I’ve got a book bestie that has been singing Eva’s praises for a while now and she was not wrong! I can only speaI love the beginning of an MC series!
I’ve got a book bestie that has been singing Eva’s praises for a while now and she was not wrong! I can only speak for this story (and I hope she writes a lot more in this series), but even with just this story I can already tell she is a writer that respects subgenres and tropes and does not overly dramatize. For me, that’s #winning. MC romances can easily derail into OTT nonsense due to the lifestyle of the members but it doesn’t have to be represented that way. You can write about the darkness, violence, sexual fluidity, and extremism of the world without the circumstances being ”too” any of those things. Many authors do it and some don’t. Eva Simmons is an author that does, and I am here for it!
The story of Tempe and Steel grabbed me from the beginning and so did the story of the club. I was invested in all of it, and I felt a whole lot while I read it. From the grit to the soft moments I loved how Eva captured all the moments and really put me in the story. Her prose is incredible, and I’m already addicted. The story blended the drama of the past well with the now and added to the already captivating storyline. And we can’t forget about little Austin! Th even more perfect aspect of the story was the slow-burn and build-up that Eva designed for Tempe & Steel. With the connections from the past and circumstances of the now, I don’t think it would have worked any other way as easily as it did like this. I can’t believe this is actually my first book written by this woman because her written ticks every one of my boxes!
If you’re an MC romance enthusiast, you should put this series and author on your radar. This story was not extreme on any front but had the necessary grit, brotherhood, mystery and somewhat darkish elements all mc romances should have....more
My best friend of 30+ years and I are always talking about what an absolute hoot it would be if we auditioned for the reality show The Amazing Race anMy best friend of 30+ years and I are always talking about what an absolute hoot it would be if we auditioned for the reality show The Amazing Race and when we watch the show, we always pretend it’s us doing the actual racing and it is one of the best times between us! Neither one of us could possibly even endure it but it is fun to imagine while watching! This time, I got to imagine while reading and it was so much fun!!
I loved how not only is this a second chance romance, but it’s also kind of a ”hate(ish) to not hate(ish) because forced proximity is making us reevaluate” romance journey. The two combined were very well written in my opinion and it was believable. Everything about this story was believable. That made it that much more entertaining for me. Their chemistry and tension between XY made for some very spicy circumstances and I really liked that a lot because for some reason, I wasn’t expecting it! LOL Obvs, I knew there would be some sexy-sexy, but you’ll have to read the story to “get” what I’m trying to say LOL because I’m not going to detail it for you! ;)
Not only is Hazel James a new-to-me author with this book, but this story marks my first read in this series. I normally never start a series mid-way, but I didn’t have the time in my schedule for the first two releases at the time but #KindleUnlimited has come to the rescue, and I will be catching up in the next couple weeks to get ready for Past Tents coming out in October!!
Thank you Smartypants Romance for the opportunity to read this story in advance of publication!...more
So, THAT happened! And by “that”, I mean I immediately downloaded Curveball the minute I finished reading Double Play and forgot to come here and do mSo, THAT happened! And by “that”, I mean I immediately downloaded Curveball the minute I finished reading Double Play and forgot to come here and do my blogger duties! I mean … *deep breath* why am I like this? Anywho, let’s chat about Double Play.
I enjoy sport romances a lot. When this promotion came up and I read the synopsis, I jumped for two reasons, the sports and the author was new-to-me. I am all about new-to-me experiences. But also, DOUBLE SPORTS!! #winning Can’t really say I’m a huge fan of the sibling friend trope because my experience has been that it’s almost always written with way over the top circumstances revolving said friend and it makes me #twitchy because I just don’t get why your sibling would get all up in arms if you fall in love with their friend. I mean it's bananas to me. But whateves, it happens, so here we are LOL
ALL that being said, I am super excited to get to know AK Landow’s work in the future. This woman knows how to grow characters and relationships. She knows how to move a story forward with purpose. She does not OTT and very much focuses on the romance journey, but also, the growth of the characters. I am impressed. All of this is wrapped up in some serious ❤️...more
I started reading this story on the heels of yet another re-listen to one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors. There was a second therI started reading this story on the heels of yet another re-listen to one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors. There was a second there where I almost stopped myself from starting right then because I was on a high (lol) and those were some huge shoes to fill, but I’ve been drawn to this story since the moment I set eyes on the cover, so I threw caution to the wind and went for it right then and there.
I finished this story late last night and woke up this morning to thoughts of it all. I am staggered and more than a little awed by what my mind just consumed in Salt. I do not actually know where to begin or even in what order I want to tell the world about what I experienced. Not a single moment of this story was trite or even cliché. It was genuine and organic and realistic. It took the term taboo and redefined it. The layers of the story had layers of their own and unmeasurable depth. There’s a subplot that surrounds and connect to the main plot that is so thoroughly and meticulously unfolded that you don’t even see it coming until it’s right there, in your face, and your level of awestruck is just catapulted into some unknown space in your mind.
I am irrevocably shook by what I just read!! It took me a few minutes to be in the story but once that happened, I felt every single circumstance and plot-twist as if I was inside the story as a secondary character. This woman’s word wizardry is something I’ve only experienced from a handful of authors and again, I am shook! Whatever you may think this story is about, I can assure you it is much more. If you’re a reader that normally stays away from “taboo” reads because of this or that, I implore you to rid your mind of everything you think taboo means and just read this story.
This story is a lot bigger than its parts. It’s more than a romance journey. It’s a story of discovery. It’s a story of growth and acceptance. It’s a story of life’s unpredictability and tangled web it weaves. It’s a story of "seven degrees of separation" but really a whole lot less degrees. It’s a story of society’s pressures and views and how impactful they may or may not be on our actions and reactions. It’s a story of breaking all the "rules" and choosing love. Cameron & Everett are going to steal your heart and imbed themselves in your soul. Their story is going to surprise you in the best possible way.
There’s a song, Free Your Mind, by En Vogue from the early 90s that has a chorus that fits Cameron & Everett like a glove. "Free your mind" is a concept that I felt through most of the narrative of Salt. Freeing my mind to the possibility of this story is what ensnared and engrossed me to every word. Cameron & Everett "freeing" themselves of society’s what should(s) is what ultimately allowed for the freedom of their love. *sigh* I’ve said too much already LOL I’m stopping now before I give the whole thing away! Just read the book.
I cannot thank Hambright PR enough for not just providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC, but also making me aware of this author and her wizardry. THANK YOU!...more
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