Review- From This Moment On by Bella Andre

Summary-

For thirty-six years, Marcus Sullivan has been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings after their father died when they were children. But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned for himself turns out to be nothing but a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.

Nicola Harding is known throughout the world by only one name - Nico - for her catchy, sensual pop songs. Only, what no one knows about the twenty-five year old singer is that her sex-kitten image is totally false. After a terrible betrayal by a man who loved fame far more than he ever loved her, she vows not to let anyone else get close enough to find out who she really is...or hurt her again. Especially not the gorgeous stranger she meets at a nightclub, even though the hunger - and the sinful promises - in his dark eyes make her want to spill all her secrets.

One night is all Nicola and Marcus agree to share with each other. But nothing goes as they plan when instead of simply tangling limbs, they find a deeper connection than either of them could have anticipated. And even though they both try to fight it, growing emotions - and sizzling attraction - keep drawing them closer together.

Close enough for them to wonder if stealing one more secret moment together can ever be enough?

Release date: August 30th 2011

Published by: Bella Andre

Page numbers: 176

Review-

I had found Bella Andre's first book in the Sullivans series to be an okay read but after reading a few really good reviews of From This Moment On I was excited for it too. And I was definitely not disappointed. From This Moment On is a hundred times better than its predecessor. It was a wonderful love story which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Marcus is the oldest Sullivan brother at 36 years old. He has been the responsible one since childhood taking care of the rest of his siblings. While I didn't think I'd find Marcus to be anything amazing I was completely wrong. Marcus blew me away. With his thoughts, his feelings, the way he was with Nicola and everyone else, Marcus was a very swoon worthy character.

Then there is Nicola or Nico as the world knows her to be. She is a young pop star and is tired of her image of being an irresponsible, spoiled rock star. No one sees the person underneath till she meets Marcus. What was supposed to be a one night stand turns into so much more and I loved how Nicola never denied about her feelings for Marcus.

I loved Marcus and Nicola's story. While they did share sizzling chemistry there was this tenderness and sweetness to their bond which made it very genuine. The way Marcus and Nicola's relationship went was shown very realistically, taking into account Nicola's vulnerabilities and Marcus' hesitance. The age difference thing was also handled very well. When these two finally came together it was a pleasure to watch.

We also get to meet the rest of the Sullivans clan. I thoroughly enjoyed all the parts where the entire family gets together. It just gave the book more depth to see the relationships the siblings shared. From this Moment On was a really good read which I would recommend to all romance lovers.

Book Beginnings on Friday #17

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

PROLOGUE 

Twenty years ago Ryker never figured he’d find sunshine in hell. He looked up at the shining ball in the too-blue sky. How could it be warm and sunny here? At twelve years old, after spending most of his life in a series of orphanages with a few foster homes thrown in, he knew hell was more of an abstract idea than an actual place. 

Some people just ended up there and stayed. 

-Deadly Silence by Rebecca Zanetti

Summary-

DON'T LOOK BACK

Under siege. That's how Ryker Jones feels. The Lost Bastards Investigative Agency he opened up with his blood brothers has lost a client in a brutal way. The past he can't outrun is resurfacing, threatening to drag him down in the undertow. And the beautiful woman he's been trying to keep at arm's length is in danger...and he'll destroy anything and anyone to keep her safe.

Paralegal Zara Remington is in over her head. She's making risky moves at work by day and indulging in an affair with a darkly dangerous PI by night. There's a lot Ryker isn't telling her and the more she uncovers, the less she wants to know. But when all hell breaks loose, Ryker may be the only one to save her. If his past doesn't catch up to them first...

Full of twists and turns you won't see coming, DEADLY SILENCE is New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti at her suspenseful best...

Review- Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Summary-

AN UPTIGHT BRITISH EXECUTIVE. AN ADVENTUROUS AMERICAN NEWBIE. A SEXY INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL IN THE MAKING.

New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Beautiful and Wild Seasons series hook up in Beautiful Secret for an erotic intercontinental romp that celebrates the best of both worlds!

When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.

Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?

Release date: April 14th 2015

Published by: Gallery Books

Page numbers: 401

Review-

If there is one thing I have realized after reading 6 books by Christina Lauren is that their books are pretty damn addictive. They reel you in and you don't feel like stopping till you've reached the end of the book. I am really happy to say that the same was the case with Beautiful Secret. I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this book!

