Dreaming Up A Dare by Catherine Gayle(Kindle Worlds)

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Love-Dreaming-Kindle-Novella-ebook/dp/B01I0KL08W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468010661&sr=8-1&keywords=dreaming+up+a+dare

Alright! So Catherine Gayle wrote Dreaming up a Dare for the Dare to Love Kindle Worlds. It released yesterday but considering I was on vacation and our flight got delayed I was unable to post about it or my review, which really saddened me as I really enjoyed this story and I wanted to share on release day!

I'm really not certain how to explain why I enjoyed this book so much. But I'll try to break it down. First off, I've read almost all the hockey romances that Catherine Gayle has written and each one has been touching and both characters are so strong and deal with difficult situations throughout the books. This is just one reason that I love the books she writes. I found that Dreaming Up A Dare was much too short...because I really wanted more of Jackson and Pepper! While hockey didn't play as big a role in the novella as usually would be but that was fine as we watched Jackson and Pepper dance around their attraction and the relationship they wished to pursue.

It was great to get both perspectives so that we could understand how both felt and see that they had similar fears about changing their relationship. 

I have yet to read any of the Dare to Love series but Catherine Gayle's inclusion of the characters from that series in this novella and their interactions with Jackson and Pepper make me eager to read them! 

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The Consequence of Loving Colton Release Day!

It’s all fun and games…until someone’s heart is broken.

They’re not kids anymore, but Milo Caro is certain that
Colton Mathews will only see her as his best friend’s little sister for the
rest of their lives. After all, he made that clear the night before she left
for college. But four years later, her brother is getting married and Colt’s
the best man—and guess who is the best man’s last-minute date?

Milo vows to use the wedding to either claim the smoldering
firefighter’s heart or douse this torch for good. When Max—her best friend from
college, who may be carrying a torch of his own—crashes the party, they devise
a plan to make Colt see what he’s missing. But after Colt catches on, he
decides to cook up his own revenge.

Now it’s personal. Colt and Milo are at war, and between
Max’s questionable acting methods, an unfortunate trip to jail, and a maniacal
fiancée, what could possibly go right?

REVIEW:

Alright, so this was certainly different from most of the books I've read by Rachel Van Dyken. And by that I mean I didn't need my tissue box once unless I was wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. And that was beautiful. While I always love the angst of her other books, it's a nice break and I wasn't constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

That being said, I really enjoyed the writing style, and the characters. They were beautifully written and each character had their own little quirk. And wooey was some of those quirks extremely hilarious. I was lucky that I didn't try to read any of The Consequence of Loving Colton outside of my room or else there would have been more than a few concerned looks. Mainly because at times I felt like I was laughing maniacally.

It certainly descended into madness and there was a bit of a plot twist that I didn't see coming or at least not during the period of this book. So that was good. She still surprised me.

The Consequence of Loving Colton is one of those books you want to pick up if you're having a terrible day or just want a laugh.



ADD TO GOODREADS

AMAZON

 “What the hell is wrong with you?” Max gave me
a tender shove. “We were fine until you started stepping on my foot and
elbowing me!”

“You
were hitting on my mom!”

“She’s
a beautiful lady!” he argued.

“Oh,
my gosh.” I fell into one of the chairs and moaned. “This is a catastrophe.”

“Not
true.” Max shook his head. “You just have to be more believable. I mean, would
it kill you to find me screw-worthy?”

“Screw-worthy?
What does that even mean?”

“That’s
it.” Max grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Uh . . .”
I pointed.

With
a jerk he had me in the bathroom under the stairs and closed the door. Words
and sounds were coming out of his mouth but I couldn’t make anything out. Max
pushed me against the door and pointed his finger in my face. “I’m going to
kiss you, damn it, and you’re going to like it. And I’m going to take off my
shirt and you’re going to manhandle me, and you’re going to stop being so damn
nervous or so help me God I’m going to bend you over that sofa in the living
room and spank your sexy ass.”

Shocked,
I was paralyzed in place. “Where did that come from?”

“Inside.”
Max looked at me and smirked. “I have lots of feelings and I’m sick and tired
of you looking at me like I don’t have a penis. I may be used to your innocence
but for my own pride at least try to be attracted to me. Now close your damn
eyes.”

“Stop
cursing at me.”

“Stop
being difficult! I’m trying to help you. And stop squirming. Shit, take a Xanax
or something.”

“Max.”
I closed my eyes and huffed. “This isn’t going to—”

My
hand was on something hard.

I
blinked my eyes open.

Since
when did he have a six-pack?

I
tilted my head, you know, to get a better look. His skin was really smooth but
bumpy, each muscle defined so much that there was enough of a ridge for my
hands to play with.

“Oh,
look, he’s a man after all,” Max said, sounding bored. “I’m not your sexless
friend. I’m not your damn brother. I’m not your gay friend. And I sure as hell
am not thinking about anything right now except that your hands feel really
good against my skin. So I’m going to kiss you, and you’re going to respond
like the idea of my mouth on yours doesn’t make you want to cry—and you’ll like
it.”

“I’ll
like it,” I repeated.

“There’s
my girl.” His eyes flashed, and then he was kissing me again, only this time
his body was on fire as it pressed against me. I felt every ridge of his abs;
the length of his body was beyond devastating.

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Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.


She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

NEWSLETTER   FACEBOOK   TWITTER  GOODREADS  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Our Second Chance by C.D. Taylor

(Image found on Goodreads)

"I was doing something for myself when I was there." -C.D. Taylor, Our Second Chance

WARNING: This is not meant for younger audiences

On the outside it looks like Emily Mills has everything. But she has everything that matters. When she decides to move back to New York and pursue her dreams. But what she doesn't expect is to run into her best friend from her University days, and the man she was secretly in love with....and if she can still admit it she still is. But Emily has been burned and she's not sure that she can take the leap from friends to lovers. Will she find the strength to fully chase her dreams? Find the official description on Goodreads.


First things first, woo is this book hot. Believe me when I say it will set you on fire.

Emily's emotions were so real, all the regrets and wistfulness, the what ifs. Throughout the book I could really get into her head and feel her emotions. They just felt so real and I was enjoying it so so much.

Then there was the romance between the two. It was just sweet and sigh worthy. I feel as if Emily was almost me when she was single and it definitely made me feel happy when she took a chance on Jake.

The plot moved along nicely and it was just a marvelous story that really inspired me to make sure I try and do everything I want to, and not regret what I didn't. Emily's story really resonated with me, and I just felt like it could be used as an inspiration even if it's a fictional story.

The writing was great. It flowed, drew you in and before you knew it five hours had passed(not really but two hours did). It was a book I dived into and I really suggest that you take a chance and read it.

Our Second Chance was a great read and I strongly suggest that you give it a read. It will certainly draw you in and make the romantic in you sigh a bit inside.

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The Dybbuk's Mirror by Alisse Lee Goldenberg

(Found on Alisse's Webpage)

"The silence from her friends was getting unnerving." -Alisse Lee Goldenberg, The Dybbuk's Mirror

Carrie and her friends have adjusted to living far apart from one another. But when Lindsay and Rebecca stop answering Carrie's texts and emails, she becomes concerned. When her fears are confirmed, she finds herself reentering Hadariah in order to save her friends. But the land is different from how it had been when she was first there and she meets new friends as well as old. Will Carrie be able to save her friends? Find the official description on Goodreads.

I found that in The Dybbuk's Mirror I could relate to Carrie a little better.  I did connect with her a bit before but I did so much more in this book as I could understand her feelings a little better. Especially about her friends. That definitely made me think about the past three years. It was great to be able to make that connection stronger with Carrie. It made the book even more enjoyable.

At first the disappearance of Rebecca and Lindsay wasn't made obvious. Just a few little things that you don't think about until it becomes clear that something is going on. 

Again Alisse Lee Goldenberg intrigues the reader, giving them questions that they sometimes are given answers to right away while others they have to wait for. It keeps the reader interested and reading. 

I found  that the description of food/drinks and the taste of those foods and/or drinks was really well done. I could almost taste the things that Carrie was describing and I really enjoyed that. It was really well done.

At times I've found Emilia almost too composed, but seeing her freak out at one point makes me feel like she's a little more easy to relate to.  This made me feel a little less like she was perfect all the time and thus cold or not really feeling anything towards her to melting a little towards her as a character.

The decisions that have to be made are terrible and I'm glad that Alisse Lee Goldenberg made it seem as if the characters were really struggling with these decisions. It made them seem like real people and less untouchable or at a distance from a reader. As well as being more realistic. 

The Dybbuk's Mirror lived up to the first book in the series and if you read and loved The Strings of the Violin than you won't be disappointed by the sequel. 

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The Strings of the Violin by Alisse Lee Goldenburg

(Image found on Goodreads)

"A degree of boldness is required when one considers the gravity of the situation." -Alisse Lee Goldenberg, The Strings of the Violin

Carrie is trying to put off thinking about the future. At least for a few more minutes as she soaks in some sunshine. But when she saves a fox from her dog, Finnegan, she doesn't think it will change her world. But this fox can talk and he needs her help. His home world is cloaked in darkness and only the return of the magical strings of a violin will save it. But when Carrie and her friends enter the world, they'll find they should have listened to their grandmothers stories more. Will they be able to remember enough to save Adom's world? Find the official description on Goodreads. 

The main plot comes out pretty quickly. Or at least the beginning of the main plot. And in a shocking form. A talking fox. It is definitely different than what I'd been reading lately. The writing was well done, and easy to read. It was somewhat easy to get into although it wasn't one of those books you can just jump right into and immediately be completely immersed. It slowly builds up until you find yourself entering the world of Adom as the girls do.

The easy banter between the friends took away much of the danger of their situation until something happened to clearly bring that danger to the forefront. It made things relaxing and a bit like you were replaying conversations you had with your best friends before. It was great, and kept your attention.

Then there was learning about this world other than Earth. It was great to see a new setting and learn more about it. I had lots of questions and got answers as well.

It was very interesting to see how folklore and their grandmothers stories were actually incorporated into the story. The folklore of the situation just made things that much more interesting because you're learning about these stories in bits and pieces, as they're remembering them and it was fun to learn some about their pasts.

I was also happy that Alisse Lee Goldenberg didn't take advangtage of the fact that she is writing fantasy and thus uses it as a free pass to manipulate lief and death. I'm not saying that I don't cheer when that happens but still sometimes it seems that it's used too often or it's used as a way to please your readers. That didn't happen here and I was glad to see it. Even if I was crying and wishing it could happen.

The Strings of the Violin was a good read, and different than the books I've read recently. If you like fantasy and young adult novels than you should add this to your TBR list.

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Before He Was Famous by Becky Wicks

(Image found on Goodreads)

“Love isn't all sparks and firecrackers. Sometimes it’s more subtle than that.” - Becky Wicks, Before He Was Famous

WARNING: This book contains sexual content and is not for younger readers.

Best Friends falling in love. *sigh* There's always so much history and it seems somewhat easy to slip into the roll of lovers and significant others. Well in Before He Was Famous, that's not true. There's lots of things that both characters have to overcome and both are dating other people so there's that as well. I do feel bad for the people they were dating but really, anyone can see that these two belong together. They call each other Peter and Pan! It's meant to be and obvious as well. I loved the fact that Noah and Chloe had a history together and that Noah and Chloe had these little things that were left over from their childhood and remained even as they were adults. It just seemed really sweet.

Then there was the look we got into Noah and his rising fame. I never really thought about how it must feel to go from normal guy to famous pretty much overnight. And having to deal with a manager and company that won't let you do things that you want to. It's very restrictive. And I was able to view it throughout this book.  It was refreshing and opened my eyes to things a bit.

At times I really felt that Chloe was annoying. She was forcibly putting up things to keep herself away from Noah in anything more than a best friend. It was annoying because I was rooting for the couple but also because everyone else realized they were meant to be together before Chloe accepted it really. But it just wasn't Chloe. Occasionally, Noah made me very frustrated with his very annoying habit of being thick. But that's just me.

Before He Was Famous was a good read, one that gave me a new look at the rising stars of today. It also made me sigh and growl occasionally(not at the same time, thankfully). But if you're looking for a celebrity/best friend romance, than you should give Before He Was Famous a chance.

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Angela and Mel's Cupcake Recipes!

So, if you didn't know the month of May on my blog is a month of promotion for Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, who is the author of Unfinished Business and Unbreakable Bonds(Both of which I have reviewed, just go look into the review list for the links). She included this book of cupcake recipes in an email and I thought that I would share this with you! It all sounds so delicious but I haven't got any kind of baking bone in my body so you'll have to let me know what they taste like! Also let me know if you have any issues accessing the pdf file. It's the first time I've done something like this! So here's hoping it works!

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