Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Book: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
Published: June 23rd, 2015
Pages: 352
Genres: Romance, YA, High School,
Format: Kindle
Date Read: March 25-May 31, 2016
Rating: 4 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔🥔

Emmy and Oliver. Oliver and Emmy. I love their friendship and how it can withstand time and anything life throws at them.

I loved this little high school romance book; it was refreshing to read a book that, even though it had drama, wasn't too heavy on the angst! It's nice to read about a couple who are friends first and a couple second. That's so rare to read about these days!

This book should be on everyone's to be read pile. Go! Do it now! I promise you wont regret it and this book will leave you with a smile on your face when you finish it!

This Sky by Autumn Doughton

Gemma Sayers has spent the last six days rotting in a hotel room, wallowing in a noxious combination of gin, junk food and self-pity. She’s no stranger to disappointment but nothing could have prepared her for the chaos that unfolded when her celebrity boyfriend publicly humiliated her. Now the fairytale is officially over and Gemma is determined to put the past behind her and strike out to find a new dream. Just a few teeny-tiny details to work out: she’s currently broke, homeless and unemployed.

Landon Young has his own worries. Surfer by day and bartender by night, he doesn’t have the interest or the time to be anyone’s happily-ever-after. Weighed down by the memory of what happened two years ago, Landon can barely keep his head above water.

This Sky is the thoughtful and often funny story about broken trust, an unexpected love and the hopes we keep sewn in the linings of our pockets.

Book: This Sky by Autumn Doughton (Goodreads)
Published: August 12th, 2014
Pages: 334
Genres: Romance, Rom-Com, Athlete, New Adult, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: March 23-25, 2016
Rating: 4 Potatoes! 🥔🥔🥔🥔

Can I just start of by saying how much I truly enjoyed the authors humor for this book? I loved Julie and her friendship with Gemma. Loved their discussions!

Landon and Gemma were absolutely perfect for each other. They each had their own demons but found a way to make things work for them. It was so refreshing to read a novel where the characters actually fell in love with each other over time! I've read so many novels where the characters meet and BOOM! they are happy and in love, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I really don't have much to say about this one except that everyone needs to read it! Its has comedy, romance, drama. This book has it all and I truly enjoyed reading it. There was nothing that needed to be added or removed. The book didn't dawdle at all and the characters were easy to envision in my mind.

I will definitely be reading other books by this author - she did an amazing job!

Within These Walls by J.L. Berg

Within these walls, he became my solace, my sanctuary and my strength.

I am not strong. I am just a survivor of circumstance.
Isn't that what we all do? Survive?

Each of us has our own set of circumstances to muddle through. Mine are just more...complicated. Born with a severe heart defect, I've seen the inside of a hospital room more than my own bedroom.

I was drowning, a prisoner to the illness that owned me, until he appeared. He thinks he's blocked out the world with his tattoos and hard exterior, but I see the real Jude, the one he so desperately wants to forget.

But is he the answer to my prayers or will he break my already damaged heart forever?

My name is Lailah Buchanan, and this is our story of hope, redemption and sacrificing it all for the one you love.

Book: Within These Walls (The Walls Duet #1) by J.L. Berg (Goodreads)
Published: August 18th, 2014
Pages: 307
Genres: Romance, New Adult, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: March 22-23, 2016
Rating: 5 Potatoes! 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔

I am absolutely in love with this book! In Love!

I loved Jude and Lailah (love the way her name is spelled, even!)! Jude was a perfectly flawed character who managed to make Lailah, as well as me, fall in love with him! He was tattooed, angsty, mysterious, kind, funny, thoughtful, the list goes on and on. He was so wonderful to Lailah and she deserved all of it and more.

A lot of books like this upset me because they promise a strong heroine and that is almost never the case. With Lailah, I found myself applauding her at every turn! She was strong, courageous and such a great soul. My favorite scene (spoiler alert!) was when she stayed up late and pretended to sleep to catch whoever was leaving her chocolate pudding while she was sleeping. I think that scene shows so much about her character, not to mention that we get a good look at how spunky she is!

Lailah and Jude, Jude and Lailah - their names were truly written in the stars; they were meant to be together.

I loved every single thing about the characters and this storyline. I love all of the hospital nurses, doctors, administration and even liked Lailah's mom! The author did such an amazing job weaving this tale and bringing these characters to life. I could picture everyone in my mind and this talented author gave me that. Brava!

This book is worth every bit of the high rating it has. If you haven't read it yet, what the heck are you waiting for?

Maybe Yes (Maybe #1) by Ella Miles

Her future is already set, all she has to do is marry a complete stranger.

Kinsley Felton has everything. Money, a loving family, and a modeling career. She graduates from Yale in just days, but unlike a typical college student she doesn’t have to spend hours looking for a job when she graduates. Kinsley will inherit the multi-billion dollar gaming and hospitality company her great-grandfather started. The only problem is she has to do everything her family asks for in order to get that money. That includes marrying a man of her family’s choosing. That’s not a problem since Kinsley has been following her family’s orders all her life. Until a phone call from her grandfather changes everything.

Will she marry the man her family chooses or will she decide her own future?

Book: Maybe Yes (Maybe #1) by Ella Miles
Published: March 21, 2016
Pages: 192
Genres: Romance, ARC
Format: PDF
Date Read: March 18-22, 2016
Rating: 4 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔🥔

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm still reeling from the major cliffhanger at the end of this book so I'm thinking about what I want to say. Our heroine, Kinsley. Did I like her? Sometimes. I was proud of her for making her own decisions and standing her ground but other times she was like a lost puppy following her master and letting the men in her life tell her what to do and how to live. However, with the way she was raised, I'm surprised she has a brain at all since it seems her father and grandfather had total control over her life.

Killian. I went back and forth with my opinion of him as well. On one hand we have this cocky, but sweet, sexy man who only wants what's best for Kinsley. And on the other hand he's controlling, a workaholic and very closed off. All in all, I did like him - he's definitely swoon-worthy!

The cliffhanger is what killed this book for me and what caused me to give the book a 4 star rating. I don't usually care for cliffhangers in general but this one was too great for me. The cliffhanger just made no sense and made me re-think the entire book. I know, I know, that's what cliffhangers are supposed to do but in the case of this book, I felt like it didn't fit. Maybe it's just me that feels that way.... However, I'm not the author and I'm sure she has great reasons for doing the cliffhanger the way she did. I'm interested to see what happens in book 2!

Carrots (Shelby Nichols #1) by Colleen Helme

Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children.

All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer.

The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever.

In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.

Book: Carrots (Shelby Nichols #1) by Colleen Helme (Goodreads)
Published: February 23rd, 2011
Pages: 220
Genres: Romance, Mystery
Format: Kindle
Date Read: March 10-15, 2016
Rating: 3.5 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔

I absolutely loved the beginning of this book - it completely drew me in and enraptured me. It was nice to start reading a book that hasn't been done a million times before. However, once all of the drama started was when I started to lose interest and was able to pick out the hints of what was going to happen.

I enjoyed this book but it was extremely predictable and a lot of parts felt unnecessary and repetitive. I liked Shelby well enough but her husband just got on my nerves. He was kind enough but his thoughts weren't very authentic - he was too "nice" in them.

This book was good enough to pass the time. Would I recommend it? Sure, but its not on the top of my list.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Goodreads)
Published: January 10th, 2012
Pages: 313
Genres: Romance, YA
Format: Hardcover
Date Read: March 8-10,2016
Rating: 4.5 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔🥔

I truly enjoyed this book and, while it was very well written and a pleasure to read, I felt that it was overrated. Does it deserve the ratings it has? Yes. BUT there are so many other books with similar storylines that make you feel the same emotions.

I truly enjoyed reading about Hazel, Augustus and their budding relationship, I really did. However, I have read too many books that literally made my heart ache and cause me to bawl my eyes out. This book did not do that.

Like I said, this is a very good book and I enjoyed reading it but I have read many other books that I felt were far more deserving of 5 stars.