Tag: Romance (Page 82 of 122)

BOOK REVIEW: The Brightest Night (Origin #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK REVIEW: The Brightest Night (Origin #3) by Jennifer L. ArmentroutThe Brightest Night (Origin #3)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

He is the darkest star.
She is the burning shadow.
And together, they will bring about the brightest night.

Less than a year ago, Evelyn Dasher was a normal girl, living a safe, rather unremarkable life―a life that was a total lie. Now she’s learned the truth about who she was and what she is.

Hidden within Zone 3, she knows that if she loses control of her dangerous abilities again, she not only puts everyone in the secret community at risk, but also the beautiful, deadly inhuman Luc. He will do anything to keep her safe. Lie. Barter. Beg. Kill.

But there are truths that not even Luc can prepare for, and as Evie’s abilities evolve, the consequences of everything he’s done turn devastating.

Luc is stepping into the darkness. But Evie might already be lost to the shadows.

Review:

We just all have a little bit of a monster inside of us. How could we not when we love someone like we do?

The Brightest Night was breathtakingly emotional and beautifully captivating.  From that very first page, I was pulled right into their world and couldn’t put this book down.  Love, friendships, action, ghosts from the past, and scenes so emotional that tears poured down my face splashed across the pages.  If you’re a fan of Jennifer L Armentrout, the Lux Series or Paranormal/Sci-Fi stories then definitely add this one to your tbr!  I can’t recommend this book and series enough!

We had no idea what was going to happen from hour to hour, and I just wanted the beauty of this, of him, of us together, and there wasn’t a single thing wrong with that.

The Brightest Night started exactly where The Burning Shadow ended.  Evie and Luc were in Zone 3 with all of our favorites.  I was shocked learning the scope of what Evie was and what the Daedalas planned to do.  But I wish someone would have said, just hold on because that’s nothing.  What’s to come in this book will blow your mind!  I gasped multiple times, screamed NO so loud I woke up my husband and even stared at a wall because I couldn’t believe something happened.  Many truths come to pass, and each one rocked me more than the previous one.  The way this book unfolded was absolutely brilliant!

“Well, that’s kind of offensive. I’m totally trustworthy,” Luc argued. “And I give great gifts.”
Daemon crossed his arms. “You once tried to gift Kat and me a llama because, according to you and literally no one else, they’d make a great family pet for a baby.”
What?
Luc’s smile turned thoughtful. “They will protect a herd—”
“A lone child is not a herd, Luc,” Daemon sighed.

At the core of this story is Luc, Evie and so many people errr Aliens, Hybrids and Origins whom we love from not only this series, but The Lux Series too.  The happy moments had me flying so high.  I loved watching their lives unfold, catching up with everyone and I laughed more times than I can count.  I even had happy tears over some of their moments together.  They felt like a big family that would pull together at times for one another.  It all warmed my heart.  And yes we even got to hear more of Luc’s fabulous cheesy pick-up lines ha!  But I’m thankful for all of these happy moments, because there were also ones that shattered my heart.

I was something they thought they could use to take over the world, then why couldn’t I be used to fight back?

I couldn’t shake this feeling that I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  So I was extremely nervous for Evie at times.  I was terrified how her power would affect her, but I loved watching her grow in leaps and bounds.  I was so proud of Evie for learning more about herself, her abilities and even how she interacted with Luc.  She was someone I respected and could look up to.  It became even more obvious how she had captured Luc’s heart so easily.

“I loved you before I even knew what that meant, and I loved you even when you were gone, and I loved you when you became someone else,” he said— pleaded, really. “And I fell even more in love with you when you walked through the doors of Foretoken. I’ve never stopped loving you. I never will.”

Luc was the ultimate book boyfriend!  He was fierce, deadly, and would do whatever it took to protect those he loves.  There’s literally nothing he won’t do to protect Evie.  But on the other side, he could be so calm and collected with her.  His patience, gentleness, and the amount of affection and love he showed her melted my heart.  Luc was sexy, intense, passionate and most definitely sigh worthy.  And when he was with Evie, they felt like the ultimate power couple.  I loved how they talked and confided with each other.  It felt like even if the world was falling apart around them, they would still be standing by each other’s side.

His forehead pressed to mine. “I need to forget that we’re both stained with your blood.”
Closing my eyes on a shuddering breath, I cupped his cheeks. “You have me.”
Luc kissed me, and there was nothing slow or tentative about the way his mouth moved or how his lips parted mine. The kiss deepened, and there was an edge of desperation to it, a hint of lingering fear.

I can’t say more than what I have, but just know that The Brightest Night will keep readers hooked and has a heart stopping ending!  That ending was powerful and shook me to my core!  So if you love fierce and loyal characters, a story line that has tons of heart, and moments that will make you laugh, smile and cry, then you definitely need to pick up this series.  Now I’m patiently waiting until we can see how the series ends with the next book!  I can’t wait!

He pulled out a sour apple Blow Pop. “The Daedalus have more like her, and when they decide to break up this little militia you have going on here, even someone who isn’t particularly intelligent would know what a good idea it would be to have her on their side.”
The world just stopped spinning on its axis. Pigs were flying. Santa was real. Hell had even frozen over.

PS I love Grayson’s love of blow pops!

Love was the thunder in our hearts, the lightning in our veins, and it was what kept us together where we landed, even after our skin had begun to cool and our breaths had slowed.

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

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)


The Darkest Star #1
Reviews:

Jen
 
The Burning Shadow   #2
Reviews:

Jen

The Brightest Night
   #3
Reviews:

Jen

BOOK REVIEW: Not My Romeo (The Game Changers #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills

BOOK REVIEW: Not My Romeo (The Game Changers #1) by Ilsa Madden-MillsNot My Romeo (The Game Changers #1)
by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a smart and sexy contemporary romance about a smoking-hot professional football player and the small-town girl he can’t resist.

We start off with a lie on Valentine’s Day.

My blind date isn’t the studious guy I expected: he’s a drop-dead gorgeous player with sinful amber eyes. Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.

The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.

But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?

Is Jack my real Romeo…or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Review:

Not My Romeo was fun, flirty and smile inducing.  I was absolutely giddy with how this story played out, I fell hard for the characters, and I devoured this book way too fast.  If you’re looking for a romance story that has a lot of heart and steam, then definitely check this one out!  I can’t recommend it enough!

What kind of person pretends to be someone else’s date?
Who exactly did I have sex with?

It was a case of mistaken identity, that turned hilarious, and I was pulled right into the story.  Elena was at a restaurant, looking for her weatherman blind date.  Jack thought she was the blogger his PR guy had mentioned.  One thing led to another and after a wild and sexy night together, the truth came out.  Neither of them expected to run into the other so quickly afterwards, but fate had other plans.  Again and again.   This story brought me so much joy and I found myself hanging onto every single word, waiting to see what happened next.

I want him to lose control with me, to think back on this and wish he had me forever.

Elena was someone I adored and she was so easy to relate to…..I mention the quarter inch in my height and randomly use the phrase throat punch too lol.  I loved her voice, her take charge quirky attitude, and she felt like someone I’d known for years.  Elena was a librarian in a small town, and her pet pig, family and friends meant everything to her.  But she had this other side to her, which not everyone knew about.  Elena designed beautiful, one of a kind lingerie.  And she had no problem throwing a remark out there about her vibrator lol.  But from the first day Elena met Jack, it set her on a different path and completely shook up her quiet, small town life.

I gaze down at her, laughing more, then sobering as emotion claws at me, soft yet somehow terrifying as it tiptoes its way inside my chest. A knot forms in my stomach, and I can’t seem to take a breath, and it has nothing to do with running.
It’s the girl in my arms who’s got me freaked out.

Jack Hawke was a famous football player who had a bad rap.  But tortured didn’t even begin to describe Jack.  People used him, few could be trusted and his past and childhood made my heart hurt.  So I was rooting for him every step of the way.  I was hoping he would be brave when it came to trusting others.  But even though Jack was jaded, he was so thoughtful.  Not only for everyday things, but in the bedroom too, sigh.  Jack reeled me right in and was the ultimate book boyfriend!

I close my eyes, holding him. Does he feel this too? How good we are?
You’re mine, he said.
But . . .
For how long?

When Jack and Elena were near each other, I loved how easily they connected and talked.  But I also loved that their chemistry was instantaneous.  It was scorching hot.  The details when they were together made my heart race faster.  But underneath that heat was an emotional story, one that made me have tears in my eyes. This book had the best of both worlds and it included a cast of characters that warmed their way into my heart.  From Topher, to her little pig Romeo, to Devon, Aunt Clara and even Giselle, there was so much heart in these pages!

I walked out.
And he didn’t follow.
Right.

Not My Romeo was a sexy, feel good story that I absolutely loved.  There were so many laugh out loud moments, and I loved how there was also a deeper emotional side too.  If you love epilogues and HEA, this book will make your heart soar.  So if you’re looking for a romance book to pick up, definitely check this one out!

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

BOOK TOUR: Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen

BOOK TOUR: Playing With Fire by L.J. ShenPlaying With Fire by L.J. Shen
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Synopsis:

A broken boy on the path to destruction.
A scarred girl without direction.
A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.

Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.
She is the strange girl from the food truck.
He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.
She is invisible to the world.
He is the town’s beloved bad boy.
She is a reject.
He is trouble.
When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.
But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.
Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:
She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.
And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.

“A flawless story of redemption and salvation, Playing With Fire will consume you entirely.” – Amali Rose, USA Today Bestselling Author

Playing With Fire, an all-new heartbreaking and intensely beautiful small town standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!

A broken boy on the path to destruction.

A scarred girl without direction.

A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.

Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.

She is the strange girl from the food truck.

He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.

She is invisible to the world.

He is the town’s beloved bad boy.

She is a reject.

He is trouble.

When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.

But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.

Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:

She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.

And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35scdah

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/PWFLJShen

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3bDlzRh

Add to PLAYING WITH FIRE to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/MDVljgr

About L.J. Shen

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries. 

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

Connect with L.J. Shen

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1

Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo

Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list:

http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ

Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

BOOK REVIEW: Lies & Lullabies (Hush Note #1) by Sarina Bowen

BOOK REVIEW: Lies & Lullabies (Hush Note #1) by Sarina BowenLies & Lullabies (Hush Note #1)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Summer nights and star-crossed lovers! From USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.

Once upon a time, he gave me a summer of friendship, followed by one perfect night. We shared a lot during our short time together. But he skipped a few crucial details.

I didn’t know he was a rock star.

I didn’t know his real name.

Neither of us knew I’d get pregnant.

And I sure never expected to see him again.

Five years later, his tour bus pulls up in Nest Lake, Maine. My little world is about to be shattered by loud music and the pounding of my own foolish heart.

Review

I’m not gonna lie, I tend to avoid the rock star trope because that scene really isn’t my type of thing. I do however, love anything and everything that Bowen writes so I figured why not give this a chance. Just like with all of her other books, the characters are what truly draw you in. Jonas and Kira are no different. Jonas meets Kira when he decides to take a summer away from it all in quiet Nest Lake, Maine. He gives her a different name, John, to keep some anonymity and they bond over her cooking. While the two try their best to keep it to a friendship (he having just gotten out of a toxic relationship and she having gone through a rape) we all know how the story goes….

Five years later he’s back, not even expecting to see Kira again and gets the surprise of a lifetime.
Let me tell you, it is so funny to me the kinds of stories you grow to like and dislike based on what season of life you are in. I used to never like any romances that had an unexpected pregnancy or child involved but here we are now, with two kids of my own, totally being fine with both of those things. This hasn’t been the first book I’ve read where the Hero leaves and comes back years later only to find out they’ve left behind not only their Heroine, but a baby besides. Sometimes it’s a pretty unbelievable situation that pisses me off but honestly that wasn’t really the case with this one. With Jonas being a rock star and with the things Kira had gone through in her past (and him not returning her letter) I don’t find it hard to believe that she had kept things quiet about Vivi. Is it incredibly sad that Jonas missed out on FIVE years of her life? Extremely. But that’s how things went and as we all know, we can’t turn back time.

I liked the flashbacks of Jonas and Kira meeting, getting to know each other, and the making of Vivi (lolllllll). I liked how simply they knit themselves back together and how quickly Jonas took to having a daughter even though he initially was thinking he was not father material. While this isn’t a TOP favorite of Bowen’s, I did thoroughly enjoy and sped through it in a few days. Her writing is just one of those comfortable things at this point that makes me happy and it was exactly what I needed!

P.S….I NEED to know more about Nixon…..
Huge thanks to Tuxbury Publishing LLC for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion! ♥

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas

I’m so excited to be on the tour for The Good for Nothings! This book was filled to the brim with adventure, friendship and humor! So check out my review below and enter in a fabulous giveaway. Enjoy! ♥

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle BanasThe Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Cora Saros is just trying her best to join the family business of theft and intergalactic smuggling. Unfortunately, she's a total disaster.

After landing herself in prison following an attempted heist gone very wrong, she strikes a bargain with the prison warden: He'll expunge her record if she brings back a long-lost treasure rumored to grant immortality.

Cora is skeptical, but with no other way out of prison (and back in her family's good graces), she has no choice but to assemble a crew from her collection of misfit cellmates—a disgraced warrior from an alien planet; a cocky pirate who claims to have the largest ship in the galaxy; and a glitch-prone robot with a penchant for baking—and take off after the fabled prize.

But the ragtag group soon discovers that not only is the too-good-to-be-true treasure very real, but they're also not the only crew on the hunt for it. And it's definitely a prize worth killing for.

Review:

The Good for Nothings was an incredibly fun twist on Guardians of the Galaxy meets YA.  It had heart, humor and charm wrapped up in a story that was oh so fun!  This is the type of book that is impossible not to devour in one sitting.  And space pirates?!  I. Was. Obsessed!  With characters that were flawed and relatable, I found myself deeply caring for this fabulous group of misfits.  I could read so many stories about their antics together!  So if you’re looking for a book that is filled to the brim with adventure, friendship, and humor, then you have to add this one to your tbr!

We’d broken a criminal’s only rule.
We got caught.

From those first few pages, I was sucked right in.  This story started out in a situation that mixed humor and action, along with technology like nothing I had ever seen.  I was completely addicted.  But eventually Cora and her android friend Elio ended up in jail together.  And from there they met Wren and Anders.  When the four of them were offered their freedom in exchange for going on a dangerous treasure hunt across the galaxies, they were all in!  They had SO many obstacles in their way!  Including themselves.  But I adored the four of them so much.  Especially while they were trying to figure out how to work together as a team.  The storyline was a wild ride and these characters etched themselves into my heart.  So here’s a little bit about each of them…..

The only way I could steal from them was if they trusted us completely.

Cora:

My family was in the business of lying, and I could confidently say the best lies were the ones that you believed to be true.  They were the ones that you wanted so desperately; they were your first breath of air in the morning and the last before you went to sleep at night.

Cora was from a notorious crime family and her best friend in the world was her android friend, Elio.  They had the most beautiful friendship ever, one that felt like true family.  I loved Cora right away because she was brave, fierce and cared so deeply for Elio. I love that she tried her best but at times, life got in the way.  Be prepared for her to have the most random and bizarre distractions, during a crisis ha.  She was just so easy to connect with and love.  But Cora was keeping secrets and lies.  I understood the whys, I just knew my emotions were going to get tangled in the inevitable fallout.

Elio:  

Beep! Beep! Beep!”
I couldn’t lose him.  Not like this.  Not when we were so close.

Elio was the cutest android ever and was such a wonderful friend to Cora.  His heart felt so pure and I loved all of his little quirks.  Like wanting to eat and smell food, even though he wasn’t a human or alien.  He was smart and I loved how fast he was able to process things, even sarcasm *heart emoji eyes*.  Elio was someone who was not only brave but resourceful and he rounded out their little group perfectly.  He is definitely going to charm everyone that picks up this book.  There’s no way he won’t sneak into your heart.

Wren:

Wren reached under her veil and squeezed my hand.  “Together we will accomplish great, but possibly not legal, things,” she whispered.
Against my better judgment, I squeezed back.  “Aye aye, Captain.”

Wren was impossible not to love too!  She was bubbly, fun and cracked me up!  But that girl knew how to steal stuff like no other.  And she could easily steal everything in sight ha!  She was a fabulous pilot, was beyond loyal and she was someone I’d want to be best friends with and have by my side for treasure hunts and battles.  Wren’s heart of gold and bravery was commendable!

Anders:

There were too many words to describe the sensation, like the endless stars in the sky, the endless galaxies in the universe.  Even when we pulled apart, I knew that I would carry this moment, this brief little flash of existence where time and space held still and there was us – only us – with me for infinity.

Oh boy.  At first I wasn’t sure what to think of Anders, since he was so closed off.  He tried his best to keep his walls up, but when they would fall down from time to time, the peaks we would get of him *sigh*.  Yup.  I was obsessed.  When his humor started to poke through I was a goner.  Anders was brave, fierce, deadly and someone I swooned very hard over!

He didn’t need to know that whatever minuscule bit of camaraderie we had cultivated was a game that I desperately wanted to make real.

I absolutely loved the Good for Nothings!  There was a little bit of a romance going on that made me so happy!  And the moments where I got to be a part of their inside jokes, I felt like part of the team!  But deals with the devil were made.  Secrets were kept.  And impossible journeys and obstacles were around every corner.  This story even made me shed a few tears.  So if you’re looking for a story that will make you smile, laugh and get lost in then definitely add this one to your TBR!  This is the second book I’ve read by Danielle Banas that I’ve loved and I can’t recommend her books enough!

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

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

 

About Danielle Banas:

Danielle Banas is the author of THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME and THE GOOD FOR NOTHINGS. She earned a degree in communication from Robert Morris University, where she spent slightly too much time daydreaming about new characters instead of paying attention in class. When she isn’t writing, Danielle can be found loudly singing show tunes, spouting off Disney World trivia, and snuggling with her puppy. She lives in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

 

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