Blog Tour: Fall Out Girl By L. Duarte

Imagine a social outcast: Me. (Luna)

Imagine a popular boy: Him. (Caleb)

Sound like the characters of a cliché story, right? Here, hold my hand. Come away with me. I’ll tell you my story, and you’ll decide. 

But I have a warning: Proceed at your own risk.  Since it’s a snippet of my life, I’m one of the main characters. And to put it lightly, I’m not the most likable person in the world, cue the earned label.  Also, unlike fairy tales, my story is real with a dash of sorrow and loss. 

How do I start? Once upon a time…? Shoot me now, please. 

The beginning? No, too boring.

Well, let’s start with the catalytic moment that set in motion a chain of events that changed my life, yet again.

As for a happily ever after? Sorry, no spoilers here. You’re going to have to figure that one out on your own. After you read my tale, it becomes yours, and as such, you’re entitled to your interpretation.

So, off we go! 

Fasten your seat belts. This ride may get bumpy.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Due to strong language and graphic sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

I’m not exactly sure what to say about Fall Out Girl to be honest.  I started out really liking it even with the young adult type of feel I was getting at times, but then it just went down fast.  Luna’s character just kind of called to me.  I could tell that under her hard ass bitch attitude that there was more to her, slowly and slowly that hard exterior breaks and it is because of Caleb.  Luna is a drug dealer but before you judge her, I have always believed that you have to do what you have to do to survive.  For her and her cousin, she did what she had to do to survive and while what she did was illegal it came from a good place in her heart.  I loved Caleb from the start but then, I really wanted to just punch him in the balls because he not only crushed Luna’s heart, he stomped on the fragileness of the true Luna. 

So I am sure you are wondering why I didn’t love it if I felt those emotions I just told you about.  Here is why.  I understand plot twists and the need to keep your readers on the edge of your seat but if you don’t do it correctly then you will lose your reader’s attention and sadly that is what happened with me.  I should have expected what happened but I had really hoped there would be more to it.  Hell I can even understand why it happened but it for some reason just pissed me off something fierce.  I am not saying that I didn’t like this book, I did I just didn’t love it and felt a little let down.  But I want you to form your own opinion, maybe it is a case of its not the book it’s me, which happens more than one would think.  I will say this, I hope that there will be another book to maybe expand on what we have already read as well as go into the future if that makes sense.  So give Fall Out Girl a chance, I am glad I did even with what didn’t work for me.

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Excerpt

Meet the Author

I have found that there is only one thing better than reading, and that is writing. I’m always torn between the two. I’m also frequently torn between chocolate and coffee. However, I emphatically don’t like the month of February, lies, and flies. For me, bravery is defined by the courage to do what we fear the most. I live in Connecticut with my husband and two children. Drop a few lines. I would love to hear from you.

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Release Day Blitz: Crashing Tides By Casey Peeler

You can predict the tides but not the changes they make. Gunnison Del Valle was the current in the tide that was about to change my life.

Crash one we met.

Crash two we fell in love.

Crash three changed our perfectly planned lives forever.

I am going to make this review very short and sweet because I think I can simply state how much I enjoyed Crashing Tides in just a couple sentences.  If you are looking for a read that is more realistic than some of the others that are out there, then read Crashing Tides. If you are looking for a read that has hope and true love all wrapped into one, then read Crashing Tides.  This is a YA read so we start with the characters in high school, but for me it didn’t take away from the storyline at all.  I just really enjoyed Crashing Tides and I will admit I was skeptical because it is YA and that normally isn’t a genre that I read but I will admit that I was wrong in being skeptical and would recommend this one to my friends for sure.

When the band begins to play, I can’t help but smile. I feel at home. This beach is my other home, now if only I could dance. As couples begin to shag on the dance floor, I can’t help but look at Brett’s reaction. He’s taking it all in and watching their footsteps. I begin to giggle. “What?” he asks. I stand and take him by the hand. “I have no clue how to do this.” “It’s easy. Just remember, one-two-three rock back. I’ll help you, no worries.” I wink. After a few songs, he becomes a natural and, we are laughing, smiling, and dancing like we have been dance partners for years. When the song ends, they slow things down and Brett never lets go of my hands. Instead, he pulls me close to him as we sway back and forth and my lips meet his. He takes me from the dance floor and leads me to the marshwalk. We walk hand in hand from Wicked Tuna to Sisters Marina while looking at all of the fishing boats and yachts. On our way back, we walk a little slower and stop to watch the tide flow into the marsh. Brett wraps his arms around me and I can’t help but look into the clear Carolina night sky and pray this is real.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIDWwH8bf88]

AMAZON * B&N * GOOGLE PLAY * iBOOKS * KOBO

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Casey Peeler grew up and still lives in North Carolina with her husband and daughter. Her first passion is teaching students with special needs. Over the years, she found her way to relax was in a good book.

After reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston her senior year of high school and multiple Nicholas Sparks’ novels, she found a hidden love and appreciation for reading.

Casey is an avid reader, blogger (Hardcover Therapy), and author. Her perfect day consists of water, sand between her toes, a cold beverage, and a great book!

Connect with Casey

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Review: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

OMG! OMFG! Colleen Hoover has a way of writing stories that will rip you to shreds, devastate you (according to Holder I can’t use the word devastate, but I AM!), and give you hope all at the same time.  Hopeless complete ripped me apart. While it ripped me apart and left me reeling, it also filled me with hope. Filled me with hope that no matter what, someone, somewhere cared.

Then I read Losing Hope. Once again, my faith in humanity was restored, while at the same time, I was ripped apart.

Holder’s story begins before Hopeless. It begins with him losing Les. Holder’s nightmare began many years earlier when he lost Hope. Now, he’s lost Less and his nightmare just got worse. He’s in pain. He’s losing it. He has no control and he doesn’t know what to do.

Losing Hope is the perfect conclusion to Hopeless. While Hopeless was complete in itself, Losing Hope brings closure to all those things that we need to know. Why did Les kill her self? How did Holder deal with it? What did Holder go through as he discovered Sky was Hope? Why did he wait to tell her?  All of it. All of it gets answered.

I loved getting Holder’s story. I loved the way Colleen Hoover did it too. She didn’t just tell retell Hopeless from Holder’s POV. She gave us Holder’s story. She gave it to us in a way that made the whole book that much better. We got it from Holder as he railed at Les for taking her own life. We got it as he discovered Sky. Both as Sky and as Hope. We got it all.

I absolutely LOVED this story! You MUST read this story if you read Hopeless! If you haven’t read Hopeless, go get it. Then get Losing Hope and read it!

Find it on GoodReads!

Author Spotlight & Giveaway: K. Anne Raines

You all know how much I love Indie authors. Well here's another one I've been following.

Shattered Grace is K. Anne Raines debut novel. She writes Young Adult Paranormal with emotion and the right amount of steaminess. It has a suspenseful storyline that leaves you hooked from the beginning and left with wanting more.

Seventeen-year-old Grace grows up knowing she’s different, but she always attributed it to a mother who didn’t want her, a father who abandoned her, and a curse that sets her apart. Despite those struggles, her grandfather remained her rock and confidant. Her life irrevocably shatters the day her grandfather dies.

The day of his funeral sets off a chain of events, making Grace question everything she’s ever known to be true, and as a result, who she can truly trust. She inherits his house, part of his money, his Guardian, and something that ties them together. Just before Grace’s 18th birthday, she is thrust into a world she couldn’t fathom existed. She’s been destined for greatness, but at what cost? With eyes now open, she must decide to either be Chosen, or watch those around her suffer the consequences.

Torn between the man who’s come to protect her, and the one sent to destroy her, she teeters on the edge of contemplation…

What does it mean for those she loves….and the rest of mankind?

 Excerpt:

As they continued talking, electrically charged molecules cavorted between them, pulling their bodies closer together. Grace was hyperaware of the slight movement he made, and where his body touched hers with every word. Peeking at him from under her lashes, she licked her bottom lip and watched his hands as they moved absentmindedly on his knees, wondering what they’d feel like against her face, tangled in her hair. How would it feel to be wrapped in his arms, or to snuggle into the crook of his neck? How would his lips feel pressed against hers, or… Her head snapped down to peer in her cup. She wondered if something had been slipped into her drink. It looked empty, so she shook it for good measure. Yep, it was almost gone. Three down.

The phone in her pocket buzzed against both their legs. Her hands grabbed for it while she sent Darius an apologetic look. She felt like tossing the phone in the fire, but peeked at the backlit screen anyway.

Quentin: DON’T YOU THINK YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH?

With her iPhone cupped in both hands, she stared across the flames at the others sitting around, noticing Brian and Leah. No, she decided, shaking her head. She certainly didn’t think so.

Grace: Not at all! 

Irritated he was playing Guardian/father again, she continued.

Grace: I have a DD if I can’t drive. A GA if im in dnger & a ST sittin b-side me.

She giggled a little at the last part. Darius sat silently next to her, minding his own business. Her phone buzzed again seconds later.

Quentin: What’s an ST?

Grace: A sure thing.

Quentin: NOT FUNNY.

Grace: Who said im kidding?

Bio:

K Anne Raines is the author of Shattered Grace, the first novel in her Fallen from Grace series  She is a Washington State University graduate and the senior accountant at a local firm in her home town. K Anne is sought by business clients for her math skills, but readers pursue her imagination in the Fallen from Grace series.  Her husband suffers as a target of her quick wit, but loves her brains and beauty (he is responsible for all the glowing comments here).

Grace is brought to life in Shattered and encounters new challenges in books II and III.  K Anne’s impassioned but regular commitment to chocolate covered raisins and the occasional mint chocolate chip ice cream inspires creativity at home . . . wherever the raisins or ice cream are, there she is with a laptop.  A lover of great sushi and other fine food, K Anne prefers coffee in the morning, the right wine in the evening, and her fireplace at all times.

A Northwest native, K Anne Raines is the mother of three, cat lover, avid exerciser, and blanket hogger. Check in here for occasional bio updates.  Click the contact link to connect up!

Please leave a comment for K. Anne to be entered in the giveaway. Contest will run for one week. Thank you and good luck!!

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Blog Tour: My Only by N.S. Smith

My Only is a bittersweet coming of age story about two high school students that fall in love. It’s an amazing story that will make you question how you’re living your life and how you will continue to live your life. Will you live it or will it pass you by?

When I first started reading this I was only partially into it. YA is not my favorite genre but there are a few YA stories that stick out in my mind and worth reading. This is definitely one of them! Then about ¼ of the way through the story I really got into it and was able to lose myself in the characters and their stories. I really paid attention to what they were telling me and what was important about their individual stories.

Adam is a twin. His identical twin brother, Aaron is everything Adam is not. Aaron is a jock, popular and gets the girls. Adam is a nerdy, not into sports and has trouble talking to girls. Adam has always felt like he lives in Aaron’s shadow. Then Olivia moves in across the street. Olivia is a free spirit who lives life to the fullest.

Adam and Olivia become friends and Adam desperately wants to be more than friends. Unfortunately Aaron likes Olivia too. When Adam takes too long to ask Olivia out, Aaron steps in does it first. Once again, Adam is in Aaron’s shadow.

Over time, Aaron and Olivia break up. Adam and Olivia become friends again, but will they ever be more than that?

As the story went on, it became apparent that all is not what it seems with Olivia. Something’s wrong. Will Adam and Olivia survive what haunts Olivia?

I figured out about halfway through what was going to happen with Olivia. I was heartbroken and I thought I was prepared for it. Even though I knew what was coming, I still wasn’t prepared. I cried. Hard. Like a baby! It took me forever to get through the last 8 pages of the book because I was crying so hard. No matter how hard the lesson Olivia teaches Adam, it’s an important one. A difficult one. One we must all learn.

People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with that person.

~ unknown author

Olivia taught Adam and Aaron that life must lived. We can’t just watch is pass us by. Not only did she teach this to Adam and Aaron, she reminded me of this very important fact of life.

It’s been many years since I was in High School and all that High School entails. But it provides us with valuable life lessons that we carry forward. I was excited and intrigued by what became of Adam. He really blossomed as a person and learned to not stay in the shadows. I realize that this story is the story of Olivia and Adam, but Aaron was integral to the story as well. I was a bit disappointed we didn’t get more of Aaron’s story. I think his was just as important. It was obvious in the story that Aaron has his own demons and problems. Being the popular jock is not always easy. We never did find out exactly what Aaron’s problems were. Maybe we’ll get his story at a later date?

This is a powerful story with valuable lessons for many and reminders for others!

Author Bio:

Based in the American Midwest, N.K. Smith is a Technical Writer for a Fortune 100 company. The author of the Old Wounds Series, she is a mother of two who finds the time to write very early in the morning when the rest of the world is still fast asleep.
An avid lover of history, art, music, books, and people, she is interested in telling stories that speak to the human condition

Every Which Way Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Every Which Way is a light yet emotional debut novel from Independent author Calia Read. I truly enjoyed this book!

Severine is the All-American girl next door. She’s strong willed, feisty, and quick witted. She’s on a steady track in college when she’s faced with a slight dilemma. She meets two guys: One she secretly wants, that she knows is wrong for her and could possibly break her heart. The other is the safe route, the kind of guy that she needs in her life who wouldn’t hurt her.

The problem? They’re brothers, and they despise each other.

You know how that makes me feel 

When Severine meets both brothers, there is a connection with each, but on different levels. One brother is genuinely drawn to Severine’s beauty and brains, but he’s on guard when she shows interest in him. Most of the women go for his brother so he was standoffish and pushed her away as much as possible. But when Severine’s unwavering personality doesn’t back down, he goes for her. There’s a gentle kind of love with him that makes being with him easy.

 The chemistry with the other brother is thick right from the start. They’re so right for each other in so many wrong ways. Severine knows his kind and steers clear as much as possible. He’s an egotistical cocky athlete, yet in some strange way he’s caring and has the utmost concern for her in mind, so he backs off. The heat between them is crackling and they turn to each other for support during a difficult time in their lives. But how much longer can these underlying feeling between them stay submitted? They’re both ticking time bombs waiting to go off.

Oh where do I start! I liked so much about this book, but the last 30% or so really did me in emotionally. It was when the tension was kicked up about 50 notches- it made me want to scream and cry happy tears, naturally. Normally I’m yelling at the male for screwing up, but this time I was yelling at Severine. Well, I yelled at the male too and called him every name in the book, but I wanted to bitch slap Severine at one point. She was messing everything up! I see why she was on reserve and worried how others would perceive her, but just let it go woman! Just let it go and be with him already! He wants you, you want him. Go make babies! Or go practice making them! It was so exasperating!

 Severine’s character is not the usual kind of female I go for. I found myself put off at first because of her unshakable personality. But the more I read, the more I liked her and saw what a steady woman she was. She’s like a hard-boiled egg with the shell intact. She’s solid on the outside and soft-yet still firm-on the inside. Stupid analogy, I know, but it’s the only thing I could come up with. It came to the point where I was wishing I was as strong as her.

Macsen and Thayer are brothers who don’t get along for reasons them stem from childhood. It made me sad to read what they went through and why they were so at odds with each other. They live together but hardly communicate so there’s a great deal of tension between them. I liked both of them, but one of them I loved more. Can you guess which? :) Actually, the more I think about it, the more I liked the other brother. He was a real jerk towards the end. I totally took pleasure in the friction between and when they were on the pages together. LOVED IT!

The romance scenes were a little light in my opinion and I expected a bit more, but it was still enough to satisfy me. I know there will be a second book and I'm really looking forward to, especially with the way this one ended. Sooo much that could happen! I'm so glad I finally had the chance to read this book. I had been eying it since I saw it popped up on my radar and all of my expectations were met- except for the small amount of romance scenes.

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Review: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Point of Retreat is a wonderful continuation of Slammed. It picks up a few short months after Slammed ends and continues the beautiful story of Will and Lake. The difference this time is that it’s told from Will’s POV. I found this to be refreshing and welcome, as I loved getting into Will’s head this time around.

Will and Lake are dealing with the aftermath of Julia’s death. Lake has taken on responsibility for Kel and Will is still raising Caulder. The one obstacle that was keeping Will and Lake apart is no longer an issue, so they’ve been able to BE a couple.

Enter Vaughn, Will’s ex-girlfriend. I found myself yelling at Will for doing what all men do, decide it doesn’t matter and not tell Lake. He KNEW it mattered. He just chose to believe it didn’t, so he kept it quiet.

While it created problems between Will and Lake, I think it actually turned out for the best. Lake’s mom told her to question everything. That’s what Lake did. That questioning made Will realize that while he did love Lake for so many reasons, he had never TOLD her the reasons why he loved her. He had to show it was more than their circumstances. I believe this caused their relationship to become stronger than it was.

One of the things I liked about both of Colleen’s books (Slammed and Point of Retreat) was the discussion of sex. Sex was not ignored. The book discussed the attraction and how they dealt with it. This is a natural extension of any relationship and not ignoring that aspect gave the relationship in the book so much more depth. I like that she discussed the feelings, heavy petting, and attraction.

The addition of Kierston to the story provided some much needed comedic relief. Kierston’s mother provided Will and Lake with maternal advice and guidance. They were both a fabulous addition to the story.

I’m very excited about this series and I’m looking forward to the next book, which is due to be released in 2013.

Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

I AM OVERWHELMED! I can’t begin to tell you how OVERWHELMED I am. I have just been on an unbelievable emotional roller coaster. In fact, I think I’m still on it! This one is going to take me a few days to get over.

Slammed hit me in such an unexpected way. It hit so close to home that I’m still reeling from it. Stories speak to each person differently. We all have different life experiences that shape who we are. So, when we read a book, it speaks to each of us differently.

Normally in a review I keep my personal life out of it. I can’t do that in this review.

When I started reading the book I figured it was a typical romance. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy and girl can’t be together. Boy and girl work it out. Slammed is that and so much more!

[spoiler

When I got to the part with Lake’s Mother’s cancer, the story shifted for me. It was still about Lake and Will but it had more to it than that. It became about embracing life and how much of that life you had left to live. To take each moment and make it count as it may be your last. This book just made me re-live remembering to live each moment to it’s fullest and embrace it. I got that lesson two years ago when my dad died from cancer and again last year when I was diagnosed. I have three small children and that’s when I realized life is so much more than work and bills, etc. Live it! Reading about it Slammed just kept reaffirming that fact for me. OK. Enough of the personal!

At the point of the cancer reveal is when the story changed for me. The focus was not on Lake and Will as much anymore it was on living life to it’s fullest!

end spoiler]

I loved every character in this book. They each brought something different to the story and every one of them enhanced the story and the lives of the characters. We should only be so lucky as to have that many wonderful people in our lives.

The story that Colleen Hoover weaves is unbelievable! I cried. I laughed. I even read parts of it outloud to my husband. We’ve even begun to contemplate who can pull a Duckie Revenge on!

This is an amazing story and I have nothing negative to say about it. Well….just that I have to wait to read the next one!

Review: Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

Love Unscripted was a delightful read. Ms. Reber provides some interesting insight into the lives of celebrities and all they give up in order to do what they love. Everyday things we take for granted are things they can’t do. At the same time, she gave us a wonderful romance between two people looking for family and home.

Taryn and Ryan meet when she saves him from a pack of marauding fans. From the moment they meet, Ryan and Taryn become fast friends and they both want more, but are afraid to move forward. Taryn gets pulled into Ryan’s world as he romances her as only a movie star can. Ryan gets lulled into Taryn’s world as it’s what he really wants, normalcy. It’s a sweet story with some unconventional romance.

I like the way Ms. Reber gives us some insight into the lives of celebrities. It was interesting to see how doing simple things can cause anxiety for them as they face hordes of crazed fans. These fans can keep them from going for simple walk down the street or going on a normal date. Crazed fans can create even more problems as they threaten the very lives these stars live. Security and bodyguards become the everyday norm for the famous and those that surround them.

I found the secondary characters in this book added so much to the story of Taryn and Ryan. Taryn’s friends are fiercely loyal to Taryn and will do anything to protect her. Ryan’s family and friends are just as protective and loyal. They added so much to the story as they acted how friends in real life act. They look out for each other and take care of each other. They also take in those their friends love and treat them as one of their own.

I really enjoyed this story as Ms. Reber created a wonderful romance between two people living very different lives. It was interesting to see how she wove their lives together and the challenges they faced. Everything from paparazzi to crazy, delusional fans conspired to keep them apart. But Ryan and Taryn kept fighting through it all to get to their HEA. At one point I wasn’t sure if they would get it. Things were looking good at the end of the story, but who knows what life will bring to them in the second book Love Unrehearsed. I’ll have to read it to find out!

Review: Losing it by Cora Carmack

This is a prime example of me judging a book by it's cover. But can you blame me?

WOW...I need this book asap! This cover...it's something else! Seriously HOT!

When I look at the cover, I see:
Intensity
Passion
Lust
Deliciously Sinful
Heat
Forbidden Romance

Then I read the blurb, and was like, OH HELL YES! I can't wait to read this book! So I didn't judge too much from the cover...

....but I got none of that.

There is no need to describe the story, the blurb takes care of it completely for me.

I'm neither here nor there with this one. It was an ok story, cute, light and fluffy, but not what I expected at all. What I expected was what I described when I looked at the cover and read the blurb. I didn't connect with the story until about 75% into it. I felt a pull but not enough to really grip me.

I definitely in the minority with this book it seems, so I'm going to explain what didn't work for me.

The relationship between Garrick and Bliss started out one night and then stopped quickly after because he is her professor. Understandable. Their relationship was on and off throughout the semester and not for long periods of time either. When they were back on the final time, an 'I love you' drops.



I'm sorry...what?!

I didn't see it coming! The I love you came out of left field. Is it possible that the I love you's didn't fit for me because I didn't have a strong connection to the characters or the story? Sure. It's possible. But when it was said, I just didn't feel it and it surely wasn't needed, in my opinion.

Bliss, the heroine, is suppose to be this awkward 21 year old virgin in college. I never identified her as being awkward. Not one bit. She seemed like the everyday college student to me, hanging out with friends, going to clubs, crushing on her professors. But was it because she's a virgin in college and freaked right before she was about to loose her virginity? To me that's normal. I just don't see awkward...

What saved this for me was Garrick and Cade. I liked Garrick a lot and his British accent. He's exactly how I pictured on the cover, I just wish he had a little more push to him. Cade was sweet and I connected to him more than anyone and I would have like to see where he ends up.

I have to give this new indie author credit- Her writing is clean with hardly any errors and I did enjoy her style, sadly I just didn't feel it. This doesn't mean I won't read any other books she releases, it's just that this wasn't for me.

If you like lighthearted romances with a slight side of humor then this book is for you.

Review: Starkissed by Brynna Gabrielson

Sydney Kane is the one Kane sister everyone always forgets about, she is the complete opposite in looks from her 5 other sisters.  She is not Miss Popular in school and is happy that way.  She has had the biggest crush on Colin, an exboyfriend of her sister Ava, and just wants him to notice her in more than a friend way.  Her life gets turned upside down when she gets kissed while in New York and somehow her picture ends up all over the papers, tv and internet.

Grant West is one of the hottest actors currently, and he wants to date Sydney.  He likes Syd for her and tries to convince her to give him a shot.  He wants a normal girlfriend, not someone just interested in his fame and money, and in his mind, that someone is Sydney all the way.

I really liked this story.  I liked how Sydney had no clue who Grant was and was just being herself.  She figured he is just some really hot guy that she will never see again, but keeps thinking about the kiss they shared.  When she finds out who she kissed, you would think she would be happy, but she hates it.  She has gone from the no body to Miss Popular overnight and she knows it is because everyone thinks she is dating Grant.  Her sisters are pissed, and her dad is extremely pissed because of Grant’s age and Sydney being plastered all over the media.  All she wants is Colin to notice her and want her and Grant to tell everyone that they are not dating and to get out of her life.

Grant seemed like a really good guy.  I won’t lie and say what he pulled isn’t the best thing he could have done, but I think he was drawn to Sydney from the first time he saw her and couldn’t help himself.  I was really rooting for Grant to win her heart and show her he was the one for her not Colin.  I did get a little ticked off when he walks away from Sydney and what he says, but I can also understand why he does it.

Sydney made me proud when she made Grant hear what she had to say.  I loved that she finally found herself and that her sisters where the ones to help her.  She figured out what she wanted and wasn’t going to back down.  She didn’t let the fake friends ruin her and never changed who she was.  I really hope that the author continues their story or makes this into a series, because I would read it for sure.