Review Wednesday: Fighting to Breathe by Aurora Rose Reynolds

*This is a book meant for adults due to some inappropriate content for people younger than 18.*

Title: Fighting to Breathe (Shooting Stars #1)

Author: Aurora Rose Reynolds
1st Date of Publication: June 19, 2015

ISBN: 9781514394632
# of Pages: 202

Genre: New Adult

Age Rating: 17+ (Sexual Content and Language)

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Book Description:
Lea Lamb and Austin Wolf were young when they fell in love. They never imagined the future could hold anything other than together-forever.

When Lea’s father dies in a tragic fishing accident, she's crushed under the weight of her grief and catches a glimpse of another type of future, one she knows she's not strong enough to face.

Austin is angry. For the past fifteen years, he's believed the woman he loved with every ounce of his soul left him without so much as a backwards glance.

When Lea unexpectedly returns to their hometown, all the years of heartache inside Austin bubbles to the surface and presents itself as blinding rage.

Faced with the truth about the past, a newly discovered secret, these former lovers will learn that if they want to have any chance at the future they’d given up on all those years ago, they will have to rescue one another from drowning in pain so debilitating it will leave them both fighting to breath.

Warning this book is intended for mature audiences and may contain triggers for some.

Setting: Cordova, Alaska in the 21st century
Point of View: 1st person- Lea Lamb and Austin Wolf

Goodreads Rating: 4.08

My Rating: 4.15

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Cover

View on the Cover: It looks like the girl is drowning. Why is she drowning? Is she literally drowning or drowning in a figurative sense?
View on Title: Why is someone fighting to breath? Are they sick or are they going to die?

Pros:

• It is not your typical love story. It's about second chances and not to throw away an opportunity or disregard a person simply because she or he left. It encourages the readers to seek the truth than believe what is being said or perceived while following the gut.
• I really enjoyed that the story had two different perspectives through the two main characters. I really liked how the perspectives didn't alternate in a consistent pattern, which made it more interesting.
• The secondary characters were a great edition and allowed the book to become three dimensional.
• The setting was new for me. I have never read a book that was set in Alaska so there were some aspects that I read that seemed to be different culturally.

Cons:

• The beginning seemed really slow and then it suddenly felt like everything was rushed. I was ready for something to crash and burn and then suddenly everyone act like nothing happened.
• I believe that Austin's reaction after Lea's mom confesses to him. It didn't seem very realistic because it was as if a flip was switched and he didn't even think about it.
• The cancer story involved seemed very cliché. I understand that it helped the plot, but I'm getting tired of the cancer bombs these authors continue to use in their plots.

Aurora Rose Reynolds's Website:
http://www.aurorarosereynolds.com/

Other Recommendations:

My Skylar by Penelope Ward

Sinful Intent by Chelle Bliss

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Ladies Man by Katy Evan

Review Wednesday: Ladies Man by Katy Evans

*This is a book meant for adults due to some inappropriate content for people younger than 18.*

Title: Ladies Man (Manwhore #3)

Author: Katy Evans
1st Date of Publication: April 21, 2016

ISBN: 9781530111640
# of Pages: 298

Genre: New Adult

Age Rating: 17+ (Sexual Content and Language)

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
He’s not the guy you date.
He’s the one night stand.

You’d think the man who sends hot looks my way, who called me succulent, would want to strip me to my skin and spread me out on his bed like every other woman in Chicago.

Except he passed on my offer….
Just like I once did on his.
He’s wary, like I am.
He’s broken, like I am.
And everyone knows two broken parts can’t ever make a whole.
So I try to distract myself. I’m back to dating.

Tahoe and I are strictly friends. He doesn’t think my new beau is good enough, but to him, no man is good enough for me. Especially Tahoe himself.

But the more time Tahoe and I spend around each other, the more confused I feel.
I'm trying to open myself to love.
But I'm quickly realizing that the only man I want is stubborn, cocky, unattainable playboy Tahoe Roth.

The one your mother warned you about.
The one my body craves.
The only one who will surely break my heart.

Setting: Cincinnati, Ohio
Point of View: 1st person-Regina "Gina" Wylde

Goodreads Rating: 4.04

My Rating: 4.15

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The man on the cover is gorgeous with beautiful blue eyes. He must have a secret story behind those troublemaker eyes. He looks like a heart breaker.
View on Title: Sounds a little naughty. Why is this man a ladies man?

Pros:

• This is actually part of a series, but it is actually a stand alone and sort of a companion book to the others. It's really nice because if you accidentally read it none of the plot is spoiled from the previous ones. I got this as my free romance read of the month book.
• I really enjoyed the character development. The reader learns more about Gina and Tahoe's characters as the plot unfolds. It helps make the characters' actions more understandable. They are truly relatable.
• I love how Tahoe Roth is seen as a playboy. He gets all the ladies all at once. From the beginning, it looks more like the women are a band-aid toward something that he is trying to hide.
• This book really shows the importance of true beauty through Gina's character. She works at a makeup but she has makeup caked on her face even when she sleeps because she can't accept her own beauty.
• The ending does not disappoint. I was not sure if it'll end the way I want or was hoping for.

Cons:

• The part that bothered me the most was Gina's indecisiveness. There were parts where I would get excited when Gina was about to make a move toward something, but then cower.
• This led to some "hype" and then disappointment. It was a constant roller coaster and I was glad when it finally smoothed out.

Critics' Reviews
"A story of true love through and through, Katy Evans delivers pure romance singed with enough spark to warrant a heat advisory." -Mara White, NY Daily News
"Tahoe Roth is the sexy beast that dreams are made of. Katy is the master of turning a slow burn into scorching, blistering heat." -Emma Chase, NYT Bestselling Author
"Yes Yes Yes! Ladies Man is Katy Evans at her best. The perfect mix of heat, sweet, and sexiness. Get ready to swoon!" -J. Daniels, New York Times BestsellingA uthor
"The chemistry between Tahoe and Gina was on fire. The characters were believable and off the charts sexy...one of the best books I've read this year!" -Kim Karr, NYT Bestselling Author
"Off-the-charts sexual tension, well-crafted characters, and a swoony ladies man make this the book that romance junkies are longing for. Definite 5 Stars." -Laurelin Paige, NYT Bestselling Author
"Katy Evans has written an intoxicating and emotionally driven story. Easily a Five Star read for me." -S.L. Scott, New York Times Bestselling Author
"Heat. Angst. Emotion. Katy delivers it all." -Kylie Scott, New York Times Bestselling Author

Katy Evans's Website:
http://www.katyevans.net/

Other Recommendations:

My Skylar by Penelope Ward

Sinful Intent by Chelle Bliss

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire