A Million Love Hard, Love Fierce, but Love Right Stars
Jay McLean has written 11 books to date. She has shared her passion and her pains with her fans A Million Love Hard, Love Fierce, but Love Right Stars
Jay McLean has written 11 books to date. She has shared her passion and her pains with her fans and most importantly she has given her readers something MORE. McLean has taught us that we are all born PHENOMENAL…that sometimes you have to KICK and PUSH before you can COAST. She has showed sadness and hardship and even let us embrace RED LETTER DAYS. Then there were those days she had us CHECKING the TIME. Now with her latest release she has shown that sometimes CUGGLES are enough. That counting is important…ONE MINUTES are valuable. That sometimes true love…must wait.
With every book I read by this author I start jumping and declaring that, YES, this is the one that is my favorite. Her books have progressively gotten to me. Every storyline and each character has grown in my mind and in my heart with every discussion making me a part of something bigger than just a good book I read. With her coming of age, angst-filled fiction she finds a way to bring awareness to so many hard and dark realities and yet she still give light and even the gift of hope.
"Don’t you want to be the first to touch something? To reach out and grasp onto the world around you? You can’t touch it if you can’t see it."
Enter LUCAS. Lucas Preston that is. Those familiar with the MORE clan know this dependable, loyal brother of Lucy, among others! Knowing how so much emotion and passion came from the More Series, I had no idea how this author could go deeper…get more profound…do better. I had no idea that two 11 year olds, Lucas Preston and Lois “Lane� Sanders, would move me and make the most epic of love stories.
And so without meaning to, without wanting to, I started to fall in like with a girl who would later become my best friend.
I can attest that this is not the typical friends to lovers tropes. It is anything but. This is a love story of pure LOVE. A building of a relationship filled with humor, steadfast loyalty, and absolute knowing of your best friend yet at the same time there is real growing pains, young naivety and the heart-breaking want for more.
"And I think, ultimately, that’s what true love is, you know? To want to be someone’s hero when they’re faced with villains. To want to be to be the one that saves them. To be their Wonderwall.�
I know that this book got to me the most because at the heart of two young lives there was so much growth with both love and loss. There was finding home and developing support among strangers that become family. The single dad Sanders and the Preston’s were a constant and there was no better to guide these two young souls with words of wisdom and gentle hands…oh, and bit of prodding and fun! Lucas and Lane could have just fallen and simply existed in their own world but with time comes change and heartbreak. There were so many mistakes and loss of faith moments. There were seconds of bravery that were overshadowed by times of pure darkness and cowardice…but then there was counting� sixteen clicks…eight seconds…until all would be right again. FRIENDS thru and thru. Always there for one another. Always waiting to pick up pieces. Always holding the hand when needed. Friends to the end. What about more??? When is it time for Lucas and Lane??
"That it’s not about the dance. It’s about moving as one, with a person whose heart beats to the same rhythm as yours. It’s about love, about life."
There are not enough words to say how much I loved this read. I had over 10 pages of highlighted passages. Many people have their go to authors, and I know there are so many great talents out there but then I think of Jay Mclean…her stories, her delivery…her wit and charm infused into the lives of her fictional characters. I see the genius start to finish and I applaud her as an author...She is MY CoHO! Whether quoting Felicity or creating mayhem, this story is legit. Lucas…my new all-time favorite book of 2016 and the BEST McLean story.
**please note that quoted text may differ from published work**
There are many 5* reviews present and I found every one of them true to a point...this is really a case of "it's me not you" here. I am a huge sucker There are many 5* reviews present and I found every one of them true to a point...this is really a case of "it's me not you" here. I am a huge sucker for rip my heart out angst and about 10 pages into this book I was completely on board. I felt the eyes getting a bit misty, but then somewhere along the way I just became kinda disconnected. Perhaps my cold heart is in need of a new "give a damn meter!"
Keeping it simple, there is no doubt that Corinne Michaels can write, and she does it beautifully. She draws feels out of the sky and does a great job of making her characters realistic. My issue was that I just could not connect with Miss Presley Benson! This was a clear case of one character muddying up the waters for me and making me lose my way. With the tragic and unexpected death of her husband, I was really looking forward to all those stages of grief and with the push/pull emotions of coming back to a place where your first heartbreak occurred. I struggled with the mentioning of those stages as I didn't really feel Presley's angst. I guess the reappearance of one's first love is more important than the loss of the present one.
I also felt as if the drama of the second chance romance of Presley and home town hottie Zach was a bit meh'. I really couldn't understand the past break up as both characters knew the goal...professional baseball. When the dream is dropped in your lap earlier than expected, what is the problem? It seemed to me that Zach was always thinking of more with Presley and he did what he needed to do as well as get the chance as this life-long dream. Miscommunication? Perhaps. Too young and a bit selfish? More likely.
So overall I can say that I thought this tale will knock it out of the park for many. There is nothing better than and hot love reconnected, but I just was hoping to be gutted only to settle for some minor heart string tugging! ...more
It is no secret that I fan-girl all over Jay McLean! It’s not because I belong to a group or the fact that I have actually met and spent time with herIt is no secret that I fan-girl all over Jay McLean! It’s not because I belong to a group or the fact that I have actually met and spent time with her. It is simply because I get what I want and love the most written in the pages of her books. I love when a romance is profound. I love reading a tale of coming of age with all the angst and moments of finding oneself. I especially love clever writing and genius humor that is dispersed with memorable one-liners even in the harshest of circumstances. This is what I get in any of Jay McLean’s books. Going into Coast, I thought I was prepared�
I will admit that after reading Kick Push, I actually found a character that wasn’t a great one for me. It was my hardest of all McLean books to “fall� in love with. All of the aforementioned faves were present, along with the addition of a fabulously sweet little boy who could steal anyone’s heart. Perhaps it was a “me thing� but Josh Warden needed to redeem himself. I needed his character to win me over as so many of the McLean men of the past. His story with a mute girl with sad emerald eyes left me hanging in a pit of angst and loss. At the conclusion of the book, I had no idea if I could Kick and Push myself into Coast…but I knew McLean…I had no doubts she could bring it.
The story of Josh Warden and Becca Owens is a slow developing love built on trust…a true friends to lovers tale if I must. There is so much strength in finding new friendships and creating a circle of love. Josh and his son Tommy were doing the best they could guided by the saving hands of Chazarae. When her granddaughter needed saving it would be those two young men to step up. Along with love comes fear and so many intense feelings. One wrong move…one wrong word spoken…everything would be lost. How can an already shattered heart survive more trauma? Finally…it is time to COAST! Becca and Josh were bound by a common thread that time or distance could not sever. Just as strong as the initial lock of yes, their hearts would beat and their lungs would expand when it would be right. Josh Warden is no longer a lost boy. Becca Owens is no longer a broken girl. Together they would have to determine if the beauty and pleasure that comes from LOVE is true…or more importantly worthwhile. Will they continue to just exist? Will they continue to gasp for the air they both need?
Just pages into Coast I knew this book was going to be different. I knew that the author already created a great, profound love but I also knew that anything worth having would require a fight to keep it. So while many may see this as a second chance love story with a long tedious road, I found it to be so much more. Coast was the maturing of a father, or perhaps two. It was the strength of a broken woman to finally live. It was the push to take each day and make it worthwhile. It was a love story that had no time limits and no boundaries. It was acknowledging past mistakes. It was reconciling present feelings. It was the anticipation of future promises. So yes, once again a Jay McLean book, while fictional, was perhaps a lesson in life and love for anyone who takes the time to read it! xoxo
The last of the Good Ol' Boys has arrived! Each book has increased in angst and drama. Each book has escalated the emotions. Each story has had its owThe last of the Good Ol' Boys has arrived! Each book has increased in angst and drama. Each book has escalated the emotions. Each story has had its own impact on the readers through the characters met along the way. Never has the road to happiness been harder or darker than Austin's as his story is double the pain with the introduction of Briggs (Daisy).
They say in order to find yourself you have to go home. What if home was what you're running from? Where did that leave you?
Two character from opposite ends of the states with contrasting upbringings somehow living similar lives. Austin is a part of a close circle of friends and family, yet he longs for more...to be something or someone that no one, not even himself understands. Briggs has lost everything and while provided for, she lives in isolation. She too has no idea who she is. Both characters just do not fit in and they are so empty.
Fate? Maybe even something more cruel brings two people together in a moment that changes everything. With eyes locked, they find everything...only to be set up together on path to lose it all. While Austin was looking for a purpose, a reason to fit in, Briggs was longing for someone to see inside her and fill the void known as her life.
I saw something familiar in her eyes, something I had always seen in mine, reflecting back at me. PAIN. A raw and dark painful ache, exactly like the pain I have been carrying around my whole life.
Never has a story been so deeply distraught...have two characters deserved so much more than what they had been given and what they had taken. I will not even attempt to summarize this story. I feel as if this is a book that NEEDS to be read. For anyone living with inner demons, past or present, those lacking self worth...searching for a fix...CRAVE ME may be a painful trigger. M. Robinson delivers a stunning story of love and loss. Addiction has so many faces, even worn by the most genuinely beautiful people. At the heart of this story was such an unyielding devotion and love but the despair that came with the next high was equally as strong. Never have the words "I'm sorry" been so incredibly sad to read. This dual POV story was epic for me...it was beyond heart-wrenching and it was profound.
So while this story is not pretty, for me it was one of the most tragically beautiful stories I have read to date. Austin will break you a hundred times over and you will still beg for his touch...just like the girl with the tattoos and the purple hair. This Good Ol' Boy deserved a HEA, but it is only in the pages of Crave Me that a reader will come to find if he reaches for it...to find out if Briggs really is his light in darkness...or if their love truly is toxic!...more
With Ten Thousand Truths, I am back into Kelli Jean’s macabre world of love, lust, family, and justice. Now, the long a5 Stars for the Wandering Heart
With Ten Thousand Truths, I am back into Kelli Jean’s macabre world of love, lust, family, and justice. Now, the long awaited story of Deo Dahl.
Always a large presence, but still so unknown, Deo has found a bit of happiness as we have come to know him as Xanthe’s distraction and best friend. While he loved hard he never quiet was in love and struggled with feeling as if he was enough. Perhaps a second chance meeting of another broken soul could drive his purpose.
Odessa “Opie� Powys has lived and died. She exists in a realm of protection and lies. Haunted by the nightmares of her horrific past she yearns to be seen and touched…to be desired…to be alive. Two souls fragmented find a connection and begin to put the pieces of their minds and hearts back together. Deo’s strong physical presence keeps Opie in the light and her truth and pure adoration of Deo makes him once again believe that he could be worthy.
Ten Thousand Truths, book 3 in the series, is the harshest to date but I believe it is this author’s most amazing work yet. Kelli Jean has no fear when it comes to putting her characters at the forefront of danger and tragedy. She gives the harshest of challenges and then creates the strongest of relationships thru their journeys. Deo and Opie’s time together is palpably emotional. There is so much pure lust and the connection of their souls is so beautiful that it make a reader stop…take a breath. Just when life is to be truly lived…the past has a way of coming back and this time, Deo could be the one lost to the darkness.
As a reader I admit that Kelli Jean devastated me. I was crushed and I was so angry. I could not grasp the darkness that engulfed this couple. The writing was so raw and gritty and the story devastatingly tragic yet appreciated. At the end of the tale, this is an author that brings the concepts of survival and healing to an all new level. Here a reader can feel pain only so that the pleasure of another day can truly be appreciated.
This book was gifted to me by one of my fave authors and a woman so genuine that I knew she would never lead me astray. I should be th4.5 Tragic Stars
This book was gifted to me by one of my fave authors and a woman so genuine that I knew she would never lead me astray. I should be thanking her because, I myself would have never bought this book as cheating has always been hard limit for me. So I do acknowledge the definite infidelity, but sometimes the worst of all wrongs has a true purpose.
“As much as you may want to, you can’t make yourself love someone, and as much as it sucks, you can’t make yourself not love someone either. Love is its own fucking beast.�
Perhaps that is hypocritical of me as I have stopped books and simply refused others for similar situations. While I find infidelity to be awful…I’m also not naïve to the fact that life happens…mistakes are made…true love does exist. I also believe in the whole concept of right person and wrong time. Stevie J Cole, took my hard limit and pushed me into her taboo emotional territory. This book fragmented my mind and my heart. I felt like I was reading shredded pieces of the heart from a man and a woman over the years.
The love story or rather love journey of Peyton and Nic was epically emotional. This first love, forever love, was so young and so fragile. Youth and immaturity, and the frustrating typical miscommunicate lends itself to heat of passion mistakes breaking two lives forever
“How do you tell the one man you love with every fiber of your being that you're leaving him for a man you don't love?�
Tear soaked good byes. Years of anger with secret longing. Moments from the past, memories of sweet moments. Times of pure regret and bitterness. Nic lives alone, unable to really connect or truly love again. Peyton lives with the other man, her husband, with a comfortable existence yet caged by her heart’s true desire.
Dual POV’s capture your soul and bleed their tears into you with each page�
Unfortunately, in life, there is no redo. We live with the mistakes we make. And that mistake haunts every last beat of my heart.
I want her. I want the life we should’ve had. I want everything that was taken from me, and that’s a bad thing.
This read was brutal. It was everything it claimed to be. Painfully tragic yet full of unbridled lust, passion and pure adoration of two people who should have been. What if the one that got away was “the one� that was supposed to stay? What if you covet another’s knowing that it is and always has been yours? How long can you possibly wait for another person?
I applaud this author for pushing my limits. Infidelity is not always so cut and dry. I was grateful for dual pov’s and for the constant conflict and internal struggle of a married woman and her first true love. I was appreciative of the love they shared once and the beyond love they found again. Hearts were destroyed, lives shattered, promises broken, lies told…then again�
“Love is tragic. Love is painful and brutal, but above all, within true love, there is a beauty matched by nothing else.
When it comes to high angst and deep, soul-felt love, M. Robinson’s Good Ol� Boys series is one of the best. I was an insta4.75 Promise? Always. Stars
When it comes to high angst and deep, soul-felt love, M. Robinson’s Good Ol� Boys series is one of the best. I was an instant fan just 20 pages into book one but it is with this 3rd installment, the story of Dylan and Aubrey that I became more than a fan. This book was so much more than I even could have imagined and over 10 hours later, I still can’t gather my thoughts.
