The Sunday Post #191


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:
Sunday Post Meme

  • Hello from Past Tanya! I'm out of town this weekend so I'm actually writing this on Friday. Look at me being all organized and blogging ahead! :) 
  • I'm in Beaufort, South Carolina this weekend enjoying a little R&R. My mom recently mentioned wanting to visit Beaufort so we decided to make it happen. We'll do a little sightseeing, a little shopping, have some yummy meals (I hope), stay at a lovely inn, and head home sometime Sunday. And the 3 hour drive should give me some good reading time. :)
  • The Husband and I did a lot of eating out this this past week so I need to sit down and plan some menus and hit the grocery store on Monday. I don't relish coming home and hitting the kitchen after a long day at the office so I need to sort out some quick and easy dinners. 
  • Ready for the most romantic proposal ever? This guy took it to the next level by animating himself and his girlfriend and proposing with her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty. He set the bar high! You can read the story behind the video/proposal here.

  • The January Of Books giveaway hop is still going strong so don't forget to enter if you haven't already.  
  • This week's 80's music fix is from Alphaville. I just love this remix version of Forever Young. Enjoy!


Tuesday, January 14
Top Ten Tuesday:
Best New (To Me) Authors of 2019

Wednesday, January 15
WWW Wednesday #72

Friday, January 17
Review: Blitzed by Alexa Martin


WHAT I COMPLETED IN THE LAST WEEK:

  

Only Ever You - CD Reiss
We Own Tonight - Corinne Michaels

These audio books were my first experiences with both of these authors. Only Ever You was a good read but I had a few quibbles with the narrative. I felt like the character's feelings and motivations weren't always made clear so it sometimes seemed like they felt one way but acted another. I don't know... it's hard to explain but I just felt like things weren't always as clear as they should have been. Still, like I said, it was a really good story and I enjoyed it. We Own Tonight was a big hit for me! I absolutely loved it and Corinne Michaels has a new fan. I am so excited to read more from her!

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
    
   

Echoes Between Us - Katie McGarry

I'm a little over 40% into Echoes Between Us and now that I have the hardcover I expect to get through it much faster. I didn't know when I started it that there was a connection to McGarry's last release, Only a Breath Apart, and it's been fun to revisit some familiar characters. And I'm loving the connection that is slowing forming between Veronica and Sawyer. Katie just never disappoints.


PHYSICAL BOOKS:

Echoes Between Us - Katie McGarry
The Lucky Heart - Devney Perry
Love Lettering - Kate Clayborn

I've been 100% in the mood for physical books lately and I think that's part of the reason I was initially making little headway with Echoes Between Us. I had an eARC and was reading so slowly. By Wednesday I'd had enough and since the book was released this week I asked The Husband to stop at Barnes & Noble on the way home from the office and pick me up a copy (he passes the bookstore on his way home; I don't). I snagged a copy of The Lucky Heart on eBay for a few dollars and it arrived this week. I haven't bought anything off eBay in years but for some weird reason I was browsing books on there last week. And, lastly, I took advantage of a pre-order offer for Love Lettering back in December and it arrived this week. The book is signed and personalized and came with some gorgeous postcards with original artwork based on the book and a small sealed note that is related somehow.

KINDLE BOOKS:

This Time Around - Stacey Lynn

eARC FOR REVIEW:

The Honey-Don't List - Christina Lauren





How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!
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Review: Blitzed by Alexa Martin

BLITZED
Alexa Martin
Publication date: December 3, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Series: Playbook #3
Format: eARC
Source: Berkley and Netgalley
3.25 Stars

GOODREADS  *  AMAZON






S Y N O P S I S

Brynn Larson owes a lot to reality television and professional athletes. Her bar hit new heights of success after becoming a local haunt for the Denver Mustangs players and their WAGs. But although she’s grateful, that doesn’t mean she’s crazy. And that’s exactly what she would be to ever consider dating a professional athlete. Even if it’s Maxwell Lewis, whose shy smile makes her wonder what going on behind those beautiful brown eyes.

Maxwell knew from the moment he met Brynn that she was going to change his life. It was only a matter of time. But when he finally makes a move, fate conspires against him and everything goes wrong. Now he has to show her that their potential is real. Too bad for him, Brynn isn’t fooled by his glamorous NFL life, and when ghosts from both their pasts make a sudden reappearance, she must decide who she can trust. But when the person she’s most afraid of is herself, navigating life’s tackles is harder than anticipated.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Having loved both Intercepted and Fumbled, I had been eagerly awaiting Alexa Martin’s next entry in the Playbook series. Brynn was a secondary character that featured prominently in the earlier books, so I was excited to get her story. Unfortunately, I found myself wishing Brynn would return to the background and that another character would be front and center.

Brynn is the owner of HERS, a woman-centric bar whose success has skyrocketed with the regular patronage of professional athletes and as the setting of a reality show featuring their wives and girlfriends. Max is a professional football player and, while he may be a beast on the field, outside of the game he is quiet, reserved and humble. And very much smitten with Brynn. What ensues is the stumbling beginnings of a relationship between Brynn and Max, despite baggage from the past – both his and hers.

Right off the bat I felt confused by Brynn’s character. I really enjoyed her in the previous two books; strong and capable, and acting as both friend and mentor to the main characters. But in Blitzed, those qualities I admired were nowhere to be found. This Brynn was insecure, immature, flighty and petty. (At one point she actually thought, "If only I had the emotional maturity of an actual adult woman." My feelings exactly, Brynn!) I couldn’t believe this woman had the wherewithal to be a successful entrepreneur and businesswoman. The complete change in who she appeared to be in the earlier books left me feeling like I didn’t want to know this Brynn at all. But what really sunk this ship for me was Brynn’s decision to trust a virtual stranger over someone she knew and trusted. Never mind that what this person said was totally contrary to what she knew. No matter that she had already been warned that this person was up to no good and should be avoided. It made no sense. It made me angry at Brynn for acting so capriciously and it made me angry with the author for using such an illogical plot device to create conflict and unnecessary drama. By the time that happened (at the 90% mark), I was ready to chuck the book at the wall in disgust and frustration.

The saving grace in Blitzed was Max. When we meet him in the opening scene, he has a surprising outburst but it’s quickly obvious that it was completely out of character. Because Max is  kind and respectful. He is an elite athlete, successful and affluent, but handles it with humility and maturity. When it came to Brynn, he didn’t play games and he treated her with such respect and care. The fact that he got unfair accusations in return (without ever being given the benefit of doubt) made me ragey on his behalf because everything he had presented to Brynn previously screamed that he was a stand-up kind of guy.

While Blitzed was something of a letdown for me, I am still such a fan of the series as a whole. Intercepted and Fumbled were among my favorite reads of 2019 and I'm excited to see what's next from Alexa Martin. 

Disclosure: I received a a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.


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WWW Wednesday #72 | January 15, 2020


WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.
Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.


Yesterday I was reading a friend's blog and she mentioned reading by the fire for 4 hours. And I slowly turned pea green with envy. Because winter fled from Florida and it's feeling an awful lot like spring/summer here. It's been 80 degrees every day for about a week and it's making me grumpy. I want to be reading by a fire, too! I mean, I have no fireplace but whatever. You get the idea. :)


WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

    


I'm still reading super slowly... but I am reading. So, yay me. I'm enjoying Echoes Between Us but I think the reason I'm not flying through it is a format issue. I have been craving physical books lately. All I want to read is a book in my hand and I haven't wanted to pick up my Kindle (or open the Kindle app) at all. Since Echoes Between Us is an eARC my hands are tied. I guess, since it actually released yesterday, I could go out and buy a physical copy but... *shrugs* I'll keep plugging along and see how it goes. 

Corinne Michaels is one of those authors I've been wanting/meaning to read for ages. Yesterday I was browsing my Audible library for a new audio book to start and remembered that I already owned one by her on audio. I started We Own Tonight on the way home from the office yesterday and now I'm already 3.5 hours into it. Needless to say, I am LOVING it and am listening every chance I get. It doesn't hurt that it's narrated by audio book superstars Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber. ♥

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

I finished the audio of Only Ever You on Monday and it was a solid read. There were times when I felt like the character's feelings and motivations weren't represented well. I was sometimes confused about how they really felt (particularly the female lead), especially when I thought they felt one way and then they'd say and do something different. That made it a little confusing but overall it was a great story and the ending (while, yeah, maybe a tad far-fetched) was sooo satisfying.


WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?



Next up is an ARC of Heartland, the seventh book in Bowen's True North series. I have so much love for this series and can't wait to dive back into these character's lives.

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)

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Top Ten Tuesday: Best New (to me) Authors of 2019

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 
Best New (To Me) Authors of 2019

This week's topic is actually bookish discoveries of 2019 but I'm twisting (or refining) that slightly to focus on the best new-to-me authors I read throughout the year. A couple were debut authors so they were new to everyone, and some were established authors and I was just late to the game. #storyofmylife 😉
BRITTAINY C. CHERRY

 Books read by the author in 2019: The Air He Breathes

 I only read this one book by Cherry last year but I will absolutely be reading more from her this year.
LORELEI JAMES

 Books read by the author in 2019: I Want You Back

 I discovered Lorelei James because I requested an ARC of I Want You Back on a whim. It totally surpassed my expectations and now I want to go back and read the books in the previous series (I Want You Back was the first book in a spin-off series).
ALEXA MARTIN

 Books read by the author in 2019: Intercepted, Fumbled, Blitzed

What a find Alexa Martin was! While Blitzed was more hit than miss for me, I loved both Intercepted and Fumbled. (They can't all be 5-star reads, right?) I am excited to see what 2020 brings from Martin!
KENNEDY RYAN

 Books read by the author in 2019: Long Shot, Block Shot, Hook Shot, Flow, Grip

 Kennedy Ryan became a new favorite in 2019 with her well-developed characters that felt completely authentic and her emotional storytelling.
MASON DEAVER

 Books read by the author in 2019: I Wish You All the Best

 Deaver's debut last year pulled me right in and I loved the warmth and heart in how they told Ben's story.
CASEY MCQUISTON

 Books read by the author in 2019: Red, White & Royal Blue

 McQuiston was another debut author who took me by surprise. RW&RB was smart and funny and clever and swoony.
TARA SIVEC (with Andi Arndt)

 Books read by the author in 2019: Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words

 Tara Sivec was already on my radar (and several of her books on my Kindle) when I listened to the audio book of Heidi's Guide. Now I really want to read the other books I own by Sivec - and hopefully Andi Arndt will write more, too.
JEN DELUCA

 Books read by the author in 2019: Well Met

 DeLuca's Well Met was one of my biggest surprises of the year. So funny and sweet and charming. I am ridiculously excited for DeLuca's next release in September.
EMILY GIFFIN

 Books read by the author in 2019: All We Ever Wanted

 I'd seen Giffin's books around for years but 2019 was my first time picking one up. I was so impressed with All We Ever Wanted that I gifted copies to my mom and sisters for Christmas. I'll definitely be reading more from her this year.
RAEANNE THAYNE

 Books read by the author in 2019: Coming Home for Christmas

 RaeAnne Thayne is a mainstay in contemporary romance with over 200 titles on Goodreads, but I wasn't introducted to her writing until I picked up Coming Home for Christmas when I had the urge for a holiday read last December. While the small town/sweet romance was not my usual (sub)genre, I found that it was exactly what I needed at the time. And it definitely made me want to explore more from Thayne.



Have you read any of these authors?
Who was your favorite new (to you) author in 2019?


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The Sunday Post #190


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:
Sunday Post Meme

  • It was the first full week back at the office after the holidays and wow did it ever feel like the longest week ever. LOL Thankfully there's a three-day weekend right around the corner to help ease my pain. :)
  • The Husband just finished building us a table for behind the couch. It's purpose is mainly to hold all our devices and it's where they'll charge overnight. This will get them all off the dresser in the bedroom and everything will be within easy reach. He did an amazing job and as soon as the last coat of paint dries we'll move it into the house. It's so special to have something he created on his own.♥
  • Yesterday we got together with some of the family to celebrate my niece's 12th birthday. Her favorite place is Chick-Fil-A so that's where we all gathered for lunch. :) She is such a sweet girl and it was fun to meet some of her friends. Plus, Chick-Fil-A nuggets. LOL
  • Thanks for all the input last week to my computer question. I haven't started shopping around yet, but when I do I now know exactly what I'll need for better performance. It pays to have smart friends! :)
  • The January Of Books giveaway hop is still going strong so don't forget to enter if you haven't already.  
  • This week's 80's music fix is from Glass Tiger (with Bryan Adams on background vocals). Enjoy!


WHAT I COMPLETED IN THE LAST WEEK:

    

The One For You (The Ones Who Got Away #4) - Roni Loren
What He Never Knew (What He Doesn't Know #3) - Kandi Steiner

What a great feeling to finally finish something. And not just one something, but two somethings! :) My first reads of the year - one eARC and one audio book - and I enjoyed both. Maybe, just maybe, the reading slump is starting to fade away. *fingers crossed*

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
    
     

Echoes Between Us - Katie McGarry
Only Ever You - C.D. Reiss

I only started Echoes Between Us a couple days ago and haven't got very far into it, but I'm already enjoying it. Katie McGarry is a longtime favorite and she never disappoints. I only have 30 minutes or so remaining in the audio book for Only Ever You and overall it's been a really good read. 


Not a thing.






How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!
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