REVIEW: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

Series: The Duke's Men, #1

Publication Date: June 18th 2013

Publisher: Pocket Books

Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, long ago buried his grief for his missing elder brother, Peter, who was presumed dead after being kidnapped. When a mysterious note arrives from Tristan Bonnaud asserting that the Duke's brother is alive, it leads Max straight to the winsome Lisette Bonnaud, illegitimate daughter of a viscount and Tristan's sister. Soon he and Lisette are traveling to Paris posing as husband and wife, in search of Tristan, who has disappeared. And the longer he spends with Lisette, the easier it is for Max to see that the line between dukedom and desire is easier to cross than heimagined . . .

The premise of What the Duke Desires sounds more than intriguing and upon reading it I kind of believed that this book was right up my alley. Add to that the fact that I've heard nothing but praise about Sabrina Jeffries's work and I was more than excited about reading. Now that I finally read it, although I did enjoy this book in overall, I can't say that I was very impressed with it either. There were some parts in this book that really worked for me and some others that just fell flat I'm afraid...

Let's start with the good things about What the Duke Desires. And one among them is Sabrina Jeffries's writing style. Having finally read one of her books I totally understand why people praise her work. The pace of the story was great, I literally devoured it and finished it in no time, while her descriptions of Lisette's and Max's travels were beyond fascinating and probably my favorite part of the book.

But, even with the decent writing style and the vivid descriptions, What the Duke Desires was just an ok read. And that happened mainly for two reasons. The first one was the fact that the romance between the leading couple felt completely flat for me. There was no connection between them, no chemistry, no spark. I read about their feelings, I wanted them to get their HEA but I wasn't dying to see them reaching it. Even if the characters were well presented and had a background (I've noticed that underdeveloped characters usually make me not care about what happens to them) still, I couldn't feel their emotions. There were moments I felt that those two were together only because the author wanted them to.

The other reason I didn't enjoy What the Duke Desires as much as I expected was the fact that the mystery part of the story was not that mysterious after all.... I mean the reason Lisette and Max started this incredible journey was to get some answers and to solve a mystery but the real focus of this story was how their romance would evolve and not how they would solve the mystery at hand. And maybe that was the author's intention all along but I found myself wanting something more in that department, especially if you think how the romantic part didn't really convince me as well...

Other than that, there were some very interesting secondary characters introduced and even if they were completely underdeveloped I still want to learn more about them and that's a good thing because What the Duke Desires is the first book in a new HR series and all those interesting secondary characters will soon get their chance to tell us their story!

All in all What the Duke Desires was not exactly what I expected it to be but it was still a fun read and Sabrina Jeffries is definitely an author whose work I want to read again. I just hope that the romance in any future books in this series will be better presented or closer to what I usually enjoy.

* Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
*ARC copy provided via Edelweiss for review purposes

REVIEW: PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

Series: Pods, #1

Publication Date: June 4th 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Paperback, 312 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

PODs by Michelle Pickett is a rather difficult book for me to review and rate I'm afraid. And it's difficult because even though I enjoyed reading it and I finished it in no time it could easily have been so much better. The potential of a great story was all there. And even though I can't deny that PODs had a very interesting story the execution just complicated things a bit.

First of all, let me just say that I found the idea of PODs extremely fascinating. I kind of love dystopian novels and lately I seem to pick one great dystopian novel after the other, so the idea of a deadly virus that wipes out almost the entire human population and leaves only small groups of people to pick up the pieces just made me love PODs before I even picked the book up!
Maybe the idea behind PODs isn't all that original. But I couldn't care less. After all I haven't read anything similar, even though there are similar books out there, and the certain Walking Dead vibe I was getting made me appreciate Michelle Pickett's effort all the more.
And here I have to take some time and note that even though the idea of a deadly virus wiping out almost the entire human population isn't something new, the way Pickett planned the PODs and how the government planned to contain the virus was simply amazing and well thought. It wasn't just something done in haste. Pickett had an entire plan in her head and managed to communicate it to her readers but unfortunately the fact that PODs was actually at least two books squeezed in one didn't leave much room for all that brilliance to shine. Because my main problem with PODs was it's pace and how many information was squeezed in one book.

Throughout this story, there were large amounts of time that just passed in a blink of an eye. Literally. 15 months of seclusion in the PODs were squeezed in a matter of 100 pages, probably less. And that was such a shame. Because that way we couldn't really see how 10 strangers could live underground with nothing really special to do. We couldn't really see how that seclusion affected them nor what exactly was the dynamic of the relationship between all those strangers. We were just informed that any relationship progressed rather than witness it. It was just stated that they were affected by everything that was happening rather than see how each character developed through all the dramatic things that kept happening. We were being told that they were afraid but we couldn't sense their fear. Because usually in a chapter of 5 pages there was covered a span of two months. So it's only natural that things would go on the fast forward. Only that fact kind of ruined the potential of this story I'm afraid.

The same thing unfortunately applies to the romance of this story too. There was real chemistry between Eva and David, there was a spark between them but it couldn't possibly be fully explored and felt while months were passing by in a blink of an eye. With the chemistry between them imagine how great a story could PODs be if we could actually read how their relationship developed. But no, Eva and David went from friends to undying love in a blink of an eye. And it saddens me to say something negative about the romantic part of this book because their chemistry was great and better than other books out there that try really hard to show the reader how perfect is the hero for the heroine.

Anyway, PODs is one of those books I really enjoyed reading but I had more than a few problems with it, despite how much I enjoyed it. Michelle Pickett has a strong voice and I dare hope that we should expect great things from her. It's not that PODs is a bad book, far from it. It's just that it could have been so much better. after all ,the potential is all right there, in front of the reader's eyes.

* Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
* ARC copy provided from publisher for review purposes

REVIEW: Princess Avenger by Bernadette Rowley

Princess Avenger by Bernadette Rowley

Publication Date:October 15th 2012

Publisher:Destiny Romance

ebook
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Passionate and headstrong, Alecia is no ordinary princess. Angered by the cold-blooded murder of her first love, she sets out to avenge his death.

Army Captain Vard Anton, the epitome of masculine strength and grace, is dealing with some dark secrets of his own. When he is appointed Alecia's body-guard, both find it hard to ignore the chemistry between them.

With assassination attempts and the threat of an arranged marriage looming over her, Alecia realises her time is running out. But Alecia's biggest battle is the one within as she tries to suppress the raging desire she feels for the powerfully attractive Vard. Can Alecia resist Vard while trying to exact revenge and avoiding the lecherous attentions of her husband-to-be? Will the power of love and desire be enough to unite Alecia and Vard forever?

Though separated by class and palace intrigues, Alecia and Vard are entwined by desire in this wonderful fantasy romance.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

I had really high hopes for Princess Avenger by Bernadette Rowley. I may haven't read any reviews about this book prior to me picking it up but still, from the premise I was certain that I had an amazing story in my hands. And although in some departments, Princess Avenger delivered what the premise promised, in others, it didn't fair so well I'm afraid.

For the first 1/3 of the story, Princess Avenger was everything I was expecting it to be. There was an intricate world building, a strong and independent heroine and a very mysterious and sexy hero. I mean, everything at the beginning was indicating a fresh and unique story, having all those elements I'm searching for. But before I even reached the middle of the story, my initial thoughts about Princess Avenger started to change rapidly. I found myself tired and a little bit bored, so I had to put it down, read another book and then continue with it. I don't usually do this. When I start a book I either put it aside or finish it. I rarely pick up again a book that I stopped reading. But I had to give it another try because like I said, at the beginning I really liked it. And my three star rating reflects mostly that part and the fact that even if I couldn't connect with the story, Bernadette Rowley's writing style is pretty good.

My main problem with the book was with the world building. It was rather ambitious, but Princess Avenger never delivered in that area. It's mostly a fantasy novel with a focus on romance and let's face it, the beginning and end of a fantasy novel is the world building. At least for me. But unfortunately in this story the world building is loose and vague. Details are never given about how exactly the world ticks or what is going on. The whole plot is based on the fact that the reader takes everything described as given and never asks any why's or how's. And that is a major failure for me. Maybe the fact that Princess Avenger wasn't really that long a book, explains why the world building was a little bit vague. But still, I just can't take everything for granted.


The other problem is that Princess Avenger is primarily a romance and then a fantasy novel. And I have nothing against that, if and only if, the romantic plot isn't explored against the basic plot of the whole story. And sadly, that was the case with Princess Avenger. After a point, everything was focused on the romance between Alecia and Vard and everything other was lost. Never explored. The whole book was about them and all the other interesting things happening at the same time where just completely brushed off. There wasn't a balance. And still, if the romance was good, I may still not be having that many problems, but their romance was also sort of lukewarm. Maybe because both Alecia and Vard (especially Vard) felt so distant. As for the rest of the characters, they might as well haven't been there. There was no character development or there was, but a minimum one.

All in all, Princess Avenger was a rather ambitious attempt that I'm pretty certain that it could have been so much better. There was potential in there. But unfortunately, it failed to impress me and catch my interest.

* This title was provided for a review through NetGalley

REVIEW: Bare it All by Lori Foster

Bare it All by Lori Foster

Series:Love Undercover, #2

Publication Date:April 30th 2013

Publisher:HQN

Paperback, 480 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

"A cop's craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster"

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

Lori Foster is a huge name in the romantic suspense genre, and after reading a couple of books of hers I can definitely understand why! This author knows how to write great romance and even greater characters! Bare it All is her newest book and the second in her Love Undercover series and follows the story of Reese and Alice who had also made an appearance in the author's Men who Walk the Edge of Honor series.

One thing that I really like in Lori Foster's stories is the way she builds her characters and how they feel real and solid. I remember while reading A Perfect Storm, how much I liked Arizona's character and how deeply I cared for her. Much like then, Alice just stole my heart in this story. She's one of those characters who are really beautiful, not only on the outside but on the inside too. She's one of those characters who's deeply wounded but still finds a joy in life and is strong and generous. All in all, she's a character I can't help but care for. And I honestly believe that the best thing in Bare it All is Alice. She's the reason I enjoyed a story I found not so memorable otherwise.

Bare it All has a really slow beginning. I mean really slow. Nothing crucial happens for the best part of the book and when things finally pick up they are wrapped up quite easily and quickly. So as far as the suspense or action department goes, Bare it All, wasn't something special. Now let's talk about the romantic department which also wasn't something really special I'm afraid. I mean I loved Alice, the main heroine, and thought that Reese was an interesting character too but the romance between them fell just flat for me. There were no sparks. Maybe because one of the things I really enjoy in a romantic story is the building of a relationship, to read about the way the main couple becomes something more than friends or strangers, to witness their growing attraction but in Bare it All, all I got was a couple who was already halfway in becoming something more. Now here, I have to add that both Reese and Alice made an appearance in the previous novel of the series, so that is maybe the reason why things were a bit progressed between them, but even though I read the first book in the series, I remember little of it I'm afraid and even less about a secondary romance in it... But since those books are meant to be read as stand alones too, I think that things should progress on a slower pace nevertheless.

Anyway, despite Bare it All being a rather typical romantic suspense book, I still managed to enjoy myself while reading it and that is mostly because of Lori Foster's writing style. I mean this author is simply amazing, so it's not a wonder how every single one of her stories is a success! The way she builds her characters, main ones and secondary alike, is simply incredible. She has the ability to make her readers care for all her characters and feel their emotions or understand their action and their motives.

All in all, Bare it All, isn't the best book I have read by the author, but it is still a good read and it is definitely better than the first one in the series. Maybe I feel that way because of Alice, I don't know, all I know is that I enjoyed reading it a lot more than I did the first book of the series!

*This title was provided for review from MediaMuscle

REVIEW: Blood Shadows by Lindsay J. Pryor

Blood Shadows by Lindsay J. Pryor

Series:Blackthorn, #1

Publication Date:November 27th 2012

Publisher:Bookouture

Paperback, 380 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

For vengeance - would you trust a vampire?

For justice - could you betray your family?

For love - are you ready to question everything you believe in?

Gifted with the ability to read the shadows of 'third species' beings, Caitlin Parish is the Vampire Control Unit's most powerful agent. Despite that, her mission to hunt down Kane Malloy - a master vampire - comes with a death wish. Many have tried, but few have survived.

For Caitlin, tracking Kane is about more than just professional reputation. With her parents both mysteriously killed 7 years apart to the day, Caitlin knows that without Kane's help she is next.

She has four days to make a deal with the wicked, the irresistible, the treacherous Kane Malloy. The vampire who despises everything she stands for. Or die.

Blood Shadows is book one in the Blackthorn series, brought to you by Lindsay J. Pryor - a British Paranormal Romance author who writes dark, intense and passionate stories.

Lindsay's trademark powerful vampire heroes and utterly combustible sensual romances have earned Lindsay comparisons with both J.R Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

I just have to admit that the main reason I accepted Blood Shadows for review was the fact that I somewhere saw mentioned that the main hero, Kane, is the new Bones... Yeah I know, I shouldn't be that superficial in my pickings, but wherever I see Bones' name I'm sold. Well, I also read the premise and it was something that I could easily enjoy, so I didn't even think twice before picking Blood Shadows. I was rather excited to read it to be honest.

Now that I read it, not that I had a bad time while reading it or I didn't enjoy it, but the level of excitement for that title has seriously decreased. My primary thought about Blood Shadows is tiresome. I felt tired while reading this book, like it wouldn't end, ever!And although for some books that is a good thing, like I don't want it to end, that wasn't the case with Blood Shadows I'm afraid.

But let's take things from the beginning. And I will start with the good things about this book. Because undeniably, Blood Shadows is a very well written story. Lindsay J. Pryor has done an exceptional job with the way she wrote her story, so good a job, that I even skipped the various editing mistakes. Because in the copy I received there were a few. There were repetitions of words and some grammar mistakes. But still, even if usually those typos annoy me and ruin my concentration on a book, in Blood Shadows, I managed to completely brush them off. Pryor has a way with words and knows exactly what to say and how to say it. I don't think that I have said that before in any of my reviews, but this author's vocabulary is exceptional!

The world building in Blood Shadows, is another thing I really liked in this book. Let's face it, vampires are an overused concept in both UF and PNR, but Pryor's world has something fresh and new. The world she envisioned is intricate and unique but even if I did enjoy that aspect of this story, still, by the end I was left unsatisfied about the way exactly the world worked. For a book that delved too much into various details, I sure expected more about what made this world tick. Not that the reader hasn't enough to understand things, but when I read pages of details about things of no real value then I get to be a bit demanding and need something more about what really matters in a story.

The other thing about Blood Shadows I liked, well, to no one's surprise that is Kane. Be warned, he has nothing to do with Bones, and I can't really understand where the comparison even came from, but still, he's a great character. Even if he was too manipulative for his own good, I still liked him. And in general, the character development in Blood Shadows was pretty good. Not perfect. But good enough.

And now let's start about the things I had a few problems with. First thing, is the author's obsession with details and the very descriptive narration. I have nothing whatsoever against details and I even like some detailed descriptions on occasion, but the excessively detailed narration in most cases tires me. And the thing that made me like this book less than I probably would have otherwise, is exactly that. No matter how good a story is or how much I enjoy it in overall, when I'm feeling tired while reading it is bound to lower my overall appreciation of it.

Especially the part where Caitlin is locked with Kane in his house made me think more than once to put this book aside. All those details and nothing really happening. One of the reasons I really like PNR and UF is how fast the story goes and the action packed scenes. Well, in Blood Shadows, the story couldn't progress any slower and the action scenes were less in comparison and too short. Well, the action is almost non existent, even in the final scene, everything just clicked way too easily ruining the whole climax of the book.

The character development was pretty good like I said, but I have some complaints here as well. Let's face it, Blood Shadows isn't exactly a small or short story, in fact it's the opposite and if you consider how detailed it is and how intricate the world building is, then I kind of expected that we would get to know more about the secondary characters and not just the main ones. And even though the secondary characters are somewhat explored, still Pryor focuses way too much her story on the main couple and their emotions, something that reflects on the time and "room" she gives to the other characters of this story to develop. To put it simply, we get to know many unnecessary things about both Kane and Caitlin when all that space could have been used for another character.

Anyway, Blood Shadows isn't a bad book, not by a long shot. Lindsay Pryor proved with her debut novel that she can write and really good at that. All my problems with this book, could have easily been fixed through a good editing process in my opinion. If Blood Shadows was a few chapters shorter, minus all those details, it could easily have been much better. As it is, it's an interesting story, written really well, that still tired me a lot while reading it.

* This title was provided for review from the publisher

EARLY REVIEW: Hard Way by Katie Porter

Hard Way by Katie Porter

Publication Date:April 9th 2013

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Edition:ebook, 327 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

"No holds barred. No mercy. No going back "

Warning: Time to put the kidding aside. Although 100% consensual between a husband and wife, this book contains violent sex that, in some scenes, will appear forced. Readers sensitive to rape scenarios should proceed with caution...

Throughout their eight-year marriage, U.S. Air Force Captain Liam Dash Christiansen and his wife, Sunita, stayed strong through long separations. However Sunny s new job as a high-profile legal advisor puts a severe strain on their enduring bond.

Her abrupt announcement that she wants a divorce is like a missile to Dash s gut but her confession that she s met another man is what unleashes his shocking passion. Sunny is surprised and nearly repulsed by her body s reaction to Dash s animalistic attempt at complete possession. That doesn t stop her from craving more.

With Sunny s whispered approval, their sex life explodes. Not only does Dash s aggression tap into dark fantasies, she s hopeful that now, "at last," she ll get what she s always wanted from her devil-may-care, don t-give-a-damn husband. Something honest and candid. Something real.

Yet fiery, carnal encounters won t heal two long-broken hearts. Their bodies are finally speaking the same forbidden language, but it will take more than taboo desires to learn each other for the first time and to save a marriage that s only just begun.

