Showing posts with label 4 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 Stars. Show all posts

Friday, April 12, 2013

Sawyer Bennett - Off Limits (Follow up book to Off Sides)



 “There is a vulnerability there, hovering just below the surface. And I want to pick at it until I expose it. Then I want to kiss it."

Two years ago, Emily Burnham, had an epiphany about the shallowness of her life. And she made it her mission to become a different person…a better woman. Out from under the controlling thumb of her mother, Emily is tasting the real world for the first time. And she likes it.

Nixon Caldwell has served his time in the Marine Corps, surviving two brutal tours in Afghanistan. He is back home, surrounded by what he likes best…isolation. It's certainly the best way to avoid confrontation of the consuming guilt that is weighing him down.

When an accident brings Emily and Nix together, he soon learns he is not the master of his own fate. Struggling with his own pain, Nix tries to guard himself against Emily’s charms. He wants her in his bed, but he doesn’t want her in his heart.

Having grabbed life by the horns, Emily wants it all. But is she willing to accept just the small part of himself that Nix is offering? Can she reach the part of his soul that he has deemed to be Off Limits?


Off Limits is the follow up book to Off Sides, by Sawyer Bennett. When Sawyer contacted me and asked if I would be interested in an advanced reading of Off Limits- I was so excited to find out where Ryan and Danny (from Off Sides) were at in the "future" and how life might have changed for Emily, Ryan's sister. Emily and Nix are the main characters for Off Limits - and we first got to meet Emily in Off Sides, where she was a bit of a bitch! She followed in her stuck up, high class mothers footsteps - but at the very end of the book, Emily reaches out to Ryan for a little guidance and opens her eyes a little. 

Now, two years in the future- we get to read about Emily starting her own life, now being at Columbia University and trying to live a complete different life than what she had back home in Boston. She doesn't want to be the stuck up- snob anymore.. and finds a friend, Fil, to help her achieve this.

The way Off Limits is written is a little blunter wording than Off Sides was, at least it seemed like it to me. I do love though, the go back and forth of narration between Emily and Nix, and see both of their emotions, thoughts and feelings. But the writing is different than most novels than I've read and it takes a little getting used to the step by step verbalizing.

I had to find myself growing to like Nix. He speaks somewhat in the third person, but there is always something about the closed off, stand back, sexy man that gets me intrigued. He is a veteran to the war and has come back with PTSD... Sometimes I like reading these types of characters to see beyond just the fights and deaths that we are constantly hearing about in the news, but about the after math of some of these hero's that come home, and what they too go through- and the different injuries inside they deal with, such as Nix.
I definitely warmed up to Nix more so when he started to flirt with Emily... and show more of his feelings.

Emily's is more of the character I took interest in- she is trying hard to become the adult she wants to be, and it was a fun read her growing into that person (especially after reading how she was in Off Sides). 

Sawyer Bennett is an author that can write about two characters that become so immersed with each other, so elated by each other and an off the chart chemistry with one another that you can't help but to keep on reading. Both books that I have read of hers have captured me in the essence of the romance, the deep connection between the lead male and female - and I have never read love scenes that are so thought out, step by step, breathe by breathe claiming of one another. It's the type of love scenes that after finishing ... you find yourself at a loss of breathe yourself. It's a combination of hot, sexy, breath-taking and lovely all at the same time.

I give Off Limits 4 STARS with 5+ star love scenes!
 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Lori Foster - Murphy's Law (Law Series, Book #2)


Anything That Can Go Wrong . . .
Nothing is going to go wrong. Ashley Miles has worked too hard for her independence to let some Bentley-driving hunk named Quinton Murphy interfere with her plans -- or her freedom. Yes, the chemistry is phenomenal. Kind of scary, actually. But that s it. NO emotional commitments.

. . . Will
But he s SO wonderful -- a woman could fall in lov . . . How did that happen? That wasn t part of the plan! But can she trust him? Really trust him? The man is just so mysterious. There s only one solution: put it all on the line and see what Quinton does when she tells him how she feels. And hope everything that can go wrong . . . won t . . .

In Jude's Law you already get a little taste of Quinton Murphy and Ashley Miles' meeting and chemistry that hits right from the start... but by the end of Jude's book, it slowly comes to a crash when Ashley finds Quinton in his office with some leggy blonde that looks to be a lot my friendly than a co-worker. 

Murphy's Law starts with the thrill of Ashley being followed and her suspicions on the villain from Jude's Law now out for her. She is a little jumpy when Quinton sneaks up on her in the garage at work, but he slowly works his way into her heart and life - especially when he finds out the dilemma that she is facing. Quinton is quick to throw in his help and while doing so, he is quick to fall for Ashely as well. 
I enjoyed getting to see through Jude and May's wedding in Murphy's Law - since I loved their characters so much, but they disappear through most of the rest of the book.. which I would have loved to read more interaction with them. 

Ashely is a free spirit, hard working and intelligent woman. She came from a bad bringing up, which is the opposite to Quinton's life. 
  
Quinton shows Ashely some new things in her life, and she is not one to dabble in the puddle, but to jump all the way in. I enjoyed reading Ashley and Quinton's story - but I don't think it was nearly as good as Jude and May's story. 

4 stars! 

 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Leanna Banks - Underfoot (Bellagio Series, Book #2)




Bellagio, Inc. public relations genius Trina Roberts had been a bad, bad girl when she'd gone to bed with a recently jilted groom and wound up pregnant. She knew Walker Gordon wasn't looking for forever--at least not with her. So when he took a job overseas, she sort of neglected to tell him about the baby on the way.
Well, now he's back...and he's just figured out the truth.
Walker had been reeling from a very public breakup when Trina had offered solace he couldn't deny. He'd never expected the result would make him somebody's daddy! Trina claimed not to need anything from him, but he was determined that his child have a father; he just didn't know if it should be him. Because a father's shoes...well, those he wasn't sure he could fill.

I found this book to be a head spin... and what do I mean by head spin? I loved it, but it drove me a little crazy at times. 

Trina Roberts and Walker Gordon have a one time hook up after the night of Walkers called of wedding. They're both drunk and wanting each other.. so they do the deed - then  months later Trina is pregnant with Walkers child, who was never told after leaving to live in Paris for a year to get away from the called off wedding drama.

15 months later Walker is now back - but has made it perfectly clear to Trina over the years that he never wants be a father... but too bad, he is!

This is where the head spin came for me - I loved Trina & Walker.. they were sex on a stick hot for each other, he was flirty, sexy and I loved him, but how could he be around his own baby so much through out the book and NOT feel an immediate connection with her? Not only that, but it was weird to me that Trina allowed him to be around so much, mostly around their daughter and wanted his daughter to connect with him, but knew all along that Walker didn't want anything to do with Maddie (their daughter) except be a financial aide for them. I don't see any mom allowing a father to just come around like that.   

This book was weird for me.. I loved it and give it 4 stars! But then again.. it drove me insane with the predicaments

I still say it's a must read and let me know what your thoughts on it is? Did this drive anyone else insane? 

4 STARS!

BOOKS HITTING STORES SOON!

If you're a big fan of Lori Foster, like I am ... then you must be excited to hear that her newest novel from her new series, Love Under Cover, will be coming out on April 30th! 


Starting the series was Love Undercover starring Logan Riske and Pepper Yates. 
Love Undercover was a fantastic book and I can't wait to read it again later this month, right after I pick up the new book for this series!  


NOW - Coming out April 30th will be the second book in this series
"Bare it All" which is now starring Logan's partner, Reese Bareden and is very secretive neighbor, Alice, who we met in Love Undercover. 

Can't wait for this series to continue and for a new novel from Lori Foster... I will be per-ordering TODAY!!! 

******

Another continuing series is V.K. Sykes Philadelphia series, which will add Curve ball coming out in the beginning of May 2013.


In the Philadelphia series we first read Fastball with baseball reported Maddie LeClair and Patriots hot shot catcher, Jake Miller. 

Following Fastball was Hardball that starred Jake Millers best friend and pitcher for the Patriots (and also playboy hottie) Nate carter who meets and falls for the new doctor in town, Holly Bell. 
 

In the 3rd installment of the Philadelphia Patriots series is “Better than Beckham” which brings in a side character from the first two books, Martha Winston, the southern belle. Her story pulls away from Philadelphia and takes her into the world of soccer – where she meets rich, sexy and retired soccer player Tony Branch. 
 
 
All three for these books were 4 stars for me and I enjoyed their reads and would definitely read them again (and will do- when Curve ball hits the amazon store!) 

Don’t miss any of these books and hurry and ready before May gets here and Curve ball hits shelves!

*****

ALSO... FYI
Today Julie James newest book, Love Irresistibly, is ready to be picked up! Love Irresistibly continues her FBI/US Attorney Series, which I have yet to read but look forward to diving into!
You can pick up her new novel by
   

Monday, March 18, 2013

Kristan Higgins - Too Good to Be True




How far would you go to get over a guy?When Grace Emerson's ex-fiancé starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone…exactly unlike her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man! Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so…right

I found the beginning of this book very hard to stay focused on and found Grace Emerson a little annoying. One thing that I don't necessarily care for in some of Kristan's stories - and there are only a couple that do this- is when they only give the story narration through the heroines words... I love to hear what is going on through the hero's mind and how he lusts over the heroine.. I already know how girls think, give me more of the male mind! 

