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Saturday, March 7, 2015

Weekly Winners

Below is a list of all of the winners from last week.

Anne
$25 Amazon Gift Card from Shae Ross

Sue
Jenn
Stef
Resist by Lilly Avalon


All winners have been notified via email. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered. =)

ARC Review: The Club by Lauren Rowe


Wow, this book was amazing. The Club sucked me right in from the very first page, and I absolutely couldn't put it down! It was so refreshingly different, and I just loved every bit of it. Lauren Rowe has created such a different story and set of characters and I just couldn't get enough. I already can't wait for the next book because I need more Jonas. I will tell you that these books have cliffhangers and continue from one book to the next, but trust me it is worth the read. Luckily, all three books are now released so you don't have to wait to start the next one.

After hearing his brother talk about The Club, Jonas Faraday can't stop thinking about it and decides to join. When Jonas fills out the online application, he never expects to get a private message back from his intake agent. Jonas is immediately drawn to her and is compelled to learn everything he can about her. As Jonas becomes obsessed with learning who she really is, he enlists his brother and a friend to help them find her. But after he finds her will he continue to only want a short but passionate affair, or will she be the one to finally change his opinion about relationships? And what will happen to his newly purchased membership to The Club?

I freaking loved Jonas. Right away I could tell what would draw women to him, and he never disappointed. He was cocky and confident, and super sexy. But he was also sweet and thoughtful, and extremely smart and deep. This guy seriously had it all, and with each new layer revealed continued to make me fall in love with him just like Sarah did. Jonas Faraday is truly one of a kind, and I loved every side to him. Sarah was fantastic as well. She was smart and sassy, and I loved that she was a bit of a rule breaker. She did what she felt like, and wasn't afraid to challenge Jonas or put him in his place. These two were the perfect match for one another because they made each other better. They pushed each other when needed, and offered support and encouragement as well. Not to mention the chemistry between them was smoking hot! These two really clicked on all levels, and I couldn't wait to see how things between them would shake out.

I will admit that there were a few times in this story that things were a bit slow, and I think part of that was due to some inner monologues and details given. While normally that would made me lose interest in the story, it didn't in this case. It actually made me want to keep reading, because I loved getting inside Jonas and Sarah's heads. I liked seeing their thoughts and feelings, and I was so glad that Lauren Rowe decided to give us both of their POVs. The banter between these two was fantastic, and they were perfectly matched in every aspect. I never expected the twist, and it made me that much more intrigued with this story. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next, and learning more about this fantastic world that Lauren Rowe has created. I highly recommend giving this book a shot. Jonas is more than enough reason to read this story, and I can't wait to dive into The Reclamation.

**ARC Provided by Truly Schmexy PR**

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






ARC Review: Before I Fall by Jessica Scott



I’ve read many of Jessica Scott’s books and have really enjoyed them. “Before I Fall” was no exception. Although a little different form her previous books. They were mostly about people in the military or getting out of the military. They were also mostly about adults. This book was a little different because it’s about young adults. Generally, I have to confess, that I don’t love young adult books because I find them to be very melodramatic but when I saw that this was written by Scott I was interested.

The story is about Beth Lamont. Beth is a young twenty year old. She is in college, specifically studying business. Beth is also beautiful and a teachers aid. Although she lives in a good neighborhood she lives with her dad on the outside of town. Her father is a veteran and relies on Beth to take care of him. Beth has to work to financially take care of her father and herself and most of the time they live pay check to pay check. One day Beth’s statistics professor asks her for a favor. She needs her to tutor a young man that is just coming out of the military. Noah Warren is young man who enlisted in the military at a young age. He is now out and thanks to the support of his friends he is enrolled in business school.

Both Beth and Noah are such nice people. They both carry a lot of burdens on their shoulders at a very young age, which in a way helps them connect to one another. When they first meet Beth is very defensive because she knows that Noah is coming from the military. Beth has had a lot of experience with the military because of her dad. Once they get to know each other they quickly fall for each other. Beth and Noah begin to see each other as they really are. This is both good and bad. Noah has his fair share of baggage. He is suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). He is also very dependent his meds to help him with this condition.

In true Scott fashion she doesn’t sugar coat life in or out of the military. She delivers the cold, hard and sad truths. She is very forthcoming about all the issues that Beth’s father deals with at the Veterans Hospital. This was really a beautiful story about two very beautiful people. For me it was impossible not to ache for them. I do have to say that like many of Scott’s books they are very emotionally heavy, they are not light readings and “Before I Fall”is no exception. Just like her other books I couldn’t put the story down. If anyone hasn’t read her yet, I highly recommend that they do so.

**ARC provided by Author**

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



Audiobook Review: All or Nothing by Kendall Ryan, Narrated by Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman


All or Nothing is the third book in the Love By Design series from Kendall Ryan. This book can be read as a standalone, but is best when read after the first two books in this series. Braydon and Ellie are the best friends of Ben and Emmy, so you really get to know so much more about them by seeing them from the start. I was really excited for the chance to listen to this story, there is just something about an audiobook that can bring a book to life. I thought that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman did a great job of giving the reader more depth to each character than they would have had by simply reading the book. 

Braydon doesn't do relationships, and as a top male model he has never had to limit himself when it comes to the women he can get. When his best friend Ben settles down with Emmy and gets married though, Braydon can't help but find himself drawn to Emmy's best friend Ellie. After a steamy encounter at their wedding, Ellie and Braydon realize that there is something between them and are determined to find out what it is. Though they agree to a sex only relationship, it is clear right away that there is more between them than either of them wants to admit. The closer they get, the more their feelings grow. Ellie is finally willing to admit that she wants more, but Braydon isn't ready for anything but what he stated upfront. But when Ellie decides that she can't keep going on the way they have been, will she and Braydon wind up having it all or having nothing? 

I loved Braydon from the previous books, and I couldn't wait to get to know him better. He was such a sweet and fun loving guy, and he had always been one of my favorite characters. We got to see a different side of him in this book, and he had so much more to him than I expected. He had been scared of relationships because of things from his past, and though I didn't agree with his actions I did understand some of where he was coming from. I thought that it took him a really long time to come around though, and it was clear that things with Ellie were different. I wanted him to trust her more and be willing to take a chance on the connection they shared. Ellie was more of a problem for me in this book than I expected. I had really loved her in the first two books, she was always so fun and feisty. She was sassy and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place. But this time around she was whiny and weak for the majority of the story, and it just wasn't the same character I had come to know and love. I have no idea what happened to her, but I didn't really like her in this book until she finally started to grow a bit of a backbone. Unfortunately, even when she did start to return to that character, she would still whine and end up feeling sorry for herself. I wanted to see the same girl from the beginning of the series and I just felt like she had lost some of her sparkle. The connection and chemistry between these two was obvious though, and I really did believe that they belonged together. 

My other issue with this story was that a lot of the dialogue got to be repetitive at times, and I felt like the author was trying to reinforce things that should have been obvious to the reader. It was said several times that Braydon and Ellie had "off the charts chemistry", and yes it was clear they did. I didn't like that it was said so many times, like the reader had possibly forgotten. It was one of those things where I wanted to ask after awhile if they were trying to convince the reader or themselves since it seemed they couldn't stop bringing it up. I also thought that things with Braydon's past were a little less dramatic than she tried to make it, and that things were wrapped up far too easily and neatly. I didn't think that the situation would have been solved as simply as it was in real life. I did think that this was a good book, and I did enjoy it. When Ellie wasn't annoying, I loved the banter between her and Braydon. She was capable of giving as well as receiving and it was nice to see that. I wish that we had been given more of Braydon's POV, and I didn't know going in that he only did the epilogue. I kept waiting for Josh Goodman's voice throughout the story and was disappointed that we got so little of it. Elizabeth Louise did a really good job though, and I didn't find her annoying as I have other female narrators. I thought that she did a really good job of differentiating between characters. The only criticism I had is a few of the times that she was doing conversations between Ellie and Emmy, she would sometimes remain in her southern accent longer than she should have. Emmy was the one with the accent, and it would sometimes bleed into Ellie's words. I think that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman were really great choices for this story though, and I would absolutely listen to more from each of them. Though this wasn't my favorite book in this series, I really did like it and I will read more from Kendall Ryan in the future.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository | iTunes | 





Friday, March 6, 2015

ARC Review: Something Real by Lexi Ryan


I am so torn when it comes to this book, and I really don't even know where to start with this review. If you haven't read Something Reckless, you need to start there before Reading Something Real. This book is the second part of Liz and Sam's story and you will be lost if you haven't read the previous book. Though you do need to read Something Reckless, you do not need to have read Lexi Ryan's Here and Now Series or the New Hope Series, though the characters are interconnected. I will tell you that I couldn't wait to read this book, and I loved Sam and Liz from the start of this series. But I did have some issues, and that kept me from really loving this book. 

Something Real picks up after the events of Something Reckless, with Liz and Sam broken up after everything was revealed about who River was. Sam and Liz are both miserable and want to be together, but they have no idea how to get back to one another and neither of them has taken the initiative to contact the other. Liz moved to Indianapolis to work on the Guy campaign and has been there for five months. But when the Guy campaign suddenly brings Sam back into her life, they realize that they aren't as over as they thought they were. This time around there are more obstacles than ever and though they want to be together, can they actually make a relationship work? 

I really loved Liz and Sam together in Something Reckless. These two just fit together so well, and I knew that they belonged together. I was so sad for them at the end of that book, but I just kept thinking that they had to find a way to make it work. Though I still liked Liz and Sam, this book didn't have me loving them as much as before. They both made bad decisions and seemed to be incapable of making the first move. They made assumptions and didn't talk to one another. I thought that Liz avoided Sam too much and should have been able to discuss things with him. Sam was so determined to always do the right thing that he missed so much of what was going on around him. I felt like he should have fought harder for Liz, and I wanted to see him step it up the way Liz deserved. They still had a lot of chemistry between them and their connection was never the problem, but they needed to work together more rather than separately.

I really thought that this book would be more about Sam and Liz coming together finally and moving past the pain and hurt that they had experienced in the first book. They already had so much to overcome that I didn't expect the amount of new obstacles they would have to face. As the drama kept piling up in this one, I just kept asking myself why this was necessary. They already had more than enough drama without adding the crazy they had to face in this book. I really felt like that was a lot of what left me on the fence about this book. I honestly thought at several points that Sam and Liz might have been better off apart, and it killed me to see that happen with these two. But they both made poor decisions, and I just felt like there was too much drama going on. Then we finally start to get some resolution and the story is over. The ending felt rushed and abrupt, and it could have easily been extended to give us a more satisfying place to stop. Though I was happy that all the crazy had been handled, I wanted to see what would happen for the characters beyond that. As much as I love Lexi Ryan and her books, I have to say I was a bit disappointed in this one. I think that Sam and Liz fans will be happy to have more of them and to see some familiar faces, but to me this wasn't the ending that they deserved. I am excited about the direction she is headed with Max next though, and I am so glad that he will be getting his story next. I have loved him since I first met him, though I knew he wasn't meant for Hanna. I can't wait to see more of him, and I look forward to reading more from Lexi in the future.

**ARC Provided by AToMR Tours**

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





Review: The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato


The Clockwork Dagger is the first book in an wonderfully compelling series that features Octavia Leander, a healer with supernatural abilities. A little dark and a lot mysterious and magical, Ms. Cato's first novel is extraordinary!

Octavia is about to embark on her first mission as a trained healer in a land that is scarred by an ongoing war and rife with hardship. However, the route to Octavia's destination is marked with intrigue and betrayal. On her journey she is joined by Viola, Alonzo and Leaf. To say too much about these characters might be a spoiler. Suffice it to say, each has their own importance to the story and their presence only adds interest and potential for excitement in this story and in the next.

I really liked Octavia. She has such a good spirit and only wants to make life better for everyone. She wants to use her ability to heal to make the world a better place. But betrayal shakes her spirit and leads her to hard choices. And she comes to realize her healing abilities are magical and great and are coveted by all sides. Sides in a war that it appears no one will, or should, win.

The Clockwork Dagger is about Octavia grasping for her place in the world and determined not to let others dictate that place. While this is not an unusual theme in the fiction I read, I really liked the heart of this particular heroine. She is strong and smart and brave, but has enough self-doubt to need her friends and her magic to help her find her path.

The first book in the in the series ends with resolution of some of the plot lines, but also on a bit of a cliffhanger. Only a really good book can pull this off and not make me angry! As it is, I just wish I had not read this book until the second book was also out so I could read them back-to-back. The Clockwork Crown will not be available until June, but in the interim, The Deepest Poison, a story about Octavia's beginnings,will be available in April. I will look forward to both of them. When I purchased The Clockwork Dagger, it was in the $9 range, as is the anticipated price for The Clockwork Crown. I certainly got my $9 of enjoyment out of it but Dagger is currently in the $3 range at Amazon, making it an even better buy!

