Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Sydney is living in an idyllic bubble—she's a dedicated student with a steady job on the side. She lives with her best friend, has a great boyfriend, and the music coming from the balcony opposite hers is fast becoming the soundtrack to her life. But when Sydney finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, the bubble bursts. The mysterious and attractive man behind the music, Ridge, gives Sydney hope that she can move on and they begin to write songs together. But moving on is harder than she expects, Sydney can only hope….

Maybe someday…

Colleen Hoover draws you in to this passionate tale of music, love and betrayal…

Kindle Edition, 385 pages

Published March 18th 2014 by Atria Books

Terri's Thoughts

The journey continues with working my way through the works of Colleen Hoover.  Sadly, this wasn't one of my favorites.  It could have been but fell flat for me with ending.

I loved the idea of Sydney and Ridge.  The chemistry that started before they even met was hypnotic  Their building chemistry after they met was even more compelling.  Their way of communicating was clever with the challenge that Ridge faced.  All of this had the making of a great story, so far so good.

Then enter Maggie.  Still potential to be good and my curiosity was raised how this situation could be resolved to bring the story to a happy ending.

I had two main issues with how this played out.

The first is I am not a fan of cheating stories  In my opinion, this flirted way too close to the line for me and I felt the characters were letting me down.

The second was the ending of the story.  This will be hard for me to explain without divulging any spoilers.  With how Ridge was torn between two loves, I felt when he made his choice, it was too soon after saying goodbye to the other one.  I would have expected more angst and conflicting feelings before he was in a position to move on.  Also, I would have expected for things to be a little more difficult for him when he gave his declaration to the chosen one.  She should have respected him more by slamming the door in his face.  Given that the story was titled Maybe Someday, I feel the story should have ended on that note.

In a nutshell, I was glued to the story and loved Sydney and Ridge together, until I didn't.

About the Author

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Review: Huge Deal by Lauren Layne

Even for a top-gun banker, temptation this hot is quite a gamble, in a sexy Wall Street romp from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.

An alpha among the wolves of Wall Street, Kennedy Dawson rose to the top of the pack by striking the right contracts at the right times. But there’s one deal that’s been giving him a run for his money—a pact to never again let his assistant, Kate, get under his skin. She may be smart, gorgeous, and sharp as a whip, but she’s definitely off-limits.

Kate Henley isn’t a banker, but she knows a thing or two about risk management—specifically, about managing her attraction to her smolderingly sexy boss. She already fell once, and Kennedy showed no sign of paying a return on her investment. So when Kennedy’s brother starts pursuing her, Kate figures she has the best of both worlds. Jack is charming, rich, very attentive, and the spitting image of his older brother.

It’s also making Kennedy think twice. But to win Kate’s heart, he’ll have to broker the deal of a lifetime…and prove he’s worth the risk.

Kindle Edition, 259 pages

Published February 12th 2019 by Montlake Romance 

Series: 21 Wall Street #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

I am huge fan of Lauren Layne. If you follow my reviews you know that. I have followed this series from the beginning and was anticipating Kate and Kennedy's story the most. This series was not my favourite of all the different ones that Layne has written but I still thoroughly enjoyable.

Huge Deal is the third book in the 21 Wall Street series but can be read as a stand alone. I feel like the other two should be read first as there are tiny tidbits and interactions between the two that builds up the anticipation for Huge Deal. There was always something there between them but as the reader you are never quite sure what until this book.

Lauren Layne pens chemistry and banter better than most contemporary romance authors I've read. It is what I call signature Lauren Layne. It is definitely present in this series but not as much as in her past series. I missed it a little because it is what I love most about her writing. Don't get me wrong, you will see it in this book but just not to the extent of some of her past ones.

Even in the first two books of this series, Kate and Kennedy were my favourite characters. Their roles were minimal but they still out shined the rest of them. I loved everything about Kate and was super happy that it was her turn for a happily ever after.

I'm not going to re-tell the story. It's too short and I don't want to give anything away. There were things that I both loved and hated about Kate and Kennedy. I got frustrated a lot, sad a few times and then there were definitely times that I was smiling.

As part of my guilty pleasure line up, Lauren Layne always delivers!

About the Author

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies, in nine languages. Lauren's work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She’s based in New York City.

Connect with Lauren

Website/Instagram/Goodreads

Review: Losing Hope (Hopeless #2) by Colleen Hoover

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

Kindle Edition, 321 pages

Published July 8th 2013 by Atria Books

Terri's Thoughts

This is the second book in the Hopeless series and I began reading it the same day I had finished the first book.  As I do not read the book summaries, I failed to realize that it was the exact same story as the first one however it was told from Holders (Dean's) point of view.  I was a little disappointed with this as I would have kept some space between the two books instead of reading them back to back.  Hopeless had covered a lot of ground and I wasn't in the mindset to essentially re-read it.

The good news is that with Dean's point of view, it didn't cover every single aspect of the first story.  A lot of his thoughts and emotions were covered in his journal writing to his deceased sister which made the storyline go a lot faster and also gave Dean's inner thoughts, which added depth.  It also gave the storyline of his sister's passing which wasn't only lightly covered in the first book.

I enjoyed the new and fresh parts of the book but I have to admit the parts that overlapped the first story, I skimmed over.  The first book was still to fresh in my head.  Had I have waited and read some other titles before I picked this up I think I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more.

About the Author

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA and Women's Fiction.

Still doesn't know the difference between affect/effect, further/farther, or if the oxford comma is in or out. 

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Review: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...

Audible Audio, 10 pages

Published June 5th 2018 by Dreamscape Media, LLC (first published May 30th 2018
Narrator: Carly Robins
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

When I was deciding on an audio book to listen to I went to Goodreads to check out the 2018 Best Book winners. The Kiss Quotient won in the romance category so I thought I would give it a try. This was the first romance that I have listened to. I usually listen to more dramatic, sweeping stories because audio books are expensive and I feel like I'm getting more bang for my buck. I knew nothing about this book or author when I started this book so I was going in blind with no expectations or clues as to what is what about other than the fact that it was highly rated and people seem to love it.

Stella was a thirty year old successful career woman with a less than stellar history in the dating and intimacy department. She was also living with Autism. What turns most people on made her skin crawl. She decided that she needed lots of practise so that it didn't interfere with future relationships. Her solution to was to hire an escort to teach her how to become good at it. This was where Michael came into play. He was escorting in order to help his family after his dad left them with nothing.

I'll start by saying that my opinions are not going to be popular. They are definitely in the minority.

The positive in this book was a heroine with autism. This is not something I have ever seen in a romance. Helen Hoang was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2016 so her journey inspired the book. Five huge stars for this! I found Stella very interesting and it was great to see the world through her eyes.

Unfortunately I thought it went downhill from there.

Am I the only one that thought this was a little too Pretty Woman? Michael was paid for services and then a relationship magically happens? Can you see the comparison? This irritated me slightly. Michael was paid for a service. This made their connection a paid connection and not a natural connection which is not at all romantic and one of the biggest struggles for people living with disabilities. The insta-connection was a little hard to believe as well.

I am not a prude but there was way too much sex in this book whether it was foreplay, the act itself or talking about it. Again, where is the romance in that? I expected some and would have gladly taken some but this book was all sex. When I listen to an audio book on speaker while doing stuff around the house, it doesn't work well. The synopsis, the title and the cover all hinted at a cutsie romance with perhaps a lot of kissing. That is not what it delivered.

Lastly, it was so completely predictable (back to the Pretty Woman comparison) that I wasn't even sure why I was finishing it. I am kind of really mad that I didn't love it like everyone else.

I am definitely in the minority so I encourage anyone debating this book to give it a try and form your own opinion. Just because I was underwhelmed and expected much more out of the 2018 Best Book in the romance category doesn't mean that you will be.

About the Author

Helen Hoang is that shy person who never talks. Until she does. And the worst things fly out of her mouth. She read her first romance novel in eighth grade and has been addicted ever since. In 2016, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in line with what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Her journey inspired THE KISS QUOTIENT. She currently lives in San Diego, California with her husband, two kids, and pet fish.

Connect with Helen

Website/Twitter/Goodreads 

 

Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

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.

ebook, 410 pages

Published December 19th 2012 (first published December 17th 2012)

Terri's Thoughts

My Colleen Hoover journey continues with Hopeless.  Up until now I have been using audio book format however I decided to see how actually reading her work would be.  The reason, I read faster and can get through the story faster.  I am not known for patience.

I am again at a loss of writes as I site here trying to decide what to write.  She seems to do this to me every time.  I think the reason is that I feel the book should simply be read rather than me try to convince others how it made me feel.  My words are not going to do any justice to the emotions written on the page.

I have not read any of the book summaries of any of these books I read.  I was told not to as it further enhances the enjoyment of the book.  With that in mind, I off I went with the book.  My initial thoughts were that this story was a somewhat typical romance between the somewhat sheltered girl and the misunderstood bad boy (a good one).  In a sense, it was, at least at the beginning.  There was plentiful chemistry, a lot of angst and some tender moments.  Then it took off in a different direction!  Don't get me wrong, the above mentioned was still there but with a whole lot more.

This story takes on a lot of serious topics such as mental health, sexual assault and suicide to mention just a few.  It can get heavy at times but always had the undercurrent of the Sky/Dean connection.  I thought it was well handled.

Before you go and say that all my reviews of Hoover's works are glossy and glowing, there was one thing that annoyed me.  I did find that Sky's emotional reactions were sometimes over the top.  I'm not sure someone can pass out as much a she did or make as many knee jerk reactions (Dean was guilty of this also) as she did.  I found it slightly annoying however I have never been in a situation like hers so I should not be so quick to judge.  I too can react emotionally instead of with my head and I haven't been through anything she has.

Again, another great book by Hoover.  I found this one a little long but I can safely say I would not hesitate to recommend any of the books I have read thus far.

About the Author

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA and Women's Fiction.

Still doesn't know the difference between affect/effect, further/farther, or if the oxford comma is in or out. 

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Review: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Fifteen-year-old Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenage golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. And then she was gone.

Now her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. It's been 10 years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie's case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a cafe, she is surprised at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she's meeting Floyd's daughters - and his youngest, Poppy, takes her breath away. Looking at her is like looking at Ellie. And now the unanswered questions she has tried so hard to put to rest haunt her anew...as well as some new ones about Floyd and Poppy....

Audiobook, Unabridged

Published April 24th 2018 by Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Narrator: Helen Duff

Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins

Kristine's Thoughts:

This was not the first title by Lisa Jewel for me but it was the first one that I chose to listen to in audio format. I have to admit that I was a little nervous because it was also the first mystery/thriller in this format. Normally I go for more of a sweeping drama when listening to a book.

Laurel Mack was a wife and mother of three children living a typical and normal life when something unthinkable happened. Her perfect fifteen year old daughter Ellie never returned from a trip to the library. When no signs of her surfaced the investigation determined that she was a run away even though she had been a happy girl with a boyfriend and had been looking forward to her exams. This was something that Laurel could not accept. Fast forward ten years and Laurel was still struggling, divorced and barely hanging on to her relationship with her other two children. When new evidence appeared and the question of where Ellie could be was put to rest, Laurel made an attempt to move on. This was when she met a man named Floyd who seemed to put the life back in her. That is, until she met his young daughter who reminded her so much of Ellie that all of her unanswered questions returned to the surface.

This book was told from a few different points of view which I loved. It brought the creep factor up and made for some really interesting listening. I also found that it made the story flow nicely. I wasn't only listening to Laurel's thoughts as a grieving mother but the villain's as well. I really liked getting in the head of the villain. It made the reading or listening in my case more compelling and unique.

There wasn't really any aha moment in the story for me. I was able to easily figure out the secrets and guess where the plot was heading but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the story in any way. It may have just been me though. I have a tendency to figure things out quickly. Regardless, I was still enjoying every minute of it. I'm not sure what it says about me but I really enjoyed the villain's voice.

After listening to this book I would not hesitate to listen to another book from this genre or another book by Lisa Jewell. 

 

 

About the Author

Lisa was born in London in 1968. Her mother was a secretary and her father was a textile agent and she was brought up in the northernmost reaches of London with her two younger sisters. She was educated at a Catholic girls’ Grammar school in Finchley. After leaving school at sixteen she spent two years at Barnet College doing an arts foundation course and then two years at Epsom School of Art & Design studying Fashion Illustration and Communication.

She worked for the fashion chain Warehouse for three years as a PR assistant and then for Thomas Pink, the Jermyn Street shirt company for four years as a receptionist and PA. She started her first novel, Ralph’s Party, for a bet in 1996. She finished it in 1997 and it was published by Penguin books in May 1998. It went on to become the best-selling debut novel of that year.

She has since written a further nine novels, as is currently at work on her eleventh.

She now lives in an innermost part of north London with her husband Jascha, an IT consultant, her daughters, Amelie and Evie and her silver tabbies, Jack and Milly.

Connect with Lisa

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads 

 

Review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

Paperback, 310 pages

Published November 10th 2015 by Atria Books

Terri's Thoughts

As I continue in my binge reading of all things Colleen Hoover, I chose this book as the third in my journey to discover all of her work.

I don't even know what to say about this book other than I loved it.  You know that feeling that you get when you have so much to do that you can't even get started?  That's kind of how I feel about this book,.  There are so many aspects it that I loved that I can't come up with the words to explain what they are.  In order get some written down, I think I will have to go list format to capture half of it...so here we go  In no particular order

1.  How she mocks insta-love in this story.  The fact that the characters discuss romance novels and the fact Fallon says, as a romance novel lover, she doesn't like the novels with insta-love because they are not realistic.  Meanwhile, there was a whole lot of insta-love going on in this book.  The fact that Hoover can have a little fun with the genre was entertaining.

2.  The banter between Fallon and Ben.  I love the way the quick wit and sarcastic comments were exchange between these two.  This goes back to what I have said before about other books and the way Hoover writes chemistry and emotions is unlike any other.  I can't even describe it.  It is so intense yet comes through such little things.  I think this is the reason why I am on a binge reading session now.  I was warned this would happen.

3.  The glimpse (however small) in the audio-book industry.  I have always said that narrating audio books would be my dream job and the fact Fallon was employed doing this (at first) made me laugh.  Now it is mentioned in the book that it is not a high paying job so I may have to re-think this.  Can I be a professional reader?  This would work for me also.

4.  The concept of the story I found really unique.  To meet on the same day every year for five years and have zero contact outside of that.  Now in my real life I couldn't see myself ever agreeing to this.  However in the book, I thought it was absolutely wonderful.  A storyline for the ultimate fans of romance.

5.  That some plot points were not revealed right away.  The plot twist is not divulged to the reader until it is divulged to Ben.  Maybe some readers had it all figured out but I didn't and I usually do

6.  Ben's book.  Enough said

I could go on and on however I think I will stop here.  I think I made my point clear that I really enjoyed the book.  Again Hoover does not disappoint.  In case I forgot, a big thank you to my sister for recommending I spend some time in Colleen Hoover's world.

About the Author

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA and Women's Fiction.

Still doesn't know the difference between affect/effect, further/farther, or if the oxford comma is in or out.

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