ARC Review: S.O.B. by J.C. Valentine

I know that the stepbrother trope has been done to death this year, but I have to admit that they are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. So when I found out that J.C. Valentine was writing one that was also a sports romance, I couldn't help but jump at the chance. I really didn't go in with much knowledge of the book as I just saw soccer and stepbrother and was sold, but I have read books by J.C. Valentine before and really enjoyed them. I have to say that this book left me with mixed feelings. While there were things that I really liked, there were also things that just didn't work for me.

Looking to start her new business off as a success, Vista agrees to help her stepbrother rehab after an injury that sidelined him from his soccer career in exchange for the start-up money and contacts from her stepfather. But while the world sees a famous soccer star that is handsome and has it all, Vista sees Levi for the s.o.b. that he really is. Though Levi is sexy and charming, he is also the man that slept with her before their parents got married just to kick her to the curb the next day leaving her broken hearted. Vista is determined to remain as professional as possible for the required month, but Levi is determined to get her back in bed the minute he lays eyes on her. Can Vista last the month she needs in order to start her business off right? 

I had moments where I really liked Vista and Levi, and moments where they made me so angry I wanted to shake them both. I have to say that there were several occasions here that I was rolling my eyes and quite frankly their immaturity got to be really annoying. There was a definite case of whiplash here when it came to how these two felt about one another, and it changed so quickly it was hard to keep track. One minute they couldn't stand each other and the next they were in love with one another. I really wanted these two to talk to one another without all the insults and biting remarks, and act like adults. It was a shame that they took so long to get on the same page, as I really thought that they had a great connection. The one thing I will say though is that the chemistry was there from the start, and these two were super hot together! That is the one area that needed no improvement when it came to Vista and Levi's relationship. 

This book started off so strong, and I was really enjoying the story for the first half or so, but then it took a turn that I saw coming and yet was hoping wouldn't happen. After that though, it was really hard for me to get over the way these two handled things. They each did some really stupid and selfish things, and that was where the majority of the eye rolling happened. I was hoping that these two would get their acts together, but it took far longer than it should have. Besides the big event that I didn't care for and the issues with Levi and Vista themselves, there were some things that I felt were worded a bit weird here. I kept coming across odd phrases or wordings, and it was a bit strange at times as well as distracting. Overall, I think that this story showed a lot of promise but ultimately wasn't what I had been expecting or hoping for. While this one started strong, it fell flat for me. I do think that there were some really great moments here, and there was a definite connection between Levi and Vista. Unfortunately though, I just wasn't able to love this one.

**ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**

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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**

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ARC Review: Raine by J.C. Valentine

I have to say that this book was different than I thought it was going to be, and I really enjoyed it. I will go ahead and say that this book will not be for everyone. It deals with some very adult situations, and there is quite a bit of drama that will bother some people. But I liked the characters a lot and I was instantly drawn into this story. I kept turning pages and the next thing I knew it was over! Raine was a very good story, and I really felt the emotions with this one.

When the shy and unnoticed girl Raine Forester is suddenly noticed by popular Camron Moss, she can hardly believe that he is interested in her. After a few months together though, she finally is ready to take the next step with him on prom night. But then Camron suddenly shows a side of himself that Raine has never seen before, and everything changes for her. Finding herself pregnant and alone, Raine sets out to provide for herself and her unborn baby. When Camron's older brother Jarret sees her struggling he offers to help her out. But Raine wants nothing from the Moss family after everything they have put her through. Jarret refuses to let Raine and his niece or nephew live the way they have been though and finally convinces her to let him help. The more time they spend together, the closer they become. But with all the obstacles in their way and the complicate situation they find themselves in, can they possibly have a chance at something together?

I really liked Jarret. At first I wasn't sure what to make of him. But he was really a stand-up guy that was so much more than meets the eye. Jarret was kind and sweet and so protective of Raine. He had been drawn to her and knew that he shouldn't want her, yet he couldn't stay away from her. He was so great with her, and I loved seeing him show Raine that she wasn't alone and that he was always there for her. Raine was strong and independent. She was determined to take a bad situation and make the best of it. She was honest and good, and I loved that she wouldn't allow the Moss family to dictate what she did or buy her off. She was slow to let Jarret in, but I thought that she did the right thing by her and the baby. Jarret and Raine were great together though, and I really enjoyed seeing the feelings develop between them. They had such a great connection and there was so much chemistry with these two.

I will say that part of why I think this story isn't for everyone is that there is a lot of drama. Without going into everything that happens, some of the stuff does happen to be on the verge of being over the top. Pretty much everything bad that could possibly happen does in one way or another, and I think that some people will find it hard to believe. For me, that is usually a problem and it is hard for me to get into a story that I can't see as real. But this book was emotional and well written, and I found myself lost in the story. I enjoyed it for what it was, and loved Raine and Jarret. I will definitely look for more from J.C. Valentine in the future, and I think if you want a deep and emotional NA read that you should definitely give this one a shot.

**ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**

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