Blind Date with a Book Event with Stina Lindenblatt

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

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ARC Review: Decidedly Off Limits by Stina Lindenblatt

I have read several of Stina Lindenblatt's books and while I have enjoyed each of them, there have been things about them that kept me from truly loving them. When I read the blurb for Decidedly Off Limits though, I knew I had to read it. Not only did the blurb sound awesome, but Decidedly Off Limits is my jam! I absolutely love brother's best friend romance books, and I will read every last one. I have to say though that this is my favorite of the books that I have read from Stina Lindenblatt. While I did really like it, there were a few things that kept this one from being perfect for me though. 

Trent and Kelsey have both wanted each other for as long as they can remember, but they know that nothing can happen between them. Not only is Kelsey's older brother Trent's best friend, but she is Trent's little sister's best friend. After breaking up with her ex-fiance, Kelsey isn't ready to be second choice to someone's job again which is just another reason why things with Trent would never work. Trent learned the hard way that relationships don't work for him, and he knows that Kelsey deserves better than he can offer her even if things weren't forbidden between them. But when Kelsey's brother heads overseas for his newest mission, he makes Trent promise to keep an eye on her and the more time they spend together the harder they find it to fight the connection that has always been there. 

I really liked these two and the connection they shared. It was obvious that they had always felt strongly about one another, and yet they never talked to each other about it or did anything. I understood that they had their reasons, and yet it was frustrating that they had no clue how the other felt because they simply never communicated it. They had strong chemistry, and with their feelings being genuine it made me skeptical that their families would have been upset about them being together for long. When they finally did start to explore what was between them, they spent so much time trying to hide their relationship that I started to get a bit frustrated. I really did like them together and thought that they were great for one another, but I just wish that things would have happened a bit different for their relationship as it progressed. 

Overall, this was a good book and definitely my favorite of those I have read from Stina Lindenblatt. There were still some things that I would have liked to have seen happen differently, but I think that readers will enjoy this one. I would probably rate this one somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but I was invested in their story right away and I liked the characters a lot which made it hard to put this book down. I am hoping that Stina will continue to tell stories about some of the secondary characters from this book as I liked them just as much as Kelsey and Trent. I recommend giving this one a shot if you like contemporary romance stories with a touch of the forbidden.

**ARC Provided by Bocci PR**

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ARC Review: Heat It Up by Stina Lindenblatt

Heat it Up is the first standalone Off the Ice book by Stina Lindenblatt. I knew I wanted to read this one when I saw the cover and read the blurb, but I have to admit that I have had some issues with Stina's books not completely working for me before. Unfortunately that was the case here as well, and as much as I wanted to like this one it just didn't wasn't the book for me. 

Sofia Phillips is done with love. Her father cheated on her mother and her boyfriend cheated on her, so she heads to Finland to stay with her grandmother and work in a summer work program to help her get experience as an athletic trainer. But she quickly finds out that instead or working in her career field, she is put on cleaning the facility including the toilets. But then she meets Kyle . Kyle is also in Finland in the summer looking to escape and also has no interest in love. When Sofia's grandmother starts pushing a guy named Joni on her to date, Sofia asks Kyle to be her fake boyfriend to get her grandma to stop. But the lines soon begin to blend between real and fake. Can two people not looking for love find it together?

Unfortunately some of my issues here were with the characters themselves. I wasn't a fan of the love triangle going on here. Joni was horrible. At first I kind of felt bad for him, but then we get to see who he really is and he was not a good person in my opinion. I hated that Sofia didn't really do anything about all the stuff he tried to pull either. I understand Kyle had been through a lot, but he was pretty much a drunk. He knew he had a problem yet continued to overdo it the entire way through this book. It was a huge turn off. There was also an incident in a bar that I didn't care for at all. I know he and Sofia weren't exclusive or anything, but I felt like he let it get too far before doing anything about it. Sofia was my biggest issue though. I'm not sure if Sofia was oblivious or just stupid, but there were so many times that I wanted to shake her because she seemed to have no clue when it came to Joni. He did so many things that were beyond easy to see through, and yet she just blindly went along. It was ridiculous and so frustrating! I also hated how she handled things at times with Kyle. He would tell her things and she would do nothing, but there were things she should have told Kyle and didn't. Honestly she was just awful and super immature.

I think my biggest problem overall though was that this book felt very YA, so most of it was so unrealistic that I couldn't buy into the story. These characters were supposed to be college aged and with Kyle having been married, you would think that there would be a certain level of maturity there. But that wasn't the case at all here and I just felt like the entire story fell flat. Besides being unrealistic, it was drawn out at times and I found myself bored a lot. This one was just a miss all around for me. I spent most of the story alternating between irritated and bored. If this book sounds like one you might like, I encourage you to give it a shot. It might just be me that this one didn't work for. I just found the characters to be unlikable and the story hard to get into and this isn't a story I would recommend based on my personal opinion.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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RFTC I've Got a Secret Event with Author Stina Lindenblatt

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

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ARC Review: This One Moment by Stina Lindenblatt

I really don't even know where to start this review as my thoughts are a bit all over the place kind of like this book was. I was immediately drawn to This One Moment because I absolutely loved the cover. I have read books by Stina Lindenblatt before and enjoyed them, so I figured this one was worth the read. I did enjoy parts of this book, and I like Stina's writing style. But I did have some issues here and unfortunately those kept me from loving this book.

Nolan Kincaid left town to pursue his music dreams, leaving behind his best friend Hailey Wilkins, the girl he was also in love with. Though they were both in love with each other, nothing had ever happened between them to cross the line of friendship. But when Nolan finds out that Hailey has been attacked, he drops everything to return home to her. Upon returning home, Nolan learns that Hailey's attacker is still out there and he knows that he needs to be there for her unlike he was before. Though Hailey wants to believe this is finally her chance with Nolan, she also wonders if he will stick around this time or if he will once again leave her. Is Nolan ready to give up everything to prove to Hailey that this is their chance, or will he once again leave her behind? 

I really did like Hailey and Nolan together. I felt their connection and chemistry, and I loved the solid foundation of friendship they had. Even with all the time and distance between them, their connection really came through here. I hated that Nolan had left Hailey behind without a word and didn't contact her for the entire time he was gone, and a part of me was really annoyed with him for coming back and acting like nothing had happened. But I also couldn't help but love the fact that he dropped everything when Hailey really needed him so that he could be there for her. It didn't completely make up for everything, but it did go a long way in helping me forgive him. I have to say that there were times that I really didn't like how he acted though, and while I understand that there is a certain amount of women and flirting to be expected with a musician, I also felt like he didn't handle things right a lot of the time. He didn't seem to discourage any of that, and I didn't like that Hailey had to endure some of that. I also didn't like the fact that Hailey just sort of acted like that was to be expected and didn't really demand more of him. The whole thing just sort of rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't like it. 

I also have to say that what really kept me from loving this book was the fact that it was all over the place. So much was happening and it just got to be too much. Some things were flat out unbelievable, and I had a hard time finding much of this story realistic. Unfortunately, the relationship between Hailey and Nolan really took a backseat here to everything else that was going on and I didn't care for that at all. I wanted more of them and the relationship they were forming because those moments were the highlights of this story, and they just got lost in everything else that was going on. This story had a lot of potential, but it just didn't quite live up to the expectations for me. I will look for more from Stina Lindenblatt in the future though as there were still several things to like here. I think if you like rockstar romance stories or friends-to-lovers relationships this is one worth giving a chance.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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RFTC Back to School Event with Stina Lindenblatt

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

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ARC Review: Let Me Know by Stina Lindenblatt

Let Me Know is the second book in the Lost in You series by Stina Lindenblatt. This book picks up where Tell Me When ended, and should be read after the first book. I would not recommend this book unless you have read the previous story as it is not a standalone and would be hard to understand without having seen what had previously happened with these characters. When I first found out that there was going to be a sequel, I was really excited to read it. I really enjoyed the first book and felt like pretty much everything had been wrapped up in that book with one large exception. So I was really looking forward to seeing what happened next for Amber and Marcus. But after reading this book, I was left with a lot of mixed feelings and I didn't end up enjoying this story as much as I had hoped to.

Amber and Marcus have both been through so much, and have finally found some happiness together. As Amber's case against Paul continues to get closer, things start to fall apart. What was once clearly Amber the victim of kidnapping and rape, now appears to be consensual after someone starts to set Amber up with fake evidence and letters. Amber needs Marcus more than ever, but Marcus also ends up under attack when damaging information from his past surfaces and threatens not only Amber's case but also their relationship. When Marcus is forced to make a choice between staying with Amber and ending their relationship in order to help her out, he believes that breaking her heart will help insure her future. Amber must find her strength and determination to get through everything that is being thrown her way, while she also sets out to raise awareness for other victims like herself and Marcus. Can they find a way to get through things together despite all the obstacles in their way, or will there be too many things trying to keep them apart?

I had really loved Amber and Marcus in the first book. I liked how well they were able to bond through the pain that they had both suffered and turned it into a positive way for them to understand one another. I felt like they really were some of the only people who could truly understand one another because of everything that they had been through. It was nice to see that they were still on the same page in this book, and that their feelings and connection were as strong as ever. I really felt like they loved one another and that they belonged together. They were supportive and encouraging of one another, and would do anything to protect the other. I really hated it when Marcus allowed Amber's mother to interfere in their relationship, and I wish that he would have done things differently. I do understand what he was trying to do, but I felt like he should have made a better decision and at the very least talked to Amber about everything before he made any decisions. I felt like Amber was too forgiving about how everything happened, and I didn't understand why she just seemed to be okay with everything because she knew his motivation. I wouldn't have been able to move past everything so easily or quickly if I had been in her shoes.

I will also say that for me this one was slow moving for the majority of the story, and I kept losing interest. I would want to set the book down and walk away, and didn't have the desire to pick it back up quickly. This one just didn't affect me the way that the first book did, and I think a lot of this story was drawn out for effect. It seemed like a lot of drama had been created in order to stir the pot and keep things happening as Amber's case continued. I really felt like it got to be a bit much when it was one thing after another. I couldn't believe how much could happen to these two people who had already been subjected to so many awful things. It just felt like it was forced and that a lot of it was not believable at all. I also felt like although there was too much going on at times, that this one lacked resolution. While many things were brought up, the twists were left without much conclusion. I wanted to know what happened with Melissa's involvement with everything, and what happened with Marcus's stepfather and mother, also what happened with everything that had been done to set up both Marcus and Amber. While I was happy to get more of these characters as well as see some of the secondary characters again, I really felt like this story is being drug out at this point and I am starting to lose interest in the outcome. I am not sure if there is going to be another book after this one, but it really feels like there will be after finishing this one and seeing how the author left things. I honestly would not reread this story and I probably wouldn't continue this series if there were more books at this point. While I really enjoyed the first book, this second one fell flat for me and I would only recommend it to those that had read the first book and enjoyed it.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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Carina Press New Adult Blog Tour and Giveaway with Stephanie Tyler, Kristine Wyllys, Stina Lindenblatt and Danube Adele

Matthias Robichaud is looking for an alliance. The Defiance motorcycle club is a stronghold in the dangerous world that’s become the new norm and he’s driven to prove he’s tough enough to be sworn in as a full member. But when he sees a beautiful, spirited girl abducted by a rival MC, rescuing her jeopardizes all he’s worked for.

Politician’s daughter Jessa Everson knows what’s expected of her—obedience, loyalty and silence—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t fight when she’s kidnapped by the Lords of Vengeance. Having Matthias save her is like gaining an avenging angel in leather and tattoos. But Defiance is known for brutal justice, and she may have just traded one bad situation for another.

Matthias’s urge to protect is too strong to ignore, no matter how much trouble Jessa brings to Defiance’s gates. There’s no room in the post-Chaos world for weakness so if Matthias and Jessa have any chance of surviving, they’ll need to put their full strength behind the MC…and hope that the MC will do the same for them.

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ARC Review: Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt

I really enjoyed this New Adult Contemporary read by Stina Lindenblatt. I thought that it was well written and a beautiful story about romance, forgiveness, growth and healing. I didn't honestly know what to expect with this story, but the blurb sounded promising and I really liked the cover. I am so glad that I took a chance on this one though, and I cannot wait to read more from Stina Lindenblatt in the future. This book has so much to offer, and I definitely would recommend it.

Amber has been through so much and is left broken because of it. All she wants is to be invisible and pass her classes while earning her veterinary degree. She hates waking up her roommate with her nightmares, and having flashbacks that send her back to a hell she would rather forget. She feels alone and doesn't let anyone in, fearing what will happen if she allows herself to love anyone again. When she starts failing her math class, she decides to get a tutor to help her out. Marcus is the last person that she should get involved with and he has a reputation to prove it. The more that he helps her and the more time they spend together though, the easier they both find it to open up to each other. Soon they are book sharing about their terrible pasts and helping each other to move forward. Their feelings for each other grow and Marcus finds himself wanting a relationship for the first time. Marcus and Amber begin dating and everything appears to be changing for them. But when a threat from Amber's past resurfaces, she will do anything to protect Marcus from ever being hurt like those before him even if that means breaking up with him. Marcus isn't willing to give up on them though and is determined to convince her that they belong together.

I really liked Marcus. He was sweet and sexy and really protective of Amber. I liked that even though he used sex as a coping method before Amber, that he didn't have a problem giving that up for her. Marcus was a really great guy who had an awful past and a ton of guilt to go with it. But I liked that he was patient and didn't judge Amber. He was supportive and understanding and only encouraged her to move forward. I also really loved how involved he was in his community youth center and really cared about helping those kids to achieve better lives than they might otherwise have. I also thought his nickname for Amber was cute and it seemed to just fit her. Amber was really broken and struggling to continue with her life after experiencing so much heartbreak. But she was a survivor, and had a strength about her that I really enjoyed reading about. It was great to see her begin to put her life back together and heal from her past while moving forward. I think that her and Marcus had a great connection, and they seemed to be perfect together. I loved Marcus's corny math jokes and how he would always try to get Amber to smile and be happy. I also really loved their heat and chemistry together.

Overall, I thought this was a really great book. I enjoyed Amber and Marcus and their journey, but I also really liked the secondary characters as well! I thought Marcus's friend Chase and Amber's friend Jordan were really interesting, and I love how they sort of circled around each other. You could tell there is definitely something there even though she has a boyfriend. I really hope that we get to see more of each of them, and maybe even them together. This story is beautiful and heartbreaking, but it is also filled with hope, love and forgiveness. It shows how two very broken people can find a connection despite being through more than anyone could ever imagine. The only criticism that I have is that for the most part everything in this story is pretty much wrapped up with a bow minus for one glaring exception. I felt like after everything that had happened, this should have been dealt with because it was a really big deal to how everything played out in the story. I really would have liked to have seen how it was dealt with and what happened. But otherwise, I really loved everything else, and I especially loved that this was a dual POV. It was really nice to see not only what Amber was experiencing but also Marcus. Amber and Marcus's story is one that I would recommend to any fan of New Adult or Contemporary romance, but also to anyone who loves a story with a happy ending.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

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Guest Post with Author Stina Lindenblatt and Giveaway

Meet Stina Lindenblatt, author of Tell Me When.

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

Find Stina at:

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