{Review} Undressed by Avery Aster

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The Blurb

Milan’s notorious playboy, Massimo Tittoni, seems to have everything–Lamborghinis, exotic women, palaces throughout Europe and business success. Ramping up his fabric company to go global with a new apparel brand, he ruthlessly stops supplying fabrics to the American client who inspired the collection. But once they meet, what’s he willing to give to get her in his bed?

Upper East Side designer Lex Easton will be damned if she’ll let an Italian stud muffin knock her down. So what if she named her favorite vibrator after him. With Fashion Week approaching, she’ll do whatever it takes to secure the fabrics she needs to become the next Diane von Furstenburg– even sleep with her rival. But when she arrives in Europe the paparazzi chronicles her every move and she finds herself in a situation never imagined. Lex’s Louboutins stilettos are dug in deep to win this war. All’s fair in love and fashion!

Avery Aster’s super-glossy debut novel is loaded with passionate escapism, pitting American ambition against Italian tradition. Erotic romance fans who appreciate extended sex scenes, witty banter and glamour mustn’t miss Undressed.

Inside Scoop: Though the hero and heroine remain monogamous, their Prada-wearing friends indulge in a ménage a trois and other fashionable sexual fun and games

My Review

4 Outrageously Sexy Stars!!

First off, I will say that this book was a real surprise for me. This was marketed as erotic romance, and while it is indeed graphic -- with a token menage a trois thrown in for good measure -- there are actually fewer sex scenes in this book compared to your standard erotic novel.

The second thing that was a surprise to me was the humor. It's brash, in-your-face and yes, often crude brand of humor, which not everyone might appreciate. If you're the type to get offended by this type of humor, then this book might not be for you.

That said, I really enjoyed this book. It has a lot of laugh-out-loud and "Oh no, she-did-not-just-say-that," moments throughout the book. The banter between the main characters, Lex, a fashion designer and Masi, a prince and CEO of a large Italian textile company, are fun to read and their romance was actually very sweet. Both are well developed and I was happy that the author did provide us with a believable back story of Lex and Masi. The ending was a bit cheesy for my taste but I think it worked out well.

I will say that this book is not for everybody. If you're looking for something dark and has a lot of angst, this book isn't for you. This book is escapism in its purest form. So if you're looking to slip into another world where it's full glitz and full of fashionable and beautiful people, then you would really enjoy this book. I know, I did.

Amazon / B&N

*This ARC was provided by Avery Aster through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Chasing Mrs. Right

Chasing Mrs. Right by Katee Robert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We have all read that book where boy-meets-girl, fell in lust/love but the hero tries to keep the heroine at arms length because he has commitment issues right? Right. Well, this book has that same trope but only this time, it's the heroine, Roxanne, who has an issue with commitment. No, she's not flighty, nor does she hops from one bed to the next but she's just wary of men because past experiences taught her that they never stay for long.

So she meets, Ian, who happened to be her best friend's brother (though she doesn't know it at first), had a one-night stand with him, felt the connection but as was her MO, she bolted.

Ian, who has his own issues as well, has just returned from his second tour in Afghanistan a broken man. But he was taken enough with Roxanne and tried to make the "relationship" work. From what you might have gleaned from the title, it was actually Ian who did most of the chasing and Roxanne did most of the running away. The running away was mostly happening in her head though since despite her protests, she keeps ending up in his bed.

Overall, I like the pacing of this book. There were plenty of smexy scenes and the chemistry between Ian and Roxanne was believable. My only comment is that Ian's issues with PTSD was never really explored. Sure they were mentioned and I felt that they were never fleshed out. It was mostly about Roxanne's inability to commit and her flitting from guy to guy because she wasn't into love, commitment and marriage, which was disappointing because Ian as a character had great potential.

But it did work out in the end. I loved the big gesture that Roxanne did in order to prove her love for Ian. Although, the grand gesture didn't quite go as planned, which I thought was funny, it was a satisfying ending. I'm definitely looking forward to Nathan's book.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars!!


*ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Speaking of book releases....

April is a great month for book releases! I'll tell you now that there are three books that I can't wait to get my hands on. I am practically salivating over these books. Two of them will be released on April 2nd and then one will be released on April 9th.

You are already know about Own and the Wind and Love Irresistibly because I've talked about them for a while now. But there is one book that literally has my stomach in knots -- and that is Blind Obsession by Ella Frank. Frankly, I haven't read any of her works. I have a couple of her books on my To-Be-Read shelf but I haven't started on any of them yet.

Then I saw this blurb on Goodreads...

"Obsession, defined as the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image or desire....

Chantel Rosenberg's passion for music and life had never shone brighter than the time she spent in Bordeaux France. It's a time when feelings arose and desires ran deep, a time that fundamentally changed her life.

A man living in seclusion, Phillipe Tibideau is haunted and plagued by memories he cannot disregard. Choosing to live a quiet life in his Chateau surrounded by the vineyards of France, he's left his passion for art behind.

However, the time has arrived to tell his side of a tale. A tale that has depicted him as a 'beautiful monster' and he's finally allowing someone close.

Close enough to ask questions. Questions he's not sure he wants to answer. Questions about her.

For up and coming journalist Gemma Harris, the pursuit of truth is what drives her and when a job of a lifetime presents itself there is nothing in the world that will stop her from taking it.
Even if it does mean leaving her home for several months to stay at Chateau Tibideau, with him.

This is a story of what happens when three passionate lovers collide and the desire for truth, art and music merge.

Chateau Tibideau is a place full of unanswered questions, dark sinful desire and a beauty so hauntingly sad it will have you wondering how you will ever leave the same....."

I was intrigued. My curiosity is piqued.

Then I saw the video trailer...

And then I saw the early "spoiler-free" reviews  (I can't post them here because they're not mine)....

Then I became obsessed with getting my hands on Blind Obsession that I tracked down every giveaways, basically stalked certain blogs including the author's in hopes of having this book before the release. (I know, I have no shame whatsoever admitting that!) I am so sold out on the premise of this book that, yes, I will gladly wait until April 9th in order to get my hands on it.

So I will wait. Patiently, albeit lightly obsessively (I'm actually scouring forum boards for spoilers!) for this book. I mean, good things do come to those who wait, right?

 

Ever After Romance Book Blog: Love Irresistibly Upcoming Release!

Ever After Romance Book Blog: Love Irresistibly Upcoming Release!: Good news, Julie James fans!    Julie James will be releasing the 4th book in her FBI/US Attorney Series, Love Irresistibly on April 2...

I'm stuck in a reading rut lately. Can't seem to finish any book that I started. I have two ARCs on the queue right now and I haven't any finished any. Ugh! I hate when that happens!

The only explanation I have is that I've been waiting in breathless anticipation for a couple of books to be released this coming April 2nd; Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley and Love Irresistibly by Julie James. Thank God, I had the opportunity to read Walking Disaster already or else it would have been a lot worse.


So what's on my reading list right now?

Love Irresistibly Upcoming Release!

Good news, Julie James fans! 

 

Julie James will be releasing the 4th book in her FBI/US Attorney Series, Love Irresistibly on April 2nd, 2013. That's just a few days away, folks! 

 

Check out the summary below including a link to a YouTube interview of Ms. James herself talking about the book and just click on the link if you want to read an excerpt of Love Irresistibly. 

 

Love Irresistibly

FBI / US Attorney Series, Book 4
Available April 2

He’s used to getting what he wants. . .
A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.
and what he wants is her.
A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love . . .

Love Irresistibly, Julie James - 9780425251195

Excerpt Here

Get The Book Here

Lush by Lauren Dane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2 1/2 stars

I was really excited to read this book. I mean, who wouldn't? A bad boy rocker and a feisty chef? Count me in! Bud sadly, after a few chapters, my excitement just fizzled out.

There's actually nothing wrong with this book. But -- a big BUT here, there's also nothing spectacular about it. It was just okay. The characters were okay, the secondary characters were okay, everything and everyone was just okay.

The plot had potential but it didn't really reach that *cough* climax *cough* that I was waiting for. The conflict wasn't really a conflict at all, it was just Mary being her contrary self. It was just too cliched, so it didn't really work for me.

I would still recommend this book though. After all, the elements that didn't work for me might work for others. Personally though, this book just fell short.





*ARC provided by Berkley Trade via NetGalley






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Walking Disaster Review is Up!!

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars!!

Blurb

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Can you love someone too much?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through

Travis’s eyes.

Review


I think I would do this review by listing what's new about this book. Well, sort of new. I mean, we all know the story already but this time around, the story is told through Travis's point of view. So what can you expect then from this book aside from the obvious?

1. Travis's back story. Huge difference. It will explain quite a lot about Travis. The prologue starts right off with an event that totally changes Travis.

2. Travis and Sheply. We see more interactions between them and we get to understand the dynamics of their relationship. And strangely enough, we get to see another side of America here, too.

3. More of Maddox men. Four of them to be exact -- well, five, if you count their father, Jim.We get to see more of Trent here and a huge revelation about Thomas at end, which could be a segue way to Thomas and Trent getting their own stories. The relationship between the boys and their father was touching. They will make you laugh, cry, cringe and mother the heck out of them. This was probably my favorite aspect of the book.

4. The fight scenes. One thing I noticed about this book is the amount of details Jaime McGuire had put in to make the fight scenes believable. Nothing too in-your-face graphic but graphic enough for the readers to get a clear picture of what's going on. Kudos to the author for not shying away from writing the fight scenes and doing a decent job of it.

5. The Epilogue. Epic. I love epilogues and this one has quite an epilogue, set 11 years after the end of Beautiful Disaster. That earned half a star for me, which totally upped my rating from a solid for a 4.5 stars.

Overall, Walking Disaster delivered on giving us Travis's side of the story. It was nice to see familiar characters and not so familiar ones being reintroduced and introduced once again.

Sadly, I didn't like Abby much here. I did love her in Beautiful Disaster. But seeing everything through Travis's POV, some of the things that she did and said were just cruel, and reading Trav's reaction to them was just painful. I was glad I re-read Beautiful Disaster prior to starting this one because Abby would have killed the book for me.

If you love Beautiful Disaster and Travis Maddox, this book will just make you love him more. I would suggest though that before you pick this one up, read or re-read Beautiful Disaster first. Trust me, it helps a lot. This book would make much more sense if you read Beautiful Disaster first.




*This ARC was provided by Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.









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Walking Disaster

Finally done with my ARC for Walking Disaster. I have already written my review but sadly, I would have to wait a few days before posting it. All I can say is that the fangirls will not be disappointed with this one.

Huge thanks again to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this blog with the Advance Reader's Copy. It was truly an honor to be among the first to read this. I can't wait to share it with you guys!

Fire Inside Cover Reveal

Yup! GCP just released the cover of Kristen Ashley's Fire Inside. For those of you who didn't know yet, Fire Inside is the second book in the Ms. Ashley's Chaos series. The first book Own the Wind will be released April 2nd.

And that's not all. Fire Inside, which features Lanie (Tyra's best friend from Motorcycle Man) and Hop, a member of Chaos Motorcycle Club ( hence, the name of the series), will be released early. June 4th! Yup, you heard it right. That means folks that we don't have to wait long for our KA fix. Awesome!

Until Fountain Bridge by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This little novella is just perfect. It's sweet and sad at the same time. Seriously, I teared up once or twice while reading it. Ellie has been in love with Adam all her life but Adam being older brother Braden's best friend only sees her as Braden's little sister. But not for long.

This novella focuses of Adam and Ellie's story. I loved Ellie in On Dublin Street, and unlike other characters who were wonderful in one book then completely changes when the spotlight is on them, Ellie remained consistent. She's even more adorable here. Not kidding. She's innocent, funny, sweet but she's also feisty, loyal and loving. Seriously, she's one of my favorite heroines now.

Adam was a bit of a jerk in this book. He did some stupid things in this book that just makes me want to clobber him. He really did have his sweet and funny moments too, but boy, did he give a lot of mix signals to Ellie. Poor girl. Adam did redeem himself at the end but I wish the book was longer just so I could see Adam grovel a bit more.

We see a lot of big brother Braden here, too and yup, he's still wonderful. We also see a bit of Joss and we get to see their relationship through Ellie's eyes. Kudos to Ms. Young for seamlessly telling the story of Adam and Ellie's past while still being anchored in the present. Lots of funny moments and sad ones, too but overall, a wonderful addition to the series.

Thank you, Samantha Young for giving us Adam and Ellie's story.

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Review: Once Tempted

Once Tempted by Laura Moore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is my first book from this author and I can say that I really enjoyed this book. Despite the slow -- and I mean, really slow pace during the first half of the book, the action did pick up during the second half.

Once Tempted is a story about two people who were burned once by love and found true and lasting happiness with each other. Ward, son of the owner of Silver Creek Ranch, was engaged to Erica. He found out that all she really wants was his money when she ran off and broke their engagement. So Ward pretty much kept women at a safe distance and swore never to be duped again.

Tess, a widow, was trying to escape the painful truths about her brief marriage to her ex, David, who died of brain tumor. With the help of a blindfold, a map and her best friend, Tess landed in Silver Creek Ranch, directly in the path of Ward.

And this is where the book frustrated me a bit. The moment Ward and Tess met, there was no tension or chemistry between them whatever. Aside from their brief meeting, the first part of the book was pretty much devoted entirely to the nitty-gritty of running a working ranch to the point of being mundane. Sure, there were interactions interactions here and there between Ward and Tess but their chemistry didn't materialize for me until about halfway through the book. That was when the author finally put their story front and center. It was only then that I felt the chemistry between them. I did heave a sigh of relief when it happened because the moment it did, the story then became interesting.

I'm glad I stuck around long enough to finish the book because I would have missed a very satisfying love story between Ward and Tess. And it was satisfying in spite of its abrupt ending. I mean, an epilogue would have been great addition though. Overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light romantic read.

Review also posted here Ever Afters Book Blog


*This ARC was provided by Random House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



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Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've read enough reviews for this book to know that there are those who really loved it and there are those who really hated it. No middle ground. Either you love it or you hate it.

Personally, I loved it. There's something about the story of Abby and Travis that resonated with me. They both equally frustrated me at and was frankly appalled by some of the decisions they made throughout the whole book which made me want to smack them both in the head. But I still fell in love with these two very flawed characters anyway. Yes, I feel no shame whatsoever in admitting that fell hook, line and sinker for their love story.

At the very beginning, the odds are stacked against them. Abby is running from her past, trying to deny who she is when she meets Travis. He was all wrong for her of course. He's the epitome of the past she was running away from. She resisted but before long she was thoroughly and utterly in love with him. Her denial for her feelings for Travis frustrated me a bit but I can certainly understand where she's coming from.

I loved Abby. She's tough and vulnerable at the same time, and while she had her moments of indecisiveness, I can't help but root for her. I mean, come on, she's supposed to be 19 years old. She's allowed to have those moments. I can totally see why she did what she did considering her back-story -- alcoholic mother and a father who humiliated and rejected her publicly. It's no wonder she was fighting tooth and nail against her feelings for Travis.

As much as I loved Abby, I wasn't quite sure about my feelings about Travis at first but I have come to love him as well. But there are things that he did in the book that were just a no, no for me but like Abby, I find his character totally irresistible. He is crazy intense, crazy passionate, crazy impulsive, and yes, just plain crazy sometime but he can also be so sweet. Love him or hate him, Travis is a complex and interesting character and I can't wait to get into his head in the next book.

I like the pacing of this book. No dull moments for me. The secondary characters just add to the whole appeal. Overall, Beautiful Disaster delivered a satisfying love story that I will not soon forget.

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I've been re-reading Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire in preparation for Walking Disaster, which I promised to post my review very soon. So while I'm doing that, let me give post a review of one my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Hope you enjoy!!

Kiss an Angel 

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Kiss an Angel is one of those novels that grabs at your heart and makes you cry sad tears, happy tears, angry tears and everything in between. Seriously, SEP weaved another emotional and powerful love story with this one.

At the center of the story is Daisy Devreaux. Sweet, loving, kind Daisy. Branded as flighty and scatterbrained by his father, Daisy was forced into a marriage of convenience with Alex Markov by her father. Her husband was cold and unfeeling brute who, like Daisy's father, treated her like a spoiled selfish brat. But Daisy is far from being spoiled or selfish, and this is where SEP created her magic.


Daisy, with her big heart set out to thaw and eventually won her husband's cold heart. Alex, despite being adamant that he could never and would never love Daisy was powerless against Daisy's courage and resolve. Honestly, almost halfway through the book I wanted to hit him in the head for his stupidity, but then of course, I remembered he's just a fictional character so I just threw a little bit of tantrum -- a little bit. He was so screwed up by his childhood that he did everything to push Daisy away. And he succeeded. He managed to push Daisy away. The irony of it was the moron (yup, that's what he was!) was already so deeply in love with his wife, it's not even funny, that he was destroyed with the agony of losing her. Ha! He deserved every bit of pain and humiliation for what he did to Daisy and more! Hmph! Sorry, got carried away there. Where was I? Oh, right. At towards end though, Alex redeemed himself and I was crying happy tears when they finally got their HEA!

For those of you who are familiar with SEP's style, you would probably guess by now that SEP's books always has a secondary story running alongside the main story. In Kiss of Angel, we see Brady and Sheba's story. I won't go into their story anymore but like most of SEP's novels, this one had plenty of secondary characters to kept things interesting. And oh, part of the cast of characters were an old Siberian tiger, a cute baby elephant, a llama, and a gentle gorilla -- and oh, I almost forgot, a long-lost Romanov. I can't say anymore. Just to read the book!

This review is also posted on  http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/551538003

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire


Squeeee!!! Just got my ARC for this one!! Over the moon!! Got to reread Beautiful Disaster ASAP!!








*Provided by Atria via NetGalley.

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Catch A Mate by Gena Showalter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Though known more for her paranormal books, most notably her Lords of the Underworld series, Ms. Showalter's Catch a Mate is a fun, light, sexy and sweet read.

Jillian Greene works for CAM -- Catch a Mate, and no, it's not a dating agency. Jillian gets paid by suspicious wives to smile, flirt and prove that no man can be trusted around the opposite sex. In other words, she is bait.

She wanted CAM for herself. Unbeknownst to her, Anne, her boss, sold the company to Marcus Brody. Tall, blond, gorgeous Marcus. Because of their respective pasts -- Marcus' wife cheated on him and Jillian saw her father cheat on her mother -- they are distrustful of the opposite sex, the problem is they are also attracted to each other.

Marcus and Jillian fought their attraction, and I mean really fought it, which made me want to shake them at times. Jillian was so bitter and closed off to relationships, it was difficult to read her inner dialog sometimes. And Marcus was no better than Jillian. He was just as mistrustful and jaded. But they did pull through at the end.

I loved the secondary story as well between Brent, Jillian's brother and Georgia, Jillian's best friend. And yes, I admit, I did tear up a bit with that scene between Jillian and her dad when she finally talked with him and finally forgiven him.

Overall, I enjoyed this one very much.

4 solid stars!!






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The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4 1/2 stars!!

Blurb

Sometimes life takes you off course . . .

THE EDGE OF NEVER

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?


Enter sappy review

I'm having a hard time putting into words the feelings I have for this book. I laughed, I cried and then cried some more and then laughed again. Yes, it was definitely a roller coaster ride. This is New Adult at its best.It has none of those cliches that usually plague NA books nowadays. There were no jealous exes, psycho-bitch ex-girlfriends, over-the-top jealousy, love triangles or love squares. There was no I-hate-him-but-I-love-him drama. None of those things. What it has are two people -- one is trying to find herself, while the other one is determined to live his life by his own rules. This is all about Camryn and Andrew. They definitely weren't looking for love but love is what they found.

It is a love story, yes, but it is also so much more than that. It's a story about life, about family, about best friends, about taking a chance and living in the moment. It's about a girl who had experienced so much loss in her life -- she lost her boyfriend in a car accident, her brother is in prison, her mother is busy with her own love life and to top it all of, her best friend abandoned her after being told her that her boyfriend made a pass at Camryn. Camryn was well and alive but basically dead inside. She had a moment of epiphany, so she hopped into a bus to start her journey to nowhere.

Enter Andrew Parrish. Young, good-looking, brash, a talented guitar-playing alpha with a passion for classic rock, trying to live his life to the fullest. They met in the bus and thus, their story begins. And what a story it was.

I loved that the author decided to give Camryn and Andrew the HEA they deserved. I was worried there for a little while. Not that I would complain if it went the other way, but I'm always a sucker for a happy ending.

This one is definitely a keeper for me.


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True Love: The Nantucket Brides Trilogy: Volume One by Jude Deveraux
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Blurb

Just as Alix Madsen is finishing up architectural school, Adelaide Kingsley dies and wills her, for one year, the use of a charming nineteenth-century Nantucket house. The elderly woman’s relationship to the Madsen family is a mystery to the spirited Alix—fresh from a romantic breakup—but for reasons of her own Alix accepts the quirky bequest, in part because it gives her time to plan her best friend’s storybook wedding.

But unseen forces move behind the scenes, creaking Kingsley House’s ancient floorboards. It seems that Adelaide Kingsley had a rather specific task for Alix: to solve the strange disappearance of one of the Kingsley women, Valentina, more than two hundred years ago. If that wasn’t troubling enough, Alix must deal with the arrogant (and extremely good-looking) architect Jared Montgomery, who is living in the property’s guesthouse.

Unbeknown to Alix, Jared has been charged with looking after her while she lives on the island—an easy task for him, considering the undeniable chemistry between the two. But Jared harbors secrets of his own, which, if revealed, may drive a wedge between the pair.

With a glorious Nantucket wedding on the horizon, sparks fly, and the ghosts of the past begin to reveal themselves—some of them literally. Finding their lives inextricably entwined with the turbulent fortunes of their ancestors, Alix and Jared discover that only by righting the wrongs of the past can they hope to be together.

My Review

It's been so long since I've read a new Jude Deveraux book that I was really excited to dive into this one. Sadly, it was a tad bit disappointing. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. In fact it wasn't until 60% of the book that I finally appreciated the story until the rug suddenly got pulled under me.

Let's start with the things that worked for me...

Alix - She's the quintessential Deveraux heroine down to her red-gold hair, green eyes and engaging personality.

Jared Montgomery Kingsley - Jared reminded me of Mike Taggert, whom I loved, from Sweet Liar.

Caleb "the ghost" - Oh, he's a character all right.

Ken Masden - loved his character. Loved his relationship with Alix and Jared.

Nantucket - Deveraux painted a vivid picture of Nantucket. It feels like you were right there with these characters. The eccentricities of its people and the psyche of the whole town (Nantucket is a country of its own, totally separate from America), makes for a very satisfying read.

The Taggerts and the Montgomerys - Now if you're a fan of Deveraux, like me, you'll know these families and you also love them. It's great to see Kane and Cale, Mike and Sam, all the Taggert cousins, Chandler, Colorado mentioned, albeit in passing, in this story. Brings back great memories.

Now onto what didn't work for me...

The Story - Ugh! I felt like there's so much promise to this story and I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for that oomph, but sadly, it didn't happen. Alix was supposed to solve the mystery of the missing Valentina. This was the mystery element to the book, not to mention the fact that the house Alix was staying in is being "haunted" by a ghost, that ghost being Valentina's lover and Jared's seventh greats grandfather.

I was excited about that. Deveraux have incorporated ghosts in her stories before and I worked then but unfortunately, it didn't work here. The ending to the mystery of Valentina was anti-climactic to say the least. I won't spoil you anymore, only to say that, it was a disappointment.

Victoria - I hated her. I think she's selfish and her character adds nothing to the story. I don't care if she was supposed to be Valentina from her past life, this woman killed the book for me the moment she appeared and found out who she supposed to be. Suddenly, it was all about her and the story deteriorated from there.

The whole mystery thing - I didn't get it. It was supposed to be a mystery but apparently, Caleb already knew what happened to Valentina, so it wasn't really a mystery at all. Maybe I didn't get the whole point -- which I thought was finding out what happened to Valentina. Maybe the whole point was that Caleb and Valentina can be together again? This is where the story jumped the shark for me. It tried to be everything at once -- romantic, mysterious, not to mention the whole reincarnation business, the ghosts, the distant cousins -- it was all too much. I felt that the original intent of the story wasn't executed very well.

*ARC provided by NetGalley

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Private Practice Review

5 Awesome stars!

I literally devoured this book, and boy it was really good.

Ellie "Sparky" Swan moved back to her hometown to open her practice and to take her of her diabetic father whom she has a tenuous relationship with. Sparky wanted the hometown golden boy, Roger who just broke up with his fiancee after 10 years of being engaged. Sparky found out the reason for the break-up after she "overheard" a conversation between Roger's ex and her friend. It seems like Roger has acquired a taste for unconventional sex and is wanting a nymphomaniac for a girlfriend.

Sparky being the prim and proper town doctor decided that to win Roger over she needs to walk in dark side and unleash her inner sex goddess. What's a good doctor to do? Buy a fully illustrated copy of The Wild Woman’s Guide to Sex: Tactics Guaranteed to Bring a Man to His Knees, of course and convince Tyler Longfoot for some private lessons in seduction.

Enter Tyler "Footlong" Longfoot -- sexy, unpredictable, a little bit of a bad boy, but decent to the core business owner. The two of them struck a deal. Ellie will get her lessons if she keeps quiet about a little "incident" that landed Tyler in the doc's doorstep.

This is where the story gets interesting and downright hilarious. Yes, the plot has been done countless of times already but what sets this book apart was the humor. This is one heck of funny book. I found myself laughing out loud many times. The chemistry between Sparky and Tyler is off the charts hot. Both their interactions with each other and inner monologues are really, really funny and they are both likable, which is a plus.

I love Sparky. She's got spunk. She knows what she wants, albeit a misguided one, and goes after it. And of course, Tyler. You can't help but swoon for Tyler. His loyalty, his strength and his humor is just wonderful. I love them both together.

Aside from the two main characters, this book is filled with great secondary characters -- all of them really, really likable. I'm hoping for Melody and Chief Bradley's story next. Did you hear that Samanthe Beck?

Would highly recommend this book. Such a treat.

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Easy by Tammara Webber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love is not the absence of logic but logic examined and recalculated heated and curved to fit inside the contours of the heart

I admit it. The cover threw me off. The cover looks too emo for my taste, so I didn't read it immediately. That was my mistake. Honestly, books, especially in the romance genre, where such sensitive topics such as rape, abuse, and murder/suicide are difficult to read. As much as possible I avoid reading them especially in when the book is supposed to be a "romantic" book.

While Easy is far from being an easy read considering the topic, Ms. Webber did succeed giving us a very engaging story. Loved Lucas and Jacqueline. I think they were well developed and very sympathetic characters. YA heroines tend to annoy me most of the time but Jacqueline is a really sympathetic character. Her relationship with family and what she endured just breaks my heart. I loved how she went from being scared and helpless to finally owning it and boy, did she kick some butt! I loved that. I loved Erin. She played a big part in Jacqueline's transformation. She defended her, protected her and most of all signed her up for some self-defense classes. When I was reading it, I was like, "Yeah! You go girl!" Seriously, every girl should have an Erin on their side. And then of course, there's Lucas. I mean, what's not to love about this guy. Like Jacqueline, he was able to turn his life around after an unspeakable tragedy to his family. And while Jacqueline had Erin, Lucas had Dr. Heller on his side. His relationship with his dad was heartbreaking.

Loved everything about this book. I'm glad I finally got to read it. Looking forward to more of Ms. Webber. I think she's one of the best in this genre.


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Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved, loved this book!

This is my first Linda Howard book and boy, she did not disappoint. I loved everything about this book from the suspense, the romance and the friendship shared by the four female characters who made up the Mr. Perfect list. And the romance between Sam Donovan and Jaine Bright is pure delight. It's funny, sweet and hot at the same time and this book not only sizzles but it contained some of the most laugh-out-lines ever to come out of romance-landia. I swear. Do not read this when you are around other people, they might think you're not right in the head.

Case in point --

“...a kid, maybe eight years old, ran up and poked her in the ribs with a plastic laser weapon, making electric zinging noises as he repeatedly pulled the trigger. “You’re dead,” he said victoriously. His mother came hurrying up, looking harassed and helpless. “Damian, stop that!” She gave him a smile that was little more than a grimace. “Don’t bother the nice people.” “Shut up,” he said rudely. “Can’t you see they’re Terrons from Vaniot.”

The kid poked her in the ribs again. “Ouch!” He made those zinging noises again, taking great pleasure in her discomfort. She plastered a big smile on her face and leaned down closer to precious Damian, then cooed in her most alienlike voice, “Oh, look, a little earthling.” She straightened and gave Sam a commanding look. “Kill it.” Damian’s mouth fell open. His eyes went as round as quarters as he took in the big pistol on Sam’s belt. From his open mouth began to issue a series of shrill noises that sounded like a fire alarm. Sam cursed under his breath, grabbed Jaine by the arm, and began tugging her at a half-trot toward the front of the store. She managed to snag her purse from the buggy as she went past.

“Hey, my groceries!” she protested. “You can spend another three minutes in here tomorrow and get them,” he said with pent-up violence. “Right now I’m trying to keep you from getting arrested.”
“For what?” she asked indignantly as he dragged her out of the automatic doors. People were turning to look at them, but most were following the sounds of Damian’s shrieks to aisle seven. “How about threatening to kill that brat and causing a riot?”
“I didn’t threaten to loll him! I just ordered you to.”

LoL! :)

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