Lucian Divine by Renée Carlino

Blurb:

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Renée Carlino, comes a totally unique love story that is sure to make you question what’s out there . . . or who.

“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey's life is at a standstill. She's in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene in San Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out her days in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It's absurd, but sometimes Evey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day.

And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he's a guardian angel, been on the job for two thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he's brilliant, witty, and warm—and bad—he's brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as ----. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s got problems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, going against the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. But sometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God.

Yes, God as in God. 

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Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2iXCQM7
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2i80C70
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2iSsIUt
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2iXqxQ6
Tunes: http://apple.co/2dP47vC
B&N: http://bit.ly/2d32IEl
KOBO: http://bit.ly/2dWIJE1

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2017.

It's an interesting premise Renee Carlino addressed in Lucian Divine, Evelyn Casey has often wished for a guardian angel to step in and point her in the right direction, in both love and life, and let's face it, most of us have at one point or another wished for something greater to steer us in the right direction, tell us if the choices we're making are the right ones, or just to magically fix everything that is going wrong, but what if those wishes and prayers were answered, and one day our guardian angel appeared, instead of guiding us from above?? When Lucian decides to make his presence known Evey isn't remotely prepared, remember that old adage, be careful what you wish for? Suddenly Lucian is there, and he seems to have some baggage of his own, the fast talking, witty as hell, and sexy as sin guardian angel seems to be quite taken with imbibing in a few too many alcoholic beverages, and after years of watching Evey from afar he's going to go against every angel code he's ever known to have his chance with the woman of his dreams.

"Evey, next time, in the next life we'll be together—that's how this will be corrected. This will be righted. This can't be our forever fate. Next time we'll live together, we'll die together..."

Lucian Divine is clearly satirical in nature, with uproariously funny moments, Carlino shows just how wicked her sense of humour is, but underneath the snark and wit, is the heart that I love so much in her writing. As I have come to expect from Carlino, her ability to make the reader question themselves and their thoughts is second to none. Wrapped up in an eloquent and thought provoking story, I found myself questioning what was my take away message here, was it to be careful what I wish for? Was I to wonder just what I would be willing to sacrifice for true love? Was I simply to ponder love in all it's forms? Was it to examine my beliefs on actions and consequences? Was I to embrace to paranormal undertone and question just how vast our universe is? The more I internally debated my special meaning here, the more I inherently understood why Carlino has become an absolute must read author for me, because these inner monologues are the kinds of reactions she evokes from me, where my thirst for the bigger picture is never entirely sated, Carlino urges me to reflect before moving forward with my day, she quietly pushes me outside of my comfort zone while standing there being ready to hold my hand, as I embark on a journey with her characters.

"You are everything to me. You're the dream, the air, the reason, the cause for my whole existence..."

For paranormal enthusiast's, the human/angel connection will no doubt pique your curiosity, and for my more traditional contemporary romance friends, the addition of a drunk guardian angel is not one that you would find off putting. As a devotee of Carlino's words and ability to weave a rich and textured story that leaves me sated and yet wanting I found her latest release utterly spellbinding, uproariously funny, raw and unrelenting, Lucian Divine makes us question our notions of faith, love and the ever after.

About Renee Carlino:

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of romantic women's novels and new adult fiction. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.

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The Twenty-One (Emerald Cove #2) by Lauren K. McKellar - ARC Review

Blurb:

I look both ways before I cross the road. I knot my laces twice. Boring? Sure. But it’s also settled. Stable. Safe.
And I like safe.

Because broken bones may be hard to heal, but broken hearts are even harder. And when the man I loved and lost reappears in my life, I won't fall for his charms again ... will I?

Joel Henley just might be my biggest risk yet.

My name is Ellie Mayfield. And this is my undoing.

 

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Purchase Links:

 

iBooks: http://apple.co/1T5IaWx...
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1I5yk0C
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1MsYf6e

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: November 2015.

Ellie Mayfield acts like she's got life all figured out, she has a job that doesn't completely suck, she has friends, she has a mother and sister that while being high maintenance she loves dearly, Ellie is the epitome of the play it safe kind of girl, she doesn't take risks, she doesn't push herself outside of her comfort zone, she's stuck in a rut of her own making. The one boy she ever truly opened herself up to was Joel Henley, and he left her without a second thought, she thought what they shared was the forever kind of connection but when he left he never looked back and she was left playing the role of the dutiful daughter, the protective and caring sister, the good friend.

When Joel Henley strolls back into Ellie's life she's shocked, here in front of her is the boy who once lit up her world, he's back and he's looking at her like he always did, and she has two choices she can keep playing it safe, she can keep playing the role she's become accustomed to or she can take a chance on the boy she once loved, on the man who could truly change her life.

There's so much more going on here than just a second chance romance, The Twenty-One is part coming of age, part romance, the hero of this story is very much Ellie, as she figures out who she is, what she wants, and who she wants to be. There's a reverence to McKellar's words, a wistfulness to her prose, and elegance in everything she does that lures you in, and captures your attention, her words wrapping around your heart and soothing your soul, preparing you for the inevitable moment that she will punch you right in the feels. It's impossible for McKellar not to take you in a journey, not to challenge you, not to push you to the limit where you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, there's a line in a Lifehouse song, where the singer croons "how can I stand here with you , and not be moved by you?"  that sums up every feeling and emotional thought I have when reading McKellar's work, because for me, it's a natural as breathing, it's impossible to read her stories and not be moved by them, she begs the reader to take a journey with her, to strip themselves bare, to live within the pages with her, it's a passionate plea from author to reader that I can't help but heed every time I dive into the worlds she creates.

The Twenty-One is simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting, it's solemn and joyous, it's real and raw, there's a fragility to Ellie that scares her, but a strength and courage that Joel see's, The Twenty-One has a beautiful message about taking the reins, about being the author in your own life, about appreciating what you have, and not taking this life for granted. McKellar reminded me of the beauty that is all around us, if we are willing to take a chance to let both love and life in.

About Lauren K. McKellar:

Lauren K. McKellar is an author and editor. Her debut novel, Finding Home, was released through Escape Publishing on October 1, 2013, and her Crazy in Love series, YA/NA Contemporary crossovers, are self-published and available now.

As well as being a magazine editor for a national audited publication on pet care, Lauren works as a freelance editor for independent and traditionally published authors, and was a Runner Up Editor of the Year in the Publishers Australia awards in 2013.

Lauren is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia and is obsessed with words--she likes the way they work.

She lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with her husband and their two super-cute puppies. Most of the time, all three are well-behaved.

 

 

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