Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challenge - Team Update

It's time for our Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challenge Update!

Several of us at Waves of Fiction started this reading challenge at the beginning of the year. To learn more about it, you can go HERE for the details. 

Well, this month started off pretty good, so let's share with you how much we've accomplished.

I was able to complete NINE books towards my challenge this month! My board is filling up, which is nice to see I'm making progress. So let me share with you what I completed this month:

A book published more than 10 years ago - Lord of Scoundrels
A book set in the past - The Duke and I
A book with a  color in the title - Red Lines
A book that's a stand alone title - Side Effects May Vary
A book that takes place in a small town - Finding Haven
A book set in a college - Fangirl
A book rec'ed by a friend - Snowkissed
A book that's won an award - The Raven Prince
A third book in a series - Bound by Flames

As you can see, this challenge got me back into historical fiction, and I can't wait to pick up a few more!

Last month, I mentioned I wanted to knock out some of the challenges in the "Place" category, and Outlander was at the top of my list. It still is and I'm determined to add this to my board. :) I'd also like to try a book by an Australian author, so if anyone has a good rec… please let me know! 

Wow, Arlene is smoking this challenge! I managed to get three knocked off the board. Four really if I counted a re-read, but I didn't want to do that. So here's my list:

A book with a higher than 4.25 rating on GR-Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

A book with a one word title- Hero by Samantha Young

A book by a new-to-you author- Slow Burn by K. Bromberg

I plan on getting to a book with "time travel" next month, and I'm thinking of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty for my Aussie author category.

I'm a huge slacker and didn't get to post my reads last month. So, this is me playing catch-up, and I knocked several of them off the board!

A book that’s been on your TBR more than a year: Dark Lover by JR Ward

A book with a one word title: Hero by Samantha Young

A book set in another country: The Raven by Sylvain Reynard

A book with more than 300 pages: Before I Go by Colleen Oakley

A book that takes place in a small town: I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

A third book in a series: Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren

A book set in the past: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

A book set in college: Contradictions by Tiffany King

A book with a color in the title: The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

A book you shouldn’t read in public: Going Long by Cari Quinn

A book with a rating higher than 4.25 on GR: Never Never by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

A book with a stand alone title: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Next month I plan on knocking out the New-to-Me Author book, and see what else I come up with since I'm such a moody reader.

I am so proud of my blog partners! They are knocking these categories off like crazy!! This month I did way better than last! Here's what I checked off:

A book that's a stand alone title: The Way We Bared Our Souls by Willa Strayhorn
A book set in another country: Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
A book rec'ed by a friend: Mean Streak by Sandra Brown (Thanks Rachel!)
A book that takes place in a small town: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
A book with a rating higher than 4.25 on GR: Image Eternal by Toni Decker
A book with more than 300 pages: Charisma by Jeanne Ryan
A third book in a series: Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost
A book by a new to you author: The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
A book with a place in the title: How to Win at High School by Owen Matthews

Next month I really want to try and check off a time travel book, a book set in the past, and a book that was published more than 10 years ago. Those are my toughest categories so I really want to focus on them.

Cover Reveal: Need Me by Tessa Bailey

Book Description:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tessa Bailey, comes the next fun and sexy novel in her Broke and Beautiful trilogy!

“How did this tweed-wearing English professor turn out to be my dirtiest hero ever? Cause he really is.”--Tessa Bailey

When Honey Perribow traded in her cowboy boots for stilettos and left her small Kentucky town to attend Columbia University, she never expected to find a dirt-cheap apartment or two new best friends. No stranger to hard work, Honey’s sole focus is a medical degree...until she sees newly-minted Professor, Ben Dawson, and her concentration is hijacked. Honey is fascinated by her gorgeous, young English professor and vows to find a crack his tweed-wearing, glasses-clad exterior.

While at an off campus party, an accident lands Ben in a dark, locked closet with a sexy-sounding southern belle...and their chemistry is explosive. But when he discovers that the girl in his arms is the same beautiful student he can’t stop thinking about, he is stunned. Student-teacher relationships are strictly forbidden…yet no matter how hard he tries, Ben can’t stay away from Honey.

And when his attempts to fight their attraction nearly ruin the best thing that ever happened to him, Ben will do anything to prove how much he needs her. 

About Tessa Bailey

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tessa Bailey lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Connect with Tessa Bailey:

  Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

Cover Reveal: Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I'm so excited to reveal the cover of the highly anticipated new novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do!

Goodreads

About the book:

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college, but on the heels of a disastrous breakup, she has finally returned to her hometown of Los Angeles. To celebrate her first night back, her best friend, Gabby, takes Hannah out to a bar—where she meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.
It’s just past midnight when Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. Ethan quickly offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay.Hannah hesitates.
What happens if she leaves with Gabby?What happens if she leaves with Ethan?
In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into surprisingly different stories with far-reaching consequences for Hannah and the people around her, raising questions like: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author and essayist from Acton, Massachusetts. She is the author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and her dog, Rabbit. You can follow her on Twitter @TJenkinsReid.

MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Atria Books/Washington Square Press Paperback | 352 pages | ISBN:  9781476776880 | July 7, 2015 | $16.00

 

eBook: Atria Books/Washington Square Press | 352 pages | ISBN: 9781476776897 | July 7, 2015 | $11.99

FIND TAYLOR ONLINE:

http://www.taylorjenkinsreid.com/

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Cover Reveal: Under the Influence by L.B. Simmons

Dalton,

I loved you once. A love I thought irrevocable. A love I mistakenly believed could transcend both time and circumstance. Under the influence of my dimwitted, naïve, traitorous heart, I became intoxicated with what I now know was simply a figment of my self-indulgent imagination. So drunk on the feeling, I couldn’t see what was right in front of my face. So foolishly enamored, I blindly followed my heart into the depths of an emotion that would ravage me. 

Years later, I know now what I wish I knew then. I am stronger. Smarter. Tougher. I will not allow myself to be broken again. 

I loved you.

I raged for you.

I wept for you.

And now, I’m letting you go.

Author’s Note:  Under the Influence is the journey of two childhood friends that spans the course of five pivotal years in their lives. It is a story about their discovery of true friendship as it blossoms into first love, their experience of crucial sacrifice and ultimate betrayal, and their endurance of agonizing heartbreak on the way to finding lasting redemption.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Make sure to sign-up HERE for L. B Simmons newsletter for exclusive sneak peaks into 

Under the Influence and a first look at Chapter 1.

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds a degree in Biomedical Science.  She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years.  She lives with her husband and three daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

FACEBOOK   TWITTER  TSU   WEBSITE   GOODREADS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Review: Slow Burn by K. Bromberg

Slow Burn (Driven #5) by K. Bromberg

Publication Date: February 24th 2015 by Signet

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Driven series. 

One Night. That's all it was supposed to be.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while....There weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked....

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?

My Thoughts:

Slow Burn was an emotional read, dealing with a subject that’s very personal to me. 

Haddie Montgomery is determined to be a “no strings” kind of girl, but her resolve to remain emotionally detached is put to the test when she has a drunken night of hot sex with Beckett Daniels. Becks is different from the bad boy type of guy she’s normally attracted to, but that doesn’t change the fact that he completely gets under her skin.  Still, in spite of the intense pull he has on her, Haddie pushes and fights the connection they have. 

Becks knew better than to sleep with, Haddie, even if he is powerfully attracted to her.  He knew he’d just want more, but didn’t realize how addictive Haddie would be. Becks can’t forget her, and doesn’t like that she keeps pushing him away, in denial of the fact that they have something worth taking an emotional risk.

I went into this story without knowing what Haddie’s issue was, and had I known I probably would’ve passed on reading Slow Burn.  It’s something I’ve been affected by and I usually don’t like reading about it. But by the time it was revealed I was invested in the story and so I plowed ahead anyhow.  I felt Haddie’s fears profoundly because I struggle with them myself, but at the same time I was so frustrated with her for much of this read it diminished my enjoyment greatly. I don’t like non-communication or lies, and basically Haddie shut everyone out, choosing to face things alone emotionally, and I just did not get this, at all.  She ran hot and cold with Becks for most of the story and I just wanted to shake her.  Supposedly Haddie lives by the motto “Time is precious. Waste it wisely” but in my opinion she did everything to screw Becks and her precious time up completely!

“God, you stubborn, fucking woman. Quit being a martyr. What’s best is you letting me make my own goddamn decisions and for you to stop lying to me so that I can.” Amen Becks!

“All I know is that protecting someone from the truth is just another way of shutting them out.”

My other complaint was that the internal thoughts from our characters were too long winded and would’ve benefited from some editing down.  I ended up skimming these after a while.  But that’s my personal opinion, and other readers may not mind this.

The saving grace to Slow Burn was Becks.  I absolutely LOVED him! He was so patient, determined and way more understanding than I would’ve been at times.  He was also sexy as hell! I will say their chemistry was off-the-charts, and Ms. Bromberg has a way with building sexual tension to make the scenes panty melting hot! 

Even though this wasn’t a total win for me, I did enjoy Slow Burn and it really moved me emotionally.  I was crying off and on for the last 25%, but I was very pleased with how it all turned out.

3 Suns

-Read a book by a new-to-you author

Connect with K. Bromberg:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Release Day: A Stone in the Sea by A.L. Jackson

He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?

iBooks

EXCERPT

With a smile, I turned around, then froze when my sight registered the obscured figure leaning against the wall. A strangled gasp caught in my throat, and my heart took off at a sprint, blood pounding hard in my ears.

Pushing from the wall, he stepped from the shadows, his hands again stuffed deep in his pockets.

My heart rate only increased, the energy radiating from him almost as strong as the disappointment he’d left me with when he’d gone.

I pressed my hand to my chest to try to still the panic thundering against my ribs. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” The words were soft. “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

But he did. I was scared of what he was capable of doing to me, the way I knew he held the power to trounce all over this hammering heart, to hold it in his hand and crush it into a million unrecognizable pieces.

“What are you doing here?” I asked on a shaky breath.

He looked to the sky and exhaled heavily, before he leveled his gaze back on me. “The same thing I’m doing every night, Shea. Thinking about you and wondering why the hell I can’t stop.”

My stomach flipped, and I gulped for air.

“What do you want from me?”

He laughed, lifted his elbows out to his sides in a helpless gesture without pulling his hands free. “Dinner?”

Nonsensical laughter shot from me. “At three in the morning?”

“Breakfast?” he amended, a coy smile pulling at his full, crooked lips.

Tingles spread across my skin, and I ran my hands up my bare arms. “I already told you I don’t have time for distractions.”

“Come on, Shea. It’s just food. Go out with me. Just tonight.”

Somehow I knew it was a lie, even though he wanted to believe it was true.

Nervously, I glanced to the back door all the while being inexplicably drawn to this man I didn’t even know. I knew I should make a break for it, run for the safety of my little world and give him no opportunity to rip it apart.

“I am hungry,” I found myself saying. After a long night of work, it was true. But it had nothing to do with the reason I was giving in.

Because I just wanted to…

I shook my head.

That was it. I just wanted. I wanted to be in his space. I wanted to understand why he had this pull on me. I wanted him.

Even though I’d never allow myself to have him.

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A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014. 

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties anrd joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves. 

 FACEBOOK  TWITTER  GOODREADS  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  

  WEBSITE PINTEREST  TSU

Review: The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) by Julia Quinn

 

The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) by Julia Quinn

Published June 27th 2006 by Avon

Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?
— Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister, the lovely—and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it's all an elaborate plan to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a complete sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her... but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke... for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love...

My Thoughts

Lovely story! Simon and Daphne made a charming couple. I truly enjoyed my time with them!

Simon, the Duke of Hastings, is adamant about not marrying and keeping his deceased father’s title and land in the family. After a life-long struggle with dealing with a father that was ashamed of him because of his speech impediment, Simon has no wishes to honor the Hastings’ title and land, nor keep it in the family through a proper marriage. However, when an opportunity arises to keep himself out of the clutches of the ton who would love to arrange him with a suitable lady, Simon hatches a plan with Daphne Bridgerton where they strike up a false courtship in order to attract suitors for the lovely Daphne and keep them away from Simon. When their plan starts to fall to pieces, partly because they start to fall for one another, they are each forced to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for the other in the name of love.

I enjoyed how the entire story just flowed with a steady sense of continuation. There was not one moment of downtime between the parties, the courtship, the family outings and the ongoing development of Daphne and Simon’s relationship. These two characters kept me engaged in their story and captivated by their romance. Together they made a great pair and despite each of their mistakes, I couldn’t help but hope that their relationship would thrive at the end.

Throughout the book, The Society Papers were fun to read at the beginning of each chapter. I’m sure the clue was right in front of me as to who The Author was, but I’m not sure if Lady Whistledown was possibly Lady Danbury or maybe even Daphne’s mother. That was a fun mystery I wasn’t able to solve.

Daphne’s family dynamics was an interesting part of the story. I loved how the eight siblings watched out for each other and clearly cared for one another very deeply. It was a sad contrast to Simon’s life where he didn’t have a family. Having eight siblings, I liked how Julia Quinn named them from A through H. I actually kept track of all of them (Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth), which was easy because of their unique personalities. Lovely family!

I would have wished that Simon had read the final letters from his father, but I guess that’s for another time.

As a historical romance, The Duke and I has all of the right elements to make the experience rich and grandeur in nature. Well done!

4 Suns

Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challenge 

- Read a book set in the past.

Promo & Giveaway: Fading Out by Trisha Wolfe

I enjoyed Trisha Wolfe's first book in this series, The Darkest Part, so I'm excited to take part in the tour for Fading Out. This tour is hosted by AToMR tours and you can find the tour schedule by clicking HERE.  I have some juicy quotes to share as well a giveaway, so be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post to enter for a chance to win! 

Fading Out (Living Heartwood #3) by Trisha Wolfe

Publication Date: February 18th 2015 

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

About the book: 

Love means fading out so another shines brighter.

Right clothes. Right school. Right fiancé. As a Wyndemere, Arian’s expected to abide by the rules. The most important: be perfect. But Arian’s seemingly flawless life is far from it. An embarrassing expulsion from her parents’ alma mater spirals an already unhealthy obsession out of control, exposing a dark truth.

Faced with having to attend a small private college after a stint in rehab, Arian’s just ready to coast under the radar and repair some of the wreckage, but her father’s looming control is like a vise choking off her air supply.

When a run-in with Braxton’s beloved star quarterback, Ryder Nash, puts Arian squarely in the crosshairs of his devoted teammates, the last of her controlled, orderly world unhinges. As the pranks and paybacks escalate, Arian and Ryder’s rivalry takes a passionate turn. And once Arian glimpses beneath the all-star-athlete exterior Ryder projects, she realizes he’s far more than just a jock.

As their relationship intensifies, outside forces feel the threat. Outrunning their pasts doesn’t mean history won’t repeat itself, but Ryder can’t let that happen. He’s just one Championship game away from breaking the mold. Only one moment, one choice, might change everything.

Told from both Arian's and Ryder's POV. New Adult Contemporary Romance intended for readers 17 years of age and older.

Book #1

Released: August 2013

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play

Can be read as a stand - alone.

Pressing the boundaries of both the psyche and the heart, Sam and Holden embark on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of love.

Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?

When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip.

On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.

Book #2

Released: October 2014

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play

Can be read as a stand-alone.

Sometimes you have to lose your way before finding the right track.

The roar of a bike engine. The vibration between her thighs. The feel of cool darkness kissing her skin as she coasts along twisty back roads at night—Melody Lachlan lives for these things. Ever since Mel and her best friend Darla escaped their small, backwoods town, they’ve traveled the countryside in search of fast rides, tatted bikers, and good times.

A self-proclaimed poet and lover of all things free, Mel views her life as one long bike ride—with pit stops along the way to numb the pain. But she never saw herself as a junkie. Party as hard as you ride. That’s her motto…until a tragic night steals her soul. Then she’s forced to delve below the surface, to where her demons rage.

When she meets recovered drug addict Boone Randall, she’s more likely to deck him than kiss his dimple-adorable face. She doesn’t want his help; doesn’t want to own up to her part in that night. She just wants to do her time and keep her promise to her friend. Yet Boone challenges Mel, and soon she doesn’t mind sharing the road. Only when Boone’s own secret demons threaten their newfound, fragile security, Mel’s course becomes rocky, and she must decide if letting her well-worn track marks fade is worth finding a new path.

The Living Heartwood series:

The Darkest Part (Book 1) – Amazon / Goodreads

Losing Track (Book 2) – Amazon / Goodreads

Fading Out (Book 3) – Amazon/ Goodreads (Coming 2015)

Bad Road (Book 4) – Goodreads (Coming 2015)

About the Author

From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

For more information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit her Website.

To be the first to hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe'sNewsletter

Author’s Social Media Links

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Trisha’s Heartwood Pack (Facebook Group)

A Living Heartwood Necklace:

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Review: Hero by Samantha Young

Hero by Samantha Young

Publication Date: February 3rd 2015 by NAL

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo 

About the book:

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed Hero far more than I expected. I’ve been at my limit for angst, and have a low tolerance for it, but somehow Samantha Young writes it in such a way that I’m not annoyed, instead I’m moved.  I was plunged into Alexa and Caine’s romance feeling everything they experienced, profoundly, right along with them. I forgot how addictive Ms. Young’s books are, so addictive that I read Hero in one day!

When Alexa Holland meets Caine Carraway for the first time she’s surprised and stunned. Not only is he handsome, and a famous self-made millionaire, he’s someone she shares a painful connection with.  Both have been hurt by the same man, Alexa’s father, but Caine doesn’t want to hear any of that. He instead lashes out and turns her life upside down. What Caine doesn’t realize is that Alexa’s is determined and she won’t go down easy.

Alexa’s persistence lands her in a position close enough for Caine to torment her on a daily basis, but it also allows her a chance to get close and correct his assumptions.  Yes, she’s attracted to him, but that’s only part of what draws her.  It’s a shared connection in pain, and Alexa wants to find a way to say sorry for all he’s gone through.  She has no hope that Caine would ever look at her, a Holland, with desire, but boy was she wrong.  They kick off on a tumultuous, passionate affair, and Alexa knows her heart is headed for a spectacular break, but oh what a ride!  

I felt more connected to Alexa than Caine, which is to be expected since the story was written from her POV.  She was patient with Caine, hoped for more when he promised nothing, and at times I wanted her to step up and stand up for herself.  BUT that may have backfired.  I don’t think Alexa would’ve wedged herself into Caine’s heart so deeply had she let her pride get in the way of her feelings for him.

I didn’t get much insight into what Caine was feeling or his motives beyond speculation on what Alexa experienced with him. But his actions spoke louder than words, and his denials of feeling more for Alexa than just a desire to screw her didn’t match his actions.  His possessiveness, protectiveness, and needy desire spoke volumes and shined light on his true feelings long before his words did.

As usual with Samantha Young, she expertly twisted my emotions, sending me on happy highs and then crushing lows before delivering a dreamy happily ever after. I loved every minute!

4 Suns

Wave of Fiction reading 2015 reading challenge:

-Read a book with a one word title. 

Connect with Samantha Young:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads