Review Tour: Stay with Me by J. Lynn

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the review tour for STAY WITH ME by J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout!

Stay with Me by J. Lynn
Series: Wait for You #3 (full reading order below)
Release Date: September 23rd 2014

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . .

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iTunes • Kobo • Google Play

JLA is one of those authors that you can trust–when I pick up a JLA book, I know that I won’t be disappointed, and her latest release, Stay with Me, is no exception. I am sooo in love with this series. Each book in the Wait for You series manages to be a captivating, sexy, fun read, and I highly enjoyed Calla and Jax’s story.

We first met Calla as Teresa’s college friend in Be with Me. We didn’t really know much about her, except for the scar she has running down her face, but it turns out there’s a LOT to this girl. First, she’s incredibly self-conscious about her scars–the one on her face and the ones on her body–so much so that she hasn’t really… well, done anything. She’s never been kissed, let alone had sex, never gotten drunk, never done anything fun during her 21 years. Her main focus has been getting through nursing school. Second, Calla has many secrets, secrets that shame her enough that she hides her past from her friends.

So when her drug addict of a mother steals all of Calla’s money that she needs to pay for school, Calla can’t keep hiding her secrets and ignoring/running away from her past anymore. The summer after her school year is over, Calla reluctantly packs up and moves back to her hometown, a place she never wanted to return to, to try to track down her mother to get her money back. But she never expected to get involved in dangerous schemes, and she definitely never expected Jax.

“… When I want something, I go for it. Life is way too damn short to live any other way. And I want to get to know you better.” Those lashes lowered one more time, his gaze tracking to my lips like they were some kind of mecca. “Yeah, I definitely want to get to know you better.”

Jax is the ex-marine bartender who works at the bar owned by Calla’s mother, and he is smokin’. He’s sexy, honest, blunt, and a very straightforward guy. And while I really, really liked Jax (and his naughty, naughty ways) I didn’t LOVE him like I wanted to. It took a while for me to warm up to him. Jax just seemed a bit too shallow at first, so I was reserved when he was first introduced, but over time, I gradually became fonder of him. He’s hot, but what I liked most about Jax was how sweet he is to Calla. He shows her just how beautiful she truly is, despite, and even because of, her scars.

“You like me.”
His lips twitched. “Not a new flash, honey. I like you, knowing that the scars are a part of you.”
“But how?” It wasn’t the first time I asked him this.
“I’ve already told you how.” Both hands were back on my waist again, and my breath caught. “I think it’s past time for me to just show you.”

I couldn’t really connect with Calla in the beginning, although like with Jax, I ended up enjoying her character as the book went on. I understood how her scars made her feel self-conscious and my heart went out to her, but I wanted her to stand up for herself more, to believe in herself more. But as Calla spends more time back in her hometown, working alongside Jax at the bar to make some money, she does gain more strength within herself. I really liked reading about her character growth–she learns not to hide her scars or hide away from those who care for her.

Calla and Jax together equals hotness!! I will say that Jax is definitely one of the hotter JLA boys, even though he’s not my favorite of her male characters. Jax gets to be Calla’s first for a lot of things, and I adored the two of them together. They do have bumps along the way, so it’s not an easy relationship between them. I liked that they had bumps, even though I wanted to strangle the two of them sometimes, because they two of them made a really great couple.

There’s also some action and suspense in Stay with Me, which I wasn’t expecting, or at least expecting that much of. Because of Calla’s drug addict mother, Calla and Jax are thrust into some dangerous stuff–some of which include threats, guns, drugs, drug dealers, the whole shebang. Some of the it was intense, some of it was predictable, but overall, I really enjoyed this suspenseful aspect of the book.

Stay with Me was another great addition to the Wait for You series. It definitely has a different feel than the other books, but it worked well with the story and characters. Calla and Jax’s story was so much fun to read–it’s not my favorite of the series, but I still really enjoyed it! It’s a fairly long book, but in between the hot chemistry between Jax and Calla, and the action and suspense, the pages flew by for me. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed with this next installment.

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

Reading Order: Wait for You series

#1 ~ Wait for You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Trust in Me: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Be with Me: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Stay with Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Fall with Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4.5 ~ Dream of You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (June 23, 2015)
#5 ~ Forever with You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Sept. 29, 2015)
#6 ~ Fire in You: Goodreads (2016)

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • J.Lynn Goodreads • Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads

19Sep2014

Review: Unlit Star by Lindy Zart

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Unlit Star by Lindy Zart
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: August 20th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

We are not guaranteed anything, not even this life.

Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different.

He falls far and he falls hard.

Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life’s ironies. Alone, in the dark, like dusk as it falls on the world. When Rivers hits the ground, she is the night that catches him. In the darkness, they meld into something beautiful that shines like the sun.

Only, the greater the star is, the shorter its lifespan.

It is true that no one can save you, no one but yourself. And sometimes… even you cannot save you, no matter how much you wish it was untrue. Sadly, some things are not meant to be saved.

Wow. WOW. This book was simply stunning.

Unlit Star was beautiful, captivating, real, and heartbreaking. Honestly, it was nothing I expected, and I’m glad I went into this pretty blindly. This is the type of book that will move your heart–it stays with you for a long, long time, and I’m so glad to have read it.

First off, a big shoutout to my girl Tushara for recommending Unlit Star to me! After she messaged this to me, how could I NOT read it!?

LACE!!!! OMG I HAVE FOUND A BOOK, THAT IS RIGHT TRUMPING ANY FEELINGS I HAVE EVER HAD FOR ANY OTHER BOOK
SIGH
ITS LIKE ON PAR WITH TFIOS AND SLAMMED AND ALL THOSE
ITS BEAUTIFUL
AND I JUST SPENT THE LAST 15 MINUTES BAWLING MY EYES OUT BECAUSE OF THE LAST 15% OF IT

Obviously I had to read it immediately!

The first thing that captivated me about Unlit Star was the writing. All I can say is that it is flawless. I am so in love with Lindy Zart’s words–my favorite part of this book is truly how well-written it is. Even though the characters didn’t have me hooked straight away, I was still utterly mesmerized by the writing. The humor, the angst, the intensity… all of these were so powerfully evoked through this author’s words. Just… read this book, okay? I promise you won’t regret it.

The beginning was a bit slow–I wasn’t too sure how to feel about the characters at first. But gradually, as I got to know more about Delilah and Rivers, I started to fall in love with their story. Delilah has just graduated high school and has taken a job during the summer working at the Young’s house. She’s a sort of housekeeper, if you will. And the boy who lives there happens to be Rivers Young, who went to the same high school as Delilah. Rivers was the popular, all-star athlete at school, full of charisma and charm, while Delilah was the outcast, bullied by Rivers’s then-girlfriend. But a few months before graduation, Rivers was in a boating accident, leaving him with a limp and scars on his body, and ruining his chances of going to college on a football scholarship.

Delilah and Rivers are two very different people. Delilah is the type of girl who wants to make the best and most out of life. She’s real, but not pessimistic about the world. She’s able to see the joy in life. The post-accident Rivers is the type of guy who only sees what he’s lost. But when Delilah looks at Rivers, she doesn’t see his lost opportunities or the things that were taken away from him–she sees the life that still flows in his veins, the fact that he survived the accident, that Rivers is still alive.

How do you break through the black and into the light? How does a boy who used to have everything decide he has something to fight for when he’s lost all he’s known? What will be strong enough to pull him from the waters of his dark abyss of reality? I think he has to do it himself, but he has to want to. I also think it’s the scars of his heart that need to be mended, not the superficial outside one.

Rivers and Delilah studiously ignore each other, even though Delilah works at his house nearly everyday. But that changes when Rivers’s parents have to leave town, putting Delilah in charge of the house… and Rivers. Now they have to be around each other 24/7, and Delilah isn’t up for being around a guy who’s angry at the world. So she forces him to open up, to go outside, to try to be happy with his life. But she never expected to end up falling for this boy.

It wasn’t easy to like Rivers–at least, not at first. He’s broody and moody, he doesn’t talk, he doesn’t do anything. He basically mopes around the house, feeling sorry for himself and his legs. But Delilah, this awesome, sweet girl, is able to slowly pull him out of his misery. And it turns out Rivers is actually the sweetest, most amazing guy ever. He’s funny, smart, beautiful, a little self-deprecating, but overall, he’s a scrumptious package.

Rivers is a perfect mix of clouds and sunshine, openness and hardness. He’s an impeccable, yet inconsistent being of all that is good and all that is not.

My heart… it was just feeling so much during this book! So much happiness for Delilah and Rivers slowly opening up to each other, slowly falling in love. But my heart was also aching for Rivers, who just doesn’t see the amazing potential in him, even with his bad legs. He doesn’t see that he’s still gorgeous or that he can still do great things that don’t have to be football. But slowly, he stops feeling sorry for himself. All thanks to Delilah Bana, a girl he never noticed in high school, but now is all he can see.

“I used to fit in with the athletes, right? If I didn’t know anything else, I knew that. You never fit in anywhere. Now I know why. There is no way to put you into a category when there is no one way to define you. You’re like…” He pauses as he looks at me, smiling when he says, “Sunshine. And rain. Flowers. You’re everywhere, everything. The wind. The stars.
“…It’s like… you’re the complete embodiment of life. Your laugh, your sense of humor, your personality–you just–you put all of you into everything you do. You know? Even your heart…” He inhales deeply. “You’re a beautiful person, Delilah Bana.”

I just… Awwwwww. River just has the perfect way with words to make you smile and clutch your heart.

Delilah and Rivers together is just perfection. I adored these two–they’re sweet and romantic, but also funny and witty with each other. They learn from each other, they lean on each other. They’re just a wonderful couple I loved reading about.

But it’s not exactly an easy HEA for them. There are hints from the author, some foreshadowing that something heart-wrenching is going to happen. I don’t want to say anything because of spoilers, but I will say that Lindy Zart will no doubt break your heart. There are things to this story you might not be happy about, that I normally wouldn’t be, but it just fit right with this book. I couldn’t have imagined another, better, story for Rivers and Delilah.

“You woke my soul up and the rest of me followed.”

Unlit Star is just a beautiful story. It has lovable characters you grow to care for so much, it has humor to make these characters feel real, and it has an unforgettable way of storytelling. I will definitely be reading more books from this author!

Also by Renée Carlino

Roomies: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Take Care, Sara: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Smother: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Within This Frame: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Steady as the Snow Falls: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

11Sep2014

Blog Tour + ARC Review: Damaged Goods by Nicole Williams

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the DAMAGED GOODS blog tour!
You can follow the tour here.

DAMAGED GOODS
A New Series by NYT Bestselling Author Nicole Williams

The Outsider Chronicles #2 (full reading order below)
New Adult/Adult Contemporary
Release Date: September 9th 2014

When Liv Bennett said good-bye to her sinkhole of a hometown, she planned to leave that chapter of her life behind forever. But forever turned out to only be three years.

After her addict of a mother up and disappears, Liv returns to what she considers her own personal hell smack in the middle of nowhere Nevada to take care of her two younger sisters, and she promptly reinstitutes the golden rule that got her through her first nineteen years of life without getting knocked up, roughed up, or messed up: don’t date the local boys and, god forbid, don’t fall in love with one of them.

It isn’t long before that golden rule is put to the test.

Will Goods grew up in the next trailer over, but the wild, careless boy who used to tear up the town with his three brothers has morphed into someone else so completely, he’s almost unrecognizable. The quiet, contemplative man who works on cars every night and takes care of his mentally ill mother every day is nothing like the local boys Liv grew up avoiding.

But when Liv considers suspending her golden rule just this once, she finds out something about Will that will change everything.

Will Goods isn’t who he used to be—he’s not even the man Liv thinks she’s gotten to know over the summer. He’s become someone else entirely.

He’s become . . .

Damaged Goods.

Buy Links:
Amazon Ebook • Amazon Paperback • B&N • iTunes

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hard Knox, but Damaged Goods… Damaged Goods reminded me of all the reasons why I fell in love with Nicole Williams’s books. It’s sweet, romantic, heartfelt, and the characters are written flawlessly. I had a huge smile when I finished Damaged Goods–it’s a story that will speak to your heart and make you smile and laugh and fall in love.

Some people let the world define them, and some people define their world. I’m still trying to figure out what kind of person I am.

Liv Bennett got away from her crappy hometown and has been living in California for three years, working on graduating college. She works and sends money home to her two younger sisters, Reese and Paige. To say she’s a cynic would be an understatement. She has a very pessimistic view of the world, no thanks to her drug addict of a mother. And when her mother suddenly disappears, all of Liv’s work towards getting a college education is shot down the drain. Liv has to return back to her hometown, the place she never wanted or expected to go back to.

Normally such a pessimistic main character wouldn’t appeal much to me, but I understood Liv. I connected with her, and I just plain liked her. I admired how much she cared for her sisters–Liv returns back to her own version of hell for her younger sisters, choosing family over college. And I adored Liv’s dry sense of humor. Nicole Williams’s writing brought out many different dimensions of Liv, enough that Liv was relatable and connectable.

Upon her return, Liv never expects to find Will Goods living next door. Liv swore to herself that she would never allow herself to fall for someone who lived in her hometown, to allow herself to be tied down, but Will Goods is a whole other story. Because Will isn’t just any other guy and he’s nothing like Liv imagined. At eighteen, Will enlisted in the military, trying to get away from his hometown, like Liv. But years later, after an accident, he had to return home and care for his mentally ill mother. I fell so much in love with Will. He’s kind, smart, funny, selfless, sweet, sexy, and just a beautiful human being.

He had the wisdom of a man who had lived multiple lifetimes and the body of one who’d only just begun his first.

As Liv and Will become friends and grow closer together, Liv struggles to make ends meet. She can’t find a job anywhere, until she’s approached by a man who seems to really want to hire her at a place called The Body Shop. Liv is desperate for a job, but she balks once she finds out that The Body Shop is a strip club. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so Liv becomes the last possible thing she ever expected to be: a stripper.

“Life is full of shit luck. That’s why when you find that thing or person that isn’t every now and again, you grab on and don’t let go without putting up one hell of a fight.”

At the heart of this book, it’s a story about love–love between two people falling in love, and love between family. Liv grows so much throughout this book, learning about herself and her capacity for love. Both Will and her family have a lot to teach Liv, and I adored reading every second of it.

Damaged Goods had a very different feel than the first book. It felt a lot more mature, for one thing, and I really liked that. Nicole Williams definitely went in a completely different route with Damaged Goods, but I loved it. It was fresh and addicting to read–I honestly couldn’t put this book down. There were also some unexpected twists to the plot that I didn’t see coming, which made me love the book even more.

4.5 hearts! This is definitely a must read! Fans of Nicole Williams definitely shouldn’t miss this.

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

Reading Order: The Outsider Chronicles

#1 ~ Hard Knox: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Damaged Goods: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

Blog • Twitter • Facebook

8Sep2014

Release Day Review: The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan
Series: Game On #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 8th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on.

I am so totally fangirling right now!! I honestly had NO IDEA how much I would end up loving The Hook Up! After I finished reading, I just kept going WOW. Wow wow wow! The Hook Up is an adorably refreshing read–on the surface, it’s a story of popular boy meets not-so-popular girl, but there’s SO MUCH MORE to it than that. These characters felt real–they had depth and warmth and heart, and I fell completely in love with them and their story.

My mother once told me that the most important moment in my life wouldn’t be when I won the National Championship or even the Super Bowl. It would be when I fell in love.

Drew Baylor is the star quarterback at his college–to his fellow students, he’s like a god. And Anna Jones is less than impressed with his fame, and even less impressed after a bad first impression. Anna is the total opposite of Drew–she hates attention, she wasn’t popular in high school, and she likes to keep to herself. So Anna and Drew? They clash in every way… except one. The instant they meet, it’s lust-at-first-sight. They have never felt such all-encompassing need for someone as much as they have for each other.

Anna tries to stay away from Drew, tries to ignore their attraction, but Drew is persistent. He’s not used to giving up, and he knows that Anna feels the same way as Drew. And finally, one night, they give in to each other and have the most explosive night of their lives.

Neither of us says another word. Blood rushes hot and thick through my veins, as the backs of his fingers skim slowly, oh so slowly, up my arm. His pulse thrums, quick and visible just beneath the gold skin of his throat. I want to lick that spot, put my mouth there and suck. I want him. I want him so badly I’m going up in flames.

This is my first time reading a book by Kristen Callihan, but after reading The Hook Up, I can honestly say that I am a HUGE fan of her writing. It was the writing that hooked me in and didn’t let me go. The dialogue between Drew and Anna was as witty as it could be sweet. These two characters were easily portrayed as multi-dimensional–I am just so impressed with the writing.

After their one night together, Anna and Drew are hooked onto each other. Drew wants to see where this can go, but Anna vehemently doesn’t. Then they both come to agree on having a sex-only relationship. But as much as Anna wants to keep her heart out of the picture, it’s hard not to fall for Drew. Drew, who is unsuspecting in the best of ways. He’s hot and sensual in the bedroom, but outside of it, Drew is sweet and caring and determined to make her see that what they have together could lead to the best thing that could ever happen to them. He was a character that warmed my heart and I fell as head-over-heels in love with him as Anna did.

Life has more color, more flavor, and heat in the few hours I’m with Anna, than I’ve experienced in all the years I’ve partied. Because that fun always felt like I was searching, pushing for some ineffable satisfaction that constantly eluded me. With Anna, I feel like I’ve landed right where I want to be.

Anna is a complicated girl. She has a tough exterior she puts on that she believes in, but underneath is a vulnerable, self-conscious person. Her insecurities were well-written enough that they felt real, which made Anna real. She’s also funny and intelligent. I really liked her character, insecurities and all.

Drew, though, is what made me fall in love with this book. He has a tragic past, but he wasn’t broody or mysterious about it. He’s honest, funny, loyal, and all-around just the perfect package (plus he has a wicked hot bod from all that football practice). I know jack about football, so I was glad that there was the right amount of football in this book that it wasn’t shoved in my face but I could still understand Drew’s love for it. And I utterly looooved how he fell in love with Anna. He doesn’t hold back from her, even though she holds back from him, which endeared me all the more to him. He’s sweet and dorky and the best book boyfriend I could ask for.

“I think you’re beautiful,” he says softly.
“Beauty fades,” I choke out.
“Not when it comes from inside.”

These two make the most adorable couple ever. I was cheering for them from the start. And holy moly, the attraction between them is spot-on. None of the sex felt gratuitous, but all of it had me fanning myself. Drew and Anna’s relationship was incredibly well-written, with so many different facets to it that I never got tired of reading about them. They do have inner demons to face, and there are bumps in their relationship, but I had no doubt that these two could face anything together.

“I like you just the way you are, Drew Baylor.”
Poleaxed. Again. My throat closes too tight to find my voice. I swallow convulsively.
“I like you just the way you are too, Anna Jones.” I’m crazy for you. I fucking adore you.

The thing about The Hook Up is that even though it has cliches, it didn’t feel like one. I adored Drew and Anna, I loved their personal growth and the changing dynamics of their relationship, and I was so impressed with the writing–I just loved everything about this book. And thankfully (at least for me), The Hook Up is a long, fat book. But the pages zipped by for me–I devoured this book so fast it didn’t even seem like a long book. I never wanted Anna and Drew’s story to end.

“You’ve destroyed me, Anna Jones.”
I know exactly what he means, because he’s destroyed me too.

I loved this book so much! It was heartwarming, beautiful, and real, and I recommend it to everyone!

(And can I just say, I’m so, soooooo excited for Drew’s best friend, Gray’s, story. I’m dying to read it! I have a feeling I might love it even more than The Hook Up, if that’s even possible…)

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

Reading Order: Game On series

#1 ~ The Hook Up: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Friend Zone: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Game Plan: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

8Sep2014

ARC Review: Shatter by Erin McCarthy

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Shatter by Erin McCarthy
Series: True Believers #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 2nd 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (InterMix) in exchange for an honest review

From the USA Today bestselling author of True, Sweet, and Believe comes a tantalizing New Adult novel about finding love in the most unexpected ways…

Kylie Warner prides herself on being optimistic, but after finding her best friend in bed with her boyfriend and flunking chemistry, her upbeat attitude has taken a dive. Even an impromptu hook-up with her sexy new chemistry tutor only brightens her mood slightly. After all, it’s not like she’ll ever see the tattooed scholar again…

While he’s a whiz at complex equations, Jonathon Kadisch has trouble when it comes to figuring out women. So when Kylie tells him that she’s pregnant after their night of passion, he’s at a complete loss. He’s prepared to be a good father—unlike his own deadbeat dad—but he’s less prepared to fall for the genuine and alluring blonde bearing his child.

With emotions running high, Kylie wonders if Jonathon’s devotion is out of growing love or looming obligation. And when heartbreak threatens to tear them apart, Jonathon will have to fight for the only girl who’s ever made him feel whole…

I’m a really, really big fan of this series (even though I–ugh!–still haven’t read the first book). I’ve become invested in the characters, in the Mann brothers, their girlfriends, and their whole group of friends, so of course I jumped at the chance to read this latest book in the series! Shatter is the fourth book in the True Believers series (which I highly recommend) and while I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite, I still had such a fun time reading it. Shatter was cute, quirky, and had me smiling and giggling so much!

We know from Believe that Kylie’s boyfriend cheated on her… with her best friend. She’s normally a cheerful, glass-half-full kind of girl, but she’s heartbroken at the beginning of the book. Thankfully, Kylie has a distraction in the form of a hot chemistry tutor named Darwin, aka Jonathon. The two are a bit awkward but adorable together, and they just click. And there’s definitely some ‘chemistry’ going on between them too.

“You think I’m attractive?”
It was an embarrassing thing to ask. I wanted to choke myself for letting it slip out.
Darwin nodded though. “I find you very attractive. So attractive that I have to admit to being distracted the whole time I was tutoring you.”

Neither of them intended to fall into bed together, but they did, and their actions are not without consequences… because Kylie gets pregnant. Naturally, Kylie freaks the eff out–she doesn’t know how she can take care of a baby or how Jonathon will react. But Jonathon, the hot, dorky nerd that he is, is actually a really nice guy. He stands by Kylie’s side, but the two of them mutually agree that they won’t be falling in love with each other any time soon.

Shatter is told through both Kylie and Jonathon’s POVs, and I was really glad to get both of their perspectives. I liked reading Jonathon’s reactions–he’s a good guy through and through, though he does have his idiot moments. As he and Kylie spend more time together getting ready to have this baby, Jonathon can’t help but fall for the mother of his upcoming child. He’s clearly a very analytical, scientific guy, so seeing him fall in love is just the sweetest.

“I want a life partner, not a lab partner, do you understand? The day I met you was the best day of my life.”

I loved the contrast between Kylie and Jonathon, and how they complemented each other so well. Jonathon is smart and scientific, but he’s never fallen in love until he meets Kylie. Kylie doesn’t think too highly of herself, but being with Jonathon helps her realize that she’s smart in her own ways. These two make the most adorable couple ever!

But Jonathon and Kylie don’t have it easy. They go through some very rough, heartbreaking times, and sometimes it seemed as if a happily ever after wasn’t possible. But they eventually try to fight for each other, because even though they never expected the pregnancy, and expected to fall in love even less, they found something beautiful with each other.

Kylie and Jonathon are the most adorable thing ever, but I just didn’t love their story. The writing was a bit stilted and off, so I didn’t click with this book as much as I wanted to. I liked the story, and I really liked the characters, but I just didn’t love the book. Still, Shatter is an endearing, adorable love story that fans of the series shouldn’t miss.

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

Reading Order: True Believers series

#1 ~ True: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Sweet: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Believe: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Shatter: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

	Unlocking the Magic… on Review: A Promise of Fire by A…
	Lucas Middleton on Blog Tour // Review + Excerpt:…
	Van on Blog Tour + Release Day Review…
	Amber Elise @ Du Liv… on Audiobook Review: The Stand-In…
	daisyknox on Release Day Review: Tryst Six…

Booklovers For Life

Falling in love with romance one page at a time

Tag Archives: new adult