Double Review: Not Quite series by Catherine Bybee

Not Quite Dating
Series: Not Quite #1
Author: Catherine Bybee

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Waitress and single mom Jessica “Jessie” Mann is practical to a fault. Even if she had time to date, which she doesn’t, she’d be determined to provide her son with a more secure upbringing than the one she had—and that would mean a husband with big bucks. When Jack Morrison—a sexy-as-sin, seemingly broke customer with a cowboy hat and a seductive grin—tries to flirt with her, she shoots him down. She doubts a carefree dreamer like Jack can provide the financial stability she needs. Yet with Christmas just weeks away, and Jessie not wanting to spend it alone, the charming Texan is proving hard to resist.

As the heir to the Morrison luxury hotel empire, Jack is used to being fawned over. But Jack needs someone who will fall in love with him—not his wealth. He’s set his sights on Jessie, though her hardened heart just might get in the way…To be sure, he conceals his true identity and offers to help Jessie find the rich husband she seeks. But Jack’s daring charade may rob him of the holiday wish he wants most of all…

MY THOUGHTS

Not Quite Dating is the first book in the Not Quite series by author Catherine Bybee.

Having never read anything by this author before, I wasn't sure if this series was going to be a hit for me. I had heard her writing was good -- along with her plots -- with them falling into the 'feel good' romance.  What I found was exactly that.

Was the story well written? Yes.
Was the ending predictable like others mentioned? Yes.
Did it give me the feel good vibe by the last page? Yes.

I loved the characters with Jack being my favorite out of the two.  While Jessie was written well, Jack was the winner for me.

Why? The main reason is because the characters just clicked for me.  I enjoyed the journey with each chapter. The side characters just enhanced the story further.

While there were some things that left me scratching my head -- mainly the behavior of some characters -- as a whole it made the story complete.  I can't wait to start reading more by this author!

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

******

Not Quite Mine
Series: Not Quite #2
Author: Catherine Bybee

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Gorgeous hotel heiress Katelyn "Katie" Morrison seems to have it all. But when she crosses paths with Dean Prescott - the only man she's ever loved - at her brother's wedding, Katie realizes there's a gaping hole in her life. After the ceremony she gets an even bigger surprise when someone abandons a baby girl on her doorstep. Determined to keep the newborn until she learns who her mother is, Katie has her hands full and doesn't need Dean snooping around, especially when his presence stirs feelings she thought were long gone. 

Dean Prescott knows Katie is lying to him when he discovers a baby is living with her. He shouldn't care what the woman who broke his heart is up to...and he most certainly shouldn't still be aching for her. Yet Dean can't ignore the need to protect Katie - or the desire to be near her every chance he gets. But when he and Katie solve the mystery surrounding the baby, their second chance for happiness could be shattered forever.

MY THOUGHTS

Not Quite Mine is the second book in the Not Quite series by author Catherine Bybee.

This is my second read by this author. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, Not Quite Mine fell a little behind in the delivery.  The characters were okay, but Katie was a hard character for me to enjoy.  It seemed like every choice she made -- while they could be justified somehow -- seemed the opposite of what  she should do. Some of the reasons for her choices just didn't fly for me. Why all of the secrets? Just come clean with it and let the people you are concerned with deal with your actions in their own way.

The flow of the story was well paced, and again the side characters were enjoyable.  I still enjoyed this read, along with the previous book, but just not as well.  I am still interested though in reading more in the series and the authors back list as well.

MY RATING

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Restore Me by J.L. Mac

Restore Me
Series: Wrecked #1
Author: J. L. Mac

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Navigating the world alone is all Josephine Geroux has ever known. Life altering tragedy struck early on for her. She endured an admirable struggle through her youth and learned the hard way how to adapt and survive. She managed to arrive at adulthood in one piece in spite of it all. 

After such chaos, maintaining a life free of complications is a priority for her. 
Everything changed when a man with amber eyes came through her door and claimed her heart. She fell hard in more ways than one. The pull between Jo and Damon seemed like fate bringing things full circle.

With another devastating loss looming, Jo fights to hold on to the very thing that brought her to her knees. She finds herself torn between a promising future and clinging to a devastating past.
But that’s not the most worrisome problem on her hands. 

She must convince more than just herself to let the past stay in the past, where it belongs, but on her journey to find closure and resolution, she does the exact opposite. An old wound caused by a heinous act becomes exposed for what it is. The truth is catastrophic and Jo is helpless, watching as the ruins of her fragile world endure more turmoil. 

Can something conceived from tragedy and malice end well? Can something so completely poisoned conquer adversity? Jo is left to make a decision; accept the circumstances she finds herself in or fight with unwavering ferocity to restore what has been damaged.

MY THOUGHTS

Restore Me is the second book in the Wrecked series by author J. L. Mac.

Talk about going from one end of the character personality spectrum to the other!  In the last book, I couldn't stand Jo's attitude and I thought Damon was a whipped puppy at times.  With this second book in the series, Damon became a cold man and Jo became the whiny and wimpy girl.  Granted, at times Jo was still bad mouth tough with a chip on her shoulder, but overall she was the one who did most of the begging in this book.

While the writing was much better in this one -- with a better pace than the previous one -- I still couldn't connect with the characters.  I think it was mainly the fact that the characters were complete opposites of what they started out to be in the first book.  I will say that Grams might have been even better in this book and I think even though she is a side character, she is still my favorite.

The revelation at the end was kind of predictable only because this character is mentioned and brought into the story much more than in the previous book.  I also have a 'feeling' about another side character that could be a problem in the next book.

While I enjoyed this book better than the first one, I am still on the fence about this series as a whole.  I feel that the characters just didn't 'speak to me' and it makes me hesitant on reading the next one.

MY RATING

If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Wreck Me by J.L. Mac

Wreck Me
Series: Wrecked #1
Author: J.L. Mac

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Life can be cruel. People can be ruthless and evil. The world can be cold and uninviting. No one knows these things better than Josephine Geroux. By her own definition, she is a twenty-five year old “nobody with nothing,” and she is content to stay that way. Growing up an orphan has made her tough and indifferent to the people around her until she meets a strangely familiar man with a face that haunts her for reasons she can’t understand.

Despite the pain that will inevitably ensue, she makes it her mission to discover what parts of her tragic puzzle she is missing. On her journey to discovering why the she feels an alarming connection to an absolute stranger, her greatest fear is reawakening the demons and darkness from the past that will surely overtake her if she lets her guard down. 

Little does Josephine know that the past should be the least of her worries. She is toying with a man who has already broken her heart once. She just doesn’t realize it.

Although she makes it a point to avoid interactions with others, Josephine’s life becomes entangled with the enigmatic stranger. Before she realizes it, she has given herself over to the one person who is close enough to wreck her.

MY THOUGHTS

Wreck Me is the first book in the Wrecked series by author J.L. Mac.

This has to be one of the hardest reviews to write.  I am so on the fence with the rating that I am still not sure if I the one I give is the right one or not.  I had a really hard time reading this book.  The other reviews were so conflicting that I ended up buying it anyway to form my own opinion.

The pacing of this book is fast.  I am talking instant love and devotion in the space of 24 hours or less. Not only do they start sleeping together right away -- which I can handle in a romance book -- the showering of gifts and attention is almost instant.  I was shaking my head through the first half of this book.  I even complained about reading it to the point of forcing myself to read the rest of it.  Jo was not a character I enjoyed.  Sure, she has had a rough life but her attitude was rude and obnoxious.  Damon could be Alpha Male in the bedroom, but the rest of the time he was like the puppy he bought for Jo.  He bordered on sappy at times and trying too hard with Jo. I think my favorite character of this book though is a Damon's Grandmother.  She was funny and kept my interest when she was in the scenes.

There are also grammatical errors that could be annoying to some readers, but honestly I don't usually pay attention to those things since I make plenty of mistakes myself.  So if this is a big thing for you as a reader, be prepared for some.

As I approached the last quarter of this book though, it started to turn around.  I started to fall for Damon and I felt his pain.  While I don't agree with his final decision in the last chapter, I can see the setup for the next book because of it.  This is where it is hard to make a final decision for my rating.  I hate that I had to wait until the last part of the book to finally find myself feeling for the characters and starting to enjoy the writing.  I couldn't understand why the first 2/3 of the book couldn't be as good as the last 1/3.

Since the ending is left on such a cliffhanger, I am compelled to read the next book. Now that I have made a connection with the characters, I need to see the outcome of the decisions they have made.  I am hoping that the next book will have the gusto that the last part of this book had.

MY RATING

If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: The Buckhorn Legacy by Lori Foster

The Buckhorn Legacy
Series: Buckhorn Brothers #5
Author: Lori Foster

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

Emma Clark is back in Buckhorn. Once she was the girl with too much makeup and a bad reputation—and she tried everything she could to get Casey Hudson into bed. He was the cutest guy in town, and the only one who seemed to really care about her.As a hot-blooded teen it was hard for Casey to resist Emma. Now, eight years later, it's impossible. But Emma is doing her best to shut him out—and Casey needs to convince her that the attraction that burns between them isn't just leftover teenage lust, but his real love for a real woman…

MY THOUGHTS

The Buckhorn Legacy is the fifth book in the Buckhorn Brothers series by author Lori Foster.  The main characters featured are Casey Hudson and Emma Clark.

Casey. Oh sweet and sexy Casey.  I have been dying to get to your book in my pile and I finally got to read about you.  I loved the previous books in this series, but Casey's book was the one I was dying to read.  There was just something about that character that drew me in and kept hold of me up until the last page.  Casey is Sawyer's son.  He is also the one that had this reader drooling in anticipation.  Emma was considered the town tramp even though she was young.

Fast forward eight years and and Emma has returned after running away at a young age.  Casey always wondered what happened to her, but he never knew.  In The Buckhorn Legacy we find out what happened and read about the chemistry between the two.  In this book we also get to see the true depth of Casey's heart and feelings.

This was a wonderful conclusion to a great series. I am sad to see it end, but the best certainly came last.  While it is not necessary to read the previous books in the series, I highly recommend that you do to get the full picture of the family dynamics and Casey.

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey

All He Ever Needed
Series: Kowalski Family #4
Author: Shannon Stacey

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


He won't stay put for a woman, and she won't chase after any man.Mitch Kowalski lives out of a suitcase—and he likes it that way.

Traveling for work has the added bonus of scaring off women who would otherwise try to tie him down. But when he's called home to help with the family lodge, he's intrigued by the new girl in town and her insistence that she doesn't need a man. If there's one thing Mitch can't resist, it's a challenge.

After a nomadic childhood, Paige Sullivan is finally putting down roots. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she lives by the motto "Men are a luxury, not a necessity." But when Mr. Tall, Dark and Hot pulls up a stool in her diner and offers her six weeks of naughty fun with a built-in expiration date, she's tempted to indulge.

They're the perfect match for a no-strings fling. Until they realize their sexy affair has become anything but casual.

MY THOUGHTS

All He Ever Needed is the fourth book in the Kowalski Family series by author Shannon Stacey.  The main characters featured are Mitch Kowalski and Paige Sullivan.

I love this author.  Whenever she has a new book released, I gather all of my pennies and dimes just to go purchase it.  Her stories always have the perfect balance between sweet romance and witty dialogue.  The characters are engaging and the plot is always something I enjoy.  While the two characters have instant attraction to each other, I loved how the author kept it from instant love.  Let me tell you though -- the instant chemistry was hot.  The sexy banter and scenes were so good and the hero actually had to put forth some effort to get to the end goal.

Both of the characters kept me engaged in the story and I didn't find myself distracted by an of the side characters.  The side characters just made the story more enjoyable and rounded out the plot.  Again, author Shannon Stacey has mastered the art of wit, romance, family and plot.  She is an auto-buy for me and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Honey, love isn't like rappelling into a cave, where you can control your descent and how deep you go. It's just falling into the hole.” 

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Taking A Shot by Jaci Burton

Taking A Shot
Series: Play by Play #3
Author: Jaci Burton

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


If you want to score, you have to get in the game... 

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she's stuck running the family's sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she's vowed to never fall for a jock-even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty's insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too...

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all-including Ty...

MY THOUGHTS

Taking A Shot is the third book in the Play by Play series by author Jaci Burton.  The main characters for this book are Jenna Riley and Ty Anderson.

Read one page then close the book. Swoon over the cover and imagine licking every drop off that cover models chest. Repeat.  Yep that is about how it went while I read this book.  Then I realized that if I ever wanted to enjoy the story I would have to actually read instead of drooling.

Jenna Riley is the youngest Riley child.  She is sister to the previous books characters, Mick and Gavin.  She is busy running the family owned sports bar after their father had a major heart attack.  While she enjoys her job at times, running a sports bar was never her dream.  After being surrounded by sports all of her life, the last thing she wants is to date anyone who is a sports fan.

Enter Ty Anderson.  We got to meet Ty in the second book in the series and I was glad to see him featured in Taking A Shot.  He is a pro hockey player and is attracted to Jenna.  He finds her piercings, tattoos and attitude sexy and wants to get know her better.  Unfortunately, since he is a pro hockey player, he gets shot down before he can even melt the ice around her heart.

I have to say that this was my least favorite book in the series even though I was anxious about Ty's story.  I loved Ty and everything about him.  I think the main problem I had with this book was Jenna.  I wasn't a fan of her.  What man isn't going to at least like one sport? I am sure they are out there, but I have never met one single guy who hasn't at least enjoyed on sort of sport -- even if it is just one game a year.  I also didn't like how she kept thinking she had to put her dreams on hold and run the Sports Bar.  She had good management in place and the means to open up a separate business of a music bar.  The hold up was thinking she had to give up everything just to do this.  I also didn't like her being so back and forth with her feelings for Ty.

I will say this though--
Sex.
On ice.
Standing up.
On ice skates!

Whew! I wasn't sure if the ice was going to break beneath them because that scene was HOT.  I still enjoyed the book as a whole, but I wish the main character of Jenna could have been better. Ty deserved more than what Jenna gave him.

MY RATING

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Lover At Last by J.R. Ward

Lover At Last
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #11
Author: J.R. Ward

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young—just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand.

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

MY THOUGHTS

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!! You have been warned!

Lover At Last is the 11th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by author J.R. Ward.  The main characters are Qhuinn and Blaylock with previous characters in the series make appearance's.

Holy. Freaking. HECK!  I would have cursed with that last statement, but I think I used all of them up in the course of reading this novel.  Instead of a basic review like I usually do, I am going to mix it up and discuss the different story lines that are featured in this book.

BLAY / QHUINN

I don't even know where to start with these two characters.  After everything they have gone through, I knew we were still going to be dragged through the angst filled river before these two would hook up.  I laughed. I cried. I was frustrated with actions and words.  I was eager for the sexy times.  Qhuinn had some major sucking up to do (no pun intended) and can I say that this man can grovel. Blay even grew in this book for me.  His backbone and strength were in your face and I loved that he was so Alpha like in this book.  With that being said though, I still wanted to throttle Blay at times when he wouldn't accept our emo Qhuinn and 'get it on' sooner!  Their sex was hot, but their ending to me was a little cheesy. I can't decide if I am in love with that last line of the book or if I want to roll my eyes. I also keeping thinking about that lamp and the couch.

Even though there was no eye contact between them, Qhuinn felt compelled to say something.
"What's..." He didn't finish the "doing" part of the sentence.  Why bother?  The guy stalked past him like he wasn't there.  "I'm great," Qhuinn muttered as he resumed trudging through the ice pack. "Doin' awesome, thanks for asking -- oh, you having probs with Saxton?  Really?  How'd you like to go out and get a drink and talk about it? Yeah?  Perfect.  I'll be your after-diner mint--"

“You are perfect the way you are." Blay's voice was strong. "There is nothing wrong with who and what you have always been.I'm proud of you. And I love you. Now... and always."

LAYLA

The girl grew a spine people! I can honestly say that Layla has became a character I am thrilled to read about. Verily.
Before, I couldn't stand her. Now she is one who deserves a happily ever after.  I really would love to see her with Xcor!  That car scene near the end of the book had me swooning.

“He was the father of my young, and he will be accorded all the rights and privileges of that station.”  “If any harm shall befall him, I will come after you, and find you where you sleep.  I do not care where you lay your head or who with, my vengeance shall rain upon you until you drown.”

XCOR / BAND OF BASTARDS

I am begging and groveling that this male will be redeemed and get his HEA.  He is the bad guy that makes you feel so good.  Not only can he lead a bunch of bastards, but he can spout sweet words to his Chosen. Even if his book isn't next --because it may be too soon for it -- but I can still hope and pray it is soon. Plus I would love some more page time with Throe!

“You are in my dreams,” he murmured.  “Every day, you haunt me.  Your scent, your voice, your eyes…this mouth.”
“I cannae believe you let me touch you.”  His voice grew hoarse.  “I shall remember this for all my nights.”

TREZ / iAM

Many people haven't been a huge supporter of this story.  I can agree when it comes to Trez.  That Shadow is just plain boring and selfish.  But I will jump up and say that I am all for learning more about iAm.  When that man finally cracked and made his first joke, I laughed and instantly wanted to read more of him.  He is trying to guide Trez and protect him at the same time. Please Ms.Ward, bring me more of him!

ASSAIL / SOLA (Marisol)

I am in the opposite camp as most people on this one as well.  I wasn't a huge fan of Rhev, so it is no surprise that I wasn't a big fan of Assail.  Yes he has some sex appeal and there is chemistry between him and Sola, but I have only a slight interest in their story.  Plus, does anyone else think that Benloise is the one who kidnapped her? I think Benloise has a deeper story in this one.

MISC

I really hope that Ward will bring us a story for Saxton and give Lassiter one as well.  Saxton really grew on me with this book and he deserves a male of worth as well. There is also some pining for a young by Beth in this book -- especially with it playing a HUGE role in Xcor's revenge plans.  I also loved how the previous brothers were included in this book.  While I wish they could have been featured just a wee bit more, I understand that they had their time in previous books.  This just gives me an excuse to reread them again.

Z's voice was a surprise.  And so was the Brother's arm shooting up and shoving Rhage to the side.
"Will you get off me!"
"But I'm giving you CPR--"
"I will die before kissing you Hollywood." Z tried to sit up, his breathing heavy. "Don't even think about it."

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Changing the Game by Jaci Burton

Changing the Game
Series: Play by Play #2
Author: Jaci Burton

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Most people play by the rules. Gavin and Liz aren't most people....

Win at any cost. That's always been the mantra of sports agent Liz Darnell. When she carries things too far and risks losing her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley, Liz realizes that she'll have to work extra innings to win him back. It might not be too much of a stretch. She's had a thing for this player's moves since she first laid eyes on him, and by the looks of it, he wants her just as bad.

Gavin's more than ready—especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. And as much of her as Gavin wants. For added thrills, he decides to throw a little curve ball Liz's way to see just how far she's truly willing to go to keep him as a client. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin are ready for the biggest game-changer of them all.

MY THOUGHTS

Changing the Game by author Jaci Burton is the second book in the Play by Play series.  The main characters are Gavin and Liz (Elizabeth).

This author has been blessed by the Cover Gods above for this series.  Seriously, even if I wasn't a fan of the plot or author, I would purchase this series just to drool over the covers. After each chapter I would flip the book closed just so I could enjoy the view of that fine male specimen.

I was a little scared about reading this story though.  I wasn't a huge fan of Liz and her actions in the first book.  I didn't know how the author was going to change my view of her and was a little hesitant on her starting a relationship with Gavin.  I understand that Liz made a mistake and tried to atone for her that big blunder, but I still couldn't form an alliance with her.  Gavin was the player of the family.  He didn't have a shortage of women before and he didn't do relationships.  So when these characters entered into a relationship of sorts, I was curious to see how it would evolve.

Mick was a pain in the butt in this book.  I loved him in The Perfect Play, but this man can hold a grudge! Dang, there were times I wanted to slap that man silly and tell him to mind his own dang business.  I might have shouted at his attitude several times while reading this story and my family kept giving me funny looks.  I did enjoy how the author was able to redeem Liz though.  By the end I didn't loathe her character as much as I did before reading Changing the Game.  Gavin was oh so sexy, but even though he was the main character of this book, I felt that Liz was the one who shined the most.

This series is one that keeps getting better with each new character.  We were introduced to future characters and plot lines for future books which makes the reader even more anxious to get their hands on the next book.

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Walking Disaster
Series: Beautiful #2
Author: Jamie McGuire

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Can you love someone too much?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

MY THOUGHTS

Walking Disaster is the second book in the Beautiful series by author Jamie McGuire.  This book is almost a mirror image of Beautiful Disaster except it is from the point of view of Travis.  I admit that the first book was not a favorite of mine.  I thought Travis was a man who abused Abby mentally and verbally.  Instead of rehashing all of my feelings from the first book, I will just let you read my previous review found HERE.

Now do I still feel the same way after finishing it from Travis's POV? Well, I still consider Travis a beautiful disaster.  The only difference is now we get pieces of his past that help us to understand why he is so possessive.  I won't excuse his behavior with that last line, but it does give us insight on how he was shaped into the man he is now. We also get to read about how insecure Travis really is deep down.  On the outside he is the man every girl wants.  What we get to read about though is how Travis is struggling about how he doesn't feel good enough to be with Abby.  He considers himself a failure and a loser.

Abby is still Abby in this book.  I still want to know how she walks straight without a backbone.  This girl needs to find one stat. I was willing to overlook the lack of backbone this time around though since we knew this would be about Travis.

Can I also mention that cover? The previous book had a ho-hum cover that really didn't capture my interest. This cover screams SEXY and is perfect for Travis's story to be wrapped up in.  Kudos to the cover art department on this one.

Overall, this installment in the series was much better than the first.  I am still not a fan of the relationship between Abby and Travis.  They had a hard road that had way too many bumps that were borderline psychotic.  I will mention that the epilogue of this story though was sweet and gave us a peek into the future. While I still wouldn't go all out and say it was a beautiful disaster of a book, it was one that made you walk a mile in the other persons shoes to see what is really going on inside their mind.

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

*Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley.  I received this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Review: Chance of a Lifetime by Jodi Thomas

Chance of a Lifetime
Series: Harmony #5
Author: Jodi Thomas

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Emily, the local librarian, has started a writing group, but as the group stumbles through both the fiction and reality of their lives, they’re learning much more than how to write. But Emily suddenly has other things on her mind when a friend from her past shows up in Harmony's library. Now she must deal with a secret she’s kept for fifteen years—a secret that changed her life and threatens to shatter her future.

Meanwhile, new lawyer Rick Matheson thinks he’s in charge of his world until accidents start happening all around him. Just when he realizes someone is trying to kill him, he meets a beautiful U.S. Marshal named Trace Adam. Now that the marshal has given him an even stronger reason to go on living, he must learn to take a chance on life to dream bigger—and love better—than he ever has before...  

MY THOUGHTS

Chance of a Lifetime is the fifth book in the Harmony series by author Jodi Thomas.

I have never read any books by this author before this one, so I had no idea what the writing style would be like.  I love to find new-to-me authors to add to my ever growing list. I honestly can say that author Jodi Thomas is now on that list. Her writing was sweet and flowed at a perfect pace.  The characters were believable and were enjoyable to read about.  I loved the author's voice.  The writing felt natural with sweet southern charm. While there were some tense moments in the book involving all of the characters, the author did a wonderful job in keeping each character strong as a separate story.  I didn't feel like everyone was spread out all over the place and I could connect with each one on a different level.

While this was my first book by author Jodi Thomas, this is definitely not going to be my last.  I can't wait to read the first four books in this series and the books she will bring us in the future!

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

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