ARC Review: The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre

The Shape of My Heart is the third book in the 2B Trilogy by Ann Aguirre. I have really enjoyed this series so far, and I couldn't wait to get Max's story. This one was really good, and it might even be my favorite. I really liked Max and Courtney together, and this book was really sweet. I definitely recommend this series if you are a NA fan.

Courtney lost the boy she loved when she was seventeen, and since then she has just started to put her life back together. After going to rehab for taking pills just to cope, she is finally doing better and is focused on school. When her best friend and roommate Max asks her to go with him to his grandfather's funeral, she agrees knowing that things between them are about to change. Courtney and Max grow even closer while on the road and out of town, and soon they are both thinking of each other as more than just friends. Though they don't want to risk their friendship, they decide to take the risk and see where things go. Things between them are almost perfect until the real world starts to get in their way. Can Courtney and Max find a way to keep others and life out of their relationship, or will there be too many obstacles between them?

I really liked Max and Courtney. They had both been hurt and weren't the best with relationships. Max had a horrible upbringing and was forced to take care of himself at a very young age. He thought that his family blamed him for a horrible accident and was used to others not caring about him. Courtney had lost her boyfriend and struggled with how to cope and move on. But in each other they found not only friendship but the love that they both craved. I liked how real these two were. They were both just normal people that had been hurt looking for someone to care about them. I thought that they were perfect for one another, and their connection was so deep. These two truly belonged together, and I loved the chemistry and bond between them.

Overall, I loved how this book wrapped things up. Courtney and Max's relationship was probably my favorite of the three books, but I really enjoyed seeing all the characters and how things turned out for them. They were each so different, but yet they were able to build such lasting friendships and relationships. Courtney and Max's story wasn't always easy, and I thought that each of them handled things poorly on more than one occasion. But I really loved seeing these two fall in love and figure out how to support and encourage one another when things got tough. I look forward to more from Ann Aguirre in the future.

**ARC Provided by Harlequin**

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ARC Review: As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre

As Long As You Love Me is the second book in Ann Aguirre's 2B Trilogy, and I couldn't wait to read this one. While I liked the first book in the series I didn't love it, but I was really interested in Rob and Lauren's story. I ended up really enjoying this book, and I thought that it was much better than the first. It was so great to get to know both Lauren and Rob better, and I am looking forward to reading the next one from Ann Aguirre.

After struggling for years of being away from home, Lauren Barret finally decides that she needs to return to her small home town. She has many reasons for returning, but one she hasn't told anyone about. Lauren has always had feelings for her best friend's older brother, but most people don't know that it went beyond a childhood crush. Rob has always been the hot football player that wasn't capable of much of anything. But when Lauren returns to town and the two of them begin to spend time together, Lauren is determined to show Rob how great he really is. Lauren and Rob begin seeing each other, but both of them are still dealing with their own fears and insecurities. Things are going great between them until Rob gets an opportunity too good to pass up. As Lauren and Rob are suddenly faced with a crossroads they never expected, they must decide if things between them are worth the risk.

I was surprised how much I really loved Rob. In the first book, I really felt as though he was a jerk. He didn't seem to be close to his sister Nadia, and the few interactions they had seemed cold and as though he didn't even really like her. I couldn't understand what his deal was and why he treated her the way he did. But so much about him became clear in this book, and I really got to understand who he was and what had shaped him into the person he was. I felt so badly for him, because people only seemed to care about his looks and were pretty mean to him about everything else. He felt like he was unworthy and wasn't enough for anyone, and my heart broke for him. Lauren really had her work cut out for her in convincing him that he was special and that he was worth more than anyone else gave him credit for. I loved how she never gave up on him and how supportive she was of him. She saw him when no one else did, and loved him for who he had always been. These two were so perfect for each other and they just fit so well together. It was clear that they were made for each other, and their connection to each other was as hot as their chemistry with one another.

Overall, I really liked this book and it was definitely my favorite of the series so far. I loved Rob and Lauren, and I thought that their story was really interesting. I liked getting to really know Rob and getting to see him and Lauren both growing and moving forward with their lives. I will say that the reason for this rating rather than a five star was that this book just felt long to me. I thought that it could have easily been shortened, and it had some slow moments. I found my attention wandering a few times, and I think it was because of the length. I really did enjoy the story though, and I think that this book was absolutely worth the read. Each of the books in this series can be read as a standalone, but I was really glad that I had read the first book so that I had some of the back story on Lauren and Rob. I think NA and romance fans alike will enjoy this story, and I would recommend giving it a shot.

**ARC Provided by Harlequin**

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ARC Review: I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre

I Want It That Way is the first book in Ann Aguirre's 2B Trilogy. I was really looking forward to this story after seeing the beautiful cover and reading the blurb. I had never read anything by her before, but I am such a NA fan that I find myself being drawn to each new release especially if they are part of a series. While I did like things about this story, I will admit that I also had some things that I didn't like about this one. I find myself sort of struggling how to put into words what I feel about this book, because while I didn't dislike it I also didn't love it. I think that this one had a lot of potential but ended up falling short on delivery.

Nadia Conrad is moving into an apartment with her friends after living in the dorms for the last two years. She works at a daycare and goes to classes, determined to set herself up for a successful future as a teacher. When Nadia meets the guy from the apartment below her she is instantly drawn to him. Daniel "Ty" Tyler has moments where he seems friendly towards her, but then he has moments where he is cold as a stranger. Nadia has no idea at first what his problem is, but before long she sees that his life is more complicated that she could have guessed. While trying to work and attend night classes, Ty is also raising his four year old son on his own. When Ty enrolls Sam at the daycare where Nadia works, they start to grow closer. While Ty and Nadia both have feelings for one another, they know that everything that happens between them will impact Sam's life. They agree to friends with benefits and to keep their relationship between just them. But the more that they get to know each other the more that they begin to fall for one another. But with Ty determined to live his life according to the rules that he has set and the timing of their new relationship not being perfect, can they have a shot at anything lasting?

I honestly thought that I was going to love Ty from the very start. I mean he was smart and sexy, and he was so dedicated to his son. He was a hard worker and was really determined. But he was so regimented in his beliefs and thoughts about exactly how his life should play out that he completely closed himself off to what could be if he gave it a chance. I didn't like how he had handled things with his ex, but I understood his motivation and can't blame him for wanting his son more than anything else in the world. I just wish that he would have handled things better. I also wish that he wouldn't have been so dead set on keeping Nadia at arms length for so long when it was clear that she was nothing like his ex. Nadia was great with Sam and Ty, and you could see how much she had come to care about both of them in such a short time. I loved her interactions with both of them, and it was fun watching her win them both over. She was sweet and kind, and she was great at taking care of both of them. I thought that the chemistry between Ty and Nadia was strong from the start, but they also were developing so much more than that. I liked seeing the three of them together, and wish that we had been given a bit more of all of them together.

I did feel like this story was a bit slow and had some pacing issues. I think a lot of this was due to the fact that the majority of this book takes place within the apartment/apartment complex in where they both live, and it got to be a bit boring after awhile. I kept waiting for something to shake things up and that just didn't happen. I also felt like too much of this book focused on Nadia and her roommates. While I understand that Ann Aguirre was setting us up for the remainder of this series, it almost took over the book at points and I found myself not caring about any of them. I wanted to skip those parts and get back to Nadia, Ty and Sam. I did think that this story was sweet and I liked the way that things played out. I am also intrigued by Nadia's brother Rob and her best friend Lauren. I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for them. But I did think that this one was predictable and I would have liked to have seen things happen a bit differently especially them deciding to do the friends with benefits thing. I just felt like that was such an obvious choice, and it made the rest of the story feel as though it wasn't as unique or different as it could have been. I will still continue with this series, and see where Ann Aguirre takes these characters in the future. If you are looking for a sweet and easy NA read, you might give this one a shot.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Author Ann Aguirre and Giveaway

Meet Ann Aguirre, author of I Want It That Way.

Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

Find Ann at:

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My Favorite Book Couple with Shana Galen

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Booklist says “Galen expertly entwines espionage-flavored intrigue with sizzling passion,” and RT Bookreviews calls her “a grand mistress of the action/adventure subgenre.” She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She’s happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.

Places to find Shana:

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