5 stars

Book Review – Leo (A Sign of Love #1) by Mia Sheridan

June 17, 2013 by Aestas · 22 Comments

4.5 – 5 stars

“The thing about falling in love is that no matter where you are when it happens, you can’t help but to color those moments with beauty, even if you’re in a location of ugliness. He made what would have been a place of nightmares into a place to dream.”

SQUEEEE!!! OMG I have so many feels for this book!!!!! ♥♥♥

Everything about this story was beautiful!!

It me cry, laugh, swoon and fan myself and honestly, I just loved it all!!

This is a spoiler-free review.

Second-chance love stories are my favorite but ones with a cool twist are just a bonus. This is the kind of book that makes you want to re-read it, or at least certain parts of it. There is just so much to the story that you can only fully appreciate after having gone through all the big reveals… and knowing them just gives so much *more* to the story, so it’s going on my re-read pile for sure 🙂

Now, I know it’s only 192 pages long but honestly, it didn’t feel short at all. The story was never rushed and the ending wrapped up beautifully with a happy-tear-enducing epilogue. And sometimes you just WANT a really wonderful book that you can read in one sitting, you know?

The story starts out in a flashback. Evie is 14, Leo is 15. They met in the first foster home they were placed in and became the best of friends. They relied on each other, bonded, and as they grew older, that developed into love. He was “the boy who makes me want to stay awake because reality is finally better than my dreams.”

But when Leo gets adopted by a family across the country, they are forced apart. They make vows and he promises to come back for her when they turn 18… but that is the last time she sees him.

Eight years later, Evie has forged a life for herself. Despite having grown up in a life without family, filled with drugs, molestation and bad memories, she is strong, self sufficient and has gotten a job, a little home for herself, and generally has everything under control. She has moved on from the hurt of her past but has never forgotten what she felt for Leo. So when a guy shows up one day who says that Leo sent him to check on her, it just throws her world. She feels pulled towards him somehow but there is something mysterious about him and his connection to Leo… and she has to decide whether or not she can trust him…

I was feeling the emotion right from the start of the book. By page 2, I already wanted to cry. The first scene of the book, which was also the scene of their first kiss/goodbye when Leo got adopted just made my heart HURT even though I barely knew them… definitely one of the most beautifully written first kisses ever!!

“I’m going to kiss you now, Evie, and when I do, it’s going to mean that you’re mine. I don’t care how far away we are from each other. You. Are. Mine. I’ll wait for you. And I want you to wait for me. Promise me…”

If that quote doesn’t make you want to read the book, I don’t know what will! From that line on, I was hooked! ♥

I loved the writing. It drew you right into the story and I felt totally connected to everything that happened. It was fast paced without being rushed and flowed very smoothly. It slowed down in the important parts of the scene but I loved that the story was constantly moving forward and adding more pieces to the puzzle.

It was told in back and forth flashbacks and present day…. but with the way the story was woven, it left me unable to put it down. I alternated between heart clenching during the flashbacks and swooning over the present day parts.

I have to say though that I read with a complete mixture of swoon and suspicion. I *knew* something was up, I just KNEW it but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. I had theories and it kept me guessing….

And so when the big reveal happened, I had to read it twice. The first time was just in shock (call me naive but I did not see it coming!) and I just got these huge chills and shivers and had to stop and go back and read that page again and then I just started to cry. Oh. My. God…. incredible scene!!!!

I just looooved the twist! It explained and connected everything perfectly! But then… hmmm once the full explanation came out, I had to think a little about how that made me feel about the character. But the more I read, the more understanding I became. It didn’t make what happened okay in my eyes, but people make mistakes and they mess up. Nobody is perfect. And if they get to a point where you kind of have to choose to accept them or not and there was no doubt in my eyes that I wanted to accept.

I also wanted to add in that, despite the fact that this story is told from Evie’s POV, the author has an awesome way of describing the male characters in these little subtle ways (narrowing of the eyes, clenching of the jaw, raking a hand through the hair… ) that just added extra yum to them and I found myself reading a lot with a little half smile on my face.

I’d classify this book somewhere between New Adult and Adult, maybe closer to adult. There is certainly steam and there are several hot hot hot scenes that are rather descriptive so that’s what’s leaning me towards Adult. That being said, I thought the steam was very well done because the story took the time to FIRST develop the connection with the characters so that by the time they got into bed, you were feeling emotionally connected to them.

The ending is fully resolved and very swoony. No cliffhanger, guys!!!

And, as a bonus, we get an absolutely gorgeous epilogue. Seriously, bless the hearts of every author who writes an epilogue. If I could hug them all, I would. That extra piece to the story just adds that last little bit that puts your heart to rest about the future of the characters you’ve fallen in love with. And this epilogue was particularly heart melting – it was the perfect conclusion to their story.

Overall, LEO is a beautiful, well-written, swoony and emotional read with steam, a bit of mystery and a happy ending ♥

“I can’t make the fire go away,” she had seemed to say. “I can’t guarantee you won’t get burned. But… I can remain steady and strong, because I believe in you. Because you are mine.”

I’d highly recommend it and am adding it to my list of Best Books of 2013.

4.5 – 5 stars.

PURCHASE LINKS

Buy LEO’S CHANCE (Kindle) – alternate POV book
Buy LEO’S CHANCE (Paperback)

CASTING

I actually LOVE the book covers so I’m going to use them below in the casting.

Book Review – Entwined With You (Crossfire #3) by Sylvia Day

June 5, 2013 by Aestas · 31 Comments

Buy ENTWINED WITH YOU (Kindle)

“You own me, Eva. Wherever I am, whatever I’m doing, I belong to you.”

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! 5++ STARS!

Entwined With You was everything I could have wanted! I was thrilled with the story, happy with the ending and now am excited for the next books!

This review is spoiler-free.

Since this is book #3 in the series, I am not going to talk about the plot at all here. This book is not a standalone and should only be read after both Bared To You and Reflected In You.

First you can all rest easy because there is NO RELATIONSHIP CLIFFHANGER!!! In fact, of all the three books so far, I’d say this one had the most resolved ending of all. It ended at a point where Gideon and Eva were together and happy. Yes, there were still many unanswered questions for future books (mostly regarding external plot lines and milestones that Gideon and Eva still have to cross) but there was no relationship cliffhanger!

There was also real no stupidity and no cheating throughout the book. Yes, the characters made mistakes, but they’re only human. I ‘understood’ everything that both Gideon and Eva did throughout the book. I understood why they messed up and I respected them for trying to fix their mistakes.

There was a lot of smokin’ hot sex (and I mean H.O.T.) but it didn’t overpower the actual work they put into the relationship. I loved that they didn’t use sex as a distraction for working out their issues. They’d always had intense chemistry and sexual attraction but they were also actively focused just as much on working on the rest of their relationship as well which made them functional as a couple both inside and outside of the bedroom.

I loved that they had this intensely passionate, tumultuous relationship but at the core of it all was always their strong, unwavering love for each other. Everything else was just details.

Entwined With You started off right where book #2 ended throwing us right back in the story. If it has been a while since you’ve read the last book, I would recommend re-reading at least the last chapter of book #2 before starting this just to get yourself back into the details of the story.

In this book, Gideon and Eva’s journey continues as they fight their inner demons and nightmares and work together at maintaining and building a functional relationship filled with intense desire, love and commitment.

One of my most favorite things about Gideon and Eva as a couple is that they TALK!!! They talk through EVERYTHING! They’ve both been broken by their pasts and are dealing with untold amounts of external stress and yet with them, their relationship always came first. I always knew what their top priority was. I could just feel it. And I absolutely freaking LOVED it.

“I look at you, angel, and I want you so badly. I want to be with you, listen to you, talk to you. I want to hear you laugh and hold you when you cry. I want to sit next to you, breathe the same air, share the same life. I want to wake up to you like this every day forever. I want you.”

Gideon Cross is the ultimate tortured, Alpha hero. He’s completely dominant and possessive but at the same time so vulnerable and broken. Truthfully, protective and possessive doesn’t even begin to describe him though. He’s also loyal, understanding, powerful, and passionate. He is just the perfect balance of everything in my eyes. He is Alpha enough to make me swoon but was always logical and rational in his actions. I absolutely loved that he always put Eva first. He was always thinking of her and it was clear in each one of his actions. If it’s possible, I love him even more after reading this book than I did before starting!

I’ve always really loved Eva too. Deeply scarred by her past and also still hurt by things that had happened in their relationship (despite it being a missunderstanding), she had to work hard to keep being open. Luckily, Gideon helped balance her out. He was always insisting on working things through together. And at the end of the day, they both just wanted to make things work, and were willing to do anything to bring them closer to each other.

I loved that they went toe to toe on everything. Yes, Gideon was powerful and dominating but Eva was also strong and independent. They didn’t clash, but rather they complimented each other. Their relationship was always balanced and I could never doubted the value they placed on their relationship. You could feel that they were willing to sacrifice anything for each other and never give up. I just loved it. It was heart warming to an extreme.

“Despite everything, we were stronger than we’d ever been.”

And the HEAT!!!! ohhhhh the intensity!! This has got to be one of the hottest books I’ve ever read! Not that it was literally the most graphic but just that their connection intensified every sexual encounter between them. It was scorching!! Sizzling! And, I’m not going to lie, they certainly took things further in the bedroom than they’d ever gone before. There was definitely an “oh my!!” moment for me at one point 😉

But like I said, I loved that with them it was never all about the sex. I loved watching them genuinely, step-by-step work through their issues. I loved being able to see their progress and to see them grow both as individuals and as a couple.

The build up of the book’s ending wasn’t as intense as the last one to be sure but that was totally okay with me. Given the context of the story, it didn’t feel right to have something super intense in that moment and I’m glad the author didn’t put some random drama there just for the sake of sensationalizing it. I respect her for staying true to the characters.

The ending left us in a good place. My heart is happy and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to pause their story while we wait for the rest of the series to be released.

It has been confirmed that there will be 2 more books in the series after this one. The Crossfire series will now have 5 books.

I have loved this series from the start and if the next two books are going to continue Gideon and Eva’s story following the same path that these first 3 books have taken and just continue to develop their relationship together without stupidity or excess drama, then I’m all for it!!! 🙂

At first, I thought I would have wanted the “happily ever after” we would have gotten had this been the final book but I can honestly tell you that I did NOT feel that any of the issues were dragged out, or just “put there” for the sake of creating more text. There was no “drama for drama’s sake” and everything that happened both made sense, kept me engaged (or fanning myself) and was believable for the characters.

Also, given the amount of issues they still have to work through (which I won’t name in order to keep this spoiler-free), I’m honestly very happy that they’re getting more books. I think their story could easily take two more books to tell it in and there are still so many things that I personally WANT to see them work through that we would never have been able to see if the story had wrapped up in just this one book.

I know some people said that the ending left them “desperately wanting more”, and while I respect their opinion, I just don’t get it to be honest. The story HAD to end somewhere and since we know there will be more books I was completely happy with the ending. Yes, in the issues external to the relationship, there are still unanswered questions but, if there weren’t any, then how would we ever have more books??

Gideon and Eva were happy and together at the end. For the ending of a mid-series book, I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Personally, I loved it. Totally loved it. Gideon and Eva continue to be one of my absolute, all time favorite book couples and I can’t wait for more of their story!

Basically, if you loved the first two books, you should absolutely read this!!

❤

As a final note, I just want to share this with you. It’s a message from the author that I really love and tells me all that I need to know about this series:

“Is it possible for two abuse survivors to have a functional romantic relationship?” — Eva Tramell

“Eva’s question is the core of the Crossfire series. The answer she receives (“Absolutely.”), gives her hope that she can find her way there with Gideon. I hope their journey touches you the way it has me. We all deserve a happily ever after.” (Sylvia Day)

❤❤

CASTING:

Gideon –> Click here
Eva –> Click here

*** CROSSFIRE SERIES READING ORDER ***

BARED TO YOU (Crossfire #1)
Buy on Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

REFLECTED IN YOU (Crossfire #2)
Buy on Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

ENTWINED WITH YOU (Crossfire #3)
Buy on Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

CAPTIVATED BY YOU (Crossfire #4)
Buy on Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

ONE WITH YOU (Crossfire #5)
More info coming soon.

Book Review – The Dark Duet (Epilogue) by CJ Roberts

June 3, 2013 by Aestas · 235 Comments

Buy EPILOGUE: THE DARK DUET (Kindle)

5 stars!

WOW!!

A few months ago, very late one night, C.J. Roberts released the beginning of an epilogue to THE DARK DUET and I utterly blown away by how amazing it was. Not long after she announced that it would be turned into a full-length epilogue book. This is that book.

SPOILER WARNING

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE DARK DUET, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW!! Instead, go to my review of book #1 and start there.
If you have read the first 2 books, then this is a spoiler-free review.

The Dark Duet series is one of my all-time favorite stories and so when I found out that there was going to be an epilogue my heart literally just stopped for a moment!! I couldn’t even read it right away because even just the possibility of it brought back a whole slew of strong, heart-clenching emotions I had wrapped up after having finished the series.

My heart was pounding pounding POUNDING. Every detail of the story and my connection to the characters came flooding back to me. From the very first line I was just propelled *right* back to the exact moment that the story had left off. I was right there. My whole heart was involved, instantly. I was *with* it every word of the way. I’m not kidding – it was perfect!

In this epilogue we get to see the story from Caleb’s POV. It takes us back to that scene at the end of book #2 and moved forward from there but this time showing us the story through his eyes…

“I missed you every day, Kitten. Every. Fucking. Day.”

I loved that it felt exactly like Caleb was talking right to me. Ok, us. Ok, the readers. But I can pretend it was me. I felt like it was me. My world just shut down and it was just me hanging onto every detail of the story he told.

The tables were turned in this book and we got to see his frustrations at being in the position of needing HER acceptance. He always had been dominant by nature and so it was a true sign of his love for her that he kept trying to hold himself back and give HER exactly what she needed from him.

“I had gone through all sorts of scenarios in my head prior to making contact with Livvie. However, her passive aggressive behavior toward me was not one of them. My mind is much more problem/solution oriented. Mad at me? Scream at me. Punch me if you’re up to it. Please don’t smile at me sweetly, act like nothing is wrong and then leave me disillusioned. And before you say anything, yes — I realize how fucking ironic my words are. I have played my fair share on mind games with Livvie. It doesn’t mean I liked being on the other side. No man does.”

He tried to play nice and, he was a good person at heart (we all know this) but the truth of it is that he is not nice. He’s not your white picket fence. He’s your dark-and-twisted. But he’s also the guy who loved her with his whole heart and it just broke my mine to see him trying SO hard.

“I know you deserve to be happy. I know you deserve someone… better, but I’m selfish. I want you. I want you bad enough to try and be someone better.”

I loved watching them rediscover each other. They had one hell of a history together but this was like starting fresh to a certain extent – removed from the nightmare, and in a new environment with new hopes and new possibilities.

“No, Kitten. I’m not okay,” I whispered. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take for me to be okay. I just know that as long as you’re with me, there’s a chance that one day… I might be.”

I loved that this truly was an Epilogue in every sense of the word. To me, an epilogue is the happily ever after and with Caleb and Livvie, it wasn’t just a question of slipping into one as so many other book couples do because after the intensly dark and emotional journey of the first two books, it was believable that they would have to work hard to find the exact balance of happy that worked for them. This Epilogue wasn’t just another book in the series, but rather a detailed and focused continuation of how they rebuilt their lives and their relationship.

It’s not often (okay, it’s not ever) that we get to see something like this – an epilogue turned into an entire book. We’ve been through the nightmares and the pain of their journey through the dark but now it was time for them both to find a way to live in the light.

I loved that there was no external drama in this book – it was all focused on the main characters. It literally just showed the struggles of two people try to move on from what they’d been through. It showed the emotional conflict, the questions, the uncertainties, the desires, and most strongly the knowledge that they both needed each other more than anything else in the world. They’d been through so much together and just had to find the way to live with that.

The truth of it is that what happened to Livvie was not okay. What happened to Caleb was not okay. But just because bad things happen, it doesn’t mean there can be no moving forward.

“I didn’t want to hurt her. I loved her. I didn’t know how to do it like normal people. I didn’t know how to tell her how scared I was.”

Their happily-ever-after wasn’t fairy tale perfect but at the same time, I absolutely loved the message it conveyed that even people with the most utterly fucked up pasts could still find their slice of happiness – however unconventional it might be. The point is that they found what worked for them. And that was just absolutely beautiful.

“I know it’s odd between us. How could it not be? We don’t know each other in this world, but I’ve seen you at your worst, and what I know is that you’d do anything to protect me. That’s enough for now. The rest will come.”

I think that this story was so important to tell because after the events that they lived through in the first two books, in order to fully connect with and understand what made them able to move on to their future while living with their pasts, the explanation was necessary to fully show the readers more than just their love for each other but the literally process of how they came to their decisions.

I truly feel that Caleb and Livvie’s story has now come full circle. There are few stories out there that take the time to actually give the readers such a complete picture of the ‘happily ever after’ and it’s a rare and special thing for the readers to experience especially considering the strong levels of emotional connection that bonded us to the characters in the first two books.

The journey they have been through is one of a kind. Twisted. Fucked up. Scarring. Beautiful.

“I had come to understand our relationship would be riddled with moments where the past sucked all the joy out of the present. My only hope was that with enough time, Livvie and I would build memories capable of trumping our beginning.”

If you haven’t read this series yet, I strongly urge you to give it a shot. It is truly in a category on its own. It will test you. Test you to the very possible limit. But oh-my-GOD is it EVER worth it!!

This entire series has a beautiful but utterly RAW and honest intensity to it. It just pulls at your heart. You can’t help but be drawn in. C.J. Roberts’ writing is addictive. Its compelling, beautiful, and deeply evocative. She is honestly one of the most talented authors I’ve read.

I won’t lie though, this story is NOT for the faint of heart. It is captivating, yet deeply twisted… very disturbing and yet truly beautiful. It is gritty and powerful. But honestly, if you feel brave enough to give it a go, its one of *those* stories that you won’t forget.

“I’d kill for you, Livvie. I’d die for you.”

Series rating: 5 ++ stars!

** SERIES READING ORDER **

Book #1: CAPTIVE IN THE DARK
Buy for Kindle| Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #2: SEDUCED IN THE DARK
Buy for Kindle| Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book #3: EPILOGUE
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Book Review – There Is No Light In Darkness (Darkness #1) by Claire Contreras

June 1, 2013 by Aestas · 7 Comments

Buy THERE IS NO LIGHT IN DARKNESS (Kindle)

The perfect blend of mystery, angst, romance, and a gripping story! I could not put this book down! 5 stars!

I inhaled this book in one sitting, was completely wrapped up in the story and hopelessly in love with Cole.

Speaking of Cole… NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND ALERT!! He might be one of my favorites EVER!! As in ever ever EVER! Holy butterflies! *faints*

What a prologue!! This book had me hooked from the very first page. I was immediately intrigued and invested in the story and there was just NO way I was stopping.

I’m not going to say too much about what the book is about because it’s hard to explain it without spoilers but here is just the basic set up:

Haunted by the nightmares of her family’s murder, Blake never feels safe. Not even for a moment. And she’s spent her whole life trying to piece together the memories of her past with the small clues she’s found a long the way to try and find out what happened to her family.

“Even though I have the memories from my nightmares, I’m not sure I want to experience them in the light. They’re more real in the light. I should have kept them buried in the darkness, but it’s too late for that.”

The only time she truly feels safe is with Cole. He’s been a constant in her life for so long now and it’s coming to the point where they have to admit their feelings for each other.

I fell in instant love with Cole. I really mean instant here. Five lines into his appearance in the story and I. Was. In. Love. And I didn’t stop loving him for even a moment throughout the whole book. He definitely has made it into my list of favorite Book Boyfriends EVER!! I swear to God everything he said made my heart flutter and everything he did made me swoon!

I’ll admit that the beginning of the story was a wee bit confusing but not at all in a bad way. Almost more in a way that just made me more curious. Some of the things just didn’t make sense to me and I was just desperate to know why and what caused them to happen.

The story is told in alternating past and present timelines. Given all the mystery surrounding Blake’s past, this really helped me piece things together and understand both where she was coming from and what she was trying to still figure out.

But HOLY ANGST people!!! I’m almost talking Thoughtless levels of angst here! My heart was just pounding for most of my read. It was like I was on a constant adrenaline high. I don’t really want to give anything away but basically despite it being without-a-shadow-of-a-doubt clear that Cole and Blake were meant for each other, they weren’t together in the beginning of the book and the whole set up there really just kept my heart in my throat. For those of you who are worried by that though, don’t be. It does all work itself out so just enjoy the angsty ride. It’s well written and I honestly really loved how strongly this book affected my heart.

“I’ve had sex before – yes. Casual, meaningless, stupid sex… This,” he said motioning between us, “is not casual, it’s not stupid, and it sure as fuck is not meaningless…

I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.”

**SWOOOOOOOOOOOON**

About the mystery part… I had SO many questions!! Endless questions!!! Questions upon questions upon questions!! I’m not usually ever into the mystery side of stories but I think that because of how everything was ‘connected’ and because of how strong the romance was, it kept me just as interested in the mystery as I was in the romance.

