Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 55 of 95)

BOOK REVIEW: Attraction (Elements of Chemistry #1; Hypothesis #1.1) by Penny Reid

January 13, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Attraction by Penny Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?

Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.

Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family's billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.

When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?

A beautiful man is the devil’s most potent weapon.

Parker:

Annoying;

irritating, infuriating, exasperating, maddening, trying, tiresome…

Martin (Really? Lol):

Aggressive:

assertive, pushy, forceful..

Yet…I enjoyed. At least, in some parts. In many ways, this was a VERY short book. it was meant to be-it’s a three part novella…for some odd reason that I don’t get-Yet it took me almost a full week to read it. Not good. This story-and author, for that matter-holds all the components to an excellent NA romance. Literally, it has everything going for it. Specifically, it has a hot, swoony male lead that is tortured and feels like no one sees him as anything other than a cash cow. He is lonely and has fallen for his lab partner who sees him for who he really might be, not just a label. She doesn’t give him much credit and often judges him even though he says he only wants her.

It’s [her] name is Parker *lets out frustrated growl (a verb our author is practically obsessed with)* the closet hiding, synonym loving, virgin chemist enthusiast. Yeah…a mouthful indeed…she’s a lot to take, for sure.

Parker:

Childish;

immature, babyish, infantile, juvenile, puerile..

Martin:

Harsh;

cruel, savage, dictatorial…

Like i said-that first chapter??? It hooked me. I loved it. Really. It seemed like this was really for me. But then we got deeper inside Parker’s headache inducing mind. Good god, this chick. I mean.. A lot of times she made me smile and huff out a reluctant laugh, you know?? She’s cute and quirky. Really. But then it’s like…how fucking naive can you really be???

I don’t believe it, or rather, I didn’t care for it. I was as naive as a freshman in high school could be, and even I wouldn’t be as neurotic as this chick. I’m not kidding-naivety was my middle name. Hello, mortifying-I-never-want-to-remember-you-again memories. They’re just ghastly. But as a college freshman I don’t believe for one second she couldn’t have been more mature for Martin or that she couldn’t have produced more adult-like conversions than she provided. She didn’t do too bad, I’ll give her that, but her decision making certainly left something to be desired. I don’t know. Aren’t you glad the blurry, indecisive Bitch is back?? Lol

And, for once, she wasn’t my only problem. I loved Martin-God he has BBF tattooed all over him. However…I think the author blurred that line of sexy, tortured, and persistent, with sexy, tortured, and forceful. Ugh, that’s not the right word, perhaps, but even I, the girl who loves all men in her books, found Martin to be a bit too pushy at times. But here’s the kicker!!! It’s Parker’s fault, too. If she doesn’t want to be with him (her reasons are ruh-tarded, by the way), say so. Like, UGH. But she obviously is extremely attracted to him, fantasizes about him, and dreams of being the girl he wants forever like any normal hot-blooded female would in books and in real life…so…I blame her a lot. Her indecisiveness is sure to confuse not only us, but the male she’s obsessed with as well. So. Again. I don’t know. Boo, Parker. Boo. Figure your shit out, you indecisive cow.

I must say, I only liked the book when Martin was around. I don’t quite get the authors style of writing-it’s like she can be excellent…but is missing something that makes her so. It’s almost childish, but then some passages really gripped me and seemed super intellectual. They were far and fleeting, but that’s where Martin filled the gaps. 😉

A cute little book, but missing some key components that could have made it addictive. When I put it down, I didn’t think of it. When I picked it up, I either pined for Martin to return or was fantasizing about my next read (woo buddy I can’t wait!). But, for some reason, I still enjoyed this enough to try for book two. This was a thoughtful gift from a wonderful, best friend, and I know there was a reason she bought this with me in mind. And I agree-it seems Martin and Parker are about to get some shit worked out-I do so hate stupid, childish misunderstandings. So, here soon I will start novella two and see where they are in their relationship. I hope they can finally move forward and Parker will stop with her indecisive relationship fears and misconceptions. Just…sigh. I can’t help but like her sometimes-

figure it out, little girl, for all of us.

Parker:

Sweet; (and non-judge mental, for that matter)

nice, kind, thoughtful, considerate, friendly…

Martin:

Passionate;

hot-blooded, loving, sexy, sensual, amorous, ardent…

A wonderful Christmas gift from my Jenny!!

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BOOK REVIEW – Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1) by Jessica Park

January 7, 2016 / Anna

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
omething is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.

And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul.

To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.

Congrats, Flat-Out Love. Welcome to the very limited circle of books I hated. Say hello to The Perfect Game for me, would you?

Buddy read with Kat (click to read her review), who saved my sanity (thanks for the support through this!!)

But because my inner circle of doom rewards its members as they deserve, let’s start with little awards, ‘kay?

But first of all…….. Music!

► It comes as no surprise that Julie easily earns the most insufferable ès judgmental heroine medal for her endless efforts throughout the story. The jury was really impressed by the abilities she showed in being a disrespectful and arrogant friend and daughter.

Here’s a little presentation of her greatest deeds : Indeed through her constant inner monologues, we see her unfailing perseverance in making fun of others, whether she thinks they’re dumb, lame, or annoying. Kudos for never forgetting that everyone and everything is beneath her.

✘ About her former friends : “Now she was out of small-town Ohio, out of that below average high school, and out of a social circle dominated by girls blindly cheering on their sports boyfriends.”

✘ About her ex-boyfriend : “Speaking of Jared, Julie wondered what he was doing right now. Probably sporting a toga and doing keg stands at the miserable state university he was attending. She hoped he was lost in a crowd of dumb jocks and getting rejected by every busty, tank-top-wearing, fake-tanned airhead he hit on.”

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

✘ About random girls she doesn’t even know (but hey, she listened to their vocal messages, I’m sure it counts somewhere) : “She didn’t know if she was jealous of that fourth roommate or not. That Sally sounded an awful lot like the perky-yet-vacant crowd she’d left behind at home. On the other hand, there was something to be said about for a core gaggle of girls who would love nothing more than to order pizza, do each others’ hair, and watch tawdry reality shows.”

Wow. She got all these details out of the way the girl says hello on her vocal message? I’m really impressed.

✘ Her conversations with Matt, the son of the family welcoming her in their house, are full of “witty” bullying and aggressive remarks the poor guy never deserved.

“Let’s discuss your choice of attire for the evening.”
Matt hit the touchpad a few times. “Really? What aspects would you like to discuss?”
“Let’s discuss how lame it is.“

This is just fantastic, isn’t it? Don’t you see how CLEVER and WITTY she is? What do you mean, you DON’T? Come on. Don’t be like that. Not to mention that she does think about his life, too. Well, she doesn’t want to invite him to come along when she goes out because, well, duh, he’s so freaking beneath her (can you please follow?) but she considers keeping an eye on his sister someday to give him the occasion to attend a party. How’s that for best roommate ever, huh?

“Not that he looked like the sort who was aching to do keg stands in a frat house, but still. There might be a physics bee some Friday night, and he could return home with a nice ribbon for having spelled “coulomb” or “neutralino” correctly“

Again, so freaking WITTY and CLEVER.

✘ About her mother, in a text message : “Mom is OK. A little… lacking depth, maybe? But nice.”

Don’t worry though, because she really wants to help Celeste, the daughter of the house who is going through difficult times. Indeed she decides to take her under her wing, and manages to develop a bond between them without never making me care. That’s an achievement to behold really. What can I say, I guess that telling me that she cares isn’t enough for me to believe her. Come on. We’re talking about self-absorbed Julie here.

See, I have no problem with unlikeable characters, as soon as their behavior is acknowledged as being offensive. Never, at any point, is she called on her shit. Am I supposed to think that belittling everything and everyone is okay? That being plain bully with someone we just met is okay? That talking about a family welcoming you with your professor of psychology is okay? FUCK NO.

