Tag Archives: New Adult

Book Review – Attraction (Elements of Chemistry #1) by Penny Reid

Posted on April 22, 2015 by charmouabb

One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.
Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family’s billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.
When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?

I actually read this first instalment of the Elements of Chemistry series twice. I’m not usually a huge NA reader, in fact I find it quite hard to find a book in that genre that really captures my full attention so pre-Attraction I was a little unsure… Also to be honest, I didn’t know how I felt about the name Martin? But very quickly I was totally immersed in the world of Kaitlyn Parker and Martin Sandeke AND I realized that actually Martin as a name was more than fine, also more specifically, I was super excited to discover that even when Penny Reid ventures into the NA genre she still creates characters that you can’t help becoming infatuated with.

Kaitlyn (Parker) is quirky, freaking hilarious and everything that is amazing about Penny Reid creating characters. She is more than just a quiet nerdy type college girl. She is sweet but feisty, she is inherently good, she is instantly likeable, yet she still is a bit of a puzzle, even to herself at times. Parker does her best to keep out of the way of pretty much everything going on outside of classes at college. Until she is unwittingly privy to an ugly plan which could really hurt her lab partner Sandeke… And you know, being inherently good and all that, Parker knows she needs tell him what she knows.

In hindsight, I realized I’d been acting like a crazy person. Proximity to Martin made me lose my sense. I’d been senseless. Without sense. Not any sense. No sense. Nonsense.

But what she doesn’t know is Sandeke has had her on his radar. Martin Sandeke is someone who is used to getting exactly what or who he wants. Hot, popular, domineering, charismatic and completely in control (seemingly) he isn’t used to girls being unaffected by him, in fact, he isn’t used to a lot of what Kaitlyn is all about. But the heart wants what it wants and by sheer determination he manages to convince Kaitlyn to go away over spring break with him.

What follows is a week of so many things. SO MANY THINGS! Kaitlyn is convinced that there is no way on this earth they would ever work together, so Martin really has his work cut out for him. Cue all of the ups and downs you would expect to follow when a bunch of college students are on a luxurious island… What prevents this from reading like another non-descript NA is the quirk, not enough can be said about the importance of being truly original. When the main character is talking about a (figurative) Bunsen burner in her pants you know you’re reading pure Penny Reid!

As long as I live and breathe, as long as I have a shred of humanity left, as long as I have it in me to care, I will be here for you. Always.

So while this book does contain a lot of the ‘usual’ NA type plot points, it didn’t read as though it did and I certainly didn’t eye-roll my way through it. I really appreciate that Penny Reid has made an effort to mix it up and challenge what we think of particular genres, I for one know that’s what I needed. My only serious complaint is I seriously felt like angry slapping a certain someone at the end…Rarrrrr!!!

ARC received from author in return for an honest review ❤

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Posted in 5 Stars, NA and tagged 5 Stars, ARC, Charm, Lovely, New Adult, Penny Reid Love, Quirky, Series. Bookmark the permalink.

Review: Come to Me Recklessly by AL Jackson

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Amy-OUABB

His heart was turned off…

Until she turned him on…

Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, hes convinced everyone that hes satisfied—everyone but himself.

Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, shes deluded herself into believing shes content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.

When Christopher’s sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.

My Review

Finally, we get Christopher’s story. We first met Christopher in Come to Me Softly and I’ve been dying to know more about him ever since. Come to Me Recklessly is Samantha and Christopher’s story. Christopher gave up on love many years ago. After some events took away everything that he cared about, Christopher went to a very dark place. He spent his years drinking, partying and going through girls like crazy. Never letting anyone get close to him and never opening up his heart. The last thing that he ever imagined was having Samantha walk back into his life.

Samantha is just coasting through her life. She’s desperately trying to convince herself that she is happy with the decisions that she’s made and the person that she is with. She’s spent years just trying to move on. However, her heart will always belong to one person, Christopher. Christopher is one person that she does not allow herself to remember. He broke broke her heart in a way that can never be repaired and now she guards her precious heart.

Fate, however, has other plans. When Samantha runs into Christopher’s sister, Aly, all bets are off. They have an instant connection, like they are meant to be apart of each others lives. As the days pass, Samantha finds herself more invested in Christopher’s family and then the moment that she has been waiting for/dreading happens. She sees Christopher for the first time in years. All those old fears, doubts and feelings come to surface. A second chance is now being presented to Christopher and Samantha. Can time really heal old wounds? Will Christopher fight for what should and has always been his?

“What does it take to delete the past? A thousand apologies?
A million regrets?
A litany of prayers?
If I shouted them, would you hear? If I whispered them, would you believe? If I fell at your feet, would you forgive? If I asked, would you start again?”

I am a big fan of the Closer to You series and loved being a part of this world again. Being with Christopher, Jared and Aly again, felt like no time has passed. I was hooked on this story from the first page. The love and feelings that Christopher and Samantha shared were so real, so raw and it was torn away from them so quickly.

“Falling in love with you? That was the best gift I’ve ever been given.”

My heart broke for them and all the years that they missed together. Their push and pull was so amazing. It was like gravity. No matter how hard you fight it, you just can’t. Come to Me Recklessly is told from dual pov’s and it worked so well with this story. It really helped give me perspective and understanding for all the events that happened in the past and led up to where we are right now.

Come to Me Recklessly is a great story of young love, misunderstandings, second chances, fighting for what you want and never giving up. This story was well written, and heartfelt. The characters are real, they are flawed, so perfectly imperfect that you just want to know more about them. I loved the angst/drama, the romance and the friendship. This book made me laugh, brought tears to my eyes, frustrated me and made me swoon. If you are a fan of AL Jackson, you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend checking this one out!

*I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged 4.5 Stars, Contemporary Romance, New Adult. Bookmark the permalink.

Review: The Hazards of Sleeping With A Friend by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Amy-OUABB

Synopsis

Warning: Sleeping with a friend might change your life forever.

Sleeping with Kyle was never in the plans. Pretending to be his girlfriend was one thing, but letting our relationship become anything but platonic was another. The problem with mixing friendship with sex is that inevitably feelings get involved, and when that happens there’s no turning back.

When Kyle’s life fell apart around him, I needed to help, but doing that meant opening myself up to the most terrifying thing in the world—falling in love.

My Review

The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend follows the story of Kyle and Jade. Jade has always had a crush on Kyle, but never planned on acting on it. One night, a friendly conversation gave way to an unlikely proposition, one that Jade never planned on accepting. As fate would have it, things are about to get more interesting for Kyle and Jade.Thanks to Kyle’s brothers meddling, Kyle is now forced to vacation with his family and bring his girlfriend along. The only problem, he doesn’t have one. He’s always had more than friendly feelings for Jade, so she is the perfect person to ask to be his fake girlfriend. However, pretending to be in a relationship when real feelings are involved is a lot harder than it seems. Will Kyle and Jade give into their feelings and take a chance on building something real? And when tragedy strikes, will Kyle lean on Jade or push her away? Will they open themselves up to the love that is right in front of them or will they be over quicker than they started??

The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend was such a great read. The idea of a pretend relationship was so fun. This story was well written and you could feel the chemistry between Kyle and Jade from the beginning. It was so fun watching the two of them interact. I loved their banter. They connected so easily together. I just couldn’t wait to see where their relationship would go. You knew it would only be a matter of time before they both realized that they were destined to be more than just friends and it was so great watching them fall.

Jade was not an easy sell for pursuing a relationship. She had been hurt deeply in the past and poor Kyle had to work hard to make her see that he was worth taking a chance on and that he would protect her feelings. Kyle was a great guy. He was funny, and charming. You could tell that he cared deeply for his family, even if they drove him nuts. And Jade brought out a side of Kyle that no one really had seen. He just radiated happiness when she was around.

The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend was a quick and enjoyable read for me.The characters were fun and easy to connect with. I just adored Kyle’s mom. She was so sweet and so accepting. This book made me laugh, smile, swoon and there were a couple of moments that just broke my heart. This book had the perfect balance of humor, romance and angst. An overall, really great read.

* I was provided with an ARC copy of this book via the author, in exchange for an honest review*

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged 4.5 Stars, College, New Adult. Bookmark the permalink.

Excerpt and Review Tour: Easy With You by Kristen Proby

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Amy-OUABB

About EASY WITH YOU:

Nothing has ever come easy for Lila Bailey. She’s fought for every good thing in her life during every day of her thirty-one years. Aside from that one night with an impossible to deny stranger a year ago, Lila is the epitome of responsible.

Steadfast. Strong.

She’s pulled herself out of the train wreck of her childhood, proud to be a professor at Tulane University and laying down roots in a city she’s grown to love. But when some of her female students are viciously murdered, Lila’s shaken to the core and unsure of whom she can trust in New Orleans. When the police detective assigned to the murder case comes to investigate, she’s even more surprised to find herself staring into the eyes of the man that made her toes curl last year.

In an attempt to move on from the tragic loss of his wife, Asher Smith moved his daughter and himself to a new city, ready for a fresh start. A damn fine police lieutenant, but new to the New Orleans force, Asher has a lot to prove to his colleagues and himself.

With a murderer terrorizing the Tulane University campus, Asher finds himself toe-to-toe with the one woman that haunts his dreams. His hands, his lips, his body know her as intimately as he’s ever known anyone. As he learns her mind and heart as well, Asher wants nothing more than to keep her safe, in his bed, and in his and his daughter’s lives for the long haul.

But when Lila becomes the target, can Asher save her in time, or will he lose another woman he loves?

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon Kindle ** Amazon Print

A Message from Kristen Proby:

Dear readers,

As you know, the With Me In Seattle series came to a close earlier this month with the eighth and final installment, FOREVER WITH ME. I’ve been steadfast in my decision that there would be no further stories from the series, no spin-offs, nothing more. In my mind, it was complete.

And I still feel that the Montgomery/Williams families are complete, and I maintain that I’m happy with their happy-ever-afters.

But, I’ve also heard you when you’ve said that Asher, Matt Montgomery’s partner in TIED WITH ME, deserves to have a happily ever after for himself and his daughter Casey. So, when the lovely ladies from 1001 Dark Nights asked me to participate in their wonderful project, I thought long and hard about whose story it should be about. Seattle is finished, and I’ve moved on to New Orleans for the new Boudreaux Series… And then it occurred to me: why not do both, and offer a companion novella to each of the series?

And so, because you, the reader, has been so insistent that you want to see Asher and Casey find their perfect person, I’m excited to introduce you to EASY WITH YOU. I think you’re going to love Asher and Lila’s love story this spring…

Happy Reading,

Kristen Proby

My Review

Easy With You was a quick and exciting read. This story was quite the departure from the normal Kristen Proby reads.

Easy With You follows the story of Lila and Asher. Lila and Asher have a chance meeting on a plane where she accidentally falls in his lap. Later, as fate would have it, they once again bump into one another and wind up spending one unforgettable night together. Almost a year has passed and the two of them will once again find themselves together. Lila is a professor at a university where girls are suddenly being murdered. And who should find himself on the case? Of course, Asher. Asher will do anything to protect Lila, but this situation is coming a little too close to home. Will Asher be able to keep Lila safe??

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. It was quite different from what we normally see from Kristen Proby and I think it worked really well. This story was fast paced, had a really intriguing plot and kept me captivated the entire time. I loved the mystery and suspense that surrounded the story. I had a few guesses as to who I thought the killer was and I really enjoyed putting all the pieces together.

I loved that this book did a With Me In Seattle and Easy Love crossover. I haven’t had the chance to read Easy Love yet, but now, I’m looking forward to jumping into that one. Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It gave me the romance and steam that I’ve come to know and love from Kristen Proby, with some great mystery and suspense added to it. Fans of Kristen Proby will not be disappointed!

* I was provided an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Excerpt

She’s so fucking sexy I can hardly breathe.

“I want to fuck you, Lila.”

“Oh good.” She swallows. “We’re on the same page. I want to fuck you too.”

“No, sweetheart.” I grin and lower my face beside hers. I’m not touching her, but I can feel her. Our skin is almost touching, and I know I’m making her crazy.

I’m making me fucking crazy.

“I’m going to fuck you.” I drag my nose along her earlobe and grin when she shivers. “But first, I think we could use something to cool us off.”

“Cool us off?” she whispers.

Without touching her, I back away, take her hand and walk to the small wet bar in my room, open a bottle of Patrón that one of the guys at the precinct gave me, slice a lime and reach for the salt shaker sitting on my room service tray from lunch, relieved that I forgot to set it in the hallway on my way out this afternoon.

“Have you ever done body shots?” I ask her. She’s watching me closely, her hip leaning against the counter, arms crossed over her chest.

“No.” She shakes her head and bites her lip.

“Wanna do them with me?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go first.” I pull her to me, her stomach against my pelvis, and push her hair over her shoulder. “Tip your head back, please.”

She complies, and I lick a short path down the side of her neck, making her breath catch. God, she’s so damn responsive. I shake a little salt on the wet spot, then lick it clean, take the shot, and suck on the lime.

Her eyes never leave me. I love that she’s not shy.

ABOUT KRISTEN PROBY:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Proby is the author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.