ARC REVIEW: Say I'm Yours by Corinne Michaels

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Title: Say I'm Yours

Author: Corinne Michaels

Release Date: March 27, 2017

From New York Times Bestseller, Corinne Michaels, comes a new second chance standalone romance.

I spent twenty years waiting for Trent Hennington to open his eyes and see me. But it was all for nothing. He chose to keep himself guarded and let me walk away, proving that my time and efforts were wasted.

I’m done being invisible.

It’s time to move on.

A single dance sets my new reality into motion, and I welcome it. After all, Cooper Townsend is perfect. He’s kind, sexy, and attentive—everything a girl could want.

I thought I got it right this time.

That my heart could mend, and I would be happy.

Apparently, some things really are just too hard to walk away from.

I've said this in every Hennington book but... TRENT IS MY FAVORITE HENNINGTON. Dammit, Corinne Michaels. You're supposed make it easy to pick a Hennington but here you are, inspiring us to be fictionally polygamous. Say I'm Yours is LIFE, people. One of my top reads this year!! 

I loved her the minute I kissed her. 

Grace saw my demons and never looked away.

If Grace Rooney had a super power, it was her patience. Loving the same man and spending years patiently waiting for him to love her back wasn't easy. But this time, she's was done. Oh Gracie, dear Gracie. I adore this woman so much. Her heart and patience are both her strength and weakness and I just loved her to the core. Grace had an inner strength and faith so strong that it could change a person. Man, could this woman love. 

Trent is the one thing I can't quit. 

My heart has always belonged to him.

It took losing Grace for Trent Hennington to know he couldn't live without her. Now it was his turn to prove he was always hers as she was his. I loved Trent but I did want to shake the logic out of him a couple of times while reading. Still, that man touched my heart and made me swoon in ways I want to experience over and over again. He often said the right words but when he paired those with actions...Yep. Death by swooning seems like a good way to go.

Cooper. Now this man is rare. I loved his selflessness. He was a man of honor and compassion, and an unstirred passion I can't wait to see happen. 

He's not perfect, but he's perfect for me.

Say I'm Yours is just a book of unlimited feels. There was a holistic warmth that enveloped this book and I just couldn't help but live and breathe in the same air as the characters. The chemistry, the emotions, the words, the characters, the events, everything was just perfect for me. The pace of the book was soothing but had a weight that never stops tugging at my heartstrings. I'm a sucker for second-chance romances and this one just aced it so brilliantly. I also reveled on the fact that I got to have a sneak on the lives of the other Henningtons. 

Miss Corinne brilliantly played every emotion my heart could possibly feel. The Henningtons got me good. First, I was entranced. Then I was obsessed. Now I'm just absolutely addicted. <3 font="" nbsp="">

#SaveAHorseRideAHennington

ARC REVIEW (TOP READS!!): FLOW and GRIP by Kennedy Ryan

S Y N O P S E S

FLOW

(the GRIP prequel)

In 8 years, Marlon James will be one of the brightest rising stars in the music industry. 

Bristol Gray will be his tough, no-nonsense manager. 

But when they first meet, she's a college student finding her way in the world, and he's an artist determined to make his way in it. 

From completely different worlds, all the things that should separate them only draw them closer. 

It's a beautiful beginning, but where will the story end?

FLOW is the prequel chronicling the week of magical days and nights that will haunt Grip & Bristol for years to come.

GRIP is the full-length conclusion of their story.

 * * * * * * * * * 

GRIP

Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out.

I know.

I’ve been doing it for years.

I may not have a musical gift of my own, 

but I’ve got a nose for talent and an eye for the extraordinary.

And Marlon James – Grip to his fans – is nothing short of extraordinary.

Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I’ve thrown away the key.

All that’s left is friendship and work.

He’s on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true.

I manage his career, but I can’t seem to manage my heart.

It’s wild, reckless, disobedient.

And it remembers all the things I want to forget. 

______________________________________

(I read Flow and Grip consecutively so I'll just review them as one!)

"My heart broke loose on the wind." – Pablo Neruda

I. AM. SO. OBSESSED. Good Lord Almighty. Kennedy Ryan outdid herself a hundred times with FLOW and GRIP. THIS STORY IS PHENOMENAL!!! 

The threat of Grip breaking me weighs less than the possibility of never having him.

Grip never knew he’d reach a height quite like what he was in right now. It came quite close to the high he experienced eight years ago, and it was a peak he will keep trying to reach. I've never read about a hero like Marlon (Grip). His depth, his passion, his story...Grip is his own kind of art and he loves like a masterpiece. This man is a living, breathing fire of passion that is sure to set flames on every reader’s feelings. Heart, Soul, Time, Panties, this man will steal it all from you and you'll voluntarily give it to him. 

My love is Pandora’s Box. Grip snapped my hinges, pried me open. He let this love out. My love has a wild streak. Good luck trying to tame it.

If there was something Bristol knew well, it was the feeling of inadequacy. She wasn’t as talented as her brother, wasn’t as fancy as her mother, always wasn’t brilliant enough. All her life, she was trying to fill that gaping hole with determination and strong will. Until she met a man who did not only fill her emptiness but allowed her to overflow. I DID NOT expect to love Bristol this much. Granted, I knew I will be taken by the badass goddess that she was but I never expected this depth from her. Beneath her cold, sure, and confident aura was a seat of immense love and compassion. She is definitely one of my favorite heroines ever! 

If she’s running from me, I’ll have to disappoint her.

I CAN’T EVEN WITH THIS STORY. Grip just totally owned me. There’s such a unique soul in Flow and Grip that I’ve never ever felt before. I’ve been craving to know how Grip and Bristol will finally give in to each other since My Soul to Keep but I did not expect their story to blow me away this much. Most of the characters I’ve read had a ‘chemistry’ or a ‘spark’ but Marlon and Bristol had a magma of emotions brewing, waiting to explode. And man, did they set my book world on fire. There’s just a rare kind of connection between them that had me trying to hold my heart in place. Like it’s so strong that the emotions jump right out of the pages each time there’s a scene where they’re breathing the same air. It’s absolutely addicting and I can read it again and again. 

What I love about a Kennedy Ryan book is that it’s a vessel for a deeper message. Beneath the soul-stirring romance in Grip lies significant issues that sparked and continue to spark controversies. For me, though, it was thought-provoking, moving, and inspirational. The stories, situations, and people embedded in this story were real and inspired empathy in so many ways. I think that’s the reason why my obsession with Grip reached new heights. It did not just give me goosebumps or tripling-heartbeats. Not just a depth that singed my heart nor a bone-deep romance that made me dream. It challenged my mind, altered my perspective, and inspired me to become a better person. 

For me, Kennedy Ryan’s prose is perfection. Her words flow like perfectly versed poems and you’d just want to highlight every line and have it tattooed on your body. I loved ALL of the books she’s ever written but in FLOW and GRIP, she was at her best..so far. The depths in these books were insurmountable, each page reeking with a story that will compel you to read non-stop. If there’s a story that I will highly recommend to people, this would be it. There are not enough stars in the sky I could borrow to help me rate this experience. Because Grip can’t be rated with stars. It’s worth at least two galaxies. 

BOOK REVIEW: Say You Want Me by Corinne Michaels

   Title: Say You Want Me
   Author: Corinne Michaels
   Series: *Can be read as a Standalone but I highly suggest you read Say You'll Stay first*
   Genre: Contemporary Romance
   Release Date: October 31, 2016

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There’s no way I’ll fall for Wyatt Hennington.

He can keep his Southern drawl, irresistible smile, and those pick-up lines all to himself. I made the mistake of sleeping with him not once, but twice. I’m not stupid enough to give him round three, especially after he left me in the middle of the night so I could see myself out. I vow to return to Philadelphia and forget him.

It proves easier said than done.

When the doctor informs me I’m the winner of door prize number two, I put my life on hold and head back to Bell Buckle. Three months and if we can’t make this work, I’m gone.

The problem is—when the cards are stacked against us, and I can’t bring myself to leave him, I’ll finally know if he truly loves me or if all my fears were real . . . 

Ruined. Wyatt Hennington just ruined me for all men. After reading this book, my standard in men just reached a higher level and it can, apparently, only be reached by this Hennington. Get ready to swoon, sigh, cry, and have a good time. 

I need to possess her in the same way she possesses me.

Angie’s old flame with Wyatt Hennington was obviously still burning since no other man can put his fire off. And now that she's coming back to Tennesse, his flame might just combust her altogether. Angie might be the most vibrantly poignant heroine I’ve met. She’s a beautiful contradiction. The independence and determination built up by her strained and tragic experiences with her family empowered her feisty personality but it was also what made her vulnerable. Her realness and her spirit put an interesting touch in this book. 

My heart has only ever been one man’s—his.

Wyatt Hennington’s heart encompassed a fierce love for his family and eventually for a feisty blonde named Angie. This man’s heart was so pure and so compassionate. He puts everybody else first and sometimes everybody didn’t include himself. Wyatt’s character went straight to my heart and owned it. He was so responsible and so sincere, so honest, and man, does he know how to persuade a woman.But what really sold me to his character was his imperfections, his mistakes, and the strength he had to own them. He was raw and real and dreamy at the same time and I could not have enough of him. 

This isn’t a cease fire. This is a surrender.

There’s really something about how Corinne Michaels write that can get through every reader. Her books are easy to read and that enables a fluid, perfect transfer of emotions. The genuine way of how she drives her story always aims and scores the heart. Say You Want Me was a perfect example of it. No grandeur and faux fantasy, just straight-up heart-stealing emotions that every reader can relate to. The main characters’ chemistry was hot and titillating and all the other characters have sustained my interest to look forward to the next books. Plot-wise it was light with the right amount of drama; just enough to keep your heart pounding and your tears streaming. But you’ll definitely end it with a long sigh of satisfaction…and maybe a box of Kleenex. 

Or two.

BOOK REVIEW: Back to Yesteday by Whitney Barbetti

Title: Back to Yesterday
Author: Whitney Barbetti
Series: Bleeding Hearts #2
Release Date: October 20, 2016

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The distance from Colorado to Maine is not far enough to escape the memories.

The time I've been away is not long enough to heal the pain.

I left Colorado, determined to discover who I am outside of my grief, but I fell apart along the way.

I'm lost again.

When Jude follows me, I can't turn him away. But I can't let him in, either.

Not all the way.

I know when he finds out my secret, the one I keep hidden in the darkest part of my heart, he’ll leave me.

Alone.

Like I was before.

Whitney Barbetti is one of my literary goddesses and she continues to tell me why with Back to Yesterday. This woman doesn't just write, she invests. There's something so raw and real and personal in every book that she writes. Prepare your hearts for the raw emotions and the biting bits of heartbreaking twists this book will bring you. 

“If you can’t love yourself,” he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, “let me love you enough for the both of us.”

Trista was beginning to believe the universe hated her. She was a lost soul once. But when she finally felt she found the other piece of her soul in the arms of Jude, untold lies ripped her apart again. Now she was more lost than she was before. Trista slowly built her own backbone in this book and it was a heartbreaking yet empowering process. In an ideal world, her character wouldn’t be easily liked. But if you’re a woman who’s felt the sting of insecurities, then brace your heart, this character will scrape your heart out. 

Jude was a forever kind of guy. He wasn’t the guy you hooked up with on your quest for the last guy. He was the last guy. And in many ways, he was the first guy for me.

Jude dedicated his life reaching the world’s highest points. He reveled on the power and freedom brought by breathing at the peak. But he was introduced to his life’s lowest point when Trista left. And since then, he felt so low that even climbing felt like falling. I cannot even express how much I loved Jude. He was a consistent and patient man but he was tested in this book and I loved him more. 

“I want to keep growing with you. Let me love you, Trista, through all of our tomorrows.”

Back to Yesterday was emotionally-charged. There wasn’t a page in this book that didn’t pierced my heart. The writing was so real, focusing more on soul searching than pushing the romance. It played on raw emotions and rubbed on the shallow wounds created by the first book but God, I kept reading. The anticipation kept me up and reigniting Trista and Jude’s spark was an exhilarating experience. Whitney Barbetti certainly knows how to break a reader and building strength on being broken. She doesn’t sugarcoat, she is blunt and real. In this book, she shared a part of herself that made the emotions more in-sync with a reader’s heart. 

I do wish there was more romantic Jude x Trista moments, though. 

ARC REVIEW: Written in the Scars by Adriana Locke

*ARC graciously given in exchanged for an honest review*


Title: Written in the Scars
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2016

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Falling in love is easy.

Falling out of love is the hardest thing in the world.

And Elin and Ty Whitt are terrible at it.

The first time the local basketball star smiled at Elin, she was a goner. It was just so damn easy to fall for the dark-haired hometown hero with his charming smile and strong, athletic build.

Thousands of sleepy smiles, aimless drives down country roads, and squeaks of the backdoor after a swing shift later, reality hits. And it hits hard. Falling in love was definitely the easy part. Watching it break apart was impossible.

Through the tears, the second-guesses, the memories of a life built together, the world keeps spinning. With each turn comes clarity and hope—sometimes in the form of a pair of muddy boots by the back door or from the words of a wise friend.

When Ty shows back up with a new found determination to put his family back together, Elin's torn between the fights of the past and the possibility of a new start. This is the man that holds her heart, the man she loves beyond anything else. But this is also the one person in the world that can cause her the most pain.

Life’s not always easy. Love’s not for the faint of heart. But with life comes lessons and Ty and Elin have the scars to prove it. But it's their love written in those scars that will hold them together … or break them apart.

There are books that make you want to dream. 

There are books that rouse hope. 

There are books that make you all giddy and dream of the same kind of love. 

There are books that turn you on. 

And then there’s Written in the Scars by Adriana Locke. 

A book that makes you want to LIVE. 

Loving her is so damn easy. It’s as natural as breathing or the beating of a heart.

Elin Whitt knew enough about fairytales to realize that her current situation wasn’t a happily-ever-after. For one, his prince left her instead of rescuing her. The evil queen seemed to have disguised itself as pain, loneliness and sorrow. There weren’t fire-breathing dragons but something was definitely burning inside her. This is something I relish on every Adriana Locke book. The realness of her heroines; the spunk, the gut, and the imperfections. No pretensions, no dreamy imaginations. Elin wasn’t someone you wish you were, Elin might even be you. And that realness, rawness of her character made the transfer of emotions so easy, as if there wasn’t any boundary between the reader and the character.

"Scars stick around to prove you showed up for life. That you lived. That you fought. That you loved.”

Ty Whitt needed to save his wife, his marriage, and most importantly, himself. He knew the kind of person he was becoming and he needed to rid the love of his life with the impending poison caused by the self-loathing brewing inside of him. Leaving was the option he took. If only she knew it hurt him as much as it hurt her. Ty wasn’t a character built to tempt our fantasies, a form of perfection we can only find in myths. He was a man powered by love, integrity, and valor. He wasn’t just a face of a man but a man who’s faced the worst and came out stronger and more determined. That’s what made Ty’s character so dreamy; his realness, his scars, and his experiences. 

“If you take you away from me, you take everything."

There is no doubt about the romance aspect of this book. The sweet and the sexy scenes have kept me on my toes and filled my heart with the romance it needs. But seriously, Written in the Scars is not just a romance. This book was more than just a love story. It’s a life story about how real love could break and heal people. I cried from the first few pages until the end and up until now, my chest hurts. Not because it was a sad story. It’s because the message of the book hit home. Reading this hurt to the extent where my heart was going to explode and then it simmers down into steady beats reminding me of how life has so many BS but as long as that pulse is beating, you keep living. I am so attached to this book’s characters now. Every word and every page clawed deep and I’m holding on to what it taught me for a very long time. 

This isn’t a book that will bring you up on the clouds. 

It will put your feet on the ground and let you see what reality is. 

This book won’t give you a fantasy world you’ll dream about. 

It will show you that sometimes you can have your fantasies within your reality. 

This book won’t push you to find an admirable, courageous, man/woman. 

It will inspire you to become that courageous, admirable man/woman. 

Lastly, and most importantly, this book will make you want to hug every person you love and thank God for your life. 

This wasn’t a book that you’re likely to forget. 

Written in the Scars is now written in my heart. 

Bravo, Adriana Locke.