One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake

I came across this book on GoodReads, on a list called something like "romances set in a small town," and I am so glad I did! 

So far, it is my favorite book of the summer! 

Here's the blurb:

The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver’s been the good girl all her life, and it’s gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she’s decided it’s time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she’s headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio, to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.

She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny’s #1 hellraiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake), and he’s landed in hot water more times than he can count. He’s exactly the kind of guy Jenny’s always kept her distance from … but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that’s out of control. Too bad Mick’s got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny’s perfectly, passionately reckless summer …

Sounds good, right?? 

It was published in 2009, so it's not a new release, but I still feel like I "discovered" something. It includes some of my favorite Romance Novel tropes:

• girl has a douchy ex to get over
• girl returns home after years in the big city
• girl returns to her small town
• small town, apple pie, town picnic, etc. 
• mysterious bad boy with a heart of gold
• reformed bad boy
• hot, steamy, sex scenes 
• reconnection with a person from the past
• summer lovin'
• characters from two different worlds
• and more

I LOVED this book, and I am currently reading book #2 in the series, Sugar Creek. 

My Rating 5/5

*Read a preview here

The Girls by Emma Cline (Sorry!)

It's not you, it's me. 

I'm opting not to finish this book after reading 30%.
It's NOT due to the writing. Emma Cline has really shown tremendous writing skill here. The way that she can recall the thoughts and feelings that come with being a 14-year old girl? How does she do it? It's uncanny, but damn, it's so psychologically insightful.

I'm not quitting due to the pacing... the story moves along just fine. The text is complex enough to give my brain a workout, but not confusing. Cline is good at this. This book is one that will be talked about, for sure.

It's just... the subject matter that is a bit much for me. As the main character gets closer and closer to Suzanne and her crew, my nerves are getting rattled too much. We see her making choices and I want to grab her and tell her to STAY HOME.

I read about a toddler with a sunburn, and how they were raised, and I had to tap out. Done.

Sorry. I'm a weeny.

THANK YOU to Random House and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

From Amazon.com: Like the spellbinding psychological suspense in The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive, Megan Miranda’s novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearances of two young women—a decade apart—told in reverse.

It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.

The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.

Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.

Like nothing you’ve ever read before, All the Missing Girls delivers in all the right ways. With twists and turns that lead down dark alleys and dead ends, you may think you’re walking a familiar path, but then Megan Miranda turns it all upside down and inside out and leaves us wondering just how far we would be willing to go to protect those we love.



As Corinne would say, this book was a total "mindfuck"! Holy shit, it was GOOD! 

All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda is told sort of out of order... there's a beginning, then it starts going backward for two weeks, then we're brought back to the beginning, then it goes forward a few months. There are also flashbacks to 10 years ago.

Sound confusing? Fret not, dear reader. Part of this book's awesomeness is that Miranda navigates this unorthodox storytelling expertly, slowly unraveling the plot and keeping the reader interested hooked. Seriously, I could.not.put.it.down.

Like The Girl on the Train, you find yourself accusing characters, retracting your accusations, accusing others, and then when the lightbulb goes on... you have nothing to say but, "Whoa!"

Twists, turns, lies, betrayals, secrets, love, dreams, and more are loaded into an awesome story.

None of the characters are without flaw, but all are relatable. By 50% I had alternately fallen in love with and then later hated most of the characters.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because Miranda reveals it on her terms, at her pace, like a mutha' effin' boss.


I'm calling it now: This book is going to be huge. 

READ IT. It comes out on June 28, 2016. You can thank me later! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

My Rating: 5/5 

Stirred by Tracy Ewens

"Everyone has life experiences, things they did when they were young and stupid. I..well, I guess I woke up one morning, or maybe after a few mornings, and realized that I don't have anything tucked away. I don't have any cool stories or experiences. I wanted those. I still do."

Sage is a mixologist at her friends' bar/restaurant and loves her job. Her background is in mechanical engineering, but she found herself unhappy, unfulfilled, and wanting more of a life. She wants to have that metaphoric "bottom drawer" filled with tucked away memories, secrets, and adventures to look back upon. She decides to find herself by being her own friend... along the way she makes some real and true friends that become like family to her. The older brother of her best friend turns out to be the man of her dreams.

Garrett is Sage's best friend's oldest brother and a hard-working, serious farmer. He's so used to being the one in control, running the show, shouldering responsibility, that he hasn't had the time or inclination to realize that something was missing from his life.

"He's spent his life letting other people shine."

Until Sage gets drunk and reveals her feelings. After that, neither one finds it possible to move on.

Stirred is a love story that kind of explores "what if?" your fantasy finally came true. Both Garrett and Sage have been hurt before--different ways, but still-- and have to work past their own emotional baggage to find out if they are willing to open up all the way and let love, true and real, in.

I loved the way Ewens crafted the development of Garrett & Sage's love story... it wasn't insta-love at all. Yes, Sage was "in love" with Garrett from the beginning, but once she got closer, she realized what love really is. Through each other's eyes, they are able to see the worth in opening up for another, and they each  deserve that kind of happiness.

Sage was a cool character. She had a great sense of humor, and could stand on her own two feet. I loved how intelligent she is, and that she wasn't afraid of personal growth and being honest about her feelings. There is nothing more annoying than a female MC that hides her feelings. 

Ah, Garrett. What is there not to like love? He's most women's fantasy: a hot farmer/business owner that cares about his family, takes great care of his dog, and is strong enough to pick Sage up like she's a feather... the scene at the end with the dresser. Swoon! 

"You probably have a bigger bottom drawer than you realize, Sage."

I also loved the way Ewens mixed steaminess and romance without getting graphic. The kiss in the wine cellar had me holding my breath... and the scene in the barn during the rain storm... WOW. 

Although this is part of a series (this is #5), it works well as a stand alone. Ewens provides the perfect amount of background information to fill in gaps & explain relationships, without going off on tangents. 

When NetGalley sent me this ARC in exchange for an honest review, I had no idea that it was a series but now that I've read the last, I want to go back to the beginning and read them all. 

My rating: 4.5/5

Accidental Cowgirl by Maggie McGinnis

From GoodReads: 
After being betrayed by her con man ex-fiancé, Kyla Bennett nurses a broken heart. But Kyla's friends have other ideas and when they whisk her off to Whisper Creek, a dude ranch staffed by cowboys so hot they dim the Montana sunset, all Kyla wants to do is hide under a quilt. Then in rides Decker Driscoll. He’s hauling about as much emotional baggage as Kyla, but when he stands close by, both of them want to stay close—and begin to succumb to an undeniable attraction.
 
After experiencing personal tragedy, Decker never thought he’d see Big Sky country again. But now that his family's Whisper Creek property is in deep with a Vegas gambler, Decker’s back for the summer—and spending all his time running from “cowgirls” who come to the dude ranch to score some dudes. Then he meets Kyla, a kindred spirit who brings on a stampede of protective feelings . . . and a powerful hankering to sear her with a new brand of love.

***

This book had me at howdy. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. 

McGinnis crafted a really sweet, really cute romance with elements of whimsy. The characters were (mostly) likeable, and the locale was one that really came to life on the page. If there really was a Whisper Creek Ranch, I'd go there in a heartbeat!

Both Kyla and Decker (how HOT is that name?) were flawed, but looking for redemption. Ultimately, they helped each other get there. Their pasts were devastating, and both harbored feelings of shame and guilt due to what they'd been through, but through the magic of love, they were able to overcome it.

Now, all that said, there were some really, really unrealistic elements to the plot, as well as some parts that did not make sense. 

**Spoilers**

Why is Roscoe working as a bakery delivery man if his Alzheimers is so advanced that he's packing heat and pulling over tourists? How did Kyla know Marcy's name in her thoughts before she knew her name? How did Decker know that Kyla hates coffee, but loves cocoa? Lots of loose ends that you just have to go with because it's just that kind of book. 

The romance is sweet, but a little insta-love. The one love scene isn't racy enough to make you clutch your pearls. 

It was cute. I liked it. 

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars 

Forbidden Surrender by Priscilla West

Read June 2015
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.






From GoodReads.com: 

“What gives you a thrill Kristen?”

The minute I saw Vincent Sorenson, I knew he was trouble. Billionaire. Bad boy. And dangerously sexy. He was everything I craved, and nothing I needed. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t just avoid him. The higher ups at my company decided they needed his business, and I was on the team to bring him in. Vincent Sorenson didn’t seem as interested in business as he was in me, but I knew that was a door better left unopened. If I got involved with him, it would only unearth the pain I spent years trying to bury.

I thought I had it under control, but I seriously underestimated Vincent’s seductive charm and silver-tongue. I would soon find out how delicious it would feel to let myself fall into this forbidden surrender.

***

Kristen Daley meets Vincent Sorenson as a potential client—she’s a Harvard educated financial analyst, he’s a surfer turned billionaire CEO. Almost immediately, the attraction is clear and he begins to pursue her. Kristen isn’t sure about mixing business with pleasure, but it doesn’t take very long for Vincent to win her over. 

My Vincent

My Kristen

The way that Pricilla West describes the chemistry between the two is fantastic. Through vivid description, you can really feel the vibe between them as they get to know each other. There’s more to Vincent than meets the eye, and it was enjoyable to see some of that. 

But then the book ends. 

A secondary story line is presented in the last quarter of the book, and I guess that’s where the series will pick up in the next one. I just wish this book were longer; it seems kind of pointless to drop off like that at the end. There wasn’t enough of an arc to make this a strong stand-alone story. 

That said, I really liked what I did read.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars 

Doing it For Love by Cassie Mae

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read June 2015

Blurb from Good Reads: 
Elizabeth Fanning’s life looks pretty perfect, judging by the diamond ring on her finger. Her fiancé, Landon, is sweet, handsome, and hilarious. The trouble is, before they’ve even tied the knot, their sex life has gone from mind-blowing to “meh”—and Liz isn’t ready to be part of an old married couple. After a cathartic call to her best friend, Liz comes up with a brilliant idea. She and Landon may never be able to re-create the magic of their first time, but how amazing would their wedding night be if everything below the neck was off-limits until then?

Liz thinks it’ll bring them closer together. Landon’s convinced she’ll cave first. So they raise the stakes: Whoever lasts longer gets to pick their honeymoon destination. With her heart set on the Bahamas and Landon fighting for snowbound Utah, Liz simply has to win. But pretty soon, her body is screaming for attention, and Landon’s never seemed so far away. Has Liz’s experiment backfired? Losing their little competition would be frustrating—but the one thing she can’t afford to lose is him.

My Review: 

My Landon 

Doing It For Love by Cassie Mae is a light, fun, romantic comedy with a whole lot of sweetness. The main character, Lizzie, tells the story through a first person narrative, and Mae has given Lizzie a clear (and funny) personality that really comes across. Both Lizzy and Landon, her fiancé, are well-developed and likeable characters.

My Lizzie


My biggest problem with this book is how far fetched some of the events were. I’m willing to forgive a lot in a romance—it’s a fantasy, an escape, after all—but at times, it was a bit much. 

**SPOILER**

Another issue I have is that Theresa (Lizzie’s best friend) was hooking up with someone Lizzie knew, but his identity was not revealed. This mystery man also bought Theresa a necklace that was stolen when her apartment was robbed, and it was clear that the necklace meant a great deal to her. Maybe this connection between Theresa and her man is the storyline of the next book? 

I did love the over all message of the book. Lizzie and Landon have been together for years and still love each other a lot. The spark in their sex life has kind of fizzled with everyday life butting in, but they didn’t move on to greener pastures, as you see a lot in romances. They stuck and worked on bringing back their fire, which just goes to show you: the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. It’s greener where you water it. 

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars 

Fire Me Up by Rachael Johns

Read in June 2015 

*ARC of Fire Me Up by Rachael Johns provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Fire Me Up tells the story of Travis-- former MC member, former outlaw, current security analyist--and Billie—recently divorced, former artist, current gallery proprietor.

My Travis:

 

My Billie:

Travis returns to New Orleans to pay his respects when Priest, the President of “The Deacons” (Travis’s old MC), dies mysteriously. He feels obligated to stay and help his “brothers” get to the bottom of the suspicious death. Travis, along with three other Deacons, inherits the building that Billie rents for her gallery and apartment and he decides he’s going to stay there while he finishes up his work the MC.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Although the premise of the story seemed promising, there were some flaws in the writing that just made it fall short for me. The first of which are the logistics of Travis staying with Billie. He basically forces himself in and tells her he CAN since he now owns the building. Travis tells her that if she doesn’t like it she can call a lawyer, but based on her rent, he assumes she can’t afford one. She all but says, “welp, ok!” Didn’t even ask him for like, proof. Or, I don’t know, call the cops and say, “there’s a scary man demanding to live in my apartment”?

Billie keeps repeating that she will never fall into another relationship like her marriage, one where she lost herself and was controlled. She came to NOLA to spread her wings. However, her actions say otherwise. Travis basically treats her like crap, then once he apologizes, she’s totes cool. After a week together, she’s traded in her flowery, long skirts for biker babe attire and a tattoo on her ass! YES, the woman who declared that no man would own her again literally branded herself on the ass.

After he ruins her life, all he has to do is come back, put some Neosporin on her butt and say he’s sorry. That’s it! He RUINED her whole career, but he did tell to keep drawing (which her ex didn’t support), so it’s all good? I think that was one of the biggest flaws of the book: the development of the characters. They felt flat. We were told about them instead of getting to know them through plot development. Travis went from the most horrible man ever to Mr. Lovey-Dovey. I didn’t buy the transformation. Billie was supposedly some kind of artsy-bohemian, but... nah, she wasn't.

The plot was ok, but not riveting. We were told a list of activities that occurred during the time when Billie and Travis fell in love, rather than taken with them on the ride. I didn’t feel any connection to their story or them. ::shrugs shoulders::

The most exciting part was when Travis had a fight with his mom. Yep, his mom.

The best part of this book was the way that Johns writes about New Orleans. She so brought it to life that it felt like it was a character in and of itself.

Priest’s murder was never solved, although Travis did find one clue. I am assuming that will lead into the next book. I don’t care enough about these characters to read on to find out though.

Nitpicky issue: I realize that the author lives in Austrailia, but Americans don't call vacations "holidays" and an MC member would never refer to his Harley as a "motorbike."

My rating: 2/5 stars 

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