Playing Patience by Tabitha Vargo

4.5 Gut-wrenching, hair-pulling, kick-someone’s ass Stars

By the first “Patience” chapter, I was ready to throw up. What Patience has to endure in her own home is horrific and the author will give you that horror in descriptive detail.




You cannot help but put yourself in her shoes.

You cannot help but want to pull her from the book and give her a new life.

You cannot help but want to kill her demons for her.

Sometimes, I secretly prayed for an eternal sleep, one where there is no pain and he didn’t exist.

Zeke is not without his demons as well. Used as a punching bag by his alcoholic father, he uses alcohol, drugs, women, and music to drown out his own anger and worthlessness. He could not have been more different from Patience than the devil is to an angel. But he saves her, time and time again and together they help each other heal.


The story is both heartbreaking and uplifting. The subject matter has been discussed in other books and is not unique per say. But, I did find the author sensitive and at the same time wanting to give you the realism and consequences of these teenagers’ problems.

Writing: Excellent

Character: Love and want to adopt them

Recommend: Yes and only when you have a box of tissues handy

 

Pretend by Sharlay

 
 
So many things going wrong with this book, I don't even know where to start. First off, the blurb. The pretend part of the book was about 10%. Girl's ex cheats on her. She and her best-friend's brother pretend to be together to save her pride. Etc. etc. etc.

Then the book does a Heckle and Jeckle. Complete identity crisis. Is it a love triangle? Is it a romantic suspense? Why is there a stalker thrown in there for no reason. Why is everyone all of a sudden ending up in the hospital?

 

I am actually making it sound more interesting than it is. What this book really is....

 

Don't get me started on the dialogue. The conversations are awkward at best and contrived at its worst. I can't exactly pin point what was wrong, but the whole time I'm reading to conversation between the characters it felt unnatural. It made me realize I was reading and not immersed in a story if that makes any sense.

Plus, the story went on and on with scenarios that didn't need to be included and interest just disappeared after a while.

 

Oh well, on to the next.  

Otherwise Alone by Shay Savage

Wait....




I'm just...

 


















Just.....

 










I knew going into this story that it was going to be short. I wanted that. I wanted to read something short, hot, and had a decent story line to it. I wanted something to occupy me for just an hour. Yet, when the story ended...

 

 

I cannot CANNOT believe I got this invested in a character that is only four chapters long.

Evan Arden has been stuck in a shack in the middle of nowhere for 3 months without any human contact except for an aging dog and a sniper rifle. That's when Lia shows up, lost and in need of help. She would not have survived the desert another day.

That's all you are going to get out of me except for READ THE BOOK. That's because I want someone else to share in my misery. Why should I be the only one tortured with wanting some more time with Evan my new book boyfriend?

Evan has got to be one of the more exciting characters I have read in at least the past two years. The author just gave us little glimpses of him. Just little teases and hints of how a really dangerous man would be like. Not, oh, there's something about him that suggests danger. More like, don't mess with him too much because he will actually end you.

And there's how he responds to Lia. How he laughs at himself on how different he is around her. *le sigh*

So if Ms. Shay Savage does not finished the follow up "Otherwise Occupied" and release it soon....



 








I'll do it! I swear!

However, the author has assured me that the book will be coming out this summer (2013) and that there will be 3 in the series.

Some blogs state that Ms. Shay's stories are pulled from fanfic sites and say that's heinous....but really

A good story is a good story is a good story. I've ready plenty enough original crap novels that I'll take a great tale where I can get them.

Chasing Mrs. Right by Katee Robert

4.5 Heart warming, lust invoking stars

Ian is ex-military home from Afghanistan and want nothing more than to settle back home with a normal life. Suffering from PTSD, he wants things quiet and simple. A one-off with his little sister’s best friend is not what he would call simple. However, not only can Roxanne give him one of the hottest nights of his life, her touch calms his racing and broken thoughts like no other.

Roxanne is also another broken soul. Relationships? Love? Blech! If her mother and experience had taught her anything, it’s that love is just another four letter word. And everyone eventually leaves.

Now for the good part, the book’s hottest moments are of Ian chasing Roxanne down (hence the title) and she lets him catch her.

“Ideally, how’s tonight end for you?” When he stared, she snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Answer. Now.” She wanted the truth. She got exactly what she was looking for.

He met her gaze.  “With you bent over the nearest available surface and me fucking you until we both forget our names.”

 

The story is a great mix of heat and emotional healing. Yes, there was a conflict (not a misunderstanding. Thank Jeebus!) that the couple had to work through. Yes, there was an HEA (come on…look at the publisher). How the author handled it was refreshing. Both parties fully realized that they contributed to said conflict and apologized in a really cute way

Writing: Fabulous

Characters: Amazing. Love that Ian.

Recommend:

 

Player's Ultimatum by Koko Brown

3.5 to 4 stars

You need to take this story with a grain of salt or you will really not enjoy it. Suspend disbelief for a few hours.

Yvonne Floyd agreed to become her best friend Robbie’s beard until he gets his contract signed and delivered. You see Robbie is drafted as Italy’s new soccer star. In a society that is traditional (especially when it comes to their soccer players), questions regarding sexuality is dangerous and career ending. Since Yvonne is up to her eyeballs in student loans, she agreed to be Robbie’s fake fiancé for pay and for the sake of friendship.

Until she catches the eye of Paolo Saito, he is the team’s captain and Robbie’s nemesis. Paolo has it out for Robbie. Robbie took the spot slotted for Paolo’s best friend and consequently committed suicide because of it. So, yeah. Even though it’s not Robbie’s fault, Paolo still had an axe to grind.

Okay this is the part where the grain of salt comes along…

Yvonne insta-lusts Paolo (nothing wrong with that) and Paolo insta-lusts back (nothing with that too) and because Yvonne bangs the shit out of Paolo (not knowing it was him because they were at a masquerade) he is now blackmailing her into a panty burning affair behind Robbie’s back.

Fine. I’ll bite.

Because the story was decent and I love (LOVE) Paolo, I will take the odd premise. I have to keep suspending disbelief because I can’t understand Yvonne’s reasoning for continuing the affair (besides the hot, hot monkey sex). She knew that Paolo hated Robbie who is her best friend and trying to keep him away from scandal. How can she not deduct that he’s using her to take Robbie down?

There were some eye-roller moments in the book. Some scenarios that were just a little scripted. Some were just plain weird. I think with better editing the book would have been awesome. Odd scenarios like: She asks him to cut his hand off because he offended her with his advances and he is actually thinking about doing it. Not pretending…actually contemplating it. With a knife and everything.

Cuckoo.

But in the interest of telling a story…erase…erase…

This would have been a solid 3 stars for me if it wasn’t for PAOLO!!!!

Hot Japanese/Brazilian soccer player? Arrogant…doesn’t take no for an answer…possessive.

What was wrong with him? Paolo remembered walking in on a girlfriend once having sex with another man and he didn’t even blink an eye. Robbie pulled his fiancé into his side and he wanted to tear the other man’s head off and use it as a practice ball.

Yum. Yum.

Heat level: Nuclear

Characters:

a) Him – me likey

b) Her: on the fence. She kind of annoyed me but I really can’t explain why.

I think it’s because she just lets everything happen to her. She just kind of reacts and goes along to what is happening around her.

Recommend: Yes. Just because Paolo is so yumerrific.

Falling for Hadie by Komal Kant

*me reading up to 79% of the book*

 

 

 

*me at 80%*

 

 

 

 

*me after the book*

 

Hadie has been hurt by her jock ex-boyfriend whom she’s had feelings for since they were kids. Now she is on a “no boy fly zone” mode. Unfortunately for Lincoln who just moved into their small town and new boy at school, he reminds her of her ex (a too good looking jock type). Sooooo insta-hate on Hadie’s side.

Lincoln is used to girls falling all over themselves over him. So when Hadie gives him the cold shoulder, he is more than intrigued. Besides, figuring out what her deal was is way better than dealing with what he ran away from back in New York City. And much more fun. Although he promised himself not to get close to anyone in his new home, he can’t help but be drawn to Hadie.

Hadie, try as she might, finds that Lincoln is not what she thought he was.

Etc. etc. etc.

The premise is not unique. But the writing was good so you can forgive the cliché. I must admit that Hadie was starting to get on my nerves when she started with the “all men are dogs” routine. Thank goodness the author cut it short (but not short enough IMO). But even then you can forgive Hadie for being a little bitter about dealing with boys in general…up to a point.

I’m not going to give away the bacon that gives the book its heft but I have to say that it came as a surprise. Even though I have read at least two books with the same exact twist, Ms. Kant still got me. Darn her! Let me just say that she handled it with grace and I hated appreciated the direction she took.

I have a few complaints though. It was her villan(s).

There were too many of them. It seemed…no it was…the whole entire school was against our heroes. Even with the popular kids being the shameless monsters they were portrayed to be I cannot imagine anyone acting that way especially since (read the book).

And Lincoln’s mom and sister…..

 

I couldn’t exactly understand what the fuck their problem was. So (in my mind) I have written that his mom spontaneously combusted and his sister got gonorrhea.

Writing: I was going to give it 3 stars but the last quarter pushed it to 4.

Characters: Some were exaggerated like a cartoon characters and the author went a hair too far with her villains.

Recommend: Yes

 

Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey

4.5 Holy Burning Britches Batman stars.

Arrogant, take charge male? Check. 

Filthy smack talking mouth. Check. 

Sexy, jealous possessiveness. Check. 

And finally, neck-hair raising caveman tactics all in the name of protecting your woman. Check.

Looks like all the necessary items to make a good time happen in the form of one Lt. Derek Tyler of the Chicago PD.

Ginger Peet is running from her past (literally) with a bag full of cash she “borrowed” from her crack-whore mother (not an insult, but an actual fact). She took her teenage sister Willa with her to Chicago for a fresh start and to make sure that Willa doesn’t end up like their mother, a train wreck. The last thing she needed was to move into an apartment next door to a cop. But hey! What’s a little larceny and kidnapping between friends? Especially ones that can talk the panties off of her (also not a euphemism but a fact).

  

Yes. Derek. Yes we do….

Is this Shakespeare in disguise? Nope. Will you wish you never have to leave the book world after reading this story? Absolutely not. This book is a rip roaring good time, complete with hilarious and sassy dialogue between the sisters and vagina fanning dirty talk from Derek.

Aaand that’s all there really is to it with this book.

Writing: Highly entertaining.

Characters: Low-dimensional but in a really good way (easy to read). Sometimes you just want a dash of angst and not drowning in your own pool of tears and snot.

Recommend: Yes. In one sitting. On a slow day.

Alone.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

I love me some Kristan Higgins. Just when I think she can’t reel me in any longer (not too impressed with her last book), she comes out with this gem.

Faith and Jeremy have been high school/college sweethearts. The happiest day of Faith’s life is when Jeremy proposed. On their wedding day, Jeremy jilts her (coward!) and his best friend Levi is mostly partly responsible. Years later, Faith is finally coming home. The past is in the past. Except for Levi….he is still definitely on her hit list (if she had one).  Growing up, Faith over compensated for (read the book) and was a people pleaser. Levi disliked her back in the day (not because he was secretly in love…more like annoyed of). The more she tried to get him to like her as a friend (because he is best-friends with Jeremy), the more it irritated Levi.

 

But not all the time….

As with most of her books, the characters in this story are well-rounded and believable. And her story lines…hilarious! I could read this one over and over (and I have at least twice).

I usually love a book based on the MC but on this one….I really liked Faith. She was a good person caught in a messed up situation. Her strength really showed. It took her years to deal with the blow of her break up with Jeremy but she eventually put her big girl panties back on. Even forgiving Jeremy and becoming friends with him again.

 

Oh…but Levi

He’s strong…arrogant….gorgeous….warrior returned from Afghanistan. *author may have gone a little overkill with him*

Nope. Don’t care. Still happy with the results.  *pants*

He has Faith pegged as a push over, goody two shoes, but Faith is starting to prove him otherwise. He tries to resist his attraction to her because (read the book) but he cannot keep his mind off her and his eyes off her “amazing rack” (his words, not mine).

Plus that one incident in high school…

That has got to be one of the hottest reads I’ve read in a while. There’s no sex scene. But (oh lord!) the longing, the sexual tension…

 She glared. He grinned. And then she blushed, her cheeks growing pink, color staining her throat and chest. Her eyes fluttered down his bare torso. Then she jerked her gaze back to the vine and fumbled for a tie.

Dropped it.

Well, well, well. Levi’s smile grew.

Also…

She moved steadily, bending, sometimes kneeling, holding a cluster of the dusky grapes in her hand from time to time, and somehow, out here in the field, everything she did looked unabashedly sexual. She was soft and round and sweaty now, her red hair in pigtails, basically any male’s fantasy of a farm girl.

Jeremy’s girlfriend, dude, his conscience chided.

She bent over again, and the lust felt much less generic.

And on..and on…. I know, right? Holy burning panties batman. That flashback was the best part of the whole book. Hands down.

Writing: Great

Characters: Even better (no face palms at all)

Recommend: