REVIEW: Coffee and Cockpits by Jade Hart

Title: Coffee and Cockpits
Author: Jade Hart
Pages: 432
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: April 11, 2013
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Author for Honest Review

“If I had to die, I wanted it to be doing something I loved, with a man who wanted to fly me to the moon.”

By day, Nina Poppins is a professional flight attendant, who lives to travel, and isn’t afraid to chase her dreams. By night, she’s an award winning salsa dancer who wears sexy corsets and garter belts. She wants to keep her two lives separate, but Liam Mikin knows her secrets.

Liam Mikin is a co-pilot used to getting any air-hostess he wants with one blazing look of his blue eyes. And he wants Nina. But Nina is adamant she won’t end up as another notch on a pilot’s wingtip. However, fate intervenes when their airplane malfunctions on a routine flight to Samoa, stranding all the crew on the Pacific island. Liam has his opportunity to prove to Nina he’s not what she thinks, but he wasn’t counting on competition in the form of an engineer. Nikolai Rivers dances as well as Nina and is linked to Liam’s past. As Nikolai fights for Nina’s affections, Liam is forced to face what happened all those years ago.

Being island-wrecked in a five star hotel is anything but relaxing. Fraught with male egos, dancing, and secrets, both Nina and Liam aren’t ready for what fate has in store.

Wow! Just...wow! I am totally blown away by the awesomeness that is Coffee and Cockpits! This is the second book I've read by Jade Hart (My Ocean Kills Review), and once again I'm left speechless. This is not a quick, lighthearted read. It's long, with wonderfully complex and developed characters and a complicated yet sweet romance. Without a doubt, this author has an amazing ability to lead you into what you think is just a good story. From the very beginning I was drawn in and completely enjoying the book, and then WHAM!!...I'm left going, "What?! Did that just happen? ~~ Yes. Yes, it did." And...It. Was. Awesome!!

Nina Poppins has just become a flight attendant, but for her this is just a stepping stone on the way to becoming a commercial pilot. She doesn't have time for distractions, not even sexy pilots or steaming hot salsa dancers. But, after a near death experience Nina's views on life change. She vows to stop standing in her own way to happiness and to follow her heart. Being stranded on a tropical paradise is a great way to start this new outlook on life.

I was finding it harder and harder to remember why I was so hung up on boundaries. I was a bit of a tool when it came to enjoying myself. My promise came back to mind. Never again would I stop myself from living how I wanted. Starting now.

I am not a big fan of the love-triangle that seems to be so popular today, so I was extremely glad that Coffee and Cockpits has a love-triangle-that-really-isn't. The book is written in alternating POVs, so it's glaringly obvious who Nina will choose. While Nina is attracted to Liam--the sexy pilot that saved her life and the lives of all the people on the plane, and Nikolai--the smoking hot salsa dancer that she loves dancing with, she makes her choice early on. And she sticks with her decision, never wavering! Nina is an easy character to like. She knows what she wants out of life, and she's not afraid to go after it. While she's been focused on her career she has put her personal life on hold, but all of that changes real quick!

I knew it might be a mistake, and I shouldn't admit my feelings so early on, but I couldn't help myself. Opening my suddenly very heavy eyelids, I murmured, "I think I'm falling for you."

The romance is lovely, and that feels like a weird word to use, but it's right. While you're faced with the insta-love aspect, it's also put into perspective because Nina knows it's strange that she feels such a strong connection so quickly. She doesn't understand why, and it scares her to some degree, but she decides to let go and see what happens. It doesn't feel fake or forced. It's sexy, it's hot and it's incredibly romantic! Bottom Line: Coffee and Cockpits is a must read!

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines

Title: Twisted Perfection
Author: Abbi Glines
Series: Perfection (#1)~~[Accompanies Too Far Series]
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: April 22, 2013
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Author for Honest Review

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

Woods was one of my favorite characters in Abbi Glines' Too Far Series, so I was ecstatic to see him get his own book. You grow to love Woods in Too Far. He runs the Country Club for his dad, has loads of money, but he still manages to stay kind. When Blaire, or anyone else, needs his help he's all too willing to do what he can. What you don't see in Too Far is just how broken Woods is. His father expects him to do his duty for the good of the family. He's expected to marry a girl he can barely tolerate in order to secure the Country Club. If he refuses his father will refuse to promote him to his rightful place beside him as President of the Club. Woods, honorable man that he is, is willing to do what his father asks, sacrificing his happiness like his father asks. And then he meets Della.

“I am in awe of the things you've been put through and the fact you can still light up a room when you walk in. When I look at you I see life. I see joy. I see my future.”

Oh Della...that poor girl is tortured and twisted like no other. Growing up with a mentally unstable, agoraphobic mother will do that to you. Della spent her entire childhood locked in her own home with no one for company except her mother, and Braden, the girl next door, her best friend and rock. When Braden hands her the keys to her car and tells her to go live her life Della tries to break free from her past.
Twisted Perfection is full of the romance we've come to expect from Abbi Glines, but this is the darkest book of hers that I've read...and I've read most of them! This isn't a bad thing, just different. It really works for Twisted, and this is by far my favorite book of hers so far. We get a glimpse of past characters at the Club, but the main focus is definitely on Woods and Della. Once again we're left with a major cliff-hanger, and waiting for book 2 is going to be torture!

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About the Author

Abbi Glines was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in the small town of Sumiton, Alabama where she left the summer she turned eighteen. She didn’t get far… she chased her high school sweetheart down to the coast and she’s been there ever since.
Abbi now lives in the quaint southern town of Fairhope, Alabama with her three children and husband Keith (the high school sweetheart she chased after). Her life is never dull and Keith always makes sure there is another “experience” for them to explore.
Books published by Abbi include The Vincent Boys and the USA TODAY bestseller The Vincent Brothers, Breathe, Because of Low, the USA TODAY bestsellers While It Lasts and Just For Now, The Existence Trilogy that includes the USA Today Bestseller Ceaseless, and The New York Times bestseller and Wall Street Journal bestseller Fallen Too Far and Never Too Far.
When Abbi isn’t locked away in her office typing away she is hauling her kids to and from their many social activities. You could say her second job is the Glines Kids personal chauffeur. It’s a rather illustrious job.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

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SERIES QUICK REVIEW: Fallen Too Far & Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

Title: Fallen Too Far
Author: Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far (#1)
Pages: 207
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: December 14, 2012
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Title: Never Too Far
Author: Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far (#2)
Pages: 306
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: February 24, 2013
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

Rush withheld a secret that had destroyed Blaire's world. She knows she can never forgive him, but she can't forget him either... Now, Blaire's back home in Alabama and is trying to move on with her life... until something happens to send her world spinning once again.What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

My Thoughts:

Abbi Glines has quickly become one of my very favorite authors. Every book that I've read of hers has been absolutely amazing! I love her writing style, her steamy sex scenes, and her smoking hot bad boys. Fallen Too Far and Never Too Far definitely didn't disappoint.

Fallen Too Far begins with the death of Blaire's mother. Blaire has spent the last three years of her life taking care of her mother, putting her life on hold, and now she doesn't know how to live without her. With no money and nowhere to go, she calls her dad-- the dead beat dad that walked out on her and her mom years ago--for help. He offers to let her come live with him and his new wife, but when she gets there Daddy's conveniently taken off on a cruise...leaving her alone with her new step-brother, Rush.

Rush is the son of rock star, and he plays the part well. Bad boy, tattoos, parties, different girl every night...you know the type. But, Hot Damn is he sexy!

You've got me all kinds of worked up, girl. I'm trying hard to be a good boy. I can't lose control in the back of damn car.

The connection between Blaire and Rush is so amazingly hot! They both try to fight it. They know it's not a good idea, but it's uncontrollable. They both fall hard and fall fast. But what Blaire doesn't know is that Rush has secrets. Secrets that will destroy her world and tear her apart. When everything comes out Blaire will trust no one.

This is an amazing series, one of the best I've read. It's a great love story filled with steamy sex, betrayal, heartbreak, tons of sweet moments, and lots of twists and turns. Just when you think you know the truth about everything you find out someone else has been lying. Fallen Too Far ends with the mother of all cliff-hangers, so do yourself a favor and go ahead and buy both books right now. When you get to the end you'll be glad to have Never Too Far within immediate reach!

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Fallen Too Far:
 

Never Too Far
 

REVIEW: Ocean Kills by Jade Hart

Title: Ocean Kills
Author: Jade Hart
Series: Ocean Breeze #1
Pages: 404
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: December 8, 2012
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Author for Honest Review

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Around the world, murderers and rapists pick off the innocent. Killing loved ones, separating families, and ruining lives.

As an eight-year-old girl, Ocean witnessed her family’s massacre and something altered inside her. Twisting her genetic code… unlocking an ability to teleport.

Ocean Breeze was never destined to be normal, especially having been named after air-freshener. She’s a shadow, a ghost—a dark saviour of the innocent. Armed with a switchblade in her bra, and a box-cutter in her pocket, she hunts the filth of the world.

Callan Bliss is a Sydney police officer whose skill-set is far above that of a normal cop. All his fellow officers see is a hard worker who loves to catch perpetrators and surf, but that’s because they don’t know about his past. When Callan arrests a suspicious-looking prostitute, he comes face-to-face with a self-confessed vigilante, and suddenly, his secrets aren’t so easy to keep silent.

Ocean hates the police with a passion, and has no intention of being held captive by a cop, even if he is sexy as hell. Teleporting from under his nose, Ocean hunts her next target—a man responsible for the largest sex ring in South Africa—and now he’s about to die. But she doesn’t count on Callan giving chase, nor the body-quaking lust that consumes them. However, Ocean's dark hobbies take precedence over what her heart wants—her thirst for murdering is killing her too, and not even Callan can save her.

When Ocean Breeze (yes, that is her real name!) was eight years old she witnessed the extremely brutal murder of her family.  Something about the torment and torture she endured altered something inside of her.  The ability to teleport was unlocked in her.  Since then she has worked to keep the type of people that killed her family off the streets.  She stalks and kills the men that murder and rape and then teleports out of the scene.  But killing comes with a price.  With every life she takes she becomes less herself.  She becomes cold and uncaring.  Ocean knows that killing these men will eventually kill her very soul, but she feels she owes it to the would-be victims of these monsters, and she's unwilling to stop.

What I Liked:

*  I love Ocean's character.  She truly believes in what she does.  She's ruthless and angry, but she does what she does to save people.  Although she doesn't always make the right choices, her heart is in the right place.

*  Callan Bliss...Aussie.  Blonde.  Surfer.  Cop.  Do I really need to go on? 

*  The chemistry between Ocean and Callan...holy smokes!  Hot!

*  Maurice Green is like a father to Ocean.  He found her on the street and took her in.  He has some secrets still left untold, but it's obvious how much he adores Ocean.  He supports her decision to hunt and kill monsters, but he doesn't necessarily agree with her.  I love how supportive he is even though it breaks his heart.

*  The story:  I love the story!  Victim turned vigilante killer goes after sex trafficing ring...action, adventure and revenge.  It's a great plot.

What I Disliked:

*  Ocean Kills is a long book! I usually like a good long story, but with this one I felt like a lot of it dragged a bit.  Several times I found myself saying, "What?!  Where did that come from?"  Big sections of the book had no significance to the full story and could have been cut.  It would have helped with the overall flow.

*  Way too many quirky cliched sayings!   

Overall: 

Ocean Kills was a very enjoyable read.  It kept me up until the early morning hours, and that is the evidence of a great story for me.  I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

REVIEW: What a Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn

Title: What a Boy Wants
Author:  Nyrae Dawn
Series:  What a Boy Wants (#1)
Pages:  140
Publisher:  Self-Published
Date Published:  April 6, 2012
Format:  eBook
Source:  Bought
Buy It:  Amazon or B&N

Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…
With the last girl he would expect…

Totally not in his game plan.

Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.

But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it.

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What a Boy Wants was such a fun book to read!  You can't help but love Sebastian and his friends Jaden, Aspen and Pris.  They've been best friends since Kindergarten, and they do everything together.  The bond between these four friends is unbreakable.  What a Boy Wants is told from Sebastian's point-of-view, and he is such a comical character that I found myself laughing out loud over and over.  After watching his mom get her heart broken by guy after guy he decides that there is no such thing as real love.  It's better for everyone if they just keep it fun.  He and Jaden live for the hook-up, but they're sure to tell the girls up front that they're not looking for a relationship.  The last thing Sebastian wants to do is hurt someone the way his mom has been hurt.  When he starts to fall for his best friend, Aspen, he realizes he may be The Hook-Up Doctor, but he is most definitely not The Love Doctor.  He can't seem to do anything right.

