Dirty Trick (Perfectly Matched #1) by Christine Bell

Publication: September 23, 2013

Publisher: Entangled: Brazen Imprint

Source: Bought/Own

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint... This matchmaker's about to meet her match... Grace Love is lousy with men. She can spot a match for someone else a mile away, and her balls-on instincts are why her matchmaking business is thriving, but finding her own Prince Charming? The only guy who makes her sixth sense tingle is her playboy best friend, Trick, and no way is she risking their friendship, no matter how hot she knows the sex will be. SWAT officer Trick Mathews is a patient guy, but Grace’s inability to see what’s right in front of her is grinding on his last nerve. Yeah, he blew his shot at breaking out of the friend zone when he tamped down the urge to lick her from head to toe the day they met, but he’s got a plan that’ll change her mind. Incognito at Salem's hottest Halloween party, he’ll show her exactly how good they could be…and that he’s the man for her.

Grace and her best friend Serena run their own matchmaking business called Love Will Find a Way. Their business is on the verge of becoming something great and to make sure it really takes off, they plan to attend the biggest Halloween party in town to gain more clientele. Enter her other best friend and neighbor Trick, who offers to be her plus one at the party. Grace politely declines and instead her and Serena attend together without dates.

Trick, a Police Officer who is on the SWAT Team has known Grace for at least a year. He’s tall, charming, and extremely sexy. And he just so happens to have a reputation for being a little bit of a ladies man. Even though Grace finds herself attracted to Trick, she believes things will only end in heartbreak for her if they pursue a relationship. So she is content with being just friends. Trick, however wants more than friendship. And in an effort to make Grace see the light, he gets an idea to go to the party anyways disguised as a “Catman”.  His plan is to basically hit it off with her at the party disguised, in hopes that she will see how good they would be together if she just gave him a chance. Needless to say, everything does not go as planned.

Dirty Trick was a fun story to read over the weekend. The beginning started out really nice and the characters were easy to like and get into. And I really liked how I got the POV’s from both Grace and Trick. It was sweet, sexy, and short. Though to me, the story seemed to drag a little towards the end and it could have been shorter. It felt like there was a lot of internal debate going on between these two and I just wished they would have talked that much about their feelings to each other instead of themselves. Having said that, it was still a good story and I enjoyed the ending.

RATING: 3  out of 5

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The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy

Publication: September 2, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Source: Publisher

An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world. Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property. Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.

I began reading The Winter People without much expectation except for an interesting story. That is exactly what it was...interesting and unique. I don’t believe I have ever read a story quite like this one.

Years ago, when Salome was a little girl, she had a tragic accident and almost died in a frozen lake but was miraculously saved. Fast forward seventeen years later and not only is Salome afraid of winter, but she also keeps hearing voices. Sometimes there is a voice that is speaking directly to her. That would make anyone feeling as if they were going crazy, and Salome is no exception.

There is a mysterious boy named Nevin that Salome meets one day. She begins to feels a connection develop between them, but Salome has an additional two love interests in this story, Colton and Gareth. I wasn’t a big fan of the love triangle. It was okay. It seemed to work well enough in the story; I just don’t always like them.

Salome’s grandmother could have been more upfront with her about what was really going on. I know there was a reason for everything, but still.

The Winter People is filled with Fae, magic, romance, secrets, and mystery. It was a fun and original story to discover and get into. And it definitely got me in the mood for all things winter. Especially with all of this crazy humid heat we have going on in California.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

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Down for the Count (Dare Me #1) by Christine Bell

Publication: October 1, 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Brazen)

Truth or dare… When Lacey Garrity finds her groom in flagrante delicto in the reception hall closet with her bridesmaid, she's saved by her best friend’s older brother—childhood tormentor, crush, and boxing bad boy Galen Thomas. Galen’s solution is both exciting and dangerous. What better way to forget the mess of her life than go on her honeymoon with a hot guy who can’t promise anything beyond today? …or TKO? Galen had been counting on Lacey's wedding to put her out of reach—and out of his mind—once and for all, but their steamy Puerto Rican escape is testing all his boundaries. Now that Lacey’s embracing her inner bad girl, Galen is tempted to throw in the towel and claim her for himself. But with the biggest fight of his career on the line and an important business merger threatening to derail Lacey’s resolve, their romance might be down for the count before it even begins.

Down for the Count was just the romantic pick me up that I was looking for. It was a cute, funny, quick, and steamy afternoon read.

I liked how Galen stuck with Lucy after her douche of a husband Marty, shattered her love and faith in him by sleeping with her close friend on their actual wedding day. He could’ve easily pawned her off on Cat, his sister and Lucy’s bestie, but he didn’t.

He ends up daring Lucy to go on the honeymoon she should’ve been on with Marty. She accepts the dare and her and Galen go together. Lucy learns to let go and come out of her shell more.

That is when they really begin to learn more about each other and start to realize that there are some feelings hiding beneath the surface.

It could’ve been just me, but when Galen kept calling Lucy squirt, I kept thinking really? She is not some 10 year old kid with pig tails, she is an adult. A woman. Even after you have sex with someone why would you still call them squirt? I thought that took some of the romantic love I was feeling for these two down a peg or two. 

That was my only complaint with the story. Other than that, I had a good time reading it. Lucy and Galen made such a cute couple. The writing was solid and the characters were just the way I like them..real and easily connectable. If you are looking for a sweet romantic quickie, I would definitely recommend giving Down for the Count a shot.

RATING: 3½-4 out of 5.

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A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

Publication: Entangled Teen

Publisher: August 6, 2013

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea. One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility. With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

 

I loved My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. And when I sat down to read A Tale of Two Centuries, I was super excited to find out what was on the agenda for Less and Cat.

Sometimes I find when reading a series; the second book is not always as good as the first book. At least for me it’s that way. But it’s not the case with this one.  I really don’t know what to say except that I loved it. And the story is just as good if not better than the first. Though I think I am more partial to the first book still.

ATOTC takes place two years after Cat’s 16^th century trip. Cat has more a story in this book as she is the main voice. Alessandra (Less) is beginning to feel like she wants more from life and she misses her cousin Cat a lot.  After having her heart broken by a boy, Less encounters the Gypsy and makes her an offer. Perfect timing. Just like magic, Less is transported to Cat’s home.

Cat tries to help Less acclimate to her new 21^st century surroundings as best as she can. But it isn’t until Less meets Austin, the typical high school bad boy, that things really become fun. Of course things aren’t always smooth sailing. Austin is intrigued by Less and he also pushes her buttons on numerous occasions. But in the end, I think they are perfect for each other.

“I have never-never-held myself with anything other than complete decorum, public or otherwise, yet spending less than five minutes in Austin Michaels’s presence has led to complete and utter depravity.”

-Rachel Harris (Arc copy of ATOTC)

Rachel Harris did an awesome job of writing the story and further developing the characters. I got to see different sides of Cat and Less this time around. It was nice to see Less be more open to taking adventures and exploring the possibility of love. I was also happy to see Cat get more opportunities to pursue her dreams and have her spend more time with Lucas.

A Tale of Two Centuries was a fun, light and entertaining story to read. It was just what I needed to put me in a great mood. And even though time traveling really isn’t my thing, I don’t mind it one bit in this story. Even though this book might lean more on the younger side of the young adult spectrum, anyone who enjoys young adult fiction reads with time travel, romance, and a little fantasy will like this.

Rating 4½ out of 5.

**I received this book on behalf of the Author/Publisher in exchange for nothing but my own opinion.**

 

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Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein

Synopsis:

What if the last place you should fall in love is the first place that you do?
You’d think getting sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp for a month-long rehabilitation “retreat” and being forced to re-live it in this journal would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
You’d be wrong.
There’s the reason I was sent to Turning Pines in the first place: I got arrested. On prom night. With my two best friends, who I haven’t talked to since and probably never will again. And then there’s the real reason I was sent here. The thing I can’t talk about with the guy I can’t even think about.
What if the moment you’ve closed yourself off is the moment you start to break open?
But there’s this guy here. Ben. And the more I swear he won’t—he can’t—the deeper under my skin he’s getting. After the thing that happened, I promised I’d never fall for another boy’s lies.
And yet I can’t help but wonder…what if?

*****************************************************


Dear Cassie is Lisa Burstein’s follow-up/companion novel to Pretty Amy.
After the whole prom night incident Cassie ends up getting arrested. She is given a choice to either go to jail or to a rehabilitation camp. Rehabilitation it is. She learns the hard way that there are consequences and that every action as a reaction.

I liked Cassie. She has a tough exterior, but inside she is completely different. Her big bad attitude is just a way to keep people at bay. Inside she is scared, lonely, and filled with guilt over the choices she has made.
She is given a journal at Turning Pines that she must write in daily. And it is through the journal that I was able to see the pieces of her past more clearly and discover what is really tormenting Cassie.

Cassie meets Ben at the camp even though he is intrigued by her, she could not care less about him. The way she blows him off only makes him all the more curious and he does not give up so easily. Being burned before I could totally understand why Cassie is not interested at first in Ben. It is so hard learning how to trust someone again. Especially when she is also hiding a secret of her own.

Dear Cassie is an emotional story about a girl who is scared, confused, and unsure of the right choice to make. I think that Cassie being sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp helped her to work through some of her problems, learn to forgive herself, and grow. I would recommend this book to fans of Realistic Fiction/YA Contemporary.



Rating 4 out of 5.


** I received this book courtesy of Entangled Publishing / Entangled Teen in exchange for nothing but my honest review. Thank you**

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Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss

Synopsis:

Seattle hairstylist Violet Murphy always knew the day would come when her best friend Gabe Parker would want to settle down. She’d secretly wished it would be with her, but now that he’s chosen someone else—the prim, perfect Alicia—he wants Vi to be his best man.

Healing her broken heart isn’t easy, but when Violet meets Landon Harlow, a man who isn’t fazed by her funky style and less-than-delicate attitude, she takes a step in the right direction. Until Gabe’s fiancé’s gorgeous façade begins to crack, and Violet’s disturbing past comes back to haunt her, that is. Vi now finds herself armed with a series of lies that would break Gabe’s heart—and his engagement—if he knew their truth, and a secret from their childhood that could change everything.

*******************************************************

Violet and Gabe have been best friends since they were six years old. As they got older, Violet’s feelings for Gabe started to grow. Unfortunately for Violet, they are not together. One day Violet decides to make her intentions known to Gabe; however Gabe has other things planned for that evening. Like announcing to his family that he is engaged to Alicia, the woman he has been seeing for the past four months.

Heartbroken and inconsolable, her friends/roommates Betsy and Kim convince her that she needs to move on with her life and forget about Gabe. Enter Landon Harlow. A gorgeous guy with a killer smile who just happens to be her type.

Landon turns out to be a great guy and Vi is practically swept off her feet. But as they begin a relationship, Vi needs to figure out if Landon can really help her get over her childhood crush for good or if she should risk it all and tell Gabe her true feelings.

What I liked:

Each chapter begins with a part of Vi’s past journals from when she was in high school. That added more to the story and helped to understand Violet’s character better as well as the big secret she was keeping.

I loved Violet. She is a feisty and strong character. She is stronger than she believes she is. And her fashion style is as cool and funky as her personality.

Even though Violet is in a relationship with Landon and not with Gabe, I sort of felt like she was leading Landon on. She isn’t being completely honest and is still harboring feelings for Gabe. And at times her and Gabe’s relationship was a little inappropriate for them being just friends.

Final thoughts:

Before I began reading this book, I was expecting a light-hearted read with a similar plot/ storyline as the movie “Made of Honor” with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan. Instead what I got was something with more depth and a lot more entertainment than I was expecting. Keeping Secrets in Seattle is a cute, funny, and a bit of an emotional read. There was a moment or two when I cried a little. I liked it more than I thought I would. 

Rating: 3 ½ - 4 out of 5.

** I received this book from Entangled Publishing in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you!** 

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Cover & Trailer Reveal - Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout!!

I have a treat for all of those Daemon and Katy fans out there who are hooked on the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout! Check out the new sexy cover for the latest book Opal and watch the official trailer below. Isn't Daemon dreamy?? *Sighs* Oh and don't forget to mark your calendar, add Opal on Goodreads, and pre-order this baby because on December 18th 2012 Opal releases in both print and digital forms!!!

From Goodreads:

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

                                    ***********************************************

Opal (The third book in the Lux Series)
Available in both print and digital version on December 18, 2012
Amazon
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                                                                    Official Opal Book Trailer!! 

                     

  USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

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Official Website 
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Sugar Rush by Rachel Astor

Sugar Rush follows Dulcie Carter who runs Candy Land Confections, her family’s homemade candy store.  When her mother passed away, Dulcie was left to run the business on her own. Dulcie leads a very busy life and doesn't have time to date; nor does she want to date just a string of random guys. She wants to be with someone who is worth her time.

While she is out with her friend Lila, Dulcie becomes instantly drawn to one of the band members playing the bass guitar. He happens to spot Lila sitting at a table and can’t stop looking at her. The guitar player is Nick whose family owns the store How Sweet It Is, Candy Land Confections major competition. After the set, Nick approaches Dulcie and they share an awkward if not cute and nervous conversation. And then…

They sat for a few seconds, bathing in the tension, moving another inch closer, when he spotted something, his eyes flickering over her chair, then widening. The logo on her jacket. No. “Candy Land Confections? That’s your family business?” he asked, leaning back, his voice higher than he would have liked. “Uh, yeah, sort of,” she said, shifting in her seat. “Why?” No. It couldn’t be. The first time in forever he found someone he actually felt something for and her family was Candy Land? He cleared his throat. “You guys have great caramel-filled macaroons.” He leaned as far back in his chair as possible… as far away from her as possible. “Thanks,” she said, and smiled. Damn, she had a great smile. He had no idea what to do, so of course he did the exact wrong thing. “Not as good as ours, mind you,” he said.

Her eyebrows crinkled in a maddeningly cute way as she struggled to understand, and then… it hit her. Only one other place in town even made similar caramel-filled macaroons. Her mouth opened. “Oh my God,” she said, panic finding a home on her face, and she almost threw herself backward off her stool. Nick was already putting his coat on. “Seriously?” she said, sounding defensive. “You think your macaroons hold a candle to ours? You must be delusional.” He snorted. “Yeah, as delusional as the thousand customers who come in,” he said, leaning toward her again, “every day.” He regretted the words the moment they came out, but there was no taking them back.

-Rachel Astor, Sugar Rush

Now home after college Nick is working at How Sweet It Is. His father is set to retire soon and he is determined to make his father proud and show him that he is the perfect one to take over the company. He loves to put his creative energy to good use which is one of the reasons he plays in a band. He doesn’t get the opportunity to do anything creative at his work since all the sweets are made from an automatic machine. When he spots the invitation for the annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition, thinking it is the perfect chance he has been waiting for, he convinces his father to let him enter.

Apart from Dulcie running her own business she is also finishing up her Master’s degree in Business Administration. But going to school and running a business takes up a huge chunk of her time and money. Money that she is running out of if she can’t bring in more business. Even though she is hesitant at first to enter the Chocolatier competition due to her embarrassment about failing the it previously, she decides to enter in hopes of winning the prize of $50,000. That would definitely help out with all of the bills that keep piling up.

They each have their own reasons for winning; Nick to prove himself to his father and Dulcie to save her shop and keep it afloat. But during the competition the more time they spend around each other the more sparks continue to fly. Soon they have to decide which is more important; a potential shot at love or winning first place?

Sugar Rush is a short and sweet read. The romance between Dulcie and Nick is adorable. They are a little awkward with each other which I thought was cute. It made them seem a little more real. I wasn't a huge fan of the instant draw between them, but it was fun seeing these two interact with each other. It’s a good choice if you are in the mood for a light romance with lots of talk about chocolate. Just be prepared to feel like indulging in your sweet tooth by the time you are done reading. 

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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** I received this ARC from Entangled Publishing/Bliss in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you.** 

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