ARC Review: To the Stars by Molly McAdams

Anyone who has ever read a Molly McAdams book before knows that her books are always emotional and deal with some pretty tough subjects. To the Stars is no different, and I couldn't put this book down! Molly McAdams is a fantastic writer and while her books aren't easy journeys, each one is more than worth the read. Sharing You has held the spot as my favorite of hers since I read it, but I have to say that To the Stars runs a very close second. This book won't be for everyone, and yet it is definitely one I would recommend. To the Stars is the second book in the Thatch series, but it is a standalone story with interconnected characters.

When Knox Alexander and Harlow Evans first met, their connection was quick and undeniable. However with her being fifteen and him being eighteen, they knew that they couldn't be together until she turned eighteen and was legal. Knox vowed to wait for her, while also continuing to live his life. As the years passed, Knox and Harlow remained in contact and their feelings for one another never changed. Knox continued to wait for Harlow, knowing that she was it for him. But as Harlow turned eighteen, things changed and she no longer waited for Knox. After she told him that her heart belonged to someone else, they no longer spoke to one another. Now four years later, Harlow knows that not waiting for Knox was the biggest mistake of her life and though she wishes things had been different, she is living with the consequences of her choice. But when Knox suddenly reappears in her life and isn't willing to let her go, can she possibly get the life she should have had all along with Knox? 

I absolutely loved Knox! Not only was he sweet and caring, but he was so romantic and loyal. Despite everything that they had been through, Knox had never stopped caring for Harlow and he was willing to do anything for her. Though he had tried to move on, it was so clear that he was never able to. I couldn't have loved him more, and as the book continued my heart broke for everything these two had been through and the time they had lost, yet I was filled with hope seeing the love and connection that nothing could change for these two. Harlow was frustrating at times, and yet I completely understood her. She was young and things appeared to be one way, and she made her decisions based on those things and her age. Though it was heartbreaking and awful, I did see it and couldn't completely blame her. She was stuck living with those consequences and she did so out of her love for those around her. She was so strong and protective, willing to take whatever came her way as long as they were okay. I felt so bad for the awful situation that Knox and Harlow were in and yet I was so glad that they had found their way back to one another. Their chemistry and connection was so unique and was so genuine, even with how fast things happened and the age at which they met and fell for one another. 

Overall, I really did love this story and I enjoyed reading it even with the parts that were tough to get through. This book does deal with some very serious issues such as abuse and violence, and those with triggers might want to take that into consideration before reading this one. But this book was also filled with love and hope, and the kind of relationship that is rare and truly special. I will admit that for most of this book I really hated Knox's friends and I didn't understand why he let them treat Harlow the way they did. But as they started to change toward the end, it was clear that they were just looking out for their friend, and they believed they were doing what they had to. I didn't support their methods at all, but I was glad to see the progress they made and how they really embraced Harlow after they fully understood the situation and what Knox and Harlow shared. While this has a lot of things that some readers might shy away from (abuse, love triangle) I do think it is worth the read, and I really loved the story. Knox was impossible not to fall in love with, and I think that NA readers and especially those that are fans of Molly McAdams will really enjoy this book.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: When We Met Anthology by A.L. Jackson, Molly McAdams, Tiffany King and Christina Lee

I was so excited to read the When We Met Anthology. It has such great authors contributing to it, and I knew it would be a good one! This anthology centers around four roommates with each author telling one of the girls' story.

 Behind Her Eyes by A.L. Jackson

Behind Her Eyes is Misha's story. She is just returning to school after her former boyfriend hurt her. Misha has a lot of trust issues and is scared that everyone will look at her differently after what Hunter put her through. When she finds out that the boys next door kicked Hunter out and got a new roommate, she is intrigued by him. Misha is instantly attracted to the new neighbor Darryn. But she is also afraid to let anything happen after her trust was destroyed before. But Darryn is determined to show her that things between them can be different and that he is worth taking a chance on. I really liked Darryn and Misha. They were really sweet together and you could feel the attraction between them. Darryn was kind and patient, and he really cared about Misha. He made a few bad choices, but you could tell that he was still a great guy. Misha had been through so much, and I felt really bad for her. But she was also strong and determined, and I thought that she was really brave to go back to school and face the past. Darryn and Misha were great for one another, and I felt like their connection was real and didn't feel rushed at all. I did feel as though this story was a bit slow though and that was the reason that I didn't rate this one higher. This one had a lot of depth for the short length though, and I liked how some tough issues were dealt with.

