4.5 stars

Book Review — Could Have Been Us by Corinne Michaels

May 1, 2021 by Aestas · 1 Comment

“Do you want me?”
“Like the fucking air I breathe.”

SQUEEEE! I really loved this book! It was heartfelt, romantic and full of feels!

I’ve loved Corinne Michaels’ books for years because they often have such a good balance of angsty romance and family connections and this book was no exception. In fact, it actually had a very family-centric storyline and that was a huge reason why I enjoyed it so much.

Fifteen years ago, I fell for Jack O’Donnell. I was just a girl, but I knew my brother’s best friend was the only man I’d ever love. On my eighteenth birthday, when I asked him to kiss me, I never imagined it would change my life so completely. I gave Jack everything that night. In order to move on, we had to go our separate ways and pretend like nothing happened… as though it wasn’t the greatest moment of my life. But even that wasn’t as heartbreaking as the secret we were forced to keep. I’ve tried not to think about how much I still love him. How I long to be back in his strong arms or the way his hazel eyes make my heart race. Until he kisses me again. And this time there’s no turning back. This time I know what it means. We belong together and there’s no use denying it any longer. But our feelings aren’t the only thing that won’t stay buried, our past resurfaces and threatens to destroy our second chance at happiness. When our love is tested once again, will we be strong enough to stand together?

The story centers around a couple who fell in love young and got pregnant, but their family forced them to give their baby up for adoption and circumstances kept them apart for many years. Around the time the book starts, an unexpected tragedy brings their child back into their lives while giving them the second chance at a love they were denied so many years ago.

My only complaint about this book was a character flaw (more so of the hero than the heroine) that he got past throughout the course of the book but of being sooo worried and caring so much about what other people thought of their choices. Like omg, be an adult already. But I did appreciate that this was something they grew past.

I loved seeing their atypical family form bonds and heal. I also really loved that at the end of the day, everyone really was trying to do the right thing and that all decisions, right or wrong, came from a place of love and good intentions.

You can absolutely read this as a standalone, but it is the second standalone in a series of standalones. I’ve read the first one Return to Us (Read my Review) and loved it so I would recommend starting there if you can just because they’re both great reads. And I’m already looking forward to the next in this series.

If you’re looking for an angsty, addictive romance with heart-warming feels, this is it!

Rating: 4.5 stars. Contemporary Adult Romance, can standalone.

________________________

Series of interconnected standalones.

Purchase
My Review

Pre-Order
Aug 03

Book Review — Return To Us by Corinne Michaels

February 23, 2021 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

“What’s that saying about if something is right for you, you should let it go?”
“And if it’s meant to be, it might just come back.”

SQUEEEEE!!! I absolutely loved this book!

It’s a second chance romance with a single dad hero and it has all the angsty feels that I was hoping for.

I’ve always loved second chance love stories — there’s just something that draws me to them again and again and while I’ve read many of them over the years, this one is definitely a favorite and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an addictive new book to dive into!

“At eighteen, I walked away from Willow Creek Valley for good.
I was young, scared, and stupid, and it cost me the love of my life—Grayson Parkerson.

Fourteen years later, a crash sends me back home to recover.

Back to where we met, fell in love, and planned a future.
The one he’s now living as a single dad to his daughter.

Working at The Park Inn together gives us a chance to reconnect, and seeing him with his little girl makes me long for the days when he was mine. One look in his gorgeous blue-green eyes, and it’s like I never left. One kiss, and my world is upside down. One night together, and I know without a doubt, in his arms is where I belong.

I’m not the girl I was—intimidated by his wealthy family and desperate to escape our small town. I can imagine a new life for us here.

But he’s learned to guard his heart, and trust won’t come easily.

How can I convince him to give first love a second chance?”

I’ve been in a bit of a weird reading mood recently and was having trouble finding a book that was just what I was looking for. I started several different books and got a few pages in and just wasn’t feeling it. Then I started this book and immediately was hooked right from the start. I don’t know how to describe it but there’s just this very particular feeling I get when I start reading a book that clicks with me. I’ve been reading and blogging for almost a decade now and in all these years I’ve learned to very quickly trust my gut with books. When I start one and I’m not feeling it and I push through I almost never end up falling in love with it. But when I start one and I get that amazing rush of feels it almost always ends up on my favorites list and this book definitely was one of those all-the-tingly-feels books!

Now I’ll be honest, I’ve read a TON of second chance romances at this point but I have to admit that no matter how many I read, when I find one like this book that’s well written, I fall for them all over again.

This story featured a heroine from the wrong side of the tracks who fell in love with kind of the town golden boy…

We’re from that side of town. The one the rich kids avoid at all costs because they don’t want to be seen with us.
However, there was always one boy who never treated me that way. Regardless of his parents absolutely hating that we were together, Grayson Parkerson didn’t care… He didn’t see rich or poor, he just saw me.

But because his family made her feel like she’d never be worthy of him, she left him. She thought she was doing the right thing even though it broke both their hearts. And years later when an accident brings her back home, the same feelings they had for each other so many years ago are still there and they have to decide if they’re able to give themselves another chance at the life they always wished they’d had together.

[My daughter] turns to me. “You can marry her, Daddy.”
I nearly joke while Jack breaks out in laughter and Jess’s eyes go wide. “I didn’t… she has these…” I search for the words and then give up… Jack claps his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re so fucked, my friend. So fucked.”
Yeah, no shit. My daughter has decided I’m allowed to marry the girl I always wished I had.

I literally read this book in 2 hours. I started it and just could not stop. I loved seeing them fall in love again. I loved what a good father he was. I loved seeing her embrace his daughter into her life. And I loved seeing them heal.

“My heart has always been his. I was never able to give my heart to someone else because they weren’t as good as him. I was so… sad when I ended things.”
“Then why did you end things?”
… “Because losing him on my terms was better than losing him any other way.”
She leans forward. “What if you never lost him? What if he’s been here waiting, and your heart knew it?”

It’s been a while since I read a book that felt like an old-school favorite. If you’ve been following me a long time, you know the books I’m referring to. But this was definitely one of those insta-fav books for me!

This is the first standalone in a new series of standalone romances. Each book will be about a different couple from an interconnected group of characters but you can read this totally on its own.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves second chance romances!

Rating: 4.5 STARS! Contemporary Adult Romance, can standalone.

________________________

Series of interconnected standalones.

Purchase
My Review

Pre-Order
Aug 03

Book Review — Forsaken Trail by Devney Perry

December 28, 2020 by Aestas · 1 Comment

“Tomorrow, I’ll regret confiding in the enemy.”
“I’m still the enemy?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“Good.” He grinned.

WOOHOO!! If you love enemies-to-lovers romance, surprise pregnancies, moody billionaires with hearts of gold, and strong heroines who don’t need anyone to save them, then you’re going to love this book!

Aria Saint-James has planned the perfect getaway: sweatpants, takeout and two weeks alone with her sister and nephew. Nowhere on that list is wearing a low-cut dress and uncomfortable heels to attend a wedding where she knows neither the bride nor the groom. Toss in her nemesis, Brody Carmichael, and her road trip to Arizona is officially a bust.

But at least there is champagne.

She blames the bubbly for falling into bed with Brody that night. Enemy or no, the billionaire is irresistible in a tux. But after their one-night tryst, Aria has no choice but to cut her vacation short, returning home to escape his devilish smile, vowing never to see Brody again.

Except Aria gets a surprise a few weeks later—she’s pregnant. When he learns that she’s carrying his child, Brody offers Aria the chance of a lifetime. The catch? She has to live under his roof until the baby is born.

Either they’ll kill each other in nine months. Or discover love buried beneath their hate.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I read in one sitting because I just didn’t want to put it down. It was a fast, easy read with a story I got easily caught up into and characters I cared for.

One night of pretending.
Then we’d go back to what we were good at.
Hating.

While this is technically part of the Runaway series, you can read this as a standalone. I have read and loved all the books in this series but all of them can be read alone (or out of order if needed) as their stories are interconnected but not in a way that is critical to understanding the story. Everything you need to know about previous books is recapped in the beginning of this one without any major spoilers so if you feel like diving right into this book, you’re good to go. That said, I did love all the books so if you plan to read them all, why not start at the beginning.

The heroine was strong – really strong – and I loved that she was her own hero in life who didn’t rely on anyone. It was an admirable quality that made me respect her. In contrast, the hero came from a very different walk of life and he needed to learn to let her stand on her own – but he truly meant well so it was easy be forgiving of him and it was really sweet to see him try so hard to be the best man he could be. I loved that enemies or no, he genuinely stepped up when she got pregnant after their one night stand and that told me everything I needed to know about him.

“You’re…” I gulped.
“Pregnant.”
… “And it’s —“
“If you ask me if it’s yours, I will cut your balls off and string them on the Christmas tree.”

“If you’re not here to grovel, I’d head to the door before she sees you.”
“I’m here to grovel.”
“Good… Head on back.”

“I’m sorry. I said it earlier. I meant it.”
“I know. You don’t say things you don’t mean… I don’t want a nanny. I want to be the one to change diapers and puree baby food and get up in the middle of the night.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “No nanny. I’m going to be selfish and keep all of my baby’s moments for myself.”
“Just share some with me, okay?”
“You can have the poopy diapers.”
I chucked. “So generous.”

If you’re looking for a sweet romance with a side of sass, then definitely try this!

Rating: 4-4.5 stars. Contemporary Adult Romance. Can standalone.

* RUNAWAY SERIES *

Series of interconnected standalones. One car. One cross-country road trip.
Five stories about six runaways finally finding home.

Purchase
Read Review

Mar 02
Pre-Order

Book Review — The Anti-Boyfriend by Penelope Ward

September 16, 2020 by Aestas · 3 Comments

“Tell me to stay.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I whispered, “Stay.”

HOLY SQUEEEEEEEE!!!! I just finished reading this GORGEOUS book in one sitting! Honestly, I wasn’t even planning to read a book this afternoon but I had this book on my TBR list and I just decided to read the first few pages to see if it was the right book for my mood-of-the-moment and OHHH MY GOSH I was so hooked from the beginning of this story that I literally kept flipping pages right until the very end of the book!!

You guys!!!!! THE SWOOOON!!!! THE ANGST!!! THE FEELS!!!! This book had it all!

The story is an unexpected friends-to-lovers romance about single mom and her sexy neighbor and I think my favorite thing about this book was that the timeline and pacing felt SO believable!! There was no insta-love, but at the same time I totally FELT their connection and everything about the way their relationship developed and evolved just made so much sense!

At first, my neighbor Deacon frustrated me.

Sure, he was great-looking and friendly.

But our walls were thin, and on occasion, he’d bring women to his place and keep me awake while he “entertained” them.

As a single mother to an infant, I didn’t appreciate it.

So, finally it was my turn.

When my daughter wouldn’t stop wailing one night, Mr. Manwhore came knocking on my door.

Miraculously, at the sound of his voice, Sunny stopped crying. And when he held her…she eventually fell asleep in his arms.

Deacon was rough on the exterior, but apparently on the inside? Mr. Single-and-Ready-to-Mingle was a baby whisperer.

After that night, we became friends.

He’d go for coffee runs. Come over to chat. Normal friend stuff.

But over time, our conversations ran deeper. We got closer.

Until one night we crossed the line.

Our friendship turned into a complicated mess.

I’d gone and fallen for a guy who’d sworn off commitment and kids.

I knew Deacon was starting to care for me too, even though Sunny and I didn’t fit into any plan he’d ever imagined for himself.

He was wrong for me—so wrong that I’d dubbed him the “anti-boyfriend.”

Then why did I wish more than anything that I could be the one woman to change him?

This book starts off with a misunderstanding. A “wallbanger” style situation where the heroine’s hot neighbor’s nightly antics keeping her from getting any sleep but when she works up the courage to mention it to him, she doesn’t expect him to be so understanding or for a friendship to develop out of that awkward conversation…

“Maybe we should come up with a code.” 
“What do you mean?”
“Like, if I’m disturbing your peace, you play a song and crank it up to send me a message…”
“Can’t exactly crank up a song when a baby is sleeping.”
His smile fades. “See? That goes to show how clueless I am. Clueless and so sorry… Truly. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
“It better not, fuckboy!” a voice shouted from behind one of the apartment doors.
Deacon and I turned around in unison. I noticed Mrs. Winsbanger’s door move across the hall. The old lady must have been listening in…
Deacon grimaced. “Mrs. Winsbanger loves me.”

This book also had just the right amount of angst. It was totally an inevitable will-they-wont-they romantic situation and AHHHHH!!! The payoff was INTENSE! When they finally gave in — OH MY SWOON you guys!!

Oh my F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G swoon!!!!!

He leaned his forehead on mine, his breathing intensified… “Tell me to stay.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I whispered, “Stay.”

Penelope Ward has been a go-to author for me for many years. Many of her books land on my top favorites list. I feel like she has a really great way of telling storie that makes you care deeply for the characters, understand where they’re coming from, and get fully immersed in the story. Her stories often have a great balance of romance and angst and this is definitely one of my new favorite books!

This was exactly the type of sexy, swoony, angsty love story I was searching for! I absolutely loved everything about this book and highly recommend it to all fans of romance!

Rating: 4.5 stars! Standalone Contemporary Adult Romance.

Book Review — Wild Highway (Runaway #2) by Devney Perry

June 22, 2020 by Aestas · 3 Comments

More than anything, I wanted her to stay… If she chose this life, if she chose me, she’d have to be sure. Because the minute she said yes, I’d hold on and never let go.

SQUEEEEE!!! I absolutely loved this book! It had that perfect balance of angsty romance and happy feels that I’d been craving! There were definite enemies-to-lovers vibes going on at first mixed in with an almost-second-chance romance because the hero and heroine had shared a history almost a decade before this story began. The romance was a delightful combination of sexy and swoony, and also very healing by the end.

This was one of those books that I read in one sitting because once I started it I didn’t want to stop reading until I reached the epilogue. So if you’re looking for an amazing new book to read, I would highly recommend this!

Gemma Lane built an empire. Not a small feat, considering her home as a teenager was a makeshift tent in a California junkyard. She’s dedicated her life to turning pennies into millions. She has power, fortune and prestige.

And she’s leaving it all behind.

Gemma is headed across the country in her best friend’s Cadillac when a detour in Montana reunites her with old acquaintances and a man who hasn’t changed. Easton Greer challenges her every word and tests her every limit because he doesn’t believe she’s really abandoned her riches. She ignores his snide remarks and muttered censure—until the day she’s ready to return to the wild highway, and Easton taunts her to stay.

She’ll prove to him she’s not just running back to her wealthy life, that she’s more than her money. She’ll unlock her guarded heart and hope that this time around, he’ll treasure the key.

Now, Wild Highway can be read as a standalone if you want, even though it’s actually part of a series of interconnected standalones: the Runaway series. I read the first book Runaway Road and loved it too so if you have the time, then I’d definitely recommend starting with Runaway Road and then moving on to Wild Highway simply because they’re both awesome reads. But at the same time, if either one of the books calls to you more, then you’re genuinely gonna be fine to just dive into either one.

The whole series centers around a group of adults who had spent years together growing up in a junkyard after running away from home for various reasons. Their friendship had helped them survive and overcome extreme hardship and even though it had been many years since they’d all been together, over a decade later their lives were beginning to reconnect them once again.

The hero and heroine also shared their own history more than a decade before this story began and it had ended badly and with many unanswered questions so when this story began they were at odds with each other. They got under each other’s skin but also couldn’t stay away… It was a constant push and pull with them but no matter how hard they pushed, the pull was always stronger.

She desperately wanted – no, needed – to fit in somewhere and find a home where she truly felt like she belonged. She had all the money in the world but that didn’t matter because what she was looking for was something money couldn’t buy and my heart really broke for her.

I also understood his reluctance to go all in given that he was falling in love with a woman who not only had suddenly left his life once before but who he knew wasn’t staying in town for long.

“Can I make a confession?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m scared to get too close to you because I know you’re eventually going to leave.” It was only a matter of time.
“Where does that leave us?” she asked, not denying what we both knew was the inevitable.
I shrugged. “I don’t have a damn clue. I wish I could say I’d steer clear of you… But I won’t.”

He didn’t want to force her to stay but his heart couldn’t handle falling for someone he knew would be gone soon. But I did really appreciate how straightforward he was.

“You were jealous.”
“Yes,” I admitted. “I have some issues when it comes to men.”
“Let’s get one thing straight.” He clasped my shoulders, looming and waiting until he had my undivided attention. “There are no men. There’s one man. Me. And if you have an issue with me, we’ll sure as fuck talk it through.”

In most reluctant-to-commit circumstances in books, I have very limited patience (if any) but with the way these characters were written, I completely understood where both of them were coming from and as much I wanted to just lock them in a boom closet together until they sorted out their issues it also made total sense given each of their characters and histories that they needed to find their way back to each other the long way around.

“For once, it was nice to see you. The real you without all of” — I flung my wrist, motioning up and down her body — “this.”
“Clothes? Pretty sure you saw me without all my clothes last night.”
“No.” I frowned. “With the armor.”
“Oh.”
“Be real with me.” I inched closer, bringing my hands to her shoulders. “If no one else, be real with me.”

The angst in their relationship though definitely paid off in the end though because you really felt like by the time they were able to sort their lives out that they truly had gotten to the place they both belonged.

Side note: I have to say that I think I’ve come up with the perfect analogy for how I feel about Devney Perry’s books. Her books are like ice cream to me. There’s honestly never a time when I don’t feel like ice cream. And I’m normally a pretty mood-picky reader – like I have to find the right book to suit my mood of the moment but her books are pretty much the only ones where anytime I start one, it just works for me no matter what type of reading mood I’m in… Or at least, that’s been my experience with every book of hers that I’ve read so far – which is all the books she’d released lol. I’m just always in the “reading mood” for her books. It’s so fun to find an author like that!

This was such a gorgeous read! I absolutely loved it. I sympathized with the characters, I was rooting for the romance, I was drawn in by the writing, and I was addicted to the story. If you’re looking for something awesome to read, I would absolutely recommend this!

Rating: 4.5+ STARS! Contemporary Adult Romance, can standalone.

* RUNAWAY SERIES *

Series of interconnected standalones. One car. One cross-country road trip.
Five stories about six runaways finally finding home.

Purchase
Read Review

Mar 02
Pre-Order

Book Review — Stone Princess (Tin Gypsy #3) by Devney Perry

May 2, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

“You better not break my heart.”
He stepped closer, placing his palm between my breasts. It flattened on my sternum and the heat from his touch seeped through my sweater. “It’s safe. I swear it.”
Safe.

OMG OMG!! I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!

As many of you know, I’ve been a huge fan of Devney Perry’s books ever since she released her debut novel. She’s the type of author who I always recommend to everyone and anyone who loves romance because her books always have that perfect balance of heart-warming romance, a little bit of edgy suspense, characters I fall in love with, and genuinely unique stories that really refreshing to read. Needless to say, Stone Princess was another winner – but I’d take it a step further and say that so far, this has been my favorite book in this series!

“You good?” I cupped her cheek, using my thumb to dry one last tear.
She met my gaze, giving me the weight of her face in my palm. “Yes. For now.”
“When yes becomes a no, you come find me. Okay?”

To give a little bit of a background on this book and series… Stone Princess is the third book in the Tin Gypsy series. Each book in this series is about a different couple but, more than any of her other series, I do recommend reading this series in order because the books are heavily interconnected and have a continuing mystery throughout them. That said, the first two books in this series Gypsy King and Riven Knight really belong together as there is a single mystery that begins in GK that gets resolved in RK. To a certain extent, Stone Princess can standalone (though you will have major spoilers for the first two books if you read this one alone), and leads into the next book Noble Prince. So it’s almost like the first two and second two books belong together even though they’re all interconnected – you’ll even notice the first two titles key words King/Knight and second two Princess/Prince kinda go together.

Anyhoooo I digress.

This book is awesome! I absolutely loved it! I’ll share the blurb because it does a great job of setting up the story:

“Presley Marks has just become a cliché: the jilted bride. Wearing a white dress, standing in front of her friends and family, she announces that her fiancé—according to his text—has forgotten about the wedding.

Humiliated and angry, she hides from the world in the mundane routine of her life. Working at the Clifton Forge Garage isn’t glamorous, but it’s safe from the spotlight.

At least it was, until Shaw Valance comes to town.

The notorious Hollywood actor is starring in a movie based on the town’s infamous murder. When he’s not on set, Shaw hovers at the garage, watching as they build his custom motorcycle and irritating her with his handsome smile. He was supposed to leave once filming wrapped and go back to his fancy life, not buy the house next door…”

So after everything she’d been through, Presley was pretty much done with men, and when it was announced that a movie about her friend’s mother’s murder was being made in her town, she hated the lead actor on principle.

“This story is interesting because of all the elements involved. People want to watch interesting movies. Don’t you?”
“This isn’t fiction. This is my family. Did you ever once ask yourself who was on the other side of the murder?”

She wanted nothing to do with him or the movie, but he turned out to be nothing like she expected. And even more unexpected was their chemistry which, try and she might to deny it, was in fact undeniable…

“You have millions of people who follow you. People across the world stalk your Instagram, desperate to feel some sort of connection with you. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fame.”
“It’s not real.”
“Isn’t it? Because it seems like you’re really famous.”
“The fame is real, but that guy, the image, isn’t. This is.”

I have to say I really understood her initial resentment towards him, especially given the way he basically swooped into her town trying to make the trauma that her family had gone through public. But I respected the way he was perceptive to how he initially came off and truly made an effort to do right by her, her family, and the story.

Why the hell did Presley’s opinion matter so damn much? How had this woman, this stranger, managed to turn me inside out about my own movie?
Because she made it real.
She’d turned a movie into life. This project had taken on a whole new meaning. It wasn’t about satisfying investors or earning a profit. Now, I had an urge to do this story, the real story, justice.
Financial gains and academy accolades didn’t mean success anymore. For me to consider this a win, I wanted Presley’s approval.

I loved her fire, I loved his honesty, and I really appreciated that overall they were both quite mature in how they handled situations. That said, they were also both flawed – as all people are. They made mistakes, but owned up to them. And that was something I could respect.

“You have millions of people who follow you. People across the world stalk your Instagram, desperate to feel some sort of connection with you. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fame.”
“It’s not real.”
“Isn’t it? Because it seems like you’re really famous.”
“The fame is real, but that guy, the image, isn’t. This is.”

The romance was believably paced, really sweet and heart-warming, and definitely one I was rooting for. On the other hand, the suspense brought a welcome underlying edge to the story that kept my on my toes. Overall, as with most Devney Perry books, I genuinely found this to be a really enjoyable, balanced, addictive read that once I started reading I didn’t want to put down until I reached the end.

“I was dying to kiss you today,” I whispered into her ear. “I almost did.”
Her eyes dropped. “Shaw, we —“
“I know. I’m temporarily. You don’t need the gossip. I get it, but that doesn’t make me want to kiss you any less.”

If you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend it! I’ve enjoyed all the books in the series, but this was definitely my favorite book so far! If you love romance with a bit of an edge, this is a must-read series!

Rating: 4.5 stars. Contemporary Adult Romance.