Leap by M.R. Joseph - Review

Blurb:

What if you had no idea your “future” lived beside you your whole life? What if that person was also your best friend? What would you do when you finally realized it?

MacIntyre “Mack” Cooper and Corrine “Rinny” Blanchard have known each other since birth. Living next door to one another on the South Shore of Long Island, and their parents being best friends, meant growing up together was unavoidable. Their bond made them inseparable.

What Corrine didn’t expect was the attraction she began to feel towards her best friend as the two grew older.

As Corrine’s feelings evolve over time and tragedies transpire, she must put her feelings for Mack aside and continue to be just his best friend- unconditionally- when he needs her the most.

However, what happens when the person you love most in the world is taken away without warning just when you need them the most? Would you give up hope or would your love keep hope- and him alive?

No one knew Rinny like Mack did. No one ever would. Mack’s advice to her was when life takes a turn, and your faith is tested and your dreams seem out of reach, sometimes you just have to take the leap.

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Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1VWCmnd
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1VZXrMW
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1Y0pFoD
iBooks: https://itun.es/us/I89bcb.l
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1SyhOP0
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01ETKD3YQ

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: April 2016.

I've been a fan of M.R. Joseph's work for quite a while now, her Sandy Cove series a favourite of mine, for Leap I went in blind, I had read the blurb quickly months ago when the cover had been revealed but that was as much as I knew,  I just wanted to experience the story without any preconceived notions of what it would be about, I wanted to get lost and drown in Joseph's words, despite knowing very little I expected a love story, instead what I experienced was a life story.

Rinny and Mack became best friends in utero, when their parents moved in next door to each other. Over the years that followed they were each others best friend, confidante, from childhood, to adolescence, to high school and college, they were always right there in front of each other sharing every funny, scary, embarrassing, honest truth with each other, there was nothing they couldn't say to one another, no instance in their young lives where they wouldn't support each other, for years they were each others person until one day they weren't anymore, and therein lies the beauty of this story, the transcendence of childhood memories to adulthood, and everything in between, this story is one that had me utterly mesmerised, entirely enraptured with discovering every nuance of these characters, riding the highs and the lows, living the journey the author sought to create.

"I took a leap."

"What does leaping have to do with it?" 

"It means taking a chance. When you aren't sure of something and you actually do it. You have to find out for yourself what it's like. You take the leap. That's what I did. I leaped." 

I want to tell you how I felt when ....... happened, I want to tell you how positively giddy I was when ..... said ......., I want to tell you how my heart ached, how my soul cried when .........., but I can't because I can't take discovering those moments away from you, because as much as I want to sit here and tell you every glorious moment, every second of heartache, every inch of pure, unbridled joy I can't, because I want you to experience Leap the same way I did, a little blind and eager just to lose yourself in the words. For fans of the authors work, they will find a new depth here, a story far less traditional contemporary romance, while Leap does deal with first loves, real loves, true loves, part coming of age, part women's fiction, Joseph didn't rely on sex to drive this story forward, instead focusing on the incredible life Rinny leads to utterly captivate and enchant this reader. Days later and Leap is still on my mind, I feel listless and adrift, and I find myself picking it back up to spend just a few more minutes with these characters that held my heart, characters who reminded me about having faith, about hope, about taking a leap.

About M.R. Joseph:

 

I'm a book nerd turned writer who loves the 'Happily Ever After' mixed with a bit of suspense, drama, and the occasional cliffhanger! My love of books has brought me on my writing journey. I began writing my first book in July 2012 and since that time I have created 2 series. The first series 'The Reunion Series' debuted in November 2012 and two books followed. My new series 'The Shore Series" debuted in March 2014 and claimed Amazon Best Selling status shortly after the release of the first book.

 

 

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Chasing Spring by RS Grey - Review

 

 

 

Blurb:

 

 

I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.

I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.

To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.

I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved. 

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Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1RUVRu9
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1PKOY8e
Amazon AU: bit.ly/1nHe6aa
Amazon UK: amzn.to/1SSB3Dw


Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

Where do I even start with Chasing Spring, I had grown accustomed to Grey's quirky yet heartfelt romances, and I was expecting more of the same, I was expecting light and sexy, while still packing an emotional connection that I often find in her work, and instead I found so much more. Lilah left her old life in Blackwater Texas, sure that she would finally be free of the guilt, pain and sorrow she felt there, but when he father advises her that she has to return home to finish her final year of high school, the new carefully constructed life Lilah had created for herself looked to be slipping away, not only was she back home and struggling to hold on while the inner turmoil she felt was threatening to pull her under, but her once best friend, Chase Matthews was now living in her family home, with only hallway separating them, Chase had always been the golden boy, and Lilah was determined to steer clear of his light, instead preferring her own darkness.

Everything about Chasing Spring stole my heart, breathtaking in it's entirety, Grey's words eloquent and inspired, I left my preconceived expectations at the first page, and took the journey that Lilah and Chase begged me to take with them, Chasing Spring is a poignant, often times heartbreaking coming of age story, that showcases how resilient the human spirit is, with moments of sheer brilliance where Lilah can see past her mother's sordid past, past the lies and deceit, past the guilt and fear, to the golden boy that she's always loved, to the man that's standing before her now, begging her to give him a chance, to give them a chance, to cut the ties that bind her to a future that can only be filled with heartache and misery, as it threatens to shackle her to a past that is not her own. These characters may be young, but they have both faced more than most of us will in a life time, with a wisdom that surpasses their years, Chasing Spring's raw emotion, it's ability to sucker punch you right in the feels, to break your heart, and simultaneously piece it back together for me came from Grey's ability to show that dichotomy of not only Chase and Lilah and the way they face their collective pasts, but the warring sides of Lilah's mind as she seeks to protect herself, with almost a devil may care attitude, while also holding Chase above all else, her need to ensure his heart is protected is tantamount to a sacred oath she made with herself.

"I thought you said you wanted to give me a happy ending?"

"Maybe instead I have to satisfied with a happy middle." 

Grey shows her depth here, while I have LOVED every book of hers, the fun, the quirky, the sexy, the emotional, nothing has gripped me the way Chasing Spring did, the way Chasing Spring has, because it's been days since I finished, and I find myself idly reading quotes, smiling wistfully as I remember moments, that so perfectly detailed the joy and heartbreak of first loves, of love in general, Grey has publicly spoken about the two years that she's been working on Chasing Spring, the fear that she had of ever publishing it, and I have to say, Ms Grey, your fears may have pushed your limits, but Chasing Spring will stay in my mind for a very long time to come.

"Think about it. Does the ending even matter? Shouldn't the middle be the happy part? It's the biggest chunk of our life..."

About RS Grey:

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.




Facebook – http://on.fb.me/1P1szVn

Twitter – http://twitter.com/AuthorRSGrey

Instagram – http://bit.ly/1JqWEJc

Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1MK5MAq

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.

 

Find on goodreads

 

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.

 

 

Website

Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1) by Leisa Rayven - Review

Blurb:

While performing the greatest love story of all time, they discovered one of their own...

Cassie Taylor was just another acting student with big dreams at her prestigious performing arts college, then she met Ethan Holt. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy on campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing on stage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they've made it to Broadway where they're reunited as romantic leads once again, and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret, and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, working with him reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible.

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: January 2015

I don't know where to start with Bad Romeo, the hype and my excitement for this story had my expectations high, I don't know what I expecting exactly... Angst, drama... yes definitely but the humor, the hilarity, no I didn't think Bad Romeo would have me laughing as hard as I was.

Bad Romeo is told in a series of present tense moments filtered with flashbacks, the detail so vivid that I felt every moment of Ethan Holt and Cassie Taylor's story. The boy who doesn't want to be liked and the girl desperate for everyone's approval.

Holt the self proclaimed broken bad boy, with more baggage than a Boeing 747, after two failed auditions for the prestigious Arts academy The Grove, he is at the end of his rope, lacking the want or ability to connect with other fledgling actors the likelihood of Ethan gaining acceptance into the college of his dreams seem slim.

Enter Cassie, green, a tad naive, people pleasing Cassie, the immediate attraction she experiences to seeing Holt is something she never expected, or has ever experienced. The formidable chemistry these two exude is palpable, shining from every pore.

As the reader, we know the college romance these two had was ill fated from the very beginning, a modern day Romeo and Juliet tale of pure unadulterated bliss and crushing lows, but despite hindsight being 20/20 - the more I read the more I found I couldn't guess where Rayven was leading me. I devoured this story much the same way Cassie and Ethan devoured each other, with a fierce hunger to know more, to see more, to feel everything.

The pure unadulterated joy I felt in watching Cassie Taylor come out of herself, demand more for herself had me cheering her on, eagerly praying for a rewrite of Romeo and Juliet. One where their romance could bloom and blossom, where Holt could fight his demons and not let his past hurts dictate his future. I felt every inch of his resistance and every inch of Cassie's pain, confusion and desperate need.

There is so much more I want to say about Bad Romeo, I want to tell you how exquisite this story is, how beautifully jaded Holt is and how captivating Cassie is with equal parts naivety, youth and silent strength. I want to tell you that Rayven's words had me believing that no two people had ever had the raw connection and intense chemistry that these two had, still have, and most of all I want to tell you that despite everything I still have to believe that these two have a chance at a love, so limitless, so endless, so all encompassing that there's still a chance for them.

My first 5 star read for 2015 and I'm already sitting here eagerly awaiting Broken Juliet, chest tight, fingers tingling, breath baited.

Amazon