REVIEW: When We Fall - Marquita Valentine

Title: When We Fall

Series: Yes

Standalone. Take The Fall

Author: Marquita Valentine

Release Date: December 08, 2015

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4 I Fell Stars

ARC received via NetGalley for an honest review

"But that's easy... when we fall... we don't know how hard until we hit the ground."

I love it when I see something on NetGalley that interests me, get a copy, and ends up falling in love with it. This was what Marquita Valentine did to me with When We Fall. This is my first book by the author, so I was not expecting too much out of it.  I just hoped that I would, at least, get entertained by the characters and the story. But you know what happened? I fell in love.

I was on vacation when I started reading this... on the plane... while at the beach... before sleeping. All in one day. I read most while I was at the beach and realized that When We Fall is an easy, sweet enough read to be one of the perfect books to read while relaxing under the sun. I loved Piper and Jase's chemistry! Even when Jase was fighting off his feelings, he was still sweet. Well, at least sweet to me, but I might just be biased because I loved him right from the start. He was a cool hero to read and Piper is a sweet heroine.

Obviously, I'm all about the sweet with this book and I recommend this to everyone who digs a rich girl, bad boy cute and sexy romance to read.

Stars: 4 stars
Recommended to: Everyone who enjoys a sweet romance
Series: Yes. Standalone.
POV: First person. Dual POV.

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REVIEW: I Pick You - Jettie Woodruff

Title: I Pick You

Series: No

A Twin Trio Spinoff

Author: Jettie Woodruff

Release Date: February 23, 2016

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ARC received from Jettie Woodruff for an honest review

No one enjoys writing unfavorable reviews. I know I don't. I very rarely make an effort of writing reviews of books that just didn't work out for me. I write maybe a sentence or two of my thoughts and that's it.

But since I received an advance copy of this book from the author, I felt like I should maybe explain a bit more than I usually does on why I did not like I Pick You at all. 

• Brantley - I couldn't stand him. It didn't help that I disliked him right away and it didn't get better except literally during the Epilogue. If I just read the Epilogue alone, I may have liked him. He was too immature, too selfish, too much of a jerk, and too full of himself for me to feel any kind of love for this character. And if you've read any of my reviews, you might notice that I always mostly connect with the male characters first no matter how frustrating they can be. With Brantley, I couldn't feel anything other than irritation with the things he says, the words he uses, and the things he does.
• Love Triangle - I may have said this enough times, there are only a few instances where I can stand love triangles, but I'm not going to elaborate it here. All I can say though, is that it put me off in this book. I'm all for twist, turns, and surprises, what happened in this book, however, was the kind of turn that just left me confused and shaking my head. The hero has a child from a one-night stand, he was lusting over and eventually got in a relationship with another girl for more than half of the book, but then a few chapters before the end, he ended up with another girl. 

The author's writing is not bad at all, I guess the story is just one of those "it's not you, it's me" kind of read for me because I can see a lot of high ratings for this book. So, if you're excited to read I Pick You, don't get deterred by my review, go ahead and buy your copy. I'm only one of a handful who just didn't quite connect with it. I actually think I would have enjoyed this a bit more if some instances never happened. I'm sad this didn't work out for me but Bay Berry Jandt helped me push through in finishing the book. 

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REVIEW: Soulless (King #4) - T.M. Frazier

Title: Soulless

Series: Book 4 

King

*** Book 2 in Bear & Thia's story ***

Author: T.M. Frazier

Release Date: February 23, 2016

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4 WOAH! Stars

ARC received from T.M. Frazier for an honest review

"It was far from a romance. But it was still a love story. And it was ours."

Bear easily became my favorite after reading Lawless. He was fierce, loyal, and in his manly-badass-biker way, loving. This was proven true with how that first book ended, and since then, I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for the continuation.

Then came Soulless.

There was a little sneak peek at the end of Lawless that had me especially anxious about reading Soulless. I was already imagining how things might go. When I finally got my hands on Bear and Thia again, I couldn't help but dive straight right in! I told you I was anxious. I enjoyed the different paths T.M. Frazier took, giving us a deeper knowledge about Bear's younger years, unraveling secrets, and there's also that little big surprise I didn't see coming. And don't get me started with how it ended. Not the bonus scene, that one just melted my insides. But the ending before that? Major WOAH! I was confused. I was excited. I was hopeful. Then I was confused again. And while all the different turns and the pieces falling together was exciting for me, there were some parts that were a bit baffling, to say the least.  However, that did not affect my overall reading experience of Bear and Thia's installment.

Bear and Thia are such an extraordinary couple and I loved that about them. I saw more about their love and relationship in this book that made me root for them even more. Thia has proven to be the perfect old lady for Bear and Bear showed her the lengths of how much he loves her and what he will do to protect her. It sounds mushy my saying that, and this book is anything but mushy. There's suspense, grit, and a few blood drawn here and there.

Stars: 4 stars

Recommended to: Everyone curious how Bear and Thia's story will conclude.

Series: Book 4 in the series but 2nd book about Bear and Thia

POV: First person. Dual POV.

Extra Comment: Everyone's saying how this is a good conclusion to Bear and Thia's story, while I can agree with that, I'm still here reeling about THAT part. Why who what how? Am I alone? Did I imagine reading it? Am I thinking too much into it?

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REVIEW: Set the Pace (The Detroit Love Duet #1) - Kim Karr

Title: Set the Pace

Series: Book 1

The Detroit Love Duet

Author: Kim Karr

Release Date: February 21, 2016

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5 JJ and Charlie Stars

ARC received from Social Butterfly PR for an honest review

"Truth and lies. Past, present, and future."

Want to know why I never want to miss out on Kim Karr's books? It's because she writes these stories that reel you in and wouldn't want to let you go. It's crazy even, because I haven't read the blurb yet but seeing the cover alone had me drooling over it already. Set The Pace, especially, has that TV/movie material feel to it!

Intriguing.

Sensual.

Thrilling.

Heart-warming.

Jasper Storm and Charlotte Lane's story may seem "overly-used", childhood bestfriends who never saw each other again for years and fell in love when they saw each other again. Ever read anything like that before? Yes? But how about we throw in a dash of murder, a pinch of mystery, a spoonful of sweet and spice and everything steamy? Now, that made this even more enticing, right?

Jasper may have been painted as the sexy, successful young man with a passion for cars and speed, but deep inside he is still that young kid who lost too much, who experienced loss, pain, and hardship at an age where it was all supposed to be fun, carefree, worry-free. All those experiences he put to good use, it served as an inspiration and a foundation on who he is and what he has today. 

Charlotte disappeared that night Jasper's life changed forever. She and her family up and leave the city and were never heard from again. Until 2 decades later, just as Jasper and his friends are about to build the company they've all dreamed and planned for so long, everything came tumbling down. This is where I couldn't put my Kindle down anymore. 

At first, I wasn't sure what I'll be getting from Set The Pace. Will this be about car racing and romance? Will this be a friends to lovers second-chance story? Will this be an action-packed, detective kind of book? And while reading, that's when I realized it... the title does not just fit the story itself but it also describes the author's talent in setting the pace not just in her books alone but when it comes to sensually intriguing characters and stories. Set The Pace is all of the aforementioned and what stood out for me is that this us not my usual friends to lovers story, maybe I am just in one of those moods but I loved how the suspense and mystery were more than the romance, yet at the same time the overall mood is a perfect balance of everything. 

Set The Pace is not the cheesy kind of romance but I still find myself smiling and sighing every time Jasper does or says something to Charlotte but my favorite about this book is how even with the hot scenes, I am more focused on WHAT AND WHO THE HECK is responsible for all of what's happening. My mind is reeling, my heart is racing, and I am always excited with every page I read.

Is it time for the second book already?! 

Stars: 5 stars

Recommended to: If you're looking for a gripping romance, get ready to meet Jasper and Charlotte.

Series: Book 1 of 2. The Detroit Love Duet.

POV: First person. Dual POV.

Extra Comment: I have huge love for Will!

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REVIEW: Undo Me (The Good Ol' Boys #3) - M. Robinson

Title: Undo Me

Series: The Good Ol' Boys #3

Author: M. Robinson

Release Date: February 16, 2016

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3.5 to 4 I'm Undone Stars

ARC received from M. Robinson for an honest review

I don't think I've ever been as confused and as torn up on my rating as I am with this new installment of The Good Ol' Boys series. That's also saying a lot because lately, I'm always undecided about how I feel when it's not all the way 4 or 5 stars for me. I can say, however, that my kind of torn up for Dylan and Aubrey's story is on the good side.

M. Robinson writes a mean (and I mean that in a wow way) synopsis. Even though the first two books in this series weren't my favorites, the synopses were a hit and now, I found a favorite! Undo Me's synopsis is one of the best I've read. Sure, it's short but it's packed with everything about this book. 

I always say I have a huge weakness for second chance romances especially those that span years later. I love those. I love the feeling of pins prickling my heart when they go their separate ways and I love the warm, high, and fuzzy feeling when they work their way back to each other. Undo Me has undone me! I so did not expect all that's happened between Dylan and Aubrey, I was caught off guard and went in totally unprepared for the onslaught of emotions from the surprising turn of events with those two characters.

Therein lies my dilemma. There were things that just didn't work out for me, not in the story itself but how it was presented. But after days of putting off writing this review, I realized that Undo Me, while there were parts that I felt were "stretched" too long and the parts that could have used longer storytelling were cut short, it still stayed with me days after. I was still affected. I was still emotional. I couldn't get it off my mind. And from that alone, it shows how it deserves a good round of applause!

I don't know what to say without giving away spoilers, but my favorite and the best part of the book is the last 30%. Sure, I enjoyed bits and pieces from the other chapters, but the entire last 30% is plain a m a z i n g. It's what pulled up my rating, if I may say so. That's how huge of an impact it made. I l o v e d it! I just wish some earlier parts were cut short so that there would be "more" from the present.

This is by far my favorite from the series. Just... W O W.

Stars: 3.5 to 4 stars 

Recommended to: If you enjoy woah surprises, get on this!

Series: Yes. Interconnecting characters.

POV: First person. Dual POV.

Extra Comment: That ending!

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REVIEW: Give Me Yesterday - K. Webster and Elle Christensen

Title: Give Me Yesterday

Series: No

Authors: K Webster

Elle Christensen

Release Date: September 24, 2015

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 4.5 The Chase Stars

"You don't always have to be the strong one.

I can carry you, too."

Why did I wait this long to read this book?!

Oh. Yeah. Because I've read that this is "ugly cry" material.

It is.

And that little extra scene at the end? I GOT CHILLS and MY EYES COULDN'T STOP CRYING!!

While reading, I don't even notice my tears falling until I felt the wet spots on my pillow.
Darn it, K Webster and Elle Christensen!

"You're not nothing. You're everything, Tori. To me, you're everything."

2 days after finishing this and I still can't stop thinking about Tori and Chase. I saw the twist coming, maybe it's my over-active imagination or from reading and watching similar surprise twists, but that didn't take away from feeling the emotions from Tori and Chase. 

This is all I can muster to write in my review or else I'll end up crying my eyes out again and wanting to just curl up like a baby needing alcohol.

"I don't want her to regret anything when it comes to us. If that means going slower, then I'll become a turtle."

But in case I'll have to point it out, this book is so good and probably my favorite from the authors. Go read this one if you haven't yet but make sure you have boxes or rolls of tissues within reach. You'll need them, trust me!

Stars: 4.5 stars
Recommended to: Everyone who wants a good cry!
Series: No.
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: Read at night at your own risk. Puffy eyes in the morning is possible.

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