Review: Stripped by Jassinda Wilder

I blame me, myself and I for hyping myself up for this book. I really liked the concept and the blurb. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. As I'm reading the book my hope plummets. It failed...BIG TIME. The story was boring, predictable and just blah. The chemistry, if there was any, between the characters...I didn't feel. The whole preachers daughter and movie star/millionaire/ex drag racer/man whore...I didn't get. The "love" scenes were not the best but it wasn't the worst. The story had soooo much potential but sadly I wasn't impressed. It's not a memorable story so don't ask what happened in the book.

*side note* I notice details in a story and one thing that bugged the shiite out of me is when the author would write...like this. And then she did it...again. I don't know how many dot dot dots there were but it was plenty to point this out.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Stripped by Jasinda Wilder

So how did I get myself into this situation, you ask? Simple: desperation. When you're faced with being homeless and hungry or taking off your clothes for money, the choice is easier than you'd imagine. That doesn't make it easy, though. Oh no. I hate it, in fact. There's nothing I'd like more than to quit and never go into another bar again, never hear the techno beat pulsing in my ears again, never feel the lecherous gazes of horny men again.

Then, one day, I meet a man. He's in my club, front and center. He watches me do my routine, and his gaze is full of hunger. Not the kind of desire I'm used to though. It's something different. Something hotter, deeper, and more possessive. I know who he is; of course I do. Everyone knows who Dawson Kellor is. He's People Magazine's Sexiest Man alive. He's the hottest actor in Hollywood. He's the man hand-picked for the role of Rhett Butler in the long-awaited remake of Gone With the Wind.

He's the kind of man who can have any woman in the entire world with a mere crook of his finger. So what's he doing looking at me like he has to have me? And how do I resist him when he looks at me with those intoxicating, changeable, quicksilver eyes?

I'm a virgin, and he's an American icon of male sexuality. I'm a stripper, and he's a man used to getting anything and everything he wants. And he wants me. I know I should say no, I know he's the worst kind of player…but what my mind knows, my body and my heart may not.

And then things get complicated.

Release date August 16, 2013

AUTHOR BIO:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she’s not writing, she’s probably shopping, baking, or reading.

​Some of her favorite authors include Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liliana Hart and Bella Andre.

She loves to travel and some of her favorite vacations spots are Las Vegas, New York City and Toledo, Ohio.

You can often find Jasinda drinking sweet red wine with frozen berries and eating a cupcake.

Jasinda is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

http://www.jasindawilder.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasindaWilder

https://twitter.com/jasindawilder

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Review: Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder

This was officially the worst book that I've read so far this year.

Perhaps that's a bit mean, but I just can't put how I felt about this book mildly. The reason I initially started this novel in the first place was because of all the high ratings and reviews- I mean, the book had over 500 five-star ratings on Amazon... That's impressive. I just assumed that after hearing all the hype about this story that I would end up feeling the same way as everyone else seemed to have felt... Unfortunately though, I couldn't have been more wrong. How this book managed to pull so much positive feedback is seriously beyond me.

In all honesty, I thought this book had five-star potential when I first started it. I truly loved it- Watching Nell and Kyle's relationship progress and blossom into something more than friendship was incredibly sweet... The author really made you feel like you were experiencing first love all over again- I couldn't put the book down and while I was loving living in that moment, I still felt a lingering sense of dread at the same time knowing that Kyle dies. However, I still had hope that even though a horrible incident awaited, the book would still stay on course and continue to be a great read. Yet, after Kyle dies and Colton entered the picture the book took a major turn for the worst.

The first few chapters of this story while Kyle was alive was like reading something completely different, with completely different characters and a completely different author from the rest of the book. Actually... If I'm being honest here, the only likable character in this book was Kyle... And he died... So, that's that. The heroine, Nell started off as your typical sweet and innocent heroine... Before turning into an alcoholic with self-destructive issues. Her dramatic change was like night and day and while I can understand the toll death can take on someone, her behavior was completely over-dramatic and unbelievable.

God, and don't even get me started on the hero Colton... He's about as far from drool-worthy as you can possibly get... Unless this is attractive to you:

...And I'm not talking about Eminem per se... I just mean, unless you're into former gang members who talk like a cliché street thug and have emotional issues as well, due to the loss of his "homies" T-Shawn and Lil Shady among others then Colton probably isn't your type of guy. Be right back...

I'm not kidding guys... This story-line was absolutely bad horriblehorrendous awful. It honestly took everything in me to push through and see the book to the very end- It was like reading a really dramatic Lifetime movie mixed with an old Ice Cube music video.

Not to mention, the hero and heroine laid eyes on each other for all of maybe two seconds before having that stupid "insta-love" connection that so many authors these days love to over use. The chemistry between these two just felt extremely forced throughout the entire book and had absolutely no relationship development what-so-ever.

None.
Zip.
Nada.

Ugh, and the freaking music mentioned in this book...

BEYOND over-kill. By the time I finished this novel, I was able to name every band and music artist on the face of this earth... That's how much it was talked about. Oh, and FYI: Both characters magically have voices like Adele and Billie Holiday when they sing, all while playing the guitar together and being the best duet since Johhny Cash and June Carter. Riiiggghttt.

Over-all, I just don't have much of anything positive to say about this book- It literally had everything imaginable from murder, lack of parental support, gangs, transformations, death, music, a million sex scenes, denial, guilt and destructive behavior all thrown into about 350 pages. There was just seriously too many issues going on in this story to even count. The only advice I have to give you before buying this book is to do all of yourselves a favor and save your money- You're going to need it to pay for the therapy you're going to have to have after finishing this novel.

Review: Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder

Falling Into You is an emotional, moving read and it makes you stop and tell those you love just how much you mean to them because you never know when something may happen to take them away.

Warning! Two boxes of tissues are a minimum when reading this book!  

“I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way.”

Nell and Kyle have been best friends since they were born, they lived next door to each other and did everything together; even fall in love together. When a tragic accident happens, and Kyle is killed, Nell can’t handle it. She feels guilty and blames herself for his death. She shuts herself down, and refuses to grieve. The guilt consumes who she is. She refuses to tell anyone the entire story of the night Kyle dies. When Kyle’s older brother Colton shows up at the funeral and helps Nell when she runs, she feels a connection to him, a connection that is stronger than she ever felt for Kyle.

Colton hasn’t lived the same life as his baby brother did, he left home after high school and had to make it on his own. He has done things and become someone who is harder than before. He can’t stop thinking of Nell, he is attracted to her but feels the same guilt that Nell does in regards to her being his little brother’s girlfriend. When he finally gets Nell to lean on him, can he get her to also finally let go and grieve the loss and pain she feels for Kyle and possible be able to move on…with him?

OMG when I say two boxes of tissues are a minimum when reading this book I am not kidding. I bawled when I read about Kyle’s death. You could feel how much Nell and Kyle loved each other. They were each other’s best friend, their first loves, their first everythings. When Kyle tells Nell he loves her it’s the perfect way for them because she can relive it over and over and know that he loves her. It is almost like he knows that something may happen in the future and they won’t be together any longer.

“And now we’re learning how to fall in love together. I don’t care what any one else says. I
love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what happens with us in the future. I love you now and
forever. - Kyle”

I felt Nell’s pain over and over again. Her young life was shattered in an instant and she blames herself, when it wasn’t her fault. Nell needed to let it all out and it takes Colton and the connection that they feel with one another for that to happen. She feels guilty about wanting Kyle’s older brother but she can’t help it. They are drawn to each other through mutual pain and loss.

“I will protect you. From others and yourself. Always”

Colton was hot! I mean seriously hot. He protected Nell when she needed it the most. He doesn’t feel like he is good enough for her, because he was a thug, not by choice but for survival. He knows he has turned his life around and has hurt just like Nell. He knows that he can maybe not take away all of her pain but can help her to begin to heal.

When Nell and Colton finally come together and move forward in their relationship I was crying again. They both deserve the love each has for the other person. They are able to heal each other through the love. I cried yet again when Colton told Nell that he was falling in love with her, it was absolutely perfect the way he did it.

“I’m not just falling in love with you, Nell. I’m falling into you. You’re an ocean, and I’m falling in, drowning in the depths of who you are. Like you said, it’s scary in a way, but it’s also the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. You are the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced.”

You think everything will finally work out for them, when once again something tragic happens and could pull them apart. And yes, I cried even more. When you see that even through the pain, that they are there for one another, it makes all the tears you shed while reading this book worth it. These two have gone through more heart ache and pain then anyone should ever have too, but it’s how they move past the pain that makes them stronger.

This is one of the most heart wrenching books that I have read in a long time, and each and every tear was worth it.