Tag Archives: standalone

Release Day Review: Love, Chloe by Alessandra Torre

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

Love, Chloe by Alessandra Torre
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: March 14th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Chloe Madison. That’s me. A former NYU princess who fell from grace, right off my pampered Manhattan throne and onto the unforgiving steps of Nicole Brantley, socialite and queen bitch. Now, I walked her dog and mixed her smoothies. Tried to navigate my own problems while fixing all of hers.

I wanted what every New York girl wanted. A career, an apartment, and true love, preferably in a smoking hot package.

It turned out … I’d have to fight for all of it.

I originally read Chloe’s story as part of the Bedroom Blog over on Cosmo, so when I heard that Alessandra Torre would be making it a full-length novel, I was excited! I adored Chloe in the serial, and I adored her even more in Love, Chloe. If you’ve read the serial, most of this full-length novel is the same, just put together in a more cohesive way. If you haven’t read the serial, Love, Chloe is a fun and flirty read that is endlessly entertaining. It reads more like a chick-lit novel than a contemporary romance and focuses on Chloe’s journey more than anything. If you’re looking for a book that’s funny, light-hearted, yet meaningful, I highly recommend Love, Chloe!

I’d spent my whole life trying to impress people. Maybe that was the start of my fall, the last two decades one plush float into the depths of shallow, insecure, hell.
All I know is that when I hit the bottom, I hit hard.

Chloe Madison used to be at the top of the world, a spoiled socialite with more money than she needed. But when she finds out all that money her family has is dirty money stolen by her parents from other people, she becomes homeless and bankrupt. Desperate for money to pay for her NYU tuition to get her diploma, she finds a job as an assistant to Nicole, a condom heiress. But it turns out assistant is basically another word for dog sitter – and Chloe’s pride and ego could not get any lower at this point.

The Chloe of the working class struggles, and struggles hard. In between working for the slave driver Nicole, saving money to afford rent to her new apartment, and staying away from an ex who broke her heart and won’t leave her alone, Chloe experiences a new sort of life where she has to work for what she’s got, and work even harder to keep it. I loved this growth and development to her character – Chloe isn’t without flaws, but she’s a relatable sort of heroine, and you can’t help but connect with her and cheer her on in her journey of self-discovery.

There’s also a bit of romance going on for Chloe – and thankfully it’s not with the ex who cheated on her. Vic was a part of Chloe’s world pre-bankruptcy, and as tempting as it is for her to fall back into that rich, spoiled life with him, Chloe finds the strength in herself not to. On the way of finding herself, she also discovers the kind of man she deserves, and the super of her new apartment just might fit that bill…

I needed to embrace my relationship with Carter and stop being a wimp. Whether I’d told him so or not, I loved him. He made me realize how empty my old life had been. And in his eyes, I saw a future that I wanted more of, a future where I was a better person.
Wow. I might have just become a grown-up.

I really wish we could’ve gotten more of Carter and Chloe, because I adored them together! The story focused a bit too much on Vic and Chloe’s past, so I didn’t feel like we got to know Carter all that well, but I did enjoy the way their relationship developed. And I loved that even though there is romance, Love, Chloe is still very much Chloe’s story, a journey of self-discovery, friendships, financial struggles, and so much more. Alessandra Torre did a fantastic job balancing the hardships of life along with the fairy tale of love, and I couldn’t be more proud of how Chloe is by the end of the novel.

I seriously enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced, endearing, and so much fun to read. Chloe’s heart-warming story of self-discovery is definitely a must-read!

4 hearts
lacey

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

Also by Alessandra Torre

Black Lies by Alessandra Torre
Tight by Alessandra Torre Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre 

Black Lies: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Sex Love Repeat: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Tight: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Hollywood Dirt: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Moonshot: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: Play It Safe by Kristen Ashley

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

Play It Safe by Kristen Ashley
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Publication Date: February 16th 2016
Length: 14 hours and 41 minutes
Narrated by: Savannah Richards
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

No connections. Play it safe. These were the rules Ivey lived her life by.

Until she hit Mustang, Colorado, a perfectly imperfect town where the citizens were welcoming and one of them included the tall, beautiful, macho man rancher cowboy, Grayson Cody.

On the run for a decade, Ivey knew she was supposed to play it safe. But she was tired of being on the run. She wanted a normal. She wanted real. She wanted a home.

And she wanted Grayson Cody.

And Grayson Cody wanted Ivey.

No one who looked at them couldn’t see they belonged together. There was one man in this world for Ivey and one woman in this world for Grayson Cody.

So they fell in love.

But just as quickly as they fell together, they were betrayed and torn apart. Separated for years, Ivey was certain her life would not include her rancher cowboy. Until the town of Mustang reached out to her when Gray was in trouble. Even though she thought he broke her heart, she charged in to help. Then Gray and Ivey discovered they were betrayed and, not only that, Gray had an enemy who would stop at nothing to defeat him.

I’m a huuuge fan of Kristen Ashley’s audiobooks – I feel like that’s the only way I’ll ever want to experience her books now. Play It Safe is another winner from KA – it’s an emotional and addictive second chance romance, which is probably my favorite trope to read. KA did a wonderful job with Ivey and Grayson’s story, and the narrator Savannah Richards portrayed Ivey’s voice perfectly. If you love KA and audiobooks, Play It Safe is a must-listen!

Pool hustler Ivey and her brother Casey are always on the go, never staying anywhere for long or making connections. But when they stumble upon the quaint, homey town of Mustang, Colorado, her feelings about being a nomad start to change. As she gets immersed in the small-town life and its residents, she can see herself making a home in Mustang – especially when she meets cowboy rancher Grayson Cody (who has the most cowboy of all cowboy names). Gray is handsome, steadfast, sweet, and alpha, so of course Ivey can’t help but instantly be attracted to him from the first start. But their growing relationship proves to be something special as they create a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that would last forever… or so they think. Outside forces wrench these two lovers apart, and it’ll take seven years before their story picks up again. Will their love survive, or are Gray and Ivey just not meant to be?

I enjoyed this story so much. Even when I hurt for Ivey and Gray because of and during their separation, I never stopped rooting for them. These two are honestly so sweet and lovely together. I loved the fact that even after all those years apart, they never stopped loving each other. Love was never a question for the two of them, and the real challenge was whether they could continue on after all the hurt and heartbreak. It gets a little slow during the middle, when I wished they would reunite and figure out the reason for their separation quicker, and there are a ton of things going on outside the romance, but otherwise, Play It Safe is an enjoyable listen. I loved Savannah Richards when she narrated KA’s Knight, and I loved her narration just as much in Play It Safe. I especially adored her gruff tone whenever she voiced Gray’s dialogue or any of the other men in the book.

The Play It Safe audiobook has the perfect blend of an entertaining story and a fantastic narration. It’s not too long like KA’s other audiobooks, but it’s still more than worth the credit. I highly recommend giving this a listen!

4 hearts
lacey

Here’s an audio excerpt from Play It Safe!

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Review: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: February 29th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

God, god, god!!!! Mariana Zapata has blown me away AGAIN – I absolutely LOVED The Wall of Winnipeg and Me!! Vanessa and Aiden have stolen my heart and I honestly never want it back. This is another book full of perfection from my new favorite author!

If you know me, then you’ll know that Kulti was my #1 favorite book of 2015 (check out my review here). I’ve become a fan of Mariana’s for life because of that book, and now that I’ve read Winnie, I know for sure that she’ll forever be an auto-buy author for me. Winnie had huge expectations to fill, obviously, and this brilliant author didn’t disappoint. If you loved Kulti, or if you love friends-to-lovers or slow burn, then you will adore Winnie. It’s a sports romance like Kulti, but it’s unique and special in its own way. From the second I picked this book up, I couldn’t put it down. And I never wanted it to end!

Vanessa Mazur has been working to the bone for a top football player, Canadian Aiden Graves, for the past two years as his assistant/cook/housekeeper/everything, and she’s about done. She’s ready to move on with her life and start her own career. Plus, she shouldn’t feel bad about quitting when Aiden doesn’t even care about her… right? He never says hello to her, never thanks her, never says anything – so why should she put up with him any longer?

While I’d always known and accepted that we weren’t friends, I guess a small part of me had been foolish enough to think I meant just a little, tiny, microscopic something to him. I’d done a lot for Aiden over the course of the time we’d worked together. I knew I would more than likely miss the familiarity of working for him at least a little bit. Wouldn’t he feel the same way?
That answer to that had been a big, fat nope.

It’s the shock of a lifetime when Aiden drops by Vanessa’s house a few weeks after she quits and asks her to come back to work for him. And even more, he proposes a deal she can’t pass up if she wants to move forward with her career: he’ll pay off her massive student loans in return for her hand in marriage, so that when his work visa expires, he won’t have to go back to Canada. But if they have to spend 5 years together, how will they possibly get along and pretend to be married when they never even really had a relationship to begin with?

“I wished you had respected me enough to appreciate me back when it would have meant something. I liked you. I admired you, and in the course of a few days, you killed that.”

I adored Vanessa. She’s a headstrong, hilarious, independent woman. She’s pretty much the only person who doesn’t take Aiden’s shit, and I completely admired her for it. She’s the wonderful kind of heroine I can relate to, and has quirks that made her feel REAL to me. She’s just… genuine! And so, so funny. The way she thinks and talks had me cracking up so much, and she has some wonderful banter with her best friend Zac, who I also adore, and surprisingly, her new husband Aiden.

He couldn’t be considered my sugar daddy if we were legally married, right?

Aiden isn’t your typical sports romance hero. He’s not a manwhore. He’s not popular or social with people. He keeps to himself and dedicates 100% of his life to football. He doesn’t form relationships with anyone and he’s a bit of an ass. But after Vanessa quits, he’s got a case of ‘you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.’ So he tries for her, tries to be a friend. This is a slow burn romance, so don’t expect anything to happen quickly. It’s the build-up of friendship, tension, small touches and glances that Mariana Zapata is so skilled at writing that makes the romance all the more unforgettable.

Winnie is slow burn at its finest. I loved every part of this book, even the parts where Aiden is a total butthead. He more than makes it up though, with the development of his and Vanessa’s relationship, and I fell head over heels in love with him. Football has always been his greatest love, but you can see that slowly changing through the book, and how can you not love that!?

Like football and art, like anything that anyone in the world has ever wanted, love was a dream. And just like a dream, there were no assurances behind it. It didn’t grow on its own. It didn’t blossom without food to feed it.
It was the greatest in its subtleties.
It was the strongest in its selflessness.
And it could be forever with someone who wasn’t afraid to never give up on the possibilities it presents.

This book for sure is going on my favorites shelf – I loved it like CRAZY. Winnie is slow, sweet, funny, perfect… it’s a heart-felt romance with unique characters I couldn’t get enough of. If you love romances that feel real, you need to read this book! It’s slow, but I promise the end is more than worth the wait. (While you’re at it, read Kulti if you haven’t already!!!)

5 hearts
lacey

Also by Mariana Zapata

Kulti by Mariana Zapata   

Kulti: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Under Locke: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Rhythm, Chord, and Malykhin: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Lingus: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

ARC Review: The Fable of Us by Nicole Williams

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

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.

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

ARC Review: Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

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.

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

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.