REVIEW: Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) – Kristen Ashley

Released: July 23rd, 2012

There's nothing like the first time . . .

In Carnal, Colorado, Faye Goodknight is the town's quiet, shy librarian. She may also be Carnal's last remaining virgin. For years, Faye has had a crush on Chace Keaton, but the gorgeous cop has always been unattainable. She's resigned to live contentedly with only her books for company-until Faye suddenly meets Chace alone in the woods...

Chace doesn't think he's the good guy everyone believes him to be. He's made a lot of choices he regrets, including denying his feelings for Faye. Through his choices, he's come to believe the pretty librarian is too good for him, but after their time in the woods, Chace realizes that she may be his last chance for redemption. Soon, their long simmering desires grow to a burning passion. Yet always casting a shadow over their happiness is Chace's dark past...

“If you never do it at all, the loss of something beautiful you never had that was something you yourself let slip through your fingers.”

This is another fan-fucking-tastic novel off the Colorado Mountain series. Here, we see our favorite police officer overcome his demons with the help of the local librarian, Faye. It’s a very intense, climatic story but it’s also addicting with its innocent sweetness.

He screws up. A LOT. in the beginning. And I loved that!!!

Chace Keaton is the type of man I’d totally tap or marry. Or both! He’s the typical Kristen Ashley alpha male but he’s also a man who’s always wanted his “happily ever after”… just in a manlier way.

He’s got a way with words that can wow Faye Goodknight, who’s never really had any real experience with men (which is so freaking adorable!).

“I like it that you have no clue how to kiss but still, the two kisses I’ve shared with you are the best I’ve ever had.”

Ah, Faye, you are one lucky woman. Faye is another sweet character who’s different from the other heroines of the series. While the others were more experienced, Faye is innocent with her feelings for the local hero. But, of course, she still has a backbone that probably every girl has.

And Faye has a problem. This problem would bring these two together. There’s a kid that caught Faye’s eyes, and not in a very good way. It’s in a very worrying way. So she goes to the cops and asks for help. To which, Chace obviously happily obliges.

“I’ll admit, I’m not goin’ all out for this kid just because I’m a cop. I’m doin’ it because it means something to the town’s pretty librarian.”

God these two are undeniably adorable! Like the other books in the series, it also has that air of suspense to it. It’s extremely intense and thrilling to read. It’s not your typical romance where it’s all just happily ever after.

They have so many bumps along the way but we just know that, with their strength of what they’ve been through, their commitment to each other and their chemistry, they’d make it to the finish line.

And, of course, we get our happy ending in this book. No cliffy (thank goodness). Fantastic!

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

     

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Jagged (Colorado Mountain #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 ✻ ✻ ✻

REVIEW: The Will (Magdalene #1) – Kristen Ashley

Released: April 8th, 2014

Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant.

While Josephine was trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love.

But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it.

Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth.

"You good?" "Of course. I have you."

The first in the Magdalene series honestly did not disappoint me at all. The connection between the two protagonists in Kristen Ashley’s books is always so strong and they have extremely steamy romance. It comes with passion and aggression, everything that real love includes, and that’s just perfect.

I've been having a Kristen Ashley marathon so bear with me.

Fuck, I fell in love with the characters over and over again. Even with Josie’s grandmother. She sounded really awesome.

Jake has never met Josephine – or better known as Josie here – before her grandmother passed. And Josie, hearing that her grandmother left part of her inheritance for a stranger is shocked. Especially by the fact that her grandmother had left her to him. Like literally she inherited Josie to Jake. Fucking hilarious.

Jake’s got three kids he has to take care of and a streak of bad women from the past. He’s taught them well, but being a single parent is difficult and so, with Josie’s help, he managed to keep his family happy and healthy. Well, in the end at least…

She ignored her father, looked to me and announced. “I’m a vegetarian.”

“Yeah, she decided that this morning,” Jake noted at my side.

“Killing animals for human consumption is disgusting,” she informed her father.

“Wonder what killing daughters for bein’ pains in the ass is,” Jake muttered.

Ah, can’t you just feel that deep family bond?

On the other hand, Josie has been travelling all around the world with a famous photographer and has met many influential people. She’s wealthy and successful. But when news of her grandmother reached her, she took a temporary leave from her job and took off for home.

Josie is one of those heroines who do not realize their potential and greatness. She’s very humble and sweet and I love that.

“Con told me about you. His dad’s new girlfriend.”

At her words, I felt shafts of fire burn through me like spears were drilling from top to toe. This feeling was painful because this feeling was hope in the face of hopelessness.

She doesn’t believe that Jake would love her in such away, let alone like her. And I’m just like, “Woman, please. You’ve got this man wrapped around your pinky.”

But seriously, such a wonderful book. I love it. Really. JUST READ IT!!!

MY RATING:

4.5 – 5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Will (Magdalene #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 ✻ ✻ ✻

REVIEW: Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) – Kristen Ashley

Released: April 23rd, 2011

Is love in the cards?

Since birth, Lexie Berry has had nothing but bad luck. Orphaned at an early age, she had a rough childhood and a boyfriend who was murdered. Now the beautiful, stylish Lexie is determined to change her luck and her life. But first she's got to make good on a promise: to pick up Ty Walker from prison. One look at the gorgeous ex-convict and Lexie knows she's in trouble-and already thinking about taking a walk on the wild side . . .

For five years, Ty was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Now he wants revenge on the people who framed him. Yet when the high-stakes poker player sees the leggy Lexie, he suddenly has other desires on his mind. Realizing that Ty is innocent, Lexie tries to stop his plan for vengeance and help him become a better man. But as Ty battles his inner demons, dirty cops and criminals plot to take him out. Can he and Lexie find a way to escape the past?

"Everything worth something is worth a try."

Better than the first two of the series, Lady Luck alternates between the perspectives of Ty and Lexie. Two fierce characters who are both stubborn as hell and equally as fucking fantastic. The chemistry was explosive and the romance boiling hot.

I LOOOOVED IT. Jesus Christ, this is Kristen Ashley at her best. I loved every bit of it, even the parts where Ty was all caveman-like. I sometimes get pissed off over how rough they are but then, this time, it was just *deep sigh*

Okay, so what I liked most was the structure of this book which definitely veers off Kristen’s usual track. Usually we get the male POVs towards the end of the book and it’s usually during the climax. But this one, we get Ty almost throughout the whole thing.

I love how we get a glimpse into his mind because, well, boys are hard to figure out, especially the heroes in Kristen’s books, because they’re all crude and everything. It’s really fucking cute.

Then he noticed her lips were pressed together, he guessed as to why and reminded her, “Time to bolt is over. You’re wearin’ my rings.”

Her head jerked and she declared firmly, “I’m not going to bolt.”

The tightness in his chest he hadn’t noticed until he heard her words released.

Wow. That last line just said more than a paragraph ever could. Simple, powerful. Perfect.

(That gif is from my favorite anime just an FYI)

Ty is actually really fucking cute and I just love him so much. He fucks up a couple of times, like really badly, and wow, the way he grovels is just wow. I LOVE YOU, TY. He loves the light that Lexie radiates into the world and when it disappeared, he panicked.

Lexi is also another favorite of mine because of her sass. She’s straightforward and classy and sexy in one package. Even though her past kind of sucks, she still grew up to be a fantastic woman. And very, very protective of her man.

“And I don’t know what he’s going to do or how long it’s going to take. So Something has to give because there’s a bitch in this town who needs a lesson and I’m the teacher.”

Per-fect. I loooove her so much I swear to God.

This book was just amazing. Read it. ‘Nuff said.

MY RATING:

5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

     

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Jagged (Colorado Mountain #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 ✻ ✻ ✻

REVIEW: Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) – Kristen Ashley

Released: April 23rd, 2011

Lauren Grahame has spent her whole life thinking something special was going to happen. She didn’t know what it was, she just knew it would one day be hers. But she learned the hard way that special wasn’t on offer.

So, after divorcing her cheating husband, Lauren searched for nothing special and she thought she found it when she landed a job as a waitress in a biker bar in Carnal. It was perfect: a nothing job in a nowhere bar in Nowheresville.

Then Tatum Jackson walked in. Part-owner of the bar, he took one look at high-class Lauren and wanted nothing to do with her. And he made this known, loudly.

Tate’s angry insults seared in her brain, Lauren decides the feeling is mutual and she doesn’t want anything to do with the gloriously handsome Tate Jackson. The clash of the bartender and barmaid begins but, even though Tate makes his change of mind clear (in biker-speak, a language Lauren is not fluent in), Lauren is intent on going her own way.

Until a serial killer hits Carnal and Lauren finds out Tate isn’t a bartender, he’s a bounty hunter. He stakes his claim for Lauren before he goes on the hunt for a killer but Laurie doesn’t speak biker nor does she understand bounty hunters and Tate comes back from the hunt to find his old lady has moved on.

Life throws curveball after curveball at Laurie and Tate. As secrets are revealed, women are brutally murdered, and Lauren tries to find her inner biker babe.

"You live with a storm cloud, you learn to find the bright side."

Another fucking amazing book from the Colorado Mountain series. Seriously, these mountain dudes really know how to work it. Tate is fucking awesome (mostly because he fucks up then grovels, and also 'cause he's hot) and God, Lauren is such a sweetheart with her naivety and friendliness. 

We start off with Lauren who takes off when she finds out that her douche of an now-ex-husband was cheating on her with her fucking best friend. I know, total douchewaffle. She wanders around for a while until she settles into a little town called Carnal. Finding a job as a waitress at Bubba's, she had to sass Krystal into letting her in. Then she met another douche, as if her husband wasn't enough.

None other than Tatum Jackson.

Christ, he really was a prick. I wanted to punch him straight through the face when I heard what he said about Lauren. I mean, come on, man, nobody – and I mean nobody – should say that to a woman. Fuck, but he did. And thus begins the tale of a sweet, sweet love-hate relationship between the two.

But Lauren… well, let's just say her ex-husband had fucked with her mind. Like really bad. But Tate's working on it.

"Special doesn't exist. So the best you can do is find real. I found real, Brad, and I like it."

Basically her and Brad's relationship is the gif above. Sick it to him, Laurie!

And Tate, wow, he has a way with words. Yes, he may seem really crude (which I love my men like) but he's got a way of making you feel really special.

"I'm gonna piss you off 'cause I can be a dick. That's who I am. And you're gonna piss me off 'cause, babe, you got attitude. That's who you are. And that's who we're comin' out to be together. And I'm all right with that because, with what I had before, even when you're a bitch, I like it. But when you're not, it's a sweetness like I've never tasted."

I think I just barfed in my mouth over how cute this shit is. I mean, really? Can you be any more realistic and romantic? Realistic and romantic don't fit together unless it's put together by Tate Jackson. Goddamn man.

The serial killer also adds to the intensity of the whole situation and the last few chapters were crazy. As in crazy crazy. You would not expect that person, wow. Definitely worth reading!

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

     

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Jagged (Colorado Mountain #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 ✻ ✻ ✻