Forever Pucked (Pucked #4) by Helena Hunting @HelenaHunting

4- 4.5 Stars I love this series and so thrilled Helena Hunting gave her fans another riotously hilarious, full-length novel dedicated to Alex and Violet’s journey to forever. “It’s amazing how a poorly thought-out one-night stand can turn into a forever kind of love. Because that’s exactly what Alex is: my forever ” I was excited mainly because I missed my Alex Waters ~ the super sweet, incredibly sexy hockey player and my favorite hero within the Pucked series. I definitely did not get enough of this gentle giant and his monster junk package in the last two installments, and I was due for a fix. Also, I missed seeing his sensitive side, something that was missing especially when facing off against Miller in Pucked Up. Needless to say in Forever Pucked, Alex’s character was exceedingly romantic and back to his sentimental, love smitten self ~ the perfect soul mate for the off the wall loon that is Violet Hall. Violet is head over heels in love with Alex and knows deep down their love is everlasting. But when it comes to planning a wedding with the ever-present meddlesome moms duo, even thinking about it riddles Vi with fear. But when a tragic event rocks their world, it was time for Vi to work around her anxieties and for Alex to take charge. Drama and angst aside, it was definitely entertaining to see her torment – from the moms sex-talk over sharing, to the sheer lunacy of her buddies and an unforgettable adult-store shopping escapade, poor Vi had her hands full of craziness to deal with. The hilarity, the constant over-sharing, the out of control raunchiness topped off by all of Vi’s hijinks, made this a fun read for me. The laughter was endless. But what set this romance apart from the others was the nail biting moments of drama laced within, which caused Violet to reveal a deeper and more serious side of her character. No doubt Hunting pens playfully amusing, light-hearted romantic comedies. Nevertheless, her writing style does have a flair for intensity. This author did a wonderful job of balancing both the elements of humor and solemnity, giving this tale more depth and dynamics to its main characters. As always, I enjoyed this couple’s shenanigans. I loved seeing how this kooky cast of friends and family interact with one another, guaranteeing me a bawdy yet fun, sexy read. And…Wow, I adored that epilogue. If you are looking for amusing and dirty romances, I recommend jumping into this series from its beginning. I will miss this crew and hope there’s more to come with stories involving Lance Romero and Darren Westinghouse.  ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole @tillie_cole

A thousand moonbeam hearts and sunshine smiles Seriously kicking myself for passing up on the opportunity to ARC review “A Thousands Boy Kisses”.  The synopsis appealed to me, but at the time, I wasn’t in the mood for a YA romance and decided to quietly read it at my leisure sometime down the road. What a foolishly dumb mistake. This book blew up my Facebook and Good Reads news feed, so I decided to jump. So freaking happy I did. Tillie Cole penned an epic romance that surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. The YA rating and lack of heat did not take anything away from the experience. In fact, it has become one of my top rated, all time favorite reads. And I highly recommend it for those who are looking for that special, extremely emotional, soul touching, timeless love story. This destroyed me in every way possible – I was a slobbering puffy eyed, snotty nosed mess by the end. I will tell you, it takes a heck of a lot to bring me to tears while reading. In fact, there are only a minuscule number of authors who can break me. Congrats Tillie, you made the list. By the way, thank you for holding my soul in the palm of your hand, crushing it into smithereens, and making my heart almost burst.  You overwhelmed me and I bawled my eyes out, feeling as if the heartrending events unfolding within the story line were actually shattering my life. Honestly, there were times I could barely handle all the somberness that consumed these characters. IT HURT and it brought me to a very painful place. However, I do not regret a single tear I’ve shed, not one heart twisting moment. For me, this was one of the most amazing love stories…ever. Early on, we see the blossoming of this couples’ friendship. Rune, an introverted little boy, lost in a new country and missing his home in Norway. He becomes fast friends with a gleefully sweet girl named Poppy. A strong bond quickly forms between the two, as they comfort one another over the years through thick and thin. They are inseparable. One day, the course of their lives changed, as Poppy’s beloved grandmother passed away. On her deathbed, she consoled little Poppy by gifting an empty Mason jar filled with a thousand pink paper hearts. Poppy’s next adventure is to fill each cutout with the memory of a special boy kiss that caused her heart to burst with excitement. A challenge to gather the memories of a thousand kisses throughout her lifetime. Rune decides he is the only boy Poppy’s lips will forever belong to. And so begins a beautiful story of destined love between two children whose hearts are forever linked. Rune matured into a broody, angry young man, forced by his father to move back to Norway. During their separation, Poppy mysteriously severed their connection without any explanation. Two years have passed, and at the age of 17, a bitter Rune returns to the US looking for answers. After a rocky reunion, and Poppy finally unleashing her devastating secret, they rediscover not only their friendship, but also their true love. I fell head over heals in love with Rune, the perfect hero who was forever loyal to Poppy in heart, body, mind, soul and lips. From beginning to end, he captured my affections with all his sweet, yet moody ways. On the outside, he was a rough and tough bad boy. But buried beneath his jaded exterior, lived Poppymin’s tenderhearted ‘forever always’. Poppy was sincere and adorable. My heart bled when seeing all that she had endured. Strong-willed, spirited and determined, she amazed me. She was a true heroine in every sense of the word. There are no adequate words to properly describe what I experienced while fully immersed within Rune and Poppy’s world. The entire tale wreaked havoc on my emotions and the epilogue...sigh…you’ll need to experience it for yourself. Tillie Cole in my opinion has outdone herself in creating this couples’ journey, by brilliantly stringing together words describing a transcending, infinite love that deeply touched the heart of me.       TRIPLES with EMMA

Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan @MSheridanAuthor

For heaven’s sake this has got to be the most challenging and difficult review for me to put together… period…and here’s why. Whenever I fall into a fan-freaking-tastic story such as Midnight Lily, I become so totally invested that it overwhelmingly consumes me. I feel compelled to pour my every emotion regarding the story-line, the characters, their journey to love and so on, into my commentary.  It’s just not possible for me to express all that I’ve experienced without revealing major plot twists. I will say there is so much to take in, to digest, to process and interpret, even days after finishing this read. My mind was turned inside out as my heart was flooded with a barrage of emotions. It absolutely kills me to cage in the whirlwind of feels I’ve survived, but any hint will absolutely spoil the story – and that would be an epic injustice. In penning Midnight Lily, Mia Sheridan proved once again she is a masterful storyteller and perhaps… just a tad bit crazed for conjuring up such a crafty tale. This story was an incredibly intense read for me and a bit different from the romances I usually gravitate too. Nonetheless, I was absolutely taken by the story line, hooked on these characters’ journey, and fell head over heals in love with both the hero and heroine. Their broken souls absolutely shattered me to pieces. It was hauntingly beautiful, so devastatingly dark and painful it hurt my heart ~ but, I savored every moment I spent in their world. As always, Sheridan held my hand tightly throughout this somber read and guided me to the other side, where I found peace of mind and contentment with their ‘happily ever after’. And that ending…holy moly…it was a total ‘mind fuck’ which left me speechless and a little confused (at first). Reflecting back on the story in its entirety I felt as if I was smacked so silly, I totally lost my sanity.  Midnight Lily was a beautifully written bittersweet romance, which drew me in and held me captive from beginning to end. Weaving passion, heartache and healing with a heavy dose of mystery, this story is a must read. But be warned – pay very close attention to every word and nuance because Mia Sheridan will fuck with mind and toy with your heart. She has outdone herself by creating such an unbelievably brilliant, poignant tale. ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Adore (Spiral of Bliss #4) by Nina Lane @NinaLaneAuthor

4.5 “My Beauty” Stars Dean… the outrageously alluring and incredibly seductive hero who I affectionately nick named ‘Professor McHottie Pants’ stole my heart yet again in Adore…swoon Dean and Olivia West… So ecstatic to revisited one of my all time favorite lovebirds and this story was a great surprise. Throughout this series, (which I recommend reading in it's entirety before diving into Adore), I’ve weathered all the ups and downs of their relationship ~ the heartaches, the triumphs, and the obstacles that threatened to rip them part. I was curious to see how their story would continue. I was worried and hoped that their ‘happily ever after’ would not become tainted or forced to experience undue angst. Consuming this read in one sitting (because I could not tear myself away from the amazing professor), I found myself touched by another one of Nina Lane’s heartwarming tales.  This time, I was faced with this couple’s realistic struggle to reignite their passion while moving past the doldrums of marriage. Liv, while taking on more responsibilities with the business and an active member within the community of Mirror Lake, is dealing with the challenges of motherhood. She is tired and exasperated, pushing herself to the max as Nicholas is going through the ‘terrible twos’ stage. I loved seeing her character become more resilient with each struggle she faced. She’s vulnerable, yet became stronger as she tried to conquer every obstacle thrown her way. Despite her struggles, she would do everything and anything for her husband. Her love for him is limitless. And as always, it’s Dean who provided the strength she needed to persevere. I cherish their unique and mutually dependent relationship, which feeds their souls. Poor Dean, between his constant travels, Nicholas’ interruptions and the unrelenting pressure to take his career to a new level, he isn’t getting any nookie. Sexually frustrated, he misses the effortless spark of their passion and is annoyed it takes work to get Liv all sexed up. There’s just no spontaneity or free time and something’s got to give. Together, they faced the issue head on, determined to rekindle their sex life and find a way back to one another. And this where my Dean shines through – his resolve to regain control by spicing things up in the bedroom. As expected, he totally wowed me with his smoking hot and dominating ways. The professor certainly knows how to get down and dirty by using all of his charms and raw sexiness to kick the heat level up to scorching. Just when I thought I couldn’t love him more, I’ve fallen deeper for the way he consistently needs to protect and provide for his wife in all ways. Each time he calls Olivia “my beauty”, he melts my heart. Just the perfectly sweet and swoon worthy hero. Nina Lane has a magical way of stringing words together so beautifully sweet, they are seared into my soul. Adore was a compelling realistic and heart warming romance that will forever stay with me. I adored and appreciated the emotional way she scripted Liv and Dean’s everlasting love. This read was a wonderful treat for me, and as always, looking forward to more epic romances from her creative imagination. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes #3) by Aly Martinez @AlyMartinezAuth

4.5 Stars After reading the synopsis, I could not wait to get my hands on Quarry’s romance and seriously kicking myself for not reading the first two installments - something I plan on rectifying real soon, because I simply fell in love with all the Page Brothers, as well as the emotional way Martinez pens her tales. Regardless, the story told in Fighting Solitude flowed effortlessly, as I was fully absorbed into the lives of two extremely damaged children, their life long friendship, and the true love that blossomed. This read was heart warming, tearfully heart wrenching, filled with nail biting angst and loads of drama as Quarry fought to claim the heart of his true soul mate, while Liv struggled to move beyond her hang-ups and believed unrequited love. Liv and Quarry have a special bond. I adored seeing their interactions, the funny banter, their innocence, and the way each calmed the storms that raged within. As children, they were both plagued with demons – Quarry battled rejection from his parents’ abandonment, while Liv’s life was riddled with fears. Trust was the foundation of their relationship, as Quarry sensed Liv’s need for protection against her vulnerabilities while Liv was the force that fed him strength and comfort. Best friends until Quarry was shaken by a family trauma that left him defeated. I felt all his anguish as he foolishly decided to push Liv out of his life in a way that left her devastated. Their connection was severed for years until Liv made the effort to reunite, when discovering Quarry was losing his hearing. But things changed while they were apart. Quarry was bigger, stronger, a powerhouse of a boxer who has matured beautifully…and unfortunately in love with a girl named Mia March. Poor Liv, even during the separation, she could not deny that Quarry (aka Q) was her one true love. My heart ached seeing Liv bury her amorous feelings. He was always at arms length, but never more than a friend, even years after Mia’s death.  Reading second chance romances can be very tricky.  The author is faced with the responsibility of convincing me that both the hero and heroine share a genuine love. I had some mixed feelings for a great portion of this read mainly due to Mia’s character. The prologue introduced her death and Q’s despair.  The aftermath left both Q and Liv shattered from her loss and me wondering… would this couple find their way to true love? It was a great hurdle for me to overcome. However, this author created such a beautiful image of Q, I had no choice but to believe his sincerity. He was the quintessential flawed hero that was patient, determined, loving and most importantly sexy.  Liv was eternally imprinted within his heart, but it took years after Mia’s death to realize her true place in his life. He may have loved Mia, but Liv was his soul mate and his future. I swooned when seeing the great lengths he traveled to regain Liv’s trust and finally claim what was his all along.  I adored the sweet little boy who shouldered the responsibility to guard Liv, and the sensual man who proved his undying love. Liv was a witty, spirited sweet girl who was a great friend and beyond loyal…in fact too loyal at times.  She had my sympathies during the aftermath of Q’s reckless actions, and all the years spent masking her feelings. Yet, she frustrated me with the constant guilt over loving ‘Mia’s man’ and the endless inability to move beyond the past. It was maddening. Q has proven his remorse, love and trustworthiness repeatedly. She was just too stubborn to let it go and it worked on my last nerve at times.  But once Q tore down her defenses, tenderly showering her with affection, Liv’s character came to life and I grew to like the woman she became. Although this romance is by no means a love triangle, Mia played a major part of this story, as her presence and memory overshadowed this couples’ relationship in every way. Honestly, I did not like her at all and found her to be cunning and manipulative. Sure, I felt bad when she died, but resented how she controlled their lives. As bitter and cold as it sounds, I was happy when Mia was finally out of the picture, so I could feel the love that Q and Liv shared without any obstruction.  It was exhausting seeing her memory dragged throughout the story and yet another struggle for them to overcome. Phew…glad to get my Mia vexation off my chest… In the end, I loved this story and cherished all of their sorrows and joys. From early beginnings, to their undeniable love, this couple had a tight hold on my affections. Quarry was ridiculously hot, and his sexiness made this read even more pleasurable. Aly Martinez scripted a memorable tale with just the right amount of chemistry, sexual tension and passion. I always savor a read layered with plot twists that have me on edge, and there was certainly no shortage of drama. Fighting Solitude was a well written, emotionally driven friends turned lovers romance that is a must read. Arc received in exchange for an honest review