Savage Prince by Meghan March

So...I've decided when Ms. March writes at night, I DEVOUR the outcome. The darker side of New Orleans is my new crack y'all. I'm not one to lean towards how this book started...but I couldn't stop reading. Could not put this book down. I sped read and then went back and re-read, just in case I missed a simple word. I was all in. 

Mystery. Dark. Strangers. And some catching up with past characters that I have loved before. I can't wait to read what's coming next. I feel like standing in Ms. March's window, awkwardly staring at her, until she relents and just let's me read the next stories NOW. Weird? Yep. But whatever works at this point. lol I am seriously addicted to the dark side of New Orleans. Can't wait to see what else awaits for us...within the darkness I completely connected with the shadows. Completely addicted. You nailed it Ms. March!

 

What He Always Knew by Kandi Steiner

This review is hard to write..challenging to put into words how a book tore your soul out, but still brought a teary eyed smile to my face. Difficult to not give anything away but still form the correct words to show the absolute love/terror this book brought forth.

I read romance. I love my happily ever after, but what happens when you don't know what you want? You can't decide whose heart the happily ever after resides in. What you do is trust in the author to bring you what you didn't even know you needed. To take what you may have thought at one time and flip it on it's ass. Or what you felt was going to happen and carefully articulatily steer you towards or farther away. I just don't know...I was lost in a feeling of what I wanted, needed, had to have to make my heart happy. But after all was said and done, I think it was achieved. I believe the outcome fit the life created within the pages. With this feeling though, I still dwell on it..I still wonder what if? Even though my heart settled into the path found. Because my heart was so willingly dragged through an emotional, angsty, heartbreaking and painfully beautiful loss, it also had all those feelings with a complete gain as well. Confusing? YES. Sated? COMPLETELY.

A hard won game played. A life found. A favorite story resides. Ms. Steiner went above and beyond with this beautiful tale of love and loss. Of not only first love, lasting love, but finding the ultimate of loving yourself more.

Transcend by Jewel E. Ann

This review might not be coherent, it may be a bunch of fangirl ramblings...but OMFG this book was incredible. So different, yet so Jewel E. Ann. Her writing is beyond romance for me. Delving beyond the pull of a heartstring, a deeper level of soul searching through words. Every book of hers is a treasure but this one...WOW. It blew me away.

I wanted to throw my kindle at the characters at times. Wanting them to see what the other could, while not wanting them to figure anything out as well. Torn. Completely torn between what I want and what I may need. I LOVE Griff...and yet I love the story that is found through others. I want for all them, but am afraid of what could come of that want. See RAMBLING. Ms. Ann's words are like a soothing balm to my reader soul one minute and then a raging heat wave the next. She takes every emotion and plays them perfectly through her words, every page bringing a new "WHY" or "NO", possibly a "HELL YES" even a hard to squeeze tear from my hardened reader's eye. I can't even begin to explain how much I not only love this book, but this author. I recommend her WHOLE HEARTILY and wish everyone would take a chance on ANY of her books.

The Swedish Prince by Karina Halle

Surrounded by RomCom movie moments, I was quickly taken in by this story. Thinking a sweet tale of falling for a prince was awaiting me, I was quick to find out it was tinged with heartbreak and loss. These two elements being factors in the connection made between both characters. Knowing loss, living through it and surviving were at the forefront. Movie moments like scenes from The Proposal, Maid In Manhattan and every other movie I could watch on repeat any given Saturday...found their way into my heart and kindle.

My only hesitation was the total connection. The "meet" was hot, and I was fully connected to what Viktor was sporting under his suit pants. But I never fully resonated with the love. I knew it was there because they told me, not because I was completely feeling it. That is not to say I didn't root for these two love lorn kids to find their way to each other but the full "want" for me wasn't solid. The one I did end up falling for pretty hard was Viktor, I adore it when a man never wavers and screws like a bull in a china shop.

I always love me a Ms. Halle story and this one did it's job. Now I am going to moonlight as a maid and hope I find my prince as well. Just don't tell the hubs.

Our Unscripted Story by L.A. Fiore

WOW! An epic first love that from the beginning felt completely right. Timing wasn't on their side but what was in their heart could outlast any obstacle put in front of them. I adored Alexis. Her strength, resilience, loyalty and heart. She never wavered, ever. She had her life completely upended and still found the good in situations. Her imagination kept her company and family was found around her. The background characters were solid and I found myself completely taken by everyone.

Then sitting in "her" place...she found the "one". The answer to if we have a soulmate. At a young age her heart found it's match. And the story that followed was incredibly beautiful, heartbreaking at times, lovable goodness that spanned years and brought every emotion front and center. I couldn't read it quickly enough. Ms. Fiore has a way of bringing out the angst that anyone that has read one of my reviews knows I LOVE. I really really felt this story. It was incredible.

Family is found. Regret is realized. Love is strong. And I loved every damn second of it. 

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

ALL THE STARS

I was so excited to read this book, two of my very favorite things in one place. Basketball and words. Color me surprised when I got more...so so much more. As most people do I read to escape, to be entertained and released from my "real" life struggles and settle into someone else's. I don't have triggers, or safe zones, I have an open mind and a love of the written word. But this story...this one not only entertains it supersedes that and delves into educating. Reminding us that every situation is unique, not to be judged lightly due to financial gains, notoriety, or a false sense of what you have in the world. So easy to think one way when in reality it doesn't even come close. Ms. Kennedy is more than an author she is an educator. A reminder to be better than a snap judgement and maybe just listen, pay attention to the small nuances of people around us, ideals that we haven't recognized tainting our decisions on what is happening around us. She did it with Grip and she continued it with #teamAugust..

I had to literally catch my breath while reading this one..It is so much more than a romance...beyond the angst that I crave...beyond boy meets girl, it was difficult to read at times, but never did I want to stop. Timing. Decisions. Love. Hate. Despair. Hope. Fear. Friendship. Family. Hopscotch.

5 stars doesn't do this book justice. It's an experience. A fictional life that had it's own heartbeat...feeling so real it blurred the lines between the two worlds. Escapism never mattered so much.

What He Doesn't Know by Kandi Steiner

I feel bad for readers that stay in the "safe" zone. Life doesn't often play out that way...it has dimension, fear, betrayal, feelings that hurt or heal, this story has three sides and every time I think I have picked one. Loss can change the path you are on..Life happens. I enjoyed every gut wrenching aspect of this book. Ms. Steiner has a way of evoking so much emotion through her words and the characters thoughts it leaves you breathless. Waiting. Wanting. Am I anxious for book two? You bet your sweet bootie I am. Will I devour the words on the pages? Without a doubt. This story is one of the "stays with you" long after you close the kindle. I appreciated it all.

Love Broken by J.D. Hollyfield

This book was fun, heartfelt, smoking hot and had a angsty back and forth that had me flipping through the pages quicker than I was polishing off my Pinot. And FYI that is FAST. I connected with Katie aka Bailey Swan and loved that it takes place in the book world that I admire and love. Knowing that in my small world authors that I connect, are my rock stars and I put them in a different category than they even put themselves. And male models, although they aren't my reason to go to a signing, they aren't bad to look at. To get an "inside" story, although set in a fiction world was like watching a favorite reality show and I was HOOKED.

I loved Bates. He was funny, ferocious, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Knowing what he wanted and doing the work to make sure it happens. Katie didn't see herself as the people around her did. The insecurities that life can deliver exuded from her up until she saw herself through someone that loved her. It was beautiful to watch. Funny moments. Heart-filled moments. And angst. The perfect ingredient to a love story for me. Add some back and forth, secrets and the feeling of taking away something like my favorite toy and dangle it in front of me..I LOVE IT. Knotted stomach, laughter, maybe even a watery eye, this story really caught me. Felt like I was invited to the "cool" kids party and got a front row seat to all things book world. J.D. Hollyfield portrayed it all with humor, heart and tequila. Perfectly.