Thursday, June 20

amazingly broken

Title: Amazingly Broken

By: Jordin Williams

My Copy: Ebook from Author

BookWhisperer Rating:

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Life threw Elana a curveball...
Her mother died in Iowa and Elana was left to fend for herself with an abusive and drunken father who couldn't care less about her well being. After years of heartache and pain she graduated from high school and moved to Florida to go to college with her best friend Tiffany.
A new beginning...
That’s where she met Jaxon. He was everything she didn’t need. He was a cocky, tattooed, and a beer drinking musclehead. He was the type of guy that she normally would have avoided given her circumstances but when he offers her a bed to sleep on she can't say no.
She never thought that she would discover they weren't much different from one another and that he had his own secrets and scars he didn’t want revealed to anyone...

our thoughtsAmazingly Broken is a wonderfully intoxicating read. Elana is just trying to make her own path in life. After a plethora of sad and tragic developments in the past few years; she is just hoping for a calm and productive stent in Florida. Attending college she has one purpose, and that is to be successful in her studies and just maybe finding a job that will help make this dream a little more possible. Upon her arrival she is homeless, and having to lean on her long time friend for a place to stay. This is alleviated shortly when Jaxon enters the picture, and offer a place to stay that will allow her an actual bed. With her dedication to her dreams it should be easy to avoid the toxic player, and move on quickly when the housing department finds her an dorm. Only the lines become very blurred when she finds that there is more to Jaxon’s character than whoring around. This story has just the right amount of suspense, and keep me on the edge of my seat. There is just something about good guys in disguise that rock my world. Jaxon is everything dangerous from his tattoos to his violent behavior, but as the story unfolded there was way more than what met the eye. He is layers upon layers of personality, and it was so much fun peeling each on away. So unlike anything that I have read lately I kept waiting on the drama to hit. While over half of the book was accompanied by the fiction filled reluctance of these two characters it is traditional to have a falling out that almost shatters there dreams. This book just simply did not have that. Yes, it does have a moment of turmoil into their relationship, but it was easily maneuvered and resolved. Likewise, this story also did not have a ending cliff hanger. Williams created a story that was perfectly developed, and concluded with the story wrapped of nicely. As her debuting novel, Williams totally knocked my socks off. If this is how she has chosen to start out; I can’t wait to see what she will have to come.

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Wednesday, June 19

Title: Release Me
By: J. Kenner
Series: Stark Trilogy #1
My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley
Book Whisperer Rating: 


He was the one man I couldn’t avoid. And the one man I couldn’t resist.

Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.

Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past—and risk breaking us apart.

But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him—and us—forever.


Holy crap, Damien is Mr. Sexy Pants!

This book was seriously hot because Damien Stark was hot.  It kind of follows the line of most popular books being published now (i.e. Crossfire) but this story has it’s own little twists and turns to set it apart.  Nikki has a dark and gritty past than the other female characters.  However, she is brilliant at her job, which is why her boss brings her to an art exhibit to “woo” Mr. Stark.  The heat between them flies right off the page, there is a connection and that is how the book starts. 

Damien knows what he wants and always gets want he wants.  And you guessed right, he wants Nikki.  I found him more kind than all the other male characters out there in this genre. 

Chapters are filled with the intense passion between the two, which, of course, I adored.  If you like books like Crossfire, etc. you will like Release Me.

Monday, June 17

Title: Conquer Your Love
By: J.C. Reed
My Copy: Ebook from Author
BookWhisperer Rating:




Meeting Jett was like bad luck. Dangerous. Unpredictable. And better avoided. In his game, the stakes are high. But are they worth the risk?

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, finds forgetting is hard, but forgiving is harder. When the man she trusted, betrayed her, the only way to forget is to move on. Brooke is determined to start a new life, until she meets him again: the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god. The man who played dirty. The man who played her.

Sexy, rich, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has made mistakes. He could have any other woman, and yet it’s Brooke he wants. When second chances collide with secrets and Brooke is threatened by the past, Jett is determined to protect her. She accepts his help unwillingly because she needs him but she wants to play his game on her own terms. And she has no intention to forgive or let him back into her bed.

When the man she is supposed to hate is the one she should trust, will he conquer her…or lose her forever?

A woman who can’t forgive.
A man who has made mistakes.
Two lives that are about to cross again and more secrets laid bare.
Overlooking the fact that I am sleep deprived, cranky, and depressed; I have nothing but great things to say about this second installment to Surrender Your Love. I had to stay up well into the wee hours of the morning to finish this book last night. Brooke and Jett are an explosive combination, and I love every minute of their journey. I liked the reluctance to jump into rekindling the romance in the beginning. This story seemed to take a little more priority in the story than the first book, and it was welcomed addition. While I was a little distraught with the whining nature of Brooke's character for a brief stint; it was quickly understood with the developments of the story. I am always so sad to see these stories come to a close. I love JC Reed's style and talent. She will take you on whirlwind romances that leave you breathless with want. I look forward to seeing what is to come in the final installment that was publicized at the end of Conquer Your Love. With all of the new developments I see this story taking quite a different direction.

Saturday, June 15

Title: Fading
By: E.K. Blair
Series: Fading #1
My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley
Book Whisperer Rating: 


Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing?

Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.

The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.

At what point do secrets become lies?


I am hopping off the rollercoaster ride that I was just on while reading Fading.  Blair does not shy away from the harsh event and seriously had me from the first chapter with Candace’s attack and how she suffers through the physical, emotional, and mental hardships that followed.  Right along with Candace, I experienced her pain and rooted for that moment of where the weight would be lifted off her shoulders. 

I found myself loving Jase, Mark, and Ryan. The only reason she survived her attack was because of these three men and their want to pick up her broken pieces and glue her back together; Ryan being a huge part in it.  His patience, kindness, and love towards her helps eventually bring her back among the living. 

The only problems (and super minor) were that sometimes Candace was just too emotional for me and her retreat from her best friend and roommate Kimber.  To have a best friend that means so much to Candace, Kimber was quickly kicked out of her life and was left in the dark.

Title: Skin in the Game
By: Jackie Barbosa
Series: Play Action #1
My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley
Book Whisperer Rating:


Angela Peterson was always the quiet, shy kid growing up in Harper Falls, crushing on the high school quarterback and honing her football strategy skills. Now grown up and coaching the high school team, she’s shocked when that same sexy quarterback returns to Harper Falls asks her back to his hotel room. And then tries to steal her job.

Injured NFL quarterback Cade Reynolds is in Harper Falls to take over as interim head coach, and he never thought the tall, blond bombshell he propositioned would offer up any resistance. Not to a repeat of the amazingly wild night they shared and certainly not to his coaching position.

But the Harper Falls High Eagles are Angie’s team, and even the hometown hero won’t take that away from her, no matter how hot he is. As the two engage in a battle of wits and wills, this is one game neither is prepared to lose.


This was a sexy and quick book to zoom through.  The hotness of Cade and the beauty of Angie made them a good couple but like all good couples, there are always bumps in the road. 

While this was a good book to read, there was that “oomph” missing from it to really capture me.  It was either that the couple was a “good” couple but not the greatest or just maybe it was the quick story plot.  However, it (to me) was worth reading.

I really liked the epilogue, I think that was the part of the story that touched my heart the most and it showed (hopefully) book number two’s characters, Rachel and Warren.

Friday, June 14

Title: The Arrangement 6
By: HM Ward
Series: The Arrangement Novella Series
My Copy: Bought from Amazon
BookWhisperer Rating:

 Just as Avery thinks she finds balance with her position as a call girl and her relationship with Sean, everything changes. The relationships that she has depended on are suddenly gone. After years of friendship, Avery is forced to face the cold hard truth--there is no place for feelings in this kind of business.
With every installment this story just keeps getting better and better. Sean is such a complicated character; with his alternating personalities that borders the black abyss and the one and only romeo I never know what to expect from him. Avery is complex and complicated as well, but I am on the fence about how intrigued I am with her character. At times she is very interesting while at other times I think that she is dragging things out. I am more of a "sh*t or get off the pot kind of girl". I was happy to see her demanding answers, and standing on her own this book. While it still followed the typical trend of every man wanting to take care of her; she was not a receptive of this treatment this time round. On another note, I am also very comfused about Henry, and do not know what to think of him. Lastly, the new developed attraction I am heart broken for. I don't know what is in the future for these two, but I am quite a silent rooter for him. I really like him maybe even almost as much as I like Sean. After all of these reviews I am sure you all know how much I love HM Ward. She writes story that will twist into a pretzel, and keep you begging for more. Every story is so emotionally high strung that you are an instenanous fan for life. Don't miss out on any works from this amazing author.


Title: Hell, Fire, & Freedom
By: Shannon Callahan
My Copy: Ebook from Author
BookWhisperer Rating:




For the last five years, Brynn Langley has lived her own version of Hell on Earth. Married to her abusive husband, Carl, in an attempt to give her sister a better life than the one she had, she’s finally reached her breaking point. Escaping is the only way to save her life. Can she find the freedom she’s dreamed of forever, or will everything go up in smoke?
Blaze Prescott, one of New York’s finest, falls hard and fast for Brynn, the beautiful brunette he meets in the coffee shop. He knows there’s more to her story than what she’s letting on, but can he handle Brynn’s past and give her hope for a brighter future, or is the heat too much for even this sexy firefighter to handle?

From my first glimpse at this I just had to check it out. All the intensity and danger was what I expected to be a sure sign of excellence. Although, I was very disappointed once I really delved into the story. First, I must say that Brynn was a very impressive character that readers will sympathize with immediately. She is not a whiner, nor is she ridiculously stupid and putting herself in harms way. Actually, she is the opposite and will find anyway to stay in the shadows and safe. So, why would a character such as herself put herself in this position to begin with. Yes, she had nothing. Yes, she was young, but my thoughts are that if you are truly used to scrapping by in the streets as white trash. Wouldn't you know quite a bit about this kind of danger and lifestyle. More importantly wouldn't you be used to seeing these kind of monster's, and not drop yourself in ones lap. Even if I overlooked the fact that she allowed herself to say in this dangerous situation; I still have to look at the later stories relationship. While Blaze is a good guy if you have spent years getting the crap beat out of you I just don't feel that you are going to be so accepting of a guy. Most importantly here, I don't see you having a relationship that you follow the man lead again.

This was by no means a terrible story, but I just think it needed a little more work to have been enjoyable, adventurous, and realistic. It takes all of these components to make an amazing story, and I think this author has tremendous potential.

Thursday, June 13

a moment

Title: A Moment

By: Marie Hall

Series: Moments #1

My Copy: Ebook from Netgalley

BookWhisperer Rating:

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Ryan Cosgrove and Liliana Delgado are on a collision course with destiny. They don’t know it yet, but before the night is over their lives will be forever changed.
Spending Valentine’s Day at a burlesque bar, hadn’t been Liliana’s ideal way of spending a Friday night. She’d much rather be back on campus doing homework… until she meets Ryan. Tall, athletic, and gorgeous, Lili can’t keep her eyes off him, and despite his gruff manners and drunken disposition she’s intrigued.
Ryan’s got demons, and they’re deep, dark, and eating him alive. Regardless of his attraction to the petite brunette he’s tired of fighting, of pretending the last fifteen years haven’t been a daily struggle just to get out of bed every morning. That night he decides to end his pain, to leave it all behind and float away into the blessed darkness of oblivion. But fate has other plans for him, Lily finds and rescues Ryan, determined she’ll not only save his body, but his soul too.
This is their moment…

our thoughts This story was a full force punch to the gut. Ryan is damaged, but understandably. How can anyone overcome such abuse and neglect? It is terrible to see this knowing that things like this happen every day. I was an immediate fan of his character, and determined that this story would lead him to recovery and a happy ending. A Moment, was my first experience with works from Marie Hall. She is quite a talented author, and tremendously strong emotional author. I was so absorbed into this emotional rollercoaster it was almost reassuring to see it come to a close. I also felt that some of the reassurance was also due to the pace of the mid story. Being so talented it must be incredibly difficult to determine what is enough. That was evident with Hall dedication to the detail in the middle of this story. It almost seemed like she was so determined that every read feeling the emotion leaking out of the pages, and in doing so she ended up maybe dragging it out just a little further than was necessary. Rest assured with such a wonderful novel this does not alter the excellence of the story, but will leave readers ready for the end. A Moment is one of those story that doesn’t really leave you craving for me. It was so wonderful and enjoyable that as the story is winding down it leaves you with a comforted feeling of HOPE and LOVE. I look forward to seeing what other Moments Marie has for the series.

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randomactsofcrazy

Random Acts of Crazy
By: Julia Kent

Tell Me More:
I never intended to pick up a naked hitchhiker wearing nothing but a guitar. A guitar. Really. I don't collect guys like that (don't ask what kind of guys I do collect), but when you spot a blonde, tanned, sculpted man with a gorgeous smile and his thumb poking up and practically begging you to stop - you stop.
And I definitely never thought I'd be staring into the bright blue eyes of Trevor Connor, the lead singer for Random Acts of Crazy, an indie rock star I followed like the slobbering fileshare fangirl I am. How he came to be nude and lost six hundred miles from home is quite the tale, but how we fell in love is even more unreal.
Because someone like Trevor Connor, headed to Harvard Law next year, isn't supposed to want someone like me, a rural Ohio chick majoring in Boredom at Convenience Store University who is all curves and frizzy blonde hair and manners so unpolished they have sharp edges that make you bleed.

But he did.
When his best friend, Joe Ross, the bass player for Random Acts of Crazy and a man who makes Calvin Klein models look like Shrek, drove eleven hours through the night to rescue him, though, it got real complicated. It's one thing to like two different guys and be torn.
What do you do, though, when maybe - just maybe - you don't have to choose?
As my Aunt Josie says sometimes, "It's always complicated."
Available from:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Bookstrand
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords

Hear What Everyone is saying:

USA Today Bestseller! 346 pages
Top 20 ebook in the entire Nook store -- Top 5 New Adult book on Amazon --Top 5 Romantic Comedy on Amazon -- All Romance eBook bookstore Best Seller

"It was funny and irreverant like Wallbanger, but deep and moving like Barbara Elsbourg's Strangers. That is a tough mix to pull off. I should warn you though, this book should come with a surgeon general's warning: 'Do not start this book if you have any where to be, anything to do or need to pretend to be remotely interested in conversations with breathing human beings that are not currently also reading this book.' Enjoy!" -- Amazon reader review

"Random Acts of Crazy one of the best if not the best books I've read in a long time. Could not put it down. I laugh so hard my side hurt. Thank God I didn't pee myself!! Congratulations on such an awesome read." -- Goodreads reader review

"Be warned, this is not your mother's romance. It's hard and gritty and smacks you in the face like that burst of heat when you first open an oven door, which is exactly what makes it a  refreshing change from a typical sticky sweet love story." -- Featured Staff Pick from Cat at All Romance eBooks

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Wednesday, June 12

Fire Inside
By: Kristen Ashley
Series: Chaos Book 2

Lanie Heron isn’t looking for love—no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club...

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She’s too polished and too classy for his tastes. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can’t say no. And he doesn’t regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that’s ever happened to him—in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.


Knowing how much I we here at The BookWhisperer absolutely love this author I am sure it is easy to see that we have already read this one as well. So, since we have already reviewed it I have the pleasure of offering an excerpt for this incredible title. Check it out below.

EXCERPT

"I was leaning against the wall and, with no small amount of difficulty, tugging my jeans over my boots when Hop crouched at my feet, his hands out to help me.
My jeans successfully pulled over my boots, I straightened. He did too and slid an arm loose around my waist as I tugged them up, zipped, buttoned, and belted them.
“Um…not big on putting these back on after they’ve been on the floor of a public bathroom,” I murmured, giving my panties in my fingers a little twirl. “And I don’t have a purse.”
Hop’s eyes got dark but he said not a word, grabbed my panties and shoved them in his front pocket.
Knowing my panties were in Hop’s jeans pocket made my thighs quiver."
 “Just so you know,” I started, feeling suddenly nervous, “I’ve never had public handicapped bathroom sex before.”

“Just so you know,” Hop returned, grinning, “I haven’t either.”

“Uh…okay,” I muttered, finding it difficult to hold his smiling eyes and wanting to look at his shoulder. Instead, I lifted my hands to rest them there.

“Stall sex with a skank, yeah,” he went on and my head jerked. “Twice,” he continued and I felt my lips part. “Though, a private handicapped restroom is definitely the way to go with a lady. I’d never do you in a stall.”

He was teasing so I relaxed.

Slightly.
“I don’t think I could do a stall,” I shared.

“Like I said, wouldn’t do you in a stall.”

My lips curved up. “It’s good we agree on that.”