Review – Black and White Flowers by Rachel Robinson

November 1, 2016Leave a comment

Black and White Flowers has well and truly owned me in the 24 hours it’s taken me to read it. It’s stole my heart, it’s crushed my soul, blown my mind and left me deliriously happy. I cannot even begin to describe the amount of emotions this book DRAGGED me through, if it exists, I FELT IT.

Everything from the heart breaking beginning of Carina, to the heat inducing meeting with Smith, to the complete OBLITERATION of ME was written with such beauty and precision.

I absolutely adored how this book played out, the angst lover in me is on cloud nine right now because holy heck did this book pull me in ALL directions. Carina and Smith are so perfect for one another, they know it, we as the reader know it, side characters know it but it’s never that simple. Love and honor play HUGE parts in this book. They are also huge enemies. I found myself at different points completely swooning over Smith and then getting majorly upset over Smith. But at the end, I LOVE him. He’s a stunning individual, his love and affection roots deep, his honor even deeper.. He’s sex and sin. Utterly gorgeous and dangerous to the heart.

When I read a book, character development is a big thing for me. I like to travel a journey with the characters I’m reading about, I like to see them grow and come out the end new and improved, better. The way Rachel wrote Carina in this book was FANTASTIC! Honestly, I LOVED watching her character grow, build in strength and power. Experience love instead of all the hate and pain. I loved that she was a writer and how the story twisted into her own was insanely clever.

At times this book was not easy to read, it was painful, but blissfully breathtaking. Sounds strange I know, like I say, it’s the angst. The deep rooting connection I felt to these characters was my downfall because I was all in, like head over heels in love with everything about them. So reading parts of this story was hard. But with the pain comes the pleasure and this book is a pleasure dome of words and feelings all wrapped up in a perfectly poignant package.

Rachel Robinson has penned a flawless story of pain and heartache, damaged pasts and uncertain futures mixed with soul searing heat, all consuming love and breathtaking beauty. Black and White Flowers is a stunning novel worth an infinite amount of stars.

Carina Painter lives a life she created in between the pages of her bestselling novel. At least, that’s what she outwardly portrays. A heart-rending childhood followed by an abusive engagement leaves her broken in all ways possible. A chance encounter provides the fork in the road she so desperately desires.

Navy SEAL Smith Eppington is fighting the war of his lifetime. One that isn’t fought with weapons and highly sought intelligence. It’s a battle to remember his past. The accident that scarred seventy five percent of his body, and stole the life of his best friend also seized parts and pieces of his memory. When an author asks to interview him for a fiction novel, he’s ready to pour his heart out no matter the cost.

The friendship that blossoms between Smith and Carina is something extraordinary. It’s a living, breathing love story about finding yourself, change that is out of your control, grasping what you can, and letting go of everything else.

In a twist of kismet, remembering could destroy everything, but fiction may be what saves the day. A friendship built on new truths and a relationship torn apart by old lies collide in a poignant novel by International Bestselling Author, Rachel Robinson.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2e58OzS

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2eMmjbp

iBooks: http://apple.co/2cJ6DnW

Nook: http://bit.ly/2f0E1J0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2dV6eku

Review – LUCAS by Jay McLean

November 1, 2016November 1, 2016Leave a comment

There aren’t enough words to describe how I feel right now. Not enough emotive descriptions that can fully sum up the other worldly goodness of the intense, spectacular, reading experience I just had.

Jay McLean’s books, to me, are known as McLean Masterpieces. Here’s why…

Upon picking up a McLean book, you begin a journey. A journey that steals your heart, breath, soul and mind. A journey that catapults you into another world, where you FEEL and LOVE and EXPERIENCE. Each and every McLean Masterpiece is breathtakingly beautiful. They are stories that are so enjoyable, even when your heart is being BLOWN TO PIECES. YA romance isn’t my first choice to read. But Jay McLean makes me forget that I’m reading YA, she makes me forget EVERY SINGLE thing, but the story I have in front of me. Jay McLean is the YA QUEEN. I seriously adore her, and the words that make up all her truly magnificent masterpieces.

So LUCAS is the book that has just OWNED ME for the time it took to read. I actually felt sick at the thought of having to put it down (adulting sucks). I was CONSUMED by this book, thoroughly captivated as I read the story of Lucas and Lane. Clark and Lois. Superman and his Kryptonite. Who by the way are two of the most connected, passionate characters I’ve ever read.

LUCAS is a story that made me FEEL EVERY EMOTION at 13% it was a story that I knew I loved. Those initial feels had started to build. At 21% those initial feels EXPLODED into butterflies that wreaked a beautiful havoc on my whole body. Being lost in the Preston world was the best thing ever, they are ridiculously charming, a family I’d be happy to be apart of.

While reading I knew that something was going to happen, I knew that it wouldn’t be all blissful beauty and adoration at watching two best friends fall in love, which was absolutely AMAZING! The way Jay builds the relationship between Lane and Lucas is just IT. There are no real words for me to describe them to truly do them justice. They are just IT..

By 48% Jay had begun to squeeze my heart and burn my soul. Everything was too much but in the same way no where near enough. Everything hurt, but it was that glorious hurt, you know?

By 70% LUCAS had already blasted its way into my top reads of 2016. I knew it would be yet another McLean Masterpiece that settled itself into my heart and never budged. It was everything but still, there was that little niggle that everything was going to well, too perfect, I was too happy.

And at 78% Jay RIPPED THE WORLD from beneath my feet. In eight seconds, I was thrown into heartbreaking devastation, chaos and pain and damn Jay if she didn’t make me feel every damn painful missile she fired. Damn Jay for writing something so powerful, so intense, so raw, so beautiful. Damn Jay for ripping out my heart, grinding it to dust before scooping it all up and delicately putting it back together. Damn Jay for making me smile through big ugly tears. Damn Jay for writing a book that stole my breath and didn’t give it back until the very end where I released a sigh of undeniable happiness and love.

Damn Jay for it ALL.

LUCAS is truly breathtaking. I could literally chat for hours about how this book made me feel WAY TOO MUCH. I could talk about Lane and Lucas until my jaw ached and the other person got bored. I could live in this book and be blissfully happy. I could go on and on and tell you that you’ll love this book and such but I won’t. I’ll leave my review here, hope that some people read it and think “THAT is what I want to experience while reading a book” because like I said Lucas was a reading experience, one I’d happily go back to the beginning of and start all over again.

Unfortunately there are only 5 stars available to add to my review. LUCAS is actually worth eleventy three, hundred thousand!

In a sprint, every millisecond counts.

When you’re waiting for love, those milliseconds can feel like eons.

High school senior Lucas Preston has it all: star of the track team, a scholarship waiting for him, an apartment to himself and a revolving door of girlfriends. He also has an older sister, five younger brothers and a father who relies on him to make sure those brothers don’t kill each other.

His saving grace? Lois “Laney” Sanders, a girl he started to fall in like with when he was just eleven.

A girl who became his best friend, his confidant, his courage.

It took only sixteen clicks and eight seconds for Lucas to realize that his like for Laney had turned into love.

Eight life-changing seconds.

It’s also the exact length of time it took to lose her.

**FREE** with Kindle Unlimited.

➳ Amzn US: http://amzn.to/2dfAmpT

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Review – Stroked Hard by Meghan Quinn

November 1, 2016Leave a comment

Stroked Hard by Meghan Quinn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Show me the most damaged parts of your soul, and I will show you how it shines like gold. ~Nikita Gill

Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved a good fairy tale where I could pretend to be a princess and marvel in magic. Today my favorite fairy tales are romance books, love stories with a hard-fought happily ever after. I live and feel fantasies through love stories like Stroked Hard by Meghan Quinn. Enchanting and Entertaining, Stroked Hard is a sports romance with a feel-good fairy tale twist that radiates the perfect balance of heat, humor, and heart.

I FELL IN INSTA-LOVE WITH EVERYTHING STROKED HARD!!! Stroked Hard cast a spell on me from the first page, seducing every ounce of me. I was utterly addicted as this story swiftly satisfied my ache to laugh, and oh did I howl with laughter, while also lighting me up with lust from head to toe. I was caught like a fish in the water as this story claimed every part of me. I WAS ALL IN!!!

After meeting the all-star Olympic diver, Hollis Knightly, in Stroked, I suspected his story would be my favorite of this series…and oh did Hollis hook me HARD! Hollis Knightly is equal parts HOT and hilarious. I fell in love with him from the very beginning, a love as strong as his chiseled abs. Oh how the incredible Hollis puts most book boyfriends to shame!

A is for alpha as Hollis is the ultimate alpha and also abs because of the glorious six-pack Hollis rocks that is so hard and perfect
B is for blue eyes as deep as the ocean that penetrate passion and the big package under Hollis’ speedo
C is for confident and cocky attitude that is extra hot
D is for devoted as Hollis is a rare, one-gal man, a boyfriend not bed hopper
E is for entertaining and endearing as you can’t help but be amused and addicted to Hollis
F is for both flirting and f**king where Hollis is also a gold medal expert
G is for gallant because Hollis is brave with his constant pursuing of a gal until she can’t resist him
H is for huge heart as Hollis’ has a heart of gold; hot as Hollis is panty-melting hot with his perfect fauxhawk, tall and muscular body; and hilarious as in over-the-top hilarious

Hollis is a man of so many talents that I could list them all to Z and beyond, but I’ll sum it up and say he is PURE PERFECTION and one of my ultimate alphas. For this alpha, it was an instant attraction when he laid eyes on the beautiful makeup artist, Melony, first seen in Stroked.

“Ah, so you know who I am. I knew you did from the way you tried to see through my shirt. Don’t worry, sweetheart, the abs everyone talks about are real.”

With her light brown hair, green eyes, lush lips, and perfect body, Hollis wants a taste of this pretty lady who won’t give him the time of day though he won’t stop trying to woo Melony with a lethal dose of heat and humor.

“I’m going to take that as a no.”
“Take that as a go to hell.”
“That’s a little hostile for someone who was just staring at my crotch for ten minutes.”
“I was not staring at your crotch.”
“Hey, it’s okay. No need to be embarrassed. I have the kind of crotch worth staring at. Just try to keep it under five minutes next time. It gets a little awkward if your staring is any longer than that.”

I love a man who makes me laugh and Hollis’ lines made me howl with laughter! I giggled so hard that my gut ached. Meghan Quinn’s comedy is PURE GENIUS!!!

My body that hurt from laughing was soon ignited with lust as Hollis is one delicious dirty-talker. HOLY HOT!!!

“Sooner or later, I will be f**ing you against a wall, fingering you under the dinner table, and eating that sweet pussy of yours on the kitchen counter. Mark my f**ing words, Melony, I am going to woo you so hard, you won’t know what hit you.”

Melony is having a hard time fighting the chemistry she and Hollis have, a spark that ignites whenever he is near her, so hot it nearly burns. The sexual tension is so thick it could be cut with a knife…so powerful and passionate.

“…He looks at me. No, he’s not looking. He’s devouring me with a passion-filled gaze I’ve never seen on a man before. It’s like he’s on fire…for me.”

The passion bleeds through the pages, penetrating through me. I’M IN SO MUCH LOVE!!!

“God, he’s going to kiss me. And I’m going to let him…Just one taste. Just one night. That’s all I want. One night with Hollis. So he’ll move on.”

That kiss is off-the-charts hot but so much more. Intense. Incredible. The kiss of a lifetime.

“This isn’t just about sleeping with you, Melony. This is about getting to know you; when I find something I like, I go after it.”

Under this gorgeous and alluring alpha with the perfect physique, is an old-fashioned romantic, something rare in a man. This perfect man wants Melony and he’s pursuing her like his next gold medal.

“One thing you need to know about, Melony, I’m the real thing.”

Stroked Hard seduced every part of me. I was spellbound, swimming in swoon, where I did not want to surface for air. I WAS ALL IN.

Melony has walls up that make the Great Wall of China look like LEGO bricks; her heart is guarded from a painful past.

“I’m damaged, not good enough to keep around. I’m not the one a man would stay for.”

Brick by brick. Word by word. Action by action. Kiss by kiss. Hollis is determined to destroy Melony’s walls. This knight-in-shining armor is going to claim his maiden, Melony.

“There is no rhyme or reason to what I’m doing. I’m just taking everything I’ve ever wanted when it comes to this woman. I’m just hoping she’s willing to hand it all over.”

Hollis’ story made me swoon where I became breathless as I bathed in the butterflies fluttering in me. My heart was his!!! Hollis has a huge heart and oh did he hijack my heart, owning all of my laughs and love, owning ALL OF ME. Oh is Hollis Knightly a knight-in-shining armor, a panty-melting Prince Charming, with charm and sentiment in spades.

Stroked Hard by Meghan Quinn was one sweet surprise of a story that hugged my heart and stroked my soul where I swooned in spades. Oh did my soul soar to the stars! Stroked Hard struck me hard and fast with ALL THE FEELS. I LOVED THIS STORY SOOOO MUCH! Stroked Hard brought my favorite Cinderella fairy tale to life and I loved living through this dreamy delight of a romantic read full of heat, humor, and heart!

Intoxicating and incredible, Stroked Hard is a phenomenal page-turner that penetrated me from beginning to end. I smiled, smoldered, shed tears, snickered, and swooned through Stroked Hard. Meghan Quinn’s books become more brilliant with each one, and this is her BEST BOOK YET!!!Filled with feels, anchored in angst and amusement, and laced with love, Stroked Hard BLEW AWAY!

I’m still swimming in swoon, stroked hard, in a fairy tale with a powerful prince and princess who rendered me utterly spellbound. Oh how I did not want this spellbinding and swoon-filled story to end. Stroked Hard is my beloved Cinderella but much better, a fairy tale that’s still hijacking my heart and dancing in my dreams.

5 heart of gold medals (because Olympics)

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He’s hot. Like, stop breathing kind of hot with his killer body, vivid blue eyes, and constant five o’clock shadow.

Did I mention his body?

Watching Hollis Knightly, Olympic diving gold medalist, man-pony specialist—and cocky bastard—stand up on the diving platform in nothing but a small piece of Spandex? Yeah, I’m beguiled.
And easily seduced.

I want to keep things light but he won’t leave me alone. And hell, if he’s not wearing me thin.

What is supposed to be a simple summer fling with a very hot man, has now morphed into a f*cked-up mess of feelings, attachment, and dare I say it…love. But I don’t do relationships. And Hollis Knightly does.