Series Review: Love Me with Lies (Tarryn Fisher)

This past weekend I knocked Love Me with Lies off my backlist. It’s been on there for years because I’m a fan of all of Tarryn Fisher’s other books. I’m so disappointed in myself for waiting so long to read it. It was crazy good — emphasis on the crazy. Here my thoughts after reading each book.

The Opportunist ★ ★ ★ ★

??????
That pretty much says it all.
I’m stuck using emojis for this review because I’m speechless after finishing this book. It was soooooo messed up, but in a good way. Only Tarryn can make me hate and love characters so much at the same time.

Dirty Red ★ ★ ★ ★

This one started out bad for me. I was so disgusted by Leah. I hate Leah, but I understand her now. She grew on me as her story went on. She’s not blameless, but Caleb isn’t either. I lost some respect for him in this one. The only person I started to respect more was Olivia.

Thief ★ ★ ★ ★

I think I liked this book? It’s hard to know because all of the characters were so messed up. I didn’t think I could end up liking them any less while also liking where the story went. I do think it was a fitting end to a crazy, addictive series.

Overall, this is a very messed up, crazy, addictive series. If you like books that will shock you and make you question everything a character does, read this series.

Review: The Last Letter (Rebecca Yarros)

The Last Letter
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publication Date: February 26, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan


So… I have found another favorite new-to-me author. Rebecca Yarros has me wanting to go back and read her backlist like now because The Last Letter was so, so good. I can’t even begin to do it justice with this review, so I am going to bullet point my likes and dislikes.

What I liked:

  • The letters. They start out each chapter and are perfectly tailored to the story and how it evolves.
  • The writing. It caught my attention from the beginning and never let go. Like I said above, Rebeca Yarros is new to me, and I instantly connected to the way she puts words together. Every sentence is packed with emotion.
  • The plot. I won’t go into it too much, but it’s way more than what you read in that blurb. It was the perfect mixture or heartwarming and heartbreaking. Every moment had a purpose.
  • Ella’s children were so darn cute. Colt and Maisie were twins, and their bond was too special. They also added something extra sweet to Ella and Beckett’s relationship.
  • Beckett Gentry. He had his moments of stupidity, but I loved his character.
  • I could go on and on, but I have to stop listing things because I would just give away the entire story.

What I disliked:

  • I didn’t connect as much as I would have liked to with Ella. I understood her reasoning for the way she acted, but her trust issues were almost too much for me at times. Especially towards the end.
  • Beckett’s moments of stupidity when he kept keeping that dang secret.
  • An event toward the end. I can’t say what it is, but I was sad the story went there. I get it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Overall, The Last Letter was a really great book. It was a romance, but it was more than just a romance. It was a touching story about family, love, war, and life. Despite my few dislikes, I thought it was brilliant.

Review: Only Love (Melanie Harlow)

Only Love
Series: One and Only, #3
Author: Melanie Harlow
Publication Date: November 26, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul.
The beautiful, compassionate therapist living next door.
A meddlesome grandma determined to get them together.

From USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie Harlow comes an all new standalone romance that will make you believe in the redemptive power of love.

I was expecting a proposal on my birthday, and I got dumped instead.

How could I have been so clueless?

Grams knew exactly how to distract me.

The “cute boy next door” who’s been helping her with yard work clearly needs a little therapy. Who better to call than her newly single therapist granddaughter?

She even fakes dementia to get me to visit, and now that I’m here she’s doing everything in her power to throw us together.

Not that I’m complaining. Ryan is the sexiest man I’ve ever met–I mean the full package, from the chiseled jaw to the massive shoulders to the rippling abs. (And yes, his package is full, and he knows exactly how to deliver it.) He makes me want to get out of my head and follow my heart. He makes me want to take chances I never thought I’d take.

He also makes me want to take my clothes off. A lot.

But he’s moody and challenging–one minute he’s an open book, and the next he’s completely closed off. He holds me like he’ll never let go, but insists he wants to be alone.

Some wounds are so deep, only love can heal them.

How can I convince him to let me try?


The blurb for Only Love is what attracted me to this book. It just sounded cute with the ex-Marine, Grams, and dumped on her birthday girl. I have only read one other book by Melanie Harlow that I loved, so I decided to give this one a shot. I ended up having some mixed feelings about it.

Only Love is the third book in the One and Only series. I didn’t realize that before I read it, but it didn’t seem to matter. It could easily be read as a standalone. Only Love follows the love story of Stella and Ryan. After Stella is dumped on her birthday, her Grams talks her into visiting her. Unbeknownst to Stella, Grams has decided to hook Stella up with her hot ex-Marine neighbor. Ryan’s not looking for a relationship, but neither he nor Stella can stop from acting on their attraction to each other. Soon the feelings they have for each other are making them uncomfortable in ways they didn’t see coming.

Only Love was a fun read. I loved the way it was set up. Stella and Ryan both got their own first person point of view. Grams also got to voice her thoughts here and throughout the book. It made for a very fun reading experience. Grams POV might have been my favorite because she was so sneaky! I loved that she had the best intentions and worked for the greater good.

Ryan was a complicated character. Melanie Harlow did his character justice. I would never want to be in Ryan’s shoes, but I can empathize better after reading his thoughts and feelings in this book. His reasons for shutting down his emotions were valid. I loved how Stella helped him feel again.

Honestly, I didn’t really like Stella. She was so rigid that I had hard time believing she was someone who could exist outside this book. I’m sure there are people out there who would identify in some way with her, but it wasn’t me. I was thinking back and wondering if maybe her character might have made more sense to me if I had read the first two books about her sisters?

The funny thing is that I liked Stella when it came to her relationship with Ryan. The care Stella put into her interactions with Ryan was so sweet. I liked how she truly listened to him and saw him. Stella walked Ryan through some tough moments, and it was touching. Ryan wasn’t always as nice and understanding as Stella, but he got it when it counted the most. I truly liked the relationship they ended up building together — even if I did think they had too much of an insta-love thing going on.

Overall, Only Love was a fun read. I liked how the characters and their love grew throughout the story.

Top Ten Tuesday: Some of Favorite Bookish Friendships

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s is Platonic Relationships In Books (friendships, parent/child, siblings, family, etc.) Here are some of my favorite friendships in books.

1. Millie, Reid, Chris, Alex, & Ed
My Favorite Half-Night Stand
Author: Christina Lauren

2. Dill, Lydia, & Travis
The Serpent King
Author: Jeff Zentner

3. Ellen James & Amy Jackson
The Infamous Ellen James
Author: N.A. Alcorn

4. Georgia, Cassie, Winnie, Kline, Thatch, & Wes
Tapping the Billionaire
Author: Max Monroe

5. Knitting in the City Ladies
Neanderthal Seeks Human
Author: Penny Reid

6. The More Than Gang
More Than This
Author: Jay McLean

7. Garrett, Logan, Dean, & Tucker
The Deal
Author: Elle Kennedy

8. Frank Sanger & Everyone (I should say Sloane)
This Adventure Ends
Author: Emma Mills

9. The Addicted Gang
Addicted to You
Authors: Krista & Becca Ritchie

10. Paige & the Gang
The Start of Me and You
Author: Emery Lord

Review: 4th & Girl (Max Monroe)

4th & Girl
Author: Max Monroe
Publication Date: November 20, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

4th & Goal: A term used when the offensive team is on its final down and the goal line is the line to reach.

4th & Girl: A story where time is almost up, and the girl of his dreams is just barely out of reach.

Leo Landry, first round draft pick and the New York Mavericks newest starting cornerback, uses grit, concentration, and sheer determination to make his difference on the field.

But the mysterious girl of his dreams might be enough to break his cocky confidence.

Will Leo prevail with a last-minute 4th & Girl?


4th & Girl is the fourth book in the Mavericks Tackle Love series. This time new recruit Leo Landry gets the chance to fall in love with the woman of his dreams. He meets her in the most hilarious of ways but doesn’t get her name. He’s forced to search for her, and she comes back into his life in yet another funny way.

Oh, my goodness! Max Monroe has done it again! 4th & Girl is a romantic comedy gem. The laughs started from the very beginning and by the end I lost count how many times I laughed out loud. There were also some highly emotional and touching moments added into all of the fun. That is exactly what I expect when I pick up a book by this author duo.

Leo Landry was a little bit of a surprise to me. I was expecting him to be all confident and cocky due to being a college football star and now a professional player, but he was actually very well-rounded. I loved his humility and how he valued his family. He took his relationships and job seriously. Leo was one of those special romance characters that everyone is sure to be claiming as their next book boyfriend.

Gemma was also a great character. She felt like a real person because she was so easy to relate to. Gemma was trying to figure out life and what she wanted out of it. We have all been there at some point in our lives.

I adored Leo and Gemma’s romance. The fun of it was just so refreshing. I didn’t feel like I was reading just another sports romance. 4th and Girl was unique and quirky. I loved that. It also had some great emotional moments of truth between Leo and Gemma that were touching and added just enough deeper substance to their story.

Okay. There are some amazing secondary characters I can’t leave out of this review. Abby, Gemma’s best friend, was hilarious. I seriously need to know more about her. I am hoping Max Monroe will give her a book of her own even though the Mavericks Tackle Love series is ending. She’s just too funny of a character to never see again.

4th & Girl was such a joy to read. This review doesn’t even do it justice. It was so entertaining! Time flew by when I was reading it. Leo and Gemma’s romance was delightfully charming. From the way they met to the very end, I couldn’t get enough of them together. I was so sad to see this book and series end. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see what Max Monroe have up their sleeves next.

Review: Once Upon a River (Diane Setterfield)

Once Upon a River
Author: Diane Setterfield
Publication Date: December 4, 2018
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the Thames. The regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open on an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a little child.

Hours later the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.

Is it a miracle?

Is it magic?

Or can it be explained by science?

Replete with folklore, suspense and romance, as well as with the urgent scientific curiosity of the Darwinian age, Once Upon a River is as richly atmospheric as Setterfield’s bestseller The Thirteenth Tale.


Once Upon a River is not the typical book I would read. It’s a historical fantasy that’s highly character driven. The reason I picked it up is because of my love for Diane Setterfield’s first book, The Thirteenth Tale. While this book didn’t quite reach my love for that book, I still found it an interesting and engaging read.

Once Upon a River feels like reading a folktale. It’s set along the Thames River and revolves around the mystery of a girl who is plucked from the river. At first, she seems to be dead. Then, she is alive. More than one person claims she is theirs. No one really knows what to make of it all. It’s a giant mystery that slowly unravels through multiple points of view over time.

To be honest, it took me a few chapters to really get into this book and its story. There is a lot of detail and many characters to follow. Once I was invested in the story and the mystery of the little girl, I was hooked. I wanted to know what happened to her and what part all of the people played. I won’t go into the plot more because I don’t want to give anything away, but I was impressed by the outcome and the revelations. I had some ideas of what had happened, but very few of them were true. Once Upon a River ended up surprising me and I loved that!

I feel like I need to point out that this is a story that builds gradually over many pages. At 480 pages long, Once Upon a River is not a short book. It’s slower paced and takes a while to build momentum. While some might shy away from reading it for those reasons, I actually found myself liking how it built and the time it took to tie everything together. That’s not something I normally say, as I like faster paced reading experiences. Overall, Once Upon a River was a well written and plotted book.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things I’m Thankful For

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s is Thanksgiving/Thankful Freebie. I’m going with Ten Things I’m Thankful For.

1. My Husband

You know how people say relationships / marriage are hard work? That’s not the case for me. My husband is amazing and I’m so thankful to have him in my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner or a better father for my child. I am so grateful for the love and support he gives me.

2. My Daughter

Every day I’m thankful I got to the chance to be her mother. She’s the coolest 10-year-old I know. She’s a whole lot sweet and a little bit sassy. I’ve been so lucky to be her mom.

3. My Family

The older I get, the more appreciative I am of my family. I was truly blessed with an amazing mom, dad, and sister. I also have a great extended family including other relatives and the ones I added when I married my husband.

4. My Friends

Good friends are important. I have several of them. I have my two oldest, closest friends. They are there for me when I need it, and we support each other in everything. Then, I have my “mom” friends. These are ladies who I met when my daughter was in preschool. Our kids have become close and so have we. It’s nice to have these ladies in my life. Finally, I have what one of my friends dubs “The Wives Club”. It’s a bunch of my husband’s friends’ wives. We’ve gotten close the last couple of years. We even started our own book group.

5. Blogger Friends

I had no idea how much I would come to appreciate the people I met while blogging. It’s so nice to have friends to talk about books with.

6. Books

How can I not be thankful for books? They take me on journeys I wouldn’t experience otherwise. They cure boredom, entertain, and inform.

7. Good Music

Everyone’s idea of good music is different, but I’m thankful for the music I love. It is the background to life. It is mood enhancing.

8. The Internet

What did we do before the internet? How would I help my daughter with her math homework or answer her weird questions? How would I be able to look up facts about actors while watching T.V.?

9. My New Puppy

She makes me smile! I thought I wasn’t ready for another dog when we got her, but she has brightened up my life. Now, if she would just hurry up and be potty trained…

10. Indoor Plumbing

This may seem like an odd thing to be thankful for, but I am. Every time someone asks if you want to go back in history for some reason, I always think only if there’s indoor plumbing.

Mini Reviews: The Wrong Game & Game On

The Wrong Game
Author: Kandi Steiner
Publication Date: October 18, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

You know how some books are just a delight to read? That’s how The Wrong Game was for me. It was a well written, adorable story about two people finding love after heartbreak. I laughed hard, but I also teared up at times. The characters were so fantastic! I loved Gemma’s insecurities and fear of love. I adored Zach and his softer side. I loved them together. I couldn’t get over how perfect their story was. Oh! I also have to add that I thought the way the sport of football was worked into this one was unique and so, so good! The Wrong Game had everything I love in a contemporary romance.

Game On
Series: Aces Hockey, #8
Author: Kelly Jamieson
Publication Date: January 15, 2019
Publisher: Loveswept
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

My thoughts:

Game On secured its way into my heart from almost the very beginning with the puking. Yes, you read that right. The puking. It was so close to an experience my now husband while dating that my heart was instantly won. As Cam and Olivia continued to date, I was even more sold. They might not have planned on falling for each other, but they were perfect together.

The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was the big ending between Cam and Olivia. It felt too rushed, but I understand why it was done the way it was since this is the last book in the series.

Overall, this book was such a fun sports romance to read. It was so smart and witty. I really love where Kelly Jamieson has taken this series, and I am sad it’s over.

Review: The Fire Between High & Lo (Brittainy C. Cherry)

The Fire Between High & Lo
Series: Elements, #2
Author: Brittainy C. Cherry
Publication Date: March 25, 2016
Publisher: BCherry Books
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

Logan Francis Silverstone was the complete opposite of me. I danced while he stood still. He was quiet, and I was always running my mouth. He struggled to find a smile while I refused to frown.

The night I saw the darkness that truly lived inside of him, I couldn’t look away.

We were broken together, yet somehow whole. We were wrong together, but always right. We were the stars that burned across the night sky, searching for a wish, praying for better tomorrows.

Until the day I lost him. He threw us away with one hasty decision—a decision that changed us forever.

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

And for a few breaths, a few whispers, a few moments, I think he loved me, too.


The Fire Between High & Lo is a book that has been on my TBR for a few years now. It is the last book I needed to read in the Elements series. I am happy I finally got to read it because it was an experience I enjoyed.

From the beginning, The Fire Between High & Lo hit me hard emotionally. The story followed Alyssa and Logan through their friendship, falling in love, falling apart, and finding each other again. It wasn’t a simple or happy story. Alyssa and Logan were not perfect people. Drug abuse and poor decisions played a huge part in everything they went through. Alyssa and Logan’s experiences were high emotion and filled with angst. I felt every one of their feelings in only the way a truly outstanding writer can make me feel. I didn’t always love what I was feeling, but I loved that I could be made to feel that way.

While Alyssa and Logan’s relationship was the most important and center stage, there were several other relationships that made this book. Logan’s relationship with his brother, Kellan, was beautiful. Beautiful doesn’t really even describe it, but I couldn’t come up with another word. They way the supported each other was everything and added another great layer to this story. I also loved Kellan’s relationship Emily. Emily wasn’t fond of Logan, so it added some extra drama. Plus, Kellan and Emily had some stuff to get through of their own that touched me and made me love this story even more than I already did.

One relationship in this book frustrated me, though. Logan’s relationship with his mom made me sad. Julie was a mess. No, wait. She was more than a mess — she was a rotten person. I am sure underneath it all Julie had a good heart, but drugs took that away. She didn’t deserve any of the attention or devotion her children gave her. She made me so mad. I just didn’t understand how her children could be so forgiving and loving.

Brittainy C. Cherry is one of those authors who excels at bringing on “the feels”. She did an exceptional job at showing how families and relationships can be affected by drug abuse. While this wasn’t the happiest of books, I truly loved reading it.

Review: Get Lucky: A YA Anthology

Get Lucky: A YA Anthology
Authors: Ali Dean, Kristin Kehoe, Cassie Mae, Tessa Marie, Theresa Paolo, Kelly Oram, Ginger Scott
Publication Date: March 17, 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

A YA anthology featuring some of today’s hottest Young Adult authors!

Doubles Love by Ali Dean – Mackenzie Bell loves two things: tennis and the Kendrick family. She doesn’t want to be anything like her mother, who hops from one husband to the next. It’s one of many reasons why she’s never dated. The other reason? She’s in love with her best friend’s older brother, Jesse Kendrick.

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not by Kristen Kehoe – Kennedy Russo has had it rough. She’s become a pro at being invisible. But when she’s paired up for a 5 week assignment with golden boy, Gage, she starts to realize that anonymity may not always be the best option. Gage is on a mission to make her his friend, but will their tentative friendship bloom into something more?

Stroke of Luck by Cassie Mae – Jensen is well on his way to the PGA, if only he could focus. Getting stuck with his best friend as co-counselor at the golf camp will help—Penny’s always been one to push him. But when their alone time turns romantic, Jensen wonders if she’ll just be another distraction.

Someone I Used to Know by Tessa Marie – Charlotte was not looking forward to Spring Break. No technology and a boy she can’t stand. But when she realizes the boy is actually a hot guy now, and wants to hang out with her (!) she cant help but think this break may turn into something pretty awesome. But, is he harboring a secret that will challenge their budding relationship?

16 Kisses by Kelly Oram- All Cassie Caldwell wants for her sixteenth birthday is to finally be kissed. When Cassie’s older brother and his best friend—the lovable, sexy cowboy, Jared—discover her secret, Jared takes it upon himself to make sure her birthday wish comes true.

Four Letter Words by Ginger Scott – Dakota Wright has been making Jace Padgett look good for years…and she’s tired of it. What started as a favor has turned into a habit—one that she’s justified in her mind because Jace also happens to be six feet of gorgeous hunky quarterback, green eyes and a smile that can swing a girl to the moon. But the last favor she did for him may have finally tipped the scales, and Dakota’s ready to call it quits. One small hiccup—her heart can’t seem to let her. And when Jace starts to share pieces of the real him, Dakota begins to think her heart might just be smarter than her head after all.


I bought this anthology back when it was released because there was a Ginger Scott and Kelly Oram novella in it. I have no idea why I hadn’t read it yet. I am so mad at myself because it was really good! I even found some new YA authors to read more of. Here are my thoughts on each novella.

Doubles Love by Ali Dean – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This was the first time I had read anything by Ali Dean and I absolutely adored it! The characters and plot was so much fun. The feel of the story was a little NA angst-y. It almost had a Tijan vibe going on. I really, really want to read more of her stuff.

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not by Kristen Kehoe – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not was another big winner in my book. I was really touched by Kennedy and Gage’s romance. It was cute, fun, and emotional. I need to read more of this author, too!

Stroke of Luck by Cassie Mae – ★ ★ ★

Sadly, Stroke of Luck wasn’t my thing. I am not a big golf fan, so it was hard for me to become quickly interested in the story or the characters. It had it’s cute moments, though.

Someone I Used to Know by Tessa Marie – ★ ★ ★

I was excited to read this novella because I had read a previous book by Tessa Marie and loved it. I wasn’t a huge fan of Someone I Used to Know. I liked it, but I didn’t really connect with the characters like I wanted to.

16 Kisses by Kelly Oram – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

It had been a while since I had read a book by Kelly Oram. 16 Kisses reminded me just how much I love her writing. This one might have been my favorite book in the series simply because it was the most fun and cutest.

Four Letter Words by Ginger Scott – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Four Letter Word was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Ginger Scott. She isn’t afraid to tackle tough topics. I really enjoyed this novella. I just wish it would have been a full length book!