Best In Books | August 2017

Best in Books is a monthly feature created by BookTuber Hope Ortego. 

A playlist of her Best In Books videos can be found HERE.

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Welcome to my Best In Books for August! 

Best in Books was created by my friend Hope and she was kind enough to let me join in on her feature (because she's awesome that way). Her BookTube channel is linked above and I hope you'll check her out. Now on to all the best bookishness in August...

Jill from Kissing Max Holden
I was so impressed with Jill. She was a girl with such a good head on her shoulders. She was going through a lot of changes in her life (dad and stepmom fighting, a new step sibling on the way, her dream of culinary school suddenly in jeopardy) but she never wallowed in self-pity or threw a tantrum. She was usually level headed and determined to make the best of what she was dealt. No drama, no angst. I loved that about her.

Luke from Ready to Run

I had so much respect for Luke. And, truthfully, I think I liked him even better than Jordan, the female main character. Being labeled a "runaway groom" after three weddings that didn't happen, Luke was the subject of a lot of gossip. I loved that he never shared details, refused to 'kiss and tell' about the hows and whys, and instead took all responsibility and allowed people to think what they wanted. He was such a stand-up guy - self-sacrificing and dignified - and that made him an easy choice for my favorite male character of the month.

Rome by Jay Crownover

Rome on how to raise a child:

"What do you mean? We have it, we raise it, we send it to school, keep it from getting eaten by wolves or becoming a stripper, and we're good."

Nash by Jay Crownover

"I think on the journey to finding the love we crave, the love we truly deserve, the first stop has to be the love we have for ourselves. That's a love that can never be lost and can only grow and get stronger the more it is fostered and developed. Appreciate who you are. Love what makes you different."

it rode in on

Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino

I'm starting to think that Carlino is one of those always spot-on authors for me. As in, she just always seems to get it right. Wish You Were Here was the third book I'd read from Carlino and it was another hit. She has a way of introducing characters that feel so real that I can imagine them being my real-life friends. She also has a way of making me completely invested in their lives - so much so that I feel like I'm experiencing their every sadness and joy. She pulled out all the emotional stops with this one. I laughed and swooned and cried (and then cried some more) and was left feeling so hopeful. Wish You Were Here was an easy choice for my best book of the month.

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Now it's your turn: 
What was the best book you read in August? 

Review: Ready to Run by Lauren Layne

Ready to Run by Lauren Layne

Series: I Do, I Don't #1

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 22, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Provided by Publisher

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

The Bachelor meets The Runaway Bride in this addictive romance novel about a reality TV producer falling for her would-be star: a Montana heartthrob who wants nothing to do with the show.

Jordan Carpenter thinks she's finally found the perfect candidate for Jilted, a new dating show about runaway grooms: Luke Elliott, a playboy firefighter who's left not one but three brides at the altar. The only problem? Luke refuses to answer Jordan's emails or return her calls. Which is how she ends up on a flight to Montana to recruit him in person. It's not Manhattan but at least the locals in Lucky Hollow seem friendly... except for Luke, who's more intense - and way hotter - than the slick womanizer Jordan expected.

Eager to put the past behind him, Luke has zero intention of following this gorgeous, fast-talking city girl back to New York. But before he can send her packing, Jordan's everywhere: at his favorite bar, the county fair, even his exes' book club. Annoyingly, everyone is Lucky Hollow seems to like her - and deep down, she's starting to grow on him too. But the more he fights her constant pestering, the more Luke finds himself wishing that Jordan would kick off her high heels and make herself comfortable in his arms.

How does Lauren Layne do it? She consistently creates characters I love, witty banter, swoony heroes, steamy connections, and happily ever afters that keep me coming back again and again. Ready to Run is no exception.

Jordan has landed in Lucky Hollow, Montana to convince the local hot firefighter to star in a new reality dating show. Too bad for her, Luke Elliott wants no part of it and does his best to send her packing. Jordan's not one to take no for an answer and proceeds to make friends and charm everyone in the small town all while continuing to try and get past Luke's defenses. She thinks he's stubborn, he thinks she's pushy - but neither one can deny the sparks that fly every time they're together.

I was completely charmed by every character in Ready to Run. Not just Jordan and Luke but every side character as well. How often does that happen? From Jordan's best friend Simon (can he be my best friend, too?), to the ladies (including Luke's exes) that befriend Jordan, to Luke's firefighter buddies... I loved them all. I'm not typically a fan of small town settings but I found myself wanting to take up residence in Lucky Hollow and call these people my friends.

Admittedly, the plot may be a little formulaic, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment one bit. Cute, funny, sweet and sexy, and low on angst, Ready to Run totally hits the mark.

4/5 STARS

Note: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Short Take Reviews: Back to Us and Blurred Lines

Back to Us by Teresa Roman

GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis: Abandoned by her parents at fourteen, Jessica knows what it means to struggle. She's vowed that getting her degree is the only thing she has time for, until a summer internship brings Justin into her life.

But Justin has scars of his own. A tour of duty in Afghanistan has left him with wounds. A medical discharge from the Navy leaves Justin struggling to make sense of his new reality. Then he meets Jessica; but can the two of them leave their pain in the past and make a future together?

MY THOUGHTS: Jessica and Justin are both dealing with scars from their pasts - some obvious and some hidden. Justin is struggling to adjust to a life he never imagined. With his military career over, he tries to find a new path while still dealing with the aftermath of his previous life. College student Jessica is focused and determined to lead a better life than the abusive childhood that left her abandoned and living in a group home. A summer job spent tutoring kids at a community center introduces her to fellow staff member, Justin, and a friendship starts to blossom into something more. But her insecurities and his struggle to forge a new life make for a rocky path to a possible future together.

I was drawn to Back To Us because of Justin's military background and the topic of PTSD. My husband is a veteran who served 20 years in the U.S. Navy and stories that honor our servicemen and women, while showcasing their sacrifice and the aftermath of their service, are near and dear to my heart. Roman did a wonderful job of portraying Justin and his struggles in a realistic way. My heart ached for him as he tried to come to terms with his new reality. He was angry and bitter at times, at both his situation and the life he imagined but would never have. Jessica was also a likable character, one who had worked hard to overcome a horrible childhood. While she was independent and hard-working, she still carried insecurities from years of emotional abuse and the parents who basically abandoned her. I loved seeing these two characters get to know one another and start to open themselves up to a new relationship even though they were both hesitant to take a chance. While I would have liked to have seen more depth to both their characters, this was still a heartfelt and emotional story that I enjoyed and recommend.

4/5 STARS

Blurred Lines by Lauren Layne 

GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis: When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate—and platonic. Six years later, they’re still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland’s trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker’s boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben’s no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can’t seem to get the hang of casual sex—until she tries it with him.

The arrangement works perfectly... at first. The sex is mind-blowing, and their friendship remains as solid as ever, without any of the usual messy romantic entanglements. But when Parker’s ex decides he wants her back, Ben is shocked by a fierce stab of possessiveness. And when Ben starts seeing a girl from work, Parker finds herself plagued by unfamiliar jealousy. With their friendship on the rocks for the first time, Parker and Ben face an alarming truth: Maybe they can’t go back. And maybe, deep down, they never want to.

MY THOUGHTS: Yes! When I'm in the mood for new adult/contemporary without all the angst, this is what I want. Blurred Lines is only my second read from Lauren Layne but she's quickly becoming a favorite. (Btw, if you haven't watched the 5 at 5 videos she does with her husband, you're missing out.)

I love it when two characters are just so obviously meant to be together. And Parker and Ben are *perfect* examples of that. These best friends seem to put an answer to the question "Can men and women really be just friends?" Or do they? <insert giddy laughter and heart eyes> I LOVED the friendship between Parker and Ben. Their easy banter truly seemed based on years of shared history. LL is a master at dialogue and humor and both were spot-on here. The chemistry was smokin' and when fresh out of a (boring) relationship Parker and confirmed bachelor/man ho' Ben decided to indulge in a friends-with-benefits arrangement things really took off. 

Both characters are just so utterly likable. I loved how they were fully committed to their friendship and didn't let other relationships come between them. Watching them alter their relationship, be there for one another during good times and bad, and ultimately figure out what they wanted, made for a near perfect read. Bring on more LL!  

4.5/5 STARS

Have you read either of these?

Do you like the friends-to-lovers trope?

Top Ten Tuesday: New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme 

created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's theme is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016. My first thought was I'm not even going to have ten. Surprisingly I had about 16! I think there are a couple debut authors but hey, it still counts. :) So here are my ten favorite new-to-me authors that I read in 2016.

Becky Albertalli

Molly McAdams

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Evelyn Skye

Jay Crownover

Renee Carlino

Amber Smith

Sarina Bowen

Lauren Layne

Samatha Harris

Have you read any of these?
What new-to-you-author did you discover this year?