Review: The Circle of Friends Book V Heather by L. Diane Wolfe

I just read L. Diane Wolfe's (who I interviewed yesterday) fifth book in The Circle of Friends series, featuring Heather. This is a YA series, and I had not read any of the previous books, but found that I was able to follow this book without any issue at all. Best of all, I enjoyed it tremendously!

Summary: Heather is in her mid-20's and has just landed her dream job as an assistant basketball coach at Clemson College. She seems tough and fierce, but life seems to be spinning out of control for her. Her father has cancer and does not have much longer to live, and she and her younger sister Dawn are always fighting, though it's more like Heather berating Dawn for every little thing. Lots of things are spinning out of control, and in the midst of everything, she also falls in love with an unexpected man, Mark, the older brother of her childhood best friend and crush, Matt.

My Thoughts: I was surprised to find that I really loved this book! I wasn't sure because it's part of a series and I hadn't read the others, and I've also been on a YA reading slump lately. I do prefer adult contemporary fiction to YA, but I found that this book could certainly appeal to BOTH groups, so it was quite a nice treat for me to read! The story was engaging with realistic characters that I wanted to keep reading about. I did not want to put this book down, even when my eyes were starting to close way best my "bedtime." Heather was not necessarily a likable character, but she was definitely an interesting one with a very intriguing story line. I also liked that she seemed to possibly grow a bit at the end of the story into a better person. Even though the book was not full of action and effects, I was drawn into Heather's world. I really enjoy reading realistic fiction. To me, it is just as interesting as fantasy because it's nice to take a peak into what seems to be someone's real life.

The Bottom Line: A great story for both teens and adults! This was a glimpse into a realistic and interesting life. I highly enjoyed it and am REALLY wanting to read the four previous books now.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Disclaimer: Though I received this book free of charge for review, these are my honest opinions.

Interview with Author L. Diane Wolfe

Today, I am very happy to have L. Diane Wolfe stop by for a book tour for the fifth book in her Circle of Friends series!

"Described as “encouragement personified”, Wolfe’s five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles. Known as “Spunk On A Stick” to her fans, Wolfe is also a professional speaker. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in North Carolina. “With a positive attitude, any goal can be achieved!” www.thecircleoffriends.net www.spunkonastick.net"

What made you want to become a writer?

I’ve been a voracious reader all my life and the writing bug bit around the age of thirteen. I felt it was an incredible form of expression, and I wanted to share with others. The desire to inspire people with a sense of hope was what drove me to pursue my author dream, though.

What made you decide to end the series?

It had to end eventually! The main characters are all in their mid to late twenties now.

Seriously though, I’d always envisioned just five books. I could select another character to follow, but I’d be forcing it at that point. The storylines for the initial five came so easy.

That said, I do have an outline for a sixth book that follows all of the main characters five years after Book V ends… So who knows if it really HAS ended!

What has been your most exciting moment as a writer?

LOL! I get excited at the simplest of things. It’s the letter or email from an excited young fan who’s caught the spirit of my series. It’s the person who comes to hear me give a talk because he was so moved the first time he heard me speak. Those are the exciting moments for me.

Do you have a favorite character of yours?

I love all my characters, but my favorites will always be Sarah and Matt. I aspire to be like Lori, but Sarah hits a little closer to home for me. And Matt is just so playful and fun! Who wouldn’t want to hang out with him?

Three things people would be surprised to know about you?

I used to be a BIG Dungeons and Dragons geek.

I’ve never seen Gone With The Wind.

I don’t eat chocolate. (I’m a vegan.)

What are some of your favorite books and authors?

Anne McCaffrey is my favorite author - I love her Dragonriders of Pern series. I also really like H. P. Lovecraft, especially his short story The Mound. Other favorite books include Watership Down and The Five Love Languages.

What were you like as a kid?

100% tomboy! I loved trucks & cars, digging in the dirt, exploring and climbing… I always wanted to be doing what the boys were doing. I had a vivid imagination and could amuse myself for hours, too.

And I have to confess - I was a bit hard on my toys. Remember the large, metal Tonka dump truck? The one that the elephant in the commercial stepped on to prove it was unbreakable?

I broke mine.

And I won’t even tell you what I did to my one and only Barbie doll…

Favorite show? Musician? Movie?

