Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Letting Go by Molly McAdams

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Letting Go by Molly McAdams, hosted by bookslapped. Check out my review below and enter the giveaway!

~Synopsis~

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author returns with a sizzling novel of love, loss, guilt, and forgiveness.

Grey and Ben fell in love at thirteen and believed they’d be together forever. But three days before their wedding, the twenty-year-old groom-to-be suddenly died from an unknown heart condition, destroying his would-be-bride’s world. If it hadn’t been for their best friend, Jagger, Grey never would have made it through those last two years to graduation. He’s the only one who understands her pain, the only one who knows what it’s like to force yourself to keep moving when your dreams are shattered. Jagger swears he’ll always be there for her, but no one has ever been able to hold on to him. He’s not the kind of guy to settle down.

It’s true that no one has ever been able to keep Jagger—because he’s only ever belonged to Grey. While everyone else worries over Grey’s fragility, he’s the only one who sees her strength. Yet as much as he wants Grey, he knows her heart will always be with Ben. Still they can’t deny the heat that is growing between them—a passion that soon becomes too hot to handle. But admitting their feelings for each other means they’ve got to face the past. Is being together what Ben would have wanted . . . or a betrayal of his memory that will eventually destroy them both?

~Review~

Letting Go was a powerful story of loss, love and moving forward. Grey and Ben have been together since they were 13 and 2 days before their wedding, Ben dies unexpectedly. Grey and Ben's best friend Jagger are left behind to pick up the pieces and grieve their loss. Jagger is the only person that really understands what Grey is going through and he is the only person that doesn't treat her like she's breakable. 

I really love Jagger. He is sweet, kind, charming and so protective of Grey. He has been in love with her since they were kids and always hoped she would see him differently. Ben swooped in and took Grey before Jagger ever had a chance to tell her how he felt. I think he was so noble because he stood back and let them be happy. He never tried to come between them or tell them how he felt. He was a true friend to both Grey and Jagger. 

Grey is really struggling to move on after Ben dies. She doesn't know how and when she finally finds out how Jagger feels about her and realizes she feels the same, she definitely harbors some guilt. I totally understand why because she feels wrong for moving. However, all of her friends and family tell her it's okay to move on and Ben would want her to be happy. I was really glad to see that she took that to heart and realized they were right. 

I really loved the development of Grey and Jagger's relationship. Someone is trying to sabotage them and using Grey's vulnerability from Ben to do it. I liked that Jagger continued to support her even when he felt like he was losing her. He helped her get through a really tough time in her life and showed her that it's okay to be happy and love again. 

Overall, I felt that this book was really well written. Molly really made me feel the emotions that Grey and Jagger felt. The plot was relate-able and definitely realistic. Jagger is a man any woman would want and I definitely fell in love.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON

About the Author:

Molly McAdams grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry daughter. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach, which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. When she's not at work, she can be found hiding out in her bedroom surrounded by her laptop, cell, Kindle and fighting over the TV remote. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies, fried pickles and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm...or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren't really happening.

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Review: In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker

If you haven't read Ten Tiny Breaths and don't want it to be spoiled, then please don't read this review or the synopsis!

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: September 1, 2014

Genre: New Adult/Contemporary

Source: eARC via NetGalley

~Synopsis~

Before you knew him as Trent in Ten Tiny Breaths, he was Cole Reynolds—and he had it all. Until one night when he makes a fatal, wrong decision…and loses everything.

When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he’d be able to lean on his best friends—the ones who have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they’re gone. Worse, there’s the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys.

Everyone assures him that they know it wasn’t intentional, and yet he can’t ignore the weight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. Nor can he shake the all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won’t so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole begins to lose his grip on what once was important—college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It’s not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can begin to see another way out of his personal hell: forgiveness.

And there’s only one person who can give that to him…

~Review~

 I try not to put any spoilers in my reviews but this is a difficult one to write without possibly giving something away. I'll do my best but just in case, you've been warned.

This series is one of my favorites and I loved that K.A. went back to the beginning and gave us Trent's backstory and how he ended up in Kacie's life in Ten Tiny Breaths. I found this book to be so beautifully written and heartbreaking at the same time. Trent and Kacie have both been through so much pain and turmoil in their lives and finding each other is what helped them heal.

