Certified Bed Reader...
...willing to go all night!
Safe Haven is pretty much another Nicholas Sparks book following the same formula of writing that's made him famous. If you're a fan of his books (or even the movies) you'll know what you're getting when you crack open this one. It isn't a really sappy love story, though. Safe Haven follows Katie, a thirty year old married woman who finally gets the courage to leave her abusive husband. Her journey for safety eventually lands her in the small North Carolina town of Southport. Katie finds work as a waitress and really just keeps to herself as she tries to put her life back together. She meets Alex; owner of the local grocery store, father to his young kids, Josh & Kristen, and widower of three years. Alex is ex-military and the work he did offered him some insight into Katie. He realizes early-on that she was abused, but he finds her interesting and pretty and he really wants to get to know her. Alex takes his time; shows Katie she can trust him and that he's different from what she knows.
Eventually, Katie and Alex begin dating and fall in love. She opens up to him, he to her. What I loved most is how ready Alex is to start a life with Katie. He still misses his deceased wife, Carly, but he knows his moving on is what she wanted and desired most -- for him to be loved again, to love, and for their children to know the love of a mother. The scenes where Alex remembers having such talks with Carly, at the end of her life, were heartfelt and real.
But, as we all know, the past is never far behind and that's definitely the truth for Katie. Her husband soon finds her and what transpires was pages of nail-biting suspense. You never know for sure how a Nicholas Sparks book will end, and this one has a happy ending (thank goodness!). The real surprise comes with a twist I never imagined and only confirmed that no matter if the ending's happy or sad, Nicholas Sparks will pull the emotion out of you until you're a blubbering mess sitting among a heap of used Kleenex and wishing for a love like that.
WTH? It starts good. The idea behind Leni & Jamie getting together is believable. Their chemistry is hot. It's the oh-so-convenient conflict that screwed it up for me. Well, that and the fact that it's overpriced for a couple hours worth of reading. You could buy a [a:Kristen Ashley|2958084|Kristen Ashley|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1279995377p2/2958084.jpg] ginormous-sized ebook and have money left over!
Leave Me Breathless (Ross Siblings, #3)
You guys, Cherrie Lynn knows how to write an amazing hero! In fact, it's her heroes that make these books worth reading. As with Candace in [b:Rock Me|8135807|Rock Me (Ross Siblings, #2)|Cherrie Lynn|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1273006270s/8135807.jpg|12932079], I didn't fully enjoy Macy's character. Although, I must admit to liking Macy a helluva lot more than Candace (who, btw, still doesn't seem to have much character growth in this book). I didn't think I could like Seth/Ghost as much as I did Brian, but I do!
Leave Me Breathless is packed full of moments that will do just that. Some of which include: public fondling under a table, backseat action, phone lovin', and a scene to rival [b:Rock Me|8135807|Rock Me (Ross Siblings, #2)|Cherrie Lynn|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1273006270s/8135807.jpg|12932079]'s concert scene -- sex against a wall by an open front door. Hawt! But Macy and Seth's story isn't all fun and games. There's plenty of real life drama going on for both of them and watching them traverse these obstacles is what really made this book shine. They felt like a real couple to me.
*WARNING* Do not pick this book up and expect to put it right back down. I was up until 3 a.m. reading it! Every time I tried to put it down, Seth would say or do something that made me need to read another chapter. The man has some serious stamina -- and I didn't regret for one moment going ALLLLL night with him! ;-)
Baby, It's Cold Outside (Seattle Steam, #2.5)
Check your reality card in at the door, because this book reeked of the unbelievable!We have a woman trying to hail a cab in the snow when a car darts across two lanes and pulls to a stop right in front of her. A man gets out and offers her a ride. The man looks vaguely familiar, but she can't place him. Oh, that's right -- he's her cheating ex-boyfriend's cousin. She met him once last summer at a barbecue. Oh yeah, she suddenly remembers thinking how hot he was back then and that he couldn't keep his eyes off her.
*deadpan look*
So she gets in the car with the guy and next thing ya know, they're off on a secluded road having sex in the car while waiting for the pass to be cleared of snow. When they finally make it to the party at her cousin's house, they're pretty much snowed in for the duration of Christmas.
*crickets chirping*
All I could think was she's a prime example of what a woman should NEVER EVER EVER do!!! Don't get in cars with virtual strangers, even the sexy guy you think you remember from a barbecue months before. Serial rapists/killers like to eat barbecue, too. They even have families. And she not only had sex with the guy, but ended up snowed in for days.
Just, no. God no. *cringe*
Make Me Shiver (Just Make Me, #1)
Let me have just one second to drool over the cover, okay? Yeah...just one more second...Alright, where was I? That's right, I was about to tell you how detrimental it is for you to add this book to your TBR list. It's absolutely, positively, important that you read this book. Why? Well, take a look at the cover! That hot guy is a dominant, blue collar hunk who makes no excuses for his kink. Michael is crazy sexy in his pursuit of Lacey. The moment he walked up behind her in his playroom, I was putty in his effin' hands. FULL BODY SHIVERS! Yum!
There's also a good plot, and some serious undertones that make this book a solid read. I really enjoyed the ending; how Michael gets Lacey to overcome her insecurities and ultimately trust him. Aline does a fabulous job setting up future books--and I can't wait to read each one of them.
Jill's Lucky Harbor series continues to get better with EVERY BOOK I READ. It isn't often that a series doesn't start to lose me after 3 or 4 books. In fact, I really like that these stories continue in Lucky Harbor, but Lucky in Love is the start of a brand new trilogy within this series--The Chocoholics; Mallory, Amy, and Grace! Such a fun trio!Mallory is a Lucky Harbor native. This good-girl is an ER nurse who puts everyone on the list ahead of her. She spends her time taking care of anyone who needs her help. Mallory really is the town sweetheart, but when Ty literally falls at her feet, she decides she's willing to put her good-girl status on hold for some decidedly bad-girl fun with the guy Lucky Harbor's gossip circle has dubbed: Mysterious Cute Guy. Mallory's too much of a caretaker, though, and she recognizes someone in need of saving. She really has the purest of hearts, but she's tough, too.
Ty...gawd, Jill really outdid herself with his character. Former Navy SEAL, Ty, is dealing with a four year-old nightmare he can't shake. Ty was a medic on his SEAL team and watched all of his friends die after a plane crash he walked away from. Survivor's guilt weighs heavily on his shoulders. He doesn't form attachments--any--but, before he can blink, Mallory turns into way more than anything he's ever had. ALL of Lucky Harbor becomes special to him, but Ty is determined not to stay. He's recuperating and as soon as Dr. Josh Scott gives him his travelling orders, he's gone. Ty is so far in denial it could be his middle name. He likes the town and its nosy people. He swims, runs, beats up Matt at the gym, spends time rebuilding as classic Shelby Mustang, and every chance he gets, Ty shows Mallory what it's like to walk on the wild side. He's delicious. He's a healer who cares deeply. In a nutshell, he's Mallory's perfect match. They're honest with each other from the get-go and the way they navigate their relationship is wonderful.
SO GOOD! Now, Amy and Matt's story is up next and, thankfully, I started late on this series so it's already out for me to inhale, lol! All the teasing little glimpses of them have me excited to see how Matt gets his girl.
Three stars; not because I didn't enjoy the book or think the writers are talented. I love how seamlessly Laurenston weaves humor into her dialogue. I just didn't have the time to fully enjoy it. I kept needing to put it down and in the process the stories got lost in my mind. There wasn't anything highly memorable that kept me counting the moments until I could get back to it. If I had read it at a completely different time in my life, I'm certain my star rating would be higher.
It starts slow, but once I got into it I really felt a kinship to Natalie. She tries so hard to be a great friend, works diligently in school so that she can get into college, and is really a nice--good--girl. Natalie can come off bossy and that's because these things are so important to her that she fears it all will fall apart.Senior year is an exciting time being poised on the threshold of adulthood. Natalie wins position as class president and that's when everything starts to change. Her best friend is making bad choices, a group of freshmen girls are acting out in ways that make them targets to objectifying jokes and innuendo, and then there's Connor -- a boy she shouldn't like, but she just may have misjudged.
All good girls struggle with where to draw the line; are compelled to do seemingly "bad" things that don't feel at all bad. Natalie tries to make the right decisions, but -- as we all know -- high school is a minefield of wrong choices. The important thing is learning from them.
Bianca has her shit together. She may not be the prettiest, skinniest, most popular girl in her high school, but she's not bothered by it one bit. She's realistic about her self-image and her life; doesn't intend to change for anyone. Bianca's the kind of friend who will go to The Nest (a local teen club) to watch out for her girls, even though, she hates the place. She's a bit of a mother hen in the way she keeps her friends from making bad choices. I really love that about her. Smart and cynical; Bianca's one of those young people who seem way older than their age reflects. She reminds me of myself at that age--ready to move on from youth and start living.Then, there's Wesley. Bianca's hero doesn't come to her like a knight in shining armor. Wesley is, well, he's an effing pain in the ass. He sits down at The Nest to talk to her, but our girl Bianca doesn't want any part of Wesley Rush. He changes tactics; out-right tells her she's the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) and that by being nice to her he'll have a better shot at hooking up with one of her hot friends. Bianca, God love her, tosses her Cherry Coke on him and tells him exactly what she thinks of his behavior!
I didn't know how Kody Keplinger was going to redeem Wesley or even if she could. Bianca and I are pretty turned-off by him at that point. He seems to care very little about anything or anyone but himself. Then, Bianca's life takes a turn for the worse and she reacts in a way I think too many young people do today. The distraction she needs comes in the form of Wesley. Kody really pulls the story together by the spot-on way she portrays Bianca's feelings and reactions during the turmoil she's facing. Wesley started as an arrogant jerk that I freely admit to being hesitant about for most of the book. However, when Wesley defends Bianca (no spoiler, you'll know when you read it) I fell completely for the guy. He begins to open up, show more emotion, and became real to me. Bianca challenges him to want something he doesn't think he can have. Thank God, he figures it out for both of them.
My favorite quote comes from a note Wesley leaves of Bianca's desk. I'm smiling again just typing it...
Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls, but I'm chasing you.
The ending: nicely done!
By the way, I want to say how impressed I am with Kody Keplinger who wrote this--her first book--during her senior year of high school. Awesome! Can't wait to read more from this talented author.
No Dress Required (Love Required, #1)
Eh. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. This one lies firmly on the plane of mediocrity. Good to pass the time when you need a quick read.
I tried. I really, really did. I have to stop, though. There's a huge difference between a strong alpha male and a horny guy with control issues. I can't read another paragraph like this one...All his mind could do was circle around the same thing. She was spread open like this, exactly how he had imagined her last night while he'd come explosively in his own hand. Except she was in flannel, and not naked and wet around him. He'd shot a huge amount of cum simply thinking of taking her against a wall, shoving up as he ground against her. He knew women had a spot right there in front, right where he'd be able to hit each time he tunneled through her wet heat. He'd blown his load imagining her like that, with those cute nails in his shoulders, holding him tight as he brought her to climax.
And that's not it. He's constantly thinking about how he wants to fuck her. The guy is obsessed with his penis and has an erection ALL THE EFFING TIME. It was like being in the mind of a teenage boy NOT a highly-skilled ex-Navy SEAL whose very job required a supreme amount of patience and control.
For the sake of finding out more of the "suspense" portion of this book, I can deal with that--UP UNTIL they have sex and it gets worse. Really worse. I promptly turned off my Nook, set it aside, and wrote this review.
Don't let my review dissuade you from reading this if the blurb strikes your fancy. I just couldn't click with it.
At Peace (The 'Burg, #2)
SHELVING FOR NOW: I know I'm probably going to get flayed for this, but I hit the 45% mark and was hating it. I love Kristen Ashley's books. LOVE THEM. They're like the cozy blanket you curl under because you know it'll make you feel better after a crappy day. But I don't like Joe or Violet. REALLY dislike Violet. Hate where the story's leading. I know I should just trust that K.A. has good things in store for them, but right now I can't. Will return to it when I'm feeling more forgiving, lol.
I read Size Matters (Book 1 of Stephanie's Lovers on the Fringe Series) and have been meaning to get around to reading this one ever since. It just so happened that I found myself needing a quick/fun/entertaining book and immediately thought it was high-time to read The Bigger They Are...!I loved the chemistry between Andy and Jenna. Andy's a laid-back kinda guy whose discovering just how lonely his life is. Jenna is a boring accountant...but don't hold that against the girl. She and Andy are true fandom geeks and I adored that common thread between them! There's not a huge amount of character development and, of course, the romance moves so fast you'll get whiplash, but I can live with that. The Bigger They Are... is simply a fun little read with plenty of one-liners to make you laugh and a cast of interesting characters. The sex isn't something to scoff at either. It's the perfect book to quench your thirst for romance with a twist of paranormal!
For You (The 'Burg, #1)
A Word of Warning: Don't begin this book (or any [a:Kristen Ashley|2958084|Kristen Ashley|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1279995377p2/2958084.jpg] book for that matter) while in the middle of a big move. Amid a sea of boxes, all I could think about was getting back to this book!So, I was wrong. I thought this series wouldn't appeal to me. The cover isn't the most flattering for a romance. That's because this is more romantic suspense with a psycho-killer who has left two decades of destruction in his wake. For You is quite possibly the most intense book I've read in a while. Colt and Feb are an amazing couple that truly deserve a second chance at happiness. Watching their return to each other fulfilled all the emotional requirements on my list of Things That Make a Romance Great! However, there's a creepy undertone just beneath the surface that Kristen Ashley spends a lot of time nursing to a climatic conclusion. The ending is classic K.A.! Her books are effin' long, but I never feel cheated after I'm done reading. That, to me, is worth trudging through her signature attention to detail.
Breathe (Sea Breeze, #1)
Sadie is overwhelmed with more responsibility than a seventeen year-old should have. Her mother, Jessica, managed to get knocked up by a guy who's couldn't stick around. Jessica's laziness increases when Sadie's summer vacation begins. Too keep a steady income, Sadie is forced to take on Jessica's job as a well-paid maid at a nearby mansion. Sadie's astonished to find out that the home belongs to Jax Stone -- young, famous, rock star, current "It Guy" in Hollywood. Jax is smitten the second he lays eyes on Sadie. She's so different from the girls he's used to; Sadie isn't impressed by his fame. He tries to stay away from her, all too aware of the circus her life would become if her name is linked to his, but he can't resist the pull of her charm. They agree to be satisfied with the time they have together. Only, neither really bargain on emotions growing and the threat of discovery is forever looming...When I write it out like that, I can't help but think how much I should like this book. I don't feel comfortable accepting Jax and Sadie's relationship as functional. This line cemented my unease:
"You're my...air."
I frowned at him. "Your air?"
He grinned. "Well, girlfriend seems to be too shallow for what I feel for you. These past two weeks it's been as if you control my breathing."
If it wasn't so alarming, at the least it's cheesy! I also have a hard time believing a seventeen year-old doesn't know what an iPhone is -- even a seventeen year-old who hasn't had a lot of extras in life.
I don't think I'll give up on Abbi Glines. It may be that Breathe just isn't my cuppa.
