REVIEW; The Force of Gravity, by Kelly Stevenson

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Kaley Kennedy has the perfect life of an 18 year old. She is dating one of the most popular guys in school, got accepted to her number one college and has great friends. 
But when her Math teacher passes away and Mr Slate walks in as replacement, she can't help but get lost in his stare and presence. Her home life begins to crumble around her and she realises she is unhappy in her relationship with her boyfriend and Mr Slate becomes her lifeline as her other relationships suffer. It's clear he cares  for her, but what are the consequences if he chooses to cross the line and be with her? 

My Thoughts:

Told from Kaley's POV, we embark on a 400+ page whirlwind journey of risk and addiction.

Romance: I think this is one of my favourite love stories. It's a taboo topic of student/teacher romance but yet this one is treated and explored so beautifully. There's no deceit about who each of them are - they meet as student and teacher so it's all honest and real. There is a little case of insta-love, where the two become interested in each other after just locking eyes. I would've preferred some more interactions at the beginning to initiate some real feelings... but oh well. It builds a suitable and exciting pace as the drama and risk increases and they face consequences for their actions. I got so swept up in their world and the story.

Kaley: I loved her! I liked the strength of her character - she was reasonably popular and dating one of the stars of the school and was perceived as "having it all". But when meeting Mr. Slate she realises what she should be feeling in a relationship and what was holding her back with Tommy. It made her notice the different sorts of love one can have and experience. She also wasn't some damsel in distress over ridiculous scenarios - she had common family issues and concerns that meant she needed someone, but the author didn't get carried away with the plot so everything was "every day issues" in that, they're scenarios that occur in so many lives that makes Kaley a character you can relate to. But, it was still clear she was a high-school student with her insecurities and habit of jumping to conclusions. 

Mr Slate: Woah! That man knows self-control. He was the perfect blend of respect and fun. He cared for Kaley and her future and put her needs consistently before his own and still put his career on the line just to look out for him. At times I thought he was a little careless as he was easily shooting himself in the foot and living it close to the edge, and possibly being a little unbelievable. I really wish there were chapters from his POV as I found it difficult to understand why he liked Kaley. She acted her age and was a lot less emotionally mature than he, and I failed to see what the allure was, so reading from his mind would have helped solidify the authenticity of his feelings. 

Overall:

I read this in a whirlwind and was totally sucked into the drama and fell for it all. Maybe some insight needed into Mr Slate's mind to really hit home the affection, and lose the insta-love aspect for it to be a 5 star read. Definitely a great read!

Goodreads 

REVIEW; It's Never Enough, by Susan Soares

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Following the death of her best friend, Mallory is suffering with bulimia. She is in denial that it has a hold of her and believes she has it all under control. 
Devin has a troubled past and is suffering in his own way in an attempt to be the man he is expected to be and take care of his younger brother.
When the pair meet, they instantly have an undeniable connection and neither can stay away. Both of them could learn something from the other, but not if they can't learn to let their guard down and trust.

My Thoughts:

*** BETA READ - Thank you to the author for allowing me to beta read this in exchange for an honest review ***

Plot/Story; I really enjoyed the overall plot going on. The mix of Devin’s PTSD/backstory and then gradually finding out what was going on with Mallory and her battles with bulimia and coping with moving on from the death of her best friend. The casual romance that built between the pair was so lovely and real; it didn’t seem forced or too fast. Devin had a suitable sense of mystery to him and although I guessed he had PTSD, there wasn’t overkill with the symptoms. The reacting to loud sounds was obvious but the more subtle signs like refusing to go into Mallory’s bedroom made his condition seem more in-depth and realistic, beyond the “stereo-typed” indications. 

Mallory’s struggles were displayed very well. Her quirks from dealing with bulimia were well intertwined with the story; eg the opening chapter in the café and dealing with the different worker behind the counter, then leading her onto meeting Devin. The tiny strings that brought each story to the next were executed so well that nothing seemed overly coincidental.

The ending wrapped up the story nicely ending on the peaceful note. The fact it was Mallory trying to be more peaceful that resulted in her having proper time with Devin and how non-peaceful the two of them were whilst dealing with their past, it was a sweet culmination to all the drama they’d been through.

Characters; I really love how the characters are written; I think it’s one of the best aspects of the writing. Mallory has obviously had a hard time with bulimia etc and her quirk for baking was so interesting. The amount of detail that is given about her baking makes her so alive and her interests are believable, it’s not just a characteristic that’s thrown in half-heartedly. It also ties in well with her obvious struggle with binge-eating.

Fiona as her friend seems so genuine. Her care and love for Mallory is evident and her reaction when she realises Mallory hasn’t been coping is so heartfelt and real. Yet again I like how the best friend role is filled with a character that clearly has her own feelings and is a person in her own right and shows some tough love. That makes her so real.

Devin; He definitely had a lot of palpable charm at the beginning that drew the reader (& Mallory) in. He had good humour, placing Mallory’s name on the seat, and although described as physically attractive, he definitely had an attractive personality. At times though I felt like he fell apart a little; now if this was due to his PTSD getting worse than that’s totally understandable, however, it seemed like he lost the extent of his humour and wit as time went on. If this is related to his issues maybe it’d be reasonable to have Mallory wonder why he’s changed a little… aside from when he ignores her calls and skips town as that’s pretty obvious he’s harbouring demons by that stage.

Not so keen on;

It wasn’t a huge factor but I didn’t really feel for the story going on with Mallory’s dad and Janet. As a sub-plot it served well but it didn’t seem too necessary or needed. Whilst the miscarriage was a little needed to get Fiona to want to stay with Janet for a while and cause the drama between Fiona and Mallory and ultimately Mallory’s binge, I’m not sure if there needed to be a dynamic where the pair weren’t together but were expecting a child and then once they lose it they get back together and decide to try again. It was clear Mallory was affected by the prospect of a child being brought into the world to a “broken” family as she never got her happy unit herself, but with the romance story, bulimia and Devin’s problems, I’m not too sure if it’s really needed to that plot-twist extent. Maybe would be more suitable to have a scare but she doesn’t lose the baby?

Overall:

This was an enjoyable read. The romance was adorable between the pair and written about beautifully rather than graphically which made the idea of their true feelings for each seem so real. Eating disorders can be somewhat of a taboo topic but this was one of the first novels I’ve read that had one intertwined so well. There was no soft-stepping the issues but it was also clear how “normal” or okay Mallory seemed even though she was finding it harder to cope and how easy it is for people to deceive their loved ones and themselves.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Paper Princess (The Royals #1), by Erin Watt

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes Yes Yes

Book 1 of 3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Ella's mother died, she never knew her father, and she has been working at a strip club to earn money. Then one day Mr Royal walks in, claiming to be a friend of her deceased father's, and now her legal guardian. Ella is now a part of the Royal family with five new brothers; Gideon, Easton, Reed and the twins. They aren't going to step aside and allow her to waltz in and be a part of their family and get a penny of their father's money. 

But Ella is made of steel and has a plan of her own. But it didn't involve falling for Reed, the leader of the pack. 

My Thoughts:

Fell into this immediately and desperately need book 2! 

Ella: at 15 she joined strip clubs to pay for her mothers medical bills. She has such strength to put herself out there and out of her comfort zone to get money and make ends meet. She's then thrust into a new school where appearances matter and yet has no interest in moving up the social ladder. She shows great character development - she's not above accepting money that she needs for college in return for her safety by staying with Mr Royal. She's so strong and resilient, the boys don't exactly welcome her in and make things difficult as she's pressured to live up to the expectations of being a Royal. I love how she's been through absolute hell and yet isn't some broken, despair girl needing a boy to help her.

Reed: he is so damn stressful, poor Ella! I'd have punched him so many times out of annoyance and frustration for just being all over the place. He's portrayed as violent and for once it's not romanticised or made seem like it's okay. None of the actions of any of the sons are excused. But at times you really believe he hates Ella but yet it's the opposite. He doesn't treat her delicately either - he is through and through a bad boy. 

Romance: the romantic storyline in this is very delicate and subtle. There's nothing explicit or too daring. The novel is inbetween a new adult and young adult book. But yet it's written in such a way like it's the next big budding romance.

Easton: whilst Reed is harsh and aloof, I think Easton is my favourite Royal. He is scary still, but laid back and hilarious and I loved watching the harmless flirting between Ella and him. He's so much more charming and warm, he's more of a book boyfriend than Reed.

Overall:

When reading this book 2 wasn't published yet and I'm devastated. I rarely read a book one and NEED the next book immediately but I was left heartbroken. One of the best books I've read and this series has made it into my favourites of all time. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; The Last Boyfriend, by J.S. Cooper

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance,

Recommend: No

SPOILERS 

Summary:

After being messed around, Lucky makes a promise to herself- the next guy she dates will be the one she marries. 
Zane Beaumont brings a different date each Friday to the diner where Lucky works. And  he is the last person Lucky would consider as her future beau. But when he rescues her after her car breaks down, Lucky begins to see a different side to him and wonders if she can break the rules for him. After accepting an offer to help him on a project, she gets to know him on another level and she wants more, but he can't give her "Forever". Lucky also catches the eye of Zane's nemesis Braydon, who she feels may be a better option for her boyfriend plan.

My Thoughts:

I tried to read another J.S. Cooper novel a while back and hated it... I don't know why I thought this would be better...

Writing: The writing in this doesn't flow at all. Time changes too suddenly, jumping 2 weeks at a time etc. The conversations are awkward and dull and even the mood within the conversations take constant 180's that I just got lost all the time with what was happening.

Lucky: We are introduced to a strong, independent woman who doesn't need anyone. She keeps telling Zane she doesn't need a man to look out for her. But yet she turns into a jealous, ditsy, clingy girl from the get go. She's obsessed with Zane before ever speaking to him... that doesn't really shout independent to me. She had no depth, instantly giving up her life to go and work for Zane because she thinks he is hot. When she declines, he just accepts her no and then she gets annoyed he didn't try to convince her... that lack of caring about her answer should have been all the indication she needed that he was not worth throwing her life away for.

Zane: BOR-ING. At first I liked how he was anti-commitment and kept that clear and firm with Lucky. He wasn't looking for a relationship and he gave her a lot of warnings to end things before she got hurt. I was glad that finally a male character wasn't won over after the first kiss to change his mind. BUT OH NO...As soon as he thinks Lucky spent the night with Braydon and then left him, he realises he wants to be with her forever and LOVES her... *sigh* There was no build up or anticipation to this and Lucky, being the walkover she is, just accepted him back etc. I hate characters who just do a 180 for no apparent reason or good character development.

"My head gasket is gone," I sighed as I climbed out of the car.
"How do you know?" He looked surprised to hear me using a mechanical term.

I REALLY hate it when a girl character makes a very basic car remark and the guy instantly is shocked. Knowing about head gaskets is no huge chest of knowledge so if you want a female character to know about engines, possibly learn a bit about them first yourself. Also pretty ironic she's worried about the cost of fixing her head gasket and yet she still drives her car to the point it blows, instantly adding a few zeros onto the end of whatever cost it was going to be initially...

Overall: 

I think Lucky needs to step out of the dating game and her head together. This was a mess, sorry. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Jaded (Part 1), by Ali Parker

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Recommend: No

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Kari Martin witnesses her fiancé having sex with someone else the night before her wedding. Needing to escape New York City, she moves to a town in Maine with her two best friends. 
Jake Isaac has been burned and doesn't want love. He keeps busy by being a firefighter and also a school coach. But when he meets Kari and tries to stay away, he can't help but wish they were together. 
Is she the one who can make him believe in love again?

My Thoughts:

Meh. That's the best word I have for this right now... I stopped reading at about 80%

The Writing: I felt this was quite awkward to read. A lot of the scenes didn't flow and pointless / irrelevant actions were described or included that broke up the flow of the story. There was a good amount of boring chit-chat included, that once or twice may have added to the authenticity of a friendship group, but it just made me cringe!

Love/Romance: I don't know what the author deems to be love or heartbreak but this was far from it. Kari just had her heartbroken after the end of a relationship of 4 years. She moves and is meant to be nursing a broken heart. But in this literary world, heartbreak is magically cured within a few weeks as soon as a gorgeous fire-fighter...Alrighty. Meanwhile, Jake is supposedly "jaded" and anti-love from having his heartbroken... Although didn't take him too long to resist and go after Kari and claim to love her. They "loved" each other before they even knew each other. It was all just lust/insta love.

Kari: I didn't really like her. I didn't get the impression she even loved Frank to begin with or see why she was so heartbroken. The reader should have felt her despair and outrage. And then she turned into a teenage girl when laying eyes on Jake and getting offended when he politely turned down her offer of a date. It all seemed superficial and shallow and no real emotions.

Overall: 

I don't normally DNF so close to the end but reading this became a chore to just find out what happened before I realised I didn't really care. There was no chemistry or fun between the two and just empty words and I didn't really enjoy it. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Killing Cupid, by Louise Voss & Mark Edwards

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS !!!

Summary:

Alex signs up for a creative writing class and instantly falls for the tutor, Siobhan. Fixated on her, he reads her novel and reviews it highly. He finds out where she lives and leaves secret expensive gifts for her, using her own credit card, and even initiating the death of a suspected love rival. 

Siobhan discovers Alex is behind everything and warns him off. But when Alex moves on with another woman to embark on a healthy relationship, Siobhan is adamant on seeking revenge and gaining Alex's attention again. How far will the two of them go for "love"?

My Thoughts:

Alex: Alex was quite interesting but creepy. As soon as meeting Siobhan he decides he loves her and convinces himself she feels the same way. He went too extreme with the stalker acts, even resulting in the death of, most likely, an innocent person. Unusually, he gave up on Siobhan quite soon after realising she didn't feel the same way. It adds to the idea that his feelings weren't genuine to behind with, leading to a little confusion as to how the novel ended...

Siobhan: I didn't like her. She appeared to be the crazier of the two and yet she hadn't committed murder! After Alex moved on with his new girlfriend, Siobhan becomes fixated on becoming the stalker, watching his new girlfriend and even arranging for Alex to be beaten up as revenge for moving on from her! What the hell?! And she didn't care too much that Alex had been in her house a number of times without her knowledge and had been a full on creep. 

Ending: So, this culminates in Alex and Siobhan ending up togther, with Alex in prison for murder. I don't really comprehend how the two were meant for each other. Alex was able to move on rather quickly and then didn't KNOW each other either. It was all information by observation.

Overall: 

This was really creepy but just didn't seem real for me. It was too out there and weird for my liking. I don't believe their love was real and whilst the stalker becoming the stalked was an interesting twist, it all seemed too dramatic and over the top... Bit of a let down after the brilliant reads from Mark Edwards. 

Goodreads