Lovin' los libros

 

 

This was my first Julie James book, but after reading and enjoying this one so much, it will definitely not be my last! I am excited to go back and reread about some of the couples that were mentioned in this book. I really liked both Ford and Victoria. Things do not get off to a very good start between them because of some miscommunication on her side, but I do love a good enemies to lovers story!

 

Ford and Victoria are next door neighbors and Victoria gets the wrong idea about the extremely good looking guy next door. Having seen him with multiple different women, Victoria makes the only assumption she can: he's a womanizer and she's not interested in becoming another conquest.

 

Victoria is very independent- she's had no other choice. Having grown up with a father who cheated on her mother and abandoned them, she had been left to deal with the fallout. Therefore, Victoria doesn't place much stock in lasting long-term relationships. Ford himself isn't looking for a relationship either, simply wanting to just have fun and live life as it comes. He also has felt the sting of abandonment as Victoria has, with his father being an alcoholic and presenting two very different faces in his life. Once the two are paired to work together to help Ford's sister, the sparks fly and both Victoria and Ford find themselves enjoying each others' company and the no-strings relationship attached. However, both are too stubborn to admit their true feelings for one another, once that relationship starts to feel too real.

 

I liked how much story we got with this one. Watching Ford and Victoria help Nicole was one of my favorite parts, aside from their romance. I was engaged from the get-go and wanted to see these two overcome their hang ups and find true love.

 

 

 

 

This was also my first Katie Ashley book and when I saw the review opportunity arise, I couldn't pass it up. Motorcycle clubs intrigue me and I loved the premise behind this one. I will say this book isn't for the faint of heart, though. It's definitely a rougher and tougher book and while I didn't jive with everything that was going on, I did still really enjoy it. I liked the romance between Deacon and Alex, even though there were a couple of physical instances between them that made me cringe. Deacon could be very hot-headed and he is definitely an act first, think later kind of guy. He is fiercely loyal and protective of his own though and once Alex joins that inner circle, things definitely heat up between them.

 

I loved Willow too. She is too cute for words and has been through so much in just 5 years. Her attachment to Alex was really sweet and it really melted my heart to see her open up to her. I also really enjoyed Deacon's brothers, Rev and Bishop, and I am super excited for both of their books. Rev has a softer, tender side and I really liked seeing that contrast between him and Deacon. Bishop is the playboy and isn't taken very seriously, which bothers him a bit. I am looking forward to seeing where Ashley takes both of their stories.

 

Overall, I did enjoy this one, even though some of the content was a bit hard to swallow. The Raiders do not tolerate disloyalty or other rival clubs encroaching on their territory, which has caused some serious animosity and tension. Amidst that tension, we see the bonds that tie these people together and they are not ones to be reckoned with.

 

 

Being a big fan of Jessica Scott's military romances, I knew I would have to give this one a go. I love second chance romances, so it was a no brainer I had to read it. The romance in this one takes a back seat to the actual storyline though. This didn't bother me because I was so engrossed in what was happening and seeing Sean and Sarah deal with the aftermath of a fight between soldiers. Still, what we do get of Sarah and Sean is really well done and I liked the slow building nature of their relationship.

 

Sarah and Sean have quite the past together and even though time has passed, they still remember the hurt they caused one another when they ended. Now, Sarah has been widowed by a good man whom she loved dearly and now has a daughter to care for. Sarah is hesitant to start something with Sean, as she feels it would be a betrayal to her late husband's memory. She has so much on her plate as it is, with dealing with her confusing feelings for Sean, being a single career mom, and dealing with an unforgiving supervisor. Sean is no different, with both of the fighting men being in his unit. It is hard for him to step back and look at the situation clearly, as he has served downrange with both, and one of which has been with him through some pretty dark times.

 

These last few books by Scott have been so enlightening as to what goes on between deployments and what it's like to be back on base, trying to acclimate. They are also incredibly heartbreaking, as some of them do not acclimate well and their drinking and drug use really become huge problems for them and their ability to do what is necessary for their jobs.

 

While the romance in this one is more on the subtle side, I did really like seeing Sarah and Sean find their way back to one another and giving the other some much needed hope that they can move forward and be happy.