Review + Giveaway: Kiss Me Like This (The Morrisons #1) by Bella Andre

Series: The Morrisons #1

Genre: Contemp Romance

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: 6/11/4

Format: eARC

Pages: 300

Source: Author

Rating: 4 stars

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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Bella Andre, comes a New Adult contemporary series about The Morrisons!

Sean Morrison, one of six siblings and the top college baseball player in the country, is reeling from a heartbreakingly painful loss. Nothing seems to matter anymore...until the night Serena Britten unexpectedly ends up in his arms.

Serena is a world-famous model who has only ever wanted to be normal, even though her mother has always pushed her to become a superstar. Though it isn't easy to try to leave everyone and everything she knows behind, Serena is determined to enroll in college. More than anything, she wants to turn her love for books into a new career that she actually loves. Only, she never expected to meet someone like Sean on campus—or to be instantly consumed by their incredible chemistry and connection.

But when the pressures of her high-profile modeling career only get bigger and more demanding, will it make living a normal life as a college student—and falling in love with the hottest guy on campus—impossible?

Note for Sullivan fans: Serena made an appearance in Just To Be With You (Ian's story) and Smith Sullivan from Come A Little Bit Closer makes an appearance in KISS ME LIKE THIS, too! KISS ME LIKE THIS is a full-length, standalone emotional and sexy New Adult contemporary romance novel of 400+ pages/90,000 words and is intended for readers 18+.

Like millions of readers, I am a fan of Bella Andre's. Her books, particularly The Sullivans series, inspire a certain sense of devotion, and we always want more, yes? So when I got the opportunity to read Kiss Me Like This, I...well, I squealed like my six-year old daughter. I was so ready and I jumped in right away.

Whether a book is Adult or New Adult honestly doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm interested in the story. But I will admit to curiosity in regards to how Andre would write New Adult. My answer? She did it so very well. Kiss Me Like This still felt like a Bella Andre book, simply revolving around a younger set of characters. We still get strong and endearing main characters who must overcome struggles in their lives, a sweet, beautiful love story that'll leave you swooning, and yes, the steam. Bonus, the story never felt like it was trying too hard, wasn't overly angsty.

Kiss Me Like This me like this is the story of two Serena and Sean, trying to find their way. Serena, a former model/actress, is determined to live a normal life as a college student. Her domineering, shallow mother has other plans. Serena's world has revolved around her body, selling a look. Higher learning has been her dream, to spend her days studying, hide away in the library while she binges on the works she obsesses over. At Stanford, Serena does not want to be known as a body or a face, simply a student.

Sean Morrison is numb, or at least he strives to be. The tight-knit Morrison family's world was destroyed when mom Lisa lost her battle with cancer three months prior. Lost, feeling angry and grief-striken, Sean doesn't want to feel anything. When he sees the most beautiful woman dancing at a party, Sean makes a bold, bold move. A move that nearly costs him a chance to know Serena Britten. While every other guy around wants Serena the sex symbol, Sean sees someone with beautiful heart, full of kindness and compassion. She brings him peace.

The connection between Sean and Serena was powerful. I never had a moment's hesitation as to their...rightness. Serena doesn't trust anyone easily, has been coached by her mom that all men are after one thing. But Sean, he was such a great guy, nearly perfect. He was so careful with Serena's heart and her body, never pushing, always reassuring. Sean's big hindrance from fully moving forward is coming to terms with his mom's death, and how that loss affected his love of photography. Through Serena's gentle nature and willingness to be patient while he finds his way, and his words, Sean begins to heal and find a way to the path he wants to take ahead.

Kiss Me Like This just really melted my heart. I know that's not the hardest task for a book, but Andre has a way of grabbing my heart with every book. The love story was thoughtful and endearing. The secondary characters, particularly Serena's roommate Abi and the Morrison siblings all enhanced the story. And ohhhhhh! We get some juicy, enticing sequel bait with older brother Drew Morrison, a rock star!

Whether you're a long time fan of Bella Andre's or a reader looking for a good New Adult story to dig into, Kiss Me Like This is a story a recommend without reservation.

Favorite Quotes

  For a few perfect moments, they were equal partners in passion. He wasn't leading and she wasn't following. They were both simply taking and giving to each other exactly what they needed.

  A break from the cold.

  A reminder of what it was to feel alive, completely alive.

  And a chance to forget what they each needed to forget.

  "And you're right. Because even knowing you need to go slow, I want to push you fast. So damned fast." He lowered his gaze to her lips and she shivered with need. "I want to kiss you for hours and hours, nowhere but that sweet mouth of yours, until you're begging me for more. Pleading with me to kiss you anywhere I want. Everywhere you want."
  Her breathing grew ragged from nothing more than just listening to him.

  "So even though I hate having to wait a whole week to see you again, I'm not going to ask you to change your mind. And I won't text or call or come by or get in your way while you're studying this 
week, because something tells me that would be just as bad a distraction for both of us, and I could never forgive myself if your grades slipped because of me. But if you need me for any reason, I want you to know that I'll drop everything for you."

Bella is giving one lucky reader a signed copy of Kiss Me Like This. Must be 18+ years of age, open to US.

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About Bella Andre

New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author of "The Sullivans" series.

Having sold more than 3 million books, Bella Andre’s novels have been #1 bestsellers around the world. After signing a groundbreaking 7-figure print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA, Bella’s Sullivan series is being released in paperback in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly), her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages, and her Sullivan books are already Top 20 sellers in Brazil. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and most recently in TIME Magazine. She has given keynote speeches at publishing conferences from Copenhagen to Berlin to San Francisco.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100-year-old log cabin in the Adirondacks. 

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REVIEWS: SWEET by ERIN MCCARTHY / THE VIRGIN'S GUIDE TO MISBEHAVING by JESSICA CLARE

Series: True Believers #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Publication Date: 6/3/14

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: 5 stars

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Erin McCarthy stunned audiences with her passionate New Adult romance, True. Now she returns with a seductive and touching tale of finding love in all the wrong places…

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally free her from her parents’ constant judgments, but if anything, it’s made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house.

Sarcastic and cocky, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working in construction all day. He seems like the completely wrong guy for Jessica, but Riley hides a sensitive side and a family burden behind his self-assured grin. As Jessica helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself.

But when it comes down to showing Riley how she truly feels, Jessica’s fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her…

 

 

My Review

  "Jess, I've got no business judging anyone. But I can offer you some advice if you don't mind. 

  "Sure." Though my palms start to sweat anticipating what he might say.

  "Never ask someone to tell you who you are. You tell them."

I'm a fan of McCarthy's adult romance novels, so I'm not sure why I was so hesitant to start her True Believers series. Well, that's not exactly true. I was hesitant because I'm more than a bit burned out on a lot of NA, at least those that feel like tragedy porn and use sex to cure all life's cruelties. I know that's a huge blanket statement and not exactly fair, but I also know I'm not alone in those feelings.

ANYWAY. Back to the story at hand...My point is, Sweet is not that type of story and I'm a big dummy for not given it a go before now because I adored this book. Not only do we get a great, slow-burn love story and one of the best book guys ever in Riley Mann, but we also get a story that delivers a much-needed message in regards to women and sexuality. And this, this is very important to me. Maybe it's because I'm so aware of women's issues these days, or because I have a daughter

who I want to grow up to be sure and proud of herself, but I am very drawn to books featuring heroines who face issues regarding their sexuality, who are strong and unapologetic in that way. What turned a lot of readers off about Jessica in True (based on reviews I've read) is exactly why I wanted to read this series. One of the big things I took away from Sweet was, no one was in control of Jessica's body and her feelings about her body and sex, but Jessica. Not her parents, her friends, not even her boyfriend. She didn't allow those around her to shame her, put their ideas of morality on her shoulders, or make her answer to their jealousies. She was strong and sure and I loved that. 

  "What I'm trying to get you to understand is that I get it that you think of women as fitting into two categories--whores and the Madonna. But I'm neither. I'm just Jessica, somewhere in between, and I love you and want you to accept me. 

Soapbox moment aside, I also appreciated Sweet for the heart of it, a love story about two people with strong walls around their hearts. Walls that were brought down, bit-by-bit, by a genuine friendship, selfless actions, and a slow-building love that is stronger than anything that could keep them apart.

Neither of these two wanted love. Jessica wanted to answer to no one, wanted to belong only to herself. She's impossible to know very well, but finds a kindred spirit in Riley. Riley has never belonged to himself. He's spent his entire life dealing with a hopelessly addicted mother, and is now raising his brothers. He's given his whole life to his brothers, not even taking the time for relationships. Riley does, though, fall for Jess. And when she wins him over by caring for him and his family, helping him keep the family together, he goes for more. But Riley-and this is why I love him-wants to take the time to build a strong relationship, slowly. Where Jess is free with what she wants, Riley refuses to make things all about the physical. Riley wants to savor what they have in store, to enjoy each and every taste.

  "Trust me, I'm looking forward to it. But it's like cramming a whole ice cream cone in my mouth and swallow it whole. What good is that? It's over and done in a second. I want to really taste it, to lick it slowly. I want to savor the ice cream, you know what I'm saying?"

Guys, for a book that had a lot steam and sexual tension, this book is absolutely not about the sex. So if you're looking for an NA that's more about the emotional than the physical, this is it.

Sweet was such an engaging story, and I truly adored every bit of it. It was sexy and sweet, and it spoke to me in a way that has me thinking about it weeks later. If the rest of the True Believers series is this good, I'm in for such a treat.

Favorite Quotes

  "Jess?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Would you be okay with it if I fell in love with you?"

  My hear squeezed and I paused, my mouth a hairbreadth from his as I took in his words, as if I could breathe them into my mouth, my heart, my soul.

  "Yeah," I whispered. "I'd be very okay with it."

  I couldn't please everyone, there was no way to do that. But I could please myself.

  That was my conclusion, and I knew what pleased me. Having the freedom to make my own mistakes, to learn, to grow, to become a better person. Being here, in this house, with this guy, pleased me. My friendships pleased me. My hoodie made me happy. It was all the simplest things that

 mattered, and the future didn't have to be decided tonight. 

Series: Bluebonnet #4

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: 6/3/14

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Playing innocent is easy.After being the quiet, shy girl her whole life, Elise Markham is ready for a mental makeover. She’s done keeping to herself and staying out of trouble—it’s time to break out of her shell and maybe meet someone intriguing in the process. So, on a photography trip to Bluebonnet, she has a whole lot more on her mind than snapping photos, especially when Rome walks into the picture.Playing dirty is fun.The newest  instructor at Wilderness Survival Expeditions. has a colorful past, to say the least. Having come from a family of notorious con artists that destroyed his credit and reputation, all before his eighteenth birthday, Rome just wants a decent job and a quiet life in a town where no one knows his name. He’s exactly the kind of bad boy that an innocent girl like Elise should stay far away from.But Elise is tired of doing what’s right. She’s ready to throw caution to the wind—and let Rome show her just how exciting being bad can be…

My Review

I have a strange knack for picking books up, mid-series. I've heard a lot of good things about Jessica Clare's books, and when my notoriously picky librarian cousin mentions she enjoys the Bluebonnet series, I decided to give The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving a try.

It's kind of funny that this is the book I started the series with because a few days prior, I was droning to my friend about how sick I was of "virgin books". I know that makes me sound like an ass. I mean, I hold nothing against the idea of the heroine being a virgin at all, which is a good thing because it's fairly prevalent in NA. I'm just tired of reading about it. I'm kind of over books where losing it is a ruthless mission, or a challenge that's meant to thrill me. In Virgin's Guide, we do have a virgin heroine in Elise, a sweet, painfully shy young woman with awful self-esteem issues, who wants to finally give her virginity. But what made this book work for me was, once she a Rome began to know each other, and fall for each other, it was a journey, not a destination. Meanwhile, Elise begins to step out of the shadows and begin to truly live. And Rome, he finds a woman who loves him whole-heartedly, for the man she knows he truly is.

Another asset to the story was Rome. Here we have a bad boy who's really anything but. Rome is a hard-working, kind man with a rough childhood and an ill-deserved past.  He looks dangerous, but has a huge heart and a soft spot when it comes to sweet Elise. And get this...Rome is a pierced, tattooed, motorcycle-riding ex-con who can count all the women he's been with on one hand. Yes, you read that right! If nothing else, knowing that little tidbit would have me picking this book up.

As far as the romance goes, Rome and Elise's relationship was endearing. As I mentioned, Elise has poor self-esteem. She was born with a port wine stain that covered a large portion of her face. She eventually had it removed, though it did leave a faint stain. By that time, she'd also had corrective surgery for scoliosis, leaving her in a cast and scarred. Those differences made her stand out in school, and that cruelty has stuck with her. No matter how beautiful Rome thinks she is, how much respect he shows her, no matter how many times he says it, she still feels like that girl she once was. And wow, Rome was so attentive and took time and care with Elise. I appreciated that the author didn't throw these two immediately into bed. Despite the reason they connected, it was a slow burn.

Of course, Rome and Elise's story isn't smooth sailing. Rome's past continues to haunt him, with his family always showing up to ruin things, and Elise's well-meaning and overbearing brother pushing Rome to make impossible choices about their relationship. This drama was so good and had me turning the pages like mad. The resolution worked for me and I believed in these two as a lasting couple.

The Virgin's Guide to Misbehaving was a fast-paced, endearing and sexy story. If I was going to dive into the deep end of the Bluebonnet series, I picked a good place to start.

Favorite Quote

   A figure jumped out of the trees and headed right for her. She barely caught sight of the tattoos and blue eyes before Rome's large body pushed hers up against a nearby tree.

  "Duck," he commanded.

  His voice was so urgent that she did, and she felt his big hand mover over the top of her head. She was pressed against his chest, and the plate of cookies she'd brought with her were crushed against her breasts. His big body pinned hers against the tree, and Elise was so startled that the breath escaped right out of her lungs.

  Immediately she heard a loud thwack and Rome groaned. "God damn it, Pop, you got me right in the kidney."

  "Ha!" called a voice nearby. "You'd better hustle before Dane and his group show up and nail you again."

  "You're not supposed to shoot me, Pop," Rome said in a dry voice, and his hand slipped from her hair. "I'm on your damn team."

  Elise looked up and was shocked to see Rome's gorgeous face was mere inches from her own. She was close enough that she could see the stubble edging his jaw and the gleam of his lip ring. And what a beautiful jaw it was.

  Then he looked down at her, and those impossibly blue eyes focused on her.

  "Hey," he murmured, and she watched, fascinated, as the lip ring moved.

  Her throat worked and she fought hard to speak. "Hi." It came out as a breathless whisper, but it was a start.

About the authors

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

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Jessica Clare is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who writes under three different names. As Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance.

She also has a third pen name (because why stop at two?). As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals. She lives in Texas with her husband, cats, and too many dust-bunnies. Jill spends her time writing, reading, writing, playing video games, and doing even more writing.

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REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: BURNOUTS, GEEKS AND JESUS FREAKS: A LOVE STORY by KAREN GORDON

Series: Burnouts #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 3/4/14
Format: ebooks
Source: Author
Rating: 3.5 stars


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They’re burnouts - a little short on parents, money and plans for the future, but they’ve got each other and a whole lot of fun. With a world of crazy at home, Carrie Gould needs them to keep her sanity. To stay in their world she needs to keep dating the guy with the party house, which would be fine, if she hadn’t fallen in love with someone else.
He’s such a geek. Ben Gorman is obsessive, smart, strong-willed and on the fast track to his dream of becoming an Army Ranger. He’s also the only geek with a girl. Joelle Welker is perfect for him; a self-proclaimed Jesus freak, who is dedicated to her beliefs and to building a future with Ben. But those plans don’t include his neighbor, Carrie, or Ben’s dedication to her.
Their friendship started by chance. Their love started with trust.

This is a sweet, silly smart-sexy story of first love and first lovers.

I was drawn to Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks because that is a great title. To my (happy) surprise, the story was set in the late 1990s, and the southern Missouri settings were close to home. There was a lot I liked about Burnouts, in addition to what I've mentioned.

Carrie, the main character, was not a sweet and innocent, perfect girl. It's not that I don't like the perfect girls, but with her fun-loving ways, Carrie and her friends felt more authentic to mine and my friends' experiences. I think a lot of what drove Carrie was her parents' indifference. No matter what she did, they didn't see her. And if they did, it was only to criticize. Carrie went out a lot, partied with friends, dated a much older guy, and had a bit of attitude. She was sad at times, and though she tried really hard to hide it, her friend and neighbor Ben always saw Carrie. Ben was such a nice guy! This boy was an easy character to embrace, especially when it came to Carrie. He was comforting and thoughtful, and expected little in return. I liked that he knew what he wanted out of his life, and did exactly what it took to get there.

Of course, I wanted Ben and Carrie together, though they were both dating others in the beginning. Burnouts is not a cheating story, though, so do not let that deter you. It's a coming-of-age story, and was much bigger than I anticipated. The story spans their senior year of high school, with a few flashbacks of their friendship as younger teens. With Ben's big plans for the future, the road for him and Carrie is not easy or predictable. There were some major shocks and heartbreak along the way, with the story landing them more than four years into the future. Some of their story hurt and frustrated me, but in the end I really liked it.


Okay, so I really did like this story, but felt a bit disconnected. Why? The narrative. The story is told
in third person, which doesn't actually bother me like it used to since I read so many adult novels. But
here, I felt as if I was being told a story instead of living it alongside the characters. The passage of time was quickly recapped, and some big moments in Carrie's and Ben's lives were rushed through. Having said that, I still liked Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks, and would recommend it to those looking for a expansive love story that was often bittersweet, but will leave you with a smile.


 Favorite Quote

  Carrie looked up at the sky, "No one seemed to care if I was crying, or wanted to be around me...'til you."
    Ben held her hand and rubbed the back of it but her train of thought.
  "When you're sweet to me, when you care...," she swallowed down the lump in her throat, "I know you see me, really see me. I get scared...cause you might not like what you see." She took a shaky breath to continue, "Then these tears, these stupid tears...it's like I've got a million of them stored up behind some floodgate. When you're nice, it just, opens."

Author Karen Gordon is giving one lucky winner a custom beach bag!

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About the author

Karen Gordon was born and raised in the suburban paradise of St. Charles, MO, on the outskirts of St. Louis. She earned a B.S. in English from the University of Central Missouri (BS being the operative term) and a M.A. in Media Communications from Webster University, where she graduated in a hot pink mortar board because she didn’t like the school colors.
She currently resides in Olive Branch, MS (formerly Cow Pen) on the outskirts of Memphis, TN with her 2.5 super-smart kids, and an amazingly-funny, cute, geeky husband.

When not writing, she is a stay-at-home mom (chick in charge) and part-time teacher. Any down time is spent reading, catching up with friends and obsessively worrying about every little thing.

“Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks: a love story” is her debut novel. She is now frantically trying to recall her college years to write the sequel, “Popstars, Friends and Lovers.” 

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REVIEW: BE WITH ME by J. LYNN

Series: Wait For You #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 2/4/14
Format: Paperback
Pages: 387
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 stars


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Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

So many readers have reviewed Be With Me, and have done it well. At a certain point, similar thoughts on a book start to feel redundant. So instead of my usual review, I'm listing the reasons I adored Be With Me. Here we go!

Jase is a hottie! No surprise there, but I was honestly amused at Teresa's constant ogling.

Parched as I was, I took a sip of the sweet tea as I stared through the windshield, absolutely enthralled by all the baby-making potential on display before me. Not that I was in the way of making babies,but I could totally get behind some practice runs. Cam made a face. "Dude, that's his drink."


Teresa was abused by her former, long-time boyfriend. With a lot of introspection and time, she has worked to overcome her guilt and shame. She doesn't dwell or even consider herself a victim, but there will always be lingering effects.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the feelings of helplessness returned like an old, needy friend you couldn't get rid of. I wasn't that girl anymore. I wasn't a victim.

Cupcakes! We all remember Cam and his cookies, right? Well, Jase loves gourmet cupcakes, and shares the love with Teresa. 

 

  Smiling, I popped open the box and took a bite. I looked forward to the whole cupcake thing.   
  There was something simply exciting about not knowing what I was about to taste.
  One bite and I moaned. "Oh my God, is that Reese's Pieces in this thing?"
  He nodded. "Yep. That's good shit right there, huh?"

  "I want to marry it."

Be With Me has several important themes. One of my favorites was that of taking a chance and embracing what life brings you.
            

  "Things come along you don't expect all the time, Tess. Trust me. Things that change everything about your life--about what you thought you wanted, who you thought you were. Things that make you reevaluate everything and even if it doesn't sound like a good thing in the beginning?" He shrugged as he settle his gaze on Thunder. "Sometimes they turn out better than you could've ever imagined."

 

BIG SECRET. Be With Me has one! I had a teeny, tiny suspicion about that. I WAS RIGHT. I was also very pleasantly blown away.

 

 

Teresa's potty mouth. As a rather proficient swearer, I'm always impressed when a heroine can out-swear me. Seriously. Teresa's got it goin' on in that department.

 

 

J. Lynn doesn't drag our hearts along for the entire book! I assumed the entire story would be Jase playing hot-and-cold, pulling Teresa closer, then pushing her away while professing she's too good for him for nearly four hundred pages. That didn't happen! *fist pump*

 

   Jase rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. His warm breath danced over my lips. "I want to take you out on a date. I want to take you horseback riding. I want to tell your brother. I want to take you home to my parents and introduce you as my girlfriend. I want to prove this means more to me. I want to do this the right way."

After an injury sidelines Teresa's dreams of dancing, Jase shows her a new way to feel the freedom she misses. He's not only gorgeous and armed with cupcakes, Jase is sensitive, too!

           
   Tipping my head back against his chest, I closed my eyes and smiled as the wind glided over my cheeks.
   My grip loosened once more, and under my legs, Lightning's powerful muscles bunched as he picked up speed. A trickle of fear inked down my spine as we went faster, but another emotion rose, overshadowing the tendrils of panic. Muscles in my core tensed. Not of anxiety but in anticipation, like those precious moments I'd lost, the ones that came seconds after I stepped onstage.
  "I can feel it," I whispered.

Cam's reaction to his best friend and his little sister is PRICELESS, y'all.

  Jase's arm flexed around my waist, tugging me closer. He turned his head, nuzzling my neck.
  He yawned, a deep rousing sound that echoed through the room. "What's wrong, baby?"
  I was speechless.
  Every line in my brother's body tensed in a way that spelled big, mothertrucker kind of trouble.
  "Baby?"
  Jase stilled, but he didn't remove his arm as he pulled his face out of my neck. He looked toward the foot of the bed and exhaled slowly.
  There was a beat of silence and then Cam said, "What the fuck?"

Raphael and Michelangelo! The two most awesome turtles in NA are back. Well, not really back, but they are mentioned and it was so cute.
           
  "You have to babysit Michelangelo and Raphael this weekend."
  "The turtles?"
  She grinned as she nodded. "We're getting this one large habitat, so, you know, they can...I don't know, head bob at each other and Cam wanted to go to this movie, but I'm afraid they're going to kill each other."
  "So you want me to be like a turtle bouncer? Break them up if one of them gets out of hand?"
  Avery giggled. "Exactly."
 

 

The way Jase makes Teresa feel about herself is endearing and what every woman deserves.

 

Jase took a step back, his hands following to his sides. He opened and closed his fists. "Do you know how beautiful you are? How it affects me?" A pleasant haze invaded my system as my body and heart responded to his words. He slowly shook his head. "I don't think you really understand, because if you did, I don't think you could just stand there. God, Tess, there isn't a part of you that's not perfect in my eyes."

 

 

So many readers, myself included, crave New Adult books with substance. Be With Me, and the entire Wait For You series delivers on that substance. You get the prerequisite hot guy, the angst and the sexiness, but you also get remarkably strong heroines who may want the guy, but you know they will be okay without him too. There are strong themes that are relevant to the readers the books target and beyond. I love this series and recommend it with absolutely no reservations.

The Wait for You Series

    

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About the author

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT: WHISPER TO ME by CHRISTINA LEE

I am happy to be bringing you a book spotlight for Whisper to Me by Christina Lee. I also have an excerpt and teaser. Thanks for stopping by!

Series: Between Breaths #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Intermix
Publication Date: 5/20/14


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A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

Excerpt

 

I padded to the kitchen and reached for a glass, unsure if Kai was even awake. As I turned

the faucet on low, I heard it—the soft hum of his bass. My heart leapt in my chest. I didn’t know

what the hell I was so anxious about. But the anticipation of seeing him, just talking to him alone,

had revved my pulse to a feverish tempo.

But maybe he didn’t want any company tonight.

I wandered over to his door, unsure of what I’d say or even if I’d knock. Instead, I stood

motionless, listening to him play. It was a low and drowsy strum, and I swayed against the wall,

my senses dulled. During a longer pause, my knuckles tapped once and then twice against the

wood.

I heard the sounds of what could have been his returning his heavy bass to its stand and

papers rustling, and then the door slowly creaked open. Kai stood in front of me with his hair

hanging loose at his shoulders. He had on those obscenely tight gray skinny jeans from earlier

and nothing else.

My gaze followed the line of his neck, across his shoulder, to the muscular biceps propping

the door open. I spotted the set of free weights resting beneath the stand of his bass. He’d

definitely been working out in the three years since I’d last seen him. He wasn’t overly muscular

like some athletes I’d been with, just lean and fit.

My gaze tripped over to his sculpted pecs and landed on his nipples. His pierced nipples—

that seemed to harden at my perusal.

Fuck, that was hot. Since when did I think silver hoops dangling from a guy’s nipples were

sexy? But on Kai, they worked. Like fruit waiting to be plucked, they hung above the trunk of his

sculpted abdomen, while a smattering of fine hairs branched from beneath the button of his pants.

Hot damn.

“What’s up, Rachel?” He swallowed thickly. “Did I wake you?”

“I . . .” I finally met his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep and I heard you were up.”

“Yeah, me neither.” He moved aside to allow me to pass into the room. “I was trying to be

quiet.”

“Actually, most of the time your music lulls me to sleep.”

“Yeah?” he said in a low and gruff voice. “Is that why you’re here—so I can put you to

sleep?”

“No, you ass.” I grinned. “Well, maybe.”

When his eyes turned dark, I mumbled, “Just kidding.”

 

        Between Breaths Series       

(covers lead to GoodReads)

 

   

About the author

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives near Cleveland with her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything.

New Adult/Young Adult author. NA Contemporary Romance ALL OF YOU, out now (Penguin/InterMix). The companion novel, BEFORE YOU BREAK releases February 18th, 2014. Repped by Sara Megibow.

Also the creator of Tags-n-Stones (dot com) jewelry.
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REVIEW: BEFORE YOU BREAK by CHRISTINA LEE

Series: Between Breaths #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Intermix
Publication Date: 2/18/14
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 stars
 

A sexy, emotional New Adult romance about a bad boy on the edge and a good girl about to lose control…

The star catcher of the college baseball team isn't supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them—something that makes him want to open up.

Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working the suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.

Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him—or to stop herself from falling too far.

*A companion novel to ALL OF YOU*

 

 

First Impression...  Nice cover. I really liked Christina Lee's style in All of You, and hope to find another enjoyable read in Before You Break.

The Story... The book description pretty much nails it. This isn't the first time I've come across this scenario: a lonely and desperate call to a suicide hotline leads to a connection between the caller and the responder. Meanwhile, the two make a connection in real life, never realizing the parallel paths. Over time, both relationships become more involved, more intense. And when the two realize what's going on? It will be a make-or-break situation.

The Characters... Ella was introduced in All of You. I never really connected with her, but I certainly did in Before You Break. A look at her background paints Ella in a sympathetic and favorable light. Yes, she's fairly crass at times, but there is much more going on with Ella. I particularly admired her caring nature and that she devotes much time to helping others.

 

About Quinn. Christina Lee certainly creates endearing book guys. I really liked Bennett in All of You, but I think I like Quinn even more. He's such a genuinely good person, though he doesn't see that in himself. He's dealing with so much guilt, so much pressure from his family, and falling for his frat brother's girl. My favorite thing about Quinn was his respect for Ella. That he doesn't want a quick hook-up, but a strong connection. That he wants Ella, but will not have her until they are both free of whatever holds them back.

The Writing... I enjoy Lee's style, it's quiet and intense at the same time. But what I love about Before You Break was that it focused so heavily on the emotional healing of the characters. What Lee did in this story- focusing on mental health and emotional healing, the power of listening, of being heard - was so very important.

 

The Heat... was perfect. I've stressed several times that Before You Break was not a story of sexual healing. And while that is true, it was also a sexy story. Quinn and Ella had a great chemistry, obviously very attracted to one another. The build-up between them was slow and romantic.

In the End... Before You Break was a very good story. It was an emotional tale of forgiveness and the power of simply being there for another person. I look forward to more of Lee and this series.  

 

Favorite Quotes:

  I still had a burning desire to see Quinn. Even though I knew it might head nowhere good. I was leaving one fire behind and walking into another. But this one was already consuming me.


  I wanted to savor this girl. Show her how much I relished her. I didn't want her to think I was anything like Joel. This girl needed to be cared for, protected, and valued. This was Ella standing before me, allowing me to touch her and taste her, and all I wanted was to make her feel good. Special. Exquisite.



 

 Between Breaths Series

 

    

(covers lead to GoodReads)

My Review of All of You
 

Purchase Links

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

About the author

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives near Cleveland with her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything.

New Adult/Young Adult author. NA Contemporary Romance ALL OF YOU, out now (Penguin/InterMix). The companion novel, BEFORE YOU BREAK releases February 18th, 2014. Repped by Sara Megibow.

Also the creator of Tags-n-Stones (dot com) jewelry.

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REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: ALL OF YOU by CHRISTINA LEE

Today I'm reviewing All of You by Christina Lee. Be sure to check out the entire post and enter to win a copy of All of You!

Series: All of You #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Intermix
Publication Date: 9/17/3
Format: Kindle
Pages: 219
Source: Purchase
Rating: 3.5 stars

Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

First Impression ....  A Good Guy/Bad Girl Story? I love when an author takes the typical trope and turns it around.

The Story...  Avery is used to getting, and bedding, any guy she wants. When she sets her sights on Bennett, Avery is sure that she will snag him in no time. Bennett, though, is not having it. He likes Avery, is very attracted to her, but that's not his game. In All of You, our hero is waiting for nothing less than true love. Avery doesn't want to give up her wild ways, Bennett won't give in for less than his ideals. Will they find a way to be together?

The Characters ... Sweet Bennett stole the story. An art student and tattoo artist, Bennett is sexy and appealing. An even better attribute is that Bennett is the nicest. A responsible son and brother, he has his reasons for holding onto his virginity. I like that he was complex; showing his desires, but holding himself in check. He was a guy any girl should be lucky to have.

Avery was a little harder for me to get on board with. I do appreciate a girl who is self-confident and in fine tune with her sexuality, and I think it's great to have a girl who doesn't really wrestle with what she wants. Her actions weren't always in her best interest, but honestly, that's the beauty with flawed characters, we get to see them experience character growth.

Avery's friends Ella and Rachel were kind of hilarious. They were crass and bold. At first, I was a little put off by the way they talked, but then I remembered how my friends and I talked, and I got it. Also, it's a double standard. If guys make sexual jokes and call each other crude names, we laugh and call it a bromance. The same should apply to females, in my opinion.

The Writing .... I enjoyed author Christina Lee's voice. It had a nice tone and pace that helped me fly through the story. I would say I literally read this story in approximately two hours.

The Heat ... Despite his virgin status, Bennett was not naïve or completely inexperienced. For this story, the heat between them was very consistent. I appreciated that while it played a part in the story, it didn't completely take over.

In the End... All of You was a thoughtful, sweet, and steamy love story. Bennett and Avery were complex characters with reasons for their actions. They both managed to bend, while staying true to themselves. I look forward to the next book, about Ella, Before You Break.

Favorite Quote:

  Bennett was kissing the shit out of me and I couldn't breathe but I didn't care because if this is what kissing him felt like, I could get my fill of oxygen later.

  

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Giveaway

Want to win a copy of All of You? You're in luck! I have one ecopy to give a lucky winner.

Must be 18 years of age to enter. Open Intl.

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About the author
Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives near Cleveland with her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything.

New Adult/Young Adult author. NA Contemporary Romance ALL OF YOU, out now (Penguin/InterMix). The companion novel, BEFORE YOU BREAK releases February 18th, 2014. Repped by Sara Megibow.

Also the creator of Tags-n-Stones (dot com) jewelry.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads

COURTNEY REVIEWS: ONLY FOR YOU by GENNA RULON

Series: For You #1
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-pub
Publication Date: 9/24/13
Format: ebook
Pages: 390
Source: Author
Rating: 3.5 stars

“In its purest form love is self-sacrificing, eternal, selfless, enduring, truthful, forgiving and indulgent. It also feels an awful lot like a kick to the stomach when you try to fight it!”

All Everleigh Carsen wanted to do was complete her final semester at Hensley University and begin the life she carefully planned.

When a wave of violent crime seizes campus, Everleigh is persuaded to attend a school sponsored self-defense seminar by her best friend, where she meets volunteer instructor, Hunter Charles. After Everleigh’s biting sarcasm induces Hunter to eject her from class, a tempestuous relationship is born.

Everleigh is determined to forget the striking man, but fate—that fickle shrew—continuously intervenes. Unable to escape him, she declares Hunter an enemy combatant. The only complication…Hunter is resolutely pursuing vindication…by any means necessary. Verbal warfare ensues, and despite Everleigh’s ingenious efforts, in Hunter, she has finally found her equal.

Only For You is a compelling tale of friendship, desire, and redemption—brimming with intelligent characters, witty dialogue, unexpected twists, profound sorrow, unfettered hope, and love’s unassailable perseverance.

 
Only For You begins with Everleigh and Sam, two best friends who are in their last year of college, going through their day to day routines while girls are transferring from their college left and right because girls are being assaulted left and right. They don't know who attacked them, and there is no DNA evidence. Therefore, every single guy they meet be it a student, teacher, TA, security guard etc on campus is a potential suspect. Yikes!

Everleigh is signed up by Sam to partake in a self defense class and meets the enigmatic Hunter Charles. He leads the class, and her smart mouth gets her in trouble for the first time in this story...so he kicks her out. As fate would have it he is in a couple of her business classes and they embark on a friendship through Everleigh's wild thought processes and best friend tests!

The un-conventional un-boyfriend best-friendship that they share? Yep..very unconventional! But it made for a good time! They can go toe to toe about almost anything, and Ev's most sought after goal is to finally one up him and get the last word. The slow burn...and do I mean slow was pure torture. Assumptions on Everleigh's part keeps their friendship platonic for the first half of the story, but she soon wants more when those assumptions are blown wide open! Isn't it funny how you don't want something until you know you can't have it for reasons that don't make sense? Yes, this story is like that. There are things going on that make Hunter emotionally unavailable to intimacy while still being an ah-freaking-mazing best friend!

It is definitely a story of finding yourself, finding your path, and finding the people that you're hoping to share the rest of your life with. And I loved that this idea doesn't always necessarily mean a significant other. Friends and friendships were way more important. Neither of these girls gave up each other and their relationship to solely focus on their dating pursuits. There was plenty of girl time, and I am at a point in my life where I'm like "Heck yeah! Girls, DO NOT lose your friends when you gain a guy!" Though I really enjoyed the story, the people, and the pace there were a lot of times that the dialogue is very, very formal. Very formal. Not so much that I didn't enjoy the story, because obviously I did because I'm telling you...but sometimes it didn't seem like someone my age would talk, and for the record I am 24.

So other than the fairly minor issue I already laid out (I think this will be a very individualized problem, tbh...aka it may not bother you), I enjoyed this story...and the end sets up the hard times that are ahead in Pieces For You for Sam. Poor Sam :( So check this out today, and there is a special bonus chapter on Genna's website with an alternate point-of-view from Hunter that I am going to check out right now!

 

 

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About the author 

Genna Rulon is an up and coming contemporary romance author.

During her 15 years in the corporate world, Genna, inspired by her love of reading, fantasized about penning her own stories. Encouraged by her favorite authors, many of whom are indie writers and self-published, she committed to pursuing her aspirations of writing her own novels.

Genna was raised in Long Island, New York, where she still resides, surrounded by the most amazing family and friends. Married to a wonderful man, who patiently tolerates her ramblings about whichever book she is currently working on, even feigning interest relatively convincingly! Genna is blessed with two little boys who do their best to thwart mommy's writing time with their hilarious antics and charming extrapolations.

 

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