Tag: New Adult

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: April 30th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult, Adult Fiction, Womens Fiction, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia.

Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father’s death five years ago called her home to run the family’s decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco’s Deli’s very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).

With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.

And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.

First Line:

“Oh, but what about the mortadella? I hadn’t even thought about that. Though I suppose you don’t carry a good mortadella, do you, Ellie? Rose never will buy it here…”

Important details about Love You, Mean It

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Ellie)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Love You, Mean It contains grief, death of a parent, child death, death, alcohol consumption, classism, gentrification, sexism, misogyny, emotional abuse*, hospitalization, medical treatment, death of a sibling, and death from falling. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Emotional Abuse—Theo’s father was very emotionally abusive towards Theo and, at times, towards Ellie.

Language: Love You, Mean It contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is explicit sexual content in Love You, Mean It.

Setting: Love You, Mean It is set in present-day Milborough, Massachusetts.

My Review:

I am a massive fan of the saying, “Three times is a charm.” I like to apply to almost everything in my life, including reading. I have read (and reviewed) two previous books by Jilly Gagnon. Saying I wasn’t impressed with them is an understatement. Keeping that saying in mind, I read and reviewed Love You, Mean It. Well, the saying worked. The third time is the charm. I enjoyed reading Love You, Mean It.

The main storyline of Love You, Mean It is centered on Ellie, Theo, and their plan to stop Theo’s father from building a Walmart-type store in downtown Milborough. That would mean a slow death for the small businesses (including the deli that Ellie runs), and Ellie is determined to find a way to stop it. I found the storyline to be heart-grabbing, well-written, and poignant. Love You, Mean It kept me glued to the book until the wee hours of the morning.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Ellie but she did grow on me. She was a freaking mess at the beginning of the book. Her attitude sucked, and she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She gets more bearable after Theo regains his memory and goes along with her fake fiancee scheme (all to get his father to stop his plans). But even then, she was forced to act a certain way towards a man she despised (Theo’s father). I felt that the only authentic glimpses of Ellie were given during her family dinners, certain moments with Theo and Sam, and when she was remembering what it was like before her father died.

I did like Theo. There was a brief moment when I wondered if he wouldn’t regain his memory, but the author pretty much takes that idea and stomps on it. Theo’s reasons for not wanting the business downtown were very personal. But I was surprised when he decided to team up with Ellie to stop his father. Also, Theo wears his heart on his sleeve, and I guessed his true feelings toward Ellie early in the book. Well, not so much guessed, but called it.

Theo’s father was the ultimate villain in this book. He used his wealth and upper-class manners to try to intimidate Ellie. He had the audacity to ask Theo if Ellie was pregnant during their first meeting and then inferred she was a gold digger. Both were shot down by Theo and Ellie, but still, I felt the need to clean my Kindle every time he appeared on a page.

Sam became a considerable part of the book fairly early on. While I liked her, what she asked Ellie to do was pretty low (knowing the circumstances of Theo and Ellie’s fake relationship). Also, I wouldn’t say I liked how Sam treated Ellie after the engagement party or when Ellie went to Theo’s house to make up. The whole I want to be your friend now so you can have him vibe at the end of the book frustrated me to no end because it wasn’t needed!!!

The romance angle was cute. I liked how Ellie was dragged, kicking and screaming, into having feelings for Theo. Of course, those feelings made Ellie’s mouth run, and I thought she had ruined her chance with him for a hot minute. I also do need to discuss the sex. Ellie and Theo have mind-numbly hot sex from the middle of the book on. I honestly wasn’t expecting the sex scenes to be so good.

The end of Love You, Mean It was a happily ever after for now ending ( so, HEAFN?). I liked how Ellie and Theo ended up back together. I also hope the author has more books written in this universe. A few people were featured (secondary characters) that I want to see have their HEA.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, Dell, and Jilly Gagnon for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Love You, Mean It. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Love You, Mean It, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by Jilly Gagnon

Heir of Broken Fate by Mads Rafferty

Publisher: Mads Rafferty

Date of Publication: May 1st, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Fae, Magic, New Adult, Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

One hundred and fifty years ago the Fae race vanished. Along with their magic and creatures. With the fallen Fae lands the humans were soon to follow as corruption spread throughout the realm. Heir to the throne, Delilah Covington is forced to watch her people suffer under the sinful hands of her father, the king—while she herself suffers his cruel hand. Delilah has longed for change, her prayers going unanswered until she discovers salvation.
Fae are alive.
In desperation, Delilah flees her home and crosses the border, in hopes that the Fae will save her people.
Yet she isn’t the only one who needs help.
Caught in a web of lies and riddles Delilah’s only chance at hope is Knox, one of the irritating, yet frustratingly charming Fae kings. Together they’ll need to unravel the many mysteries to bring freedom to both their oppressed people, or damn them all.

First Line:

No matter how strong I get, I always end up here.

Heir of Broken Fate by Mads Rafferty

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Heir of Broken Fate started slow and gained momentum by the end of the book. There was some slight lag towards the end of the book, but it didn’t affect how much I enjoyed reading it.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are trigger and content warnings in Heir of Broken Fate. If you are triggered by any of what I list below, I suggest skipping this book. I don’t get triggered easily, and there were some very tough scenes to digest at the beginning of the book, mainly because they brought up memories that I don’t like to think about. They are:

  • Physical Abuse (graphic)
  • Violence (graphic)
  • Child Abuse (graphic)
  • Death (moderate to graphic)
  • Emotional Abuse (moderate)
  • Torture (moderate)
  • Domestic Abuse (minor)
  • Child Death (moderate)
  • Grief (moderate)
  • Genocide (moderate to graphic)
  • Slavery (minor)
  • Murder (moderate)

Sexual Content: There is explicit sexual content in the last half of Heir of Broken Fate. I was a little surprised by it, considering that this is a book geared towards young adults.

Language: There is moderate to explicit swearing in Heir of Broken Fate.

Setting: The beginning chapters of Heir of Broken Fate are set in the kingdom of Aloriah. The rest of the book is set in the Fae Lands, mainly in the Essence Kingdom. There are journies to Air Court, Earth Court, Water Court, Fire Court, the witches’ lands, and the mermaid’s territories.

Representation: There is LGBTQ representation in Heir of Broken Fate. Easton, Delilah’s best friend, is gay.

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, Incapable of Love, High Stakes

Age Range: Heir of Broken Fate is marketed as a Young Adult book, and it is until the last 20% of the book that graphic sex is showcased. Because of that, I recommend this book to those 21 and older.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

One hundred and fifty years ago, the Fae disappeared. Everything about them was erased from people’s minds, and they became myths. But to Delilah, the Fae represent freedom. Horrendously abused by her father and forced to be compliant with his horrendous acts of violence against his people, Delilah longs to get away. Then, one day, everything changes. Delilah’s mother, abused into lunacy, gives Delilah a necklace that allows Delilah to see the impossible. The Fae are alive. Taking that hope, Delilah barely escapes to the Fae Lands. There, she hopes to find someone to help her stop her father and free her people. But instead, Delilah finds a dying land and people. She also discovers that she is Fae, but she is also more. To free her people and the Fae, she must unravel a 150-year-old mystery: Why the Fae disappeared and who is behind it. But Delilah isn’t alone. She is helped by Knox, the Fae King of Essence, and his friends. But, what they find will shake them to the core. Can Delilah free the Fae and help her people?

Main Characters

Delilah Covington: Delilah was one of the strongest people in this book (other than Knox). Even when faced with the threat of physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, she wasn’t afraid to speak up when it came to the safety of her people. As soon as Delilah could, she left with Easton (and gave Annie word to jet with the horses after a month). But, once she reached the Fae Lands, she morphed into a jerk. Yes, I said it; she was a jerk. I understand why she has issues with men (I would, too), but since meeting her, Knox was polite and helpful. I started to get grumpy with her and wanted to shake some sense into her. Then, her character did another 180, and she turned back into that strong woman. I almost got whiplash because of how fast she turned.

Knox Holloway: I am not going to mince words here. I loved him. He was dirty-minded (omg, the things he said and insinuated to Delilah). He was loyal and fiercely protective of his friends and people (the Essence court subjects). Knox wanted to find out why his parents were killed and why the magic was draining from the Fae Lands. I thought he was perfect for Delilah. He was willing to wait for her to drop her walls and let him in. The build-up to that was almost unbearable. He also knew who Delilah was to him from nearly the minute they met, but he didn’t push her into anything. He saw that she was traumatized. I liked that Knox waited for Delilah to tell him about her father’s abuse (seeing the scars on her body did hasten that). I can’t wait to see what he will do in the other books and how his character will progress.

Secondary characters: I say this in every review, but the secondary characters made this book, even the animal ones. They each added depth to Delilah and Knox’s storyline(s), and when something happened to one, I felt it. I cannot wait to see what these characters will do in book 2.

My review:

The main storyline centered around Delilah, Knox (later on), and their quest to save both worlds. I enjoyed this storyline, but I did have some questions. I was trying to figure out if the storyline took place during the present day or if it was in the past. There was electricity and bombs, yet they went by carriage and horse everywhere (in the Human Lands). It wasn’t evident. I also did have an issue following the storyline once they figured out who was behind everything. The whole Tree of Life chapters (what Delilah did) confused me, and I read those chapters 2 to 3 times.

I liked the fantasy angle. I enjoyed seeing the Fae paired with various elements. I also liked that the Fae could have multiple elements. I enjoyed seeing the mythological creatures (the griffins and mermaids had excellent portrayals). I also enjoyed the magic system. How people were losing their magic and dying made absolute sense.

The romance angle was a little “meh” to me. I felt that Delilah, for almost the entire time she was in the Essence Court and the Fae Lands, was too damaged for romance. And while Knox and Delilah ended up together, it did seem forced and a little unrealistic. But I did like that there was at least a genuine feelings for Knox behind Delilah’s wanting to push him away.

The end of Heir of Broken Fate was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up the banishment and magic storyline. But it almost seemed too convenient, and I think Queen Aurora was behind everything. But I could be wrong. The book did end on a cliffhanger, which I detest. But it did its job, and I cannot wait to read Book 2 when it comes out!!

Many thanks to Mads Rafferty for allowing me to read and review Heir of Broken Fate. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Heir of Broken Fate, then you will enjoy these books:

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: October 10th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction, Chick Lit, New Adult, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sparkling adversaries-to-lovers romcom set at a magazine publisher in Manhattan. When Casey and Alex are forced into proximity, they soon realize falling for each other is just as much of a risk and as it is a reward.

Casey Maitland has always preferred the reliability of numbers, despite growing up the daughter of two artistic souls. Now a twenty-four-year-old finance expert working in Manhattan, Casey wonders if the project manager opening at her company – magazine powerhouse LC Publications – is a sign from the universe to pursue a career with a little more sparkle. That is, until she’s passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman’s son.

Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and enigmatic. Everybody loves him – except for Casey. But when the two are thrown on the same project, they both have something to prove. For Casey, it’s getting tapped for a transfer to the London office and fulfilling her dreams of travelling. For Alex, it’s successfully launching a brand that will impress his distant father.

As work meetings turn into after hours, Casey and Alex are drawn to each other again and again, but neither can avoid the messy secrets and corporate intrigue threatening to tear them apart. What they discover about their workplace might change everything – including the dreams each of them is chasing.

First Line:

The meeting invitation appears on my cell phone screen when I’m halfway up the subway staircase.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Love Interest is a medium to fast-paced book. While the pacing suited the book, the author could have slowed it down. I had to go back and read some significant parts of the book. There is a lag in Love Interest. The lag didn’t affect how I liked the book.

Trigger/Content Warning: Surprisingly, there are no trigger or content warnings in Love Interest. After reading many books with triggers, it was refreshing to read one that didn’t.

Sexual Content: There are sexual scenes in Love Interest. Seeing that this is a modern-day romance, I wasn’t too surprised that there was. The sex scenes are explicit enough to be hot but didn’t cross the line into TMI.

Language: There is foul language used in Love Interest.

Setting: Love Interest is set entirely in New York City.

Representation: There is queer and BIPOC representation in Love Interest. Casey is white and straight, but she has friends who are BIPOC and queer (which is fantastic). Alex is half Korean and straight. His friends are Casey’s friends.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Workplace Romance

Age Range to read Love Interest: 21 and over

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Casey is a financial advisor for a magazine who wonders if she can insert a little pizzazz into her life. So, when a position for project manager becomes available in her company, she applies. Casey is mad when she is passed over for the job for the chairman’s son, Alex. She is furious when assigned to the project that Alex is heading. But her fury wanes as she gets to know Alex, and she starts to catch glimpses of the real him. A friendship evolves that soon turns into a not-so-hidden workplace romance. But, as rumors swirl about the fate of the magazine and the project Casey is on becomes Alex’s chance to show his father what he can do, can their romance survive?

Main Characters

Casey Maitland: I will be the odd one out here, but I didn’t initially like Casey. Her attitude towards Alex was awful. Yes, I get that it was fueled by disappointment and anger, but it made her seem like a teenager instead of the adult she was. But, by the middle of the book (when she and Alex started dating), I liked her. This was an infrequent case of a character redeeming herself. She became a supportive girlfriend who wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. But she also kept her sense of self. She had plans, and those plans were going to happen, if Alex was in her life or not.

Alex Harrison: I initially liked him, but he had Daddy issues. His sense of self was wrapped up in getting approval from a distant and cold father. But I liked that he didn’t use nepotism to get the job at the magazine (but I am sure that’s what got him the job if it makes sense). I liked how he handled Casey at the beginning of the book. But he did change a little towards the middle of the book. He had stated at the beginning of the book (shortly before Casey and he started hooking up) that he didn’t believe or want relationships because he didn’t want to be tethered. Yet, by the middle of the book, he was only with Casey. I liked that the author did have Alex come to terms with his father by himself.

Secondary characters: I know this paragraph is the same in every review, but in this case, the secondary characters did make the book. Each character added extra depth, nuance, and flair to the storyline. If the book weren’t about Alex and Casey, I would have been happy to read about the secondary characters. That is how much oomph they brought to this book.

My review:

Love Interest was an interesting and good read. I got involved with the main characters and was rooting for them to overcome their obstacles. I also loved the secondary characters and the vibrance they brought to the book.

The main storyline of Love Interest focuses on Casey and Alex as they navigate their romance and project together. I liked that the author made this storyline relatable and believable. I wanted them both to succeed at what they were doing and their romance. I was caught up in this storyline and was very happy with the ending and the epilogue.

I liked the romance angle of Love Interest. I liked that Casey and Alex’s romance happened organically (as organic as a romance novel can get). It wasn’t Instalove by a long shot.

The end of Love Interest was sweet. I loved how the author ended all the storylines and tied them into Casey and Alex’s storyline. I also loved the epilogue. After reading that, I went to sleep with a massive smile.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Clare Gilmore for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Love Interest. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Love Interest, then you will enjoy these books:

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Jewish, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Adult Fiction, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Daniel Rosenberg and Liyah Cohen-Jackson’s last conversation—fourteen years ago at summer camp—ended their friendship. Until they find themselves seated next to each other on a plane, and bitterly pick up right where they left off. At least they can go their separate ways again after landing…

That is, until Daniel’s marketing firm gets hired by the Chicago museum where Liyah works as a junior curator, and they’re forced to collaborate with potential career changing promotions on the line.

With every meeting and post-work social gathering with colleagues, the tension (and chemistry) between Daniel and Liyah builds until they’re forced to confront why they broke apart years ago at camp. But as they find comfort in their shared experiences as Jews of color and fumble towards friendship, can they ignore their growing feelings for each other?

With sexy charm and undeniable wit, Rachel Runya Katz’s sparkling debut, Thank You For Sharing, proves that if you’re open to love, anything is possible.

First Line:

“Cohen-Jackson, huh? That’s quite the odd combo.”

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz

Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg hadn’t talked in fourteen years after a disastrous summer camp romance ended. So, imagine Liyah’s surprise when she sits beside Daniel on a flight home from San Fransisco. Thinking the flight will be the last she sees of him, Liyah is surprised when Daniel is the representative chosen to meet with Liyah to help market her new exhibit. Forced to confront what happened in summer camp, Liyah and Daniel discover they have much in common. The more time they spend together, the more their chemistry grows. But will they stay just friends, or will they step towards being something else?

When I read the blurb for Thank You for Sharing, the blurb caught my attention for several reasons. One, because this was the second book that I had read the blurb for that featured the Jewish religion or had references to it, and both main characters were people of color who were Jewish. The other was that it was billed as an LGBTQIA+ book. So, with these reasons in mind, I downloaded Thank You for Sharing. I am glad I did because this was a sweet romance.

The main storyline in Thank You for Sharing centers around Liyah, Daniel, their friends (and their friends were a significant part of the storyline), and their personal/work relationship. The storyline was well written. It kept my attention, and I couldn’t put the book down.

Liyah did a lot of growing up in Thank You for Sharing. In the beginning, she was a stress ball who held on to grudges and slights like they were lifelines. I thought she was immature and obnoxious during her scenes with Daniel. But, the more she interacted with Daniel and the more was revealed about what happened fourteen years ago, I didn’t blame her for being mad. Without giving away spoilers, she was right. Men (and boys) are continually celebrated for stuff like Daniel did, while women (and girls) are shunned and called names. I liked how she dealt with the casual racism and sexism throughout the book. Some scenes (like the one in the Temple) had me steaming. By the end of Thank You for Sharing, I liked her. She had morphed into a strong woman who wasn’t afraid to admit she was wrong.

Daniel was everything that any woman would want in a boyfriend. He liked to talk about his feelings. Daniel supported his partner and wanted the best for her, even if that meant putting himself first. He was in touch with his emotions and wasn’t afraid to cry. Daniel also admitted when he needed help (his mental health suffered a blow after his father died). I did think he was a bit of a sadist for dealing with Liyah. But I also saw that being around her pulled him out of his depression and made him want to be a better man. I also liked his tattoo (the reason behind it was funny).

Mental health is brought up quite a bit throughout Thank You for Sharing. Both Daniel and Liyah see therapists. Daniel starts seeing one to help get over his father’s death. Liyah sees one because of a highly traumatic incident in college and has continued to see her over the years. Both therapists had great advice and let Daniel and Liyah come to terms with their trauma independently. But, I did like that Liyah’s therapist wasn’t afraid to push back at Liyah (the scene after Liyah confesses to Daniel about what happened to her).

The secondary characters made the book. Siobhan, Jordan, Alex, and Neen were excellent. I liked the club they all formed (with Neen being an honorary member). I loved the notes at the end of the “meetings.” They were freaking hilarious. While here, I want to add that I loved Neen. They were the best friend that Liyah needed. They were not afraid to tell it as it was, and they weren’t afraid to force Liyah to face the truth about things (i.e., Daniel).

I liked the romance angle, but it was predictable. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing—sometimes, you need things to be predictable. But I loved reading how the author had Liyah and Daniel go from enemies to lovers. It wasn’t an Instalove situation; instead, it took several months and a couple of profound apologies from Daniel for them to get to that point.

Now, Liyah and Daniel did have some serious chemistry. It was electric, and I was on pins and needles, waiting for them to sleep together. That sex scene was one of the best sex scenes I have read to date. It wasn’t too graphic, and the feeling behind it was chef’s kiss. There were other sex scenes, but they didn’t have the amazingness of the first one.

The end of Thank You for Sharing was your typical HEA. I loved that Neen told Liyah to get over herself. That made for a fantastic makeup scene. I also loved that the author had an epilogue three years in the future.

I would recommend Thank You for Sharing to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Rachel Runya Katz for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Thank You for Sharing. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

In you enjoy reading books similar to Thank You for Sharing, then you will enjoy these:

Bait by D.I. Jolly

Publisher: Galatea

Date of publication: July 19th, 2022

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: Physical Child Abuse, Emotional Child Abuse, Verbal Child Abuse, Child Abandonment, Cheating, Sexual Assualt, Murder, Gore

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amber thought her life was perfect.

She was in love with her boyfriend Frankie, had a nice summer job at Taylor’s Book and was enrolled at Marshall University to become a teacher.

Everything was on track for the perfect life.

And then Bastian walked in. Not only was he the most handsome man Amber had ever seen, but she felt a pull that she’d never felt before.

From the very first moment she saw him he filled her every thought and made her body want things it had never had before.

First Line:

You know, working at Taylor’s Books wasn’t a bad way to spend the summer. The drive was a bit far, but the people were nice, the hours weren’t bad, and it was more money than not working.

Bait by D.I. Jolly

Amber was living the perfect life, or so she thought. She had a wonderful boyfriend and a great job and was looking forward to attending college in the fall. Then Bastian walked into the cafe/bookstore she worked in, and everything disappeared. The connection to him was instantaneous. For Bastian, the connection with Amber was more profound and meaningful. Amber was Bastian’s soulmate. But Bastian has secrets that could threaten his and Amber’s happiness. What are Bastian’s secrets? And how will they threaten his and Amber’s happiness?

Bait is a fast-paced book that takes place mainly in Huntington, West Virginia (where Amber lives). There are visits to Bastian’s pack lands on the outskirts of Crown City, Ohio.

Surprisingly, there are quite a few trigger/content warnings in Bait. I say surprisingly because I wasn’t expecting these triggers to be a central part of the storyline. They are:

  1. Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Verbal): Bastian is horrifically abused by his father, the Alpha of his pack. The author only goes into a small portion of what he had to endure, but what was outlined brought tears to my eyes. No child should have to go through that.
  2. Child Abandonment: Bastian’s mother left him with his monster of a father when Bastian was a baby.
  3. Cheating: Amber cheated on her boyfriend, Frankie, with Bastian.
  4. Sexual Assault: One of the characters is sexually assaulted at a college party by another partygoer. After going to the police, several other women make similar allegations.
  5. Murder: Bastian and his father murder his uncle at the beginning of the book. Bastian kills his father in self-defense. Another character kills the person who sexually assaulted another character (see above)
  6. Gore: There are several vivid descriptions of murder and assault.

If these trigger you, then I suggest not reading this book.

The main storyline of Bait is Amber and Bastian’s love story; they overcome the odds to be together, and Bastian overcomes his abusive past to become the Alpha of his pack. The storyline is told in first-person POV and split between Amber and Bastian, with an occasional third-person appearance. I liked that the author did this. I got to see how affected Amber was by Bastian. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing Bastian throwing off the chains his father had metaphorically wound around him.

There is an Instalove element of Bait. While I am not a fan of Instalove, I did like how the author spun this. It was the fated mate angle. Instead of having the female run scared of the male, I liked that the author had Amber accept everything (after an adjustment period).

I liked that the main characters, at least Amber and her best friend, acted like your typical late teenager at the beginning of the book. I am not that old where I can remember my head being turned by every good-looking guy that came into my work (granted, I worked at a gas station/convenience store but still). I also remember my best friend at the time being just like Amber’s best friend and urging me to let loose and have fun. So, I related to that part. Now, saying that, after Amber and Bastian got together and the whole werewolf secret came out, I didn’t quite connect anymore. But it still made it fun to read.

Several secondary storylines and characters add much-needed depth to this story. These secondary storylines explained so much about Bastian’s past (because his father wasn’t/couldn’t tell him). I will admit I wanted to smack the crap out of Bastian’s mother, but I understood that she made a very tough choice and didn’t make it lightly.

The paranormal angle was terrific. I loved the vampire angle. Several twists to that angle made me shake my head. As for the werewolf angle, I liked that the author took a common theme from werewolf romances and ran with it. He created the Elders and added a neat twist to their storyline. Of course, what it meant wasn’t lost on me, and I wonder how Bastian would deal with it in later books.

The end of the book was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines and teased another story (and I hope it will be about who was mentioned at the end).

I recommend Bait for anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger/content warnings above.

Many thanks to D.I. Jolly for allowing me to read and review Bait. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Bait, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by D.I. Jolly

Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams

Star Rating: 3

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: March 14th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult, British Literature, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fairytale meets feminism in Luci Adams’s Not That Kind of Ever After, a frothy adventure of one woman’s journey to claim happily ever after in times of serial dating, swiping right, and the quest to find your soulmate…

Bella Marble’s life isn’t what she imagined. Instead of an author, she’s receptionist at a small press. Instead of happily married, she’s single, and her lovey-dovey parents are divorcing. And to top it off, her best friend of twenty-nine years, Ellie Mathews, is moving out and marrying the heinously boring Mark. (He’s not worthy of her. No one could be). Bella feels rudderless, only slightly soothed by time spent with Ellie’s (not hot) brother, (he’s not hot) Marty (okay, he’s hot. But he’s also the aggravating brother she never had—right)?

When Marty recommends Bella stop looking for “the one” and just have fun, Bella finds a new, empowered side of herself. But when she posts a fairy-tale retelling of a disastrous one night stand on a storytelling app, all of a sudden, Bella has become B.Enchanted. And she’s gone viral.

Now, Bella’s in a fight with Ellie, her new roommates are so, deeply, weird, and the pressure is mounting to find new fairy tales to write about—but she’s got to live them first.

First Line:

It came, unlike me, while I was riding backward cowgirl on what must have been the hairiest man in London.

Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams

Not That Kind of Ever After is the story of Bella and how her life fell apart, got put back together, fell apart again, and got together again. Bella’s life isn’t what she thought it was going to be. She would be an author, live an extraordinary life, and be married. Instead, she’s a receptionist at a publishing house, isn’t living her dream life, and is single. In a matter of days, her life gets turned upside down when her best friend moves out and gets engaged to a man Bella can’t stand. Then she finds out her parents are getting divorced. But there is an upside to everything. She is rewriting her bad dates as fairytale retellings on a storytelling app, and she has gone viral. But as soon as she thinks she has everything, things come crashing down. A fight with her best friend, being rejected for dates (which means no stories), and weird roommates litter her life now. Can Bella get out of her way and get back on track? Or will she be stuck in the same rut forever?

I was not a fan of Bella. Oh, at first, I liked her. She was funny and seemed like a great friend. But she began to wear on me after a chapter (yes, a chapter). She was high maintenance and not in a good way. She always had to be the center of attention and literally pouted when it wasn’t on her (Ellie’s moving out/engagement party). And lastly, she was highly immature. I could have dealt with the other faults and liked her. But it was her immatureness that ruined her character for me. Put it this way, I felt for Ellie’s fiancee and her roommates.

I did like that the author took Bella’s romantic hijinks and had Bella turn them into romance fairytales. It gave me a fresh way of looking at the fairytales and a giggle.

The side characters were well-written in Not That Kind of Ever After. I sympathized with them because I didn’t know how they tolerated the drunken, immature mess that Bella had evolved into.

Bella did experience character growth during this book. There was a point in the book where Bella realized that maybe she was doing everything to herself, and she tried to fix everything. It was nice to read that, but the damage was done in my eyes with her. Like a real-life person, I didn’t want a character to be a constant drama llama, and Bella was.

The romance angle of the book was interesting to read. While I think I figured out who Bella ended up with, I needed clarification. So, I wouldn’t label this a HEA with her on the romance front.

There is a lot of sex in Not That Kind of Ever After. What I liked is that the sex experiences ran the gauntlet. They went from bad to good to out-of-this-world fantastic. The author even threw in a menage for Bella to experience.

The end of Not That Kind of Ever After was interesting. I liked that the author wrapped everything up. I am not going to get into anything other than that, other than the ending was very fitting for the book.

I would recommend Not That Kind of Ever After to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Luci Adams for allowing me to read and review Not That Kind of Ever After. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Not That Kind of Ever After, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Date from Hell (Not Your Average Hot Guy: Book 2) by Gwenda Bond

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: April 5th, 2022

Series: Not Your Average Hot Guy

Not Your Average Hot Guy—Book 1 (review here)

The Date from Hell—Book 2

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, New Adult, Contemporary

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

“The apocalyptic beach read that everyone needs.” – Alix E. Harrow, Hugo Award-winning author on Not Your Average Hot Guy

In The Date from Hell, the sequel to Not Your Average Hot Guy, New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond brings the journey of Callie, Luke, and their friends to a wonderful close. This is another laugh-out-loud, action-packed romantic adventure you won’t want to miss.

After saving the world and stopping the apocalypse, Callie and Luke are looking forward to a quiet, romantic weekend together. When you’re human and dating the Prince of Hell, quiet moments are hard to come by. But their romantic weekend in Hell takes a turn when Lucifer tasks Callie and Luke with chasing a wayward soul around the world. If they can prove it’s possible to redeem a soul, Lucifer will allow the two of them to make some changes in Hell.

But this wayward soul, Sean, doesn’t have any interest in being redeemed. Instead, now that he’s back on Earth, he’s decided to take a leaf out of Callie and Luke’s book and wants to find the Holy Grail. Now Callie, Luke, and their friends—and enemies—must race Sean around the globe on a Grail quest and bring peace between Heaven and Hell before they can finally (maybe) get around to that date.

First Line:

I stand on my tiptoes to slide a book with a thick black spine adorned with golden skulls – Being the Rules of the Kingdom of Hell, Vol 99 – back into its place on the shelf.

The Date from hell by gwenda bond

When I finished Not Your Average Hot Guy, I immediately wanted to read the next book in the series. That is how much I loved Callie and Luke’s relationship. I kept checking Gwenda Bond’s Goodreads and when I saw that The Date From Hell had its own Goodreads page, I prayed to the book gods that I got an ARC of this book. My prayer was answered when SMP contacted me about reading/reviewing The Date From Hell. I was so excited about reading this book. And, I am happy to report that this book more than lived up to my expectations.

The Date From Hell takes place a couple of months after the events of Not Your Average Hot Guy. Callie, Luke, and her family are almost at the end of rebuilding the escape room business destroyed by the events in book 1. Callie has also wanted to change one of Hell’s rules regarding people who commit morally gray crimes and end up in Hell. Satan surprisingly agrees when she brings that up but gives her a 3-day quest to redeem a soul of his choice. If she succeeds, he will allow the changes. But if she doesn’t, she will have to forfeit something. But, dealing with Satan is always tricky, and he wasn’t exactly honest about who the soul was and if it even wanted to be redeemed. As secrets come to light, soon Luke and Callie are fighting for more than a single soul. What is that secret that they discovered? And is it worth risking everything (including their lives) to go through with the quest?

The Date from Hell is book 2 in the Not Your Average Hot Guy series. While you could read this as a standalone book, I highly suggest reading book one first. That way, you could understand the backstories referenced in this one. If you don’t want to read the book, then I suggest reading the reviews for a quick overlook.

I loved Callie in this book. She continued to be this badass who wasn’t afraid to go toe to toe with Satan. She had no filter, which was generally hilarious but sometimes got her into trouble. The only thing I did fault her for was that she was almost too stubborn, and she seemed to like poking Soraya the Rude all the time. I loved seeing how passionate she was about redeeming those souls she felt got the short end of the stick by being stuck in Hell.

I loved that the author chose to go the route she did with Luke. While I loved Luke, I felt that he was afraid to get seriously involved with Callie from book one. The part of the book where Luke was human was huge because his feelings were more real to me. He did come across as overprotective at times, but I wasn’t surprised. His character had some tremendous growth to it throughout the book.

I couldn’t understand why the author had so much focus on Sean until the middle of the book. Then a giant lightbulb went on over my head. I got a little grumpy with Satan at that point too. That was one of the many times after the middle of the book that I got cranky with him.

The storyline with the quest to redeem Sean’s soul that morphed into a quest to find the Holy Grail was interesting. I enjoyed seeing The Guardian’s city (even if I did think that people were bloodthirsty). I also loved how the author introduced Guinevere and Arthur and how they were involved in that quest. It was an exciting way to do that part of the quest, and I loved it.

The storyline with Callie wanting to change some of the laws in Hell had a fascinating twist. I was astonished when it went the way it did and felt I should have seen it coming. But it was perfect and very fitting for Callie!!

Callie and Luke’s romance was one of the sweetest that I have read. I loved that the author took it slow with them, that there was no Instalove. Instead, their relationship was allowed to progress naturally. That alone made this book enjoyable to read for me.

There is sex in The Date from Hell, but it isn’t graphic. And, surprisingly (well, to me at least), it is Callie and Luke’s first time after dating for months.

The end of The Date from Hell was interesting. I liked the twist that the author put in there with Callie. It did make sense, but at the time, I was internally screaming, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?????“

I am looking forward to reading book three and seeing where all the different relationships are and if that twist is working.

I would recommend The Date from Hell to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and sexual situations/scenes.

Losing Kyler (The Kennedy Boys: Book 2) by Siobhan Davis

Losing Kyler: A High School Bully Romance (The Kennedy Boys Book 2) by [Davis, Siobhan]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: March 27th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, New Adult

Series: The Kennedy Boys

Finding Kyler—Book 1 (Review Here)

Losing Kyler—Book 2

Keeping Kyler—Book 3

The Irish Getaway—Book 3.5

Loving Kalvin—Book 4

Saving Brad—Book 5

Seducing Kaden—Book 6

Forgiving Keven—Book 7 (Review Here)

Summer in Nantucket—Book 7.5

Releasing Keanu—Book 8 (Review Here)

Adoring Keaton—Book 9 (expected publication date: September 2020)

Reforming Kent—Book 10 (expected publication date: ?? )

Where you can find Losing Kyler: Amazon

Book Synopsis:

Condemned to repeat the sins of the past…

Faye thought losing her parents was the most devastating thing to happen to her, but she was wrong. Her uncle’s scandalous revelation has sent her into a tailspin, leaving her questioning her entire existence.

Everything she believed is built on a lie.

And the one person she shares a passionate, soul-deep connection with can’t be there for her.

Faye and Ky can’t be together. It’s forbidden. Though they are determined to avoid replicating their parents’ mistakes, caving to their feelings is as tempting as the apple in the Garden of Eden.

Ky had sworn off girls until Faye bulldozed her way into his life. Now, she’s his whole world, and their forced separation is crushing him. Once his manipulative ex resurfaces—hell-bent on ruining the Kennedys—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his loved ones including turning his back on the one person he can’t live without.

Then tragedy strikes and all bets are off.

But is it too late?

When Faye needs him and he isn’t there for her, guilt and hurt threaten to obliterate their love. As they start to rebuild their fractured hearts, another sordid family secret is uncovered, and Faye worries Ky may be lost to her forever.

But can you truly lose someone if they don’t want to be found?

Please note this series is only recommended to readers age 17+ due to mature content and themes.

First Line:

The room spins.

Losing Kyler by Siobhan Davis

My Review:

Losing Kyler is the 2nd book in The Kennedy Boys series. This book is not for teenagers. Again, loud so people in the back can hear, THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR TEENAGERS. There are mature themes in this book that I wouldn’t be comfortable letting anyone under the age of 21 read. I wasn’t comfortably reading some of the things that went on in this book, and I am 42. Also, this cannot be read as a stand alone book.

The plotline for Losing Kyler is fast-paced and well written. There were a few times where I got overwhelmed with what was going on (there was a lot), but that was just me. The flow of the book was terrific too. There were no dropped characters or storylines.

The plotline with Faye, James, Alex, and Kyler was wonderfully written. I can’t say what I would have done if that bombshell was dropped on me. I want to think that I would have acted like Faye did when she found out. But the truth is, I would have had a nervous breakdown.

I thought Alex and James were incredibly selfish during that plotline. There were more than a few scenes where I wanted to smack one or both of them upside the head. They were the main reason why their kids were rebelling out. I wanted to reach through my Kindle, shake them, and tell them to start acting like parents and the teenagers they aren’t.

The plotline with Kyler, Faye, Brad, and Addison was full of drama. The drama between the 4 of them was almost too much. But it was a ton of fun to read. I loved reading Faye and Addison’s interactions. I kept thinking “Meow” every time they were together.

I did wonder what dirt Addison had on Kyler. I mean, he was adamant that he wanted nothing to do with her towards the end of Finding Kyler. Then to hook back up with her? I wasn’t surprised at what it was. I also wasn’t amazed at her role in everything that happened in the book. I am so waiting for her to get hers!!

The storyline with Kal and the rape trial broke my heart and, later on in the book, enraged me. I didn’t understand why Lana accused him of rape. But when specific details came to light, I understood. All I have to say is what goes around comes around.

The sexual attraction and tension between Kyler and Faye were terrific. Even though they had to keep their hands off each other, there was a lot of sexual tension. I had to put down my Kindle and fan myself. When they finally did have sexual contact, holy moly was it intense.

The end of Losing Kyler is a cliffhanger. I am not a big fan of cliffhangers. But in this case, it worked. I want to know what happens next. I want to know if Kyler and Faye will have their happily ever after.

I would give Losing Kyler an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Losing Kyler. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Finding Kyler (The Kennedy Boys: Book 1) by Siobhan Davis

Finding Kyler: A High School Bully Romance (The Kennedy Boys Book 1) by [Davis, Siobhan]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 9th 2017

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Series: The Kennedy Boys

Finding Kyler—Book 1

Losing Kyler—Book 2

Keeping Kyler—Book 3

The Irish Getaway—Book 3.5

Loving Kalvin—Book 4

Saving Brad—Book 5

Seducing Kaden—Book 6

Forgiving Keven-–Book 7 (Review Here)

Summer in Nantucket—Book 7.5

Releasing Keanu—Book 8

Adoring Keaton—Book 9

Reforming Kent—Book 10

Where you can find Finding Kyler: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Bookbub

Book Synopsis:

Two fractured hearts and a forbidden love they can’t deny.

You shouldn’t want what you can’t have…

Faye Donovan has lost everything. After her parent’s tragic death, she’s whisked away from her home in Ireland when an unknown uncle surfaces as her new guardian.

Dropped smack-dab into the All-American dream, Faye should feel grateful. Except living with her wealthy uncle, his fashion-empire-owning wife, and their seven screwed-up sons is quickly turning into a nightmare—especially when certain inappropriate feelings arise.

Kyler Kennedy makes her head hurt and her heart race, but he’s her cousin.

He’s off limits.

And he’s not exactly welcoming—Kyler is ignorant, moody, and downright cruel at times—but Faye sees behind the mask he wears, recognizing a kindred spirit.

Kyler has sworn off girls, yet Faye gets under his skin. The more he pushes her away, the more he’s drawn to her, but acting on those feelings risks a crap-ton of prejudice, and any whiff of scandal could damage the precious Kennedy brand.

Concealing their feelings seems like the only choice.

But when everyone has something to hide, a secret is a very dangerous thing.

Will I enjoy this book?
Full of scandal, dysfunctional families, teen soap-opera-style angst and drama, secrets and lies, mean girls and catfights, lust and love, book one in the unputdownable Kennedy Boys series will have you flipping the pages’ way beyond bedtime! Only suitable for readers aged seventeen and older due to mature content and language. Please note this book contains a forbidden love theme featuring first cousins and a cliff hanger. It is not a standalone read.

Books in this Series
Finding Kyler
Losing Kyler
Keeping Kyler
The Irish Getaway – optional short novel

KENNEDY BOYS STANDALONE NOVELS
Loving Kalvin- friends-to-lovers second chance romance
Saving Brad – enemies-to-lovers romance
Seducing Kaden – second chance/forbidden romance
Forgiving Keven – second chance romance

The three Kyler books must be read together. Thereafter, every book in the series will focus on a single Kennedy boy and his love interest, and they will be standalone titles with an HEA and no cliffhanger. 

First Line:

“You can’t be serious?”

Finding Kyler by Siobhan Davis

My Review:

I was thrilled when I saw that Siobhan was allowing her readers to catch up on the Kennedy boys series. I was intrigued by the brothers when I was reading Forgiving Keven and when they made an appearance in The Rydeville Elite series. So, I jumped on it, and I am glad that I did. The relationships that made zero sense to me in Forgiving Keven were introduced and somewhat explained.

Finding Kyler had a fast-moving plotline. From the minute, Faye realized that she had American relatives, it zipped along. The flow of the book was fantastic also.

I want to mention, because the author had a foreword about it, that there is a lot of Irish slang in the book, which I expected because the author is from Ireland herself. What I didn’t expect (and what I loved) was that she thoughtfully included a glossary at the end of the book. I was familiar with most of the slang in the book, but I was still taken by surprise by some of the things Faye said.

There was a small bit of ick factor when it came to Faye and Kyler’s relationship with them being 1st cousins. The author chose to play that up instead of letting it slide. Faye was continually reminding herself that her attraction to Kyler was wrong. When people found out about them, their reactions went from happy to disgusted to unhappy. But, putting the ick factor aside, I did enjoy their love story.

Faye walked into a mess when she arrived at the Kennedy household. Let’s say that the Kennedy’s put the fun in dysfunctional. I did feel a little bad for her because she was treated like crap. Kaden, Keven, Keanu, and Kent chose to ignore her. Kalvin kept hitting on her. Kyler ignored her, but at the same time, couldn’t stop watching her. The only decent person in the house was Keaton. Alex seemed nice, but she was never around. James, well, he had issues. Many, many issues. That made for a toxic environment.

Like I mentioned above, there was an ick factor with Kyler and Faye relationship. But, as I also said, I didn’t let that color their romance. In a way, it was sweet. Faye tried so hard not to fall for him. She did everything in her power to stop her feelings. She even went as far as to enroll in another school to stay away from him. It still happened, and it was delicious to read.

The end of Finding Kyler was a big drama fest. There was a huge twist that was revealed that I didn’t see coming. It is not often when a book shocks me, and this book did. With that twist came the cliffhanger, which I didn’t like. But, at the same time, it made me need to read the next book.

I would give Finding Kyler** an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Finding Kyler. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

**I know that Finding Kyler is a YA/NA marketed book. But, considering everything that went on in the book, I feel more comfortable giving it an Adult rating.

The Lost and the Scarred (Kingston City Limits: Book 1) by T. Marie Alexander

The Lost and the Scarred (Kingston City Limits Book 1) by [Alexander, T. Marie]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of Publication: September 16th, 2019

Series: Kingston City Limits

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, New Adult

The Lost and the Scarred—Book 1

Where you can find The Lost and the Scarred: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

ROX
When I was six, Wran Belmont found me buried in snow and gave me a place to live.

He became my best friend.

When I was fifteen, I gave him all of me—only for him to abandon me.

Now, he’s back and expecting the lost, scarred girl he’s left behind. I’m not that girl anymore. And while I may still have secrets, it will not be as easy for him to retrieve them this time around.

WRAN
When I was eleven, my father lost his job and became a pathetic excuse for a father. A few months later I found Roxanna Raine buried in snow, barely hanging on to life.

Her father was the reason mine was an alcoholic, and I thought about letting her freeze to death.

One look in her eyes and she became my kryptonite. I swore I would get my revenge, though, even if it was on the fair-skinned beauty.

When I was nineteen, I left Rox without an explanation—broken-hearted and even more lost.

Now, I’m back and I’ll do anything to make up for the stolen time.

First Line:

“I’m taking her!”

The Lost and the Scarred by T. Marie Alexander

My Review:

I was excited about reading The Lost and the Scarred. I have become a massive fan of dark romances. The blurb promised that this was going to be a juicy one. And it was. I couldn’t read this book fast enough.

The plotline that highlighted Wran and Rox’s dysfunctional relationship was dark. Oh so dark and I loved it.

The plotline with Rox and Harley was interesting. It took me a while to realize what happened. I understood why Rox insisted on keeping her visits to Harley a secret. Wran would have blown a gasket.

The plotline with Rox and her father was heartbreaking. The author was cautious not to reveal too much about her years with him. I did guess at what happened to Rox after her mother’s death. There have been very few times where I wished that I could morph into a book and bring all holy hell to a character. This was one of them.

The romance between Rox and Wran didn’t seem real to me. Mainly because of how Wran acted. He was an immature, jealous idiot with an anger management problem and he took it out on Rox. So, yeah, the romance didn’t spark for me.

Josh drove me nuts. He had the power to keep Wran away from Rox. He was the freaking sheriff!! Instead, he talked and talked but didn’t do anything about it. He let Wran have his man tantrums all over the place. He even got assaulted by Wran at the police station. Which made me go “WTF.”

Cade was another person who drove me nuts in the book. He held back who he was to Rox. He went out of his way to piss Wran off. But, he did come through in the end.

The end of The Lost and the Scarred ticked me off. I didn’t agree with what Lynn did at all. Also, it was a cliffhanger. And if you have been reading my blog long enough, then you know how I feel about cliffhangers. I do need to read book 2.

I would give The Lost and the Scarred an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Lost and the Scarred. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**