Review Post: The Rocker Who Shatters Me by Terri Anne Browning

 

The Rocker Who Shatters Me

By: Terri Anne Browning 

Synopsis2
A Bet…

Yes, I made a bet with my best friend—my now ex-best friend.
It had been a stupid, heat of the moment kind of thing. I’d just wanted to get
her out of my system and move one. Instead I’ve lived to regret it ever since.
I lost the girl I loved, a girl that possessed my very soul. Now I can’t even
get close to Natalie. She thinks all she ever meant to me was just the means to
the end of a stupid, stupid game. 


…For a Bet!

In the span of one night I’d gone from thinking I had a
future with the man I loved to SHATTERED at his feet. I can’t get over it. The
pain is too strong, too destructive as it festers more and more inside of me.
And then my friend came up with the perfect revenge for both our broken hearts.


 “I bet you…”

Those three little words gave me a reason to ball my pain up
and throw it back in Devlin Cutter’s face. I would let him back in, let him
think he had a chance with me once again. And then I would walk away, leaving
him broken and bleeding at my feet as he once had left me. 


This time he would be the one SHATTERED. 

Watch the book trailer: https://vimeo.com/113214216

My Review*****5 HUGE STARS*****

I have absolutely loved and devoured every single book in Terri Anne Browning’s The Rocker Series. This series is one of my all-time favorites that I just cannot get enough of. These bands, these vibrantly fun characters, and their heart tugging stories just continue to win me over again and again.

With each new book and character’s story I fall more and more in headfirst love with these books and their enthralling characters. The time I’ve spent with these characters is nothing short of wonderful, and I for one was more than thrilled to jump right back into it all with The Rocker Who Shatters Me.

This book follows the dynamic and ever fierce, Natalie and Devlin. I have been dying for their story ever since I got my first real taste of them in The Rocker Who Wants Me. That’s when they captivated me in for the first time, and their story within this book just hit it out of the park for me.

Their story has a seriously intriguing start with a pretty infamous bet, and continues on with more feeling, emotion, and shattering heartbreak than you can shake a stick at. Natalie and Devlin are put to the emotional test in The Rocker Who Shatters Me, and I promise you that that test will leave your heart melting for these unforgettable two.

What was amazing about The Rocker Who Shatters Me:

  • Fierce as all get out Natalie. Natalie is one fierce little cookie. She is so headstrong and she puts up one helluva fight against all that comes her way. Even though Natalie has so many instances of pain that wanted to shatter her, in those same moments she was so beyond fierce that she left me in awe. That fierceness and strength defined and followed her presence, and just exemplified how tough Natalie was through everything. That is one spirited little lady, and you’re going to be blown away by the force that is Natalie in this book.
  • Devlin’s determination. Devlin Cutter pretty much just made me want to swoon, run my fingers through his hair, and then grab a fan. Then repeat all that again. But what I loved most about his character was his determination. He never gives up hope. He’s in the ring constantly fighting for Natalie, and he never waivers in his determination to make the wrong he created right. That determination won me over repeatedly, and just illuminated how much of a good guy he was underneath it all. Yes he seriously effed up majorly, but his steadfast determination to fix it all had me practically melting with love for him.
  • Their shattering pain. You will kind of feel heartbroken while reading portions of this book because of the pain both Devlin and Natalie experience. Terri Anne Browning dives deep into both their heads and allows you to understand and feel all the anguish they both have. I loved that she made it easy to feel for both of them, even Devlin after all he does to Natalie. Feeling and experiencing all that pain just hit home the emotions both characters had, and it had me wishing with everything that I could just make it better for them both.
  • The earth shattering connection. The depth of connection I felt between Natalie and Devlin was like fireworks. Heated, bright, and shining through all the darkness. I think I needed a fan after reading this book after experiencing their heat. The connection and depth of feeling they shared had my heart racing, and it brought a serious flush to my cheeks. Even when they were still trying to figure it all out, the depth of what they felt for one another just reiterated what it was they had together, and why that something was worth every ounce of fight.
  • The tension and build. This book opens with Natalie and Devlin in not so fantastic place, and it continues to build as they try to figure out if they can get back to that place again. That tension and build characterizes their relationship, and it just made me tear through their magnificent story more. I couldn’t put it down, and with each page I turned the tension and build just kept getting higher and higher. I could feel that build in my bones, and it electrified everything I was reading. Waiting for all that tension and build to boil over and explode was just spectacular too.
  • The supporting members for the win. The supporting characters just round out this book, and every other book in this series for that matter. I love each of the characters that find themselves in these books fiercely for their uniqueness, and the color they bring to the story. This series is phenomenal in the fact that if gives you repeated chances to spend more time with the characters you love. Each book is a new chapter into all of their lives, and with each opportunity to read them, you’ll just fall more and more in love with them. The way that Terri Anne Browning connects all of these characters together is just brilliant, and I love every single word I get to spend with each and every one of them.
  • The theme of family. This book and series has such a wonderful feeling of family that weaves its way effortlessly into every single one of these books. You feel it in so many ways, and you get to experience it in ways that will just warm your little heart. In this book you get to experience the connection Natalie shares with her brothers and sister, the connection Devlin shares with his son, and the beyond amazing connection that all of these band members and their significant others share. That theme of family resonates throughout, and just continues to hit home the connection and level of family these characters share with one another.
  • All the happenings. I really won’t go into any great detail about the specific events of this book because you know I never reveal those things, but the events of this book made this book for me. They were fast paced, they were emotional, and they kept me hooked in from beginning to end. The events of this book take Natalie and Devlin to some very interesting places I never expected, but that’s what made it fantastic. I never knew where the next turn or event would take them, and that just made this book all the more outstanding to read.
  • All the love. This series is bounding with all types of love. There’s the love between a man and a woman, the love between siblings blood related and not, and the love between friends. So many kinds of love and so many levels of love. All that love just envelops you in, and you feel it in your heart deeply. You will feel the love over and over, and it just hits home what these two, and what everyone in this book is fighting for, and why it’s so worth it that they give it all they’ve got to get where they want and deserve to be.

These books, these characters, these stories are ADDICTING. They just don’t stop with their amaziness, and they keep giving you more of what you need. Each one of the books in The Rocker Series hits it out of the darn park with how much punch they each pack.

Natalie and Devlin’s story was one filled with plenty of emotion and shattering pain, but it’s also filled with so much more. These two are going to break your heart, but they’re also going to try like hell to make it all better again for themselves and for you as the reader. Even though things with Natalie and Devlin are shaky to say the least and they continue to make each other work for what they both want, you will love them immensely for who they are and what they have together.

The Rocker Who Shatters Me is another brilliant addition to The Rocker Series by Terri Anne Browning. This book just exemplifies all that this fantastic series is. It has a story that just doesn’t quit, characters that will win you over in an instant, enough feeling, emotion, and heat to win your heart over, with the two very best bands around.

There’s nothing you won’t love about this series and Natalie and Devlin, so get to devouring this must read book and series today! You won’t be sorry.

Unless you piss off Emmie or Natalie by not reading these books, and then you kind of will be sorry… 

Excerpt

PROLOGUE:

Natalie
 
One Year Ago
 
The concert had been over hours ago, but the band still had another thirty minutes of meeting fans. I tried not to let my irritation at the ten women and five men still standing in line show on my face as I continued to do my job.
 
I just wanted everyone to leave, so that I could wrap this night up and go out with Devlin. 
 
That wasn’t asking too much was it? To get to spend a little time with my boyfriend, doing what normal couples do rather than having to share him with his fans? Well, I didn’t think it was asking very much.
 
For the last few days we hadn’t even had a few minutes alone, and it was about to drive me crazy. I couldn’t even kiss the man I loved without having someone pop up on us on the bus, or climb into bed with him at night without something coming up to keep me out of his arms for the night.
 
I was starting to think that fate didn’t want me and Dev together. But that was ridiculous. It had taken us a long time to get to the place we are now, with us loving each other rather than fighting our feelings. I was happy, and there wasn’t anything on the planet that would keep me from being with Devlin Cutter.
 
 Even realizing what I was doing I stopped and my eyes sought out the man in question. He was sitting down at his table while the fans made their way from Axton’s, then to Wroth’s, Zander’s, Liam’s and ending at his. He was smiling up at some guy who was talking a mile a minute. That smile was one of my favorite sights in the world, the way his aquamarine eyes crinkled at the edges and his
three day old beard hid the dimples that I was such a sucker for. His even, white teeth stood out against his dark tan complexion and made me want to kiss him to see if he still tasted like the toothpaste he’d used before taking the stage earlier that night. My heart melted along with another part of my anatomy when I saw that smile.
 
“It’s weird that one of my best friend’s sister is dating my dad,” Harris complained as he stopped beside of me.
 
I turned to frown down at him, trying to figure out if he was teasing me or if he was serious. He’d always found something to tease me about over the last few years. He was good friends with my little sister, Jenna, and I’d always had a soft spot for Harris despite the fact that I’d seemed to always be in love with his father from the moment I’d laid eyes on him. But this was a serious matter. If he
really thought that it was weird that I was dating his dad, then I wanted to deal with it now.
 
Harris grinned up at me, reminding me so much of his father that it was hard not to love this kid as if he were my own. Yeah, now that was the weird part. I was twenty-two years old to his fifteen. That was extremely weird to me. “Relax, Nat. I’m just messing with you. I think it’s kind of cool that you are with Dad. He’s smiled a lot more in the last few weeks than I’ve seen him smile in a long time.”
 
Relief washed over me and I punched him in the arm. “You are such a punk, you know that?”
 
“Yeah. You tell me that on a daily basis. But you love me anyway.”
 
“Sadly enough, that’s true.” I punched him again and forced my attention back to the job at hand. I still had things to do so that I could leave when Devlin was finished. “I’ve got stuff to do, wanna help me?”
 
“You mean work when I could go back to the hotel, order room service and watch newly released movies?” Harris raised a brow at me like I was crazy for even asking such a question. “Yeah, sure, why not? I can help you out, earn brownie points with your sister, and make my dad think that I’m a good kid all at once.”
 
“Brownie points with Jenna?” I questioned as I lead him back toward the stage the band had performed on earlier that night. “Why would you need to earn…?” I broke off when I realized why he would want to. “My sister will never like you like that, Harris.” There were plenty of reasons why I didn’t think that Harris and my sister would be anything other than friends. 
 
But the major one was the only one that I needed to know that Harris was wasting his time on Jenna.
 
My sister had realized when she was fourteen that she wasn’t into guys. Plain and simple. Of course, I was the only one who knew that little piece of information, because Jenna thought our mother would freak out at having a lesbian for a daughter. Jenna wasn’t wrong. Stella Stevenson would probably disown her youngest daughter if she ever found out about her gender preference. 
 
Our mother was a total bitch like that. I hadn’t always thought that way, of course. When you’re a kid you don’t notice the things adults would about someone. It had taken Jenna, however, to open my eyes to our parent’s small minded bitchiness. When Jenna had run away to find our brothers because she was tired of our mother putting Drake down when Jenna would watch America’s Rocker every week and gush that one of the judges was her brother, I’d seriously opened my eyes. It was then that I’d realized that my brothers had never been the bad guys, had their reasons for not wanting a relationship with me or my dad when their own mother had died. It had all been my mother’s doing, and I couldn’t blame Drake and Shane for turning their backs on my dad and me when my mother had forced our dad to turn his back on them when they had needed him so desperately.
 
With Harris helping me it still took more than forty minutes to finish up all the after show things that needed my attention so that I wouldn’t be as busy the next night. When we were finally finished I gave the fifteen year old a hug and told him to head on back to the hotel. Harris yawned and nodded. “I’m beat. Have fun with Dad.” He grinned, flashing those damn dimples of his that were identical
to his fathers and with a wink left.
 
Laughing I watched him walk away before I shook my head and lowered my gaze back to the list I had in my hands, making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. I was so lost in thought,my eyes critical on the long list in front of me that I didn’t hear footsteps until a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
 
Devlin nuzzled my hair aside with his nose and placed an open mouthed kiss against the sensitive flesh just under my left ear. “Miss me?”
 
The mere sound of his deep voice made me shiver and I rocked my hips back against him, delighted at the feel of his hard growing against my ass. “More than you will ever know,” I assured him as dropped my clipboard on the ground without caring if I’d finished everything on the list or not. Turning in his arms I wrapped my own around his neck, letting my eyes drink in the sight off his beautiful face before brushing my lips over his in a teasingly soft kiss.
 
Just as I knew he would, Devlin made a low grumbling sound deep in his chest, almost like he was purring and unwrapped his arms from my waist so that his hands could tangle in my long hair. His fingers locked my head into place so that he could take control of the kiss and devour my mouth in a kiss that left me aching for him in a way no one ever had before.
 
When he finally lifted his head, just an inch or two so that he could brush his lips over the tip of my nose, I was breathing hard and rubbing my lower body against his hard-on. “You ready to go?”
 
After that kiss I was more than ready, and going to some club where we would be surrounded with countless strangers for a few hours was definitely not what I wanted to be doing. “Can’t we just go back to our hotel room and make love?” I murmured, placing my hands on his chest and tracing little hearts over each male nipple through the material of his OtherWorld T-shirt.
 
Devlin raised a brow at my request. “What happened to the whining girl that left my bed this morning, complaining about me never taking her out?”
 
If he hadn’t been smiling I might have slapped his face. I hated it when he teased me like that. But I could tease him, too. “I’m a woman, Dev, not a girl. Your woman,” I murmured in a breathy whisper as I stood on tip toe so that my kiss damped lips could brush over his ear, making him tremble just like I had earlier. “And your woman has every right to change her mind a thousand times before she finally decides to settle on what she really wants. And what your woman wants right now is for you to take her back to our room and let her suck your dick.”
 
With a muttered curse Devlin picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. One big hand swatted across my ass, making a loud smacking sound as he hurried for the closest exit. “You are an evil little bitch, you know that Nat?”
 
I propped my head up on my hand so that I didn’t get dizzy from the way he was carrying me. “So you’ve told me a hundred times before. But you like it.”
 
“No, babe. I fucking love it.” He was practically sprinting as he headed toward a row of taxies waiting in front of the civic center, his long legs eating up the distance in no time. I heard a door open and then he dropped me onto the bench seat before climbing in after me. But instead of the address of our hotel he  gave the name of the club he’d mentioned over lunch earlier that day.
 
“Dev,” I whined wanting to just go back to our room and have him sink deep into me for the rest of the night.
 
With a deep chuckle he wrapped his arms around me again and pulled me against his side. 
 
“Nat,” he mocked me. “Relax. We’ll have more than enough time for that later. Right now I want to take my woman out and show her off at the club. Just like you begged me for this morning.” His lips captured mine and his tongue snuck out, licking my bottom lip until I opened for him.
 
We were still kissing when the taxi pulled to a stop in front of a club with a line of people all the way down the block. The driver cleared his throat loudly and Devlin grumbled something against my lips before finally lifting his head and tossing a hundred dollar bill at the man. “Keep the change,” he bit out as he opened the door and pulled me out behind him. 
 
Once we were on the sidewalk Devlin stopped and kissed me again. His long, raven black hair fell forward, shielding us from the crowd that was lined up behind us. His hands wrapped around my neck, telling me that he didn’t want me going anywhere anytime soon. 
 
Didn’t he know that I would never be the first to step back? I loved him more than anything or anyone on the planet. He was the reason I woke up every morning with a smile on my face, the reason I hadn’t already lost my mind on this tour.
 
How long we stood there getting lost in our kiss I couldn’t honestly say. When he finally lifted his head, his aquamarine eyes were dark with passion and he was smiling. “Later,” he promised.
 
I licked my lips, sighing when I tasted him there. “Yeah, later.”
 
Laughing he grasped my hand and entwined our fingers, pulling me toward the front of the line where two huge bouncers stood with headsets sticking from their ears and a clipboard. 
 
The first guy frowned at Devlin but the second stepped forward and shook his hand. 
 
“Welcome back, Mr. Cutter.”
 
“Thanks, man.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out something before seamlessly passing it over to the other man. Another hundred or two I was sure. Would I ever get over the fact that I was now surrounded by money? Sure, I hadn’t grown up poor, but we sure as hell hadn’t been rich by any one’s standards. Devlin didn’t carry anything less than a ten dollar bill in his wallet. If he got a fives or ones back he just gave them away.
 
The man’s eyes drifted over to me and he smirked when he took in my kiss swollen lips. I shot him a glare and then the finger, making Devlin laugh as he stepped around the two bouncers and into the club, much to the loudly protesting of the people still in line. I knew that look well. I’d gotten more than once over the last few weeks. People knew who Devlin was, and they had never—not ever seen him
with the same chick more than once. When they looked at me they assumed I was just Devlin’s piece of ass for the night and would be discarded come morning.
 
And that was when I got to do the smirking because I knew that I was going to be in my rocker’s bed the next night and the night after and the night after that. He had promised me that our relationship was something special to him. That what we had would last because he cared about me.
 
Sure it hadn’t been a declaration of loved, but it had been good enough for me. We’d only been dating for a few weeks now, and I wasn’t in a rush. We had the rest of our lives to say those three little words to each other.
 
Inside the club we moved straight for the bar. Devlin ordered a beer for himself and a glass of my favorite wine for me. I loved that I didn’t have to tell him what I wanted. He knew me well and always thought about what I wanted or needed, in and out of bed.
 
When the drinks were placed in front of us I reached for my glass but Devlin shook his head and lifted it to his lips. With his eyes locked on mine he took a small sip before offering the glass to me. My panties dampened even more than they already were as I turned the glass so that I could put my lips where his had just been. As I took my first sip his eyes darkened and he mouthed a curse before swallowing half his beer in one gulp.
 
Laughing I took another drink of my wine and grabbed his hand. I didn’t need alcohol tonight. I just needed him. “Dance with me?”
 
With another swallow, the bottle of Samuel Adams was empty and he followed me onto the dance floor. For the next hour I wrapped myself around Devlin and let myself go to the beat of the music. I’d always loved to dance, but with Devlin holding me close even through the fast songs, it was an exhilarating experience.
 
As we danced he kissed me from time to time, but never more than a brush of his lips over mine. We both knew that if we kissed like we both wanted that we would end up in a bathroom stall, and Devlin would hate himself afterwards. The one time that we had done something like that he’d been pissed at himself for three days because he respected me more than that.
 
Our relationship meant more to him than a quick fuck in some dirty bathroom.
 
Sweating like crazy, I finally let him led me from the dance floor to rehydrate. We sat at the bar while he drank another beer and I sipped at my water and curled my fingers around the ends of his hair. My own hair was a light brown, with a few blonde highlights. It wasn’t as long as his, but there wasn’t very many people who did have hair as long and healthy as his. He loved my hair just as much as
I loved his. When we were in bed, lying beside of each other, he would lift a few locks of my hair and kiss them as reverently as if he were kissing my skin when we made love.
 
Devlin leaned forward and kissed me, deeper than he had in over an hour. The taste of beer didn’t completely mask his own unique taste and I opened my mouth, silently begging him to take more. When he did I knew it was past time we left. My panties were drenched and I was throbbing between my legs for his attention.
 
Without warning Devlin stumbled against me. His hands caught me around the waist, righting us both before I hit the bar. His eyes asked me if I was okay and I nodded before he turned with a snarl to the man who had just pushed him.
 
“What the fuck asshole?” Devlin demanded as he faced Zander. “You nearly made me fall on my girl.”
 
I nearly groaned at the sight of Zander standing there. His glassy eyes told me he was drunk, without having to see the further proof of it in the way he was walking. He’d been drinking a more often over the last few weeks, even more so when Devlin and I started seeing each other. I knew it was because of me and I hated it. I’d never led him on, had always made it obvious that all we would ever be was
friends. That didn’t seem to matter to Zander, because he’d been nothing but an angry bear to me and everyone else.
 
“Sorry, bro. I didn’t see you standing there,” Zander said with a sneer before turning his attention back to the bartender and ordering a shot and a beer.
 
Devlin clenched his fists at his sides and I could tell he was about to punch his friend. 
 
Emmie had threatened to join the tour if they got into another fight, and I honestly didn’t want to see more bloodshed between the two men. Stepping between Devlin and Zander I put my hands on Devlin’s chest. “I’m ready to go, babe.”
 
Aquamarine eyes lost some of their hostility when they landed on my face and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Let me pay the tab, baby, and we’ll go.”
 
“Don’t let me rush you off.” Zander tossed his shot of whisky back and slammed the small glass on the bar top. Picking up his beer he turned toward us. Devlin was talking to the bartender who had started his tab. I tried to ignore Zander, not wanting to make Dev any more upset that he already was. The two had once been best friends but now, because of me, they could barely stand each other. I hated that I was the cause of the rift between them.
 
Zander’s cold hand wrapped around my elbow and swung me around to face him. The smell of alcohol on his breath made me blink a few times it was strong. “Stay and dance with me, Nat.”
 
I gave him a grim smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Until recently I’d thought we were good friends. Now I wasn’t so sure. “I’m tired, Z. I just want to go back to the hotel and go to bed.”
 
“No, you want to go back to the hotel and fuck Dev.” His words made me gasp in pain because they had been like a slap in the face. I didn’t deserve for him to talk to me like that. 
 
“It’s alright. I just don’t get it, though. Dev’s won the bet, so I figured once he had been in your pants he would move on. Must be some good pussy.”
 
If his first words had been a slap the rest was a punch to the gut. I felt tears burn my eyes even as confusion clouded my brain. “What do you mean, bet?” I demanded louder than I’d intended.
 
Behind me I felt Devlin wrap an arm around me as he turned back from paying our bill. At my question, however, I felt him stiffen. Zander gave me a drunken grin and tipped his beer bottle to his lips, making me wait for a response even as I felt Devlin shifting behind me.
 
“The bet I made with Dev two months ago, babe. The one that he put his prized John Bonham drum sticks up for grabs against my signed Geddy Lee bass.” Another drink of beer, this one longer as his words burned like acid across my skin.
 
My fingers were trembling as I grabbed the beer bottle from him and threw it on the ground where it shattered and spilled what was rest of the contents across my sandal clad feet. 
 
“What was the bet, Z?” I demanded through gritted teeth.
 
Another shrug, as if he didn’t know or just didn’t care that his next words were going to shatter my heart. As if his words weren’t going to destroy me the point of no return. “First one to bag you was the winner. Lucky for Dev, he now has my bass.”
 
Devlin moved so fast I didn’t see the fist as he swung out and punched Zander. Zander stumbled back, knocking three people down in the process. I just stood there, watching with deadened eyes as Devlin jumped his best friend. I didn’t move out of the way as Zander somehow rolled and started punching Dev in the head. The glass from the broken beer bottle didn’t faze them as they rolled around, fighting.
 
The fight went on and on. People moving quickly to get out of their way. A table was destroyed, two chairs and numerous bottles and glasses. I remember watching a live MMA fight with Linc once, and that was what the two men before me seemed to be doing right then. They twisted at odd angels to get their punches in, didn’t seemed to care if they fought dirty or not when Zander double punched Devlin in the stomach then kneed him in the balls. Wasn’t that a big taboo with men? Never go for another man’s package?
 
Devlin groaned in pain but didn’t pause in his attempt to annihilate his friend. He gained the upper hand in a move that I wasn’t sure possible for such a tall man and started hitting Zander in the ribs.
 
Two bouncers broke through the crowd and tried to pull Devlin off Zander. He shrugged them off like they were just bees that annoyed him. Two more stepped forward to help and finally they were able to break the two rockers apart. Both were bleeding, throwing curses at each other in a verbal battle now that they could do so with their fists.
 
Still I remained where I was, not even sure if I were breathing because the pain that was ripping through me was so consuming.
 
It was all a lie. My relationship with Devlin Cutter was nothing more than the product of Devlin wanting to win some bet against his friend. All our nights spent in each other’s arms, all his whispered words of how much he cared about me, worshipped me… They were all lies. I was nothing more than a bet. Nothing. I was nothing to him. 
 
Buy The Book

Amazon   Amazon UK     Amazon DE    Amazon AU  

Amazon BR    Amazon NL    IBOOKS        KOBO
author

The USA Today bestseller hated school and reading until her aunt handed
over her first romance novel at the age of twelve, as crazy aunts tend to do.
It gave her a passion for the written word that has only increased over the
years.  Started writing her own novellas
at the age of sixteen, forcing her sister to be her one woman fan club. Now she
has a few more fans and a lot more passion for writing. Reese: A Safe Haven Novella
was her first Indie published book. The Rocker That Holds Me changed the tables
and kicked off The Rocker… series featuring the sinfully delicious members of
Demon’s Wings. The Rocker… Series has since expanded to OtherWorld with Axton
Cage and his band members. Terri Anne lives in Virginia with her husband, their
three children, and a loveable Olde English Bulldog

AUTHOR MEDIA LINKS:
Website: Terriannebrowning.com
 
Giveaway

Click the link below to enter the giveaway!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

BLOG TOUR HOSTED BY:
 

Review Post: Covertly Strong by NA Alcorn

Covertly StrongBait Banner

So today at The Never Ending Book Basket I have a 2 for one special for you! Two reviews for the price of one. And lucky for you, there’s no price! Covertly Strong and Bait were both beyond fabulous, and I LOVED them both.  Below you will find my review for Covertly Strong, and at the bottom of this post you’ll find a link to my review post on Bait. Be sure to check out both for all the fun because I HIGHLY recommend both of these books!!

Covertly Strong

Book One in The Strong Series

By N.A. Alcorn 

Covertly Strong Cover Ebook

Add to Goodreads TBR 

Synopsis2

She can track down the world’s most dangerous drug lords, hack into any computer, and kill a man in fifteen different ways—but when she comes face-to-face with the only man who’s ever held her heart, it might be her most dangerous mission yet… Or is it?

Sloan Walker. Dr. Felicia Santora. Agent L-55.
Three very different personas, three very different names, but all have one thing in common. They’re all controlled, acted out, and lived by one woman.

Her past has been long forgotten. Ten years have gone by since someone remembered the girl she used to be. The young girl with the big-brown eyes and beautiful dreams of happiness, dreams of love. She now lives a clandestine life. A life filled with top-secret missions and covert assignments. Only a handful of people know the true nature of her job. Her safety is constantly being pushed towards the brink of life-threatening danger.

Then one day someone unexpectedly steps back into her life…

A man who once owned her mind, body, and soul.
A man who held her heart in the palm of his hand.

He remembers. He knows.

And this knowledge could threaten everything she’s worked so hard for. Nixon West is as intelligent as they come and his Navy SEAL training has made him one of the most dangerous weapons in the United States Military. The moment she reappeared into his life he promised himself that he wouldn’t let her go.

But the true question is…what extreme lengths will Nix go to for her?

She will soon face another mission.

And it will test everything.

Time never seems all that important until your life hangs in the balance.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock…

Just a little tease…

CS Teaser _1

My Review

*****5 Kickass Stars*****

Do you ever start reading book, and immediately you know you’ve never read a book quite like it before? Let me tell you, that feeling is amazing.

Well, I got that feeling on about page 4 of Covertly Strong, and that is when I knew I was going to absolutely love this book.

That’s also about the time I fell instantly in love with one Nixon West.

Covertly Strong has everything that makes a book exceptional for me, yet it really was a book unlike any other I’ve read. Its got two strong badass main characters, with a new twist on a second chance love story. It also has a strong military aspect to it that just made this book so enthralling and exciting to read. I’m telling you, my heart was racing with adrenalin and excitement reading this book.

When I read NA Alcorn’s first two books, I immediately fell love with her laugh out loud hysterical humor, along with her fun loving and outrageously witty characters. I must admit that I was very curious to see how this book would compare to those since I knew the storyline and characters were going to be different, but I was thrilled to find I positively loved this book for the unique aspects it had. Those aspects through her so wonderful crafted writing made the book such a fantastic reading experience for me.

Basically, NA Alcorn just hit it out of the damn park with this one.

What was out of this world about Covertly Strong:

  • Fiercely and oh so sassy Sloan. Sloan is a sassy as all get out character who instantly won me over with a highly memorable nerf game. That girl is something else, but I couldn’t get enough of how strong, sassy, and fierce she was. Sloan has some balls, and it was utterly fantastic to read such a truly strong female character who has the strength of 10 men put together. Her sassy personality shines through so wonderfully, and even in the toughest of situations she is herself through and through. Did I also mention she is a kick ass CIA agent? Major fist pump in the air for Sloan!
  • One charming and badass Nixon West. Nixon West is just one badass man. He not only manages to be one of the strongest and most determined male characters I’ve read, but he’s also got so many well developed and heartfelt feelings that just made me swoon. Nixon is brash, and he’s tough, and he means business with everything he does. I loved that about him. It’s also not hard to imagine his swoon worthy self, which makes it all the more enjoyable to love his character. He’s also charming as all get out, so triple dog dare you to not love this hot Navy SEAL. (FYI, you’re gonna lose that dare.)
  • Second chances are just the best. Sloan and Nixon are given a second chance at love in Covertly Strong. I love me a good second chance romance, and Covertly Strong just reemphasized that for me again and again. These two are thrust back together, and reading them try to make sense of all that while embracing their second chance together is just the best. The level of feeling and emotions and power behind their second chance will also just make your heart feel for both of them, and will have you rooting for them and cheering them on every step of the way.
  • The level of kickassery. This book has an utterly fabulous level of kickassery. (Yes I made that word up, but that’s what this book has.) This book is just oozing the kickassery with a CIA agent and a Navy SEAL as the main characters. How could you not be kickass with a combo like that? Those two are also strong as hell, they bring out the best fierceness and fight in each other, and their banter is also pretty darn fantastic. This book also has a plotline that just takes charge and means business from start to finish. And don’t even get me started on the amazingness of Black Mamba. All of these aspects combine to make one helluva story you won’t soon forget.
  • Young love. I absolutely loved how Covertly Strong gives you the chance to experience Nixon and Sloan when they were young and first met. It sets up their relationship and story so fantastically, and allows you the chance to see where it all began for them. You feel the ease and sweetness and magic that comes with their young love, yet you also feel the power it really has.
  • The military aspect. I was beyond thrilled with the military aspects of Covertly Strong. I’ve never read a book that incorporated those kinds of aspects into a story, and I couldn’t get enough of it all. The jargon, the tenacity, the fight will all envelop you into that world so easily, and I easily felt like I understood everything that was going on within that world. This also adds a whole new dynamic to these characters and their story, making it all the more remarkable to read.
  • The third person POV. I was kind of shocked by how much I loved the third person POV used in this book. This genre is well known for first person, but I was pleasantly surprised by what the third person POV added to how this story was told. This perspective allowed me to easily get into so many characters heads, and NA Alcorn did a magnificent job of going back and forth between them all seamlessly. It allowed me to know and love them all so easily. I honestly don’t think this story would’ve been the same without this perspective, as it just highlighted and exemplified every fantastic aspect of the book and characters.
  • Adrenalin pumping moments. Covertly Strong is bursting with adrenalin pumping moments. Some of those moments result from the intense action of the book, but just as many are a result of the high level of emotion and love firing through the pages and characters. Those moments were exceptional. They also made every heart pounding moment, or pulse rate inducing character feel so real to me, and with each additional adrenalin pumping moment I connected more deeply to the story and Sloan and Nixon.
  • Black Mamba for the win! There is no better group of guys to read, than the members of Nixon’s SEAL team, Black Mamba. I am more anxious than ever to get my hands on those guys. They are each different in their own way, but wholly engaging throughout, and I loved them all. You will get moments of them through this book that are highly memorable and will stick with you. These guys are hysterical and will leave you with one helluva smirk, but they’re also the strongest of brothers that will no doubt adhere themselves to your heart in an instant.
  • The tenacious power of love. I can’t describe enough to you how powerful Sloan and Nixon’s love is. It grew when they were young, and it did a lot of things when they were apart. Covertly Strong explores what happens when these two and their utterly powerful love are thrown together again. The fight that their love brings out in them, their emotions, their feelings, and their vulnerabilities, will just have you feeling the tenacious power of that love, and you’ll realize over and over again why it’s so clearly worth fighting for.

Covertly Strong blew me away with everything it had.

This book brings two fiercely strong and determined characters together in such a way that will have you feeling the intensity of all that is between them, while making you want to fight like hell right along with them. You will love Nixon and Sloan. You will want to fight for Nixon and Sloan. You will love all the pages, all the heart rate inducing moments, and all the emotion and feeling you get to experience with Nixon and Sloan.

Covertly Strong has so many aspects that set it apart from other books you’ve read. These aspects make this book, its story, and its highly engaging characters wholly unique and truly enthralling to read.

I guarantee you’ve never read a book quite like this one, but remember, that’s what makes all the difference.

Buy The Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

author

N. A. Alcorn is the author of the best-selling in humorous fiction, Infamous Series. She is excited to take this leap into the Romantic Suspense genre and hopes that you enjoy Nix & Sloan’s story as much as she did writing it. She would love to hear from you!

Goodreads    Facebook    Twitter    Amazon Author Page    Website

Email: authornaalcorn@gmail.com

Just click the link below and you’ll magically find yourself at my review for Bait by M. Mabie. Be sure to click that link because that will send you straight into Blake & Casey land, and that is a truly wonderful place to be. Trust me.

My review of Bait by M. Mabie

 

And just a little more tease before you go…

 Covertly Strong

I just spent the last 9 nights in bed with Colleen Hoover, and it was the best.

2496 pages. 2 whole tissues. 5 unique couples. Countless extraordinary supporting characters.

8 books. 9 unforgettable nights.

I have spent the last nine nights in bed with Colleen Hoover, and it was unforgettable. It was sensational. It was phenomenal in every way. She doesn’t disappoint.

I have loved these nights. I will always remember these nights…

Now when I say I spent the last nine nights with Colleen Hoover I think I may have painted a slightly inaccurate picture for you.

Did Colleen Hoover herself sit in bed with me? Well, no. Unless she was hiding behind my pillows, which could be possible because who knows, maybe she likes to do that.

Did Colleen Hoover herself offer me a total of 2 Kleenex’s to dry my baby tears as I cried reading her books? Well that’s a no again too. Though I totally think she’d offer me some Kleenex if she could. She seems like a giver.

Did Colleen Hoover herself help push my jaw back into place after it repeatedly fell to the ground after reading each and every single one of her utterly magnificent books, as I became more and more blown away? Yeah that one’s a no too. (And if anybody wants to help me, I think my jaw is still on the floor from reading these books. I could use some help with that.)

No, Colleen Hoover didn’t really do any of those things these past 9 nights that I spent fully encapsulated by her books. But I like to think that she was here in spirit through her books, her words, her pictures and the magic that I literally felt flow out of these pages. I think I’m in full on love mode.

(Okay, so there weren’t actually pictures in any of her books, but I’m fully convinced that if there were, I would be sold on those too.)

I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, I’ve smirked, I’ve smiled, I’ve grimaced. I’ve cared. I’ve felt more than I ever felt possible while reading. I’ve loved. And that all happened about 3 pages into each book. Don’t even get me started on what happened after page 3. I don’t think I’ll ever fully hop off that hamster wheel of awesomeness.

I’ve gone through approximately 2 tissues which is 2 more tissues than I usually use while reading, since as we all know, I have the emotional range of a piece of paper when it comes to crying while reading.

colleenhovoer

My beautiful stack of books by Colleen Hoover. Finding Cinderella is there in spirit.

I wasn’t prepared for what reading these books would allow me to experience. I wasn’t prepared to whole heartedly fall in love with multiple sets of characters over 8 seriously wonderful books. I didn’t expect to feel like the biggest idiot on the planet for waiting so long to discover said books. (But I’ll say it. I am an idiot for waiting so long to read them!)

I didn’t realize that by reading these books, I would discover an author that has now permanently cemented herself, her books, her characters, and her writing as some of my all-time favorites. I didn’t know. But now I do, and I couldn’t be more freaking over the butterflying moon about that.

Now I should note that before this 9 day binge read, I had read Ugly Love, Collen Hoover’s most recent release. I read this book because a book group I belonged to at the time was doing a group read of the book. I read the synopsis, and couldn’t wait to read it. I thought I would read the book, get to talk about it a bit, and that would be the end of the day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Boy was I effing wrong.

Ugly Love made me breakdown in tears in the middle of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of emotion that was Ugly Love. I wasn’t prepared to fall head first into it, and I sure as hell didn’t expect for it to make me cry like a baby while waiting in a monstrous line in the “happiest place on earth.”

Yeah, I was that girl crying over a book while surrounded by hundreds of strangers at a theme park. Though I do think the 2 guys behind might have gotten a kick out of it.

Ugly Love is what started it all, and a few weeks later when I found myself at a book store “killing time” (which is a very expensive equation for me, since I can’t just look at books without buying them) I suddenly found myself with 6 new Colleen Hoover books. And 1 free e-book of Finding Cinderella.

Because binge reading is for winners or for people who are really slow on the uptake of books they should have already read by now…

Thus began my nightly time with Colleen Hoover and her books.

9 nights, 2496 pages, 2 whole tissues, 5 unique couples, countless extraordinary supporting characters, and 8 books later I was done. I was sold.

(And yes, I counted.)

After those 9 nights, I was completely sold on anything Collen Hoover had written, and I feel safe saying I’m am pretty much sold on anything else she may write in the future. 9 nights of reading left me as an emotional wreck, but I honestly couldn’t have been happier about that.

I will never forget those nights. Ever. I will never forget all that Colleen Hoover’s beyond magnificent writing created for me in those nights. The stories, the characters, the emotions, the smirks, the magic. Everything. Everything she created blew me away, and the more and more I read, the more and more I fell in love with it all.

I wish I could go back and experience all of that again because it was fabulous, and breathtaking, and utterly wonderful. It was everything.

So if you haven’t already, you should definitely hop on the Collen Hoover train. Like yesterday. Sometimes that train is a bit crazy, and it will sure as hell make you feel everything, but through it all you’ll just love the ride, and its freaking beyond phenomenal conductor Colleen Hoover. Because believe me:

It’s one unforgettable mother effing ride. With one bad ass conductor.

And that folks, is pure reading magic.

 Find Out More….

Be sure to check out my reviews for all the books. Click the title of the book to 1-click, and be sure to check out my review by clicking the link that says “Read my review….” 

Oh, and enjoy more horrendous and all too brief synopsis’ of each book. You’re welcome.

Slammed:

Will & Lake. They’ve got a serious connection, only they’ve got a problem. And I ain’t telling you what that is, so read the damn book. But just know, Will and Lake are kind of the best. And I heart those two something fierce.

Read my review of Slammed

Point of Retreat:

This is about Will & Lake. And that’s all I’m saying. Also, don’t read the synopsis of this book until you FINISH Slammed. (You’re welcome for that tidbit, by the way.)

Read my review of Point of Retreat

This Girl:

You shouldn’t even be reading the synopsis for this book if you haven’t read Slammed or Point of Retreat yet. Seriously.

Read my review of This Girl

Hopeless:

How do I even begin to describe this book? You will FEEL this book. You will BREATHE this book. You will envelope Sky and Holder into your arms and your heart and you won’t want to let them go. EVER. You will LOVE this book. It has it all.

Read my review of Hopeless

Losing Hope:

You know how I said Hopeless has it all? Well, Losing Hope has it all and more. It’s a one-on-one date lasting 321 pages with one and only Dean Holder, and let me tell you, he does not disappoint. Not. One. Little. Bit.

Read my review of Losing Hope

Finding Cinderella:

For those two characters in Hopeless and Losing Hope that you couldn’t get out of your mind, this one gives you their story. And your cheeks will be hurting because of how much you’re smiling while reading it. (And it’s FREE!)

Read my review of Finding Cinderella

Maybe Someday:

Passion. Friendship. Laughs. Love. Hate. Betrayal. Healing. More love. Less love. All kinds of love. Music. Music. MUSIC! (This describes page 1. Buy the book to really experience the all that is Sydney and Ridge. Oh, and the awesomeness that is Griffin Peterson.)

Read my review of Maybe Someday

Ugly Love:

This book made me cry in Disney World. Tate and Miles, made me cry in Disney World. Their story, made me cry in Disney World. I LOVED the fact that this book made me cry in Disney World. This book is brilliant. Tate and Miles are brilliant. Ugly Love is beyond brilliant. Did I also mention that it made me cry in Disney World?

Read my review of Ugly Love

Meet the author, aka the bad ass conductor, Colleen Hoover:

Facebook   Website   Twitter    Goodreads   Amazon

Releasing Now: The Lover’s Game

The Lover’s Game

by: J.C. Reed

Genre: New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Recommended for ages 18 and up.

270pp

 Synopsis2When love is a game… 

After having her heart broken, Brooke tries to rebuild her life and closes herself off from the one man she loved deeply. When she meets Grayson, a photographer, she has no idea that her new boss will offer her more than she bargained for. The pay is great, her new friends more than welcoming and everything seems to be running well…until everyone insists she find herself a new suitor during a night out.

Jett knows how to play games. He is used to getting attention from everyone except the beautiful dark haired woman who doesn’t like to be fooled with and doesn’t trust him as far as she can spit. He wants Brooke but, more than that, he wants to own her, and the only way to get her is to make her owe him…against her will. 

And what Jett owns, Jett keeps forever.

My Review

****4 1/2 Wonderful Stars****

The Lover’s Game by J.C. Reed was another fantastic addition to the No Exceptions Series. This book picks up right where The Lover’s Secret left off, and I could not get enough of this book from the moment I picked it up!

The events of this book added so much to Brooke and Jett’s story that I have come to love over the books in this series and the Surrender Series by J.C. Reed. (The No Exceptions Series is a standalone series from the Surrender Series, but they do connect, so for the best reading experience I suggest reading all of the books!) The more I read this series, the more I get hooked in, and I am just dying to know what is going to happen next with these fantastic characters and their exciting story.

What I just loved about The Lover’s Game:

  • Brooke’s pain and vulnerability. You can feel everything Brooke is feeling throughout the story, but you especially feel all the pain, emotion, and vulnerability she experiences with the events in this book. You feel this right from the beginning, and it makes you want to comfort her and just fight for her. You just want to make her better, and feeling all of this through Brooke’s perspective is very powerful.
  • The determination and fight. Brooke is determined as hell in this book to make everything alright, even when she is in a true tailspin after what happened in The Lover’s Secret. I loved that Brooke was determined as hell to figure everything out and make it all work. She faces a crap ton, and through it all she is feisty. Even though this is probably the worst time in her life, she is fighting like hell, and I freaking loved that!
  • The mystery. This book has many different mysteries weaving their way through the story. You’ve got everything that’s going on with Jett, then you’ve also got Brooke’s paranoia over the possibility of harm coming her way. There are just so many mysteries and questions you want to solve and answer. While reading this book you will be trying to put it all together, and that just made this book highly engaging.
  • The female friendship. The interactions in this book between Brooke and her best friend Sylvie were just wonderful. These two are truly there for one another. In this book you also meet some new females who add another wonderful layer and connection with Brooke. Gina and Thalia are carefree and fun, and bring true liveliness to the story. The female friendship aspect of this book is wholly authentic, and you will feel the connections and friendships developing over the course of the story.
  • The questions coming up. This book brings up a lot of questions that make you really think about the story you are reading. You will question Brooke’s actions and feelings, the other people and what they’re up to, and so many more things. These questions bring this story to life and it really makes you wonder how it’ll all come together.
  • The darkness. I really liked that there is a lot of darkness that goes along with The Lover’s Game. That darkness comes out in so many varied and unique ways, and makes this books very different from other’s I’ve read. It made it stand out in such a good way. This darkness also made the story seem so much more real because of what that darkness was stirring up with Brooke and Jett and everyone else.
  • The pacing. From the moment I began this series with The Lover’s Secret until the end of this book, I hit the ground running and have yet to stop. I absolutely love that. This book picks you up, and takes you on one hell of a ride. The events and characters of this book series come to life and I dare you to try and not be engaged as all get out reading this book.
  • The writing. J.C. Reed’s books are written beautifully. The writing that is so thoughtfully crafted brings the story to life, and makes it very easy to slip into the world that’s created. It also makes it very easy to connect to the characters. It is just so easy to imagine and experience this story because of the writing.
  • The twists. This book is full of some major twists and turns. I won’t reveal what those are, but just know that they will blow your mind. There were a few specific ones that had me SHOCKED. These twists and turns take the story on a path that I can’t wait to read more of, because I have to know where this path is heading.

The Lover’s Game was another magnificent addition to the No Exceptions Series. The characters you’ve fallen in love with are back, and are thrown into some pretty interesting and memorable situations. This book just had me falling more and more in love with Brooke and Jett’s exciting story, and I cannot wait to see how it continues in the next book in the series.

I’m sure that one will be another unforgettable story.

Buy The Book

Available On:

Amazon   Barnes & Noble  iTunes   KOBO

Find The Lover’s Game on Goodreads…

No Exceptions #2 (No Exceptions, #2)

 

Giveaway

1x Signed paperback copy of THE LOVER’S GAME

1x sterling silver custom book pendant necklace $200 value

$100 Amazon Gift Card

Open INTERNATIONAL

Click the link below to enter the giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

author

J.C. Reed is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of SURRENDER YOUR LOVE series. She writes steamy contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery. When she’s not typing away on her keyboard, forgetting the world around her, she dreams of returning to the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. You can also find her chatting on Facebook with her readers or spending time with her two children. 

Connect with Author

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

 Other Books: in the No Exceptions series:

The Lover’s Secret (Book 1) is available now:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes~Goodreads

The Lover’s Game (Book 2) is available now: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes Kobo 

Worldwide, print and ebook

Releasing Now: Shelter Me

BT Shelter Me 3.jpg

Debut novel Shelter Me by Author Kathy Coopmans

Releasing: September 7th

Synopsis2

At the young age of nineteen, Shayne Andrews thought she had it all. She had the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, and a bright future ahead of  her. That is, until one day he just disappeared, leaving a note as his only goodbye. With her heart shattered and broken, Shayne did the only thing she  could. She left her small town on the shores of Lake Michigan to start her life over, needing to distance herself from the memories she and Luke had made.  At that time, she vowed to herself that she would never return to her hometown again. Seven years later, Shayne realizes that fate is not on her side as  she returns home for her aunt’s funeral, bringing back the one secret she swore to protect.

Luke Schavone has regretted every day that he had to leave Shayne behind. Though he didn’t have a choice, his heart still bore the scars from the impact. After five years, Luke returned only to find that Shayne was gone. His best friend was the only lifeline he had to finding her, but Adam wasn’t talking.  When the one thing Luke has wanted everyday for the past seven years runs right into him one night, he becomes determined to make sure he doesn’t lose her  again.

At first, Shayne is hesitant. She wouldn’t be able to survive losing him again, but the pull toward him is so fierce, she can’t deny herself the chance. With the decision to start over, Luke and Shayne must admit truths and come to terms with the events that forced them apart in the first place. When  secrets are revealed and old threats come to pass, will Luke be able to shelter Shayne from the destruction, or will she become lost to him forever?

 Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22402718-shelter-me-book?ac=1

 Release Party:

https://www.facebook.com/events/442099499265354/

My Review

****4.5 Wonderful Stars****

Shelter Me was a truly wonderful debut novel by Kathy Coopmans. This book had so many aspects to it that I just loved, and the story itself was one that I just fell in love with instantly. Shelter Me is about getting a second chance for something utterly beautiful.

This book is about what happens when those second chances come along, and how light and happiness can be found in even the darkest and hardest of times.

What I absolutely adored about Shelter Me:

  • You hit the ground running. I loved that this book hit the ground running with everything its got. It’s extremely well-paced and you are thrust right into the story. That just works. It also makes it easy to sink right in with what is going on with the fantastic characters.
  • The immediate and deep connection of Luke and Shayne. From the moment these two are on the page together, you feel the instant connection and the true depth of feeling between Luke and Shayne. You feel the pain and anguish they’re feeling at seeing each other again, and you feel the hope and desire thrumming from both of them. You will be captivated by the connection between these two, I promise.
  • Shayne is one tough cookie. Shayne is one strong female character who was extremely relatable. She goes through a lot in the events of this book, and she definitely is put to the test with all the things she experiences. But through all of this she holds her own, and never gives up. She fights and that is utterly fantastic to read, and it really made me love and admire her character for the toughness she had through everything.
  • Luke is a protective gem of a man. Luke was a magnificent male character to read. He is fiercely protective and majorly passionate about many things, but especially Shayne. The way he looks at her, talks to her, and opens up to her exemplifies every wonderful thing about his character. I am telling you he will just warm your heart with how amazing he is. (He also uses a seriously heart melting term of endearment for Shayne, and that was just the best.)
  • The mystery and questions. There are some mysteries and questions that come up with the story being told, especially surrounding Luke and the past as well as motives behind what is happening in the present of these characters. Those mysteries come to the page in a truly thoughtful way, and they really piqued my interest. It makes it so you are dying to know what’s going to happen, and certainly makes the book engaging as all get out.
  • The heat between Luke and Shayne. These two have got it going on. You will feel every single thing these characters feel for one another, and that is hot. The chemistry and desire between them is palpable and continues to throb throughout their entire story.
  • The feel of family. I absolutely loved that this book had such a feel of coming home and family to it. All the different characters in this book come together to make a crazy kind of family. The feeling of family and home weaves together with the story beautifully, and makes every event in this book that more extraordinary to read. It also truly resonates with what is going on with Luke and Shayne.
  • Second chances. This is a true second chance at love, and books like this are why I adore these kinds of stories. These magnificent characters are getting a new chapter together, and though they have much to go through, this second chance brings out the best in them. The second chances in this book are hard fought and well deserved, and this book exemplifies what it means to get a second chance at it all.
  • The fight for the happy. Shelter Me makes Shayne, Luke, and many of the other characters fight for the happy they are seeking. Both Shayne and Luke are fighting for their second chance together. That fight has its ups and downs and puts them to the serious test, but that fight is so worthwhile and enthralling to read.
  • Bringing it all together. I loved how this book brought the past, present, and futures of both Shayne and Luke, along with everybody else, together. The meshing of these 3 mediums made me love Shayne and Luke more, and it made me invested with them. The author does such a fabulous job of this that you will want to fight for them too with all you’ve got.

Shelter Me was a highly engaging book that explores what happens when two people are given a second chance at the happiness they are both seeking. The connection and power between the two main characters it just utterly wonderful, and will have you in love with their story the minute you meet them.

This book truly exemplifies what it means to take that leap of faith even when you can’t exactly see what’ll happen next. The story within this books page is filled with fantastic characters that will truly captivate you in every way, and in the end the overpowering sense of love, family, and home in the book will just melt your little heart.

10615865_10203666278715150_2104941647_n.jpg

 Excerpt

“Baby, I never thought I would get to taste those sweet, sexy, seriously fuckable lips again.”

“Fuckable? I ask, “What happened to us starting over?”

Luke brings his mouth to my ear. “I said I wanted us to start over, and I meant it. Doesn’t mean I don’t remember everything that happened between us, my beautiful girl. Especially involving those fuckable lips.,” he whispers, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“Oh, is all I can get my mouth to say.”

“What’s the matter baby? Did I kiss you senseless?” Luke asks as he pulls me up to a standing position.

“You wish, big boy.”

Trailer:

 Playlist:

Full Playlist: Shelter Me by Kathy Coopmans

Rob Thomas – Ever The Same

P!nk – F**kin’ Perfect

Sheryl Crow – The First Cut Is The Deepest

Evanescence – My Immortal

Faith Hill – Breathe

Daughtry – Home

Sara Bareilles – I Choose You

Bob Carlisle – Butterfly Kisses

Train – Marry Me

OneRepublic – Good Life

Drake – Take Care

Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing

kathy teaser3.jpg

 Buy The Book

Amazon 

author

IMG_7254.jpg

 Kathy is a Michigan native where she lives with her husband Tony. They have two son’s Aaron and Shane.

She is a sports nut. Her favorite sports include NASCAR, Baseball and Football.

By day she is a hairstylist and loves her job.

She has always been an avid reader and at the young age of 50 decided she wanted to write. She claims she can do several things at once and still stay on
task. Her favorite quote is “I got this.”

Email: coopmans@chartermi.net

Facebook   Goodreads   Amazon Page

Just a little tease…

kathy teaser.jpg

kathy teaser2.jpg

Releasing Now: Rules of Protection

22859182

Rules of Protection

By: Alison Bliss

Release Date: August 26, 2014 (That is TODAY!)

Synopsis2

It’s rule breaker Emily Foster’s birthday, and like everyone at The Jungle Room, she just wants to get some action. Unfortunately, she stumbles on the wrong kind, witnessing a mob hit. To protect her, she’s entered into the Witness Protection Program with by-the-book Special Agent Jake Ward as her chaperone.

When the location of their safe house is compromised, Jake stashes Emily deep in the Texas backwoods. The city-girl might be safe from the Mafia, but she has to contend with a psychotic rooster, a narcoleptic dog, crazy cowboys, and the danger of losing her heart to the one man she can’t have.

Jake’s as hot as he is infuriating, and she can’t help but push all his buttons to loosen him up. Their mutual, sizzling sexual attraction poses a dilemma: Jake’s determined to keep her safe and out of the wrong hands; she’s determined to get into the right ones—his.

My Review

*****5 Amazing and Phenomenal Stars*****

Let me begin this review by saying that if I could give this book all the stars in the world, I would. It blew me away with its magnificently developed characters possessing some pretty distinctive personalities, its upbeat and highly engaging story, and the fact that it had more southern charm than you can shake a stick at.

Rules of Protection had everything that makes a book exceptional, and Alison Bliss hit it out of the park with her debut novel. I couldn’t get enough of it, and even after finishing it, I can’t get the story or its seriously charming, authentic, and hysterical characters out of my head.

Something tells me they’re going to stick around with me for a while too! And I LOVE that because they’re all out of this world awesome.

What made this book exceptional:

  • Emily is a snarky little spitfire. Emily is as snarky and sassy as they come. She puts the out in outspoken, and I freaking loved that I never knew what would come out of her mouth! That girl likes to ruffle some feathers, and she definitely has a pretty tough defense mechanism when it comes to her “word vomit”, but I heart that girl something fierce! I especially loved that no matter what situation Emily was in, she was still her. It didn’t matter if she was in a moment of pure pain or pure passion, she was still her tried and true spitfire self all the way.
  • Jake is my kind of male character. Jake had buckets of personality, and I loved that about him. He was charming and he could be stubborn as all get out, yet he was definitely a true southern gentleman with a little bit of a twist. He’s also just a seriously good guy who just melted my heart. There were time when his character had such a rough exterior, and he could be one helluva hard ass about things, but when he felt, he felt hard. There isn’t one thing I didn’t like about him. Did I also mention he’s good looking as all get out, and knows how to woo your pants off? Literally.
  • Jake & Emily’s relationship. I couldn’t get enough of reading how these two attempt to come together. They face a crap ton of obstacles between their pasts and presents, and they are both stubborn as all get out, but reading the building of their relationship was just extraordinary. The doubts they had, the hesitancy that happened every time they got close to one another, and the emotional pushing and pulling they both did in the building of their relationship was utterly authentic and so enthralling to read. Reading these two get close to that edge over and over again made me love them more, and their banter was fanfreakingtastic.
  • The vivacious supporting characters that glued themselves to my heart. I absolutely freaking adored every single supporting character. I want to read a book about each one of their distinctive and remarkable little selves. I want to know the story behind Ox, Judd, Junior, Bobbie Jo, Gina, Dale, Hank, Floss, and most of all, COWBOY! They were all utterly fantastic, and so well developed. I felt like I knew each and every one of them personally, and I connected with them in such a way that made them all seem so real to me. All of these glorious characters make up one helluva family that I just adored spending time with.
  • The humor that had me laughing out loud! Rules of Protection had me laughing and smirking more times than I could count. The humor and banter was right up my alley, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the hysterical things these characters were saying and doing. The one liners in this book were simply the best, and I don’t think I’ve laughed this much while reading in a very long time. I especially loved the unique humor each character had, as it added a distinct piece of wit to the already fun filled story.
  • The southern charm. This book is bursting with southern charm, and I ate up every single bit of it. The country living, the sayings, the twang, the lovely animals, and everything else in between had me loving all of the southern aspects. It brought a smile to my face, and the world of this book to life from the page. I felt like I was there and could wholly imagine and feel the characters and southern setting so well, and that was just remarkable and so enjoyable to experience.
  • You can cut the sexual tension with a knife. The sexual tension and chemistry between Jake and Emily sparks off the page, and builds and builds until it explodes. If you thought fireworks were fantastic, you haven’t read this book and felt that connection and tension between Emily and Jake. (Oh, and I’ve never been jealous of a deer stand until I read this book…)
  • The pasts of the characters. I really enjoyed getting to read about both Emily and Jake’s respective pasts, as it enlightened so much about both of them. Their pasts show how they came to be where they are together in their current situation, and honestly explained so much about them. I also enjoyed getting to see the glimpses into some of the other characters pasts, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that I get more on those little gems someday soon!
  • All the feels. This book will make you feel every emotion under the sun. You will feel the love, the passion, the pain, the emotion, the vulnerability, the sass, and everything else these characters and story feel. You feel it all, and even when it sometimes sucks because the characters are going through so much, you will love it because you will feel and understand everything they feel.
  • The moments that speed your heart up. There were so many instances that sped my heart up. Some were from the love going on or the action and suspense I was reading or just from the lovable craziness, but I loved it all. That excitement and vivaciousness just thrilled me and engaged me fully within this story. It also had me dying to know how it would all come together.

Bottom line: this book will just blow you away with how outstanding it is.

It has everything going for it. The main characters are absolutely wonderful in every way, the family that makes up the supporting characters will have you feeling the love, humor, and the southern awesomeness, and the story itself will hook you in from the first word to the very last. It’s also magnificently balanced with the love story and suspense, and you’ll want to fight for Emily and Jake and what they have together throughout the entirety of the book.

I honestly couldn’t recommend this book to you more if I tried. It was exceptional in every way, and every aspect of this phenomenal book made me love it whole heartedly more. Alison Bliss wrote an outstanding book, and her thoughtfully crafted and beautiful writing will make you a fan of hers for life.

Rules of Protection will suck you in in the best possible way, and it won’t let you go until long after you’ve finished. That doesn’t happen every time you read a book, so relish in that because that’s rarer than you think.

And when in doubt, just think of what Cowboy would do, because that gem of a man will never steer you wrong. 🙂

Just a little tease….

10592970_1471565619769656_7796595197293314245_n

Buy The Book

Amazon   B&N   iTunes   KOBO

author

As the youngest of five girls, Alison Bliss has never turned down a challenge…or been called by the right name. Her writing career may have started out as a dare by one of her sisters, but Alison hasn’t put her pen down since.

She grew up on a small island off the Texas Gulf Coast, where most of her childhood vacations consisted of camping or hunting trips to the deer lease. Although she’ll always be a Texan at heart, Alison currently resides in the Midwest with her Iowa farm-boy husband and their two sons. With so much testosterone in her home, it’s no wonder she writes “girl books.”

She’s an animal lover, a closet video game enthusiast, and believes the best way to know if someone is your soul mate is by canoeing with them because if you both make it back alive, it’s obviously meant to be. Alison’s an avid romance reader who enjoys penning the type of books she loves to read most: fun, steamy love stories with heart, heat, laughter, and usually a cowboy or two. As she calls it, “Romance…with a sense of humor.

Facebook   Website   Twitter   Goodreads

Be sure to check out the AMAZING book trailer for Rules of Protection too!

 I cannot recommend this book to you more! It was utterly fantastic and you are seriously missing out if you pass this one up! So do yourself a favor and check it out TODAY! 

 

The Lover’s Secret

No1A
The Lover’s Secret

By: J.C. Reed

Genre: Mature New Adult/ Adult Contemporary Romance

Recommended for ages 18 and up.

Full Length Novel

Synopsis2

When a sexy encounter comes like a dream…
Brooke Stewart thinks she’s finally safe and can move on from her past. But after one night at the Trio Hotel and meeting the sexy stranger with the green eyes that can steal one’s soul, her life is changed forever. Passions run deep. The fun is supposed to be for one night with no strings attached.
Sexy millionaire Jett Mayfield can have any woman he wants, but the night he sees Brooke, he knows what he has to do. Brooke has something Jett desperately wants, something he can’t admit to the woman he tries to get to surrender. He has a secret so deep it would upend her life if she found out too soon. He’s almost reached his goal, and then she gets a letter she was not meant to read. Suddenly, secrets get a completely new meaning.

When two hearts collide, at least one is bound to shatter.
A man who takes what he wants A woman who’s ready to give him one night One bet that turns into a game of seduction But Mr. Sexy drives in the fast lane. And he has a secret that could destroy her.

goodreads

My Review

****4 1/2 Hot Hot Stars****

This was the first book I had ever read by J.C. Reed, and I have to say that I really enjoyed reading The Lover’s Secret. It had so many aspects to it that I just loved, and I was immediately taken in with the story and its characters, Brooke and Jett.

J.C. Reed’s writing is well done, and the book hooked me in from the first page. It also made me want more of these fabulous characters, and I am dying to see where their story goes after this book.

What I loved about The Lover’s Secret:

  • The unpredictability. I loved that this book was unpredictable with what was going on in the story and with the actions of the characters. I never knew where the next plot twist or turn would lead. I loved that, and that kept the entire book seriously engaging.
  • The passion and connection. You can feel the passion and instantaneous connection between these two characters right away. It’s raw and visceral and really powerful altogether. It also lights the pages of this book on fire, and you will definitely be feeling the heat from these two.
  • The mystery. There is a true sense of mystery that weaves its way through this book. When you read this book you will feel that mystery working its way through the story with the secrets coming out in little pieces that will leave you dying to figure it all out. These little mysteries and secrets left me wanting to know all the answers the questions they brought up, and that completely captivated me to the story.
  • Brooke’s past. You can definitely tell that Brooke has a past filled with some pretty heavy things, and that those events are heavily influencing the way she’s acting, feeling, and thinking in the present. I loved reading that because it just made so much sense and it made me really feel for her character. It allowed me the chance to understand exactly why she felt the way she did. It just helped me “get” her.
  • The beautiful writing. The writing in this book was fantastic. I could picture everything so well, and I could easily feel every single thing the characters were feeling because of how wonderful the writing was. The writing just made this book, and it really made the characters and story come to life off the page.
  • What in the world is Jett up to? Throughout this book I was heavily intrigued with trying to figure Jett out. There is a lot of mystery surrounding him, and I loved that. He also is hot as all get out, and I was loving how I had to try to decipher what in the world was going on with him. There’s clearly a lot more at play him with this story, and I cannot wait to find out what that is in the coming books in this series.
  • The supporting characters. These characters really help bring the story together, and they each add something to the story, whether it’s more mystery or secrets or just some good old social interaction. I love the instances where I got to see those other characters and what they added to the story, and overall they helped round out the book well.
  • Wham bam thank you ma’am. This book is fast paced and highly charged. It was thrilling and exciting, and it kept me hooked in the entire time. Its hits the ground running and didn’t let you go until the book was over, and that just works.
  • The trust thing. I really liked the fact that this book explores the trust that Brooke has with herself, her feelings, and with Jett himself. Her past which slowly and thoughtfully comes to the page makes it easy to understand why it’s hard for her to trust. Reading how she tries to figure out what and who she can trust within herself and others is just utterly fabulous, and it made her character truly authentic.
  • The great anticipation of more. This book has a surprise around every corner and will leave you highly anticipating what will happen next in the coming books. I am dying to know how this will all turn out, and I can’t wait to read this books follow up. That anticipation will have you feeling the same way. I guarantee it.

The Lover’s Secret overall was just a fantastic book to read. It had a ton of aspects that I just loved, and I want truly captivated by the story being told. Brooke and Jett were characters that I truly enjoyed reading, and their story is one that will take you on one hell of a ride.

Book Note:

**This book is a standalone book as part of a new series, but the characters in these books are also the two main characters from her Surrender Series. This book is a new twist to their story, and twisty it was! You don’t have to read those books to understand these characters or this book, though I did go on to read that entire series AFTER reading The Lover’s Secret. And I will have you know that I loved reading it in that order.

BlogtourNo1

 Buy The Book

Amazon   Barnes & Noble    iTunes

author

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads

Giveaway

Be sure to click the link below and enter the giveaway!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

teaser9

Drops of Rain

web

Drops of Rain

By: Kathryn Andrews

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis2

Ali Rain
Sometimes I think to myself, “How did I get here?” Then the pain hits and I remember…it’s because she’s gone. I now live in a new town, go to a new school, and I’m supposed to be moving on with my new life. Only, I no longer know who I am anymore. Dancing is all I have left and every day I feel completely alone. Silence has become the theme song to my life. She said to find some joy and light, but I don’t know how. Mostly, I feel surrounded in darkness…that is until I meet him.

Drew Hale
I have only one goal, in 298 days I’m going to drive away from this small beach town and never return. People are always watching me closely, too close, and I’m tired of wearing a mask. I need to be free. Swimming is my ticket out of here and I remind myself daily to fly under the radar, stick to my routine, and under no circumstances let anything distract me. I’m not as perfect as they think, most days I am drowning in guilt. I’m not sure I will ever be able to escape the feelings of shame, worthlessness, and just being unwanted…that is until I meet her.

**This book is for anyone who loves a good romance and it is intended for those who are 16 years of age and older.**

goodreads
My Review

Reading Drops of Rain by Kathryn Andrews was by far one of the best reading experiences I’ve had in a long time. This book was just so much more. I honestly don’t think I have enough positive adjectives to describe how out of this world phenomenal it was.

I could probably use every positive adjective I know, and it still wouldn’t do this book as much justice as it deserves.

Let me begin this review by telling you that this book took me through the serious emotional wringer. (And this is from someone who watches Grey’s Anatomy on the regular, and sits through hours of Shonda Rhimes toying with my emotions.)

This book was brimming with varied, well developed, and thoughtfully crafted emotions, each one more powerful than the last. Each event, character, and instance brought on a new feeling. Sometimes it was painful as hell, sometimes it even broke my heart to read, and then other times those instances brought on so much elation, healing, and love that it took my breath away from its sheer beauty.

This book was powerful and passionate as hell, and it truly had every single aspect that makes a book an exceptional read.

What was out of this world about Drops of Rain:

  • Seeing both Ali and Drew’s POV’s. Drops of Rain is from both Ali and Drew’s alternating perspectives, which illuminated so much about them both as individual characters, but especially so with how they felt about one another. Their individual P.O.V. enlighten everything about them, their pasts, and their presents while managing to capture them in such a truly enthralling and believable way.
  • The emotional wringer. Like I said, this book takes you through a full on emotional wringer, but this aspect is why I loved it immensely. The anguish, pain, and desolateness that both Ali and Drew experience in their individual lives will just make your heart hurt. You’ll want to reach in and offer comfort, and just make it better for them. In the end though, that emotional wringer will make the story that comes off the page that much more memorable, and seriously worthwhile because of every emotion you experience. Music also plays an essential role with that emotional wringer, and that music just enhances everything you’re reading tenfold.
  • Ali. Ali’s character was beautifully inspiring, and that girl had some serious sass to her that just drew me to her. Ali is the type of girl who is determined and focused, and stops for nothing. She could also care less what other’s think of her, and that was truly refreshing. Through everything she experiences with her loss and with Drew, her character shines and emanates through. You will feel for Ali, you will love her, and you’ll want to protect her with everything you’ve got. The connection I had to her character was outstandingly powerful.
  • Drew. Drew is by far one of my favorite male characters I’ve EVER read. The time spent in his head explains what shaped him to become the man he is, and the man he is becoming when he meets Ali. Drew is severely driven and fiercely protective because of circumstances no one should ever have to experience. His character is one that’ll take root in your heart, and your love for him will continually grow with every single word. What Drew experiences will exemplify the strength he has, and will show you just how good of a person he is.
  • The depth of Ali and Drew’s relationship. Because of what both characters go through individually, the depth of their feelings in their relationship become deeper and more powerful. Their relationship is beautifully developed, and even when they have their heads up their butts with stubbornness about one another, you will adore them. The magnificently crafted words on the page will make you believe that a love built on so much passion, strength, and tenacity like theirs can heal, take you to a better place, and make you a better in every single way.
  • The build to be each other’s “person”. The build in Ali and Drew’s relationship exemplifies everything it takes for them to be together. Their hesitancy, doubts, emotional pushes and pulls, and steps forward and backward throughout that building of their relationship epitomizes all they are putting into it. You get to read how their connection flourishes and grows, and how they become each other’s “person” in every single way, and that’s absolutely brilliant.
  • The hope with the pain. With every instance that pulled at my heart and brought tears to my eyes, there was an instance that healed and transformed it all. (And yes I really did cry!! I know, that’s shocking for me!) The transformative healing that takes place for many characters really balances in such a wonderful way with the pain they’re all experiencing, and it makes the story that more fantastic as a whole.
  • You will feel it all. The way all of the emotions come across will literally have you feeling and experiencing every single thing Ali, Drew, and everyone else are. The author creates a world where you see every little and significant thing through their eyes’ fully in every facet. This aspect will make these characters wholly authentic and real to you. You’ll feel them, you’ll connect with them, and you’ll love them every damn step of the way.
  • Fighting for the happy and peace. Both of these characters have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Ali is feeling utterly alone, and Drew is pulling away from everyone. They’re both at war with so many emotions and people, but when they come together, they fight for that happiness they both so totally deserve. The fight both of these remarkable characters go through for that happiness will just make you want to fight for them too. Their tenacity in the face of so much sadness, pain, and utter anguish will blow you away.
  • Supporting characters for the win! Every single supporting character won me over in an instant (Even Cassidy and her horribly conniving self.), and I loved them all for their range of sparkling personalities that just made me consistently smile. There is also an instant comradery between all of these characters themselves and with Ali & Drew that is felt exceedingly real and authentic for characters of their age. Beau and Leila especially stood out because of every incredible line and moment they added with Ali and Drew and the rest of the story. (I cannot wait to read more Beau! He just melted my heart!)
  • The dragonfly symbolism. The symbolism with the dragonfly with Ali and her mother that weaves its way effortlessly through the book is very poignant and beautiful. It was also powerful as hell, and served such an immense and magical purpose to Ali’s story.
  • Channeling the passion. Ali is a dancer, and Drew is a swimmer. They take and put everything they feel into both of those passions, and that exemplifies so much about them both. It shows their tenacity, while also showing how both of those passions are an escape from the harsh realities they both face.

I know that this review was long, even for me, but I hope you really enjoyed it because I enjoyed Drops of Rain profoundly. It was a highly enthralling book that provided me with such a beautiful, captivating, and emotional reading experience that I won’t ever forget.

Drops of Rain is writing and storytelling at its best. The characters are thoughtfully crafted and developed, the story is one you’ll connect with instantly, the level of emotion will blow you out of the water, and in the end you’ll be glad as hell you read this book.

Kathryn Andrews blew me away with this book, and I sincerely hope you take a leap of faith with my HIGHEST recommendation & review, and give Drops of Rain a read so that you can experience its breathtaking magnificence.

Take the leap of faith people….You’d do well to remember that.

Drops of Rain

author

Facebook     Website     Goodreads

Buy The Book

Amazon US    Amazon UK 

Amazon CA    Amazon AU 

  B&N

I seriously cannot recommend this book more to each and every one of you. It is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I loved every single part of it, and I know you will too, so be sure to 1-click this book as soon as humanly possible!

 

For Nicky

21503889

For Nicky

By: A.D. Ellis

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis2

Elizabeth Decker views herself as shy, totally average, and pretty much insignificant. She’s nothing special, at least not compared to her little sister, Audrey. Elizabeth is content with her plain and lonely future; she’s too insecure to contemplate a relationship thanks to her sister. Audrey is a bombshell and uses this to get what she wants. She’s a girl who will stop at nothing to control anyone and everything around her. She craves power and doesn’t care if she has to hurt Elizabeth to get it.

Nathaniel Morgan has spent his whole life fighting for his twin brother, Nicholas. Somewhere along the way, he lost himself. Now he’s just getting by. He’s devoted to his family, but emotionally detached from the women he burns through like wildfire. He has no plans of getting into something as complicated and committed as a “relationship”.

Nicholas Morgan has placed the new librarian, Miss Elizabeth, on a pedestal and is begging her to meet his twin brother, Nathaniel. Elizabeth and Nathaniel agree to meet, for Nicky. Both are caught off-guard when unexpected sparks fly between them. This was not in their plans. Will Nathaniel and Elizabeth be able to escape a past that still plagues them? Or, will the past, suspicions, and insecurities come between them one too many times?

**This is a contemporary new adult romance. It should only be read by ages 18+ due to adult themes and situations. This is a stand alone book.

My Review

*****5 Heartwarming Stars*****

 

Let me begin by saying that For Nicky was probably one of the sweetest and most heartwarming stories that I have ever read. It definitely had its ups and downs, and not all of this book is all sunshine and roses, but overall it was just as sweet as can be.

I didn’t know I needed that when I began this book, but judging on how I felt after reading, I definitely needed everything this book gave me!

For Nicky tells the story of Elizabeth and Nate who find themselves drawn to one another after they give it all chance thanks to Nicky, Nate’s twin brother. What happens when these two connect is nothing short of beautiful, and their story is one that I just ate up.

What I simply adored about For Nicky:

  • The sweetness. Like I said this book was just sweet, and truly beautiful. The love story itself was sweet, but it was everything else that was sweet too. Nicky for instance made this story and its sweetness, and all of the positive and light interactions between these characters just added more.
  • Elizabeth comes into her own. Elizabeth’s character really comes into her own over the course of this story. In the beginning she is meek and held back, and by the end she is anything but that. She finds some true inner strength within herself and in the end she knew exactly who she wanted to be inside and out. Reading that transformation was awesome, and her growth over the book feels so real world and is utterly relatable.
  • Nate is a downright good guy. Nate was just good. He had a heart of gold, and he made my heart melt many times over the course of this book. He had his moments where he had to think about the things he did that were not so great. And there were a few moments where his head was up his ass, but through it all he was still that good guy I loved. Score one for the good guys!
  • Nicky. Nicky’s character was one that I loved the instant I met him. I freaking adored him, and loved him to pieces. I loved getting to read the brief glimpses into his head throughout this book. I also loved getting to read his relationships with those around him. Getting to know more about Nicky made this book exceptional, and he is truly a character I won’t soon forget.
  • The ups and downs. This book puts Nate and Elizabeth through a helluva lot on their road to being together. They go through so much individually and together as a couple. I liked that though because it was extremely authentic and real world. It was also believable as hell. Both of these characters have things to work on and work on they do. All of that work shows how much they go through to be together and to get to where they want to be. So I gladly enjoyed all those glorious ups and downs.
  • The emotions. This book has a lot of emotions that come across in a pretty remarkable way. You feel every single emotion each of these characters feel. You get 4 perspectives in this book, and 4 different sets of magnificently crafted emotions. All that emotion makes it simply easy to connect with all of these characters. (And yes I’m including Audrey in that one! Read the book and you’ll see what I mean!)
  • Audrey, Audrey, Audrey. Audrey was definitely a memorable character. In the beginning I absolutely loathed her. With all the downright horrible things she does and says, that’s not too hard to understand. But when everything was said and done, I completely changed my tune. I felt like I got to understand her in a whole new way, and she ended up being one of my favorites. I honestly can’t wait to read her story and figure out what in the world was going on in her head to make her do the things she did.
  • The build of the relationship. I felt that A.D. Ellis did a phenomenal job of creating a book that had a natural build to a relationship. It wasn’t too fast. It was realistic. It felt really real, and it was what I would think would happen in a relationship that involved the feelings, questions, doubts, and excitement that Elizabeth and Nate’s had. Right down to those butterflies in the stomach, this author captures that build exceptionally.
  • The theme of acceptance. Accepting yourself and others for who they are is a prominent theme in this book. What honestly sets it apart is that within the love story being told, you feel the theme of acceptance weave its way through. That theme is vital to the story, and it makes the story and characters shine. It also made this book hit very close to home for me. (I mold tiny human’s minds, and specifically seeing how Nicky was accepted and just loved brought me so much joy while reading!)
  • The real world issues. This book tackles some very real world topics with bullying and name calling. That made this book for me because of how that connected to my own life and profession. It also just strikes a chord, and will truly make you think, which is always fantastic while reading.

For Nicky was just a beautiful book. Its characters were well developed, the story flowed, and it all just worked. This book was engaging from the very first word to the last, and its multiple perspectives give so much insight into every aspect of this book.

This book truly was as sweet as can be, so be sure to check it out today!

author

A.D Ellis was born and raised in a small farming town in southern Indiana. An avid reader from the time she learned to read, A.D. could often be found curled up somewhere with her nose in a book. Most of her friends were not such book enthusiasts which earned her a few snickers when she was constantly reading.
A.D. had always dreamed of being a teacher. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Indiana State University in 1999 and her Master’s Degree from Indiana Wesleyan in 2003. A.D. has been teaching in the inner city of Indianapolis for 15 years. While she’s taught several different grades, fourth grade is her favorite. They are learning independence by 4th grade, but most haven’t learned the attitude yet. A.D. loves teaching fractions, variables, probability, and graphing in Math. She loves almost all aspects of English Language Arts. Figurative language, theme, making predictions, drawing conclusions, inference, context clues, making writing come to life, A.D. loves it all! Her students may not be in agreement with that excitement.
A.D. met her husband in college in 1996 and they married in June of 2000. A.D. lives in a south side suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband and two school-aged children. When she’s not reading or writing with music blaring, she can be found shopping at thrift stores, reading to her children, and running.
A.D. had always pondered the idea of writing a book, but until recently it was a far off dream. In today’s age of independently published authors, A.D. decided to take a chance and try her hand at writing. She has learned so much during this journey and is having a world of fun with it. 

Facebook   Goodreads

Buy The Book
Amazon 

For Nicky was a truly heartwarming story that I Just absolutely loved. It is sweet, and passionate, and it will just make you fall instantly in love with its characters and story, so be sure to check it and A.D. Ellis out today!

Frostbitten by Heather Beck

22600360

Frostbitten

By: Heather Beck

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Synopsis2

 Great beauty hides dark secrets…

Seventeen-year-old Anastasia Lockhart has never led an easy life, but when she starts getting into serious trouble, she’s sent to live with her grandparents in Cedar Falls. The small, picturesque town hasn’t changed since she visited four years ago, with one exception – the presence of a handsome, mysterious boy named Frost. Despite warnings from her grandparents and friends to stay away from Frost, Anastasia can’t deny their attraction, and the more time they spend together, the deeper in love they fall. Unfortunately, Frost has a secret that is beyond Anastasia’s wildest imagination, and she soon finds herself in the midst of a supernatural legend that has haunted Cedar Falls for years.

Can Anastasia and Frost’s love really overcome anything, or are their fates much darker?

My Review

****4 1/2 Wonderful Stars****

I must admit that while I do definitely enjoy reading young adult books, I am sometimes hesitant to read paranormal books within the genre. It’s not that I haven’t read these types of books, or that I haven’t immensely enjoyed these books, it’s just that I naturally don’t lean towards them.

After reading Frostbitten by Heather Beck, I’m thinking I should change that inclination.

Frostbitten is a paranormal young adult novel that focuses in on Anastasia Lockhart as she goes to live with her grandparents in the quaint little town of Cedar Falls. But soon Anastasia finds that not everything is as quaint as it appears in this sleepy little town. There are some dark mysteries running rampant through this town, and Anastasia soon finds herself immersed in them.

Wonderfully balanced with the mystery surrounding the town of Cedar Falls is the development of Anastasia’s relationship with a mysterious boy named Frost. These two have an instant bond and connection, and their bonds only grow throughout this story. Frostbitten follows Anastasia as she begins to fall into all of her feelings for Frost, while trying to discover the answers to the many questions surrounding the supernatural events taking place in Cedar Falls.

What I absolutely adored about this book:

  • The writing. Heather Beck does a phenomenal job of crafting a story that just flows from the page. Her writing is beautiful, and the level of description you read in this book will have you picturing every single glorious detail in your head.
  • The mythology. The mythology that comes into this story in such a remarkable way that is very easy to understand, and it blends wonderfully with every other aspect of the book. It also adds a seriously engaging and exciting factor to this book that sets the story itself apart from other YA books.
  • Frost. Frost is kind of an enigma that you continue to try to figure out throughout. While reading you slowly chip away at his hard exterior find out who he truly is. His character was just magnificent to read, and with each new piece of the puzzle that I discovered about him, I fell more in love with his character. He’s also terribly sweet, which just melted my heart.
  • Anastasia’s strength. Anastasia is a very strong female character, which I immediately grasped and adored. She is thrown a lot of wrenches in a lot of ways, but through it all she keeps standing up and pushing through. Even when you expect her to give in, she doesn’t. She’s extremely resilient, and that was something that was truly fresh to read.
  • The excitement. This book is paced very well, and the events make it a true page turner. The events add flames to the fire that is this book, and will keep you engaged from beginning to end. That excitement also just makes it fun to read.
  • The love story. The love story of Frost and Anastasia is fantastic, and it has a serious build over the book. It feels very natural from beginning to end, and flows very well over the page. It also balanced extremely well with the other events taking place in the book. You could focus in on it, but also enjoy all the other aspects of the book that in turn affected their love story. It just worked.
  • The young adultness. I loved that this was a YA book. I love YA books. The young characters created in this book are all extremely authentic in the emotions and feelings they have. Even the actions they take are wholly real. Heather Beck does a wonderful job of capturing these characters and making them come alive on the page.
  • The level of suspense. The level of suspense just builds and builds in this book. I was constantly wondering where in the world the story would go, and what would happen next, which made this book all the more engaging. That suspense builds in so many ways that you will have to know how this all works out. (It also does a fabulous job of setting up future stories….)
  • The different relationships. I loved getting to read the different and complicated relationships in this book. You have Frost and Anastasia, Anastasia and her grandparents, and even Anastasia and her classmates. These dynamic relationships add more to this story, and add an easily relatable factor to what you’re reading.

Frostbitten was a truly fantastic book to read. It had so many aspects that I truly enjoy and thrive on when I read. It was engaging as hell. It had well and thoughtfully developed characters with some spunk. It had a storyline that was fresh to read, and that just continued to get better as I read. It also had that something extra that just made it a truly enjoyable book.

While I may not be the most well versed in books with paranormal and supernatural elements, I have to say that I think this one hit it out the park in that respect.

So I hope you’ll all take a minute to check out the book and its author. Give it chance, just like I did. I think you’ll be extremely happy you did. I know I am.

Take that leap of faith in reading. You’d do well to remember that.

author

Heather Beck is a Canadian Author and Screenwriter who began writing professionally at the age of sixteen. Since then she has written eleven well-reviewed books, including the bestselling series, The Horror Diaries, which has sold in six continents.

Heather received an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on the Frostbitten series and has two anthologies slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include: Young Eyes, The Rarity, Too Sensible For Love, Circular, and the forthcoming Witch’s Brew.

Besides writing, Heather’s greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

Website  Goodreads

Book Trailer:

Buy The Book

Amazon

 Frostbitten truly was a wonderful book, and I am so glad I had the chance to read it. The writing is beautiful and the story is great, so be sure to check out this book and Heather Beck today!