Book Review: One to Love (One to Hold #4) by Tia Louise

SYNOPSIS:

 

It’s the one thing Kenny and Slayde have in common. Until the night Fate throws them together and everything changes.

Their chemistry is undeniable, their love blazing hot, but is history destined to repeat itself?

It’s a story about fighting. It’s about falling in love. It’s about losing everything only to find it again in the least likely place. And it's about the one hit you never see coming.
 

MY REVIEW:

This is the fourth book of the One to Hold series and I'd have to confess that it just became my favorite of the series—-maybe even one of my favorite books!

Kenny was a character that immediately took my interest when I met her in One to Keep but she was also a character that I had a hard time warming up to because I was on Elaine's side and it kind of hurt me when she had a baby with Patrick. I know, I know, that was judgmental of me but it’s the first time I’ve read something like that so just give me a chance to absorb it, ayt? I just cannot help but be jealous for Elaine when Patrick shared something so special (a cutiepatootie baby Lane) with Kenny that he doesn’t have with Elaine (Please give them a baby, Miss Tia :(). I guess you could say that I was joining Elaine with the process of accepting the situation. Anyway, whatever holding back I had on Kenny’s character was completely erased by this story. When I found out she had a story, I was very interested on how the author will ease my mind. And my, I wasn’t disappointed!

This story just ruined me in a way that I haven’t been ruined before. It enslaved me from the moment I opened the first page until I was happily sobbing at the end. It had me flipping pages at odd hours because I just can’t let Slayde and Kenny go! I don’t know why but the moment I read the name of Kenny’s hero, I already felt the spark. I loved how the unspoken attraction between them played wonderfully, enflaming each page with an effortless spark of passion and desire. It was impossible to tell myself, “One last chapter and I’ll sleep” because I wasn’t even mindful of the time while I was reading it. There was a combination of wanting to know what will happen and the reluctance to let Slayde and Kenny go. I love everything about them; their scars, tattoos, stories, pains, past, fears, every fucking perfect thing! I was presented with so many new raw emotions in this story that it successfully embarked its characters in my mind (in my life, even). I will think of them when I see daisies and lilies, I will think of them when I see heart tattoos, and I will probably think of them when I see a couple holding hands.

The progress of the story was passion-filled, emotional, and unpredictable. It will draw all possible emotions out and will render you breathless with unexpected twists and revelations. The conflict of the story blew me away and caused a strong surge of pain in my chest. Each emotion was so honest and affective that you’ll find yourself feeling and experiencing with the characters. The story had the right amount of everything and even more. Each page will pull you deeper in the story and drown you in emotions that will render you ruined. I am ruined, Tia Louise. Thank you.

So far, this is Tia Louise’s best!

Book Review: One to Protect (One to Hold #3) by Tia Louise

SYNOPSIS:

 

When Sloan Reynolds beats criminal charges, Melissa Jones stops believing her wealthy, connected ex-husband will ever pay for what he did to her. Derek Alexander can't accept that--a tiny silver scar won't let him forget, and as a leader in the security business, he is determined to get the man who hurt his fiancée.

Then the body of a former call girl turns up dead. She's the breakthrough Derek's been waiting for, the link to Sloan's sordid past he needs. But as usual, legal paths to justice have been covered up or erased.

Derek's ready to do whatever it takes to protect his family when his partner Patrick Knight devises a plan that changes everything. It's a plan that involves coloring outside the lines and taking a walk on the dark side. It goes against everything on which Alexander-Knight, LLC, is based. And it's a plan Derek's more than ready to follow.
 

MY REVIEW:

 

  The scarceness that that I felt in One to Hold was completely filled by this book and gave me even more. I realized that the first book really had the slight intention to make readers feel unfulfilled because One to Protect will fill all the holes. The moment I read the first scene of the book I knew it was already going to be a 5-star read.

In One to Protect, I got deeper into Derek and Melissa's life and entered places that I searched for in the first book. Here, I saw more of Derek's past as much as Melissa's on the first book. And my, I loved Derek more! His tenderness towards Melissa tickled all my romantic bones. The little things they shared as a couple sustained the romance 'til the end. I loved getting into their heads and knowing them more

The author's expertise with words still entertains and I must say, it got better! I didn't even notice it was already three in the morning when I finished the book! The story will keep you flipping pages with the mixture of suspense, romance, curiosity, anticipation, heat, and in my case, the undeniable bloodlust to have Sloan's dick cut off. It didn’t happen in the book, though. But my, was I very satisfied with what happened to that asshole!

The story took me to new heights. The author has successfully shocked me and I thought I am already immune to shock with all the books I’ve read. The writing was flawlessly honest, direct, and hits the right kind of emotion needed in every scene. Tia Louise gets better and better!

