Love Letters

Pretty cute. Full review to come.

Probably a 3.5 stars. An enjoyable read, and I thought the author portrayed the life of a baseball player pretty good. Well, pretty good for what my imagination of it would be. Not that I actually know any real baseball players.

ANYWAY. It was a good book, I liked it!

Enjoyed this one! I just thought it needed a bit more polish. Also, the dialogue was awkward at times. Other than that, a pretty good read.

Super cute! First time reading this author, but I might have to go check out her Redhead series now... Loved this one!

First book from the author (even though it's the second book in the series), and I enjoyed it! Full review to come.

Loved it!

I really enjoyed this one. Great character development. Full review to come.

Not as creepy as previous books in the novel, but I think that's because it focused mostly on Dex and Perry's relationship. Definitely not a bad thing. Full review to come.

Really enjoyed this one! Super hot. Loved the hero!

Probably 3.5 stars. Review to come.

Long, long ago (like last year) Laura Kaye wrote a little novella called Hearts in Darkness. Barbara read this hidden gem first, then sent me an e-mail going on and on about how great it was, telling me I just had to read it. I finally gave in, even though I didn’t “do” novellas. I was hooked from the very first page. There was so much emotion and chemistry packed into that little book, and I loved the unique idea of a couple who got to know each other before they’d even seen each other. Ever since then, Barbara and I have kept Kaye on our radar. I haven’t had a chance to read Kaye’s last couple of releases, but Barbara did and let’s just say she was, er, less than overwhelmed. I decided to jump on One Night with a Hero anyway, hoping that Kaye had found her mojo again and I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Brady grew up in an abusive home and his answer to dealing with it was shoving all his memories and feelings into a little box and throwing away the key. The only reason why Brady is even stateside anyway is because that box exploded open and Brady caused a bar fight with a superior officer. Brady has now been branded a trouble maker, and if he doesn’t get his crap together, he’s out. A lot of page time is focused on Brady: his past, his thoughts, his feelings, and his motivation. I really enjoyed his character progression from a perpetually pissed off man who exploded at the smallest thing, to one who was able and willing to open up, and to love and be loved.

Not nearly as much time was spent with Joss. That isn’t to say that I didn’t love her character, but I didn’t know her as well as Brady. Joss never really goes into detail about her past, only that she lived with two foster families and spent the rest of her youth living in a center. Her biggest fear is for no one to want her, and she managed to fall in love with the one man that does want her, but is struggling with his inner demons and doesn’t feel worthy to have her right now. And then, horror of all horrors to a brand new couple, Joss gets pregnant. And what little relationship the two had outside the bedroom completely deteriorates when Brady’s temper rears it’s ugly head.

Despite all the communication problems between Brady and Joss, the chemistry between the two is smokin’ hot. Sexual chemistry is one thing Kaye does well, down to the simple things like the way they look at each other, or a touch placed just so. It sends that zing up my spine that I crave. In this book, the couple does everything backwards. They fall into bed together, then they find out Joss is pregnant, then they do the dating thing. It’s really sweet and wonderful, and it worked for them. By the time they finally gave in, I didn’t feel jipped of a courtship, or that it was all too insta-love.

One Night with a Hero was a fun, quick and sexy read. I wish there would have been more in-depth character development for Joss, and I felt like she could have forgiven Brady a lot sooner than she did. Kaye drew it out a little too long for it to be believable. But despite all that, I really enjoyed the book and it left me feeling happy and content.

I love the snark! I'd forgotten how funny Sophie is. Great ending to the series!

I’m a regular reader of JLA’s blog, and when she slyly mentioned that Amazon had released Deity early, I hurried over there and two clicks later I had a brand spankin’ new copy downloaded on my Kindle. Don’t you just love the digital age? Thank goodness I didn’t have to go anywhere on Friday, and in between moments of playing with the munchkin, I read as much as I could. Deity was AWESOME.

I am continually impressed with JLA’s ability to progress a series. A lot of authors fall into the “filler novel” trap, where one or two books seem to serve no purpose other than to make the series longer than it should be. I have never encountered that problem with either of JLA’s YA series. Each book has a purpose, a focus, and Deity is no exception. Although, I can’t believe where JLA took her characters in this book. Talk about shock and awe!

I just want to state for the record, that I was freakin’ RIGHT about Seth. I never thought of him as a possible romantic interest for Alex. He always seem too obsessed with himself and his status as Apollyon to ever let anyone into that small circle, including Alex. I always thought that the Team Seth and Team Aiden business was complete nonsense. It always was, and always ever will be, Aiden. And let me tell you folks, Aiden really steps up his game in this book. We are finally able to see some resolution between him and Alex, and the fall is so sweet. Aiden, I salute you my friend. I’ve been wary of you up until this point, unsure if you could do right by Alex. But you’ve proven yourself, and I’m now your biggest fan.

Seth broke my heart. I guess the lure of power was too much, and Seth wasn’t strong enough to resist. I’ve always loved Seth’s character. He’s arrogant, sexy and selfish, and I could never tell if he was the hero or the villain. But he had a vulnerable and fun side that pushed through every once in awhile, and I lived for those moments. Oh Seth, please be savable. I’m not sure if I could fully enjoy the series if you don’t find your happily ever after too.

And then there’s the ending. Holy cliffhanger Batman! It’s a good thing we don’t have to wait too long for the next book, because I’m dying to know what happens next. Although I feel strongly that Alex’s world is only going to get worse before it gets better. SOB.

Deity was full of action and packed the emotional punch typical of JLA, which keeps bringing me back for more. An exciting addition to the Covenant series, and a definite must read!

Maybe 3.5 stars? I'm a little frustrated with the pacing of the whole series. I feel like I don't know anymore about Charley now in the fourth book, than I did in the first.

Full review to come.

Loved! Full review to come.

3.5 Stars

I loved both Chad and Bridget in this book. Chad is a professional baseball player and is a bit of a bad boy with an ego big enough to fill the stadium he plays in. If there is one thing JLA does well, it’s her bad boys. Chad’s sexiness oozes through the pages, and I couldn’t help but love him despite his faults. Bridget is quirky and off-the-wall weird (at least her clothes are anyway), but it somehow works for her. She isn’t Chad’s typical style, being tall and curvaceous instead of model thin, and she’s anxious about it at first but after realizing that Chad wants her just as she is, she gets over it real quick. I would too if I had an uber sexy baseball player looking at me with lust in his eyes. Ahem.

The chemistry was typical JLA – and therefore amazing – but I wasn’t a big fan of structure/plot of the story. They meet in a bar, then lose track of each other until a chance meeting throws them together again, and when Chad is photographed kissing Bridget in public, Chad’s publicist basically blackmails Bridget into being his fake girlfriend. The pretend dating scenario not my favorite trope, and I wish there would have been a lot more tension in the beginning. It all seemed too easy. Also, JLA tends to use a lot of common slang in her writing, and normally it’s hilarious. The slang was a little over-the-top in this book, and it felt like she was trying too hard to bring in the humor. But that’s a super minor issue and definitely not a deal breaker.

I really enjoyed the book, it was a quick read and I’d recommend it for those of you looking for a love story with a ton of sizzle on the side. The next book in the series will feature Chandler, the oldest Gamble brother, and I believe we were introduced to the next heroine in Tempting the Player, but don’t quote me on that. If I’m right, I’ll be very interested in finding out how JLA is going to pull off making her look good. She was hideously awful in this book, and not anywhere close to being likable. *shudders*

My Rating: B+