Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 52 of 98)

BOOK REVIEW: Full Measures (Flight & Glory #1) by Rebecca Yarros

May 19, 2016 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Full Measures (Flight & Glory #1)
by Rebecca Yarros
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Three knocks can change everything…

"She knew. That’s why Mom hadn’t opened the door. She knew he was dead."

Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn’t know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart.

Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can’t deny their intense attraction.

Until Josh’s secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he’s worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

The muscle in his jaw flexed. “I haven’t lost the one thing I love, Ember. You’re still standing in front of me, and I’m fighting like hell.”

The problem with me is that I have found so many books that I love and adore that I’m always chasing the next high. When you’ve had the best, you want to continue to FIND the best….and this story, while both cute and smoldering hot, a contradiction I would love to embrace every day of the week, was frankly not the best. It was a cute, fun, sexy in-between read (in-between meaning that I need a light book after a fantasy before picking up yet another fantasy) that helped me to smile, laugh, and get through the ‘oh I had a bad reading weekend’ blues. But sticking a band-aid over the wound isn’t healing anything-only prolonging the inevitable: It may have only been a week since I read something absolutely epic and breathtaking, but the last two books being three stars and below slices my soul to pieces and I feel like I’m on the verge of a very depressing slump. Admittedly, it doesn’t help that the book I’m reading now is no better. Where oh where has my spot-on bookdar gone??

“Josh Walker. Right. I used to have a picture of you taped on my closet door from when you guys won state.” Shit. Why did I say that? His eyebrows raised in surprise, and I mentally added or still do, but whatever.

I find it necessary to also state that my lovely friend, Jennifer, is forever sending me these wonderful books that make my heart beat faster and my mood lift higher (when I’m not raging about certain things-more on that later). It’s her ultimate goal to send me books that are wonderful for that horrid in-between that often plagues me with question marks and uncertainty until I can get my next fix-And in this, she succeeded. Thank you, lovely!

That having been said…..there was a lot about this book that just annoyed the fuck out of me. For instance: The naivety of our main character. I actually could barely stand her, let alone tolerate her back and forth with Josh. Yes, I love this kind of tension but…more often than not, it’s a plot device to create unnecessary drama, thus making this a three star or below when it easily could have been a 4 star. One of my BIGGEST pet peeves stems from a main character’s lack of clarity with the leading male, and in this story it was no exception. The main character wouldn’t commit…and shenanigans ensued. I HATE these shenanigans, and if you know me, you know precisely what shenanigans were participated or eluded to, and I fucking loathe it. So, that was minus a star, just for making me feel that icky-fake, real, or lead to believe. I give no shits-I won’t tolerate that if it isn’t handled properly.

And not even to mention that she should have known her loser boyfriend was acting different-I mean, I get it, and it wasn’t my MAIN problem, but it definitely made my cheese-dar go off (I have a lot of radars, aren’t I talented ~~and cynical as fuck~~?). I HATE cheese, as well, for those of you just tuning in, and this kind of cheese throughout the story is okay and wasn’t totally overabundant, but it was there, nonetheless.

“We’re taking it slow until you say so, because I can’t bear to hear a ‘no’ from you. But here’s your only warning: I’m going to chase the fuck out of you.”

Which leads me to this: The only thing I liked and enjoyed about the story was Josh. And this is another thing I just hate saying…I hate saying a book is only as good as its male lead. I know a lot of you are rolling your eyes and saying that all I do is obsess about male leads-and you wouldn’t be incorrect. I LIVE for my male leads and they are the ultimate fix on a horrid day. I love them. I live them. I breathe them in. THEY KEEP ME SANE. But no one can deny that I am always honest in regards to the actual book, and if the actual book sucks?? That boy can’t save it…and that’s just how it is.

He turned around so I was against his chest. “I have half a mind to tell you no more kisses until I get a date.”
“Oh?” I stepped back so Gus wouldn’t get the wrong…ahem, right…idea.
“Yeah, but you see, that’s my flaw, December Howard.” He helped me into the Jeep and reached across to buckle me in. He slid back, stopping to whisper in my ear. “I have no self-control when it comes to you.”

So, with all that being said, I also must point out that Josh even made me mad a few times. And, even though this is not true and I’ll get a lot of ‘nuh uh that’s not true!’s, I must say this felt an awful lot like insta-love/lust. Now, I don’t mind insta-lust, and even here I didn’t mind this case of insta-whatever, but it still bordered on my very fragile tolerance of what’s acceptable. Josh was a great, loyal, and sexy guy-He made my lady parts go into over-drive and his insistence of wanting our main girl (seriously, I can’t even remember her name…) to do what she needed to do and to take all the time in the world to make things good for herself all while he’s merely a shoulder to lean on was admirable and made my heart very happy. But…again…shenanigans. Immaturity is fine in a male lead to a point, and he really was super sweet, grown-up, and into her at a fault (She isn’t that great, sorry) he still fucked up to the point that it made my blood boil. And I can’t even tell you if I’m really angry or not because, pet peeve (see above), it was never handled or addressed further. And no, that measly explanation at the end did not cover all bases throughout the book so meh.

I adored Josh, I really did, but this book was merely a distraction for me (like Josh??). It was fun. It was flirty. It had heart-stopping moments that took my breath away. I even got butterflies that threatened to overtake me…but that simply doesn’t overshadow the cheese, the main character, and the bull shit drama that made me see red. Red is my favorite color, by the way….just not this kind. Onto the next shit storm. Ugh. Too-da-loo!!!

*****************
Ugh. I hate this book…but I ALSO LOVE IT. God damn it, Joshua Walker-Oh, what you do to my lady parts.

RTC

************
When life gets you down….

#Reset

I love you, darling Jennifer &hearts

View all my reviews

REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

May 16, 2016 / Jen / 20 Comments

The Problem With Forever was an emotionally haunting and beautiful story. Mallory and Rider found a special place in my heart and I’m ecstatic to say that Rider shot to the top of my romance book boyfriend lists. Oh yes, you want to meet him! So please check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy, and I hope you’ll love this story just as much as I did!

REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory "Mouse" Dodge, it's a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone--spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she's imagined, there's one she never dreamed of--that she'd run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn't seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn't take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she's not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider's life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out--for the people she loves, the life she wants and the truths that need to be heard.

Review:

The Problem With Forever was an emotionally haunting and beautiful story. Reading the prologue alone, I knew that I was stepping into a book that would forever be ingrained in my heart. Not only because this was a first for me, since I cried from the prologue. To think about children suffering through that type of physical and emotional abuse hurts me to the core. But that wasn’t the only reason why this story will stay with me forever. Mallory and Rider enraptured me with their feelings. I became obsessed with The Problem With Forever as we transitioned to High School in the first chapter, and that obsession never once wavered.

Words were not the enemy or the monster under my bed, but they held such power over me. They were like the ghost of a loved one, forever haunting me.

Mallory Dodge was unlike any other character I have met. She was timid, she was overwhelmed by noise, and she had been trained not to make a sound. While she was a foster child, she spent her youth learning that sounds and noises brought attention to herself. And with attention came physical and emotional abuse. And while I have never once felt nervous, overwhelmed or panicky about the thought of speaking to others, Mallory made me feel terrified right along with her. My palms were sweaty and my stomach was tossing and turning with nervousness. Mallory made me feel every single thing she did! Yet as the story unfolded, we got to see Mallory push herself out of her comfort zone again and again. I loved how we got to watch Mallory grow and find strength within herself. She was an amazing woman!

“Do you recognize me?” His voice was still barely above a whisper.
His eyes continued to hold mine, and I spoke what turned out to be the easiest word I’d ever said in my life.
“Yes.”

But what Mallory could never had predicted was running into Rider Stark on her first day going back to public school. Rider was a foster child who had grown up in the same house as Mallory. They had been together from the age of 3, until they were separated at 13. Although four years had passed since they last saw each other, it’s hard to forget that they were each others world. Especially for Mallory. Not only was Rider her best friend, but he was her protector too. He took beatings that she was meant to take. He sacrificed himself to protect Mallory and keep her safe at all costs. Until they were ripped apart.

My heart exploded as those strong arms pulled me against his chest. There was a moment where I froze, and then my arms swept around his neck. I held on, squeezing my eyes shut as I inhaled the clean scent and the lingering trace of aftershave. This was him. His hugs were different now, stronger and tighter. He lifted me clear off my feet, one arm around my waist, the other hand buried deep in my hair, and my breasts were mushed against his surprisingly hard chest.
Whoa.

Rider was breathtaking. Not only because of what he did in the past for Mallory, but those actions continued through to present day. Rider stepped back into Mallory’s life and became her protector all over again. He would do the sweetest things like ditch a class so that way Mallory would have someone to sit and eat lunch with. Just wait till you see everything he did for Mallory, he was such a good guy! But some aspects of their relationship did change over time. Sexual tension was strumming between them and it was sigh and toe curling worthy. Rider literally gave me chills with his words and mannerisms towards Mallory. So yeah, I became a little obsessed with him lol. Rider was charming, sexy, sweet, loyal, dedicated and the intensity of how much he still cared for Mallory lifted off of the pages. It was impossible not to fall for him.

I pulled myself out of the memory, but there were so many of him coming to my rescue for some reason or another until he couldn’t, until the promise of forever had been shattered, and everything… everything had fallen apart.

I loved how it felt like I knew Mallory and Rider inside out, especially with the flashbacks to their younger years. Whether it was just a short moment or a longer memory, we got to watch their friendship unfold. And we also got to truly understand all of the horrors that they lived with. It was easy to grasp that they only had each other to rely on. And how their past helped form them into the person that they would become.

His lashes lowered and the lopsided grin appeared. “I always knew you’d be beautiful one day.”
My breath hitched as I sat straighter. What was left of the pizza , just the crust, was totally forgotten . My ears had to be smoking crack or something.
A flush swept across his cheeks as one side of his lips kicked up. “I just never thought I’d get to see how beautiful you’d become.”

The Problem With Forever also contained moments with Mallory’s best friend who I absolutely adored! It was refreshing to see a strong female friendship, and I can’t wait for Ainsley’s book! And I was happy to see that Mallory’s adoptive parents played an active role in some very important moments in Mallory’s life. But when I closed that last page, I was struck by how extremely grateful I am for my life. I was reminded of all of the positives that constantly surround me, no matter how little or big they are. And I’m so glad that message, whether intentional or not, sunk it’s claws into me. So of course I loved every single moment in The Problem With Forever, and I hope you will too.

*ARC kindly provided by Harlequin TEEN via Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review*

Buy Links:

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Register your preorder of THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER by May 20^thto receive a FREE fan pack! Includes inspirational wall art, a colorful poster, and flag-as-you-read stickers. You will also get immediate access to an extended excerpt from the book.

JUST FILL OUT THE FORM HERE

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads | THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER Goodreads

THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER - Tour - Text Teaser

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SPOTLIGHT+GIVEAWAY: Whisper to Me by Nick Lake

May 11, 2016 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

We are honored to host the Whisper to Me tour, hosted by the Irish Banana!! Take a look below for a synopsis, information about the author, and an awesome giveaway! ENJOY!

SPOTLIGHT+GIVEAWAY: Whisper to Me by Nick Lake

Whisper to Me by Nick Lake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Cassie is writing a letter to the boy whose heart she broke. She’s trying to explain why. Why she pushed him away. Why her father got so angry when he saw them together. Why she disappears some nights. Why she won’t let herself remember what happened that long-ago night on the boardwalk. Why she fell apart so completely.

Desperate for his forgiveness, she’s telling the whole story of the summer she nearly lost herself. She’s hoping he’ll understand as well as she now does how love—love for your family, love for that person who makes your heart beat faster, and love for yourself—can save you after all.

LINKS:

ABOUT NICK LAKE:

e222ffe5-8cf6-469d-a9e4-1ba68791d328 My name is Nick and I write and edit books for young adults. My first YA novel IN DARKNESS, was published by Bloomsbury in 2012 and won the Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in YA Literature. I also wrote a book called HOSTAGE THREE about a girl kidnapped by Somali pirates.

THERE WILL BE LIES is coming in January 15 and is about a girl who learns that everything she knows is a lie. To say it’s a book with a twist in the story would be a massive understatement. There is also a talking coyote in it.

I live with my wife, daughter and son in a 16th century house in England with almost 19th century amenities. Sometimes the heating even works.

I like: reading, art, music, food containing sugar, cities at night, the countryside in the daytime, vintage furniture, modern standards of heating (see above), travelling.

I dislike: being sick, failing, being underdressed in the cold, being overdressed in the heat, the unnecessary suffering of children, being punched in the face.

LINKS: Twitter | Tumblr

GIVEAWAY:

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TOUR SCHEDULE:

5/3: Go Read A Book – Review

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5/5: Live to Read – Review

5/6: The Cover Contessa – Guest Post

5/7: Swoony Boys Podcast – Q&A

5/8: Such A Novel Idea – Playlist

5/9: Tina the Bookworm – Review

5/10: One Night Bookstand – Guest Post

5/11: Star-Crossed Book Blog – Promo Post

5/12: Arctic Books – Dream Casting

5/13: Ex Libris – Review

BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Good Girl by Lauren Layne

May 9, 2016 / Jen / 10 Comments

Good Girl has become my FAVORITE Lauren Layne book and I can’t wait for you to meet Jenny & Noah! It was definitely one of her sexier books, and it contained all of the laughter, smiles and heartfelt moments that I’ve come to love from her writing. So please check out my 5 Star Review below, read an excerpt that made me smile and enter a fabulous giveaway. Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Good Girl by Lauren Layne

Good Girl (Love Unexpectedly #2)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In this steamy novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines, country music’s favorite good girl hides away from the world—and finds herself bunking with a guy who makes her want to be a little bad.

Jenny Dawson moved to Nashville to write music, not get famous. But when her latest record goes double platinum, Jenny’s suddenly one of the town’s biggest stars—and the center of a tabloid scandal connecting her with a pop star she’s barely even met. With paparazzi tracking her every move, Jenny flees to a remote mansion in Louisiana to write her next album. The only hiccup is the unexpected presence of a brooding young caretaker named Noah, whose foul mouth and snap judgments lead to constant bickering—and serious heat.

Noah really should tell Jenny that he’s Preston Noah Maxwell Walcott, the owner of the estate where the feisty country singer has made her spoiled self at home. But the charade gives Noah a much-needed break from his own troubles, and before long, their verbal sparring is indistinguishable from foreplay. But as sizzling nights give way to quiet pillow talk, Noah begins to realize that Jenny’s almost as complicated as he is. To fit into each other’s lives, they’ll need the courage to face their problems together—before the outside world catches up to them.

Review:

Lauren Layne has done it again! Good Girl was sizzling sexy, laugh out loud funny and pulled at my heartstrings! Upon closing that last page I knew that Good Girl was easily one of my favorite books of this year. I mean, I read it in one sitting. And that happens once a blue moon for me. But I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t even fake promise myself the ‘only one more chapter’ line. Nope. I devoured this story!

Good Girl played out in my head as though I was watching a movie. And out of all of Lauren Layne’s books, I would absolutely die if this were to get optioned as a movie, it would be fabulous. You see, Jenny is a country singer who had been dubbed as America’s good girl. Yet she got thrown under the bus, and instead of fighting it, she stepped away from Hollywood and off the grid. Jenny ended up staying in a house that captured a moment in time of her childhood. In Louisiana. And while Noah was the owner of the house, that’s not how he really played it. He painted himself as the caretaker, which had me smiling huge. Being on a rural property lead them into some very passionate, hilarious and heartfelt moments.

Jenny had such an adorable voice. She was funny without even trying, she talked to her Pomeranian named Dolly, and put chocolate chips in her supposed to be healthy smoothie. She was so easy to relate to, especially since all my family and childhood friends call me Jenny, I always talk to my two little Havanese babies and I’ve tried the whole chocolate chips in a spinach smoothie, because while it sounds great, yeah, it doesn’t really work out. But any who, I loved Jenny from the get go! And as the story progressed, she earned my respect by being a woman who had a heart of gold and always saw the best in anyone or any situation. I loved how positive she was!

I can’t wait for you to meet Noah! And in case you don’t know, the jerky dickheads always tend to be my favorite! So I loved Noah completely and whole heartedly! Noah had a jaded past, and he knew that he didn’t want to go down that same road again. Especially with a woman like Jenny. So he called her princess and pushed her away. Yet Noah could only push her so far away, because the sexual attraction between the two of them pulled them straight back to each other. And their attraction and banter was toe curling and probably one of the sexier books that I have ever read by Lauren Layne. I loved it! The scenes between them were SO hot. Who knew pink zip ties could be so sexy?

Noah always seemed to push Jenny away after they had a moment of being close, whether it was physical or emotional. He was hurtful. He was the biggest jerk. Actually, jerk is too nice of a word. He was the biggest asshole. YET, I never once disliked Noah. Since the chapters alternated between the two of them, I got to be in his head. I watched as he struggled. I watched as the realization would hit him with what he just did to hurt Jenny. And it hurt to watch him and Jenny suffer. Still, he always apologized. Those apologies left me with hope that he would work past those issues he struggled with. That he was redeemable. And that hopefully Noah deserved our love.

Lauren Layne continues to write stories that find their way into my heart, make me laugh, make me cry and make me fall in love with all of the characters she creates. This is why she is one of my favorite authors. So if you’re a fan of bad boys or reading books that play out in your head like a movie then definitely pick this book up! I have a feeling you’re going to fall head over heels in love with this story too!

PS I loved all the dog scenes! And how they played such a large part in their owners lives. Loved, loved, loved.

*ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

GoodGirl_Teaser_6

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Excerpt:

[scroll-box]Noah

“What time did you say this chick was arriving?” Finn asks around his cigarette.

“Tomorrow morning,” I say, rapping my toe against a funny-looking floorboard and wincing when it buckles.

“Huh.” Finn exhales and looks out the window.

I know that tone. “What?”

“Seems she might have gotten here early,” he says, a second before the quiet afternoon erupts with the sound of my dog losing his mind, mingled with the shrill piercing yap of a much smaller dog.

“Seriously?”

Finn shrugs and nods. “There’s a girl outside.”

“Shit,” I mutter as I head toward the stairs, dodging the two broken ones.

Ranger’s about as good a dog as they come, wouldn’t hurt a fly. But he’s a big dog with a big bark, and one serious weakness: gleefully humping smaller dogs. He’s a rescue, and though he was fixed after they brought him in, he’d already gone through canine puberty, or whatever. He’s still got the fierce urge to hump, although it’s more habit than hormones.

I exit out the front door just in time to see my big brown Lab leap forward, his clumsy paws finding the shoulders of a blond girl who lets out a shriek, holding a cat above her head like that scene from The Lion King.

“Ranger, no! Down.”

I run forward, my hand finding the collar of my dog and yanking him backward as I search the ground to find the source of the small-dog barks still piercing the air.

Then I register that the sound is coming from above, and realize . . .

The cotton ball isn’t a cat.

That orange piece of fluff is a dog, and Ranger is apparently in love.

“What the heck is wrong with your dog?” the girl says as she slowly lowers the puffball from over her head, cradling the hideous little monster against her chest as it continues its high-pitched bloody-murder yips.

“At least my dog is actually a dog,” I say, staring in horror at the pointy face of a canine that could fit in one of my hands. “I’ve seen dust bunnies bigger than that thing.”

“Dolly’s a Pomeranian,” she says, setting a hand on top of the monster’s head. “She’s supposed to be this tiny.”

“Well, Ranger’s a Lab. He’s supposed to be this normal.”

“He attacked me,” she says, giving Ranger a wary look as his tongue hangs out the side of his mouth, his eyes locked lovingly on Dolly.

“He didn’t want you, he wanted the . . . dog,” I say, forcing myself to acknowledge that the creature in her hands might be part of the canine family.

“For what, dinner?”

I don’t respond, because now that the crisis is averted, I’ve managed to shift my attention from the dogs to the girl, and . . .

Holy shit.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been sucker-punched by equal waves of lust and disdain before.

Jenny Dawson is hot as hell.

I knew that going in, but up close she’s even more mouthwatering. Her white skirt is short and tight, her legs long and toned.

She’s wearing some billowing pink top, so I can’t get a good look at what’s happening there, but it doesn’t really matter. I’ve always been a legs man, and I can’t stop looking.

The legs are a 10.

The face is a 10.

And the long blond hair spilling over one shoulder definitely begs to be spread over a man’s pillow. My pillow.

And yet even as my cock says yes, my brain is saying hell no.

Gorgeous as she is, she screams diva from the pink toenails to the sky-high stiletto sandals and all the way up to the carefully made-up face.

I just turned my entire life upside down trying to get away from a woman exactly like this one, so this is definitely a look, don’t touch situation.

But I’m looking. I’m definitely looking.[/scroll-box]

About Lauren Layne:

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. A year after moving from Seattle to NYC to pursue a writing career, she had a fabulous agent and multiple New York publishing deals.

Lauren currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and plus-sized Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll likely find her running (rarely), reading (sometimes), or at happy hour (often).

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

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REVIEW+GIVEAWAY: Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

April 28, 2016 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

We are so excited to be a part of the Suffer Love Blog Tour! This story is so deep, meaningful, and heartfelt. Your emotions will be all over the place, but most of all you will feel the hurt and betrayal...and what happens when families are in the process of being torn apart. The aftermath is what our two main characters are dealing with, and I absolutely fell in love with both of them. A cruel twist of fate brought them together, but is it enough to tear them apart? Look below to find my 5 star review, some of my favorite quotes, and a giveaway! I hope it will encourage you to give this one a try! Enjoy!

REVIEW+GIVEAWAY: Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Hadley St. Clair's life changed the day she came home to a front door covered in slips of paper, each of them revealing the ugly truth about her father. Now as her family falls apart in the wake of his year-long affair, Hadley wants everyone-her dad most of all-to leave her alone.

Then she meets Sam Bennett, a cute new boy who inexplicably "feels like home" to Hadley. Hadley and Sam's connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret about his family that could ruin everything.

Funny and passionate, Suffer Love is a story about first love, family dysfunction, and the fickle hand of fate.

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 3rd 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction

My heart is crushed within me, Here is the truth: You made me love you-your eyes and mouth and voice. You pulled me into your heart. You don’t want me there and I don’t want to be there, but it’s where I will always live.

You know those books that just pop out at you when you see them? The covers that are beautiful, yet you know that by looking at the synopsis, this isn’t going to be one of those flops where the cover is better than anything possible in the book?? Yeah, well, this is one of those instances. This book, despite it’s absolutely fucking gorgeous cover, doesn’t lack in depth. Whether this will be for everyone?? I have no clue. But what I do know?? Those of you looking for a YA book that isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, but still like the warm fuzzies and bouts of butterflies that are likely to choke you with their frequency….will love this story.

I kneel to help, accepting a thank-you from the boy’s harried-looking mother. When we finish, I edge Sam’s hard stomach with my elbow, trying to play off his sudden nervousness. “Don’t get any ideas, Sam Bennett. I just want to hang out.”
Pink splashes over his cheekbones as he throws up his hands in surrender. He smiles that lopsided grin. “I wouldn’t dream of getting any ideas.”
–
“Okay, I would dream of getting ideas.”

Or maybe you won’t-that’s just the way of it, and I am hardly a person who picks on each and every flaw within a story. But there was just something so sweet, yet heartbreaking, about this story. Something that reached into my soul and latched onto it, making it hard for me to breathe long after I had put it down. I adore YA realistic fiction, but lately it’s hard to find those winners that really stick with you. I don’t know what it was about this story that made me so happy-Whether it be the not so easy romance or the flawed family relationships or even the hilarious banter that I found so life-like and tangible and authentic…no matter what it was, it really resonated with me, and that’s not so easy to do lately.

As I adjust the temperature on the oven and listen to Mom as she finally trudges up the stairs, I think about what Hadley said about wanting something you don’t even believe is possible. I wonder now whether she was really talking about a happy ending or whether she was just talking about the kind of life where you don’t have to fight so hard to feel at home with your own family.

For years I was caught in an inferno of insta-love, lust, and easy-fix relationships when it came to romance novels. It wasn’t until I got onto Goodreads that I really started to find the books that touched me in ways I never imagined possible. YA is a genre I latched onto quickly, using the idea that, after reading a few fantastic novels, YA writers have a little more difficult time writing a truly engrossing story because they can’t use sex as a crutch or raunchy conversations to make time pass quickly-fade to black may not be for everyone, but it happens frequently in these YA novels. And it has became something that doesn’t bother me, but makes me appreciate how wonderful everything is that surrounds the intimate moments.

My arms go around her and she sort of melts into me. I rest my cheek on her head and we just stand there, wordless. I let myself imagine a different life with her, free of knots and lies and little slips of paper. I let myself believe what feels true-that she’s just a girl and I’m just a boy and we want to be together. We couldn’t not be together, because being together was the only thing that made sense. The only thing that kept us from both disappearing.

My point in all that was simple: YA is such an underappreciated genre because people feel they outgrow it or can’t relate to something that happened so long ago for them…but for some reason it’s the opposite for me. When I read a story like this, it helps me embrace the moments from long ago where I fell in love with my husband in the hallways of our high school. It helps me reminisce about the carefree days and nights and how we fell in love despite what people said about our completely different lifestyles, how we would never make it because we had nothing in common-But look who’s laughing now, hmm? And you know what they say…opposites attract.

Her movement startles me out of my fog, and I turn to look at her. A lawnmower cranks up next door and we sit in its rumble as I try to figure out why the hell I’m so furious with Josh, want to slash Sloane’s tires, want to crush every guy who even looks at Hadley below the neck.

Again, back to my point-this story wasn’t about two opposites. In fact, it was about two people living the same lonely life, connected in a way no one in their right mind would ever wish to be. Her father cheated, causing tension and strife in what was an otherwise stable household. His mother cheated, breaking up a family that wasn’t perfect, but was whole. These horrible instances brought these two together….but they don’t realize it until it’s too late. Didn’t you wonder why this was called Suffer Love? Well…that’s a piece of it.

And everything slows down.
Crash.
In Romeo and Juliet, stars didn’t cross. They collided.
Game over.
Hadley slides the paper across the table.
I don’t need to look at it.
I know what it is.
Crash.

Sam and Hadley were two characters I just absolutely adored. Sam, for his broken soul, his unwavering loyalty that changed the way his family looked at him forever, the way he takes care of his little sister, Livy, and the fact that he was real. He wasn’t a cardboard boy in a cardboard story-He had real feelings and real anger and real angst and he did some things wrong (I won’t mention one that made me cross my arms and humph, even though he wasn’t really in the wrong). And then the way he slowly fell for Hadley, despite the devastating consequences of such a heartbreaking connection. He knew what it would mean, what it would cost, and who it would hurt to fall in love with the beautiful Hadley…but he couldn’t help falling. I mean…come on. Of course I fell in love with him and with this story.

And that’s when I know I’ve finally lost this battle with myself. I don’t care who I am. I don’t care what our parents did or how I’ll explain everything to her. I only care about being with her, right now up on this hill. I feel her in my gut and in my bones and that deep, hollow place in my chest.

And then Hadley-Going through a phase to help numb the pain, she’s dealing with things in the only way she knows how. But when she meets Sam, all of that changes. Instead of seeking solace in stolen kisses in dark rooms and utility closets, she finds that simply talking to Sam, spending time with Sam, falling in love with Sam….is the only distraction she needs. She starts to see that she doesn’t have to feel alone, that he understands and can relate in ways no one else can-And that when things start to crumble, he’s the one she wants to run to.

Relief pours through me, and suddenly I need him closer. Unlike with josh or any other guy, it’s not about filling some void or only having fun. It’s about Sam. It’s about me. It’s an overflow of whatever this unspoken unseen thing is between us, and I realize that I do want it. I want him.

An authentic ending, a beautiful portrayal of families in turmoil who are just trying to make it work again, and a wonderful look at a relationship that is built from broken hearts and closet betrayals, even as the world continues to crumble around them. Hadley’s relationship with Sam’s sister, Livy, warmed my heart in ways I didn’t think existed. The familial ties that, no matter what they’ve gone through, don’t sever, but stay frayed as everyone tries to hold on as best they can. These people are real, and real people have flaws, make mistakes, and don’t handle themselves like they should. Maybe everyone wouldn’t agree, but I found that every little step felt right, like this would really happen if this story actually did exist. And because of this, unexpected tears coursed down my face without me even realizing as the book came to a close, causing me to hug my iPad to my chest and cradle these characters close as they held onto the hope, longing, and sacrifice that would mold their tentative new relationship. Not all HEA’s are clean cut and care-free….and HEA’s don’t exist for everyone. I hope that all of you will give this one a try, but if you aren’t convinced, ask yourself this-Can you really resist his charms? Can you?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

8545130 Ashley Herring Blake is a poet, teacher, and YA novelist. Her debut novel, SUFFER LOVE, follows two teens as they attempt to wade through an intense relationship complicated by their parents’ infidelities. Ashley lives in Nashville, TN.