Tag: Romance

Blurring the Lines and Extras book cover

Blurring the Lines & Extras by Amy Kaybach

Published on by Charli

I received an advance copy of this book from Author to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This book may contain material that is disturbing to some readers. Please Google for a full list of trigger warnings. Thank you!

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Blurring the Lines & Extras by Amy KaybachBlurring the Lines by Amy Kaybach
Also by this author: Bridging the Silence, Blending Chords
Series: The Blind Rebels #0.5
Published by Self-Published on July 15, 2024
Genres: Rockstar Romance, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Amazon
Goodreads

Some day they'll write songs about me...From the outside, the Blind Rebels have it all. They are one of the most popular rock bands in the world. Their albums go platinum. Tickets to their concerts sell out in hours.

Behind the scenes, they are a band hanging on by a thread.

Lead singer Mavrick Slater worries his guitarist and best friend is on a dangerous path to self-destruction.

Guitarist Callum Donogue is tired. Tied of being the one who cares. Tired of the constant touring. Drugs give him an escape.

Becka wants out of her dismal life in Chicago and to have songs written about her. The only way out she sees is on the arm of a rock star. Any rock star will do.

Find out the real story of what happened before the Blind Rebels series.

—

Also included in this book are several extra scenes from the Blind Rebels series.

Blurring the Lines is a novella meant for adult audiences. Content includes strong language, explicit sexual scenes, cheating, mention of drug and alcohol use, mention of overdose leading to death, and other mature situations.

Blurring the Lines & Extras is a prequel novella with some extra tidbits for the Blind Rebels series, all wrapped into one tidy little package. This book does contain spoilers for the Blind Rebels series, so if spoilers bother you, I recommend either reading the series first or stopping after Blurring the Lines and waiting to read the extras until after you’ve finished the Blind Rebels series.

As a huge fan of the Blind Rebels series, I’d often wondered exactly how the events played out that led up to the Rebels’ hiatus. I knew it had to do with Mavrick, Callum, and Mavrick’s fiancee Becka, but I wasn’t sure how it had all played out. Now I know.

I’m going to be honest, I dislike Becka even more now than I did before. While there were times I could relate to her, she really got under my skin most of the time. I had a hard time understanding what Mav saw in her to be honest.

Blurring the Lines was very well written and relieves the itch of wanting to know what happened before the events of Bridging the Silence took place. Now… about those extras!

The extras are the parts that will be spoilers for the Blind Rebels series. Like I said above, if you want to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading the series first or just reading Blurring the Lines and leaving the extras until later. The extras include events from other perspectives, events that don’t actually appear in the books, and in some cases, things that happened after the series was over. You’ll get to see some beloved characters dealing with things in new ways or just dealing with new experiences.

I gave Blurring the Lines & Extras a solid five stars because it perfectly starts off the series and gives so much more to the series! I can’t wait to read the next series.

House of Salt and Sorrows Book Cover

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Published on by Charli
This book may contain material that is disturbing to some readers. Please Google for a full list of trigger warnings. Thank you!

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. CraigHouse of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Also by this author: Small Favors
Series: Sisters of the Salt #1
Published by Random House Children's Books on 08/04/2020
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations, Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Paranormal
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Library
IndieBound
Goodreads

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Get swept away by this “haunting” (Bustle) YA novel about twelve beautiful sisters living on an isolated island estate who begin to mysteriously die one by one. This dark and atmospheric fairy tale inspired story is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

"Step inside a fairy tale." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last--the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge--and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who--or what--are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family--before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Be careful who you dance with...

And don't miss Erin Craig's Small Favors, a mesmerizing and chilling novel about dark wishes and even darker dreams.

I bought House of Salt and Sorrows when it first came out and started reading it right away. But I didn’t finish it. I started reading it again a few months later, but again, didn’t finish it. Finally, after finding out that House of Roots and Ruin, the sequel to House of Salt and Sorrows, was coming out, I got off my butt and read it.

I have no idea why on Earth it took me so long to read this book. Part of it might have been because I’m actually not familiar with the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, of which House of Salt and Sorrows is a retelling. But whatever the reason, it absolutely shouldn’t have taken me this long to read this book!

I loved Annaleigh! She’s strong but also shows vulnerability, especially when certain events take place. I also loved most of her sisters – Camille wasn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy the triplets and the Graces. They were fun characters. Not particularly sure how I felt about their father and I really wasn’t fond of Morella, their step-mother. But I did quite enjoy Cassius.

I’m a huge fairy tale retelling lover, so it isn’t a surprise that I loved this one. Even though I wasn’t particularly familiar with the fairy tale HOSAS was based on, a quick Google search told me all I needed to know about the original tale. I loved the way Erin A. Craig wove the story around the idea of the Thaumas sisters being cursed because of the deaths of so many of them.

There were several plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that I highly doubt most readers would be able to guess. Especially the big twist at towards the end – that one was definitely not expected! It truly was a great twist!

I really love the ending – mostly because I was so sad at one of the smaller plot twists revealed towards the end of the book. It was the perfect way to end HOSAS and I am looking forward the House of Roots and Ruin.

This one got 4.5/5 stars from me and I highly recommend this book for those who love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings.

Book cover for Not Here to Stay Friends

Interview: Kaitlyn Hill, Author of Not Here to Stay Friends

Published on by Charli

Hello everyone! Today we have a special treat – an interview with Kaitlyn Hill, the author of Not Here to Stay Friends. This interview is part of the blog tour for Not Here to Stay Friends, brought to you by TBR & Beyond Tours.

Interview: Kaitlyn Hill, Author of Not Here to Stay FriendsNot Here to Stay Friends by Kaitlyn Hill
Published by Delacorte Press on 04/04/2023
Genres: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
Amazon // IndieBound
Goodreads

This friends-to-lovers spin on The Bachelor follows two childhood besties reuniting to spend the summer in L.A. after five years apart—but when they both get involved with a teen reality dating show, their lives take an unexpected turn for the unreal.

Sloane McKinney feels like a background character in her own life. But this summer will be different, because she’s spending it with her childhood best friend, Liam Daniels, in her dream city, Los Angeles. Sure, she’s surprised to find that Liam just happens to have had a Hot Guy glow-up since she last saw him, but so what? A little attraction won’t ruin her plans for their fun—and completely platonic—reunion.

What might, however, is that Liam has been roped into working for his producer dad’s new teen reality dating show, Aspen Woods’s Future Leading Lady. Liam figures Sloane can still hang out with him on set while he fetches coffee for the film crew, or whatever it is that production assistants do. Except it turns out the show is one contestant short . . . and Sloane is the perfect last-minute addition.

Once cameras are rolling, the whirlwind of dating teen heartthrob Aspen Woods feels way more real than Sloane expected, and Liam doesn’t exactly enjoy watching it all unfold. But it’s behind the scenes where the drama really picks up. . . .

Because wanting to kiss your best friend? That’s a plot twist neither Sloane nor Liam ever saw coming.

Interview

Do you plan to read reviews of “Not Here to Stay Friends” and if you do, how will you
respond to negative reviews?

I generally don’t seek out reviews! They’re a space meant for readers, and I respect reviewers’ right to share opinions freely while also protecting myself from having to take in a whole spectrum of opinions on work that’s already out in the world.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you think it influenced “Not Here to Stay
Friends”?

Growing up, I was obsessed with Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series, about an all girls spy school. While I’ve yet to write anything as cool as spies, I think the element of an ensemble cast of girls who lift each other up–even in an environment as intense and traditionally set up for conflict as a reality show set–definitely comes through in NHTSF! Carter also writes the swooniest male leads/love interests, which probably plays a role in how I develop male characters like Liam. ☺️

What did you listen to (if anything) while writing “Not Here to Stay Friends”?

I’m the type to listen to one or two albums on repeat until I’m sick of them, and the early stages of this book definitely came together in my folklore/evermore phase! I love the way Taylor Swift tells stories in those albums, and the general vibe is chill enough that I could listen to it while writing without getting too distracted.

Did you encounter any writer’s block with “Not Here to Stay Friends” and if so, how did you get yourself going again?

I usually hit a wall at some point (or multiple points) in everything I write, but I’ve found the important thing for me is not to lose momentum. I can and do take breaks and recharge from time to time, but if I feel myself extending the break beyond what I need just out of laziness, I make myself go back to the project and write whatever I can on it, even if it isn’t great. The longer I go without writing, the harder it is to get back into it!

Have you made any literary pilgrimages? (Visiting a favorite author’s home town, doing in-person research for the setting of a novel, visiting the setting of a favorite novel, etc.)

I need to do more! I haven’t really done any intentionally, but when I lived in Seattle, I went to Olympic National Park and passed through Forks, Washington, of Twilight fame! It’s an incredibly beautiful area, even if you’re not into the Twilight things. In the future, I’d love to go to some author-owned bookstores, like Nora Roberts’s or Judy Blume’s.

Name three authors whose books you love and/or three authors you just can’t get into.

I could give a long list of authors I love, but I think every YA romance lover should be reading Elise Bryant, Samantha Markum, and Rachel Lynn Solomon!

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Published on by Charli
This book may contain material that is disturbing to some readers. Please Google for a full list of trigger warnings. Thank you!

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

The Never King by Nikki St. CroweThe Never King by Nikki St. Crowe
Series: Vicious Lost Boys #1
Published by Blackwell House LLC on 06/16/2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, Fairy Tales / Retellings, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance
Format: eBook
Source: KindleUnlimited
Amazon // Barnes & Noble // IndieBound
Goodreads

A special edition of The Never King with a new limited edition cover. The stories were all wrong - Hook was never the villain.For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they're gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.But it's pointless.Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren't willing to let me go.NOTE: The Never King is a reimagining of Peter and Wendy. Characters have been aged up for this darker, grittier version. If you like your enemies to lovers romance with hot, ruthless, morally gray love interests, you'll enjoy The Never King and the Lost Boys. You can expect hate kissing, fighting, bickering, and 'touch her and I'll unalive you' vibes. Book one ends on a cliff.Please check the author's website for CWs.

CW: Sexual Activity, Some Non-Consensual/Semi-Consensual Sex, Language, Kidnapping, Dark Themes, Polyamory, Violence, Murder

If you’re looking for a Peter Pan retelling that is full of angst and is spicy, I’d recommend picking up The Never King[mfn]And its sequels[/mfn] by Nikki St. Crowe. Holy cow…

In all honesty, I couldn’t tell you what attracted me to The Never King other than the cover. I saw it on KindleUnlimited and borrowed it because it looked cool. I definitely wasn’t expecting a spicy, angsty retelling of Peter Pan. But let me tell you, I couldn’t put the book down after I started reading it! I literally read all 192 pages in one afternoon, on my phone. Yes, on my phone.

I have to say, I love the characters in this book. I adore the twins – Bash and Kas, I love Vane, I love Peter Pan, and I adore Winnie. Vane is such an interesting character to me with his dark, twisted background. The twins are so sweet and kind – even if Bash wants to pretend he isn’t. Peter Pan made me wish I was Winnie from the very get go. And Winnie, our resident Darling, is far different from anything you’re probably thinking she is.

Most of the time when I find books like this, they’re lacking in plot. This one wasn’t, which I was grateful for. I tend to shy away from spicy books and books that feature polyamory because, honestly, a lot of them are two chapters of plot and twenty chapters of spice. But The Never King mixes the plot with the spice well and doesn’t overdo the spice like a lot of books I’ve read.

You start to see hints of romance in this book, but I’m feeling like the majority will be in the sequels to The Never King. You do get the very distinct impression that there are feelings being caught all around, so that’s interesting. I can’t wait to read the other two books and see where all of this romance and polyamory goes.

If you’re new to dark romance, dark fantasy, polyamory in books, or spicy books, I think this one would be a good introduction to these genres/subgenres. I also think that anyone who is a die-hard fan of these types of books would like this as well. However, if you don’t like sex in your books or you don’t like polyamory, don’t bother picking this up, you’ll probably hate it. Just saying.

Protecting His Pregnant Partner by Leslie North

Published on by Charli

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Protecting His Pregnant Partner by Leslie NorthProtecting His Pregnant Partner by Leslie North
Also by this author: Protecting the Single Mother, The Sheikh's Tempting Nanny
Series: Aegis Security #3
Also in this series: Protecting the Single Mother
Published by Relay Publishing on May 6, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Military, Fiction / Romance / Suspense
Pages: 221
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley
Amazon
Goodreads

An adrenaline rush of danger and romance…

Holly Yee’s life was shattered when she witnessed the brutal murder of her ex. Now, she’s been forced into hiding from the mobsters seeking to eliminate her. Pregnant and under the protection of bodyguard and former Navy SEAL Kenton Price, she’s going a little stir crazy in his apartment.

Sitting on the sidelines really isn’t her thing Former jocks aren’t her thing either, but there’s something about Ken that makes him different from other men. Something hot. Something sexy. And…special. Most of all, she feels safe—until the mob targets Ken, putting both their lives in danger.

Despite the threat to himself, Ken’s priority is protecting Holly and her unborn baby. In the short time they’ve spent together, she’s become important to him. Too important. Holly is as smart as she is gorgeous and he can’t deny the growing attraction between them. He knows that’s a line he shouldn’t cross. But despite his resolve to keep his distance, he just can't seem to resist her.

He tells himself—and her—it’s just a fling. Too bad his heart isn’t listening…

It’s been a minute since I’ve reviewed a Leslie North book and I’m not sure why because when it comes to romance books, I absolutely love hers. Like I’ve said before – not big on romance, but certain authors are must-reads for me and Leslie North is one of them.

Protecting His Pregnant Partner is the third book in the Aegis Security trilogy. Unfortunately, I somehow missed reading the second book, Protecting His Fake Wife, but fortunately, you get enough details to help you get through the books even if you don’t read them in order.

In this installment, we get to follow Ken and his client, Holly Yee. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Zak Bryant, was killed in a mob hit. Holly and her two friends, Charlotte and Nicole, are now under the protection of Aegis Security until the killer(s) can be caught.

One of the things I enjoy with Leslie North’s books is while yes, there is sex in them, it’s not over done. These books have substance and aren’t just straight smut. There’s nothing wrong with straight smut, but it’s not my first choice in reading material.[mfn]Just a personal preference. I have plenty of friends who love the straight smut romances.[/mfn]

I like Holly. She’s intelligent, snarky, and funny. She also talks constantly, which I admit, I do as well. I’d most likely have driven Ken bananas myself. I also like Ken, even though he starts out obnoxious as all get out. I probably would have strangled him at some point if I’d been stuck in an apartment with him for weeks on end. I’m just saying.

This book was very fast paced, easy to follow, and didn’t really require you to have read the other two books first. Yes, it is a trilogy and you technically should read the books in order, but if you don’t, it’s not a huge deal. At least not for this trilogy. I’d read the first book, but missed the second book, and I didn’t find myself lost or confused in any way. Leslie North’s writing style makes her books enjoyable and is one of the reasons I keep going back to her for romance novels when I do want to read one.

I will say, if you’re not into romantic suspense or military/ex-military romance novels, you won’t be particularly interested in this book or this trilogy. These guys are ex-Navy SEALS and it’s mentioned more than once. However, if you’re curious about military/ex-military romance novels or romantic suspense novels, I’d say these would be a good start for you.

Never Say Never by Justine Manzano

Published on by Charli1 Comment

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Never Say Never by Justine ManzanoNever Say Never by Justine Manzano
on 06/15/2021
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 312
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley
Amazon
Goodreads

After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that's decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears to NEVER fall in love. One of her friends--Val-- reveals her true identity--Aphrodite, goddess of love, and promises to show Brynn why she shouldn't lose faith.

But when Brynn realizes she's beginning to fall for Adam, Aphrodite's boyfriend, Brynn's forced to decide if she'll choose her goddess-given fate, or risk it all for the wrong-but-right guy.

One thing's for sure. Love sucks. And it's all about to blow up in their faces.

Again, I’m not really a huge romance fan. Yes, I like the genre, I just tend to read other genres before I read romance. I’m really not a big fan of “YA Romance” – for some reason I just don’t care much for it. But Never Say Never? Yeah, I’m definitely a fan of this one.

Let’s start off with the basics – Brynn Stark has stated she’ll never fall in love. She’s not a people person, she’s sarcastic, and she’s not the “ideal” type of pretty by society’s standards[mfn]At least not from what I could tell by reading the book.[/mfn] Enter her best friend Nina and Nina’s foster sister Val. Val is all about love and likes to meddle in others’ love lives. Of course, she IS Aphrodite, so that explains a lot.

I love Brynn. She and I share a lot of characteristics. We both like to wear black, band shirts, and jeans. We’re both sarcastic and neither one of us does people very well. I could relate to her on pretty much every level because she and I are just alike.

Then you have Val, who is Nina’s foster sister. Val is all about beauty, being girly, and love. She loves attention and she loves trying to set people up on dates to help them find their true love. She can be super obnoxious about it thought. How her boyfriend, Adam, puts up with her is beyond me.

Nina, Brynn’s best friend, is kind of like a mix of Val and Brynn. She seems to have a lot of the same characteristics of both Val and Brynn, but leans more toward Brynn than Val, if that makes sense. If not, I promise it will after you read the book.

Adam is just – he’s hard to explain. He’s withdrawn in some ways, and when you read about his history, you might just understand. I do, because I’ve been through it myself. He’s another character I just relate really well to.

Raphael is just obnoxious. He has a thing for Brynn, she can’t stand him, and he can’t take a freaking hint. Some of the things Brynn says to him are absolutely hilarious to be perfectly honest and you’ll spend a lot of time wondering why this guy keeps trying.

I love the premise of this book – Aphrodite in disguise trying to help her friend find true love, all the while trying to keep said friend away from the person she’s meant to be with. It’s complicated but not in a hard to understand way. Trust me, you’ll have no problem following this book and knowing what’s going on, even though things can get a bit complicated.

This book is hilarious. Some of Brynn’s zingers are absolute gold and when you pair that with the guy who can’t take it a hint, it’s even better. She’s also got some good ones for her mom, and in all honesty, I think you’ll understand why once you read the book.

If you like fun, hilarious YA romance books with a hint of fantasy, I’d definitely recommend this one. It’ll keep you reading from page one.

Green space background with green guitar and the words Blending Chords and amy kaybach on the front

Blending Chords by Amy Kaybach

Published on by Charli1 Comment

I received an advance copy of this book from Author to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Blending Chords by Amy KaybachBlending Chords by Amy Kaybach
Also by this author: Bridging the Silence, Blurring the Lines
Series: Blind Rebels #2
Also in this series: Reviving The Rhythm, Finding Harmony
Published by Amy Kaybach on 06/24/2022
Genres: Rockstar Romance
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Author
Amazon
Goodreads

Callum
Guitarist. Rock star. Blind Rebels bandmate. My public persona embodies all of these titles fans have gifted upon me. But none of them matter as much as the role bestowed on me two years ago: father.

My son is my world, yet juggling being a single father with everything else hasn’t been easy. I know I need help, but how can I trust a stranger with the one thing my entire world revolves around?

Arista
I must get out of my sister’s house. As much as I love her, I can’t tolerate her handsy husband. Armed with a degree in early childhood education, I’m determined to find a live-in nanny position that will allow me to truly make a difference in a child’s life with one-on-one interaction.

Being a nanny for Callum Donogue looked like the opportunity of a lifetime. Unfortunately, he seems to resent me being there, spending time with his son. Can we find a way to make this work? Or will our constant clashing prompt him to hang up his guitar and abandon the Blind Rebels mid-tour?

Ok, so again, we all know that I don’t read a ton of romance books. Namely because I usually don’t care much for them. But there are certain types of romance books that I enjoy, and a good rockstar romance is one of them. So of course I was going to read the second book in the Blind Rebels series by Amy Kaybach. After how much I loved the first book, Bridging the Silence? There was no way you’d catch me dead not reading Blending Chords!

Blending Chords is the story of Blind Rebels guitarist Callum Donogue and the woman he hires to be his live-in nanny, Arista. Now before I go any further, I feel like I should post a couple of trigger warnings because, well, they’re there – there are mentions of suicidal thoughts, sexual assault/abuse, death of family members, and kidnapping. If any of these things are trigger points for you, I recommend being very careful while reading this book. Now…

I know I gave this book 5 stars as I did Bridging the Silence. If a book keeps me on my toes and wanting to read more, then it gets 5 stars, especially if it is a romance novel. So let’s get into why I gave it 5 stars, shall we?

Characters

Callum

I’m not going to lie, Callum can be an asshole. I mean, I get where he’s coming from – after all, he has a son[mfn]Gibson[/mfn] to think/worry about, his son’s mother abandoned him and signed her rights to him away just a few days after he was born, and he’s a rock star who has obligations to his band, Blind Rebels. But he can still be a real asshole. At least he knows it and he makes attempts to rectify his mistakes when he’s being an asshole. Of course, there are a couple of parts where you’ll see that his being an asshole is completely justified.

Arista (Ari)

I giggled when I saw her name because I’m old enough to remember the record company called Arista.[mfn]I wonder if they’re still around…[/mfn]. In any case, I like that Ari has issues but does her best not to let them interfere too much with her life. Of course, she still, like any human being, let’s them define her life, but only to a point. Many people in her situation would be far more messed up than she is. She obviously cares about Gibson and about kids in general. She’s an interesting character who has layers.

Viola (Vi)

Although we don’t see a lot of Vi, she’s Ari’s older sister. I won’t give away why she’s important to the story, but I will say that she truly embodies what a sister should be. I really liked her and almost hope we can get a story (even if it’s a novella) about Vi’s life after Blending Chords.

Todd

Vi’s husband. Without giving too much away, I wanted to throttle him from the beginning to the end of the book. Believe me when I say you will too – and if you don’t, um…. yeah… I’m going to just leave that there. Asshole doesn’t begin to describe this person.

Review

This one took me longer to read, but that’s more because I was dealing with my own life issues than because the book wasn’t good enough to keep going on. I actually ended up starting the book on my phone because my Kindle needed to be charged and I wanted to get started on it.

Even when I wasn’t reading it because I couldn’t focus[mfn]Stupid life issues[/mfn], I was thinking about it and wondering how certain things I’d already read would play out.

Amy certainly knows how to write great characters and great plot twists. There was one “plot twist” that involved a mystery character – who I correctly guessed before I found out who it was – but the character was written in a way that you did wonder who it could possibly be.

One of the first plot twists is one that will piss you off – I know it did me. How anyone could do that to Ari is beyond me and although you never do find out for certain who did it… I have a sneaking suspicion I know.

While this book doesn’t have the typical “burned by love” storyline, it does have atypical – because the people who burned them aren’t people they truly loved or even thought they truly loved. This makes it interesting to me because the burned by love trope is usually characterized by the one who is burned having truly loved/adored the person who hurt them. In one of our characters’ case, I want to beat the person who hurt them within an inch of their life.

One thing I like about Blending Chords – while they are meant to be read in order of release, meaning while you really should read Bridging the Silence first, you actually could read Blending Chords first and not be too lost. Sure, there might be a few things mentioned that make you wonder what’s going on, but for the most part, it reads like a stand alone book. Of course, that could be because I did read Bridging the Silence first.

I don’t believe that will be the case with the next book, Reviving the Rhythm[mfn]To be released in September 2022[/mfn], based on the ending of Blending Chords, but we’ll see.

If you love Rockstar Romance or want to get into it, I highly recommend picking up both Bridging the Silence and Blending Chords. You’ll fall in love with these boys in Blind Rebels, I guarantee it.

Blending Chords will be available on Amazon as a Kindle book or in paperback on June 24, 2022. You can also purchase signed paperbacks on Amy’s website.

Bridging the Silence by Amy Kaybach

Published on by Charli

I received an advance copy of this book from Author to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Bridging the Silence by Amy KaybachBridging the Silence by Amy Kaybach
Also by this author: Blending Chords, Blurring the Lines
Series: Blind Rebles #1
Published by Self-Published on March 18, 2022
Genres: Rockstar Romance
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Author
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The first book in the Blind Rebels rock star romance series follows Kady, a broken ex-popstar trying to rebuild her life after suffering a devastating traumatic event and Mav, the charismatic lead singer of world famous Blind Rebels, who has been talked into doing a reunion residency in Las Vegas a year after the band broke up in a very public, very explosive way on stage.

Kady
I was a pop princess. American royalty. Until my ex, armed with a gun, turned my super star existence into a grisly nightmare. Now, living in a prison of self-inflicted silence, I'm battling to break out of my isolation by rediscovering the world from behind a camera lens.

Mavrick
Our band, The Blind Rebels, was globally famous…until our very public implosion. And I know, I share plenty of blame for that after tackling one of my bandmates on stage at Madison Square Gardens. Our label wants us back together. They don’t know our guitarist stole my fiancée and had a child with her.

I didn’t think I could ever trust a woman again…until I met Kady. She’s just as broken as I am, shattered by the heartless actions of another. Can we put our painful, self-doubt aside and learn to trust each other? Or will wounds from the past destroy our chance at true happiness?

This book contains adult themes and may not be for all readers. It is not recommended for audiences who may be sensitive to discussions involving mass shooting, bodily injuries or death, anxiety and panic attacks.

Ok, I know, it’s another romance novel. But here’s the thing – romance novels get me out of reading slumps and it’s not just a romance novel. This is a rockstar romance novel. Now, I know you probably can’t tell from the looks of my blog, but I love rock music and listen to everything from hair metal to death metal, along with some other assorted types of music. So combining rockstars and reading is a sure way to get me to read your romance novel. Now… about that romance novel. 😉

I do want to disclose that I am friends with the author and have been for years – before I even knew she wanted to write a book. That does not in any way color my review of this book – trust me, if I hadn’t liked it, I probably wouldn’t have finished it. Now, on to the actual review.

Bridging the Silence is the first in a four book series about a band called Blind Rebels. This particular book is Mav’s[mfn]The lead singer[/mfn] story. Being a singer myself, the singer is nearly always my favorite member of a band. So far, Mav is my favorite out of Blind Rebels as well – and the band isn’t even real! So that should tell you right off how well Mav is written as a character. Now, about those characters.

Characters

Mav

Mav is the lead singer of Blind Rebels. He and the guitarist for Blind Rebels, Callum, got into a huge fight at Madison Square Garden and the band went on a huge hiatus. Because of that fight, and the reason behind it, Mav is a bit on the jaded side when it comes to both the band and love. He can be your typical rockstar – getting drunk and a bit disorderly. But he’s also not your typical rockstar. I found myself truly enjoying Mav. He was an extremely likeable character, even if he could be a complete jerk at times. But hey, what man can’t be a jerk at times? If you’re familiar with the rock music scene, you’ll love how Mav is written because it’s realistic. Mav doesn’t seem fake and while I was reading, I almost forgot Mav isn’t real!

Kady

I admit, I loved Kady. The former pop-princess who goes through a highly traumatic event and comes out the other side battered and a bit on the broken side. Don’t think Kady is completely broken though – she might have been for a time, but she certainly isn’t that way anymore… even if her best friend wants to keep believing she is. One of the reasons I loved Kady was the fact that she could look back on her former career and realize that wasn’t who she wanted to be – it wasn’t who she really is. Again, Kady is written in such a realistic way, I almost forgot that she isn’t real.

Those are the two main characters, so they’re the ones I’ll focus on for this book.

Review

Now… I managed to read this book in less than 24 hours. I actually stayed up until 6AM to finish the book, even though I probably should have gone to bed. But once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I had to know what was going to happen next. I had to know how the story was going to play out.

Most romances I’ve read, while great for getting me out of reading slumps because they’re usually just a bunch of meet-cute fluff, don’t provide me with a feeling of needing to know what happens. But Bridging the Silence isn’t just your typical meet-cute fluffy romance book. It is gritty, realistic, and talks about issues that might make some people uncomfortable. This is a romance book that has more substance than most romances I’ve read.

When I read this book, I lost myself in it. I was actually immersed in the music industry world in which the characters live. I felt as though the characters were real people instead of just names and brief personality descriptions. The characters actually stand out and honestly, I found myself thinking more than once I wish they were real so I could meet them – that’s how much I loved them.

The plot for this book is typical romance stuff – at least one of the characters has been burned by love. Both are cautious, although for different reasons. But the manner in which that plot is carried out is far beyond what you get from most books. You don’t just get the “so and so cheated on me”[mfn]Although there is that… trust me[/mfn] trope, you also have someone going through not just an emotionally but physically traumatic event. Usually romances I read only have one of the main characters burned by love but in this story, it’s both of them, in wildly different ways.

It’s really hard not to tell you what happens in the book, but I’m not going to spoil it for you. This was my first and only 5-star rating for a book that wasn’t an audiobook so far in 2022. If you like Rockstar Romance or you’d like to get into Rockstar Romance, I’m telling you, Bridging the Silence is the book you want to pick up.

Bridging the Silence is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited on March 18, 2022. You can also purchase a signed paperback from Amy’s website.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Published on by Charli
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. ChoiEmergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi
Published by Simon and Schuster on April 9, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Dating & Relationships, Dating & Sex, Friendship, General, Juvenile Nonfiction, Love & Romance, Romance, Social Themes, Social Topics, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 416
Format: Audiobook
Source: Scribd

“Smart and funny, with characters so real and vulnerable, you want to send them care packages. I loved this book.” —Rainbow Rowell
From debut author Mary H.K. Choi comes a compulsively readable novel that shows young love in all its awkward glory—perfect for fans of Eleanor & Park and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
For Penny Lee, high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she’d somehow landed a boyfriend, they never managed to know much about each other. Now Penny is heading to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer. It’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.
Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.
When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to, you know, see each other.

TW: Abuse, Racism, Mommy Issues, Daddy Issues (I’m sorry it’s been a month since I listened to it, so if there are triggers I missed, I’m sorry.)

Emergency Contact is the story of Penny and Sam. Neither of them is a particularly likable character. They are seriously messed up. But if I have to choose one over the other, I’ll take Sam, thanks.

For one, both have issues with their mothers, but for different reasons. To my idea, Sam has a legitimate reason to have issues with his mother, considering what she did to him. Penny, on the other hand, has issues with her mother for being herself. Penny seems to think that her mom is embarrassing and a pain in Penny’s butt on purpose. To my idea, that’s ludicrous and Penny is just being a brat.

When Penny moves to college and meets Sam via her dorm roommate, they become friends and text each other. Which is fine. Except they don’t tell anyone. They literally keep this a secret, when at first, there is literally no reason to. They’re just friends who talk to each other.

By the way, it takes way too long for them to figure out they have feelings for each other. Seriously. I thought they’d never figure it out. I had it figured out way before they did.

I don’t care for Mary H. K. Choi’s writing style – at least not in this book. I don’t mind books with multiple points of view, but this one was just irritating. At times it didn’t even seem like Sam and Penny were in the same story the way the chapters jumped around between Penny and Sam.

I gave it one star because I just did not like the book at all. I might give Permanent Record a try, but if it’s anything like Emergency Contact, I’m going to chalk it up to Mary H. K. Choi not being the author for me.

It Won’t Be Christmas Without You by Beth Reekles

Published on by Charli

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

It Won’t Be Christmas Without You by Beth ReeklesIt Won’t be Christmas Without You by Beth Reekles
Published by HarperCollins Publishers on August 30, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, General, Holiday, Holidays, Holidays & Celebrations, New Adult, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 240
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

From the author of the smash hit Netflix romcom The Kissing Booth!
Eloise, a self-confessed Christmas obsessive, can’t wait for the big day. Devoted to her Michael Bublé playlist, she’s organising the school nativity play and even her gorgeous Grinch of a neighbour, James, can’t get her down.
Her workaholic twin sister, Cara, on the other hand, plans to work over the holiday – and figure out what secrets her seemingly-perfect boyfriend George might be keeping from her.
The sisters used to be close but since Cara moved to London, everything’s been different. Only, Eloise isn’t giving up just yet, and with a white Christmas on the cards, Cara can’t fail to be moved by the magic of the season ... can she?

I admit, I’m not usually one for romance or adult fiction. I’m more of a mystery, thriller, horror, and YA person. But this book seemed like it was going to be too cute to pass up. I was right.

Christmas is my second favorite holiday after Halloween. It should be – my birthday is Christmas Eve. So I know how important it is to be surrounded by loved ones for Christmas. So I can see why it is that Eloise is so disappointed when it seems that Christmas might not include her twin sister.

The writing style in this book might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Mind you, the book is set in the UK, so UK terms are used and might confuse some readers from other countries. The writing style itself kind of mish-mashes the story lines together. But it works. I didn’t find myself confused or wondering what was going on.

I found myself alternating between wanting to smack Cara and wanting to smack Eloise. They both seemed to be playing selfish – Eloise demanding her sister spend Christmas with her, Cara wanting to work as opposed to being with her family. But at the end of the day, aren’t we all at least a little selfish?

I was surprised to see how little the romance played into the story. It was there and it fit well into the story. Yet I can’t help but feel that with the exception of some dialogue between sisters, it honestly could have been left out with little consequence to the main theme of the book.

All in all, this was a very quick, very cute read. I recommend it for anyone looking for a cute, holiday themed read.

Beautiful Surrender by Priscilla West

Published on by Charli

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Beautiful Surrender by Priscilla WestBeautiful Surrender by Priscilla West
Series: Forever #3
Published by Blackbird Publishing on November 6, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, General, New Adult, Romance
Pages: 230
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

A Romance Novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Priscilla West

Note: This is the third book in Vincent & Kristen's story. Please read Forbidden Surrender and Secret Surrender  first, in order to fully enjoy this book.

"What gives you a thrill Kristen?"

No one is who they seem to be.

I let Vincent into my heart because he seemed so different from everyone in my conservative world of wealth management. I thought we shared something special, but Vincent has been playing me this entire time.

As our relationship reaches a crisis point, a man from my past returns looking for a second chance. Is my ex really looking for redemption or is his goal something more sinister?

I try my best to hold it all together, until I discover a revelation that will change everything.

___________________
The Forever series currently follows three different couples. You can choose which couple you start reading about, but each couple's story has an order.

Forbidden Surrender (Vincent & Kristen 1)
Secret Surrender (Vincent & Kristen 2)
Beautiful Surrender (Vincent & Kristen 3)

Wrecked (Hunter & Lorrie 1)
Rescued (Hunter & Lorrie 2)

Reckless (Jax & Riley 1)
Fearless (Jax & Riley 2)

I admit, I was kind of scratching my head because on Goodreads, this book is listed as “erotica” and it really isn’t. It’s pretty much a romance book with some sex thrown in. I’ve read far more erotic and dirty books from authors like Linda Lael Miller, trust me. This was tame compared to her books.

Then I saw on NetGalley that the book’s genre was actually New Adult and Romance, which made a lot more sense to me. The story is interesting and the book is a quick read at 132 pages on a Kindle. This was the 3rd book in a series, but you honestly don’t need to read the first two books to be able to follow along. You’d think you’d need to, but you really don’t.

I like a series where I can screw up and read them out of order and still be able to read the book without reading the previous books first. It makes it a lot easier.

I can’t say I connected with or particularly liked any of the characters in this book. I also can’t say that the writing was great. It was average and so were the characters. There wasn’t anything special about them to be honest. However, I am more than willing to read further books by Priscilla West because the story lines and plots themselves are good and the books are quick reads.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Published on by Charli1 Comment
Verity by Colleen HooverVerity by Colleen Hoover
Published by Independently Published on 12/10/2018
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Thrillers
Pages: 332
Format: eBook
Source: Personal Library

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin. When Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, asks Lowen to complete the remaining books in a contract his permanently injured wife is unable to fulfill, Lowen has no choice but to accept. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home with the intention of only staying one or two nights--long enough to sort through Verity's chaotic home office to collect all the notes and outlines she'll need to start writing the first novel. But the more time Lowen spends with Jeremy Crawford, the less of a hurry she is in to leave. While there, Lowen uncovers a hidden manuscript. An autobiography containing chilling admissions Verity planned to take to her grave, including the truth behind the events that turned their lives upside down. A truth that, if revealed to Jeremy, would further devastate the already grieving father. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript a secret, allowing Jeremy to continue to believe Verity is merely an innocent, unfortunate victim of circumstance. But as Lowen's feelings for the devoted father and husband deepen, she wonders if keeping Jeremy in the dark is in her own best interest. After all, if Jeremy were to read his wife's autobiography, the disturbing truth would make it impossible for him to continue to love her. A chilling romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

I’m not a big fan of Colleen Hoover. Most of her books are just not my style. I’m not into the contemporary, YA/New Adult romance thing. But this book, self-published because it was such a departure from her normal books, was right up my alley.

I’d seen a review on booktube for this book and new I had to check it out. So I got an eBook copy through the Books app on my iPad and went to town. It didn’t take me long to read it because I couldn’t put it down. This book is so amazing. You get little twists and turns right from the start, but the biggest twist comes at the very end of the book. That twist gave me chill.

The characters are awesome. You’ll come to love Jeremy and Lowen but hate Verity. You’ll come to feel sorry for Jeremy and what he’s had to put up with over the years. But then… you find some things out and discover maybe you hated the wrong person. This book is not for the faint of heart – it has some scenes that are sexual in nature, some scenes that may depict things that are upsetting.

I gave this 5 stars. It was just an awesome book and I absolutely loved it. I hope Colleen Hoover writes more of these books because I will definitely be reading them!