Monthly Wrap Up

Happy last day of March!

Where did this month go? I feel like I have said that in January and February, but seriously! 2022 is cruising by, and it's a bit much.

I will say that March was a really good month. Not just on the reading front. We took a family vacation to Wisconsin Dells where we had an absolute blast. My kids did all the activities. We ate out way too often. We splurged. We made memories. Of course one of those memories was me finding a low spot in the floor, and ever so slightly twisting my ankle. Leave it to me to find those little things. My poor ankles are never going to heal from all these falls. Sigh. Oh, and my kids all picked out new stuffies from Build A Bear.

After our trip, my husband and I also celebrated 16 years of marriage. Our celebration was having strawberry cheesecake after the kids were in bed. 🤣 Hey that's what happens when the grandparents are out of town, and babysitters are crazy expensive. You enjoy a quiet night at home. If you know me though, you know that home is where I prefer to be.

March also had us beginning the process of our kitchen remodel. Appliances and cabinets were ordered, as were a new garage door, and a new front door. It was a ridiculous amount of money spent, but I am so excited for the finished product. I am so excited about my new stove, and I just hope that it comes in before December. 

Back to reading...In the month of March, I managed to read 18 books. I did the math and that equated to roughly 3,996 pages. I say roughly as I didn't have a specific page count for the four novellas I read. So I had to calculate the page count using the locations. (The formula I use is: page count =location/15~20. I choose to divide by 20.)

I read 8 sports romances, a rockstar romance, two MC romances, quite a few organized crime type romances, and so many other tropes/subgenres. I also started a series finale, I continued a few series, and I started one as well.

All in all it was an outstanding month. I will say that I was a bit disappointed in my page count for the month, but that is what happens when you read 4 novellas. At the same time, almost 4,000 pages is nothing to complain about.

What was my favorite of the month? I'm going to go with Shed My Skin by Nola Marie. Maddox's story was one that I had been anticipating. This man has been through so much in his life, and it's all becoming too much. The pain he deals with on a regular basis is intense. His demons continue to haunt him, and his usual "treatments" are no longer working. Maddox's story is dark. It's deep. It's intense. It's emotional. It's amazing. Just like the man himself. Now I just have to wait for Breathe Again to be released, so that I can find out how his story concludes. (My review for this book will be posted on April 2nd. If you want to read my abbreviated thoughts, head over to Goodreads.)

Here are all the books that I read in March. If a review has been written (and published here on the blog), it is linked.

Dare by Caitlyn Dare
Tied Down by Kim Loraine
Twisted Debt by Xavier Neal & Amarie Avant
Nero DeLuca by Xavier Neal & Amarie Avant
Vicious Queen by Becca Steele & C. Lymari
Big Deck Energy by Kim Loraine
Reap by Caitlyn Dare
Tight Fit by Lisa Suzanne
Shed My Skin by Nola Marie
Like I Never Said by C.W. Farnsworth
Deking the Beauty by Crystal Perkins
Campus God by Jennifer Sucevic
Tutoring the Player by Rebecca Jenshak
Worth Every Second by Jocelyne Soto
Tight Laced by Lisa Suzanne
Gold Lust by Aleatha Romig
Fighter by S. Massery
Bright Like Midnight by J. Wolf

What did you read in March? Did you have a favorite? Any anticipated reads for April? I have quite the list, and will share those tomorrow!

Laura

Worth Every Second by Jocelyne Soto {a review}

Worth Every Second is a complete standalone, college romance from Jocelyne Soto. If you enjoy opposites attract, friends to lovers, and/or sports romance, then you need to read this book!

Now, this book does have content warnings. I'll be honest and say the brunt of it is in the opening of the story. The topic is discussed further into the book, so be prepared for that. Jocelyne handled the topic carefully. It isn't graphic. It isn't detailed. It just happens to one of our characters. If you are looking for more information in regards to these trigger warnings, please visit Jocelyne's website.

Let's dive into the recap!

Summer football camps are over, and Hunter is returning to campus early to surprise his girlfriend. Except when he arrives, it is Hunter who receives the surprise. After everything that went down, Hunter finds himself googling how to get over a break up. That leads him to a website where pictures are shared, friendship can be formed, and it's all fairly anonymous. Hunter decides to jump in, and posts a picture of his own. It is this picture that leads to Selena and Hunter beginning an online relationship. They are frequently sharing pictures, talking, and getting comfortable with each other. Shortly there after it is discovered that they live in the same area. Outside of that conversation, school is starting up. At the beginning of one class, Hunter decides to sit next to this beautiful girl, rather than with his teammate whom he's upset with. Hunter has no clue that the woman he's just sat next to is the same woman he's been talking with online. Throughout the semester they get to know each other, and feelings are bubbling up. Yet at the same time, there is also this online relationship happening. What happens when the truth is revealed? What happens when the past comes up to haunt you? What will happen if the pictures are shared? Can you trust this person again?

Worth Every Second was an interesting read, and it held my attention from cover to cover. The way it began had me curious as to how that scenario was going to affect the character in future situations. I also wasn't 100% which character it was. That was revealed later on though, so you do figure it out.

Selena and Hunter are both amazing characters. I enjoyed their interactions both in person, and in the online setting. I did find myself wondering when the truth would be revealed, and how that would happen. Then of course I also wondered if the photos would be revealed for others to see, who would be behind all of it, and how would that be discovered. 

I related to Selena in many ways, and she is an amazing character. Not only is she a quieter person, someone who enjoys reading (romance novels at that!), is more of a wallflower except around those she's comfortable with, she also struggles with body image. It's more than all that though. It's also the fact that she is passionate, and she is determined. Selena knows what she wants to do, and is going to d it! Hunter drew me in as well, and you could see that who he projected to others wasn't who he truly is. So it was nice to see him show that side of himself to Selena. Football is something he's passionate about, but there is more to him. He is a family person. He is smart. He is determined to make his future what he wants it to be. I love it!

I will say that I struggled with Hunter's dad quite a bit. The little we know about him had me realizing he doesn't truly care about his son. He cares about the fact that his son is a talented athlete, who has the potential for a professional athletic career. With that comes money. So pushing his son to do all of this, is just to get money in HIS pocket, not for his son's benefit. That just rubbed me wrong. As well as the information regarding the dad's relationship with Hunter's siblings. Ugh.

Let's talk about that content warning for a moment. I'm not going to name it. But everything our character experienced broke my heart. I gasped. My hand flew to my mouth, and I wanted to sob. Then when the flashback occurred, and they had to revisit this trauma, I was gutted. I was very thankful that the other character rushed out to find the other, stood by their side as the memories hit, and guided them through it. It showed support. It showed caring. It showed how this character could be leaned upon. That truth being revealed was difficult, but love and grace were by their side.

Now, about the moment of conflict, or rather moments of conflict. I knew it was coming. I had a general idea of what was going to happen. But how it played out, I wasn't fully prepared for. There was hurt, frustration, anger, and heartbreak. Feelings were formed. Trust was established. But in these moments it felt like all of that was obliterated. Underneath it all though there was still love flowing. There was still that connection. That friendship. That desire for a future with the other. And, in my mind, that is what helped guide them back together.

I loved so much of this story. From the online connection, to the in person friendship that was formed, to the start of the relationship, it all drew me in. These characters drew me in. They felt real. They felt genuine. Everything felt right. And I love that. Yes there were difficult moments, but that is something that most of us deal with in life. Some are just more difficult or traumatic than others. Rating wise I opted to give Worth Every Second 4 stars. 

Worth Every Second was worth every moment I spent with the characters in their little world. I cannot wait to find out what book Hunter and Selena make an appearance in. And I know they will pop up again because Jocelyne said so! Consider my curiosity piqued.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on Worth Every Second. This is the fourth book of Jocelyne Soto's that I have read, and let me tell you, I am hooked. I can safely say that she is now an auto-buy author, and I will be reading all of her back list titles. 

Laura

Cover Design: Shanoff Designs

Posting “certain types” of pictures online is never a good idea. Especially when you’re the star player of your college football team. ⁣

But I did it anyway. ⁣

Never did I think that by posting my pictures online that I would find someone that I would actually be interested in.⁣

But I did.⁣

I saw her pictures, she commented on mine and the conversations were nonstop. She was the girl of my dreams and I wanted to meet her. Who knew that the girl of my dreams was the shy girl that sat next to me all semester. ⁣

Now that I know who she is, I want my shot. Only if she would give it to me. Every chance she gets I get turned down, but I'm not giving up. ⁣

I will show her that she is worth it, even if she may not think so. ⁣

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Meet Jocelyne Soto

Jocelyne Soto is a romance author  born and raised in California. 

She started her writing journey in 2015 and in 2019 she published her first book. She is an independent author who loves discovering new authors on Goodreads and Amazon. 

She comes from a big Mexican family, and with it comes a love for all things family and food.

Jocelyne has a love for her mom’s coffee and writing. In her free time, she can be found reading a romance novel off her iPad or somewhere in the black hole of YouTube.

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Thank you to Jocelyne Soto, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Worth Every Second.

After We Fall by JH Croix {cover reveal}

 

JH Croix has just revealed the cover for After We Fall, and it is absolutely stunning! This is the sixth book in the Dare With Me series, and is all about Grant and Harley. After We Fall can absolutely be read as a standalone, so if you're not a series person, no worries.

Clear your calendars for August 30, 2022, as you are going to want to read this small town, sibling's best friend romance!

✔️ We’re roommates.

✔️ We work together.

✔️ She’s my friend’s little sister.

✔️ She’s soooo off limits.

✔️ I want her anyway.

I made a deal with Harley Jackson. We’d burn that fire between us to ashes with a few nights between the sheets. Friends with benefits, but with a time limit. It turned out to be colossally stupid.

A few nights together only made the fire burn hotter. I was never supposed to fall for her.

Grant & Harley’s story is perfect for readers who love small town romance, daring pilots, sassy heroines, roommates who can’t get enough of each other, slow burn, emotional romance with a dash of angst, oozing with swoon, and one smokin’ hot protective hero.

*A full-length, standalone romance.

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Add to your wishlist on BookBub, and your TBR on Goodreads! 

Meet J.H. Croix

USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. 

Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with sassy women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. 

Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels!

Connect with J.H. Croix

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A to Z Author Challenge {update}

 

March is just about over... How?

As the month is just about over, that means that it is time for an Author A to Z challenge update.

New additions are in a pink/salmon color, and the blue is existing.

I'm curious to see how many letters I can cross off my list!

A to Z Title Challenge {update}

 It's the end of March! Was I able to cross off any letters in my a to z title challenge? Let's find out.

Remember, the salmon color is the new additions to the list.