March 28, 2014

Mini Hiatus!

Hey guys!

This is very last minute update. A lot has happened over the week or so. I've been going through some serious family stuff right now so I have been absent. 

I'm writing this update because I will be gone for the next few days due to my International Experience for school. I won't have my computer and will have limited wifi in Germany to do posts. I'll still be reading and writing reviews, just won't have posts until I get back. 

I'll try to get back on track when I'm home bound. For now, standby. 

Love you guys lots for being super duper understanding and loyal. <3

Currently reading: Fix You by Christine Bell 

March 20, 2014

REVEIW: The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Source: Edelwiss via publisher*
Rating: 4/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N
With the intrigue of Pretty Little Liars and plenty of romance, bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer weaves a story of secrets and lies—set in a funeral parlor.

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.

But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.

So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.

As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

My Review
Oh how I adored The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer! It’s not everyday where I really truly enjoy a suspenseful book. Not only was this suspenseful, it was fun and odd and creepy in a subtle way. It definitely gave a Pretty Little Liars vibe just without the confusion. 

I’m going to start of with Lily Graves. I loved loved loved her times a million! She fascinated me and she totally made me laugh. She had a morbid sense of humor I was so down for. I really enjoyed her style and how she carried herself. She dressed differently from everyone else (black lace dresses all the time) and she read and breathed the dead... literally. She was different and she didn’t mind that at all. She didn’t let her fellow classmates put her down. I thought Lily was comfortable in her skin and that type of attitude was a breath of fresh air.

I also loved the family dynamics of this book. I loved how all of them worked as morticians. It was creepy, but hey, they dig it. Anyway, Oma, Aunt Boo and Lily’s mom loved and cared for Lily. They were overprotective, but super duper loving. They too, had a morbid sense of humor just not as much as Lily. They all just had a great bond as a family. It was nice to see some parental units who were more than around to guide Lily even though she was stubborn as hell.

The romance was wonderful and lovely and sweet and cute. I appreciated that Strohmeyer took her time to develop the relationship here with flashbacks and interactions. She gave enough to make me giddy, but she never took away from what was going on in the book and that was finding out who was Erin’s killer. 

The Secrets of Lily Graves definitely had a mysterious yet playful feel to it. It had very intense, descriptive moments that disturbed me along with moments that were light and humoring but still startling. The mystery and intrigue of who really killed Erin was always at the forefront. I continued to guess and theorize who did it and why. Lily was a great amateur investigator, she was just as in dark as any reader can be. She takes the reader on this ride where small hints are dropped and people become suspects in your mind. It was not as thrilling as it can be, but entertaining enough because the questions  keep running through your mind throughout the book. The closer I got to the end, the clues did start piling up and become clearer. However, I was still surprised and caught off guard. 

Overall, The Secrets of Lily Graves had me hooked in every way. I really enjoyed this strange mystery story and was even more taken with Lily herself. 

*Thanks to Balzer + Bray for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review

March 18, 2014

Cover Reveal: See Through Me by Sera Bright


See Through My by Sera Bright (Lose My Senses #1) 
Publication Date: May 2014
Age Group/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance


Synopsis:
There's only one person I want to see when I return home. But I know he won't be waiting. It's the reason I feel safe enough to come back.

I’m so wrong.

Ash Townsend isn't the same quiet boy from next door. He's tall, dark, and demanding answers. He wants me, but he doesn't trust me. Who can blame him? When his own family tried to break him down, he still sheltered me in this town full of liars. And I repaid it by leaving him without a word.

Because I'll do anything to protect Ash. I have the scars on my wrist to prove it.


About the Author
When I’m not plotting elaborate schemes in my head, I’m having a fabulous time with my own real life story. That’s what happens when you have three awesome kids, two fluffy (useless) cats, and one very patient husband.

I can cook like a fiend but prefer to eat doughnuts with sprinkles for breakfast. Sprinkles make everything taste better. An avid reader of all genres, I shamelessly admit romance will always be my favorite. And while I enjoy the safe and familiar, I’m always up for an adventure.

My debut New Adult Contemporary Romance novel SEE THROUGH ME will be released in May. You can contact me at https://www.facebook.com/authorserabright, https://twitter.com/SeraBright, or through my website: http://www.serabright.com

___________________________________________________________________


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          See Through Me      

     

          by Sera Bright      

     
         
            Giveaway ends May 15, 2014.          
         
            See the giveaway details             at Goodreads.          
     
   
   
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March 14, 2014

REVIEW: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Source: Edelweiss via publisher*
Rating: 1/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N
Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

My Review
I wish I could have loved Panic by Lauren Oliver. I really thought that Panic would give me a thrilling, adventurous and even slightly nerve wracking experience which was what I got from the description initially. Sadly, I did not get that out of this novel at all.



I’m not sure what was up with the third person narrative in this book. Granted, I have read several with the same narrative, yet Panic left me with such a huge disconnect from the novel and especially the characters itself. The two main characters were Heather and Dodge. Both characters had their own reasons for  playing Panic with one having a very obvious reason and the other still figuring it out.  I found I didn’t really care for both of these characters (or any character). Heather whined about her boyfriend breaking up with her and how her life just sucked so bad. Dodge, on the other hand, was hell bent on getting revenge and liking a girl who didn’t give two shits about him. If you really had to ask me, I liked Dodge better. He was just weird and awkward, but kind of endearing. Heather just annoyed me because she continued to complain that no one would love her, when it was obvious she had plenty who did. But out of both characters, Heather showed a little more growth that Dodge, but not very much. 



To be quite frank, I was thoroughly bored by this novel. The challenges in the game, the near death of the players and even what Heather and Doge were going through were flat. I was hoping the challenges were going to be exciting, but my disconnect toward the characters didn’t allow me to feel anything towards Heather and Dodge. I barely felt their fear or their nervousness. One would think that jumping off cliffs, walking a plank thousands of feet in the air or even crossing a highway blindfolded would keep me on the edge of my seat, but it didn’t. It was lifeless to me. Even worse, the twist that came near the end I already had it all figured out in the first few chapters. This took away any shock or surprise I may have felt. 



I also didn’t think the town or the game itself was realistic. The parental units in this town were nearly non-existent at best. For a game (I’m assuming) that has been happening every year, I expect the parents to care or try to put a stop to it. The police tried to get involved, but it felt like those who controlled the game were in charge and had the power. I still don’t even know who or how this game started, but from what I read I don’t think it was meant to ever be known. 



The romance was just meh. I mean, it was just kind of sudden and it was just there. The development was severely lacking in every aspect of the romance. When the end came around and everything seemed good, I was just like, What? Ok whatever. Most of the issues the characters had with each other were never really addressed or got resolved and it just added to the frustration I felt about my dislike for the novel.



Although I sped through Panic fairly quickly, I couldn’t bring myself to like or even care for the book. I was just relieved to able to put it down. Panic was definitely not for me.

*Thanks to HarperCollins for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.

March 13, 2014

Announcing: YA/NA Author Pinterest Party + Giveaway!



Join your favorite YA and NA authors as we celebrate being Irish for a day and play on Pinterest. There will be over 45 e-book giveaways! 

You can join the Facebook party HERE!

You won't want to miss it!

Participating Authors:


Lila Felix   A. W. Exley  Melissa Pearl   
Jessica Gibson  Cindy M. Hogan  Sarah Ashley Jones  
Marie Landry  Rachel Morgan  Jennifer Snyder 
Stacey Marie Brown  Jessica Therrien  D.L. Raver 
Stacey Wallace Benefiel  Marilyn Almodóvar  Angee Taylor 
A.O. Peart  Devyn Dawson  Rick Chiantaretto 
Raine Thomas  L.P. Dover  Tamara Hart Heiner  
Leigh T Moore  Meradeth Houston  Amber Argyle 
Tawdra Kandle  Carlyle Labuschagne  Lisa Collicutt
Christy Dorrity  Stephanie Fowers  Kristina Renee
Faith McKay  Charlotte Abel  Jamie Ayres
A.M. Hargrove  Charli Webb  Amy Harmon  
Alyssa Rose Ivy  Kristie Cook  Lani Woodland
T.M. Franklin  Laura Howard  Sharron Riddle
Eliza Tilton  S. M. Boyce  Bethany Lopez 
Dawn Leigh  L.A. Casey  Emma Adams  
Amber Garr  Liz Long





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March 12, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday #46

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where you share an upcoming release that you're anticipating on reading.


