Nearly a Lady by Alissa Johnson

I had so many emotions while reading this Nearly a Lady by Alissa Johnson. First, it started out as sweetness because I adore the friendship between Winnefred and Gideon. It was so cute and they were meant to be together from the very start. Then, there was heartbreak because while these two are friends, they're also unconsciously falling in love with each other... and Gideon refuses to let that happen. And finally, peacefulness because the ending was worth all of the rollercoaster of emotions that any reader while reading this book will encounter. It's just the perfect book to bring you back to the historical romance genre for anyone who's having a difficult time going back.

I'm pretty sure you get of the gist of the plot from the summary so I will skip that and go right into the characters. Lord Gideon Haverston is one heck of a tortured hero. Every time we get to peek inside his mind and emotions, I always feel like crying because while he wants to court Winnefred and give her whatever she wants... he also tells himself that he can never have her. There were many times in the book where I wanted to tell him to just go for it and move on from his guilt. But even though Gideon is classified as a tortured hero, his entire personality consists of being cheerful and very humorous. It's definitely a nice change of heroes from other romance novels! It's so heartbreaking because of the circumstances that his stepmother had put Winnefred in, he constantly wants to spoil her and buy things for her. The fact that he tries so hard to detach himself from her yet he can't help but be near her is so sad. It's a contradiction in itself and as a result, he's torturing himself.

Winnefred Blythe is pretty much the other half to Gideon. Their romance was just so touching because while being a wonderful and kickass heroine, she also has insecurities of her own. For example, not being good enough as in terms of being a 'lady' and disappointing her best friend, Lilly. I loved her character because she never gives up in whatever she wants and it's just that kind of determination that will eventually win Gideon's heart! And thankfully, he realizes his error in the end or he would have lost her forever. Oh! I forgot to mention that there was also a secondary romance to this book? It's actually Winnefred's best friend, Lilly and Gideon's brother, Lord Engsly. The author doesn't go much into detail about these two... except for the fact that they had a past together. Overall, I totally loved this book and it's definitely something that all romance lovers shouldn't miss out on! 5/5 stars!

Rating: ★★★★★

The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis

Oh my god! And I thought that Jax Cullen from Simply Irresistible was hot. Ford Walker pretty much redefines sexy and sin all wrapped up in one gorgeous package. Whoo, Tara is one lucky woman! *wink* I thought that I loved the first book... but really, I think I loved both of them as a series overall. Tara and Ford's relationship was so deep, heartbreaking, sweet, and very hot. I mean, woah. Ford definitely knows how to stir up a woman, LOL. I can't wait to read Chloe's story with Sawyer later on this year though. I'm pretty sure that Jill Shalvis will hit it out of the ball park as always~ If you're looking for a contemporary with plenty of steam, an awesome story and a cast of amazing characters to boot, you should really check out this wonderful gem. Heck, I did and I haven't regretted it since!

Let's talk about Tara and Ford. Well, let's just say that their relationship had plenty of misunderstandings and cowardice on Tara's part and reluctance on Ford's. She has always blamed Ford for not chasing after her even though Ford's entire reason for not doing so was because he wanted what 'she thought' was best for her. For 17 long years, Tara never went back or even called him. Thankfully! She actually did go bacl to Lucky Harbot and their love begins again. With the help of their daughter--- WHAT DID I SAY? Hah! You're right. That's another of those fun twists in this book. I found it amusing that at first, Tara wanted a relationship without strings. The success factor for that? None. Tara is literally 'weak' when it comes to Ford. Their get together was steam and very hot though! But of course, there has to be conflict in any romace... and this one is no different. Lot's of 'LOL' moments in this book folks! In comes Logan, Tara's ex-husband to stir up the pot of jealousy. Ford gets jealous and these two men pretty much act like little boys fighting for their woman.

Oh! My favorite moment has to be when Tara told Logan and Ford to get her some apples from the apple tree in the front yard... and they end up competing on who will get the most apples! Logan eventually knocks Ford off his branch using an apple and Ford ends up with a broken leg and Logan a bee sting in which he has an allergic reaction to. The town's Facebook status comes up as: "Tara nearly kills both of her men!" Hilarious!

Anyway, to sum up this review, I loved it even though Ford and Tara pretty much went at it like rabits. Haha! I can't wait for the wild Chloe and stern Sawyer's book in November. ;) 5/5 stars.

Rating: ★★★★★

Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Oh man, if you're looking for a book that will definitely be tugging your heartstrings, look no further. Simply Irresistable is that book! With an irresistable and sexy hero name Jax and a clumsy, soft-spoken, and adorable heroine... I totally fell in love with this book and its characters. The book simply captured me from the very first page and I was dying to see the ending result of Jax and Maddie's relationship. Let's just say that the ending was definitely what I was looking for! *wink* For a contemporary romance novel, Jill Shalvis seriously knows how to pack a punch in the steam department. I mean, wowza. Every touch and moment between the H/hr was to die for and very hot! I can not wait for Tara and Ford's book, The Sweetest Thing, heh.

The first book to this series is Maddie Moore's story of finally finding a family in her sisters who she cares and loves for... as well as meeting the love of her life in this little town called Lucky Harbor, Washington. After losing her job and finally breaking up with her ex-boyfriend, Maddie decides to start a new beginning in this town and meet up with her two step-siblings to inherit the inn that her mother, Phoebe Traeger, left behind. Too bad the inn happens to be in a terrible state and in serious need of repairs! This will certainly be a challenge when her half siblings don't even want to stay or have anything to do with this inn...

As for Jax and Maddie's first meeting, let's just say that the first time they actually had a conversation with one another, was when she almost ran over him while driving her car! How adorable. In my opinion, their relationship was so real and sweet... and I definitely understand that Maddie was going through. After getting out of a horrible relationship, she needed time before heading into another relationship. Except well, we all know that from the very start, she was doomed when she met Jax. For a small town like Lucky Harbor, he's practically everywhere she goes! Not to mention that he also happens to be the town's mayor? Whoo! Anyway, while going for a walk in town, she ends up meeting Jax again in front of a bar called Love Shack, hah! To make things short, they decided to walk around and Maddie eventually lands a kiss from him. ;)

I loved their relationship. I mean, Jax was sweet, sexy, and very loving towards Maddie. Heck! He was the first one to fall and tell her that he loves her. While Maddie... she did have some TSTL moments, but she eventually saw the light. You can't exactly blame her for being reluctant about being in another relationship since the last one she had was pretty ugly. The chemistry between these two was off the charts though! Wow, they definitely had some hot moments. Either way, for my first Jill Shalvis book, I truly enjoyed and loved it. This one was a 5/5 stars! Tara and Ford's book is next~ hehe.

Rating: ★★★★★

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I have a devastating love for this series. I mean, look at my icon! It features Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in the upcoming movie for this book. But anyway, I'm digressing. When I first read this book, I was reluctant to like it because books about dystopian communities has never been my kind of thing... but woah! Suzanne Collins literally blew me away when Katniss finally enters the stadium to compete for her life. I adore Katniss because she's not a Mary-Sue, others may disagree by saying she's annoying and indecisive, but I love her nonethless. She can fight for herself, and I think it's amazing how the arena truly makes her shine. I admit that the book started out pretty slow... but it picks up when the competition starts and a whole mess of tributes start dropping like flies.

This book is truly not for everyone, but it's definitely an eye opener because The Hunger Games is not a story about love or romance. It's a story about the harsh realities of war, death, poverty, and ultimately the strain in a totalitarianism government. I don't get why Hollywood is repeatedly saying that The Hunger Games will become another Twilight... when it's not. At all. How the hell can you compare the Mary-Sue Bella Swan to someone like Katniss Everdeen?! They're not even in the same category! If Bella was to be dropped in the arena? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't last. Hah, it's only my opinion though so.

As for the writing, the author does a pretty amazing job of keeping the story told through Katniss' eyes fast-paced and clear. Unlike other heroines, Katniss is completely dense when it comes to anything romantic. Which is why we have Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne for that. Oh, Peeta. And this is where the famous love triangle begins! It was quite understandable that for the first book in any series, not everything has to be explained and detailed. Well, for this book, that would have to be the romance. The Hunger Games overall, is a very action-based book, but there are also hints of a romance underway... and Catching Fire will be the one to continue it. Overall, I've read this book about two times and I seriously wouldn't mind reading it again. In fact, I'm actually planning to later on. Suzanne Collins has definitely made a name for herself and this is probably why a movie is in the making for this series! 5/5 stars!!

Rating: ★★★★★

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy is honestly one of the best paranormal YA book that I've read this year! I can not wait for Supernaturally next month?! Holy cow. I absolutely adored Evie and Lend. It was like a girl meets boy kind of thing and aaah. It was so sweet! How their first kiss went and how she didn't want to hurt him after finding out what paranormal she was was so touching. If you're in the lookout for a wonderful paranormal book with a sassy, cute, witty, girl who loves pink, and a kick ass heroine... you're definitely looking at Evie! Lend is also an awesome hero because woah, have you ever met someone who can shape-shift into anything that he or she chooses to be and whose mother is a water spirit? I don't think so! He's sexy, hot, and just sweet and loveable towards Evie. Their get-together was so real. And I don't know about you... but Reth is one hot mess. He's supposedly the "bad guy" and in a way, he totally is. He's a Seelie faerie... but a creepy one at that. As readers, we don't exactly know the two courts' motives yet so we'll just have to find out in the next books! Anyway, I totally prefer Lend over Reth. Evie definitely chosed the right guy for herself. *wink*

The story and plot had a unique touch to it, so kudos to Kiersten White. Ever since she was three years old, Evie has always worked for the IPCA-- also known as the International Paranormal Containment Agency. The IPCA is an organization that is dedicated to paranormals and keeping normal people or "humans" from knowing about them. Well, things go from good to bad when paranormals suddenly start dying! Obviously, Evie thinks that this isn't any of her business because she's a human... right? Actually, no. Evie is in fact a LEVEL 7 paranormal! LEVEL 6 are faeries and the higher the level, the more dangerous the paranormal is. Uh oh! What exactly is Evie then?!

I'm not going to go more in-depth with this review because then, I would ruin for the story for all of you guys! Let's just say that you'll be in for a surprise when Evie's "heritage" or paranormal gets to be revealed towards the end of the book. Overall, this was another wonderful YA read that I've read this year. Paranormal/Urban YA has never been more sweet! I totally recommend this book to those who love all things romantic and fun in general. 5/5 stars!

Rating: ★★★★★

Branded As Trouble by Lorelei James

I haven't written a review for any of Ms. Lorelei James' books yet-- well, except for Bran and Harper's book, Saddled and Spurred... so here is my contribution! Branded As Trouble is Colt's book with India/Indy. I love stories where friends become lovers so this was definitely my kind of book! Their romance was sweet and sexy hot. Wow, does Lorelei James know how to write some smokin' love scenes between her characters. Some of the characters in previous books have also made an appearance in here, so it may be a good thing to read them before or after just to refresh your memory. Anyway, if you're in the lookout for a super hot western erotica romance series, you should definitely check out this one!

Colt McKay happens to be the "black sheep" in the family, as read/seen from the previous books. He's had an alcohol problem for awhile and has been attending the AA ever since. For three years as a matter of fact. And there, he befriends and eventually falls in love with India Ellison. India is not your typical girl of course. She's tough-looking but has a heart of gold AND, she does tattooing for a living... which is often talked and looked down upin in the town that they all live in in Wyoming. Well, Colt and Indy meet and secretly fall in love with each other during their many years of friendship and neither one of them has made a move. Their friends to lovers phase finally begins when they both agree to start out slow and date each other. It's truly refreshing to see something like this happen in erotica romances!

Either way, things start off with a bang between the two and they eventually end up going from the dating stage to the lovers stage. Whoo! And boy, was it sexy! Of course, with any romance, there has to be conflict right?

Indy and Colt happen to have a few issues when it comes to trusting one another... so things get a little bit complicated. But beyond that, thankfully everything worked out and they decided to resolve their issues by trusting each other and apologizing to one another towards the end. Overall, this was another wonderful read in the series! I'm definitely looking forward to Cam and Domini's story in Shoulda Been A Cowboy next. 5/5 stars!

Rating: ★★★★★

Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden

Deadly Lies was one quite fascinating read that was full of action and steamy encounters between the hero and the heroine. If you love Pamela Clare's I-Team series or have a thing for romantic suspense, then you should definitely check this one out. Cynthia Eden is slightly new to the romance department but she is one talented lady! You can't exactly read this certain book as a stand-alone because the first book, Deadly Fear is significantly important or related to our heroine, Samantha Kennedy. I've enjoyed and loved every single one of the Deadly books so far because it had a combination of thriller, mystery, and plenty of spice between it's hero and heroine.

Samantha Kennedy has changed drastically ever since the villain from the first book scarred her forever. She's been to hell and back... and as a result, she pretends to be a confident and sexy woman in order to ease the pain away. With that in mind, she ends up meeting a handsome and sexy stranger and shares a one night stand with him. But of course, things don't always go as planned because the stranger that Sam shares the night with happens to be Max Ridgeway. He doesn't want to let her go and as a result, he wants more from his relationship with Sam. Whoo! Talk about some sizzling hot chemistry these two have. From the very beginning, their attraction was undeniable. I loved how even though Sam tells herself that nothing will ever happen between her and Max, it's obvious that she's falling in love with Max and vice-versa. From the very beginning, Max has always wanted more from Sam... even when he finds out that his stepbrother Quinlan, ends up being a 'victim' of the kidnappings that has been occuring lately and Sam happens to be an agent for the CIA.

Oh boy, the killer of the story! Wow, I totally did not expect it-- at all. The thing I love about Cynthia Eden's Deadly series is that she keeps the antagonist of the story myserious at all times until the very end when he reveals himself. There are a few excerpts here and there in the books where the scene shifts from the good guys to the bad guys. It definitely provided readers a good prospective of the killers. Overall, this was a wonderful read and I totally recommend it to any romantic suspense lovers who are in the look out for a very good series to read. 5/5 stars!

Rating: ★★★★★

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Die For Me was unique in a sense because I was actually interested in the relationship between Kate and Vincent and how that will turn out to be... but it also didn't wow me either because Kate irritated me at times. I loved Vincent because he was just so sweet, heroic, and he broke my heart because he was also hurting because of Kate. But other than that, the story was interesting, the characters were essential to their own parts, and the writing flowed quite beautifully. Who wouldn't love to be in the City of Lights? If you're looking for a book about the battle between good & evil, finding love in someone you never would have expected, and lots of sweet between the hero and heroine, then be sure to get this book!

Kate Beaumont Mercier happens to be our heroine in the book. The reason why she's even in Paris is because after a car accident that left Kate and her olider sister parentless/orphans, her sister decided to move to Paris for a new start. There, she stays with her grandparents, and every day is eventually a struggle for her to escape the pain... until she meets the one boy who will change her life forever. I admit that there were some moments when I didn't like Kate because she was wish-washy towards Vincent. And I guess it's because she doesn't want the people that she loves to die again. But of course it's unevitable-- especially with Vincent's case.

Vincent Delacroix, can I just say I love his name? He happens to be the boy who evidently changes Kate's life when they cross eyes. He was such a wonderful and delicious hero who most definitely loves Kate from the bottom of his heart. Who wouldn't love a guy like that? He's gorgeous, sexy, strong, sweet, and French! But alas, he also has a huge secret that almost destroys his relationship with Kate. Thankfully, Kate saw the light or else I would have wanted to slap her. Vincent is a revenant, in other words, he is one of the undead. There's also the fact that he hasn't aged since the 1920s. The relationship between the two was just undeniably beautiful because the moments between Kate and Vincent was tender and adorable.

The villain of the story was pretty easy to figure out, and oh! Unlike other books, this one does not have a cliffhanger. It's more of a questionable ending that will probably continue on in the next book. There is a slight love triangle... but I doubt anything will happen since Vincent's also sort of possesive. Aha! To sum it up, this was a pretty unique and interesting debut by author Amy Plum that has everything a Paranormal Romance/Young Adult fan is looking for. 5/5 stars.

Rating: ★★★★★