Audiobook Review: Never Never: Part 2 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Never Never: Part 2 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher
Series: Never Never #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: August 11th 2015
Length: 2 hours and 39 minutes
Narrated by: Kevin Free & Elizabeth Evans
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last.
And never stop loving me between all of them.
Never stop, Charlie.
Never forget.”

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can’t imagine, beckons to be found.

“Where are you, Charlie?”

I was seriously addicted to the first part in Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher’s Never Never series, so I of course I’d be incredibly excited for the second! I was hoping to get some answers in this second part, since the first left me with so many questions. Although I wasn’t quite satisfied with the story in this book, I once again enjoyed Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher’s fantastic writing and storytelling. The two of them write in such a compelling way that I didn’t want to stop listening to this audiobook.

Never Never: Part Two picks up right where Part One left off: Silas has once again forgotten all his memories. This time around, he has the help of quickly getting access to the letters he wrote to warn himself and Charlie about losing their memories. Charlie is missing, and even though Silas has never really met her, since he has no memories, he still has a desperate need to find her and help her.

This novella is super quick and super short. I adore Silas, who seems like such a good, sweet guy. I love that he cares for Charlie, even though he doesn’t know who she is, because deep down he knows he’s always loved her. And I really liked that Silas’ brother Landon gets involved, because I absolutely love him!

The story, though, is just TOO short. The writing is fantastic, of course, but I was hoping for something more. The audiobook is only 2.5 hours, almost half as long as the first part. As much as I like the narrators, I just wasn’t as satisfied with the book as much as I wanted to be because I wish it was longer. We only get tiny scraps of clues that still don’t lead us to how or why Charlie and Silas keep losing their memories every 48 hours.

Still, if you were a fan of Part One, you most likely won’t want to miss Part Two. Just a warning though, that this ends in a cliffhanger again! If you don’t mind the cliffie, then I recommend you keep reading this series to see where it goes!

Reading Order: Never Never series

#1 ~ Never Never: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Never Never: Part 2: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Never Never: Part 3: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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14Aug2015

ARC Review: The Moment of Letting Go by J.A. Redmerski

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Moment of Letting Go by J.A. Redmerski
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: August 11th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

You can follow the rules or you can follow your heart…

THE MOMENT OF LETTING GO

Sienna Murphy never does anything without a plan. And so far her plans have been working. Right after college, she got a prestigious job and gained the stability she’d always craved–until work takes her to the sun-drenched shores of Oahu and places her in the path of sexy surfer Luke Everett. For the first time, she lets her heart take control. Drawn to his carefree charm, she makes a spontaneous and very un-Sienna-like decision to drop everything and stay in Hawaii for two more weeks.

Luke lives fast and wild. When he meets Sienna, he’s convinced that some no-strings-attached fun is just what she needs. As their nights quickly turn from playful to passionate, Luke can’t deny the deep connection he feels. But there’s a reason Luke doesn’t do long-term. He can’t promise Sienna forever, when the enormity of his past has shown him just how fragile the future can be.

I really liked The Moment of Letting Go – I may not have loved it like I wanted to, but it’s still a sweet, meaningful book that I enjoyed. In this book, J.A. Redmerski writes a heartwarming tale about taking chances, facing your fears, and letting go.

“We’re all stronger than our weaknesses,” he says. “Sometimes we just need someone else to help us find that strength.”

Sienna Murphy lives life by the paycheck. She grew up poor, so she chose a job where she wouldn’t have to worry about money ever again. She’s well-off as a wedding planner, but lately it seems like work has become her life. Her latest assignment takes her to the gorgeous beaches of Oahu, Hawaii, where she hopes she’ll have downtime to relax and expand her photography skills. Sadly, the wedding doesn’t go off as planned and Sienna once again gets swept up in work. It isn’t until she meets Luke Everett, a cute local surfing instructor, that she begins to question what she really wants out of life.

…my life has, for the most part, stayed on one straight course, never risking unfamiliar roads, rarely contemplating change–but Luke makes me feel like I can, that it’s somehow safe to take a chance on something unknown. It’s frightening, yes, but it’s also exciting, and that’s just not something I think I can ignore.

Luke challenges Sienna to take more risks and to discover her true passion in life. Sienna is deathly afraid of heights, but with Luke’s help, she learns to step out of her comfort zone and face her fears. Luke himself is a daredevil and hiding some secrets of his own, so these two characters couldn’t be more different. But Luke and Sienna form a connection from the very moment they meet. There’s attraction, yes, but there’s so much more to their relationship that I really appreciated reading about. The Moment of Letting Go is not just a story of girl meets boy in Hawaii – it’s the kind of story that takes you on a discovery of self, passion, and life.

“Most people never let their feet leave the ground,” he goes on. ”Whether they’re afraid of heights, or afraid of hospitals, or they stay in the same place all their life because they’re afraid of change–so many people go through life on the ground and die without ever knowing that they can fly.”

I really enjoyed experiencing Sienna and Luke’s story – I loved being swept away by the gorgeous Hawaii setting and I adored how Luke took Sienna on an adventure, pushing her just enough to truly experience life. I didn’t really connect with their characters, but I appreciated their story nonetheless. I did get a little annoyed at the secrets Luke keeps from Sienna – we know what those secrets are, since the book is told in dual POV, but for the majority of the book, Luke keeps a huge secret from Sienna that I really didn’t understand why he hadn’t revealed sooner.

Still, The Moment of Letting Go is quite honestly a feel-good read. I enjoyed it for the most part, though it didn’t wring any intense emotions out of me. It was missing that spark for me that would normally make me love a book, but it’s not bad. I think fans of J.A. Redmerski would definitely enjoy this newest standalone of hers.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

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4Aug2015

Release Day Review: Strong Enough by M. Leighton

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Strong Enough by M. Leighton
Series: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 4th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Is she strong enough to trust the most dangerous man she’s ever met? And is he strong enough to let her?

How would I describe myself? Well, I’m Muse Harper. I’m a twenty-something painter who loves red wine, quirky movies, and men with a fatal flaw. But that was before I met Jasper King. He became my fatal flaw. Eight months ago, I had a choice to make—abandon everything I’ve ever known to protect my family, or stay and risk someone getting hurt. I chose the former. My plan was working just fine until I found out my father had gone missing.

That’s when I met Jasper. A bounty hunter with the eyes of a tiger and the nose of a bloodhound, he was supposed to help me find my father. What I didn’t know was that meeting him was no accident. Hunting people isn’t all that Jasper does. And helping me was only part of his plan. I just wish I’d found out sooner, before my heart got involved. But even then, I don’t know if I’d have done things differently.

Now, I have another choice to make—trust the man that I’m falling in love with and hope that he’ll do the right thing, or run as far away from him as I can get.

This book was somethin’ else! Strong Enough is the first book in the Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series featuring some bad boy heroes, and it’s a great start to the series. There were things I liked, some I didn’t, but overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable, hot and sexy read that I couldn’t really put down. M. Leighton did an excellent job with the suspense in Strong Enough, and I really liked that it felt pretty unique and different from what I normally read.

Muse Harper is a quirky artist who has dreams of falling in love with the perfect man, but all the men she’s been with have a ‘fatal flaw’. Then she meets Jasper King, a bounty hunter who she hires to help find her missing father. From the very second they meet, there’s an undeniable, intense chemistry between them. But the two couldn’t be more different – while Muse is an artist with her heart on her sleeve, Jasper is a quiet, broody, tightly-controlled man with a dangerous profession.

Jasper has lived a lonely life with a painful past since he was young, and he never expects to fall for the gorgeous artist who has no place in his life. He’s such a closed-off man, and the things he’s done as a bounty hunter has him believing that he doesn’t deserve Muse’s affection or love. But try as he might to resist her, the passion between them grows hotter than ever as they set out to find Muse’s father.

“I’m probably the worst thing in the world for you. The worst thing that would feel like the best.”

Muse and Jasper made a fantastic couple. I didn’t entirely connect with their characters, but I still liked them for the most part. My heart broke for Jasper’s past and his lonely life, and I was cheering for Muse to break down his walls and work her way into his heart. I could FELL the intense, electrifying chemistry between them that M. Leighton wrote so well. Honestly, the best part about Strong Enough is the writing. I LOVE the author’s writing style, which is so well-written and packed with so much feeling.

I did get pretty frustrated at Jasper for his hot-and-cold feelings for Muse, loving her one moment, then pushing her away the next. But other than that, I really liked the way the romance played out alongside the suspense. This book is definitely a page turner, and I found myself so eager to learn more about Jasper and the secrets he keeps. So many things happened in this book that I nearly couldn’t keep up! Strong Enough is a must read for those who like bad boys and a whole lot of suspense in their books. I really enjoyed this series debut and I’m so excited for the next book!

“You’re the only thing I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember. And the one thing I can’t have.”

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series

#1 ~ Strong Enough: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Tough Enough: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Brave Enough: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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24Jul2015

ARC Review: Exposed by Brighton Walsh

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Exposed by Brighton Walsh
Series: Captive #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 21st 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In this sexy, suspenseful New Adult novel, a young woman hiding from her criminal past is taken captive by her ex-boyfriend, the ultimate bad boy.

Evie is about to embark on the perfect life. Beautiful, poised, and engaged to a rising business star, she fits the part of trophy wife perfectly, except for one thing: her entire identity is a lie.

Five years ago she created a new identity for herself, but it all crashes back when something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. Now she’s in danger of losing more than her social status.

Determined to protect the careful life she’s built for herself, Evie doesn’t want anything to do with Riley, the criminal for hire who broke her heart years ago. But Riley has other ideas. He’s never forgotten Evie, and to protect her, he steals her away. Hidden from the world, sparks begin to fly as old memories resurface and their passion reignites.

This is the first book I’ve read from Brighton Walsh, but I know it won’t be my last. Although I didn’t particularly LOVE the story, the beginning was super intriguing and overall I still really enjoyed it – what made the book for me was the author’s fantastic writing, which is spot-on for a suspenseful novel. I seriously fell in love with it – the writing was what had me hooked in the beginning and what kept me reading even when towards the end of the book things started to fall flat.

The premise of the book was seriously calling to me. A heroine who’s living a lie, on the run from a dangerous man, PLUS a second chance romance? Hell yeah, I was all in. And for the majority of the book, I dug it. I was intrigued by Evie, wondering what the hell was going on with her and why she was living as a different identity for the past five years. And when her cover is blown, Riley enters the story, enters back into Evie’s life. I was hooked onto their second chance romance. If I had to rate this book solely on the romance, it would get a perfect 5. I LOVED Riley and Evie together, because it’s clear that they’re meant to be together. They had such a sweet yet powerful relationship all those years ago, and they’re still connected even after five years.

“Anything can happen, except when you’re with me. No one is getting to you when I’m here. No one is getting through me. I’d have to be dead first.”

I fell so hard for Riley. I loved that we get his POV along with Evie’s, so we can see his inner turmoil at seeing the girl he loved as a teenager, the girl he thought died five years ago, back in his life again. He’s definitely my second favorite part about Exposed, right below the writing. Riley is protective, loyal, and sexy as hell in his determination to make sure Evie is safe – and the best part is that he can protect her, with the skills he learned during the five years he sought vengeance for Evie’s supposed death. Riley and Evie have some great chemistry and I loved the two of them together.

He was my past, the tiny flicker of light in a sea of darkness. He was my present, when everything was jumbled and uncertain, but where I’d be able to figure it out if I was with him. And I knew, with utter certainty, he was my future.

Evie was an intriguing heroine. She’s fierce, independent, and very cautious about starting anything with Riley again since she’s not sure she’ll be able to make it out alive after all is done. There’s also an aspect about her character that was heartbreaking that the author handled very well. I predicted what it was, but it wasn’t something I really wanted to be able predict. Evie is a strong heroine, though sometimes too independent, but I really liked her character up until a certain part near the end of the novel.

There are many layers to the story, what with someone after Evie, but I felt like the suspense, the action, was underwhelming. Evie and Riley spend the majority of the book holed up, hiding in an apartment, so not much happens in action-wise, though this is where their relationship regrows. So while I loved the romance, I didn’t get the amount of suspense that I wanted.

This book should’ve been perfect for me – it’s a second chance romance, my absolutely favorite trope, and the story was super intriguing, but the climax of the book was a bit disappointing, mainly because of how utterly annoyed at the heroine I was. She’s not stupid, but she does make a stupid decision at the end all in the name of ‘independence’ that had me rolling my eyes. At that point of the book, I was just not interested in the story anymore.

So would I recommend this book? Yes, because I still loved about 80% of the novel. The writing is flawless, and the characters were well-developed. Even with the couple problems I had with Exposed, I still really enjoyed reading it, and would definitely recommend it for the writing and second chance romance.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Captive series

#1 ~ Captive: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Exposed: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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24Jul2015

Audiobook Review: Easy Charm by Kristen Proby

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Easy Charm by Kristen Proby
Series: Boudreaux #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: July 8th 2015
Length: 7 hours and 31 minutes
Narrated by: Sebastian York & Rachel Fulginiti
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Gabrielle Boudreaux, the youngest of the Boudreaux clan, is a single mother of her young son, Sam. Running a Bed and Breakfast at the family plantation house at the edge of the Mississippi River, Gabby loves her inn, her boy and her family. She meets new people every day, and takes pride in the house and land that has been in her family for more than five generations. Blessed beyond measure, she’s also lonely, although she would never admit that to anyone. Until Rhys O’Shaughnessy walks through her door, brooding and wounded and the sexiest thing she’s ever laid eyes on.

Rhys has been at the top of his game as a major league pitcher for the Chicago Cubs for more than ten years. Baseball is in his blood. But when he tears his rotator cuff and has to sit a season out, he retreats to Inn Boudreaux at the recommendation of his cousin, Kate, to heal and work toward building his shoulder back to perfect shape with only one goal in mind: to return to the game he loves. But he didn’t plan on being utterly charmed by a devastatingly beautiful woman and her baseball-loving son.

When Rhys’ shoulder has healed and he’s given the chance to return to his team, will he leave the family he’s come to love behind, or will he stay with Gabby and Sam?

I’ve never read a book from Kristen Proby before, but now I’m thinking I should, because I was taken away by how sweet Easy Charm was. And, of course, Sebastian York is one of the narrators, so how could I not enjoy this audiobook? I may not have completely loved this book, as I didn’t connect with the story as much as I wanted to, but the sweetness of the romance and fantastic narrators made up for it and I ended up enjoying listening to Easy Charm very much.

As each book in the Boudreaux series can be read as a standalone, I didn’t need to read Easy Love before getting into Easy Charm. This second book features Gabrielle Boudreaux, the youngest of the Boudreaux siblings. She’s the darling daughter of the family, so she’s very much loved and protected. So when she finds herself pregnant, and the father not wanting anything to do with her and their child, she has the support of her family. Now, she’s a fierce woman, a protective mother, and the owner of a successful inn. I didn’t really connect well with her character, but it didn’t stop me from liking her as a person. I really admired Gabby as a mother, and I adored her son Sam. He’s so sweet, and Gabby is the perfect loving mother to him.

Rhys O’Shaughnessy is a famous baseball player who’s been injured, so he needs to take a break to heal his wound. His cousin recommends he stay at Gabby’s inn, and when he shows up, he’s immediately taken by her. There’s an intense chemistry between them, and Rhys is sweet and determined in his seduction of Gabby. He intends to win her and her heart, but what he doesn’t expect is to fall for her son, too. Rhys is such a good guy. He’s charming, protective, and utterly smitten with Gabby and Sam. He was a bit too flawless for my taste, but I could still see how perfect he was for Gabby.

Easy Charm is an easy, angst-free, fairly predictable book, but the narrators certainly made it enjoyable. I loved listening to Sebastian York’s voice, and Rachel Fulginiti did a great southern accent. They were both just really easy and nice to listen to. I’d listen to anything Sebastian York narrates, of course, but Rachel Fulginiti really took the spotlight in the book for me.

I’m rating 3 hearts for the story, and 4 for the narration, so 3.5 hearts for Easy Charm!

Reading Order: Boudreaux series

#1 ~ Easy Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Easy Charm: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Easy Melody: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Easy Kisses: Goodreads (June 21, 2016)
#4.5 ~ Easy for Keeps: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (May 24, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Easy Love, also narrated by Sebastian York & Rachel Fulginiti!

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