Undo Me is one of those books that grabs your attention first with its story and then toys with your emotions from the highest to lowest of feels with its characters. From the initial meet of Dylan and Aubrey there is palpable attraction thru a bit of anger! There is a guarded interest then a slow opening of their minds and acknowledgement. Finally, there is the feel of wanting…needing…and completely falling. The sweet is like no other with age appropriate flirting, kisses that ignite a want for more until the total bonding of bodies and hearts.
I fell in love when I was seventeen, she brought me to my knees when I was twenty.
That being said, M. Robinson weaves a much harsher tale in which the good is so good, but bad…well it is the worst possible bad. To say the road to happiness often has bumps is a complete understatement. In just one instant…relationship perfection and the promise of happiness forever can be taken away. Gut-wrenching drama and soul shattering events break apart the love that Dylan and Aubrey so slowly and so perfectly developed�
To provide a synopsis would be a grave injustice to those who NEED to read this book. It is a standalone, however reading the prior books is recommended to understand the friend dynamics, the time frames and the past actions that have led up to this amazing read. Undo Me was so tragically beautiful. It was not an easy read with harsh content that continued to assault the senses with each plot twist. It was the darkest of dark at times and the brightest of light at others. It was full of moments that make breathing difficult through falling tears and others that made the smile stretch wide as the butterflies danced. Love, infatuation, passion, desire, happiness. Anger, fear, dread, sadness, resentment. No emotion was left behind.
You are going to undo me. And I’m going to let you.
I LOVE angst. I prefer the road to be rough so reaching that final destination is so much sweeter. I found Dylan and Aubrey’s story, while dark, to be my favorite of M. Robinson’s. It wasn’t pretty and the scenes were emotionally charged and overall tragic, but the overall picture was something to experience. If I could have a rant it would be simple - No, it didn’t turn out quite as I expected. Yes, I wanted a bit more at the ending as everything felt suddenly OK. BUT� it still kept me up past 2am...staying in my mind m0st of the day, and I would not hesitate to put this in my top reads of 2016 to date.
*ARC provided generously per author in exchange for honest review*...more
After reading The Fall I was emotionally gutted. I so desperately wanted Rose’s story but at the same time I didn’t know if I real4.5 FEEL THAT? STARS
After reading The Fall I was emotionally gutted. I so desperately wanted Rose’s story but at the same time I didn’t know if I really wanted any more of that beautiful hurt that Kate Stewart does so well! You must read The Fall to be fully aware of the fast love and the tragic loss between Rose and Grant, but with that description…many probably would shy away from a love story with no HEA…but then again, maybe it deserves to be heard.
The Mind is a novella…a short tale of an emotional whirlwind of passion and sadness and yet a promise for so much more.
I have to admit that I was nervous going into this read. I already knew the story right? I knew that two people fell in love fast. I knew that a woman and man seemed to find forever love and a peace with one another just as if fate itself scribed it. I knew Rose was a driven woman who was full go at all times, yet completely practical at the same time. I also knew Grant was truly a good guy who would be a forever support for his woman. I then knew it was over.
Love at first sight…sappy declarations of forever…moving before thinking…usually not my fave storylines. I KNEW NOTHING!!!. I was rocked to read so much in such a short period of time and to be so affected. Lightning fast love is exactly what happens…but what if falling in love is just as big of a plan as say becoming a doctor? What if life’s twists and turns that make one adapt also have a detour for the heart?
The Mind is definitely instant everything, but it done so cautiously well and with such complete and solid character development that a love professing Grant and a protesting Rose became endearing. I mean falling in love is all about the crazy right? Consuming passion, furiously needing another person, overthinking every word and look, and finally realizing that LOVE hits hard and it can be completely insane all while beautiful.
So while it may be short and oh so bittersweet, Rose and Grant’s fall is worth the effort. It is a brief love that sets a high standard. To be loved so much…to “feel that� so deep in the heart and in the mind� it will be such a tasking journey to ever find more! I have such admiration for the talent of Kate Stewart as her writing is beautiful and her stories, while unique, are not always perfect. After experiencing the brilliance of this passionate and tragic insanity, I know that The Heart will be beyond epic!<
A Bearded rugby player...Scottish speaking beast...commando going/kilt wearing man...WELCOME Lachlan McGregor! This is one of those books I knew I wasA Bearded rugby player...Scottish speaking beast...commando going/kilt wearing man...WELCOME Lachlan McGregor! This is one of those books I knew I was going to love from the first paragraph read! If that hot sexy description of the hero wasn't enough, then Kayla Moore and greedy vagina will have you sold!
Aside from many LOL moments of fun and scorching scenes of throw down body consuming sex, this was an epic love story developed beyond outside perceptions...deep within two characters who found need and want in the last place they expected. The Play was also full of compassion for not only human life but for broken animals...both broken souls.
Kayla and Lachlan are so amazingly written. Here is a female who is smart, sassy and independent and a man who is physically empowering, mysterious, and thoughtful. Together they are tension and attraction...no easy path to a "relationship." While lust and pure raw emotion are abound, so is caution to keep the heart intact. All I can say is that the story...the characters...the feels are all absolutely amazing!...more
What can I say that hasn’t already been said in such amazing reviews? Sweet Soul is so emotionally beautiful. It is Tillie Cole’s final book in this sWhat can I say that hasn’t already been said in such amazing reviews? Sweet Soul is so emotionally beautiful. It is Tillie Cole’s final book in this series and it is for Levi Carillo. He is the baby…the quite brother who has seen too much and lost too young, yet through it all he is purely beautiful.
”Whoever you end up with, my son, whoever claims your heart, will be a very special girl indeed.� He fingers stroked my cheek. “So much love, mia luna. You will love with your whole being, and it will be forever. You could not love any other way.�
Unlike his brothers, Levi is quiet and reserved. He is longing for something of his own as the death of his mother has left him devastated. So prophetic are the once spoken words from his mamma as he becomes the moon for one lost star. He would rise up and guide her home to safety and to real love. Elsie Hall may have had a lifetime of hatred and silence but one night on the verge of pure hell she remembers the harsh reality of her past�
Beautiful and kind- my mom had always told me there was no such thing. After my life on the streets, after being in that home, I was inclined to agree� until I met this boy. Levi Carillo- the boy with a pure heart.
This read is Tillie Cole at her finest, doing what we expect - delivering a powerful love story that not only brings on the feels but also brings light to such tragically true harsh realities of life. Unlike the prior books in the series, Sweet Soul has a youthfulness to it…a vulnerability with everything so new. First communication…first emotional connection…first touch…first true love. While the passion and the emotions were spot on, Levi and Elsie’s love grew more from adoration, respect and trust. The intimacy was found in the context of joining of two people who saw beyond all stereotypes…who found HOME in each other’s arms.
I am so happy to have had a full book for Levi Carillo. The Sweet series has always been a top series for me, a frequent re-read. Not only did I shed tears at the content and the powerful message that Tillie Cole laid down, but also at the loss of a family that I have come to adore. Thank you for the journey!!! xoxo
ARC provided generously per author in exchange for honest review
M. Robinson is quickly becoming a one click favorite in my love for ang4.5 KID Stars!
ARC provided generously per author in exchange for honest review
M. Robinson is quickly becoming a one click favorite in my love for angst department. I was completely blown away after Complicate Me and beyond rocked when the last written words set up a taboo love story for the ages. To say this book was highly anticipated would be an understatement.
While this book is a standalone, I would 100% recommend reading Complicate Me first to really know the boys and understand the connections established. That being said, Jacob Foster found his "lobster" the moment a young Lillian Ryder got scared to go to the bathroom after a scary movie. The only problem is...7 years separating him from that little girl.
M. Robinson did and amazing thing...she made a love story set in the foundation of friendship, protection, and added in taboo desire. What once was a "big brother" type of love turned into a growing fire with passing years of passion driven thoughts and passing looks of longing until the meeting of lips, just once, turns both worlds upside down.
Unlike book 1 with the back and forth emotional angst. Jacob and Lily have had their angst. They have a past full of tears, harsh words, and goodbyes that hurt one another deeply. Now it is time to finally grasp onto what was always meant to be. The only problem is...an older, wiser Lily is not the same infatuated little girl that Jacob once cared for. Needing actions over empty words, Lily challenges Jacob to STAY...for once. Hold onto your seats and enjoy the hell out of a man's journey to make Lillian his for all to finally see!
I really enjoyed this read, a lot. I think the writing was beyond great and the story flowed so well with using the past told in dual POV's to push the present. I know some may worry about the age difference and cringe at the thought of a college man and a 16 year old girl...DONT! This read is thought provoking as the author makes you realize that love has no boundaries. She shows the struggle with want and need and makes you question your own moral compass. More than that, she shows that love may not be easy...it may not be right...but will it wait???...more
This book was an emotional rollercoaster! It was a second chance love story that was filled with right person but the wrong time mo5 Hard Fallen Stars
This book was an emotional rollercoaster! It was a second chance love story that was filled with right person but the wrong time moments and enough self-sacrificing grandstands to set up the most epic forever love tale. For the lovers of angst and struggle to grasp onto what the heart truly wants this book will rock you!
Kate Stewart has a unique way of creating somewhat flawed characters in that they are so complex and layered that not every peel and discovery is likeable. She makes you fall into her stories by both cheering and cursing those whom you are reading. It was no surprise that Dean Martin and Dallas Whitaker were no different. Falling for Dean, at 18, was a given and thus starts a slow building crush for a 15 year old girl, who settles on a best friendship. While both were smart beyond their high school years, only Dean harbored the knowledge that their age difference was too much to overcome.
Finally when age was nothing but a number, the upcoming future still would not be kind, especially when the end goal of professional success would leave hearts broken on the journey� For Dean Martin though, his heart had been claimed, so how could it possibly ever really beat without its other half?
What a journey of stay and go, wait and move, love and leave. The feels are amazing as the grief of a love lost...a future course altered...a couple denied is all consuming. When it is finally time to surface from the drowning hurt and piece the heart back together, it is a passionate fight for every touch and moment! If you are a fan of a man in love, be prepared for Dean Martin and his quest to take back his other half. Nothing sexier than him staking claim on Dallas’s body and soul!
I truly love a good second chance love story and what a doozy Kate Stewart delivered. There is shock at seeing the one you want, anger at a past lost, and most of all struggle to trust again. There is no shortage of passion, heat, and pure need for one another. Reading this story was having something hurt so good…two forces of fury destined to be together while fighting the elements of past. Dean and Dallas were like bright and powerful lightning streaking in the sky…beautiful and brilliant but often destructive. I LOVED every moment of their story! Take The Fall and experience the fabulous talent if this author!
We’ll come full circle, she and I…once more to begin anew�
Kelli Jean has taken the love story of Phil Deveraux and Kenna MacGregor 5+ Nola’s Own Stars
We’ll come full circle, she and I…once more to begin anew�
Kelli Jean has taken the love story of Phil Deveraux and Kenna MacGregor on the most epic journey beyond the norm. From the initial meeting to the fast forever, they have been soul bound. They breathe and live in one another in complete harmony expanding the realm they exist…but no great love is without struggle.
This final book has no shortage of struggle. From page one devotion is tested, patience is pushed, and lives are forever changed. Tears will be shed as Nola’s Junk takes on the world forcing Phil and Kenna battle the elements to survive. Deadly explosions, raging exes, the wrath of Mother Nature, the hard rock life style…nothing will be easy for this Mystic Love to overcome.
I have a deep love and respect for the young, fiery, Kenna. She has always been a survivor…a healer…a greater being. Her connection to Phil is like nothing ever experienced. At such a young age she single handedly grounded and tamed the beast of a man. She gives as good as she gets with both a young energy and old soul. Her love and belief alone has always been enough until her very own soul shatters.
Tragedy and heartbreak are forefront. Now faced with great loss and overwhelming pain, Phil will have to find a way through his own hell to heal the heart of Nola’s very own.
I have no way of writing a review that could adequately depict the amazing works Kelli Jean created. From book 1 she captivated my attention. Phil and Kenna are unlike any book couple I have ever experienced. This is not the typical bad boy/good girl romance. It is so ethereal and deep. Their words are lyrical prose and their connection of body while stunningly hot, is complete intimacy perfection.
At the end of this book…the close of the series, I found myself uncharacteristically emotional. It has been a long time since I got “caught up� in a story. Perhaps it was the spiritual essence of Kenna and Phil’s love or the belief that a love can exist deeper than the mind can know. Kelli Jean did not take the easy path to forever. This author stayed true to her characters and never let their connection falter, she pushed and bent the hell out of it, but she never let the reader lose faith.
It was an absolute pleasure to experience Phil, Kenna and all of Nola’s Junk. Just as books 1 and 2 were…Unique…Sexy…Emotional…Profound…for me, THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME!
**please note quotes used may differ from published work**
I will start by saying a "3" does not mean I didn't enjoy the read or dislike it. I found my first read by Brittainy Cherry to be pretty good actuallyI will start by saying a "3" does not mean I didn't enjoy the read or dislike it. I found my first read by Brittainy Cherry to be pretty good actually.
While I was in complete love with this angst filled romance of sorts for the first 75% or so...I just felt a bit let down by the twisted ending.
This is one of those reads that has such beautifully broken characters. Two lives shattered by one event and unknowingly connected so closely. Tristan is so deeply broke that I was fascinated by him. I felt his despair, his anger, his overwhelming guilt. Each moment he had with his new neighbor, Emma, was perfectly painful. I was completely enraptured with the process of them trying to cope with loss, of them falling into one another...using one another. For me, it was enough to just come to grips with the past, to grieve and to move on in a slow process.
Unfortunately the story took a bit of a suspenseful turn of danger and mayhem and suddenly my broken characters were forced into a quick reality of "being better." The whole story was perfectly painful and slow...then it was full on rush to a pretty end. I just wanted to continue with the slow healing and falling into a norm of happiness to the best of Tristan and Emma's abilities. I wanted the happy bubble to be enough...the end drama was just meh.
So that is my rant, well not really a rant but my issue. So, yes, I liked it. I found the writing amazing and the angst to be fabulous. I will def be reading more by this author!...more
This was my first time reading Kate McCarthy and I really enjoyed this! What's better than a blonde soccer bomb from down under and an all American foThis was my first time reading Kate McCarthy and I really enjoyed this! What's better than a blonde soccer bomb from down under and an all American football star falling in love? Surviving one another and staying love!
The End Game was a pretty fabulous "sports romance." I am used to reading stories with a hotshot sports hero falling for the girl/guy next door, but this book brings two up and coming athletes destined for professional success. They both seem to have their futures laid out if they continue their focus. Jordan's path is derailed when she takes on the tutelage of a sexy, sassy, and dyslexic Brody. This in itself is a pressure cooker of a situation, but add in attraction and first time want for more and the story takes off!
My favorite thing about this read was the internal struggle of both characters. With Dual POV's there is great insight into the self assessment and want to be better, to the outside pressure to perform 100% at all times, and to the conflict of the heart and the mind. Neither Jordan or Brody had easy pasts, and their present and future together would not be a destined as there professional lives.
Through a lot of emotional breaks and angst filled moments of heartbreak, this author gave a well written love story. While I struggled a bit with Brody and his constant let downs, I truly felt for Jordan. I loved how strong she was and to be honest, I loved that she never gave up, but never got walked on either! For a well paced romance with tears, laughs and decent heat, The End Game will deliver!...more
I started this book late one evening and I could not stop myself...the prologue alone was enough to keep me up for hours!
This is a t3.5 Captive Stars!
I started this book late one evening and I could not stop myself...the prologue alone was enough to keep me up for hours!
This is a true love story. Ugly from the get go, but still a love at that. Lily and her baby sister Sasha are on a trip of a life time. With deceased parents, they have only one another. It is their time to mourn and to move on together...one adventure at a time. What should be miles of fun and new experiences turns horrific when the sisters find themselves bound, gagged and in the midst of human trafficking.
Lily and Sasha enter a nightmare of abuse, degradation, and pure evil. Lily's protective and sassy attitude cannot be contained as she fights for her sister's well-being. This does not bode well as Lily becomes part of "the collection" and is separated from her only family. Sasha is thrown into "slave" mode. Lily is moved into protection under the watchful eye of a dark, broody, and somewhat sexy Jake.
On one hand, this tale is somewhat predictable in that the connection between Jake and Lily is inevitable. I was completely surprised when the tale kept to it's script. Lily's time in captivity was not easy. Sasha's was worse. Jake was an enigma of kind meanness...if that even makes sense, but then again, things and people are not always what or who they seem!
While I enjoyed this read, I do have a few gripes! I was a bit peeved at the big "OMG" moment of truth...I was even more peeved at the outcome of the sisters! While I had a gut feeling what was coming, I just felt it could have been prevented. Jake...you angered me! I could not get over your lack of ability to communicate! Also, talk about a 180 of demeanor! Wow. As for Lily...for a woman who was always breaking when no one was looking, she handled her entire situation a quite well! Perhaps she was completely NUMB to reality!
I am completely intrigued in this story and I cannot wait to see what happens with Emily and Kayne!
I use this image because my first meeting with Brantley King was not a favorable one! I was intrigued by a bad r5 THIS IS EVERYTHING STARS!
I use this image because my first meeting with Brantley King was not a favorable one! I was intrigued by a bad rough talking, evil acting ass of a man. I felt sad for a lost "doe-eyed" scared girl. I wanted so much from King, but I was left full of questions and longing.
Welcome TYRANT....
No, neither did I girl! I take back my anger and my confusion. I take back my shade I was tossing to TM Frazier, not that she cares, but DAMN, this book was FABULOUS!
Grittier than ever. More mindfuckery. Harsher tones and deeper emotions. I got a jigsaw puzzle of crazy with raw unbearable moments and I loved every single thing! And can I just say....JAKE!!!!! Oh my heavens...that psycho killer makes me so happy!
One of the best crazy dark reads I have had to date. I was so not disappointed in King and Doe/Pup/Ray. From recovered pasts and stunning self revelations to the crazy sexy romance, Tyrant was the real deal!
This read may not have been pretty or easy to finish. It may even have a hard earned brutal ending. Just because it may not be sunshine and flowers, it is no less than beautiful. King...Preppy...Bear...now those are some men who know the meaning of fight for what you love! Pup is a lucky gal!...more
Pure Emotional Overload. I believe that NO ONE can write young, dramatic, angst filled, passionate love and life stories 4.5 Fire Truck the Rest Stars
Pure Emotional Overload. I believe that NO ONE can write young, dramatic, angst filled, passionate love and life stories like Jay McLean. Kick Push, is in my opinion one of her "hardest" reads in that everything is so beautifully broken...
Everything is elevated to a different level...all because "There are some sacrifices greater than love. And some loves greater than any sacrifice. Tommy's greater than both."
For a 17 year old boy...becoming a father was the start of a difficult journey with many missteps and hardships. It was also the start of something amazing...the start of a new life with a precious little boy. Taking life day by day, Josh just Kicks. Pushes. Coasts. Until 3 years later and a pair of emerald eyes full of sorrow and intrigue lock onto his.
So begins a slow interest. A want for more with a girl who limits her talk and her touch. A horrific past unknown, Josh takes a chance on opening up his heart again...
“There’s a big difference between being happy and being selfish. Choose to be happy. Fire truck the rest.�
But the road to happiness will not be easy. Too many unknowns. Too much pain from the past. Too much too fast. Josh is not just a man taking a chance at falling in love, but he is a father protecting his future for a boy that is his everything. And so begins the inevitable downward spiral...the storm of emotions...the past colliding with the present. When the dust settles there are tears... there are goodbyes... so many broken dreams... ultimate sacrifices.
"Seriously, how many times can a person break before the only things left are shattered fragments too small to piece back together?"
I suppose only time will tell. So I sit and wait for Jay McLean to Kick. Push. Coast into the rest of the story......more
I'm totally not going to lie, I loved every long drawn-out angst filled moment of this book! Note this is not a standalone...this book picks up after I'm totally not going to lie, I loved every long drawn-out angst filled moment of this book! Note this is not a standalone...this book picks up after the crazy events that rocked Rory and Sam...the ultimately broke them apart.
"It's not the frequency of good times versus bad times that matters. It's the magnitude of the bad times, the damage done"
No truer statement when it comes this tale. Keeping it simple...Rory and Sam connected at first run in. She was zoned out just passing time to get thru days. She was hiding from her past...not looking for anything "normal." Then there was Sam...a high school dream...a good friend...a hero to the broken Rory.
After finally accepting good times and opening up to the possibilities to a future and a real love...the past catches up and breaks any hope for more. One night ends it all. One night creates new walls. One night and a whole book of miscommunication ensues! While this would normally make me scream, I found myself completely wrapped up in this teen drama! Two young adults who wanted and needed on another were tip-toeing around each other, afraid to push but wanting so badly to pull! Back to square one...FRIENDS...
But what if real true love can be found so young? Hasn't Rory lived enough tragedy to know good from bad? What if Sam could keep Rory safe forever? How far would each go to keep one another safe?
"I can't lose you again...I'm not built for it...I know that know."
"My girl can handle anything. And she knows that if she needs me, I'm here, no matter what."
Keeping it real...I LOVED THIS. Was it frustrating at times? Yes. Was it a bit unrealistic at times? Yes. But...it was sweet, it was hot, it was emotional, it was just kinda way better than Okay! ...more
I have yet to read a book by Christine Zolendz that hasn't rocked me, but for me this was her best...my 2015 favorite...the book th5 hard Fallen Stars
I have yet to read a book by Christine Zolendz that hasn't rocked me, but for me this was her best...my 2015 favorite...the book that worked in every aspect.
"...one day you'll feel like your world is crashing, spinning out of control, whatever the Hell that is to you, whatever storm that comes, whatever tragedy floods your life....believe me we all get touched by some tragedy in our lives."
There is no exception for 3 young kids...three boys and one girl living to the best of their abilities while their environment and circumstances of growing up. Misfits? Misunderstood? Perhaps....or maybe just three kids who don't conform to the norm...who find support and love among only each other. To the outside word they were the average teens...the easy targets...within their world of 3 they were everything!
We were all friends…until we weren’t. We depended on each other…until we couldn’t. We were in love…until we were ripped apart. We moved on…even when we didn’t want to let go.
This is a read full of feels. This is a coming of age and all the humor and horror accompanied with growing up. This is the development of forever friendship and deep rooted bonds that are unbreakable between Charlie and her boys Jase and Joey. This is all the first time feelings of drink, of touch, of pleasure and of pain. This is the highs and lows of love that bloomed between Charlie and Jase. This is also the loss of innocence...the loss of self...the loss of life.
"I've heard people say that what you remember is not the whole truth; it's our thoughts of what we wanted things to be remembered as"
Life for Charlie...Joey...Jase...was best lived when together. Laughs were the loudest. Jokes were he funniest. Love was the purest. When life as they know it was no more...they ceased to exist together. Time gone by and paths led away from the heart of them all. Not a day passed when the thought of those firsts weren't constants for Charlie and Jase. No time, distance or person could sever the love that was, even when the ugliest of events shattered them.
From this young adult story, the author uses past memories and dual POVs to transition to a harsh tale if survival, poor circumstances and a never ending sadness that haunts the characters. But just as fate brought and tore the connections apart...those harsh life circumstances work to find the loss and continue the tale....and well...Here's to Falling...again!!!
I cannot say loud enough how hard I loved this. From the young adult tale to the new adult growth I found all of my favorites for a perfect read...angst and heart wrenching sadness...frustrating emotions of anger and then overwhelming comfort and relief. This had Lol fun times and sweet sentiments that turned into sassy dialogue and raw intimacy. Christine Zolendz wrote a perfect book for me and I will praise her name for a long time!
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