If You Were Mine (The Sullivans #5) by Bella Andre

TITLE: If You Were Mine

AUTHOR: Bella Andre

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: May 2012 - Bella Andre

SERIES: Yes; Companion Series Still in Progress

• The Look of Love (June 2011) 
• From This Moment On (August 2011) 
• Can't Help Falling In Love (December 2011)
• I Only Have Eyes for You (February 2012)
• If You Were Mine (May 2012)

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"The last thing Zach Sullivan wants is to take care of his brother's new puppy for two weeks. Until he meets the dog trainer, that is. Heather is bright, beautiful, and he can't stop thinking about her. Unfortunately, she just might be the only woman on earth who wants nothing to do with him.

Heather Linsey can't believe she's stuck working with one of the city’s top dogs, auto-shop mogul Zach Sullivan. Especially when his focus is clear from the start—not only to learn how to deal with his temporary puppy...but also to make her his. Having sworn off love at seventeen when she realized it was nothing more than a pack of lies, Heather has stuck to her vow never to fall for a charming man. The last thing she expects is for Zach to be the one to tempt her into believing again.

But as Heather's determination to push Zach away only fuels his determination to get closer—and the sensual and emotional connection between them grows more and more undeniable—can two people who've both sworn off love find forever in each other's arms?"

MY REVIEW:
THE FAMILY:
I am in love with the Sullivans. The Sullivans are a large, one-of-a-kind family that’s made up of 8 magnificent and unique siblings.

Chase – Photographer (The Look of Love)
Marcus – Winery (From This Moment On)
Gabe – Firefighter (Can’t Help Falling in Love)
Sophie (Nice) – Librarian (I Only Have Eyes For You)
Zach – Auto Shop Chain (If You Were Mine)

Ryan – Professional Baseball Player (TBA)
Smith – Actor (TBA)
Lori (Naughty) – Choreographer (TBA)

THE SERIES:
If you are looking for something SWEET and SEXY then The Sullivans companion series by Bella Andre is absolutely perfect for you. Each novel in the companion series is unique, just like the siblings. However, there is one thing that all of the novels have in common: THEY ARE ALL AMAZING!

I’m obsessed with this series. As soon as a new novel is released, I drop everything else so I can get my Sullivan fix.

IF YOU WERE MINE:

If You Were Mine was another wonderful additional this series. I really enjoyed Zach and Heather's story. It was a sweet and sexy story with emotional undertones. I really enjoyed watching Zach and Heather try to resist falling in love.

Zach's father died when he was a young boy leaving his mother all alone to raise eight children. Zach has always been told that he is exactly like his father, and he is convinced that he is going to die young. He doesn't want to leave a wife and children behind so he lives his life in the fast lane and doesn't form emotional attachments. One-night stands are fine but love isn't in the cards for Zach.

Heather doesn't believe in love. Her parent's marriage looks like the perfect marriage from the outside, but Heather discovered the truth about her parent's marriage a long time ago. Her father is a cheater, and her mother is a spineless woman who looks the other way. Heather decides that if that is love, then she wants no part in it.

Overall, If You Were Mine was a fabulous story. I only have one minor critique, and bare with me because I am going to keep things vague to avoid any spoilers. Bella Andre brought up a serious issue in this novel, but in my opinion, she could have delved a little deeper into this issue. She "talked" about it, but she never really "explored" it. I would connected with Heather better if I would have been able to understand her past struggles better. Did this keep me from loving the story? No. I still strongly recommend this story and this series.

I gave If You Were Mine by Bella Andre 4 STARS. If you haven't been introduced to the Sullivans yet, then I recommend that you fix that immediately, starting with the first novel in the companion series, The Look of Love. 

Easy by Tammara Webber

TITLE: Easy

AUTHOR: Tammara Webber

RATING: 5 STARS (4.5 STARS)

PUBLISHED: May 2012 - Tammara Webber

SERIES: No

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"When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations)"

MY REVIEW ADVICE:
Buy this book right now! Seriously. I am obsessed. I am sure I've said it before, but I don't think I've ever meant it as much as I do now: I never wanted this book to end. I loved the characters and the story, and I wanted to read about them forever. Reading this novel was such a remarkable experience. I truly feel honored to have read this book. I have zero complaints about this romance novel, and I strongly encourage all mature young adults to give this novel a shot.

Ms. Webber is a force to be reckoned with. She knows how young adults think, feel, and act. It is obvious in all of her novels.

If you are looking for a beautifully, well-written story that has real characters and touches on real issues that young adults face then Easy by Tammara Webber is the novel for you. If you are looking for a novel that has two fabulous main characters: 1) a sexy, mysterious hero who has tattoos and drives a motorcycle and 2) a realistic heroine who gets her heart handed to her but gets right back up again, then Easy is the story for you. If you are looking for a sexy, witty story about life and love then Easy is the novel for you. If you are looking for a story that is geared toward an older, more mature audience then Easy is the novel for you. And if you are looking for a novel that will make you grin like a fool, laugh out loud, and shed a few tears then Easy by Tammara Webber is the novel for you.

I'm a very expressive person. I have lots of cheesy faces that I make when I'm reading, and this book brought them all out: 1) the wide open-mouthed, are-you-freaking-kidding-me, shocked face (Kennedy typically caused this expression.), 2) the head tilted to the side, shoulder shrug, cheesy grin (I probably wore this expression the most), 3) the squinty-eyed, over-dramatic, laugh-out-loud smile (PS: I can't see when I smile this big.) , 4) the doe-eyed, hand-over-my-heart, awed expression (That one was typically caused by Lucas.), 5) the I support you fiercely, girl power, kick some butt encouraging nod and fist bump (Jacqueline all the way!),  and 6) the you just shattered my heart, blinking really fast so I don't ball my eyes out face. I'm telling you, this book brought it all out.

I dare you to read this novel and not fall in love with the story and the characters, especially LUCAS!

I gave Easy by Tammara Webber 5 STARS (4.5 STARS). Hands down, this book is a MUST READ. I strongly recommend that mature young adults follow my 5 STAR advice: Get on your e-book or go out to your local bookstore and buy this book RIGHT NOW!

Gio (5th Street #2) by Elizabeth Reyes

TITLE: Gio

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Reyes

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: May 2012 - Elizabeth Reyes

SERIES: Yes; Companion Series Still in Progress:

• Noah (March 2012)
• Gio (May 2012)

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"When tragedy strikes in the ring, Giovanni Bravo falls into a deep depression, walking away from his dream of boxing to train instead. He agrees to a two month get-away, helping train Felix Sanchez, his high school best friend and now welterweight champ of the world. Once at Felix’s lavish boxing complex, he’s reunited with Bianca Rubio, someone he remembers only as the girl with the innocent doe eyes back in high school. Her refreshing, cheerful demeanor not only takes Gio’s mind off his troubled conscience, he finds himself falling for her fast and hard. The problem—Bianca is Felix’s girlfriend.

Having a sexy, famous boyfriend has its perks, but they come with a price. Bianca not only has to deal with the ongoing tabloid rumors about her boyfriend hooking with other women, but also his constant absence when he is on the road. So now that Felix will be in town for two whole months to train for his next big bout, Bianca is thrilled. He’s even asked her to move into his cabin while he's there. But when he leaves for days at a time to promote his fight, Bianca spends time getting to know Felix’s gorgeous new trainer and good friend, Gio. Increasingly drawn to his sweet smile and smoldering green eyes, she finds herself saying and doing things she normally wouldn’t.

As it becomes more and more difficult for each to resist the other, Gio crosses the line between them. He hopes that one kiss will alleviate the overwhelming temptation and clear both their systems, but it does just the opposite. Their temptation suddenly becomes an obsession—a dangerous obsession that can only lead to heartache—for everyone."

MY REVIEW:
"I don't know what else to tell you, man. You can't fight love. Trust me. I tried." - Gio

Noah, the first novel in the 5th Street series, wasn't my favorite book by Elizabeth Reyes. It was good. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. Gio, the second novel in the 5th Street series, may be my new favorite  book by Elizabeth Reyes. I absolutely LOVED this story. It was a cute, fun contemporary romance novel. I enjoyed this story so much that my cheeks are sore today because I had a huge perma-grin the entire time I was reading this contemporary romance novel.

Ms. Reyes is a phenomenal authors. Her characters are extremely well-developed and down to earth. I haven't read a novel by her that I haven't liked.

I am a complete sucker for verbal foreplay, and this book had a lot of it! You could feel the tension and chemistry building between Gio and Bianca every time they teased and flirted with one another. I also really liked the love triangle element in this novel. I like the way Ms. Reyes set things up and played them out.


Gio was a great novel because it was a sweet and sexy story with a touch of sad and serious. This novel had a little bit of everything.

I gave Gio (5th Street #2) by Elizabeth Reyes 4 STARS. I strongly recommend this contemporary romance novel to adults and mature young adults.

Saving Grace by J.M. Hill

TITLE: Saving Grace

AUTHOR: J.M. Hill

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: April 2012 - J.M. Hill

SERIES: No

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"Grace Burke doesn’t need a thing.

She enjoys her quiet life in Fall Rivers, Colorado—running a bookstore and coffee shop with her cousin, Kate. The two have a successful business, a small circle of friends, and each other. What more could she want?

When the Anderson brothers move into the house across the street, it doesn’t take long for her to realize exactly what she’s been missing. At first sight, the youngest brother, Michael, captures Grace’s heart, and her quiet life is disrupted.

Then it turns upside down.

Grace isn’t the only one with eyes for Michael. Nina Sandler, one of Michael’s clients, threatens to come between them. When Nina can’t get Michael’s attention, she focuses on Grace—in a very dangerous way.

But love is never easy and if the best things in life are worth fighting for, then Grace must find the courage to fight. Not just for love and happiness but for her very life."

MY REVIEW:
Saving Grace by J.M. Hill was a heartwarming romance novel.  After reading a bunch of emotional rollercoaster romance novels, Saving Grace was exactly what I was looking for. It's a super sweet story with a fun, suspenseful twist!

Saving Grace was a well-written story by a fresh, new voice. Ms. Hill created a beautiful story about loss, guilt, love, family, and relationships.

Honestly, the first half of this novel was my favorite. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them establish their friendships and relationships. All of the main characters were extremely cool and down to earth. They are the types of characters that you can see yourself hanging out with. I especially enjoyed watching Grace and Michael dance around each other. There one-on-one moments were some of favorites. I enjoyed the second half of the novel, just not as much as the first half. The second half of the novel was a lot more... serious. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I was glued to the book from start to finish.

Although the characters are in their mid-twenties, I would recommend this novel to young adults and adults. It's a clean, heartwarming novel romance that is perfect for everyone.

I gave Saving Grace by J.M. Hill 4 STARS. I strongly recommend this novel.

Gabriel's Rapture (Gabriel's Inferno #2) by Sylvain Reynard

TITLE: Gabriel's Rapture

AUTHOR: Sylvain Reynard

RATING: 4 STARS (4.5 STARS)

PUBLISHED: May 2012 - Omnific Publishing

SERIES:Yes; Complete Series:

• Gabriel's Inferno (April 2011) 
• Gabriel's Rapture (May 2012)

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"Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student, Julia Mitchell.

Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the rapture of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover.

When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he be forced to share Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever?"

MY REVIEW:
Gabriel's Rapture, the sequel to Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard, was absolutely brilliant. Written by an author with a fresh and passionate voice, Gabriel's Rapture was a beautiful, artistic novel that explores "suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption". Gabriel's Inferno intertwined Julia and Gabriel's past with their present, but Gabriel's Rapture took things a step further and intertwined Julia and Gabriel's past, present, and future.

Gabriel's Rapture picks up right where Gabriel's Inferno left off. Julia and Gabriel are in Italy, enjoying their freedom and each other. Once they return from Italy, however, they have to face reality and forces that are threatening to pull them apart. In this novel, Julia and Gabriel are both committed to one another, but they must face their pasts and overcome new, present hurdles in order to have a lasting future.

Julia and Gabriel are intelligent and witty characters. Their passion for art and literature and their all-consuming love for one another create a spellbinding love story. I highly recommend this artistic, sensual love story.

I gave Gabriel's Rapture (Gabriel's Inferno #2) by Sylvain Reynard 4 STARS (4.5 STARS). I rated Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1) by Sylvain Reynard 5 STARS. Don't let my lower rating fool you. Gabriel's Rapture was sensational. It's, without a doubt, a MUST READ. The only reason I rated this novel lower than its predecessor was because I missed Gabriel's sexy bad boy side. What can I say? I am a sucker for bad boys! 

Reading this series has been "a beautiful, powerful and addicting journey". I strongly encourage adults to read Gabriel's Inferno and Gabriel's Rapture. They are two of my favorite books, and I look forward to re-reading them both many times in the future.

PS: This is how I picture Gabriel and his sexy glasses! Yum!

What I am reading this week

This is a great week for reading! Three of my favorite series continue this week and there is a new romance novel for mature young adults coming out by one of my favorite authors! Let's take a look:

Currently Reading:
Gabriel's Rapture (Gabriel's Inferno #2) - Sylvain Reynard



Coming out this week:
May 22, 2012: Gio (5th Street #2) -Elizabeth Reyes


May 24, 2012: If You Were Mine (The Sullivans #5) - Bella Andre


May 25, 2012: Easy - Tammara Webber

The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher

TITLE: The Opportunist

AUTHOR: Tarryn Fisher

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: November 2011 - Tarryn Fisher

SERIES: Yes; Companion Series Still in Progress:

• The Opportunist (November 2011)
• Dirty Red (April 2013)
• Untitled (Unknown)

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

"Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption."

MY REVIEW:
** Warning: The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher is a super crazy emotional roller coaster ride that will most likely cause you to yell, scream, curse, and throw things. Please try to refrain from throwing your reading device against a wall because that most likely will not end well.  **

The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher is an angsty cross-over romance novel that explores how one action can  cause a domino effect that is capable of destroying even the strongest relationship. This novel also examines how pride, deception, and manipulation are some of the deepest ways you can hurt the ones you love.

"I would like to write a novel that every, single person loves, but not even J.K. Rowling could do that. Instead, I try to write stories that pull on people's emotions. I believe that sadness is the most powerful emotion, and swirled with regret the two become a dominating force. I love villains, namely; Mother Gothel, Gaston and the Evil Queen who all suffered from a pretty wicked case of vanity (like me). I like to make these personality types the center of my stories." - Taken from Tarryn Fisher's goodreads.com profile

That is exactly what Ms. Fisher does; she pulls on readers emotions. I guarantee you that you will FEEL many, many things while reading this novel. It actually took me a long time to rate and review this novel because after completing this novel, I experienced emotional overload. This novel brought me up, pulled me down, pulled me down even farther, brought me up, and then brought me back down. It was a lot to experience, but like I've said before, I would much rather experience a lot than experience nothing at all.

I loved and hated the two main characters. I loved them when they were together, but I hated them when they were apart. Olivia and Caleb were their own worst enemies. They let their pride, their deception, and their manipulations keep them from obtaining the thing they wanted most, each other. They were both deceitful and a little bit crazy. They both made unforgivable choices. But, they also had sweeter, softer sides that were hard to resist.

In my opinion, the first half of this novel was phenomenal. I loved watching the characters past and present unfold simultaneously, and at this point in the novel, I was hopeful. The characters made asinine choices, but they had their reasons. I don't necessarily agree with their reasons, but at least, they explained why they behaved the way they did. The second half of the novel just wasn't as good as the first. Things got a little too crazy and convoluted toward the end of the novel.The story went from being told at a nice, even pace to being sort of jumbled, and the characters' choices went from asinine to certifiable. I kinda, sorta understood why the characters made their choices in the beginning of this novel, but I had no freaking clue what possessed the characters to act like complete idiots during the second half of this novel. As you can tell, I am still quite angry with them.

Regardless, I was glued to my freaking phone (kindle app) from start to finish. I would not put this book down. Now, it's a few days later and I am still thinking about this novel. So what does that tell you? This is a memorable, addicting story that is worth reading.

I gave The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher 4 STARS.Check this book out and let me know what you think! I don't think it's for everyone, but I think the majority of readers will enjoy it. I highly encourage everyone to give it a shot.  There are two more books in this series. I am not sure if they go back in time or if they pick up where The Opportunist left off. I just know that I won't be able to resist reading them!

 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

TITLE: Pushing the Limits

AUTHOR: Katie McGarry

RATING:  5 STARS (4.5 STARS)

PUBLISHED: July 2012 - Harlequin Teen

SERIES: Yes; Companion Series Still in Progress:

• Pushing the Limits (July 2012)
• Dare You To (Unknown)

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"So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again."

MY REVIEW:
Mark your calendars NOW! Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry will be available on July 31st, 2012! Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this phenomenal young adult romance novel! Pushing the Limits is a MUST READ!

I had EXTREMELY high expectations going into Pushing the Limits, and Ms. McGarry's debut novel didn't disappoint. I absolutely, positively LOVED everything about this novel: the author's writing style, the characters, the plot, the conclusion, the humor, the realism, the romance, and the suspense. I have zero complaints about this addicting, page-turner.

Every now and then you get lucky and you find a special book, one that has everything you are looking for in a book. Pushing the Limits was one of those books. It's the type of book that makes you laugh out loud and ball your eyes out. It's the type of book that touches your heart and motivates you to make a difference. It's the type of book that makes you fall head over heels in love with the characters. It's the type of book that makes you giddy and gives you butterflies. Pushing the Limits was a great find.

Told by Echo and Noah in alternating perspectives, Pushing the Limits was an entertaining, sweet, addicting romance novel that explored multiple real issues simultaneously.  Ms. McGarry did a wonderful job capturing both the male and the female POV. Echo and Noah's voices were raw, honest, and personalized; it's easy to differentiate between their perspectives. Both characters were extremely well-developed and very representative of their age, gender, and social status. Ms. McGarry also did a fabulous job capturing the friendships, cliques, and pressures of high school, as well as, the obstacles and responsibilities that young adults face.

I like how this book highlighted a lot of "the systems" downfalls but also showed that it's not a completely failing system. There is some good in the world and not everyone is out to get you when your down. There are good people in today's world, just like there are bad people.

I like how Ms. McGarry resolved conflict. I love happily ever after endings, but I hate fairy tale endings. Let me explain. I like it when problems are resolved with a happy solution, but I don't like it when the solutions are unrealistic. I especially don't like it when 20 million improbable things occur simultaneously, everything falls perfectly into place, and the characters get on their magical flying pony and fly over the freaking moon. In my opinion, Ms. McGarry did an amazing job creating happy, yet realistic solutions. There weren't any flying ponies in this story!

I also like how the author avoided falling into the expected, laid-out, stereotypical traps. I really admire her for that. Here is an example. The stage (TRAP) was set when Noah met Echo's father for the first time. You had the super controlling father who wanted his daughter to get back with her popular ex-boyfriend and the "bad" boy foster kid who smokes pot and enjoys one-night stands. I was convinced that Echo's father was going to get in the way of Echo and Noah's relationship. I could feel it in my bones. But, Ms. McGarry surprised me when she avoided the trap and did something even better. I won't tell you what she did. Honestly it wasn't even that big of a thing, but I felt like I learned so much more about the characters, particularly Noah and Mr. Emerson, from the way she handled their first encounter.

Pushing the Limits is the perfect novel for young adults. It's not a "clean" novel, but it's not a "dirty" novel either. This novel talks about sex, contains some drug use, and drops a couple of f-bombs, but in my opinion, it's not a risque novel. 

I gave Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry 5 STARS (4.5 STARS).  Let me reiterate:  Mark your calendars NOW! Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry will be available on July 31st, 2012! Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this phenomenal young adult romance novel! Pushing the Limits is a MUST READ!

Sweetness, I'm Yours, and Whatever It Takes Giveaway

PRIZE:

An eBook of Sweetness (Bold as Love #1), I'm Yours (Bold as Love #2), AND Whatever It Takes (Bold as Love #3) by Lindsay Paige.

                           

TIMELINE:
Contest ended on Wednesday, May 30th.

WINNER:
Lauren R.

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Whatever It Takes (Bold as Love #3) by Lindsay Paige

TITLE: Whatever It Takes

AUTHOR: Lindsay Paige

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: June 2012 - Lindsay Paige

SERIES: Yes; Series Still in Progress:

• Sweetness - November 2011
• I'm Yours - November 2011
• Whatever It Takes - June 2012

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

"Their first year of college isn’t what they expected. Emily is still struggling with the loss of her baby, while Jake seems to have no trouble with it at all. Emily is so conflicted about how to deal with the miscarriage. On top of that, she’s having nightmares.

Can Jake help his Sweetness? Will she allow him? Their relationship is suffering and Jake is determined to do whatever Emily asks of him. But when Emily makes a suggestion that she feels will help with her grief, could it tear the couple apart forever?"

MY REVIEW: 

"To me, love is putting another person before yourself. Love is being completely mesmerized by a trait that is common in most people, but appears extraordinary coming from the one you love. Love means doing what's best for the other person, no matter what it means for you. Love is always there. Time can only strengthen love. I view love as a co-dependency. You can only love someone else if they allow you to and it applies to yourself. To be loved, you must place trust in another person." - Jake from Whatever It Takes

Whatever It Takes, the third novel in the Bold as Love series by Lindsay Paige, was another chapter in Emily and Jake's lives.

Readers were introduced to Emily and Jake in Sweetness, the first novel in the Bold as Love series. In I'm Yours, the second novel in the Bold as Love series, readers watched as Emily and Jake prepared themselves for an unplanned pregnancy and grieved a terrible, unexpected loss. In Whatever It Takes, Emily and Jake struggle through their first year of college. They must juggle school, jobs, hockey, and cohabitation, while coping with the loss of their baby. Their journey isn't easy. Dealing with their grief in different ways, Emily and Jake must open up to another and depend on one another like never before. And right when everything starts to come together for them, the unexpected happens and they have to fall in love all over again!

Told from both Emily and Jake's perspectives, Whatever It Takes was a great addition to the Bold as Love series. It's an emotional, short story that showcases two likable young adults and the struggles and challenges they face. Young adults will relate to and fall in love with Emily and Jake more and more as they face new challenges as a couple.

I love how each book in this series is short chapter in Emily and Jake's lives. In this series, they struggle and overcome real-life obstacles. Their strength, determination, and love for one another make them admirable individuals, as well as a swoon-worthy couple.

I said this in my review for I'm Yours, and I am going to say it again now because it's so true. I love this series because Jake and Emily are relatable and likable characters! It's obvious that the author has a good impression of teenagers and the challenges they face in life. In my opinion, Emily and Jake's strong affection for one another was spot on of a young couple in love. Their behavior was authentic and realistic. Ms. Paige did a a fabulous job capturing the essence of teenagers in love.

I gave Whatever It Takes (Bold as Love #3) by Lindsay Paige 4 STARS. I strongly recommend this series!

Fun Facts:

• The Bold as Love series is going to be a nine-book series.
• The author, Lindsay Paige, is a high school senior!

****GIVEAWAY**** 

An eBook of the first three novels in the Bold as Love series:  

Sweetness, I'm Yours, and Whatever It Takes!

Giveaway ends at 3pm CST on May 31, 2012

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO ENTER!