Tag Archives: Contemporary Romance

Review: The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen ~The Ivy Years Series

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The Year We Fell Down

 

Synopsis

The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else.

What now?

She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.

Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.

Also, he’s taken.

Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.

They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.

But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.

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6 Star Read

Top Pick

Michel’s Review

While I was on a one-click fury, I came across this book in the buying recommendations. The synopsis had me intrigued. One – it was about hockey players, which I am a real sucker for. Two – it is a new adult romance, which I love because of all the angst. And three – it had a different type of plot, and I love originality. How could I not one click this book? The funny thing is, the one book I was originally shopping for has not been touched. I had to read this one immediately.

The Year We Fell Down was fantastic! This book had me tingling all over. I loved every aspect of this book. It was well written, had an original plot, the main characters were exceptional, the secondary characters were just as charismatic, intensely romantic storyline, the right amount of turmoil and a love triangle that was explosive.

Corey was one of the most amazing heroines I have ever read. She was an athlete, a top ranked hockey player, with a bright future and scholarship on the horizon until she has an accident on the ice that forever changed her life. Now she is starting her freshman year in a wheelchair. She is still learning to deal with her physical limitations. She is not only adjusting to her physical condition but also her mental condition. Her hopes and dreams were severed when her accident resulted in a spinal injury. Rather than dwelling on what might have been, she is moving forward with a determination and positive outlook. She is discovering things about herself she never knew existed. She is learning to manage her new life. She is still a fighter at heart, a competitive soul, and a winner.

Moving into a dorm that accommodates students with special needs was not what she had planned on. Fate or destiny has other plans. She meets Adam Hartley, a star hockey player, that was placed in the same dorm because of his broken leg. Adam is the hottest guy she has laid eyes on. He’s upbeat, friendly and very taken. He is dating every guys dream girl. She’s rich, gorgeous, has the perfect body and has legs that work. Something that Corey will never be able to compete with.

As luck would have it, Hartley’s girlfriend is doing a semester in France. During her absence these two people form a strong friendship and bond. They share their love for hockey, their athletic attitudes, their down to earth attitudes and some of their hidden secrets. Once his girlfriend returns from France, Hartley will have to make some choices and figure out what is right for him. He will also have to deal with his deepest dark secret before he can truly love either woman.

This is a moving and emotional story. The reader gets a very real insight on what it means to have a handicap. Not only are there physical limitations, but also mental hurdles one has to overcome. The bond of friendship and respect is an unbreakable foundation in a relationship. When it comes right down to it, physical and sexual attraction are not enough to hold a relationship together forever. It is what is inside the heart and soul that will make it last.

Sarina Bowen wrote a compelling romance that will stay in the reader’s heart long after the book is closed. I am looking forward to the next book in the Ivy Years series. The Year We Hid Away will be out on June 1, 2014. I highly recommend this series. It will not disappoint.

Author’s Bio

Sarina BowenSarina Bowen writes steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.

The Year We Fell Down, Book #1 in The Ivy Years series, began breaking hearts in March 2014. Book #2, The Year We Hid Away, is brand new.

For Harlequin-E, Sarina writes the Gravity series. Coming in From the Cold features an angsty downhill ski racer and one of the most unique plot conflicts in contemporary romance today.

Sarina enjoys skiing, coffee products and a nice glass of wine. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.

She would be honored to connect with you at http://www.sarinabowen.com.

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Unbeloved by Madeline Sheehan- Undeniable Series #4~ Review

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Unbeloved

Synopsis

Warning: This is not a conventional or predictable love story. It involves one woman and two men bound by a love so destructive it spans two decades, pitting brother against brother, and shattering the lives of those touched by it.

 

Dorothy Kelley is a born romantic, searching for her prince. Instead she finds herself pregnant at fifteen, and a in a loveless marriage by the tender age of eighteen. Then hope comes riding into her life on a motorcycle and within weeks, Jason “Jase” Brady, a member of the Hell’s Horsemen motorcycle club, sweeps Dorothy off her feet.

 

But nothing is ever simple for Dorothy. Jase is married with children. And as Dorothy patiently waits for Jase to give her the happily-ever-after she’s been dreaming about, James “Hawk” Young, a member of the Hell’s Horsemen with secrets of his own, sees an opening into Dorothy’s life and takes it. What follows is a long and painful journey of self-discovery and forgiveness, as Dorothy comes to realize that home was exactly where she’d left it, and the love she’d forever craved had always been within her reach.

 

This is the story of Dorothy, Jase, and Hawk.

 

We are all born pure; it is our journey that burdens us and leads us astray. Our mistakes that beat us down and cover us in guilt and shame, burying us a little more with each passing hardship. It is up to us to dig ourselves out, to come to terms with our faults, to embrace not only our imperfections but those of the ones we love, and to once again find the path we strayed from.

 

Praise for the UnDeniable Series:

“I have never been so beautifully uncomfortable than when reading the Undeniable Series. I didn’t just feel while reading them. Madeline Sheehan set every single emotion within me on fire with a blowtorch.”

—S.L. Jennings, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author

 

“In an untouchable league of her own, Madeline Sheehan has created a riveting tale of ugly, forbidden love turned beautifully right. Heartbreak, grief, and finding strength and healing through family is the foundation of this emotional saga. A single breathing entity working in tandem against the cruelty that is their world, every character in the Undeniable Series will become a piece of you, embedding themselves into your thoughts for years to come.”

—Gail McHugh, New York Times best-selling author

Buy Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

5 Star ReadMichel’s Review

The Undeniable series by Madeline Sheehan is one of my all time favorite series. Her portrayal of what being a member of The Hells Horsemen is brutally honest. These men play hard, love fiercely, and protect what is theirs. It is not a matter of black and white, right or wrong, or good and bad. It is real life, the life they chose to make for themselves. They honor that life, honor their brothers, and give their all to the club. Their women are just as tough and charismatic. They have chosen men that are not easy to love and will not always put them first. But they know beneath all of that hardness lies a heart that is dedicated to them and their children.

Madeline Sheehan writes a story that portrays what real life is about. This series is full of honest emotions, coping with choices, moving forward in life no matter what direction it is heading. She is not afraid of time, she allows her characters to age in a realistic manner, she allows sickness and death to touch their world, she shows the hardships of raising families, and she shows the heartaches that come along with life whether it be through mates or friends. On the other hand she shows the beauty life has to give us all. Finding the one person you can give your heart to, raising your children to become strong adults, sharing lifetime friendships, and living life to the fullest. I have to commend Madeline Sheehan. She has created a world in which every reader can relate to. It is not the world of the Hells Horsemen, it is the world where “real” life and very “real” characters.

Unbeloved is not a stand alone novel. The events leading up to this book have played out in every book prior to this book. It would short change the reader to start this series with this book. Relationships have been formed and some have been irrevocably damaged. Friendships have been cemented. Families have been formed. The path the three main characters is on has reached the final crossroads that will take their lives in new directions. It is a path that they need to chose wisely and with care. It is not only their lives that have been affected by their prior choices.

Dorothy Kelley was not always a club whore. She was not always a homewrecker and mistress. She was once a young woman with Cinderella dreams. Her choices and hunger for love have lead her life down a road she would never imagined taking. She loved a married man for years. The cost of that love was high. She lost her self respect, raised her only child in an environment that caused bitterness within that childs heart, and almost paid for her mistakes with her life. One man watched her destroy herself and loved her regardless. He was willing to wait for her to see all that he could give her, his heart. The other man loved her with passion, but not enough to give her an honest life and respect. Because of his selfishness she is now separated from the only family she has known, the Hells Horsemen. The family she walked away from after she almost lost her life and her child.

Dorothy has been summoned home. The club is in danger and Deuce wants all the members home so that he can protect his family. One man will bring her home. One man will give her his heart. One man will face the truth. One man will sacrifice for his family, the other will let go for his family. But at the end of it all, Dorothy will find out the true meaning of love. She will find self respect and be respected by others. She will find that she is valued by all those who love her. She will become the woman she was always meant to be.

Madeline Sheehan wrote an emotional story of one woman’s journey in life. She did a spectacular job. She made Dorothy the kind of woman we all want to be.

Author Bio

madelinesheehanpicUSA Today Bestseller, Madeline Sheehan, is the author of the Holy Trinity Trilogy and the Undeniable Series. Homegrown in Buffalo, New York, Madeline resides there with her husband and son.

 

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Sharing You by Molly McAdams~Book #3 Sharing You Series~Review

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Sharing You

 

Synopsis

Sensational New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams breaks bounds with this emotionally wrenching, heartbreakingly real New Adult novel of love, passion, guilt, honor, and infidelity.

Twenty-three year old Kamryn Cunningham has left behind a privileged, turbulent past for the anonymity of small-town life. Busy with her new bakery, she isn’t interested in hook-ups or fix-ups. Then she meets the very sexy, very married Brody. Though she can’t deny the pull between them, Kamryn isn’t a cheater and she’s not good at sharing.

Twenty-six year old Brody Saco may be married, but he isn’t happy. When his girlfriend got pregnant six years ago, he did the right thing . . . and he’s been paying for it ever since. Now, his marriage is nothing but a trap filled with hate, manipulation, and blame—the remnants of a tragedy that happened five years earlier. While he’s never broken his vows, he can’t stop the flood of emotion that meeting Kamryn unlocks.

Brought together by an intense heat that is impossible to resist, Brody and Kamryn share stolen moments and nights that end too soon. But is their love strong enough to bear the weight of Kamryn’s guilt? And is Brody strong enough to confront the pain of the past and finally break free of his conniving wife?

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

4 star readMichel’s Review

Sharing You by Molly McAdams is part of the Sharing You series. This series is based off the friendship three young men formed in the Army. This is the story of their lives after they have finished serving. Each book is a novella featuring a different couple. Each book can be read as a stand alone.

Sharing You is going to evoke many different reactions from readers. It is a controversial book that may offend some people. With that said, I want to emphasize that this book is very well written. The story flows beautifully. The characters are very real and capture the reader’s attention. The reader can feel their emotions, good and bad. Their heartache is very real and makes the reader ache right along with them. Molly McAdams knows how to write a highly emotional story that will bring tears to your eyes. Although the subject matter was one of my “ick” factors I found I could not put this book down. After reading the first two novella’s in this series I wanted to see where Brody Saco’s life was heading. I understood how he had to step out of his value system to grasp the one chance of happiness. He tried to do everything right, follow the rules, follow his conscience, but sometimes it is the heart that must be followed.

Brody has finally found his piece of happiness in life. This happiness may destroy him and Kamryn in the process.

I can’t say any more without giving away too many spoilers. I will say that although this book is not your perfect romance and touches on some very hard lines, I think most reader’s will understand where the author was coming from and why she had to allow these characters to experience this life. I know we all know that sometimes there are “exceptions” to the rules. I commend Molly McAdams for being brave enough to write this story.

Author’s Bio

molly mcadamsMolly McAdams grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband and furry daughter. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach, which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. When she’s not at work, she can be found hiding out in her bedroom surrounded by her laptop, cell, Kindle and fighting over the TV remote. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies, fried pickles and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm…or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.

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Infinity + One by Amy Harmon 5-Star Review

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Infinity

When two unlikely allies become two unwitting outlaws, will two unforgettable lovers defy unbeatable odds?

Bonnie Rae Shelby is a superstar. She’s rich. She’s beautiful. She’s impossibly famous. And Bonnie Rae Shelby wants to die.

Finn Clyde is a nobody. He’s broken. He’s brilliant. He’s impossibly cynical. And all he wants is a chance at life.

One girl. One boy. An act of compassion. A bizarre set of circumstances. And a choice – turn your head and walk away, or reach out your hand and risk it all?

With that choice, the clock starts ticking on a man with a past and a girl who can’t face the future, counting down the seconds in an adventure riddled with heartbreak and humor, misunderstanding and revelation. With the world against them, two very different people take a journey that will not only change their lives, but may cost them their lives as well.

Infinity + One is a tale of shooting stars and fame and fortune, of gilded cages and iron bars, of finding a friend behind a stranger’s face, and discovering love in the oddest of places.

Buy Links

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

5 Star Read

Michel’s Review

Infinity + One is a book you cannot miss. Do not leave it on your to be read list, read it today.

Amy Harmon has penned a captivating book with a fresh plot and multi dimensional characters. Their story is heartbreaking, misunderstood, hopeful, rejuvenating, and in the end Bonnie and Clyde find their happily ever after. Their journey will take the readers on an adventure of a lifetime. We will learn about how resilent the human spirit can be when everything seems to be all wrong. We learn about all the possibilities life can offer if we are brave enough to embrace them. We learn that although life can seem chaotic at times, there really is true order in the universe. We learn that numbers never lie and music soothes the soul.

Our modern day Bonnie and Clyde are not like their namesakes. They are not leaving a legacy of destruction, violence, and crime. They are making a legacy of their own. A legacy based on compassion, understanding, honesty, and the true meaning of love. The only thing our modern day Bonnie and Clyde have in common with their namesakes is their dedication and love for one another.

Two unlikely people will find each other in a moment of despair. They will find that even though their lives are vastly different, they have more in common than what is on the surface. They will form a friendship that is based on their true hearts. They will touch lives and be touched by others. They will finally learn to live and love with a true heart.

Their journey will have you weeping and laughing. As their relationship grows throughout the journey you will be rejoicing. They are finding their inner peace. They have found each other, their true soul mate. This journey will be a once in a lifetime proclamation. At the same time, that sense of dread will increasingly grow. The outside world is against them. They are out to destroy their sense of peace and happiness. Between the media, police, family, and past histories there is no escape for this love struck couple. It looks like they may face the same demise as the original Bonnie and Clyde.

Amy Harmon blended so many elements into this story. She brought the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow into a new light that most of us have not heard. She used numbers to make the world of modern Bonnie and Clyde make sense. She used music to soothe their souls. She used genetics to make the reader understand the bonding of twins. She didn’t add fluff and rainbows. She portrayed a story that was very real in today’s world.

I highly recommend Infinitey + One. It is an emotional journey that will have you believing in the power of love.

Author Bio:

Amy HarmonAmy Harmon is a USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in several countries, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.

Amy Harmon has written five novels – the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue.

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