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Saturday, September 5, 2015

ARC Review: All of Me by Kelly Moran


All of Me is the second book in Kelly Moran's Covington Cove series. Each book can be read as a standalone, however the characters are interconnected. I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Return to Me, so I couldn't wait to read the next installment. While I did enjoy the story, to me this book wasn't as good as the first. I wasn't able to connect with the characters as easily, and the story itself wasn't everything I had been hoping for. 

Bestselling author Alec Winston has been struggling with writer's block for close to a year. With a looming deadline and no book to speak of, he is almost out of options. So when his brother invites him to return home and stay with him for the summer before his wedding, Alec agrees thinking that the beach might be just what he needs. Upon arrival, he meets Faith Armstrong and is instantly drawn to her. The more time that Alec and Faith spend together, the more Alec begins to write again. Faith just moved to the beach to accept a position as a private tutor to a special needs girl, looking for a fresh start. She never expects to find friends and a connection with a sexy author, but the closer her and Alec grow to one another the more she begins to wonder what the future could hold for them. With summer's end approaching, Alec's departure back to NY grows closer. But Alec also has a secret that could destroy any hope of a future together beyond the possible distance. 

I liked Alec and Faith, especially at the beginning of this book. I have to say though that the more the book continued, the more frustrated I grew with each of them. Alec has a secret that he doesn't discuss with anyone, and very few know about. He uses it and his guilt to keep others at arm's length, refusing to see anyone for long or commit to one person. But he also has no problem sleeping around, and seems to almost make light of using so many different women for sex only. I didn't care for that at all, but I was glad that we didn't have to see him with others. I hated that he kept pushing Faith away, only to pull her back with mixed signals. Faith had a rough childhood, and had lost the closest person to her when her sister died. Her parents were horrible, and they treated her as though she was nothing more than a means to their end. Because of that, Faith had a lot of issues and was very naive and insecure. Unfortunately some of that was a bit unbelievable to me with Faith's age. At 27 and having lived apart from them for awhile, I would have expected some of that to have gone away. It got to be old at times, and I just felt like these two weren't making a ton of progress. I didn't really feel a strong connection between them, though there were moments that were heartfelt and nice. 

This book was a bit slow and frustrating for me, and unfortunately didn't hold my interest like the first book did. The plot was predictable and similar to one of my favorite books, but when compared to each other this one fell flat. If I didn't already love a book similar to this story line, I think that I might have liked this one more. But for me, this one just didn't have the spark that it did and I didn't feel that the connection or chemistry was strong here. I think that Kelly Moran is a great writer, and she really excels at her descriptions. With the scenic location for this series, she really has a way of making it seem so real and beautiful. I wish that I had been able to connect with these characters better, and that I had felt more between the two of them as I really do think that there was potential here. I will read more from Kelly Moran in the future, this one just wasn't as good as the first one was. I will say that there were heartfelt and enjoyable moments in this story though, and while I did have criticisms this was a good story. It just wasn't as great as Return to Me.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository | iTunes | 





Audiobook Review: Sustained by Emma Chase, Narrated by Sebastian York


So.Damn.Good. I just want to sit and bask in the awesomeness that was Sustained. It was yet another book from Emma Chase that I loved and once again is solidifying why she is one of my favorite authors. From beginning to end I was hooked and I just couldn't get enough.

I'll be honest I wasn't 100% sure how I was going to like this book. I'm not the biggest fan of books with kids. 90% percent of the time I feel like they are used as props or comic relief and don't really bring much to the story and tend to annoy me. Yeah, that wasn't the case with with book at all. I honestly found myself craving scenes with the kids. I laughed at their antics and hurt when they hurt. I feel like Emma Chase brought each and every kid (there were 6) to life and gave them all personalities and made me fall in love with them all. They were adorable and I loved how they were with Jake. So damn cute.

Oh Jake. Jake, Jake, Jake...sexy as hell Jake. I liked him. A LOT! He was sexy, fierce, passionate and so caring when it came to Chelsea and the kids. I loved his take charge ways and honestly I really loved him with the kids. Some of my favorite parts of this story revolved around him and the kids. As for him and Chelsea I thought that they had great chemistry together. They were hot and sexy and I was rooting for them from the beginning. I loved that they didn't immediately rush into things. They both got to know each other before things really took between them. And let me tell you, they were HOT together.

I will say that I do feel like Chelsea was a bit too much of a goody goody. She just came across as this perfect character and it just didn't ring all the way true to me. Maybe it's because the book is told in the POV of Jake only and he's only seeing the good but I would have liked her to be a bit more raw. Don't get me wrong, I liked Chelsea a lot.

Seriously though, these two together were so great. They were hot and sexy but also so much more. I loved that they became a team. They helped each other out and backed one another up. Theirs wasn't a rushed HEA. Their relationship was a slow simmer that built up throughout the book. It was intense at times and oh so sweet at others.

Let me just say that Sebastian York has one hell of a sexy voice. He can read me stereo instructions and I'll be hooked. I feel like his voice was just made to narrate Emma Chase books because he does her characters justice. He's able to convey so much and he makes me believe in the characters and their actions 100%. I felt like he brought Jake to life and I couldn't get enough.

Sustained really was a fantastic book and I just can't wait to read more from Emma Chase. I am loving this series and the characters that encompass it. I'm itching to get my hands on the next book something fierce. Seriously, I can't recommend this book enough.

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |


RFTC Back to School Event with Airicka Phoenix


Self-proclaimed romance addict, Airicka Phoenix lives in a world where unicorns, fairies and mermaids run amok through her home on a daily basis. When she's not chasing after pixies and rounding up imps, also known as her four children, she can be found conjuring imaginary friends to play with. Airicka is the prolific author of over eighteen novels for those who crave strong, female leads, sexy alpha heroes and out of control desires. She's a multi genre author who writes young adult, new adult and adult contemporary and paranormal romance.

For more about Airicka and the realm she rules with an iron fist--and tons of chocolate--visit her at: www.AirickaPhoenix.com

Friday, September 4, 2015

ARC Review: Picture Mr. Perfect by Laura Briggs and Sarah Burgess


This romance was absolutely adorable and sweet! I will say that I'm not a huge fan of the cover, but this is one of those cases where you shouldn't prejudge. What caught my eye to make me want to read and review this book was that it was a clean romance. If you've read some of my reviews of Erin Knightley's books you'll understand how much I appreciate it.

This book really made me understand what hooks me as far as a romance. It mentioned all the little firsts that I remember when I would start a new relationship. You know, the first time you held hands for example. Oh the butterflies that such a small thing could cause! It took me back, and it really put me in the character's shoes.

Jason is a Graduate student who still isn't quite certain what he wants to do with his life. He knows he wants to help people, he just doesn't know exactly how. His grades drop him out of a scholarship so now he is looking everywhere for a job that will accommodate his scholastic schedule. Finding nearly nothing, he decides he'll try a quick modeling job for a little cash. Well, a couple weeks later, his face is all over the bookstore's display window and girls are recognizing him.

Emily is an undergraduate student at the same university as Jason, and she is working super hard to pay for her education and living expenses. I don't want to go too much more into her history because it would spoil the end for you. Anyways, Jason has had a crush on her for months, but never had the nerve to ask her out. A little boost of confidence convinces him to talk to her since every other female he meets is crazy about him.

Poor guy though goes about it the entire wrong way. They end up getting past his embarrassing first impression and begin to learn more and more about each other. They take an interest in each other's lives. From each others' influence they grow as characters. They're love is just so adorable!

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon |


ARC Review: Her Stand-In Boyfriend by Kelly Jamieson


Her Stand-In Boyfriend is a short friends to lovers story from Kelly Jamieson. It is a standalone story with no cliffhanger. This one was a quick and easy read that was mostly enjoyable. I did have a few issues here, but there was plenty to like as well. 

Mac has been in love with his best friend Lexi for as long as he can remember, but Lexi has never shown any interest in him beyond friends. When he and Lexi have a few drinks after an event, they end up sleeping together and the sex is better than either of them have experienced before. While Mac things will change now, Lexi is determined to remain friends with added benefits. But when Lexi realizes that she might have some competition where Mac is concerned, she will have to make the decision on whether she should make him her actual boyfriend rather than just her stand-in boyfriend.

I really liked Mac and Lexi. I loved their connection and the chemistry between them. These two had such a great bond between them, and I really felt that it was more than friendship from the start. Though Lexi hadn't realized her feelings before, it felt to me like these two were more than just your typical friends. I do think that it was a bit odd that she never really noticed that her feelings were changing though, especially after they had slept together. I wanted her to start to realize that more than just being more physically attracted to him than she had been before. She didn't seem to see any difference until there was someone else in the picture and she was jealous. So while I started I felt like these two had a connection, it was hard to really believe that all of a sudden Lexi had realized that she was in love with Mac. It seemed really rushed, and I wanted her feelings to be real rather than just convenient when she was scared she would lose him to someone else. I felt like there could have been real feelings there and a lot of potential for their relationship change, but I just felt the way it was handled was awkward and came of as unrealistic. I felt bad for Mac for most of this story because it was clear that he loved her so much, and it was killing him to see her disregard him in the way that she did. 

I also felt like this story was pretty immature at times, and I didn't understand where that was coming from. These two together were really hot, and the steam between them was explosive. The author had no problems with showing exactly how attracted to each other they were, and the dirty-talking was good. But then she would randomly through in weird sayings rather than cursing in the same paragraph or sentence. Things like "holy snap" and similar dialogue made it hard to really get into this book at times. It didn't mesh with the other language used, and just felt out of place and odd. It got a bit too juvenile for me, and I wanted less of that and more of what her steamy scenes delivered. Overall, this was a good story and I liked the characters, especially Mac. I do think that it could have used some changes though in regards to the juvenile wording and the rushed feelings on Lexi's part.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kinde | B&N | Book Depository | iTunes | 





RFTC Back to School Event with A.J.Pine


AJ Pine writes stories to break readers’ hearts, but don’t worry—she’ll mend them with a happily ever after. As an English teacher and a librarian, AJ has always surrounded herself with books. All have one big commonality–romance. Naturally, her books have the same. When she’s not writing, she’s of course reading. Then there’s online shopping (everything from groceries to shoes) and, of course, a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires and superheroes. And in the midst of all of this, you’ll also find her hanging with her family in the Chicago burbs.

Audiobook Review: The Accidental Countess by Valerie Bowman, Narrated by Alison Larkin


I am a big fangirl of Valerie Bowman. I was first introduced to her when I read “The Unexpected Duchess” the first book in the “Playful Brides” series. I’ve read all the books up to “The Irresistible Rogue” and Bowman does not disappoint. She is a fun, witty, creative and her characters are charismatic. Although I enjoyed all the books in the series, “The Accidental Countess” was not one of my favorites. I really struggled when I read it and that is why I decided to hear the audiobook so I can see if it would give me a different experience.

I personally really love listening to audiobooks because they provide me with a different perspective then when I read. I love to hear the characters in another person’s voice. This is Lady Cassandra Monroe’s story. Cassandra or Cassie is the quiet and sweet friend of Lucy and Jane. She has been in love with Julian all her life. When Julian, a second son, goes off to war, it is Lady Cassandra that rights to him for all the years he is gone. However, Julian was promised to her cousin Penelope and even though a formal engagement was not announced it is assumed by their parents that they will marry when Julian returns.

Some things I really love about this story is the funny and witty things that Cassandra and her friends are either saying or coming up with. I love their friendship and it reminds me of Lisa Kleypass’s series “The Wallflowers.”

Some of the big issues I had when I read the books was Cassandra and Julian. I liked them but I did not love them. They both felt very flat to me and that did not change in the audiobook. Another big issues for me was the plot. It was so convoluted that it grated on my nerves. Lucy decides that when Julian comes home she is going to present Cassandra as Prudence Bunbury a fictional person. Julian doesn’t know that Cassandra and Prudence are the same person. Lucy hosts a house party where all the people involved, because of difference reasons, go along with this charade. It was not enjoyable to me and I had to remind myself of who was who. Needless to say when Julian discovers the deception he is very angry and doubts what he knew about Cassandra during their correspondence. I do have to say that although I was very frustrated with Julian and Cassandra I enjoyed Garret’s presence in this part of the story.

What I did love, as I mentioned before, is the friendship between the ladies. I also loved the snips of Jane and Garrett. I didn’t really pay too much attention to Donald and Daphne in this book so it was refreshing to pick up some things I missed the first time. Also, Daphne and Rafe become such important characters later on I really enjoyed the development of their character in this story. Overall, this was a fun read. Bowman is a very creative and unique author. Alison Larkin was a great narrator. Her tone and accent were perfectly suited for this story.

**Audiobook provided by Tantor**

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |


Thursday, September 3, 2015

ARC Review: Watch Over Me by Sydney Landon


When this book began, I was really hopeful, it seemed like a book that was right up my alley. There is a bossy alpha male, Dominic and a curvy chick with a little bit of an attitude Gwen who hook up pretty quickly. That’s pretty much all it takes to hook me, normally. My problem with this book…Well, I had several problems with this book so let me start with the first problem.

Gwen hooks up with Dominic after she is rejected by Mac who runs off and marries another chick like the day he dumps Gwen. Here’s where things get dicey though, Mac and Dominic are best friends and co-owners of a business. I thought for sure that was going to wind up being a big issue and I was looking forward to the drama/confrontation/whatever. But then, it doesn’t happen. Gwen just hooks up with Dominic and it’s as if the whole Mac thing never happened. I found that truly confusing.

My next issue were the friend scenes. Authors have to be careful about how they use supporting characters. In this book there were a lot of rambling conversations between Gwen and her best two girlfriends but I didn’t feel like it added anything to the story. And because it didn’t add anything, it took away from the story because there were way too many pages of Gwen just hanging out with and talking to her girls. I got to the point where I just started skimming those sections to get back to the actual story.

Next issue, I’m all for insta love except in this book. I just didn’t like the way the relationship between Gwen and Dominic began. It made Dominic seem kind of like an undiscriminating robot who couldn’t do anything but follow his penis. Yeah, yeah, I know that’s how all men are right? But no, seriously, we gotta give the guy some kind of internal thought process.

My last issue that I absolutely could not overcome was the writing of this book. I just did not like the writing. What I disliked the most was the language was used by the author. The references to people swooning every 12 pages, made me want to hurt somebody. And then there was all the really awkward slang being thrown around. For example, at one point Gwen says “holy wet panties” and I was like WHAT? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!?!?! The language was just so cheesy I couldn’t get into what the author was actually saying.

And oh yeah, the sex scenes are really mediocre.

I am sorry, I gave it the old college try and based on other reviews out there a lot of people enjoyed this book. You can go ahead and give it a try but it wasn’t the book for me.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |


ARC Review: Her Lucky Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan


Her Lucky Cowboy is my first book by Jennifer Ryan. While it is the third book in her Montana Men series, it can be read as a standalone with interconnected characters. There was a lot to like here, and I really enjoyed a lot about this book. There were however a few things that kept this one from being five stars for me. 

Dane Bowden only has to last eight seconds on the bull he is riding in order to win the championship so that he can fulfill his plans and retire from bull-riding and return home to his family's ranch. But the bull has other ideas, and although he wins, he finds himself once again saved by the angel that saved him as a child. With her in front of him once again, Dane realizes that she wasn't just an angel that disappeared. Now a doctor, Bell is the first to jump in when Dane is injured once again. Dane is determined to get to know Bell, as she has never been far from his mind and he was never able to forget her. But Bell is reluctant to let Dane close knowing that her inexperience and social awkwardness can't possibly compete with the many women Dane is used to seeing. But Dane's accident is a wake-up call for him, and he is ready to prove to Bell that the only woman he wants is her. Can she let him in and trust him enough to take a chance on something more? 

I liked both Dane and Bell. I thought that these two were great together and I loved their connection. Seeing them get to know one another and take things slowly was nice. Dane was patient and gave Bell time to adjust to something she had no experience with. Yet he also didn't let her avoid him or push him away like she tried to do. I was glad that he was persistent, and I think that was exactly what she needed. I loved seeing them figure things out, and they were really sweet with one another. Their feelings were genuine, and their connection was natural. They also had great chemistry, and the attraction between them was clear. 

I will say that this book was very slow and frustrating at times. Bell had a horrible upbringing, and that had a huge effect on her. She was awkward and didn't understand things that most of us take for granted. She had a lot of ground to make up, and sometimes that was very tough to get through. I wanted her to stop constantly doubting Dane and quit pushing him away. I do understand it, but as a reader sometimes it got old. I also didn't care for the fact that there were extra POVs in this story besides just Bell and Dane's. I felt like it was distracting and gave this book a disjointed feel. While I understood the reason behind it and that the conflict/drama was needed, I felt like this delivery method was not to my taste and I would have preferred something else. I did like the characters here though, and I am very interested in going back and reading the previous books. Jennifer Ryan might have been a new to me author, but I will be looking for more from her in the future. If you like sexy cowboys with your romance, this is definitely a book worth checking out. Bell and Dane were great, and I think that a lot of readers will really enjoy their story.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository | iTunes |





RFTC Back to School Event with Chelsea M. Cameron


Chelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car, tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman) and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Site | Facebook | Twitter |

ARC Review: The Misadventures of Maggie Moore, Vol. 1 by Michelle Graves


What determines how wonderful a work of fiction is? To me, a triumph one hopes for regarding a good read, would require the work to be written with passion, unique diction, and undeniably lovable characters with plenty of chemistry. Though this may not be the case for everyone, such qualities seem immeasurably pertinent to the success of a story to me. With The Misadventures of Maggie Moore, I found more than the aforementioned requirements within. In fact, I became so enthralled while following Maggie through her travels and adventures that I failed to find sleep at a decent hour. I simply could not put the book down, until I had no choice but to grudgingly retire to bed, lest I not wake up and usher my children to their first day of school as required.

Maggie, my new favorite heroine is remarkably unique. From beginning to end, her ability to trudge on no matter the detour confronted with, made her amazing beyond compare. Her father, a soldier taken too soon via an IED attack in Iraq, led her to initially become idle in life. Leaving behind an internship right after graduating college, she and her mother spent nearly a year grieving and trying to provide some sort of comfort to one another. However, once Maggie’s mother is able to pull herself from despair, she forces Maggie back out into the world.

Only having a couple of weeks to find a job, and start anew, Maggie finds herself in an awkward position as a sports journalist. Knowing nothing of sports, she is unable to do the job properly. Although failing miserably at interpreting sports, being an intelligent young woman and a fantastic writer lands her a second chance. A trial column, developed for special interests in relation to obscure sporting events might have seemed daunting to others, but Maggie boldly dove right into the presence of a provided opportunity. Alas, this is where the story truly begins in terms of plots, yet within the just the first couple of pages, I was inevitably hooked. Why? Well, the diction, of course! Furthermore, Maggie, oh Maggie, she is so very entertaining.

She had me laughing throughout the entirety of the book. She is quirky, humorous, slightly neurotic, and absolutely delightful. She is inside of her own head, and very contemplative which is another aspect of her unique character traits. The interactions she has with each secondary character from those she interviewed during her first assignment involving Dragonboat Racing, to those she met in her trials of learning about Extreme Ironing, showed her giving and open nature. Even her initial encounter with the male lead John Cormick, proved to be a moment of unexpected wonder.

When life throws Maggie curves, she continues to dodge and thrive even when this handsome, yet ill-mannered stranger appears. Consistently bickering with Murphy’s Law, Maggie manages to attract trouble, and that fact is not lost on John Cormick. Belligerent, reserved, and inconceivably arrogant, he is decidedly much more jaded than her teenaged-self had pictured when idolizing him. Little does she know the truths hidden behind his façade of confidence and repressed anger, let alone who he could be if given the chance.

The introduction of John Cormick was and still is a moment of the story I could not forget, for it was not only funny, but strange and eyebrow-raising. John, a famous photojournalist who, as so eloquently and enjoyably put, is a man with a very mercurial attitude instantly pushes Maggie’s soft-hearted buttons. He is fun, even though he truly isn’t, which is highly unusual, but it works ridiculously well. I was in love with his character instantly, with no trouble discerning that somewhere in his frigid demeanor a spark of raw beauty lie broken; still as a frozen pond that awaits spring to help renew the life-giving sustenance that those living require. John, despite his gruff and abrasive behavior captures the reader with his moments of concern for Maggie.

Furthermore, once one is able to comprehend the reason behind his behavior, it makes compassion inevitable, giving the reader a need to comfort the man, and help him. John, for all his harshness, is actually quite vulnerable after being held as a prisoner of war while captured in Iraq. To avoid any spoilers, I cannot say any more about such aspects of the story. With that said, however, I can ensure that without the emotional depth of this story through powerful backgrounds to the characters, John and Maggie would not work so well together. Now, at first, the two are brought together in off-the-wall, though believable incidents. Such instances seem touched by fate, but as the two are forced to co-exist professionally, we are sucked into a whirlwind of adventure with Maggie writing, and John capturing the life of the story through photographs.

Of course, insinuating that their relationship is akin to anything relatively normal would be wrong. Due to John’s unusual behavior, and his apparent cold indifference toward her, she believes that John loathes her (and has no respect for her). The tension is palpable between the two individuals and sometimes the reader cannot help but feel Maggie’s frustration. After all, what is bickering, and heated disputes without a little love thrown in? Fact is, these two are in fact perfect for one another, but neither sees it initially. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until Volume Two in the Maggie’s adventures to determine the outcome of their relationship, but there is nothing but joy found in their interactions. The two bring passion, joy, horror, and despair into each other’s lives with no warning, and in turn, their professional partnership is truly riveting.

I cannot possibly explain the depth of my love for this story any more than I already have, yet I feel as though I have not said enough. Maggie and Johns story is one of growth, finding oneself, and learning how to live. Not how to exist, but truly live when one feels as though they’re sinking ever deeper into a place unknown; encased in darkness. Without the ability to lift oneself up, examine one’s feelings, and risk safety, how can one ever thrive? By reading this story, I felt light, airy, and full of hope. Simply put, Michelle is a brilliant writer who grasps the concept of a “feel-good” story, and I cannot help but feel compelled to wait eagerly for the next installment. I want to see how Maggie continues to grow, learn, and live life. I want to find out how John copes with his secrets once they are strewn out at his feet for all to see. I want to see how both hopefully turn to one another, when it’s clear that love is on the horizon. Mostly though, I have to admit that I am simply eager to be privy to her next adventure.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

ARC Review: Pulled Under by Sarah Darlington


Pulled Under is the third book in the Kill Devil Hills series by Sarah Darlington. This book can be read as a standalone as the characters are interconnected, but each book features a different couple. I would recommend reading these in order as there are some things that will be huge spoilers if you start here rather than at the beginning, but it isn't necessary. 

Rhett Morgan is known as the town manwhore. There were few women left in Kill Devil Hills that he hadn't slept with. He was also Sydney's first kiss. Sydney had always wanted Ben Turner, but he never saw her as more than a friend. Then two years later just when Sydney had finally thought something was developing between her and Ben, he died. Heartbroken and unable to get over losing Ben, Sydney sought out Rhett looking for something to distract her. But Rhett is tired of being known as the go-to guy for one-night stands, and he is determined to prove to Sydney that he is ready for more. 

I liked Sydney and Rhett. I felt like these two had a ton of chemistry and could have had a great connection. However I don't feel as though it was ever actually developed. There were huge chunks of time missing throughout this story, and for the most part, these were all chunks were Sydney and Rhett didn't see each other or speak. I never saw them get to know one another, and most of them time that they spent together was physical. I just wasn't able to buy into their insta-love and connection when we never really got to see them together. I thought that they were hot together, but that was all I really got between them as much as I would have loved to have seen more. Very few interactions took place between them before Rhett was suddenly in love with her and wanting more than just sex. I just didn't see it, even when I wanted to.

Besides the lack of development when it came to their relationship, I also felt as though the ending was extremely abrupt. In the epilogue, Rhett is still feeling insecure in their relationship and he is questioning whether they will still be together and they still hadn't told their friends they were dating. That told me that they clearly hadn't actually developed much of a connection or a strong commitment, or he wouldn't have been second guessing. Why Sarah Darlington decided to still be using the epilogue to try and develop their connection, rather than solidifying that earlier in the story, is something that I couldn't understand. Then it is just over, with little to no warning. It was very unsatisfying, and I couldn't believe that it was as abrupt as it was. So while I loved both Sydney and Rhett and wanted them together so badly, it never felt as though they were actually building anything or had a legit relationship. I felt like they had no real foundation moving forward, other than when it came to sex, and unfortunately it made this entire book seem as though nothing really changed or happened. It was unrealistic, and sadly disappointing. I did give this one 3 stars despite the issues I had because the characters were likable and the times they were together, I really loved them together. I desperately wanted more, as I think that these two could have had such a better story.

**ARC Provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon |