Thursday, March 25, 2021

Restless Things {a review}


It's release day for one of my most anticipated reads for March! 

That's right, Restless Things by Samantha Lovelock is now available. This is the third book in the Folkestone Sins series, but it is the first book that has Sunday and Payne as the main characters! That's right, they are getting their HEA. Or at least I'm assuming that's the case. I mean I haven't read Ruined Things yet, so I can't be certain, but I am hopeful.

note: If you have NOT read Fragile Things and Fractured Things, then go do so, as this series HAS to be read in order. 

If you know me, you know that I have been not so patiently waiting for this book since I finished reading Fractured Things. All the anticipation was worth it though. Except now I have a problem. I have to wait until JUNE for Ruined Things to be released. Excuse me while I go pout about it. (and sign up to maybe receive an ARC.)



The moment I noticed Restless Things appear on my Kindle, I immediately loaded it and started reading. How could I not? Thankfully I had just finished another book, so it wasn't like I abandoned my current read. Don't get me wrong, I totally would have, but it wasn't necessary.

Restless Things gave me just about everything I wanted, and now I need to process it all. I mean so much happened! Of course now I also have questions that I need answered. Is it June yet so I can maybe get answers? UGH. 


My only other complaint is that it was shorter than I would have liked. It is under 200 pages, and dang if it didn't feel like a novella. Sigh. It's fine. I'm fine.



If you've read Fractured Things, then you know the bombshell that was dropped on us at the end. WHAT? In Restless Things that gets revealed. With that revelation comes questions. And I cannot tell you my questions because it would cause spoilers. AHHHHHH! So there's that.

Then there is the relationship between Sunday and Payne. Which hello tension, nice to see you. Ooh the desire between these two. Dang. I'm glad they are getting their moment. I also like all the back story we are getting on them, as it brings more info to their relationship/friendship. They've been through a lot together.



Restless Things ends on a cliffhanger. Which should come as no surprise, it's how the other two books ended as well. I will say that my heart broke a bit, as I could feel the emotion in the scene. Darn being an emotional person.




Here is the teaser for the book. It gives you a little insight for what you'll get, while at the same time giving no spoilers. 🤣

Sometimes in ruin, we find our truth.

Sunday
Payne Emerson is the boy I grew up with. The one who kept all of my secrets.

My life was perfect, until that one fateful night it all fell apart.
And I became invisible.
When my brother died, my parents looked right through me. My lonely feet stumbled and I finally fell.
Nobody knows how deep the darkness within me dwells, nobody except him.
I'm afraid of the fire he ignites within me. Afraid it will burn through the walls I've built to shelter my bruised and wounded heart.

What if I can't find my way back?

I can't lose myself again.


Payne
Sunday Easton is the first girl I ever kissed. The one who holds my heart in the palm of her hand.

When her world collapsed, I tried to be there for her. We were young, I was powerless.
And I became invisible.
She confessed her sins and I kept her secrets, holding tight to her small hand in the dark. Now we don't talk about the heat that burns between us.
I'm the only one who truly sees her and I'm done pretending.

Will she ever trust me enough to let go?

I'll never let her disappear.



Dear Samantha Lovelock,

Please tell me that there will be more books set in Folkestone. I feel there are more stories to be told, and I'm not ready to leave.

Sincerely,
Me 






If you read the series, or if you have read it, please let me know! I'd love to discuss it with you.

Happy Reading,


Thank you to Wildfire Marketing and Samantha Lovelock for an advanced reader copy of Restless Things.
All thoughts about the book are my own, and a positive review was not required.

Aleatory {a review)


I recently read Aleatory, and I absolutely LOVED IT!

When I initially read the description for the book, I wasn't certain it would be a good fit for me. That being said, my love for Xavier Neal's books pushed me to give Aleatory a chance. After reading it, I'm glad I did.

Age gap romances are not my typical read, but there was something about the heroine (Sloan) being approximately my age that had me saying yes. Then there was the fact that this relationship could ruin a friendship, and well I had to see how that all played out. I mean, would you be fine with your son dating your best friend?

Sloan is confident in who she is. She knew what she wanted, and wasn't about to shy away from saying it (or acting on it). Now Nix, well he came on a bit strong. In the beginning I wasn't certain if I would end up liking him, and I also didn't know if I could picture him with Sloan. Obviously my opinion about Nix changed as I read the story, and in the end I found myself cheering for him and Sloan, as well as liking them as a couple. The chemistry was so good.

There were many parts of the book that I pulled little tidbits from, but two of my favorite quotes were:

"There's nothing wrong with taking care of your needs even if it may hurt a few feelings. You gotta love and take care of you. You're stuck with yourself for life. Better to be on good terms than bad."

"Just remember that every great love story always includes some sort of forgiveness from one or, more often, both people..."

Happy Reading,



Thank you to Xavier Neal, and Candy Kane PR, for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Aleatory.
A positive review was not required, I just truly enjoyed the book.

From Candy Kane PR:

 


ALEATORY by Xavier Neal 
  Release Date: March 25th   
  Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AleatoryTBR  


      

AVAILABLE NOW!!! 
FREE in Kindle Unlimited!


   
 

Blurb: 

Aleatory.

As in ey-lee-uh-tawr-ee.

As in an adjective.

As in a synonym for unpredictable.

As in the only word to describe making the mistake of falling for someone who is not only ten years younger than you, but your best friend's son...   

 

Where to buy Aleatory:
FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

About the Author: 

Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can't resist. In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy's t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible). She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband "Lumberjack" and her rather lazy dog, Missy. 

Connect w/Xavier:

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Weekly Wrap Up


This is my first week of Jury Duty, and I am not excited about it in the least. Yes I know it's something that has to be done, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to do it. It throws a wrench in the schedule/routine my family has, but should I have to go in I am thankful my husband's employer has no issue with him working from home. I am also thankful that my county doesn't make you appear every day. Instead they have you call in the night prior and let you know if you're needed or not. Here's hoping it is 9 more days of them not calling my group number! 

Let's talk about what I read last week. if you go by the covers I share with you, I only read two books. TWO! However, one of them was a boxed set that contained four titles. So I mean if you want to get specific you could say I read five books this week. 🤣

    • Books read: 2
    • Pages read: 938
    • ARC: 1
    • EBook: 2

Average Rating: 4.5 stars

So what were the two books I read?

1) Fair Game

by Lisa Suzanne


Fair Game is a continuation of the Vegas Aces series, and picks up where the cliffhanger left us at the end of Long Game. So if you've read the first two books, you already know we are in Hawaii, and the relationship between Luke and Ellie is strained to say the least. The desire is there. The tension is there. Yet Luke keeps holding back. 

Let me say that at the start of the book Ellie is faced with two options. One has the potential to cause issues, the other would be the safe choice. While reading I was (internally) screaming at Ellie not to do what I thought she was going to do. DO NOT DO IT ELLIE! BE SMARTER THAN THAT! IT'S A TRAP WOMAN! Ugh. 

Also, Luke's family is just odd. But we knew that at the end of Long Game. But I mean I did think his sister was the "normal" one of the group. HA!

There is so much I want to say. SO MUCH. Yet pretty much any of it has the potential for spoilers. Just know, the cliffhanger at the end. Oofta! I was so glad that Luke and Ellie did what they did before hand. Still though, I cannot wait to see how this plays out in Waiting Game!

As with the first two books in the series,  Fair Game received 4 stars.


2) Driven

by K. Bromberg


I wasn't even aware of the Driven series until K Bromberg was promoting the boxed set bind-up on Facebook. I immediately clicked over to Amazon, looked at the Kindle price, gasped as I do not typically spend that kind of money for "one" book (it was $9.99, which isn't horrible, but more than I typically will pay), and then clicked the buy now button because I needed to read this series! 

I mean it's about a RACE CAR driver! I just didn't know if we were talking NASCAR or IRL. Did it matter? No not really. I mean was I hoping for NASCAR, well yes because I used to be a big fan. Plus it's a sports romance sport that I haven't read, but am interested in! (did that even make sense? I hope it did.)

Okay so what to even say about this four book boxed set. It's FREAKING AMAZING and will take you on one heck of an emotional rollercoaster ride. There were times this story had me UGLY crying. Colton and Rylee are just -no words-. No words can do them justice. I want to be in their circle of friends though because that would be fantastic.

In this series, K Bromberg shattered my heart and then put back together only to repeat the cycle a few times. 

And now I find myself needing to subscribe to PassionFlix so that I can watch the tv show version of the books. I NEED TO. It's completely worth the $5.99 or whatever the price is. Right? Right. 

I can't say anything else about the series, because I am not giving spoilers. Just know, I gave this boxed set 5 stars. Yep. It's rare that I had that out, but it had to be done. HAD TO. 

One thing I do want to mention is that should you choose to purchase the series, I would suggest either buying the Kindle bind-up, or buying all the books separately. I read through the reviews for the printed bind-up, and apparently the font is miniscule. So yeah, that's not good. Keep that in mind if you consider adding this to your home library. 


That's it. Those are the two books that I read. They were both spectacular, and I want more from both authors. 

Have you read the Driven series? How about watched the TV show? Are you reading the Vegas Aces series? Are you as sucked in as I am?

Happy Reading,


 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The Rebel {teaser}



The Rebel by Kendall Ryan
Book 1 in the Looking to Score series
Release Date: March 30, 2021


We are just ONE WEEK away from the release of THE REBEL!

And did you know that when you pre-order you get a FREE Bonus when the book is live? 

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW ðŸ‘‡ðŸ‘‡ðŸ‘‡
Amazon US ➜ https://amzn.to/39baQ11 
Amazon Intl. ➜ https://geni.us/TheRebel 
Google Play ➜ http://bit.ly/3cjnHAj 
Audible ➜  http://adbl.co/3aVF1sD 


About the Book:


I never thought I’d see her again.


We shared one hot night together back in college before our paths took us in different directions.


But now, the most brilliant and beautiful woman I’ve ever met is back in my life. And the chemistry I remember? It’s more combustible than ever.


Except…our fling is forbidden and must exist only in secret. Her rules, not mine.


I can’t be her forever. I’m not that guy, and even she knows it.


But I can’t stay away from her either. I’m determined to claim not just her body but her heart, even if that’s the one thing she’s vowed not to give me.



Add to Goodreads ➜ http://bit.ly/3c6xWrq 




About Kendall Ryan

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than three dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 3 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries all over the world.

Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than 100 times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras.

Subscribe to her newsletter: http://www.kendallryanbooks.com/newsletter/

Facebook: https:/fb.com/kendallryanbooks
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UT2bWM
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2WhFvkk
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2VycsMi
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Va0J7q
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EDIfBW
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2J4cIvR



Weekly Wrap Up

 


As you know I took the last two weeks off from my blog. While I took a break from writing here, I did not take a break from reading. 

Here are my stats for the first week in March.

    • 6 books read
    • 1 ARC
    • 5 e-books
    • 1 library book
    • 1,365 Pages Read

Average rating of 3.5 stars.

On to the books I read.

1) The Pilot and the Puck-Up

by Pippa Grant


I don't know what to think about this book. It had such potential. Hockey players + RomCom = WONDERFUL. Right? Yet for me this book missed the mark. The humor was there, but yeah no. Yes there were good parts, but the way the heroine was portrayed just rubbed me wrong. Again, the potential for greatness was there. Sigh. Why is it anytime there is an intelligent female, that always gets pushed to the side?

In the end I gave it a generous 3 stars.



2) Recovery

by Nicole Dykes

I wasn't certain what to expect when I started reading Recovery. Especially since Recovery was my introduction to Nicole Dykes. All I knew was what the description told me. I didn't know what sort of loss Mya was dealing with. I didn't understand why she left town. I didn't know any of that. Maybe had I read Clarity and/or Redemption prior to reading Recovery, then I might have more of a backstory.



All I knew was that Mya was hurting, and leaving town was the best option for her. Mya is also fortunate to have friends who are willing to help. I want to say I was surprised about how Mya kept everything close to her chest, but at the same time I wasn't. It's what she grew up doing, so it was habit.

Overall I liked the story. The bonds that Mya created with everyone was amazing. Especially since she was trying her best to keep everyone at a distance. The only thing I wish had been different was Mya's reaction to what Jase told her. Personally, I think she overreacted. Maybe had she told Jase (or anyone for that matter!) a bit more about her past, he might have understood where she was coming from. But that wasn't the case.

Recovery was a good book, and I am definitely considering going back to read Clarity and Redemption. I want to know more about Rhys, Logan, and Quinn. Also, I'm hoping there is a book coming for Charity, because that last little bit in the epilogue has me intrigued.


3) The Risk Taker

by Gina Azzi

The Risk Taker is the second book in the Boston Hawks series, and it gave me everything I wanted. Easton and Claire's relationship was what I imagined it would be with everything we learned in The Sweet Talker. I will say I cannot imagine living with my crush and trying to keep it platonic. Is that even possible? Especially when both parties are interested?

I am loving the books in this hockey series, and am ready for The Faker!  

Four stars all the way!


4) Already Written

by Xavier Neal


If you know me, you know that I adored Xavier Neal's Hockey Gods series, and that I freaking loved the Bennett Duet. I am also hoping to get my hands on an ARC for her upcoming release, Aleatory. (if not, I will be buying it.)

I went into Already Written with high expectations. A celebrity romance with a romance author? HECK YA, bring it! I will read that anytime. That being said, Already Written was just okay. Nothing special.  Knowing what I know about the characters Xavier Neal creates, I was expecting more. Minka and Pierce had the connection. They had the passion. Yet something was missing. 

5) Snapped

by Alexa Martin


Since I had read the first three books in the Playbook series, there was no way I was going to miss Snapped. While my county library didn't have it on hand, I did take advantage of the inter-library loan program, and had it brought in from another location. I am so glad that I did. 

Snapped was a phenomenal book. I loved how it touched on kneeling during the anthem, and protesting for change within the league. I loved how the team came together to support Quinton's cause (CTE & past players receiving better care/payment). Yes some people might find issue with the subject matter in the book, but that's on them. 

Now this book wasn't perfect. There were definitely areas where it just didn't feel finished. Primarily in the relationship between Elliot and Quinton. Then there was also the explanation of Quinton's causes. They were not really explained until later on in the book. The owner of the team though, damn. He's horrible. I will say that Snapped wasn't my favorite of the series, but I still appreciate it immensely. 

I gave Snapped 4 stars

6) Hockey Hunk

by Kat Obie


Imagine my surprise when I randomly commented on a post in a Facebook group, only to then be tagged as the winner of a book. This is actually the second time that has happened. I'm perfectly okay with that too!

When I saw that I had won a hockey romance book, I was all in. It is my favorite after all. 

I went into Hockey Hunk knowing nothing about the book. Occasionally it's a thing I do, and 90% of the time it works out wonderfully. 

Let me just say I liked the idea of the Hockey Hunk storyline. The execution, well it left a little something to be desired. This isn't a spoiler, as it is written right into the description, so keep that in mind. Who in their right mind would choose a fake pregnancy as a prank to get other pranks to stop? WHAT? I might expect something like that from high schoolers or MAYBE college students, but from a man in the NHL? NO, just no. That was a big miss for me. Now that I said that, let me say, I did like the romance between Renee and Matt. I love the best friends sister trope, and so in that regard I was good to go. It's the prank that I didn't appreciate. They could have faked an engagement instead. That would be fitting. But for Matt to automatically go with fake pregnancy? No.

When all was said and done, I did give the book 3 stars. 


Those are the books I read the first week in March! Have you read any of these books? If so, tell me which one and I'd love to hear your thoughts.



Happy Reading,


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