Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Book Review: Love Comes Calling

Love Comes CallingAuthor: Siri Mitchell
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Bethany House


Dreaming of becoming an actress, Boston socialite Ellis Eaton captures Griff Phillips' attention. But while filling in for a look-alike friend at the telephone exchange, she overhears a call that threatens Griff's safety. With handsome policeman Jack Flanigan investigating - and her heart in a muddle - will she discover what might be the role of a lifetime?




Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.

I wouldn’t come back to Radcliffe because I wouldn’t be in Boston. Next fall, I planned to be in Hollywood.


Oysters and clambakes! It must be time for supper.


This book was a great way to end a fabulous reading month. I have been a fan of Siri Mitchell for quite some time now, and this book only adds to my infatuation. Ellis Eton is a wonderful female lead with her ambition and charisma, but in this story we find out that her dreams might be bigger than the ones her family has for her. She is tired of being a constant disappointment to them and others around her, as she quickly learns that what they want might not be what she wants. Ellis lands a job as a telephone operator, and is glad to have the chance to branch out in the world, but when she overhears a call threatening the safety of one of her very dear friends, she knows she must get involved!

The relationship between Ellis and Griff is most endearing. The twist with the love story is that Ellis feels inadequate because she is failing college. She knows that Griff’s future is paved out in front of him, in a road made of gold, and she doesn’t want to be the reason why he fails. In other words, she thinks he deserves better. Griff, though not around very much, was a very heartwarming character and is really patient when it comes to Ellis. Their attraction was mutual, but Ellis did play hard to get a little, just because she thought it would be best for Griff.

Ellis’s character has undiagnosed ADHD in the story. I thought it was very special and unique what the author was trying to do. The story is set in the 1920’s and a lot of the issues of the times are brought up, especially issues that deal with women like out of wedlock pregnancy and drinking. The author handles all of this really well. The book is both humorous and motivating!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Bethany House in exchange for my honest review***







Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Book Review: Recklessly Royal

Recklessly Royal (Suddenly, #2)Author: Nichole Chase
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Avon
Series: Suddenly # 2


Catherine has spent her life being the perfect princess. She’s kept her hands clean, her head down, and most importantly—men at arm’s length. After all, most men are after only one thing, and for Cathy there’s a lot more at stake than her bed; she has to worry about the fate of an entire nation. But at the rate she’s going, Cathy is afraid she’ll give the Virgin Queen a run for her money. She is tired of waiting for someone good enough to come along. She has a plan, and it all hinges on seducing the one man who seems utterly unimpressed by all things royal. The one man she is tempted by more than any other . . . 

When David arrives at the royal wedding of his friend, the newly ordained Duchess Samantha Rousseau, he expected to feel uncomfortable and out of his element, but he wasn’t prepared to be targeted by Prince Alex’s gorgeous younger sister. With Cathy’s giant blue eyes, killer figure, and sense of humor, it won’t take long before he gives in. But when he finds out just how innocent the crown princess really is, will he play the part of knight in shining armor or the dashing rogue?


“It hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized that it was because he saw me, the woman, not the princess. I never thought that would happen, and the feeling was intoxicating.”

“You know, I always thought I wanted a knight in shining armor.” I broke away from his kiss and looked up at him with a smile. “But I like my dashing rogue much better.” “Angel, shiny armor just means the knight never went to battle.” He kissed my temple. “And I fight dragons for you.”


“Thinking about my love life, or rather the lack of my love life, was depressing. The chances of finding someone who would love me for me were so slim, they practically didn’t exist. What Alex had found with Sam was a miracle. I’d be lucky if I found someone who didn’t make me want to puke when I saw them.”


Nichole Chase has a great thing going here; this series has been so delightful so far and I am excited to see what else it brings! This story picks up when the first book, Suddenly Royal, left off. While the new princess, Samantha “Sam” Rousseau, is off on a honeymoon with her new groom and Catherine’s brother, Alex, Catherine is back home doing something that she didn’t think she was ready to do: fall in love. Princess Catherine has always strived to be the ideal princess and has always vowed to never let anyone compromise that. This is until she meets her match: Dr. David Rhodes!

This is what I call a “feel good” book. I sat down and started this book one evening and didn’t sleep until I had finished reading. It is full of fun and entertainment, as was the first book in this series as well. I will say that I did enjoy Sam’s character, from the first book, better than Cathy’s. This is not to say that Cathy does not have an awesome story to share because she certainly does. This book has every bit of charm that the first one did; I just did not make the connection with Cathy the way I did with Sam.

If you are in the mood for a story about lavish royalty, then this is your next read! The world of Lilaria royalty is all that us non-royals could ever dream or imagine. And I must say that one of my favorite parts of reading these books is the chance to escape to a world that I know nothing about! Be sure to pick up these first two books and get caught up on your reading because the next book in the series comes out in August, and the cover looks to die for!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Avon in exchange for my honest review***





Monday, April 28, 2014

Book Review: The Here and Now

The Here and NowAuthor: Ann Brashares
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.



We must never, under any circumstances, develop a physically or emotionally relationship with any person outside the community.

It’s wrong, I know, but I play out this dance with him, exquisite and slow. I play it out in my head, because that is the only place it will ever happen.

Already he is the drip, drip of water that carves a canyon right through the middle of me.


“There are rules I have to follow,” I say. “I won’t survive if I break them.”


In Ann Brashares’ new book, The Here and Now, Preena and her family travel from the future, where Earth as it was once known has been depleted of most of the living inhabitations and many of its resources, back in time to 2010 to start over and live again. The only stipulation in this is that Preena, nor her family, are able to develop a relationship with any of the ‘time natives’, or present day citizens. The only problem with this situation is that when Preena and her family arrived, they were seen by a young boy named Ethan. Ethan did not meet Preena until two years later, when she joined his class at school. Ethan has never been able to forget what he witnessed that day, and he is once again reminded when he sees Preena after so long.

Ethan knows something is not right about Preena and her family, but he cannot quite put his finger on it at first. We are dropped into their story about four years after her arrival, and at this point it is evident how they both feel about one another. However, you have to keep in mind the rules that Preena must follow. Preena is of course faced with a major decision, but Ethan never comes off as pushy with her. Their relationship was very well-written, and did not include a ton of teenage angst and whining, I’m sorry but in some books it can come off that way. I really appreciated Ann’s writing style when it came to telling the story of Preena and Ethan.

Time travel has slowly become one of my favorite topics to read about. In this book I found myself falling in love with the idea of Preena’s society and the reasons they had to come back in time, but I often had questions that I felt went unanswered. It is all very intriguing and Brashares is sure to incorporate a few twists and turns that will throw you for a loop! I thought the book could have used some more depth, but it was a nice, fresh change in my reading schedule!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Random House Books for Young Readers in exchange for my honest review***






Sunday, April 27, 2014

Book Review: On The Rocks

On the Rocks: A NovelAuthor: Erin Duffy
Publication Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow


A heartwarming novel about friendship, family, and finding love in the Facebook Age-the perils, pitfalls, and dubious pleasures of being a modern young single woman-from Erin Duffy, the author of Bond Girl

Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her-on Facebook-while she was trying on dresses for the big day.

When the usual remedies-pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch-fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.

But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media-when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online-there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?


The only way the universe could screw with me in there was if it put Haagen-Dazs out of business or blew up my cable box.

As far as I’m concerned, Cinderella can suck it.

I blame Walt Disney.

Fate can be a finicky bitch.


So all has not been quiet on the home front either, and fighting wars on two fronts is never a good idea. Just ask Napoleon.

On The Rocks tells the story of Abby, a kindergarten teacher preparing for her own glorious winter wedding, who finds out over Facebook that her Prince Charming no longer wants to marry her. From this point Abby’s life falls apart, and the only person there to help her pick up the pieces is her best friend, Grace. Abby absolutely refuses to leave her apartment and eats only ice creams for months and months. This is when Grace, being the amazing friend that she is, decides to stage an intervention. She gets a great deal on a seaside cottage in Newport for the summer and she decides that she and Abby are going to spend their summer there helping her get over her ex. Grace hopes it will be a summer of second chances for Abby. Abby just wants to not think about Ben for two seconds. Will they both get what they wished for?

I read this book while visiting Charleston over a long weekend a few weeks ago, and it was the perfect beach read. It was so well-written, the characters were well-developed, and the pacing was just right. I fell immediately in love with Abby and was rooting for her the entire way through, especially when she tried to jump back on the dating scene. After all, she had been out of practice for ten years! She is a little clumsy and timid at first, but with the help of some seaside friends she and Grace make, she eventually becomes a natural. Some of these scenes were the absolute best!

As I said before, the characters were very well-developed. Grace, Abby, Wolf, and Bobby made this book what it was. Wolf, who is foreign, became Abby’s “wingman” and was charged with helping set her up with different men. Bobby was a bit of a freeloader, was very snarky and sarcastic when he wanted to be, and liked Abby a little more than he originally let on. The best scenes in this book were definitely when all these characters were in the same room, bar, or on the same beach. I enjoyed many laughs and would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something light and fun.


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at William Morrow in exchange for my honest review***





Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Book Review: Beach Plum Island

Beach Plum IslandAuthor: Holly Robinson
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: NAL


“Your brother should know the truth.”

These are the last cryptic words that Ava Barrett’s father says before he dies. But Ava doesn’t have a brother, as far as she knows, so how can she tell him the truth? She dismisses the conversation and dedicates herself to bringing her family together for her father’s funeral. This is no easy task, since her sister, Elaine, has been estranged from the family and still harbors resentment against their stepmother and half-sister, Gigi. Ava, on the other hand, is a single mother who sees Gigi as a troubled teen in need of love and connection.

Ava, too, could use more love in her life and finds it where she least expects it. But the biggest surprise of all is that Gigi holds the key to the mystery surrounding her father’s dying words, and joins Ava in uncovering a secret that rapidly unravels the very fabric of their entire family…


But she knew some of his secrets, secrets so big that it felt like her skin might split right open trying to keep them inside.

The last line made her hand tremble as she lit a match to the page.


Or maybe that was the taste on her lips as she kissed him back, hard, holding on to Simon as if, at any moment, a rogue wave might carry them both out to sea.

Ava, Elaine, and Gigi unite once again when their father dies. Ava wants to honor her father’s last wish, which was that he wanted her brother to know the truth. Only Ava doesn’t have a brother, or at least she didn’t think she had a brother. The sisters come together in respect of their father, although all is not well amongst them. Elaine has been estranged from the family for quite some time because she holds a lot of resentment towards her stepmother and half-sister, Gigi. However, the mystery of finding a brother that they did not know about just might be enough to bring them all back together.

These three sisters sucked me in right from the start. I don’t have any sisters of my own, so I always love stories like this one where so much revolves around family, relationships, loyalty, and forgiveness. Their relationship felt so real and I became attached very quickly. This story was written very realistically because things like this happen in families all the time. I loved seeing the sisters reconnect, and they had something so powerful to bond over.

The mystery of finding their long lost brother was well-developed throughout the story. When I picked up this book I didn’t expect to have a mystery in my hands. I was sometimes more engaged in the mystery of this alleged brother unraveling than I was in their lives and their relationship together as a family. Needless to say, this book was finished in two days. I only put it down because I had to go to sleep so that I could get up and go to work the next morning!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at NAL in exchange for my honest review***




Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Release Day Review: Deception's Princess

Deception's Princess (Deception's Princess, #1)Author: Esther Friesner
Publication Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Series: Deception’s Princess # 1


Some lies lead to true adventure...

Maeve, princess of Connacht, was born with her fists clenched. And it's her spirit and courage that make Maeve her father's favorite daughter. But once he becomes the High King, powerful men begin to circle—it's easy to love the girl who brings her husband a kingdom.

Yet Maeve is more than a prize to be won, and she's determined to win the right to decide her own fate. In the court's deadly game of intrigue, she uses her wits to keep her father's friends and enemies close—but not too close. When she strikes up an unlikely friendship with the son of a visiting druid, Maeve faces a brutal decision between her loyalty to her family and to her own heart.

Award-winning author Esther Friesner has a remarkable gift for combining exciting myth and richly researched history. This fiery heroine's fight for independence in first-century Ireland is truly worthy of a bard's tale. Hand Deception's Princess to fans of Tamora Pierce, Shannon Hale, and Malinda Lo.


“Lord Eochu has six daughters, but only one is his spark.”

That’s what I am to him: the hero’s portion. And what can I do about it?

An unspoken truth is often cousin to a lie.


Only cattle are driven: kestrels fly free.

Did anyone else think of the movie Brave when they saw this cover? I know I did, and the heroine, Maeve, is just as strong-willed, confident, feisty, and determined as Merida was. Maeve became her father’s favorite, she is one of six girls, at the ripe age of six when she dared to chase her father prize winning bull. Her father immediately fell in love with her clever spirit right away, and when all of her other sisters were sent away to live with other families, as was custom for them, Maeve was chosen to stay behind. However, Maeve is still an Irish princess and her father was not given a son. Maeve becomes determined to learn to possess warrior-like skills just like her father. She wants to be able to control and protect their land and namesake, but can she do this without upsetting her father?

This story is actually based on Queen Maeve of Connacht, who was allegedly an Irish Warrior Queen. Many legends and stories have circulated about her, but from what I have read so far, no one is 100% of the details of her life because so little was actually recorded when she supposedly lived. This story was realistic when it came to historical context, and I think Friesner did a nice job of conveying what it might have been like to live that long ago. Her depictions of life at court and of life in general for the Irish people were very pleasing. Nothing seemed too far-fetched for me. The author was able to do a very nice job with as little facts as she possessed about the actual queen.

I don’t care how many times I say it, it is always fun and inspiring to follow a determined, clever heroine who has steady goals and virtues. Maeve is just a very inspiring character. I knew that I was going to love her from the moment she chased after the big black bull that was probably four or five times her size, only being a five-year-old at the time. Then she stole my heart all over again when I saw how much she loved and was willing to sacrifice for her father. She was very well-developed. I am anxious to see what else the author produces in this series!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Random House for Young Readers in exchange for my honest review***


Review Post: Cavendon Hall

Cavendon HallAuthor: Barbara Taylor Bradford
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an epic saga of intrigue and mystique set in Edwardian England. Cavendon Hall is home to two families, the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them. Charles Ingham, the sixth Earl of Mowbray, lives there with his wife Felicity and their six children. Walter Swann, the premier male of the Swann family, is valet to the earl. His wife Alice, a clever seamstress who is in charge of the countess's wardrobe, also makes clothes for the four daughters.


For centuries, these two families have lived side-by-side, beneath the backdrop of the imposing Yorkshire manor. Lady Daphne, the most beautiful of the Earl’s daughters, is about to be presented at court when a devastating event changes her life and threatens the Ingham name. With World War I looming, both families will find themselves tested in ways they never thought possible. Loyalties will be challenged and betrayals will be set into motion. In this time of uncertainty, one thing is sure: these two families will never be the same again. Cavendon Hall is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her very best, and its sweeping story of secrets, love, honor, and betrayal will have readers riveted up to the very last page.


What was meant to be was meant to be.

To her, Cavendon was the most sublime place.


Rape she could have perhaps hidden. But pregnancy? That was hardly likely.
For many generations the prominent Ingham family has been loved, served, and protected by the Swann family. These two loving families have been loyal to one another for many, many years. This book takes pivotal characters from both of these families and tells their stories. The book focuses around Daphne, a daughter of Earl Mowbray, who is brutally raped and the aftermath of that rape. Daphne becomes pregnant with child, and not long after finding this out is already planning for a tour of Europe until the baby is born and put up for adoption. Luckily for all involved, not longer after a cousin of the Earl of Mowbray arrives for a visit, he and Daphne fall in love and prepare a quick wedding. Not to mention while all this looms above their heads, so does the impending war. Cavendon Hall must prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

This novel is told through the eyes of both families: the Ingham’s and the Swann’s. I found it so interesting that these families were so close. In the beginning of the novel, readers learn that the Swann children are allowed to sit in on the education and lessons of the Ingham children. This meant the world to me, and allowed me to love the characters that much more. The bonds that these two families share are remarkable. They are very loyal to one another and help each other through trying and difficult times. This is an upstairs downstairs relationship that I have never witnessed before!

This book is enough to keep me entertained and enlightened while I wait for more Downton Abbey to be released. Even though this story is different from Downton Abbey, it still has all the details that will make it a favorite for readers who enjoy that era and all there is to love about it. I think Downton Abbey is a more realistic representation that this book was, but the story, the drama, and the ever impending threat of war is enough to make any historical fiction enamoring for those reading!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review***



Monday, April 21, 2014

Early Book Review: Expiration Day

Expiration DayAuthor: William Campbell Powell
Publication Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: Tor Teen


What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?
It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.


All the other kids in the world are just robots.

And my heart leaped as he replied, “Yes, I am real.”


I think there are one or two things I still want to keep secret from you, at least for the time being.

Tania is a rare specimen of her world, being one of the few humans left, and she always knew her life would be different because of that fact. Many humans became infertile after the year 2010, and were then allowed to “borrow” a teknoid, cyborg, to serve as their child for eighteen years before they were then forced to return the teknoid to the government. After an unfortunate accident, Tania soon discovers that her parents only made her believe that she was human, when in fact she is a teknoid as well. She knows about the awful stories, that once a teknoid is returned they are never seen or heard from again. Tania soon realizes that her life has a fast approaching expiration day!

The story, a debut I might add, is told through Tania’s diary entries. This is not your average young adult novel, but is instead something new and daring, and quite frankly a breath of fresh air. This is about Tania’s struggle to understand who or what she is and how she fits into this life that has suddenly shifted from what she once thought it was. The story had many exciting twists and turns. The society that Tania lived in was very interesting, and was far different from a lot of books I have been reading lately. If you are in the mood for a change of pace or scenery, you should definitely try this book out.

This was a change for me because this is not normally something I pick up on a day to day basis. However, it was a nice, refreshing change and I loved everything about the book except the world building. I thought it was lacking at times, but this is after all a debut and of course the author has to have some room to improve!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Tor Teen in exchange for my honest review***



Sunday, April 20, 2014

Litfuse Blog Tour: A Sensible Arrangement

A Sensible Arrangement (Lone Star Brides, #1)Author: Tracie Peterson
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Series: Lone Star Brides # 1

Marty Dandridge Olson is a widow looking for a way out of Texas. Widower Jake Wythe has secured a job as a bank manager in Denver, only to discover that the bank board wants him to be a married man. With Texas in his roots, he advertises for a Lone Star bride, and Marty answers the call. They both agree they are done with romance and love and will make this nothing more than a marriage of convenience.


Marty works to carve out a new life in high-society Denver as Jake works to guide the bank through a collapsing economy. But when money goes missing at the bank and accounting discrepancies point to Jake, he must find a way to prove his innocence. Yet all he wants to do is go back to Texas and own his own ranch. Marty, on the other hand, owns a ranch–one she’s never told her husband about. She hates Texas because it represents the losses in her life. But as the couple grows closer and love begins to bloom, Marty realizes she needs to tell Jake the truth. Can she come to terms with the past and her anger toward God in order to make room for love?


Marty Dandridge Olson looked over the letters once again. There were three, and each contained a variety of information meant to assist her in making a decision. A life-changing decision.

“I’m going to do it,” Marty announced to the empty room. “I’m going to marry a man I’ve never met and do not love. I’m going to marry him and leave this place forever.”


“I hope so,” Jake replied. “I believe Marty, uh, Mrs. Olson, will be a pleasant and genteel addition to my home. I’ve been too long without a wife, as your good husband pointed out.”

This historical fiction novel is set in Texas in 1892 and is the first in a new series by a well-loved and very popular author, Tracie Peterson. I am very anxious to see what this series has in store as I was very impressed with this first book. We are given a feisty heroine, just the way I like them, named Marty. She is leaving her past behind to marry a stranger from an advertisement she saw in a local newspaper. Marty has reasons for wanting to marry again, but unfortunately love doesn’t fit in the mix. She and Jake Wythe, the hero of the novel, plan to keep the marriage as more of a business venture. However, we all know that a lot of things don’t always go according to plan!

I am not usually a fan of mail order bride stories, but for some reason this one felt different. I liked Jake and Marty’s relationship, even from the start. I thought they were well-developed characters and were just right to tell this story. They are both facing struggles beyond their control, but they learn to find solace in one another and in God. I would have like to see a little more romance between these two characters. I caught on early to what Peterson was trying to do. It was evident that she was more concerned about the message behind this book than the budding romance. The message was strong, however, and completely relevant and pertinent to anyone’s life.

This book is a very inspirational read and is the sure start to an amazing new historical fiction series. It feels like those are getting harder and harder to come by!


***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Bethany and for the purposes of a blog tour with Litfuse in exchange for my honest review***



Book Review: Clipped Wings

Clipped Wings (Clipped Wings, #1)Author: Helena Hunting
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Series: Clipped Wings # 1


An emotional love story that follows the touch-and-go relationship of Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

As Hayden and Tenley navigate their newfound but slightly unstable relationship, they want to trust each other, but Hayden is hiding a dark and shameful past that he doesn't ever want Tenley to find out about. And Tenley has secrets of her own that could make Hayden run away forever. When Tenley asks Hayden to put a beautifully elaborate tattoo across her back, the two form what they thought was an unshakeable bond. But when Tenley's past shows up on her doorstep, will Hayden stand by her side...or run?


I wasn't sure what was happening between us, but it felt like whatever our tentative friendship was transforming into, the process wasn't reversible. Like a chemical reaction, there was no going back once the catalyst had been added.

Everyone has scars, Tenley. If you’re lucky, they’re only on the outside.

But like me, he was closed off; his tattoos formed his walls. I knew all about walls. I had built my own.


He kissed me again. It wasn’t as hard this time, but it was equally possessive.


Tenley and Hayden’s stories will absolutely break your heart. Hayden, being the impulsive, fearless tattoo artist that he is, decides to draw a very important tattoo for Tenley after she has suffered through a tragic event in her life very recently. After Hayden agrees to complete the tattoo, he and Tenley realize that they have more in common than they originally thought. Hayden realizes that he might just be the one to help Tenley piece her life back together. What they both don’t realize is all that will escalate after their initial connection. Emotions run wild in this breathtaking new series.

The dual points of view shared by Tenley and Hayden were one of the best parts of this book. I thought they were very well written and did not confuse me, but rather helped me to share in what each character was feeling and experiencing both emotionally and physically. I think this book would have read entirely differently had I only had either Tenley’s or Hayden’s point of view to rely on. Some people might feel different, but I feel that having both was a great asset and helped me relate and understand both of them even more.

I loved Hayden’s bad boy image, and that is why I think most young girls my age will share in my enjoyment of this book as well. He had a hard edge and exterior, but his past was behind him and he was no longer the “bad boy” he used to be; however, that doesn’t change his image. He still comes off as the “bad boy”, which I think all girls have craved at least once or twice in their lives, and many have even fallen for one of these notorious men. He passion and desire to protect and shelter Tenley touched my heart, and I loved seeing a softer side to him!


***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review***