Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 36 of 94)

BOOK REVIEW: Getting Lucky Number Seven (Taking Shots #1) by Cindi Madsen

March 2, 2018 / / 4 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: Getting Lucky Number Seven (Taking Shots #1) by Cindi MadsenGetting Lucky Number Seven (Taking Shots #1)
by Cindi Madsen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

What's your lucky number?

Lyla Wilder is done being the shy, chemistry nerd extraordinaire. While every other college student is out having fun, Lyla is studying. With her cat. Well, she's played it "safe" quite enough, thank you. So she creates a "College Bucket List"?with item #7 being a night of uninhibited, mind-blowing sex...

But she needs some help from her man-whore best friend.

Hockey player Beck Davenport thought Lyla's transformation would be subtle. Man, was he wrong. With every item she ticks off, Beck finds himself growing seriously hot for his sweet, brainiac best friend. And if he's not careful, he'll end up risking their friendship in order to convince Lyla that he might just be her lucky #7...

I couldn’t even talk to my best friend about the guy I was having sex with. Because, silly me, I’d gone and made them the same person.

Ya know, once again I’m plagued by the reviews stating this is the same old same old, there’s nothing new, it’s cliché, etc…and yet again I find this to be wrong. Why do I find this to be wrong? Well, there are so many reasons I can’t even begin to explain them.

“I’m sure you were a little disappointed when you found out I was your assigned chem partner.”
“Well, yeah,” I said, “but that was because with how damn cute you were, I was sure you’d be stupid, and that meant I was going to end up doing all the work.”
She rolled her eyes, and I smiled, unable to keep from adding, “Then I caught your scent, and your blood smelled so good, I was afraid I’d kill you and eat you. That’s why I was all broody and denting the table the first day.”
Lyla laughed and shoved my arm. “You’re stupid.”
“I am. I let you talk me into that Twilight marathon last Sunday. Clearly a mistake.”

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE QUOTE lmao. Killed me when I read it.^^^ Also, I had way too much fun looking through twilight GIFs lol

I was having a bad month. I was borderline depressed. I wasn’t sleeping well and had barely any sleep. I wanted to escape reality. It. Made. Me. SMILE. And it was my rainbow on a cloudy, rainy day. I don’t care about clichés, so long as they’re done RIGHT-and these totally were. And, frankly, done better than any of the other books before it that made it ‘cliché’ to impersonate.

Beck was standing off to the side, two red plastic cups in hand. “Dead cats? You said you had a hard time talking to guys, but shit, Debbie Downer, I had no idea.”

One of my recurring thoughts throughout this book was ‘I want this relationship’. It was just too cute and there was no screwing around with other girls/guys like in other books I won’t mention *Cough* How to Date a Douchebag *Cough*. Yeah. Whoops. This was a sexy read without the smut and it never became all about sex-they were best friends first and built a solid relationship before any commitment and I really think the characters had the cutest connection because of it.

She clamped her lips as she took me in, and then she laughed. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands. “I’m sorry, now that I know you’re okay, it’s…” She laughed again, her shoulders shaking. “I’m just glad I’m not the only one to make a fool of myself when I’m drunk.”
“Fool of myself?” I pushed up to my knees and wiped gravel from my torn up palms. “What are you talking about? I’m suave as shit.”
This got another round of giggles, and she laughed so hard that she braced herself against me to keep from tipping over. That made me laugh, and then we were two idiots laughing in the middle of a parking lot, our clouded breaths filling the air around us.

Was it cheesy? Yes. But it was so cute without crossing the overly cheesy line-I hate this CHEESY line. I don’t cross it for much and this book didn’t make me. It was JUST enough-not OTT. And, more than anything, this book felt relevant unlike when a lot of authors try to recreate their youth or pretend like they know what every college student is like these days. Maybe I’m the one that’s out of touch but I felt like this book hit its mark. There were no repetitive phrases (LOATHEEEEE) like these type of stories tend to have and the dialogue melted me to my core. These two characters were beyond adorable and I couldn’t get enough of them.

I wanted to let everything spill out—how much I missed her. How I should’ve told her she was perfect and sexy and the smartest person I knew. That I was drowning without her, and for the first time in my life, I got why they called it a broken heart, because all mine did was sit in my chest and ache with each beat.

And Beck…oh man I just loved him. Yeah yeah he fell for her because of a certain something on her list (teehee) and yes they obviously had feelings for each other waaaay before they actually did anything about it, but, for whatever reason, I dug it. It just had the perfect amount of peanut butter and JELLY-ness and a touch of angst (and again, not TOO much) that really was just the cherry on top of a fun little book.

“When I look at you, you know what I see?”
I met her gaze, finding it suddenly hard to breathe.
“I see the guy who saw me when no one else did,” she said. “That’s what matters to me. That’s who you are.”

So…I’m sure many of you will dismiss this book without a second thought-but, just think, if you’re having a rough day, a dark day, a sad day…maybe a smile on your face is all you need. And if you want a smile…you want Beck. Very cute. Very sweet. Very adorable. I hope some of you will try it-I know I can’t wait to get my signed copy from Apollycon from my lovely Jen Jen!!! Eeps 😊

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REVIEW – This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter

February 27, 2018 / / 2 Comments
REVIEW – This Heart of Mine by C.C. HunterThis Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A new heart saved her life―but will it help her find out what really happened to its donor?

C. C. Hunter's This Heart of Mine is a haunting, poignant tale about living and dying, surviving grief, guilt, and heartache, while discovering love and hope in the midst of sadness.

Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was ― a boy from her school ― and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.

Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living, took more courage than dying?

Review:

This Heart of Mine was such a touching story.  It revolved around family, friendships, sacrifices, new beginnings, first love and so much more.  I just know that so many people are going to absolutely love this emotional story!  I wish there wasn’t a but…….but I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters.  I tried again and again, and continually failed all the way till that very last page.  I felt so heartless, especially since I got tears in my eyes reading the author’s letter to the reader, at the end of the book.  Sigh.  So I closed the book wishing that I could have felt that same emotion towards Matt and Leah.

I grin. “If you’re Matt, I’ve wanted you to kiss me since seventh grade.”
His gaze slides lowers to my mouth and lingers. “Is your heart strong enough?”
I burst out laughing. “Are you that good of a kisser?”
“Maybe.” A smile crinkles the corners of his eyes. He leans down. His lips are against mine, soft and sweet.

Leah’s thoughts and words could be so heartbreaking.  Yes she’s pragmatic about the fact that her odds of getting a new heart are low, but it still was shocking to see how she viewed the world.  I was hoping to resonate with her realness, but hopefully others will.  And while there were some heavy moments before her heart transplant, there’s this one moment that was filled with nothing but brightness.  Leah ended up having a study session with a boy named Matt.  She’s had a crush on him forever, and after studying they shared one of the sweetest kisses.  But after that moment, they both go back to their own lives.  Leah knew she was fated to die and Matt had too many family problems at home to start a relationship with Leah.  Yet both of their lives become irrevocably changed in the near future.  

Gasping for air, the fear, the raw, ugly panic I felt in the dream, hangs on with sharp claws. My heart thuds against my rib cage. I can’t breathe. – Leah

One month later, Matt’s twin brother died and Leah, who was in desperate need of a heart transplant, received his heart.  Every one believed that Matt’s twin killed himself, but Matt believed his brother was murdered.  And after, they both started to have these dreams that ended up weaving their lives together.  So when the pieces of their dreams started to come together, they both found themselves in the middle of a huge mystery.  I’m not really a suspenseful person, but it was a fun mystery to figure out.  While I had some guesses here and there,  3/4s of the way into the story I figured out exactly what happened, and I was excited for the characters to catch up with my knowledge.

“Why would I hate you?”
She unfurls her fingers and brushes the tear away. “Because I’m alive and he’s not.”

Both Matt and Leah were definitely likeable and I enjoyed alternating between the two of them.  So I was grasping why I couldn’t connect to them.  I’m not sure if it’s because I had just finished an extremely emotional book, and I was still partially hung up on that story?  Oh, I don’t know.  But what I do know is that it made me SO sad.  This was the type of book that should have easily pulled me in and broken my heart and then mended it perfectly back together.  So while this one didn’t work for me, I’d still recommend to give it a try.  And here’s hoping you absolutely love it!

*ARC kindly provided by St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

February 26, 2018 / / 0 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: Love, Life, and the List by Kasie WestLove, Life, and the List by Kasie West
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Everyone knows Abby Turner is in love with her best friend, Cooper Wells. Including Cooper Wells. But despite what people tell her, it doesn’t affect their friendship. And she’s practically over it, anyway. What she really can’t get over is when her boss at the local museum tells her that her paintings lack heart.

Art is Abby’s passion and she hopes her future as well. She is determined to change his mind and earn her way into the upcoming exhibit at the gallery. So along with her family’s help, she compiles “The Heart List,” a series of soulstretching experiences that are sure to make her a deeper person and better artist in six weeks or less. When Cooper decides to complete the list along with her, she realizes this list is expanding her heart in more ways than one. Maybe she needs to start another project.

I really don’t know that I counted this as a romance…and if you go into it expecting a grand one, it will be painful. Like it was for me. Oh yes, you heard me correctly. Yeah, this is labeled a contemporary romance, but it really was, I don’t know, more about finding out who you are as a person and learning to love yourself enough to do what’s best for YOU. Learning that life isn’t always perfect. That there’s so much more to learn than what you realize. It’s a story of personal growth…even when its painful to do so.

Grandpa went straight to the kitchen sink when he walked in the door and began scrubbing his hands with soap and water. “Is everything all right?”
Okay, maybe I needed to work on my tone when making announcements. “Well, there wasn’t an earthquake,” I said.
“Am I supposed to get that reference? Is that a young-person phrase for something earthmoving? Has your earth moved, Abby?” He turned off the water and dried his hands on the towel hanging on the oven.

This story bothered me if only because I felt like it was too breezy. Too easygoing. Our MC was essentially a doormat and it bothered me on a personal level. But, really, I’m lying. She wasn’t even a doormat. She was a young girl who thought she loved her best friend and maybe-hopefully-one day he’d return her feelings.

On the bright side, this wasn’t a feeling I purposefully had very often. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this amount of sheer panic. Or this amount of hatred toward Cooper. So maybe this would help me paint emotion.

It was painful to read-PAINFUL. And not the good kind of pain, the kind that makes you cringe. Everything felt short, the list too contrived, the list moments almost a backdrop…

But to get through these painfully awkward moments, there was sarcasm. I always LOVED the sarcasm. It was cute, it was witty, and it was right up my alley. I actually even laughed through the whole book, to be honest. I love when I can identify with the main character in this way. But, sadly, it wasn’t enough. I’d close the book and I’d be happy at that moment, but then I’d realize I was bored. I wanted to be done. I wanted my new release (Come ooonnnnn, Cruel Prince) to come out (it just popped on my iPad (when I was reading this FOREVER AGO) EEK!). And I wanted more. But then, out of nowhere, our spineless heroine grew a pair and became my own personal version of a female YA contemporary hero.

“Come in.”
The door opened wider with a squeak. “Hey, you feeling better?”
“Physically? Yes.” I could tell my fever was gone and the headache I’d had for the last couple of days was gone with it. But anger still glowed in my chest like an evil that needed to be exorcised.


I choose to believe this isn’t hot. Lol.

And this is when it crashed and burned-And it wasn’t just because of some plot device or only to further the ‘romance’ (even though the week leading up to said crashing and burning was painfully obvious it would not go according to plan), it was because everything built up to this moment in a huge tidal wave and we got hurled in the side of the head with a crushing crescendo of feels that all crashed down at once….we were in the middle of a hurricane (sorry for all the water analogies????).

Then there was true pain-out of nowhere. It was real. It was raw. It broke my fucking heart-because I felt it. I felt every emotion she felt. And frankly? I didn’t know what I wanted to happen. Did I want a HEA? Did I really??? I have never felt this emotion. Ever. My stomach was in knots-HUGE knots. My heart twisted beyond comprehension and I couldn’t get the bitter bus to go away. I just…I felt like this book, out of nowhere, grew its spine, right alongside our sappy, lovesick, clueless MC.

This book may have been about a list of firsts…but I think it accomplished more firsts with me:
-The Cooper/Ris deal (I can’t explain what I mean until you read it)
-Abby/Elliot’s relationship-adorable. Come on, now.
-CRYING DURING A KASIE WEST NOVEL (THREE TIMES!)
-Hurt in my heart in a way I didn’t think possible for Kasie West
-True, raw pain from Kasie West
-Definitive no nonsense ending (for a KW)

And for once, and I won’t say how, this wasn’t a HFN. It was a real deal definitive end. And I loved it. But, hey. Still a short end…but I kinda tend to like those rather than long drawn out endings that prolong what’s supposed to be a short story…much like my long-winded reviews. 😉

He sat down on the yellow-and-white-striped towel on my right side and handed me the bottle of water.
“What’s this garbage? I want caffeine.”
“Just yesterday you told me you were giving up soda. You said it quite dramatically, in fact. And then you said, keep me honest, Cooper.”
“What?” Rachel asked from my left side.
“You had forty-four ounces of Mountain Dew at my house last night.”
“Shhhhh.” I pressed my finger against her lips. “We’re not talking about that.”
Cooper scoffed and Rachel pushed my hand away.

I read somewhere in one of my friend’s reviews before starting this that the person was kind of like me, over Kasie West, only because it’s been hard to relate lately when her first books were so lovable and the last few have been so underwhelming-I kept thinking l know…why even bother? And I regretted starting this book…But then THISSSSS.

“And it’s not even the Fourth of July,” I said, quieter this time.
“Barely two weeks. Imagine how booked they are for that day.”
“Would you rather have to listen to only quartets for the rest of your life or screeching cats?”
“That’s a hard one. But quartets, I think. Unless they can only sing patriotic songs. Then the cats.”

I’m happy to say this one is my personal favorite by her, and I don’t know why, because I felt it was so weak the whole time-but my heart is a fickle fellow. And I never ignore what my heart’s praises sing. I made myself swear (I did, I kept repeating to myself in a mantra, ‘no matter how cute this ending is, do NOT pull a Chelsea and give it a quick, hot, and dirty 5 star’)

Four thirty in the morning. You owe me.
That’s why I brought you doughnuts. I owe you nothing.
He sent me back the pile of poop emoji and I laughed.

Eh…I folded. I folded like a cheap hooker the minute my heart melted-and that’s all there is to it. Everything came together all of a sudden in a harmonious melody and it was kind of like Kasie West actually intended for us to feel this way…Like she wanted us to be pissed so she could say, ‘ha, you doubted me, you buttholes (I have since edited this part (and it wasn’t a-holes either…) now that a month has almost passed and I can calm my tits lol), well here you go-take THAT. RIGHT IN THE FEELS. BOOM.


I smiled and stole one of his fries.
His face went serious. “Don’t eat my fries, Abby. You said you didn’t want any fries, and I said, you’re going to steal mine if you don’t get your own, and you said, no I won’t.”
“Are you reenacting a conversation that happened five minutes ago?”
“Yes, because you seem to have forgotten it.”

I feel played. I feel very played…but, I don’t care. I lost. My heart won and Kasie West stole my heart [again] after a couple years of waiting for her to reappear like her old self. I thought she and I were parting ways, but alas-She is here to stay.

And I don’t mind that one bit.

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BOOK REVIEW – More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

February 20, 2018 / / 10 Comments
BOOK REVIEW – More Than We Can Tell by Brigid KemmererMore Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

With loving adoptive parents by his side, Rev Fletcher has managed to keep the demons of his past at bay. . . until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue's parents are constantly fighting, and her only escape is the computer game she built from scratch. But when a cruel online troll's harassment escalates, she not only loses confidence but starts to fear for her safety.

When Rev and Emma meet, they're both longing to lift the burden of their secrets. They connect instantly and deeply, promising to help each other no matter what. But soon Rev and Emma's secrets threaten to crush them, and they'll need more than a promise to find their way out.

From the author of Letters to the Lost comes a new compulsively readable story for fans of Nicola Yoon.

Review:

More Than We Can Tell was an emotional book that was the perfect mixture of heart-wrenching and oh so sweet.  So I definitely wasn’t surprised that I had tears in my eyes, when I was only a few chapters into this story.  It was a testament to how easily these characters captured my heart.  And while this can be read as a standalone, I recommend picking up Letters to the Lost too.  That story first introduced us to Rev, and it was one of my favorite books from last year.

I think of the girl beside the church.
You’re afraid.
I’ve spent years learning how not to be afraid. And now, with a few short sentences, my father has sliced through all my defenses. – Rev

Confession time – I had already fallen for Rev Fletcher in Letters to the Lost.  He was Declan’s best friend, and we saw what an amazing man he was.  He was always there for Declan, had so much compassion in his heart, and was such a good guy.  Even though it was obvious that he suffered from his own personal demons.  So to start off the book with his world exploding?  Oh.  My heart ached so badly for him.  And it was all because he received a letter from his biological father.  The man who raised him till he was eight, and who physically and mentally tortured Rev.  All in the name of God.  And from just that one letter, Rev started to spiral down into a dark abyss.

I keep worrying about my father, wondering when something is going to snap inside me. Wondering when I’m going to turn vicious and cruel, just like he did. – Rev

While Rev found himself sinking into a horrific darkness, he met someone who was suffering too.  Emma Blue.  Within that first interaction, they shared a tiny piece of what they were feeling.  I loved that with just a few words, they felt that connection.  They made each other not feel so alone in the world.  And from there, each time they ran into one another or met up, they let each other in just a little bit more.  It was such a beautiful progression to watch their friendship blossom.  They listened, they offered advice, they confessed and they found solace in each other.  But within it all, was butterflies and the possibility of a first love.  

I block him.
Then I slam my laptop shut. I flip over in bed and scream into my pillow.
I scream so loud and so long that I forget what silence is like.
I scream until I run out of breath. – Emma

I was so thankful that Emma met Rev.  Because it felt as though she had no one at times.  She struggled in her relationships with her parents.  They weren’t supportive of her, weren’t around, and they treated her like an inconvenience.  On top of that, she seemed to be drifting away from her best friend.  As if that wasn’t enough, she suffered from horrific online bullying.  And while I loved how outspoken and tough Emma could be at times, I did struggle with her.  She had a habit of pushing others away or saying hurtful things.  And the few times she did that to Rev, well it hurt me too.  Even though I saw where she learned that behavior from, and I got why she did it, I still didn’t like it at all.  But thankfully Emma made up for it again and again.

“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For seeing me.”
Then he turns, jogs across the street, and disappears into the darkness beyond.

There were so many beautiful messages in this book, that I believe are extremely important.  They ranged from bullying, to trusting the wrong people, to discovering solace in the ones you love and to also finding acceptance within yourself.  And on top of the messages, there were other people that added so much heart to this story.  Such as Declan, Rev’s adoptive parents and Matthew!  Ahhh I can’t say anymore, but I’d love to read Matthew’s own book someday *fingers crossed*!  So I found myself closing the book extremely happy with how it all ended.  It’s a fabulous read, and I definitely recommend it!!

PS If you want to read my 5 Star Review of Letters to the Lost, the book the first introduces us to Rev, you can read it here.

*ARC kindly provided by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

REVIEW – About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis

February 13, 2018 / / 2 Comments
REVIEW – About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill ShalvisAbout That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5)
by Jill Shalvis
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with the unique finder-and-fixer skills who can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

. . . is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.

Review:

About That Kiss is my new favorite Jill Shalvis book!  The characters captured my heart, the sexual tension between the two of them was scorching hot, and I could not put this book down.  I loved that there was a fabulous group of friends, an intriguing mystery, and scenes that made me have tears in my eyes.  About That Kiss was such a huge win for me!  If you haven’t read this series yet, you can jump in anytime.  Each book can easily be read as a standalone, which is always an added bonus!

“What kiss?”
He gave her a get real look.
“Oh, that kiss.” She shrugged nonchantely as she reached for her water bottle. “I barely remember it.”
“Funny,” he said in a voice of pure sin. “Cuz it rocked my world.”
She chocked on her water, coughing and sputtering. “The mirror’s still not for sale.” she finally managed to wheeze out, wiping her mouth.
I rocked his world?

One night, Joe and Kylie ended up sharing a passionate, smoldering kiss.  But afterwards, Joe never attempted to contact Kylie because he’s not a relationship type of guy.  And Kylie had no plans of letting Joe’s lack of actions hurt her heart.  But when something sentimental got stolen from Kylie, she knew that Joe could track it down. He worked for a security company and this was his area of expertise.  Yet what started off as a simple search, ended up being something more than either one of them could have imagined.

He grinned.  She was teasing him, and for some sick reason he loved it.  “You’re also not all that nice,” he said.  “And I really like nice.”
“Uh-huh. I bet ‘nice’ is right up there on your list next to, let me guess…a good personality?”
He laughed. “So young and yet so cynical.” he tsked, enjoying the hell out of himself. “You’re assuming the worst of me.”

While Joe was the one working the case, and wanted to keep Kylie safe, Kylie embedded herself into every part of the search.  So they ended up spending a lot of time around each other, and I found my heart melting.  I loved that we got to watch them slowly learn more about each other.  But their interactions weren’t always easy, so fireworks were definitely guaranteed!  You see, there was still a lot of tension from that last kiss.  And then there was an intense, sexual chemistry between the two of them.  It was so much fun watching their slow burn romance play out.  And I loved that slowly overtime, a true friendship started to emerge between the two of them.

She was an irresistible dichotomy of sweet charm and heart-stopping sexy, and she threw him off guard with every look, be it a smile or a glare. In fact, he kinda liked when she gave him dirty looks, which meant he was seriously losing his shit. And he never lost his shit.
Never.
Yeah.  He was royally screwed and the thing was even knowing that, he didn’t want to walk away because he enjoyed her so much.  How crazy was that?

I have to let you know that I absolutely loved Kylie and Joe.  Kylie was smart, stubborn, amazing at her job, honest, had the hugest heart ever and was so much fun!  I loved all of her little quirks and she was someone that I would have loved to have as a friend.  But one of my favorite things about her was how she brought Joe out of his shell.  And that’s because Joe was jaded and kept so many parts of himself hidden, because of his past.  Yet he had this loyalty, endurance and trust that was so beautiful.  He was such a hard worker and such a wonderful brother and son.  Ohhhh and I loved that he was very protective of those he loved.  So while the two of them were very different from each other in certain aspects, other times they resonated with one other.  They way they meshed together was breathtaking.

Vinnie trotted off toward the kitchen, stopping just short of the doorway to lift his paw and poke at the air.  When he was sastisfied that he wasn’t going to encounter a glass door, he happily made his way to the water bowl.
“What was that?” Joe asked.
“He has trust issues.”
Joe let out a low laugh.  “Well, at least we know where he gets them from.”

But there was so much more in this story that I fell for.  I Ioved Kylie’s adorable little dog, Vinnie.  He added so much heart and playfulness to the scenes!  And I loved this fabulous group of friends that this series revolves around.  They feel more like family to me and I loved seeing what they were up to!  So now I’m left beyond ecstatic for the next book in this series.  It’s going to be about Joe’s little sister and one of his coworkers, Lucas.  I already like the both of them so much and I can’t wait to read their story!  So yes, I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it enough!   

PS When Vinnie finally learned to fetch?!  Oh my gosh, I was laughing SO hard I had tears pouring down my eyes lol!!

*Book was kindly provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review*

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | GPlay | iBooks | IndieBound | Books-A-Million

 

Excerpt:

[scroll-box]

Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going
on between you two?”

She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”

His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”

“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.

“What happened today?”

She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.

“Kylie.”

She sighed. “It’s nothing.”

“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”

Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.

“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.

She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”

He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”

“He kissed you.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”

“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.

She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”

He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.

“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.

Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”

“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.

“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”

He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”

“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”

Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.

And she liked it.

She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?

Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.

“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”[/scroll-box]

 

About Jill Shalvis:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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