Sleepless Romantics

And… we have something different today. If you’re looking for a fun and adorable read that doesn’t skimp on the steam and the plot, you might want to check A. Rosa’s Emotionally Compromised. I don’t really read much romantic suspense or first person POV books so it was a very nice surprise when I found myself greatly enjoying Emotionally Compromised. 

Note: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 

I thought Emotionally Compromised  was a great book with fun, interesting and realistic characters who were kick-ass and were well-thought out.

Alex was a great heroine! It took me a while to get into her character (mainly because I have problems with first person POV books, more on that in a bit) but once I got a good glimpse at her, I was in instant admiration. Let me tell you, if I am ever given the chance to be as awesome as her, I’d take it. I think my favourite part of her character was that no matter how tough and indestructible she seemed, Miss. A. Rosa didn’t seem to have any problems displaying her vulnerable side. And that’s great. Women characters, especially characters in law enforcement, don’t need to be strong all the time.

I also thought that Jeremy was a great match for her. Sure, their initial meeting was a bit weird, but hey Alex was undercover. I liked his determination to get to know her…. but I also liked how he wasn’t too pushy. He knew when to back off and give Alex her space. Also, before I forget to mention this, Jeremy was adorable and hot all at the same time. I have a soft spot for heroes/male characters who are unapologetic about how much they like someone. I find it refreshing and Jeremy is certainly that. I like that he likes how much Alex loves her job despite how terrifying it is and I like that he isn’t afraid to tell her how he feels. I got a lot of fuzzy vibes whenever these two were in a room together. They just made me so happy haha.

Marcus wasn’t a bad villain. I mean, the reasons as to why he became one was clearly mentioned and I can understand why he snapped but I found myself not wanting to pay attention to him at all? It’s probably because I really liked Alex and Jeremy and found that whole conflict thing with Alex’s partner to be enough for me. But hey, romantic suspense isn’t something that I read regularly, so feel free to take this part with a grain of salt. ;D Although, I was kind of confused because I thought Marcus was going to be redeemed but I guess some people just don’t want to be redeemed?

My one problem about the whole book is that I wish the beginning part of the novel was as strong as the last 2/3 of the book? I had a hard time getting into Alex’s head because I thought that occasionally, her voice would sound a little bit too robotic. I very rarely like first person POV books so that might have coloured my initial impression about Emotionally Compromised but A.Rosa’s writing is great and honestly, I had so much fun once I got over this. I didn’t even notice that I was at the end of the book until I saw “Epilogue.”

Overall, I thought Emotionally Compromised was a fun read about a female Fed who doesn’t need love in her life at the moment, but hey what are you going to do right? It had great characters, an interesting plot and it was really enjoyable. There were lots of romantic and steamy moments that were balanced with great action and tense moments. I really thought I was going to hate this book, but man was I so wrong. I ended up loving almost everything about Emotionally Compromised.

Congratulations, A. Rosa on this wonderfully delightful and strong debut! 

Oh but don’t stop reading here, there’s a giveaway at the end of this review!

Author Info

A. Rosa lives in San Diego, California. When she isn’t scouring city parks or cafe’s to write she is more than likely trying to convince her friends to join her on her next adventure. A sufferer of wanderlust, she is always looking for a new mountain to climb, a canyon to hike, or a plane to board. Her resume consists of coroner, to working at a zoo, and most recently as an executive assistant, but finds her home amongst words, whether it be in books, or in film. Her obsessions are on the brink of bizarre, but that’s just the way she likes it.

Title: The Broken 
Series: The Apostles 
Author: Shelley Coriell 
Genre: Romantic Suspense 
Publisher: Forever 
Release Date: April 29th, 2014 
Source: NetGalley 

He took her life, but left her alive.

Three years ago, reporter Kate Johnson was the first victim—and only survivor—of the Broadcast Butcher. Scarred both physically and psychologically by the brutal serial killer, Kate lives life on the run, knowing that one day, he will find her and finish what he started.

In the pursuit of justice, you sometimes have to step outside the law.

Agent Hayden Reed spends his life chasing monsters. The only way to stay sane is to detach, but the second the Broadcast Butcher case crosses his desk, Hayden knows this is the case that might just cost him his soul. To catch this vicious murderer before he strikes again, Hayden must find Kate and earn her trust. For it’s her darkest secrets that hold the key to stopping this madman once and for all . . .

It’s always nice to encounter a first read that you know you’ll enjoy a couple of pages in. This isn’t my typical fare for romantic suspense but I damn well enjoyed it. Let’s also not forget the fact that it’s almost 3 AM and I probably will have to play soothing music to calm myself down because books give me more visuals than most crime scene shows. Anyway.

The Broken is a book about a survivor of a grisly almost-murder, an unfailingly optimistic FBI profiler and a man who likes to stab people to death. It definitely is an enjoyable book that will take you on a wild ride of suspects and a compelling group of characters. I thought Kate’s character was excellently written because there was the perfect amount of toughness and vulnerability to her. You get to see that she won’t let anyone stop her from surviving because it’s what she does best. I also like how Ms Coriell handled Kate’s distrust with the system and justice in general because I think it highlights how many feel regarding their local police forces and the procedures they do. This is for a completely different discussion but you know, things could always be done better right?

Enter Agent Reed who is definitely an optimist through and through. Not in the overbearing kind of way, but this guy believes and always has hope. It’s kind of nice to read a male protagonist written like this because well sometimes, someone’s always sees the good in things despite the many crappy things that have happened to him. I like my occasional emotionally tortured hero, but I like Agent Reed more. He’s just genuinely nice and that’s always great to read. I also like that despite the fact that he is a profiler and that he can’t seem to use it around people, he doesn’t let that guide his relationships. You know, no organizing people into boxes and whatever. I brought this up because I enjoyed the way he and Kate interacted. Right from the get go you know there’s chemistry and that in the midst of all this shitshow (because it is), they’re like a fuzzy, warm and safe centre to all of it.

Also can I say that I appreciate how Kate was not handled with kid gloves or how she wasn’t called crazy or delusional by anyone in this book? I was really more worried that some character was going to start something and call in to mind Kate’s experiences. I watch a lot of crime shows and this pops up a lot and I get really mad. So yay none of this.

And if you’re wondering whether this book has that “too many characters” and “too much info” problem most first books in a series do, well, it really doesn’t. I think Ms. Coriell handled the future characters and their introductions well enough. It was a natural introduction and wasn’t simply listing Reed’s coworkers and team members. I don’t know how she pulled this off because there truly was quite a bit of side characters in this one. My favourite is Smokey though. It was heartbreaking, that first opening scene, but I enjoyed his relationship with Kate and Maeve. And man, no one messes with Smokey ever.

I guess my problem with the amount of side characters is that by the time the actual antagonist is revealed, I couldn’t remember him. And I guess the point was that he wasn’t that memorable because he blends in so well but shouldn’t he at least have stuck out? I can’t believe this is bothering me but yeah I guess there were just too much red herrings that it kind of felt bleh? I mean, I certainly didn’t expect that but I didn’t expect it too much that I guess I was a little confused? It really was only at this part where it felt a bit like an info dump and I guess I just wanted to get on with the happy ending.

Another issue was the awkward-ish placement of the confession? I mean, at that point I knew Kate really liked him and that she felt safe with him and that there were real feelings involved but I guess I wasn’t expecting feelings confessions until the end after the shitstorm has ended. But then again, if I was Kate and a serial killer was hunting me *knock on wood never happen please* I would just express my emotions early on to avoid regret. I don’t know, it’s not like I wasn’t expecting that revelation since this is romantic suspense, but I guess I wasn’t expecting it at that moment and was caught off-guard.

Overall though, The Broken is a really great read if you’re looking to immerse yourself elsewhere. I enjoyed Ms Coriell’s vivid storytelling and character building. I was hooked from the second page on (this is on my Calibre so I can’t give exact page numbers 😛 ) and I clung to the story until it ended. If you’re looking for romance heavy romantic suspense, this probably isn’t for you but if you’re like me and enjoy the little subtle romantic details then hey go for it. Kate and Reed seemed to me like the type of people who are all actions speak better than words. If you’re easily spooked, I wouldn’t suggest reading this at 11:45 PM though. Maybe try it when there’s sunlight. Or people around you.

Title: Heroes Are My Weakness 
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: William Morrow 
Release Date: August 26, 2014 

New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips is back with a delightful novel filled with her sassy wit and dazzling charm
The dead of winter.

An isolated island off the coast of Maine.

A man.

A woman.

A sinister house looming over the sea …

He’s a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She’s a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids’ puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she’s not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they’re trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It’s going to be a long, hot winter.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has always been one of those authors whose books I’ve so desperately wanted to like because everyone keeps gushing about them. It didn’t happen, not until Heroes Are My Weakness.

Take an obscure island with a seasonal economy, harsh winters, puppets, small town intrigue, and two people whose history together have been tumultuous and add all of it and you’ll get this gem of a book. Heroes Are My Weakness was so utterly compelling and romantic and just so darn intriguing that the only reason I put it down was work and a trip to go see the Iron Throne of Westeros. Different book, different genre, I needed to sit on that throne.

The book starts a little bit oddly with a very lively internal dialogue and once you get over that part, you’re hooked. As someone who lives mostly in her head, I sympathized greatly with Annie. Her vivid imagination was brought to life through her puppets and it just worked, you know? It could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways, but Annie and her puppets really made the book. I found that they provided an interesting, if not honest, way of looking and understanding Annie and the people around her. She’s in a town she’s always hated, in an estate that gave her some of her worst memories and she just kept trucking on with her courage and her puppets. I think Annie Hewitt going to be one of my favourite heroines this year. Or maybe ever. I enjoyed how honest she was with her feelings and her opinions and she was just really admirable and it’s really nice finding a character like that.

Theo, on the other hand, I found to be similar to some of the other heroes in other SEP books I’ve read. It’s not that he wasn’t developed or anything, in fact I quite liked Theo’s character. I think I just found Annie more memorable? I guess it’s kind of hard to not be memorable if you have 5 puppet characters talking in your head. Anyway. I did enjoy Theo’s character and I really liked the chemistry between Annie and him. Theo has had a horrible life so far, and I completely understood his cynicism and it worked for him. It was nice seeing him starting to be happier when he was around Annie a lot more. It’s a shame I can’t quite articulate my feelings about Theo, because I did like him, and in fact one of my favourite lines in the book is from him:

“You talked about being a romantic. Romance is nothing! It’s a tiny word that doesn’t come close to what I feel for you.”

It’s not one of those lines that immediately melts your heart even without context, but considering what Theo has gone through and what his and Annie’s relationship has survived, this was definitely an “aww” moment.

And let’s not forget the plot. I had absolutely no idea where this book was going. At all. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. Halfway through the book, I had all sorts of crazy predictions and I was so completely wrong. I totally did not see that coming. At all. This being set in a small town, there was a couple of mysteries that surrounded Annie and Theo’s past and some of the other islanders. I’m not going to say anything about the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anyone but here are three tips I’m going to give you:

1. Give Annie and her puppets a chance. Sure, it might weird you out a bit, but they’re great.
2. Give Theo a chance. Just take my word on it. I almost gave up on him and was worried, but nope, totally worth all that stress.
3. Make sure you have enough time to read and savour Heroes Are My Weakness. There’s quite a bit happening. Don’t read it on a bus because you might almost miss your stop. Don’t read it before work because you’re going to call in sick.

With that long rambly review, it’s pretty obvious I really liked Heroes Are My Weakness. In fact, I knew I liked it 1/4 way in to the book when I realized just how compelling, interesting and unique the story really was. So great. Also, if you need an escape from the summer, this book is primarily set in the winter and there’s a lot of snow. And cold winds. Just give this book a chance. Do it. You won’t regret it!

(This is an aside, but I really like the cover for this book. I just think it’s so pretty!)

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“in a deliciously sexy twist on the classic game, USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly proves that when playing truth or dare—always choose dare.

After her one attempt at commitment ends with the discovery that her fiancé already has a wife and kid, Maggie Lawson vows that the only people she’ll love ’til death do they part will be her friends. Unfortunately that means Maggie letting her bestie rope her into a year-long dating dare: score a new date each month or pay a penalty. Seems doable—until Maggie’s date stands her up, leaving only one option: the sexy stud who just moved in upstairs. The problem? He and Maggie can’t stop fighting—and that’s just the beginning.

His name is Tyler Daniels and the last thing he needs is his neighbor distracting him with her girl-next-door smile and sharp tongue. Tyler’s in Chicago for one reason: to woo back his selfish ex in order to reclaim the child he once thought was his—and that means keeping Maggie out of his bed. A tall order, since Maggie has become a bigger temptation than he ever expected to face. But before they can even consider leaving the past behind, Maggie and Tyler must accept a brand-new dare: real, forever love.

Sexual tension? check

Slow burn romance? check

Forced close proximity? check

If you’re a fan of those three things and more, then you’d better check out Truth or Dare by Mira Lynn Kelley? Why? You mean besides having those three things? Well, it includes a group of great friends, a tortured-ish hero, an awesome heroine, shenanigans, and a really steamy romance that will leave you smiling. (It sure did with me!)

One of the things I really enjoyed between Maggie and Tyler was their meet cute. It was a misunderstanding that soon turned into snark and banter to hide that sexual tension that’s slowly unraveling between these two. I also really liked how the pace of the book was set, with each chapter being a month. You see, Maggie is part of a bet where she has to go on a date with one guy each month. All of the people in her circle of close friends, know about this and Tyler learns about it as well. There were some certifiably hilarious moments and totally sweet ones. I really liked it.

I had a bit of a harder time sympathizing with Tyler, mostly because I’ve never had a child or kind of raised one. I didn’t quite understand the struggle he had or why he was so hung up about it. It’s not to say that Truth or Dare provided no way to bridge that gap, they did, but still at the end of it all I was feeling kind of meh about that. It did however paint a very clear picture of how loyal and loving Tyler is. I may not have understood it but I certainly respect how dedicated he was to that cause. And I also liked how the whole conflict was resolved. Also, thanks to Wallbanger, one of my weaknesses are heroes who can’t resist the heroine’s baked goods. And man, those scenes involving cookies? Great. So great. It also made me want to eat cookies, but that was easily resolved 😉

Maggie, for the most part, I felt was a wonderful heroine. She was fun to read and despite how reluctant she was to do this dare, she went ahead and did it anyway. I loved how understanding she was of Tyler and I really just loved how these two interacted with each other. The chemistry was excellent. And before I forget, Maggie is also such a strong character. She just faced her problems the best she could and won through them. I’m just really glad for Maggie and that she now finally has that happiness she deserves in her life. Although, I do kind of want to see some resolution or something between her parents. Maybe a novella of them meeting Tyler? 😀

All in all, I just felt that Truth or Dare set its tone in the beginning, showed us how it was going to accomplish all of it, and delivered on all its promises magnificently, y0u know? This made Truth or Dare a perfect light read (with loads of steamy scenes included) after a long busy day to unwind to.

ABOUT MIRA LYN KELLY

USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action and entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

Disclaimer: I had to read this in the morning, and then reread it while the sun was still up because as much as I love romantic suspense and criminal procedural shows, I am a huge scaredy cat. So there it is.

I’ve been a long-time fan of Cynthia Eden and Twisted did not disappoint. I thought it was thrilling, steamy, fast-paced and just overall a wonderful read.

I tend to stay away from books with protagonists who are psychic because it’s either very fake… or they freak me out completely. Told you, scaredy cat. What I really liked about this though is that it’s stated early on that she reads people. You know, kind of like profiler. And that this skill has had some very life changing effects on her. There’s just something about that aspect that I really liked, maybe because I thought it was a realistic challenge? I also liked how her ability to read people is the thing she had to prove to Dean over and over again. She doesn’t have multiple psychology or whatever degrees like Sarah (who I think is the next protagonist for the next book AM SO EXCITED FOR THAT) and so it’s kind of a b* to prove your worth in something that’s traditionally academic. Girl that struggle is real, and I enjoyed reading Emma kick ass throughout the investigation. Ah I loved Emma a lot!

Dean, on the other hand, I was left feeling a bit meh about. Maybe it’s how their first interaction went down… but I kind of thought he wasn’t as charming as I remember Cynthia Eden male protagonists to be? I had to reread this book because of that and came to the conclusion, that no it’s just Dean. Which is fine, male romantic protagonists don’t have to be charming all the time. But it seemed like Dean was perpetually cranky haha. And strangely enough, that crankiness worked well in terms of couple chemistry. I loved whenever Emma would tease Dean because he kind of gets confused and stops to reevaluate what’s happening? IDK, but it made me smile haha. In before though, Dean wasn’t a d*bag hero, he was more brash and a little bit cranky. Definitely alpha though.

Before I forget to mention this, there is a bit of insta-lust happening here. I think that’s what made me a bit confused (see part above about me rereading) because I don’t think it worked as well for me as I was expecting it to be? I gotta tone down my book expectations, I know. Once the chemistry and the relationship is established though, things do get a bit smoother because Emma and Dean’s chemistry was pretty much off the charts.

Emma didn’t flinch. Didn’t scream. She looked down at the hand on her shoulder. “When a woman runs away from you, that means you need to stay the hell away from her.”

His hold tightened on her. “You and I aren’t done.”

She looked up at his face. Had she really thought the man was handsome? Annoying, that was all Dean Bannon was.

“I need to find that girl, and you’re the only lead I have so far.”

“Then you’re not a very good investigator.”

As for the solving the crime part of this book, I thought it was great! She does tell you who the suspect is, kind of, in the first couple chapters… but it’s not going to be who you expect it to be? I am horrible at talking about this part because I don’t want to spoil anyone, but it’s a good twist! Also, I liked how this book was set in NOLA. I’ve been hooked on NCIS: NOLA so that was just a random plus point for Twisted there haha.

Twisted can be read on its own because she does explain what LOST is and who its members are. Maybe Dean is introduced in Broken just as Sarah is kind of being set up in Twisted? Perhaps, but still,Twisted works on its own.

Also holy batman long review, but to sum it up, I liked Twisted. Maybe not as much as I was hoping it to be, but that may just be I have cray expectations. I enjoyed the interactions between Emma and Dean and thought it was realistic. They’re working towards solving this one mystery but this pesky thing called attraction keeps butting its head and it was really fun to see how they both dealt with it. I loved Emma’s character because she came across as very genuine and sincere and someone who knows what she’s worth and isn’t afraid of letting everyone know she’s good. Which is refreshing and wonderful and we need more of that you know. Dean was okay, I really wished I liked Dean more, but what can you do? The suspense plot was well-written and I really enjoyed watching it unravel and I mean, Cynthia Eden writes great romantic suspense books. I’ll be back for more from this series. And will probably read the first one soon. Maybe when it’s day time.

ABOUT CYNTHIA EDEN

Award-winning author CYNTHIA EDEN writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies include hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.