Synopsis

Rush 

Women in his bed, celebs and rockers in his chair and a killer bank account at his disposal, life is pretty freaking swell. Then she walks back into it again. With her mismatched eyes, perfect pink mouth and a laugh that still haunts him, she gave him nothing but marvelous misery. Now she wants his hands on her again. Not for pleasure, but for pain. For Ink. A bleeding heart to match the one she left him with five years ago. 

Addison 

She can’t forget him. No matter how hard she’s tried. The pain she caused him in the past eats at her daily, and she can’t move on with her life. But she has a plan, a hope for redemption – a way for him to take his revenge out on her flesh. But it’ll only work if he lets her inside his exclusive world, under his famous artist’s needle and into his bed—and heart-once again.

Mini Review

The story is told form dual POV and it's all about getting back together after a break-up. I liked a lot of things about it - the heroine, Addison, who has made a mistake but has come to realize it and is doing her best to remedy it. You have to respect her for strength and determination to fight for her love. The hero, Rush, is deeply wounded, unwilling to forgive but unable to resist the physical attraction. I liked them both, him especially - his struggle with himself, his resistance to risk his heart again with the girl who had hurt him so much. 

It's a light steamy read but I'd have liked there to be more substance to the story. There is a lot of potential but not enough depth. I wanted to know more about the characters, the things from their past were just hinted upon and it would have been nice if they were further developed. We see Rush's life in the present - he is a successful tattoo artist in Las Vegas but don't learn much about Addison besides the fact that she is a college student somewhere. Despite the happy end, I feel that there are too many things about them as a couple which are left unresolved. 

Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend me it anyone who is looking for a quick, light and very, very sexy read.

The second book, Shattered Ink, which continues Rush and Addison's story, is just a novella and it is currently available for 0.99$.

I'm using the covers of the Bulgarian editions of the books I read in Bulgarian.

Children’s books

Classics 

Contemporary (recent releases) 

Violet Winters once had it all but lost it when her husband was murdered by a criminal madman. During a cold winter night Violet has to leave her warm bed to tell her neighbor to turn the music down. And that’s when she meets sinister, scarred, scarily attractive security specialist, Joe Callahan.

She wants to deny it, but Violet can’t beat back the hunger she feels for Joe so she gives in again and again. Feeling it himself, Joe feeds Vi’s hunger, breaking his own rules to keep her in his bed.

Even though Violet had only one man in her life, she’s sure Joe is giving her the signals and Vi decides she’s ready to take a second chance at life and, maybe, love. But Violet doesn’t know the dark secrets in Joe’s past, secrets so soul-wrenching, they’ve drained him dry. With nothing left to give, Joe’s determined to live his life alone and he breaks Violet’s heart.

Crushed by Joe’s betrayal, Violet comes to terms with the fact that, no matter what signals he gave, Joe was not theirs to win. But Violet’s husband’s murderer is obsessed with her and heartbreak again haunts the door of the Winters home. When it does Joe is forced to face the knowledge that he can’t fight Violet’s pull, she’s under his skin and filled him full to bursting.

Joe needs to win her back and put his life on the line to keep Violet safe. But, having had it all once, can Violet endure losing Joe?

This is my first book in Kristen Ashley's The 'Burg series and after I kept hearing how awesome the hero, Joe Callahan is, I had to finally check it out for myself. And, yes, he is pretty awesome! I loved Vi and Joe's story and it goes in the very elite company of my favourite KA books, along with Motorcycle Man, Sweet Dreams and Lady Luck.

This book told one very emotional, heart-breaking story of second-chance romance. It was intense and engaging, drawing me complete into the lives of the main characters. The focus in this book was very much on the idea of the importance of family, something which I personally value very highly. The author included different family relations in the story - grandparents, parents, children, siblings - in all their complexity. Family is the most precious thing in life, it is the greatest gift and the biggest achievement - both Vi and Joe.

I liked both Joe and Vi, though they had their bad moments and weaknesses. He treated Vi so bad at the beginning, leading her on, abusing her vulnerability and lack of real experience. Joe acted like a jerk almost up to the middle of the book but he more than made up for it in the second half of the book. I understand his position and why he did the things he did, but still they were too hurtful to accept easily. Joe was a typical KA alpha male - possessive and protective, super sexy and lot of jaded.

Vi was a nice character, as well. She came off as rather strong, and independent at the beginning, trying her best to learn to live after the loss of her husband, how to be a single parent, ect. I admired her for dedication to her family. Then, she acted clueless at flirting, completely misread the situation with Joe and went out to date Mike while still being involved with Joe and I didn't understand and appreciate any of this. It wasn't realistic for a 35 year-old woman to act like that.

The suspense/criminal element in the story was present but it was somewhat subdued, the focus was really on Joe and Vi's relationship.

On the negative side, this book had the typical elements in KA writing which I don't particularly like. It was a bit repetitive, overly descriptive. The  clothes, make up, food, houses/yards, barbecues were presented in too many unnecessary details. There were also far too many secondary characters introduced and some of them didn't really add anything to the overall story. As can be expected Vi's life was full of drama, some was small and funny, other was big and over the top.

Another thing that I find common for Ms Ahsley's heroines and something which I deeply resent is when they act  so smitten/mesmerized/shocked by the hero that they are unable to form coherent sentences. These otherwise strong and often quite smart and competent women lose completely their minds over the Man and he has to take full charge of their lives.  

In general the plot share quite a few similarities with Ms Ashley's other works - second-chance at love, the heroine who is threatened and needs protection, the alpha hero, who is not particularly eloquent but always says and the does the right thing.

My main issue, in fact the only major one that I have, is Vi and Mike's relationship. She was leading him on and the excuse that it was unintentional is not a valid one for me. Having a second contender for the heart of the heroine is a common device MS Ashley uses for introducing characters in her works (they become the main characters in later books) - this was the case with Tack in Mystery Man / Motorcycle Man, but here with Mike I felt that things between him and Vi were taken to a point that made me uncomfortable. He knew what he was getting into, still he got hurt and didn't deserve it

Overall, this is one of the best books of Ms Ashley that I have read, despite some issues I had with it. This series definitely goes in my TBR list. There are three more books available and final one is to be released later this year.

Title: Drew + Fable Forever (One Week Girlfriend Quartet #3.5)

Author: Monica Murphy

Synopsis

Fantasy. How I ended up with NFL player Drew Callahan, the guy every woman wants, is beyond my wildest dreams. All I know is that once he chose me as his one and only, I sure wasn’t looking back. I had past wounds and he showed patience and concern—even taking responsibility for my messed-up kid brother. Now, once again, he’s found a way to blow my mind: an exotic wedding and honeymoon miles and miles away from home. What else could a girl ever ask for?

My Mini Review

Author links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Buy links:

Amazon / B&N / IndieBound / iTunes

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Once in a Lifetime, there is a giveaway of One Grand Prize pack featuring the entire Lucky Harbor series and 5 copies of Once in a Lifetime. The prizes are all paperback copies and the giveaway is open internationally. Just enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win.

Synopsis

After eight years in prison, twenty-four year old Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.

Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn't changed since he was carted off to juvie all those years ago. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn't even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.

Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can distance erase the memories that haunt him? Trapped in the prison of his own mind Jordan wonders if the pain of living will ever subside?

Torrey Delaney is new in town and certainly doesn't behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex is the talk of the town. Add that to her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman, and the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.

As friendship forms, is it possible for two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey's walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, will they find their place in the world? Can they struggle against the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?

Is love a life sentence?

My Review 

I was drawn to this book because of the unusual premise - a love story between a young man, ex-con and a wild, sexually liberated preacher's daughter and all this set a small, close-minded town in Texas.

The plot was intriguing but it was the hero, Jordan, who won my heart in this book. He was a great character, broken by his past, barely surviving his present, not really believing in the future, just counting the days till he can start a new life in a different place. I deduced what was his crime/tragedy early on but this didn't bother me. 

The book portrays Jordan's journey from despair and self-hatred towards optimism and self-confidence. His change was truly remarkable and all it happened because of one person, Torrey - the wild, adventurous foul-mouthed, but ultimately caring and compassionate daughter of the local preacher-woman. Despite being almost 24 years-old, in many respects Jordan was still 16 years-old (the age when he went to prison). He had missed so many things for his 8 years in prison. He was trying to act like a grown man, but failing because everybody had given up on him. Even the preacher was hypocritical in her attempts to help him. It was only Torrey who treated him like a normal 24 year-old man. She saw the real person and not the guy the whole town loved to hate.

Jordan was vulnerable, shy, he acted a like a typical teenager- lost without sense of purpose or direction in life. He was shy and embarrassed in his early interactions with Torrey and I found this endearing. Though, attracted to one another, they started as friends and gradually built a trust and confidence between they which allowed for true feelings to develop between them.

Through his relationship with Torrey Jordan gradually lets go of his guilt and returns to life. She gave him the most important thing - hope, the promise of a future (together, of course).

Unlike Jordan, I had difficulty relating to Torrey. I found her casual attitude toward sex and her crude language really off-putting. I liked everything she did for Jordan and how she acted towards him but still she was not my favourite character. She had a difficult relationship with her parents and their divorce was to blame for her reluctance to long-term commitment, but it was not convincing enough for me. Still, I did like how she was honest about the burden of Jordan's past. She had no illusions that things will be easy and that everything broken in their lives can be magically restored with the power of their love. Yet, she loved him enough to accept all that and to stand by him. 

Another thing that bothered me in this story was the total hatred of Jordan's parents and most of the people in the city towards him. I understand that they blamed him for the accident which took his brother's life but the complete hatred was unjustified and I felt it was too much. Especially on the part of his mother! I can't imagine that there was not even a bit of compassion for his suffering.

I very much liked everything about Torrey and Jordan's relationship. It felt realistic, there was no glossing over of the problems they faced. The author completed the story in the best possible way, fitting perfectly the Torrey and Jordan's story. The ending was just right -  sweet and romantic, full of hope and potential.

Synopsis

After eight years in prison, twenty-four year old Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.

Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn't changed since he was carted off to juvie all those years ago. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn't even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.

Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can distance erase the memories that haunt him? Trapped in the prison of his own mind Jordan wonders if the pain of living will ever subside?

Torrey Delaney is new in town and certainly doesn't behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex is the talk of the town. Add that to her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman, and the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.

As friendship forms, is it possible for two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey's walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, will they find their place in the world? Can they struggle against the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?

Is love a life sentence?

Synopsis

My review

Neanderthal Seeks Human: A Smart Romance

(Knitting in the City #1)

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There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can't refuse.

Friends Without Benefits: An Unrequited Romance 

(Knitting in the City #2)

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There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit. 

Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of boy bands are undervalued by society, “benefits” with human Ken dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once-in-a-lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth’s plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello- her former nemesis- she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding electrocution or, worse, falling in love.

Love Hacked: A Reluctant Romance 

(Knitting in the City #3)

Expected publication: 11 March 2014

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There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding: 1) She makes all her first dates cry, 2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Sandra has difficulty removing her psychotherapist hat. Of her last 30 dates, 29 have ended the same way: the man sobbing uncontrollably. After one such disaster, Sandra—near desperation and maybe a little tipsy—gives in to a seemingly harmless encounter with her hot waiter, Alex. Argumentative, secretive, and hostile Alex may be the opposite of everything Sandra knows is right for her. But now, the girl who has spent all her life helping others change for the better, must find a way to cope with falling for someone who refuses to change at all.

Neanderthal Marries Human

(Knitting in the City #1.5)

Expected publication: May/June 2014

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Beauty and the Mustache 

(Knitting in the City #4)

Expected publication: September 2014

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