactly what the issue is.  I don't like to give negative opinions without clear feedback, since I hate receiving negative, but useless, feedback myself.  I think my main issue with this book is that it didn't go far enough in its storyline.  I think there is a fair amount of "wasted space" describing minutia (e.g., serving inconsequential customers, having basic interactions with friends) that do not contribute to the story while glossing over aspects of the story that would be more interesting.

Some places where the story could be expanded were:

- The relationship between Megan's parents
- Some sort of exploration as to why Megan's reaction was often to feel guilty (about her mom, about her friends, about Nick) -- was this just a character weakness or did something happen to give her a guilty conscience?
- Why Dallas behaved the way he did (on the date, throughout the semester, with regards to Nick)?
- What happened during Nick's last described class? Why did he walk in and then leave in that moment (what was the straw that broke the camel's back)?

I'm not saying that all of these points should be elaborated.  But, I think there could have been greater depths to this novel that would have enhanced the reading experience, for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gus: Kim Holden

Blurb

This is the story of Gus. 
Losing himself. 
Finding himself. 
And healing along the way. 

“ … but the honest-to-God truth is I don’t even know how to function anymore. Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half ... the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense of humor, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever?” 

Review: 5 Stars

I want a Gus in my life.  I mean that totally platonically (although, it probably wouldn't take me long to develop a crush on someone so awesome).  This guy knows how to do friendship.

This book starts off where Bright Side ended - shattered devastation from losing Kate.  My heart hurts from the loss of such an amazing character.  But even more so for the effect it had on the people around her.  The relationship between Gus and Kate is not something I've ever experienced.  But being privy to their conversations and the memories described through out the book made the loss of that relationship, and Gus's grief, palpable.

Fuck - what is wrong with me?  I am still bloody crying over these books.

Gus basically loses his mind after Kate's death.  I truly wondered how he would ever get to the point of being functional again.  I won't get into spoiler territory, but I will say that if you read and enjoyed Bright Side, you really have to read Gus too.  I don't have the "benefit" of the time that this book spans (over a year) for my heart to heal.  But, I did find some comfort in this book after the devastation of Bright Side.

There are no loose ends at the end of Gus, but I still want more.  Maybe a book for Pax where we get to revisit all of the other characters?  Please.

Bright Side: Kim Holden

Blurb

Secrets. 
Everyone has one. 
Some are bigger than others. 
And when secrets are revealed, 
Some will heal you ... 
And some will end you. 

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks. 

They both feel it. 
But they each have a reason to fight it. 
They each have a secret. 

And when secrets are revealed, 
Some will heal you … 
And some will end you. 

Review: 5 Stars

Woah...Book hangover.  I don't think I've ever cried so much reading a book.  Literally, I cried for about 2 hours last night and then (embarrassingly) I cried in the car today thinking about this book.  I'm probably going to cry writing this review.  It would be so much easier if I were a 'slow subtle tears' kind of crier rather than a 'bawl into my kleenex' type.

I often feel conflicted about reading books that have high ratings, but reviews that talk about being shattered by the book.  It is a talent to create characters that you care so much about that your heart breaks for them.  The characters' experiences become so important to you that you imagine the equivalent happening in your own life and...long story short...tears and book hangovers are the end product.

Kate (Bright Side) captured everyone's heart by being the type of person that you just connect with, combined with being charismatic, positive, open, giving and basically everything you would want to be in life.  Sometimes  I meet people that are so awesome, my (perhaps) pessimistic mind worries that something/someone so great can't last.  It feels like the other shoe is bound to drop at some point and I have to guard myself because the plunge is going to hurt.  The plunge hurts in this book.  But, I can't regret reading the book because the sadness of it is proportional to my love for the relationships Kate develops with Kellar, Gus and the rest of her circle of loved ones.

I truly loved Gus and Kellar as well.  We should all be so lucky to have such amazing people in our lives.

Don't let the cover deter you -- this is an awesome book.  A tough, emotional read.  But, worth it, in my opinion.

30 Lays in 30 Days: Kate J. Squires

Blurb:

The world's sexiest bucket list.

After emerging from a loveless marriage, Cat realizes hers is a life half-lived. What's a recently-single woman in the prime of her life to do? Have her first ever one night stand. But her experience leads her to more than just an evening of pleasure. Cat has a revelation: she's sick of being a good girl. It's time for this Cat to take a walk on the wild side.

Cat pledges to try 30 different sexual experiences in the next 30 days, before she turns 30. Her list sends her on a journey that will lead to indescribable pleasures and some risky situations, and Cat will learn more about herself than she ever thought possible. Most unexpected of all, she may even find love.

Do you dare take a peek at her list? Read on …

Review: 3 Stars

For this one, I really had to turn off that part of me that wants to find a couple who are passionately in love and devoted to each other from the start.  I mean, you can't fault a book called "30 Lays in 30 Days" for having a promiscuous female lead.

Basically, it's porn with a bit of a storyline.  That's not a positive or negative statement.  Sometimes, after a particularly heavy read, I just want an easy, steamy read.  But, like watching porn, sometimes it can get boring.

I think the whole storyline with Cat's ex-husband was ridiculous.  I was willing to just roll my eyes and go with it, but the way Jackson reacted when he found out that Cat was being blackmailed changed my view of him.  Then, Cat quickly justified Jackson's response, which is on my list of pet peeves (female character blaming herself for partner's poor behaviour).

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kulti: Mariana Zapata

Blurb:

When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to. 

It didn’t take a week for twenty-seven-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she’d seen in the international soccer icon—why she’d ever had his posters on her wall, or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies. 

Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man that hadn’t known she’d existed. So she isn’t prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team’s season: a quiet, reclusive, shadow of the explosive, passionate man he’d once been. 

Nothing could have prepared her for the man she got to know. 
Or the murderous urges he brought out in her. 

“Sal, please don’t make me visit you in jail. Orange isn’t your color.” 
This was going to be the longest season of her life.

Review: 4 Stars

Aside from having a lot of strong reviews, I did not know much about Kulti when I started reading it. Having recently finished Scoring Wilder, which has a similar premise, I figured they would be similar.  Not so much.  Both feature elite female soccer players entering into a relationship with a male assistant coach, famous for his skill as a soccer player and off-field behaviour.  That's about where the similarities end.

If you're looking for story with a quick romance, come back to this one later.  The relationship between the MCs in this book grows very gradually.  In fact, I started to doubt that there would ever be a relationship between them at some points.

Kulti in an interesting character.  He is so restrained, it is hard to get a sense of where his mind is at.  He would definitely be in my top 5 male leads for whom I would like a separate book written from his POV. At the beginning, it seemed like there was no redeeming this guy -- his personality was just too closed off to imagine anyone connecting with him.  The relationship built between Sal and Kulti is slow and seemingly platonic.  I came to really respect the restraint Kulti shows.  He puts Sal's career and reputation first and is fiercely protective of her while making no apologies or compromising in response to external pressure.  I love that.  Sometimes, you just want a strong man who is going to take charge with confidence and your best intentions in mind.

I guess my main issue with the book is that I would have loved to have more of the book devoted to the MCs being in a romantic relationship with each other.  The two sex scenes, albeit hot, came very late and were relatively short.

Scoring Wilder: RS Grey

Blurb:

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

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

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

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

Review: 4 Stars

Scoring Wilder was actually a cute read.  It combines the allure of a forbidden student-teacher  relationship with the excitement of catching the eye of a celebrity.  Liam Wilder is a popular professional soccer player who starts to coach a university-level women's soccer team.  Even though dating him is forbidden, all the girls are gaga over him.  It just so happens that he has his eye on Kinsley, a freshman who is set to take the world by storm herself.

“ If he were interested in any of the rest of us, we would have done exactly what you're doing. You’re just the lucky… or maybe unlucky one.”

To be honest, I don't like the idea that a guy can have any girl he wants and the relationship happens because the girl is lucky that he pursued her.  The idea undermines chemistry and make women seem like lemmings.  That aside, I think there was actually a strong connection between Kinsley and Liam.

I like the quirky sense of humour the author brings to Kinsley

“My fingers dragged across his chiseled abs, adoring every single contour. This is your life now. You are the person that sleeps next to this set of abs. Also, this set of abs is attached to a man that probably has some major neurological damage since out of all the models in the world, he’s chosen you and your flat-ass.

“Hey, I like your ass. It’s not flat,” he said right after I realized that my internal monologue had actually been an external monologue. “Also, I’m more than just my abs.” 

“Of course you are, babe. Of course you are.”
Don’t worry, abs. I’m actually here for you." 

“Yeah, still out loud,” he smiled, pulling me into his side.”

I also enjoyed that the book centres on a female athlete -- first one I've read amidst several male athlete-driven books.

Absolute Lovers: SJ Hooks

Blurb:

Professor Stephen Worthington has been schooled in the bedroom by free-spirited student Julia Wilde. But what started as a casual arrangement has turned into so much more—at least for Stephen.

Head over heels, Stephen is tired of being just “sex buddies.” Julia’s resisting, but her blithe attitude towards keeping it casual may just be a front. Can he prove to her that their amazing sexual chemistry can mix with romance and ultimately win her heart?

Review: 3.5 Stars

I really loved Absolute Beginners.  I raved all about it here and was really looking forward to the sequel, Absolute Lovers.  When I received an ARC, I jumped to read it.  Was it a good read?  Yes.  Did I enjoy it as much as the first book?  No.

I still loved Stephen.  He's sweet, endearing, loyal and sexy (when he shows his confidence in the bedroom).  He never wavered in his adoration for Julia and proved himself to be a standup guy again and again.  I also liked that we got to learn more about Julia's past and what makes her tic.

For me, this book had some pretty big shoes to fill to compete with Absolute Beginners.  There is something about the initial transformation, in any book, that draws me in.  Watching Stephen come out of his shell is a big part of why I liked that book so much.  So, where does the next book go from there?  How do you keep that momentum going?

I think the author tried to keep the momentum going by making the transformation become a shift in their relationship from sex buddies to lovers.  I don't know if I just have less interest in the man's perspective in chasing his love interest (as opposed to the female perspective) or if the chase didn't do very much for me in this book.  I found Stephen's internal dialogue over the top in terms of his love for Julia.  Also, there wasn't as much steaminess in this book.  Is it just less interesting to read about being making love vs. discovering each other's bodies and the newness of that pairing?  That's probably part of it.  I also think there was just less detail in this book; fewer descriptions about positions, oral, booty calls...all that fun stuff.  Also, as a side note, I found the one chapter from Julia's POV to be a bit random since the rest of both books are entirely from Stephen's perspective.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Apartment Novels: Amanda Black

After reading and really enjoying The Single Game, I figured I would "back up the bus" and read The Apartment Novels Series.  These books focuses on Lily and Ethan, Eden's aunt and uncle.  Most of the book is set before Eden is born.

Blurb:

Lily has spent a lifetime putting everyone else’s needs before her own.

Ethan is struggling to find a place in the home he left behind.

When the two meet by chance in an empty apartment, everything changes. Drawn together by an inexplicable desire, Lily and Ethan discover a passion neither knew existed. And so, they make a pact: Nothing from their outside lives will enter the apartment—not even their names.

But what will happen when the apartment’s walls inevitably come down?

Review: 3.5 Stars (my review pertains to both The Apartment and its sequel, The Blank Canvas)

Whenever I read a series that features the same characters across more than one book, I pay attention to whether there was enough of a story there to warrant more than one book.  These books are borderline in that regard.  Amanda Black certainly does not shy away from sex scenes.  There probably could have been about half as many of them here without diminishing the connection between the main characters.  Also, the extent to which every sex scene was 'earth shattering, split you into a million pieces, circle the planets and come back down to earth in a lusty post-coital fog' was a bit over the top.  

Despite this, I did enjoy Lily and Ethan together.  Clearly their chemistry is off the charts.  There were some opportunities for more plot that were not explored.  I wouldn't have minded a closer look into Ethan's past; maybe even an appearance by Rachel (or at least more about how things turn out with her new protege).  Lily really got off easy with Scott; there could have been more consequences there.  Lily forgives Ethan quite quickly.  Nothing really came of Lily's interactions with her colleagues; I thought there might be a throw down with  Kim.  After reading a fair bit about Maggie and Eric's miscarriages, Eden's birth feels glossed over.

I was somewhat distracted/confused by the timing of things.  These books are written in the present, with reference to recent popular culture.  But, The Single Game also includes present-day cultural elements when there two stories are meant to be a couple of decades apart.  So, it seems to me that the books should be written to reflect that.

I wonder if this series will continue from here - maybe Emma's kid or one of Lily and Ethan's kids?

Crow's Row: Julie Hockle

Woah....Just finished a bit of a reading marathon.  Or, at least it feels that way emotionally.  Julie Hockley's Crow's Row Series has me kind of reeling.  I feel like I've been through all of the drama myself and now that I'm not reading this book, I don't know what to do with myself.  I'll just give the blurb to the first book because the second blurb gets into spoiler territory.

Blurb:

For college student Emily Sheppard, the thought of spending a summer alone in New York is much more preferable than spending it in France with her parents. Just completing her freshman year at Callister University, Emily faces a quiet summer in the city slums, supporting herself by working at the campus library. During one of her jogs through the nearby cemetery while visiting her brother Bill's grave, Emily witnesses a brutal killing-and then she blacks out. When Emily regains consciousness, she realizes she's been kidnapped by a young crime boss and his gang. She is hurled into a secret underworld, wondering why she is still alive and for how long.

Held captive in rural Vermont, she tries to make sense of her situation and what it means. While uncovering secrets about her brother and his untimely death, Emily falls in love with her very rich and very dangerous captor, twenty-six year- old Cameron. She understands it's a forbidden love and one that won't allow her to return to her previous life. But love may not be enough to save Emily when no one even knows she is missing.

Review: 4 Stars

I didn't know much about this series when I started reading, aside from the blurb and there being some excitement about the second book coming out.  This books turns out to be a pretty stellar read that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I'm only moderately interested in story lines about the underworld. But, I really couldn't put these books down.  

The romance side of this book is not straightforward by any means.  I am still not sure whether there is an element of Stockholm Syndrome going on here.   Cameron is an interesting anti-hero, though pretty frustrating at the same time.

Now the challenge is waiting for the third and final instalment in the series.  It took about 3 years to get the second book.  I'll probably have to re-read these books when the third book comes out.  

So - that pretty much tells you nothing about the books.  Suffice to say, they're worth the read and better to go in blind that know the storyline.

Opening Up: Lauren Dane

Blurb

The men of the Twisted Steel custom motorcycle shop are great with their hands... and they're not afraid to get dirty.

PJ is exactly the kind of woman Twisted Steel owner Asa Barrons doesn't need. The last thing he wants to do is mix business with pleasure, and PJ has some of the best custom detailing he's ever seen. But the chemistry between them won't be denied, and soon he's introducing her to a whole new world in the bedroom, pushing her far beyond anything she's ever experienced. PJ finds she can't get enough, but how far is too far before he consumes her completely?

Review: 4 Stars

I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable Opening Up was.  Every time I read a few duds, I start to get down in the dumps and convince myself that I'll never read a good book again.  (I know, completely unrealistic and overly dramatic).  Thankfully, Opening Up brought me out of a slump. 

One thing I quite liked about Opening Up is that the main characters talk to each other quite a bit.  So often, I have a hard time believing the connection between two lovers because there is minimal dialogue.  Asa and PJ actually had thoughtful conversations, which helped to make their connection feel genuine and believable.

I also really appreciated Asa, who exudes alpha hotness without being a jerk about it.  So often, alpha males act like they're always right and the women in  their lives just yield to whatever beliefs the alpha enforces.  Asa is a strong, dominant man who can also show vulnerability, admit when he's wrong and grovel with the best of 'em.  His flexibility also leaves room for a interesting dynamic between him and PJ, who is a no nonsense, intelligent and self-possessed woman.

The whole "daddy issues" got a bit boring after a while, but that's just a minor quibble.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heat: Lis Lucassen

Blurb:

Under a burning sun more than a thousand miles from home, Lynn Stevens is trying to get her life back on track and leave memories of that one fateful night behind. She meets Dan, a young man with strangely erratic behavior and smoldering brown eyes, who is on an involuntary vacation with his parents. In him, she sees her own struggle reflected every time she is starting to get too close. 
Dan doesn’t like being touched. But when he sets out to uncover Lynn’s secret, it means he’ll have to tell her some secrets of his own.

Review: 2.5 Stars

I had a hard time connecting with this book.  I think it's a combination of the writing and the characters.  With regards to the writing, it feels like events in the book happen in an emotionally disconnected way.  I suspect the book is a translation and although the translation may be accurate, the feeling of the book is lost.  I can't say for certain, but that is my suspicion.  In the end, it feels a bit monotone.

Similarly, the characters feel somewhat lifeless.  Although the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde comparison is given to describe Dan, it is taken to an extreme of hot and cold.  In one moment he is sexually aggressive and confident.  In another, he is too damaged to articulate basic feelings.  In theory it makes for a compelling character.  In practice, he doesn't always come off as a real person.  I didn't really feel the connection between Dan and Lynn at the beginning of the book.  It wasn't until quite late in the book that I felt somewhat of a connection there.

I was also confused about what further information Lynn had about Esmee's accident that she didn't share with Dan.  This was mentioned in the book, but it wasn't clear what aspects she held back on.

On the positive side, I think the concept and storyline is interesting.  I think the ideas are strong and compelling.  But, it didn't all come together for me.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Beautiful Sacrifice: Jamie McGuire

Blurb

Falyn Fairchild can walk away from anything. Having already left her car, her education, and even her parents, the daughter of the next governor of Colorado is back in her hometown, broke and waiting tables for the Bucksaw Café. After every shift, Falyn adds to her shoebox of cash, hoping to one day save enough to buy her a plane ticket to the only place she can find forgiveness: Eakins, Illinois.

The moment Taylor Maddox is seated in Falyn’s section at the Bucksaw, she knows he’s trouble. Taylor is charming, breaks promises, and gorgeous even when covered in filth—making him everything Falyn believes a hotshot firefighter to be. Falyn isn’t interested in becoming another statistic, and for a Maddox boy, a disinterested girl is the ultimate challenge.

Once Falyn learns where Taylor calls home, everything changes. In the end, Maddox persistence is met with Falyn’s talent for leaving, and for the first time, Taylor may be the one to get burned.

Review: 'Who the Fuck Knows How Many' Stars

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Ahh - hell to the no!  I should be sleeping after staying up all night to read the most recent book in the Maddox Brother's series, but I am too pissed off.  Usually, I highlight phrases that stick with me; thoughts that make me view the world a little bit differently or romantic phrases that touch my heart.  This time, I highlighted phrases that pissed me off.  Phrases I wanted to debate over and tell off who ever was thinking (or writing) them.

I have some distinct pet peeves when reading books, which automatically turn me off of the main characters.  Here are some of the most common ones:

- Women that are doormats.  Sometimes that start off being sharp, no nonsense types and turn into doormats when it really counts.  Other times, they are just pathetic from the beginning.   I'm a fairly quiet person.  But, turn the asshole on (particularly misogynistic or discriminatory behaviour) and any shyness on my part goes out the door; I am ready for a fight.

- Women who blame themselves for their partner's inappropriate behaviour.  True, this is linked to the first pet peeve, but it deserves mention on its own.  Trying to justify why it is okay that you are being treated poorly is just lame and, if not done with caution, is a socially irresponsible message to send to female readers.

- MC who forgive and forget way too quickly.  It's a good thing I am not anyone's inspiration for a heroine in these books because the relationship would probably be over by the mid-point in about 75% of the books I read.  But, I can accept that I'm not very forgiving and that others are more forgiving.  But, if the person you're with has transgressed in a significant way, time apart, a serious re-evaluation of the relationship and, if staying together, some lengthy grovelling is needed for me to accept it.

- Cheating on the heroine.  OK, I'll admit, I am a total hypocrite in this regard.  I will read books when the female lead is cheating on her significant other.  But, when the narrator or main character of the book is cheated on, it pisses me off royally.  I end up feeling physically ill.

This book pretty much hit all of these pet peeves.  Sure, it's not the first time that a Maddox brother has cheated (or flaunted other women in front of the heroine).  But, to find out that Taylor cheated and then sleep in the same bed, I can't even imagine.  What type of fucking bullshit was it for Taylor to think that they were broken up and he could sleep with someone else?  He was texting his love for Falyn every day.  I braced myself for this from the start of the book because Taylor's cheating was mentioned in the second book in the series.  But, that didn't help.  It still makes me ill to write about it.  He was so drunk he didn't even know if he used protection.  Ahh - I'm having hot flashes of anger now.  I need to stop writing before I start breaking shit.

But, the worst part is when Falyn blames herself.  Maybe her approach to having Taylor think about whether he was truly okay with not having children could have been nuanced.  But, it's an entirely reasonable conversation to have before moving in with someone.  There is no reason that the time they took apart would justify Falyn feeling like she screwed things up or that it would remotely justify Taylor's behaviour.  If it were me, I would have packed my suitcase and caught the first flight out.  Done.

Then the woman Taylor cheated with shows up pregnant.  Well, I guess that pretty much answers the whole "did you use protection" question.  Particularly with Falyn's medical condition, this is like adding salt (or something far more acidic) to an already gaping wound.  Then, apparently, Falyn feels like she failed Taylor for a second time because she walked away from him.  Fuck, even her friends blame her for being unreasonable because Taylor was willing to be childless for her, why can't she be with him and his child.  WTF kind of logic is that?  Being childless doesn't involve accepting infidelity.  The two are entirely different.

So, I don't even know how to rate this book.  The writing is about par with the others in the series.  To me, Taylor feels like a similar character to Trenton.  I like how the same events are told from different   perspectives.  But, the whole cheating/forgiving/baby fiasco ruined this book for me.  

Operation: One Night Stand -- Christine Hughes

Blurb:

Caroline Frost had it all-until her boyfriend banged the superskank intern, and poof! Caroline's happy little bubble disappeared. Now it's been six weeks of weeping, a mountain of ice cream, and a permanent buttprint on the couch. Enough is enough. She and her ladybits need an intervention-now.

Enter Operation: One Night Stand: Find a man who is hotness personified and have some much-needed sexy time. The only problem is that Caroline is torn between a flirtatious, well-built guy and the ridiculously hot bartender serving her shots. This was supposed to be all fun and no games, but like the perfect scotch on the rocks, no good fling finishes without a twist. 

Review: 3 Stars

This book felt a bit like a Sex and the City episode -- close girlfriends, lots of alcohol, lots of men, explicit sex...you get the picture.  Parts were very funny (the gym scene had me cracking up) -- I may have woken my husband up while reading and laughing in bed.

To me, the book felt a bit rushed.  I think it mainly has to do with the lack of development of the relationship with the ultimate love interest.  I never got any warm fuzzies reading about them together because things just kind of happened and then the week after that cemented their relationship was kind of glossed over.  I think the development of that relationship was particularly important after the time Caroline spent with other men.  Maybe I'm just not used to reading about casual sex with multiple partners.  The ending also felt abrupt.

A free ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Single Game: Amanda Black

Blurb:

In this third, stand-alone installment of Amanda Black’s Apartment Novels series, sparks fly during a sexy party game.

When Eden Foster’s parents tell her they’re moving from Chicago to the Illinois suburb of Aledo, Eden is crushed. That is, until she runs crying to her jock boyfriend, who she finds on top of her so-called best friend. Moving’s not looking so bad anymore.

Now a senior at Mercer County High, Eden is ready to re-enter the dating scene. Still burned over the betrayal of her ex, she’s looking for someone sweet and innocent. With the help of her two new friends, Zoe and Amy, Eden makes a list of what she’s looking for: an eager virgin, ready for training—and no jocks.

Eden thinks she’s found what she’s looking for in Logan Black, a shy and geeky classmate. But why are Zoe and Amy convinced that the answer to her search is a party game…with kissing?

Eden better get ready, because she’s about to play the Single Game.

Review: 4.5 Stars

Once I realized where this book was heading -- falling for a shy guy -- I was all in!  Part of me felt guilty for being so invested in a high school relationship and the other part of me was too busy reading with a cheesy grin on my face to even care.

After a bad experience with an asshole ex-boyfriend, Eden was ready to find a good guy who is pretty much the opposite of her ex.  No jocks.  No manwhores.

"...I'm tired of smarmy guys who think they're all that.  I'd rather have someone who didn't know what he was doing, but was honestly willing to learn."

Well Eden, you're in luck.  I think I'm in insta-love with Logan.  Book boyfriend alert!

"He's not the kind of guy you play games with or try to outsmart.  He isn't looking to hit it and quit it."

There's something that is simultaneously nice but scary about meeting your forever guy early on in life.  "Nice" because you don't have to deal with the dating scene bullshit.  "Scary" because you're so young and everyone talks about how much you change in your 20s.  I met my husband when I was 20...We count our anniversary as the day we started living together (which we did within a few weeks of meeting each other).  There's more to that story...but it was a bit scary to think about all the ways that arrangement could go wrong.

This book is a straight-up romance.  Minimal angst and drama.  It's refreshing, if you're cool with a low-drama read.

I love this quote (and the fact that it actually originated from the author's husband):

"I feel like I won the million dollar jackpot the very first time I played.  Why would I keep trying to get something better?  There is no better. I'm not stupid - I know how to cherish the treasure I've been given."

Oh Logan - I love you....and Luke (the author's husband) -- if you inspired that quote, points to you too!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Here's to Falling: Christine Zolendz

Blurb:

Every girl has that one guy…that one guy who steals her heart and never gives it back.

We were all friends…until we weren’t.
We depended on each other…until we couldn’t.
We were in love…until we were ripped apart.
We moved on…even when we didn’t want to let go.

This is our love story.

Review: 4 Stars

Not an easy read by any means.  Most of the first quarter of Charlie's life epitomized the expression "kick them when they're down."  This book is inspired by real events and although it is not entirely clear which parts are fictional, there are a couple of heartbreaking "boom" moments that will stick with me well after I have moved on to other books. 

You taught me to be strong before I ever knew there were things in this world you needed strength for.

I think I need some light reading to recover from this one.

The author does an excellent job of weaving past and present along with dual POV.  I can't say I was thrilled with the time jump in the epilogue.  Selfishly, I feel like I earned a bit of present day love, rather than 50+ years in the future.  But, the character development was strong and there is no doubt about the connection between the MCs.