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



Review: It Will Always Be You by Tina Ness


It Will Always Be You is the first book in Tina Ness's You Series. This is her debut novel, so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect with this one. While there were things that I liked, there were other things that I had some issues with. This book was good, but it just wasn't great. I found myself annoyed with the heroine and bored at times with the story. 

Elizabeth has wanted Marshall Roderick since she first saw him. But every time he comes into her hotel to stay, she turns into a shy mess unable to talk to him. Then Elizabeth begins to get to know Marshall and finds out that he is different than she had first thought. Elizabeth and Marshall start spending time together, but then a horrible attack happens that shakes them both up. As Marshall's past is revealed, Elizabeth and Marshall must figure out if they can move past it together, or if it will tear them apart. 

I liked Marshall. He was a good guy that was struggling. It was clear that he wanted to move forward with his life and was feeling things for Elizabeth that he hadn't expected. He wanted to see where things with her were going and he felt drawn to her, but he also wasn't sure he was ready for more. I liked that he was so sweet and thoughtful with her, and he had no problems apologizing when he needed to. Elizabeth on the other hand was my biggest problem in this story. She was whiny and annoying, and acted far younger than her age. She was so fixated on Marshall, yet then she would behave like a teenage girl with her first crush around him. She couldn't talk to him, and when he does talk to her she even collapsed at one point. It was just over the top, and I didn't enjoy it at all. She was always thinking about Marshall and how dreamy he was, and it was literally as if she was obsessed with him. I wasn't feeling the connection between them so much at first, because it all seemed so one sided. While they did have chemistry and I could see them getting there down the road, it all just felt rushed and unrealistic. 

I also thought that the big violent event wasn't nearly as big as the blurb made it out to be, and this story didn't ever really seem to go anywhere. There just really wasn't a lot to the plot, and it was pretty predictable and easily forgotten when finished. I did like Elizabeth's best friend and her sister, and I loved the support and encouragement that she received from them. Those relationships were definitely the high points of this book, and I found myself enjoying their interactions more than the romance in this story. Tina Ness is working on a second book in this series, Before There Was You, which seems to focus on Marshall and his POV. I am not sure if I will read it or not. While I did like Marshall and would be interested in his story, I am not sure there is enough there to have a whole other book about. Especially if it is this book just rehashed. I think that some contemporary fans will enjoy this book and if it sounds like something you might like, it might be worth giving a shot. It wasn't a bad read, I just had trouble connecting with the heroine and feeling the connection between her and Marshall.

**Review Copy Provided by Xpresso Book Tours**

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





Feature and Giveaway: Bedroom Eyes and Perfect Match by Hailey North


Boudoir Lies...

Overworked tax attorney Penelope Sue fields never had time for romance—so she invented a phantom lover named Raoul to fill the gaping hole in her love life. But all it takes is one chance encounter with hunky undercover cop Tony Olano in a New Orleans elevator, and Penelope is ready to give her fantasy man the boot in favor of the flesh and blood, rippling muscled real thing. Now if only he would notice her.

Bedroom Eyes...

Badboy-turned-cop Tony Olano can’t help but notice the dreamy-eyed lawyer—she’s not only desirable, she’s a suspect in his ongoing criminal investigation! And that’s where grandmotherly Mrs. Maebelle Merlin comes in. A well-meaning meddler, Mrs. Merlin’s prepared to use mystical arts to unite the “all-work-no-play” lady lawyer and the sexy, sensitive lawman. Trouble is that her spell goes seriously awry, leaving Tony and Penelope to forge their own tumultuous path to good old-fashioned passion.

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

Feature and Giveaway: Back in the Game by Lori Wilde


New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde welcomes you to Stardust, Texas . . . where dreams come true and love is always right around the corner

Wanted: ghostwriter. Must be female, a baseball fan, and have a great pair of legs.

Ex-pitcher Rowdy Blanton never saw a woman he couldn't conquer or a team he couldn't beat. And now that he's off the field he's ready to tell all about when he played the field. So he chooses Breeanne Carlyle to do the job-she's got the requirements, but more important, there's something about her that makes him want to be a better man.

Convinced there's more to Rowdy than a good fastball, a wicked smile, and a tight pair of pants, Breeanne can't help but be tempted. After all, it's boring always being the good girl, and Rowdy dares her to be just a little bad. The stakes are high, but win or lose, this time Breeanne's breaking all the rules playing the game of love.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |

Thursday, March 5, 2015

ARC Review: Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston


Diary of an Accidental Wallflower is the start of a new series for Jennifer McQuiston the Seduction Diaries. A first for me, never having read this author before, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A light and easy read that I breezed through. I expected it to be a bit of historical fluff, which is fine with me sometimes that’s exactly what you need, but there was more to this book than that and that was a nice surprise. The main characters are more than they seem. Clare Westmore may seem like an empty headed socialite but is really very intelligent and well read she only pretends so she won’t stick out in the ton and so it would be easy to find a husband. Dr. Daniel Merial isn’t just your ordinary doctor he is also trying to discover a better way to administer chloroform safely for surgery. The characters are strong willed both knowing what they want or what they think they want and it definitely isn’t each other.

Clare is a daughter of a Viscount and she has her cap set on the Duke of Harrington, but if her mother has her way it will be Mr. Meeks. Unfortunately while out with her younger siblings, who are hysterical by the way, Clare falls down and twists her ankle. Unwilling to become a wallflower and lose the interest of her Duke she still goes to a ball that night. Dr. Daniel has been treating an old friend and she doesn’t want to stop her activities she is going to die and she wants to live her last days to its fullest, it also at her ball where Daniel finds a beautiful young woman walking with a twisted ankle. Daniel tells Clare that she needs to stay off her ankle for a month; Claire knows her status among the ton will fall, and as she learns her so called friends are going to be the ones to throw her over. The more Clare learns about Daniel and the more she sees him with her siblings the more she likes him and she doesn’t think she is good enough for him. Daniel quickly falls for Clare but her want to be part of the ton keeps him at bay until he can’t stay away anymore. Clare’s family life and its secrets are exposed and Clare’s reputation gets damaged.

I’m glad I picked up this book and I will get the next ones in the series. There was a nice blend of humor and romance in the setting of the Regency Ton.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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



ARC Review: Sweetest Temptations by J.C. Valentine


Sweetest Temptations was previously published as a part of the Red Hot Alphas Boxed Set, but is now available as a standalone from J.C. Valentine. This is the first book in the Blue Collar series. While this is a contemporary story, there is also a bit of suspense to it. This one was sweet and sexy, and the mystery kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. 

Abby has just opened up her own bakery, and her first customer is a handsome stranger. When she goes to dinner at her meddling sister's house, she is pleasantly surprised to find out that her setup for this week is not another awful guy like usual but is instead her handsome customer. Kennedy is a firefighter, and they quickly hit it off. Things are finally starting to go her way, when random accidents begin happening at the bakery. At first it appears to be coincidence, but soon they figure out that someone is out to get Abby. Can they figure out who is behind the attacks before it's too late? 

I liked Abby and Kennedy. I have to admit that I didn't really care for Kennedy's name. It seemed like more of a girl's name to me, and I was glad that he was mostly referred to as Ken. I did like Ken and Abby together though, and I thought that they were really sweet and sexy together. Ken was a really nice guy, and he was caring and normal. I liked that he wasn't afraid to be completely honest, and he didn't have a problem being in a relationship. He was interested to see where things would go, and it was very refreshing to see a guy that didn't run from commitment. Abby was smart and fun, and I liked her character a lot. These two were great together from the start and seemed to have it all. I will say that their connection felt a bit rushed to me. They went on a few dates, and everything just happened very easily. It felt a little too good to be true at times, and there wasn't any conflict or drama when it came to their relationship at all. It wasn't very realistic to me, and I felt like it was just too fast for things to have been so perfect when things don't happen like that in real life. Not all relationships are filled with drama, but there is usually some conflict or things that need to be worked on, and that didn't happen here at all. 

I also thought that the ending of this book was very abrupt. Right after the action it just basically stops. While I did like how things turned out in regards to what happened with the bakery and in regards to Abby and Ken's relationship, I wanted more. I thought that it would have been nice to sort of lead up to what happened at the end, or to have seen a bit down the line. It just left me sort of reeling after everything that had happened, and wasn't what I had been hoping for. I did enjoy the story though, and this was a quick and easy read. It was nice to just lose myself in the story for awhile and get to enjoy the characters. I think that if you are looking for something short and sweet with a little bit of suspense that you might give this one a shot. It had it's funny moments and was entertaining, and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this one.

**ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository





Guest Post with Author Annabeth Albert and Giveaway

Meet Annabeth Albert, author of Served Hot.

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.

Feature and Giveaway Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston


Pretty and popular, Miss Clare Westmore knows exactly what (or rather, who) she wants: the next Duke of Harrington. But when she twists her ankle on the eve of the Season’s most touted event, Clare is left standing in the wallflower line watching her best friend dance away with her duke.

Dr. Daniel Merial is tempted to deliver more than a diagnosis to London’s most unlikely wallflower, but he doesn’t have time for distractions, even one so delectable. Besides, she’s clearly got her sights on more promising prey. So why can’t he stop thinking about her?

All Clare wants to do is return to the dance floor. But as her former friends try to knock her permanently out of place, she realizes with horror she is falling for her doctor instead her duke. When her ankle finally heals and she faces her old life again, will she throw herself back into the game?

Or will her time in the wallflower line have given her a glimpse of who she was really meant to be?

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

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Review: Losing Track by Trisha Wolfe


Losing Track is the second book in the Living Heartwood series by Trisha Wolfe. These NA books are not the typical story you would expect from the NA genre. While this is the second book in the series, each book can be read as a standalone and I honestly don't think it matters what order you read them in. While I liked this book better than the first in the series, I still had some issues. 

Melody and her best friend Darla have been inseparable since they became friends as kids. Now years later, they spend their time traveling around on bikes with tatted guys and are always looking for a good time. But when then a tragic accident changes everything, and Melody is forced to face her demons. When she meets Boone Randall, she sees a good guy looking to tell her why she should be living the sober life. At first they clash, but the more they are around one another the more drawn to each other they find themselves. Soon Melody finds out that Boone is so much more than what she first thought, and she realizes that she had no idea who he really was. Now she must decide if she is willing to change the path she was on, or if she isn't ready to leave the only life that she has ever known. 

I liked both Boone and Melody. Melody is a total tough chick, and I love how comfortable she was in her skin. She wasn't afraid to be her own person, and I liked that she didn't let others get away with any crap. She was feisty and could hold her own, and I really admired that about her. She did have her issues though, and I was glad that Boone was around to help her start to see some of that. Boone was the same as her in that he wouldn't let her get away with any BS. He forced her to sort of face things that she hadn't before, and I was glad that she had him to help her ease into life after the tragedy. Boone was so much more than I expected at first, and he surprised me in a lot of ways. I enjoyed learning more about him as the story went on, and his layers were peeled back. I thought that these two had really strong chemistry from the very start, and they also clicked on a level that they didn't with others. They seemed to be able to understand one another in ways that no one else got. I liked that they had things in common, but that they could also learn and grow from each other as well.

I will say that I thought the first half of this book was very slow. I wasn't feeling the connection between the characters, and I wasn't invested in the story. There were a few times that I thought about giving up, but then something would happen that would pull me back in and make me want to continue. After about halfway through though, things really started to pick up and I started to really enjoy the story. I wish it wouldn't have taken so long for it to pull me in though and I think that was a lot of my issues with this book. I will also say that there was something that happened in the very beginning of the story that I felt like got swept under the rug far too easily and I wasn't happy that it didn't get dealt with in a different way. Though I liked Jesse at times, he did something truly awful and was granted almost instant forgiveness as though it wasn't a big deal. I didn't like that at all, and I wish it had been better dealt with. It wasn't okay what he did, and I felt like it really changed my opinion of the characters and the story. While I had these issues I did like parts of the story, and I was really interested in finding out what would happen between Boone and Melody. I liked these two together a lot and thought that they were really great for one another. I am curious to read more from Trisha Wolfe in the future, and I will continue this series. But I will say that this series is so raw and rough, and there are some really dark elements to it. I think that readers should beware that there are some things in these stories that might be triggers for them, and decide if these books are right for them before reading.

**Review Copy Provided by AToMR Tours**

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