ARC Review: Whirlwind by Alison Rhymes

 

I didn’t discover Alison Rhymes until last year, but have since devoured every book she has written! I have love for her Seattle Blades series though as I love hockey and her books so it just checks every box for me. So as soon as she gave us the release date for Whirlwind, I was beyond excited. This book absolutely lived up to and even exceeded my hopes for Tyson and Kit’s story. 

My absolute favorite thing about this book though was Tyson. I loved him and Kit together, and they were just so great for one another. But Tyson was on another level. His sweetness and patience throughout this story is what had me absolutely captivated. He is everything you look for in a hero, and I just couldn’t get enough of him. 

Beyond just Tyson though, this world and this story especially is just one I never want to leave. Alison has a way with words that just draws you in from the very first page and keeps your attention long after you have finished the last. I have been itching for Tyson’s story since the beginning of this series and we first met him (IYKYK). I just always felt like he deserved to have his very own HEA, and I knew it would take someone special after everything and I couldn’t have been happier with how this one went! While Whirlwind can be read as a standalone, each book in this series is phenomenal and I highly recommend them. I also feel like you get so much more insight and satisfaction here having seen everything that has transpired from the start of the series to this book. There are so many amazing characters you get to meet along the way and their growth is something I've loved experiencing as a reader. 

Whirlwind is one of my favorite books this year, an absolute must read!

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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ARC Review: Tempest by Alison Rhymes

Alison Rhymes was a new-to-me author at the beginning of this year and since starting with Rainfall, I have binged her entire backlist! She is definitely my favorite find of the year, and I cannot recommend her books enough! I was so excited to get the next installment of the Seattle Blades series, with each book being an interconnected standalone you can read each without starting at the beginning. I definitely recommend reading them all though as they are fantastic!

One of the reasons that I love Alison’s books is that each one has a bit of heartbreak and angst to them that the characters have to overcome to get to their HEA. Tempest was no exception and I absolutely could not put it down! I won’t spoil any of the story as I really love the experience of Alison’s books and believe they are best experienced blindly with the reader taking the journey without spoilers. 

What I will say though is that I absolutely loved Gavin and Odette. These two had a strong connection and life got in the way as it often does. They end up finding themselves back in the same city years later, with Odette becoming a mentor to his daughter. They quickly discover that time and distance don’t always dull feelings, regardless of the circumstances that kept them apart. 

Gavin and Odette had so much chemistry. You could really feel the connection and heat between them. I loved seeing them get to know one another after their years apart and I really felt like I could relate to both of them. Odette was so strong and inspiring and I loved her interactions with Gavin’s daughter. Gavin was a really great guy and it was easy to see why he made the choices he did. I really think readers will love this one as much as I did. The characters are impossible not to fall for and the story is captivating from start to finish. One of the best books I’ve read this year, I highly recommend Tempest and honestly any and all books from Alison Rhymes.

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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ARC Review: Ice Bet by SJ Sylvis

 

Ice Bet is the second standalone story in the Bexley U series by SJ Sylvis, and I couldn’t wait to read this one after reading Weak Side. Each story features new characters, but you will see familiar faces if you read in order. I highly recommend starting with Weak Side as it was such a great read, but it isn’t necessary to read it and understand Ice Bet. This series is one I am absolutely loving though, and I already can’t wait for the next!

Ice Bet features Aasher and his college hockey team’s coach’s daughter Riley. When she transfers to his school, his coach asks him to help look out for her. She quickly becomes the target of Aasher’s rival and some of the younger players on the team, with them in a race to see who can sleep with her first. But upon learning of the bet, she decides to play them at their own game. Aasher isn’t about to let her ruin his team’s chances at winning the championship though, and soon they come up with their own bet. Soon things get complicated between them as they begin to spend more time together and realize that what is between them is next to impossible for either of them to control. 

These two were so great together. I loved their banter and chemistry and how their connection just grew stronger as they really got to know one another. There was so much heat between them, but seeing them connect and grow closer was what had me not wanting to put this one down. Riley was such a likable heroine and honestly just so easy to relate to. I couldn’t get enough of these characters and I loved seeing their group of friends as well. 

