Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 59 of 97)

BOOK REVIEW: A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5) by Linda Kage

November 30, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5)
by Linda Kage
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Let your hair down, Caroline, they said. It'll be fun, they said.

I know I've closed myself off in a major way over the past year, ever since “the incident” where I messed up my life completely. It's past time I try to live again or just give up altogether. But this is quite possibly the craziest thing I've ever done. In a last ditch effort to invigorate myself, I'm standing outside Oren Tenning's bedroom, I just peeled off the sexiest pair of underwear I own, and my hand is already raised to knock. My brother would disown me for doing anything with his best friend, and he'd probably kill Oren. But if I play my cards right, no one will ever know about this. Not even Ten.

Maybe after tonight, I’ll finally get over this stupid, irrational crush I hate having on the biggest jerk I’ve ever met. Or maybe I’ll just end up falling for him even harder. Maybe I’ll discover there’s so much more to my crude, carefree hunk than meets the eye.

That’s the curious thing about temptation. It festers and grows. You feed that bitch soon enough and she morphs into craving, and then craving turns into obsession. Pretty soon, nothing in your life is as important as that one thing you want but can’t have.

Well, it’s becoming increasingly clear that I am addicted to these boys in this wonderfully ‘forbidden ‘ series. Linda Kage may have never been on my radar before, but it is clear that she is now. Despite the cheesy dialogue (though, I’ll admit I’m seeing it less and less the farther into the series I go), the somewhat unrealistic situations, the certainty that everything is always going to blow up in everyone’s faces in the end….Linda Kage’s men make me do this:

Every. Single. Time.

It’s my own damn fault, really. I could’ve and should’ve turned her off of me for good by now. It’s just that every time I think I’ve finally done something that will make her hate me forever-something she’ll never forgive me for-the panic sets in. I can’t bear the thought of her hating me and never forgiving me. So then I have to go and do something to ensure her forgiveness.

It’s true that I wouldn’t normally touch these books with a ten-foot pole. But it’s clear that they are what I crave and what I am enjoying right now. And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So, here I am reading book 5 without a single guilty bone in my body-even if this is my ultimate guilty pleasure, it seems.

I know what you’re thinking. Why didn’t I just cut ties with her then if I was so worried about Gamble? Well, why don’t you ask a smoker why they don’t just stop smoking, an alcoholic why they don’t just stop drinking, a book lover why they don’t just stop reading? And fuck you for thinking an addiction was even remotely easy to quit. I was addicted to this girl. I wasn’t anywhere near ready to give her up.
And thus started the true turmoil.

As it turns out, this was yet another favorite in the series, right up there along with Mason and Noel’s stories. But, unlike with those stories, it’s not a matter of lack of time to write a review so much as I’m too tired to write a decent one. And it’s not fair. Ten’s story was out of this world amazing. It can even be said it might be the best story of this series to date-it had tons of movie quotes and references (a fact I could not ignore, seeing as I adore movies almost as much as books) because Caroline is a film major, and Ten has been progressively maturing and showing how utterly loyal and charming he can be with each new book, especially his own. So yeah, this story was absolutely fantastic-I just am so tired and can’t see myself writing too much more….and that makes me sad.

As soon as she passed, I shifted out my arm that had been hanging down at my side and flexed the backs of my fingers so that they brushed across hers. I kept my attention on Gamble, making sure he saw none of this. Caroline responded by weaving her fingers through mine so they interlaced for the fraction of a moment before she pulled them away and was gone.
I stared after her, pulverized. She’d been right fucking there, and the only thing I’d gotten to do was barely brush my hand against hers?

One of the biggest appeals of this one was the couple in the spotlight: We’ve been watching Oren and Caroline flirt for a couple books now, so the build-up was one that didn’t let us down. And, even more than that, we have known all of these characters since book one and two-it’s to the point where every time a character from a past book jumps in, I squeal and squirm around in my seat in delight, welcoming the familiar banter and unavoidable butterflies that erupt once Noel or Mason enter the scene-

She looked up at Lowe as if she might start crying, or commit murder. I wasn’t sure which. “Sometimes he just…irritates the hell out of me.”
“I know, baby. I know.” Lowe [Mason] fed her another piece of chocolate and kissed her cheek. “He irritates the hell out of me, too.”

Yeah, I never said I wasn’t hopeless.

Oh, and did I mention the main love interests were very close to Noel? As in, Ten is Noel’s BEST friend….and Caroline is Noel’s SISTER? Yeah…

Good luck with that, guys, really. If you’ve read the previous books, you know that Noel is a tad…hmmm…
protective. And NO ONE will EVER be good enough for his little sister, especially his manwhoring best friend.

Something’s gotta give soon or I’ll explode…most likely inside her.
I just hope it doesn’t end up with me dead at the hands of my best friend.

But what happens when he is the one person that cares most and is best for her? Will Noel ever be able to see past everything Ten has done in the past? And will he realize that Caroline is so far in love with him that it doesn’t even matter?

Oren wouldn’t just out-of-the-blue decide to become monogamous to some stranger in the dark who refused to show him her face or tell him her name.
“I can’t text him, saying, ‘Your dick is now mine. Get it near any other woman, and I’ll physically remove it from you and keep it in a jar by my bedside.’ That would sound a bit creepy.”
“Actually, I was thinking it sounded a lot creepy.”

Caroline and Ten were special to me as a couple. We have had so much time to see them as friends and star-crossed wannabe lovers that now we are already invested in them as a couple-

Watching tears fill Caroline’s eyes right before she rushed from the kitchen and not being able to chase after her had to be one of the hardest things I’d ever fucking done-or not done, in this case. Or maybe restraining myself from knocking Noel’s teeth down his throat was the hardest. I couldn’t quite decide. But I’ll tell you one thing; standing there like a dumbass and doing nothing slaughtered me.

-and as such, we know they are meant to be together despite how hard it will be for them to be together. Ten is a loud-mouthed womanizing manwhore. But he is also the sweetest, most loyal friend ever-and if he could have the girl he wants, he would never look in another woman’s direction. And Caroline is everything Oren could ever want-snarky, conniving, dirty-minded, smart, and a beautiful blonde bombshell.

That still didn’t excuse her in my book. She’d traumatized my Oren. The bitch must die….in my head anyway. I pictured myself pushing her off the side of a bridge and listening to her scream all the way down until…oops, she wasn’t screaming anymore.

She evens out his hard edges and challenges him at every turn. She is the reason they get a chance, sneaking into his room pretending to be someone else. They drive each other crazy-but no two people belong together more than them.

Gamble’s woman opened the door.
“Ten,” she said in surprise. “Uh…Noel’s not here this evening. He’s working-“
“I know.” Rolling my eyes, I muttered, “I’m here for the kid. The littlest one.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Colton?”
“Yep. That one. He wants to play… ” I sighed heavily, “catch.”

So, you know, this one made me extremely happy. All of Kage’s books in this series always have a totally over-the-top climactic ending, but none were quite as amazing andperilous as this one. I will admit it’s wholly unbelievable and the resolution was as easy as they always tend to be…yet, who cares? It was everything I crave on top of a totally fun and sexy story with a man that I couldn’t help to fall for as the main lead, and I got to see a pissy Noel and a vulnerable, but bull-headed, Ten finally square off on the one of the most important girls in their lives. I must admit some of my favorite moments involved the strife between a livid and stubborn Noel and a-force-to-be-reckoned-with Ten…

Gamble contorted his face into an expression of supreme confusion. Then he glanced at his wife. “He didn’t hit on you, did he?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Noel. Really?”
“Yeah, Noel,” I echoed. “Really? I was a perfectly respectable gentleman.” Then I winked at Shakespeare [Noel’s wife, Aspen]. “After we put our clothes back on.”
Gam’s face turned dark red. “You motherfucker!”

…but that’s just me. I love my Noel and I was ecstatic he was in this one so much. But, hey, I’ll never get enough of these guys. I just wish I could have Mason and Noel and Oren Tenning all to myself. Sigh. A girl can dream, can’t she?

*Ps, can you tell I totally shoved in every quote I could?? That’s not even all of them. Sigh.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW – Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

November 30, 2015 / Anna

Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Whistling Tor is a place of secrets and mystery. Surrounded by a wooded hill, and unknown presences, the crumbling fortress is owned by a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the district in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan's family and his people; those woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.

For young scribe Caitrin it is a safe haven. This place where nobody else is prepared to go seems exactly what she needs, for Caitrin is fleeing her own demons. As Caitrin comes to know Anluan and his home in more depth she realizes that it is only through her love and determination that the curse can be broken and Anluan and his people set free.

Trust me, I wanted to love this book so, so much. But if Heart’s Blood casted a spell on me, captivating me, I encountered the same problems I had with Shadowfell, making it hard to entirely connect with the story, especially in the second half.

✔ Fascinating settings : Think about an ominous forest, a mysterious castle, whose inhabitants have been suffering from a curse for years. What not to love?

If I wasn’t completely won by the writing (I’ll come back to that), I can’t deny that the descriptions were beautifully crafted and so vivid, it felt as if I was there.

✔ An intriguing plot : Beauty and the Beast is (shockingly, lol) one of my favorite fairytales of all times, yet its retellings rarely manage to capture the magical enthrallment I felt the first time I read Beaumont’s tale, and I’ve grown to resent and avoid them, to be honest. The fact is, either they’re too close to the original (but boring) or they’re so twisted that I can’t recognize anything. None of this here. If the story turns let me bewildered (in a good way), Juliet Marillier included several aspects as winks to the fairytale reader and I loved that.

From the underlying darkness threatening every turn, to the longing oozing from every page, I flew through the first half, enchanted.

✔ A well-developed and complex cast of characters :

► Caitrin is a wonderful and relatable heroine : after having been abused by her family after her father’s death, she finds the courage to flee and is constantly testing her strength. She’s by no means our kickass/soul eating warrior, yet she is strong, in her not so flashy way.

► Anluan is a crippled, cursed man whose anger issues would have infuriated me if his character wasn’t so multi-layered, so complex. Please don’t judge him too fast : he can be maddening, but he’s not violent and so, so loyal. The despair of this awkward, self-loathing man who hides behind his grumpiness moved me. So burdened and tortured, unable to see that life can be more.

► As for the other inhabitants of Whistling Tor, what can I say except that I loved them all? From Magnus the kind soldier to Eirith the crazy monk, they all add something magical to the story and I couldn’t help but draw parallels with the Beast hilarious and endearing companions.

✔ The romance is believable, light and straights-on wonderful. They made me squeal. I know! GAH. They gradually learn to trust each others’, to overlook the appearances and their fears.

Unfortunately there was a counter spell. Sigh.

✘ Trust me, I don’t mind a little predictability… Until I reach the point when it influences (in a bad way) what I think about a MC. Sadly, it was the case here. It took Caitrin so much time before solving the mystery (IN SPITE OF ALL THESE EVIDENCES EVERYWHERE), it drove me nuts. See, I understand that she’s willing to trust, but come on. This is too-much. From the moment I figured it all (way too fast) I grew restless, then annoyed, even if I didn’t want to be. I was constantly making excuses for her lack of judgment, until the moment I COULDN’T.

✘ While I realize that it’s a prevalent trope in fairytales, in my opinion the hope talk grew old pretty fast. Hope will prevail. Because Hope is the key. Don’t you believe that? Have you understood how important hope is? Do you? Do you? Are you sure? Because I’m going to repeat it over and over again. Oh. My. GOSH.

✘ As I said earlier, if I appreciated how beautiful the descriptions were, it remains that the writing was often too wordy for me. I’m by no means an action lover, but it was so frustrating sometimes that I had a hard time not to skim. Indeed some parts…. dragged….so much…that I couldn’t help but be bored, unfortunately, and yes, I wanted the author to go to the freaking point.

► That’s why it sort of lost its magic by the end. Way too long in my opinion, and yet I’ll still keep a fond memory of Whistling Tor and its unusual inhabitants.

BOOK REVIEW: With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men #4) by Linda Kage

November 27, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men #4)
by Linda Kage
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
I used to think everything was black and white, truth or lie, easy or hard, that if I could just escape my strict, overbearing, abusive father, my life would be perfect. But since I’ve found a reason to risk his wrath and leave, to help a friend in need, I’ve come to realize everything I thought I knew is wrong.

Friends have their own agenda, honesty comes with a dosage of lie, easy doesn’t even exist, keeping secrets sucks, and love...love is the most painful thing of all.

Maybe if Quinn Hamilton hadn’t asked me to skip classes for the day and help him pick out an engagement ring for my best friend, I wouldn’t have fallen for him so completely on that sunny Tuesday afternoon and I wouldn’t feel so conflicted. But I did, and I can’t take it back, no matter how hard I try. So I have to deal with the fact that even I’m not as good, or honest, or caring as I’d always thought I was, and no matter what I do next, someone’s going to get hurt. Probably me.

-Zoey Blakeland

Sooo..I’m just going to say it: FAIL. Just…major fail. And, seriously, how can such a pretty cover contain such utter bullshit on the inside??? I was so sure that this was going to be another win in the series and that someday I could cherish it on my bookshelf but…how could anyone display this piece of shit-there, I said it-and not feel like a total betrayer to all of your morals and everything you believe in? You can’t. I’m sorry-you just fucking can’t.

With a sigh, he slumped his shoulders. “Okay, fine. You’re quiet. You’re introverted. You’re too nice to be rude to anyone. You open yourself up and are willing to trust more than just about anyone I know. Being as sensitive as you are means you have a bigger heart. And if I ever see you try to change and harden that heart of yours, I’m going to throat punch you. Don’t be ashamed of being a big, soft teddy bear, Ham. The world needs more people like you, otherwise it’d just go to shit.”

–Aww Ten is so sweet this whole book

And besides the major letdown after cherishing every other book in this series and having such a pretty cover, which was, in fact, the worst part about this story (the letdown after such build-up), there was the total shit for brains story that left our beautiful, amazing, selfless hero in a story that was better left in Linda Kage’s wet dreams.

Sigh…sorry. Just very disappointed. I mean….how in the fuck did Kage think that, after Mason and Noel and their lovely counterparts’ stories, this was a good way to go????? A virgin heroine

who, again, sorry, is a total putz who didn’t get a backbone until about 60% into the story, has never even been kissed (okay, that could have been hot, but wasn’t so) and was a total innocent little lamb, moves in with her stupid whore of a cousin who is a total bitch that uses her every other day?? I didn’t know how long I could stand to be in this timid girl’s head.

Not to mention throwing in an amazing male lead who would do anything for said whore even after being treated like a piece of meat and being lied to 24/7?? I just, I can’t even…UGH

Oh, and Quinn?? He is Zoey’s soulmate (oh, and totally had to look up her name-I DIDN’T EVEN REMEMBER IT) in the form of Satan’s lover. Yeah, he’s the one dating the tool she lives with. But when they see each other, sparks fly.

They are kindred spirits, broken souls who were innocent and naive and were beaten within an inch of their lives as children… they see each other in themselves and they know they are meant to be together, but they try to fight the attraction.

Hamilton grabbed her arm to steady her. “I know,” he slurred and glanced my way. “This shit is potent. I feel…” He nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
I lifted my eyebrows, wondering if he was drunk or high.
Blondie giggled again and pointed at him. “I’ve never heard you cuss before.”
“I don’t,” Hamilton said blankly before Blondie charged, “But you just said shit.”
He laughed and pointed back at her. “So did you.”
As they giggled together, I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Oh, dear God. Someone shoot me now.

-Ten talking about Quinn and Zoey

They are the watchers, the quiet ones, the sensitive and kind ones-there’s no doubt they belong together. But that stupid Cora bitch just won’t go away. BACK THE FUCK UP BITCH-YOU ARE A MANIPULATIVE WHORE

(and a total plot device-her character merely existed to cause problems in this and other books, I mean really Kage-you can do better than that).

She murmured, “Thank you,” and stared at him with a pair of longing green eyes that made me want to reach across the table and thump Hamilton on the back of the head. Hard.
Prime opportunity to kiss her, I wanted to tell him.
Kiss her already.
Why wasn’t he kissing her?
God, what a pansy.
Instead of kissing, they just kept staring until Ham blinked and then grinned. “Staring contest?” he offered.
Dear fuck. Really?

-Ten, again lol

So ends the perfect Forbidden Men series run-and I hate it-I hate that Quinn got such a pathetic, fucked up story. Every little issue I had with the other two books was magnified ten fold, like all the shit that bothered me existed only to create this book, and that pisses me off. The cheesiness, the horrid villain in the form of a best friend/psychotic girlfriend, the lack of a reason for this fucking story, I just HATE it, because even Zoey, in the end, became more likable.

“You won’t die,” I growled. “Roaches always find a way to survive.”

But it was just So. Damn. Unrealistic. The only saving grace, the only damn thing I was giggling and swooning and laughing and smiling about (Well Quinn but that’s beside the point)????

“Hey.” Ten wormed his way between us, scowling. “Where’s my golden invitation to eat pizza with you?”
Noel sniffed and sent him a short frown, throwing Ten’s arm off his shoulder.
“I didn’t see you bringing anyone around to befriend my sister.”
“Well…I could befriend her,” Ten started, putting on an offended front as he pressed his hand to his chest.
Noel threw back his head and laughed.
“What?” Ten muttered, folding his arms over his chest and glaring. “I make a fucking awesome friend.”
Noel’s chuckle settled before he seemed to realize Ten was serious. His smile dropped flat. Pointing at Ten’s nose, he growled. “Stay the fuck away from my sister.”

Mason, Noel, Ten, Reese, Aspen, Caroline-their stories were alive and expanding in this one. My heart swelled when one of my beautiful men entered the story and we got to see them with their respective sweethearts, fiances, friends. It was just…UGH. It made all the bullshit worth it. Really. I would have smacked myself if I knew I missed proposals and banter and friendships and just the utter adoration these men have for their girls had I skipped/DNF this one. It made this piece of shit one star worth the extra star just to know I got to see them every other page.

“Motherfucker,” he groaned. “No Gamble, and I’m stuck in a class with not one, or even two, but three untouchables. This is going to suck…ass.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Reese lifted a curious eyebrow. “Do I even want to ask what an untouchable is?”
“You know…” He twirled his finger to encompass Reese, Caroline and me. “You’re Lowe’s woman. Can’t flirt with you. You’re Noel’s little sister.” He scowled at Caroline. “Can’t fucking go there. And you…” He flicked his attention to me, “…belong to Hamilton.” Then he made a sweeping gesture over all three of us. “Ergo I can’t touch any of you. Untouchables. And to make it worse, you all will probably be watching me with your judgey little eyes so I’ll have to behave and can’t hit on any other woman in this class either.”

My final parting words: No. This story was not for me and it sucked. This story has been done before by authors who handled it wonderfully and made me choke on my angst while swallowing butterflies. I expected the same, I’ll admit it, but did not get it one bit. Quinn and Zoey’s story is worth reading, it really is, but all the bullshit surrounding it (ie Cora, Cora, Cora and their relationship) was unnecessary and, frankly, totally unbelievable-notice I didn’t say unrealistic, because I know these GD stories are cheesy as shit, so that point is null and void. I said unbelievable because even I have a limit. I may have known how stupid the other two books were, but I fell hard and believed in them-or I made myself do so. So, yeah. This lacked passion. It lacked drive. And, most importantly, it lacked the heart I’m used to seeing from this author. So, disappointed and a little scared of what comes next, I tuck my tail between my legs and remain optimistic that Quinn and Zoey’s story will flourish as all the other people’s did in the next books. They deserve their love story untarnished by that cunt. Oh, and Cora, just because I feel like it:

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Irresistibly Yours (Oxford #1) by Lauren Layne

November 25, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Irresistibly Yours (Oxford #1)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Meet the men of Oxford magazine! In the first captivating spin-off of Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series, a not-so-friendly battle of the sexes turns into a scorching office romance.

Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes—and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.

Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around—or starting something real.

Cole frowned, his eyes moving around the room until they met Penelope’s. He lifted an eyebrow as though to ask Do you know what’s going on here?

Julie leaned toward Penelope with a knowing look on her face.
“Betcha Cole’s kisses are better than nice,” she said quietly.
“I wouldn’t know,” Penelope responded.
“Oh, but you will,” Julie said confidently, as she sat back and sipped her wine. “You will.”

What a fool I am. A total moron. A real Magoo. It’s no surprise to anyone, apparently only me, that I loved yet another LL. Oh, hey, let’s play a game. I know for a fact that, even while I am trying to keep this review short and simple since I wrote a long, gushing review last week for her amazing Steal Me book, that I am going to be saying my favorite author’s name, like, fifty times. So, I propose that I should exchange her name for a different word. That way, for those people who consistently read my reviews, no one will have to damage their eye sockets as they roll their eyes repeatedly at the constant mention of LL’s name. Sooooo…..what word should I use?? Hmm. I think I’ll go with puppy. I don’t know why. *cough I totally know why *cough. Dogs sitting next to me *cough Phew. Had something in my throat. Anywaaaaaaay…my point?? As if this wasn’t yet another win:

Shocker.
“Ah, the cute brunette who’s gunning for your job.”
“Not my job yet,” Cole grumbled. “Unless you two know something….”
Lincoln held up his hands. “Dude, believe me, I’ve tried. Cassidy’s tight-lipped on this one.”
“Tight-lipped about what?”
Cole didn’t even have to turn around to know that Cassidy was standing in the doorway.
“Is this what you guys do all day?” Cole asked the group. “Just loom around other people’s office doorways and eavesdrop?”

I think my biggest fear with these stories is the continuance of character worlds. I know. Weird. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t continue series if they aren’t about the same person/couple. I can’t commit to that type of relationship, if you will. I’m like… *light bulb goes off I’m just like Cole!! I don’t ‘do’ commitment for series that change hands every book. But, for whatever reason, my girl, puppy, gets me. The stories puppy writes are out of this world addicting, even if we’ve seen such stories done before. And, as I’ve mentioned in many of my past reviews concerning puppy books, even if it’s the most cliché storyline, she manages to make it…not…cliché. Oh shut up-like you’re all wordsmiths.

“Thanks for the kiss,” Penelope called playfully after Lincoln. “I think head-holding is definitely-“
She broke off when she saw Alex Cassidy standing in the doorway. His expression gave away nothing, but there was no way he hadn’t heard her loudly thanking her colleague for a kiss.
Penelope felt a blush rise to her cheek as their boss looked around at the four of them.
“We were, ah, doing some research,” Lincoln said, scooting by Cassidy.
Jake followed Lincoln, holding up his left hand innocently as he did so. “Didn’t touch her. I’m married.”
Cassidy narrowed his eyes at the two men before shifting his attention back to Penelope, then to Cole.
Then he merely rolled his eyes and walked away.

-okay, can you tell I’m obsessed with Cassidy? Lmao Because I so am.

And, just for clarity’s sake, I will say this again, because obviously not everyone will read all of my reviews or even remember what I said: Even if you are in the mood to be in one of her other worlds, or are obsessed with a certain hero in a previous work (hey…that’s totes me at all times) of hers, she makes you straight up forget. Or, rather, she makes you not care. And I won’t elaborate further, just know that even if you doubt her…don’t. Just….don’t. She-who-will-not-be-named is amazing. And I am always in awe of her.
Cassidy sighed. “Would you just sit down so we can do this damn interview?”
Cole eyed the door. “Do we have to do it now? You seem like you’re in a shitty mood.”
“Of course I’m in a shitty mood,” Cassidy said, running a hand through his hair. “You just interrupted that woman’s interview. She could sue us.”
“Please,” Cole said with a scoff. “She wanted to go to coffee with me.”
“Only because she doesn’t know you,” Cassidy muttered.
“Yup, you’re definitely in a shitty mood. Maybe we should reschedule-“
“Sit,” Cassidy commanded.

Now, Cole is not a character I ever gave much thought to. Sure, he always made me laugh, and he was always a great friend, but I always had trouble imagining him with his own book. Yeah…I know. I’m weird like that. *sighs But, anyway, my point is: I wasn’t that….optimistic about what would come from this book. But, alas, puppy took my doubts and turned them to dust. As she usually does. Not only did I fall in love with Cole, laugh with Cole, swoon for Cole, bite my damn lip for Cole….he became one of my absolute favorite puppy male leads.

He held fast, refusing to move. “The thing is, Tiny….When it comes to you, I don’t have to decide. I don’t have to stop and think about if I want to kiss you. I know. I know every damn day when I see you put on mascara in the reflection of your computer moniter because you forgot to do it at home. I know when we go get coffee together and you can recite every single thing that happened on ESPN the night before. I know when I share my French fries with you at lunch and you eat all of them. I know-“

And, more than that, he fit so seamlessly into the Stiletto/Oxford world with those characters that I couldn’t have imagined him without a story intertwined with all my past favorites: Alex Cassidy, Mitchell, Jake, Sam, Julie, Grace, Emma, and Riley. See? I didn’t even falter. Those names??? Engrained in my mind 4-eva. This series is dear to me, so seeing a spin-off makes me…queasy, to say the least. But like usual, I’m eating crow and adding yet another puppy favorite to my list. It’s getting sickening. Really. All these feathers in my teeth are starting to make me gag.
He tilted his head and kissed her, and then lingered. And tried very hard to ignore the sudden, forbidden thought that he wished every day could be exactly like this one.

Penelope, while adorable and actually pretty relatable, wasn’t my favorite heroine. She had serious self-image issues and would degrade herself in front of people repeatedly.

“You are so out of my league,” she said, scraping her nails over his bare chest.
His eyes slitted. “Not from where I’m sitting,” he said, his voice husky.

I can’t say it bothered me that much, but I have to say this so that my friends who might (will) find this annoying (you know who you are) can avoid this or start it with eyes wide open. In fact, I actually find that I’ve always been that way. So, to me, this was relatable. But that doesn’t necessarily make that a good thing-I remember the looks on people’s faces as I would down myself openly or when I would downplay a compliment they paid me. It’s not cute, but I still can’t find it in myself to be annoyed by Penelope in this manner-it’s just too like myself to bash. She was sweet, innocent, cute, quirky, and utterly kind at all times…and I found it truly refreshing. This is what I’m talking about, though: Each character puppy creates is individual and so different than the last and I never once find myself saying, ‘Hasn’t she written this character before?’ And believe me, I’ve read all her works.

“But I am in an extra good mood,” she was saying. “Edgar’s alive.”
“Come again?” he said, following her into the living room where the TV blared the Boston/Toronto game. The Yankees were away, on the West Coast, so their game wouldn’t be on for another hour.
“Edgar,” she said, gesturing at the fishbowl. “My fish. I thought he was dead, because he didn’t eat his breakfast, and was just sort of floating there, but maybe he was only resting, because now he’s moving again.”
Penelope was staring down at the fish with an adoring look on her face, and Cole could have sworn that his heart squeezed.
So much damn affection for a fish.

Cole and Penelope were absolutely adorable together, creating a fun banter that had me giggling on every other page, begging for them to just figure it out already. Their friendship and work companionship was compelling and engaging, making the fact that they weren’t together all the harder to bear. And I LOVED that they were both sports nuts…that’s something you don’t get to see that often. And, even more importantly, I loved his nickname for her-‘Tiny’. I mean….come on. How cute. My husband always called me that, and it brought back so many warm and cherished memories. So…yeah. LOVED that.
Whether it was because he sensed the death glare from Cole or because of ingrained manners, Todd left Penelope’s side to shake Cole’s hand.
Cole might have shaken it harder than necessary. It was a clichéd move. Totally pathetic.
And absolutely unavoidable.
Cole did not like this man. He’d just now decided. Didn’t like his reddish hair. Didn’t like the preppy glasses. And his tie was the color of shit.
Penelope wouldn’t really date a man wearing a shit tie.
Would she?

So…all in all, I would say this is a story that, again, suited my mood. I need light, fun, and flirty. I need angst, jealousy, and longing. Not once is there ever a lack of any of these things when reading a puppy novel. In fact…I’d say that’s why she’s my favorite. I know, without a doubt, that whenever I pick up a Lauren Layne book (whoops) that I will find all of these things paired with easy banter, light-hearted friendship, and meaningful relationships. And, to me, that’s worth everything.

*Sorry if this was repetitive. Hubbs was watching a show that involved the killing of animals and I was in a humming frenzy trying to not ‘hear’ the dialogue about murdering innocent (okay, maybe not, I don’t know, I was humming) animals. I refuse to name the type of animal-the wound is still too fresh.

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

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers) & iBooks (click on titles) *Each book can be read as a standalone, but best enjoyed in order.*
Irresistibly Yours #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	I Wish You Were Mine #2 Reviews: Jen	Someone Like You #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
I Knew You Were Trouble #4 Reviews: Jen	I Think I Love You #5 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW – Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler

November 24, 2015 / Anna

Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Reagan Forrester wants out—out of her trailer park, out of reach of her freeloading mother, and out of the shadow of the relationship that made her the pariah of Charytan, Kansas.

Victoria Reyes wants in—in to a fashion design program, in to the arms of a cute guy who doesn't go to Charytan High, and in to a city where she won't stand out for being Mexican.

One thing the polar-opposite best friends do agree on is that wherever they go, they’re staying together. But when they set off on a series of college visits at the start of their senior year, they quickly see that the future doesn’t look quite like they expected. After two years of near-solitude following the betrayal of the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart, Reagan falls hard and fast for a Battlestar Galactica-loving, brilliant smile-sporting pre-med prospective... only to learn she's set herself up for heartbreak all over again. Meanwhile, Victoria runs full-speed toward all the things she thinks she wants… only to realize everything she’s looking for might be in the very place they've sworn to leave.

As both Reagan and Victoria struggle to learn who they are and what they want in the present, they discover just how much they don't know about each other's pasts. And when each learns what the other’s been hiding, they'll have to decide whether their friendship has a future.

“Duh.” He reaches out and flips up the one white curl that hangs in my face.
“Rogue, obviously.”
“Oh, yes. Her. Obviously.”
He gives me a you must be kidding look. “Please tell me you know who Rogue is.”
“Hey, I knew ‘Frak.'” That has to count for something.”

I’m not gonna lie : I spent the first percents bitching about the clichés in Reagan’s life. Let’s see…
✔ She’s a straight-As student (of course she is)
✔ Her parents don’t give a damn about her (of course they don’t) and she’s the one acting like a reasonable adult when it comes to bills, food, well, everything.
✔ She lives in the trailer park of a nowhere town that she can’t wait to leave (with reasons)
✔ She works her ass off at a dinner (I’m beginning to think that every teenager works in a dinner)

Perhaps all these facts don’t scream clichés for you, but after having read many coming of age stories these past months I can’t say that I got an original vibe at first.

But then enters Victoria, the second MC. Victoria, whose parents … Are you ready? Really? Sure? Okay. You’ve been warned. They care about her education and about her in general *GASP* I knoooow. Crazy stuff right? I absolutely loved witnessing Vic’s close relationship with her mum and the way they communicated every day (using ASL, by the way, because her mum is deaf).

Not to mention the original use of alternative POV between the 2 friends, Reagan and Victoria. It’s a nice change from the boy/girl POV we get 99,99% of the time. I say yes to that.

This is probably where Just Visiting stands out from many other young adult novels : indeed Dahlia Adler offers us girl friendship done well : look, Vic and Rae are different in a lot of ways (family, hobbies, boys) but they don’t judge each other and the rare times they do, it feels realistic and natural. They don’t NEED boys to enjoy their time together and they SUPPORT each other whatever happens. Thank you so much for that, Dahlia.

It’s no surprise to me that when Dahlia Adler creates cute boys, they’re really adorable, not the “I’m supposed to be cute but in fact I am a stalker/controlling asshole/prick” we often find.

I mean, ~~Dave~~ Dev : How in the world am I supposed to resist that guy, huh?
✔ He’s a (cute) dork and attends parties with a Battlestar Galactica T-shirt.
✔ His dialogues with Reagan often show a oh-my-god-this-is-awkward-but-funny quality I can’t help but find incredibly appealing.
✔ He doesn’t sugar-coat Reagan’s problems and despite being smitten, he’s still able to call her on her shit when needed.
✔ His shyness doesn’t prevent him for being… driven, let’s say. God. He made me smile so much.

He’s just so freaking cute, I swear! As for the other one…. I won’t say who he is, but awww good guys definitely make for a good change 😀

In my opinion Just Visiting handles several issues in a positive way :
✔ First of all, yay to diversity! I really appreciated how Dahlia Adler dealt with Victoria’s Mexican origins and what it means to be a minority when living in nowhere town, without never belittling her roots but showing pride over them. Plus, Dev is Indian, what I found really refreshing in all this ocean of golden boys we call YA fiction.
✔ Poverty isn’t sugar-coated and all the details in Reagan’s life felt realistic to me.
✔ The sex issues brought real and positive vibes to me : there are talks about protection, consent, and not a once of slut-shaming.

Okay, so at this point you’re probably wondering why my rating isn’t higher. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED, ANNA? The fact is, I rarely give 3s to books, because most of the time I end despising or loving a story. Truth being told, I kind of hate giving 3s. Is that a thing?

For me, what will draw the line between a book I liked and a book I loved is so personal and linked to my feelings that it’s really difficult to assess the exact reasons. What I can say is this : something was missing for me to be truly involved in the characters’ life.

It could be the characters’ voices that I found pretty juvenile, to be honest, but we’re dealing with teenagers, so perhaps I’m not being fair.

It could be the way the characters keep holding back events from their pasts INCLUDING TO THE READER which has a tendency to annoy me. We’re in their head, dammit! I always fail to understand how people actually manage to censure themselves. Do you ? Because I definitely don’t.

But… To be frank, if this story contains a lot of details that I genuinely liked, I never really cared about the characters, as if they lacked this extra layer to make me interested : in the end, I’m still not sure if I know them enough to understand them and it’s a deal breaker for me. This story, how good it is, won’t stand out in my mind, and in the end, that’s why I can’t rate it higher.

This being said, it could be different for you, so don’t hesitate to try it^^

*The book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review (thank you so much!). It did not, in any case, influence my opinion.*