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Review: Love Always, Damien by D. Nichole King

July 2, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Author: D. Nichole King

Book: Love Always, Damien

Other Book in Series:

Love Always, Kate (review here)

tl;dr recommendation: This book takes you on an emotional ride laced with hope that Damien might get the life he deserves.

Book Summary:

They say time heals all wounds.

What a load of bull. It’s been four years, and Kate’s voice still echoes in my mind.

Every. Damn. Day.

I numb her memory when it taunts me. In college, I drown her out with booze and easy lays. I can’t do what she asked.

I can’t let her go.

Not even when Lia shows up, freaking ripping what’s left of me to shreds. Caring about someone isn’t worth the deadness that follows after they’re gone. I didn’t ask for this. Didn’t ask for her.

And I sure as hell didn’t plan to miss her when she walked out of my front door.

Now, if I want to keep her, I have to straighten myself out and earn her. I can’t screw this up.

Because if I do, I’ll lose more than just Lia.

I’ll lose my life.

**This book is New Adult and not recommended for those under 17 due to language and mature situations.

Longer Review:

This is the second book in the series, and I strongly strongly recommend that you stop right here and go read Love Always, Kate (link above – IT’S FREE). You’ll cry your fucking eyes out, but I think you need that base of knowledge as a foundation before you dive headfirst into the clusterfuck that is Damien’s head.

Ok, now, let’s go:

good freaking lord. I may have cried every time Kate’s name was even mentioned, but let’s not dwell on that. This book gives you all the feels. Every single one. Damien’s pain is palpable, his joy is contagious and his love for Lia is tremendous. I oscillating between giggling, crying and gasping.

Damien’s incapable of getting over Kate and he doesn’t want to. His heart will always be with her and his refusal to allow any other person to come near it is both heartbreaking and endearing. It’s been almost five years since Kate lost her battle with cancer, but to Damien – it happened yesterday. He’s never allowed that wound to heal because he thinks that it will allow him to forget her. Instead, he rips it open constantly, drowns himself in the pain, and then drinks and fucks to attempt to alleviate it. God, Damien. It hurts to read this.

Obviously, Damien’s in a bit of an unhealthy spot. So when people from his past show up and shake up his life, his emotions scatter. He’s provided an opportunity to get his life together and his attempt at taking it is laudable. Of course, he has no idea what he’s doing, but he’s determined to figure it out. I was incredibly proud of him and I swooned all over myself as he interacted with Lia.

I have to admit, even as Damien started to move on, I felt like he was cheating on Kate. I hated myself for feeling like that – how could he be experiencing so much joy when he was totally in love with Kate? But there are different kinds of love. I rationally know that, but I’m so protective of Kate it’s like a knee-jerk reaction to flip anyone off that even tries to come between Damien and her memory. SIGH.

This book takes you on an emotional ride laced with hope that Damien might get the life he deserves. And I WANTED him to find happiness. This is another ugly-cry book and King, once again, knows how to hit me right in the emotions. Five Stars.

Review: Love Always, Kate by D. Nichole King

June 29, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Author: D. Nichole King

Book: Love Always, Kate

Other Book in Series:

Love Always, Damien

tl;dr recommendation: This book is emotionally draining and beautifully written. 4.5 stars

Book Summary:

Dear Diary,
Leukemia’s been my life since I was eleven. Now, six years later, I want my life back. Only I’m not sure what that is. The test results came back today. 22,000. Which means I’m officially out of remission—again. I have three options:

1) Another round of chemo.
2) A super-new experimental drug.
3) Dump it all— forget the meds and treatments and enjoy the time I have left.

I think I know what I want. Then, in walks Damian, changing everything.

I mean, everything…

He’s got his own set of issues. It binds us together, you know? We understand what it’s like to lose what matters most in seconds. Still, the last thing I need is to have someone else to crush if I can’t fight hard enough. And the last thing he needs is someone else to grieve.

Never mind. I’m down to two options now.

Somehow I know that whichever one I choose, the result will be the same. With the sand in my hourglass seeping to the bottom, I hope there’s enough left to show Damian that life’s worth living.

Worth fighting for. Worth dying for.

Love Always,
Kate

Longer Review:

Instead of sleeping, I sprawled out in bed, read this book and tried not to hiccup cry. jesssssus. THIS BOOK.

King had a string tied straight to my tear ducts. She lightly tugged and my world blurred through the haze of large, wet, disgusting, ugly tears. I didn’t make it even to half-way through this book before I started the ugly crying. Unless you have a black soul of steel, I do not recommend reading this book in public.

It reminded me a bit of The Fault in Our Stars, but a more romantic and less caustically sarcastic version. I was totally ok with that, by the way.

Kate’s probably one of the most mature, strong characters I’ve ever read. I suppose knowing that you’re probably going to die soon may allow for sobering maturity to spark early – but I think she really just has an old soul. The way in which she handles her disease is beautiful and courageous, and her relationship with Damien grows from innocent to a deep and life-changing love.

Damien is less mature. Much Less. But for whatever reason, Kate finds her soulmate in him. She doesn’t allow his flaws to change their love and she accepts him – every chipped and rough piece of him. I was consumed by Damien’s journey to become the man that he wanted to be for Kate. I was gutted when his efforts were a few days shy of a enough. I was horrified at his quick reversion to his prior ways. I was uplifted as Kate’s spirits never waned and she gives Damien exactly what he needs, even though he doesn’t know what to do with it.

This book is emotionally draining and beautifully written. It’s a fantastic expression of strength, love, courage and commitment – no matter how long your lifespan may be. It doesn’t have a happy ending, but that just gives you a reason to read book 2 😉

– 4.5 stars –

Review: Cement Heart by Beth Ehemann

June 18, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Author: Beth Ehemann

Book: Cement Heart

tl;dr recommendation: It’s emotionally jarring, romantically epic, and completely perfect.

Book Summary:

Lawrence Finkle, known simply to his die-hard Minnesota Wild fans as Viper, isn’t used to hearing the word no. He lives his whole life just a little on the reckless side. After all, life is just one big game, right?

Wrong.

When what was supposed to be an innocent bet goes horribly wrong, he’s left to deal with the aftermath—and the guilt. In an effort to make things right the best way he can, he ends up falling for the one person on the planet he never should have.

The old saying goes that two wrongs don’t make a right . . . or do they?

Longer Review:

My friends know me. They really really know me. I was informed I had to read this book after gushing about a similar plotline in another book. I’m either really predictable or I have friends with good taste. I CHOOSE THE LATTER. The combination of a man-whore hockey player with a tragic love story screamed for my attention. I was sucked into this book from the first chapter and could have demolished it in one sitting but for the fact that I needed to function the next day.

I had zero desire to put this one down and the kindle kept calling to me with its sad little brown case asking to be opened. I was engulfed into Viper’s life. His pain and torment over losing his best friend – the WAY that it happened – god, I could feel the loss. I found it super refreshing to read something amazing from a mostly male POV. I definitely had tears trickling down my face every so often while my heart turned to mush.

I absolutely adored the interaction between Viper and, well, pretty much everyone. His Gam is perhaps the coolest old lady on earth. I need to be her when I am 90. Mark my words. I will be a whisky-drinking, ice-cube throwing old coot who still talks about cocks and sex. BRING IT ON. Gam knows how to put him in his place and I was dying to be invited to her house for her infamous dinners.

Besides his budding relationship with Michelle, the greatest parts of this book are when Viper spends time with Matthew, Michelle & Mike’s son. Don’t tell my mother, but my uterus started aching a bit. They were SO ADORABLE together. It tugged at every heartstring I have.

As for the Michelle / Viper relationship…It couldn’t be written any better. It’s flawless. Really. From the morning texts to Lasagnagate, the anticipation builds and builds between them in a completely natural way. It’s emotionally jarring, romantically epic, and completely perfect.

This is romance at its purest – finding love from the worst of situations. I loved this immensely. All the stars!!!!

Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

June 16, 2015 / / 3 Comments

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Book: Outlander (Outlander #1)

Other Books in Series:

Dragonfly In Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander #7)
Written in My Heart’s Own Blood (Outlander #8)
Untitled – Book 9

Link to buy all 8 books here

tl;dr recommendation: Reading about Jamie had me close to buying my husband a kilt and begging him to learn gaelic.

Book Summary:

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord…1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Longer Review:

OH GOD I loved this book. It’s such an amazing epic romance at its heart that I hate myself for waiting this long to read it. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a predisposition against both historical novels and time travel novels – but this book breaks the mold. It’s something different…it’s timeless. Which is really no surprise since it was first published in 1991 and is still relevant.

Outlander easily broke through my preconceived notions, drug me through the dirty underbelly of the eighteenth century highlands and lifted me with hope that I never thought I’d have for characters I never knew I’d love. Diana writes with such ease that I’m shocked she didn’t have to transport back in time in order to convey this story so eloquently. While the overarching romance story held me fast to the pages, the story has something for everyone: danger, suspense, betrayal, and war. People have argued over what genre to place this book in, but that argument is wasted. I place this in the genre of ‘Good Shit’. period.

Claire is strong and sassy, witty and beguiling. She’s found herself in a shit position. While she knows that she should probably get back to her husband in her time, once she’s wed to Jamie and begins to build her life in this time, her heart and desires are divided. The question becomes, how much of her heart belongs to Jamie and how much to Frank – which future does she want to pursue? Of course, there’s also the issues of her maybe being an English spy and BlackJack Randall (who is her first husband’s ancestor) being a massive asshole, to the point that I’m not sure she could even see Frank’s face again without fearing he was BlackJack.

Jamie. Oh Jamie Fraser. Reading about Jamie had me close to buying my husband a kilt and begging him to learn gaelic. I’m going to share a few of my favorite lines – if this doesn’t entice you to buy the book, you clearly don’t love romance, I’m not sure why you’re reading this blog and you have no soul:

“If I were a horse, I’d let him ride me anywhere”           [Oh YES, PLEASE]

“I am your master…and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”

“I didna mean to hurt ye. But I do want to be in you, to stay in you, so deep. I want to leave the feel of me deep inside ye with my seed. I want to hold ye so and stay wi’ you ’til dawn, and leave you sleeping and go, with the shapes of you warm in my hands.”

“My heart has been yours since first I saw ye, and you’ve held my soul and body between your two hands here, and kept them safe.”

“I mean to hear ye groan like that again. And to moan and sob, even though you dinna wish to, for ye canna help it. I mean to make you sigh as though your heart would break, and scream with the wanting, and at last to cry out in my arms, and I shall know that I’ve served ye well.”

*SWOON*

Go fan yourself. Get your temperature back under control. Or wait – don’t. Go buy the book.

This book is a commitment. but one well worth taking. Especially for all seven inches of Jamie that swings with such easy access under that delicious kilt. *winks*

(it’s also only $2 for like 1000 pages. COME ON. That’s practically free).

I’m suffering from a ridiculous book hangover & I’m now planning my life around reading the rest of this series. This book gets a million stars. #MustRead

Blog Tour & Review: Happily Ever NEVER by Jennifer Foor

June 2, 2015 / / 0 Comments

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BUY IT HERE

​​Amazon | Kobo | Scribd | Inktera

Synopsis:

I was about to marry the man of my dreams.

We had it all; a life that most could only wish for. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it was taken from me.

Now I can’t grasp how to move forward.

I don’t even think I want to.

Whether I’m dead or alive, my happily ever after is NEVER going to happen.

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Add it on Goodreads

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Review:

**4.5 stars**

Emotional doesn’t even begin to describe this book. I spent a good 200 of these pages bawling like an idiot. Also, just know that you’re going to need a clean shirt or a basket full of tissues near you. The story was beautiful, sweet, gut wrenching and wholesome.

You could feel the pain that Bailey was going through as she tried to make sense of the tragedy. I mean, it would have been bad if this shit happened in the beginning of the book – BUT NO. You get to see Major & Bailey fall in love. You get to see how sweet and kind he is. You get to feel how deeply they love each other and look forward to the rest of their lives together. And then your heart is ripped from your chest. I think this was the part where I started attempting to regulate my breathing to hide the hiccup sobs.

Vince is Major’s best friend and a major dick. Calling him a womanizer is actually sort of kind to man-whores. He’s crass, tasteless and rude, but he’s like Major’s brother so Bailey puts up with him. You see where the book is headed, but it’s actually more complicated than you think. I was amazed with Bailey’s bravery, encouraged by her good heart, and uplifted by her actions. Vince also undergoes some major changes of his own – which were so very welcomed.

I seriously loved this book but it doesn’t get the full five stars from me because I feel like we missed out on a few really important parts of Vince and Bailey’s relationship. I sort of understand why the author did it, but I still feel that reading those parts would have been beautiful in its own way. Even though this story is pretty damn sad, it’s really well done. It’s about how to move on from tragedy – how to learn to love again and what that love looks like. This book grabs a hold of your heart and doesn’t let go – go read! BRING TISSUES.

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]

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Excerpt:

I needed to get myself up off the floor and prepare to bury my very best friend, the man of my dreams and love of my life. On this day I’d say goodbye to him in front of a crowd of people that knew and loved him. On this day I’d bury our hopes and dreams in that casket with him.  I’d say farewell to the future that would never be; to the children we’d never make. I’d bury my soul with him, because that’s where it belonged. On this particular day a part of me would die too, much like the moment I knew he was gone.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

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AUTHOR INFO:

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Jennifer Foor is an award winning Contemporary Romance Author. She’s best known for the Mitchell Family Series, which includes ten books.

She is married with two children and spends most of her time behind a keyboard, writing stories that come from her heart.

WEBSITE: http://www.jenniferfoor.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferFoorAuthor

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jennyfoor

AMAZON AUTHOR: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Foor/e/B007QVEKI E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1408370369&sr=8-2-ent

TSU: https://www.tsu.co/authorJenniferfoor

Newsletter: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dipP6bUS15MXliIo344XXbS41J9PDGcfCkgD4P10tnI/viewform

Review: quintessence. by Sarah Buhl

May 25, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Author: Sarah Buhl

Book: quintessence.

tl;dr recommendation: This book entered my veins and made me feel.

Book Blurb:

Think about a time in your life when everything was perfect, and it felt as though nothing could go wrong. Life fell into planned alignment. All of the ideas and hopes held most important organized as books on a shelf. Each book held a title bearing a phase in life and within its pages laid the plan for the future.

Now imagine life throwing something at that shelf—everything planned, everything hoped for, everything organized, now turning over as the shelf falls to the floor.

Fear of the unknown replaces the hope for a perfect future.

Karl Samson is not a stranger to roadblocks and disruptions in life. Having for a time let them consume his thoughts, he now lives life learning from his trials. He is the guy everyone thinks is a little off, even though his friends love him for it. He is the one helping others. He didn’t set out one day to find love—he was doing what he usually did.

Maggie Presley achieves, and that is what she is known for—her determination to move ahead. Then, she is faced with something even the most meticulous planner could not foresee. Maggie believed she knew what life held for her because she could create her future. However, life had other plans, and she learns that even the worst of circumstances have unexpected outcomes after you are reminded of life’s beauty. This is a story of life and how sometimes it takes a reorganization of shelves to find the future. It’s a story of love found even during the darkest points in life.

Longer Review:

This is going to be a bit more serious than my normal sarcastic review, but that’s because this book IS serious. It’s also seriously great.

While reading this my feelings slammed around my chest causing this incredible sense of peace combined with the worst sense of ache. Talk about an all consuming love. I could feel the love: it’s innocence, how it transcended all other things and how it wrapped it’s hands around Karl and Maggie to push them together. Their love was beautiful, heartbreaking and so fucking pure. Not in the virgin kind of way, but in the clean and whole kind of way.

This is a story about two people who are suffering but who choose not to suffer. That’s sort of awesome, right? I mean, these people have some seriously heavy shit hanging around them but refuse to get pulled into the depths of it. Instead, they choose to look around them and be thankful. They choose to fall in love. They choose each other.

This isn’t one of those she leaves him or he leaves her books because one of them said something stupid and then they go for weeks angry based on some stupid misunderstanding. No. You feel the love building for these two in this amazing way into a crescendo. There’s not a pinnacle dramatic moment, it’s a lot of little dramatic moments.

You should know that if you can’t handle reading about the realities of what veterans go through, then don’t read this book. [gets on soapbox] But you should. You really fucking should. [gets off soapbox]. Karl’s a veteran and he’s trying to figure out how to coincide the person he once was with the person he now is. This is raw. This is real. This is truth. This book gives some of the best insight into the inner workings of a veteran’s mind than I ever could. I know this because I could see my husband in Karl. In every heartbreaking, beautiful word.

Karl’s journey intertwines with Maggie’s as if they were presented to each other at the perfect time in their lives. They soon discover that they simply work better together. Some may think that this book is too much in that it talks about feelings a whole fucking lot. But I don’t think we see this type of love enough. I love a book about a quick fuck as much as the next girl, but this book entered my veins and made me feel.

Karl is steadfast and amazing while Maggie is determined and strong. They balance each other when they need balancing and they hold each other when they need holding. It’s good. It’s so so fucking good. There’s not a ton of sex, but there’s more love than you can imagine. Some of the writing felt a little stilted to me, but on the whole I succumbed to All The Feels while reading this, which is why it gets 4.75 stars. This book is gorgeous.

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]

Review: Only Trick by Jewel E. Ann

April 11, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Author: Jewel E. Ann

Book: Only Trick

tl;dr recommendation: beautiful. heartbreaking. passionate. #MustRead

Book Summary:

“Don’t Look Back in Anger”

In one night, I lost five years of my life. Here’s what I know …

I was homeless.

I’m a recovering drug addict.

My inked skin crawls from lustful eyes.

I have a serious aversion to women.

My gay partner is a home wrecker.

I own a gun and I’m a damn good shot.

I’m a makeup artist, but it’s an insult to my talent.

I’ve never wanted to possess anything except my Ducati … until I met Darby.

Now here’s what I know since that day in the ER when she pieced me back together … nothing—but a few random thoughts.

My new “friend” is distracting, clingy, and obsessed with acronyms, emojis, and phrases like “breakfast soul mates.”

I didn’t want to like her, but she crawled under my skin and swallowed me whole. Now we’re best friends and she’s my new addiction. I’d drink her from a shot glass, snort her up my nose, or inject her into my veins if I could. What I won’t do … is ever tell her that.

She doesn’t know me … I don’t know me. When those missing years come back, I think she will hate me … I think I will hate me.

My parents named me Patrick Roth, and this is my story.

Longer Review:

First things first – this is NOT a male/male love story. If you go in with that expectation, you will be extremely disappointed. I can see how the blurb could make you think that’s what this is. But it’s not. This IS a beautiful male/female love story. K? K.

When Trick & Darby are together it’s like a flick of a switch. Nothing else matters – no one else matters. They are BFF’s, breakfast soul mates, and (eventually) lovers. But there’s one huge problem: Trick doesn’t know his past. Will his past eventually catch up to him and ruin the perfection of their relationship? LET’S HOPE NOT.

Good God this book is phenomenal. It shakes and guts you, holds and caresses you, lifts and warms you. Trick is so much more than the gay make up artist he portrays himself to be. Darby’s the piece of the puzzle that sheds light on his dark parts and fills that empty piece of his heart (probably with emojis).

The need builds and builds for these two until it’s at nearly explosive levels. My palms were sweating every time that Darby came near Trick. My heart started hammering when they kissed for the first time. And after Trick starts letting himself feel and love Darby, all bets were off. His words mark, possess and gut you to pieces. As Darby fell in love with him more and more each day, so did I.

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I absolutely loved the BFF talk and banter. The dialogue is funny and witty without even trying. Jewel has a quirky sense of humor and it shines right on through in this book. You’ll smile, laugh, and tear up a bit. Darby’s the kind of girl I’d love to be friends with, and NANA – LET’S NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT NANA BECAUSE SHE NEEDS HER OWN BOOK. God, I loved that woman. Even the secondary characters in this book are well written.

The depth, feelings, love and devotion grow with each passing page. There is nothing that Trick wouldn’t do for Darby – NOTHING. If you’re looking for a head over heels – swoon worthy hero, I’ve found him for you. GET IT NOW.

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]

Lift – Authors Raising Autism Awareness – Tons of giveaways!

April 8, 2015 / / 0 Comments

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April is Autism Awareness month, and the romance reading community is celebrating!

1 in 68 children is diagnosed with Autism every year, making it the fastest growing and one of the most prevalent developmental disabilities. Authors Ginger Scott and Kennedy Ryan have organized a MegaGiveaway called LIFT featuring more than 50 authors to raise awareness and acceptance! Each Monday in April, a new rafflecopter will go live, loaded with e-books, audio books, swag packs, signed paperbacks and gift cards from these amazing authors doing their part to LIFT4Autism. (scroll down for this week’s rafflecopter!)

And there’s LIFTWear – 4 styles to choose from! All proceeds from the LIFT t-shirts will go to a national autism organization. Order t-shirts HERE until MONDAY, APRIL 13!

LIFT tshirt

Good luck and #LIFTOff!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorenson

April 6, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Author: Jessica Sorenson

Book: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden

Other Books in Series:

The Redemption of Callie & Kayden
The Destiny of Violet & Luke
The Probability of Violet & Luke
The Certainty of Violet & Luke
The Resolution of Callie & Kayden

tl;dr recommendation: completely gripping, engrossing, and heartbreaking. I devoured this book.

Book Summary:

For Kayden, suffering in silence was the only way to survive. If he was lucky, he could keep his head down, do as he was told, and make it through the day. But one night it seemed like his luck — and his life — might finally end… until an angel named Callie appeared just in time to rescue him.

Callie has never believed in luck. Not since her twelfth birthday when everything was taken from her. After the worst was over, she locked up her feelings and vowed never to tell anyone what happened. Now, six years later, she continues to struggle with the painful secret that threatens to consume her.

When fate lands Kayden and Callie at the same college, Kayden is determined to get to know the beautiful girl who changed his destiny. Quiet and reserved, Callie still fears letting anyone else into her world. But Kayden is certain that Callie has come back into his life for a reason. And the more he tries to be a part of her life, the more he realizes that, this time, it’s Callie who needs to be saved…

Longer Review:

Sometimes I’m a sucker for a coming of age story filled with inner turmoil, childhood demons, and unbreakable love. This was one of those times. Jessica Sorenson is a masterful storyteller – her writing easily has you falling in love with Callie & Kayden as they’re not sure if they’re falling in love with each other. BUT THEY ARE.

The brush of kisses, the hesitant touches, and the heartfelt connections remind me of when I was in college finding myself – or trying to anyway. This book pulls at those same emotions and makes me want to re-tell all of my secrets to my husband. INTROSPECTION.

Callie & Kayden have that thing that you look for when you’re searching for your next read. It’s a feeling – a connection – that bind them together and binds you to the freaking book. I totally didn’t even mean to read this in one night, but then, there I was at 3am, unable to put the book down.

Callie is a sweet girl who has been through a shit experience as a child. Like most things that happen during our formative years, it’s shaped who she is today. She’s desperately trying to break free of the chains of those demons and learn to trust again. When she saved Kayden from his own childhood demons one night when they were back in high school she never thought she’d see him again. She did what she thought was right.

But to Kayden, that night was his salvation. What Callie did for him created a debt that he could never repay and when he runs into her at college, he’s determined to thank her. Which turns into getting to know her. Which turns into oh-my-god-why-am-i-feeling-all-of-these-emotions.

The struggle of family is real. We all have our difficulties, and this book highlights some of the fucked up shit that can happen behind seemingly perfect picket fences.

I’m spent, people. THAT ENDING. I already ran off and bought book 2. #seeya *shoves face in book*

Blog Tour & Review: This Much Space by KK Hendin

April 2, 2015 / / 1 Comment

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BUY IT HERE:

Amazon | B&N

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Ebook copies of COME BACK TO TEXAS and A DIFFERENT KIND OF FINE,  and a $10 Amazon Gift Card. (2 winners!)

BOOK SUMMARY

Olivia is Anna Wintour’s worst nightmare, and she doesn’t give a shit. She’s wanted to go into fashion design her whole life, and nothing is going to stop her fabulous plus sized self. Not even her boss from hell, or the fact that she’s the fat Cinderella of the most exclusive lingerie store in Bushwick, Ohio. She’s sworn off dating, because she is focused, dammit, and will not get distracted by anyone in college. She has shit to do and places to go, be it on her own with the clothing she makes, or with the girls in Twelve Beats In A Bar, the all-female a cappella group she’s part of.

Why do group projects always have to ruin everything?

Thierry Acosta has it all. Shortstop on Bushwick University’s baseball team, amazing grades in college, everything he could want. When he gets paired with Olivia for a group project, things are only getting better. And then his dad loses his job, and Thierry’s life falls apart. He can’t manage to get himself to practice, to class… anywhere. He’s got the scars on his wrists to prove that this has happened before, but he thought he was better. He thought he could deal with something like this. The cuts on his thighs say otherwise.

Before they know it, Olivia and Thierry’s relationship has gone from casual project partners to not-so-casual more-than-friends. But when things take a turn for the worse, can they face the growing reality of a relationship that’s become much more serious than either of them expected- or wanted?

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Review

KK Hendin is back with book two in the Twelve Beats in a Bar series and it is completely amazing. KK has a way of creating real characters that you feel you already know. I was only a few chapters into this book and was already texting my best friend and asking how she managed to get herself into a book. I mean, Olivia is awesome. Completely awesome.

Gah…why is Olivia amazing? Because she says what’s on her mind. She’s unashamed of her appearance (THANK FUCK FOR THAT). She quilts and sews. She’s sarcastic and sassy in all the right ways. She’s giving and kind and completely unselfish. I mean, I WANTED TO BE OLIVIA. or date her. or be best friends with her. It’s no surprise that when Theirry meets her that he’s also completely smitten.

Theirry’s a baseball player who comes across as perfect, beautiful, and talented. His teammates may be assholes (we find that out early on) but Theirry’s not. He’s a good guy, he’s funny, and he so incredibly quickly falls for Olivia that he’s unsure as to what he’s even doing. But he’s not without flaws, and those flaws are deeply ingrained in his psyche that he succumbs to them when life starts to get too hard. I think my heart broke during these scenes.

This book is the perfect example of how society’s perception of outward beauty is not always a match to what is in the inside. Theirry may be outwardly perfect, but he’s not. Society doesn’t seem to think that Olivia’s perfect, but I DO. I loved how KK makes you push past the usual superficial thoughts and focus on what really matters. This book is emotional, heartwrenching and uplifting. IT GAVE ME ALL THE FEELS.

Thank you for real characters & real love, KK.

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KK Hendin’s real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she’ll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate. She’s the author of the NA contemporaries HEART BREATHS and ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG.
THIS MUCH SPACE is the second book in her new series, TWELVE BEATS IN A BAR.
KK spends way too much time on Twitter (where she can be found as @kkhendin), and rambles on occasion over at www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com.

 

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