ARC Review: Rival Hearts by Natalie Decker

Rival Hearts is the second book in the Rival Love series by Natalie Decker. This book continues the story of Caleb and Skylar and should be read after Rival Love. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, I did have a few problems with it. One problem was that I felt like Caleb and Skylar's story was unfinished, and at the time I had no idea if there would be more. I was glad to see that Natalie Decker decided to continue the series and couldn't wait to see where these two would go next. That being said, this book was not what I was expecting or hoping for.

Rival Hearts picks up right after Rival Love with Skylar living in New York with her father because of what happened with the school's pool being damaged. She doesn't want to put Caleb through a long distance relationship, so she pushes him away and refuses to talk to him. But Caleb isn't going to let her go easily and decides to head to NY to convince her to return home with him and give their relationship a chance. But with the person still out there who damaged the pool, Skylar isn't safe even when Caleb vows to protect her. Soon, Caleb and Skylar realize that there are those that would do anything to get rid of Skylar and keep the two of them apart.

With Skylar and Caleb both being in high school, I expect a certain amount of immaturity and poor choices. But I was not expecting to start to hate Skylar so much in this book. She was beyond immature and wishy-washy, and it drove me nuts! She was so different from the first book, and I really got tired of the back and forth. I am not sure why with this story it felt like she had a complete personality shift. Caleb on the other hand was great in this story. While he did have some moments of indecision, he was more mature and committed to being a good person. He had grown up a lot and changed for the better. He was determined to show Skylar how much he loved her, and I thought that he did a great job of trying really hard to prove what they shared was real. He was patient with her and kind, and he stood by her no matter what happened.

While I did like Natalie Decker's writing in this story, I just had a lot of problems with Skylar and the constant hot and cold. I also felt as though the surprise obstacle in this story was pretty overdone and predictable. I wasn't really surprised that it went there, but I was hoping it wouldn't. I figured as soon as Skylar and Caleb returned home that Danielle was up to something, and I just wish that it hadn't been so similar to so many other stories out there. I did think that this book had a great pace and was a pretty quick read though. I think that fans of the first book will definitely want to read this story to get more of Caleb and Skylar. But I am not sure that I would read these if I hadn't already started the series. At the end of this book though, Natalie Decker does let the reader know that there will be another book in the series called Rival Dreams. It appears to be set a few years later when Skylar and Caleb are in college, so I will be interested to read it and see if Skylar has grown up any and actually deserves Caleb after everything she did in this one.

**ARC Provided by Swoon Romance PR**

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ARC Review: Taken by Storm by Tamara Mataya

Taken by Storm is Tamara Mataya's newest adult romance novel, and I was really looking forward to reading this story. I had really enjoyed her previous two books, and this one sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, this one was my least favorite of all her books so far. I had a few problems with this book, and I just wasn't able to ever really get into the story.

Only her father's wedding could get Leilani to return to the hometown that she hated growing up in. She was always looked at as though she was different, so when she graduated she couldn't wait to leave. But now that she is back, she runs into the one person she didn't want to see, Ryan Benton. Leilani and Ryan were always in competition growing up, and Leilani found it easier to pretend to hate him rather than admit that she liked him. But now Ryan is a firefighter and looks better than ever. Leilani decides that while in town, she might as well spend the night with him before moving on for good. Ryan always wanted Leilani, but she was always forbidden as the younger sister of his friend. Ryan finds himself unable to fight his attraction to her this time around though and gives in to his feelings. But after a steamy night together, Leilani and Ryan end up getting stranded together in the middle of a storm. With conditions getting worse, Leilani and Ryan are forced to work together to try and ride out the storm. Will the flooding bring them together, or destroy any chance they might have had?

These characters each had their issues, but for the most part I liked Ryan. He was a good guy that genuinely loved his job. He was always looking out for others and tried to do right by his entire town. He was loyal and thoughtful, and would have done anything to help those in need. He had his moments though where he really seemed to waffle on decisions. One minute he wanted more with Leilani and the next he was assuming the worst after the way his ex treated him. It drove me a bit nuts. Leilani was the same way though, only she was even worse. I couldn't connect with her character at all. She was judgmental and childish, and endangered not only herself but others with her selfish actions. I seriously wanted to slap this girl so many times. She always thought of herself and seemed to assume that the world revolved around her. While Ryan and Leilani had some attraction between them, I honestly never saw the connection. They had never really been friends or had anything as teenagers, but years later they are suddenly talking about feelings they had that were hidden by all the insults and hate? I just didn't buy it.

For me, the hot and cold got really old with this book. In one sentence they want a future together, but in the next they are both making assumptions and don't want to try because they know it won't work. Then they are remembering their feelings for each other as kids, and the next they are talking about how much they couldn't stand the other and that it was always bad between them. It was confusing. Did they like each other, or did they hate each other? There was never really an example that the insults and "hate" from their childhood was actually masking real feelings. I just didn't see it, and I honestly couldn't figure out why Ryan would be remotely interested in Leilani based on her present actions. She never really redeemed herself for me despite helping Ryan when he needed it the most. If she wouldn't have gone off to spite him, he wouldn't have even been in the situation he was. I did however think that Tamara Mataya did an excellent job with the flooding and storm. It felt real and believable, and I was interested to see what would happen next. I actually got to the point that I wanted more of the action with the storm than with Ryan and Leilani. While I would recommend Tamara Mataya's books, this one was just okay for me. It didn't have the same feel as her other books, and I really think that was because I just never connected with this couple. I didn't believe it, and I think that really altered how I felt about the story as a whole.

**ARC Provided by Swoon Romance PR**

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ARC Review: Loving the Senator by Mia Villano

I will admit that I was first drawn to Loving the Senator with its stunning cover. Then the blurb fascinated me and I knew I had to read this book. I have some mixed feelings about this one, but I can honestly say that I couldn't put it down. I think maybe part of it was the forbidden nature of the relationship, but it was also extremely hot. I am really intrigued with where Mia is headed with this series, and I can't wait to read more.

Prudence Romaine has wanted Alex Conrad since he helped her out when she was sixteen. Now seven years later, she has just helped him run a successful campaign to become the Senator of Virginia, all while working and attending law school. Prudence is determined to finally tell him how she feels and stop letting all the obstacles between them stand in the way. With seventeen years of age difference, Alex still has trouble seeing Prudence as the woman she now is and not the young girl he once rescued. But he can't help but feel attracted to her as the connection between them continues to grow. But with him newly elected, the last thing he needs is a scandal. With Alex constantly pushing Prudence away, she begins to wonder if things between them will ever change. However once Alex finally gives in, Prudence quickly realizes that being with the Senator is more complicated than she ever imagined.

I will say I struggled a bit with Alex. On the one hand he was super sexy and he didn't care what others seemed to think. He would go after what he wanted and didn't let others influence how he lived his life. But yet he was constantly questioning things between him and Prudence, and I hated how he pushed her away so many times. He would fight against his feelings even knowing that the connection they had was strong and unlike any he had ever had with anyone else. I also didn't like that he kept things from Prudence and that she had to find them out through others. Prudence was also hard to like at first for me. She was single minded in her determination to win Alex and didn't really give a single thought to her actions. She saw what she wanted and didn't care who or what she had to plow through to get there. It made it hard to like her at first, and it almost seemed as though her intentions were to win him over for the sole reason that she could. But then we get to see her connection to him and that her feelings for him were real and deep, and she really did love him. He was everything to her, and it was really painful for her to constantly be pushed away.

I did think that these two were a great couple once they finally got through all the crap, and I loved that they were so real. They didn't let all the scandals get to them and supported one another through it. Not to mention these two were smoking hot! They really brought the steam, and I loved seeing the tension continue to build until it finally exploded. I really did like this story even with the criticisms I had, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This book did not end with a cliffhanger, but it did leave the story open for the next step in Alex and Prudence's life. I am excited to see where Mia Villano goes from here, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Swoon Romance PR**

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Review: The Best Laid Plans by Tamara Mataya

The Best Laid Plans is the second book I have read by Tamara Mataya, and like the first I really enjoyed it. It was written well, and I liked the story and characters a lot. This book was a quick and easy read, and I was invested right from the start. I thought it was a great contemporary read and had just the right amount of sweet and sexy moments.

Malcolm is a successful musician and has made something of himself after escaping the horrors of high school. He was bullied and treated horribly until an attack left him in such bad shape that his parents pulled him out of school for his safety. But while performing a gig for an office party for some brokers, he ends up running into his childhood crush. She doesn't recognize him at all, and he decides this is his perfect opportunity to get some revenge. He plans to seduce Jayne and make her fall in love with him only to break her heart. Jayne was used to being invisible in high school, but years later with the help of a makeover and some advice she finds herself able to attract any man she wants. When she first sees Malcolm, she thinks that he would be perfect for a one night stand. But she quickly finds herself drawn to him and unable to stay away after he turns the tables on her. Malcolm and Jayne start seeing more of each other, and soon they are starting to develop real feelings for one another. But what happens when they are invited to their 10 year reunion and the truth finally comes out?

I really liked Malcolm. I thought that he was sexy and sweet, and had turned such a horrible childhood into a successful life. He had been through so much, and I felt so bad for him. The bullying that he suffered was so terrible that I cannot even imagine being able to live through that and turn out to be the type of person that he was. I thought that he blamed Jayne a little too much for what happened to him, especially since it wasn't even her that did the bullying. She had made an assumption, but she was young and didn't know what her mistake would lead to. I was really glad to see him figure things out though as his feelings for her started to develop. Jayne had been used to being invisible her whole life and had finally figured out how to make men want her. She was still insecure and vulnerable though and a lot of that influenced her life still. It was good to see Malcolm bring her out of her comfort zone though and I liked that he was able to take away a bit of her control. I liked that they worked well together, and that even though they started things off casually they couldn't help but let things develop between them as their feelings grew. I thought that they had a lot of chemistry together and had a ton of steam between them. But I also really enjoyed seeing the feelings and emotions between them.

Overall, I thought that this book was really great. I really believed in Malcolm and Jayne's relationship and it was great to see how far they had come from their childhood. Their story was cute and sweet, but had plenty of sexy times and heat to keep the reader interested. I really like Tamara Mataya's writing style, and I become more of a fan with each book of hers that I read. I would definitely recommend giving her books a shot if you haven't read anything by her yet. The Best Laid Plans was really good, and I think that fans of contemporary romance will really enjoy this book. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

**Review Copy Provided by Swoon Romance PR**

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ARC Review: Just Breathe by Tamara Mataya

Just Breathe is the first book that I have read by Tamara Mataya, and I really enjoyed it. I really liked all the characters, including the secondary characters. I also enjoyed Tamara's writing style and was able to really get into this story. I will admit that it took me a bit to get into this one, but once things started to pick up I was hooked. I know I will be looking for more from Mataya in the future.

 Elle's boyfriend Jason broke up with her in one of the worst ways possible, he didn't break up with her at all. Months ago he said he was going out of town for work, and then he just stopped calling or texting and never came back. She throws herself into her job at the library and hangs out with her friends. She has been self medicating with pot in order to cope. She decides to quit smoking and stay away from pot after awhile. Everything seems to be getting worse though when her best friend accepts a job in Spain and her roommates start acting weird. She ends up meeting a sexy guy at the library though, and she can't help but be drawn to him. Dominic asks her out and things finally appear to be looking up. Dominic and Elle grow closer and seem to be really hitting it off. That is until Elle catches Dominic in a lie. When her ex resurfaces around the same time, Elle begins to wonder if maybe Jason has changed. Does Elle take a chance with Dominic despite his lie, or does she try to trust Jason again and hope that he doesn't break her heart a second time?

 I really liked Dominic from the very start. He was sweet and thoughtful, and he seemed to genuinely be interested in Elle. He went out of his way to make things nice for her, and he even took into consideration her Synaesthesia and how that would affect their dates. I loved that he was always doing things that he figured she would like, but they were always so unique and different. He was able to come up with some of the coolest and most different dates that I have ever seen in a book, and I loved that he did it just because he wanted to. I liked Elle, but there were a few things about her that got on my nerves. I didn't like that she seemed to be so hung up on her ex Jason, even after everything that he did to her. I just felt like she needed to let it all go. She seemed to be really interested in Dominic, but then she would be comparing him to Jason or thinking about her past with Jason. I thought that what she was developing with Dominic was so strong that she should have left Jason behind completely. I liked how passionate she was about her job and books though. She was so excited just to be able to share her love of books with others, and you could tell that she was truly happy with her job regardless of how much money she made. I thought that Dominic and Elle had a lot of chemistry right off, and I liked that they really got to know each other. They were a great fit for each other, and their relationship was more than just sex. I liked that they were developing real feelings for each other, and took it a bit slow even if they were extremely attracted to each other.

 Overall, this was a really great book. I liked the characters, and I thought that the story was good. I will admit that this story started off really slowly to me. I was having a really hard time getting into this one, and it seemed to be really detailed and lagged. I was feeling bogged down with all the details and all the pining over her ex and how Elle had been so upset by what he did. But once we got beyond the details of her job and books, and heartbreak over Jason the book really started to pick up. After that, I really just got sucked into the story and didn't want to put this one down. I liked Elle and Dominic, and I thought that they were such a great couple. I really recommend this story to NA fans, and I think that these characters are so easy to like and relate to. This one is one that I had a really good time reading and I think a lot of others will too. I look forward to more from Tamara Mataya in the future, and can't wait to see what she writes next.

**ARC Provided by Swoon Romance PR**

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