This is a hard review to write and a hard book to read. I want to start out by saying this an age gap to the extreme. Alex watches Penny grow up and tThis is a hard review to write and a hard book to read. I want to start out by saying this an age gap to the extreme. Alex watches Penny grow up and they know each other for years before they enter into a relationship. Carian Cole skillfully navigates this issue throughout the book. This book is also an emotional rollercoaster. I had to read it in multiple sittings or I would have just cried for 4 hours straight. It is a very emotional book and deals with grief and loss in a very realistic way. This book was truly a love story in the realest sense of the word. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart nor those who do not want to be reaching for the tissues...more
You know when you finish a book and have the delight of realizing characters in it have their own stories? That was me at the end of The Devil Gets HiYou know when you finish a book and have the delight of realizing characters in it have their own stories? That was me at the end of The Devil Gets His Due, I was so happy to get to read the other three books in the series. This book was my catnip, an unique heroine, who gets pregnant after an one (two) night stand and oh yeah, they also got drunk married in Vegas! Graham and Keeley were both so shocked to discover the result of their nights together. It definitely changes up their lives and while there is certainty conflict between them, I love to see these two opposites interact. They really are two very different people but they come together again for this pregnancy and we get to see them grow closer. Honestly, the only thing I wasn’t the biggest fan of was Graham’s view of Keeley in the beginning of the book. Her life has shaped her into the flighty and carefree person she is and when you’re freefalling from a shock and trying to get your life on track, you will always slip up every once in a while. I feel like there were times that he didn’t see how hard she was trying and that was frustrating to me as the reader. He kept his own secrets from her and it definitely took a while for the two to trust each other. Overall, an addicting read and I couldn’t put it down!
Merged review:
You know when you finish a book and have the delight of realizing characters in it have their own stories? That was me at the end of The Devil Gets His Due, I was so happy to get to read the other three books in the series. This book was my catnip, an unique heroine, who gets pregnant after an one (two) night stand and oh yeah, they also got drunk married in Vegas! Graham and Keeley were both so shocked to discover the result of their nights together. It definitely changes up their lives and while there is certainty conflict between them, I love to see these two opposites interact. They really are two very different people but they come together again for this pregnancy and we get to see them grow closer. Honestly, the only thing I wasn’t the biggest fan of was Graham’s view of Keeley in the beginning of the book. Her life has shaped her into the flighty and carefree person she is and when you’re freefalling from a shock and trying to get your life on track, you will always slip up every once in a while. I feel like there were times that he didn’t see how hard she was trying and that was frustrating to me as the reader. He kept his own secrets from her and it definitely took a while for the two to trust each other. Overall, an addicting read and I couldn’t put it down!...more
4.5 Stars. I want to start this review by saying that I support the HarperCollins Union in their strike and please continue to support them. If I hadn4.5 Stars. I want to start this review by saying that I support the HarperCollins Union in their strike and please continue to support them. If I hadn't received an ARC of this book from a PR company (and signed up before the strike), I would hold off on posting my review. I hope for the sake of those striking and for the authors, that HarperCollins comes to the bargaining table soon.
I think this is my favorite book in this series. We've been waiting Nellie and the duke's story for so long and when we finally get it... *chef's kiss*. And man oh man, is this book steamy. Even more so when we learn that Nellie and Lockwood had an anonymous meeting prior to the first book. Which took place in the ocean! Swimming and water is a big part of this book and there were tons of sexytimes around it too! Honestly, the heat level really lives up to the cover of this book! Lockwood and Nellie are on very different paths but the attraction between them brings them together. Both put up a façade, especially Nellie who tries to brush over society's view of her but sometimes it hurts. It takes a little bit for them to see underneath the walls that they put up but when they do, we get sweetness along with steaminess! This book made me cry and was especially heartbreaking at times but it just shows the emotional depth of the story. This was book we were longing for and it didn't disappoint!...more
I was on vacation and not really reading much when I received an ARC of Silent Chaos. I finished it in one day and at one point, my sister looked overI was on vacation and not really reading much when I received an ARC of Silent Chaos. I finished it in one day and at one point, my sister looked over and saw me crying and asked if I was reading a sad book. This book is an emotional roller coaster. Kaylee and Braxton go through so much and have to work so hard to trust each other again. There are harsh words and difficult scenes but the payoff is beautiful in the end. Both have made choices that hard the other and they have to live with that. Even once they overcome some of those obstacles, they have a lot of healing to do and need time for trust to build again. Their past has a big influence over the story and even though the throwback scenes are heartbreaking at times, they are necessary to the story. Nikki Ash really pulls you into the story and I honestly didn't put the book down! ...more
I knew going in that I was going to love The Long Game but I didn't realize I could love it this much. There was just everything I could have wanted iI knew going in that I was going to love The Long Game but I didn't realize I could love it this much. There was just everything I could have wanted in Ilya and Shane's HEA. Adorable dogs, emotional support, mental health rep, and scenes so hot I thought my ears would catch fire. And tears of sadness and happiness all combined. If this is the end of the series, I'd be happy but I'd also love for a book about Luca and to have even more cameos by Ilya and Shane. Seriously, I'd be ecstatic if they made cameos in every future book I read. My heart was bursting with joy and love by the end of this book....more
*4.5 Stars* Honestly, I started this book intending to read one chapter to keep up my Kindle streak and then put it down and read book 2. I didn’t. I b*4.5 Stars* Honestly, I started this book intending to read one chapter to keep up my Kindle streak and then put it down and read book 2. I didn’t. I basically read the entirety in one sitting. From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the love story between Preston and Katherine. There was a marriage agreement between their fathers and Katherine shows up at Preston’s office to plan their wedding… only to discover that Preston has no intention of following that arrangement. From that moment, I was obsessed with Katherine. She decides to stop letting others and society dictating her life. One of those ways is by finally perusing her dream of opening a modern art museum. And another is going to courtesans’ ball, dressed as Madame de Pompadour, where she has a steamy encounter with someone dressed as Louis XV. To both their surprise when they decide to meet up again, that person is Preston! The heat level in this book is just… chef’s kiss! Katherine and Preston decide to pursue a non so friends with benefits relationship and quickly grow close to each other. Preston is a very morally gray character. He’s suffering from guilt over his friend’s death and had to make unscrupulous decisions to keep his family business afloat after his father’s death. Kat’s father had been Preston’s father business partner and Preston blames him for separating their businesses and not curing Preston’s father’s gambling. Needless to say, there is a lot for Kat and Preston to work through in this book and I enjoyed every minute of it!...more
I debated between a 4 and 4.5 stars rating but finally decided to go with 4 star because of how long it took me to finish this book. At first, the emoI debated between a 4 and 4.5 stars rating but finally decided to go with 4 star because of how long it took me to finish this book. At first, the emotional feels were too much and I needed to space out reading it. After the first 40% of the book, the feels died down a little and I was able to read it faster but it did take me a little longer to connect to the storyline. Unlike my usual feelings about books and wanting more, I actually think A Lady for A Duke would have benefited from being a bit shorter. There was a bit that felt receptive that could have been cut to make the story flow.
A Lady for a Duke follows the reunion of Gracewood and his friend who is now Viola. Guilt is a major plot point in this book and both Gracewood and Viola struggle with it. Gracewood feels that his friend’s death is his fault while Viola suffers guilt over needing cause Gracewood hurt to be able to live her life as a woman. There is so much emotional healing that is needed for both of them and that makes for a bit of slow going in the beginning. Once Gracewood learns that Viola is his decreased friend, the plot of the book picks up. There are absolutely adorable moments between Gracewood and Viola, such as their dance, that really show the connection between the two of them. As their relationship moves to the physical, the role of communication and trust is really highlighted and it provides a good contrast to see how far they’ve come. There are some plot points I questioned towards to end of the book but they didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. This story was an emotional roller coaster but also beautifully written....more