BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Inner Core (Stark #2)

Welcome to my stop on the Inner Core blog tour, organized by Xpresso Book Tours! Read on for my review, then enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card. And, don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour.

Inner Core (Stark #2), by Sigal Ehrlich
Published January 25, 2014
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-book, provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours
Genre:  adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating:  3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) When Hayley makes a resolution to take back the control over her life, and declare their relationship R.I.P, it’s all good in theory…

That is until Daniel decides to prove her wrong and get her back.

Together, Hayley and Daniel seem to have it all. But can love ever be enough when two strong personalities collide and while reality takes the lead?

Faced with more obstacles than she could have ever bargain for when it comes to Daniel, struggling to keep her own identity while sharing a life with her man. Buds of doubt start rooting in Hayley’s confidence, making her rethink her decision.

And just when it seems that they might make it together after all, life happens. Bringing a threat that neither Hayley nor Daniel could ever anticipate, a threat that could break them apart forever .

Daniel is the sexiest, most awesome nerd ever, and I love him to itty, bitty pieces. Sigal Erlich did a fantastic job bringing him to life in Inner Core.

After he and Hayley had a falling-out at the end of Layers, Daniel is determined to get her back at all costs. He knows that nothing short of a grand gesture will do. After winning her back, Daniel thinks it's time for them to start living their lives together. But, Hayley still seems intent on putting the breaks. Is whatever is causing her mental block going to spell the end of their relationship forever?

I've got to be honest with you. Hayley made me want to throw something during most of the time I read Inner Core. She was constantly whining, waffling and wallowing in indecision. More than that, she treated Daniel terribly. 

Despite his mistakes, Daniel strives to make amends from the very beginning. He makes the necessary grand gestures we all love to see from the men in our books. He says all the pretty words and is willing to make the big commitments. Mad props to Daniel for putting up with what few men would. 

Hayley strung Daniel along in the worst way. I say the worst way, because she actually had feelings for him. She really did love him. There should've been no roadblocks to her naturally moving forward with him in their relationship. But, instead, she made excuses in order to maintain her independence, as if it's a mutually exclusive thing. Her conversations with Daniel go something like..

"I love you SO MUCH, Daniel. I never want us to be apart. I can't picture my life without you! But, wait. A commitment?? Pfftht. You must have me confused with someone else. Let me have a drawer for a few years. Then, maaaaaaybe you can talk me into a few feet of your closet. But, I really love you. I want to be together with you forever. I just don't want to marry you. Or live with you. Or have anything with you that's labeled with any sort of permanancy. But, I love you, baby."

Infuriating. 

But, once she got over her stupid hang-ups, that's when things got good. I wish it would've happened earlier in the story, but I'll take what I can get. Daniel's job gets him in a sticky situation  that causes Hayley to question how she's been going about things. Her epiphany was a long time coming and very much wanted. And then the after... it made it all worth it. The very end was pretty darn amazing and totally swoony. I loved it. 

Despite the fact that I had a hard time getting behind Hayley and her motives for doing... well, most everything... Daniel made it all worth it. Overall, it was a good ending to their story. 

About the Author

By teen age, Sigal already lived in three different continents where she had the luck to experience and visit varied places, meet unique people, which only helped fuel her overly developed imagination. Currently, Sigal calls Estonia home where she lives with her husband and three kids.

Not exactly sure where they will end up next…

When she is not hiding in her office, writing, she enjoys music, reading and taking care of her little clan.

With a great believe in "don’t wait for things to happen - make them happen," she enjoys anything exciting life has to offer.

Learn more about Sigal Ehrlich --> Facebook / Website / Twitter

Giveaway

Enter to win a $100 Amazing gift card or a signed copy of Inner Core.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Layers (Stark #1)

Welcome to my stop on the Layers tour, organized by Xpresso Book Tours. Check out my review, and don't forget to enter the giveaway for signed books and a Kindle! Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour to learn more about Layers and the super talented author behind Daniel Stark, Sigal Ehrlich.

Layers (Stark #1), by Sigal Ehrlich
Published October 10, 2013
Publisher: Telemachus Press
Format: e-book, provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours
Genre:  adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) According to Hayley love is a subject of ridicule, a myth created by hopeless romantics.

When Hayley makes a resolution to declare her loose lifestyle era R.I.P, it’s all good in theory…

That is until she meets Daniel Stark, a well-respected, mid-thirties business man who is known for his short temper, lack of steady relationships as well as his strict preserve of his private life.

Opinionated, sharp tongued Hayley accidentaly steps into his office leaving Daniel resolved to put Hayley in her place and have her in his bed.

Both Hayley and Daniel can’t avoid the immediate instigation of the attraction between them.

In a unanimously agreed upon verdict by Hayley and her two best friends, Ian the gay self-absorbed, aspiring model and Natasha the witty, borderline neurotic soul mate, Daniel Stark is to be Hayley’s pure physical attraction, emotions aside era closure.

Will it indeed be a closure, or a beginning to something neither Hayley nor Daniel ever bargained for…

I loves me those alpha male billionaires. Daniel Stark is definitely a card-carrying member of that club, so right there is a check in the plus column for Layers. 

Hayley is sick of trying to lose herself in faceless guys. A chance meeting with Daniel Stark, CEO of Stark Industries, has her reeling. After a few false starts and stops, they seem to have a good thing going. Neither started out wanting feelings to play into things, but neither can help it when they do. Which will only make things more devastating if it all falls apart. 

I really loved Hayley's and Daniel's initial meeting. It's something we've seen before - the girl badmouths the CEO, not realizing she's actually talking to the... CEO. It's always so hilarious when it comes out. And, somehow the rich, gorgeous CEO always finds the girl endearing. 

Daniel was pretty awesome. I loved his alpha controlling tendencies. I loved his desire to take care of Hayley. I love how that bothered him for awhile. He's been burned in the past when he fell in love with a girl who sold him out to the media. He had a terrible father. So, you can't exactly blame the guy for being slow to trust. But, it seems like, once he made the decision that Hayley was it for him, he was in, balls to the wall, and I loved that. 

So many times in books like this, I have major issues with the girl in the relationship. Not so in Layers, I actually really liked Hayley. She's smart and confident and has a loving family and good friends. She's not afraid to walk away from Daniel early on when she didn't like what she heard and saw. 

My biggest disappointment with Layers is the lack of heat between Daniel and Hayley. Emotionally, it's there, but physically, it felt like a deflated balloon. There was so much potential for some steaminess between these two. What made it worse, is that we were almost there. So many times, I thought, "FINALLY - here we go!" And, we get fade-to-black. Lots of fade-to-black. Grrr.

The ending is filled with sadness and angst and frustration. It's a cliffhangery ending, but thankfully, the sequel, Inner Core, is not too far behind. I'm very much looking forward to the completion of Hayley's and Daniel's story and seeing them get their HEA. 

About the Author

By teen age, Sigal already lived in three different continents where she had the luck to experience and visit varied places, meet unique people, which only helped fuel her overly developed imagination. Currently, Sigal calls Estonia home where she lives with her husband and three kids.

Not exactly sure where they will end up next…

When she is not hiding in her office, writing, she enjoys music, reading and taking care of her little clan.

With a great believe in "don’t wait for things to happen - make them happen," she enjoys anything exciting life has to offer.

Learn more about Sigal Ehrlich --> Facebook / Website / Twitter

Giveaway
Enter below for a chance to win one of five signed copies of Layers or a Kindle! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway