Embraced by Jus Accardo - Release Day Review

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble

Author: Jus Accardo 

Publication Date:  16 November, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Embrace

Series:  The Enternal Balance, book 2

Genre:  New Adult Paranormal Romance

Age Recommendation: 17 and Up

Rating: 3.5 stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

To gain a chance at heaven, they'll need to embrace hell…

Descended from Cain, the world's first murderer, Jax Flynn is destined to spend his life making others suffer. To shield the world from horrific chaos, he was forced to sacrifice the one and only thing he loved. Samantha Merrick.

Sam is special. She doesn't know how--or why--and she hasn't had any luck finding out. But there's a bright side to her life. She finally has Jax back. Sort of. They're living life on a strict look but don't touch policy, but with the explosive chemistry between them, keeping their hands to themselves is getting harder every day.

Unfortunately, keeping their libidos in check isn't Jax and Sam's biggest problem. When an enemy from the past resurfaces with an ultimatum--complete a simple task or Sam dies--they're backed into a corner. The goal? Kill a demon called Malphi. The problem? Jax's demon, Azirak, has no intention of letting that happen…

My Review:

Embraced picks up right where Ruin leaves off.  Jax, descendant of Cain and Sam are just trying to exist under the radar all while fighting their natural desire to be 'romantic' with one another.  They've made deals that can't be undone and threaten to tear them apart after they have just come back together, and it's become more clear than ever that you never know who the good or bad guys are.  

I struggled through the first portion of Embraced sadly, so much of the first part of the book is spent with Jax and Sam lusting after one another that I got a bit annoyed.  I get that they love each other and that they want to be together physically but can't because of deals made, but man, it felt like that is ALL the first portion of the book was about.  Also, Sam was driving me nuts because yeah, she was  soaking up Jax's emotions due to their link but for the love of it all woman how can she not recognize and fight against her need to act like a cat in heat.  I appreciated Jax's fight against the pull of his own desire (even when he was loosing the battle) and Samantha's wanton behavior, ( I mean come on lets call it like it is, she knows its taboo and yet she still strips down in front of him...do not get me wrong, I am all or women getting what they want and being free to be sexual, but she knows they can't!) but why didn't we get that with Samantha.  Yes, Jax's emotions and desires are leaking though the bond into Samantha, yes she is acting somewhat out of character...but does she have no ability at all to say hey wait a minute, these feelings aren't right... they aren't mine and put on the brakes, does she not have enough strength to not act like a temptress when she knows that there are consequences to the act?  This was the one thing that caused me challenge are quite bothered me with the book.  

Minus the challenge I had above this is a great book.  I like the quest, (although, really they couldn't drive 6 hours to a mountain hideaway with out stopping at a hotel?) the action and storyline will keep you invested.  The idea that all the descendants of the worlds first murder, Cain have been cursed to carry a demon is a twist that I haven't come across before.  The idea of Samantha being a Pure soul, the rope in the middle of a game of tug of war between heaven and hell and being in love with one of Hell's own royalty..or at least the vessel for, is an interesting take and leads to quite the conundrum because as we well know those you expect to be good don't always turn out that way and every now and again the ones you think are evil really aren't.  

Heckle...after Jax he is probably one of the most curious of characters.  Heckle is not the descendant of Able...he is Able, the murdered brother of Cain, the favored hand of God, the 'man' tasked with keeping the balance.  He may be working to keep the balance but it seems he has his own things working in the background and how they affect Jax and Samantha are yet to be seen.  

Jus takes her readers on quite the ride and then I hate to say it, leaves us mouths gaping, hanging on the edge of a very steep cliff.  Yes, this is a cliff hanger and you might want to do the whole throw the 'Kindle' and growl move, but don't...because you are going to need it to read the next book!

~ HAPPY READING ~

JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. But at the last minute, she realized her true path lay with fiction, not food.

Jus is the bestselling author of the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing, as well as the Darker Agency series, and the New Adult series, The Eternal Balance. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.

Facebook ~ GoodReads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Pinterest

The Finn Factor by Rachel Bailey - Review

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble

Author: Rachel Bailey

Publication Date:  28 September, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Embrace

Genre:  New Adult Contemporary Romance

Age Recommendation: 18 and up

Rating: 4 stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~

Book Description:

Sometimes all a girl needs is a little practice...

It's been twelve months, three days, and eleven hours since accounting student Scarlett Logan made it past a second date. A pitcher of mojitos in hand, she employs her supreme graphing skills to narrow things down to one horrifying explanation. Kissing. Clearly someone needs to teach her how to kiss properly. Like, say, her best friend and roomie, Finn Mackenzie. He's safe, he's convenient, and yeah, maybe just a little gorgeous.

Finn knows exactly why Scarlett's boyfriends are disappearing quickly. Him. Not a single guy she's brought home is nearly good enough. And he'll be damned if he lets some loser give her "kissing lessons." No. He'll do the honors, thank you very much. The moment their lips touch, though, everything turns upside down. But Scarlett deserves the one thing Finn can't give her. And if he doesn't put an end to the sexy little shenanigans, he'll teach Scarlett the hardest lesson of all...heartbreak.

My Review:

I adored this book.  This was my first time reading Rachel Bailey but I can guarantee you it will not be the last.  The Finn Factor is a fun, sweet, swoon-worthy, quick read.

Scarlett Logan, can't seem to keep a date interested.  It's been over a year since she's made it past the critical second date.  Guys just won't let her in and she can't figure out what she's missing that keeps them from coming back for more.  One night after a number of her 'famous mojitos' and some series best friend talk with well, her best friend, Scarlett concludes, through graphs mind you, that her inability to keep a guy around is her lack of experience with kissing.  She must simply be a terrible kisser and decides on a course of action to rectify this.  Of course after numerous mojitos Scarlett determines that there is only one way to go about this...practice.  She's going to contact Cole Jericho, a client at work and a well known actor...who will clearly having his kissing game down.  

"Well, he's been on TV most of his life, so he's had to kiss a lot of girls on camera." With the roles he'd been playing in the last few years, it had been a LOT of girls."" - Scarlett

Finn MacKenzie, never saw it coming.  He's been working behind the scenes for years keeping Scarlett's un-worthy dates at bay 

"It had been more complicated to track down her dates in the first few years of our friendship, and sometimes they'd get to four or five dates before I could find the latest guy, assess him, and send him packing.  Luckily things had become much more streamlined since she'd moved in......She really needed to start picking a better class of guy." -Finn 

then boom, she practically smacks him straight in the heart with this talk of being a bad kisser and wanting to practice; practice with some  random, rich, handsome actor.  He's not worked this hard to keep guys who could appreciate all that was Scarlett away for the past four years to be undermined by some silly notion (brought on through no fault of her own, ahem) that she's a bad kisser.  There is only one way to fix this...It has to be him, Finn has to fall on his sword (so to speak) for the cause.  

Can Finn's and Scarlett's friendship survive kissing lessons or will it doom them to a life without each other?  I have to say, that first kissing scene...you think it's going to be all awkward and well, awkward but if you couldn't feel this couple's chemistry before then, you got a load of it during that kiss!  

(Gratuitous Chris Pratt moment, don't judge)

It was hot and I think I may have even fallen in love with Finn by then.  The guy does some shady stuff all in the name of friendship, but he truly does it out of a love that he doesn't even recognize and Scarlett isn't exactly clear of conscious either.  I loved their back and forth, I loved the friends to lovers aspect, it works beautifully in this story.  Finn is going to have your heart fluttering in no time, he is really such a great guy.  He's dedicated, hard working, caring, a little bit broken, and a whole lot of sweet.  Scarlett, is a great girl. She's the girl you want to be at that age. Working out who she is and where her life is going, surrounded by friends and family, (even if she would like to strangle her parents every now and again, I mean who doesn't right?) she's kind, generous, fun, also a bit broken, and equally as sweet as Finn.  

I really enjoyed the rest of the characters as well.  They are all a bit unconventional, especially Scarlett's parents, who I adored, the scene where Scarlett and her mother talk sex with Finn's youngest sister still makes me giggle.  I could totally feel the heat crawling up my chest and put myself right into Scarlett's place.  I am hopeful that we will perhaps see Finn's oldest sister in a upcoming book, although this is a stand alone.  Maybe if we beg enough?  :-)

This is a sweet, funny, moving book about family, friendship, and love.  If you are a New Adult, Contemporary Romance, or Adult Romance fan you will enjoy this sweet story .  

~ HAPPY READING ~ 

I live with my own personal hero and four dogs on the east coast of Australia. Our house is on my dream property – 10 acres of native trees on the side of a hill, within driving distance to the beach.

I’ve always loved dogs. I love all animals, but dogs have a special place in my heart. My current pack is: Dougal the Border Collie (the most perfect dog that ever there was), Oliver, a black Lab x doberman (the Heathcliffe of dogs – all brooding, clingy and likely to snap), Princess Ava the rescued greyhound (she’s always posing as if a camera is hovering nearby), and Billie our other rescued greyhound (who is still settling in and wondering what she’s got herself in for.

GoodReads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest