Review: Justin, by Christi Snow

Part of a series? Yes.

Cliffhanger? No.

Category: Adult.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Self-published

Pages: 96

Blurb:

Tara Malone is having one of those lives. Born to Oscar award-winning actor, Anthony Malone, and model-famous beauty, Veronica Scott, she should have it made. But her curvy figure and out-of-control frizzy red hair are just the start of her many, many issues. Now to make matters worse, she’s started out her week by running over model, Justin James, with her car. She had a lot of fantasies about the cover model, but never did any of them include vehicular assault.

Justin James doesn’t have time for two broken wrists, but neither does his over-achieving family. He can’t open up his fridge or unzip his fly without excruciating pain and no one else has the time to help him. Tara already shot him down at the accident scene, but maybe he can work this so that the curvy bombshell has a reason to hang around for a bit. He’s not above using guilt if it means he gets to know her better.

 

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

 

REVIEW:

I received this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

Justin is the first book in a series of novels/novellas. This first installment is a light and fast read.

Justin James is a firefighter, but also a male model for book covers. Obviously he’s hot, but his sweetness is almost too much. Honestly, he’s the sweetest male character I’ve read in a long time. While I find it refreshing, sometimes I had a feeling that this story was a little bit too goody-goody. But, the author shows the chemistry between Justin and Tara quite well, so it’s good enough to keep me reading.

Tara Malone is a curvaceous young woman who meets Justin quite unusually. In fact, their meeting is really well-written and immediately had me hooked. Tara is kind, smart and while she’s also a little bit shy at first, she isn’t one to shy away from her attraction to Justin. That’s a nice touch.

Now, the romance is a little too straight-forward for my liking. I like it when there are a few twists, a few things that come in the way. Here, nothing much happens to be perfectly honest. We see both characters fall in love pretty fast, we see their undeniable attraction to each other, we see them rein it a little bit at first, but that’s all. Though, it’s a nice romance, with nice characters that somewhat ring true. I would have loved that little “thing more” to fully win me over instead of having me reading this book without actually feeling much other than a slight warmth.

The plot itself is very simple and since the length of the story is akin to a novella it’s understandable. I can’t say much other than maybe I’d have loved to see more of Tara and Justin’s family because I think there’s something really lacking there. I mean, we’re told and we see that Tara’s mother is quite awful with her and yet things aren’t really impacting the plot as much as I would have enjoyed. It would have been a nice new layer to the story, more depth, but again, it’s not a full length novel, so I understand the author’s choices.

To end this short review, I think this is a nice story, something perfect to read in-between more angsty/heavy books. The romance has a nice and sweet ring to it and it left me with a soft smile to my face so it’s not a bad thing. I was expecting something a little bit more fun or maybe something a little bit more epic when it comes to the romance. But the characters are like normal people and without much of flaws. (I love characters with flaws).

 

RATING:

Review: Perfect Chaos, by Nashoda Rose

Part of a series? Yes.

Cliffhanger? Yes.

Category: Adult, Erotica.

Genre: Contemporary, suspense, with some romance.

Self-published.

Pages: 223

Blurb:

Georgie

I lie to survive.

Have since I was sixteen and my world fell into chaos. But I found a way to endure, or rather it found me. Now I’m a prisoner of my own doing, hiding behind a false mask so no one sees the truth. Not even the man I want but can’t have—Deck. But I messed up and the lies are spilling over, out of control.

Deck is unrelenting and will settle for nothing less than the truth. He demands everything from me—EVERYTHING—even if it rips me apart.

DECK

I kill for a living.

Unyielding—It’s how I survive in my line of work. I bend people to my will…except Georgie.
But that ends now.
I’ve played her game for far too long. Now I think it’s time we play mine.

 

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

 

REVIEW:

I received this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

Perfect Chaos is the first installment of a series that features different set of characters in each book, but their story is connected and the main plot is resuming in the other books. For info, there is a cliffhanger in Perfect Chaos even though the romantic plot is completed in this book. Also, this series is a spin off series, so you’ll see mentions of characters from that other series, but it’s not an issue if you have yet to read the other series.

That now out of the way, I’m going to try and write my thoughts.

I enjoyed reading this book for the most part. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It was thrilling to meet Deck and Georgie, to try and decipher the mysteries surrounding them, but in the end I’m not as head over heels as I was expecting.

Deck is a real alpha-male, and while I enjoy that very much in books, here sometimes it felt forced and I even disliked him or at least didn’t swoon as much as I wanted to. There was just something that rubbed me the wrong way. I would have loved to see a little bit more of softness instead of being told that there was something soft underneath his very in-control self. I don’t know, maybe I was more into seeing actual romance instead of reading numerous sex scenes.

Georgie is tough, she’s got some sass and that brought real comic relief sometimes. At other times, I found it a little bit too silly considering the tone of the story, but it’s just me. I don’t have much to say about Georgie. She’s a good character, quite well-portrayed and it’s easy to see her attachment to Deck and her pain and fears. Though, sometimes I’d have loved to FEEL more while reading this book.

The plot itself is interesting. While the romance is mainly about the sex scenes, the plot itself is unfolding something very complex. I do think some things are coming quite late, but it’s done quite well even though some things were obvious almost right away. I’m a little bit disappointed that we’re left hanging, but I’m curious about what comes next. That’s a good thing.

In this book, I enjoyed the suspense, the mysteries, the array of characters and the possibilities of the plot for the next books in the series.
In this book, I disliked, the too numerous sex scenes that while well-written and hot, are for the most part gratuitous and a little repetitive. I also miss the romance, and Deck stays too cold for my liking even though he did say a few very good lines.

I will probably read the next installment.

 

RATING:

 to 3.5

Review: Bad Romeo, by Leisa Rayven

Part of a series? Yes.

Cliffhanger? You could say that.

Category: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Pages: 417

Blurb:

While performing the greatest love story of all time, they discovered one of their own…

Cassie Taylor was just another acting student with big dreams at her prestigious performing arts college, then she met Ethan Holt. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy on campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing on stage, Cassie and Ethan’s epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they’ve made it to Broadway where they’re reunited as romantic leads once again, and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret, and he’s determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, working with him reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it’s the things that aren’t good for us that are the most irresistible.

Don’t miss the intoxicating romance beloved by over two million fans online–a story that will captivate you and hold you breathless until the final page.

 

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

 

REVIEW:

I received this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

Bad Romeo is the first book in the series and while I can’t exactly call the ending a cliffhanger, it sure leaves us without a conclusion. And honestly, I loved reading this book so much that I just want more of Ethan and Cassie. I’ve already marked the date of the release of the next book in my calendar! That’s how far gone I am. 😉

So, brace yourself for the gushing I’m about to impose on you. Ready?

Bad Romeo is everything I love in a good contemporary romance novel, and more. You have the sweetness with some lines that just melt me, you have a charismatic male interest that is brooding, sexy, difficult in so many ways and yet his vulnerability is enchanting. You have a female character that is relatable, funny, sincere and so very human that you can’t not understand and like her. Also, in this book you see both characters fighting, you see them fighting against their feelings, their attraction and I must say that it’s done amazingly here. It didn’t feel cliché or overdone because the pain in both characters, their fears is there and I felt for them both even though sometimes I wanted to shake Ethan. 😉

The story never bored me. Not even one little chapter. Everything is important and the author succeeded in writing a story that shows us the present of both characters, but also their past, the past that changed everything six years ago. I was never lost in the timeframe, and I could really see the evolution of Ethan and Cassie. It’s very interesting and it’s quite impressive because I’m pretty sure it wasn’t an easy fit to actually write a story that is split in two, but is actually very much connected. I know, it must not make much sense to you, but you have to read the book to understand.

The secondary characters are great too. You have a little of everything and that’s nice because they complete Ethan and Cassie’s story. I completely lost myself for a few hours while reading this book, and I think it’s also because the author was able to add secondary characters that support well Ethan and Cassie to better create a whole world, life around them. I can honestly say that I was hooked even before I was finished with the first chapter.

The writing itself is lively. You can see Cassie’s voice, and even spot the changes in her that occurred between the moment she meets Ethan and the present day. That’s subtlety done and I can’t praise the author enough. She knows her characters and it feels like there’s nothing left aside.

The romance itself is wonderful too. There are so much left unsaid still, but we know where they’re coming from and I’m rooting for Cassie and Ethan. I love how the author took her time to unravel some mysteries and how the romance isn’t starting right away or how it’s a constant battle. It put things into perspective and I really like how real it somehow felt.

I know, I know, at this point I’m shamelessly being a fangirl, but it’s been a while since I last felt so very much consumed by a story and by the characters featured. I’m so eager to read the sequel that it’s almost embarrassing.

If there’s one thing I need to write it’s this: Buy and Read this book. Now! 😉

What do you think of Ethan?

 

RATING:

Review: Caught Up In You, by Colee Firman

Part of a series? It can be read as a standalone, but there will be another book featuring another set of characters.

Cliffhanger? No.

Category: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Self-published.

Pages: 299

Blurb:

Life has a way of shaping you into what it wants you to be, regardless of how much you fight it.

Brantley Prescott is damaged. Scarred by a past she can’t forget. Hiding secrets she’s terrified to share. Searching for a future she doesn’t believe she’ll ever find.

Myles Franco is alone. Burdened by mistakes he’ll never live down. Fostering a deep resentment for the opposite sex. Unleashing his wrath on any girl who gets too close.

Brantley has worked behind the bar long enough to recognize Myles for what he is—a douchebag player with nothing on his mind but keeping a steady stream of girls flowing through his bed. With his messy dark hair, sapphire blue eyes, rock-solid body, and endless tattoos he’s impossible to ignore. But that’s exactly what she plans on doing.

After just one run-in with Brantley, Myles is even more determined to stick to the rules he lives by. She’s mouthy, blunt, and doesn’t back down—no matter how hard he pushes her. She could turn out be the one temptation that drags him down the path he’s been trying to avoid. He won’t let that happen.

Both are content living behind the solid walls they’ve built around themselves. Neither is prepared for what happens when their lives collide.
Due to sexual content and graphic language – 17+ recommended.

 

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

 

REVIEW:

I received this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

It’s my first book by this author and it’s a really nice surprise. I was on a roller coaster while reading this book and I had a hard time putting it down.

I enjoyed reading this book even though sometimes I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The emotions still got to me and at one point I stopped fighting and I let myself be caught up in the mess that are Myles and Brantley. These two are the perfect example of how a relationship can be a mess.

The author went all out with these characters. They brought the whole misunderstanding, the lack of communication to a whole new level. Sometimes it can be frustrating, also a little bit maddening, but that’s also what makes it addictive in a way. Though, I do think some things were too dragged out and overdone, but I guess it’s a matter of personal taste.

The plot itself is pretty common even though a few obstacles thrown in the mix are a little different from what I often see. It’s a nice twist on things regarding Myles’ work, but I still think it’s a little too easy of an excuse or taken too far to just add a new climax, a new drama to the story. I’m not sure it was always serving the story for the best. But once again, it’s a matter of personal taste and even though I’m being picky here, I still had to read the next chapter, and the next… You get the picture, right? 😉

The secondary characters are really great for the most part. They really add that little something I love in books like this one. Really, I’m looking forward to their story because it also means seeing all of these characters again.

The writing is great. I don’t have much to say about it because I like how sometimes we have a long in-depth view in the character’s feelings, emotions and thoughts. It doesn’t break the rhythm of the story and it helps the characterization. Without the well-developed POV of Myles and Brantley, I don’t know if I’d have been able to fully enjoy this story since I had a hard time connecting with both of them sometimes.

If there’s something I regret a little it’s that the whole thing regarding Myle’s past and Brantley’s past isn’t really explored. Both characters talk about it a couple of times when they’re getting to know each other, but in the end we don’t really see much of it and how it still impacts them. We see it mainly in the first few chapters of the book, but after that it’s mentioned in passing but it’s not exactly emotionally connected. Not as much as I was expecting and hoping. You can call me twisted for wanting more angst. 😉

Also, and I’m sorry if it’s spoiling you a little bit, but I still don’t get why things went so badly in the scene taking place at Christmas. I mean, sometimes it’s like Myles and Brantley had extreme mood swings and reacted so harshly, almost out of character. What I’m trying to say is that I do think sometimes it contradicted to what they thought or said a few pages prior. That bothered me a little, but still, not enough for me to not enjoy this book. Call it a strange guilty pleasure on my part.

So, yes, I do think this is a great addition in this genre and I hope more people will read this book. I will probably read the next book that will feature Wyatt, one of the secondary characters we had the chance to meet in Caught Up In You.

By the way, I really think the title is perfectly fitting this story.

What do you think of Myles?

 

RATING:

3.5 to