Review: Shine Not Burn by Elle Casey

Shine Not BurnShine Not Burn by Elle Casey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

IT HAPPENED IN VEGAS.

I can’t be held responsible. Things that happen there are supposed to stay there, right? Right? Yeeeah. Not so much.

Andie’s just days away from tying the knot, but there’s just ooooone little glitch. Apparently, she’s already married. Or someone with her name is married to a guy out in Oregon of all places, and the courthouse won’t issue her a marriage license until it’s all cleared up. Tripping her way through cow pies and country songs to meet up with a man who gets around places on horseback is her very last idea of how to have a good time, but if she’s going to get married, make partner at the firm, and have two point five kids before she’s thirty-five, she needs to get to the bottom of this snafu and fix it quick … before her fiance finds out and everything she’s been working toward goes up in flames.

 

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REVIEW: For You (The ‘Burg #1) by Kristen Ashley

10813480Book Description:

Lieutenant Alexander Colton and February Owens were high school sweethearts. Everyone in their small town knew from the moment they met they were meant for each other. But something happened and Feb broke Colt’s heart then she turned wild and tragedy struck. Colt meted out revenge against the man who brought Feb low but even though Colt risked it all for her, Feb turned her back on him and left town.

Fifteen years later, Feb comes back to help run the family bar. But there’s so much water under the bridge separating her and Colt everyone knows they’ll never get back together.

Until someone starts hacking up people in Feb’s life. Colt is still Colt and Feb is still Feb so the town watches as Colt goes all out to find the murderer while trying to keep Feb safe.

As the bodies pile up, The Feds move in and a twisting, turning story unravels exposing a very sick man who has claimed numerous victims along the way, Feb and Colt battle their enduring attraction and the beautiful but lost history that weaves them together.

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REVIEW: Unspoken by Jen Frederick

17876866Unspoken by Jen Frederick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.
I’ve been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He’s everything I shouldn’t want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren’t the danger to me, though, it’s his charm. He’s sliding his way into my heart and I’m afraid that he’s going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I’ll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I’ve got fighting and I’ve got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She’s everything I didn’t realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she’s been hurt too much in the past and I don’t want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can’t.

 

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REVIEW: Undeclared by Jen Frederick

Undeclared (Woodlands, #1)Undeclared by Jen Frederick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she’s decided? No way is Noah Jackson — or any man — ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

This is a mature New Adult book. I see that it is classified as YA – not sure how to change that – but I wanted to be clear that it has explicit love scenes in the story.

 

 

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Review: Something Great by M. Clarke

Something Great by M. Clarke

She didn’t know what she was missing…until he found her.

Maxwell Knight was positively trouble, dangerously good-looking, and seductively charming. He was everything Jeanella didn’t need in her life. Only Maxwell didn’t see it that way. His pursuit was relentless, making her even more determined to push him away.

Fresh out of college, life was simple and plain for Jeanella Mefferd. Every part of her life was smooth sailing; her friends, her job, and even the guy she’d started dating. Then one night, while at dinner, she spotted someone who made her feel things she’d never felt before—dangerous, heart pounding and breathless heat. Thinking she would never see him again, she brushed it off, but when she started to run into him unexpectedly, all she could think of was how he made her feel with his sweet flirtations. Everything about Maxwell Knight screamed trouble, especially when she found out he was her new boss’s son. Now, heading to a New York fashion show, would she be able to focus on her career instead of Maxwell, who had been scheduled to attend with her? As much as she tried to forget their encounters, his good looks, smooth words and determination to win her over gravitated her toward him. The next thing she knew, her mind was utterly consumed by him. Would she be willing to ignore all the dangerous signs and jump into his arms? Or would she miss out on the chance of finding something great?

 

 

I really enjoyed the first part of the book. It was a solid 4. Guy and girl see each other across a restaurant, eyes lock…instant attraction for both of them. Unfortunately, she has a boyfriend and he’s there with someone else. But call it fate or serendipity, they keep running into each other. And let the wooing ensue!

I really did like the first half of the book. I love the dance between Max and Jenna…will then end up together? Will Jena give in and start dating him? She was obviously attracted to him but she isn’t convinced that she should dump her perfectly good boyfriend for a guy she doesn’t know. But Max is sweet. He keeps up the wooing, to gain her affection. And they were small and simple things. He sent her flowers, rice Krispy treats and lunch dates.

I liked Max, he was a nice guy. He was hot and he knew it. But he knew what he wanted and he went after it. And he wanted Jenna.

My issues came after 50%…(and this is where it lost a star). Max declared his intentions and his interest and I couldn’t help feeling like there was nothing left to tell. Either they were going to be together for the next 50% of they were going to do the annoying routine of break up and get back together multiple times. Unfortunately, it was a little of both. Max and Jenna were blissfully happy for most of the second half. And I found myself a little bored. Then, there was a huge issue that the author did a good job of setting up throughout the book but when it happened (and they broke up), everything was forgiven too quickly. I just felt like it was a lost moment. All set up and little payoff.

Oh, and I have to address the ending…I was led to believe that there was a cliffhanger. THAT IS NOT TRUE. You can make the argument that it’s a “to be continued” or a “wanting more” ending, but I was satisfied with it.

But, I was impressed with the author’s work, and it was (overall) an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it to others and I would read more from the author.

 

 

 

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Mary Ting resides in Southern California
with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry.
Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to
grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once
had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in
love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-
Something
Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She
tours
with Magic Johnson
Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies
Allowed

  

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REVIEW: Running from Romeo by Diane Mannino

18053548Running from Romeo by Diane Mannino

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

Emilia King is entering her senior year at Santa Barbara University. For the past three years, she lived in the library – doing what she knows best – focusing on her studies and forgetting her past…a past that has forever changed her life. But this year marks a new beginning…

Logan Prescott is not only the hottest guy on campus, he’s heir to a billionaire hotel fortune. Emilia knows he’s trouble and should stay clear of him. But his notorious good looks and piercing blue eyes make him simply irresistible – especially when he’s quoting her favorite literary works.

Intrigued by Emilia’s innocence and resistance to his charm, Logan discovers she’s a challenge he simply can’t resist. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but running from him may be impossible.

 

 

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Review: Losing Control (A Babysitting a Billionaire Novel) by Nina Croft

Book Description: Four years after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Kim finally believes she’s in control of her life and her emotions and she’s determined to never risk either again with a man. She has a great home, a job as a security specialist which she loves, and Jake for a best friend. But things are a tad lonely in the sex department, so she decides to embark on a no-strings-affair with one of her hot co-workers. And who better to help her remember how to lure a man than her best friend?

Jake has wanted Kim from the moment he first saw her, but four years ago, she was too young and too damaged. So he kept her close and he kept her safe, offering her a job in his security company and the training to feel safe again, and he bided his time. But now, after the long wait, if she imagines he’s going to stand by while she seduces some other guy…

Never going to happen.

 

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REVIEW: Black Heart (Cursed Hearts #1) by R.L. Mathewson

Black Heart (Cursed Hearts, #1)Black Heart by R.L. Mathewson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description:
There was something seriously wrong with Marty. That was the only explanation that she could come up with. Why else would she feel this way for the biggest SOB in town? Granted, he was also the hottest man in town, but he was also arrogant, callous, and determined to drive her away even as he drove her crazy with his touch. She should just walk away from him and probably would if it wasn’t for this connection that she’d always had with him that kept making her want more with the one man that couldn’t give her anything more than heartache.

He should have left and never looked back when he’d decided to finally do the right thing and push Marty out of his life, but instead he stuck around to torture himself by staying close to the one woman that he could never allow himself to have. She deserved better than him, better than the tortured existence that he led and better than the horrifying future that waited for him.


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REVIEW: Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) by Kristen Ashley

Breathe (Colorado Mountain, #4)Breathe by Kristen Ashley

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Book Description

When the local police department’s secrets are revealed and the wife he’s forced to marry is murdered, Chace finds himself the town of Carnal’s hero. Knowing how deep in the mud he was forced to sink, Chace feels he’ll never get clean. The quiet, content future he envisioned of the love a good woman with whom he could build a family was now beyond his reach. The only thing he can do is find his wife’s murderer.

But he isn’t the only one looking.

While searching for new leads, he runs into Faye Goodknight, the town’s quiet, shy, pretty librarian. Chace has long since had his eye on what could possibly be the town’s last remaining virgin but he has also long since given up hope he could make her his. Faye is pure and clean and Chace refuses to dirty her with his sordid past.

Pure and clean Faye may be, but when the shy librarian is forced to go head to head with the man who she’s had a crush on since he hit her hometown, Chace finds Faye is full of surprises. And he doesn’t know what to do with her.

 


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REVIEW: Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) by Kristen Ashley

12958487Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

Ty Walker was wrongly imprisoned and for the five years he was inside, he honed his plan so when he gets out, he has nothing but vengeance on his mind.

But then he walks straight to stylish, leggy, beautiful, goofy Lexie Berry and he suddenly has something else to think about. He knows within seconds he wants her and within days he can love her but with the filth that was flung at him clinging; he also knows he can’t have her.

Since birth, Lexie Berry has been Lady Luck’s favorite toy and because of that, Lexie is cautious. But within a day, she senses Ty is something special. With her luck, however, she can’t trust it. Then she finds out what was done to Ty and she’s willing to do anything to make it right.

Even what Ty will never forgive her for doing.

Ty clings to vengeance and Lexie goes all out to give him back the time he lost. But Ty is battling demons within and they’re up against dirty cops and criminals who will stop at nothing to sway Lady Luck against them. All Ty and Lexie have is hope Lady Luck will finally swing their way.

 

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