This is the UK cover (not sure about the US one?)

Eternal Dawn by  Rebecca Maizel (Vampire Queen #3)
Expected Publication Date: July 3, 2014 (Macmillan)

Book Description:
Lenah has sacrificed everything -- including the love of her soulmate Rhode -- to save Rhode and the world from a vampire plague. But when the only good vampire left is murdered, she knows she must avenge his death. The problem is that the murderer is her former boyfriend, Justin, who has not only become a vampire himself, but one of the most evil she has ever encountered. Lenah knows she will have to kill him in order to save her twenty-first-century friends, but can she do it? The answer is clearer when she discovers that Justin's taken her beloved Rhode hostage and is slowly turning him into a vampire too. But Rhode no longer remembers Lenah, and killing anyone is now against her nature. Will the heartbreak of seeing Rhode corrupted lead her to take a path from which she may never be able to return?

Why am I waiting?

1. Because Rebecca Maizel totally left me hanging in Stolen Nights. She freaking shattered me!

2. Rhode. I love love love Rhode. I was basically obsessed with him when I basically plowed through both Infinite Days and Stolen Nights. He was is definitely one of my favorite book boyfriends. 

3. Lenah.. yeah sometimes she could be a big pain in the ass, but she was a bad ass, vicious vampire and I really want to find out what the heck she is going to do next. 

4. I need this book. I just need it. NOW. 


Shameless promo (sort of)
You can totes read my review for the first book in the Vampire Queen Series:

And you can read my review for the second book too!

March 11, 2014

REVIEW: Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 18, 2014
Source: Edelweiss via publisher*
Rating: 5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N
Critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.
Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.
Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor wasn’t your ordinary hard-to-deal with book that centered around cancer. I believe this one stands out among the rest and exceeds any type of standard there is for such a novel. It was more than the cancer itself, it was about true friendship between two girls who loved each other like they were sisters. 



I always find it rare to read a book with someone else looking on the outside-in of someone with an illness. In Maybe One Day, Zoe was that person. I liked her right off the bat because she was just so normal in the sense that I could possibly meet someone exactly like her on the street. She was funny and silly and complained about parents and crazy cheerleaders and boys like a normal teenager would. What really made me love Zoe with great certainty was the way she stood by Olivia’s side before and after she got cancer. Everyone was concerned for Olivia and like a few characters mentioned, no one was looking after Zoe, but she wasn’t thinking about that at all. She kept thinking about her best friend. Zoe, of course, was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. She made bad calls, she had a shaky relationship towards her feelings on dancing, and she struggled with teaching Livvie’s dance class. 



Zoe's friendship with Olivia wasn’t just mere friendship, it was love and devotion and the willingness to do everything for that person because she wasn’t just a best friend, she was family. And this love, this beautiful, heart breaking friendship went both ways. Zoe loved Olivia just as much as Olivia loved Zoe. It was painfully obvious throughout the whole book even when they fought, even when Olivia wasn’t feeling so good and even when Zoe felt like she did her friend wrong. I have never read or experienced such a strong bond between two people as much as this one. I reveled in it, I rejoiced, and I cried like a freaking baby. 



At first, I was hesitant to read Maybe One Day. The beginning was pretty slow for me. I was waiting for that ball to drop and even though I knew it was coming, it still packed a punch to the gut. From there, I flew through this book. The writing was as easy to read as it was to take in a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t stop myself from getting to that end, to find out what was going to happen to these two girls I was so tragically in love with. What really blew me away was the honest, real and genuine way Kantor told the story through Zoe. She didn’t cut corners or exaggerate certain emotions or even scenes that others may have. I felt every single smile, laugh, sorrow, pain, and loss right down to the bone. And I felt this not only through Zoe, but in Olivia, with her pain and fear and especially in Olivia’s parents. I just felt their heartbreak, their hope dwindling away.

 

I really thought Kantor did an excellent job with this book. She not only focused on how Zoe was handling Olivia’s sickness, but also Zoe’s life in general, her feelings and outlook in certain things and how they changed. Zoe grows in this novel despite the pain she felt at watching her friend suffer in the hands of such a cruel disease. She questioned a lot of things, from God, to dancing, to how unfair life was. 



Overall, Maybe One Day was such a powerful, thought provoking, and captivating novel. It showed the importance of life, family and friendship. It completely grabbed me in such a moving way.

*Thanks to HarperTeen for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review. 


Favorite Quotes

"You're a couple of salt and pepper shakers. And now here I was, just a stupid lonely pepper shaker. What was the point of a pepper shaker without a salt shaker? I didn't even like pepper."

"I tried to imagine a God who would never let anything really awful happen to us for no reason. A God who loved us too much to take us away from each other."

"Time does not care how precious it is, how hard you are working no to squander it. Time passes."

March 10, 2014

Cover Reveal: Slowly We Trust by Chelsea M. Cameron


Slowly We Trust by Chelsea M. Cameron (Fall and Rise #3)
Expected Publication: April 2014

Book Description:
The first time Audrey Valdez met Will Anders, she thought he wasn't her type. At all. She didn't mean to fall for him, but he made it hard not to with his goofy smile, Star Wars quotes and athletic body. He makes her laugh more than she has in years. But as much as she cares about him, there are things about Audrey that Will doesn't know, things he can't know. She tries to push him away, but he just ends up getting closer to her and her secret. Is the risk of losing him forever worth the chance a being with the only person she's ever loved?

EXCERPT: 
Will:
“No sucking face until after midnight,” Lottie said.
“You little hypocrite! You’ve been attached to Zan’s lips plenty of times tonight.” She definitely had. There were so many couples here that the kissing was almost constant.
“Hey now. This is a night about love. If somebody wants to express it, then I’m all for it,” Simon said, and Brady gazed at him adoringly. Those two were something else. I’d never seen Simon so gone on anyone, and it was a little bit of an adjustment, but Brady was cool and I was glad Simon was happy.
“Hear, hear!” Stryker said, raising his glass. Lots of toasting followed and then Lottie turned on the television so we could watch the party in New York City. The pizza finally arrived and we all ate and drank and were merry. The night would have been better with a beer, but you couldn’t have everything.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, we got our handfuls of confetti, poppers and noisemakers ready to ring in the New Year.
I pulled Audrey close and instead of watching the glittering ball fall in New York, I watched her face.
“Three, two, one, Happy New Year!” We yelled in unison and Audrey turned toward me for the traditional kiss. I wanted to linger on her mouth, but I had something that was more important.
“I love you,” I said. “I love you.”

AUTHOR LINKS: 




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March 7, 2014

REVIEW: Tempted by the Soldier by Nicolette Day

Tempted by the Soldier by Nicolette Day (Falling for You #2)
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: February 24, 2014
Source: eARC via publisher*
Rating: 5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N
When one touch isn’t enough, why resist?

Road trips are supposed to be fun. Or, at least, full of hot sex. For photographer Lilly Grayson, the fifteen-hour drive to her friend’s wedding with Nate Jennings will be neither. Not that Nate isn’t sexy—the man is six-foot-three-inches of mouth-watering Marine. But Lilly’s been there, done that…and he walked away. Now it’s time for a little payback. The kind that’ll make a man desperate for a taste of what he can’t have.

And Nate wants a taste—so badly that he can barely keep his hands on the wheel. But the scars and ghosts of his last tour still haunt him. He can’t give into temptation, not this time. Lilly deserves a whole man—one who can love her the way she deserves to be loved, even if she doesn’t believe it can happen. And that can’t be Nate. Not when he’s leaving again in two weeks, and this time, he’s not sure he’ll return…

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions
Oh Nicolette Day, you slay me! You really do. Tempted by the Soldier was exceptional and twice the superbness of its shorter predecessor. The angst was there, the romance was spot on, the sex scenes were scorching, and the banter was off the charts!



I have been waiting for Tempted by the Soldier since I finished No Strings Attached and needed to read more about Lilly and Nate. Those two were so freaking hot in and out of the bed (if they were even using a bed). But before I get into that.. Lilly was just so snarky and funny. She talked too much but had the best comebacks when it came to Nate. The girl was so witty! And Nate, god. He was so sexy even though he suffered from PTSD and misplaced survivor’s guilt. He was such a tortured soul, yet so strong willed too. My heart broke for the agony and pain he was in emotionally and mentally.



Nicolette Day totally dazzled with this book. I loved the way she added in a little bit of Hayden and Jace in the book while still keeping the focus on Nate and Lilly. The road trip along with Nate’s old memories really gave insight to who Nate was and how he came to carry so much guilt and even Lilly’s background and fears were a very nice touch as well. But what I really loved so much was the outrageous sexual tension that just kept on brewing between the two along with their most entertaining, humoring arguments. It was a great balance that was part hilarious and part sexy. Most of the time I just wanted them to kiss or just do it already because I think I was dying of deprivation for them! Day also coupled sweet tender moments and even really intense, heartbreaking ones to really balance and give the book even more depth. Because Day develops Nate and Lilly’s characters and builds up their relationship to an explosive climax (no pun intended) you can’t help but root for them and fall in love with them and just experience them in the most passionate way. I’m telling you this book had it all. There were ups and downs, some fighting and crying and lots of kissing and the most funniest zipper incident I have ever read!



All in all, Tempted by the Soldier was flawlessly written. It was delicious, romantic and freaking orgasmic. Nicolette Day, I need seconds and thirds and fourths please because I just can’t get enough! 

*Thanks to Entangled for sending a copy for review purposes
I was not compensated for my opinion

Favorite Quotes

"The only issue to work out was that Nate Jennings suffered from a severe case of assholeitis."

"Yet another reason to hate him. The bastard had broken her libido with his wonder penis. Jerk."

"All the blood in his body was headed south, and if she kept this up there wouldn't be any left north of the border to keep him going."

"I want your taste in my mouth. I want you riding my cock. Screaming my name. Begging me for release." 

"If you tell me you can't do this now, I swear to God, I'll drown you in this sink."

"But I have cookies if you're interested."
"Oh, I'm very interested in your cookies."

"Need a ride, Princess?"
"Take me home, Soldier Boy."

March 6, 2014

REVIEW: Savor by Monica Murphy

Savor by Monica Murphy (Billionaire Bachelors Club #3)
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Publication Date: January 21, 2014
Source: Edelweiss via publisher*
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N
Bryn James can’t take much more. Smart, sexy Matthew DeLuca is everything she wants in a man, but he’s also her boss—the youngest, hottest vineyard owner in the Napa Valley—and he doesn’t see her as anything more than his shy assistant. That’s all about to change. Armed with a hot new look and an attitude to match, Bryn is determined to catch Matt’s eye… professionalism be damned.

With his winery’s grand reopening approaching, Matt is trying to stay focused, but Bryn is suddenly making it very difficult. He’s always thought her prim demeanor effortlessly sexy, but Matt can’t deny that her transformation is jaw-dropping …and going to make it very difficult to keep his hands to himself.

But when one thing leads to another and suddenly Matt is stripping Bryn bare, he’ll be faced with the biggest risk of his career—and his heart. Can he convince her—and himself—that this might just be more than a no-strings office affair?

My Review
The Good



Monica Murphy’s writing is always top notch. I really have no complaints on the style of her writing in this book or this whole series for that matter. The POV changes are balanced between Matt and Bryn and of course each voice is its own. I just knew that I was in Matt’s head vs Bryn’s head because their voices were distinct throughout each chapter in the book. 



I really loved Matt. He wasn’t as arrogant or even extremely confident as Archer or Gage. He does describe himself as the nice one who is easy going and I have to agree. He was much more reserved, but he still had that sexy, slightly naughty aspect to him as well. What I really liked about Matt was his hard working, determined, so willing to be better than his father type of attitude. He also had this vulnerability or fear of not succeeding that kind of made him more modest in my eyes. I especially loved Matt for just being a great guy in general and a good boss. He was really great with Bryn. He respected her, encouraged her, and never put her down.



The initial premise of the romance really drew me in. I was curious to see how Matt and Bryn’s relationship was going to work out, especially since it was a boss/assistant type of deal. I thought they had a good amount of tension, this sort of push and pull going on. Both were really scared and hesitant to start anything. When things started to heat up, it was still rocky and unknown, but I liked that it was kind of a slow burn at first.



The Not So Good

I really wanted to like Bryn. Don’t get me wrong, she had some good qualities such as being dedicated, appreciative, and hard working. She even had a sharp tongue when provoked. What I thought really brought be down was her lack in confidence and self-esteem. Yes, I understood her past encounters really affected her. It was just her wishy washy thoughts and actions. She’d say this and do something else. And her fear and the way she continually put herself down was horrible. I could barely handle it. 



While I liked Matt and Bryn together, their romance lacked some serious development. They liked each other, they were attracted to each other, but I felt that the meat of their problem for me was how they didn’t really know much of each other. I just needed more from them to have myself be invested in their relationship as a whole. When the I love you’s started coming out, I couldn’t feel it or believe it. It bummed me out because if there was just more of that development, it would have been great. 



All in all, Savor was a decent romance novel. It had some spark and shining moments here and there that made me smile. Matt was a great character and I admit the make out scenes were awesome.

*Thanks to Avon Impulse for sending a copy for review purposes
I was not compensated for my opinion.

Read my review of Torn by Monica Murphy (Billionaire Bachelors Club #2)
Read my review of Crave by Monica Murphy (Billionaire Bachelors Club #1)

March 4, 2014

Release Day Launch: FOUR YEARS LATER by Monica Murphy


Created by Romance Wrangler for Monica Murphy

We're so excited that Monica Murphy's FOUR YEARS LATER is finally here! FOUR YEARS LATER is a New Adult contemporary romance and is the final book in the Drew+Fable Series! Check out the excerpt below, then enter to win the fabulous prizes she has for you!

Four Years Later

Four Years Later by Monica Murphy
  Buy Links: Amazon | B&N  

Book Description:
New Adult bestselling author Monica Murphy winds up her sensational series with this sexy story of two college kids with nothing in common but a bunch of baggage and a burning attraction.
Over. That about sums up everything in my life. Suspended from my college football team and forced to cut back my hours at The District bar because of my crappy grades, I can’t keep turning to my sister, Fable, and her pro-football playing husband, Drew, to bail me out. I just can’t seem to find my own way. Weed and sex are irresistible temptations—and it’s messed up that I secretly hand over money to our junkie mom. A tutor is the last thing I want right now—until I get a look at her.

Chelsea is not my type at all. She’s smart and totally shy. I’m pretty sure she’s even a virgin. But when she gives me the once over with those piercing blue eyes, I’m really over. But in a different way. I won’t deny her ass is killer, but it’s her brain and the way she seems to crave love—like no one’s ever given her any—that make me want her more than any girl I’ve ever met. But what would someone as seemingly together as her ever see in a screwed up guy like me?

  4YL Teaser 1   


EXCERPT
“Anything else?” I ask them minutes later as I drop the check on their table.
Owen slaps his hand against the piece of paper and drags it toward him. “I think that’s it.”
“Great.” I smile but it feels brittle. “I can be your cashier or you can pay at the register.”
“Hey, what else can you be for us, huh?” one of Owen’s friends ask, making the other one laugh.
My cheeks are hot again and my mouth is open. I’m gaping at them like a dying fish and thankfully Owen rushes to my defense. “Shut the hell up, Des.” He glances up at me, all traces of the buzzed foolish boy who first walked in here gone. “He’s drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying,” drunken Des mumbles, clamping his lips shut when Owen shoots him a deathly stare.
“It’s all right,” I say, backing away from them slowly. “Take your time.”
I turn to flee from their table when I hear someone slide out of the booth, strong fingers curling around my upper arm and stopping me from leaving. He’s standing directly behind me, the warmth from his body seeping into mine and I go completely still. Willing myself not to react, not to say something stupid and embarrass myself.
Look what he’s doing to me just by touching my arm. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to me. I don’t care about boys. I’ve been kissed a measly three times in my life, once by Cody Curtis the tongue thruster and he definitely doesn’t count.
So twice. Twice I’ve been kissed and I’m a virgin. A freaking virgin. Owen Maguire has player written all over him. I’m nothing to him.
So why is he touching me? Talking to me in that husky low murmur of his that slides over me like slow, warm honey?
“…need to talk to you. About this tutoring thing,” he’s saying and I wrench myself out of his grip, irritated that I didn’t pay attention to what he said at first.
“Just meet me Monday afternoon as scheduled and we should be good to go.” I turn to face him, a fake smile plastered to my face and he stares at my lips for a long, breath stealing second before he finally lifts those too pretty green eyes up to meet mine.
My lips are tingling like he actually kissed them. God.
“I don’t even know your name,” he murmurs.

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   ABOUT MONICA MURPHY
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

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March 3, 2014

REVIEW: TORN by Monica Murphy

Torn by Monica Murphy (Billionaire Bachelors Club #2)
Publisher: Avon Impluse
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Source: Edelweiss via publisher
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N
Marina Knight came to this party for one thing only: to slap Gage Emerson in the face. Poised to snatch up her family’s real estate empire, the sexy tycoon is on the verge of making an enemy for life—even if he can make her melt with a single kiss …

When Gage discovers that the alluring woman before him is the key to his latest acquisition, claiming her as his suddenly doesn’t seem quite so cut-and-dried. To get what he wants, he must get to know the fierce woman willing to face him down—as she steadily steals his heart.

Gage’s persistence and intense passion war with Marina’s determination to protect her family. As they delve deeper into an affair they didn’t see coming, Marina’s torn: Will she lose her heart to Gage—or everything she holds dear?



My thoughts, feelings, and reactions
I feel like I have been dying to get my hands on Gage’s book since I finished Crave. Now that I have read and loved and breathed all that is Gage, I can say that the wait was sooooo worth it. Gage was everything and anything I thought he could be and more. He totally owned this book. 



Gage totally met is match in Marina Knight. She may have seemed like a sweet, quiet girl, but she was spunky and full of fire underneath all that. She brought her A game and managed to fluster, confuse and make Gage sweat. I liked her because she was able to get under Gage’s skin and because she valued her family’s legacy. She didn’t give up, she worked hard, and she continued to believe that the bakery was worth something.



Though Gage was arrogant and possibly said the worse things at the worse of times (kind of like Archer, huh?), he was striking, determined and fierce. He was always this put together guy that got whatever he wanted when he put his mind to it and to see him so out of his game was such a fun side to see out of him. He struggled with business and pleasure, but I loved that he let Marina in and basically balanced the two things he enjoyed most. 



Together Gage and Marina were extremely hot, possibly explosive and volcanic. I needed some serious ice cold water during some of their scenes together because hot damn, I couldn’t even! Not only that, Monica Murphy’s writing style is always so easy and quick. It doesn’t take much for me to get lost in her books and that’s exactly what happened with Torn. I was done and I didn’t even realize I was or how much time passed. 



I think my only issue with the book is the pacing of Gage and Marina’s relationship. I thought it went just a little too fast, not because of time. It was the chunk of the their development that lacked luster just a bit. Nonetheless, I loved their chemistry, their intensity, their back and forth, hot and cold tension. Their arguments weren’t tiresome, but so entertaining. And the best part, their wasn’t much angst between the two, but just enough to rattle their relationship and give spice. 



All in all, Monica Murphy didn’t disappoint. I wanted Gage and I got him just the way I wanted him. 

*Thanks to Avon Impulse for sending a copy for review purposes
I was not compensated for my opinion

Read my review of Crave by Monica Murphy (Billionaire Bachelors Club #1)