Charade by Nyrae Dawn

Book Description:

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection.

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too.

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever.

Christina's BookReview

RECAP

Cheyenne has had a very rough life.But as long as she doesn't let anyone in she will be fine. After Cheyenne finds her boyfriend in bed with someone else her life takes a drastic turn. Hell bent on proving she isn't affected, Cheyenne is set on showing her ex that she has moved on. Revenge comes in the form of gorgeous foul mouthed Colt.

Colt doesn't have time to deal with anything but his mother and making ends meet.  When Cheyenne makes him an offer he cant refuse, Colt is game. Even if he has to deal with a "princess".

These two are about to find out that it isn't all fun and games. Will they see whats going on? Or will they see it as only a charade and lose the chance of a lifetime?

MY TAKE

This book starts off with a bang. As soon as I started it I couldn't put it down which means I finished it in one sitting. And Omg what a roller-coaster of emotions.

Cheyenne is so closed off and so protective of herself that its sad. But the reader (or at least me) can relate to her situation. She might have gotten a lucky hand later in life but early one Cheyenne had a bad one.The protectiveness, stubbornness and sickness are all understandable. Which is why this book is realistic. Which is also why I enjoyed it.

Colt is in the same boat as Cheyenne but his hand in life never turned to luck. The only good in it is his mother and his time with her is limited. He is so defensive and has so much anger that its heartbreaking to read about. But even with his bad boy ways he had such a tender and loving heart that you cant help but love him instantly. And I must mention the situation with his mother had me in tears numerous times. But Omgoodness toward the end (I will not spoil it) I was sobbing for awhile. It was so heartbreaking.

The author did an amazing job capturing your heart with this book. So it comes down to this...PICK UP THIS BOOK!

Just Remember to Breathe by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Book Description:

Alex Thompson’s life is following the script. A pre-law student at Columbia University, she’s focused on her grades, her life and her future. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with the boy who broke her heart.

Dylan Paris comes home from Afghanistan severely injured and knows that the one thing he cannot do is drag Alex into the mess he’s made of his life.

When Dylan and Alex are assigned to the same work study program and are forced to work side by side, they have to make new ground rules to keep from killing each other.

Only problem is, they keep breaking the rules.

The first rule is to never, ever talk about how they fell in love.

Christina's BookReview

RECAP

Alexandra Thompson is trying to recover from her breakup with the love of her life. Every day for 6 months it has been a constant struggle but she is finally able to move on. Until fate intervenes and places her in the same work study as HIM. The guy that has the power to break her resolve with just a smile. The guy that she hates to love.

Dylan Paris has had the worse 6 months of his life. After being heartbroken and losing his best friend to the war Dylan isn't the same. He just wants to break the cycle of pain and do something right in his life. But when he has to confront his decisions Dylan isn't prepared for what's to come.

Will these two ever come to terms with themselves? Or will the mistakes of the past finally break them apart?

My Take

I have been hearing wonderful things about this book for the past few months and couldn't wait to read it. I'm so sad it took me this long! 

This is the first contemporary romance I've read that involved a military protag and I must say it was wonderful! Through Dylan's POV (yes another male POV!:-D) You see into the world of a soldier who has been in war, and having a family of military men I can say that the author did a wonderful job portraying the brutal truth of the aftermath. Dylan's trials and tribulations after his tour was truly tough to read about and made me quickly adore him because of what he had to go through. This book tells the hard truth of the post war affect and although hard to read it was incredible to see the "behind the scenes". Throughout the book I was rooting for Dylan to overcome his PTSD and my heart broke through every painful moment. He was pretty messed up and had a lot of baggage but having someone as headstrong as Alex truly helped him.

Alex was a little too clingy to me at the beginning. The way she was hooked on Dylan was pretty sad at first. But when Dylan is back it opens up the background story to their relationship and it makes you like Alex because of her persistence to help him. She didn't let her wealth or her family get in the way of what she wanted and showed us a kind side of her. Just like Dylan, Alex has her tough times and I admired her for her strength, although at first I didn't see it. She put up with Dylan's sickness which made you like her even more.

The secondary characters also deserve recognition because they added to this dynamic duel's story. The way every one of them quickly accepted Dylan was heartwarming. From Alex's family to her best friend. As well as Dylan's best friend Sherman. He was an amazing friend and I don't think Dylan could have made it without him there to help him and Alex through the tough parts.  I would definitely be stoked if he had his own story as well.

I enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to hear what my readers thought about it. Pick it up! You will enjoy it. Charles is a mastermind! Not only did he hit the nail on the head with the affects of the aftermath of war but also with both POVs.

Going Under by Georgia Cates

Book Description:

Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly.

In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?

Christina's BookReview

“When you look back on this moment months from now, don't forget the one word I'm about to say to you, Claire Deveraux. Foreplay.”

Recap

Jessie Boone isn’t your average popular East Franklin high student. Jessie comes from a different side of town and has a different way of living. When he finally has the chance to get a football scholarship to a good school he is prepared to fight for it. But East Fraknlin already has a starting quarterback and he isn’t someone to mess with. When Forbes Henderson shows Jessie just how out of place he is Jessie extract revenge by trying to steal the one thing Forbes has and won’t let go, Claire Deveraux. But Claire isn’t like the rest of East Franklin’s girl. Jessie quickly learns that what starts off revenge turns into something very unexpected.

Claire Deveraux has the perfect life. Great parent, excellent GPA, great friends, a cheerleading and a start quarter back as a boyfriend. But Claire Deveraux isn’t your typical popular girl. Claire hates hiding her true nature to please others. And when Jessie’s Boone decides to rattle her cage Claire will learn just how sick she is of hiding. Falling for a boy from Collinsville was not the plan.
Will these two finally be able to see that revenge isn't always sweet? Will Claire be able to stick next to Jessie after learning his secrets? Or will what they have fall apart?

My Take

I have to say that I loved the premise of this story. I liked the characters and loved all of the humor, angst, and love in this book. While reading I had one statement in my head the whole time: “What you see on the outside is different then what’s on the inside.”

Jessie is one of those badass guys that have the heart and soul of an angel or at least almost like an angel. You quickly understand why he is the way he is and feel for all the crap he has had to put up with. Jessie has his own issues going on but he has a plan, has focus, is incredibly smart and will do anything for the ones he loves. During the book I found myself hoping that his dreams would come true because he deserved it. He was given a shitty hand in life and deserved good. And that good came in the form of Claire.

Claire didn’t put with Jessie’s crap and played her own game. She wasn’t a weak protag which quickly got her on me list. She rattled Jessie’s cage just as much as he rattled hers. The “foreplay” between the two was just hilarious and oh so wonderful. I liked her spunk and I liked her fire. I liked that she took a chance on someone different then she was use to and that she stood by him through the good and the bad.

These two together made for some funny moments as well as lots of loving and heartbreaking ones. You can’t get more realistic then this and the way the author portrayed there story was excellent.

Claire and Jessie made this book good but one person made this book great to read. Claire’s best friend Payton totally made this book much more enjoyable! I totally adored her from her first sentence and from there on out I was looking forward to her moments. When the author mentioned her story was the sequel I was delighted! Payton is the best friend every girl out here should have. She is real, raw and realistic. I cannot wait to get started on Shallow.

The only reason this is getting 4 stars is because at I think it jumped to insta-love pretty quickly. I wanted more of the bickering and sarcasm before they both got on the “love train”.  I felt like Jessie turned into muss really quick.

I would recommend this book and look forward to continuing on with Payton’s story.

Unlovable (Port Fare #1) by Sherry Gammon

Book Description:

Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love.

Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far.

Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin.

While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.

Seth and Maggie's romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

Christina's BookReview

“Please don't hurt me. When you're tired of me, just let me know.”
---
“You could kiss me, we’ve hardly kissed since you’ve come back. You didn’t meet another woman while you were gone did you?” I traced around the outline of his lips with my index finger.
“There are other women out there?” The look on his face was one of genuine surprise.
“Oh, you’re good.” I kissed his cheek. “Did you come up with that all by yourself, or is it a line from one of your old movies?”
“All by myself.” Seth put his arms around my waist and drew me close.”

Recap

Seth Prescott is one of MET finest. With the drug use population increasing in Port Fare Seth is placed undercover at Port Fare High School. When the agency gets news on possible suspects into the drug trafficking ring Seth is assigned to them. What he wasn’t expecting was it to be the one girl that makes him nervous. The same girl that he sort of likes and has a hard time talking too.

Maggie Brown is the type of girl that sends off the wrong vibes. She’s quiet, reserved, and looks like a drug addict. But she is also one of the brightest girls in her class and doesn’t act like a drug dealer or addict. Because she’s not. Maggie has a lot going on in her life and it has affected her in many ways. When Seth Prescott takes notice of her Maggie is hesitant and judgmental against him. But as she gets to know this “spoiled rich kid” Maggie learns that stereotyping isn’t always accurate.

Will Maggie learn to trust Seth? And if she does, will Seth’s secret destroy what is really going on between them?

My Take

This book was GREAT!! I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot lately with a couple of great reads! When I first started Unlovable I was a little hesitant. I liked the synopsis but wasn’t sure after some of the reviews; which showed me NOT to listen to all reviews before judging a book!

I cannot believe that this book was a debut book! This book was full of everything I enjoy in a book; Romance, humor, sarcasm, real situations, and great friendships and the biggest…a Male POV!

Seth was a great character and I’m glad that we got to be in his head during the entire book. He was kind of perfect but also made his mistakes which show you that he isn’t perfect. He kind of does have a good life and has great friends, which you quickly LOVE too! And his devotion too Maggie makes him 100% swoon-worthy. He is definitely on my list.

Maggie makes my list of great female protags. She is one tough chick but has her sweet and loving side. She has been through a lot in her life so she doesn’t let anyone in which drives Seth as well as us readers crazy sometimes. I liked that she didn’t fall head over heels in love with Seth at first and kept it real. You can’t help but hurt for her and the environment she has grown up in. She really is a strong person and to finally see her get her happy ending was the best feeling ever.

And I HAVE to mention two important characters in this book. First being the handsome and hilarious, Captain Booker. He was so sweet but so strict and badass that you instantly swoon over him. The relationship he has with Seth and later with Maggie is so fun and loving that you want more of him. I can’t wait to read his book! Then there’s the adorable Doctor Cole Colter. He is a little bit different then Booker; he is sweet, caring, and gentle.  He was so kind that it makes you wonder why he doesn’t have a family and someone to love. I also can’t wait to read his story.

I was so engrossed in this story that when I hit the final page I was so sad. This is definitely one that I will be rereading again and one I will recommend. I look forward to reading the next two additions to this series.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh by Jessica Gordon

Book Description:

Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.'s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana's vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh, you're set for life. Her socialite sisters-in-law show her how to live in a Walsh-style world, but just as she is starting to get acclimated, this world introduces her to someone who may shake up her perfect wedding plans.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

As Shoshana learns, the view from the top is not always the clearest.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

Christina's BookReview

“Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh you are set for life. Only one thing can screw it up.”

Recap

Shoshana Thompson is about to marry into one the world’s wealthiest family. She has never grown up wealthy and does not fit in with her high maintenance sister in laws. But she is not willing to give up her chance at finally being able to move up in the world. She will learn how to be a Walsh and learn to cope with her future in laws. But when a wrench is thrown into her perfect plan Soshanna realizes that maybe Becoming Mrs. Walsh isn’t a smooth ride. Not when her future husband isn’t the man that she’s in love with. Not when her heart is quickly learning what real love is. And not when she falls for the least expected of people.

Shoshana is about to learn that Becoming Mrs. Walsh maybe isn’t the best idea.

Will she listen to her heart or follow her mind?

My Take

(I was given this book by author in return for an honest review.)

When I read that synopsis for this book I was quickly intrigued and looked forward to starting it. And I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. I think the author does a great job of showing the readers the good and bad of marrying into a different type of family. This one being a wealthy one.

Shoshana is the small time girl wanting to grow into a big time woman. She is marrying one of the wealthy Walsh brothers and has her life planned out. But I couldn’t help and quickly realize that she isn’t in love with Drew but in maybe love with his status. During the book you definitely seem to get that vibe.

Andrew (Drew) Walsh is distant, cold at times, and only has one love in his life. His job. Throughout the book you don’t find many redeeming qualities in him. At least I didn’t. The only thing good about him was that he wasn’t abusive. But how can he be when he’s so detached.

The Walsh girls consist of the Barbie look alike (Ariel), the sophisticated socialite (Zoey) and the glamorous sweetheart (Rachel). Each girl is different and each girl shows the readers what being a Walsh girl means. I personally loved Rachel and loved her relationship with her Walsh man, Alex.

Now for the Walsh Men, we have Drew of course who is everything I said above. There is Erik, who is pretty much quiet and reserved. We can’t forget Alex, who is funny, loving and adorable. And finally there is Mark Walsh.

Mark is a total sweetheart and quickly puts everyone at ease. You automatically like him and as the story progresses he makes you want more and more of him. I liked how he joked around with Shoshana and how he makes her comfortable when the family is a little overbearing. In the end you understand his decision and can’t be too upset with him.

This was a quick and good read. What made me upset was the ending which I’m hoping isn’t the ending because I definitely need a sequel like right NOW. I kind of lost all respect for Shoshana at the end for the decision she made but am hoping that she can earn that back in the sequel. I also could have done without some of the the designer talk.

My 4 star rating for this comes from liking most of the Walsh’s, especially Mark, and because I’m dying to know what happens next.

All in all I think this book deserves to be read so PICK IT UP! You will be entertained and so engrossed in the lives of the Walsh’s that you will be asking for more!

The Vincent Brothers by Abbi Glines

Book Description:

Fifty Shades of Grey meets Jenny Han’s Summer series in this sequel to The Vincent Boys, where hot romance is the cure for heartbreak. Getting a boy to fall head-over-heels in love with you isn’t easy. Especially when he’s been in love with your cousin for as long as you can remember.

Lana has lived her life in her cousin’s shadow. Ashton always made perfect grades, had tons of friends, and looks model-perfect. And she’s always had Sawyer Vincent—the only boy Lana’s ever wanted—wrapped around her finger. But now things are different. Lana has a chance to make Sawyer see her, and she’s taking it. If only he’d get over Ashton—because Lana is sick of second-best.

Sawyer’s heart is broken. He’s lost his best girl to his best friend. And then Lana comes to town. Ashton’s cousin has always been sweet and soft-spoken, but now she’s drop-dead gorgeous as well. Sawyer doesn’t know if Lana can heal his broken heart, but spending time with her might at least make Ashton jealous.

What starts as a carefree fling becomes a lusty game of seduction. Sawyer and Lana may have different motives, but their scintillating hookups are the same kind of steamy. . . .

Christina's BookReview

“When I'm with you, my world is complete. When I touch you, I understand the meaning of life. When I lost you, I completely shattered. You. Own. Me.”

Recap

Sawyer Vincent has just had his heart ripped apart, figuratively. After losing Ashton to his brother, Beau Vincent, Sawyer can’t help but be bitter and angry. Ashton is the love of his life, THE ONE, and Sawyer doesn’t have eyes for no one else. What Sawyer doesn’t realize is that Ashton isn’t his ONE. Will Sawyer finally realize what true love is? Or will he hurt the one person that truly loves him?

Lana McDaniels has always been in love with Sawyer Vincent. After learning that Ashton had broken his heart Lana vows to make Sawyer love her. After a stunning transformation Lana is back in town with one mission in mind: Getting Sawyer Vincent to finally notice her.

Things will be perfect right? Not so much. How do you get someone that is in love with another person fall in love with you?

As Lana tries to show Sawyer that there is a life outside of Ashton she begins to finally see the truth. Lana will never be enough for Sawyer.

Will these two finally get their happily ever after? Or will Sawyer never get over Ashton?

My Take

First, OMG! I LOVED LOVED this book!

Second, don’t read this book until you’ve gotten through The Vincent Boys.

Now, when I read the Vincent Boys I was automatically a fan of Sawyer and was so angry with Beau and Ashton that I gave that book 3 stars. (Check out my review for the reasons why by clicking the link at the end of this review.)  So when I heard that Sawyer was getting his story I was excited! Unfortunately I didn’t have the time to get to it when it was released. Well thanks to Simon Teen, The Vincent Brothers was put on sale and I quickly jumped at it. I read this book in one sitting and didn’t do anything but read. And OMG why did I wait so long??

Sawyer’s story starts off a little while after the breakup with Ashton. He is really torn up about what happened but is trying his hardest to be supportive of his brother’s happiness. But as we all know, getting over your first love isn’t something that happens overnight. We see just how difficult this is for Sawyer which makes your heart hurt for him. We also see him change in ways that makes you angry at him.

Then we are introduced to Lana and you can see that Sawyer has owned her heart for a very long time. Because of that I liked her instantly. I wanted her to succeed in her mission of capturing his heart. I liked her spunk and I liked her tenacity. But, I felt bad for her because she grew up in a really tough situation and then had to feel the same with Sawyer. And even though she didn’t see it, Sawyer was changing and we got to see how much.

Everything these two went through was really tough but I was so happy at the end that I just couldn’t stop feeling giddy.

Let me also take the time to spotlight the other characters in this story. Eric was a great friend and I hope that maybe in the future he will get his own story. Maybe with Jewel?
Jewel although she was crazy and not much in the book, she was a good friend and I liked that she was on Team Sawyer the whole time. Lana’s mother although dense at times developed into a good parent at the end and I liked that about her. Everyone deserves a second chance.
And let’s not forget Beau and Ashton, although they are the cause of Sawyers pain I liked that they tried to understand what he was going through.

Anyways, I don’t have to say anymore but this: PICK THIS UP!! Read The Vincent Boys and then read this! You will LOVE it!

The Vincent Boys- Review HERE

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Book Description:

When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn--shy, quiet Brynn--who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

Christina's BookReview

Recap

Allison Glenn went from being the “It Girl” to being the town's most hated person. After serving time for a terrible crime Allison is prepared to patch up her relationship with her family, especially her sister Brynn. But Allison soon realizes that forgiveness is not something that can be earned by her loved ones. As Allison tries to get her life on track her sister Brynn can’t escape the memories of that terrible night.

Brynn Glenn was always second to Allison. She was the awkward baby sister and the family’s disappointment. But when Allison commits the ultimate crime Brynn suffers the consequences just as much as Allison. Being known as the sister of the “murderer” makes Brynn’s life a living hell. One she cannot escape from, especially at night. Now with Allison out of prison things are about to get much more complicated.

What no one knows is the secrets that are kept between the sisters.

Can these sisters patch up their relationship? Will the secrets from the past come back to haunt them? Will they be able to overcome the pain from the past?

My Take

Okay so I went into this expecting to be really enthralled in the storyline and mystery of it all. For those that know me, know that I love a great mystery and I try to figure them out ahead of time. Though this one took me on a rollercoaster ride it lacked the depth that was needed in the characters.

The twist and turns in this book were sometimes unexpected and other times shocking. I was so consumed in trying to figure out one half of the story that I completely missed the other half of it.

Although I enjoyed getting to the bottom of this mystery I was disappointed with the writing style. The characters were a little one dimensional and I didn’t feel any sympathy for some of them. This book deals with a very heartbreaking crime and getting the full story of it took the whole entire book and was a little repetitive at times.

Good story but it lacked character depth. I will however read more from Heather because she writes a great suspense-filled book and I loved her work with The Weight of Silence.

Take This Regret by A.L. Jackson

Book Description:

There are some mistakes we make that we will regret for the rest of our lives. For Christian Davison, it was the day he betrayed Elizabeth Ayers. For five years, Christian has regretted the day he walked away from his family and will do anything to win them back. Can Elizabeth forgive someone who has committed the unforgiveable? Or are there some wounds that go so deep they can never heal?

Christina's BookReview

“What do you want, Christian?”
What did I want? To make her smile, to wipe away her tears, to hold her. To be a father, a real father, not one in title, but on who’d earned that right. I wanted to stay.
“I want my family,” I forced through the lump in my throat.”

RECAP

Christian Davison has been living a life filled with regret for the last five years. Every single minute of his days are filled wishing he hadn’t been such a coward and had made the right choice. Unfortunately it’s too late to take back that moment. It’s not too late to try and redeem yourself, though. One moment will change the course of his life forever. A change he welcomes and fights to make. As he tries to make the past right and come to terms with the repercussions of his decisions five years ago Christian learns what it truly means to love.

Elizabeth hasn’t been the same since the night Christian crushed her heart. For the past five years she has tried in vain to forget his smile, his eyes, the darkness of his pitch black hair, the way her heart beat for him. But how can she when her reason for existing is the exact replicate of him? And when he comes back into her life how is she supposed to deal with the anger and resentment that has built in her for the last 5 years? How can she forgive the one person that has and will always hold her heart in his hands?

MY TAKE

Okay let me start off by saying that this book WILL pull at your heart in so many ways. It is filled with romance, heartbreak, and so much adoration.

When you first begin this book you are thrown into the love that Christian and Elizabeth have for each other. A few pages in you are just as utterly heartbroken as Elizabeth is. Nothing could redeem what Christian did and you are infuriated by his cowardliness and lack of respect.

And then we flash forward 5 years. Christian has been living a life of regret and in one moment his life changes. His baby girl is his exact replica.

When we meet Lizzie you can’t help but love and adore her, and want for her to finally have a family. The love and adoration that Christian automatically feels for her shows you just how powerful the bond of a parent and child can be. All of the heartwarming moments that they share will have you smiling like the Cheshire cat. The way Lizzie implicitly loves her dad and accepts that he now wants her, shows you that children are easier at forgiving then parents.

Elizabeth doesn’t have that same view. She is hesitant to have Christian in her and Lizzie’s life and you understand her pain. She must come to terms with that fact that Christian is there to stay and he wants his family. But letting him in is a constant struggle that we witness during the book. Her heartache and pain will match the one you will feel as you read this heartbreaking story.

I cannot continue without acknowledging the role Matthew plays in this entire book. He is the hero that sweeps in to help Elizabeth during her time of need. But he doesn’t make this love triangle. No, Matthew is Elizabeth’s best friend and her backbone. He stepped in when Christian refused to and isn’t going anywhere. He truly is a wonderful guy and you automatically adore him for his protectiveness and love of Elizabeth and Lizzie.

I will acknowledge that this book did have some faults. Such as grammatical errors, repetitiveness, the constant use of Elizabeth and that the writing wasn’t the best.

BUT what it all comes down to is… Buy this book! Read it! Fall in love with this story as much as I did!

This Side of Forever by Juliann Farnsworth

Book Description:

When Michael Devereaux, a biotechnology graduate student at Brigham Young University, suddenly finds himself "accidentally" engaged to his best friend's sister, he is faced with a choice. Should he marry the beautiful and wealthy model, Kirsten Talon, or follow his heart? His choice will lead him on a heart-pounding, life-threatening journey that promises more complications than he bargained for. This book will leave the reader laughing, crying and dying to turn the next page.

Christina's BookReview

RECAP:

Michael Devereaux is a graduate student living a solitude life. When his best friend, Nick Talon, sets him up with his little sister Michael thinks that maybe he can try communicating with women. As the two “date” Michael seems content with the relationship he’s built with Kristen. And then he’s suddenly engaged to her and still he seems to be content with the outcome. But Michael isn’t expecting the turn his life is about to change. That change coming in the form of Nicole Talon.

When Michael meets the third Talon sibling he isn’t prepared for what he discovers. And as he spends time with Nicole and begins to finally realize what a real connection between man and women is his world turns upside down. Now he must make a decision, marry Kristen or let go and find his true love.

MY TAKE:

I have to say that although I like the premise of the story and the outcome I wasn’t excited reading this. It dragged a lot, had a lot of grammatical errors, the characters had no depth and some events were unrealistic. The book was constantly jumping from one character to the other and I found it to be tedious and unnecessary.

The main characters were dedicated to their faith so there was a lot of that going on in the book but it wasn’t overbearing. There were also the secondary characters that didn’t walk in the same steps as the main characters and seeing them go through their journey in some way was nice to read about.

All in all a 2.5/3 Star read because the premise was something new to read and unique. It was a quick read and I wanted to know the outcome so I finished it.

Dress Me In Wildflowers by Trish Milburn

Book Description:

Farrin Taylor is a living rags-to-riches story, but it's not a story she cares to share with anyone. To her, the rags part of her story is in the past and should stay there. When she left Oak Valley, Tennessee, she had no intention of ever going back, of ever being the person she'd been there. She's no longer poor little Farrin with the outdated clothes and nonexistent social life. She remade herself into one of the top designers in New York, specializing in wedding and special occasion gowns for starlets, royalty and those with fat bank accounts.

So when Tammie, her best friend from high school, invites her to their fifteen-year high school reunion, Farrin can't think of anything she'd rather do less. Only when Tammie's mother, who'd been like a second mother to Farrin, encourages her to come back to Oak Valley for a visit does Farrin relent. She intends to be in and out in a day, but that's not exactly how things pan out. The next thing she knows, she's bought a historic inn to keep it from being demolished, learned her high school nemesis didn't have the perfect life she always thought, and her teenage crush has grown up and just might like her back. She also realizes that time and distance are funny things, and that Oak Valley isn't as bad as she remembers. In fact, it and the people there might be the things she's been looking for without realizing it.

Christina's BookReview

“You need to grab happiness whenever you can in life because you never know how much time you have. Make the most of it.”

RECAP:

Farrin grew up to be a completely different version of the girl she used to be. She’s hardworking, work oriented, rich and has avoided her childhood home and the people in it. When Farrin is forced to go back things don’t turn out as bad as she thought. People have grown up along with her and Oak Valley isn’t a scary place anymore. In one weekend her life will change forever.

Childhood friendship is reconnected, old love resurfaces, enemies aren’t enemies anymore, and a town becomes home.

As Farrin begins to become attached to Oak Valley she is faced with tough decisions. Her life is in New York City not in the country. But Oak Valley continues to call her back home. Will she finally be able to let go of the past and finally find a home? Or will Farrin continue to run?

MY TAKE:

The first things that caught my attention with this book was the beautiful cover. The bride running in a field was just exquisite and quickly intrigued me. When I read the synopsis I thought this book would be a quick, light read and I was right with one thing. It was a quick read but light it wasn’t.

Although I initially thought this book would be chuck full of romance it really wasn’t. There was a romance but the focus of the book was forgiveness and the ability to let go of the past.

I understood the dread and sadness in Farrin and why she didn’t want to relive her past. It truly is a “rags to riches” story but one that shows you the difficulty in finally letting go of the past. There are many lessons in this book and that is what made me love it so much. Farrin must learn to forgive the people from her past and to move on and accept that people change as they grow.

I also loved all of the secondary characters in this book.

Dara and Jason were just to freaking adorable. Dara was one smart little girl and you instantly fall in love with her. Faye and Tammie were incredible friends/family to Farrin and I liked that they were her backbone throughout. Drew was as sweet as pie and you instantly adore him and forgive him for his past transgressions.

The person that really pulls at your strings is Janie. Although you instantly want to hate her as much as Farrin, you just can’t. Farrin isn’t the only one that had a transformation. But unlike Farrin thinks, Janie’s life hasn’t always been as picture perfect as she thought.

If you haven’t read this book you are missing out on a cute story or love, forgiveness and yes some romance. The only reason this got 4 stars was because the romance was minor and because I wanted more! It’s a quick read and something to curl up and read, or on the beach, or read during a road trip.

I look forward to reading more from this author.