Hard Way is one of those books that make it really difficult for me to rate. It's that kind of a book that I had quite a few problems with but I can't just ignore the brilliance of the author and totally dismiss it as a bad read. There were things I liked, things I didn't like and things I both loved and hated in Hard Way. Actually, the title of the story itself couldn't describe my feelings towards it better!

Let's start with the things I liked. Do you remember my review of Lead and Follow written by the same author? I was absolutely amazed by that title, so naturally, anything else written by the same author was a must read after that. So, when I got the chance to review in advance Hard Way, I jumped right at it. The thing I loved so much about Lead and Follow was the way Katie Porter (aka Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown) made me enjoy so much a story that was outside my comfort zone. So, when I read the blurb of Hard Way I immediately thought that I was in for a hell of a ride, pretty much the same like before. I mean I have never before read about a couple enjoying engaging in rape scenarios. Like a menage, it is a bit outside my comfort zone, and because of that fact, I was all the more eager to read this book. So, I just kept an open mind towards all the sex scenes. And no matter how violent or rough they were, I didn't mind one bit that fact. I knew what I was going to read, so if I cringed towards any of the sex scenes described it would be no one else's fault but mine. The summary warns the reader enough. So, even though some parts were a bit (or a lot, depending on how you see it) violent, that wasn't my problem. I couldn't engage emotionally in what I was reading, but I could still feel the characters. And that's the brilliance of this duo in my opinion. The way they can make the reader understand their characters and how they communicate and express their emotions during the sexual act.

So, the violence or the "rapes" weren't my problem in Hard Way. My problem was that while I know how great Katie Porter can built a character, in Hard Way both Dash and Sunny felt underdeveloped, felt like a couple of characters with no past and a very bizarre present. And here I have to note that I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, so maybe I'm missing some crucial parts. But since those books can be read as stand alones, I still believe that the author could have done a little bit of a better job building the main characters. The story starts immediately, throwing the reader in the midst of a marriage ready to fall apart, with Sunny asking for a divorce and Dash reacting a little bit violent. Don't get me wrong, he didn't force himself on his wife, he was just rougher than usual and as soon as he saw that Sunny liked it, he stepped up his game. And here is the problem. It was way too soon in the story for the reader to understand either Dash's or Sunny's reactions. There were times that I didn't understand Sunny's reactions at all, if she liked Dash's violence or if she meant it when she asked him to stop. Or I couldn't understand why Dash reacted the way he did. It was the beginning of the story, so naturally the characters hadn't enough time to show us their background. Later on, they developed, I could more or less understand them, but the damage was done. I had lost some of my enthusiasm towards the story.

My other problem was that I couldn't understand how was possible for a couple to be together for so many years and never discuss their problems or understand that they were in for some kinky stuff. You can be shy, but there are always some hints. Granted, both Sunny and Dash were two characters with many problems. So naturally, their marriage would be problematic as well. But the dynamics of their relationship were revealed too late in the story. While the author should show us at first, or at least early in the story, how their marriage operated and then focus on the sex parts, it happened the exact opposite. And while both characters redeemed themselves by the end, the damage was once more already done. Even if by the end Sunny resumed responsibility for her own mistakes rather than blaming Dash for everything, it was a small consolation for me. I already spent the whole book trying to figure her out and disliking her. Because Sunny was my other problem with Hard Way. For a fighter and a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get, she sure acted like a spoiled brat. She chose to fight for anything else but for the man she supposedly loved. Her aversion to having kids or acknowledge what her husband wanted made me like her even less. Because granted, every man or woman can choose whether having kids is what he/she wants in life, but Sunny, just didn't know what she wanted. Her reasoning was a little bit self centred as self centred was the way she chose to react to her fear for Dash's life. But like I said, by the end she redeemed herself. I understood why she acted the way she did and even sympathised with her at some points but still, it was a small consolation.

Dash on the other hand, was a character I liked far more even though he too was a very complex character who could have been explored way more than he was, but still he was sweet even if he seemed to suffer from a split personality at times. I mean he was like two completely different characters throughout the whole story, something that was explained by the end as well, but still I liked him way more than I did Sunny. Bottom line, the problem in Hard Way was that it had two main characters who could add to the whole story if they were better explored, but as it was, they felt incomplete, messing with the whole plotline.

All in all, Hard Way is a story that I enjoyed but had many significant problems especially with the character building. Readers who have a problem with rape scenarios or rough sex should be warned to stay away from this particular story. You won't like it believe me. But for me, the problem with this book didn't lie there. It lay on an inferior character building, especially if one thinks of what these two authors are capable of achieving in that particular department.

* This title was provided for review from the author.

REVIEW: Improper Relations by Juliana Ross

Improper Relations by Juliana Ross

Publication Date:April 23rd 2012

Publisher:Carina Press

E-book, 58 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Dorset, 1858

When Hannah's caught watching her late husband's cousin debauch the maid in the library, she's mortified—but also intrigued. An unpaid companion to his aunt, she's used to being ignored.

The black sheep of the family, Leo has nothing but his good looks and noble birth to recommend him. Hannah ought to be appalled at what she's witnessed, but there's something about Leo that draws her to him.

When Leo claims he can prove that women can feel desire as passionately as men, Hannah is incredulous. Her own experiences have been uninspiring. Yet she can't bring herself to refuse his audacious proposal when he offers to tutor her in the art of lovemaking. As the tantalizing, wicked lessons continue, she begins to fear she's losing not just her inhibitions, but her heart as well. The poorest of relations, she has nothing to offer Leo but herself. Will it be enough when their erotic education ends?

Improper Relations by Juliana Ross is so small a story that I actually read it in a couple of hours. Yeap, it's really short. Short and really hot that is. Because what this story lacks in plot and character development makes up for level of hotness.

