Review- Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren

Summary-

The seventh work in the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling series that started with the Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player novels. Featuring all the Beautifulcharacters...plus one tiny new addition to the group.

In Beautiful Stranger , finance whiz Sara Dillon met the irresistibly sexy Brit, Max Stella, at a New York City club. Through the series we’ve watched them learn to balance commitment with their less than private brand of playfulness. In Beautiful Beloved, Max and Sara take it to the next step. But the question is: Will they be able to find a balance between the wild sexcapades they aren’t ready to retire, and the demands of parenthood that come along with their new Beautiful bundle of joy? Parenthood: it’s not for the weak of heart.

Release date: February 5th, 2015

Published by: Pocket Star 

Page numbers: 80

Review-

Beautiful Beloved is book #3.6 in Christina Lauren's Beautiful Bastard series. In the last novella, Beautiful Beginning we found out that Sara was pregnant and Max was over the moon about it. This novella ties up that end with Max and Sara becoming parents and how they deal with the new born.

I am forever ready for more Max Stella so I was happy to read another novella partially from his point of view. As always, Max was his charming self overflowing with love for Sara and his new baby girl. All his endearments in that sexy British accent made me swoon. Max was great and we could see how he has become more protective now that he is a father and a husband.

With Sara, I didn't really find that much of a difference. I was never a major Sara fan but I appreciated how she helped Max cope with the changes they were facing in their lives. This one was a short novella so there wasn't anything more to it except Sara and Max getting back to being themselves with an addition.

We also get introduced to Max's brother, Niall who was frankly, the show stealer in this novella for me. I am beyond excited for his book to come out and for him to finally find a woman he deserves. I am thankful that the wait isn't going to be very long for me. Beautiful Beloved was an okay read.

Waiting on Wednesday #265

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

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

Publication Date: April 9th, 2019

Summary-

The New York Times bestselling author of Pucked and The Good Luck Charm delivers a Hollywood happily-ever-after where a famous heartthrob falls for his ultimate fangirl in this sexy standalone romantic comedy.

Talk about an embarrassing introduction. On her first day of law school, Kailyn ran - quite literally - into the actor she crushed on as a teenager, ending with him sprawled on top of her. Mortified to discover the Daxton Hughes was also a student in her class, her embarrassment over their meet-cute quickly turned into a friendship she never expected. Of course, she never saw his betrayal coming either...

Now, eight years later, Dax is in her office asking for legal advice. Despite her anger, Kailyn can't help feeling sorry for the devastated man who just became sole guardian to his thirteen-year-old sister. But when her boss gets wind of Kailyn's new celebrity client, there's even more at stake than Dax's custody issues: if she gets Dax to work at their firm, she'll be promoted to partner.

The more time Kailyn spends with Dax and his sister, the more she starts to feel like a family, and the more she realizes the chemistry they had all those years ago is as fresh as ever. But will they be able to forgive the mistakes of the past, or will one betrayal lead to another?

Release Day Blitz- Cold Blooded by Kendall Grey

As the toughest son with the fewest morals, Manō Alana promised his mother that he’d protect his siblings. Since her death, he’s embraced his role as the family heavy, but killing is the one part of his job he hates. And the awful nightmares driving him to commit violence aren’t doing him any favors—nor is the sinister, ancient magic calling to him from under the slopes of a dormant volcano.

A shakeup in power between rival drug lords reveals a half brother Manō didn’t know he had, complicating the Alana family’s plans to take over the marijuana trade on Maui. Not only that, but one wrong move could turn the sexy cop he’s involved with against the family.

When a crime the Alanas fought hard to bury is exposed, their whole cartel is in danger. Now Manō’s blood has him trapped between two clans: the siblings he’s loved since they were kids, and the ruthless, shadowy kin he just learned he has.

Manō can either succumb to the darkness threatening to drag him under or tap in to its power and embrace his role as a cold-blooded killer.

About the Book

Cold-Blooded

by Kendall Grey

Series

Ohana Book Two

Genre

Adult

Supernatural Suspense

Publisher

Howling Mad Press

Publication Date

February 19, 2019

Purchase Your Copy Today!

Amazon

Also Available On

About Kendall Grey

A whale warrior, indie freedom fighter, and vodka martini aficionado, KENDALL GREY is calm like an F-bomb*. She writes about fierce women and the men who love them. Her aliases include Kendall Day (FALLING FOR MR. SLATER) and Seven Slade (COMING OUT).

Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, with three mischievous Demonlings, a dashing geek in cyber armor, a long-haired miniature Dachshund that thinks she’s a cat, and an Aussie shepherd mix whose ice-blue eyes will steal your heart and hold it for ransom.

*Detonation manual not included.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  YouTube  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.

Review- Dark Blossom by Neel Mullick

Dark Blossom on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Sam returns home from a business trip a day before his son's thirteenth birthday and is looking forward to being with his family, when his world is cruelly shattered in one fell swoop. Initially he thinks he can cope with the loss, but finally seeks the help of Cynthia, an experienced therapist, to regain his equipoise. What he does not know is that Cynthia herself is trying to cope with a debilitating divorce and the sinister shadow of her ex-husband over her daughter...

What happens when doctor and patient find themselves in the same sinking boat? Moreover, when they are rowing in opposite directions--one clinging to the past, and the other unable to get rid of it! In the midst of it all is Lily, Cynthia's daughter, who harbours a secret that has the power to explode the lives around her.

Release date: December 20th 2018

Published by: Rupa Publications

Page numbers: 224

REVIEW: 

When I first saw the cover and read the blurb of Dark Blossom, I knew I had to read the book to find out more. Although the summary provided me with a vague idea as to what the story would be like, I was pleasantly surprised at some unexpected turns which it took and that always makes me satisfied because predictability gets boring sometimes. 

Written by author Neel Mullick who contributes to and works towards various social causes, Dark Blossom is the story of Sam, who loses his beloved family in an accident and Cynthia, who, as a therapist, helps Sam cope with his huge loss and she is also the mother of punk-inspired teenager, Lucy. Sam, Cynthia, Lucy and Sam's son, Will are the most important characters in this story and the way in which their lives are intertwined is described fetchingly by the author who opts for a classic, slow burn and super effective way to describe the progress of each relationship. 

While the reader follows Cynthia's narration in the first person point of view, one still gets to know the other characters really well. For a book that's around 200 pages long (or short- depending on how you look at it), the story spans over the period of 18 months. Because of the short length of chapters, Dark Blossom truly was unputdownable. While I did read the book with long pauses, it never felt to me like I had left the story once I got back to it. I found this story to be rather magical and satisfying. 

Dark Blossom- as the name aptly suggests- is a dark read in terms of suffering and coping, but it's also accompanied terrifically by the very positive and hopeful blossoming of both relationships and the individual involved in them. While I did have some issues with the way it ended, the journey itself was relishing. If human emotions, feelings and minds interest you even the slightest, I would suggest you pick up this book ASAP! 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Rupa Publications in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Buy the book: AMAZON

Book Beginnings on Friday #25

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 

Miriam Clarkson, January 13 

Would it surprise you (whoever you are) to know that Peggy is the most complicated of my children? If she has fluttered into your orbit for a short amount of time, as her four fiancés have done (I liked the second guy well enough, but the rest were self-indulgent twats), your impression of her might include the following: pampered baby of the family, takes nothing seriously, shallow, out for a good time.

 You would be…right. 

But that’s because you’ve only been allowed to see the top layer. 

Look closer. 

Peggy is a Rubik’s Cube.

-Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey

Summary-

This time, she's calling the shots.

Peggy Clarkson is returning to her alma mater with one goal in mind: confront Elliott Brooks, the man who ruined her for all others, and remind him of what he's been missing. Even after three years, seeing him again is like a punch in the gut, but Peggy's determined to stick to her plan. Maybe then, once she has the upper hand, she'll finally be able to move on.

In the years since Peggy left Cincinnati, Elliott has kept his focus on football. No distractions and no complications. But when Peggy walks back onto his practice field and into his life, he knows she could unravel everything in his carefully controlled world. Because the girl who was hard to forget is now a woman impossible to resist.

Review- Inertia by Yashodhan Burange

 Inertia on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

A poetry collection by Yashodhan Burange

BOOK COVER: Not available

Release date: Not available

Published by: Self-published 

Page numbers: 100

REVIEW: 

Inertia is a collection of poems by Pune based author Yashodhan Burange. While I am not the biggest fan of poetry, I sometimes step out of my reading comfort zone; which is why I decided to give this collection a try. I was pleasantly surprised at how well written the collection was and how it spread across a vast variety of themes. While both the points are equally important, the latter outweighs the former because it ensures that the reader will find something or the other that interests them. 

A collection of 63 poems with interesting and unique titles, each poem is accompanied by a song name. Now this comes as a nice twist. I did recognise a few of the singer and band names, but for those readers who are equally passionate about music as they are about reading, this will be a treat to the ears, eyes and brain. 

There's not much else to say about a poetry collection but it's very subjective and I would recommend readers to pick up the book and see for themselves how well put together the collection is. And do trust me when I say that you will find something of your interest in there- whether it's a song or a poem or a new word. 

Some of my favourite poems from the collection are To the Artists, Gallantry, Difference, Structure and Calamity. Here are some excerpts: 

The things we do to look brave 

Are the things which 

Scare us the most. 

(Gallantry) 

Loving a poet 

Does not make you 

A poem 

Leaving him does.   

(Difference) 

Such incredible lines. And these are only a few lines from two poems. There's so much more to this collection which I would highly recommend. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Yashodhan Burange in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Waiting on Wednesday #264

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

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

Publication Date: April 2nd, 2019

Summary-

Annika (rhymes with Monica) Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people's behavior confusing, she'd rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game--and his heart--to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She's living the life she wanted as a librarian. He's a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.

Book Beginnings on Friday #24

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

 ELLIE 

I didn’t want to go. “Please, Mama, can we go tomorrow?” 

My mama didn’t answer for a minute, pushing her blonde hair away from her face and wiping at the sweat that dotted her forehead and upper lip. Her cheeks were bright red with fever again, and her green eyes looked dull and shiny at the same time, like the surface of the puddles in the parking lot at our apartment complex after it rained. “We have to go, Ellie. I feel well enough today, and I don’t know if I will tomorrow.” 

- Most of All You by Mia Sheridan

Summary-

A broken woman . . .

Crystal learned long ago that love brings only pain. Feeling nothing at all is far better than being hurt again. She guards her wounded heart behind a hard exterior and carries within her a deep mistrust of men, who, in her experience, have only ever used and taken.

A man in need of help . . .

Then Gabriel Dalton walks into her life. Despite the terrible darkness of his past, there's an undeniable goodness in him. And even though she knows the cost, Crystal finds herself drawn to Gabriel. His quiet strength is wearing down her defenses and his gentle patience is causing her to question everything she thought she knew.

Only love can mend a shattered heart . . .<

Crystal and Gabriel never imagined that the world, which had stolen everything from them, would bring them a deep love like this. Except fate will only take them so far, and now the choice is theirs: Harden their hearts once again or find the courage to shed their painful pasts.

Waiting on Wednesday #263

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

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

Publication Date: March 1st, 2019

Summary-

In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.

After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay—just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars. 

Teaser Tuesday #101

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

"And so the love that tied us then, 

Vanished with the midnight wind."

-Bleed Like Me: Poems for the Broken by Azzurra Nox

Goodreads Summary: 

This is how you draw a broken heart:
Dip your fingers in blood and don't
Hesitate to botch the final project.

This is a book about love and the wounds that it can bring. It explores the exhilaration of first love, the damage of unrequited love, and the distress of abandonment. The poems are little memories that come alive, a journey between reality and fantasy, often mingling as one. Fragments of life depicted in words. This is a collection of poems both cruel and sweet. The poems depict the difference between how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. But most of all, this is a kaleidoscope of emotions that are multiplied and amplified as the reader looks into the window of a young woman's heart.

What teaser have you shared this Tuesday? 

Review- Midnight Captive by Elle Kennedy

Summary-

Former CIA agent Bailey Jones has spent months trying to forget her night of passion with mercenary Sean Reilly. An elite and methodical assassin, she has no room in her life for a reckless, rule-breaking Irishman, and she’s vowed to steer clear of the tempting bad boy who lured her into his bed under false pretenses.

When Sean is implicated in the robbery of a Dublin bank, Bailey knows something isn’t right. So what if she can’t trust him? There’s no way Sean would end up on the wrong side of the law. In fact, he’s stuck in the middle of a dark and dirty conspiracy that could put his twin brother’s life at risk with one wrong move. And Bailey’s life too when she agrees to help.

As the stakes are raised and Bailey finds herself torn between two brothers, the fine line between danger and desire is crossed…and it’ll take more than a killer instinct to survive.

Release date: June 2nd, 2015

Published by: Signet

Page numbers: 368

Review-

Midnight Captive is the sixth book in Elle Kennedy's Killer Instincts series. I have been really enjoying myself in this world full of assassins and mercenaries and each story is very unique and can be read as a stand alone. I have to say that for me, Midnight Captive was a weaker addition as compared to the rest of the series. It may be because I didn't care much for Bailey and Sean but for me, this was an okay read.

Let's start with Bailey. Bailey is an assassin in Noelle's group. Now that Noelle and Jim Morgan are married they have combined their forces. But back to Bailey, I don't know why but I just couldn't relate to her much. She was a good person but her reasons for keeping Sean at a distance were difficult to understand and it got repetitive after a while.

The book starts off with Sean robbing a bank. That makes you completely doubt where his head is at but you do see and understand his reasons after that. Sean's twin, Oliver is being held by someone and Sean has to get his brother back under any circumstances, even if it means joining the group himself. I liked Sean but he also had a bunch of insecurities. I liked his possessive and protective side though.

The first time Sean and Bailey sleep together Sean lies to her saying he's his identical twin Oliver. That is why from the start Sean and Bailey don't get along. When Bailey decides to help Sean to get Oliver back they are both riddled with misunderstandings underneath all the passion and chemsitry. I found Sean and Bailey to be a good couple but again, nothing special.

The most exciting part for me during the book was what was going on between Sully and Liam. I SO want to see where and how their story progresses. We also get a new addition to the group, Ash. All in all, with Elle Kennedy's fantastic writing Midnight Captive was a good read. Just not my favorite.

Book Beginnings on Friday #23

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 

It was the mask engaged your mind, 

And after set your heart to beat. 

—W.B. Yeats 

London, November 1878 

The knowledge that Archer would soon end the life of another cut at his soul with every step he took. 

- Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Summary-

Once the flames are ignited . . . 

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.