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I enjoy House, CSI, and football. Loved X-Files when it was on, too.

I love rock and prog rock! Chevelle, Ayreon, Arena, Stream of Passion, Def Leppard… I also like some new age, such as Enya and Jean Michel Jarre. Music is what inspires me the most when writing.

I don’t have one favorite movie, but The Terminator, LOTR, Legend, and The Crow rank up there toward the top. And yes, I thought Avatar was awesome!

Thanks to L. Diane for stopping by today! It was a pleasure to interview her! Tomorrow, I will post a review for The Circle of Friends Book V: Heather, which I've really enjoyed!

Review: Tempered Justice by Helene J. Smith

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! It's a novel set in the 1930's and 40's of two lovers, Dan and Steffi, who meet each other again after 20 years, coincidentally in a bar. They realize they are still very much in love... but they are both married, and Dan has three children. Their love is so intense that Dan leaves his wife, Amy, and their children, and Steffi sneaks around on her husband, Jack. Dan moves out to Steffi's town and they rent an apartment together. Meanwhile, Amy has become completely depressed and useless, leaving her three young children to take care of the family farm and try to support themselves. Meanwhile, Steffi gets pregnant by Dan, and Jack, knowing he is not able to have children, finally catches on to the situation. Believe it or not, this is only the first half of the story!

So much more happens after the pregnancy including several deaths and marriages. I will not say who any of these happen to, but you will certainly be surprised by all of the events that take place. Not only is this story about the affair, but it focuses a great deal on the families and the aftermath, and has several subplots, both romantic and suspenseful. This book has A LOT!

I really enjoyed this story and felt drawn into the events. My one complaint is that SO MUCH happens that some of it begins to seem a bit unrealistic. Aside from that, though, this book was a pleasure to read. It had drama, romance, and suspense. I'd recommend this book to people who love all of those elements in a novel. Overall, this book captured my attention and sucked me into the story.

My Rating: 4/5

P.S. I listed this in the Goodreads swap if you think you'd like to read it.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member.

Blog Tour: Her Last Chance by Michele Albert

Hot summer in the city of Philadelphia heats up even more when Avalon operative Claudia Cruz and FBI Special Agent Vincent DeLuca clash in a battle of wills and opposing philosophies while hunting down the same thief. Not being a fan of Avalon and all it represents, Vincent is as determined to catch the thief as he is to bring down this audacious woman. There's nothing he wants more ... nothing, that is, except getting her into his bed. There's a fine line between love and hate, and as Vincent discovers how easy it is to cross that line, Claudia experiences something she's never known before: what it's like to meet her match.
--From Goodreads

If you could recommend ONE book....

I absolutely love it when people ask me for book recommendations. It's so fun for me. Last week, a coworker asked me on Facebook for a book recommendation, and I made this gigantic list with descriptions of each book haha. It was probably a bit more than she expected.

Anyways, just out of curiosity and for fun, I'd like to start this new thing today. I was going to ask "if you could recommend only ONE book for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Then I started to think of what my ONE book would be, and I could not narrow it down to one, because each of the books I like to recommend are so different from one another. So I'm going to narrow it down! I'll do different categories each week, or whenever I feel like it. So today's question is...

If you could recommend only ONE book that made you laugh, what would it be?

My answer for this is Jen Lancaster's, Bitter is the New Black.

I'm really excited to see your answers!

Interview: Mary Margret Daughtridge, author of the SEALed series

I am pleased to have Mary Margret Daughtridge here today, whose book, SEALed With A Ring, I just reviewed. It is the third in her romantic series about SEALs. Welcome, Mary Margret!

Who would you cast in a movie of SEALed With a Ring?

Funny you should ask. The other night as I watched some made for TV thing, I thought, “SEALed with a Ring” would make a good movie. “Cast the movie” isn’t a game I’m very good at though. Maybe we can ask your readers for help.
Who’s a hunk with absolutely perfect features—the kind of masculine beauty that even straight men, as well as women, can’t ignore? All I could think of was a young George Clooney.

I like these two pictures because they show both how gorgeous he is and how amused he is by the whole thing. Like “I’m a lady killer and I know it, and isn’t that a hoot?”

The heroine, JJ, is also beautiful, but unlike Davy, it hasn’t made her successful with partners her own age. Between her extraordinary beauty and her executive position, she intimidates the heck out of men who aren’t twenty years older than she is. She’s recognized everywhere she goes because she looks a bit like Ava Gardner. Most of the world might have forgotten the 50’s movie star, but not the people of eastern North Carolina. She was born and raised near Smithfield, NC, and her iconic face decorates the walls of a barbeque chain restaurant.

Of actresses today, the only one I can think of who has the brunette beauty and the aura of personal power needed to portray JJ would be Angelina Jolie.
We also need an actor in his seventies to play JJ’s grandfather. He might be aging but he’s still an alpha male to the core—meaning he believes he has the right, even the duty, to order JJ to get married—since he has decided marriage would be good for her. He doesn’t realize the damage he’s doing to their relationship until too late. Peter Fonda might be a good choice.
Fun to cast would be all the supporting SEAL characters, because they would go on to star in their own sequels.

Why did you decide to write aboue SEALs?

The choice was serendipitous. For my first book, SEALed with a Kiss, I only needed a military man whose job severely limited his ability to care for a small child. (SEALs might be out of the country over 200 days a year.) As I researched SEALs to flesh out his background, I learned what remarkable men they are. I realized that although they usually “star” in action/romantic suspense, they could be excellent alpha heroes in character-driven romances—like I like to write.

Which, if any of your characters, are autobiographical, or based on someone you know?

I’m always flattered to be asked this question because it means my characters seemed very real, but I have to say all my characters are fictional. Any resemblance to anyone, living or dead, is unintentional.
Every writer draws on her experience to create characters, but the process for me is entirely unconscious. I have no idea where the bits and pieces that weave together to make up my stories come from. Indeed the only person I can say for sure that they are based on is me, since they are products of my imagination.
Several friends who are executives with privately owned businesses, including one who owns a car dealership, gave me the kind of insider knowledge that would make JJ believable. They are all intelligent, generous, dynamic, forceful women who know how to focus on their objectives, and who feel deeply their responsibility to their employees and their communities. Not one of them “is” JJ, but she’d be welcome, and she’d fit right in when we have our “Ladies’ night out.”

What's a song that always makes you want to dance?

Any waltz. As part of my research for SEALed with a Ring, I took ballroom dance lessons. I learned to waltz and it’s just as wonderful as historical romance writers make it sound.

If you could be in or on any tv show, what would it be?

Ghost Hunters. I believe in ghosts—I’ve seen a few—but I don’t believe everything I see on TV. I’d like to know if any of the show is “reality” or if all the evidence is really manufactured.
I think paranormal investigation would be a lot of fun, in fact I think it would be such fun, I’ve tucked a ghost hunting subplot into my next SEALed book. It will be out this time next year.

Thanks to Mary Marget for stopping by today!

Feature: Demon Possessed by Stacia Kane

"Psychologist and psychic Megan Chase has grown remarkably comfortable hanging out with demons. The demon "family" she leads is happy, her solo practice is stabilizing, and she and her steamy demon lover, Greyson Dante, are closer than ever. But when the couple books a week at a luxury hotel to attend a meeting of demon leaders, some unanticipated problems appear. An FBI agent with an unhealthy interest in less-than-legitimate demon business practices shows up; the demon community is urging Megan to undergo the rite that will make her a real demon; and a slightly shady minister is holding one of his wildly popular "weekend exorcisms" just down the road. And oh, yes, someone with scary magical abilities is attempting to kill her. Then, just when it seems as if things couldn't possibly get any worse, a secret comes to light that could jeopardize Megan and Greyson's future -- if Megan manages to live that long. With things heating up, it's becoming difficult for her to keep a cool head.."

-Amazon

I am happy to feature this book today for a blog tour! I guess this is the third book in the series and I've heard from some that it is a stand-alone, but have also heard from others that the series should be read in order, so before I review this one, I'm going to read and review the first two beforehand. They are Personal Demons, and Demon Inside. This looks like such a fun series, and I can't wait to read the first two!

Review: Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

I literally just finished reading Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt for Around the World Tours, and oh my goodness, what a charming little book! I was very pleasantly surprised in reading this.

Summary: Desi is a 14 year old, and sort of a social outcast after a falling out with her best friend. She hates her job dressing up as a groundhog for Pets Charming, and is nervous about starting high school. Plus, her ex-best friend Celeste, who is completely mean to her, is dating her longtime crush Hayden. Then one day, Desi sees an ad in the newspaper, looking for a Princess for Hire. It is then that Meredith appears, in a bubble, and changes Desi's life. She is told by her agent, Meredith, that she has MP (magic potential) and can work as a substitute for princesses who need a small break or vacation. When she applies the magical rouge, she will turn into the princess for a certain period of time. During the course of the story, we see Desi sub for four very different princesses, and help positively impact all of their lives during her time as their sub. We also see Desi's life change as a result of her experiences.

My Thoughts: What an adorable book, and a ton of fun! When I saw this book, I immediately wanted to read it because it reminded me of Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries, one of my all time favorite series, by featuring an unlikely and awkward princess that somehow makes a difference. Desi was an extremely lovable character, both funny and self-aware. This book paralleled the fantasy world of princess subbing very nicely with real life. As Desi changed the princesses lives, her own life changed as well, in very positive ways. I loved this book and think it would be a great story for girls to read, from age 10 and up and would hold lots of appeal for both middle grade and young adult readers. It has a positive message about being true to yourself, but is also a ton of fun! I also read in the author's bio in the back of the book that she is at work on a second Princess for Hire book, so I'm glad to see this being made into a series, and look forward to reading the next one.

The Bottom Line: A charming and fun story with great values and lots of laughs.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads, Anyone?

Okay, I must confess: I am a Goodreads addict!

A couple of months ago, I got an e-mail invite from a fellow book blogger to join Goodreads, which I'd heard of, but hadn't joined. I decided, "hey, what the heck?" so I signed up. I wasn't really into it, didn't really get it . . . but then . . . I got it!

I love it. My favorite part of it is having my TBR mountain on there. I previously kept my TBR list on a Word document, and it was a total mess. Now, I'm in the process of converting it all over to Goodreads. I love that because now I can see the book summary and book cover when I look through my list, instead of just the title on my word document. I still have a few hundred to transfer over, but I'm getting there. I also love seeing what all my blog friends are adding to their own lists, and I have added a TON more that way too.

I recently discovered the Goodreads Swap and am loving that too! I've gotten quite a few awesome books that way, and have sent some out too. I also use Paperback Swap, but I like the Goodreads Swap better. I've found that the quality of the books I receive off of Goodreads is substantially better. I love PBS, but I've gotten some books off of there in pretty poor condition.

The Neverending quiz is also a great time suck when I'm bored. I've also "met" some cool fellow book lovers from Goodreads, and I love talking books with them.

I'm still trying to figure everything out on the site, because I know there's a lot, but wow, I really love it! If you're on Goodreads, and we're not friends yet, feel free to add me! I'll link to my profile below.

http://www.goodreads.com/stephthebookworm

Review: Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

I just read Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens for Around the World Tours, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Summary: Zoe is in high school, and lives a pretty stressful life. Her little sister, Abria, has Autism, and her younger brother smokes pot. She feels like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and has been forced to become like a second mother to Abria. She loves to go out and party on the weekends and get drunk, which usually results in her hooking up with a number of different guys. Then she meets Matthias, an attractive and charming young man who she first encounters at the park when Abria has run off and he finds her. Then, she encounters him again when Abria goes missing in a parking lot a few days later. Soon she discovers that he is Abria's guardian angel, and he appears whenever Abria is in some sort of trouble. This would be a good thing, and it is, except that Zoe is falling in love with him . . .

My Thoughts: What a great story! It was so interesting and different, and I really loved reading it. The characters were fantastic and I especially enjoyed the character of Abria and the fact that the author was able to portray a character with Autism so accurately and positively. This book was certainly out of my reading comfort zone with the whole angel aspect, because I tend to gravitate more towards realism in my reading, but she did such a great job shaping the character Matthias, that most of the time, he seemed like a regular guy - which is probably why Zoe fell for him. This was a great story that of course featured romance, but focused mostly on family, and the struggles they go through together, which I really liked. The family and their problems were very realistic and heartbreaking.

The Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this story for a different kind of read. It was beautiful, sad and fun, all at once.

My Rating: 4/5

Meeting Peter Cameron

So tonight I had the honor of meeting author Peter Cameron, whose (amazing) book, Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You, I just read, loved, and reviewed. Peter was fantastic - a wonderful, kindhearted, and brilliant individual. I'm so excited about this experience that I want to write it down and share it with you all (I should be studying for my Shakespeare midterm but I'm too excited... shh!).

First he came into our classroom and answered all of our questions in a very casual setting. He walked in the room with a smile and was so ridiculously humble and down-to-earth. He had a certain air about him - you just immediately adore him because of his kind spirit. He was such a genuine person.

He answered many questions for us in the 45 minutes we got to spend with him as a class. He was funny, honest and open. I asked him if he had a favorite book of his and he gave an intelligent and thoughtful answer. He said that he doesn't have a favorite, but whichever book he is working on at the time is the book he feels the closest to. He mentioned how his older work is much different than his newer work, and that some of the things he wrote 20 years ago he would no longer be able to write and vice-versa.

He also spoke about his books that were made into movies. He said that they were much different than the images he had in his head while writing the stories. He also said that people get much more excited over movies than books, which is sad but true. I don't get those kinds of people. Books are the best thing in the world - or at least I think so. :)

He spoke a lot about James, the introverted and bitter 18 year old protagonist of the book. What he said about James struck a chord with me. James seems pretty down on the world in general and hates talking to people. James also loves to read, and hopes to forgo college and buy a house in the Midwest where he can read all day and educate himself. Well, what Peter said about this was that the character of James had read a lot while growing up and seems to have gotten ahead of himself as a result. I know I'm not saying this in the right words, Peter of course said it much more eloquently... but basically, I understood what he was saying so much. I really felt it.

I truly connected to the character James on a deep level. Maybe that is why this book touched me so much. James is an introvert who loves to read and feels uncomfortable in social situations. He's often pessimistic and would rather be alone then with others. I too feel really uncomfortable sometimes in social situations and often don't know what to say. There is one scene when he is on a school trip at a dinner theater where he sits by himself instead of with his classmates. I can't even count the number of times I've done extremely similar things. It's nice to know I'm not alone, even if he is just fictional.

Peter impressed me tremendously. He spoke just as eloquently as he writes. He was soft spoken and gracious, and incredbly humble. I can tell that he is a wonderful person, outside of being a wonderful author.

After the class, he did the public reading for the school and community. He read a brilliant piece from a novella that he is currently working on. The story is not yet published so I will not disclose a summary, but it managed to be both heartbreaking and funny all at once. It was beautifully written and I am certainly looking forward to reading the story in its entirety once it's published.

Afterward, he signed books. While waiting in line, I was a bit giddy and also a little shaky because I was so excited to meet him! To me, meeting an author, particularly one whose work I am especially fond of, is like meeting a rockstar. No joke. I reacted in the same way I reacted when I met Secondhand Serenade a few years back.

He was so kind. I actually e-mailed him a few days back with my review, and he remembered who I was when I introduced myself. He was so gracious. He said that my review was kind and well done which made my heart smile lol. He even mentioned about me wanting to be a librarian, which means he actually looked around my blog and everything which is awesome! Honestly, it impresses the hell out of me when authors are so gracious and nice. It makes me proud to be a book nerd!

All in all, it was just such a wonderful experience that I won't soon forget. Peter Cameron impressed and delighted me with his kindness, honesty, and brilliance. I will be reading the rest of his books as soon as possible, and will certainly be rereading Someday This Pain again in the future. It has a permanent spot on my bookshelf and in my heart. :)

Review: Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron

So let me preface this review with a little bit of information. Okay . . . I'm in this amazing course that my college offers called "Writer's Craft." We meet once a week, on Wednesday nights, from 6-9. We are assigned a book to read during the week, then we go to class and discuss it, write about it, etc. Then, the following Wednesday, the author of the book we read the previous week comes into our class for a casual discussion / question and answer session. After that, they give a public reading to the school which we attend as a class. It's amazing, and we get to meet some really cool authors. Basically, this class is a booklover's dream.

So last week's assigned book was a novel I hadn't heard of before called Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You, by Peter Cameron. Let me just say, I was completely blown away. I am SO glad I was assigned to read this because I would not have heard of it otherwise. This book is now considered one of my favorite books, and I get to meet the author on Wednesday. Woohoo! I usually don't review "school books" but I loved this one so much that I decided I just had to!

My Summary: Eighteen year old James Sveck is not an ordinary guy. He's been accepted to Brown for the fall, but doesn't think he wants to go; he doesn't like people his own age. He'd rather buy a home in the Midwest, but doesn't know what else he wants to do, besides read books and educate himself. He lives in NYC with his mom and sister, and works at his mom's small art gallery, not doing much, and doesn't really like anybody but John, the gallery manager, and his grandmother. James' extremely cynical attidude and sometimes bizarre behavior lands him a twice weekly visit to a psychiatrist, whom he challenges and belittles every chance he gets. He hardly talks to anyone, especially his peers, and spends most of his time online, searching for houses and chatting up John with a fake profile he made on "gents4gents." This book takes place over a few days time in the summer, with a few flashbacks thrown in of incidents that happened earlier in the year. It is told from James' witty, sarcastic, and highly cynical perspective.

My Review: I know the plot summary might make this story seem like not much is going on, which may very well be the case, but I am in love with this book! Though there isn't necessarily a lot of action in the novel, its biting humor and fast pace make this book completely readable. In fact, I read this book in a single day, which is extremely rare for me. I just couldn't put it down. James is just so bizarre and unusual that you can't help but like him. I felt such a strong connection to him as well, and felt that I was able to relate to him in a lot of aspects. I laughed throughout this entire book, and at the same time, felt emotinally attached to the characters too. This book is angsty, realistic and satirical. It seriously cracked me up. Books like this remind me why I love reading. It's becoming engulfed in a story that you just can't stop reading, it's seeing yourself in a character, it's laughing out loud in public with book in hand -- these things make me happy, and this book provided all of those things and so much more for me. I've heard this book being compared to Catcher in the Rye, which I can see. If you're a fan of that book, you'll definitely love this because they both feature sarcstic and negative protagonists. After I finished this book, I went to the library and checked out some of Peter Cameron's other books to devour. I'll be starting with The Weekend and Andorra.

The Bottom Line: Hilarious, amazing, a new favorite - I couldn't put it down and simply cannot recommend this enough! Read it now.

Rating: 5/5! (A very enthuiastic 5, at that).

Review: SEALed With a Ring by Mary Margaret Daughtridge

I recently read Mary Margaret Daughtridge's new book, SEALed With a Ring, a fun and unique romance read!

Summary: David is a Neay Seal medic recovering from a head injury suffered in Aghanistan and is need of money to help his younger siblings. JJ needs a husband or her grandfather will sell out the family car business from underneath her. Sounds like a good deal for everybody.

My Thoughts: This is the third in the series of SEALed books by this author. Although there were a few references to the prior books, it wasn't crucial to this book, but would have been nice to understand. I expected your typical romance type story from this book and it did follow the traditional formula, but it was longer than most (which I can usually read fairly quickly), so there was a more of a back story and character development than you normally get in romance novels. It was an enjoyable read with a happy ending and sometimes that is just what you're in the mood for. I would definitely like to read the other books in this series.

My Rating: 4/5

Review: A Season of Eden by J.M. Warwick

I recently finished reading the novel, A Season of Eden by J.M. Warwick, and really enjoyed it.

Summary: Eden is an 18 year old high school senior. She's lived her life as one of the popular ones, and always seems to get what she wants. On the inside, though, life isn't all that perfect: her mom died, her dad doesn't notice her anymore, and her step-mom is wicked. When she meets her new choir teacher, 22 year old Mr. Christian, she seems to think he could be the one to make her life better. She immediately feels attracted to him, and starts pursuing him. She comes in early and stays after class to help with the sheet music and blatantly flirts. At first, he is resistant to her charms, but eventually, she convinces him to meet her out at Starbucks, though they both know it's wrong. Some semblance of a relationship ensues, but will it be what either expected? Can it go any further?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were well drawn out, and despite Eden's poor actions, I really began to feel for her and sympathize with her. I've always enjoyed reading about forbidden relationships and romances, and this book met my expectations. I think the author wrote an excellent story about a very controversial and touchy subject. The book held my interest and kept me intrigued the whole way through.

My Rating: 4/5