ARC Review: Within These Walls by J.L. Berg

I am a huge fan of J.L. Berg's at this point, and I have loved every single book of hers that I have read. I was super excited to see that she had a new standalone book coming out, and was really curious about new characters that weren't in her Ready series. I can honestly say that I loved this book just as much as I loved the Ready series, and this book was just as captivating and well written as everything else I have read by her. I really cannot say enough good things about J.L. Berg and her stories, but if you aren't reading her books then you are seriously missing out. J.L. Berg is an author worthy of auto-buy, and I am already waiting for her next book.

Lailah Buchanan was born with a heart defect and has lived her life within the walls of a hospital. She has brief moments where she has been allowed to return home, but for the most part she is forced to live in hospitals where she can be monitored constantly. Her father left her mother before she was born, and they have only had the two of them to rely on. But she has grown up being close to Dr. Marcus who has been like a father figure to her. When she ends up meeting the new Nurse's Assistant in the Cardiology department, things between them quickly grow to be more than just friends. But Lailah soon discovers that Jude has secrets of his own. Jude has been trying to survive ever since he lost everything three years ago, and spends as much time as he can within the walls of Memorial Hospital. But after meeting Lailah, he finally begins to heal and soon is wanting to really live again. But with so much uncertain about Lailah's health and with Jude's secrets, can they find a way to be together?

I really loved Jude. You could see how torn up he was from his past, and he was struggling with his feelings for Lailah. He never expected to fall for her and didn't think that he was good enough for her. But he was determined to give her everything she had been dreaming of, and he was so sweet with her. I loved his late night pudding deliveries and how he did everything he could to help her cross out items on her Someday List. He was absolutely perfect for her and by helping her, he was able to begin to heal himself. Lailah was strong. She had been through a lot and had been dealt a crappy hand. But she made the most of it and wasn't a whiner. She didn't complain and she wasn't overly negative. I really admired her, and she was such an easy character to like and root for. She had a way of brightening the lives of everyone around her and it was easy to see how Jude was so easily drawn to her. I thought that they had great chemistry and you could see the attraction between them. But they also just fit together, and had such a strong connection.

What made Jude and Lailah's relationship so special though was that they just seemed to fit so well together. They were perfect for one another, and their feelings were so real and believable. You could tell just how much they meant to each other, and they wanted what was best for each other. They really seemed to put the other first, and were will to sacrifice themselves in order to do anything for the other. I love how J.L. Berg is always able to draw such emotions from her readers. Every single one of her books has you laughing and smiling even through the tears. Within These Walls was no different, and I definitely had my moments when I was reaching for the tissues. I loved every bit of this story though, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend that you check out any of J.L. Berg's books if you haven't read them, but Within These Walls is one that will stick with me forever. I know I will be reading this one again in the future, and I can't wait to get more from J.L. Berg.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |

Guest Post with Author J.L. Berg and Giveaway

Meet J.L. Berg, author of Within These Walls.

J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

Find JL at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Feature and Giveaway: Nightingale by Cathy Maxwell

Fate has brought them together -again.

At one time, Jemma had meant the world to Dane Pendleton, but then she betrayed their young love by marrying another for his title and fortune.

Now Time has turned the tables. Dane is wealthy, respected, knighted and the widowed Jemma has nothing but her pride.

His honor for hers . . .

Dane’s name is on the lips of every beauty in London. They whisper he learned “tricks” while he was in the Orient. But has he forgotten Jemma, now Lady Mosby, and what they had once meant to each other? And will he accept her devil’s bargain?

In every woman’s life, there is that one love who slipped away. The man who makes her wonder “what if?”

But is this a momentary madness or a chance to rekindle a love that could last a lifetime?

Originally appeared in the print anthology THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

Review: Something in the Way He Needs by Cardeno C.

Something in the Way He Needs is the first book in Cardeno C.'s Family series, but is a standalone story. I had actually read the third book in the series (More Than Everything) before reading this book, and it was nice to see one of the characters from that story briefly again. I had really liked More Than Everything, so I figured that this one would be really great as well. I will say that I had some issues with this story, and I ended up being disappointed with this one a bit.

Asher Penaz is a police captain that is used to control. He doesn't do relationships and prefers to go to a BDSM club when he wants to have his needs fulfilled. When he heads to Vegas for his best friend Ollie's latest bachelor party, he meets Ollie's brother Daniel. He is instantly drawn to Daniel in a way that he never has been with anyone else, and soon finds himself wanting more than ever before. Daniel is the opposite of Asher though and is free-spirited. He prefers to travel with what little he needs and has had many jobs all over, never staying in one place for long. Asher quickly convinces Daniel to come home with him after the bachelor weekend is over and have a relationship with him. But with Daniel and Asher being so different and Asher not having told Daniel about his darker desires and need for control, can they have any kind of future together?

I really wanted to like both Daniel and Asher, but I honestly found them both hard to connect with. Asher was a control freak that was jealous and possessive, and jumped to conclusions really easily. He had a tendency to be a jerk without even talking to Daniel about what was going on or asking him to explain things. He really rubbed me the wrong way several times, and while he had his sweet moments I really just didn't understand why Daniel continued to put up with him. I wish that he would have been more kind and loving throughout the story, rather than just here and there. Daniel was easily distracted and seemed really aloof and scatter-brained. It drove me nuts. He would get so distracted that he wouldn't eat anything all day other than about 10 bites of food without Asher hand feeding him, and I just found that kind of ridiculous. I also didn't like that he was all over the place as far as what he did with his time. He didn't have a job, but had been very successful with a few different things and then just gave them up when he got tired of it. He didn't really let on that he had any success, and only had clothing too large and threadbare when supposedly he had more than enough money. He was also said to live off the grid, but if he had so much money and didn't have it on him how was that possible? It just didn't work, and I found his character to be just odd. I didn't dislike him, but I just didn't really like him either. I felt like he gave in far too easily to Asher, and their connection happened way to fast for me to find believable. Who moves with someone after only having met and known them for a weekend?

Overall, this story just didn't work for me. I had issues with the characters themselves, but mostly it was their actions that I had problems with. Towards the end of the story, Asher did something that to me was completely unforgivable. Not only was the act itself horrible, but the fact that Daniel so easily forgave him and let everything go to me was just awful. I would never have been able to get over something like that, and especially not that quick or easily. I also really hated the fact that we never found out what made Daniel decide to come back to Asher and the story was left with a lot of questions unanswered. I was waiting to see if Ollie ended up getting married or what would happen next for Asher and Daniel, and I wish that Cardeno C. would have given us more to tie up the loose ends. I really liked More Than Everything, so I will definitely see what else Cardeno C. writes in the future and hope that I am able to enjoy those more than I did this one.

**Review Copy Provided by We Love Kink Book Promotions**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |

Guest Post with Author Cynthia Sax and Giveaway

Meet Cynthia Sax, author of Sinful Rewards #2.

Cynthia Sax lives in a world filled with magic and romance. Although her heroes may not always say, “I love you”, they will do anything for the women they adore. They live passionately. They play hard. They love the same women forever.

Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research, while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.

Find Cynthia at:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |