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Sia is a great story that takes a look at the social dynamics of high school in a very interesting way. When Sia loses all her memories, she finds herself living with the homeless for a week - eating at soup kitchens, collecting cans, and sleeping under bridges. She has no idea that she is actually the daughter of a famous movie producer. When an accident lands her in the hospital, she is reunited with her family only to find it isn't the perfect life that everyone told her it was. As her family falls apart around her, she struggles in school with what her friends expect her to be. She finds out that she was a "mean girl" - the worst of the bunch, but now she doesn't want to be that. Will she be able to reinvent herself into a better person. I absolutely loved this story. Sia was a very genuine and honest character throughout and it was amazing to watch her turn her life and family around into better people. While there wasn't a lot of action, there was a lot of character growth and exploration which I love in a book. *This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
After loving a book later in the series, I had to go back and read this one from the beginning. I will say that Terry Spear has improved over the books. While book one wasn't quite as good as later books, it was still a really great story.
There were just a couple of things that were a bit off for me. Connor's sister, Maya, was a bit immature and childish. This wouldn't have been a problem if she was young or had a minor part in the story, but she played a very major role and a lot of her decision making regarding this role reminded me of a twelve year old's thought process at times. I understand her motivations and emotions, but the way they were portrayed just wasn't quite right. Also, Kathleen is a bit too forgiving and trusting - especially after what Maya does to her. Ya - I would soooo not get over that easily.
What really makes this book work well is how Kathleen and Connor are together. They just fit in a way that is really hard to understand. I loved their parts of the book - which is good since they are the main characters. Their flight from the bad guys got a bit repetitive at times. I mean, how many times are they going to almost catch them but they shift and save they day.
Overall, this was cute and really fun. I enjoyed this "introduction" to the jaguar world and I see why so many people are in love with this series.
There were just a couple of things that were a bit off for me. Connor's sister, Maya, was a bit immature and childish. This wouldn't have been a problem if she was young or had a minor part in the story, but she played a very major role and a lot of her decision making regarding this role reminded me of a twelve year old's thought process at times. I understand her motivations and emotions, but the way they were portrayed just wasn't quite right. Also, Kathleen is a bit too forgiving and trusting - especially after what Maya does to her. Ya - I would soooo not get over that easily.
What really makes this book work well is how Kathleen and Connor are together. They just fit in a way that is really hard to understand. I loved their parts of the book - which is good since they are the main characters. Their flight from the bad guys got a bit repetitive at times. I mean, how many times are they going to almost catch them but they shift and save they day.
Overall, this was cute and really fun. I enjoyed this "introduction" to the jaguar world and I see why so many people are in love with this series.
There was a lot to love in this one. Isabella was my kind of woman. She was smart - especially with numbers, they just make sense and she's a financial genius! She's also quite awkward socially - you can't be good at everything. But her social awkwardness is fun. She has accepted it and moved on with her life (mostly). It's just a part of what makes Isabella - Isabella. Watching her discover some hidden parts of herself and find some new confidence was great to watch.
Randall started off as your typical historical hero. He was handsome, titled, wealthy, and fairly smart. And he was always bumping heads with Isabella. When they go off on their great adventure together to save the bank, he realizes there was so much more to her than he ever realized. Their constant bickering was fun with a bit of flirtyness under it all. It would have been very easy to take this too far, but the author balanced it very well and it really served to bring out some of their personality.
As the pair race to save the reputation of the bank and themselves, they drift from the standard historical book. They find themselves in situations where they both would have been ruined socially if anyone had even a hint of what was going on. I particularly enjoyed the hay pregnancy (it makes me itch, too) and the grand escape from the bad guy's house.
The situations (like the bickering) toed the line of being too far out there, but was just enough and spread out that it worked brilliantly! I loved the quirkiness and unique vibe the author brought to the story. Everything adds up to make an historical romance that I won't soon forget.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Randall started off as your typical historical hero. He was handsome, titled, wealthy, and fairly smart. And he was always bumping heads with Isabella. When they go off on their great adventure together to save the bank, he realizes there was so much more to her than he ever realized. Their constant bickering was fun with a bit of flirtyness under it all. It would have been very easy to take this too far, but the author balanced it very well and it really served to bring out some of their personality.
As the pair race to save the reputation of the bank and themselves, they drift from the standard historical book. They find themselves in situations where they both would have been ruined socially if anyone had even a hint of what was going on. I particularly enjoyed the hay pregnancy (it makes me itch, too) and the grand escape from the bad guy's house.
The situations (like the bickering) toed the line of being too far out there, but was just enough and spread out that it worked brilliantly! I loved the quirkiness and unique vibe the author brought to the story. Everything adds up to make an historical romance that I won't soon forget.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
A very different twist for a romance as our couple is already married. Mostly an arranged marriage, they are separated after just a couple months as John is sent to China. A lot can happen in 18 months apart, and the next time they see each other, they realize they may have changed more than they realized.
They go through many stumbling blocks as they try to start over and get to know each other once again. It was a fascinating way to develop their relationship. Since they were married and lived together, it set up so many interesting ways and things to learn about. Throw in some fun servants, a young boy looking for "adventure", and a couple pranksters for friends - and there was a lot of good stuff going on.
John is trying to advance his position in the Foreign Office - but he keeps meeting hurdles along the way. Some he sails across and others he falls flat on his face. Mary is determined to help him and show that she is a supportive wife and valuable woman in his life. It was really great.
I think what might have lost the fifth star was the final prank - I understand its point in the story, but the whole scene was just a bit too much compared to the way the rest of the story was written. It was quite funny, it just didn't really fit.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
They go through many stumbling blocks as they try to start over and get to know each other once again. It was a fascinating way to develop their relationship. Since they were married and lived together, it set up so many interesting ways and things to learn about. Throw in some fun servants, a young boy looking for "adventure", and a couple pranksters for friends - and there was a lot of good stuff going on.
John is trying to advance his position in the Foreign Office - but he keeps meeting hurdles along the way. Some he sails across and others he falls flat on his face. Mary is determined to help him and show that she is a supportive wife and valuable woman in his life. It was really great.
I think what might have lost the fifth star was the final prank - I understand its point in the story, but the whole scene was just a bit too much compared to the way the rest of the story was written. It was quite funny, it just didn't really fit.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
The think I liked most about this book was the way the characters related with each other. We have humor, misunderstandings, loyalty, and betrayal. The SEALs on the team are very close and I loved how you could see that every time they were together. We get to know most of the team to some extent - it was a great way to introduce them while still focusing on our main character, Kyle.
Kyle is a hard man - but that makes sense because he's seen and done things that were necessary, but not easy. But he seems to melt just a little when Christy is around. She seems to understand him without him having to really say anything. Their first meeting was a bit rough, and I'm not sure I would have been able to get over it like Christy had. There were a handful of times that the characters acted a bit - over the top, but this is a fantasy and it definitely kept the book very entertaining.
I had a hard time relating to Christy at first, but she definitely grew on my by the end. She's a tough little princess-like girl that knows what she wants, at least most of the time. She is put under quite a bit of stress and has a good mix of cracking under it and fighting back.
As with many military romances, there was a lot of action. But in this book it was spread out and given in doses that were easy to absorb without getting too much. It was very well done and the military story arc was incredibly exciting.
Kyle is a hard man - but that makes sense because he's seen and done things that were necessary, but not easy. But he seems to melt just a little when Christy is around. She seems to understand him without him having to really say anything. Their first meeting was a bit rough, and I'm not sure I would have been able to get over it like Christy had. There were a handful of times that the characters acted a bit - over the top, but this is a fantasy and it definitely kept the book very entertaining.
I had a hard time relating to Christy at first, but she definitely grew on my by the end. She's a tough little princess-like girl that knows what she wants, at least most of the time. She is put under quite a bit of stress and has a good mix of cracking under it and fighting back.
As with many military romances, there was a lot of action. But in this book it was spread out and given in doses that were easy to absorb without getting too much. It was very well done and the military story arc was incredibly exciting.
An interesting love to hate to love story. Constance is an amazing character. She is full of strength as the ton shuns her when the truth of her birth is somehow revealed. But she holds her chin up and waits for it to blow over - but it doesn't. Someone is fanning the flames and making her life miserable. Her views of the ton and the friends she has made change drastically over the course of the story and I really enjoyed watching her develop the "modern woman" mind set. I loved her reactions to everything along the way - she was very real to me.
Lucan on the other hand, is a bit of a scoundrel. He is instantly attracted to the beautiful lady, but he doesn't realize exactly who she is at first. When he realizes it's the same lady he's set out to ruin he feels something he didn't expect - guilt. But that doesn't stop him - and this is where I didn't really like him. He just refused to let it all go a little too long. I understand his hurt and his desire for revenge, but he just takes it too long and too far.
Watching it all unfold was a fun story. As I said earlier, Constance really shone in this story and made it well worth reading. I just wish Lucan had been redeemed a little bit earlier.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Lucan on the other hand, is a bit of a scoundrel. He is instantly attracted to the beautiful lady, but he doesn't realize exactly who she is at first. When he realizes it's the same lady he's set out to ruin he feels something he didn't expect - guilt. But that doesn't stop him - and this is where I didn't really like him. He just refused to let it all go a little too long. I understand his hurt and his desire for revenge, but he just takes it too long and too far.
Watching it all unfold was a fun story. As I said earlier, Constance really shone in this story and made it well worth reading. I just wish Lucan had been redeemed a little bit earlier.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
A really great summer romance, Say When is a fairly light read that touches on some issues but doesn't hit you over the head with them. Christina and Andres are both a little damaged from their past, and when they find each other Andres is quick to realize just how special their connection is. Christina banishes Andres' nightmares and he gives her a sense of confidence she didn't realize she could have.
There are a couple side storylines about the people in their lives that really helped to round out their personalities. Andres and Christina are some of the most rounded characters I've seen in a shorter novel. Even Christina's mother and best friend seemed to jump off the page in a scary way and I really wanted to just pick baby Ty up and cuddle him until everything was better.
In the end it would have been nice to see a little bit more closure in their lives, but perhaps some of these stray ends will be the opening for book two? - See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-tour-review-and-giveaway-say-when.html#sthash.U80z8Enj.dpuf
There are a couple side storylines about the people in their lives that really helped to round out their personalities. Andres and Christina are some of the most rounded characters I've seen in a shorter novel. Even Christina's mother and best friend seemed to jump off the page in a scary way and I really wanted to just pick baby Ty up and cuddle him until everything was better.
In the end it would have been nice to see a little bit more closure in their lives, but perhaps some of these stray ends will be the opening for book two? - See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-tour-review-and-giveaway-say-when.html#sthash.U80z8Enj.dpuf
Kenzie is a brat - and she's proud of it. She can get the masters at Club Sin to do whatever she wants. Sounds a little backwards. But she's not trying to top from the bottom or anything. It's just her way of coping. But the masters are tired of it and when Porter, a new dom, agrees to take her on for a month, she realizes that not all doms are so easily swayed.
Porter has been told he has to manage Kenzie in order to receive his Club Sin tattoo. He takes a new approach to Kenzie and things go in directions neither of them anticipated. He manages to bring out something inside her that she's long kept hidden. But she really doesn't like letting it show.
To keep things interesting, there is also some crazy Russian threatening her. Kenzie really shines in this story. We see her ups and downs and the reasons for her emotional scars. It seems like every other chapter she's developed into someone new and better. Porter, on the other hand, just never seemed to go anywhere. Don't get me wrong, he was just about perfect already, but with so much growth in Kenzie it really made him look stagnant at times.
I think I know what couple is coming up next, and it's going to be super interesting. This is such a wonderful series that really looks into why people enter the lifestyle and what they can get out of it.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Porter has been told he has to manage Kenzie in order to receive his Club Sin tattoo. He takes a new approach to Kenzie and things go in directions neither of them anticipated. He manages to bring out something inside her that she's long kept hidden. But she really doesn't like letting it show.
To keep things interesting, there is also some crazy Russian threatening her. Kenzie really shines in this story. We see her ups and downs and the reasons for her emotional scars. It seems like every other chapter she's developed into someone new and better. Porter, on the other hand, just never seemed to go anywhere. Don't get me wrong, he was just about perfect already, but with so much growth in Kenzie it really made him look stagnant at times.
I think I know what couple is coming up next, and it's going to be super interesting. This is such a wonderful series that really looks into why people enter the lifestyle and what they can get out of it.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
This is going to be a very interesting series. I love that it takes a look at historical women who have found a way to take charge of their own circumstances and make a living - even if it is running a gambling yard. They have found a way to be successful and I love how devoted to each other they are.
Lady Vice is married to an awful man, and when he is found murdered, people blame her. She needs to bring her allies close quickly to find the true murderer before she finds herself at the hangman. Enter her ex-love, Max. Separated by a big of confusion, they have a lot of assumptions about the past they really need to deal with. They have to learn to trust each other all over again, and that can be a difficult task.
My biggest complaint was that Max wasn't up front about everything from the beginning. Everytime Lavinia finds out he wasn't forthcoming about something, she backs off and he can't seem to understand why. The suspense behind this story was fantastic. It really helped to carry the characters from page to page in a way that threw them back together again to work out their problems. It was also a nice look into the other two Furies, which I'm sure will have their own book soon.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
Lady Vice is married to an awful man, and when he is found murdered, people blame her. She needs to bring her allies close quickly to find the true murderer before she finds herself at the hangman. Enter her ex-love, Max. Separated by a big of confusion, they have a lot of assumptions about the past they really need to deal with. They have to learn to trust each other all over again, and that can be a difficult task.
My biggest complaint was that Max wasn't up front about everything from the beginning. Everytime Lavinia finds out he wasn't forthcoming about something, she backs off and he can't seem to understand why. The suspense behind this story was fantastic. It really helped to carry the characters from page to page in a way that threw them back together again to work out their problems. It was also a nice look into the other two Furies, which I'm sure will have their own book soon.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
This book sounded really good - I loved the idea of a woman sweeping in to rescue a man - even if he didn't really need it. But it just didn't live up to my expectations. Alice is super critical of not being told everything at once. How many people would really start a conversation by giving her every little piece of information she may want to know? She was a little too insecure for being such a strong character in other ways.
Mark was a great guy. I really don't think Alice gave him the credit he really deserved. He was always doing things about as right as he possibly could. This is also a very short novella, so we didn't get to explore much between them and I think that really hurt the story as well.
Mark was a great guy. I really don't think Alice gave him the credit he really deserved. He was always doing things about as right as he possibly could. This is also a very short novella, so we didn't get to explore much between them and I think that really hurt the story as well.