I've read a few of Staci Harts books and I have found that she has become on of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Her latest book, 'A Thousand Letters' blew me away! I have always loved Jane Austen and while Persuasion isn't my favorite Austen romance, Harts ability to adapt Austen's spirit into this modern romance was amazing. The story is told in two perspectives (Wade & Elliot) and each character is very introspective, creating an Austen-like atmosphere while you read.
If you like emotional stories... this one might be for you! Many times I felt my heart clench as I read this novel. It was both sad and hopeful. There are some great quotes about life and family as well. This book was right up my ally and I have recommended it to some of my fellow book friends already, as well as, add it to my 'Best Reads of 2017' list on Goodreads!
Sometimes your life is split by a single decision.
I’ve spent every day of the last seven years regretting mine: he left, and I didn’t follow. A thousand letters went unanswered, my words like petals in the wind, spinning away into nothing, taking me with them.
But now he’s back.
I barely recognize the man he’s become, but I can still see a glimmer of the boy who asked me to be his forever, the boy I walked away from when I was young and afraid.
Maybe if he’d come home under better circumstances, he could speak to me without anger in his voice. Maybe if I’d said yes all those years ago, he’d look at me without the weight of rejection in his eyes. Maybe if things were different, we would have had a chance.
One regretted decision sent him away. One painful journey brought him back to me. I only wish I could keep him. *A contemporary romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion*
Dark Heartsby Micalea Smeltzer is my third ARK from this author and my second Release Blitz event! I was super excited to read this book after reading Ray of Sunshine for FREE, the first book in Smelter's 'The Light in The Dark' series, and When Stars Collide.
Rae of Sunshine, Cade and Rae's story, is where we first meet Nova and Jace, the main characters in Dark Hears. While they are present in Ray of Sunshine and When Stars Collide they are only secondary characters. Each of these books can be read as a stand alone. I was really excited to read Nova and Jace's story because they seemed to be the dark edgy friends of the group. I wish more of their "edginess' came through in their story. However, on the flip side, you really do get to see these characters share the vulnerabilities they hide from the other people in their life. Dark Hearts fit very well in this series of books. While I felt that it wasn't one of Smeltzers best novels, I was happy to finally get Nova and Jace's story. This book is a bit more steamy than the others in the series, so if you're not someone who enjoys that pick up one of the other books in the series first.
The Blurb
I’ve learned that not everything is what it seems. If you start to look too close, you uncover things people don’t want you to see. It’s why I hide. It’s why no one knows the real me. But he sees me. He sees the darkness in my heart but he’s not afraid, because he’s like me. They say opposites attract, but we’re proof that like-and-like are a far more potent combination.
Novalee Clarke is hiding from a past she wants to leave behind, and Jacen Kensington is running from his.
The thing about hiding and running is eventually the thing you’re trying to escape catches up to you.
I read so many books in 2016 that I didn't take a breath to tell you about them all individually, so I thought I would do a recap of my favorites. Also, so that I'm not posting a million books in one post I broke them up into categories: My Teenage Heart, My Young Adult Heart, and My Adult Heart. Here is my list of My Adult Heart favorited from 2016...
I read so many books in 2016 that I didn't take a breath to tell you about them all individually, so I thought I would do a recap of my favorites. Also, so that I'm not posting a million books in one post I broke them up into categories: My Teenage Heart, My Young Adult Heart, and My Adult Heart. Here is my list of My Young Adult Heart favorited from 2016...
I read so many books in 2016 that I didn't take a breath to tell you about them all individually, so I thought I would do a recap of my favorites. Also, so that I'm not posting a million books in one post I broke them up into categories: My Teenage Heart, My Young Adult Heart, and My Adult Heart.
Here is my list of My Teenage Heart favorited from 2016...
If you're an Amazon Prime member and haven't heard about Prime Reading, let me enlighten you -- IT'S AMAZING! Kinda. You get to pick 10 items to have in your Prime library from a small pool of books and publications for free with an Amazon Prime membership. You're reading is unlimited unlike the Lending Library, which only allows one book per calendar month. If you're an avid reader like me, this is BIG NEWS!
Here are the books I've read and loved from Amazon Prime Reading in October:
When Stars Collide by Micalea Smeltzer is my second ARK from this author and my first Release Blitz event! I was super excited to read this book after snagging a copy of Ray of Sunshine for FREE -- the first book in Smelter's 'The Light in The Dark' series.
Rae of Sunshine, Cade and Rae's story, is where we first meet Thea and Xander, the main characters in When Stars Collide. While they are present in Ray of Sunshine they are only secondary characters. Each of these books can be read as a stand alone.
I've read a few books from this author and I have to say I got really excited about the premise of this book. Once I read the blurb I knew I had so know more!
The Blurb
We were like two stars orbiting each other—dancing around the possibility that one day we might collide. When we finally did, we opened up a black hole, obliterating everything around us. No one would be the same. Least of all, us.
Waking up in Vegas married to the guy of your dreams sounds like a good thing, right? Not when you’re Thea Montgomery and said guy is your brother’s best friend.
Thea and Xander have always avoided the connection between them because her brother would never approve. Now, they’re married— the strongest bond you can have as a couple—and they’re not even a real couple…unless they want to be.
Thea wants an annulment immediately, but Xander’s waited too long to see her become his and he won’t let her go easily.
If she wants a divorce, fine, but he wants the summer to convince her that he’s the one. If at the end of the summer she still wants to end their marriage he’ll sign the papers, but until then...
All is not fair in love and war.
While an impromptu marriage is not ideal and keeping said marriage a secret is far from ideal... sooner or laters someone is going to find out... right?! Thea hopes it's just not Cade, her over protective older brother. Keeping their new marital status a secret from their roommates, Cade and Rea, only makes the situation more complicated for the newly weds.
What I liked most about this book is that Xander is so caring and patient with Thea, even when he doesn't agree with her -- primarily her insistence in getting a divorce. They've been friends for a long time and you can see that hasn't change as they struggle to deal with the ramifications of their Vegas nuptials and the curveballs life throws at them along the way.
Rea, Thea's best friend and Cade girlfriend, doesn't have a larger presents in this story. I feel that unless you read Rea of Sunshine, her character is not very developed in this story. The same can be said for Cade. Cade is much more than the over protective brother and we didn't get to see his playful side very much in this story. Luckily, Smeltzer does a good job at communicating the important details from Rea of Sunshine we need to know to understand character relationships.
Overall, this was a good read. In fact, my husband kept making fun of me for the goofy grin I would get on my face while reading on the sofa next to him. There are so many cute moments between Xander and Thea you can't help but like them as a couple.
I did think that the blurb is a little misleading when it come to Thea's feeling about her relationship with Xander, particularly after they return home and have gotten over the shock. I won't say more to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but I thought that aspect of the story was a little inconsistent.
Simply put... When Stars Collide is a cute love story of two people being unexpectedly connected. Watching them navigate what that means for their future is what makes this story special and worth the read!
Personally, I don't think Smelter's 'The Light in The Dark' series is my favorite of hers. These book would be a good starting point of anyone wanting to read their first Micalea Smeltzer novel, but I did prefer the two books I've read in her 'Us' series and I can't say enough good things about Bring Me Back (loved it!).
When Stars Collide is available August 30th, 2016 for $0.99 for a limited time only! Amazon B&N
Excerpt
Holy mother of all hangovers.
I’d succumbed to the lure of Vegas and gotten completely wasted. Granted, that’s what everyone did in Las Vegas but I like to think I usually have more sense than the social norm.
I rub my eyes and blink them open. The hotel room comes into formation around me. The walls are a warm golden color and the flat screen on the wall plays some home improvement show. I can see the bathroom from the bed, the tiled walls and large soaking tub.
I roll over onto my side, hoping I can sleep off the hangover, and reel back.
“Oh my God,” I cry, flailing in bed.
My legs kick the sleeping guy beside me.
Not just any sleeping guy.
Oh no.
Xander Kincaid, my brother’s best friend, lays in the bed beside me.
His dark hair tumbles over his forehead and his cheeks are covered with several days worth of scruff. His chest is bare and…holy shit. He’s naked.
I look down.
Oh God, I’m naked too.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, reaching his left hand out to pull me closer to him. That’s when I see it.
“Is that a wedding band?” I scream shrilly.
His eyes narrow. “You don’t fucking remember?”
I shake my head and look at my own hand. A thin silver band rests on my finger. “What did we do?”
He sits up in bed and I try to ignore how adorably rumpled he looks with his hair sticking up.
Everything begins flooding back to me in quick bursts.
Drinks. Kissing. Laughter. Confessions of love and desire. A wedding chapel. Vows. Rings. A contract.
“We’re married,” I whisper. “Holy shit.” It’s all I’ve ever wanted—to be with Xander, but not like this. Never like this. “My brother is going to kill us.”
