Review: Britney King's "Anywhere With You."

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1MrBj4o

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1Mo90ba

Synopsis:

They say opposites attract. For Jack and Amelie, that statement is about as close to the truth as it gets. 

She runs from anything that so much smells like love. And, well, as for Jack, he's always been a fan of the chase. Especially where she's concerned. 

Which is exactly what happens when he proposes... to accompany her on a cross-country road trip. 

A bet is made. True to form, Jack puts everything on the table—while Amelie keeps her cards tucked close to her heart. 

The question remaining when it all shakes out—is whether it's possible they can both win?

Will a road trip across the country finally teach them to meet in the middle? Or simply drive them further apart? 

This is the continuation of a love story that (like many) was never really over.

Review-Jo 

Having loved "Somewhere With You", I was excited to start this one. I couldn't wait to discover what had happened to Jack and Amelie. Now, this story didn't quite begin in the way that I had expected it to. I was almost certain that when I had left Jack and Amelie at the end of the previous book, they were finally a couple with a HEA firmly within their grasp, however this was no longer the case. The couple were apart yet again, and I was completely confused to what had happened between the pair. 

So, the story wasn't what I had envisioned and I was feeling a little disappointed with the way it began to play out. Jack and Amelie's relationship continued to be all over the place. One minute they were just friends, the next minute they were having sex and confessing their feelings for one another and then they were going their seperate ways again. To say I was frustrated was an understatement. I also felt that Jack and Amelie had lost the chemistry that they had once shared. I was not a happy bunny! Lol. 

Unfortunately I was also disheartened by the main characters. Amelie was no longer the easy going character that I had met in book one of this series. She was now depressed and unhappy most of the time and Jack was also living a life that was filled with little joy. He drove me a little crazy, to tell you the truth. It was obvious that he still loved Amelie with all of his heart but he was too fearful to go after what he truly wanted. Because Amalie and Jack both struggled with their feelings they both wasted a hell of a long time. 

To be honest I was feeling so sad after reading this book. I wanted a swoony, romantic story and I was gutted that I didn't get that. The only time I became excited by Jack and Amelie's relationship was for the final few chapters and the epilogue. I hate to say it, but I felt as though this story was just one long tease. 

"Anywhere With You" gets ❤️❤️❤️   moving to ❤️❤️❤️ from me. 

Review: K.I. Lynn's and N. Isabelle Blanco's "Need (Need #1)".

Review: K.I. Lynn's and  N. Isabelle Blanco's "Need (Need #1)". 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/18hTT26

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1MxWc09

Synopsis:

Sometimes love happens at first sight, even when you’re at an age where you can’t comprehend what it means.

It was just a crush. They were only kids, after all. But what happens when that feeling never goes away? 

Brayden and Kira have been neighbors for years, and best friends since they met. They have a connection that is evident to many, and it’s haunted them their whole lives.

Teenage hormones rage, turning their friendship into something neither can handle. The attraction is carnal, all-consuming, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Brayden loses control. 

Everything slams to a halt when their single parents decide to get remarried . . . to each other. Bad decisions and broken friendships make living across the hall from the one person you want above all difficult. Luckily for Brayden, it’s only for a few months before he’s off to college in another state, leaving Kira to face high school alone.

Brayden tries to stay away, to forget her, but it’s an impossible task he fails at time and time again. Kira is morphing from a sexy teenager to an irresistible woman, one that knows what she wants and seems hell-bent on getting it.

As Kira’s eighteenth birthday approaches, Brayden has a decision to make. Does he keep running away from the thing he wants the most or does he run toward it? 

Is it possible to ever be happy without the one person you need?

Review-Jo Rushton 

As a huge fan of K.I. Lynn's "Breach" Series, I had high hopes for this one and I couldn't wait to read it. Unfortunately my expectations were not met and I have to be honest and say that "Need" left me feeling truly disappointed. It makes me so sad to write this but I have to go with how I feel and this book was not as good as I had hoped it to be. 

The story of Brayden and Kira started off well. I was given an insight to how the pair met as children and the memories that they each shared of each other. Brayden and Kira began to fall for each other from a young age and it appeared that things would work out for the couple as they reached their teenage years. Their feelings for each other had blossomed with time and it was clear that they both  wanted more than just friendship. 

She is my everything, and I'll do anything to make her mine forever.

That was until the two got the shock of their lives when Brayden's father announced that he was in love with Kira's mother and they were getting married. Brayden and Kira's plans to be together were suddenly torn apart as they were about to become step-siblings. What would the future hold now for the couple? How on earth would they be able to ignore their feelings for one another, especially as they would be living under the same roof!!! 

The one thing-one person-I want and they're going to make her my stepsister. My sister.

This is when I thought that the story would begin to hot up. I wanted intensity and excitement but instead I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated. Brayden and Kira spent the majority of the remaining time fighting their attraction towards each other. The older the pair got the more difficult this became and everyday was a battle to fight their sexual desires. The anguish between the pair grew with each new chapter and I wondered if Brayden and Kira would ever be able to follow their hearts rather than their heads. I found that this part of the story became too repetitive as Brayden and Kira continuously encountered the same problems time and time again and I struggled to read on. I was willing the book to pull me in and capture my attention. Sadly, I found myself becoming a little bored with how the pair were constantly going around in circles with no end in sight. 

There's no thought, only need. And I need her. All of her.

I am also sorry to say that I didn't really warm to the characters in this book. Brayden came across to be quite aggressive. Even when he was attempting to be all tender and loving towards Kira, I felt that he was being harsh. I know that he was an angst filled teenager throughout most of the story but disappointingly, Brayden just didn't appeal to me. He was not the kind of guy that would make me swoon, that's for sure! I did feel sorry for Kira. The way that Brayden treated her throughout most of the story was appalling but apart from that I had no other feelings towards her. I just couldn't connect with her. I felt no pull towards Brayden and Kira and as such I found it difficult for me to invest in them as a couple. 

He'll never be truly mine. I won't allow it; no matter what he does to my body, 

I don't want it. He'll only end up hurting me more.

Now, I know that this review sounds a little negative but I do want to say that things did improve as the story reached the last few chapters. Finally, things began to get a little more interesting and I wondered how this story would end. As this was the first book in the series I knew that some things would be left unresolved but by the time I had reached the last page I was left feeling disheartened and unfulfilled. I had struggled through the book only to reach the end with no sense of contentment. Luckily, for me there was a sneaky peak into "Take", book two of the series which peaked my interest a little however I can't help but feel that book two would just be a repeat of "Need" so I have come to the conclusion that this series is unfortunately not for me. 

I rated "Need" ❤️❤️❤️

Review: Kim Karr's "The 27 Club."

Review: Kim Karr's "The 27 Club."

Amazon Uk:     http://amzn.to/1ADNjQt

Amazon.com:   http://amzn.to/1Jp19dI

Synopsis:

You don’t know when…

You don’t get to choose if…

When it’s time to join…you’ll know.

You might think you want to be a member—but trust me this is one club you don’t want to join. It’s not a place where people go to live out their deepest, darkest sexual desires—there are no handcuffs or blindfolds.

The 27 Club only admits those who die young and tragically. My brother was recently bestowed membership and joined many of our ancestors before him. I know I’m next. This is my destiny, and I was ready to yield.

But then I met Nate. He awakened a sensuality in me that had never been explored, never satisfied. I knew then I could no longer accept my destiny. Nate’s presence controls me. I’m overwhelmed by his touch, his words; my every thought is consumed by desire. I believe he was brought into my life for a reason.

Nate doesn’t believe in destiny.

But I do. 

And if there’s a way to cheat it—I must. 

Review: Surj

Where do I start with Kim Karr's "The 27 Club?" The synopsis sounded so promising and with all the teasers, I guess I was expecting something a little darker, a bit edgier and so it's absolutely guts me to say, this book just didn't work for me. It just wasn't what I was expecting (and although that isn't always a bad thing), in this case even though I pushed myself to finish Nate and Zoey's story, it just didn't come good in the end. I think it's personal preferences more than anything because I know so many others loved this book. 

"The 27 Club" told the story of Zoey, a woman who was lost, adrift, alone... you could say she was a little broken after the death of her brother. Unfortunately it wasn't just that he had died because that was bad enough. It was that he'd followed generation after generation of family members who had passed away tragically at the young age of twenty seven. There was no disease, no pre determined illness that stole their lives... no... instead death came knocking unexpectedly at some point during those twelve months. Was it fate? Destiny? The stars? Who knew but cheating it was an impossibility. Having just turned twenty seven, Zoey's life was turned further on it's head because it seemed that she was next on the list to be claimed. 

Oh Zoey... I wish I could have liked her but instead she just frustrated me. Her instant attraction to Nate seemed a little out of character and when her therapist suggested she was going through a "sexual awakening," I couldn't help but roll my eyes. There were moments where she just came across like a dog in heat and I just wanted to say... calm down honey. Calm down. There's keen and then there's metaphorically humping someone's leg... Zoey appeared to be the latter. On top of that, her character seemed all over the place. From grieving for her brother to her sexual attraction to Nate, to her fear of dying,  to uncovering the mystery behind her brother's death, I struggled to keep up with all the mixed emotions this woman was throwing my way.... it was too much... way too much. 

In terms of Nate, I kinda worked out that there was something this man seemed to be hiding. I wasn't sure what but his need for control, his lack of emotion and his lack of any form of commitment piqued my interest. What was this man's secret? Well it was soon uncovered and I really wish the book had explored this side of things more, delved a little deeper but I felt it was uncovered and then almost skimmed over. 

To be honest, as much as this was (in some ways) a love story, this side of the book held no interest for me whatsoever. In fact I found myself skimming over those pages (shhh... I even skimmed over the sex scenes.... now how often does that happen)? It was almost insta love between the two main characters and it just didn't feel realistic or believable. Plus, there were certain aspects of this couples relationship that seemed... I don't know... like they were just added for the sake of entertainment and that frustrated me. 

So what did hold my attention? Well the mystery and suspense surrounding Zoey's brother is what  kept me reading right until the end because I was dying to know what he had been hiding from his sister. 

So all in all, like I said, this book just wasn't for me. I tried, I really did but unfortunately it only gets ❤️❤️❤️   from me. GUTTED. 

Review: Barbara S. Stewart's "The Face in the Mirror"

Review: Barbara S. Stewart's "The Face in the Mirror"

Amazon.com:   http://amzn.to/1hUQftu

Amazon UK:    http://amzn.to/1jI9oyr

Synopsis:

Loss brings things home. You reflect on what you had, and what you’ve lost.

What if you met the love of your life... Again?

What if he never fell out of love with you?

And you realized that you were still in love with him.

Could you push the past aside…

And focus on the future?

Relive what was good…

And learn from the bad?

What if you found a secret…

That revealed that everything about your family was a lie…

Changed your thoughts on love and commitment…

And turned all that you believe in upside down...

What if a mirror reflected what you loved…

And what you lost?

Review: Surj Harvey

"The Face in the Mirror" was a light hearted, fast paced read and I guess that's something I really wasn't expecting. From the synopsis, I honestly thought this book would be an angst filled read but it was quite the opposite and so my heart remained intact and my emotions remained in check. Was I a little disappointed? Yes I guess I was because having read previous work by this author, this one really did fall a little short. 

The premise of the book was good. It was about second chances in life and love but it moved way too fast for me to be able to connect with any of it. There were moments where the story line jumped forward days and even weeks but I needed the fillers. I wanted to see the relationship between Mitchell and Renie grow, develop at a slower pace. I mean so much had happened in their time apart.. I needed to experience the pain and hurt they'd each gone through, the turmoil, the confusion but I felt nothing because I didn't really get anything from the pages. There were other parts of the story (where certain revelations were made... life changing... future changing revelations) that were covered in just a paragraph. I wanted to feel but nothing came so I found myself skimming ... a lot and it truly pains me to say that. 

The characters themselves were likable. Renie was on a journey of self discovery  and throughout, learnt so much about herself  and what she wanted from life. She was also discovering much about the relationship her parents had had and that was kinda ugly. I guess it made her realise what she wanted because she fought that little bit harder for it. Mitchell was lovely. He was definitely the communicator out of the two and wore his heart on his sleeve. He never stopped loving Renie in all the years they were apart but he was patient. He wasn't going to push her into making choices she wasn't ready for. That's what had landed them in such a mess the first time around. 

The relationship between the couple was ... sweet? Cute? Uhhhmmmmm... is it bad that I wanted it to be really HOT??? Should I feel guilty that I wanted to see some really naughty stuff? I even texted a friend and said there was a severe lack of the word "cock" in the book. I think I'm a perv!!! Much of the bedroom stuff was left to the imagination... but I didn't get time to imagine because the book had already skipped to the next scene!!! Slow down!!!! 

All in all, I do feel a little gutted with "The Face in the Mirror." Had the pace been much slower and I'd had the opportunity to really get to know the characters, maybe I would have connected with the story line a bit more. Instead, this was another book where I felt the author had touched the surface but not delved any deeper. Too much inconsequential detail and not enough depth left me feeling I'd missed out on what could have been a really brilliant story. 

As such I rated "The Face in the Mirror" 2.5 Hearts 

Review: J.B Hartnett's "Inky."

Review: J.B Hartnett's "Inky."

~ Review: 2.5 Hearts ~

Amazon UK:   http://amzn.to/1bdCRfM
Amazon.com:  http://amzn.to/1eoDdIe

Synopsis:

Anika “Inky” Redding is passionate about two things; her love of painting and her fiancé Evan. While working as a bartender to pay her bills, she meets Cole, a sexy divorcee. She denies their mutual attraction and tries to put him out of her mind.

When an abusive person from her childhood makes an unexpected visit, Inky’s world is turned upside down. Secrets are revealed and truths are exposed leaving Inky devastated and questioning what she thought was love. As she picks up the pieces and tries to move on, she finds her path crosses with Cole once again and this time, she cannot deny the passion between them.

Once she opens her heart again, will she be able to move forward or will her past find a way to stop her?

Review: Surj Harvey

This book had so much potential but I have to say, it just didn't deliver. 10% in and honestly, I was bored. The writing didn't grab me and neither did the plot. It was predictable and just lacked the depth I was craving in both the characters and the story line. It was like the whole book was on fast forward. Each time I began to get engrossed in part of the story, it was over and the characters had moved on. Gahhhh!!! 

At 17%, the plot seemed to move up a gear which was great. I honestly thought I would finally start connecting with the characters and I did ... albeit for a short time. Inky's past had been tragic... just awful. It was a past that had left its mark on her and on the whole, she had huge trust issues. Understandable. So when her past finally caught up with her, my heart started racing because I didn't know how this would pan out. Thank god it was over before it started. However, Inky was left completely traumatised and I saw the beginnings of a downward spiral. The ritual she went through and the meaning of her tattoo was soul destroying and I felt so devastated for her. See, sounds good right? In theory yes but I just felt this part of the book was so rushed. I wanted more to be made of it, more of what was going on in her head, more of how the ritual and the tattoo came about... it never came. 

Inky's character confused me. Yes she had a strength, a determination not to be a victim which was great but when she talked about her past or when others threw it in her face... I wanted more from her.... not a bitch fight, not a bejazzled t shirt, not a swim in a pool. I wanted more emotion, more hurt, more heart ache, more angst, just more something... anything. An example would be after she opened up to Cole. The next thing I know, she's on the phone to her best friend asking whether she should wear underwear or go bare-ass in his swimming pool!! Uhhh hello... you just told him about the your harrowing past and now you're talking about going for a swim and whether you've kissed him!!! Really!!! 

In terms of The connection between Cole and Inky... I just didn't get it. Did I miss something during their initial interactions? I know he helped her through a panic attack but it was like all of a sudden, he was consuming her thoughts. It just wasn't believable for me. And when he said he was falling in love with her.... my eyes rolled and the first words out of my mouth.... come on.... purleeze!!!! 

I could talk about the secondary characters and how amazing they were (and I do mean that) but to be honest, I don't think it will help the books cause. Had the book been longer, I may have got the depth I was after, that emotional connection but alas, it just wasn't meant to be. 

The book does end on a cliff hanger ... a predictable one and I can already guess how the sequel will go so unfortunately, I won't be reading it. 

I know a lot of people really loved this book and the characters in it but it just wasn't for me. I tried to like it... I really did... I mean I finished it in the hope that at some point it would turn itself around... it didn't. I rated "Inky" a disappointing 2.5 Hearts 

Review: Sarah Dosher's "Haven from the Storm."

Review: Sarah Dosher's "Haven from the Storm."

~ Review: 2.5 Hearts ~

Amazon UK:      http://amzn.to/GCgQPC
Amazon.com:     http://amzn.to/1hpgwiW

Synopsis:

“If you’re going to make me cry, at least be there to wipe away the tears…”

Most were asleep in their beds the night Lily Grace’s entire world was ripped apart, leaving only darkness and torment in its place. The only remaining person she depended on abandoned her without a second thought…or so that’s what Lily has believed for the past four years.

Dean Haven has returned for one reason—to win Lily’s love again. He’s already broken her heart because of the demons that haunt him. Can his desire for Lily keep him from succumbing to those demons again?

Dean has no idea what awaits him when he tries to fight his way back into Lily’s life. Everything he remembers has changed, including Lily.

Is love enough when you’re forced to weather the storms life has blown your way?

Review: Surj Harvey

I was really disappointed with "Haven from the Storm." You know when you read a synopsis and just have a feeling it's going to be an amazing read.... and then it just isn't... well unfortunately that's what happened in this case. The premise of the story was definitely a good one but the delivery most definitely could have been better. 

Lily Grace's life would never be the same after the storm hit. With her mother and brother gone, the only other person she could count on turned his back on her. Dean Haven... the boy she had loved for as long as she could remember... her brother's best friend walked out of her life when she needed him the most. The next four years for Lily were horrific. She was left to face the wrath of her father, who had spent his whole life taking his anger out on her. But with no one to protect her, she was at his mercy. This man was despicable, pure evil with not an ounce of regret for his actions... the emotional, verbal and physical abuse he inflicted just horrific. Imagine being 18 years old and having to put locks on your bedroom doors just to keep yourself safe from the one man who should be protecting you!!! 

Lily closed herself off from the world:

I knew I'd never lose anyone again because I'd never allow anyone that close again. 

I could protect myself. I had no other choice. 

Her only friends were Grandma Violet and Addy.. both of whom had more or less forced their way into Lily's life despite Lily putting up a fight. Both of these characters were brilliant and Grandma Violet gave just the best advice. 

Four years on and Dean Haven decided to show his ugly mug again... yup this guy decided to return to face his demons but that wasn't going to be as easy as he thought because a lot can happen in four years... lives change and people are destroyed:

"That young lady has been in hell these last four years and you, 

Dean Haven, played a starring role."

And so began his mission to win back his girl... unfortunately that is also the moment the story lost some of it's sparkle. As far as I knew these two had never been a couple, Lily was fourteen and Dean Eighteen when the storm hit and he left. I was given very small insights into their past interactions but definitely not enough for me to think he loved this girl and so when he returned and confessed his feelings, my response... "shit... where did that come from? Did I miss something?" Even as I read through the rest of the book, I still couldn't see where those feelings had come from. I needed more from their pasts... a lot more but it never came which kinda left me a bit detached from the characters and the story line. All of a sudden, I felt like I was missing parts of the puzzle and unfortunately, in some instances, I never found those pieces. 

The path to true love was never going to run smoothly for these two. If it wasn't the guilt both characters harboured, then it was her deranged father and if it wasn't him then it something else. Would these two ever get a lucky break? Uhhhh???? No!!!! 

When Dean's secrets for running were revealed, I was a little disappointed. I wanted there to be more... a lot more but it didn't come. And the incident with the school Councillor and Lily's father towards the end infuriated me because I just wondered whether that would ever happen in real life!!! 

There were a few twists and turns in the story, one surprise I didn't expect but I think my connection had been lost by this point and I couldn't imagine it was going to return but I persisted with the book, determined to finish it which I did. 

There was so much potential for the development of this story but for me, it just didn't come. There were too many gaps that weren't filled and some of the story line just too unrealistic. 

I rated "Haven from the Storm" 2.5 Hearts

Review: Natalie Ward's "Stubborn Love."

Review: Natalie Ward's "Stubborn Love."

Synopsis:

Five years ago, tragedy brought Jared and Mia together. A tragedy that was the start of an unlikely source of support, a true friendship and eventually, deep, heart-stopping love. Until the day something pushed them apart, forcing one of them to let the other one go.

Now, over the course of a day and a night, Jared and Mia will finally talk about how it all went wrong. How something which seemed so perfect and true, was so easily broken. And just when they think they’ve found their way back to each other, their love, will once more be put to the ultimate test.

Sometimes, you never realise how much you can hurt the one you love.

Sometimes, you never realise the lengths you’ll go to, to help someone you love.

And sometimes, you never realise just how stubborn love can be.

Because it’s impossible to let somebody go, when you never stopped loving them in the first place.

Review: Kirsty Lander: 

I'm so sad that I have to give this book a low rating, and truth be told I'd say it was more 2.5* but I just can't give it anymore.

I don't know what went wrong here, but from the beginning I just wasn't feeling the story, the characters or the writing. I'll start off with the story..

I was a mahoosive fan of "I Love You to Death," everything about it was so amazing, and so of course when I knew Natalie Ward was writing another book about them I was so excited.. it was going to be Luke's book and I couldn't wait. But then Natalie changed the course of which she was writing, Jared and Mia were calling to her and they had to come next, I wasn't so excited about them. I couldn't remember their part in the story and wasn't interested at all. So, on to the actual characters. I had no issue with Mia or Jared, well maybe I did Mia a little bit. Jared was fine, I actually felt sorry for him (woohoo for some kind of emotional connection), but Mia? Nope, I had nothing. If I heard her say words along the lines of.. "I want to make it up to you, I want to explain to you, or I'm sorry for pushing you away" then I was going to freaking scream. JUST SPIT IT OUT ALREADY, WOMAN. I knew from the off that when the 'big reveal' finally came out I was going to be disappointed. I just knew it. The amount of back and forth Mia and Jared went through to get to the point of her telling him was far too much. I lost interest. 

And on to my issues with the writing.. ugh it really pains me to have to write any of this because I really bloody loved "I Love You to Death" and I had zero issues with the writing that time around, but here? It didn't work for me at all. To begin with, the present chapters were told entirely from Mia's POV and that was fine, and then going back to the past was told in Jared's, again, I had no issue with that. But then as we got on, for some reason, we were being told the same scene from both of their POV and it got horribly boring. If I read it in one POV first, I didn't want to read again, I skimmed to try and get the story moving along. It just bored me. 

Oh I don't know why this one didn't work for me like this, but it really wasn't my book at all. Maybe others will love it, I've certainly seen some shining reviews and that's fine. I totally respect everybody's opinions and I hope that others love this book, it just wasn't for me. I will continue with the story, and when Luke and Ash's next book comes out I will be reading.

After thinking about it some more, I've come to realise half the issue (for me) was the length of the book. I think had this been a novella, a lot of the repetitiveness could have been avoided and I wouldn't have felt so bored whilst reading. A novella could have achieved more emotional impact by not having all of the back and forth. Maybe?

I rated "Stubborn Love" 2.5 Hearts