Broken Promises, by H.M. Ward

Broken Promises by H.M. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Trystan, you take my breath away

I'm trying to put into words my feelings about his book and it's SO HARD! I don't want to go into overused review catch phrases, because it wouldn't do it justice. Sometimes you come upon a story that touches you, that moves you deeply and it becomes more than just a story. It feels so REAL. BROKEN PROMISES by H.M. Ward is such a story. The feelings are raw and pure and the connection between Mari and Trystan is so intense that I fell in love with them all over again, only MORE. As their love for each other matured, so did mine for them. An exquisite conclusion. This is not a simple rock star romance. The story of Mari and Trystan is a story of two connecting souls that were always meant to fuse together but were ripped apart by life. Trystan is one of those characters that is so endearing that you can't help but want to hug him tight and never let him go.

A BIT OF BACKGROUND: For the newbie reader, this could be read as a standalone without any prior knowledge of the characters. H.M. Ward first wrote about Trystan and Mari in THE SECRET LIFE OF TRYSTAN SCOTT, a 5 volume, Young Adult series about how a teenage Trystan came to fame. We've seen glimpses of Trystan and Mari in various FERRO FAMILY stories, as secondary characters in their early 20's. BROKEN PROMISES flash-forwards into their lives, a good 9 years after the events of TSLOTS and a good 5 to 6 years after the current FERRO timeline. Mari and Trystan are in their late 20's.

Very few authors have been able to captivate me, where I go outside of myself and BECOME the story. H.M. Ward is one of those authors and she's done it time and time again.

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Synopsis:

A NEW ROMANCE NOVEL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR H.M. WARD ABOUT SEX, SOUL MATES, AND DEADLY SECRETS.

When Celebrity Magazine declares rock star Trystan Scott the sexiest man alive, I'm not surprised. How can anyone claim otherwise about those blazing blue eyes, rock-hard abs, dark hair, and a totally lickable dimple?

Before the billionaire playboy rose to stardom, we were friends for a while and lovers for a night. Though that was nearly a decade ago, our connection burns brightly in my memory. We weren't a one night stand, not to me.

I can admit it--I got played. To him, I was just another conquest. My beautiful best friend is long gone, and I've moved on. But when fate forces us to meet face to face, everything I felt for him comes rushing back.

Trystan is crashing and burning fast. The press flock like vultures, waiting for him to kill himself or worse. Either way, his mistakes earn them millions.

One night, one time, one word is all it takes to wash away a decade of reason and regret. One secret threatens to push him six feet under, and, when those beautiful eyes turn to me for help, how can I say no?

Genre: Contemporary, Raw Romance
Type: Novel, 350 pgs
Related Works: The Secret Life of Trystan Scott, The Ferro Stories including Arrangement, Proposition, and Stripped

Sincerely, Carter, by Whitney G.

Sincerely, Carter by Whitney Gracia Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A nice feel good read - best friend romance

I thoroughly enjoyed Sincerely, Carter by Whitney Gracia Williams. This was my first read by this author and was glad I picked it up. I'm looking forward to reading more titles by her (and did I see a Sincerely, Arizona listed on Goodreads???).

It took me 20% into the book to REALLY get into it but once things started happening, I had trouble putting it down. I got attached to the characters, both male and female. The friendship between the two main characters is wonderful and I liked getting occasional little glimpses into how their friendship evolved through the years with scattered flashbacks. I enjoyed the fact that sexuality didn't overpower the book. I'm all for sexy time in a story but I admire an author who knows how to not cross the line between free gratuitous sex and using the sexual encounters to move the story forward and make the characters evolve. Whitney Gracia Williams manages to do this beautifully in Sincerely, Carter.

18+ for explicit sexual content and language.

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Pre-Order: Last Heartbreak, by H.M. Ward and Melanie Bussière

LAST HEARTBREAK

A ROMANCE NOVEL ABOUT SECOND CHANCES BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR H.M. WARD & INTRODUCING MELANIE BUSSIÈRE

COMING MARCH 7th, 2016

PRE-ORDER NOW!

When a hot guy with blazing blue eyes and a sexy smirk saves my ass and covers up my sins, I know I'm screwed. He's poor, and is probably deprived like every other ass I've attracted recently.

I admit it. I'm a moron magnet. If the guy's a dick, then he sweeps me off my feet and promptly stabs me in the back. Billionaires are all the same. I've fallen for loser after loser, which earned me the classy reputation of being easy. I'm easy on the eyes, easy to bed.

But no one knows the truth, no one knows the events that forced me onto the ledge of that elite NYC hotel--no one except that strapped, hot waiter.

Now I have to figure out if he's an ally or an enemy. I need a friend, a real one, and not some jerk who's after my money or my name. But if I make the wrong choice, it'll destroy me.

The ledge high above the city was only the beginning. No one can help me now. I'm on my own.

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Type: Novel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

H.M. Ward continues to reign as a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author who has sold more than 10 million copies since her debut in 2011, placing her among the literary titans. Ward has been featured in articles in the New York Times, Forbes and USA Today to name a few.

WHERE TO FIND H.M. WARD Facebook Website Twitter Pinterest Email: hmward@sexyawesomebooks.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This Canadian writer will release her debut novel, LAST HEARTBREAK, in conjunction with H.M. Ward in 2016. Melanie is currently working on several New Adult Contemporary Romance titles and more co-authored titles. This writer has been called a free spirit, boisterous, daring, with her feet barely touching the ground. Her husband and two sons encourage her in all her crazy projects, always dreaming bigger, better, and louder.

WHERE TO FIND MELANIE BUSSIÈRE

Facebook

Website

Twitter

Pinterest

Email: mabussiereauthor@gmail.com

LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED, volume 9

A LOVE STORY ABOUT AN ALPHA MANWHORE AND A GOOD GIRL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR H.M. WARD

AVAILABLE NOW!

Money. Power. Sex.

Billionaire Pete Ferro is a manwhore and always will be. There aren't fifty shades of gray when it comes to love. Sometimes all we have is the here and now, and there aren't second chances -- so why pretend? That's the part I don't understand. Why does he act like he wants me one moment and then hate me the next?

The man is sexy, with dark hair and a dimple at the corner of his crooked smile. He's forever swarmed by women, never wanting for anything. He doesn't want love. He doesn't want me.

But those poems he writes, and the verses that run deeper than his alpha male exterior lets on, it leaves me wondering if I've fallen for a man or a myth.

Genre: New Adult Romance

This story unfolds over multiple volumes

Length: Approx. 130 pgs

GET IT NOW!

         

What readers are saying about LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED, vol 9:

"This was a sensationally emotional read. The baring of hearts and souls."

- Kelli

"From beginning to end LBD 9 was packed full of heart pounding emotions. Unable to catch my breath and calm my heart, I continued on reading, filling my brain of every single Peterlicious moment!"

- Cary

"This book should totally come with a disclaimer! I swear, if you are not already in love with the infamous Peter Ferro, I can guarantee you will be after reading LBD9!!"

- Marissa

THE FERRO FAMILY:

Each story centers around a different main character

All stories intertwine but each are separate

The Arrangement

Damaged

Stripped

The Proposition

The Wedding Contract

Secrets and Lies

Life Before Damaged

Manwhore (pre-order)

Easy (coming soon)

THE ULTIMATE SUGGESTED FERRO FAMILY READING ORDER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

H.M. Ward continues to reign as a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author who has sold more than 10 million copies since her debut in 2011, placing her among the literary titans. Ward has been featured in articles in the New York Times, Forbes, and USA Today to name a few.

WHERE TO FIND H.M. WARD

Facebook

Website

Twitter

Pinterest

Email: hmward@sexyawesomebooks.com

Cover reveal: Manwhore volume 1, by H.M. Ward

MANWHORE, vol. 1

A NEW SERIES OF SHORT STORIES IN H.M. WARD'S SEXY FERRO WORLD

When billionaire Sean Ferro crosses my path, it's my job to destroy him. His crimes are horrific and there's no way I'm letting him walk away from them. Whether he wins or loses in court is irrelevant. I'll destroy any chance he has at a happy life when this is over, whether he lands in a jail cell or not.

The arrogant bastard is more beautiful than I thought. He sits there, day after day, closed off and quiet. Dark hair pushed out of his face, and those blue eyes staring into space, unseeing. I assist the prosecution and twist his silence into apathy, steadily twisting the image of a broken man into a disturbed monster. I destroy him completely well before the end of the trial. Society hates him. And so do I.

But one night will change everything. Once chance encounter shows me my mistake. This isn't something I can't change, so I offer the only thing I know he needs--me.

Life Before Damage 8, by H.M. Ward

 LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED volume 8

A LOVE STORY ABOUT AN ALPHA MANWHORE AND A GOOD GIRL, BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR HM WARD

Money. Power. Sex.

People don't change. They can't. It's a simple thing to understand and yet, everything I'm seeing in the billionaire Pete Ferro makes me think that I'm wrong. Perhaps this alpha male is capable of love after all? That should be a good thing since I'm engaged to him and a wedding is swiftly approaching, but I wanted a white knight type of love story. Instead I got the dark romance that I can't explain.

After all the fights are washed away, there's another man beneath the surface of that sexy exterior searching for a second chance at life. There's more to him than a sexy grin and a beautiful body, but he hides those pieces of his soul away from everyone--except me.

I'm attracted to that man--the hot player who's really a poet, the heartbreaker of a manwhore with the deep blue eyes and crooked smile. I can't fall in love with him because it would break my heart and there's so little left.

Genre: New Adult Romance

This story unfolds over multiple volumes

Length: Approx. 130 pgs

Get your hands on more Pete Ferro now!

   

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm hooked! Now I have to read the entire series. The writing style is sooooo different. You are immersed into the head of Juliette, a young woman who's been living in isolation, prisoner, for almost a year. Her thoughts are erratic and unfiltered. Seeing her thought process makes for a very different type of read. This book really stands out from what's out there right now.

From what I understand, this is a 3 novel, 2 novella series. Dystopian, teen, action and adventure, romance, fantasy. Lovers of Veronica Roth's Divergent series and Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games will enjoy this series.

Set in a time not too far from our own, the planet has been ravaged by the hands of humanity, forcing a new totalitarian type of regime to take over. Living is hard, more like survival and Juliette is caught in the clutches of an unforgiving government, to be used a pawn in their battle. A love interest is quickly introduced (yay!) and you can see the seeds of a possible twisted love triangle slowly emerging.

This book had me eyeing my ereader, itching to get back to it and gave me that "just one more chapter" feeling. I went to bed late and picked it up first thing in the morning.

PARENTAL ADVISORY: Contains violence (blood, fighting, death and firearms) and some sexual tension (no descriptive content but desires are present).

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SYNOPSIS:

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Life Before Damaged volume 6, by H.M. Ward

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED is a series on personal growth and transformation and the story continues to evolve wonderfully. It is the backstory of my ultimate, all-time favorite book boyfriend Peter Ferro (a.k.a. Dr. Peter Granz).

Volume 6 brings about MORE: more twists, more banter, more sexual tension, more crazy urban lingo, more drama, more funny (I love Gina's bestie), but most of all, more PETER! I love that this series brings more depth to the original DAMAGED series (which is my favorite book, hands down). LBD is a do-not-miss journey of two people meeting for a season and a reason and I'm loving every word of it.

As with all of H.M. Ward's serials, the volume starts off as an immediate continuation of the previous one (no recaps) and ends in a cliffhanger. I've become addicted to the format.

*** This series can be read as a standalone but if you are looking for proper reading order, I suggest you read DAMAGED and DAMAGED 2 prior to reading LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED, even though this is a prequel of sorts to the DAMAGED series. It starts off after the events of DAMAGED 2, by having Sidney and Peter discover Gina's old journals. LBD is Sidney reading about Peter's past, through Gina's eyes ***

I received an ARC for honest review.

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About the Ferro family:

There are multiple series set within the Ferro family world: The Arrangement (Sean Ferro), Damaged and Life Before Damaged (Peter Ferro Granz), Stripped (Jonathan Ferro), The Proposition (Bryan Ferro), The Wedding Contract (Nick Ferro) and Secrets and Lies (mystery Ferro). Each Ferro family story is made to be read on it's own but if you like H.M. Ward's books, you may want to read all of them (see note on suggested reading order below). The Ferro Family books are contemporary "new adult" romance stories involving characters mostly in their 20's, all have sexual content, some are more explicit than others.

Suggested reading order:

Each series is stand alone & can be read in any order. However, if you are planning on reading all of the Ferro Family books, I recommend reading them in the order suggested below to avoid any confusion or spoilers from one series to the next and to keep events in chronological order. For the ultimate Ferro fan, there are also stories that are related to the Ferro family saga either by mention, by cameo or by secondary characters (Scandalous, The Secret Life of Trystan Scott, Second Chances and Shadows of the Past).

About H.M. Ward's serials:

Serials are shorter books (1/4 to 1/3 of a full-length novel). They start off abruptly from where the previous book ended and end with a cliffhanger. Being shorter books, serials don't recap events that occur in previous volumes, so it's best to start off with book 1. I read at an average speed and each volume takes me about 1 to 2 hours to read.

Beautiful Secret, by Christina Lauren

My rating: 4.75 stars for Niall and Ruby, the newest addition to the BEAUTIFULS series (and the WILD SEASONS too!).

Straight off the bat: These chicks amaze me. Addictive read. Had trouble putting the book down. Lost hours of sleep just to get that extra chapter in. The way Christina & Lauren write is so real (i.e. NOT stuffy, overdone, cheesy romance novel lingo). Their writing is always fresh, funny, sexy and new. They are well into their writing career with 7 novels (an 8th one on the way) and 4 novellas and I have yet to see the dreaded copy/paste effect where the author uses the same characters or stories but with different names and settings. All of their stories have a very different flavor to them and their characters are very well thought out. This book captivated me, had me fanning myself (OMG! The scene in the hotel room, with his recorder!!! *FAINTS*) and smiling big and stupid. Smart, erotic, heartfelt and funny.

Standalone novel but part of the world of the BEAUTIFULS and WILD SEASONS. Niall Stella is Max Stella's brother (from BEAUTIFUL STRANGER). Ruby is Lola's roommate from THE WILD SEASONS series. What a wonderful (and completely plausible!) way to intertwine the two series. This book can be read separately from the other series but why settle for just one lusty book boyfriend when you can have 6?

My heart holds a soft spot for Max (BEAUTIFUL STRANGER) and Will (BEAUTIFUL PLAYER), and they will forever be my ultimate favorite male characters from Christina Lauren but it doesn't mean that I can't really, really, really - stops for air - really, love their other male characters.

So where'd the 0.25 star go to? Well, there may, perhaps, on occasion, maybe have been some very minor repetitive inner dialog with Niall but his sexyness made up for it... Hey Niall, let me take care of those insecurities for you... uh-huh! :D

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Beautiful Beloved, by Christina Lauren

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderfully funny and sexy Christina Lauren read in the "Beautiful" series. Although I prefer by far their full length novels, each novella is an extra little treat in between, to get more, more, MORE! So for this, I say THANK YOU! 

As expected, tons of funny, tons of sexy and and tons of dirty talk. Love the manly discussions between Max, Will, Bennett and now, Niall too! The women are always clever and sassy and the men are beautifully crude. The life and times of Max and Sara post child birth and the all too real struggle of not losing the couple amidst parenthood. I really enjoyed revisiting my Beautiful Stranger, Max Stella, my very first Beautiful that made me fall in love with the writing duo of Christina Lauren!

Reading "Beautiful Stranger" is the minimum requirement to better understand this volume. 

The reading order for the entire "Beautiful" series is as follows:

- Beautiful Bastard (Chloe and Bennett: novel)

- Beautiful Stranger (Max and Sara: novel)

- Beautiful Bitch (Chloe and Bennett: novella)

- Beautiful Bombshell (Chloe, Bennett, Max and Sara: novella)

- Beautiful Player (Will and Hannah: novel)

- Beautiful Beginning (Chloe and Bennett: novella)

- Beautiful Beloved (Max and Sara: novella)

... coming April 14th 2015: Beautiful Secret (Niall and Ruby: novel)

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Beautiful Secret, by Christina Lauren

BOOK BLITZ

COMING APRIL 14TH, 2015

Pre-order your copy here (go on, click! You know you want to!):

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Kobo

Target

A BEAUTIFUL EXCERPT! 

A silence fell over the table as everyone turned to watch Ruby leave the bar and head upstairs to bed. She had been utterly charming throughout dinner, and the group had groaned in unison when she’d excused herself because of our early morning. I, too, had been quite sad to see her go.

“Well, well.”

I looked up to see my brother’s smug expression.

“Now that we’re alone,” Will began, “I think we can all agree to drop any pretense that we’re not ruined for civilized conversation, yes?” Each of them nodded in agreement and beside me, his glass now refilled, Will raised his tumbler to take a small swallow of scotch. “I also think we can all agree Bennett will be an important consultant on this case.”

Max snickered.

“The conference?” I asked, confused.

“It’s an all-too-common predicament,” Bennett added dryly. “Knockout intern. Boss in denial. I’ll draft up a step-by-step plan of containment.”

I blinked, swallowing thickly as I realized what they meant. “She’s not my intern. I have absolutely no say in her career.” I shook my head, frustrated because it was exactly the wrong thing to say. “I’m not . . . that is to say, she’s not interested. Nor I.”

All four men laughed.

“Niall,” Will said, leaning his elbows on his knees. “She nearly dropped her drink in your lap when George asked if she was interested in anyone.”

“Was going to say the same thing,” Bennett said.

“And something tells me she’d be first to volunteer to clean it up,” Will added.

“Well, maybe that’s because she’s interested in someone who works with us at R-C.”

“Yeah. You.” Max lifted his glass and finished the last of the amber liquid.

“Sincerely,” I said, fighting a smile. “She’s a fantastic girl, but she’s certainly not a romantic option for me.”

Tilting his head, Bennett asked, “What color are her eyes?”

Green, I didn’t say. I shook my head as if I didn’t know.

“What was she wearing?” Will asked.

A blue dress that hit just above her knee, I didn’t say. A delicate gold chain around her neck and a ring on her right ring finger that I had to resist asking her about until George bulldozed in and asked about a boyfriend.

I rolled my eyes, and my brother laughed again, this time pointing his drink at me. “Blokes don’t notice these things unless they’re interested.”

“Or George,” Will added, and George reached over to grab the back of his neck and try to pull him in for a kiss.

“Well, it’s apparent I needn’t think on this any further,”

I said. “You’ve all decided for me.”

“It’s what we do,” Will said, adjusting the skewed collar of his shirt as he settled back into his chair. “It’s a sickness, we know.”

“I thought we’d lost that muscle, honestly,” George said.

“It’s a relief to know we still have it in us. The ladies will be so proud.” Max rapped his knuckles on the table as he made to stand. “Alas, I’d best be off. New routine: Sara gets the baby to sleep; I do the midnight bottle feeding.”

“Finally taking a bottle from you then? Guess you smell like a woman, too,” I said to Max, reminding him of the little dig he’d thrown my way on my last visit.

Max laughed and patted me on the back, and we all stood, a silent agreement in place that we were ready to call it a night. I watched my brother gather his things and say his goodbyes, feeling the same mix of pride and longing for what he was headed home to: a wife, a daughter. A proper home.

“Kiss the girls for me,” I requested as he made his way out of the bar. He waved a hand, retreating, and then disappeared from view.  

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Life Before Damaged volume 4, by H.M. Ward

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, Peter! Where for art thou you sexy, swing dancing poet, you?

*le sigh*, or should I say, *le swoon*! Peter does it to me every time. In volume 4, both Gina and Peter's characters continue to evolve. You can feel the connection changing from one book to the next and the effect each has on the other is palpable. Lovable characters, others you just want to junk punch, off the wall predicaments but most of all, the start of a life-altering love story that will inevitably lead us to the Peter that we all know and love from Damaged. This volume has the reader going from laughing to angry to wanton to cheering to laughing again and, yes, it ends in a cliffhanger.

This is the story of how one life changes another and so far, the journey is awesome!

Part of the intricate Ferro family saga, each series can be read separately but once you get hooked on a Ferro, you'll want to read them all!

Looking for a 1 to 2 hour escape with funny, sexy, mystery and nail biting cliffhangers? Look no further!

Volume 4 of what will be a 8 to 10 volume series of novellas. It is the prequel to the popular DAMAGED series (2 novels) by H.M. Ward. I highly recommend reading DAMAGED 1 & 2 before reading LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED.

Format: Serial. Approx. 130 pages in print per volume (takes me 1 to 2 hours to read each serial). Some may be longer, some may be shorter but all are ADDICTIVE and SUCH GOOD QUALITY READS!

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Shadows of the Past, by H.M. Ward and Stacey Mosteller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kudos H.M. WARD and Stacey Mosteller! Beautiful love story. 2 painful pasts, perfectly imperfect characters and a big shaggy dog!

H.M. WARD and Stacey Mosteller do it again! 2 of my favorite authors coming together again to write a beautiful story.

A standalone, full length novel (no cliffhanger, took me a good 6 to 8 hours to read it all). It is not part of the Ferro family saga but there is a tasty Ferro cameo that pops up unexpectedly (for those Ferronutters like me, this is a real treat!).

A beautiful love story about overcoming one's traumatic past and finding inner strength to move on despite the pain (tissue warning: you may shed a tear at times). I love a nice, mysterious, rich, hot, funny, compassionate guy and Oliver is definitely one of them. Kayla is broken but that doesn't prevent her from being sassy and witty, just like all of H.M WARD and Stacey Mosteller's main female characters are. Loved the chemistry. The secondary characters (even the furry and feathered ones) are lovable as always.

Kayla is on the run. Something happened that has left her scared and full of remorse. She can't go back. She's cut all ties and doesn't want anyone to find her. When people get too close, she runs. Only this time, her feet are stuck on the spot and running is impossible. Why? The mysterious British rich dude, who doesn't like to be called "Ollie". After a one night hookup gone wrong, they bump into each other and their story begins.

It's a story to savor, like decadent chocolate or a fine cheese! :) #CheesyPants

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Thoughtful, by S.C. Stephens

Synopsis:

Every story has two sides, and in this new book, the epic love story between Kiera and Kellan is shown through his eyes. 

All Kellan Kyle needs is his guitar, and some clean sheets of paper. Growing up in a house that was far from a home, he learned a hard lesson: You're worthless. Now his life is comfortably filled with passionate music, loyal band mates, and fast women...until he meets her. 

Kiera makes him ache for more. Makes him feel for the first time that he'sworth more. But there's one problem - she's his best friend's girl. 

Just when Kellan thought his emotional defenses were rock solid, Kiera's indecisive heart wreaks havoc on his soul, changing him forever. Losing Kiera is not an option.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised! I highly recommend it for Thoughtless and Kellan Kyle fans.

Thoughtful is the retelling of Thoughtless from Kellan's point of view (the original book, Thoughtless, was told from Kiera's point of view). Read Thoughtless BEFORE reading Thoughtful to get a better grasp of their budding relationship.

Retellings of a story from another character's POV tend to be redundant in regards to the original work. THOUGHTFUL, is an exception. S.C. Stephens was able to create something new, even though the story is the same. There are a lot of new non-Kiera moments where Kellan is with the D-Bags and a lot of the Kiera moments are summarized, which I appreciated a lot. A newb to the series probably won't appreciate the depth of their budding romance at the start since a lot of scenes aren't fully retold (but that's what I loved about it), thus the recommendation to read book 1 before this one.

I disliked Kiera in Thoughtless because of the way she selfishly uses both men and this book confirmed my dislike for her (I like her in books 2 & 3). Kellan is yummy and you want to hug him the whole way through.

My issues: Kellan's thoughts are repetitive throughout the book, from his love for Denny (I was hoping for a M/M love scene) to his desperation to keep Kiera close and his addiction to her. His inner dialog is a bit much after a while because is doesn't really evolve much. The start is strong and then it fizzles a bit in the middle, only to come back full force at the end. The conclusion to the book from Kellan's point of view is sooooo good!!!

*** I received an ARC copy from NetGalley ***

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The Arrangement 18, by H.M. Ward

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE ARRANGEMENT IS A PHENOMENON - Volume 18 and I still don't want it to end!

It's official. I don't want this series to end... EVER! I love coming back to Avery and Sean. It's like catching up with long lost friends. I have to keep reminding myself that these are fictional characters and not real people.

They are so completely, perfectly messed up and so perfect for each other, it's beautiful! And I want Avery to be my BFF! That chick is so cool!

Volume 18: Oh wow! Romantic, heartfelt, funny, steamy and still very mysterious. Sean left me breathless (and many times I have wanted to nad-punch Sean in the past... I actually wanted to cuddle him in this one! Do I have a Sean crush going on? Me???) What started out as a love story between an impoverished call-girl and a multi-billionaire with sexual deviant tendencies, has now turned into a multi-faceted "who-dunnit" with so many unexpected turns that all you can do is sit and wait to see how the story unfolds. You can't even hope to guess right. H.M. Ward will stump you every time.

Shout out and kudos to my favorite author, H.M. Ward, who ALWAYS has me begging for more! YOU ROCK! <3

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About the Ferro family:

There are multiple series set within the Ferro family world: The Arrangement (Sean Ferro), Damaged and Life Before Damaged (Peter Ferro Granz), Stripped (Jonathan Ferro), The Proposition (Bryan Ferro), The Wedding Contract (Nick Ferro) and Secrets and Lies (mystery Ferro). Each Ferro family story is made to be read on it's own but if you like H.M. Ward's books, you may want to read all of them (see note on suggested reading order below). The Ferro Family books are contemporary "new adult" romance stories involving characters mostly in their 20's, all have sexual content, some are more explicit than others.

Suggested reading order:

Each series is stand alone & can be read in any order. However, if you are planning on reading all of the Ferro Family books, I recommend reading them in the order suggested below to avoid any confusion or spoilers from one series to the next. For the ultimate Ferro fan, I have also included stories that are related to the Ferro family saga (Scandalous: the main male character is mentioned in Stripped; The Secret Life of Trystan Scott: Trystan and Mari make appearances in various Ferro books and Trystan becomes an important character in The Arrangement plot at some point, Second Chances: there's a small Ferro cameo in one chapter).

Suggested (Ferro) reading order:

The Arrangement 1 - 6 (Sean Ferro)

Damaged 1 & 2 (Peter Ferro Granz)
* The Secret Life of Trystan Scott 1 - 5 (not Ferro; see note)

The Arrangement 7 - 11 (Sean Ferro)
* Scandalous 1 & 2 (not Ferro; see note)

Stripped (Jonathan Ferro)

The Proposition 1 - 4 (Bryan Ferro)
The Arrangement 12 - 14 (Sean Ferro)
The Proposition 5 (Bryan Ferro)
The Arrangement 15 -17 (Sean Ferro)
The Wedding Contract (Nick Ferro)
Secrets and Lies 1 - 2 (mystery Ferro)
* Second Chances (not Ferro: see note)
Life Before Damaged 1 - 5 (Pete Ferro)
The Arrangement 18 (Sean Ferro)

* books are not Ferro Family but have been threaded into the story

About H.M. Ward's serials:

Serials are shorter books (1/4 to 1/3 of a full-length novel). They start off abruptly from where the previous book ended and end with a cliffhanger. Being shorter books, serials don't recap events that occur in previous volumes, so it's best to start off with book 1. I read at an average speed and each volume takes me about 1 to 2 hours to read.

Last Call, by Alice Clayton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The final book in Alice Clayton's COCKTAIL series. This novella ties up loose ends and brings in all of the characters from previous COCKTAIL books into one final round of laughter and friendship and sexy.

It's the answer to "but, but, what happens happens to them next"? Although it is written in a way that a newbie to the series could probably not get too lost (some basic backstory to every character is included), I would recommend starting the Cocktail series with WALLBANGER (it truly is an amazing read!).

Oh Simon, you WALLBANGER you! Make me all hot and bothered one last time! He is perfect! In my top 10 book boyfriends.

Still funny, still witty, still sexy. You can tell that Alice Clayton had fun writing this novella. I sure had a lot fun reading it.

Other books in the COCKTAIL series are:

WALLBANGER

RUSTY NAILED

SCREWDRIVERED

MAI TAI'D UP

LAST CALL

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Synopsis

From NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton, known for her “deliciously addictive” (The Book Vixen) novels, this Cocktail series novella reunites readers with Caroline and Simon from the wildly successful Wallbanger.

Simon and Caroline are back for another round of baking, banging, and big life changes. Settling in, but never settling down, Caroline has finally struck a balance between the professional and the personal. As one of the top interior designers in San Francisco, she travels all over Northern California between nook time with Simon.

Perpetual globetrotter Simon has cut his frequent flyer miles in half over the last year, preferring to balance his professional and personal life, as well.

The next step in their lives seems preordained—toasts, veils, and the aisle of rose petals. But when an accident on a photo shoot in Southeast Asia brings Caroline the most terrifying phone call she could ever imagine, she has to ask whether “till death do us part” is a more realistic prospect than faces most couples.

It’s been a grand adventure, and Caroline and Simon wouldn’t go out without the best surprise ending ever. One part sexy, one part laughter, a dash of exotic locales, and one pink nightie, mixed with passion, and you’ve got Last Call. Served with a side of Clive.

Hopeless, by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a heartfelt and heartbreaking story! I LIVED IT!!! :-)

This is a beautiful story about young love, discovering who they were, who they are, trust, love and life. Starts out like a teenage romance novel but by the 50% mark, the reader embarks on a deeper story of drama and past events that have profound effects on both main characters. I can't say too much without giving anything away but it really was a beautiful story to read.

I really got into this story towards the 50% mark and had trouble putting it down from that point on.

NO SPOILERS: The first chapter is actually a chapter that happens about 50% to 60% into the book. You get a glimpse of the two main characters. At first it irked me that the book started out that way but when I go to that part in chronological order, I was screaming BRILLIANT!

A really good read!

Young Adult (i.e. sexual content but not explicit). Recommended for mature teens and older.

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Synopsis

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.