Reading Under the Willow Tree

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After reading the blurb for The Goddess I was pretty excited, I thought that a woman was going to get trapped in a cave with a hot Prince and that there would be some mystical and magical stuff going on around them. The cave thing happened…for a couple of pages and the rest was just not what I was expecting. There is nothing wrong with that but the blurb hinted that this book would be about a certain thing and it wasn’t.

The Goddess is not a bad book, it was perfectly entertaining but apart from the Prince thing it was just like a lot of the other contemporary romances I have read recently. Two people meet, have sex get pregnant. It is the same old, same old. What didn’t help this book was that at parts (especially towards the end) it all got a little too far-fetched. This was set in the modern day but the people in Aegean act like it’s the 1700’s. They riot when there monarchs chose a woman they dislike, they all are obsessed with this goddess statue and they are just generally over the top, I couldn’t really understand it.

Alongside the main modern day romance there is a separate story set in the past. It was a nice idea but it didn’t really work for me. The historical sections (which are from a story Helene has found hidden in parts around the island) were in big bulks and I think I would have preferred it to be spread out a bit more.

The characters were ok there but they lacked personality. Helene was a bit to overbearing for my taste and Darius was dull and moody. I didn’t hate them but didn’t like them that much either. The romance was also ok but I didn’t feel the chemistry between them, even in the love scenes they felt detached and I just couldn’t quite get behind them.

The Goddess is an entertaining contemporary romance but it just didn’t quite do it for me.




The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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Normally I find that books start well and either stay that way or slowly get worse. Everything You Need to Know broke that rule. When it started it was ok but it got better as it went along instead of worse.

I think the issue I had at the beginning of this book was the whole website thing. The main character runs a website where women go to talk about their dates with men in the local area. It means you can check up on the man you are going out on a date with before you date him, like a directory. I have to say that I really don’t like that idea. Although Jordan did her best to verify all the information on the site it is impossible to vet everything and if a man set up a website like this about woman we would all go mad. It is especially bad because it affects the professional life of some of the men on the site which is not fair to them or the people who work for them. It really took me some time to get my head around the whole idea and I wasn’t a fan of it at all.

Everything else about this book was pretty good and when I settled in I ended up really enjoying it. The characters were a little hit and miss. Jordan got on my nerves a little bit, her hang ups about her mother went a little too far and I hated her stubborn streak especially towards the end. She nearly lets her happily ever after escape because she is too proud, because she thinks she doesn’t need anybody which is not true. Forest was awesome, I thought he was charming, sweet and had his head firmly screwed on. He shared a lot with Jordan and she shared nothing with him but instead of walking away he fought for them but she had to do the work because he had already put everything in. He wanted to be with her but not for anything less than an equal trusting partnership.

There was loads of chemistry between them and I liked the romance. Despite the issues I had with Jordan they just worked together. This is the second of the Cosmo Hot reads I have read and so far I have enjoyed both of them. I would recommend this to contemporary romance fans, it is a short and sweet read.




The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog




Overpowered had a great premise and it could have been awesome but somewhere in the execution this went wrong for me. Like I said I really liked the idea. It had a great plot and there were some really interesting parts. Unfortunately there was just a bucket load of things I had issues with which took away from the awesomeness of the actual plot.

Firstly the writing seemed really cold to me. There were loads of descriptions of physical things like clothes and food but there was no real description of the more emotional things. I didn’t need to know exactly what brand of water or computer Nica was drinking or using. I wanted to know more of her inner workings, how she was feeling and what she was going through but felt that aspect was completely over looked.

Then there were a few inconsistences. Every night wi-fi, mobile phones and home phones go offline yet somehow Nica still manages to text her friends. Also after the pulses everyone gets angry, starts fight and generally loses the plot apart from Nica, Oliver and Jackson. I thought it was because they were ‘different’ but Maya is different to and she also loses the plot. I also struggled at times to know what time of day it was. There were moments where I was sure the action was taking place at night but a few pages later it was daytime which really confused me.

The characters were bland and didn’t really have any personality. Nica was ok but personality wise she was all over the place. On her first day at school she throws a boy to the ground after he bumps into her, she also goes on about how she studies martial arts but apart from that one time she does nothing else to backup that side of her. She has no ‘normal’ girl interests and instead goes on about her martial arts, living in Thailand and has an obsession with sushi. Jackson is no better, as the love interest I expect him to have some personality so we can understand why Nica is so taken with him but there was nothing. No time was spent getting to know him and he spent most of the book not answering his phone and disappearing for long periods of.

The romance really annoyed me as well. Nica really fancies Jackson and has not really dated before. He kisses her and she starts pulling her and his clothes off in the middle of the woods where some crazy people were after them. I got the impression that she was a virgin and she just came across as well to eager and unconcerned. Sex in YA is fine and I fully support it as it is something that teens do and think about but it has to mean something, the implied (almost) sexual content in this meant nothing.

What I hated most about the romance was the way Nica reacted to Jackson. She went from being a girl who could and would throw a boy over her shoulder to saying stuff like:
“Was he upset with me for being so hopelessly lame.”

And

“I was so stupid no wonder he had no interest in me.”

And
“As if it were even possible that a hunk like Jackson would ever want an insecure mess like me.”

It drove me mad, I just hated that she put herself down all the time. It was even worse because the reason Jackson was so unsure about getting romantic was because his girlfriend who he was really in love (but couldn’t be that much in love with as he nearly had sex in the woods with another girl) with was missing. I cannot understand how Nica never really thought of that.

Overpowered was a great idea on paper but at the end of the day it wasn’t for me.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


Forgotten Sins was one hell of a ride and I am not really sure if I liked it or not. It was an action packed and had a great dark atmosphere but it was extremely far-fetched and I couldn’t really take is seriously.

I have read quite a lot of Rebecca Zanetti’s work in the past and have to say that I much prefer her contemporary work to her supernatural. Forgotten Sins is in the middle of the two genres, it is not about werewolves or vampires but there is a science fiction edge to this. I have seen the ‘super soldier’ thing before and it takes a little getting used to when reading but generally I like it. I still prefer her contemporary romance works but the idea behind this one was not bad at all.

There is a lot going on in this book and to be honest that was part of the problem. I lost count of the amount of time Josie was kidnapped and attacked. It seemed that everyone and their mother wanted to take her away and after the third or fourth time I got a little bored of it.

The characters were alright. Josie was a little too stubborn and a little to forgiving if I am honest. Shane does some things that in my opinion are unforgivable I would not have been able to stay in a relationship with him. Shane was ok but was a little too bossy and pushy for my taste. The romance was explosive and there was chemistry between then but it was all a bit of a mess to be honest.

If you don’t mind suspending reality for a little while Forgotten Sins is a fast paced and action packed read but it is out there and farfetched so won’t be for everyone. I am still undecided but liked it enough to ensure I will pick up the next book in the series.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog



The Right Mr Wrong was a sweet little romance that had a nice twist and reminded me slightly of Sliding Doors. The prologue ends with the main characters long term boyfriend Oliver asking her to marry him. From there the book splits into two stories one where she says yes and the other where she says no. Oliver is clearly not the guy for her and she has feelings for his best friend Liam. Both stories focus on the journey Victoria and Liam take to find each other and implies that they belonged together no matter what roads they take.

The main problem I had with this book was that one story was a lot stronger than the other. Instead of having two stories happening simultaneously this tells the whole of the first story and then the second. I found the first one (where she had said yes to Oliver’s proposal) was a lot more interesting and enjoyable than the second which was a shame. I also thought the transition between stories could have been a lot clearer. At first I had no idea what was happening and I was completely lost for a little while.

The characters were likable enough but I couldn’t really engage with them as much as I should have. I much preferred Victoria and Liam in the first story than in the second, they were softer, kinder in the first but harder and less likable in the second. The same could be said for the romance. The chemistry in the first part was great I really felt the emotions between the characters and got behind the relationship. In the second part it felt cold and I couldn’t quite connect with it.

I think if both stories had been told simultaneously I would have enjoyed it a lot more. You would have been able to see the impact and consequences of Victoria’s decision a lot more clearly. I think that would have been a lot more interesting.

Despite the issues this was a short and enjoyable read that kept me entertained. I would recommend it to fans of the genre.





The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Patrick. I did not expect to come across my new beau in a Harlequin blaze book but I did. He was just so damn perfect and was one of the stand out aspects of this book. Everything else was great as well. I have read the first book in this series so I knew that Meg Maguire could write but this far surpassed Making him Sweat and the reason for that was Patrick.

I hate to go on about him but he really was amazing. I found him really realistic, he wasn’t some Adonis leather pant wearing stud and he wasn’t some multi-millionaire bored sex manic. He was a normal guy with money problems and low self-esteem. He was vulnerable and hurt but he kept a brave face and was determined to defeat the odds. He was adorable and incredibly sweet.

The other main character is Steph an ex MMA fighter. I love the role reversal in this, loved that she was strong and powerful yet still managed to be feminine. There were times when she annoyed me slightly, she wanted to find a man but she wanted him to have money, she wanted security. This got on my nerves for several reasons. Firstly it’s really shallow. Secondly she should go out and make her own money. Thirdly she had fifty grand in the bank which (baring an amazing bit of Lotto luck) is about 50 times the amount of money I will ever have in my life. And finally because this hurts Patricks feelings and that isn’t cool with me. When she meets the klutzy Patrick there is a ton of chemistry between them and more attraction than she has ever felt in her life. But she tells him she is not interested in him because he is not financially secure enough for her. Frankly that is a kick in the nuts and just a horrible thing to say especially when the guy is so sweet and trying so hard to fix his situation.

Thankfully she gets out of this behaviour fairly early on and despite her attempts not to she falls in love with him (impossible not to in my opinion). The romance was adorable it was sweet and sexy and relatively realistic. There was a ton of chemistry between them and the sex scenes were fantastic.

I have read two Meg Maguire books now and loved both of them. She is creeping up my favourite authors list and I cannot wait to get stuck in to more of her writing…especially if there are more male characters like Patrick.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


I really wanted to like Crave and although I got all the way through it I didn’t really like it at all. I had some issues with the characters and writing but did enjoy some parts of it in the end.

My first issue with this is that it felt a little bare and cold. I would have loved a lot more description, instead it read like constant inner monologues of the characters feelings which is fine for some readers but I like a little more.

My second issue was the character voices. If you are going to write a book with two characters Point of views their voices should sound different. The writing pattern for both characters was too alike and I felt they spoke and thought in the same way. If you handed me a page from each of the characters POV’s and blanked out the names I wouldn’t have been able to tell the different. This doesn’t affect the story so much but it took away from the world building and feel of the book.

The characters were the nail in the coffin for me. Archer was ok I didn’t mind him and actually found him quite sweet at times but I couldn’t stand Ivy. She was horrible and I just couldn’t keep up with her mind changes and inconsistencies. Here is an example: Ivy and Archer do the bad and she kicks him out of her room minutes later claiming it was a mistake. The next morning he agrees with her and she gets all upset and heartbroken about it. Then she mopes about for a few weeks because he hasn’t called her. I wouldn’t call the woman either to be honest. She says he ‘fooled’ her into bed but he knocked on her door to give her some thing and she literally stripped off in front of him and offered herself to him, not really sure that can be considered him fooling her. Later when he asks for her help professionally she tells him nothing intimate will happen between them moments latter propositions him. She drove me mad and I just couldn’t relate to her or deal with her.

The romance itself was ok and was one of the stronger parts of the book. The characters had chemistry and the sex scenes were good. This wasn’t for me but I think other fans of the genre will enjoy it more than I did. I may have not been in love with this but I will check out the other books in this series when they come out and hope that I will prefer the characters next time round.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


Dead Sexy Dragon is a nice start to a new series. It is a short novella that could have used a few more pages but for the most part I enjoyed it. I quite like dragon or dragon shifter books, I am quite fascinated by the mythology and magic of the dragon so I was looking forward to this. I must admit that I have been burned in the past when it comes to dragon shifter novels, they rarely seem to work for me but Dead Sexy Dragon ticked most my boxes and so I am pretty pleased.

For a short book this sure packs a lot in and I had no problem understanding what was happening or the background of the characters. The world building and many aspects of the writing are strong and it was really nice to see this level of construction and creativity in a novella. I really liked the supernatural elements and how Lolita Lopez tied the mating process and the incorporation of the knights.

I could have liked the characters a little more and maybe at times all the mythology and history took away pages for character development but I by no means hated them. Cora was nice, she was stuck in a terrible situation and had made some silly mistakes. I wanted to get to know her a little more but was not really given the opportunity. Stig was also good and more than a little attractive but again I wanted a little more, I just didn’t know him as well as I needed to really connect with him.

I enjoyed the romance it had a hint of the forbidden about it which I liked. It was maybe a little heavy on the sex side but it was still good. I liked the ending, and how much Stig was willing to sacrifice for her and I liked that she freaked out when things got weird instead of just being accepting.

All in all Dead Sexy Dragon was an enjoyable read and I cannot wait to see what comes next.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


Cake is the first Lauren Dane and the first in Cosmo Hot Reads new Harlequin line I have read. For the most part I really enjoyed it, there were some great things about it and a few little niggles but in the end I really liked this sweet novella.

This novella is short, sweet and funny and had some great chemistry and dialogue between the characters. The writing was spot on and the characters dynamic and interesting. It is nothing really very original but the approach was different and there were some things here you wouldn’t expect to see in a normal romance.

The characters were really strong. Gregori was gorgeous and charismatic. He is exactly what you would think of when picturing ‘tortured artist’. Yet behind all the angst and tattoos there is a sweet and genuine guy who is a little more shy and vulnerable then he would care to admit.

Grogori was great but really this book belonged to Wren. I really wish there were more female characters like Wren out there. She had a lot of feelings for Gregori but she wasn’t about to lose her mind or her pride because of him. She goes after him in an adult and sensible manner. It is not about tears or hissy fits. She lets him know that she wants him, that she is prepared to fight for him but that she will also walk away if he doesn’t want or cannot do the same. She won’t be played or disregarded and although walking away would hurt she will do it if she has to. I loved her she was refreshing and such a change from the norm. The romance was sizzling and full of chemistry. I really liked these two together and all their interactions (in and out of the bedroom) were great.

Despite all the positive things about this book for some reason it left me cold and I don’t really know why. I would still recommend this and will be reading more from Lauren Dane and Cosmo hot reads in the future.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


I am not going to lie I was not looking forward to reading this book. I really had issues with the first book in this series and would have never picked up the second book if I wasn’t a book blogger. I thought the first book was misleading. It was about an assassin who never killed anyone, who was arrogant and nasty and more interested in dresses and boys. So it was with great reluctance that I picked up Crown of Midnight.

I didn’t expect to love this book, I didn’t even expect to like it but I did. I adored it. It was a million times better than Throne of Glass and all the niggles I had with the first book were not a problem here. It was darker, more exciting and deadlier. There were some shock twists, a ton of action and breath-taking romance.

What made this book so much better than its predecessor was Celaena. She was so much better in this book. The arrogance was completely toned down as was the fashion obsession. She was meaner but also kinder and fairer. There was only one thing that annoyed me about her which I will get to later in this review. I actually liked her in this; I got behind her and cared for her which was something I never thought I would be able to do.

The romance was also a huge plus for me. In the first book it was a more Dorian centric triangle. In this one it focused more on a normal two person relationship between Celaena and Chaol. There are no words in any language that can adequately describe my love and adoration for Chaol. He is a huge part of why I loved this book so much and I don’t think I could continue the series if he wasn’t in it and if he wasn’t the love interest. It is so rare for me to be romance focused in a book, I normally dislike the romances in YA books but this one was breath-taking. Chaol’s feelings were so prominent, pure and clear. He is such a well-balanced character with many different emotions and conflicts but his love for Celaena were perfect.

She had the same feelings for him and it was the first time in both books that you saw her really let go with someone and be at ease. I adored them together and just couldn’t have it any other way. This brings me to the one thing about Celaena that annoyed me. At one point she believes a person she barely knows over Chaol a man she loves and trust. She then flies of the handle and completely loses it. I couldn’t understand why she believed this other person over him, why she didn’t even try to listen to Chaol’s side of the story. It was such a shame.

The ending was awesome and took this series to a brand new place. I cannot wait to see where it goes from here. Despite disliking the first book in the series Crown of Midnight managed to blow me away. It was amazing and is probably one of the best books I have read so far this year.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


Bite Me was an enjoyable and short read but there were some issues with it that I couldn’t ignore. I really liked the idea of a zombie/werewolf book and this definitely took me on a new and exciting journey.

There were however some discrepancies. Firstly I was a little confused with the setting here. The book is set in London but the characters seemed to sometimes slip into an almost Irish dialect. That would have been fine as the characters could have been from somewhere else but London but they also used quite a few Americanisms. Some of the slang didn’t quite make sense either so it was a little confusing.

There were some other issues as well. There were a few times where the author seemed to forget something she had written. For example, in one scene Seth tells Maisie that she has his mobile number to call him if something happens. In a scene a few pages later Maisie is being attacked and wishes she had thought to ask Seth for his mobile number because she needs help. My copy of this book is an advanced readers copy so some of these things might be fixed in the finished copy.

There were some great things about this book as well. I really liked the characters Maisie was feisty and funny. I liked that she was independent and caring. I also loved that she had a disability. Disability is not something that is addressed very often in romance literature and it really should be. Seth was awesome, he was angry and broody and sexy. I cannot blame Maisie for practically climbing him like a tree because he was devastating.

I also really liked the chemistry between the characters and the great banter. There were some spooky moments, funny moments and exciting moments.

It is real shame that there were some discrepancies here and that it was so short because this had some real potential. I look forward to reading what comes next in this series and from this author.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


Fling is an anthology featuring 3 stories. All the stories feature a couple during fetish week at a luxury resort and they all feature a heavy dose of BDSM so this book will not be for everyone but if you are a fan of the genre then there is bound to be something here to satisfy you.

The book starts with Take me by Sara Fawkes. I really enjoyed this story it had likable characters and a decent storyline. Both Alexander and Kate went on a journey in this and it was a shame that wasn’t a little bit longer. What I also really liked about this story was the relationship between Alexander and Kate, it was the type of BDSM I like. It was only in the bedroom where that aspect of their relationship came through the rest of the time (when not partaking in the treats fetish week has to offer) they were a more normal couple.

The second book in this collection was Teach Me by Cathryn Fox. I liked the relationship less in this one but the characters more. The reason that the relationship was not as great for me was because there was some sharing and I am more of a one man at a time kind of woman. I really liked Luca and Josie, especially Luca he was a little overbearing but there was something really attractive about him.

My least favourite of the anthology was Tame me by Lauren Hawkeye. There was nothing wrong with it and the characters were fine but it was not my kind of relationship. I don’t mind men who are dominating in the bedroom but I am not a fan of it out of it. Marco was just to interfering when it came to Ariel. Before he even knew her (he has met her once for all of five minutes) he re-arranged her hotel reservation and transport without her knowledge so he could get her where he wanted her. He tells her what to do, what to wear and that is just not for me at all. There is nothing wrong here but it just wasn’t to my taste.

Fling is a fun, saucy read that I enjoyed. I would recommend it if you are a fan of the genre.




The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


No Strings Attached was a very sweet and very short novella that I really enjoyed. For a novella it managed to fit everything in and didn’t feel rushed. Everything made sense and it didn’t suffer from its lack of content at all.

Stories like this have been done time and time again. Friends turning into lovers is probably one of the most popular storylines in romantic literature. Did No Strings Attached do anything different from all the other books out there? No not really, but it felt different which has everything to do with the characters and the way they behave.

Hayden is getting over heartbreak but has just one night left in the US before she embarks on a trip of her dreams to the Sudan where she has been hired to take photos for time magazine. She wants to spend her last night getting rid of the memory of her cheating ex-boyfriend and for that she needs a man. She heads to her friend Jace’s bar to find one and to confront him about why he has stopped speaking to her. Jace is devastated that Hayden is leaving him to go to a country where there is a lot of danger. He has only just realised that he is in love with her and has no idea what to do about it.
I liked Jace, he was so scared for her safety and wanted her to stay in the US with him but knew this was a dream come true for her so had no choice but to let her go. He knew he could try and convince her but chose not to and I really liked him for it. Hayden was also cool. She has feeling for Jace but doesn’t dwell on them she wasn’t sulky or depressed about it so she sets her sights on another man and doesn’t think about Jace. It sounds like a weird thing to say but I liked that she wasn’t so hung up on him she couldn’t function. She wasn’t looking for love from this random guy just one night that she couldn’t get from Jace.

The romance was super sweet and really hot. There was a ton of chemistry between the two characters and I loved reading their interactions. The intimate scenes were well done and I liked the build-up. The ending was super sweet and I am glad the author ended it the way she did.

No Strings Attached was a short and sweet novella that I really enjoyed. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

For this review and more visit my blog


A Spy to Die for is one of those books that started well and ended well but lost its way in the middle. When I started this I was sure I was onto a winner but the whole middle section bored me slightly which was a real shame as it had the potential to be a really amazing book.

There were lots of strong elements to this. Firstly the writing and world building was excellent. This book is set in space so every scene is on a new and interesting planet or a space ship. Kris Delake did really well at bringing everything to life and I had no problem envisioning anything. I loved that there was nowhere clean or savoury in this book. Everything was dingy, dark and a little dangerous. It really added to the whole feel of the book.

I really loved the beginning and straight away I was interested. The two main characters Jack and Skye meet within the first few pages and there is no real build up to their relationship. They are attracted to each other and have the opportunity to test that attraction. Normally I don’t like it when relationships move to quickly but this worked for me. I really enjoyed the action after they got together as they were trying to safely get off the planet they were on. It was exciting and I thought I was in for a romantic action packed thrill ride but then everything slowed down.

Not much seemed to happen in the whole middle section which was a bit bizarre. They travelled through space having a lot of sex and not really knowing if they should trust each other but that was really it. I didn’t need every page to be full of action but would have liked something a little more exciting to have happened. It was like this book crawled to a stop and I struggled to get through it as it just didn’t hold my interest any more. Then all of a sudden it all clicked back into place and I was enjoying it again. The ending maybe could have been a little more thrilling but I liked it.

The characters were likeable but I didn’t fall in love with them. Both Jack and Skye seemed to have the exact same problems and a lot of the same feelings about a lot of stuff. If I had to pick I would have to say he was better because he was more open and honest about the way he felt about Skye, whereas she did the whole denial thing and only realised what she had when it was nearly too late.

Overall A Spy to Die for was an enjoyable read with some great world building and good chemistry. The middle dragged which was a shame but it was good enough for me to actively look at other books in the series.




The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Review to come.

Review to come.