Cover Reveal for Dicker by Aubrey Brown

Releasing mid-November

Synopsis: 

Anna Snowe knew she was destined to marry a duke. Her father drew up a contract, creating a dicker between four families. Her sisters, year after year, marry as Anna waits for hers. Rumors and cuts from his society break poor Anna’s heart and leave’s her wanting to stay unwed.

The duke travels through embittered cold when his missives go unanswered. He needs to marry Anna before New Year’s Eve, or he will have to pay back her dowry ten-fold and then face disgrace. However, Anna is not to be found. He ensues a chase during the winter Holidays.  

When he does come upon his bride, he is immediately enthralled by her beauty. After a time of seduction, Anna relents and marries her duke.

Troubles begin to brew as David denies his feelings for his wife. Anna leaves once again heartbroken to Wales to seek solace with her family. Secrets are revealed, leaving David in want of his wife. With his heart on his sleeve, he runs yet again for his wayward wife. Will a simple dicker keep them together or will true love prevail?                   

About the Author     

Aubrey Brown was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has had a passion for writing for as long as she can remember. The first book she read, outside of a school assignment, was a pilfered romance from her mother’s collection. And she has been addicted to the written word ever since. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has one incredible son. She started writing to tell fabulous stories to those who want to read something different from the average erotica. She is a firm believer there is a happily ever after for anyone who has the courage and conviction to reach for it.

          

Review of Everything for Us by M. Leighton

Everything for Us

M. Leighton

The Bad Boys Series Book 3

Rating: 4.5 Groupie Stars

Buy Now: Amazon Link

Down to You: Amazon Link

Up to Me: Amazon Link

*This book is part of a series and it is recommended that the other books be read first.

Synopsis:

Olivia Townsend’s wealthy cousin Marissa had everything a girl could ask for—a great job, a privileged life, and all the friends she wanted. Or, at least, all the friends money could buy. But one case of mistaken identity has turned her privileged world upside down.

An abduction gone wrong lands her right in the lap of the sexiest, most dangerous man she’s ever met. To Marissa, he’s an enigma, but one to whom she’s irresistibly, inexplicably drawn.

With him comes a new world of freedom and passion, of dark shadows and dangerous secrets, a world where nothing is what it seems—except for the blind passion that Marissa can’t escape—or maybe even survive.

My Review: 

Team Cash, um I mean Team Nash, ugh I can't decide!!! So I'm just going to choose TEAM DAVENPORT. This was the PERFECT ending to the series. All loose ends are tied up and all lingering questions are answered. This series shocked me, infuriated me, made me laugh, made me cry, and made me fall in love not once but twice. 

In Everything for Us, we FINALLY get Nash's story. We learn so much about him and what he has been through. Nash has been living in exile for the last seven years. After his mother's murder and his presumed death, his father tells him to disappear and gets him in contact with an old friend, Dmitry. While Nash is gone he is forced to do a lot of illegal acts in order to survive. He live has taken a path he never imagined her would be on. The new Nash is rough, angry, and fueled by revenge. 

 

Then there is Marissa. When we last left Marissa, she had been kidnapped and then rescued by Nash and Cash. Her kidnapping made her reevaluate her life and who she is and who she wants to be. 

"I've been the ultimate party favor since I was able to "preform". A whore. Not always for money and not always using sex, but a whore."

I did not like Marissa in the previous books, but she grew on me and by the end of this book my entire opinion of her changed. She grows A LOT in this book. She realizes the those in her life were toxic, especially her father. She stands up to her father and starts making her own choices to make herself happy, not to please others. The change isn't easy, and she doubts that she can change. However, withe the support and others belief in her she does. 

"Blaze your own trail in life. Make your own choices and make your own mistakes. Its the only way you'll find your own happiness not someone else's."

There is an instant connection between Cash and Marissa. They are both needing to forget about life and to find an escape. 

"The need to devour something to loose myself in something overwhelms everything else and I dive in. To her."

The sex, Oh the sex, is HOT. I was definitely fanning myself after reading a few of the scenes. Nash is dirty, aggressive, and a skilled lover. He brings out a side of Marissa she never knew existed, or so she thought.

"He wasn't holding anything back. He wasn't pretending to be anyone or anything. He was just Nash. Raw, angry, sexual Nash, taking what he wanted and needed. And he took it from me."

Nash warns Marissa to not get involved emotionally and has to constantly remind himself not to either. They both feel more then a sexual connection, but both feel they are broken and not good enough for each other. They fight what is between them for far too long. They both finally realize they are meant for each other and complete each. They were both broken but together they are whole. 

"Ill be whatever you need me to be, whoever you need me to be.I'm not perfect, but Ill be perfect for you. Just give me a chance."

"You everything I didn't know I needed, but everything I always knew I wanted."

There is also resolution and revenge concerning their mother's murder and their father's framing. Nash and Cash become closer, so do Marissa and Olivia. We also get peeks of Cash and Olivia throughout the book. There is a wedding and lots of HEAs. I'm also hoping for a love connection between Ginger and Gavin, maybe a spin-ff or a novella! This series had me hooked form the first book, and I'm so happy and satisfied with the outcome. I can't wait for what the author bring us next.

About the Author:

I was born and raised in the United States, and I’ve lived in several of the fabulous fifty. Though I currently live in the deep South, I spent much of my childhood up North and hope to return there one day. A few other things about me: I believe that sometimes you have to look really, REALLY hard to find the good in people, but it's there. I believe that I'm shrinking (I swear five years ago I was two inches taller). I believe my husband is quite possibly one of the most amazing men in the entire world (I can't be sure because I haven't met all of them). I believe coffee and chocolate, when combined, could be the basis for world peace. I believe that Jesus rocks and communism doesn’t. I believe that white makes me look fat and black collects lint. I believe summer's too hot, winter's too cold and fall was made for football. I like dogs better than cats and the first movie in a trilogy is invariably the best. But most of all, I believe that love conquers all.

GET YOUR GROUPIE ON:

Website: http://mleightonbooks.blogspot.com/
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Review of Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant 

Author: Veronica Roth 

Series: Divergent Series #3

Rating: 3.5 Groupie Stars

Synopsis
One choice will define you.

What if your whole life was a lie?  
What if a single revelation-like a single choice-changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered---fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal.  So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits, she's known, Tris is ready.  Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple life together, free from complicated lies, tangled, loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind.  Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless.  Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves.  And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature--and of herself--while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

"Life damages us, every one. We can't escape that damage. But now I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other."

My Review
I felt like I waited FOREVER for this book to finally come out!  I loved this series from page one of Divergent to the last page of Insurgent.  Then I had to wait again for Allegiant to come out.  I pre-ordered it months in advance and checked my mail box a hundred times the minute Amazon said it had shipped.  I avoided all reviews because I wanted to go into the last book with pure thoughts and my own ideas of what was about to happen to Tris and Tobias(Four).  After reading Allegiant, I would have to say I am a little disappointed in the writing of the book and even the way it ended but I will NOT give spoilers!! Sigh....

Allegiant begins where Insurgent left off, with Tris and her friends locked up for participating in the uprising.  Tobias is Evelyn's right-hand man and also her son.  Evelyn is the new leader and is trying to bring everyone back under her control and rid the city of factions through brute force and any other means necessary.  While Tobias doesn't agree with what his mother is doing, he continues to follow her orders until he can find a way out.  Caleb, Tris's brother is also locked up and is awaiting his trial for helping Janine create and administer the mind warping drugs given to Dauntless to kill Abnegation people.

“He is a part of me, always will be, and I am a part of him, too. I don't belong to Abnegation, or Dauntless, or even the Divergent. I don't belong to the Bureau or the experiment or the fringe. I belong to the people I love, and they belong to me- they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could. I love my brother. I love him, and he is quaking with terror at the though of death. I love him and all I can think, all I can hear in my mind, are the words I said to him a few days ago : I would never deliver you to your own execution ” 

“To me, when someone wrongs you, you both share the burden of that wrongdoing - the pain of it weighs on both of you. Forgiveness, then, means choosing to bear the full weight all by yourself. Caleb's betrayal is something we both carry, and since he did it, all I've wanted is for him to take its weight away from me. I am not sure that I'm capable of shouldering it all myself - not sure that I am strong enough, or good enough."

Tobias, Tris, Cara, Christina, Uriah, Peter, and a few others decide to leave and head to the fringe to find out what is out there.  What they find is the Bureau.  They find out that the Bureau has been monitoring them for generations and is doing scientific experiments to create the "perfect" human, not only in Chicago but across the country.  While at the Bureau, Tris and her group of misfits find out a lot of background history on their city and the many secrets kept from them and the others.  Tris finds out where her mother came from and that she was not born in the city but was actually placed in Dauntless by the Bureau as a spy.

“I take a deep breath. I'm not sure where that swell of desperation came from, but know that I've acknowledge it, it's impossible to ignore, like a living thing has awakened from a long sleep inside me. It writhes in my stomach and throat. I need to leave. I need the truth.” 

“Knowledge is power. Power to do evil...or power to do good. Power itself is not evil. So knowledge itself is not evil."

Tris and Tobias have a hard time figuring out their own identity and where they belong as the secrets are unveiled.  Rifts and bad decisions begin to pull them apart instead of strengthening their bond.  Will the answers they are seeking bring them back together or will their bond break with more death and destruction than they can handle?

“Since I was young, I have always known
this: Life damages us, every one. We
can’t escape that damage.
But now, I am also learning this: We
can be mended. We mend each other.”

“I don't belong to Abnegation, or Dauntless, or even the Divergent. I don't belong to the Bureau or the experiment or the fringe. I belong to the people I love, and they belong to me-they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.” 

“It reminds me that no embrace will ever feel the same again, because no one will ever be like her again, because she's gone. She's gone, and crying feels so useless, so stupid, but it's all I can do.”


The disappointment in this book is palpable.  I loved this series and even though Insurgent was a little predictable I still enjoyed it and the development of the characters.  Allegiant fell flat in the growth of the characters.  I think there was too much trying to be told and answered, to adequately tell a great story.

Review for Crossing Paths by Melanie Stinnett

Crossing Paths

Melanie Stinnett

Stand Alone

Rating: 4 Groupie Stars

Buy Now: Amazon Link

Synopsis:

The crossing paths of friendship, family, love, and loss are often complicated.

June Deckert and Caroline Smith sparked a friendship in college that carried them through graduation. Although they are complete opposites in every way, they have spent the last four years inseparable.

That is, until now.

June finds herself falling for a man who seems unattainable. As she works side by side with him on a new media campaign, their feelings for each other come alive. But when his actions start to speak louder than words, she wonders if she’s missing something.

Meanwhile, Caroline is fighting against her feelings for a recent acquaintance, and she decides to keep her new love interest a secret from June. Overwhelmed by these new emotions, her moods change swiftly, swinging up and down like a yo-yo.

While June and Caroline try to maneuver their way through new relationships, Caroline starts lying to June to protect her from a truth that threatens to break her heart and tear them apart. 

In the end, Caroline’s deceit will test their friendship, and June will have to decide if her chance at love is worth putting her heart on the line.

My Review

This book is a standalone with a HEA I was soooo in the need for a non-series book. I really enjoyed this book and the fact that there were no love triangles (as Rebecca likes to call them tridickathons).  The story line was very original and had me captivated and needing to keep reading to find out how everything was going to fall into place. There were many times I found myself thinking both I so called it and I did not see that coming. Because of this the review is going to be very hard to write. There are so many twists and turns and secrets in the book that I do not want to reveal too much, but to instead encourage you to read this book yourself and discover them all.

 The main characters of the book are June and Caroline. They met during their freshman year of college and were inseparable ever since. They are complete opposites from each other but that is why there friendship works so well.

"Friendship came easily as we bonded over alcohol consumption, ridiculous roommates, and relationships with losers. We complemented each other with our differences."

They have now both graduated, found jobs, and moved to Texas, where June is original from. They have both been unlucky in their love lives, but soon each find themselves in
"complicated" new relationships. Caroline meets Liam (June's brother) at a Sunday family diner. This is the same dinner that June warns both Caroline and Liam to not get involved with each other.

 "You never told me he was a Chris Pine on the hotness scale." 
"Probably because he's my brother, and Texas isn't know for incest."

However, there is an instant attraction and connection between the two, but they decide to take things slow and to keep there relationship a secret. For Caroline lying to her best friend is eating away at her and causing problems in their friendship. Going behind June's back and their hectic work schedules are just a few of the obstacles this couple experiences.

"I touch my hand to his, and immediately, the breath, rushes back into my lungs. If his touch has this impact on everyone, he should look into a job at the ER. He could save lives with that kind of superpower."

June meets Cohen on a work trip to New York. They first make eye connect in the airport, and they both feel a pull towards each other. The second interaction is when June assaults Cohen with her magazine on the airplane. The next time they literally run into each is when June is running to get to her meeting and slams into Cohen, who happens to be who she has the meeting with, of course! After the meeting Cohen asks June to get something to eat with him and then they part ways. June gets the contract with Cohen's company, and they have to work together on it. Cohen wants to pursue something with June, but he has secrets and baggage that he is afraid that will push her away. He also believes that he does not deserve happiness

"You might not believe it, but I know you crossed my path that day for a reason. I wasn't sure what it was about you, but I had to get to know you. My life has been so hectic over the past few years. I haven't been in the market for a real relationship in a long time." (Cohen)

Can both couples work through there issues and survive all the secrets?

The book is mostly in June and Caroline's alternating POVs, but we also get a few chapters from Liam and Cohen's point of views too. You really get a lot of information and learn about them from there chapters. The book shows that things aren't always as they seem, people can change, and that certain people cross our paths because they are meant to be in our lives. I would definitely recommend this book. The fact that this was the author's debut novel makes me anticipating what she writes next.

About this author

 

 

I have enjoyed reading and writing since I was very young. Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of spending time with my mom or grandma reading a good book. Over the years, it never crossed my mind that writing my own novel would be an attainable goal. After reading several independently published novels by Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover and others, I decided I needed to give that dream a chance. So, here I am.

My first novel, Crossing Paths, will be released on August 29, 2013.

When I’m not reading and writing, I enjoy spending time with my three favorite guys: my husband and my two little boys.

In addition to being an author, I work as a Speech Language  Pathologist to provide therapy to adults who are dealing with speech, language, cognition or voice deficits. My day job is rewarding in many different ways and I love having the opportunity to help others in a time of need.

Website http://www.melaniestinnett.com

Facebook: Melanie Stinnett Author

Twitter username: melstinnett_ 

Genre:  Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Review of Char by Mercy Amare

CHAR

Mercy Amare

Rating: 4 Groupie Stars

 

Buy Now: Amazon Link

SYNOPSIS:

I’m Charlotte York, but you can call me Char.
My life is perfect. Except for the fact that my older sister is posing naked for Playboy. And my mom wants me to be just like her. Oh, and I caught my boyfriend cheating on me. But other than that, it’s definitely perfect... Until the paparazzi publishes a picture of me smoking weed.

Now I am being forced to move to NYC with my dad. Too bad I hate New York.
At least there is Tristan Becker. He makes NY better. But he won’t date me because he thinks my best friend is in love with me. Which is absolutely not true... Or at least I don't think it is.

As you can see my life is just... perfect.

 My Review:

 I won this on a giveaway on the author's Facebook page. I am so glad I entered because I loved this book! I cannot wait to read more by her. I liked how the book is written almost like a journal, where each chapter is a date and time. The book took me back to high school, dating, and wondering if I would ever find that ONE guy. 

"Yeah yeah I get it. I'm seventeen. I'm too young to think about forever. But I can't help it. I want to dream about true love. I want to find that one special guy who I will spend the rest of my life with."

The main character of the book is Charlotte "Char" York. She is just about to be a senior in high school. She is not sure what she wants to do with her life, but she knows that she wants to go to college and DOES NOT want to be in the spotlight like her sisters. I really liked Char, for being 17, almost 18, she seemed very mature for her age but still had some of those carefree teenager qualities about her. She come from money but isn't a snob. Being in my mid 20s I felt like I could still relate to her, and even though the main characters are in high school/college the book still appeals to an more mature audience.

And that leaves me. Charlotte York. But everyone calls me Char. I am the rebel child. The black sheep of the family. Whatever else you want to call me. I hate the spotlight, and I avoid it at all cost...

We start the book learning about the main character's friends and family. Her mother Caroline is a former soap opera actress and current manager of both her older sisters, Chloe and Candice. Chloe is a 24 year old actress in Drama Queen, a high school drama. Candice(Candi), is 19 and the star of Shores of Malibu, a reality TV show, and soon to be Playboy centerfold. Char, her mother, and sisters all live together in Malibu.  Her father Robert York lives in New York, he is a high profile divorce attorney. Char rarely sees her father, except for dinner every three months. There is definitely some family drama. Her mother wants her to follow in her sisters footsteps and either become a model or actress. Her oldest sister Candi has a sex tape leak out and Char slips to the media how she really feels about Candi's actions, causing a fight and hurt feelings between the two sisters. Char realizes that family is important and tries to mend all of her relationships with each of them.

 " I really could try harder when it comes to my family. I bet if I put in an effort, so would they.

So that will be my goal- to repair my relationship with my sisters and mom...And maybe work on having a better relationship with my dad too." 

Char has a best friend Aaron, who is in love with her, but Char is oblivious to the fact. I loved Char and Aaron's friendship and at first I was rooting for her to end up with Aaron. But the feelings aren't mutual, and they are better off as friends. I really do not think that Aaron was truly in love with Char, but because they were so close he assumed that they should end up together. I really hope Aaron gets his own book ( I can even see him with Candi).  Char gets caught smoking weed with Aaron by the paparazzi and is forced to move to New York City with her father. She thinks she is going to hate it here that is until she meets Tristan. He's hot, sweet, and rich. There is instant attraction between the two but the relationship starts off slow, which was nice that they didn't just jump into things. 

"I'm actually sort of happy he's making me wait, not that I would ever admit it to him. He's right. The wait makes it more suspenseful. it had given us time to get to know one another, and from what I see, I definitely like Tristan a lot, I might more than like him, but that's a thought for another day."

I loved Char and Tristan together. They both helped each other to be better people, than they were in the past. Almost every character in the book goes through some sort of growth. I really liked that it wasn't just the main character showing growth and change,  I am hoping that some of these characters each gets there own books! I read this book in one sitting, could NOT put it down. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who like YA or NA reads. My only issue with the book was there were a few times a chapter ended and then when the next chapter began events were skipped and information was left out. 

The ending line was:

This is my little piece of perfect paradise, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Just the beginning.

So I am hoping we get more ( if you couldn't tell) !!!

Casting:

CHAR

TRISTIAN

CHLOE

CANDICE

Sinners at the Altar!!!!! Coming Fall of 2013

Sinners at the Altar

Olivia Cunning

Sinners on Tour Book 6

We love the Sinners and CANNNOT wait for this to come out. This series is in both of our top series. Olivia is one of those authors that is a pre-order, read it the minute the book comes out, and drop everything in your life until you are done.

Nicole's Fav sinner: Jace and Aggie from Hot Ticket

Rebecca's fav Sinner: Brian and Mryna from Backstage Pass AND Trey, Reagan, and Ethan from Double Time

This anthology will include the wedding day stories of all five Sinners told in their points of view. It will also include the Aruba honeymoon of the couple who started it all, Brian and Myrna.
The ebook version of Sinners at the Altar will have some added special features, such as never before released deleted scenes from the original books. Don't miss it!

Will include these 6 novellas:
i*SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SINNERS ON TOUR SERIES!!!*

1. Appetite for Seduction
“Running parallel with the events of Rock Hard, Appetite for Seduction, shows the story of Brian Sinclair and Myrna Evan’s wedding day in Las Vegas from their point of view. Their wedding night festivities are interrupted by Trey’s little accident.”

2. Take Me to Paradise
“Brian and Myrna have been married for almost a year when they are finally able to have a real honeymoon in the Bahamas.Take Me to Paradise is set at the end of Hot Ticket, when the band is unable to tour because of the tragic happenings in Canada.”

3. Sweet Love of Mine
“Directly following the book Wicked Beat, Sweet Love of Mine, is the courthouse wedding of Eric Sticks and Rebekah Blake followed by their wedding night. Aww, isn’t Eric sweet?

4. Patience
“After months of planning, Sed and Jessica’s big day almost ends in disaster. Can the rest of the band save the day, before Jessica becomes a bridezilla? Patience is set several months afterDouble Time.”

5. November Pain
“Jace and Aggie decide to tie the knot. Is anything they do conventional? Yeah, probably not. This one takes place near the end of the Exodus End series– a year after Double Time. But I PROMISE not to include Exodus End spoilers.”

6. Choose Your Illusion
“This is Reagan and Trey’s epilogue. It occurs well after the Exodus End series is completely finished, so more than two years after Double Time. It’s going to be really tough not to include Exodus End spoilers in this one, but I can do it. Right? *deep breath*”

Review of Bad Things by R.K Lilley

Bad Things

Author: R. K. Lilley

Rating: 4 Groupie Stars

I had the strangest shiver of premonition rock my body the first time I heard Tristan's voice.

Synopsis

Danika hasn't had an easy life.  Being insanely attracted to bad boys has never helped make it easier.  One look at Tristan, and every brain cell she possessed went up in smoke.  This man was trouble with a capital T.  It was a given. She knew better.  Bad boys were bad.  Especially for her.  Considering her history, it was crazy to think otherwise.  So why did crazy have to feel so damn fine?

For as long as she could remember , Danika had been focused on the future with single-minded purpose.  Tristan came along and taught her everything there was to know about letting go, and living in the present.  She fell, hard and deep.  Of course, that only made her impact with the ground that much more devastating.

Bad things is about Tristan and Danika, and their train wreck of a love story.  This series can be read as a standalone, or with the Up in the Air series.

"I like doing nice things for you.  I like spoiling you.  I like doing anything at all for you, as long as it makes  you smile."~Tristan

My Review

James Cavendish, you have been thoroughly replaced!!!  Tristan has definitely taken over with his smoldering looks, wicked tongue, and magic hands!!!  Danika is a 21-year old, live-in nanny for an aspiring band manager and his lawyer ex-wife.  Tristan is in a rock band and a club promoter, or as Danika sees it, unemployed.  There is instant awareness between Danika and Tristan and it is HOT!!  Tristan feels that Danika is too young for him and only does one night stands and Danika just got out of a relationship and doesn't do one night stands.  Recipe for disaster, of course!!  So they decide to just be friends and come up with the Don't list to set some much needed boundaries.

The Friends Don't List
(because I like you too much to sleep with you)
1. No sex, no making out, no kissing
2. No getting jealous or complaining about who the other one is dating or hooking up with
3. We can hang out whenever we want, but we won't call it a date, even if we're doing "date" like things.
4. No nagging
5. Always remember that we like each other too much to sleep together and that sleeping together will ruin EVERYTHING.
6. If the words "I love you" are ever mentioned, it will be assumed that it is in a friendship type context.
7. No talking dirty, or talking about dates with your vibrator(Scratch that!)

The Don't List works for awhile.  Both Tristan and Danika fight very hard to keep their sexual thoughts and wants to themselves because the friendship means a lot to both of them.  Danika tries to date his hot brother Jared and Tristan tries to bang every walking twig to work out his sexual frustration. But, with two hot people that spend a lot of time together, it is inevitable that the flying sparks will eventually ignite and when they do, it is a firestorm!! 

"Tell me not to kiss you," he said, when his lips were a breath away from mine. "Don't kiss me," I told him, my voice a breathless rasp.  "Mean it," he said, crowding me into a corner of the pool.  "I can't." I gasped. 
"He kissed me and the world disappeared."

"I want you so badly that I'd do just about anything to have you," he said roughly.  "The only thing I won't do is risk losing you.  Can you promise me that if we do this, I won't lose you?"~Tristan

So after one or more scorching kisses, the Don't List was annihilated!  The SEX, oh the SEX!!  It was hot, make you get out your own BOB, call your man home, get it on right now steamy!! I, personally don't think a "normal" man can have sex so many times in a row without having a heart attack or having his c**k fall off, but I will take the machine that is Tristan any day!

"This is about making you lose your mind.  I say when you're ready, and I plan to take my time getting you there.  I want you to let go.  I want you to submit.  I want you to be so far gone that the only word left in your vocabulary is my name."

Ummm...where can I sign up??!!  Tristan and Danika decide that they can be friends with benefits but that they would be exclusive.  Right, we all know how that works.  Tristan has a long line of one-nighters that show up through out the book, and let me tell you, Danika is a little spit fire!  She charges in and tells those sluts where to go every time!!  Tristan has is own anger issues and doesn't have a problem taking it out on his douche bag friend Dean or any of Danika's exes whenever they cross the line, and for Dean its a regular occurrence.  Danika makes the mistake of crossing the "friends with benefits" line and falling for Tristan.  When she finally gets the courage to tell him, he throw is back in her face and ends their Tryst.  Danika is of course, devastated and besides herself with misery, that she was stupid enough to think he felt the same.  Tristan!!  You idiot!!!

The intoxicating bliss I'd found in his arms had come from trust, and this was taking that feeling of losing myself in the moment, of relinquishing control, to a whole new level.



Danika gets talked into going to Tristan's first gig by his good friend Frankie(lesbian).  You also get a peek of James Cavendish before Up in the Air!!  After the concert, Tristan tells her that he can't live without her and he wants a "real" relationship with her.  Que in all of his slutties that he fornicated with in that 2 week "break" as he calls it, and we have mass drama again!  They do give the relationship a good run, but in one huge blow up over exes, they bring the inferno to a smoldering fire, both sides hurt and unsure of what just happened.  Tristan tries in vain to get Danika to forgive him for the horrible things he said and did that night.  Danika completely shuts him out and won't even consider his apologies.

"I don't have a word for this, because I've never felt this before.  But I do love you.  I just wish there was a way to explain to you that love is just the start of it, because it's turned into so much more for me." ~Tristan

Can a devestating, life altering situation bring them back together?

I thought that waiting was the hardest thing I'd ever been through in my life, but life was about to prove me very wrong. ~Tristan

AAAAHHH!!!  To be continued in Rock Bottom out November 2014!  I am counting down the days, hours, minutes, seconds, until this book is in my hands!!!!

                                                          

                              Tristan                                                                                           Danika

                           

                                                           

Review of The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken

 The Wager

Rachel Van Dyken

The Bet Series Book 2

Rating: 4 Groupie Stars!!

Buy NOW: 

The Bet, Book 1: Amazon Link

The Wager, Book 2: Amazon Link

SYNOPSIS:

What is it about a junior-high crush that can send an otherwise intelligent woman into a tailspin? TV reporter Char Lynn wishes she knew. Jake Titus is too rich, too handsome, too arrogant: a trifecta that once lured Char into the best night-and worst morning-after-of her life. Now they've been thrown together in a wedding party. It's awkward, but survivable . . . until Jake stops acting like a jerk, and starts acting like the man she'd always hoped he could be.

If watching your brother marry your best friend is weird, being attracted to your best friend's other best friend is downright bizarre. Unfortunately for Jake, Char hasn't forgotten how he once tossed her aside. Worse still, Jake's already-nutty grandma is even crazier about Char. Cue meet-cute shenanigans and all manner of meddling, and somehow, Jake's falling. For Char. Now all he has to do is make her believe it . . 

REVIEW:

My first thought about this book is I LOVE GRANDMA NADINE, and I so need a Grandma Nadine in my life. 

Grandma smiled brightly, "How lovely! It seems your whore arrived."

"Excuse me?" (Aileen aka the whore)

"Sweetheart, I'm the one with hearing aids, not you. I called you a whore. Would you like me to spell it for you, too?" "W-H-O-R-E"

This book made me laugh A LOT and it also made me cry, but I loved every minute of it. I was already a fan of Rachel Van Dyken after The BET and was looking forward to Jake Titus getting his story and finding love. This series keeps getting better, and I can not wait for the next installment! I love that we also got more of Kacey and Travis in this book, we even got a few chapters in their point of view. I loved that Grandma FORCED Travis and Kacey not to have any "relations" or "charades" in the weeks before their wedding. Their wedding takes place in this book and it is very emotional and beautiful.

Now on to the main story, Jake and Char's story. Char is a news reporter, who's career isn't where she wants it to be. Char has been in love with Jake since she met him but now hates his because he broke 

her heart not once but twice.  The first time he broke her heart was at summer camp in middle school when her didn't standup her when another girl was making fun of her. Jake is a manwh**e and goes through women very quickly never getting emotionally attached. A year before Jake and Char see each other and it ends in a drunken one night stand with Jake leaving a thank you note on a pillow for Char in the morning, this is the second time he broke her heart. Fast Forward a year and that's where the story begins on a plane. Char and her sister Beth are on their way back from a mini vacation and Jake and Grandma are on their way back from Travis and Kacey's engagement party. Char is not happy to see Jake and decides to throw a cup of water on his lap and yell that he peed his pants and needs a towel. Some how this leads to talks about bombs, being zip tied, and a peanut allergy reaction. Grandma seeing the interaction between Jake and Char decides to play secret match maker. Grandma also makes a WAGER with Travis and Kacey that Jake and Char will be together by the wedding, and if she wins she gets to sing at their wedding. The things Grandma does to "force" these to together are both sweet and hilarious. You really get to learn more about Jake and why he is the way he is, and I definitely fell have for him right along with Char. I loved Char and her sweet but feisty personality. There is so much fire between Jake and Char, both in arguments and sexually. You cannot help but root for them to find each other and a HEA. Both characters grow so much throughout the book to be better, stronger people, especially Jake. He realizes what he is missing in his life and that is Char.

He’d never tire of her, ever. Maybe his Grandma knew him better than he knew himself. After all, it had taken a hell of a lot of plotting for him to pull his head out of his ass, and he knew, sooner or later, he’d have to thank Grandma all over again for her manipulative ways.

“I love you… I am in love with you.I want everything with you, all of you…”

“I’d miss you—if I’d never met you, I’d still miss you, because I’d know there was some part of me that wasn’t present.”

LOVED this book and cant wait for the next book in the series, the epilogue does a great job of setting up the third book in the series!

 CHAR

 JAKE

Review of Finding It by Cora Carmack

Finding It
Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It #3
Rating: 4 Groupie Stars



"I didn't believe you when you told me I would find another place to call home.  This feels like home."

Synopsis

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong....

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibilities, no parents, and a no-limit credit card.  Kelsey Summers is no exception.  She's having the time of her life..or that's she keeps telling herself. 

It's a lonely business trying to find who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover.  No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can.  After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol.  With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers.  Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires.  But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

"You're not horrible, Kelsey.  You are vibrant and beautiful, and you burn.  Burn so vividly.  Fires can damage, but they are also so beautiful and vital and they can purify and give the chance to start fresh.  You're not horrible.  Not at all."

My Review

Finding It is a parallel story to Bliss's.  This is the story of Kelsey after she leaves her friends after graduating college and decides to tour Europe. Kelsey has always been the one I was rooting for.  I knew she had a dark past and I couldn't wait for her story!  This book by far was my favorite in the series!  I LOVE Kelsey and Hunt (Jackson).  Kelsey meets Hunt at one of her worst drunken moments at a bar where she is trying to dance and drink her past behind he,while also trying to find herself.  Unfortunately, the drinking and dancing doesn't seem to be working, nor is a different guy every night.  After being rescued by Hunt at the bar, Kelsey tries to forget him but starts seeing him everywhere. Kelsey and Hunt go on an epic road(train) trip through Europe and Kelsey begins to open up and lets some of the hurt and angst from her past to slowly diminish.  She begins to enjoy being around Hunt and spending time with him, but she questions his motives sometimes, especially when he sends mixed messages.  

"He made me feel like  I didn't have to keep heading in the same direction.  I'd thought I needed this trip to give me a story, one that I could take with me through the rest of my miserable life for comfort or consolation.  But he made me think that I could have a bigger story, one that didn't end when this trip was over."

The magnetism between them is air crackling and I was dying for them to finally give in and DO it ALREADY!! After one HOT and I mean HOT weekend holed up in a hotel, Kelsey decides that she really is falling in love with him but is scared to allow those feelings, afraid that it will open her up to feelings that she has been forcing down since she was a child. Kelsey fights long and hard  not to have these feelings but when you have a hot ex military man around 24/7, how can you NOT give in at some point!!

"I pulled back so that I could look into his eyes, and that feeling, that attachment I'd felt to him was no longer a hook, but an anchor buried deep in my ribcage"

  Hunt is a very mysterious guy and you really don't get much history about him in book.  In fact, the only reason I gave the book 4 stars was because I felt that the author could have gone more in depth on the storyline with Kelsey and her parents and how Hunt came into the picture.  When Kelsey finds out why Hunt is truly there, it devastates her and she
does the only thing she knows how to do, run. 

"It's a quiet thing when your heart breaks.  I thought it would be loud, louder than the air rushing around us when we 'd dove off that bridge.  I thought it would drown everything else out.  But it happened like a whisper.  A small, clean split.  It broke in a second, and the pain was little more than a pinprick. It's the echo that kills you.  Like the echo inside the Grotto Azzurra, that tiny sound  kept bouncing around the cavern of my ribs, getting louder and louder.  It multiplied until I heard hearts breaking, a thousand, more.  All of them mine."

"Of course, I can handle it.  It's nothing, really.  Just another thing that wasn't real.  It was just another thing that doesn't count"

Hunt gives Kelsey some time to think run and think, but you he is going to find her and make her listen.  He enlists the sweetest help to deliver special things to Kelsey to make her see how he feels.  At first Kelsey denies them but once again after a bit she gives in.  

Hunt- "I hated you because you made me face my past.  But once I did that...once I acknowledged it, I started to notice the ways you are different from me.  I meant what I said in Germany, Kelsey.  You burn so brightly and beautifully.  You light up a room when you walk into it.  I watched people flock to you city after city, bar after bar.  You just..even at your most miserable, you had more life in your pinky than I had in my whole body.  And when I stopped hating you, I started wanting you.  And then I didn't stand a chance.  I tried to stay away, but I just...couldn't."

AWWWWEEE!!!  How can you not be completely in love with Hunt now?!  The ending could have defintely used a little more closure.  There were several things that happened or were discussed during the book that needed to be cleared up a little bit more.  Overall I LOVED Kelsey and Hunt!!!  A must read for everyone!!!