Books in Review - Frigid

Frigid is the fourth book I've read by J. Lynn, the first three being the Wait for You series. It's a standalone book about friends Kyler and Sydney. Inseparable since kindergarten, the two have grown up together and are just finishing their final fall semester in college. Heading up to their normal winter break haunt, Snowshoe, the two are unaware of the nor'easter following closely behind. 

After arriving, they learn that their friends, caught behind the storm, can't make the journey. Alone with each other, some "unrequited" feelings, and a touch of local color, the story unfolds over a few snowy days stuck in the mountain. 

I feel akin to the book. Maybe it's because the language in the book matches words and phrases I use myself (I could probably plop right in and the words wouldn't change) or because I can relate to the age they are but I really liked the book. Definitely worth the SPLURGE. 

Books in Review - The Real Series

If you like broken heros and ones that dabble in MMA/boxing/fighting, this should be a contender for your next read. The series is written by Katy Evans and starts off with Real . 

Sports rehabilitation specialist, Brooke Dumas, sees the guy of her dreams. Fighting in the ring of the nation's Underground, Remington Tate is a beast of a man. Drawn to her (or perhaps by her loud best friend), Remy wins fight after fight pointing at Brooke during each one. Seeking her out after his tenth and final opponent, Remy demands her name. After his second night of fighting he offers her the job of a lifetime, working as his rehab specialist. Taking the job, Brooke embarks on a country wide tour as Remy fights his way back to the championship.

Weeks of playing with fire have Brooke and Remy fighting to stay sane. But after Brooke delivers an ultimatum of make love to me or sleep alone, Remy backs off. He wants Brooke to know the REAL him, not what everyone else sees in the ring. Brooke learns about black Remy, a character whose gets speedy and often has to be subdued chemically. 

After realizing that Brooke's sister Nora is under the drug induced spell of his most formidable opponent, Remy strikes a deal that has Brooke walking away from him. Delivering a healthy Nora back to Brooke is his main goal, even if it might just cost him the girl he loves. 

Real ends with a love more together than ever and a whole lot of lust.

In Mine, Remy charges his way back into the Underground easily decimating anyone fighter brave enough to step into the ring. In the best shape of his life, Remy dominates. With Brooke by his side, he's invincible. Until, Brooke learns about what happened when she left him. Distraught and unsure of how to move forward, Brooke wants a moment for herself while Remy tries to destroy any distance between them.

Finally reconnecting, Remy's opponent the Scorpian sends Brooke a message that Remy answers loud and clear. Suddenly facing an unforeseen obstacle, Brooke is sent home to rest for two months while Remy goes back on tour. Joining him after being apart for that time, the two are stronger than ever. 

When back in Austin, Remy's parents visit which leads him to spiral down into black. Weeks go by and he's still there, in black. A trip to the hospital, a revelation from his team, along with Brooke's love and support bring him back into blue moments before his long-awaited rematch with the Scorpian. 

The second ends pretty nicely with Brooke and Remy finally tying the knot surrounded by the team and family he's built.

Remy, the third and final book in the Brooke/Remy storyline, paints the first two books as Remy saw it happen intermingled with the present day, four or so months after the championship. It's sweet to see what went on in his head while Brooke gave us a broader picture.

I'm completely smitten by the books. They're a little bit pricey but definite worth the SPLURGE. There are at least two more books coming out in the series. I look forward to reading Rogue, which comes out in July.

Books in Review - Dangerous to Know and Love

I've been looking through all the books I own to see if there are any worth re-reading because I'm almost positive I'm going to get in trouble if I keep buying books at the rate I do. Luckily I remembered about this little gem I read last year. The book's called Dangerous to Know and Love by Jane Harvey-Berrick. 

The book starts with freshman Lisanne Maclaine, settling into college life, away from home for the first time. Daniel Colton, the brooding freshman on campus, throws "stay away" vibes left and right. Paired together for a class project Daniel and Lisanne study in the library one day when Lisanne guesses his biggest secret. Determined for it to stay that way, Daniel has to trust Lisanne to keep it.

Building a relationship despite wild pasts, wilder brothers, and protective parents, Daniel and Lisanne move through their first semester at college. Lisanne's decision to study and perform music plays a pivotal role Daniel's decision to change, who has reluctantly accepted his life. 

The repeated phrase, "I hear you," is beautifully sewn into the story. I like that the story builds and they fall into this new budding relationship but work to overcome obstacles. I love the book and I would recommend it, hands down. Definitely SPLURGE ON IT.

Books in Review - Unbelonging and Rebelonging

I can't even begin to say how much I liked these books. I LOVED 'em. Earlier this week, I had an insomnia attack where I literally could not fall asleep and stayed up until 6:00am when I finally passed out. To get the clock to fly, I finished Unbelonging, which I had started earlier that day, and then proceeded to download and devour Rebelonging.

Written by Sabrina Stark, the books cover the story of Chloe and Lawton, a recent accounting grad and an underground fighter. Chloe's house-sitting/plant-sitting/dog-sitting in an upscale Detroit suburb and working at a deadend waitressing job with an idiotic manager while trying to find a job based on her degree. One day she walks right into Lawton, who's a new resident of the neighborhood and oh yea, billionaire. Side note: why are the girls always poor and the men get richer and richer? Anyway, the story builds and it's not like wham, bam, they're in a relationship. It seems to develop, at least I think.

Life, bitchy girls, and evil step moms make the story interesting. The story doesn't focus on Lawton's fighting so much like other books may. It's really about Chloe and how she progresses through supporting herself, little brother, and crazy grandmother. With misunderstandings and support characters a plenty, these books will have you occupied and enthralled for hours. I may even read them again. In fact, I know I will.

Needless to say, these books I'd definitely SPLURGE ON IT. When Illegal Fortunes, Bishop's story, hits Amazon, I'll be buying that one too. 

Books in Review: Shattered Hearts

This is the first time I've read an Octavia Wildwood book and I'm happy to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. Shattered Hearts focuses on a woman named Amanda. Running away from an abusive boyfriend, she lands in LA where she put her life back together. Ready for a change she heads to a small farm in Minnesota where she meets Maggie and her brother, Nate. Trying to keep the farm up and running while paying for his sister's college classes, Nate struggles over the untimely death of his parents.

Amanda quickly learns how to be a farmhand while helping rehabilitate an abused horse. Haunted by her past, she falters when she develops feelings for Nate. Mistaking her mixed signals as "mind games" Nate reluctantly puts some distance between them until one night he learns the truth about her past. 

While the book ends with a seemingly happily ever after, it's perfectly set up to continue the story in Shattered Dreams. I'm intrigued enough that I'm going to buy it and read on. I'd definitely say SPLURGE ON IT.

Books in Review: The Fixed Trilogy by Laurelin Paige

Earlier this week, I received an email from Amazon stating that I had money coming! You may have read about it in the news. I got a whopping $2.19. Now, I read a lot of books, so I'm going to chalk it up to I first got my kindle in December of 2011 and only bought 22 books between then and May of 2012. Some people, I read, though, received over $50, which is pretty impressive. I wish I was one of those people. Then I could buy more books.

I did buy a book (or trilogy) for $0.99 with my newly found giftcard balance. The Fixed Trilogy: Fixed on You, Found in You, Forever with You by Laurelin Paige. For that price and 853 pages I was sold. I didn't even look at the reviews. I lucked out on that, because it's a pretty awesome book series.

The book follows Alayna, a recent MBA grad looking to work her way up the ladder at a NYC club, and Hudson, an ultra hot, super rich, businessman (of course). Both have had less than stellar upbringings (Alayna's parents are dead, another of course, and Hudson was his mother's pawn against his unfaithful father). They're both working through their issues to become better people. But Alayna's working through her obsessive/stalking nature and Hudson is trying to stop playing games.

The book sets you up to be suspicious of every detail and every character. Is Hudson playing with Alayna? And just how does his sister and friend Celia fall into this? What about Sophia, his mother? Each book seems to focus on one part of the puzzle. But the seemingly solved issues are recurring in the next books as well, while you try and figure out what's up and what's down.

I like that the book gives Alayna some backbone unlike so many books that portray the female leads as spineless and ever conceding. But like most other books, sex is a central theme on how Alayna and Hudson stay connected. That always strikes me as odd, does sex really work all that well at solving things? Sure, you have physical chemistry but really? You bone and everything's better?

Anyway, the third book is the best. The last 15% of it wraps the story up nicely (I think). And I just want to say that I hate romance novels, because they write about such sweet things guys do and say. Can't that just happen in my life? Once? Hudson makes up for being a complete ass and Alayna gets her reluctant happily ever after.

The book previews Hudson which is the books from Hudson's point of view. Based on how well I think this trilogy was written, I'll be purchasing it. I feel like even though it's the same story with extra dialogue I still like it a whole lot. It's like rereading it but not. Does that make sense?

What are you reading right now? Anything good?

Books in Review: Thoughtless, Effortless, Reckless by S.C. Stephens

I have never been one to reread books. Before, I always needed something new, something fresh. Then I read Fifty Shades of Grey . Then read it three more times. (Please don't judge me on that - I know the writing's a little...off.) But then I realized, I liked some of these stories. A lot. It's like a movie I want to watch over and over again. So I did. And I loved it.

I've read Thoughtless , Effortless , and Reckless by S.C. Stephens twice now. I have to say I like it. These books are romance books about 360-540 pages long. The books are a little expensive - even on Kindle - but the quality I think is definitely there. (In the entire books I think I noticed two errors.) Now I'm going to go into some detail so, spoiler alert.

In the first book, Thoughtless, we start with Kiera and Denny moving to Seattle. Denny has an internship opportunity with a prestigious firm there. Kiera, ever the loving girlfriend, follows him there to finish her college work. They move in with the extreme hotness that's known as Kellan, a friend of Denny's from a year he spent abroad (he's from Australia) in high school. Kellan's in a band that's popular in the area and with the ladies. After a while Denny goes to Tuscon to help set up a new branch. During his absence, Kiera and Kellan become close friends and their relationship seems to follow. Isn't there an adage "proximity breeds attraction?" Well, Denny gets an opportunity to take a job in Tuscon and does, without talking to Kiera first. Just having started her junior year, she doesn't want to change schools yet again and doesn't want to be apart for another two years after hating the separation after only two months. After a heated argument, Kiera breaks it off with Denny and then proceeds to get drunk. Really drunk. Kellan stumbles in on it and they start drinking together. You can probably imagine what comes next. After their night together, we find that Denny flew home after quitting the job and losing his internship. Kiera and Denny make up, which leaves Kellan devastated. He begins to fall into old habits of "dating" a string of girls. Kiera becomes upset but she's torn between Denny and Kellan. The situation builds and culminates with Denny finding them together and him nearly killing them both. Accepting defeat and the lose of Kiera, Denny goes home to Australia leaving Kellan and Kiera to figure out how to move forward. After recovering, both physically and emotionally the pair tentatively begin a relationship where they struggle to trust but understand more as the book ends.

In the second book, Effortless, Kellan and Kiera are still together. She's fighting to be confident that Kellan is 100% in their relationship. She struggles that she's not enough. Not pretty enough, etc. Then Kellan's band finds some fame and goes on tour with a bigger act. Kiera questions some of Kellan's actions. But they remain together despite the distance and find ways to be close. Then Kiera runs into Denny who's back in Seattle. Despite everyone's advice, Kiera doesn't tell Kellan he's back. Kiera and Denny fall back into an easy friendship but just friendship. As he's dating someone who's back in Australia and Kellan's it for Kiera. Kiera and Denny are talking one night when Kellan comes home early from his tour. He's stricken by seeing them together, as he never found out Denny was back in Seattle. After a heated argument, a five second break up, and Kellan explaining his weird actions recently, they stick together.

In the third and final book, Reckless, we find Kellan on tour again. After graduating at the end of book two, and committing to one another, Kiera joins Kellan on tour. The band grows in popularity even more and picks up attention from a big pop star. After recording a duet with a sexy star, fans are obnoxious about their alleged relationship, straining Kiera's relationship with Kellan and her friends. Unfortunately, Kellan's label want him to keep mum about the non-relationship with the pop star. Furthermore, Kiera doesn't want to be in the spotlight so she tells Kellan to keep quiet too. The hype around "Kell-Sex" reaches an insane level and Kellan's "found" with Kiera. Fans turns brutal to Kiera, when Kellan finally decides to come clean about her. After the radio interview, the craziness pushes Kiera into a busy street where Kellan saves her, taking the brunt force of a truck. Finding Kellan in the hospital, Kiera decides to move up their planned wedding and makes it official right in the room. Surrounded by family and friends, Kellan finally gets that people care about him and that he's loved. One of the highlights in the series, for me, comes in the epilogue of book three when Kiera, Kellan, and the band are at the Grammy's. I won't spoil it for you, but it's adorable.

The books end with a happily ever after and makes me smile. I'm not even joking when I say that writing these snippets made me want to read the series again. And I may do just that. If you read it, let me know. Happy reading!