Title:   Escaping Me

Author:   Elizabeth Lee

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

All she wanted to do was forget. Forget the memory of walking in on her boyfriend in the middle of, well, another girl. Forget how she had her entire life planned out. And, forget about being perfect all the time. Unfortunately, she was Whitney Vandaveer and despite the fact that she moved to the middle of nowhere – she couldn’t.

He always knew he would never be more than nothing. No job, no money, no future. Cole Pritchett had accepted the fact that he would always be the screw up and he was okay with it. Until he met her.

Here’s the thing they quickly found out – sometimes we all need a little help escaping who we think we are.

 Check out an interview Brooke did with Elizabeth and a Love Note from Cole to Whitney – plus keep reading for an excerpt & Brooke’s Review!

I hold my head back and walk toward the delivery truck. Cole’s eyes are down on the clipboard he is holding in his hands as he double-checks what he has to take off the truck.

“You’re a little late to take me up on the drink offer,” I tease as I cross the gravel drive toward him, shuffling my flip-flops against the rocks. I am hoping that maybe he is a morning person and will be in a better mood than the last time I saw him. No such luck. He looks up at me quickly, adjusting the bill of his hat to shade his face, and then back down at his clipboard. Not even the hint of a grin on his lips. Wow. His expression is as cold as it was last night when he walked away from me. He shakes his head, albeit subtly, but to me it is like a flashing neon sign that says, “Go away.”

He sets the clipboard down on the hood of the truck, his eyes never once drifting back to mine. Instead, he turns his back and walks behind the truck. He lowers the gate and pulls the pallet lift, loaded up with whatever it was my mom ordered. As he lowers the lift to the ground, he keeps his focus on what he is doing. It is painfully obvious that he is avoiding looking at me. Maybe I should have looked in the mirror again? I thought my fitted pink t-shirt and black cotton shorts were cute pajamas. Maybe I was wrong. Do I look that horrible this morning?

“Just put it outside the barn doors over there,” I say between clenched teeth. Who the hell does this guy think he is? Never in my life have I been so callously ignored. I glance over my shoulder at my mother and Mallory, who are still watching from the kitchen window. I roll my eyes at them and turn back to see if Mr. Personality has finished what he came here to do. As infuriating as this situation is becoming, I can’t help but notice how fantastic his ass looks in his jeans. The worn denim hangs from his narrow waist perfectly—not cowboy tight and not gangster loose. The gray t-shirt that is stretched across his back reads Wilson Lumber Yard with their catchy slogan underneath—“We Got Wood”. I fight back a giggle. At least someone has a sense of humor. He unloads the pallet and has the lift back in the truck, all while managing to completely not acknowledge my existence.

“I’ll just go ahead and sign for this so you can be on your way,” I say as he climbs out of the back of the truck. This time, the icy tone of my voice catches his attention. I can feel his eyes on me as I walk to the front of the truck. “I’d hate to keep you from the obviously more important things you would rather be doing.” Leaning over the hood, I pull a pen from the holder on the top of the clipboard. My frustration with his attitude is made perfectly clear as I furiously click the plunger on the top of the pen. My eyes are busy scanning for the space I am supposed to sign when a sudden shadow is cast over my shoulder. I can feel his breath on my neck and his body resting behind mine. It must be the nature of the position we are in because I have to fight the urge to back into him. To feel his hard body against my backside. My skin is on fire and my brain immediately

tries to reason that it is anger as opposed to something else.

“Do you mind?” I snap, turning to tell him to back off. But he doesn’t. Instead, he places his hands on the truck, catching me between his muscled forearms and pinning me between his delicious body and the truck. Even under the bill of that hat he is always wearing, I can see his shaded eyes narrow in on mine. It isn’t with contempt or agitation—it is something else. Yes. He is looking at me like he wants to tear my clothes off, and I would let him.

He closes the distance between us. Here we are, chest to chest. The air around me instantly thickens, making it nearly impossible to breathe. His eyes go to mine and then to my lips, the same way they did at the bar. He takes in a shallow breath, and I can tell he is having a hard time breathing, too. I’m not sure if I should duck out from under him and run or throw myself against him. I’ve never been so intimidated or so turned on in my life. It is infuriating. He licks one corner of his lips and I think for sure he is going to kiss me. Seconds tick and he still hasn’t moved. Is he waiting for me to give him the okay? Does he really want to kiss me? I raise my chin slightly and let my eyes close. I hold my breath, waiting for his lip to fall on mine, and forget every reason I should be mad at him for. That is until he utters three words that manage to remind me.

“No signature required.”

Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Impeccable writing, an emotional journey, and two of the most amazing characters I have ever read about, Escaping Me took my breath away. An amazing story of what it’s truly like to fall in love. Especially when you can’t figure out who you really are, and who everyone expects you to be.

We first meet Whitney Vandaveer. Trying to start over in a small town, very unlike the highlife society she was used to living, and pushing any thoughts of her lying, cheating, ex-boyfriend out of her head.

I need to escape the fact that my boyfriend of four years went and slept with the first girl who flashed her tits at him in college. The majority of my teenage life was wasted on a guy I was sure was going to be my future husband. What a joke. The cold, dark organ that used to be my heart still beats strong as I eye the gravel lane that signals my homestretch, only now it beats out of rage instead of love.

Whitney is now living with her mother and younger sister, Mallory, which is a huge change for her because after her parent’s divorce many years before, Whitney chose to stay with her father. But Whitney adapts very well and actually develops a very close relationship with her long lost family.

The last thing Whitney ever expects is to, under very strange circumstances, meet an extraordinarily good looking (okay, VERY FREAKING HOT…I couldn’t help myself) guy. He literally sweeps her off her feet. No, not kidding. She decided it’s a brilliant idea to go for a run on one of the hottest days of the year.

But no worries, Cole Pritchett is there to save the day. Hmmm, Cole…*sigh*. Cole is also running from things of his past. Known as his hometown’s troublemaker and having his brother as a cop in that town, this is his last “get out of jail free” card. He left behind a life that he has no plans of returning to any time soon and he is only looking forward. He has a temper to say the least and I have to admit, I’m with Whitney…it’s kind of hot.

I imagine the wild look in his eyes and the way his body would move in the heat of an attack. Somehow, in my mind, all I can think about is how badly I want Cole to channel his obvious agitation into something a little more sexual, preferably with me on the receiving end.

Whitney and Cole decide that being friends as all either can handle at the time of things getting a little too…comfortable. There is so much flirtatious banter between these two and I found myself laughing and internally screaming at them to just give in already!

“Let me know of ever want to use my…hammer,” he chuckles as he settles into his truck and fires up the engine. As he backs out of the parking lot and drives away, I feel the fire return to my cheeks as he confirmed knowing what I hoped I’d hidden. Cole Pritchett know I am interested in his tool.

Both have issues they need to work through and pasts that haunt them but no doubt that these two can overcome them. They are both turning over new leaves if you will. But I am not blind. Oh no, I could see through these two from the get-go!! And thank God for that because all I wanted was for these two to either hash it out or get naked. I preferred the latter 😉 Friends, huh? Yeah I didn’t think so.

“I don’t you need you to do me any favors.” With a determined smirk, she wraps her hand around my neck and pulls my head down to hers. “And I sure as shit don’t want to be your friend.”
As she crashes her lips to mine, every doubt I have about us vanishes…

There was so much that I loved about this book. The developing relationship between Whitney and her sister. The denial of want and desire between Whit and Cole. The sexual tension that you felt like you could choke on! The emotions…oh GOD, the emotions!! All of it…just amazing!

But just like with everything else in life, when things start going good, well great actually, the bitch known as life comes in and puts up a big ass toad block right in your path. This road block is also called Whit’s dad!

Whitney’s dad, being the high society asshole he is, lives for one thing and one thing only. Appearances. It’s all about keeping up those damn appearances. And so of course when he finds out that Whitney and Cole are together, he will stop at nothing to insure that it comes to a halt. But thankfully, Cole Pritchett doesn’t back down to anyone. And I mean anyone. And let me just give you the one line that he said to her dad that melted my fucking heart and produced these weird salty little liquid drops to leak from the ducts of my eyeballs.

“And you’re right, I’m probably not good enough for her but I’d spend every second with her trying to prove that I am.”

See how damn perfect he is? And he doesn’t even know it. Everything Cole Pritchett does and says just makes me want to jump into this damn book with my rope and duct tape and take him home and make him my own!

Cole seriously LOVES Whitney. Like realllllly loves her. He is even willing to do questionably crazy things just to make her happy.

“You wouldn’t really shoot those poor little squirrels would you?” she pouts.
I shake my head to appease her. The truth is I love to go hunting, but if she asked me to, I’d become a member of PETA tomorrow.

And don’t for one second think that Whitney is immune to Mr. Pritchett.

When the cause of my excitement walks into the bathroom and wraps his arms around me, my body immediately reacts. He doesn’t do anything other than rest his chin on my shoulder and smile, and every drop of blood in my veins rushes between my legs as my skin start to surge like it is begging for his touch. I am officially addicted. Perfect. I am a sex junkie and Cole Pritchett is my dealer.

Well hot damn, can you blame her? He is tall, extremely good looking, has just enough bad boy in him, and he’s even a little alpha to top it off.

“Look at me,” I plead, but she gives me nothing. “Look at me goddamnit.” I raised my voice and immediately regret it until I see the way her eyes snap to mine. She takes in a heavy breath between her parted cherry-red lips as she leans in, waiting for my next command. It appears Ms. Vandaveer like being told what to do. I can definitely work with this.

Okay so time to wrap it up. Overall, amazing book. I fell in love with the words, the story, the characters, and by the time all was said and done and my emotions weren’t going in 84 didn’t directions, my happy little heart was…well, happy and content! I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I did and feel free to contact me with your thoughts!

I will leave you with some more amazing words from Mr. Cole Pritchett.

“I need you to tell me how you feel, Whit. I need to know that the way I feel about you isn’t one-sided and that you don’t actually agree with what your father said. I need you to tell me that I’m not crazy for being in love with you, and that despite the way you acted in front of him, you feel the same way.”

HAPPY READING!

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Born and raised in the middle of a Midwestern cornfield (not literally, that would be weird), I’ve spent my entire life imagining stories. Stories where the right guy always gets the right girl, first kisses are as magical as they are on the big screen and anything is completely possible if you believe.

Although this journey began years ago, it recently took on a whole new life.  After years of devouring hundreds of Romance, YA and New Adult novels, I had an epiphany… I should write a book. And I did it!

If I’m not reading, writing, enjoying drinks with my amazing group of girlfriends or chasing around a sarcastically funny kid, I’m probably watching television shows that were created for teenagers, while my husband teases that I’m too old to watch them.

Author:   S. Walden

Genre:   Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   March 25, 2014

Arrive to work at 7:58 A.M. sharp. Check. Count forty-seven steps to cubicle. Check. Arrange pens in their red-blue-black-green-purple order of importance. Check. Apply hand sanitizer before opening email. Double check.

And that’s just the first few minutes of her work day.

Thirty-one-year-old proofreader Bailey Mitchell is a slave to her tics. She inherited Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder from her father, and it’s done nothing but inhibit her love life. She’s run the gamut of boyfriends—none of them willing or able to cope with her condition.

Enter 32-year-old Reece Powell, her new coworker at Beach Elite Marketing Firm. He’s more than willing to cope. He finds her habits cute and quirky . . . for now. Reece wins her over, and life coasts along for them until Bailey experiences a devastating blow. Tragedy exacerbates her OCD, and Reece realizes her tics aren’t so cute and quirky anymore. Just like all the others, he has the choice to leave.

But Reece isn’t like all the others.

The Wilmington Saga

Follow the stories of Wilmington, NC residents as they fall in and out of love, mend and break hearts, grow, change, lose, win, and experience what it means to truly live in this small coastal community.

LoveLines by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC given to Blog for Honest Review*

5 “Puddin’ Pop” “Beboppin’ Bailey” “You’re bigger. You’re stronger. And I give you mad props.” “The thought of him. The very thought of him.” Kisses

My eyes are sore, red and puffy…but my heart is full of love, joy and happiness. Yup…that’s what this book just did to me. I have been a fan of S. Walden’s for a while now…she’s an amazing writer and I was really excited about LoveLines because it’s a little different from her “norm.” This book blew me away…to another dimension – I loved it. Definitely my favorite book that she has ever written. It took me all over the map…made me laugh, I totally swooned, my ugly cry was epic…the giddiness, the anger, the frustration…I loved every second of it!

Bailey Mitchell… ‘Beboppin’ Bailey’ …first of all – I believe it is absolutely impossible to not love a character named Beboppin’ Bailey. Now…even before that, I loved her. I was compelled to love her because she is an incredibly endearing character. Not just because of her OCD, while that was a huge draw for me…how could it not be. She was diagnosed when she was 6 years old, which she inherited from her father…now at 31 she cannot fathom having the life that she wants because of her tics. She wants to be happy…have a relationship…be in love…and after having her heart broken one too many times, she’s doubting that that possibility will ever be in her future. She has a great life…an awesome job that she excels at, a great best friend and the most amazing dad ever but it’s hard to not want more when you’re surrounded by it. I loved Bailey’s personality because despite all the OCD stuff…she’s just a normal girl. She’s funny and cute and spunky…I loved her style and her quirkiness…I loved that she surfed…and even through those oh so frustrating moments when I was in tears and wanted to shake her, I still loved her. She was a definite change of pace from the usual heroines that I’ve read, but it was a welcomed change and I’m seriously hooked on some Bailey right now.

‘Yes, these are the thoughts that occupy my brain on a daily basis: How many steps to take. How many hairbrush strokes. Making sure I line up my proofreading pens just so. Making sure my make-up is just so. Sitting in my fucking desk chair just so. It’s exhausting living a “just so” life. And I don’t want to do it, but the idea of not counting, not arranging, not tic-ing sends my heart reeling with anxiety.’

Reece Logan Powell…OMG I need him, I want him, I love him – can I have him? I’m adopting him. (That will make more sense once you’ve read the book.) I’m not joking…he’s amazing. Not only is he cute…he’s sweet and funny and just as quirky as Bailey, just in a slightly different way. He’s also creative and smart and has a very magnetic personality. But…as usual, the one thing that makes him so attractive to me is the way he feels about Bailey. He doesn’t care if she has tic’s or needs to count or whatever…yes, he wants to help her and I guess in some ways hopefully fix her, but he doesn’t want her to change for him. His love and devotion to her was amazing…like best book boyfriend ever kind of stuff. He was patient and kind, he was loving and attentive, he was honest and reliable. I feel like I am painting him out to be this almost definition of perfect…which he kind of was – it was like he was carved out of the woodwork to fit every need and want Bailey could possibly come up with. There were so many times when he could’ve/would’ve/should’ve given up on Bailey…but he didn’t…his love for her knew no bounds…just as mine does for him.

‘“I’ll hurry. Especially since I plan to kiss you when I get back.”
He watched her face. He couldn’t see the circles of deep pink he’d painted on her cheeks, but he suspected they were there. They had to be. It was too bold a statement not to evoke some kind of response. He wanted her shifting relentlessly in her chair the entire time he was gone. He wanted her heart racing. He wanted her panties the slightest bit moist. He wanted this girl.’

Reece and Bailey are a lot of things to me…separately they have a lot of issues but when you put them together they just work. It doesn’t make sense on paper…it shouldn’t make sense logically…but it does. He’s the unloved/unwanted orphan…she’s the crazy girl that nobody can tolerate forever…and yet they’re a match made in heaven. He loves her in spite of her OCD…heck that’s part of what drew him to her…which just typing that sounds like it would be a crazy reason to like somebody but I think the fact that he does like it and doesn’t care is what made me love Reece for Bailey. Of course I loved just about every aspect of their relationship, not only what Reece did for Bailey’s condition but also…how he broke her out of her shell (which I guess the two go hand in hand). I was not expecting the level of hotness between Reece and Bailey and I definitely was not expecting to love the little Dom side of Reece but trust me…it works. Really works. Bailey is all about control and letting Reece take that control from her is exactly what she needs and I loved every single second of it. It was hot, sensual and kinky.

“I know I’m not the easiest person to love…”
“Are you kidding me?” Reece hopped up from the desk and took hold of Bailey’s shoulders. “You’re too easy to love. That your real problem. You know how I know that? Because I can’t stay away from you. I just wanna be with you all the time. You’re my favorite person, Bailey. That’s not hard. That’s a cakewalk.”

This story is not just about Reece and Bailey falling in love…at least it wasn’t for me. Bailey’s condition is not a joking matter and I didn’t take it as one…yes are there moments where even she pokes fun at her OCD, but there are a lot of serious moments and I appreciated the care with which they were handled. The entire time I was rooting for Bailey to not only find happiness with Reece but also happiness with herself and her condition. I think in the beginning she was resigned to it…she didn’t think she could get better so she was just set to live her ‘just so’ life and see what happened. I loved her development and seeing her grow and it killed me when she had set backs and regressed…but it was all necessary for the end result. Bailey’s family is also a huge part of the story and I have to say that her dad is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Like…best dad I have ever, ever read in a book. I love him…the end. I also couldn’t get enough of the relationship that Bailey has with her best friend, Erica…they’re a perfect balance and I love their banter. And…I guess I might as well address it now…there are two characters that I didn’t care for in the beginning but…they may or may not have grown on me by the end of the book…Nicki, Bailey’s sister – she’s a twat, but in the annoying-perfect-younger-sister way. And then there is Bailey’s mom, Georgie…now she just irk’d me. For a lot of reasons…but once they were explained…I have to admit, I was shocked at my acceptance of things.

“I’ve never belonged to anyone,” he said. All the playfulness was gone. “No one’s ever belonged to me.”
I was too vulnerable to hear this. I knew I would cry.
“You’ve made me so happy Bailey. Happier than any man deserves.”

S. Walden just has a way of writing things that might raise your eyebrow and making them work in this magically fantastic way. I can’t even describe it because she continually blows my mind. The way she is able to combine flawed but loveable characters in a fresh and inventive story line that keeps me engaged from page one is just amazing…because she literally does this every time for me and it just keeps getting better with each book I read. Her writing style is crisp and clean, yet she has the edge and whit that I can’t help but be drawn in by. Her pace and flow is spot on, it never drags, the dialogue is fabulous and above everything else that I love about her writing…she never holds back. Nothing she ever writes about it clean or cut and dry…it’s emotional and it stirs up all kinds of feelings and some of them are messy and hard to deal with and that’s the stuff I can’t get enough of. I thrive off her ability to make me think and feel through her characters.

‘While in the past I enjoyed the solitary nature of proofing, I knew my heart and mind had change. He changed me. He left something inside of me I couldn’t get rid of. It was a small pinprick of light that glowed deep in my belly that suggested he irrefutable change. The love had been planted, and now I couldn’t escape it. I battled it. I knew I was no good for anyone, but the love remained anyways, pulsing a message of hope: You don’t have to be alone.
And I didn’t want to.’

Alright…so the epilogue has me so freaking excited for the next book it’s like…unreal! If I wasn’t already hooked on the other characters that were introduced throughout the course of the book, then I sure as heck am with the last few lines of that damn epilogue! I didn’t know who’s book would be next (I can’t lie…I was hoping for Camden or Christopher – Reece’s friends) but knowing that it’s Taylor (Erika’s employee) and the story line that is going with it…I’m very excited. I can’t wait to see what S. does with this series…EEEP!

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LoveLines by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am fully convinced that no matter S. Walden decides to write about, I am going to love it. She has a way about her writing that just sucks you in and doesn’t let you up until you turn that last page. LoveLines was no different. I loved every. Single. Word.

This is the kind of book that when you’re kind of in a reading rut, not sure of what to read next, just in a blah mood with books, this book turns that mood around. It’s fun, romantic, sexy, laugh-out-loud hilarious at times, and just overall a “feel good book”. Trust me on this one.

Meet Bailey…
“Beboppin’ Bailey”

While “Beboppin’ Bailey was definitely my favorite, Reese had some other amazing ones for her…
“Better Than All the Rest Bailey”
“Best Decision I Ever Made Bailey”
“Bet on That Girl Bailey”
“Beat the Odds Bailey”
“Bait Me with a Kiss Bailey”
“Because I Love Her Bailey”

It’s no secret that Bailey has OCD and it’s pretty bad. She counts almost everything, taps her pens, arrives at work at the same time every day, applies hand sanitizer at the exact same times throughout the day, and never ever messes any of that up. It’s just how she works.

What doesn’t work, however, are Bailey’s previous relationships. Most…scratch that….All of her previous relationships didn’t go so well. The guys just didn’t know how nor care to learn how to handle Bailey and her tics.

“Bailey?”
“I’m here.”
“Wanna tell me about your condition?”
“Not really.”
“You brought it up,” Reece pointed out.
“I’m aware”
“Sooo…”
“You’ll run away,” I said softly.
“I’m a man, I don’t run,” Reece replied.
I smiled. “It’s made all the others run away.”
“Because they weren’t men.”

Now that brings to me Reese. Ahh…my Reese. I love him!

“You have this great new guy, and I just have a feeling he’s the one.”
“You cant know that,” I cried.
“We just kissed,” I said.
“And that’s where it all starts.”

“Now tell me,” Reece demanded gently.
I took a deep breath. “I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. Okay.”

Reese might just be THE MOST amazing, kind hearted book boyfriend that ever graced my literary world. He is so patient with Bailey…okay, well, at times. He also knows when to push her which is really fucking hot when he does it. He is considerate yet bossy. Sweet yet super mouthy sometimes. And just really really the closest you could get to perfect.

Reese was in foster care growing up and that fact plays a lot into the book. Reese wants to belong. To someone…and that someone is Bailey.

“I’m…I’m adopting you.”
He stared at her—quiet, serious—and she wished she could take it back.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Say it again,” he demanded.
She furrowed her brows and repeated the words: “I’m adopting you.”
“For good” he asked.
“Yes.”

I fell in love with Reese and Bailey so early on that I was so scared my heart was going to break eventually. They work in the same office and I just felt like that had bad written all over it. That something really fucking shitty was going to happen. I was so hesitant with my reading on this one because I knew…I just knew something was going to happen. But we will get to that later on…

On to the funny. So I said that there were laugh-out-loud moments, right? Most of those moments occurred during interactions with Bailey and her best friend Erica. There were soooo many “YES! That is SO RIGHT! Moments. Like this…

“Yeah, I do. Fuck ‘em. Fuck all those mothers. Fuck their playdates and mommy groups and fucking Melissa and Doug puzzles. Fuck their running strollers and baby couture and breastfeeding advice. Fuck their—” ~Erica

I’m not sure if Erica is getting her own book or not, but I would punch Melissa and Doug in their faces for that to happen. That’s how much I want it!

Okay now let’s get to the sexiness. There is so much hotness in LoveLines and it will seriously get your blood pumping…in a good way of course 😉 One scene that did it for me and that I absolutely loved was one day in their office, Reese decides to take Bailey’s pens. Ummmm, dude. You NEVER touch Bailey’s pens.

However, it led to some very hot and steamy things…

“God, you’re so fucking hot,” he said into my mouth.
Well, this was confusing.
“You and your fucking pens and the tapping and…oh my God…”

He bruised my lips.—biting, sucking—and I pushed against him with all my might. It was useless. Reece was strong. Too strong. I realized suddenly that he was in complete control. Control of my body as he pinned me against the door. Control of my mind as he withheld my pens. Control of my heart as he kissed me passionately, making me ache for all of him—his body between my legs, muscles holding me down, driving into me, driving me to delirium.

Have I mentioned yet how incredibly perfect Reese is?…

“I stole all your pens that morning because I wanted you to come after me and scream at me. I wanted an excuse to act on my weird attraction to your weird tics.”

And then there were some mildly awkward yet still just as hot moments.

“My panties don’t match,” I blurted.
“I love that. It’s so…out of control.”
“My sheets are dirty.”
“I wanna smell ‘em.”

“I fell in love with you because of you. I like your quirky ways. You know how many times I got myself off thinking about your ‘just so’ ponytail? You know how fucking weird that is?”
I cracked a smile.

“I’m gonna blow you so hard,” I said, gazing up at him. “And you’re gonna count the strokes.”
“Me?”
“Well, I can’t very well do it with my mouth full,” I replied. “This is your twisted game, mister. Start counting.”

Of course Reese and Bailey didn’t really jump into the whole dating thing. There was a brief little moment where Bailey tried to convince herself that she shouldn’t date Reese. But helloooo…we all know what’s going on here.
And when it finally happened…when these two came together…it was like your heart being full….almost too full. Content. Happy. Perfect. That’s how I felt.

I never wanted this book to end. I never even wanted to get to the hard stuff. I was perfectly happy just living in the good stuff. The sweet words. The romance. The fluff. I could have read 500 pages of just Bailey and Reese in all their lovey dovey sappiness.

“You’re too easy to love. That’s your real problem. You know how I know that Because I can’t stay away from you. I just wanna be with you all the time. You’re my favorite person, Bailey. That’s not hard. That’s a cakewalk.”

But, then comes the downfall. The heartbreak. The part where I seriously almost lost it and wanted to rewind.
See, Bailey’s problem was that she really had herself convinced that Reese was just like all the others. That he wasn’t interested in learning to live with Bailey’s OCD. She felt like he wanted to cure her of it.

“Bailey, if you think I want to fix you, you’re dead wrong. I don’t even wanna help you manage this thing you’ve got going on. I’m only doing it because I know it’s the right thing to do, but I’d much rather you go tic-ing all over my heart and brain.”

The downfall isn’t quick and it definitely isn’t painless. I’m not gonna lie…there were some major tears shed while reading LoveLines. But in all honesty…that’s what makes a book amazing, right? That’s how you know you are reading one hell of a book from one hell of an author. To provoke those feelings and those emotions.

Speaking of emotions…some major events happen in Bailey’s life. (In case you’re new here, I write spoiler free reviews so you’ll just have to read the book to find out what I am not telling you.)
These events cause a downward spiral for Bailey. Her OCD that was actually getting better, is now back full-force. Her amazing relationship with Reese is struggling so bad that she eventually pushes Reese away. It’s almost like she is punishing herself because she doesn’t know how to deal. In all honesty, due to these events, I kinda don’t blame her. That’s some pretty heavy shit to have to deal with.
The pain she caused not only herself, but Reese, also…it was literally painful to read.

His heart broke then. He felt the ripping. No cracking. It was ripping, like his heart was made out of construction paper. He thought that made sense—that he didn’t have a stronger heart. How could he when there was never anyone in his childhood to help grow it?

“I knew you, Bailey. I understood your problems. And I wanted to help you through them. I knew it would be tough, but you never let me try. You never gave me the choice. I wanted you. Always. And you wouldn’t let me choose you.”

Time heals all wounds, right?…Right!

I knew my heart and mine had changed. He changed me. He left something inside of me I couldn’t get rid of. It was a small pinprick of light that glowed deep in my belly that suggested irrefutable change. The love had been planted, and now I couldn’t escape it. I battled it. I knew I was no good for anyone, but the love remained anyway, pulsing a message of hope: You don’t have to be alone.

“Look at me,” he demanded.
“I can’t, Reese,” I said. “I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
“I’m afraid you won’t look at me the way you used to,” I said.
“You don’t know unless you look at me,” he replied.

Well, folks. That’s all I’ve got. I like to use lots of quotes with my reviews in case you didn’t notice. I feel like it helps you get a better feel of the book but I try not to give too much away.

Just know that I absolutely loved this book. Everything was amazing. The characters, the plot…LoveLines had it all and I can’t wait to read more in this series!!!

Excuse me….have I mentioned the amazingness known as Reese? Oh, I have? My bad. Deal with it!

“That’s what you always needed, Bailey. Someone who wouldn’t comply. Someone who wouldn’t let you push him out. And I’m sorry I wasn’t that someone for you all those many months ago. But I’m that someone now. And I’m not going anywhere.”

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S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens included). When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it.

❀Connect with S. Walden❀

Cadence Miller is a good girl. She just happens to make one terrible mistake her junior year in high school which costs her ten months in juvenile detention. Now a senior, she’s lost everything: her best friend, the trust of her parents, driving privileges, Internet access. It’s a lonely existence.

But there is one bright spot: Mark Connelly, her very cute, very off-limits 28-year-old calculus teacher. She falls hard for him–a ridiculous schoolgirl crush headed nowhere. She can’t help it. He’s the only good thing at Crestview High. She doesn’t expect him to reciprocate her feelings. How inappropriate, right? But he does. And he shows her.

And that’s when her life goes from bad to good.

Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever.

For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating. She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her parents and uncertain of her future. She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen. She wants to be older. And the result is both comical and heartbreaking.

Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector. But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he must share his secret with Cadence. And he hopes his revelation won’t tear them apart. He hopes it will draw them closer, and make their love better.

We ADORE this series…Mark and Cadence’s story is so unique and beautiful.  You can check out a Mark Alternate POV from Good here, our interview with Mark & Cadence here and our Better reviews, as well as an Avery Alternate POV scene! 😉

Oh Mark…just when we thought you couldn’t get more perfect…*sigh*

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

My Cadence,

You’re a song that exploded in my heart. The first time I saw you was the moment I knew I wanted your melody always. No one else’s. It had to be you—your music—a song I could move to, live to, love to. I was broken. I thought love wasn’t possible again. And then there you were. Out of nowhere you found me, like something subconsciously guided you to me. Or perhaps someone.

Every day I spend with you is my favorite day. Every moment important, no matter its seeming unimportance. You’ve revived my heart, multiplied my feelings, and taught me that love can soothe even the deepest wounds. Love can bend even the hardest hearts. Your love, Cadence—it’s magic.

I can’t think of any other way to spend Valentine’s Day with you than this: Will you come skating with me? I don’t want to skate alone. Not nearly as fun. And anyway, we both know that “two are better than one,” so it’s only right that I should have a skating partner. Be mine, tonight, 7:00 P.M. Our rink. I’ll be the guy in the red sneakers holding the large bouquet of sunshiny roses.

Yours forever,

Mark

Good by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, S. Walden has managed to do it again. I have officially fallen in love all over again with the best kind of story EVER. Ya know. The kind that are unconventional. The kind that are controversial. The kind that make you weep with want, rejoice in happiness, and question the definition of morals.

Good is a book that will make you want to throw caution to the wind and ignore the nagging ‘mini-you’ on your shoulder telling you what is right and what is wrong. What the true definition of love is (no matter your age). And in the end, you will know that being ‘good’ isn’t what you thought it was all along. Or maybe it is and you just don’t give a flying fuck anymore. Either way, by the end, you will learn that love is sometimes ugly. Sometimes it’s just downright hideous. Sometimes you just learn that taking risks is worth every bit of hurt you’ve endured along the way. Isn’t that what makes love…love?

Oh wow. I just got all philosophical and emotional or some shit there.My apologies. Moving on.

Okay. So let’s begin with Cadence, shall we?

Ah, my frustrating, sweet, confused, Cadence.

I love her. I really, really, really love Cadence. Through and through I just adore her. Cadence is a girl that made one bad decision (one very bad decision) and is having to suffer the consequences. Consequnces in the form of an orange jumpsuit, a nice lengthy stay in a juvenile detention center, and picking up trash alongside the road. But poor Cadence has no clue how bad these consequences are going to get upon walking through those doors to her high school on her first day of senior year. We all know how ruthless teenagers are. How down right awful high school years are. The rumors, the gossip, the glares and stares, and of course, the notes on the lockers and the cold hearted bitches that decide to put a multitude of items in your locker.
Welcome to hell!
A.K.A-Cadence’ senior year.

Now, not only does she have all this bullshit to deal with, but imagine the shock and surprise when you walk into your math class to find
Mr. Midnight in a Perfect World
as your teacher. You will understand that reference once you read it.

Meet. Mark Connelly. A.K.A-Mr. Midnight in a Perfect World!

Now this is where things start to get interesting. Mark is a young (well, not too young-28 years old) math teacher. VERY good looking and the kind of teacher that the guys in class like because he’s cool and laid back, and the girls really like because he’s well…hot!

So while Cadence is having the worst day of her life back at school, Mark (Mr. Connelly) can’t help but notice and try to intervene. It’s obvious that he feels sorry for Cadence. He isn’t blind to what is going on and the way she is being treated. And here he goes and makes things a little more awkward for her by giving her his handkerchief when he finds her crying. Not going to lie, I think this is where I fell in love with Mark Connelly. I mean, come on! The guys carries a handkerchief.

“I don’t mind that you cry into my handkerchief, Cadence.

And so from here on out things slowly progress from a little awkward to well, borderline inappropriate. Okay, I admit it, a lot inappropriate. But still, my heart is like “please let this be going where I want it to”, “please please let this happen”, “oh dear God this better end well”.

I stared at my hands in every class for the rest of the day replaying Mr. Connelly’s ministrations. He had to know it was inappropriate. Why would he touch me like that? And why did I let him? I could have said no. I could have walked away. But I didn’t want to. I wanted him to clean my hands, to say kind things to me, to make me laugh. I realized that Mr. Connelly was one of the nicest men in my life right now. Did he sense that? And was he taking advantage of it?

One of the parts of this book that I will always remember is Cadence and her conversation with the ever enlightening, Fanny. This old woman might just be the smartest individual ever and if I ever need advice of any kind, I know where I am going. No joke, this is what the clever old lady has to say about love. Cadence asks:

Do you think love is a choice or a feeling?

Love comes in all kinds of packages. Some are nearly tied up, and some are messy. It doesn’t mean that the messy ones aren’t every bit as good.”
“Good?”

“Yes, good.”

Let’s get back to Mark and Cadence now, shall we? Well let’s do some analyzing here for a second. Cadence-17 (almost 18) high school senior and has fallen hard for super hot, super sweet, math teacher. Mark- very conflicted, 28 year old math teacher, currently falling for a certain blonde haired beauty that, oh yeah, just so happens to be one of his students. Inappropriate? Hell yes! Love knows no boundaries, people. We know this.

Mark+Cadence= one big beautiful fucking mess that my heart just absolutely craves! NO…wait. Not craves.
Needs!
I need these two. I need them to be together. I need it!

Honestly, there is just too much that just absolutely can NOT be revealed in my review. There is so much beauty, pain, heartache, and love to be experienced while reading that I promise you, you will be glad I didn’t tell you.

So, what can you expect while reading Good? Pure amazingness. I loved everything about this book. I went through so many emotions through this. 84 to be exact. 😉

Are there many moments of happiness in this book? Hmmm…yes and no. There were times when my heart was so very content that I thought I could seriously stop reading and just have my own little HEA for Mark and Cadence and leave it at that.

“Well, I do a pretty good job of masking my feelings,” Mark admitted. “But my heart was pounding.
“Why?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

“I’m average.”

“You’re so much more than average, Cadence. You’re out of this world.”

Are there uncomfortable moments in this book? Hell. Fucking. Yes. Especially the “waxing scene”. Ha! There were times where I swear, if I wasn’t so open and honest and just down right crude, I probably would have been blushing right along with Cadence. The poor girl is the definition of inexperienced. But that is just another reason why I love her.

I was a burned and damaged eighteen-year-old non-virgin having an awkward conversation with the 28-year old man who took my virginity. Yes, I was allowed to be a little snarky.

There were even times when Mr. Midnight in a Perfect world got uncomfortable yet always had the upper hand and let me tell you, I fell even harder for him when he was like this. It was too damn sexy. Almost innocently sexy.

“Look at me,” I demanded. He did. “How do you expect me to ever have sex with me if you won’t let me touch you? You have to give yourself to me like I’m giving myself to you. It’s not wrong. It’s not dirty. It won’t change me in a bad way. It’ll draw me closer to you. And that’s good, don’t you think?”

Are there painful, heart breaking, soul-aching moments in this book? More than I can count. But that’s what makes this book so damn amazing. Even through the painful moments, my heart knew what I wanted for Mark and Cadence and I refused to give up hope for them.

“I hate that I have to see you every day. I hate that I have to be in your class. I hate you hurt my heart and I can’t fix it.” I paused for a moment. “I hate you. I really really hate you.”

Want another reason why Cadence is so fucking great?

I understood we were over, but he didn’t have to treat me like a complete, inconsequential stranger. The guy used to put his mouth between my legs.

Were there moments where Cadence could piss me off, make me laugh, make me cry and leave me reeling. Oh yeah! Again, I just love her.

He liked to blame me for this out-of-control person he’d become, but oh my God, I finally realized it! He liked it. He liked feeling that way. He liked being provoked.

He probably wanted to fuck me somewhere. A closet, no doubt.

Then there were the moments where all it took were some perfect words and I was left in awe. Mark Connelly is truly amazing.

“You don’t think I’m drama?”
Mark smiled. “I think you’re the best kind of drama. And I want you to be my drama, and make me feel all the time, and turn me inside out, and do to my heart and mind whatever you want.”

Dare I go on with Mark Connelly’s perfection? Oh I think I will.

“I feel possessive of you.” It sounded like it hurt him to say the words.
“I want you to,” I replied. “I want you to possess me.”
He nodded and cupped my face tenderly. “I’ll take your breath away, Cadence.” My eyes grew wide with fear until his next words. “But I’ll give it all back. I promise.”

Okay lovely people, I will leave you with one last Mark quote.

“God can punish me however he’d like. I don’t care. Call me crazy. Call me possessive or unstable or whatever. I don’t care. I’ll kill anyone who hurts you.”

I hope you all love him as much as I do and altogether just fall in love with this book, with Cadence, with Mark, with S. Walden and her incomparable, flawless writing. She really does have an amazing gift and I will truly love her and her writing forever.

Oh, I almost forgot. Drunk Cadence is my FAVORITE!

HAPPY READING!
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Good by S. Walden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 “Midnight in a Perfect World” Kisses

Okay…so I kinda cheated on this book. A little. I knew things. But I blame Brooke – it’s okay though, it didn’t ruin anything for me. But seriously…she warned me that Good was a cliffhanger. Now cliff’s can do some crazy things with my emotions. Sometimes I get mad…sometimes I get frustrated….and a very select few times I am 100% okay with a cliffhanger ending. This is one of those times. Don’t ask me how Miss. Walden did it but she pulled off one of the smoothest, happiest cliff’s ever.

Cadence Brynn Miller…sweet, young, naïve. That’s Cadence in a nutshell. A very very good girl in every sense of the word. Always done the right thing, been the picture of an ideal child for her parents, a pristine Christian daughter. But all it takes is one little life altering mistake to bring all that to a crashing halt. Her life is a shell of what it once was. No friends she can talk to, her parents treat her like she’s a burden and the whole town treats her like she’s a pariah. I mean the bullying she experiences at school is something I would never wish on another person. Sounds awesome, right? Until she meets her angel. Okay…I know that sounds like it could be cliché, but trust me, it’s not. Their chance meeting could have and should have been a one time deal…but where would the fun be in that?

‘School Survival Rules:
1. Do not cry under any circumstances.
2. Do not physically attack anyone (even if they totally deserve it).
3. Smile and act like nothing bothers you.
4. Try to exude Christian virtues like patience, love, and forgiveness.
5. When all else fails, use sarcasm as your defense mechanism.’

Mark Connelly….sigh….I might have an obsession with his hair. Read the book, it’ll make sense, I promise. He’s a dream boat…visually stunning, he’s 28, he loves music and red converse sneakers…and of course he also happens to be Cadences’ math teacher. Awesome! Honestly…I swooned over Mark but he was far from the perfect book boyfriend. Of course guys fuck up and do some dumb shit, but he did some pretty dumb shit. Like had me at tears at two very specific instances that I cannot ruin…but grrrrr….I don’t think I’ve ever been this frustrated with a dude in a book before.

‘I locked eyes with him. His were a steely blue. Almost completely gray, actually. Smoky, sensual irises that could teach me everything I needed to know about math and love and beauty and sex. And how the world was created. And how gravity works. And how chemicals react. And how-‘

So it’s the typical forbidden love, with the added feature that it’s really bordering on illegal love…not only do you have the teacher/student thing…but you have the age difference thing (she’s 17 at the beginning of the book). ‘Technically’ the legal age in Georgia is 16…but really? Who is going to be okay with anything under 18. But you can’t fight the way you feel and damn it if you don’t feel for them. And really the ‘forbidden’ aspect kind of made it a little more enticing in those instances because it’s that rush of excitement that adds to it too. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this, but we want to…’ It’s hard to explain because ‘logically’ I knew it was wrong, but for whatever reason I was okay with it.

‘He arched an eyebrow, waiting for my response. God, he was so freaking hot! Suddenly I was no longer embarrassed by his words. I just wanted to stare at his features. His hair was especially crazy today. And I wanted my hands in it. I wanted to pull on it. And his eyes. Oh, his eyes! Like fogged glass. A hazy film of smoke, letting me in just enough, but not all the way. And I wanted in all the way.’

There’s more conflict than just the fact that he’s her teacher and the age…she’s young and therefore inexperienced when it comes to relationships. It also doesn’t help that she is her own worst enemy and the thoughts she comes up with just on her own are enough to possibly destroy them. I empathized with her because to me, Cadence is the quintessential teenage girl. Let’s be honest here, 16-19 year old girls are pretty freakin loopy, we’ve got hormones and all sorts of crazy shit going on at the age, it’s really not all our fault. So add an extreme attraction and connection with a hot guy, mix in the fact that he’s basically the only human connection she has, splash in a dab of danger and lying = recipe for a cocktail of goodness. Which is exactly what I felt Good gave me. 😉

‘Mark chuckled. “Because it’s impossible to not be attracted to you. I couldn’t help myself. Every day after school, I would resolve to start over the next, to ignore how cute you were, to try to be unaffected by you. And then you’d come into class the next day, and my resolve would melt to nothing. I felt powerless, but not in a frustrated way. I liked the feeling. I still like the feeling.”
I smiled and sat up in his lap. “I’m glad your resolve melted to nothing.”
“Me too. Because I couldn’t imagine you not in my life.”’

Now Cadence isn’t completely alone. She does have one ‘friend’…Avery. I say ‘friend’ because that’s not how they start off…in the beginning it’s ‘freedom over friendship’ but over time it develops into a pretty good friendship. And Avery is there for Cadence when she really needs her…she’s a little voice of reason when Cadence needs it the most, she’s also extremely helpful in all the areas Cadence is lacking knowledge and experience and to ice this pretty little friendship cake – she’s hilarious. There is a waxing scene that had me rolling.

‘He nodded and cupped my face tenderly. “I’ll take all your breath away, Cadence.” My eyes grew wide with fear until his next words. “But I’ll give it all back. I promise.”’

I enjoyed watching Cadence grow and develop throughout the book…my heart went out to her because she is dealing with a lot…Mark, her parents, school, the lies, the stigma of being the ‘convict’. This is a pretty angsty book, I never knew what to expect next. I really didn’t expect to be in tears at 80% shaking my head and wondering wtf was going on. Mark has some skeletons in his closet. Things we don’t even scratch the surface on, which only makes me more eager for book two. He has a lot of explaining to do and I’m counting on Cadence to get him to open up.

‘“Do you wish I’d never stepped foot in your classroom?” I asked.
“I couldn’t imagine my life if you hadn’t stepped foot inside my classroom. Well, yes I could. It would be dull. Uninteresting. Lonely. And loveless.” He kissed the top of my head.’

Now, I said it was a cliff…but it’s a happy cliff. There is a lot still to come, like I said Mark’s issues need to be addressed, and there is still a lot of ‘external factors’ that need to be addressed, but I am happy camper because why? Cadence and Mark are together. The world may not be peachy, but they’ve got each other and with the person that you love, you can conquer the world, as long as they are by your side. It doesn’t take much to please me…but I can hold on for final answers as long as I know they aren’t apart. I know, I’m an odd duck, but it gives my anguished heart a small ounce of peace. So bring on Book #2! (Soon, please…k thanks!) 🙂

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S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens included). When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it.

❀Connect with S. Walden❀

Title:  Beneath the Burn

Author:  Pam Godwin

Genre:   Romantic/Erotic Thriller

They meet by chance. The timing is wrong.

Three years later, she finds him again, but their separation was poisoned with narcotics and bloodied by enslavement.

Her freedom gambled away, Charlee Grosky escapes the international businessman who held her captive. But his power reaches beyond her protective barriers and threatens everyone she has come to love.

Jay Mayard wears his tortured secrets under his rock god facade. Drugs are his release, even as he seeks to be the man forged of the steel only she can see.

In a celebrity world filled with paparazzi, groupies, and drugs, Jay and Charlee must face their worst fears. When the battle is over, what will be left…Beneath The Burn.

Genre: Romantic/Erotic Thriller

Content warning: Includes graphic rape, sex, anal, bondage, and violence. Age 18+ only.

We LOVE Jay to bits…Charlee is a very lucky girl…and his love note just made us melt!

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

A thousand melodies would never be enough to express my love for you. But the perfect song came to me, and I named it “Mine”. You are that song, Charlee. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Beneath the Burn by Pam Godwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5++++ “Huntress” “You weren’t just a girl” “Dare to be vulnerable with me.” Kisses!

As I sit here with puffy, teary, red eyes I need to find a way to put into words the cluster fuck that is my thoughts, feelings and emotions about this book. I can do that with two words. HA! If you know me…then you truly know how funny this statement is. Why? Well..it’s simple…

Why is my mind blown? Because I didn’t just read this book…I was sucked in and taken on an insane journey of trust, pain, freedom, passion, forgiveness, strength and above all else…love. I will never forget this book. Your brain can never recover from a book like this. It’s not physically possible. And mine has been forever scarred. Forever burned. (oh yes…I just made a pun 😛 )

Charlee Grosky…who is she? She’s a shadow, a figment…because she never really got the chance to exist. Her chance was taken from her at the age of 16, replaced with an existence no human should ever have to live. But she endured. How? Why? Because she’s the strongest little spit-fire ever to grace the pages of a book! God Bless America this girl BLEW me the fuck away. I loved her. She has flaws…hello, they are quite well understood given her history – but fuck a whole bunch of that because she’s just flat out awesome and amazing and I challenge anyone to argue with me. I will say it again…I love her. The end.

‘Perhaps she was the missing elements of his soul.’

Jay…James Kristopher Maynard…my sweet broken soul…if he only knew how one hour in Charlee’s presence would forever change his existence. Change the course of how his life would play out, forever haunted by the beautiful girl that made something stunning out of scars that would always torture and plague him. But that’s what Charlee did to him…for him. Before that night he was just another guy in a band. After her…well, she was his muse. The reason for his inspiration that created the songs that gave his band, The Burn, their success. But this unwilling rock star would give it all up, if it meant he could have her.

‘Fuck him but he’d found a beacon of salvation in this gorgeous girl.
And lost his goddamned mind.’

I can’t go into detail with what makes this plot so different…but it’s so very very different. It’s dark and twisted and not for the faint of heart. If you like fluff and hugs and kisses and mushy things – turn away now, this is not the book for you. But if you love realness, raw, grit, the ugly side of love and the beauty that can be found when you push beyond all that…you will not find a better book. There are things in this book that will give you knots in your stomach, make you cringe, make you hurt – physically and emotionally – for the characters, it’s a freakin mind fuck. And I personally loved every minute of it.

‘She knew, in the moment, the absence of fear was not synonymous with courage. She wasn’t brave. She was numb. Was that how Jay felt when his scars were inflicted? Or had he always been courageous?’

Well after all that you would think, wtf Lisa, how the hell do you enjoy this? I shall explain. First of all, the writing is F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S. Magical. Spectacular. Couldn’t tell you one thing I didn’t like about it. Even when she was ripping my heart out and absolutely killing my soul with her words, I still was in awe of the way she did it. Perfect example… ‘Her eyes flipped open and collided with his where they glittered over the counter.’ Really?? That’s just them looking at each other, can you think of a more beautiful way to say that? Nope…me either. It was effortless. Like the words just leapt into my brain, did a little jig with my imagination and left me stunned and stupefied. It was a glorious journey.

‘The challenge in her tone suspended him in a moment of lucidity. Wonderful things were going to happen with this girl. She would push him. Maybe even fix him. If his nightmares chased her away, though, if she ran out the door, his existence would go up in an inferno.’

What else was there to like? The characters, their growth and development…their interaction and the way the melded together. Even the evil fucking ass holes were impeccably crafted…you have to sit back and tip your hat to a good fuckin villain. And then of course there is Jay and Charlee. My heart broke and ached, it soared and rejoiced, it crumbled and disintegrated and then was healed and lovingly pieced back together. You go thru every emotional journey with them, and believe me…they have it in spades…but the process of watching them go through it together…is breathtaking.

“Do you know what happens when you open up?”
She closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose. “It makes you strong.”
He kissed each lid and whispered against them, “Dare to be vulnerable with me?”

So…the ending…that was the icing on my battered and bruised heart. Just when I’m happy…when I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I can breathe a sigh of relief, that’s when I can see the writing on the wall. The writing that tells me ’yeah…fucking…right! Roy Oxford is not going to go away that easily.’ I’m not going to sugar coat this, from about 91% till 95% I Did. Not. Stop. Crying. Bawling. Big fat crocodile tears accompanied by the heaving gasps where you can’t catch a breath…mainly due to the fact that you can’t breathe thru your nose because of all the snot. I’m not painting a pretty picture here folks, and I know this. But….would I do it all over again? You bet your sweet fuckin tits I would!

“More than anything, I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking.” He stroked his cheek along hers, the rise and fall of his chest intoxicating her. “I want you tot touch me inside and out.” He straightened to look at her.
The heat from his words left her breathless.
He squeezed their hands at her back. “You saw strength in me once. Do you think you could find it again?”

My brain will never fully recover from Beneath the Burn…Charlee and Jay are permanently etched into my heart and I love that. I never want to give up on my characters (because to me…they are mine, sorry!) but they are exactly where I want them to be. Happy. Complete. Perfect. Now…would I love for some spin off’s…hell fuckin yeah I would! O.M.G. Laz is brilliance and probably is the only thing that kept me from completely slitting my wrists. The boy is hilarious. I love him…in a different way from Jay, but I might have a small obsession with Laz. Wil and Rio seem like they would have a fun story to tell, too. Obviously, they don’t go into a lot of detail about the band, but you know there is history there and it would be nice to get to know that side. Plus I’m a series whore, so sue me that I don’t want to let go! Don’t judge me.

“This will hold me.” She poked him on the chest. “You have the heart one expects to see at the center of a fire, bending and twisting like steel, but never breaking. If something happens to mine, yours would be stubborn enough to beat for both of us.”

There is so much I am missing…like about her pain, his fears and how the approach them together. Always together. Or about how many freaking things I highlighted…the decisions on which quotes to put in this review were literally painful for me to choose. But if I went on and on about everything this review would turn into a novel, rather than just the novella that it currently is. I babble…once again, don’t judge me. 😛 So…in conculsion…you must read this book. I don’t say this lightly, Beneath the Burn is one of the best books I’ve read this year and in my life. It’s a soul searing, life-altering book that will leave you gasping for breath, clinging to hope and yearning for more. 🙂

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Beneath the Burn by Pam Godwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Do you know what happens when you open up?”

“It makes you strong.”

I am. On top of. THE MOTHER FUCKING WORLD right now!! Yes, you heard me. Actually, I am pretty sure I am sitting on the moon somewhere or just orbiting up in the star filled galaxy because I have been BLOWN…the…FUCK…away!! Goodbye that is all!

I guess I need to give you all a little more than that, huh? Alright well how about you try this on for size. The Fault in Our Stars. The Edge of Never. The Sea of Tranquility. The Dark Duet series. I could go on. But here’s what you need to know about those books I just listed. ALL of those books are some of my top favorites. ALL of those books, especially, TFiOS, has been unmovable since it was placed on my top bookshelf inside of my fucked up head. But holy mother of God that ALL JUST CHANGED! Oh yes my lovely people, Beneath the Burn has taken the fucking cake. Number one, favorite book, that changed my life from here on out, until books no longer exist on this planet, has now been replaced. Out with the old, in with the burn.

While reading this book I felt like I was having mini heart attacks, on top of feeling like I was 84 months pregnant with every hormone known to woman running through my body thanks to the emotional mess of a roller coaster I was on, and then, upon finishing, I felt like I was coming down off of the highest high that you could ever imagine while simultaneously feeling like I was bathing in 100 proof liquor and letting it seep into my pores. Yeah, that’s how fucked up I felt. And don’t even get me started on the tears. Dear god those fucking tears. Yeah well I have pics to prove it that I sent to Lisa (a.k.a. blog partner) that I took while refusing to finish this book at…ohhhhh let’s say…94ish%. My head hurt, my heart hurt, I had snot in mouth and on my shirt, I couldn’t breathe and I all I wanted to do was get in bed and dream happy dreams of all the wonderful fucked up moments that took place in this book.

Okay, so you’re thinking…wonderful fucked up moments? Let me explain. Yes, I have to admit it now. I am a masochist when it comes to reading. Torture my heart. Hurt my soul. Rip me to pieces and I promise I will be lying there with a sick fucking smile on my face. I LIVE for books like this. Books that go beyond the fluff and the hearts and flowers. Books that delve into darkness and suffocate your brain. Books that are written by kick ass authors who aren’t afraid to write outside the pretty little box. THAT is what this book is. It is the fix that my addiction craves and I have never been more…perfectly, blissfully, fucked up. Yep, I will NEVER be the same. EVER!

Okay so let’s see here. I don’t want to give too much away as far as plot goes because this is the ONE and ONLY book that I am not willing to spoil for ANYONE. Even if you beg. It’s too perfect to ruin so you are just going to have to deal with that I give you.

Charlee Grosky

She got off on brutality and not on tenderness? She was damaged. So fucking broken.

Let me sum her up in a few words. Broken. Damaged. Sheltered (literally). And knows, wants, craves, and NEEDS one thing…
pain
. Charlee has had to endure months, no years, of sinfully orchestrated HELL at the hands of Roy Oxford. The man that owns basically the world and well…her. The man that stops at nothing because that’s an impossible feat. The man that tortured her body, ruined her soul, destroyed her heart, and caused her to run in fear for years. But he also gave Charlee the one thing she needs…strength.

Choosing the punishment was not the same as choosing to be punished. The beating would’ve happened with or without her consent. There was no power exchange. No safe word. Choosing the method gave her an illusion of control, and in the monsters lair, illusion was better than reality.

The strength I saw in Charlie was something I have never in my life had the privilege of reading before. This girl is unlike any other and considering the hell she has been through, is pretty fucking amazing. That’s what I loved about her. Even after going to hell and back, twice, she has more strength in one fiery red hair on her head than anyone else does in their entire body. She is afraid, yet brave. Ruined, yet healing. I love her, I love her, I love her.

Jay Mayard

He wanted to be healed by his own inner strength. Charlee had drawn the steel beneath the burns. And the next time he looked into her beautiful face, he would prove to her she had not misjudged him.

Lead guitarist and vocalist in the band The Burn. Tortured soul. Struggling addict. And above all else, never ever the same after he meets a blue-eyed tattoo artist one fateful night-his Charlee. His inspiration. His reason to be a better person. His reason to overcome his deamons. And the
only
touch that he will ever welcome.

“More than anything, I want to learn to bend to your touch without breaking.” He stroked his cheek along hers, the rise and fall of his chest intoxicating her. “I want you to touch me inside and out.”

Wonderful things were going to happen with this girl. She would push him. Maybe even fix him. If his nightmares chased her away, though, if she ran out the door, his existence would go up in an inferno.

Picture the earth shattering. Picture galaxies colliding. Picture beauty, meets pain, meets devastation, meets two souls forever changed. That is what Charlee and Jay are. Never in my life have I wanted anything more than for these two broken souls to be healed as one. To be cured, together, happy, and living fearless and content.

She met Jay by chance the first time. Destiny brought them together a second time. If one were to believe in such a thing, perhaps they would find each other again.

Brought together, torn apart. Suffering, waiting, wanting, and never giving up hope. That’s what sets them apart from others. The connection these two share is indescribable. I couldn’t explain it even if I wanted to. Jay and Charlee have forever, captured my heart.

Okay, so where do I go from here with this review? I think I will wrap it up now. You got my feelings, my emotions, and I even confessed to my ridiculous ugly crying. Snot and all. So what does that say for this book? Well, I will reiterate. Best, motherfucking, book I think I have EVER read. It has taken my breath away, shattered my heart, exposed my soul, and I will never be the same again. How do I feel about that?  FUCKING ECSATIC!!
I will leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes.

“Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn’t feel flat or fake or hollow. It’s not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled” ~Jay

“Whatever you gave him made him look at things differently, made him want to get better. He wanted to explore it…the tattoo, you, I don’t know. But your death meant he would be forever incomplete…unfinished.” ~Laz

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else away. It’s the best feeling in the world.” ~Jay

“You’re wrong. It’s you. You make me want to rake up the shit just to dissect it. Figure out what I’m made of, what I’m not, and who I am.” A dimple flashed on his cheek, its appearance endearing him all the more. “Got to say, Charlee, that’s an undertaking I’ve never cared to attempt. You make me want to care about a lot of things.” ~Jay

HAPPY READING!

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Pam Godwin lives in Missouri with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band. Now, she resides in her hometown, earning her living as a portfolio research analyst, and living her yearning as a writer.

Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

We are SO into the Monsters in the Dark Series!  Tess and Q have completely invaded our thoughts…check out our interview with Tess and Q (we had a blast!) and you can read a deleted scene and Lisa’s review of Quintessentially Q.

“All my life, I battled with the knowledge I was twisted… fucked up to want something so deliciously dark—wrong on so many levels. But then slave fifty-eight entered my world. Hissing, fighting, with a core of iron, she showed me an existence where two wrongs make a right.”

Tess is Q’s completely. Q is Tess’s irrevocably. But now, they must learn the boundaries of their unconventional relationship, while Tess seeks vengeance on the men who sold her. Q made a blood-oath to deliver their corpses at Tess’s feet, and that’s just what he’ll do.

He may be a monster, but he’s Tess’s monster.

Title:   Twisted Together  (Monsters in the Dark #3)

Author:   Pepper Winters

Genre:   Dark Romance

Release Date:   Early 2014

“After battling through hell, I brought my esclave back from the brink of ruin. I sacrificed everything—my heart, my mind, my very desires to bring her back to life. And for a while, I thought it broke me, that I’d never be the same. But slowly the beast is growing bolder, and it’s finally time to show Tess how beautiful the dark can be.”

Q gave everything to bring Tess back. In return, he expects nothing less. Tess may have leashed and tamed him, but he’s still a monster inside.

Title:  Collide (Collide Book #1)

By:  Gail McHugh

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

Her mind tried to fight a bloody battle against what her body already knew. She wanted him, and she wanted him bad.

On the heels of college graduation and the unexpected death of her mother, Emily Cooper moves to New York City to join her boyfriend for a fresh start. Dillon Parker has been sweet, thoughtful, and generous through Emily’s loss, and she can’t imagine her life without him—even as her inner voice tells her to go slow.

Then she meets Gavin Blake. A rich and notorious playboy, Gavin is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Their first encounter is brief, but it’s enough to inflame Emily’s senses. When their paths cross again through an unexpected mutual acquaintance, she tries to deny the connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome won’t let go so easily.

As she discovers Gavin’s pain-filled past and Dillon’s true nature begins to surface, Emily knows she must take action or risk destroying everyone—including herself. But how can she choose when she can’t trust her own heart?

Title:  Pulse (Collide Book #2)

By:  Gail McHugh

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

“Do you know how scary it is to want something so bad you’re willing to change your whole life for it?”

Emily Cooper is ready to risk everything to be with the man who has consumed her thoughts and dreams since the fateful day they met. Unraveling fast, she can only cling to the hope that Gavin Blake still wants her.

Nursing his wounded heart, Gavin has cut himself off from society and retreated into a self-destructive, mind-numbing world. Emily isn’t used to being the strong one, but she’ll have to find the daring and confidence within to fight for their love and bring Gavin back from the edge—even if it means losing herself to their all-consuming, pulse-pounding passion. A New York Times bestseller, Pulse is the unforgettable conclusion to the story of Emily and Gavin that began with Collide.

Mr. Tall Dark & Fuckable Handsome knows how to make us swoon.

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Emily, or Molly, either way, to the girl who continues to rock my fucking world,

I love ya, sweets. There’s no other way to put it.

You’ve turned me into the man I never imagined I’d be. For that, I could write a love note a day—for the rest of my life—but they couldn’t adequately describe how thankful this Yankee loving, bottle-cap giving, wiseass truly is.

You’ve given me your heart, your scars, your past, and your future. Your frowns, your smiles, your tears, and your laughter.

You’ve given me every beautiful piece of you.

But above everything, you’ve given me our son. How can a man repay that?

He can’t.

Well, technically he can. This man comes (pun very much intended) pretty damn close.

Especially when you’re wearing that black-laced corset with the little red bows on the garter belt, and your hair’s in pigtails, and those gorgeous legs of yours are perfectly positioned around my…

Christ.

See what you do to me? Yeah, doll. No one else will ever be able to get into my head the way you can.

Here’s to twenty minivans filled with bucket-loads of kids, a thousand pairs of ripped lace panties, and most of all… an eternity’s worth of love that makes the rest of them look like amateurs.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Gavin

P.S.- You just walked into the room, (in nothing but a towel no less) so I’m about to give you your real Valentine’s Day gift…

Pulse by Gail McHugh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5+++ “Bottle Cap” “Wise ass” “Do Over” Kisses!

Ummm…..

It should come as no surprise that I will probably not be able to shut up about how much I love this book, so to help simplify things, I have summarized my thoughts into 5 statements:
1.) Gavin FUCKING Blake is, was and will remain my top book boyfriend of all time.
2.) This book by far surpassed all my expectations for a sequel.
3.) If you thought Collide was hot, hold onto your panties ladies.
4.) You will laugh, you will cry, you will swoon…be prepared for a full emotional journey of awesomeness
5.) I hate that it is over…

Alright…that was hard – now get ready for my ode to the sequel to the best series I have ever had the pleasure of reading. When a book touches your life, so much so that you can’t even fathom what it was like before you even knew it existed, it’s hard to sit back and think…well, now I need to put that into words. I can’t show you how Gavin Blake has captured my heart. I can’t express how Emily has burrowed herself deep into the recesses of my soul. I don’t know how to measure how great an impact this series has on me…but as usual, I will do my best.

Pulse is the second book in the Collide series – so if you haven’t read  Collide – what the hell have you been doing since January??? I’m not going to re-tell the synopsis…and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you should know it ends on a cliff. So Pulse picks up right where Collide left off. It’s just like we had a 6 month commercial break, but if you’re going from the 1st book to the 2nd it’s a complete fluid motion – brilliant decision.

Emily Cooper is broken…and there is one thing that can fix her…it’s Mr. Tall Dark and Fuckable Handsome (but I’m pretty sure he can fix anything and everything). She’s on her way to reclaim her (excuse me for sounding cliché here) true love – but I tell you this now people, if there were ever two people in this WORLD meant for each other…it’s Gavin Blake and Emily Cooper. But I digress. So…let me guess – you’re thinking she goes to his apartment, he opens the door, the angel choirs sing ‘Hallelujah!’ and they all live happily ever after. Yeah…not so much.

“I was scared you took her back, but I should’ve let you explain and I didn’t. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that out of any girl in this world you could’ve fallen in love with, you chose me. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when I should’ve, and it was me who broke your heart. I love you, Gavin. I know you’re the one who said you thought you loved me from the moment you saw me, but I know I loved you from the moment I saw you. Something inside me told me I was supposed to be with you, but I fought against it. So many things about you scared me at first, and then you showed me who you really are.”

Gavin Blake isn’t much better in the broken department. The love of his life, the woman he bared his heart and soul to just crushed him. He’s just as broken as Emily is…and you break into a million pieces with him. So…for those of you who read ‘the teaser’…you know what he does. Honestly, this is not easy for me to say – but you can be mad at him all you want…but guess what. I can’t be. That’s Gavin. That’s who he was before Emily, ‘void fillers’ and all. I’m sorry, he has every right to do whatever he wants, and we get to sit back and take it. Does it suck? Hell yeah! In my messed up little brain…’that’ scene in Mexico, never happened – I plugged my ears and sang ‘la la la la la’ and went into my denial stage. Because in my brain there is no one else in this world that belongs with Gavin other than Emily. *sigh*

‘“No. I’m too much of a nice guy,” Gavin mumbled, idly wondering where Emily was in that moment. Loneliness flooded his chest, but he welcomed its suffocating presence. This was something he knew. It was all too familiar to him. He almost considered it an old buddy.’

Emily and Gavin didn’t get to where they are overnight and unfortunately the repair that needs to be done isn’t over night. There is work involved. I know so many people wanted Emily to suffer for what she did to Gavin, for him to make her grovel and work to get him back. To you people I say…wtf?!?!? This poor girl lost her mother, was in an abusive relationship, moved her life across the country, and met the love of her life all within the span of a year – you try dealing with all that! She’s not perfect, none of us are, but I swear, she is a brand new and amazingly wonderful Emily in Pulse and I. LOVED. Every. Minute. Of. It.

Emily climbed from the car and walked over to Gavin. Staring up into his eyes, her words softly fell from her mouth. “Do you know how scary it is to want something so bad you’re willing to change your whole life for it?”
Gavin searched her face. “You mean the way I was willing to change mine for you?”
“Yeah. I guess we were both willing to do that, Gavin. I was ready to take that plunge and never look back. Never. I was ready to risk everything for you, to push away the overwhelming fear I had because I knew you and I are worth it. We fell in love in a second. I was barely able to blink, and you had my entire world upside-down. I was scared you weren’t… real. I was scared no one could be as magnetic as you are to me. It still scares me. You still scare me.” Pausing, Emily shook her head. “Then I saw Gina, and all my fears came back. My heart wanted to believe you, but my head wouldn’t allow it after I’d already taken that risk on us. I’m so sorry, Gavin. I don’t know what else to say other than I love you and need you with everything inside me.”

Gavin is of course the king of liners…he didn’t fail in Collide and he blew me away in Pulse, but I honestly think Emily gave him a run for his money. I’m not over exaggerating her people, I loved her in Collide , she may have aggravated me to the point of yelling obscenities at my kindle, but I never once stopped loving her. But in Pulse I felt like I got to watch Emily blossom and grow into the woman she always was, the woman she was meant to be before Dillon, the woman she was free to be because of Gavin and his love. When you have someone who truly loves you and cares for the person you are inside, it is the most freeing feeling in the world – that’s something I don’t think Emily ever got to experience before Gavin.

‘She moved into the kitchen and came up behind Gavin at the stove. She circled her arms around his waist, stood on her tiptoes, and perched her chin on his shoulder. “I didn’t know you cooked. You keep getting sexier and sexier.”
At that, he chuckled. “Wait. I thought I was shmexy?”’

So of course, this is a love story. And after Collide and the angsty torture that we all suffered through, we are very handsomely rewarded. Gavin and Emily are hotness personified and I’m not kidding when I say hold onto your panties. Shoot, you might want to go ahead and grab a couple extra pair because Gavin in all his alpha male dominance is nothing short of amazing. It’s really not fair to the rest of the men in the world because frankly…anything less than Gavin Blake just…doesn’t measure up.

‘…Gavin leaned back over to Emily and whispered, “I owed you a bottle cap since the last few times I drank, I forgot to give you one. I’m sorry.”
Cupping his cheek, she stared into his eyes. “I love you. And I love your bottle caps more than you’ll ever know.”
Gavin quirked a brow. “Yeah? Even though I have a fuckload of money, you love my bottle caps? Should my caps be more… refined?”
“No,” she said breathlessly. “They’re perfect.”

I could literally talk about Gavin, Emily and Pulse all day long. I’m not over exaggerating. This series and these characters have been in my life for almost a year, since I found Collide on FictionPress…so you can understand why when I clicked to the last page and read ‘The End’…I cried. You cannot emotionally attach yourself to ‘something’ (fictional character or not) for almost 12 months and then be okay with saying goodbye to them. I don’t know how to live without having my daily dose of Gavin Blake. Which I guess is why I can be happy with the fact that no one can take them away from me. 🙂

“I love you, Emily Cooper.” He paused, looked at the ground, then back to her. “I think I loved you before I knew you existed.” His voice was so soft, Emily could barely hear him. He stepped closer and brought his hand to her cheek, his touch gentle as his blue eyes caressed hers. “I’m pretty sure you were in my dreams before you walked into my life. I felt it the first time I saw you. You pulled at me. Took hold of my heart and never let go. Even if you had, I wouldn’t have let you. I wouldn’t have been able to. Something about you was… familiar, and it scared the shit out of me, but I knew somehow we needed one another.”

Wow…there are not enough stars in thy sky for me to rate this book…I need like a new rating system…a new chart…like an ‘infinity star’ or something. From beginning to end this book has held my heart and I still don’t feel like my words have done it justice. It’s just a series you must read and experience for yourself. So what are you waiting for??? 🙂

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Pulse by Gail McHugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5+++++++ KISSES!!
Pulse is simply PERFECT

My review? You seriously want me to write this review? You want me to write a review for Pulse? Huh? How? What? You want me to try and form words after reading this book that seriously deserves its own adjective to describe the perfection that it is? Okay let me try to come up with something here…..hmmmm…….Perfamazimpecasome (please don’t make me break that down for you). The words in this book (yes all of them) need to be inscribed onto the moon so that the entire world can see them, love them, live them, feel them, all like I did. Because that’s exactly what I did. If you can’t tell already, I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS FUCKING BOOK!! (and if you are offended by my use of that amazing ‘f’ word, then please, by all means, stop reading NOW!) I am so in love with this book and these characters to the point that I’ve contemplated contacting NASA, the CIA, Homeland Security, and Bill Gates about coming up with some kind of super amazing machine that will place my happy ass right into Gail’s McHugh grey matter so that I can join the party. I can’t promise that everything I say and do will be appropriate but hey, what’s the fun in that.

Let’s begin, shall we? To be honest with all you lovely people, I am very excited about the word vomit that is about to take place. This is me. Right. Now!

So just in case you aren’t aware-Pulse is the second book in a two book series. Book one,Collide, should, and I cannot stress this enough because it is vital to your health and well-being (not kidding) be read prior to reading Pulse. Got that? Book one= Collide…Book two= Pulse
Now that we’ve got that settled let’s get down to it.

Pulse picks up where Collide left off. Literally where it left off- that unforgettable, painful, heart-breaking night, right down to the minute. Emily is walking out of that room and away from a life she has decided she doesn’t want to live. She is going after the only thing that has ever made sense. The one man whom her heart beats for. She just isn’t sure what comes next. What will Gavin say? Has Emily broken him too much to the point of no repair?

“Thank you for your dimpled smile and your bottle caps.
I’ll never be able to look at one without thinking of you.
Thank you for your stupid Yankees and your wiseass remarks.
Thank you for wanting late night drives and sunset-watching
with me. Thank you for wanting the good, the bad, and in the
in-between…I’m just sorry all you got from me was the
bad.”

It must be said that we definitely get to see a new Emily in Pulse.

I know a lot of people didn’t like her in Collide and some just flat out hated her. They found her weak. Spineless. Annoying. Well, let me get this out there….I am 100% NOT one of those Emily haters. I loved Emily from page one and while yes, like I said in my Collide Review, she was very frustrating at times, I never disliked her. The poor girl was
broken
. That’s like seeing a starving, mangy, sad-faced puppy outside your house and shooing it away with a broom. WHO DOES THAT?? Emily was just a girl who had been broken down so many times that there was just no point in trying to fix herself or even let someone else try and fix her. She grew up seeing her mother treated less than acceptable on numerous occasions so why would she think she deserved any better. Maybe that’s all she knew. Maybe that was the norm to her. Maybe she just needed someone to open up her eyes and her heart and show her that the way she is living is NOT normal. That Dillon really is the fucking Douchecanoe that he appears to be. Maybe the one person who can open her eyes to all that has finally had enough, though. Maybe Gavin is ruined now, too. Maybe he’s filling a void somewhere in another country? Maybe Gavin Blake is feeling…dead.

Emily tensed, grabbed the handle above her head,
and looked at Gavin. “You’re going to kill us.”

“I’m already dead,” he answered , clenching his
jaw.

Jesus!!!! This man can break my heart, steal it, mend it, and lock it away for 84 years! I LOVE HIM!

Aaaaand now it’s time to turn up the heat a little. You know…the kind of heat that causes your girly parts to clench. Shit is about to go down. I’m talking some crazy hot arguing, some sexual tension, all inside of a very sleek Jaguar.

At this point into the book I am kind of having mini meltdowns and thinking to myself, “Okay, what is going to happen next. I am not sure if I can handle much more of the guessing games.” And then BOOM! Thank you Gail McHugh for scaring the shit out of me. Oh you know, that night at around 2:00am. I felt the need to stall Emily in hopes that something in the likes of a miracle might happen at this point.

Well hello there, miracle. Ladies and…ladies, I introduce to you,
MY
Gavin Blake.

Gavin…*sigh*. Gavin. Fucking. Blake. I am not sure there are even any more words that need to be said. Gavin is in a league all his own. He is untouchable. He is effortless perfection. He has a heart the size of the moon that even though is stealing healing, it’s 100% taken. When he loves, he loves hard. And when he fucks…well yeah you get the picture :) And let me tell you, again, just like I did in my Collide review…as much as I love this man. As much as I want Gavin Blake. I know that Gavin Blake and Emily Cooper absolutely, indefinitely, until there is no tomorrow,
belong together
. There’s no two other people in this universe that belong together like these two do. It’s like their hearts beat to the same rhythm, their synapses fire on the same neuron, their brains function on the same wavelength. They. Are. Just. PERFECT. No other way to describe them.

That’s not to say they don’t have things to overcome. There has been so much hurt so much heartache between Gavin and Emily and those things don’t get repaired overnight. But if I know these two, it won’t take them long.

“I can’t promise you it’ll always be sweet and
tender because you and I fight hard. But I’m
pretty sure it won’t be a horror ride either
because you and I love even harder. What I can
promise is you’ll always mean more to me than my
next breath, and it’ll always be you in my life.
No one else.”

Okay, so where do I go from here with this review? There is so much I want to tell you. I want to be the spoiler whore that I am with all my friends and just ramble until your ears bleed. But, unfortunately I can’t do that. There is too much to ruin for you. There is too much brilliance that takes place in this book that you really just need to witness for yourself. There are beautiful moments, sad moments, moments where you ache for Gavin and Emily, a moment in particular where you have the biggest, ”What the FUCK? This is no happening. This is SO not fucking happening.” moment.

And don’t worry, Gail McHugh does NOT disappoint in the sexy, steamy, panty melting department either. There’s some of this-

“I’m going to fuck you right now, Emily. I’m
going to bring you so much pleasure you’ll
never think about walking away from me again.”

and a little

don’t forget some of this

Okay so let me wrap this up. I will even sum all my feelings for you in a cutesy little list along with some other randomness.

1. I am in love with Gavin and Emily.
2. This series is my favorite EVER.
3. I cried probably 84 times while reading this book.
4. Olivia and I are new Bff’s. How can one not love
that girl?
5. Did someone say something about a monkey?
6. I secretly have a thing for Trevor and Fallon.
They need their own book.
7. I am digging Jude. A lot. Even with that pink
towel.
8. I had a dream last night about licking Gavin’s
tattoo. Twice!
9. The ending left my heart very happy.
10. I am sad that Gavin and Emily’s story is over.
Hey, maybe I’ll write fan-fiction. NOT!
11. I love Gavin Blake.
12. I really love Gavin Blake.

And that’s about all I have. I hope my review portrayed how much I adore this book, this author, these characters. They all have touched me to my soul like I have never experienced before. I just know that there have been past book boyfriends for me, there will be future book boyfriends for me. But Gavin Blake has stolen my heart and he will ALWAYS be my number one.

I will leave you with this amazing quote.

“We were written for one another, and I
wouldn’t change one line in our romance
novel. The good, the bad, the in between.
It’s ours. We own it.”

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I’ve always been a lover of writing, but mostly dabbled in creative poetry while raising my three beautiful children. I am grateful that my husband of fifteen years has supported me—albeit sometimes kicking and screaming—as I pursue this “hobby” of mine. Without his help, writing would be an impossible endeavor.

In late June 2012, I felt an urgent tug of my pen, and I began writing one of my first novels, Collide. Although I thought it might never see the light of day, it gave me the courage to plunge headfirst onto a path I had never considered before.

Website – http://authorgailmchugh.com/

Title:   In Too Deep (In Too Deep Book #1)

By:   Michelle Kemper Brownlow

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?

Title:   On Solid Ground (In Too Deep Book #2)

By:   Michelle Kemper Brownlow

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Gracie survived an emotionally abusive relationship that wrecked her. Her ex, Noah, systematically chipped away at her self-esteem through intimidation, humiliation and infidelity which left Gracie unable to trust her own perception of his intentions. But after falling head over heels for Jake, her best friend and the man who stood by her through it all, she is ready to experience life in the way it was meant to be lived. However, Gracie may find it impossible to simultaneously heal from the trauma of abuse while navigating a relationship with Jake. Can she put her heart on hold in order to heal her soul? The sequel to the five-star debut novel, In Too Deep, chronicles Gracie’s steps toward healing as she falls deeper in love, reaches out for help, stands on her own, steps out of her comfort zone, faces her biggest fears, and reconnects with a sensual, talented soul from her past all in hopes of finding herself on solid ground.

 

 

 

Oh Jake…

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Dear Gracie,

            I thought I knew what love was until I fell for you. The depth of what I feel is overwhelming and I just don’t have the words to describe it. Sometimes what I feel scares me because it’s bigger than any emotion I’ve ever known. But then I realize that same fear is the most comforting thing I’ve ever felt. It’s a peace that convinces me our love is eternal. Gracie, I want to still be holding your hand fifty, sixty, seventy years from now. It took us a lot to get where we are and I promise to protect that love for as long as I live. You mean the world to me.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Baby girl.

I love you more than you’ll ever know.

Jake

In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For this to be a debut novel just absolutely amazed me. I was completely captivated and blown away. Michelle Kemper Brownlow has written one hell of a book and I am seriously in LOVE. Look out folks because I am telling you, this one will be moving up, up, up until it reaches the top. And if it doesn’t, I will be utterly speechless…and a little pissed off. As for my review, bear with me because I am not even sure I have the mindset or words to do In Too Deep justice. But I will give it a shot…here we go!!

Let’s start with Gracie.

I fell in love with Gracie from the very first page of this book-From those very first lines she speaks. She is broken…my GOD is this poor girl broken. And when I say broken, I mean like shattered. Millions and millions of pieces scattered all around her and most of those pieces lie at the feet of Noah.

Noah and Gracie have been dating for a while. Well, I would call it more like Noah has been controlling Gracie for a while and constantly treating her like the mud at the bottom of a river but you know, that’s just Noah. And honestly, that’s just Gracie. Gracie is the definition of what a lot of readers like to call “spineless doormats”. You know…those girls that let a guy walk over them, never stand up for themselves, never think they’re good enough, and always take it…no matter how hard it gets. But you can’t really look at it like ‘well if she’s dumb enough to stick around then she deserves it’…you have to realize that when you are young, and you think you are in love to the point that you see your future with someone, you become blind in a way. Blind to what is really going on, blind to the things he is saying and doing, blind to what you’re friends are telling you is really happening. But I think everyone has a breaking point. And throughout the entire book, I was on the edge of my seat wondering when the hell Gracie was finally going to break.

Lucky for Gracie she had some amazing friends that stuck by her side 100%. Her roommate Stacy, and her two best ‘guy-friends’ that live upstairs, Sam and Jake are what kept Gracie going. Honestly, if it weren’t for them, and I mean ALL of them, I don’t think Gracie would have been able to keep afloat. They were her harbor, her vessel and I loved each and every one of them for taking care of Gracie the way they did. She needed it. Even though at times it was a lot of tough love, she survived the train wreck otherwise known as Noah.

I cringed throughout In Too Deep thinking to myself, “come on Gracie…really? WAKE UP, ALREADY”. Noah did one hell of a number on Gracie and there were times that I really thought that Noah was really going to be her forever…and I say that with the most disgustingly bitter taste in my life. Noah is a narcissistic asshole…and that’s putting it nicely. I guess I should say what I liked about Noah because that’s an easy one….NOTHING! I wanted to grab ahold of those little things between his legs that we like to ‘balls’ and squeeze until he either threw up, or passed out. Let me guess, you’re probably thinking “Wow, Brooke. A little harsh aren’t we?”. Well my little book bitches, hop right on into In Too Deep and tell me how you feel about Noah. Then come see me so we can work out a master plan on how to torture him. I will even let you go first….promise 🙂

Okay so onto Jake…*sigh*…Jake, oh, Jake.

“I could honestly say he saved my life, and there were times I feared if I closed my eyes for too long, he would disappear. He really was too good to be true.” ~Gracie

Jake and Gracie have developed a very close friendship. They rely on each other a lot and Gracie leans on Jake in a way that some might consider unhealthy. Especially considering Gracie is dating Noah and Jake has a girlfriend (Jessica). Earlier when I said that Gracie’s friends kept her going…well Jake is at the top when it comes to that. Jake, in my opinion, is Gracie’s saving grace (well that was corny, huh? HA!). I don’t think there was anything that he wouldn’t do for his Gracie-girl. But seriously, if Jake weren’t such an important person is Gracie’s life well…I can’t even go there. I just can’t. Jake and Gracie’s big thing is taking naps together. And while yes, that might be crossing the line considering that they are both in relationships, it just fit them.

“You don’t have to love me back. I will take you however I can have you. Just having you in my life is a blessing to me.” ~Jake

In Too Deep is one of those books for me that I just want to tell everyone about. I want to just start babbling and babbling and ruin it for everyone. I just have SO much to say about it that I literally can’t contain it. So if any of you are spoiler whores like me and want to know ALL it before reading it, (and yes, that is the deal, if I am going to spoil it for you, you still MUST read it), then hit me up. I just want to talk to SOMEONE about it…anyone!!! PLEASE! But, you all know me, “no spoiler reviews” and all that. So I am thinking this might be a good place to stop. I am hoping that by everything above you can tell how much I loved this book. Most people don’t like the weak and spineless women, but honestly, I love them. Especially when you get to see them finally have their epiphany and ever so slowly, start picking all those pieces that trail behind them and putting them back together one, by one, by one. And when you aren’t having to put those pieces back together alone, it’s something pretty amazing. You’ll see.

“Through all of this, you have helped me start to remember who I once was. It’s like you’re helping me put the pieces back together even if some of those pieces are hideous.” ~Gracie 


Happy Reading!!
View all my reviews

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Michelle Kemper Brownlow likes her music loud and prefers live concerts but will happily settle for the eclectic playlists on her iPhone. This Penn State grad and former high school art teacher is easily distracted by colorful art supplies and Eddie Vedder’s voice. When she’s not in her studio writing, she can be found putting off housework for a good romance novel that has her heart pounding and tears flowing. She is married to her very own “Jake” and is a mom to three fantastic humans, a black lab and a Chinchilla named Wodney.

Title:   Escaping Me

Author:   Elizabeth Lee

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

All she wanted to do was forget. Forget the memory of walking in on her boyfriend in the middle of, well, another girl. Forget how she had her entire life planned out. And, forget about being perfect all the time. Unfortunately, she was Whitney Vandaveer and despite the fact that she moved to the middle of nowhere – she couldn’t.

He always knew he would never be more than nothing. No job, no money, no future. Cole Pritchett had accepted the fact that he would always be the screw up and he was okay with it. Until he met her.

Here’s the thing they quickly found out – sometimes we all need a little help escaping who we think we are.

Cole sure knows how to make a girl swoon…

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Whit-

Hey pretty girl, Not a day goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars that you were silly enough to go for a run on a day hot enough to make the Devil sigh.  You said I saved you, but the truth is… you saved me.  I’m yours as long as you’ll have me, which I’m hoping is forever.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Cole

PS. You still never took me up on the hammer tutorial.  Just let me know when you’re ready.

Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Impeccable writing, an emotional journey, and two of the most amazing characters I have ever read about, Escaping Me took my breath away. An amazing story of what it’s truly like to fall in love. Especially when you can’t figure out who you really are, and who everyone expects you to be.

We first meet Whitney Vandaveer. Trying to start over in a small town, very unlike the highlife society she was used to living, and pushing any thoughts of her lying, cheating, ex-boyfriend out of her head.

I need to escape the fact that my boyfriend of four years went and slept with the first girl who flashed her tits at him in college. The majority of my teenage life was wasted on a guy I was sure was going to be my future husband. What a joke. The cold, dark organ that used to be my heart still beats strong as I eye the gravel lane that signals my homestretch, only now it beats out of rage instead of love.

Whitney is now living with her mother and younger sister, Mallory, which is a huge change for her because after her parent’s divorce many years before, Whitney chose to stay with her father. But Whitney adapts very well and actually develops a very close relationship with her long lost family.

The last thing Whitney ever expects is to, under very strange circumstances, meet an extraordinarily good looking (okay, VERY FREAKING HOT…I couldn’t help myself) guy. He literally sweeps her off her feet. No, not kidding. She decided it’s a brilliant idea to go for a run on one of the hottest days of the year.

But no worries, Cole Pritchett is there to save the day. Hmmm, Cole…*sigh*. Cole is also running from things of his past. Known as his hometown’s troublemaker and having his brother as a cop in that town, this is his last “get out of jail free” card. He left behind a life that he has no plans of returning to any time soon and he is only looking forward. He has a temper to say the least and I have to admit, I’m with Whitney…it’s kind of hot.

I imagine the wild look in his eyes and the way his body would move in the heat of an attack. Somehow, in my mind, all I can think about is how badly I want Cole to channel his obvious agitation into something a little more sexual, preferably with me on the receiving end.

Whitney and Cole decide that being friends as all either can handle at the time of things getting a little too…comfortable. There is so much flirtatious banter between these two and I found myself laughing and internally screaming at them to just give in already!

“Let me know of ever want to use my…hammer,” he chuckles as he settles into his truck and fires up the engine. As he backs out of the parking lot and drives away, I feel the fire return to my cheeks as he confirmed knowing what I hoped I’d hidden. Cole Pritchett know I am interested in his tool.

Both have issues they need to work through and pasts that haunt them but no doubt that these two can overcome them. They are both turning over new leaves if you will. But I am not blind. Oh no, I could see through these two from the get-go!! And thank God for that because all I wanted was for these two to either hash it out or get naked. I preferred the latter 😉 Friends, huh? Yeah I didn’t think so.

“I don’t you need you to do me any favors.” With a determined smirk, she wraps her hand around my neck and pulls my head down to hers. “And I sure as shit don’t want to be your friend.”
As she crashes her lips to mine, every doubt I have about us vanishes…

There was so much that I loved about this book. The developing relationship between Whitney and her sister. The denial of want and desire between Whit and Cole. The sexual tension that you felt like you could choke on! The emotions…oh GOD, the emotions!! All of it…just amazing!

But just like with everything else in life, when things start going good, well great actually, the bitch known as life comes in and puts up a big ass toad block right in your path. This road block is also called Whit’s dad!

Whitney’s dad, being the high society asshole he is, lives for one thing and one thing only. Appearances. It’s all about keeping up those damn appearances. And so of course when he finds out that Whitney and Cole are together, he will stop at nothing to insure that it comes to a halt. But thankfully, Cole Pritchett doesn’t back down to anyone. And I mean anyone. And let me just give you the one line that he said to her dad that melted my fucking heart and produced these weird salty little liquid drops to leak from the ducts of my eyeballs.

“And you’re right, I’m probably not good enough for her but I’d spend every second with her trying to prove that I am.”

See how damn perfect he is? And he doesn’t even know it. Everything Cole Pritchett does and says just makes me want to jump into this damn book with my rope and duct tape and take him home and make him my own!

Cole seriously LOVES Whitney. Like realllllly loves her. He is even willing to do questionably crazy things just to make her happy.

“You wouldn’t really shoot those poor little squirrels would you?” she pouts.
I shake my head to appease her. The truth is I love to go hunting, but if she asked me to, I’d become a member of PETA tomorrow.

And don’t for one second think that Whitney is immune to Mr. Pritchett.

When the cause of my excitement walks into the bathroom and wraps his arms around me, my body immediately reacts. He doesn’t do anything other than rest his chin on my shoulder and smile, and every drop of blood in my veins rushes between my legs as my skin start to surge like it is begging for his touch. I am officially addicted. Perfect. I am a sex junkie and Cole Pritchett is my dealer.

Well hot damn, can you blame her? He is tall, extremely good looking, has just enough bad boy in him, and he’s even a little alpha to top it off.

“Look at me,” I plead, but she gives me nothing. “Look at me goddamnit.” I raised my voice and immediately regret it until I see the way her eyes snap to mine. She takes in a heavy breath between her parted cherry-red lips as she leans in, waiting for my next command. It appears Ms. Vandaveer like being told what to do. I can definitely work with this.

Okay so time to wrap it up. Overall, amazing book. I fell in love with the words, the story, the characters, and by the time all was said and done and my emotions weren’t going in 84 didn’t directions, my happy little heart was…well, happy and content! I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I did and feel free to contact me with your thoughts!

I will leave you with some more amazing words from Mr. Cole Pritchett.

“I need you to tell me how you feel, Whit. I need to know that the way I feel about you isn’t one-sided and that you don’t actually agree with what your father said. I need you to tell me that I’m not crazy for being in love with you, and that despite the way you acted in front of him, you feel the same way.”

HAPPY READING!

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When I’m not writing or playing the part of wife and mother, you can find me dancing back-up for Beyonce, singing back-up for Miranda, or sunning myself on the beach with a drink in hand. Here’s the thing about being born and raised in a small town—you have a very vivid imagination! Now, I channel it all to create stories where the girl always ends up with the right guy, first kisses are magical, and a happy ending is just that!

Let me start off by saying how much I love not only her books, but Michelle as well. She is one of the nicest, most giving authors I have ever had the chance to meet (virtually). I am so excited to be a part of this re-release with her and help spread the word about this amazing series that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE needs to read.

Read on! We’ve got reviews, graphics, and an AMAZING GIVEAWAY!

Gracie has just finished her freshman year of college in Memphis when she takes a job at a local pizza joint in her home town of McKenzie, Tennessee. She is the epitome of innocence when she meets Noah. Noah is unabashedly handsome, intriguingly reckless and just cocky enough to be sexy. Gracie’s instincts tell her to stay far away from him and based on the stories she hears from her co-workers he leaves broken hearts in his wake. But still, she can’t explain her fascination with him.

Noah puts aside his bad boy ways when what he thought was a summer crush has him unexpectedly falling in love. But soon after Gracie transfers to UT Knoxville to be with Noah, their unexpected love becomes riddled with anger, deceit and humiliation.

Jake, Noah’s former roommate and Gracie’s best friend, can no longer be a bystander. Gracie’s world falls out from beneath her and when she breaks she turns to Jake for strength. As Jake talks her through a decision she’s not yet strong enough to make, together they uncover a truth so ugly neither of them is prepared for its fallout. Will Jake pull her to the surface or is Gracie Jordan finally In Too Deep?

 

I fell in love with Gracie in book one-In Too Deep-because of her struggles. Because of what she had to go through and because I KNEW that this girl would somehow overcome it all.

In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For this to be a debut novel just absolutely amazed me. I was completely captivated and blown away. Michelle Kemper Brownlow has written one hell of a book and I am seriously in LOVE. Look out folks because I am telling you, this one will be moving up, up, up until it reaches the top. And if it doesn’t, I will be utterly speechless…and a little pissed off. As for my review, bear with me because I am not even sure I have the mindset or words to do In Too Deep justice. But I will give it a shot…here we go!!

Let’s start with Gracie.

I fell in love with Gracie from the very first page of this book-From those very first lines she speaks. She is broken…my GOD is this poor girl broken. And when I say broken, I mean like shattered. Millions and millions of pieces scattered all around her and most of those pieces lie at the feet of Noah.

Noah and Gracie have been dating for a while. Well, I would call it more like Noah has been controlling Gracie for a while and constantly treating her like the mud at the bottom of a river but you know, that’s just Noah. And honestly, that’s just Gracie. Gracie is the definition of what a lot of readers like to call “spineless doormats”. You know…those girls that let a guy walk over them, never stand up for themselves, never think they’re good enough, and always take it…no matter how hard it gets. But you can’t really look at it like ‘well if she’s dumb enough to stick around then she deserves it’…you have to realize that when you are young, and you think you are in love to the point that you see your future with someone, you become blind in a way. Blind to what is really going on, blind to the things he is saying and doing, blind to what you’re friends are telling you is really happening. But I think everyone has a breaking point. And throughout the entire book, I was on the edge of my seat wondering when the hell Gracie was finally going to break. [image error]

Lucky for Gracie she had some amazing friends that stuck by her side 100%. Her roommate Stacy, and her two best ‘guy-friends’ that live upstairs, Sam and Jake are what kept Gracie going. Honestly, if it weren’t for them, and I mean ALL of them, I don’t think Gracie would have been able to keep afloat. They were her harbor, her vessel and I loved each and every one of them for taking care of Gracie the way they did. She needed it. Even though at times it was a lot of tough love, she survived the train wreck otherwise known as Noah.
[image error]

I cringed throughout In Too Deep thinking to myself, “come on Gracie…really? WAKE UP, ALREADY”. Noah did one hell of a number on Gracie and there were times that I really thought that Noah was really going to be her forever…and I say that with the most disgustingly bitter taste in my life. Noah is a narcissistic asshole…and that’s putting it nicely. I guess I should say what I liked about Noah because that’s an easy one….NOTHING! I wanted to grab ahold of those little things between his legs that we like to ‘balls’ and squeeze until he either threw up, or passed out. Let me guess, you’re probably thinking “Wow, Brooke. A little harsh aren’t we?”. Well my little book bitches, hop right on into In Too Deep and tell me how you feel about Noah. Then come see me so we can work out a master plan on how to torture him. I will even let you go first….promise 🙂

Okay so onto Jake…*sigh*…Jake, oh, Jake. [image error]

“I could honestly say he saved my life, and there were times I feared if I closed my eyes for too long, he would disappear. He really was too good to be true.” ~Gracie

Jake and Gracie have developed a very close friendship. They rely on each other a lot and Gracie leans on Jake in a way that some might consider unhealthy. Especially considering Gracie is dating Noah and Jake has a girlfriend (Jessica). Earlier when I said that Gracie’s friends kept her going…well Jake is at the top when it comes to that. Jake, in my opinion, is Gracie’s saving grace (well that was corny, huh? HA!). I don’t think there was anything that he wouldn’t do for his Gracie-girl. But seriously, if Jake weren’t such an important person is Gracie’s life well…I can’t even go there. I just can’t. Jake and Gracie’s big thing is taking naps together. And while yes, that might be crossing the line considering that they are both in relationships, it just fit them. [image error]

“You don’t have to love me back. I will take you however I can have you. Just having you in my life is a blessing to me.” ~Jake

In Too Deep is one of those books for me that I just want to tell everyone about. I want to just start babbling and babbling and ruin it for everyone. I just have SO much to say about it that I literally can’t contain it. So if any of you are spoiler whores like me and want to know
ALL
it before reading it, (and yes, that is the deal, if I am going to spoil it for you, you still MUST read it), then hit me up. I just want to talk to SOMEONE about it…anyone!!! PLEASE! But, you all know me, “no spoiler reviews” and all that. So I am thinking this might be a good place to stop. I am hoping that by everything above you can tell how much I loved this book. Most people don’t like the weak and spineless women, but honestly, I love them. Especially when you get to see them finally have their epiphany and ever so slowly, start picking all those pieces that trail behind them and putting them back together one, by one, by one. And when you aren’t having to put those pieces back together alone, it’s something pretty amazing. You’ll see.

“Through all of this, you have helped me start to remember who I once was. It’s like you’re helping me put the pieces back together even if some of those pieces are hideous.” ~Gracie 


Happy Reading!!
View all my reviews

Gracie survived an emotionally abusive relationship that wrecked her. Her ex, Noah, systematically chipped away at her self-esteem through intimidation, humiliation and infidelity which left Gracie unable to trust her own perception of his intentions. But after falling head over heels for Jake, her best friend and the man who stood by her through it all, she is ready to experience life in the way it was meant to be lived. However, Gracie may find it impossible to simultaneously heal from the trauma of abuse while navigating a relationship with Jake. Can she put her heart on hold in order to heal her soul? The sequel to the five-star debut novel, In Too Deep, chronicles Gracie’s steps toward healing as she falls deeper in love, reaches out for help, stands on her own, steps out of her comfort zone, faces her biggest fears, and reconnects with a sensual, talented soul from her past all in hopes of finding herself on solid ground.

 

 

 

On Solid Ground is an extraordinary sequel that will have you reeling with tons of emotions. It’s such an awe-inspiring story about a once broken girl and how she finds her true self  again while fighting to keep a love that is worthy of forever. Heartbreaking, soul-wrenching, and absolutely one of the best love stories I’ve read. On Solid Ground will leave you breathlessly content.

We all like giveaways, right?? Well this giveaway happens to be one of my favorite because almost ALL of the prizes were handmade by the author herself. See, I told you she was Amazing!! Now, how do you enter the giveaway? Easy! Just leave a blog post comment and tell us either your biggest struggle that you’ve overcome OR if you’ve already read In Too Deep and On Solid Ground, tell us your favorite thing about the series!

One of you will win one of the following prizes!!

Want to see the prizes??

Michelle Kemper Brownlow likes her music loud and prefers live concerts but will happily settle for the eclectic playlists on her iPhone. This Penn State grad and former high school art teacher is easily distracted by colorful art supplies and Eddie Vedder’s voice. When she’s not in her studio writing, she can be found putting off housework for a good romance novel that has her heart pounding and tears flowing. She is married to her very own “Jake” and is a mom to three fantastic humans, a black lab and a Chinchilla named Wodney.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MK_Brownlow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleKemperBrownlowAuthor?ref=hl

Blog: http://michellekemperbrownlow.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6951309.Michelle_Kemper_Brownlow

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed “bad boy” friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won’t let herself get burned again. She’s waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He’s stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he’s returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome’s used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he’s just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray. Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

Have you read the first two books in the Marked Men Series?

Opposites in every way . . . except the one that matters

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight–A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want–and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.

With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.

Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?

Rome by Jay Crownover My rating: 5 of 5 stars Let’s start this review off with some confessions, shall we? 1.Even though I am ashamed to admit it, I have never read Book 1 in the series (Rule). 2.Book 2 (Jet) was awesome, but no one holds a candle to Rome Archer. 3.Rome is my favorite “marked man” even though his “marks” aren’t in the form of ink. Okay, I think that’s all. Let’s get to the good stuff… First off, if you are new to this series then let me just say you are in for some amazing books. Even though it’s not required that you start at book one, I would definitely recommend it. There is too much amazing male hotness to miss out on (trust me, this I know). If you have been a follower of this series from the moment Rule was released from the literary womb then well…feel free to lecture me about how I should have read Rule and everything I missed out on. I hope you can excuse my complete lack of respect of reading orders long enough to get through this review. Cora

What can I say, I’m a weird chick.

So, since I didn’t get to meet Cora until book 2, I am not sure what I missed out on. All I know is that I love this girl. She is the definition of “tiny but mighty”. That mouth of hers is one that rivals my own and her personality us unmatchable. She is a girl that knows exactly want she wants but reality is about to school her and teach her a lesson about what you think you want and what you really want are two totally different things. She just doesn’t know it yet. Rome

His face had a vivid intensity about it that just made him stupidly hot, even without the body that was bound to make the opposite sex dumb. I bet if he ever bothered to smile, panties across the nation would melt.

Ahh, my dark, damaged, fuck up man. How I love thee. I have a thing for fictional men who have deep, dark, fucked up minds. Regardless of the circumstances. It might be that I am very similar to Cora and I just like to figure people out. Or maybe I just have weird neurons in my brain that make me fall in love with said fucked up fictional characters. Or maybe it’s equally as fucked up that I obsess over said fucked-upness. Or is it fucked up to obsess over fictional characters in general? I think I just talked myself into a therapy session.

I didn’t know Rome from any other stranger on the street, but there was something about him, something strong and magnetic that I was having a hard time denying made me want to figure out what made him tick.

Amen, sister!!

That grin that was probably going to make me fall in love with him broke across his face, and I knew that whatever it was I was doing with this man, who was so the opposite of what I thought I wanted, was the right thing.

I think what I loved most about this book was that Cora and Rome started out pretty much wanting to strangle each other. Or wanting to pour beer over the others head…..oh wait…Regardless, the two were not huge fans of each other from the get-go. Now, that’s not to say that even though there was obvious slight hatred, the sexual attraction was down right palpable.

He was as gorgeous as he was annoying.

So I mentioned before that Rome has his demons. Well, that is probably the biggest understatement in like….84 forevers. His daily struggles are enough to make you want to drown yourself in enough liquor to put an elephant into a coma. Yeah, that bad.

I had always been a pretty steady guy, a reliable son, a steadfast older brother. I was still all those things but now I was other things that weren’t so pretty, were harder parts to accept. However, the people in my life that loved me would always love me even if they had to do it in a different way now, and that made me a lucky guy. I needed to stop taking like that for granted and, just like Cora said, stop feeling guilty for being one of the lucky ones.

And even Cora, she has her struggles as well. Having been burned by a douche hole ex, she has decided that only the “perfect” man is what she wants. And of course, why wouldn’t she want that. Hell, she deserves that.

I didn’t know what perfect meant until you.

Do you see where this is going? But don’t you dare take my word for it because this is one of the most amazing stories you will ever read about love, struggles, and how you find that imperfectly perfect missing piece to the puzzle that is called life. First comes denial, then comes hot sex, then comes holy mother of all fucks one amazing love story. The way these two come together and fight through their obstacles together is absolutely incredible. The love they share for one another is so real and true and you can’t help but be sucked into the story and wish that it never ends.

I know you aren’t on the same page as my just yet, Cora, and for right now I’m happy enough we’re reading the same book. Eventually you have to turn the page, though, you got me?

The sex is some of the hottest sex I have ever read about. The angst is nothing shy of gut-wrenching. And the climax will absolutely take your breath away and have tears streaming down your face. This isn’t one of those stories that you read about and simply forget. It will stay with you for a very long time and I am seriously wishing that Jay Crownover will decide to eventually continue their story. Like I said before, if you are new to this series then go pick up the first book and get to reading. I hope that you all can find your favorite Marked Man. I know I did, and his name is Rome Archer As always, I will leave you with a few of my favorite quotes!

I can’t be perfect for you, but I can be someone you rely on, someone you want to keep around even though it isn’t always going to be easy. –Rome

I don’t want you to be part of my nightmares, Cora, but I’m selfish enough to ask you to want to be. –Rome

I’m not flawless either, Captain No-Fun, but I kinda think together we might get close to something spectacular, if we want it bad enough.

He was mine. Every towering, unpredictable, floundering inch of him was mine, and I was going to do whatever it took in order to make things better for him.

…I knew there was no one else on this planet I would willingly get on my knees for, but this girl with all her mouthy ways and swirling eyes, I would do it for her whenever she asked and even when she didn’t.

Everything he was-hero, lover, stubborn pain in the neck, and a man with or without a plan-I could see it all and it just made me love him all the more..

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  I’m supposed to share interesting details about myself so that my readers get to know me so here we go in no particular order: I’m an natural redhead even though I haven’t seen my real hair color in years, I’m a big fan of tattoos and have a half sleeve on either arm and various other pieces all over the place, I’ve been in the bar industry since I was in college and it has always offered interesting insight into how men and women interact with each other, I have 3 dogs that are all crazy, I live in Colorado and love the snow, I love music and in all reality wish I could be a rock star not a writer or a bartender but I have zero talent so there is that. I love to write, love to read and all I’m interested in is a good story with interesting characters that make the reader feel something.

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