My ParaHangover

3.5 Stars... review soon :)

Loved!!! One of my favorites of 2013!!!

Holy original and epic adventure! So glad I stuck with this :)

Full Review...
The cover pulled me in and made me want to read this book – it IS an amazingly beautiful cover, is it not?

My fellow bloggy friends’ reviews kept me reading the story when I thought I might put the book down for good.

And it was the last third of the book that absolutely MADE this story classic, epic, heartbreaking, and so, so satisfying.

I love science fiction! I just don’t get to read enough of it. Done right, there is just something so beautiful about the unknown universe and the possibilities that we can imagine. Ms. Kaufman and Ms. Spooner blew me away with what turned out to be a completely unique story and a beautiful world they built for Lilac and Tarver to navigate through.

Honestly though, it took me a bit to realize that I had such a gem in my hands. You see, the story is a bit of a slow burn. There is quite a bit of introspection, conversation, and overall character growth that goes on for a good amount of the book. Once I got whisked off on the imaginative ride towards the climatic ending, I felt the fantastic ending totally made up for the slow building beginning!

To start the story, though, we meet Lilac and Tarver aboard the Icarus, an enormous “spaceliner” that is the flagship of Lilac’s father’s fleet. If the name of the ship doesn’t immediately clue you in to impending disaster, I think the overall bravado of the upper class can pretty much seal the deal on their fate. When an accident occurs on the ship, Lilac and Tarver end up in an escape pod together and crash land on a nearby planet.

The story is written in dual POV so we see both sides to the story as Lilac and Tarver struggle to survive on an unknown (uncharted at least to them) planet. They both are worthy characters to become invested in and fall for. Their story is a “classic” love story but with a science fiction spin on it that only adds to the crux of the love story. It never distracts from it.

The positive side to the slow, methodical beginning? You see all the little instances that gradually add up to major changes in the main characters. Lilac is definitely one of my favorite heroines of the year!! You can just guess that she probably did the most changing between the two of them.

Overall, this story really kind of blew me away; it’s one of those types of stories that will stick with you for a while. If you can hold on, wait to see what’s coming next, I think you’ll appreciate the reward of an ending!

updated 12/27/2013: Looking back at this story, because no joke, it WILL stick with you, I don't think I appreciated the subtlety in the beginning of the book that built up to the "craziness" towards the end.

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So, I recently read K.A. Tucker’s Ten Tiny Breaths and I absolutely loved the story and her writing. So what could Livie’s story be about? I mean, she was THE perfect little sister! I don’t want to spoil anything for those of you who haven’t read Ten Tiny Breaths but she really appeared more mature than her older sister, Kacey. So we, the readers, all assumed she had her act together and would do just perfectly fine away at college. But it turned out that trying to be perfect is what nearly broke Livie.

Livie finally gets to focus on herself and the plan for her future that she’s always had set in place. This plan has been set in place since she was a little girl and all she ever wanted in the world was to make her parents proud. She was the smart kid and she never caused trouble, wanted to save the world from cancer. She was going to follow her dad’s footsteps and go to Princeton. She was going to major in Molecular biology and go into pediatrics. Phffft, no problem…

Except that it’s her sister, Kacey, that’s escorting Livie (and Livie’s roommate Reagan) to Livie’s first off-campus party. It’s there that she meets Ashton and calamity ensues. Livie can’t get Ashton out of her mind but he is not part of the grand master plan. He is definitely not the “good, respectable guy” Livie assumes her parents would ever approve of.

The great thing I’ve noticed about Ms. Tucker’s stories is that so far the stories are not all just surface romance fluff. They end up being so much more than what I was expecting. Where Ten Tiny Breaths dumped me off the ledge with a huge twist near 75% through the book, this one will spin you out of control about 15% or so into it. At least it did for me. And the entire story is built upon lie after lie over lie under lie… I was constantly on my toes from all the lies, my heart was stretched and pulled like silly putty. I seriously ached for a HEA for these two kids that looked like it was never going to happen.

The story completely captured me and entirely held my attention so much so that I didn’t even know I was getting to the end until I was close to it and, yep, rug pulled out from under me. Geez, I took a beating on this one, didn’t I?

But I guess I’m a glutton for punishment because for this review, I went back and re-read the entire book again. I enjoyed Livie (our narrator) so much and she was just a fun character to read. She’s had so much to deal with in her childhood that I think she forgot to have a childhood. But she is a spitfire and full of snark. I think the most entertaining parts were when Livie had to talk to Dr. Stayner. Hysterical….

But most of all, I truly fell in love with Ashton and how he was with Livie. They were made for each other. And on my re-read, I got so much more out of their interactions. This is definitely a book you can read multiple times.

Not sure if I really wrote a review here or a love letter to a book and it’s characters. This was just one mighty fine book!

If you read Ten Tiny Breaths, you really need to do yourself a favor and read One Tiny Lie. It really is an adorable second book in the series that doesn’t even come close to sophomore slump. It might even be considered better by some readers.

Since I thought both books were perfect, I’ll just say read them both and decide for yourself. On to book three for me!! And there’s a book four expected June 24th, 2014. It’s called Five Ways to Fall and it features Ben and Reese.

Chop chop… better get caught up!

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4.5 stars

Ms. Carter is back and she’s back with a HUGE win with Pawn. I really enjoyed her Goddess Test series but this series is so unrelated, so different, it’s almost as if another author wrote this book. But it’s Ms. Carter’s talented writing style that I immediately recognize in the action sequence that starts from page one and never stops until the very end. Seriously, this one is a page turner with plot twists, “Holy Crap!” moments, major espionage, and moments when I thought Ms. Carter would go the easy route but instead took the “oh no you didn’t” route.

Ms. Carter doesn’t waste time on long, descriptive paragraphs explaining Kitty’s “world” to the reader. She lets Kitty do it, as she’s the protagonist and the voice of the story. From page one, we’re tugged along with Kitty as she wanders the outdoor market after she’s learned she’s been ranked a III after completing her placement test. This is a test every seventeen year old takes to determine their “lot in life” - where they we will be best suited to work and function in society. I’s are shipped out of sight. As a III, Kitty is going to be sent miles away from the Washington D.C. area where she currently lives, out to Colorado to work and live for the rest of her life.

Kitty isn’t happy with this because she’s got enough confidence to know she’s pretty smart and didn’t have enough time to complete the test because of the reading sections. She’s also not happy because she’s going to have to leave her VERY smart boyfriend, Benjy (short for Benjamin), who she’s grown up with in foster care.

As a result of an encounter in the market, she is offered a chance of a lifetime, to become a VII, a level only attained by the “royal” family, but at the cost of her identity. She will be “masked” to become another person.

Trust me when I say this isn’t a simple decision. Ms. Carter isn’t one to dance around issues in her books because for the character of Kitty, it was a choice of either ending her life or taking the opportunity with the possible chance of seeing Benjy again someday in the future. And the test? Kitty realizes that it was entirely biased against her because of her inability to read. It doesn’t exactly say it in the story but I’ve heard mention that Kitty is dyslexic.

As I mentioned before, there are so many twists to this plot and the story is written with so much depth, the world is actually spelled out for you as you read. You’re never left wondering what anything looks like or how something works. It’s a very visual book and very character driven. You can’t have crazy espionage without great characters.

Knox, Lila’s fiance, was easily likeable and I’m so entirely grateful that there was NO love triangle. I kind of wished we had more Benjy in this story but I’m crossing my fingers he’ll be playing a bigger part in the second book, Captive. Greyson, Lila’s cousin and the son of the Prime Minister is an awesome character and I’m hoping he finds his inner “beast” somewhere in him and lets it loose. That I’ve GOT to see!! And characters you love to hate, Ms. Carter made sure to include plenty of those!

This isn’t your average fluffy piece of young adult material. With it’s constant espionage, brutal scenes, and well… some disregard of human life, it’s a crazy ride with an awesomely satisfying ending. I only knocked off ½ a star because I groaned at some of the character’s decisions. The book is perfect, just not exactly perfect for me story-wise. I absolutely can’t wait for the next book to see where Ms. Carter is taking this story because the Blackcoat Rebellion is not done! There is still a nasty ruling family to bring down.

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Review soon :)

I really hadn’t planned on reading this. Yes, I know… it’s new adult so of course I should read it. But really, I don’t plan on reading all the new adult books I do. They just kind of happen… seriously.

Ten Tiny Breaths was highly… no wait, it was HUGELY recommended to me by one of my blogger friends. And then I saw the third book in this series, Four Seconds to Lose, was out and available so I went for it. Who doesn’t love a series that you can rip through one right after the other? Turns out, Ten Tiny Breaths was nothing like what I was expecting…. it was different and it was awesome!

Kacey and her little sister, Livie, live with their aunt and uncle who took over guardianship when their parents were killed in a car accident. Life still isn’t going so well for these two so Kacey packs up her sister and off they head to the opposite of cold, dreary Michigan… Miami, Florida! Kacey has been stashing money away and is mature enough to have thought her plans through to where Livie will be enrolling in high school and Kacey will be getting a job. Kacey even has an apartment waiting for them once they get down there.

What isn’t expected are they people they meet. Characters that force Kacey to deal with her past, who she is, and ultimately her own feelings of trust and ability to love.

Here’s the reason why I was surprised by how different this story is: you’re going along reading about how Kacey and Livie have had a crappy time with losing their entire family in a drunk driving accident. Yep, I’ve read stories like that before. So we’re going to have a hero come in and heal Kacey so she can love again, right? We read that story a lot, don’t we? But that’s not the HEA we get here… exactly…

The book ends up being so much more! It really becomes a huge “stew” of characters who help Kacey heal.

I loved how Kacey and Livie found a best friend and mini-family in their next door neighbors Storm (Nora) and her daughter Mia. I really enjoyed that despite Livie being a secondary character, you could understand her and her personality immediately. I couldn’t wait to get to her book next!! And Trent with his stalking to the laundromat… *swoon*. His sections deserved a re-read after I was done with the book ;)

Oh, man… I wish I could go on but… Those of you who’ve read this know what I can’t speak of. Suffice it to say, there is a twist to this story that, NO JOKE, had me out of breath the last 20% of the book!

If you love new adult and you don’t know anything about the twist to the book, you MUST read this one. I cannot more strongly add my recommendation to this first book in the Ten Tiny Breaths series!

Seriously, out. of. breath!!!!

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Seriously, Cecy?!?! I'm hopping a plane and prying the next book out of your brain!! I really want to see the outline of this series (actually, no, I don't) b/c.... Holy cow!!!! :D

Full Review:

As soon as I closed the book…. my brain began to shut down. I couldn’t cope. It wasn’t supposed to end like that! My life is in utter chaos! And yes, I’m being overly dramatic but that’s what happens when I pick up and read one of Ms. Robson’s books. They consume my life for the amount of time it takes to finish it. Nothing in my life holds any interest or can pull me away from the book. There I go again, embellishing a wee bit again. I do manage to feed my family but it does become a bit of a race to finish her books so I can get back to the rest of the real world (tee, hee). Let me share with you the latest, greatest (to date), coming on January 7th in the Weird Girls series, Cursed by Destiny.

First, let’s get the formalities out of the way. If you’re a fan of urban fantasy or paranormal romance and you’re NOT already reading this series… START! Second, if you’ve read the first two books but haven’t read the novella A Cursed Moon, I strenuously insist that you read the novella before embarking on Cursed by Destiny. You’ll thank me later…

Now, how do I write a review for a book in a series that has so many “oh snap!” moments and not give away any spoilers? I’m sure Ms. Robson was equally overwhelmed/stymied when she set out to write this particular book in her Weird Girls series. She had a lot to accomplish. Because when we last saw Celia, she was nursing her wounds and hiding out. But the demons she’s been battling since the first book are still causing trouble and now they know Celia’s name. And they’ve stepped up their game and gotten some teammates.

What makes this book fantastic and completely engaging is that there is so much going on while Ms. Robson is molding and shaping plot lines, opening new roads, or completing roads that have gone their course, but her story isn’t confusing, meandering, or convoluted. It flows well, all interactions of the characters make complete sense, and they all fit incredibly well. You can see exactly where and when a particular character made his/her dramatic decision (example: end a relationship).

It does take a bit to get to the climatic ending of the book but I never for one minute regretted the ride there. We had a lot of characters to visit. Even though Taran isn’t in the forefront of the story as much as she was in the past, we definitely get a lot more Emme and about the same amount of Shana. If you’ve read the novella like I strenuously advised you to, you’ll see even more surprises in store for Bren and Danny.

I thought I read somewhere that some readers were complaining that the last book in the series, A Cursed Embrace, didn’t have enough Misha in it. “Phhhpht,” I said. But if that was the case with you, then you’ll be happy to know that Misha is front and center in this book. There’s just a tiny bit less of Aric, if that’s even possible :D

From start to finish, Ms. Robson’s writing is crystal clear and concise yet beautifully descriptive and YES, she can write the romance parts AND the fight scenes equally well. Hence why I have no reservations about recommending this series to just about everyone I know.

This time, I’m NOT embellishing…

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3.5 stars. Review soon...

4.5 stars - Daniel really is amazing after all! Don't forget, this is a free "gift" novella from Ms. Hoover!!! And what an amazing gift!!!

Bren is the big brother the Wird sisters always needed and will never be without. All throughout the series, we only get snippets of an obnoxious, womanizing, and definitely “cocky” Bren. Today, Cecy Robson has given us the gift of knowing the real Bren and why he acts the way he does in her novella, A Cursed Moon.

I’ve got to tell you, in my opinion, fans of this series MUST read this novella before the next book in the series, Cursed by Destiny. This isn’t your ordinary “filler” novella. There are major happenings going on in only 98 pages.

We start out with a glimpse into the world of our favorite “Odd Couple”, Bren and Dan. Oscar has nothing on Bren’s dating, laundry, and eating habits – he’s all lone wolf. Bren is making crazy bets with Dan involving french maid costumes while running out the door late to the Pack Den where he’s been reluctantly recruited to help train the students. One thing leads to another and by the end of the chapter Bren ends up unconscious at the Pack’s Den with a note from Aric stapled to his forehead. Want to know how that happened and what the note said? READ THE STORY!!!

Actually, the story is about hostile spirits rising and attacking humans around the Tahoe area. The Wolves are fighting these spirits the best they can but when Celia and Bren run into a really nasty spirit, they end up working together to save someone they mutually care about.

I would say almost all (if not exactly all) of the regular characters, including mean, crotchety old Mrs. Mancuso (bless her nasty soul) are in this novella. What I enjoyed the most was seeing the characters through Bren’s eyes (the story is written from his POV). You learn so much about Bren from his interactions with other characters, not just from a huge dialogue he has Celia, but from his little chat with Emme and the thoughtful conversation he has with Aric.

There was just so much to soak up from these measly 98 pages! I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that there might be a teeny, tiny lead-in to Cursed by Destiny at the end of the story, as well as a sneak peek.

But this novella was all Bren. I could read and re-read this story over and over and over again and still smile over the silliness (and love) that is Bren. I see so many possibilities for Bren’s future that my secret wish (or not so secret now) is that we get another novella written from Bren’s POV.

A girl can dream…

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4.5 stars!

Oh, Isaiah, I had no idea. You kind of annoyed me along the way to your book. But I had no idea that you were this really great guy deep down inside. I truly think Ms. McGarry saved the best for last! I think you’re actually a better person than Noah (shhhhh). Or at least you both are truly pure of heart.

Dang, I’m falling for fictional boys again….

This third book in Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series is slightly different from the previous books. Instead of breaking through the main character’s barriers that are holding them back from the future they deserve, it’s Rachel and Isaiah that have to fight those around them to achieve the future they want and deserve.
I’m going to try my absolute darnedest to make this review spoiler free because I know there are a few of you out there that may be a newbie to this series or you happen to be behind a book (although I have no clue why).

Rachel is trying to find escape from her oppressive family with her love of cars and driving her car fast. Almost as if she can escape the life she’s living. Isaiah is just trying to survive his day to day existence. He and Noah made an agreement and he’s finding it harder and harder to hold Noah to his end of the bargain.

It’s at the illegal car race where more problems pile on Rachel and Isaiah. But it’s these problems that throw these two together. Isaiah, turns out, has a heart of pure gold under his bad boy façade and he can’t stop himself from helping Rachel out of the mess she unknowingly gets tangled in. Unfortunately for Isaiah, Rachel sees through the tough guy act and wants more than just his help. Turns out, Isaiah is getting past his hangup on Beth with one look at Rachel (yay!!!!!).

What I liked about this story was the web of lies, deceit, and power plays happening in the background behind the main romance plot. I really saw no way that these two kids were going to end up together. So many variables (and people!) were conspiring against them! Like I said, the story feels different than Ms. McGarry’s previous two books.

I also really loved the character of Rachel. I can totally relate to the love of cars and being able to tinker with something and then stand back and feel the satisfaction of having done it right (back in college I changed my own brake pads and rotors on my car, among other tinkering). She had a great deal of pressure thrust upon her by her family and I think despite it all, she was stronger than her family gave her credit for. I was cheering for her the entire length of the book!

Without getting into too many details, characters from the previous books are back and not just for a glancing “hello”. I was relieved to get some closure on a “certain” relationship, but you know it was nothing like what I expected but that’s kind of what I should have expected with that character (vague much? you betcha!). We’re also introduced to characters in upcoming books. It’ll be interesting to see where Ms. McGarry goes!!

I’ll be there for the ride, that’s for sure!

*groan*

Sorry… it had to be done.

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So, we’re left with a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end of Twisted Perfection. It’s not a major one, we got our HEA and closure. But apparently only one of the many obstacles that were in Della and Woods’ way were eliminated last time around.

It’s time for personal growth on both Della and Woods’ side. That’s mainly what this book is about. Della has much farther to go and it’s the supporting cast she relies heavily upon to help her. This is where the other series’, Rosemary Beach and Fallen Too Far comes into heavy play. Characters from these other series’ play heavily into this story but they aren’t thrust in with no purpose. Their parts in this story both progress the plot and that of their own stories.

Della needs to learn to believe in herself and that she can be everything Woods needs. Unfortunately, those dastardly evil villains are at it again and the gloves are off this time. And I thought they were nasty last time!

There are so many side plots happening in this book that intersect each other, I think my brain might explode trying to not spoil anything. We have MAJOR happenings for characters from Rosemary Beach such as Tripp, Jace, Bethy, even Blaire and Rush from Fallen Too Far (note to self: read Fallen Too Far series, it’s up for 2013 Goodreads Romance Award).

The story moves quick, the romance is just as hot, but the reason why I only gave this sequel 4 stars is because it fell back on an old clichè I absolutely hate: the misunderstanding. It’s like an old sitcom where someone overhears something and then acts upon it. I cringe when I see that used. It wasn’t the entire story but it was there and irked me enough. If you can get past that, you’ll have a 4 ½ – 5 star book on your hands!!!

I am so glad I finally picked up Abbi Glines and she will continue to stay on my TBR list as one of my favorite contemporary romance authors.

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What have I been missing?! I mean, I’ve been wanting to read Abbi Glines for some time now. I’ve seen her around. She writes new adult. I love new adult. I love hot romance. She writes REALLY HOT romance. I mean scorching, on the verge of being close to erotic romance. I said CLOSE!!! Not there yet people!

Abbi Glines wrote this little story about what happens when one night of scorching hot sex turns into something more that just doesn’t want to go away, despite the odds against them. I think the synopsis is a wee bit misleading, though.

Della is kind of fragile and yes, she has “issues”. But she has an extremely strong back bone. She’s recovering from a completely messed up childhood. I can’t even say she HAD a childhood! It’s been a few years since she “escaped” her own hell and she’s got a spunk that’s coming out loud and strong so it’s not a complete mess that Woods meets and picks up for a one night stand at a gas station just outside his town.

Woods is stuck in a life made for him by his parents. He’s been groomed to take over the family’s business and set to marry the daughter of another wealthy family since he was a child. Not much in life has been his choice. So a one night stand was perfect.

Except, oops, Woods finds Della in his world again. :)

It’s a chaotic, hot romantic mess full of evil villains and true friends. Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, the tables turn, rugs get pulled out from under you and you’re like, “WTF?”. What makes this story so worthwhile is Woods and what he goes through to get what he wants and deserves in life. I love his alpha male coming out to play. Hmmmmm. Sorry, just reliving.

At times I was frustrated with what the characters were doing But the pace, story, supporting characters, and hot, hot, STEAMING love between Della and Woods made me forget ever being frustrated until I looked back in my notes (“What? I was mad at Woods? Never!”).

Ending on a tiny cliffhanger, you still get closure for Della and Woods. But book two is right there, staring you in the face so you know something is up. What could the problem be? Hmmmmm…..

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This story is so unique and has such a peculiar, uncommon feel to it that I just fell in love with how different it was from everything else out there in young adult. Looking back at the story and how I felt reading it, I grow fonder and fonder of it and the author.

Both strong in storyline and characters, I think it’s the odd cast that gives this book it’s backbone.

Violet and Luke are brother and sister twins living in a large, dilapidated mansion near the ocean. Their parents left them alone to traipse around Europe for their “art”. Violet was close to her father’s mother, her grandmother Freddie. Even though Freddie is gone, she is still huge influence in Violet’s everyday life.

Violet is an eclectic teen. She dresses in Freddie’s old clothes, she’s not easily distracted by obvious teenage pastimes like making out, she reads the Bronte sisters, and drinks espresso. And she has a healthy fear of the Devil. Luke, on the other hand, just cares about his muscles and making out with girls.

When their money starts to run low, Violet posts a sign in town advertising their guest house for rent. Not long after, River West shows up on the front steps. New in town, he needs a place to stay. And he has Violet’s full attention.

I was utterly surprised how fast this story moved and how it was still able to fully develop the characters. Even side characters like Sunshine, who annoyed the crap out of me, and characters appearing later in the story were completely established.

Yes, I’m being completely and utterly vague about the story but you really want me to be, trust me…

Creepy and hypnotic are the best words I can come up with to describe the storyline. As I read, I couldn’t even have hazarded a guess where we were going and how the book was going to end. I still can’t even tell you if I’m satisfied with the ending. I know I enjoyed it and I can say I don’t think I would have wanted it to end any other way, thought!

I am beyond happy that the next book, Between the Spark and the Burn, is the last book in this tale (it’s expected Summer 2014). I don’t think I could handle this story being stretched out any further. My poor feeble mind might not have been able to handle it.

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If you'll remember, I stumbled on Mary Whitney's Beside Your Heart and absolutely loved the unique story telling. Well, Ms. Whitney is back (finally - phew!) to let us know what happened to Nicki and Adam after high school. Honestly, if you haven't read Beside Your Heart, I really won't be spoiling anything for you. It's pretty well-known from the synopsis of book one that Nicki and Adam are not together after high school.

But now, fifteen and half years later, Adam is trying to get back into Nicki's life. The big question is, will she let him in?

Disclosure of the Heart begins immediately where Beside Your Heart left off, but from Nicki's point of view (POV). Coming face to face with Adam after all these years, old feelings surface. But it's not going to be that easy for Adam. There's the whole problem of their conflicting jobs. Oh, and a very jealous boyfriend of Nicki's. It's gets pretty messy before we get to our happily ever after (HEA). But rest assured, this time around we DO get a our HEA!!!

I still love the character of Nicki! She is one strong, self-assured, and smart girl. I really enjoyed reading about her work and how she strategized continuously, even after she left the office. Her entire life seemed like one big strategy game. But she's still a romantic at heart and that came through, too.

I felt like Adam came across a wee-bit "flatter", like less of his personality showed through, than it did in Disclosure of the Heart. There were moments in the story when Nicki would notice Adam looking at her a certain way and because we only had Nicki's POV, we were always left wondering what Adam was thinking. It was like a piece of the story was missing.

And this leads me to why I rated this book a 3.5 stars. I really love Nicki and Adam and I love the political slant to this romantic story. I truly loved the story overall! But I was conflicted for days on what I was going to rate this book. It just seemed like the book was so close to being perfect, but it just missed something that would have made it "fantastic" or "outstanding". Again, I'm struggling on how to get this across - loved the story but it just missed a piece of greatness? I think it was missing Adam's POV (yeah, duh...).

I really wanted to know right then and there in the story what Adam was thinking when he had that hurt look on his face or when he was scowling over a drink. I wish Ms. Whitney had written this book in a dual POV format with both Nicki and Adam's contrasting views.

But not to fret, Ms. Whitney did save Adam's POV for a book of his own. Forever Your Heart is Adam's story and it's expected to be published in early 2014. And YES, I will be reading it!

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