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This Chick Read: Ache for You (Slow Burn #3) by J.T. Geissinger

Kimber DiSanto is having a really rough week. She is publicly humiliated when her fiancee dumps her at the alter and then she finds out her father is in the hospital in Italy and doesn’t have a lot of time left to live. Waiting in an airline lounge she spots a man who is superhumanly beautiful and she hates him on sight. She doesn’t particularly like men right now and it appears this one thinks he’s god’s gift. A feeling that’s confirmed when he hits on her very blatantly. When she arrives at her gate to find that her flight is oversold and she’s been bumped, that same man gives her his first class seat in exchange for a sketch pad he saw her drawing in while she was sitting in the lounge. Desperate, she gives it to him. Little does she know that he is Matteo Moretti a famous fashion designer, her step brother, and soon to be the bane of her existence. For a little while anyway….

This is a very sexy slow burn novel. Kimber and Matteo’s chemistry is off the charts but because they are adversaries it’s set on a slow simmer through most of the book. I’ll admit that I love slow burn stories and love the engagement of the characters leading up to the big moment usually more than that big sex scene. Although in this book, that also was pretty great. Ache For You uses the enemies to lovers trope to tease the readers into submission. Kimber needs to work out her hatred for her ex and men in general before she’ll give Matteo a chance and their shenanigans are delicious.

The reader is given a chance to view things through Matteo’s eyes as the POV shifts back and forth, which works for this story. We know that he actually is trying to win her love having immediately fallen for her in that airport lounge, so it’s really easy to route for him. Plus he is so sexy we are eager to finally see the two of them resolve their issues and be in love.

I have enjoyed J. T. Geissinger’s novels but I think this Slow Burn series is my favorite so far. If you haven’t had a chance to read them they are loosely based on fairy tales. In this case so loosely I had to have a friend remind me which one it was based on. Cinderella in this case, her ugly stepsisters are actually dogs so yes, it’s a very loose translation. LOL. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

” I love this series of books loosely based on fairy tales. Each book is a well-written stand-alone. I enjoyed this one a lot and stayed up late on a week night to finish it. It was well worth it. ” Heron There and Everywhere

” I really enjoyed this book, it had everything you could want, an infuriating H, a difficult h, lots of witty banter, laugh out loud moments, romance with scenes that melt your kindle and twists and turns that you don’t see coming. I enjoyed the light Cinderella reference, another fabulous read from this author.  4.5 Stars! ” Sweet and Spicy Reads

Click this link to purchase!* Ache for You (Slow Burn Book 3)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

Emma is going back to Darkwood Academy for her junior year without her best friend Oliver who committed suicide over the summer. It’s hard to get excited about the current gossip about six clones or “Similars” being enrolled at Darkwood, but when one of them is the clone of Oliver it’s hard to ignore. As she gets to know Levi and the other Similars she realizes that even though they have the same DNA they have individual personalities and aren’t exact copies of the original. As pro and con Cloning groups spring up on campus and around the nation Emma is enmeshed in an investigation into how her friend Oliver’s death was tied to the man who developed and raised the six Similars.

The Similars had such a great premise! Can you imagine showing up for school and finding your face on a cloned classmate? It’s not like high school isn’t difficult enough, right? Then there are the political and moral ambiguities of whether cloning should be accepted or not? These are all details that helped create this finely crafted novel that played out as more of a political intrigue then a YA fantasy novel. What struck me the most is that the hate and bigotry in this novel is not necessarily determined by color or societal hierarchy, in this case bigotry comes in the form of originals and copies. A subject that is topical in today’s world as much as in a fantasy novel. Although not quite yet to human copies. At least I don’t think so?

Emma was a wonderful heroine. She never sat back and just watched, she was always asking just one more question. That one last question always seemed to be slightly over the line but would give her the answers she’d need to make a decision to move forward in her thinking or to fall back on her upbringing. I really admired her fortitude. She never gave up on her friends, and never stopped looking into the Why’s and Who’s.

The Similars, even with all of their mysterious backgrounds and “special powers” seemed more real and fleshed out than their human counterparts. This definitely made it easier to like them but truly the humans were portrayed as pretty awful. You’d be inhuman to like the hateful attributes that were portrayed as “human”.

