Sam's Book Basket: BLOG TOUR: Fifty First Times – Various Authors + Review & giveaway!

Released: December 8th, 2013

You always remember your first time...

Whether it's the couple who decides not to go through with it, the two boys who finally aren't ashamed, the newlyweds whose wedding night could very well be their last night together, the deaf pair who have no choice but to take body language to a new level--or, of course, the two young lovers fumbling and laughing, getting everything wrong. These are the memories that will never fade.

Join nineteen fantastic authors as they pull back the curtain and give you a peek inside that one intense moment in their characters' lives when everything changes and nothing will ever be the same again.

Featuring stories from some of the hottest names in New Adult, Young Adult, and Romance including New York Times Bestselling authors J.Lynn/Jennifer Armentrout, Molly McAdams, Sophie Jordan, and Carrie Ryan.

NOTE: These stories are works of fiction. If you want to know about our first times, you'll have to buy us a pet monkey first.

"Some things stick with you. Like this moment . . . I'm never going to forget."

**COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR**

Wow oh wow. I loved it! Some of the stories were absolutely captivating and it just hooked me in and forced me to keep going. Stories of first times, not necessarily the first time they had sex, but mainly the first time they did something that meant something to them. Such a sweet collection!

I'll go story by story and give a short review of each with ticks for each plus a quote from each. Four ticks (✓✓✓✓) is the highest I'm giving. NOTE: TICKS INDICATE MY FAVORITES AND NOT MY RATING OF THE STORY. By no means do the ticks define the quality of the work because I honestly, swear to God, liked them all, but some more than others, which are indicated by the check marks.

✽ ✽ ✽

The Corner of First and Second by Gennifer Albin

"I've been looking up at that moon and dreaming of you, Jacqueline Kelly."

I actually really liked the idea of the story and the characters were pretty cool. Unfortunately, I didn't really like how there was no intensity, because well I'm a huge fan of angst-filled stories. Nevertheless, it was actually pretty good.

- - -

Daylight by Julie Cross ✓✓✓

"We're a symphony – our limbs and lips and skin making up the instruments, working together to create a beautiful piece of music."

Man, I really liked this one. Jack's character was just so fucking sweet and alwekrjlwkejr indescribable! He's one of my favorites from this collection. And Audrey's character is also refreshingly different, and so is her family. Not the stereotypical Christian family who's so strict about rules. They're very easygoing and understanding but not lenient. LOOOVED IT!

- - -

A Little Too Scarred by Lisa Desrochers ✓✓✓

He makes me feel beautiful. He makes me remember who I am, out from everything that's happened. And most of all, he makes me want to live.

Ooh, I really liked A Little Too Far by this author (REVIEW HERE)! And I loved this one! This one actually starred one of the characters I didn't really like from the novel but I found him to be so sweet because he's matured now. A lovely story about how love isn't defined by beauty.

- - -

Once Bitten by Cole Gibsen ✓

"I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you–every second of it, I swear. Just give me a chance."

It was really sweet and simple. A romance about reconnecting with an old lover. It also had an air of mystery and thrill to it, which is a total bonus!

- - -

Crash by Sophie Jordan ✓✓

"Maybe I just want to get to know you. Maybe I don't want to say good-bye right now."

Apparently, this is kind of a short prequel to the author's novel and this really made me want to read it. It was simple and short, absolutely lovely. Hunter's such a fantastic character and a complete gentleman and so is Brooke, who's very determined.

- - -

Under the Seryn Moon by Melissa Landers ✓✓

"This is your home. What's mine is yours."

This one reminded me of Khal Drogo with Khaleesi from Game of Thrones (which you should totally watch but it's so gory, but still so gooood!). I don't know why but there's this sweetness in Kai that just hooked me in ;) He's very charming.

- - -

How to Be a Heart Breaker by Lauren Layne ✓✓✓✓

It's irresponsible, and stupid, and . . . I want that. […] Even more than that, I want to be the girl that drives a guy so crazy that he pins me up against a wall and kisses me because he can't help himself. I want to be so absorbed with a guy that I forget i'm in public so that someone shouts, Get a room!

MY FAVORITE!!! This is my favorite selection out of the whole collection. It was more gritty and more heart-breaking. More angst! I really like these kinds of stories so I may be kind of biased but still. This is the first I've read from the author and I loved it! Maybe this is because I'm empathizing with Annie and I can relate to how she's feeling. But still, FAVORITE!

- - -

Two in the Morning by Roni Loren ✓✓

In that moment, we weren't best friends or roommates or even two guys sharing their first kiss. We were the real Bates and Malcolm, meeting each other for the first time.

This is actually a very good one. I really liked it. It's an M/M but I enjoyed it nevertheless. They're best friends turned lovers by the end and, ugh, it was just so fucking great. I was just hoping that the author developed their relationship more. Loved the twist though!

- - -

Believe in Me by J. Lynn ✓

Being here with her, both of us naked, suddenly wasn't about the sex. Hell, i thad never been about the sex and I was just now realizing that. This was a first for me, totally uncharted.

AAAH!!! J. Lynn has always been one of my favorites and for her to give us Ollie's "first" is just, God bless you. Ollie is the comedic character in the Wait for You series and I loved him then and I loved him in this book. I was just hoping for more intensity in the plot.

- - -

Sharing Firsts by Molly McAdams ✓✓

"You shared all my firsts with me, Kinlee Ann, and I'm gonna make sure every last experience will be shared with you too."

Sharing Firsts is adorable and different from the others in the collection, because in this one, it's about their first ever fight. It was intense and I came close to crying so many times. But sometimes I felt like it was a little too rushed. I liked Kinlee's confession though!

- - -

Strike Out by Myra McEntire ✓

"I believe that. What i can't beleive is how long it took em to do it."

Aaah, love me some athletes! Ben is a handsome gentleman and a very generous one. He's so selfless and sweet. While Liza is more sassy and she's built up walls around herself, which Ben will eventually break down. Loved it!

- - -

This Is My Sign by Hannah Moskowitz

This is my sign.

This is my

fucking

Deaf heaven.

This one wasn't a prose but more like a slam/poem. Maybe it's because I wasn't a huge fan of the structure that I didn't really like it. But it was more intense because feeling without hearing? It just intensifies your senses and emotions.

- - -

Going for Broke by Lyla Payne ✓

There's too much past, too little present, and the idea of an endless supply of future undoes me.

Wow, this one was surprising actually. I liked the heroine because she had a slight flaw that reminded me of Alayna from the Fixed series by Laurelin Paige. It was a great story though about rekindling old flames ;)

- - -

For the Sake of Science by Mark Perini

"Si claro que si, that was really perfect. Te amo para siempre."

I have to honestly say that this wasn't one of my favorites. The story was too rushed and I have no idea where the connection came from. I think it was all lust and maybe that was what the author intended. But still. I liked the structure though, it's unique.

- - -

Love in an Elevator by Carrie Ryan ✓✓

"Let me walk you home, let me take you out, tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that."

- - -

Bunga Bunga by Andrew Shaffer

"Some things stick with you. Like this moment . . . I'm never going to forget."

Honestly, I have no idea what the fuck was going on throughout like 90% of the book. But I liked this quote so much as it totally represented this whole collection of short stories, about always, always remembering your first time.

- - -

With the Lights On by Alessandra Thomas ✓

"It damn well was. It was my first time with the lights on."

This one was really sweet, like really really sweet. Anna's always been so insecure about her body due to past pressures so this one time with Tal with the lights on, it becomes kind of a first for her because she's finally exposing herself to that vulnerability and enjoying it.

- - -

Field Emotions by Melissa West ✓✓

"I won't promise you that we'll never be apart, but I can promise you that I'll never leave. No matter where I am, my heart will be with you."

EEEE!!! Another best friends-turned-lovers kind of romance. This one was so sweet because they're both virgins even though Blake is the smoking one and you can imagine girls throwing themselves at him. But, nope, he's staying clean for Summer.

- - -

Grind by Tracy Wolff ✓

"Let me try, Dyani. That's all I'm asking. That you let me try."

Grind was sweet because it was a story about rekindling old flames again. I loved how the guy at least felt some amount of guilt. What I didn't like was how Dyani forgave him so easily, it made her come off as a pushover/weaker character.