Category: Review (Page 193 of 297)

BOOK REVIEW – Xenophobia by S.B. Roozenboom

August 8, 2016 / Jen / 4 Comments

Xenophobia by S.B. Roozenboom
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
It's been two centuries since the Telumiras arrived and settled on Earth, changing everything including the genetic makeup of humans.

Living in the section of land occupied by her own kind, Ness Kimler tries to be a normal teenager, worrying about her career and finding a mate, questions to be answered at her upcoming graduation.

But before that happens, Ness accidentally crosses the Great Fence separating humans and Telumiras. For 200 years, the barrier has been in place, preserving the peace on a planet divided between two species.

What she finds is that the Fence isn't just about keeping the aliens in; it's about keeping the humans out.

And Ness Kimler just broke the rules.

Review:

Xenophobia quickly pulled me in and before I knew it, l was completely addicted to this story. In that first chapter alone, I already felt connected to our heroine, Ness. Her voice was honest, captivating and watching her struggle had me curious where this book was headed. You see, Ness was a little bit different then her peers. Ever since the aliens came, humans changed. They have cryptosyms on their skin, which are markings that are meant to help you find the best possible path in your life. They tell you what career, mate, number of children etc, would be the best fit for you. Yet Ness’ markings aren’t easily deciphered like her classmates, and I was more than intrigued to find out why.

Enormous, twisting trees towered behind the Fence, evidence of ***them*. Evidence that humans were no longer the only dominant species. Earth was no longer our world.
The aliens now called it home, too.**

The world that was described, and the lifestyle that Ness lived, was fascinating and so unique to me. I loved being in this world! We slowly got immersed while following Ness throughout the day. Which sounds simple enough, until she arrives at home. She lives with her Aunt, and because of what they can afford, they live closest to the border of where the humans and aliens are separated from one another. Personally, I’d be terrified to live so close to the border because of the descriptions of the some of the creatures that sneak into the human side *shudders*. But living in that close proximity is about to completely flip Ness’ life upside down.

***Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God*. I lowered myself closer to the dirt, but even the surrounding foliage couldn’t hide all of me.
It eyes stopped on my silver boots sticking out, tracing them up to my dress, my arms.
We locked eyes.**

Everything that happens, leads Ness to meeting Tevire. And let me hang my head in shame because I didn’t know if I could fall for him in the first few seconds we met him. Yes he’s an alien, and although he looks awfully human, he has many characteristics that make him different. His speech, hair, eyes, nose and the shocker for me was that he even had a tail. But you know what? Tevire slowly seeped into my heart and I found myself completely falling for him. Watching him interact with Ness showed who he truly was. He was selfless. He was protective. He had a sense of humor. He was so many amazing things wrapped up into one beautiful being. But my favorite aspect about him? The things Tevire did to protect Ness was gut wrenching, sweaty palm inducing and entirely swoon worthy.

No one has ever had this kind of chance.

Although Ness and Tevire had a rocky start, I loved how they slowly but steadily morphed into a true friendship. It was such a natural progression. But the more they spent around one another, the chemistry between them seemed to grow hotter and hotter. It got to the point where I wanted to beg them to act on it. I guess you’ll just have to see what happens, since I don’t want to say anything other than they were so much fun to watch.

Xenophobia is truly a hidden gem! There is so much more that I want to talk about, especially with how the story progresses. But this is one of those books where you’re going to want to discover this world by yourself. Xenophobia was such a fun, unique read and I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I will definitely be picking up this authors other books!

*ARC kindly provided by S.B. Roozenboom in exchange for an honest review*

BOOK REVIEW: To Have and to Hold (The Wedding Belles #1) by Lauren Layne

July 28, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

To Have and to Hold (The Wedding Belles #1)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne is the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes” (Rachel Van Dyken)! Now, Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true... but their own.

Discovering her fiance is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin's business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiance is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning... is theirs?

Seth linked his fingers in hers. “Take me home, Baldwin.”
She laughed. “You know, for such a rich, savvy guy, you can be a total dork.”
“I like to think it reveals my vulnerable side.”
She glanced up at him suspiciously. “Do you have a vulnerable side?”
“I do. Her name is Brooke.”

Alright. So. I don’t think this will be very long because, as everyone around me knows, I hate bashing my favorite authors, especially one where this is the only book in existence I really don’t like by them. Unless something big happens that really sets me off or the book is just offensive on too many fronts, I don’t relish writing negative or down-trodden reviews. They’re depressing, they’re bleak, and they aren’t actually all that constructive.

But I’m sure all my friends who know I adore LL are wondering why this one didn’t work for me. And the answer is really simple: I did love the male lead, but everyone else was like a paper character in a paper play in a city made of, you guessed it, paper. Had this been….more…I doubt I would have felt disinterest for it. But, as it is, all I could think about was getting on to my next book, and, frankly, that’s a re-read….which doesn’t bode well for my attachment to this story.

“Brooke.”
She paused and looked at him, exasperated. “What?”
“Stay out of my way,” he repeated.
“Under one condition,” she said with a wide, fake smile.
He narrowed his eyes and waited.
“I’ll stay out of your way, big brother”—Brooke reached a hand up to his cheek, patted it with a condescending familiarity—“if you stay out of mine.”

Seth was, and always will be, the star of this story. He was the reason I didn’t DNF, he is the reason I still smiled and sighed and, in the end, was a gooey mess of ‘please love me, not her.’ I am extremely loyal to the men I fall in love with, even more so when they steal my heart completely. I can’t say Seth was my favorite LL character (I think that prize belongs to my baby Mitchell), but he was damn vulnerable, sweet, sexy, and powerful….He was a win in all the ways that mattered and I felt so bad this was his story-He deserved so much more, in my opinion.

Objectively, he was aware that he’d known this woman for a little over a month. It was far too soon to start thinking of them as a unit—to start thinking of her as his. And yet, he also knew down to the quietest, most secret part of his soul that she was his. And he was hers.
And that they would fix whatever had broken inside her.

And when his morals started coming into question, it really fucking pissed me off. I get it-we have to have the inevitable falling apart near the end so it can be swept up and made adorable-I get it. I even love this in LL’s, I really do. But what I can’t get over is how he was looked at, portrayed, and betrayed by those he loves most (aside from his sister, who, I thought would be the biggest issue but was, in fact, the least annoying side character) when he was just trying to help in the only way he knows how. SO, yeah, he wasn’t perfect and he makes mistakes-But the way he was treated….my BBF claws came out and I was ready to tear some people a new A-hole.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her slide her phone into her bag, and was surprised when she shifted her body around to face him. She didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was studying him. He half expected her to start jotting notes about him in her little book.
Uptight.
Control freak.
Unlikable.

And then I guess to wrap this up I need to address the heroine and her new cronies (aka, the wannabe Stiletto squad). I liked Brooke-a lot. But I feel like she was very…me me me. And while with most lead MCs this doesn’t bother me when they are like this, she did. For whatever reason, when she would flub up, I didn’t find it endearing-like I usually do-so much as obnoxious or eye-roll worthy. She was the sweetest chick and I was rooting for her, but when she causes problem after problem for literally no other reason than she’s scared, I can’t help but to get annoyed.

And as for her friends….I might have dozed off a bit as my mind began to wonder into la-la land when they were present. Never have I cared less about LL side characters…and GOD does that fucking suck. I don’t know what to say about them other than they are the first side kicks that I didn’t connect with. Maya, Seth’s sister, yes-I loved. Grant, Seth’s best friend-yes, he was okay, until the end in which I might have ripped his balls off with said BBF claws. But the Wedding Belle’s I was just talking about?? *Snooooooooooreeeeeee*

“There is no after dinner. It’s a business meeting.”
“Poor Brooke,” Maya said, patting Brooke’s hand. “I don’t think you realize just how much trouble you’re in.”
“How so?”
“Let’s just say when my brother wants something, he gets it. Always.”

So, ouch, that hurt. It did. But I think I’m at the point where if no one reads this other than myself (over and over and over again to edit and re edit), that’s okay with me. But, if by some small chance a new friend or someone who believes what I say on a regular basis looks to this review for candid advice, I can’t lie and pretend like it was okay-Because it wasn’t. If I can steer someone to literally any other LL book or series for their first endeavor, I will do everything in my power to do so. This author rocks and I adore her, so I’m extremely disappointed that I’m not liking where this series is going. I have 5 starred almost every single book she’s written, aside from a couple 4/4.5 stars, and that’s astronomical. This is my first full-length novel by her I’ve rated below a four…and it’s not a feeling I’m familiar with. I hope that you’ll see past my distance towards this book and look to what I’ve really been trying to say here: This may have been a miss, but there literally isn’t another one of her books I think negatively of. Go find them-and enjoy.

******************

Well…definitely not what I had hoped for. It was up and down, repetitive, and, most importantly, I was bored (a lot). As usual, the male lead was the star of the show and he had me smiling so big more often than not. In the end, I was a gooey emotional mess, choking on butterflies, and utterly won over….but, at that point, it was too little too late.

Some of the characters felt underdeveloped and it felt like a sad imitation of the Stiletto girls. I think I was most disappointed because this had so many perfect, wonderful developments that could have made this a five star, easily. I just hate in books when something happens and everyone reacts and blames [and gangs up on] the male lead and UGH I just HATE it. This put the final nail in the three star coffin for me. I don’t know.

Anyway, I’ll write a review, but it might be a couple days because I have so little time these days…and this just kills me to rate this so low.

RTC

BOOK REVIEW: Ninth Key (The Mediator #2) by Meg Cabot

July 27, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Ninth Key (The Mediator #2)
by Meg Cabot
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Ghosts ruin everything. Especially your love life.

Everything is going great for Suze. Her new life in California is a whirlwind of parties and excellent hair days. Tad Beaumont, the hottest boy in town, has even asked Suze out on her very first date. Suze is so excited that she's willing to ignore her misgivings about Tad... particularly the fact that he's not Jesse, whose ghostly status - not to mention apparent disinterest in her - make him unattainable.

What Suze can't ignore, however, is the ghost of a murdered woman whose death seems directly connected to dark secrets hidden in none other than Tad Beaumont's past.

“You can’t tell me you’ve liked being trapped in this room for a hundred and fifty years.”
“It hasn’t been all bad,” he said, with a smile. “Things have picked up recently.”

Okayyyy sooooo I wasn’t gong to write a review today, but it’s going to be a long weekend (WOOT! Bring it on 4th of July!) and I know I will finish at LEAST one book and will need to post about it Tuesday-So I’d rather not get backlogged. Plus-Any chance I get to boast about my Jesse and Suze addiction to get people aware of it again, I’m going to do it.

This is a series, I’m finding, that not only I liked, but many many of my friends did, too. Turns out? I wasn’t the only pre-teen laying in my bedroom binge-reading this series and pining about Jesse like I thought I was….no wonder she is so popular. Go figure. It’s so fun to talk to all you guys about how much we loved this and why it’s still great, so that’s why I feel the need to talk about each and every installment, no matter which are my favorite and which are just plain awesome (Pfft. They all are-even my least fav).

Jesse has those kind of eyes some guys have, the kind of sad eyes that make you think you might want to try and make them not so sad.

I must say that I enjoyed the first installment more than this one, but I remember that being the case years and years ago when I first picked these up. I loved Suze’s voice, again, and loved Jesse even more. But, as it is, I really wanted more Jesse. lol-I couldn’t quite pinpoint why this one wasn’t my favorite years ago, but now the BBF whore in me knows exactly why. There was plenty of Jesse, really, but OMG is it too much to ask for him to be on every page? Yes? Hmm. *pouts*

“Now that,” he said, putting his hands down, “was your finest performance yet. You seemed caring, yet disgusted.”
I glared at him. “Don’t you,” I asked, grumpily, “have some chains you’re supposed to be rattling somewhere?”

I actually found this one comical in the most subtle ways-the vampire aspect, the dumb jock Suze attempts to tolerate, the references to her monster-like poison ivy hands, the step-brother dynamic, and, frankly, Jesse’s humor. I loved this book just like I knew I would, but I love that I get the depth in which all the jokes are meant to be taken. Before, yeah I laughed as a kid, but I certainly didn’t realize just how wry the humor was-I mean, so refreshing. I even had forgotten about dear old Father Dominic-he and Suze’s banter and relationship is something I had long since forgotten and I am so happy it’s all coming back to me now-even stronger than before.

“A mediator is someone who helps others resolve conflicts. Not someone, who, er, kicks them in the face.”
I smiled at him. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.
And I would, too. Right after I kicked Red’s butt.
Whoever he was.

So, yeah. I could go on and on about how happy these books make me, but I know for a fact they get better and better and Jesse’s jealousy gets stronger and stronger….What’s not to fall for?? So, with that being said, I think I’m going to leave the review here and wish everyone a happy holiday weekend. I wanted to pick the third up over the weekend after my fantasy, but I got granted an AMAZING ARC I did not expect to get, so I will probably pick it up first. But if I’m being honest? I already miss these guys. I have NO clue what the hell I’m going to do when I am done with these all over again. Probably cry. Yeah. Sounds about right.

***********

Ahhh this series will NEVER get old. Never. What a refreshing reassurance. Jesse will literally never bore me….I guess that means I can re-read these yet again when I’m older. 😛

RTC!

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BOOK REVIEW: An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir

July 26, 2016 / Chelsea / 3 Comments

Okay, so, this is me doing a re-read before I receive my A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT ARC in the mail...which, as you can imagine, I am SLOWLY DYING INSIDE BECAUSE I AM SO FREAKIN' EXCITED. I hope you all will take a look at the book that made my life complete last year, centering around my wounded and tortured soul, Elias-the soldier who never wanted to be a part of the cruel society he's stuck in.

BOOK REVIEW: An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir

BOOK REVIEW: An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1)
by Sabaa Tahir
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.

THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME.

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW

AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Duty first, unto death.

You can’t see me. I can’t see you. But let me just tell you what I’m doing. I’m silently screaming. I’m cursing myself for not reading this book sooner because I was nervous. I’m internally fangirling even though I finished this almost 24 hours ago. And most prominently? I am on my knees. I am bowing down to this author. And I am eternally fucking grateful for this absolute masterpiece. If I could, I’d give it a gazillion stars.

Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after.

Epic. Thrilling. Brutal. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t sit still. This story was so gripping, so addicting, so mesmerizing that I was a prisoner held under it’s intoxicating spell. It hooked me with it’s razor sharp claws, bleeding me out like a stuck pig. It clawed all my sanity away until I was a raging lunatic…

And I didn’t want to be anywhere else but nuzzled up within these extremely deep and painfully appealing pages.

“Please,” I say. “It was a mistake.” She leans in close, her lips inches from mine, those dead eyes lit, for just a moment with terrifying fury. “Stupid girl,” she whispers. “Haven’t you learned? I don’t abide mistakes.”

This review won’t be long. It won’t be coherent. It will obviously be in short, abrupt sentences. Have you ever read a book that was just sooooo perfect that you felt inadequate as you tried to write your review? That’s me. I just…I can’t find the words. I’m so rarely speechless-my reviews border on crazy, because they are so long it feels as if it takes twenty minutes to read them and eternities to write them. But here, now, in this moment where I could put my crazy to good use…I’m coming up blank and I just Do. Not. Know. What. To. Say.

“You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.”

I am determined, though, to at least say what was so utterly compelling about this story, to me. What made it shoot to an absolute favorite and kept my stomach perpetually churning. For once, the romance wasn’t what made the story for me. I loved it, yes, but it was so much more than that. It was about family and friendship, love and loss, war and betrayal…making decisions that no one at their age should have to. It touched deeply on the subjects no one dare go, yet the author made them so appealing that you couldn’t look away. There was beauty in it’s depravity, almost like a gorgeously woven spider web, crafted to capture and constrict it’s prey. Even now I am breathless as I reminisce about what happened and what all our main characters had to go through.

Death supplants everything. Friendship, love, loyalty. The good memories I have of these men-of helpless laughter, of bets won and pranks hatched-they are stolen away. All I can remember are the worst things, the darkest things.

And here we are, right at the core of the story where all the addiction comes into play: The characters. You name ‘em, I likely loved ‘em. From the villains to the main leads, I adored them all-but for very different reasons. It’s no secret that I admire the main male lead and his counterpart in almost every book-sue me, I like boys-and even as I was a fucking psycho fangirl for our beautiful Elias, I could actually, for once, see past just him.

Sometimes, I talk to those I’ve killed. In my head, I hear them whisper back-not accusations, but their hopes, their wants. I wish they would curse me instead. It’s worse, somehow, to hear all that would have been had I not killed them.

There was Helene, his best, most cherished friend. Dear God I loved her and their friendship. It struck a chord deep within me and I shipped them so hard. The tears, heartache, and struggle was real. I wouldn’t care if they ended up together-hey, it is what it is-she rocks (Even though I want him with Laia Lalalalala). There was Dex, there was Zak, there was Markus, Cook, Izzi, there were so many more that surrounded our leads and I never disliked any of them-They only added to the story, whereas normally I’m like ‘Shoo! Be gone!’ But not once did I feel this way. All of their turmoil and struggles gripped my heart like a vice, and I was captured in their snare.

Monster, murderer, devil. Dark, vile creature. I hate you. I hate you.

And I’m sorry, I just have to-Elias gave tormented and tortured a new name. He was the face of what it feels like to be unloved, cast aside, despised…with only his platoon and his best friend, Helene, beside him. His voice is very powerful, drawing you in immediately, curious to learn more about his story and what has driven him to such misery. I am not going to lie: There is a whole lot of fangirl being held back right now, and it’s really costing me something. But just know-He is perfect. He is loyal. He would do anything for the greater good even as he is facing the most disgusting trials known to man. He is good. He is kind. And he is stuck in a world where he feels he doesn’t belong-he is a leaf in the wind, and all he craves, what he’d sell his very life for, is freedom….freedom of body, mind, and soul. My heart aches for him even now. And I was an absolute mess as I went through each and every new phase with him….I don’t think I could breathe past chapter two when we first meet him.

I’ve never seen her before, because if I had, I’d remember. Despite the heavy silver cuffs and high, painful-looking bun that mark all of Blackcliff’s drudges, nothing about her says slave. Her black dress fits her like a glove, sliding over every curve in a way that makes more than one head turn. Her full lips and fine, straight nose would be the envy of most girls, Scholar or not. I stare at her, realize I’m staring, tell myself to stop staring, and then keep staring. My breath falters, and my body, traitor that it is, tugs me forward until there are only inches between us.

(I realize I broke the Suicide Squad theme, but come onnnn, how perfect is this??)

And boy oh boy, Elias and Laia are the epitome of Star Crossed Lovers. Whoops…did I reference my blog in comparison to the book? Yeah, well, this is why I read, people. This story, this beautifully constructed forbidden romance, it’s what my favorite books are made of. I will touch lightly on this and then I will move on: THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE, SQUARE, PENTAGON-there is nothing. There is lust. There is attraction. There is curiosity and exploration…but nothing is stronger than a life long friendship forged from cruelty. The main story is about Laia and Elias, and it never once implies otherwise. I wanted to make that clear. And, on top of all that, this story doesn’t center around the romance…but leaves you gasping for more.

“I don’t know what happened to you,” I say. “I don’t know who my father was or why you hate him so much. But I know my death won’t free you. It won’t give you peace. View Spoiler » Because I’d rather die than become like you. I’d rather die than live with no mercy, no honor, no soul.”

Barbaric, depraved, devastating. Artfully crafted, deserving every bit of the hype, and almost understated in it’s severity. It made me crazy, it stole every bit of spare time I had even when I should have been doing something else, and it’s all I could think about when I wasn’t able to be reading it. I wish for more words to express my utter, undying love for this story, but they aren’t coming to me. I want to say more and I want to leave it as it is. Like I said, it’s making me crazy I can’t say more, but this is where it ends. I loved it. I devoured it. I needed it like oxygen, gulping it in deep, greedy breaths. I need book two….but now I wait. But, for once, it will be worth it. It’s totally worth the wait. Elias…..until we meet again, soldier.

***************************************

Buddy read with my favorite chicks ever: Anna, Harriet, and Jenny! ♥

We’re coming for you, book!

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BOOK REVIEW – To Have and to Hold (The Wedding Belles #1) by Lauren Layne

July 26, 2016 / Jen / 2 Comments

To Have and to Hold (The Wedding Belles #1)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Discovering her fiancé is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin’s business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

Review:

Oh my gosh, I feel sick to my stomach and I want to cry over this rating. I love this author. In case you didn’t know, she’s one of my favorites. I adore her books and her latest releases always makes me think, now this is my favorite. Just like two of her releases this year, I Wish You Were Mine and Good Girl. Wow, they were sooooo good and definitely must reads! But To Have And to Hold didn’t wow me or let alone work for me. I loved some of the ideas, but unfortunately the story and the majority of the characters fell flat. *cries*

I kept thinking what was wrong with me? I should love this! So I sent a whining text to my co-blogger Chelsea, who had just finished this book. I rambled on in my text that the main male character felt fleshed out but the others were like cardboard characters. That the heroine and side characters would vacillate between being believable to being written like they were one-dimensional, and I just didn’t get it. Chelsea was like wait…..and she screen shot her review. Our thoughts were so similar, I wasn’t alone! But I still hoped that my opinion might change. But as I continued trudging through the pages, I was left feeling not much at all.

We start out the story following Brooke who has recently moved to NY from LA. She’s been hired by The Wedding Belles and I went into this thinking YAY, another group of females to love. Because I love, love, love the women at Stilleto! But the Belle ladies didn’t even get close to the friendship, love and banter of the Stiletto women. And while I have a fabulous grasp on what each character looks like in Stiletto, well, I don’t even remember what our heroine looks like let alone any of the 3 other women. None of the Belle’s stood out. I truly wished each of them and their friendship would have floated off of the pages and into my heart. *cries again*

So with the Wedding Belle ladies falling flat, I hoped I would love Brooke. But that didn’t happen either. Her internal dialogues never gripped me and in the moments where it felt like Brooke’s character was alive, she rubbed me in all of the wrong ways. Her actions and words irritated me in certain situations. Like the breakfast scene. I just wanted to knock some sense into her. Now I’m usually a little too forgiving when it comes to heroines. But this time, I didn’t care for her enough to want to work towards forgiveness or even liking her.

So Brooke meets Seth, who is going to help pay for his little sister’s wedding. And ultimately Seth becomes the one who wants Brooke to help him unplan the wedding, because he doesn’t trust his sister’s fiance. And this is where I got hung up. Because things come into play and I kept scratching my head wondering why no one mentioned View Spoiler » Maybe that’s too logical, but I wish one of them would have at least talked about it. And Seth being the guy who tries every avenue to help or protect the ones he loves, I was shocked he never thought of it.

Now you see, at first I loved Seth. He was my only light in this whole book. He felt real. I could feel his emotions radiating off of the page. Plus I loved how demanding and sometimes possessive he could be, oh, he was so hot. But then, my feelings towards him stopped. I don’t now if it’s because I couldn’t truly care for the other characters and those meh feelings transferred over to Seth? *shrugs* I’m so disappointed and saddened I felt this way towards this book and the characters. I wish I could give this book a glowing review, but I can’t. But on a huge positive note, I’m definitely going to try the 2nd book in this series, so fingers crossed that book will be a much better fit!

*ARC kindly provided by Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*