Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Review for Translation of Love by Alice Montalvo-Tribue(~PJ~)

TRANSLATION OF LOVE
BY ALICE MONTALVO-TRIBUE

SYNOPSIS:

Ellie Brooks has spent the past two years of her life building barriers around herself that are guaranteed to keep people out and her demons in. She doesn't want to get close to anyone for fear of being hurt again. When she meets Latin superstar Victor Garza, she is shocked at how quickly he is able to penetrate her armor. She doesn't want to let him in but can't deny the chemistry they have. He has the potential to heal her wounds and open her heart but she isn't sure she can let him. Will love be enough to keep them together or will Ellie's past prove to be too much for the pair to overcome?



MY REVIEW

So I have been hearing talk about this book a little bit now.  Why am I just now reading it?  That's a simple answer.  I finally had the time.  Have you ever had those moments that you just keep putting shit off because it's new and then when you finally give in and do it or try it you kick yourself in the butt afterward???  That is what happened with me and reading this book.  I kept telling myself afterward that I could have met Victor before this and here I am just now meeting him.  LOL

This story is from Elisabeth's (Elle or Ellie as Victor calls her) point of view.  I would like to hope that MAYBE just MAYBE we might get a book from Victor's point of view.  A girl can dream, can't she?  Okay let's meet the Heroine and Hero, shall we?


MEET ELLIE
She has been living life just existing after some horrible events in her life (and I do mean horrible).  She has picked up the pieces of her life enough to make it from day to day, but she shut out the one thing that makes life complete...love.  No matter the amount of encouragement she gets from her father (Joe), her brother (Gavin) and her best friend (Jordan) she only exists.  For two years, she has lived like this until one fateful day she runs into a mystery man.....


MEET VICTOR
Victor has not had life easy either.  He had kind of shut himself off, but was still open to the idea that there was someone out there for him.  Someone that would see past his fame and his money and see him...the real him.  One day, fate finally intervenes when he is at a crossroads in his career.  He knew what he wanted to do before he met Ellie, but it was cemented in stone when he did.




Okay I need to pause for a second and say just how freaking dreamy Victor is!!  Oh he is total swoonworthy material and then some.  There is not a damn thing I would change about him. He knows what he wants and he goes for it, but always making sure that Ellie's comfort is before his wants/needs.

"You know I like you, right? I wanna see where this can go between us and I'm okay with talking things as slow as you need them to go...." ~Victor~

"I like waking up with you here in my arms," he says with a lazy smile. ~Victor~

But it's not just the way he talks but it's in his actions as well.  He is so respectful of Ellie and her past issues that she has (which for most of the book he only knows that it whatever it was has turned her off relationships completely).  As they move forward and their connection grows, he makes sure that Ellie is comfortable with anything he does,  plans or says.  In the words of another one of my favorite authors.....*Le Sigh*



Just as life is not easy for any of us, things are not easy for them.  Actually there are points where things are pretty much against them.  Ellie, because of her past, has an instinct to run and flee when things are too hard to handle.  The thing is Victor told her....He wasn't letting her get away easily.  He proved it too.  

One of my favorite parts that is not said by the main characters is when Ellie's family meets Victor for the first time.  It's a part from her 13 year old niece, Gemma.

"Auntie Elle!"  I hear Gemma before I see her bounding into the foyer.  She stops dead in her tracks, looks at Victor, then back to me with a huge grin on her face. "Nice!"  ~Gemma~

That part cracked me up.  I personally have a niece that is that age and would have done the same thing.  LOL 



They take things slowly after first.  He lives in NYC the majority of the time and she lives in NJ.  So they get weekends together.  It wasn't until her first trip to his NYC apartment that things really became hard for them.  Between his ex and his mother, it really became hard to focus on them.  Oh but they tried and Victor made sure he tried to let her know he was different whenever he could.

"I'm not most guys.  I know a good thing when I see it." ~Victor~



Ellie isn't without her moments either.  When she finally starts to open her eyes and realize that things are not what they were in the past and Victor is different.  She took a risk...She was able to start enjoying their relationship and see where they go.  

"...Sometimes I can't believe that I found you.  I never thought it would happen for me and then you came along and changed everything..."  ~Ellie~


This story was amazing.  It pulls you in and holds you through to the end.  There was one part in particular (I won't say because I don't want to spoil anything for the next reader) that I wanted to grab Ellie and beat some sense into her, BUT in a way I kind of understand her reaction.

Victor knew right away she was different and she was too scared to try, but Victor didn't give up.  This story has up's and down's, but so does life.  The way these two are together is amazing and when they are apart they long for the other.  

Ellie is strong, struggling to adjust to the new feelings she is feeling, but throws caution to the wind and tries.

This story is a MUST READ if you like the turnaround love is found kind of books.  ( I do )  Go and pick up your copy today.

















Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Review for "Love's Second Chance" by LP Dover (~PJ~)......

LOVE'S SECOND CHANCE
BY L P DOVER
(If you think the cover is beautiful wait until you read the book!!!)


SYNOPSIS:
Korinne Anders had it all. She had the perfect job, the perfect house, and the perfect husband. When tragedy strikes, her world takes a devastating turn. Six months after losing her husband to a car accident, Korinne vows it to herself never to love again. If she doesn’t allow another man in her heart, then there’s no reason for her to feel the pain of loss. This plan seems to work, but is put to the test when Korinne’s best friend can’t stand to see her suffering any longer.
Korinne’s long-time friend, Jenna Perry, has an idea and it involves helping her friend find the spark of life in her soul no matter what it takes. Korinne didn’t know that Jenna’s plan meant bringing back a past love, a second chance with the man that Korinne had to leave in college, but always kept a place for in her heart.
When Galen Matthews learns of Korinne’s loss and that she’s finally moved back home, he wants nothing more than to be there for her. The love he felt for Korinne years ago has never left him, and now he’s given a second chance to not only mend her heart of her loss, but to also continue the love they shared in the past. Will his love and determination make her strong enough to give fate a second chance, or will her fear of losing another love make her run away? 
What will Korinne do when she’s faced with a love so powerful that no matter what she does there’s nowhere to run from it?



MY REVIEW

Okay I am going to first start out by saying.....OMG!!!!  It is not often that I can pick up a book and be caught in the book before the story has really even began.  L P Dover has done just that with her book "Love's Second Chance".  She has put a prologue in this book.  The purpose to give you an understanding of why Korrinne was doing, acting, struggling as she is when Chapter 1 starts.  This prologue is so damn amazing, I not only cried my eyes out but had to stop and make a post about how amazing it was.  The depth of emotion and pain that she puts into this prologue.  I knew the minute I finished reading it that I was in for an amazing (emotional ride).  Okay prologue brag over.  Let's get into the story itself. 


Meet Korinne Anders........

Korinne was a designer and she was amazing at her job.  She had made a name for herself in the business.  She loved her job until tragedy struck and her world fell out from under her.  Losing her husband in a tragic car accident caused Korinne to fall into herself.  She saw or felt nothing.  Her zest for life was buried with her husband.  
Right away you can tell she is fighter.  She wants to stand on her own, but isn't sure how to do that.  She had to learn to live a life that had been shared with someone else to being alone.    Was there anyway she could get her life back?

Cue Galen Matthews...

Meet Galen Matthews...........
(Sorry but this is who came to my mind and what a hunk!)

Galen had the love of his life once, but she moved away and then got married.  He never forgot her or the time they spent together.  In fact, he never found anyone else like her and he knew he never would (Dreamy right? *sigh*).  His world change and he was now owner of her father's company after his father's passing.  One day his brother shows up and changes his life yet again.....
He was give a second chance to have the love of his life back and he was taking it with both hands.  He wasn't letting her get away this time.


So now that you have met the gorgeous pair, let's get into the story.  This has to be one of the most heart pulling/squeezin/breaking stories I have read in a LONG time.  The way Ms. Dover wrote out this story it seemed she had one clear objective in mind....she wanted you to be a part of her world.  She wanted you to feel what they felt and see what they saw.  And boy oh boy did you!  How to best describe this book without bursting into tears....seriously it's that good.

"I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. [Is it hot in the car or is it just me?]" ~Kori~

I laughed at this part.  She was given a ride home after going out to dinner with Galen and boy was she nervous.  I had butterflies in my stomach for her.  At this point she was still feeling guilty over even having gone out with another man after losing her husband, but more importantly going out with Galen.....her first love.

This book carries both points of view and I personally LOVE that in a story.  To me, it gives a better understanding of the whole picture rather than half of the picture.  Plus I just love getting into Galen's head.  *sigh* Okay I might as well admit it now.  I am a Fictional Boyfriend whore!  I am proud to be one too.  Galen has been added to the list and hell I am not even sure how long the list is at the moment, but HOLY HELL Galen is AMAZING!!

He wants nothing more than to make her happy and does whatever he can to do that.  He sets a HUGE plan in motion just to get Korinne's spark back for her work.  He knew how much she loved it and he wanted to see her smile again.  A real smile not the fake ones she has been giving everyone.  This guy is major dream factor....

"...I know you've been saddened with grief the past few months, and I can still see it in your eyes.  I just want you to know that I'm here and I would do anything to make you happy." ~Galen~

I could keep carrying on about how dreamy Galen is, but the fact of the matter you are not going to know until you read the book yourself so I will stop on that.

The heat in this book could melt snow, I think.  Let me just give you this one simple statement on ONE of the scenes:  HOT HOT HOT TUB!!!!!! :P

The journey to finding herself again so she can fully move on is emotional and Galen is there for her every step of the way.  He supports her even when she doesn't see that he is doing it. What he does for her late husband is AMAZING!!!

At 70% in I about died!  I was crying so much my head hurt and then what flashes on my Kindle.....BATTERY IS LOW......NNNOOOOOO!!!!!  I had to read faster and I kept saying "No don't die yet.....I can't wait for you to charge to find out what is going on."  That last 30% cost me a whole roll of fucking toilet paper LMAO!!!  They were sad tears and happy tears and SON OF A BITCH tears!!! 

When I picked up this book, I had no idea the story that I was going to be put into.  I can tell you now I am glad I took the chance because it was well more than worth it.  Ms. Dover, you did one hell of a job on this book and I am so glad I read it.  I had to stop a couple of times because of children and hubby.  I kept glancing at it longing to get back into it LOL.  You did an amazing job and I wish you all the success that is surely to come with this book.  

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING JOB!!! A DEFINITE READ ALL!!!!!!!!!!!







Monday, April 22, 2013

Review for No Second Chances by Beverley Hollowed(~PJ~)

NO SECOND CHANCES
BY BEVERLEY HOLLOWED

SYNOPSIS:

No nonsense mechanic, Ally Brody is a ‘one chance only’ kind of girl. When she catches her boyfriend, of two years, cheating with his assistant on a surprise visit to his office, there will be No Second Chances.

Determined not to fall for the wrong kind of man again, she comes face to face with Cole Thomas. He is gorgeous, charming, rich and everything Ally swore she should stay away from.

Cole wants Ally and he will stop at nothing until he gets what he desires. Bit by bit he breaks through her barriers and takes her on a journey of love and sexual awakenings. Will her obsessed ex, who refuses to accept it’s over, or a secret Cole himself is hiding, destroy their relationship before it even gets started?

Can Ally break her own rule and explore the possibility that Cole just might be the one worthy of a Second Chance?


MY REVIEW

Okay first let me start out by saying that this is the second book I have read by Mrs. Hollowed and I had high hopes going into this second story.  Her first book "Forever and Always" was amazing and it left Mrs. Hollowed a lot to live up to in my eyes as I started out in this second book.  (If you haven't read "Forever and Always" you need to.  It is not related to this book here, but it is a definite must read!!)


Meet Ally.........

Ally Brody is your down to earth no frill more thrill kind of girl.  She is beautiful, but doesn't know it and (GET THIS) is a mechanic that loves cars!  I think I heard a lot of men's drool hitting the floor there. LOL  She is desperately trying to pick up the pieces of her life and get back to her norm.....whatever that was.  (Her thoughts not mine :P)


Meet Cole (Bloody) Thomas........
(Major drool factor right????? Oh me thinks :P)
Cole Thomas is a very successful company owner who never knew what he wanted in life but that he wanted something.  Women were not an issue for him, but finding the right one was.  You know the one that could see past his money and success and want the simple things in life.......Well Bloody HELL!!!! I can't get past his looks to even care about the money :P hehehehe



Okay so the story takes place in Ireland (*Personal Note* One place a really want to visit!!) and boy would I run there right now if there was a Cole waiting for me.  (Looks up to make sure the hubby isn't reading what I am typing :P )  GAH!!!  I am still trying to process this book.  It was F$%KING amazing to say the least.  My stomach dropped at several parts and I was so nervous I was shaking at one part.  (I knew her pain, fear and nightmares *shudders*)  This story pulls you and keeps you there....No it F$%KING holds you there!!!

""Why are you fighting this, Ally?"  Cole asked, her heart almost stopped at his words."

""Jesus Christ," he whispered breathlessly.  "What are you doing to me?"  Before Ally could answer, his mouth was on hers againa nd he was pressing her hand against the wall."

Cole has to be one swoonworthy man if you know he's not being completely honest and you're screaming at the book.  "Believe him Ally!  He's f$%king amazing!"  Yeah I screamed that often.  Even though in his thoughts he revealed that he was worried she'd leave him if he knew his secret.  But then he says things like this

""...Teach me to be the man that you deserve because I love you, Ally.""

........and you are all "It's okay Cole.  You can lie to me all you want!"

I died laughing on their first "real" date they each had the case of the coughs!!  She sending a message and he sending a message.  Oh it was so funny (No, I won't go into detail you will just have to read this :P )

OH GOD!!!! There there is a confrontation in the bathroom of the pub she was at with her friends and Cole and his friend Nate......HOLY HELL!!!! My stomach dropped to the floor and I held my hand over my mouth the whole flipping scene!  HOLY HELL!!!! (Yes, it dubs repeating.)

I want to say so much about this book (and Mrs. Hollowed will hear some of it hehehehe), but I do not want to give anything away.  This book was one WILD and HOT ride....I will gladly take again and again.  Both of her characters are easy to attach to and you truly do get a GREAT idea of who they are and what they are feeling.  I bawled my freaking eyes out on the last section of the book.  *shakes head*  Wild and Hot right, indeed!!!

I want to take a moment to thank Beverley Hollowed for giving me the opportunity to read her Arc for "No Second Chances".  It was truly and honor.  I had expectations for this book after reading "Forever and Always" and you did not let me down.  I will continue to read your books so please keep them coming.  They are TRULY amazing reads!!!!! <3 Hugs! <3

LOOK FOR IT APRIL 29, 2013!!!!!!!!! A DEFINITE MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Because this book is not yet for sale there are no links to post on where to buy them, but I will update with those links once they are available.  Until then, add to your TBR you won't regret it!!!!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Review for Three of Spades by W. Ferraro(~PJ~)

THREE OF SPADES
BY W. FERRARO


THE SYNOPSIS:

Dylan Cross is the type of man that enjoys everything female, and enjoy it he does, but always on his terms. However, his terms are pushed to their limit when Natalie Parker proposes an offer; teach her and her delectable little body, all about sex and desire. There is one catch. He has to play the part of Natalie's madly in love boyfriend for her dying mother. Dylan signs on, and finds that separating the two is harder than he thought. Natalie's days of shyness and lack of confidence come to a quick close as she learns what her body craves and demands in the bedroom. Soon, Dylan becomes the student as Natalie teaches him things he didn't even know he wanted. Will Hamden's notorious playboy, bachelor be able to keep calling the shots, or will he find that, he, himself, is just another player at the card game of
life, as we all are?

MY REVIEW

Oh Lord!  What can I say about this book?  W. Ferraro did not let me down in this book.  So this is the second book in her Hamden series and wow the heat factor that was high on the scales in her first book was up'd in this book.  WOW!!  The real life like scenarios and misunderstandings and characters.....all add up to a book that will have you searching for air conditioning even in the middle of a blizzard and your walls are freezing in ice.  Hot! Hot! Hot!

Meet Dylan....
YUMMY!!!!  He is a bad boy cemented in his bachelor life and keeping it that way.  He loves women too much to settle for just one over and over.  He loves his cars and works with Seth at their construction company.  He is hot headed and boy is he dreamy!! YUUMMMM! LOL


Meet Natalie....

She is beautiful and innocent.  Her life consists of taking care of her sick mother and teaching at a school.  She's tried the dating thing but nothing ever pans out from them.  She would just rather live her life through her teaching which she loves and be there for her mom when she needs to be.

So how does slow meet fast?  Well when Natalie's mom tells her she needs to start dating and starts to insult her to get her to do so.  Natalie makes up a lie that she has a date.  It all spirals down from there. 

She goes into a bar and starts talking to a guy there.  She was feeling pretty good until she found out the guy was married.  She tried to run, but ran face into chest of none other than Dylan Cross.  *shivers*

One proposition later and tightly secured plans start to unravel in a way neither could have seen coming.  Maybe in a way they did.  Maybe they hoped for it but would never have allowed themselves to think it.

DYLAN IS F*&KING HOT!!!!  I am telling you I would have bound myself to his bed if it were me in this book.  I would have said screw my job just screw me, Dylan! LMAO!!!!  Even though he is this bad boy for life guy, he has a soft side and boy does it ever make me sexy!  Then he has this predator side of him and I wondered how the hell sweet little innocent Natalie was going to survive him.



The story pulls you in from the beginning.  It holds you and doesn't let you breath until the end.  I swear in some parts my pants were on fire and others I was chewing the ends of my fingers off (I went way past my nails in this book).  I love mystery in my books.  I love not being able to guess what is going to happy next or for things to go smoothly for the hero and heroine the minute they meet.  There are bumps in life and to me having them in the stories makes them all the more believable.  Natalie and Dylan, the characters themselves, are already so life like to take that life out of the story would have been wrong.  Thankfully W. Ferraro didn't take anything away and the struggles and achievements all matched the realness of the characters.  I was over the moon with this book!  Dylan for me edged up there with Gideon and Travis and Christian and all the other fictional boyfriends, I have in my head.

"You're beautiful Natalie.  Every time I have you is better than the last.  You're spoiling me for anyone else." ~Dylan~

Ohhhh Dylan do I ever love you!  The ending was AMAZING!!!! I loved having a look a year later!  I loved it!!!

Okay I have no pitch for Three of Spades because truly this story speaks for itself in the synopsis alone.  LOL  BUT I do have something to post about her next story.  Three of Diamonds.




Be on the look out for this book and READ READ READ the first two Hamden men.  These are not stand alone novels each character from previous books make appearances in the other books.

Three of Spades is a DEFINITE must READ!!!!!!!!!!!










Review for Three of Hearts by W. Ferraro(~PJ~)

THREE OF HEARTS
BY W. FERRARO


SYNOPSIS:

Mae Turney is searching for the type of life and happiness that she has never known but has only dreamed about.  She fortunate it enough to find a great opportunity to live in an exterior apartment of a beautiful lake house in a small town in Vermont.  When she realizes the apartment and scenery are not the only gorgeous appeal but the home owner, Seth Finn, is as well, she puts it all on the line for the chance at love. When she becomes comfortable and confident in her own skin and sexuality, Mae realizes that this place and this man is exactly what she came looking for. Knowing Seth and his three children are as special as they come, Mae bets the house, and prays she and her gamble are enough.


MY REVIEW

When I first opened this book, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.  It was by chance that I had the opportunity to read it in the first place.  I was so thankful for the opportunity to have the honor to read this book.  Words cannot begin to explain the journey that author W. Ferraro put forward in this book.  It is the first book in her Hamden series.  It was a GREAT way to kick it off!!

Meet Mae:


She just wants to find a life that she can be content in and live happy.  Yes, she wants love and a family, but right now she just wants a life that she could be happy with.  Friends, laughter, all the small things before the bigger things.

Meet Seth:

Seth is a single father of three after losing his wife to cancer.  He just wants his kids to be happy.  Moving forward, finding love were not on his agenda.  The only thing he thought about was his kids and his business.

This story is moving and pulls at your heart.  The hotness factor is topping the scale.  The attraction that they feel for each other is so powerful you feel it yourself.  Watching them struggle to figure out what they should do and if its enough is so nerve racking you just want to scream, "You two belong together you idiots!"  LOL Ohhhh don't act like you never scream at your kindle when you read books. LOL


"I thought you were gone forever.  Please don't ever leave me again, my heart, body and soul wouldn't be able to take it." ~Seth~

Dreamy right!  Oh there are better ones in there, but that was one of my favorites.  The agony and pain they feel when life throws that curve ball in there to test bonds and our willingness to work to keep what we have.  I was in tears.  Then I was laughing through my tears.  

This book was an all around GREAT read.  Full of everything you need and even has 2 kitchen sinks. hahahahaha.   

I definitely recommend this book to all who want to read about hot sweaty men and beautiful love stories.....Ohhh okay the women are beautiful too. : )

Now.....Here's my pitch for you to read this book.....Keep in my my picture of Seth up above :P

Have you read this book yet?  Have you met Seth or Mae yet?  I hear Seth is hard at work sweating up a storm.  No shirt and his jeans hanging down on his hips.  Not in that hip hop star way, but in that oh so sexy way that makes you want to follow the V and happy trail to....Ohhh sorry lost myself in the image of Seth working.  I am trying to think of something I need built.  Maybe I could hire him?  Do you think he'd come?  He would probably want to bring Mae.  I love Mae.  I think her and I could be the best of friends.  I have to ask her how she got so lucky to find a fine piece of....Asking yourself what I am talking about are you?  Oh well that is easy!  I am talking about THREE OF HEARTS by W. Ferraro.  This book features Seth as the hero and Mae as the heroine.  No fairytale goes without its bumps.  This books showcases how hard love can be when you have been burned or lost once in your life.  Sometimes it takes some divine intervention to make us see what we couldn't see because we were too afraid to look around the corner.  Never be afraid to look around the corner you never know what is sitting there......

Okay the pitch is over.  Now GO GET THE BOOK AND READ IT!!!  LOL!  You will love it!!




Saturday, April 20, 2013

Review for Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire(~PJ~)

Walking Disaster
by Jamie McGuire


SYNOPSIS:

Can you love someone too much?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.
In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.
Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

THE REVIEW

I read "Beautiful Disaster" awhile ago and I loved it!  The loved Travis and hated Parker.  I laughed at Mare and felt bad for Shepley.  It was just a GREAT book.  So naturally when I heard that "Walking Disaster" was coming out I jumped right on and had it pre-ordered the minute I could and then waited and waited and waited LOL.  It seemed to take forever to come out.  Then the day FINALLY comes and I wait until midnight to read it...

OMG!!!!!!!!!  I was not prepared for this book!!!!!!!

In "Beautiful Disaster" I felt bad for Abby, but that was really it.  In "Walking Disaster", I was devastated for Travis!!!  My heart broke with his.  I cried for him.  Have said that....Had Travis' POV came out before Abby's I would have hated Abby.  I can't even say that her POV would have helped her case much.  I was completely in shambles for Travis!!!

"Wh-Why are you doing this to me, man? Do you think I'm not suffering enough, because I promise you, it's too much."

His pain was felt so strong throughout this book.  I ached for him.  I wanted to heal him....

"My entire face crumbled, and I nodded my head.  I tried to be angry, that was much easier to control than the overwhelming, physical pain in my chest, but all I felt was wave after wave of sadness.  I was too tired to fight it."

Oh it gets worse than that......

"My eyes drifted to the floor. "She's not coming back," I said falling to the couch.
America stepped forward.  "What does that mean, Travis?"
I cupped the top of my head with both my hands.  "What happened last night wasn't her way of saying she wanted to be together.  She was saying goodbye."

That's just a few of the areas.  The scene of their break up and he confronts her in front of the cafeteria.....*tears*  OMG!!!!

This book was out of this world good and I am so glad she wrote it from his point of view.  You get a better idea of what his brothers are like and I can't wait for them :D

The epilogue.......OMG!!!! I loved.......It really finished the book up nicely and I loved it!!!

Bring on the Maddox brothers!!!  If their stories are anything like Travis' I better make an investment in some tissues LOL!!!