Review: Hope Burns by Jaci Burton

Hope Burns ( Hope #3) by Jaci Burton
Publisher: Jove
Publication date: September 30th 2014
My rating:  3 stars 
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A novel of small-town hearts and big dreams...

Molly Burnett dreads returning to her hometown of Hope for her sister’s wedding, especially knowing she’ll have to endure a weekend with the one man she never wants to see again. It’s only a couple of days, so Molly will try to forget her painful past with high school sweetheart Carter Richards. Because despite the bitter memories, she still can’t forget what they once meant to each other.

But when Molly is forced to extend her stay, Carter sees this as his second chance to do things right, to start over again with the only woman he’s ever loved. This time, he isn’t going to let Molly run. Together they’re going to confront the past and put it behind them, and hope for a future as bright as the flame that still burns hot between them.

My Thoughts:

I was excited to get my hands on Hope Burns because I’ve been wondering what went wrong with Molly and Carter.  The past books in the series have featured mysterious references to a romance that didn’t end well and residual feelings on both sides. 

Molly has been gone from Hope for the last twelve years, moving from town to town when the mood strikes her. She claims to have this wanderlust, but the truth of the matter is that a bad breakup with her high school sweetheart, Carter, sent her running.  Now that her sister, Emma is getting married and she’s the maid of honor, Molly has no choice but to go back and face her past. She ends up having to stay longer and help care for her mother when she’s injured. 

Carter suspects Molly has been absent from Hope all these years because of their breakup, but he’s never found out for sure.  He’s gone on with his life and dated but no has ever really measured up to Molly. Seeing her again brings that all back, but he knows she’ll be moving on as soon as she gets the chance.  When her mother’s injuries force her to stay, Molly and Carter can no longer ignore the ever present chemistry and longing between them and so they start up again. Carter won’t pressure Molly into defining what they have because he senses her hesitancy and feels like she could bolt out of town with the slightest pressure.

I was worried that Hope Burns would be a constant back and forth between Carter and Molly, with Molly giving in and then pushing him away every other chapter.  I was thankful that wasn’t the case for the most part, and this story was more like a journey back to each other. What happened in the past was sad, but it was something that probably could’ve been worked through had they been more mature or if Molly hadn’t taken off.  Such is young love.

The spark and magnetism they shared back then came back to life immediately and their relationship becomes passionate, but comfortable as well.  Those years they spent together in the past were because they got along so well and had that special something that just made them click.  This made their years of separation even sadder to me because it just felt like a colossal waste of time. I was happy that they were getting a second chance at something that seemed meant to be.

I was a little miffed at Molly because she neglected her relationship with her family and sister.  She hurt herself more than anyone with her decision to leave and stay away, but she also hurt her family. The fact Molly blew back into town without sharing in Emma’s wedding more and taking on the normal maid-of-honor duties ticked me off. She was fortunate Emma didn’t hold her selfish behavior against her.

I wished there was more communication with Molly and Carter.  Molly denies her desires for long term because she didn’t want to be hurt again. Carter never gave any indication he didn’t want more with her, so I didn’t get why Molly held back when things were so amazing between them.  Also, I wished Carter would’ve shared his feelings on the past, how he hurt as well, instead of ignoring the elephant in the room.  His feelings about the past were barely touched on and only just brought up at the very end.

One thing I did appreciate is the fact that there was very little angst or drama and any frustrations I felt were short lived. Carter and Molly drew closer and closer until finally acknowledging what they knew deep down all along.

Connect with Jaci Burton:

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New Release & Giveaway: He's So Fine by Jill Shalvis

I'm excited to be part of the Release Giveaway for Jill Shalvis' newest installment in the Lucky Harbor series, because I've heard nothing but great things about the series! I have an excerpt from her upcoming novel, He's So Fine as well as a giveaway as part of this post.  Love that cover! It stirs up my yearning for fall weather and of course, romance!

He's So Fine (Lucky Harbor #11) by Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: September 30th by Grand Central Publishing 

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

For Olivia Bentley, Lucky Harbor is more than the town where she runs her new vintage shop. It's the place where folks are friendly to strangers-and nobody knows her real name. Olivia does a good job of keeping her past buried, not getting too cozy with anyone . . . until she sees a man drowning. Suddenly she's rushing into the surf, getting up close and personal with the hottest guy she's ever laid hands on.

Charter boat captain Cole Donovan has no problem with a gorgeous woman throwing her arms around his neck in an effort to "save" him. In fact, he'd like to spend a lot more time skin-to-skin with Olivia. He's just not expecting that real trouble is about to come her way. Will it bring her deeper into Cole's heart, or will it be the end of Olivia's days in little Lucky Harbor?

Excerpt:

“Dry off,” Cole said, and stepped back from Olivia.

She nodded but didn’t move.

“Olivia?” he asked.

Her face was a mask of misery. “M­m­my arms won’t w­w­work.”

Shit. He quickly and gently pushed her back down to the bench, sat at her side, and began to pile blankets over the top of them both.

“W­what are you d­doing?”

“Sharing my body heat,” he said.

“I c­c­can’t feel any h­h­heat.”

“You will.” Beneath the blankets, he reached for the towel she still had wrapped around her. “Don’t freak,” he warned. “I’m just going to remove the wet towel and pull you into me.”

She opened her mouth, but using her sluggishness to his benefit, Cole quicklystripped the towel away from her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into him as two things happened simultaneously. One, she squeaked. Probably trying to formulate her next threat.

And two—holy shit—he realized she was completely, totally, one hundred percent naked beneath the layer of blankets.

And pissed. “Y­y­your pants!” she gasped. “Th­th­they’re c­c­cold!”

“Sorry, but I’m trying to do the right thing here,” he said through clenched teeth. Jesus. He couldn’t see a thing below her neck, but he could sure as hell feel her. His hands were on her hip and low on her back, respectively, not touching anything he shouldn’t be, but damn she was soft, and at the feel of her, his brain clicked off. Just completely flatlined.

Author Biography

 

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill Shalvis:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Magnolia by Kristi Cook

Magnolia by Kristi Cook
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: 5th August 2014
My rating: 4 stars 

 

In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived. Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist. But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.

Magnolia was one of those read in one sitting sort of books. I was in the mood for something light, funny and being a huge fan of antagonistic characters I knew I would end up loving Magnolia.

Ryder and Jemma have grown up together with a huge amount of pressure and expectation on them. As their families have been close friends for the last few generations, they all expected some romantic relationship to develop between the Marsden/ Cafferty families. So everyone especially Ryder’s and Jemma’s mums are over the moon when Ryder and Jemma are born, in their eyes they are perfect for one another. Having this idea enforced upon you every time you meet one another would be hugely annoying. And I can see why the way Ryder and Jemma’s relationship ended up. Of course there were those little miscommunications that ended up putting a splinter in the works too. But knowing me if I was in Jemma’s shoes I think I would have reacted the same way too. (I’m known to hold a grudge for a while too, and never one to reveal to the person for a long time what they did wrong in the first place). But I loved the snippy relationship Ryder and Jemma had at the beginning. Despite encouragement from all around them, they stood their ground on how their relationship should be, and that’s one of the things I liked about them. Despite it being obvious that they would make a great couple, bad attitudes aside they both did what they wanted to do, I’m glad to see that this theme continued later in the book too.

Jemma and Ryder were both fantastic characters, despite having this bravado when the other was around. I loved how when they were experiencing difficult times, they would be there for one another; these short sweet bursts of tenderness were definitely worth waiting for. Cook was also able to include a fantastic set of secondary characters, I loved reading the minor storylines that Cook included into this story, and she certainly went on to show just how important family could be to both of these characters. I also enjoyed the set of friends that both Jemma and Ryder had, they were funny, loyal and I enjoyed the banter they could bring within a tense scene.

Magnolia was a fantastically written story by Cook, with the bad couple of reading months I had been having, it was definitely something I needed. I only had a few minor irks (highlight to view spoiler) I wish that Patrick hadn’t been killed off, I’m not usually a fan very pretty wrapped happy endings, but I wouldn’t have minded Patrick  surviving and actually maybe turning his life around and meeting someone special.  And also how long it took Ryder and Jemma to get together. The scenes they shared between them were beautiful, that I wished that they had got together sooner, so that we could experience more of it sooner! . Despite these minor irks of mine, they didn’t reduce my overall reading experience of this book. I will definitely be buying a finished copy, so that I can re-read those sweet lovely scenes again which totally melted my heart and those scenes which left me with a big goofy grin on my face. I highly recommend giving Magnolia a go, it is certainly one of those books which will cheer you up when you need a quick pick me up and will leave you with a spring in your step for the rest of the day!

Review: Burying Water by K.A. Tucker

Burying Water ( Burying Water #1) by K.A. Tucker
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication date: October 7th 2014
My rating:  4.5 stars 
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The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

My Thoughts:

Burying Water was a big story with the flashbacks to the past, mystery, memory loss and a romance all part of the plot, but thought K.A. Tucker did an amazing job pulling it off! I loved it!

We have Jesse’s POV from the past and then Water’s POV in the future, both stories tied intricately and the story of what happened to Water slowly unfolds through these alternating POVs.

We start out with Jesse’s POV which details him falling for a woman named Alex, twenty-two and married to a very rich, but very bad man, Viktor. Alex cleaned his apartment which is how she met and fell for Viktor when she was just seventeen. He was charming, handsome and rich.  What seventeen-year-old wouldn’t jump at the chance of “prince charming” sweeping you off your feet? Little did she know that Viktor was a wolf in sheep’s clothing!  Viktor as it turns out is a volatile man capable of violence if he’s not happy, and used to having anything he wants, including other women.  Alex despairs over the reality her life has become.  Alex comes onto Jesse’s radar by a chance meeting, but they’re drawn to each other no matter how impossible a romance seems. Jesse witnesses Viktor’s despicable treatment of Alex and desperately wants to take her away.  Can they get away from the dangerous and influential Viktor?

Water’s POV is in the present and starts when she wakes in the hospital with no memory and a host of injuries. She can’t remember her name, whether she was married, or has family. Even her own appearance is a mystery, but she does know she was brutally attacked and barely survived!  Water feels alone in the world but she’s shown kindness by her surgeon, Dr. Alwood, the Sheriff, and Nurse Amber who all become like family to her.  Ginny Fitzgerald, an eccentric, feisty old woman, and Dr. Alwood’s neighbor, offers Water a place to stay when she’s released, and Water couldn’t be more grateful.  What other options does she really have? 

Water starts her life over, yet the fact that the person who brutally assaulted her and left her for dead is out there somewhere is an unsettling thought.  Does she really want those memories to come back?  Will her attacker find her again?  And why is she so drawn to Dr. Alwood’s son, Jesse? 

It’s not hard to put two and two together when you first start reading Burying Water but that doesn’t make the journey any less satisfying.  Finding out what led up to Water’s attack, flashing back to Alex and Jesse’s burgeoning romance, and then seeing Water survive and thrive in the present was completely captivating!  The support she receives is touching, mostly notably from Ginny, the elderly woman who takes her in. Ginny was a prickly pear, but she had a soft spot for Water.  She had her own sad demons and both Water and Ginny drew close over shared tragedy.

I was a bit on edge reading Jesse’s past POV chapters because as the reader you know the eventual outcome, but it gave depth and history to the story that wouldn’t be there otherwise. Also, it had me rooting for the romance in the future.  I ached for these two to have their much deserved happy ending! I really felt for Jesse, we get glimpses of his raw pain through Water’s POV in the present, although she’s not sure of the reason behind it, at first.  There was just no keeping these two apart and the healing they provide one another filled my heart with joy!

I’ve been a huge fan of K.A. Tucker’s Ten Tiny Breathes series.  Burying Water felt very different, but oh-so-good!   Her talent as a writer shines through with this fresh, suspenseful, and heartfelt tale.

  Connect with K.A. Tucker:

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Monthly Recap: September

Hi all, I hope you've had a great month! I (Jasprit) was finally able to get down to some reading this month, I read a total of 11 books! I don't think I've read that many in a month since like April. I'm hoping to tackle more from my review month next month, I've kind of gotten way behind with that. If you know of any review pile reading challenges taking place, let me know in the comments. This month our monthly poll is back for you, this time instead of having books which have been on my shelves for ages, I've picked out some books that I've just bought recently, so make sure you vote at the end of our post! 

Number of Books read:
Jasprit: 11
Rachel: 14

Highest rating:
Jasprit: 5 stars
Rachel: 5 stars
 
Lowest rating:
Jasprit: 2 stars
Rachel: DNF

Books reviewed:

Jasprit: 

(click on titles for review link)

Rachel: 

(click on titles for review link)

 

Best read of last month:

Jasprit: Shimmer by Paula Weston. I received an early review copy of this, but wasn't able to get to my copy until this month. Honestly this series just gets better and better, Weston knows how to create a fabulous cast and keep you wanting more. Also that ending you have to be kidding me right? 

Rachel: 

Tie between Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor and Shatter by Erin McCarthy.  I just LOVED both of them soooo hard!

Book which surprised me the most: 

Jasprit: Magnolia by Kristi Cook. I don't know what I was expecting going into this book, but it certainly wasn't this. With the reading funk I had been in, it was exactly the sort of book that I needed, it was funny, cute and books which feature two characters who are constantly at each others throats, when you know they'd make a great couple are always winners for me.

Rachel: 

Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor.  I was very skeptical when I heard the heroine was pregnant with four small children! How was that supposed to work?  Color me surprised when I swooned and melted!

Fictional crush of the month:

Jasprit: Rafa from Shimmer. This guy sure knows how to bring the swoon. His cheeky demeanor just makes him even more irresistible. I hope we get even more swoon from him in the next book Burn.

Rachel:

Oh definitely Matt from Worth the Fall! He was all yummy MAN, but didn't let that stop him from being so very attentive to those kids! Any guy who can have enough confidence to indulge a three-year-old by playing Barbies has my vote!

Three books I'm most looking forward to this month:

Jasprit:
 (Click on titles for Goodreads link)


With so many great book to movie adaptations coming out this month, I of course had to make The Maze Runner a priority, also I'm one of those readers who can't go back to a book once I've seen the movie! I'm thrilled that our UK publishers are getting some big titles over here now too. Macmillan are releasing both Famous in Love and My True Love Gave to Me this month, and although I would have loved to have saved both for Christmas, I'm just itching to get started with these straight away.

Rachel:

(Click on titles for Goodreads link)

I've been enjoying my first love in reading: mysteries! Being in and out of a book slump this last month, mysteries (with a little romance of course) seem to yank me out of my negative feelings.  Mean Streak and Every Breath are both mysteries, one adult and one YA so I'm really excited! Historicals are a nice change of pace to get me out of a rut and Only Enchanting sounds wonderful!

Bookish Photo: 

I (Rachel) went to see If I Stay earlier this month with Arlene @Winterhaven Books and this was my "must have" essentials.  The tissues came in very handy! Even Arlene appreciated my forethought (makeup in your eye, yeah, right!).

Monthly Poll:

For this months poll I've decided to feature books which I've bought recently.

Which book should Jasprit read this month?

How was your month of September?