Once I for further into the story Grace's humor started to come out and it finally brought Callhan O'shea more into the story - but I feel like there are a lot of gaps between seeing him through out the book.. although I LOVE his sense of humor. He is quick with his wit and it's making Grace quick to come back with her own. Over all I truly did like Too Good to Be True, and would most likely read it again... it just takes a few chapters to actually get into it. 

4 STARS !  

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Shannon Stacey - All He Ever Dreamed (Kowalski #6)


Josh Kowalski is tired of holding down the fort—better known as the Northern Star Lodge—while his siblings are off living their dreams. Now that his oldest brother has returned to Whitford, Maine for good, Josh is free to chase some dreams of his own.

As the daughter of the lodge's longtime housekeeper, Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski kids. Though she's always been "one of the guys", her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it's clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.

Katie's been waiting years for Josh to notice her, but now that he has, she's afraid it's too late. Giving her heart to a man who can't wait to leave town is one sure way to have it broken. But Josh keeps coming up with excuses not to leave—could it be that everything he's ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined?


 Ahhh Josh..(sighhh). Nothing like two best friends - one being in love with the other for years and the other not even having a clue. I just adore how Josh's family is all in on Katie's feelings and knowing Josh doesn't have a clue but through the series- there are little remarks made to him about it, but he never catches on. Now in this book, Josh finally gets a clue- YAY! 

I couldn't put this book down (unless I absolutely had to, of course) And I was pretty much swooning the whole time and in love with Josh's character and more so with Katie. I have to say, I think Katie is my favorite heroine so far in the Kowalski series. She doesn't deny what she wants, and although she is a tom boy... she works a black cocktail dress.  

From the first time they hook up to figruing out the difference between what Josh wants in his future, enjoying their relationship and continuing to have a friendship.. the book is adorable, sexy and fun! 

If you haven't read this series yet, and don't want to read all 5 books - I would have to say between #2 and this one are DEFINITE reads. 

4 STARS!  


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Shannon Stacey - All He Ever Desired (#5)


A second shot at first love

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he’s forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal—and learns the boy is Lauren’s son…

The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan’s door every day to work off his crime.

With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can’t deny the chemistry between them is as powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?
Aww.. Ryan! I pictured him so perfectly and loved everything about him. He was sweet, with just enough manly aattitude. He had a love for a girl that didn't like him back as a kid... and he came back with a whole different kind of love for her. Best part of this book was him reestablishing his feelings for Lauren. It wasn't the same as teens, and her feelings were not in the same place.. but now as adults, Ryan is irresistible and Lauren sticks rocks his socks! As I said in the other posts.. the Kowalski's kick ass as a family, and once again the lovely Rosie takes a big part in this book. You truly have to read this series starting at book #1, or you miss so much. 
  
I also enjoyed how much the ventured into the other relationships from the past and showed where they are now.. and how many kids they have! They also dabbled a bit into the relationships that could soon become over the books that are to come! 
I can honestly say - this is one book in the Kowalski series that I will no doubt be reading again! 
4 STARS!   

Shannon Stacey - Undeniably Yours (Kowalski #2)




Can a one-night stand turn into happily ever after?
Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him. Even if lately he's been more interested in finding Mrs. Right than Miss Right. Now Enter Beth Hansen. Kevin and Beth may have started out all wrong, with an impromptu passionate encounter at a wedding, followed by a walk of shame. Yet Kevin knows there's more to their relationship than a one-night stand. Especially when Beth turns up pregnant. Kevin may be ready for the "next step," but Beth doesn't want a relationship with a former playboy, however irresistible he might be. And it's going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child….


I LOVED this story line! There were many points of laughing and even points where I had to stop and put the book down for a second and really thing.. HOLY CRAP - what if that happened? And what would I do? I would so entranced by this book, I couldn't put it down. I thought I loved Joe Kowalski, from book #1 in this series, and I do- but Kevin ... just melts me! He is so attentive and sweet, but such a ladies man and hunk that you just can't help but fall in love with him. The only negative that kind of bothered me was the whole "kiss on the napkin" thing. I mean honestly? Would that ever happen that EVERY girl in town would know to write those things? I could definitely see a guy getting a lot of numbers and that being a part of the joke - but the napkins ordeal was a little weird for. (HAVEN'T READ IT?? Don't let that little negative stop you - Kevin is adorbs!

From the beginning Kevin wants him a piece of Beth - and when she finally gives in to him and finds out she is pregnant 3 weeks later.. the story provided such a great way of how it would be handled in real life. Oh SHIT and well.. what are you going to do?? 

I was also happy to have the family back in the plot... they are one adorable little family that makes me laugh.  

Shannon Stacey does it again in another great novel in the Kowalski series! :) 

4 stars!