Luckily though, despite all the questions, we also get some answers. The book was full of little reveals and twists that pieced the story together. They gave me CHILLS. Shivers. Some I admit that I predicted, both others just took the rug riiiiiiiiight out from under me.

“I wish I didn’t have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I’m not sure I’m strong enough to relive.”

I will say though that there were a few minor events/time jumps that I felt were glossed over in places. There were just a few and they weren’t serious enough lower my 5 star rating, but I did notice them.

Ok, and I’m going to say this about Cole and I’m not saying this lightly and I don’t mean that they’re like the same guy at all but… Cole kind of reminded me of Kellan in a certain way. They were very different characters but Cole made my heart flutter in a very Kellan-like manner. He gave me a lot of the same feelings and put me through some of similar emotions and I really just LOVED it!

I also loved that Cole and Blake had a history. I felt like it gave their relationship a lot more meaning because it was built on so many years of friendship and emotion. My heart just broke for their past. Absolutely broke!! There is no cheating but there is a period of time where they are both in other relationships – but don’t worry, those don’t last and honestly, weirdly enough, I understood the decisions they made even it made my heart just hurt at times.

I liked Blake as a heroine and I was totally into her story the whole way – no disconnect.

And I honestly just kept falling more and more in love with Cole with every page. He was just so protective and swoony with just a touch of manwhore but in that deliciously angsty way where you know that he’s just waiting the whole time for the love of his life to realize how crazy he is for her. He did make some mistakes but seriously, it was impossible not to fall for him. Hard.

The steam factor was high! It was hot but not overly descriptive. I’d consider it a New Adult level of steam. But it was the kind that you really “felt” because it took the time to establish your bond to the characters first.

“You’re the only one that matters… You’re the only one that fucking matters…. Only you… Always.”

The ending is a cliffhanger. A giant brutal cliffhanger that leaves you utterly DESPERATE for more.. but don’t worry!! This is part of a 2-book series and the second book is already out!!

Seriously, I promise you that if you start reading this, you will not be able to put it down! It had mystery that made my heart pound, romance that made my heart flutter, and angst that made my heart race.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book!! I absolutely loved it!!

5 stars!

hehe… one more time… I LOVE COLE!!!!!!!!!!!

ok. I’m done.

[rating]

My casting:

Cole
Blake

READING ORDER

Book #1

Buy THERE IS NO LIGHT IN DARKNESS (Kindle)
Buy THERE IS NO LIGHT IN DARKNESS (Paperback)

Book #2

Buy DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN (Kindle)
Buy DARKNESS BEFORE DARK (Paperback)

Find You In The Dark series by A. Meredith Walters

May 25, 2013 by Aestas · 314 Comments

FIND YOU IN THE DARK promo FB3 small

This series was a deeply touching, heavy and emotional journey of the intensity, strength and beauty of first love coupled with the heart-wrenching hardships and struggles of someone affected by a mental illness (bi polar disorder).

It’s no fairy tale, but it a beautiful story of true love that you’ll feel with your whole heart.

A 5-star, highly recommended completed series with a happy ending.

“It was just two people who loved each other,
trying to make some sense in a world where there was none.”

** SERIES READING ORDER **
This is a completed series.

Book #1 — FIND YOU IN THE DARK
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read My Review

Novella #1.5 — CLOUD WALKING
Buy for Kindle | Read My Review

Book #2 — LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read My Review

Novella #2.5 — WARMTH IN ICE
Buy for Kindle

Book Review – Allure (A Spiral of Bliss #2) by Nina Lane

May 17, 2013 by Aestas · 5 Comments

5 stars!

I LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

I can’t stop thinking about it!!! Just BEAUTIFUL!!

Dean and Liv are officially one of my all-time favorite book couples. Their passion, love, heartache and healing hit me right in the heart.

“Our relationship, our love, cannot and will never be perfect. It will, however, always belong only to us in all its flawed, intense beauty. Perfect in its very imperfection.”

Allure is the sequel to Arouse and follows the same couple, Dean and Liv, in a direct continuation of where the first book left off. If you are new to this series, Arouse should absolutely be read first (see my review). Arouse was one of those special books that connected me deeply with the characters and made want to know more of their story. I loved the uniqueness of the plot because, contrary to most romance books, this one tells the story of an already-married couple.

This is the story of a marriage – the struggles, the triumphs, the highlights and absolutely rock bottom moments. It’s beautifully crafted, deeply thoughtful and perfectly detailed. Sensual, honest, and unpredictable.

If there was ever a book that highlighted how a true relationship works – how everything is needed in balance, this is the one. And it takes you through that journey with Dean and Liv as they strive to find their happiness. It took the time to work through each of their issues and to strongly connect you to both of them both individually and as a couple. I just could feel every one of their thoughts, insecurities, fears, delights… everything was projected right out from the page and into my heart.

I think one of the reasons that people are loving this story SO much is that the issues that Dean and Liv face are just so REAL. They are heart-wrenching and utterly believable.

I loved that the book took the time to acquaint you with all the different little details of their lives. And I also loved that despite it being a deep heart-felt story, it still had these little lines that just made me burst right out laughing.

I loved that Dean called her “beauty”. Each time he did that, my heart melted just a little bit more. I loved that she called him “Professor”. I loved the way they loved each each other. I loved that it was impossible not to FEEL the depths of that love. That sweeping, passionate, bottom-of-your-heart, forever kind of love.

“He tightens his arm around me and brushes his mouth against my temple. “Right now I want you naked against me. I want to wake up cold because you’ve hogged all the blankets. I want to feel your leg between mine, your hair in my face, your arm flung across my chest… I want to sleep with you.”

I loved how protective they were of each other. I loved watching Olivia heal and grow stronger. I loved how Dean cherished her. I loved that, no matter what, they didn’t give up on each other. I loved the message they gave out about marriage.

I really felt like everything that happened, even the mistakes and misunderstandings was understandable. And most importantly, you could see them both learning from their mistakes even if they still continued to make them. They were just trying to make things work. I really didn’t feel anyone was ever specifically at fault, but sometimes while trying to do the right thing, people make the wrong decisions and that’s just part of the (sometimes painful) learning curve of life.

“We both want this so badly. I can feel it resonating between us like the hot pull of our first attraction, tangible and intense.”

But Dean and Liv were always just one of those couples who no part of you could ever doubt that they were just meant for each others. They were soul mates.

“He is imprinted in my bones, my soul. He has marked me in ways more permanent than time.”

I finished the story at 4:30AM and just sat there with tears streaming down my face. Not sad tears, just an overflow of emotion. It is a true tribute to the strength of the story and writing that this ending was as powerful as it was because the only way it could have been this powerful was if you had truly LIVED their story with them – so that each moment from their lives became precious and meaningful to you.

“The allure, huh?”

“I’ve learned a few things about castle architecture over the years.” Liv wraps one arm around my waist. “The allure is a passage behind the parapet of a castle wall. Great for defense when the enemy is approaching. You know you’re safe on the allure.” She tucks her head beneath my chin, twining her hand with mine. “Like we’re safe with each other.”

“No doubt about it, beauty.” I press my face against her sweet-smelling hair. “You’ll always be my allure.”

Nina Lane is one hell of an author and tells the story seamlessly from alternating POVs. Her descriptions, writing style and imagery are vivid, powerful and captivating. I could not put this book down even for a moment.

The ending took me by surprise and while there isn’t a direct cliffhanger, there is a bit of an external one. I’d say it was a similar style to the way to Crossfire books end – so that you feel they’ll make it but there still is a lot more of their story to tell. I definitely would say it’s safe to start the stories now though and not wait for the 3rd book.

Dean and Liv were not perfect people. And they did not have a perfect relationship. But they had true love. It was real. It was believable. It was beautiful.

I highly recommend this series. It’s one of those stories that I know I will be rereading.

If you are looking for an emotionally charged, sensual romance that will touch your heart, this is it!!

“Thanks for waiting,” I whispered.
“My beauty,” he said. “I’d wait for you forever.”

5 stars!

CASTING

Dean
Olivia

❤ THE “A SPIRAL OF BLISS” SERIES ❤

BOOK #1 — AROUSE
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Book #2 — ALLURE
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Book #3 — AWAKEN
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“No,” I murmur against her hair… “We are not freakishly happy. We are not freakishly anything. We’re two people who love each other. We had a tough time. We worked it out because we want to be together. Because we can’t imagine being with anyone else. Because we don’t want to be.”

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