Thursday, April 30, 2015

Blog Tour & Review - Tour Giveaway: Lost Wishes (A TroubleMaker Novel) by Kelly Gendron


Lost Wishes (A TroubleMaker Novel - Stand Alone Series) by Kelly Gendron
Adult (Erotic) Contemporary Romance
Release: April 7, 2015
Purchase Links: Amazon | Amazon UK

He’s ruthless. She’s relentless.
Together, they are boundless.

Fallon O’Conner is ruthless…
Each day comes and goes without meaning
He eats, sleeps, and waits
The time is nearing to confront his wife’s killer
And nothing will stop Fallon from getting his revenge
Then, Katie Rustle comes crashing into his forsaken life…

Katie Rustle is relentless…
Her boss needs something
Fallon O’Conner has it
And Katie is just the person to get it
She’s no stranger to bad-tempered, cruel, heartless men
A man corrupted by the loss of a loved one raised her.

Warning ~ This book contains explicit sex scenes, graphic language, and is intended for mature audiences.
My Thoughts
Lost Wishes is the first novel I’ve read by Kelly Gendron, so when I received the ARC and noticed it was book five in the series, I was nervous that I’d be a little lost with the story. Well if you’re like me and haven’t started with book one of Troublemaker, rest assured. Lost Wishes can perfectly stand on its own. I had no issues falling for the characters or getting wrapped up in the storyline.

Fallon O’Connor's sole purpose for existence is to exact revenge on his wife’s killer. He’s waiting out the day when the man responsible for Hope’s death is released from prison, so he can make him pay for the loss Fallon has been suffering from for years. His life is made up of meaningless relationships and complete avoidance from family and friends.

Katie Rustle is career focused and driven to make it on her own. She knows what it’s like to not have much including the love from a father that blames her for her mother’s death. It's made her stronger and determined to build a good life for herself. When she takes on a job from her boss to retrieve some documents from Fallon, she doesn’t expect to fall into the path of someone that ignites something deep within her. She’s never known love, so what Fallon makes her feel is foreign but exciting. However, can she break down his barriers and get to the man she knows still exists beneath those layers of scorn and hurt?

I really enjoyed this novel and the characters. I loved to see Fallon interact with Twigs. This twelve year old girl was the spark that Fallon needed to keep some semblance of caring alive within him. The way he took care of her and watched out for her medical needs was heartfelt and made the story even more fulfilling.

Katie and Fallon together were a perfect pair. I felt the chemistry between them, and despite Fallon’s attempts to push Katie away I knew they would ultimately come together and make it work. As much as I wanted him to break down his walls from the beginning, I appreciated the steady and deliberate pace Gendron took to make it believable and fulfilling.

Despite not begin lost by starting with book five in the series, I did have a few questions including the need for the house deed and the back story to Fallon’s brother. I’m excited to start from book one to see how all of this unfolds from the beginning. Kelly Gendron shared a good story that made me believe in her characters and hope for their happy ending. Well done! 
4 Suns

About the Author
Kelly’s motto ~ “Bad boys, give ‘em a little time and experience, and they will evolve into misbehaving men!” Now, what hot-blooded woman doesn’t want a naughty, all grown up bad boy?

Kelly Gendron is the author of the TroubleMaker series, the new Breaking the Declan Brothers series, and a few other romantic suspense novels.

When she’s not writing steamy, blush producing romances, she’s out meeting new people while representing a group of reputable nursing facilities. You can find Kelly in a quiet suburb, somewhere between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, and if you Google her, she’ll pop up there, too. And, please do find her. Kelly loves to hear from her readers, and meeting new people.

TOUR GIVEAWAY: (1) AMAZON Fire HD 6 tablet (US WINNER)  or  (1) $100 USD Amazon Gift Card (INTERNATIONAL WINNER
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

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. 

With four months since we started, all of us have made some pretty good progress. So let's see what we've accomplished this month!

This month I was able to complete the last three challenge items on my board, so I've completely finished this challenge!! Here's what I had left:
A book that's been on my TBR more than a year - Sentinel by Jennifer Armentrout
A book set in Scotland - On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
A book by an Australian Author - Lick by Kylie Scott
I really had a great time doing this reading challenge. What I liked most was jumping into genres I haven't read for a while like historical romances and tackling some books that have been on my TBR for a while such as Outlander and Sentinel. I'll probably spend the rest of the year exploring more books that fall into these same categories.

A third book in a series - Blind Faith by Rebecca Zanetti
A book set in a college - Before I Fall by Jessica Scott
A book that's been in your TBR more than a year - Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs
A book with a color in the title - Silver Bastard by Joanna Wylde
I seriously thought I only knocked off two in the reading challenge this last month, but I was happy to find four! I didn't consciously pick books this last month because I've been really busy.  I have a book picked out for my Time Travel choice, so I'll have to get to that one soon.

Once again, I was a slacker and didn't post my challenge last month. And sadly, between March & April I didn't get as many books read as I hoped. I've got several books on my TBR list planned for the challenge and hope to read them soon!


A book rec’ed by a friend: Reasonable Doubt by Whitney Garcia Williams
A book by a new-to-you author: Arouse by Nina Lane
A book with a number in the title: TheFive Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson

This month I have held pretty steady. I didn't finish as many as I had hoped, but at this pace I will definitely finish this challenge and I am proud of that.  Congrats to Arlene for kicking this challenges bookies!!  Great job Arlene!
Okay here's what I managed to knock off this month..
A book that has won as award--A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
A book that you shouldn't read in public--Crash & Burn by Abigail Roux
A book that has been on your tbr for over a year--On the Edge by Ilona Andrews




Sunday, April 26, 2015

Review: The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen 
Published March 22nd 2011 by Bantam
The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.

Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever. 
My Thoughts
“…If you’re lucky enough to find [true friendship], you hold on to it, hold on and never let it go…”

The Peach Keeper isn’t the first novel I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing by Sarah Addison Allen. I’ve read The Girl Who Chased the Moon and Garden Spells by her as well. However, I have to say that The Peach Keeper is by far my favorite.

This novel takes place in Walls of Water, North Carolina at a time when the Woman’s Society Club is planning their 75 Annual Gala. The Osgood family has decided to renovate The Blue Ridge Madame mansion, which is a historical landmark for the town. This grand home was abandoned when the Jackson family lost the house due to financial struggles. What Paxton, the current President to the Woman’s Club, doesn’t know are the deep seeded secrets that are buried in the house. They are soon unearthed when her brother comes to town to finish the agricultural renovations and uproots the peach tree on the property. When they dig a bit further, a human skeleton is revealed and the mystery of the place becomes the talk of the town.

I absolutely enjoyed this cast driven novel that revolved around the next generation children of the town that are in their early thirties. The Joker (Willa), Stickman (Colin), The Princess (Paxton), and The Freak (Sebastian) were a perfectly blended group of protagonists that each commanded the stage with their intriguing stories. I loved the chemistry between them and the way they ultimately formed a tight unit.

I also enjoyed the magical element infused in the novel. You had woman involuntarily admitting secrets, misplaced invitations, store bells ringing at random moments, party streamers floating in the air and let’s not forget the unique scents of lemon, cut grass, donuts and so much more that permeated the town.

The Peach Keeper is light, whimsical and romantic all at the same time, but at the core, it’s a story about the importance of friendship. True win in my book!
4 Suns

Friday, April 24, 2015

Review: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

On Dublin Street (On Dublin Street #1) by Samantha Young
Published August 31st 2012 (first published July 2nd 2012)
Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.
My Thoughts
Surprisingly addictive. Not what I expected at all!
I’ve had On Dublin Street on my TBR for quite some time and kept putting it off because for some reason I thought it would be more of an urban fantasy book. I’m not quite sure why but I was clearly wrong! This novel is filled with immediately likable characters that don't have super powers, great dialog and an interesting plot that kept me engaged.

Jocelyn Butler suffered a very tragic loss at a young age that had her finishing out her teenage years in foster homes. As soon as she was able, she packed her bags and left the U.S. and headed for her mother’s homeland of Scotland. There she finished her studies and made a concerted effort to never get too close to anyone for fear of suffering from a loss again - that all comes to a crashing halt when she meets the gorgeous and determined Braden Carmichael.

Braden always gets his way, but he doesn’t expect the challenge he faces with Jocelyn. As they enter into a steamy relationship, they each begin to form deeper feelings for each other. However, where Braden is open to seeing where this will all go, Jocelyn can’t seem to let her demons go and experience what it’s like to finally love someone.

There’s no denying that Jocelyn was a very volatile and moody character. However, I understood completely why she was the way she was and I sympathized with her struggles. I appreciated her efforts to face her demons and I wanted to hug her when she finally faced the fact that she was in pretty deep with Braden. What I loved most about her, was the evident character development she displayed from beginning to end. She showed true growth and I feel she deserved her ultimate ending.

Braden was a bit of a shock to my system. It’s been a while since I’ve read about an alpha-type male and I’ll be honest… they tend to be a hit or a miss for me. However, Braden was just awesome. I loved his persistent and honesty with Jocelyn, and I’m glad he didn’t give up when she tried to erect some walls to keep herself safe.

“I feel like I'm missing something really important when you're gone. So important I don't feel like myself. I've never felt like someone was mine before. But you're mine, Jocelyn. I've known that from the moment we met. And I'm yours. I don't want to be anyone else's, babe.” ~Braden

Overall, On Dublin Street was a pleasant surprise and considering it’s the first novel I’ve read by this author, it’s safe to say she’s earned a new fan. Can’t wait to pick up more books by Samantha Young.
4 Suns

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Published January 13th 2015 by Riverhead Books
A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

A compulsively readable, emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller that draws comparisons to Gone Girl, The Silent Wife, or Before I Go to Sleep, this is an electrifying debut embraced by readers across markets and categories.

My Thoughts
I’m not a huge fan of psychological thrillers or murder mysteries, but this book really captured my interest! I kept seeing the title pop up on my feed, so when I had an opportunity to grab the audio from Overdrive, I jumped right on it. Again, this is a novel where the audio version probably enhances the experience of the story. Very well narrated!

The Girl on the Train is definitely an extreme exercise in character connection and believability. The story is told from three different POVs, and frankly I didn't know who to rely on for the truth. Rachel, Anna and Megan each commanded the stage with their stories, but only one earned my compassion.

Rachel is the primary protagonist of the story. She travels the London train every morning and late afternoon in commute to a job she lost months ago, but must keep up the façade as to not alarm her flatmate about the true dire situation she is in. Rachel’s life took a downward spiral a couple of years ago when her husband cheated on her, got another woman pregnant and married her to start a new life. This all happened at a time when Rachel was struggling to conceive causing her to resort to drinking. On the train, Rachel sees the neighborhood she once lived in and begins to make up stories about a couple she sees inhabiting a home a few houses down from where she once lived.

Megan is a trouble young lady who is married to a possessive and jealous husband. She has a troubled past and begins to see a therapist for her issues. The relationship gets complicated, Megan goes missing and everyone suspects the husband of foul play. Oh and did I mention, this is the couple Rachel fantasizes has the ideal life?

Anna is the selfish, self center woman that stole Rachel’s husband and is living the perfect life with Thomas, but not without occasional run-ins with Rachel.

All three women, none of whom appear to be reliable in their narration, share their story in unique yet captivating voices. The plot circles around a missing Megan and the events that led up to her disappearance as well as the investigation that was blotched from the very beginning. As the mystery unfolded, I was absolutely intrigued, and the ultimate ending had me shaking my head in slight disbelieve and mild gratification.

The Girl on the Train is not one to pass by on the station. Solid storytelling with twists and turns that keep it exciting and intense!
4 Suns


Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Cover Reveal: Shattered Lies by Theresa Sederholt

Book: Shattered Lies
Author: Theresa Sederholt
Genre: Contemporary Romance Releases 29th April 2015
Pre-order links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1IpWCTA
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1OqSa8R
Synopsis:
Lies are shattered, leaving death and destruction in its path. To save a child, they must make a deal with the devil himself.

They had a plan: two days—get in, ask the questions, and get out. Seemed simple enough. But you know what they say about best laid plans. Life always seems to get in the way of living.

Revenge can be such a bitter pill to swallow, costing others to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Jax’s need for control slowly slips through his fingers as Raven’s past attempts to steal their future.

Will Maxwell be able to hang on to his happily ever after, or will it be cruelly snatched away, yet again?
Author Bio:
I was born in Brooklyn New York. I am old enough to know there is no luggage rack on the hearse. I am married to a Professional Chef. 

I have a son who is a Research Chemist and a wine maker. Yep I'm covered from the food to the drinks. I have 2 dogs Vito and Godiva. 

I live in the United States. I've had so many different jobs, even I can't keep count. 

I believe if you give a girl espresso and Nutella she can change the world!
Social Links:
Join the Release Day party for exclusive giveaways:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1618302981719145/
BOOK 1: The Unraveling of Raven
Amazon.co.uk - http://amzn.to/1IEnhiS
Book 2:  Darkness into Dawn

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Release Day Launch Review & Giveaway: Asa by Jay Crownover

Asa RDL Banner
 

I'm excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Jay Crownover's ASA because I adore Jay's writing. ASA is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel being published by HarperCollins & it is the 6th book in The Marked Men Series.  Below you'll find my review, an excerpt and a couple of teasers to whet your appetite. There's also an awesome giveaway of $25 at either Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner's choice), so be sure to scroll down to the bottom to enter for a chance to win.

ASA
 

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound ** Other

About ASA:

Jay Crownover’s New York TimesandUSA TodaybestsellingMarked Menseries continues with the much anticipated story of southern charmer and certified criminal Asa Cross.
Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best. Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak. A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.  

My Thoughts:
Picking up Asa, I was a little unsure that I’d fall for him, because he was a serious jerk in the past. He was out for himself and didn’t care who he conned or took advantage of to get what he wanted. I should’ve never doubted because I fell hard for Asa! He was a different guy, sorry for the past and sweet with a little wicked thrown in!

Asa learned his lesson, almost dying in the process, and now he beats himself up over all the sins he committed. Asa loathes what he once was, and carries a load of guilt that just about suffocates him.  Thing are about to change when Royal steps into his life. She’s beautiful and has been coming onto him hot and heavy, but he knows something’s off with her, and doesn’t want to be the reckless mistake she comes to regret.  A man only has so much willpower in the face someone as drop dead gorgeous and sexy as Royal.

Royal is a cop drowning in guilt over an incident that got her partner shot and another officer killed.  She keeps showing up at The Bar, the place where Asa works, causing trouble and throwing herself at him at every turn. Unfortunately, for Royal, Asa has found his conscience and no longer takes advantage of vulnerable women so he keeps rebuffing her attempts.  She knows she should stop, he’s a criminal, a reformed one, but being an officer she should still stay far away, but he’s just too much of a temptation for her.

I’m happy that Royal woke up to the senselessness of her pity party pretty quickly.  This is mostly because she sees how Asa beats himself up over the past all the time:

I wanted to tell him that watching him torture himself over things he couldn’t ever change had given me perspective I so desperately needed, but I knew enough to know we weren’t there yet.

Royal tries to help Asa see that the past is the past and there’s nothing you can do about it, the way to show you’ve changed is by how you live now and in the future:

“There are amazing things happening right here in the moment with us, Asa. It would be a real bummer for you to miss any of them because you can’t let go of the past and because you’re too busy trying to sabotage the future.”

Royal knows they won’t work if Asa can’t forgive himself and move on.

Asa and Royal’s romance was super hot! Asa had that sweet, sexy Southern drawl that could melt the panties off a nun, and he definitely knew how to turn on the charm when he wanted to. He could be wickedly mischievous too, and the combination was dead sexy! Royal is definitely a match for Asa though, she was a strong confident woman who wanted people to see her for her merits and personality rather than the stunning good looks she was born with.  She pushes all of Asa’s hot buttons in the very best way!

Asa is the last book of the Marked Men series and so it was sweet getting to see the other couples and their happy, life changing events in Asa and Royal’s story.  They’re given a lot of page time so fans of the series sort of get an extra epilogue in a way.  I loved that all these people are a support system even if they’re not all flesh and blood family.  It was a satisfying conclusion, and I look forward to Jay Crownover’s next project!

4 Suns





  Asa Teaser 2

    EXCERPT:
I pulled the Nova to a stop in front of a duplex that had clearly seen better days. It wasn’t a rusted-out trailer in Kentucky, but it might as well have been. I turned off the ignition and sat back in the seat so I could turn to look at Ayden. She was watching me carefully and I could see how frustrated she was with the entire conversation in the way her shoulders were tensed up and the way her hands had curled into tight balls on her lap. It was the way she used to look whenever I got into trouble and she had to do something desperate and drastic to get me out of it. I reached out a hand and put it on top of her fists.
“I died in that hospital, Ayd. There were no angels playing harps. There was no redemption and repentance. I died and it was very clear that I was going to get exactly the kind of fate I had been courting with all the messed-up shit I had been doing to other people. All I could see was every wrong I had ever committed and every bad decision I had ever made exploding all around me. For once I could see how all of that affected you. I was dying, and I knew what was waiting for me on the other side, yet I couldn’t go knowing that was all you were going to have to remember me by. I had to come back and give you something else to hold on to, some kind of good memory to go with the endless miles of bad I laid at your feet. I wanted to have the chance to show you I could be the kind of brother you deserved all along, so no, I didn’t save myself—you saved me. Just like you’ve always done for my entire life.”
I saw her bottom lip tremble until she snapped her teeth around it to keep it still. Her fists unclenched below my palm and she curled her shaking fingers around my hand and her already husky voice rasped with even more emotion when she told me what I think I had needed to hear from her all along.
“I have always been proud that you’re my brother, Asa. Yes, there have been times in the past I would have gladly fed you to the wolves, and it’s no secret that I had to leave home because I didn’t know what to do to help you anymore, but we both made it out alive and are better people for it. I know you’re sorry for the way things went down when we were younger, but I need you to open your eyes and take some credit for the way you have turned it around to make things the way they are now. I’ve long since come to terms with the Asa from my childhood. What I want to do is love the Asa that’s here with me now. You need to let go of those boulders weighted with all the bad things from past that are dragging you down before you get crushed under them.”
It was eerily similar to what Royal had been telling me the deeper and deeper I sank in with her. I don’t think I was ready to let any part of those stones go just yet, but a sexy redhead was slowly and surely eroding bits and pieces of the rock the more and more time I spent with her. By the time she was done, maybe she would be able to carve out something that was worthwhile, something that didn’t eviscerate me to look at.
I leaned over enough that I could kiss Ayden right on the center of her forehead between her midnight eyebrows and I felt her let out a shuddering sigh.
“I’m never going to let you down again, Ayd. That is the one and only thing in the entire world that I can promise and know it’s a promise I will keep.”
We stared at each other for a long and silent moment. The seriousness of the words I had said to her and the fact that I could see that she understood that I really, truly meant them finally worked to absolve me of some of the guilt that seemed to suffocate me whenever I thought about the things she had done to keep me safe.
  
  Passionate lovers are having sex in the bathroom  

And don’t miss the previous books in The Marked Men Series!

 
Rule

RULE

 
Jet

JET

 
Rome

ROME

 
Nash

NASH

 
Rowdy

ROWDY

 Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series. She also introduced the dark and sexy world of The Point that started with BETTER WHEN HE's BAD and is currently working on her newest series The Saints of Denver. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Connect with Jay:
 





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Monday, April 20, 2015

Review: First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond
Published December 30th 2013 by Little, Brown and Company
An extraordinary portrait of true love that will move anyone who has a first love story of their own. Axi Moore is a "good girl": She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn't tell anyone how all she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson--who she also happens to be madly in love with.


When Axi spontaneously invites Robinson to come with her on an impulsive cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules for the first time in her life. But the adventure quickly turns from carefree to out of control after the teens find themselves on the run from the police. And when Robinson suddenly collapses, Axi has to face the truth that this trip might be his last.

A remarkably moving tale very personal to James Patterson's own past, FIRST LOVE is testament to the power of first love--and how it can change the rest of your life. 

My Thoughts
Short yet sweet story about two young people who fall in love despite the challenges they hope to outrun.

I came across First Love and for a couple of reasons it caught my attention. First, I’ve seen it compared to the The Fault in Our Stars many times and second, there was a road trip in the story. Putting these two elements together, I was sure First Lovewould capture my interest.

In this novel, Axi Moore and her best friend Robinson decide to throw caution to the wind and take an epic road trip while time is still on their side. This decision is huge because everyone knows that Axi is the straight and narrow girl who gets good grades and always does what is expected of her. Her best friend Robinson is the charming boy who can get away with murder and charm the pants off of anyone.

As they make their plans and travel from the west to east coast, we get to experience Axi and Robinson’s love unfold along with the reasons that brought them together.

There were a few things that seemed a bit choppy with this story. I was surprised the author didn’t bother to make the story more believable when it came to the road trip and Robinson’s condition. I find it hard to believe that two teenagers can do so much in three weeks on such limited funds, as well as committing a few crimes along the way. What also caught me off guard was the sudden and drastic decline of Robinson’s condition. If this novel were a bit longer and better developed, I think their story would have been more plausible and believable.

Overall, this was a quick and heartfelt story despite its flaws. I’m always a sucker for dramatic endings and romance, so it wasn’t too bad… just could have been so much better.
3 Suns