Slashed by Tracy Wolff

The Basics:
Slashed by Tracy Wolff
Flirt
Contemporary Romance
Book Three in the Extreme Risk series
Published September 29, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo Goodreads

Why I picked up this book:

I loved the first two. Of course I came back for the third!

Crushed by Lauren Layne

The Basics:
Crushed by Lauren Layne
Flirt (from Loveswept)
Book Two in the Redemption series
Contemporary Romance
Published April 14, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo Goodreads

Why I picked up this book:

It's a Lauren Layne book, and she's one of my few auto-grab contemporary romance authors. Speaking of, which authors do you auto-grab when you see them? I mean their books, of course, not the authors themselves!

Draw Me In by Regina Cole

The Basics:
Draw Me In by Regina Cole
Flirt
New Adult, Romance
Published November 4, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo

Why I picked up this book:

Blurb! 

Broken by Lauren Layne

The Basics:
Broken by Lauren Layne
Flirt
Book One of the Redemption series
New Adult, Romance
Published September 2, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

Why I picked up this book:

I'm a complete Lauren Layne fan. I had to grab this one when I saw it was available for review.

The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

The Basics:
The Real Thing by Cassie Mae
Flirt
New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published August 19, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

Why I picked up this book:

I enjoyed Switched by Cassie Mae, which I reviewed here in December of last year, so I was keen to read more from this promising author!

Shattered by Tracy Wolff

The Basics:
Shattered by Tracy Wolff
Flirt
Book Two in the Extreme Risk series
Romance
Published May 20, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

Why I picked up this book:

Liked the first one in the series, plus damn that model is hot!

Forbidden by Lori Adams

The Basics:
Forbidden by Lori Adams
Flirt
Book One in the Soulkeepers series
New Adult (Young Adult?), Romance
Published April 15, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca

Why I picked up this book:

I was on board for a high school girl moving to a small town with secrets that she's instantly in on, plus being caught between sexy Guardian Angel who wants to resist her and Demo Knight who is actively courting her....

Cover Spotlight and Teaser Reveal for BROKEN by LAUREN LAYNE!

I've reviewed a few books by Lauren Layne since starting this blog and I've enjoyed all of them! Layne is one of the authors I've discovered because I started blogging and those authors make it all worth it. 

I am so very much looking forward to Layne's next New Adult romance title, and I am thrilled to participate in this Cover Spotlight and Teaser Reveal. It's my first, and I couldn't be happier about it!!!

Bring on the goods!

Lauren Layne, the author of the hit New Adult romance Isn’t She Lovely, and Random House’s Flirt imprint, are thrilled to share a first look at BROKEN, Lauren’s upcoming New Adult romance, and spotlight her gorgeous new cover!

BROKEN by Lauren Layne

Flirt New Adult Romance

On sale: September 2, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-553-39035-3

About the book:

Lauren Layne’s heart-wrenching novel tells the story of a girl with secrets, a guy with scars, and a love that could save them both . . . or destroy them.

When Olivia Middleton abandons the glamour of Park Avenue for a remote, coastal town in Maine, everyone assumes she’s being the kind do-gooder she’s always been. But Olivia has a secret: helping an injured war veteran reenter society isn’t about charity—it’s about penance. Only, Olivia’s client isn’t the grateful elderly man she’s expecting. Instead, he’s a brooding twenty-four-year-old who has no intention of being Olivia’s path to redemption . . . and whose smoldering gaze and forbidden touch might be her undoing.

Paul Langdon doesn’t need a mirror to show him he’s no longer the hotshot quarterback he was before the war. He knows he’s ugly—inside and out. He’ll do anything to stay in self-imposed exile, even accept his father’s ultimatum that Paul tolerate the newest caretaker for three months or lose his inheritance. But Paul doesn’t count on the beautiful twenty-two-year-old who makes him long for things that he can never have. And the more she slips past his defenses, the more keeping his distance is impossible.

Now Paul and Olivia have to decide: Will they help each other heal? Or are they forever broken?

** Teaser Reveal!**

Olivia squirms. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I've never known a female to acquiesce that easily without a catch. How about you hit me with it now and get it over with?”

Olivia shrugs. "Fine. I was going to say that I won't run alone, if you promise to go with me."

"No," I say, almost before she's finished her sentence.

"Why not?"

I rap my cane once against the ground. "Well, for starters, despite the fact that there are tortoises that could surpass your sorry excuse for a jog, I'm in no shape to accompany even the most pathetic of runners."

"What a handy skill you have of overloading a sentence with insults," she says as she reaches up to adjust her ponytail. "That must be helpful what with your thriving social life and all."

I thump my cane against the ground again, studying her. "Must be nice, picking on the cripple."

Olivia rolls her eyes. "Please. Your soul's more crippled than your leg."

She has no idea how right she is, and I have no intention of letting her anywhere close enough to find out. I've gotten good at shutting people out by pushing them away . . . being as nasty as possible until they reach their breaking point. But with her? It's different.

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of BROKEN by Lauren Layne! Love everything Lauren Layne? Her newest adult contemporary romance in the Sex, Love and Stiletto series, JUST ONE NIGHT, is on sale now!

Connect with Lauren

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Shredded by Tracy Wolff

The Basics:
Shredded by Tracy Wolff
Flirt (Random House)
Book One in the Extreme Risk series
Romance, New Adult
Published on Feb 4, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

Why I picked up this book:

I loved the tattoos on the cover, and the idea of a love story with a snowboarder at the heart.

Switched by Cassie Mae

The Basics:
Switched by Cassie Mae
Flirt
New Adult, Romance
Published December 2, 2013
Amazon.ca Kobo.com

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Cassie Mae redefines the New Adult genre with a novel that answers the eternal question: What do you do when you’re head over heels for your best friend’s guy?
Ever since high school, Kayla has been crazy for gorgeous football player Talon. But before she could muster the courage to tell him, he became a hot item with her beautiful BFF, Reagan. The only person who knows Kayla’s secret is Wesley, Talon’s best bud—and he’s got it bad for Reagan. Now they’re all in college together, hanging out 24/7. For Kayla, seeing the two lovebirds together is absolutely unbearable. So Kayla and Wesley hatch a plot to drive them apart before Talon has a chance to give Reagan the Christmas gift she’s been waiting for.

Soon enough, the once happy couple is fighting. Reagan suddenly can’t get enough of Wesley’s goofy sense of humor, and Talon seems to be paying more attention to Kayla than a guy who’s “only a friend” ever should. But just when everything seems to be falling into place, Kayla and Wesley accidentally spend a night together and discover a hitch in their plan they never considered: that switching partners may not lead to a perfect ending after all.

What worked for me:

This is the second book that I've reviewed from Random House's Flirt imprint. It's an ebook-only line featuring New Adult/Young Adult titles. I am really happy that I've checked it out.

I was a little nervous about the premise of this one - it's hard to like main characters who are actively working to break up their best friends. Amazingly, Cassie Mae not only makes them likeable, but even had me tearing up for Kayla as she wrestled with feeling invisible to the people in her life.

Wesley seems like a complete sweetheart - responsible, loyal (excepting the whole Reagan issue) and sexy. He and Kayla have a wonderfully teasing give and take. I would have loved to get inside his head for a while, though it would have ruined the flow of the story.

Some of this book feels very young - the love square between best friends, the lengthy secret crush and plotting to break up a relatioship. I felt it was all plausible and realistic for freshmen - there's no super jaded or super mature character lurking around to show them the way. I like that Kayla's upfront about how conflicted she feels throughout the book. She's finding her way as she goes, and that's also an important aspect of freshmen (and early twenties) life!

I also liked that though these characters are all in college, that aspect of their lives has little to no impact on the story. The book is completely focused on the relationships - and needs to be, to juggle everything that's happening. I like that college is happening in the background, while their social lives - and Wesley's job - are in the forefront.

What didn't work for me:

I didn't understand why everyone liked Reagan so much. To paraphrase from a favourite teen movie (10 Things I Hate About You) - did the chick have beer flavoured nipples? She doesn't seem to respect Kayla's feelings, and there's legitimate friction with Talon. Yes, she seems to be outgoing, but we don't see her in the most favourable lights in this book.

Now, I could chalk that up to our narrator. Kayla's probably not seeing her best friend in the most positive light. Still, I didn't see the appeal of her as a friend or as a girlfriend (or potential girlfriend), and that did make everyone's obsession with her a little difficult to swallow.

Bottom Line:

I loved this book. I devoured it, I re-read the last couple chapters three or four times before putting it down. I was so thrilled that the author gave us such a satisfying ending. I will definitely look for more from Cassie Mae!


4.5 stars
For fans of New Adult romance, of plans gone awry, of characters who need to wake up and appreciate what they have

Isn't She Lovely by Lauren Layne

The Basics:
Isn't She Lovely by Lauren Layne
Random House Publishing Group - Flirt
New Adult, Romance
Published Date: October 28, 2013

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In a modern, New Adult take on Pygmalion, Stephanie is a Goth film student paired with Ethan, a preppy business student to work on a screenplay for their summer class. When her sublet apartment falls through, Ethan offers her a deal - fake her way through a few parties and events as his girlfriend, and she can stay in his apartment. The catch? She'll have to undergo a makeover to fit in with his upper-class social set, and they decide to use the experience as the inspiration for their screenplay. As their attraction to each other grows, Ethan begins to wonder if Stephanie really can fit into his world, while Stephanie's concerned Ethan may be attracted to the fake version of herself rather than who she really is.

What Worked for me:

Frankly, I'm a fan of Pygmalion inspired stories. Something about the tension between before and after the makeover, and the discovery of identity beneath image, the development of self-confidence... there's just a lot of material there that I enjoy.

Isn't She Lovely was a delight. I lost a few hours of precious sleep (I'm a new mom!) racing to finish the book, and I didn't regret it. It was my first New Adult book, and I quite liked it. While I enjoy the freshness and teenage drama of Young Adult novels, there's a maturity in that New Adult period that I was happy to embrace. I can also see how this genre will explode in the next few years as all those teenagers devouring Young Adult books move to this genre. Can we start calling Young Adult books Teen books now?

On the characters front, both Stephanie and Ethan face personal issues apart from the tension developing between them. Ethan was particularly convincing as he faced his problems - I won't be more specific to avoid spoiling the book for anyone. Let's just say that I felt like he was very genuine.

My favourite moment is late in the book when Stephanie is caught in a conversation about whether or not being Goth is a phase for her - there's a line about how life is full of phases, one after another. The idea of this really resonated with me. I'm not a fan of romances about couples who reclaim or renew their relationship, but this conversation really piqued my interest in reading one that embraces the idea of phases of life and renewing a relationship as the individuals enter new phases in their own lives, and new phases together as a couple.


What didn't work for me:
There wasn't anything that stands out as being a low point for me. Obviously the Pygmalion/opposites attract-makeover plot has been done before, but I liked Layne's spin on it, and I found her resolution satisfying.


Bottom Line:
I highly recommended this book. It was fun, with great pacing. It made me think about modern prejudices based on clothing and class, which so often fails to account for backgrounds and attitudes. I'm already looking for more New Adult books to read, and I'll add Lauren Layne to my list of authors to watch for in the future!

5 stars
For fans of She's All That, My Fair Lady, Grease and any other Pygmalion-inspired movie, fans of new adult romance, fans of Sarah Dessen.