Month: November 2019

Review: The Fall of Legend (Meghan March)

The Fall of Legend
Series: Legend Trilogy, #1
Author: Meghan March
Publication Date: November 12, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

We come from two different worlds.
I’m from the streets. She might as well live in an ivory tower.
I made my living with my fists. I doubt she could even throw a punch.
Our paths never should have crossed.
We never should have met.
That doesn’t change the facts.
I would sell my soul to taste those red lips.
Fight the devil himself to hear her laugh.
Burn in hell to have a single night.
Scarlett Priest shouldn’t even know men like me exist, but sometimes temptation is stronger than will.
If this is how I go down, it’ll be worth every second of the fall.

I have been curious about Legend ever since meeting him in the Dirty Mafia Duet. He almost had a slimy feel in that book, so I was wondering how he would come across in his own book. Legend was a mystery to me and everyone in the book.  It took me awhile to create an opinion of the man, but I ended up genuinely liking what I found. Legend was a good dude trying to be the best for everyone around him.

Meghan March always gives the reader amazing alpha love interests like Legend, but she never skimps on the female heroine either. Scarlett Priest was an effortlessly cool and interesting chick. She had her own ambitions and drive. I loved how that worked into meeting Legend and everything that came after. She was the driving force and pursuer in this relationship. I don’t see a lot of that in romance novels, so it was really cool.

From the start, Legend and Scarlett have this really cool story. I am not going to tell you anything about it because it’s all about experiencing it. There was so much going on and I’m excited to see how everything is connected and what is to come next. The one thing I was a little surprised at was the cliffhanger. It wasn’t quite what I’ve come to expect from Meghan March. It was a little subtler. That’s not a complaint, just a comment. It still left me wanting to know what is coming next in the Legend Trilogy.

Add to your Goodreads TBR:

http://bit.ly/TheFallofLegendGR

Where to buy:

https://meghanmarch.com/the-fall-of-legend/

Amazon:  http://mybook.to/MMLegend

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/MMLegend 

B&N: http://bit.ly/MMLegendBN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/MMLegendKobo

Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2pWPZdK


About the author:

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.


Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers:  http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

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Mini Reviews: Southern Heartbreaker & Crazy for Loving You

Southern Heartbreaker
Series: Charleston Heat, #4
Author: Jessica Peterson
Publication Date: October 22, 2019
Publisher: Peterson Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

He was the bad boy I fell for in college. Now he’s a sexy single dad and Charleston’s most successful venture capitalist. Dominant and decisive, Ford Montgomery is used to getting what he wants. And he just set his sights on me…

Ford Montgomery was my first everything.
First love.
First guy I slept with.
First heartbreak when he dumped me without explanation.

A decade later, it’s just my luck he’s the first guy I run into after moving back to my hometown of Charleston. Three piece suit, tie, and a watch worth more than my car—being a mogul looks good on Ford. So does being a doting dad to his adorable four-year-old daughter.

I tell myself I can resist him. But one impulsive, ill-advised kiss later, and Ford is in hot pursuit. He’s determined to make up for his past mistakes, and convinces me to give him a second chance.

What started as fun between the sheets gets really serious, really fast. Problem is, I swore I’d never give up the dreams I worked so hard for to settle down and do the family thing.

But seeing Ford light up around his daughter—seeing how he’s chasing his ambitions while rocking fatherhood—is making me rethink what I want out of life.

It doesn’t help that behind his corporate veneer is the bad boy I fell in love with. And bad boys aren’t afraid to play dirty…or break hearts.

My review:

If you like romance novels with single parents (dads especially), this book is for you. If you like second chance romances, this book is for you. Basically, it’s the best combination of both of those tropes. Add in some 90’s old school R&B and you’re in for a TON of fun. Southern Heartbreaker had a little bit of everything I love: humor, chemistry, emotion, a good parent, an adorable little kid, an independent, successful woman and a sweet romance. It was so much fun to read. You don’t even have to read the rest of the series if you don’t want to, you can start here.

Crazy for Loving You
Series: Bluewater Billionaires
Author: Pippa Grant
Publication Date: November 8, 2019
Publisher: Bang Laugh Love LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Is there anything hotter than a growly, overprotective Marine cradling a baby? My melted ovaries don’t think so.

When you work hard and have the bank account to prove it, you’re entitled to play hard. I’ve seen some crazy things. I’ve caused some crazy scenes. And there’s no shame in my game.

But I’m still knocked off my stilettos when an insane chain of events leads to me inheriting a baby. The craziest part? The baby comes with a by-the-books, no-nonsense retired Marine who’s so regimented that I wouldn’t be surprised if he irons his boxer shorts.

Parenting? Bring it on. I don’t need sleep—I once started my day with business meetings in Cairo and ended it three days later at a club in Melbourne. Changing diapers? Please. It can’t be any more challenging than changing out of Spanx on the back of a moving motorcycle. Training the little guy to run the family’s real estate empire? He’ll be all our bosses by the time he’s four.

But living with my new co-guardian? The gruff, muscled, tattooed former military man who manages to check all my boxes while trying to sneak under my skin?

He needs to go.

Because the longer he stays, the more layers he’s peeling off my heart.

But love isn’t something that’s ever diluted my gene pool, and I like my life just fine without it. I have awesome friends, this adorable baby and an obscene amount of money. Who needs love?

Turns out…maybe me.

Crazy for Loving You is a larger-than life ride through accidental parenthood featuring a fun-loving billionaire playgirl, a crusty Marine with a gooey center, a horny dolphin, the world’s most obscene pool, and all the fun you’d expect from a world built by Lucy Score, Claire Kingsley, Kathryn Nolan, and Pippa Grant.

My thoughts:

This book was kind of crazy in an over the top, try to shock them way. Daisy’s character and her billionaire life was so zany it was hard to even believe. Well, her house mostly or how eccentric everyone related to her was. It was funny until it took over in a kind of overwhelming way. I did like the basic story line and the contract between Daisy and West’s characters. West’s gruff Marine exterior and sweet interior made this book. I loved his relationship with Remy. Crazy for Loving You wasn’t my favorite book by this author, but I did enjoy it for the most part. It was entertaining for sure.

Review: Love Her or Lose Her (Tessa Bailey)

Love Her or Lose Her
Series: Hot & Hammered, #2
Author: Tessa Bailey
Publication Date: January 14, 2019
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippy. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret… and it could demolish everything.

Most romance novels are about the beginning of a relationship. Some are second chance romances where a couple is reuniting after years apart. Very few romance novels are set in the middle of a relationship. That’s exactly where Love Her or Lose Her is set. It’s set amidst the chaos of relationship gone bad.

Rosie and Dom are childhood sweethearts whose relationship has fallen apart. The crumbling of their marriage has happened gradually for Rosie, but is a surprise to Dom. Dom didn’t realize Rosie was unhappy. Rosie is ready to walk away, but Dom is willing to do whatever it takes to save his marriage.

What I loved about Love Her or Lose Her was the journey it took me on. It’s a story about remembering why you fell in love with someone, figuring out where things broke down along the way, and learning from your mistakes. Dom and Rosie were unique characters going through a made up situation, and yet I could see the truth in their story. It was eye-opening at times to see what Rosie and Dom were going through. There was blame, lack of communication, poor communication, actions, lack of actions, frustration, longing, anger…and yet there was a whole lot of love. Once they opened themselves up and communicated (with the help of a therapist) there was learning and understanding. It’s easy to blame others for a situation without examining our part in it. I loved how Tessa Bailey was able to show this within a relationship. The fact that she was able to do that while adding humor to a very serious story was amazing.

While I loved this book, I do have to admit there were a few things that could have been done better. One was that Dom’s nickname for Rosie. He uses honey girl a lot. Honey girl is an awkward nickname. It’s like an odd combination of honey and baby girl or something. It made me cringe every time I read it. The second thing was that Dom’s back story could have been explored more in-depth. He shut down when he came back from war and it felt like that was barely touched on. The last thing was the POC representation. It was weak, to be honest — just mostly food that Rosie cooked and the color of her body. It would have been nice to have more or better representation.

Overall, Love Her or Lose Her was a sweet story about two people on the brink of divorce finding their way back to each other.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Recently Took Off My TBR and Why

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is:

Favorite Bookmarks

Honestly, I don’t have any favorite bookmarks. I’m sure I could search online for some, but that seems like wasting some time. Instead, I’m going with

Ten Books I Recently Took Off My TBR and Why

The first 3 books were on the Huffington Post’s Oh, You Little Heartbreaker! The Ultimate List of Ugly Novels back in 2017. I had planned to read every book on the list. I got through most of them. Recently, I decided that I didn’t need to finish the list. The remaining books were ones that sounded good, but I just didn’t have interest in reading them. Plus, they weren’t available from my library.

1. Fighting Redemption

2. Against All Odds

3. 120 Days…

Number 4 is a book a might decide to go back an read at some time. I think it’s still on my Kindle. I have loved this author’s books that I have read, but I just see myself picking it up anytime soon.

4. Beloved

I’m a fan of Claire Contreras’ books and wanted to read her entire back list. When I looked at reviews for this book/series, I realized that maybe I should stick to her newer releases.

5. The Devil’s Contract

Don’t yell at me too much for this one, friends. I’m not big into historical fiction, so I took this book off my TBR. That doesn’t mean I won’t eventually read it if in the mood. I just didn’t want to feel pressure to read it. I know that Amy Harmon can do no wrong.

6. From Sand and Ash

This is probably considered more of a DNF than a taking off the TBR, but I just couldn’t get into this book no matter how much I love Maggie Stiefvater’s writing. Off the TBR it goes. I do own it, so maybe someday? *Shrugs*

7. All Crooked Saints

I just don’t have a desire to read this one anymore. I’m not sure why.

8. RoomHate

I just decided that I am probably never going to get these books because they’re so long and there are so many of them. I’ve been avoiding them forever, so it was time to give up.

9. Outlander

Another don’t hate me one… I took THUG off my TBR so I wouldn’t feel pressure to read it. I own a physical copy, so I will most likely read it someday. I just felt pressure to read it every time I looked at it and that made me not want to read it. Maybe I’m scared of the hype or something. I feel like I need to love it.

So… are there any of these you think I just HAVE to put back on my TBR? Tell me why!

Review: The Billionaire’s Forbidden Little Sister (Max Monroe)

TBFLS - BT banner

Question: What do you do when you fall for your best friend’s little sister?

More important question: How long can you keep it a secret before it all goes up in flames?

The Billionaire’s Forbidden Little Sister
Authors: Max Monroe
Publication Date: November 7, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Theo Cruz, a New York man known for his family’s billion-dollar empire, Cruz Enterprises, has been indicted this afternoon in the Court of Public Opinion on charges of Bro-Code Conspiracy.

Chief counsel for the prosecution, Caplin Hawkins, spoke candidly about the accusation.

“Once thought of as a best friend to many—including myself—Theo Cruz has officially turned his back on human decency. He’s conniving and dishonest, and a habitual offender of Bro-Code Law 676. He’ll rue the day he forgot that you never—under any circumstances—get involved with your best friend’s little sister.”

Fact: I haven’t actually been arrested or indicted.
More important fact: I inadvertently messed up—big-time.

Two strangers in a foreign country, we said hello.
Hello turned into a kiss.
A kiss turned into a rendezvous.
And a rendezvous turned into more than I’d ever imagined.

But her unruly golden curls and beautiful body hid an important detail—She’s my mouthiest billionaire best friend’s forbidden little sister.

Fact: I knew not of my crimes.
More important fact: I know now, but even though I know I’m playing with fire, there’s no way I’m stopping. I can’t leave her alone.

Question: What do you do when you fall for your best friend’s little sister?
More important question: How long can you keep it a secret before it all goes up in flames?

Max Monroe are at it again! They upped the antics in this book and I totally loved it! Want to know why? Here’s a list for you.

  • It’s another younger sister/older brother’s best friend romance in Max Monroe’s Billionaire world. These NEVER get old! This one was so different from the last one of that trope. I love that it didn’t feel like a carbon copy.
  • This book was on FIRE! from the start. The chemistry between Theo and Lena was palpable.
  • Theo was just the right amount of uptight, while Lena was just the right amount of impulsive. It was a winning combination. I loved these two characters.
  • The Italian setting for the first half of the book made me feel like I was on vacation.
  • Cap. I don’t want to exactly say why, but it has everything to do with protecting his baby sister Lena.
  • Max Monroe are always funny, but this is their funniest book in the series. I couldn’t stop laughing while reading it.
  • Brogan. You need to read this book just to meet Brogan. He’s a big part of the laughing above.
  • The Billionaire Book Club was going strong in this one. I loved those texts and interactions surrounding it. They guys are such an entertaining group!

I could go on and on about all the things I loved about The Billionaire’s Forbidden Sister. It was so much fun to read. It’s my new favorite in this series.

The Billionaire’s Forbidden Little Sister, an all-new brother’s best friend rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe, is available now!

TBFLS - AN

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/33uk2sc
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BillionaireForbidden

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Bu5KeA

TBFLS - Teaser 5 AN

About Max Monroe

A secret duo of romance authors team up under the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Max Monroe to bring you sexy, laugh-out-loud reads.

Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.

Connect with Max Monroe

Website: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/max-monroe
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ReoxkK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormaxmonroe/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaxmonroe/

Stay up to date with Max Monroe by joining their mailing list today: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/newsletter

Review: Lucky Caller (Emma Mills)

Lucky Caller
Author: Emma Mills
Publication Date: January 14, 2019
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

With the warmth, wit, intimate friendships, and heart-melting romance she brings to all her books, Emma Mills crafts a story about believing in yourself, owning your mistakes, and trusting in human connection in Lucky Caller.

When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.

The members of Nina’s haphazardly formed radio team have approximately nothing in common. And to maximize the awkwardness her group includes Jamie, a childhood friend she’d hoped to basically avoid for the rest of her life.

The show is a mess, internet rumors threaten to bring the wrath of two fandoms down on their heads, and to top it all off Nina’s family is on the brink of some major upheaval.

Everything feels like it’s spiraling out of control―but maybe control is overrated?

Lucky Caller is one of those books that I just want to scream, “I loved it! I loved it! I loved it!” and be done with the review. The whole thing was just so darn good and I loved everything about it. I mean, you don’t really need to know anything else right? Don’t worry. I won’t do that to you. Instead, I’m going to give you a list of what makes Lucky Caller so freaking fabulous.

What I loved:

  • Once again, Emma Mills’s writing excelled. She made me fall in love with everything about this book.
  • I loved Nina. I could find pieces of my teenage self in her.
  • Nina’s relationship with her family was perfect. It wasn’t all fun times and feel good moments, but it felt like a true family navigating the changes that come with divorce, remarriage, and sisterhood.
  • If you’ve read an Emma Mills’s novel, you know she excels at writing friendship groups. I’m happy to say she didn’t leave us hanging in this aspect. This time, instead of giving us an already established group of friends, she gave us one that developed over the course of the book. It was cool to see the get to know each other and forge friendships.
  • Jamie was someone from Nina’s past and I loved how he worked into her present. I loved how their friendship proved that even when you have a falling out, you can come back together with a little truth and humility.
  • I loved the glimpses of Nina’s dad’s radio persona.
  • Plus, Jamie made for a sweet love story. A really, really, really, really slow burn love story. The slowness may frustrate some, but I loved it. I felt right for the story AND it made the focus more on Nina and her relationships with the entire cast of characters.
  • The radio show was a great idea! I’ve only read a couple of books with a similar setting and they add such a unique way to tell a story. I loved how it tied into the friendships and family relationships. It was so much fun to read about!
  • The ending was PERFECTION! I loved how everything was all tied up in such a pretty, cool bow. (Blink and you might miss why the book is called Lucky Caller.)

The only things that could have made me love Lucky Caller more (if that’s even possible):

  • Frank Sanger. I know, I know. He’s from a completely different Emma Mills’s book, but everything is better with Frank Sanger. 😉 I would have been down with a cameo. Just saying.
  • I love the cover, but I do miss that it doesn’t look like all of Emma Mills’s other covers. Those stand out so much and are so beautiful. They’re hard to top.

If you love YA contemporaries and you haven’t picked up a book by Emma Mills, you’re missing out. BIG TIME. She’s easily established herself as one of my favorite writers in this genre because her words make me happy. She puts so much heart into her stories. I honestly haven’t met an Emma Mills book I haven’t liked, and I’ve read all of them.

YA Mini Reviews: Eyes on Me & I Know You Remember

Eyes on Me
Author: Rachel Harris
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
Published: Entangled: Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Look up the word “nerd” and you’ll find Lily Bailey’s picture. She’s got one goal: first stop valedictorian, next stop Harvard. Until a stint in the hospital from too much stress lands her in the last place a klutz like her ever expected to be: salsa dance lessons.

Look up the word “popular” and you’ll find Stone Torres’s picture. His life seems perfect—star of the football team, small-town hero, lots of friends. But his family is struggling to make ends meet, so if pitching in at his mom’s dance studio helps, he’ll do it.

When Lily’s dad offers Stone extra cash to volunteer as Lily’s permanent dance partner, he can’t refuse. But with each dip and turn, each moment her hand is in his, his side job starts to feel all too real. Lily shows Stone he’s more than his impressive football stats, and he introduces her to a world outside of studying. But with the lines blurred, can their relationship survive the secret he’s been hiding?

My thoughts:

I have had my eye on Eyes on Me since I read Lenore at Celebrity Reader’s review of it. It just sounded like such a fun and cute read. I am happy to report it totally was! There were so many great things about it. I loved the characters and their story. Lily and Stone were two very different, complex characters. They had issues like anxiety, stress, money problems, and living up to expectations. Despite those tough topics, the story was still able to be light and fun in the way I love YA contemporaries to be. My only little issue with it was that at one point it slowed down a bit for me. No worries, though. It picked right back up for a swoon worthy ending.

I Know You Remember
Author: Jennifer Donaldson
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Jennifer Donaldson is back with another twisted thriller perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Gone Girl.

Zahra Gaines is missing.

After three long years away, Ruthie Hayden arrives in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska to this devastating news. Zahra was Ruthie’s best friend–the only person who ever really understood her–and she vows to do whatever it takes to find her.

Zahra vanished from a party just days before Ruthie’s return, but the more people she talks to, the more she realizes that the Zahra she knew disappeared long before that fateful night. Gone is the whimsical, artistic girl who loved books and knew Ruthie’s every secret. In her place is an athlete, a partier, a girl with secrets of her own. Darker still are the rumors that something happened to Zahra while Ruthie was gone, something that changed her forever…

As Ruthie desperately tries to piece together the truth, she falls deeper and deeper into her friend’s new world, circling closer to a dangerous revelation about what Zahra experienced in the days before her disappearance–one that might be better off buried.

In her stunning follow-up to Lies You Never Told Me, Jennifer Donaldson once again delivers a propulsive thriller with a masterful twist, skillfully creating a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

My thoughts:

I loved Jennifer Donaldson’s début novel, Lies You Never Told Me, so I was super excited to read I Know You Remember. I Know You Remember was a great YA thriller. It was complex in the way that an adult thriller would be with twists, turns, and things to make me question if my ideas were right or wrong. Even the suspicions I had that were right still managed to throw me for a loop. Stuff happened that I wasn’t expecting and it was awesome. Overall, it was a great YA thriller.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Give Off Autumn Vibes

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is:

Books That Give Off Autumn Vibes

These covers scream fall to me.

1. Finding Me
Author: Kelly Gunderman

2. Rock Bottom Girl
Author: Lucy Score

3. On Thin Ice
Author: Julie Cross

4. Wolfhunter River
Author: Rachel Caine

5. The Sweet Gum Tree
Author: Katherine Allred

6. The Ghostwriter
Author: Alessandra Torre

7. Going Long
Author: Ginger Scott

8. Losing the Field
Author: Abbi Glines

9. Hail Mary
Author: Nicola Rendell

10. One Kick
Author: Chelsea Cain

Review: Landon & Shay: Part 1 (Brittainy C. Cherry)

L&S BT banner

You know what they say…

All’s fair in the game of love and war—especially the heartbreaks.

Landon & Shay: Part 1
Series: L&S Duet, #1
Author: Teagan Hunter
Publication Date: October 30, 2019
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Shay Gable hated my guts, and I hated hers, too.

We went out of our way to avoid one another at all times. When she came my direction, I went the other. When we locked eyes, she’d turn and walk away.

All of that changed the day I was presented with a challenge. It started out as a stupid bet: make Shay fall in love with me before I fell in love with her first.

That was an easy bet for me to win.
I didn’t love, I hardly liked.

Yet slowly the game started to shift. Shay made me crave things I never knew I wanted.
Love.
Happiness.
Her.

The closer we grew, the more she challenged my darkness, and the parts I kept locked away.
The hurts.
The pains.
The truth.

The game between us became too real, our feelings intermixed, and the risks of hurting one another grew higher.

But you know what they say…
All’s fair in the game of love and war—especially the heartbreaks.

I wasn’t quite prepared for Landon & Shay: Part 1 for a couple of reasons. The first being what I remember of Landon and Shay’s characters from Eleanor & Grey. I remember Shay being nervous about being around Landon and that they used to hate each other. That’s about it. I wish I would have gone back to that book and skimmed a little bit to have a better grasp before reading this book. (That does not mean you need to read Eleanor & Grey before you read this book. You don’t.) The second reason I wasn’t quite prepared was that this book was solely about their past. I was expecting more a flashback situation like what took place in Eleanor & Grey. That’s not what I got. I’m actually happy about that because Landon & Shay: Part 1 felt like a complete story with an ending that could possibly be the end (Why you would want it to be would be crazy, but to each their own.), but also sets up for the next book. I can see why Cherry felt the need to split this story into two books.

As for the story itself, it was a beautiful enemies to more romance. I would almost classify this book as YA or NA, but I know that the rest of the story to come in Part 2 will be adult contemporary so I won’t. Landon and Shay are high school enemies. They banter in rude comments and dirty looks until one party changes things. The more they get to know each other, the more Landon and Shay realize maybe they don’t hate each other so much. That doesn’t mean their new relationship with each other is easy. Their new connection is constantly threatened by the world around them.

Landon & Shay: Part 1 was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Cherry. She’s one of the few authors who can get me so wrapped up in the emotions of the story. I feel every word she’s written. Landon & Shay: Part 1 was filled with animosity, frustration, anger, sadness, love, and hopefulness. I felt every single on of those emotions. It was also heavy on the angst, but that was just due to the nature of the story and some of those other emotions. If you’re a fan of Cherry’s you’re going to love this book and be grateful the next one comes out soon.

 

Landon & Shay: Part One, an all-new second chance romance by Brittainy C. Cherry, is available now!

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Pre-order the emotional conclusion, Landon and Shay: Part Two, releasing on December 4th!

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L&S 1 - Teaser 3 AN

About Brittainy

Author Brittainy C. Cherry is an Amazon #1 bestselling author. She has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelor Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. Her novels have been published in 18+ countries around the world. Brittainy lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin with her fur babies.

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Review: The Kingmaker (Kennedy Ryan)

The Kingmaker
Series: All the King’s Men Duet, #1
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publication Date: October 28, 2019
Publisher: Scribechick Media, LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧. 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡.

𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗔® 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗲𝘁.

Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition. In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.

My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I’m determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and would do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘐.

The Kingmaker… Wow. Kennedy Ryan has done it again. The blurb pretty much says it all with powerful and passion. The journeys Lennix and Maxim went on… I’m just speechless. Kennedy Ryan is one of the best at mixing social commentary and romance, and she excelled at it in this book. I not only loved reading The Kingmaker, but I felt like I learned something.

What I loved most about The Kingmaker was Lennix. She was strong — so strong. Every part of her story was inspiring and interesting. Maxim was just kind of there when compared to Lennix. I honestly didn’t mind that either. I wanted more of her story than I did his.That’s not to say he wasn’t interesting or important. He was. He just wasn’t quite the force Lennix was.

My only issue with this book is actually in the romance of it. It was a little too insta-lovey for me. The week that tied Lennix and Maxim together wasn’t a long enough time for me to truly believe a lingering connection. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t love them together or how things played out. I just would have liked a little more time to build a lasting connection.

Wait. I lied. That wasn’t my only issue. I’m also angry with Kennedy Ryan for that freaking cliffhanger. It was brutal. One of the most brutal cliffhangers ever and she’s making us wait THREE WEEKS for the next book. At least I’ll have time to recover from everything she put me through in The Kingmaker, I guess.