Breakaway: The Rule Book Collection Book 1, A.M. Johnson

Her second chance on life and love, a second chance with the one he couldn't forget, one random meeting in a bar ending with separation and longing a year ago sets them on the path to their own forever.  Stevie is given a new lease on life, an opportunity to rediscover herself and become who she was meant to be when her over-a-decade marriage comes to an end.  She met Mark on a quick trip home once and they made a connection that she never forgot.  While she was faithful to her husband on that trip, seeing him again reminds her that she's free to pursue the man who clearly wants to get to know her.  Whether she can actually take that step is another question entirely.  Mark is made to be loyal but the woman he was with years ago shows him that maybe there's no hope to find someone built the same way.  A chance meeting with a captivating woman shows him that maybe there's more, someone who can be a partner to him in all the ways he craves.  It helps that she's smokin' hot, and now a year after their first fateful meeting, she's no longer attached to anyone else.  It's his turn to show her what she's been missing.  But when drama interferes, he'll have to decide of their pasts have the power to trump their love.

There are almost no words.  Well, really, I'm going to annihilate that sentence with the rest of the review, but that was the feeling I had so many times while I was reading this story.  I felt so connected with Stevie because I've got some similar parallels in my own life that I'm struggling with.  Watching her come out fighting, emotionally devastated and exuberant in turn, and find her own happily ever after with someone who saw, valued, and treasured each and every part of her gives me hope.

Stevie lost herself along the way when she chose safety, stability, and honestly, boring in her husband, Ben.  When she begins to question who she is anymore, what she wants, and if all the years she's invested in her marriage are worth staying when she's fading more and more each year, a trip back home while he's away gives her a little insight.  From here she makes proactive choices, lifestyle changes, and courageous moves to get her back on her own track.  And just like before, the bar brings her Mark.  I really loved seeing her open up to him, explore her own self, and come to realize that her future is her own and it sure is wonderful to have a man see her for who she really is and encourages her to celebrate it.  She had a good sense of self that she was getting reacquainted with and even though she falters when Ben shows up again, she knows she never wants to go back.  Her open honesty gives Mark everything he wasn't sure he was ready for.  Despite her meltdown at the silence from Mark, she had good reason.  Her continued faith in him, their love, and being willing to fight for it and not let it fade away allowed Mark to have a way back in, to fix what needed fixing, and to get back their future.

Mark is coasting.  He's good at what he does, sure of who he is, and stunned by the woman sitting at the table.  A year prior he met a woman that he knew would change his life forever but didn't think he'd ever see again.  Fate had other plans, though, and gave them another chance to pick up where they left off.  He loves getting to know Stevie and while I'm not a fan of the constant comparing he does of himself against Ben, I believe that his heart is in the right place concerning Stevie.  All he wants is to show her everything she is is perfect.  His youth sometimes led to immature moments, but those were few and far between, save his big blowup when their pasts tried to derail their relationship.  Mark's heart is so good, so big, that I couldn't help but admire everything he stood for.  I especially like that he wasn't a manwhore.  The way he viewed sex and relationships is such a breath of fresh air from many, many other sports romances and romances in general that I was won over right from the start.

The story itself was engaging, the couple endearing, and the passion was hot.  Mark's freak-out near the end was a bit disappointing but not all that unexpected because of his romantic history.  His response to it showed his youth, immaturity, and proved shortsighted.  Instead of trusting and communicating he ran and isolated himself from everyone that mattered.  I wish he were made to grovel a bit more, but I can't deny that the lead-up and the ending more than made up for the too-short apology.

My heart was full by the end, I loved their journey and am totally gone for this author.  This is the first book I've read by her and if any other stories of theirs are as good as this one, I'm sold.  There were emotional highs and lows and everything in-between that made me cheer and want to cry.  The side characters are rock solid and interesting in a way that makes me want to follow each of their stories.  I eagerly await more from The Rule Book Collection.

*$2.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!

A Covert Affair, Kennedy L. Mitchell

Special gifts can make you valuable.  But when there are people who would use those abilities for their own gain with little thought to the holder of that gift it should become clear that there needs to be a change.  Except things aren't always that simple.  Lucia is unique, fierce, and committed.  She's also very tired.  When her next assignment is received it dangles the possible rewards that would mean the promotion she has worked so hard for, a little breather from her constant travels, and the change she so desperately yearns for.  But only if she's successful.  Her mission is to find a mole and recruit a SEAL to her agency.  If only things were that simple.  Standing in her way is a mole that doesn't want to be revealed, two SEAL teams full of individual secrets, a one-night-stand from over a decade ago with a seriously bad attitude, and one super hot SEAL that makes her think that maybe there's more to life than back-to-back missions and attempting to break through the glass ceiling.

I really loved Lucia.  Not only her ability, but the wisdom she used to wield it was impressive.  She tempers her gift with understanding, seeking out facts, and tenacity.  She's very good at her job.  The ability to handle herself and emotionally rely on her friend back home make me even more impressed.  If she were really the hard-ass that can see only herself and what needs to be done to advance her career she wouldn't be so torn between her head and her heart throughout this mission.  Her vulnerability is there too showing that she's still human even if she has the SEAL-sized cojones of the men she's currently working with.  And with the way she thinks quickly in the heat of the moment too?  She's ballsy, smart, sexy, competent, funny, and even a little soft for the right people.  From the beginning she was this great and I was wonderfully surprised that she continued to grow throughout the story.  There were moments where she got distracted and became confused about what she should do, lost sight of all the players she should be paying attention to, and overwhelmed by the secrets and pressures of the job, but despite all that she came out on top, still fighting for herself and the person she grew to love.

Gabe was all man right from the beginning.  I liked him right from the start.  Tired of all the things that come easily to him and stressed with family situations, he's at the precipice of change.  But what will tip him over the edge, what will set him on the course for his own forever?  That's currently unknown.  Only after he meets Lucia does he feel something immense is going to happen if he has the courage to reach for it and the tenacity to encourage her do the same.  The care and concern he had for her was sweet, his ability to understand her gave him insight when she was emotionally vulnerable.  He really cared for her and it showed in virtually everything he did.  Despite the misunderstandings in the beginning and the one high-intensity moment of confrontation, his commitment to her was awesome.  He also found a vulnerability within himself that was two-fold.  By ignoring the pain and frustration from his home life he was keeping himself from being all-in emotionally with Lucia.  Through his softening and gravitating toward Lucia he was able to confront his feelings regarding his parents.  Once he made peace with both things he found his center.  And when she was threatened, his world almost fell apart.  His reliance on friends and his team gave him the strength to fight for her and get her back.

Lucia and Gabe were honestly such a great couple.  They provided a balance for one another's ambitions and hearts.  They could encourage each other and truly understand what their jobs entailed, something that neither ever believed was possible.  Not to mention the passion...seriously hot together.  As for the story itself, I thought it flowed pretty well.  The progression was steady until it all came to a head.  There were a couple bits that were far more dramatic than I could have expected.  I enjoyed getting to know a few of the SEALs beyond Tony and Gabe.  And despite Tony's history with Lucia I liked how he eventually came around, that he sorted some things out for himself.  This is a standalone story but I sure wouldn't mind finding out about the woman that tips Tony's world off its womanizing axis.

*$2.99 on Amazon!

Trailer

And don't forget the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bashful, Lo Brynolf

Falling for your gay best friend isn't that uncommon.  But when that gay best friend isn't really gay, the confusion and frustration becomes palpable.  When Bash comes back from a study abroad in England his plans for romance are a little different from what Callie expects.  She's been in love with Bash forever and the years and distance have done nothing to dull her attraction or affection.  The push and pull she feels from him is more than confusing, it's beginning to hurt.  There's a lot they'll have to overcome if they'll find their own happily ever after.  Maybe some awesome friends and a steamy kiss as co-stars can help...

Callie has a flair for the dramatic, that's for sure.  She's young and hopelessly in love with someone who could never return her feelings.  But knowing that she'd rather have his friendship than nothing at all, she tries her best to squelch all those flutters and nerves whenever she's in close proximity to Bash.  I thought she was cute and quirky almost all the way through the story.  She was also caring, giving, understanding, and funny.  Her best friend is phenomenal.  But when things really get serious, I found her a bit juvenile.  The issue with that is that she's really just acting her age, there's nothing unnatural about her reactions and feelings, I was just hoping for some maturity and clarity and COMMUNICATION.  Without those things I felt disappointed rather than amused and hopeful for a romance between them.  Except for when there was an issue with the professor, I loved that she found her strength, her ferocity, and put it to good use.  While not completely redeeming herself, I did soften toward her.

Bash was another story.  I was hoping for a lot more of his perspective.  Although it would have given away the secret early, it's not like it was actually a secret because the synopsis clearly tells us he's not really gay.  I found him just as much at fault for not communicating.  They're best friends and I can understand holding a bit back for fear of ending up with nothing instead of what you've yearned for for years, but if he was so determined to get out of the friend zone he sure wasn't trying very hard.  Small overtures here and there, some flirty comments, and then some seriously whip-lash inducing "advances" only to have them quickly become full retreats...none of that is doing him any favors.  His fierceness to protect and care for her is quite admirable though.  When we get his perspective it's pretty much all from the moment we learn the truth of her terrible assumption.  He's angry, hurt, confused.  It's not doing the audience any favors or winning us over either.  Instead of watching him get over himself we get to see him stewing and venting and wallowing.  An unfortunate choice by the author there.

Their relationship was cute and full of the angst of youth and apprehension.  I liked watching their interactions through most of the story, learning about them individually and together went a long way for me to root for them.  The reveal, however, completely threw me.  What should have fit the tone of the story and been a shock, a bit of distance, and humorous became overly dramatic, angry, full of hurt, and almost the end of them.  I felt that it didn't fit the flow of the story and was disappointed by it.  The epilogue was sweet and hopeful but quite abrupt.  I was hoping for more settling but we get drama, drama, drama, and a harrowing experience followed by more drama before we get sexy times and reconciliation only to have it end suddenly.  Despite that there were some real gems that made the story enjoyable.  The humor, the side cast, and the focus of the story that made the progression fluid were all great.  While there were some things I wasn't a fan of, the overall story was pleasant to read.

*99¢ on Amazon!

An American Cinderella, Krista Lakes

Krista Lakes has a new novel coming out in time for May Day!

Releasing May 1, 2018...

“I'd give up my whole kingdom to be with you. I want to be your Prince Charming.”

Aria has a big heart but bigger problems. Her whole life is a mess thanks to her controlling stepmother. But when she's knocked over- literally- by the hottest man she's ever had the pleasure of tangling up her body with, everything changes.

Henry Prescott, second-string rugby player for the Paradisa Royals, is funny, sweet, charming, and oh-so-sexy. He's got a rock hard body and tackles her in bed as fiercely as he tackled her in the park. Knowing nothing about rugby, but absolutely intoxicated by his accent, she finds herself falling for him.

There's only one problem: Henry Prescott doesn't exist.

The man she thinks she loves is actually Prince Henry, second in line for the throne of the nation of Paradisa. He's the man who Aria's entire department has to impress for trade relations. And that makes Aria's stepmother's plans even more dangerous.

He's the man who could destroy her world or make all her dreams come true.

He lied about being a prince...did he also lie about being in love?

NYT Bestseller Krista Lakes brings you this brand new sweet-and-sexy royal romance. This standalone novel will have you cheering for an American princess's happily ever after.

Add to your Goodreads TBR list!

Exclusive iBOOKS PRE-ORDER

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Krista Lakes is a thirty-something who recently rediscovered her passion for writing. She is living happily ever after with her Prince Charming. Her first kid just started preschool and she is happy to welcome her second child into her life, continuing her "Happily Ever After"!

Follow Krista...

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS
AMAZON

Wolf Protector: A Wild Security Book, Ruby Forrest

A hot man in an elevator, a shy girl making her way to a new job.  A seemingly random attack on the way home to her apartment brings these two together in more ways than one.  But unless they can eliminate the danger, they'll never find out what they could be to one another.

I had really high hopes for this book because, while having only read one other story by this author, I was impressed with the amount of great she can pack into short stories.  This, however, was a poor showing of what I'm sure she's capable of producing.

We literally know nothing about the male lead except for his name, looks, and that he's a shifter.  His job is vague, his background is nil, his thoughts and feelings are never expressed, and his connection to Mary-Ann is never fully explained.  They do have quite a bit of chemistry, though that doesn't really make the best foundation for a relationship.

Speaking of a relationship, there's no development or growth there.  Getting only Mary-Ann's POV is kind of disappointing, especially because the synopsis is from Alister's side.  There's a few mentions during Mary-Ann's confusion during and the morning after their intimate encounter that hints at the idea of something deeper, something elemental, but nothing is ironed out or even described.

There was plenty of drama to bring them together but there was little to no background of magic, stones, species, factions, roles, Mary-Ann's family coming to have the artifact in the first place...so many elements and so little explanation that I just had to pretend I didn't care about the who, why, and how.

Overall the story had great potential but didn't really meet it.  The passion was there but the characters weren't compelling as individuals so I didn't feel drawn to them or their relationship.  I wish Mary-Ann were more than merely reactionary, stubborn, and content in ignorance.  I wish Alister were more than a pair of glowing amber eyes and way, way too many smirks.  I wish more focus were given to a clear plot and getting to know the characters to provide depth and interest.  Unfortunately, that's not what the ARC contained.

*99¢ on Amazon or FREE on KU!

Advanced Physical Chemistry: Chemistry Lessons Book 3, Susannah Nix

Catching a cheater is one thing, recovering from the cheating is another.  And when you find that your drama is fodder for all and sundry and the hottie you've been superficially crushing on knew and didn't tell you?  Embarrassment city.  But the fallout wasn't as devastating for Penelope as she thought it would be.  Her personal evolution has its ups and downs and there's more to the hottie barista than just the secret keeping, awesome foam art, and delicious body.  Penny's decision to take a hiatus from men takes a backseat after one surprising, brain-melting kiss.  He might just be what she's always been looking for...but only if she can get him to open up to her beyond a no-strings arrangement.

I loved that this wasn't just about Penelope's size.  It very easily could have been a "Let's all love the curves," kind of book and it ended up being so very much more than that, pun not intended.  I myself am a woman of curves so I always appreciate happy, healthy women who have a little heft, you know?  But sometimes there are books that focus so much on the love of soft, generous curves that it becomes less about what's inside and more about the packaging...pretty much defeating the purpose of a meaningful romance and instead focusing on what someone looks like.  Penny did need a boost in confidence after catching cheating jerk number four with a skinny blonde, but what she needed more than that was the love of a good man who could see everything that made her awesome, curves included.

With Caleb she got that.  Although it took quite a while to get there.  Watching them fumble through the complications of casual versus serious was equal parts apprehension and hotness.  Because Caleb is careful of how much of his personal life he shares with Penny we're wondering just how they're ever going to get on the same page if he's unwilling to open up.  We all knew that Penny wouldn't be able to keep things casual for long because she lives her life guided by her heart.  The surprising part was just how invested Caleb became.  Once we read about his heart we can look back on their interactions and see just how much his heart was actually there, we were just oblivious to it or misled because we're seeing their entire relationship through Penny's eyes.  That epilogue though...perfection!!  I loved that it was in Caleb's POV.  Through his eyes we see how much and how deeply he cares for Penny, that he's really in it just as far as she is and his intentions are so sappy sweet, so ideal for the two of them as a couple.

In the beginning I was wishing for an alternating POV rather than just getting Penny's mind but soon after I was okay with keeping Caleb's thoughts mostly a secret.  It drew out the anticipation and increased the confusion so we were made to feel everything as Penny felt things.  Her frustration was ours, her concerns were ours.  The supporting cast was interesting enough to keep our interest and make a well-rounded community for the MC's yet they were also able to fade into the background to truly be support to the MC's without drawing our focus away from them.  Overall it was effective, especially when we were given Caleb's view at the very end.  The entire story was deeply satisfying, fun, sweet, and most definitely hot.

*$3.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio

Susannah Nix lives in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.

Follow Susannah...

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS
BOOKBUB
WEBSITE

And don't forget the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Impact: Iron Orchids Book 3, Danielle Norman

The synopsis gives the impression of something a little more...erotic romance?...and what we get is effing amazing.  Instead of being a hot alpha dude doing a little creeper viewing on the curvy hottie with a kid in a model home we get a hot alpha dude finding his heart's home in a beautiful single mother struggling to raise her daughter with morals, safety, and love.

Katy is the world's most awesome mom.  Her fire, her fierce nature, her humor, her devotion to Bee, all of it made me love her so hard.  She's navigating a tricky situation but instead of putting her daughter in danger because she can't think of a better option, she breaks into a model home and lives there temporarily.  But it's what she teaches her daughter as they make use of the safe home that floors me.  The way she works, cleans, and educates Bee about hard work, not taking advantage or stealing, all things she could shirk because she has good reason to, and she doesn't.  She breaks my heart and gives me something to aspire to as a mother.

When Damon sees her and becomes protective, enamored, and enchanted with this little family I couldn't have been more shocked or pleased.  He's obviously attracted to her, but the initial attraction deepens and strengthens the more he watches them from the safety of his iPad.  And when they finally meet he's even more fascinated.

Together they could be a force to be reckoned with.  But it's the patience and slowness that they evolve from co-workers to friends to more that makes me believe in them.  Katy is cautious to a fault at times but Damon's whole family gives her no choice but to be loved and appreciated.  There's no better safe place than in their circle of love, trust, and companionship.

Going through my own difficult situation at the moment makes me yearn for a circle of friends as awesome, hilarious, and genuine as the Iron Orchids.  I'm absolutely reading this whole series!!  When the bad stuff goes down between them there's a whole huge heaping of overreactions and running from all that's best for them, which is kind of predictable, but it's the way they swallow their pride, apologize, grovel, and open themselves to complete honesty and love that annihilates me.  There's no better romance than one that has its downs followed by unaffected, honest ups.  Impact has all that and incredible passion to boot.

*$2.99 on Amazon or FREE on KU!

Add to your Goodreads TBR list!

*$2.99 on Amazon!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Meet the other Orchids...

*Only 99¢ on Amazon!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio

Danielle is a Harley riding romance writer. Most days she can be found in jeans, t-shirts, and pearls (she's a lady like that).

Danielle writes about men that will open the door for you during the day and throw you against them at night. She loves stories that will make you laugh and fall in love without all of the emotional baggage faced every day in our real lives.

And her talent is the ability to tell the difference between a rye, wheat, corn, or potato vodka in just 1 sip, but she prefers a few glasses just to be certain.

Follow Danielle...

FACEBOOK

GOODREADS

TWITTER

Bashful, Lo Brynolf

Entering stage right is Lo Brynolf's Bashful...
Release set for March 29, 2018!

Callie Miller loves drama. As a theater major, that’s a given.

It’s hard to date in the theater department when all the guys are either taken or gay—like her best friend and longtime crush.

When Callie becomes the lead in the biggest production of the year, she realizes she has no time for love.

Until Sebastian “Bash” Moore reenters her life, stage left.

He left everything behind three years ago to chase his dreams. But his heart remained at home, tied to memories of a tiny blonde with a flair for the dramatics—on and off the stage.

Bash is determined to become her leading man, and he will do anything to get out of the friend-zone and win her love. Only, it might not be so easy.

Callie Miller might love drama, but she’s out to protect her heart…

Add to your Goodreads TBR list!

Author Bio

Lo Brynolf was born and raised in southeast Michigan. A lover of all things artistic, Lo grew up performing on stage and in choir and attended Eastern Michigan University to major in Theater Arts. She now resides in the same small town that she grew up in with her wonderful husband and three tiny humans.

Follow Lo...

FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
GOODREADS
INSTAGRAM

Bleeding Heart: Scions of Sin Book 1, Taylor Holloway

Alex and Madison test one another's patience, inflame each other's libidos, and challenge their beliefs.  Neither of them know what life would be like if they weren't baiting one another or at each other's throats every time they're in the same room.  Well, they can imagine, but it involves a lot of nakedness.  At first it seems that they're both on opposite sides of the philanthropy scale but as we follow their story we see that not all is as it seems.  Alex sees more of Madison than she thinks he does and this very grown up, very appealing version of her is hard to resist.  He finds himself thinking that life doesn't have to be all about him, his profit margin, and numerous meaningless encounters.  But when a business deal turns deadly he'll have to admit that he feels more deeply for her than he lets on if he wants to keep her safe, forever.

Madison is fierce, has a temper, and is incredibly devoted to her heart's notion of justice.  While she sees Alex as her insufferable adversary in an incredibly hot package, she also knows that she wouldn't be so drawn to him if it weren't for the good soul she knows is inside.  He doesn't let it out very often, but it's irresistible to her.  I loved her heart, her intelligence, her humanity.  She was magnificent in the bathroom scene.  I was surprised and incredibly impressed.  Madison wins.

Alex was a bit harder to swallow.  The first scene in the airplane was unnecessary and I really disliked it.  We know what kind of man he his, or the kind he thinks he is, by the impression and interactions throughout the entire story so the flight attendant scene was over the top in expressing that.  It put another huge point in his negatives column that he had to overcome to be worthy of all that is Madison.  If that weren't there I would have been way more favorable toward him.  Without that he was a redeemable prick that I could have loved.  His choice to be the way he was was well-founded even if he was deplorable at times.

Getting the flashback scenes was actually beneficial and they were well-placed.  We get one impression of him and then see the background a bit later so we get to open our eyes and heart to him right along with Madison.  She's experiencing the direct effect of seeing what kind of a man he is, what kind of a man she always saw in him under his bluster and priggishness.  For the reader we get a more omniscient view, or so we think.  His thoughts and feelings in the moment are revealed to us but we miss out on a shared history and this is where the flashbacks fill us in.  They give us something that we would otherwise miss by coming into the story where we do.  Each one was well done and I not only appreciated them for informational purposes but also just enjoyed reading them.  They were complicated, frustrating, and also both enlightening and moving even if they weren't always positive.

By the end of the story I was rooting for them harder than I expected I would.  I was so glad that there weren't any jealousy complications between them, that the plot was focused on the cartel drama, Madison and Alex, and their evolution as individuals and a couple.  There was plenty going on with just those things that we didn't need anything else to drive the plot forward or complicate the situation.  Their passion, affection, and commitment are so genuine and right for them as individuals as well as in the overall flow of the story that when we reach their "conclusion" I'm a believer.  The set up for the next book was quite salacious and I have mixed feelings about it, especially Alex's reaction to it, but I won't deny that it was tantalizing and fit the theme of these Scions of Sin...

*99¢ on Amazon or FREE on KU!

Possessive, Willow Winters

When your heart belongs to one person but your soul belongs to another.  Addison and Daniel have history, but not the kind you think.  There's someone between them, someone neither could ever bear to hurt but do anyway, someone who paid the ultimate price for misplaced love.  And five years later, hearts are still broken, souls still belong to a person they think they could never have, and grief is an ever-present companion.  It'll take more than confessions and passion to bring Daniel and Addison to a place of love and healing, especially if the danger that surrounds them succeeds in ruining everything Daniel holds dear.

Daniel is dark, tortured by grief and self-loathing, and hopelessly in love with Addison.  None of those things combine very well so we get a lot of anger and frustration from beginning to end with him.  I do love him, though.  His fears, obsessions, struggles, and love all make him someone worth saving, someone worth loving, someone worth redemption.  He carries a lot on his shoulders and the love and passion he feels for Addison, that he's always felt, gets him through dark times.  And unfortunately it puts the emotional ball of everything in Addison's broken hands.

