Release Day Review: Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy
Series: One Week Girlfriend #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 31st 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Bantam) in exchange for an honest review

Breakout New Adult sensation Monica Murphy returns with a hot new contemporary romance—a heartfelt story of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption.

Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life.

I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.

I really, really wanted to like Colin and Jen’s story, but it was just… okay. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. Colin and Jen didn’t suck me in like Drew and Fable did, and I didn’t connect as much with them. I was super excited for Jen and Colin after reading Second Chance Boyfriend, because they seemed like great characters. But… this is one of those cases where I’m sad to say had a great potential, but just fell a bit flat.

Jen is Fable’s friend and co-worker at the restaurant that Colin owns. It turns out that Jen and Colin go way back–Jen is the little sister of Colin’s best friend who died in Iraq. It’s been two years since his death, and Jen has grieved and moved on, but Colin has not. He constantly has nightmares about his best friend’s death, and every time, Jen goes to his bed to console him. Jen has been living with Colin since he took her in when she was at a very low point in her life, and he pretty much saved her. Jen’s always had a crush on Colin, and her love for him has bloomed even more so ever since he saved her, but he doesn’t return her feelings. At least, she doesn’t think he does. And so Jen has nothing left for her in the city where she lives except for bad memories, and she wants to leave. But will Colin let her?

Colin’s going to be angry that I’m leaving, but maybe, the tattoo will give me strength. Will remind me that what I’m doing is the right thing. I need to go. I need to really learn how to live my life on my own, not this childish running-away shit and living out of my car like I did last time. I’m older now. Smarter. Wiser.
I need to fly and be free.

I had a hard time liking Colin. He’s a very commanding person, and he know what he wants and likes, which is mostly Jen, but he’s terrified of ruining their friendship. Actually, both of them are, but Colin even more so, because he relies on Jen emotionally, as Jen relies on him physically (materialistic-wise). She’s the only thing keeping him sane after his best friend’s death. But it was like he wanted to keep a leash on Jen, which was exactly how she felt, and the reason she wanted to leave. He doesn’t want to have a relationship with her, and yet he doesn’t want to let her go. His indecision really didn’t endear him to me, but I will admit that I really liked that he had been falling for Jen for years, and not just when he saw her again recently. Usually the guy in this trope will start falling for the girl when he sees her again after a few years, but Colin has loved Jen for ages.

Fuck it all, I want to kiss her. Forget the past, forget the present, forget the scary-as-hell future–I just want to lean over the center console and press my lips to hers. Steal her breath, steal her thoughts, steal her heart.
Like she’s done to me.

But then of-freaking-course they’d do the whole friends-with-benefits thing, which I ended up not really liking. Because… there might have been way too much sex. It’s not that I don’t like reading sex in books, but for some reason, I just didn’t feel anything for the two of them. I couldn’t feel the emotion and connection and intensity between them. It was the whole sexual relationship that didn’t work for me. It was like they took a step backward, or at least not a step forward at all, because even though Jen and Colin still have feelings for each other, they’re still not letting each other know. Frustrating!

But still, it was mainly their sexual relationship that I didn’t like. Everything else was pretty good. There was the right amount of angst, which Monica Murphy didn’t overdo, and Colin and Jen are very sweet with each other. Colin grew on me later on, with his protectiveness and sweet words. I loved seeing some of Fable and Drew, and really enjoyed the story once Jen and Colin stopped holding back from each other. Three Broken Promises isn’t a favorite in this series, but I was glad that we finally got Jen and Colin’s story.

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

Reading Order: One Week Girlfriend series

#1 ~ One Week Girlfriend: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Second Chance Boyfriend: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Three Broken Promises: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3.5 ~ Drew + Fable Forever: Ebook • Goodreads
#4 ~ Four Years Later: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4.5 ~ Five Days Until You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

26Dec2013

Review: The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen
Series: The Secret #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 22nd 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Ella and Micha series comes a gripping story of passion, pain, and the courage to love . . .

THE TEMPTATION OF LILA AND ETHAN

On the surface, Lila Summers is flawless: good looks, expensive clothes, and a big, beautiful smile. But a dark past and even darker secrets are threatening to bubble over her perfect façade. She’ll do anything to keep the emptiness inside hidden-which leads her into situations that always end badly. Whenever she hits bottom, there’s only one person who’s there to pull her out: Ethan Gregory.

Ethan set the rules a long time ago: he and Lila are just friends. He doesn’t do relationships. Although his tattooed, bad boy exterior is a far cry from Lila’s pretty princess image, Ethan can’t deny they have a deeper connection than he’s used to. If he’s not careful, he could be in serious danger of becoming attached-and he’s learned the hard way that attachment only leads to heartbreak.

When Lila falls farther than she ever has before, can Ethan continue to help as a friend? Or is he also getting close to falling . . . for her?

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I didn’t like it as much as Ella and Micha’s story, even though I really, really wanted to. Lila and Ethan’s book was still enjoyable, just not as much as I expected it to be.

Lila and Ethan have very tragic, messed up pasts. For Lila, she’s had to live her whole life feeling unloved and unwanted by her parents, who are always disappointed in her no matter what she does. They want her to uphold their family’s image and reputation, regardless of how that makes Lila feel. And so she turns to boys, and then men, for sex, to feel the love and affection that she never had growing up.

For Ethan, he used to be a druggie with an even more messed up girlfriend named London. And after a tragic incident involving London, Ethan vowed to clean himself up and never get involved with drugs again. And thankfully, he’s the more clear-headed one between him and Lila. Ethan and Lila are the best friends of Micha and Ella, and now that Micha and Ella are finally together and living in San Diego, this leaves Ethan and Lila living near each other in Las Vegas.

Lila and Ethan try to be strictly friends, but… that never stays that way. 😉 There’s always this underlying tension between the two, and it’s like, Just get together, you two!! But they’re too afraid of losing each other’s friendships, and it’s not until Lila spirals down into abusing prescription drugs that Ethan finally decides to take matters into his own hands and help Lila.

Ethan is a badass, but he’s such a big sweetheart too! I really enjoyed his character, at least a lot more than Lila’s. Although Lila did start winning me over later on in the book. Lila and Ethan’s story is a very heartbreaking book to read, because their whole lives have been filled with nothing but pain.

“Everyone’s messed up.” I reach forward and slowly wipe away some of the tears running down her cheek with my fingertips. “In their very own fucked-up way, a lot of people just won’t admit it aloud and then try to change it.” I reduce the space between us and place a hand on her arm. “But you’ve done both of those, which makes you so fucking strong, Lila. I wish you could see that. You’re strong and amazing and beautiful and you deserve so much more than sitting on a bathroom floor in a skanky bar. You deserve to have an amazing life.”

But along the way, the two fall for each other, and they make each other whole. They finally find someone to care about, even love, who returns those feelings. I love the banter between the two, and I enjoyed their deep, meaningful conversations just as much. These two have a different kind of love than Ella and Micha, but it’s just as real and heartfelt.

3 hearts.

Reading Order: The Secret series

#0.5 ~ The Prelude of Ella and Micha: Ebook • Goodreads (Nov. 11, 2014)
#1 ~ The Secret of Ella and Micha: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Forever of Ella and Micha: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Temptation of Lila and Ethan: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ The Ever After of Ella and Micha: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4.5 ~ Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Nov. 18, 2014)

7Dec2013

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin

Posted in 3 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin
Series: Out of Line #2 (full reading order below)
Release Date: December 1st 2013

Desperate to keep him…

I’ve finally gotten everything I ever wanted: love, freedom, happiness, and, most importantly, Finn. Our love is everything I expected it to be and more. We’ve finally found each other, but the world seems determined to tear us apart. We thought my father was the only obstacle between us, but now it’s the military. With Finn’s departure looming, we’re squeezing in every moment together before we run out of time.

Trying to make every moment count…

Being Carrie’s bodyguard was one thing. Being her boyfriend is another. Every day she’s mine is a day the sun shines in my life. Yet our time together is running out. Her father will never think a tattooed Marine will be good enough, so I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of her love. But the road will take me away from the girl who makes me feel alive–the girl I can’t live without.

Time only gets us so far…

Buy Links:
Amazon • B&N

Out of Line ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, with Finn receiving an ominous text, but Finn and Carrie are finally together for good. Out of Line was only an okay read for me, but I ended up really liking and enjoying Out of Time. Carrie was a much more likable heroine, and Finn really steps up his sweetness. They are finally not afraid to show their feelings and love for each other, and they make such a strong, adorable couple.

Still, Finn and Carrie have to keep their relationship a secret from Carrie’s father because he’s completely overbearing and protective of his daughter. He has a high position in politics, and because of an incident that occurred when Carrie was young, she’s smothered by her parents and by bodyguards. Her father needs to have protection for her 24/7, and since Finn is part of her security, they can’t let her father know about their relationship otherwise Finn will end up fired. In Out of Time, Carrie’s parents play a much bigger role in their lives, and they cause complications that Carrie and Finn have to deal with.

Carrie and Finn have grown throughout these two novels, and in Out of Time, we get to see a much more intimate side of their relationship. We feel how much they need each other, and how much they love each other. Carrie and Finn will do anything for each other, and I loved how their relationship changes and matures. They are good for one another, and bring out the best in each other. With Finn, Carrie is finally free to be herself, without her parents hovering and being overprotective. With Carrie, Finn finds the best things in life because of her. He’s protective of her, and time and again shows how much he’ll do for her. But Finn is still a bit insecure about himself. He feels he doesn’t deserve Carrie, that she deserves someone better than some tattooed surfer. They argue sometimes, but Carrie always lets him know that she loves him for who he is. I loved that about their relationship. They want and love each other for who they are, and nothing else–bad or otherwise–matters as long as they have each other.

Told from both Carrie’s and Finn’s POV, Out of Time is a great, moving sequel. The romance is wonderful, and the story will keep you hooked from start to finish. So many emotions play out for Finn and Carrie, but their journey is one you shouldn’t miss. I’d definitely recommend this series if you’re a fan of new adult contemporary romances.

You can see the rest of the tour stops on the blog tour here.

Reading Order: Out of Line series

#1 ~ Out of Line: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Out of Time: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Out of Mind: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

Jen is giving away 4 $10 Amazon Gift Cards and an amazing grand prize! The grand prize winner will get to help name a character in book 3 of the series, and will get their name in the acknowledgement section of the book! Contest is international.

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3Dec2013

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Covert Assignment by Missy Marciassa

Posted in 3 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Covert Assignment by Missy Marciassa
Publication date: December 2nd 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Covert Assignment is a New Adult, Coming of Age Novel with a strong romantic element. Elle is ready for graduation and full-fledged adulthood: no more living like the leftover of her parent’s divorce. She’s about to graduate with her degree in Information Science (the 21st century term for Library Science) and has a ten-year plan as well-designed as any model for analyzing metadata: earn her JD/MBA, enjoy a couple of years as a single professional, then marry her college sweetheart, Adam, and start her own family.

Yet Elle feels like she returned to an alternate universe her final semester. There are pictures of Adam with a classmate who must be surgically enhanced, but he insists he wants Elle. CIA recruiters show up on campus, and they aren’t just interested in recruiting Elle for future employment: turns out she’s already working for them since they’re funding her thesis. Hot operative Preston Raddick is tasked to work with her. Preston isn’t just hot: he’s hot for Elle, but is he offering happy ever after or happy for right now? A fling with Preston could be the beginning of a new life plan, which is exciting and scary, especially with espionage thrown in. Elle needs a predictive model to tell her which decisions have the greater likelihood for happiness…

Covert Assignment is about the unexpected turns life can take when making “adult” decisions.

Purchase:
Amazon

Covert Assignment was a surprisingly short and fun read!

Elle is in her last year of college, and she finds out that Adam, her boyfriend of two years, has cheated on her. But she’s more angry than heartbroken. And then she goes to class and meets CIA recruiters, one of whom is a sexy CIA operative, Preston Raddick. Elle is a complete nerd (but an adorable one) and it turns out that she’s been unknowingly working for the CIA through her thesis. And now they’ve come to ask her for help and she agrees.

Throughout the book, Adam keeps coming back to Elle and groveling, begging her to take him back. She’s angry, but she’s still not quite ready to let him go. If she breaks up with Adam, then she feels like she’ll be alone. But then she starts being with Preston more, and thoughts of Adam are completely out of her head. Preston is a nice guy with great qualities–he’s a badass CIA operative, he can be sweet and supportive, and he can be sexy when he wants to. So of course Elle would develop feelings for him.

I really enjoyed the feel of the college atmosphere of the book, and Elle’s braininess. I hadn’t expected to have an in depth look at the CIA and its operations, but it was a lovely surprise. Covert Assignment was a unique and refreshing read. And towards the end, there’s a lot of action taking place. Everything builds up, everything’s intense, and the book ends with a bang. All loose ends are tied up, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Missy Marciassa loved getting lost in novels from the time she could read, so it’s no surprise she wanted to write. Her very first “novels” were re-writing the books she read to get the endings she wanted in second grade. Missy continued to read and write through grade school and high school.

After becoming rather disillusioned with fiction after writing literary criticism as an English major in college, however, Missy focused on her enjoyment of learning about people and studied psychology. Reading fiction fell to the wayside with all the reading and writing required for college and graduate school, but once Missy became a doctoral candidate, she rediscovered her love of fiction. Then she started getting the urge to write, an urge that wouldn’t go away (she refuses to diagnose it as a compulsion). Covert Assignment is the end result of that urge.

Website • Goodreads • Facebook • Twitter

Prize (open internationally):
$25 Visa gift card

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29Nov2013

Review: If You Stay by Courtney Cole

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

If You Stay by Courtney Cole
Series: Beautifully Broken #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 5th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

For fans of Jessica Sorensen, J.A. Redmerski, and Abbi Glines…

Twenty-four-year-old Pax Tate is an asshole. Seriously. He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad boy with a tough attitude to match. His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with an intense guilt that he doesn’t understand. What he does know is that he and his dad were left alone, and they have never been close. Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the black void in his soul. He pretends that the emptiness isn’t there and this has always worked . . . until he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air that Pax has never known in his life. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her-but he quickly realizes that he’d better figure it out because he needs her to breathe. When the memories of his mother’s death resurface to haunt Pax, Mila is there to save him from his overwhelming guilt. Mila restores his broken heart, even as she evokes his powerful, sexual desires. Now for Pax to keep Mila, he needs to work on his issues-and stop being an asshole. But is that enough to make her stay?

I’m feeling pretty ambivalent about this book. I should have loved it, but I didn’t. I still really liked reading it, but I didn’t connect very much with it. If You Stay was the perfect setup for me–a bad boy with a tragic past who changes for the girl he loves, but it just didn’t click, and I’m not very sure why.

Pax is a bad boy. He’s a jerk and he knows it. He doesn’t care much for life, and he drinks and whores his way through it. And then one day he takes it too far, and overdoses on drugs. Mila finds him like this, dying, and calls the ambulance, saving his life. And even though the two of them should never come across each other again–the rich, spoiled bad boy, and the sweet, innocent artist–Pax and Mila do. They connect with one another in a way they’ve never felt before, and while their romance is sweet and a little heart-wrenching, I felt very apart from the story. I wasn’t as immersed in it as much as I wanted to be, and although it got better later on as I kept reading, it still wasn’t enough to make me love this book.

Pax is the quintessential redeeming bad boy who does a 180 once he falls in love. I wasn’t too much of a fan of his in the beginning of the book (like, wow, if you’ve read If You Stay–what a way to start a book), but he grew on me. He shows his sweet, warm, loving side once Mila gets under his skin and into his heart. He truly has a good heart, but life dealt him a shitty hand. If You Stay is mostly his story, though the book is told in both his and Mila’s POVs. We learn about Pax’s tragic, heart-wrenching past, and how he deals with it with Mila by his side.

Mila is the perfect girl for Pax. She’s got a touch of innocence in her, but she’s strong for Pax when he needs her to be. She tries to keep Pax at a distance because of his reputation as a bad boy, but slowly, she gets to know the real Pax and falls in love with him. And although their journey towards their happily ever after isn’t without its bumps, they try their hardest to make is work.

I love that besides the romance, there’s deeper meaning to the story. That no matter how broken you are, you can always find it in yourself to be happy. You can get help and fix yourself, but only if you allow yourself to be fixed. I really loved the way Courtney Cole integrated this into If You Stay, and her writing is phenomenal. I’d definitely recommend this book for the writing, and Courtney Cole’s perfect bad boy hero.

3 hearts! Although there were some parts that were 3.5-4, but I’m going to go with a 3 because I was expecting to love it more.

Reading Order: Beautifully Broken series

#1 ~ If You Stay: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ If You Leave: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Until We Burn: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Before We Fall: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Until We Fly: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Release Day Review: Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy

Reading Order: One Week Girlfriend series