Nicole Andrews Moore's Blog, page 142

Review: Love, Carry my Bags by C. R. Everett

Add to your shelf! * Amazon Buy Link




Blurb:




Camryn Johnson’s world is turned upside down when long lost love, Reese Dahlgren, re-enters her life at a pivotal point in her already challenging marriage. She faces an excruciating predicament: choose between a broken home for her daughter or a broken life for herself. 

After her parents' divorce, Camryn first meets high school basketball star, Reese, at the Harvard Milk Day Festival bed races. Reese hides baggage of his own…until Camryn melts his heart and learns secrets entrusted only to her. Still, the weight is too much to bear. Unable to cope, Reese unwittingly backs Camryn into a corner during his air force enlistment—love him from afar, or leave him.

Enter aerospace engineering student, Glenn Conroy. Persistent and savvy, he woos Camryn during her junior year of college and wins her heart. Or does he? When Reese re-enters her life, further disrupting her tenuous marriage, Camryn turns to best friend, Megan, for advice, but refuses to believe Megan’s suggestion that she’s caught in a “simple” love triangle.

Camryn unveils hidden mysteries and secrets as she embarks on a life-changing journey of revelation and forgiveness, transcending doormat qualities inherited from her mother, and in the process finds what life's struggles are really all about.

C.R. Everett's heart-wrenching debut novel takes the reader on an emotion-packed journey that lingers long after the last page is turned.




Jennifer says:






















This book revolves around a girl and her journey through her
adult life and the loves of her life, the one that got away and the one she
married.  I thought the author did a
great job of putting a lot of content into a 492 page book.  The book starts with Camryn in high school
and the author turns back the clock to the 1980s.  I loved it because I grew up in the 80’s and
remember what life was like before cell phones, text messages, internet, and
email.  She is the daughter of a divorced
parents, her father being a preacher and her mother being a devote
Christian.  Camyrn is the good girl type;
she doesn’t smoke, drink, or party.  They
live in a small town where the big thing to look forward to is Milk Days
festival!  So yes a big dairy town.  She has a small circle of friends, one being
Reece.  Her and Reece become close
friends over the years and eventually decide to be boyfriend and
girlfriend.  She decides to become an
exchange student as spend a year in Australia where she meets her lifelong
friend Megan her was from Canada. 
Throughout the book, the writer takes us back to letter writing and how
it was so exciting to receive an actual hand written letter from your loved
ones.  This part especially since she is
away from everyone. When she returns home, she falls back into place with
Reece. He also is dealing with his home battles at home.  His parents also divorce and his dad is
always comparing him to his older brother. 
He decides though when Camryn is a way that he is going to join the
military so they only have a short time together before he leaves.  They decide to stay committed as they have
spent time apart and have made it work. 
As time goes by the letters get fewer and fewer but Camryn decides to
hold on to their love. 




Next enter the college years…  Camyrn is finally out on her own and on the
first day of moving into her apartment she meets her next door neighbor, the
outgoing and handsome Glenn.  Camyrn is
shy and keeps to herself but Glenn is persistently asking her to come over for
dinner and spend time together.  Camyrn
is still very committed to Reece but has not heard from him in months so she
decides he has moved on and sends a letter to him stating she has moved
on.  She decides then decides to give
Glenn a chance.  I have a little issue with
Glenn. He doesn’t treat her the best, I almost felt like she is settling.  She doesn’t get out much, she goes to school,
goes to work and that’s all her life. 
Glenn is her neighbor so I feel like this was a relationship that was
out of convenience and not love.  Before
you know it, they are done with college and Glenn proposes to Camyrn and they
marry.




The married years… 
This was the most difficult of the book to read and I feel the best
written.  Camyrn is so miserable in her
life and starts to regret marrying Glenn. With his job they move around a lot
and she never settles in anywhere.  When
she finally becomes happy, his job transfers him again.  Just when she thinks she is going to file for
divorce she changes her mind and ends up getting pregnant. Being a mother is
the bright spot in her life.  She is
still in contact with her friend Megan and then out of the blue she receives an
email from Reece.  It’s been years since
they had any contact and correspond by email a couple of times.  Years continue to go by with the ins and out
of life.  Then one day everything
changes.  Glenn finds out something that
changes their lives forever…  You will
have to read the book to find out!  I
don’t want to give any spoilers to the ending!



They
say never judge a book by the cover and I would say that holds true to this
story I didn’t think the cover fit the book! 
But I thought this is a wonderful touching story about a women’s journey
in life and the battle of finding her happiness. I would highly recommend this
book to anyone!  Especially those who
were an 80’s child…  I loved reading
Camyrn’s journey.  I give this book 4 out
of 5 stars.














Author Links




Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Website




Bio:




C.R. Everett was born in Northern Illinois and has lived in various places over the years, currently residing in Utah. For twenty years she worked in finance, but today devotes her time to writing. She lives with her husband, two kids, Shiba Inu, and cat. When not writing, she updates her website, connects with her readers, does the mom thing, or cleans up after unruly pets. In her free time she enjoys reading, usually at the gym while on a treadmill, baking, taking walks, enjoying nature, and going to Starbucks. Mocha is her favorite.

Cover Reveal: Sin at Sea by Emma Nichols

Add to your shelf!




Blurb:




When Alysin decided to surprise her boyfriend at work with dinner, the surprise was on her. Since he was going at it with his secretary on the conference table, she packed a bag and called her BFF. Jolie and Alysin had been traveling the country, working as digital nomads for ten years ever since graduation. Taking this as a sign it was time for a new move, they decided to take a cruise, regroup, and make a plan.

Then she meets Mr. Bedroom Eyes. Following her lead, they pretend to be married so that she can rid herself of the guy who started hitting on her before the boat left the dock. Though it was supposed to be a momentary arrangement, he asks her to take it one step farther. Then another and another. The cruise promises to be memorable in every way that matters. 

Along the way, Alysin learns that she won't have to fake an orgasm if she's with someone who knows what to do, that not all men suck, but the best ones suck really well, and that sometimes what starts out as something pretend, can fast become something completely real. Will the woman who lives life with no regrets, regret that she made that stupid rule about not exchanging names and contact info?




Excerpt:






















All over the ship, the party atmosphere had taken hold.  The cruise was predominantly made up of
adults, thank god.  Nothing will ruin a
good time faster than a crying baby or whiny toddler.  Shoot, throw in a child with a full-blown
temper tantrum and I want to put a loaded gun in my mouth.  I seem to have managed to escape any hint of
maternal instincts.  I have yet to
experience a biological clock scare.  I’m
probably more likely to encounter biological warfare on American soil than
suffer from that ailment.  Who
knows?  Maybe I’ll feel differently in
five or ten years.  At the same time, I
seriously hope not.




The aromas of the buffet on the lido deck hit me the minute
I exited the elevator.  Then I remembered
that if I planned to enjoy the buffets and maintain my slim size six figure then
I would need to start taking the stairs. 
I frowned.  Maybe I should take
the mid-morning Pilates class that seemed to be offered daily, or walk the
track.  I chuckled.  I don’t own a pair of sneakers.  Pilates it would be.




After loading a plate with salad, fruit, potato salad, and
some nice southern fried chicken, I found a table by the windows that was
vacant.  Setting the plate down on the
granite, I started to pull out my chair when a man came out of nowhere and did it
for me.  He wasn’t in uniform.  This wasn’t a crewmember being helpful.  Nope. 
I had already attracted a new douche. 
How the hell did they always seem to find me?  If this was any indication as to how the rest
of the week was going to go, it was going to feel like a year.  I’m not the kind to hibernate in the cabin to
avoid problems.  I find a way to make
them go away.




This time would be no different.  After he helped me push in the seat, I
spoke.  “Thank you.”  Then I focused on my food and started eating
my salad.  Sometimes, I just can’t get
enough roughage. 




“You are welcome, gorgeous.” 
He smiled at me, a smile that clearly cost him more than most people
make in six months.  “So, do you have a
name?”




I was chewing and didn’t rush that part to answer him.  It would be good for him to wait.  He needed to be as uncomfortable as he was
making me feel…or would have been making me feel if I wasn’t already worn out
on men at the moment.  Leisurely, I
swallowed.




“Yes.”  Then I loaded
my fork with another bite and kept on eating.




Clearly, I had flustered him…not enough for him to leave me
alone, mind you, but his soft underbelly was beginning to show.  It was all squishy and pink.  He laughed it off.  “What is it?” 
He asked in what was probably his most seductive tone.




“You already guessed it. 
Gorgeous.  It’s right there on my
birth certificate.  Imagine how that
could have gone had I not lived up to the hype.”  I looked at him evenly, not even cracking a
smile.




Would you believe he just kept talking, like we were old
friends or soon to be bedroom buddies?  That guy couldn’t have pried his way into my room with a crow bar.  Nope.  My
vagina was closed to him for sure.  








Author Links:




Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads 

Cover Reveal: Beside Your Heart by Mary Whitney

Add to your shelf!





















Synopsis:




Late one night Nicki Johnson plays with emotional
fire and Googles her high school love, only to find his name splashed across
the British gossip columns. Back in his native England, Adam Kincaid is
successful and dating a woman from an aristocratic family like his own. With a
career in politics, Nicki’s no slouch, but she knows Adam is living a world
away from her life. Yet there was a time he was no farther than the next
locker. Nicki will never forget their year together in high school—the year of
her sister’s death, the year her mother checked out. Adam helped Nicki through
suffocating grief, and she led him through a coming of age. Was it just high
school, or was it something more?







Beside Your Heart
Excerpt:




“No British literature. Isn’t this supposed to be
an English class?” Adam asked.

“Uh.” My ancestors would’ve been proud of the
jolt of American patriotism that hit me. 
“There was a revolution two hundred years ago. We write our own books
now.”

He leaned back in his seat with a smile. “I think
I heard about that.”

“We still share the same language.”

“Sometimes I’m not too sure.”

“I bet not.” I could imagine what he thought of a
Texas accent.

 He picked
up the list of books again. “What about
Catcher in the Rye?”

“I read it a long time ago when I was, like,
eleven.” I laughed a little as I remembered how I’d first come to read it.

“Is there something funny about that?”

“Yeah. My father had suggested I read it then.
The book is the classic coming-of-age story. Clearly, he wasn’t really thinking
about whether or not it was appropriate for an eleven-year-old.”

“Really? Why?”

“Well, for one thing, the main character is a guy
who swears a lot.”

“I suppose I swear a lot.” He cracked a sly
smile. “At least compared to you Yankees.”

“Yankees? You’re in the South.” I laughed.

“What else is inappropriate about the book? Now
I’m interested. It can’t only be a few swear words.”

“No, it’s not just that. It’s…” I hesitated for a
moment as I realized I was about to bring up the topic of sex with Adam
Kincaid. What the hell, I thought. I
should be matter-of-fact about it. He had a girlfriend and would never want
anything with me. I could hide I thought he was hot, so I shrugged. “Holden,
the main character…he’s a little sexually frustrated.”

His eyes twinkled, and it felt as if my words
hung in the air. I wanted to squirm in my seat. ‘Sexually frustrated’—like me checking out Adam Kincaid.

His proper upbringing showed again as he
sidestepped the issue, yet he smirked. “That sounds like an adventurous book to
be on an American high school syllabus.”

“Like I said—it’s considered an American
classic.” I laughed. “I guess some things are sacred.”

“But of course.” The gleam appeared in his eye
again, and he turned toward me in his seat. “Teenage sexual frustration is sort
of a rite of passage, if you will.”

There went the good-English-boy manners out the
window. His tone, the look in his eye, his body language—was he flirting with
or taunting me? I decided the former was impossible, and if the latter, I
wasn’t going to back down. With two parents who were lawyers, debate was a
family routine.

“A rite of passage? More like a biological fact,
isn’t it?” I asked, casually clicking my pen. I raised a brow. “Especially for
guys.”

“You’re right about that,” he said with a grin.

His eyes shifted downward, and I could feel him
give me a once-over. I wondered what he thought. I was no Meredith, but I had
enough self-confidence to know I wasn’t butt-ugly either—even with my scars. I
couldn’t tell, but he’d distracted me so much, I jumped when I heard Mrs.
Anderson ask, “Your name, dear?”






Author Links:




Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Goodreads







Author Bio:





















Even before
she graduated from law school, Mary knew she wasn't cut out to be a real
lawyer. Drawn to politics, she's spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist,
and nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political
scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two
together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of
Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters
and real lawyer husband.

***Special Announcement from S.L. Jennings***

So more good news…and bad news.


Before I dive in with it, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone for supporting THE DARK LIGHT SERIES, as well as my new standalone, FEAR OF FALLING (7/18). You all are seriously so amazing & I am grateful ...for every one of you.


Ok… let’s get to the Bad News: LIGHT SHADOWS will not be released in the fall. It is being pushed back until the end of 2013/early 2014. No definite date yet. Wait, wait…before you print out my pic to use as a dartboard, there’s a reason for this! A really, really good one, too! LS will be the end of the DLS. And I want to end it on the best note possible. Which brings us to the good news…





NIKOLAI (the Dark Light novella about Dorian’s little bro) will be released in the fall instead! It will be the story of how Niko came to be…well, a cocky yet loveable little bastard. I’m really excited about it, so excited that I’ve got a snippet for you all! Enjoy!

Make sure you add NIKOLAI to your Goodreads TBR here:


www.goodreads.com/book/show/17916113-nikolai

Review: This Too Shall Pass by Jettie Woodruff

Blurb:




Alexis McKinley had all that she needed. She had a very successful business, family and friends who adored her and a farmhouse that she had been restoring for several years. She lived alone with her four legged best friend and was happy and content in her life. Who knew that one man could disrupt her safe haven with so much love, and turn her world upside down in such short time. Adult content and some language.




Becky S. says:






















Growing up in a large metropolitan area, I crave books that
about small towns. This book did not disappoint in that department.   Lexi grew up and lives in a small town.  She is a very successful photographer and is
happy living in her old beat up farm home she is fixing up and spending time
with her dog.  Lexi has pretty much sworn
off love after a teenage love affair gone wrong.




In comes Dr. Corey Baker. 
He is the new doctor in the area running with a secret of his own. Corey
is a successful doctor that has chosen to move from the big city to this small
little town.  Lexi knows he is hiding
something since he is always whispering into his phone and has to be home by
7pm, but it does not defer her from letting him in and giving him a chance at
her heart.




I liked reading and getting to know these two characters and
the others in this book.  While they were
not very in depth, you were able to get a feeling of why they did some of the
things that they did. I loved the relationship that Lexi had with her family
and how easily it was for her to fit new people and situations into her
life.  I am not saying that either
character is perfect.  Each one had the
right amount of imperfection to them that made them likable.




I did like this book. 
It was one of those books that made you laugh, but then the next second
you were wondering “Where the heck did that come from”. There were times that
it was a little slow and I wished that some of chapter endings were not as
abrupt as they were, but all in all it was a great light book.  It was not too angsty, but at the same time
it was not so sappy that it made you sick to your stomach from the sweetness.
One of the best things about this book was that I don’t have to wait for a
sequel, it was all resolved by the end of the book!






Amazon Buy Link









Author Links:




Facebook * Website * Goodreads




Bio:



My name is Jettie and I live outside of a small town in Ohio. I manage a mattress store by day, and write..shhh... My favorite past time in the whole world is writing. I can get more lost in my own writing than when I read an awesome good book from someone else. I do tend to get a little wordy, and can get a little lost. I find myself having to rush the story without rushing the story when I realize I am over three hundred pages into a book. I had a goal when I started my first romance novel. I wanted to do a series, a dark erotica, which I am working on now, and may be a little out of my comfort zone. I have a young adult romance in my head now that is dying to get out of my brain and onto my laptop. I keep a notebook with me at all times, I am constantly writing in my head, and have to get it out or I will go bonkers, even during the night.

Cover Reveal: Into the Deep by Samantha Young

[image error]




 Into the Deep by Samantha Young

Release date August 20, 2013






Live young. Live hard. Love deep.




Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.




Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him.




As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another.




And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…










About the Author

[image error]




Samantha Young is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestselling novel ON DUBLIN STREET. For more info on Samantha's adult fiction visit http://www.ondublinstreet.com

Review: Ties That Bond by Merilyn Dignum

Add to Goodreads




Blurb:




At a very early age Mia developed abilities that allow her to channel her emotions through touch. These abilities have helped her survive on the streets where she has been on the run and living off the grid since she was twelve. Her sister who is still living with an Aunt is the only contact she maintains with what she calls ‘normal life’. Their lives are polar opposites.

At seventeen Mia stumbles on a small group who survive underground by doing jobs for ‘clients’ from all walks of life. She now finally feels like she belongs somewhere. Life finally looks good. That is until the group takes in a new member and trouble arrives soon after.




Leary says:






















An amazing first book for this new author. I am not going to go
into much detail about the story since I don’t want to spoil anything. If you
know me, you know that I love a good paranormal romance story. Ties That Bond
was a little different than the normal paranormal stories; vampires,
werewolves, angels, aliens, etc. The story is about a young girl, Mia, who at
the age of twelve was put into the system because her Aunt couldn’t control her
but kept her ‘normal’ sister. Mia developed abilities at a young age that
through her touch she could inflict her emotions onto others. Throughout the
years of going in and out of foster homes Mia found herself in bad situations
with the foster families and had to use her abilities to get out. At seventeen
Mia found her saving grace in a group of men that live underground that have
decided to welcome her into their family.




What I loved in this book is the dynamic in this group. Each
member has different reasons for living off the grid and they all have
different talents, although none are like Mia, that they contribute to the team
in order to complete jobs for their various clients. Throughout the story you
are able to see how they have all formed a strong bond and would do anything to
help protect each other.




As I said, I really enjoy paranormal romances and there is some
romance in the book but it is not the main focus of the story. I loved the
little glimpses that we got of the relationship that was building. We are able
to see the bond that is forming between the two and how devoted they are
quickly becoming to each other. This was a great debut story. I thought the
plot was well thought out and it was certainly different than any of the other
paranormal stories that I have read. I highly recommend this book to anyone
that enjoys paranormal stories especially ones outside of the typical
vampire/werewolf realm.




I can’t wait to see what is next from this author!









Author Links:




Facebook * Goodreads * Amazon Buy Link




Bio:






The 'Ties That Bond" was great fun to write with characters that jumped from the page demanding attention. It seems they are not finished with me yet and I have to admit I've grown very attached to them. I am now concentrating on a new story, a second 'Ties' book.

I live in South Australia with my husband and 2 Great Danes.

Cover Reveal and Video Trailer: Fading by E.K. Blair

Stories and Swag is so excited to be able to reveal to you the cover and video trailer of Fading by E.K. Blair.  One of the our reviewers is a beta reader for this book and we have heard some amazing things about this book!  You do not want to miss this one!  Make sure you check out the video and add to your TBR on Goodreads. 







Fading by E.K.Blair from Novel Idea Inc. on Vimeo.




SYNOPSIS




Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing?

Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.

The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.

At what point do secrets become lies?




Genre:  Contemporary, coming of age




Release Date - June 21, 2013




Goddreads -  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17304237-fading

  

Facebook Author page - https://www.facebook.com/EKBlairAuthor








[image error]









[image error]








 

Reviews: Pieces of You and Relentless by Cassia Leo

Relentless Blurb:



Claire Nixon is a twenty-year-old college dropout with a secret.

To Claire, Adam Parker is just another flirty customer at the cafe, until a chance encounter and seemingly innocent comment spurs a bet between them. The bet is simple: If Adam can get Claire to reveal the secret that made her drop out of college, she has to re-enroll. If he doesn't succeed, she gets to keep her secret and he has to stop stalking her at the cafe.

Claire thinks she has this one in the bag. She's perfected the art of forgetting her past. But she isn't prepared for Adam's relentless pursuit or for him to share his own secrets. And she's definitely not prepared for her rockstar ex and her secret to come banging down her door one year later. 

New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, not intended for readers under the age of 18.



Julie's Review:























This is a wonderfully written
story about losing love and finding it again. 
Claire Nixon has fled from her home in Raleigh NC to Wrightsville Beach.
She has left her past and secrets behind to start a new life.




She survived being tossed
from one foster home to another after the death of her mother.  In her 9th foster home, at age 15,
she meets Chris Knight, and his mom, Jackie. 
She is scared and is unable to trust, and then Chris and she became the
best of friends, wanting more in the process.

They soon find out they are
meant to be together.  As Chris’ career
as a musician soars, Claire does the one thing she feels she needs to do.




After moving to Wrightsville
Beach, and working in a café, she meets Adam Parker.  Then, fate throws them together again, as he
literally runs into her in the street. 
This, in turn, brings feelings out in Claire she thought she had put behind
her.  Soon, she finds out that Adam is
not only a customer in the café, but also her upstairs neighbor who recently
moved in.




Adam is the all American
dream.  He has a great sense of humor,
even though some of it can be a little corny at times with his knock-knock
jokes. He is strong and caring, even helping Claire take care of Cora, their
landlord. He loves to surf and, boy is he hot! 
But, soon, you find out, he has his secrets too.




They start spending more time
together finding out they have more in common than they think. He finds himself
falling for Claire telling her: 




“I want to leave you dazed
and confused with nothing but my name on your lips.”  Whew!!




After being together and
going out with friends, she finds herself face to face with Chris again, who
soon finds out why Claire left.  Knowing
Claire is confused, Adam tells her that “she has his whole heart, so please be
gentle with it”.




Claire knows she must decide
if she wants to continue with Adam and move forward or try and begin anew with
Chris.  She decides to return to college
and Adam begins his surfing competitions again. 





You can feel the pull she has
with Chris but also the undeniable love she has for Adam. You find out their
secrets and will they be able to help each other heal in order to move on?  Only time will tell.







This is one of the most
touching stories and it is a true love triangle.  Cassia does a wonderful job in expressing
their emotions, making you laugh, and leaving you wanting more.  I would give this a 5 star rating, and
encourage you to keep reading more of their story in Book 2:  Pieces of You.









Pieces of You Blurb:







In Relentless, college student Claire Nixon and surfer Adam Parker each had a painful past too heavy to carry alone. Claire tried to push Adam away, but Adam's relentless pursuit of her heart and her secrets made her walls come crumbling down.

Though their hearts will never be whole again, Claire and Adam now know they are stronger together than they are apart.

But now Claire's attending college a hundred miles away from Adam. With their relationship already hanging by a thread, Adam is sent to Hawaii on business.

And rock star Chris Knight is back in Claire's life.

Chris wants his ex-girlfriend back and he knows just how to get her: only he has the power to mend the final missing piece of Claire's broken heart. Now Claire must choose between a long-distance relationship with Adam and a second chance at love, family, and home.




Julie's Review:















This is the second book in
the Shattered Hearts series.  It picks up
right where Relentless, Book One, left off. 
I really enjoyed this book and Cassia really impressed me by having
Chris’, Claire’s, and Adam’s point of views.




Pieces of You begins with
Adam in Florida at a surfing competition while Claire is at The University of
North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Then, Adam is forced by his father, through
blackmail, to go to Hawaii for business. 
He feels the strain on their relationship knowing he is so far away and
that Claire is getting closer with Chris.




Claire tries to reassure Adam
by telling him:  “I was drowning when I
met you.  I was barely breathing until
you saved me.”  His jealousy rears its
ugly head and his anger issues seem to resurface. 




At the same time, knowing
Adam is away, Chris keeps trying to pull Claire back to him.  He says: 
“I need you Claire.  And I know
you need me too.”  Their attraction is
undeniable but will they succumb to it? 
If only I could tell you.  Their
connection deepens as they try and face their past together.




While in Hawaii, Adam is
confronted by his past and learns how his future can be affected.  He also meets Sam, a beautiful coworker, who
enjoys surfing as well.  You can feel him
struggling with what he needs to do, and whether he wants to return to his old
ways or continue to move forward with Claire.




The triangle deepens as
Chris, Claire, and Adam are forced to deal with their emotions and find out
what directions each of them need to take.




As Claire is pulled by Chris
saying: “You’re my everything.” And “You’re my missing piece.”  Adam has already told her “You wreck me”. 




I have never been more pulled
in by the feelings of Claire, Adam, and Chris. 
With Claire and Chris, I feel the connection they have of being each
other’s first love.  Then, with Claire
and Adam, I feel the new Claire and the excitement of starting over that she
has with Adam.




I didn’t think the story
could get any better than this but Cassia delivers a great story again.  I also give this a 5 star rating.  Cassia has become one of my favorite authors
and I look forward to getting more of this story.




Be prepared for Book Three, Bring
Me Home, coming out by the end of the summer. 
I can hardly wait to read more!!!! 
Thanks, Cassia!!  You haven’t
disappointed me yet!!!




Watch for Book Three, Bring Me Home

Add to your shelf!









Author Links:




Amazon * Facebook * Goodreads




Author Bio:




USA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she's not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she's not watching reruns, she's usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading--sometimes both.

Review: The Do Over by A. L. Zaun

Blurb:




Life doesn’t look like it’s supposed to for Dani Ruiz, a hopeless romantic. After a painful and sudden break-up with Rick Marin, Dani hides away from reality, retreating to a world of fiction where she prefers book boyfriends over the hassles of a relationship.


Almost two years later, Dani’s friends are tired of watching her in a holding pattern, so they stage an intervention, forcing her back into the real world of dating.



Unexpectedly, Dani meets Liam Lucas, a down-to-earth firefighter. He might be the person to show her she’s still worth something. Dani’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man, but their instant and electric chemistry is something she can’t deny.



As Dani starts to believe that she’s found her real-life book boyfriend, Rick decides that he’ll go to any lengths to get her back. Seeing Rick as a changed man makes Dani question everything. 



Can Dani trust her patched-up heart with Liam? 

Or has Rick transformed into the man she’s always wanted? 



Told from various points of views, The Do Over is a story of second chances and new beginnings.



Leary's review:























What a
fantastic book! I was able to connect to each of the characters immediately and
felt myself relating to each of them, no matter if I hated what the character
was doing during the story I was able to understand their motives and relate to
them. The story has some extremely hot, and when I say hot, I mean HOTTTT
scenes as well as some heart wrenching scenes. I knew what was coming
throughout the story but it didn’t make it hurt any less.




What is
unique about this book is that we get three different POVs. We have Dani, a
young woman who finds herself drawn to commitment phobia men after her father
left her mother when she was a young girl. She is convinced that all of the
these men can change and will be her prince. Rick, an arrogant jackass who broke
Dani’s heart. Last but not least, Liam Lucas, a hot firefighter who knows
exactly what he wants and what he wants is Dani, forever.




We start
off with Dani and Rick in an extremely passionate relationship. I could feel
the scorching sexual connection that these two share with one another. 




“I knew I’d been kissing a frog for the past
year, but I had faith he’d turn into a prince”




After a
year of being together and 6 months of living together, Rick has decided that
their relationship isn’t working for him.




“After all, you never know when something
better might come along”




To say
Rick is an arrogant dickhead is the understatement of the year! Dani was
extremely heartbroken, I felt the hurt and anger right along with her.




“You’ll look back on this day with regret, I
promise you. I was the best thing that ever happened to you”




Two
years later, we find Dani has shut herself off from relationships with men and
has completely immersed herself in her Kindles (yes...plural, she has
multiple!) and prefers her relationships with her book boyfriends. I could
totally relate to Dani in this scenario. When your heart and trust have been
broken you seek comfort from something steady and stable.




“I felt safer with an imaginary boyfriend
than actually opening myself up to a real one”




Dani’s
friends, Candace and Macy, are fed up with her love affair with her books and
stage a kindlevention at their weekly Saturday brunch. The kindlevention does
not go well for Dani and she finds herself agreeing to a girls night out at a
night club. Before she can finish her book and get ready for the night out Dani
must attend a CPR training class for work. When she gets to the classroom, she
convinces herself that she will finish just one more chapter and then she will
pay attention. Like we can ever stop at just one more chapter!!




Dani is
so captivated by the angst filled story, she barely realizes that the class has
begun and the instructor is not an old man but hot young firefighter.




“My peripheral vision was correct; he was tall,
lean and yes, muscular, and so not the old dude”




Throughout
the training, many looks are shared between the two and when Liam requests for
Dani to get some hands on training in front of the class I could feel the
extreme attraction between both of them.




“I didn’t know what possessed me. I was drawn
to her.”




At the
end of the class Dani stays to help clean up the equipment and they share some
flirtatious banter but Dani sneaks out before phone numbers are exchanged. Dani
thought she would never see Liam again but was excited that she was able to
feel an attraction to someone and was finally feeling ready to move on from
Rick. Later that night out at the club with Candace and Macy, Dani and Liam run
into each other. Liam wasn’t going to let Dani get away this time.




“I meant it when I told you I wasn’t going to
let you get away”




Oh boy
does Liam have a way with words!! Liam would say the sweetest things to Dani
and showed her that he truly cared. After the night at the club, Liam and Dani
find themselves in a fast developing relationship and falling hard for each
other. Dani felt like she finally found someone that could handle all of her
insecurities and little quirks and would love her because of them.




Little
did Dani know, Rick was at the club the night that she ran into Liam. Dani’s
words came back to haunt him that night, finding himself regretting ever
letting her go.




“I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was
beautiful. There was something different about her though. It was her smile,
and I wanted it for me. I had to talk to her. I couldn’t stay away.”




Rick
devises a plan to get Dani back and recruits a new found friend, Maddy. I loved
the conversations between Maddy and Rick. Maddy is a spit fire girl who tells
Rick when he is being an arrogant jackass and won’t take any of his crap!




While
finding herself falling for Liam, Dani begins to have coincidental run-ins with
Rick but are these run-ins actually a coincidence? Is Rick really becoming the
person that Dani always thought he could be? Is her old frog finally turning
into her prince?!




Will
Dani give Rick a Do Over and leave behind her new man?




Leary's cast for The Do Over:









My Rick








My Dani








My Liam









Jennifer says...




I was very fortunate to beta read this book and fell in love with it from the beginning. The book starts off with Dani and Rick in a romance that is full of passion from the beginning. When Rick decides he doesn’t want a relationship anymore, Dani is devastated and gives up on finding the right man. When fate puts Dani and fire fighter Liam together in a CPR class they have an instant attraction. When Liam fails to make his move they again meet up at another chance meeting. Liam it’s going to let her go twice. Rick on the other hand decides he messed up big with Dani and will do anything to win her back. He recruits the spitfire man eater Maddy to help him. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Rick and Maddy. She doesn’t put up with Rick’s crap and tell him exactly how things need to be if he is going to win Dani back. I sooo loved Dani’s character! She is a fellow bookworm and loves her romance books, especially Professor Emerson! Go team Kindle as she would say! Liam has a heart of gold and treats Dani like the queens she is but will Rick’s plan to win her back get in the way of Liam and Dani’s HEA??? This book has it all, laughter, great chemistry between characters, romance, a wonderful supporting cast of friends, and hello a fire fighter! This is an AMAZING book for A.L Zaun’s first published work! Love it big time! 






Author Links:




Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter




Author Bio:




A.L. Zaun graduated from Florida International University with a degree in English Literature a long time ago. A degree she didn’t use at all in her professional endeavors. She loves to read, write and take pictures. She walks around with her camera, and most importantly she has her e-reader available at all times. Healthcare Management by day, Mommy in the evening and most nights, you can find her sitting in front of her laptop with a bottle of Diet Pepsi, bringing the voices in her head to life on the pages of her debut novel, The Do Over.