Twisted Palace by Erin Watt

Title: Twisted Palace (The Royals #3)

Author: Erin Watt

Publisher: Everafter Romance

Release Date: October 17, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

These Royals will ruin you…

From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.

Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome.

Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation. 

No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all.

They might be right.

With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace.

Over the last few months, you’ve probably heard about Erin Watt’s Royal series. You know, those books that feature some seriously twisted characters and their very addicting story. The conclusion, Twisted Palace, was just as good as the first two books and wrapped everything up perfectly.

Erin Watt’s Royals series took me completely by surprise. Sure the two authors behind the pen name are authors whose books I love, but I didn’t think I would get as hooked on these books as I did. I was able to read Paper Princess and Broken Prince back to back (thankfully!) but then the wait for Twisted Palace was painful. Especially after the way that Broken Prince ended. I remember thinking that the October release date couldn’t come soon enough because I just needed to know what happened next. Every time I thought I had a handle on everything that was happening, another curve ball was thrown at me and I was back at square one trying to figure out exactly what was going on with all these people. Basically, this book was just as twisted as the title hints it would be (at this point, with a title like Twisted Palace it would be weird if it WASN’T twisted at all). But at the end, everything was resolved in a way that made sense for the overall story. And, the best part, it left the door open for more books about the Royal clan. In particular Easton and I am VERY happy about that. Because Easton is my favourite and I will fight pretty much anyone for him. But I digress.

Much like I was surprised by how addicted I got to these books, I was surprised by how much I found myself caring about the characters. The Royals, in particular, weren’t necessarily unlikable but they also weren’t particularly easy to like at times. But by the time I reached the end of Twisted Palace I loved those baggage-laden Royals. A lot. I would be more than happy to keep reading books about them for a long, long time. I’m already excited about the possibility of an Easton book. And I wouldn’t mind a book about the twins. Or about Gideon for that matter. And I would obviously love to keep reading more about Reed and Ella. And I want more about Val and Wade because I have a strong feeling that would be both entertaining and interesting to read. Basically, I just want more books set around the Royals and their friends. That’s not so much to ask, is it? I hardly think I’m the only one who wants that…

If you like stories packed with romance, twists and intrigue and haven’t yet read Erin Watt’s Royals series, you seriously need to get on that. And if you choose to read them, I dare you not to become addicted to this story.

Keepsake by Sarina Bowen

Title: Keepsake (True North #3)

Author: Sarina Bowen

Publisher: Rennie Road Books

Release Date: October 25, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

There’s a first time for everything.

Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.

When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.

Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.

Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.

Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove that he’s good for much more than farm labor. 

If you love romance and have yet to read any of Sarina Bowen's books, then you are seriously missing out. I have loved every one I've read and am always left begging for more. Her latest, Keepsake, was everything I hoped it would be and I loved reading every single page of it.

I absolutely LOVE getting to read a new Sarina Bowen book, especially when it's one I feel like I've been looking forward to reading for forever. Reading one of her books is like reconnecting with old friends after not having seen them for a while and feeling like no time at all has passed. And I love that feeling. So it really should come as no surprise that I loved reading Keepsake. In fact, I pretty much devoured it. Zach's story was one I had been curious about for such a long time and I was so happy to finally be able to read it. And the story completely lived up to my expectations. Lark and Zach's story wasn't always an easy one to read, especially when you find out everything's that happened to them to bring them to where they are today. But at the same time, their story gives you hope that no matter how horrible things are at one time, there is always a chance they will get better. that you'll meet someone that will help you leave that horrible past behind. That's very much what Zach and Lark were for each other and I loved seeing their unlikely relationship grow and develop. They might have been an unlikely match, but they just worked and somehow made sense. And I had full faith that they would make it through everything and come out stronger together on the other side. 

In the previous two True North books, Zach was always there in the background, quietly doing his thing. And because we only ever found out the bare minimum about him, I was beyond curious as to what his story was. I loved getting to know him in Keepsake. Even though it wasn't pleasant, I loved finding out about his past and seeing how that past still affected him today. And there were moments where my heart was breaking for him. Because Zach never deserved what happened to him, and despite his doubts, he deserved to be loved and he was worthy of it. And obviously I loved Zach, but that's pretty much a given at this point. Lark was the perfect balance to Zach's quiet nature. Even if she was putting up a front after everything that happened to her in South America. She was struggling so much with everything even though she didn't want to be struggling. I wanted so badly for Lark to find her way back to herself without too much pain, but at the same time the pain was necessary to get her to where she needed to be. It wasn't easy to read, but I loved reading it and seeing it all come together. 

Sarina Bowen's Keepsake was an absolutely beautiful story. Though it wasn't always easy to read, I loved every moment of it and would have happily kept reading about Lark and Zach. And the Shipley clan in general. Based on the ending of Keepsake, I may be getting my wish about that at some point...

A Place in the Sun by R.S. Grey

Title: A Place in the Sun

Author: R.S. Grey

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: October 24, 2016

Source: ARC from Author

Buy the Book: Amazon 

When her mother’s incessant matchmaking hits an all-time high, Georgie Archibald does what any sensible woman would do: she flees the country.

Seeking refuge in the picturesque seaside village of Vernazza, Italy, Georgie’s only plan is to lie low, gorge herself on gelato, and let the wine and waves wash her troubles away…that is until she was up in a bed that belongs to the most romantic-looking man she’s ever seen.

Gianluca.

After going out of his way to rescue her, the former London financier turned mysterious recluse makes it clear that despite acting as her white knight, he has no plans to co-star in her fairytale.

But Georgie isn’t asking for his heart—she’s merely intrigued.

After all, Gianluca isn’t just gorgeous—tall and tan from days spent in the sun—his touch sets her world on fire. With him, Georgie experiences the most intoxicating passion she’s ever known, and it only takes a few steamy nights for her to realize that sometimes running away from trouble is the best way to find it.

I always get excited about a new romance story from R.S. Grey. She’s one of my go-to romance authors and for good reason. Her latest, A Place in the Sun, reminded me of why I love reading these stories as much as I do all while making me fall in love with new characters.

Over the last few years, R.S. Grey has become one of my go-to authors when it comes to romance. I’ve read all but a couple of her books, and I’ve enjoyed every single one. Sure there are some that I’ll love more than others, but I have yet to read a book by R.S. Grey and not get sucked into the story. And of course that was no different with her latest, A Place in the Sun. Her stories always manage to grab my attention right away, and while reading them everything else around me seems to just disappear. A large part of that is, of course, the romance. And since I'm a sucker for a good love story, that really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In this particular case, I loved seeing things slowly develop between Georgie and Gianluca, the constant push and pull that was there between them until they finally gave in to what was happening there. It might not have exactly been easy going for them, but the end result was definitely more than worth it. Not just because Georgie and Gianluca were great together, but also because I loved them as individuals.

If you’ve read The Summer Games: Settling the Score then you might remember Georgie Archibald as Freddie’s spirited younger sister. In this book, Georgie is all grown up and looking to find love for herself. Or at least to find love without her mother’s meddling. And you can’t really blame a girl for wanting to get away from a matchmaking mother, especially when it means running away to the Italian Riviera (side note - if you don’t want to immediately hop on a plane to Cinque Terre by the time you finish this book then there’s something wrong with you). And that’s what I loved about Georgie, that she wasn’t afraid to just take things in her own hands and leave what she knew behind in order to do things her own way. And she was determined to get what she wanted. When she decided that she was going to renovate the bed and breakfast, there was no way she was taking no for an answer, no matter how many times Gianluca told her just that. I loved her strong will, even if it sometimes got her into trouble (because those parts usually had me laughing). As for Gianluca, I loved seeing him slowly come out of his shell as he decided to start living in the present a little more. Sure it wasn’t always easy going, but he was doing his best and sometimes that’s all you can really ask for at the end of the day. And just like with all of R.S. Grey’s books, the cast of secondary characters is just as fantastic as the main characters.

Once again, R.S. Grey didn’t disappoint. A Place in the Sun was just as great as I hoped it would be and I would have been happy to keep reading about Georgie and Gianluca forever. The only downside is that I now really want to go to Italy.

About the Author

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

​

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors are Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

   

Cover Reveal - A Place in the Sun by R.S. Grey

Title: A Place in the Sun

Author: R.S. Grey

Release Date: October 24, 2016

Add on Goodreads

When her mother’s incessant matchmaking hits an all-time high, Georgie Archibald does what any sensible woman would do: she flees the country.

Seeking refuge in the picturesque seaside village of Vernazza, Italy, Georgie’s only plan is to lie low, gorge herself on gelato, and let the wine and waves wash her troubles away...that is until she wakes up in a bed that belongs to the most romantic-looking man she’s ever seen.

Gianluca.

After going out of his way to rescue her, the former London financier turned mysterious recluse makes it clear that despite acting as her white knight, he has no plans to co-star in her fairytale.

But Georgie isn’t asking for his heart—she’s merely intrigued.

After all, Gianluca isn’t just gorgeous—tall and tan from days spent in the sun—his touch sets her world on fire. With him, Georgie experiences the most intoxicating passion she’s ever known, and it only takes a few steamy nights for her to realize that sometimes running away from trouble is the best way to find it.

About the Author

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

​

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors are Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

   

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Title: It Ends With Us

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: August 2, 2016

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never topped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all-too-human characters, It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

Every book I read by Colleen Hoover becomes a favourite. There’s no way around it. But even then, whenever I pick up a new one I can’t help but be afraid it won’t live up to the expectations I have. But every time those expectations are more than surpassed. And it was no different with It Ends With Us.

I am a big lover of all of Colleen Hoover’s books. The way she writes and tells stories always manages to both break my heart and give me hope in love. Reading the synopsis for It Ends With Us I thought I was going to be in for a the usual Colleen Hoover story. But as I found out more about the book and more reviews started popping up, I realized that this story was going to be completely different from the rest. If you’re picking up It Ends With Us expecting a typical romance, you’ll be disappointed because that’s not all what this is. Yes, there’s a romance element since much of the book is about how Lily fell in love with Ryle in the present and how she fell in love with Atlas when she was a teenager. And, yes, at first it does read like a typical romance but very quickly there are hints that things are not going to go the way you think they will. Instead of a love story between a boy and a girl, it’s a story about a girl loving herself and putting herself instead of her relationship first, no matter how hard that was to do. And that’s where the power of the story is: it shows the reader that no matter how strong you think you are, those hard decisions are always going to be hard and that your happily ever after may not look the way you thought it would. 

It Ends With Us is very much Lily’s story, whether that’s her story with Ryle in the present or her story with Atlas in the past. But more than being about her relationship with either guy, it’s about her choosing herself over either guy. There were so many times where I struggled with reading Lily’s story. And I mean that in a good way because it wasn’t an easy story to read. As much as I knew she deserved better than someone like Ryle, someone who had the potential to physically hurt her, I could see how she was struggling to put herself first and protect herself because of her feelings for him. While reading, I understood her struggle and I understood how even the strongest of people can end up in situations like the one Lily finds herself in. And much like Lily, despite everything, there were moments when I really like Ryle, moments when I wanted to believe that his anger was just a one off thing and that it wouldn’t happen again. As for Atlas, for a long time I wasn’t sure what I thought of him. And I think that had to do in large part with how I felt about Ryle. I didn’t want to be disappointed by both men in this story, I wanted one of them to be good for Lily. And after everything, I couldn’t help but doubt that Atlas could be that for her. And I was more than happy to be proved wrong. 

With It Ends With Us Colleen Hoover wrote a powerful and heartbreaking story that needed to be told. It wasn’t easy to read, in fact there were times when it was painful, but that’s what made this story so great. It broke my heart, but it also gave me hope.