Book Blitz: Almost Bad Boys Omnibus by A.O. Peart

Almost Bad Boys Omnibus  by A.O. Peart (Almost Bad Boys #1-3) 
Publication Date: May 24, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

This Omnibus Edition collects the three Almost Bad Boys books into a single package: Almost Matched, Almost Broken Up, and Almost Too Far.
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How to describe this hilarious and sexy series in just one sentence?
A martini glass of sizzling romance, a jigger of suspense and crime, perfectly shaken with a twist of wacky humor.
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By popular demand from my readers, I wrote an additional scene for Almost Matched: COLIN AND NATALIE’S FIRST NIGHT TOGETHER. The bedroom doors are cracked open for you to sneak in and, I don’t know… hide behind the curtain maybe?
This exclusive scene has never been published before and is only included in this Omnibus.
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~ ALMOST MATCHED: Would you take another shot at love? Or just settle on a friend with benefits?
~ ALMOST BROKEN UP: How far would you go to protect the one you love?
~ ALMOST TOO FAR: Where would you draw the line between love and trust?

Excerpt

Colin enters my bathroom and leans against the door jam with his shoulder, ankles crossed, hands in his pants pockets. I meet his eyes in the mirror. There is an unmistakable pure appreciation in his eyes for what he sees. One corner of his mouth lifts up just a notch, and he tilts his head to the side. His gaze travels up and down my body, and my heart skips a beat. Or more like five.

“What?” I laugh.

Slowly, he brings his hand to his mouth and absentmindedly traces his lower lip with his thumb. Such a small gesture, and I start to melt inside. My boyfriend is a sexy beast without even trying to be. Colin pushes himself off the doorframe and, biting his lip, unhurriedly moves closer. He stands behind me and wraps his arms around me, bending down to press light kisses to the back of my neck.

I take a sharp breath and feel that familiar slow, lazy heat starting to spread from my chest all the way down to my sex. “You’re going to mess up my hair,” I whisper feebly.

“I’m afraid so,” he whispers back. His lips burn a trail over my shoulder. He cups my breasts and pinches my nipples through the thin fabric of my dress and bra.

I moan and close my eyes. Screw the hair. I press my back against his growing erection and I know where we are heading.

It feels so natural, so right. Colin and I belong together, no matter what demons from the past we are battling. I turn around and look at him, my palms over his chiseled chest. He is so beautiful, with his dreamy eyes, sparkling with anticipation. He leans in, and our lips crush.

A hurricane of our sexual energy is unleashed. We are all lips, and hands, and tongues, and impatient, short breaths. My dress flies off me, and the hairpins slide out of my hair. Colin’s fingers loosen down what’s left of my bun, and I feel my hair tumble down to my back and shoulders. He lifts me up and sits me on the bathroom counter. His lips are on my nipple, and I feel his teeth grazing it through the thin fabric of my lace bra. The sensation is exquisite. It forces any thoughts out of my brain, except for one: I want this man so badly; right now; right here

Purchase: 

Amazon US / Amazon UK / B&N / Kobo

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About the Author

A.O. Peart is the author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction novels, including NA contemporary romantic comedy series Almost Bad Boys. She writes in multiple adult, NA, and YA genres: contemporary, paranormal, urban fantasy, and short stories. Angela was born and raised in Poland. She now lives in the Seattle area with her family and a chronically curious cat. She describes herself as European born, American by choice. 

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google + / Pinterest

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REVIEW: On the Fence by Kasie West

On the Fence by Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

My Review

It is always lovely to go into a book that just absorbs you from the beginning, gives you the laughs, makes you swoon, and just ends up being that comfortable laid back read you’ve been needing but never realizing that you did. On the Fence by Kasie West was that book for me and I ended up devouring this baby in less than a day!

The main gist of this book centered around Charlie. She’s more of a competitive, sports playing, rough housing type of gal who was most comfortable in a t-shirt and jeans and didn’t mind getting mud all over her when playing football. She was the type of girl who was independent enough, never really asked for help and didn’t dare back down from a challenge even if it involved her brother's ridiculous little games. Like any person, she wasn’t perfect and made some tremendous mistakes that involved lying and keeping secrets and being slightly insensitive, but she was only human. She just had a very fun filled nature about her even when she was haunted by her mother’s death. Really,  I liked this girl so much I think I’m sporting a serious girl crush.

For the romance part of this book, god, I don’t even know where to begin. Charlie and Braden had this very comfortable, easy going, really really playful friendship already. They pushed each other, jumped on each others backs, flung food at one another. It was just so easy. The built up to their romance was spectacular and not rushed at all and even though they weren’t making out or holding hands or getting it on, I was squealing and swooning all over the place because they were just so darn freaking cute! We see them get even closer by their first coincidental fence chats that become nearly a regular habit. They start to open up to one another more and more, Charlie starts to date, Braden gets jealous, they fight, but the thing that I really loved was the strong connection they had even as friends. It was absolutely genuine and natural for them to have feelings for another and to take that next step in that direction.

The summary of On the Fence makes it seem like the book is centered on the romance between Charlie and the boy next door, but while it was a significant part, it wasn’t the whole book. I really got a sense of who Charlie was from her hilarious playfulness, to her stubborn demeanor and even when it came to voicing out her fears. While she was comfortable being a tomboy, she was definitely insecure about being a girl guys would like. She had this irrational fear that guys would not like a girl so throughly absorbed into playing sports. This kind of leads to her doing things she never would have done, which had some good and bad consequences. She also had underlying, unsolved issues about her mother’s death which affected the way she saw herself as a girl and her friendships with other girls as well.

But while those seem to plague Charlie, it was quite obvious how her relationship with her brothers shaped her to be who she was today. They have a really strong bond and their closeness is something jealous worthy for any who wish to have that sort of amazing sibling relationship. It was one of my favorite parts of the book to see how close they all were. They didn’t have a perfect family and although they got along well, I liked seeing that the things her brother’s said did have an affect on Charlie and her way of thinking. 



All in all, On the Fence was just a perfect anytime, pick-me-up comfort read. It was just that type of book that didn’t fail to put a smile on your face.

*Thanks to HarperTeen for sending a copy for review purposes in exchange for an honest review.

This in no way affects my view on the book

REVIEW: Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover

Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover (Welcome to the Point #1)
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: June 17, 2014
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Welcome to the Point

There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy who’s bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

Bax terrifies her, but it doesn’t take Dovie long to realize that some boys are just better when they’re bad.

My Review

I was so excited to read Jay Crownover’s new book that wasn’t already a part of the Marked Men series that I’ve become so obsessed. I had a feeling that Better When He's Bad would be something fresh with a lot of edge and I was sold by the sound of such a bad guy, not a bad boy, like Bax. 

And let me tell you all about Bax. He was a criminal, a thief, and a thug. His reputation certainly preceded him. He could be tough, he could be rough and most definitely he was cold and ruthless. He had a map of scars all over his body, he wore a hard glare with his emotionless dark eyes like a mask, and had a star tattoo right next to his eye that made him unforgettable in every sense of the word. He loved fast, beautiful cars and the same went for the women he took to bed. He wasn’t the type of person to back down from a fight and could be in your face and break it in a minute. Bax never pretended to be something he wasn’t and he never made himself out to be the good guy or even said he could be the good guy someday which was evident throughout the whole book. 

When Dovie came into the picture, Bax was still Bax. They didn’t have some lovey romance. Sometimes Bax just straight up manhandled and barked at Dovie. However, we do get little tiny glimpses of someone who could be compassionate. This was shown by the little things that Bax did for her: held her while she slept, brush her hair away from her face, buy her clothes, and protect her when need be. This was what made him salvageable. Dovie was a tough little cookie and survived as best as she could too, but in the work-your-ass-off-on-the-right-side-of-the-law type of way. She was scared shitless by Bax, but she saw something in him that was wedged deep in there, someone within Bax she knew of as Shane. And what I truly appreciated about Dovie was her ability to accept Bax for who he was. She didn’t make him change or didn’t try to fix him either.

I rated this book down a star because most of the focus shifted to Dovie and Bax’s “romance” for a lack of a better term. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy those after the dark on the counter top sexy times, because let’s face it, this is me we’re talking about and I enjoyed them a lot. However, when I was in Dovie’s head, I wanted to be in Bax’s because I thought that’s where all the action was going to be.  A lot of the answers Bax was looking for just got told instead of shown if that makes sense at all. I’m not sure if it was the plot itself or maybe the pacing that made it seem like the information was just tossed at once. But I really loved this book because I was so darn invested into the story. I wanted to know what went down that night Bax got arrested. I wanted to know what the deal was with Dovie and her brother Race and why on earth Novak wanted Bax so much. When we do get answers, things pick up and several revelations come out; some I expected and others that threw me for a loop. I was also shocked by the extent of what Bax would do during the whole shebang and it was well worth the bumpy ride. 

The best thing about this book besides Bax, of course, was how Crownover allowed readers to conjure up our own view of the Point and the Hill and all the dirty stuff in between. She made us feel that this neighborhood does indeed exist and that people do live this way and that there is not a shortage of danger, action, guns, strip clubs, dirty fights, money laundering, blackmail and jail time when you’re in this type of neighborhood, living this type of life that Bax continues to live in. She brought this world to life so easily and I would be lying if I wasn’t stoked to read more in this series.

REVIEW: Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Take Me On by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits #4)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

My Review

Take Me On has come extremely close to topping Pushing the Limits for me. There was just something powerful and heart wrenching when it came to Haley and West’s story that nearly gave me as much emotion that I got from Noah and Echo. Katie McGarry just continues to dominate with her fantastic stories!

The Characters


West was impulsive, prideful, and had a temper that needed to be reined in. He had a strained relationship with his father and felt immense guilt for Rachel’s accident. Haley was strong, fierce, and self-sacrificing. She too felt extreme guilt for her family and bottled up many problems and emotions that she needed help with.What I loved about these two were how opposite they were of each other on the outside, but so alike in the inside. Haley wasn’t as privileged as West was, but both seem to carry the weight of the world, both love their families to death, and both would do anything to protect them. I ached for Haley because of all the things her family lost, her living arrangement, the horror she went through and the fear that continued to haunt her. I loved West for being so protective, for wanting to help Haley, for realizing how lucky he was and how much he needed to change and be a man.

The Romance


This book really does deal with the touch stuff and personal issues. It wasn’t always happy go lucky times between West and Haley. They had to keep working at it. What I loved about what McGarry did with their relationship was allowed them to do stuff not for the other person, but for themselves alone. There was give and take and there wasn’t a clear set happy ending. The future was still unknown and I liked that for Haley and West because their journey to each other wasn’t easy at all. I also really enjoyed the training that went with West and Haley’s story. I liked how fighting became their symbol, but in a good way. Fighting was what kind of broke them individually, but it also fixed them and led them to one another. It was nice to see how the training and the kickboxing played a significant role in their relationship. 

The Plot, Conflict and Setting


The book takes place in a “not so good” neighborhood. There’s drugs, drug dealers, drug users, people getting jumped, fighting, etc. It wasn’t picture perfect and it suited how difficult it was for Haley and West to be together. The book mostly centered on fighting, especially between Haley’s family and of her ex boyfriend’s family and gym. It also focused on using the sport of fighting for the good versus the bad. There was definitely some heavy stuff well worth mentioning such as homelessness, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and dysfunctional families. But opposite that, McGarry celebrated familial love and the depth in which such bonds reach and also the love felt between West and Haley. There were also plenty of surprises and revelations that should rock the boat and keep readers totally mind boggled.

All in all, I thought Take Me On was wonderfully written. McGarry really brought forth the intensity and whirlwind moments full of heartbreak of different varieties. She left a message to never give up and to push through the demons bringing you down. She displayed the importance of family and the ability to discover what makes you truly happy.


*Thanks to Harlequin Teen for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review

REVIEW: Winning the Boss's Heart by Hayson Manning

Winning the Boss's Heart by Hayson Manning
Publisher: Entangled Indulgence
Publication Date: September 9, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Mason Christian has twelve weeks to flip something old into something new for his Japanese client, and then he’s getting the hell out of Footsteps Bay, New Zealand. Not even his temporary cook and secretary—the feisty, luscious Billie McLeod—will deter him. There’s no denying she makes him feel alive. More alive than he’s felt in three years...

Billie has one dream: save enough money to go to college. That’s why she’s agreed to work for hard ass, all-business-no-pleasure Mason Christian—a man who has every intention of destroying through "modernization" the town’s most cherished historical home. But before she can say see ya, she realizes she’s signed the dotted line and is contractually bound for eighty-four days.  Working with male perfection every day is awesome with a capital A—as long as they can stick to a hands-off policy that gets harder every day...

