Cover Reveal: Drift by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt.

There’s no way Lydia--oldest and most responsible of the tight-knit Rodriguez clan--is going to let her nosy family find out about the uncharacteristic work screw-up that landed her a paid suspension. To keep busy and avoid panic, she enrols in a life enrichment class. The first guest speaker is a handsome artist with a wicked smile and eyes that melt right through her.
Even the “ice princess” can’t help but feel an immediate spark that lights her blood on fire. 
Isaac Ortiz is unquestionably the sexiest man Lydia has ever met. The talented son of a famous Spanish artist, he’s constantly moving from one new glamorous city to another, working if and when the muse visits him.
He also has a stare that makes Lydia’s heart race and hands that look more than capable of making her scream with pleasure. She shouldn’t be attracted to this free-spirit who makes all his own rules--but she is.
There’s just one hiccup....Isaac is nineteen.
Lydia has lived her entire life firmly inside the box, and being with a younger man is definitely outside the safe confines she enjoys.
So why can’t she stay away from him? And why is she seriously considering his proposition to take off to a place she’s never been...just because?
When Lydia is invited back to work with a cleared name, she should be overjoyed.
But the reality is, Lydia doesn’t know what anchors her life anymore...or if she wants to be anchored at all. Should she travel the world with Isaac? Or continue down the road that she’s worked long and hard to pave for herself? Choosing one means losing the other, and Lydia isn’t sure if she’s ready to drift with the current that’s pulling her by the heart.

 

So excited for the next Lengths book! I find Lydia to be one of the most interesting side characters so I'm looking forward to her story!

 

Much Love!

Lettie

Xxx

Blog Tour: Ties by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt.

When a shiny new convertible arrives for her twenty-first birthday, Hattie Beckett has had enough of her absent dad trying to buy a place in her life. It’s time for him to face her--or get out of her life forever.
She tosses some clothes in a bag, looks up her father’s last known address, and sets her GPS for Silver Stand, California.
When she arrives at a beach-bum paradise that’s totally foreign to her New England upbringing and finds nothing but an empty lot where her dad maybe once lived, her immediate instinct is to pack up her car and head right back to Connecticut.
But she also finds... Deo. The half-brother she never knew she had. He and his hippy-dippy mom insist that Hattie stick around—at least for the summer. And with all of her friends spending the summer abroad, what else does she have to do?
Her ideas about family are blown wide open as Deo and Marigold pull her in with their charm and love. But there’s still a huge question mark where her dad is concerned, and that question mark definitely looms over her ideas about love and relationships.
When Hattie meets Ryan, the college dropout turned competitive sailor, her perspective flips with her heart. Like it or not, Hattie is falling fast and hard for Ryan... even if it’s the last thing that she expected - and the last thing her newly found brother wants for her.
Why?
I have been a massive fan of the Lengths series since I fell in love with Deo and Whit last year- I knew I had to read Ties!

What I loved:
Plot-  Normally the 'secret child' plot never works out to well as the characters don't react naturally or it doesn't fit with the series plot. However from how Deo's dad, Dante, was described it was always a possibility that there could be a number of unknown children so the idea slotted in with the series. . I really enjoyed how it was written into the series and how all the existing characters reacted to Hattie. I loved that Hattie took off to face her absent Dad and ended up discovering a whole new family in Silver Strand.  The existing characters all reacted naturally and well to the appearance of Hattie partly I think to nature of Dante and partly because they are a welcoming bunch of people! I think it was interesting to see how Dante's actions and present based parenting had affected the personalities and lives of Deo and Hattie, two very different people with different upbringings. Deo had slowly accepted Dante for who he was and just cut him out whereas Hattie was stuck between resenting him and wanting to understand him. It was interesting to see how being in Silver Strand challenged her ideals and perspectives.
Silver Strand- I loved how welcoming everyone was towards Hattie! Marigold opened her home and her heart to Hattie despite the fact she was the result of Dante cheating on her. I love Marigold so I really enjoyed reading her again and I think she's responsible for the majority of relationships in Silver Strand! It was great to read Grandad again- for obvious reasons he had a much minor role in Depths and Limits but in Ties he was forefront again and his welcoming nature and quick wit were as entertaining as always. I knew Deo would make a brilliant big brother and he lived up to my expectations. Deo was his usal charming self but he managed to be over protective, caring and compassionate towards Hattie as well as knowing when to back down!  I love that Whit, Maren, Gen and the Rodriguez sisters have formed their own little group and how they immediately induced Hattie in. I was so pleased that Hattie liked Lydia because we got a positive picture of her for a change! I also enjoyed seeing the previous three couples from Hattie's point of view as she had a complete lack of prior knowledge.
Ryan- I knew Ryan sounded familiar but in Lengths I only had time for Deo! However Ryan completely took my love in Ties! I adored him from his whistling shirtless debut to his surprising ending. I found him to be honest, passionate and committed! I liked that he'd turned over a new leaf and how he reflected on his past so honestly.  I loved his passion for boats and sailing in it's purest form not for profit or competition.I loved how he really grew into his passion and took Hattie's comments to heart! I liked how he was with Hattie, he seemed to get her almost perfectly and managed for awhile to play her at her own game.

What I didn't love as much:
Hattie's family and friends- I feel like once Hattie for to Silver Strand her mum, best friend and potential home love interest are very rarely mentioned! I wanted to see her mum and kay reaction to her unknown family.
Bex- I couldn't stand his arrogance and overly competitive nature! He was so self centred and harsh, I couldn't believe how he complained that after spending years sleeping around and spending money he now found it boring! I sadly imagine he was quite a realistic character and as the book went on he annoyed me even more!

Rating!

I loved the realistic characters, the Silver Strand community and the clever plot!

Have you read the Lengths series?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Mini Reviews: Liz Reinhardt Edition!

Mini reviews~ Sometimes I love a book but I just can't do a full review or I just back log reviews!

*This is a new feature so the format isn't fully tested! Please let me know what you think!* I try to keep them short and sweet!

I found Liz Reinhardt through her collaborations with Steph Campbell and NetGalley! I knew straight away she would be on my Mini Review list :) She even has a straight run of 4 Hearts!

Depths

Do you believe in love at first phone call? Cohen Rodriquez, Deo’s hilarious, über responsible best friend in LENGTHS got dumped by his long-time girl because he’s ‘not impulsive enough,’ and he's burned up. But maybe, just maybe, she’s more right than he wants to admit. So he starts to date. A lot. But no one really feels like the one. And the more girls he dates, the more Cohen’s convinced she isn’t really out there. Luckily he has Maren—the girl with the sexy voice who always cracks the best jokes. They’ve been talking daily for a year…on the phone. What started as all work soon blooms into friendship. Then she asks him. Do you want to meet? He's scared out of his mind to ruin the one easy, fun relationship he has going for him. But he takes the plunge, and things are just fine, totally easy and comfortable. Except that they both sense it's not strictly platonic...there is an undeniable attraction and absolute raw chemistry between them…and every time they're in the same room, that attraction gets deeper and harder to ignore. Maren could be the best thing that’s ever happened to Cohen… Or she could send his carefully compartmentalized life into a tailspin. Cohen has to decide if he’s ready to let go of his comfortable fantasy and embrace the one girl who might be able to change his luck in love.
 
I loved Lengths so much I could not wait for Depths!
What I loved:
Cohen- I loved him! He was so different from Deo, less wild but not boring, he was a genuinely nice guy. I felt so bad for him, questioning who he was and how he behaved all because his ex was so mean! I loved how gentlemanly he was on all those dates and with Maren. 
Bromance- I loved Deo and Cohen together! They really complemented each other as best friends, Deo slotted into Cohen's family and vice versa. I loved how Deo was so straight with Cohen, it was exactly what Cohen needed! I liked how Whit just slotted into the setup as well!
What I didn't love as much:
Jason- He was so disgusting and had absolutely no morals! He was important to the plot but I did not like him at all!
Maren's family- There was lots of discussion about Maren's family but I wanted to see more of them, especially her mother and sister. It was such an intriguing family drama!

I loved the characters, the plot and I can not wait to read more about the Rodriquez family in the next part of this series! 

 

Fall Guy

Fiery Evan Lennox is dreading community service, until she meets Winchester Youngblood.
Winch is mysterious and sexy as hell, and Evan soon finds herself falling for his bad boy charm.
But Winch has some dark secrets of his own and they threaten to destroy everything.
Should Evan follow her instincts and give into temptation . . . or will Winchester prove too hot to handle?










I was initially put off this series because I thought Youngblood was a paranormal reference but I decided to give it a chance when I saw it on NetGalley! It definitely isn't paranormal but I maybe should have read the Breanna Blixen books first as it's kind of a spin off.
What I loved:

Savannah- I love the idea of Savannah, it made for a beautiful setting!

Premise- I loved the community service angle, it was really unique to me and made for some very passionate and different interactions and situations. I also enjoyed how the story focussed on the together part of the relationship rather than the getting together part, it was interesting to see how they dealt with all the awkward issues in their way. I loved the Youngblood family, maybe not the older generation, but I liked how devoted to each other they seemed and how that negatively affected almost all of the children.

Characters- Evan and Winch were beautifully flawed, I liked how well they clicked together; their personalities and lives really complimented each other. Winch was such a decent guy just being misused by his family, the conflict in his life was so clear and intriguing to read that I couldn't stop until I knew how he was going to get away from it all. I loved the individual personalities of the Youngbloods, from Ithaca's fierce defiance to Benali's dutiful peace-making to Colt's passion for the wrong sport, I could really see how different they were and it made me impatient for the next instalment!

What I didn't love as much:

Writing style- Liz's writing style initially bothered me I can't put my finger on why. However once I adjusted to it I sped through both Fall Guy and Double Clutch.

Older Characters- The older generation seemed to be very contradictory. Evan's Grandma spoke of risking everything for love but didn't support Evan doing just that. The Youngblood parents were selfishly using their children for their own gain regardless of how that affected their health etc. I also found Remy very self destructive, he seemed like a likeable guy but he kept on wrecking his own life for no real reason knowing full well he wasn't just ruining his own life.

I loved the premise, the characters and I cannot wait to read the next book!

 

Double Clutch



Who to choose . . .?
Thrust back into school life after a year in Denmark, Brenna Blixen is soon making new friends and catching the eye of two boys with bad reputations. There's the dark and mysterious Saxon, and the gorgeous and sexy Jake.
They're both totally hot and totally into Brenna.
But Saxon and Jake have unresolved history and Brenna's caught in the middle.
It's time to make some tough choices, fast.









I also put off Double Clutch for awhile just because I dislike love triangles! NetGalley made me give it a go and I really enjoyed it!

What I loved:
Breanna- I loved how different she was from the usual female leads! She was so  upbeat and forthright, it was great to read. I loved how her different upbringing, from Denmark to before her mum for married really affected her personality for the better. I liked her relationship with her mother and how close they were, which made it awkward when she kept certain things from her! I really admired her straight forward approach to the guys, it made a chance from the usual back and forth!
Saxon and Jake- I am in love with both of these guys! I don't want to spoil anything so I will keep my love brief. I loved how layered both of them were, both had there negative parts and were completely different yet similar. I couldn't choose between them!
Side Cast- The side cast were brilliant! I loved her parents and the family dynamic they had especially when doing up Breanna's bedroom! They were such a stable unit! I loved how Kelsie happily picked her old friendship with Breanna back up like no time had past. I liked how creative she was and her own story which was interwoven with Breanna's. Devon grew on me, initially he annoyed me but I loved the inclusion of his backstory and how Breanna included him! I liked how Folly were such an uniting force throughout the story, giving Breanna a creative outlet, a link with Saxon, Kelsie a boyfriend and a big event for everyone to attend!
 What I didn't love as much:
Ending- I like clear endings! Double Clutch ended without much conclusion. It's obviously leading in to the next books which is a positive as I do want mere Breanna, Jake and Saxon!
Love Triangle- I was already wary of the love triangle angle from the blurb. I love Jake and Saxon equally and at least one will be heartbroken :(. Which is what I dislike most about love triangles!

I loved this one despite the love triangle! I loved the literacy references, the teen girl crafts, and of course the characters!

Are you a Liz Reinhardt fan??
Much Love!
Lettie
xxx

Mini Reviews! Steph Campbell Edition!

Mini reviews~ Sometimes I love a book but I just can't do a full review or I just back log reviews!

*This is a new feature so the format isn't fully tested! I think I will post the cover, blurb, one thing I loved and one thing I didn't and a rating!*

This edition is dedicated to Steph Campbell- one of my favourite 'new' authors. Together with Liz Reinhardt she released her latest book, Depths, early this week and at 77p- how kind is that!

Delicate
Sydney Pierce has just met the guy of her dreams…just don’t tell her psycho boyfriend, Trevor.
With a gorgeous boyfriend, a thriving gymnastics career and a stellar academic record, anyone would assume that Sydney has it all. That's precisely what the seventeen-year-old perfectionist wants you to believe, and she works hard to keep up the pretense. Especially now that there are cameras following her for a documentary on Olympic hopefuls.
When Grant, the charming new student, disrupts her carefully crafted routine, the cracks beneath her perfect façade begin to rise to the surface and despite Trevor's objections to their friendship, she can't stay away from him.
As her connection to Grant pulls her closer to him, the once lighthearted relationship with Trevor takes an intense and dark turn, forcing her into a position in which not only her happiness, but her safety is at stake. Can Sydney learn to let go of everything she is clinging to in order to gain everything she has ever wanted, or will she realize her breaking point too late?

I had to read this one before Grounding Quinn as it's the prequel! As usual it was 77p!
What I Loved:
Quinn- Quinn definitely shone in this book! I enjoyed getting a sneak peek of her personality and her issues. It made me desperate to read Grounding Quinn.
Gymnastics- The inclusion of gymnastics was really different. Sydney's devotion, really set her apart from her friends and made her character much more engaging.The documentary, although intrusive, was a brilliant plot device!
Grant- I LOVED him! He was such a decent guy and so perceptive. I loved how he treated Sydney and how he built up a relationship with her.
What I Didn't Love as Much:
Depth- Delicate wasn't as 'deep' as Grounding Quinn despite the subject matter! It certainly suited the characters but I wanted more!

I loved the plot and the characters, it really set the scene for Grounding Quinn!

Lengths.

Nineteen-year-old Whit Conrad leaves her conservative Pennsylvania home for sunny California, looking for independence, a fresh start, and a place to stash her grief. She promptly finds a job at a tattoo parlour, a craptastic first apartment, and one friend—Ryan—who is a little less friend, a little more benefits.
Deo Beckett is a soulful surfer with a passion for tattoos and beautiful women. On the eve of his twenty-second birthday, he finds himself living with his grandfather, recently unemployed, and seriously adrift. He doesn’t know much about what he wants out of life, but he does know his current situation isn't cutting it.
When Deo meets Whit, she’s all sexy makeup and fierce, smart-ass fun. It doesn’t take him long to see past her tough shell. And when he gets a good look at what's under all the superficial stuff that usually gets his attention, it leaves Deo wondering if there might be more to life than living fast and free.
Too bad Whit has a past she doesn't plan on sharing—no matter how hot Deo is. She might want him, but she knows better than to let her guard down.
Deo falls for Whit, and falls hard. But everything about her, down to that mysterious tattoo and the way she thrashes in her sleep, tells him that the girl he loves is hiding something. And the more he pushes for answers, the more Whit pulls away.
Having your guard up is one thing, but are the lengths Whit goes to to protect her secret worth throwing away the second chance she has at happiness with Deo?

I was so excited when I found Lengths for 77p- at the time it was the only Steph Campbell book I hadn't read!
What I Loved:
Whit- I really felt for Whit- she made one rash and immature statement that most people in her situation would of and it led to the worst possible consequence! I admired how she had struck out on her own and worked so hard to make up for it. I loved how she 'tamed' Deo but she did frustrate me with her inability to let Deo in properly!
Side Characters- The side characters made this book so entertaining! Deo's Mum, Marigold, was such a hippie fun character! She was so good to Whit and I loved her relationship with Rocko. I liked how Rocko bonded with Whit and how good he was for Marigold. Deo's Grandad was the perfect old veteran- I loved how much he positively influenced Deo and all his sarcastic comments. I was also intrigued by Cohen, he was a really good friend to Deo seeing the best in him when he couldn't and giving him tough love when he needed it- Excited for his book!
What I Didn't Love as Much:

More- I just wanted to read more of Deo and Whit together! Maybe more of Whit reconnecting with her family. Maybe Deo's Dad to popping up! So glad that Cohen got his own book so I get more of him!

I have picked this one back up time and time again- it is such an engaging story and the characters are so full of life!

A Toast to Good Times

It’s the eve before Christmas Eve, and all that twenty-three-year-old Landry has on the agenda for the holiday is moping in the bar that he left everything behind to open.
And he’s got plenty to mope about.
He found his girlfriend treating herself to a little holiday delight with his best friend;
He hasn’t seen his family in over a year- since he alienated them all and ended up spending a night in jail;
And he may have just ruined the perfect, uncomplicated thing he had going with his platonic hot roommate, Mila.
Drinks all around!
But when he gets a call from his sister, Paisley, begging him to make it home for a huge announcement, he tosses aside his better judgement, (or, what’s left of it after that last round of drinks) and hops on the first train back home to Jersey.
But home for the holidays isn’t all mugs of cocoa and fireside chats with his family.
Landry left the people he loves the most high and dry when he fled to Boston and spent all of his inheritance…the inheritance money that he was supposed to use to help save his family’s floundering bar.
His dad will hardly look at him, his ex is maybe stalking him, his sister has dropped a bombshell on the family, and a flame from the past catches his eye. When Landry’s present and near past collide, it only further complicates things.
Landry thought he was leaving all of his problems behind when he left his family in New Jersey. But he comes home to find out that problems, like family, never go away. And sometimes facing the past with the help of someone who’s fearless about the future is the only way to move on.
Cheers?

I was so excited for another Campbell and Reinhardt collab! It didn't let me down!
What I Loved:
Viewpoint- I loved the strong male viewpoint. Landry was hilarious and gave real insight into his thoughts and feelings especially surrounding his family issues and Mila. Which was good it made sure he came across properly as some of his actions would have seemed awful from another point of view!
Relationship- I loved how the relationship developed slowly and realistically especially as Mila and Landry were in different places emotionally. I liked how their roles weren't rigid and they adapted and changed to accommodate each other.
Family- Landry's family was so detailed and layered! I liked the issues that Landry had with them,they weren't over the top or too much just sadly realistic. I loved how they started resolving their issues and getting back to their old relationships.
Toni- Perfect secondary character! I loved how brilliant her advice was and how even though she still had feelings for Landry she knew they didn't belong together. She was so good to rise above what had happened between them and give him honest advice.
What I Didn't Love as Much:
Boston- I wanted more of Landry and Mila in Boston together- just because I loved them together!
Heather/Tyler- What a selfish and inappropriate couple!

I really enjoyed this collaboration- it was fast paced and full of surprises, great read!

Beautiful Things Never Last.

It’s been a year since Quinn's life was changed for good by that Christmas kiss from Ben.
A year spent getting her life together. No more crazy parents looking over her shoulder, no more self-destructive behavior or secrets. Now, she and Ben share everything— including a tiny apartment, and a beautiful love.
Since he met Quinn, Ben’s life has been full of change. After finally standing up to his mom, he’s cut ties with his family and moved across the country with the only girl he’s ever wanted. But there’s something to be said for feeling needed, and he’s not sure that he is anymore.
When Quinn’s accepted into a month long culinary program in Italy, she’s ecstatic. But while she’s in a gorgeous country learning gnocchi and pesto, Ben’s blowing off her calls and pulling back.
But someone from Ben’s past walks back into his life, and he finally feels like he has a purpose again. Someone to take care of... Someone to save.
When Quinn returns, and the who's and why's of Ben's behaviour are revealed, how does she have any choice but to walk away from the only guy she's ever loved?
And how can Ben ever learn to let her go?

I was so desperate to pick this one up that I got an American friend to buy it for me!

What I Loved:

Carter and Shayna- Shayna was so different from Grounding Quinn and I really wanted to read more about how she  had progressed to such a committed relationship. I loved how Shayna and Quinn had begrudgingly become friends! Carter was so well developed in this book- I liked how he took Ben under his wing and how supportive he was of Quinn.

Quinn- Quinn's evolution! I was worried she would start becoming overly dependent on Ben but instead she became stronger in herself! I loved how she realised and accepted that Ben and her weren't perfect so mistakes would happen and how she learnt to move on from those mistakes. It was a brilliant character evolution.

What I Didn't Love as Much:
Sydney- I wanted to hear more about Sydney and her life! As Quinn's best friend I expected to read more about her!

Ben's Family- Ben's family were so over the top and inappropriate especially his mother. I mean Quinn's family had obvious and clear issues but Ben's family were unnecessarily awkward and rude. Quinn wasn't that awful that they needed to cut their only child out of her life and undermine him constantly!

I loved catching up with Quinn and Ben and seeing how much they had grown as characters as well as seeing more of Carter and Shayna!

I love Steph Campbell's books- they never disappoint!

Have you read Steph Campbell?

What do you think of these Mini reviews?

Much Love!

Lettie

Xxx