REVIEW: The Law of Moses (The Law of Moses #1) by Amy Harmon

Title: The Law of Moses
Series: The Law of Moses #1
Author: Amy Harmon
Publisher: Amy Harmon
Published: November 27th 2014
Format: eBook | Pages: 333
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance (with Paranormal elements)
Source: Amazon

Amy Harmon | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.

And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all...a love story.

The first few words of every story are always the hardest. It's almost as if pulling them out, speaking them into existence, commits you to seeing it all the way through. As if once you start, you are required to finish.

Sigh.

There's hardly a moment in any given day that I don't want to pick up a book. But there are times that not just any book will do. I sometimes feel a need, almost a desperation, to be emotionally destroyed by a book. To be pulled so deep into the brink of sorrow and heartache that I'm practically drowning in it. So far down that I'm not at all sure it'll be possible for me to reach the surface again.

I'm always surprised when someone, an author, is able to evoke those kinds of feelings, emotions within me. When I started feeling that craving coming on recently I instantly knew that Amy Harmon and The Law of Moses were going to fill that need for me. I'd previously read her book Making Faces which did all of those things for me while also sprinkling in bits of warmth and happiness, so I was feeling pretty confident. If anything, The Law of Moses probably even made me feel a tiny bit more.

It was really hard for me to put a label on this book when it comes to genre, because at it's heart it's Contemporary, except there was this huge part of one of the characters, and who they were, that was heavily influenced with the Paranormal and/or Supernatural. So I guess you could kind of view it either way. No matter what label you throw on it though the one thing that matters is that Amy Harmon is a brilliant author. She strings together all these words that paint these beautiful images in your mind. Images of tragedy and loss and breaking, of love and mending.  

Whatever it was, when Moses came to Levan, he was like water—cold, deep, unpredictable, and, like the pond up the canyon, dangerous, because you could never see what was beneath the surface. And just like I'd done all my life, I jumped in head first, even though I'd been forbidden. But this time, I drowned.

Just like Georgia, I found myself quickly drowning in Moses. I seem to gravitate towards the broken and Moses could not have been more so. I found myself completely fascinated by his character and constantly wanting more of him. Every time we got to be in his point of view would end up pulling me deeper into his character. The only downside to that was that it could be so heartbreaking at times. Knowing exactly from his own mind how deeply he viewed himself as nothing or worthless or...I don't know. It's really hard to put into words. He made my heart heavy and I just wanted to hug him, convince him he was wrong.

"I'm a very ordinary girl, Moses. I know that I am. And I always will be. I can't paint. I don't know who Vermeer is, or Manet for that matter. But if you think ordinary can be beautiful, that gives  me hope. And maybe sometime you'll think about me when you need an escape from the hurt in your head."

My love for Georgia was right up there with my love for Moses. I loved her small town, country girl attitude. I loved her heart and compassion. I loved her tenacity, her complete and total stubbornness. I think what made me love her the most was the fact that she saw something beautiful and worth knowing in Moses. Something that goes beyond the pretty yet intimidating outer package. When everyone else was afraid of him and automatically assumed the worst, Georgia believed in him and ran towards him instead of away, hard as he tried to push her away himself.

Like I said there was a paranormal aspect to Moses's character that was a complete surprise to me. Normally surprises like that, going in expecting one thing and getting another, end up irritating me but it had the complete opposite effect in this case. It added so much more to this story and added this deeper emotional element that, in my opinion, it wouldn't have had without it. I feel so cryptic with not telling you what was so special about Moses but I really think it's one of those you need to read to find out things.

The Law of Moses was everything I was needing and expecting from an emotional read. It also surprised me at every turn. The characters are complex and complicated in all the best ways. I found it impossible to put down and found myself dreading the final chapter. I wish I could've stayed in this world and with these characters for just a little bit longer. If you love a book that will turn you upside down and inside out then I highly recommend this one.

REVIEW: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: August 5th 2014
Format: eBook | Pages: 337
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Amazon

Colleen Hoover | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.

Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.

Promises get broken.

Rules get shattered.

Love gets ugly.

Why, Colleen Hoover? Why? Why do you constantly insist on pulverizing my feelings?

Sigh.

It's okay. I still love you.

I always think that I'm emotionally ready to pick up one of her books. Yet every time I do she proves to me how wrong I was. I thought I had some idea where things were going to go with Ugly Love and for the second time in this paragraph, I admit that I was very wrong. Maybe the lesson here is I need to just stop thinking altogether.

Even though I'm a person who believes that the whole "friends with benefits" thing, or I guess in the case of Tate and Miles acquaintances with benefits, will never, ever work, I absolutely love reading a book with this trope. They always seem to prove my point that for at least one person in a relationship of this type, feelings will inevitably be impossible to avoid. You can tell yourself that you won't get your heart involved but I always feel like it's an impossible mission. I don't know, maybe I'm just not a cold enough person and I'm too much heart. But regardless on how you view the FWB game...I'm addicted to reading about them.

Loved both Tate and Miles. Granted, I had moments of pure and utter frustration with both of them from time to time as I made my way through their story. In the case of Miles it was his constant mixed signals. He would preach one thing but his actions would say something completely different. Had I ever at any point felt like he was doing this on purpose I would be writing a totally different review all together. However, it's practically impossible not to love Miles, especially as the story goes on and you learn his deep dark secrets. Then that practically slips away and it's just inevitable. Miles's story completely ripped my heart to pieces. It was dust. Like, I am surprised there was anything left of it to put back together. He is my new favorite Colleen Hoover book boy!

Tate was also a really great character. Tate was essentially every single girl who's met a great guy and walked into a situation with her eyes wide open, knowing all the rules...and couldn't help but break every single one of them. Which I guess is why at times she could be so frustrating. She did stupid things because of a boy she lost her heart to and sure at times the relationship was pretty unhealthy but I respect every direction her character went in. Why? Because it was so damn real. She saw something in Miles that was worth all the heartache, tears and pain and we do crazy things when we're in love. Therefore, I loved Tate and how real she was.

I really don't know where else to go from here. So I guess it's time to just go ahead and wrap this one up!

There is something so addicting about picking up a Colleen Hoover book. You know it's bad for you (emotionally), you know it's going to hurt you. It's not going to be fluffy and puppies and rainbows. Yet like every addict out there, getting your hands on that next fix is so satisfying and you can't wait to lose yourself in the moment and ride the high it gives you. Ugly Love toyed with my emotions and I can't even hate it for that. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. And I loved every single emotion and feeling it pulled me through. I'm already ready for my next CoHo fix.

REVIEW: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons

Title: Royal Marriage Market
Author: Heather Lyons
Publisher: Cerulean Books
Published: December 15th 2015
Format: eBook | Pages: 335
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★✩ (3.5/5) Stars!

Heather Lyons | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Fans of The Royal We will not want to miss this epic love story! 

Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms. 

Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what's best for her country, she isn't about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn't hesitate to tell him there's no way she's marrying him. 

Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can't fall for her, because royal or not, they're not meant for each other. 

Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.

The first time this book came into my orbit I immediately had to get my hands on it. The gorgeous cover, the title and then that blurb that gave me that feel of all those historical romances I love to read so much but with a modern twist. It just sounded like so much fun. However, while I was in very deep like with it...I didn't actually love it as much as I wanted to. And parts of it just left me feeling all out frustrated.

I need to clarify up front that none of my negative feelings toward this book have anything to do with either Elsa or Christian directly. On the contrary, I adored them to absolute pieces. Matter of fact just a few pages in and after having been introduced to Elsa, my first thought wasn't "I love this girl" it was more along the lines of of "I absolutely fucking love this girl." I also felt those instant feelings towards Christian as well. He's on his very own level of swoon worthy. And while I'm putting it all out there I shipped these two just as hard, if not even harder in some cases, as I have ever shipped any of my favorite fictional couples. I needed these two characters to be together almost as much as I needed air.

So, no. There were no flaws where they were concerned.

The thing that ended up sucking so much joy out of this book for me was Christian's mother of all people. She was just such a vile and disgusting....person. (I was tempted to call her a monster instead.) If the fact that she seemed to take such joy in, what I can only describe as emotional terrorism against her own children weren't bad enough, she spoke to her sons in a way that no mother ever should speak to her own flesh and blood. Shortly after we meet Christian, she says to both him and his brother Lukas, "Think about all the pretty girls that will be present. Why, I can only imagine how eager they'd be to open their legs for you." and I was so very nearly close to being done. If I'm being honest, I probably should have been. But I wanted to really give this book a shot and the benefit of the doubt. Trust me when I say that she never got any better.

Thankfully, Christian and Elsa were enough of a draw to keep me turning the pages and the desire to know how their story would end was strong. 

I loved how their story played out. From the hilarious first meeting, to the innocent, though extremely reluctant moments of initial flirtation, to the all out sizzling chemistry and delicious sexual tension that builds to the point of all out frustration on my part. Add to it the fact that in a lot of ways it's a forbidden relationship they're dancing around and I was totally gone over these two.

Even the moments that were, if I'm being honest, kind of cheesy between them, what with all their silly little inside jokes. All of my Christian and Elsa feels completely overshadowed those moments and all I needed and wanted was just more of them. More!

I also loved Christian's brother Lukas and all his playboy ways and then both Christian and Elsa's personal secretaries, Charlotte and Parker. Parker with all his seriousness and adhering to propriety as much as possible but yet you could still see his fun side and how even though he was all of those things, Christian's happiness was what he was most loyal to. And Charlotte and how she was such a force and how even though Elsa was her princess and her employer, she wasn't afraid to speak up, very loudly, and call her on her garbage. All three added some much needed laughter to the book in their own ways just when I needed it the most.

Truly, as you can see I did not hate this book. I think maybe if Lukas and Christian's mother hadn't been quite so...so...ew, this would have been an entirely different review all together. Still, there was enough on the romance front to make it worth all the cringe worthy moments she made an appearance in. I couldn't get enough of them and still want more!

ARC REVIEW: I Do (If Only... #3) by A.J. Pine

Title: I Do
Series: If Only... #3
Author: A.J. Pine
Publisher: Entangled Embrace
Published: November 16th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 208
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★✩ (3.5/5) Stars

A.J. Pine | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A new adult romance from Entangled's Embrace imprint...

Sometimes you have to trust your heart to find out what home really means.

Duncan McAllister is marrying Elaina Tripoli tomorrow. Except--he's missing. Jordan, Noah, Griffin, Maggie, and Miles arrive in Greece for the festivities to find frantic messages from both the bride and groom. Noah and Griffin set off to find Duncan while Jordan, Maggie, and Miles try to salvage what should be a day of celebration before the wedding.

But the Americans have their own baggage. Noah's got a surprise planned for Jordan that has to go perfectly. Griffin's keeping life-changing news from Maggie. And Miles--well, he wasn't looking for love on this trip until a Greek sous chef named Alex rocks his world.

The race is on for Duncan to make it back to Elaina before she decides not to take him back at all. For Noah to make sure his monumental plan goes off without a hitch. For Griffin to tell Maggie the truth without losing her. For Miles to admit that letting himself fall in love is worth the risk.

Happily Ever After waits at the finish line…if the four couples can make it on time.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

I Do ended up being a very pleasant surprise. I got pretty intimidated when I first started and discovered it had seven points of view. Seven. The most I've ever dealt with has been three, so I was worried that it was going to end up being too much or jumbled or confusing or any number of risky things hopping around between so many heads. Honestly though, for this book, it really, really worked.  Even starting this series on book three didn't throw things out of whack either because I never felt lost with any of the characters or their history. Basically I had tons of fun reading this book!

I liked each one of the eight characters that this book shuffles through in varying degrees. A couple were just okay, a few were great and two of them completely stole my heart. But there really wasn't anybody I did not like at all. Alex and Miles were totally my guys. Part of me feels like, since they were the only new couple to this series, meeting and getting together in this book, that maybe it was the newness of them. Seeing the sparks of that first attraction and watching them fall for each other that did it for me. That and they were just so sweet and incredibly sexy! Even though I was intimidated with seven points of view at first, I felt it was such a shame to miss out on Alex's and seeing what exactly was going on in his head as Miles fought his feelings.

I really only take issue on one thing when it comes to this book. Each one of the couples always seemed on the brink of ripping of their clothes and jumping into bed at the end of each of their points of view. Now, it wasn't graphic sex each and every time though, sometimes a point of view would end with a bit, or a lot, of foreplay and then end leaving no doubt what happened after the switch. They're all young and in love, I get it. It's just that the first 10 percent alone was filled with heavy make out sessions and a whole lot of feeling each other up. And lots of leading up to sexual encounters and then switching views. It wasn't terrible, I guess I just wanted more story and conversations and showing me that it wasn't just each other's bodies that had all these people into each other.

One thing this book did a bang up job on was throwing wrenches into everyone's plans. Just when you'd think that things were going to smooth out something would jump out and threaten to rip the couples apart and then it would turn into a domino effect. There were times when I wondered if everyone who came to Greece would end up leaving there happily ever after you know? It was a bumpy but extremely fun ride that's for sure!

Seeing as how I did start this series in an odd place I would love to go back and read the first two books and actually see some of these people get together instead of just hearing about it in the past tense. Something I'll definitely have to do one of these days!

As I said in the beginning, this book truly was a pleasant surprise with 8 solid characters that would easily leave you laughing, swooning or completely frustrated. You could easily read this book on it's own if you haven't read the first two books, although it did leave me wanting to know more details.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: This Book Will Change Your Life by Amanda Weaver

Title: This Book Will Change Your Life
Author: Amanda Weaver
Publisher: Entangled Embrace
Published: September 28th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 193
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★★ (4/5) Stars

Amanda Weaver | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Take a chance and change your life…

College was supposed to be where Hannah’s hard work paid off, but the major in honors chemistry she’s been working towards since childhood is slipping away. Worse, she’s not sure she wants it anymore. Salvation comes from an unlikely place—a used bookstore and Ben, the passionate college senior who works there.

Ben’s trapped in a life mapped out for him. Trapped in a future career as a lawyer to make his father happy. Trapped pursuing a girl he doesn't even like because she fits into a world he doesn’t want, but can’t escape. But then he meets Hannah. And for the first time, he knows what it means to truly want something.

So he gives in to being her friend. Then to wanting her. Then to kissing her. And within the freedom of his impulsivity, both of their carefully planned lives begin to fall apart...

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

This Book Will Change Your Life had me completely enchanted from the moment I started it. It did start to get rocky towards the middle and had me doubting the depth of my feelings for it. But by the time I made it to the end I couldn't deny that it gave me all the warm and fuzzies and I wasn't ready to let these characters or this world go.

The thing that had me so captivated and reading with such a huge grin on my face through the beginning is the fact that you have Hannah who is this really sweet and smart girl, I mean she got accepted into a limited spacing college honors chemistry program for crying out loud. No doubt the girl is smart. But she's never really been a reader. At least not for fun that is. Yet in the middle of a rainstorm she ducks into the first door she comes across and ends up in a used bookstore. Long story short the as she's talking to Ben, the adorable guy who works there, and expresses to him that fact, he can't believe it and makes it his mission to turn the adorable Hannah into a book lover. He drags her around the store trying to find just the right book for her. The one that will inspire her to become more of a reader.

You immediately recognize Ben's passion for books. The excitement of him dragging her through the store and pulling books off the shelf, muttering to himself about how good of a fit the book in his hand would be or not then either quickly putting it back on the shelf or putting it in a "maybe" pile was infectious. I was on the edge of my seat desperate to know each title and wondering just exactly what book passionate, bookish Ben would choose for Hannah. And then when he finds the one and hands it to her and says "this book will change your life" my excitement blew through the roof. Would Hannah like it? Could one simple book take someone with a scientific, kind of logical type of brain and get her to fall in love with a fictitious world and characters?

Then, after she's read the book, to see her talking about it so animatedly with tears in her eyes I just wanted to yell "YES!" Because we've all been there am I right? So overwhelmed with feelings about a book that it brings tears to your eyes just thinking about it. And seeing this in someone for the first time, well it was fun to almost live through it vicariously, that first book that gives you all the feelings. Sigh.

And then it was just so enchanting and sweet and fun to see this happen over and over as Hannah returned to the bookstore and have Ben drag her around picking out the next book. They were just so sweet and my need for them to become a thing was almost overwhelming itself!

That's not to say this book was just completely perfect or anything. Like I could have done without the "almost" love triangle. I only say almost because it wasn't exactly a full fledged triangle but it was close enough to really tick me off when a couple of things happened.

Regardless I really, really enjoyed this book. Both Hannah and Ben were really solid characters and I loved them to pieces, especially Ben. Their relationship was sweet and heartwarming and I couldn't get enough of them. They both had very sad and complex back stories and the support and trust they found in each other was really great. Plus this book gave me a list of books that I've added to my TBR pile to see what Ben found in each one that also sparked something within Hannah.

It was just so much fun! It's the kind of book I could easily reread again and again and still be just as enchanted by the story and the characters as I was the first time.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: The Finn Factor by Rachel Bailey

Title: The Finn Factor
Author: Rachel Bailey
Publisher: Entangled Embrace
Published: September 28th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 228
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★★✩ (4.5/5) Stars!

Rachel Bailey | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A new adult romance from Entangled's Embrace imprint... 

Sometimes all a girl needs is a little practice...

It's been twelve months, three days, and eleven hours since accounting student Scarlett Logan made it past a second date. A pitcher of mojitos in hand, she employs her supreme graphing skills to narrow things down to one horrifying explanation. Kissing. Clearly someone needs to teach her how to kiss properly. Like, say, her best friend and roomie, Finn Mackenzie. He's safe, he's convenient, and yeah, maybe just a little gorgeous.

Finn knows exactly why Scarlett's boyfriends are disappearing quickly. Him. Not a single guy she's brought home is nearly good enough. And he'll be damned if he lets some loser give her "kissing lessons." No. He'll do the honors, thank you very much. The moment their lips touch, though, everything turns upside down. But Scarlett deserves the one thing Finn can't give her. And if he doesn't put an end to the sexy little shenanigans, he'll teach Scarlett the hardest lesson of all...heartbreak.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

The cuteness of this book is almost too much! From the second I pulled it up on my Kindle I was completely hooked on The Finn Factor. I was glad I had lots of breathing room reading wise because I took my time and truly savored this one and stretched it out as far as I could. Even then I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters and let it end.

What I loved about both Finn and Scarlett's characters was the fact that you have two people who are the types that turn heads when they walk into a room, both of them, and yet they also each had this majorly nerdy/quirky side. Finn with his obsession with history, more specifically musical instruments from Mesopotamia. I mean seriously, how do you even get into something like that? Love it. And then there's Scarlett with her numbers and spreadsheets and math equations. Their quirkiness was completely adorable and made them even more fun then they already were.

One thing that you come to realize right away was the very special and sweet bond and friendship between these two. For different reasons they both need that friendship in their lives. So even I was nervous when the kissing lessons first started happening. I mean I couldn't imagine this book not ending happily, but still it was the thought that, forever how long, things would turn upside down for them and I didn't want it to happen.

On the other hand, the other half of me desperately needed them to be together. From that very first kissing lesson, which left me nearly breathless as well, I just couldn't imagine them not being together. The chemistry was insane and I wish that this had been a movie at times so I could keep rewinding and watching that first kiss happen over and over. H-o-t.

And every character you meet is just so awesome. Finn's sisters, Billie and Amelia and Scarlett's hippie, nomadic parents. They're all so much fun and add both a sweetness and a bit of comic relief.

As you can already tell, I adored this book. It was everything I needed in the moment from a book. I haven't read anything by Rachel Bailey before, but that is definitely going to change now. I can't wait to get my hands on more. 

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

REVIEW: Make it Right (Bowler University #2) by Megan Erickson

Title: Make it Right
Series: Bowler University #2
Author:  Megan Erickson
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Published: September 9th 2014
Format: eBook | Pages: 384
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Purchased
★★★★✩ (4.5/5) Stars!

Megan Erickson | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Max Payton lives by two rules:

Size and strength win any fight, and never show weakness.

When a rash of assaults sends Bowler University for a tail spin, Max volunteers to help teach a self-defense class. One of the other instructors is the beautiful pixie-faced girl he keeps butting heads with…and who challenges everything he thought he knew. 

Lea Travers avoids guys like Max - cocky jocks who assume she's fragile because of a disability caused by a childhood accident. She likes to be in control, and something about being with Max makes her feel anything but. But during the moments he lets his guard down, Lea sees a soul as broken inside as she is outside. Trusting him is a whole other problem...

When the assaults ramp up and hit close to home, Lea and Max must learn, before it’s too late, that true strength can come from vulnerability…and giving in to trust is sometimes the only way to make things right.

Oh my gosh I am so in love with this series! It's been so full of emotions and heart, rich characters and humor, and oh the steamy romance. I was super excited to get into Max and Lea's story and it was so much more than I was hoping it would be.

You know, when I read the first book I wasn't exactly a big Max Payton fan. Let's face it. He was kind of a jerk. He came off as being not much more than a musclebound jock with a bit of a temper and not much substance. Plus he treated Kat like crap and I adored her to pieces. By the end of Make it Count, though, I was starting to come around and finally started seeing his more redeeming qualities. But it wasn't until Make it Right, and being inside his head,  that I truly lost my heart to him. And boy did I. 

I love Max. I do. He makes it impossible not to. He's got so much weighing on him through the majority of the book that it's easy to see the why and almost dismiss his previous behavior. All that pressure and lack of control over his own life, well I think I'd be kind of a jerk at times too. I loved seeing this different side of him though. The sweet and thoughtful side. And his playful side, holy crap Max is so funny! He had me cracking up so much. I loved all the things that Lea brought out in him, or more accurately, inspired in him to bring out within himself.

I was so curious about Lea after meeting her in the first book. I knew that if anyone could inspire Max to turn his life around it would be her. She may have appeared to be small and fragile when you first meet her, but once you start this book and get to know her you see that she is anything but. I really admired her strength and resilience. But there's so much more to admire about her. She doesn't let her disability hold her back. At times she drove me a tiny bit crazy because of all of her walls and trust issues, but I still adored her.

One of the things I really loved coming out of this book, besides how completely adorable Max and Lea are together, is how even through everything that Max put Kat through in the first book, you see this really great friendship and bond between them, through their whole group really. The dynamic between this group of friends is so fun and heartwarming and I'm looking forward to finding out more about Cam. He's not very known to me at this point, well except for his video game habit. But Megan Erickson writes such fun characters that I know I'm going to love him.

Just like the first book, this one was impossible to put down once I started it. I love how real they feel and how easy it is to almost feel all of the emotions and things that the characters are going through. Like I said with the first book, this is how New Adult should be done. This series has been more about the characters and their struggles both to find themselves and within their relationships with each other. Too many authors throw their characters in a college setting and then make it all about sex, sex, sex. While these books do have their steamy moments they're so much more than that. So much deeper. They're pretty close to perfect!

REVIEW: Make it Count (Bowler University #1) by Megan Erickson

Title: Make it Count
Series: Bowler University #1
Author: Megan Erickson
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Published: June 3rd 2014
Format: eBook | Pages: 336
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Purchased
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Megan Erickson | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend’s gorgeous best friend, Alec…who just so happens to be her brand new math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot?

Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It’s safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm’s reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.

Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She’s adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He’d never stab his best friend in the back…

But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can’t be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.

Now that was New Adult done right! I cannot tell you how refreshing it was to pick up a New Adult novel and read an engaging story with captivating characters that were full of depth. I devoured this book. I couldn't have put it down even if I wanted to!

It's hard for me to sit here and try to decide which I liked more. The characters or the storyline? But, since characters are always the huge draw for me, I guess I'll start my gushing there. Megan Erickson can write the most amazing characters, especially the nerdy ones. And nerdy is the new sexy you know. This series is cram packed full of intriguing characters. I love it when even the side characters have you sucked in and wanting to know all about them.

Kat, well that girl completely stole my heart. I felt so connected to both her and Alec, almost as if I could feel everything they were going through. Both the ups and the downs. I loved the complexity of Kat's character. How she could seem so confident and almost cocky in her teasing sort of way. Yet once you peel back the layers you find all the deep, almost heartbreaking, insecurities that she tries to cover up with the pretty exterior and practiced smile. I think what I truly loved about her though was her humor. Kat is so freaking funny. She has her moments where she's easily distracted and during those times, as her mind wanders all over the place, I always ended up with a huge grin because she was so endearing and had me constantly wanting to just chuckle and say "Oh Kat..."

I totally and completely adored Alec. He's the type of character that makes you forget about all your other book boyfriends. He's just a great big wall of delicious. Alec has that intellectual, logical thing going on, which worked against him a couple of times in this book, but was oh so sexy. But what I really love about him is his compassion, his heart and how protective he was over Kat. How hard he tried to build her up and get her to see in herself what everyone but her saw. Plus my heart melted over the bond he had with his mom. Alec is just so open and easy to understand.

I loved the nice and slow build up toward Alec and Kat's relationship forming. Initially I was nervous starting this one. It clearly states in the blurb that Alec is her boyfriend's best friend. I wasn't looking forward to super messy. However not long after getting into Make it Count, you really get the sense that Max and Kat's relationship is very superficial. There's no substance or feelings. Kat likes guys who don't dig too deep past her beautiful exterior and look at the real her and Max, well, I wasn't exactly his biggest fan. In the beginning...

Among this handful of really amazing characters there are a lot of issues that are either dealt with or glimpsed at. I like the way each one of their storylines has been handled so far. It felt very real. Especially the look into Kat's mind.

I am completely head over heels for this series. This was such a great starting off point and thankfully I have the other two books sitting in my Kindle because I can't wait to get to the other stories. Even Max's whom I thought I wasn't going to like very much. I'm so excited to see what happens with him and Lea!! I may not agree with the degree to which he became such a bad friend for a while to Alec but I understood what was going on in his mind when he acted the way he did. I'm down to give him a second chance to completely win me over. He's already part of the way there.