Review: A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers
Series: A Little Too Far #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 17th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

Have you ever gone just a little too far?

Lexie Banks has.

Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother. In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for the better part of the last few years … and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.

But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt … and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional and right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy-on-the-eyes deacon … only eight months away from becoming a priest. Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.

Okay. Have you read that blurb? Have you? Because wow, what a blurb. It makes you want to read the book doesn’t it? Maybe juuust a little? Well, it certainly made me want to read the book A LOT. The heroine sleeps with her stepbrother, then goes off to Rome only meet a smokin’ hot soon-to-be priest? It’s intriguing and sounds hilarious and you know something terrible is bound to happen. How could the heroine possibly end up in this situation, torn between two off-limit guys? Well, you have to read it! A Little Too Far was so. good. I didn’t LOVE love it, but I had a hell of a time reading it. I still can’t get this book out of my mind, and I finished a couple days ago!

Alright, let’s start from the beginning. So the heroine is Lexie, and she has a step-brother named Trent, with whom she has a very close relationship. Not close as in intimate (yet… lol), but close as in they are best friends. Ever since their parents got married, they’ve been able to tell each other anything and everything. They have no secrets between them, and they always rely on each other. I loved the friendship aspect of their relationship, because I could feel their friendship and their closeness. They knew each other inside and out, and then one day… all their sexual tension builds until it explodes and they finally sleep with each other. It’s hot and it’s wild, but I never felt that ick-factor that came with them being step-siblings. They seemed right and perfect for each other. But afterwards, Lexie comes back to reality, and no matter how much she enjoyed being with Trent, she still felt guilty. She doesn’t want to break apart her family, which she figures will happen if their parents ever find out their children slept together. Lexie knows what she did was wrong, even when it felt right.

I just had totally mind-blowing sex with my step brother. And I’m leaving for Rome in two days. Which is a good thing because I just had totally mind-blowing sex with my step brother.

I loved Lexie. She’s hilarious! She’s cute, quirky, and so relatable, and the way she narrated had me laughing in stitches. She’s a great heroine, albeit very indecisive, but that just made the story all the more fun. Because what do you know when after she sleeps with her brother and then leaves for Rome, she starts falling a little for a reverend on his way toward becoming a priest. Like, how messed up can a girl’s life get?

Yep. The tingle in my groin is unmistakable. I’ve got the hots for the good reverend. I thought I was going to hell before, but this pretty much cements it.

Lexie has such a wild, crazy life in Rome. She realizes how much she loves Trent, but then there’s Alessandro, the to-be priest. I started falling more for Alessandro than for Trent, to be honest, mostly because Trent doesn’t get as many appearances. He’s all the way across the ocean, and while Trent’s always in Lexie’s thoughts, it’s Alessandro who’s there for Lexie in Rome. He shows her beautiful places in Rome, and they have an incredible time together. Lexie becomes so torn between the two-impossible-to-have men in her life. She just could not make a decision! Usually, I’d get pretty frustrated with a heroine like her, but in this case, I had to give her a little slack. If I were in her position, I’d have NO CLUE who to choose!

I never really felt that connected with either Trent or Alessandro. I didn’t know who Lexie should choose, because I honestly had no idea who’d be a better choice. I started liking Alessandro more, but I still wasn’t quite sure if he’d be the better choice. This was one of the few times where I loved the heroine a lot more than the main male characters! But rest assured, Lexie eventually does choose someone, and I’m actually really happy with who she chose.

But, the best part of the book was ROME! Rome has such a huge presence in the book, and I loved it. I’ve never been, but I SO want to, and this book only made me want to visit Rome even more! Lisa Desrochers does such an incredible job describing Rome and the different places Lexie visits. I wholeheartedly loved everything the author did to make me feel like I was there alongside Lexie, getting to see and discover the city.

Despite not really being into Trent or Alessandro, A Little Too Far was so much fun to read! It has a fantastic, hilarious heroine, and it’s set in a beautiful city. There’s never a dull moment, and you honestly have no idea what’s going to happen next. Lisa Desrochers wrote a great novel, and I’m so going to read more of her books. I’ve started already reading book 2 in the A Little Too Far series, A Little Too Much, and I’m loving it!

4 hearts!

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: A Little Too Far series

A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers

#1 ~ A Little Too Far: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ A Little Too Much: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ A Little Too Hot: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rules of Scoundrels #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 28th 2012
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets…

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them… even her heart.

I was weirdly in the mood to read a historical romance. It felt like a craving, really. Don’t know why I wanted to read a historical romance, I just did! I was wondering which book I should choose, and I randomly chose this one. Why? Maybe the pretty cover? I have no clue, but I’m glad I read it!

I love stories where the main hero and heroine used to be friends. I just LOVE those stories. They were friends when they were children, they were with each other constantly, thought about each other constantly, but never acted on anything because they were young. Yet they always held the promise of something more. And then something tragic happens and they separate. AH! The angst!

In this case, Michael, Marquess of Bourne, and Penelope were best friends when they were younger. But then Michael loses a bet, losing everything he owned–his inheritance, his house, his land–and he leaves. He deserts Penelope, who is crushed. Years pass without Michael ever contacting Penelope, and she becomes engaged to another. This ends in a disastrous scandal, leaving Penelope’s reputation in ruins. Her family is desperate for her to marry, and so her father adds in Michael’s lost land into her dowry to attract a husband.

Michael, now known only as Bourne, is one of four owners of a gaming hell known as The Fallen Angel, and is very successful. He has rebuilt his fortune, his name, yet he never forgot the day the lost everything, the day he promised to take back what was lost and vowed revenge against the man to stole everything from him. And he starts by forcing Penelope into marriage–with him. Now the two have to pretend they are over the moon about each other, that they have truly achieved a love match, and have to prove to society they didn’t marry because of certain circumstances (which of course they did). And throughout their entire farce, when Michael is a loving husband in public, Penelope can’t help wondering, is Michael acting? Or does he maybe, truly, have feelings for her?

I really enjoyed the writing, but the characters were harder to like. Penelope was a bit hard to connect with, and Michael is very much a class A jerk to Penelope. He’s cold and heartless and ruthless, and he’ll let nothing stand in the way of his revenge, even his old friend Penelope. Penelope still has some feelings for the boy who left her, but the man who’s with her now is completely changed, and she doesn’t know how to feel about that. I started liking them better later on in the book, when the tension between them gets more intense. And WOW does it get intense! *fans self*

Michael feels guilty for how he treats Penelope, but that doesn’t excuse his treatment of her. And somewhere along the way, feelings come rushing back in, and he’s in a dilemma. If he wants Penelope, he has to give up his quest for revenge. But if he wants his revenge, he gives up love and the only person who ever meant anything to him. And here’s where I started really enjoying the book. The angst for Michael is so well done! My heart was aching for him and Penelope, because neither knows whether their marriage could ever be real. They each have their faults, and aren’t sure if they really can love each other. Michael kept disappointing Penelope, and there were too many lies and deceits, but I was really cheering for them to have a HEA. Because I’m just a sucker for a couple who were best friends as children. They need to have a HEA!

“I am too imperfect for you,” he whispered at her temple.
“You are perfectly imperfect for me.”

There were several Awww moments that made my heart flutter when Michael realizes that wants more with Penelope. And I loved when Penelope grew more confident in herself. She may not be the most beautiful girl, or the most special, but she’s stubborn, clever, and loves Michael a hell of a lot.

This wasn’t the most perfect book, but it definitely made me happy with what I chose to read to satisfy my historical romance craving. The characters got better over time, and I’m such a fan of Sarah MacLean’s writing. And I loved all the letters between young Penelope and young Michael interspersed between the chapters! They were SO cute! Highly recommend this book for romance lovers!

4 hearts!

4 hearts

The British nobility hierarchy (this is more for my personal reference for the names and forms of address, and it’s not exactly very elaborate, but oh well!):

Duke/Duchess (Your Grace)
Marquess/Marchioness (My Lord)
Earl/Countess (My Lord)
Viscount/Viscountess (My Lord)
Baron/Baroness (My Lord)

I read A Rogue by Any Other Name and One Good Earl Deserves a Lover back to back, so be on the lookout for my review of the second book!

lacey

Reading Order: The Rules of Scoundrels series

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean

#1 ~ A Rogue by Any Other Name: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads


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Review: Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams

Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams

Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams
Series: Lost and Found #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 16th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.

His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.

Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?

This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?

Love.

You have no idea how excited I was to read Garth Black’s story. Finding out he was getting his own book made my life. And although I took me a while to get around to reading it, I’m so glad I finally did! Since the summary doesn’t reveal the girl Garth falls head over heels in love with, I’m not going to either in my review :). If you’ve already read the first two books in the Lost and Found series, you can make a good guess as to who the girl is. I was hoping it would be her, and yep! It was!

Garth. Black! This dark, bad boy. *grins* I adore him. He doesn’t believe in love and goes out of his way to ensure her never falls in love. And what do you know? He falls so hard. He stole my heart in Near and Far, and he definitely made swoon a bit in Finders Keepers. He’s just so gosh darn CUTE! I love how within that jerkish, bad boy facade, he’s a total sweetheart and he’s got a heart of gold. He’s also sarcastic and facetious, and occasionally I wanted to throttle him because he’s too hard on himself. He sees himself as trailer trash, not worthy of the girl he loves, but in reality he is. He’d give anything and do anything for those he cares about, and even though there are only a select few of them, he gives his whole heart for them. And how can you not love that?

The romance is a slow build-up of tension and longing and desire from both Garth and the girl he loves. They’re the town sweetheart and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks! Their love is sweet and heartfelt and so freaking romantic that I totally excused the slowness of their romance. It did get pretty slow during some parts of the book, where Garth keeps putting himself down, and not going for the girl he loves because he thinks she can do better than him. NO, Garth! You’re perfect! You’re sweet and kind (when you want to be), and you have nothing to be ashamed about. *Sighs*

So the girl who this dark cowboy falls in love with? She can totally hold her own against him. Any girl Garth is going to fall in love with has to be tough and awesome. And she is. She sees right through Garth’s bad boy facade, and she’s just so cool every time Garth tries to push her away, because she won’t let him. She takes action on her own, and Garth can’t do anything about her except fall even more in love. This girl is perfect for Garth, and they’re perfect together.

God, Garth is such a sweetie. I just love it when book boys who are players/jerks show their sweet side, because it’s even more special. They never open up, show the real them, except to the girl they love. *swoon* And Garth is the ultimate bad boy jerk, but then when it happens to him, when he falls in love… It’s just too adorable.

And we get to see Jesse (MY LOVE) and Rowen! So great reading about them again!

I just love this series. It’s cute boys and cowboys and sweet romances, so what’s not to love? I highly recommend this series, and Nicole Williams’s other books, the Crash series, too! She writes the best book boys (JUDE and JESSE and GARTH) with the best romances.

A 3.5 at some parts where it was slow, but overall it’s a 4 🙂

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: Lost and Found series

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams Near and Far by Nicole Williams
Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams Losers Weepers by Nicole Williams Heart & Soul by Nicole Williams

#1 ~ Lost and Found: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Near and Far: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Finders Keepers: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Losers Weepers: My Review • EbookPaperbackGoodreads
#5 ~ Heart and Soul: Goodreads (June 16, 2015)

Early Review: Sweet by Erin McCarthy

Sweet by Erin McCarthy

Sweet by Erin McCarthy
Series: True Believers #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 15th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (InterMix) in exchange for an honest review

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents’ constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house.

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself.

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her…

I’ve never read a book that made me change my mind so drastically about how I felt about the characters! I honestly hated the characters at the beginning, but later on, as I kept reading… they grew on me, and I started to care for them, and even love them. I haven’t read the first book in this series yet, but now I’m definitely going to, and I’m so looking forward to the next book!

I didn’t click with the beginning of the book. At all. Jessica and Riley were both huge jerks to one another, and I was wondering how on earth either of them would fall in love with each other. But… as I kept reading, they became less harsh and mean, and more snarky and sarcastic and funny. The more I read, the more I fell in love with them and became invested in their story and their HEA.

Jessica is a party girl whose parents are very religious. They push her to be someone she’s not, and she wants to get away from them. In comes Riley, the older brother of Jessica’s best friend’s brother. He offers her a place to stay at his house he shares with his younger brothers, despite the fact that the two of them hate each other. And sparks fly! The tension between the two of them is high, but what I loved was the constant humor and camaraderie between them, all the while pretending to still hate each other. They didn’t jump each other’s bones or give in to their lust. They slowly became friends, got the chance to know each other better, without the complication of sex.

I totally fell for Riley. He was hard to like at first (I just do not like jerk-y boys!), but as we get to know more about him… *swoon*. He’s the oldest of the four Mann brothers, and he’s had to take care of them all since their parents died a while ago. He took on the burden of three younger brothers without complaint, giving up everything for them. And if that doesn’t make you love him, I don’t know what does. He’ll do anything to make sure his brothers live the good life he never had, working nonstop to provide for them. He may not be a perfect adult model figure, but he loves his brothers with all his heart.

Jessica is hilarious! I found myself laughing hard at random parts of the book because of her, and laughing even harder at Jessica and Riley and their antics. The things they do are so adorable and I loved them together. They complemented each other perfectly, balancing each other’s traits and faults. And for a major part of the book, they still haven’t gotten together yet! Even though them getting together would be the cutest thing in the world, I was glad they took it slow. But once they realize how much they care for each other, and how much they want a relationship to happen, it’s perfection. I honestly loved every part of their relationship. Jessica’s not afraid to admit that Riley is different from the tons of other guys she’s hooked up with, and Riley is the sweetest boyfriend ever. There are a few misunderstandings, of course, that strain their relationship, but I had no worries.

I highly, highly recommend this for contemporary romance lovers. The name of the book absolutely does justice to the story. Although you probably should start with the first book in the series, unlike me. 😉

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: True Believers series

True by Erin McCarthy Sweet by Erin McCarthy Believe by Erin McCarthy Shatter by Erin McCarthy

#1 ~ True: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Sweet: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Believe: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Shatter: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: Real by Katy Evans

Real by Katy Evans

Real by Katy Evans
Series: Real #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 8th 2013
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents . . .

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

I was a bit wary going into Real, because I wasn’t sure I’d like it very much, despite the outrageous amount of love for it. But oh my goodness, I did! I really enjoyed it! It was better than I’d expected, and I wish I’d read it sooner. A fighter romance, with an intense book boyfriend I totally fell in love with, Real was one emotional roller coaster to read.

Brooke was honestly a great heroine. I never had a problem with her, and to be honest, if I were in her shoes, I would have NO idea how to deal with Remington Tate and his advances. I’d probably just melt into a puddle of goo, or just faint dead. In any case, she was an interesting change in heroines. She was a former track runner, but her dreams were ruined when she got seriously injured. Now she helps athletes with their bodies.

The moment Brooke and Remy meet, it’s instant lust at first sight. They connect on a powerfully physical way, and the emotional part slowly becomes a part of them. Besides the incredible lust Brooke and Remy have for each other, I loved that the book wasn’t predictable. I had no idea what would happen one moment, and I’d be wonderfully surprised. There are quite a few plot twists as well, and they’re so incredibly well done! So filled with angst (my favorite thing ever to read!), my heart was hurting so much, and I was desperately wishing for Remy and Brooke’s HEA.

This book was scorching. Remy is intensely raw and masculine and… *phew* oh man. I’m not even sure I can do justice to describing the way he comes off the pages. He’s built for power and strength as a fighter, so don’t even get me started on the delicious body this man has. Lickable abs indeed. (And I just love the model on the cover–I think it’s a pretty perfect image of Remy!). The tension–sexual tension–is completely off the charts! Remy is an intensely physical man, and when he sets his sights on Brooke… wow. It did get to be a bit much at times, but I totally loved Remy, so who cares? He’s insanely possessive and protective of Brooke, and he’s got such a way with words, I was swooning so hard!

“You’ll leave me the second it gets too steep, and you’ll leave me with nothing–when I want you like I’ve never wanted anything in life. You’re all I think about, dream about. I get high and low and it’s all about you now, it’s not even about me anymore. I can’t sleep, can’t think, can’t concentrate worth shit anymore and it’s all because I want to be the fucking ‘one’ for you and as soon as you realize what I am, all I’ll be is a fucking mistake!”

Remington Tate has got some things haunting him though. It was something I never expected, and so different from anything I’ve ever read, so even his secrets were an even more refreshing change than Remy already was.

And because of this book, I’ve fallen madly in love with the song Iris. *swoon*

“I don’t want to be yours. I want to be your fucking REAL.”

4 hearts! Maybe a 4.5 at some parts, but overall, I’d definitely recommend this book. It was a perfect romance!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Real series

Real by Katy Evans Mine by Katy Evans Remy by Katy Evans
Rogue by Katy Evans Ripped by Katy Evans Legend by Katy Evans

#1 ~ Real: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Mine: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Remy: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Rogue: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Ripped: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Legend: My Review • EbookPaperback • AudibleGoodreads


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