My Review

I didn’t think I would absolutely, positively dig this book so much as I do! What Hayson Manning created in Winning the Boss’s Heart was such a gem. I was so swept away by the characters and the quickness of the book and just the homey feel that was weaved in. 


I thought I wouldn’t like Mason at all because he was just so demanding and cold and closed off. He even had the audacity to call his assistants by numbers instead of their names and expects them to work long ass hours. I kind of wanted to hit him upside his head and ask him what his deal was. But oh, the pain that he showed and the bottled up guilt softened my heart for him and I completely get why he was the way he was. After such a tragic loss and how he continued to blame himself, I could see why he thought the perfection he once had was all he ever would have. He totally drowned himself in work and became so walled in. I wanted to open his eyes and his heart and just make him see that there was so much out there. 

And I think Billie does the job. Here was this quirky woman who had big dreams of going back to culinary school, who had a strange but cute dog, who never stopped talking, who made every area like it was well lived in, and someone who totally challenge Mason. And that is why I loved Billie from the very start. She had more character and personality for her and Mason and everyone around. She was silly and sometimes spoke without her brain and mouth communicating and she wasn’t afraid to just banter right off with Mason. Billie was a person with so much energy and life, she was the light that Mason so desperately needed. 

These two were always at each other’s throats, but I loved them because they were exactly what the other needed. It was obvious from the start that their professional relationship would be different because of Billie’s extraordinary personality. She got under his skin and he had no choice but to let her in. Those little glimpses of him feeling something for her were the best parts for me. I especially loved the easy banter between them though most the time Mason would get angry or frustrated it was still so entertaining and made me laugh out loud. I was surprised by the amount of humor, the affection and even the hurt that both characters had or felt. For me, it was the characters that gave this book that comfort easy to read feeling and I’m so glad I picked it up!

REVIEW: Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Crash into You by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits #3)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: November 26, 2013
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane. 

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

My Review

Oh Crash into You, I have been waiting for you the moment Isaiah showed up in Pushing the Limits and even more so when he was so torn up in Dare You To. And while I can’t say you were my most favorite of the bunch, you surely did not disappoint in being absolutely fabulous. Katie McGarry continued to amaze me with her incredible characters and soul touching story lines.

It’s only fair to start with Isaiah.


I knew I would love this boy that very first encounter and now, I’m head over heels completely crazy gaga in love with him. He was mister tough guy with tattoos and piercings and someone you don’t mess with, but deep inside he’s this super loyal and dependable guy. I was so heart broken for him in the previous book, I was glad he had his own story now. There was just so much more to him than what meets the eye. Though he thought he didn’t deserve love or that he couldn’t possibly be good enough for love, he was. He wasn’t lacking in kindness, tenderness, concern and devotion for every single person he cared about. 

Sweet sweet Rachel.

I liked Rachel, I really did. It sucked that she struggled with panic attacks and how she was overlooked by her family. I understood her need to make her mother and her whole family happy. She was strong because she held up for so long, but weak because she didn’t speak up when she should have. However, Rachel was super cool because she was down to earth, loved cars just as much as Isaiah, and she was also loyal as hell. When she finally broke out of that shell of hers, I was damn impressed.

Isaiah and Rachel sitting in a tree...

I think the reason why this book was not my favorite of the three so far was because of how easily Isaiah and Rachel got together. It felt sudden to me, but it got better along the way because they were both starting to get under each other’s skin and starting to feel things. They were trying to overcome a bunch of obstacles that were attempting to keep them apart. And I loved that Isaiah learned to let Rachel in and to let go of the control he needed and Rachel was able to be herself around him and allow her to realize that she was indeed strong and brave. While they were not my favorite in the beginning, they were just lovely by the end.

Cars, drag racing, fundraisers, and threats!

I loooooved that this book was all about cars, which brought Isaiah and Rachel together in first place, even though I know jack about cars. Can’t say I wasn’t confused by the terminology and gadgets and gizmos, but it was pretty awesome. I even loved all the drag racing and I appreciated the danger that became the conflict of the novel. And I adore McGarry for bringing the gang together in order to help Isaiah and Rachel in need. That’s one the main reasons I love her books because they have a family aspect in them between people who are not blood related, but close enough to become the real deal. As of her previous books, there’s a good amount of laughs, tension, make out sessions and family drama to keep you hooked.

REVIEW: The Truth about Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

The Truth about Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.

My Review

The Truth about Alice shows an important moral about not being so quick to judge and gives us insight in how rumors and lies can be taken too far. It also shows the importance in kindness, friendship and forgiveness. 


The unique thing about The Truth about Alice is not knowing who Alice was or what the truth was directly from her. We get to know Alice through the eyes of other students in her high school who knew her on a friendship or acquaintance basis. The book was split between four perspectives: popular girl Elaine, former outcast and best friend to the book’s namesake, Kelsie, football star Josh, and last but not least, shy genius Kurt. All had a role to play in Alice’s downfall and at least one person stuck by her side. 

I thought too many perspectives would get confusing or even tiresome, but I actually thought it was a wise and clever idea. I got to see how these characters saw Alice and what they really thought of her. Jennifer Mathieu did an excellent job of making sure each character had a distinct voice so we can set them apart from one another. All four characters had different personalities and opinions and I loved that I didn’t have to know whose head I was in. 

I’m going to start with my least favorite character: Kelsie. To be quite honest, I loathe her. She was the worst best friend or even friend ever. It was obvious she was jealous of Alice’s popularity and experience, but she completely abandoned Alice because of one little tiny insignificant lie. Kelsie abandoned Alice, whether those rumors were true or not, to keep her social status. To make sure her popularity was still in tack. The more I was in her head, the more I disliked her with every page. She was disgusting. I just thought Kelsie was extremely selfish. 

Josh and Elaine were kind of mildly the same in how they both felt slight guilty about Alice, but they were still obviously pretty bad. Elaine was the lesser of two evils. She was the typical popular girl, conceited, and so full of herself. She wasn’t a bad person per se, but she sure didn’t set a good example either. I say she’s the lesser of the two evils even though she instigated and didn’t do anything to debunk the rumors, she still redeemed herself in the end because she looked at the bigger picture. Josh on the other hand, was almost as bad as Kelsie. He wasn’t horrible or even a bad guy. He was a good friend towards Brandon and even had some nice memories about Alice, but his selfishness reared its ugly head. And I believe Josh may have been a catalyst to the night of the party and other things. He felt sorry for Alice and he certainly felt guilt, but he did nothing about it and that’s where my disappointment stayed.

Kurt was the best character. He had his own selfish reasons for helping Alice, but he was nice to Alice even when she wasn’t pleasant. He was cute and awkward and shy and I liked that he got out of his shell to approach her. He took his chances and he saw something in Alice that no one else saw. And out of the four, he had the strongest, clearest and most intelligent voice. I adored him. 

I cannot say whether the rumors of Alice were true, you’ll just have to read for yourself. I just love that Mathieu created an original book like this. She kept me riveted and slowly trickled down the information about Alice and what really happened through every single chapter in the eyes of each character. It was great build up. She didn’t give a happy ending, she just gave a realistic, believable one. Mathieu made Alice imperfect allowing the reader to form our own opinions about her and to judge her too while reading along. But in the end, Mathieu leaves an important message about not believing everything you hear and not being so quick to judge a person despite past faults. 



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."

REVIEW: ROME by Jay Crownover

ROME by Jay Crownover (Marked Men #3)
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Rating: 5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

My Review

Oh my freaking god, Jay Crownover just knows how to write a romance and one that completely rocks you to the very core. ROME was the best out of the Marked Men series thus far. It totally skyrocketed my love for this series and Crownover’s writing 10 fold. 



I have to start with Cora because that girl was so kick ass. I always wanted to know her story since she was first mentioned and now I really got to know the loud mouth fireball of a girl who took care of all her boys. And I must say that I loved her to death. She was just so fierce and loyal, I really admired her for never backing down without a fight. I understood her fear of giving her heart to another after being burned and her quest to find Mr. Perfect, I was glad she finally opened up herself to someone. She did her best to be there for Rome, to keep his demons at bay by helping him make things easier. She meddled and got her nose into everything but she surprised me by being straightforward and pushing through. She was match for match when it came to Rome. 



When I thought I couldn’t have loved Rome more.. boy was I wrong. While Rome wasn’t the warm, fun, carefree older Archer he was before, he was not with his loving, protective nature and sexy as hell self. He was really lost and frustrated and all his hardships and brokeness really made me feel for him. Rome definitely struggled with the aftermath of Remy’s lies, how he felt like no one really needed him anymore and mostly the survival’s guilt that continued to haunt him. Despite all these setbacks, Rome was an honorable, dependable, and completely selfish when it came to those he loved. He tried his hardest to be the best he could be for Cora. He loved her as she was and took her as she was. She was the balm that soothed Rome’s wounds. And no matter what, I thought Rome was an amazing guy who needed to realize that he didn’t have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders and had to accept the help and love from others just as he gave them.



Out of all the books in this series, I thought that ROME just had more depth, seriousness, and maturity in the relationships and in the issues the characters faced whether it dealt with family, friends or love. I really liked seeing both Rome and Cora go through ups and downs together and individually. Cora worked on loving Rome, while Rome worked on trying to keep his nightmares in check. I also thought that this book was exceptionally emotional and intense, especially with certain parts that nearly had me in tears. I can definitely say that Crownover really moved me with Rome and Cora’s story. I also appreciated how ROME skipped all the small bullshit fights that I tend to roll my eyes at in other novels. The characters in this book made mistakes, but they own up to them rather than make halfhearted excuses. I also have to mention Crownover’s ability to write descriptive yet sensual sex scenes that leave much to the imagination. She always gives the perfect amount of tension, seduction, and heat that I’m always looking for. 



Crownover didn’t just give me an impeccable and exquisite story that deals with grief, guilt, loss, and love. She gave me a book that had meaning, that reminded me that perfection can be found in most imperfect people and that there are always people there to love, help and support you. And fans of RULE and JET will also appreciate the appearance of many beloved characters that stole our hearts from the very beginning. The whole gang was this in one and we get a glimpse of what they are doing now, what their future may entail and Crownover leaves a shocking revelation that will certainly have you (especially me) squirming for NASH’s book.

*Thanks to William Morrow for sending a copy for review purposes

I was not compensated for my opinion. 

Read my review for JET (Marked Med #2)

Read my review for RULE (Marked Men #1)

Favorite Quotes

"I bet if he ever bothered to smile, panties across the nation would melt."

"Captain No-Fun better get with the program real fast or it was going to get ugly."

"Love isn't perfect. It's hard work and sometimes it's more effort to be in love than it is to just run away. If you keep looking for perfect, the real thing is going to pass right by you."

"I don't know, Half-Pint, something tells me reining you in is probably a pretty good time."

"My perfect guy has got to come already together and be good enough no assembly required by me."

"You suck."

"Only when asked nicely."

"That's okay, little brother has enough down there for you and everybody else in the room."

"I've been there and done that and seriously I wish I could give the T-shirt back."

"Oh, old friend, how I missed you."

"You talking to me or my dick?"

"Thanks, Half-Pint."

"Anytime, Captain No-Fun."

Book Spotlight: Model Position by Kitsy Clare

Model Position by Kitsy Clare

Publication Date: February 20, 2014

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Age Group: New Adult 

Genre: Contemporary Romance (novella)

BUY LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Book Description:

In Manhattan’s glitzy gallery scene love and art are perilous games. 
Will Sienna dare to play?

 All too soon, artist Sienna Karr will graduate art school and be flung out into Manhattan’s glamorous but cutthroat gallery scene. Luckily, she’s just met Dave Hightower, heir to the hippest gallery ever. He’s asked her on a date, and offered to introduce her to the gallery owner, his intimidating Aunt Lydia. Sienna’s excited! Now she’ll be able to climb the ranks and make those all-important art connections.

Trouble is, she’s falling hard for the sexy live drawing model, Erik, whose sizzling green eyes seem to pierce right into her soul. Dare she risk losing those potential art contacts for love? Erik insists that Sienna is a real talent and her painting stands out above all the others. But she worries that he whispers this come-on line to every pretty art student who flocks around him during breaks. And her friends worry, is Erik up to her pay grade? What kind of guy chooses modeling for a living? Who is he, really? Her choice may be her ruin… or not, but she must decide fast. Everything in Sienna’s super-organized life is turning to terrifying yet sweet chaos.

Excerpt:

Dave Hightower catches me admiring him and grins. “Ready for our date later?”

I just met him two weeks ago, and he asked me out during our last class. I’m looking forward to it and to getting to know him—and his family’s gallery—better.

“Sure, where are we going?”

“I’ll take you over to Studio Hightower, my aunt’s gallery,” Dave suggests offhandedly, as if I am not already completely aware and awed. It’s been all Merry, Harper, and I have talked about since we found out Dave was in this class. My two best friends here share charcoal sticks, drawing paper, and essential buzz. “There’s a show at Hightower you’ll like,” adds Dave, “of wildly painted neon environ-scapes.”

I nod. Sounds off-putting. I prefer the order of photorealism and crisp digital art, but I keep my mouth shut. After all, it’s Dave Hightower.

Anyone who has talent and ambition would kill for a solo show in Studio Hightower. It’s on West Twenty-Second Street in the heart of Chelsea, the hottest gallery district in Manhattan.

“Hey, always up for new art,” I say. “I like wild art done by a loose hand.”

“Manually manipulated is the way to go,” Dave says suggestively as he waggles his eyebrows and puts his fingers into plastic gloves.

Plastic gloves for painting? Germaphobe. I’m a clean freak, and even I don’t do that. I quickly ease my judgmental cringe into a fetching grin as I search for a funny comeback. “I wonder who our next model will be. Do you think Mr. Court Jester will make a repeat appearance?”

“I’m betting on Nightgown Lady.” Dave squeezes out his last color with an oozy splot.

The teacher, a soft-spoken man in faded corduroys and wire glasses, announces that the model will be out momentarily. From across the room, I exchange anticipatory glances with my friends, Harper and Merry, and pantomime a fake drum roll. They snicker and do drum rolls back. The class turns its attention to the small stage in front of our easels. It’s been set up with risers and a red velvet curtain, as if it’s a Broadway production.

Then the model emerges, and I almost spill my cappuccino on Dave’s shoes.

The sexiest male muse I’ve ever laid eyes on pads out, all oiled coordination and sleek muscles. He’s at least six-four, and every chest muscle ripples and cuts in the right place. His hair’s sandy and shaggy, and his jaw is square and resolute with a gold-dusted five-o’clock shadow. But it’s his eyes that strike me most; they’re emerald green with a slight upward slant toward each cheekbone, as if he hiked all the way here from a northern land of sun and wind.

He arranges himself on a leopard-skin rug, wearing only a suede thong, and glances around at us artists. As I adjust my canvas and flip my hair back, his smoking green eyes settle on me. I could swear they’re looking right into me and seeing my fascination. I’m melting and hyperventilating all at once.

In the corner of my vision, I see Dave Hightower lean toward me for my reaction, but I can’t look away from the model—I don’t want to. I’m imagining myself on that leopard-skin rug, doing some private poses with him, and the fantasy has me blushing as permanent rose as the paint on my palette.

______________________________________________

About the Author

When Kitsy Clare isn’t crafting novels, she teaches writing workshops. She also loves to draw, travel, read spicy romance, sci-fi and thrillers. She divides her time between NYC and her Catskills studio, where she enjoys the sounds of birds, bullfrogs and coyotes.

Kitsy also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her YA futuristic thriller, Fireseed One won finalist spots in both YA and Science Fiction in the 2013 USA Book News International Book Awards, and was an Indie Reader Approved notable book. Her YA Refugees, earned a New York Public Library Best Book. Ruby's Fire, the companion novel to Fireseed One, is receiving high praise from reviewers. She’s a member of RWA, SCBWI, Untethered Realms and SFWA.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Blurbs for Model Position

"Kitsy Clare paints a provocative picture with words - a sexy montage of art, beauty, lust and love as colorful as any artist’s canvas."  -Share my Destiny, romance book blogger

"A captivating and sensual work of art!" -Jaycee DeLorenzo, author of The Truths About Dating and Mating

“Model Position is sexy, suspenseful and oh, so hard to put down. Kitsy Clare mixes a skillful, fast-moving story as Sienna, a talented but uptight art student takes on the trendy New York art scene.  She’s caught between the pull of ambition and the possibility of steamy, but true-blue love in the form of Erik, a delicious male model with no connections.  Or is he true?  And is Erik really all he seems to be?”

-Helen Mallon, author of Indecent Exposure & other short stories;

Book Reviewer, Philadelphia Inquirer