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Reader Question – The book where she goes out with her best friend’s cousin…

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Definitely sounds like this one deals with a dark subject, and our fellow reader can’t remember what sample she read.

Una asks:

I read a sample of a book several months ago (can’t remember much about it). Just that I was so anxious for its release, it was that good. I believe that the release date was oct 2013. It was about a girl who lost her parents and grew up with her best friends family. She had a big crush on her best friend’s cousin. However, it was her best friend’s brother that helped her deal with the death of her parents. The girl and best friend are now in college and the cousin goes there as well. Cousin is good looking and keeps asking girl out, she finally says yes. Something seems off, he follows her to a Caffe where she was studying, when she comes out he has messed with her car. Back at her apartment he tries to rape her, her best friend walks in, cousin covers by saying she was attacked.

By any crazy chance do you know the title of this book?

Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Any ideas? 🙂

Reader suggestions:

 

Book Review – Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken

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Ruin
Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and infused with a message that is quite possibly… life changing.

I purchased this book without having read the synopsis, but had a good idea of what I was about to encounter by the expressive recommendations I had been receiving. I trusted my fellow readers and went into this one fairly “blind” other than when I noticed a fellow reader mention that she needed a light happy read after this one, I knew I was in for some emotional pain.

And I’m going to tell you that despite my initial trepidations with the start of the story (and the character interactions), my neck (throat?) physically ached at a certain point. ‘Cause my heart was in there.

Lisa: … Ruin.  And my heart can’t take another seriously angsty book (is that even a word??)  Maybe you could start a “list” of books that are not going to have you crying, tearing your hair out or wanting to read the last page JUST so you can get through the book.  Happy books. <— side note: you bet, Lisa. I need one too, right about now. 😉

Tammy: This book should be at the top of your TBR – it was right up there with Hopeless for me.

Bianca: I am currently reading ‘Ruin’ by Rachel Van Dyken, I am 65% through and have loved every single page. It’s a quick easy read! Even though *spoiler* made me apprehensive, it has been nothing but butterflies in your stomach inducing! <— side note: Luckily my husband got to this email before I did, and was sweet enough to hide it from me ’cause even that tiny *spoiler* might have been too much for me. But he made sure to tell me that he liked this recommendation and I needed to read this book!

Sarah: You will cry, you will laugh, you will cry again, then feel empowered to LIVE!! This is an amazing love story with the ever-present, deep-rooted reminder that each day is a gift. You will not only fall in love with these characters, but you will be encompassed by their spirit! This is a story that I will reflect on often, and one that I will re-read for years to come.

Yep!!! What she said. ↑↑↑ All of the she’s up there. ↑↑ 😉 And you know what? This one was refreshing in that, the looming secret… that “thing” that would eventually devastate me, that thing that I would have thought was a spoiler, was not hidden from me. Of course, it came to me in bits (there was still some guessing going on), but I knew what I was getting into pretty much from the book’s getgo .

I didn’t have all of the details but I knew enough. No sucker-punches, here. This wasn’t that kind of story. It didn’t rely on shock-value, or twists that I didn’t see coming (although we all know I love those. 😉 Being shocked right out of my chair is my favorite!) But nope. There were no earth-shattering revelations per se, but it still had it’s own version of *oomph*.

And I’ll admit, at first I wondered how I could possibly connect deeply enough considering where I knew we were headed. I am my own worst enemy sometimes when it comes to books, and if I “know” certain… “somethings”, I have a bad habit of unconsciously holding myself at arms length and not experiencing it fully. No spoilers or anything like that… just that, the author laid it all pretty much out in the open right from the start. I thought I knew what I was in for (and therefore already in “protect-myself” mode), but it couldn’t be that simple, could it? Maybe… but I was forgetting the bigger picture. And the author’s purposeful writing eventually took me there.

So what’s it about? I’m going to super-short-form it.

She (inexperienced) had personal and emotional issues to contend with (due to a tragedy)…

… most of the time I felt that way, lost, like a missing puzzle piece that forgot it was a part of the rest of the puzzle. The outcast, the loner…

… and he (rich and famous playboy) had a secret and his own personal and emotional issues to contend with. They have a “meet-cute” during her college enrollment and become instant friends (although at first, she tries to avoid him… but he pursues).

” – I believe,” he said, smirking, “that I said I’d help you.”

“I don’t need that kind of help,” I whispered.

“Huh?” He stopped and then burst out laughing. “Holy sh!t, I think I may love you.”

Heart meet stomach.

There are a few rumors about him that some feel the need to warn her about.

“You his new project?”

I turned around. “Project?”

The girl was gorgeous. Her legs went on forever, she had a tight white dress on, and her black hair hung in loose curls around her chest.

“Yup, project.” She grabbed a cup of beer and drank. “He picks a freshman every year.”

And let’s just say that he has a few mysterious things about him, that certainly have her hesitant to get close. He calls her “Lamb” and she refers to him as “The Wolf” (just to give you an idea). 😉

And while I’ll also admit that I was unnerved by how quickly these students bonded…

“Did you just compare your sexual prowess to Chuck Norris’s karate skills?” I asked.

“Same thing.” Gabe shrugged.

Okay… that made me giggle. 😀

… and how über-fast this story moved as a whole (how quickly “love” seemed to be factoring into the first half… and how I felt I was missing *something* )…

“Why are you so protective of me? You don’t even know me.” I went to sit on the couch, waiting for Wes to come pick me up.

“No freaking clue.”

LOL! Well, at least he admits it. 😉

…the second half won me over.

Yep. I was somewhat jaded at first. But by the second half? It didn’t matter as much to me that the connections were made before I could internalize them. It didn’t matter as much to me that this freshman college student had that stereotypical “special something” that two playboy college hotties seemed to gravitate to (which of course made me eye-roll a bit). It didn’t matter so much anymore, that things moved faster (love-wise & friendship-wise) than I was able to keep up with. To bond with. That I felt I was missing out on. And it didn’t matter so much that at first I was apprehensive regarding the dialogue. Their deep, eloquent conversations. I was a little uptight vis-a-vis the hero’s wiser-than-his-years motivational speeches (considering how young he actually was). Yep. I was uptight about a lot of it.

My first impressions didn’t matter as much anymore when my eye-rolling changed into something else, entirely. My eyes starting tearing up, instead.

Was it really just about thinking about the story differently?

‘Cause eventually, it got me. It got to me. I realized that while this had that “insta-love” feel, it was about more than that. This book is inspirational, and uplifting despite (or … because of) the heart wrenching matter at hand. It had that wonderful family feel, not just by blood, but friends that became family by circumstance. How such a devastating situation could bring so many wonderful people together. And how they could learn from each other, support each other and become stronger in themselves.

A touching story and even though I didn’t actually live it, it affected me in a way that I internalized it, learned something, and it quite possibly changed me… for the better.

3 stars for first half, and 4 stars for the second (and I’m going with 3.75 stars as a whole).

Book Review – Josh and Hannah by Lynda Chance

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Josh and Hannah (Redwood Falls #1)
I got sucked in again, you guys!!! Into a YA’ish book (because of their ages) that had me glued and yet… I don’t know if I loved it or not. But there was something about it that had me. Recommended by my friend Joanna, and we…well, we have VERY similar taste in book-boyfriends. And it just so happens that I totally get her when she connects with one, ’cause I often find I connect just as intensely.

So even though it’s been a few days since she had recommended this one, after seriously “sampling” 3 books yesterday, I finally gave this one a go, and this is the one that stuck. This is the one that had me scrambling to purchase the rest. This is the one that I happily stayed up until 3-something am for before I had no choice but to conk out. This is the one that had me reaching for it first thing in the morning, to finish.

Don’t let my “YA’ish” label fool ya. It’s older YA and I felt it.

This one that had me swoooooooning and melting even though logical-me said… this kind of demanding “boyfriend” can’t be good.

This intense relationship… attraction, super-connection (at such a young inexperienced age) would logically be… unhealthy. It had that potential to become a Steve Wilkos episode. Or maybe Dr. Phil. Steve always wants to bring on the frighteningly obsessed bossy boys to yell at ’em and tell ’em to stop being so controlling. Give them a dose of reality. Cut ’em down to size. And in real life (where troubled family members and friends might want to intervene), I could so see Dr. Phil having a sit down with the young, damaged  and controlling “Josh”.

But reality is a buzz-kill when I’m reading, so… again, I tried shushing logical-me. This is not an eventual “Steve Wilkos show”, ’cause it’s fiction. It’s about finding that primal level love, that soul-mate that can’t be denied (no matter what age) and it romanced my heart right out of my chest. It would have been even easier if logical-me could just pipe down for once. But you know… sometimes that was quite difficult. Things Josh would say (no… demand), and Hannah would agree to… eeeeeep!!! I’d think to myself, how can I swoon after that? *shudder*…

… and then I’d swoon. LOL!!!

A deep spriral of heat coiled through her belly at the demand. Oh God. She couldn’t like him telling her what to do, could she? That wasn’t normal, was it?

Hehe. Oh relax… his “demand” was for her own good, in this instance. Trust me. 😉

Yep. My silly super-romantic side ahhhhhhh’d and would try to drown out Miss Logical. After all, the author was careful… demanding, controlling and bossy, yes. Obnoxiously claiming, yes. But affectionate, protective and always SO so careful with her. Scary but not that kind of scary.

But then logical me says… “not yet“. *hrmph* And apparently, logical-me was highly irritated when she highlighted and noted a certain section with “bunch o’ cavemen little boys!!!”.

So what’s it about?

Fifteen (almost 16) year old Hannah is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in this small, close-knit community. Protected, sheltered and exceedingly rich, but not your typical rich girl. In fact, she’s often targeted by the mean girls, instead of one of them.

And one evening, she catches the attention of super-sports-hottie (and exceedingly popular), 18 year old Josh, when he sees her being ostracized by said mean-girl group. So he walks up to her, kisses her passionately (to make the other girls jealous) and stalks off with her. And while it was supposed to be a “kiss” for appearance-sake, there’s that undeniable spark. Until he realizes she’s only 15. She insists 16!!!

“Sixteen won’t even be old enough, Hannah. That’s still too young for what I want…”

An he walks away and insists she keep away from him.

1.) ‘Cause of the age difference. While some 16/18 year old couples *should* be fine, nobody would ever accept innocent Hannah with Josh. Why?

2.) ‘Cause she’s from the right side of the tracks. And he is SO from the bad side. In fact, he’s tainted by his father’s criminal misdeeds. He just knows everyone has an eye on him, waiting for him to follow in his father’s footsteps.

But the relationship, for lack of a better word, between his family and hers was contentious at best and hostile at worst. And he figured Hannah didn’t have a clue that any of it was going on.

But she keeps trying… and he keeps resisting.

“Do us both a favor and remember that the next time you come looking for me. Repeat it to yourself if it helps. I’m dead serious, Hannah. You may feel grown-up, you may even know what you want, but the state of Texas doesn’t agree with you.”

YESSSSS for me!!!! I love that! But when he sees other guys around her… oh yes. That primal intensity, his need to claim her as his, overrides his logical side. And I loved that, too!

There was no question that he was pissed, even though he seemed to be trying to control it. The facial scar that always gave him an air of menace stood out more prominently than usual as his face filled with heat.

Not a word was spoken, but Hannah could almost feel the cold sweat break out on Steven. Josh never moved a step, never said a word, just stood and silently waited, his hostility more than apparent.

Steven received the silent message, and stood up with haste and left the room.

Ohhhh that’ll get me EVERY time. That intense connection that is acted upon at first and then, when logic sets in, someone (like 18!!! year old Josh) says… No. We mustn’t. Not yet.

Good, right? But everything about his demeanor is claiming her, no matter what he says.

His expression visibly softened, and even though she should be upset by his display of ownership, she wasn’t. Her insides were like marshmallows, and since she couldn’t date him, touch him, or even talk to him, this was the only source of communication she had with him. His display of jealousy was like a balm washing through her.

*thud*

YES YES YES!!!!! Sorry… *dusts myself off* … ooooooh re-reading those scenes (and I have so many of ’em highlighted) really, reallllllly gets me.

Er… whaaaatt? eek What I meant to say was… if I were her, I’d be all, “Nooooo I’m way too young. I must play the fields, and kiss other boys, focus on school, friends and extra curricular activities. I can’t have already met my soul mate at 15. That’s impossible.” *hrmph*<—- that’s logical-me. What’d I tell ya? Buzz-kill right?

But I get them. It’s typical of teens to think this (I mean teen-age love can seem like true love. Darn those intense connections and hormones at that age!!)

Ahhhh who am I kidding? When Josh couldn’t help but stare down her perfectly innocent nerdy-boy study partner until he left the library… I cringed… giggled and yes. I melted. rolleyes

But these primal “mine” demands are just not… acceptable. confused Right? *smirk* (No but for real. In real life I’d be all…. GAH. RUN!!!!!). Yep… if she were my friend, that would be my adamant advice. But if she were me…? 😉

Sure he’s the most obnoxiously possessive guy I’ve ever read apart from a vampire or alpha-shifter. But this is TRUE LOVE (er… just go with it. It helps). This is the romance-read so many of us crave. The kind that makes us simultaneously roll our eyes and yet melt into a puddle, ’cause we just can’t help ourselves. ‘Cause it’s OH soooooooo sweet and sooooooooooooooo intense. I can’t stress the hero’s intensity enough. He was Travis intense. Remy intense. Cooper intense. His own kind of intense. His own kind of damaged. He’s powerful, good at everything, has a true heart of gold. He’s the ultimate protective alpha-male. And yet his insecurities are so overwhelming, now that his heart is engaged, that he is constantly on the verge of destruction. Self and otherwise.

It gets messy.

This is another “Maryse feels the need to warn you” book. You don’t like that kind of overly-possessive, ridiculously controlling book-guy? This is not for you. You DO like that kind of book-boyfriend (even if it’s “secretly”). Than YA’ish or not… this is SO for you.

No… this is not a lesson in the perfect romance.  The perfect guy. The perfect couple.

But it’s a love story nonetheless. One that had me focused on every one of his scenes like an alpha-fiend. 😉

4.5 stars for how intensely I felt so many of the scenes. Him. His character absolutely fulfilled my “intense-alpha” need. His ways (and reactions) were not just “told”. They were felt. And I sure felt ’em.

3.5 stars for the story as a whole (because, even though I was affected, I was also often irritated. They are super-young after all and that young-feel didn’t let up). The angst was over-the-top and at times, predictable, the decisions and reactions went from silly to scary, and even though I tried to stifle my “Miss Logical”, she was there front row and center for this one, and didn’t love it as much as my “quick-to-love” heart did. So that’s her rating.

Not my perfect read, but it absolutely satiated my alpha-need. Maybe not one that I’d easily recommend to just everyone, but if you’re in the mood for that over-the-top alpha and are having that “bad-for-you love” read-need, then… this. Oh yes.

Yah I won’t be forgetting Josh anytime soon. That’s for sure. *fans self* Great job on him, author!! And I loved that there was SO MUCH of him. 😀 But after all that, I’m glad to be back in reality and am looking to go hang out with some level-headed adults, right now. 😉 And maybe an Dom or two. Tee hee!!!

P.S. This is OLDER YA. It’s got it’s steam, which of course made me squirm ’cause you know me ‘n steamy situations with characters under 18. It makes me uncomfortable. *shrug*

P.P.S. Ohhhhhhhh right!!!!!! I know who this author is!!! I read one of hers a year or two back that I can’t forget (also a serious-uber-alpha) called “Under the Cowboy’s Control”. Yep!!! Here is my review of that one. They’re adults. But I totally recognize a “Lynda Chance” alpha now. Just what I love in an alpha-romance-read. And I know who to go to when I want more. YUM!

A few new e-book bargains that I couldn’t pass up…

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I couldn’t help but to compile these latest reader ebook bargain finds into a post. Two of my absolute favorites (and huge hits) are on sale right now, plus a few of these deals have me intrigued & excited!

Just consider this mini-post an “add-on” to yesterday’s awesome bargain deals! Looks like this weekend is a great one for ebook sales. 😉

NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order.

Like…

  • Exposure (East Park) by Iris Blaire <— the synopsis intrigues me. 1.) She’s a university student with an “erotic modeling” secret (so she goes by two names – Evan, and Dallas, to keep her secret). Then she models with another student hottie and… “She promises herself that she can just be friends with Dallas. He has a girlfriend, after all. And Evan needs to focus.” eek Ruh Roh. 😉 (thanks Aimee!!) ME ME ME!!! I wanna try this one! 😀
  • Seduce (Beautiful Rose) by Missy Johnson <— thanks Lori! “Things become complicated when he learns there are good reasons as to why he should stay the hell away from her.”
  • Smash Into You by Shelly Crane <—  Oh yah! This one sounds intense and like it’s got a scary twist to it!
  • Just Human by Kerry Heavens <— (thanks Kat!) “Twelve years on, they have made a good job of pretending, they may have almost forgotten. But when they get in touch via Facebook, it seems that it is all still there. They quickly find that they are intensely compatible in ways they hadn’t even begun to explore before they were forced apart.” – ohhh I wonder what it is!? What!?? What tears them apart??
  • Trust Me (TAT: A Rocker Romance) by Melanie Walker <— Lori warns: “this one is dark too, just a warning – you might ugly cry” I LOVE ugly-crying! (as long as my husband is tucked away in another room, that is. 😉 )
  • Rocky (Tales of the Were) by Bianca D’arc <— sexy werewolf book. Looks good, too!
  • No Reverse by Marion Croslydon <– (thanks Jami!) and looks angsty (and seems a little different…). Teen pregnancy, shot-gun wedding… no more baby and they go their separate ways. Then years later, she gets the divorce papers… I wanna try this one, too!
  • The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel by Katja Millay <— one of my forever-favorites (check out my review).
  • Ten Tiny Breaths: A Novel by K.A. Tucker <—  took me on a heck-of-a-ride! (check out my review).

 Let me know if you’ve read any of ’em. I’m going to “taste-test” a few right now. 🙂

       

Chloe Cox – Club Volare Series Reading Order

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After finding out about the latest super book-deal “Savage Rhythm” (the rock star/Dom book that was just released), I just had to investigate what series it belonged to. And come to find out, I already have book #1. This series looks like steamy alpha male D/s fun!

It’s another one of those BDSM “club” series and I really like those! A sneak peek into the forbidden to you (unless you’re invited in…) and a little scary (unless you’re daring). And then you get to experience that unattainable gorgeous Master that fixates on… her (or you if you become “one” with the heroine).

These books let you “play” without the pain. Or consequences. I love my book-life! 😉 Except that I always miss the “Master” when I’m done. *sigh*

Now we’re curious if these can be read as stand-alones, or if it’s better to read ’em in order.

Kristi: Can each of the club volare books be read as a standalone or do they need to be read in order?

Maryse’s Book Blog: Yep the Club Volare books have my attention especially with the “Savage Rhythm” book. I too want to know if they can be read as standalones…

Layna: …love the sound of Savage Rhythm. Yes this is what I want to know as well.

Lori: I’ve gotten most of the Club Volare books on sale, but haven’t read them yet – they all center around the Club but can be read as standalones…

Layna: … I think you can read them as stand alones as well. Started Savage Rhythm, am LOVING it.

Nancy: I have read the first 3 and have bought Marrying the Master and Savage Rhythm. I really liked the first 2 better than #3, but overall well worth it! I will start #4 just as soon as I finished Stripped by Jasinda Wilder!

Layna: Oh Savage is BRILLIANT, am absolutely loving it.

Jenny: I have all but Savage Rhythm and woowza is what I say they are so good.

About book #1:

Stella Spencer is grateful for any job she can get after her divorce, even if it’s at her friend’s exclusive club. And Club Volare proves the perfect place to hide while she mends a shattered heart–until she interrupts an auction scene, and the powerful Sheikh Bashir al Aziz bin Said decides that Stella is the woman that he wants. Not in a million years would Stella consider selling herself to anyone, for any reason, not even as a game–but the Sheikh, all muscular six feet of him, is not a man who takes no for an answer. And when he touches her… Stella’s never felt anything like it.

At Club Volare for one last wild weekend before his family requires him to settle down, Sheikh Bashir doesn’t expect to find a woman he can trust, or a woman who challenges him. Stella Spencer is a challenge, all right: both vulnerable and guarded, beautiful and insecure, and a closet submissive. And Bashir is drawn to her in a way he can’t quite explain–only he’s convinced she’s hiding something, and Bashir has reasons for not trusting the women in his life. But Stella Spencer has a hold on him like nothing he’s ever experienced, and Sheikh Bashir knows he must have her.

Stella is afraid to open her heart to love again after the way she’s been hurt, but Sheikh Bashir wants to be the Dom to show her who she truly is–and Sheikh Bashir always gets what he wants.

       

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