🧐 OUR WEEK IN REVIEWS 📚 Reviews and Recommendations

💖 OUR PICKS FOR THE WEEK
📚 07/21/2019
💕 Fight Dirty by Emily Goodwin
🥀 I (One) by Lana Sky
🍰 Sugar Daddy: A Single Dad Romance by Lara Swann
💔 Violent Ends by Jessica Hawkins
🤓 Fluffy by Julia Kent
💌 The Rebel's Redemption by Lexi C. Foss

LOOKING FOR MORE ➡ 

GOODREADS  AMAZON   BOOKBUB

Fight Dirty by Emily Goodwin

Before I forget I want to give a moment of silence for Captain Morgan ~ RIP

Next ~ Where can I find me an Owen?
I adored his character! He was so genuine and down to earth. Okay a bit of an ego, but it works.
He would be the results if we took a dash from every little girl's dream prince and mixed it all together.
A bit rough and tumble ~ Soft and sweet.
He had my heart a palpitating and my lady bits .... well you get the idea.
Owen has been given a second chance and darn if he isn't going to make it right this time. His heart never stopped loving Charlie and now it was time to get back his girl.
His character is a bit of a man-whore yet I couldn't find it in myself to hold it against him. Be honest, tell me you could?
The closeness he shared with his siblings and the love he had for his nephews and nieces made me a hormonal mess.
And he could cook, and clean and had a job and .... *Sigh*

Charlie's life had been a series of events that had tested her resolve, challenged her beliefs. She found herself where she thought she belonged. Heading for a future she thought she wanted. Until her eyes were opened and she realized the fairy-tale wasn't so perfect.
Charlie kept me laughing. She was fun, a bit blinded but honest with herself when it counted. She didn't play the game of wish I had ~ I wish I would. She analyzed, weighed facts and still managed to jump to conclusions. But then again there is always the make up s..
I enjoyed that her character was confident and intelligent yet still harbored the little girl who was never quite sure she was enough.

This is a slow build romance that engages all the readers' emotions. The characters literally pop off the pages and the story was easy to follow and had a rhythm to it.
A slow build, a plateau, a drop then another build -
The sweetest rhythm of love 💕
Amazon 

I (One) by Lana Sky

"Hell isn't a rose. Hell is love. The agony of blind desire. Trust in the face of inevitable destruction. The acceptance of death to protect the breath of another. "

When I first started this trilogy I was torn. Ellen seemed so ... lacking? That's not that right word but yet it is. As the story progressed she began to bloom. By the close, she had become, in her own right, a force to be reckoned with. In some ways, I truly believe that Mischa was the catalyst for her self discovery. Without his cruel words and mocking deprecation she never would have questioned her self. Her lack of individuality... her subservient tendencies.

Oh, I know Robert had a lot to do with molding her, trimming her of any sense of self. But in his blind quest to create a slave to worship at his feet he, without intention, became the true catalyst that would eventually call forth the fierce woman she truly was.

This was such a twisted and intense conclusion to this trilogy. This is NOT a standalone there are two books previous. Each new episode uncovered more truths yet also hinted at darker secrets. I watched as Ellen slowly blossomed into a force to be acknowledged. There were times I doubted she would survive intact, physically and mentally. The evils that surrounded her testing her sanity almost encouraging her to hide in the corners of her mind.
Then the cast of unknowns. They said they were friends but to trust them may prove to be even more deadly than the monster that currently held her leash... Mischa.
What was his end game?

I kept thinking we were going in a certain direction with the story only to suddenly find I had been played and pretty hard.
The little things all added up to an explosive conclusion that shook every belief I originally held about most of the cast and events.

The monsters that live within these pages are those that hide in the sunlight, at the dining table next to you, the ones you trust.
The ones you would call friend/family.
As I have come to anticipate Sky writes her characters without apologizes - so heed the warnings ~ If you don't like playing in the dark you will definitely want to stay away from the shadows.
Amazon


Sugar Daddy: A Single Dad Next Door Romance by Lara Swann

Liam and Kelsey were a wonderful recipe for romance with just the right amount of heat.
Lot's of sweet small town interaction with just a touch of suspense.
Kelsey (h) is a bundle of energy and curiosity. She is first introduced to us when she returns from her vacation (ie.. escape the rumor mill till it runs out of steam) from across the pond. Her zest for life was pretty much contagious. She knows this is where she belongs, even if the world is calling to her curiosity. She is not looking for anything in the way of romance. Been there, done that, has the pictures to prove it.
Liam (H) left the past and his secrets where they belong - in the past. He took himself and his daughter Maya (an equal match for Kelsey's energy level) and decided it was time to embark upon an adventure. What better adventure is there than a fairy-tale?
A fairy-tale bakery!
Our main characters had both tasted the sour side of love and had decided it just wasn't their cup of tea. But as we all know it is when you are not looking that cupid usually flings his arrow.
I enjoyed the slow flow of this story it felt like we spent time with the characters - enjoying the sunset, relaxing with the family, just being. Not sure if that makes sense.
Liam *sigh* ~ Sexy ~ Smart ~ A single dad doing his best to raise his little girl right. Not only was his character charismatic but just something about him truly called to me as a reader. He was easy to connect with.
Kelsey's character was a joy. She had an almost contagious energy that seemed to emanate from the pages.
Sugar Daddy is a laid back, slow build small town romance that IMO is perfect for a lazy afternoon by the pool.
Amazon


Violent Ends by Jessica Hawkins

This is the second book in this series. It is NOT standalone.

I don't know where Cristiano found the patience. In the first half of the book, Natalie constantly had me aching to put my hands around her trachea! That girl tested every nerve I had! I understand she is swimming in revelations and that her entire world has tilted on its axis, but she needs to stop making blind assumptions. She is an inquisitive and intelligent woman it is time to step up and take control. When Natalie finally emerges as the queen she was always meant to be I felt sorry for those who thought to keep her blinded.
In this episode, we see a bit of the darker side of Cristiano. We visit some of the events that forged the calculating leader he is today. We also get a glimpse of something else that lurks in his darkness, just beyond the brutality he so casually wields.
Diego ... wait for it.

We pick up right where book one left off - at the wedding.
In Violent Ends, it felt like so many layers of the mystery were peeled away revealing the true depth of the deceptions and betrayals. I was not prepared for most of it!
Friends are sacrificed and enemies are uncovered.
This definitely kept me wanting, needing to know what lay beyond the twisted rumors
Amazon  Kobo  Nook  Apple  Google


Fluffy by Julia Kent

This is one of those reads that is just an honest good time.
I don't know how many times my son gave me "the look" because I broke out in laughter.

Mal is highly intelligent but a bit socially inept. Blessed with book smarts yet lacking in street smarts. For her, it is the everyday things that at times are a bit harder to comprehend. The innuendos, the facades.. why not just say what you mean and mean what you say? Like life hadn't given her enough hurdles to maneuver. Mal is not really comfortable outside of her box. She seems to prefer being the wallflower. Her straight forward interpretation of life leads to one comical event after another.

Mal ends up reconnecting with her high school crush under the most embarrassing of circumstances. She was supposed to fluffing a home, something she is more than skilled at.
Turns out her lack of slang knowledge may just put her in the pokey.

Will was her high school fantasy. The popular jock who, back then, somehow balanced sexy and smart making it look easy.
Having him suddenly appear back in her life is definitely messing with her feng shui. Torn between the need to eat and the ingrained instinct to retreat Mal finds herself in uncharted territory.
Will, on the other hand, sees a second chance. A chance to grasp the one thing he let slip through his fingers.

I really enjoyed how this played out. Lots of comedic relief blended with a very sweet journey of self-acceptance and understanding.
Let us not overlook the dessert menu!

Will is practically the perfect book boyfriend. He has his flaws but for me, they only made him more endearing.

The story line plays a bit into fantasy land but it worked well with the cast and their personalities.
There were a few scenes that had my hackles up(Mal's behavior at the reunion) and at times I wished I could deliver some attitude adjustments to some of the characters.
But overall?
A great read that had me laughing
Amazon  Kobo  Nook  Google  Apple


The Rebel's Redemption by Lexi C. Foss

Foss does it again ~
A big thank you to Lexi for ripping out my heart ~ repeatedly, mind you ~ then stomping on it until it was nothing but broken pieces scattered on the floor.
I am currently recovering from one of the worst book hangovers I can recall and hoping for a miracle. And more vodka. Oh and tissues. Definitely, need tissues.

I was waiting for Wyatt's story and I was not disappointed though I must admit I think it was little Jamie who stole my heart.

Avery has been Auntie A since little Jamie was a babe. Her sister, Jean was not able to financially, or emotionally care for him so she took the role of mother and aunt. Avery's world is turned upside down when her sister passes and she files for legal custody of Jamie only to find she is not Jamie's sole surviving family member. She is about to have her entire world ripped from her arms and there is not a single thing she can do about it.

Wyatt can't believe the nerve of Avery to go after full custody of his son. The evils people will commit under the guise of love. With no intention of letting Avery get away with it, Wyatt decides a little payback is in order. He sets his plan in motion and he knows from past experiences what the Perry women are capable of. He will show no kindness.
You reap what you sow.

Oh, Wyatt what a fool you are.

I cried... I laughed .. I cried some more... I awww'd... I cried again... Getting the picture?

This was such a sweet and highly emotional read.
Single Mom (aunt) ~ Billionaire Rebel ~ Underhanded Family ~ Misguided Actions ~ Adorably Cute Little Dude ~ HEA
I am not sure if this is touted as a stand alone but I believe you would have no problem following the story and connecting with the characters even if you have not read the first two in this series.
But! Why would you?
Amazon 


#newadult #romance #kidnapping #thriller #noircrime #mystery
#action #adventure #fiction #womens #military #smalltown
#singledad #romcom #secondchance #crime #mafia #familylife
#contemporary #books #bookreview #kindleunlimited
#EmilyGoodwin #LanaSky #LaraSwann
#JessicaHawkins #Julia Kent #LexiCFoss