For Finlay by J. Nathan

* * * 1/2

Finlay Thatcher is a lost soul, guilt-ridden after the death of her twin brother. When Alabama's football coach gives her the opportunity to work for him, she knows it's her chance to move on, even if it means living her brother's dream. 

Caden Brooks is Alabama's star quarterback. He's got it all. The attention of adoring fans. A girlfriend who'd do anything to hold on to him. And a future in the pros. He's getting along just fine until Finlay steps into his life, despising him at first sight and pushing his buttons like no other. 

Unfortunately for Finlay, and her attempt to keep Caden at arm's length, there's nothing Caden loves more than a challenge. The problem with this challenge is she comes with a secret that has the power to destroy everything.


*Source: advance e-galled provided in exchange for an honest review


What is it about cocky college jocks that get us so excited? Perhaps we like when they meet their match in fiery, independent women they fall for? I think that's it for me. 

Finlay is a heartbroken freshman who's attending the school that her brother should be at. But he's not there and she is. So she resolves to live out his dream for both of them. Finlay sees it as repentance for the way their relationship went south. Caden, the star quarterback, is the focus of all her ire. He doesn't know why but he likes that she's feisty and doesn't take crap from anyone, including the guys on the football team. If anything, it's refreshing that she speaks her mind and doesn't glom on to everything he says and does the way most people do, especially girls. Especially his girlfriend. The fact that she knows and understands football only adds to her cool factor. Too bad she finds him repulsive. Or so he thinks. Finlay works hard to keep him at a distance but even she can't resist that he's fundamentally a decent guy. But she won't divulge too much about herself because that's personal and the truth is too painful. Developing a friendship with Caden feels like the ultimate betrayal to the memory of her brother. Sheesh, things are complicated.

This is my third J. Nathan novel and I pounced on the opportunity to read it. There's something different about her new adult novels that I like. In this case, I liked how she wrote Caden. Sure, he's a bit cocky and his innuendos are typical of a jock I suppose, but he's a good guy from the get go. Most importantly, is he's not a player. So when he finds himself falling for a particularly smart but stubborn water girl, he makes the necessary changes in his life to accommodate that. Don't get me wrong, he's a knucklehead, too but then so is Finlay, and their stupidity comes into play later. The in between is filled with sexual tension, humour, and bittersweet memories. 

I liked For Finlay; it's a quick, fun read that also has its emotional moments. And I will always say yes to a J. Nathan book.

~ Bel

We're celebrating the release of For Finlay with a giveway. Click here to enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of For Finlay!

The Friend Zone (Game On #2) by Kristen Callihan

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The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…

Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to get himself out of the friend zone and into Ivy’s heart. Game on.

There is no shortage of heat in The Friend Zone as this one picks up with Drew’s best friend and teammate, Gray. We were given a tempting glimpse in The Hook Up, and the wait was well worth it!

Where Drew’s confidence makes him oh so irresistible, Gray’s humor charms effortlessly and it’s one of the reasons why Ivy falls so hard for him. They have a bizarre start to their friendship when her dad, the sports agent trying to woo Gray, lends him her car while she’s away in England. Her car which happens to be very pink, is her baby. So she sends Gray a text warning him of consequences if any damage comes to it. Thus begins a peculiar but fun relationship through texts where they come to look forward to daily updates, bad jokes and anecdotes from each other..

Ivy returns State-side and finally meets Gray. Being face-to-face is rather intimidating considering how emotionally intimate they’d become. One thing’s for sure, they cannot keep their eyes of each other but they’re off limits. Ivy has plans to return to England and manage her mother’s bakeries while Gray has graduation and his career to think of. Also, Ivy has made a point of staying away from the sports world that her father lives and breathes. She eyes it with bitterness as something that’s kept him away from his family. That and the many temptations that her father experienced throughout his career have made her very skeptical of being in a long-term relationship with an athlete. As for Gray, he’s vague about his his post-college plans with good reason. He just hasn’t bothered to share that with anyone else yet.

In spite of these hurdles, Ivy and Gray’s encounters are often sexually-charged and hysterical. They get on easily and genuinely enjoy being together. They just refuse to be official.

Compared to The Hook Up, I felt The Friend Zone had more laughs due to Ivy and Gray’s playful natures. One particular outing at a bar provided a very audible laugh-out-loud moment that still makes me giggle hard. And as with The Hook Up, they’re faced with a life-changing event that could make or break them. 

The bigger question by the end of this book for fans of this series is are you Team Drew or Team Gray? I know I went into this thinking that there was no way anyone could usurp Drew in my heart but Gray has made a serious play for my affection. I mean, who knew the guys was so smart? Thank goodness this is just a fictional quandary!

If you’re into college sports romances and love knowing that there’s more to these hot athletes than just their looks and sexual prowess, then The Friend Zone is one that you just have to read!

~ Bel

Since Drew by J. Nathan

* * * 1/2

All Andi Parker has ever wanted, all she’s ever dreamed of, is a spot on the Olympic track team. But when an accident leaves her hospitalized with serious injuries and shattered dreams, she’s not only uncertain what her future holds but also completely alone.

Drew Slater is a wanted man. Professional football teams want him for his arm. Women want him for his good looks and magnetic personality. But the well-crafted disguise he wears, the one that helps him score on and off the field, hides secrets. Conceals lies. Threatens the happiness of everyone around him.

One chance encounter brings Andi and Drew together, changing their worlds in ways they never thought possible. Unfortunately, what they thought they knew about themselves—and about each other—might just be the biggest lie of all.

I will admit without shame that it was this ridiculously fit guy on the cover that drew my attention to this book. Seriously, this guy is ripped! I didn’t even pretend to read the blurb on what this story was about!  I’m glad I didn’t though because it allowed me to just enjoy the story as it unfolded.

Since Drew is about one ambitious athlete who meets another disillusioned one because of an unfortunate accident. Andi, who has dreamed of being an Olympian all her life and has worked towards that goal with fervent determination, finds herself banged up in the hospital after being hit by car while on a run. Drew, a talented and hotly-pursued college football star whose next move could make or break his career, is also in the hospital but won’t disclose why he’s there.  They’re accidentally put in the same room together which is how these two very different individuals are thrown into each other’s orbit.

All Andi can think about is how soon she can return to running. Not even an injury as significant as hers can deter her from her plans. Drew’s presence and nonchalance around the hospital is a distraction from her boredom, their banter keeping her from going crazy. Drew confides his deepest thoughts to her about the pressures he’s under to make a decision about his football future. So much is riding on him going pro that he doesn’t think that choosing to do what he believes will make him happy is even an option.  It’s so different from Andi’s world where she’s in control of her own future.

There’s obviously a mutual attraction here and they enjoy baiting each other.  Sometimes I did wonder how it could be real because some of the conversations and actions bordered on unbelievable.  But that’s where J. Nathan cleverly turned things upside down steering the storyline in a new direction. When this happens, Andi has to work twice as hard at her connection with Drew. Even when a breakthrough comes, there’s still the danger of a bigger secret coming out, and when it does it could be worse than the accident that changed Andi’s life.

Andi and Drew go through some heavy stuff together. Andi has always known what she has wanted to do and has always had the backing of her family. Drew has never had that. Andi bolsters his confidence and gives him the stability he needs. In turn, Drew shows Andi that her life isn’t over just because she can’t compete for the Olympic team this time around.  It’s just wait and see as to whether they can survive through the changes in their lives and the secret that threatens them.

Since Drew has all the sizzle and funny get-to-know-you moments you’ll enjoy. It also has moments anyone can appreciate. Who hasn’t gone through setbacks, disappointments, indecision and uncertainty? Who hasn’t been afraid to voice the truth and go for what they really want?  Behind this gorgeous cover, is a story well worth getting into!

~ Bel

Check out an excerpt and enter the giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy of Since Drew. The giveaway is open internationally. Enter here! 

The Hook Up (Game On #1) by Kristen Callihan

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The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she's shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It's a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on.

New Adult/Contemporary Romance with a HEA - Recommended for readers 17 and older.

Look at this cover and you'll know immediately why I was encouraged to read this. If you're wanting a sizzling hot read, look no further because The Hook Up will have you squealing and biting down on your knuckles.

Anna and Drew first run into each other in their Philosophy class. They’re complete strangers who take no note of each other until Anna speaks and then Drew is mesmerized. Their physical attraction is instantaneous. Hell, by the time the prologue was done, I was mesmerized! Callihan doesn’t waste any time when it comes down to the action. Honestly, some of the scenes were so freaking hot, like your ereader could short-circuit and it's hard to contain yourself, they're so unbelievably hot!

These two kind of start their unconventional relationship backwards. It’s totally physical at first but then as much as Anna tries to maintain some control to keep it as just that, there’s no escaping Drew's charisma. And Drew is turned upside down by this girl who wants absolutely nothing to do with him or his celebrity status. Being with her is most certainly not some challenge for him to win. He genuinely wants to get to know who Anna is behind all that armor. So being “magic-time buddies” is not going to suffice for him. Now he just has to convince her.

It’s interesting how Drew is the one who is open to their possibility as a couple whereas Anna is the hold out. Her main hesitation is being in Drew’s spotlight. She prefers to fly under the radar. Being his girlfriend would mean being helpless to constant and invasive scrutiny, a terrifying thought that opens up old wounds for her. She doesn’t give in to Drew easily but he chips away at her skepticism slowly. There are many hurdles they have to jump over. When it seems that one success is gained, another event comes along to test them. Watching their friendship mature from where they began is truly a delightful thing to witness. And it’s smokin' all the way!

The Hook Up surprised me. It came as a recommendation promising passion and intensity. I definitely got that. I was quite fervent about getting back to it any time I was away from it. What I did not expect was the depth of the characters including the supporting players. As their story continued, I got to see Anna and Drew more than just what they had appeared to be at the beginning. Their problems aren’t resolved easily when a monumental event occurs that throws them off and makes them question everything. By the time I got to the end of the book, so much had transpired between them. 

Callihan has started a very impressive and exhilarating series that I’m very eager to read more of. And I'd like to thank her for rekindling my love of Siouxie and The Banshees. (You'll get it when you read it.) The second book, The Friend Zone featuring Drew’s teammate Gray, comes out in 2015. In the meantime, Anna and Drew have something that I just can’t get enough of so I’ll make do with re-reading The Hook Up just to placate myself. If you haven't gotten the hint yet, YES, you must read it!

~ Bel 

Kristen Callihan also pens the wildly successful Darkest London series, Firelight being the first. Connect with her: 

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