Book review: TORE UP, by Abbi Glines

Mississippi Smoke #1

Bane & Halo

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

The author promised angst and heartbreak and wow, did she deliver.  I lost count of how many times I cried because it was so devastating.  Talking about what happened spoils the story so let me just express my feelings during the story.  

Bane starts out as a violent, aggressive man.  Later I saw that he was in the grip of a huge pain, the loss of his little brother.  I saw the hate he felt for Halo, blaming her for his loss.  But then I saw Halo’s beautiful soul, a girl who suffered mistreatment from her family and yet, she kept being a sweet and kind person, her only weakness trying to win the love from the people who were supposed to love her. 

I saw how Bane changed, saw how all the guys in the house accepted Halo as one of them.  The first chapters of this book are harrowing as Halo learns all the circumstances of her new life, the truths of her old life.  I cried many times, but it felt so good!

The story evolves and it all turns good and everything that is sexy and deep.  I loved how Halo won everyone over because she’s just so good. And I loved how Bane found the peace that he had lost, as he cared for her.  

The story felt different because it’s not all mafia business, it’s all about heartbreak and healing.  There’s one gory scene but it’s all tied to the story and I can’t say it wasn’t needed because it was.  All in all, a story of redemption, a love that went wrong, but another that went right.  A girl who only wanted acceptance and love and finally found it, not without first suffering a heavy loss.  Astounding, heartbreaking, cause of a crying fest, but it was absolutely fascinating and wonderful.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/toreup

Add to your Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220223196-tore-up

Find more books by Abbi Glines: https://abbiglinesbooks.com

About the author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. 

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

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

Book review: STORM, by Abbi Glines

Georgia Smoke #4

Storm & Briar

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started this book with a worry and ended with a delight! As a woman who values her independence, I was beginning to be indignant about Storm’s efforts to keep Briar chained and dependent to him. I knew his feelings were genuine, I knew how much he loved her and cared for her, but he was getting a tad toooo much possessive and unhinged. And I understood that Briar loved him but needed her space and independence.

I loved how Storm catered to Briar’s every whim and need. And because Dovie was important to Briar, she was important to Storm too, so she was very well cared for. But he was lying and hurting Briar in the process. I also loved how valiantly Briar tried to keep her independence, while succumbing to her love for Storm.

So I was worried and challenging the author, how she was going to fix this and she was brilliant!  Storm was getting so psycho that I felt Thatcher was sane in comparison!

The story had some irritating parts (Storm’s machinations), funny parts (the Sunday lunch where every male’s crazy was discussed), very steamy parts (numerous). And it was entertaining as heck. In the end, I loved Storm because I now understood: all the Georgia mafia men have some crazy in them!

Purchase links

https://geni.us/StormAG

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213561492-storm

About the author

 

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. 

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

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

Book review: CHASING HARLOW, by Jay McLean

Relentless angst in young adults is what I felt as I read this book, and I loved it!  Jace and Harlow come from tragic events, they are broken, but once they find each other, it was as if they came out of the darkness and found the light.

There were parts that made me cry, they were so sad. Other parts were so entertaining, reading about the life on youngsters in a small town where the fun lies in bonfires or pool parties in some classmate. The gossip train of the little town, the cliques in school, the parents who knew your parents and watch out for each other are all present.  Jace was a brilliant baller but distant teammate. Heather was still grieving for her brother, and coming back from some turbulent months. Their friends Sammy, Jeannie, and Jonah are delightful. They all come together slowly into friendship, Jace and Harlow even slower into love. 

The author took me through some twists and turns that wrecked my heart and made me cry, but at the end all I can say is, it hurt so good!

Purchase links

FREE IN KU 

➜  https://mybook.to/CHJM

About the author

Jay McLean is an international best-selling author and full-time reader, writer of New Adult and Young Adult romance, and skilled procrastinator. When she’s not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her three little boys, investing way too much time on True Crime Documentaries and binge-watching reality TV.

She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her hurt and make her feel.

Jay lives in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in her dream home where music is loud and laughter is louder.

AUTHOR LINKS

FB Page | Instagram | BookBub |  Amazon | Goodreads | TikTok | Reader Group | Website 

Book review: SIZZLING, by Abbi Glines

Georgia Smoke #3

Storm Kingston & Briar Landry

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s one thing that all the guys in this series have in common: total obsession with their women.  Storm falls into this condition when he meets Briar, in a mission to help King find the monsters in his wife Rumor’s past. The difference here is that he also felt scorn for Briar because she’s a gold digger. I think his soul felt a difference because he couldn’t completely hate her, and he fought against this obsession and lost.

Briar is a gild digger but as you read her, you understand that she’s playing with the cards she’s been dealt with. She may seduce rich men out of their money, but there’s a good purpose behind that: protect and provide for a young girl, who was a victim like Briar when she was her age.

There’s darkness but also kindness, because Maeme is present in this story too. Also, Storm acts like a jerk but he’s not unkind, especially when he finds there’s a young girl involved. I could smack him for always thinking worse about Briar’s actions instead of finding out the truth. There’s love and protection from Briar to her charge and also guilt for not being able to provide a better life. 

I loved all the jesting Storm got from his friends about his obsession and denials. I especially loved Thatcher’s teasing, I feel we’re getting closer to his book and can’t wait!

There’s not much Mafia gritty stuff, mostly Storm obsessing over Briar, and Briar resisting. The story is a slow burn due to Storm’s denial, but when it finally happens it was scorching.  It was entertaining, and it fed the obsession us readers have with this addictive series. The book ends in a cliffhanger and I can’t imagine what will come next, but I’m ready for more Storm and Briar!

Purchase links

1-CLICK: https://geni.us/Sizzling

About the author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. 

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

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