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Book Review: PERFECTLY IMPERFECT by Harper Sloan

perfectly imperfect

Meet Willow and Kane in the newest stand alone by Harper Sloan!
NOW AVAILABLE on the following retailers:

 

Amazon US   |   Amazon UK   |   Nook   |   iBooks   

 


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Blurb

 

Mirror, mirror … who’s the fairest of them all?
I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’
And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.
The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.
The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.
Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.
No. That will never be me.
Because I’m completely imperfect.
And … I hate myself.
I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them. 

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Book Review 

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.* 

Perfectly Imperfect is absolute perfection. It is a deeply personal account of struggles with body image and self-worth. It is bold, raw and entirely unapologetic. I loved it, I devoured it and I could not get enough. The story follows Willow, a woman who’s self-loathing, upbringing and experiences have only sunk her deeper into the rabbit hole. As she fights to claw her way out and make peace with who she’s becoming, she struggles, continuously struggles to find and own the person she truly wants to be. It is a bumpy, painful sometimes heartbreaking ride, but every step she takes towards healing and growing is entirely worth it. Willow’s endurance, strength and the love and support she receives from those closest to her help transform her into someone who is fiercely beautiful in every way. She overcomes many adversities, learns to love the woman she is becoming and begins to realize just how perfect imperfect can be.

 

Kane — oh goodness what can I say about Kane other than I AM IN LOVE! Can I get a Kane? Please??? Just send him  my way and all will be right in the my world hehe. From the moment we meet Kane he is a man on a mission. His intentions are clear, but he takes his time and is exactly what Willow needs at a time where her world seems to be crumbling apart. He takes a piece of your heart and begins to weave his way around it making you fall in love just a bit deeper with every encounter. He is the embodiment of what a loving support system should be and although Willow has her reservations every moment between these two is electric. He is kind, loving and patient. Their connection, their trust, their attraction and their ability to support each other in all the simplest ways is absolutely incredible. Willow begins to learn what it feels like to receive unconditional love and support, something she lacked for many years that only contributed to her self-contempt. What Kane offers Willow isn’t a cure or a patch to fix her, no, he offers her so much more. Although Willow is as big of a Kane supporter as he is to her, what I loved the most about these two is the trust between these two is one of the things that allowed them to grow together.

 

Through it all Willow’s journey to self discovery is one that will inspire you. Perfectly Imperfect will walk you through the good, the bad and the awful, but in the end you will see just how far she’s come. This is a wonderful book that is clearly written through the eyes of someone who has experienced what it feels like to struggle with loving the person you are and accepting all those imperfections that make you…YOU. Harper Sloan has written another wonderful story, a bit more personal, albeit phenomenal and very necessary. Books like this inspire and give hope to people, like Willow, who may not realize just how much their so called flaws might be the exact thing that makes them perfect in not only their eyes, but the eyes of someone who can truly offer selfless, unconditional love. 
This is a must read! It is a multi-layered story told from dual POV. I hope you love it as much as I did. 

 

~ Happy Reading Lovelies ~

 

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Excerpt 

 

“Are you nervous right now?”
I nod.
“Tell me why.” His demand, steady and calm, gives me the courage I need to tell him. To open a vein and bleed my insecurities.
“I’m not perfect,” I whisper.
“And neither am I, Willow. I don’t want perfect. What so many see as perfect, to me, is fake. Perfect isn’t achievable naturally. No one, and I mean no one, is perfect.”
I’m shaking my head before he’s even done speaking, but one long finger comes up and presses against my lips before I can speak.
“No, let me finish. There isn’t beauty in perfection. It’s as fake as the image the word projects. Beauty is found in imperfection, Willow, because to admit you’re not perfect means you’re admitting you’re not whole and absolute. When I think of myself, I see someone willing to admit he’s as far from complete as it gets because, in order to get to that perfection, I need to find the other part of me who will make my life better. To take all the faults I have and fill them, and only then will I be there. You see, the way I see it, the only way to become perfect is to find that perfectly imperfect person who brings it out of you.”
When he stops, I swear I might have stopped breathing. How am I supposed to respond to that?
“Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice strong and sure.
“Yes, Kane. Nerves or not, I do.”
“Then let me show you what I see when I look at you.”
He brings his hands up, framing my face once again in a way I’m quickly becoming addicted to the feeling of. His warm eyes implore, begging me without words to let him continue. I do not intend to stop him, regardless of the butterflies currently taking over my system. I’m all in.”
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harper sloanAbout the Author
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

 

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Book Review: NOVEMBER 9 by Colleen Hoover

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NOVEMBER NINE

BY COLLEEN HOOVER

 

November 9 is yet another breathtaking novel by Colleen Hoover that’s full of blushing, gushing, and heartache. I loved every page and breathed in every beautiful word.”
—Anna Todd, Author of the After series
 
Visit www.November9.com for teasers, tour dates and more. 

 

ABOUT NOVEMBER NINE:
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

 

FIND COLLEEN ONLINE: 
Website   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Instagram  

 


Book Review

 

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

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To rate this book 5 stars would be an understatement. It is by far the best book I’ve read this entire year and may very well be the best book Colleen Hoover has ever written. She outdid herself and with every book release she continues to remind me why I love her writing so much. She’s brilliant. She makes you feel, makes you cry, makes you angry, makes your heart break – practically guts you before there can even be a HEA. For some, the end of a book is usually the most dreaded part, because you’ve become a part of this world you can’t describe yet you connect with these characters so well, you hurt with them, you love with them, you feel with them and when it comes to an end you just want more. When I read a Colleen Hoover book that expectation goes out the door. For me, the endings have become my favorite part because the journey her characters take to get there are some of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful I’ve ever experienced. You learn some valuable life lessons and by the end it’s a bittersweet goodbye that leaves you completely satiated. A Colleen Hoover book is an experience you will truly never ever forget.

 

There’s this process I go through on an annual basis where I try to pick the best book I’ve read all year. I read, love and repeat this process over and over again often citing how this one is a favorite or that one is absolute poetry, but with every Colleen Hoover release this process becomes a battle because it’s like her books continuously try to outshine the previous release.  They often do, but my thoughts range from OMG I love it, I have a new book boyfriend to what the heck does Colleen have in store for us next? In the past I’ve said it’s too difficult to rank her books in order of my favorite to my least favorite because they’ve all been favorites. Her books are truly gems, but November 9 just changed the game for me. I know without a doubt (and I mean no disrespect to any authors I’ve read or will read from here on out, but) this will be the best book I’ve read for all of 2015. The wait was grueling, but it was definitely worth it. Secondly, this is likely the best book I’ve EVER read and I have only said that about a handful of books (which I’ll sort through and list at a later date). Colleen Hoover deserves awards for this release. It is brilliant, chilling and poignant. I fell in love and was devastated with equal measure. I was in tears and on edge for about 30-40% of this book. She threw unexpected curves and shattered my heart and I swore she’d never render it whole again.

 

I’m not going to summarize the plot, the synopsis is wicked enough for that. Instead I’ll tell you that November 9 is easily the best book you will ever read. It is a book that you will want to own and read over and over again. It will draw you in and make you wish you could find a love as epic as Fallon and Ben’s. This is a must read, must own, must be made into a film…. fingers crossed on the last one there. It was the most beautiful story I’ve ever read. Colleen Hoover never disappoints and with all the release dates and published books that alone speaks volumes. She’s opened a book store, started a monthly book subscription service with all proceeds going to charity, has a family and makes time to deliver us masterpiece after masterpiece. She is truly amazing and when you read a work like this, her brilliance and creativity shine through. I hope she continues to bring more great releases like this one. It is outstanding.

 

~ Happy Reading Lovelies ~

 


BUY IT NOW 

NOVEMBER NINE
BY COLLEEN HOOVER
www.november9book.com
Atria Books Paperback | 320 pages | ISBN: 9781501110344 | November 10, 2015 | $16.00
eBook: 320 pages | ISBN: 9781501110351 | $7.99

 

ORDER NOVEMBER 9:

Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Bilo   |   Books-a-Million      
iBooks   |   IndieBound   |   Kobo   |   Google   |   Nook  

 


Don’t miss Colleen on tour for NOVEMBER 9:

DALLAS, TX
Monday, November 9th
HALF PRICE BOOKS
10:00 PM
5803 E Northwest Hwy
Dallas, TX  75231
www.hpb.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/571747856307832/ 

 

CINCINNATI, OH
Tuesday, November 10th
JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS
7:00 PM
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208
www.josephbeth.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/910564405703742/

 

CHICAGO, IL
Wednesday, November 11th
ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP
7:00 PM
26 S. La Grange Rd.
La Grange, IL 60525
www.andersonsbookshop.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/877624532344894/

 

RIDGEWOOD, NJ
Thursday, November 12th
BOOK ENDS
7:00 PM
211 E. Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
www.book-ends.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/176661676006949/

 

WHITE PLAINS, NY
Friday, November 13th
BARNES & NOBLE #2202
7:00 PM
230 Main Street
White Plains, NY 10601
www.barnesandnoble.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/760158847428849/

 

MIAMI, FL
Saturday, November 14th
BOOKS & BOOKS
5:00 PM
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
www.booksandbooks.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/903716756377916/

 

BOSTON, MA
Sunday, November 15th
BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH
5:00 PM
279 Harvard St
Brookline, MA  02446
www.brooklinebooksmith.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1484734548495141/

 

LOS ANGELES, CA
Tuesday, November 17th
CHEVALIER’S BOOKS
7:00 PM
126 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
www.chevaliersbooks.com
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008186655868793/

 

AUSTIN, TX
Tuesday, December 8th
BOOK PEOPLE
7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar Blvd 
Austin, TX 78703 
512-472-5050
http://www.bookpeople.com/
RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1642732965964748/

 


GIVEAWAY

Now for the fun….the #November9 Contest!
Enter the Rafflecopter to win a prize bundle of one signed copy of NOVEMBER 9 and a pair of #November9 sunglasses! (5 prize bundles in total) Contest is open until November 30th.

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Book Review: Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh

AMBER  to ASHES

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

GAIL McHUGH

 

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They were a storm I never saw coming, an unforeseen heartbreak on the edge of a dangerous cliff.
In AMBER TO ASHES (Atria Paperback; June 9th, 2015), Amber Moretti’s life changes in the span of minutes. An orphaned outsider, she is desperate to start fresh the moment she walks onto campus. In the time it takes to cross the university’s dining hall, she meets two men who bring color, air, and light to her darkened world.
They became my addiction, each a needle to my next hit, my high.
Brock Cunningham’s appeal is dizzying, a potent force Amber can’t deny. A green-eyed smooth talker, he instantly attracts Amber. It doesn’t take long for him to consume her every thought, her every breath.
Ryder Ashcroft, a blue-eyed, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, turns Amber off immediately—that is, until he kisses her, stealing a piece of her heart, her soul.
They were as opposite as fire and ice, yet I ached for them equally. 
Never knowing she could be broken down in so many unexpectedly beautiful yet petrifying ways, Amber finds herself falling for both men.
Immoral? Maybe. I say undeniable. Uncontained.
But one devastating event changes everything, shattering each of their lives…and Amber isn’t sure she can recover from it.

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Book Review 

*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 

All thoughts and comments are my own.*

My favorite thing in the world is picking up a new book and reading through all the words an author has penned together creating a new journey for me to embark upon. Words are powerful and can reveal the most beautiful or even the ugliest inner workings of someones mind. Gail McHugh has a gift with words and through it they reveal a story in which she has claimed contain many layers of her own reality. Parts of her own story woven together with fictional elements to create a gem that will captivate you from start to finish. 

 

This is the first book I’ve read by Gail McHugh and it definitely won’t be my last. I don’t think I have EVER read a story like Amber to Ashes. I was completely spellbound. I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting by the final page I was dying for more. Addiction, obsession, desire, love, lust, pleasure, pain by the end you’ll have fought a battlefield of emotions and even question your sanity. The physical and emotional turmoil all three characters experience will tear at your heart. Their desires overwhelming at times, torturous and completely unlike any story you’ll ever read. It is not an erotic fantasy come to life, it is a dangerous and desperate yearning that plague these three and may be the beginning of the end for all of them. I was intrigued and as I delved deeper into the story it was hard to form an alliance or choose. I almost felt like I was Amber because I became as torn as she was. Parts of this story at least the arrogance of the two leading men made me a bit suspicious of their intentions at times. This book will mess with your head. Gail’s poetic style of writing leaves you to ponder many painful yet harsh realities of love, life, death and everything in between.

 

Amber to Ashes is a raw and artfully crafted masterpiece that takes you on a bumpy, deeply emotional, chaotic and passionate journey through the lives of three people whose stories culminate in the mother of all cliffhanger endings. This is a dark and gritty story that will rip you to shreds rendering you absolutely speechless . It is a book you won’t soon forget. One that will seep its way into the depths of your soul and completely own you. It is an all-consuming, fiery, get your heart racing, question your sanity kind of ride. I loved every minute of it and I cannot wait for more. Check out an excerpt here.

 

Buy NOW

 

AMBER TO ASHES by Gail McHugh
Atria Books Paperback | On sale: June 9, 2015 | 480 pages
ISBN: 9781476766010, $15.00 | eBook ISBN: 9781476766041, $7.99

 

Order the AMBER TO ASHES paperback:
Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Books-a-Million   |   IndieBound

 

Order the AMBER TO ASHES eBook:
Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Blio   |   B-A-M   |   GooglePlay   |   iBooks   |   Kobo

 


441084315_hrAbout the author:
Gail McHugh is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Collide and Pulse. She is the mother of three beautiful children and has been married to her husband for fifteen years. 

 

Visit Gail online at:
Website   |   Twitter   |   Facebook   

 


Giveaway

Enter to win one (1) of ten (10) signed copies of AMBER TO ASHES HERE

 

Book Review: After the Rain by Renée Carlino

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From the USA Today bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.  

 

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After the Rain tore me up in the best way possible. Sexy, sweet, and sad…Nate and Avelina’s story is one that goes straight to my list of all-time favorites.”
–A.L. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author 
In AFTER THE RAIN, eighteen-year-old Avelina Belo meets a charismatic cowboy the summer before her senior year of high school, not knowing that accepting his invitation to dinner will lead to a whirlwind marriage three months later and an exciting new life on a Montana ranch. She also doesn’t know that, in a few short years, fate will send everything crashing down around her.
A thousand miles away and fresh out of medical school, Nate Meyers is poised to become UCLA’s next superstar heart surgeon. His laser focus is the key to his success, but it’s also his greatest liability. When a routine surgery ends in disaster, derailing his career, he’s confronted with the hard truth: there’s no one waiting for him at home, no one to help him pick up the pieces.
Regrouping on his uncle’s Montana ranch, Nate meets Avelina, a beautiful, but mysterious young woman who keeps to herself and barely speaks a word. As he discovers the details of her devastating past, Avelina teaches him more about matters of the heart than he ever knew before. But can they trust each other enough to put everything on the line?
More information here

Book Review 

 *This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*

 “No matter how devastating the storm may be, after the rain you’ll always find new life sprouting in the aftermath.”
To be completely honest with you all, I was a blubbering mess less than 20% into reading this book. I don’t even know how that’s possible, but one thing I am certain of is that Renée Carlino has solidified her place on my list of favorite authors.
 
I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it in a matter of hours. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I repeat.  After the Rain is a tragic and beautiful story about love, loss and redemption.  It will take you on an emotional, often insightful journey. Renée Carlino writes beautifully. There is a depth to her characters that will leave you spellbound and utterly hopeful. She captures the voices of two shattered people who have lost their way and are trying to navigate the waters of life. Her delivery is absolutely flawless.
 
Avelina Belo has met unthinkable tragedies in her life. For someone so young her demons are heavy and have utterly dragged her into an abyss. She’s grown up quickly and the load she carries is heavy. She often punishes herself for actions that are beyond her control. Avelina’s life has become nothing, but a series of repeated tasks. She closes herself off to everyone, creating a lonely existence. It isn’t until Nate’s world collides with her own that she begins to see a life beyond the pain.
 
Nathaniel Meyer’s has had an easy and happy life for the most part. He’s followed in his father’s footsteps. After graduating medical school, he throws himself into his work focusing on becoming a great heart surgeon not realizing his confidence might be his greatest weakness. Nate’s desire to climb the ranks has left him lacking in areas that matter, like life experience, human contact and stopping to appreciate the world around him. After a disastrous day at work, Nate takes a much-needed break finding himself on the same ranch in Montana as Avelina. He’s curious about her and attempts to befriend her. Nate feels her turmoil almost instantaneously and aches to ease her pain, but how can he? She’s closed herself off to the world barely allowing anyone a glimpse into her life or her heart. Nate’s dealing with his own battles, but Avelina interests him and he doesn’t give up trying to break her from her shell.
 
These two can’t begin to imagine the impact they will have on one another. Hearts get involved; things get complicated, but is there any way each can mend their heart and find happiness in a world full of pain? After the Rain is an achingly beautiful story that is as unpredictable as it is gratifying. It will leave you guessing until the very last page. Avelina and Nate’s dual perspective gives this book a life of its own, one that you will step into, consume and cherish until the last page. I highly recommend this to all Contemporary Romance readers that like a deeply moving story with a dash of angst.
 
 

Renee CarlinoABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Renée Carlino lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog, June. When she’s not at the beach
with her boys or working on her next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.
To learn more, visit ReneeCarlino.com.
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads 

 

 


AFTER THE RAIN by Renee Carlino
Paperback | On sale: November 11, 2014 | ISBN: 9781476763996 | 304 pages | $15.00
eBook: | ISBN: 9781476764009 | $7.99

 

Order Now:

 

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-a-Million  |  IndieBound  |  Apple  |  Blio  |  Google

 

UK Links: 

 

Amazon  |  Waterstones  |  WHSmith  |  Foyles  |  Google  |  Kobo  |  Apple

 

AUS Links:

 

Bookworld  |  Booktopia  |  Apple  |  Amazon  |  Kobo  |  Google
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