Good afternoon, beautiful peeps! Welcome to my review for a delicious romantic YA book: Operation Prom Date, from Cindi Madsen! I received my copy from Chapter by Chapter in exchange for an honest review and here we go! Thank you, guys!
Kate ships tons of fictional couples, but IRL her OTP is her and Mick, the hot quarterback she’s crushed on since, like, forever. With only one semester left of senior year, it’s now or never if she wants to land him in time for prom. Since she’s flirtationally challenged, she enlists Cooper Callihan, the guy who turned popular seemingly overnight but who used to be a good friend.
Cooper lives and breathes rowing, but his partner just broke his wrist. When he remembers Kate’s good with a set of oars, he strikes a deal: help him train, and he’ll make sure her crush notices her. Only he didn’t know how addicting spending time with her would be. Or how the more successful the Operation is, the more jealousy he experiences.
The mission has been set. The troops have their marching orders. But what if the target is the wrong guy all along?
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains stargazing, accidental swimming, and poker swindling. This kissing practice will melt your ereader…and give you a new couple to ship.
Hi, there! Welcome to the first official review of the day! I’m hoping to write more than my two schedule, that’s why I say “official”. I’m here to talk about Broken Down, second book in the Hidden Scars series, from Amanda K. Byrne! I’ve received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review from Xpresso Book Tours. Thanks again, guys! Let’s do it!
Shane knows that Krista sent him on his way all those months ago for a reason. He was a jerky during their relationship – if one can call what they had a relationship at all. Shane was too weak to fight for what he wanted with Krista then.
Not anymore. Not after Eric.
Shane won’t stand losing Krista too. He wants her, he needs her in order to keep breathing. And he knows she won’t refuse to at least help him, so he takes a long shot and appears on her doorstep, in the middle of the night…
.Krista broke up with Shane for a reason. Ok, several reasons, but still: they were just fuck buddies and she fell for him. The rules were simple and she broke then. She had to walk away in order to keep sane. She refuses to allow anyone else to break her again.
Not anymore. Not after Riley and her break down.
Krista is doing her best to move on with her new career and life in Portland, far away from the temptations of Los Angeles. Away from Shane. She just didn’t count that the one thing she couldn’t have would appear on her door… Just like he always did.
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
Broken Down is a very well-written book. At first, I was afraid this would be one of those romances full of meaningless porn-like sex with ridiculous existential doubts.
And then I read page one and was hooked.
I fell deeply in love with both Shane and Krista, they were wonderful protagonists and managed to not irritate me at all! They screw up for sure, but they were so real, their situation so down to earth that my heart was always filled with emotion during the read. I won’t lie, there were some parts in that I couldn’t believe what I was reading and how much of an ass Shane was, but even then, I also could understand a little his side. I didn’t let go of Broken Down until it ended and it is with the deepest pleasure that I announce it a five stars book! ❤
The narrative style is third person, with switching points of view between Shane and Krista. I loved how Byrne manages to insert us deep within the characters minds without using the first person narrator, IT IS BLACK MAGIC!! =O
This is my favorite narrative style and Byrne’s writing was so powerful and beautiful that I wanted to hug her several times during this book. Also, there were lots of funny moments to harmonize all the drama that James and Krista are going through.
The plot was complex on a simple way, as both Shane and Krista had many pending problems and secrets that they kept from each other. They had to basically come clean and start their relationship over in order to be together and this is so much more easier said than done. Also, there are a couple of twists that simply blew my mind up!
The characters were just awesome. As I said, I fell in love with Krista and Shane and found myself pinning for them to be together all the time – I usually don’t fangirl about heterosexual couples, which proves the black magic use on Byrne’s part, haha! Shane only didn’t make it to My Bookish Boyfriends list because his behavior is not quite my style. I prefer my men more open and gentlemen like, haha!
Also, all characters were so real. Their struggles, funny quotes, how they deal with problems… EVERYTHING! I loved it ❤ I’m tempted to give a go to the first book (Hidden Scars) and see how Sara and Taylor really met and got together, as she is the PERFECT best friend, haha! Let’s see if I have an opportunity to read it some time 🙂
One of the strongest points on Broken Down was how Byrne handled abortion. One of the characters chose to have one and lose her incoming child and defended her choice as the correct one until the end. Given that:
her brother was in a coma due to heroin use;
her parents didn’t give a crap for what happened to her brother;
her work had given her a nervous breakdown and she had to quit;
she was taking anxiety meds;
and, most importantly, she had dumped the father of the child before acknowledging the pregnancy (which was result of a bad condom incident) and thought they would never meet again;
I say I’m with her on that. And when the said former boyfriend asked if he didn’t have a say in the abortion, she’s absolute: no, he hadn’t! It was her body, it was her problem! They weren’t together anymore, her life was a mess and both her mind and body couldn’t afford to bring a child to this world. She would have never forgiven herself if she hadn’t stopped the pregnancy. This is such a delicate matter and Byrne just slayed it like a queen. I am so proud of her!
I am most pleased to say that there are three sex scenes in the book and each one important for a reason. No frantic bodies every two pages, no hours reading porn on the reader’s end, not any of the things that usually makes me avoid contemporary romance 😀 And, to be honest, the scenes are very hot, filled with emotion, passion, unspoken and spoken love and vulgarity free!
And can we take a moment to appreciate this cover? It’s not my usual cup of tea, but I liked it! It totally matches the mood of the book *–*
Overall, if you love well-written books, romance, down to earth characters that could live up on your street and be your neighbors, strong females and grumpy rock stars, Broken Down will be the book of your lifetime!
Thanks for reading my review! Bellow, you can check where to grab your copy of Broken Down (its official release date is tomorrow), info on Amanda K. Byrne and details about a juicy giveaway!
For now, Broken Down is only available in ebook format at our usual book buying places. I’ll double check tomorrow and update this post if something changes 🙂
When she’s not plotting ways to sneak her latest shoe purchase past her partner, Amanda writes sexy, snarky romance and urban fantasy. She likes her heroines smart and unafraid to make mistakes, and her heroes strong enough to take them on.
If she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking hot chocolate, and trying not to destroy her house with her newest DIY project. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and no, it really doesn’t rain that much.
Hi, there! Welcome to the other bookish news post, haha! This one, courtesy of Love Affair With Fiction, is a book blitz to celebrate The Glass Goffin‘s release! It’s the third book in the A Shattered Fairy Tale series, from Kelly Martin! ❤
The Glass Coffin
Kelly Martin
A Shattered Fairy Tale #3
Genre: Regency, Romance, Fairy Tale
Publisher: Blue Tulip Publishing
Gertrude “Trudy” Dodsworth wants nothing more than to be with the love of her life, William Haddington, Earl of Waverly. Her father, the evil “sin collector” Frederick Dodsworth, forbids the union and sends Trudy and her mother far away to a town called Everdale. While there, Trudy catches the eye of the roguishly handsome and very controlling, Lawson Stockwell–also an earl. He asks for her hand in marriage. Trudy reluctantly agrees for the sake of her mother who has fallen suddenly ill.
William Haddington has hit a new low. Once thought of as a virtuous man, William has fallen from grace. Laden heavy with guilt, he trudges through life carrying the burden that is his to bear. He set the fire that disfigured Nicholas Wellington, The Beast of Ravenston. William goes to Everdale to start over, become himself again, try to move on, but when he sees the love of his life, Trudy, arm in arm with another man, he falls back into the bottle.
When the “gifts” begin appearing on his doorstep, William has no doubt they are from Lord Ravenston, who is known to get revenge on those who hurt him.
With time running out and his love for Trudy tearing him apart, William must decide if he will give into his feelings for her or force her to hate him forever.
Because The Beast is coming to Everdale.
And he’s coming to make William suffer.
Based on Sleeping Beauty.
I recently read a lovely Sleeping Beauty inspired book [Slumber, review here!], so I had to check this one out too, haha! I don’t know if I ever commented it in here, but Aurora is one of my favorite princesses ever. I mean, her life is so goals. You have tons of problems and all you have to do to solve your life out IS TO TAKE A NAP!
Anyway, you can already find The Glass Coffin on our usual book buying places 🙂
Only stalkers and men of ill-repute watched women from behind street corners and lampposts and carriages. William felt like both, but he could not keep her out of his sight.
He’d only just arrived in Everdale an hour before, and, to his surprise, he saw her immediately, Trudy, not fifteen paces away. He should have talked to her. Instead, he’d hidden.
William was a coward. He felt like a coward. He did cowardly things out of fear. Fear, his biggest weakness.
Fear made men do strange and peculiar things.
Fear made men travel hundreds of miles away from home to stay alive. Fear made men drink more than they should to forget the past — though William hadn’t drank in over five days, since he’d first left Darenset. And he felt it too. Every bit of him begged for a drink, only one, to take the edge off. Only one to chase the nightmares away.
Without the alcohol, William dreamed. In his dreams, he remembered everything. The fire. Lord Ravenston’s face. Losing Trudy. Blackmail by Mr. Dodsworth — a man even more evil than himself. Mr. Dodsworth was a ‘sin collector’, a man who collected the misdeeds of both the titled and commoners and used them against anyone he wished when the time suited him. Though William knew he shouldn’t judge. He had no way of being saved. What he’d done… He would never be forgiven. He didn’t deserve it.
He hadn’t meant to set the fire. No, that was a lie. He’d meant exactly to set the fire. Revenge and all. He’d just never meant for anyone to get hurt.
The fact that someone had, Nicholas Wellington — the Beast — well, it was fitting. William knew he’d never be forgiven. Not for the fire or what he’d done to his best friend, Vaughan, Earl of Brighton.
But, even with all that, even with the fact that he knew he’d spend his eternity in hell, William made the conscious decision to not drink — to try, try, to do good. He might never, in his mind, make it to the Pearly Gates, but he would do his damnedest to never hurt another living soul.
He never should have chosen Everdale; he knew that now. Not after he saw her. He should have hopped right back on the first carriage out of town and headed… somewhere. Anywhere. This was supposed to be a place to start over, refresh, and move on.
How could he move on with her beautiful face taunting him?
So, he crouched behind carriages and behind corners, watching, waiting, and gawking.
The first time his gaze had slid passed her, he hadn’t recognized her.
Gertrude — Trudy — Dodsworth had become more of a lady since that fateful night six months ago. Her long red hair that had always lain in unruly curls, the tresses he wanted so much to run his fingers through, to pull her toward him and take her lips on his, was piled atop her head like all the proper ladies. William understood pomp and circumstance. He understood the ways of the world, more than most. However, he missed seeing those wild locks. The girl who, though wealthy and well-brought-up, always had a wildness about her. But not around her father. No, she was too smart for that. Frederick Dodsworth would have scared the devil. He sure as hell scared William.
Around her father, Trudy was the perfect lady. Around William, it was completely different.
In Darenset, their encounters had come about unintentionally at first. They’d run into each other, literally, as he rounded a street corner on the way to Vaughan’s residence, and she’d come bounding around the other direction. She’d ended up on her bottom. William had wound up red-faced and apologetic.
Then, the most wonderful thing had happened.
She’d laughed.
A proper young lady, laughed at him — not at him. Not like he’d done something wrong, but a light-hearted chuckle. People around them had stopped and stared, but the girl hadn’t seemed to mind. She’d taken William’s extended hand, and he’d pulled her upright.
He’d found out later that she’d escaped her chaperone because she’d only wanted a few minutes to herself. Her father wouldn’t allow it. Trudy had always assumed he’d been afraid someone would hurt her. William figured it was because he had to control every single situation. Even his daughter.
Especially his daughter.
Time went on, and they continued to run into each other. William found that he looked forward to those meetings most in the world. Not the ones with the important folks that he had to attend. No, he daydreamed about Trudy, about pulling her into his arms, about things he knew he should not even consider.
Then came her ball, her coming-out party. And William had never felt more alive… and more scared. He’d known it meant that she’d start courting. Other men would be able to meet her, unless he asked her father for her hand. William had a title, a good title, anybody — well, most people — would love their daughter to marry above her station.
Not Mr. Dodsworth.
The answer had sullied William’s spirit, and he’d done something he never in his life imagined he’d do; he had set a blaze to Dodsworth’s textile factory.
He’d stood there and watched it burn.
Then he’d heard the screams.
Seriously.
I need this book, haha! And I thought that you might enjoy meeting the other previous two books in the series 😀
And sorry, but I really love the pretty book quotes and promos with beautiful pictures ❤
Anyway, fetiches aside, bellow you can read more about the author, Kelly Martin!
Kelly Martin writes paranormal, contemporary, historical, and YA fiction. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she’s not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube– even though she’s a huge wimp– and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas. She’s a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to paranormal TV shows. {Basically, she likes creepy stuff.} Her favorite characters are the very flawed ‘good guys’–and ‘bad guys’ who don’t know they are evil. She loves giving her readers books with unexpected twists and turns, but (here’s a hint) most of her books have the ending spelled out in the first chapter. See if you can figure it out.
If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at http://www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com
That’s it, thanks for reading! And thanks once again to Love Affair With Fiction! Now I’ll get dressed and pray that I won’t trip on my own feet at the graduation ceremony…
Hello, there! Despite the awful beginning of the day with the news about Alan Rickman’s death (Rest In Peace, dear Alan!), life must continue and I’m happy to say that I took refuge in a wonderful book to sooth my sorrow. My dearest chosen was the first book in the Whyborne & Griffin series from the awesome Jordan L. Hawk, Widdershins.
Percival Endicott Whyborne wanted nothing more of life in general. A quiet and awkward academic, his work at the Ladysmith Museum and his studies of several dead languages (13 spoken, but he could read more) were enough to occupy his thoughts and his empty existence.
That is, until nosy and charming detective Griffin Flaherty invaded his life and dragged him into a very obscure and dangerous mystery. Now both men have to work aside each other to prevent humanity of collapsing in the hands of a very old secret society with a very lively founder.
The thing is that both Whyborne and Griffin will have to decide whether their heated relationship have more to meet the eye or will be over as soon as they finish up the case.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
I have already read two books from Jordan, both in the Spirits series: Restless Spirits and Dangerous Spirits (review here!). So, I was prepared for a wonderful writing style and awesomely built characters.
But nothing prepared me for Whyborne and Griffin.
It all started with the narrative style: first person thought the eyes of Whyborne. If you follow the blog for a while, you know that this is not my preferred narrative style. I often find it to be lacking in the story and limiting. Not the case at all! The fact that we could only live the drama through Whyborne’s eyes made it all more interesting. We second-guessed Griffin’s amour intentions, saw the double face of the truth and watched as Whyborne had to develop to solve the case. But I’ll get there, haha!
The plot was amazing. It was simply brilliant and completely connected. I didn’t find any loose ends on the mystery os even the characters, for that matter. And this is a freaking book series, where any loose ends were forgivable! =O
Seriously, this book!
Ahem.
So, the characters. As I had stated previously on this post, I was sure I would love Whyborne and Griffin simply because I can’t imagine a world where I would not like a character built by Hawk. At first, I thought Whyborne too shy, to neurotic and afraid of breathing; don’t get me wrong, it’s an accurate description. I could never imagine his blossoming through the story, how his love for Griffin made him braver and confident. And the same goes to Griffin: he may have been at ease and chatty, but has his own ghosts, some of them far worse than Whyborne’s. He also faced many fears in behalf of his lover and, on this point, their kind of romance reminded me the ones that my goddess Ava March writes. The couple was lacking something before they found true love and their love makes them better people. Needless to say that, besides adding two more bookish boyfriends to that legendary list of mine, I also gave my heart to this series ❤
I also thought that I would prefer Griffin over Whyborne and I’m astonished that Whyborne managed to steal Griffin’s spotlight with me, haha! Oh, and I also can’t go through this review without mentioning Whyborne’s bff, Christine! She is a blast ❤ I identified with her in so many levels, I wish she’d appeared more… For you guys to get her essence, I’ll leave the explaining task to Ariana Grande:
This is Christine all over, haha!
And there is the ultimate villain. Jeez, I need to catch my breath, haha! How awesome is that his only flaws are being in a need of a fingernail cut and to want world domination? Honestly, I would have loved to see a sex scene between him and Whyborne, omg. Don’t get me wrong, I love Whyborne with Griffin and regret nothing that happened in this book, but a girl can dream, haha! I love sex scenes where desire and hate are mixed into pleasure (not rape, just the sheer need of having the body of a fellow that you could fire in the head to kill). I shan’t reveal the villain’s name for the sake of spoilers, but he is hot.
And, as I already hinted in the last paragraph, let’s now analyze sex scenes! The last books I had been reading lacked those, so I rather missed them, oops! Also, it has been a while since my last gay book, so I was double happy with Hawk’s work 😉 One thing I adored was that Whyborne and Griffin took it slow in bed. Whyborne was a virgin and remained that way even after their first sexual plays. It was lovely ❤ Griffin was the top in this book, but hinted that he’s the type that likes both ends of sex making, haha!
Ahem. I seem to be a little carried away today, I apologize.
Overall, this is a very good mystery book. Yes, there is romance, but it’s not its solemnly focus. I’d say this is a story about friendship in the first place and how relationships change over time. Not just in a romantic way 🙂
Well, that’s it! Thanks for reading ❤ Have you read Jordan L. Hawk’s books?
The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange 