Monday, October 15, 2018

ARC Lionheart (Moonshadow #3) by Thea Harrison






From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison comes the final story in her spellbinding Moonshadow trilogy…

King Oberon reigned over his Dark Court in Lyonesse for centuries, until an assassination attempt laid him low. Now he lies unconscious in his snow-bound palace, while his Power battles the enchantment that threatens to end his life.

A skilled trauma surgeon and magic-user, Dr. Kathryn Shaw reigns at the top of her profession in New York. Then comes a challenge she can’t resist—she is asked to cure the uncureable. Just getting close enough to try healing Oberon is a dangerous proposition. When she does reach him, he awakens too soon.

Roused from darkness by Kathryn’s presence, Oberon confronts the beautiful stranger who claims she wants to save his life. But the enchantment has frozen his emotions. How can he learn to trust her when he can’t feel anything?

Oberon’s desire is icy, devoid of all tenderness. Not only must Kathryn match wits with him, she must also fight her reaction to his touch, because there is so much more at stake than her own endangered heart.

For the Dark Court faces its most deadly peril yet. Its ancient enemy Isabeau, Queen of the Light Court, is obsessed with its annihilation, and Oberon must be brought to remember his loyalty and affection for his people.

Because if he won’t fight for them, Lyonesse itself may very well be destroyed…



Review

Overall grade:  A+

Predictability: 1 out of 5 where 5 is I might as well have written the book I can lay it out so well 

I would say it’s pretty hard to use a common concept and flush out the story without being predictable, but Thea Harrison has done that in this book. As I made my way thru the book, I quickly noticed that I had no idea whatsoever of where the author was going with the story. And I loved it! So periodically, I found myself stopping in different areas of the book and wondering if I could predict what was going to happen. This was so refreshing and I enjoyed that aspect of this reading experience the most. 

Best part(s) of the book:
 

Imagery. I immediately fell in love with the imagery the author presented in the capital of Lyonesse. So devastating in its beauty. First of all, the city had been completely destroyed under the onslaught of Oberon’s unchecked power and I could only imagine how heartbreaking and eerie the deserted city was.  Aqueducts partly submerged by water and palatial columns encased in solid pieces of ice. WHOA! I was taken aback and actually had to reread the scene where Dr. Kathryn entered the city and its palace multiple times. I was so enraptured by the imagery I am wondering if the author had an image she referred to as she wrote it. 
Another favorite part of the book was the internal struggle and the overall personality of Oberon. I thought it extremely interesting to compare the two personalities of Oberon vs Dragos. I understand that they are two separate characters and their similarities in no way shape or form equal their differences, but the dynamic was amazing. Two strong monarchs and to see how Oberon dealt with his impending downfall in comparison to how Dragos handled his memory loss and close call with death – night and day. Oberon, in his cursed state, in no shape or form is a likeable character. He is pushy, dangerous and outright scary. I, myself, almost had a heart attack when he shifted into a gigantic white lion. 

There is so much to love and appreciate in this book. Imagery. Tension. Personal struggle. Personality clashes. Heartache. Emotional agony. Recovery. War. Violence. Dedication. Suffice to say this book is the best, in my opinion, of this series so far. We’re all on pins and needles hoping against hope that Dr.Kathryn can save Oberon – if she doesn’t kill him herself because of his inflexibility. 
 *thanks to the Author for granting me this ARC




 

Mess Me Up (Bear Bottom Guardians MC, #1) by Lani Lynn Vale

Mess Me Up (Bear Bottom Guardians MC, #1)Mess Me Up by Lani Lynn Vale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I haven't been choked up like this since Susan Fanetti's Leave a Trail

I was invested from the first letter between these two pen pals. I know there isn't a trigger warning on this book, but I'm putting one. If you're triggered by cancer or sex trafficking - be warned.

Izzy and Rome are like a train wreck that you can't help watching. They both of them are each damaged, from parents down to former love interests, and putting them together -- many would think its a bad idea. However, I loved how much of a fighter Izzy was. She would not let Rome stop living even though he had reason to want to withdraw from life. I couldn't wait to see how the two would heal each other. Shitty families and scummy public officials aside their story is great.



View all my reviews

Friday, July 20, 2018

ARC: Quit Your Pitchin' by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Quit Your Pitchin'
Series: There's No Crying in Baseball
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Sports Romance
Release Date: July 20, 2018  
Cover Model: Chase Ketron  
Photographer: FuriousFotog
What’s wrong with my butt?
She means those words to be directed toward the woman beside her, not him. But he can’t stop himself
from answering. Not when her ass is the most magnificent thing he’s seen in his life.
Apparently, answering her with ‘not a damn thing’ wasn’t what she was expecting.
She likely wasn’t expecting the baseball she took to the face at his next at bat, either.
All it takes is one ill-fated foul ball, and George Hoffman, Lumberjacks center fielder, falls head over
heels in love with Wrigley Field—and yes, that is her real name.
From that point forward, George and Wrigley fall into a fast whirlwind love that ends with them eloping
to Vegas. And he has his potty mouth, titty bar owning, pain in the ass grandmother to thank for it.
Not that he’s complaining or anything.
Who wouldn’t want to be married to a woman that made his heart race like he was in the final game of
the World Series?
The only problem is trying to convince her of that.
I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I do know that by the end of the first page I knew I was going to finish it that same day. But before I start on my opinion on this book can we just stop and appreciate the name of the book. I mean, seriously, what better title could there be.



So the book starts off at a major league baseball game that Wrigley and her sister Diamond are attending wherein which we are introduced to George. The two meet when he literally lays her out with a flyball. 


After this run in how could they not get together and fall in love. And they did. These two went from 0 to 100 - real quick. It was so cute how they started dating ->got married ->got pregnant. Your head will literally spin.

However, I knew that this love cloud they were on would not last long. I just didn't know how. Well, Wrigley has two siblings and one is a POS and one is pretty cool. Unfortunately, one of them flips out and Wrigley takes their side instead of George's. Suddenly, the two are no longer together and the word divorce is the result. Another literal head spin. 


It was so sad to see how much this couple still loved each other, but because of a misguided sense of family loyalty and a lack of communication they split up. At this point, I was over Wrigley and her issues and was heartbroken for George. He wanted so bad to just love Wrigley and be with his son 24/7, but here comes Wrigley's family and more misunderstandings getting in their way. It was great to see them finally overcome their obstacles and talk out their problems, but in my opinion we all know whose fault it was (80% for sure). 

I'm looking at you Wrigley

 I would definitely recommend it. You're gonna laugh, groan,wince, smack your teeth, smile - you'll do it all. 



I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 8, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
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Thursday, June 7, 2018

ARC: Get You Some (Simple Man Series) by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Get You Some
Series: The Simple Man Series
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romance Suspense
Release Date: June 7, 2018 Photographer: FuriousFotog Cover Model: Chase Ketron Cover Design: Cover Me Darling
You want some?
She snarls those words at him with barely concealed hostility the moment he arrives at her window to ask for her license and registration.
After a few choice words, he lets her go with not one ticket, but three.
Next time she should check the attitude at the door and realize that he’s a cop, and just doing his job.
Come get some.
Fast forward a week, and he’s still unable to think about anything else but her and her bad attitude—oh, and those sexy lips, angry eyes, and her promise to make his life hell.
Knowing he should stay away, he takes a step back and tries not to think about anything that has to do with those long legs, and that mouth that could be used for much better things than spewing venom.
Then she makes a mistake.
At an interview, she rattles off a random number to use as a reference for a job that she desperately needs, and that number just happens to be Johnny’s. 
She’ll regret being so rude, and one day she’ll think twice when she decides to throw attitude toward a man like him.
Vowing to make her life hell, he decides to have a little fun.
Never get enough.
What he doesn’t expect is to fall for her.
The more Johnny learns about June, the deeper he digs his hole. Soon, he doesn’t know which way is up, and he’s just fine with that.
Over time, he learns that not everyone bothers to dig past her prickly demeanor and get to the woman that lives deeper.
When one too many citizens of Hostel, Texas tries to back her against the wall, he’s had enough.
After all, you don’t mess with what’s his.




I fell instantly in love with these two as soon as their characters met.
 There is such sadness in June's past and current life. The way the townspeople treat June makes me want to crack some skulls, but her response to a lot of their crap is priceless. I love that all of LLV's characters have some type of sense of humor. Ugly people and horrible things may be happening in their lives but they manage to find something to laugh about. Case in point, her best friend Amanda's habit of licking bananas while she eats it. Things like that make me love this author. Who does such a thing?!
If you're familiar with her previous books you will recognize Johnny's parents and grandfather. There are quite a few little offshoots of the main story. Amanda and Isaac. Janie and Johnny's friend Raegan. Johnny's Army buddies, especially Roland. So many possibilities for future books. The major thing I appreciated with this book is that it wasn't just about a crazy ex this was about PTSD, childhood trauma...and a crazy ex. :)
Definitely worth the read.


 Note: ARC provided for honest review
 



 

I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.

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