Stealing Our Hearts

“He’s stubborn and moody and self-loathing, but I don’t think he loved a single thing until he met you.”

Oh man. It’s been so long since I’ve read a good bully romance. This story gave me alllll the feels. It was exactly what I needed to get over the book slump I was in. I’ve got to be honest with you guys, bully romances aren’t usually my thing. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but there’s a line that can’t be crossed in a bully romance. Once it’s crossed, it impossible to come back from it. The characters aren’t redeemable anymore and it just becomes painful to read. I’ve experienced a couple of bully romances like that and pretty much gave up on them all together. It’s too difficult and triggering. It had been a few months since I really sat down with one, so I figured I’d give this book a try. I’d been hearing a lot of positive things about this story and yes, I can confirm they are all true.

Thayer and Shayne are absolutely explosive. Any time they are together, it’s like nothing and no one else exists. I wish there was a better way to describe this pair, but all I can think about is how volatile they are. The push and pull between these two is addicting.  At the beginning of our story, Thayer’s brother, Danny, has died and everyone is attending the funeral. Shayne lives with Thayer and his brother Holden because her mother is engaged to his father. Their parents are practically never around, so it’s kind of a free for all. After the funeral, we fast forward and months pass. Shayne’s mother splits with Thayer’s father, meaning that they never get married, and Shayne moves away. When our story picks up again, Shayne is moving back to Heartbreak Hill where Thayer’s and his brother Holden have decided they HATE Shayne because they blame her brother for the death of Danny. It takes a little while for the story to unfold, but basically, Shayne doesn’t understand why Holden and Thayer are so hateful towards her when they were once best friends. On top of that, she and Thayer had a secret affair that no one knew about, and even though he’s now terrible to her, the attraction is still alive and kicking. 

We spend a good half of this novel with Holden and Thayer attacking Shayne and being downright horrible to her. Eventually, they start to believe that she might actually be innocent in all of this and not realize that her brother is a potential killer. That’s when everything turns around. Suddenly, Holden is protective of her and treats her like a sister again. Thayer is kinder towards her, still cold sometimes, but better than before. Slowly things return to the way they were before Danny’s death, and Thayer and Shayne pick up where they left off. They can’t seem to stop or stay away from each other. They are madly in love, even though Thayer doesn’t want to admit it. A lot happens in this book. You find out what actually happened to Danny and many secrets are revealed. It’s exciting and intense. When Thayer finally confesses his undying love to Shayne and lets himself feel the full brunt of his emotions, it’s life changing for both of them. He’s kept his heart locked away for so long, that when he finally breaks down his walls, he can’t stop the love from pouring out.  The things he says and does for Shayne are INCREDIBLE. Ugh I loved this book. It rivals LJ Shen’s All Saints High series, in my opinion. 5 stars!! 

“You’re the only boy I’ve ever loved.”

**WARNING: SPOILERS**

So it’s official…I’m a ginormous Andrea Johnston fan. She writes the best small town romances! Seriously! My first experience with her was Whiskey & Honey. I won that paperback in a giveaway on Instagram and fell in love with the world she’d created. As I read through that series, I started to research more of Johnston’s work because I couldn’t get enough. That’s how I found the Military Men of Lexington series. And now here we are!

This is a “falling in love with my best friend’s girl” story. Except that the best friend died before the story even began and the “girl” was his soon-to-be ex-wife. Our author gives us a lot to work with from the very beginning of this novel. There’s not an ounce of cheating, there isn’t even a hint about an attraction prior to when this story begins, which is really nice. Scarlett loses her husband, Henry, in a car accident when she’s newly pregnant with their son. She grieves the loss of her husband, but not because she was madly in love with him. In fact, she was planning on filing for divorce after their son was born. She grieves because she still cared about her husband and wanted her son to be able to grow up knowing his father. Taylor, Henry’s best friend, comes into town to help take care of Scarlett as she struggles with handling being pregnant on top of losing her husband. He shows her compassion and gives her a shoulder to cry on when she needs it. Scarlett begins to crave Taylor’s touch and his kindness. She, at first, chalks it up to pregnancy hormones and doesn’t believe that Taylor could ever feel the same way about her. After one incident leaves her feeling embarrassed and vulnerable, Scarlett goes weeks without speaking to Taylor and ends up going into labor early. When Taylor shows up and takes care of her, moving her into his home, their feelings continue to grow. Eventually, Taylor gives in and they get their HEA.

That was the very short, sweet version on this story. It’s important to note that there’s a bit of danger which leads to Scarlett moving into Taylor’s home after she gives birth. The danger is that someone has been breaking into her house, leaving her voicemails, sending her letters in the mail…and she feels threatened. We eventually find out who is behind it all, but it’s what leads her into Taylor’s arms. There are also some very important secondary characters to mention, Grant – who the next book in the series is about – is Henry and Taylor’s Captain from their army days. He is a big help to Scarlett while she’s juggling her feelings for Taylor and being a new mom. Also, Addy – Taylor’s sister, who becomes a close confidant for Scarlett. Man, I really loved this book. I should probably go back and read book one, but all I want to do is start Grant’s story! 4 stars!

“Thank you, baby. You trust me with your life?” I ask as she offers me a small smile and nods. “What about your heart?” “Oh Taylor, I gave that to you months ago.”

“I don’t know if I’ve found the meaning of life, but I know you are my life. You light up my world and make everything beautiful, Kaylee.”

This is a second chance romance, but not in the way that you would assume. This is a story of grief and moving on from your past. The “second chance” aspect of it is different for both Kaylee and Ty. They both get another chance at life and it’s beautiful.

Ty was a professional bull rider on his way to the top. In a drunk driving accident, Ty almost loses his leg, and does lose all chances of ever riding bulls professionally again. He turns to medication and alcohol to numb the pain. When we meet Ty, at the beginning of our story, he has overcome his addiction and is now fighting his feelings for Kaylee. Kaylee is best friends with Lincoln, the heroine from Never Enough, and she officially relocated to Montana after her fiancé committed suicide in their home in Georgia. She needed a fresh start and her best friend offered her a new beginning. The first moment Kaylee lays eyes on Ty, she knows nothing will ever be the same again. The first time they kiss? It’s love. But even though Ty feels that connection, he backs away from her, putting her at arms length. Ty won’t let himself have Kaylee because he thinks she deserves better. Someone that’s not him, that doesn’t come with all his baggage. What he doesn’t realize is that all she wants is him.

This novel is about the romantic exploration between these two. Ty is trying to pick his life back up and figure out how to move forward since his original plans crashed and burned. Kaylee is trying to allow herself to heal and romantically move on after the devastation of losing her fiancé.  The very best part about this novel is the push and pull between the two. The game of cat and mouse that they are always playing. As soon as Kaylee lets her guard down and opens herself up to Ty, he throws his walls back up and pushes her away. BUT, as soon as Ty is ready to be vulnerable with Kaylee, she shoots him down. It’s painful and heartbreaking and there is definitely a few scares in there when it comes to other people trying to mess up their relationship, but everything turns out for the best. When they finally admit their love for each other, I was crying. It felt like I had been holding my breath for so long. The declaration was absolutely perfect and refreshing. Kaylee said it first and allowed Ty time to come to terms with the love himself. She was confident enough in herself and in them that she didn’t need verbal confirmation from him, which was SO awesome. 

This was a 5 star read for me. I’ve never read anything by Kelly Elliott before, but now I definitely will have to go back and read Never Enough. I’m beyond excited for book three to come out, I think that will be Tanner’s story (I hope!). We were introduced to Kaylee’s cousin, Timberlyn, in this novel (at the very end) and Tanner couldn’t keep his tongue inside his mouth. I CAN’T WAIT! 

“It’s always been you. It will always be you, Kaylee.”

“You’re…my light, Evianna. I don’t know how else to say it. You…chase some of the darkness away.”

This is hands down my favorite book in this series. The characters, the plot, the action…everything screamed perfection. Seriously, I freaking LOVED THIS BOOK. I was so obsessed that I actually read it through twice before I wrote this review. Another *very* important fact to note is that I actually bought this e-book. Patricia D Eddy’s Away From Keyboard series is not available on Kindle Unlimited, which is how I read almost all of my books. I’m in a romance reader group on Facebook and our author posted that this book was on sale for 99 cents this week only. Guys…I’ve been waiting for this book to go on sale for SO LONG. I jumped at the chance to grab it. This is my first purchase of an ebook on Kindle! So totally worth it!

In this novel we get to delve a little more in Dax’s life. We meet him in book three of this series, On His Six, with Ryker and Wren. I had the pleasure of reading that book when it was available on KU for a hot second. Best grab EVER. Anyway, so yes we get to know Dax in this story. We also meet Evianna, a coder (similar to Wren who was a hacker) who gets herself in a bit of trouble when a project goes awry. Her life is threatened and she needs protection, so she reaches out to Dax’s company, Second Sight. They are a private security firm made up of ex military men and women. When Dax’s main man has to go off grid to deal with some personal issues, it leaves Dax to protect Evianna himself. Only problem is…he’s blind. 

In this story, we get to navigate the world as Dax experiences it, through smell, sound, and touch. Dax falls in love with Evianna for everything that she is, not what she looks like. She even comments on how she’s carrying about thirty extra pounds on her that she shouldn’t be because of her eating habits. But we never see her. As the reader, you’re never really given a clear picture of her because Dax can’t ever see her. We know that she has chestnut hair and fair skin because of how Ryker describes her to Dax one time. Other than that, it’s all about how she smells and the sounds she makes and what she feels like. It’s incredible and so sexy. The writing is sensual and passionate. It sucks you in and feeds your soul as our story moves. Everything about Dax and Evianna is gorgeous and remarkable. I can’t believe it took me this long to read this book!! If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Brilliant and lovely ❤

“Kissing her…it’s like coming home.”

This is the first book in the Bennett Boys Ranch series by Lauren Landish and there’s a reason it has so many good reviews on Amazon. This novel is phenomenal. It’s smooth and easy to read, there are perfect places to take breaks, it doesn’t leave you an emotional mess, and there’s so much room for growth with the other brothers. It’s the perfect set up for a series that I don’t think has ever been done quite this well.

This story is about James, the youngest of the Bennett brothers, a rodeo cowboy, who falls in love with Sophie a city girl who comes into town for a job as a vet assistant. Their love is spicy from the get-go. They fight and makeup with so much passion, it melts off the pages as you read. Seriously it’s HOT. We spend most of the book engrossed in their love affair. As their feelings for each other grow, they have to figure out what to do about their futures. Do they want to be together or should they go their separate ways? And the declaration of love between the two? Oh my god, it is so precious. 

My favorite little tidbit in this novel was Sophie and James’ use of the word “even”. It reminded me of “okay” from The Fault in our Stars. Sophie and James volley back and forth, at first, wanting to get even on sexual favors, but soon turning it into more. It’s extra little additions to a story like that that give it the five star worthy rating. I can’t wait to continue reading more of this story. I’m dying for Mark’s book, the oldest brother. He’s the strong silent type. I just know it’s going to be delicious and passionate and I am so excited! This book deserves 5 stars. Beautiful story with even better characters! Bravo, Lauren!

“How could I have even considered not spending every day with this woman? She’s everything I could ever wish for, everything I could ever want, just…everything.”

“I wanted easy. Predictable. Numb. I didn’t want someone who would make me feel. I wanted someone I could place in a carefully constructed box. That was never you, you could never fit into some small sliver of my life, you snuck into every last piece of it. The scent of you lingers in every room, your touch burns my skin long after you take your hand away. You crawled into my fucking heart, and I know I’ll never get you out. I never want to try. I love you, Kennedy.”

I won a copy of this book in an Instagram giveaway, and I had never read it before. I figured, why not give it a shot. I’d never read anything by Catherine Cowles, but I had heard of her and it was all good things. So glad I read this book!!! It is spectacular.

Our story opens with Kennedy’s family’s fall from grace. Her father has been stealing money from his clients, and the FBI contacted Kennedy to see if she could get a confession from him. Spoiler: she does. And it completely ruins her life. So much so that she changes her last name and moves to a small town called Sutter Lake. She’s living a happy life in Sutter Lake until Cain blows into town. Cain is a billionaire from Portland who goes to Sutter Lake to get away from everything after he buries his mother. His friends live in Sutter Lake, so he decides to buy a house that he can vacation in and take some time away for himself. He’s doing fine until he sees Kennedy. These two are volatile. Both of them have secrets in their pasts that they are running from and neither of them are very good at trusting people. But…they can’t seem to get each other out of their heads. 

This story was one for the books. There is a lot that happens in the last 30% that I never saw coming. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also relieving. Because of issues in his past, Cain has a difficult time letting go of things. He has this crazy need to protect Kennedy, even more than his own best friends. She is trying to stand on her own two feet and repay the universe for the sins of her father. She doesn’t need to be protected, but Cain can’t let it go. When push comes to shove and the worst thing ever actually happens, Cain loses it. But in losing it, he’s able to find a piece of himself again that he thought he lost. Our characters grow so much in this novel, both in healing and forgiving. It’s remarkable. This story was beautiful and I adored it. 5 stars.

P.S. After reading this book and writing this review I bought the other 3 books in this series in paperback. I’m officially obsessed with Catherine Cowles. Eeeeeeeep!

“There’s nothing in this life I’m more grateful for than you.”

I can officially say that THIS Harlow James book gave me the biggest book hangover out of any of the books she’s ever written. Do you want to cry? Well, have we got the book for you! I’m left with a vacant feeling in my chest, overcome with sadness that this series is ending. I don’t want to let go of my favorite characters in this incredibly special world.  Someone teach me how to say goodbye! Like they always say, all good things must come to an end, so now we have to say farewell to the beloved characters of Emerson Falls. I don’t know about you guys, but this series changed me. It changed the way I read books, the way I appreciate character development and dialogue. Harlow has a very unique way of writing that welcomes everyone in and makes you feel like a part of one big family. The time she spends interacting with her readers outside of the normal shoutout glows in her writing style. She’s a people lover, she knows what we want to read, and she knows how to make it happen in an interesting, thought-provoking way. I spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted to write this review because it felt so different from the other stories. So final. This book made me FEEL. I’m not kidding, it was gut-wrenching at times. It was the perfect ending to this series, I couldn’t have asked for anything better

We first meet Jess in Piper’s book, Captivated, when they become close friends while working as nurses at the hospital together. In this new book, we get to explore more of Jess and her complex, headstrong personality. She’s perfect. That’s the only way I can describe her. She’s funny, witty, smart, and driven. She has fears, but when she meets a challenge, she faces it head on. She jumps into a battle alone during this novel, and even though it’s scary and there’s a lot unknown, she steps up to the plate. She doesn’t back down even when things get difficult. There are a lot of things I can’t say in this review because it would spoil the book, but just know this: get ready. This journey is not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of things that happen in this story that I wasn’t expecting, but every twist and turn is worth it in the end. 

And that ending? Talk about going out with a bang! I’ve only really been impressed by one other series ending and that was Kate Stewart’s The Underdogs series. Kate ties everything up for us beautifully in the last book, I loved it. Harlow does that, but even better. We get to say goodbye to all our favorite characters, at the end of this story, in a beautiful and remarkable way. It’s special to Jess in a way that makes her character stand out to me even more. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved all of Harlow’s heroines, but there’s something special about Jess. And don’t even get me started on Brooks!! Holy moly. That man is something else. Cash is still my man *swoon*, but Brooks is definitely in second place (sorry Kane). I’m all about those delicious doctors! Brooks is unique in his own way too because he comes from out of nowhere and has to find his way into our inclusive little group. He went to high school in Emerson Falls, so he knows Cooper a little bit from the football team, but other than that he is kind of a wild card. But boy was I impressed with the way he fit into our team and bonded with the boys. It was amazing. 

This entire series is special to me and I will hold it in my heart forever. Now it’s time for me to get paperback copies of each one!! I can’t wait to have the entire collection!  Take some time to read this series, you won’t be sorry. It will set your soul on fire. I love you and Happy Birthday, Harlow. 

“Sometimes you just need to jump.”

“Why do you dance, Charlotte?”

This was a gorgeous second chance romance with a good bit of drama mixed in. There were a lot of things I really loved about this book, but most of all, I thought it was a really solid story. The plot was thick but there wasn’t too much filler. Every character was developed and there is even more room to grow (Grey’s story please!). It was just an all-around enjoyable experience. 

Charlotte and Deacon are two peas in a pod from the moment they meet. When they first meet as children, Deacon is burying his dog Duke in his backyard. Keep in mind, our sweet Deacon is only eight years old at the time and he’s out in hundred degree weather, burying his dog because he father is an abusive asshole. No joke, I was already crying. I knew this story would destroy me when, not even 20 pages in, I was already a sobbing mess. So anyway, Charlotte comes over and holds Deacon’s hand and helps him have a “funeral” for Duke. I think Deacon falls in love with her that very same day. Later, Deacon is adopted by Charlotte’s family and raised with Charlotte as his sister. He can’t help but still be madly in love with her. Deacon joins the military with Aiden, Charlotte’s older brother, after high school. These two are inseparable, the best of friends. It’s only when Aiden gets killed in the line of duty, does Deacon begin to spin out of control. Deacon has to get his life together before he can commit to the woman he loves. This is the story of how Deacon comes back and fights for what he wants. 

A lot happens in this book, good and bad. The best part about this book, in my opinion, is the letter writing. It’s something that Charlotte does when Deacon is away at war and then something that Deacon does when Charlotte has pushed him out of her life. There’s a beauty in letter writing that I think has been lost in our technological world. I wish more people wrote letters. It takes time and it’s more meaningful. There’s a lot of miscommunication in this book, there are a lot of broken promises and missed opportunities, but there is also a lot of forgiveness and second chances. It’s a really beautiful story that deserves to be read. 4 stars.

“I love you with every piece of my soul. Will you be my forever?”

“Light chases the darkness away. If it comes back, I’ll hold your hand and lead you to the light again. Better yet, I’ll hold you in the light. I’ll never let you walk alone.”

Tia Louise has done it again. She kidnapped my heart with Wait For Me, but she stole the breath right out of my lungs with this story. If you don’t want to cry, then don’t read this. It’s powerful and heartbreaking and everything you need in a second chance romance. 

What is it about second chance romances that completely destroy me? I’m really not sure. They ruin my heart, though. Everything in me is constantly screaming at the two leads, begging them to get their lives together and give in to their desires. Second chance romance makes me feel vulnerable, it breaks down the walls around my heart for just a little while and lets all the emotions in. Good, bad, and ugly. There’s something so rewarding about a second chance, no matter what destroyed the relationship the first time. In this case, it was a collection of different things. Sawyer came back from the war a different man. He suffered from severe PTSD and insecurities. Mindy had her own slew of issues, the biggest one being that she needed to find herself. She was so in love with Sawyer that she didn’t have her own identity. They both needed to grow on their own before they could be good together.

Sawyer goes to therapy, finally, after he has a particularly bad PTSD episode. He leaves Mindy and travels to Nashville for six months to help himself overcome these issues. Obviously PTSD is something that you can’t ever really get rid of, but he is able to learn to control it with mediation, medication, and a whole bunch of tools he learns from his therapist. While he’s gone, Mindy travels to Dallas to begin her design company. She stays there for six months getting everything set up and coincidentally moves home right when Sawyer is moving back. I really believe in the saying “everything happens for a reason”, and I think that’s prevalent in this story. Sawyer and Mindy were always meant to be, it’s just that their timing was off for so long. 

“They say you can’t fall in love as a kid, not real love, but I’ve loved her all my life. It took almost losing her for me to know it as a loss I’d never survive.”

Here With Me is a story of second chances and answered prayers. It’s a story of two people, so inexplicably in love, that neither time nor space could deter them. I fell in love with Mindy and Sawyer the moment I opened the book and that unaltered devotion stayed with me through the very end. That’s not to say that I didn’t get angry with our characters from time to time, because believe me, Sawyer got on my last nerve quite a bit, but I still rooted for them. There’s nothing better than a first love. Mindy was in love with Sawyer from the first moment that she met him and it only grew. This was such a brilliant, heartfelt love story. Definitely another staple for my bookshelf. Bravo! 5 stars!

P.S. When our couple watches La La Land I started wailing. If you haven’t seen that movie, then you won’t understand why Mindy gets upset at the ending. Spoiler: the couple doesn’t end up together. They choose their dreams over each other. It’s heartbreaking, but I own that movie and I watch it every chance I get. It’s a reminder to appreciate the time you have with someone because not everyone gets a happily ever after.

“No one could talk me out of loving you. Not even you.”

“When Kaleb stopped talking, I tried to use sign language with him,” he tells me. “I still remember some of it.” And then he puts his palm to his chest and taps twice, imitating the gesture Kaleb made before he left last week. “This…” he says, “means ‘mine’.”

WARNING: I used a lot of explicit language in this review and there are definitely some spoilers ahead – you have been warned.

That was the strangest, most romance, best fucking book I’ve ever read. Holy shit. Guys, I don’t even know how I’m feeling right now. It took me all afternoon and evening to finish that book. I usually am a really fast reader, but I was so obsessed and addicted, that I purposefully forced myself to slow down and sometimes I re-read pages over and over again because I wanted the book to last. Truthfully, I’ve never read anything like this book before. This is new territory for me. I’m equal parts intrigued, turned on, and annoyed. 

There’s a lot that goes on in this book, but the important thing to remember is that this isn’t a reverse harem novel. It’s a novel about a woman coming of age and finding herself. She explores her sexuality, she figures out what it means to be alive, and she falls in love. There is truly nothing better than a coming of age story, in my opinion. Tiernan, our heroine, loses her parents in a double suicide at the very beginning of our story. She was never loved by them, often forgotten about or left behind. She never knew what it meant to be appreciated or disciplined. Her parents die a few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, so she has to go live with her step-uncle Jake, and his two sons Noah and Kaleb in their home in the mountains. Tiernan is used to living a life apart from others, she’s always been alone at boarding school and even in her own parents house, so when she’s thrust into a life with three men, things get interesting. 

This is the part of the story where some readers fell of the bandwagon. I can understand why, but I think it was still super important for Tiernan to experience. So yes, she sleeps with all of them. Her step-uncle takes her virginity and they have a very close, safe sexual partnership for a little while. But then she also sleeps with her step-cousins. Both of them at the same time, the first time, which was so fucking hot. But as she begins to come into herself and explore her emotions, she starts really falling for Kaleb. It’s important to note that Kaleb doesn’t speak. He has selective mutism. When he was four years old, he went through a very traumatic experience and stopped speaking. Tiernan has no way of communicating with Kaleb because he doesn’t ever really respond to her. She is never sure of how he feels about her and that leaves her vulnerable. A lot of really interesting eventful things happen in this book, which all lead up to Tiernan’s inevitable departure from the house. She realizes that she needs to get ahold of her life again. She learned so much about herself in the house in the mountains, and now she gets to go out into the world and be an adult. She grows, she matures, she blossoms. God, it was incredible to watch. Tiernan speaks about the 3 L’s as it pertains to relationships before you settle down: Lust, Learn, and Love. I think she experienced all 3 with these men. Lust with Jake, Learn with Noah, and Love with Kaleb. So simple yet so complex.

THIS NOVEL WAS PERFECT.  I wish there was more I could say without giving everything away, but I think I’ve said enough for now. This is an extremely sexual novel, definitely not for the faint of heart. The scenes are graphic and delicious and so freaking steamy. I’m ordering my paperback on amazon right now because I can’t live another day without having a physical copy of this masterpiece. 5 stars! 

“Do you hear yourself better now?” he asks. “Alone?” I smile a little. He found my note. His eyes are still always formidable, but his tone…it betrays his insecurity. He’s worried I don’t want him anymore. “I think I’m ready to hear both of us now,” I tell him.