Audiobook Review: All I Ever Need is You by Bella Andre

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

All I Ever Need is You by Bella Andre
Series: The Sullivans #14 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Length: 7 hours and 55 minutes
Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Seattle architect Adam Sullivan is well known for his brilliant historic building restorations—and for having absolutely no interest in love and marriage. He’s happy for his siblings and cousins who have found true love, but though they’re clearly hellbent on seeing him settled, his family is just going to have to accept that Cupid’s arrow will be skipping this Sullivan. That is, until he meets Kerry Dromoland…and suddenly Adam starts to question everything he once believed to be true about falling in love.

As one of the top wedding planners in Seattle, Kerry has been waiting her whole life to find her own true love. So even though Adam makes her heart race and her body heat up every time they’re together, she knows better than to think he could be “the one.” Still, knowing he’s Seattle’s biggest player doesn’t make it any easier to resist his breathtaking kisses and wicked caresses…or the fact that he makes her smile more than any man ever has.

But when Kerry desperately needs Adam’s help—and he comes through for her without the slightest hesitation—she begins to realize that there just might be more to the man she can’t resist than she’d previously thought. Can the bad boy with no interest in being reformed—and the woman who has no interest in reforming a bad boy—find forever together?

All I Ever Need is You is my first Bella Andre book, and if her others are anything like this one, then it definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely adored this audiobook – I honestly don’t have a thing to complain about it. The narration was excellent, the story was a joy to listen to, and I loved the main characters. I honestly can’t believe I haven’t experienced The Sullivans series sooner, but now I’m eager to go back and read – listen – to the previous books!

She was the polar opposite of the kind of woman he was normally attracted to.
And yet, only one thought would form in his whiplashed brain: Where the hell had she been all his life?

Adam Sullivan is the last of his siblings to have his story told, and this cynical, eternal bachelor expects to never fall in love. But then he meets Kerry Dromoland, his brother’s wedding planner, and he can’t seem to get this woman off his mind. She’s the one woman he can’t stop thinking about, and the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry burns between them. Adam can’t offer his heart to her, since he doesn’t believe love is for him, but he can offer his body, so the two start a no-strings sexual affair that ends up leading to so much more.

Kerry, being a wedding planner, has always wanted her own perfect wedding with the man of her dreams. She won’t settle for anything less, but the feelings that Adam brings out of her are unlike anything she’s ever felt. Bella Andre did a wonderful job writing the burning chemistry between these two characters – I could feel how much they wanted each other and how they’ve never felt that way with someone else. There’s a spark in Kerry and Adam’s characters that had me connecting with them from the very start, and I couldn’t help but root for them and be invested in their romance.

What I loved best about Adam and Kerry’s relationship was the fact that they became such good friends, the best of friends, even when they were lovers. They grew close enough to be able to lean on one another and support each other, so it was easy to see them as a real couple, because they clicked so well. I also LOVED how Adam made such a 180 in his feelings towards love. Kerry makes him believe in love – there’s just too much sweetness as Adam tries to win Kerry’s heart and make her believe in them as a couple. Adam absolutely stole my heart! He was a wonderful hero I fell so hard for.

“You and I, we’re good alone. But together? Together we’re unstoppable.”

As an audiobook, All I Ever Need is You was absolutely perfect. Eva Kaminsky was spot-on in her narration – her voice is easy to listen to, it flows so well, and I swooned at the way she narrated Adam’s dialogue! She’s now my favorite female narrator and I’m definitely going to go and listen to the other audiobooks in the series just for her narration.

Basically, I loved listening to this audiobook. I adored the sweet, gorgeous romance, and Eva Kaminsky’s narration made it all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend it!

Reading Order: The Sullivans series

#1 ~ The Look of Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ From This Moment On: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Can’t Help Falling in Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ I Only Have Eyes for You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ If You Were Mine: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Let Me Be the One: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Come a Little Bit Closer: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8 ~ Always on My Mind: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#9 ~ The Way You Look Tonight: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#10 ~ Kissing Under the Mistletoe: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#11 ~ It Must Be Your Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#12 ~ Just to Be With You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#13 ~ I Love How You Love Me: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#14 ~ All I Ever Need Is You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from All I Ever Need Is You!

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4Aug2015

Release Day Review: The Veil by Chloe Neill

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Veil by Chloe Neill
Series: Devil’s Isle #1
Publication Date: August 4th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil’s Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused.

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack—in full view of the French Quarter—Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs, even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

But when the Veil threatens to shatter completely, Claire and Liam must work together to stop it, or else New Orleans will burn…

I’ve been a fan of Chloe Neill for a while, ever since I read and loved her Chicagoland Vampires series. So of course I was excited when I heard she’d be writing a new series called Devil’s Isle. The Veil is the first book in the series, and it was good for a first book. There’s a lot of world building and descriptions, unsurprisingly, but sadly, the book just didn’t wring that many emotions out of me. The premise is interesting and holds a lot of potential for future books, but The Veil just wasn’t the exciting read I’d been hoping for.

The Veil takes place in dystopian New Orleans, where the paranormal world and the human world collided and went to war seven years ago. Now, when The Veil that separated the two worlds was repaired, the paranormals that remained in New Orleans were sent to prison at Devil’s Isle. Magic and all paranormal activity is outlawed, though our heroine, Claire, is a Sensitive human with magic powers and does her best to avoid getting caught using magic.

Claire Connolly tries to keep a quiet life, surviving in this dystopian world and running her family’s shop, but she gets into trouble when she uses her magic out in the open to help out a woman in need. Liam Quinn, a bounty hunter, helps Claire out and also aids her in training her magic. He’s a man with secrets, but he and Claire become somewhat friends, despite the slight chemistry they have between them.

The romance is SUPER light in this book. It’s more a potential for a romance, and I’m hoping there will be more in the following books. The Veil centers around Claire honing her Sensitive powers so that she won’t turn into a wraith, a deadly, inhuman creature. There’s also an overarching, bigger plot that I’m sure we’ll see unravel more as we get the other books in the series.

I enjoyed The Veil for the most part. It’s a fairly good read, with well-developed characters and a highly detailed dystopian world. I liked how the author wrote the city of New Orleans in such a way that it felt like its own character. However, I struggled to connect with the story in some way – the main characters felt boring to me, and none of the action had my heart pumping. Plus, this is the type of book that leaves you with lots of questions and few answers. Still, I will most likely be reading the sequel because I love the idea of the story, and I feel this series has a lot of potential to become better as it progresses.

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4Aug2015

Release Day Review: Strong Enough by M. Leighton

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading Order: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series

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

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3Aug2015

Release Day Review: Love and Always by Sophie Jackson

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Love and Always by Sophie Jackson
Series: A Pound of Flesh #1.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 3rd 2015
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Orange Is the New Black meets Jennifer Probst’s New York Times bestselling Marriage to a Billionaire trilogy, in this e-novella of love and redemption in the sensational A Pound of Flesh series.

When prison tutor Kat Lane met arrogant inmate Wesley Carter in A Pound of Flesh, it was hate at first sight. Carter’s quick wit and reputation for being as dangerous as he was handsome kept her at a distance. But as they grew to know each other as teacher and student in the New York prison, Kat found there was much more to Carter than she thought.

In Love and Always, Kat and Carter’s story continues as they share the news of their engagement—which doesn’t go over well with Kat’s mother. On top of it all, Carter has a new role as CEO of WCS Communications, which adds more pressure to his new life outside prison. Trying to juggle family, a billion dollar business, and Carter’s best friend Max’s rehab stint doesn’t leave much time for the happy couple to enjoy each other. How will Kat and Carter handle the pressures of marriage, family, and work—and keep the passion alive through it all?

This is a quick, short, and super sweet novella following up on Kat and Carter from A Pound of Flesh. I adored these characters in their book (my review here), and I adored them once again in their novella.

“You’re everything to me.”
Kat nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m marrying you.”

Kat and Carter have just gotten engaged, but they’re not quite at their HEA yet. They need to break the news to Kat’s mother, who isn’t exactly supportive of their relationship. Plus, Carter’s dealing with his best friend Max, who’s been admitted into rehab. Still, despite these complications, Kat and Carter’s love is still unwavering and going strong. As long as they have each other, they can weather through anything.

I really enjoyed this novella. It’s a bit too short, and I really wish there was more, but I liked what I got. Carter is funny, sweet, and sexy as ever, and I loved seeing him and Kat together again. I really liked that this novella sort of leads us up to Max’s own book, An Ounce of Hope, which comes out early next year. I was incredibly excited for his book, and this novella only made me more excited.

Fans of A Pound of Flesh should definitely check out Love and Always. It’s not completely necessary to read it, but Kat and Carter are just too sweet for words in this novella. This was like getting a bonus glimpse at life after A Pound of Flesh for the two of them. I had a smile on my face the whole time I read it!

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

Reading Order: A Pound of Flesh series

#1 ~ A Pound of Flesh: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Love and Always: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ An Ounce of Hope: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Fate and Forever: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ A Measure of Love: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (June 21, 2016)

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3Aug2015

Blog Tour + ARC Review & Giveaway: Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Truth or Beard by Penny Reid!

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #1 (full reading order below)
Release Date: July 21st 2015

Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my!

Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • iTunes • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

I’ve kind of adored Penny Reid ever since reading her Elements of Chemistry series (one of my favorites of the year!). Her stories are just so compelling yet so down-to-earth – I love them! Truth or Beard was a highly anticipated read for me (because, hello, BEARDS!!!!) and Penny Reid didn’t let me down. Truth or Beard is a fun, sexy, hilarious read with an amazing cast of characters (those Winston brothers will be the death of me) and I can’t wait for more!

Jessica James has always had a crush on the friendlier, more charming of the Winston twins. When she was a girl, she had hearts in her eyes for Beau, all while saving her glares for the broodier, more annoying twin, Duane. But of course, Duane, in that classic way of pulling on the pigtails of your crush, has always loved Jessica James. But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica questions her true feelings for Duane and whether or not she’s had a crush on the wrong Winston twin all along.

I was always running after her, but this time I wasn’t going to let her get away.

I adored Jessica and Duane. They were characters that felt so real to me. I felt for Jessica and her dreams of traveling the world. She has wanderlust, and she’s saving up for a few years until she can leave her small town and explore the world. Duane, even knowing the limited time he has with Jessica before she leaves, still decides to pursue the girl he’s loved his whole life. He keeps his heart guarded though, so that when the time comes for Jessica to leave, he won’t be left with a broken heart. But the two fall fast and hard for one another as they date and spend time together (kissing and doing other stuff…), so how can the two of them possibly continue their relationship when one is meant to travel the world and the other has an auto shop he has obligations to take care of?

Jessica wasn’t going to break my heart.
I was going to break hers.

Duane and Jessica have a time limit to their relationship, but that doesn’t stop them from steaming it up in the time they have together. They have some seriously sexy times that had me grinning and fanning myself. Duane is a hottie with a beard! BUT, he also says some awesomely sweet, amazing things to Jessica that had my heart swooning – Duane is honestly the perfect package!

“You’re a siren who doesn’t need to sing.”

Oh! Did I mention that this book is also so freaking hilarious? I was laughing so much while reading, most especially because of the Winston brothers. CLETUS! Oh my, Cletus is one special Winston brother. He’s the quirky, dorky nerd and so lovable – I’m keeping an eye out for his book. In addition to Duane, Beau, and Cletus, there’s also Jethro, Billy, and Roscoe. Six hot bearded brothers = book boyfriend heaven!

I’d once overheard my daddy tell my momma that the six Winston boys had inherited their father’s ability to charm snakes, the IRS, and women.

What brought this book down, though, and why I can’t give Truth or Beard five awesome hearts was because the whole other subplot about the local motorcycle club. The brothers have drama with some bikers that puts them and their loved ones in danger. This part of the book felt weak though, and I just wasn’t that into it. I felt kind of just ‘eh’ about it – it wasn’t badly written or anything, but it just didn’t get my heart my heart racing as much as I wanted it to.

In spite of weak biker subplot, Truth or Beard is still a fantastic read. You get to swoon over six sexy, bearded brothers, so what’s not to love? Of course, I can’t gloss over Penny’s fantastic writing, with her intelligent prose and witty dialogue. Her books are always described as ‘smart’ and I can’t argue with that. Overall, Truth or Beard was a book that was SO much fun to read. It made me laugh, swoon, ache – it’s the type of book that wrings emotions out of you, and I highly recommend it.

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

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: Goodreads (Oct. 2016)
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: Goodreads (2017)
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: Goodreads (2017)
#6 ~ Beard Necessities: Goodreads (2017)

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

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