There is so much to love about this book!  First of all, I adore the relationship between Sebastian and his mom.  He would do anything for her, and he's not ashamed to admit it.  His dad walked out on them when he was just a kid and she's done her best to make sure Sebastian always knows how much she loves him.  Even though he makes a lot of mistakes, and he doesn't know how to have a real relationship, it's his relationship with his mom that keeps him from  hurting all the girls he's hooked up with.

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“Still I pulled her into a hug, because I knew she let me off the hook on purpose and yeah, I'm a guy and I love my mom. So shoot me. I'm man enough to hug her without feeling like a mama's boy.” 

"'Ma, quit hogging all the Chunky Monkey.  I grabbed the pint of ice cream off Mom's lap as she sat next to  me on the couch.  I wasn't proud of myself.  Actually, I was pretty embarrassed that I was practically crying in my ice cream with my mom."

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The four friends constant banter and bickering is hilarious, and Sebastian is constantly kicking himself for his stupid mistakes.  He's such a guy!  Fist bumping and chest beating included.  Even though they always manage to keep the conversation light you can tell that they would do anything for each other. 

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"We fist bumped again, because it was much manlier than getting sappy twice in one day."

"No matter how whipped I was, I'd obviously still be a guy.  That gave me some relief.  'You're drooling.'  Jaden nudged the elbow I was leaning on making it fall off the table. 'Shut up.' Lame reply, but it was all I had."

"Jaden threw a glance over his shoulder.  'Aspen...I can see why you wouldn't mind.  Her and Pris, they're kind of better than the other girls out there, ya know?'"

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The chemistry between Sebastian and Aspen is great.  Aspen is a very likable character.  She's sweet and smart and I love her sarcasm.  Because Sebastian and Aspen are friends there is already an amazing connection between them.  I love how Sebastian's thinking changes as he realizes his feeling for Aspen have changed, but he's still a total guy.

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"Once I decided to go for it with Aspen, I wanted this weekend to be special.  You know, like long walks on the beach, and all that other special stuff that used to make me want to gouge my own eyes out."

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What a Boy Wants was a great read.  It's funny and sweet, and even a little bit adorable.  It's a perfect chick lit read!

4 Stars * * * *

REVIEW: On The Island by Tracy Garvis Graves

Title: On the Island
Author:  Tracey Garvis Graves
Pages:  306
Publisher:  Self Published (Now republished by Penguin)
Date Published:  September 3, 2011
Format:  ebook
Source:  Bought
Buy It:   Amazon OR B&N

*This is the self published book cover, which is the edition I bought.  To see the new cover visit Amazon or B&N.

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter. Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

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Fave Quote:

 “I don't fit in your world."
"Neither do I," he said, his expression tender yet resolute. "So let's make our own. We've done it before.” 

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This book was absolutely wonderful.  I'm not sure I can properly review it and completely express just how much I loved On the Island.  When I first read the synopsis I was skeptical.  A romance between a thirty-something teacher and her sixteen year old student is sketchy!  After reading some of the reviews I decided to give it try, and I am so glad I did.  This story managed to draw me in from the very first page, and the adventures and catastrophes (think monsoons and sharks)  kept me completely enthralled.

Anna is thirty years old when she takes a summer job as a tutor for a family spending their summer in Maldives.  She has been in a stagnant relationship for eight years with a man that shows no signs of planning to commit.  She thinks the opportunity to spend the summer vacation on a tropical island is just what she needs to re-evaluate her life.  T.J. is sixteen years old and has been fighting cancer for the past three years.  He's in remission and all he wants is to spend the summer with his friends.  Going on vacation with his family and working with a tutor all summer is not what he had in mind.  When his parents leave for Maldives they agree to let him stay behind with a friend for a week and plan for him to travel to meet them with Anna.  When the pilot of the sea plane has a heart attack and they crash land in the ocean T.J. manages to get them both to a nearby island.  At first they assume a rescue plane will be coming for them, but the plane never comes.  Anna and T.J. quickly realize they are going to have to figure out how to survive if they ever want to see their families again.

On the Island is written in alternating points of view so you really get to see into the personality of both Anna and T.J.  Sometimes they even tell the same story from differing points of view, which I found to be a fun way to see how they both view the same situation.  Anna is an amazingly strong character, but she's not afraid to let her emotions take over.  In such a stressful situation it's not hard for her to become weary and depressed. Because of the fact that she's so much older than T.J. she takes charge of the situation, and in the early months on the island she is the reason they survive.  She has a sense of responsibility and she knows she can't give up if T.J. is going to live.  I loved T.J.'s character.  In a lot of ways he is the typical sixteen year old boy, but he's had to grow up fast while he fought the cancer.  He's strong, responsible and willing to work hard, which he proves time and time again on the island.  While Anna handles the day to day aspects of survival, T.J. is the one that manages to feed and shelter them.  It's because of his perseverance that they survive for as long as they do.  At some point you see the dynamics of their relationship begin to change and you realize that Anna is no longer the one making the decisions.  Because of the obstacles thrown at him T.J. has grown into a man and he plays the part well.  What amazes me is how well T.J.'s transformation is written.  His character growth is so profound that by the middle of the book I'd forgotten that he was so much younger than Anna.  When their feelings begin to change for each other you can sense Anna's apprehension, but T.J. is tired of holding back.  He doesn't approach her like a horny teenager, he's a man now and he proves it.  As their future plays out they both have a lot of rational concerns about their relationship and seeing how they approach these issues makes for an extremely compelling read.     

On the Island is a beautifully written romance with enough action and adventure thrown in to keep you reading until all hours of the night.  I know it did for me!  I'm not at all surprised that On the Island has been picked up by Penguin, and I can't wait to see what new things are in store for this amazing writer.         

5 Stars * * * * * 

Unbreak My Heart ~ Giveaway!

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker



Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

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Clementine and Amanda have been best friends since Kindergarten.  They do everything together and even have a cute mash-up name, Clemanda.  When Amanda starts dating Ethan, the new guy at school, Clem is happy for her.  She soon realizes that Ethan fits right in their little group of friends.  He's funny and charming and they have a lot in common...more so even than he and Amanda do.  When Ethan starts with the subtle flirting Clem is confused.  She doesn't understand what he's up to, but she like how he makes her feel.  She knows she should push him away, tell him to stop, but she doesn't.  After her and Ethan spend the day together on her birthday, even though nothing happens, Amanda is furious and Clem is exiled.  Everyone at school shuns her.  She might as well be wearing a scarlet letter A!  Thankfully, sophomore year is over and her family is spending the entire summer sailing.  She won't have to face anyone.  But that doesn't stop the guilt from tearing her apart.  How could she have done something so horrible to her best friend!?  She feels horrible, and no matter how hard her family tries to cheer her up she's miserable...until she meets James.  He is such a happy person, and it's a bit contagious.

Unbreak My Heart is heartwarming and a great comfort read.  It's a bit sad, but it's uplifting at the same time.  I felt sorry for Clem as she relived the past year in her mind and through rereading her journal.  Even though nothing actually happens between Clem and Ethan, you know Amanda's hurt by the actions of her best friend.  This is evident by the fact that she tells Clem she'll never forgive her but she immediately takes Ethan back.  I even found myself feeling a bit sorry for Ethan.  It was obvious he had a real connection with Clem, even though he really liked Amanda. 

This story is real and I'm sure most readers will totally relate to the situation.  I loved Clem and her entire family.  And I absolutely adore James.  The way he drags Clem out of her depression is just so sweet.  Especially when you realize he has every reason to be just as depressed.  I devoured Unbreak My Heart in a matter of hours, and I loved every minute of it.

5 Stars * * * * * 

Giveaway!!

I won my copy of Unbreak My Heart from Bloomsbury, so I'm going to pay it forward and give it away to one of my wonderful readers!  It's just too great of a story not to share!!  So, if you would like to win your very own hardback copy of Unbreak My Heart be sure to enter below.  Also, you get the bookmark I used while reading...a sock monkey sticker!  Please read this first: 

What you can win: 

1 hardback copy of Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

1 sock monkey sticker

1 winner will be chosen.  If the winner doesn't respond within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.

U.S. Only!  I'm sorry to my international readers, but postage costs are eating me alive.  But stay tuned because I do have a few giveaways in the works that WILL be international!

This giveaway ends on July 16th so get your entry in soon!!

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The Summer of Skinny Dipping

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

After she's snubbed by her snooty cousins in the Hamptons, 16-year-old Mia Gordon meets next-door-neighbor Simon. And from the very first time he encourages Mia to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

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Mia is so excited to be spending the summer with her family in the Hamptons.  It's been years since she's seen the cousins she spent her childhood playing on the beach with and she knows  the summer is going to be perfect!  When they arrive she's disappointed to see just how much her cousins have changed.  Instead of hanging out on the beach with Mia all they care about is partying.  Mia finds herself spending a lot of time alone on the beach...until she meets Simon, the neighbor her cousins totally disapprove of.  Simon is a free spirit, loves painting and skinny dipping at night.  He plans to travel the world after he graduates from high school next year.  Too bad his dad is determined to send him off to his Alma Mater, and he doesn't care what Simon says about it.  Simon and Mia fall head over heals...of course.

I gave The Summer of Skinny Dipping 3 stars. It probably deserves more, but I can't seem to do it.  The Summer of Skinny Dipping was an enjoyable read, however...



** spoiler alert **

*Please don't read ANY further unless you want to know exactly how this book ends!!

First of all let me say that I like my books with a nice HEA. I really enjoyed this book so I'm trying not to let the ending negatively influence my star rating, but I just can't give 5 (or even 4!) stars to a book that leaves me feeling empty inside. Great character building, great plot, great love story...but why, oh why would the author kill off the best character in the book? Simon was the only one that really had it all together and knew what he wanted out of his life. How cruel to have tha...moreFirst of all let me say that I like my books with a nice HEA. I really enjoyed this book so I'm trying not to let the ending negatively influence my star rating, but I just can't give 5 (or even 4!) stars to a book that leaves me feeling empty inside. Great character building, great plot, great love story...but why, oh why would the author kill off the best character in the book? Simon was the only one that really had it all together and knew what he wanted out of his life. How cruel to have that snatched from him. Yeah, I know...that's life. But it still sucks.  I've read lots of books where characters die, and I don't ususally like it but it wouldn't negatively influence my rating.  For some reason in this book it bothers me more. 

**end spoiler**

A Week at the Beach

A Week at the Beach by Virginia Jewel

Thanks to a scandalous affair, NYC girls Chrissy and Cami were banished from their usual beach vacation in the Hamptons. Needing to get away, Chrissy begged her stepfather for the keys to his family’s Outer Banks beach house. Darren needed to get out of LA, and his best friend Nick was delegated to keep an eye on him. Hoping to stay out of trouble, the boys flew off to the Outer Banks to spend a week at the family beach house. When the boys discover that the house is already occupied by two beautiful NYC girls, the fun begins.

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This was such a cute book.  I read it all in one sitting and then wished I'd taken it slower because I didn't want it to end.  Chrissy and Cami head to the beach to stay in Chrissy's step-father's family beach house.  Chrissy, who was just caught in a relationship with a married man, is looking for a wild vacation to help her forget that he's never going to leave his wife for her.  Cami, who tags along simply because that's what she does when Chrissy asks her to do something, is hoping for a quiet and relaxing week at the beach.   These two girls are so different that I was constantly wondering why they were even friends.  Even though they are on vacation together they spend most of the week doing their own thing totally unconcerned with the other.  A bit strange.

Darren and Nick live in L.A., are best friends and they also work together.  When Darren has some trouble at work and needs to get out of town for a while, he and Nick set off for his family beach house...the same beach house as it turns out!  When the four realize the mistake they quickly realize the house is big enough for them all and they agree to stay out of each other's way and share the house.  Darren spends his week out partying while Nick, like Cami, decides to get in some relaxation. 

Nick and Cami quickly realize they enjoy each other's company and they spend the entire week together.  But Cami is determined not to fall for Nick.  After all, she lives in NYC and he lives in LA...how can that work?  The journey to figure out the answer to that question is so much fun! 

I gave A Week at the Beach 5 stars.

* I got this as a Kindle Freebie! (Not free now.)