(Review) He's So Fine by Jill Shalvis

Title: He's So Fine
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor, #11
Published: September 30, 2014 (Grand Central Publishing)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Egalley provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review (Thanks!); paperback borrowed from my sister, borrowed from the library.

Summary: For Olivia Bentley, Lucky Harbor is more than the town where she runs her new vintage shop. It's the place where folks are friendly to strangers-and nobody knows her real name. Olivia does a good job of keeping her past buried, not getting too cozy with anyone . . . until she sees a man drowning. Suddenly she's rushing into the surf, getting up close and personal with the hottest guy she's ever laid hands on.

Charter boat captain Cole Donovan has no problem with a gorgeous woman throwing her arms around his neck in an effort to "save" him. In fact, he'd like to spend a lot more time skin-to-skin with Olivia. He's just not expecting that real trouble is about to come her way. Will it bring her deeper into Cole's heart, or will it be the end of Olivia's days in little Lucky Harbor?

I had He's So Fine for several weeks before I finally read it. I would look at it, get excited, then stop before I actually read the first line. Why? Because reading it would mean there would only be one more Lucky Harbor book for me to read ever, and that's just a terrible thought. Thankfully, the release date came around, and my cousin devoured this book faster than you can say "sa-woon." This, of course, prompted me to finally crack it open (figuratively speaking, obviously, as it was on my Nook), so we could discuss it!

As always, it was wonderful to be back in Lucky Harbor. I always like seeing it through the eyes of characters who are both new to town (Olivia) and those who grew up there (Cole). And, of course, those who make the town as quirky as it is (Lucille, who had recently navigated the transition from Facebook to Tumblr, due to their less restrictive photo policies, all the better for posting shirtless photographs of our favorite resident ship captain).

Oh, Cole. He is what made this book for me. Truthfully, I was surprised to learn this book was about him, because in the Lucky Harbor mini-trilogies, the most intriguing hero of the three is usually saved for the last book, and I was drawn to Cole immediately. (I am certainly eager for Tanner's now! Who knows what amazingness Shalvis has been holding out on us?) Far be it from me to complain, though! I'll take a nice, sexy, honest, comfortable-in-his-own-skin handyman any day of the week. Cole had some things he had to work through, but he was definitely the star of the show.

Olivia was a little difficult to get to know as a character, because she was hiding a lot of her past. She had been a child star named Sharlyn, but her super popular show was canceled when at age 16, she finally looked too old to convincingly play a young girl anymore. After this, she had a typical Hollywood meltdown, went into hiding, and rebuilt her life as Olivia. She was scrappy, smart, and dedicated, but she was also used to being secretive and hiding her past. This created a problem when she started to get involved with Cole, who was all about the honesty.

Their interactions were spectacular! I mean, really. Their first official meeting happened because she jumped into the water to rescue Cole after watching him fall from a boat, only to make matters worse because he was actually fine, and she had no idea what she was doing. It was hilarious! She had the best of intentions, though, you had to hand it to her. Though they got started on kind of a crazy foot, Cole and Olivia fell into something like friendship pretty quickly and naturally, but although they had some pretty sizzling attraction, things had to be worked out before either was ready for a real commitment.

I only had a few small problems with this book. One is that the book felt kind of thrown together at times, the writing a little rushed. I would have liked to see some of the details a little more fleshed out, and I definitely wanted more interaction between the three main guys.

However, I was super excited to see Callie, Becca and Olivia's new neighbor, show up! She's clearly going to be the third heroine, and I'm already anticipating her story. Especially since she used to have a crush on Tanner AND is related to Lucille. I know the next book is going to rock. If I can ever convince myself to read it, that is. But if He's So Fine - and all the previous Shalvis books I've read - taught me one thing, it's this: Saying "yes" to a Jill Shalvis book is always the right answer.

First:For a guy balancing his weight between the stern of his boat and the dock, thinking about sex instead of what he was doing was a real bonehead move.

---

Favorite:“You’re engaged to be married,” Callie reminded her.
“Yes, but it’s Captain Jack Sparrow,” Becca said. “He’s a fictional character. You’re allowed to lust after fictional characters when you’re engaged. It’s in the Engaged Handbook somewhere.”

---

Teaser:“Just because we’ve done...it,” she said, “doesn’t mean–”
“We discussed your sexual vocabulary. ‘It’ is not on the list of acceptable descriptions for what we did.”
“Fine,” she said. “We had wild monkey sex that ruined me for all other men. Happy?”
“Getting there.”

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(Review) Riding the Wave by Lorelie Brown

Title: Riding the Wave
Author: Lorelie Brown
Series: Pacific Blue, #1
Published: July 1, 2014 (Signet)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review. (Thanks!)

Summary: With a make-or-break world championship on the line, professional surfer Tanner Wright has come back to the coastal California hometown he left a decade ago, carrying only his board and the painful knowledge of his father’s infidelity. Now that Hank Wright is dead, Tanner intends to keep the secret buried to spare his mother and sister the burden.

The last time Avalon Knox saw her best friend’s brother, she was fourteen and he was a twenty-year-old surfer god. She’s never understood or respected the way Tanner distanced himself from the family that has embraced her. But now she has the professional chance of a lifetime: to photograph Tanner for the competition—if he’ll agree.

Out on the waves, they find in each other passion that’s impossible to resist. And Tanner’s not the only one trying to move forward from his past. As the competition heats up, secrets get spilled, and lust takes over. How close can Avalon get to this brooding surfer without getting burned?

I'll be honest: When Estelle from Foreword Literary first approached me about this book, my answer was a resounding HECK YEAH. (No, really. I can go screencap the email if you doubt me.) Long-time crush? Best friend's older brother? Sexy surfers? Forget the sound of the ocean, that was clearly the sound of a book calling my name, and who was I to deny it?

I'm definitely glad I went for this one! It delivered on all fronts. Tanner was a gorgeous surfer who was coming home after avoiding it for 10 years. He'd been keeping his father's secrets for a decade, but now that his dad had passed away, he was free to return to his mother and sister. Except that the past didn't quite stay in the past, and there was still a lot to deal with.

Then there was Avalon, the best friend of Tanner's younger sister, Sage. I really liked her! She was spunky and ambitious and adorable. Sage was awesome, too! I didn't get as much interaction with her as I would've liked, though. I really hope she gets her own book! Preferably one where she is paired with Jack, a surfer who maybe possibly has feelings for her? But we don't actually know; at this point, I'm speculating wildly along with Avalon, but I'm definitely crossing my fingers.

I went into this book expecting there to be lots of tortured I-want-you-but-I-shouldn't glances and smoldering chemistry, but Brown actually surprised me by switching it up! And while I do have a gargantuan small soft spot some forbidden love drama, the best friend's older brother thing didn't really come into play that much. It was a factor in the beginning, but they treated it like adults, and I respected and even liked that. It was more of a problem that they were working together, with Avalon trailing him in the month before the big surfing competition.

While there wasn't forbidden angst, one thing Riding the Wave definitely delivered in spades was chemistry. Yowza! Avalon and Tanner had good build up, and I half expected my Nook to start shorting out when they decided holding out wasn't for them because hello. I also enjoyed the friendship aspect between them and appreciated that it wasn't just sex holding them together.

I enjoyed the book overall, but I did have a couple issues. While I knew that there was family drama and understood the reasons for it, it got a little repetitive after a while. I also think the phrase "apples of the cheeks" was used way too much, especially given that it doesn't really feel like a 31-year-old surfer kind of thing to think. But I've always disliked that phrase, so I'm probably a little biased.

One of my favorite things is that Brown hit the perfect balance when creating the surfing atmosphere. I definitely got the surfing feel, but I also wasn't bombarded by terms or bored to death by action paragraphs I didn't understand. Overall, Riding the Wave was a hit! It definitely made me want to take up surfing, which would be a feat given that I'm about as landlocked as it is possible for a person to be. But one day! Until then, I'll just go watch Blue Crush and Gidget, which is about as close to surfing as I get.

First:The past ten years of the waves down under hadn’t been home to Tanner Wright, not like the gray-green swells of San Sebastian.

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Favorite:Because some people in this world are broken, and some are not. Some of us have broken pieces and we need to find somewhere to fit them into.

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Teaser:If she ever started thinking about his mouth too much, all the she had to do was remind herself of his near-shithead status. Easy peasy.

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(Review) Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Title: Being Sloane Jacobs
Author: Lauren Morrill
Published: January 7, 2014
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you!)

Summary: Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

I was already a huge fan of Ms. Morrill from Meant to Be, which I LOVED. I could not wait to see what she had in store with this one. When the cover was revealed, I squealed. When the blurb was revealed, I danced. The Parent Trap (and yes, I mean the REAL one with Hayley Mills) was one of my favorite movies growing up, and since then, I've had a weakness for the switching-places trope. This one looked like so much fun!

And it was. I wouldn't advise going into this one expecting anything mind-blowing. It was all there in the summary and was fairly predictable, but it delivered on what it promised. There were cute boys and ice skating and hockey and two girls who learned a lot about life and love through a far-fetched idea they decided to implement.

The two Sloanes could not have been more different! They were from different walks of life, had different interests, and possessed completely different personalities. It was fun and a tad crazy watching them go from meet to switch-lives-with-me in 0.2 seconds. I wish I we would have seen them interact more! Whether they were apart or together, though, it was always obvious which one of them was currently narrating. Morrill did a great job with the alternating POV. The voices were clear, and the POV shifted just often enough to keep the reader engaged in both storylines.

As for the romances, they were pretty cute, though I wasn't bowled over. I was definitely more a fan of Sloane Devon's romance than Sloane Emily's, because I just never really connected to the Matt the Hockey Hottie. But there were still some great moments on both sides! And I loved Nando - Sloane Devon's love interest - as well as the other friends Sloane Devon made at camp. It was great watching them interact.

One of my favorite things about Morrill's books is that she isn't afraid to let teens be teens. Her characters have immature moments, make mistakes, play ridiculous pranks, and all-around act their age. I like the chip-on-my-shoulder, save-the-world, and mature-beyond-my-years characters as much as the next gal, but there's something so refreshing about characters who actually do things you would do in the real world.

While Being Sloane Jacobs didn't replace Meant to Be as my favorite Morrill, it was still worth reading. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who, like me, enjoys some good switching-places hijinks. Also, as a bonus, it had a fantastic and memorable ending! I can't wait to see what Morrill has in store for the future.

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(Review) Merry and Bright by Jill Shalvis

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Title: Merry and Bright
Author: Jill Shalvis
Published: September 24, 2013 (Kensington)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Paperback, borrowed from the library

Summary: Jill Shalvis is back with a collection of three endearing, sexy, and yuletide-filled short stories.

I'm sure it came as a surprise to absolutely no one that I was salivating over this book. Even though I'm not always a fan of short stories - I prefer the more long, drawn out variety - Jill Shalvis can simply do no wrong, and I want to read everything she writes. And what's a Christmas elf to do when one of her favorite authors puts out a Christmas collection?

Read it, of course!

And I did. I sped through this book pretty quickly! The fact that it is broken into three different stories makes it seem to read faster than a normal book of its size. I'm going to go ahead and break it down by story, because the three were completely separate. They had no connection whatsoever, aside from the fact that they all took place around Christmas.

The First Story: "Finding Mr. Right"

This first story sucked me right in. It was about a chemist named Maggie who always went for guys who were exactly like her: intelligent, motivated by work, and not overly romantic. So due to some encouragement by her sister, Maggie decided to go after something different: a night with Mr. Wrong. And who should be there to be her Mr. Wrong but Jacob, the sexy architect she'd crushed on in high school.

This was a really cute story with a surprising bit of mystery/adventure thrown in. In fact, aside from the fact that Maggie was a very different sort of narrator, the whole thing read very much like a Stephanie Plum novel. Entertaining, sexy, and a very quick read, "Finding Mr. Right" was quite the fun way to spend a morning.

The Second Story: "Bah Handsome!"

This second story had a rather interesting premise: B&B owner Hope had taken a loan out from her (very pre-epiphany Scroogeish) step-brother, and his (adorably geeky and yummy) solicitor was there to assess whether or not it appeared she would be able to pay it back on time. And then he got snowed in. One of my favorite tropes!

Unfortunately, this one shared quite a few elements with the first story and thus failed to stand on its own feet. With some stronger editing, I think it could have been really good. But it was a little weak, and reading it right after the first story kind of felt like reading the same thing over again with different names. And quite a bit more snow. It was cute, though.

The Third Story: "Ms. Humbug"

The third story was about Cami, a strictly by-the-rules woman who was annoyed by no one more than Matt: hard-working office playboy - and recently appointed mayor/Cami's boss.

I think this was probably my favorite of the stories. Due to the length of the story, their relationship had to progress rather quickly. But although it did feel a tad rushed, I believed it could happen. Matt and Cami had known and respected each other as fellow hard workers for a while, even if Matt did set Cami's teeth on edge. In a fun trope change-up, though, it wasn't mutual! Matt knew he pressed Cami's buttons, but he had always been intrigued rather than put off by her. They also had some fabulous chemistry, which is hard to create in the space of only 80 or so pages. I could also see how some people might be put off by Cami as a narrator, but I really liked her character and seeing the story from her perspective.

These stories weren't anything ground-breaking, but they were definitely enjoyable! If you're looking for some entertaining holiday reading that doesn't take itself too seriously, this collection is a fabulous choice.

First
For two months, Maggie Bell walked past him every day on her way out of the office, and every day she took in that tall, leanly muscled body, those incredibly well-fitted Levi's hanging low on his hips thanks to his tool belt, and forgot everything else just to take it all in.

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Favorite
It was the right thing to do, the polite thing to do. Thank-you-for-the-perfect-sex cookies.

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Teaser
He couldn't have been more stunned if he'd just been hit head-on by a moving freight train. He'd just had the best sex of his entire life. On the ground. In the great outdoors. In the wilds of Colorado. In the snow.

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(Review) This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: April 2, 2013 (Poppy)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Physical ARC, won from AnnaReads. (Thanks!)

Summary: When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

I read This Is What Happy Looks Like for the Spring into Summer Readalong. Thankfully, I enjoyed it a lot more than The Vincent Boys. I love how Jennifer E. Smith gets such unique titles, yet they match the book completely. This book had me smiling so much! And it had some fabulously quotable lines:

“How can you know it makes you happy if you’ve never experienced it?” – “There are different kinds of happy,” she said. “Some kinds don’t need any proof.”

This Is What Happy Looks Like was all kinds of cuteness. In involved Charlotte's Web references, a pet pig, summer in Maine, an adorable and famous teenage boy, and ice cream. If that's not a wonderful combination, I don't know what is!

I liked both Ellie and Graham, and their relationship was sweet. Obviously, many a girl has dreamed about some situation similar to this one: falling in love with a star. Around Ellie's age, I probably would have wished it was Johnny Depp. Or, less disturbingly - as Johnny Depp is a few months older than my parents - Pacey Witter. Er, I mean Joshua Jackson. And Ellie's reaction when she finds out Graham was her mystery email boy? Priceless!

Why is it that so many YA heroines have only one best friend with whom they fight for the duration of the book? Is it that difficult to write BFF interactions? Does it allow for more time inside the character's head without duplicating information? Does it just add random drama? I just don't get it. I think this book handled the issue fairly well, but I just don't understand this whole thing in general.

I wish there had been a more interaction between Ellie and Graham and a little less family drama. It wasn't too imbalanced, but it would have been nice. I think the thing that would've improved it the most for me would to see a lot more of their interactions before they met! Their emails were so fun and deep and witty; that was probably my favorite part of the whole book. Plus, supposedly, they developed feelings during the emailing process, but we didn't really even get to witness it. What we did get to see was wonderful, though.

This Is What Happy Looks Like is a great summer read! The small-town Maine setting makes a perfect escape. It is a book best enjoyed outdoors, with your toes in the sand (or grass) and an ice cream cone in your other hand.

As Ellie walked into town, her backpack heavy on her shoulders, she counted the merits of their plan in the same way she might count the benefits of an extra ice cream cone (calcium) or a few extra minutes of sleep (energy).

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When he’d kissed her, it had felt like the striking of a match, something hard and bright in his chest, a part of him he hadn’t even realized was waiting to be lit.

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The morning felt like a mixing bowl just waiting for its ingredients; there was a sense of possibility to it, a promise of something more to come.

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(Review) Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James

Title: Once Upon a Tower
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Fairy Tales, #5
Published: May 28, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss (Thanks!)

Summary: Gowan Stoughton of Craigievar, Duke of Kinross, values order and self-control above all else. So when he meets a lady as serene as she is beautiful, he promptly asks for her hand in marriage.

Edie—whose passionate temperament is the opposite of serene—had such a high fever at her own debut ball that she didn’t notice anyone, not even the notoriously elusive Duke of Kinross. When her father accepts his offer, she panics. And when their marriage night isn’t all it could be, she pretends. But Edie’s inability to hide her feelings makes pretending impossible, and when their marriage implodes, she retreats to a tower—locking Gowan out. Now Gowan faces his greatest challenge. Neither commands nor reason work with his spirited young bride. How can he convince her to give him the keys to the tower when she already has the keys to his heart?

Okay, first thing's first. If you ever stumble across the following summary (which you will if you go to this book on Edelweiss), DISREGARD IT.

What can a girl do when her brand new husband, a handsome, rich but slightly spoiled Laird, turns out to be much more than she bargained for? Tell him that he's boring and tiresome and lock herself in a tower until he mends his ways, of course!

The granddaughter of a duke but the daughter of an Oxford don, she has been raised with a very simple lifestyle, the dead opposite of the wildly rich laird. After running from her marriage, she spends 5 years living in a tower, doing important scientific work. What can a Laird do when, after years of searching, he finally finds his gorgeous young wife locked in a tower with only women allowed in? Why, discover the password and gain entrance to the tower dressed as a woman...

What could possibly go wrong?

I have no idea where this came from. Maybe it was James's original idea for the plot, but then she changed as she was writing? Regardless of the reason, this summary matches the story by maybe 20%. And by 20%, I mean they are married, and she does stay in a tower for a period of time. None of the fun parts actually happen. However, if you happen to be an author, would you mind getting on that? Because I really, really wanted to read that story!

Now that we have that cleared up, onto the actual review.

It was a disagreeable but inescapable fact of life – or of his life, at any rate – that fishing for a bride had taken precedence over fishing for salmon.

My favorite thing about this story was definitely the hero. He embodied so many of my favorite hero qualities. He was practical, logical, productive...and it knocked him flat when he felt such an instant, intense attraction to Edie (an Englishwoman! Oh, the horror!). Of course, the logical thing to do would be to make her his wife, since he was in need of one. So he does. But the best part? HE'S A VIRGIN. And not even just a virgin: He hasn't even kissed a woman. That's right. And it's freaking FABULOUS. Gowan was not a perfect character. He was a little too self-centered and used to having his way (being a duke and all, though, it's pretty much to be expected). But he was totally genuine and dedicated and sexy.

Edie was the heroine, and I really liked some things about her but not others. She had some maturing to do before the story was through due to being pretty sheltered throughout her life. Edie was an extremely gifted cellist, which was the one thing she and her father had in common. I really enjoyed that element of the story; it made me want to listen to classical music while reading. It's also something I don't tend to see in historicals very often. Edie also had issues with love. Due to her observations of how love worked for her father and stepmother, she had decided she never wanted to feel that way. Passion created too much drama and, inevitably, pain.

I liked the way the relationship between Gowan and Edie progressed. It was totally uneven at first, with Gowan being completely infatuated (although it was not full-out instalove, which I definitely appreciated) and Edie not particularly thrilled about the prospect of being married to him. But neither one was what the other thought at first. It was fun watching them discover that.

I did have a few issues with the book. My opinion was probably also a little colored by the fact that I was basing my expectations on the story I thought was going to be told - e.g. I kept waiting for the hero to dress as a woman because I SO wanted that to happen - rather than the one that was actually told. It just seemed to be missing a little something. The conflict was very similar to one of James's previous books. Although the story was good, for me, it just wasn't quite on the same level as many of her other books. Overall, I didn't love this one, but I did really like it.

BONUS: There's some crossover with Julia Quinn characters! Does the name Smythe-Smith mean anything to you? If so, then you'll definitely enjoy the little treats threaded throughout the story.

Ergo, two birds with one stone. He preferred three or four birds with a single stone, but sometimes one had to settle for less.

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Obviously, he’d kept himself away from women too long, and now he was deranged as a result. Abstinence wasn’t advisable for a man. It had enfeebled his brain.

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It was astonishing how such a very small person could look down her nose.

*All quotes from ARC or galley, so final copy may be slightly different.

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(Review) He's Gone by Deb Caletti

Title: He's Gone
Author: Deb Caletti
Published: May 14, 2013 (Bantam)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss (Thanks!)

Summary: The Sunday morning starts like any other. Dani Keller wakes up on her Seattle houseboat, a headache building behind her eyes from the wine she drank at a party the night before. But on this particular morning, she’s surprised to see that her husband, Ian, is not home. As the hours pass, irritation shifts to worry, worry slides into panic. And then, the terrible realization hits Dani: He’s gone.

As the police work methodically through all the logical explanations, Dani searches frantically for a clue as to whether Ian is dead or alive. And, slowly, she unpacks their relationship: from its intense, adulterous beginning, to the grandeur of their new love, to the difficulties of forever. As the days pass, Dani will plumb the depths of her conscience, turning over and revealing the darkest of her secrets in order to discover the hard truth—about herself, her husband, and their lives together.

You guys! I did it! I read a book that wasn't young adult OR romance! Not that either of those things are bad, obviously, but it's always good to expand my boundaries every now and again. And what a book to expand with! Deb Caletti is one of my favorite YA authors, and this is her first venture into adult fiction. While it wasn't perfect, I am very glad I read it.

Deb Caletti's writing continues to astound me. She can use the most beautiful words that flow into each other in just the right fashion, but she can use them to say something so shockingly true and accurate. I took longer to read this book than I may have normally, because I found myself going back and re-reading sentences or passages that I particularly loved. And there were quite a few. I saved so many quotes from this book. Unfortunately, some were spoilery, so I won't be sharing them here. But if you read it, you can see them!

He's Gone was a little different than I was expecting. Yes, it's a mystery, but it is much more a look into Dani's head with a very stream-of-consciousness feel. You get to experience her thoughts and perceptions of everything going on around her, but it is broken up with clips of her history. You travel back in time in her memory to see how her relationship with Ian began and progressed. All through this, there is no sugarcoating. Caletti is straightforward about human failings, and I love her for it.

Unfortunately, there were a few things about this book that made it less than perfect. The main problem was that, due to the way it was written, the story got a little boring after a while. At certain points especially toward the end, I was ready for things to move forward, whether it be in Dani's memories or in the present, but they took a long time to do so. Also, the resolution was a little rushed and underwhelming, but I was also jarringly interrupted right at the climax of the book. So there is a possibility that this impacted my enjoyment of it.

Overall, He's Gone was definitely worth reading! Caletti was at the top of her writing game, there was excellent tension building regarding the mystery aspect, and it made me think. Being inside Dani's head was fascinating, especially toward the end of the book when doubt began circling around and she began to reach conclusions about herself, Ian, and the possibilities surrounding his disappearance.

...love at first sight is also disaster at first sight, only you don’t know it yet. You can’t know or hear it over the roar in your chest.

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I want to understand it all, but my mind has its own instant off switch that’s tripped by lengthy explanations, instruction manuals, and rules to board games read aloud.

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Fashion is a communication problem to solve, and I have enough trouble speaking with words, let alone footwear.

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If reading counted as a sport, I’d be a gold medalist.

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(Triple Review) Tessa Dare Novellas!

Book: Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare
Series: Spindle Cove, #3.5
Published: April 30, 2013 (Avon Impulse)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: Diana finally got her own story! I was so excited for this, because I've been waiting for it since the beginning of the series. It was also great having a lower class hero. Not that I don't love my dukes and earls, but it's a nice change of pace. Diana and Aaron had immediate chemistry! Yet it didn't feel unfounded; I could feel the fact that something had been brewing - at least on Diana's side - for a while even though we didn't know the back story yet. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it was just a straight-up love story. Yes, they had to deal with some issues related to class, but for the most part, it was refreshingly simple, completely adorable, yet substantial. It just made me smile so much! I will definitely keep this one in mind next time I need a quick pick-me-up read.

Yes, you’re big. Yes, you’re strong. Big and strong don’t add up to invincible.

Book: Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare
Series: Spindle Cove, #1.5
Published: November 15, 2011 (Samhain)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: To be honest, I read this one quite a while back, so the details are a little fuzzy. But it had several good qualities. Violet was obsessed with languages and quite adept at them. As I love languages, I loved this aspect of the story! It also wound up being the important factor that led to the interaction between Violet and the mysterious hero. Also, the story progressed at a great pace! It was slow enough to heighten the tension surrounding the mystery, but not so long that it dragged out. I also enjoyed the references to the first book in the series. I would be interested to go back and read it again to see if there was any foreshadowing regarding future Spindle Cove books. For instance, she did that in Beauty and the Blacksmith, which I picked up on (and giggled) because I read Any Duchess Will Do (#4) before I read it.

Even if she did possess wiles, she wouldn’t know how to use them.

Book: The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright by Tessa Dare
Published: December 11, 2012 (Avon Impulse)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: This book! The second I saw the title, I knew I had to read it, and for good reason! I wound up loving it. I love Dare's humor and her overall writing style. I love how she writes characters that are so wonderfully real. They had flaws. They were selfish. But they also matured. I loved the interactions between Eliza and Harry, particularly the earlier ones. I also love that she actually addressed the age difference between them. There were several instances when Eliza jokingly called Harry ancient. It had superb tension, and I was amazed at how much emotional and relationship development there was for such a short book. The book took place over several years, and while the format of relationship "excerpts" might not have worked in another story, it worked perfectly here. It made me swoon. It made me laugh. I would definitely recommend this one.

Devilish men should not be allowed to hold kittens, babies, or bouquets of wildflowers. There ought to be an Act of Parliament.

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(Review) Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams

Title: Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous
Author: Kathryn Williams
Published: August 21, 2012 (Henry Holt and Co.)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Hardcover, borrowed from the library

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides was practically raised in the kitchen of her family’s Italian-Greek restaurant, Taverna Ristorante. When her best friend, Alex, tries to convince her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America's finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame.

Once on-set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself.

I was so excited for Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous! What a fun idea! As a self-proclaimed Chopped addict (even though I don't like any other reality shows unless they involve dancing), I was definitely looking forward to this one. The story sounded so cute, and how completely adorable is that cover?

While it was not exactly what I was expecting, Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous delivered on the cuteness level. Which I desperately needed, as I had recently finished sobbing for basically 2.5 hours straight because I went to see Les Mis. It was an entertaining little story with lots of fun drama and antics. Stick a bunch of teenagers in a high-stress environment with little-to-no privacy in which to express their thoughts? Oh, you're going to have drama. But it was pretty authentic. I could see this being a show on the cooking channel. In fact, it would probably be more interesting than several of the shows I've seen (well, at least previews) on the Food Network.

I really enjoyed reading about Sophie's family. Sophie had a large family who owned and ran their Greek-Italian restaurant. I liked the whole atmosphere. While her family could be a bit much, she still loved them. The whole restaurant crew as well as Sophie's best friend Alex were basically treated like part of the family, as well, and they would sometimes sit down to these gigantic, crazy dinners. I felt like I was there in the middle of the chaos, and I loved it!

As for the love story, there are actually some twists you might not expect from the summary, and I don't want to give anything away. But I thought it was interesting how it all played out, even though I was totally convinced of something that was not the case at one point. Although I wasn't a fan of the execution, I did wind up liking the way it ended.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the entire book was the recipes it included! I was so happy about that! I feel like it would be worth buying for the recipes alone. Several of the recipes included looked delicious, and I only wish it had included more.

Overall, I enjoyed Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous. Word of advice, though: I would not recommend reading while you're hungry! Or if so, make sure you have some great ingredients handy, because this book will make you want to embrace your culinary skills (no matter how imaginary they may be) and whip up something delicious.

For the first time, I understood what romance novels meant by “swooning.”

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Everyone knows sleep deprivation makes for good reality television.

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Baking is a very different skill than cooking. It requires precision and the ability to follow directions. Baking is for the obsessive-compulsive.
(I laughed really hard at this one. So true! It certainly explains why I love baking so much more than cooking.)

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(Review) Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Going Vintage
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publish Date: March 26, 2013 (Bloomsbury)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital galley provided by publisher via NetGalley

Summary: When Mallory discovers that her boyfriend, Jeremy, is cheating on her with an online girlfriend, she swears off modern technology. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in 1962, Mallory decides to "go vintage" and return to a simpler time, when boys couldn't cheat on you online. She sets out to complete The List: run for pep club secretary, host a dinner party, sew a homecoming dress, find a steady, do something dangerous. But the list is trickier than it looks. And obviously finding a steady is out . . . no matter how good Oliver (Jeremy's cousin) smells. But with the help of her sister, she'll get it done. Somehow. Leavitt perfectly pairs heartfelt family moments, laugh-out-loud humor, and a little bit of romance in this delightful contemporary novel.

I cannot even tell you how long I have been waiting for Going Vintage. Since last summer, at least, because I did a Waiting on Wednesday featuring it last August. I just loved the whole idea. I adore vintage and antique things. I have thought about taking technology hiatuses before. Throw in the most adorable cover ever, an interesting event catalyst, and a love interest who happens to be the ex's cousin? Yeah, I'm so there.

Going Vintage wound up being worth the wait! Mallory's inner monologue was freaking hilarious! She was so straightforward and refreshing, and I really enjoyed being inside her head. Even though she was far from perfect, Mallory always had good intentions. I also loved her relationship with her little sister, Ginnie. Ginnie was fantastic. She was a total crazy health nut super awesome soccer player - and therefore basically everything I'm not - but I really liked her. The scenes between her and Mallory were some of the best in the book.

And then there was Oliver. I've never seen a YA boy like him. It's actually really difficult to describe him, but he was incredibly endearing, funny, and different. And, to pull a quote from the book, he was "a pen-and-paper lister, a beautiful and dying breed." Which always amounts to extra brownie points in my book.

Really, my only problem with this book was that there was a lot going on, and it wound up feeling kind of disjointed and chaotic at times. There were basically three big storylines, but the focus dedicated to each was inconsistent. I would have liked a lot more with Oliver, a little more with her grandmother, and less with her parents. Or perhaps for them to just be dealt with a little differently. I had issues with her parents, but I liked the element of realism it added, because obviously not all families are perfect.

Overall, I was a fan of Going Vintage. It was one of the most interesting premises in a YA contemporary I've seen in a while. Since Mallory was already a vintage clothing junkie with dad who dealt with antiques, it went really well with her character, too. Going Vintage was a cute, original read that would be a good addition to anyone's spring reading list. Also, I just discovered there's a whole Tumblr inspired by this book, so go check it out!

...I’m with Jeremy. I love writing that. It says that I’m his and he’s mine, and between the lines there is belonging something I didn’t feel at Orange Park High School until we started dating.

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Lists add a number to randomness, give ideas the illusion of order.

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You can’t trust a guy showing off more cleavage than you.

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I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I don’t want to know the answer unless I know the answer is what I want it to be, and I don’t know what I want him to want.

*All quotes from ARC or galley, so final copy may be slightly different.

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(Review) Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker

Title: Unbreak My Heart
Author: Melissa C. Walker
Published: May 22, 2012 (Bloomsbury USA Children's)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Hardcover, borrowed from the library

Summary: Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

I went into Unbreak My Heart with fairly high hopes, because several people I trust had loved it. I quite enjoyed it overall; it was a good summer read with a great message. I really wish I could have been floating along on my own boat under the sun while reading it, but alas, I was wrapped up in a blanket in the basement. It was a nice escape read, though.

I did have one serious issue with the book that kept me from the massive amounts of love I would have had for it otherwise, and that was Clem. Her behavior was so annoying! Yes, she had a lot of crap going on, and I felt bad for her situation. But seriously. This chick took whining to a whole new level, and her tantrum throwing abilities could rival a 3-year-old's. I'm sorry, but if I had acted that selfish and bratty when I was 16, my parents would have ensured that there were consequences to that behavior. I appreciate that it added some realism in that she wasn't unrealistically mature about the situation. But I really could not fully empathize with a character who would actually act like that. Thankfully, part of the story was about growing as a person, and Clem did so. She became more likable as the story went on and she learned to deal with things.

If there could be an element to help balance out this negativity, Unbreak My Heart had it...in the form of James. James, of the red hair and freckles and smiles and incredible wonderfulness. I LOVED him. So much. He was so sweet and fun, yet at the same time, he wasn't shallow or lame. He was so earnest and endearing. One of my favorite YA boys I had read in a long time.

I also really liked Clem's family, which was a good thing, since she was stuck on a boat with them. Olive, her little sister, was so darling! She was one of those 10-going-on-40 girls, with her glasses and ways of being old beyond her years. Yet she was still a young girl and a total little sister. I liked Clem's mom with her hilarious relying on the cookbook A Man, a Can, and a Plan (which is a legitimate book, actually, much to my surprise).

Although I didn't love Unbreak My Heart as much as some other people did, I really liked it a lot! The "boat people" and all-around atmosphere was one of my favorite elements, original and seemingly authentic. There was a good point to the story. I am still harboring incredible amounts of love for James. I also really enjoyed how it was told in alternating chapters of past/present. All-in-all, I am definitely glad I read Unbreak My Heart.

Still, crazy people can be fun – especially during a summer when the sane ones aren’t really speaking to you.

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I didn't realize that, sometimes, even if a situation is getting out of control, it happens slowly, in these really small moments. And even if what’s happening is wrong, it can feel like it's right.

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I cannot include enough adjectives to get this feeling down. It involves fireworks, shooting stars, and sparklers on the dock, and it doesn't even feel like an exaggeration.

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Second Chance Saturday (01): Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

The goal of this feature is to give a second chance to a book/author/series I have written off for some reason.
(If you'd like more information on how this feature works, check out this introduction post.)

This Month's Featured Book: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
This Book Was a Second Chance Because... I had picked it up from the library numerous times, both before and after I discovered how amazing Shannon Stacey was. I finally cracked it open one day while waiting on a friend so I could start the next episode of Doctor Who, and I was hooked!
Verdict: Worth the second chance! Although I did not like it as much in the other two in the trilogy, it was a very enjoyable story. Any time the Kowalski clan is there, I'm in!
Other Books Mentioned: Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Psst! The ebook is FREE right now! Get it while it's hot! { Kindle || Nook }

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(Review) Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey

Psst! Click on the banner to go to the Fortnight of Festivities giveaway!

Title: Holiday Sparks
Author: Shannon Stacey
Published: December 6, 2010 (Carina Press)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital eBook, purchased

Summary: House-sitting for her parents seemed like a good idea, until the microwave blew up and the lights went out. Now Chloe Burke thinks upgrading the electrical system of her childhood home while they are away would make the perfect Christmas gift. Fortunately, there's an electrician in town who can get the job done by the holidays.

Scott Quinn has wanted to get his hands on the Burkes' wiring for almost as long as he's wanted to get his hands on their daughter. Chloe didn't notice Scott back in high school, but she's noticing him now, and soon they're indulging in a little festive fun: no strings, no expectations. But Chloe and Scott discover they enjoy each other's company just as much out of bed. Could their holiday fling turn out to be the real thing?

This is my fourth Shannon Stacey, and I have yet to be disappointed by her. This was a totally cute Christmas novella! I love that her novellas I've read are a little longer than most others. She writes them well, making it feel like a complete story rather than a snippet of a whole.

In this particular story, we have Chloe, a web designer, and Scott, an electrician, formerly that gawky guy with glasses from Chloe's high school who has always wanted her. Their one interaction from high school we actually learn about was so incredibly sweet, although simple. All grown up, their chemistry was fantastic! It almost had me wishing for electrical problems so I could call up my local electrician and cross my fingers that he looked like Scott.

I always love the setting of Christmas in a small New England town. The two just go hand-in-hand so perfectly. In Holiday Sparks were scenes involving snow balls, snowmobiling, and overlooking the picturesque town. And, of course, the town gossip - what small town would be complete without it?

Stacey seems to love the just-a-fling-oh-wait-I-want-more storyline, but she excels at it. The stories never seem repetitive, because each has its own unique characters and facets that make the story special. This was the case in Holiday Sparks. While the basic plot was nothing new, I liked all the different touches. The "electrician" aspect allowed the whole being alone all day, every day thing, which does make a rather convenient romance novel setting. I'm surprised it's not more popular! But I digress. Holiday Sparks was a totally adorable Christmas read, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Hugging that man’s ass was what jeans had been created for.

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Scott belonged here, in a place where everybody not only knew your name, but knew what you did in the second grade to get you called into the principal’s office.

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(Review) Under the Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

Psst! Click on the banner to go to the Fortnight of Festivities giveaway!

Title: Under the Mistletoe
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor #6.5
Published: December 4, 2012 (Forever Yours)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Ebook, purchased

Summary: Mia Hutchinson, Tara and Ford's daughter from The Sweetest Thing, has asked her college boyfriend, Nick, to travel to Lucky Harbor for her aunt Maddie's Christmas Eve wedding.

Despondent when Nick refuses her invitation, Mia returns home alone and faces her high school sweetheart Carlos Rodriguez for the first time since refusing his marriage proposal. Only to find that he is happily dating someone else. With love and holiday spirit everywhere, Mia wonders who will kiss her this Christmas under the mistletoe.

I went into this book with totally skewed expectations because the blurb from Goodreads, at least the way I read it, implied a Mia/Carlos romance. Or maybe I just skimmed it, because let's just be honest, it was an auto-buy for me as it involved the words "Jill Shalvis" and "Lucky Harbor," and I was totally excited to read Mia's story. I enjoyed reading about her in The Sweetest Thing, and I couldn't wait to see how her life went after the book left off. Regardless, this book is not about Mia and Carlos (which became clear very quickly, so I'm not spoiling anything here); it is about Mia and Nick.

Mia was 17 at the end of The Sweetest Thing, but at the start of Under the Mistletoe, she was 22. I always love reading about characters in this age group. (And since it was in the New York Times today and all, I should probably stop desperately hoping someone will come up with a label other than "New Adult," and suck it up and start using it.) Because she had graduated college only months before, I could relate a lot to where Mia was in her life, because I am very close to that point myself. It added a nice element to the experience.

Since Mia was going home for Chloe and Sawyer's wedding, the whole original Lucky Harbor crew was there in all their splendid, hilarious, heartwarming glory. There was even a cameo by Lucille, because what would a Lucky Harbor book be without Lucille? I also like that Carlos was included, and her romance with him was not thrown away as irrelevant or "puppy love."

One warning, though. This story puts the la in novella. There's a reason it says "A Lucky Harbor Short Story" on the cover, rather than novella. The blasted page count declares the book is 85 pages long...and then you're reading along and OHHAIJUSTKIDDING, it ends on page 55. What follows is a teaser for the next Lucky Harbor book.

However, for all its miniature length, Under the Mistletoe is far from just a quick bit of holiday fluff. It was this on one level, of course, but there was a lot of depth, too. I love that the romance did not center around a developing romance, because there simply was not time for that. It involved commitment and Mia and Nick both coming to terms with what they wanted out of life before embarking on their HEA. And the way this came about? Oh, be still, my heart. So many feelings!

I was not a huge fan of one of the elements of the end because it felt a little like a cop-out to me, but I won't go into what it was so as to not spoil it. Overall, although I obviously wished for this story to be a little longer, the content was great. Shalvis wrote another winning addition to the Lucky Harbor series, and if you're looking for a quick yuletide read with more depth and heart than you might expect, I would suggest downloading Under the Mistletoe.

"'Let me in.' 'Come to the door.' You always demand like that? No wonder she isn't listening? Try asking sometime. Not all women will stand for that 50 Shades crap, you know."

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She wasn’t going to cry again. Hell no. She’d save it for really important events, like watching The Notebook after a round of brutal finals.

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He kissed her as if he could breathe the truth into her lungs.

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"Don’t cry. I’m sorry." He wasn’t exactly sure what he was sorry for, but he’d be sorry for breathing if that was the problem.

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(Review) Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Marina Adair

Psst! Click on the banner to go to the Fortnight of Festivities giveaway!

Title: Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Author: Marina Adair
Published: October 16, 2012 (Montlake Romance)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Ebook, purchased from Amazon

Summary: Regan Martin stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she lost her house, her job, and her impeccable reputation in the wine industry after she fell in love with a man she had no idea was married. Then Regan gets a chance for a fresh start. With her dream job, dream home, and her daughter enrolled in a wonderful new school, she starts wondering if holiday wishes really come true.

But she soon tumbles back down to earth when she learns that her new boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca, the scorned wife’s brother. Gabe wants nothing more than home-wrecking Regan Martin out of his life, his sister’s world, and his family’s business. Mostly, he wants the lush beauty out of his head. Yet his attempts to run her out of town have him thinking twice, especially when he sees that Regan may hold the key to tracking down his sister’s stolen start-up capital. Even worse for Gabe, Regan might just be his Christmas wish and hold the key to his heart.

April from Good Books & Good Wine mentioned this book on Twitter a week or so ago, and once I read the blurb on Goodreads, I knew I absolutely had to read it. SO MUCH potential for I-want/love-you-even-though-I-really-REALLY-don't-want-to awesomeness, which is basically my favorite trope ever. Add in Christmas, and this book was practically tailor-made for me.

There were quite a few things I enjoyed about this book. For one, I totally fell for Holly, Regan's daughter. She was so adorable with her kitty fascination and her obsessive manners. I really loved the whole dynamic between Regan and Holly. Regan was doing her best to give Holly the best life possible, and their interactions were full of the cutest love possible. The way Gabe fit into this relationship was simply perfect. There are few things more swoon-worthy than a man who is good with kids, and I could not blame Regan at all for her swooning moments after watching Gabe interact with Holly.

The whole cast of secondary characters was diverse and entertaining. There were many of them, from the Mrs. Clauses (a group of older women including Gabe's grandmother) to Regan's new friends in Napa Valley to a reindeer town mascot named Randolph (no, not Rudolph - Randolph). Some of the characters were significantly less awesome, and there was one character in particular who most certainly got coal in her stocking come December 25th. But what's a good romance without a little villainous interference, eh?

Unfortunately, given all that, there were still some aspects that fell short for me. The first scene of the book was a little jarring. I enjoy absurd opening scenes, but this one was both absurd and awkward, and I just didn't quite understand what was happening and why. It also took a while for me to warm up to Gabe. Although I understood his current behavior for the most part, his previous behavior was a little much for me to forgive until he finally started to realize the wrongness of his actions and feel some contrition.

Although it did not quite live up to its potential, Kissing Under the Mistletoe was quite the enjoyable read. I liked the Napa Valley setting; I have not read many romances involving the wine industry. There was great chemistry between Gabe and Regan. Watching Gabe fall in love with Regan and Holly made for many smile-and-sigh moments. All this combined with the heavy Christmas influence makes Kissing Under the Mistletoe a great December read, and I definitely suggest reading it while curled up on the couch with a throw blanket and a mug of egg nog/wassail/your holiday beverage of choice.

Because men did not – repeat, did not – fit into her five-year plan. There was Holly, her career, and creating a home. Period. None of those included the penis-carrying members of society.

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A wise man would answer yes. Last he’d heard, though, the roles of all three wise men were already cast. And he wasn’t one of them.

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She had never really been into arms before, but there was something about his that made her want to wrap them around her and beg him to never let go.

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