FREEBIE FRIDAY: Let Me by Cecy Robinson

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LET ME

The O'Brien Family Series Book Two

Cecy Robson

Released April 19th, 2016

Once he was broken beyond repair. Now this MMA contender is fighting to be a better man—for her. RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Let Me, it is Finn’s turn to discover how love can heal the deepest wounds.

A mixed martial arts star on the rise, Finn O’Brien dismantles his opponents with brutal precision. And yet beneath his fierce persona, Finn is raw from a trauma he’s buried for years . . . until the day his deep-rooted rage erupts and lands him in court-mandated therapy. Finn’s not one to bare his soul, but if talking it out means meeting beautiful women like Sol Marieles, he’ll give it a shot.

Sol is working toward her master’s degree in psychology, and already she feels like she’s in over her head. With an important internship on the line and a scary family situation demanding her attention, the last thing Sol needs is Finn around to distract her. The man is ripped and seriously sexy yet it’s his troubled side that warns her to keep her distance. But their attraction is intense, and he clearly has the heat to see how far and fast their passion takes them.

Alone, Finn and Sol have been fighting to find happiness in their lives. Together, there’s no stopping them as they face their greatest challenges—not in the ring, but in their hearts. 

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Cecy Robson is a new adult and contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, the O’Brien Family novels and upcoming Carolina Beach novels, as well as the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A 2016 double nominated RITA^®finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, Cecy is a recovering Jersey girl living in the South who enjoys carbs way too much, and exercise way too little. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, you can typically find her on her laptop silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Looking for more of the O'Brien Family?
Pick up the Two RITA Finalists
ONCE PURE & ONCE KISSED

Waiting on Wednesday (194)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Sarina Bowen
Publication Date: September 6, 2016

The first novel in a sexy new series featuring the hockey players of the Brooklyn Bruisers and the women who win their hearts—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Ivy Years series.

In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold... 

Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast....

By Michelle Falkoff
Publication Date: October 25, 2016

A girl’s quest for perfection results in dangerous consequences in this layered, suspenseful YA novel by the author of Playlist for the Dead.

How far would you go to be perfect?

Kara has the perfect life. She gets perfect grades. She never messes up. Until now. Because perfection is an illusion, and Kara has been struggling to maintain it for as long as she can remember. With so much pressure to succeed, it’s hard not to do whatever it takes. 

But when Kara takes a new underground drug to help her ace the SATs, she doesn’t expect to get a text from a blocked sender, telling her to follow a set of mysterious instructions—or risk her dark secret getting out. Soon she finds herself part of a group of teens with secrets of their own, who are all under the thumb of the same anonymous texter. And if they don’t find a way to stop the blackmailer, their perfect futures will go up in flames.

This dark, emotionally resonant contemporary YA novel is perfect for fans of We Were Liars and The Secret History.




By Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: October 15, 2016

The New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of Simon Lewis as he trains to become a Shadowhunter is now available in print for the first time with ten brand-new comic illustrations!

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters. 

Steadfast (True North #2) by Sarina Bowen

* * * *

Source: advance egalley provided by the author in exchange for an honest review 

She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have.

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself. 


You know, I fell happily in love with Bittersweet, the first of the True North books. There's just something so inviting about the setting. While reading it, I became curious about Jude, one of the farmhands who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Steadfast brings his story to life. 

After spending time at the farm, a place that had become a safe haven for him, Jude finally makes the return home to Colebury. Everything that could and did go wrong happened here. Before he left, he was involved in an accident that left one man dead who was his girlfriend Sophie's brother. The accident also revealed Jude's drug addiction that he'd been hiding from everyone including Sophie. When he went away to prison he cut off all ties. Returning to his hometown is a precarious undertaking because he has to face all his demons head on while attempting to stay clean. Sophie who was left completely shut out and bewildered is unprepared to see him again. The accident changed her life dramatically. Now that Jude's back in town he can no longer evade her and she plans on getting answers whether he likes it or not. What she doesn't expect is just how much she still loves him despite all the things that went wrong.

I have a personal reason for reading this: I have known someone in my life who suffered from addiction and in reading Jude's story I hoped to develop some understanding of what it was like for this person. Even a small glimpse into this world spoke volumes to me. Steadfast, though not the type of book to go in-depth into drug addiction and rehab, does give you a good enough sense of the daily struggle of staying clean. Jude wages an internal war every single day, a war that's fought by his mind repeating mantras telling him that he can stay healthy and his body that will forever crave that bliss. Bowen presents his struggle in an accessible way by headlining each of his chapters with a craving meter. There's no going with the flow as sanity is a premium. As for Sophie, I have to admit I was a bit perplexed by her. A part of me couldn't get over that she would still be in love with him and that's only because of the dynamics involved. Their relationship has the ultimate baggage which is why their attraction felt a bit uneasy for me. Then again maybe they're the only two people in this town who get each other and with a history as intense as theirs, it would be hard to ignore their feelings. The subplot dealing with the accident is more than intriguing and I found myself getting excited about where that was leading.

I'm amazed by the endless ideas Sarina Bowen comes up with for stories. She is seriously talented. As with Bittersweet, Steadfast features other characters that add richness to the story such as the warm and welcoming Shipley family. If only we could all have the Shipley's as neighbours and friends! There's also the unexpected kindness that Jude receives from a stranger showing that not everyone will hold his past against him. Steadfast is heavier but it's terrific none the less. You want to champion the guy who's making inroads in repairing the damage he has caused, redeeming himself in the process. Who doesn't love a second-chance story where forgiveness heals and one feels worthy of people's love again? Here's to you, Jude and to the many others who are also rebuilding their lives one day at a time.

~ Bel

Into the Blue (Wild Aces #2) by Chanel Cleeton

* * * 3/4

Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée.

Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca.

Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

Sometimes the hardest thing about writing a book review for an author I’ve been reading awhile is that I feel I have nothing new to say. Having a go-to author is akin to having a favourite comfort food or movie – you know it’ll always give you good vibes and that’s how I feel about Chanel Cleeton’s books.

Into the Blue is the second in her latest Wild Aces adult romance series about fighter pilots and the women they love and who love them back just as fiercely. Alpha males in jaw-dropping uniforms and dangerous missions aside, these men have reached the apex of their careers and are now searching for more out of life. In this case, Eric aka Thor, comes face-to-face with his past when he bumps into Becca ten years after he walked away from her. It’s an unexpected reunion and if anyone thinks that time heals all wounds, well then Becca did not get that memo. She’s still smarting from what she considers an ultimate betrayal when Thor chose his career over her. So seeing him again has her reliving all the hurt and bitterness. She goes into defensive mode, not wanting to give him the time of day whereas he wants to make amends. Becca is finally at a stage in her life where her hard-earned career is doing well so she doesn’t need Thor coming in and messing things up. He on the other hand, is still reeling from a tragedy that has left his head a mess and his performance at work suffering. Rather than putting his colleagues in harm’s way, he’s taking a break and heading back to his hometown. The fact that Becca still resides there has a bit to do with it but really he just needs to be back in familiar territory to find his footing again. Making things right with her is part of his healing process.

Once again, Cleeton has nicely balanced two individual stories, drawing these characters back together at a pivotal time in their lives. I found Into the Blue to be more complicated and not just because Thor is coping with loss. It’s also about how Becca’s career is equally important and how these matters factor into the possibility of them rekindling their relationship. As far as story lines, I prefer this one to the previous Fly With Me and it has much to do with Becca. I just connected to her better. I mean, I’ve never experienced some of the things she went through, but her desire for stability? Yeah, I got that. There’s also something I admire about her for not giving in so easily to Thor’s return. She’s wrecked but she’s hanging in there, waiting it out instead of making rash decisions about her future. As for Thor, I have to say he recognizes where he screwed up in how he handled leaving but I also like that he didn’t apologize for something that he needed to do in order to grow into a better person. And as with all Chanel Cleeton's books, let's not fail to mention the steamy moments that can make readers blush! These two can turn up the heat and it's absolutely gratifying!  

If it's a gorgeous men in uniform fantasy you're looking to escape into then Into The Blue will definitely fulfill that for you. The Wild Aces romances feature adults who’ve gone through their wild stages and experienced life. Now it’s time to shift to the next phase. Speaking of - after the set up in the last two books, I cannot wait to hear Easy’s story next!

~ Bel

A Peek In The BiblioBin #206

Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the BiblioBin) has been created by the folks at Tynga's Reviews. It's a way for bloggers to share what books they've won, received for review, purchased, borrowed from the library or friend, received as a gift, grabbed off the bookshelf, etc.

For Review:

Worked Up (Made in Jersey #3) by Tessa Bailey


Purchased:

Juked by M.E. Carter

Blindness by Ginger Scott

Line of Fire by Helenkay Dimon

***

From Carina Press:

With his military career over and his ego bruised, Jason McAdams is ready to start over. As a founding partner in Greenway Range, his new life is everything he'd ever dared to dream about, but it also puts him in constant contact with the one woman he can't have: his best friend's little sister.

Molly Cain has loved Jason for as long as she can remember, and seeing him now—damaged and self-destructive—is a constant heartache. Watching him numbly work his way through woman after woman is damn near intolerable. Until one summer night changes everything.

After a rocky start, the sex is hot and naughty and all Molly knew it would be. And when he makes another pass at her, Molly doesn't say no. Or the many times after that, either. But Jason carries a secret—one that's kept him away from Molly for all these years, one that could ruin everything. He's been shot at and seen death, but letting the woman he loves find out the truth is the real worst-case scenario…

Source:  Advance Copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Molly is pissed off.  She's loved Jason her entire life, but he's never showed any interest.  He's hurt her over and over again by choosing every other girl in town, including marrying her best friend.  When they divorce, Jason goes on a hook-up spree which leads Molly to officially giving up on Jason and leaving town for a while.  

Jason is barely hanging on.  He's suffering from PTSD from his service.  When he got home he buried himself in booze, painkillers, and women.  When he and Molly fought and she left, he was lost.  He's wanted her forever, but she's his best friend's little sister and there are secrets from the past that prevent them from being together.  If his secrets come out, he could lose more than just Molly.

When Molly gets to San Diego, she tries staying away from Jason, but he's not cooperating, so she does the next best thing and propositions him for a sex only relationship.  Jason's not happy with being Molly's dirty little secret, but he can't see a way to keep her for good and goes along with it.  

The problem is keeping your heart out of sex with the person you've been in love with for years.  As they get closer secrets and fears raise their ugly heads their relationship is threatened.  

There's a lot to love about Line of Fire.  The bickering between Molly and Jase is sarcastic and fun.  The supporting cast is awesome!  I am so hoping that Marcus and Will get their own story.  I want more!  There's steamy love scenes and a lot of love in this group of characters.  This one should definitely be on your summer reading list!

~ Shel

Heart Breaker by Erin McCarthy

***

From Random House:

They’re perfectly in tune—but only when it comes to their music. This sizzling romance from New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy follows Nashville’s hottest country music duo as they fight for love in a city where dreams often cost a broken heart.

 
Self-made singer/songwriter Jolene Hart loves everything about being on top in Nashville. Well, everything except her very public breakup with Chance Rivers, her sexy masculine other half. Once the hottest duo on the scene, they turned Music City on its ear. Now their careers are as cold as their relationship. Which is why their manager has practically locked them in a remote cabin with nothing but a guitar, a bed, and time to do what they do best: make some beautiful music together.
 
As Nashville royalty, Chance has big boots to fill—and the pressure that comes with ’em. He fell hard for Jolene, but he couldn’t handle the spotlight, the crowds, and the fights that made headlines and killed any notion that love and success could go hand-in-hand. Still, Chance is more than willing to rekindle the one thing that worked: the wild passion behind their hit songs. Soon they’re making up for lost time, in the steamiest ways possible. But Chance finds himself wishing for the impossible: that their intimate hideaway could last forever.

SOURCE:  Advance Copy from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jolene wants to be a star.  Chance wants to write and sell music, but when he's introduced to Jolene he agrees to form a band with her.  The problem?  Chance never wanted to be on stage.  He hates the spotlight and paparazzi.  When Chance and Jolene get together they can't handle the pressure of the spotlight  on their relationship and everything falls apart.  

When it comes time to write their next album, can they put aside their anger and hurt to work together?  Can they both get what they want and be in love at the same time?  They sequester themselves in a cabin to write and sparks fly.    

Heart Breaker is a great summer romance.  It's got heat, heart, and a fantasy hot country rocker.  Heart Breaker is all about how dreams can change when you find the right person.  It's sweet, a little sassy, and should be on your TBR!

~ Shel