Regina
This first-in-series really makes me want to read more! It drew me right in from page one, and now I'm fully invested in the fates of Chloe and her friends. Looking forward to finding out more about Beck and whoever else is going to join the team - can't wait to see how the tale continues!
Let me get this out of the way first: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Elle is a lovely, funny, geeky, and bada$$ heroine! Her spy (AKA David) might be an idiot (according to Elle), but he's also awesomesauce (according to me).
These two put me through the emotional wringer, they made me laugh, they made me swoon, they made me ugly-cry...
As in every Benson Security book, many of my favorite scenes involve lots of banter and some hilarious “found family” dynamics between the members of the Benson Security team. But because those crazy people have had plenty of history together, this story works best when you have read at least some of the other books in the series. So, if you haven't already, please do yourself a favor and read the others, too.
5/5 FINALLY!-thank-you-Janet! stars
Wow. Many of the developments that lead to the mission are hitting closer and closer to home, so this was not a comfortable leave-reality-behind-and-escape-into-a-story read for me. It made me wish for an option to leave this messy planet behind and start again from scratch somewhere far, far away.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the sciency little details that went into the mission planning, but I had trouble keeping track of who was who in the huge cast of characters.
Would I like to read the next book in the series? Yes. Do I hope that the next story focuses more on fewer people? Also yes.
While this story gives us a more detailed account of Dale's backstory and takes place before the events in The Space Between Heartbeats, I'd recommend reading the novel first - or at least immediately after this one.
Having read Space Between Heartbeats beforehand, I pretty much knew what was coming, but that doesn't mean my heart wasn't breaking for Dale and his family as the story unfolded. I am glad that I knew in advance how his story would continue and that this wouldn't be the end.
This first-in-series sure makes me want to read more about the O'Brien clan!
I had a lot of fun getting to know Honor and Archer (and their well-meaning, meddling friends and family, of course!), and I can't wait to find out more about Archer's brothers - and the ladies who are going to steal their hearts. :)
I'm a sucker for a good friends-to-more story, and Alice and James's story is a really sweet romance, that made me equally smile and swoon. (I'll admit I do have a soft spot for the strong, silent types... so, yeah, I'm right there with you Alice!)
This is the third book in the Sweet Beginnings series, but it can be read as a standalone - though I now want to read Cole's and Dax's stories, too.
This sweet YA sports romance is the first book by Julie L. Spencer I've read. I'm a sucker for a friends-to-more story, and Jordan and Lara drew me in right from the start. The dual POV worked well for me, I enjoyed seeing the story develop from both perspectives.
While the story touches on a sensitive subject like sexual assault and its implications, Julie L. Spencer finds a good balance in her descriptions, conveying the seriousness and the emotional impact without going into gory detail. Kudos!
And while this topic is far from lighthearted and fluffy, the story itself is not overly dramatic or dark. In fact, it made me smile quite a lot. (And that dance scene? LE SWOON)
Overall, I liked the story and was quite happy with how it was resolved.
(And now I'd love to read Gil's story, pretty please, with sprinkles on top. :) )
Rock Valley High - The Next “Generation” :)
This is the story of Mandy's sister Charlotte, and if you have read book #3 in the series, you already know that she comes with plenty of baggage - and she was probably one of the last people I'd imagine being roped (ha!) into a 4H competition. And to be honest, coming from a completely different background myself, the world of 4H was just as new and sometimes baffling to me as it was to Charltotte... ;)
The story fits perfectly into the series with its mix of heart, humor, and plenty of teenage drama, and I especially enjoyed to see how Charlotte grew over the course of the story.
As this story is written in single POV, we don't get to see Hunter's journey as clearly as Charlotte's. So I had quite a couple of what-the-hey moments regarding Hunter's actions thoughout the story until he got to explain himself.
Looking forward to reading Lexi's and Beth's stories!
Holy cannoli, this story was an emotional roller coaster...
It made me smile, it made me swoon, and it made me cry - in no particular order.
I found Cally to be a likeable and relatable heroine, and Blake has the troubled-yet-swoon-worthy YA hero down pat. Bonus points for an amazing cast of supporting characters - or should I rather say “supportive”, since I loved the portrayal of strong friendships both old and new.
Looking forward to reading the other books in the series!
In this super quick read, the Drama is back (yes, with a capital ‘D'), mostly in the form of Isaac's ex Aspen. Isaac continues to mess things up (of course, he does...), and so it seems like Preston might be in the running again. (Yay! Go, Preston!)
So it seems that Destiny's relationship status has gone from “it's complicated” to “it's even more complicated”, and I'm curious to see how the story unfolds in the next instalments of the saga.
“To families.” Mandi thrust her glass in the air. “The good, the bad, the messy, the complicated, and the totally ***-up.”
This book sure has plenty of family drama, leaning very much towards the messy / complicated end of the scale. And let's not forget the awkward, with a capital A. And yet, my favorite scene was (the build-up towards) THE BIG REVEAL - that had me biting my nails and snort-laughing in turn. (And yes, Seth is hands down my favorite character in this book.)
What didn't work quite as well for me was the Nyla-can't-keep-a-secret-to-save-her-life part of the plot, especially when everyone (including Nyla!) decided that getting her tipsy might help her keeping THE BIG SECRET? I honestly have no idea in which universe this kind of “logic” would make sense.
TL;DR: Not my favorite in the series, but still full of Tawna Fenske's trademark humor, heat, and heart.
This is a cute and short addition to the series, though it can (mostly) be read as a standalone. Mostly, because, like in all the other stories, all the members of the Lonely Hearts Club may be a bit much to keep track of, especially since they only play a very small part.
I like Charlotte's no-nonsense approach to life, the universe, and everything, and how she's always (over)thinking, analyzing, and trying to figure stuff out.
And I appreciate how West complements her, helping her to figure out these elusive things called “emotions”. :)
And I think Robert earns an honorable mention as Charlotte's initial crush-slash-lab partner.
4.5/5 bring-your-own-tissues stars
Noah is one of my favorites in the Rockstars Anonymous group, and I've been looking foward to reading his and Mel's story for a while now. Seeing these two get together (finally!) made me happy. And having Stella added to the mix was a sweet surprise.
But.
While I expected a certain amount of drama (this is not the first book in the series I've read...), I'll admit, I was not quite prepared for that much grief and heartbreak.
As usual, the story is beautifully written, and there is enough humor and RA shenanigans (not to mention the swoon-worthy kisses) to counterbalance the underlying sadness.
I might just be one of a gazillion fangirls here, but...
...I already fell in love with golden boy Drew in Love is a Lyric, and getting his story next was a real treat. :) It was great to get to see more of him, and not just the goofball side we saw in book #1.
Lola turned out to be an excellent match for him, and I found it easy to root for her. These two have plenty of chemistry, and it was satisfying to see Lola finally break free from the expectations of others and forge her own path.
There was plenty of drama to go around (both family related as well as work related), the expected (and excellent!) banter between friends and family, and - of course! - plenty of involvement (read: meddling) by my favorite Rockstars Anonymous support group.
Can't wait for the next book!
It was wonderful to return to Eden's Ridge - I simply love that little town and the world Kait Nolan has created for us! And it was so easy to fall in love with Misty and Denver (and Moxie and Oscar) and get swept up in the romance and the heartbreak and the HEA.
Now I want to (re-)read ALL the Eden's Ridge stories, they are kind of addictive - in the very best way. :)
An emotional second-chance romance!
Kathryn R. Biel has a knack for creating believable, flawed characters who will totally steal my heart, break it into tiny little pieces, only to put it together again when they finally get that happy end after all that heartache!
Leslie and Josh are no exception - I loved getting to know these two strong people who, despite dealing with a ton of personal baggage, still find their way to love.
I appreciate the author's ability to find a good balance between tackling serious issues and adding enough lighthearted, humorous touches to deliver a tale that is just as heart-wrenching as it is funny and heart-warming. And I hope there will be many more stories around The Edison Theater and the wonderful people who bring it to life!
Merged review:
An emotional second-chance romance!
Kathryn R. Biel has a knack for creating believable, flawed characters who will totally steal my heart, break it into tiny little pieces, only to put it together again when they finally get that happy end after all that heartache!
Leslie and Josh are no exception - I loved getting to know these two strong people who, despite dealing with a ton of personal baggage, still find their way to love.
I appreciate the author's ability to find a good balance between tackling serious issues and adding enough lighthearted, humorous touches to deliver a tale that is just as heart-wrenching as it is funny and heart-warming. And I hope there will be many more stories around The Edison Theater and the wonderful people who bring it to life!
Short, cute, and fun - with some seriously swoon-worthy kissing!
I'm a big fan of best-friends-to-more, and this sweet story did not disappoint. Rian and Troy make a great team as friends and business partners - and an even better couple.
This is the first book in the series I've read, but I already have more on my Kindle, so... bring it on! :)
As sweet as a pink lemonade cupcake...
This is the first book in the series I've read, and although the stories are connected, it still works as a standalone. I enjoyed getting to know Alexis and Owen, what made them tick, their hangups and their strengths, and I loved seeing them work through some of that baggage each of them brought to the table.
And I had a lot of fun with the banter of the guys in the wedding party (Benson is a hoot!). Looking forward to reading more about these guys and their respective gals.
The writing felt a bit rushed, though, at least compared to other books I've read by this author.
3.5/5 stars
Sweet - and funny - YA perfection!
I'm a big fan of Randi Rigby's writing - she made it so easy for me to fall in love with Milla and Zayn.
Milla is a hoot - when my heart isn't breaking for her - and Zayn is such a sweetheart! (Can I say that about the star QB? It's true, though...). I also appreciate Zayn's close friendship with Tad and Milla's relationship with her Nana (who is da bomb, btw!).
This story made me smile out loud (a lot) and swoon (ditto) and cry (a little).
Bonus points for a short cameo by Harper, Luke, and Cal (from “My Brother's Best Friend”), and it was fun seeing so many other familiar names from the first Sweet Mountain High series.
More, please?
So sad that this wonderful series is coming to an end!
I would love this story for using the expression “go-thither look” alone. But there's so, so much more.
“With the way Bradley kisses—soft and gentle and achingly slow—I can picture myself doing this for the next fifty years. Longer, even.”
Sa-woon!
I loved spending time with Izzy and Bradley, and I was rooting for them from page one until they finally got their well-deserved HEA.
As always, having the meddling family along for the ride makes for some memorable moments - sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartwarming, and sometimes both.
Two characters who almost stole the show were Kevin, the rescue pig, and the mysterious Dante (whom I could totally see starring in a spinoff...).
I had so much fun - besides all the heartache, the swoonery, and a fair amount of nail-biting - with the Bracelyn family, and this book is a fitting finale to this fabulous series.
4.5/5 I-can't-believe-the-series-is-over stars
Aw, Natalie...
This second book in in the “Tomboys Like Us” series finally tells the story of Nat
and her longtime crush Finn - and all the embarrasing moments Nat got herself into over the years.
I really enjoyed this crushing-on-my-brother's-best-friend story - though I felt a little bad for Natalie at times (some of those flashbacks were truly cringe-worthy...).
I'll admit I'm not a big fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, because more often than not I have trouble believing that (usually several years of) mean actions, sabotage, or outright abuse can be forgiven, just because “he/she loved me”.
So there is definitely a large dollop of that. Add to that Marissa's friends who often made me wonder why these women are friends at all.
But I liked the premise of this particular story, and there were enough scenes that made me smile or chuckle to keep me going. Overall an entertaining read.
I laughed, I swooned, I cried...
By chapter 2, I was already in serious like with Kim and Blake. I love how they deal with real-life problems as well as purely “Hollywood drama.” Ivy brings lots of pre-teen attitude to the table, and Luke is simply a hoot!
And extra kudos for tackling a topic like mental health in a rom-com! I appreciate how the authors handle both the issues Kim and Blake are struggling with as well as the way the couple is seeking help dealing with them.
My heart is breaking for the two of them, but it makes me immensely happy that both of them are willing to be open and work on their own issues - and that they learn to recognize when they are falling into the patterns that made them split up in the first place.