 Saving Me by Molly McAdams

This novella was amazing! Molly McAdams once again proved that she is an amazing writer and is able to tackle the tough topics. This one had me feeling so many emotions, and I really felt like these characters were special. Indy had been abandoned in horrible ways. Her brother was killed, her parents kicked her out, and she returned to school only to find her boyfriend of two years sleeping with someone else. Indy ended up drinking to escape and didn't discriminate when it came to hooking up with random guys. But she also knew that she could always go to the one place she felt safe and rely on the guy who helped her out, even if she never remembered him when she was sober. Kier had wanted Indy for awhile, and after seeing what her ex did to her he knew he finally had a chance. But he also knew that she needed time to get over everything and that he wanted her to figure things out on her own without him informing her himself. When Indy finally figures out how much Kier has been a part of her life, she wants nothing more than to get to know him better. But Kier is also suffering and has secrets of his own. I loved Kier and Indy. They were so easy to like and relate to. While I have never experienced anything like they had, I really understood where they were each coming from. They were both vulnerable and looking for a way to move past the guilt and pain they were feeling. They were great for one another, and I loved seeing them help each other heal. Kier was so sweet and protective, he just wanted to take care of Indy in any way he could. Indy was so much stronger than she knew, and had been through more than anyone should have to go through. These two had amazing chemistry and shared a strong emotional connection as well. They could not have been more perfect for one another, and I could have easily read a full length novel featuring these two!

 Fouling Out by Tiffany King

Fouling Out by Tiffany King is Courtney's story. I was really looking forward to this one because of the history between the characters and because I love me some sports romance stories! Courtney works at a local sports bar as a waitress and refuses to date athletes. She was once best friends with Dalton, the star of her school basketball team. They were inseparable until he suddenly became too cool to hang out with her and started spending all of his time playing basketball and hanging out with the cool kids. When Dalton shows up in her bar one night though, he tries to get her to talk to him only Courtney wants nothing to do with him. Dalton has no idea what has happened to make Courtney so cold, but he is determined to get back their friendship and see if there is something more between them. Dalton was really sweet, and I loved that he was determined. He wasn't afraid to do whatever it took to win Courtney over, and I loved his public declarations for her. I thought that Courtney was great and I loved that she made Dalton work for it. She was funny and I loved the witty banter between these two. I do think that Courtney was a little harsh with Dalton at times, but I was glad that she got over it and was able to give Dalton a second chance. These two were cute together and had a lot of chemistry. I really felt the connection between them, and I think a lot of that was because of the history between them. This one was really cute and I enjoyed it a lot.

 Beneath Your Layers by Christina Lee

I really enjoyed this novella, and I loved that it was an enemies to lovers story. Christina Lee did a great job with this one and I loved getting Chloe's story. Chloe's goal is to work hard and head to New York after graduation to work in the fashion industry. She is always put together and prefers to wear dresses and heels rather than jeans and sneakers. When her boss offers her the chance to turn her school project into a possible job for the future, Chloe agrees reluctantly because it means working with her boss's nephew Blake. Blake has nothing in common with Chloe and views her as nothing more than an uptight girl with a stick up her butt. But as the two begin working together they quickly realize that they have more in common than they thought and that they have made assumptions about one another. But what will happen when the project is over and they no longer have to spend so much time together? Chloe did come off as uptight at first, but it was clear that she was much more than that after getting to know her better. She was smart and sassy, and I loved that she was comfortable with who she was. She was put together and enjoyed dressing up, and fashion was something that she was really passionate about. But I felt bad for her because of her mother. Blake was really good for her, and I thought that he was exactly what she needed to get her out of her comfort zone a bit. He got her to loosen up and that was good to see. Blake was a good guy and he was dedicated to his family. He sacrificed so much for others, and I liked seeing him have such a good attitude about everything. The chemistry between these two was amazing, and I loved how the tension continued to build. Christina Lee was able to take these two characters through so much in such a short amount of time, and it felt so natural. I really enjoyed Chloe and Blake's story.

 Overall 

 Overall, this was a really great anthology. The stories all felt real and believable to me, and they didn't have any feelings of insta-love or feel rushed. That is usually one of my complaints about anthologies, but this one was so much better than I ever expected! I am a huge fan of all these authors, and I think that NA and contemporary fans will find this anthology to be a must read!

**ARC Provided by Penguin Group Berkley/Signet**

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Feature and Giveaway: When We Met by A.L. Jackson, Molly McAdams, Tiffany King and Christina Lee

Today’s premiere New Adult authors combine their talents to tell four original stories from inside one house.

When four girls decide to live off campus together as juniors at a college in Michigan, they expect it to be their best year yet. Little do they know, it’s a year that will change the rest of their lives.

BEHIND HER EYES by A.L. Jackson

Unable to live down her ex-boyfriend’s deception, Misha is determined to avoid betrayal. When, the new guy next door, Darryn starts to get under her skin, her defenses start to crumble. But trusting Darryn seems impossible, especially if he’s not sure he can trust himself.

SAVING ME by Molly McAdams

On the outside, Indy is always ready for a party—but inside she’s breaking. Kier makes a weekly routine of saving the girl next door from herself on Saturday nights… but when will she be ready to remember him on Sunday morning?

FOULING OUT by Tiffany King

Working at a sports bar, Courtney has become a pro at sidestepping propositions from arrogant jocks—which makes her a more elusive catch for campus basketball star Dalton than he expected. But when he falls for the saucy waitress, Dalton will have to rethink his game plan to prove he’s not the jerk Courtney expects.

BENEATH YOUR LAYERS by Christina Lee

In order to ace her fashion internship, Chloe must team up with local college dropout and set builder, Blake—much to her chagrin. But after some "hands-on" experience, Chloe will have to ask herself if Blake factors into her carefully laid plans…

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ARC Review: Sharing You by Molly McAdams

I have been waiting to read Sharing You since I first saw the cover and read the blurb. I need to start off by saying that this book will not be for everyone. This book has a love triangle, and yes there is cheating involved. I really believe that this book is worth the read though and that even though it was hard to get through at times that this book is about how true love always prevails. Real life is messy, and we don't always get to choose who or when we fall in love. To me, that is what this book is about, and I can't even begin to fully describe my love for Kam and Brody.

Kamryn Cunningham is used to doing everything that her parents tell her, and as the princess of the horse racing world Kamryn's life has always been planned for her. She wants nothing more than to life a normal life while opening up her own bakery. At 23 she finally leaves Kentucky to head to Oregon and start a new life where no one knows her. The only person who knows where she is is her family's maid Barb, who was more of a parent than her own were. Finally happy and living the life she dreamed of, she is happy with her bakery and with the new friends she has made. When her best friend tries to hook her up with a friend of hers, Kamryn isn't ready to date anyone. But when her best friend's brother-in-law Brody walks in, everything changes. Brody and Kamryn are instantly drawn to each other and share a connection that they have never felt before. Unfortunately there is a huge obstacle in their way, in that Brody is married. At 26 Brody is stuck in an unhappy marriage with a woman he hasn't loved for years. After she got pregnant he married her, and things continued to fall apart after that. Olivia has always been manipulative and uses the guild that Brody feels after they tragically lost their son to keep him from leaving her. But Brody can't ignore that his feelings for Kamryn and they find it impossible to fight what is between them. But Brody and Kamryn will have many more obstacles in their way before they can truly be together. Can they make it through together, or will they both end up with broken hearts?

I really loved Brody and Kamryn. Yes what they did was not something that I would support or condone, but at the same time I really believed that their bond and love was real and that they belonged together. Brody felt a ton of guilt because of the loss of his son, and he felt like he owed it to Olivia to stay with her despite everything. He was clearly not happy and was drowning in the life he was forced to live, but he really started to come back to life with Kamryn. She really brought out the real him, and believed that what they had was strong enough to fight for. She wasn't in an easy position, and I can't imagine what she had to go through. But I was so glad that she never gave up. Kamryn was easy to admire because she went after what she wanted, and didn't let the wealth and lifestyle of her parents keep her from being happy and pursuing her dream. She was able to be the person she wanted to be because she was willing to be on her own and take the risk. Brody was a great match for her, and I really felt like the two of them were meant to be. They connected on absolutely every level, and you could really see just how much these two felt for each other. Their chemistry was off the charts amazing, but the love and emotional connection were what made these two special.

Overall, I thought that this book was really good. I honestly felt like even though Brody was married and was technically cheating that he really didn't have a relationship with his wife at all. I honestly thought that she was sick and needed help because she was absolutely crazy. How he was able to put up with her I will never know, but his character definitely deserved an award for dealing with her. Not only was she selfish and crazy, but she was straight up conniving and manipulative. I think that Brody let things go on with her longer than he should have though, and I could totally understand Kamryn's frustration. I was really happy about how things ultimately turned out though, and I knew that Brody and Kamryn had to get their HEA because there was no other option. Honestly this book was really good, and I think that it is worth the read even if you are skeptical of reading because of the subject matter. I would highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read more from Molly McAdams in the future.

**ARC Provided by Edelweiss**

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Guest Post with Author Molly McAdams and Giveaway

Meet Molly McAdams, author of Sharing You.

Molly grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry four-legged daughters. When she's not diving into the world of her characters, some of 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. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and 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.

Find Molly at:

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