ARC Review: Two of Hearts by Christina Lee

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Two of Hearts by Christina Lee
Series: Golden Arrow #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 5th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional — not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

Two of Hearts is the first book I’ve read from Christina Lee. I’d really been looking forward to this one when I read the blurb since I LOVE second chance romances. I found Two of Hearts fairly enjoyable, but sadly, the romance and plot were a bit underwhelming. Still, I really liked the underlying sense of family and friendship tied with the Indian culture that’s portrayed heavily in this book.

Dakota and Shane were each other’s first loves, but when the time came for them to fight for their love, they instead let each other go. They reunite under unfortunate circumstances, at Dakota’s father’s funeral. Dakota and Shane have grown to their full potential in their separated years, but the chemistry between them hasn’t faded for a second. But while Dakota is hesitant to start something again with the boy who broke her heart, Shane recognizes that Dakota is the only girl meant for him and he fights for them and their relationship.

“Don’t you know how much I’ve thought of you over the years? Wondered how you were doing, if you were okay? Whether you still thought of me, too?”

I really would have liked the romance to take center stage, but the book focuses a lot on the casino that Dakota is running. Dakota and her family are being attacked for inheriting an Indian casino but not being fully Indian. There’s a suspenseful angle to this novel, with suspicious characters that Shane, as a U.S. Marshal, is investigating. I found the suspense a bit boring, so I couldn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.

What I liked about Shane and Dakota was how when they separated, they were able to fully grow and follow their ambitions. They didn’t hold each other back, and once they became the people they wanted to be, they found each other again. Even though I didn’t connect with the main characters, I found their story to be sweet and sexy.

This was a good, but not great, read. I was bored during the middle of the book, at least until the suspense finally picked up. If you’re a fan of second chance romances, you should give this a try.

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

Reading Order: Golden Arrow series

#1 ~ Two of Hearts: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Three Sacred Words: Ebook • Goodreads

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23Apr2015

ARC Review: Remind Me by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers

Posted in 2 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Remind Me by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers
Series: Chasing Fire #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 21st 2015
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

First in a tantalizing new trilogy about reigniting a forbidden desire from long ago…

As heiress to a media empire Alessandra Sinclair was raised to put family obligations first. But everything changes the night her first love walks back into her life and turns her whole world upside down. Haunted by the memories of a secret romance with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she can’t seem to get Hudson Chase out of her mind. Once again torn between two worlds, Allie must decide how much she’s willing to risk to have the love she’s always longed for.

Ten years is a long time to wait, but billionaire Hudson Chase didn’t become CEO of one of the country’s fastest growing companies by giving up on what he wants. Now that he’s got Allie in his sights again, he’s determined to make her regret breaking his heart. And this time, he’s going to make damn sure he’s not so easy to forget.

I’d been so incredibly excited to read Remind Me ever since I read the blurb. I’m a sucker for second chance romances, and throw in an alpha-male billionaire and I’m a goner. Unfortunately, Remind Me didn’t live up to my expectations. I was expecting a powerful love story that would sweep me off my feet, but Remind Me felt too formulaic for my tastes. At first, I was intrigued, but as I read on I came to realize that everything felt flat. There was no spark for me in this book. The premise had so much potential, but I’m sad to say this book didn’t work out for me.

“From the moment I saw you, I knew you were nothing but trouble.”

Alessandra “Allie” Sinclair and Hudson Chase live completely different lives – she’s the rich, upper class girl and he’s the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks. And yet they met one summer and fell in love when they were teenagers. I wish we could have gotten more about Allie and Hudson when they were teenagers because they seemed so sweet and adorable together… and much more likable than when they’re older. Things end badly between them by the end of the summer, and Allie and Hudson go their separate ways and don’t see each other until ten years later.

Hudson is a reborn man. During those ten years, he’s become a billionaire and is CEO of his own company. He achieved everything he ever wanted – wealth, power, social status – that he wished he had when he met Allie so that he could be worthy of her. Now, though, with ten years to stew over a broken heart, Hudson is set on making Allie regret leaving him. As much as I wished I could like Hudson, he just came across as too insecure about his wealth. He name-drops a lot and uses money at every whim as if he could erase those years he lived in poverty. His character felt too flat, as if the authors were trying too hard to combine other previously written alpha billionaires.

Allie I liked slightly more, though that’s not saying much. She’s a girl born into wealth, with a family too obsessed with image to actually love each other. She has a fiancé named Julian when she and Hudson reunite, but Allie is too weak to resist Hudson’s seduction. Normally, I wouldn’t feel bad about cheating – if it’s written right. Julian felt like a seedy character so I didn’t feel bad for him, but I didn’t like that Allie is so overcome with lust for Hudson that she turns into a weak character with no backbone. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but there was too much sex in this book. I had to skim over all the gratuitous sex to get to some actual plot, which was pretty predictable. And FYI, the book ends in a cliffhanger.

So overall, I just didn’t enjoy Remind Me as much as I wished I had. It had such great potential, but fell flat in the end. The characters and story felt too similar to those in other books for me to enjoy. I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t like it very much either.

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

Reading Order: Chasing Fire series

#1 ~ Remind Me: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Release Me: Ebook • Goodreads (July 21, 2015)
#3 ~ Reclaim Me: Ebook • Goodreads (Oct. 20, 2015)

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22Apr2015

Review: Aflame by Penelope Douglas

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Aflame by Penelope Douglas
Series: Fall Away #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 21st 2015
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads

The tables have turned. Now I have the power—and it’s his turn to beg…

Everyone wants to be me.

Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.

Oh. My. God. I absolutely LOVED Aflame – it’s a brilliant, fantastic ending to one of my most favorite series of all time. From the second I started this book until I got to the very last word, I couldn’t stop smiling. And THAT ENDING!! It was beautiful – this whole book is a treasure, really. Admittedly, I wasn’t too sure how I’d feel about this book existing at the cost of Jared and Tate breaking up. I adored them in Bully and Until You, and I never wanted them to break up! But Penelope Douglas has yet to steer me wrong, and I knew she’d blow me away with Aflame – and she did. Heart-pounding, sexy, and intense, Aflame will wow fans of the Fall Away series and have them falling in love with Tate and Jared all over again.

Like warmth and peace and no matter what changed in my life, the people I met, the things I lost, or where I lived, if I was in his orbit, then I was home.

It’s been two years since Jared left home and broke Tate’s heart. I hated that Jared had to break up with Tate, but I could understand his need to find himself, to be a better man for Tate. For so long, he’d been living under her shadow and if he continued to live that way, he’d never be the man Tate deserved. But in order to be that man who could support her, he’d have to be able to support himself first. So he left, broke their hearts (and definitely mine too), and paved his own way in life doing what he loved – racing. But when his mother gives him some unexpected good news, Jared has to return home and face everything he left.

While I love Jared, it was Tate who blew me away in this book. I’ve loved Tate since she performed her monologue in Bully, but the Tate in Aflame is absolutely stunning. She’s grown and matured so much – she’s no longer the girl who lets her emotions get the best of her. She’s a woman now, and while Jared may have broken her heart two years ago, she’s grown stronger and more resilient since. So when Jared comes back home unexpectedly, she faces him head on, not allowing him anywhere near her heart ever again. Tate fights against their still-existing, wicked-hot chemistry, but Jared, this boy who has turned into the most incredible man, sets out to show her that they were always meant to be.

“You want to play,” he charged, biting out every word so only I could hear.
“Challenge accepted, Tatum. This time I don’t want you hurt,” he continued, his breath falling over me as he got in my face, “and I don’t want you small. I just want you. Do you hear me?” He jerked me into his body. “It will be my ring on your finger and my kids in your belly someday.”

I never thought I could love Jared and Tate more than I did after reading Bully and Until You, but after Aflame, my love for them knows no bounds. I freaking LOVED them in Aflame! I couldn’t stop smiling and giggling at their banter. And holy mother of god, the sexual tension. Aflame is the HOTTEST book Penelope Douglas has written yet – I thought Jax’s book was sexy, but Aflame was off the charts. The love and hate between Jared and Tate are explosive – it was like how it was in Bully, except better, more mature and refined. Fans of Jared and Tate absolutely NEED to experience them in Aflame!

At its heart though, Aflame is about two people who are finding their way back to each other. There is no doubt that Jared and Tate still love each other, that they always have and always will. They belong together, and it was a heartwarming experience to read about Jared and Tate again. They are two of my favorite couples, and I couldn’t imagine a more honest, heart-wrenching, beautiful journey for them.

“For better or worse, you’ve been my other half since I was ten years old, and I can’t imagine a future I’d want without you in it. You’re the love of my life.”

Reading Order: Fall Away series

#1 ~ Bully: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Until You: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Rival: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Falling Away: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Aflame: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads

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3Feb2015

Release Day Review: The Raven by Sylvain Reynard

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Raven by Sylvain Reynard
Series: The Florentine #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 3rd 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery . . .

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi gallery restoring Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semiconscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attackers’ screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her . . .

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. Upon returning to the Uffizi, no one recognizes her. More disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of her disappearance, Raven learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history–the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the police identify her as their prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and most elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets . . .

“I am the darkness made visible.”

The Raven is the first full-length novel in Sylvain Reynard’s The Florence series, and it’s a book full of mystery and intrigue. I was a fan of SR’s Gabriel series and was highly anticipating this paranormal spinoff series. Although I didn’t connect with the main characters as much as I wanted, the writing had me hooked and the supernatural aspect of the story had me fully intrigued. Fans of the Gabriel series should definitely give The Florence series a try – SR gives a unique take on vampires that was highly enjoyable!

The Raven takes place two years after The Prince (which I highly recommend reading before going into The Raven). The Prince of Florence, who also goes by the name William York, has taken back his stolen art from the Uffizi, though he’s still planning on killing the Emersons. But one night, he encounters a woman on the brink of death, and instead of ignoring her, which would be the norm for him, he saves her life.

Raven Wood wakes up with no recollection of the past week, and when she returns to work at the Uffizi, she finds out that artwork has been stolen during the week she blacked out and she’s a prime suspect. While trying to clear her name, she comes across the name William York, but when she tries to find out who he is, Raven unknowingly puts herself deeper into the underworld of Florence and into danger.

William can’t get the woman he saved out of his mind, and even though he tries to stay away, he can’t. He continues to be Raven’s protector but keeps to the shadows until Raven falls into too much trouble and William has to come forward and save her life once again. As they spend more time together, Raven and William can’t help but feel drawn to one another.

I really enjoyed Raven’s character, even though I didn’t connect with her much. She’s the type of woman who doesn’t fit in with society’s views of beauty and she is typically ignored by men. Even though this could have made her a bitter woman, she’s strong and compassionate with a heart of gold. She’s unknowingly thrust into the supernatural world, but she faces it head on. William, on the other hand, took me a while to warm up to. He’s one of the most powerful vampires and he’s lived for a long time, so he’s done and seen things that have made him jaded. But bit by bit, as he grows to care for Raven, we uncover a passionate man who has more than a little humanity left in him. I was a much bigger fan of William towards the end of the novel.

I highly enjoyed the romance in The Raven. It was a slow burn kind of romance with tensions running high between William and Raven. And I loved that by being with each other, they open their eyes to the person they are underneath – William discovers that maybe he’s not the monster he makes himself out to be, and Raven realizes that beauty is so much more than just the surface of a person.

“You are the only ray of hope I’ve seen since 1274. You’re the only one who has caused my heart to beat again.”

SR flawlessly entwines Raven and William’s sensual but sweet romance with the gorgeous setting of Florence and the fascinating supernatural underworld. The Raven was an entirely satisfying read even though I wasn’t too keen on the characters, and that was mainly due to the writing. I found myself drawn into the dark underworld of Florence and couldn’t stop reading this book! If you’re a fan of SR’s writing, then I highly recommend reading this fascinating, romantic new series.

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

Reading Order: The Florentine series

#0.5 ~ The Prince: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ The Raven: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Shadow: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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23Jan2015

Early Review: Hero by Samantha Young

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Hero by Samantha Young
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: February 3rd 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren’t his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets,. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they’re on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

I. Loved. Hero!!! Loved, loved, loved it! I simply adored this new (upcoming) release from Samantha Young. I was already a fan after the On Dublin Street series, but now I’m even more in love with her writing and storytelling. Hero had me hooked from start to finish, and I never wanted Caine and Alexa’s story to end! So if you’re a fan of Samantha Young, be excited for Hero because it’ll make you fall in love and sweep you away!

This book was pretty much the perfect read for me – it had a sassy heroine I genuinely liked and admired, and a hot-as-hell, alpha, rude, domineering hero in a suit. And the two of them together clash. Alexa Holland is an assistant to a photographer, and it’s at a photo shoot where she meets Caine Carraway. It’s lust at first sight, but when Alexa’s past comes to light and Caine finds out that it was Alexa’s father who ruined Caine’s family, he wants nothing to do with her, despite their attraction to one another. When Alexa loses her job, Caine offers one as his assistant, but only so that he can make life hell-on-earth for her.

“Oh, and, Alexa?”
I froze but my pulse sped up. He’d never said my name before.
It sounded nice on his lips. Very, very nice.
“Yeah?” I whispered.
“From now on you will refer to me as Mr. Carraway and only Mr. Carraway.”
Ouch.

Caine is definitely an ass to Alexa, but Alexa’s not the type of woman to let him run all over her. She gives as good as she gets, and she’s determined to prove to Caine that she doesn’t bear the sins of her father. My heart actually ached for her and life she’s had. She’s always been put second in the lives of those she loves, but she’s all the more stronger for it. She doesn’t let people, least of all Caine, bring her down.

Hero had me grinning so, so much. The flames between Caine and Alexa only get hotter as they spend more time together. I loved that Caine tries to make Alexa hate him and her job, all while lusting after her. He wants to hate her, but as he gets to know more of her, he can’t. All he wants is her.

“I fantasize about fucking you in this office a hundred times a day.”

And Alexa is just the most genuine, funny heroine ever! She knew exactly what Caine was trying to do, but she sees through his tough exterior to the warm heart he has. And he really does have a heart of gold underneath his harsh exterior, even though Caine himself believes otherwise.

“I’m not your white knight. I’m just the guy who wanted to fuck you.”

When Caine and Alexa give in to their need for each other, it’s explosive. The two of them have an intense, raw passion for each other, but while Alexa knows there’s more between them, Caine keeps her at a distance. He doesn’t believe he’s capable of love, and Alexa sets on to prove him otherwise.

It should have been frustrating that Caine was so hot and cold about his feelings – he’s protective and possessive of Alexa one moment, then cold and detached the next – but it just… wasn’t. There was an honest, genuine feel to Alexa and Caine’s growing romance. I was rooting for Caine to realize how perfect he and Alexa are together. They have some of the sweetest moments together that warmed my heart.

“For the longest time my company is what got me up in the morning. It was what motivated me every second of every day. Since the moment you started working for me, you are what has gotten me up in the morning. You are what motivates me every second of every day. And still I want more from you.”

*Dreamy sigh* Oh, Caine, how I love you ❤

The romance in Hero was simply brilliant. It’s an office romance but with a unique, fresh take. I adored everything about this book – the story, the characters, the writing. I fell in love with Alexa and Caine and I felt for them. If you haven’t preordered Hero, go do it now! I highly recommend this heartfelt, sexy, romantic read!

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

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