Book Review: One to Keep (One to Hold #2) by Tia Louise

SYNOPSIS:

 

Patrick doesn't do "nice."
At least, not anymore.

After his fiancée cheats, he follows up with a one-night stand and a disastrous office hook-up. His business partner (Derek Alexander) sends him to the desert to get his head straight--and clean up the mess.

While there, Patrick meets Elaine, and blistering sparks fly, but she's not looking for any guy. Or a long-distance relationship.

Patrick's ready to do anything to keep her, but just when it seems he's changed her mind, the skeletons from his past life start coming back.

MY REVIEW:

 

Truth be told, I felt really off when I started the story and read about Patrick’s sexual exploits with Kenny. Then it was followed by Star’s exploration down under. They could happen but I really didn’t need to read about them! >,< Patrick and Elaine haven’t met at that point yet but I was already feeling that surge of jealousy for her. I didn’t see the relevance then and I just really hated it but towards the end of the story, I realized the relevance of those scenes.

Overlooking those, it was a definitely great story! I love Derek but dear God, I worship Patrick. And I have to say, I love Patrick and Elaine's chemistry more than I liked Derek and Mel's. In Derek and Mel’s story, the chemistry between them was burning sparks of fireworks. In this book, Patrick and Elaine’s were fucking rocket ships! The moment they met, I just knew I would love them as a couple. I loved that they met in a tame manner that escalated into something hot, intense, and memorable encounter. There was a burning physical attraction but there was more tenderness and depth than a pure sexual one.

            The progress of the story never failed to surprise me. I love the twist and turns, the curiosity that builds up as the story progresses and the emotions that are awakened when the scenes are playing out. The author really knows how to tug at hearts. She knew how to address emotions that are needed in the scene. With the amount of books that I’ve read, I seldom get shocked and feel so much but this book did both. It has a tinge of reality that you wouldn’t expect. Some facts were hard to accept in a book but then you’ll learn to accept them because they’re part of the reason why the book was beautiful. I love this story. Patrick and Elaine are characters that I will treasure. I just wish they had a baby of their own other than Lane. They deserve one. </3

 

Book Review: One to Hold (One to Hold #1) by Tia Louise

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Derek Alexander is a retired Marine, ex-cop, and the top investigator in his field. Melissa Jones is a small-town girl trying to escape her troubled past.

When the two intersect in a bar in Arizona, their sexual chemistry is off the charts. But what is revealed during their "one week stand" only complicates matters.

Because she'll do everything in her power to get away from the past, but he'll do everything he can to hold her.    

 

MY REVIEW:

 

This is the first time I tried a book written by Tia Louise. Initially, the cover caught my attention so I checked it out and I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis. As a debut novel, it’s actually great! I cannot find a tinge of novelty in the author’s writing prowess. Her play with words was entertaining and will keep you grasping the book and continue reading until you reach the end.

The characters were remarkable and unexpected, which are two qualities that I seek in each book I read. Derek was a male alpha oozing with sex appeal and dominance.  Every female reader would immediately love Derek because, well, he’s sexy as hell. But then I ended up completely falling in love with him as I got to know him in the story. He had a firm personality but a softness of a man who can render a woman with the love she deserves. The love Melissa deserved...and wanted. Melissa was a surprising character for me. When I began reading the book, I thought she was just some sad and lonely girl with insecurities dealing with a semi-shitty life and a fucked-up relationship. But wow, I did not see Sloan coming! That blew me away and as the story progressed, I admired the strong, sophisticated, and loving woman that she is.  

There was a definite and undeniable heat between Derek and Melissa that was already defined from the first meeting. They were two lonely people who both needed some heat and excitement in their life and they took that plunge the instant they felt the connection. A thirst for a mere bodily satisfaction turned into a more intense need for each other. I loved their connection physically and emotionally. Melissa fills the space in Derek’s life and vice versa. They were just perfect for each other.

However, I felt like the pace of the story was faster than the other novels and in some instances, I didn’t feel the essence of the moment. The attraction was strong but at some point, I felt that it was rushed and that it should have been allowed to grow into something deeper rather than immediately concluding it as a consuming love. I needed something more from Derek and Melissa. Maybe a depth in their love and relationship. Maybe a deeper access in their personal life, I don’t know. There were moments that I wanted to last but then it was so fast-paced that I wasn't able to revel on the feeling. Nevertheless, it didn’t really ruin the relevance of the story. Overall, it was a great read!

Book Review: Never Judge a Lady By Her Cover (The Rules of Scoundrels #4) by Sarah MacLean

SYNOPSIS:

 

She is the most powerful woman in Britain,
A queen of the London Underworld ...
But no one can ever know.

He is the only man smart enough to uncover the truth,
Putting all she has at risk . . .
Including her heart.

                                                                           ******

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a Duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking—in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered . . . until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear . . . including her heart.

MY REVIEW:

 
Chase has been a continuous mystery since I started reading this series. And when I found out that Chase was a she, goddamit, I counted every single day until the book came out! AND. OH. MY. GOSH. IT WAS SO GOOD!

Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover is an intelligently written book with a whole lot of wit, angst, passion, unpredictable events, and a touch of tenderness enough to threaten your tear ducts. Starting the novel was a pleasure but ending it was harder than I thought! Just the mere fact that this might be the last time I will be able to have a full glimpse of the Fallen Angel men and woman sends a sad quenching in my heart. Might because I am in denial and still holding on the hope that maybe there’s a novella or maybe Langely would have a story just so I could take a glimpse on these characters I’ve been attached to for years.

Sarah MacLean just knows how to make really great characters. Every single one of them was thought out carefully and was adorned with unique qualities that made them stand out from other book's characters. Chase is probably the most badass heroine I have ever read about in a historical romance. She had spunk, power, confidence, and wit that could shame gentlemen higher than her rank. I totally loved her background story from being a teenage mother to the most powerful person in London. She was a woman with a man's mind. It was so amazing how Miss Sarah was able to stabilize Chase femininity despite that character's maleness in the pervious books. I am still appalled by how I wasn't able to detect Chase was a she on the first two books!

West is a character with a facade of success, wisdom, and serenity. But deep inside him hides a man with a dark past and an identity once revealed will threaten his present and his future. Together, as a couple, they had a chemistry that started out as a spark and escalated into a fiery need for each other. I can really tell that Chase and Duncan were made for each other in all aspects. They both have matching wits, a past they both wanted to get through, the same determination in doing anything for the people they love, and the equal amount of a rational and an unconditional love for each other.

A teeeeeeeny tiny drawback that I felt was on the discovery of both Duncan’s real identity and Georgiana’s identity as Chase. Since the first page, the impending revelation of their identities had me intrigued, building a strong and high expectation on the scene when they finally find out about each other’s hidden selves. But when it came there, I felt like my expectations were cut shorter than what I expected. I expected a surge of emotions but what I had wasn’t as strong as I imagined. Nevertheless, this didn’t cause a significant effect on the awesomeness of the book.

The story had me anticipating from page to page but held me back because of the fear that it will end. It’s the kind of story that will consume you so listen when I say you have to reserve a full reading time for this one. The dynamics of the characters will insert a hundred strings through your heart and tug all at the same time. Other than Duncan’s very sweet and possessive relationship with Georgiana, what really melted my heart was how Bourne, Temple, and Cross cared for Chase. How they care for her, love her, protect her, annoy her, and support her was part of the romance of this story. It’s been a great journey with you, Rules of Scoundrels series. But can we please have more?

Book Review: The Exception by Adriana Locke

 SYNOPSIS:

 

There are exceptions to every rule...

Jada Stanley is starting over--freeing herself from her past and all her mistakes. Following the rules she's given herself is easy enough, until she meets HIM. He’s gorgeous, cocky, and everything she needs to avoid, but that’s easier said than done.

Cane Alexander has his own set of rules, a plan to keep his life simple and free of complications. But Jada is a temptation he can't resist.

As their lives entwine, they realize one thing about rules... There is always an exception.

MY REVIEW:

 

Each time I read a new writer’s work, I don’t expect much.  All I do is just allow myself to feel and see how the story would affect me. And this story just blew me away! 

It started out as a fun, interesting story with an asshole (Cane is my favourite kind of asshole) being an asshole and a divorced woman who swore no to assholes. Cane was a typical asshole I automatically loved. He was a mixture of sexy, dominant, and all-out maleness! I love how he was constructed and how consistently interesting his character was throughout the story. Jada, on the otherhand, was a female character who was composed of all the qualities I wanted in a heroine. I love that she represents majority of the women population and not some perfect beautiful person that we know we can never be. Her character was grounded in reality which made her more interesting to read. She was broken and perceived herself as weak but she was strong, she wasn’t vain and self-absorbed, and thank goodness, she was rational! In the number of books I have read, most heroines would go into an irrational fit of emotions and refuses to listen to the hero’s explanation. But Jada listened. Thank you, Miss Adriana for creating such a great heroine!

I love the chemistry of the main characters (and even Max and Kari’s)! The tug between the two characters was so great and I think this is very important in a story. I loved that Cane and Jada started with a mere spark that escalated as the story progressed. And damn, I loved how Jada was hard-to-get! I almost laughed out loud when she flat-out refused Cane a couple of times. Their play of thoughts and their spar of words were so good that I found it impossible to leave the book unfinished. I think that the love-hate relationship they were in had huge effect on the strength of their relationship. 

The story actually started out as a plain asshole-meets-no-to-assholes story. And I swear, I thought it was going to be predictable. But it was not! Miss Adriana actually surprised me with a lot of things. 

1.)    How the characters respond to each other.

My favourite was Jada’s continuous rejection of Cane’s charm.

2.)    Sweet and romantic scenes that didn’t turn out to be cheesy.

My favourite was when they exchanged messages and Cane doesn’t know how to do “emoji” so he puts “Heart.” instead (See! I’m still smiling even when I’m writing this!).

3.)    The response of the characters.

I love how the characters respond to clichéd questions. For example:

“Dinner, that’s it. It is one meal. I don’t usually do one meal with a female, unless they are making me breakfast.”

“No, I’m sorry, Cane. Maybe some other time.”

Note: This happened after a long discussion on dinners and egos. Most characters would just sigh and allowed themselves to succumb to Cane but Jada said no. To oh-my-fucking-hell-handsome Cane!

4.)    The twists of events were fast but not scarce. They were just right for the story and weren’t overdone.

5.)    It had a great amount of “anticipatory factors” and surprise. Just when you thought it was enough, Miss Adriana gave more. <3

If you want a light read that contains a bit of everything, this book is perfect for you. It doesn’t overkill your emotions. It’s just right and great for a perfect reading day. It’s the kind of book that will render you with a satisfied sigh (which I call sightisfied) when you close it.

Insert SIGHTISFIED here.

 

Book Review: Love, in Spanish (A Sequel to Love, in English) by Karina Halle

SYNOPSIS:

  

“She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life.”

Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all. A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal. But there was more to Mateo than met the eye – a life of uncertainty and regret that colored his black and white world.

That was until Vera Miles came into his life like a shooting star. Tattooed, wild and young, Vera seemed like Mateo’s polar opposite at first. But you can’t choose who you fall in love with and the two lost souls did everything they could to be together, all while suffering the grave consequences.

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn. 

MY REVIEW:

 

When I found out Love, in English (LiE) has a sequel, I thought, “Oh God, there’s more? What more can this story do to my heart?” And after I prepared my heart, I opened the first page and blindly but gladly surrendered myself to the whirlwind of Mateo’s life. 

First off, I am so happy that this isn't just Mateo retelling what happened on the first book. And my, the author made a wonderful sequel with Love, in Spanish (LiS). Yet again, I am appalled and amazed by the intensity of each feeling, a n exhilarating sense of reality taking over me with each scene. Each time I finish a chapter, I felt like it wasn’t just a chapter but an experience. Sometimes, I would have to stop and close my eyes to feel the overpowering emotion provided by the author’s careful and honest writing style. In each scene, the words were exact, perfect, and emotionally stirring. Like each feeling was your own. Like what Mateo was going through was your own. Like his pain was your own. It hit all emotions I am capable of feeling, leaving a gripping sensation within me at dawn when reading LiS made me forget that I was a human being who needed to sleep.

In LiE, Mateo had been a very interesting character and I thought being inside his mind would be a whirlwind of emotions. I love that this wasn't Mateo's version of the first story but I loved how he revisited it and provided his own perception. I’ve always wanted to know how he felt when he met Vera and I was very very satisfied with what he provided. I can’t remember how many “Mateo’s Quotable Quote” I was able to highlight throughout the book. It’s as if he knew exactly what he felt and the author knew exactly how to put those feelings into words. It was surprising how a sentence or two had hit me and triggered so many questions and realizations inside my mind. Sum those sentences into two books, my, I think my perception towards people, love, and the world just had a positive 360 degree turn.

I also loved how the author gave a highlight on what we consider stereotypes (like Bon telling Mateo that he was just having a midlife crisis) in men like Mateo. The author opened my eyes (again) to reasons that I never sought in this kind of relationship because of the stigma that falling in love with a married and older man was bad in all sides. The book opened my eyes to reasons I failed to consider before reading this book. It became my ticket to what the character was feeling and taught me how to understand those feelings.

I’m the kind of reader who seeks what happens after happily ever afters. This book provided me with it. It showed me a different kind of HEA. It made me realize that happily ever afters weren't always happy. That happily ever afters are not always about weddings and babies and stuffs like that. Happily ever after is getting into a lot of messes and fuck-ups in life and getting out of those together, stronger and tighter as ever.

Congratulations, Miss Karina Halle! Love, in Spanish and Love, in English are keepers!