3.5 stars




 I love a rock star book (check out my past reviews, you will see more than a fair share of them involve rockers!)

When I read the blurb of Love of A Rock Star it sounded really interesting so couldn't wait to read it.

Now while I liked the story, it just didn't reeeaaaaally do it for me.

Luke pulled a real dick move when he walked away from his 8 month pregnant girlfriend to chase fame and fortune.  Yes, they were both young, but really?

Marlene just blended into the background for me.  I couldn't even remember he name until I read the synopsis again.  To me there was just nothing outstanding about her.  Yes she is a single mum working her arse off for her daughter, but other than that.... nothing.


Now he is famous and has got what he wanted in life, he wants back in Marlene and his daughter Nil's life.  Nothing wrong with that, good on him for manning up and coming back.  

The problem I had was that everything just seemed to go in fast forward from here one.  Marlene ummed and ahhed for about 4 seconds before letting him back into her life, and to let him get to know Nil.  Hell 2 minutes after he met the kid, she was leaving Nil with him, a complete stranger!  I would have made him grovel for a lot longer than that, walk through fire, prove himself a bit more (but this may just be me).

While there were some funny, sad and brutally honest moments in Love of A Rock Star, there were just some things that were a bit unreasonable and unbelievable

For me the one that made this story was the daughter Nil.  Such a smart little thing for a 4 year old.  She was wise way beyond her years.  

So while I liked the story and it was good, I felt it had the potential to be a very good story. There didn't seem to be much character developmemt, and when they got back together after 4 years, they seemed to fall back into their teenage selves again,

As it was Ms Simone's debut novel, I know as she hones her skills and her craft, she will become a very good writer.

Copy received from the author for an honest review.

I am not much of a paranormal/supernatural book kind of reader - ghost stories, yeah whatever lol - but I have loved the other works by Lyla Payne that I have read, so when she approached me to read Not Quite Dead I decided to give it a go.

And I am glad I did.

This is not just a ghost story. There is mystery, suspense, humour, romance.

Heron Creek is a bizarre little town full of bizarre people, and Graciela sure does shake things up a bit when the moves back to care for ailing family!! From the first chapter when we meet her I just knew that I was going to love her.

I was drawn into the ghost story/mystery story and needed to find out what the ghost wanted, why she was hanging around. There was a a bit of the scooby-doos about the story at times with some of the characters, hell I was expecting someone to come and say they "would have got away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids"



I don't mean that in a bad way either, it added an amusing, lighthearted feel to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Not Quite Dead, and look forward to reading Not Quite Cold when it is released.

Check our full review at http://bjsbookblog2.blogspot.com

ARC received for an honest review

I was only having a discussion last week about how I am getting a bit over the "billionaire sex god meets virginal young woman who changes him" storyline, but there was just somethings about the blurb of Little Black Book that made me go back and read another one.

And I am glad I did. There was just something a little different about this one that kept me interested.

Sebastian Black is all about the f*&king, no emotional ties at all. He is a bit of a dick really. It took me a while to warm up to him, but I did eventually.

Roz/Jessica, god I felt for that girl. The responsibilities on that girl's shoulders, and how she does everything she can, she is just amazing.

I could understand her taking up Sebastian's offer, as much as she was against the whole idea of it. You would do what you had to do if you were in her position too.

There is a bit of a mystery running in the background of Sebastian and Roz's story, and while I had kind of figured out the connection, it was still a bit of a surprise when it all came out in the open exactly what happened.

I love the instant spark between Sebastian and Roz, and even though Roz knows he is bad for her, she can't help but be attracted, no matter the conuences.

“I couldn’t be in the same room with him without wanting to slap him for being so smug and self-assured. Yet at the same time, I wanted to kiss him because every time he looked at me I felt like I was seconds away from going up in flames.”

I did like that the pair did not jump straight into bed. Hell, yeah there was plenty of other stuff going on, and the sexual tension between the two could be cut like a knife, so was glad that we got the anticipation of what would eventually happen.

I did feel that the middle did seem to move at hyper speed. Sebastian went from being a no-commitment-guy-with-a-string-of-ladies-in-waiting to a man completely in love in a nanosecond. Roz went from not knowing the man to having complete and utter trust in him by about a 3rd of a way into the book. She was also pretty quick to forgive and (maybe not) forget for things that happened. Some of those things were huge OMG really things, and she just let them slide.

Maybe it is just me, but this just felt a bit off.

And the other things - what happens to the little black book? This is what this man's life is all about for so long, but *poof* is just ups and is forgotten? What's all that about?!?!?

So if you are looking for a sexy rich manwhore meets girl who is love of his life romance, give Little Black Book a go.

more Simon Parker? Yes please!!

Rusty Nailed is a lot more angsty than Wallbanger, as Simon and Caroline move into "relationshipville", but there are still plenty of laugh out loud hilarious moments.

Love the rest of the crew, as Mimi, Ryan, Neil and Sophie deal with their relationships too.

The scene stealer is again Clive. That cat is a dead set legend. The last few scenes with him had me in stitches!!

ARC received through LBTS for an honest review

Tempting Tatum had me drawn in from the first chapter.

Tatum's story is just heartbreaking, losing everything at once. How that girl got up the next morning is beyond me! I just wanted to give her a great big hug!

I loved how she took that huge step to pack up and leave everything she knew (albeit with her best friend and her friend's fiance) and moved away for a new start. You go girl!

Enter Blaise... sexy, sexy Blaise. What is not to love about the man? Tattoo artist and firefighter? Hell yes! He is also weet, sexy, funny, sexy, loving. Tatum is his "BOOM", his one, and there is no one or nothing that will keep them apart in his mind.

I could completely understand both Tatum and Blaise's hesitance to start a relationship. Both have been burned by people in the past and neither wants to put their hearts out there again. But the chemistry between the pair is sizzling. I swear you could cut the sexual tension with a knife.

So can Blaise be enough to let Tatum move forward in her life? Can Blaise forget the hurt from the past and find his forever?

Uh uh, for that you will have to read for yourself.

There are some fantastic secondary characters in Tempting Tatum. Loved Tatum's best friend Leah and her fiance Brent to bits. They are the kind of family/friends you want in your life.

And don't get me started on Blaise's family. It is not hard to tell that his parents are hardcore into the firefighting when their kids are called Blaise, Asher and Ember! I loved the twin connection between Asher and Blaise! The banter between all three siblings is wonderful! There's is just the perfect family.

But for all the good there is the bad, and the exes in this story are just horrid. Josh is a douche of the biggest kind, and Blaise's ex Beth is a bithc. OMG I just wanted to bitch slap the crap out of her every time she turned up in the story.

Tempting Tatum is a wonderful story of loss, betrayal, heartbreak, new beginnings. My heart broke and my heart healed. My heart soared. I had my fair share of tears as I read Tatum's story, but even though it was sad, it wasn't full of angst. I have read so many books lately that are just so angsty, it was lovely to read a book that could have the tears without it.

Ms Ryan has written a wonderful, lovely, sweet romance, and I am looking forward to what she has for us next.

Why why why did I take so long to finally read this book?

I cannot get enough of my rock star books, just keep writing them so I can keep up my habit!

I loved it! David is divine! just wrap him up and deliver him to my door, bad decisions and all.

good on Ev for giving him a hard time when he effed things up. not a fan of instant forgiveness, make that man grovel!

The best thing about leaving it so long to read... I can move right onto book 2 Play!

daaaaaamn! I loved David but I LOOOOOOVE Mal!

And the thing I really love about this series? the girls make the guys work for it. No falling at the guys feet because they are rock stars.

now, on to Jimmy's story!

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

3.75 stars

It is no secret that I love my rockstars. Give me a hot rocker with tattoos, and I am diving in.

Rock It is a sweet rocker romance, probably a little bit sweeter than I usually like, but I did like it.

Who hasn't had a teenage crush - or in this case, obsession - on a rock star, imagining what it would be like to finally meet them? Or as we get older, lustful thoughts about celebrities.

I could feel for Lacey as she is thrown into Dante's world. I could understand her confused thoughts, her mental fight over what she was doing as opposed to what she should be doing.

But for the first half of the books, I was over the "OMG he's so wonderful I want him so bad.... oh wait I have to act professional" I got it after the first couple of times it was brought up, I didn't need to keep hearing it (but this maybe was just me and it might not annoy anyone else).

These are some pretty tame rock stars - considering Dante is only 24, you expect a bit more wild behaviour put of him and his band mates. He comes across as a lot older than he is, while at times Lacey still comes across as a teenager

I love Lacey's roommates. They are an eclectic mix, and her best friend Anna is just awesome! I love her to bits!

But then there is Brenda - she is just that bitchy cow that you want to bitch slap from the minute she comes into the story.

So, now I am excited to read Anna's story in Fake It

I have been a big fan of Ms McCarthy and the Give Me series from the minute I first read the first chapter of the first book. And to me, the series just keeps on getting better and better.

Casey Daniels has always been a bit of an enigma in the series, and I have always wanted to know more more more.

And Give Me Grace does not disappoint.

There is just so much about Casey that we didn't know, and it sure was an adventure learning more about him. Behind that confident, cocky exterior there is a man in a world of pain.

"I tried. I f&^king tried, but I can't do this Trav. There's nothing there, and I'm tired of pretending there is."

Grace is the brother of Jamieson band member Henry. International model, super successful career. But not is all as it seems there either. Everyone thinks she upped and left her family for fame and fortune, but things could not be further from the truth.

When Casey and Grace's world come together, it is not all hearts and butterflies. They don't get off on the best of terms, but right from the start you can tell that things are going to heat up between the two.

I love the banter between these two. They are both so cocky and smart mouthed and quick witted. It is like a tennis match between them when they get into a war of words.

You just know that as much as they fight it, there are gonna be fireworks when they get their act together. But fight it they do for so long. Gah, talk about frustration for the reader!! But it is all part of the wonderful story that Ms McCarthy writes.

And it is worth it!!!!

"Besides, no one's cock is that good. Unlesss it can perform magic tricks. You got a magic dick, Casey?"

I willed myself to stay calm. "I do," I replied, my tone thick with sarcasm. "Every time I get a woman in my bed, I like to perform a little trick I call now you see it, now you don't."

See, gotta love that smart arse attitude!

Of course there is plenty of suspense, action and surprises just waiting for the reader. Grace's secret was something that I so completely was not expecting. We know that she is hiding something, but my mind went to a lot different places than what it actually was.

Casey's story is deep, intense, heartbreaking. But it is also beautiful and heartlifting. I may have shed a tear or two for him as the story progressed.

Ms McCarthy is very quicky becoming one of my favourite authors. I have read all her works to date, and each one is better than the last. Her stories flow well, are well paced, and will drag you right into the story from the beginning to the end.

 

Now, what the heck am I going to do until the next book in the series comes out???

I was a big fan of Fixed On You, and it has taken me a while to get back to this series.

But I am glad I did. Found in You focuses on Laynie and Hudson's burgeoning relationship. You just know from the start that this is not going to be an easy read.

Neither of then having been in healthy relationships before, you just know that they are going to struggle with their new found feelings. I loved how no matter what, they were committed to each other.

And boy there are enough people trying to keep them apart. People and acts from their past conspire to keep them apart, and OMG some of the people and things that come out of the woodwork!

I always knew there was something about Celia that I didn't like, and she just confirms it all in this book. Gah, what a bitch!

So now I need to see if they can get their HEA... off to read Forever With You