Book Review: The Gambler (The Wedding Pact, #3) by Denise Grover Swank

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Indie

Published: 1st September 2015

Pages: 345

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, 

Main Characters: Libby, Noah
Date Read: 7th September - 18th September 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
Book three in the USA Today bestselling The Wedding Pact series by Denise Grover Swank 
Libby St. Clair believes in fate—so much so, she’s willing to pin everything on a curse a fortune teller placed on her and her two best friends when they were kids. The curse, that each of them will marry before thirty, have a disaster of a wedding, and end up with a man other than her original fiancé, has come to fruition for both of her friends, who are now deliriously happy. But Libby’s attempt to quick-start the curse by proposing to her wrong-for-her boyfriend ends in a wild dash from the altar. She’s rescued by her friend Noah, the only person who understands her impulsive decisions--because he’s the same way.
Having spent most of his adulthood fleeing responsibility and commitment, Noah McMillan is finally ready to grow up. Of course, figuring out how is still a work in progress. When he realizes he’s in love with Libby, he flies to Kansas City to put a stop to her wedding. But Libby’s already pulled a runaway bride. Eager to cheer her up and prove that he can be the man she deserves, he takes her on a madcap car trip that will bring them all the way to the City of Sin.
In Vegas, those who risk it all either win big or lose everything, so what will happen if Libby and Noah take a gamble on love?

I've had this for a little while now and since I have the spin off book I thought I should finish this series so I can get onto it.

I do like the romantic feel of the cover as well as that it matches the rest of the series which is always a plus in my eyes. What put's me off the cover is that it feels forced as you can tell that things have been photoshopped which I don't like.

I was a bit wary about reading this one as I wasn't the biggest fan of book 2 but thankfully it was nearly as good as the first book so in the end I was very happy with this book. When I first started it I didn't think that I was going to like it as I didn't like how everyone was treating each other. Once I got over all of that it started to pick up rather quickly to the point of not wanting to put it down. What I have loved about this whole series is the humour and this book is no different as I would find myself laughing out loud which I love when a book can do that. As well as the humour there was also a bit of sadness in there which I actually don't mind as I then know how invested in a book I am when I feel everything the characters are feeling. The romance side of the story felt a little rushed and even though I found myself not caring about this in the first book, I just couldn't quite get over it in this book as it felt forced at times. There was some very sweet moments that I loved them together and for the most part it was when they where friends when they where the sweetest but by the end I needed them to be together. The ending was so sweet and fitting for the end of this particular series and even though I will be sad to see them go I'm pleased that there is going to be a spin off series so I do hope to see a glimpse of them just to see how everyone is getting on.

I have always been a huge fan of most of the characters in this series and I was looking forward to getting to know Libby and Noah a bit better and I wasn't disappointed. Libby had been such a strong character in the previous books it was nice to see more sides to her character as she comes across as a selfless and caring person but she also showed a vulnerable side as well. I must admit I was most excited to read more about Noah as he has been one of my favourite character as his humour and the way he treats Libby has always drawn me to him. I also liked seeing his vulnerable side as well as it made him more of a realistic character. My all time favourite character in this series without a doubt has to be Gram she is such a funny character that every time she appears she steals the show and I loved that she was in this book a bit more than the previous book. I was a little bit disappointed with Megan and Josh with the way they acted especially towards Libby and Noah these characters that I loved in the first book just didn't feel like the same characters. Blair was just as annoying in this book as she was her own but right near the end she was able to redeem herself and likewise with Megan and Josh.

Overall, I'm so pleased that this book didn't disappoint me as much as the previous book and now I'm looking forward to staring the spin off series.

Book Review: Aced (Blocked, #2) by Jennifer Lane

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Psyched Publishing

Published: 2nd December 2015

Pages: 280

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

Main Characters: Maddie, Alejandro
Date Read: 30th August - 6th September 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blockeddespite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. InAced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. 
Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled? 
Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches. 
Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.
Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk.

I received a review copy from the author Jennifer Lane in exchange for an honest review.

I don't feel as though the cover as got any better since the first book and I would actually go as far as saying it's worse as I just don't like the guy used as he just doesn't scream Alejandro so it doesn't work for me.

I was a bit nervous going into this book even though Jennifer Lane did say that this book wasn't mainly focused on American politics and I should've had more faith as I felt the politics wasn't as heavily involved. There was some politics involved but it felt easier to follow this time around and what I enjoyed was the different opinions and the banter used was a great addition that I was surprised that I even liked as I didn't in the first book and I think that it was because of the banter as it gave it a more light hearted feel to it. Like Blocked, Aced also had some hard hitting issues tackled and again was done in a sensitive way. I liked the way in which depression was tackled in Aced as I don't feel like it's tackled enough in any kind of media so this made a change. The only thing I didn't like about this book was how quickly the relationship evolved and in the beginning I didn't really believe in them as a couple but the further I went into the book the more I warmed to them as a couple and it was refreshing that what normally happens towards the end of a contemporary book never happened which was a huge plus in my eyes. I liked that Aced wasn't predictable towards the end as I never saw what happened towards the end to happen it was the edge of my seat stuff. As for the ending I felt this was a much better ending that Blocked so I was happy about that.

I had mixed feelings about all characters before I started this book but a lot of my opinions changed throughout this book. Maddie I liked in Blocked so I was looking forward to reading her story and I was surprised with how different she seemed in this book compared to Blocked but this wasn't in a bad way as she had a lot to deal with in her past as well as her present. Maddie is such a caring person and I was always rooting for her to get her happy ever after. Alejandro I was a bit nervous about as I didn't really like him in book one and even in the beginning I didn't think that was going to change but in the end I really liked him. I loved that we got to see a bit more of Alejandro's Dad and I was very much surprised at how much I liked him. I was also surprised at how Lucia took a certain thing that happened as I thought she would've been happier than what she was but I felt she was a bit selfish.

Overall, this book was better than the first and now I'm really excited to read Mateo's story.

Book Review: The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk, #1) by Samantha Young

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Piatkus Books

Published: 1st September 2016

Pages: 400

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, 

Main Characters: Jessica, Cooper
Date Read: 16th August - 29th August 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…
While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.
Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for…

 I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm in two minds about this cover as I love the romantic look of it as well as the colours used but on the other hand it just looks like every other romance cover that I've read so it doesn't really stand out but it is better than the American cover.

When I first started this book I was quite intrigued and sounded like it was going to be a bit different but that didn't last very long as it did become predictable. I think it was the middle part of the story that dragged the rating down as I was bored nothing was really happening and we didn't find out what Jessica's secret was until closer to the end which annoyed me as it was just dragged out for much longer than necessary. I liked the relationship between the two main characters as they weren't in love from the get go yes they where attracted to one another but I felt they grew together through out the book. The end really picked up but it was a little bit predictable but I didn't mind that too much as I have come to except that 9 out of 10 times in contemporary books it's going to happen. The ending was good as it cleared up Jessica and Cooper's story but left it wide open for other characters.

I was actually surprised with the characters in this book as they were both not what I was expecting and sometimes it wasn't in a good way. With Cooper I thought he would be closed off towards Jessica but I felt he wasn't it just wasn't what I was expecting but I liked that about him. He was so understanding and I'm surprised he held out on pushing Jessica until the end. Jessica I would have thought would've been a stronger character than she was as she was so secretive even to us the reader we never knew her darkest secret until the end which was when I was able to understand her a bit better.

Overall, this isn't my favourite book written by Samantha Young but I'm hoping the series will get better.

Books of August

August was my slowest reading month I've ever done but it was a busy month personally for me as I had a job interview which I was successful and have now started so it's now eaten up my reading time. Plus it was also my sisters birthday so I just haven't had the time to read and I can't see that getting any better next month as I have got extra hours at work and it's my birthday.

Here's what I got through in August:

• Blocked (Blocked, #1) by Jennifer Lane - 3.5/5
• Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan with Love, #3) by Sarah Morgan - 5/5
• The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk, #1) by Samantha Young - 3.5/5

And the book of the month goes too...

Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan with Love, #3) 

by Sarah Morgan

Synopsis:

It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York! Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner. Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?

I loved every minute of this book and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good romcom.

Books Received in July

 

I received these paperbacks from the publishers and I'm very much looking forward to reading them both.

  

 

Just a few of my netgalley books.

What's your book of the month?

Book Review: Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan with Love, #3) by Sarah Morgan

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: HQN Books

Published: 29th November 2016

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, 

Main Characters: Eva, Lucas
Date Read: 8th August - 15th August 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York! 
Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner. 
Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?

 I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not the biggest fan of the covers for this particular series but I do think they have slightly improved as they went along and if I had to pick one that I liked the most this one would be the one I would choose. I like the Christmasy feel to the book which is in keeping with the book. 

From the moment I started this series I was the most excited about reading Eva's book and I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations. I loved every minute of this book from the very beginning to the last word there was just nothing that I didn't enjoy about this book. What I really loved about this book was the connection between the two main characters as even when they where just friends they were good together. Yes, there was moments when Lucas didn't want to acknowledge any kind of feelings he had for Eva but I could still tell there was something there. It wasn't just about love it was also about loss and how people deal with their loss which was a sad part of the story but how everything was written I didn't mind the sadness as it was balanced out with the light heartedness. I loved the ending to this story and the three friends and I hope that there will be a spin off from this series as I'm not ready to say goodbye.

I loved every character with only one new character I knew I already loved these characters but I wasn't sure I was going to love Lucas as much as the others but thankfully I did. He did have his moments but that was understandable with what had happened with him in the past so it was easy to forgive him especially when we see how he treats Eva (well most of the time). Eva has always been my favourite character in this series as she comes across as such a sweet person that would do anything for anyone and I felt so sorry for her with the loss of someone close to her as well as her just wanting to be loved. It was nice to have a bit of a catch up with the previous main characters I just wish they where in it a bit more than what they where.

Overall, I adored this book and it is hands down my favourite of the series.

Book Review: Blocked (Blocked, #1) by Jennifer Lane

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Psyched Publishing

Published: 21st October 2014

Pages: 300

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

Main Characters: Lucia, Dane
Date Read: 2nd August - 7th August 2016

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.
Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. 
When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not overly excited about this cover as I do think it looks a little plain and I don't think it stands out over any other sports book covers that I've seen. Having said that it is giving us an idea of what the book is about with the use of the volleyball.

When I first started this book I wasn't quite sure that I was going to enjoy this book as it was hard to get over certain things that was said/done. I've now read a few sports romance novels and this is the first time reading about volleyball which was a refreshing change as it's also a new sport to me yet I was able to understand all the terminology. The whole politics side of the story annoyed me a bit as I just couldn't get my head around plus it just dragged the story out. The romance side of the story was not as believable as I would've liked as I didn't like how Dane was with Lucia for most of the first half of the book. In the second half of the book he was a lot sweeter to her as he was able to help her and look out for her. I felt they were better friends than anything else plus I don't feel as though we got an ending to their story so I hope we get to see more from them in upcoming books. As well as sports and romance this book had also had issues being tackled such as eating disorder which I don't feel as though its tackled nearly enough. The ending kind of annoyed me as I know the next book is not focused on these two and the way in which it did end made me feel that there was another chapter to come but there never was.

I had a bit of a love hate relationship with most of the characters as they all had good and bad moments except for Maddie which is actually a good thing as she has her story told next. Lucia started off a bit annoying as she was too soft with Dane as I just wanted her snap back at him more than what she did do. I felt sorry for her with all her issues as you can actually see where she's coming from and you could see her struggle throughout the book not just one section which felt realistic as she wasn't magically fixed straight away it took longer than that. Dane like I said before he annoyed me in the way he treated Lucia in the beginning as to me it was just not nice and I don't why she would forgive him even if he did change how treated her through the course. Dane had his issues that he also needed to deal with but by the end I did warm to him because of those issues and how he tackled them.

Overall, a good start to this series that I am looking forward to continuing on with it I would just like less politics involved in the series.