ARC Review: Eleven Eleven by Micalea Smeltzer

I will admit that the love I have for this book started with the cover! It is so gorgeous and honestly was what sold me on this book. But as beautiful as the book is on the outside, the contents are even more so! This book is by far my favorite I’ve read so far this year, but also in a really long time!

Micalea Smeltzer captivates you with her words and story-telling from the very first page with characters Reid and Via. These two were just so easy to love and feel connected to. They had so much chemistry and a clear attraction from the start, but it was the connection between them that had me unable to put this one down! This is a reverse age-gap, which isn’t usually my jam, but with these two I couldn’t help but fall in love right along with them! I loved them both so much and honestly Reid is what book boyfriends are made of! He was so mature and patient for his age, and I couldn’t get enough. He was perfect for Via.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough. It was just such a great read that I constantly found myself wanting to keep reading to see what would happen next, but also slow down and savor it. I am also really excited that we are going to get another book in this world featuring two characters I really liked from Eleven Eleven! I already can’t wait for that book next! In the meantime, I’ll be re-reading this one! This one is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

 

ARC Review: When Stars Collide by Micalea Smeltzer

If you follow the blog or my reviews at all, you probably know that I am a huge fan of brother's best friend romance stories. They are my crack, and I can't get enough of them. Seriously it doesn't even matter what the book is about beyond that detail or who the author is as I will read every last one. But I was excited for When Stars Collide by Micalea Smeltzer because I have really loved books by her in the past. Unfortunately I had mixed feelings here, and while I liked some things, there were others that just didn't work for me. 

When Thea wakes up in Vegas and finds herself married to her brother's best friend, she should be excited since she has always wanted Xander. But she knows that her brother will never approve of them together. While Thea wants to separate as soon as possible, Xander isn't about to let her go now that he finally has her. Xander finally convinces Thea to give their relationship a real chance, giving them until the end of summer to make things work. But can he show Thea that they belong together in just a few months? 

The one thing I didn't have problems with here was the characters. I loved them together and couldn't get enough of them. Thea and Xander had so much history, and you could tel that they knew each other inside and out. Their connection and chemistry was so strong and natural, and they were the perfect fit for one another. But I did think that it was a bit weird that Thea originally fought the idea of them so much when she had wanted him for so long and it was never a question of their feelings. It was hard for me to understand her reaction based on her reasoning. If she had been opposed more due to their age or the fact that they went from friends to married over night I would have understood more, but her main reason seemed to be that she feared what her brother would think. 

Another issue I had was that all of this happened right at the start of the book, and it came off as feeling super rushed as though we were thrown into a story already in progress. I would have liked to have seen some of them leading up to the night they got married, as it felt like we were missing part of the story. This is the second book in the Light in the Dark series and is a standalone story, though I haven't read the first in the series I wonder if maybe I would feel differently about the start of this one if I had. Regardless, if this is meant to standalone I think that the beginning was a bit rough for those that don't know anything about these characters or this world. The other big thing that didn't work for me was the fact that about 70% of the way through the story there was suddenly a bunch of random new drama thrown into the story. It felt unnecessary and as though the author was trying to fill the rest of the story as though she didn't know quite what to do with the characters. It came off as forced and didn't seem to fit with with everything else up to that point. While I liked how things ended up for the characters, it just didn't fit. I still liked a lot about this book, and the relationship between Xander and Thea was sweet and sexy. I just wish that some of those other things had been different as I think that this one could have been a great story, but in the end for me it was just okay.

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | 

ARC Review: In Your Heart by Micalea Smeltzer

In Your Heart is the third book in Micalea Smeltzer's Willow Creek Series, and I have been wanting to read her books for awhile now. I have heard really great things about her, but until now hadn't had the chance to read any of Micalea's books. In Your Heart is a standalone story with interconnected characters, and it is a best friends to lovers story. I absolutely loved this book, and I couldn't put it down! I cannot wait to go back and read the first two books in this series and I know I will be reading more of Micalea Smeltzer's other books as well. 

Weeks before what should be the happiest day of her life, Sadie Westbrook catches her fiance with another woman. Having no one else to turn to, Sadie finds herself leaning on her best friend, Ezra Collins. Sadie moves in with Ezra until she can find a place of her own, and they find themselves growing closer than ever. Soon their once friendly feelings and innocent crushes on each other are turning into more and Sadie and Ezra are beginning to wonder if they are still just friends. They decide to explore the attraction between them until Sadie finds another place to live, but leave it at just the physical level. Even though both Sadie and Ezra are enjoying their new arrangement, they must decide if what they are feeling is worth taking a chance and risking their friendship. 

I loved these two so much. It was so easy to see why they got along so well, and they were perfect for each other. They were able to have fun together and they understood one another. Ezra and Sadie knew each other better than anyone else. I loved that they were able to see through the other's crap and they could call each other out on it. It also didn't matter that they had gone through a time of not speaking or that they would fight or argue, these two were there for each other and they could pick up as though nothing had happened. Not only did they have a strong connection and friendship though, they also had amazing chemistry together. These two had spent forever being physically attracted to one another and the tension between them continued to build. I loved seeing them begin to accept and explore that, and it was really interesting to see them circle around one another before finally giving in. Once they began to explore the physical side of their relationship, things got smoking hot between them and I couldn't get enough of them! 

Overall, this was a great book and I loved every bit of it. Ezra and Sadie both had moments where they did things I didn't agree with or wish they would have done differently, and yet I understood why they acted the way they did. Though it was frustrating for me as a reader, I could see where they were coming from so it didn't bother me like it might normally have annoyed. These two cared so much about each other, and it was hard for them to take a risk on the unknown. Their story was enjoyable and captivating, and I highly recommend In Your Heart to NA readers. This is one of the best NA books I have read in a long time, and I am really looking forward to reading the previous books, as well as the next book in the Willow Creek series.

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |