Release Day Review: To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne
Series: The Wedding Belles #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne is the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes” (Rachel Van Dyken)! Now, Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true…but their own.

Discovering her fiancé is an international conman just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Burke’s business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet, if slightly spoiled, hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse springs.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister’s fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Lauren Layne is my go-to author for fun and flirty contemporary romances. She pretty much never disappoints, and she delivers another winner with To Have and to Hold! This book is the first in the Wedding Belles series, featuring wedding planners who witness not only others’ HEAs, but their own as well. I freaking adored this book, and I have no doubts the series will keep on getting better. If you’re a contemporary romance lover, you have to check this one out! I had so much fun reading it – Seth and Brooke’s way to their HEA is utterly sweet and romantic, with the perfect amount of steam to round it off.

After the wedding fiasco where her con-man groom gets arrested at the altar, Brooke’s wedding planner days in Los Angeles are over. Luckily she gets the chance to start again in NYC with the Wedding Belles, one of the most popular and top-notch wedding planning businesses there is. Her first client is a hotel heiress named Maya – but it’s Maya’s older brother who will prove to be a pain in Brooke’s side. Seth and Brooke get off to a rough start, mainly because Seth is nowhere near agreeable with his sister’s fiancé, so with every meeting there are lusty glares and a simmering tension between the two. Their chemistry is my absolute favorite part of the story – I was seriously hooked onto it and just waiting for when these two characters would finally act on their desires.

Lauren Layne had me glued to the pages as she builds up the romance and tension. Brooke and Seth are two wonderful characters, both strong, independent, yet vulnerable, and I loved reading how they broke down each others’ walls. And there’s also so much going on with Maya’s wedding as well that there’s really never a dull moment in this book. To Have and to Hold is entertaining from start to finish, and with a sweet romance that’s both intense and heartwarming, what’s not to love about it?

If you’re a fan of the author, you won’t want to miss this new series. There are weddings and love and romance and everything that makes for the perfect, sweet summer read. I’m already so excited for the rest of the Wedding Belles series – I have crazy high expectations for the next two books, and I know LL won’t let me down!

Reading Order: The Wedding Belles series

#0.5 ~ From This Day Forward: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ To Have and to Hold: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ For Better or Worse: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ To Love and to Cherish: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Oct. 18, 2016)

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26Jul2016

Audiobook Review: Shattered by You by Nashoda Rose

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Shattered by You by Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: June 21st 2016
Length: 9 hours and 54 minutes
Narrated by: Stella Bloom & Kas Vadim
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

From New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Nashoda Rose comes a full-length friends-to-lovers romance.

What started out as a deal quickly became a friendship that conquered monsters.

I killed, but I escaped hell. Emotionless. Disconnected. Cold. A mannequin. It’s what I’d become in order to survive the years held in captivity. I was able to endure the abuse and devastating loss as long as I remained detached.

But he wouldn’t let me. Crisis, the bass guitarist in my brother’s rock band, Tear Asunder. He’s cocky, rude, a total man-whore. But the rock star has far more beneath the surface of his inked skin, and he’s determined to make me laugh again. He made me a “deal”, but really it was blackmail.

His terms were simple. Until his playful honesty became the building blocks to something unexpected. Something strong enough to pull me from the eye of the storm. Because even though I escaped years of abuse, it didn’t mean I was free.

For mature audiences only – 18+. Listener discretion is advised. Dark elements.

I’m a big fan of the first few Tear Asunder books, so I was excited when I had the chance to listen to the Shattered by You audiobook. It’s also a friends-to-lovers romance, one of my favorite tropes, so this audiobook should’ve been perfect for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the story or characters like I wish I could’ve, and the narrators were pretty average to me. I’ve listened to Stella Bloom before and loved her narration in Sebring (my review here), but for some reason, her voice just didn’t mesh as Haven. I didn’t love listening to Shattered by You, but I did enjoy some aspects of the story. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers and dark, intense reads, you still might enjoy this book!

After being freed from mental and physical hell, Haven might not be a captive anymore, but nowhere near is she free of her demons. She’s back in her twin brother’s life, who thought she was dead, but she’s not the girl she once was. Forced drugs and sexual abuse have turned her into a shell of a woman, and it doesn’t seem possible to become whole again… that is, until she meets Crisis.

Part of Tear Asunder and Haven’s twin’s bandmate, Crisis is the most light-hearted of the guys. He comes off as a jokester and a player, but once he sees Haven, there’s nothing and no one else for him. He’s the only one who doesn’t see her as the broken girl she is, and he stands by her side everyday, not pushing her to heal, but just being there to support her. I loved this part of the story, the build up of Haven and Crisis’s friendship. They grow to mean so much to each other, but while Crisis wants more, he knows Haven isn’t ready yet, but he’ll wait forever if he has to for her.

It took me a long while to finish listening to Shattered by You because I just wasn’t fully invested in the story or characters. I adored the friendship and romance, but it does take a while for anything to happen between the main characters. Stella Bloom and Kas Vadim were good narrators, though not the best. I definitely feel like you should read/listen to the other books in the series before starting this one. If you’re a fan of the series and you’re all caught up, hopefully you’ll enjoy this book more than I did!

SHATTERED BY YOU is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/29M1Ylg

Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

#0.5 ~ With You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Shattered by You!

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25Jul2016

Release Day Review: Broken Prince by Erin Watt

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Broken Prince by Erin Watt
Series: The Royals #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 25th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

These Royals will ruin you…

From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.

Reed Royal has it all―looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.

What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely―keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.

She might be right.

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.

After that god-awful cliffhanger from Paper Princess, I was literally dying to get my hands on Broken Prince. I had so many hopes and expectations for this book, things mainly concerning Reed, and Erin Watt did not disappoint. If you can believe it, in this sequel things get even wilder and intense for Ella and the Royals… so you’re in for a hell of a ride when you pick up Broken Prince. It’s seriously a fantastic follow-up to one of my favorite books of the year – and if you’ve read Paper Princess, you need to get your hands on the sequel!

From the moment she walked in the door, all big eyes and guarded hope, I couldn’t keep away.
My instincts had screamed at me that she was in trouble. My instincts were wrong. She wasn’t trouble. I was. Still am.
Reed, the destroyer.
It’d be a cool nickname if it wasn’t my life and hers that I’m taking down.

My favorite thing about Broken Prince? Reed’s POV!!! I was so thankful that we get Reed’s POV, because I was dying to get in his head and figure out where his heart lay in terms of Ella and even his family. I don’t want to spoil anything from Paper Princess, but if you’ve read the first book, then you know Reed has a lot to make up for in Broken Prince. He’s broken Ella’s trust, but he’s determined to do whatever it takes to earn her forgiveness and win her back. I wasn’t 100% in love with Reed in book 1, but I can say without a doubt that I’ve completely fallen head over heels for him in book 2. His love for Ella shines so brightly in this book – my heart couldn’t stop swooning because of him!

“I’m done playing games, Ella. No other girls exist in this world for me. If you see me talking to one, know that I’m talking about you. If you see me walking next to someone, I’m wishing it was you.” He steps toward me. “You’re the only one for me.”

But of course, you can’t have the Royals without some messed up shit going on. There’s drama with Brooke. Callum, the Royal father. Easton and his self-destructive tendencies. Gideon and his mysterious secrets. Mean girls at prep school. Ella and Reed just can’t catch a break – they have to deal with all of that on top of fixing their rocky relationship. There is so much drama and not enough resolution that I nearly wanted to scream! Broken Prince left me with more questions than answers – and I can only hope that all will be revealed in the next and final book.

…that girl flew into our hose like a whirlwind and made everything come alive again. She brought steel and fire. She made us laugh again. She gave us a purpose—at first, it was us uniting against her. Then it turned into us standing beside her. Protecting her. Loving her.

The thing about this series that has me thinking about it again and again is how there is still so much we have to uncover about the Royals and all the people they’re involved with. There are secrets on top of secrets. Lies that you know will catch up with them sooner or later. These characters… they are truly unforgettable. I may not have loved Broken Prince quite as much as Paper Princess, but it’s still a fantastic read I couldn’t put down. I pretty much devoured it from the second it appeared on my kindle. Fair warning though, this also has an epic cliffhanger at the end. Twisted Palace can’t get here soon enough! I can’t wait to see where Erin Watt will take us next with the Royals – and is it too much to ask for stories about the rest of the Royal brothers?

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

Reading Order: The Royals series

#1 ~ Paper Princess: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Broken Prince: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Twisted Palace: Paperback • Goodreads (Oct. 7, 2016)

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20Jul2016

Audiobook Review: With You by Nashoda Rose

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

With You by Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #0.5 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: June 21st 2016
Length: 2 hours and 19 minutes
Narrated by: Mackenzie Hart
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Do not listen if you are sensitive to disturbing scenes, as the next novel, Torn from You, is a very dark romance.

Sculpt is an illegal fighter.
He’s also the lead singer of a local rock band.
No one knows his real name.
And from the moment I met him, he made me forget mine.

In order to convince Sculpt to give me self-defense lessons, I had to follow his one rule: no complaining, or he’d walk. I didn’t think it would be a problem. I could handle a few bruises. What I hadn’t anticipated was landing on my back with Sculpt on top of me and my entire body burning up for him.

I tried to ignore it. I failed, of course. And having a hot, tattooed badass on top of me week after week, acting completely immune to what he was doing to me – it was frustrating as hell, so I broke his rule. I complained. Then he kissed me.

Author’s note: This novella is a prequel. Listening to it before Torn from You is not required but is highly recommended.

Warning: huge cliffhanger. Like huge! However, With You is released on the same day as Torn from You the novel.

I love listening to the audio versions of books I previously loved reading, and the Tear Asunder series is one of the few dark romance books I enjoy, so I was excited for the audiobooks! Listening to With You didn’t disappoint – if you love audiobooks and dark romances, I highly recommend this novella – and series!

With You is the prequel novella to the Tear Asunder series, and tells the story of how Emily and Sculpt meet. Emily needs someone to teach her how to protect and defend herself, since she was attacked by a man recently, and Sculpt, while not the ideal man, is perfect for the job. But when Emily asks Sculpt to teach her how, he’s rude and a complete jerk, in that usual domineering, alpha-male way. But Emily is a tough girl, and she won’t back down from Sculpt, so he finally relents and agrees to help her out, starting them down a path towards a fierce, passionate love. But while it seems that these two are on their way to a happily ever after, everything changes one dark night.

Mackenzie Hart didn’t quite fit how I thought Emily’s voice would sound – it’s a little more mature than I expected, but I did appreciate the way she narrated this novella, and I’m definitely looking forward to her narration again in Torn from You. With You ends with a cliffhanger, but luckily, Torn from You is also out in audio! I really enjoyed listening this novella – and highly recommend it before starting Torn from You. The ebook is currently free, so if you get that you can also get the audiobook for $1.99. Fair warning though, this series is DARK and you’ll encounter some disturbing scenes. If that doesn’t turn you off, then you definitely need to start this series!

WITH YOU is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/29TWAhr

Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

#0.5 ~ With You: Book Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from With You!

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18Jul2016

Early Review: Rock Wedding by Nalini Singh

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh
Series: Rock Kiss #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 19th 2016
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh continues her Rock Kiss series with a hot, sweet, emotional contemporary romance about love and forgiveness…

After a lifetime of longing for a real family, Sarah Smith thought she’d finally found her home with rock star Abe Bellamy, even if she knew Abe didn’t love her the way she loved him. But their brief relationship, filled with tragedy and heartache, nearly destroyed her. Alone, emotions in turmoil, and already shaky self-esteem shattered, Sarah struggles to pick up the pieces in the wake of their divorce.

Abe knows he’s to blame for the end of his marriage. Caught in a web of painful memories, he pushed away the best thing in his life – the sexy, smart woman he adores – breaking them both in the process. Then fate throws him a second chance to get things right, to prove to Sarah that she means everything to him. Abe desperately wants that second chance at love…even if he knows he doesn’t deserve it.

But can he convince Sarah – now strong and independent without him – to risk her wounded heart one more time?

This booook!!! I had crazy high expectations for Rock Wedding because first, it’s Nalini Singh, and second, it’s a second chance romance! And thank god NS didn’t let me down – I absolutely LOVED. IT. Abe and Sarah’s heart-wrenching story of love, forgiveness, and redemption swept me away and stole my heart. This is one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read, and it’s definitely my new favorite of the series. If you love the second chance romance trope, READ THIS BOOK. There’s so much angsty goodness and amazing grovel from the hero. This can be read entirely as a standalone, too, so even if you haven’t read the series, you need to get your hands on Rock Wedding!!!

As keyboardist for Schoolboy Choir, Abe Bellamy is one of the hottest rock stars in the world. He should be at the top of his game, but losing his wife and the love of his life because of his own stupidity will bring a guy down. He’s got no one to blame but himself for hurting Sarah back when they were married and he was struggling with his addiction. But now, months sober, he’s ready for the fight of his life to earn forgiveness and win back the only woman he has ever loved.

High, he’d brutally hurt her. Sober, he could destroy her.
Because love? The kind of love she’d had for Abe? It never really died.

Sarah Smith once gave everything she was to her husband, and he destroyed her for it. She’s been able to move on, but not without scars and pain. This woman is one of the toughest heroines I’ve ever read – she’s been through so much loss and hurt, I’m amazed she was able to pick herself up and move on, especially from Abe. And now that Abe wants back in her life, she wants nothing to do with him, and rightly so. I LOVED that she doesn’t give in to him easily, love- and heart-wise. She’s not a pushover, and Abe has so much to prove before he’ll ever get to touch her heart again.

“I’m not letting you go.” It was a whispered promise. “Not this time.”

I have to say, Nalini Singh absolutely nailed the redemption and forgiveness aspect of this second chance romance. My heart honestly couldn’t stop aching throughout the book, both for Abe and Sarah. They have so much hurt and pain to overcome, but never does Abe stop fighting for Sarah, and neither does Sarah stop loving Abe. There’s hope for happiness again for the two of them and a very well-deserved HEA.

“But I was stone-cold sober the night I met you and I’m stone-cold sober now—and no woman, no woman, does to me what you do. I fucking love you. Always have, always will.”

To say this book is an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. Nalini Singh truly blew me away with Rock Wedding and the way she incorporated so much emotion and heart to the story. I couldn’t stop reading this book – it’s a second chance romance at its finest. If you’re a fan of this series, you’re in for a fantastic, emotional ride that is this final Rock Kiss book. I’m sad that this is the end of the series, though I’m thankful we’re getting a spinoff with Gabriel’s rugby-playing brothers. I can’t wait to read more of NS’s contemporary novels!

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

Reading Order: Rock Kiss series

#1 ~ Rock Addiction: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Rock Courtship: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Rock Hard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Rock Redemption: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Rock Wedding: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (July 19, 2016)

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