Ruby is an intern and when her boss announces that she has to go to a trip to New York with Niall Stella she is all too happy. I LOVED Ruby. She was such a refreshing heroine. She totally admits about her crush to Niall when they get to know each other. It was so sweet seeing her completely in love with this reserved man who is trying to get out of his shell. I loved how open and optimistic she was about everything.

Then we have Niall. It was refreshing to read about a hero who is not cocky or over confident. Niall has just gotten out of a divorce and he is highly inexperienced where women are concerned. He is hesitant and reserved. But Niall can't help but be pulled towards Ruby even though he is very unsure about what to do with her. Niall messes up big time at the end but he makes up for it with lots of groveling.

Niall and Ruby were great together. The whole opposites attract thing held very true for them. I loved all the conversations they had. Ruby dived head first with her feelings where as Niall was super careful. I liked how they each had vulnerabilities and Niall struggled to express his feelings. They were really just what the other needed.

I also loved that we got to see Bennett, Max, Will and George. All these guys are hilarious and seeing them with the shy and kinda uptight Niall Stella was fun. As you can see from all my gushing, I thoroughly enjoyed Niall and Ruby's book and I am definitely looking forward to more from Christina Lauren. Beautiful Secret was a great read.

Waiting on Wednesday #256

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spines, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. 

Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Publication Date: February 19th, 2019

Summary-

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past? 

Only the devil's daughter knows…

Top Ten Tuesday #74

Top Ten Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is: 

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

 

 

Do share your list if you have posted as well! Happy reading! 

Release Blitz- Girl Lost by Candace Dowds

Title: Girl Lost

Author: Candace Dowds

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Editor: Ann Mickan

Publication Date: December 20^th, 2018

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:

Danny and Callie were childhood sweethearts. Danny knew there was something wrong with the girl he loved, but no one would answer his questions, and then one day, Callie simply disappeared.

Her family knew of her whereabouts, but not one single person would tell him where she had gone and why.

For years, Danny tried to fill the gap in his heart Callie had left behind, but he couldn't make a relationship work, and boy did he try. He tried until one day, Callie walked back into his life. You would think it would be a good thing, but it wasn't because the sweet girl he once knew, was gone, and she was replaced by a drug-addicted, mess that not only needed help, but she also needed to be loved.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LrrM63

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/girl-lost/id1440947854?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/girl-lost-4

Playster: https://play.playster.com/books/10009781540155931/girl-lost-candace-dowds

Angus & Robertson: https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebooks/girl-lost-candace-dowds/p/9781540155931

Candace began writing after the passing of her son in 2009. It has been an emotional release for her. She is supported by her family and friends. Other than the time she is writing, she sits back for hours reading books by her favorite authors, Tijan Meyer, Rachel Vincent, Richelle Mead, Colleen Hoover, Claudia Gray and so many more. That or she will go for a calming drive while listening to Eminem, Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers or The Rap God, whichever you would like to call him. Her kids are just like her, sarcastic, but fun loving. The rules she lives by 1 Don't take life too seriously 2 Don't live up to others ridiculous expectations 3 Surround yourself with people who love you for you 4 If life becomes too much, have a stiff drink and start again tomorrow.

Author Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Sb5SGq

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candacedowdsauthor1/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14234830.Candace_Dowds

Twitter: https://twitter.com/candace_dowds

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/candace-dowds

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LrrM63

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/girl-lost/id1440947854?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/girl-lost-4

Playster: https://play.playster.com/books/10009781540155931/girl-lost-candace-dowds

Angus & Robertson: https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebooks/girl-lost-candace-dowds/p/9781540155931

Book Beginnings on Friday #16

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

Chapter 1 

I have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them. I’ve had a lot of time to compare love and hate, and these are my observations.

 Love and hate are visceral. Your stomach twists at the thought of that person. The heart in your chest beats heavy and bright, nearly visible through your flesh and clothes. Your appetite and sleep are shredded. Every interaction spikes your blood with a dangerous kind of adrenaline, and you’re on the brink of fight or flight. Your body is barely under your control. You’re consumed, and it scares you. 

Both love and hate are mirror versions of the same game—and you have to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. Trust me, I should know. 

-The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Summary-

Nemesis (n.) 

1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;

2) A person’s undoing;

3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Review- When Our Worlds Meet Again by Aniesha Brahma

When Our Worlds Meet Again on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Two years after the events of 'When Our Worlds Collide', Zayn and Akriti are now leading extremely different lives. Akriti has come back from her stint at the business school and running her mother's café. Zayn has run into trouble in his PhD program and has come home for a break. While he thinks that things are just as he’d left them two years ago, that is far from the truth. In a last ditch attempt to make Akriti remember the connection they had once shared, Zayn tries to recreate all their memories. But things are never the same when collided worlds meet again.

Release date: November 16th 2018

Published by: General Press

Page numbers: 160

REVIEW: 

I have read and enjoyed author Aniesha Brahma’s books in the past. Well, I’ve also met her and she’s a wonderful friend and human being. And guess what? She’s also a great author. When I read When Our Worlds Collide, I felt like I was part of Akriti and Zayn’s rollercoaster story. So when I got to know that the sequel to their story, When Our Worlds Meet Again was out, I had to read the book. 

I had read the first book a long time back so I didn’t really remember most of it. But Aniesha does a brilliant job of giving snippet recaps in the second book that it added to good revision of the previous story. A simple and sweet story, When Our Worlds Meet Again is a short read that I wish was slightly longer as I want to know more about Akriti and Zayn’s future. 

In this book, the dynamic duo finally have some real talk and make some important decisions. While I did find myself getting slightly annoyed with the two of them and how they handled their relationship, it all felt worth it in the end. It was nice meeting all the characters again. 

Overall, When Our Worlds Meet Again is a great read that I would highly recommend to fans of When Our Worlds Collide and if you haven’t read that, I suggest you read both books back to back. They’re awesome weekend reads. 

Buy the book: AMAZON

Waiting on Wednesday #255

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spines, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. 

Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne

Publication Date: May 28th, 2019

Summary-

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Stiletto and Oxford series, the first in a sizzling new series following the unlikely friendship of three Upper East Side women as they struggle to achieve their dreams and find true love and happiness in the city that never sleeps. 

For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.

Teaser Tuesday #100

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along!

"Except for certain evenings when Marthe came or when he went out with her, and except for his correspondence with the girls in Tunis, his entire life lay in the yellowed image the mirror offered of a room where the filthy oil-lamp stood among the breadcrusts. 

'One more Sunday got through.' Meursault said."

-A Happy Death by Albert Camus

Goodreads Summary:

Is it possible to die a happy death? This is the central question of Camus's astonishing early novel, published posthumously and greeted as a major literary event. It tells the story of a young Algerian, Mersault, who defies society's rules by committing a murder and escaping punishment, then experimenting with different ways of life and finally dying a happy man. In many ways A Happy Death is a fascinating first sketch for The Outsider, but it can also be seen as a candid self-portrait, drawing on Camus's memories of his youth, travels, and early relationships. It is infused with lyrical descriptions of the sun-drenched Algiers of his childhood - the place where, eventually, Mersault is able to find peace and die 'without anger, without hatred, without regret'.

Which teaser have you shared today? Happy reading! 

Book Beginnings on Friday #15

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

Prologue 

“You really want to do this?” Shay asks me for the tenth time. He plops roughly on the edge of my bed, wearing red, athletic Ohio State shorts and nothing more. Beside him, trade paperbacks thud onto the hardwood. My paranormal romances are so tattered and ragged, the ground won’t hurt them. 

-Amour Amour by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Summary-

Love is a circus

"Every day,” he says lowly, “I hold a person’s life in my hands. The circus is based one-hundred percent off trust. I give it all to someone, and they give it all to me.”

The best aerial technique won’t land 21-year-old Thora James her dream role in Amour—a sexy new acrobatic show on the Vegas strip. Thora knows she’s out of her element the second she meets Amour’s leading performer. Confident, charming and devilishly captivating, 26-year-old Nikolai Kotova lives up to his nickname as the “God of Russia.”

When Thora unknowingly walks into the crosshairs of Nikolai’s after-show, her audition process begins way too soon. Unprofessional. That’s what Nik calls their “non-existent” relationship. It’s not like Thora can avoid him. For one, they may be partners in the future—acrobatic partners, that is. But getting closer to Nik means diving deeper into sin city and into his dizzying world. 

Thora wants to perform with him, but when someone like Nikolai attracts the spotlight wherever he goes—Thora fears that she’s destined to be just background to his spellbinding show.

This sexy and exhilarating New Adult Romance can best be described as Cirque du Soleil meets the steamy, athletic romance of Center Stage.

*standalone & no love triangles—recommended for readers 18+ for mature content*