What Books Have You Reread?

For those of you who know me, or who have requested that I review one of your novels, you undoubtedly know that I always bemoan how my “to-be-read” list is pretty out of control. Personally, I blame BookBub, since it literally sends me an email every single day where I can select some free reads to add to my Kindle with just the push of a button. Soooo tempting.

As of right now, I have hundreds of books on my TBR list, so I’m not really in the position to reread any of my favorite books. I’ve also never really been one to read books more than once. The way I see it, there’s countless novels out there just waiting to be read, so why would I want to waste time reading something I’ve already read?

That being said, there are some of those few select novels that I’ve been known to read more than once, and I thought it’d be fun to share them all with you! Now, keep in mind that I’m not including children’s books, because frankly I can’t even remember how many times I’ve reread One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, or Green Eggs and Ham.

So let’s start off with the cream of the crop, the novel that I have undoubtedly read more than any other, Pride and Prejudice. I know, I’m such a romance novel fan cliché. Oh well! All in all, I’ve read this little beauty four times, which in the grand scheme of things really isn’t that much. However, when you also consider the number of times I’ve watched the 6 hour Colin Firth version of the movie? Well, I mean let’s face it that’s pretty much like rereading it. I first read this book back when I was a teenager, as my brother’s girlfriend at the time turned me onto it with said Colin Firth movie. The first time I read it again was of course for high school English class. It was kind of humorous that in a class of about 25 students, almost every single female in the class loved it, whereas literally every single male in the class thought it was boring. Couldn’t help but draw a comparison to You’ve Got Mail with that one.

As if reading this book twice in English wasn’t enough, later on in life I decided it’d be fun to try it out in both French and Chinese. If you ever try and read a book in a language other than your mother tongue, I’m of the mind that it’s great to try one where you’re already pretty familiar with the story line so it’s easier to follow along.

That brings me to the second book I’ve read more than once: the Hunger Games. Now, keep in mind that while I’ve read the entire trilogy, I’ve only reread book one. I first read the trilogy while I was in China for graduate school, and finished all three in the span of a week. So, after returning to the US upon graduation I figured a fun way to keep up with my Chinese would be to tackle the first Hunger Games book in Chinese. It was kind of funny how useful the revolutionary vocabulary from my Chinese History class was. Hands down though, the best part was the phonetic pronunciation of the names in Mandarin. Katniss roughly became “Kah-tuh-ni-suh”. Loved it.

And finally, another one of my favorite books of all time, Crocodile on the Sandbank. I’ve only read this book twice, but it has everything I love in a novel. Looking back, it was actually probably the first “series” I ever read. It dealt with archaeologists in 1920s Egypt, had some romance, mystery, comedy and suspense. Man, now that I think about it I kind of want to pick that one up again. I think rereading it the first time around only took one day. Maybe….maybe I have some extra time to fit that one in?

Well, there you have it. This is my list of the only full length novels I’ve ever read more than once. I know, not that abundant of a list, but what can I say? I’m busy!! And now how about y’all? What books out there have you read more than once? Feel free to share in the comment section below!

What’s Your Favorite Bookstore?

I was in a discussion the other day with my friends about a new brick and mortar Amazon bookstore that’s coming to town. Needless to say, it got us all to wondering…um, why? This is a company that’s pretty much synonymous with making actual book stores a thing of the past, yet now they’re opening up right next door to what used to be a Barnes & Noble that went out of business. Basically the definition of irony.

However, while my friends and I contemplated the reasoning behind Amazon opening a physical location, it also got us to talking about our former bookstore loving glory. When I was little, going to the local bookstore was my favorite pastime. I would spend hours roaming the shelves, looking in the bargain bins, and discovering new titles that would whisk me away from small town Ohio.

While I do still enjoy browsing through bookstores, I’m sad to admit that the joy isn’t exactly the same as it used to be. Nowadays I often find myself overwhelmed by such a wide array of books, constantly asking myself if the book I’m holding is actually a later book in a series and I just don’t know it, or what the user review rating might be. 9 times out of 10, I find myself pulling out my phone, and checking Goodreads or Amazon when I’m in an actual bookstore. I know…it’s positively shameful.

That being said, I will say there is one bookstore that, to this day, remains my ultimate favorite. It helps me hearken back to a time when I was like a kid in a candy store, only I’m surrounded by the written word. I can still spend hours upon hours browsing through this particular bookstore whenever I have the great opportunity to be in the city where it’s located, and that would be Librairie Avant-Garde in Nanjing, China.

Hands down, this is my favorite bookstore I’ve ever been to in my entire life. It’s actually a converted parking garage, which is cool enough in and of itself. But it also has thousands of volumes, from Western and Chinese classics that you can find in both English and Mandarin, to art books, law, history, economics, pretty much anything your heart could desire.

I first discovered it when I was studying in Nanjing for graduate school, and whenever I get back to China I always try and revisit one of my favorite places on Earth. It’s quietly serene and 100% unique. The entrance is hard to miss, again, seeing as the darn thing is basically underground. However, if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend you pop in for a visit.

So that got me to thinking, what are some of your favorite bookstores? Maybe it’s one you’ve been going to since you were little. Maybe it’s a new beauty that you’ve recently discovered. Or maybe it’s a place that’s on your bucket list to one day explore. Feel free to share in the comment section below!

 

The Ultimate Betrayal!!

My dear readers, I hate to admit it, but I am considering committing one of the most terrible atrocities of all time. After 8 years of loyal service, and perhaps the most meaningful relationship of my adult life, I am debating the purchase of a new Kindle.

Now, why is this such a betrayal you might ask? Simple. This is the only Kindle I’ve every owned, and I’ve come to view it as something I could never live without. Hands down one of the first things I’d need with me if I were to be deserted on an island. More importantly, technically it is in working order. I can read through a book just fine, the battery still holds a decent charge, the screen is in ship shape (for the most part), and it just has a few minor scuffs on its edges from being dropped an indeterminate number of times.

I can also still load new books and divide them into my fabulously organized categories. But this is where the problem arises. It…takes…forever to do so. Several minutes will have passed by the time my Kindle manages to sync with my new purchases, and the lag time in moving a book to a new category has reached a point of hilarity. I find myself having to open the Kindle app on my phone to read a bit just to pass the time. Also, every once in a while it freezes up and I have to hold the power button to “off” for a good five minutes to force it to restart.

Therefore, I think the time to purchase a newer version may have finally arrived. And this is where a new dilemma comes to the forefront, and one that I’m asking for all of your help in solving. Which one should I buy as a replacement? I currently own the 2nd generation Kindle, and while I always thought it was light and convenient to carry around, I’ve discovered that compared to some of the more recent generations it’s basically a brick weighing down my purse. Considering I literally carry my Kindle with me every day, something lightweight is extremely important. Although, I won’t lie it’s also kind of nice to be able to turn my purse into a battering ram when necessary.

In addition, seeing as I read almost 150 books last year, a version that doesn’t strain the eyes is also paramount. I don’t want anything that looks like a computer screen. While a Kindle will never feel like a real book, it needs to look like one as much as possible. So, do you all have any suggestions? Honestly, I’d prefer to stick to a Kindle rather than another brand, but if you have a compelling reason to consider something else, feel free to put forward any recommendations in the comment section!

Commercial Break

Whenever I tell a friend of mine that I’ve finished reading another book, I always brace myself for one inevitable question. Sure, they’ll want to know if it was good, and maybe what I plan on reading next. But there’s another question that is always bound to come up: how do I find the time to read?

I have a pretty average 9-5 job, manage to socialize at many a happy hour with friends, watch more TV than I should, and even practice a little piano every now and then. People always seem surprised when I mention that I can find some time to read in there too, and they often express sadness over the fact that they don’t read as much as they’d like to. Believe me you guys, it’s not as hard as you think to find a little time every day to open a book. You just have to keep your eye out for the perfect opportunity.

It might sound strange, but one of my favorite times to read is during the commercial breaks when I watch TV. It’s the perfect example of “killing two birds with one stone”. My family always likes to record TV shows so that they can fast forward through the commercials later, but you can actually get a lot done during those commercial breaks! Whereas some people complain about how long commercials can last, in my opinion, the longer the better! Every night I love to watch Conan O’Brien on TBS, and when the commercial break comes around I boot up my Kindle and get some reading done. You’ll be surprised at how much you can actually read in an hour-long TV show that airs four nights a week.

In addition to that, I’m a huge fan of listening to audio books whenever I walk to work, do my nightly meal prep for dinner, or when I clean the dishes. Yeah, not having a dishwasher sucks ass, but you just gotta find a way to turn that negative into a positive. So for all of you who think you don’t have the time to read, just try to find some creative ways to open a book a little bit each day. You don’t always have to sit down for hours at a time. Believe me, all those little moments can definitely add up, and you’ll be finishing a book in no time!

That Looks…Familiar

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Not exactly the easiest thing to follow through on. Let’s be honest, we all do it! That being said, thanks to my Kindle I don’t really pay attention to cover art that much anymore. Think about it. Even if I reach for the book I’m reading multiple times a day, all I’m seeing is my plain black Kindle case. Nothing special, no bells, no whistles. However, every now and again I’ll be browsing through romance book lists on Goodreads, and I’ll see something that looks a tad familiar.

This is Clash: A Legal Affairs Story by Sawyer Bennett. I’ve seen it pop up a few times on a couple of different Goodreads lists. It’s about 2 people who initially hate each other, but have enough sexual tension that they come together for some physical exertion between the sheets. I have not read this book. I don’t know if I ever will. Every time I go to download it I experience a moment of hesitancy, and eventually turn away to look at another book on the list. Because you see, every time I see this book cover, I don’t see Clash. Instead I see this:

This is Therapist by Jaden Wilkes. I hated this book. It made me want to hurl my Kindle against a wall, and wash my eyes out with soap due to the sickening sex scenes contained within its pages. Sure, the image might be reversed, but it’s basically the same image, and it’s a trend I’ve started to notice with more and more romance novels: cover art borrowing/stealing. I don’t know which book came out first, but all I know is that whenever I see another book with this image on the cover, I am reminded of the terrible experience I had reading Therapist, and I turn away from it. And this isn’t the only example. Let’s look at a few more shall we?

Catch My Breath by Lynn Montagano and Yield: A Legal Affairs Story by Sawyer Bennett. Looks like the same models from the first example.

A Forever Kind of Guy by Barbara Meyers and Secondhand Heart by Kristen Strassel.

Legally Tied by Chelsea Dorsette and More Than a Fling by Amber Nation.

So what point am I trying to make with this collage of photos? Be careful when you choose your cover art! Don’t use something that’s already out there, because even if it seems like the most beautiful photo ever, you never know when you might be drudging up terrible memories of previous novels containing sociopathic sexual deviants. Good God I hated that book. And what about all of you lovely people? Have you ever noticed two different books with the same cover art?

Authors: Send Me Your Audiobooks!

For the love of all that is holy, please! I understand this is a lot to ask, and that audiobooks are expensive, but I’m desperate here. Let me explain.

I have about a 15 minute walk to work every day. Lately, it’s been getting kind of boring. What, am I supposed to look around and appreciate nature or something? No thank you. A few months ago I was in the habit of listening to the 6th Outlander book every morning. Now that I’ve finished listening to book 6, I downloaded book 7 on Audible, but every time I go to listen to it I am filled with an all consuming rage. The last book was so unbelievably boring, and my body seems to be resisting putting myself through that pain again. It also probably wouldn’t be the best way to start my day at work if I arrived in the office with the urge to throw something.

So rather than bore myself to death by listening to the next Outlander book, I am imploring any and all romance authors out there with an audiobook on hand to help me avoid book 7 for just a little longer. Also! It’s almost fall, which means that I will soon be doing an intense amount of travel all throughout the US for work from now until Thanksgiving. I’ll have so much audiobook listening time available, from waiting in airport lines to driving for hours from Montreal to Maine. Listening to a sexy scene using the text-to-speech function on my Kindle just isn’t cutting it anymore. Therefore authors, if you send me an audiobook, I’ll probably finish it pretty damn quickly, and be able to write a review that much faster. Help me pass the time!

Don’t worry though, if you don’t have any audiobooks of your work we can still be friends 🙂 Feel free to send me what you have at romance4thebeach at gmail dot com.

The Book vs. the Movie: Which is Better?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post concerning one of the greatest debates of our age: e-reader vs. physical book. People have some very firm opinions on which they believe is better, which made me think of another great debate which has been around for decades. Which is better, the book or the movie?

I feel like the general consensus you always hear is that the book is usually better than the movie. Oddly enough, although I am a book lover through and through, I’ve found that I tend to like the movies better than the books. In fact, I oftentimes like to see the movie first, so that when I finally get around to reading the book I can have a clearer picture in my mind of what is actually happening. Below are a few examples of when I found the movie to be vastly superior to the written word.

1. The Shawshank Redemption

What a movie! This is one of those films that when I’m flipping through the channels and it’s on, I can never turn away. Sure, I’ve seen it about 50 times, but each time is as captivating an experience as the time before. Maybe it’s the soothing tone of Morgan Freeman’s voice that I simply can’t turn away from. Anyway, I remember how excited I was when I finally downloaded the book to my Kindle, thinking I’d be able to enjoy the wonderfulness from the movie in written form. What a freakin’ disappointment! I think it’s Stephen King’s writing style that I just can’t stand. It’s so simplistic. With short sentences. And little description. As though a third grader wrote it. In this instance, my vote goes to the movie being better than the book.

2. The Princess Bride

A classic for anyone from my generation. Whenever I meet someone who is my age, and they haven’t seen this movie my mouth drops open in general horror and confusion. I also tend to question the parenting skills of said person’s parental units. I watched this movie all throughout my childhood, and when I finally discovered it was a book I purchased it right away, only to be bored at the endless description of irrelvant activities, and the lack of dry humour present in the film. Once again, the movie wins in my opinion.

3. Forrest Gump

I used to hate this movie when I was younger, but I’ve discovered a newfound apprecition for it as an adult. Tom Hanks is a chameleon of wonderfulness. I never knew it was based on a book, and it was another one I jumped at the chance to read. The result? Hands down one of the worst books I’ve ever read in my life. I don’t even know how they managed to adapt the drivel that was that piece of crap into an award winning film, but they did. I mean, did you know that in the book, Forrest saves Mao Zedong from drowning in a river, goes into space with a monkey, then crash lands in the middle of Africa, having to escape from cannibals? What in the actual f*ck? Life certainly is a box of chocolates, because you never know when you’re gonna come across a book that makes absolutely no sense. Even if you aren’t a fan of the movie, I have a feeling you’ll think of it as a golden piece of art after reading the book.

4. The Notebook

Before I saw this movie, all I heard from everyone was how amazing the book was, and that the movie didn’t come close to it’s awesomeness. I’m sorry, but in the film you get to see Ryan Gosling strip naked, and have sex with Rachel McAdams up against a wall. In the book all you get is a sex scene between two 80 year-olds with wrinkly skin. No question, movie wins. Moving on.

So those are the movies which come to my mind first when advocating in this epic debate that movies can in fact be better than the books on which they are based. That being said, there are exceptions to every rule.

1. Gone with the Wind

The movie is amazing. The book is amazing. In my mind, it’s a tie.

2. The Hunger Games

When I tried to think back on all the books I’ve read which have been adapted into a film, this was the only one I could think of where I liked the book better than the movie. However! That doesn’t mean I hated the movie. Far from it! I love me some Josh Hutcherson any day of the week. I just think it was difficult to adapt all of Katniss’s inner thoughts on screen. Let’s face it, the first book itself doesn’t have a whole ton of dialogue, which can be hard to make into an interesting movie, yet still stay true to the book.

3. Outlander

Ah, now we have a variation on this debate! Before, it was always about the book versus the movie. Now we have the TV series to consider. I feel like one of the more common reasons that people prefer the books over the movies is because there is so much more detail contained in the written version than in a 2 hour film. Adapting the book into a TV show with multiple episodes in one season is a clever way to workaround that previous restriction. When it comes to this series in particular, I personally enjoy the TV series just as much as the book. Looks like another tie!

Well there you go! From personal experience it looks like I tend to side with the movie over the book version. I’m sure you all have some examples of when you preferred the one over the other, and I’d love to hear them! Feel free to share in the comment section. Let the debate begin!!

Focus by Annie Jocoby

This is the second book in the Exposure series, and I felt like the only thing it was missing drama-wise was Liam Neeson.

What’s it About? 

CJ Parker has been abducted by Albanian gangsters for reasons unknown. What is known is that, if Asher cannot find her in time, she will disappear forever. Desperate to find her, Asher makes a sacrifice to gain the information that is needed to locate CJ. When this sacrifice comes to light, however, it could very well spell the end to his relationship with her. Will Asher find CJ in time? And, if he does, can they survive the devastating secret sacrifice he made to find her?

First Impressions

Well son of a nutcracker! Talk about a complete 180 from book one. I figured this book would begin with Asher trying to get CJ back in his good graces by wooing her with his masculine wiles (aka his penis). He tries to get her back alright, but in a completely different sense. She’s been kidnapped, sold into white slavery, then bought and sold again to work in an underground strip club/escort service. Um, say what now? You know, in book one CJ was terrified to step outside her front door. Based on how this book starts out it seems like she should’ve stayed inside where it’s safe and sound. Who really needs fresh air when you have a hunky billionaire who wants to ravage your body in unspeakable ways?

Unique in More Ways Than One

I have made comment before that romance trilogies tend to follow a very distinct pattern. That sure as heck isn’t true when it comes to this series! Not only does the storyline go in a completely different direction than expected, but the writing style also changes. The entire first book was told from CJ’s point of view, whereas this novel alternates between both CJ and Asher. Hearing from Asher’s POV during his desperate search for the love of his life was a welcome change, and was balanced expertly with the fear CJ experienced throughout most of the book.

That being said, there was also a slight downside to following CJ’s point of view. Reading about how she was drugged, beaten, and almost involved in a gang bang was beyond disturbing. The author did do a phenomenal job at highlighting the deplorable and oftentimes inescapable conditions of women trapped in this kind of world, but at the same time I kept thinking about how I’m reading this by choice in my spare time. Not exactly the best way to wind down after a tough day at work. Even though I knew there was a high likelihood of Asher, or even Liam Neeson, using a very particular set of skills to come and rescue CJ, it wasn’t really fun getting to that knight in shining armor point. .

As if that Wasn’t Enough

So we all know that CJ will eventually escape from these terrible conditions, but unfortunately when she does she is immediately involved in a car accident whereby she loses all memory of the last 2 years. Because, you know, enough shit hasn’t happened to her already! Why not include a little amnesia on top of everything else? I swear, this woman deserves a hot bubble bath and bottle of wine/tequila more than anyone else I know. While this did add another layer of intrigue to the story, I did feel it was overdoing it just a bit. It sort of reminded me of the TV show Grey’s Anatomy, where you ask yourself how is it actually possible for this much drama to happen to one person??

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Exposure series, book 2. Be sure to read book 1 first!

Should you read it? Just like with the first book, I feel it is very important to include a disclaimer here. Although the novel is very well written, there are certain aspects of the story which are extremely difficult to read. In book one it was the details surrounding her brother’s death, and in this it was the disgusting reality of women being sold as sex slaves.

Smut Level: CJ might have no memory of Asher, but it sure doesn’t take ’em long to fall right back into bed. He’s definitely maintained his dirty talking skills.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Tobann Publications. 181 Pages.

Enchantress’ Destiny by Beth Caudill

This short novella was sort of a mix between Sleeping Beauty and Lord of the Rings. We’ve got elven clans and curses running rampant all over the place!

What’s it About? 

One dark curse, two elves and a destiny neither could escape. Disregarded by her betrothed, elven princess Clairessa Bellehaven analyzes spell books and dreams of finding someone to share her life. Betrayed by her unfaithful witch boyfriend, she convinces herself a single night with another elf will do no harm. Except the Goddess has a plan and Clairessa will have to fight to save the man who seized her heart and refused to let her go. Clan prince Rowe Calder arrived in Wildeloch to settle problems with his family’s business. What he found was the one elf he’d spent his life avoiding. His bondmate. The woman destined to bring about his death. Now he must find a way to keep his family safe when the dark elf comes to claim his soul. Will a love long denied be strong enough to save them when darkness seeks retribution. 

First Impressions

So right off the bat, the title isn’t my favorite. Mainly because I seem to spit saliva whenever I try and say it. Enchantressssss’ssss doesn’t really roll of the tongue. Ok, moving on to discussions that don’t involve spit. To be honest, fantasy romances aren’t always my favorite, and I think this book highlighted the main reasoning behind my feelings towards them. It was really hard for me to picture the world these elves were living in. It sounded like they lived in a big city with night clubs and traveling discs, but at the same time they are all about being connected to nature and surrounded by the forest. That, and other fantastical elements, such as a dark elf, Goddess, and shadow cat made it hard for me to really get lost in the story as I was having so much trouble visualizing what was actually happening.

The Relationship

Clairessa and Rowe (best name ever) are both destined to marry elves they’ve never met before, thereby linking two very powerful clans. Right when these two meet it’s blatantly obvious to the reader that they are actually destined for each other, but it takes them a while to figure it out. They’re too busy being swept away by their lust. I must say, reading such a vivid sex scene involving magical powers was definitely entertaining. Step back Christian Grey, Rowe can bind Clairessa’s hands together using only his mind. Beat that sucker!

After they lose themselves in a night of pleasure, Clairessa winds up prego, and she and Rowe immediately fall deeply in love. That must have been some really good lovin’. Once they both find out they were destined to marry, they decide to follow through with the binding ceremony. This is where I was a little confused. The reason Rowe was so hesitant to marry in the first place wasn’t because he was a playboy bachelor looking for endless elf booty. Instead, a dark elf had placed a curse on him whereby he would die upon marrying his beloved. Even though everyone knows this curse is in place, Rowe and Clairessa still want to marry. Now I’m not exactly petitioning for full acceptance of procreating outside of wedlock, but in this case it seems like maybe it would be ok if they just co-habitate for a while. That way Rowe could, you know, live? Or actually find and destroy this dark elf?

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Paranormals of Arilase, book 2. I haven’t read book 1, and honestly I think it would’ve helped some, as there are references to previous characters.

Should you read it?  Overall it was a very interesting and complex story line, but I think an extra 100 pages would’ve gone a long way. I wish that Clairessa and Rowe would’ve had more time to connect as a couple, and some more back story surrounding the dark elf and shadow cat would’ve been welcome.

Smut Level: The one descriptive smutty scene in this novella is magically smutty. Literally.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $1.99 Kindle Price. Moonlight Mountain Books. 85 Pages

Hocus Pocus by Teresa Roblin

Just because you’re a shy and mousey assistant doesn’t mean you can’t have numerous sexual fantasies about your boss, featuring copious amounts of massage oil and rubbing. Remember that.

What’s it About? 

Trying to outwit the spell only makes matters worse. Shy and quiet Amanda Santorelli is unhappy watching the world go by around her. When her well-meaning but wacky aunt casts an assertive spell on her, Amanda’s orderly world is turned upside-down. Unable to control herself, Amanda blurts out whatever is on her mind every time someone asks her a question. With no control over her own mouth, it’s only a matter of time before her boss discovers her secret. Mark Abbott is happy with the way his unassuming assistant runs his office. But all of a sudden she’s become a new person—both in attitude and appearance—and he’s not sure he likes the effect on his orderly work routine. With each passing day, he finds himself waiting to see what will come out of her mouth next. Before long, he can no longer deny the truth—the new Amanda is seriously making him reconsider his vow never to mix business with pleasure. Mark doesn’t know if it’s love—or if he’s just a victim of Hocus Pocus.

First Impressions

Yes, it’s a cheesy premise, but just sit back and have some fun with it! If anything, I think it wasn’t taken quite far enough in its execution. When I read the synopsis describing how this spell forces Amanda to speak the honest truth to any question asked of her, I was expecting her boss to catch on and use the spell to his advantage. You know, “What do you want me to do to you?” “Does this feel good?” et cetera. Although Mark does find out about the influence of the spell, as well as Amanda’s true feelings for him, it made them pull away from each other rather than start pulling each other’s clothes off.

Another Commitment-Phobe

Whereas I was hoping the discovery of the spell would bring Amanda and Mark closer together, it does the opposite. Amanda is so intent on keeping her deepest sexual fantasies a secret, and Mark doesn’t want to admit that he’s suddenly intrigued by his assistant’s outlandish behaviour, that they don’t spend as much time together as I would’ve liked. This results in a lack of a deep connection between the two once they did finally listen to the cries of their burning loins.

Mark is adamant that he doesn’t want to mix business with pleasure (ha, good luck with that one buddy), and he really doesn’t want to get involved in a committed relationship. Amanda, on the other hand, wants it all. Not an uncommon theme for a romance novel, by any means, but these two unsuspecting lovebirds rehash the same argument over and over and over again! After a while they’d both expressed their hesitancies in every way possible, so they just started repeating their previous arguments word for word. Come on people, move on and jump in bed together already. Under the Amazon description online it says Warning: Alpha Male, but I can’t really agree with that assessment. If Mark really was an alpha male, he wouldn’t have pulled away from Amanda as many times as he did.

Getting to the Good Stuff

After the halfway point I seriously started to question whether or not these two would ever act on their feelings for one another, or if the book would simply end with a chaste kiss. FYI: I hate when books end like that. Thankfully, we finally get to the good stuff around 80%, and oh my Grey Goose martini was it surprisingly delectable. Here I was wondering if we’d get to see anything steamy, and we are privy to a scene involving chocolate body paint! You’ve really got to question though if that stuff tastes anything like chocolate. I wonder if Godiva makes any?

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: It’s heavily implied that there will be a sequel involving Amanda’s sister Sarah, but I haven’t seen anything definite.

Should you read it? You have to be prepared for a rather silly story line, and one that doesn’t quite reach its full potential. That being said, Amanda’s Aunt Lily elicits a few giggles with her crazy antics and, you know, spell casting.

Smut Level: We are only offered glimpses of some slightly steamy sexual fantasies for the majority of the book, but it pays off in the end.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Publisher: Teresa Grenieri. 294 Pages.