To be honest, at one point Kat and I considered the possibility that Julie suffered from a mental-illness because the distortion between what we see and what she describes is freaking HUGE. Don’t bother wondering, that’s not the plot twist (more about that later).

► For the unrealistic and over-the-top quirky conversations, Flat-Out Love wins the award of the most unbelievable and fake set of characters. Woohoo!

Look, I always considered myself as a nerd but by no means could I relate – or connect, at least – with any of these characters. Their interactions are ridiculous, roll-eyes worthy and more generally, completely unbelievable. Jessica Park’s writing isn’t bad, but she tries way too much to convey a sense of oddity. Her characters aren’t weird, they’re freaking cyborgs.

► Finally, for the predictable, “I-saw-it-coming-at-20%” plot “twist”, I’d like to offer Flat-Out Love the Golden Globe of easy roads. I’m sorry, but when the big revelation is obvious from 20%, I consider myself insulted in my intelligence.

☻ ☻ ☻ Now, because I want to prove that I’m not one to hold a grudge, I prepared several little games about that *cough* ridiculous *cough* story. You’re welcome. *blows kiss*

Find the words!

Complete the sentences!

Cryptogram puzzle!

Answer : View Spoiler » « Hide Spoiler

BOOK REVIEW – Love Show by Audrey Bell

January 3, 2016 / Anna

Love Show by Audrey Bell
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Hadley Arrington is the career-driven Editor-in-Chief of her university’s prestigious newspaper. Jack Diamond is a laid back student whose good looks have made things even easier than they need to be. She’s the girl who came out of nowhere and kissed him in the rain. He’s the boy who made her do something crazy.

When the stakes seem too high, they have to decide if they’ll let their love show or if they’ll walk away for good.

► If someone had told me that the first book I’d fall in love with in 2016 would be a New Adult romance, I would have nicely but intently told them to stop fucking with me.

I would have been wrong.

~~I’ll write a real review as soon as I can sleep a few hours – hey, it’s 5 am over there – but I wanted to share some thoughts before my overanalyzing mind gets a hold on me~~. Sleep I did. It didn’t change anything.

Perfect this book isn’t: it is in a great need of editing, and the writing is awkward (cheesy ? Stereotypical?) at times. The characters are far from free of stereotypes, especially David, Hadley’s gay best-friend. When we take an unflinging look at the plot, what we see screams typical NA romance.

Except typical NA romance it is not.

As far as peeves are concerned, I have several that I know I can’t overlook. They aren’t there.

✘ There’s no slut-shaming and not an ounce of girl hate.

✘ There’s no asshole as a hero but an ADORABLE male lead with whom I fell hopelessly in love almost instantly. I mean, Jack is funny, considerate, loyal, and really, I couldn’t get enough of him. So, yeah, I can see how people would say that he’s not believable. But fuck that. FUCK. THAT. All men aren’t broken/controlling jerk/assholes, and many behave in such an adorable way when they’re falling in love with someone. Not to mention that he has his own flaws – he’s just not as intent on showing them that our regular NA jerkface. Also, he makes jokes about Titanic. It does count.

“I smiled at him. “And you slept over. Again.” (…)
“You made me.”
“I don’t remember that.”
“Well,” he said. “You don’t remember very much. Do you? Jack, I’ll never let go,”, he mimicked.
“Oh god.”
“Never let go.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said, even though I totally believed him.
“Jack!” he mimicked.”

I fucking love this guy.

✘ Hadley isn’t flawless either and have her annoying (and indecisive) sides but she’s in no need of saving. She hasn’t been raped or abused. So, okay, she has rules. Like a tons of rules.

”No presents. Definitely no flowers. I’m not doing your laundry, making you cookies, or coming to your formal. Don’t ask me too,” I said. I cocked my head. “No dates. No romantic comedies. No sleep-overs. No saying I love you. No buying me drinks. No Valentine’s Day, nicknames, baby talk, chocolate, or Taylor Swit concerts.”

Yet as much as I wanted to strangle her sometimes, I can’t deny that I really appreciated the fact that she was driven and independent. THANK YOU. I am an overachiever. I am annoying. I’m sure happy that people around me see that being a workalcohic doesn’t begin to define who am I. That’s why I could relate to her.

✘ There’s neither love triangle nor instalove, and their struggles are realistic – how to know what we’re willing to put above everything else? This is not as easy as it sounds, trust me. Hadley and Jack both have their dreams, and they’re not so ready to abandon them – I love them even more for that. Despite the somewhat cheesy writing at times, the situations are real: who never waited to be drunk to send text messages? You’re so not allowed to say never.

What about their banter? Loved it.

► To sum-up :
– The writing feels sometimes cheesy and forced.
– The characters and the story are not exempts of stereotypes.

+ You’re in for a good laugh.
+ The male-lead is adorable and heart-warming.
+ The MC doesn’t feel the need to bitch about other girls.
+ The MC doesn’t forget her dreams as soon as she meets the hero.
+ Their banter is fantastic.
+ There’s no pointless drama (some families issues and questioning about the future, that’s all)
+ They have FRIENDS.

In the end, reading a book is like making a deal, don’t you think? I asked Love Show to make me smile and care. If my 5 am ramblings should tell you something, it’s that it delivered. I mean, I actually clutched the damn book to my chest. Several times. So what if the writing isn’t always great? I can say without doubt that right now, I don’t care, and my daytime self will have to chill out and deal with it (you chill out! I still don’t give a damn!)

After that creepy note where I talk about myself in third person, I’ll tell you one last thing: don’t read Love Show if you’re looking for an original and thought-provoking book. If you want to spend a couple of hours smiling and start the year surrounded by heart-warming vibes, though?

Do it.

BOOK REVIEW: On the Island (On the Island #1) by Tracey-Garvis-Graves

December 29, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

On the Island (On the Island #1)
by Tracey Garvis-Graves
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day. T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island.

Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter. Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

Christmas present from one of my besties, Jenny. You’s da bestest! ♥

And BUDDY READING WITH MY OTHER JEN! 😛

Yeeeeeahhhh……soooooo, this is me:

And in case you’re wondering, that’s me, sitting alone and pondering where everything went wrong with this book. Everyone adores it, I mean, for real, everyone, and all I could really fall in love with was TJ. So, as it seems, the cheese stands alone.

If it wasn’t for the writing, and a certain event that made my blood boil and me see immediate red, then I assume this might have gotten a 4 or 5-depending on said things being rectified in a Chelsea-friendly manner. I’m actually really not as picky as I sound, but when there is horrid writing from beginning to end, choppy sentences and paragraphs, time lapses, I can’t help but to cringe and feel my book OCD kick in.

“Don’t let go,” I whispered.
“I wasn’t going to.”

I mean….however many years on the island in less than 50%? I don’t know why, but this really bugged me. And the fact that they attempted-Yes, it was attempted, at best-to wrestle a shark (Scoff)? Come. The fuck. On. I mean…..really??

When I realized she wasn’t pissed at me, I smiled and said, “You know what, Anna? You’re all right.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“I really was looking for your REO Speedwagon T-shirt, but I can’t find it.”
“It’s hanging on the line. It should be dry.”
“Thanks.”
“Sure. Just don’t smell my underwear anymore, okay?”
“You saw that, huh?”
“Yeah.”

But there were absolutely adorable moments as well, things that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. I mean, there was TJ, for instance, another book boy that I wish I could lift out of this story and place into another one. And then there was their precious pet who, thanks to my newly adopted life style, really hit close to home and took permanent residence in my heart. And even their relationship was absolutely adorable-I just couldn’t stomach the writing. And, as everyone knows about me, sometimes I just. Can’t. Get past. The writing.

“What’s wrong?” T.J. asked.
“I won’t always look like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m thirteen years older than you, and I’m getting older every day. I won’t always look like this.”
“I know that, Anna. But if you think I only care about what you look like, then you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

So, you know, I could keep spouting about the unbelievability of this story…or accept it for what it was and admit I enjoyed it quite immensely. There were so many great ideas, yet they were poorly executed. And as much as I would have adored this, there were just two things that really got under my skin that hindered my love of the story. And, many times, it made me more sad than happy-that was a big factor in my rating, as well. When I put it down, I forgot about it, and when I finished, I was happy, but still pissed. So….I give three stars for TJ and their adorable love and relationship. But with 50% in Chicago..this story severely suffered. I’m so sad this wasn’t an instant favorite for me. And, I’m sorry, but it all comes down to one simple fact: The writing and chunky time lapses were more tragic than their plane wreck.

Sorry not sorry.

Oh hey, but here are some parting survival pictures, though, of my favorite castaway. He copes in the only way he can…

“We’re optimistic, Ira and I” >.<

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BOOK REVIEW – On the Island (On the Island #1) by Tracey Garvis-Graves

December 28, 2015 / Jen / 6 Comments

On the Island (On the Island #1)
by Tracey Garvis-Graves
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure. Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that’s going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring sixteen-year-old T.J.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere. His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life. But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.

Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan’s summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives’ twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens. Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters. They make it to shore, but soon discover that they’re stranded on an uninhabited island.

At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

Review:

*Buddy Read with my fabulous friend, Chelsea*

On the Island was an enthralling story that always kept me guessing what was going to happen next. It was easy to become stranded on the island with TJ and Anna, and I found myself finishing the book faster than I wanted to. But throughout the story, I kept wishing that the writing was a little different. It felt flat at times and always left me desiring more. I was nervous that it would affect my attachment to TJ and Anna, but luckily it didn’t. But then again, I wasn’t able to fall head over heels in love with the story. Nonetheless, On the Island was a fast-paced story that kept me entertained and had me swooning over TJ.

“You make me feel safe,” I whispered.
“You are safe.”
I gave in to the pull of sleep and the escape it offered, but seconds before I drifted off completely, I could have sworn T.J.’s lips brushed mine in the sweetest and softest of kisses.

Anna was hired to spend the summer tutoring TJ, to get him caught up in his school work, since he had just beaten cancer. But both of their summers took a turn that no one saw coming. While on their way to TJs family’s vacation spot, their pilot had a heart attack and they crashlanded in shark infested waters. They found themselves on a deserted island, in the Maldives, with challenges at every turn.

“We live here now.”

While Anna was 30 and TJ was almost 17, romance and love was the furthest thing from their minds. Not only did Anna view TJ as a 16 year old kid, but their most pressing matters were food, water and shelter. And so many of those didn’t come easily to them. They were met by so many obstacles in their new lives, and the reprieves they did receive never felt long enough. But as their time on the island continued, they forged a deep friendship that was based on trust and respect. They relied solely on each other for survival and companionship, and that created a beautiful friendship.

If we were in Chicago, I wouldn’t stand a chance with her. But I was starting to wonder if, here on the island, I might.

While I liked Anna for her pragmatic approach to life, my favorite was TJ by far! He was the sweetest person in the world. And as time passed, we got to watch him grow into a man. A man who became impossible for Anna to ignore. A man whose bold actions and swoon worthy gestures made us both smile. His need to take care of Anna made me easily fall for him, and I couldn’t help but root that Anna was able to see the man that was right in front of her.

I didn’t know if I could make it without her. The sound of her voice, her smile, her—those were the things that made living on the island bearable. I held her a little tighter and thought if she woke up I might tell her that. She didn’t though. She sighed in her sleep, and eventually I drifted off.

On the Island was such a fun book. I’m a little sad that I wasn’t completely blown away, but as I said before I struggled at times with the writing. I craved so much more, and at times their voices did sound a little similar. But I did enjoy the characters she created and how the story progressed. So I will try one of her most recent books in hopes that the writing has changed a tad and has become more enticing. Fingers crossed!