This was the conclusion to Gray and Daniel’s story and it did not disappoint. The author does a wonderful job of making her characters be real people. I loved that she portrayed how two people who are overcoming their own demons can work together to overcome them, but that isn’t always with rainbows and butterflies. That a real relationship has ups, downs, and takes work. That sometimes each person has to be loving, kind, and understanding. Sometimes the other person has to be strong, disciplined, and the powerhouse and that those roles can often change in a true relationship. Such a warm book about those obstacles and how sometimes the things you think you are dealing with are not the true fight. I hope to see the author come back to these characters someday as they grow and expand.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2018-03-18 09:39:232018-09-27 09:43:43Liar by Lia Fairchild – Review by Colleen Noyes
I am SO glad that I read this book for a second time! Lia Fairchild not only does a great job of writing, but i appreciate that she doesn’t do a lot of “filler” stuff going into way too much detail about the sky, the moon, the sweat drips etc. It’s a very to the pint book of substance that focuses on the story, the characters, and what for me as a reader is the important stuff. I futhermore appreciate that her adult scenes are written beautifully, mature, and she doesn’t feel the need to be vile. Now finally after THREE years I get to dive in to book 2 <3 <3 <3
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2018-02-20 09:51:402018-09-27 09:56:17Compulsive by Lia Fairchild – Review by Colleen Noyes
A real thriller that kept me on my toes. This book had so many twists my head was spinning, but in a good way. I had many theories throughout and although I figured most of it out before the end I loved that the author kept it intriguing. He didn’t over describe things which made the story flow well. I would have liked a bit more backstory on the the Pittman brothers, but overall this was a great first read by this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/517u0FevsL._SY346_.jpg346226Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2018-02-16 02:37:442018-09-27 10:00:14The Girl Who Came Back: A totally gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming by Kerry Wilkinson – Review by Colleen Noyes
This was my first read by Geri Glenn and it was wonderful. She has a powerful way with words that bring up all kinds of emotions. I could actually feel the angst and fear through this short read. I look forward to more books. Review by @colleennoyes
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-12-02 00:57:182018-09-27 10:48:24The 7: Greed by Geri Glenn – Review by Colleen Noyes
This was my first book by Scott Hildreth and my first MC book. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The characters were well written especially for a novella.
Fisher Knox is a man on a mission who has an unexpected twist when he meets Anna whose in the middle of her own journey. The comfort and compatibility expressed in the writing flowed smoothly. There was just the right amount of sexiness with out being vulgar and overdoing it.
I can’t wait to read other books by this author and the rest in this seven sins series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-11-17 00:59:362018-09-27 10:49:32The 7: Pride by Scott Hildreth – Review by Colleen Noyes
Where the Night Ends by Melissa Toppen was my first book by this author and I can’t say that I was disappointed. Like all books I buy, once I saw the cover I had to have it. Sebastian and Tessa are start out as that couple that everyone knows in school the unattainable boy, the girl with a childish crush, but what they become is more than one could hope f or. The author had a way of weaving the words to make you feel everything they were going through. The story is about the ups, downs, pushes, and pulls that often occur in a real relationship and kept true to the fact that not every story is a fairytale.
There was also some humor in it and I loved this line “He makes me so happy I swear I feel like I’m going to burst open and rainbows are going to start flying out of me. ” I literally laughed out loud.
The only part I felt that was lacking is I would have liked a little more backstory and history on each character, a little more about what they endured that made them who they are currently. Having said that this was a wonderful story that warmed my heart and soul.
My favorite quote of the whole story was “I know it only takes one night – one moment, one choice – to change the entire direction of your life. To take everything you thought you wanted or knew and jumble it into something almost unrecognizable. ”
I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good love story with a little angst.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-08-25 10:50:012018-09-27 10:52:01Where the Night Ends by Melissa Toppen – Review by Colleen Noyes
Leigh Ann knocked it out of the ballpark as always. This was the perfect ending to the Endgame series and I’m so sad to see it “end”. Review by @colleennoyes
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-07-07 10:52:272018-09-27 10:54:10Changing Fate (Endgame Series Book 5) by Leigh Ann Lunsford – Review by Colleen Noyes
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-06-10 11:51:202018-10-07 11:53:24Fighting Fate by Leigh Ann Lunsford – Review by Colleen Noyes
Dogged by Holly Tierney-Bedord was a quick and light-hearted read. As a dog owner, I often wonder what my dog may be thinking and this story gives the reader a little insight into that. Through the voice of Rufus, the dog it is not your typical love story about a man and a woman, but more the love story of a broken man Edward, his previously abandoned unwanted dog Rufus, and a woman Mikayla who can help change all of that. This was a story about finding true love, however it also showcases how humans and animals can come from different walks of life, troubles, past hurts, and create a loving family. It was sensitive, loving, and outright funny! I found myself reading with a lot of awe, oooh, and laughing moments. This is a clean and fun book that I think any reader would love whether a teenager or an adult. I felt that the author did a wonderful job of bringing you in and through the whole book I could feel as if I was the dog lol.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-03-19 01:02:432018-09-25 01:04:16Dogged by Holly Tierney-Bedord – Review by Colleen Noyes
I thought this was a wonderful short novella! I loved the characters and it was so true to form about how sometimes things in life happen that you have to work through. I think that the author did a great job with the storyline but would have liked some of the scenes to be a little longer. At times I felt they were hurried and cut off what could have had just a little more feeling to it, if that makes sense. Over all this was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-03-12 11:54:222018-10-07 11:56:19Slaving Over Christmas by Allyson R. Abbott – Review by Colleen Noyes
Savage Collision by Gwyn McNamee is an incredible mix of romance, love, lust, heat, and just the right amount of suspense to keep it interesting. It’s a story about two people who each have their own struggles, hang ups, and walls coming together in the most unexpected way.
Savage Hawke is a man’s man, good looking, powerful, successful and sexy. He exudes all the power you would want in a partner, rough around the edges but a natural born protector.
Danika is the type of woman who walks into a room and commands the attention of everyone there. A woman who puts up with nothing and let’s you know she’s in charge. She has a confidence about her that make the women jealous and the men pant. A woman who will give you a run for your money in the control department.
When their worlds collide in the most unexpected way it takes your breath away. As you read this story you can feel the tension in the room every time they are together. You feel the disgust, the passion, the lust, the heat, the anger. Savage runs a very unsavory business and Danika can’t wrap her head around it. She immediately jumps to the conclusion that he is a disgusting example of a human being. However, you know what they say about don’t judge a book by its cover.
Danika has a job of her own that is becoming increasingly dangerous and she will soon discover just how dangerous. Each of these characters have a past that has built them into who they are now. There are secrets, tragedies, family dynamics, friends, enemies and so much more. This book will take you on a full range of emotions from laughter, to tears, from heat, to ice, from hatred, to love. It will make you stop and think about so many aspects, about what you can give, what you can accept, the true meaning about what love is and isn’t about.
The author did a perfect job of adding more than one layer to the story. She has begun to build a foundation for the secondary characters and you can’t wait to see where they go and if they will show up in future books. I hope this will be the first in a very long line of books with these characters.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-02-06 11:57:552018-10-07 12:01:58Savage Collision: A Hawke Family Novel by Gwyn McNamee – Review by Colleen Noyes
This was my first book by N.D. Jackson but OMG it won’t be my last! I just went and bought the first three in the series and can’t wait to dive into them.
Trixie grew up living a different lifestyle than most people, spending some of her life as part of a commune and maybe a little hippie. She is the type of woman though who can light up the entire room with just one smile. She has an energy about her that draws you to her and makes you feel like you want to be part of that world with her in it. Her last relationship has left her feeling uneasy and unsure of herself.
Jack is the hot and sexy kind of man that will make your knees weak! He was married to the love of his life and has two beautiful children. He had what everyone perceived as a once in a lifetime love that was ended too soon by tragedy. He has devoted his whole life to his sweet girls and that’s all he has room for and never wants to experience “love” again. He holds on to a secret that he just can’t allow anyone to find out about, especially now.
Trixie always had a crush on Jack as children but she was just the annoying little girl next door he never really saw. When she moves back to Mustang Prairie and they encounter each other for the first time it’s not in the greatest setting and both are taken aback. They soon discover there is an undeniable chemistry between them and boy is the sex hot! Spending time as friends with benefits is just what Jack thinks he needs and wants, but can Trixie do casual and cut off? What happens when two people have different wants and desires?
It Must Be Love is a beautiful story about how two people have an idea of what love is but soon discover that maybe they really have no clue at all. Sometimes when you have had a life filled with disappointment in the love department, you realize that maybe it’s because it was all leading you to the one you truly belong with, but is that the case with these two? Is there anything there past lust, desire, and fun? Can they overcome their past to find a future together? Only time will tell and you’ll have to read the book.
ND Jackson does a wonderful job of bringing you the visualization of what is going on. You can see the bluest skies, the hot bodies, the way the clothes fit. You can feel what is happening and find yourself laughing and crying. I love that the author uses enough details but doesn’t overdue it where it becomes long and boring and you are just sitting there waiting for the dang point. I love that the author builds several relationships and explores those, not just a potential love story but the friendships, the families, and everything in between. This book felt like a community and a community that anyone would want to be part of. I’m hoping we get to see more of these characters in follow up books.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-01-09 01:09:352018-09-25 01:12:10It Must Be Love: A Mustang Prairie Romance by N.D. Jackson – Review by Colleen Noyes
Leigh Ann Lunsford has again hit it out of the park. This is the 3rd book in the Endgame Series and it’s rare for the third book to be every bit as good as the first and second but it is.
Mason Adler is a self-assured, arrogant, smart-mouthed player who often takes his friends man cards. However he is also loyal, protective, and a fierce friend.
Brecklynn Collier has had a rough past that she is trying to overcome. She protects her heart like a lioness protects her cubs. She knows what Mason is all about and wants no part of him.
As the two tread into unknown waters, you feel the push and pull. Just as one wall comes down another two go up. When one person has never entered these types of relationships and the other has major trust issues how can there ever be any middle ground? How can they even out the see saw of their life? Then when the unexpected happens these two are thrown into the middle of a crisis. How will they handle it? Will it destroy everything they have been working toward?
What I love most about this series is it’s about a bond that 5 people share as the root of the tree and then like every good tree it branches out. They lean on each other, fight, harass, and pick on each other, but at the end of the day they lean on each other and have a solid foundation.
This story in-particular is hilarious! I found myself laughing so hard, spitting out my drink, and having to stop to read some of it again. Probably my absolute favorite line in the whole book is “It doesn’t make me happy – they both get a reward for screwing me over. I hope her v*gina turns into a Venus flytrap and snaps his d*ck off”. If you read the first two books (and you have to this is not a standalone) then you will be able to actually “see” Mason saying these things. The author does a brilliant job of making you connect with the authors in a way that you can feel like you are there witnessing everything.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2017-01-02 12:02:212018-10-07 12:04:26Karma (Endgame Series #2) by Leigh Ann Lunsford – Review by Colleen Noyes
Reading Fighting Solitude by Aly Martinez in one sitting left me completely and utterly drained. This series has such a special place in my heart as I have watched the Page brothers overcome all of life’s detriments, obstacles, hurts, and deaths. I have cried, laughed, and cried some more.
Quarry’s story was no different for me than Till and Flint’s. It left me feeling raw emotionally and sad that the series has come to an end. The pain that Quarry felt when losing Mia is something anyone who has ever lost someone would know. The hurt, the anger, the betrayal all felt by this beautiful man was understandable.
Quarry Page is a hot, sexy man who for many years has had the heart of a young boy. The demons he has been forced to fight whether it be abandonment, physical ailments, or the feeling of helplessness in protecting those he loves has consumed him. The last thing he wants is to let down the people he loves and he feels he has had a lifetime of doing nothing but that since he seems to never be able to keep them safe.
Liv, has had to endure her own demons thanks to her p.o.s mother. She is strong but fragile. She has always sacrificed her own needs and desires for those around her and staying away from the only boy she ever loved falls into that category. No matter how much she loves Quarry she just can’t forget that with him she is not safe. The pain and anguish she feels realizing that is like a punch in the stomach.
While Liv continuously tries to navigate the balance between hiding her feelings and being a best friend to Quarry you can feel how it destroys her a little bit more each day. For her, having a piece of him, even as a best friend is better than having none of him.
The bond they share over Mia to the naked eye seems to be out of place. Some won’t understand the Mia aspect of the story but what I found was a key paragraph that for me put it all in perspective and became necessary in the catalyst for a part of each of their lives. Mia took two broken people and helped heal them in a way maybe no one else could from the pains of their past.
Can Quarry ever return Liv’s feelings? Will Liv ever share her feelings? As the story progresses and certain things from the past come to light I think it all falls right into place. I think that Quarry and Liv each end up exactly where they are meant to be. I also feel that Aly Martinez did a great job of tying up each of the Page brother’s stories and tying up a few “loose ends”. As usual her writing was fluid, heartfelt, and she never missed a beat.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2016-02-29 12:04:562018-10-07 12:07:54Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes, #3) by Aly Martinez – Review by Colleen Noyes
WOW what a great book My Salvation by Michelle Dare was to read! It is the first in the Salvation Series and left me yearning for the next one!
Caliana (Cali) Crawford, has finally had enough of her crappy job, where she is unappreciated. She’s at a point in life where she just wants to do something meaningful and make a difference. She decides it’s time to clear her head and knows the best place to do that is at the cabin her aunt left her. She never expects to run into childhood friend Owen Matthews.
Owen is a man who has done something with his life, but unfortunately he is still missing something. He remembered back to when they were teenagers and shared a kiss, but she left. He never thought he would amount to anything back then but “He worked his butt off and a part of him knew he did it for Cali. He worked hard, saved and invested the money he made. He bought the company he worked for, and the cabin for his mom. He felt like a boy, wanting the girl that was unattainable. The awkward boy who kissed the beautiful girl way out of his league.”
Here they are many years later and his feelings are still strong. He takes a risk and kisses her and is overjoyed when she reciprocates. He feels that maybe new life is breathed into what could have been. “He knew then and there that he would do whatever it took to keep her in his arms. She was his, even if she didn’t know it yet.”
As they begin to see where this could take them, they are both dealing with their own set of demons and obstacles. Cali has been betrayed by someone she loved and has lost her aunt. Owen was betrayed by his brother Ethan who has returned to town. With money and power comes crazy people out of the wood work and for Owen he’s no different. Dealing with his ex Mia and a woman at his office Avery is a little touch and go.
When Owen and Cali find themselves in danger will they solve the mystery together or go their separate ways? Can a teenage crush ever become more than just that? Can your past come back as something filled with love, hope, and a future or will the past simply destroy your present?
Michelle Dare is a vivid writer who wrote with specific details, set up the scenes beautifully, and built strong characters. I enjoyed that she gave some type of a background story to every character even though this was Owen & Cali’s journey. The writing was concise, fluid, exciting, and at times heart-wrenching. This was a wonderful book that I loved. I can’t wait to see if the next one will be Ethan or Erik’s story because it’s a hard choice!
Perspective by Annie Jocoby is the 4th and final book in the Exposure series and the excitement continues! Now that CJ and Asher have taken the next step, they still have to deal with the fallout they will endure from bringing Natalia to the United States.
Asher has made the decision that in order to save his life and that of his families he must come clean about his past, he’s hoping that with big risks comes big rewards. They are also trying to accomplish a specific goal to avoid Asher’s father finding out they duped him because that could mean the end of their lives.
CJ isn’t sure how to tell her mom, sister, and Scarlett that she is married to Asher without giving away too much, but gives it her best try and of course now her own father is in the picture. Things just keep piling up and you have to wonder how much more they can take before it all breaks apart.
Just when they think they may be safe and out of the woods, things take another turn and CJ is now racing to save Asher. When CJ has a visit from an unexpected guest and then Asher suddenly doesn’t show up for an important meeting, CJ knows something must be wrong. She trusts her instincts and decides she must take matters into her own hands, but will that end up getting her killed? Can she find Asher in time to make everything right? Will they get their happily ever after? This story may just end with the way they prepared for it all along, in heartache, destruction, and death.
Annie Jocoby did a wonderful job on this series. She keeps the reader engaged, has strong characters, and a balanced mix of love, rejection, suspense, and storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and appreciated the way it all ended.
Close Up by Annie Jocoby is the third book in the Exposure Series and picks up immediately where book 2 left off. CJ is completely shocked by Asher’s proposal and even though she wants to say yes, there are still so many doubts for her. It doesn’t help that she still can’t remember any of the feelings she had before her accident.
While she is trying unsuccessfully to put her life back together, it has made her stronger and she is beginning to face things she once ran from like visiting her mother and sister. What she doesn’t expect is the response she receives from them, but you see a true growth in how she handles the rejection.
Asher wants desperately to be there for her and for her just to love him. The problem is that he doesn’t really know the meaning of the word boundaries and the more he pushes the more she pulls. They create a tug-o-war of emotions that hurts both of them because they can’t seem to find a balance.
CJ wants to be a woman on her own two feet before jumping into anything. “I need to get my life together. I need to prove to myself that I can handle my own problems and issues on my own. My family, my job, my finances…I need to know, for myself, that I’m not helpless without you. I hope that I can get my head straightened out about all of this, and I can come back to you and take you up on your proposal. I’m not making any promises, though.”
For the first time in his life Asher truly loves someone and is willing to take a chance, to share everything about his past, all his secrets but knows he first needs the approval of his father or CJ will be susceptible to what Sophie would do to her. That’s a chance Asher just can’t take. As Sophie continues to blackmail and threaten them, they are in a race against the clock. Will they be able to keep CJ safe? Will CJ be able to handle all of Asher’s secrets and still love him? The continuation of their story in this third book keeps you engaged and intrigued. You just want to root for them, but it’s possible it’s just way too late.
Dirty Deeds by Liliana Hart is a Novella as part of the J.J. Graves mystery series. Jack Lawson and J.J. (Jaye) Graves have finally taken their wedding vows after solving their last murder.
Now all they want is a quiet honeymoon, relaxing on an island, and making love more times than they can count. “We can put another tally mark on the wall.” JJ said. “I don’t have the energy. Your tally mark idea is going to put me into an early grave. I need some rest and some food, woman. We’re on sex hiatus for at least an hour.” “I didn’t know marriage was going to make you so whiny.”
However, in true JJ form, trouble comes knocking at their door and now there is a dead man. JJ and Jack can’t help themselves when the local officer needs their help solving the murder of a man nearly 100 years old.
Why would anyone murder a man who probably would have died in a few months? What could rock the quietness of this small community where crime rarely happened? As they find themselves smack dab in the middle of the investigation, what they uncover could haunt them for the rest of their lives.
Liliana Hart gives us a great quick read to update us on J.J. and Jack with just enough intrigue to leave us desiring more and tapping our fingers waiting for the next book. Review by @colleennoyes
Tempting Fate by Brinda Berry is her second book in the Serendipity Series and I absolutely loved it! This is the story of Collin Cordova who we met in the first book “Chasing Luck”, as Malerie’s friend and business partner. Collin, has a flourishing business, great friends, and he thought the love of his life in Raquel, but he soon discovers that she has betrayed him. He is left bitter, angry, and broken-hearted when Veronica Marshall literally crashes into his life. He can’t believe that she rear-ends him and then takes off, only to be found hitchhiking a short time later.
Veronica, is running scared from her life back home. She is fragile, broken, and clearly not in her right mind, but Collin sees something besides desperation behind her eyes. He can’t resist wanting to help her, even though he knows he may end up regretting it. “My urge to help her, fix her, know her… is a dangerous one. I can’t get involved.” When Collin notices bruises on her and that she won’t take any calls from her brother Gunnar, he assumes it must be her brother that has hurt her. The truth however, may be far worse.
When Collin offers to let Veronica stay with him one night she secretly wonders if he is a murderer. “What’s in your trunk?” “My what?” “Chainsaw? Garbage bags? Bleach?” Collin can’t help but smile and be a little amused. “You checking my supplies list?” “I’m a girl.” “You must watch a lot of crime drama.” After a few moments he realizes that she really is afraid “Hey, I’m going to call someone to vouch for me. Murderers don’t like witnesses.” “Okay. A girl. Call a girl, but not your mother. Your mother might lie to protect you.”
Both Collin and Veronica find themselves in a sticky situation with chemistry that seems to explode in a room. Since neither one of them had a great family life, they are both scared and hesitant to take a leap of faith. They begin a friendship that requires each of them to let down their walls a little and trust. Something they don’t even believe in considering all they have dealt with. Collin doesn’t believe that there is a woman who isn’t a lying cheat and Veronica doesn’t believe there is a man capable of being kind and good. “Is there such a thing as a nice jackass?” When their worlds collide they may soon discover their impressions are wrong, but will they be able to tear down the walls of protection? Can they find a compromise that allows them to be their own person, but also be together? Will Veronica continue on the run right out of Collin’s life and away from her troubles? Is there really such a thing as happily ever after when two people have been so hurt, betrayed, and let down?
This story has strong main characters and supporting characters. It updates us on Malerie and Ace from “Chasing Luck” and introduces us to Gunnar, Beck, Dylan, Emerson, and Jordy. The writing is captivating, smooth, and so funny at times. I think that Brinda Berry captures the essence of each character and lets us see them from the inside out. The story is told in Collin and Veronica’s POV’s. I can’t wait to get my hands on “Seducing Fortune”
Seducing Fortune is the third book in the Serendipity Series by the talented Brinda Berry. Dylan Mercado, has taken over his father’s car business after his father was forced to retire because of health issues. He has always been a playboy, taking home one woman after the next, never committing to anyone. Emerson, is a former stripper turned housekeeper for Dylan and his roommates, Jordy and Collin. They have always been friendly with each other but after a brief dancing encounter one night they both secretly have feelings for the other. Unfortunately, neither one of them is willing to let down the walls they have built up from their tumultuous past.
Emerson is living life, raising her sister Gabby, working hard and trying to forget about the fact that her father is in prison. She still can’t believe that she was once a stripper but also doesn’t want that to define her. She has spent so long, not letting anyone into her life that she is stunned when Dylan takes her off guard. “I’m normally a good liar. Someone asks how I’m doing and I pull on my hunky-dory mask. Another mentions my dad in the federal penitentiary and I act as though it doesn’t bother me. My real feelings are buried deep, a grave of emotions. No visitors allowed.”
Dylan, has a good reason for not letting anyone in and it’s one no one would ever know. He was left devastated one time in his past, and has found it’s not always better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. He also comes from a family where money seems to be the only important thing, instead of relationships.
Each of them have their own impressions of the other, but soon discover that they don’t really know anything each other. They discover that their version of the truth may not be the truth at all. “The enormity of my prejudices slams me. It’s not like I expected a silver pole in the middle of the room. But I don’t expect ex-strippers to be ex-homecoming queens.”
While Emerson is working out her feelings for Dylan from afar, she meets Toby a nice guy who wants to date her and just happened to be there when she needed help. He continues to reach out to her, help her in her times of distress, and be compassionate. Her father’s past and misdealing’s soon come back to haunt her and she is left having to fight to survive while trying to protect the ones she loves. She is forced to keep secrets from those around her, but doesn’t realize that the people around her have been keeping secrets a very long time. Not everything is as it seems and things may have been put in motion long before she even realized. The twists and turns this story takes will keep you guessing and maybe rooting for the people you shouldn’t be.
Will Emerson and Toby end up happy? Will she break his heart and take the less safe road to Dylan? Can Dylan, let go of his past hurt and truly be committed to one woman and no matter what they decide will any of them survive?
I loved Brinda Berry’s writing style, which kept the story flowing non-stop. It is refreshing to read a book that has romance, love, pain, sorrow, and so much more without only focusing on the sexual aspects. She writes a classy novel that will be appealing to women everywhere and does a great job of bringing the reader into the characters’ lives.
Dear Lord, Fighting Shadows the second book by Aly Martinez in the On the Ropes Trilogy DID NOT disappoint! I had been not so patiently waiting for this books release since I read Fighting Silence and I was truly unable to put it down.
Flint Page, literally just took a bullet for his brother’s wife Eliza whom Flint is in love with. It’s a bullet that changes the course of his life, leaving him with more emotions than he knows what to do with. At 19 years old, he has spent the better part of his life, abandoned by his piece of crap parents to be raised with his brother Quarry, by his brother Till. Flint is convinced he is in love with Eliza and finds himself bitter, angry with rage, and deeply sad that he can’t have her. He knows that the love is real and she should be with him, not Till. “I was lying face down on a hospital bed, drugged out of my mind, and pinning over my brother’s pregnant wife. The same woman, who was the closest thing to a real mother I’d ever known. The levels of messed up could not even be described.” He feels as if he is a third wheel, “Like so often in our lives, Quarry and I were just part of the package.” His anger and hardness comes from such a raw and emotional place that is only enhanced by the troubles his family has had to endure. “I’d had to fight for everything. The same everything that had absolutely never been enough. For God’s sake, hearing and walking weren’t even guaranteed for us.”
Ash Victoria Mabie, was living her own miserable life, being forced to do the dirty work of her father’s choosing. “I hated every single second of robbing people, especially the nice ones who seemed like they genuinely cared about me. It was freezing outside, and he’d offered me his coat. Unlike my father, who had taken my shoes and shoved me out of the car two blocks away.” She was willing to do what she had to though, in the hopes of avoiding yet another move, to another new place. She was never able to settle, never allowed to enroll in school, never able to make friends or connections. “I’d been begging my father for as long as I could remember to let me go to school. But he’d always answered with a resounding no.” In her short 15 years of life she had lived in 22 houses, trailers, apartments, etc. All she wanted was to belong, to be accepted, worthy, and have something stable. When she met Quarry, her life was about to change but would it be for the better or would it leave her alone and gutted.
After Flint and Ash are introduced they begin to see threw the others facades. There are light hearted moments like Ash continuously stealing Flint’s wallet and there are heart wrenching moments like when Flint makes the mistake of telling Ash why he avoids family functions. In their own ways they are each running away when they should be running towards each other. Their lives are filled with hurt, betrayal, insecurities, and most of all fear. The fear of love and not being enough. When the mistakes they make tear them apart and leave each one alone will they be able to find their way back? If they find their way back to each other will they ever be able to forgive? Can Flint ever truly love a woman other than Eliza? Is Ash even capable of sticking around and not running? This story is about so much more than love, it’s about the journey people sometimes have to take to find their true identity and destiny. It’s about not giving up, when the deck is stacked against you and you are lost, hurt, and confused. It’s about realizing that what you think you want and need may not be your true reality. How will I ever make it to the winter for the conclusion of this trilogy?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2015-07-08 13:18:042018-10-07 13:19:53Fighting Shadows (On the Ropes, #2) by Aly Martinez – Review by Colleen Noyes
Focus by Annie Jocoby is the second book in the Exposure Series and begins with CJ Parker missing. CJ is gone and Asher Sloane has no idea where she is or why she was taken but his concern is that maybe it has to do with him and his past life. If CJ was taken as a way to get to Asher, he would never be able to live with himself and it would be that much more difficult to get her back. When someone from his past suddenly shows up with information about her whereabouts he is willing to pay any price even if it requires telling a lie and living with the consequences.
CJ suddenly wakes up drugged, blind folded, and scared for her life. She has no idea why she has been kidnapped, where she is, or who has her. As the reality of her situation becomes clearer she immediately panics. She has been kidnapped, bought and sold, and now her buyer is looking to sell her again. She is not the only one in the room, there is another woman Marisa who is also being held captive. By the time Asher puts his information to use and finds CJ, she has already been sold again and the seller won’t give Asher any information about the buyer. He is however willing to sell Asher the other woman, Marisa and Asher soon realizes it may provide him with more information in how to get to CJ.
While Asher is working out a plan to save CJ, she meets her new buyer who hopes to turn her into a sex slave. She is left drugged, beaten, and then by the grace of God has a tragic event happen that makes it a little easier for Asher to find her, only problem is her injuries are extensive in ways the reader would never predict. As she has to fight to overcome her new lifestyle I feel it makes her stronger in some aspects and a little freer. I feel that some of her reservations are not the same and it gives her a new strength to do something she couldn’t do in book 1. The trials that ensue her and Asher continue to have the tug of war of being together and being apart, but there can be great strength in that. I can’t wait to see the ramifications of the choices they have each made in book 3 and if they will ever get their deserved happy ever after.
Annie Jocoby kept me engaged from the beginning. This book had more love, more suspense and more adventure. It had more history of the characters and introduced us to new characters that we may just fall in love with.
As the first in Sue Grafton’s alphabet series this was a great book, well written and a smooth read. It was very easy to get into the story and to connect with the main character. It wasn’t too “mystery” but had just enough. I’ve gone on to read up to G and must say I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Colleen Noyeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngColleen Noyes2011-05-20 20:40:182018-12-06 20:54:24A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton – Review by Colleen Noyes
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Liar by Lia Fairchild
