ARC Review: Crashing Into Love by Melissa Foster

Crashing Into Love is the newest addition to the Love in Bloom Series by Melissa Foster. This is book number 20 in the Love in Bloom series and is the 12th Bradens book, though each book can be read as a standalone. I have read most of the books in this series, and Melissa Foster always delivers a solid and enjoyable story with each one. Crashing Into Love was no exception, and this one was one of my favorites to date. I absolutely loved Fiona and Jake, and I am such a sucker for second chance love stories! 

Fiona Steele has a successful career and has great friends and family. But she has come to realize that it means nothing without having someone to share it with. Years ago, Fiona threw away her relationship with the man she loved and she has never been able to move on since. Though she has tried, she has always known what a mistake she made. Now she has finally been given a chance to do something about it, and she is going to make Jake Braden see that they belong together. Jake has changed though and isn't the same man she remembers. After she broke his heart, Jake has tried to lose himself in as many women as possible, and he knows that he will never believe in love again. But when Fiona lays it all on the line for him, he quickly figures out that he might not have been as over her as he once though. But can he trust Fiona now after the way she dumped him before? And can they make a relationship work when they both live and work in separate places? 

Jake and Fiona were such great characters, and I really liked them both right away. I will admit I was a little worried about if I would like Fiona after she threw Jake away so many years ago, but once I got to see how she felt and everything that had happened she really won me over. She was young and had made a bad decision based on advice from someone she trusted. She never forgot Jake though, and I was glad that she hadn't been able to move on. Their connection was undeniable, and these two belonged together. Jake was a lot of the reason that I was able to connect with Fiona. He forgave her and didn't hold a grudge. At first he tried to keep her at arm's length, but it was clear that he was just trying to protect himself from getting hurt again. He knew that she was different from anyone else he had ever met, and he had never been able to get over her. Though he had tried to bury his feelings for her, they came back as soon as she did. What I loved most about these two was that when they decided to give their relationship another shot, they were honest and open with each other. With each bit of drama or conflict that they experienced, they would communicate with each other and I was glad that they were able to believe what the other told them. They might jump to conclusions, but they would then listen and realize that what they were saying was the truth. These two had such a great connection, and they also had a lot of chemistry and passion between them. What made them so hot together though was the intimacy that they shared and the feelings behind their actions. 

Overall, this was such a great addition to this series. Melissa Foster always delivers unique characters that are easy to like and relate to, and her stories are always well written. This was definitely one of my favorites from the series, and I can't recommend this one enough. If you are looking for a great contemporary romance, you really can't go wrong with any of the books in this series. Though I have had my favorites, I have enjoyed all of them. Jake and Fiona's story is one that I know I will go back and read again in the future, and I loved seeing them get to know one another again and reconnect. I am looking forward to reading more from Melissa Foster in the future, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

**ARC Provided by Tasty Book Tours**

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ARC Review: The Other Brother Part 2: Taboo by Lauren Hawkeye and Tawny Stokes

Taboo is the second installment in The Other Brother Serial by Lauren Hawkeye and Tawny Stokes. These have to be read in order, as Taboo picks up right where Forbidden left off. Theo has just been released from prison and Seth is back after being gone for years. Allegra feels uneasy around Theo and has no idea why. She knows that he has changed, but can't figure out what is going on with him. Allegra is also struggling with her feelings for Seth. She has always been drawn to him and that hasn't changed, but she knows that she should hate him for destroying their family. She wants to know what happened all those years ago and why Seth almost killed her brother Theo. Seth wants to keep Allegra safe, but he also wants her more than he has ever wanted anyone. He knows that he should stay away from her, but the passion between them is more than either of them can fight. 

The chemistry between Allegra and Seth continued to get stronger in this installment. Even with so much history between them and the time apart, there is a pull between them that neither of them can fight. These two click on so many levels, and their desires are a perfect match for one another. While Seth wants to keep Allegra safe, he also doesn't want to tell her the entire truth of what happened so many years ago. It was clear to see how much he wanted to protect her, and part of that was keeping the truth about Theo from her. She was so much more than just a former step-sister to him, and it was easy to see how much he cares about her. Allegra has had her ups and downs, and we got to see more of her in this installment. After everything that happened years ago, she had some really tough times. She had set herself on a destructive path, and was finally starting to put her life back together. You could really tell how much she wanted to hate Seth, but she also couldn't help but feel as though he had to have had a good reason for his actions. She had always felt a connection to him and he was exactly what she needed. I love that we get to see both of their POV's, and I think that it really helps the reader feel invested in these two.

I have to say that Theo absolutely creeps me out. The more we see of him, the more I dislike him. I don't necessarily agree with Seth's approach when it came to how he dealt with Theo, but I do understand his motivation. Theo is clearly sick and disturbed, and I really hope that Seth is able to protect Allegra. These two have such a strong connection, and I think that Seth would do absolutely anything for her. I hope that they are able to figure things out. Since this is the second part of three, this does end with a cliffhanger. Part three is already out though, so don't let that stop you from reading these. I am really curious to see where this goes next, and I couldn't put this one down. Each installment is short and filled with tons of action and steamy scenes. I am enjoying this serial so far, and there hasn't been a single slow part yet. I can't wait to read the final part and see what Lauren and Tawny have in store for us next.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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ARC Review:Compulsion by Allison Brennan

Good but too long, entertaining but incredible, not necessarily an improvement on a frequent female-investigator formula.

Compulsion is my first Allison Brennan novel and my first impression of the book, while it was in the building phase, was that it was good. Max is an investigative reporter who is convinced that a serial killer on trial for murdering six-ish (I’ve had a couple of glasses of wine since finishing the book and the numbers are hazy, pardon me) women had a partner. The plot is essentially Max trying to unravel the mystery of the killer’s theoretical partner while “unwittingly” placing herself at the center of the killer’s focus.

Let me start with what I like about this book: There is a well conceived mystery plot with plenty of action, twists and turns interspersed in the pages to keep things interesting. I like a mystery that goes beyond just a good ol whodunit and ventures into psychological thriller territory. We definitely get that from Compulsion. Another thing I like about this book is the rotating perspectives. This book is written in a third person POV but it shifts between characters which gives the readers a fuller view of the story and a better chance to guess what is really going on. If you’ve read anything by Lisa Jackson or Lisa Gardner, this book is somewhere between the writing style of those two authors.

What I didn’t like about this book was Max. I have a serious aversion to the fearless female character prototype who recklessly confronts every danger like her a-s is made of Teflon. Max was running around in this book staring down killers, hounding law enforcement officials and venturing into dark abandoned buildings as if she had been drinking vampire blood and was indestructible. I get that she is supposed to be the “tenacious” heroine but I HATE that tenacity in a female character is often depicted as good ol fashioned stupidity. If Max were a law enforcement character who carried a gun or, I don’t know, was like trained in self defense, I would have found her behavior more palatable. What I have a hard time swallowing or enjoying is a character who has no means of defending themselves and no plan running head first into a burning building where a masked killer is waiting outside with an ax. That exact thing didn’t happen in this book but you get where I’m going with this. To add insult to injury, when Max is really in trouble she has to be rescued by a bevy of male heroes. Feminism aside, I’m all for some hunk of a man charging in and saving the day but the number of times Max stupidly got herself into a bind so she could be saved by a long list of tolerant/adoring male supporting characters gave me indigestion.

Finally, I didn’t really understand why the author built in information about the characters’ past. I don’t know that it did anything for the mystery plot line and it added too many pages to the book. I usually don’t complain about book length because if an author wants to give us more bang for our buck, why not let them? In this case, however, the book really was a bit too long in that some of the pages seemed just unnecessary.

Last impressions: I liked the mystery even though it was a little predictable, I hated Max and I would purchase another Allison Brennan novel because the writing was good.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Feeding the Fire by Andrea Laurence

Pepper has no interest in Grant Chamberlain…until she accidentally wins him at a school auction and finds the mega-hot firefighter impossible to ignore. Find out what happens next in the second playful and sexy ebook romance in the Rosewood series!

Living in the small town of Rosewood, Alabama, hairdresser Pepper Anthony has one rule—never date a Chamberlain. She’s always said, “the only thing worse than being ignored by a Chamberlain is being dumped by one.” But Grant Chamberlain, town fireman, isn’t used to rejection, and Pepper has consistently turned him down since high school. She isn’t intimidated by his family; she’s one of the few who refuses to take their crap.

When Grant volunteers at the charity bachelor auction, to his surprise, Pepper buys him. She hadn’t meant to, but Adelia Chamberlain dropped a cold drink in her lap, sending her leaping into the air at precisely the wrong moment. Suddenly she had a massive bill to the town and Grant at her disposal. Since the money has to come from her “restore the house” fund, she decides to use Grant for manual labor instead of romantic dinners. Grant is happy to help, sweaty and shirtless, because one way or another, he’s going to get Pepper to admit she’s attracted to him. All it takes is a small spark, and soon they’ll be fanning the flames.

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ARC Review: Need by K.I. Lynn and N. Isabelle Blanco

Need is the first part of a two part series by K.I. Lynn and N. Isabelle Blanco. This is the first book that I had ever read by either author, so I really didn't have any expectations going in. I just knew that after reading the blurb I really had to read this book. This book had some things that bothered me, but I couldn't put this one down. It captured my attention right away, and I couldn't stop until I had finished. I absolutely need the next book, because I have to know what happens next for Brayden and Kira. 

Brayden and Kira have been best friends and neighbors since they were kids. They grew up hanging out with one another and Kira's brother Ryan. When Brayden's dad and mom get divorced, he decides to stay with his dad so that he can continue to be around Kira. As they get older, Brayden and Kira's feelings for one another begin to change and they start to see each other differently. Brayden has known that his feelings for Kira were wrong, and has tried to forget her by sleeping with other girls. When he finally decides to tell her how he feels, everything is quickly ruined when his dad announces that he is marrying Kira and Ryan's mother. Brayden is once again forced to push Kira away in order to stay away from her. But after going away to college and finally realizing that the love he has for Kira is too strong to live without, Brayden decides to finally take what has been his all along. But now Kira is tired of Brayden's games and is ready to move on once and for all. With Kira's 18th birthday coming up, Brayden is determined to do what he should have before and fight for her. Will Kira be willing to give Brayden another chance, or will she finally be done with him for good?

I had issues with both Kira and Brayden, but I think a lot of these issues were because of their ages. They acted immature and did stupid things at times, and I really wanted them to just talk to one another. While I liked Brayden and couldn't help but feel drawn to him, he really screwed up a few times. He was sexy and alpha, but I did feel like his manwhoring ways got a bit out of hand at times. Especially when he knew how he felt about Kira, and how she felt about him. Kira drove me nuts a few times as well. For most of the story she was weak and let Brayden walk all over her, then she finally decides to grow a backbone and proceeds to do things that irritate me again. I wanted her find a happy medium, and unfortunately she never quite reached that. She might have said that she hated Brayden and didn't want anything to do with him, but she was clearly lying to herself as well as him. Her body wanted him and so did she. I just wanted her to accept that and give him a chance after everything that they had been through. I thought that Brayden had come a long way and he deserved to have another chance. The passion and chemistry between these two was off the charts though, and they were super hot with one another. I liked the tension and build up between them, and what made them hotter was the connection they shared. They had grown up together and knew each other so well. These two just fit together, and I really thought that they were meant to be together. It seems crazy to me that no one picked up on things sooner with these two and the way they were around one another, or at least that no one said anything to either of them.

I will say that there were a few issues with the actual story to me. I felt a little uncomfortable with things between Kira and Brayden early on. While three years isn't a huge age difference, the fact that things between them started so young was a bit of a problem for me. Kira was under 16, and for me that was a bit of a weird thing to read about when it came to the sexual thoughts and feelings that were being expressed. As they got older it wasn't anything that would be unacceptable, but things were a bit hard to get through before then. I also felt like the timeline on this story was a bit confusing. The date and year were listed when we advanced in time as the story went on, but there were several times that it didn't seem to match up for me. Maybe I was mistaken, but it just seemed like there were some inconsistencies with the timeline and I found it hard to follow. I also thought that there was a little too much push and pull at times, and it did get a bit old after awhile. I was ready for these two to finally start to figure things out, and it seemed like that took too long at times. I understood that the circumstances these two were facing were a bit messed up and hard to deal with and the fact that they were so young allowed me as a reader to cut them a little more slack than I normally would. These two had such a strong connection, and I felt like they had a lot going against them that was out of control. I can't imagine how I would have handled things at their age, so while it drove me nuts it didn't stop me from wanting to continue the story at all. I do need the next book though, and it honestly can't get here soon enough. I have to know what happens next for these two, and I just know that they have to find a way to be together. They are perfect for one another, and I really like them together.

**ARC Provided by Between The Sheets Promotions**

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