#BookReview Once Upon an Ever After by Angela N. Blount

This memoir about Angeli and her long distance Southern boyfriend Vincent is an amazing read. I wasn’t sure about how much sense it would make to me, considering that this is a side novel to the original Once Upon a Road Trip (that I hadn’t read). Surprisingly, this novel was easy to follow and I didn’t need to read the first book (but I would really like to now!).

Kooky best friends, sneaking out to stay together and relationship woes are all featured in this book, and portray what a real relationship looks like: not perfection. This memoir made me fall in love with this love story, and felt very real and not fake (like some fiction novels make love and relationships out to be).

I would love to hear more about Anjeli and Vincent! The story telling is wonderful and doesn’t make you question what’s going on. It seemed very real and not forced. It was a believable story.

If anything, the author could have included more “action”, or situations the characters went through. I felt cheated for more interaction between Vincent, Anjeli and her family and friends. The story seemed a bit to short for me, but still great (since this isn’t the main novel about Vincent and Anjeli, and more of a set of side stories).

I did like this novel! But I wanted a bit more out of it. Overall, it was a good read I would recommend to others!

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Also I loved that my copy was signed! I love signed copies!

 

What book has made you swoon lately? Comment below!
Check out another review you might enjoy: #BookReview – Apocalypse the Memoir by CS Oliver

Give me a shoutout on twitter using the hashtags #BriarsReviews #OnceUponAnEverAfter  @ReviewAlholic

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#BookReview Light My Fire by Katie MacAlister

 

Aisling Grey is by far my favourite of all of the women in this dragon universe by Katie MacAlister! She is cute, sassy and the perfect female lead for this comedic, fantastical romance!

Drake and Aisling are definitely the “perfect” pair, at least in my eyes. Their relationship is definitely not “normal” by any means, but they work well together! As characters, they have the perfect mix of getting along, sexiness, and generalized drama and sassiness. I honestly couldn’t see this pair with anybody else! However Katie made this pair, she did really well!

Aisling is becoming a Guardian, while her lover is a dragon. They have since “mated”, so the story builds and gets more interesting from here. This is the second last book in the series for now, but I do hope we get more! Since I’ve read most of the dragon books, I can say she appears in future books but she isn’t the lead.

The comedy in this book is spot on and amps it up from the last book. It definitely keeps the plot moving forward with lots of funny quirks, mixed in with the sexy Drake, super cute romance scenes and drama thrown in throughout. While the story does leave off in a place that feels like it doesn’t need to be continued, I wish it would! These characters bond way too well together for this to be the absolute end. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Katie will one day continue this series. So, cross your fingers!

I would definitely recommend this book to readers who love romance with a lot of comedy in it. The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, with an abundance of jokes (and a lot of Jim, the main source of comedy, present again) throughout the book. The book has many fantasy elements (obviously – dragons), but isn’t a purely dramatized novel. It’s very fun, is borderline PG-13, and has ooey, gooey romance that makes you squirm and giggle along the way.

Overall, I love this book! I’ve read it way too many times to count and I’ll keep reading it! It’s one of those books I like to read when I’m having a bad day because it’s just so much fun! Katie MacAlister is the QUEEN of dragon books!

Five out of five stars!

 

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads

Amazon.com – Light My Fire

Amazon.ca – Light My Fire

 

Check out the entire Aisling Grey series (which is apart of the Dragon Sept series): on Goodreads.

Or find out more about Katie MacAlister, one of my fave authors, on:

Goodreads – Katie MacAlister

http://www.katiemacalister.com/

Twitter – @katiemacalister

 

If you enjoyed this review, check out more of my reviews of Katie MacAlister books:

#BookReview Men in Kilts by Katie MacAlister

#BookReview In The Company of Vampires by Katie MacAlister

#BookReview You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister

Comment below – what is your favourite type of fantasy books?

And if you enjoyed this review, check out my twitter for urgent updates! @ReviewAlholic

 

 

 

#BookReview Dare to Dream by Hudson Lin from the Rogue Nights Anthology Collection

Due to time constraints, I was only able to read Hudson Lin’s story. But, if the rest of these stories are half as good as Dare to Dream by Hudson Lin, then this anthology is absolutely fantastic!

This story follows Diego and Derek, two laws students, and their growing bond. Diego is a DACA recipient who learns the importance of standing up for what you believe in. Not only is there some super sexy scenes between Diego and Derek (because, we all know how magical Hudson Lin is with her romance/sexy writing abilities) but there is a lot of character growth within this short story.

I would definitely recommend this anthology series – I’ve read many of the previous ones. The political themes that are mixed in with romance (and sometimes erotica) make this a unique set of stories that don’t fit the typical romance mold. Not all stories will work for all readers, but you are guaranteed to have at least one story you love or can relate to.

My biggest problem was that this story was way too short! I want more from each of these stories!

Five out of five stars!

I received an advanced reader’s copy because I am apart of Hudson Lin’s ARC review team!

 

If you are interested in this book, you can locate it on:

Goodreads

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Kobo

Barnes & Nobles

Chapters/Indigo/Coles

 

Check out my other review of the Rogue anthology series:

#BookReview Rogue Hearts (Anthology) by Tamsen Parker, Amy Jo Cousins, and more

#BookReview Rogue Affair by Adriana Anders, Tamsen Parker and more!

#BookReview Rogue Desires by Tamsen Parker, Adriana Anders, Amy Jo Cousins and more!

 

Give me a shout out on Twitter and Facebook!

#BookReview Something Like Love by Sara Richardson

 

Time for a quick book review of a super, fantastic book that I am totally obsessed with!!!

 

Something Like Love was an excellent romance/drama novel!

I loved this book! Lately I have been craving a good romance novel, and this filled the void! Sara Richardson did an excellent job writing this book!

I very rarely found it boring. I can’t remember a time reading it where I felt the need to put it down. While it didn’t have me hooked at every single word, I craved to continue the story and know what was going to happen to Paige and Ben.

The novel moves smoothly and doesn’t have any chapters that seem out of place. All of the situations seem realistic and not like a cheesy soap opera. It was a good quality romance novel! I became super attached to Paige and Ben, and I already have multiple copies of other books by Sara Richardson physically on my to-be-read shelf at home for a rainy day! I can’t wait to pick up more, and I highly suggest this author and her books!

Her books aren’t rated R by any means-  they are super sweet and contemporary (with a hint of sexy cowboy). I’d highly recommend this book! It’s an absolute must read from this reviewer!

Overall, I loved it! I want to read the first novel in this series and continue on with the rest of the books.

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Something Like Love

Amazon.com – Something Like Love

Amazon.ca – Something Like Love

Check out Sara Richardson on:

Goodreads – Sara Richardson

http://www.sararichardson.com/

Twitter – @SaraR_Books

 

If you read this review, give me a shout out on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

And comment below with your fave novel of all time!

#BookReview Hardwired by Meredith Wild

Hardwired by Meredith Wild was a fantastic romance novel that had me addicted to each and every word.

When reading the back synopsis of this novel, it may appear to be similar to Fifty Shades of Grey, but this novel is far better! Not only does the plot build up and create conflict, but there is character development, romance and a little bit of suspense! It’s a great read for someone wanting a little splash of everything.

Erica, our main character, has a strong personality and does not seem like a wash-out type of character. Her story is slowly released throughout the novel and her relationships with characters seemed real and not forced.

There were not many issues I had with the novel. If anything, I would have preferred it to be just a few more chapters longer to tie up a few loose ends, but this novel is part of a series so that isn’t a big issue.

Overall, I loved this novel. I want to read the rest of the books in this series!

Five out of five stars for this addicting novel.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

Have you read Meredith Wild’s books before? Which one if your favourite? Comment below!
If you love Meredith Wild, you might enjoy this book too: Quick Review – Personal Geography by Tamsen Parker

Use the hashtags #BriarsReviews and #HackerSeries on twitter if you read this review! @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts

 

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts is one of my favourite romances!

I love wedding themed works – movies, books, art, pictures, clothing, dresses, make-up, hair, etc! I love all of it and I am totally obsessed with the beauty! At the time of reading this book, I was OBSESSED with wedding dress shows, so it was only fitting that I binged all four book in this fantabulous series!

Nora writes a beautiful contemporary romance novel that fits well within the series. It moves as a steady pace and is full of super sweet drama and romance that will make your heart melt. The plot is simple, yet it works so elegantly. Normally I’d get bored with a book like this, but this series just hit me the right way.

What really shines in this book is not the romance, but the friendship and companionship of the four women! While I do love the ooey gooey romance Nora provides, I love that the female friendship was such an integral part of the story. It’s something that I feel is missing from literature these days! Good, quality friendships!

Nora has won me over and I definitely want to read more by her! I also hope to find more books like this, because it totally wow-ed my socks off! The cover was also stunning, which added to feel of this book.

If there is a negative about this book, it’s that it is so simple and a relatively “typical” plot for a romance novel. To me, I loved it! Yes it’s not mind blowing, but it was well written and was a lovely binge read. Additionally, the reader is bound to find certain girls more interesting than the others in this four part series. I definitely related to two of the girls more than the others, but all readers are different!

I’d definitely recommend this series if you want a super cute romance novel that isn’t going to make you think hard. It’s soft, sweet and fun! Plus, it’s closer to a PG or PG-13 rating, so it’s nice and calm!

Five out of five stars!

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Bed of Roses

Amazon.com – Bed of Roses

Amazon.ca – Bed of Roses

 

Find out more about Nora Roberts on:

Goodreads – Nora Roberts

http://www.noraroberts.com/

 

Did you enjoy this review? Check out another you might enjoy! #BookReview Driving on the Left by Gail Ward Olmsted

Also, give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this review! @ReviewAlholic

And comment below – have you read any books by Nora Roberts?

#BookReviews Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi

Girls that Growl by Mari Mancusi is a great addition to the Blood Coven Vampires series.

This book continues this series in an excellent manner all the while expanding the universe even farther. Our lead, Rayne, grows as a character which is a nice change compared to many YA novels where our leads stay the same throughout the entire series.

Mari explores lycan within this book alongside Rayne’s character development. While this isn’t my favourite book out of the entire series (this is actually my least favourite, when I look back at all the books – including the new one), I feel like this book does it’s job – it moves the story forward so we can get to the next novels. Don’t be turned away by this book – yes, it’s not as great as the last two books but the following books get much, much better than this one. There always seems to be one book in a series that isn’t as great as the rest (there has to be, not all books can be perfect) and this book is it in this series. The previous and following books are definitely worth reading this book so you can get to all the adventure and romance we love.

There is more Sunny in this book, but the main focus is Rayne. It’s nice to see both girls have a bigger presence in this book!! There is also a bit more exploration of Jareth, for those who love him…

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Re-reading it was an excellent choice for me and I definitely suggest picking this book up!!

Five out of five stars.

 

Check out Mari on Goodreads! Mari Mancusi on Goodreads

Or visit her site: Mari Mancusi’s Website

Tell Mari you read her book on twitter:  @MariMancusi

Did you enjoy the Blood Coven series? Well, it has it’s own website!! Blood Covens Series by Mari Mancusi

Find me on Goodreads, where you can get up to date posts as soon as available: Briar’s Reviews on Goodreads

Or swing by Twitter and give me a shout out!! Briar’s Reviews on Twitter

 

Photo from Goodreads.