What Were You Expecting?
I'm just a girl. Sometimes I'm mad. Sad. Angry. Happy. Amused. Funny. Sarcastic. But then, What Were You Expecting?
Avid reader. Book reviewer. Wife. Mother. Foodie.
An ok read. A bit predictable and a little out there. I've come to expect better from Young.
I may be a bit old for this book. Generally the early 20s NA books work for me, but this one left me feeling old and too wise. As the title suggests, the relationship moved too fast. At the end I wasn't left with a sweet sense of completion, but instead a faint disbelief that all would work out to give them a HEA.
I wish i'd known going in it ended on a to be continued...I would have waited to read it. The characters are younger in this book than in the others of Young's I've read. I didn't enjoy this story as much. The main reason I don't read YA is because I don't care to read high school romances. With the bouncing back and forth from the past to the present, that's what I felt like I was reading.I did enjoy the book, but not as much as her Dublin Street series. I do plan to read the next book.
The story is told from the first person point-of-view of Kate, a college student home for the summer. She hates the small town where she grew up, and only comes back because her parents guilt her into it. When a sexy strangers lands in town, she decides immediately to have him. Only her feelings for him develop into more than lust in a very short time (like, minutes). When the dark secrets from his past come to light, Kate's whole world is rocked...The premise is a good one. I like the idea of a small-town girl home from college starting an affair with a bad boy that turns into more. Unfortunately it didn't deliver what I expected it to. Kate was a whiny, immature brat. She acted more like a 17 year-old drama queen than a third-year college student. She blamed her parents for everything, acted out against them and made stupid, naive assumptions. For all her claims of her "bad girl" behavior at college, she acted like a spoiled high school student. I liked Ben and thought his past was interesting. I also liked Kate's best friend, Jane, and her grandmother, Mrs. M. But they weren't enough to save the story for me. The author's note in the back of the book mentioned Jane's book coming next. I may try it, but I'm a little gun-shy after reading this one.
I'm not going to lie, the virgin hero is totally the reason I requested this for review. I love that he was the inexperienced one. There's something very sexy about a man who chooses to wait..or maybe it was just this particular man? Regardless, this was a strong, emotionally compelling read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I started this around midnight, thinking I'd read a couple chapters before bed. At 4am I finished it with gritty eyes and adrenaline pumping through my veins. Though I've enjoyed Singh's foray into the lives of Raphael's seven over the last few books, it was really good to get back to Elena and Raphael. Full review to come, but I will say this was a phenomenal read. The series just keeps getting better.
8/15/13 reread: I didnt love this as much upon this re-read. The busy plot and lack of editing wore on me more than the previous reads. I still enjoyed the base story, but I didn't love it as much as I did before. Original review 11/20/12: I really liked this book, despite the lack of editing. And trust me, that's a huge thing considering the lack of editing is really noticeable. First, this book showed up as over 1400 pages on my Nook. I'm pretty sure that was a formatting error, but I wouldn't be surprised if that really was the right number. These books seems to drag on forever. Especially the 300 page epilogues. Cripes. Aside from that, I really liked both main characters and the town of Gnaw Bone, CO. Nina and Max had major chemistry and their banter was fun and witty. I enjoyed Nina's personal journey as well as the romance between the two. The mystery plot was pretty meh. I'm not sure why Ashley includes them. The story would have been much better (and SHORTER!) without. Skipping those parts, this is a story I'll re-read again and again.
Another strong, emotionally charged novel from Mayberry. She has the ability to draw me into her stories and make me experience what her characters are experiencing. I enjoyed both the romance between and the personal struggles of the main characters.
Lacybourne Manor (Ghosts and Reincarnation, #3)
A strange, confusing read. The first bit was interesting, but it quickly turned the corner. Too many questions were left unanswered. The erratic behavior of the characters was frustrating. The plot was all over the place. I finished the book confused and a little annoyed. Not the best reaction to a book.
I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. While I felt a little out of the loop, I wasn't so confused I couldn't enjoy the story. I liked that the hero was the one in love and pushing for a relationship. The heroine's reasons for holding back were heartbreaking. I got frustrated with her independence a few times, but I understood why she felt she needed to be in control of every aspect of her life. A good read.
The Sum of All Kisses
It's been awhile since I read the previous Smythe-Smith book, so I was a bit hazy on the details going into this one. It wasn't a concern, however. Things were explained in a way that brought me up to speed without bogging the story down.Hugh and Sarah are a very unlikely match. I really liked their acrimonious relationship and how it moved into a friendship, then more. The story was sweet and fun. Exactly what I've come to expect from Quinn.
I love that this is being released as an in-between novella. I hate that we have to wait so long between full-length titles. This was a good story. I enjoyed both Louisa and Hugh, though I do wish they'd been a bit more clear with each other (not that the story really allowed for that, but still). It was good to learn more about the bastard Mackenzie as well as see inside Louisa's head. Their romance was sweet and satisfying.
A friend described this series to me as popcorn. I completely agree. This is the 2nd or 3rd book in the series I've read and I've enjoyed them all. They don't have a lot of substance, but that doesn't stop me from devouring them in one sitting. This is a spicy story, but it also packs some emotion. I wish it had been a bit longer, but I was satisfied when it ended.
This is a short story that falls between Cross's full length releases. I decided to try it to get a feel for her writing. I really enjoyed it. Though I was missing quite a bit of the backstory, I had no trouble picking things up. I'll be trying the first book in the series.
If You Stay (Beautifully Broken, #1)
I can't read anymore. The writing is driving me crazy. Quit at page 90.
Easy
This was such a good read. I don't know why I waited so long to read it. There are some darker aspects, but it wasn't as angsty as I expected. Definitely a recommended read.
