Friday, February 28, 2014

Author Interview + Giveaway: The Crossover Year by Bhargavi Balachandran

Hey everybody!
Today we have with us Bhargavi Balachandran, she is the author of The Crossover Year. She is here with us today telling us a little bit about her book. There's also a giveaway at the end. Let's get to it :)

Summary-

Meet Sri Anuprabha, aka Anu, a twenty-nine year-old banker who is terrified of entering her thirties. She dreams of quitting her job at the bank, sporting yoga pants and traipsing around the world. Her world turns upside down when things go awry and she is faced with the prospect of spending her days watching Tamil serials. She comes up with a five-point plan for reclaiming her life back before she hits the big 30. But things are never as simple as drawing up a flowchart in real life, are they? Especially with a ghastly recession rearing its ugly head…. Anu bumbles through the corridors of domesticity and travels on a funfilled roller coaster ride in a bid to discover her passion in life.Along the way, she meets new people, experiences crazy new things and learns some hard lessons in marriage, friendship, parenting and life. The Crossover Year is a funny, yet heartwarming story of a woman in search of her identity, and a chronicle of her hilarious quest for discovering her inner mojo. Bring out a platter of cookies and a steaming mug of chai, and join Anu on the ride of her lifetime.

Bhargavi has also recorded a few clips of excerpts from The Crossover Year. So you can hear them if you want right here.

Book links:


Buy the book:


AUTHOR:


INTERVIEW:

1.Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was a corporate pack rat and have sold office equipment, air conditioners and corporate loans after my MBA. One fine day I decided I needed to do something more with my life than live in a cocoon of balance-sheets, sad bosses and such-like. I have written articles for magazines and newspapers and have published a romance novella called Seven Across. I live in Chennai and spend time running behind a toddler who is handful , running an e-comm company , Paisleybay.com and writing ( when bouts of inspiration strikes ;0). I also love reading , travelling and art. 

2.Tell us about your book, The Crossover Year.

It is the story of 29-year old Anu , who is a banker  and is  intensely unhappy with her job. She quits work and goes on a journey of self discovery. The book broaches several serious topics like sexual harassment at work , parenting, work-life balance , passion in life , marriage  and friendship, but does so in a light-hearted and funny (hopefully!)way. 

3.What inspired you to write The Crossover Year?

The broad premise of the book is fairly autobiographical, as the book was written when I quit work and wanted to figure out my ‘calling’ in life. However,  Anu’s experiences and the way she reacts to situations is completely fictionalized. She is too over the top and also way more endearing and fun than I could ever be .I started blogging a month after my 28th birthday and realized that I loved writing. Anu’s story almost wrote itself as I was going through a similar phase myself and it took me a few months to complete the first draft.

 4.Is Anu or any other character from your books based on anyone in your real life?

I believe writers are cannibals when it comes to borrowing little things from their own life. Anu is a masala mix of a few people I know , but there are many facets of her that are totally fictional. So I would say , yes I do take inspiration from people I meet ,  draw from experiences that my friends , acquaintances might have.  A reader recently told me that she had to be careful what she told me , lest it find its way into my next book. 

5.Who are some of your favorite authors?

Some of my all-time favourite authors are : PG Wodehouse , Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni , Jonne Harris , Jerry Pinto , Margaret Atwood , Frank Mc Court , RK Narayan ,Haruki Murakami , Tarquin Hall and many many more.

6.If you had to read only one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Ah, a difficult question. I have re-read very few books , as I always have a stack of books waiting to be read/reviewed.    

7.What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Read as many books as you can possibly manage from different genres. That way you’ll know what works and what doesn’t.  Write at least 300-400 words every day. Like any other
skill , writing also gets better with practice. Keep the faith and keep churning out your manuscripts.  Good luck with your masterpiece.

8.What’s the best part about being an author?

Every author will tell you this that seeing their book in print is almost like giving birth to a baby. It is intense, has a lot of pain and toil attached to it ( the edits most definitely are!). But  all that doesn’t  really matter when you hold the book in your hands. It’s your baby; it’s a part of you. You have breathed life into something that didn’t exist before and you have a book to show for all the long hours you spent cloistered in your room toiling away. That’s the good part. 

9.What’s the worst part about being an author?

When you write a book (even if it’s a work of fiction) , your thoughts and prejudices creep into it. It’s almost like you are carving a part of yourself and putting it the open for the whole world to gawk at. It can be a little unsettling if one is not very sure of oneself.  But that’s how life is: where bouquets fall, brick-bats will also exist. Also , unless you are a best-selling author , there is no money in this pursuit. You do it because you want your stories to be told , not because you want to become a millionaire. So if you don’t have a backup job , things can be very frustrating. 

10.Why should readers buy The Crossover Year?

It’s a fun book that delves into some serious issues, but it is mostly an entertaining read. If you are looking for a cozy read to spend time with on a Sunday afternoon, I would recommend it to you. Here’s what some reviewers and book bloggers have said about the book :

A smile here and laughter there the writing keeps you engaged.” Says Smita Beohar, popular blogger who writes at http://books-life-n-more.blogspot.in/

 “It does seem like a matured venture for a comparatively new writer on the block. Honest, funny and with copious amounts of drama thrown in (no it doesn't get too over-the-top!), it remains a good light-read which surely would rustle up the souls of women who seem to have let dust gather on their minds knowingly or unknowingly, thanks to a hectic lifestyle and an indescribable dullness that raises its head at a point in time.” Says Divya Nambiar who blogs at http://critiquedontcriticize.blogspot.in/

“The other characters in the story also seem to be lifted from real-life situations- neither black or white but having several shades in between. The strong point of the book is that the events in Anu's life, the way she connects with the sub-characters, and her thought process is very rooted to real-life. You can definitely exclaim at many points through the book, 'hey, that's me!' or 'that's my life!’” says Uma Chellappa, Avid blogger and Mum-extraordinaire

“After Indian writing in English came of age a few years back, South Indian writing in English is coming to the fore with the works of authors like Bhargavi. It is certainly interesting to read works with familiar locales, regional sentiments and local slang. A very insightful book in which the protagonist expresses herself very honestly. I could relate very well with Anu and her experiences. ” Says Menaka Sankaralingam , Founder of RAPO.in

When you start reading Bhargavi Balachandran’s Crossover Year, the first thing that strikes you is how effortlessly written it is. Right from the very proper language to the very charming and relatable narrative, Bhargavi has you hooked by sheer talent and skill.” Says Kirti Jayakumar , Author of Stories of Hope 

Thank you so much Bhargavi!

GIVEAWAY:

Bhargavi has offered to giveaway ONE signed copy of The Crossover Year to one lucky Indian reader.
May the odds be ever in your favor! :)


Thanks everyone!
Happy reading :)


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Review- Unspoken by Jen Fredrick

Summary-

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary. 

I've been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He's everything I shouldn't want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren't the danger to me, though, it's his charm. He's sliding his way into my heart and I'm afraid that he's going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered. 

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I'll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I've got fighting and I've got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her. 

She's everything I didn't realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she's been hurt too much in the past and I don't want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can't.

Summary-

Unspoken is the second book in Jen Fredricks Woodlands series. I think I really lucked out when I stumbled upon this series. I liked Unspoken much more than the first book, Undeclared. Jen Fredricks is a really good author and if you love college romances like I do, you should check her books out.

AnnMarie or AM as everybody calls her has been called every dirty name in the book. The whole college thinks she's slept with the entire Lacrosse team. That is why she shies away from everything and everyone except a select few friends. But when Bo becomes her biology lab partner, things change. I loved AM. She was a strong and brave person and I loved the way she stood up for herself.

Bo Randolph is Noah's best friend and a former Marine whom we'd met in the previous book. He's a total player and has slept his way through the entire female population. Bo was amazing. He did have a quick trigger temper but his loyalty for his friends shines through. Bo is very attracted and intrigued by AM and all he wants to do is bring those walls down.

The romance between Bo and AM is not at all hasty. They take their time with each other. The sexual tension between them is thick and when they finally give in to each other their chemistry is hot. There is a ton of depth to their characters and we find what lies beneath the surface. This was a total case of opposites attract but Bo and AM have a lovely understanding of each other. I loved the intimate scenes.

The whole of Woodlands crew is hot and I'm looking forward to each one's books. We get to see how Noah and Grace are doing. Jen Fredricks writing is simple and steady and engaging. I'm looking forward to reading more book from her. I really enjoyed Unspoken.



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Waiting On Wednesday #76

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith 
Publication date- June 24th 2014 


Goodreads Summary: 

Private investigator Cormoran Strike returns in a new mystery from Robert Galbraith, author of the #1 international bestseller The Cuckoo's Calling.

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days--as he has done before--and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives--meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before...

A compulsively readable crime novel with twists at every turn, THE SILKWORM is the second in the highly acclaimed series featuring Cormoran Strike and his determined young assistant, Robin Ellacott.

I haven't read The Cuckoo's Calling yet, but I hope to do so in time for The Silkworm. I can't wait to get to them both! 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Author Interview- Ann Herrick (Life, Love, and Surviving High School)

Guys, today we have with us author Ann Herrick. I really liked her book, The Perfect Guy. Click here for my review of the same. This time, we are featuring Ann's latest Young Adult Contemporary Romance, Life, Love, and Surviving High School, which sounds super interesting and even if I couldn't do it myself because of a tight college schedule, I hope you are looking forward to read the book and can do so soon. Alright then, let's get onto the post we have for you! There's a really great interview we did with the author for you to read along with some basics about the book. 


GOODREADS SUMMARY: 

Becca secretly lusts after Brent, Claire's boyfriend--then Claire makes Becca an offer about Brent that she can't resist.

Becca's in high school, but she hasn't been on the same page as her best friends since just before the start of middle school and she doesn't know exactly how things got so different. Not different in some edgy, gritty, she's-a-rebel way. More of a Yes-she's-a-dork way. Which makes it all the more amazing that while other friendships have crashed and burned all around them the four of girls have managed to stay Best Friends Forever. She doesn't need to share in her friends' spotlight. Becca's happy to follow along in the shadows, as long as she's not totally cast aside.

She's definitely not ready for guys. In fact, she just wants to skip right over high school and jump straight to twenty-two. By then she figures she will have gotten through her first date, first kiss, passed her driver's test, taken the SATs, filled out all those college applications, somehow survived living in a dorm and gotten her college degree without all the anxiety and drama.

Instead, just after silently deciding to not even think about guys and concentrate on school work for the next four years, she is instantly mesmerized by Brent, a seriously great-looking senior who also happens to have a long-time girlfriend, Claire. Not one to be the "other woman," Becca imagines creative ways for Claire to be out of Brent's life. 

Meanwhile, Becca forms a strictly friends-only relationship with Colt, who she first thinks of as "Farmboy." Becca and Colt turn out be good partners when it comes to studying, taking pictures for the school newspaper and working on a term paper together. But when one day Claire makes an offer about Brent that Becca can't resist, that changes everything.

BOOK LINKS: 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Ann Herrick is the award-winning author of several books and short stories for kids and teens. Included in the awards her books have won are the ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Readers, IRA/CBC Children’s Choice and EPIC Best YA Novel Finalist.
Ann grew up in Connecticut, where she graduated from The Morgan School and Quinnipiac University.  She now lives in Oregon with her husband, who was her high-school sweetheart.  Their wonderful daughter is grown, married and gainfully employed, and has given Ann her only grand-dog, Puff, a bloodhound-rottweiller-beagle mix and six grand-kitties.  While she misses the East Coast, especially houses built before 1900, she enjoys the green valleys, fresh air and low humidity in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  Ann loves cats, walking, the Oregon Ducks and working in her back yard.  In addition to stories and books for children and young adults, Ann also writes copy for humorous and conventional greeting cards. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted through her website

AUTHOR LINKS: TWITTER / FACEBOOK 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 

Hi, Ann! Welcome to The Readdicts! It’s great to have you on our blog today and we hope you have a nice time answering our questions.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Connecticut, and also lived in New York and New Jersey before moving to Oregon. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse but changed my mind as I got older. I worked as an administrative assisant for a few years before I turned to writing.

2) Tell us about your book, Life, Love, and Surviving High School.

Becca's in high school, but she hasn't been on the same page as her best friends since just before the start of middle school and she doesn't know exactly how things got so different. Not different in some edgy, gritty, she's-a-rebel way. More of a Yes-she's-a-dork way. Which makes it all the more amazing that while other friendships have crashed and burned all around them the four of girls have managed to stay Best Friends Forever. She doesn't need to share in her friends' spotlight. Becca's happy to follow along in the shadows, as long as she's not totally cast aside.

She's definitely not ready for guys. In fact, she just wants to skip right over high school and jump straight to twenty-two. By then she figures she will have gotten through her first date, first kiss, passed her driver's test, taken the SATs, filled out all those college applications, somehow survived living in a dorm and gotten her college degree without all the anxiety and drama.

Instead, just after silently deciding to not even think about guys and concentrate on school work for the next four years, she is instantly mesmerized by Brent, a seriously great-looking senior who also happens to have a long-time girlfriend, Claire. Not one to be the "other woman," Becca imagines creative ways for Claire to be out of Brent's life.

Meanwhile, Becca forms a strictly friends-only relationship with Colt, who she first thinks of as "Farmboy." Becca and Colt turn out be good partners when it comes to studying, taking pictures for the school newspaper and working on a term paper together. But when one day Claire makes an offer about Brent that Becca can't resist, that changes everything.

3) Tell us about the characters in the book. Are any of them inspired by someone you know in real life or they complete works of your imagination?

There are bits and pieces of personalities of people I’ve known in many of the characters, but mainly they are works of my imagination.

4) As you know, I really liked your book, The Perfect Guy. Do you prefer writing contemporaries? What other genre(s) would you like to explore with your writing?

I mostly write contemporary, but one of my books is set in 1959, mainly because of an indirect connection to real events. Otherwise, while I enjoy reading historical ficiton, I wouldn’t want to do all the research necessary to make the story realistic and accurate.

5) If a movie or TV series were to be made out of the book, which actors would you like to see being cast as the main characters?

It’s hard to say, since by the time a movie would be made there would be a whole new crop of actors and actors, but maybe Zac Efron, Robert Patterson, Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, to name a few.

We have a fun This or That lined up for you. You just get to pick one of the following two choices!

1) Day or night? Day. I love to get up early, I think morning is the best part of the day.

2) Beach or mountain? The beach. I grew up along the shoreline in Connecticut (USA), close to the water. I loved to go to the beach and go swimming.

3) Coke or pepsi? I don’t drink soda too often, but when I do I choose Pepsi.

4) Tea or coffee? Tea. I love green tea and chamomile.

5) Novels or novellas? Both! 

Thank you so much for stopping by the post and I'd like to thank Ann for stopping by the blog today and I wish her lots of love and success. Happy reading! 




                         

Monday, February 24, 2014

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway- That One Summer by C.J. Duggan

Hi, guys! I am excited to be a part of the That One Summer Blog Tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. This series is all you ask of summer- fun and flirty! Let's get on to the post I have for you as part of my stop on the tour. The entire tour schedule can be found here. There's some basics on the series and the books to come (which sound so cool). 





BOOK LINKS: 




ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 C.J Duggan is a Number One Best Selling Australian Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos. 
The Boys of Summer is Book One in her highly successful Mature Young Adult Romance Series.

AUTHOR LINKS: 


GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.



Summer series: 


REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of That One Summer by C.J. Duggan in exchange for an honest review. We thank C.J for the book! 

I was pleasantly surprised by That One Summer since it turned out to be a pretty fun and nice read, especially when compared to the first two books of C.J. Duggan's Summer seriesThe Boys of Summer and An Endless Summer respectively. The cover of this book, first and foremost, is the prettiest cover in the series! I love the naughtiness it portrays and it fits the characters perfectly. 

The reason why I really liked this book is because, unlike the first book protagonist Tess but a little similar to the second book protagonist Amy, the protagonist in the third book, Tamara Maskala, even though she had her share of emotional outbursts and petty misunderstandings, was a matured and smart girl. We had met Tammy in the previous books and even though I don't remember much about her personality from before, what I read in her own words in this one made me like her. She was great to have around and it was a joy to read from her funny and sensible point of view. 

Tammy's love interest in That One Summer is the very cool, mysterious, moody and utterly sexy Chris Henderson. Even though I liked Toby and Sean from the first two books, I like Chris the most. He could be cute when he wanted, charming when it was needed, smart-ass when he was in the mood and sweet when he was himself. I really liked getting to know him, but I felt that somewhere, there was something hiding underneath his cocky, quiet and stoic exterior which wasn't taken up at all. 

It was amazing to see the silent chemistry between Tammy and Chris which started from the very beginning and there were just enough sizzling scenes to add spice. The two didn't have any issues or problems, individually or together, but then again, that's what summer books are about. They're about having a blast and unexpectedly stumbling upon something that could possibly be everything. And it fit the two lovers perfectly. 

In That One Summer, the Onslow Boys plan a New Year trip for themselves which, by some silly turn of events even has the girls on it as well. I enjoyed reading about all the people we've met in the previous books and it was nice to have updates on them and their relationships. From Tess and Toby to Amy and Sean to Ellie and Adam, it was lovely to see the gang together and ending the year 1999 and welcoming the new millennium on a confused, romantic and fun filled note. Honestly, this book wasn't as dragged as the previous books in the series which made it a fantastic read that was packed with fun.

RATING:


GIVEAWAY: 

There's a cool giveaway for you! And its's INT. One winner will get e-books of the first three books in the series, i.e, The Boys of Summer, An Endless Summer and That One Summer. Trust me, this is a series you want to read, so go ahead and participate. May the odds be ever in your favour! But please read the text below provided by the tour hosts. 

 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: 
Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's all there is for now! I hope you loved reading this post just as much I loved having it up. I'd like to thank YA Bound and C.J for letting us be part of this fun tour! Thank you, readers, for stopping by! 







Review- That One Summer by C.J. Duggan

Goodreads Summary:

Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.


Summer series: 


REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of That One Summer by C.J. Duggan in exchange for an honest review. We thank C.J for the book! 

I was pleasantly surprised by That One Summer since it turned out to be a pretty fun and nice read, especially when compared to the first two books of C.J. Duggan's Summer series, The Boys of Summer and An Endless Summer respectively. The cover of this book, first and foremost, is the prettiest cover in the series! I love the naughtiness it portrays and it fits the characters perfectly. 

The reason why I really liked this book is because, unlike the first book protagonist Tess but a little similar to the second book protagonist Amy, the protagonist in the third book, Tamara Maskala, even though she had her share of emotional outbursts and petty misunderstandings, was a matured and smart girl. We had met Tammy in the previous books and even though I don't remember much about her personality from before, what I read in her own words in this one made me like her. She was great to have around and it was a joy to read from her funny and sensible point of view. 

Tammy's love interest in That One Summer is the very cool, mysterious, moody and utterly sexy Chris Henderson. Even though I liked Toby and Sean from the first two books, I like Chris the most. He could be cute when he wanted, charming when it was needed, smart-ass when he was in the mood and sweet when he was himself. I really liked getting to know him, but I felt that somewhere, there was something hiding underneath his cocky, quiet and stoic exterior which wasn't taken up at all. 

It was amazing to see the silent chemistry between Tammy and Chris which started from the very beginning and there were just enough sizzling scenes to add spice. The two didn't have any issues or problems, individually or together, but then again, that's what summer books are about. They're about having a blast and unexpectedly stumbling upon something that could possibly be everything. And it fit the two lovers perfectly. 

In That One Summer, the Onslow Boys plan a New Year trip for themselves which, by some silly turn of events even has the girls on it as well. I enjoyed reading about all the people we've met in the previous books and it was nice to have updates on them and their relationships. From Tess and Toby to Amy and Sean to Ellie and Adam, it was lovely to see the gang together and ending the year 1999 and welcoming the new millennium on a confused, romantic and fun filled note. Honestly, this book wasn't as dragged as the previous books in the series which made it a fantastic read that was packed with fun.

RATING:


Sunday, February 23, 2014

Review- Staking His Claim by Tessa Bailey

Summary-

He wants her. All of her.

NYPD sniper Matt Donovan is in Hell. Instead of driving his best friend’s little sister home from college, he’s stuck with her roommate—a fresh-faced ray-of-sunshine with a body that makes grown men weep. There’s no way he’ll allow himself to taint the little vixen, no matter how hard she tries to tempt him, so he resigns himself to the longest—and hardest—drive of his life.

Matt’s obvious attraction suits grad student Lucy Mason just fine. She had no idea her brother’s best friend was so deliciously hot. Knowing he’d never have his wicked way with his buddy’s sister, she lies about her identity and seduces him. But Matt’s no fumbling college boy. His desires run deep—and dark—and he wants to teach Lucy what wicked really means.

Matt’s demanding appetites only make Lucy want more. But when her cover's blown, he’s furious—even as his hunger for her becomes insatiable. Matt can’t trust anyone, least of all himself. And he knows all too well that darkness always destroys the light…

Review-

I have read all the books in Tessa Bailey's Line of Duty series and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every single one of them. Staking His Claim is the fifth and the last book in the series. I'm a little sad to say goodbye to these characters because I love them so but I was happy that everyone got their happy ending.

Matt is a NYPD sniper. As we've seen from the previous books he's the silent brooding type. When Matt does a favor for Brent to pick his sister up but he ends up having to babysit her roommate or so he thinks. I liked Matt but I don't think he was my favorite. I am addicted to Tessa Bailey's dirty talking heroes and there was some of that but his charm didn't completely do it for me.

Then we have Lucy. She is Brent's little sister who when she sees Matt pretends to be her roommate so that she isn't a nuisance. Lucy was a fun girl. Yeah I did not like the lying bit but that was resolved pretty quickly. Lucy is the opposite of Matt is her sunny ways and her fun nature.

Now the initial conflict which keeps Matt and Lucy apart is Matt's insistence that his darkness will tarnish Lucy. I got that but his urges weren't all that dark. There is definitely chemistry between Lucy and Matt though and their intimate scenes were hot. The banter between Matt and Lucy is really nice as well.

I also loved seeing the previous characters. Especially Brent and Hayden. They still remain to be my favorite couple. Maybe it was that or the fact that I didn't love Matt and Lucy even half as much as the previous couples in the series but this one fell a little short for me. Still, Tessa Bailey is an excellent author and if you want a hot romance her books should definitely be on your list.