Book review: The Choice, by Ashley Jade

Fantastic story about a love triangle!  Instead of two worthy men vying for the love of our heroine, we have one worthy man and one con artist, and sadly, it’s the con artist who has her heart.

Josh, Memphis, and Skylar have known each other since kids, they were next-door neighbors.  Josh and Memphis are foster children, Skylar lost her mother and is living with her aunt and uncle.  Both Josh and Skylar have been abused, so this formed a bond between them, as they each understood what the other had gone through and help each other.  Memphis watches them and yearns because he wishes he’d met Skylar first.

This riveting story takes us all through their adolescence.  Memphis is the quiet genius, dedicated to his music and his guitar.  He does all that’s required of him without complaints, while Josh is constantly whining and complaining and leaving all his chores for Memphis to complete.  The only time he shines is when Skylar is spiraling and he’s there for her.

As time goes on, Skylar and Memphis mature and Josh turns to booze, bad influences, constant parties and eventually drugs.  He abuses Skylar’s love but comes back every time he feels her getting away.  We see how frequently Memphis has to pitch in to save the day. He’s like this quiet presence behind Josh and Skylar.

This story reads like a roller coaster, where Memphis has his future mapped out, all based on his love for music, Skylar is a little aimless because she hasn’t found her goal in life. Josh is turning increasingly bitter, jealous of Memphis, scorns his work ethic, disrespects Skylar.  

The story moves relentlessly towards a change in their dynamics, I thought it was going in the right direction, but a plot twist changes everything and Josh again takes the upper hand, full of malice and scorn.  By the time the book ends, I was heartily hating Josh and all he represents.  This story was completely riveting! As soon as it finished, I re-read The Words, this time with a new perspective and enjoyed it much more.  Now I can hardly wait for The Consequence!

Purchase links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e4BHkL

Amazon INTL: https://geni.us/TheChoice1

Add to Goodreads: 

The Choice #1: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62883942-the-choice

About the author

Ashley Jade is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and top 20 bestselling Amazon author who craves tackling different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including erotica and dark romance. 

Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them. 

She's a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em-dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought-provoking...except for math. 

Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. 

If she's not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life. 

Check out her Amazon page and Facebook page for future novels.

She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go 'round. 

Connect w/Ashley

Website: https://ashleyjadeauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ashley-Jade-Author-788137781302982/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajadeauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyjadeauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14175946

Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ashley-jade

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RGsIJ9 

 

 

Book review: From Smoke to Flames, by A.M. Hargrove

West Brothers #3

Of the three West Brothers books, this one was the most surprising.  In book #2, Hudson’s story, we see a little of Pearson.  We learn he’s a very talented and successful lawyer, a player, he’s frequently absent from the family Sunday dinners and we deduce it’s from all this womanizing.  In his book, we get a huge surprise: he’s addicted to heroin!

It all started with a shoulder surgery where he got addicted to opiates.  Then it upgraded to heroin, and then alcohol because he was, quite wrongly, trying to control the heroin urges with alcohol.  Until one day, he overdosed and was found in an alley.  Taken to the hospital, his family quickly came to gather around him and offer their usual support.  He’s ashamed and repentant, but the death scare was strong, and decides to face rehab.

He’s taken to a facility called Flower Power and it’s all decked in hippy style.  The workers all dress in flowy clothes, there’s tons of lavender plants, essential oil diffusers and peace signs.  The scenes when he arrives with his brothers is hilarious! In spite of his initial reluctance, he takes to the place, the yoga and the meditation, except he receives angry vibes from his counsellor Rose.  When he learns that he was her ex-husband’s divorce lawyer and he cost her daughter’s custody, he inquires further and finds out the ex-husband is abusing her child.  He was doing his job, but he was also high on drugs so he didn’t catch that his client was a jerk.  So he repents and starts helping her get her daughter back.

I loved this story, the different angles to the plot, and the fact that it also has suspense.  The ex-husband was a ticking bomb, and there’s a constant expectation of something bad to happen anytime.  As they work together, they also get close and start developing feelings.  They’re going super slow since he’s in a very vulnerable and changing situation.  We get several very steamy moments, and some very cheesy ones too.

As with the other books, family is also strong and present in this story.  They have a cousin, Sylvie, who works in the clinic and is a strong help whenever they have a problem.  Both brothers, Grey and Hudson, are frequent visitors and always present at all emergencies.  Rose’s daughter Montana, is a cutie, initially very subdued and scaredy, until she’s home with her mother and she flourishes into a very vibrant kid.  Montana and Kinsley, Grey’s oldest, develop a rapport and a mutual obsession with Irish dancing and clicky shoes.  What I didn’t know in the previous books and learned in this one, is that they are bad at dancing but the whole family applauds them as if they were superstars.

This has been a great series, strong on sexy love and family love, great kids, great pets, and an entertaining story with angst and humor.  Totally recommend!

Purchase link

https://amzn.to/3ksJ9sv

About the author

One day on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast-forward. If she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that novel she had dreamt of her whole life. She slammed on the brakes, made a crazy decision, and quit her job. Then she reinvented herself and wrote novels that kept everyone up all night.

She fancies herself all of the following: Reader, Writer, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Coffee Drinker, Grey Goose Aficionado, and #WalterThePuppyAndTroublemaker controls her life. If you’re around her for more than five minutes, you’ll soon notice she has a tendency to talk your ear off. Believe it or not, all the crazy stories she tells are true too.

Join AM’s mailing list for exclusive info ➜ http://bit.ly/AMNLWP

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Website ➜ www.amhargrove.com

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BookBub ➜ http://bit.ly/AMH_BB

Book review: From Ashes to Flames, by A.M. Hargrove

West Brothers #1

I first read the second book of this series, From Ice to Flames, and loved it, so decided to download the rest of the series.  These books are very entertaining, with a great balance of humor and emotion, and the author developed great characters.

In this story, the female character, Marin, is a hoot.  She resigned her job in a journalism magazine for ethic reasons and went home early to find her boyfriend having sex with her best friend.  Instead of breaking down with sobs, she slugged her and then went to town with him.  Then left to her parents house where she hid in her old bedroom, watching Netflix and eating ice cream for a month.  Her parents got fed up with her inaction and got her a job nannying for a friend’s grandkids.  That is how she starts taking care of Dr. Greydon West’s children.  

Grey is the oldest of the West brothers, he’d also had a betrayal, his wife of ten years had been unfaithful for two years and he learned about the affair on the same day she left on a business trip with her lover and the plane crashed.  He’s angry and embittered but has nowhere to vent his feelings.  And what is worse, now he has doubts whether his baby Aaron is really his son.  

When Marin arrives to work at his house, they are gobsmacked at her appearance:  rainbow colored hair, multiple piercings and tattoos.  Kinsley is immediately fascinated, Grey doubtful.  As the days go on, Marin and the kids fall in love, Grey is overwhelmed with this young woman, sixteen years younger, who turns his world upside down, sassing him, challenging him on his actions and attitudes.  He questions himself why he doesn’t fire her, until he sees her with his children and her hilarious conversations with Kinsley. 

Family is strong in this series.  Grey’s parents and brothers are present and supportive through all the book.  Grey, who was full of resentment, is a little distant from his children as he mourns and festers, but Marin takes charge.  He falls in love, very much against his wishes, and Marin finds him too old initially.  There are very sweet moments, very angsty moments, and other comical since Marin is straightforward and a spitfire and doesn’t hold back.  She’s perfect to jumpstart his heart once again.  Super entertaining!

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/3kD4dwL

About the author

One day on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast-forward. If she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that novel she had dreamt of her whole life. She slammed on the brakes, made a crazy decision, and quit her job. Then she reinvented herself and wrote novels that kept everyone up all night.

She fancies herself all of the following: Reader, Writer, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Coffee Drinker, Grey Goose Aficionado, and #WalterThePuppyAndTroublemaker controls her life. If you’re around her for more than five minutes, you’ll soon notice she has a tendency to talk your ear off. Believe it or not, all the crazy stories she tells are true too.

Join AM’s mailing list for exclusive info ➜ http://bit.ly/AMNLWP

Reader Group ➜ http://bit.ly/FBGHH

Website ➜ www.amhargrove.com

Facebook ➜ http://bit.ly/FBamh1

Instagram ➜ http://bit.ly/AM_IG1

BookBub ➜ http://bit.ly/AMH_BB

Book review: Just Another Spark, by Carly Phillips

Short and sweet and completely adorable!  Dash and Cassidy have been married a few years.  He has been in his first tour in two years, he’s been away for several months, and they’re both feeling the separation.  Since Cassidy is now working as producer with Sasha, she hasn’t been able to go visit Dash at the concert venues, as she did in the previous tour.  

Even though they have complete trust in each other, the tabloid rumors are annoying, playing phone tag is frustrating, and tempers are getting frayed.  I loved how both work through their frustrations, the complete devotion to each other, the drive to finish this tour so they can be together.  In spite of groupies everywhere, Dash only has eyes for his woman, he’s not even remotely interested.  But Cassidy, so many miles away, fears even while she trusts her man.

I loved this short story! Their love is strong, their chemistry is still going 🔥.  Everyone around is supportive and when they do finally meet up, they burn up the bedsheets!  Who knew that a rockstar could be so romantic?

Purchase link

https://amzn.to/3WuNnx5

About the author

NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips is the Queen of Alphalicioius Heroes. Carly married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her crazy dogs who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram pages. The author of over 75 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters and is now an empty nester. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly?

Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com

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Book review: From Ice to Flames, by A.M. Hargrove

West Brothers #2

I grabbed this book because it was free on Amazon and the blurb intrigued me.  A vet and dogs, count me in! And the story was delicious!

Milly Fremont suffered a horrible betrayal from her ex-husband and to escape the memories, she moved from Atlanta to New York.  When her groceries spilled on the floor in front of her apartment, she met her neighbor who helped her pick them up.  And he was a hottie!  Later on, she discovers that he’s a veterinarian, has three dogs and an adorable five-year-old boy called Wiley.  He’s gorgeous but reticent and she later learns that he had also suffered a betrayal from his ex-wife, as horrible as hers.  So, they’re cautiously friends in spite of the strong chemistry.

I loved how the story developed between these two and the interventions from family members.  Milly has a mastiff dog called Dick, so you can imagine all the humor that comes from this little fact.  There is a lot about dogs in this story, which adds a lot of cuteness, apart from the hilarious phrases related to Dick the dog.  The plot moved smoothly, the friends to lovers plot moved slowly but surely, the characters were fantastic, and the mixture of emotions and humor was fantastic.  The relation between Milly and her sister was precious, same as Hudson and his brothers.  There are some scenes that were hilarious, others that were super angsty, just how I like them.  Very lovely friends to lovers story!

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/3wlveHr

About the author

One day on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast-forward. If she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that novel she had dreamt of her whole life. She slammed on the brakes, made a crazy decision, and quit her job. Then she reinvented herself and wrote novels that kept everyone up all night.

She fancies herself all of the following: Reader, Writer, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Coffee Drinker, Grey Goose Aficionado, and #WalterThePuppyAndTroublemaker controls her life. If you’re around her for more than five minutes, you’ll soon notice she has a tendency to talk your ear off. Believe it or not, all the crazy stories she tells are true too.

Join AM’s mailing list for exclusive info ➜ http://bit.ly/AMNLWP

Reader Group ➜ http://bit.ly/FBGHH

Website ➜ www.amhargrove.com

Facebook ➜ http://bit.ly/FBamh1

Instagram ➜ http://bit.ly/AM_IG1

BookBub ➜ http://bit.ly/AMH_BB

Book review: Wait for Always, by K.A. Linde

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been anxiously waiting for this book and it didn’t disappoint!  Everything we wanted to know about Ash and Mia has been revealed, and what a fantastic story!

Amelia Ballentine has been in love with Ash Talmadge all her life.  It was unrequited because he’s been obsessed with Delilah Greer for so many years. And yet, I have an inkling that he did have a thing for Amelia once, at the very beginning, but being her big brother’s best friend, stopped the attraction in the bud.  And then he met Lila and started their on and off besotted history of 10+ years.

We’re taken on their story as Mia watches Ash break with, and reconcile with, Lila through the years.  Mia has also gone through her own relations with boyfriends who have been duds, and of whom Derek (her big brother) and Ash hadn’t approved.  She’s living her life on her terms, she studied fashion design in New York, worked with Elizabeth Cunningham, dated Camden Percy, then came back home to start her own boutique with her own designs. She’s been successful in business, not successful in love. And she has been a lovely friend all this time, supporting Ash all the times he’s broken because he lost Lila.

I loved that the story is told in dual times, the present and the back story when it all started.  Their relation is tumultuous and we see an Ash who wants to be with Amelia but falls victim to his obsession with Lila.  We want to hate Lila but we’ve seen that she’s a good person, she was just undecided.  Marley and Josie are good friends, and they have this tap dance where they have to plan get togethers preventing Lila and Ash encounters.  Mia is also having family problems related to her father.  We’re taken on the trip as Derek had his own mess with Marley and his failed marriage with crazy Kasey.  I loved reminiscing their stories!

Apart from being entertaining and steamy, this story was so full of emotional moments.  We see Ash working hard to move on and see Amelia learning to love herself and demand the respect and love that she deserves.  She grew into her own persona, loved Ash with all her heart but didn’t accept less than his 100%, so he had to work hard for her.  Very yummy, very satisfactory, it was everything I expected and more!

Purchase links

✦ Amazon → https://geni.us/AmazonW4A

✦ B&N → https://geni.us/NookW4A

✦ Apple → https://geni.us/AppleW4A

✦ Kobo → https://geni.us/KoboW4A

✦ Google Play → https://geni.us/GoogleW4A

✦ Audio → https://geni.us/AudibleW4A Narrated by Ava Erickson

About the author

K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding Series, Wrights, and more than thirty other novels. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, binge-watching Supernatural, traveling, and dancing in her spare time.

 

She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super-adorable puppies.

 

Visit her online at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @authorkalinde.

 

Join her newsletter for exclusive content, free books, and giveaways every month.

 

Book review: Destroy Me, Corrupted Royals #1, by Michelle Heard

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

More Mafia, but these time with young adults!  Michelle Heard brings us to the Mafia world again, in an offshoot from the extraordinary Sinners series.  Now we’re reading about young Mafia/Bratva enforcers, who work for the organization lead by Viktor Vetrov and Luca Cotroni.  This world is as dangerous as the Sinners world, since these three guys, only twenty-one, are enforcers, every bit as deadly.

Mikhail, Alek and Armani are having a last hurrah before joining the St. Monarch academy for the young and the lawless.  There’s an unwritten rule that different factions of the crime world co-exist in the school and no killings are allowed within the grounds.  Outside of the school, no such limitations exist. 

At the nightclub, they meet these two young girls and are having a great night when an explosion occurs.  Mikhail is trapped with this young girl with whom he has great chemistry.  She’s injured and he takes care of her while they wait to be rescued.  They share unforgettable moments, until they’re rescued and he learns she’s Aurora D’Angelo, daughter of their sworn enemy Caruso D’Angelo.  Her friend Abbie is a Sarconi, another enemy.  Both have targets on their backs, and both will be safe, since they will be joining St. Monarch’s too.

This is a forbidden love, enemies to lovers story.  Aurora and Misha are enemies but their chemistry is too strong to endure.  Eventually, they have to seek out a solution to their dangerous love.  

Aurora’s best friend Abbie, who assists to St Monarch with her, is impulsive and frivolous.  She gets Aurora in trouble several times with dire results.  She’s a good friend but a bad influence.  Misha’s friends are like his brothers, Alek is psycho crazy, Armani is serious to a fault.  Their instructor, Nikolai Vetrov is Viktor’s cousin and the academy director is Viktor’s uncle, one happy family!

There’s tons of action, shooting, torture classes, explosions, car chases, Japanese jakuza attacks, and kidnapping.  While the love story develops, the danger increases and for a while, it all seems impossible.  The friendship between the girls and between the boys is strong and loyal, and enmities shift places.  It’s hugely entertaining and what starts as enemies turns to cheesy love, so adorable!  Can’t wait for the next one!

Purchase links

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BP1TKFJC

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BP1TKFJC

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BP1TKFJC

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BP1TKFJC

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62399365

About the author

Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she's always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.

 

 

Connect w/Michelle:

Website: https://michelleheardauthor.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHeardAuthor

FB Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/118971435201074

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormichelleheard

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Book review: Thorne Princess, by LJ Shen

It’s such a delight to be immersed in the LJ Shen world again.  Meet another of her a-holic male characters who are so entertaining to read and love.  And a heroine who is a hot mess but has the base for a strong sassy heroine.  Well done!

Hallie Thorne is a hot mess but she’s beautiful, charming and caring.  She’s the second daughter of former President Thorne and a complete opposite to her elder sister, who is the epitome of perfection and achievement. Hallie dropped out of community college, has no occupation except for social media influencer, and spends her time hanging out at clubs and drinking with her air-headed friends.  After her last mess, when she had a nip-view accident, her parents had enough and decided to saddle her with a bodyguard, or more precisely, a close protection officer.  And enter my new book boyfriend, Ransom Lockwood, a.k.a. The Robot.

These two were a wild pair, she’s impulsive and stubborn, he’s a jerk and also stubborn.  His assignment is to bring order to her chaotic existence by whichever means necessary, so poor Hallie is in for a shock.  But not for long, because our gal is nothing if not inventive.  She leads the guy in a merry chase, when he doesn’t have her locked in her room.  Eventually, he discovers she has hidden depths.  As we discover those depths, we despair for this forgotten and misunderstood wild child.  

I loved seeing Ransom’s crazy protective side, loved Hallie’s crazy antics, and loved that, unknown to everyone, she did know better than what she was doing, she was doing it out of spite to her parents.  Secrets are revealed that explain a lot!  And will break your heart, too!

I loved how Ransom went from a frozen robotic persona with no empathy into a guy who does have a conscience and sympathy.  Truly, Hallie took this robot and deconstructed him and changed him to a human with frequent moments of jerk behavior.  Same as Hallie, Ransom also had a story that defined his present behavior. I loved their story, loved their banter/squabbles, loved the strong emotions, loved the evolution of both, and loved where they finished.  It was truly a delight to read Hallie and Ransom, my favorite couple…… for now!

Purchase links

US: https://amzn.to/3IfPm4O
UK: https://amzn.to/3jzaIjA
CA: https://amzn.to/3WQHg6K
AU: https://amzn.to/3vmEhY5
 
Free in Kindle Unlimited

About the author

L.J. Shen is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary, new adult, and young adult romance. Her books have been sold in twenty different countries, and she hopes to visit all of them.
 
She lives in Florida with her husband, three rowdy sons, and rowdier pets and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows, and reading to her heart’s content.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
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Book review: The Muse, by Emma Scott

Darkness into light, this is what this book evokes in me.  Ambri was discarded, swept aside from the people who should have loved and protected him, so he turned to darkness.  Until he met Cole Matheson, who is all love and light.  And redemption comes in.

We met Ambri in the previous book, The Sinner.  He was Cas’ demon friend, and he was a pain in the butt, but ultimately, he helped Lucy save Cas and bring him to light.  In his story, Ambri is the same persona, blond and gorgeous, snarky and oh so refined.  I didn’t appreciate him very much initially, until he started to develop feelings and his humanity started to shine.  

Cole was adorable right from the start.  He was everything that is good, generous and giving.  The poor guy is taken on such a rough ride, but through it all, he stays firm on who he is and what he loves: Ambri.

Both Cole and Ambri were riddled with doubts, feelings of worthlessness, not being enough, not being worthy of love.  There were demons feeding them lies about themselves, trying to keep them in a dark circle of doom and despair.  I loved reading as Ambri begins to believe in love and that someone can love him above everything.

Emma Scott writes a brilliant story in that while one’s career is spiraling high, the other’s life is spiraling into doom.  There’s art everywhere, since Cole manifests everything through his paintings.  And everything is picking up speed! We’re taken on a turbulent ride, full of emotions and sexy times, but over all, full of the anxiety of what will happen.  And through it all, what I liked the most, is the conviction that love conquers all.

Of course, next time I’m hearing voices in my mind, I’m telling the Twins to get lost!

Purchase links

Download today or read for FREE with #kindleunlimited 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vHMypZ

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/TheMuseES

     

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3is6fMs

About the author

Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in six languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today's Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com

 

Connect with Emma

Website: https://www.emmascottwrites.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10405165.Emma_Scott

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2yUnFKJ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaScottwrites/

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Verve: https://ververomance.com/app/emmascott

Book review: Where Waves Break, by Julia Wolf

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June is nannying Diego Garza’s four year old son, Camilo.  This job fell from heaven for June, because she had just left her father’s practice and had no other job offers.  But there’s a problem with the job: she’s been crushing on Diego for years, and living in his house, being so near to him, is proving to be very difficult.  Unknown to her, Diego didn’t remember June from years past but he’s certainly noticing her now!  The attraction is strong and near irresistible, especially after that incident where she caught him being naughty in the shower.  

This book was irresistible in several levels.  June is an adorable character.  Sweet and unassuming, she has an inner strength that is belied by her impulse to always apologize.  Diego recognized from the start that she has a submissive attitude and the fantasies were running wild in his head. 

Also, June is a fantastic nanny because she gets little kids.  She has an uncanny ability to communicate with them and they all become fascinated with her.  There were several scenes where kids shun their parents in order to be with June.  And Camilo is a sweetheart, hyper dynamic, a chatterbox, and utterly needy of a mother.

Diego swore near and far that he was done with women, that his life was now only his son and his work, famous last words when he met June.  For June, being with Diego was partly a dream come true, and part nightmare because he’s her employer and she won’t cross that line.

I loved June’s sweetness and Diego’s intensity, Camilo’s adorableness and the secondary characters who added so much to the story.  The book was full of characters from Unrequited and The Seasons Change rock bands, a ton of kids, plus Diego’s parents.  The sexy times were super steamy, once Diego caught on June’s naughty desires.  I loved the hugs! Diego gives yummy hugs!

Purchase links

Book review: Ice Burn, by L.A. Cotton

What a great story about loss and getting over a profound grief!  Dayna lost her big brother to cancer and it really broke her up.  She left her small town of Dupont Beach and went to Boston to study, but what she was really doing was hiding from her grief.  

Once she graduated, she got the urge to go back home, to her parents house, and face her sadness.  Her boyfriend Josh came with her, but it was immediately apparent to me that he was a Mr. Right Now, not a Mr. Right.  And he was quickly turning into a Mr. Wrong! He didn’t mesh with the family, he didn’t like the small town, he had other ideas how he liked to spend his time.  So he left for his permanent job in Toledo and they left their future in the air.

Dayna’s parents are so sweet and accepting, and they clearly had already dealt with their loss.  Her brother’s best friend Carson, was in town for the summer, and you can tell how close he is to Dayna’s parents, and he’s like an older brother to Dayna.  He brought one of his ace hockey players who had been in slight trouble at Lakeshore U and was in a time-out at his house.  He has history of anger management (as in, lack of) but he’s such a promising player that he’s being handled.  

When Dayna meets Aiden Dumfries, something inside her lit up.  The sadness she was carrying inside starts to disappear, she’s coming back to life.  He has a bad reputation, but inside the bad boy is a little boy who grew up under his father’s criminal reputation and was constantly on the defensive.  Once he feels he has Dayna and her family on his side, all his sharp edges start to smooth out.  

I loved this story of a couple who have broken pieces but together make up a complete whole, and each one fill out the hole inside of the other.  

Purchase links

https://books2read.com/iceburnLU

About the author

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty mature young adult and new adult novels, LA COTTON is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.

Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find LA immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.