We know a little about what Trent has been through from Ten Tiny Breaths but K.A. really digs into the details with this book and gives us a better understanding of the decisions he's made and what brought him to Kacie. He is very troubled and it takes him a long time and a lot of work to claw his way out of the hole he put himself in. He really struggles in the beginning to deal with the events that irrevocably changed his life and set him on his future path.

I really liked seeing the relationship that Trent has with his parents as well. They are clearly loving and supporting and seeing Trent go through a tough time was hard on them as well. They didn't know how to handle his sudden change in attitude and demeanor and they fought a lot about it. They wanted their son back and they did everything in their power to help him through. In the end, forcing him to get help was what brought him back to a somewhat normal state and helped him try to begin healing.

While Trent's motivations seem a bit crazy to those on the outside, In Her Wake allows us to see where his head and heart were at so we can get a different perspective on his actions. I adored Trent before but now I find him even more spectacular because I know what he truly went through and what led him to be the man he is now.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Hard Knox by Nicole Williams

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Hard Knox by Nicole Williams, hosted by ATOMR. I love Nicole's work and this book was no exception. Check out my review and the giveaway below!

~Synopsis~

Knox Jagger. The name inspires resent in every male at Sinclair University, want in every female, and contempt in Charlie Chase.

Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time.

As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink is dosed at a party and she wakes up on Knox’s couch the next morning, Charlie’s left with more questions than answers when it comes to Knox Jagger.

How can Charlie ever hope to uncover the truth behind a guy so closed off he’s become . . .

Hard Knox

~Review~

I love Nicole Williams and Hard Knox is another hit for her. I absolutely enjoyed the writing, the characters, the plot and quite frankly, the book in general. Not only did it have romance but it had an intriguing plot and it kept me coming back for more. Charlie and Knox are quite the pair and their chemistry lit up the pages.

I really liked Charlie. She has her beliefs and she doesn't care what people think and she doesn't back down or conform. She is a hard hitting journalist and I love the way she handles herself. However, I think sometimes she can be a little judgmental and  sarcastic. I feel like she uses this as a shield because she doesn't want to get hurt or let many people in. Despite what she throws out there, though, she does have feelings and I did like the way she gave Knox the benefit of doubt and the way she tried to protect him.

Knox is your typical bad boy. He comes from a tough back ground, he fights constantly and he is rumored to have been with every girl on campus and then some. He's gorgeous yet mysterious but that really is a front for the hurt he has experienced in his life. He's felt real loss and pain and he covers that with his hard exterior. I liked the way he instantly took to Charlie though and the way he cared and protected her. She isn't like any girl he's ever met and that gets to him. I think he wants to keep his walls up with her but every once and a while he shows his vulnerable side and I loved that.

Charlie is in some serious trouble and Knox is determined to help protect her. As they work together to figure out who is after her, they build this really amazing friendship and can't help but fall for each other. Knox would do anything to keep Charlie safe and Charlie would do anything to protect Knox from the people who want to destroy him. She sees the side that no one else does and despite what people think, Knox really is a good guy. He just uses the bad boy image to protect himself and Charlie is able to see through that as they spend more time together. I felt like, in the end, she saved him from himself and showed him that he can be loved and be some one good.

As I connected with Charlie and Knox, I was also super intrigued by the mystery surrounding the date rape issue on campus and Nicole constantly kept me on my toes wondering who could be responsible. I felt like this book was a bit of a romantic mystery and I really liked that. It catapulted me out of the new adult slump I felt myself falling into because of the monotony of the genre. 

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

About the Author

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook

~Giveaway~

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Williams/215156715173890?sk=app_228910107186452&ref=page_internal

  

To follow the rest of the tour, click HERE.

Blog Tour Review + Playlist: Teaching Roman by Gennifer Albin

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Teaching Roman by Gennifer Albin, hosted by Inkslinger PR. I am excited to share my review and a playlist for the book with you. 

~Synopsis~

Jessica Stone has her life in perfect order until her perfectly boring boyfriend Brett puts things in perspective. So when she receives a call to action from her heartbroken best friend Cassie, she ditches her plans for Winter Break in gloomy Olympic Falls and sets off to Mexico for some fun in the sun.

Determined to use her oceanview to prep for her MCATS, she doesn't plan to run into anyone from Olympic State, least of all the cute communications prof she's been crushing on for a year. When he unexpectedly saves the day, the two are thrown together in a distinctly extracurricular activity.

Roman Markson doesn’t expect to run into anyone he knows from Olympic Falls while visiting his family in Puerto Vallarta, especially not a former student. Although Jess Stone has a way of catching men’s attention, a relationship with her is strictly off-limits. However, the rules feel less strict in Mexico, so they agree to a plan: one week in paradise and nothing more.

But avoiding each other back on campus is harder than they anticipated, especially when they can’t stay away from one another. Neither is sure what they have to learn—and lose—before life teaches them a lesson they’ll never forget.

~Review~

I really enjoy the Good Girls Don't series and I absolutely loved Catching Liam. We meet Jessica and Roman in the first book so I was excited to see that they would be getting their own. I kind of like the forbidden romance theme so I'm glad that  Gennifer took it that way.

Jessica is not a risk taker. She plans to go to medical school and she's worked very hard to get there. Everything seems to be going as planned until her perfectly acceptable but boring boyfriend springs something unexpected on her. She flees to Mexico with her heartbroken best friend, Cassie for the winter break where she runs into grad student and professor, Roman Markson. Jessica and Roman have always been attracted to each other but she was his student and he was her teacher. However, they aren't in school anymore and neither of them can fight the attraction anymore.

I like Jessica. She reminds me a lot of myself. I'm not much of a risk taker or a rule breaker and sometimes I feel kind of boring. I liked that she opened herself up and finally went after what she really wanted. She knows there may be consequences but she has never felt the way she does with Roman and I was glad that she risked it for him. I also think that she is a really good friend and I like the way she supports Jillian and Cassie. She is always the rock in the friendship so it was nice to see her be able to lean on them for a change.

Jessica and Roman have incredible chemistry. While I felt like they moved a little fast in the relationship and their feelings, I really felt the sparks between them. They definitely brought out the best in each other and I liked the way Roman really opened Jessica up to life. He helped her see that there is more to it then just school and classes and grades. Before him, she was just going through the motions but after they met, she felt alive. Their relationship didn't come without it's problems though and I was a little disappointed by Jessica's reaction to some of the situations but I felt like she bounced back quickly and with the help of her freinds, always made the right decision and we didn't have to wait long for it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found the writing to be well done, the plot paced nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. I really connected with Jessica. While I was a bit disenchanted with the pace of the relationship, being that I felt like it was a bit of insta-love, it was easy to overlook because I don't feel like it was over done. If you haven't jumped on the Good Girls Don't bandwagon, I highly recommend you do.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

~Playlist~

Author Information

  

 Website:  http://www.genniferalbin.com/

Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/genniferalbinbooks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GenniferAlbin

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4906436.Gennifer_Albin

ARC Review: Accidentally Married on Purpose by Rachel Harris

Love & Games #3

Publisher: Entangled Bliss

Publication Date: July 14, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: eARC via InkSlinger PR

~Synopsis~

One ring plus one wild night equals one crazy love

Sherry Robicheaux loves men. She loves love. And she loves an adventure. So when she meets a mysterious man while working backstage at a country music concert in Vegas, she’s all about what’s happened in Vegas staying there.

Country music superstar Tyler Blue just wants a weekend of anonymity…though there’s something about the spunky waitress with the streaks of purple hair that tempts him like no other. Until the next morning, when they both wake up with fuzzy memories…and rings on their fingers.

Convincing Sherry to maintain the ruse for his public image isn’t the hardest part—it’s reminding himself that their time spent playing husband and wife in her small town of Magnolia Springs can’t last. Tyler’s first love will always be music—and the road is no place for a sweet downhome girl.

~Review~

Most people who know me, know that I adore Rachel Harris and I have loved everyone of her books I've read. I love the way she can write both YA and NA so seamlessly. She once mentioned that Sherry and Ty were perhaps her favorite to write in this series and I would have to agree. While I love Jason & Colby, Cain & Angelle; Sherry and Ty just have this chemistry that is so undeniable and a really exciting story. I am a huge fan of fake relationship plot lines, it's perhaps one of my favorites so this book really hooked me.

Sherry is a hopeless romantic. She wants true love and the fairy tale but she is always picking the wrong guys. After her latest heartbreak, she decides it's time to settle down with a nice, dependable, boring man. However, she wants one more wild fling before she straps herself to a life of mediocrity. Enter Tyler Blue. Tyler is a big time country star and music is his life. He's not a playboy like most people think but he doesn't want anything to get in the way of his dreams and he's afraid settling down would do just that. When he meets Sherry and she doesn't know who he is, he's intrigued by her and excited to have a night with a woman that doesn't want him because he's Tyler Blue. Too much tequila and a night in Vegas leaves them both with a little morning surprise.

I really love Sherry! She is sweet, smart and really down to earth. She loves her family and will do anything for them. She has dreams of her own but she puts them aside for her family. She's confidant but I love that she also has a bit of self doubt. It makes her real. No matter how confidant we appear, we all are a little afraid to fail. Tyler is the exact kind of guy that she doesn't want to fall for but as she gets to know him, she can see that he isn't at all what she expected and her heart betrays her. I feel like Tyler shows her that she doesn't have to settle, she just had to find the right guy.

Tyler is charming, sexy, sweet and misunderstood. Because he hasn't settled down or had a serious relationship, he is viewed as a playboy. However, that isn't him at all and I loved getting to know him because it's obvious from the start. He loves music; it's his passion and he doesn't want anything to derail his dreams. While I think he's a bit disillusioned to think that he can't have love because of his dreams, I understand his feelings, especially after learning a bit more about his family. Like Sherry, he is a family man and he is living the dream just as much for them as he is for himself. Despite his best efforts, he can't help but fall for Sherry and she definitely opens his eyes to life.

Sherry and Tyler have incredible chemistry. They were made for each other and it is obvious from the moment they meet. Sherry doesn't care about his money or his fame. She gets to see the side of Tyler that most people don't and it's the real Tyler Blue. What woman doesn't love a man that can sing and play the guitar? I really liked how protective he became of Sherry. He wanted to make her happy and to help her realize her dreams. I really respected Sherry considering what Tyler was asking of her and I loved that she was willing to do it because she truly cared about him and wanted to help him. She would never hinder his career but only encourage and support him. What started out as a drunkin mistake and then became a mutually beneficial agreement, turned  into a true love story. Sherry finally got her fairy tale ending and she deserved it!

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Until We Fly by Courtney Cole

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Until We Fly by Courtney Cole, hosted by InkSlinger PR. I adore this series and am so excited to share this book and my review with you. Also, check out the awesome giveaway!

~Synopsis~

Ex-Army Ranger, Brand Killien, has always been good. 

A good friend, a good soldier, a good everything. .
The problem is, good hasn’t gotten him anything but a crushed heart. 

So after licking his wounds, he decides to move on. And moving on doesn’t include being good anymore. 

Bad sounds so much better. 

Jaded and detached, Brand is determined to never open himself up to anyone again. It’s not worth the pain. Instead, he becomes closed, hardened, aloof. 

But then he’s called back home for a family emergency… a family that he is estranged from. A family that he put out of his mind a long time ago for very good reasons…reasons that involve secrets and pain. Reasons he tried hard to forget. 

But home is where the heart is, and it just might be where Brand finds his again. 

Why? Because home is where Nora Greene is. A fiery, red-headed spitfire, Nora is a thing from his past. A beautiful, feisty thing. When Brand left, she was away at boarding school. 

But she’s back now. 

And she wants Brand, scars and all.

Publisher: Lakehouse Press Inc

Publication Date: July 7, 2014

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via Inkslinger PR

~Review~

I absolutely love the Beautifully Broken series and Brand and Nora's story is an exceptional addition. There is so much that these characters go through in there lives and when the meet the one person that can make their lives complete, they don't hold anything back. 

I love Brand. He is a really good guy and he deserves his happy ending. He thought he was in love with Jacie and I know it was hard for him to lose her to another man. He has to go back to Angel Bay after his mom calls him back for family business. It is obvious that he is not close with his parents and there is some definite dark moments in his past that have led to that. Because Brand is the guy that he is, he goes anyways even though he owes nothing to them. My heart really went out to him when he revealed the reasons for his family turmoil. He was put through a lot of hurt as a child and he didn't deserve the things that he went through. He overcame, though, and grew up to be an exceptional man. That is all on him.

To be honest, I wasn't sure about Nora in the beginning but as the book progressed, I really grew to like her a lot. She is very strong and I liked that she knows what she wants and goes for it. She didn't hold back with Brand and she told him exactly what she wanted. Her situation is by far the worst out of any of Courtney's characters and my heart broke into a million little pieces for her. I hated that she felt broken and used and she didn't think that she deserved the love of a man like Brand. She really cared about him and would do anything to protect him and she proved that.

Nora and Brand definitely have chemistry and it really jumped right off the pages. I loved the way she cared for him and showed him that he deserves love. He didn't have much of it growing up and his luck with love hasn't been great but Nora proved to him that he is worthy. I really liked how protective Brand is of Nora and the way he made her feel safe and comfortable. Brand is afraid to love and Nora doesn't feel worthy of him so a "summer fling" seems to be the only thing they think they can have. Of course we know that isn't going to work because they each bring something special out in the other and there's no turning back. 

I really liked this book and Courtney did an excellent job with the romance and mystery. I could NEVER have imagined the turn of events in this book. I was blown away and shocked to my core. I really like the way she handled the tough situations and I was very happy with the ending. This book was just as well written as the others, flowed nicely and balanced the romance with the plot really well. While Gabe is still my favorite Beautifully Broken man, I did adore Brand.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT COURTNEY COLE: Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people. Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.     

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And don’t miss the other Beautifully Broken, now available:

IF YOU STAY

IF YOU LEAVE

BEFORE WE FALL

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There may be spontaneous combustion from all the sexy! ~ARC Review: Losing Control by Jen Frederick

Kerr Chronicles #1

Publisher: Pear Tree, LLC

Publication Date: June 16, 2014

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Source: eARC via author

~Synopsis~

I’d do anything to keep my mother alive.

Anything, including ask Ian Kerr for help. I don’t know much about him, except that he has more money than some small countries. And he’s willing to spend it on me. Just one catch: there’s a string attached, and not just the one I feel pulling me into his arms and his bed. There’s also the plan for revenge he wants my help with.

Every time he says my name, it makes my body shiver and my heart stutter. I know he’s going to wreck me, know there won’t be anything left of me but lust and sensation by the time he’s done with me, but even though I can see the heartbreak coming towards me like a train, ready to crash into me, I can’t get out of the way. I want what he makes me feel. Want what he’s offering.

This may have started out as something to save my mother, but now…now it’s about what he makes me feel. I’m in danger of losing everything that’s important. Worse? Ian's whispered words and hot caresses are making me believe that's okay.

~Review~

I am a huge fan of Jen and I will read anything she writes. I adore the Woodland series so it breaks my heart to say this but... Losing Control was her best book yet! She knocked it out of the park on this one. It was so well developed and I really connected with the characters.

Tiny is dealing with a lot but she is so loyal and loving and I really loved the way she looked after her mother. She has such a big heart and she will do anything to help save her mom. My heart really went out to Tiny because her mom is all she has and to watch her succumb to cancer was very difficult for her. Tiny is really strong and I loved her independence. Despite the things that could hold her back, she doesn't allow them to bring her down. She just works twice as hard. When Ian walks into her life and offers her the world, she wants to resist but he makes it pretty damn impossible.

Ian, oh dear sweet sexy as hell Ian. He is HOT, rich, smart, sexy and he wants Tiny. He has a very special job that he needs done and he isn't sure he wants Tiny for the job at first but it might be the only way he can have her. He's very wealthy but he's self made and I love that about him. He isn't entitled or arrogant and that made him that much more swoon-worthy. Ian is also mysterious and he clearly has an agenda he is working. He wants revenge but the more he falls for Tiny, the harder it is for him to use her to get it.

Tiny and Ian have some seriously HOT chemistry; like spontaneously combustible chemistry. Their attraction and sexual chemistry was intense and immediate. Tiny really fought it and I'll give the girl credit because she put up a good one but her and Ian were inevitable. She really wants to stand on her own and accepting everything Ian offers her is really hard. This quality only feeds Ian's attraction to her and he falls hard. When Tiny succumbs to his charms, they have some incredibly steamy moments. Jen really knows how to write a scene that makes you squirm a bit and flame the cheeks. I felt like she really did a great job of mixing mystery and romance.

There were so many incredible things about this book and I was more than impressed by this book. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading but it definitely exceeded any expectations that I had. The character development was well done and I really got a sense of who Tiny was. Ian is a bit of a mystery but that is to be expected with the plot and I liked the way Jen handled it. I also found the plot to be really well developed and there was a lot of depth to it. This is a series so this book only scratched the surface behind Ian's desire for revenge because this book was meant to introduce us to Tiny and Ian and really develop their relationship. I can't wait to see what's next with Taking Control!

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE