Once Upon A Kiss by Carina Rose Book Review!

"You made me believe in love at first kiss." - Carina Rose, Once Upon A Kiss

Can we talk about this cover? I mean, who doesn't want to be the character on the cover of this book! Big beach hat, soft sand, clear blue water and a nice tan... ah, now that's what dreams are made of! Add in a handsome, loyal, loving man and you've got the fairy tale right there! 

Before saying too much more, I do want to say thank you to author Carina Rose and RRR Promotion as I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

I enjoyed reading Once Upon A Kiss! I didn't realize this was Carina Rose's first book until after I'd completed the book and wanted to read a little more about this author. She is a skilled writer who's able to transport you to this tropical paradise with a dreamy man and clear blue ocean water at the drop of her pen/fingers on her keyboard. After reading Once Upon A Kiss, I am so tempted to find a resort and make a reservation for the dead of winter! What a nice relief that would be! 

This book starts off with Lacey going off on a solo vacation that was originally meant to be spent with her lying, cheating ex-boyfriend. 

With a push from her friends, Lacey decided to step out of her comfort zone and go on this trip on her own. She never expected to run into Kevin, the cheating ex she left at home. Not a full day into her tropical resort vacation and bam! She sees Kevin with the girl he cheated on her with, living it up at the resort, but Lacey also meets Drew. You know early on that Drew is a good guy with the way he was so willing to help Lacey in a tough situation. Not that he was really complaining, though ;)

During the course of the next few days, Drew gallantly offers to act as Lacey's boyfriend to keep Kevin away.  

One of my favorite scenes of the book is when Kevin approaches Lacey as he and his "girlfriend" are checking out of the hotel after a few days. He tells Lacey that she can drop the charade because he's leaving and she doesn't have to keep pretending with Drew. He also says a few more hurtful, snide comments to Lacey and Drew literally has to be pulled back from his friend Ethan before he decks Kevin in the face. I don't often condone violence, but Drew standing up for Lacey and threatening to hurt that lying, cheating, jerk made me have to fan my face a little! 

 Lacey has happily accepted Drew's willingness to be her fake boyfriend, but has a  hard time now deciphering if Drew is really acting or is truly interested in her. 

The longer time goes on, Drew and Lacey continue to spend their time inseparable at Spero (the resort). As the trip occurs in December, a little before Christmas, they are even able to be a part of a big Christmas party the resort does for kids in orphanages in the local village who wouldn't receive any presents without the donations of the resort owners and hotel guests. 

This was a really sweet part of the book. I loved that Lacey and Drew were on the same page with how they felt about these kids and wanting to help them have a great Christmas. I mean, how could you not fall in love with a man who selects 20 angels off of a paper angel tree and then happily goes shopping with you to buy all sorts of gifts for them? 

I loved that there was common theme, throughout the book, of giving and charity and helping others. I loved that they had that in common and just the hope and encouragement it shares. Maybe it'll even motivate readers to want to go and be a part of something to help others in their community! 

Anyway, the story continues on. 

The nagging question hangs over their heads about what happens when the trip is done. Will they go home after a fun vacation fling? Maybe a one night stand? Will they try something as difficult as a long distance relationship? I'm not going to answer this question for you because I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I do think you should check out the book and find out how it ends! Throughout the last half of the book, I was waffling myself on what I thought the final answer would be. Would Lacey be willing to let down all of her fears and insecurities to truly accept and be happy with a man like Drew? Is Drew as ready to settle down as he may think he is? 

If you're interested, below is the link for Once Upon A Time!

Once Upon A Time - Amazon

Once Upon A Time- Nook

Once Upon A Time- Apple Books

Happy reading, friends!!

Clam Jam by R.C. Bold Review!!

"I want to be someone's everything." "You already are." - R.C. Boldt, Clam Jam

I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book and I'm glad I did because I enjoyed the read. It will be released on January 10th, 2017!  This book was somewhere around a 3.5 for me, but I decided to round up because the pros definitely outweighed the cons for me in this book.


**** There are SPOILERS in this review so continue to read only at your own risk!! ****


Maggie is our main leading lady of this story. She's been burned by men in the past and is in that place (that most of us have been in one time or another) where she's swearing off men at the beginning of the book. Enter art and his gigantic lie! He has seen Maggie from afar and has that ultimate, love at first sight experience. However, he knows she's recently been burned so the only way he'll be able to be a part of her life is through a strictly platonic relationship. Maggie's ideal roommate is a gay man and Ry's ideal anything is Maggie, so i.e. he "becomes" a gay man for her.

Because of this facade, they are able to really get to know each other and become close friends. I obviously don't agree with Ry lying and I can understand how badly it hurts Maggie and breaks her trust with him, but I can also see the value of really getting to know each other without the added pressure of dating and possibly feeling like you always have to put your best foot forward, so to speak.

Naturally, Ry and Maggie are the perfect couple from the beginning of the story and everyone but Maggie seems to see it. Her best friend Sarah picks up on it. Jack, the supposed boyfriend but really best friend of Ry, obviously knows it and has from the very beginning. Maggie is even introduced to TWO female ex's of Ry's plus met Ry's Mom who had no idea what she meant about her son "coming out" so by the end of this book,I was a little frustrated Maggie hadn't picked up on anything yet, or her BFF had told her (Ry or Sarah)! There was passion between Ry and Maggie that was undeniable. The story overall was very well written, albeit a little longer than I really thought necessary.

My favorite part of this book was the end and the sweet, thoughtful, perfect romantic comedy/drama movie type  experience Ry fave Maggie to win her back. I mean, really?! Who wouldn't swoon at that?! I love that he kept the letters and I loved the little part of his 'tell' that made Maggie feel like he really loved her.

My only complaint? I want to know more about Jack and Sarah!! They had good chemistry as well, but I know Jack gad to keep  the facade so I'm hoping those two get their happily ever after in a future book 2!

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan - Review

I am now an addict of Kristen Callihan's books! I one clicked this bad boy after another author kept going on and on about it. So I dove in and I loved every.single.second.I'm not usually into football type stories but this one just grabbed me and sucked me in for the entire ride.

Anna Jones is a college student who has issues with relationships, love and kissing on the lips! She likes her men as hook ups and nothing more. No attachments, no relationship drama and no worries of getting your heartbroken. Her whole world is turned upside down when she meets star Quarterback, Drew Baylor, who just so happens to be sitting right next to her in Lit class. I have to give it to Drew, the boy was persistent! Even after Anna told him she did not "date" he was totally okay with having her as a "booty call", which is what they refer to each other as.

I loved every word, every sentence, every paragraph of this book! Right when I thought I had everything figured out with Anna and Drew, a big old fat wrench is thrown into the mix just to stir shit up! The two of them are hot as hell together and God have mercy can Kristen Callihan write a sex scene! Call the fire department cause I'm on fire!!!!!!!!!

I laughed so many times in this book I honestly felt like when I was reading Anna's POV, I was in my head! Her thoughts and reactions to situations were exactly how I'd react. I think my favorite was:

         "Never mind the fact that we have virtually no examples of a utopian society thriving in a real
          world situation," I say. One of the girls who has been mooning over Baylor since the beginning
          of the semester raises her hand, as if she needs permission to speak, "What about Atlantis?"

          Oh, Jesus Christ in a peach tree.

I laughed so hard at that one simple sentence I had tears in my eyes! This is only one of many of Anna's quirky thoughts. I loved everything about Anna. Some reviews said she was naive and let her "daddy issues" get in the way but honestly, I felt like Anna reacted to things as most girls who have issues with relationships would.

 I loved her will to fight as well as her weakness to struggle with her emotions. By the end she fought for what she wanted and that was Drew, even when he tried his damndest to push her away after his injury, she stayed. The scene where they have their epic fight, after his injury, and they start throwing each others clothes outside, was so intense yet it kind of brought everything together. It's hard to explain so just red the damn book!

Cole (Book 2 in The Leaves Series) by J.B. Hartnett Review!

"When I wake up, it's to his kiss on my forehead. He tells me I'm beautiful every day. He's always gentle with me. He knows my pain and I know his, and neither one of us is afraid to swim through the darkness of the other. The world could be falling down around us, but together we would be impenetrable. He is the other half of my heart, the other half of my soul...without him, I'm incomplete." - J.B. Hartnett, Cole

So, we start off Cole with a tragic situation! It's intense, scary, and the reader can see Cole slipping farther and farther away. Will he be able to hold it together for Anika? He'll do everything in his power to do so. Knowing that he won't be able to do it alone, Cole reaches out to the last person in the world he's wanted anything from in the last several years...his father. 

Cole's relationship with his father has not been a good one. He's been scarred and hurt by his father. He's never felt good enough and never followed in the footsteps dear-ol-dad wanted him to. At one point, his father totally traumatized him and Cole has cut himself off ever since. 

Will Cole be able to put aside his feelings towards his Father in hopes of working together? We shall see. 

I am purposefully being coy and short in writing for this review. I want you to read it. I think it is worth the read and you won't regret it! While I enjoyed Inky, I loved this book. I love that this book is about Cole. His story, his feelings, his battle, and his love. I love the continuation of Cole and Anika's love story, but I love hearing about Cole's family, too. This book really answers a lot of questions I had from the first book and it only shows the love between Anika and Cole grow and grow. It's intense, exciting, and a great read. Definitely check it out! 

More Than Her by Jay McLean Review!

"I can't give you much, or anything at all. But when I say those words to you, it won't just be words-it will be me giving you something that means something. And you deserve to know that, to feel that. So please, let me be the first to say it-- because I need to at least be able to give you that...and when I do-- those three words will be yours, forever. And so will I."- Jay McLean, More Than Her

Logan, Logan, Logan. Now, I thought I was taking on Jake Andrews as my new book boyfriend, but Logan-- he's changed the game! Logan makes me want to scream, cry, laugh, and everything in between. He's infuriating, but heartbreaking. He's everything you want, and everything that could break you. He's mesmerizing, but dizzying. But, he was none of that until Amanda.

"...this is the moment I knew what it felt like to lose everything I never had." 

The attraction between Amanda and Logan is instant. It's one of those love at first sight stories and Jay McLean does a beautiful way of telling us about it. It's not easy between them to begin with, but once they get together...fireworks. It's a perfect first date, and then Logan never calls. For a year. Never calls... for a year! 

A year goes by while Logan still thinks about her and misses her. The entire year he wants to call her, wants to talk to her, but can't get himself to do it. When they run into each other again, it's clear Amanda wants nothing to do with him. She's infuriated, but can't help the attraction she feels towards him. She wants him, but she can't trust him not to break her heart all over again. 

Amanda can't resist him, no matter how hurt she felt in the past. Sparks fly, we fall in love with Logan and Amanda together, and they are both happier than they've ever been. Then, the real world comes crashing in. Logan's past catches up to him and threatens his future. Will either of them be able to overcome it?


You've got to read Book 3 (More Than Him) to find out what happens! I will say this, though- I've read Book 3 and it is TOTALLY worth it! :)