BOOKTOUR REVIEW; Loving Amber (Riverstone Estate #1), by Roya Carmen

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 1; The Riverstone Series

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Amber always loved Paul from a young age while Aiden always bullied her. But Amber put up with Aiden hating if it allowed her be a part of their group. 
But as adults, Amber loses Paul and her brother in the same night, and Aiden survives. As a result, she can't help but put all the blame on Aiden and vows to keep him out of her life. 
As time passes and they are constantly thrown together, Aiden will stop at nothing to prove he deserves a place in her life, and is not the bad guy she thinks he is. After all, he only annoyed her as a child because he liked her. 

My Thoughts:

***ARC received in exchange for an honest review***

From soon on we know this is going to be a story that involves emotions and heart-strings. 

Told from dual POV we get an insight into the story from both Amber and Aiden's side. I'm uncertain if I liked this - the viewpoints switched often and during the same scenes and it got a bit confusing that it changed for no reason. I think the story would have had more impact if it was majority the POV of Amber and occasionally changed to Aiden for imperative moments or scenes...

Amber: The poor woman has lost her twin and husband in the same night so I can't help but feel for her. She wants to protect herself and her son and choose the guy who can provide stability and be a good father figure. All through the books she's fighting against her head and her heart. But good grief she certainly pushed and pulled a lot and it got a tad frustrating. 

Aiden: He really won me over. He was so sweet and utterly patient beyond belief concerning Amber. I felt sorry for him with how Amber constantly used him. Although I understood why she did what she did, his feelings were taken advantage of in sorts and that's not something usually seen regarding the hero.

Story: This is a heartfelt and emotional story about allowing yourself to be loved and moving on. I found it to be a little slow though. By 40% in there was still no action or romance between the two... it all just took a bit too long to ever occur. Following the climax and drama the story finished up then quickly. However, this deals with the healing process of loss and love, and that is a slow journey so I suppose the tension and emotional warfare is accurately represented by the slow story. 

Overall:

This was a beautiful read and I would recommend it. It's a gorgeous story of the battle between head and heart and the truth about love.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Killer (Savages #2), by Jessica Gadziala

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Dark, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Book 2/3

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Following Shooter being saved by Alex and Breaker, he is sent back to Alabama after word of his father's death. He expects to be in and out. 
Amelia lived beside Shooter's dad, and is grieving over the loss of her friend. She meets Shooter and he gets more than he expected when she grills him for bad-mouthing his father. But she gets her illusion shattered when he confesses how his father treated him as a child. As sparks fly between the pair, Shooter tries to break down her walls. But trouble follows him and Amelia is in direct danger and he wonders if she will ever fit into his world.

My Thoughts:

I didn't think I would prefer Shooter's story over Breaker's but I fell hard for him. 

And yes, like a lot of people, I imagined him exactly like Stephen James... <3 

Shooter: He has had a really hard life. His father abused him and he didn't care that he died. But he gets quite the shock when he realises that his father was doing better for himself and was sober. After befriending Breaker he was able to turn his life around and make a name for himself, now being one of the best contract killers and earning the nickname Shooter. I liked his personality from when we saw him in "Monster", his carefree and smart-mouth attitude was just infectious. It was interesting to see him try to take Amelia serious and not revert to his old ways of joking around all the time. It was great being able to see a deep side of him and be raw and vulnerable to Amelia. 

Amelia: She is totally different to Alex. Amelia has had no involvement in the dark and dangerous world, although having a hard life herself, and she recognises she doesn't belong in his world. She is quite innocent and almost naive, despite having a strong attitude. Even I wanted to wrap my arms around her and give the poor girl a hug. But she was capable of standing her own and didn't need Shooter emotionally or to save her. 

Story: I loved the action in this. In some way there was a lot more suspense and drama involved as the threats weren't known straight- away and we find out the danger alongside Amelia. There was a lot more romance in this one, with the relationship between the two building slowly and steadily. It was so fragile between the two and I was willing them on so much and nearly screamed a number of times at Shooter to wake up and say the right thing! There was again, great pacing with the balance between action and character development perfectly depicted. It was great seeing Alex and Breaker appear and have them still fighting as usual, riling each other up. 

Overall:

I loved this. It was so much more emotional and I became so invested in these characters and their story. Absolutely adored it.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Monster (Savages #1), Jessica Gadziala

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Dark, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Alex is a hacker. She has a plan. She is dedicated to murdering the man who destroyed her life and caused her mother's suicide to seek vengeance.
Breaker is hired to deal with people, but he never touches women. He didn't realise that when he was sent to kidnap Alex. Soon he has to house her for longer than he wanted and she's a feisty hostage.  But they join forces when they realise they are working towards a common goal, even though it may lead to their deaths. They also have a burning need for each other, which could easily complicate things.

My Thoughts:

Alex: She's one badass woman!!! For once the heroine is not some weak, poor, pathetic damsel in distress. She is strong and independent and self sufficient. We see this from the beginning with her makeshift security system to protect her little flat from Breaker... not that it really worked. But she is so determined in seeking revenge and will die doing it. She is so smart-mouthed it's fantastic. I enjoyed watching her fight when she was first kidnapped and how she doesn't give in so easily. 

Breaker: He's a bad guy but for good reasons. He gets rid of the bad people but that makes him a bad person as he is a killer. He doesn't deal with woman and this shows he has morals although he gets conned into kidnapping Alex, he doesn't use violence once. He is so loyal and takes his word seriously. If he makes a promise he expects to deliver on it. We see the lengths he goes to for his friend, Shooter. I loved reading of the turmoil as he battled up Shooter's safety for Alex's. 

Romance: I wouldn't really say this was a romance. A lot was built on lust and there wasn't much of a build up or tension between the pair before they go on with things. There was however the battle of trust. Both characters are used to being on their own and letting someone in is a daunting prospect for them both. 

There is a lot of action in this which I loved. There's never a moment where you feel like they are safe or out of harms way and we are constantly reminded of the looming threat of Lex, who Alex is attempting to take down. The writing is decent, with few errors, and the whole story flowed really well, with suitable pacing to allow for some character development in-between the action-packed scenes.

Overall:

Alex definitely won this over for me. It was a wonderful dangerous steamy read and her fight was so admirable and entertaining. 

Goodreads 

BOOKTOUR; Playboy Pilot, by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

NOW LIVE!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2d5XGHP

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2cL3PWq

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2ctOkoz

iBooks: http://apple.co/1rGw4LB

Nook: bit.ly/2caXPEK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2cJDXO1

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2c5WiRm

Also available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2cy0zl6

Add Playboy Pilot to your TBR list on Goodreads!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29533192-playboy-pilot

Blurb

From the New York Times bestselling authors of Stuck-Up Suit and Cocky Bastard, comes a sexy new standalone novel.

Money or love? Which would you choose? 

You probably just answered the question in your head thinking it's an easy decision.

For me, it's not. Did I mention it's a lot of money? A hell of a lot.

I needed to go far away to think it through.

As I embarked on an impulsive trip, I hit a detour when I met sexy Carter in the airport lounge. We struck up a heated conversation.

Then, he left.

I thought I'd never see him again.

But fate had other plans.

Surprise! He was the pilot of my flight.

The bigger surprise was the adventure that followed after the plane landed.

Carter was dangerous and always on the move.

Even though our connection was magnetic, I knew it was only temporary.

He would give me tickets, and I would follow him around the world to exotic places.

A bevy of flight attendant exes and rumors about Carter's reputation were never far behind.

I didn't know what to believe.

But I was addicted. Nothing else mattered anymore. And I was going to get hurt. Because a part of me wanted to be the one to finally ground the playboy pilot.

At the very least, he was taking me on a thrilling ride.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

Excerpt

“Carter? What are you doing?”

Shit.

I laughed under my breath and banged the back of my head against the wood. “Praying?”

“Do you always breathe like that when you’re praying?”

“It’s an intense prayer.”

“What are you really doing?”

“I think you might know what I’m really doing, Kendall.”

“Can I come in?”

Still fully erect, I tucked my cock back into my pants as best I could before opening the door.

Her eyes trailed down to my massive erection. “I’m sorry….to make you resort to that.”

“It’s okay. My hand and I haven’t spent time like this since I was a teenager. I think he missed me.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“You.”

“Yeah…but what specifically?”

“It was this fantasy of fucking you on the dance floor back at the club.”

She looked down at me again. Her expression was serious when she asked, “You need some help?”

“I thought you said we weren’t going to go there.”

“I can’t have sex with you. But I want to touch you. I could take my clothes off, let you finish what you started. You know…help you.”

Looking up at the ceiling, I shook my head. “You have no fucking clue, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

“How crazy you make me. There’s no halfway with you. Jerking off with your naked body right in front of me…not being able to do what I really want to you…would be torture. I don’t have that kind of willpower, not with you, not anymore. Even when I kiss you, all I can think about is burying myself inside of you. But you naked in front of me? Too much, Kendall. When you strip down for me, I want it to be when you’re ready to let me have you. Otherwise, it’s better if I don’t know what I’m missing out on.”

Looking filled with remorse, she waved her hands. “Okay. I get it. I’m sorry…for interrupting.”

“Go back to bed. I’ll be right there.”

After Kendall left, I closed my eyes in regret. Was I crazy for turning her away like that?

Now that she knew what I was up to in here, I couldn’t relax. Still needing release like a motherfucker, I turned on the shower and got in. Ironically, I jerked myself to thoughts of her naked body against the bathroom door and imagined she was watching me.

Fuck my life.

REVIEW; Did I Mention I Love You? (DIMILY #1), by Estelle Maskame

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Eden's parents are divorced. She agrees to spend the summer with her father and his new family in California. She knows immediately she doesn't fit in. 
The eldest step-brother, Tyler is not happy she is a part of their family. But he can't ignore her when his group of friends take her in and show her the Californian lifestyle. Tyler's girlfriend doesn't make it easy for Eden to fit in either. Eden is thrown into a life of drama, secrets and deceit. But she can't ignore the feelings she has for Tyler, and the need to see him for who he really is.   

My Thoughts:

This is probably a 3.5 star rating. I loved the plot and the idea, but it was nothing special at the end of the day. 

Eden: I felt for her. She was thrown into a new life with a new family and a new group of friends and didn't feel like she fitted in. But she was so sincere and caring. I loved how she was determined to break down Tyler's walls and see the real him. Always being there for him despite being given the cold shoulder. She was such a good person. When she realised her feelings for Tyler, she couldn't continue if he was still with Tiffany - a girl who really didn't deserve that act of kindness and consideration from Eden. She's also very strong willed! She put an end to things for the greater good... I don't know how she managed that at all. 

Tyler: God, what a troubled guy. He had the typical rock hard exterior and acted like a right piece of work. He was hurting so badly and trying to put up a front to everyone, that he was on a direct path to self-destruction. He doesn't seem like a book boyfriend contender, but definitely a book best-friend. He's so charming and hides a wonderful personality behind his walls and I was cheering him on whenever he would let Eden in. 

I enjoyed this but felt the characters were too young. I would have rather they had been a year or two older just because I couldn't really place their mental age with their real one. It all seemed a little off. 

While this is about a forbidden romance it's also a great coming of age read. It deals with a lot of the pressures of being a teenager and growing up and dealing with all sorts of issues. There is drug and alcohol abuse as well as the usual insecurities we all feel. 

Overall:

This is a light quick but deep read. There are twists and turns and secrets and not too predictable. It will also probably drive you mad if you don't have book 2 ready to jump right into afterwards.

Goodreads 

EXCERPT REVEAL: Loving Amber, by Roya Carmen

~~ Excerpt Reveal ~~ 

“I can’t go on with him when all I can think about is you,” I finally confess. “I need you out of my life.”

Silence fills the room. All I can see is him, so close to me. He doesn’t look at me—his gaze lingers on my dress, those long lashes hiding his emotions. I don’t know what he’s thinking. His breath is hot on me, and I want more. He presses a hand softly against my hip and melts me to my core. I want him to say something. I want him to tell me he doesn’t want to see me with David. I want him to be angry, to feel something.

But he’s so damn calm.

Until…

Finally, he looks up at me, his gaze slowly reaching mine. In his eyes I see anger, hurt, and… desire. He raises his hand to my cheek and touches it. So softly I barely feel it. He runs his free hand through my hair and tugs at my clip, pulling my hair. It hurts, but it also feels so good. He throws the clip to the floor. His fingers are feverish when they get lost in the tangles of my hair. With one hand on my hip, the other twisted in my locks, he presses me hard against the door. His mouth—heated, rough, and wild—lands on mine.

My entire being surrenders to him. He’s so powerful. One press of his hot wet lips and I abandon all my plans. I want to live this moment. If just for a minute, for a second.

I need him.

I open my mouth, wanting more. He tastes like beer, but I love it. I reach for his face. The rough feel of his unshaven jaw scratches my palm. Still, it’s not close enough. I explore further. I want more of him. My hands travel up and get tangled in his soft hair as we deepen the kiss, our mouths hungry, desperate. He grabs my ass and hikes me up as his hips push into me. He growls softly when I bite his bottom lip gently. I feel us falling. Out of control.

I came here to end this, and it’s only brought us closer. To this moment. If we do this, we can’t go back. We need to stop. I know we need to stop, but I can’t seem to pull away. He feels so good. The heat rushing through me, the pressure at my core, the desperate craving. But if we do this, I’ll never get over him. I know it.

And I think about Maggie. What about her?

I moan as I finally manage to tear my mouth from his. I press my hand against his chest, gasping.

He catches his breath and his beautiful eyes, pooling with desire, almost draw me back in. His gaze falls. He knows I can’t do this, that we shouldn’t do this. “I’m sorry.”

Two simple words. Unneeded. I know he’s sorry. I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I came here. I’m sorry I don’t want David. I’m sorry Aiden is the one I crave. I’m sorry I’m falling apart. I’m sorry my plan is in shatters. “I should go.”

He studies me for the longest time, his eyes taking me in wholly: my heavy eyes, my trembling lips, my wandering hands—I’m still touching him. I can’t seem to pull away.

He reaches for my hair, and slowly, softly, he pulls it behind my ear. Then he leans into me, his breath hot on my neck, and he presses his mouth there, sending me to heaven. “I don’t think you really came here tonight to end things with me, Amber.”

I close my eyes, at a loss for words. He’s right.

He trails his hands softly over my hips and down the skirt of my dress. “I think you’re looking for something else altogether. I think you’re restless.” He toys with the hem of my little black dress. His hands explore under it, and the feel of his touch against my bare skin arouses me so much I can barely breathe. “When was the last time you were touched?”

His question catches me by surprise. He’s seducing me wholeheartedly. I just say, “Don’t stop.”

He slowly slips his hand higher up the inside of my thigh and reaches the lace fabric of my panties. “You look fucking amazing.”

His fingers press against my sex, and all the while, he watches me, taking in my reaction. Do I want him to go on? He knows I do. He slides his hands slowly under my soft flowy dress, and I almost melt under his touch. His fingers travel up to my stomach, teasing me. He traces soft, slow circles around my navel and makes me shiver. The sensation of his gentle fingers on my skin makes my core heavy and hot, makes my sex swell and pound. Damn.

I think about Maggie again. “We can’t… what about Maggie?”

His hand stills. “Maggie and I are not together. We were never together.”

A heavy weight seems to lift from me. “But you said…”

He fixes me with dark eyes. “I know what I said. I lied. You’re the only one. The only one I think about, the only one I want.”

I want to kiss him again. I want him inside me. I should pull away, but I can’t. I physically can’t. He can’t stop. Almost as if he can read my mind, he explores further. As his touch travels back to the inside of my thigh, I spot a hint of a smile.

He loves this.

REVIEW; Perfect Chemistry (#1), by Simone Elkeles

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Young-Adult, Romance,

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/3 (standalone stories)

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Brittney Ellis is from the North side and is the perfect girl: gorgeous looks, expensive clothes, new car, perfect blonde hair and the other half of the Golden Couple. At least that's how it all seems. Behind closed doors Brittney is struggling to keep it together with her absent father, arguing with her mother and caring for her sister. 

Alex Fuentes from the South side and is part of the Latino Blood gang. After his father's murder he stepped up to protect his mother and younger brothers. He doesn't have a bright future and is destined to continuing up the gang ranks. 

The north and south side people don't mix. But Brittney and Alex become chemistry partners and soon discover they have more than chemistry together. Love, secrets, lies. They have to try beat the odds to make a life together. 

My Thoughts:

It took me a while to get into this. I found a lot of the writing quite juvenile and there were a good amount of typos. 

Writing: there was too much tell and not just show. Nearly everything was explained to the reader, even when it was already clear and self-explanatory.

"My sister smiles wide when she sees me. 'Bwiee!' My sister can't enunciate words, but she uses verbal approximations. 'Bwiee' means 'Brittany,'" 

"Mario laughs, not believing for a second his girlfriend would cheat on him." - this line really irked me. It was obvious when he laughed that it was all banter and joking, it just didn't need the explanation that he knew it was all a joke etc. Give the reader some credit! 

Romance: the premise of this story is really heartwarming and cute. Two people from different sides of the track, coming together to bridge the gap. Their relationship is extremely slow and fragile 

- at least from Alex's side it was all down to win a bet. This definitely wasn't a steamy story, extremely tame and PG but yet in the same story there were gang fights and murder... If we can witness a bloody murder can we not handle more than a kiss between the two? 

Brittany: I hated her at first. I was on team Alex who viewed her as the fake blonde, wrapped up in appearing perfect even when her life was falling apart. But gradually we see the glimpses of her life that explain why she is so adamant to appear like she has everything together, as in reality, appearing like she's ok is the only thing she has that is ok! By the end I really felt for her and almost cried for her in the hospital scene. She's a huge advocate for stereotyping and not judging people based on what they seem. 

Alex: he wouldn't make it on to my book boyfriend list but he is sweet. He was part of a dangerous gang but I never felt scared of him. I felt he needed to be a little more intimidating, mostly at the start concerning Brittany, to really convince us of how dangerous his world was. We saw a huge inner turmoil and emotional battle with him, which showed his vulnerable side. The reader was exempt from the harsh version of him all the North sisters feared. 

Overall:

I enjoyed this but it was a simple read. I think it needed some work to really draw focus on the emotional scenes between Brittany and Alex. Cute story overall. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Comfort Food, by Kitty Thomas

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Dark, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Emily wakes up tied to a chair in a cell. The man who kidnapped her won't speak to her, but finds ways to communicate. Emily soon learns the rules; try to give him what he needs and she will be rewarded. It's okay if she fails, she just has to try. But refusing him results in solidarity punishment. Emily soon falls victim of Stockholm Syndrome and would do anything to not be put in the lone dirty cell she woke up in. She needs him. And will do anything to keep him. 

My Thoughts:

I've read Captive in the Dark and Tears of Tess and wrongly assumed this would be similar. But it was a great surprise. 

We read this from Emily's POV so learn the truths of her situation and her captor as she discovers them. We are brought along on the journey with her. 

Emily: she's rather strong to begin with but uses her knowledge of psychology to play the game. She catches on quickly how she must act to not be punished, but yet still remembering she has to fight to get free. I liked she wasn't some helpless victim from the get go. There is no romance here at all. Emily is there to satisfy his needs and that's all. But he becomes all she knows. Once returned to the real world she can't adapt. She craves him. And so offers up her freedom to return to him. Not going to lie, I didn't understand this power move. I can understand the bond she felt or why she wanted him, but I can't fathom how messed up she became to be willing to return to that. It was abuse. There was nothing romanticised to give even a glimmer of them having something balanced. But I guess that shows the level of psychological abuse Emily endured to be conditioned to such degree to depend on a man, or monster. 

There aren't many explicit scenes in this. It's definitely a story focusing strongly on the psychological abuse and wearing down of the human mind. It's quite extraordinary. 

Overall:

I liked this. I'm quite neutral though. I didn't love it. It's a heavy read though focusing on the psychological abuse and mind games and it's very easy to get lost in Emily's world of terror. 

Goodreads 

BOOKTOUR COVER REVEAL - Loving Amber, by Roya Carmen

LOVING AMBER COVER REVEAL! 

BLURB: 

Torn by tragedy. Reunited by love.

Two years ago, I lost my husband and my brother to the same tragedy. To this day, I hold only one person responsible—Aiden Rogers, the beautiful boy I’ve known forever, the misfit I’ve both loved and hated, the one who always got to me. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the only one to blame.

Now he wants to be part of my life again—when I can finally see a future for my son and myself. I’ve found the perfect man in David, someone I can start over with, a man who will be the perfect father figure for Trevor. I have a plan. At last, I see the light, and I know I can make this work.

I will not let Aiden Rogers drag me back into the darkness.

REVIEW; Madam Tulip, by David Ahern

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary

Recommend: Yes

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Derry O'Donnell is a struggling actress in Dublin City, with a psychic gift. In need of some money, her friend encourages her to do psychic readings and so Madam Tulip is born. But Derry is caught between the drama of her separated parents and soon finds herself in even more trouble when she performs at a celebrity event that sees the murder of a famous rapper. Derry is thrown into a mess of suspicion and doubt, as she tries to escape being framed and save her best friend from taking the blame. 

My Thoughts:

 ***Thanks to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review!*** 

I didn't know what to expect with this other than a main character who was psychic and a murder mystery but the blurb really piqued my interest as being unique and unlike any other story out there. 

Derry: She was hilarious! She had fantastic Irish wit and I enjoyed reading from the POV of a Dublin character as a Dubliner myself. She had psychic abilities although somewhat accidental or coincidental as her father, Jacko, would piece together her predictions. Thing about her was that she came across like an average young female that wasn't over the top with note-worthy characteristics that plague NA stories trying to show some strong-willed perfect unrealistic role model for readers. For once, the protagonist seemed real and "just like the rest of us." 

"The truth was, Derry O'Donnell was fully qualified for unemployment in three different dialects."

Setting: I'm so used to reading stories set in America and most Irish based novels are targeted for older readers so I was excited for an Irish set novel with a young female protagonist that was actually written by a legit Irish author... There's nothing worse than a character written with a nationality different  to the author and it just being plagued with stereotype so it was refreshing to read a realistic representation of a character in terms of their nationality. The story was mostly set in Dublin and there are some noteworthy landmarks mentioned (Trinity to Guinness Storehouse), creating a good map for the story to evolve, adding a good dimension to everything.

Writing: There is good pace to the story and the drama and mystery tumbles through nicely. There is great charm and humour to the story, which really did it for me. I laughed so many  times and enjoyed the colloquial language and throwaway remarks permeating the story. Some phrases may not be universally understood but I think this a  good thing - I'm so used to phrases common to other worlds that don't read well or make sense and I felt like at times I for once understood the private joke woven between letters. 

"Derry was enveloped by a gloom darker than the stairwell outside her door, whose bulbs hadn't been changed since the Titanic was news and the Irish ate potatoes rather than Croquette Perigourdine with truffles and nutmeg." 

"Normally, any man who called Derry baby was mere seconds away from what her father metaphorically called a clip around the ear, though in practice this could take the form of a stiletto on the instep or a toe in the shin."

Plot: There is a great murder mystery / drug related scandal among all of Derry's psychic escapades with the various characters. The suspense definitely piqued my interest as I seeked to get to the bottom of it all. I just wish that there was more focus on Derry's tarot readings and seeing something more dangerous or shocking - it all seemed a little reserved and I doubted if she really had any talent.

Overall:

This is definitely a unique story and I'll remember it. It is so original and engaging and has so many "laugh out loud" moments. Derry is a brilliant and authentic character that you can't help but fall for and cheer her through all the drama.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; F*ck Love, by Tarryn Fisher

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance,

Recommend: Yes

Standalone 

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Helena has a dream. A dream where her husband is Kit- who in real life is her best friends boyfriend. She barely knows him, but when she wakes up facts from the dream start unfolding in real life. Helena can't ignore the pull she feels towards Kit or the need to please him. But Kit is not hers to have. Meanwhile Helena is on a journey to discover herself, anything to distract herself from her best friends boyfriend. 

My Thoughts:

This is hilarious. I really didn't know what to expect with this book so I was going in blind and laughed so much. 

The writing is brilliant throughout with great one liners; 

"She is heavy with child, as I am heavy with topknot"

Helena: she is epic. She's far from perfect but just a woman trying to find herself and not get her heart crushed. She was so impulsive and I love how her stream of consciousness was depicted - not polished off to fit into a literary box but exactly how the mind of a young woman goes. Erratic and all over the place and it worked. 

"His text bubble appears as he starts to type, then abruptly it's gone. It starts, then it's gone again. He's typing things then erasing them. I strangle my phone, then slam it on the bed a few times. It's lying facedown on the comforter, and I lift the corner to peek at the screen. There isn't a text. I go to the kitchen for a snack, then circle my bed a few times while I spoon peanut butter into my mouth from the jar. I'm scared that he's texted. I'm also scared that he hasn't.  'You chicken!' I yell. I lunge for the phone, dropping the peanut butter jar on the floor."

I had to stop for a second when reading this. I've never read a more realistic depiction in a novel that I could relate to before. It's so funny to read the ridiculous actions or thoughts we have in actual words. 

"I almost have no nails left by the time his bubble pops up, but that's cool because everyone has fingernails, and I like to be different." 

L. O. L!!!!

Kit is a different love interest. He isn't some great gorgeous charming dream guy that will make it onto any book boyfriend list. But he is the man of Helena's dreams - despite not having a choice in the matter. I wished he had more of a back bone at times, but I suppose his weakness was integral to the whole story. 

What's great about this book is that the characters are realistic. They are not idealised or perfect representations of people who always do the right thing. Or some unattainable ideal of being an 100% great person. They're real and have their flaws and that's what makes this so brilliant. 

Overall:

I've never read a story like this. It's filled with humour but surrounding a serious story of ultimate heartbreak and friendships. I couldn't put it down and it's definitely a memorable novel! I look forward to reading more work by Fisher. 

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