Read, Laugh, Love, Imagine: February 2014

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Review: Let It Snow by Melanie Shawn

Let It Snow by Melanie Shawn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First off, if you're like me and you like to read a series of books from the beginning, go read the other seven books. They are now on my TBR wish list because I DID NOT REALIZE that this was actually book 8 of the series. Can this be read as a standalone --- I believe so, but I really would have loved to have gotten to know the town and characters more since this is book 8 of the series before I read book 8 of the series. Shame on me... but when one of my favorite authors said --- You gotta read this book... well, I blindly went and one-clicked over at Amazon and began reading. So.. onto my review.

Tessa Hayes is heading back to a place she called home for a year thirteen years after she left, heartbroken and believing she was doing the right thing.

Jake Maguire's world crashed from high to low over the course of three days thirteen years ago and now he was bitter, angry, and still not over his broken heart.

Tessa comes to town only because she needs to settle her grandmother's estate. She hoped to slip into town and not run into Jake right away, but her small bladder has other plans.

Jake's at the bar entertaining some of his underlings as one of the B.B.B.s tries to get him to take her home for the evening when his brother comes into the bar to tell him that Tessa's in town. As he's telling her, Jake sees Tessa as she tries to make her way back to her car with little to no contact.

Jake's looking for answers to why Tessa's back and why she left. Tessa's just wanting to fix up and sell her grandmother's house so she can go back to southern California and start her own photography studio.

Family and friends help to remind Tessa of how happy she was in the town and a talk or two with Jake about what happened thirteen years ago and why she left have her wavering though until the first snow of the year and Jake is upset with how she chose his life for him thirteen years prior.

Will the sale of her grandmother's home lead her to stay or on her way out of town for good?

You should read to find out... ha!

This is an awesome story of a true love that reconnects and overcomes obstacles that are thirteen years old, but stubborness may keep them apart. I enjoyed this book and now I need more fundage for my kindle account to go back and get the other books to read the series. I look forward to reading them as well as other works by Melanie Shawn in the future.

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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Review: Revenge, #1 by J.J. Knight

Revenge by J.J. Knight
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From dust to dolled up in three days.

***I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

My main reason for only giving this three stars is because it is the first of five parts. To me, a good portion is fluff... from the skanky roommate to the security guards at her new job to the vice-president. I found myself asking just how important is the skanky roommate to the story?

This story opens with Jess on her second day in Los Angeles. Why is she out there? To start an internship at a Music company that stars with an M. She finds a street performer that she is attracted to immediately. She gets mugged at the end of his performance, he chases after the guy while she broods about and wonders if he gets hurt.

She starts in the archives of her new job the next morning and gets send up to see the vice-president, gets questioned about the guy in the video that is going viral and gets sent right back down to archives to finish out the day.

Day two - as soon as she gets into the office, she's sent up to see her new supervisor and becomes Eye Candy - aka Talent Coordinator... her mission - bag Brandon. Who's Brandon she wonders. She'll find out on day three AFTER she goes shopping on the company's dime to doll up.

Day three - she's late to a 9am meeting at which Brandon is the video guy - aka Dylan. After he storms out of the meeting, she's sent after him to find out where he's "stashed" Susan.

She and Dylan talk outside of the office as he goes to his car. He gives her an ultimatum and then this book ends. You may call it a cliffhanger... I call it bs. I'm not sure if I want to read the rest of the story... this first one did nothing for me.

But because I thought that it built her up pretty well and the attraction she had for Dylan and all his sexiness, I refuse to give this one or two stars.

I think I'll wait until the other four are out to read the rest of the series at once.

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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Review: Perfect Together (Serendipity's Finest, Book #3) by Carly Phillips

Perfect Together (Serendipity's Finest, #3)

Perfect Together by Carly Phillips
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the last in the Serendipty Finest series of books that Carly has written. While on her site, it looks like there will be a book for Tess Barron, I honestly haven't searched to find out if she's still writing that book. I have fallen in love with this town so much that Carly gave me a serious book hangover after each one. This last, no exception, was the hardest though.

While you don't have to read the Serendipity Series before you've read this series, I guarantee you'll fall in love with the town and the characters she introduces you to and they are mentioned a little in this series.

But I'm not here to leave a review of the other books and novellas related to Serendipity. I'm here to give a review of Perfect Together.

Perfect Together is the story about Sam Marsden and Nicole Farnsworth. We've gotten to know Sam through the Serendipity's Finest series as a brother and friend. Now we get to know him as a man who's been hurt in the past and isn't looking to get hurt again.

We were introduced to Nicole when she came to town in a previous book (I'm not going to mention which one because I want you to read the other two books in the series if you haven't) to warn Sam's sister and to get her sister the help she needs. There were sparks between Sam and Nicole then and Nicole never forgot that when she went back home. Neither did Sam.

The story picks up a few months later after Nicole realizes that her life is not the one she wants. She ends her engagement and moves to Serendipity to open a specialty bake shop after she discovers that her ex-fiance's father is up to some illegal dealings. She doesn't think that they believe she heard anything. Not sure of how to tell her father, who is partner's with her ex's father, in the business, she leaves.

She comes to town and immediately forms a friendship with Macy who invites her to ladies' night at Joe's Bar. When she doesn't meet Macy there and Macy asks Sam and the gang if they've seen her, she also blurts out that Nicole lives above the bar now and Sam volunteers to go get her.

The sparks are still there from the moment they meet. From their very public kiss in the town square to even when both of them are attempting to push each other away, it's always there.

When Nicole's ex shows up because daddy orders him to bring Nicole back home to get married, Macy tries to discourage him as she is looking out for Nicole. Macy and the ex hang out and the ex begins to see that Nicole was right about their relationship.

Nicole keeps what she knows about her ex's dad from him and from Sam and she doesn't know that her ex knows. When some out of town art dealers come for the local art fair and the ex sees them, he knows it's not good and when he looses sight of Nicole, he goes to Sam. It was then that he knew he was falling for Macy and had let go of Nicole.

Sam and the ex work together to keep Nicole safe and nail his father.

Meanwhile, Macy's falling for the ex and gets upset when he leaves with barely saying goodbye, but he leaves her with a plea.

Characters from the previous books are in this story and we get updates on Sam's family.

I am not giving away anything more.

Am I sad that Serendipity's Finest is finished? Yep... but I will be coming back to visit them often. The Marsden family is a loving family with faults and all that fights for each other and for the town's residents and visitors from the moment you meet them.

Farewell Sam and Mike and Erin... for now.

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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Review: Ravage Me (Ravage MC, Book #1) by Ryan Michele

Ravage Me by Ryan Michele
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I promised myself I wouldn't read any MC books or paranormal books until after a book I had on pre-order had been read, but this one called out to me. Maybe because I wasn't in the mood to read that other book or because I liked the write up, I dunno, but I do know I really liked this book.

It starts out with Harlow, aka Princess, getting out of prison after roughly 25 months for something she didn't do and returning home to the club where she grew up around the majority of the guys and her dad was VP.

Enter Cruz, a former marine and young, patched member of the MC. When Harlow returns to the Club and goes to check on her "man", a few of the mechanics of the shop try to stop her and she holds her own with them. Cruz is amazed by how quickly she stops herself from laying a hand on him when he turns her into his chest and she notices the MC marker. He's a patched member. She immediately showed him respect. Then sees her dad. He's shocked that she's "Princess" and she challenges him to a fight in the "ring".

Harlow is a spitfire kind of woman and the electricity and tension between her and Cruz is instant. Diamond, the Club president, immediately puts Cruz in charge of her protection. And nearly immediately, Cruz claims her as his ol' lady.

The problem she has at first is she doesn't date or sleep with MC members or prospects. She doesn't want that for herself. Ever. She respects Diamond's orders though and sticks to Cruz's side.

Harlow and the Club knows who is responsible for her going to prison. She wants payback but obeys Diamond when he says for her to stay out of it, that it's club business.

She is like this throughout the book. She can hold her own against men and women and proves it a few times.

She tries to deny Cruz, but her body won't let her. She bonds almost immediately to his son, Connor and loathes Connor's mom, who isn't a good mom to Connor. When Cruz sees the bond Harlow has formed with his son, it melts his heart even more.

I don't want to give too much away about this book because there's alot going on and because there is, I didn't want to put it down. Harlow shows not only strength, but vulnerability and Cruz, while a tough-ass man, shows Harlow he can be tender and proves to her that being his ol' lady and Connor's mom is right where she belongs.

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Review: Taking the Plunge (Hawaiian Crush #4) by E.L. Todd

Taking the Plunge by E.L. Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

***I was given an ARC of this book by the author and promised her I would review it for her***

First off, this is book is all about Nancy and a little about Derek. We see the two are kinda hooking up in the earlier books as friends with benefits and kinda take on the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship towards the end of Connected By The Tide.

This book starts off a week after what happened at the end of book 3. I'm not giving away spoilers here so go read the first few books in the series, yeah? (LOL)

Anyway, in the first part of the book as told from Nancy's point of view, we get to know her. The Nancy that her friends don't know. She's been hurt by her mom, her dad, and men. She comes from money but her friends don't know that. They don't even know where she lives. She doesn't see her relationship going anywhere with Derek. He doesn't listen to her, he oogles other girls in her presence, basically he's a jerk and has to get relationship from Coen and Henry by way of her and Ren and Sydney. The guys see Nancy hurting and they and the girls try to make it better.

After being ignored by her dad when she doesn't get his opinion on something she painted and then Derek being, well, Derek, she totally has a bad day (uh oh - I'm speaking 80s, watch out!).

Then a teacher in one of her classes (I don't feel like telling you which one) notices she's having a bad day and asks her to talk after class and it helps her point her life into a direction she isn't sure she wants to go, but she tries.

She meets Thatcher (I like that name for a guy, it's not widely used and it's just... yummy to me) on the beach after being ignored by Derek for most of the day and she gives him attitude. Hey, she's protecting herself. Men suck to her at the moment. She runs into Thatcher again at a party and they get to talking. She tells him about her painting and entering a contest. She doesn't know that Thatcher is the one sponsoring and judging the contest.

She sees him at the showing for the judging and she is wowed by him and his frankness with her and how he sees her paintings. She puts two and two together only after he announces the winner.

(Damn, I'm giving away too much. What I really want whomever reads this review is to read this series, starting with Book 1 of Hawaiian Crush.)

Anyway, Thatcher GETS her. He does. He understands her hurt and pain and wants to help her. He falls for her. He gets her to work for him as his assistant and helps her to see that Derek isn't the guy for her and that he is. He knows she has trust issues and he tells her repeatedly she has to learn to just trust him.

She breaks up with Derek and has a blow out with her dad and moves out to her own apartment but ends up sleeping at Thatcher's place even though he helps her move into the apartment.

He gets her to do more paintings and helps her sell her artwork. He gets her to see that she deserves to be loved and cherished and not treated like Derek treated her.

There's more to this story and I'm not saying anything else. I've already said too much. Would you go and get this book already (but only after you've read the other three first).

What did I love about this story? The growth in Nancy from believing she's not worthy of being cherished and loved, that she's nothing special. That her friends are her family, truly. That Henry and Coen have man bonded even more and that Nancy's friends welcome Thatcher into the fold.

What didn't I like? Why don't you go and read the book to find out. Something makes me wince as I didn't see it coming when Nancy did what she did and Thatcher reacted the way he did.

So what are you doing still reading this review? Go and get the book and leave E.L. Todd some love when your done. I can't wait to see what happens in Hawaiian Crush 5 - Derek's story!

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Monday, February 3, 2014

Kindle Fire give away - Check out these blogs and authors!

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value) This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)

Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)

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Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". Ends 2/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Review: Connected By The Tide (Hawaiian Crush, Book 3) by E.L. Todd

Connected by the Tide (Hawaiian Crush, #3)

Connected by the Tide by E.L. Todd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I admit... I had a huge crush on Henry in the first two books in the Hawaiian Crush series and I fell for him even more in this book.

At the beginning of this book, Henry is depressed and heartbroken over Sydney and does his best to avoid seeing her and taking her calls. He goes so far as to even change his major from Zoology to English.

In his first class of the new semester, a girl next to him lets him know he's using the wrong textbook and offers to share hers with him for that class. She does the same for the very next class they end up having together. He notices that she's pretty and nice but he tries to avoid any friendly conversation as he's still trying to get over Sydney.

The girl - Ren - engages him in conversation whenever she sees him. He begins to respond in kind and looks forward to their encounters. They become friends, but his heart still aches for his unrequited love for Sydney.

He confides in Ren like he never did with Sydney and spending time with Ren helps him begin to heal.

Meanwhile, Sydney is still trying to see him and talk to him and just isn't leaving him alone. For her, he is family and she loves and misses him. Henry goes to Coen when he knows Sydney won't be home and explains himself to Coen and asks Coen to talk to Sydney for him.

Meanwhile he continues to keep Ren at bay. She tries to get him to come see her at her workplace, but he's hesitant. When his and Sydney's mutual friends meet up with him for lunch and Ren's in the next booth, she manages to give him the tickets to her workplace that she wanted to before.

At the luau (Ren's workplace), Nancy and Derek both tell him that it's obvious Ren is into him. Ren confronts him after work and he is honest with her, he won't go out with her because he doesn't want to hurt her because he's in love with someone else and needs to get over that person. Ren likes his honesty and tells him so and their friendship blossoms even more.

This is just the beginning of their story... I don't want to tell you anymore because it would be way too much spoilerage, but Ren comes with her own baggage and there are a few miscommunications and one big blowout that nearly causes to ruin something awesome.

You'll meet two of Ren's four brothers and her ex - Dane, and her father as well. You'll find out Ren's history as well and it blends well into this story and makes me root for her and Henry even more.

I will warn you, this isn't for the 18 and under crowd. It has lots of sex in it. I think there's more in this book then in the first two Hawaiian Crush books.

Should you read the first two books in the series first though? I definitely would as they set up for this third quite nicely.

This is one of my favorite books over the past few months and it's all because of Henry. I got to watch him go through heartbreak, family drama, and falling in love and it was an emotional, awesome ride.

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Read, Laugh, Love, Imagine