Review: After the Rain by Mary J. Williams

After the Rain
By: Mary J. Williams
Release Date: February 25, 2016
Series: One Pass Away Book One

Description:
Welcome to the NFL.
The Seattle Knights have the hottest players in the game. On and off the field.

Logan Price is getting a second chance.
Claire Thornton is going to make sure it counts.

Logan Price was living his dream. After years of hard work he finally made it. Starting running back for the Knights.
After only a few games, he was a fan favorite. There were whispers of a rookie of the year award.
It all ended with a devastating injury to his leg that sent him back to Oklahoma. A failed attempt at a comeback sent him into a deep depression.
His life became about two things. Working at his father's bar, and running. One filled his days. The other made getting through the endless nights a little easier.
When an old friend offers Logan a lifeline, he's reluctant to grab hold. He could live without football--barely. But he didn't think he could survive getting his hopes up only to lose it all again.
Claire Thornton's dreams are just as big as Logan's. She left the small town where she was born, to make something of herself. It hasn't been easy. A woman with no money and no connections. Everything she has, she's earned. Helping Logan Price get back to the NFL will prove to her detractors that she can be a trainer. She is determined to make it in a male-dominated world.
The attraction is instantaneous.
The reasons not to get involved too numerous to list.
It only takes one kiss--one touch--for them to realize if they want their dreams to come true they need more than luck. They need each other.

Review:

Football love is upon us in this new book by Mary J. Williams.  I love sports books, even though I don’t personally follow any sports there’s nothing more exciting than someone reaching for their goals.  Sports, uniforms, muscles that’s all just an added bonus! 

We meet Logan who is at his personal low after a bad start in the NFL where he sustained an injury that just wouldn’t heal the way he needed to.  He’s down on his luck just living day to day with no aspirations just knowing his career is over.  That is until his old team mate comes back with a little surprise and help.  This is where we meet Claire an up and coming physical therapist who is ready to work. There is definitely a connection between the two of them, and Claire being as bold as she is says ok let’s make out and get this over with, you know get it out of the way so you won’t be wondering what if the entire time.  Let’s just say they couldn’t get passed their attraction to one another.

Throughout the book the two of them gain more trust with one another and Claire really does help Logan the best way she can in getting him ready for his tryouts for the next season.  Her skills are undeniable and interesting.  But this book isn’t only about their relationship, it’s about struggles, trust and moving forward.  Claire is a very strong minded person and I thoroughly enjoyed her as a characters, she tells it like it is and is very savvy.  Claire is very strong willed, but what she doesn’t do is depend on people and friendships, so it was very nice seeing her finally letting go of the reins and letting Logan in as well as Rhonda, who is just another great side character.

Overall I thought it was a wonderful quick read that made you root for Logan and Claire both in their relationships and their careers.  Some endearing moments throughout the book and some very nice private scenes as well.  It was entertaining and interesting. I can’t wait to see who the next book is about and I’m really hoping it’s about Gaige because I definitely want to learn a little more about him.  Especially his whole paying it forward attitude which is not one most people have.  It’s intriguing to say the least but there has to be reasons behind them as well. Hope we get to find out in the future.

Go pick this book up, it’s worth the read.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Brooks Publications, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Blog Tour: The Natural History of Us by Rachel Harris

Rachel Harris's THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US is already getting swoons from readers everywhere! We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. Known for her sweet romances, Rachel's THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US, is no different! Check out everything we have for you on this amazing title and then go grab your copy today. Justin and Peyton’s story is sure to put a smile on your face and keep you turning pages long into the night!

   

About THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US:

One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who's forever owned his heart.

Justin Carter has a secret. He's not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy...and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she'd ever forgive him.

Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she's done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she'll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.

For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate's given him a shot at redemption, he's determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton...well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.

Order THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US Today!

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Review:

This was a very sweet story about two people who belonged together.  I read the first book of this series and loved it.  Rachel Harris did an amazing job telling this new chapter of this series.  It was sweet seeing their progression of how they were way back when and how they are now was adorable and addicting.  You can see how much they need each other and it was sweet.  They made each other that much stronger when they were together.

We meet both Peyton and Justin who are both stuck doing a project with one another, one where they have to be a married couple with kids.  This of course comes after years of them not speaking to one another after the breakup from their secret relationship.  It’s difficult for them to say the least but Justin is on a mission.  He knew that Peyton was the one for him but he never thought he deserved her. 

The book went back and forth from the past and the present; it also went from one perspective to the other which I really enjoyed.  I’ve always loved seeing everyone’s point of view of the same situation.  Sometimes one person will feel one way and another will feel the other way, so it’s always good seeing how they really feel.  This book was enjoyable, the characters were great and the writing flowed smoothly throughout the entire book. 

 I think it’s great when books introduce me to new things.  I never heard of Peyton’s disease and definitely went back and did my research on it.  It’s always interesting to learn new things and I think that’s the best thing, learning new things are always a plus.  Regardless this book was overall a good quick read that was interesting and kept me intrigued on what was going to happen with all the characters.   I enjoyed the baseball element as well.  Something about sports always make things more interesting for me, just a plus, maybe it’s the whole sport mentality and the uniforms don’t hurt either.

I think the cover is adorable and I would pick it up and see what it was all about but then again when I see who it’s written by I will still pick it up.  I think Rachel Harris is a great author and writes cute stories that will keep you interested, can’t wait for the next one in this series.  It was also cute seeing characters from the first book.  It’s nice when books are consecutive and you can get a glimpse into all the other characters in the series throughout the entire series.    

Excerpt:

“Hold out your hand.” At the expression on his face, I rolled my eyes. “Just do it.” Cautiously, as if I was going to put out a cobra or something, he uncurled his fingers and lifted his palm. I dropped a small silver coin in the center. “For luck.”

Wonder warred with confusion in his gorgeous brown eyes and my heart melted. 

“On this side there’s a horseshoe,” I said, my cheeks warming with a blush. “You know, the universal symbol for luck… and a small reminder of me.”

I bit my lip, hoping he didn’t think that was too corny—or that it revealed too much.

I flipped the coin over, exposing the other side, and my fingers slid across his rough skin. My breath caught. When I lifted my eyes, I found him watching me with so much intensity, so much heat, that an actual shiver rolled through me. Just like in my favorite books.  

Huh. So that was what smoldering looked like. Good to know.

I swallowed hard and noticed him do the same, and nothing could hold back my smile. Justin glanced down and laughed. “Kick some ass!” he read, skimming his fingernail over my initials.

“I figured…” I cleared my throat. “I thought you could hide it in your sock or something,” I said, unable to tell if he liked the gift or not. He just kept staring at it. “If it’s dumb, you don’t have to—”

“No.”

He’d said it so quietly I almost wasn’t sure he’d spoken at all. But then he closed his hand around the coin and raised his head. Time ceased to exist as Justin’s eyes trailed across my face. I held my breath waiting and a sweet smile crossed his face.

“Damn.” He shook his head softly. “You’ve done it now.”

“What?” I asked, hoping whatever it was that it was a good thing. “What did I do?”  

Justin merely shook his head again and smiled. “Wait for me after the game.” Shifting his gaze to the old concession stand, he took a step back and said, “Over there, okay?”

When I nodded, excitement lodging in my throat, making it impossible to speak, he winked and then took off to join his teammates. As I watched his cute butt in those uniform pants run across the field, a giddy grin found my lips.  

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Goodreads

You can order a signed and/or personalized copy of THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US now through April 8^th HERE!

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Review: Wanting More by Jessica Ruddick

Wanting More
By: Jessica Ruddick
Release Date: March 28, 2016
Series: Love on Campus #2

Description:
I can’t stop wanting her…

Bri Welch likes to play it safe. I don’t. She’s wound tight, and I’m all about a good party. But there’s something about her that makes me want to pull those uptight layers away one-by-delicious-one. But the worst thing is she makes me want more…

Links

• Author Website
• Wanting More on Goodreads
• Letting Go (Love on Campus #1)

Review:

This was definitely a book about how much opposites attract to one another.  Jessica Ruddick did a great job of showing how these two characters could be so different from one another but somehow make their union work really well together. 

We meet Brianna who is a young graduate student working as an academic advisor.  She’s very put together and by the book.  That is until she meets Josh.  The troublemaker with no aspirations in life and no set goals yet, her complete opposite.  He’s in a fraternity and loves to party and hang out with no ambition at all.  The two couldn’t be more different from the other, but I think it’s this difference in them that makes them so great together.  They both bring out the best in the other, they make each other better people when they are together.

There are some great friends in this book, which some of the characters are from the first book in the series which I haven’t read yet but I definitely will after reading this one.  They all seemed like really great friends to have and to be by your side when you need them the most.  I also love books about college life, I miss those days, and they were too much fun and less responsibility that now.  Oh the good old days.

This book didn’t only revolve around the relationship of Bri and Josh, it also showed great dynamic and relationships between parents and their kids.  Seeing the interactions between Josh and his dad it was touching and moving and I even had a tear in my eye.  It was sweet and it doesn’t happen overnight but all it takes is for you to start it.  Really endearing moments throughout the book.  I really liked all aspects of this book.  Even the moments when they touched upon abuse, I think though if the author was going to put it in there she probably should have flowed with it a little more or maybe not put it in there as much if that makes sense.  It’s a serious subject that should always be explored if it’s put out there. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book, will have to check out the other books in the series and the first one.  Great read, quick and entertaining.  Love the cover so innocent and makes you want more. 

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: Unexpectedly Yours by Coleen Kwan

Unexpectedly Yours 
By: Coleen Kwan
Release Date: March 14, 2016

Description:

He wasn’t what she was expecting...

Derek Carmichael has harbored a secret crush on his best friend’s older sister for years, but she’s always been out of his reach. Now that Hannah is back in their hometown and newly single, suddenly the five-year age gap doesn’t seem so huge. But convincing her to see him as more than just the kid she used to know is another story.

Hannah Willmett can’t believe how grown-up Derek Carmichael has become. The troubled kid from her youth has turned into a sexy, successful TV celebrity, but Hannah’s wary of his player past and the rampant rumors connecting him to beautiful socialites. Still, she can’t help but give in when their attraction reaches a boiling point.

Trying to keep their fling a secret from her overprotective brother is one thing, but when Hannah finds herself unexpectedly expecting, her life is thrown upside down. She and Derek may be becoming parents together, but that’s no basis for a happily-ever-after.

• Find it on Goodreads

Review:

Aw this book was so sweet and adorable.  I loved the way the writing flowed easily and it was a quick and enjoyable read.  It’s tough when things happen unexpectedly but sometimes really they are just meant to be.  Coleen Kwan kept me interested from the very beginning and has definitely left me wanting more from other characters as well.

We meet Derek who is back in town to take care of his grandfather, one thing leads to another and he runs into his best friend’s sister.  He just so happened to have a major crush on her when they were kids, it’s always adorable to see crushes from young people grow up and turn into something more meaningful.  I mean really how many times have you thought or dreamed about a best friend, or a sibling’s friend, and hoping that it would work out one day.  It’s the curse of being around the same people all your lives, but this book was adorable to no end. 

I enjoyed the fact that this book was not overly explicit but it seemed all very innocent and sweet and realistic really.  I loved the whole best friend aspect of the book, the other characters in the book were also intriguing especially the idea of Caleb (Hannah’s Brother) and Amber (Hannah’s best friend), and how fun would that be! Let’s not forget grouchy grandpa and his aide. Oh romance all around for everyone, I’m down with that.  

Overall I thought this book was great, can’t wait to check out more from this author.  The cover is definitely what got me interested, then reading what the book was about but what kept me interested were the words on the page, the story, the setting, and the characters.  Sometimes you have to remember in life that it’s okay to lean on other people for help, you can’t always do everything yourself and I really think that is a lesson that Hannah learned.  Total adorable story. 

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid

Beauty and the Mustache
By: Penny Reid
Release Date: August 28, 2014
Series: Knitting in the City #4

Description:
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. 

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, reclusive mountain man, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee. 

This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the 'Knitting in the City' series.

Review:

Imagine a world full of beards, that’s what I see when I picture Ashley and all of her brothers, very hot brothers at that.  Penny Reid is a fantastic writer and her series of the Knitting Club just gets more and more interesting each time I read them.  I love that we get a glimpse of all the previous characters and that these women have formed such a strong bond with one another that they are for all intents and purposes one big happy family that just keeps growing from book to book.

This book focused on Ashley, and she may think she is not worth anything really, but to me and everyone around her she is a fantastic person with a great overall ethic.  It’s a really sad reason as to why she has to go home and I will not lie, I had tears in my eyes at some points throughout the book.  But it’s a good thing that she did go home because after being away for so long so much has changed.  She needed to get back in touch with her roots, and many beards. 

Home is where we meet the blond bearded Drew, whose energy she just gravitates to.  It was touch and go between the two of them for a while, but I think after finishing the book that he did these things on purpose and for a reason.  But when the two of them smiled at one another, and he wrote poetry about her, it was magical.  I love the chemistry between characters that Penny Reid seems to create.  It’s not lustful at first sight, no there is a growth there and companionship, but let’s not forget the laughs from Sandra either.   

Drew helped Ashley through a really tough time, the introductions of her brothers were a fabulous addition to this ever growing family and I can’t wait to read more about each of them because they all have such special personalities.  Overall this was another great addition to the series and I can’t wait for more.  And oh how I dreamed of so many beards everywhere, he he. 

Review: Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame

Did I Mention I Need You? 

By: Estelle Maskame

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Series: (The DIMILY Trilogy #2)

Description:

Love has no rules.

It's been a year since Eden Munro last saw Tyler Bruce: her stepbrother...and secret love. Although they swore to ignore their feelings and put their family first, Eden can't help but feel excited when Tyler invites her to join him in New York City for the summer.

But it's not like anything is going to happen. Eden is happy with her boyfriend Dean, and she knows gorgeous, green-eyed Tyler must have moved on as well. But as they spend the long, hot summer in the city that never sleeps, it becomes obvious that those old feelings are still there...simmering beneath the surface. Will Tyler and Eden be able to resist temptation?

Did I Mention I Need You? is book two in Wattpad sensation Estelle Maskame's DIMILY trilogy: three unforgettable summers of secrets, heartbreak and forbidden romance.

Review:

Sometimes there are series where the second and sequential books aren’t as good as the first one. And sometimes there are books like Did I Tell You I Need You that completely blows it out of the park! I didn’t think it could get any better but it absolutely did and there was still so much going on in this book that you couldn’t help but sit there and read the whole book through right away. I really don’t know if I can wait until June to read the last book in this series. 

We are back with Eden and Tyler, but they are trying their hardest to just be siblings. Until Tyler invites Eden to NY for a couple weeks to stay with him during the summer. This is where things begin to be complicated for these two again. It takes a few for them to rekindle what they started in the last book but it’s there and it’s stronger than ever because now it’s been two years and feelings tend to grow even more intense. Their relationship is fascinating and I’m intrigued by the whole scenario, after all they are only forbidden in the sense of technicalities of a piece of paper and nothing more. Sometimes it happens but if you really dig down deep you know what they are doing is not wrong. 

There are new characters introduced in this book, such as Snake and Emily. A strong focus on Dean who was in the first book but only as the nice guy friend that was always around in the background. If you read the ending of the first book you know that he and Eden started dating. It’s sad but it’s true sometimes nice guys really do finish last but it was inevitable because they just didn’t fit there was no passion or intensity it was just comfortable and that’s never a keeper. But we see a new side to Dean in this book, yes I feel bad for him but I’m totally team Eden and Tyler. 

The two of them have an intensity for one another that is magnetizing. I love reading their developing relationship, their struggle to hide this relationship and eventually their fight for the truth to come out. It’s a hard journey these two go through and I don’t want to spoil any more than I have to about this book but again if you thought the first book was good then you will not be disappointed with this one at all. There are a lot of emotions through this book and by the end I can honestly say my eyes were definitely glossy. I love these two but there is always something holding them back, what will it be this time? Ugh to quote the first book “ Me Frustras” but in a good way! 

I really love the cover because it’s attractive to me, makes me wonder what this book is about and I would absolutely pick this up just by the cover alone. Estelle Maskame has me addicted to these two main characters and I can’t wait to find out what happens to them in the final book of this series. But I’m not going to lie I would love to read anything she will write because her words flow so smoothly and the content is different. Oh and I love the thrown in Spanish phrases, just saying!!! We need more of that. 

About the Author:

Estelle Maskame started writing at the age of thirteen and completed the Did I Mention I Love You?  trilogy when she was sixteen. She has built an extensive fan-base for her writing by serializing her work on Wattpad. Fitting book writing between work, Estelle has amassed followers from all over the world. She lives in Scotland. For more visit estellemaskame.com

Social Media Links:

http://books.sourcebooks.com/dimily/

https://twitter.com/EstelleMaskame

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Blog Tour: How Willa Got Her Groove Back By Emily Mckay

How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Series: Creative HeArts #2, companion series

Publication: February 25th, 2016

When your life feels like a bad movie, rewrite the script.

When Willa Schofer's father comes home from a business trip with an über-famous new fiancée, Willa's senior year blows up in paparazzi-fueled flames. Overnight, she has a new house, a new car, and a new soon-to-be stepbrother--the unbelievably hot, unbelievably arrogant, Finn McCain. Thank god he's constantly pushing her buttons, or she might do something irresponsible. Like fall for the jerk.

Just when Willa's decided to avoid him for, oh, ever, Finn lands in the center of her senior project team. Seriously--how hard is it to shake a guy? At least her work on the project snagged the attention of the (second) hottest guy in school. He might only be into her because of her famous stepmom, and he's not quite as exciting as a certain annoying housemate, but at least she's allowed to crush on the guy.

Because crushing on your annoying stepbrother? So not cool.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Entangled

Review:

So far so good, I have enjoyed every Entangled Crush book to come out that I’ve read and this book did not disappoint.  This was an adorably cute quick read that kept me interested throughout the whole book.  There was a lot of drama and angst between the characters and their families.  Very interesting plot as well, even though I may not see it happening, I guess it could if you knew the right people, but still adorable.

We meet Willa who is all pro dad coming home finally from his work project until he comes home with the star of the movie and is about to marry her.  Talk about life turning upside down! Of course as you can imagine there will be drama, after all it’s not every day a movie star as big as Mia comes into your life, now you have to deal with paparazzi, and a new soon to be stepbrother Finn.  But I don’t think that’s the biggest part of this book, I really think it’s more about the relationship between Willa and her father.  They have spent so long being alone together that it’s different when he finally has a chance to move on from the loss of Willa’s mother.  This I think is the more significant story line, its tough moving on from a loss even if it did happen so long ago. 

But let’s not put any less light on Finn, because he is adorable.  He wants to protect everyone and you see a budding romance between the two characters.  Right now it’s more of a crush but oh it can be so much more, and I can’t wait to find out how it progresses.  But the short moments they do have even if they infuriate Willa, they definitely have something there.  I almost feel bad for his mother because she sounds like she is really trying hard with everyone and everything, I do hope it works out for her in the end. 

Overall this was a cute story, but I will say that when I received this book I too did not know it was part of a series.  Will have to research more in the future before I pick up a book, but that’s okay because now it just makes me want to read the second book that much more because I was left wanting more of these two main characters.  Well really all the characters.  It was cute that we did get to see a bit of Sloane in there.  But really I need to know what is going to happen with Willa and Finn, and their parents.  

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About the Author

Emily McKay is a life-long fan of books, pop-culture and anything geeky. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and baking cookies. When she’s not kicking-ass and scooping cookie dough, she’s watching videos from Screen Junkies (her favorite Youtube channel) or Pemberly Digital or Classic Alice. Okay, she has a Youtube problem! She’s seeking help. Really. Though, she may also have a slight problem with procrastination.

When the internet is down and there are no chocolate chips in the house, she does write books – everything from Harlequin romance novels to post-apocalyptic YA. Though her interests may appear broad, the common denominators are swoony heroes and snarky humor.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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