But let's take things from the beginning, shall we? I picked up this book, because many of my trusted GR reviewers have really liked it. So even if I really try to stay away from really short stories, I gave this one a chance. And maybe because I knew from the beginning that I shouldn't be expecting much in the character development and plot department, I ended up liking Improper Relations way more than I probably should. Because this story is focused only in the sex scenes and little more else. And those sex scenes are definitely well written. Now all the rest, that make a good story stand out among the others are barely there. Like a plot. There's no plot. Only a basic one. Inexperienced woman takes sex lessons from experienced man, she falls for him and they live happily ever after. Can't be more basic than that right?

The character development is also as good as absent. And how could it not when Improper Relations is so short. There's simply no room to develop any characters in so small a story. So, like I said, all there is to this book is the sex scenes. Which are well written and hot but once more, I found myself just reading them not caring for the heroes' feelings. I just couldn't feel them or connect with them, because honestly, I didn't have time to get to care for them. So, even if the sex scenes are written in a hot way, still, I couldn't connect to them and fully appreciate them.

Bottom line, pick Improper Relations fully aware that there's not much else in this story apart from some really good sex scenes and a nice setting. If you want a more elaborate story, search somewhere else. This one, will leave you unsatisfied.

REVIEW: Hot Ride by Kelly Jamieson

Hot Ride by Kelly Jamieson

Publication Date:September 11th 2012

Publisher:Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

ebook, 335 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Courage is feeling the fear…then pouring on the throttle.

Abandoned or betrayed by everyone she ever loved, Sera Manning’s life spiraled out of control until a near-death experience left her with a mission. Now a DEA agent, her sole focus—and her first undercover assignment—is to take down a drug cartel that’s manufacturing seductive, deadly angel sugar.

To do it, she needs access to Operation Black Abyss to establish a connection between the cartel and the Death Angels outlaw motorcycle gang. Which means she must pose as a couple with another agent who’s already deep undercover.

ATF agent Ryan Thomas desperately needs a female agent to maintain his cover in the gang, but the last thing he wants is a rookie agent jeopardizing his op. Especially one who is a sexy reminder why it’s a bad idea to get involved while on a case.

Living together, surrounded by crime, pretending their sizzling sexual tension is just for show is getting harder by the day. But as the mission comes to a head, the two fiercely independent warriors must decide which fear is worse. Losing their quarry…or losing each other.

Product Warnings
Features a badass biker hero and kickass heroine who go at it undercover—and under the covers.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

Hot Ride is my first book written by Kelly Jamieson, and even though I had some problems with this book, let me tell you that it won't be the last story I read by this author! The level of hotness, was simply so high that I can't possibly pass the chance of seeing what other this author can manage.

But let's talk about Hot Ride. Have you read that premise? Seriously, the premise alone made me drool all over the place! It's not a secret that I have a thing for agents, FBI, CIA, you name it, I don't care! I love agents and if they are undercover and they fall in love while being undercover on a mission ,then all the better for me! So, as you can guess, the story of Hot Ride was right up my alley, and something I was pretty certain that I would enjoy. And although I can't just say that I didn't enjoy this book, I had some major problems with it, or rather with the execution of the story, that I'm afraid reflect in my final rating of this book.

My main problem with this book was that it was flat. Even if the story was something I could highly enjoy, it still felt flat. I couldn't really connect with either of the main heroes. The sexual tension at the beginning of the book was so good that I couldn't put the book down, but soon after Sera and Ryan hooked up, it felt that there simply wasn't anything else left to be said. Nothing. So even if the sexual tension department was given in an amazing way, from the result, it seems that there wasn't much else in Hot Ride to make it move forward.

There were repetitions, if I read one more time how others spoke about Sera as if she wasn't present or how Ryan was unable to type, I think I might scream. The character development, both for the main as well as the secondary characters, wasn't enough. I mean, Jamieson did a great job introducing some of the gang members and their wives, only to never fully explore the potential and the dynamics that their development as characters would add to this story. Because if there's one thing in Hot Ride, that is potential. Potential for a mind blowing story. Only everything was just focused on the sex department. And even if that was a good department, it can't make up for the lack of everything else I'm afraid. Because even if the romance was sexy, in the end of day you just get two characters for whom you never really care because they don't have enough background. Jamieson did provide a background for both her main characters but it just wasn't enough. It was done in haste as in haste wrapped up the whole story in the end.

All in all, Hot Ride was surely hot, but not a really smooth going ride. It had up and downs and although I did enjoy it as a book, it could easily have been so much better! I will try this author again though, that's for sure!

EARLY REVIEW: A Most Scandalous Proposal by Ashlyn Macnamara

A Most Scandalous Proposal by Ashlyn Macnamara

Publication Date:February 26th 2013

Publisher:Ballantine Books

Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

In Ashlyn Macnamara’s stunning romance debut—perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries—two childhood friends in Regency England discover love with the most unlikely of partners: each other.

After watching her beloved sister Sophia pine over the ton’s Golden Boy for years, Miss Julia St. Claire has foresworn love and put herself firmly on the shelf. Unfortunately, her social-climbing mother and debt-ridden father have other ideas, and jump at the chance to marry Julia off to the newly-named Earl of Clivesden…the man of Sophia’s dreams.

Since resigning his Cavalry commission, Benedict Revelstoke has spent his time in London avoiding the marriage mart. But when he discovers that the Earl of Clivesden has set Julia in his sights, Benedict tries to protect his childhood best friend from the man’s advances—only to discover more than friendship driving his desire to defend her. He surprises them both with the force of his feelings, but when she refuses him and her father announces her betrothal, he fears he’s lost her forever—until Julia approaches him with a shocking scheme that will ruin her for all respectable society…

…and lead them into an exquisite world of forbidden pleasures.

A Most Scandalous Proposal is one of those books that makes it incredibly difficult for me both to review but especially to rate it. It's one of those books with which I had quite a few problems but for some reason I kept reading until the end. And not only that, but despite its many flaws, I still enjoyed it more than I did other, technically better books.

First of all I have to note that Ashlyn Macnamara is a rather promising author. Surely, her writing is far from flawless but still it's full of potential and you get glimpses there that she can definitely do better than that. I mean let's face it, A Most Scandalous Proposal's biggest problem for me is the fact that it was too ambitious. Macnamara didn't want to tell the story of just one couple in this book but she ventured to tell us additionally the story of yet another couple along with the main one the summary promises. Much like in Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (a book this one shares a few similarities with, if not in the actual plot then in its spirit), Ashlyn Macnamara tells simultaneously the story of two sisters and their respective love interests. But Macnamara is no Austen. It's not an easy task to tell equally good and develop so well 4 main characters instead of two. It's not something one can't do, but it's difficult nonetheless. It's a whole other thing to have some well developed secondary characters, and a whole other to try and explore the secondary characters at the same depth as your main ones. And that is where Ashlyn Macnamara failed for me. There wasn't a balance between her two stories. And not that there wasn't a balance, but the story of Julia's sister managed to be more interesting instead of Julia's. You see where is the problem?

Soon after I started reading this book, I found myself more interested in Sophia's story (Julia's sister) and I couldn't care less about Julia herself. Especially at the first part of the book, I felt that the focus of the story was on Sophia rather than on Julia. Julia's character even though was better written in the beginning of the book, and Sophia was portrayed as a naive girl, by the end, all that had changed. Sophia really grew throughout the whole story and became more mature, whereas Julia herself was "colorless". The reason why she didn't want a marriage of love, was of minimum importance, to put it mildly. It wasn't believable or realistic. It almost felt that Macnamara wanted her character to have a reluctance towards love, but didn't know how to handle it, so she just put there the first reason that came to her mind.

Revelstoke on the other hand was again, a "colorless" character. A character without personality sort to speak. Whereas Highgate, Sophia's love interest, was a far more interesting character and maybe, the best thing about this book. He was intriguing and just perfect. And you can see clearly here, why I had some major problems with this book. The lines between main and secondary characters weren't just blurred. There were no lines, no balance. And the feeling I kept having that I was reading a retelling (or rather a story inspired) of Sense and Sensibility didn't help matters either.

All in all, A Most Scandalous Proposal is a promising debut, even if flawed. There's definitely potential there and even if I didn't really enjoy this book as much as I expected, still, I really want to see more of Ashlyn Macnamara's work in the future.

*This ARC was provided for review from the publisher

REVIEW: Kissing Kendall by Jennifer Shirk

Kissing Kendall by Jennifer Shirk

Publication Date:December 7th 2012

Publisher:Entangled Publishing (Bliss)

ebook, 202 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Kendall Grisbaum is finally taking charge of her life—pouring her heart into opening a new bakery business and even allowing her best friend Georgie to play matchmaker for her. Trouble is, the one guy she secretly wants is Georgie’s older brother, Brad, who is decidedly off limits.

Brad can’t seem to get his little sister’s best friend out of his mind. He and Kendall used to be close friends, too, and as a local policeman, Brad can’t help but play protector, looking out for Kendall. When he offers to help her renovate her new bakery space on the side, their friendship—and their attraction—flares back to life.

Amid the temptation of doughnut muffins and blueberry cobbler, a new temptation draws them both closer. Can they take a chance on love when it means risking their friendship, even when not doing so risks everything?

Kissing Kendal is a sweet and cute romance that you will finish in no time and you will be left with a huge grin afterwards. Yes it is that sweet.

Kissing Kendall is the story of Kendall, a young widow who after losing her parents and husband is afraid to fall in love and live again and Brad, her best friend's brother who is in love with her since he can remember himself but has never acted upon those feelings in fear of ruining their friendship.

Jennifer Shirk has done a really good job with both the character development in this story and the pace of the romance. Not an incredible work, but good nonetheless. For the first half of the book I was reading nonstop and loving every minute of it. The second half of this book though, is a whole other matter.

Unfortunately, even if in the end of the day I found Kissing Kendall enjoyable and sweet, still I had some problems with it, problems, that are reflecting in my rating of this book, I'm afraid.

For starters, the pace of the book was a bit uneven. You see the first part is moving forward and in a fast pace making it a very enjoyable read until the moment Brad finally reveals his emotions to Kendall. From that point on, the whole story is slowly starting losing its appeal. Because from that moment on starts the non stop back and forth in their relationship, a back and forth that I have to blame solely on Kendall. And she is my second problem with this novel. Because Brad, is an amazing character. Sweet and protective and to be honest, it has been a long time since I read about an undeniably alpha male who was portrayed in such a sweet way. He didn't have to scream alpha. He just was, without being possessive or any other thing. So Brad's character, is maybe the best thing in Kissing Kendall.

Kendall on the other hand, not so much. At least for me. I got that she was wounded, that she couldn't move forward and forget and deal with that many misfortunes, but still, her behavior at times was difficult to put up with. She came of as rather self centered. I'm pretty certain that through her reluctance to fall in love again and the general way she chose to deal with her wounded past, the author's intention was to make the reader feel sympathetic towards her. But in my case, all that had the exact opposite effect I'm afraid. I know Kendall isn't self centered. But she certainly appeared that way. And the way she almost "played" with Brad, tired me after a point. I mean one moment she wanted him, the next she pushed him away and that pattern was repeated over and over again.

So, even though I pretty much enjoyed Kissing Kendall, I can't say that it's among the best contemporary romances out there. I had a good time reading it but I don't think I will remember much of it, except for the way Kendall couldn't make up her mind and get what she wanted. Oh, and how I much loved Brad :)

* This title was provided from Entangled Publishing for a review.

REVIEW: Easy by Tammara Webber

Easy by Tammara Webber

Publication Date:November 6th 2012

Publisher:Berkley Trade

Paperback, 310 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Rescued by a stranger.
Haunted by a secret
Sometimes, love isn’t easy…

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior…

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love.

When I picked up Easy I was in a mood to read something fresh and cute and from the summary as well as all the raving reviews, I was quite certain that this was just the book for me. But, picking up a book with high expectations once more didn't work out for me, I'm afraid.

Not that Easy was a bad book, not by a long shot. But it simply wasn't what I expected from all those 5 star reviews. And it's my fault entirely, but somehow, I just can't stop reading reviews only because from time to time I create unrealistic expectations for some books.

Let's take things from the beginning and let me tell you first of all what I liked about Easy. I have read previously another book written by Tammara Webber, so I already knew that the writing style would be fresh and "juicy". Easy is one of those books that are so smoothly flowing that you don't understand when you reach the last page.

The story also was another point I really enjoyed in this novel and especially the way Webber handled the delicate issue of rape and attempted rape. Let's face it, rape isn't an easy topic to handle and especially if you intend for your story to be focused more on the romantic part rather than in the dramatic one. But Webber somehow managed to handle the "hot" topic of rape in a way that didn't take the focus off the romance in the story, didn't "steal" the humorous tone of some scenes and at the same time highlighted not only the consequences but the way one should deal after a rape or an attempt. That part is maybe my favorite thing about the novel and if I should rate it based on that alone, it would be a 5 star review, believe me.

But, apart from the good parts, I had some serious problems with Easy as well, and mainly with the characters. To put it simply, I just couldn't connect to anyone in this novel, not the main characters and definitely not with the secondary ones. For some reason I felt detached from them, I just felt that I didn't have enough to get to know them and as a result I simply read their story without being able to feel their emotions.

Both Jackie and Lucas somehow felt... distant. I couldn't understand their reactions to things, because simply I didn't have enough info to understand them as characters.

Jackie, acts all responsible in one scene and then goes and does something completely out of character. Lucas the same. He did some things that even if explained, the explanation somehow isn't exactly explaining things.

The plot on the other hand, even if the subject is interesting, is far too predictable for my taste... I mean Lucas' secret was apparent almost from the first moment, so there weren't any big surprises. And the drama by the end was again too predictable and the resolution far too quick.

So, although there were definitely some good parts in Easy, still it was a book that I won't remember for long I'm afraid. Even if the story was interesting, the characters were underdeveloped for my taste, lowering my overall appreciation of the whole book I'm afraid.

EARLY REVIEW: Killing Time by Cindy Gerard

Killing Time by Cindy Gerard

Series:One Eyed Jacks, #1

Publication Date:January 22nd 2013

Publisher:Pocket Books

Paperback, 416 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

“We can do this easy,” she whispered close to his ear as he groaned in agony, “or it can go real hard on you.” Well, of course he wasn’t going to go easy.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cindy Gerard plunges readers into the heart of a seductive contest of wills between a hard-living hero and a beautiful rogue operative who is on a mission to dig up the secrets of his past. Tension sizzles in this pulse-pounding first adventure in Gerard’s action-packed new series as Eva Salinas lures Mike Brown from the sultry streets of Lima, Peru, to the desolate Idaho wilderness on the hunt for the cold-blooded traitor behind a fatal military operation that haunts them both.

Killing Time is the second book I read written by Cindy Gerard, the first one being To The Edge. And although I didn’t really like that book, I decided to give this author another chance and read something else of hers. But unfortunately, Killing Time wasn’t the right book for me either.

Before I say anything else, I need to clarify that Killing Time is a really well written story. Throughout the whole book, Cindy Gerard’s experience and the fact that she is a best seller author was quite evident. You could see that in the way the story progressed, in the way she built her characters, in everything. Having said that, from the very first chapters and right until the end of this book, I couldn’t really get into the story or really care about the characters and their happily ever after. And I tried really hard to, believe me. But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t bring myself to really care about this story, which brings me to the conclusion, that since technically, Killing Time is a pretty good book, the fact that I didn’t like it, is purely a matter of taste.

I found the story a little bit slow moving at times, especially at the beginning, with way too many military details that confused me. As confusing were the many changes in the POV. And in this point I have to say that maybe that was because of the way the e-arc was structured that didn’t really help matters. So probably, if I had read the final version of the book and not the arc, my opinion on this matter would be completely different. As it was, I had a hard time getting into each POV.

Other than that, Killing Time, is an action packed novel, with some well written action scenes, a good romantic subplot, but still, all that couldn’t hold my interest, even if there wasn’t any insta love (which I always seem to hate), but there was lots of insta lust (which I usually don’t mind). The bad guys as well as the traitor were as predictable as one could get, making my interest on the story, which already was lost, sink into new depths.

All in all, I can’t really say if Killing Time is worth your time or not. It’s purely a matter of taste. Because even though as a book it didn’t work for me, it was quite well written and with a good set of both main and secondary characters.

* This title was provided for review through Edelweiss

REVIEW: An Infamous Marriage by Susanna Fraser

An Infamous Marriage by Susanna Fraser

Publication Date:November 5th 2012

Publisher:Carina Press

E-Book

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Northumberland, 1815

At long last, Britain is at peace, and General Jack Armstrong is coming home to the wife he barely knows. Wed for mutual convenience, their union unconsummated, the couple has exchanged only cold, dutiful letters. With no more wars to fight, Jack is ready to attempt a peace treaty of his own.

Elizabeth Armstrong is on the warpath. She never expected fidelity from the husband she knew for only a week, but his scandalous exploits have made her the object of pity for years. Now that he's back, she has no intention of sharing her bed with him—or providing him with an heir—unless he can earn her forgiveness. No matter what feelings he ignites within her…

Jack is not expecting a spirited, confident woman in place of the meek girl he left behind. As his desire intensifies, he wants much more than a marriage in name only. But winning his wife's love may be the greatest battle he's faced yet.

This review was first published in Book Lovers Inc

An Infamous Marriage is a decent historical romance, one that was incredible in the beginning only to be dragged down by a really slow second half.

Like I said, when I started reading An Infamous Marriage, and throughout the first half of the book, I was quite certain that I had a winner in my hands. I mean, up to the point that Jack gets back home to a wife he doesn't want I was in love with this story. I liked the setting, the characters, everything about this book screamed amazing. Well, you know me, I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience or forced marriage trope and especially if the sparks are flying between the main couple. And as long as Jack and Elizabeth were away from each other you could feel the promise of sparks in the air between them. All the potential was there and Susanna Fraser did an excellent job in building the anticipation of the two of them getting back together. Only when the time of the reunion actually came, the sparks went away, so far away, that you couldn't even see their promise in the air I'm afraid....

You see, when you spent the whole first half of the book hearing Jack being utterly frustrated that he had to go home to a wife he never wanted, that he actually preferred to stay at risk in the battlefield rather than get back to a normal life by her side while at the same time you see a so determined to keep him away and punish him Elizabeth, well, it's only natural that you expect them to bicker a lot, to fight each other and their growing feelings, if for no other reason than their wounded pride (well that applies mostly to Elizabeth).

What we actually get, is a Jack, who as soon as he lays eyes on his wife falls in love with her and an Elizabeth who can't resist him for long. So, you get why I was a little bit disappointed with their reunion... And although I could maybe understand Elizabeth, I just couldn't see exactly why and how Jack was so determined to get her affections other than the fact that Elizabeth was a lot prettier than he remembered her.

Anyway, apart from the lack of sparks between the main couple, the writing style was good enough, the book well researched and in overall An Infamous Marriage was a decent book, that it could easily have been a lot better in my opinion. After all, the potential was all there.

  
*This title was provided for review via NetGalley

REVIEW: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Publication Date:March 13th 2012

Publisher:Hyperion Book CH

Hardcover, 327 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

This review was first published at Book Lovers Inc

Oh well, what can I possibly say about Spell Bound, the one book this year that I'm positively dreading to write its review (I'm trying to make up my mind about it and decide to finally write this review for over a month now...)

If you read my reviews of the previous two books in this series you'll know that I absolutely loved them! I just loved everything about the story, the characters and the writing style. Sentiments I still maintained towards this series, up to the last two chapters of Spell Bound. Because until then, I adored it, I couldn't put it down and I read it in almost one sitting. I naively thought that since all the elements I so loved in the previous books in this series, the funny and humorous writing style, the sarcastic dialogues, the non stop action and the toe curling romance, were present in the final installment, that my opinion of this book wouldn't change. And like I said, I believed that, until I reached the final chapters that to put it mildly were a total disaster... Why oh why, should you do this to us Ms Hawkins???

Like I said, I devoured Spell Bound. I can safely say that in some departments I enjoyed this one even more so than the previous two books. The action was non stop and things kept happening the whole time. After all it's a rather short book and it was the last one in the series, so there were many things to be wrapped up. So the non stop action thing was rather natural. So, when you literally devour a book, you kind of brush off some things that when you think of later, you understand that you shouldn't. And now that I take a look at my notes once more, I understand that some of my problems with Spell Bound were there, before the events of the final chapters that just made my jaw drop.

Because you see, the whole book, is a nicely masked attempt to wrap up everything neatly and quickly and just move on. Answers we waited for two years now were just thrown in our faces, and disturbing truths about Sophie and her heritage were just accepted without a bat of an eyelash. Now that I think about everything again, all the loose ends, everything, was just given a brief explanation without having much of a consequence for the protagonists. I don't know if a spin off series is coming or not. I think it does, but either way, I'm just tired of authors wrapping up in a haste their current work and make it a bridge for their new one. I saw it with Richelle Mead, with Karen Marie Moning and with many others and I'm just tired.

I won't say much about the writing style. It's amazing and like I've said before, I just love all the witty and sarcastic dialogues (although I think Rachel Hawkins overdid it a bit in Spell Bound and as a result Sophie was sarcastic the whole time and in situations she really shouldn't). The character development was pretty good, although I have to point here, that all the new characters that were introduced were underdeveloped. They were just there to be introduced to us. Nothing more. So, the character development aspect in this book, suffers. A lot.

All in all, Spell Bound was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was one of the books I highly anticipated this year only to realise that it was sacrificed and became a bridge for the author's future work and not the amazing conclusion it had every right to be. The ending especially was so disappointing, everything wrapped up so quickly that it was anticlimactic. And the death at the end... I just won't say anything about it. There was no need for the character to die, or at least I couldn't see one. He just died to make everything a bit more dramatic and easy. That's how it came across at least.

REVIEW: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: January 2nd 2012

Publisher:Poppy/Little Brown

Hardcover, 236 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a cute, quick, contemporary YA novel that I can't possibly understand why people are so excited about. I haven't heard of it before, but after seeing many of my Goodreads friends love it so much, I thought that I was missing on something not having read it yet. Now that I read it, I can't find a single reason why there's so much hype over this one.

Granted, it's a cute story, written in a way that you devour it in one sitting, but in closer inspection there's nothing great about it. The romance between Hadley and Oliver is sweet and all, but there wasn't much development in their relationship, or anything to make me feel like it was believable. Yeah, I'm not a strong believer of love at first sight, so maybe that's were my problems began, but after all those raving reviews about this one, I kind of believed that this story would make me change my opinion on it. It didn't happen. I couldn't believe the depth of emotion Hadley and Oliver's relationship managed to acquire in just a day. I could believe that they were so interested in each other, or the fact that through their discussions they changed their perspective of life but not that kind of deep affection. Or the fact that Hadley left everything in search of Oliver just because of a hunch. Or the easy way her father permitted her to go anywhere in the middle of his wedding in a city she has never been before. And there were some other quite unbelievable things too. But you get my meaning.

On the positive things of this novel is the setting! The story unfolds at first in an airplane and then in London. For me, that's the ideal setting! Who says I'm in love with airplanes and London is the city I'm dying to visit???

The writing style is smart, to the point, and the author chooses to deal with some pretty hot issues and in a really smart way. For such a small book, the amount of hope transmitted is incredible. Because The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is not only a book about teenage love but a book about how you should never stop hoping and trying to get the best in your life. And maybe that is the best thing about it and not the romantic plot. At least that was for me.

The character development was good enough but mostly one sided, with Hadley being the centre of the story and her character showing the most development (whatever development one could get in 24 hours). Oliver was kind of like just being there and as for the set of the secondary characters they might as well not have been there. Hadley's father was the only exception.

All in all, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a quick, sweet and incredibly cute story that I enjoyed reading, but I won't remember for long.