Review: "Truly" by Ruthie Knox

May Fredericks hates New York. Which is fair enough, since New York seems to hate her back. Just weeks after moving from Wisconsin to Manhattan, she receives the world's worst marriage proposal, stabs her boyfriend with a shrimp fork in a very public venue, and accidentally becomes notorious. And that’s before she gets mugged. At her wit's end, May washes up at a Packers bar in Greenwich Village, where she meets a surly, unhelpful guy who hates her shoes and calls her ex a douche. His name is Ben. He used to be a chef. Now he's a rooftop beekeeper with anger management issues. She wouldn't even like him, but he reminds her of home … and he knows where to find all the best food in the Village. She makes him laugh. He buys her tacos and cowboy boots. The longer they’re stuck together, the better May and Ben get along … and the harder they fall. TRULY is a quirky, modern New York love story unlike any you've read before.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.

Originally I'd rated this book 3.5 stars, but I'm going to revise that rating to 4 stars, because the more I think about it, the more I realize just how much this book stands out among the others of its genre.

I have never wanted to visit NYC, but after reading "Truly", my mind has been changed. I think I'd have to have an escort like Ben, though. He was pretty great at the whole tour guide thing.  The city always seemed overrated to me before, but Ruthie Knox (and Ben) make it seem like more than just a touristy cliche.

The plot and characters of this novel have a whole lot more depth than what you can even imagine from the synopsis. The characters especially seemed real to me - they both annoyed and pissed me off like real people do!  Ben could be super moody, but you could tell that he was trying, and it was just that much more endearing when he showed his charm and did something sweet for May. May, ugh, sometimes I just wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to grow up!  But after taking into consideration her personality and the situation she was in, her actions made sense to me.  It was very satisfying to see her and Ben's growth throughout the book - they both changed a lot, but not in ways that were unbelievable.  The plot is evenly paced, never lagging, and leads the reader effortlessly from the streets of New York to the Wisconsin countryside.  We get to learn just enough of the characters' histories, and revealed in just the right way, to make sense of their actions and never let the reader feel overwhelmed with a ton of filler.  Everything is deliberate, and I love it when a writer can get their point across without boring me to tears with repetition or info dumping.

What else can I say?  I can't wait to read more in this series!  I'd love to see more of New York through the pages of these books - seeing I probably won't be traveling there any time soon - and I'd love to see more May and Ben.  If you're looking for a sweet, yet hot, romance with more depth than the average fare, give "Truly" a try.

My rating:

Review: "UnWritten" by Chelsea M. Cameron

Children's librarian by day. Romance novelist by night. British single father. Someone else is writing this love story... Blair Walton isn't your average curvaceous tattooed children's librarian. She's also one half of bestselling romance author, Scarlet Rose. Along with her BFF Raine, she spends her nights writing books so steamy, she's afraid they would shock her Southern conservative grandmother to death . . . if she knew about them. That's why she and Raine write in secret. On deadline for their latest book and out of ideas, Raine suggests (demands) that Blair find a guy and "do some research". Declan Bennet has all the qualifications: He's British, looks fabulous in a suit, has glorious blue eyes and gets bonus points for being an amazing single dad to his adorable son, Drake. But what starts out as a research project quickly turns into something much more. And Blair's not the only one with secrets.

Thanks to Netgalley and All Night Reads for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is going to sound harsh, but I don't know how to say it other than to just come out and say it:  this book is one that should have remained "unwritten".  And it pains me to say that because I'm a fan of Chelsea M. Cameron's writing and I've enjoyed other books of hers, but this one just did not pass muster.  

The strange thing is that I actually liked the characters.  They were cute and quirky.  So why didn't I like the book, then?  It was soooooooo boooooooooring!!!  There were instances where I thought something exciting was going to happen, and then it was like, psych!  Just kidding, that story line's going nowhere. 

There were a lot of scenes with Blair and Raine writing their book, editing their book, and eating food.  Sometimes they got excited about hanging out in their yoga pants.  Hey, I love hanging out in my yoga pants, I'm not knocking it.  I just don't necessarily want to read about other people doing it, because it's, you know, BORING!  They also go out a couple of times with a mutual friend and have some drinks, and they get a matching tattoo, but honestly, that's about as exciting as anything gets.  

I really liked Declan, but he was almost too good to be true.  He's always supportive, knows just what to say, plans the best dates, and buys Blair books.  Perfect guy?  Yeah, pretty much, but then where's the conflict, the tension?  The big "reveal" on his part was treated as not that big of a deal - Blair forgives him right away and they keep on keepin' on.  Blair's "reveal" was something that caused her a whole lot of angst throughout the book, but I didn't think what she'd done was all that wrong.  In this day and age, doing a bit of a background check on a stranger before you date him is smart - why put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation?

I really liked Raine as well.  She seems to be the perfect BFF - again, always supportive, knows just what to say, and makes sinfully delicious chocolate chip cookies.  But again I say, where's the conflict, the tension?  I think Blair and Raine got into one little tiff, but they forgave each other pretty quickly and that was the end of that.  Bo.  Ring. 

Ugh. Seriously, I am getting thoroughly bored just by writing this review, so I'm  going to end by saying that my experience with "UnWritten" has in no way deterred me from reading more from Ms. Cameron.  I look forward to reading some of her earlier works in the near future in the hopes that "UnWritten" was just a fluke.

My rating: 2 stars

"Real Book Challenge" August Update

Time once again for an update on my progress in the "2014 Real Book Challenge".

Whew, I think I'm going to get this post in JUST in time!  I forgot to do a post for July, but the books were sooooooo good that I should mention them here:

Have you read this one?   Oh my God, it was soooooooo awesome!!!  I can't gush enough, I freaking loved it!!!  So funny, and so sad, and so...ugh, it leaves me inarticulate.  I'm such a dork, all I can say is if you haven't read it, then you damn well should, like, right now!

My other July book was this one:

Not quite as good as I was expecting, but still, I'm excited for the next in the series.

Now for August's books:

Just all around excellent!  Looking forward to the next installment and also THE MOVIE!!!

Meh.  Not as good as I was expecting, especially considering all the hype, but I'm still glad I read it and I'm looking forward to this movie as well.

That's all, folks!  Now I need to get my butt to the library before they close so I can pick up another "real" book!

Review: "Right Kind of Wrong" by Chelsea Fine

Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . . Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie. Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book.

Once again, I'm left feeling as though I read a really mediocre New Adult novel.  There's not a lot here that stands out to make this a memorable read, and that's why I'm writing this review immediately after finishing "Right Kind of Wrong", because I'm afraid if I stall a day or two, I will forget all about it.

The story is told in an alternating dual point of view style, which seems to be the direction a lot of New Adult authors are taking.  It worked here for me because we get to see what makes both Jack and Jenna tick.  Jenna was interesting in that she's the first female MC I've read in this genre that needs and wants to be in complete control at all times, even during sex, which is a refreshing change from the more standard "submissive" types that are all the rage right now.  However, what makes Jenna strong also makes her annoying at times.  She goes on and on in her inner dialogue about how she cares for Jack, how he makes her happy, how she may even love him, but she can't be with him because he's not a part of her "plan".  Yeah, it gets a bit tiring.  Jack, on the other hand, is pretty up front with his feelings for Jenna.  Early on, we find out that he wants more from her, it's just a matter of convincing her she wants the same.

All of this is well and good, until Jack and Jenna get mixed up in this rather ridiculous plot involving Jack's missing brother and some shady characters from Jack's nefarious past.  It's all a bit over the top, and struck me as silly, especially with how everything was quickly and neatly tied up in the end.  I wasn't buying it at all!  I did, however, enjoy meeting Jack's and Jenna's families - although they were quite over the top, too, I appreciated the comic relief provided by their involvement in the story.  This aspect of the story was more cute than ridiculous, in my opinion.

So while I enjoyed reading "Right Kind of Wrong" for the most part, and while I think Chelsea Fine's writing has a ton of potential, I would only recommend this book if you're looking for something light and easy and aren't too worried about a memorable plot.

My rating: 3 stars

Review: "Keeping Mr. Right Now" by Robin Bielman

A temporary agreement neither could keep… Brainy, organized Sophie Birch is no beach bunny. In fact, she’s totally out of her element among the sun-bronzed crowd at a film festival in beautiful White Strand Cove. When a surf lesson introduces her to Zane Hollander, suddenly she's up close and personal with the world's sexiest surf star. But what can a great-looking, experienced athlete possibly see in a klutzy out-of-towner who’s never set foot in the ocean? Zane Hollander's playboy reputation has never been a problem…until recently. Now his management team wants him on his best behavior to entice a meaningful new sponsor. Sophie Birch is the perfect girl to help reform his image. She's genuine and respected—and their relationship is purely fictional. But the more Sophie blooms under the beachy sun, the more Zane knows he'll just break her heart. Because nothing's more important to Zane than following the tide.

Super cute book! This is pretty much the perfect beach read - not too long, with a beautiful setting and an evenly paced plot, as well as some interesting characters.  I really enjoyed both Sophie and Zane, and the supporting characters were intriguing enough to warrant a look at the next books in the series.

Although I was able to identify with Sophie, being that she's a nerdy, inexperienced career girl, Zane is the character I really empathized with. I can't imagine what it would be like to grow up with such an emotionally abusive father. Even being at the top of the surfing world isn't enough to erase the scars that were inflicted during Zane's youth. He's doing a good job of trying to get past all that, with the support of his closest friends and remaining family, but when his dream sponsorship opportunity comes up, he still needs to work through his self esteem issues in order to become a real contender. His friends also believe that his image needs a bit of an overhaul, and that's where Sophie comes in.

I really enjoyed the development of Sophie and Zane's relationship.  It was a bit of a slow burn, but it was never boring and I was never left hoping that they would just jump each others' bones and put an end to that ever present sexual tension. Plus, the slow build up seemed to suit Sophie's somewhat shy personality. It was great to see Zane share things with her that he'd never shared with others, and I was satisfied to see Sophie becoming more confident and self assured as their week together progressed. 

If I were to change anything about "Keeping Mr. Right Now", it would probably be the ending. Things just seemed to work out a bit too quickly and neatly. All in all, though, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would be happy to check out more by Robin Bielman.

My rating:  3.5 stars

Review: "We Are The Goldens" by Dana Reinhardt

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart. When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellayla. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First off, I gotta say, I freakin' LOVE Felix de la Cruz!  He is the awesomest boy best friend ever!  Nell's relationship with him really had a positive impact on this story - it's probably what will stand out most in my memory of this book.

The rest of this novel is really good, too.  I enjoyed the San Francisco setting, the complex yet loving relationship Nell shared with Layla, and watching Nell navigate all the challenges of being a high school freshman.  Even though there's twenty plus years between myself and Nell, I could still totally relate to her.  In fact, one part of the story in particular resonated with me because I found myself in the exact same situation as Nell once upon a time.

I guess my one criticism of this book is that it tried to deal with a  wide variety of issues in such a  short span, and thus there were a lot of loose ends.  Although I don't always mind when things aren't tied up nice and tidy - it's more realistic that way, after all - in the case of "We Are The Goldens", I would have liked just a little bit more closure. 

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: "On the Fence" by Kasie West

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can out-run, out-score, and outwit every boy she knows--including her long-time neighbor, and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chi-chi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and bedazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pick-up game. To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

One of my top reads of the year!  This was my first Kasie West book and I absolutely loved it!

The characters were fantastic!  I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like Charlie in the beginning because of how she acted, but I quickly came to adore her.  Braden was the perfect mix of friend and something more - I loved him!  And Charlie's brothers - also awesome!  I hereby vote for Gage to get his own book!

Of course, there was more to this book than just the fabulous characters.  The plot was perfectly paced - I was never bored or wanting to skim.  And I was really surprised at how deep things got at the end.  I definitely wasn't expecting that and maybe shed a tear or two!  It was also so much fun to see Charlie getting in touch with her more feminine side - definitely a few laugh out loud snorts from me!

So I've used 8 exclamation marks in this review so far, which normally I would think is too many, but in this case doesn't feel like nearly enough.  If you haven't got the gist of what I'm trying to say so far, then here it is in a nutshell - awesome book, go buy it and read it now! (!!!)

My rating: 4.5 stars