Aleveria / KarenL

I read this book twice. Yep. I was sent the ARC a second time, and when I opened it again, I decided I wanted to finish it again. THAT'S how much I loved this story.

I've read a love of Ms. Adams' books over the years, and I think this one is my absolute favorite.

As is my wont, I'll talk about our leads.

Ashley is the girl that nobody really notices. She thinks she's ordinary, but the real reason is that she hides behind insecurity, plain clothes, and the tendency to be quiet. She's in love with one of the partners at her firm. But that's not who she's sleeping with.

Sean Doyle isn't the man of Ashley's dreams, but he's filling a hole in her life. After a one-night stand, they made a deal. They'd meet every two weeks and have a no-strings affair. Sean knows she's in love with someone else, and he's not looking for a relationship after a tragedy left him heartbroken.

“Look at you,” he rasped, his mouth near my ear again. “Look at how hot you are, how much you want this. This is who you really are, and only I get to see it.”

Gradually, their agreement becomes something else. They still meet on Wednesdays, but the assignations become dinners with deeper talks. Sean and Ash learn more about each other. Things come out that were never meant to be learned - breaking some of their terms.

But when their contract is metaphorically ripped to shreds, they have to face their feelings, and not just for each other.
--------------------------

The romance between Sean and Ashley was such a slow burn, it really was gorgeous how it unfolded. I loved that they were attracted to each other from the beginning, yet started out as a different kind of "ship".

I give Second Best five Ribeye dinners.

Oh man, I love me a good tattooed bad boy. Evan is definitely that. Although he's getting tired of that moniker. He's covering up the tatts, and toning down the "bad" part of bad boy. But he can't tell his wife any of that. In fact, it's better for her if he just doesn't tell her anything.

And then there's Kat. She settled down years ago, and wishes Even had done the same. Now there are serious doubts in her mind that he's even faithful to her. He's never lied to her, and she knows there's still love between them, but that might not be enough. Kat knows there's a lot he's keeping from her, and it's tearing their marriage apart.

Evan knows all this, but he also has a situation that he can't shake. If Kat knew about it, she'd leave him for sure. And he can't even quit the job that keeps him in a precariously morally ambiguous position because of it. To sum it up, Kat has escaped, and Evan is screwed.

Can Evan justify his need to fight for the only woman he will ever love, or is he destined to lose her forever? Will Kat be able to break away from Evan knowing that she'll never share that kind of bond with anyone else? And just as those questions are looming, serious complications are thrown in their paths. It can't possibly get worse - or better.
-----------------------

Okay, here's the part where I talk about my rating. While I really dug the story, I have to shave off a bit for the dragging out of the separation storyline. Which is the main arc of the book. I get it, it's the main plot point, but I felt like it could've been done with a tad more brevity.

Maybe I just wanted more of some of the other auxiliary stories? I don't know. I couldn't shake that feeling though. I wanted to read it, but I also wanted to get to the end quicker.

So I give the book 3.5 horrible boss stars.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

I read through all three of the New Camelot books at once, because I wanted to get the whole story at one time. Man... emotional overload. It took me three days or so to finish, and probably half a box of kleenex. Mostly from book three.

The characters are fully realized, story is rich in detail and flavor, and it has so much of everything. Intrigue, action, politics, erotica, and ROMANCE... lots of romance. In all forms. Dark, forbidden, deep, casual, forgettable, and of course - everlasting.

Ms. Simone has crafted something wonderful, has taken a timeless tale and spun it on its head, and I commend her for it.

This one is going on my "I'll re-read this again" pile.

NOTE: I was not given ARCs of any of this series, I read personal copies.

First of all... HOLY CLIFFHANGER FEDEX MAN!

Be prepared people. You're gonna want Vol. 2 big time. Is it worth the wait? I gotta say yes, yes it is. Let me try to convince you.

This story is rich with character construction and development, both in the main characters and the side characters. The arc is solid and engrossing, and it ends at a logical stopping point - with a jumping-off point for the next volume that keeps me on the edge of my seat, but not making me throw my kindle at the wall. :-)

“So, ah, yeah,” I say. “I got a few for you today, ladies.”
God, I sound like a douchebag. I sound like the beginning of a porn video, the ones where some asshat in a too-tight UPS uniform starts boning the secretary with a line like “Do you wanna see my package?”

Nico Soltero becomes a constant in Layla Barros' life when she takes a job at a law firm to support herself through college. He can't believe the connection he feels to her, and wonders if she feels the same. He flirts with her, calls her "NYU," asks about her life, but he can't seem to work up the courage to ask her out.

Layla is utterly captivated by Nico, the FedEx guy at her office. She's pretty sure they had a "meet-cute" on the street on her first day, and from that point forward, she felt like a magnet pulled towards him. On her end, there are issues that would be involved if he asked her out. Lots of baggage inherited via her family, and flak from her friends. Not to mention some of the misconceptions she's sure he has about her.

Nico hugs me closer, draping one heavy leg over mine and slipping a lean, muscled arm around my waist so he is curved completely around the back of my body. He fits there. We fit, like two crooked pieces of the crazy jigsaw puzzle of this city, with its eight million other parts.

It turns out one of the major hurdles in their relationship is New York itself, and ultimately - it takes its toll. There's a time-jump just before the last chapter, and we're left with a frantic Nico and Layla asking him for help.

It's tantalizing, and I truly can't wait for the next part of the story. I read this straight through with limited bathroom breaks - it was JUST. THAT. GOOD. I had to take a little off my rating because there were some parts where I didn't love the "I had it worse than you" conversations, but they weren't dealbreakers.

I give Bad Idea Vol. 1 4.5 Compass Tattoos.

These ladies slay me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The whole Oblivion-verse is just so real to me, and every time I start one of these books, I know I'm in for a TREAT.

I'll start my review by talking about the main characters.

We got a nice taste (oh how I WISH, amirite?) of Hudson Wyatt in Manipulated, and I was one-hundred-percent ready to read more about him by the end of that book. I didn't expect full-on Wyatt attitude. And he was throwing it from PAGE EFFING ONE. Instead of only seeing the charming and affable side of him, we get to see the jerky, demanding, coffee-hoarding, broody drummer.

I pulled her hand away. “It’s not about me tonight.” I led her back to the couch. “In fact, let’s just take away that temptation.”
I sat down and pulled her onto my lap. If I couldn’t see all her curves, then maybe I could make it through this final exam.
Maybe.

Meanwhile, we meet Piper. Owner of the Pussy Palace. It's totally NOT what you're thinking. She and Callie, Owen's very pregnant wife, are good friends, and Piper is closing down her cat cafe to host Callie's baby shower. It's an "all hands on deck" type shower, so guys and girls alike are there - to Wyatt's ultimate chagrin. Piper takes everything in stride though. Even when she has a demanding jerk to deal with, she still manages to make sure all the other attendees are taken care of, and she's a perfect hostess.

Wyatt would like to think he's sticking around for the coffee, and then Piper lays him flat with a request that went from zero to sixty in nothing flat. She wants to know how to flirt, and maybe more. From what he's seen, it looks like quite a bit more. Fork-flying, cat-scratching, coffee-pressing more.

Are you twisting your hair as you try to figure out how to reply about sexting? Or are you nibbling on that delectable mouth of yours?

Yes, this is a rom-com - hate to love essentially (which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE), but there are some angsty parts. That only enhances the story as far as I'm concerned. There are also some tie-ins to the other Oblivion-verse titles, including a bit at the end that had me a little choked up BECAUSE HOW COULD YOU!?! ahem, I mean, I was reminded of the ending of another book that was very emotional. *wink*

So for reals, I give this one FIVE stuffed baby giraffe stars. FIVE!!!

I have to admit, this isn't my favorite of the Bennett books. Although you can see by the almost four-star rating that I think it's great... so that's saying something.

Let me get my issues out of the way up front... and they're not deal-breakers by any means.

There were a few trope-y plot-points in this story. Reunited lovers, Matchmakers (ongoing theme in this series), "I just want you to be happy," Misunderstandings, and of course, the Grand Romantic Gesture - just to name a few. I don't mind this at all, except that a couple of them were just a teeeensy bit contrived. UGH! I hate saying that because I really did like this book!

Here's the deal though, there were some misunderstandings that shouldn't have been issues - at all, and I was really hoping for more tension in the story for all of the elements we were getting. The characters were likeable, and the story was good - I just expected a little bit more.

Let's talk about those characters.

Daniel knew his time under the matchmaking spotlight was coming, but he was kinda looking forward to it. His family, including his meddling sister Pippa, who just happens to be BFFs with his ex, Caroline - know he's never really gotten over her, so he's okay with seeing if they can mend the relationship he let go of several years earlier.

What could go wrong when you let your family get in the middle of your love-life instead of taking care of things on your own anyway, right? **eyeroll**

She sighs against my mouth, and it’s as if my brain short-circuits, leaving only one thought to stand out:
I want this woman.
I need her.

Caroline had her heart broken by Daniel Bennett when he let her go, but she was never out of his life. She was already a part of the "extended" Bennett family, and that meant running into Daniel every now and then. She was proud of the fact that things had never been contentious, and it made things very easy when she spotted him at their family functions.

What Caroline didn't tell anyone is that she didn't really want to be Daniel's friend. She missed him terribly, and still loved him. Every man she dated was compared unfavorably to him, and every sadness she suffered without him made her incredibly lonely and isolated.

“What do you feel when you’re with me, Caroline?”
“I feel that I belong in your arms.”
He exhales, and for a brief second, I wonder if he really thought I feel anything less.

Their love story should be epic, and I would've adored it if it were. As it is, it's lovely, but not quite as good as the books that came before this in the series.

I give Your One True Love 3.5 "fairy-dust" expeditions.

I have to admit, this isn't my favorite of the Bennett books. Although you can see by the almost four-star rating that I think it's great... so that's saying something.

Let me get my issues out of the way up front... and they're not deal-breakers by any means.

There were a few trope-y plot-points in this story. Reunited lovers, Matchmakers (ongoing theme in this series), "I just want you to be happy," Misunderstandings, and of course, the Grand Romantic Gesture - just to name a few. I don't mind this at all, except that a couple of them were just a teeeensy bit contrived. UGH! I hate saying that because I really did like this book!

Here's the deal though, there were some misunderstandings that shouldn't have been issues - at all, and I was really hoping for more tension in the story for all of the elements we were getting. The characters were likeable, and the story was good - I just expected a little bit more.

Let's talk about those characters.

Daniel knew his time under the matchmaking spotlight was coming, but he was kinda looking forward to it. His family, including his meddling sister Pippa, who just happens to be BFFs with his ex, Caroline - know he's never really gotten over her, so he's okay with seeing if they can mend the relationship he let go of several years earlier.

What could go wrong when you let your family get in the middle of your love-life instead of taking care of things on your own anyway, right? **eyeroll**

She sighs against my mouth, and it’s as if my brain short-circuits, leaving only one thought to stand out:
I want this woman.
I need her.

Caroline had her heart broken by Daniel Bennett when he let her go, but she was never out of his life. She was already a part of the "extended" Bennett family, and that meant running into Daniel every now and then. She was proud of the fact that things had never been contentious, and it made things very easy when she spotted him at their family functions.

What Caroline didn't tell anyone is that she didn't really want to be Daniel's friend. She missed him terribly, and still loved him. Every man she dated was compared unfavorably to him, and every sadness she suffered without him made her incredibly lonely and isolated.

“What do you feel when you’re with me, Caroline?”
“I feel that I belong in your arms.”
He exhales, and for a brief second, I wonder if he really thought I feel anything less.

Their love story should be epic, and I would've adored it if it were. As it is, it's lovely, but not quite as good as the books that came before this in the series.

I give Your One True Love 3.5 "fairy-dust" expeditions.

I very much enjoyed this book. One of the highlights was seeing Xander, Imani, Abbie, and Alexi from the Chase Brothers series. Since I just re-read [b:London Bound|21431580|London Bound (Chase Brothers, #1)|Nana Malone|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1478569873s/21431580.jpg|40211245], Abbie was very fresh in my mind. One of my favorite heroines.

I'll get back to Mr. Big now by saying that while I would recommend this story, I'd say it's more of a light read than anything else. Easy to read quickly, and I found myself skimming in a couple of places. I sometimes do that, although I manage to grab the feel of that content 99% of the time.

Emma released her strangled breath. He felt her body relax into his as she let go of some of the tension. As if it were only the two of them on the edges of the dance floor.
There, in the dark, with a girl he used to know, he wanted to tell her every dark secret he had, and that idea scared the shit out of him.

Zach had been a part of Emma's life for a long time. And he'd been in love with her for most of it. Unfortunately, nothing could come of it, because she was his best friend's sister. On top of that, he felt responsible for one of the biggest tragedies in her life. But now she's in London, right under his nose, and her brother has even asked him to look out for her. Needless to say, he's in agony.

Emma had been rejected by Zach before he left for the big city, so the very last thing she wanted was to run into him so soon after she moved from their home town to get her Master's in London. Especially since she ran into a spot of trouble before she even found her apartment. Of course that meant he showed up at a club to save her from a drunken lech, making her seem helpless, hapless, and hopeless.

She slapped his hands away but he was able to gather her against him, breathing in the smell of her shampoo as she finally collapsed against him. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” she said against his chest, her hands curling into his jacket. “I don’t want to feel this way about you.”

Zach and Emma are drawn to each other like high-powered magnets, and Zach gives in even though he knows he should be leaving her alone. He continues their relationship, hiding the truth of his shame from her, knowing she'll hate him when he confesses. Also knowing her brother will kill him when he finally shows up.

Will they be able to weather the storms of his insecurities and their family issues? How long will it take for Zach to come clean? And what happens when Stephen finally arrives back in London to find out that Zach's been "looking after" his sister in a very unwelcome way.
..............................
There were a few things in the story that were left murky, and the resolution was quite quick, but it was enjoyable. I give Mr. Big 3.5 bunches of abandoned flowers.

I very much enjoyed this book. One of the highlights was seeing Xander, Imani, Abbie, and Alexi from the Chase Brothers series. Since I just re-read [b:London Bound|21431580|London Bound (Chase Brothers, #1)|Nana Malone|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1478569873s/21431580.jpg|40211245], Abbie was very fresh in my mind. One of my favorite heroines.

I'll get back to Mr. Big now by saying that while I would recommend this story, I'd say it's more of a light read than anything else. Easy to read quickly, and I found myself skimming in a couple of places. I sometimes do that, although I manage to grab the feel of that content 99% of the time.

Emma released her strangled breath. He felt her body relax into his as she let go of some of the tension. As if it were only the two of them on the edges of the dance floor.
There, in the dark, with a girl he used to know, he wanted to tell her every dark secret he had, and that idea scared the shit out of him.

Zach had been a part of Emma's life for a long time. And he'd been in love with her for most of it. Unfortunately, nothing could come of it, because she was his best friend's sister. On top of that, he felt responsible for one of the biggest tragedies in her life. But now she's in London, right under his nose, and her brother has even asked him to look out for her. Needless to say, he's in agony.

Emma had been rejected by Zach before he left for the big city, so the very last thing she wanted was to run into him so soon after she moved from their home town to get her Master's in London. Especially since she ran into a spot of trouble before she even found her apartment. Of course that meant he showed up at a club to save her from a drunken lech, making her seem helpless, hapless, and hopeless.

She slapped his hands away but he was able to gather her against him, breathing in the smell of her shampoo as she finally collapsed against him. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” she said against his chest, her hands curling into his jacket. “I don’t want to feel this way about you.”

Zach and Emma are drawn to each other like high-powered magnets, and Zach gives in even though he knows he should be leaving her alone. He continues their relationship, hiding the truth of his shame from her, knowing she'll hate him when he confesses. Also knowing her brother will kill him when he finally shows up.

Will they be able to weather the storms of his insecurities and their family issues? How long will it take for Zach to come clean? And what happens when Stephen finally arrives back in London to find out that Zach's been "looking after" his sister in a very unwelcome way.
..............................
There were a few things in the story that were left murky, and the resolution was quite quick, but it was enjoyable. I give Mr. Big 3.5 bunches of abandoned flowers.

The Evolution of Us is just another reason I will continue to jump on every opportunity to read and review Ms. Kelly's books. I adored this standalone second-chance romance, even though I had a couple of 'wtb's near the end. ("want to buys" - nothing serious, just a wishlist really)

Let's start with our main couple.

Holly is tired. Tired of living alone, tired of living with secrets, tired of living across the hall from her ex, Declan... yeah, you saw that correctly. After dealing with their crushing breakup two years earlier, he moved into her building, and won't leave her alone.

She just wants to move on and get over him already. But he won't let it go. There's too much mud they'd have to wade through if they ever got back together, and Holly isn't ready for any of that. She figures Declan isn't either, and the best way to deal with it is to stay on course. Push him away and keep focused forwards.

Declan knows he has a lot to overcome if he wants Holly back. The main stumbling block is his parade of bimbos - a lot of them strutted right past her door. Wearing her down is his main strategy, that and using their friends and his YouTube viewers for advice. Okay, so he doesn't have a great plan, but he's trying.

His opening finally comes via a hinky elevator, bottled water, and chocolate chip cookies. Declan might be charming, but he's gonna have to bring it hardcore in order to win Holly's heart back. And hopefully he'll get her to open up about whatever she's been keeping hidden from everyone.

.....................................
As I just alluded to, there's a bit of a mystery that unfolds purposefully and methodically over the course of the entire book. It's shown to us via past and present flashes, and it's done really nicely. Not drawn out too much, but not given to us in an infodump.

I also love the dual POV format along with the little flashbacks. Getting to see the story from both sides makes for a much more balanced perspective. There's definitely the whole miscommunication thing that works against them the entire way - so those things have to be discussed at some point. It's getting there that seems to be the issue.

Baxter and Sage were great BFFs. They were "split up" in the breakup, but kept in touch. I thought the dynamic between Declan and Baxter particularly was touching and lovely. Especially in the High-School era moments.

Overall, this was a great standalone story. Unlike The Illusion Series, this book is entirely self-contained, which means less character development. It's not a bad thing, I just found myself wanting a little more content near the end of the book. I mean that in a complementary way - I just *wanted more* of it!

I give The Evolution of Us Four solid "sexy man-kiss" stars.

Right up front, I want to say that I re-read the whole series in one go. Not only did I want to refresh my memory, but I remembered how great the story is. While Selfless is in dual POV from Ryder's and Ashlyn's sides, we also get a bow on top of Jacent & Becca's story.

I dug that there were a couple of twists near the end, although nothing earth-shattering. If Vicki were a real person I'd track her down just to rip her hair out. For realsies. She's the worst. One of the pleasant surprises was a substantial side-story involving Mr. O'Kane. I like him very much, and was interested in the part he played as well.

Shenanigans abound, even as the story starts, because that's where we left off at the end of [b:Selfish|31498729|Selfish|Shantel Tessier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1479359599s/31498729.jpg|52188852]. That's the first book in the trilogy, and it's the beginning of Ashlyn and Ryder's story. I'll interject here that reading the three books in order (with [b:Myself|34761487|Myself (Selfish Series Book 2)|Shantel Tessier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491208726s/34761487.jpg|55961044] second) is the way to go. Seeing the events from Jaycent and Becca's POV is crucial to the final chapter.

Ryder and Ashlyn have a lot to overcome. Most of it is miscommunication, but some of that isn't exactly their fault. (oooh, intrigue!) Ry is super jealous, and Ash needs to get over her insecurities. I was really frustrated by her inability to get over the money thing. The O'Kane's were super rich, and Ryder was cool with whatever she wanted to do - so... what's the sitch, amirite?

Seeing Jaycent and Becca become more of a couple, and "come out" to Ryder was really great. They had a bumpy road too, and needed resolution. Both of them got some juicy bits as well, so they weren't left out at all.

All in all, [b:Selfless|28228285|Selfless|Shantel Tessier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506006686s/28228285.jpg|48256812] wrapped up the series nicely, and it kept my attention from beginning to end.

I give the whole series 4.5 "Rainy Balcony" stars