It felt so great to be back in the Bexley U world, and I cannot wait for more of these characters to get their own stories. Hockey romance is a growing genre and I am absolutely here for it, that being said, they are not all created equal. Bexley U is one of my absolute favorite series for hockey romance though and I cannot recommend it enough. I need to read more from SJ Sylvis immediately as I am loving her writing and characters! Ice Bet is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

Purchase: | Kindle |

ARC Review: Weak Side by SJ Sylvis

Weak Side was my first book by SJ Sylvis and I absolutely loved it! I was hooked from the very first page and didn’t want to put this one down. Weak Side is the first book in the Bexley U series, with each book being a standalone story about interconnected characters. I already can’t wait for the next book!

Theo and Claire were everything! These two were great, and I loved them right away. What starts out as a mistake quickly turns to more and these two find themselves helping each other out by fake dating. I loved their banter and couldn’t get enough of how things between them grew and evolved the more they got to know one another. I also really loved the side characters and honestly I am so excited to get each of their books!

I highly recommend this one for fans of all genres, but especially those that love sports romance. This book was just so good and I honestly cannot say enough about the characters and story. I will definitely be reading more from SJ Sylvis in the future! This one is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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ARC Review: Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron and Kate Stewart

Heartbreak Warfare is the best book I have read in 2018! I am new to Heather M. Orgeron and Kate Stewart, but this book was absolutely fantastic and definitely won’t be the last I read from them! Days after finishing this book, I am still thinking about it and ready to go back in because I am just not ready to leave these characters behind. 

I’m not going to go into much detail here, please go in blind for this one. This story centers around 3 characters, Katy, her husband Gavin and a soldier she meets while deployed named Briggs. Katy and Briggs get off on the wrong foot when they first meet, but after experiencing some life changing events, everything changes between them. Once Katy returns home, she is no longer the person she was, and she struggles with what that means for her future. 

There was not a character here that I disliked. They were each unique and had such genuine qualities about them that it was impossible not to love each of them. Gavin was amazing. A great husband and father. He was supportive and loving, caring and would truly do anything for those he loved. Briggs was everything you would imagine a soldier to be. Sexy and strong, smart and a bit on the cocky side. He was charismatic and I loved him right off. Katy was a devoted wife, mother and soldier. She had been raised with a duty to serve and really believed in helping others. She fit with each of them, and you could see such a strong connection to both of these men for very different reasons. There really was no wrong team here, and I was just hoping that we wouldn’t end up with one of them totally heartbroken at the end of this, because none of them deserved it. I definitely had a favorite and one I hoped would be Katy’s choice in the end, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it the one I hoped would win because I felt that strongly about all of them and there weren't really any winners here with these hearts on the line. 

This book deals with some very real and hard topics, and I loved that the authors didn’t shy away from them. This book absolutely wrecked me at times, and I felt so much. I really think that this book is one that everyone should read though and I cannot get it off my mind. I will definitely be reading this one again and I highly recommend it! Hands down the best book I’ve read this year!

**ARC Provided for an honest review**

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ARC Review: A Girl Like Me by Ginger Scott

A Girl Like Me is the second book in the Like Us series by Ginger Scott, and I couldn't wait to read this one after enjoying the first in the series. This book is not a standalone and needs to be read only after you have finished A Boy Like You. While I was excited to read this book, it took an unexpected turn and unfortunately that didn't work for me.

This book picks up where the first one left off. Joss is heading to look for Wes and to learn more about her mom. While she does start to learn more about her mom, she still hasn't found Wes and she finds herself with more questions than when she started. Soon she discovers that there are more secrets in her life than she could have ever guessed.

I don't want to go into too much of the story so as not to spoil it for those interested in reading, but I do think that readers should know (since I didn't!) that this book takes a paranormal turn. While there were a few things in the first book that could be a kind of hint, this pretty much came out of nowhere and didn't work for me. It all just kind of felt out of place, and what started off as a contemporary NA sports romance quickly turned into what felt like the author throwing everything and the kitchen sink in and hoping that it would work...and for some it might.

The other problem I had was that this book was slow paced and overly detailed, to the point that I kept losing interest and was forcing myself to finish. With the sudden turn and the pacing, this one was unfortunately not what I had been expecting at all and I wish I had known before starting the duet. While I have loved Ginger's books in the past, this series wasn't my favorite. I would still read more from her in the future, and I recommend giving these a shot if they sound like ones you might be interested in.

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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ARC Review: A Boy Like You by Ginger Scott

I don't know what took me so long to read Ginger Scott's books, but I have read a few now and I am becoming a huge fan of hers! Each book of hers that I have read now has been well written, emotional and so captivating that they are almost impossible to put down. A Boy Like You is everything I have come to expect from her and yet it also had a bit of a different feel. I definitely recommend this one or anything by Ginger Scott if you haven't read anything by her before. 

When her life fell apart as a child, a boy named Christopher was the one to save her. He made her feel safe until he disappeared. Now Joss is seventeen and is nothing like the girl she once was. But then a new boy named Wes comes into the picture and everything changes for Joss once again. Though he is different from the boy she remembers, she can't help but feel as though things about him feel familiar. But after everything that has happened, can he save Joss from herself? 

I loved Wes so much! He is everything that you hope for in a book boyfriend, sweet and caring and easy to like. He was complicated and deep, with so much more to him than meets the eye. He was absolutely perfect for Joss though and I couldn't get enough of him. Joss was feisty and I was so glad she still had such fight in her after all that she had been through. She makes you want to reach into the book and give her a hug, because you just know that after everything that has happened she deserves so much more. She didn't always make the best decisions, and yet it was easy to understand why she did the things that she did. 

This book was a slow burn and being a YA/NA book, it was about so much more than physical between these two since that wasn't the focus here. Their connection felt natural and genuine, forming over the course of the book with enough tension and emotion to keep the reader turning pages from start to finish. I will admit that I had no idea this wasn't a standalone story when I started, so suffice it to say the ending was a shock to me. I am not the biggest fan of cliffhangers, but I really believe that it is worth the read. I look forward to reading more and seeing what happens next for these characters and how everything plays out. This is definitely one I recommend, and I think readers and fans of Ginger Scott are going to love this one!

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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

ARC Review: The Hard Count by Ginger Scott

The Hard Count is my first book by Ginger Scott, but I have heard so many great things about her books that I just had to give this one a shot. It was such a great story, and I can't believe I haven't read her books before now. The Hard Count is a standalone YA sports romance, and this is definitely a book I would recommend. I just loved it and couldn't put it down! 

Nico Medina and Reagan Prescott come from very different worlds, yet they are both lost. She is the coach's daughter and he is the QB from the wrong side of the tracks. They argue and bicker, yet are able to find some common ground. As they start to grow closer, they realize that there is more between them than they ever could have expected. Yet their relationship is forbidden, and they have obstacles coming from every direction.

I really liked both of these characters. They were unique and different, and I really enjoyed the banter between them. These two started off disagreeing about just about everything and Nico irritates Reagan on a daily basis. Yet once she sees him playing football, she soon starts to see another side of him. They were sweet together and I really loved seeing them get to really know one another and watching them find common ground. I just couldn't get enough of these two and I loved everything about them. This one was different from your typical YA story, and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. 

Overall, this is one that I highly recommend. I enjoyed it a lto and thought that it had everything that you could want in a great YA romance story. There was a great balance of emotion, football and romance to keep me flipping the pages and Ginger Scott has a way with words that draws you in to the story and holds your attention. This book was so much more than just about a couple of high school kids and football, and I think that a lot of readers will really love this story and be able to relate to so much here. I can't say enough good things about this book, but if you are a fan of sports romance stories this is definitely one you are going to want to check out!

**ARC Provided by Wordsmith Publicity**

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

Feature and Giveaway: Foolproof by Jennifer Blackwood

A summer of seduction...Jules Carmichael needs to get her life together. Pronto. School's been hell, there was that tiny stint in rehab, and worst of all, she's lost her cushy summer job. The only available work is at Office Jax, home of horrid 90s music and the biggest jerk on this side of the galaxy...

Recovering from a brutal break-up and taking a hiatus from college, Ryan DeShane has just discovered the “6 Ultimate Steps to the Perfect Summer Fling.” It's a brilliant distraction, and Jules is a tantalizing target. But the “steps” work a little too well, because he and Jules are definitely, uh, flinging. And it's only a matter of time before Ryan's foolproof plan starts to seriously unravel...

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