Review: Fighting Silence by Aly Martinez

SYNOPSIS:

Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it's the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?

I've always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn't a single night that I didn’t hear her voice.

You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one.

They both happened anyway.

Now, I'm on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting for my career.
Fighting the impending silence.
Fighting for her.

Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her.

I think that's the sound I'll miss the most.

Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.

MY THOUGHTS:

5 out of 5 stars

I first became a fan of this author with her Wrecked and Ruined series and when I saw the sign ups for this book, I jumped on the chance to read it.  The books I have read (and reviewed) were all 5 star reads.  I loved the plots, the characters, the way the story flowed off the pages.  I had no doubt that I would enjoy Fighting Silence, but I had no idea that "enjoy" would be a total understatement.

Y'all...my love for this book knows no limits.

Let me put it to you this way...after I finished reading Fighting Silence, I proposed to Aly Martinez.  

She said yes.  And I have the tweets to prove it.

I'm not even sure where to start when it comes to Fighting Silence.   As I've said from the very beginning of my blogging days, I am an emotionally driven reader.  Aly has never let me down in that department, but what I got from Fighting Silence was so much more than I was expecting.  The vulnerability in her characters...it added a depth to this story that knocked my socks off.

Till and Eliza.  Maybe it was that their story starts when they are thirteen.  Maybe it is their "apartment".  Maybe it was the fact that they were friends first and foremost.  I don't know how to describe it, but I absolutely fell in love with them as individuals and as a couple.  They make sense, they complement each other, they just work in a way that I celebrated and cried and laughed and fist pumped and unf'd and felt all the feels for them.

I made a comment to another blogger today about how I wasn't sure how to write this review.  How to translate "puffy heart eyes and stupid grins" into coherent thoughts and reasons.  What I should have done was take live actions shots of my face as I read and posted them in chronological order because there were so many cheesy grins and flails and tears...and all of them were integral to the story.  There wasn't a single part of the story that didn't make sense.  It all worked.  It all fit together like this perfect emotional puzzle.

I cannot wait to see where she takes this series.  Till and Eliza...their story ends where it should and I'm content.  But Flint and Quarry - Till's brothers -- they have so much to give and I know Aly will do wonderful things.

I've struggled recently with this blog, not really wanting to read or write reviews and I have seriously considered riding off into the bookish sunset -- but Fighting Silence has reminded me just how much fun it is to get excited about a book and how much fun it is to talk about it.

Thank you, Aly.  I look forward to starting our life together :)
    

EXCERPT:

"That wasn't yours to take away," he exploded into the otherwise silent night. His words echoed off the surrounding buildings, each wave slicing me to the quick all over again. "That was our place. Not yours." His voice cracked right alongside my heart.

"Yeah, well, there was a lot of stuff that wasn't yours to take either." I held his gaze, desperately trying to be strong, but as his eyes grew wide, I whimpered.

His long legs strode forward, stopping only inches away from me. He was crowding me, but he still leaned in closer to my face. "There is nothing in this world that was ever more mine than you," he stated. Though it was the absolute truth, I wished with all my heart that it were a lie.

"Till," I cried, swiping the tears from my eyes.

"Why!" he shouted, causing his muscles to tense under the force. "Goddamn it! I needed that place."

Porch lights flashed on from the surrounding apartments, illuminating not only the dark but also my rage.

I shoved my hands into his chest. "What about what I needed? You left! I waited in that fucking apartment for weeks."

He didn't budge, but my bare feet slipped, sending me toward the ground. Impossibly fast, Till's hand snaked out and caught my arm. I didn't let his chivalrous gesture douse my fire. I had six months’ worth of words to say to the man I was irrevocably in love with.

"You took what you wanted. Then you left me."

"Doodle," he whispered.

I had been perilously close to the edge of insanity, and with one single word, he’d pushed me over.

I lost it completely.

Pounding my fists against his chest, I screamed at the top of my lungs, "It's Eliza! My name is fucking Eliza! Not Doodle!" I spun to march away, but Till's arms folded around me, lifting me off my feet to restrain me.

I was miniscule compared to him. There was no use in fighting, but I still kicked my legs, irrationally desperate to get away from him—but only because I knew I couldn't keep him for forever.

"Stop it!" he growled into my ear. "I know your Goddamn name—probably better than I know my own."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.  
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.

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Fall to You by Lexi Ryan - Review and Giveaway

SYNOPSIS:

Torn between two men…

When I woke up after the accident, I couldn’t remember anything from the last year—including my relationship with Max Hallowell or anything about Nate Crane. Now my memories are returning, but instead of answering my questions, they’re leaving me with more.

The man who broke my heart and wants to be my future…

Max is all I ever wanted, and now he wants to marry me. He’ll do everything he can to fill my life with love, family, and security. I need those things now more than ever. But can I trust him?

The man who stole my heart and wants to let me go…

Nate never made me promises, and I never asked him to. I’d been on the rebound, looking for a distraction, and he made me feel beautiful and wanted when I needed to feel those things most. He says he has to let me go, but what if I can’t let go of him?

With every revelation and every passing day, I feel more like Alice down the rabbit hole. I’m falling. Who will catch me?

Fall to You is the second book in the Here and Now series. It is not a stand-alone and is intended to be read following Lost in Me. Hanna’s story concludes in book three, All for This.

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5 out of 5 stars

(You can read my review of Lost in You, the first book in the Here and Now series, here.)

My love for Lexi Ryan and this series continues with this book.  Seriously.

If you read my review for Lost in You, the first book in the Here and Now series, you know I was all kinds of

  for the next book.  I wanted it bad.

So when I saw the sign ups for the tour for this book and when I got my ARC, it was all kinds of awesome.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more.

Continuing with chapters that alternate not only between the past and the present, we also get POVs from Hanna, Nate and Max.  While that may seem like a lot of jumping around, it makes perfect sense in the book.  The relationship between these characters is complicated and you definitely need these different perspectives to see how they all fit together.

Especially since the different perspectives make you realize that maybe what you think you know isn't really as black and white as you think it may be.

I say this because I found myself feeling things I did NOT expect to feel.

I found myself thinking that maybe I had misjudged characters from the first book, that maybe I wasn't seeing them clearly through my Nate-inspired-swoons.  And dear LORD, there are swoons.  And blushes.  And even a little

 

Then something happened that really knocked me for a loop.  And while I hoped hoped HOPED that I knew how things would eventually turn out, I wasn't sure and didn't want to get my hopes up even though they were already.  (And no, I'm not going to tell you, so don't even ask.)

BUT, I like to believe that everything happens for a reason and during this part of the book, Hanna is allowed a chance to take control of her life.  All the confusion, all the conflicting emotions, all the (misplaced) loyalties...she finally gets the chance to start figuring out what SHE wants.

And as much as I didn't think I'd ever say this when I started reading this book, I was even a happy for where things were heading.  

Yeah, I said it.

But then it happened.  The ending.

 

The cliffie that I SHOULD have been expecting since it is quite obvious that Lexi Ryan likes to make me suffer.  I mean...I WANT TO KNOW NOW.

Why is it not August yet?!?!?!

And yet, in a sick sort of way, I kind of enjoy the not knowing -- not a lot, but it is almost like the week before Christmas when the anticipation starts building and you can see the presents but you can't open them.   But instead of secretly unwrapping them when nobody is looking (which I will neither confirm nor deny ever doing), I'm going to sit patiently and wait for the email to come that will let me sign up for the next tour.

I'm gonna be first on that list. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Once a college English professor, I now write full time. I live in rural Indiana, where, when I'm not writing, I get to hang out with my husband and two kids--a six-year-old boy and a two-year-old hellion, er, girl. Not surprisingly, reading and writing remain my favorite activities, though both come in bits and pieces these days, not the big hunks of time I enjoyed before I had children. When I'm feeling virtuous, I like to go running (I use that word liberally. I'm really, really slow) or do yoga. Don't worry, I'm always careful to balance out such activities with a hearty serving of ice cream or a chocolate martini.

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Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2) by Aly Martinez - Review and Giveaway

Title: Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 19, 2014

SYNOPSIS:

I fell in love with Manda Baker eight years ago, and I loved her to the core of her soul. We were supposed to have that elusive happily ever after and spend a lifetime together. But that was all before she was STOLEN from me.

Her best friend, Sarah Erickson, killed her. It wasn’t intentional. It was far worse. Everyone claims it was just an accident, but I can see through the lies. Even if it’s with my dying breath, I will make her pay for what she did.

Fate hates me. It robbed me of my first love and left me to navigate through this world emotionless and numb. Then, one day, spiteful fate gave me a woman to fill my shattered soul and make me feel again. It gave me Emma Jane Erickson. Now I spend my days searching for the answers that will ruin Sarah and my nights falling in love with her sister—the one person who is bound and determined to save her.

But what happens when everything you know to be true explodes around you? Who will be left to pick up the pieces, and who will need to be saved from the wreckage?

**Each book in this series can be read as a stand alone.**

PURCHASE LINKS:

Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N

Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N
 

MY THOUGHTS:

5 out of 5 stars

Can I just tell you how much I loved this book?  The whole Wrecked and Ruined series?  I mean, I am in forever debt to Celeste over at The Book Hookup for telling me about the signups for this tour because I consumed every last word.

(Due to a scheduling conflict, I am posting this review before I post my review of  the first book in the series, Changing Course, and it may SLIGHTLY be messing with my bookish-OCD tendencies.  I keep telling myself that this is a good opportunity for me to grow as a blogger.)

Stolen Course picks up shortly after Changing Course ends.  Leaving Brett and Jesse's story behind, it is now time to learn more about Caleb and Emma.**

Right from the start, from the very first interaction, their relationship seemed doomed.  Emma's sister is responsible for Caleb's fiancee's death...I mean, not exactly a simple issue to overcome.  In fact, the more I think about it, their situation is probably one of the toughest scenarios I have read in all my romantical perusings.

But as we all know, emotions and attraction aren't always in sync and from the moment Caleb sees Emma in the hospital, he can't get her out of his mind and it frustrates him.  They can not happen.  Can. Not.  Nope.

Until he decides that maybe he just needs to act on it, make her one of his passing encounters, since those are the only type of relationships he has managed to have since the accident.  Since Manda.  Surely that will be enough.

Yeah, right.

There are so many unanswered questions that come into play and need to be addressed, not to mention the issues of forgiveness, letting go, guilt, family responsibility, healing...all the things that make Stolen Course so much more than a simple romance book. 

Y'all...Caleb and Emma's story blew me away.  Up and down and over and under and around and up and down again.  Knowing what I know from the first book, I had no idea where Aly Martinez was going to take this book.  I mean, the visceral thoughts I had about Emma's sister...I haven't loathed a character like that in a ridiculously long time...and while admittedly unfair, I had some serious preconceived notions about Emma.

And some serious flutters about Caleb.  

The good thing about books though, is that they tell a story.  And that maybe just when we think we know everything there is to know about a situation, we realize that we don't.  Because, yeah...because.  #nospoilers 

I absolutely loved Caleb and Emma together.  And while they definitely had their ups and downs, and while Caleb, in true form, had moments where he was a bit of an ass, their chemistry was undeniable.  They made total sense and their personalities absolutely worked together.  When the book ended, I was sad to let them go.  Yay for strong characters!

So, here is what needs to happen.  You need to go and read this book, this series and then we can talk about Brett and Caleb all the bookish things.  Yeah.  That.  I need something to do while I wait for the next book in the Wrecked and Ruined series -- is it September yet?!?!?


**One thing I do feel like I need to mention is while this book can technically be read as a stand alone, I HIGHLY recommend reading Changing Course first.  Not because the plot depends on the first book, but simply because it will allow you to have a deeper understanding of the dynamic and connection between characters.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in Chicago, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side. After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.
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Review: Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

SYNOPSIS:

A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

After reading and enjoying the previous books in the Between Breaths series by Christina Lee, Whisper to Me was everything I had hoped it would be and maybe even a little bit more.

This book tells the story of Rachel and Kai.  And while I have to admit that it took me a little while to remember how Rachel fit in with the series, once I placed her, I was excited to learn more.  As the more...ahem, social...of the trio of friends (Avery and Emma being the other two), I didn't feel a strong connection with her as a character, so it almost felt like I was starting completely over from the beginning.

Not unlike Rachel.

What I really liked about this story was the fact that Rachel and Kai had a history even before the story begins.  Friends since childhood, there were no real secrets between the two, aside from their developing attraction towards the other.  In fact, there were more secrets between Rachel and Dakota (her BFF and Kai's sister) than there were between Rachel and Kai.  They just "got" each other.  They were friends before and they were so determined to remain friends that their chemistry was really the only speed bump on the path towards the next step in their relationship.

I mean, what a tough problem to have, right?  </sarcasm>  No lies, no deceit, no cheating...seems like an easy obstacle to overcome, right?

You'd think.

But is a summer romance with somebody that knows your heart and soul worth the risk of losing them forever?  

As the story progresses, I started to realize that Rachel was so much more than she seemed in the other two books.  While in the previous installments, she never seemed to have a care in the world and seemed so certain of her path in life, the truth is actually the opposite.  The only real constant in her life has been Kai and it is only when they are together that she starts to realize that she isn't being true to herself or to her friends.  He allows her to feel safe and face the reality that she has been trying so hard to change.  

As for Kai, he has always been a bit of a lost soul.  The "bad boy" that really wasn't.  The brother who lived in the shadow of an over-achieving sister.  The musically talented son that always felt that he was disappointing his parents by not wanting to run the family business.  I found myself rooting for him from the very beginning.  

Simply put, I loved these two characters together.  I loved watching them travel down the friends to more path, all the while growing as individuals.  Their solid history as true friends allows them to support the other completely without having the issues of a brand new relationship getting in the way.  To me, they are about as real as two fictional characters can get and I truly enjoyed their story. 

 

Review: Mended by Kim Karr

 

SYNOPSIS:

MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO HEAL ALL…BUT NOT ALL BROKEN HEARTS CAN BE MENDED.

Always in control, Xander Wilde considered life on the road to be a perfect fit for him. But when disaster strikes on the Wilde Ones’ latest tour, fate intervenes…and a newly single Ivy Taylor, the only girl he has ever loved, steps back into his life.

After moving past her painful breakup with Xander years ago, Ivy was poised to become the next big name in pop music…when suddenly she withdrew from the limelight—the same day she announced her engagement to her controlling agent, Damon Wolf.

Xander knows he should keep his distance. But once they’re on the road, he can’t resist pursuing her for a second chance. Yet a jealous Damon can’t let her go—and he’s keeping dangerous secrets that could destroy them all.

When the three of them come together, everything falls apart. But if Xander and Ivy can hold tight to the bond that connects them, they just might have a chance at reclaiming the powerful love they thought they had lost forever.

MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

I have discovered another series to add to my guilty-pleasure summer reading list.  Yippee!!!

Mended is the third book in the Connections series and tells the story of Xander and Ivy.  I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed when I learned of the change because I felt such an emotional pull towards River and Dahlia in the first two books, that I wasn't sure I'd be able to...ahem...connect...with a change in cast.  Connect...Connected series...see what I did there?!?!  (Sorry...it is really early and I haven't finished my coffee yet).  Plus, the little bit I learned about Xander in the first two books didn't really excite me and well, I'm a bit stubborn.  BUT, I started reading and realized that maybe I need to be a bit more open-minded because sometimes change is good.

I've made no secret of my love of second chance romances and that is what we get in Mended.  Together in high school and torn apart by secrets and circumstances beyond their control, Xander and Ivy's paths cross again when they least expect it.  He is reeling from the news that the band has lost their lead singer for an undetermined amount of time if not forever, and she is engaged to a man that she doesn't love.

And the best part?!?!  Even after years of being apart and living different lives, neither one of them has been able to forget the other.

 
Now don't get me wrong, seeing each other again did not result in them frolicking around in the woods like that god awful scene in New Moon.  It opened old wounds and bad memories.  It piled on the guilt and exposed deceit that had long since been buried.  Basically, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows and puppies.  Ivy was bitter and rightfully so.  Xander did what he thought he needed to do and now is faced with those decisions coming full circle all the while holding hands with ghosts from his past.  I mean, how good does this book sound?!?!

Now this is where the beauty of second chances comes in.  People grow up.  They mature, they change, they realize that the impulses that make sense at 17 and 18 seem ridiculous in hindsight.  They learn to communicate and tell the truth...well, most of the time.  And as the tangled webs and knots woven all those years ago start to unravel, Xander and Ivy begin to find their way back towards each other and towards the truth.

Mended has everything.  Love, romance, lies, manipulation, chemistry, tears, frustration, secrets, thrills, flutters, happiness, a slow burn,...everything that I look for in a good romance.  Xander grew as a character and I enjoyed reading his story.  I look forward to continuing with the series and reading more by Kim Karr.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Karr is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romance, including her sexy New Adult romance series, Connections.  She describes herself as wearing a lot of hats–writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all-around go-to person of the family.  However, she always finds the time to read.  She believes in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends and Happily-Ever-Afters, and loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.  Kim lives in Florida with her husband and four kids.

Review: Behind the Scandal by M.A. Stacie

SYNOPSIS:

Sent to the family ranch to overcome his addiction, Taylor Reese is angry and hurt. Feeling rejected by his father and brother, Taylor throws himself into ranch life to help him forget. But it isn’t long before it hits him hard how much his life has spiraled out of control, leaving him floundering and looking for a lifeline.

Libby Karlin is cautious, wary of Taylor’s presence. Her dark past makes her reluctant to let anyone near her family. But after Taylor strikes up a friendship with her son, Libby finds herself drawn to the sadness within him. His experiences are no secret to her, though she keeps her own buried until a knock on her door has her gasping for breath.

Could dealing with their pasts really give them a future?

MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

After I finished the first book in this series, Beneath the Surface, I couldn't stand Taylor Reese.  I thought he was spoiled and smarmy and slimy and a train wreck waiting to happen.  So....when I found out that this book was HIS story...well, I was a little worried.

Now keep in mind that I have read a fair share by M.S. Stacie and I know her way with words and she has yet to lead me wrong...but Taylor??? Really???

Behind the Scandal picks up after Taylor has moved to his uncle's farm to get his life straightened out.  Forced by his father to endure an eternity a few months of manual labor, clean air, and detox, Taylor is determined to be miserable.  So much so that his middle name might as well have been hateful.

Enter Libby.

She is everything that Taylor seems to hate -- though to be fair, he is determined to hate everything and everybody.  A feisty strong-willed red head, she doesn't put up with his attitude towards the life she has come to love on the farm.  She handles everything he dishes out and gives it back without backing down. 

LOVE.  HER.

Once Taylor realizes that he can't walk all over her and get whatever he wants, things begin to change.  She is a challenge for him and maybe that's what Taylor needs - instead of using drugs as a way to escape, he now has something to work for.

One thing I really appreciated about this book is that there wasn't the insta-love that seems to be everywhere these days.  Sure there was insta-attraction (as much as they both wanted to ignore it), but this wasn't an "I hated you an hour ago but now I can't live my life without you" story.  Libby has scars and a son that she protects with everything she has - especially from a recovering addict.  Because of his childhood, Taylor hardly knows what a normal relationship of any kind is like.  Before they can be in ANY kind of relationship, they have to figure out how to even live on the same farm.

Now, that being said, once the spark catches...

And this is the time where I admit that I was wrong about Taylor and that over the course of the story I begin to understand him and realize that he maybe isn't the horrible man that I was convinced he was in the beginning.  Growth, people.  Growth.



So yeah, make sure you add this one to your to-read list.  It will be published at the end of July -- so you have plenty of time to read the Beneath the Surface while you wait.  You won't regret it.    

Hearts in Harmony by Gemma Brocato - Review and Giveaway

 

Title: Hearts In Harmony (A Five Senses Novel Book #2)

Author: Gemma Brocato

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publish Date: May 5, 2014

Publisher: Lyrical an imprint of Kensington

Tour Organized by Literati Author Services 

SYNOPSIS:

Pippa Sanders’ life is filled with songs of leaving, longing and loneliness. Since the death of her husband, her children have been her world. She’ll do anything to protect them, including encasing her heart in ice until they’re college age. She’s made a practice of shying away from any relationship that could break her heart when it ends. And it’s worked so far.

Clay Mathers has made a temporary move to Granite Pointe, Massachusetts to help with his mother’s Christmas tree farm while she recovers from a stroke. Although his long-range plans don’t include staying in the small town, a little female companionship during his short residency would be welcome. While on duty as sentry against protestors at a military funeral, he finds Pippa visiting her husband’s grave, and begins a campaign to make her into a friend–with benefits.

What starts as a simple affair evolves to something more, something that changes the soundtracks of both their lives…the beating of two hearts in harmony. CONTENT WARNING: Contains strong language, hot sex and a spicy hero.  

MY THOUGHTS:

3 out of 5 stars

So many of the books I read focus on the emotions and flutters of first loves. They are my go-to. But every now and again, I will read a book that deals with second chances. And that is what I found in Hearts in Harmony.

Pippa Sanders is a ridiculously strong woman. After her husband was killed in combat, she is left alone, 4 months pregnant (with twins, no less) and completely heartbroken. But she doesn't let it break her and she throws her heart and soul into being there for her children. Heart and soul, all in, 100%...her children are her life. Her devotion to her kids is completely admirable...and maybe a little bit of a defense mechanism.

When an uncomfortable situation at her husband's grave site results in a chance meeting...and heated exchange...with Clay Mathers, the beginnings of a crack develops in the wall Pippa has so carefully constructed and maintained. And when she realizes that maybe she is feeling things she hasn't felt in a very long time, it completely throws her for a loop.

And that's where this book gets fun.

I'll admit, Clay irked me at first. He is brash and arrogant and completely just...obnoxious. Very much a speak before he thinks character. And I did NOT like him at first. In fact, I almost had to stop reading. But I kept going and before I realized what had happened, I started to think that maybe he wasn't the #&%$ that he first seemed to be.

Oddly enough, it was Clay's interaction with Pippa's twins that made me look at him in a different light. And normally, I am not a fan of kid characters in the books I read - they remind me of child actors in Soaps. BUT...that's just me and the fact that I found myself enjoying the scenes with the twins was a pleasant surprise.

(I promise that I'm not an absolute ogre like I seem to be in the previous paragraph - I really do like children :) )

All in all, I am very happy that I didn't stop reading and that I that I didn't let my initial impression of Clay deter me from their story. I guess where I'm going with this is that second chances can be pretty awesome. And if you are in the mood for a fun, spicy read this summer, add Hearts in Harmony to your to-read list.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon | Itunes | Kobo |Barnes and Noble | All Romance Ebooks

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gemma's favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a 'round tuit,' and a slip of paper from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she'd write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss, even the rejections addressed to 'Dear Author' were gratifying. After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author. Her gamble paid off when she was a 2012 Finalist in the prestigious Golden Pen contest for Romantic Suspense and she received contracts for her first and second book.

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GIVEAWAY:

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Lost in Me by Lexi Ryan - Review and Giveaway

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SYNOPSIS:

LOST IN ME is the first book in the Here and Now series, a spin-off of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Hope series. This sexy amnesia love triangle is intended for mature readers.

The last thing I remember is having drinks at Brady’s and trying to avoid eye-contact with my life-long crush—the gorgeous, unattainable Maximilian Hallowell. They tell me that was a year ago, but I have no memories of anything since then. What I do have is this ring on my finger that Max says he gave me, and this much-thinner body I’ve dreamed of most of my life. Aside from a case of retrograde amnesia, everything seems almost…perfect.

But the deeper I immerse myself into this new world of mine—planning a wedding to a man I don’t remember dating, attempting to run a business I don’t remember starting—the clearer it becomes that nothing is as it seems. Do I have the life I’ve always wanted or is it a facade propped up by secrets I don’t even know I have?

I need answers before I marry Max, and the only person who seems to have them is the angry, tatted, sexy-as-sin rocker Nate Crane. And Nate wants me for himself.

LOST IN ME is not a standalone novel, as the story continues in Here and Now book two, FALL TO YOU, releasing in June.

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Two weekends ago, my son had a Odyssey of the Mind tournament that would last all of Saturday.  I took Lost in Me with me thinking that I would have a lot of down time to sit and read between his obligations and the awards ceremony that afternoon.  I fully intended on getting a jump on my reading and maybe even write this review ahead of time.

(Please note that I am writing this the day before my scheduled posting date -- but that is purely due to my epic procrastination skills.  For real, they are epic.)

Anyway, after my son fell asleep in the hotel room on Friday night, I started reading - again, thinking that I'd just read a few chapters and then have all day the next day to finish it.  Yeah...I finished the book that night.  

Lost in Me is a story of the past and the present.  We open up as Hannah and her friends are enjoying a girls night out.  There are beverages and boys and all the ingredients for what could be a fun night.  

But that's all we know because the next chapter opens with Hannah in the hospital after having an accident.  While she knows who she is and recognizes her family and friends, she has lost the last eleven months of her life.  Gone.  Poof.  Nope.  

While losing any memory is tragic enough, there had been some pretty important changes in Hannah's life over those eleven months.   She'd lost weight, she'd opened her own business, and she was apparently engaged to Max, the man of her dreams.

So why was there another man crawling into her bed?  

And now I need to just take a moment to remember all the things about Nate Crane, because... 

Needless to say, there are questions that need to be answered.  And through flashbacks and conversations with her friends and family, Hannah starts to put things together...all the while struggling with the fear that maybe remembering will change what she thinks is her perfect life.

Now can you understand why I stayed up way past my bedtime reading until I finished?

(All that being said, it would be cruel of me to not mention the GIGANTIC CLIFFHANGER at the end of the book -- thankfully the remaining books in the series are due out this summer, so at least we won't have to wait too long)

So anyway, this story was exactly what I was looking for.  And while I was reading it, I started to remember the other book that I'd read by this author -- in a separate, yet still related series -- and I remembered how much I loved that one. Dude...Lexi Ryan knows what I like to read.  That's the only way I know how to put it.

There is something about the way she tells a story that clicks with me.  And she has solidified her spot as one of my "go-to authors".  Basically, if she writes it, I'm gonna need to read it.  

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Once a college English professor, I now write full time. I live in rural Indiana, where, when I’m not writing, I get to hang out with my husband and two kids–a six-year-old boy and a two-year-old hellion, er, girl. Not surprisingly, reading and writing remain my favorite activities, though both come in bits and pieces these days, not the big hunks of time I enjoyed before I had children. When I’m feeling virtuous, I like to go running (I use that word liberally. I’m really, really slow) or do yoga. Don’t worry, I’m always careful to balance out such activities with a hearty serving of ice cream or a chocolate martini.

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Book Tour and Guest Post - The Good Enough Husband by Sylvie Fox

Title: The Good Enough Husband  
Author: Sylvie Fox  
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Romance 18+
 Publication Date: March 3, 2014  
Publisher: Penner Media  
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design  
Event Organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

 

~ Synopsis ~

What would you do if you met your soul mate, but you were already married? In The Good Enough Husband, Sylvie Fox delivers a riveting story about a woman who refuses to let her past define her future. For years, Hannah Morrison Keesling’s marriage to Michael was good enough. Then she wakes up one morning and it isn’t. Taking her puppy Cody along, Hannah drives north to put distance between herself and her past. Planning to go as far as her SUV will take her, she hast to stop on the Lost Coast when her dog gets sick. There she meets small town veterinarian Ben Cooper. Ben is the man Hannah wishes she had met first. He’s perfect for her, but gun shy because he’s been lied to before and vows not to be betrayed again. Hannah leaves Michael and moves to Ben’s rural town to pursue a future with the man she knows is her soul mate. But Michael won’t let go so easily. Forced to make a decision between the man she chose and the man she loves, Hannah soon realizes that her choices will define everyone else’s consequences.

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Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Allromance Ebooks | Smashwords

 

About the Author:

I write the kinds of books I love to read. The quirky characters in my romance novels experience passion, angst, and conflict, but always get their "happily ever after." I live in Los Angeles with my husband, son, and a handful of rescued pets. When I'm not hanging out in Hollywood, I'm eating my way through Budapest.

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 Website | Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Guest Post: My travel bucket list

I like to travel, a lot. But in the four years since I’ve had a child, my travel has been curtailed, somewhat.  Ok, a lot. A trip to France with an eight month old in tow was less vacation, more adventure.

So at the end of last year, I made a travel bucket list. For some reason, my husband and I never go to
the places we really want. Instead we compromise on odd locations. And while those compromises have made for some amazing trips, we’re still not getting to where we want to go. But once I’ve written it down, I’ll have to go, right? You’ll hold me to it, won’t you?

10. Easter Island. I hear the plane ride is really long, and the tour, really short. But I still want to do it. I need to see those giant statues for myself.

9. The Great Wall of China. I have to see something astronauts can see from space.

8. Bangkok, Thailand. I have no particular reason for wanting to go to Thailand, but I’ve always had a strong desire to visit.

7. Greek Islands. My husband has always wanted to bicycle through the Greek Isles. While I think we
may be a little old for it, I’d love to see the water, the beaches, and eat the food, anyway—bicycle or no bicycle.

6. Egypt, the Pyramids. I may not be able to see all the wonders of the world, but I have to see this in
person.

5. Reykjavik, Iceland. For some reason, I’m usually in line for the bathroom on international flights when flying over Iceland, and see it from the tiny airplane window while bouncing on the balls of my feet. So I have to see it for myself—in the summer.

4. Switzerland. It’s neutral. There’s gotta be something to that.

3. Hong Kong. I always meant to visit before the handover, but never made it there. The food is
supposed to be amazing. And as a bonus, English is spoken.

2. Belgium. Belgian beer and fries. Need I say more.

1. Australia and New Zealand. I’ve always wanted to go to the other side of the earth. The animals are vastly different. The geography looks spectacular. And it’s summer there now.

Review: Reclaimed by Sarah Guillory

Synopsis:

Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.

All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She's determined she'll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn't tainted by her family's past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets.

Ian McAlister doesn't want to start over; he wants to remember.

Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle.

The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget.

Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian's memory return.

Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you.

MY THOUGHTS: 

4 out of 5 stars

Several weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win this book through a contest hosted by Liza Wiemer on her blog, WhoRuBlog.  Based on her own reviews, I found myself drawn to the premise of Reclaimed and out of all the books she offered, this book was the one that I said I wanted.

I chose right.

Now, while I didn't grow up with the same family dynamic as Jenna, I could appreciate her absolute desire to escape the small town where she grew up.  I made that promise to myself early on and as I read her thoughts and her plans for her life, I felt like I was able to completely relate to where she was coming from.  

Even with the obstacles thrown her way, Jenna is on the right path...all she has to do is survive the summer and her senior year in High School.  That's it.  Easy peasy, right?

You'd think so.

When the McAlister family comes to town, lets just say that Jenna's straightforward path gets a little bit murky. 

First, there is Ian.  Sweet, swoony, smart Ian.  He plays football, makes good grades, and even with the fact that he can't remember some of his past, there is something about him that draws Jenna in.  Falling for Ian is something that looks like it is going to happen.

Until Jenna finds out about Luke.

Like so many of us, Jenna finds herself intrigued by the bad boy.  After spending so much of her life being good, it is hard for her to resist the allure, the mystery, the unf...even as she constantly reminds herself that she needs to stay away.

And she tries, she really does.  

Until she can't. 


I read lots of books, so it isn't often that I am completely blindsided by a twist or a turn in the plot.  Yeah...I was completely not expecting what happened to happen.  I mean, I was sitting in my car reading in the carpool line when THE MOMENT was revealed and I felt a little like this:

 and then like this:

   and then this:

 

   Now, I don't need to remind you of my no-spoiler policy, so don't even ask.  But I completely mean it when I say that I was blindsided.  And I LOVED IT!

Please, I need somebody to go get this book and read it and then come find me so we can talk about it.  Because for real, I need to talk about it with somebody that has read it.

The way the author describes the town, the emotions, the relationships in Reclaimed...GAH, she can tell a story.  And she did it all without giving anything away.  Did I mention that I was blindsided?  I'm gonna need Sarah Guillory to go write more things so I can read them all.  

Go get this book today and read it and then come tell me what you think.  I'll be waiting.