Addison has always craved Daniel.  She didn't know him enough to love him, I feel, but there was potential there that was trapped by her obligation and love for Tyler, Daniel's younger brother.  Tyler was the epitome of good in their dysfunctional home and he saw someone worthy of love and family in Addison.  His tragedy broke her.  Carrying the guilt of that moment for years she ran from their home and ran from grief.  But you can't outrun your pain that way.  When all her emotional progress is threatened by one brief encounter with Daniel she knows she has to stop running.

I don't actually have a lot of love for her.  I feel great amounts of sympathy for her and want her to find healing and peace with Daniel but she gets in her own way so often that I got really, really tired of her martyring herself on her own altar of guilt.  I can understand why she does what she does and even for how long she does it.  That's not the issue.  It's the knee-jerk reaction to Daniel's confession that breaks my heart along with his.  Her unwillingness to use her head along with her heart instead of accepting what she already knows about herself, Daniel, and their entire sordid situation is incredibly disappointing.

The ending felt a bit rushed.  I adored and felt so sad at Tyler's words and am incredibly interested in Carter's story coming out in May, Merciless.  Aside from those two things I didn't exactly feel any kind of true resolution between Daniel and Addison.  There was a huge dramatic moment in the alley and then the homecoming but no true settling.  They had one conversation that was still full of pregnant pauses, unshared hearts, and so much pain.  If the angst closer to the beginning were truncated a little and then more attention was given to Addison and Daniel finding light at the end of the tunnel, not necessarily reaching it, but at least more description of their determination to face it together and head toward it I would have been more satisfied.  As it was, I did like the story and am hopeful for them.  I hope to see more of them in the periphery of Carter's story so they can provide him support for his own dark, tense journey to his own love and redemption.

*$3.99 on Amazon!

And don't forget the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lost Filthy Night: Kings of Crown Creek Book 2, Vivian Lux

Gone but not forgotten, a night Gage has engraved on his mind but the woman's face is getting hazier and hazier the more time goes by.  Convinced his heart is just as ruined as his body now is, there's no one that can open him to love and loss again.  Except maybe her, the woman who kissed him delirious and ran out into the night before he got her name.  The woman herself is convinced she's not memorable.  While she hasn't forgotten that night, every other day is a reminder that she's utterly forgettable, invisible even.  An accident, a job, a bond.  They are what the other needs but it'll take a lot more than feelings to keep them together.

There are quite a few issues that keep them from having a true relationship.  Gage is an adrenaline junkie, a recovering addict, a stubborn jerk sometimes, and in a place in his life and career that spell huge change.  Everly is struggling for acceptance, love, visibility.  She doesn't want to sacrifice her life for those things but she doesn't really believe she can have it all so she chooses what she can control.  When they find everything they think they need together it's Gage's job and her insecurities that might see them fail before they can make anything between them strong enough to withstand it all.

I liked both Gage and Everly.  Their connection had humor, passion, compassion, understanding, and genuine affection.  Despite the difficulties keeping them apart and their vulnerabilities getting in the way of their forever, they have awesome potential.  When they're first getting to know one another I loved that Gage's usual antics didn't phase Everly.  She had fire and knew what she was doing, those things combined meant that Gage got on the right track for true physical recovery.  My heart ached every time I saw Everly being completely overlooked by everyone.  And when Gage saw her it was real.  He really, completely saw her, acknowledged her presence, gave her the visibility she craved.

That's probably why it hurt so much when he decided that no decision would be his course.  It showed his immaturity and fear and while I can understand why he did it and where he was coming from, it didn't make it any more palatable.  His indecision almost cost him the best thing to ever love him.  It's a good thing Everly cared for him so much that even if he was willing to let them go, she was fiercely protective of his recovery.  And Mother Nature sure seems determined to bring them back together when their pride separates them.  I can only imagine what kind of natural disaster is in store for Beau.

*$2.99 on Amazon!