Showing posts with label Sawyer Bennett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sawyer Bennett. 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!
 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Book Cover Release - See it here!

I am so excited to announce that a book that I recently reviewed, Off Sides, author - Sawyer Bennett contacted me earlier this week about how much she enjoyed my review and offered me an advanced copy to read of her new book, Off Limits... which is the follow up novel to Off Sides. 
I should be receiving the advanced copy on Friday - but as a little sneak peek, Sawyer Bennett e-mailed me a first look at the book cover for Off Limits. 
HERE IT IS
 
Looks GREAT doesn't it? It's definitely a book cover that would catch my eye.. I hear that purple is a color on books that first stands out and catches the eye of the reader... what do you think?

I can't wait to read Off Limits and share with you the review. I enjoyed the first book, Off Sides so much and fell in love with Ryan and Danny immediately - GO PICK up Off Sides on amazon now and get ready for the release of Off Limits next month! 

Check out a short Book Synopsis sent to me by Sawyer! 

BOOK SYNOPSIS – OFF LIMITS BY SAWYER BENNETT
“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 easiest 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?  Or can she reach the part of his soul that he has deemed to be Off Limits?
 
Already off to a great start.. don't you think?
Stay tuned for my review on Off Limits - coming sometime next week.
Thanks again Sawyer Bennett for the advanced copy.. you made me one happy, happy little blogger! 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Sawyer Bennett - Off Sides

  


“I'm not sure what possessed me to do it. Maybe it was the impossible expectations I faced, maybe it was my own self-loathing. But I just knew I needed something different to happen. I needed someone...something...to derail me from my current path. Otherwise, I would become lost...a hollowed out shell of a man. So I did it. I approached her, then I pursued her, then I made her mine. And my life was saved...”

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university’s hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family’s public image.

Forced her to abandon her music career after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive? Particularly when others are against them every step of the way. A lot can happen in just ten short days..


WOW.. I was sooo not expecting much from this book... but did it not disappoint.  Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett is my first YA (Youth Adult) book that I've read. I usually try to stay away from these as they don't hold my interest or up to my scale on the sexy love scene's, but the further I got into Off Sides.. the more I liked it. 
Ryan is a college hotty tottie with lots of money with snobby parents & younger sister. He is as well the captain of the Northeastern College NCAA hockey team and runs with his frat boys. One day while drunk and ending his night from a frat party.. they all stumble into a diner where he meets the funky, adorable and sassy waitress, Danny. Danny is brought into the story with knocking a snobby girl down a peg or ten and immeditably becomes the interest and infatuation of Ryan. 
This book is about opposites attract, two people that come from completely different worlds - and to be honest, more than any story than I've ever read. It shows the restrains and complications that they have to go through to be together. The way fellow peers will put down and demolish things they don't agree with or they might not have the balls to reach for themselves. 

I loved through this story how much Ryan sticks up for Danny and hurts for her when someone puts her down... but what I also enjoyed was how much she opens his eyes and views things he had never seen or even knew was going on around him. It also makes you think how many times these hot-preppy-too much money guys infatuate or are attracted to girls "beneath them", the rougher crowd.. and how much they actually do want them, yet are too afraid to even bother - unlike Ryan who sees's something that he wants, and although has a hard time with it and puts with a lot of shit for it, goes for what he wants.

The first time Ryan and Danny have sex.. is one of the most intense, sweetest love scenes I think I've ever read. Yes, there are definitely books that have more vulgar-ness and spicy love scenes.. but in Off Sides - I love how Sawyer Bennete writes the scene back and forth between Ryan and Danny narrating... it was simply amazing.

There are twists and turns through out the story that you would never expect and at one part I wanted to cry for Danny so much.. and wave my hands in the air proud of Ryan and his take control and take care of business attitude!

I actually enjoyed this book a lot and recommend it 

4 STARS!