Blog Tour: Stupid Girl by Cindy Miles (Review)

I am SUPER excited today to be sharing with you this amazing book!

Title: Stupid Girl (Stupid Girl #1)
Author: Cindy Miles
Publication: May 13th 2014
Genre: NA Romance
Source: Provided by the kind tour host
Goodreads

Only fools fall in love... 

After her senior year of high school leaves behind nothing but heartache, Olivia Beaumont is sure of this: She’s no stupid girl. She sets out for Winston College, promising herself that she will remain focused on her first and only love – astronomy. But all it takes is cocky sophomore Brax Jenkins and an accidental collision with a football, to throw her entire year off course. 

A quick-tempered Southie who escaped the inner city streets of Boston to pitch for Winston, Brax is known to play way more fields than just the baseball diamond. So, when his name is drawn to take part in his fraternity’s hazing dare, Brax eagerly accepts the mission to take Olivia’s virginity. But he doesn’t plan on falling hard for the sweet and sassy Texas girl who sees right through his bad-boy persona. 

As Olivia and Brax battle their feelings for each other, echoes of the past year begin to surface. A boy who once turned Olivia’s whole world upside down reappears, and “harmless” pranks wreak havoc. Pretty soon the aspiring astronomer is on the verge of revealing her most difficult, heartbreaking secret. All the while, Brax must wrestle with the irrevocable dare, and Olivia struggles against all logic as she does the one thing only a stupid girl would do: fall in love.

-- My Rating  --

3/5 Oscars: Liked it

-- My Thoughts --

     I requested to be a part of the tour for this book out of the blue, I didn't know what it was about or how it was going to be. So I had very low expectations and right now, I am feeling confused about my feelings towards it.
     Olivia had the toughest part of her life going through her senior year and now that she has finally moved on to college, she is sure that she can finally pursue her dreams. But all that changes when Brax moves into her life, with his killer smile and killer reputation. He's everything Olivia knows she should never want, but he just might be everything she needs.
     *Plot:The storyline of this book is very familiar to the NA genre, with the whole heart-wrenching subjects of abuse and recovery. This book started off on the same note, and it pretty much never addressed the subject again until the last chapters. I felt like this was a normal contemporary romance without the dark subjects.
     *Characters:The characters were not very like able. Olivia just seemed too naive to be a college girl and she questioned her thoughts and feelings to an unhealthy state. But after a while, she grew and I began to like her. Brax was the typical NA love interest with the bad boy attitude and a heart of gold. Although he really wasn't my favorite NA love interest because he was just too moody and temperamental be good.
     *Romance:The romance was definitely my favorite part. Although their romance started off as interest-at-first-sight, it grew into something that I felt was real. I loved the chemistry between them and the hot scenes were to die for. But I felt like the strain on this relationship was unbelievable at times and most of their problems were not problems to begin with.
     Finally, this book was definitely much more enjoyable than I thought it would be and the ending was satisfying to the 100th degree.  I loved it. Although this will not make it to my list of favorites, it might appeal to a lot of people. After all, it's all a matter of perspective.

-- Purchase Links --

--Amazon

--B&N

-- Author Bio --

National bestselling author Cindy Miles writes edgy romance, ranging from contemporary love stories to sexy paranormals. A native of southern coastal Georgia, she loves reading (naturally), baking swoon-worthy desserts, traveling abroad, yoga, and classic rock. The cover for her upcoming New Adult romance, STUPID GIRL, was featured on USA Today’s Happily Ever After blog. In the novel, a volatile mix of bad boys, sassy smart girls, dark secrets, and red-hot romance add up to one wild ride through college.

WEBSITEGOODREADSFACEBOOKTWITTER

-- Giveaway --

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Drowning In You by Rebecca Berto

Hey, guys! And welcome to my stop on the tour for Drowning In You, a passionate NA romance!

Title: Drowning In You

Author: Rebecca Berto

Publication: April 5th 2013

Genre: NA Contemporary

Source: Provided by the kind tour organizer

Secretly Crushing

Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart. 

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune. 

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

Disclaimer: Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content and crude language.

-- My Rating --

3.5 / 5 Oscars: Liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

    I am a huge fan of raw, contemporary reads. I love books that make me feel everything the characters feel, joy, sadness, love, hurt, everything. I thought this book would be like that.. And it was. But I think I set the bar too high, and the book couldn't jump hard enough. It is my fault, mostly.
     Charlee had always been in love with Dexter. Up until he caused her mother to die, and her father to be forever deformed.  Now, Charlee has to take care of her little brother and her father's work. But it's not that easy, specially when Dexter is lurking around every corner. Did he really do it? Can their love truly conquer it all? Is it really love at all?
     Well, I will first talk about the good sides of this book. The writing is typical. It is straight-forward and to-the-point. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too dull, either. I liked the characters, Charlee is such a fragile girl with a very tough exterior. I didn't like Dexter that much, he got on my nerves. He always took out everything on Charlee and that was disappointing for a male lead. I preferred Elliot much more. Actually, I LOVED Elliot and I would have been so happy if there was a love triangle with him in it, no such luck.
     The first half of this book was quick-paced and it kept me on edge. I liked that. But the second half of this book turned downhill really fast. It was very, very confusing. I couldn't keep track of the time. It felt like the editor, just copy and pasted different parts of the book in the wrong places. This really irritated me. The end was satisfying  though. It was good. I don't really know if there will be a sequel, but if there is, I want it to be about Elliot. he would make a much better male lead than Dex.

Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy. 

Blog tour: The Breakaway and Pieces Review

Check out the other participating blogs here

I am so happy to participate in the blog tour for Pieces and its previous sequel, The Breakaway. Hereby today, I will review both books in the series! Enjoy...

Name of book: The Breakaway (The Breakaway #1)
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle
Publication: May 1st 2012 by Rhemalda Publishing
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the tour organizer/author
Rating:

When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she's missing. Escape isn't high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she's part of a family-even if it is a family of criminals. But she's still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she's falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn't sure she wants to take it.

-- My Rating --

4/5 Oscars Really Liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

     The second book in the series, Pieces, was released a few weeks ago. So and so, I was very happy that I had the chance to review the first AND the second book in the series.The first book was pretty good, it went past my expectations.
     Naomi, wakes up and realizes she has been kidnapped. She only remembers pieces of that night. The night she was kidnapped. Her family is broken. Her parents are distant. Naomi might even be a little pleased that she has been taken away. She thinks that her parents don't love her, and will give up searching for her in a couple of weeks. She is wrong.
     As she finds outs, her family of kidnappers are really nice. They feed her, they help her, they even let her watch TV. She feels like one of the family, but Naomi still wants to run. She decides that the best way to do this is make one of the kidnappers fall in love with her. And who is better than Jesse? Caring, hot, and to-the-point. But while she tries to make him fall in love, will she fall into her own hole? Will she ever get away from the kidnappers? And why did they kidnap her in the first place? Find out more when you read  this breathtaking novel, The Breakaway...
     I liked this novel a lot. Michelle, has a really great writing style, although the book was  written in third person, I was able to connect with Naomi and her mother, as the chapters  alternate between them. I liked the love interest, too. Jesse is definitely a swoon-worthy guy. This novel has a lot  of potential. But a few things irked me. I didn't like Naomi's way of thinking. I thought it was irrational, but I haven't been through what she had, so I can't really be a judge.
     I liked the secondary characters, nonetheless. They were a wonderful addition to the story. I can't wait to see what Michelle Davidson Argyle, would bring to the field after this amazing novel. Keeping my fingers crossed for Pieces, the second book.

Name of book: Pieces (The Breakaway #2)
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle

Publication: February 14th 2013 by Rhemalda Publishing
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the tour organizer/author
Rating:

Two years after watching her kidnappers go to prison, Naomi Jensen is still in love with one of them. Jesse will be released in a few years, and Naomi knows college is the perfect distraction while she waits. But when her new friend Finn makes her question what is right and what is wrong, she begins to wonder if Jesse is the one for her … until she discovers he's out on parole. Naomi must sort through her confusion to figure out where love and freedom truly lie—in Finn, who has no connections to her past, or Jesse, who has just asked her to run away with him.

Pieces is a companion to The Breakaway and can be read independently, if desired.

-- My Rating --

4/ 5 Oscars: Really liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

      I find that duologies are very little in the book world, it seems like authors cannot push all their thoughts into two books and work it out. It always seems to need more. But in this duology, the author perfectly captured her readers and gave them the most satisfying ending.
     It's been two years since Naomi ran away from her kidnappers, but she had never been the same. She still misses Jesse, her love, who is in prison but she seems to move on. And when she meets the kind, sweet Finn, her world brightens once more. Well, up until Jesse comes out of prison on parole. Then everything turns upside down...
     I wondered what road Michelle D.A. would take in the second book, since there was a lot of potential. And  I feel like she walked down the right road. Even though it's written in third person, we connect with Naomi on an intimate basis. I still feel like Naomi's decisions are ones that are done without thinking, and I would never do what she did. I don't connect with her well, but Jesse and Finn really add to the story. In the first book, when there was only Jesse, I wanted a love triangle (like, wow. I ASKED for a love triangle), so I could love the guy on the other side. Thank you, Michelle for bringing Finn in. My heart was always with Finn, he is the cutest, sweetest guy every girl could ask for. I adored him. 
     The book dragged a little in the middle, but then it sped up and everything was fine. The ending was superb, Michelle D.A. nailed that one! And she is definitely on the list of authors I will always look out for. Recommended to every contemporary reader out there who wants a little bit of thrill mixed in!

-- About The Author and The Books --

---

Where to purchase The Breakaway:

 Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Rhemalda  / The Book Depository

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Michelle's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Blog Tour: Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta

I am SO EXCITED to be a part of this tour! I absolutely ADORED this book! Enjoy....

Name of book: Barbie Girl (Baby Doll #1)
Author: Heidi Acosta
Publication: first published November 1st 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind author/tour organizer

The only thing that 17 year old Barbie Starr wants to do is graduate high school so she and her little brother, Everett, can get out of Alabama. She doesn’t care about the rumors that are spread around about her like wild fire. Rumors are nothing new to her. Sure, maybe she could change her reputation, but why bother. She is leaving Alabama as soon as she can. That is, if she can pass algebra and graduate.

The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up: finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him. 

But it is Barbie who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up: if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?

-- My Rating --

5/5 Oscars: LOVED IT!

-- My Thoughts --

     WOW. It is such a strange but lovely feeling when the book you read tops all your expectations, surpasses them and leaves you breathless. This book had me bawling my eyes out, or laughing loudly, or smiling a genuine smile.

     Barbie Starr is not your typical teenage girl. She has been knows as a bitch, a slut, and many other things, but beneath her miniskirts and show-off shirts, there is a girl who wants to run away from her mother and save her little brother. A girl who just doesn't have the time to do anything but pass through the days until graduation. Her life is a black and white film. But when her teacher assigns her a tutor, the hot nobody, Dylan Knight, everything turns to shades of grey.

---

Bathed in a bright white light making her look otherworldly; stood Barbie Starr in all her glory.

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     I thought this book would turn into these cheesy, fluffy contemporary reads, but no. This book was way too deep and too raw to be considered like that. Barbie is the girl every guy dreams of, but she is the magnet of trouble. And Dylan is in love with another girl, Katie. It's clear from the beginning that it is not going to work out. The characters Heidi Acosta created are all multi-layered, deep, with believable motivations and heartbreaking revelations. The secondary characters are just as good.

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she is a loose wire, an unsolvable problem.

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     The twists and the little turns in this book will leave you on the edge of your seat. Loved the emotions I experienced through this book, I even cried a little towards the end. Recommended to all romance fans and fans of raw contemporary YA. I cannot wait to see what Heidi has in stock for us in the second installment of the series!

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He is sweet, funny, and a little uptight at times. I laugh to myself, “He is different,” I elect. She sighs, “You just be careful, boys like him are only good for one thing. A broken heart.”

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-- About The Author and The Book --

---

Where to purchase Barbie Girl:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords 

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Heidi's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 Heidi Acosta was born on Long Island, New York. Moving around a lot when she was younger, she has lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, in that order. Each place offered her something special, but she will always consider New York her home.

Heidi started writing as soon as she could spell. When she was three, Heidi’s mother gave her a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; thus beginning her lifelong love affair with literature.

Writing soon also became a form of therapy for Heidi, when she realized that no matter what was happening in her life, she could find emotional escape while writing. Some of her earliest stories featured her as a princess who explored new worlds with her horse Buttercup. If it sounds romantic, it wasn’t, there was no prince charming in those fairy lands (boys where yucky).

Heidi now resides in Florida with her husband, very active daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.

Blog Tour: Normalish by Margaret Lesh!

Name of book: Normalish

Author: Margaret Lesh

Publication: October 5th 2012 by Musa Publishing Euterpe Young Adult 

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Provided by the kind author / tour organizer

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

Where to Purchase Normalish:

Amazon / Musa Publishing

 Margaret's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

California girl Margaret Lesh lives with her husband Steve and son Andrew in a quiet suburb near Los Angeles. Co-creator of StoryRhyme.com, she writes middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about baked goods, especially donuts, far too often. She believes tacos are magic.

-- My Rating --

4/5 Cupcakes: Really Liked It.

 -- My Thoughts --

     I absolutely love contemporary novels. Specially YA ones. Since they are exactly fit for my age-group and I can feel so much with the characters. I dove in expecting a light, sort of cliche read. Who knew this book would make me CRY? This book was one heck of a contemporary read! 

     Stacy is at her freshman year in high school, and as she finds out, high school is not all it's cracked up to be. Her best friend has left her, her guy friend is acting a little too weird. Her sister is getting strange everyday. She absolutely hates math. And she does not have a boyfriend. (If you have read so far, you think this is the most typical, all too familiar contemporary read, but it's not)

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Maybe I should ask someone I don’t know (because sometimes the truth is easier to take from a stranger).

---

      We dive into the story as Stacy tries to deal with her chaotic high school life. I have never felt so connected to a contemporary character before. She absolutely reminded me of myself, the challenges I face, the dreams I have, and the choices I make. It was like watching my life unfold in front of me. And it was beautiful to watch. Margaret Lesh has a fabulous writing style, she DID NOT write Stacy. She BECAME Stacy. Like, one and the same person. That was fully unexpected.

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“Normal” is all about perception.

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     There were some twists and turns in this book that are not in every contemporary read. How Stacy deals with her sister's little strangeness was believable, and the challenges she faces when she find out the truth, were also believable and realistic. There was some part in the book that had ME crying my eyes out! Stacy's depression, her lack of will to live, to do anything, hit a sensitive chord in my heart.

---

But that’s just the way it is when you’re a fool in love. Or maybe just a fool.

---

      I loved the emotions I experienced through this novel. I loved the realness of this. Loved the uniqueness and beliefs expressed through this. Normalish is definitely not a normal read! It's extraordinary, abnormal, in the best way possible!

-- Giveaway --

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Stop: Reaction by Jessica Roberts

Helllo, guys!

I am so happy to be able to review this amazing book, Reaction.

Your can find my review of the first book, right here

Name of book: Reaction (Reflection #2)
Author: Jessica Roberts
Publication: November 5th 2012 by S/P
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind author and tour host...

Harmony… 

I’ve previously had that in my life, but only once, briefly, a while ago. It was during the time I’d started my first year of college. My own apartment, a new old car, and a life free of deadbeat stepfathers, all of which was fulfilling enough. But if it wasn’t, I also had a best friend, soul mate, and boyfriend all in one. Yes, life was near perfect.

But one stormy night can change everything… 

For many months I rested in a prolonged sleep, fighting for my life. Well, more than fighting for it, also dreaming of it. Dreaming of him. Thank goodness, the dream is over and I’m back in the real world now. And all I want is for everything to return to the way it was. But nothing’s the same; most of all, us.

Once again, I find myself at the crossroads of a ruthless battle, this time not for life, but love. Do I fight for the guy I twice fell for, or do I let her take him away?

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     I read Reflection this week for this blog tour, and I loved it! So I was very happy to be able to dig into the final book in this duology (I think...). This series offers a very unique aspect on what it feels like, to fight for love.

Minor spoilers if you have not read the first book in the series, Reflection

     Heather has finished her stay in the hospital. After almost three years, she has finally woken up from the coma, and is ready to step back into the world. But without Nick by her side, it is not so easy anymore.  Although there is Creed, her life-long friend, and Liz, her college friend; who offer the best of support and encouragement. 

     While Heather tries to go back intro her old routine, she can't help but feel terribly jealous of the new girl Nick is dating. And by taking Liz's advice, she decides to try to steal him back. But trying to convince Nick, is not so easy. Horrible plans lead to more horrible consequences. And Heather might not be able to pay the price this time, when she is not even sure if all she sees is real.

     Will Heather ever be able to be her old self? Will she be able to make Nick fall in love with her, again; or will she let her take him away? Find out much more when you read this emotional, heart-wrenching tale of a love, that will fight the borders of time.

     I LOVE this book. In the first book, we get to experience everything in Heather's life through her coma state. In this one, she is out in the world and trying to cope through the ups and downs. I loved Heather and Nick in Reflection, but in Reaction, I loved them even more.. Heather is the perfect voice to tell a story, a voice that is clear and haunting.

"A lot happens in three years. Your best friend grows six inches, engagements, your other best friend’s hair grows six inches, engagements, and your favorite grandma’s body shuts down from a little cold gone bad."

     LOVE this quote! Although Creed was always in the background in Reflection, we get more of him in Reaction. And I have to say, that I love him. He is the older brother I would never have. Liz is also a wonderful secondary character, her support to Heather was touching, she is an amazing best friend. Jessica Roberts is a terrific writer, and I can't wait to read more of her books!

     One of my favorite romantic reads of 2012! This book is memorable, and it will stay with me for a LOT of time. I am trying to convince you to read this book throughout the whole review. So you better decide too read it! And while you are here, try checking out my favorite "swoony" quotes:

"I surrendered, my body relaxed to him, opened to him, reveling in more than the sweet sensation of his lips on my skin. I gave him my secrets, my hidden places, allowing him to know me again, all of me. And at that moment, all of the serenity from every ocean shoreline, from every flowered hillside, from every peach sunset was mine."

--------------------

"He lowered his mouth to my lips, and his kiss was so tender and so thorough that I drifted away, like a leaf to the cool wind. "

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"The sound of our lips coming together and parting was natural and raw, but natural and raw was just right for us. He kissed me like he’d been holding in three years of unrestrained kisses, and we went at it with a passionate tenderness that could have lit all of St. Louis on fire."

-- About The Author --

JESSICA ROBERTS grew up in the San Francisco, California Bay Area where she spent most of her time playing sports alongside her six siblings. She was crowned Miss Teen California her senior year of high school, and went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated in Human Development. Her love of family, church, writing, athletics, and singing and dancing keeps her life busy and fulfilled. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

Connect with the Author:  Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Available for Purchase:

Amazon

Be sure to check out the other awesome blogs participating in this tour!
You can check them all out HERE! 

Review: Reflection by Jessica Roberts

Name of book: Reflection (Reflection #1)
Author: Jessica Roberts
Publication: February 17th 2012 by S/P
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind author and tour host...

Bright, spunky Heather Robbins has escaped her small hometown and is anxiously beginning her freshman year of college. Rising above her rocky childhood, she’s found a place where good things are finally starting to happen: her own private apartment, refreshing college classes, and an intense attachment to a mysterious and rugged classmate, Nick Richards.

But when her dreamy college life turns out to be nothing more than a wonderful dream while resting in a coma, questions threaten. 

Now, Heather must press forward to unlock the real past, and find the answers buried deep in her mind. What she unlocks instead is a roller coaster ride through flashbacks, embellished memories, and a whirlwind romance.

And when it’s all over and she comes face to face with the truth, will she lose everything she’s fallen in love with?

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     This book is really different. At first, I thought that it will be paranormal, but no. It is contemporary with a very mysterious touch. I LOVE it.

     Heather is thrilled to finally leave for college. She can't wait to get started on her new life. But the next thing she knows, she is lying on a hospital bed. She had a college life, she had friends, she played track, she even had a close relationship with the guy of her dreams. But was that real or was it a product of her imagination during the coma? Heather doesn't know what is real or what is not. The only thing that might help her is trying to remember every moment of the months she spent in college. And then, she has to decide which moments are real and which are not.

     What happened to Heather? How long has she been in a coma? Was every moment she spent with her guy friend just in her imagination? Will she ever know what is normal and what is not? Find out much more when you read this heart-wrenching tale of a damaged memory, but a heroine who is set on fixing it.

     I LOVE this book. I had to read it since I am in the book tour for book 2, Reaction. But other than that, i heard a lot about this book, many positive reviews, so I had to get my hands on it. I LOVE Jessica Roberts' writing. After reading only a few chapters, I was engrossed in the story so much that I didn't know what was happening around me.

"Indeed, when his face bent toward me, his lips hovering just above my neck, I was enthralled; completely his. Against my will, I gasped when his lips brushed over my skin."

     I LOVE the characters. Heather is such a broken girl after the coma. She is confused and unsure of everything. I LOVE her and I felt for her. The two boys, well, they cannot be compared. Because they are polar opposites to me. Creed is so sweet and protective of Heather, although he only made a few appearances through this novel. Nick, oh Nick. He is lovely, mysterious and the ultimate bad boy. I couldn't stop swooning over him.

"Nick grasped my waist, slowly drawing me in to him. My breathing stopped as I stared into his face. His eyes were a deep sapphire, a mixture of fire and ice. My nails dug deeper into the wall of rock. My body scared itself into stiffness and yet it called to him at the same time."

     Everything about this book was to the point and perfect. It was just a little slow and confusing at the first few chapters, but then, it got much better. I LOVE this book, and I can't wait to start reading the second one. Every book lover, you SHOULD read Reaction. A beautiful story that tests the power of love against time.

"And then his lower lip brushed against mine, swirling the world around me. My body tightened, my heart stopped. He withdrew an inch, his fingers stroking over my jawline like I was a delicate, porcelain doll, soothing the tension in my face, leaving traces of fire."

Tour Stop: Once Upon a Remembrance by Grace Brannigan

I am proud to be a part of such an AMAZING tour for such a WONDERFUL book. Hereby I present, Once Upon a Remembrance...

Name of book: Once Upon A Remembrance (Women of Strength #1)
Author: Grace Brannigan
Publication: August 12th 2012 by Questor Books
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Source: Provided by the kind author & tour host
Goodreads

Once Upon a Remembrance: Book 1 Women of Strength time travel trilogy: Photographer Isabeau Remington travels to 1894 Virgina and falls in love with a man she must ultimately leave behind when she returns to her own time...but things are not always as they seem.

Modern day photographer Isabeau is pulled from the present time and thrust back into the year 1894 in Virginia. She must help save Hawk Morgan, a man threatened by a killer, a man endangered by his own erased memories. Hawk must survive in 1894 so his present day ancestor Pierce Morgan, will be alive in Isabeau's future.

Isabeau begins to fall in love with Hawk Morgan but with both their future's uncertain and a killer on the loose, neither one of them may have a tomorrow to look forward to.

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     Oh My God! Can I just rave about this book throughout the whole review? Please? Pretty please? "sad face" This is my first Grace Brannigan book and I assure you, that it will NOT be my last. I cannot even begin to describe the uniqueness of this!

     Isabeau is the assistant of a professional photographer. When she and her boss arrive at Hawk's Den, the centuries old house owned by the Pierce Morgan, Isabeau is thrilled by the unique opportunities this house could offer. But when Isabeau reads a VERY old Bible, she faints and suddenly, wakes up on board of a ship!

     Thrust back centuries into the past, Isabeau is confused and frustrated. But when she meets Hawk Morgan, the owner of the ship, she feels that he is familiar, somehow. When Hawk takes her back to Hawk's Den, Isabeau tries to settle down. But nothing stays the same , and someone is trying very desperately to kill Hawk. Isabeau might be the only key for him to stay alive. But while she is falling in love with Hawk Morgan, Isabeau is certain that she will be thrust back into the present day and leave him behind. But when days turn into weeks, even that is not certain, anymore.

     Why did Isabeau get thrust back in time? Who is trying to kill Hawk Morgan? How long will Isabeau be able to save him? Will her love grow into something more? And will Isabeau ever go back to her present day? Find out much more when you read this exhilarating, mysterious, utterly-engrossing novel, Once Upon A Remembrance...

     I abso-freaking-lutely LOVED this book! I never expected to love it THAT much. I have been a HUGE fan of time-travel since I have read Lauren Kate's Passion (my review here).This one was even BETTER and more thought-out. Grace Brannigan has a very simple writing style so it doesn't distract you from the awesome story-line. 

     Her characters are believable and love-able. Isabeau is very stubborn and head-strong, which is what I loved about her. Hawk is old-fashioned "wink" but he is gorgeous, and oh-so-protective even when he wants to hide it. He is so damn swoon-worthy, I wished I could change places with Isabeau! Oh, Ms. Brannigan, why did you have to make him so perfect? Why, oh, why? The secondary characters are truly superb, they really ADD to the story, they are not just cardboard cutouts. My favorite was Meryl, Hawk's best friend, his sarcasm and funny attitude really lit up the book.

     This book was -and I am pretty sure- will always be one of the BEST time-travel romances I have EVER read! It is one of those books that I want to buy in paperback just to have on my shelf and read it over and over again. If you want a truly enjoyable, utterly-romantic, mysterious read, then Once Upon a Remembrance will not disappoint!

-- About the Author --

Grace Brannigan lives in the Catskill Mountains. She has been writing in one format or another as long as she can remember. She has made her books in various genre available as an indie author since the 1990's. She's a swing dancer and artist, painting custom shoes or barn murals and loves to hike in the mountains where she lives.

Grace writes about strong women facing life altering issues and the men who love them. Her Women of Character series are 4 stand alone contemporary romances: Echoes from the Past, Once and Always, Heartstealer and Wishing on a Rodeo Moon, all available as ebook at Smashwords and Kindle.

The Women of Strength series is a paranormal/time travel trilogy, Once Upon a Remembrance, Book 1, out now! Book 2 Soulmates Through Time (coming late 2012) and Book 3 Treasure So Rare (coming in 2013).

-- Link-mania --

Web: http://www.GraceBrannigan.com

Blog: http://www.GraceBrannigan.wordpress.com

Twitter: GBranniganWritr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Brannigan-Author/276643815751843?ref=hl

Book Available - Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Remembrance-Women-Strength-Travel-ebook/dp/B008WBSWY0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345064916&sr=8-1&keywords=once+upon+a+remembrance

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/213939