BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Wish I May (New Hope #2)

Wish I May (New Hope #2), by Lexi Ryan
Published October 4, 2013
Publisher: Ever After LLC
Format: e-book, obtained from the Inkslinger PR and the author in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) I grew up wishing on stars.

My father taught me to believe…in destiny, in magic, in happily ever after. Dreams were my scripture and the starry night sky was my temple. Then Mom stopped believing, left him, and took us with her. At the age of sixteen, I cashed in my dreams to pay the rent, pawned my destiny to keep my sisters together.

Now, seven years later, I’m returning home, grieving the death of my mother, and settling my sisters back into the life Mom threw away. I never intended to stay. I don’t want to deal with my father, who is so invested in the spiritual world he forgets the physical. I don’t want to face William Bailey, whose eyes remind me of the girl I was, the things I’ve done, and the future I lost.

This would all be easier if Will hated me. As it is, I have to hold my secrets close so they won’t hurt him more than they’ve already hurt me. But he wants to be in my life. He wants what I can’t bring myself to confess I sold. He wants me.

I find myself looking to my stars again...wondering if I dare one more wish.

I had started thinking that, in William Bailey's case, nice guys DID finish last. In Unbreak Me (New Hope #1), the poor guy experienced not one but two failed relationships. He was such a sweet guy, but he just got dumped on - I felt so badly for him. I was so excited to find out that the second New Hope book was about him - that perhaps this nice guy would get his HEA after all. 

In Wish I May (New Hope #2), Cally and Will were in love as teens, but then she moved away and dropped him like a bad habit. Seven years later, Cally is back in town after her mom dies in order to get her sisters settled with their dad. She runs into Will and realizes that she's not even close to being over him. And he's not over her either. Problem is, a lot can happen in seven years. 

One thing I'll say for Lexi Ryan - she really knows how to write stories with lots of intensity in them. Both books that I've read of hers tackled some pretty hefty issues. The characters have had to overcome some serious problems. And the relationships have been crazy powerful. There's not a lot of comic relief or breaks in the feels. It starts and ends with them. 

That's not to say this is a bad thing. The writing is really good. I love Lexi Ryan's style. And the pacing is just right. There aren't any lulls in the action that would cause me to want to skip ahead or skim. In fact, I think it's because of all the feels that I was so engaged. I was able to connect with both William and Cally right off the bat and I got into the story quickly because I knew their HEA was going to come eventually, and I wanted to see it happen.   

Wish I May is told from both William's and Cally's POVs. The steam was off the charts for a new adult book. But, more than that, I loved the connection and the chemistry between William and Cally. Their interactions were suffused with tension and history and love - it's everything you need or want in a contemporary romance book. 

The side characters are equally compelling. Cally's sisters are complete opposites - one is sweet and kind and the other is a bitchy teenager. I felt lots of things for her, let me tell you. Then, there are the twins Lizzy and Hanna from Unbreak Me. I have a sneaking suspicion that the next New Hope book will be about one of them (my money's on Hanna). And yes, we also see how Maggie and Asher are doing. Wish I May was a fantastic addition to my new adult library. 

About the Author

Lexi Ryan, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, writes romances with humor, heat, and heart. A former college English professor, Lexi now writes full time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and two children. Please visit www.lexiryan.com

Learn more about Lexi Ryan -->  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway

Lexi is giving away 4 $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Cards and the grand prize winner will also receive a signed copy of UNBREAK ME during the tour! Open internationally. 

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REVIEW: Unbreak Me

Unbreak Me, by Lexi Ryan
Published May 27, 2013
Publisher:  Lexi Ryan/Ever After LLC
Format: e-ARC - provided by AToMR and the author in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  New Adult Contemporary Romance
To Buy:  Amazon  * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) “If you’re broken, I’ll fix you…”

I’m only twenty-one and already damaged goods. A slut. A failure. A disappointment to my picture-perfect family as long as I can remember. I called off my wedding to William Bailey, the only man who thought I was worth fixing. A year later, he’s marrying my sister. Unless I ask him not to…

“If you shatter, I’ll find you…”

But now there’s Asher Logan, a broken man who sees the fractures in my façade and doesn’t want to fix me at all. Asher wants me to stop hiding, to stop pretending. Asher wants to break down my walls. But that means letting him see my ugly secrets and forgiving him for his.

With my past weighing down on me, do I want the man who holds me together or the man who gives me permission to break?

Unbreak Me was a great new adult story told in three POVs. Yes - you read that right. In Unbreak Me, we get inside the heads of Maggie, her ex-fiance Will, and bad boy rock star Asher. Initially when I realized this, I was a little confused at the decision to do that, as three POVs can get a bit messy. 

Ultimately, though, I think it was a good call on Lexi Ryan's part. For one reason, it hid the love triangle resolution from me for a long time. Both men are in love with Maggie. And, it seems that Maggie has serious feelings for both men. But, as we delve into Asher's and Will's thoughts and feelings, the nuances came through and eventually, Maggie's correct choice became clear. Of course, it took her longer to figure that out than me, but that's to be expected. 

Maggie's full backstory is also drawn out for a long time. It kept me guessing, and ultimately, I guessed wrong at exactly what happened to her. For an NA book, her problems are a bit more serious than the usual, which cast a pall over the book. It was pretty depressing, honestly. That doesn't mean that Unbreak Me was a bad book. On the contrary - it was a great book that elicited a lot of emotion. But, I felt like I needed to read a much lighter book next to take the sad away. 

Asher and Will - I loved both of these boys for very different reasons. Will is the "good boy." He is the one who has known Maggie for years and stood by her when the going got rough. He's also the one whose heart was broken by her when she mysteriously broke off their engagement a year ago. Asher is the "bad boy." He is a former rock star with a rap sheet, tats and a constant 5 o'clock shadow. He's also the only one (besides Will) who treats Maggie with respect and isn't constantly trying to get her to talk about her problems. I didn't know who to root for for awhile. 

There was a lot going on in Unbreak Me, and it took awhile for it to all come together. But, when it did, everything made sense and Maggie made her choice. Of course, this wouldn't be a good book without a kink in the road once you think everything is going to be okay. But, that made the ending that much more satisfying. Unbreak Me will make a great addition to your NA library.