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Friday, April 29, 2016

Book Review of Doing It Over by Catherine Bybee




Doing It Over (Most Likely To #1) by Catherine Bybee
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: April 19, 2016
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Voted Most Likely to Succeed, Melanie Bartlett ended up anything but. The down-on-her-luck single mom wants a complete do-over—is that too much to ask? With her family long gone from River Bend, strong, independent Mel is as surprised as anyone to end up in the quaint small town she once called home. But with her friends, Jo and Zoe, by her side, and a comfortable room at Miss Gina’s quirky bed-and-breakfast, she just might have turned the corner on a new life.

Wyatt Gibson never liked the big city. River Bend suits the ruggedly handsome builder just fine. Wyatt knows he’s home, even if that means being charmed by the appearance of Melanie and her spunky, adorable daughter. Is Wyatt’s calm devotion—even amid a coming storm—enough to convince Mel she may have found a home to call her own, a family that never leaves, and a true love to last a lifetime? 


Doing it Over is the first book in the Most Likely To series by Catherine Bybee. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I think I'm going to have to read some more of her work. Life didn't turn out like Melanie expected, and when she returns to her home town, she finds that most of her friends lives went in a different direction from what they were voted "most likely" to do. Her friends are pretty amazing. They are her family. Mel's daughter is adorable. She steals everyone's heart...even the readers. Wyatt was a little surprising to me. He talks like a cowboy gentleman at times, then he'll say something in that smoldery, commanding way to show he has some Alpha in there too. This was a love story, but it was also a story of survival and new beginnings.

The ARC of Doing It Over by Catherine Bybee was kindly provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley for review. The opinions are my own.




Check out my reviews of the other books in this trilogy!


Have you read these other books by Catherine?

author
New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Weekday Brides Series and the Not
Quite Series. Bybee lives with her two teenage sons in Southern California.

To learn more about Catherine Bybee and her books, visit her website & blog.You can also find her on GoodreadsFacebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Thursday, April 28, 2016

Book Review of Wilder by G.K. DeRosa




Wilder (The Guardian #1) by G.K. DeRosa
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: June 12, 2015
Publisher: Self

All that Celeste Wilder ever wanted was to find someone who would sweep her off her feet like she had seen in countless romantic movies. When she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Constantin brothers her senior year of high school, she gets much more than what she had bargained for. As they introduce her to an exciting supernatural world that she never imagined existed, she makes a startling discovery about her own family legacy and is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever.


Wilder is the first book in The Guardian Series by G.K. DeRosa. Celeste seems like a pretty smart girl. She takes all the news in her life fairly well all things considered. The story has a little bit of a Vampire Diaries feel to it with the two brothers, Nico and Roman. They worked into their own characters though as the story progressed. It was pretty fast paced, and though I feel like some things were a little too easy (I expected more difficulty), it was certainly entertaining and kept my attention.

Wilder by G.K. DeRosa was kindly provided to me by Xpresso Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

author
G.K. De Rosa has been an avid reader from a very young age. At the precocious age of two, while living in Italy, she had memorized an entire children’s book in Italian and expertly turned the pages at the exact right moments of the story. As she grew up, she always enjoyed literature, no doubt having been instilled with a love of story telling from her early years in Catholic school where she was greatly influenced by exemplary teachers who taught her the value of English and Literature. Though she did not pursue writing in college and instead went for the more traditional route of International Business inspired by her love for travel and all things foreign, after a move to New York City, she found her creative writing side calling once again. She began writing a restaurant review blog, City Lights and Tasty Bites, detailing her other passion – food! The hectic hustle and bustle of the city, combined with long commuting times gave her the opportunity to spend more time reading and rekindled a lost love. After reading countless books in many diverse genres over the two years in New York City, and returning to her home state of Florida, she felt compelled to write something for herself. She had always felt particularly drawn to Young Adult novels and having been an eternal romantic at heart, a fantasy romance was a natural choice. She currently lives in South Florida with her real life Prince Charming and their fur baby, Nico the German shepherd.

To learn more about G.K. De Rosa and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Release! Hunt by Alyssa Rose Ivy





Hunt (The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles Book 1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Genre: New Adult (Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Self

There's a new Alpha in town and he just found his mate, she just doesn't know it yet.

Welcome to Crestview, Montana. Population ~1000 and not all of those are human.

After his brother is murdered, Ian must step up to become Alpha of his bear shifter pack. At the same time law student Mara shows up in town, and Ian knows she’s destined to be his mate.

When a rival pack lays claim to Mara, Ian and his brothers will stop at nothing to protect her.


If you haven't done so already, you need to read Alyssa Rose Ivy's books!! While you're at it take a peek at my reviews too!

author
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

To read more about this author, visit Alyssa Rose Ivy's Blog and Website. You can also find her on GoodreadsPinterestFacebook and Twitter.

    

You'll want to read ALL of the Chronicles!

Friday, April 22, 2016

Release Day Review! My Russian Nightmare by Danielle Sibarium




My Russian Nightmare by Danielle Sibarium
Genre: Adult (Suspense/Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: April 22, 2016
Publisher: Self

I was stolen from my brother’s bedside by bad men with evil intentions. Tall, dark, and terrifying, Dimitri stands out. He shows tenderness and kindness that the other members of the Russian mob seem incapable of.

There’s something familiar and comforting about him. Something that draws me in. I feel safe when he’s near and long to feel his protective arms around me. The more time I spend with him, the more of my heart he steals and the harder it is for me to fight my attraction to him

I want to trust him, to believe he’ll keep me safe, but secrets begin to surface. Secrets with deadly consequences. Dark secrets that have been following us both for years.

Trusting him threatens to break me. Not trusting him threatens to kill me.

No matter what I choose, my life will never be the same.

My Russian Nightmare by Danielle Sibarium was a very quick and entertaining read. I liked Dimitri's intensity, but I'm still not sure if I trust him all the way. I think he's been in this lifestyle so long(whether he wanted to be or not) that he's still at odds with aspects of himself. Or was I reading too much into him? The same goes for her brother. I feel like there was all this behind the scenes stuff going on, and I want to know more about it. The action kept going, and it kept my attention completely. The conflict resolution in the end seemed too easy, too quick, and too good to be true, which makes me wonder if there's more coming for these characters in another book.  If so, I definitely am curious about what happens next.

The ARC of My Russian Nightmare by Danielle Sibarium was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.


Check out my reviews some of Danielle Sibarium's other novels... 


Danielle Sibarium YA and NA author grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout her childhood, she transported herself into a fantasy world full of magic and wonder. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality. On any given summer afternoon she became Snow White sweeping and cooking for the dwarfs, or Cinderella waiting for her prince.

In 2004 Danielle won Honorable Mention in the Southern Heat contest. In 2007 she collaborated with Charlotte Doreen Small to write songs for her CD More. Danielle wrote the lyrics for Take My Hand, and Goodbye, while Charlotte contributed the melody.

Danielle graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and three children.

In October 2011 Danielle released her debut novel For Always. She has since released And Forever, the sequel to For Always, The Heart Waves Trilogy, To My Hero: A Blog of Our Journey Together, Into You, Regret Me Not, Man Up Party Boy, and Man Up PlayboyCheck out my interview with Danielle!

To learn more about Danielle Sibarium, visit her website. You can also find her on TwitterGoodreadsTwitterFacebook, & tsu.

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