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Series Review: Twisted by Ana Huang

Series Review: Twisted by Ana Huang

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

book4

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Twisted Love (from Goodreads):

He has a heart of ice…but for her, he’d burn the world.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can’t escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he’s forced to look after his best friend’s sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can’t remember.

But despite her broken past, she’s never stopped seeing the beauty in the world…including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn’t want.

Her brother’s best friend.
Her neighbor.
Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen—but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both…and everything they hold dear.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Series: Twisted
Author: Ana Huang
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: No
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: Toasty
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: April 2021 – ongoing
Source & Format: Author–eARC

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a Series Review of the first two books of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Last year, I discovered Ana Huang when I read her If Love Series and quickly became a fan. She writes the type of romances I love to read with great chemistry between her leads and addicting plots. I was never bored reading that series and I made sure to keep an eye out for any of her future works.

The Twisted Series was pitched to me as something a little darker than her previous series, but I love dark contemporary romances so I was totally on bored. I loved the premise and couldn’t wait to dive in!

The Plot:

Each book focuses on a different set of leads and their respective stories. I found that Twisted Love (#1) was much darker than Twisted Games (#2) thanks to the characters’ pasts. But both had an air of suspense to them when it came to the plotlines that made them addicting to read. And while I was able to see some plot twists coming, others I did not so I liked that I was kept on my toes.

There is a good balance between the drama of the characters and the romance; though sometimes the pacing felt choppy. However, I was so invested in these characters that I really didn’t mind that when it’s all said and done. The pacing definitely improves as the series progresses.

The Characters:

I love complex characters in my books because that usually means there will be great character development–and that’s the case here. The romance and the drama help contribute to the growth we see in our leads (and their friends as well!) and I couldn’t ask for more.

I thought that all these characters were fresh and unique. They aren’t perfect snowflakes but they also aren’t overly jaded and angsty either. Overall, everyone is just very well rounded and you can’t help but like them.

The Romance:

Both books so far have had a slow burn type of romance which I LOVE! Watching our leads slowly fall into love made the romance that much sweeter. Nothing better than watching two people who aren’t so fond of each other succumb to those deeper feelings!

All the pairs have great chemistry from the start. The underlying attraction is always bubbling up to the surface which makes this story addicting to read in itself. But I also liked how they challenged each other and how their characters grew as a result.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

Gah! We always get a little taste of what is to come at the end of the previous book and I cannot wait for the next book!

updates

–January 29, 2022– Book #3: Twisted Hate

I love a good enemies to lovers trope and I have felt this one brewing since the very first book in the series! So I was excited to dive in!

The leads are both complex and well developed. The drama returns to the slightly darker, twisted side of the first novel. And these two live up to every aspect of the “hate” to love you trope. It comes out in every aspect of their relationship and in every interaction–especially in the bedroom! I think this is one of the first books I’ve read where the “hate” transforms into “rough” and for me there is a fine line of what I enjoy reading.

I struggled a bit with the pacing in this book. I thought there was some missed opportunities to have the sparks fly a little earlier between these two. There were chances to up the sexual tension a little more and we didn’t in the first third of the book. But the pacing gets better for the last two-thirds of the book.

–July 12, 2022– Book #4: Twisted Lies

I feel like this story has been building throughout the series. These two have always had this undeniable chemistry between them and I couldn’t wait to see that unfold!

This was the slowest of slow burns along with an edge of danger to the plot. I struggled with the pacing of both though, the book just felt a touch too long. But I enjoyed watching this finale come to life and I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up this one of a kind romance series!

Series Rating: 4.5/5

Twisted Love 4/5 | Twisted Games 5/5 | Twisted Hate 4/5 | Twisted Lies 4/5

overall

If you enjoy a darker tone to your romances (without the BSDM or other kinkiness that is often associated with “darker” romances), this is the series you have been waiting for! A great blend of slow-burn romance and suspenseful drama to keep you addicted for more!

Read if You Like: dark romances, hate to love you romances
Avoid if You: dislike contemporary romances, want a lighter read

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Series Review: Juniper Falls by Julie Cross

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Juniper Falls Series

book3

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Off the Ice (from Goodreads):

All is fair in love and hockey…

Claire O’Connor is back in Juniper Falls, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be. One semester off, that’s what she promised herself. Just long enough to take care of her father and keep the family business—a hockey bar beside the ice rink—afloat. After that, she’s getting the hell out. Again.

Enter Tate Tanley. What happened between them the night before she left town resurfaces the second they lay eyes on each other. But the guy she remembers has been replaced by a total hottie. When Tate is unexpectedly called in to take over for the hockey team’s star goalie, suddenly he’s in the spotlight and on his way to becoming just another egotistical varsity hockey player. And Claire’s sworn off Juniper Falls hockey players for good.

It’s the absolute worst time to fall in love.

For Tate and Claire, hockey isn’t just a game. And they both might not survive a body check to the heart.

breakdown

Series: Juniper Falls
Author: Julie Cross
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Small Town
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: February 2017 – February 2019
Source & Format: Netgalley–eARC

thoughts

**This post was originally posted as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Julie Cross is an author I’ve enjoyed in the past and really need to read more by. She just writes consistently great stories.

Having read her other YA sports romance, Whatever Life Throws at You, I knew what to expect with this series. I knew I would be getting a slow burn romance that would take a bit of a backseat to the character development…and I couldn’t wait to dive in!

What I Liked:

–It Focuses on Hockey–

It’s the Canadian in me who adores anything hockey. I’ve read a lot of adult and new adult series dealing with hockey players but not so many dealing with high schoolers. Which brings a different sort of pressure to the character’s lives as they are trying to reach that next plateau for the prospective careers.

We have a slightly different draft system here in Canada (not so much pressure on playing for a college team but more so in certain divisions) so I found that aspect to be interesting as well as this takes place in Minnesota, USA.

–Small Town Romance Vibes–

I’ve really gotten into adult small town romances in the last year or so and this one definitely gave me those vibes. I like the nature of small towns settings in stories. Everyone knows everyone and their business, but there are always these underlying secrets and feelings that always come to the surface. There are also certain expectations and almost stereotypes that people feel like they have to be boxed into. It provides a great stage for character growth to blossom on.

I also find that you get really invested in all the side characters as well. There are a few characters I would love to see full novels from going forward just from the little inklings we got here.

–The Character Growth–

Both Tate and Claire have very interesting character stories. They both have very complex situations to deal with and I liked that they each had their own things to work on. They are also such genuine characters that you really start to get behind them.

This story is more so a coming of age story than straight romance. It’s about these two finding that confidence in themselves, figuring out what they want in life and how they can break out of the molds the small town has put them in for all their lives.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Felt a Little Long in the Middle–

I knew going in that this book would take its time to reach the plot climax and that’s what happened.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy all the moments leading up. I did. The scenes between Tate and Claire were great and I like that you get all the background info about the town and all the characters.

I guess I just wanted them to work on the issues a little earlier than they did. I felt like we reiterated the same things again and again–which is fine as it did contribute positively to the romance and character growth. It just made this book seem longer than it was. The ending isn’t rushed by any means but I think I would have taken away some of that exposition to have them tease out the various issues a little more.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

As I said above, I have a few characters I would love to see more from. I’m very excited for the next book though!

updates

–December 31, 2017– Book #2: Breaking the Ice

Again, this book just has the right balance to it. I loved the slow burn romance between these two. They have this fantastic chemistry together that makes their scenes together amazing. I also loved Fletcher–new book boyfriend alert! The character development here is perfect. My only complaint is that it took a little while for the plot line to establish itself. Once it does, it makes for a great read but the first half is a little slower.

>> Read my full review of Breaking the Ice as a part of my Blog Tour for its release here.

–February 27, 2019– Book #3: On Thin Ice

This was the Juniper Falls story I was waiting for the most and it did not disappoint!

I love how all the themes from the last two novels accumulated into this one and got brought to the forefront. The whole hazing plotline was fascinating and realistically on point with things happening in society right now. Sports are great for many reasons but they can become toxic when priorities shift for those with authority and I love that this book explores that.

I’m sad to say goodbye to this series but this book was the game-winning goal to this fabulous hat trick of a YA sports series.

(But I totally wouldn’t be upset if Rosie ever got her own book!)

concSLOW

My Rating: 4/5

Off the Ice 4/5 | Breaking the Ice 4.5/5 | On Thin Ice 5/5

overall

This is perfect for fans of small town romance and sport romance fans. It has fantastic characters with great character growth and a sweet romance to balance it all off. Just a well-rounded series.

Read if You Like: sports romances, slow burn romance, more character focused
Avoid if You: want more romance focused stories

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Series Review: Freedom by Bella d’Amour

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Freedom Series

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Free to Play (from Goodreads):

He’s a player and she’s ready to play… but what happens when the fun gets serious?

“Brent, will you be my first?”

Joey is mortified to face Brent the next morning after letting the question slip in a weak moment. She’s shocked when Brent not only agrees but proposes a friends with benefits arrangement. How can she accept when it threatens what’s most important to her: her friendship with his sister, her new job with his football team, her self-respect when an ex-girlfriend is suddenly back in the picture – and her heart?

After years of working hard to fulfill his responsibilities, Brent is finally enjoying his life – with women who want nothing more than a good time. But when Joey asks him to be her first lover, he can’t resist finally getting his hands on her luscious body, one he’d been lusting after for years. Only problem is, once isn’t enough. He’s not ready to give up his hard-earned freedom nor is he ready for a woman to invade his life – or his heart. When demons from his past come back to haunt him, will he let them ruin what he’s found with Joey?

breakdown

Series: Freedom Series
Author: Bella d’Amour
# of Books: 3 (Full Series Order Here)
Book Order: Companion (Free to Live); Connected
Complete?: No
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Heat Rating: hot
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Date: November 27, 2017 – ongoing
Source & Format: Author–eARC | Thanks so much Bella d’Amour!

thoughts

**This post was originally posted as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I’m a sucker for the “in love with BFF’s brother trope”. I just love all the delicious tension it brings when two people inevitabley fall for each other (if they aren’t secretly in love with the other person already). I wasn’t sure what the case was going to be here, but I was excited to dive into Free to Play.

What I Liked:

–Fantastic Chemistry–

These two had great chemistry from the start! Their attraction to each other is palpable and I loved every moment shared between them. They make such a great pair and part of the reason is that:

–They Actually Talked to Each Other!–

Don’t worry, there are plenty of steamy moments between the two of them. However, they had these great moments of conversation where they discussed their hopes and fears among other topics. I like seeing that emotional connection be established in my romances and this one succeeds beautifully.

–Building Joey’s Self-Esteem–

I love stories where the heroine learns to be confident in herself. Sometimes that’s hard to do in a romance because all too often, the heroine only become more independent by becoming dependent on the hero/their relationship. (I know that’s confusing but I hope you get what I am saying). And while Brent does help Joey build her self-esteem when it comes to her body image, I would say he is a vehicle for her start to see herself in a different light, not the sole reason. He helps her to see herself outside the stereotypes she’s boxed herself into and once that seed is planted, she learns to grow on her own. I loved that.

This isn’t to say that Brent doesn’t have great character development. He too goes on a journey where he grows up and figures out what is truly important in his life and I liked that a lot.

What I Didn’t Like:

–A Tad Too Dramatic Near the End–

I get why certain things happened at the end. They help enhance the lessons of the novel and that’s great. But this novel felt so grounded for so long that I didn’t entirely enjoy all the (slightly) over the top drama that occurs. Again, I know why everything happens as it does, I just wish it didn’t.

However, we have more than enough time to wrap everything up nicely so win!

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

I’m super excited for the sequel! I loved Brent’s family and I hope they become the focus of the sequel novels. I already have a hypothesis of who the next book involves so I can’t wait to see if I’m right!

updates

–April 15, 2018– Book #2: Free to Live

I had my suspicions about who the leads for book 2 would be and I was not disappointed!

Despite the quick initial spark with these two shared, I loved the slow burn of this romance. It gave the romance an edge of anticipation knowing that they had crossed the line but were holding back despite their every need not to. I loved watching these two get to know each other and breakdown those barriers that they had erected in the past to stop the pain of falling in love only to be hurt later.

In this story, I think it’s our hero who gets more time to shine but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He definitely had the more convoluted history and I enjoyed the mystery of uncovering that past so he could move forward. I would have liked to have seen a little more from the heroine in terms of development, but I think she was a great compliment to our hero’s story.

We get just a taste of what the future might hold in terms of possible sequels and I know that I’m definitely sticking around to see what will happen next!

–September 27, 2018– Book #3: Free to Risk

I was really excited for Stevie’s story and I’m a sucker for a solid second chance romance; so this was a great combination from the start!

Bella d’Amour has this incredible talent for bringing characters to life. Her romances always have great tension and chemistry between the leads, but I’m always blown away by her ability to develop genuine, relateable characters. I feel like these characters could be my friends and I get super invested in their lives and journeys. Both leads have fantastic growth from start to finish–probably because they actually share what they are feeling with each other and communicate! It’s so refreshing to see in a romance.

If you want a book that will tug on your heartstrings, pick this up!

My Rating: 4/5

Free to Play 4/5 | Free to Live 4/5 | Free to Risk 4/5

overall

If you love character-strong romances, pick this series up!

Read if You Like: sport romances, heroines building self-esteem
Avoid if You: dislike steamier reads, dislike contemporary romance

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Series Review: Tangled by K.L. Middleton

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Tangled Beauty (from Goodreads):

Sinclair Jeffries thought she knew what she was getting into when her zany, gay friend, Jesse Eddington, talked her into portraying his girlfriend during his parent’s anniversary party on Huntington Beach. That is, until she met Reed, Jesse’s sexy as hell older brother, and ends up getting much more than what she’d bargained for.

Reed Eddington assumed his future was settled until he met Sinclair, his brother’s so-called “girlfriend”, but the raw, sexual tension between them is hard to ignore. As he watches their ruse from the sidelines, he finds himself wanting to uncover more than just their amusing little facade.

breakdown

Series: Tangled Trilogy
Author: K L Middleton
# of Books: 3 (Tangled Beauty, Tangled Mess, Tangled Fury)
Book Order: Connected but Chronological Events
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: February 2013 – June 2014
Source & Format: Own (Kindle)–eBook

thoughts

Disclaimer: I never picked up Book 3: Tangled Fury. Find out why below…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Tangled Beauty was a freebie that I picked up a few years ago. I love the “fake” girlfriend premise but the angle here–that Sinclair was a fake girlfriend for her gay BFF–really intrigued me and so I picked it up right away. While I love stories where fake couples fall in love, I loved the drama this one provided by NOT being that story.

What I Liked:

–Fast Moving Story–

I found myself easy absorbed into these novels. They do have a substantial number of pages but I found I just flew through them every time. The story is always moving and new elements are introduced to keep you intrigued.

They are the perfect example of a light contemporary read.

–The Surprise Suspense Angle–

I really didn’t expect this aspect at all in either story. This isn’t a flat out suspense story (Tangled Fury seems to be a little more however) but there is enough of it to make it worth mentioning. It just gives this story another angle that I found was exciting.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Fast Romance–

I found this to be more of the case in Tangled Beauty but both romances happen fast. They are pretty insta-love in my opinion. I also feel like they are never really elaborated on. That made it hard for me to really see the connection between the characters (it’s better in Tangled Mess [#2])

–The Plot Never Fully Develops–

I feel like things were introduced, scratched a bit and then ignored for the novels. The focus of the plot just seemed off to me; like it couldn’t find that perfect balance.

Tangled Mess is a great example of that. Certain things happen, important enough developments for the plot, but nothing else happens with it. I just felt like I never got closure–maybe I just focused on the wrong things.

Part of the issue is that the suspense element–while a good feature–carries throughout the trilogy. Perhaps I would get closure if I read Tangled Fury but I’m just not that invested.

Will I Finish It?

Like I said, I’m not that invested in this series. While I’m curious to know how the suspense element will resolve, the synopsis of Tangled Fury doesn’t appeal to me at all. So I’m comfortable leaving this series as is.

Series Rating: 3/5

Tangled Beauty 4/5 | Tangled Mess 3/5 | Tangled Fury N/A

overall

It’s a cute, quick series that would make the perfect weekend binge. But it just doesn’t have that intensity of other series in this genre.

Read if You Like: quick reads, some suspense
Avoid if You: want stronger stories

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  • Touch of Eden by Jessi M
  • Rush of Innocence by L R Potter (The Rush Series #1)

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DNF Series Review: Beautiful by Emily McKee

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for A Beautiful Idea (from Goodreads):
Isabelle Clark always had ideas, but that’s all they ever were . . . until now.

She grew up in a world filled with poverty and hatred from the person who gave birth to her and had decided she would finally make her ideas a reality.

After moving away to college as a junior she ran into the University of Maryland’s walking one-night stand. Literally.

Ryder Mitchell was every girl’s wet dream all in one muscled, tattooed, pierced, baseball playing package. He thought he had the life: going to school, tattooing people by day, and giving girls the best orgasms of their life by night.

When he found out that Financial Aid didn’t fully cover Isabelle’s room and board Ryder had an idea: Isabelle should move in with him.

On the outside everybody sees Isabelle as a quiet bookworm and Ryder as a player, both on and off the baseball diamond. They soon learn who the other truly is.

Either way, they’re about to realize this idea was a beautiful one.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Worst Reads 2016
Series: Beautiful
Author: Emily McKee
# of Books: 5 (View Titles Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Heat Rating: not sure…
Point of View: First Person, Single; Alternating
Publication Dates: October 2013 – March 2014
Source & Format: Own–eBook

thoughts

Disclaimer: I stopped reading A Beautiful Idea at 32% & A Beautiful Mess at 19%. Find out why below…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I picked up A Beautiful Idea for free on Kobo some time ago and then the rest of the series when they were on sale in the time since. Roommate romances have to be some of my favourite to read, so I was eager to read this when I pulled it out for my Make Me Read It Challenge. I wasn’t able to read it for that challenge, but I was able to read it as a part of my Rock My TBR Challenge.

What I Liked:

–All My Favourite Tropes in One Series–

Unexpected roommates falling in love; in love with your BFF’s brother; a bad girl falling in love–some of my favourite plot devices to read in a new adult romance. It’s just a shame that the writing doesn’t use these devices to their full potential.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Is A Beautiful Idea a Rip-Off?–

If you read any of the Goodreads reviews for A Beautiful Idea, you’ll see that lots of people call it a rip-off of a Beautiful Disaster. It’s been years since I’ve read Beautiful Disaster but they do share a lot of similarities. However, the whole “roommate” trope is pretty cliche in and of itself if you ask me so of course you are going to get similarities to any novel that shares the same premise.

–Telling and not Showing–

I like to be shown things as I read. I don’t like when certain things are told in passing because they happened “behind the scenes”. Like the romance. I don’t like when things are implied and I felt like this book was just stating facts and not letting the reader experience the scenes.

–Boring–

Everything seemed to be a little “happy-go-lucky” to me and the drama I could see brewing (I really didn’t get that far despite being 20-30% into the novel) was melodramatic and unnecessary. It was also a little cliche. Which I can usually handle but everything seemed so superficial in these relationships that I wasn’t into it.

Will I Finish It?

When I DNF’d A Beautiful Idea, I was willing to give A Beautiful Mess a shot. I was intrigued by the other characters and wanted to see if their stories would be any better.

And so, I started to read A Beautiful Mess…and promptly stopped reading it at the end of Chapter 1. I just couldn’t handle the way Jason talked about wanting to be with Ashlynn in a physical way and his flare of the overdramatics. Things just happened too fast without any build-up.

So no, I don’t plan to finish this series despite the fact that I have Book 3 and 4 waiting on my Kobo to be read.

Series Rating: DNF

overall

This book just didn’t have a strong execution at all. The characters were superficial and the drama melodramatic. Just not what I like in a New Adult series.

Read if You Like: melodramatics, love at first sight
Avoid if You: deeper new adult stories

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Series Review: Men of Laguna by Kim Karr

Series Review: Men of Laguna by Kim Karr

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for No Pants Required (from Goodreads):
I, Makayla Alexander, am on a mission to reinvent myself. So when a super hot guy boards the plane and flashes his rock hard abs, I pay attention. When he sits next to me and offers me his nuts, I can’t resist. But when I choke on them and he tells me I need to work on my gag reflex, I realize I might be in over my head.

Before I know it we’re in the lavatory and attempting to join the Mile High Club. Let me just say this…anyone who tells you it’s easy to get it on at 37,000 feet isn’t telling you the truth. After the flight attendant busts us for getting frisky in the air, the only thing that can ease my total and complete mortification is the simple fact that I am never going to see him again.

Hours later, I can’t help but wonder if fate will ever allow me to become a new version of myself.

Because Fate, she’s a fickle bitch.

Case in point…my seatmate is my new next-door neighbor.

Even with the whole fate thing we have going on, we are so not meant to be together. He’s all cool and sexy in that make love not war kind of way. Guys like him are dangerous. With that bring-you-to-your-knees body, that handsome-as-hell face, and that dirty, dirty mouth, I guarantee one glance from him wets every girl’s bikini bottoms.

And then there’s me…the quirky girl looking to find herself in California. All I want to do is learn to let loose. Say words like peace and groovy. Bury my toes in the sand. Who knows, maybe even have sex on the beach.

Unable to get him out of my head, I entertain the thought of being more than just friends. I know the idea is absurd. And yet, I go with it. You see Camden Waters gets me. Really gets me. Like no other guy has before.

On this 7-mile stretch of paradise, I decide to keep things simple and just have fun…that is until fate decides to screw with me, again.

Can two people hell-bent on finding themselves realize the search should have ended the day they met? Find out in No Pants Required—a sexy, funny, romantic stand-alone, that will have you hurrying to grab your bathing suit and rushing to the beach to check out every lifeguard on duty.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: New Adult Fave 2016
Series: Men of Laguna
Author: Kim Karr
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Unsure — more books planned
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Humour
Heat Rating: Smokin’
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: July 11, 2016 – ongoing
Source & Format: Kindle Unlimited–eBook (#1); Own–eBook

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I stumbled upon this novel when Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag did the cover reveal for it back in June. I’ll admit, the title is what caught my attention but I’ve had Kim Karr on my TBR for a long time with her Connections series.

This one sounded like a lot of fun and would make the perfect lighter read between novels. It has been a long time since I read a novel that was actually funny and I was hoping this one would break that streak.

The Plot:

Ok, I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long time! If I hadn’t started it close to midnight, I would have finished it in one sitting.

This book had a fantastic balance between fun, drama, character development and romance. It hooked me in with its fun and HILARIOUS start–seriously, I was laughing out loud during those first few chapters–making me fall in love with the characters while getting a taste for their stories.

I liked that this story wasn’t filled with lots of dramatics. By keeping it simple, you get to focus on the characters and their growth. And the characters are really what make this story.

The Characters:

I was worried I wouldn’t like Mikayla because of the synopsis. I feared that she was going to be an airhead or something. A very silly concern because she was great! I loved her story and her personal growth throughout the novel. Plus, she was pretty funny. She was exactly what this story needed.

It was a real treat that we got Cam’s POV. I definitely thought this was going to be a Single POV story when I read the synopsis. But getting inside Cam’s head was fabulous. He was so funny and charming. Plus, he has a great story as well.

The Romance:

These two complimented each other so, so well! It’s insane how much I love these two together. They would just feed off each other and it was fantastic watching them fall in love.

I was worried that this was just going to be lots of sex but that isn’t really the case. It plays a huge role in the story but honestly, there is so much substance in everything else that those scenes are just a bonus.

updates

–November 5, 2019– Book #2: Bedwrecker

This book was a lot of fun to read! It had plenty of sweet moments laced with some pretty steamy ones. From the start, these two had great chemistry and I found their story to be so easy to read. At times though, I thought some scenes were a little redundant by rehashing previous sentiments. But this book has a great flow to it so I didn’t mind to much. While it wasn’t as laugh out loud funny as its predecessor, there were some charming moments.

–November 9, 2019– Book #3: Hollywood Prince

So I had actually marked this book as one to read after viewing a Blog Tour post by Alicia @ Shooting Stars Mag before I realized that this was part of this series.

This was a solid book! It had more of a slow burn to it than the previous two novels but that was refreshing in a way because it allowed our leads to grow a bit as people and grow-up as well as get to know each other as people.

There was a lack of something–perhaps some drama?–that stopped me from becoming completely engrossed. But overall, it was an enjoyable read!

Series Rating: 4/5

No Pants Required 5/5 | Bedwreaker 4/5 | Hollywood Prince 4/5

overall

Honestly, this series is so much fun! It’s everything I want in an entertaining New Adult novel! Highly recommended for those who like lighter but well constructed contemporary romances with plenty of steam.

Read if You Like: humour, contemporary romance
Avoid if You: dislike new adult

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Series Review: Memories by Harley Maye

Fresh Fridays: On Friday, I review a brand new series (ie. only has one book released so far) to see if the series is worth keeping up with. Here is this week’s offering:

Memories Series

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Memories of a Broken Girl (from Goodreads):
What happens when a wedding planner no longer believes true love exists?

Laney McAdams is Austin’s rising star of wedding planners, and from the outside she looks like the perfect good girl. But when faced with the ultimate deception, her world comes crashing down around her, leaving her alone, afraid, and tormented by dark secrets and regrets.

Bodie Brooks is successful, dangerously good looking, and battling his own painful past. Having just returned to Austin, he’s hiding his own secret about the real reason for coming home. When their paths collide, he awakens her deepest longings, convincing Laney he is nothing but dangerous.

He’s always been unattainable and gorgeous.
She’s broken into a million pieces.

But after one afternoon of uncontainable passion, Laney is forced to decide if she will do what she promised she would never do again.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Favourite Debut 2016
Series: Memories
Author: Harley Maye
# of Books: 2 (Memories of a Broken Girl, Memories of a Guilty Girl)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: No, Book 2 is yet to be published
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Date: April 2016 – ongoing
Source & Format: Author–eARC | Thank you Harley Maye!

disclaimer

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to reflect my conclusion to DNF this series. It will not be further updated.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

When Harley asked me if I wanted to read her debut novel, I just had to say yes! The promise of juicy secrets, flawed leads who could grow into fantastic characters and of course, some sweet romance. I was excited to start this one!

What I Liked:

–The Layers–

There was no shortage of secrets here and the best part was, I didn’t even know there were that many! Everything slowly gets unravelled as you read and things are revealed a little bit at a time. It’s so great!

Now don’t think that means the novel was slow. It was definitely not! The pacing is fantastic! And it is so great because these secrets and revelations are coming to light at just the right times to keep the story moving.

–The Sexual Tension–

Where can I find a Bodie? No, seriously. Where he at? Talk about swoon-worthy.

These two had phenomenal chemistry from start to finish. Anytime they were in the room, there was a sizzle. I loved any moment they had together.

–Flawed Characters–

What I really liked about Laney is that she is flawed. Laney is so real in how she reacts to what is happening in her life. She’s hurt, her confidence is gone and she’s understandably struggling to find her way back to happiness. It was great watching her grow as a character and essentially rebuild herself.

Bodie has his flaws too but his confidence and desire to go after what he wants is so, so appealing <3

What I Didn’t Like:

–Slightly Insta-Love Romance–

I didn’t really like the basis of how these two get together. It seemed to be a physical attraction type of connection and not much else. But they did win me over the more they interacted and the story developed.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

This was a fantastic debut and I am very excited to see what is going to happen in the next instalment. I had hoped that the character we would get is Addy and from the description of I’ve read, it’s going to have one of my favourite tropes!

updates

–October 8, 2019– Book #2: Untitled

As it has been a few years since the inaugural book release and there are currently no updates on when the sequel will be released, I have opted to mark this series as incomplete and pass on future sequels.

My Rating: DNF

Memories of a Broken Girl | Book 2 N/A

overall

A fantastic debut! This book really surprised me and is like nothing I’ve read this year!

Read if You Like: contemporary romance, flawed characters, secrets
Avoid if You: contemporary romance
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Series Review: Travesty by Piper Lawson

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

  

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Schooled (from Goodreads):
Twenty-one-year-old Alexis Caine is so close to her dream she can taste it. And it tastes like validation and Häagen-Dazs.

In a few months the quick-talking redhead will graduate with a shiny new business degree and launch a fashion label with her best friend Ava. All the planning, dedication, and saying ‘no’ to everything – and everyone – distracting will pay off.

Then Dylan Cameron, Ava’s tall, dark and broody younger brother, returns from the East Coast to start sophomore year at Lex’s San Diego college. Lex has hardly seen him in years and given his reputation for partying and girls, that’s just fine with her.

But Dylan’s all grown up. And a night of unplanned confessions for both of them threatens to tear Lex’s carefully constructed world off its axis…

Because one sassy control freak + one prodigal son = chemistry that refuses to be ignored.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Canadian Author, Favourite New Adult Series 2016
Series: Travesty
Author: Piper Lawson
# of Books: 3 (Full Series Order Here)

There are two novellas: #2.5 Sealed & #3.5 Satisfaction

Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Drama
Heat Rating: hot
Point of View: First Person, Single (Schooled); Alternating (Stripped)
Publication Dates: June 2015 – January 2019
Source & Format: NetGalley & Author–eARC  |  Thanks so much Piper Lawson & Victory Editing!

disclaimernetgalley

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I love myself a forbidden romance and nothing screams “off-limits” like a younger brother falling for his older sister’s BFF. Normally, it’s the reverse: younger sister with her older brother’s BFF and while it is great to read, it is maybe a little over done. But I really enjoyed Keep Me by Faith Andrews when I read it in 2014 and the premise is very much the same.

The Plot:

Both books have a great plot though they do greatly differ.

Schooled has more of a “coming of age” vibe to it. Lex is trying to balance her life out and decide if pursuing the fashion line is really the best thing for her. It balances great with the romantic developments and I love how each element plays off of each other and really moves the story forward.

Stripped has more of a fun, adult contemporary vibe a la Wallbanger or Tangled. A bit of a silly, albeit it serious, plot line that has so many moments of hilarity. Part of that humour is because of Ava–which I discuss below–but it is also the situation at hand as well. But it also has its serious and strong character development moments as well which makes is a solid read overall.

The Characters:

I really liked both Ava and Lex. They complimented each other well and I loved watching their friendship grow. I thought Lex would be my favourite of the two because we share so many similar traits but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Ava’s humour and wit in Stripped–something I was skeptical about because I didn’t instantly connect to her character in Schooled.

Case in point with Ava:

“Sounds like the girls you know have the depth of a kiddie pool. I don’t care if you drive a Porsche, a Hyundai or a golf cart.”

As for the guys, Dylan had me swooning from the get-go. He was charming but sincere and I loved his character growth, even if he didn’t have his own POV chapters. He is definitely a new book boyfriend! Nate was also very charming and I loved his banter with Ava–it made reading their story a lot of fun.

The Romance:

Lex and Dylan’s romance is definitely more of a slow burn–and it was so worth it! I loved how their relationship developed from an emotional one to a passionate one. It made it so much easier for me to see why they would make that leap to be more than what they were.

Nate and Ava had a great connection as well. They had great banter between them and they complimented each other very well in terms of personalities and motivations. It was a lot of fun to watch them fall in love. I also liked how their relationship made them become stronger individuals as well.

updates

–January 29, 2017– Book #2.5: Sealed

Novellas are tricky things. They need to find that right balance between character development, plot and–essentially–fan service in a shorter number of pages.

This one hits all the right notes!

I loved the character development we got here! It just added depth and a more realistic edge to the story we got in Schooled. I also loved getting Dylan’s POV as well; it just rounded out the story so well.

I laughed; I swooned and I enjoyed every minute of it! Can’t wait for the next installment in this fantastic series!

When to read it? After you read Schooled and Stripped is best.

–March 12, 2017– Book #3: Styled

This was a pairing I was super excited to see come to life! We’ve met these two throughout the series and they definitely weren’t who I would have picked for each other…but that’s the reason I’m not the author of this series 😉

I loved these two together! The slow burn romance had me hooked from the start and the sexual tension was awesome. But it was their compatibility in personalities and work ethic that had me truly on board. I like my romantic leads to have a partnership and that is exactly what these two have! They compliment each other so well and was so much fun to watch them discover that.

I also enjoyed the dramatic side of the plot as well. Not only is the romance strong, but the plot is solid from start to finish. You don’t get these moments of conflict thrown in sporadically, rather you have inklings of the drama throughout. It keeps your attention and it provides a nice balance to the romance. AND, it helps develop the romance as well. They don’t feel like mutually exclusive plot devices which is fabulous.

–February — Book #3.5: Satisfaction

The synopsis is slightly deceptive in the sense that there isn’t a whole lot of scenes regarding the “one-week deal” but I was ok with that because we get these other great scenes between our leads.

Would I have loved a full novel? You bet! I think you’ll get more out of this book if you’ve read the full novels in the series because you will see how this romance has been building since the start. A lot of things are assumed here (based on your knowledge of the previous books) but I think this novella serves as a special treat for fans of the series—or a great way for new fans to get excited about diving into this fantastic series!

Series Rating: 4.5/5

Schooled 5/5 | Stripped 4/5 | [Sealed 5/5] | Styled 5/5 | [Satisfaction 4/5]

overall

This is THE PERFECT light new adult romance series! If you want something that isn’t smothered in tragic character pasts and is simply a fun, good time, you need to read this series!

Read if You Like: slow burn romance, “forbidden” romance, light new adult stories
Avoid if You: dislike contemporary romance, want “darker” or more “tragic” characters

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Series Review: The Rockers of Steel by M J Fields

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

book3 book3

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Memphis Black (from Goodreads):
From bedroom performances to center stage, Memphis Black’s dreams have come true.

Together with his band mates—Finn, River, and Billy B—he takes some time for fun in the sun in Miami while gathering inspiration to finish their first full-length album. Some down time before hitting the road to tour the country, spreading their kind of rock like an STD.

Tallia Priest, a preacher’s daughter grew up next door to Madison Black, her polar opposite and very best friend. Tallia has harbored a crush on Madison’s older brother Memphis for a lifetime.

A boy like him would never notice a girl like her, yet he did … once.

After a tough freshman year of college, Madison invites Tallia to join her in Miami for a much needed break. Madison fails to mention they will be staying with ‘Steel Total Destruction.’

When Tallia arrives, there is no way for a stunned Memphis to miss the transformation of the once awkward, innocent girl next door.

Forbidden desires must be hidden, lines cannot be blurred, and no one can ever know.

Will the heat in Miami tempt them even further? Will buried secrets destroy lives? Can a broken heart ever be mended?

It’s all fun and games until someone gets rocked.

breakdown

Series: The Rockers of Steel

Set in the same universe as the Men of Steel Series

Author: M J Fields
# of Books: 4 (Full Series Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Music, Drama
Heat Rating: hot
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: August 2015 – March 2016
Source & Format: Author (Read It, Review It Program)–eARC

disclaimer

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

In 2015, I fell in love with rockstar New Adult novels. They just have that great blend of drama, an interesting subplot, hot romance and more often than not, confident boys who get put in their place by a strong female character. So when the opportunity came to read Memphis Black via my New Adult reading group on Goodreads, I jumped on the chance.

What I Liked about Memphis Black:

–The Forbidden romance concept–

I’m a sucker for a forbidden romance and this one fit the bill to a T. You’ve got Tallia who is Memphis’ little sister’s best friend AND a preacher’s daughter. Then you’ve got Memphis who is everything you don’t want your daughter to date let alone look at. It’s the perfect set-up…unfortunately the execution failed for me (I’ll elaborate later).

–The boys are BAD—

If you think rockstars do it, these boys probably do it at some point. They are bad boys and hold nothing back when it comes to embracing the rockstar lifestyle. I found that to be refreshing because most books I read are rockstars with hearts of gold or are misunderstood bad boys. Which is great, don’t get me wrong, but it made this book have a spin I wasn’t used to.

I thought I was pretty hip with the lingo people use nowadays but I liberally used Urban Dictionary while reading this and let’s just say I learned a LOT of new words and their meaning. Where do people come up with these terms?!

What I Didn’t Like ABOUT MEMPHIS BLACK:

–The Development of the Romance–

I felt like a lot of Memphis and Tallia’s relationship was implied given their past history. I wanted to see it develop more. I just didn’t see why they liked each other “now” besides physical attraction and that was really disappointing.

–The Character’s thought process–

While I get the need for dramatics (and love it), I felt like some of the drama here was unwarranted. I didn’t understand why the characters would act this way or that because I felt like I didn’t know who they were as characters. Everything seemed like a hot mess that  resulted in a roundabout manner and I just didn’t enjoy that.

Will I Finish The rest of the series?

Unfortunately I will not be finishing the rest of the series. Surprisingly, I didn’t really latch on to any of the characters enough to want to read their stories in the subsequent novels.

Series Rating: DNF

Memphis Black 2/5

overall

This book just missed the mark for me. It was a little all over the place and I just couldn’t get invested in the story.

Read if You Like: bad boy rockstars, forbidden romance
Avoid if You: want further character and romantic development

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Series Review: Made Men by Sarah Brianne

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Nero (from Goodreads):
Nero is the king of Legacy Prep, living a life of power.
Elle is the school’s punching bag, living a life of fear.
The only good girls Nero knows jump in his bed when he tells them to.
The closest Elle has come to a bad boy like him is in the cafeteria line.
The mob boss gave him orders to find out what she knows.
Her mouth is sealed.

I just want to be a fu**ing made man.
I’m just a fu**ing waitress.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Guilty Pleasure 2015
Series: Made Men
Author: Sarah Brianne
# of Books: 6 (Full Reading Order)
Book Order: Connected but Chronological Events
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult/New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Bad Boys, Dark
Heat Rating: really warm *spicy YA*
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: June 2014 – December 2018
Source & Format: Own–eBook

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I don’t remember how I found this series. I think it was recommended to me by Kobo from my previous purchases OR I found them when I was buying other books. Regardless, the synopsis sounded intriguing. I love reading about player bad boys who get turned around by a girl they never expected and that’s what Nero looked like it was going to be given what I read.

Also, those covers! I’m not just talking about the attractive models, there is just something so visual striking about both of them. So I picked both Nero and Vincent up for under $5 and put them on my TBR.

The Concept:

I always really enjoy Mob/Mafia Family stories. While I’m normally not a fan of romantic suspense stories, I enjoy the complex nature of mafia-orientated stories. You have family loyalty tested and the perfect setup for forbidden love.

The mafia in this story is pretty stereotypical but that’s exactly what I expected. I also like how there is an ongoing plot regarding the family that links all the books together despite their focus on a different set of lead characters.

The Plot:

Hmmm…where to start…When I first started Nero, I almost put it down. You know when teenagers attempt to act like adults and it just makes everything a little awkward? That’s what the plot is in this story. I had to remind myself numerous times that these characters were 17 and in high school–not 24 and in college. Everything was really melodramatic and over the top. Some of the things Nero and his crew do blew my mind and had me shaking my head to make sure I was reading everything correctly. The plot in this series is definitely over the top…but the weird thing was that I kinda grew to like it.

Reading Nero reminded me of watching Secret Life of the American Teenager for the first time. You watch one episode to see what it is about and then you find yourself 5 episodes in because it is so cheesy and ridiculous you can’t wait to see what crazy stunt they are going to make the characters undergo next.

This series reads like a soap opera but with a lot of suggested violence and descriptive sex scenes. It really isn’t unlike anything you might see on your typical teen TV soap nowadays but everything was just taken to that little bit too far for me.

Basically, this series was so bad it was good–in a total guilty pleasure kind of way. I feel like if I hadn’t bought these books (thus feeling a compelling need to read and finish them), I would have DNF’d Nero and never picked up Vincent. And now that I am two books in, I feel the need to read Chloe when it comes out because I need to know what happens next…damn.

The Characters:

I like a confident guy but, as you can already guess, Nero was a little too much for me. He did have some really sweet moments but for the most part, I wasn’t a huge fan. He seemed too wish-washy in his personality (sometimes he would act like a teenager and other times he acted like a 40 Christian Grey) and that made it hard for me to get a solid grasp on his character. Elle was the same way. I liked her desire to protect her friend but I didn’t like her character development too much. In Vincent, I didn’t really care for either of the leads for the exact same reasons.

The girls in both Vincent and Nero really bothered me and I explain why in the Romance section.

The Romance:

This is where my mixed feelings about Nero come in. Near the end of the story, I really started to root for Elle and Nero. Like I said before, I have a soft spot for forbidden love and stories where the bad boy falls for the nice girl.

However, at the same time, their relationship really disturbed me. Again, part of the problem is their young age and how I felt like they were playing pretend adults throughout the story. I thought their relationship dynamic had its moments where it just wasn’t healthy. It really upset me how easily Elle fell into a submissive role and it worries me that young girls will read this and find Nero’s possessive and dominating attitude “sexy”. Some moments boarded on abusive, making it hard for me to love their relationship.

It was the exact same situation in Vincent, even if the heroine of that one did seem to be aware of the situation. And given the potential characters in Chloe, I know it is going to be the exact same. My hope is that people will read this romance and see that it is FICTION--not realistic or reflects romance in the real world.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

Chloe is going to focus on a love triangle–normally a huge turn off for me and to be honest it still is here. However, I’m curious to see how it will play out. I’m not dying to get my hands on it, but I will consider picking it up if I come across it after its release and the price is reasonable.

updates

–February 7, 2017–

I have opted not to continue with this series. I don’t even remember anything about the characters so I think now is a good time to let this series go.

Series Rating: DNF

Nero 2/5 | Vincent 2/5 | Chloe N/A | Lucca N/A | Angel N/A

overall

If you like over-the-top, melodramatic books where teens try to be adults, you will really like this series! For me, it was just too much and I had a hard time taking it seriously. In the past, I’ve read a lot strong YA/NA series that have a similar tone but a better execution.

Read if You Like: melodramatic series, high school new adult
Avoid if You: dislike alpha males, dislike soap operas

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