Review: Hard Trigger by S.L. Hannah

Hard Trigger: A Rogue Romance by S L Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, I have to say that this book was such a surprise and completely explosive. There is an underlying raw energy throughout the story that refuses to be ignored.

The writing! I seriously don't understand how Hannah does it, but her writing just sucks you in. It is so easy to get lost in her stories. There isn't any rereading of the first paragraph, due to awkwardness. You are automatically pulled in from the first sentence with effortless writing that is straight to the point, but sophisticated. I also love that this book is not lengthy at all but manages to take on a lot of complex themes, from revenge to corrupt business practices, to murder plots and the most difficult, yet universal sentiment of all, which is love. To be specific, romantic love.

Now moving on to the characters. Victoria, the female lead, and Diego, the male lead in this story, are incredibly strong and unapologetic characters. Victoria is like a young female James Bond who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She had a mysterious air to her. I like that she was interested in aviation and that she was a woman who did not deny herself any romantic passion. She had a layered background in terms of her nationality and family life. And Diego, Victoria's love interest, just oozed power and intelligence and had an insatiable passion for Victoria, making them the perfect match.

What makes this book special is that Victoria, the main character in this book, is not the typical heroine with a heart of gold. She does things that are shocking and that to some might even seem unforgivable, but still manages to make the reader root for her success. And despite some of the untraditional things she does compared to most female leads, she doesn't wallow in self pity or remorse or waits to be rescued. She goes for what she wants with an unwavering determination.

Besides the characters, I love the international settings that this book takes place in. The reader literally feels like they are on a risky ride around the world that has constant action and danger lurking around the corner. Victoria is originally from South Africa, while Diego, her love interest, came from a prominent family in Mexico. Together they make a very fiery and complicated and passionate couple. And if you add a certain underlying rivalry between their families, you have a really strong and intricate dynamic between them.

Any reader of Hannah can tell you, that as an author she doesn't shy away from taboo or strong topics. This book is intense from start to finish and the romance is fire! The energy is raw and sensous and insatiable between Victoria and Diego. So, I feel like this book is for anyone who likes an intense and untraditional romance.

The background and subplots in this book were like a mix of the series, Queen of the South/Reina del Sur and James Bond with a mix of Mr and Mrs Smith energy. I honestly felt like I could imagine everything I was reading as a film in my head.

Huge Kudos to Hannah, who really did her research in terms of the countries and nationalities that were mentioned. The hint of Spanish phrases in the book was a really nice touch. And as a Latina myself, I felt an authenticity to the characters and places and situations I was reading.

If you are not faint of heart and want to dive into a little danger and a passionate story, this book is perfect for you. I'd recommend it to people who like action films, strong female characters, and intense and complex romances like that of J.A. Redmerski's 'In the Company of Killers' to name an example.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5.



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Guest Post: Melissa Chan from Literary Book Gifts

Unique Gifts for Book Lovers! With an exclusive discount!

When is the last time you saw a lesser known or obscure novel on a t-shirt? How often do see literature based designs at your local mall? Literary Book Gifts is a brand new online store that specializes in making quality gifts for book lovers. There are so many shirts and tote bags to choose from in the collection.

Not every book is popular enough to be produced on shirts or stocked on shelves. This means that there are so many titles that fans will never see designs of. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice may have many fans even today, but what about Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm's The Grimms' Fairy Tales? Literary Book Gifts has both of these and many more titles from your favorite authors and maybe some authors you've never heard of whose books you might like to try.

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The tote bags come in three different sizes and in a wide range of colors to choose from as well. The Little Women Tote Bag in particular is a in a pink mauve color with black handles that are made of 100% cotton.

For readers of Dream Reads there is a special 20% discount code for you! Use the code DREAMREADS20 at checkout to receive 20% off your entire order! There is no expiry date for this coupon.

Written by Melissa Chan founder Literary Book Gifts and lover of all things: reading, writing, and literature.

Review: Roomies by Christina Lauren

Roomies by Christina Lauren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Roomies is an incredibly easy book to get into. The writing is good, it's engaging and very modern. You almost feel like this book is an on going conversation you are having with a friend about events in your life. It is relatable and realistic.

The main character, Holland, is a struggling writer who develops a crush on a busker. She grows a lot within the book, it takes her a lot to realize what she needs to do in life and whom she loves but she slowly gets there. The male lead in this book, Calvin, is a busker/musician, struggling to hit it big in NYC despite having immense talent.

This book is basically a story of a marriage of convenience where the main characters go from strangers, to friends, to lovers. There's a lot of highs and lows in their journey but they manage to fall in love.

The aspects of this book that I loved the most is that it was an NA contemporary romance where the female lead had a strong presence of family in her life. She wasn't isolated and figuring things out alone, her uncle and his husband were strong and supportive figures in her life with a lot of dimension to them.

I also liked that there wasn't Insta love in this book where the main characters just had this irresistible pull to each other out of the blue. Because Insta love is a cheap way to write a romance and a bit unrealistic.

I felt that this book ran on the theme of having to learn to be brutally honest with yourself in order to find your happiness. Also to not let anyone put you second place in your life and to be the protagonist of your own life journey and not let others influence you.

And last but not least, I liked that this book touched on having toxic friendships. Where you think the person is nice, but you realize that they're not, that they're envious and not truly as supportiveas they should be. And the need to cut that off.

The only reason this book doesn't get a perfect rating is that there were times where instead of being endeared to Holland's struggle to find her identity, you get annoyed because shes pushing it in the naiveté department. Also, at times where the language between both characters should have been more romantic, they chose to make it more crass for the sake of making the book realistic and modern.

The other thing that I didn't like were some dream sequences that were awkwardly written in to add steam to the story but actually felt like they were happening and like the tension between the characters was broken into before it needed to be broken into. not a fan.

but overall, this is a good book. I liked it.

I give it a 3.5/5 rating.





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Anti Stepbrother by Tijan

Anti-Stepbrother by Tijan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I havent read a good New Adult book in ages. Most people turn to this genre because YA books limit the way authors can write mature situations. BUT sometimes authors take advantage of this and take it too far with the sex scenes in the sense that they use them for shock value and ignore the character and emotional development needed for a balanced book.

But WE have a winner here. Because Summer and Caden are a reflection of their age. College students. They have steam and chemistry but there is depth. No Insta love here. There is a lot of development here because I went from being skeptical about Summer to "You go, girl!" With her realness. And Caden, Caden!!! He was sexy, strong and mysterious but had a really sweet nature underneath and a lot of emotional turmoil.

So did Summer. She starts off with thinking she likes someone else to a slow development of friends to lovers with Caden. And that's what I loved. At the beginning you had no idea where things were heading but slowly you see this connection growing between Summer and Caden!

Loved the secondary characters. I need books about Cadens brothers please! And Tijan surprised me with some backstories. Shes my new autobuy author.

5/5





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Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"If you keep playing it safe, you’ll never know who you are. I know who you are, and I love who you are. Why don’t you trust me?"

This is a perfect book. Even if it's YA and it has cuteness, there is so much depth and sensibility in this book.

Isla is the shy type of girl whose had a crush on Josh for ages. He's an artist who seems a bit disconnected and whom she is fascinated with. She can tell there is more to him and viceversa.

This book is all about appreciating who you are in the midst of uncertainty. Sometimes others can see you better than you see yourself. This book is all about that. Sometimes we're so stuck on our perceived faults and insecurities that we don't realize others don't see that.

This book is about getting out of that rut and following your passion. May it be a hobby, a craft, a person. You name it.

Perkins' writes magical books. If you haven't read the previous two companion novels in this series, what are you waiting for?

Also, Isla and Josh have so much more passion than other YA characters. It's not lust, it's honest to goodness love and craving and aching for another person. That is also, oh so sweet.

A huge surprise at the end connected all books in this series. It was awesome. You also can't beat the settings of Manhattan, Paris and Barcelona.


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Review: The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry

The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I bought this book because when it came out, it had a lot of buzz.

I didn't love love this story, but it was good.

I think that there is an ease in the writing that makes it quick to get into.

The highlight of the book was for me, our male lead, Tristan. He was a very standout character. Broken. Rough around the edges but highly compelling.

I wasn't a huge fan of the heroine, Elizabeth. She had the whole "the protagonist who all guys go for because she's so beautiful and amazing, but you think she is bland" thing going on. She had her fair share of tragedy but I didn't feel it, as I did with Tristan.

I didn't like Faye, the best friend of Elizabeth. Everyone said she was hilarious but she was too over the top with the whole "I'm blunt, I say outrageous things that are funny" - I thought she was reckless and needed to respect herself more.

I do like the twist towards the end. The villain was someone unexpected and super psycho. Kudos to the author there.

This book makes references to Harry Potter. That's a plus.

Minus of the book was the cheesy dialogue in those life reflecting moments. I felt I had read them before. A bit too "the notebook" for me. And I know romance novels have common themes, ideas, because love is love but the ones in this book seemed unoriginal to me. Like, too cliché.

3/5 for this book.

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Eternal Dawn (Vampire Queen #3) by Rebecca Maizel

Eternal Dawn by Rebecca Maizel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an end to this amazing series.

First off, I'll never get over how profound the writing can get in these books. They belong to the YA genre but there is such an in depth look into the main characters that they feel so much older.

There was a new twist to vampires in this novel and a new set of kinda magical lore introuduced. Unexpected, but it worked.

My babies Lenah and Rhode finally got their happily ever after and I loved it. They had suffered so much and I felt it aged them, their trials, but I feel like the endING gives them a fresh start. So much love there!

I liked how life and death are examined in this book. It has rough moments but it's like life, not everything can be perfect, if not the story would be boring to read.

Besides Rhode and Lenah. I felt like I grew to love Tracy more. I wish I could read more about her. She went from a mean girl, to a great young woman, who was really tough and resolved.

Justin was awful. Bye felicia to his character. Became a ruthless villain.

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Update

Hey guys,
Sorry for the lack of posts. I know I have neglected my book blog, but I am always reading.

I haven't posted in a while because I have not felt inspired. If you follow me on goodreads, any reviews I write are there for now. But I do hope to eventually get back into blogging.

Right now I am reading:
-- The Air He Breathes by Brittainy Cherry
-- Meant for her by Raine Thomas
-- Breathe by Kristen Ashley (Colorado mountain #4)

I haven't been reading YA lately. I do have many YA series to catch up on. Especially a couple of series by Richelle Mead and Cassandra Clare.

Raine Thomas is an author I've been reading for years. I love her books. Kristen Ashley is an author I've recently gotten into which I like. Brittainy Cherry is a new author to me.

Hope this finds you well. And please let me know what y'all are reading. :)

Review: Sins of My Father by Lisa Cardiff

Sins of my Father by Lisa Cardiff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Archer Black


Langley


My Review:

I would like to start this review by thanking Lisa Cardiff for writing a 'revenge on a senator in Washington plotline' in the right way. I luckily found this book after having come off reading the first two books in the Pawn series by Maya St. James. Sins of my Father managed to do what the two books in that series couldn't. Deliver a killer plotline and story with well developed characters, a hot romance and a revenge in Washington story that actually addressed its revenge and Washington themes.


Archer Black. Archer freakin' Black. How I loved thee. Seriously, ladies. This man was everything. I felt so bad for him because his reasons for wanting to take down the senator who did him wrong were so validated because the senator in this story was just so awful and manipulative and evil. It was heartbreaking to find out about Archer's backstory. Though successful as an adult, he surely had to suffer to get there. And most importantly he just oozed this powerful persona in the book. He had the looks, the talk and the attitude. He was awesome.


Langley, the female lead in this story, I also loved. Lisa Cardiff switches the point of view of the story from Langley to Archer so you get to be in both of the characters heads. Langley was a beautiful girl who easily couldve been very superficial and vapid with her settings and surroundings but she was decent to the core and very straight forward with herself about what she wanted. She had integrity that was believable.


Archer and Langley together were great. If both characters didn't have personality and strength there was no way they could've attracted each other and worked as a couple.


What I loved about Archer and Langley is that both were a bit jaded about life and love and in each other they found solid ground. They had to fight their shady and dubious surroundings and also their own misconceptions about each other and the situations they were in.



I loved the Washington setting in this book with political deception, scandal, betrayal, lies, manipulation. I felt like I was right there waiting for things to unravel in DC.


And the thing I loved the mostest (yes, that is not a word but bare with me) is that Archer Black is one of the few male characters I have ever read that makes sure that his girl pursues her dream and switches his agenda and life after all the drama in the story goes down, to make sure she is complete as a person and happy with life. That barely happens, especially with a super young, successful and handsome man like Archer. Langley could've easily been in the corner just thanking her lucky stars she found this sexy guy who had it all, but it wasn't like that. They both completed each other and grew together and supported each other. Archer Black is my new book bae/husband/ and fave male lead.


What is exciting is that this is a series and Archer has brothers that are also as troubled, complex and sexy as him. I need book two like I need air. I think its about Knox, and though Knox seemed well on the outside, I could sense a lot was going on underneath the surface.



Favorite quote:
"I never felt like I belonged to anyone. I was always on the outside looking in, waiting for someone to notice and want me.
Archer changed all of that."


My rating: 5/5



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Review: Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountains #2) by Kristen Ashley

Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tate




Lauren





So, this is the second book in the Colorado Mountain series by Kristen Ashley and it did not disappoint. At this point, Kristen Ashley is one of those author's who have my auto-buy trust. Her books maybe are a bit lengthy but they are well rounded, have great character development and have a realistic tone to them that I really like. You feel like the characters are going through struggles that are not unimaginable.


In what seems to be Kristen Ashley fashion, we have a female lead, Lauren, who is at a point in her life that she has been deceived by all and kinda jaded in love and trying to get on with life. And then BAM in comes in an alpha male macho man who seems to be a douche but actually is about to flip her world upside down for the better because he's actually a great man.

And that man was Tate.

Are there words for Tate? I loved him. He was a badass biker bounty hunter with a heart of gold, handsome as hell, and with a heart of gold who doesn't take anyone's crap. He was really layered. He got on a rough start with Lauren, but in time their story becomes something really special.

Lauren was the opposite to Tate. More delicate, a girly girl, thoughtful, sweet but in my opinion she struggled with seeing herself in the right light.

But what's awesome about Lauren and Tate is that in a way they are both broken but awaken what is special in each other. They make each other SEE it. Not like other stories where they make it out like the main couple becomes special because the are together. In this story it's different. They are each special in their own right but forgot it along the way through life's struggles and eventually make each other see their true selves again. And that was a great message the author sent to her readers: You are special in your own right, you don't have to be with someone to have worth.


This book had it all. It was sexy, had romance, suspense, mystery and great characterization.

Btw: Tate made me laugh a couple of times out loud. A man a few words who makes cussing charming.


Favorite quote:
“You’re gonna find special, Ace.”
…
“Sometimes special doesn’t exist, Tate,” I told him. “And I’m okay with that.”
His lips came back to mine and when he spoke, he did it gently. “It will for you baby.”

My rating: 4.5/5




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Review: The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) by Kristen Ashley

The Gamble by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How do I even start this review? I don't know. This book swept me off my feet. Several people had recommended Kristen Ashley to me so I decided to take a gamble on one of her books and I lucked out because THE GAMBLE was amazing.

It's no joke when people call Kristen Ashley one of the queens of romance because 'The Gamble' had it all. An outstanding heroine in search of herself. A tough mountain man with a mouth on him and sex appeal by the bucket loads. A full cast of charming characters with it's hidden villains in the mix. And the best part of this book is that the characters are incredibly layered and there was suspense and not a boring moment. So even though 'The Gamble' is a long read, it doesn't ever worn you out because there is never a dull moment.

My favorite aspect of this book is that both Nina and Max, the main characters in this story, kinda thought they had seen the best to offer in life without realizing that the best was yet to come when they met each other. Their relationship went from being rocky, to funny, to sweet and then to intense, it seems like in no time. They went through all the phases that a couple could face until they realized that they had to be together or else life wouldn't be the same.

I think what makes this book special is how drastically different Nina and Max are from each other yet how their differences balance them out and create magic. Nina comes from England to a small town in Colorado to get away and get her thoughts sorted out. She is sophisticated, classy, strong willed and thoughtful and then meets Max. Max, is a alpha macho mountain man in Colorado who is a full out guys guy who likes beer, cussing, his land, and secretly was the biggest softie ever. I don't think Max ever thought he could fall for someone like Nina but he does and it was great to read about.

Not only is Nina hiding a lot of vulnerability, but as tough as mountain man Max is, he too, has been through so much, and takes a huge gamble on Nina when he falls for her. But what's awesome is that there are moments that Nina tries to walk away from him because of the newness and fear of this relationship with Max, but he never lets her get away. He knows what he wants and he makes her see it too and face the reality of what they have.

Max and Nina now take a place in my reading heart as one of my all time fave couples. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series and read about the rest of Kristen Ashley's famous alpha men. Ladies who told me to read this book, you were right, they are the best!


My rating: 5/5


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Review: Point of No Return by Olivia Luck

Point of No Return by Olivia Luck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Favorite quote from this book:
"That's what falling in love is, I guess. Hurling yourself at the unknown, unsure if a safety net will catch your fall. The thing is, if you don't fall, you're souring. The chance to soar with Violet is way worth the risk of the unknown."

Let me start this review by saying that this is my first book that I have read set in the hockey world and I was not disappointed. On the surface, this book looks like the classic, player type of guy who finds a really sweet girl to finally make him a 'one woman' type of man. And it is that in a sense, but it also is so much more. This book is about finding your voice in the world, finding meaning and overcoming grief.


The character development in this book is amazing. The two main characters, Violet and Cam, go through SO much growth. Violet has the challenge of overcoming the death of her husband and her strict religious upbringing. Cam, the male lead, has the challenge of learning to overcome his 'love and leave them' type of attitude with women to become the type of man who is devoted to one type of woman, in this case, Violet. The fact that Cameron is a famous hockey player who looks like a male model, doesn't help him in his quest so much because women are always flocking to him because of his fame and athletic status.


My favorite aspect of this book is that there is no insta love here. Cam does spot out Violet early on but at the time she is with someone else and goes through this whole ordeal with her husband who passes away. Because of that Violet has, like, a wall up, it takes her a long time to open herself up to the thought of love. Widow's guilt is what she suffers through and I have never read a book about a young woman becoming a widow and the grieving process and this book did it well. I could feel Violet's trepidation to say yes to Cameron. And though Cameron is an alpha male, he becomes the most patient, caring and sweetest guy with Violet. He respects her SO much and that was great to read about. A man that has pure admiration for a woman who is trying her best to survive the tragedies of life.


I loved that this book had great secondary characters. From Violet's straightforward gay best friend, Felix, to her other bestie, Stella, they were all such well developed characters in their own right. I loved Ben, who was the cousin of Violet's deceased husband, who had down syndrome but was such a fully fleshed out character rather than a caricature of someone with disability. Even down to the characters who were not the greatest of people, this book had great characterization.


My favorite character in this book was Cameron. Totally new book boyfriend material. So protective, so sexy, so everything. Seeing his process of growth was awesome. He really learned with Violet that he could find Miss Right. I also thought it was so funny how he had to fight his sexual thoughts with Violet. This poor man, suffered. He was SO into her in always, but because she was a widow, trying to find her own place in the world, he had to be patient. But when they finally do hook up, HELLO. Cam drops the sweet side and becomes the purest of Alpha males and let's his inner desires flow to the surface. He definitely became the type of man who take the wheel.

Lastly, a really great aspect of this book is that it shows the reader that they must have patience in life and that even when they do fall in love, they can't forget to pursue their dreams and goals. Because YES Violet and Cameron develop feelings for one another and had a rocky journey to find their way back to eachother, but they don't get lost in that. Violet pursues her goals as an event planner, while Cameron stays focused on his career as a goalie on a hockey team.


Overall, this was a really great read. I think there will be a book about Violet's sister, who also has the challenge of overcoming her strict upbringing and facing love, sexuality and life in the big city of Chicago.


My rating: 4.5/5

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Review: Beautiful Entourage by E.L. Todd (Beautiful Entourage #1)

Beautiful Entourage by E.L. Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have ever read about an escort service and it was nothing like I expected. In a good way, of course. This book is about misconceptions and two damaged souls coming together to become each others support system.


The main characters, Aspen and Rhett, don't have the best of lives, though on the surface it may be appear to be so. Though Aspen is a successful business woman, she works under her father, who is a complete disaster of a human being and undermines everything she does. Rhett on the other hand is an escort in a escort company he built with friends. He is a handsome and smart guy but because of his profession people tend to misjudge him and think that he is a sort of prostitute which is not the case.


Rhett's escort service has very strict rules to keep the people who hire them from doing anything romantic or sexual with them. All they do is accompany people to events who need them either because they are lonely and need someone to talk to or need a handsome man to keep appearances with friends, family, or work people and not look like they are alone. So the escorts are kinda like boyfriends or friends for hire. And the escorts do make good money. Sadly though, their personal lives do suffer because of the misconceptions that people have with a person being an escort.


My favorite aspect of this book is the characterization. Rhett and Aspen are an amazing leading couple. Aspen does suffer a lot because of her father and goes through a betrayal with her boyfriend and cousin. In comes Rhett who she hires and the rest is history. A beautiful relationship blossoms between the two that starts as a friendship and grows into something more with time. Part in due to the rules of the escort service, these two have to struggle to get together. Rhett helps Aspen learn that not all men are bad and that she's not alone in the world. While Rhett learns that not all women will objectify him and misjudge him and that he doesnt have to suffer with his family problems alone (he has a brother with a strange phobia who requires a lot of his help).


