Fighting Fate by JB Salsbury

JB Salsbury has hit it out of the mother #$%@! park once again!

Fighting Fate holds it's own as the sixth installment in the Fighting Series, which introduces us to Axelle and Killian. Now if you've read the other books in this series, these two should be familiar to you, they're both introduced in Fighting to Forgive. The story of Axelle and Killian's friendship turned lovers turned big, confusing hot mess, is heartbreaking. There were times throughout this book that I wanted to straight up throw my Kindle at the wall and other times I wanted to curl up in a ball and just weep. JB knows how to write a story and even better, she knows how to write amazing characters that you'll never forget.

Axelle is your typical college student who likes to party, drink too much and has one really douchey boyfriend! Killian reminds me of poor Dawson in Dawson's Creek, always the friend, never the boyfriend. But when Axelle starts to realize what's right in front of her, she realizes that her feelings go much deeper than friendship when it comes to Killian.

Killian is they guy everyone loves. He's loyal, friendly and would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. He's had feelings for Axelle since he laid eyes on her but has always felt he held the dreaded friends only card. When they both realize their feelings go beyond their friendship, their love blossoms into something wonderful.

But as we all know JB Salsbury is going to sideswipe you with a situation that will leave you saying "whooooaaaaaaa!"

Without giving anything away, Axelle makes a decision to let Killian go because he has the opportunity of a lifetime to train and fight in London and she refuses to hold him back because she needs help. Killian is heartbroken. He's confused and doesn't understand why Axelle would just push him away when she desperately needs him. So the question is, if you really do let love go, will it find its way back if it's meant to be?

Thank you JB for another incredible story!

The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan - Review

I have quickly become a HUGE fan of Kristen Callihan's! The Friend Zone is the 2nd book in the Game On series and it doesn't disappoint. We first meet Gray Grayson aka Cupcake in the first book, The Hook Up and all you can think about is him being this major manwhore who just loves women but never settles down. Well that all changes when he meets, or shall I say, receives a text from Ivy Mackenzie aka Special Sauce.

The banter between these two was awesome. The texting was probably my favorite part of these two. You honestly felt like you were invading a private conversation, that's how "real life" the texts were. I know some people criticized about how you can become so connected to someone through a text before you've even met them, apparently those folks have never experienced it. I have and let me tell you, it's an amazing thing. You truly learn who that person is by just letters on a screen. You learn their personality before your eyes can make a judgement. And the fact that Gray and Ivy both were friends before realizing their attraction to each other was a beautiful thing. You really felt their connection and their friendship, which made their relationship that much stronger.

The pink Fiat just cracked me up and I can only imagine what Gray looked like climbing in and out of that thing! It cracks me just thinking about it! This story has it all, witty banter, drama, intensity and of course super duper sexiness!

A Cry for Hope by Beth Rinyu Review

" This is the story about my family. My beautiful son, my once perfect husband, and finding the courage to live and feel whole again." - Beth Rinyu, A Cry for Hope

Ok, so- this book totally threw me for a loop. Before I say anymore, I want to make sure you know there is about to be a MAJOR SPOILER ALERT  so turn away now if you aren't interested!

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OH.MY.GOSH. This book did a lot of things to me. It broke my heart, it put a bandaid over the wounds, it made me start to see the light, totally wrecked me, and restored my faith in people and marriage. That is a lot for one book to accomplish. Please be patient with me on this review as I've just finished this book and I'm not sure I'm emotionally capable to be writing the review already!


This book started off introducing us to two best friends, Hope and Nick. These two were attached at the hip growing up and the true definition of best friends. It was great to see Hope's early years as the book was told from her POV and Nick was definitely an important character in the book.

Next, we discover grown up Hope. Hope and Nick got separated at a young age and they lost contact. We start reading about Hope's life now, which includes 8 year old Charlie and hubby, Jamie. Hope's life seems like the picture perfect life. She's got the sweetest little boy- he sticks up for the new kid with special needs, he's loving, and is a great kid overall. She's got a husband who worships her and their little boy and she's never been happier.Then, the unthinkable happens. Charlie drowns. As if this weren't bad enough, Hope was at the beach with him that day and has taken on the guilt of not being able to be with him or save him when it happened.

I can only imagine the feelings Hope must've been feeling. Not to mention, Jamie (without directly saying so) held Hope responsible for the loss of their son. Over the 8/9 months of Charlie being gone, Jamie has been aloof and stand-offish. Hope eventually has to leave to get some space between her and Jamie, after finding out about a major mistake on his part. The majority of the book was Hope trying to come to terms with the loss of her son, her feelings regarding the whole tragic accident, how she was going to handle not being a Mom anymore (or at least not having Charlie here) and what she deserves as a person and a wife.

Enter, Nick. Nick is home visiting his father on leave from the Marines. He's going through his own personal tragedy and the two best friends find each other at the perfect time. Their friendship, their love for one another, honestly saves the other. Nick helped Hope realize that she needs to be ok with herself and Hope helped Nick realize he mattered in this world and he was someone worth loving. 

Hope and Nick make a decision that seems so right, and feels so good, in the moment, that everything else goes out of their mind. As a reader, at this point, I've developed this intense love for Nick. He's been there for Hope. He's built her back up, all the while encouraging her to do whatever is best for her, be with whomever makes her happy. Nick goes off to military training just as Jamie makes a reappearance in Hope's life trying to being making amends after a year of acting as a complete stranger. 

As Hope is trying to figure out her life and her feelings, she gets the most devastating news. 

I just can't. I did not see this major turn of events coming. I can't believe Nick is gone. I saw the pregnancy coming a mile away, but I DID NOT see the author killing off Nick. AH! I don't know how else this story could've played out, but I was literally sobbing at the 83% mark and on. My heart breaks at the end of this book, but it also gets glued back together a little bit. I love that, as strange as it is, all of the tragedy brought husband and wife back together. I'm glad to read a book where husband and wife can go through an unbearable situation and still come out strong, together. Jamie wasn't able to father anymore children, so the author makes you believe this was almost Nick's gift to Hope and her husband. Unfortunately, there's not many books that display that or many real life situations that display that anymore either, for that matter. It definitely restored my faith in a strong partnership and couple, even if my heart was seriously breaking at the loss of Hope's best friend.

I'll leave you with this little tidbit. It's probably my favorite gif and you'll see it many times from me probably, but it's totally appropriate for me and this book. This is my face reading the last 15% of this book:

Playlist:

Screaming Infidelities by Dashboard Confessional

Fireflies by Ron Pope

Blue Ocean Floor by Justin Timberlake

Sad by Maroon 5

Home by Phillip Phillips