Tag Archives: indie

ARC Review: The Fable of Us by Nicole Williams

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The Fable of Us by Nicole Williams

The Fable of Us by Nicole Williams
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: February 2nd 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Her heart can’t be destroyed by the same person twice. At least that’s what Clara Abbot finds herself hoping when she runs into Boone Cavanaugh less than an hour after returning to Charleston.

As kids, Clara and Boone had been each other’s firsts, and no one or nothing could stand in the way of their forever. But all kids have to grow up sometime. The troubled son of the town drunk winding up with the firstborn daughter of the local royalty was a happy ending even the most imaginative of fairy tales couldn’t make believable.

Their fable came to an end as most do: tragically. Boone might have done the leaving, but it was Clara who got away and made a new life for herself in California. But after seven years of dodging her hometown, she’s only back in Charleston for seven days to celebrate her sister’s wedding. She won’t let her overbearing family or her run-in with Boone rattle her—though rattling her is obviously Boone’s primary objective.

Boone is her past and her past is behind her, a mere speck in the rearview. So why does she feel it coming back every time she looks at him? Why does she see it every time he looks back?

Just when Clara’s life can’t possibly get more complicated, the ground shifts, and she discovers just how far her family was willing to go to keep the wrong boy out of her life. Was it really Boone who left her? Or was it Clara who left him?

The truth will be hard to face. Especially when she discovers most of her life has been built on lies.

Second chance romances are one of my top favorite tropes to read, and the fact that Nicole Williams wrote one in The Fable of Us? I was in total book heaven while reading it! I’ve loved this author since I first read Crash, and with every book she writes, she proves to me why she will always be a favorite author of mine. This newest book of hers only reaffirms my love for her wonderful storytelling. I fell hard for Clara and Boone’s second chance romance – Nicole Williams has written two incredible characters with so much heart and depth, I was rooting for them from the very first page!

Clara Abbot is back in the town she hates to be a part of her sister’s wedding… to Clara’s ex-boyfriend. But a pit stop along the way has Clara bumping into the one and only love of her life, Boone Cavanaugh, who left and hurt her all these years ago. There’s a great deal of resentment between Clara and Boone, but she’s desperate enough to pay him to be her plus-one at the wedding to keep the vultures, AKA her family, away. It’s just one week with the boy she used to love who hates her now, so what could possibly go wrong?

“It doesn’t seem to matter how far away I go or how many years go by. I’m starting to accept that there will always be some part of me that is going to hold on to some part of you.”

In addition to a second chance romance, The Fable of Us is definitely a love/hate story. We don’t know the exact ins and outs of what happened during their fallout, but Clara and Boone definitely don’t like each other when they reunite. Still, underneath the glares and the angry quips lies a spark, a connection that never truly went away. You can tell that, despite everything that happened between them, all the good and the bad, Clara and Boone are absolutely meant to be. The build-up of their romance, the reconnection, and unraveled truths all lead up to one powerful love story that completely captured my heart.

“You’ve always been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Clara.” The backs of his fingers ran down the length of my cheek. “That still hasn’t changed.”

Clara and most especially Boone were the highlight of this novel. These two independent, strong, stubborn individuals were perfect together back then, and they’re certainly perfect together now. Their romance is sweet, slow, and tender – it’s the kind of love story that makes you clutch at your heart… I loved it!

I may have loved Clara and Boone, but oh man, did I hate Clara’s family. Clara’s sister, the one who’s marrying Clara’s ex, is a total nightmare. She’s jealous and petty, and the rest of the family is almost as bad. They’re a superficial, and at times cruel, group of people who prize wealth and status above anything else. So it’s no wonder Clara dreaded coming back to this place of elitism and snobbery.

Though I wished at times all the wedding drama would turn down a notch, it didn’t detract much from my enjoyment of Clara and Boone’s romance. All their moments together made up for my frustration with the Abbot family. If you’re a fan of second chance romances, you definitely need to pick up The Fable of Us! It’s a gorgeous, romantic read with wonderful writing that I recommend!

4 hearts
lacey

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

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ARC Review: Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton

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Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton

Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton
Series: Assassins #1
Publication Date: January 19th 2016
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

A sexy new thriller about love and revenge from the author of the Capital Confessions and International School series…

X lives by three rules: Show no weakness. Trust no one. Don’t get caught. She lives by the rules they gave her.

The Academy—set in London, shrouded in secrecy—it trains spies, computer experts, and assassins. Their mission? Dispensing justice and altering the course of world politics. Or so they think. In a world where secrets are weapons and some kills are impossible to forget, everything X thought she knew about her life is about to change.

They taught her to fight. To blend into the shadows like a ghost, to operate on the fringes of society, to change her identity with ease. They taught her to kill.

She’ll need every skill they taught her, to stay alive.

What a thrilling, heart-pounding read! I love books that take me to the edge of my seat, and Between Shadows did exactly that. It’s suspenseful, fast-paced, and filled with action. There’s also a swoon-worthy romance with a dreamy hero, so what’s not to love about this book?

X is an assassin for the Academy – she’s been trained since a young age to be a deadly weapon. The most important thing in her life is her sister Grace, but even her love for Grace can’t bring X out of her cold heart ever since she killed the one friend she had. But everything in her life is turned upside down when Luke is still very much alive and comes back into her life to handle a mission together to bring to light the truths that the Academy has been lying to them about.

We were always together, and then one day I looked at him and I couldn’t look away anymore.

As X and Luke travel around the world to find out the Academy’s secrets, they’re constantly looking behind their backs. Chanel Cleeton did a fantastic job writing the suspense – every moment of the book is a nail-biter, and I kept wondering about what would happen and whether X and Luke would survive. Between Shadows is definitely a page turner, so if you’re a fan of thrillers, you should definitely pick this book up.

X and Luke were both fantastic, well-written characters. X is fierce, brave, and badass, yet she still has vulnerabilities that make her likable and relatable. Luke was X’s first everything – but the years Luke was away have turned him harder, more dangerous, and infinitely more sexy. I loved the two of them together after they reconciled the past. Luke is so sweet and patient with X, and I seriously fell for the way he cares so much for her.

“There’s a lightness about you despite everything else going on. How do you keep that lightness with you?”
He’s silent for a long time.
“Because there’s something I love more than I hate myself.”
Every muscle in my body stills. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I feel like I’m having a strange out-of-body experience, one I have no idea how to handle. He can’t mean–
“I love you, X. Always.”

I thoroughly enjoyed Between Shadows. It’s well-written, unique, and action-packed. I would’ve loved a bit more romance, but I could appreciate the book being focused on X and Luke’s goal, rather than their relationship. This was a great first book to a new series, and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next!

4 hearts
lacey

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

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ARC Review: The Baller by Vi Keeland

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The Baller by Vi Keeland

The Baller by Vi Keeland
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: January 18th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room.
It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster.
The famed quarterback decided to bare all.
And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.
No. The arrogant ass decided to drop his towel, just as I asked the first question. On camera.
The Super Bowl MVP quickly adopted a new hobby—screwing with me.
When I pushed back, he shifted from wanting to screw with me, to wanting to screw me.
But I don’t date players.
And it’s not because I’m one of the few women working in the world of professional football.
I’d date an athlete.
It’s the other kind of player I don’t date.
You know the type. Good looking, strong, cocky, always looking to get laid.

Brody Easton was the ultimate player.
Every woman wanted to be the one to change him.
But the truth was, all he needed was a girl worth changing for.
Turned out, I was that girl.
Simple right?
Let’s face it. It never is.
There’s a story between once upon a time and happily ever after…
And this one is ours.

I was so looking forward to reading The Baller not only because of the smokin’ hot cover, but also the awesome blurb that totally hooked me in. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it the way I expected to. I usually adore sports romances, but The Baller missed the mark for me. The writing and characters were flat, and I had zero connection with any part of the book. I tried really hard to enjoy this, I really did, and I’m probably in the minority for this, but I was disappointed with The Baller.

Brody Easton is the quintessential star quarterback – he’s gorgeous, arrogant, and a total player on and off the field. Delilah Maddox, a sports journalist, needs to interview him, but right after she fires off one of her questions, he drops his towel right in front of her and screws up her whole interview. This part was probably one of the few in the book I enjoyed – Brody’s attempt to throw Delilah off is hilarious, but Delilah isn’t a girl easily intimidated. She can hold her own against Brody, and she continues to do so even when wants to pursue a relationship with her.

I’ve read one other book by Vi Keeland and really enjoyed it, so it’s hard for me to give The Baller a low rating. I honestly thought I would love it – I enjoyed Delilah and Brody’s amusing first interview, but everything after that fell completely flat. It felt like there was no depth to Brody’s character, and Delilah’s wasn’t much better. Brody is boring and tediously crude – all he talks to Delilah about is sex. They were two cliched new adult sports romance characters, and it didn’t feel like I really got to know them. Their romance also didn’t feel believable, at least on Brody’s part. Most of the chapters in his POV had NOTHING to do with Delilah, so I didn’t understand how or why he fell in love with her.

One thing that really bothered me about the book was the way the dialogue was written. As in, any time there was dialogue, there was ONLY dialogue, not even a ‘he/she said.’ The conversations between characters grew tiring to read, so I found myself skimming more of the book. And then, when Brody’s past reappears in the form of an ex-girlfriend, and that ex-gf ALSO gets chapters in her POV, I found myself not wanting to continue reading at all.

It’s more than likely that this is an ‘it’s me, not you’ kind of read. I’m sad I couldn’t like this more, especially since I had high expectations. If you’re a fan of sports romances, hopefully you’ll enjoy this one more than I did!

2 hearts
lacey

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ARC Review: Waiting for Wyatt by S.D. Hendrickson

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Waiting for Wyatt by S.D. Hendrickson

Waiting for Wyatt by S.D. Hendrickson
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: January 12th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

“The dogs that deserved a chance, the guy who needed a second, and the girl determined to save him.”

My name is Emma Sawyer.

I met Charlie and Wyatt on the same sultry, summer day. It was unexpected, leaving a feeling in the pit of my stomach like the time I drove too fast over Beckett Hill. The moment happened out of nowhere, all fast and quick and a little strange. Or maybe that was just Wyatt’s personality.

It was Charlie that brought us together. Little Charlie with those ridiculous ears. I found the dog, waiting in a pool of his own blood. Waiting for someone. Waiting for me.

Now Wyatt, he wasn’t waiting for anyone. At least that’s what he said, except I saw something different in the broken guy all alone out in the woods. I knew he needed me before he knew it himself.

Wyatt with his hidden dimples. Wyatt with his warnings to stay away. He was a hard lump of coal, ready to burn everything around him. The more he burned, the more it pulled me into the pain I saw etched on his troubled face.

I wanted to help Wyatt. I wanted to save him like he had saved all the Charlies in the world. He told me not to fall for him, but I did anyway. I fell hard and fast and deeply in love with Wyatt Caulfield.

But that was before I knew his secret.

Last year, I loved S.D. Hendrickson’s fantastic debut, The Mason List, so I couldn’t wait to read more from this author. The way Ms. Hendrickson writes is so brilliantly filled with emotion and heartbreak, so I had high expectations for Waiting for Wyatt, and she didn’t disappoint. This is a powerfully written romance about love and redemption. It’s a slow-paced but moving novel that I highly recommend to readers who love emotional books.

Wyatt Caulfield just might be the strangest and most haunting person I’d ever met.

When Emma Sawyer needs help with a dog she’s stolen from its abusive owner, she comes across the mysterious and broody Wyatt Caulfield. Wyatt is a gorgeous-looking boy her age, but he lives out in the middle of nowhere in a small trailer with a kennel full of abused and abandoned dogs. Emma is fascinated by Wyatt and his secretive, lonely life, and sets about to discover the pain and guilt he’s holding within himself.

I wanted to save him form the depths of whatever was making Wyatt this way. I wanted to pull him from the dark pit that made his eyes ache in pain. The guy needed me whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Emma is a strong, incredibly compassionate girl. The second she meets Wyatt, she’s determined not only to help him, but the dogs he cares for as well. She holds so much love in her that every time she discovers the tragic past of each dog, her heart breaks. She’s the type of person who can’t not help others, so of course she’s drawn to Wyatt and troubled past. But the more Emma spends time with him, the more she can’t help her heart becoming invested until she’s falling for him.

I was so curious about Wyatt. He’s a bit of a jerk to Emma in the beginning, but it’s so clear that something tragic has happened in his past that you can’t help but want to know more about him. Thankfully, the author doesn’t make you wait too long to discover what Wyatt’s past is, and when you do, your heart will more than likely break for him. And the worst part of it all is that Wyatt feels he deserves all the pain, regret, self-hatred, and guilt he feels because of what he did. But with Emma’s help and compassion, can he find forgiveness, redemption, and best of all, love?

“I love you. Whether I deserve you or not. I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

I really enjoyed Waiting for Wyatt. It was a little too slow-paced for my taste, but it’s still a worthwhile read that will tug at your heartstrings. You’ll fall for Emma’s beautiful soul, Wyatt’s tragic yet hopeful heart, and all the wonderful dogs they care for. I loved how S.D. Hendrickson incorporated the animals into Waiting for Wyatt – it was perfect the way their healing paralleled Wyatt’s own healing heart.

I highly recommend this unique, wonderfully written, emotional book. You really get to feel everything while you read this! Even with all the heartache, the author leaves you with hope and joy. It’s a heart-warming read that fans of the author don’t want to miss.

4 hearts
lacey

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

Also by S.D. Hendrickson

The Mason List by S.D. Hendrickson

The Mason List: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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ARC Review: Dirty Together by Meghan March

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by

Dirty Together by Meghan March

Dirty Together by Meghan March
Series: Dirty Billionaire Trilogy #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 12th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

My wife.

I love saying those words.

She’s mine, and if she thinks I’m going to let her run without tracking her down and bringing her back to where she belongs—with me—then she’s about to be introduced to a new reality.

Because I’ll fight dirty to give her the happily ever after she deserves.

The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it for the most part. There has been plenty of scorching-hot scenes to love and one especially alpha hero I’ve come to really have a soft spot for. While the main characters themselves have been a lot of fun to read, the plot of the trilogy was weak in comparison. So there are good and bad parts to the series, and even though I didn’t love this conclusion to the series, I was entertained the whole way through.

“You don’t get it, Holly, and I’m not going anywhere until you do.”
“Get what?”
“That you’re the most important thing in my life now.”

This is the first time in the series where I loved BOTH Creighton and Holly. Creighton has learned from his mistakes and is no longer that unreasonable, arrogant, domineering man, but rather a husband who puts his wife first in all things now. I seriously swooned at all the wonderful things Creighton says and does for Holly to prove she’s his number one priority. And Holly herself has learned to stop running away when things get difficult. They have something worthwhile between them, and for the first time, the two of them are going to fight for their marriage and stick by each other.

“I thought I had everything,” he says in a low voice. “And then I met you. Now I do.”

This final installment went by too quick for me to really appreciate all the changes in Creighton and Holly though. I was also really hoping on more plot development, but the author mainly focused on character growth. I would’ve enjoyed this book the most out of the series, but the small twist at the end kind of came out of nowhere and threw me off. I loved the way the sweet romance ended, but plot-wise, I wasn’t a fan of the ending.

Still, even with the problems I had with Dirty Together, Creighton and Holly were truly an enjoyable couple to read about. They’ve come a long way since they first met each other and had their one-night-stand, and fans of the series will no doubt adore their happy ending.

3 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Dirty Billionaire Trilogy

Dirty Billionaire by Meghan March Dirty Pleasures by Meghan March Dirty Together by Meghan March

#1 ~ Dirty Billionaire: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dirty Pleasures: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Dirty Together: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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