Playing for Fun by Tracey Alvarez (Due South book 6)

*** I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review ***

'Playing for Fun' is a sweet, emotional, story about old friendships that grow into deeper emotions.  Both protagonists have their issues to overcome in order for them to possibly come together and work as a couple.  Sometimes the hardest thing to do, is take the chance on romance, especially at the risk of an already wonderful friendship with that person.

Tracey Alvarez did a great job capturing my attention and holding it throughout the entire book.  Her ability to bring their small little town and the residents who live there to life is superb.  The supporting cast of the book are all so lovable, from best friends, family members, meddling old women, even down to Diablo the cat, I found myself falling a little in love with their little town and it's inhabitants.

I felt invested in both main characters and found myself hoping or their happiness, even if it meant they had to be apart to find happiness, or even if it meant they would be finding happiness with people other than each other.  Both characters are so well written, the author really took character development seriously with these characters, and stuck with each of their personalities throughout the book.  So many times, authors will write a character who is, for instance, quiet, maybe introspective, unemotional etc., and later in the book, that same character will say or do something that is completely contrary to how that person was previously described.  That is most definitely not the case with this book.  Both characters stayed true to themselves from start to finish.

Being Polynesian myself (Hawaiian), I loved seeing the similarities between the maori and maoli (Hawaiian) cultures and languages.  Not many people know that all Polynesians (Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Fijian, Tongan, Maori etc.) originally came from the same place, settling in different parts of the pacific.  Distance, introductions to other ethnicities, and centuries apart caused our languages, cultures and customs to vary slightly, but there are still so many similarities, it's fun to see it.  So thank you Tracey Alvarez for sharing that little glimpse into the maori culture.  

One small thing I would suggest changing however, is the glossary of maori words.  It's too hard for someone reading your book to go back and forth from reading then going to the glossary everytime a maori word was used.  If I hadn't had a previous knowledge of the Hawaiian language and been able to figure out some of the words, it would have probably irritated me.  I would suggest putting the english translation to maori words in parentheses after each maori word instead of having a glossary.

If anyone is on the fence about this book, I would suggest you jump right off that fence and grab you a copy of "Playing for Fun".  It's a sweet, fun, read and you won't regret it.

________________

Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):

* * * *

The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars, is because of the aforementioned glossary being inconvenient, and the fact that I felt the end was veeeeeery slightly rushed.  I would have liked there to have been a little more than just having Harley talking to Ford and then *bam* he see's the light and knows what to do to fix things with he and Holly. 

Would I suggest this book to others?:

Most definitely, yes.

Would I read others in the series?:

Yes.  I love the characters I've met already, and would love to know more about them and hear their stories.

_______________

**** NOTE:  Although 'Playing for fun' is part of a series, it is a STANDALONE novel, has a HEA, and you will not be required to read or purchase other books in the series to get the full experience of the book, or understand what is happening.  However, if you feel moved to purchase other books in the series, I'm sure the author would appreciate the support. ****

Ecstasy Unbound by Setta Jay (The Guardians of the Realm, #1)

*** I kindly received this ARC copy in exchange for a honest review ***

Ecstasy Unbound is a paranormal erotic romance novel by author Setta Jay.  Number one in the "Guardians of the Realm" series, Ecstasy Unbound centers around goddess Alexandra, and Guardian Urian or "Uri" as he is known.

Now, I love all things paranormal.  Always have, probably always will.  Ghost stories, horror movies, vampires, werewolves, UFO's, you name it, I'm intrigued by it.  So you would think that a book such as "Ecstasy Unbound" would be right up my alley.  Well, to be honest, I'm a bit torn about it.

I appreciate that the author put so much thought into the plot and development of the series, which very blatantly is being set up for a series, but in my humble opinion, there was WAY too much setting up for the series in this opener of the series, and not enough actual story.  I would say that 70% of the book felt like backstory, explanations of powers, details about sub-characters, history of gods and goddesses, etc, etc, etc.  It was way too much.  It was to the point that I felt overwhelmed with information and to be honest, bored.  I think it could be the way in which the author tried to slip all of the tons and tons of information into the book, but the overall effect of it really ended up taking a lot away from the story of Alex and Uri.  

At the end, I felt as though I barely read an actual story... I felt more so that I had just read "gods and goddess's for dummies" or "paranormal beings 101".  That is NOT what I signed up for at all.  You never want your readers to walk away from your book feeling disappointed, and that is exactly how I felt.  To be honest, this book made me never want to pick up another book by the author.  It took a lot for me to keep picking up the book and start reading it again, I just really was over it and didn't care, but I received this book as an ARC, and therefore, I owe it to the author and/or publisher to finish it and review it.  I also owe it to my fellow readers to give an honest review, and that is what I am doing.  I also made the mistake of requesting others in this series (based on the good reviews) prior to reading the book so I will have to read those and review them as well... unfortunately.

On the flip side, if you enjoy very sexual hot reads, you may like this book.  Setta Jay definitely knows how to write a steamy scene, I'll give her that much.  I definitely felt the chemistry and attraction between the protagonists.  I think she did a great job portraying Alex and Uri's connection, although there wasn't that much more to the actual story than that... some fight scenes, hot sex scenes, and... well, that's about it aside from the afore mentioned overly excessive spewing of back information about the series.

WARNING:  It should be noted (because I didn't see a warning anywhere), that there IS a rape scene in this book.  I know and understand that many readers avoid books with rape scenes, so if you are offended by rape scenes, you will want to avoid this book.

__________

Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):

* * 

Would I recommend this book to others?:

No.  Sorry Setta Jay.

Would I read others in the series?:

Yes, but only because I have already committed to reading them prior to reading this first novel.

***Note*** This novel is part of a series, but is standalone.

Falling Hard by Tina Wainscott

Falling Hard by Tina Wainscott (A Falling Fast Novel - Falling Fast #2)

Gemma Thornton, has a painful and traumatic past she's been trying to heal from for years.  When her father gets into an accident, Gemma is forced to return to the small town where running from the pain is impossible.

Paxton Sullivan, the black sheep of his family, has never been a stranger to family conflict, but when the girl who had once captivated him, whom he once shared an intense, yet brief connection with, the girl who has always been off-limits because of her connection to his family and her alligations against his brother, returns to town, Paxton finds himself once again struggling with the conflicting emotions of the connection he's always felt for her, and his loyalty to his family.

When obligation and a promise to a close friend forces Gemma and Paxton to temporarily live under the same roof, they both find themselves wondering if their reservations about being with each other are legitimate and worth fighting such a strong attraction and connection.

New information comes to light, setting into motion events that stand to change both their lives forever... if they are willing to take a chance on one another.

__________________

Review:

I really enjoyed "Falling Hard", it captured my attention and held it from beginning to end.  The plot was original and not something I can remember ever reading before.  There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested and just enough drama to truly have you feeling for the characters.  The character development was great and I honestly felt emotionally invested in both of the protagonists.

I really loved how gentle and caring Paxton was with Gemma, it endeared me to him in a way that was a bit surprising, because it can sometimes be hard to portray a male character as being both strong and protective, yet also kind, caring, gentle, thoughtful, and considerate at the same time.  IF a man like Paxton existed in the world, the woman who got him would be one heck of a lucky woman.

I appreciated how the author delved so deeply into the mental and emotional conflicts that someone who suffers from Gemma's past would have.  The self-doubt, guilt, and even self-blame that survivors feel is hard for someone who hasn't experienced it to relate to, but the author did an excellent job at portraying it.

**SPOILER AHEAD** The one thing that I didn't like, was the confrontation scene.  It seemed a bit unrealistic to me, because no one there had any proof of their alligations, and if something like this were to take place, Blake would have had a very good case of defamation of character against everyone involved.  Plus considering the statute of limitations had expired, no news reporter in the world would have gone anywhere near writing about or reporting about Gemma's alligations.  The part about Tracy, well, that was really far-fetched to me.  I can't see someone being with, or staying with someone whom they felt had raped them.  Plus the dynamic of their relationship would probably look a lot different.  If a man raped a woman and then ended up married to her, he would probably feel dominance over her, and she would have probably felt controlled by him, yet in the novel, it was the opposite. **END SPOILER**

Having volunteered for years with programs for people with special needs, I appreciated the author bringing to light the fact that people with special needs can and often do live full and fulfilling lives.  They are just as capable as us, they just have to fight harder and sometimes find other ways in which to achieve their goals.  They are true warriors, they show bravery on a daily bases that I envy.  If ever you are in need of humility, spend the day with someone who has special needs, the problems in your life that seem so important and life changing will seem trivial and petty within an hour.

_____

Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):

* * * * 

Would I recommend this book to others?:

Absolutely.

Would I read others in the series?:

Probably not.  I don't feel a connection to any other characters, nor do I have enough interest in any of them, to honestly care about their stories.  But if the synopsis sounded good, maybe.

** NOTE:  This Novel is part of a series, but it is a standalone novel.  You do not need to purchase or read others in the series to get a HEA, however, if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate the support **

Controlled Burn (Boston Fire) by Shannon Stacey

*** This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. ***

"Controlled Burn" is a quick and easy read.  While I liked both protagonists a lot, and really enjoyed them as a couple, I felt as though Ricks misgivings about getting involved with Jessica were very weak.  It seemed as though Ricks main concern about dating Jessica was the fact that he was her grandparents tenant and good friend.  He barely mentions the fact that she lives thousands of miles away, across the country.  And when he does, it's really not used as his reason for not getting involved with her until later when they are already involved... or atleast about to be.

The author mentions other characters in the story and gives backgrounds and/or backstories on them, which clearly is a set up for future books in the series, and while I usually don't mind that at all, I feel as though their names and things about their lives were mentioned a little too much, especially at times when it wasn't necessary to the story.  At times, it took away from the story, and there wasn't really any character development with those secondary characters.  I felt no desire, interest, or need to learn more about them or read their stories at all.

I loved Rick, Jess, Marie, and Joe's characters a lot.  I think the author did an excellent job on character development with them.  I found myself emotionally invested in the main characters, and honestly, a bit concerned for Marie and Joe's future.

My biggest complaint about the story, is the abrupt ending, and the lack of an epilogue.  Don't get me wrong, you WILL get a HEA here, but it felt a little abrupt to me.  An epilogue was greatly needed in this story, there were a few things left unresolved, such as whether or not Jess moves to Boston, whether or not Rick buys Marie and Joe's home, and whether or not Davey reconciles with his parents.  It's nothing that is important enough to get me to purchase a part two, or others in the series -as I suspect was the authors intention in leaving those things unresolved-, so I will just use my imagination.

___________

Rating (Based on a 5 star rating system):

* * *

Would I recommend this book to others?:

Yes

Would I purchase other books in the series?:

Probably not.

Would I purchase other books by the author?:

Possibly, but I would check the reviews first.

*** It should be noted, that while "Controlled Burn" is part of a series, but IS a standalone novel.  You will not be required to purchase others in the series to get a HEA, however, if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support. ***

Undressed: Billionaire Romance (The Manhattanites Book 2) by Avery Aster

*** Note:  This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for a honest review. ***

Undressed is an erotic romance novel by author Avery Aster.  The story centers around Alexandra "Lex" Easton, an up and coming, New York fashion designer, and Prince Massimo Tittoni, an Italian Prince slash notorious playboy slash textile manufacturer, who supplies Lex with the fabric she uses in her designs.

When Prince Tittoni decides he wants to expand his textile business and get into the mass market fashion industry, he realizes that supplying Lex, his new competition, will be a conflict of interest and bad for his new business.  Lex, whose styles are known for the very fabrics the Prince supplies her with, of course, has huge objections to this.

Not willing to give up the business she fought so hard to get started, especially now when she is finally beginning to make a name for herself, Lex jumps on the next flight to Italy to confront the Prince... or potentially beg him to reconsider, if it comes to that.

After not being able to convince the reluctant Prince to sell her the fabric, the pair spend the next week attempting to come up with a compromise that will work for the both of them.  The more time the pair spend together, the harder it is for either to deny the attraction they feel for one another, and soon, emotions, lust, and passion begins to complicate the business relationship they are trying to build.

Prince Tittoni, traumatized by a past relationship is very distrusting, and unwilling to fall in love with the fiesty American, while Lex, the daughter of a Rock -n- Roll legend of a father, and a notorious playmate groupie mother, grew up in the limelight, and doesn't want to return to it.  Being seen on the Prince's arm at a ball causes rumors of the couple being an item, the very idea giving the handsome Prince cause to step back and evaluate what he and the American are doing together, and the attention they are receiving, causing Lex alarm.

Will these two overcome the obstacles in their path and take a chane on love?  Buy the book and find out.

*******

I'm a bit torn about this book.  On one hand, I appreciate the originality of this book.  The plot is well thought out and not something I've read a million times before, which in the over-saturated world of the romance genre, is rare.  The book also caught my interest and held it throughout the book, and the author has a great talent when it comes to bringing the locales to life... I could almost smell the salt water of Isola de Girasoli, and feel the hot sun beating down on my skin.  However, on the other hand, the character development was off, and the story was far-fetched.

As far as character development, I feel as though both protagonists got over their issues with starting/being in a relationship rather quickly and without any reason behind it, other than the story needed it to happen.  We have Lex, who doesn't have time to date, yet here she is, making time... to date.  On top of that, Lex is a woman who is traumatized by a childhood in the spotlight, yet she gets over that and is strutting her stuff, nearly nude, on a red carpet with tons of papparazzi around.  Yes she had some help from our friend 'liquid courage', but it was two shots, not the entire bottle.  Then there's the Prince, jaded from a past relationship, he has sworn off love, yet quickly changes his tune, and when I say quickly... whew... I mean quickly.  The entire love affair takes place in the time span of a week.  Really?!  ONE WEEK?!  I'm sorry, but that is not enough time to meet, get to know, and fall in love with someone.  It just isn't realistic that a man who is rich and powerful, who I'm sure has tons of women throwing themselvs at him in an attempt at becoming royalty, or rich, who also happens to have major emotional scars when it comes to trusting women and love, would or could go and change his tune so drastically in such a short amount of time.  I don't care how beautiful the woman is, I don't care what connection you have with each other, you will take more than a week to get over the past and begin to learn to trust again.

I also disliked the "love scenes", and I use the term "love" very loosely here, because although the Prince claims that when he and Lex have sex it is not fu*#ing, but rather making love, the love scenes came off very much so, as fu*#ing.  There was no tenderness in their interaction at all, and I'm sure the author threw in the 'I love you's during sex to reenforce that the Prince says he and Lex only make love, but that was definately not the feeling I was left with.  I mean, you love each other, but you choose to have your first time together to be in at basement-sex-orgy-party?  Granted they are in their own private quarters, but come on!  Plus, he is a Prince, and she is a fashion designer, why would either of them take the chance at being caught there?  Why wouldn't you find a place better suited for a romantic first occassion of 'making love', or even go home to his palace rather than going down to the sex dungeon?  It's not that I'm a prude, it's not that the author didn't write very hot and steamy scenes, I just have issue with the fact that the whole 'making love' thing was driven home so much, yet that did not feel like the case at all to me.  Making love requires more than having sex with someone you love, people in love can still simply fu*#.  Making love requires tenderness, affection, intimacy, and emotional vulnerability, none of which was present in their 'making love'.

*** Spoiler alert *** Plus the ending, where Mossimo proposes marriage at Lex's fashion show was very cheesy to me.  Aside from the fact that he's asking her to marry him after spending only a week together, he didn't take two things into consideration.  One, Lex doesn't like the spotlight, so being propossed to in a setting that couldn't possibly be more in the spotlight, -literally, they had spotlights on them- would probably not be the best place to propose marriage.  Two, the fashion show was about Lex and her company, it was her time to shine, her time to show the world all of the hard work she put into her company.  If this were reality, no one would even be talking about the clothing line, all they would be talking about, is the proposal.  It would totally over-shadow Lex's clothing line.  How much of a narcissist would you have to be, to do something like that?  *** End Spoiler ***

My overall view, is the story comes off as a bit unlikely, and unrealistic, which totally conflicts with the great talent that Avery Aster clearly has as an author.  Some people might not mind quicky romances, or care about the believability of a story, but I do, and it really took a lot away from the story for me, which sucks, because I really liked both characters a lot.

** Note to author:  Lex is described as having wavy blonde hair.  The woman on the cover has dark brown, or black hair.  Your cover is your only opportunity to give your readers a visual representation of your story, and an inconsistency such as this can throw your readers off.  **

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Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):

* * *

Would I recommend this book to others?:

Possibly.  If someone wanted a quick read, or had an interest in both romance and the fashion industry, then yes.  Otherwise, probably not.

Would I read other books by the author?:

Yes, possibly.  I would check the reviews first though.

*** It should be noted, that this book, while part of a series, IS a standalone novel.  You will not be required to read other books in the series to get a HEA, although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate it. ***

Loving the Enemy by Charmaine Pauls

*** Note:  This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for a honest review. ***

Loving the Enemy, is the prequel to the 'Seven Forbidden Arts' series, though it is a standalone novel.

Loving the Enemy, focuses on Lily and Jacob.  Lily is the sheltered daughter of a rich and very powerful criminal.  In the beginning of the book, we find Lily to be homeless, and living on the dangerous streets of Cape Town, due to an attack on her fathers home.  Sitting in a dark, secluded, park, where it is about to rain, Lily is stumbled upon by handsome and mysterious Jacob, who offers Lily a place to stay for the night.

After reluctantly accepting Jacobs offer, Lily learns that he is in the bodyguard business.  When Jacobs apartment is attacked by the very men who attacked her fathers home, the pair set out to find the only person who can help and protect them, Lily's father.

As you read on, you are brought along as Jacob and Lily attempt to make their way from Cape Town, to Lily's father in Paris.  No small feat considering neither of them have money, and all of the airports and ports are being monitored for any signs of them.  What follows is an action-packed, romance, where two people from completely different world are thrown together and must learn to trust and rely on one another if they want to make it out alive.

The 'Seven Forbidden Arts' series is a paranormal series, but there really is little to no paranormal 'activity' :) in 'Loving the Enemy', though it is mentioned occassionally.  I wish the author would have thrown a bit of paranormal aspects into the mix, because it was a bit of a let down to have it mentioned, but not actually be part of the book.

The book kept me interested from the very beginning, it's not predictable, and the author did a great job with character development.  I felt invested in both lead characters, and couldn't help but root for them.  The plot was original, intriguing, and well thought out.  I would definitely be interested in reading other books in the series.

The book could use a bit more editing, though it isn't anything that I personally feel detracts from the story, though if you are someone who is bothered by grammatical errors, it is something to keep in mind.

Something that really detracted from the story for me, was the age difference between Lily and Jacob.  Lily is eighteen years old, and a very naive, sensitive, sheltered eighteen year old at that, while Jacob is thirty, and a very traveled, experienced, thirty year old.  Though it isn't unheard of for a thirty years old man to date a eighteen year old girl, I feel as though their maturity levels were way off, and that threw me off a lot.  Lily, for most of the book, seemed very childlike and immature, while Jacob was intense, and very knowledgeable due to life experiences.  The aspect of their age difference had no real relevance to the story (it wasn't an obstacle keeping them apart) and therefore could have been eliminated by simply making Jacob a couple of years younger, which would have made the story flow better.

Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):

* * * *

Would I recommend this book to others?:

Yes.

Would I read other books by the author?:

Yes.  The author did a great job of introducing the series in a manner in which I feel intrigued to find out what happens next.

*** It should be noted that while 'Loving the Enemy' is part of a series, it IS a standalone novel, and contains a HEA.  You will not be required to read/purchase others in the series to get a HEA (although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support). ***

The Bad Boy CEO, by Sugar Jamison

*** Note:  This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for a honest review. ***

Let me start out by saying, I love the authors name.  I don't know if it is the name she was given at birth, or if it is a pseudonym, but it brings to mind a strong, confident, woman, who writes steamy books by day, and fights crime by night.  Whatever she's selling, I'm buying.  I'm on board, Ms. Sugar Jamison.  I love it. 

Okay, moving on :)

The Bad Boy CEO centers around Colt King and Zanna Jacobs.  I really did like the story.  It kept me interested from the very beginning, and I was emotionally invested in the characters throughout the entire story... even the side/supporting characters.

Colt is the 'tall dark and handsome', middle child of the three King brothers, notorious in their little town of Destiny, Nevada, for being the children of the town drunk.  The King brothers spent their childhood living with the stigma of their fathers actions, and the years following, trying to prove they weren't the 'trash' their community thought they were.  Having left Destiny to go on to become successful, rich, and powerful, the brothers return to their hometown at the insistence of their sick aunt, who raised them when their father left town and abandoned them.

Zanna is the quintessential curvy, exotic, beauty, that all the men in town have a thing for.  A bit cliche but we'll forgive that, because I loved Zanna.  Not being a lifelong resident of Destiny, Zanna stumbled upon the little town while fleeing from her troubled past.  Feeling an instant sense of safety and belonging in the little town, Zanna decided to stay for good, quickly becoming a valuable member of the community by working in the King brothers', Aunt Lolly's salon, whom she also rents a room from.

Colt and Zanna are thrown together, (much to their dismay) and from the very beginning, have major chemistry.  They both fight the desire they feel for each other, because neither are looking for a relationship, and Colt lives in Las Vegas.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that although it wasn't the most original book I've read, and it was a bit predictable, Ms. Jamison has a lot of talent.  Sugar Jamison has a great abililty to bring her characters and their surroundings to life.  Every character was lovable —except for the ones we aren't meant to love—, and made me feel as though I knew them personally.

It was blatantly obvious that there will be sequels, I'm thinking they will revolve around the other King brothers, I can even guess what their storyline will be.  I usually hate it when authors put characters in a book with the intent to give them their own books, but I really didn't mind it in this case, because it didn't take away from Colt and Zanna's story at all.  Plus, I really like the other King brothers, and I would totally read their story.

I really liked that there wasn't any of the insta-love BS that seems to be going around now days, so that's awesome, but I would have liked to see a liiiittle bit more romance between Colt and Zanna.  Sure there were some instances of them being emotionally intimate with one another, but for the most part, it felt like their relationship was based more on lust, desire and passion, than on romance and intimate connection.  The fact that the author actually had Colt and Zanna get to know one another, was great, but I think things moved a bit fast considering they'd only known each other a month, **Spoiler** and that's really not enough time to get to know someone enough to commit to marriage. **End Spoiler**  But really, if that's my biggest gripe, you know you have a pretty good book on your hands with Sugar Jamison's 'The Bad Boy CEO'.

Rating (based on a 5 star rating system)

* * * *

Would I recommend this book to others?

Yes.

Would I read other books by the author?

Yes!  I really want to know Duke and Levi's stories.

*** It should be noted that 'The Bad Boy CEO' IS a standalone novel, and contains a HEA.  You will not be required to read/purchase others in the series to get a HEA (although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support). ***

Bella and the Beast by Olivia Drake

*** Disclaimer:  This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. ***

I have read other reworked fairytales in the past, but Olivia Drakes 'Bella and the Beast', is so far, my favorite.  This beautifully written rework of 'Beauty and the Beast', encompasses everything a reader could want in a romance novel.  Suspense, mystery, angst, chemistry and attraction between the two lead characters, steamy encounters, and ultimately love.  

The authors ability to draw me into the story began from the very beginning and lasted until the very last page.  So different from your normal 'Beauty and the Beast' reworks, this book had twists and turns that will have you guessing, but at the same time, do not seem to come out of left field either.  I loved that the two lead characters had a childhood connection, it truly endeared me to the 'Beast'.  Anyone who is familiar with the 'Beauty and the Beast' story, knows that the 'Beast' has a love for antiquities, and I loved the authors very unique take on this.

The main characters are great and well written.  A smart, loyal, caring, hard-working, heroine that you can't help but root for.  A handsome, wealthy, caring, loyal, yet surly hero who softens in the company of the right woman and becomes the type of man that any woman would want as her own.

When trying to rate this story in a 1-5 star system, I decided on 4 stars.  That had me wondering why not 5 stars?  My reasoning for the 4 stars rather than 5, is I wish that there would have been a bit more romance and a liiiitle less story about the mystery of the 'treasure map'.  The story seemed to move just a little to fast once the H and h realized they loved each other.  I wish there could have been a bit more romantic interaction between the two, prior to the 'I love you's.  The declarations of love, are afterall, what we're here for.  I just personally felt as though I would have liked a bit more of an interaction leading up to it.  This is still an awesome book however, and definitely worth the read.  

Star rating (1-5 stars):

* * * *

Would I recommend this story to others?

Yes.

Would I read other books by the author?

Yes.

('Bella and the Beast', is part of the 'Cinderella Sisterhood' series, by author Olivia Drake)

*** It should be noted that 'Bella and the Beast' IS a standalone novel, and contains a HEA.  You will not be required to read/purchase others in the series to get a HEA (although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support). ***

Noah (#1 in the 5th Street Series) by Elizabeth Reyes

Noah, is the first in a series of —I believe— four books (5th street series) by Elizabeth Reyes.  In the opener to the series, we are introduced to Noah, (a young nineteen years old boxer, who works doing maintenance at the gym he trains at while awaiting the opportunity to be allowed to be a trainer there) and Veronica (a twenty-eight year old woman, who recently lost her mother to cancer, and is having a very hard time dealing with the loss).

By some miracle, Veronica's best friend Nellie (who is the lead female in 'Abel', the 4th in the series), manages to drag Veronica to the gym where they meet Noah, who becomes Veronica's trainer.  A while later, due to unforseen circumstance, Noah needs a place to stay, and Veronica, who recently inherited her mothers large house, offers to rent him a room.  The months that follow, show Noah trying to fight his feeling (unsuccessfully in the end) for Veronica, who is also trying to fight her feelings for Noah, because of their age difference and not seeing how a relationship between the two of them could work out.

I have to say, I really adore the character 'Noah'.  He is so sweet, caring, compassionate, loyal, considerate, and lets not forget HOT!  He is basically every females dream guy.  If I couldn't be involved in a romantic relationship with him, I would still love to be a friend of his.  Now, Veronica on the other hand... hmmm... I'm a bit torn about her.  On one hand, having lost a parent to cancer, I can understand the effect it can have on your life, but, I never really got the sense that Veronica was all that close to her mother to begin with, so I can't see her mothers passing away traumatizing her the way it did.  I also hated how wishy-washy Veronica was when it came to Noah.  It was a constant back and forth with Veronica... I want him, I'm attracted to him, but I can't go there... except that she does go there... ** Spoiler ** she's making out with him in the hallway every night!  I felt like Veronica was stringing Noah along the whole time, and like I said, he's damn near perfect and didn't deserve that.  ** End Spoiler **

Because of Veroinca's wishy-washy attitude towards getting involved in a relationship with Noah, I feel as though the book got a little repetitive at times... well most of the book really.  In my humble opinion, there should have been more to the age difference.

** Spoiler ** The author should have played up the situation with Rita a bit more.  In reality if you were having a connection with a man, and the very next day he's having sex with his 'holiday drive-by sex-buddy', it would crush you.  If it were me, I would find it hard to connect to him again or more importantly, trust him ever again.  It would have personally been the nail in the coffin for any future romantic relationship we could potentially have had.  And then to have him tell her he's in love with her, then the next day have him allowing Rita to pose to provocatively on his bike, and put her hands basically on his crotch... well, that would show me that he wasn't as in to me as he was claiming to be. ** End Spoiler **

These things aside, I still enjoyed the book.  I was drawn into the story from the start.  I love Noah!  I felt as though the author did well with character development.  And most importantly, I applaud the author for writing a story about an age difference where the male is younger, it's usually the man who is older in these age difference themed books and I feel as though it took a bit of bravery on her part to write something that isn't typical.  

One thing that I feel compelled to mention, is I really, passionately hated the references of personal hate that the author wrote on Veronica's behalf about her weight.  It got to the point that it felt a little like 'fat shaming'.  Authors have to realize that you have to be sensitive to your readers, and considering Veronica's weight at the beginning of the book (167 lbs.) was pretty close to the average weight of a female, you have to think about what readers who are the same size, or larger, would feel reading things like...

“I’m not going to any movies or concerts or any event that involves me being around other people. I’m a cow, Nellie. I don’t even have clothes that fit me anymore.”

“Do you have sweats?”

“That’s all I have.” She pulled the material on the sweat pants she was wearing. “I haven’t bought anything else in months. It’s all I can get my fat ass into, and I refuse to go shopping for anything else in this embarrassing size.”

** In a scene where Veronica weights herself **

Veronica felt like throwing up now. She could hardly believe she’d let herself put on that much weight in just two years!

Nellie shook her head, her face still full of humor. “All right, all right. You’re no fun anymore. The old Roni would’ve already been flirting with him.” Veronica rolled her eyes, going down for one more stretch. “Yeah, well the old me didn’t weigh a hundred and sixty-seven freakin’ pounds!” She groaned, disgusted with herself.

Reading is a form of escapism from reality.  I guarantee you, there is a reader out there that is struggling with their weight and seeing things like someone who weights 167 lbs. calling herself a cow, not wanting to be seen in public, referring to herself as a fat ass who refuses to go clothes shopping at her 'embarrassing size', someone who feels like 'throwing up' at knowing her weight, who feels disgusted with herself at her size... well these things will make your reader feel even worst about themselves, because he/she will know that YOU the author, also feel like he/she is disgusting, embarrassing, etc.  As an author, you have a bit of a responsibility to your readers.  You have the opportunity to change their lives, and fat-shaming is not the way to do it.  It sort of left me with a feeling that the author feels people who are overweight are disgusting, embarrassing, etc.  That's not an impression you want to leave your readers with.  Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Also, considering the fact that Veronica didn't even want to leave her house for anything other than grocery shopping, it seems unlikely that Nellie would have been able to convince Veronica to go to a gym, especially one that -at the time- was an all male gym.  And even if Nellie did manage to get Veronica there, I can't see someone who is self-conscious and having self-esteem issues sticking around when the guys in the gym start snickering and laughing at your being there.  I would think even a confident person wouldn't stick around after that.

Note: I usually don't care about grammar, punctuation's, editing, etc., but if you do, you might want to take into consideration that the book could use editing.

Note to author:  Noah is described as being 'baby faced' in your book.  The man on the cover is the opposite, he has a more chiseled, angular face.  A cover is your only opportunity to give your readers a visual reference to your story, it's a contradiction to have the cover image not be the same as what you describe in your book.  It can throw readers off.

Would I recommend this book or others in the series to someone?

Yes.  Perhaps not someone who was overweight though.

Would I read more from this author?

Yes.

*** It should be noted that each '5th Street Series' book focuses around a different member of the 5th Street Gym, is standalone, and contains a HEA.  While the main characters of each book make appearances in others of the series, you will not be required to read/purchase others in the series to get a HEA (although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support).

The Surrender Series by Priscilla West

In a digital age where literally anyone can self-publish and become an author, it can sometimes be hard to find quality, because the market is so saturated with quantity.  So I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon author Pricsilla West's three book series, 'The Surrender Series' (I know, I know, where have I been?!  Living under a rock? -- The answer to that question, is yes, I have infact been living under a rock. ;)).

'The Surrender Series' focuses around Kristen Daley and Vincent Sorenson.  Kristen is a beautiful (of course), smart, sweet, recent college graduate, working her way up the ladder at a prestigous wealth management firm.  Vincent is a handsome (obviously.. of course), thrill-seeking, down-and-out surfer, turned billionaire mogul, whose Kristens firm is trying to land as a client.

Each book in the series is relatively short, but I feel as though it works best that way.  From the first page of 'Forbidden Surrender', all the way through 'Secret Surrender', and until the very last page of 'Beautiful Surrender', I was drawn in, interested, and obsessed with the story.

I loved each of the characters in the story, and I think the author did a great job with character development as well as plot, although I feel as though the whole 'billionaire bad boy' storyline is becoming a little played out at this point, but, Pricsilla West did do a good job in keeping me interested despite the familiar storyline.

One thing that I didn't like, is how agressive Vincent was in the beginning of the first book in the series.  I feel as though he came across as maybe a little too... I don't know, just creepy and overbearing.  It didn't seem to fit the character that I came to know in the rest of the series.  Being a smart and very wealthy man, he should have known better than to pursue someone that he is doing business with in such an agressive manner.  Mentioning that he wants to have sex with her and also mentioning that he will only work with her company under the condition that she be he point of contact at the firm could easily have come across as him suggesting he would only work with her firm if she slept with him, and that alone could have opened him up to a sexual harrassment lawsuit.

Would I read more from Priscilla West?  A very enthusiastic, Heck yes!

Would I recommend this author or series to others... again... Heck yes!  

If you haven't already, go out and read this series, you won't regret it.  

*** It should be noted, that these books are NOT standalone. ***

My two favorites! Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens & Crazy Good by Rachel Robinson

Anyone who reads romance probably already knows these two novels (one of which is a series), but they are my (as of today) all time favorites.  So without further ado, in no particular order.



Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens:

So, I've been a fan of S.C. Stephens since cupid had a psyche,*wink* (a little Easter egg for S.C. Stephens fans).  Anyone who has read any of her many wonderful books, will not be surprised of the popularity of her books, this one especially.

In thoughtless, we join Keira, Denny, and *sigh* Kellan, in what I consider to be a very realistic look into how sometimes, the heart can be torn in two, and how terrifying that can be for everyone involved.  Life and love don't always fit into the fairy tale vision we grow up dreaming of, sometimes... most of the time actually, it's messy, painful, and hard.  Nothing in life that's worth having, comes easily.

S.C.'s Thoughtless is gut-wrenching at times and like all of her books, so well written.  I actually contacted her yeeeeeeeaaaars ago, before she even published it, to thank her for sharing it, tell her I loved it, tell her that I am now in love with a fictional character (I'm sure I am not the only person to have told her that, but still, can you imagine what it must be like to have someone tell you that?! lol), and I also asked her if she had experience with a situation like the characters in the book.  In retrospect, it was very rude of me, and in the unlikely case that S.C. Stephens reads this, I apologize, but in my defense, the book is so well written that I felt so immersed in the situations of the book and felt the emotions in such a raw way that I felt sure the author had to have been in the same shoes as the heroine at some time in her life.  I was assured that she hadn't been in that particular situation, and that, in and of itself, speaks volumes of the talent of this woman.

If you haven't already read Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens, you are missing out.  It's amazing.  Go pick up a copy today, you'll be happy you did... and you too will find yourself in love with a fictional character.

**Disclaimer*** Thoughtless CAN be read as a standalone novel with no cliffhangers, however, it is part of a series that you can read if you feel as though you would like to follow the lives of these characters further.  




Crazy Good by Rachel Robinson

For a couple of year there, Kellan was my one and only book boyfriend.  An avid romance reader, I had never come close to finding another.  One day, boom, out of the blue, I find this magical book... Crazy Good, by Rachel Robinson, and fall once again, in love, with yet another fictional character.  

In Crazy Good, we meet Windsor, a character whose personality I usually describe as "Snow Whites"... pure, virginal (though not necessarily a virgin), sweet, lovable.... you know the type.  Windsor has a past, a troubled relationship that haunts her, one that she can't seem to move fully past.  One day she meets handsome (of course, because not many books have ugly leading men), rugged, manly, sexy, a navy seal, Maverick (aka: my new book boyfriend).  Yum!  Maverick is a ladies man, of course, and not quite what Windsor is looking for.  Complete opposites, they learn a lesson that many of us learn through experience, opposites attract.  The question is, do relationships like that last?  Is a relationship with so many obstacles worth the fight?  You'll have to pick up a copy for yourself and find out ;).

Now, as much as I love this book, I DO have one small bone to pick with the author.  If anyone has seen the movie Acts Of Valor, this book is basically written in the perspective of the characters.  There is even a scene straight out of the movie.  Basically, the story is what those characters do when they aren't deployed or on a mission.  For me, I feel as though maybe the author was riding the coattails of the movie.  But, the book is amazing, and if the author had to gain inspiration for the book by borrowing from the movie, well, I'm thankful, because I do seriously love the book, you will too, so go pick yourself up a copy.