NEW ADULT MONDAYS: The Score (Off-Campus #3)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

The Score (Off-Campus #3), by Elle Kennedy
Publish Date: January 11, 2016
Publisher: Self-published
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) He knows how to score, on and off the ice. 

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over. 

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

In the first two Off-Campus books, Dean seemed kinda slimy. Now, after reading his story, I think he may just be the best one of all of them.

It's quite a turn around of opinions - Elle Kennedy did a masterful job of humanizing the manwhore of the group. She turned him into a person who you not only liked, but one you found yourself rooting for, cheering on, and crying with. 

We've met Allie before too. She's Hannah's roommate and on-again, off-again girlfriend to her longtime boyfriend. In The Score, we see that they are now off-again, and Allie is determined that this time it'll stick. She's just not happy with him anymore. Kudos to her for realizing the difference between happiness and habit. She enlists the help of her friends, and by proxy their boyfriends and Dean, to keep her from running back to him.

Dean was never looking for a relationship. He was doing just fine banging a new girl every week, thankyouverymuch. But, Allie did something no other girl ever had. She turned him down. Repeatedly. 

I love it when that happens. It seems to be a pattern with the boys in this entire series so far. Girls, take note. Boys will always notice a girl who speaks her mind and stands up for herself. They like girls who don't give it up to every popular guy on campus just to get ahead. And they prefer girls who have real goals that don't include doing every member of the hockey team. 

Once we got into Dean's story, we realize there's so much more to this exhibitionist sex-fiend than meets the eye. He had some things happen in his past that he's not proud of, and those things are suddenly thrust in his face again. He's also forced to work outside of the privileged box in which he finds himself, which opens his mind to new career possibilities. Dean is also made to deal with some hard things, which is how he finds out who his real friends are and whether Allie is someone he can step up and change for. 

The Score was surprisingly emotional. My heart was sad for both Allie and Dean at different parts of the book. This book also contained some of the trademark humor that we've seen in the previous two books in the series. That humor comes from the relationship of these four BFFs. Garrett, Logan, Dean and Tucker are such good friends - it's one of my favorite parts of each book. They yank each others' chains and joke around all the time. But, when one of them needs the others for support, they are there with no questions asked. Even if that means a serious come-to-Jesus talk. 

The Goal will be the last book in the series, and we had a pretty jaw-dropping introduction to what Tucker's story will be about at the end of The Score. It's sure to finish things off with these four friends in a spectacular way. 

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: The Mistake (Off-Campus #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

The Mistake (Off-Campus #2), by Elle Kennedy
Publish Date: May 6, 2015
Publisher: Self-published
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) He’s a player in more ways than one…

College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…

After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

And the awesomeness continues...

Before I was even finished reading The Deal (Off-Campus #1), I had already bought The Mistake. It was really a pretty easy decision. These Briar University hockey players have completely stolen my heart. 

The Mistake follows John Logan - or, just Logan to most everyone who knows him - who is struggling to beat down his feelings for his BFF Garrett's new girlfriend Hannah Wells (the couple from The Deal). Like any good friend, he feels incredibly guilty for wanting her for himself. Since Logan is a viral young male, he tries to screw away his feelings. Ha. 

The Mistake is your classic jock meets wallflower trope. Although at first glance, Grace doesn't seem like the type to be able to bring Logan to his knees and make him forget about Hannah, she does just that. For a few hours. Aaaaaanddddd then Logan screws it up. Of course. 

They spend the summer apart, and while Logan spends that time trying not to think about how he won't be able to do what he wants after graduation, as well as the mousy girl who sort of blew his mind for a night. Grace spends that time shoring up her walls so that when she gets back to school, she can resist the charms of the hot hockey player who seriously hurt her feelings. 

I loved Grace. Like, A LOT. She's shy and a little off the wall. But, she is determined. I felt so badly for her when Logan hurt her feelings, and I have to give her credit for making strides to ensure that it didn't happen again. She makes Logan work for her affections, and as it turns out, that was exactly what he needed in order to prove to both Grace and himself that this was for real. 

For Logan's part, this is a kid who is being pulled in more directions than he should. He's trying to deal with his feelings for Hannah, plus the fact that, even if he's drafted by the NHL, he can't play for them. Grace is the one bright spot in his life. And I loved that about them. 

Elle Kennedy is a master at creating characters who seem to be one thing on the surface, but once you dig a little deeper, you discover they are something completely different. Her characters and her stories have many layers, and while you're peeling away those layers, you don't want to stop reading. You know there's more there than what you think, and that when you get there, it's going to be good. Oh, and did I mention that her books are sexy as hell? Because they are. And that's just the icing on top. 

So, this is now two out of the four roommates' stories told - two more to go. 

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Make It Last (Bowler University #3)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Make It Last (Bowler University #3), by Megan Erickson
Publish Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: paperback, borrowed
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) After graduating from Bowler University, the last place Cam Ruiz ever expected to find himself is his hometown. A bad job as a bouncer and worry over his mom’s health make living in Paradise anything but. There’s only one thing that can make his return any harder—running into the only girl he’s ever loved.

Tate Ellison made a mistake when she was eighteen, one that cost her the best thing she’s ever had. She’s always hoped the regret of losing Cam would fade over time. Too bad it’s only grown. She took comfort in the fact she’d never have to face him again, so his presence in Paradise throws her for a loop.

The pull between them is instant and when the truth of what happened years ago tumbles out, they share a mind-blowing kiss...which leads to more. But the past has a way of repeating itself. When all the cards are on the table, Cam and Tate must decide what they are willing to do to make it last.

Megan Erickson really knows how to punch you right in the feels, and Make It Last really lets you have it. I knew it would, though. Cam has always been the silent, brooding one of the group, so I just knew he had a hell of a story. And his second chance love story ended up being my favorite of the series.

Cam is in a difficult place. He's returning home for the first time in five years, and is surprised to run into his ex, Tate, whom he had assumed had moved on to bigger and better things after cheating on him and dumping him when they were teenagers. He's never moved on from her, so when he sees her still working the same job she was when he left, he's taken aback and left to wonder what's been going on with her this whole time. When the whole story comes out, Cam finds out that were not then and are not now what they seem. 

Cam had my heart from the very beginning. This guy is rock solid. He's sacrificing his future career to take care of his ailing mother, even though he knows that coming home will also cause him to relive all his memories with Tate. He's making the hard decisions in order to do what's right, and I love that about him so much. 

One could argue that that is exactly what Tate was doing as well. She sent Cam packing years before and has spent her time making sacrifices and hard decisions as well. I think Tate is super strong and deserves to be happy as much as Cam does. Unfortunately, Tate suffers from a martyr complex the size of the Northern Hemisphere. Tate has gotten so used to making tough choices, that she starts making them for not only herself, but for everyone else around her. And, even after that is pointed out to her, she still has a hard time stopping. 

There is definitely a different feel to Make It Last than the other two books in this series. Both Cam and Tate are facing some incredibly emotional and difficult situations in their lives - things that would send me to a corner to rock and weep. The best part about them is that they don't always handle things perfectly. They make mistakes and face the consequences. It was very real and believable. 

We get appearances from both Alec and Kat and Max and Lea, so as we are watching Cam and Tate try to wade through their past hurts and find a way to fix them and move forward, we see the other two couples starting new chapters in their lives. It was a great way to end the series. 

Cam's and Tate's journey back to one another is filled with poignant memories and some really sad moments. But, those are what made this book so awesome. I'm sad to say goodbye to the Bowler University friends, but so happy that Megan saved Cam's story for last. Talk about ending on a high note. 

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Hold On Tight (Sea Breeze #8)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Hold On Tight (Sea Breeze #8), by Abbi Glines Publish Date: June 3, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Six years ago, Dewayne Falco's life changed. He lost someone he never expected to lose. Resigned to punish himself for something he felt he could have prevented, he goes through life without getting too close to anyone.

What he didn't expect was for the girl across the street to move back home and remind him of what they both lost: Dewayne's younger brother Dustin. However, when a miniature version of Dustin opens the door to greet him, Dewayne realizes he might not have lost everything after all.

Sienna Roy loved Dustin Falco most of her life. He was the boy next door, the high school basketball star and her best friend. But when his life was cut short, she realized he left a part of himself behind.

Now, she's back in Sea Breeze, thankful to have a home for her and Dustin's son, but not sure if she can ever forgive the people across the street who abandoned her when she needed them the most — The Falcos.

Betrayal, lies, and forbidden attraction might end Dewayne and Sienna's story before it's even begun.

I’ve been on a Sea Breeze binge the past four days or so. I’ve read Misbehaving, Bad For You and Hold On Tight right after the other. I don’t usually do that with books. I usually need a break from the same characters and world for a bit before I return. But, it had been awhile since I had read an Abbi Glines new adult book, and once I started, I remembered why I love them so much. This series is all about these epic loves that change lives and equally epic friendships that stand the test of time. What could be better than that?

Speaking of standing the test of time, Hold On Tight is an amazing second-chance love story, and easily became one of my favorites in this series. Dewayne Falco has been in love with his younger brother’s girl for years. But, his brother died, and Sienna left town abruptly, and Dewayne has been filling the void with lots of alcohol and women. But, then suddenly, Sienna comes back, and she has brought with her his brother’s son, whom Dewayne and his parents had no idea existed. Now, Dewayne is conflicted between wanting Sienna and wanting what’s best for Sienna, which he doesn’t think is him.

The Dewayne we see in Hold On Tight is very different from the Dewayne we’ve seen in all the previous books in the Sea Breeze series. The only time we’ve seen Dewayne has been when he’s at Live Bay with his friends, knocking back a cold one with a skanky chick on his lap. It’s obvious that he is still very tight with his friends from high school – he’s always ribbing them about falling victim to the “magical pussy,” and he always has their backs when they’re in trouble.

But, as soon as Dewayne sees his 5-year-old nephew, he turns to mush, and he knows that he would give this boy the moon if he asked for it. Ladies, if that doesn’t make your panties melt, I don’t know what will. Seeing Sienna right after meeting Micah just about laid Dewayne out for the count, though. I just loved that this petite woman and her little boy destroyed this big, brash man with just a look.

Sienna has had a horrific time of things since finding out she was pregnant with her dead boyfriend’s child. Her parents disowned her and shipped her away to live with an aunt she had never met. All her hundreds of letters to Dustin and Dewayne’s parents went unanswered. The only person Sienna can rely on in this world is her son. But, when she returns to town, it quickly becomes clear that things are not how she always thought they were.

For Sienna, everything is different in Sea Breeze. Most notably, she has the freedom to be with Dewayne if she wants to now, which is exciting and terrifying for her. But, Dewayne doesn’t seem to want her, and Sienna struggles with how that makes her feel. She’s been unwanted for a long time, and Dewayne is just one more in a long line.

Sienna broke my heart. I can’t even imagine how a 16-year-old girl could find the strength to survive all she went through. It’s no wonder she doesn’t trust easily any more or feel wanted or loved by anyone. Her relationship with her son was absolutely precious. I love how she kept the memory of his father alive and well, and I also loved how Micah was always stepping up to take care of his mother when he felt she needed it.

Sienna and Dewayne dance around each other for most of the book. The sexual tension between these two made me crazy! And it went on forever. It made the culmination of things all the more awesome, though. And the ending included a little twist that I didn’t see coming. I mean, I figured out parts of it, but not the whole picture. So, that was pretty cool too.

Only one more to go in the Sea Breeze series. I’m both excited to read it and kinda want to avoid reading it. Because if I read it, this epic series about amazing loves and incredible friendships will finally come to a close.

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Bad For You (Sea Breeze #7)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Bad For You (Sea Breeze #7), by Abbi Glines
Publish Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Addiction was something Krit Corbin accepted as part of his nature a long time ago. He decided to embrace it and flip his finger at the rules. Women had always been the number one thing on his list of addictions. He couldn’t get enough. Being the lead singer in a rock band had only made access to his favorite addiction that much easier.

Being alone was the only thing Blythe Denton understood. The small town minister’s family that raised her hadn’t accepted her as their own. The minister’s wife had always made sure Blythe understood just how unworthy she was of love. When Blythe is sent away to college and given a chance to finally be free of living as an unwanted burden, she looks forward to having peace in her life. Being alone isn’t something that bothers her. She escapes reality in the stories she writes.

However, the ridiculously sexy tattooed guy who keeps throwing parties in the apartment above hers is driving her crazy. For starters, he doesn’t treat her like she would expect a guy with a different woman always hanging on his arm to treat someone as uninteresting as her.

She looks nothing like the gorgeous women she sees parading in and out of his apartment, but for some strange reason he keeps showing up at her door. During a party at his apartment, Krit’s new neighbor comes to the door with her long brown hair pulled up in a messy knot and a pair of glasses perched on her cute little nose. She wants him to turn down the music, but he convinces her to stay.

Krit Corbin may have just found his biggest addiction yet. And Blythe Denton realizes too late that she’s finally been claimed.

Normally, the bad-boy-falls-in-love-with-the-innocent-sheltered-girl trope doesn’t do it for me. Both characters always seem so overdone and a caricature of real people. For some reason, I didn’t feel that way about Bad For You. I loved this book

Perhaps the reason why Bad For You was so much better than other books that use this particular plot device is because we already know Krit. We’ve known him for several books now and really got to see him in action in the Sea Breeze book immediately before this one, Misbehaving. Yes, he’s a bad boy in every way down to the tats, piercings, rock band lead singer job and man-whoring ways. But, we also know that there is a lot more to Krit Corbin. He’s a good man with a good heart. He cares about his friends and his sister. And he desperately wants someone to love him for him.

In that aspect, Blythe is perfect for Krit. She’s as pure and transparent as they come. Having been raised in a terribly strict home and abused verbally and physically, she’s been conditioned to think everyone around her is better than her. She sees the good in everyone else and only the supposed “evil” inside her. She’s free and on her own for the first time in her life, and although she’s painfully shy and not good in large groups of people, she is determined to overcome this and finally live her life to the fullest.

Krit and Blythe are two broken people that are so good together. Although their shades of childhood abuse are similar, how they handled it and who they became because of it are very different. It seems that once they meet and start hanging out (initiated, of course, by Krit – he does have a habit of steamrolling over everyone in his path), they start to balance each other out. Blythe soothes the wildness and rough edges in Krit. And Krit brings Blythe out of her shell enough to make friends and get involved in living her life.

Best of all, they seem to encourage the value placed on themselves. Both Krit and Blythe think they are worthless people, destined to live only the most mediocre of lives. And then, once they meet, neither can understand why the other thinks those things of themselves. They both set out to show each other and the people around them how wonderful they are. And this has a profound effect on them, both individually and as a couple.

There aren’t quite as many sexy times in Bad For You, but it’s okay. There’s a crazy amount of sexual tension there between Blythe and Krit to keep you satisfied until the main event. And, can I just tell you how much I LOVED being inside Krit’s head? The boy is all over the place, but holy moly – it’s impossible to not love him with all your heart after reading his thoughts about both Blythe and about himself. It made Bad For You my most favoritest Sea Breeze book yet.

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Loving Dallas (Neon Dreams #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.
  

Loving Dallas (Neon Dreams #2), by Caisey Quinn
Publish Date: June 16, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Dallas Lark is so close to achieving his dream of making it big in country music that he can taste it. Arriving in Nashville after signing with sexy, successful manager Mandy Lantram, his life goes from tragedy and turmoil to one lucky break after another—except it isn’t really luck because Dallas has sacrificed everything for his career, leaving behind his band, sister, best friend, and high school sweetheart, Robyn, in the pursuit of fame.

Robyn Breeland is a successful marketing coordinator and promotions specialist for a thriving liquor distributor out of Texas. She loves every aspect of her job: coming up with new ideas, traveling, hosting promotional parties and exclusive events—until it brings her face-to-face with the man who broke her heart, prompting her to erect a steel cage around it.

When their paths collide and they’re forced to work together, Dallas and Robyn realize that the old spark they thought they’d extinguished might still be a burning flame.

Loving Dallas was exactly what I needed in this rollercoaster of emotions that is the Neon Dreams series. The real angst and tears are with Gavin and Dixie, but Loving Dallas takes the focus off them and places it on Dixie's older brother Dallas as he goes off to seek fame and fortune alone.

After Leaving Amarillo's new manager convinces Dallas to go it alone, he becomes the opening act for one of the hottest country singers in the country on his new tour. Personally, I couldn't believe at first that Dallas was okay with leaving Dixie behind. And then, when Gavin reminds Dallas of why HE can't join him either, Dallas became a one-man act. Dallas was so caught up in the fact that he might actually achieve his dream of making it big that, for a time, he convinced himself that leaving his bandmates behind was a necessary evil. 

Handing over my boarding pass, I adjust the guitar on my back and take the first step toward a neon dream I've been chasing for as long as I can remember. 

Dallas' tour is being sponsored by a local liquor, and it just so happens that Dallas' old girlfriend Robyn works PR for them and is managing the tour. We met her in Leaving Amarillo, and we get the impression that she and Dallas were once very serious, but that he broke her heart for some reason. One thing is clear - it didn't end well between them. And, now they have to work together. 

Robyn tries really hard to keep Dallas at a distance. But, honestly, she stood no chance. The man is sex on a stick. And he can sing. As Dallas and Robyn get caught up in each other again, things get complicated... again. She shouldn't be fooling around with one of the tour participants. It's not professional behavior, and she could lose the job she loves. And, Robyn is not part of Dallas' Master Life Plan right now - being super famous and partaking in all the perks is. But there was a reason they were so good together in high school. And, that reason never went away. 

Robyn and Dallas were so good together, too. I loved their relationship and their chemistry. I love that Robyn remained friends with Dixie even after Dallas dumped her, and now Robyn uses Dixie as her sounding board. And, I love that even two people as close as Dallas and Robyn were still had secrets. I mean, the secrets weren't the part I loved - the spilling of them was. It cleared things up for both Dallas and Robyn as to why they broke up in the first place. And it helped clarify things in the present as well. 

As I mentioned - the focus during Loving Dallas was not on Gavin and Dixie. Dallas' and Robyn's story was a lot lighter, so it gave the reader a bit of a break from all the heartache. A much needed break. Especially if you decide to binge read the series like I did. At the end, the focus returns to Dixie and Gavin and whether there is a future for Leaving Amarillo, but the future of Dallas and Robyn is at least decided. 

Admittedly, I was so wrapped up in Dixie and Gavin that, when I realized they weren't going to be around much in Loving Dallas, I was pretty bummed out. But, I got over that very quickly as I got caught up in what was happening with Dallas and Robyn. It was easy to do. It's wonderfully written. It's a poignant, yet exciting, second chance love story, and I loved every minute of it. 

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Leaving Amarillo (Neon Dreams #1)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Leaving Amarillo (Neon Dreams #1), by Caisey Quinn
Publish Date: March 17, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Format: e-book, gifted
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Dixie Lark hasn’t had it easy. She lost her parents in an accident when she was young and grew up in a ramshackle house on a dirt road in Amarillo with her ailing grandparents and overprotective older brother. Thanks to her grandfather, Dixie learned to play a mean fiddle, inspired by the sounds of the greats—Johnny and June, Waylon, and Hank. Her grandfather’s fiddle changed Dixie’s life forever, giving her an outlet for the turmoil of her broken heart and inspiring a daring dream.

Ten years later, Dixie and her brother, Dallas, are creating the music they love and chasing fame with their hot band, Leaving Amarillo. But Dixie isn’t enjoying the ride. All she can think about is Gavin, the band’s tattooed, tortured drummer who she’s loved since they were kids. She knows he feels the connection between them, but he refuses see her as more than his best friend’s little sister.

Convinced that one night with Gavin will get him out of her system, Dixie devises a plan. She doesn’t know that her brother has forbidden Gavin from making a move on her-a promise he swore he’d always keep . . . a promise that once broken will unexpectedly change the future for Dixie, Gavin and the band.

I'll admit - at first glance, I passed on Leaving Amarillo. I'm not a country music fan, so I wasn't sure I would be able to get into a book about a country band trying to make it big. And, then in April I met Caisey Quinn, and she was really cool. And yet, I still balked. But, then I started seeing other blogger friends absolutely RAVING about it, so I finally added it to my wishlist, and my OTSP Secret Sister, whoever that sweet gem is, bought it for me. 

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for country music, I was immediately grabbed by the story. First of all, the main character, Dixie, plays the violin. (I played the violin for 10 years.) And, second of all, Caisey Quinn brings you to the main point of the story immediately, and it's not country music. 

Dixie is in love with her band mate and her brother's best friend Gavin, and she has been for a long time. Her brother, and band front man, Dallas, is definitively against them being together. He knows Gavin's past and doesn't think he's good enough for his baby sister. But, Dixie's suffered in silence long enough and decides to lay it all out there for Gavin and tell him how she feels. 

And, my goodness - that took some serious guts. To put yourself out there and not know how it will go - especially when the person you're spilling your guts to is your best friend in the whole world, and you're in a band together and have to see each other all the time. Yeah. I give mad props to Dixie. She's is so incredibly strong and brave. I would've never been able to come clean to Gavin and tell him how I felt like that. 

Most of us have experienced unrequited or forbidden love in our lives. It sucks. A lot. It's heartbreaking. And I felt ALL OF IT. Caisey Quinn is such an incredible writer. As Dixie was sifting through her feelings about Gavin both internally and as she poured her heart out to him, I felt SO MUCH, and it stayed with me for days afterward.

And, after it all, Dixie gets Gavin to agree to spend one night with her. She thinks that's all she'll ever have, and is hoping that she'll get enough good memories to exist on for the rest of her life, because she knows that without even a kiss or a touch from him, Gavin has already ruined her for all other men. That night - holeeeee crap. It was so incredibly hot. I might've read that section of the book three times in a row. Maybe four. 

Now, I know I said this book wasn't about country music, but it did serve as the backdrop. And, trust me when I say, you don't have to love country in order to appreciate this book. Dallas, Dixie and Gavin's band, Leaving Amarillo, is playing at a big festival, hoping to be noticed by producers or an agent. For all three of them, this band and each other are everything. We get the story entirely from Dixie's POV, so we go through the book knowing that playing in this band and being with Gavin are really the only two things that Dixie wants in the whole world. 

So, we spend the entire book wondering if Leaving Amarillo will hit it big and get noticed by someone important, and if, along the way, Dixie and Gavin can figure out their stuff enough to be together without fear of Dallas or of the consequences to the band. Throughout the course of the book, Dixie grows up a lot. She experiences a lot of hurts from a lot of different sources, and she deals with all of them as best as she can, given her youth. Some things she handles better than others, but all of her reactions were organic and realistic and so steeped in emotion. 

Nothing is resolved by the end of the book. In fact, only more questions are presented. What happened to Gavin during the year Dixie spent in college? Will Dixie really never play in Leaving Amarillo again? What are Gavin's plans to make Dixie his for good? And, when he gets around to implementing them, will she still want him? It's these questions, and more, that drove me on to book #2, Loving Dallas, immediately after finishing Leaving Amarillo. And, it took only this one book to solidify this series as one of my favorite new adult series ever.  

REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Make Me (Broke and Beautiful #3)

Make Me (Broke and Beautiful #3), by Tessa Bailey
Publish Date: August 11, 2015 
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher 
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble   

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Construction worker Russell Hart has been head-over-work boots for Abby Sullivan since the moment he laid eyes on her. But he knows a classy, uptown virgin like her could never be truly happy with a rough, blue-collar guy like him. If only she'd stop treating him like her personal hero—a role he craves more than oxygen—maybe he could accept it.

With the future of her family's hedge fund on her shoulders, Abby barely has time to sleep, let alone find love. And her best friend Russell acting like a sexy, overprotective hulk any time their Super Group goes out in public definitely isn't helping her single status. But after a near-tragedy lands Russell in her bed for the night, Abby's suddenly fantasizing about what he looks like shirtless. Chest hair and tattoos—who knew?

As Russell struggles to keep Abby at a safe distance, she begins to see through his tough-talking exterior—and acknowledge her own feelings. Now she's ready to turn the friend-zone into foreplay…and make him lose control.  

For the love of Russell... I LOVED his and Abby's story. I loved the ending. I did not love that this series is now over. :(

Russell is the sweetest man ever. He's been in love with Abby since he saw her, but is convinced that because of her wealth and upbringing that a simple blue collar worker like himself will only hold her back from achieving her dreams. He decides to just love her silently and be there for her whenever she needs anything. He might be sweet, but holy crap, I wanted to smack the crap out of this hot as sin man. 

The friend zone was quite busy in Make Me. Initially, it was Abby who put Russell in the friend zone, albeit, unknowingly. I have to wonder how she didn't know that her best friend was completely gone over her, but when something causes a chain of events that result in Abby's blinders being removed, remarkably, it was Russell who puts Abby in the friend zone. Just shake your head - it's what I did. 

Both Russell and Abby had a lot of stuff to work through in order to be together. For Russell, it was his hangup over her money and his lack of it. For Abby it was her lack of control over her professional fate. And, it was like, they just couldn't hit their stride as a couple until they could figure out how to get all the other crap out of the way. 

Russell... Ben... Louis... OMG, they're all perfect. The men were all the perfect blend of sexy, sensitive and strong. And every single one of them - especially Russell with his rough side - are amazingly awesome dirty talkers. If that's something you love, then you need to read this series just for that. And when these guys fall in love, they do it with their entire mind, body and soul - Russell especially. Absolutely everything he does is for Abby or her well-being. His motives are noble and true, even if his actions don't always hit the mark. 

Abby... Honey... Roxie... they are my favorite part about this series, because every one of them was perfect too. So many times in NA series, it's the girl that drives me up a wall. But these three girls are smart and strong and don't put up with their men's stupidity. If they see something wrong, they try and fix it, and don't wait for the guys they love to come save them. Abby suffered a lot under the weight of other people's expectations, until she had finally had enough and started to take charge of her life and go after the things she wanted and not the things that other people wanted for her. Mad props to this girl. 

I love Tessa Bailey's other series, but the Broke and Beautiful series may be my favorite one of hers yet. I'm so bummed out that it's done now, but the ending of Make Me did it justice. It not only wrapped up Russell and Abby's story perfectly, but it also put a finer point on the direction of the other two couples as they all set out on their own paths. These six people will be friends forever - you can just tell. 

Chapter One

Day one hundred and forty-two of being friend-zoned. Send rations.

Russell Hart stifled a groan when Abby twisted on his lap to call out a drink order to the passing waiter, adding a smile that would no doubt earn her a martini on the house. Every time their six person “super group” hung out, which was starting to become a nightly affair, Russell advanced into a newer, more vicious circle of hell. Tonight, however, he was pretty sure he’d meet the devil himself.

They were at the Longshoreman, celebrating the Fourth of July, which presented more than one precious little clusterfuck. One, the holiday meant the bar was packed full of tipsy Manhattanites, creating a shortage of chairs, hence Abby parking herself right on top of his dick. Two, it put the usually conservative Abby in ass-hugging shorts and one of those tops that tied at the back of her neck. Six months ago, he would have called it a shirt, but his two best friends had fallen down the relationship rabbit hole, putting him in the vicinity of excessive chick talk. So, now it was a halter-top. What he wouldn’t give to erase that knowledge.

During their first round of drinks, he’d become a believer in breathing exercises. Until he’d noticed these tiny, blond curls at Abby’s nape, curls he’d never seen before. And some-fucking-how, those sun-kissed curls were what had nudged him from semi-erect to full-scale Washington monument status. The hair on the rest of her head was like a…a warm milk chocolate color, so where did those little curls come from? Those detrimental musings had lead to Russell questioning what else he didn’t know about Abby. What color was everything else? Did she have freckles? Where?

Russell would not be finding out – ever – and not just because he was sitting in the friend zone with his dick wedged against his stomach – not an easy maneuver – so she wouldn’t feel it. No, there was more to it. His friends, Ben and Louis, were well aware of those reasons, which accounted for the half-sympathetic, half-needling looks they were sending him from across the table, respective girlfriends perched on their laps. The jerks.

Abby was off-limits. Not because she was taken – thank Christ – or because someone had verbally forbidden him from pursuing her. That wasn’t it. Russell had taken a long time trying to find a suitable explanation for why he didn’t just get the girl alone one night and make his move. Explain to her that men like him weren’t suitable friends for wide-eyes debutantes and give her a demonstration of the alternative.

It went like this. Abby was like an expensive package that had been delivered to him by mistake. Someone at the post office had screwed the pooch and dropped off the shiniest, most beautiful creation on his Queens doorstep and driven away, laughing manically. Russell wasn’t falling for the trick, though. Someone would claim the package, eventually. They would chuckle over the obvious mistake and take Abby away from him, because really, he had no business being the one who’s lap she chose to sit on. No business, whatsoever.

But while he was in possession of the package – as much as he’d allow himself to be in possession, anyway – he would guard her with his life. He would make sure that when someone realized the cosmic error that had occurred – the one that had made him Abby’s friend and confidant – she would be sweet and undamaged, just as she’d been on arrival.

Unfortunately, the package didn’t seem content to let him stand guard from a distance. She innocently beckoned him back every time he managed to put an inch of space between them. Russell had lost count of the times Abby had fallen asleep on him while the super group watched a movie, drank margaritas on the girls’ building rooftop, driven home in cabs. She was entirely too comfortable around him, considering he saluted against his fly every time they were in the same room.

“Why so quiet, Russell?” Louis asked, his grin turning to a wince as his actress girlfriend, Roxy, elbowed him in the ribs. Yeah. Everyone at the damn table knew he had a major thing for the beautiful, unassuming number whiz on his lap. Everyone but Abby. And that’s how he planned to keep it.

“I know why,” Ben said, causing Russell’s stomach to catapult itself across the bar. Before he could change the subject, Ben pulled his student-turned-main squeeze closer and continued. “He doesn’t need to give us advice on girls anymore. His powers have been diminished.”

“We’ve slain the beast.”

Ben and Louis toasted their plastic beer cups without a single glance at one other. Why was he friends with these two again? Oh right. The power of beer had brought them together. Praise be to Heineken. Smug as they were, though, Russell knew humor was their way of showing support. If it wasn’t humor, it would be sympathy, aka dude kryptonite.

“What kind of advice did he give you about us?” Roxy wanted to know, shooting Louis and Ben stern glances.

“Uh-uh.” Russell shook his head. “I’m calling bro confidentiality on you both. That includes pillow talk and supersedes any and all forms of sexual coercion.”

Ben adjusted his glasses. “That reasoning, however, should lend some insight into what you ladies missed.”

Honey leaned across the table and patted Russell’s arm. “It all worked out in the end, big guy. Who knows? You might have had something to do with it after all.”

Russell opened his mouth to respond, but whatever he planned to say withered in its inception because Abby spun in his lap again, sending the world around him into slow motion. A left jab of her scent – which after careful consideration he’d termed white grape sunlight – caught him in the chin and he barely restrained the urge to shout oh, come on, at the top of his lungs. Her big hazel eyes were indignant on his behalf, mouth pursed in a way that shouldn’t have been sexy, but damn-well was. She’d snapped her spine straight, hip bumping his erection in the process.

Please, almighty God, just kill me now.

“Russell gives great advice,” Abby protested and Russell would have smiled if he wasn’t busy earning his master’s degree in boner-soothing meditation. She really had no idea her outrage only made her sweeter because it looked so unnatural on her. “Remember the man on the first floor of our building? The one who used to clear his throat loudly every time we walked by?” She waited for Honey and Roxy to nod. “Russell told me the next time it happened, I should just shout TROUBLE at his door. I did. And it hasn’t happened since.”

When Louis and Ben started laughing into their beers, Russell flipped them off behind Abby’s back. What his friends knew that Abby didn’t? As soon as she’d told him the problem, he’d paid a visit to their downstairs neighbor and explained that trouble would find him if he so much as breathed in Abby – or any of her roommates’ – direction again. Hence, the single word being so effective. Russell was trouble.

But as Abby turned a bright, encouraging smile on him, swelling his heart like an inflating balloon, he recognized that his brand of trouble had nothing on Abby’s. She didn’t even know how dangerous she was to his health. Because while Abby was the package that had been delivered by mistake, he’d gone and fallen for her, despite his attempts to simply be her friend.

And maybe it was his imagination, but the loss of her seemed to loom a little closer each day. Like any minute now, she would peer a little closer and realize he was in imposter. Loss was something with which Russell was familiar. Loss had cut him off at the knees at a young age, made him hyper aware of how fast it could happen. Whoosh. Chopped off at the knees. So he was already in damage control mode, hoping to limit the fallout when she inevitably headed for a younger version of Gordon Gekko. For now, it was all about keeping a comfortable gap between him and Abby.

She scooted back on his lap to make room for the waitress who had returned with a round of drinks, and Russell gritted his teeth.

Okay. Comfortable definitely wasn’t the right word.

***

I have friends. I have friends now and it’s glorious.

Six months ago, when Abby Sullivan had placed the ad on Craigslist, seeking two roommates to share her Chelsea apartment, her highest hope had been for noise. Maybe it sounded silly, but apart from the Ninth Avenue traffic trundling past and the occasional shouting match on the street, her life had been so quiet before Honey and Roxy showed up. She’d been hoping for hair dryers in the morning, dishes being tossed in the sink, singing in the shower. Anything but the void of sound she’d been living with, alone in the massive space.

Then, oh then, she’d gone and done something even more impulsive than placing an advertisement for massively discounted rent in cyberspace. She’d blurted upon meeting them for the first time that she didn’t need help paying the rent; she merely wanted friends. Unbelievably, it hadn’t felt like a mistake to reveal such a pitiful secret to a couple of strangers. There had been a feeling when all three of them first stood in the same room that it would work out, like a complicated math equation that would prove itself worth the work.

Now? She couldn’t imagine a day passing without them. The guys had been an unexpected bonus she hadn’t counted on. Especially Russell.

As they walked crosstown toward the Hudson River where they planned to watch the Fourth of July fireworks, Abby smiled up at Russell where he towered over her. She received a suspicious look in response. Suspicious! Ha! It made her want to laugh like a lunatic. All the way back to her furthest memory, she’d been reliable, gullible, sugar-filled Abby to everyone and their mother. Even Honey and Roxy, to a degree, handled her carefully around subjects that might offend her or hurt her feelings. She was too grateful for their presence to call them on it, though. Sometimes she opened her mouth, the words I’m not made of spun glass hovering right on the tip of her tongue, but she always swallowed them. They meant well. She knew that with her whole heart. Maybe someday, when she was positive they wouldn’t vanish at a rare show of temper—the way people always did when she bared a flaw—she’d tell them. Until she worked up the courage however, she would stay quiet, and appreciate her new best friends for the colorful positivity they’d brought into her life.

But Russell? She appreciated him even more for getting mad at her.

Such occurrences were her favorite part of the week. Russell stomping into the apartment, grumbling about her not checking the peep hole. Refusing to go out on a Saturday night until she changed into more comfortable shoes. Giving her that daunting frown when she revealed they’d had a leak in the bathroom for three weeks and hadn’t yet called the super to repair it. He’d had it fixed within the hour, but he hadn’t spoken to her the entire time.

It was awesome.

Because he kept coming back. Every time. No matter what—no matter what she said or did—he never washed his hands of her. Never got so fed up with her admittedly flighty behavior that he skipped a hang out. Or didn’t respond to a text. He was the steadfast presence in her life she’d never had.

No one spoke to Abby at her job. She’d been hired after graduating at the top of her Yale class and placed in a silent power position at a hedge fund. Her father’s hedge fund. So she could understand her co-workers’ reticence to invite her for happy hour. Or even give her a polite nod in the hallway. At first, she’d been prepared to try anyway. Force them to acknowledge her in some small way, even if it was just passing the stapler in the conference room. Then she remembered. When she forced her opinion on people, or had an outburst, they went away, and didn’t come back for a long time.

Her coworkers assumed she sat in her air-conditioned office all day playing Minecraft or buying dresses online. And why wouldn’t they? She’d done nothing to sway that notion. In reality, however, she worked hard. Showed up before the lights came on and stayed later than everyone else. Brought work home with her and often, didn’t get to sleep. She had no choice.

Stress tightened like a shoelace around Abby’s stomach, but she breathed through it. Tonight was for fun with her friends. Tomorrow morning would be soon enough to face her responsibilities.

“It’s the shoes, isn’t it?” Russell demanded, encompassing Abby, Roxy and Honey with a dark look. “This always happens in the eleventh hour. You girls started limping around and we just have to watch it.”

Ben sighed. “Here we go again.”

“No, really. I think I’ve finally figured it out.” Russell swiped impatient fingers over his shaved head. “You ever heard of sympathy pains? When my sister-in-law gave birth, my brother swore someone was firing a nail gun into his stomach. To this day, the guy has never been the same.” He pointed at Abby’s electric blue pumps. “Women wear these evil creations around to confuse us. Sure, they make a girl’s legs look good, but that’s the black magic, my friends. They want us to feel their pain and not understand why.”

Louis turned, walking backwards on the sidewalk so he could face them. “I have to admit, I’m with Russell on this one.” He smiled at Roxy’s outrage. “You could go barefoot and it wouldn’t make a difference to me.”

“I’ll round it out with a third agreement,” Ben chimed in. “I like Honey in her Chucks.”

That statement earned Ben a kiss from Honey and a groan from Russell. “I’m thrilled you assholes have found a way to use my amazing logic to earn points.”

Abby loved the familiar argument simply because it was familiar—a routine she had in common with others—but she had to admit her feet were throbbing. After a night of dancing, the crosstown walk was giving her blisters. She wore heels all day at the office, but they were sensible and low-heeled. Nothing like the stilettos she’d borrowed from Roxy. In fact, now that she’d acknowledged her tired feet, every part of her seemed to sag with exhaustion, as if she’d finally given her bones permission. “I can end this argument right here,” Abby interrupted with a weary, but determined smile. The group stopped to watch as she slipped off her shoes and placed her bare feet back onto the cool sidewalk with a hearty sigh. For some reason, everyone’s gazes swung to Russell who – God love him – was frowning at her like she’d just crashed his beloved truck.

“A new tactic, gentlemen. Take note.” Their four friends laughed at Russell’s ominous tone, but Abby stayed pinned under his scowl. Although now, his scowl had a hint of uncertainty behind it. “Put them back on, Abby. You’re going to step on something. Broken glass, or—”

Abby breezed past Russell. Honestly, he worried constantly for no reason. They were only a few blocks away from the river and the streets were well lit. What was the worst that could—

Her feet left the ground, her gasp cutting off as she was cradled against Russell’s big chest. His expression was hidden, thanks to the streetlights shining blindingly above his head, but Abby knew from experience, he would be annoyed. She couldn’t prevent the smile from spreading like wildfire across her face, feeling as if it reached as far as her chest. It seemed impossible, but somehow she’d earned a place among these people who cared about her. Friends. Good friends. The kind you can’t live without.

Especially Russell. Her favorite.

“You were put on this earth to make me crazy, Abby. You know that?”

“I’m not sorry about it,” she whispered. “Does that make me a bad person?”

“No. It makes you a woman.”

She muffled her laugh with the use of Russell’s shoulder. “Men make women crazy, too. It’s not a one-sided affair.”

He frowned down at her. “What would you know about it?”

That question coming from anyone else might have embarrassed Abby, but for all Russell’s bluster, he never judged her. Not for her lack of a love life, anyway. Shoes were another matter altogether. “I know things.”

“Things, huh? Maybe Louis and Ben should spend more time at their own apartments.” His arms flexed as he hefted her higher, with minimal effort. “Do you actually like watching the fireworks or is this just a patriotic custom we’re upholding?”

“No, I love fireworks.” She tilted her head back and looked at the sky. “Everyone forgets over the course of the year how incredible fireworks are. You know? They forget until they’re standing beneath them again. You don’t like them?”

He stared ahead as he answered. “I like that you like them.”

Abby smiled, knowing Russell would have to be extra gruff for the remainder of the night to make up for that slip. And needing to torture him a little over it. “That’s how I feel when you make me watch the Yankees.” She laid a hand against his cheek. “It’s worth it just to see your adorable man eyes light up.”

His sigh was sharp, but she caught the corner of his mouth kicking up. “All this time, I thought you were enjoying it.”

“The blooper reel is my favorite.” Drowsiness settled more firmly over her and she stifled a yawn against his shoulder. “Also, I love when kids in the audience catch foul balls.”

“Crowd. It’s called a crowd.”

She hummed in her throat, eyelids beginning to weigh down. “I knew that. Just seeing if you were paying attention,” she murmured.

Russell chewed his bottom lip a moment, worry marring his features. “You’re so tired lately, Abby. Everything okay?”

“Totally fine,” she lied. “Just going to rest my eyes a minute.”

Positive he would wake her up when they reached the Hudson, she wound her arms around his neck and dozed off. It was the first time she’d slept in three days.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tessa Bailey lives on Long Island with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

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NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Fall With Me (Wait For You #4)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Fall With Me (Wait For You #4), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Avon Books
Format: paperback, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads)  Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.

Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.

But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

What kind of person does it make me when I love books that place the female MC in mortal peril, and she can only be saved by the man she loves? Don't get me wrong - strong women are my cup of tea. But, there comes a time when even the strongest woman needs some help, and a man in protective mode is my favorite thing to read about. 

You could tell in Stay With Me (Wait For You #3) that Roxy and Reece have some sort of history, and that it didn't end well. Turns out Roxy has wanted Reece since she was only 15, and one night she had her chance, and Reece didn't handle it well. The next 11 months are filled with nothing but vitriol and anger and resentment between the two of them. 

But, Roxy really needs as many people who care about her right now, because the man who nearly killed her best friend is now out of jail and keeps trying to find her. At the same time, someone appears to start stalking her with escalating severity. Good thing the object of her desire and the main cause of her anger is a cop with a serious protective streak. The mystery aspect of this book - who is stalking Roxy and why? - is awesome. Although I had it figured out pretty early, it was still fun to see it all unfold for the characters in the story. And the final showdown was scary and exciting and really satisfying.

I was glad that Roxy and Reece didn't wait until the very end of the book to clear the air between them. I don't know if I could've taken all that angst. It was frustrating enough that Roxy kept chalking her stalker up to a ghost in her house. Really, Roxy? You're smarter than that. That drove me a lot crazier than hers and Reece's past misunderstandings that went unresolved for awhile. 

I loved Reece. He's smart and loyal and sweet and a hot alpha male. It took him a little longer than it took Roxy, but once he realized who it was he wanted, he started making plans to get her. Reece takes his time - plots things out. Roxy's much more of a pantser. Reece is kind of a bad boy with a badge. Roxy is the artistic free spirit. They might be opposites, but these two completely different people couldn't be more right for each other. 

It takes Roxy awhile to get over her past hurts, both in regards to Reece and to her best friend Charlie. The parts between Roxy and Charlie brought me to tears. The situation with him was tragic and heartbreaking and senseless. I can't imagine what Roxy went through for six years, and I'm glad that she had Reece to lean on for most of it. He's got a very strong shoulder to cry on. 

Reece is sexy personified - he and Roxy tear it up in the bedroom. Even when Roxy wasn't prepared or ready to admit her true feelings, she didn't have any problems opening up to Reece that way. 

I loved that Jennifer Armentrout found ways to seamlessly work in appearances by Cam and Avery, Jase and Teresa and Calla and Jax. They were all there, as well as the psychic stripper Katie, Reece's serious brother Colton, and the brooding bartender Nick. That last chapter with Nick and Katie's prediction for him was priceless and will lead us into the next book in this series. I seriously cannot wait!

Between Reece and Roxy's chemistry, the suspenseful mystery and the emotional moments with Charlie, Fall With Me is another fantastic addition to Jennifer Armentrout's Wait For You series. Bring on Nick's book.

NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Twisted (Tangled #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Twisted (Tangled #2), by Emma Chase
Publish Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) There are two kinds of people in the world. The ones who look first, and the ones who leap. I’ve always been more of a looker. Cautious. A planner. That changed after I met Drew Evans. He was so persistent. So sure of himself – and of me.

But not all love stories end happily ever after. Did you think Drew and I were going to ride off into the sunset? Join the club. Now I have to make a choice, the most important of my life. Drew already made his –in fact, he tried to decide for the both of us. But you know that’s just not my style. So I came back to Greenville. Alone. Well, sort of alone....

What I've come to realize is that old habits die hard and sometimes you have to go back to where you began, before you can move ahead.

One of my biggest pet peeves about "funny" books is, when the serious stuff happens, it's usually glossed over with jokes and sarcastic wit. Some situations are just not funny, and when they're treated as such, it cheapens the humor in the rest of the book. Somehow Emma Chase has figured out how to walk that very fine line. She was able to take a serious situation and blend it with humor at the right moments in the right ways to keep me laughing out loud and crying. 

If you remember, at the end of Tangled, things looked sublimely good for Kate and Drew. In Twisted, two years have passed, and Kate and Drew seem to have fallen into a happy pattern. Until Kate throws the pair way outside of their pattern and Drew responds in an unexpected way. All of a sudden, Drew and Kate are facing an unexpected future, and that is the most unexpected thing of all. 

Twisted is told from Kate's POV this time around. I loved her in Tangled, and I loved her even more in Twisted. This is one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She's incredibly smart and continues to hold her own at Drew's father's investment banking firm. She and Drew are like the Dream Team there. Kate is driven and ballsy and so much fun. I think that's why Drew loves her so much, even after two years together. 

But, the best thing about Kate is that she can make the hard decisions when she has to. She doesn't like to make them, but she does what she thinks is best, no matter what. That takes serious guts - when you know that the best decision is not the easiest, and yet you go that route anyway. Also, sometimes she makes mistakes, and Kate can admit when that happens. 

The humor that marks an Emma Chase book is definitely here. There were so many moments when I laughed out loud. The banter between Kate and Dee Dee (well between anyone and Dee Dee - that chick is something else) and Billy is absolutely hilarious. And, in this book, those moments were very much needed. What Kate is going through is really hard and really sad. I can't even imagine what I would've done in her position. I definitely would've cried a lot more than what she did. Would've wallowed more than planned. But, I'm not Kate. 

Drew is missing for nearly all of this book. When things fall apart between them, Kate leaves New York and goes home to her mother in Ohio. That is where the majority of the book takes place. But, in the moments that Drew is present, he is larger than life, as usual. Despite the really serious - and I mean SERIOUS - mistakes he makes in Twisted, I still love the man. Hard. He doesn't always do the right thing, but what he does do, he does it with the same passion he exhibited in Tangled. 

Once again I listened to the audio version of Twisted. Sebastian York, who was the voice of Drew in Tangled, returns to read the epilogue, which is also in Drew's POV. I swear, I will listen to any book this man reads. He is absolutely wonderful. Charlotte Penfield read most of the book. This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by her, and it will definitely not be the last. She was fantastic! I thought she captured Kate's trademark snark perfectly. 

Emma Chase managed to keep me laughing at the right moments, sad at the right moments, and furious at the right moments. The story line was never buried under needless silly banter and the jokes were never shoved in there with a crowbar. She is so good at what she does. I've already added all her other books to my TBR, because I need more from this wonderful author.