Patchwhore by Kim Jones **RELEASE DAY!!** and REVIEW

 

I’M THAT GIRL…

The girl who thought she was living her happily ever after.
The one who fell for the lies.
A victim of infidelity.

After months of heartache and loss, anger ensued.
Rage replaced sadness. Fury took over heartache. Revenge became irresistible. 
Now he’ll feel what I felt. One by one, his brothers will take his place in my bed. 
They have a name for me in the MC world…

PATCHWHORE.

And this is my story.

If making her ex jealous is what she wants, Devil’s Renegades Prospect Cook is more than willing to oblige. He only has one rule: He doesn’t share.
She can seek her revenge. Follow through with her plan. But her body will be his. He’ll own her fantasies. And her pleasure. But in her eyes, he’s just a lowly PROSPECT—nothing more. 
Little does she know, she’s about to be enlightened. 

Note: This is a full-length standalone Devil's Renegade Motorcycle Club novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

 

MY RATING: 4 1/2 Stars

REVIEW: 

First, let me just say, in case you missed it in the blurb above, that this is a standalone novel. It is part of the Devil's Renegades series but can easily be read without having read  the others. That said, if you haven't read the others in the  series....WHAT ARE  YOU WAITING FOR?! Seriously, it's one  of my favorite  ever series. Get  on that. Moving on....if you have read the other books, you will recognize a couple of the characters. Particularly our hot male lead, Cook, who made himself well known  in Clubwhore.

Now, Cook.....holy hell, Cook. That man is hot! He barely registered on my meter in Clubwhore because I was focused on other characters but oh boy, he sure has been brought to the forefront now! He may make my list of favorite book boyfriends now, right alongside Luke Carmical from Kim's Saving Dallas. I'll get back to Cook in a second though.

Now, I want to talk about Carmen. I loved this girl. She was hilarious and spunky. I loved her plan for  revenge against her ex that broke her heart. Especially given  how much it goes against how she was raised.  It takes some serious chutzpah to pull off what she wanted to do! I love how, in the end, all she really has to be is herself to get  her revenge.

Cook.  Oh my Cook. This man is hot in all the right ways. Dominant but not domineering. He respects her need for independence and her need to do what she needs to do for revenge. He's determined to right the wrongs he's committed in his own life, showing his own character. He gives Carmen his protection, even though most of the time she doesn't even realize that he's doing it. He's always on the periphery, taking it all in, watching everything going on and if you're on his radar in any capacity, he will probably end up knowing more about you than you know about yourself. Not to mention that the man is ripped and hot as sin.

The only thing that kind of bugged me is that one of the conflicts that built up throughout the book was glossed over with barely a blink. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say that it has to do with Cook's status. I also would have liked to see the ex get a little more of his due than just being pissed off here and there. The damage in Cook's past is also glossed over without really being part of the story, other than to explain why Cook is in an MC. All in all, the conflict seemed somewhat lacking in this book. I absolutely adored the Cook and Carmen though, so I didn't really care!

I  already want to read this book again and revisit these characters. It was a fun book without much  of the crazy intensity that usually accompanies an MC book but still with a lot of the fun perks of them. Motorcycles, hot guys, colorful characters, crazy drinking nights, and lots of hot *ahem* .....it's all there!

You can get it here: Patchwhore (for Kindle)

Conquering by Ryan Michele BLOG TOUR and REVIEW

Title: Conquering

Series: Vipers Creed MC #2

Author: Ryan Michele

Genre: MC Romance

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/Goodreads-Conquering

Blurb:

*This book can be read as a STANDALONE*

I fight for what’s mine.

Growing up with a junkie for a mother, Stiff’s responsibilities came young and fast, taking care of his brother with everything he had. If that meant getting his hands dirty, then so be it.

Becoming part of Vipers Creed MC gave him the family he and his brother never had, people they could count on. He vowed to protect them, even when that meant turning his back on the woman who gave him life … until Chelsea.

He knew he wasn’t good enough for her, but he didn’t care. He had to have her.

After all, Stiff always fought for what was his. No matter the price.

No one messes with my family.

Chelsea Miller’s life was simple: work, family, save for the future. Every day was the same. Her ultimate goal: live an easier life than the one she’d been dealt. That was, until her sister ended up bleeding, bruised, and fighting for her life.

Everything in Chelsea’s life changed in an instant. And the cost of protecting her family was far higher than she had bargained for.

Stiff. The Vipers Creed MC. A relentless trail of bullets and carnage. Everything she knew turned on its head.

Survival of the fittest, they say. Well, Chelsea’s a survivor. And she refuses to go down without a fight.

When two stubborn people clash in a combustion of passion and family, will conquering each other come at a price neither of them is willing to pay?

*Due to subject matter, mature audiences 18+ only*

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1X4XIxK

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-AMZ-UK

Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-AMZ-CA

Amazon AU: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-AMZ-AU

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-Nook

Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-KOBO

Google Play: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-GooglePlay

iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/Conquering-iBooks

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Talk about conquering! I am already become a huge fan of this series! In fact, it is already almost on level with her other MC series for me. 

Stiff and Chelsea have both been attracted to each other for years, but never acknowledged it or pursued it for their own personal reasons. When horrible circumstances throw them into each other's paths and give them a common purpose, they stop dancing around it.

I loved Stiff (though maybe not quite as much as Spook) and I adored Chelsea. That girl met him head to head on everything. She wasn't about to be pushed around. Even if she didn't feel it on the inside, she made sure it didn't who on the outside. They were so much alike on most things that you wouldn't think they'd fit together like they do - opposites attract and all that - but they really complemented each other.  They understood each other the way nobody else could. 

And those two together on a physical level? Smoking. Freaking molten lava. I seriously need to find myself one of these guys.

The sibling bonds portrayed in this book were great. I loved that it was there. Sometimes it's not an aspect you typically see too much of in this genre (other than the MC brotherhood) and it was nice to see those types of relationships. Oh and Chelsea's grandma. I LOVED HER!! And seeing all the big, bad bikers with her was so many kinds of awesome.

In the Author's Note at the end of the book, she notes that Chelsea Camaron has claimed Stiff. That's just fine....because I'm putting dibs on Spook and Xander. I'm really hoping that the next book in the series is Xander!  I can't wait for the next book in this series!

What Others Are Saying:

"Ryan Michele takes suspense to a whole new level with Vipers Creed and Stiff. This is a page turning, hot read I couldn't put down." ~Chelsea Camaron, USA Today

Bestselling Author

"Prepared to be conquered, by Stiff. Vipers Creed is an MC series that keeps you craving more. Five plus stars for Conquering!" ~Terri Anne Browning, USA Today Bestselling Author

"This book is filled with all the goodies that Ryan loves to bring us. Her writing is an addiction that I for one crave." ~Kathy Coopmans, USA Today Bestselling Author

In The Series:

Challenged (Vipers Creed MC #1)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UDuN44

Amazon UK:  http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-AMZ-UK

Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-AMZ-CA

Amazon AU:  http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-AMZ-AU

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/BN-Challenged

Kobo:  http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-Kobo

iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-iBooks

Google Play:  http://tinyurl.com/Challenged-GooglePlay

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28957438-challenged

Author Bio:

Ryan Michele found her passion in making fictional characters come to life. She loves being in an imaginative world where anything is possible and has a knack for special twists readers don’t see coming.

She writes MC, Contemporary, Erotic, Paranormal, New Adult, Inspirational, and many more romances. And whether it’s bikers, wolf shifters, mafia, or beyond, Ryan spends her time making sure her heroes are strong and her heroines match them at every turn.

When she isn’t writing, Ryan is a mom and wife living in rural Illinois and reading by her pond in the warm sun.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRyanMichele/

Website: www.authorryanmichele.net

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Michele/e/B00FY8NU8M/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RyanMichele

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Ryan_Michele

Newsletter: http://goo.gl/yPFRuJ

Giveaway--

Goodreads has a paperback giveaway going on http://tinyurl.com/Goodreads-Conquering

Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan Book Review

 

Rating: 4 Stars

Title: Midnight Lily

Author: Mia Sheridan

Genre: New Adult/College/Contemporary Romance

Pages: 242 Pages

SUMMARY: 

A standalone romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Archer's Voice. 

Holden Scott is the prince of professional football. At least he was before he lost it all . . . or more to the point, before he threw it all away. Now he's out of a job, out of the public's good graces, and perhaps just a little out of his mind. So when a friend offers up his remote lodge in the wilds of Colorado, giving Holden some time away to get his life back on track, he can hardly say no. The last thing he expects is to see a beautiful girl in the woods—one wearing a white, lace dress who appears in the moonlight, and leaves no footprints behind. Is she a dream? A ghost? A product of his muddled imagination? Or something entirely different?

Midnight Lily is the haunting love story of two lost souls reaching for each other in the dark. A tale of healing, acceptance, and the worlds we create to protect our own hearts. It is a story of being lost, of being found, and of being in the place between.

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY VIRGO. Non-Paranormal, New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

REVIEW: 

The author has requested spoiler free reviews so that the reading experience isn't ruined for others. That is not as easy as it may sound! I hate to just rehash what the blurb says because that's redundant. So,  words to describe this book: 

• Haunting
• Heartbreaking (at times)
• Beautiful
• Mysterious
• Complicated
• Sad
• Different 
• Unique

 I'm a huge fan of Mia Sheridan's work so I was excited for this release! This book, however, is different from anything of hers I've read in the past. Not bad, just different.  This is a book that you need to really pay attention to the details with. It's like getting up to go to the bathroom during a movie....don't do it! You're going to miss something if you do. I will also say that this book puts in mind of a movie, but I don't want to mention the title because it will give too much away. 

The book is well written, as always. The characters are very in-depth characters and charismatic.  You want  to get to know them better. You want to root for them. This is a book that embodies the sentiment of "nobody is perfect" and maybe even "who wants perfect? Perfect is boring." What is perfect though, is these two characters together. 

This is definitely a book that will be ruined by spoilers so try to avoid them at all costs. There's not a  lot more that I can say without giving things away. I hope you enjoy!

You can buy on Amazon here: Midnight Lily

Worth the Wait by K.M. Neuhold Book Review

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Title: Worth the Wait (Sexy Nerd Boys #1)

Author: K.M. Neuhold

Genre: New Adult/College,  Contemporary Romance

Pages: 208 Pages

SUMMARY:

Abby:

I have issues. Like, serious, major issues. And, the last thing I want or need is a man in my life to make things more complicated. Unfortunately for me my roommates drop dead gorgeous brother seems hell bent on seducing me. And, what’s worse is that he’s kind of the perfect guy. Resisting him just might kill me.

Ethan:

I don’t do relationships. I prefer to keep things casual, and I’m always up front with women so that no one ever gets hurt. But, my sister’s new roommate…yeah I might have a small obsession. What the hell is a guy supposed to do though when he meets a woman who is not only beautiful but also feisty, fun, and way into nerd culture? I may be doomed.

**Recommended for readers 17+ due to mature themes

REVIEW:

I'm not a Doctor Who fan, but I am a total nerd about some other things so I was excited to read this book and see how the author did with nerdy characters. She did great! Even not being a Doctor Who fan, I was never lost in what was going on. I'm sure legit fans of the Doctor would enjoy that aspect of the book even more! It's always fun to see one of our nerdy fandoms show up in a book.

We get to meet Abby, Lee and Ethan all almost immediately when Abby moves in with Lee. I love the dynamics between Lee and her big brother, Ethan and also between Ethan and Abby. These are characters that won me over quickly and I wanted to root for them and know more about them.

Abby is a scarred, emotionally distant girl with a tragic past that has no interest in much that campus life has to offer beyond completing her education. While she seems to have formed an attachment to her roommate, Lee, she hasn't opened up to her about anything personal.

Ethan is Lee's older brother and a local Casanova among the ladies on campus. He's known for *ahem* getting the job done. Every time. This leads to a couple awkward moments, as you can imagine. He is just a good-time guy. Laid back, ready to have fun in all areas of life and not interested in settling down.

When Ethan first meet Abby, he sees her as nothing more than a potential new conquest. He thinks  she's sexy, and she doesn't seem to be interested in him at all, which piques his interest even more...until he's warned off by baby sister. Then it becomes a bit of an obsession. The more time he spends around Abby, however, the more he realizes how much they have in common and how much  he actually really likes her, as a person. Soon, he wants to hang out with her even above hanging out with his guy friends.

These two bond over a love of Doctor Who. Ethan can let his nerd flag fly when he hangs out with Abby. It's cute. It also draws Abby out of her shell and helps her learn to trust Ethan and eventually open up to him. These two together make perfect sense.


**MILD SPOILERS BELOW**


Okay, the things that kept me from giving this a higher rating.

Given Abby's past, I thought that their first couple sexual encounters would have been more traumatic for her than they were. Or, at the very least, would not have gone as easily as they did. Also, once they started, it seemed like they were going at it at every available opportunity. No easing into things for them! That seemed a little out of character for someone with her traumatic past.

We were told about Ethan's Casanova reputation more than we were shown.  Aside from a couple of very brief encounters, there really isn't anything more to show us his history. He doesn't even seem to have the personality of a playboy.

I would have liked more of Ethan's (and Lee's) back story. We get glimpses of it here and there a couple of times but it's never really fleshed out. It left his story feeling a little unfinished.

Even though Ethan and Abby get their happily ever after, it seemed like it ended a little abruptly to me.

Overall, a solid first book from this new author and I really look forward to reading more from her!

Amazon Link: Worth the Wait

Title: Cross the Stars

Series: Crossing Stars Duet #1

Author: Venessa Kimball writing as V. Angelika

Genre: New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 8, 2016

- See more at: http://kickbackandreview.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-02-16T12:00:00-05:00&max-results=7&start=41&by-date=false#sthash.55cvqmR3.dpuf

Title: Cross the Stars

Series: Crossing Stars Duet #1

Author: Venessa Kimball writing as V. Angelika

Genre: New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 8, 2016

- See more at: http://kickbackandreview.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-02-16T12:00:00-05:00&max-results=7&start=41&by-date=false#sthash.55cvqmR3.dpuf

Clubwhore by Kim Jones

Summary :  


I’m that girl…
The girl every woman loves to hate.
The one your man dreams about.
I live up to my name…
CLUBWHORE.
And this is my story.

She needs something. Something Devil’s Renegade MC Sergeant at Arms Bryce is more than willing to give. But he’s not the kind of man who asks. He takes. And soon, he will take her. He’ll dominate her. He’ll captivate her. She’ll be his—no patches…no property…no titles. Only her. Only him.
She thinks this is her story to tell.
It very well may be.
But he's fixing to rewrite it.    Goodreads Link   

 

 
Author Bio: 
 

 Kim Jones is a writer with big dreams. Inspired by her personal experience inside the MC life, she’s chosen to write biker romance stories that are authentic—expressing the true meaning of brotherhood and the lifestyle of motorcycle clubs.

In 2013, Kim began her self-publishing journey. Saving Dallas, her first MC series, is based on the life of an influential president who juggles the pressures of the Devil’s Renegades Motorcycle Club, and the search for true love.

Taking the club life and her career a step further, Berkley will be releasing Sinner’s Creed, her second MC series, in March of 2016—an inside look into the life of a 1%er and his sacrifice for what he believes in.

Kim plans to continue to self-publish off her Saving Dallas series, and has signed a two book deal with Penguin-Random House for Sinner’s Creed. She resides in south Mississippi with her husband, Reggie, two dogs, a cat and a donkey.

 CONTACT KIM HERE:

WEBSITE

TWITTER 

FACEBOOK 

GOODREADS 

Review: 

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Title: Clubwhore

 
Author:  Kim Jones

 
Publisher: Kim Jones

Genre:  MC Romance

Length: 326 Pages 
 

Whoa! Get out the fans and the ice, ladies, because this book is smoking hot! If you are a fan of the Devil's Renegades series then you know that this isn't unexpected but still! I will admit, that at first I wasn't too sure...but I stuck with it, because I knew this author wouldn't disappoint, and I LOVE it! I wasn't sure that anybody was going to top Dallas and Luke for me, and while Bryce and Delilah didn't top them, I love them in a different way. Kind of how I love Red and Reggie.

The character of Delilah is a little abrasive in the beginning but we soon get to know her and what lies beneath her hard exterior. Her motivations are complex, complicated and intriguing and once you know her history, you can't help but feel for her. She has this need to live in her own little bubble, where things are routine and safe. Where she can control the demons that plague her.

Her demons take the form of an addiction to pain or even sexual release. Either will do. Which is why she loves her job so much. Delilah was so real, I loved her. So flawed and scarred that she makes you feel for her. Kim Jones did such a great job of describing her fall into darkness that she takes something that is so unfathomable to so many and makes you truly feel it with Delilah. It's rare that I read a book with a character and/or flaw this complex.

Bryce is tall, dark and mysterious and it's finest. We know who he is (eventually) and his role within the club and that's about it! At least for a while. What we do know is that he understands Delilah when nobody else seems to. In ways that nobody ever has. And he knows exactly how to help her.

Bryce is a man of contradictions. The contradiction between what he has to do to help her and his gentleness with Delilah afterwards, when she needs it, is endearing. He's also a huge man that other men fear and is a total alpha male but can be gentle when needed. And let's not forget that he helps Delilah feed her pain addiction, giving her what she needs, even though he hates causing her pain.

Considering that this book had the same players as the other books in  the series, I would have liked to have seen at least one scene with Luke and Dallas together but we do get a couple scenes of them separately. We get a couple scenes Red, one with Regg and then a couple of the other guys make appearances here and there. I kind of felt like most of them were gratuitous scenes though. That said,  this is a stand alone novel so I guess I can't complain too much about that. Overall, the club itself was pretty absent for a major portion of  this book. I would have liked to see some more closure with Delilah's family, especially her brother. These are the only negative points I have for this book.

If you are a fan of MC romances and haven't read Kim Jones yet, you are missing out.

Amazon Purchase Link

Danger In Deer Ridge by Terry Odell (A Blackthorne, Inc. Novel)

Rating: 4 Stars 

Title:  Danger In Deer Ridge 

Author:  Terry Odell 

Cover Design: Dave Fymbo 

Genre:  Contemporary Romance 

Length: 319 Pages 

Summary :  

What do you do when your life turns upside down? Whatever it takes. 

When Elizabeth Parker arrives in Deer Ridge with her eight-year-old son, she's constantly looking over her shoulder, afraid her husband won't believe she's dead, despite the new identity provided by the high-end firm of Blackthorne, Inc. Within hours of her arrival, a man shows up claiming he's there to hook up her gas line. When he keeps turning up, she's wary as to his motives. For Elizabeth, trust doesn't come easy. She'll never let her husband lay a hand on her son, no matter what, and if this man is working for her husband, she wants no part of him.

Mark Grinciewicz, Grinch to everyone who knows him, was Blackthorne, Incorporated's top pilot. When his ex-wife dies, he is left with custody of a five-year-old son he hardly knows, and everything changes. Determined to do what it takes to help his son adjust to a new life, Grinch finds himself tethered to the ground, unable to do what he loves—fly.

When he gets a call from Blackthorne, requesting that he take a simple assignment—teach a woman how to fit into the community under her new identity—he reluctantly accepts the task. Bad enough he's not supposed to let on he's aware of her identity, or that he's on her side. But what he doesn't know is that she has something her husband needs, and the man will do just about anything to get it back. Suddenly, everyone is a potential threat. Can Grinch break through her defenses and earn her trust in time to save her without endangering her son or his? 

Review:

This is the first book I've read by Terry Odell and I really enjoyed it. Picking one in the Blackthorne, Inc. series was just luck, but I enjoyed this taste of the series enough to check out some others in the series. The plot develops at a good pace, one that's easy to read and keep up with, but also keeps driving the story forward. The characters are also very well developed and grow noticeably throughout the book.

The paranoia that Elizabeth Parker exhibits at the beginning of, and throughout, the book are believable and contagious. The feeling of it travels through the pages, up your arms and punches you in the gut. You get that feeling of paranoia yourself and can feel her fear of her husband finding her and taking her son. Despite the fear, she is determined to try not to let it show to Will, her son, hoping to give him as relatively normal of a childhood as she is capable of. If you've ever been a parent, it is easy to relate to the feelings and fear portrayed throughout the book, especially when certain situations arise.

The relationship that develops between the two boys (Grinch's son and Elizabeth's son) is cute to watch and the dynamics of the relationships with all of the characters is very real. It was also very interesting to have a book about a grounded pilot. It's not often you get one like that - usually it's the hotshot pilots, not one that is giving up what he loves for his son. The decisions that Grinch makes shows a lot about his character in a subtle way.

The imagery used in describing the Colorado mountains is extremely well done. I could just see the little town - just a quaint little, unassuming, country/mountain town - and especially the restaurant they took the boys too. I loved it! It made me want to get the map out and see if this place is real so I could visit.

The heart of the plot comes about when it's discovered that Elizabeth took something with her when she left her husband. If she had left well enough alone, she may have gotten away with hiding from him, but whether it was the human nature of greed, curiosity or, as she claims, an insurance policy, it comes back to bite her in the end. With the tension reaching new heights by the end of the book, it culminates in a nail biting situation that kept me reading well past bed time.

The romance that develops between Elizabeth and Grinch was relatable to anybody that has been hurt in a relationship before. It was slow to develop, showing them dealing with both of their feelings of fear and vulnerability. Because of that, it comes across as a much more real, and enduring, relationship. It can be hard to do this in the span of a book and still keep the plot moving forward, but Ms. Odell does an admirable job.

Whether you are a fan of Terry Odell's, a fan of the Blackthorne, Inc. series or are just finding this one, it is definitely one worth checking out. It kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense and tension and had a satisfying ending that wrapped things up nicely.

Now and Forever 1, A Love Story by Jean C. Joachim

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars 

Title:  Now and Forever 1, a Love Story

Author:  Jean C. Joachim

Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing

      Cover Art: Beth Walker and Jean C. Joachim

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Length: 227 Pages

Summary:  

Callie Richards was no stranger to heartache. Her parents were killed when she was sixteen. Left with her older sister, she fell into a romance with good-looking, Kyle Maine. They became engaged and Callie’s future was set until he was killed in Iraq. Two years later, she pulls herself together to get her Master’s degree and restart her life on her own.

Working and studying at Kensington State University, Callie meets Mac Caldwell, the handsome dean. Together they fight a deadly campus drug ring with heart-breaking results. This is an emotional story, not a cookie-cutter romance, that will make you laugh and cry as Callie struggles to make a new life, find love and her happy ending. 

Review: 

At the very beginning, the heart of this book exudes a sort of melancholy feeling. Callie is dealing with the grief from the death of her fiance. We learn a lot about her childhood and the things that she had to go through as she was growing up. Her childhood was not an easy or happy one. Consequently, it seemed and felt to her like Kyle was all she had. When he died, she was devastated. In the midst of the grief, she has decided that it's time to move on with her life, but she still has trouble letting go of Kyle.

Callie is a quiet girl that stays to herself. She is believable in her grief and the way she relives things, not wanting to let them go and afraid she will forget. I enjoyed her as a character, as I did most of the characters from this book. Mac is just trying to deal with his life, not really looking to get involved with anyone. The fact that it is a relationship that is not sought out by either party seems to make the feelings more real. 

The biggest problem I had with this book is only that the author did such a fantastic job of making Kyle such a great guy, to make him worthy of the level of grief Callie was feeling even after such a long time (I'm assuming), that by the time I met Mac I didn't care about him. I wanted Kyle! Even after a few chapters of Callie and Mac, and even rooting for them to get together on one level, I found myself still hoping that the military made a mistake and Kyle would come walking in. I will say that Callie's relationship with Mac was probably healthier. She had grown and matured a little more by the time she got involved with him, so he wasn't her entire life the way Kyle was. She was more her own person by this time, with her own identity.

The different things that are dealt with in this book are portrayed very well and realistically. The levels of grief, trying to move on without forgetting, becoming your own, independent person apart from the grief and the person that you are grieving are all a part of the story, but not overwhelmingly so. I loved the box of Kyle's things that Callie keeps, and Mac's reaction to it when he finds it. I could see myself doing something like that in Callie's place.

A very bittersweet love story that will take you through the whole spectrum of emotions. I found myself proud of Callie by the end, as though she was a friend I knew, rather than a character in a book. This is a great read - another win for Ms. Joachim.

Kindle version: 



Paperback: