Category: Review (Page 209 of 296)

BOOK REVIEW – Hellraisers (The Devil’s Engine #1) by Alexander Gordon Smith

December 8, 2015 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Hellraisers (The Devil's Engine #1)
by Alexander Gordon Smith
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From the author of the Escape from Furnace series, an explosive new horror trilogy about an ordinary American kid caught up in an invisible war against the very worst enemy imaginable.

There is a machine from the darkest parts of history, concealed in an impossible location, that can make any wish come true, and the only price you have to pay is your soul. Known as the Devil’s Engine, this device powers a brutal war between good and evil that will decide the fate of every living thing on Earth. When a 16-year-old asthmatic kid named Marlow Green unwittingly rescues an ass-kicking secret soldier from a demonic attack in the middle of his Staten Island neighborhood, he finds himself following her into a centuries-old conflict between a group of mysterious protectors and the legions of the Devil himself. Faced with superpowers, monsters, machine guns, and a lot worse, Marlow knows it's going to be a breathless ride—and not just because he’s lost his inhaler along the way.

Review:

**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

That was the trouble with being a hellraiser.
Sometimes you got burned.

I think it goes without saying that I have really branched out on books I’ve read this year. I’ve fallen for crime novels, sci-fi novels, and, most recently, I’ve even fallen for some certain (ahem) steamier NA stories. My point is…I just enjoy reading. So when I was approached to read and review Hellraisers, I was all for it.

You can’t run forever

And that’s not even the best part-I have had this author on my radar for years. His book, Lockdown (look up and see if that’s the name or Escape from the Furnace), has been something I have wanted to try for as long as I can remember. But here’s the thing: It always seemed so scary. And anyone that knows me understands that I don’t do scary. So, needless to say, when I was asked to read this story that didn’t look nearly as terrifying…I was ecstatic.

I’ll find you

I was right to be excited for a chance to read a book by this author: From the first page I was hooked. Marlow’s story wasn’t addicting because he was the strongest, the most badass, the most amazing guy ever-No, his story was addicting in spite of that. Marlow is what you would call a troublemaker, getting kicked out of school after school after school, until now it’s the last straw and he has no where else to go. No friends and a mother who looks at him with eyes sad beyond their years because of how he is putting her through hell, he is desperate to make this final school work….even though he has already been kicked out and any chance of readmission vanished when he fled from the school grounds with a big F-YOU to the principal.

I’ll find you, and you will burn

But after the initial process of escaping a suffocating situation, Marlow slows down and realizes just what he’s done. Where does he have to go to now? What will his mother say? Hardly able to breathe without constant use of his inhaler, he’s hardly an impressive being-in fact, he’s actually a coward: Always running at the first sign of complacency, always becoming the troublemaker when he should be making it work. Marlow is nothing but trouble…but he’s about to see what real trouble looks like….and it’s not a kid with a bad attitude and an inhaler.

”Gonna throw the new dog in the pool? See if it drowns?”
“Call someone a dog too many times,” Marlow said, speaking slowly so he wouldn’t trip over his tongue, “and they might just start to bite.”

Walking into a situation better left in the movies, Marlow finds that he is in over his head. Strange creatures that can morph into about anything and rip your body to shreds in the blink of an eye, he has no clue what to do. A battle raging in front of him and, wait, is that a beautiful girl about to be impaled by one of said monsters?? Who better to be her knight in shining armor than Marlow??? 😉

”He’s clean,” he said. “Holding a pretty big torch for you, though, Pan. Just about all I could see in that simple little excuse for a mind.”
“Wait, no, what?” Marlow spluttered, and Pan turned away before he could see her cheeks boil.

Yes, Folks, believe it or not, Chelsea got her peril and a smidgen of romance. Okay, okay, it’s tentative, but come on! Who doesn’t love something to root for?? He is obsessed with the badass Pan and she…well…she despises him. Too jaded by the aftermath of losing people she has loved, she sees no point in making friends and getting attached, especially to the new loser who they have to lug around everywhere. But as her icy exterior begins to melt, she begins to find a little comfort in his company-He’s a goofball, but he still has a nice, firm shoulder to lean on…

Pan studied him for a moment more and he had the almost overwhelming desire to lean forward and plant his mouth on hers. It would be so easy, she was six inches away, and those lips were so full, slightly open…
“Do it and you die,” she said, reading his mind. She prodded him hard in the forehead and backed away. “Believe me, the Engine is a mean piece of work but I’m worse.”
“Do what?” he said as innocently as he could. “I wasn’t…”
“Sure.”

Apparently not one to shy away from gore (YASSSS), Smith excels in creating a truly gruesome atmosphere in which you can’t help but to cringe and go

even though you know it’s coming. Well, that’s a lie, that first splatter of blood had me blinking profusely, making sure I was well and truly seeing what I thought I was reading, Not one to be outmatched by slasher filled horror flicks, Smith impressed me in a way I didn’t think I could be impressed-with blood and destruction. Bravo, Smith, I applaud you. What a pleasant, albeit disgusting, surprise.

I’m not sure what’s to come with this series or where it will go, but I know that I enjoyed every single bit of the journey from page one to the end. I am not easily impressed these days by horror type books, so, to me, this was a complete breath of fresh air. I never once got the feeling I was going to be disappointed or bored with the story, and that is a common occurrence as of late. I loved the play on getting anything you ever wanted at a price…666 hours, to be exact. You get anything in the world you want….but only for that many hours, and then they come to collect.

Marlow smiled nervously at her and she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. The truth was he didn’t know how lucky he was. Right now he was a wheezing, trembling sack of flesh and bone and worry.
And in a few minutes he’d be a god.

And I may have guessed certain events that were going to happen long before they did, but, in a way, that made me happy. I was excited to see my twisted mind went hand in hand with Smith’s twisted mind and, in turn, we were weird twisted minds together. So…there’s that.

So, again, I am over the moon excited that I got asked to read this story and that it was as excellent as it was. It’s not often I adore my ARCs, so to open this up with a smile on my face and end it with an even bigger, more malicious smile on my face was an added bonus. If you are a fan of anything dark or ominous, or even adventurous, I’d venture to say you would probably enjoy this. As for me, I can’t wait to see where it goes next. I quite enjoyed those amazing final chapters. So many amazing possibilities and wonderful directions to go…I only hope my heart can handle it.

BOOK REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY – Come Back to Me (Come Back to Me #1) by Mila Gray

December 5, 2015 / Jen / 8 Comments

I am so ecstatic to be a part of this tour! Come Back to Me became one of my favorite books of the year! So check out my gushing 5 Star review below, read an excerpt, and enter the giveaway where we at Star-Crossed Book Blog get to give away one copy of Come Back to Me, yay! Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY – Come Back to Me (Come Back to Me #1) by Mila Gray

Come Back to Me (Come Back to Me #1)
by Mila Gray
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In this heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, a young Marine and his best friend’s sister plunge into a forbidden love affair while he’s home on leave.

When a Marine Chaplain knocks on her door, Jessa’s heart breaks—someone she loves is dead. Killed in action, but is it Riley or Kit? Her brother or her boyfriend…

Three months earlier, Marine Kit Ryan finds himself back home on leave and dangerously drawn to his best friend Riley’s sister, Jessa—the one girl he can’t have. Exhausted from fighting his feelings, Kit finally gives in, and Jessa isn’t strong enough to resist diving headfirst into a passionate relationship.

But what was just supposed to be a summer romance develops into something far greater than either of them expected. Jessa’s finally found the man of her dreams and Kit’s finally discovered there’s someone he’d sacrifice everything for.

When it’s time for Kit to redeploy, neither one is ready to say goodbye. Jessa vows to wait for him and Kit promises to come home to her. No matter what.

But as Jessa stands waiting for the Marine Chaplain to break her heart, she can’t help but feel that Kit has broken his promise…

Riley or Kit? Kit or Riley? Her brother or her boyfriend? Who’s coming home to her?

Review:

Come Back to Me started off with a burst of emotion, and then slowly started to enrapture my heart. Before I knew it, I was in the midst of an emotional powerhouse that floored me. I can happily say that this is one of my favorite books of the year. And that’s saying a lot, since we are currently in December. But once you start to see how breathtaking, emotional, butterfly inducing and entirely addicting Come Back to Me is, then it becomes clear why I loved every minute of this story!

Jessa and Kit’s story is one about falling in love for the first time, and it made me squeal while grinning like a love sick girl! I felt their uncertainty of moving from friends into something more. Excitement rushed into my stomach from their first kiss and the start of little touches here and there. And I loved the anticipation, while they bantered, about taking their relationship to an even more intimate level. It easily transported me back to my teenage years and my experiences, which made Come Back to Me even more enticing!

It all started because Jessa and her brother’s best friend, Kit, can’t ignore the electricity between them anymore. Jessa’s brother, Riley, has been friends with Kit for years. He even enlisted into the Marines right along with Kit. But neither Jessa or Kit acted on their emotions or thoughts before this moment. Now they only have one month together before Kit is deployed back overseas with Jessa’s brother, Riley. And once deployment happens, either Kit or Riley won’t be coming back home to her.

While Come Back to Me was filled with cliches, honestly that’s a moot point. Because the direction those cliches were taken made it impossible to knock the grin off of my face or stop the laughter that kept escaping my mouth. This book was so much fun! But, can I add a but? In the midst of all of my giddiness, we catch back up with that first chapter. The one where Jessa is about to learn which of the men she loves is coming back to her. And I sobbed. Yes I cry while reading, but nothing like this. Gut wrenching, heart crushing, ugly sobbing exploded from me, and there was no stopping it. I became that emotionally invested. But have faith, because by that last page my heart somehow pieced itself back together, and I closed the book with a smile.

Each person I met was memorable. Kit was adorably sweet and thoughtful with his words and gestures. I seriously wanted to steal him out of this book! Jessa had this happy, beautiful, free side to her despite having a controlling nightmare of a father who suffers from PTSD and a mother who idly stands by. To Riley and how his situation and mannerisms wormed their way into my heart. To even Didi, who was Jessa’s faithful best friend, whose book is next in line and I can’t wait to read! I felt something for everyone that tumbled throughout the pages. So if you love a swoon worthy story about falling in love for the first time, then I have a feeling that you’ll become captivated by this sweet, sexy, adorable story just like I was!

*ARC kindly provided by Simon Pulse via Fantastic Flying Book Club Tours in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #) *Each book can be read as a standalone.*
Come Back To Me #1 Reviews: Jen	Stay With Me #2 Reviews: Jen

Order Come Back to Me:

Excerpt:

[scroll-box]Chapter 1
Jessa
A whorl in the glass distorts the picture, like a thumbprint smear over a lens. I’m halfway down the stairs, gathering my hair into a ponytail, thoughts a million miles away, when a blur outside the window pulls me up short.I take another step, the view clears, and when I realize what I’m seeing, who I’m seeing, my stomach plummets and the air leaves my lungs like a final exhalation. My arms fall slowly to my sides. My body’s instinct is to turn and run back upstairs, to tear into the bathroom and lock the door, but I’m frozen. This is the moment you have nightmares about, play over in your mind, the darkest of daydreams, furnished by movies and by real-life stories you’ve overheard your whole life.You imagine over and over how you’ll cope, what you’ll say, how you’ll act when you open the door and find them standing there. You pray to every god you can dream up that this moment won’t ever happen. You make bargains, promises, desperate barters. And you live each day with the murmur of those prayers playing on a loop in the background of your mind, an endless chant. And then the moment happens and you realize it was all for nothing. The prayers went unheard. There was no bargain to make. Was it your fault? Did you fail to keep your promise?Time seems to have slowed. Kit’s father hasn’t moved. He’s standing at the end of the driveway staring up at the house, squinting against the early morning glare. He’s wearing his Dress Blues. It’s that fact which registered before all else, which told me all I needed to know. That and the fact that he’s here at all. Kit’s father has never once been to the house. There is only one reason why he would ever come.He hasn’t taken a step and I will him not to. I will him to turn around and get back into the dark sedan car sitting at the kerb. A shadowy figure in uniform sits at the wheel. Please. Get back in and drive away. I start making futile bargains with some nameless god. If he gets back in the car and drives away, I’ll do anything. But he doesn’t. He takes a step down the driveway towards the house, and that’s when I know for certain that either Riley or Kit is dead.A scream, or maybe a sob, tries to struggle up my throat, but it’s blocked by a solid wave of nausea. I grab for the banister to stay upright. Who? Which one? My brother or my boyfriend? Oh God. Oh God. My legs are shaking. I watch Kit’s father walk slowly up the drive, head bowed.Memories, images, words, flicker through my mind like scratched fragments of film: Kit’s arms around my waist drawing me closer, our first kiss under the cover of darkness just by the back door, the smile on his face the first time we slept together, the blue of his eyes lit up by the sparks from a Chinese lantern, the fierceness in his voice when he told me he was going to love me forever.Come back to me. That was the very last thing I said to him. Come back to me.
Always. The very last thing he said to me.Then I see Riley as a kid throwing a toy train down the stairs, dive-bombing into the pool, holding my hand at our grandfather’s funeral, grinning and high-fiving Kit after they’d enlisted. The snapshot of him in his uniform on graduation day. The circles under his eyes the last time I saw him.The door buzzes. I jump. But I stay where I am, frozen halfway up the stairs. If I don’t answer the door maybe he’ll go away. Maybe this won’t be happening. But the doorbell sounds again. And then I hear footsteps on the landing above me. My mother’s voice, sleepy and confused. ‘Jessa? Who is it? Why are you just standing there?’Then she sees. She peers through the window and I hear the intake of air, the ragged ‘no’ she utters in response. She too knows that a military car parked outside the house at seven a.m. can signify only one thing.I turn to her. Her hand is pressed to her mouth. Standing in her nightdress, her hair unbrushed, the blood rushing from her face, she looks like she’s seen a ghost. No. That’s wrong. She looks like she is a ghost.

The bell buzzes for a third time.

‘Get the door, Jessa,’ my mother says in a strange voice I don’t recognize. It startles me enough that I start to walk down the stairs. I feel calmer all of a sudden, like I’m floating outside my body. This can’t be happening. It’s not real. It’s just a dream.

I find myself standing somehow in front of the door. I unlock it. I open it. Kit. Riley. Kit. Riley. Their names circle my mind like birds of prey in a cloudless blue sky. Kit. Riley. Which is it? Is Kit’s father here in his Dress Blues with his Chaplain insignia to tell us that my brother has been killed in action or that his son – my boyfriend – has been killed in action? He would come either way. He would want to be the one to tell me. He would want to be the one to tell my mom.

Kit’s father blinks at me. He’s been crying. His eyes are red, his cheeks wet. He’s still crying, in fact. I watch the tears slide down his face and realize that I’ve never seen him cry before. It automatically makes me want to comfort him, but even if I could find the words my throat is so dry I couldn’t speak them.

‘Jessa,’ Kit’s father says in a husky voice.

I hold onto the doorframe, keeping my back straight. I’m aware that my mother has followed me down the stairs and is standing right behind me. Kit’s father glances at her over my shoulder. He takes a deep breath, lifts his chin and removes his hat before his eyes flicker back to me.

‘I’m sorry,’ he says.

‘Who?’ I hear myself ask. ‘Who is it?’[/scroll-box]

About Mila Gray:

Mila Gray is the pen name for Sarah Alderson, author of Hunting Lila, Losing Lila, The Sound, Fated and Out of Control.

Originally from London she has lived in Bali for the last four years with her husband and daughter.

As well as writing young adult fiction under the name Sarah Alderson and adult fiction under the name Mila Gray, she also writes screenplays.

Find out more here:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Follow the Come Back To Me by Mila Gray Blog Tour and don’t miss anything! Click here to see the tour schedule.

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BOOK REVIEW – Torn Sky (Rebel Wing #3) by Tracy Banghart

December 3, 2015 / Jen / 0 Comments

Torn Sky (Rebel Wing #3)
by Tracy Banghart
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The end is near . . .

When Aris Haan brought down Safara’s biggest war criminal, she’d thought it was a turning point in the war. Victory was on the horizon, as was a peaceful future with her Promised, Milek.

But a deadly new threat has emerged: a Safaran bomb that could wipe out all of Atalanta in one catastrophic blast. Aris is tasked with finding the weapon before it is completed, a mission made more difficult when she starts to suspect that there is a Safaran spy in her unit. Friendships are tested, loyalties are strained, and suddenly Aris no longer knows whom she can trust.

In the epic conclusion to the Rebel Wing series, Atalanta’s fate rests on Aris’s shoulders. Can she find the bomb before it destroys everything—and everyone—she loves?

Review:

*Slight spoilers for Rebel Wing #1 & Storm Fall #2*

Torn Sky was a stunning conclusion to The Rebel Wing trilogy. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the friends I met in this series, yet at the same time the ending was absolutely perfect. Looking back over this journey, here are some of the reasons I ended up falling for this series and of course the final book:

✮ Fast-paced action
The battle scenes that Aris and her fellow military members found themselves in would often leave my palms sweaty and my heart racing. And it felt as though I was with Aris in her military jet evading enemy fire or down on the ground fighting the Safara’s soldiers. It definitely made for an adventurous time!

✮Love
Whether it was Aris and Milek or Dysis and Calix, I always found myself smiling and sighing at their moments together. Funny thing is, I usually only get attached to one couple in a book. Yet I found myself caring for two different sets of people, because there was no way I could ignore how addicting Dysis and Calix’s story was also.

He had seen her at her most vulnerable, unconscious and bleeding. But that was nothing to this, to letting him see into her soul.
“At least we’ll have someone to hold onto at the end. We won’t be alone.” His arms slid around her, and her eyes closed, and the happiness, and the sorrow, and the fear collided as their lips joined once more.

✮Perilous Situations
While I thought the two previous books were filled with wonderful perilous moments, Torn Sky takes the cake. I’m still reeling over a few different moments. Moments were I didn’t know whether I wanted to pause and curl into myself or continue absorbing every single heart wrenching moment. I love finding myself in that conflict!

His hand reached up and clasped hers, holding it against the less-bruised cheek. “I love you, Aris.”
“Don’t say it like that,” she said, swallowing back tears. “Like you’re afraid you won’t get another chance.”

✮The twists
All I can say is wow. One of them cut so deep, that I couldn’t stop my eyes from filling up with tears. I never saw it coming, or maybe I didn’t want to see it coming. But when a huge light was shined on it, oh man did it hurt. This was done perfectly, and I wish I could say more.

✮World Building
My friends know that my patience level for intricate world building is minimal. But this series had such a good mix between giving us enough details to easily visualize their world and civilization, while at the same time not being bogged down with countless descriptions.

✮Strong Women
Aris, Dysis, and Galena each earned my respect as the series progressed. They each had a fire in them, and at times each was a force to be reckoned with. I loved when they wouldn’t back down, no matter how dire the situation was. And I have to say again that I loved Aris and Dysis’ friendship!

She waited for him to answer, willed him to understand. She would do anything to protect this dominion. Even if it meant becoming a monster. – Galena

✮How it all tied in together
This is probably one of my favorite aspects. The way the characters found themselves connected, or how certain events tied into other events, made for such an exciting time watching how everything was all twisted together.

I could go on and on, but these were definitely my favorites. Although it was hard to narrow down my list! But looking back, I am still a little conflicted over the multiple perspectives. I think it added a more rounded feel, but then again I was stuck feeling as though I wanted to be watching another person’s perspective at the same time. But regardless, this was such a fun trilogy. And I will definitely be checking out Tracy Banghart’s other books!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Rebel Wing #1 Review: Jen	Storm Fall #2 Review: Jen	Torn Sky #3 Review: Jen

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BOOK REVIEW: Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

December 2, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Behind closed doors, they're laying down the law.

When it comes to the laws of attraction...

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face-to-face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they have kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as coworkers for one reason: to make partner at the firm.

There are no rules...

But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. Though apprehensive at first, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection does not last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it's an all-out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar.

“What I wanted to tell you,” he began deliberately, “was that you were wrong.”
Now there was a friggin’ surprise. Payton glared.
J.D. continued, more calm now, his voice steadier. “I mean, about what you told Tyler.”
His eyes met hers and held them.
“I would’ve done it for you in a heartbeat.”

Ahhhh sooooooo I LOOOVEEEDDDD THISSSSSSSS. I know I can say this for almost every book I read-shut up-but, when your iPad glows like a nightlight, you know your highlighting has reached an insane level. And it’s true-not one page-not one page-went by without me highlighting it and smiling as big as the Cheshire cat. It’s not by any stretch of the imagination that I thought I’d hate this-on the contrary, I figured I’d like it. But, in no way did I imagine I’d fall head over heels for this book and these two characters. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say they have taken a permanent residence in my heart.

Payton’s eyes quickly scanned her front room and kitchen, making sure they were presentable. Not that it mattered, because (a) it was The Shithead and (b) he wasn’t staying. Her apartment was her sanctuary, which meant 100 percent J.D.-free.

It’s no secret this is, on top of the summer months when work is in full swing, the busiest time of the year for me. The office is hurrying to finish the closing out of the year, holidays are among us, and, to top it all off, this year we are moving to an interim location while our new building is being built. Oh, and did I mention that happens in two days? Yeah, so, this review, I’m sure, is going to be cut short because I’m supposed to be packing. Whoops. But, the fact of the matter is, this book was way too perfect to let slide between my fingers. I REFUSE to not write a review for this one. Whether this is the second to last paragraph or not, I will finish this and post some of the AMAZING quotes I fell for in this one.

“Mr. Jameson. Whatever this is, I don’t have time for it. If you have questions about Payton’s attire this morning, I suggest you take a stroll on over to the courthouse and check it out for yourself. She’s in Judge Gendelman’s courtroom.”
J.D. nodded. Yes, yes fine, thank you. Nice attitude, by the way. Like boss, like secretary.

The source of most of the said quotes is none other than the impressive J.D.. Cocky, arrogant, gorgeous, infuriating, prestigious…..kind? J.D. and Payton have been at each other’s throats for eight years….eight years. They don’t even remember how it all started. Vying for a partnership at the firm where they are lawyers, both of them have put in countless hours to show their worth. Being the main two for this year’s Partnership choices, they believe they both have it in the bag-I mean, it’s the smallest pool they have to choose from to date, and they have both earned it.

J.D. heard the beep, signaling the end of the message, and he hung up the phone. He thought about what Payton had said-not so much her apology, which was questionably mediocre at best-but something else.
She thought about him while lying in bed.
Interesting.

Getting put together for the Gibson case, they are a little weary and a lot unhappy…but they are professionals and excellent at their job-they aren’t going to let something as small as working together hold them back from being professional and doing the job they’ve been asked to do. Besides, they only have a few weeks before the announcement for partners and things are beginning to look up….until their boss drops the bomb that this year things will be different. This year, they need older partners to balance everything out…meaning it’s Payton or J.D.. And there’s no longer the certainty for both of them anymore. Oh boy.

If anything, it was a good thing Payton was giving him the silent treatment. Ha-if that’s all it took, he should’ve been a rude bastard years ago. Maybe now he’d finally have some peace at work. No more pissed-off hair flips, no more covert you’re-such-a-wanker-J.D. glares, no more secret arguments in back hallways over feminist and right-wing agendas.
These were the things J.D. certainly would not miss.
Not at all.

What ensues is nothing less than they’ve dealt with for years-forget the sweet things he said about her at their pitch dinner with the clients. Forget the sincere tone of her voice when she boasted how J.D. was an amazing lawyer. Forget ALL of it. This is war…and only one person can come out the victor.

Having finished her assessment, Payton supposed that, if pressed, in that upper-crusty, Ralph Lauren-y, sweater-thrown-over the shoulders, have-you-met-my-polo-pony kind of way, J.D. was pretty damn good-looking.

I will admit that I was shocked at the level of love I had for this book. It was everything I didn’t expect and everything I could ever ask for. I fell hard for these two and their hateful (yet, let’s admit it, heated) banter and scorching looks. I fell for their rivalry, for their tentative friendship, the realization that one or both of them have used hate as a cover for how they have always felt for one another. And, most importantly, I fell for the unfairness of it all, the way they got screwed and how after all their hard work, it well and truly became a war between them because of the position they are put in.

J.D. glanced down at her hand, then up to meet her gaze. “What is it you really want to know, Payton?”
She asked him the question she had been asking herself for the past few days. “Why are you being so nice to me now?”
J.D. leaned forward in his chair. He gazed directly into her eyes, and Payton suddenly found herself wondering why it had taken him eight years to look at her that way.
“Because you’re letting me,” he said softly.

But when they begin to fall for one another (or, again, realize that they’ve always had fire for each other), the story took a turn where I could hardly breathe. The butterflies were a hazard to my health and the giddiness of it all almost choked me. It was a deadly combination and I am not likely to forget this one soon. I think the best books are the ones that are unexpected, and if someone had told me that this author was the mirror image of Lauren Layne, I’d have jumped on board long ago (shut up, Anna, I know). So, with this new discovery, I am smiling and so excited for the possibilities that have opened up by finding this author. Thank God for all my lovely friends….I applaud you for making this perilista very happy in the busiest season of the year. Thank you 🙂 .

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REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY-Steal Me (New York’s Finest #2) by Lauren Layne

December 1, 2015 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

I am always so happy to spread the Lauren Layne joy, no matter which characters I am focusing on. Below you can take a look at my 5 star review and check out an excerpt, a teaser, and enter to win some goodies in a Rafflecopter Giveaway! I hope you'll enjoy reading Anthony and Maggie's story-it's not one to miss! 🙂

REVIEW + EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY-Steal Me (New York’s Finest #2) by Lauren Layne

Steal Me (New York's Finest #2)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
IN HOT PURSUIT

Being a cop might be in Anthony Moretti's blood, but protecting and serving the city of New York has always been more than just the family business. If that means his love life stays locked up, well then that's just another sacrifice made in the line of duty. That is, until he sets eyes on the gorgeous new waitress at The Darby Diner and suddenly Anthony's morning coffee is leaving him a whole lot more hot and bothered than usual.

Though waitressing at The Darby isn't exactly Maggie Walker's dream job, it pays the bills and gives her time to work on her novel. Now if only she could stop fantasizing about gorgeous Anthony Moretti every time he sits down at her table, she'd really be in great shape. But when he needs her help identifying a criminal threatening The Darby—and Maggie recognizes her ex-husband—she fears her fresh start might be a pipe dream. Faster than a New York minute, Maggie and Anthony find themselves in one perilous pursuit that only gets hotter with each and every rule-breaking kiss.

Review:

“Maggie,” he whispered, just as her eyes started to close.
“Hmm?”
He was silent for a long moment. Then, “Nothing. Go to sleep.”
So she did. But in her dreams, he finished that sentence with something else entirely.

I am so so SO happy to announce that Mizz Lane has outdone herself…AGAIN. I can’t make this stuff up, folks. It’s not possible. Contemporary is hardly worth reading most of the time, in my opinion, so it’s not even like I feel as if I should be forcing a smile and a good rating because I’m trying to stay true to myself. No, I simply read Lauren Layne…and it makes me the happiest person in the world-No matter how terrible I’m feeling. Which, frankly, has been a frequent state of mind lately-Helplessness. So, suffice to say, anything that makes me smile and laugh and swoon is a stellar piece of work-REALLY.

“You did something. I know you did something.”
Anthony gritted his teeth and let out a small grunt as he pushed through another bench press. Eight.
“You either showed her your wang, or didn’t show her your wang. And whichever choice you made was obviously the wrong one.”
He blocked out the voice of his grandmother and pushed through another. Nine.

I always hesitate to pick up my Layne ARCs….because, ya know, like my fellow blog-mate said-It’s as if we keep waiting for that first LL 3 star and we dread the day it comes. Will that day ever come? I’m starting to think it never will…Though, it’s a terrifying thing to think about. But then we always pick them up and have the best time reading them. No matter where we are or, as stated above, what mood we’re in, her works seem to lift us to another place. Or, at least, that’s how I feel. I can be the most depressed person in the world, and then I’ll pick up my favorite author’s latest and greatest hit, and all of a sudden I’m just so happy out of nowhere. It’s such a wonderful feeling. Cut the crap. Drop the gushing. These are just facts: It takes someone truly spectacular to control your mood like that. It’s the purest form of mind manipulation, but you don’t feel that way at all. It’s the best kind of mind control, and after you come out of the trance, you can’t help but feel as if you didn’t get enough. It’s crazy-it’s almost like you feel as if you’ve lost a big group of friends after putting her books down. It’s an ache that can’t be filled. Well, at least until I get my hands on another book of hers.

“Big biceps won’t help you with that girl. Do they have exercises for personality? You should do those.”
“Bench presses aren’t for biceps, Nonna. They’re shoulders. Pecs.” This from Luca, who was sprawled on the couch with a beer.
“Pecs, huh?” Maybe I should give the weights a shot. Then again my push-up bras do the trick just fine.”
Ten. Anth scooted down on the bench, grabbing a towel from the ground as he glared at his grandmother. “We talked about this. No reference to your lingerie. Ever.”
“He’s right,” Luc added, glancing over at them. “We did talk about it.”

In case you’ve felt foreign feelings while reading an LL novel, I’ve compiled a list of symptoms that contribute to the Lauren Layne fever. They are as follows:

-Loss of breath
-Excessive lip biting
-Lack of drive to do literally anything else besides read her current novel
-Contentedness
-Grouchiness when bothered
-EXPLOSIVE butterflies
-So many feels they hurt

Have you encountered any of these symptoms? Tsk. *Shakes head and sighs* You’ve got it bad, bro. But believe me-You are not alone!! Don’t feel the need to seek help-we here at Star-Crossed Book Blog are all too familiar with these symptoms (and phantom pains when one of her books isn’t available yet) and we are here to help you!! There, there. It will be okay-come gush with us, we can’t get enough of it. 😛

Captain Moretti transferred his annoyed gaze back to Maggie, but she held up a weary hand. “Save it. Or add it to my list of sins. I don’t really care. I’m going home. If either or both of you want to walk me to the subway station out of some macho display of chivalry, go for it, but under no circumstance do I want to chat. Got it?”
She walked away then, ignoring the rain, ignoring the hurt, and definitely ignoring the men behind her.
But she couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder, just once before heading down the stairs to the train platform, and somehow she wasn’t at all surprised to see that Captain Anthony Moretti had followed her, hands shoved in his coat pockets as he watched her from several feet away.
And despite her bad mood, Maggie might have smiled. Just a little bit.

Now, I won’t lie, I didn’t really care to venture off from Luc and his story-no worries, he was a constant even though he wasn’t a main character-Or so I thought. What a fool I was. What a sad and deranged fool. Because Anthony?? Yeah. Wow. I did NOT see this asshole comin’. He literally-I swear-eeked his way into my heart. I picked this book up and I was all ‘Alright, let’s get this started so I can see me some more Luc’. Yeah-Luc, who? I’m just kidding…but really. I loved and adored Luc, he was absolutely perfect-really-but what Layne does best is make you care about who the story is centered around in spite of the fact that you really were thinking you were going to stick to your guns and only love your first guy. No, no. When she writes a story, she comes to play-You can love your other guy all you want, but at this time, in this story, Anthony is the man, and you will not want for anyone else, because this mofo is all you can handle. Seriously. I think your feels would implode if you tried to squeeze another guy in.

“You’re just going to lay here and let me read silently?” he asked. “You’ll be bored.”
Maggie tilted her head up and met his eyes. “It’s been years since someone’s held me. Trust me, I won’t be bored.”
His gaze softened before turning to the computer screen, where he began to read.

But here’s the thing! When the other characters intervene? You aren’t annoyed. You don’t sigh because it’s taking time from Anthony and Maggie. In fact, when Luc and Ava are there, it purely adds to the story-fully enhances it. So not only do you have a wonderfully well-rounded romance NOT bathed in sex scenes and cheesy dialogue, but a romance that embraces sexual tension and quirky humor between friends and family that never gets old. And the dialogue?? It makes you bust out laughing at the simplest roll of the eyes or the smallest deflection of Nonna-their outspoken grandmother who loves to push their buttons (and, ironically, push innuendos about sex towards her grandsons lol). There’s such a strong substance to her works, and I always annoy people with my gushing, I’m sure, but I’m sorry-it’s so rare to find an author who not only values a good romance, but the idea that a story doesn’t need to center around sex to make you feel fulfilled by the end of it. Oh, and to be clear? There’s sex. Oh yes. Don’t mistake that-it’s just not shoved down our throats every other chapter. Hmm. *taps chin* So refreshing. I swear she’s my author soul-mate.

“You’re…”
She looked at him through hazy eyes.”Hmm.”
“Everything,” he said quietly.

And a quick word about my dear Anthony-Sweet, gruff, authoritative, quiet but in control, and kind as a person can get, he will surprise you. He has his demons, which, you know, would make him a tortured male lead (*holds hands up* hey, I totally didn’t list that as a quality because I know I’ve SO overplayed it lately so shhh) and even more enticing than I even thought possible. But he has a lot of shit to work through, and it may aggravate you at times (I guess…I didn’t care in the least *shrugs*), but he is nothing but loyal and protective and fierce. He’d do anything to protect this sweet, yet feisty, aspiring author (love that!). Oh, and did I mention he gets totally jelly? Yeah…he totally does. :DDDDD

“Hey,” he said, touching a fingertip to her face. “Don’t do that. Those cops outside are there for your protection.”
“They’re there to catch Eddie as much as they are to protect me,” she pointed out.
“Yeah,” he said, looking troubled as his hand found the doorknob of her front door. “The problem is, I care a hell of a lot more about the second one than I should.”
Maggie opened her mouth, wanting to say…something.
But he was already gone.

Giggles. Hearty laughs. Smiles so large and so frequent they hurt my face. My stomach is STILL churning. Anthony, Luc, and their family are back at it again, bickering and meddling in each other’s lives for the most sincere help they think they can offer. It was all so sweet it gave me a toothache…but no one makes my teeth ache better than Layne. It’s the best kind of annoyance…and now I’ve got the fever AGAIN. I swear that pesky bug won’t go away.

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #) *Each book can be read as a standalone, but best enjoyed in order.*
Frisk Me #1 Reviews: Chelsea Jen	Steal Me #2 Reviews: Chelsea	Cuff Me #3 Reviews: Chelsea

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About Lauren Layne:

Lauren Layne is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015. Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt:

[scroll-box]Maggie Walker had become their default waitress at the diner back when their old waitress Helen had retired a couple months ago. And while Anthony missed Helen and her too-strong floral perfume, he had to admit that Maggie was the better to look at.

She had a wholesome, girl-next-door look that appealed to him mightily. Brown hair that was always on the verge of slipping out of its ponytail, wide, compelling green eyes that made you want to unload all your darkest secrets.

Curvy. Hips that were exactly right;, breasts that were even better.

And then there was that smile. It managed to be both shy and friendly, which was handy because he was betting it was very hard for even the most impatient customers to get annoyed at her.

But Anth didn’t buy the doing-my-best routine, and seeing as she was dealing with an entire table of observant cops, he was betting the rest of his family wouldn’t buy it either.

Then Luc leaned forward and gave Maggie an easy grin. “Don’t even worry about it, Mags. Didn’t even notice I was running low!”

Luc’s girlfriend, Ava, smoothly reached up one hand and swatted him on the back of the head, the gesture so graceful, so practiced, that she never once sloshed her coffee. Anthony nearly smiled.

To say that Ava Sims was good for his little brother would be an understatement. The big brother in Anthony would be forever grateful that the gorgeous reporter had helped Luc vanquish his demons. But the big brother in Anth was also grateful that Ava helped keep his younger brother in line. Or at least tried to.

He rolled his eyes as Luc shot a guilty smile at his girlfriend, but even as he slid his mug towards the edge of the table so Maggie wouldn’t have to reach as far.

Then Anth watched in utter dismay as Vincent did the same.

Vincent. The guy who’d practically devoted his life to being perverse, was trying to make life easier for their inept waitress.

Un-fucking-believable.

Anthony was so busy trying to figure out what about the frazzled waitress turned his brothers into a bunch of softies that he didn’t think to move his own mug to be more convenient, and Maggie had to lean all the way in to top off his cup.

It was a feat that their old waitress could have handled readily, but Helen had retired months ago and for reasons that Luc didn’t understand, the rest of the Moretti family had embraced Maggie as Helen’s replacement.

Anthony didn’t realize that his mug had overflowed until scalding coffee dripped onto his thigh.

“Son of a—”

He caught himself before he could finish the expletive, grabbing a large handful of napkins from the silver dispenser and trying to soak up the puddle of coffee on his jeans before it burned his skin.

“Nice, Anth,” Elena said, tossing another bunch of napkins at him. Like this was his fault.

“Oh my God,” Maggie said, her voice horrified. “I’m so sorry, Officer…”

“It’s Captain,” he snapped, his eyes flicking up and meeting hers.

Silence descended over the table until Vincent muttered douchebag around a coughing fit.

But Anthony refused to feel chagrined. The woman had waited on the family every Sunday for weeks; one would think she could get his title right. To say nothing of mastering the art of pouring coffee.[/scroll-box]