It took me a little while to warm up to Levi’s character. Emma was so distraught over Oliver’s death that you really felt her anguish over seeing his face on another guy. When she gets to know Levi and realizes they are really nothing alike he still keeps his distance until, well, he doesn’t. It’s really hard to talk about these characters without giving away a lot of the plot. I’ll just say that there is a reason that he keeps himself aloof, but Emma’s investigation makes him get involved and he goes all in emotionally at that point too.

The Similars was a very fast paced novel. Rebecca Hanover filled the story with enough moral, political, and personal subplots that my mind didn’t stop to chew before swallowing this novel whole. When you get ready to read it have your snacks and a coke at your side because you will NOT want to put it down! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I don’t know why it happens that I always end up reviewing books I don’t like. Maybe I need to read different books? Or not read books that I am not extremely excited about in the first place? I don’t know. But either way, this book was very disappointing, awkward, and did not live up to my hopes for it. Alas.” A Word and a Whisper

“Overall, this is an intriguing book that held my attention from the first page, and I fully intend on continuing with the series.  If you’re a fan of layers upon layers of secrets, sci-fi, thrillers, and mystery, add The Similars to your TBR.” Books and Such

Click this link to purchase!* The Similars

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: First & Then by Emma Mills

Only child Devon Tennyson has had her world changed. Her cousin Foster has come to live with she and her parents and now she has the little brother she never wanted. Her safe world has turned upside down and changes are on the horizon, her safe crush on her best friend Cas is pushed to the back burner by first, her cousin Foster, and second by all star quarterback Ezra. Being teamed with both of them in her P.E. class starts a chain of events that changes her world.

I have read one other Emma Mills story, Foolish Hearts. Whereas that novel was different than this one, there was one similarity that I enjoyed seeing adapted again. Both of the female main characters were plodding along and their young worlds got shook up. In First & Then the catalyst is her cousin Foster. His childhood circumstances were heartbreaking and whereas Devon was empathetic, it took Ezra befriending Foster for her to see the big picture and open her heart to enfold Foster into her life.

Devon’s love for Jane Austen is mentioned quite a few times in this novel and you can’t help but make Pride & Prejudice comparisons. Especially between Ezra and Darcy. Her view of Ezra as a snobby standoffish jock was similar to Elizabeth’s of Darcy. As with Pride and Prejudice, when Devon’s crush Cas is actually falling for another girl, it is Ezra who quietly steps in to make her feel good about herself. Albeit in a quiet, non communicative way. I really couldn’t wait until they got past all of the miscommunications and red herrings that were thrown into their path. A sign of a good story and the reader being invested in the relationships for sure!

If you enjoy YA contemporary’s with a hint of romance this novel is the perfect fit for you. Devon is a great leading heroine, but beware, Foster steals the show in this one. He is adorkably cute. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions From around the Blogosphere

“This is a story of love and loss, friendship and family, the high school experience. It’s also about a town and it’s love for football and tradition. It’s about the effects of drunk driving and addiction on the lives of those left behind. It’s a beautiful story of a girl who becomes less judgemental, more assertive and finds love.” My World of Books

“First & Then is a very cute, lovely, heartwarming, funny story about friendship and family, and figuring out what you want in life, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves contemporary YA, especially if they’re a bit sick of the large doses of romance in that genre.” The Reading Hobbit

Click this link to purchase!* First & Then

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory

Being jilted at the altar would, well, suck. Being jilted at the altar when you are a princess and your wedding is going to be aired on live TV? I don’t think there’s a word that describes how Princess Theodora of Dreiden feels. After hiding away for a few months following the disappearance of her groom, she arrives back in Dreiden ready to put a good face on a bad situation. When she sneaks out one night to have a drink incognito at the local pub she meets dark and dangerous Scot, Nick who see’s right through her disguise and convinces her to look into why her fiance disappeared. As they investigate their attraction becomes a force that Thea can’t ignore. What she and Nick find out changes her future, but is that future with Nick? Or without him?

This novel wasn’t at all what I expected and I mean that in the best way possible! When you pick up a romance where princesses are involved, I don’t expect much more than a fun fantasy romance, but this story had a lot of meat and emotion! Thea was not your usual princess. Yes, she was dutiful, but she also rebelled against her princesshood by sneaking out and escaping the confines of her service. In this case she got more than she bargained for. She had thought she’d been jilted at the altar but as she and Nick start looking for her ex, the book adds in some intrigue, making this book a bit more romantic suspense than rom-com. I liked that twist!

Nick was ex military and very cryptic about who and why he was also hunting for her ex fiance. Surprisingly, Nick fought against his attraction to Thea. He was really focused, but she was nothing like he’d imagined she’d be. Nick, I found her surprising too! Those little surprise character traits were why I liked Thea so much and really rooted for her to find happiness. Even if it was with somewhat surly and slightly hesitant Nick. He was a man that didn’t like his agenda messed with, and Thea kind of rocked to the beat of her own drum.

If you’re looking for a romance with a little more depth, I think this one actually hits that nail on the head. I mean it’s no Jason Bourne meets Anne Hathaway from the Princess Diaries, but it does have a nice mix of action, emotion, and heat. Actually, I could see Matt Damon in the role of Nick, but I’m not sure he’s do a very good Scottish accent. Hmmm, maybe Gerard Butler? Anywho, pick this one up. I think you’ll be surprised and really like it too! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I loved reading about an empowering female character; sure, she fell apart at first when she was left at the altar, but she picked herself right up and then did what it took to protect her country and her people and learns to walk a line between her royal duties and having freedom for herself. And this is a romance!!” Stephanie’s Novel Fiction

“I really enjoyed The Royal Runaway — it is the perfect escape for cold autumn nights! Whether you’re a longtime romance reader or looking for something new, I’d recommend picking this one up. This was my first book by Lindsay Emory and it certainly wont be the last.” I Should Read That

Royal

Click this link to purchase!* The Royal Runaway

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

* Amazon Associate

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A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.1) by Sarah J Maas

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a novella where we get to catch up on all of our favorite characters setting the stage for the next novel.

Feyre and Rhysand continue their love story, but Feyre also learns how to deal with her grief from the last war in the balance in her new role as High Lady but also as one of the people who lost friends and loved ones. I liked seeing her personal growth. She and Rhys’ love story has stayed true but not evolved and I think she personally needed to grow for that to happen.

Nesta, who is becoming one of the more interesting characters shows a little bit more of her drama, not really advancing her character anymore but we are allowed to see a little interaction between she and Cassian which is interestingly dramatic. I can’t wait for more of their story!

We do catch up with most of our favorite characters as Feyre and Rhys host their first Winter Solstice party together. Think Christmas with the family but this family all like each other. All in all this was a solid set up to the next novel and I enjoyed look through the window into these lives, if only for the moment. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“I relished this book, because I absolutely adore the world Maas made, and she made sure to show it off with this book. I felt like she took the time to really show us how Velaris looked to her, and I loved that. The winter scenes felt truly magical and so vibrant, I couldn’t stop reading about the beautiful swirling snowstorms.” The Books Are Everywhere

“Overall, the novella was a cute fluffy piece, but by no means a proper instalment in the series in my eyes. Most of the time it felt like something you’d read in a fanfiction, but yeah. I would say to read it if you’re a fan of the ACOTAR world and love seeing the characters interact, but I wouldn’t say it’s a necessary piece in the series and you can also skip it if fillers aren’t really your thing.” The Scarlet Bookkeeper 

YA Fantasy

Click this link to purchase!*A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associates

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This Chick Read: Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata

At seventeen Luna left her old life behind and disappeared to a new town. She meets Mr. Cooper the owner of an auto body shop and is mentored in everything automobile. The people in that shop become her family and Mr Cooper a father figure. When Mr. Cooper takes on a partner, Luna puts a smile on her face determined to be happy in the face of Ripley’s grumpiness. One day, Luna tells a lie for Ripley and he is determined to return the favor, to even the score. When Luna finally asks him for help it’s the start of a friendship and then so much more.

Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance novels where the build up of the relationship is 90% of the novel. Luna and the Lie didn’t detour from Zapata’s norm however it is a little bit of a darker novel than she usually writes. I wasn’t surprised by Ripley’s character. He is gruff, grumpy, and talks by grunting a lot. Pretty typical of her alpha male hero’s. What was surprising was how he had to overcome Luna’s, dare I say damaged (?), persona. Luna is determined to be happy and live the life she has always dreamed about. When I say determined, I mean she hangs onto that emotion with a fierceness I am just not used to seeing in a romance heroine. Ms. Zapata writes sassy, independent women, which I love! Luna is sassy and independent, but she also lives in her head a lot. Reminding herself of how she is loved, has a good job, and is happy. Repeatedly. Like she is talking herself into those things. When the relationship between Ripley and Luna finally happens, I am so happy that she is finally getting that dream that she’s been pursuing, and with a man that will love and protect her at the risk of his own life. 

This novel was one of my most anticipated releases in the latter half of this year and it did not disappoint. It did make me think. Ripley was an interesting character and although Luna’s thoughts and dreams revolved around him, he wasn’t the heart of this novel. Luna was. Ms. Zapata did such a great job of portraying Luna’s despair and hope that it was those emotions that I felt when the novel concluded. Yes, despair that the book was over and hope that she’ll write one quicker than the last, but also that hope that those who need love and security from others will find what their heart needs. Not all do in life, but in fiction we can write our own happy endings. The despair part is still sitting in my gut. This is a novel that will stick with you for a little while. It was wonderful, but it was also hard to read and yet I want to pick it up again immediately because I believe that’s what I need to exorcise these feelings.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

If you’ve read this novel I’d love to hear if you had the same visceral reaction I did. Let me know!

Click this link to purchase!* Luna and the Lie

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: His Dark Magic (Northern Circle Coven #1) by Pat Esden

Chloe comes from a magical family but a tragic accident from her past has brought shame down upon her and she has escaped away to college in Vermont to re-evaluate and recover her self confidence. When she is approached by the handsome Devlin to come and check out the Northern Circle Coven Chloe is hesitant, but decides to take a chance and meet with them. She is excited to learn that their purposes align, to use magic to heal, and she agrees to join their group. 

Athena, the high priestess of the Northern Circle coven has an ancient relic that she wants the coven to use to bring Merlin back to life, saying that they’ll use his knowledge to make great discoveries in the medical field. Her purpose is actually quite a bit darker which gives this novel a malevolent feel turning it from a romance to a thriller.

I really liked a lot of the characters in His Dark Magic, but there was something holding me back from loving them. Chloe seemed tentative and even though she is taking a chance with joining them, she is fearful of her choice. It turns out her gut feelings were right, but I did rather wish she’d just owned that decision from the start. The surrounding characters, including her love interest Devlin were interesting and I wanted to know a lot more about them, however, the author chose to only give depth to Chloe’s character leaving the others feeling rather 2-D. 

I liked the idea of this book more than I actually liked the book. My feelings were pretty ambivalent which is too bad because it had so much promise! 

❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!*His Dark Magic

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: Almost Impossible by Nicole Williams

Jade, as the daughter of a rock star, has grown up on the road. Her mother’s career skyrockets and Jade wants to take a step back and spend the summer as a normal teenager. She goes to California to live with her aunt and uncle. Her aunt, her mom’s sister, is the complete opposite of Jade’s mom. They live in middle class suburbia and her aunt is solidly normal. Jade gets a job at the local pool, has a curfew, and kisses a boy for the first time. Ahh summer!

The set-up to this book is so YA, but when you get into the meat of it, there is a ton of depth to this story. Jade is living a normal teenage life for the first time, but the situations she finds herself in land her in the deep end of the pool for the first time. She meets and crushes on the head lifeguard, but doesn’t understand why this charming guy is so reserved. Quentin ends up being her neighbor and as the two of them develop a friendship she see’s that this fun guy has a very strong sense of responsibility that actually matches her own, but in a different way.

There was one story line which added to Jade’s story, but didn’t seem as pivotal as it probably should have. It did provide a mirror to Quinton’s, which was probably the purpose to it being included. Without going into details I’ll just say that it did make Quinton’s big reveal more impactful.

Almost Impossible was a sweet story about a girl who was looking for a change in scenery and actually found direction and a place for herself in this world. Something we can all aspire to find in our own life. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogospere

“This book didn’t do anything to me emotionally even after a couple of heavy discoveries, and it’s really unsettling. However I like that it has a great family concept, amazing support system and featured a couple of responsible young adults which is kind of rare.” The Bookynista

“I started this book with apprehension and ended it totally in love with it. I will definitely be recommending this one to people looking for a cute summer romance read.” Books in Her Eyes

YA Contemporary

Click this link to purchase!* Almost Impossible

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights REserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

Capt. Tess Bailey is stealing from the more fortunate by providing for those who have less. A Robin Hood type heroine with a big heart and small pockets.  She is running from the Dark Watch and has a price on her head with her identity a secret even from her own crew. When she comes face to face with the commander of the Dark Watch, someone she knows from her past. she makes the decision to jump into a black hole to what she and her crew thinks is certain death, to find they’ve landed close to a planet where they can recoup and hopefully get their ship repaired. She meets Shade Ganavan, a man she thinks is a mechanic, but who is really a bounty hunter. As he fixes their ship they grow close and we see a different side of Tess. One that is shy and sweet rather than direct and take charge. As Shade gets to know her, he can’t imagine that she is the type of criminal deserving of the price on her head and is forced to make a difficult decision, turn her in for the reward or let her walk away from him forever.

Amanda Bouchet proves again that she knows how to write a novel. This world was interesting and the characters grew on me, but it was hard not to compare Nightchaser with her Kingmaker series. They are completely different, one a science fiction romp while the other is a Greek mythology action adventure. Tess, like Cat, wasn’t sure exactly who she was and what powers she held and watching her explore and understand who she was and I’m sure in future novels, her personality and powers will unfold a bit more, but  I found myself to be impatient for a big reveal that when uncovered was a little light on impact. I couldn’t quite figure out why this novel wasn’t a home run for me. I enjoyed it, but wanted more than what I got.

Shade was a scoundrel which fit this space adventure very well.  Even though Tess was uncertain of his feelings, we knew from his POV that he’d fallen for her which took a little of the air out of his more impactful scenes. I have high hopes for the future novels in this series where we can get some epic adventures out of Tess, Shade and their crew.

A word to the wise, don’t do what I did by comparing this to the Kingmaker series. It’s completely different! I think I did myself a disservice, but in my own defense, I had really enjoyed the last series and wanted to escape into a book that good again. I didn’t get that but I still got a story that was good and characters that had a lot of heart and were interesting. They have room to grow and I have faith that this author will make this series another epic ride. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“The truth is, I enjoyed this story immensely and it really got me excited to read more of Bouchet’s work. Tess and Shade are a great heroine/hero pair and play off one another nicely, both in their anger and their sizzling sexual tension.” KJ Harrowick

NIghtchaser

Click this link to purchase!* Nightchaser

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: Once a King (A Clash of Kingdoms #3) by Erin Summerill

Once a King carries on the story of King Aodren and his fight to bring peace between his people and the Channelers who were persecuted under his fathers reign until most of them escaped to other kingdoms. This novel takes on the topic of drug dealing, although in a fantastical way. Someone is creating an oil called Sanguine that seems to give the non magical Channeler abilities, but in fact causes them to go mad with anger and cause death. Lirra, who we met in the previous novel, investigates the mystery of who is distributing this drug, reporting her findings back to Aodren. Whew!

While all of this is going on, there is a tournament between all of the kingdoms champions. It is a sort of Olympics but with jousting, sword fights and blood. Needless to say, this fake Sanguine (the real Sanguine is a miraculous healing drug and really rare) is being taken by the champions. Needless to say, bad things happen.

I really liked Aodren in the previous book and had looked forward to reading his story. I wasn’t disappointed! It’s easy to admire a character that wants to make a big change like racial discrimination and hatred. The tournament setting gave him the chance to be a “hero” in a physical way, which balanced well with the honorable aspects to his character. It made him come to life more than in the previous novel where he seemed to be not fully fleshed out.

I was a little confused by the Lirra in Once a King. In Ever the Brave she was more of a hard ass so I was surprised by how youthful she seemed. Yes, she was still heroic in investigating Sanguine but there was another side to her in this novel that was sweet and young. It made the budding romance between she and Aodren more believable. The young honorable King with the beautiful uncertain maiden. 

I liked the story overall and enjoyed Erin Summerill’s writing again. She’s a very consistent writer and I know what I”m going to get when I read one of her books. An enjoyable fantasy written with a lot of heart. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!*Once a King (Clash of Kingdoms Novel)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick all rights reserved

*Amazon Associate

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