Come Home - A Review of Down on Love by Jayne Denker

(Goodreads Blurb)

When it comes to love, she's a professional skeptic. Is it too late for a career change?

If there's one thing Georgiana Down is an expert in, it's bad relationships. That's what inspired her blog, Down on Love, where she gives snarky advice--usually along the lines of "dump him." In fact, George is abstaining from men all together. At least that's the plan--until she makes a trip back to her tiny hometown in the Catskills, where meddling is an art form. . .

George loves helping out with her new baby niece, but she's counting the days until she returns to Boston. Then she runs into Casey Bowen, her high school crush. The boy she once loved is now a handsome grown man--and suddenly George needs a little advice of her own. She's in the right place, because when she drunk posts on her blog, everyone in Marsden has something to say about George and Casey. It's like high school all over again--but maybe this time she'll get things right. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is my second Jayne Denker book (My first was Unscripted) and once again I was enchanted.


The Story...
Georgiana Down is through with love.  In fact, she even started a blog dedicated to helping others get over love.  People write in with their stories and George gives them all the same advice: Dump him/her.  George's plan is to avoid men altogether.

Her plan fails when she is called back to her hometown of Marsden to help her sister with her young daughter.  Being back home comes with the familiar and unwelcome feeling of having someone in your business all of the time.  Having that feeling that someone is always watching you.  Being home also means running into Casey Bowen, George's high school crush, and he did not get the memo about George being Down on Love.

What Worked...

The story is very real and I love that George's reasons for returning home were well thought out and legit.  The relationship between George and her sister, Sera, is strained and uncomfortable and absolutely perfect for the way the story went down.

Casey Bowen is swoony and patient, but he lacks communication skills.  His actions confuse George (and to be honest, they confuse me, too), but they are perfect for the tension that is needed.  He is sweet and kind and very giving of his time and resources.  Plus, he is honest.  When George gets the guts to ask him some very real questions, he gives her completely honest answers that melt the heart and turn knees into jello.

The characters were great.  The townspeople were perfect small-town characters.  The story was cute and clever.

What Didn't...
I wasn't really sure why George moved back in with her ex-boyfriend (even platonic-ally) after all that she had been through with him.  Actually, her reasons for needing to go back to Boston were flimsy at best.  I know, though, that sometimes, even in real life, people grasp on to the flimsiest of excuses to justify the actions that they feel they must take.  Especially when they are scared.  And George was terrified of once again falling for Casey Bowen only to have her heart ripped out.

4 out of 5 Stars

Author Links:
Website
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Book Links (Available November 21, 2013)
Goodreads
Amazon

B&N

Netgalley Reading Challenge Hosted by Ariel Avalon

In an effort to raise my Netgalley feedback percentage, I have decided to participate in the Netgalley Reading Challenge that is being hosted by Ariel Avalon.  I have challenged myself to go for her most difficult challenge of 21+ Netgalley books.  This challenge is to begin with books that I start reading after January 1, 2014.  I will keep track of the Netgalley books read and keep you posted as I get closer to my goal.

Lori (Ficwishes)'s bookshelf: netgalley-challenge-2014

Free Books on iTunes

I love finding unexpected free books.  Many of these have been on my to-read list for a while.  I'm super excited to be able to add them to my iPad.  Please note that these books are free at the time of posting.

on  iTunes iBooks                              on  iTunes iBooks              

                                 
on  iTunes iBooks                                         on iTunes iBooks


                                  
on iTunes iBooks                                         on iTunes iBooks


                                
on iTunes iBooks                                         on iTunes iBooks

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades.

3 new ARC's this week.  I had the privilege of meeting all three of these authors at the Houston Book Rave.  I received signed copies of Crosstown Park and Four Seconds to Lose from the authors.  Definitely, Maybe in Love was provided by Netgalley.

  



This is not a new book on my shelf.  I read the e-book, then later bought the pre-signed first edition.  But this past weekend I had the opportunity to get it signed in person.  And Jen even added a drawing of Raphael the turtle so I had to include it in this post.

Cover Reveal - THE WEATHER GIRL by Amy Vastine

Title – The Weather Girl 

Author – Amy Vastine

Genre – Wholesome, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis 

Turbulence is in their forecast. 

Summer Raines knows when it's going to rain. She can feel it. That's why the local weather 
girl's so good at her job. Too bad she couldn't have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody's favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It's enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She's stuck with a career that's going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn't nearly as easy as predicting the weather.

Excerpt

“Weather Girl.” Travis was all smiles as he sat on the corner of her desk. “Did you have a good weekend?”

“I had a great weekend,” Summer said, taking a good look at him. His hair was shorter, a lot 
shorter. It made him look older, less like a boy and more like a man. “It looks like someone 
attacked your head with some clippers.”

Looking sheepish, he rubbed his clean-shaven jaw with his knuckles. “I got a haircut,” he said, 
stating the obvious. “My aunt Kelly’s neighbor’s book club apparently thought it was too long. 
Kelly agreed and called my mother, who called me and said she wasn’t going to bake any red 
velvet cupcakes when I came to visit if I didn’t get it cut.”

“She drives a hard bargain.”

“You have no idea. Her cupcakes make me cry,” he whispered.

“Interesting,” Summer said, not interested in the least.

“I’ll ask her to bake you some. She likes you.” He cringed and closed his eyes. His cheeks turned pink. “I mean she watches you and likes you, you know, as a weather girl.”

If anyone knew about sticking her foot in her mouth, it was Summer. “If it makes you feel any 
better, my grandmother thinks you’re cute,” she confessed to ease his embarrassment.

“She does?” His eyes were bright like the clouds had lifted. “And would you say you consider 
your grandmother a wise woman?”

“Oh, Mimi is completely off her rocker. I mean, she is more than a few cards short of a full deck. Bonkers. Mad as a hatter. Crazy as a—”

“Okay, okay!” Travis put his fingers on her lips. “I get it.”

Summer’s heart skipped a beat, then flew into overdrive. Before she could process this 
unexpected physical reaction, Travis pulled his hand away and shoved it deep in his pants 
pocket.

“Did you know that the highest temperature ever recorded was 136 degrees Fahrenheit in Azizia, Libya?” she blurted out. “Can you imagine?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “That’s crazy hot.”

Author Bio

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. It's been a dream come true that people want to read them now that she's written them down. An eternal 
optimist, she studied social work with the hope she could teach others how to find their own silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart turned husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet puppy dog. 

Author Links

Facebook 
Twitter 
Website 

Buy Links

Pre-order an ebook version at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and ebook will be available January 1, 2014 for purchase at eHarlequin

All cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Ent. Copyright © Harlequin Enterprises. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks of Harlequin and/or its affiliated companies, used under license

Looking Back at October

October was a lot of fun.  

Was there something you missed?

Reviews

Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris

Frozen by Melissa De la Cruz - Review by Nikki

Red by Alison Cherry

One to Hold by Tia Louise

Tattoo Thief by Heidi Joy Tretheway

Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris

My Date From Hell by Tellulah Darling

Sweet Surrendering by Chelsea M. Cameron Review by Nikki

A Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

Running Back by Allison Parr

Where We Fell by Amber L. Johnson

Greed by Fisher Amelie

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Cover Reveals

A Little Too Much by Lisa Derochers

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring

Where We Fell by Amber L. Johnson

Release Days

Finding It by Cora Carmack

Sweet Surrendering by Chelsea M. Cameron

Where We Fell by Amber L. Johnson

Blog Tours

Silent Echo by Elisa Freilich

Where We Fell by Amber L. Johnson

Top Tens

Top Ten Turn-offs

Stacking the Shelves

October 4, 2013

October 18, 2013

October 25, 2013

R U Mine? - A Review of One & Only by Viv Daniels

(Goodreads Blurb)

One night they can't forget...

Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to keep: the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship -- Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.

One love they can't ignore...

Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one choice: break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time. 

...And only one chance to get things right.

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

First off I have to say that this is the best New Adult book that I've read in a very long time.  I enjoyed it immensely.  

The Story..

I don't even know how to sum this up in words.  This story did not follow any formulas.  There was no NA pattern adhered to.  Daniels has a way of writing that makes you forget everything you've ever read before.  She has wit and tells a beautiful tale of fear, longing, and an ache to just be loved.  

I was riveted.  I couldn't put it down.  It had the innocence of a Young Adult novel combined with the sexy adult-ness of the New Adult genre.

What Worked...

Dylan and Tess's relationship was amazing right from the start.  He wanted a romantic relationship with her, but when she says no, it doesn't knock him off his game.  He continues to be his awkward, sweet self.  He's her steady rock throughout the science program.  When they finally give in to temptation, Dylan is patient and sweet and so giving.

When Dylan and Tess meet again at Canton University, Dylan does try to make Tess think that he is over her, but he doesn't play games.  He is straightforward and honest with her.  He never tries to hide the truth and seeks to make things right as soon as humanly possible.

Tess's reasons for staying away from Dylan are legit.  She keeps secrets that aren't hers to tell, even though it would make things much easier for her with Dylan if she were to spill the beans.  I've read so many books where complications arise that are contrived and feel forced.  The situations that Dylan and Tess find themselves in are quite natural and completely believable.

The yearning felt between Dylan & Tess is so strong every time they are together.  I ached for them.  It's an amazing thing when an author can make me believe that her characters are people that I know, and people that I care about.

What Didn't...

Hmmm... the only thing I can think of that didn't work for me is maybe the cover.  To me it seems like it is for a completely different book.  I can kind of see how it fits in, but it had me expecting something more along the lines of a cheesy romance versus the tale of challenges met, obstacles overcome, and love accepted that I read.


5 out of 5 stars

Viv Daniels Bio:

Viv Daniels writes love stories for the young and young at heart. Like many of her characters, she met her husband in college, and knows all the ins and outs of navigating that kind of relationship — from how to date when you’re both flat broke to how to fit two people in narrow dorm room bed. Her favorite new adult authors include Tammara Weber, J. Lynn, and Cora Carmack. Viv can usually be found on her Facebook page or Twitter feed, chatting with readers about her favorite New Adult fiction, or sharing pictures of cute boys. She lives outside of Washington D.C. with her family. http://vivdaniels.com

Website: http://vivdaniels.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vivdaniels

Facebook: http://facebook.com/vivdanielsbooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18392843-one-only