Mini-reviews of New Adult and Romance novels that I enjoyed
If you've been reading the Between Breaths series like I have (technically they can standalone but I started at the beginning), then you know Rachel as being a flirtatious party girl who tends to hook up with athletes. Of the three friends, she was my least favorite but I always knew there was more to her story and it's finally revealed here. Rachel is home for the summer to help her mom with her store and room with her oldest friend Dakota. She doesn't know what to expect from her summer but she gets two big surprises. One, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart after they got into a motorcycle accident is trying to atone for what he did. And two, the person who helped nurse Rachel back to health is back in her life too. His name is Kai and he happens to be Dakota's brother, also crashing at the same apartment as Rachel and a hot tattooed musician (best combo ever!). The book alternates between their point-of-views. Her trying to let go of the past and open her heart; him trying to figure out what to do with his life and how to be a part of Rachel's. The amount of drama was just right, the characters were very likable and the chemistry was hot hot hot from the beginning.
Promise Me This is the latest in the Between Breaths series. It features Nate and Jessie (who had small cameos in the previous books) and their friendship-turned-romance. Nate is known for being quite the womanizer but what most people don't know is that it's because he's traumatized by his family's history of abusive men. He doesn't want to become one of them and thinks the only solution is to not be in serious relationships. And then there's Jessie. This is one of those rare NA books where the girl doesn't actually have any baggage. She's one of Nate's good friends, independent, talented photographer, fun and is close with her family. Nate has been attracted to her but Jessie always thought he wasn't her type. Until they become closer. Nate ends up helping Jessie with a project one day and that's basically all it takes for things to take a sexier turn. I enjoyed how the drama wasn't about whether or not they had feelings for one another. That was sure (and very steamy) thing. But it was about whether Nate could let go of the past and see that he's a good guy who won't make the same mistakes as his father. Of the four books, it's actually the most serious and also one of the more enjoyable ones as well.
I talked about Love, in English in my previous Short & Sweet post and in case you needed the reminder, I loved it! It was a book that unexpectedly spoke to me and seriously brought on the feels. So I was excited to see their story continued and this time, told from Mateo's point-of-view. There's a bit of overlap with the previous book but for the most part, this is the "happily ever after" except it's still not sunshine and roses. Mateo and Vera believed in their love against all odds. Despite their age, their many differences, his marriage. What I like is that author doesn't paint a rosy picture. She emphasizes the difficulty of the choice they made. The consequences and the harsh aftermath. How every day is a fight, basically against the world, for their love. This book more than ever focuses on that. Mateo is officially divorced and Vera is living with in Madrid with him. They are both trying to find their footing in this new world. What do they do about Mateo's ex-wife, his kid, his family? Will they accept her? Will their friends? What is Vera going to do in Madrid? Will the paparazzi continue to harass them? Can they be happy? All these questions are heartbreakingly and realistically answered here. It was a great follow-up to Love, in English but I have to admit the first book is still my favorite of the two.
After I read The Pact, Kelly said I was officially a fangirl for Karina Halle and she is absolutely right! I will read just about anything this woman writes. The Pact was a surprising departure from the usual tone of her books. Don't get me wrong, still sexy as hell but much, much lighter. It's about two best friends - Linden McGregor and Stephanie Robson - who drunkenly and semi-seriously make a pact to get married at 30 if they're both still single. And let me tell you, if I had a Linden in my life, I would be all about that pact. But we first meet them while in their early 20s and revisit what their lives are like at 26, 27, and so on until 30. What I liked is that it didn't jump straight into the romance. It establishes their friendship, their connection and that time when you're trying to figure out what you want in life. I really related to that part of it. The ups and downs of figuring things out personally, professionally and romantically. It's a messy time. But each of them get their lives together and by the time they hit 30, it's inevitable the lines of friendship were going to blur. The romance and chemistry between them was just WOW. I mean, a lot of it had to do with the author's description of Linden and his overall hotness. But I seriously loved Linden and Stephanie together. I've always been a big fan of friends becoming more and this was just so sexy and fun. It's a perfect read to get lost in for a couple hours.
Did you read and enjoy these books as much as I did?
Or do you have any NA or romance recs for me?
Let me know in the comments!
Okay, see, I really want to read The Pact but I honestly want to know if that's the best place to start with her! Do you think I'd like it?
ReplyDeleteI didn't really like Christina Lee's first book (see, I even forgot the title) so I'm not so sure about picking up another book by her in the near future. But The Pact, this, I gotta read now. Amazon has been recommending it to me left and right and I've never read a Karina Halle book before (*hides*) so maybe I should, once and for all. Thank you for all of these bite-sized reviews!
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