Ramblings From This Chick: 2016-10-09

Saturday, October 15, 2016

ARC Review: Touching Down by Nicole Williams

Touching Down is my first Nicole Williams book. I am such a sucker for sports romance stories, and this one sounded like something that I would absolutely love. I have to admit that at times I really struggled here though and ultimately was left with mixed feelings on the story.

Grant and Ryan loved each other, but just when it looked like their happy ending was in reach, Ryan disappeared. Heartbroken and alone, Grant threw himself into the game and became a name everyone knew. Just as he thinks that he has finally been able to move on, Ryan reappears and changes everything for him once again.

I really loved Grant! He was amazing and I really felt for him. I did have some problems with Ryan though. I hated some of the decisions that she made, and the worst was the fact that she wasn't honest with him. So much could have been different, and while I understand some of what her reasons were I don't agree with them. I also felt like Grant forgave her too easily, and I really wanted him to make her work for it. They had chemistry and a connection, but I just didn't really feel fully invested in their relationship. Things didn't really start to progress for me until late in the story and at that point it was kind of a too little too late sort of situation for me.

Overall, I think that this book had a ton of potential and just didn't quite live up to it. There was so much promise for where this book could have gone and unfortunately it just didn't get there for me. I do think that this book had some good moments and there were things that I enjoyed. I am glad I read it, I just wish that a few things would have been a bit different and I could have felt more of the romance earlier on for me. There were a few unrealistic things as well, and those kept me from loving this book. I would read more from Nicole Williams though, and I think that this is worth taking the chance on if it sounds like something you might like.

**ARC Provided by Ardent PRose**

Feature: Searching for Disaster by Jennifer Probst

The next highly anticipated novella in the Searching For series, a romantic spin-off of the Marriage to a Billionaire series from New York Times bestselling sensation Jennifer Probst.

When Isabella MacKenzie tries to move on from her disastrous past, Officer William Devine is determined to show her that love is the only way to heal. This sexy enovella, the final installment in Jennifer Probst’s heartwarming Searching For series, follows the high-powered women of the popular matchmaking agency Kinnections, located in the small, picturesque town of Verily, NY.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

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Friday, October 14, 2016

ARC Review: To Love and To Cherish by Lauren Layne

This was bitter sweet for me, I absolutely adore this series and I was sad to see it end but it ended well. You finally get to see another side of Alexis rather than her usual calm and collective self, you see frazzled Alexis, sad Alexis, drunk Alexis (that one’s fun), and jealous Alexis. This one can be read as a standalone it reveals more about Alexis and Logan than in any of the other stories. Layne’s style is as usual spot on, she’s witty and the characters are so loveable even if at times you want to strangle them, and the angst of the story isn’t so bad that it’s depressing; the humor and the angst balance each other out perfectly.

Poor Logan he has spent the last eight years waiting for Alexis to finally see him and realize what’s going on. Alexis is oblivious, she has closed herself off from feeling any type of emotion for Logan other than friend because she is scared that she’ll lose him. She feels that no man would want her because how career orientated she is, she assumes that all men want the opposite of what she is. Ten years ago Alexis fell in love only to have that person fall in love with her younger sister. Now she’s faced with the fact that her sister and once boyfriend are getting married and having a baby. Alexis despite what people think wants to have a family, she wants kids and faced with the hurt she once endured a decade ago she decided to join the dating pool.

Logan is dealing with his own problems, he’s been putting of going back to London and taking over his father’s business because of Alexis. But his parents just announced that they are retiring and they need him back home to take over. He asks for one month before he decides that gives him just enough to get Alexis to fall madly in love with him. The problem is that Alexis doesn’t want to acknowledge him as anything other than friend. He kisses her and she pushes him away. She gets drunk and throws herself at him and he pushes her away. Logan follows her to Florida to “pretend” to be Alexis’ boyfriend and show her just how much he does want her. Alexis is confused and while she wants Logan she’s scared he would fall out of love with her. Alexis needs to decide what she wants from Logan before he leaves for good.

Overall, aside from the times where I really wanted to hit Alexis, I really enjoyed this one. This whole series in general was so good. I just have one question, what about Jessie??

**ARC provided by Publisher**

ARC Review: Going Down Fast by Carly Phillips

I love a good second chance love story and Carly Phillips never disappoints, so when the two are combined I knew I had to read it! Going Down Fast is the second book in the Billionaire Bad Boys series, but each book is a standalone story and you do not need to read these in order to understand anything. This book was everything I had been hoping for, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lucas Monroe and Maxie Sullivan were childhood best friends that were also in love with each other. But Maxie has always been off limits to Lucas and while he was off at college and then becoming wildly successful in the tech world, Maxie moved on with her life. But now Maxie finds herself desperate for help, knowing that the only one she can turn to is Lucas. With their pasts being as complicated as they are though, do they possibly stand a chance of having a future together?

I loved these two! Lucas was fantastic and Maxie was easy to like. Lucas had everything he could ever want, yet he had always wanted Maxie. I loved how he never gave up, yet he didn't push her into anything she couldn't handle. Maxie had been through a lot, and Lucas was patient with her. Maxie grew and became stronger because of Lucas, and I really felt like these two were at their best together. The chemistry between them was beyond hot, and I couldn't get enough of them together.

Overall, I really loved this book and I definitely plan to read more in this series. This was my first in this particular series from Carly Phillips, but I have really enjoyed everything I have read from her over the years. Carly has a way with words, and she has never disappointed me with her stories. Carly Phillips continues to write sexy and captivating stories that just seem to get better with each new book. If you are a fan of contemporary romance, Carly Phillips is one author you shouldn't miss! I highly recommend Going Down Fast, and I look forward to more from Carly Phillips in the future.

**ARC Provided by RockStarLit PR**

Guest Post with Author Julie Cross and Giveaway

Meet Julie Cross author of Chasing Truth.

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).

She’s also the author of the Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.

She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.

Outside of her reading and writing cred, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

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Thursday, October 13, 2016

ARC Review: Say it Louder by Heidi Joy Tretheway

I have been a huge fan of Heidi Joy Tretheway's ever since I read Tattoo Thief! I quickly devoured everything of hers that I could get my hands on, so it seems like I have been waiting forever for this installment in the Tattoo Thief series. This book was worth the wait though, and it was great to head back to this amazing world that she has created.

When given the ultimatum to dump his toxic girlfriend or lose the band, Dave knows what he needs to do yet finds himself in an impossible situation. Not only does Kristina have dirt on Dave, but on each member of Tattoo Thief as well. Just as Dave's life seems to be up in the air, he finds himself growing closer to emerging star Willa. As Dave and Willa grow closer, both find themselves wondering what their future looks like as their pasts threaten their everything.

I have not been the biggest fan of Dave over the course of this series. He always felt like he was a bit too much of a doormat for his awful girlfriend, and I hate how he treated the guys because of that at times. But there was clearly a lot more going on behind the scenes and we got to see more here that really she a lot of light on why he did certain things. I really liked him with Willa, and it was so nice to see a different side to him than we had seen before. Willa was easy to like and I loved the depth to her character. The chemistry between these two was great and I loved getting to see these two build something together.

Overall, another great book from Heidi! It was great to see some familiar faces and get to know some of these characters better. I have really enjoyed this series from the beginning, just as I have everything that I have read from Heidi. If you are a fan of rockstar romance stories and like something different, I highly recommend this series! These aren't your typical rockstar romance books, and I love that they are sexy, fun, and emotional. Heidi is great at delivering a solid story every time that captivates the reader from the first word to the last. I can't wait to see what she writes next, and I am already anxious for more from her.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Feature and Giveaway: Say It Louder by Heidi Joy Tretheway

I had a choice—dump my toxic girlfriend, or break up my band.

It should have been easy. But she’s been collecting dirt on all of us for years.

Just when I think I’ve hit rock bottom, a pink-haired street artist rocks my world. They call Willa “the Parking Lot Picasso.” I call her my refuge, my center, my last reason to hope.

When Willa’s life on the streets collides with a sudden spotlight on her art, I’ll stop at nothing to protect her. But when the spotlight turns on my secret shame, she might be my only salvation.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

ARC Review: The Fix Up by Kendall Ryan

The Fix Up is a spin-off of Kendall Ryan's Hitched series, but it is a standalone story. If you have read the Hitched series, you will recognize Sterling and Camryn as Noah and Olivia's best friends. I enjoyed this story a lot, and Sterling was super sexy. While you do not need to read the Hitched series first, for full enjoyment I would recommend it.

Sterling and Camryn know each other through their best friends Olivia and Noah. While they know each other on the surface, it isn't until Sterling learns that he is set to inherit millions that they two begin to spend much time together. While Sterling is the British bad boy, Camryn is looking for a relationship and the one she can settle down with. But he knows that he needs Camryn's help if he ever hopes to go from being a bachelor to a husband. As they spend more time together, the attraction between them grows and they soon realize that they have more in common than they thought. But can Sterling and Camryn turn their growing connection into forever?

I liked Sterling and Camryn. Sterling was so hot and sexy, and everything you expect from a British hero. I loved him right away in the Hitched series and loved getting to know him better. Camryn was easy to like and I felt like she was easy to relate to. The connection between them was one I enjoyed seeing grow, and it felt real and genuine despite the crazy circumstances going on surrounding them. Their chemistry was off the charts, and these two seemed perfect for one another when you might not think so at first glance.

The one thing I will say is that I felt there were some unrealistic things that happened here and that is what kept me from rating this story higher. I still enjoyed the story and the characters, I just felt some of what happened wasn't entirely believable. If you are a fan of Kendall's, this is one you will want to pick up. It was sexy and fun, yet also had enough emotion to keep the reader invested all the way through. If you haven't read anything by Kendall Ryan before, I definitely recommend giving her a shot.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

ARC Review: Down Shift by K. Bromberg

The original Driven Series by K. Bromberg featuring Riley and Colton is one of my favorite series of all times. I read the first three books twice. I was a K. Bromberg fan from that time going forward. I’ve read all of the other books in the Driven series so I feel like I grew up with the Hero of this book, Zander Donovan. I’m trying to give you very thorough background on my history with this series and this author because it might make my review biased. I may be giving this book a more generous rating than it actually deserves because of my love for this author and this series. OR, I might be undercutting this rating because I have such extreme high expectations of this series. Either way, it’s important that you be able to read the review in the context in which I wrote it.

You don’t need to have read any other books in this series to read this one so don’t be deterred by the fact that it is book #8. If you have read other books in the series than you know that Zander has some extremely effedupness (new word alert!) in his past. Zander’s father was an abusive drug addict who killed his Mother while Zander was present. Zander was later adopted by one of my favorite couples of all time, Riley and Colton Donovan. When this book kicks off, Zander has learned some things about his past that make him question his present. As a result, he starts self-destructing in a very agonizing fashion. Zander escapes to a pull town to pull his life together and runs (literally), smack dab into Getty Caster.

Getty is also trying to get a fresh start in a small town. Getty is escaping an abusive ex-spouse and a loveless family situation. Getty is struggling to learn to assert herself and Zander gives her plenty of practice. Getty first has to learn to stand up to Zander’s rapidly changing moods (which were annoying) and then how to stand against her past. Along the way, Getty and Zander learn to co-exist in the same house.

Their initial attraction quickly evolves into something more. Zander tries to resist because he just feels like he is too messed up for someone as good as Getty. Getty tries (and fails) to protect her heart because she knows Zander is planning to return to his life in LA without her. The connection between the couple is undeniable and well depicted. I loved how Getty monitored Zander’s fix it list and I loved how tender the two were towards one another. I believed Zander and Getty as a couple and I was rooting for them.

So why the three stars? It was the level of angst in this book. The angst level was so extreme I almost couldn’t take it. Zander is in constant emotional turmoil over the events of his past and whether he should “open the box” to his past. There are pages and pages of Zander reliving the same emotional issues over and over. The same is true for Getty. It is angst on 10 about her past and her future and her feelings for Zander, just everything. Even worse is that the angst is internal to the characters. That means that a lot of the book is about the characters internal dialogue instead of their communication with one another. If angst is overdone, for a reader like me, it can feel like emotional torture. I love this author, I like the couple, the writing is good but I need the angst level reduced by 2/3. If that was the case, this book would probably be 5 stars for me.

**ARC provided by Publisher**