The romance in this book is so sweet which you wouldn't expect with an escort and his client, since that is how Aspen meets Rhett. They also get really hot and heavy. Rhett is such a swoon worthy guy. He is sexy, smart, caring. Aspen is a bit skeptical about herself because of her past relationship but Rhett lets her overcome that by just letting her be herself and loving her for who she is. Their relationship is so healthy and comes so natural.


There are also some tough villains in this book. Aspen's father and cousin are the worst people but I liked how Aspen always stayed strong and overcame that.


I love the best friends in this book. Harper is so fun and loyal and straightforward. She is a huge support system for Aspen. While Troy is a bit foul mouthed and might come off as a meat-head but is actually quite a good and supportive friend for Rhett. I think he and Harper might be the subject of one of the following books in this series. Both character seem confident but I think that below the surface, their is a bit of loneliness with them and phobia of relationships.


This is a great start to this series. I can bet each book in this series is about each of the five escorts in the Beautiful Entourage company and I think they will all be awesome guys, like Rhett in book 1 has been.


My Rating: 4/5

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Review: The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like the style of writing in this book. It is very contemporary in the sense that the references to pop culture are very current and clever. I like how the author often described a character and in the same breath compared them to a famous actor. It really brought a lot of the characters to life.

The highlight of this book for me is the first half of it. Camryn, the female lead, had a really unique voice in the first half of this book. She wanted to break free from the monotony of life and look for something more. She quits her jobs, buys a ticket on a bus to nowhere, no real destination and it was one of the coolest decisions I've seen a character make because it was brave. People tend to get tied down by life, daily life responsibilities, but this girl follows her gut and makes a run for it, a run towards freedom.

Camryn meets this very cool and gorgeous looking guy on the bus and the rest is history. Andrew, the male lead of the story, also doesn't want to be tied to societal conventions and finds himself intrigued by Camryn on this bus alone, which for a young woman can be dangerous with all the creepers out there nowadays.

Camryn and Andrew eventually find themselves on a road trip together, going from city to city with nothing but what they have in their pockets. What's cool about Andrew is that he also had really cool views in life. He essentially didn't want to live by anyone's rules and do what makes him happy.

Overall, this book would've been a perfect read if it wasnt for the second half of the book. Andrew comes in the story and for someone who wants to break free, Camryn surely becomes a bit submissive and cliche as a girl. Andrew definitely takes authority in this book and Camryn loses the powerful voice she had in the first half. Almost doesnt seem like the same girl. You see glimpses of it, but it doesnt follow through with what she wanted in the first half of the book.

I do love that Camryn and Andrew want to create their own life for themselves without caring what people think. They encounter everything: creepers, bars, illness, death, their own insecurities, you name it. On their road trip together they go through it all. They do have a tenderness to their love story, but it also gets really steamy. Like, be warned, the sex scenes are descriptive, nothing was held back. NOTHING. It got 50 shades of grey real quick in some moments. This book has it all.

There is a lot of surprises towards the end. Good and bad. But my only quirk was that I felt Camryn lost a bit of what made her a unique female lead, her strong voice and willfullness. Overall, this is a good start to this series, I do know there is a sequel. I do wonder how their story continues.

My rating: 4/5

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Review: Unforgettable (Forehead Kisses #5) by Abby Reynolds

Unforgettable by Abby Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 5 in the Forehead Kisses series was a really quick and good read. This book was the conclusion to the Scotty and Livia storyline. In Book 4 we learned that Livia was hiding a traumatic event in her past and that Scotty had fallen for her after years of just hooking up with random girls and essentially being a man whore. In Unforgettable we find them learning to trust one another and being truthful about their lives.

What was great in this book is that Livia who was really closed off from people finally tells the truth about what happened to her in her life that changed her. She opens up to Scotty, her boyfriend, and Ash, her brother. It felt like it helped them understand her and her closed off nature a lot better.

This book was intense in the sense it covers heavy topics. Especially that of abusing a person in the worst way. I don't want to say to not be spoilery, but this book had a powerful message, of how important it is to not let traumatic events define you and to rise above them to appreciate the little things in life that make it great.

Scotty and Livia did get really hot and heavy in this book. It gets steamy. But overall, what I love about this couple is how sweet and considerate they are of each others feelings.

I'm looking forward to reading Ash's story in book 6 and 7 in this series. He is a really good brother to Livia but he does act recklessly in his personal life. With that being said, I look forward to seeing him mature and trying to be a better man. He seems to think very badly of all people even though he parties and drinks a lot and sleeps around. I wonder what is lying underneath. And for those fans of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline series by Richelle Mead, Ash reminds me of a non supernatural Adrian Ivashkov.

Rating: 4/5

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Review: Unstoppable (Forehead Kisses #4) by Abby Reynolds

Unstoppable by Abby Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

By far, Unstoppable, book # 4 in the Forehead Kisses series has been my favorite.

The story centers on Scotty and Livia. Both are very layered characters. Scotty is a history major who wants to be a fighter. Livia is a painter who is very analytical. They have sworn off relationships until they meet one another. Together they are very sweet. Both are broken souls who need to learn how to trust.

Scotty is just the sweetest guy. I thought he was good from the first books in this series and how supportive he was with his cousin, Keira. But with Livia it's what he was, times ten. Scotty may look tough on the outside but his soul is pure good.

Livia seems to have had something very traumatic happen to her so she is closed off. Im guessing that in Book #5 we will get to learn in detail what that is. And see how she and Scotty finally learn to love and trust one another completely because they didnt end on the highest of notes in this book and that makes my heart ache because they are soooo amazing together.

Besides, Scotty and Livia, this book introduces us to Ash, Livia's brother, who will be the focus of the last two books in this series. I think there is more to him than a pretty boy rich guy who likes to sleep around. I think there is a very good heart underneath it all because he is a very good brother to Livia.

My rating: 4.5/5
This book was a quick read and ended on a huge cliffhanger. I need more!

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Review: Uncrushable (Forehead Kisses #3) by Abby Reynolds

Uncrushable by Abby Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, this was the last book focused on the Liam and Keira relationship. I felt like their conclusion was wrapped up really well. In book 1 and 2 I was a bit concerned about Keira's growth or lack there of. But in Book 3, she really redeemed herself and grew.

I think what really shines in this book is Liam's vulnerability. His physique, his career as a fighter and his personality can lead to a character that is just really tough, but on the contrary, he is not. Liam showed that even though he is physically strong and brave, that his heart is fragile and needed to rebuild itself and learn to trust again.

Keira grew leaps and bounds. She really became strong on her own - emotionally, mentally and physically. She really learned to not be so insecure and trust in her own strength as a person.

I look forward to reading this series, especially Scotty's story, Keira's cousin. He is really closed off and I can't wait to see what awaits for him in book 4 that is focused on him.

I was surprised by the ending, it was intense. Keira and Liam faced some tough situations and opponents to their happiness. And even though it was all crazy, it seemed realistic because what they went through are things that do happen to people and so frequently.

My rating: 4/5
This series does contain sexual content and violence. It also covers the topic of abuse, especially domestic and emotional abuse. My only problem with it is that it needs some serious editing. There are some grammatical errors that are too grave to ignore.

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Review: Unshakeable (Forehead Kisses #2) by Abby Reynolds

Unshakeable by Abby Reynolds
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, this book wasn't as good as the first. I felt like UNBREAKABLE was more well rounded. Book 2 doesn't have the best plotline and there is a lot of grammatical errors that made me feel lost at times but I feel like this series still has potential.

In this book we find Liam and Keira, the main characters, in more of a relationship bliss until things spiral out of control again. Both characters have a lot of issues to conquer. Liam, I feel, is the character who has grown the most and it was interesting to get flashbacks of his life to understand his journey thus far. Keira on the other hand, I thought was growing a bit, but kinda settled back to her old ways towards the end which was difficult for me to swallow.

I do wonder what's in store for them in book 3.

My only issue with this book is that it got drowned too much in bedroom scenes while I was expecting a bit more to the plotline. Let's see how things pan out in book 3. I'm still invested enough that I want to see how Liam and Keira conquer the setbacks they had in this book.

My rating: 3/5

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Review: Unbreakable (Forehead Kisses #1) by Abby Reynolds

Unbreakable by Abby Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book. It's easy to get into and a fast read.

This book is basically about two people who have a very painful past, who are very hurt, and trying to escape themselves. I feel like through a slowly developed relationship, they start to become whole again.

The main characters Liam and Keira are very sweet, but damaged people. My favorite character in this book is Liam. He is such a straight forward guy who is willing to face things head on and who grows a lot. The sweetest thing about him is how patient he is with Keira, who is distrustful of men due to her very troubled past. Keira was not my favorite female character, there is a lot of insecurity in her and immaturity but I definitely feel like she can grow in the series. Well, I hope that she does. I'm gonna give her the benefit of the doubt.

I think that Scotty, Keira's cousin, is an amazing character who I'm very curious about. His past is also troubled and im curious about the fact that he is very emotionally unavailable.

This is a good start for the series. Looking forward to book 2 in this series.


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Review: Pan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne

Pan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne

Release Date: February 24th 2014

Genre: Adult PNR

Source: Bought

Format: Ebook

Goodreads Summary:

Syrinx pulled a fast one on Pan to escape his raging lust. The God of Chastity wasn't about to break her vows and succumb to his temptations. Transported to the twenty-first century, she runs a florist shop—fulfilling her fake, mortal life. Until the breathtaking Parker Thomas hires her to decorate his grand estate for a gala. Five hundred roses? Easy enough. Except Parker makes her feel things she can't ignore...

As the God of Fertility, Pan is used to maidens flocking in droves to his pastures. So when Syrinx denies him, he's determined to win the one that got away. He poses as a mortal to get close to her, but he doesn't count on falling hard for his conquest—hard enough to make a life and stay.

But Syrinx is falling in love with a man that doesn't exist. Can Pan hide his identity forever, or will the truth tear them apart?

My Review: 

For those of you who don't know. I was a classical humanities major in college. A huge part of my curriculum involved the studies of ancient philosophy and myth. I love mythology. So, with that type of a background, you can imagine that I'm always on the lookout for stories that involve myth in any way and my particular favorites are those who have Gods who disguise themselves as humans in the mortal realm or as Harry Potter fans would say, in the muggle world.

I have been looking for an Adult Paranormal Romance novel with mythology that would really win me over for quite some time now. I have read several but they usually end up in disappointment because as the Adult books that they are, they get drowned too  much in the physical aspect of a romantic relationship and forget about characterization. And really, isn't it a crime to ignore characterization when you have a story where an immortal God has to learn how to be human, and all of the complexities that come with being mortal and imperfect, as compared to Gods who are immortal and perfect. When you have a story that has someone learning to be human you can explore so much about identity, emotions, feelings and this is what Pan's Conquest does. It gives us a look into the minds of two Gods who are learning that identity is so much more than what you are assigned with a birth. Identity boils down to feelings and actions and learning to break down misconceptions that are imposed on us by strangers and the particular society we live in.

The characterization in this novel is everything. Pan is the God of Fertility and he is set on trying to add Syrinx, the God of Chastity, to his last of many conquests. But as their titles suggest, these two Gods kinda represent the opposite of each other. Pan is a sort of playboy/ player, while Syrinx is the serious girl who has morals and boundaries amongst the Gods. So, what happens? Syrinx goes to the mortal world to escape Pan under a human identity, while Pan follows and also takes up a human identity to see if he can win her over. What I love about Pan and Syrinx is that their human selves allow them to discover who they are as people because once they hit the human realm, they have to shed their God identities and all that these entail, and have to learn just how to BE. To just be a person, living in the world, learning and living. Pan becomes Parker, a wealthy young bachelor, while Syrinx becomes Sylvia, a florist.

What ensues amongst Pan and Syrinx as humans is a really sweet, and well developed romance. Both characters are hell bent on hiding their true identities as Gods. They are also reluctant on love because they are too hung up on their God roles. Luckily, the secondary characters come in and help them challenge their own views in the form of Kaye, the friend and assistant of Syrinx at her floral shop and Rutherford, the older butler and advisor of Pan in his estate. Kaye really helps Syrinx break out of her shell and to open to love and Rutherford helps Pan see that love is so much more about lust and the physical, that love helps you to see the beauty in life and to cherish and consider others.

I could go on some more about the characters and the lessons learned in this book but I don't want to give the story away. All I can say is that Pan's Conquest was a really lovely story of two souls that kinda had a certain loneliness to them, but who become whole through each other. The characters were witty and fun, and getting to see two Gods fumble as humans while doing ordinary things

was really great too. Makes you think about how the little things in life aren't little at all, and could lead to extraordinary discoveries. I loved this book. It was easy to get into and the writing just flowed.

My rating: 4/5