REVIEW: All of You (Between Breaths #1) – Christina Lee

Released: September 17th, 2013

Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

"But underneath the surface of my raw emotions were the underpinnings of truth. Of love. Of friendship. Of hope."

All of You was such an emotionally captivating novel with equally as captivating characters. This is a novel charged with sexual tension but also the kind of chemistry that makes your heart stop. A story about two lovers trying to overcome their demons of their pasts and presents while fighting their overpowering attraction towards each other. Christina Lee has wowed me with this book.

I was beyond thrilled when I read this book. I mean, I've honestly never read anything by Christina Lee so I'm definitely pleased. An author's first impression counts to me.

The characters, both I loved so dearly. They weren't hate-able characters who were selfish and arrogant. They were so good-natured and humble and hard-working. They've gone through so much with problems with their family and then also their problems with each other.

I love how independent and strong Avery's character was. I've always been a big fan of heroines who are able to handle themselves. Feminism all the way, woo-hoo! But, of course, I always want them to have some sort of vulnerability or flaw and Avery's was with relationships. She reminds me a lot of Emerson from Beautiful Broken Rules (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE). And I even like Avery more. I'm crazy obsessed with characters who are not overly-dependent and can be sweet and needy at times. Girls are complex characters and I think Avery is a representation of us, females.

Avery is one of those no-strings-attached, love-em-leave-em kind of girl. But when Bennett moves into the flat four floors above her. You have to use a butcher's knife or an axe to cut through the sexual tension. It's so high and blatantly obvious to everyone around them. 

It's different with him because he's not on her list of hookups. She feels instead of being numb like how she is around other guys.

"He made me feel things. Incredible things. And now I know what I want—what I need—and no matter what happens, I'll always have him to thank for that."

And when she fucked up? She actually got off her ass and apologized to him, offering him help. Now, that's a real woman.

And then there's Bennett [DEEP DEEP SIGHHH] because holy fucking shit, this man is da-bomb. Hands down. This is the first time I've seen a hero who's a virgin and the way he acted around Avery was the cutest. I love how he got worried about her. I love how he desperately wants to please her but remain true to himself. I love how he stands strong with his values. I love how he can also be independent but also protective of Avery. God, I love this man.

So when they're together, their chemistry is explosive and so damn romantic it fucking hurts.

“I want to be real. For this to be real. For both of us.”

“It’s more real than anything’s been in my whole life.”

I think I cried in this part because it was so emotionally intense. I cried several times during this book. God, it was so damn good.

MY RATING:

5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

  

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ All of You (Between Breaths #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ Before You Break (Between Breaths #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) // pre-order [May 20th, 2014] ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Christina Lee lives outside of Cleveland with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She's addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. Reading has always been her favorite pastime, so creating imaginary worlds has become a dream job. She also owns her own jewelry business, where she hand-stamps meaningful words or letters onto silver for her customers. She loves to hear from her readers, so please visit her at www.christinalee.net

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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BLOG TOUR: Sweet Reflection (Truth #2) – Grace Henderson + Review, giveaway & teasers!

Released: March 19th, 2014

Laurel Matthews’ career rests on helping brides-to-be with their most important wedding purchase – their dress. She will go to any length to ensure her customers get their perfect happily ever after, but has accepted the fact she may not get hers. The only two men she ever loved, left her, and she vowed not to let the heartbreak happen a third time. She leaves guys before they leave her and usually she’s fine with that, until one night that she can’t remember, changes everything.

James Dawson, self-proclaimed ladies’ man and all round womaniser has the best one night stand he’s ever had and does he get the chance to repeat it? No, because she can’t even remember it! With his ego pushing him to remedy that immediately he sets about pursuing the woman who could easily be his downfall.

When someone from James’ past settles herself in town and threatens the reprise he was hoping for, will he be able to overcome the temptation and prove himself to be the man Laurel can’t live without? Or will they both let underlying fears, past mistakes and uncertain futures lead them down a different path?

Book Two in the Truth Series - can be read standalone.

"How you feel when I'm around you, is exactly the same as how i feel when you're near me."

*ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

Sweet Reflection was such a fucking delightful read. It was funny, sexy, angsty, all mixed into one. My favorite combo! The characters hooked me in from the start with Laurel being a confident, successful heroine and James being far from the stereotypical hot guy, him being a designer and super fucking sweet. The story drew me in with the increase in intensity and passion between the two. One of my favorites this year!

I'm definitely getting my hands on Sweet Deception soon since I haven't read it. This book was just mind-blowing. I absolutely loved the characters and although I got annoyed sometimes with Laurel towards the end, I tried to put myself in her shoes and understood the position she was in.

Laurel is this sexy character who's been hurt by Dickhead Darren when he left her during her miserable days. So she keeps up that sass and confidence to lure in men she's interested in and have quick "relationships" (sex). It was all good.

Until James came along.

James, having the huge-ass ego, was beyond offended with Laurel didn't even remember the one time she slept with him. He makes it his mission to remind her of the great sex they had that night.

However, they end up throwing insults and teases at each other on multiple occasions. Hell, on every occasion before they got together. They were both too scared to admit what they were feeling and resorted to trying to imply their feelings and sending mixed signals.

Once they called a truce though, their sexual tension intensifies and they become best friends. GOD, I LOVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. Okay, anyhow, they're at ease around each other just by spending time together and having super awesome sex in bed and other places as well.

Laurel: “Perv.”

James: “Gorgeous.”

Laurel: “Casanova.”

James: “Stunning.”

Laurel: “[breath hitches] Full of it.”

James: “[whispers] Angel.”

I think I just pissed my pants over how cute this scene was. Trust me, it's beyond adorable in the book ;)

And then there's James with his dirty mouth

"I want to lick every inch of your body then stroke my tongue over your hot little pussy until you come, shaking and crying out with pleasure. Then I'll put my hard cock deep inside you, whisper how sexy you are and how much you turn me on, then watch your beautiful face as you come hard around my cock."

But to every relationship, there're always complications, whether it's with family or with outside forces trying to pry them apart. We see how at times they would give in to these pressures but they'll always pull themselves back up and keep going.

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

 

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Sweet Deception (Truth #1) ♕

Amazon

♕ Sweet Reflection (Truth #2) ♕

Amazon US | Amazon UK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When Grace isn't working her day job, she is huddled in the corner writing or reading romance novels. Having always loved both, it was only after changing jobs and having to put up with a long commute that they took over as an obsession. Now there isn't a day goes by that she lets her Ipad out of sight. She lives in the UK with her husband and two cats, and is a compulsive tea drinker.

Check her out in these sites:

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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This tour was hosted by Bare Naked Words Author Services.

BLOG TOUR: 8 Weeks (Time for Love #1) – Bethany Lopez + Review, giveaway & excerpt!

Released: March 24th, 2014

Is eight weeks enough time to earn back the love of someone you've betrayed...the only one you've ever loved?

Shelly has been in love with Cal since they started dating in eleventh grade. Despite everyone saying that the odds were against them, they got married after graduation and built a life together. Now, six years later, she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. Devastated, her first instinct is to call it quits…

After a drunken binge at his best friends’ bachelor party, Cal betrays the one person who has always been there for him, his wife, Shelly. Terrified and realizing she might divorce him, Cal must come up with a way to prove to her that his love is true…

Cal asks Shelly for eight weeks. Eight weeks to convince her that their marriage is worth the fight. Will Shelly be able to trust him again, or will their marriage end the way many others do when faced with opposition… In divorce?

8 Weeks is book 1 in the Time for Love series, but can be read as a stand alone.

"I've never seen a couple that belongs together the way that you do, you just have to keep doing what you're doing, and have faith."

*ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

Although I was angry with Shelly at the beginning of the novel, 8 Weeks ended up being a pretty light, fast-paced read. I loved Cal's character the most due to his determination and passion for Shelly. The idea of the book was what caught my attention in the beginning, and also the cover, but it was Cal who urged me to keep reading.

Okay, let me begin my admiration for Cal.

Cal reminds me so much of Steve Carrell in Crazy, Stupid, Love. His name was Cal there too so I kept picturing him throughout the book. And this gif is just so him:

Well, Cal seems hotter and much younger in the book than Steve Carell (although he's pretty okay). But still, his character is so much like Cal in CSL by the end of the movie.

And I love how Cal doesn't turn completely pussy-whipped because he made one mistake. He doesn't cry in a fucking corner about how miserable his life is. Instead, he gets up off his ass and works to win Shelly's heart back. Unfortunately, I was hoping the dates would be more fun and exciting and more planned out.

But Shelly? Sweet Jesus Christ. This woman will drive me over the edge. 

This quote describes Shelly through and through in the beginning. 

"Shit, Shel, we haven't discussed anything at all. You won't accept my calls. You won't see me. You're just jumping straight to ending it. I mean, have you thought of counseling or anything? I'll do whatever it takes, Shelly."

This actually describes both Shelly and him. Shelly, like Cal said, was "jumping straight to ending it". She didn't even give a shit about what he had to say or consider how it was a drunken mistake. Hell, he wasn't even sure that he cheated her. But did she care? Noooo.

But here, we also see how much effort Cal is trying to put into it. He's trying to win her back.

AND AAAH SHE'S SO FREAKING ANNOYING. I hated her even more when she said:

I wished whole-heartedly that Cal had never went to Vegas and fucked up our lives. His indiscretion was affecting everyone around us and I wanted to rail at him for being such an idiot.

Oh my God and I found this gif, I just burst out laughing at how accurate this is.

In conclusion, pretty good read but I hated Shelly.

MY RATING:

3.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ 8 Weeks (Time for Love #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | iTunes | Smashwords

Aaah, this is the start of it all :")

Cal's POV

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to make it harder, and I don’t want to fight with you,” I implored. “But I will fight for you, Shelly. Give me a chance to.”

She was shaking her head again, and a plan formulated in my mind.

“Give me eight weeks,” I said desperately.

“I’m not going to live with you for eight weeks, Cal.”

“No, I get that,” I responded. “Give me eight Saturdays. Eight dates where it’s just the two of us. Give me time to show you why we're so good together, and that I’m willing to bend and compromise to make our marriage work.”

Shelly looked at me thoughtfully.

“Why eight?”

“One week for each year that we’ve been together.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. Since then she has published various YA and NA books. She is a lover of romance, family, and friends, and enjoys incorporating those things in what she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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This tour was hosted by InkSlingerPr.

BLOG TOUR: Frenched – Melanie Harlow + Review & giveaway!

Released: March 18th, 2014

Mia Devine plans over-the-top weddings for a living. So when it comes to her own nuptials, she spares no expense—hand engraved invitations, Vera Wang gown, luxury honeymoon in France. And since her fiancé is Tucker Branch, playboy heir and notorious flirt, local media is obsessed with every little detail.

Which is why it really sucks when he jilts her a week before the wedding.

Mortified, Mia wants nothing more than to crawl under her newly monogrammed sheets and plan a funeral for her dignity, right after blabbing to the world how fitting it is that Tucker will inherit a bolt and screw company, because that’s all he wants to do—screw, and bolt. And he doesn’t do either with much finesse.

When her friends convince her that bitter tastes better when it’s drowned in Bordeaux, she grits her teeth and packs her bags, determined to make the best of a week in Paris alone.

She never planned on meeting Lucas Fournier.

The free-spirited musician’s scruffy good looks and less-than-sympathetic ear annoy her at first, but when she takes him up on his offer to show her around the city, she discovers that the romance of Paris isn’t just a myth.

Nor is the simultaneous O.

The last thing Mia needs is another doomed love affair, but since she only has a week, she figures she might as well enjoy La Vie en O with Lucas while she can. But each day—and night—with him is better than the last, and suddenly her heart is telling her this is more than a rebound fling.
Is it just the seduction of Paris…or could this be the real thing?

"No seven days have ever felt so short, and yet made me feel as if I've known you for much longer."

*ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

Frenched is one of the best romances of all time. Despite the fast rate of them falling in love, we learn so much about each character and the changes they brought to one another. It's a story about letting go and living in the moment, about falling in love for the first time and experiencing plenty of firsts. The characters were so fucking beautiful inside out and I fell in love with them over and over again.

This book?

HOOOLY SHIT. I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did. At first, I was like, "Oh fuck, this is one of those fast-paced ones." BUT OHMYGOD. This is probably one of the greatest surprises ever.

I love love loooove how she acknowledges the short time frame. If she just fell in love and went, "We had great sex, now I'm in love." I'd probably be really pissed. But I love how the denial she has in the beginning and also the extremity of her feelings.

Let me start off with Mia. Mia is practically OCD. But not in cleaning, she's obsessed with making lists and planning her life. She's already got everything down in steps. Married by a certain age, have babies at a certain age. She wants that picket fence and 2.5 babies. And she thought she was going to get it with Tucker.

That is, until he cancels on her last minute.

So her friends convince her to travel to Paris, which was supposed to be her honeymoon destination. Alone. But of course, Mia being Mia, she has everything planned out from her itinerary to her outfits for each day.

And there she meets Lucas. Lucas is nothing like Tucker. Nothing like her "dream man". She's always liked the clean-cut, handsome men but Lucas was messier, sexier and more rugged. And yet, she feels things with him. (And the sex didn't consist of Appropriate Positions)

I love Mia because she stays true to her character. Yes, she's practically OCD but, after she met Lucas, she abandons all her plans and tries to live in the moment. But she doesn't let go of her obsession with making lists. And she still constantly worries about the future. So, although Lucas did cause a positive change in her, she remained true to her personality, which I love.

For once in her life, Mia didn't really have a plan.

I wanted Lucas like crazy, if my underwear was any indication. But I had no idea what I was doing.

I just knew that I liked it.

And then ughhhh Lucas. He's so fucking sweet and perfect and funny. He's not afraid to tease her to call her out on her shit the first time they met. He can be so damn romantic at times but also hot when he has those dirty jokes. He brings out the best in Mia and Mia brings out the best in him.

I'M JUST SO IN LOVE WITH HIM!!!

I don't know why but this reminds me so much of him:

God, he can be the sweetest thing sometimes. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!

“Quiet. Just try to look happy, so I can lie and tell my friends I charmed a French man.”

“OK,” said the woman. “Un, deux, trois.”

I smiled as Lucas whispered in my ear, “You won’t have to lie.”

I think I just pissed my pants. I couldn't stop grinning at this line.

OH and another line I loved ;)

"Listen. I don't know what kind of assholes you've been with before, but I promise you, your orgasm will not only make an appearance tonight, it will be the star of the show."

MY RATING:

5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Frenched ♕

Amazon

Signed copy of Frenched and bookmark (1)
$25 gift card (1)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. I write New Adult historical and contemporary stories.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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This tour was hosted by AToMR Tours.