Book Review: Two of Hearts by Christina Lee

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: NAL Trade
304 Pages

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional —not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

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It's interesting to me that this is considered a standalone book when we've met these characters (and others) in another series of Lee's. I'm assuming it's because of the jump from New Adult to Adult? Anyway...

After the death of her father, Dakota Nakos finds herself running the casino he left behind. As if dealing with this loss wasn't enough, now it seems like the Native American community Dakota was raised in doesn't want her or her mother there anymore. Add that to her ex showing up, and Dakota is just thrown out of sorts. She feels like she's drowning and it's looking like the only way out is the boy from her past and she's not quite sure that's a road she wants to go down again.

When Shane finds out about Mr. Nakos death, he stops at nothing to get home. Not only was Mr. Nakos father to his best friend and the girl he loved, but Mr. Nakos was also like a father to Shane. Upon his arrival, he instantly notices that somethings not right. Tensions are high, but no one is talking. Shane decides he's sticking around to find out what's going on - and to finally figure out what's between him and Dakota.

I really like Lee's writing. She's an author that I warmed up to, having not been to impressed with the first book I read from her. In Two of Hearts, Lee ups the game by jumping into adult with these characters and also throws in a little mystery: who killed Mr. Nakos and why? The setting was also one I hadn't read before. Set on an Indian reservation in the Midwest, I enjoyed how this book placed emphasis on the importance of culture and family.

The chemistry between Dakota and Shane was clearly visible. The two share a past - his best friend is her older brother, not too mention the almost relationship they had. Their past actually lends itself to moving the plot forward instead of getting us stuck there. It's because Shane knew Dakota so well that he was able to anticipate her reactions and also investigate the murder of her father more indepthly. However, despite their obvious chemistry, there was a giant game of push and pull happening. Shane knew what he wanted and was going after it. Dakota had no clue what she wanted and even after she figured it out, still pulled away. She was very up and down with Shane, but it was believable given what her family was going through and the stress of owning a casino. I enjoyed both the drama and the romance of this book.

In my mind, this will always be grouped in with the Between Breaths series. I can't help it. My mind just associates it with that set. That's not a bad thing, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed that series.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: The Confession (The Body Works Trilogy #3) by Sierra Kincade

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Berkeley
368 Pages

The hot and thrilling conclusion to the Body Work Trilogy, following The Masseuse and The Distraction

Anna Rossi walked away from Alec Flynn to keep her family and friends safe. But she can’t protect her heart from him, no matter how hard she tries…
 
Time has done nothing to quell Anna’s need for Alec. She knows that she did the right thing walking away; the constant media attention that Alec’s been getting for testifying against Maxim Stein and Force Enterprises is evidence enough of that. But no matter how many times she warns herself that Alec is dangerous, she just can’t stay away—even after her connection to him once again threatens her life…

Alec knows the evidence he has against Max could stop him from hurting anyone ever again. But when it’s revealed that Alec stands to inherit everything from Max’s loss, his testimony is called into question—and Max could walk free putting Anna in harms’ ways once again. Now he’s beginning to wonder if any of this is even worth it—and if he and Anna will ever have a chance at true happiness…

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Well, the conclusion to the Body Works trilogy is definitely explosive. I will give it that.

Months after Anna leaves Alec because of the danger he keeps putting her and her friends in, she's still pining for him. Like "fantasizing sexy times with her while with clients" pining. While it's obvious that everyone around her is worried (there's somebody with her at all times), she tells them that she's fine. No need to worry. Alec who? And all that jazz. No one's buying it, not even me. 

When Anna's life is threatened again, Alec reappears and it looks like he may be sticking around for good. Or maybe not...? This guy was all over the place. With the impending trial and his future on the line, his inability to talk about any sort of future with Anna was understandable. He didn't want to make promises he couldn't keep and he didn't want to hold her back. Honestly, Alec is a pretty stand up guy. But after all of this, he would then turn around and swear that he would never leave her, that he would always be there for her. It was a constant back and forth that it's no wonder Anna was so messed up.

Then there's Anna. It was nice to see her relationships with people outside of Alec. I'm not a fan of relationships where the two people seem to disregard everyone around them once they're together, and in the first two books, this was Alec & Anna - wrapped up only in each other. In Confession we get to see more of her relationship with her father, who I loved. I also liked the extra additions of Mike (honestly, I wouldn't mind reading a story about him and Amy). Also, seeing Anna figure out what she wanted to do with her life and finally seeking out help to talk about what happened to her both in her past past and the more recent past. It takes courage to ask for help, but it showed a strength that the author talked about a lot, but it finally came to light. 

So, here's the thing, I liked these books, but I didn't love them. The first one was insta-love. The second one was more of the getting to know you type faze. The third was non-stop drama and action. Oh, and sex. A lot of sex. I didn't really feel an emotional connection with the lead characters, only the physical. I didn't understand why Anna couldn't live without Alec. The author never seemed to go beyond the physical connection and I had a really hard time understanding how Anna felt safe with Alec when all he did was constantly put her in danger. 

The parts that I really liked were the crime bits. I liked the unraveling of secrets and the 'who done it' mystery that surrounded this one. That's what kept me reading, not the love story. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: A Shattered Moment (Fractured Lives #1) by Tiffany King

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Berkeley
304 Pages

In the new series by Tiffany King, the USA Today bestselling author of the Woodfalls Girls novels, six friends—fresh from high school graduation—discover that the future can come at you from out of nowhere.

This is Mackenzie’s story…

Mackenzie Wilson once had hope for what life had to offer, but everything changed on the night of her graduation. A year later, the only way she can find comfort is by keeping her head down and hoping she remains unnoticed at college.

When Bentley James discovered Mac in that twisted SUV, he was just a newbie EMT on his first call. It was a gut-wrenching moment that made him realize not everyone can be saved—and sometimes they don’t want to be.

A chance encounter on campus brings Bentley back into Mac’s life. Despite her initial resistance, he sets out to discover the girl hiding beneath a shield of seclusion. He evokes painful memories in Mac—but also feelings. As the spark between them grows, Mac must decide if she can let go of the past and believe in something as fragile as love…

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Heartbreaking, heart-stopping, emotional rollercoaster - and that's just the prologue. A Shattered Moment starts off on a very painful note and over the course of the book manages to break through that pain into a book about learning to live again.

On what should have been one of the happiest nights of her life, Mackenzie Robinson's life changes in the most unexpected way. Loss like she has never known now plagues her everyday. In order to try to shed the pain, she in turn sheds her own identity, now only answering to Mac. But Mac's not really living, she's just going through the motions. Wake up, go to class, study in the library, avoid roommate, sleep, repeat. That is until she meets Bentley James.

Bentley was the EMT on duty that night when Mac's life changed. It's a night he also will never forget. When Bentley sees Mac in their school library, he makes it his mission to get to know her - even if she's resistant. Something about her pulls him in, he knows what happened to her and he wants to help. Only he doesn't see that when Mac sees Bentley, she also sees that night.

King's writing is so raw that it just demands to be felt. Bentley is so full of light and warmth, which is the opposite of Mac's darkness and cold attitude toward the world. I mean, he fights with his roommates iguana. How adorable is that? He's also the only person who doesn't make Mac feel...wait, no, scratch that, he is the only person to make Mac feel. And she's not sure how to deal with that. Having been in her own personal bubble, she doesn't realize that she was missing human interaction until he wakes that up in her.

Mac was a complicated little cookie. She wanted to be left alone, for people not to notice her disability, to just get through the day. Over the course of the book, she starts to come alive again. And as she faces the past, we learn more about what happened that fateful night. And when she finally grieves and forgives, the anger she felt starts to disappear.

I loved this book much more than I thought I would. King has become one of those authors where I will just read anything she publishes. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us. I have a feeling it will be just as hard to get through as this one.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour+ Giveway: Tessa Ever After (Caged In Winter #2) by Brighton Walsh

 

 I am super excited to be a part of this blog tour. I absolutely enjoyed Caged In Winter, but I was blown away by Tessa Ever After as I'm pretty sure you all will be too. I'll have my review posted at the bottom, but before that, we have a excerpt from the book along with a giveaway!

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Berkeley 

304 Pages

In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…

Jason’s been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister, he can’t just say no.

Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.

A relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not sure he’s ready for. 

 

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tessa

   I threw the game. Despite my daughter wanting me to win—for girls everywhere, she said—I couldn’t. I feigned exhaustion, letting my body slump to the ground. Because my blood was boiling, my body on fire as I pressed against Jason’s body during a stupid game of Twister, and I couldn’t take it anymore. If Haley hadn’t been in the room, I would’ve pulled Jason down on top of me and let him strip me down right there on that stupid plastic mat.

   In reality, I had a four-year-old to attend to instead of doing everything I wanted to. In the thirty minutes since putting Haley to bed, my urgency has faded, leaving behind only a subtle hum under my skin, but it’s there. This vibration of need when Jason is around that I never bothered to notice before. Or that I willingly ignored, which is probably more the case.

   Despite that, despite wanting him, I’m in the bathroom under the guise of freshening up, even though I showered just a couple hours ago. I’m stalling, and I don’t know why. Haley’s asleep, Jason’s in the living room, presumably waiting for me, and I’m hiding in the bathroom.

   Several minutes go by before a soft knock sounds at the door, sending me jumping nearly a foot in the air.

   “Yeah . . .” I try to say, except my voice comes out all scratchy and breathless, so I clear my throat and try again. “Yeah?”

   “Do you want me to just go home, Tess?”

   “What?” I whip the door open, eyes wide and frantic, because that is absolutely not what I want. Not even a little bit. Leaning his shoulder against the doorjamb, Jason’s eyes snap to mine as soon as the layer of wood isn’t separating us anymore, and in that split second when our eyes meet, the heat between us cracks and sizzles just like it did while we were playing the game. Just like it’s been doing anytime we’re within twenty feet of each other. Shaking my head, I say, “No. I don’t want you to go home.”

   His eyebrows lift up on his forehead, his expression one that clearly says he thinks I’m full of it. “You sure? Because you’ve been hiding in here for ten minutes.”

   I open my mouth to argue with him about the hiding bit, but there’s no use. Instead, I simply nod and swallow, not sure I can find the words to tell him exactly what’s going on with me.

   Mostly because I don’t even know myself.

   It’s not like I’m a virgin, and even though it has been a while, I’ve never gotten like this with any of my previous partners. Never had this overwhelming nervousness, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. No idea why there’s this swarm of bees buzzing around in my stomach. Why I’m all breathless with anticipation and anxiety.

   But then Jason steps forward, right into my space, one hand coming up and cupping the back of my neck while the other goes to my hip, his thumb slipping under the material of my shirt to graze the skin above my waistband, and I know exactly why there’s a tornado in my belly.

   “Last chance,” he murmurs, his breath washing over my lips, and I don’t think I could tell him to stop even if I wanted to.

   But I don’t. I don’t want to, so I shake my head, and finally—finally—he closes the distance between us and puts his lips to mine. The kiss is tentative at first, a question, and even though he gave me an out just a moment ago, I love that he’s not pushing it. When I don’t pull away, don’t do anything but grip the front of his shirt in my fists and pull him closer to me, he takes that as an answer and swipes his tongue across my lips. On a moan, I open to him, desperate to taste him again in a way I didn’t allow myself to think about before now.

   Jason’s grip on me tightens, his thumb rubbing in circles against the pulse point at my neck, and I know he can feel my heart flying. It’s nearly pounding right out of my rib cage. His other hand curls around my hip, pulling me closer to him, flush with him, and I can’t stop from gasping into his mouth. He’s against me, all of him, strong and solid and hard, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted this until this very moment.

   He’s already good at reading my cues, because no more have I thought it than we’re walking, fumbling down the hallway and into my bedroom. The door isn’t even closed before I start tugging up his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. With a grunt and a curse, he reaches back and yanks his shirt over his head before his lips are back on mine, his tongue sliding against my own, and I can hardly breathe I want this so badly.

   In the dozen-plus years of his being in my life, I’ve seen him without a shirt on too many times to count, but I’ve never felt his bare skin. Not like this. He’s sinewy and muscular, the body of a runner, all tall and lanky, the muscles in his abdomen defined but not obscene, his biceps cut but not bulky. I run my hands over every part of him I can reach, sliding from his chest to his stomach, following the trail of hair down then hooking into the waistband of his jeans, and I want those off, too.

   “Jesus, Tess,” he groans into my mouth, and the roughness of it washes over me like a warm rain, comforting me in a way I didn’t realize I needed. He wants this. Me. Desperately. It’s reassuring to know I’m not in this on my own.

   His lips brush across my cheek, his teeth nipping at my chin, his tongue licking a line up the column of my neck, and I think I might die right here. I might actually die, because my heart feels like the pounding hooves of a thousand horses, and I can’t seem to get my clothes off fast enough.

 

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So guys,

Source

Jason and Tessa have known each other for years. Her brother Cade is Jason's best friend. When Cade gets a job offer that he can't refuse, he leaves the state, thus leaving Jason with the important role of looking after Tessa and her daughter, Haley. Jason takes his new role seriously. From playdates with Haley to late night venting sessions with Tessa, Jason has become this solid rock that Tessa comes to rely on most. Then the feelings, which have been lurking under the surface, start coming out and both must decide just how important the other is.

Brighton Walsh captured my heart with Caged in Winter, the story of Tessa's older brother Cade and his now girlfriend Winter. But with Tessa Ever After, she stole it completely. These characters that she's created - this odd family of sorts - seem so real that it's almost like you're listening to an old friend talk about their life rather than reading a story.

Tessa was young when she became a mom, but she adapted quick - she had to. Haley is her world. This, plus losing her parents, meant that she really had no one but her brother. When he leaves, her life is thrown into chaos. Gone is the structure that once comforted her, now she's struggling to pick up her daughter from day care on time, cook dinner, and just be a mom. 

Jason comes from a family of wealth - but with strings. His parents expect him to take over the family business, something that Jason wants no part of. Afraid to tell his parents this, he acts out in other ways - mostly chain hookups. But one thing that he will always do is drop everything when Tessa calls. Slowly, without him even realizing it, Tessa and Haley become his world. Something that he knows shouldn't be, and not even because it's his best friends sister, but because Tessa deserves more than what Jason thinks he can give her.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Every action that every character did made sense. Walsh wrote them in such a perfect way that even when they should have pissed me off, I wasn't mad. It was in their nature to act as they did and I was just along for the ride. The growth that both of these characters go through is plain to see. Jason's is a little more obvious as he's struggling to break free of his parents. But even with Tessa, a girl who's had to grow up before her time, is still learning about herself and what she wants vs what she thinks she needs.

Throw in an adorable child and I wanted more. Especially scenes with Haley and Jason. There is just something about a grown man playing dress up with a little girl that just melts the heart. And melt it he did, like polar ice cap melting. 

The chemistry between these two was just off the charts which led to some great sexy times. But there were also the moments of true friendship, of two people supporting each other, that just made this come full circle for me. It wasn't just about finding love with each other, it was about finding themselves, as corny as that sounds. It's rare that a sequel surpasses the first, but this one certainly did. Ahhh, writing this review has made me want to reread it. Everyone needs to read this one. Right now!

I want to thank Berkeley for allowing me to be a part of this Blog Tour. I received an e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"Real" Book Challenge April Recap

Wow, it's already May! Where the heck did April go? It was quite a busy month for me so I didn't get too much actual reading done. Here's what I've added to my challenge:



Goal: 80
Total So Far:24
Current Level: Real Book Snob

Slowly moving toward that goal. There's still time to join up! If you're interested, head on over to Real Book Challenge and sign on up! On a completely different note, who else saw Avengers: Age of Ultron already? Saw it last night and I just love those boys!! Until next month!

Release Day Blitz: Dragon Are People Too by Sarah Nicolas + Giveaway!

I am super excited to be joining Book Bound Tours on their release day book blitz of Dragons Are People, Too by Sarah Nicholas. I absolutely love this cover and am excited to read this new release!

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: 04/28/15

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pages: 255 Pages

Never judge a dragon by her human cover...

Sixteen-year-old Kitty Lung has everyone convinced she’s a normal teen—not a secret government operative, not the one charged with protecting the president’s son, and certainly not a were-dragon. The only one she trusts with the truth is her best friend—and secret crush—the über-hot Bulisani Mathe.

Then a junior operative breaks Rule Number One by changing into his dragon form in public—on Kitty’s watch—and suddenly, the world knows. About dragons. About the Draconic Intelligence Command (DIC) Kitty works for. About Kitty herself.

Now the government is hunting down and incarcerating dragons to stop a public panic, and a new shape-shifting enemy has kidnapped the president’s son. Kitty and Bulisani are the last free dragons, wanted by both their allies and their enemies. If they can’t rescue the president’s son and liberate their fellow dragons before getting caught themselves, dragons might never live free again.

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Thank you so much for having me on your blog today! I have an excerpt for you. In this scene, the CIA has just torn apart Kitty’s father’s tea shop looking for her. She’s hovering invisible against the roof. This scene is a great example of Kitty and Sani’s relationship. 

I know my father's dragon-self must be searing with rage, as mine is, but he doesn't show it. "Told you she wasn't here," he says simply. 

"That's too bad," Cleft Chin says. He shrugs. "At least we'll be returning one rogue dragon to the compound." 

One rogue dragon? I don't think there are any other dragons out on assignment today due to last night's mishap. Domestic missions had been immediately recalled and foreign missions were told to hold off on returning until further notice was given. Who could they be bringing in? 

When one of the thugs takes out a pair of handcuffs, I realize they're talking about my father. My dragon-self roars in my head, the sound drowning out all logical thought. 

"No!" I yell, but only Sani can hear me. My ability protects us from being heard, though I'm ready to lose control of that when Sani places a hand on the side of my dragon-head.  

"Kitty." He sounds scared, but far more in control than I am. "Look at me." 

I can't. These assholes are putting handcuffs on my wheelchair-bound father and I'm calculating how many seconds it would take for me to rip all of their throats out. Less than three, I’d bet. 

"Your father doesn't want you caught," he says. "They have half an army outside and I still can't change." 

They start wheeling him out and the full length of my dragon body tenses. I'm thinking, as mad as I am, I could take out the bulk of the U.S. Army right now. If I let the dragon take full control, I probably wouldn't even feel bad about it. I loosen my hold on the magnetic currents keeping me aloft and we descend a few inches. 

"Look at me." I hear Sani's plea on the very edge of my rage-colored world. "Damn it, Kitty!"

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Once again, thank you to Bound Book Tours and Sarah Nicolas for allowing me to take part in this Book Blitz!

Book Blitz Organized by: