Title: Unbreak Me

Author: Lexi Ryan

Date of publication: 27 May 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author links: 
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads 

My rating: 3 stars

“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?

My Review

I received an ARC of this book by the author via AToMR Tours in exchange of an honest review. 

I liked this book but it left me with mixed emotions thus making it very difficult for me to review it. There are some things in it that I really liked and others, that didn't work for me.

I liked the multiple points of view and I found the voices of Maggie, William and Asher really unique and convincing and one of the best features of the story. For me the beginning was very strong and promising.  The main characters were introduced as entangled in a web of secrets and hidden/or not so well conflicts. 

Initially, I was not sure what to make of Maggie or Will. I could not decide if I liked them or not. Asher was the one character which I liked from the very start. There is not ambiguity about him - he is the good bad guy. 

I felt deeply for Maggie's suffering, yet she failed to impressed me. I understand her using sex as a means of escape, yet I did not really see any significant change or growth in her as a character. It was always Asher who pushed things forward for them.  He was a strong character, well developed and convincing. He has his own issues and past but managed to overcome them by seeing the real Maggie and allowing her to be herself. 

My main problem for me were the other characters and their attitude towards Maggie. At the beginning they were all against her, blaming her for everything. Then suddenly they are act very understanding and supporting. It turns out that they never blamed her or believed the rumours about her. It seems very unrealistic to me. Either she was blind to their true feelings for her, or they were very good at masking them with hate and mistrust. 

I found the middle portion of the book the most frustrating. Most of the characters were acting illogical and Maggie kept pushing Asher away, never opening herself to him. I enjoyed the last third of the book, though. Maggie and Asher's relationship was beautifully represented. It started as instalust and gradually they both overcame their pasts and built mutual trust. Things felt natural between them.

Another issue I had with this book was Maggie's relationship with Will. I realise he loved her and was ready to do anything for her. I feel bad for him being left behind. I could not understand, though, if Maggie had feelings for him at some point, or she was just using him. She went back and forth with her attitude towards him and I couldn't figure out how she really felt. 

Overall, I can honestly say that it was very difficult for me to evaluate this book. I loved some aspects of it, and I hated others. The story really moved me, it touches on so many important issues, yet I felt they were treated superficially and some of them were left unresolved.

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from a book that I just started. It is the first book of a new author - Tangled by Emma Chase. The book is  generating quite a buzz on Goodreads at the moment and I have read a number of positive reviews, so I have pretty high expectations of it. It is sort of chick lit, though told from a male Point of View. I am really curious how the author (a woman herself) has managed to present the way guys think and talk about women. I should be fun :)

"Newsflash, ladies: We can't read your thoughts. And frankly, I'm not entire;y sure I'd want to. The female mind is a scary place to be."

Tangled by Emma Chase (author's website)

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed? 

Here are the new releases and it looks like a busy week. First we start we Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan. I received an ARC of this book for review via AToMR Tours. I liked some things in it, others - I hated, so I gave it 3 stars. You can check my review tomorrow on the blog.

Next comes The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen. I really enjoyed book 1 (it was my first JS's book) and now I can't wait to finish Ella and Micha's story.

On the same day another book 2 (final) in a favourite series comes out. I loved Pushing the Limits and since Beth was not a favourite of mine, I was bit hesitant about her story in Dare You To. My Goodreads friends who already read this book seem to love it, so I am looking forward to giving it a try myself and hope that Ms McGarry manages to redeem Beth. 

Now, the final book in my list is Jet by Jay Crowoner. It another second book in a series. I liked Rule (book 1) just so-so, but the story of hardcore musician and Southern country belle sounds just irresistible. 

Goodreads Blurb

My Review

Author links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Blogger / Pinterest

Today I am participating in the Release Day Blitz of Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely, organised by Xpresso Book Tours. 

I have not yet read Ms Blakely's other books, a mistake which I plan on rectifying as soon as possible. In the meantime I am really excited about her latest book coming out today, Trophy Husband. It is an adult contemporary romance which sounds like fun to read.

Make sure to check the book reviews on Goodreads.

Synopsis

Sometimes you can't help falling in love, even when you try to do the opposite...Successful fashion blogger McKenna Bell has spent far too long protecting herself after the way her ex-fiancé left her at the altar for a college chick he met the night of his bachelor party. Loving again, trusting again, well, that's just not in the cards. Especially now that her ex is back in town with his new woman, demanding custody of McKenna's favorite creature in the whole world--her dog. No effing way. McKenna's had enough of him, and she decides to even the score by finding her own hot young thing -- a Trophy Husband. Sure, she's only twenty-seven, but doesn't that make it even more fun -- and infuriating to her ex -- to pursue a younger man? When she declares her intentions on her daily blog, her quest quickly skyrockets in popularity, and that's when Chris enters the picture, and he’s got all the assets. He's handsome, successful, and turns her inside out with a kiss to end all kisses, the kind that makes you feel like a shooting star. But loving again could mean losing again, and it's so much easier to focus on getting even, isn't it? Unless, you just can't help falling in love. Which means McKenna will have to come face to face with what she really wants in life -- protecting her heart from hurt, or letting go of her fears of a new beginning.

Author Bio:

Lauren Blakely is an unabashed fan of clever jokes, toast, and good guys in novels. Like the heroine in CAUGHT UP IN US, she thinks life should be filled with movie kisses and coffee drinks. Lauren lives in California with her husband and children, and spends her days writing both true stories and make-believe ones.

Author Links: 
Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads 

Purchase links: 
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / Barnes & Nobles / Smashwords

Prologue 

Present Day 

The stars twinkle and the night air is warm as we leave the Tiki Bar and walk slowly up Fillmore. At the top of the hill, I see my friend’s maroon Prius that I’m tasked with driving home tonight. I point to it. 

“These are my wheels.” I click on the key to unlock the car. Then I reach for the door handle. But it doesn’t open. I try again. Same thing happens. “Damn. What is up with these hybrids?” 

“They have to calibrate to your heart rate.” 

“Then how the heck am I supposed to drive it home?” 

“I know a trick,” Chris says. 

“You do?” 

“Want to give me the keys and I’ll show you?” he asks, holding open his palm for me. 

But before I can pull away, he closes his fingers over mine, gripping my hand in his. That’s all it takes. Within seconds I am in his arms, and we are wrapped up in each other. His lips are sweeping mine, and I press my hands against his chest, and oh my. He does have the most fantastic outlines in his body. He is toned everywhere, strong everywhere, and I am dying to get my hands up his shirt, and feel his bare chest and his belly. But if I did, I might just jump him right here because I am one year and running without this. Without kissing, without touching, without feeling this kind of heat. 

He twines his fingers through my hair, and the way he holds me, both tender and full of want at the same time, makes me start to believe in possibilities. Start to believe that you can try again, and it’ll be worth it. His lips are so soft, so unbearably soft, and I can’t stop kissing him. He has the faintest taste of Diet Coke on his lips, and it’s crazy to say this, but it almost makes me feel closer to him. Or maybe I feel closer because he’s leaning into me, his body is aligned with mine, and there’s no space between us, and I don’t want any space between us. I want to feel him against me, his long, strong body tangled up in mine, even though we’re fully clothed, making out on the street. 

He breaks the kiss. “I wanted to kiss you all night.” 

“You did?” 

“Yeah, that key thing was just an excuse. Sometimes you just have to hit the button a few times to get the car to open.” 

I laugh. “So you said that to kiss me?” 

He nods. “Totally.” 

“I’m glad you tricked me,” I whisper, as he bends his head and kisses my neck, blazing a trail of sweet and sexy kisses down to my throat, and it’s almost sensory overload the way he ignites me. Forget tingles, forget goosebumps. That’s kid stuff compared to this. My body is a comet with Chris. I am a shooting star with the way he kisses me. I don’t even know if I have bones in my body anymore. I don’t know how I’m standing. I could melt under the sweet heat of his lips that are now tracing a line down my chest to the very top of my breasts as he tugs gently at my shirt, giving himself room to leave one more brush of his lips. Before he stops. 

He looks at me and the expression on his face is one of pride and lust. He knows he’s turned me inside out and all the way on. 

“That was so unfair of me,” he says with a wicked grin. “Getting a headstart like that on all the other candidates.” 

How can there be any other guys after a kiss like that? It’s a kiss to end all kisses, it’s a sip of lemonade in a hammock on a warm summer day. It’s a slow dance on hardwood floors while a fan goes round overhead, curtains blowing gently in the open window. 

If he feels half as much for me as I do for him, then I want to sail away with him in the moonlight, and that scares the hell out of me. I have to extract myself before I let this go any further. I don’t mean the contact. I mean the way my aching, broken heart is reaching for Chris.

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from a book I just started yesterday. It is Lingerie War by Janet Elizabeth Henderson. Recently I read another of Ms Henderson's books, The Davina Code (read my review), which I really enjoyed, so I decided to try Lingerie Wars as well. I haven't reached far yet, but the beginning has me laughing out loud, so here I am, sharing it with you. Enjoy!

"Lake Benson's midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours. In that time he quit his career with the army and bought a lingerie shop. All things considered, he was glad the crisis hasn't lasted longer."

Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Here are the new releases for this week. They are both by authors that I have not read before but based on their synopses and some reviews I have read, I have decided to include them in my TBR list. They are both contemporary romances with a touch of humour. 

Usually we meet trophy wives, so having a trophy husband seems an interesting change of roles which I would love to read. At the same time, Tangled is told from a male POV which is also quite rare in romance so I am looking forward to reading it, as well. 

DATE	COVER	TITLE	AUTHOR	GENRE
21 May		Trophy Husband	Lauren Blakely	Contemporary Romance
21 May		Tangled	Emma Chase	Contemporary Romance

Goodreads Blurb

Forever.

Author links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Blogger / Pinterest

Goodreads blurb

He’s undercover. She’s in over her head. Yoga instructor Kylie Roberts is the good twin. At least she was—until an accident forces Kylie to step into her twin’s sexy stilettos at a posh Hollywood “men’s club." But nothing could've prepared Kylie for the dead body in the club’s parking lot or the ridiculously hot detective who insists the killer is targeting her regulars. Detective Trevor McCade needs Kylie’s help to draw out the killer. It means long nights undercover and long dances where Kylie’s body tempts him with sensual promises. Dances that leave them both wanting more. But despite Kylie's hidden identity and the danger lurking in the shadows, it’s only a matter of time before Kylie and Trevor take this undercover operation under the covers…

My Review

I have decided to participate in a weekly bookish meme, called Teaser Tuesday. It is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I learned about it from my friend Nix at Unraveling Words. Here are the rules: 

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

This week's teaser is from the book I am currently reading, Lover Undercover by Samanthe Beck, and unlike, most cases, this time it is exactly two sentences. The book is a contemporary romance with elements of suspense and a hint of humour, and so far I am really enjoying it.

"The emotions flitting across Stacey's face were worth the price of admission. Trevor read surprise, followed by a hint of unguarded pleasure, overrun almost immediately by concern, and then suspicion."

Lover Undercover by Samanthe Beck






If you like this teaser, you can check my block later this week for review of the book.

I was excited to learn this week (better late than never) that The Maze Runner by James Dashner, a favourite YA dystopian series, will be made into a movie. Entertainment Weekly just gave us the first look of the movie adaptation of the series, accompanied with a a brief interview with the movie director, Wes Ball. It looks good to me and I hope that the movie will do justice to these amazing series. The movie will be released on February 14, 2014.

If you have not read the series yet, check is out. It is a great dystopian adventure story, written in great style. I enjoyed every minute of it. Here are the books in the series in chronological order. In reality, you can read the Prequel after the other three books. 

The Kill Order (Prequel)

The Maze Runner

The Scorch Trials 

The Death Cure

One choice will define you 

After the reveal of the title of the final book of the Divergent Series a few days ago, and it it Allegiant, for anyone who might have missed this, now we have the book cover. It was revealed on the Today Show where you can watch an interview with Ms Roth. I have to say I really like the cover, it is beautiful. 

Now, about the movie. The filming of Divergent is already underway and it is to be released on March 21, 2014. The exciting news is that the second book in the series, Insurgent, will also be made into a movie. The process of drafting the script has already began. 

You can follow Divergent series on Facebook for more exciting news on the series and upcoming movies. 

I have decided to participate in a weekly bookish meme, called Teaser Tuesday. It is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I learned about it from my friend Nix at Unraveling Words. Here are the rules: 

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from This Girl by Colleen Hoover. This is the third and final book in the Slammed series (Slammed and Point of Retreat). This series tells a beautiful YA/NA story about love and suffering, growing up and taking responsibility. This Girl offers the story of Will and Lake we already know from book 1 and 2 from Will's POV.

"I walk away, fully aware of the fact that the forehead kiss was probably crossing the line, However, the fact that she slept in my bed last night has already muddled the waters. The line isn't so black and white anymore. I'm pretty sure gray just became my new favorite color."

This Girl by Colleen Hoover


You can also check my review of This Girl on the blog.

Here just one new release for me this week - Samantha Young's Down London Road. I liked a lot the first book in this series, On Dublin Street, and from the excerpts of Down London road which Ms Young has published on her website, I will have to say that her second book in the series seems to be as good as the first. 

May 7

Down London Road (On Dublin Street 2)

Samantha Young

Romance

What books are you looking forward to this week? 

This Girl is the third and final book of the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover. I read the first two books, Slammed and Point of Retreat and enjoyed them, so it was natural to go for the grand finale of the series. I have not written reviews of Slammed and Point of Retreat, but I rated them with 3 stars on Goodreads even though I liked the first one a little bit more. 

This Girl tells the story of Will and Lake which we already know, but this time we see how things happened  from Will's POV. I was a bit worried how it would feel to read an already familiar story but ultimately I have to say I enjoyed it as much as the other two books. Still, I find it rarely justified to repeat things we already know. Ms Hoover, however, managed to pull it off by adding the whole now (honeymoon) aspect with new events and emotions.

The whole story is tightly condensed in honeymoon weekend where Will tells Lake his version of their story. I find it believable that he has not shared all his thoughts and emotions, despite the fact that they have been together for two years now. Yet, at times it seemed over the top and could not really see how they never discussed some of the issues before. 

This book is all about Will. I really liked his voice. He was the same sweet and loving guy we already know, desperately trying to do the right thing in a very though situation. At times he sounded really mature (I guess, life forced him to be this way), at other times, he was just like any other 21 year-old boy in love with a girl.

I also enjoyed the slam poetry which was strongly present in this book, in very much the same way as it was in Slammed (it is one of the things I liked best about it). It is a big part of Will's life and its presence felt natural and convincing. It was through slam poems that both Will and Lake expressed themselves best and I really liked how strong and emotional these poems were.

What I liked most in this book was the happy end which Ms Hoover gave to Will and Lake after all the loss and suffering they had to endure. The epilogue was heart-warming and it completed the story in the best possible way - with a slam poem. 

My main concern with this book remains the familiarity of the story. Reading This Girl felt like reliving the ups and downs of the characters all over again - it was bitter sweet. Still, I missed the excitement of not knowing what will happen next. 

Having said that, I would highly recommend this book to any one who has already started the series. It is  a beautiful completion of a heart-warming love story. For those who still haven't started the Slammed series, go, check it out and share what you think of it. 

And before I go I just want to mention the next series of Ms Hoover - Hopeless. I already read it and really liked it. The second one, Losing Hope (again the guy's POV, though it is not really the same story) is coming out on 9 July 2013. 

Author's links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

I was provided with an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.