YA Romance

R E V I E W ➠ The Ninth Inning by J. Sterling

Cole Anders is in his last season at Fullton State. If he doesn’t get drafted this year, he’ll be forced to hang up his cleats for good. It’s not something he’s ready to do.
To prove he’s serious about his final season, he’s given up girls. No more casual hookups, dates or one-night stands. But there’s one girl who has always refused to give up on him. One girl who has been there since the start of Freshman year. One girl he stupidly assumed would always be waiting for him when he got off the field, no matter how long it took.
Christina’s had enough of Cole pushing her aside for baseball. She’s grown tired of waiting for him to see what she’s known since they were freshmen… that they are good together. She’s finally moved on- for good this time.
Cole has other ideas, but she refuses to cave. It’s not her problem if he wants her now. Too little too late.
There comes a point in your life when you have to stop the incessant merry-go-round and just get off the ride, right? Try telling that to Cole.

RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2020

NEW to me author & books. I have heard of this author & even promoted a lot about the books but haven’t had a chance to actually read & review one. Glad I got the chance on this one, I absolutely love Sports-Romance!

I will just come out and say it that, it was not my style of tone. The characters were in the early college days and the immaturity level that comes with that, is just not my style of tone to read. I can relate to the characters as well as at certain points enjoyed them, but I couldn’t fully get into it. That comes with not liking a certain style/tone, so for me not my style for someone else, could be their best read. This is a cute love story of a cat-and-mouse chase between the hero and heroine, friends always and even when the hero decided he want’s to be with the heroine, she doesn’t believe him…and he doesn’t really give her a strong argument TO believe it. Hero is handsome, young and a rising-star, someone a little indecisive and even though he chose baseball over the heroine, he can’t help but rethink his choice. After a little time, when they are back around one another, the story is reversed…and the hero will do anything to have her, to right his wrongs with her.

Rating: 4.5★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #1 of Series
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Wicked As Sin by Shayla Black

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

He’s ruthless. She’s off-limits. But he’s just met his one weakness… Now nothing will stop him from making her his.
Pierce “One-Mile” Walker has always kept his heart under wraps and his head behind his sniper’s scope. Nothing about buttoned-up Brea Bell should appeal to him. But after a single glance at the pretty preacher’s daughter, he doesn’t care that his past is less than shiny, that he gets paid to end lives…or that she’s his teammate’s woman. He’ll do whatever it takes to steal her heart.
Brea has always been a dutiful daughter and a good girl…until she meets the dangerous warrior. He’s everything she shouldn’t want, especially after her best friend introduces her to his fellow operative as his girlfriend—to protect her from Pierce. But he’s a forbidden temptation she’s finding impossible to resist.
Then fate strikes, forcing Brea to beg Pierce to help solve a crisis. But his skills come at a price. When her innocent flirtations run headlong into his obsession, they cross the line into a passion so fiery she can’t say no. Soon, his past rears its head and a vendetta calls his name in a mission gone horribly wrong. Will he survive to fight his way back to the woman who claimed his soul?

RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2020

Not my first read by the author and she actually was one of my firsts many years ago. I have always loved her books and writing style. I am always honest and even if that means a favorite author of mine wrote something I did not enjoy reading. I think I was more frustrated/annoyed during this book than anything.
I don’t even know where to start on this, so I think I will start with what I did not find attractive to read:

The heroine is younger 22 and innocent. She is a preachers daughter and has family and friends around. I honestly can’t say that I liked her, maybe part of the story but definitely over-all, I did not like her. Immature, indecisive, a push over, christian which is fine but it was A LOT out there, again not that I mind or care to each it’s own but it was a lot, most the time I wanted to shake her to wake up, she reminds me of a little mouse that gets scared and does what other’s say and can’t make up her mind. I couldn’t get into it with her at all.

Before the Hero I’d like to talk about the most ANNOYING and PIT of this book character. Cutter, he is the heroine’s best friend and has been since they were little. At the beginning it was kind of okay he was playing the big brother and protective but then it became repetitive over and over again him protecting her from the hero, him stating he is her boyfriend. I won’t lie but I feel like he was more with the heroine than the hero. Absolutely after the first 3 times of repetitive, no I do not like Cutter.

Now the hero, there actually isn’t much wrong with him aside from the fact that he is a man what knows what he wants and goes after it. But here is the catch: he is going after someone that supposedly belongs to one of his co workers, Cutter. So that of course rubbed me wrong the whole time, it was sweet until I realized that 80% into the book and he still has yet to find out that Cutter is not the heroine’s boyfriend. So this whole time while he and the heroine show up in the book, to me it feels like cheating. And who’s fault is that? the push-over’s heroine of course. So the hero was a 50/50 .

All in all I honestly can’t say that I was able to fully get into it aside from not understanding that a hero and heroine can fall in love with the hero truly has no idea she didn’t belong to another man but to him he though she did yet he still fell in love with her. It was just a mess for me and I will not be reading the conclusion, the way it ended and the EXCERPT you get at the end, I don’t think I can endure her indecisiveness any more. Sad to say because I honestly have never met a book by Shayla I didn’t like. This was not for me, not to say someone isn’t going to love it. To each it’s own it’s why we review, I am just simply pointing out my opinions. That said, I will be reading more by the author just not finishing this one.

The book does contain exciting scenes, steamy one as well, angsty and the whole words were amazing, because Shayla really knows how to write, so aside from my dislikes and no connection, I might have enjoyed it a little more had the heroine not been the way she is in here. Not my flavor or style.

Rating: ★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #1 of Duo
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Kiss Me Slow by Top Shelf Romance

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE ->
W. WINTERS – TIJAN – LOUISE – CORINNE
TOP SHELF ROMANCE

Some men know how to kiss.
Some men know how to love.
Sometimes you get those butterflies in the pit of your stomach instantly. Other times… well sometimes other feelings come first.
In this collection, you get it all. Right down to those fluttering feelings at the end of the book that make reading romance worth every single page.
Kiss Me Slow is a collection of four best-selling novels, including:
Ryan’s Bed by Tijan
We Own Tonight by Corinne Michaels
Irresistible Attraction (a trilogy) by Willow Winters
King of Wall Street by Louise Bay
Top Shelf Romance represents the best of the best in romance. There are no cliffhangers. These are simply must-read novels for readers looking for the best in happily ever afters.

RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2020

This is one book four author’s and I have read books by each of the author’s/ My review will be based on a general on all. I wasn’t sure if I should do 4 review’s on here hehe. So here it goes:

-Irresistible Attraction by Willow Winters: Explosive, devouring, intense, sexy, amazing & more of Jace!!
–Ryan’s Bed by Tijan: I have read this author before but has been a while. The heartbreak in this, gah you mix the love and you get something else!!
-We Own Tonight by Corinne Michaels: Love me some Corinne always!! You want feels? You want romance? This one is for you!
-King of Wall Street by Louise Bay: I’ve only read one book by this author, a little more light-hearted and funny with a lot of sass and sexy!

All in all I had a lot of fun reading back to back, new stories and re-visiting some. Definitely a sweet way of giving a little!

Rating: 4.5★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: 1 Book 4 Author’s
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Bad Liar by Lauren Rowe

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Swallowing lies has never felt so good.
Reed freaking Rivers. I wouldn’t trust a word out of the arrogant music mogul’s mouth if his gold-plated tongue were notarized. The Man with the Midas Touch would say anything to get me into his bed, and I know it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want him to succeed.
Indeed, the moment I laid eyes on Reed while he was speaking at an on-campus event I’d crashed, my body physically ached to feel his golden fingers—and tongue—all over me. Unfortunately, though, I can’t give into my powerful craving to jump Reed’s cocky bones. Not until I’ve figured out my best strategy with him . . .
The truth is Reed has something I desperately want. Something my heart desires even more than my body craves one night of delicious fun with the yummiest man alive. Reed assumes he’s running this game of seduction. He thinks he’s a thirty-four-year-old big cat on the prowl, and I’m nothing but a blushing twenty-one-year old field mouse with stars in my eyes.
Yeah . . . no.
As Reed is about to find out, he’s not the only cat on the hunt in this game of cat-and-mouse . .

BAD LIAR is the first book of the standalone REED RIVERS TRILOGY. The full trilogy is BAD LIAR, BEAUTIFUL LIAR, and BELOVED LIAR, to be read in order.

RELEASE DATE: February 24, 2020

Not my first read by author, the reason I signed up for this truly because the blurb promised so much (also i love dark romances) but the cover as well, I mean you can’t go wrong with Joseph. Sadly from the first few pages it did not live up to the blurb for me already. I don;t know how to put it but the atmosphere for me was not pleasant. I don’t know how to explain the feeling but if you’re an avid reader you might understand when reading something that just rubs you the wrong way. It’s a story of a older man that had something, then lost it all so young only to work his way back up all alone and his hard work paid off. The heroine is a younger woman just graduating college, in the same field as the hero. They first laid eyes on one another when the hero held a speech at the heroine’s college.

I don’t know but I was expecting a little bit more romance and not just an arrogant and asshole hero and a sex crazed immature young heroine. I really do get the idea and the whole thing but for me, not my cup of tea and I was really excited for this one. I know other people may enjoy this type of read, and I want to emphasize on MY OPINION not everyone’s that said, I wish i the best but I will not be seeking an ARC for book #2 or #3. The one amazing thing for me is the author’s writing, it was smooth transitions, beautiful words that flowed together, and I can always appreciate that.

Things that made me not enjoy the book:
-In the first pages the hero is young (meaning the previous) which is fine but he was rather engaged in other activities that obviously did not involve the heroine — so okay, I moved on past that.
-Then we get another woman who has meaning in hero’s life along with being an ex lover or current whichever way you want to look at it, and that one turned me off from the hero right away. And the fact that I got THAT before he even met the heroine.
-Let’s talk about the heroine, from the beginning I did not like her, she seems immature and sex crazed to me, I don’t like woman like that and it turned me off. Just not my cup of tea!

Rating: ★★★★
Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #1 of Trilogy
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Love You Now by M. Robinson

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

I should have told her everything.
How much I loved her.
How much I’ve always loved her.
But I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
I just wasn’t made that way.
Instead… I claimed her.
Teased her.
Taunted her.
Worshipped her.
Until… I broke her.
My best friend.
My savior.
My girl.
From my mind to my heart, to every single bone in my body.
She owned me.
I was hers.
Every look.
Every kiss.
Every touch.
Every tear.
It was always her.
The only thing I feared more than losing her was forgetting her.
I hated how much I needed her.
She was mine.
Always and forever.
I hated her then.
But Harley Jameson was about to find out how much…
I LOVED her now.

RELEASE DATE: November 12, 2019

Not my first read by author and I have read Book 1 in this duet. I must say I was very curious to what was going to happen, and was so not ready for what was to come in this book!!

The angst is a killer in this one, the passion, the pain and extraordinary characters and events. Book 2 starts off with a bang just like Book 1 left off. I mean, jumps right in with the OMG’s and bickering. When everyone find’s out the secret or so said, it’s like a huge bomb goes off everywhere and to everyone. Book 2 for sure is a PAGE-TURNER!

Look out for CURVEBALL, TESTS, TEAR JERKING ACTIONS, DECEPTION….it’s really nor anything I though it would be. I don’t want to give out much from this because Book 1 is a must read then jump right into this and enjoy your heart being thrown around like a ping-pong then soothed with their love.

Rating: ★★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #2 of Duo
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Lie For Me by VR Baucke

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Dylan & Travis.
Goat & Freak.
Bold, headstrong, and a chameleon hiding in plain sight.
Charismatic, cocky, and single to mingle.
Together, they fall hard for the person behind the mask.
The day Dylan Jackson showed up out of the blue was the day Travis O’Brian became a ruined man.
She’s a hot piece of woman who’s easy to get a rise out of, and Trav’s innuendo-laced goading has Dylan uncharacteristically flustered.
Regardless of how irresistible Travis is, Dylan can’t allow herself to succumb to his flirtatious antics and boyish charm; she’s on borrowed time, and falling for him would cost her dearly.
Her heart and mind are continually at war; by day, aching for normality, then by night, shattering from the haunting screams she can’t escape from.
Just when Trav discovers why he’s so captivated by her, an unexpected visitor has Dylan running scared once more.
After she disappears with neither trace nor explanation, the crew reluctantly calls in an old acquaintance to help track her down.
But will Trav still want the girl behind the façade when he finds out who she really is?

RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2019

Not my first read by author and I have read Book 1 & 2 of this series. Dylan & Travis were a WOW for me, I enjoyed the other books in this series but I LOVED THIS ONE!!

Travis is the highlight of any party and always smiling and making people laugh. He is my favorite because his heart is HUGE! And he is so sexy, sweet and cocky handsome, not too much and just enough!! Dylan Jackson is a bad-ass strong and sassy woman, so she can go head to head with Travis, but together they are an explosion!! It’s only natural that Travis is intrigued with Dylan and want’s to unlock all her layers. Only if one day he wasn’t robbed of that opportunity, she is just…GONE! Now I don’t want to give out too much but will tell you that it’s an adventure and twists, turns, love, anger, passion…gah, a little bit of all!! I can’t wait to see what is next!!

Rating: ★★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #3 of Series
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ The Best Mistakes by Elena Monroe

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Five years. One month. And three days after the bonfire from hell.

SAINT
Post college bliss was actually hell.
I wasn’t using my degree.
I was so lonely I looked for his face in crowded places.
I didn’t have anything figured out, let alone my feelings.
I was stuck between two tall, dangerous, and handsome men – times two.
One showed me how to survive trauma, proved things aren’t what they appear, and no matter how much I didn’t fall head over heels he was always there for me.
The other taught me how live.
But I taught myself how to love.
No one was going to be able to take away my growth, my bravery, or my comfort again. Oliver or not – I was standing on my own.

SINNER
I couldn’t wait to leave Amherst, to only return a few years later as a professor at my Alma Mater.
The barn fire from hell acted like a bomb, detonating and throwing us all different directions.
Lawyer.
Pro baseball player.
Book store manager.
Artist.
Soon to be wife.
We were all struggling to find our way back to each other while juggling life, love, sex, hardship.
I’m sober, a dad, but something was missing – Layla.
She kicked started my heart when we first met in college, lighting it on fire and branding her name until she run away when things got messy. My son, Arsen, stoked the fire in her absence.
She was always mine and it was time to prove it.
Third time is a charm.

RELEASE DATE: October 31, 2019

Not my first read by author but this is kind of a weird one for me because I did it all backwards. I was not able to binge read all three books but fully read Book #3. Luckily it gives enough information for me to pick it up. I do have to say that it was a great ending to a series!! So this one is written 5 years after Book #2 and everyone was a little more grown up and had lived a little more through.

Without going into Book 1 and 2, Ollie and Layla are finally reunited. They have grown and made mistakes as individuals and when they come together, it was pretty magical. There is a lot happening from book 1 to book 3 because not only the main characters are at play, I feel like a lot of side characters too. That said this one was extra sweet because it’s mostly about the main characters.

Just a beautiful conclusion to a hard road lived, beautiful ending…I wasn’t expecting it but I am glad it ended that way. I would recommend reading from Book 1 but like I said I was kind of okay with just Book 3, gave enough information to sink you in the beautiful story.

Rating: 4.5★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #3 of Series
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Hated You Then by M. Robinson

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

I couldn’t remember a time before her… Harley Jameson.
Before she owned me.
Hated Me.
Needed me.
Before I hated her…
Things were simple.
We had an understanding.
Bully. Fight. Hate. It’s what we did.
Mind. Body. Soul. It’s how we loved.
I thought nothing would ever change that, until everything did.
She was mine.
Always had been.
Always would be.
Nothing altered that.
Not how much I hated her.
Not how much she hated me.
Especially, not how much I hated…
That I LOVED her.

RELEASE DATE: September 17, 2019

I wish I could say I learned my lesson that night, I didn’t. Not in the least. What happened next proved that theory.
-Jackson

Not my first read by author and I have to say throwing myself into a cliffhanger is probably not a wise idea but here I am. This is a due therefore I am ready for it but also am not ready for it! *face palm*

Harley has been fighting with Jackson since they were little kids. Always competing, always fighting…hating each other. After all Harley was the biker princess…her father THE Creed Jameson! Through all the teenage years, there was always something between them two, even during their first kiss for one another with one another, it was fun reading for sure. But not all things can stay innocent and fun…sometimes you have to grow up. In their case, it comes a lot sooner then expected!

This will take you on a journey of two people who have been around one another, been through everything and back with one another…yet when it came down to the needy giddy…they couldn’t figure out how to make this thing called life work. I really enjoyed the younger years flash backs…the older they got the more they are trying to realize for one another. Like I said this takes you on a journey and all I can say is…HANG ON! Also #CLIFFHANGER alert….i mean it about killed me, so prepare! I can’t wait till November for Book 2!

A MUST READ!
Rating: ★★★★★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

R E V I E W ➠ Broken Knights by LJ Shen

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending.
Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower.

Sweet.
Caring.
Charitable.
Quiet.
Fake.
Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language.
Who taught her how to laugh.
To live.
To love.
Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero.
Gorgeous.
Athletic.
Rugged.
Popular.
Liar.

This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna.
But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore.
When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes.
Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy.

Release Date: August 25, 2019

“Moonshine,” he whispered.
“You fill up the empty, dark space–like the moon owns the sky. It is quiet. It is bright. It doesn’t need to be a ball of flame to be noticed. It simply exists. It forever glows.”

He looked cold as tombstone. I’d always thought of him as a cold-blooded creature.

Not my first read by author but my first official ARC review, and I have to say that I have not read Book #1 in this series Pretty Reckless, so here I go. Also I’d like to clarify that I usually and by usually I mean I really never read any YA romance, so this will be something new for me and an experience.

From understanding that Luna is the girl who is in love with Knight and vise versa even from very young age. It’s very sweet when they are at that vulnerable age and young love! Then you get the back story about her parents and HEARTBREAK. I can only imagine how they both feel. In some way I can relate to her social up-bringings, just heartbreaking!

From the book:
Oftentimes, he smelled of my heartbreak.

The untouchable and the nobody, I know it’s of young age but my heart really hurt for this. And so it goes on, a faker and a liar! Oh the young days, this sure reminds me exactly how well LJ Shen is with her words. This story sure took me for a ride, as painful as it was, it was like real life. I rather enjoyed it considering I do not do YA and was little nervous to try.

The reason my review doesn’t contain a lot of book information is because I don’t know how to review a YA yet, I am focusing on the positive therefore all I can say is that it will take you for a ride, break you and then break you even more before it remotely puts you back together. Also the whole timeline from them being 8/9 and then teenagers just barely up to 19/18 age, the parents pain, the high school pressure, it was all INTENSE! I’d like to mention that LJ Shen is the shit when it comes to words, even though this was not my taste because it’s YA i appreciate the story and words SO MUCH, she just has a way with them and it’s magical!

Rating: ★★★★★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

All Saints High Series