Review: Mending Michael by J.P Grider

Release date: December 12, 2014

Publisher: Fated Hearts Publishing

Rating: 4

Buy here: Amazon 

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Synopsis: There is a fine line between love and hate. 

When bartender Mick Ross first sees Holly Buchanan walk into Donny's Bar, his heart comes to a halt. That is, until she serves him her fake ID and reveals her true nature when she's declined her drink. 

Holly thinks Mick is an ass, and she has no clue why he can't stand her. Though, she does enjoy looking at his ass. 

So, when Donny hires Holly to waitress at his bar, she must either deal with Mick's hatred toward her or give him a taste of his own medicine. 

Tensions are high. 
Comments are made. 
Hearts are hurt. 
But if there really is a fine line between love and hate, then Mick and Holly must decide on which side they stand.

My Thoughts:  This is the second book in Hunter Hill University series by JP Grider. I loved this book. Then again, I love every book by JP Grider. Holly and Mick "met" three years ago when Holly tried to get Mick to serve her with a fake ID. Ever since then Mick has had a thing for her. Fast forward 3 years to the present, Holly, who is majoring in finance, which she hates, is starting to realize that she doesn't want to major in finance anymore and that she wants to change her major. The bad thing about changing her major is that her Father won't pay for her education if it isn't finance. Deciding that she is going to get a job and prove to her Father that she can be responsible, she finds a job in Donny's bar as a waitress, working with Mick the bartender. Mick has had a really rough life. His parents were alcoholics and druggies and his little brother drowned in the family pool when Mick, who was 8 at the time, was babysitting him. He also has a drug addicted sister and a niece. Mick also suffers from being an alcoholic, even though he doesn't realize it till he decided that he wanted to be enough for Holly. The connection between Holly and Mick was perfect. I loved reading about Mick's walls crumbling down and him letting Holly in and trusting her. I was also happy that Holly found what she really wanted to do with her life. This was also a clean read with no sex scenes, so it's perfect for teens to read as well. 

Recommendations: Reaching Rose by J.P Grider. You can read my review here

Mini review: A Change of plans by Robyn Thomas

A change of plans by Robyn Thomas

Release date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck

Buy or borrow: borrow

Buy here: Amazon BN

Synopsis: She planned for everything...except him.

Sara Greaves has been planning her perfect wedding since she was five. Twenty years. Wasted. When she's dumped by her fiancé, she heads to Vegas to forget and ends up at a hotel hosting a Romance Readers conference. Cuz she's lucky like that. Mr. Tall, Dark, And Anti-Marriage buys Sara a drink, and makes her a bet...she could marry any guy in Vegas tonight and make it work.

She wasn't supposed to choose him.

Ethan Munroe is a ruthless divorce lawyer who would have been voted "Least Likely To Marry (Ever)" in school. And yet, here he is with a hangover, a wedding band, and a sexy, gorgeous bride for the next month. A bride who doesn't want to stay married to him. He never planned this, but he can't bring himself to go for the speedy divorce. Has Mr. Anti-Marriage finally met his match?

My Thoughts:  Sara is a lingerie designer who has been planning her wedding for twenty years. Noy just any wedding either, a $70,000 dream wedding. She has used all her savings for her wedding and two weeks before she's supposed to say I do, the groom breaks it off. Sara thinking that she needs to be unpredictable flee's to Vegas, where she meets a hot-shot divorce lawyer, Ethan. 

Ethan is escaping for LA to unwind before he defends his mother in her divorce against his Father. Ethan knows that marriage isnt for him, but yet he can't stop himself from wanting Sara. 

During a drunken conversation in a bar, Ethan bets Sara that any man in the bar will make her happy, they agree to a month and that on the last day, Sara will be happy. Ethan and Sara get married and then Sara moves to LA for a month. They have their fair share of trouble, but it all works out well for them. This book has some plot twist. I enjoyed it.

Recommendations: Famously engaged by Robyn Thomas 

Impossible Promise by Sybil Bartel-Review and Giveaway

Impossible Promise Synopsis:

Three years ago, Layna Blair listened in horror over a telephone line as her parents were murdered. When the killer said she was next, Layna panicked and made a deadly deal—his secret in exchange for her life. She’s paid the price every day since, becoming a prisoner in plain sight.

Marine Sergeant Blaze Johnson offers Layna a way out—her freedom, his rules, no questions asked—and she takes it, despite knowing what her keepers do to people who get too close. She doesn’t know Blaze is fighting his own demons or that beneath his warrior façade is a man on the verge of breaking.

Embarking on a wild revenge mission with Blaze and his smooth-talking best friend, Talon, is not what Layna signed on for. But attempting to run when Blaze has made no secret he intends to make her his is a reckless mistake. With the killer closing in, it’s up to Blaze to save them all—and to Layna to realize that she’s risked the one thing she can’t afford to lose.

Book one of two

MY THOUGHTS:

This book started out a little slow to me at first, but by the third chapter I was hooked! After surviving what she did for three years, Layna is the perfect heroine. She is strong, feisty, and determined. I had a hard time connecting with Buck, I think it was the fact that he never really spoke that much and even though he was a "main" character, the book seemed to revolve around Layna's relationship with Talon(who I loved). This book was action-packed and had the drama of a love triangle. I'm eagerly awaiting book 2 in this series! Do yourself's a favor and get this book!

Sybil Bartel Bio:

I grew up in Northern California with my head in a book and my feet in the sand. I dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew me into the world of storytelling. I love the New Adult genre, but really, any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes me swoon.

I now live in Southern Florida and while I don’t get to read as much as I like, I still bury my toes in the sand. If I’m not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in my backyard, you can find me spending time with my handsomely tattooed husband, my brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer…

But Seriously?

Here are ten things you really want to know about me.

I grew up a faculty brat. I can swear like a sailor. I love men in uniform. I hate being told what to do. I can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks me out. My favorite word is desperate…or dirty, or both—I can’t decide. I have a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on me for driving directions, ever. And I have a new book boyfriend every week—don’t tell my husband

a Rafflecopter giveaway Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble Links: Wesbite Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads No Apologies Goodreads

Mini Review: Fire & Ice by A.M Hartnett

Fire&Ice by A.M Hartnett

Release date: June 25, 2015

Publisher: Mischief

Buy or borrow: borrow

Buy here: Amazon BN

Synopsis:   Play hard, love hard.

Don’t fall into the lap of the enormous Russian. Do outlaw all thoughts of crazy-hot sex on living room floor with hockey player you’ve only just met.

When junior hockey star Mick “The Dragon” Volkov first shows up on her doorstep, Julia gives her ornery student a month before he bails on his French lessons. Yet by the end of that first day, she finds herself smitten with the playful flirt beneath that intimidating exterior.

Trying to keep her attraction to this bruiser in check becomes a futile exercise for Julia. Once Mick makes it clear he wants her in his bed, Julia decides to give in to temptation and discovers that “The Dragon” is just as explosive in bed as he is on the ice.

My Thoughts: This book was short and sweet(sexy). Julia is Mick's French tutor and from the start there's sizzling chemistry. This book was filled with sexual innuendos, bad Russian humor that's funny, and tons of flirting. Julia tries her best to stay out of Mick's bed but, by Halloween that's exactly where she finds herself. This was a quick read and a very nice dose of sexy Russian and off the charts chemistry. 

Recommendations:  The Gentleman mentor by Kendall Ryan 

Review: The voyeur next door by Airicka Phoenix

BOOK BLURB: 

He lived next door.

Alison Eckrich was an expert at being invisible. Having been raised by a mother who saw only flaws, she had learned long ago to watch and never participate. Until him. He was gorgeous from what little she could make out through his bathroom window and he awakened things inside her she had always been told was wrong. But she didn’t care.

She was addicted.

Gabriel Madoc was no stranger to the cold sting of betrayal. His broken heart had left him hard and bitter and that was how he liked it. Until her. She was a vision in the soft twilight. Everything about her called to him. It didn’t even matter he couldn’t see her face.

He wanted her.

MY THOUGHTS: This is my first Airicka Phoenix book and I'm hooked. I love her style of writing and her characters are perfectly written. Alison likes to blend in and does not want attention. Having grown up with her Mother, who verbally abused her and belittled her, Alison has severe self-esteem\body image issues. Gabe, having experienced a lot as a child and being raised by his Grandfather, is bitter and cold. At first meeting, these two do not like each other.
Alison being a voyeur, likes to watch her neighbors at night. While watching her neighbors, she notices that she has a new neighbor. While she watches him, he watches her. They both make a deal to have a sexual affair without knowing what the other one looks like and no names. While enjoying her affair with her neighbor, Alison also starts to fall for her ruggedly handsome, jaded boss. The only problem is, her neighbor and boss are one in the same.

GOODREADS link: 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25201639-the-voyeur-next-door

The book will be on sale for .99 cents for a limited time! 

BUY LINKS: 
→ Amazon us: http://goo.gl/XIZg0N
→ Amazon ca: http://goo.gl/rKVqDU
→ Amazon uk: http://goo.gl/rEnxIn
→ iBooks: http://goo.gl/a5I5lQ
→ Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/oDMTsN

AUTHOR INFORMATION: 

BIO:

Airicka Phoenix is a romance junkie with an incurable addiction to chocolate. She is also a prolific author of several novels written for young adult and new adult romance addicts who love bad boys, hot kisses and a gritty plot. Airicka prides herself in producing quality material her readers can fall in love with again and again.

When she's not hard at work bleeding words onto paper, Airicka can be found cuddling with her family, reading, watching TV shows, or just finding excuses not to do chores.

Be the first for giveaways, teasers and upcoming releases by joining Airicka's newsletter on her website www.AirickaPhoenix.com

AUTHOR LINKS: 

Website: www.AirickaPhoenix.com

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/VgLqD

Facebook: http://goo.gl/eYXrrh

Twitter: http://goo.gl/yoVWYF (@AirickaPhoenix)

Goodreads: http://goo.gl/HGVszf

Google+: http://goo.gl/wgdslQ

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Amazon:  http://goo.gl/Nq57nJ

Review: One way or another by Elizabeth Adler

One way or another by Elizabeth Adler

Release date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Rating: 3.5-Borrow

Buy here: Amazon BN

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Synopsis: What begins as a beautiful evening at a party on a yacht ends with attempted murder...and a quest for revenge...

One moment Angie Morse is standing on the deck of a large luxury yacht and the next she feels a stinging blow to her head, a champagne bottle welded by a beautiful woman. And then a push. She is in the water. She can see people on the yacht, but they don't seem to notice that she is gone, and all seem to have deliberately turned their backs as the yacht begins to slowly pull away from her. These are her friends and one is her love. Each one had a reason for getting rid of her, though she would never have thought it would come to this. Until now.

Revenge burns so deeply inside her that she knows she will survive somehow. She will get them. Each one of them-three men and one woman. She will get them all. One way or another.

Told with Elizabeth Adler's trademark attention to luxurious detail of people and places, One Way or Another is a glamorous, twisty novel of vengeance and vindication.

My Thoughts: Every summer I always look forward to a new Elizabeth Adler book. Her books are always a must read for me. I really, really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately I just found it ok. This book was told in the first persons POV and that kind of bothered me a little. I also found it a little hard to really get into.

Ahmet Ghulbians is a horrible human being. Raised in poverty and always having nothing in life, he sets out to get everything he wants, and he does. He set's his sights on Angie, a redheaded girl from NY, with no family. After being on Ahmet's yacht his "assistant" hits Angie over the head with a champagne bottle and leaves her for dead. Angie is determined not to die. One way or another follows Angie in her struggle to survive. We also have an artist that witnesses the whole crime and tries desperately to find out who the girl that fell in the water is.

I

Recommendations The house in Amalfi by Elizabeth Adler (My fav. book of hers)

Blog Tour Review: Anya and the shy guy by Suze Winegardner

Anya and the shy guy by Suze Winegardner

Anya and the Shy Guy (Backstage Pass #4)

by Suze Winegardner

Release Date: 07/14/15

Entangled Crush

Summary from Goodreads:

Anya Anderson doesn’t just need a big break, she needs any break. Living on the streets doesn’t leave a girl many options, so when she scores a gig reporting on the Seconds to Juliet tour, she jumps at the chance to earn enough money to sleep somewhere safe. And the paycheck will get bigger—and keep her off the streets for good—if she can dig up dirt on Will Fray, the irritatingly hot “shy guy” of the band.

Problem is, Will Fray isn't who everyone thinks he is. In fact, he’s not Will at all. Matt, Will's identical twin, is actually the guy onstage, reluctantly covering for his brother while he’s in rehab. To make matters worse, Matt’s being shadowed by a cute reporter with troubled eyes determined to get the scoop. On him. And he's having trouble finding the willpower to keep his distance…

But if the secret gets out, it won't just be his head on a platter—it’ll be the whole band’s.

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains steamy make out scenes, graphic language, and a love story so hot your copy may spontaneously burst into flames. You’ve been warned.

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Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│Googleplay

About the Author

Suze Winegardner is an ex-pat Brit who quells her homesickness with Cadbury Flakes and Fray Bentos pies. She thinks her life is chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny. And if you get that reference, well, she already considers you kin.

She is represented by Laura Bradford, of the Laura Bradford Literary Agency,and writes for Entangled Publishing‘s Crush imprint.

She’s lived in London, Paris and New York, and has settled, for the time being, in North Carolina.

When not writing, Suze loves to travel with her military husband, and take long walks with their Lab.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

MY THOUGHTS:

This was my first book by Suze Winegardner and it will not be my last.

Anya is homeless and lives in a shelter in Oaklahoma and wants to be a writer. After scoring an awesome job covering Seconds to Juliet on tour, she is determined to do an awesome job and hopefully get some money so she cant get off the streets.

Matt, is Will's twin and after Will checks into rehab for an injury, Matt takes his place on tour. Anya was hired to dig up dirt on "Will" aka Matt. After interviewing Matt and really getting to know him, Anya starts putting the puzzle together, thinking that maybe "Will" really isnt Will after all. 

I loved Anya and Matt, they're my favorite couple out of the whole backstage pass series. These two had some serious chemistry. I really wish there was another book dedicated to Anya and Matt. 

Review: Heart and Sole by Miranda Liasson

Heart and sole by Miranda Liasson

Release date: July 14, 2015

Publisher:  Entagled Publishing

Rating: 4-Buy

Buy here: Amazon BN

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Synopsis: Maddie Kingston just walked away from everything in order to take over her family's struggling shoe business. And she's in some serious trouble. The majority of the company's shares have been bought out by none other than Maddie's ex-boyfriend, self-made billionaire Nick Holter. Now Maddie needs his help...even if it means buying Nick from a charity bachelor auction.

After the Kingstons destroyed his grandfather's career, Nick vowed to take over their company. He's inches from victory when he finds himself bought and paid for...by his sexy ex-girlfriend who's hell-bent on saving her family's company. Between their families' feud and their own unfinished business, tempers - and emotions - run hot. Too hot.

Because kissing with the enemy is a guaranteed shoe-in for trouble...

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, I'm a sucker for a second-chance at love story-line. The Kingston and Holter families have hated each other for going on 50 some odd years now. The families had a shoe business, but after the feud Samuel Holter left the business and went on to manage shoe stores while the Kingston shoe company went on to find success. 

Maddie Kingston is in desperate need to save her families shoe business. The only problem is Nick Holter owns majority stock in the company and he is set on revenge or justice, for his Grandpa. With Nick not returning her calls and his refusal to see her in person, she decides to attend the children's hospital auction where Nick is being auctioned off. 

Nick and Maddie have a very long history with one another. They grew up in the same small town and used to be best friends. Thinking that if she can just get Nick back home to their small town, he'll change his mind and not want to dissolve her families business. This book was sweet with a splash of a small southern town charm. Y'all will definitely want to read this one!

Recommendations: Penthouse Prince by Virginia Nelson

Review: A million miles away by Lara Avery

A million miles away by Lara Avery

Release date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: Poppy

Rating: 4 -Buy

Buy here: Amazon BN

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Synopsis:  Twin sisters Kelsey and Michelle Maxfield look identical -- but they couldn't be more different. Kelsey is the captain of the dance team and loves her cute college boyfriend, Davis. Michelle is a free-spirited artist and flits from one guy to the next, the latest a soldier recently deployed to Afghanistan. Despite their differences, Kelsey and Michelle can't live without each other -- until, in an instant, everything changes.

When Michelle dies in a car crash, Kelsey is left without her other half. As the only one who knows about her sister's boyfriend, Peter, Kelsey takes it upon herself to find him and tell him what happened to Michelle. But when she finally connects with Peter online, he thinks that Kelsey is Michelle and says that seeing her is the one thing keeping him alive. Caught up in the moment, Kelsey can't bear to break his heart with the truth, so she lets Peter believe that she is Michelle.

Kelsey keeps up the act, pretending to be her sister, and soon she can't deny that she's falling, hard, for the one boy she shouldn't want.

Lara Avery delivers a breathtaking story of love and loss that is guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.

My Thoughts:  This book broke my heart. We have Kelsey and Michelle, twins who couldn't be more different. Kelsey is the dancer and Michelle was the artist. After taking her boyfriend, Peter, to the airport Michelle gets into an accident and dies. 

After going into Michelle's room to find something for her Mother, Kelsey, hears Michelle's laptop ding and see's Peter requesting to skype. Realizing that Peter has no idea what happened to Michelle, Kelsey can't bring herself to tell him. Especially while he's in a war-zone. Through Kelsey and Peter talking we start to see Kelsey changing for the better and realizing what really matters in life. While skyping, emailing, and letters back and forth Kelsey finds herself falling for her sister's boyfriend who thinks Michelle is still alive.  Kelsey had ample opportunity to tell Peter the truth while she went to Paris (as Michelle) with Peter and his army friends. Yet she still can't tell him. 

This book was a quick read and at times I wanted to shake Kelsey and just make her tell Peter the truth, but by pretending to be Michelle, Kelsey could still keep her sister alive. This book should be on everyone's shelves.

Recommendations:  The start of me and you by Emery Lord