Dying to experience life, I cross an ocean to get away from my fears. I find my safe haven in the form of Detective Aiden Holden. He shows me what love is, but then our lives collide. Our little world shatters, and I'm caught in the crossfire.
I'm forced to return home, to let go of the only person who has made me feel like I could be more.
How do you return to a cage once you’ve tasted freedom?
My only hope is that Aiden will cross an ocean for me.
Michelle Heard is a Bestselling Romance Author who likes her books hot, dirty, and with a touch of darkness. She loves an alpha hero who is not scared to fight for his woman.
Want to be up to date with what’s happening in Michelle’s world? Sign up to receive the latest news on her alpha hero releases, sales, and great giveaways → http://eepurl.com/cUXM_P
In HARD TRIGGER by S.L. Hannah, Victoria finds herself entwined with a lover on the opposite side of a bloody feud. Seeking revenge to stop the flow of opiates that are killing her mother—she must spill the blood of her lover’s family to do it.
Fans of RUIN by CD Reiss and SIN WITH ME by JA Huss & Johnathan McClain will devour this dark and sexy enemy to lovers tale where loyalty is in the eye of the beholder.
“Your mother’s opiates are coming from Jose Herrera’s distribution network.” My pulse races as my stepfather speaks these words. Because taking on the Herreras also means taking on Diego.
Reckless, and hardened by a volatile past, Victoria does not see a future with Diego Herrera as a realistic option. As their childhood friendship ignites, they find themselves on opposite sides of a bloody feud between the two most powerful families in Mexico City. And she’s a Moreno now—brought up to be the secret weapon nobody suspected.
But Victoria can’t deny the attraction. Diego’s commanding muscles, the coarse, dark hair of his solid chest, that rugged scar above his sensuous lips…
My body is spent. I want to feel him release inside of me. I want to collapse on top of him. I want to keep fucking like two animals that want to survive a wilderness that is both beautiful and vicious. Our chests heave in a unison that signals it’s not over and he starts pumping into me…
Except I’m not just an animal. I turn my head towards the end table, lean over and grab his cell phone.
“Call them off.” I shove the phone into his palms. “All of them. Tell them I’m not here. That they made a mistake.”
Still pumping into me, his eyes grow wider. “Don’t be fucking crazy. Let me walk you out of here and make everyone believe that you’ve disappeared. At least for a little while.”
He’s hitting that spot. That warm and sensitive spot that makes me second-guess every decision and every goal. That makes me curl up and want to be swept away and taken care of even though I’ve never wanted it to be part of my long-term plan because I’ve seen everything that my mother has gained and lost by…being taken care of.
He searches my face for a place to reason. “What I’m offering…they’re going to catch up to you eventually. And before you catch up to my uncle again. He’s the second-in-line to a multi-national business. You killed one of his men last night. You almost killed him. You think no one noticed? This would give…us a chance.” he pleads. Even though he doesn’t say it, it’s the same proposal that he made on our trip, except without the ring. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted. I’d always been tempted.
I freeze. He’ll never know how many times I ran over the circumference of the diamond band on that night stand before I drove off, deciding on a different destiny. I knew the moment I stepped in the old Peugeot that the tread would be forever imprinted on my fingers.
“I can’t.”
The admission makes him choke on whatever he was about to say and roar in frustration, because he’s not the type of man to accept defeat.
His fingers fumble on the screen. Awkwardly he holds the cell against his ear, spitting in Spanish. He’s done what I’ve asked him to do.
He throws the phone, and then locks his forearms around my neck, leading me closer to him. His cock is still stiff, and it throbs inside of me, reminding me of why we’re even in this position.
Cursing, his lips find mine, biting, absorbing, demanding. And I reciprocate. I’m not unwilling. I never have been. Our tongues tangle as our bodies begin to move in unison again.
Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card + HARD TRIGGER eBook!
Plus, NINE runners-up will win a HARD TRIGGER eBook!
S.L. Hannah was born in Poland, grew up in Canada, and moved to Southern California to pursue her love of single-engine airplanes. Her latest rogue romance, Hard Trigger, will be published on August 28th, 2018. Visit her online at www.slhannah.com to learn about her other books, to get updates about her new release, and to connect through social media. S.L. Hannah lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and garden of succulents. When she’s not writing fiction, she continues to solve the aviation problems of the world.
~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
Book Description: Stefan Talbot likes order and control. He approaches his life with the same meticulous precision that he uses to put paint on his canvas. Nothing good comes from chaos, and that is why he has refused to allow himself to get close to Jennifer Waters. They are like fire and ice. Though she is younger, her talent as an artist is unquestionable. But she lives her life like she paints—with wild, passionate abandon. It is intoxicating and terrifying, and he can’t get her out of his head. Jennifer ran from Bliss to put Stef behind her. She had come to the mountain town seeking a mentor but found much more than she bargained for. Cool and distant, Stef was like a marble statue and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t break through his shell. She moved to Dallas to start over, but nothing is going as planned. When the art gallery where she works is robbed and a precious painting is stolen, Jen is accused of the theft. Jen is thrilled when her bail is met, until she realizes her savior is Stef and he has a few conditions. First and foremost, she has to return to Bliss. Against the backdrop of the Winter Festival, Stef and Jen’s attraction catches fire. But the dark forces behind the robbery in Dallas have followed Jen home. A criminal syndicate believes she still has the stolen painting and they’ll kill to get their hands on it.
My Review:
I just fall harder and harder with each of these books that Lexi Blake re-releases from her Sophie Oak days. I wish in a way that I had found these sooner so I could have enjoyed them before we knew it was Lexi under Sophie's pen name and then reading them again with the little tweaks that Lexi gives each book.
I was really happy to get to Stef's book. He's been such a major fixture in all the Night's in Bliss stories, what with being the town proclaimed 'King' of Bliss. Stef controls every aspect of his life and his life revolves around the town of Bliss, his happiness revolves around the town of Bliss so he controls Bliss (don't think tyrant or dictator just a man in control, in need of control.) and the people who live there with him. He has the means to take care of his little town and he doesn't hesitate to do it. He is exactly the person that I expected him to be, though a little more broken. Luckily he has a woman who refuses to give up on him and teaches him that love doesn't have to be shown by using 'giving' your cash, but by giving your heart.
I will say that the back and forth between Jennifer and Stefan did get a little frustrating there for a bit but once you know the whole story it is easier to understand and accept and the moments when they are together and not worried about the world around them are the best moments. I loved that Stefan does what he feels he needs to do no matter when or where it happens. I so enjoyed meeting Stef's dad and I would love (and maybe it happens and I just don't know it yet) to get a book for him with more back story. I was ENTHRALLED with Alexei! Honestly, he took over the story just a little bit, he's such a compelling character. I am THRILLED to know that we will be getting his story.
This is another wonderful addition to the series and is a total 'wet your appetite' book getting you ready for more of Bliss. One thing, all these books can be read as standalones, though it's nice to meet each character as they are introduced but totally not necessary. So jump on in where ever you want and just enjoy the fun of Bliss!
~ HAPPY READING ~
Excerpt:
Stef turned back to Jen. “Let’s move, Jennifer. I have a plane ready. We need to be at Love Field in an hour. I have an officer waiting to process you out.”
Jen’s head whirled. “Plane?”
“Yes, plane. We’re going back to Bliss.”
“No way.”
Cool, gray eyes slitted, and she could practically feel the will rolling off him. Stef was tense, and she knew it was a bad idea to push him, but she couldn’t help it.
“I’m serious, Stef. I’m not going anywhere with you.” She couldn’t go back to Bliss. Panic threatened to swamp her. He was here. He was right here in front of her, and her heart didn’t give a damn that he was a bastard. For the first time in months, she felt desire for something besides her art. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, go down that path again.
He got into her space, a move he’d perfected seemingly long before he met her. She held her ground. Even though he didn’t touch her physically, he seemed to surround her. Suddenly her whole world was Stef, his gray eyes, the heat of his body, his masculine, clean scent. He filled her every sense.
“I’m not going home with you.” She forced herself to say the words.
His lips hitched up. “At least you admit Bliss is your home.”
That wasn’t what she’d meant. Bliss, Colorado, had felt like home when she’d been there, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bliss wasn’t big enough for the two of them. “It’s your home. Hell, Stef, it’s your little kingdom, and you like to play the king, don’t you?”
“Yes, because everyone does what I say.” Stef’s low growl made her breath speed up. “Everyone in Bliss bows down to me. Have you been gone for so long that you forget Max regularly kicks my ass? And Nell and Henry are currently protesting my gardening practices.”
He was too close for comfort. She gave in and took a step back. She could see plainly that he was satisfied with her discomfort. “Don’t try to play the poor rich boy with me. You’re a puppet master. You like to pull the strings and see how people dance. Well, I’m not in your kingdom anymore, and there’s no way you can get me there again. So you can take your money and go back to Colorado.”
It was stupid. Even as she said the words, she wanted to take them back. She’d spent the last twenty-four hours terrified in a jail cell. She would have to be the stupidest woman in the world to turn him down, but she’d never thought around Stef. Since the moment she’d met him, she’d been a quivering mass of emotion and desire every time he entered a room.
“Stubborn thing. I’ll make it easy on you.” His hands caught hers, and before she could think she felt cold metal surrounding her wrists. He flicked the cuffs on with the cool precision of a man who often cuffed the women in his life.
“What are you doing?” She stared at her hands. At least this time they were in front of her. She preferred it that way. Damn, her life had taken a wrong turn when she could compare and contrast her experiences with men who handcuffed her.
“Taking you home, Jennifer. Whether you like it or not.”
He leaned down and picked her up. She was in his arms, nestled close to his chest. She looked up at the square, inflexible line of his jaw. His arms tightened around her, and she was caged more closely than she’d been in the holding cell. She had the suspicion that this time Stef would be harder to escape from than before. He kicked open the door and started down the hall.
Yep, like it or not, she was going back to Bliss.
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.
Reminiscent of the beloved novels by Mary Kubica and Jodi Picoult comes a chilling portrayal of a son’s addiction and its harrowing effects on both him and his mother from New York Times bestselling author Courtney Cole. SAVING BECK releases July 17, 2018.
Check out the teaser below, and pre-order your copy of SAVING BECK today!
There comes a time when offering your life for your child’s doesn’t work, when you realize that it’ll never be enough.
The cold needle in his warm vein was a welcome comfort to my son at first. But then it became the monster that kept us apart.
Heroin lied, and my son believed. It took him to a world where the last year didn’t happen, to a place where his father was still alive. What Beck didn’t understand was that it couldn’t bring his father back from the dead. It couldn’t take away his pain, not permanently.
You think it can’t happen to you, that your kids, your family, will never be in this situation. I thought that too. But you’re wrong.
Step into our world, and see for yourself. Watch my golden boy become a slave to this raging epidemic. Watch me try and save him.
Drug addiction comes with a price. Trust me, you’re not equipped to pay it.
Don’t miss this heart wrenching, evocative, yet hopeful novel—it will leave you forever changed.
About Courtney Cole:
Courtney Cole grew up in rural Kansas and now lives with her husband and kids in Florida, where she writes beneath palm trees and is still in love with the idea of magic and happily-ever-after. She is the author of Saving Beck.
No last names. No life stories. Those were the rules.
Once upon a time a cocky, copper-haired tourist sauntered into Zara’s bar. And even though she knew better, Zara indulged in a cure for the small-town blues. It was supposed to be an uncomplicated fling—a few sizzling weeks before he went back to his life, and she moved on.
Until an accidental pregnancy changed her life.
Two years later, she’s made peace with the notion that Dave No-Last-Name will never be found. Until one summer day when he walks into her coffee shop, leveling her with the same hot smile that always renders her defenseless.
Dave Beringer has never forgotten the intense month he spent with prickly Zara. Their nights together were the first true intimacy he’d ever experienced. But the discovery of his child is the shock of a lifetime, and his ugly past puts relationships and family out of reach.
Or does it? Vermont’s countryside has a way of nurturing even tortured souls. The fields and the orchards—and hard won love—are Bountiful.
Sarina Bowen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives in Vermont's Green Mountains with her family, six chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.
In 2016, Sarina became a Rita Award winner! The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.
As Chief of his Clan, Logan is surrounded by friends and family, the only thing missing is his mate. Natasha has always known that she was raised to be the mate of an Alpha, but being in her sister’s shadow has enabled her not to worry about it too much.
When Logan comes down to help the pack, he knows instantly that Natasha is the one for him. When she is put in harms way, he will stop at nothing to save her. Natasha never imagined that her mate would be anything other than a wolf, but although her feelings for Logan take her off guard, she can do nothing but succumb to them.
Right Girl, Wrong Alpha is the second in an all new series about men who may not be brothers by blood, but are brothers of the heart. And the realization that, regardless of how the Matthews siblings have been raised, sometimes you have to follow your heart, even if it's leading you down the hardest path.
Author DJ Bryce loves her men tall, dark, and Alpha. She can often be found relaxing with a cup of coffee, a handful of RedVines, and a dirty book, with her three dogs snoozing happily at her feet.
She's a lover of The Walking Dead, Romantic Comedies, and writing sexy shifters.
For information on her new releases, promotions, and her favorite PNR reads, sign up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/clmyu5
If anyone saw the prom boards Amelia Blanco makes on her favorite fashion app, they'd think Ethan Laurenti was her boyfriend. They wouldn't know that all the plans she's made for them are just dreams, and that she's the girl who watches him from the kitchen while her parents cook for his famous family.
When Amelia's abuelita enrolls her in a month-long fashion internship in NYC, Amelia can't imagine leaving Miami--and Ethan--for that long. As soon as she gets to New York, however, she finds a bigger world and new possibilities. She meets people her own age who can actually carry on a conversation about stitching and design. Her pin boards become less about prom with Ethan and more about creating her own style. By the time she returns to Miami, Amelia feels like she can accomplish anything, and surprises herself by agreeing to help Ethan's awkward, Steve-Jobs-wannabe brother, Liam, create his own fashion app.
As Liam and Amelia get closer, Ethan realizes that this newly confident, stylish girl may be the one for him after all . . . even though he has a reality TV star girlfriend he conveniently keeps forgetting about. The "new and improved" Amelia soon finds herself in between two brothers, a whole lot of drama, and choice she never dreamed she'd have to make.
This full-length novel by debut author Natalie Blitt is a pitch-perfect blend of Stephanie Perkins and Miranda Kenneally that proves the age-old adage: opposites attract.
Seventeen-year-old Abby has only one goal for her summer: to make sure she is fluent in French—well, that, and to get as far away from baseball and her Cubs-obsessed family as possible. A summer of culture and language, with no sports in sight.
That turns out to be impossible, though, because her French partner is the exact kind of boy she was hoping to avoid. Eight weeks. 120 hours of class. 80 hours of conversation practice with someone who seems to wear baseball caps and jerseys every day.
But Zeke in French is a different person than Zeke in English. And Abby can’t help but fall for him, hard. As Abby begins to suspect that Zeke is hiding something, she has to decide if bridging the gap between who she is and who he is is worth the risk.
Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.
Music means more than anything to high school student Cate Reese; it’s also what unites her with Cal Woods. Devoted classical guitar players, Cate and Cal are childhood friends newly smitten by love—until a devastating car accident rips Cal out of Cate’s life forever. Blaming herself for the horrific tragedy and struggling to surface from her despair, Cate spirals downhill in a desperate attempt to ease her pain.
Fellow student David Bennet might look like the school’s golden boy, but underneath the surface the popular athlete battles demons of his own. Racked with survivor’s guilt after his brother’s suicide, things get worse when tragedy darkens his world again—but connecting with Cate, his sister’s longtime babysitter, starts bringing the light back in.
As Cate and David grow closer, the two shattered teenagers learn to examine the pieces of their lives…and, together, find a way to be whole again.
ONCE AND FOR ALL: AN AMERICAN VALOR NOVEL by Cheryl Etchison
Book Description:
The Rangers of the 1st/75th fight hard, train hard and play hard. They are physically strong and mentally tough, disciplined and courageous. But all their military training hasn't prepared them for falling in love.
Rule #1: Military and matrimony don't mix.
But if there's one person Staff Sergeant Danny MacGregor would break all his rules for, it's Bree--his first friend, first love, first everything. Maybe he likes playing the hero. Maybe he's trying to ease ten years of guilt. Either way, he'll do whatever he can to help her.
Wish #1: A little bit of normal.
Bree Dunbar has battled cancer, twice. What she wants most is a fresh start in a place where she can find a new job, and where people aren't constantly treating her like she's sick. By some miracle her wish is granted, but it comes with one major string attached-- the man who broke her heart ten years before.
The rules for this marriage of convenience are simple: when she's ready to stand on her own two feet, she'll walk away and he'll let her go. Only, as they both know all too well, things don't always go according to plan...
A disgraced scholar running from her past and an entrepreneur chasing his future find themselves thrown together—and fall in love—on a Tolkien tour of New Zealand.
Allison Shire (yes, like where the Hobbits live) is a disgraced academic who is done with love. Her belief in “happily ever after” ended the day she discovered her husband was still married to a wife she knew nothing about. She finally finds a use for her English degree by guiding tours through the famous sites featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. By living life on the road and traveling New Zealand as a luxury tour guide, Allison manages to outrun the pain of her past she can’t face.
Jackson Gregory was on the cusp of making it big. Then suddenly his girlfriend left him—for his biggest business competitor—and took his most guarded commercial secrets with her. To make matters worse, the Iowa farm that has been in his family for generations is facing foreclosure. Determined to save his parents from financial ruin, he’ll do whatever it takes to convince his wealthy great-uncle to invest in his next scheme, which means accompanying him to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks pretending to be a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, even though he knows nothing about the stories. The one thing that stands between him and his goal is a know-it-all tour guide who can’t stand him and pegged him as a fake the moment he walked off the plane.
When Allison leads the group through the famous sites of the Tolkien movies, she and Jackson start to see each other differently, and as they keep getting thrown together on the tour, they find themselves drawn to each other. Neither expected to fall in love again, but can they find a way beyond their regrets to take a chance on the one thing they’re not looking for?
Fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Jenny Han will fall in love with this heartfelt and humor-laced debut following one zodiac-obsessed teen as she struggles to find the guy of her cosmic dreams.
As the daughter of an expert astrologer, Wilamena Carlisle knows that truth lies within the stars. So when she discovers a planetary alignment that won’t repeat for a decade, she’s forced to tackle her greatest astrological fear: The Fifth House—relationships and love. But Wil must decide whether to trust her heart or her chart when she falls for a sensitive guitar player whose zodiac sign points to cosmic disaster.
If Wil’s fate is truly written in the stars, then this summer is about to go supernova. . . .
From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack comes her debut young adult fantasy,
ROAR!
Releasing June 13, 2017,
ROAR takes readers on an adventure filled with charismatic characters in an enthralling world sure to keep them turning the pages. Order your copy today!
~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
Book Description:
In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
My Review:
I, like so many, have been over eager to get my hands on this book, I am honestly still in a bit of disbelief that I was given the chance to review it early. Sufficed to say I was not disappointed, Roar was everything I had hoped it would be.
Cora's world building is elegant and carefully crafted. This is the type of world that you want to see on the big screen so you can fully take in the grandeur of it. It is a world that while fantasy leans to a dystopian look in my mind. We have the classic fantasy elements of an almost renaissance time period (oh and hey there may be a bit of steampunk thrown in there) but the idea of these storms that ravage the kingdoms, towns, and wild lands must create a bit of a silent deserted feel as well. A reader might look at that and thing it would be overwhelming but Cora blends these elements beautifully so that instead of this disjointed mashup you get a cinematic feel to the world that these characters inhabit.
Speaking of the characters, where does one even begin, well with our heroine of course:
Aurora/Rora/Roar, she is everyone of those those names rolled into a kick ass heroine who is fighting for her own destiny instead of accepting one that will keep her trapped in a world of secrets, lies, and deceit. Rora has spent her life trying to live up to the expectations of others while her heart and mind have cried for freedom and adventure. To protect her family and kingdom she has resigned herself to continuing that lonely path, hoping that she can find some joy in knowing that she is giving her 'freedom' to protect her home. Having been kept apart from building true relationships with people so that her secrets can remain safe her first encounters with her betrothed Prince Cassius turn sweet and romantic rather quickly and honestly you are going to fall for him too...but don't get too attached, sigh. It isn't long until Rora's fairytale falls apart and she discovers not one shocking truth but many, leading her to know that the only way she will ever be able to be happy, to be free, to be able to protect her home and her family is to go in search of her own power...she must step outside the safety of her kingdom, she must become Roar!
I loved how driven Roar is, how she doesn't back down from a fight, and proves to others over and over again that she is worthy of being more than a pampered princess in an ivory tower. She reminded me a lot of Scarlet from A.C. Gaughen's Scarlet series, which is also a series that I LOVED. These are both strong heroines, who refuse to give up, refuse to backdown when it comes to protecting the ones they love and those that rely on them. No doubt Roar (and Scarlet) has her faults, she is more than bit impetuous, overly untrusting, and perhaps a bit starved for attention, but all of these traits as well as her spirit, her drive, her heart build together to make a heroine we can all be proud of and find not only a bit of kinship in but someone who can be looked up to as a female character.
Prince Cassius, this was probably my biggest challenge in the book and no it is not because he was more than a bit controlling, no...it was because I grew to like him very quickly and then Cora yelled 'PLOT TWIST' and the nice little plan I had laid out in my head fell to ash at my feet very quickly. I honestly because concerned that we were headed down one of my most dreaded trope paths, the love-triangle but no worries that didn't happen, what did happen is that Prince Cassius kind of just becomes background noise. I wanted and still want so much more from him. I am assuming form the bits and pieces that we see of him through the remainder of the book that he is still going to play a large part in the entire story and I so hope we don't end up back with me worried about a love triangle again but I don't want him to just disappear either. In fact I had a brilliant idea this morning that maybe he and Roar's friend Nova could....well, anyway that gets into a bit of Stockholm Syndrome and I don't know how well that plays out in YA, but really Cora, think on that. Haha
Roar's *band of Merry 'Men'*
I loved this group of characters, so diverse in personalities and backgrounds. Their bonds are solid and their faith in one another strong. I really hope that we won't see a dissolution of this team anytime soon. I know that there are some among them who's faith may be wavering, but I think that person can be brought around.
I love the father figure in Duke, the joker in Bait, the rock that is Ransom, the friendship to be found in Jinx, the quiet watchfulness of Sly, and the strength of Locke.
I am more than pleased with the relationships that Roar builds with each of these characters in particular with Jinx and Locke. I love watching the friendship between her and Jinx unfold, love seeing two strong female leads come together with trust (though there are still secrets) and faith in one another instead of petty or cruel behavior which we sadly see in my opinion too often in Y.A.s.
Locke, well of course I loved him. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulder such like Roar. He is strong of body, heart, and mind. He is faithful, dependable, giving, caring, a task master but not a brute. He will push each person to find their personal best but he pushes himself twice as hard. He may come across as controlling, but he has the lives of his team, his family, in his hands and he will do anything to protect them and their way of life. He does not give Roar an easy time just because he has romantic feelings toward her, perhaps he actually pushes her harder because he doesn't know what to do with the feelings, but Roar does not back down, they both give as good as they get and I love that about their relationship. I also love that in the hard world of their lives they find the time to break away and find joy in being silly together. They may bond over their initial frustration with each other but they find more together in the moments of quiet and silliness that Cora gives us. It was a pleasure to watch them grow and develop their relationship into what they have at the end of he book. I won't say that there was an insta-love there, definitely insta-attraction, but the final relationship is built over time and through many trials and moments of happiness.
I don't think as a reader you will be surprised by several of the occurrences in the plot. Cora leaves a trail of little clues though out, but this book will most definitely keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages. I finished it in one sitting because I simply couldn't put it down, much to my family's chagrin. The plot in Roar is so layered that everytime you peel one layer back you are hit with another so each time a 'surprise' is revealed it is easy to move through it and straight into the next adventure. You own't be shocked, you will simply just not be ready to ever have the story end.
I am so ready for book two, while you aren't left with a cliff hanger that will have you screeching in rage we are left with so much more to come, so many adventures to be had, battles to be fought, secrets to be uncovered, and relationships to be fulfilled. (Ahem, Cassius and Nova, Locke and Roar, Ransom and Jinx, the Queen and Duke....I know I am stretching her but Bait and Sly. *lifts eyebrow and smiles giddily at Cora's picture*
If you are a fan of YA, a fan of Fantasy, just a fan of a darn good book get this one in your hands and settle in for an amazing adventure. I am going to go do a re-read now and I never do re-reads, that's how much I loved this book!
Excerpt:
You are lightning made flesh. Colder than falling snow. Unstoppable as the desert sands riding the wind. You are Stormling, Aurora Pavan. Believe it.
Believe it, and others will too.
It was a vow that her mother, Queen Aphra, made her swear on the day she reached twelve years. She had gripped her daughter’s shoulders tight, and Rora could still remember the pinch of pain, the furious beat of her heart as she saw how afraid her mother was and learned to be afraid too.
Today that fear had led Aurora Pavan to sign her life away before she ever had the chance to really live it.
As she was primped and prettied like some kind of sacrificial offering, her mind remained stuck on her morning spent in the throne room. She recalled the rasping sounds as the treaty was unrolled and the way her fingers suddenly felt too weak to hold a quill. Many days of her sheltered life had been spent writing out ideas and facts and figures for her tutors, yet in that moment, she had struggled to remember the letters of her name. Then she had met her mother’s eyes, and those familiar words came to her again.
Colder than falling snow.
That was what Rora had to become as her shaking hand sealed her fate with a scratchy, bleeding line of ink. And now hours later a stranger peered back at her from the looking glass, powdered white so that none of her flaws would show.
Rora’s white-blonde hair had been curled and bound up in an elaborate ceremonial headdress that was crowded with jewels, flowers, and four jagged crystals cut like bolts of lightning to mimic her mother’s skyfire crown. Headdresses honoring a family’s ancestors were an important part of Pavanian tradition for the upper echelons of nobility to the poor and working class. They were donned for birth and death and every major life event in between, including betrothals. But this headdress was larger than Rora had ever seen. It had to be anchored to the thick metal necklace she wore about her collar with embellished fastenings, and it weighed on her nearly as much as the events of the night still to come.
Her already pale skin had been covered in a shimmering white powder, which made her look like she’d just emerged from a blizzard. Her ribs were tightly bound in a corset that squeezed and squeezed until it felt like all her organs were in the wrong place. Over that was a heavy, beaded gown whose neckline dipped low, revealing far more cleavage than she had ever shown. The fabric clung to her frame until it fanned out at her knees into a long train, and the color of the dress changed from white to ash gray to glittering black.
Rora looked exactly as her mother had always told her to be—lightning made flesh: blinding white and bright against a dark sky, and the train that pooled around her was the ground, charred black by her impact.
It was stunning. Exquisite, really. Even, Rora, who hated dresses of all kinds, could tell that. It was also a lie. Every jewel, every bead painted a picture of someone that wasn’t her. But that was the goal for tonight’s betrothal celebration…to be someone else, to be the perfect Stormling princess. Because if she failed, everything could fall apart.
Giveaway:
(ROAR Swag Pack and $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card for 1 Winner!)
About Cora Carmack:
Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Since she was a teenager, her favorite genre to read has been fantasy, and now she’s thrilled to bring her usual compelling characters and swoon-worthy romance into worlds of magic and intrigue with her debut YA fantasy, Roar. Her previous adult romance titles include the Losing It, Rusk University, and Muse series. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.
\
