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Tag: Romance (page 1 of 37)

BOOK REVIEW: Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet #1) by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet #1)
by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
I HAVE A BAD REPUTATION.

Call me what you want: Bad Boy Next Door. Trouble. That Kid Who Can’t Do Anything Right.

When Willow moves into my neighborhood, nothing should have happened. She’s geeky. Shy. A true wallflower.

Willow is a good girl.
Too good for me.

And how the hell was I supposed to know that she’s related to Loren Hale—yeah, that douchebag celebrity that lives on my street. The same guy I've been pranking by spray painting vulgar words on his mailbox and worse. Much worse.

Don't ask me why I do the things I do.
Don't ask me why it had to be her.

I'm cursed. Simple as that. But here's the thing about people who are cursed—they break everything they touch.

And yet. . .I still want to touch her.

Whatever It Takes is the first book in the Bad Reputation Duet and can be read and enjoyed without reading any of Krista & Becca's other novels.

Review

Oh Garrison, my heart. My heart hurts for you so much.

People, I have been dying for this couple’s story since the Ritchie’s posted the Wattpad chapters about them. Before this book was a for sure thing and those were taken down, I read them several times over. There was just something special about the quiet, nerdy girl from Maine who learned she was Loren Hale’s half-sister and took a leap of faith to meet him and move close to him to get to know him. Something about the damaged, “bad boy” who you could tell had a heard of fucking gold but had been raised in a HORRIBLE household with shitty friends and just wanted more, more, more out of life. The way these two form a tentative friendship over Tumblr and other nerdy things called to me and I needed to know more. When we found out we’d be getting that, I was ecstatic.

This book is told in a series of chapters set both in the present day with Willow going to school in London and Garrison working for Connor at Cobalt, Inc. and in the past with chunks of those very same chapters from Wattpad where the two first meet and get to know each other. Because I already knew *those* chunks, the ones that really got me were the present day chapters because that’s when you can really see Garrison struggling. Let me just tell you, I pray to God that Loren and/or Ryke beat the shit out his brothers in the second book, I really do. My heart was in my throat every single time he interacted or even THOUGHT about them. Like I can just FEEL his inner self silently screaming, knowing that while they are his flesh and blood, they are the worst part of his life. I want to slap that mom across the face.

ANYWAY, I can’t wait to see more of their relationship actually starting romantically and I am so glad we don’t have long to wait to see how things pick up with Garrison in the next book in the present day because my boy is hurting in more ways than one and I want to see the gang rally around him to help heal him. *sobs* THEY’VE DONE IT AGAIN, PEOPLE.

Huge thanks to Krista and Becca Ritchie and to Kandi Kane PR for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! ♥

BOOK REVIEW: Charmed Souls (Black Souls #1) by Abbi Glines

January 19, 2020 / Jen / 3 Comments

Charmed Souls (Black Souls #1)
by Abbi Glines
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
They say blood is thicker than water, but I was never proud of mine. A female born into the Kamlock bloodline was destined to possess three things they couldn’t change—a crazy as hell mother, an unfair amount of beauty, and a Charmed soul that was as black as night.
All a Kamlock woman ever desired in life was to use her beauty to destroy wealthy men and take their riches. A century had passed since a generation of Kamlock sisters had been anything other than gold diggers.
All I ever wanted was to be free of them. I knew I couldn’t change my cursed birth, but I could change its legacy. I had a job, I had friends, and I was slowly gaining my independence.
Until Rathe Scott crashed into my life and tore it apart.
He made me feel what I had spent my entire life never wanting to feel. He brought out a darkness I’d not known was inside me. And just when I thought I was becoming everything I had sworn I would never become…
He was gone.

Review:

**I was the evil they all should fear.**

Charmed Souls was the type of book that was easily devoured. The characters were effortless to connect with, the story line was beyond addicting and I loved how magic floated through the pages. With friendship, a romance that had a forbidden feel to it and humor, Charmed Souls completely bewitched me and left me begging for more. If you love paranormal romance or new adult stories then definitely add this one to your tbr!

The darkness had always calmed me. Even as a child, nighttime was my favorite. The quiet, the beauty of the stars, the comfort of being alone.

I liked Catalina, aka Cat, right away. She stood up for herself, took care of her friends and worked her hardest to be good, since she was born into a toxic bloodline. Cat was a witch, who not only cast spells and enchantments, but could also control some of the elements and see ghosts. Her mother and sisters, oh my gosh you guys, they were trashy and mean. They used their siren abilities to control and use men. And take all of of their money. Cat’s tumultuous relationship with them hurt my heart, but it was addicting to watch since she stood up to them. So Cat didn’t let men get close to her, she would not be like her family. Until Rathe walked into her world.

His dark expression was exciting. “You are going to fucking destroy me, and I will relish every moment.”

Rathe moved in with Cat’s best friends, Heath and Margo. And Cat tried her best to keep her distance. To act indifferent towards him. Yet Rathe enraptured us in his spell and I wanted to know all there was about him. He was kind, thoughtful and caring. Yet something simmered below the surface of him. It made his charm even more alluring. And while he was a player, I was intrigued that he seemed to only act as a friend towards Cat. Especially when he seamlessly embed himself into her life.

“Maybe I’m crazy!”I called out to him, as I walked, trying to break the tension that had unintentionally built.
“Or maybe you’re darker than you want to accept,” was his response.

Charmed Souls felt like an addicting reality tv show, with paranormal aspects splashed across the pages. This story was set during the college years and I loved watching the parties unfold. And while Cat lived at home with her family, I loved how she could escape to her friends apartments. Unfortunately I can’t say much more about this story, because it’s best discovering it for yourself, but I loved Cat’s cousin, Duely. Be prepared for some TMI, but his heart was always in the right place. Duely, Margo and Heath loved Cat inside and out. It made my heart oh so happy since her home life didn’t even have an inkling of that.

Things started clicking into place. Things I didn’t want to connect. Things that I wanted to be a lie.

I thought I knew exactly where this story was going. I even screamed outloud, I knew it! Twice. But there were some things that were twisted in a way that I didn’t see coming. It was beyond exciting and now I’m desperately waiting for that next book! So yes, I definitely recommend Charmed Souls! If you love magic, drama, a strong heroine and an addictive book boyfriend then definitely put this one on your list!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BLOG TOUR + REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

January 9, 2020 / Cassie / 9 Comments

Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks,
Book Depository
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What if your safe place…is a person?

Adam Moynihan’s life used to be awesome. Straight As, close friends and a home life so perfect that it could have been a TV show straight out of the 50s. Then his oldest brother died. Now his fun-loving mom cries constantly, he and his remaining brother can’t talk without fighting, and the father he always admired proved himself a coward by moving out when they needed him most.

Jolene Timber’s life is nothing like the movies she loves—not the happy ones anyway. As an aspiring director, she should know, because she’s been reimagining her life as a film ever since she was a kid. With her divorced parents at each other’s throats and using her as a pawn, no amount of mental reediting will give her the love she’s starving for.

Forced to spend every other weekend in the same apartment building, the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools begin an unlikely friendship. The weekends he dreaded and she endured soon become the best part of their lives. But when one’s life begins to mend while the other’s spirals out of control, they realize that falling in love while surrounded by its demise means nothing is ever guaranteed.

Review:

Every Other Weekend, my second Abigail Johnson novel I’ve read, was almost unputdownable for me. Not because it was a thrilling page turner, but because I was so invested in these characters I needed to find out what was going to happen next. I even had to put it down a few times so I wouldn’t cry on an airplane – and if you know me, unless it involves animals, I’m probably not going to cry. So there, you win A.J. Stupid dry airplane air.

EOW follows two perspectives: Adam Moynihan and Jolene Timber. Adam’s life has recently been turned upside down: His parents are recently separated, in no small part due to the death of their eldest son. Adam was super close to his oldest brother and he was the calming force between Adam and Jeremey, Adam’s other brother. Adam is struggling to adapt to his new life and blames his father for the marriage falling apart. But as part of this new life, he and Jeremy are forced to come to his father’s apartment every other weekend.

It’s here he meets Jolene, who has been coming to her dad’s apartment every other weekend for years. However, she never actually sees her dad while she’s there. He’s always giving excuses and making his girlfriend, Shelly, parent Jolene in his absence. As horrible of a relationship as she has with Shelly and her father, Jolene’s relationship with her mother is extremely poor too. Her mother wants Jolene to spy on her father, because she believes his hiding money from her. She is physically and emotionally abusive to Jolene and has a substance abuse issue as well.

So both Jolene and Adam are in pretty low places when they meet, but that doesn’t stop them from instantly connecting. Adam is drawn to Jolene’s enigmatic and confident demeanor. She’s an aspiring filmmaker and quickly ropes Adam in to help her with her movies. Soon, they actually look forward to their awkward weekends at the apartment, where they ignore their families and find comfort in not feeling alone.

As with Even If I Fall, I adored almost all of the characters in this book and really appreciated how real and grounded the various storylines were. There were obviously themes of families (both good and bad), the trauma of loss and change, friendships, breakups and makeups, sibling rivalry and complicated relationships with parents. There is also the trauma of a sexual assault and dealing in the aftermath. It’s a lot of heavy things, but there’s still a lot of joy and light to be found. I loved Adam and Jolene’s complicated relationship, as well as Adam’s love of his family. Even when he is furious at his father, deep down it’s clear it’s coming from a place of love and loss. Jolene was an amazing character in her own right, and I loved how much she believe in herself, even when no around really believe in her or her talent. And as I mentioned before, there were definitely times when I got a little misty-eyed, as there’s a lot of mention of loss in here that just really hit me for some reason.

Overall, I really loved this book. It might be a tiny bit behind Even If I Fall, but certainly not by much. Johnson continues to write complicated, but down to earth, stories about teenagers dealing with a multitude of issues. Her stories have so many layers, but it never feels like it’s too much. It all blends seamlessly and her characters are so enjoyable and easy to love.

Every Other Weekend is available January 7, 2020.

Content Warnings: Sexual assault, death of a family member, verbal and physical abuse, substance abuse, talk of death/dying, controlling/abusive relationship

Favorite Quotes:

“Look, are you going to be around a lot?”
“Every other weekend.”
He hung his head. “Me too.”
I didn’t bother with a fake smile. “Yippee.”

If I wasn’t half in love with her before I read it, I was after. Except there was no half anything with Jolene.

It was a love story. Not romantic exactly, but the kind of love that maybe lasts beyond passion and heartache. It was a story of friendship, with all its possible laid out in front of it. That’s what Adam and I had.

My inside warned me that if I let him any closer I wouldn’t survive, but I knew with a burst of heat that chased away every last bit of cold from my body that I’d never truly live if I tried to keep him away.

“And I know you’re gonna break my heart at some point, I might even break yours.” I pressed her hand more firmly against my chest. “But it’s yours to break and mend and hopefully not break again, because, like you’ve said many times, I have fragile boy emotions.”

Giveaway:

Want to win a copy of Every Other Weekend? Enter through Rafflecopter! (US only residents only.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Abigail Johnson:

Abigail was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snow storms for year round summers, and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire cross-country road trip (in a purple spiral bound notebook that she still has) and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, writing and directing a high school production of Cinderella, and becoming a published author.

SERIES REVIEW: The Hitched Series by G.K. DeRosa

December 29, 2019 / Jen / 1 Comment

So I read and reviewed the first book in this series, Hitched: The Bachlorette, back in September and completely forgot to post the reviews for the rest of the series. Even though they were already written. Whoops, mommy brain! So I’m sharing them with you guys today. If you want to go back and read my review of the first book, you can find it here.

SERIES REVIEW: The Hitched Series by G.K. DeRosa

Hitched: The Top Ten (Hitched #2)
by G.K. DeRosa
Purchase on: Amazon,
Book Depository
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A Fae prince, a guardian angel, twin dragon shifters, a vampire… And that’s only the beginning.

Now that the truth is out about the supernaturals, things are starting to get interesting. With ten bachelors remaining, Kimmie-Jayne needs to get her head in the game. But with a murder investigation underway on set, listening to her heart only complicates matters.

To make things worse, the mysterious accidents that were supposed to end with the big supernatural reveal are back with a vengeance.

As if choosing between ten hot guys wasn’t hard enough, Kimmie-Jayne still needs to watch her back. With more twists and secrets being revealed everyday, is there anyone she can really trust?

Will following her heart be the answer or her ultimate downfall as she narrows it down to the final five bachelors?

Review:

Hitched: The Top Ten was an absolute blast! We got to learn more about Azar and the political rulings. And I loved that we were down to ten bachelors and got to spend time learning who they were. With group dates and accidents still being prevalent, there was a lot of action in the pages and a hint of mystery in the air. This book flew by fast again and I found myself shocked with a barbaric twist within the pages.

Not only have I been thrown into this dating game with supernaturals, but they’re all from super powerful and politically influential families. What does that even mean, and how am I involved?

The only thing I was wishing for, was that we got to hear all of Kimmie’s thoughts. She doesn’t share all of her feelings with us, about the guys. And with her kissing many of them, it left me feeling nervous we wouldn’t end up on the same page. Thankfully she kept my favorites around at the end of the book, when she narrowed it down to the final five!

✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Hitched: The Final Five (Hitched #3)
by G.K. DeRosa
Purchase on: Amazon,
Book Depository
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Five bachelors left. Four mystical families to meet and territories to explore. Four chances to avoid a supernatural war.

Kimmie-Jayne thought discovering the bachelors were supernatural was tough, until she finds out she has to spend the week with their families.

Now she’s whisked off to meet four of the most powerful families of Azar. If she can survive dragon lords, daunting angels, the intrigue of Fae court, and the Underworld, she’ll end up with the man of her dreams. Or so she hopes.

But nothing is as it seems in each of these households, and perils loom in every corner of the vast estates. As more secrets and betrayals surge to the surface, Kimmie-Jayne can’t deny that following her heart might get her killed.

Will the men she loves be able to protect her or will the supernatural world prove too much for her as she struggles to choose the final two?

Review:

His fiery kisses sear a path down my skin, marking me as his.

Hitched: The Final Five is my favorite so far! We got to visit the bachelors homes and I was ecstatic to see where they came from and learn even more about the guys I had fallen for. I felt like I got to understand Azar a lot more and that I got to know each of the bachelors inside and out! And while I still have my favorites in this group, I feel like there’s only one that felt right for Kimmie. I’m holding out hope he will be the winner of her heart. And that the others get their own books *fingers crossed*.

His intense eyes pierce into me, reducing my insides to a quivering mess. “I don’t know what it is about you, but you’re all I can think about. I see you in my dreams, in my every waking moment. You’ve left your mark on my soul, and nothing will ever change that.” – said by my favorite to Kimmie

This was another fast paced story with lots of action. This time around we get a ton of answers to our questions. Or clues, like when Lucifer said something I shouted out loud, I knew it! Ha! I absolutely adore this series. Hitched: The Final Five was so effortless to devour and I loved being lost in this world!

✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Hitched: The One (Hitched #4)
by G.K. DeRosa
Purchase on: Amazon,
Book Depository
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The time has come to pick The One.

With one bachelor missing and chaos in her heart, Kimmie-Jayne must find the strength to choose the final two. Once that terrible decision is made, she’s sure things will be easier.

But she’s wrong.

When jealousy flares within the manor, the producers have no choice but to sequester the final two bachelors. As Kimmie-Jayne battles her fracturing heart, torn between two men, news of a surprise visit home sends her hopes soaring.

But it’s short-lived.

Disaster hits while she’s at home, leading Kimmie-Jayne to make a startling discovery about her past—one that changes everything. Juggling this new information while attempting to disentangle her feelings for the remaining bachelors only further complicates matters.

Will Kimmie-Jayne finally get her happily ever after?

Review:

I absolutely loved how Hitched: The One ended. It was everything you could wish for in a happily ever after! But, this book was emotionally the hardest. There could only be one winner, and feelings were bound to get hurt. When Kimmie narrowed it down to two bachelor’s, my heart hurt for the one who I guessed wouldn’t have a shot at winning. But at the same point, my heart was ecstatic for who I had a good feeling she would pick. It was impossible not to get so deeply attached to either of the remaining two bachelors.

I do love them all, but in different ways. There are some I can’t imagine my life without and others that though parting would be difficult, it wouldn’t be life-ending. I want the all-consuming, heart-shattering kind of love and as unlikely as I thought it would be, I believe I’ve found it here.

In The One, the two final bachelors got to go home and meet Kimmie’s family. They both fit in so perfectly with them, it warmed my heart. Plus I loved that we got to learn more about Kimmie and her family life. And I loved even more that my suspicions and the rest of the questions were answered! So if you love happily ever afters, characters that you can’t but fall for and reality tv then you should definitely add this series to your tbr! I’m so glad I picked it up and I’m excited to devour the rest of this author’s books!

PS I’m SO excited that one of the contestants that didn’t make it to the end got to be in a spinoff series called Darkblood Academy. I can’t wait to read it!

BOOK REVIEW: The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts

December 23, 2019 / Jen / 4 Comments

The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks,
Book Depository
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
True love can't be strategized.

After book blogger Vivian Galdi’s longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe crushes, determined to protect her heart.

But nerd-hot Dallas, the sweet new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission.

Operation Replacement Crush is in full effect. And Dallas is determined to take her heart off the shelf.

Review:

The Replacement Crush was smile inducing and absolutely adorable! With a book blogging girl, an adorkable and swoon worthy guy and a group of friends who I wished were mine too, The Replacement Crush was such a huge hit. The story was set in a cute little beach town and with so many of the scenes happening in a book store, oh my heart, this story had it all. If you love ya romance, talking about books and falling in love then definitely add this one to your tbr!

The romance in my life existed between the covers, all right. The covers of books.

Viv’s mom wanted to modernize their book store, so she hired Dallas, the new kid in town to create software for them. The first few times Viv and Dallas ran into each other, I couldn’t stop the laughter or becoming completely obsessed with them. They were so awkward, yet funny at the same time. And while I wanted something to happen between them, Viv was determined that nothing would. Her heart had just been stomped on by her childhood crush, so she wanted to find her replacement crush. Someone who was safe and she wouldn’t fall head over heels for. But true love isn’t something you can plan out, so I had a good feeling that Viv was setting herself up for the most epic disaster ever. Especially since Dallas was always around and seemed like someone she could fall for.

The way he’d looked at me; the way he’d held me. Was it all my crazy imagination?

Dallas Lang was the ultimate book boyfriend. He was thoughtful, sweet, caring, charismatic and sigh worthy. He definitely rocked the nerd vibe with his glasses and Star Trek knowledge but he also had this whole Clark Kent thing going on. I. Was. Obsessed. He was the strong yet sometimes silent type, and he seemed to observe more than Viv ever wanted him too. But since we only got to hear from Viv, Dallas felt like a mystery to me. So I desperately wanted to know what was going on in his head and what all of his secrets were!

I was like a one-girl tornado, leaving a pile of rubble in my wake.

I loved being in Viv’s head and joining her on her journey. She had so much to learn, and she grew in leaps and bounds by the end of the story. But Viv made a lot of mistakes along the way. Especially since she didn’t have a lot of experience with boys, so you have to be patient with her. She even acknowledged her mistakes by calling herself tstl at one point lol. But Viv was quick witted and funny, so I was rooting for her every step of the way.

He tilted my chin up, making my breath catch as my eyes met his.
“You’re sure you aren’t interested in chemistry? Not even as bonus criteria?” His voice was low and sexy.
“I’m s-sure,” I barely stammered out the words before his lips claimed mine.

When Viv and Dallas were around each other, there was always a spark between them. And since they had to work together a few times a week, that spark seemed to burn even brighter as time went on. While some of those moments were sweet and had me sighing out loud, other times I was laughing and screaming because of their antics. Their banter was hilarious! But it didn’t matter how hot some of those moments felt, Viv was determined to stick to her guns and find a guy that didn’t set off her zing meter. And Dallas constantly was setting it off for her. And for me too.

You can do this, Viv. Just pretend you’re in one of your books.
The question was, what type of book? Would I finally get my happy ending or was this going to be an ugly-cry ending?

With book stores, book clubs, bookish lingo and books weaved throughout this story, you couldn’t stop my smiling. And with side characters that I found myself caring for just as deeply, this book was such a huge win! Amy, Jaz, Viv’s mom and Toff were my favorites. You guys have to meet Toff! He’s like Viv’s brother and he stole every single scene he was in. I’m so happy he got his own book, The Book Worm Crush! So yes, I definitely recommend this book! The Replacement Crush is for all the book and romance lovers out there! I can’t ever recommend Lisa Brown Roberts’ books enough!

Tag: Romance (page 1 of 37)

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Synopsis:

I was the evil they all should fear.

The darkness had always calmed me. Even as a child, nighttime was my favorite. The quiet, the beauty of the stars, the comfort of being alone.

His dark expression was exciting. “You are going to fucking destroy me, and I will relish every moment.”

“Maybe I’m crazy!”I called out to him, as I walked, trying to break the tension that had unintentionally built. “Or maybe you’re darker than you want to accept,” was his response.

Things started clicking into place. Things I didn’t want to connect. Things that I wanted to be a lie.

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Not only have I been thrown into this dating game with supernaturals, but they’re all from super powerful and politically influential families. What does that even mean, and how am I involved?

Synopsis:

His fiery kisses sear a path down my skin, marking me as his.

Synopsis:

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The romance in my life existed between the covers, all right. The covers of books.

The way he’d looked at me; the way he’d held me. Was it all my crazy imagination?

I was like a one-girl tornado, leaving a pile of rubble in my wake.

He tilted my chin up, making my breath catch as my eyes met his. “You’re sure you aren’t interested in chemistry? Not even as bonus criteria?” His voice was low and sexy. “I’m s-sure,” I barely stammered out the words before his lips claimed mine.

You can do this, Viv. Just pretend you’re in one of your books.The question was, what type of book? Would I finally get my happy ending or was this going to be an ugly-cry ending?

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**I was the evil they all should fear.**

“Maybe I’m crazy!”I called out to him, as I walked, trying to break the tension that had unintentionally built.
“Or maybe you’re darker than you want to accept,” was his response.

He tilted my chin up, making my breath catch as my eyes met his.
“You’re sure you aren’t interested in chemistry? Not even as bonus criteria?” His voice was low and sexy.
“I’m s-sure,” I barely stammered out the words before his lips claimed mine.

You can do this, Viv. Just pretend you’re in one of your books.
The question was, what type of book? Would I finally get my happy ending or was this going to be an ugly-cry ending?