5 SMOOCHES!

SYNOPSIS:

Ghost [gohst] noun: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied, vague, shadowy spirit wandering among or haunting living persons; a mere shadow or semblance; a trace.

That noun sums up Ghost and what his life has become with painful precision. He is barely living, merely existing but never thriving. There wasn’t much that could pull him from the darkness he willingly inhabits…except one thing. Her.
She is the reason he’s done what he’s done, and his life has become what it has become.

He haunts his former life, lurking in the background, surviving on occasional glimpses of the only thing good that is left in his miserable life. The horror he has inflicted upon her is nothing compared to the terror that waits for her when someone moves in to take her from him.

The thing about being stuck in the past is that it is like walking through life backwards. She is always looking back, so she doesn’t see what is happening in front of her. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that the ghosts of the past aren’t nearly as terrifying as the monsters of the future.

They say that true love is like a ghost, something that many talk about but few have seen. It’s a good thing for that, too, because he’ll need that element of surprise to protect her. Hopefully when the dust settles, he’ll be able to resurrect more than just himself.

REVIEW:

As a huge Lani Lynn Vale fan, I, like the rest of her diehard readers, have been eagerly anticipating the release of this book. Seriously, the wait for Beard Up has been like the romance book world’s version of who shot JR! Vale has been having a grand old time dropping hints and mercilessly teasing her readers, hoarding details and carefully doling out information about this book. She created a firestorm amongst her readers as they debated and speculated about this hero’s identity. As a long-time fan who’s read every word she’s written, I’ve enjoyed that added element of camaraderie and excitement surrounding each release in the Dixie Wardens Rejects series.

I’m going to be purposefully vague in this review because, as I stated, the identity of the hero is an enormous spoiler. It’s no secret that I’m a diehard Lani Lynn Vale fan. I love her books, I love her writing style and the fictional worlds she’s created in Kilgore, Benton and now Mooresville. Her sense of humor is a never-miss source of amusement for me, and everything about her books from the way she pieces them together to the plots and the characters just seem to tick off all my boxes. It all comes together for me, every single time, and it’s why she’s secured a spot as one my top favorite authors.

So, while I may always be impressed with this author’s work, I’m thrilled to say that she is in top form here and exceeded my high expectations of her. Vale penned a suspenseful, sexy and satisfying read full of emotion that drew me in from the first page and made this a difficult book to put down. It was positively gut-wrenching watching this hero haunt his former life, and his longing to return to it was a palpable thing. I felt genuine relief – mine and the heroine’s –  when the pieces snapped into place for her. Their reunion was loving and sexy, and I cheered this couple on as they reconnected and made up for lost time.

One of my favorite parts of any Lani Lynn Vale book is her unique sense of humor. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and witty, and she used it here to balance out the emotion and intrigue with astounding success. More than just hot and hilarious, though, Beard Up was action-packed with an interesting, exciting suspense plot. As if all of that wasn’t enough to catapult this book on to my 2017 top favorites list, readers are treated to liberal appearances by many characters from previous Dixie Wardens books in this book.

Vale’s Dixie Wardens Rejects series, along with the last few books in the Dixie Wardens series, have all been leading up to this book, and Lani Lynn Vale did not disappoint. I’ve been anxiously awaiting this book, enduring months of insinuations in her books, and I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait. She delivered a soul-healing, hard-earned, second-chance love story that was passionate, moving and exciting. Quite simply, she not only lived up to the hype she created around this book, she knocked it out of the park, and it’s is my opinion that Beard Up is Lani Lynn Vale’s best work yet. Five smooches from me!

~ Danielle Palumbo

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5 Smooches!

Synopsis

I need you, Ava.

I am desperate. For you. For touch. For a kiss. For the scrape of your hand down my stomach. For the slide of your lips across my hipbone. The sweep of your thigh against mine in the dulcet, drowning darkness. For the warm huff of your breath on my skin and the wet suck of your mouth around me and the building pressure of need reaching release…I am mad with need.

Wild with it.

I cannot have you. I have lost you, as I have lost myself.

And so I go in search. Of myself, and thus the man who might return to you, and take you in his arms.

I loathe each of the thousands of miles between us, but I cannot wish them away, for I hope at the end of my journey I shall find you. Or rather, find myself, and thus…you. Myself, and thus us.

I am taking the long way home, Ava.

***

Christian,

I’m losing my mind, and I don’t know how to stop it. I shouldn’t be writing to you, but I am. I’m friendless, loveless, and lifeless. You’re out there somewhere, and still you’re all I really have. I hate my reliance and dependence on you, emotionally and otherwise, and that reliance is something I’m coming to recognize. I hate that I can’t hate you as much as I want to. I hate that I still love you so much.

I hate that there’s no clear solution to our conundrum. Even if we could forgive each other, what then?

I hate you, Christian. I really do.

But most of all, I don’t.

It’s complicated.

Complicatedly (still) yours,

Ava

THE LONG WAY HOME is the story of a married couple, Christian and Ava, both writers, as they cope with the loss of their son and the damage that loss causes to their marriage. This moving story, alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming, is the first in a brand-new contemporary romance series by bestselling author Jasinda Wilder.

REVIEW

Christian and Ava are married but after they suffer a terrible tragedy they both struggle to cope and in the end Christian sees no other way out than to leave and travel the sea to try with the grief but this separation rips them further apart bit by bit. Ultimately Christian and Ava must try to find a way to overcome the tragedy and the sadness but also be able to forgive themselves and each other. Will they be able to find their way back to each other again or will what happened keep them apart forever? 

“Ava, my love: you have always been the best part of me, and through you we created Henry, our son, and in him I found completion and strength and purpose. Now that he is gone, I have lost those things, and I have lost you, and thus I have lost myself.”

I honestly can’t find the words to describe this book. It was so utterly heartbreaking and yet utterly beautiful at the same time. The grief, sadness, anger and bitterness literally breathed from the pages into me. I could feel Christian’s and Ava grief through their words. At the same time there was also a story of courage to move forward, fight to not let go and determination and love to never give up hope of the one you love. 

“I hate you. But I also love you. If I saw you right now, I’d probably punch you straight in your perfect Roman nose and then kiss your stupid perfect lips. And then ugly cry, snot and all. And then rip your clothes off and ride you like a stallion. Or maybe all of those at once. Kiss you, punch you, and f*** you, all while ugly crying.”

I’m not sure how others will think but I honestly liked both Christian and Ava. I couldn’t be angry at Christian for leaving because I understood how much sadness he was feeling and that he truly couldn’t see another way out of it and I understood that Ava was angry at home for leaving and also trying to deal with her own grief. Their emotions made them so realistic and what we really saw with them was just two people trying overcome tragedy in their own way. 

“The tug of war between needing you, wanting you, loving you, and hating you, loathing you, reviling you…is just too strong and too painful.”

I loved the way the story was done with the journal entries, letters and emails. It made me connect even more with the characters, as if they were writing to me. The plot itself wasn’t easy going at all, it is a hard read but it is also so rewarding once you do. The ending really surprised me and I am desperate for the next book to find out what happens next. I am praying there is happiness at the end of Christians and Ava’s story but I know that it might not be possible or maybe the happiness will come in a different way I am hoping? Who knows- what I do know is that this book will make you cry and want to shout your anger at the unfairness but it will capture you and hook you and you won’t want to put it down.

BETHANY 

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5 SMOOCHES!

SYNOPSIS:

A sexy new standalone from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Vi Keeland

The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.
He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.
When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.
You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend–smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.
He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he’d done.
Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.
Only it turned out, the man I’d just told off wasn’t the right guy.
Oops. My mistake.
Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.
I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?
That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.
Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant.
I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.
Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.
This was going to be interesting…

REVIEW:

I always enjoy reading Vi Keeland’s writing, but I’m just going to come out and say it: Beautiful Mistake is my favorite book from her yet. I adore workplace romances, and Keeland’s take on it here was unique and interesting. But this was more than just a simple office romcom; this was a gorgeous and seductive romance, and Keeland delivered powerful emotions in this fabulously complex and complicated love story.

“I’d felt a connection from the first time we met… whatever was between us had always felt bigger than me—bigger than us.”

From the part meet-cute, part angry confrontation that was their first encounter, the chemistry between the hero and heroine leapt from the page. More than just sexual chemistry, though, there was a genuine connection between Rachel and Caine that felt a whole lot like déjà vu and was more familiar than either could understand. Rachel, a music major graduate student, was also Professor Caine West’s teacher’s assistant, so a romance between the two of them would be an infraction of the school’s fraternization policies. Yet despite that, the two them were almost powerless to fight the growing attraction between them. It was a delicious, goose-bump eliciting build-up, and when they finally gave in to the pull between them, it was explosively passionate and far more intense than either of them had anticipated it would be.

“Maybe I couldn’t get you out of my head because you’re supposed to be there.”

That niggling feeling of familiarity between them, though, was something that never went away, and Keeland delivered an emotionally charged, meaningful and moving storyline there that made Beautiful Mistake a page-turner I had difficulty putting down. With each new revelation, I became more and more invested in these two characters and their happily ever after. Their back-and-forth bantering was on-point and lived up to the “Feisty” nickname Caine gave Rachel. She was a strong heroine, she knew what she wanted, and I loved how she had no problem calling him out when he needed it. Keeland filled out this story with a cast of side characters who added dimension and depth, taking this already deep story and turning it into something special.

“It’s us.”

“Us?”

“Together. It just works. I felt it the first night we met. Just didn’t want to accept it…”

“Do you accept it now?”

“…I never really had a choice, Feisty.”

This couple fought through some heavy history to get their happily ever after, and I was positively enthralled with their journey, devouring this story with heart-racing anticipation from cover-to-cover. Five smooches from me for Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland!

~ Danielle Palumbo

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4 SMOOCHES!

SYNOPSIS:

I don’t have a damn thing in common with the beautiful rich girl who walks into my bar; she’s southern class, fancy cars, and designer shoes.

I’ve got a drunk for a mother, a cheater for a father, and a reputation for trouble I’ve more than earned.

I look the other way, pretending I don’t notice how perfect she is. She wouldn’t give me the time of day anyway. Until she shatters that first impression and shows me she’s so much more—everything I never thought I deserved.

After a lifetime of being a disappointment, I want to prove to her that I’m better than my past.

We have one tragic thing in common, and the thread that binds us together will tear us apart as it unravels.

Are we strong enough to break through The Bars Between Us?

REVIEW:

This is my fourth time reading A.S. Teague. I absolutely loved her Undisputed series, a fighter series. The Bars Between Us is a standalone. Having read all of A.S. Teague’s books up to this point, I can honestly say that this talented author has a knack for stringing together beautiful, meaningful words. Her stories never fail to deliver a solid blow to the feels, they’re sexy, and they’re hard-won happily-ever-afters. The Bars Between Us was no different.

A fantastic example of not judging a book by its cover, The Bars Between Us is the story of two seemingly different people who took a chance and looked beyond the surface, and in doing so, found more than either of them bargained for in the other person. Bonding over a shared history of loss, grief, pain and abuse, Grace and Bronn connected instantly. The chemistry between them sizzled from their encounter, but even more than that, they found a kindred spirit in each other that both characters recognized almost immediately.

I did, however, have a few issues with this book that affected my overall reading experience, which is why I’m giving it four smooches instead of five. I’m a very dialogue and interaction centric reader. I found that there was a great deal of internal dialogue, bordering on too much, and as a result, I found myself longing for more interaction between the characters. There were scenes where the characters were in the same room, but the reader was in the head of one of the characters instead of experiencing some sort of communication between the two of them. There were several points throughout this story where the internal, single-character reflections went on a bit too long for my taste, and I found that those parts didn’t hold my attention and left me fighting the urge to skim over them. It did get to be a bit frustrating for me after a while, but thankfully, those passages were followed up by fantastic scenes (that more than made up for the previous scenes’ frustration!) between the characters that definitely got – and held – my attention. The bottom line is that I wanted more of Grace AND Bronn together, and less of Grace OR Bronn individually.

Ultimately, though, despite those issues – which, again, were a matter of my personal taste – I found The Bars Between Us to be a poignant and beautiful love story, full of passion and healing and hope. It was richly developed, and readers will find a gorgeous and very sexy love story within these pages.  A.S. Teague’s The Bars Between Us gets four smooches from me.

~ Danielle Palumbo

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