[Mini-Review] The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

Title: The Conspiracy of Us

Author: Maggie Hall

Series: The Conspiracy of Us #1

Genre: YA Contemporary Mystery/Thriller

Published: January 13th, 2015

Publisher: Putnman Juvenile

Format: Hardcover, 336 pages

A fast-paced international escapade, laced with adrenaline, glamour, and romance--perfect for fans of Ally CarterAvery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family--but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with.

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Review

My thoughts:

This is Maggie Hall's debut novel and the first installment in a series and I thought it was pretty great overall. It's marketed as a mixture between Dan Brown and Ally Carter, both of them authors that I love so kind of big shoes to fill in. I could see some elements of both authors, sure, but the plot wasn't as thick as Dan Brown's books and the main character is not as bad-ass as Ally Carter's characters usually are. 

But even if it wasn't absolutely perfect, it was a really fun read and it kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation throughout. The plot is well-done and the clues and revelations move it forward flawlessly.

The main character, Avery, was not my favorite, she was a little too erratic for my taste, and the love interest wasn't my cup of tea either, but they make kind of nice pairing. What made the characters department, at least for me, were the interesting secondary characters, like Stellan and Luc. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Stellan in the next book!

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed were the romantic scenes, they were really well-paced and you could feel the sexual tension while reading them, without them being too forward or feeling rushed. 

Overall, this was a great debut novel for the author nd I'll be sure to pick up the next one on this series.

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About the author

Maggie Hall is a traveling, decorating, champagne-drinking, USC-football-watching YA author. She is currently traveling the world for an indefinite amount of time with her husband, which means right at this moment, she might be on a beach in Thailand, drinking wine in Paris, or anywhere in between.
Her debut novel, a YA international thriller, was released from Putnam/Penguin in 2015.She is represented by Claudia Ballard at William Morris Endeavor.

[Review] Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales
Published September 15th, 2015
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Young Adult Contemporary

Premise:From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet.Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom. Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

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Review

My thoughts:

I'm so sad that this book wasn't what I was expecting... I was highly anticipating its release for months and now I just feel a little deflated. It wasn't the worst I've read, but it wasn't satisfying either. 

The story starts off really slow and at first it goes from present to past to "distant" past to present again, which was a little bit confusing but I was still following. Then there's a lot of nothingness. like a good 150 pages of nothingness. Then things starts happening (finally), and for a second it was all kind of okay and there everything went to hell and we end up pretty much where we started. (Spoiler: plus a message about love, minus a boyfriend. Select the text if you want to read it).

The premise of this book sounds way better than it actually is and I completely fell for it. I'm going to make a comparison of my expectations going into the book (from the premise described in Goodreads) vs what the book actually was, so I can explain my disappointment to you. But beware, knowing what to actually expect from this story might be the biggest spoiler. 

What I expected: An effortlessly kind main character who loves her friends and family and does what she can to make them happy, because it's just what comes natural to her. 

What I got: A main character, Arden, who feels the need to point out every single time she's been kind to someone and bitching about how they don't appreciate how nice she is and complaining that she can't do anything but being nice, because that's the only thing that's special about HER, so they better notice that she's unbelievably kind! 

What I expected: A best friend who was needy and always asking for favors of our main character and our main character always saying yes, because of their friendship.

What I got: This is not how friendship works! Arden was always coming to Lindsay's rescue just because that made her feel important, not even because Lindsey ever asked anything of her or that she really needed her to save the day every time! I'll admit that Lindsay was always getting herself in trouble, she never asked Arden to help her get out of it, I didn't even feel like she expected her to do it, but the problem was that she let Arden save her ass over and over again, no matter what the consequences were for her friend. So, overall, we have two pretty crappy friends, in my opinion: one doesn't know how to say "thank you, but I made a stupid decision, so I'll be the one to deal with it" and the other one was always just waiting for her friend to screw up so she could save the day and feel better about herself. The whole relationship seemed unhealthy to me, but what bothered me the most was Arden being extremely patronizing towards her so called BFF, like she was so superior... Aghh!

What I expected: The blog platform taking a central spot during the story, because that's what made this book so appealing in the first place. 

What I got: Bits and pieces of blogging here and there in the midst of an ocean of whinnying from the main character. 

What I expected: An actual relationship between the main character and the blogger.

What I got: Arden stalking Peter for more than half the book. Peter didn't even know she existed -because she never even left a comment in the blog- until she shows up at his workplace on a whim, after being disappointed (yet again) by her boyfriend.  Here's her reasoning: "Peter just broke up with the love of his life, he doesn't know it yet, because he doesn't know me at all, but he needs me, not just anyone, but ME. So I must drive over six hours in my car that is barely holding itself together to get to New York, without telling anyone but my friend (who's coming with me, by the way, because she doesn't answer to her parents...) where I'm going"... Flawless logic! Especially considering he could turn out to be a psychopath!

What I expected: Peter, having a secret or being slightly different that he appeared, but overall still a decent guy.

What I got: Peter being a complete self-centered, entitled asshole who had lied his way into getting a fan base and a publishing contract.

What I expected: A few of the supporting characters being kind of selfish and self-involved but that being okay, because nobody is perfect.

What I got: Every single person in Arden's life being completely and utterly self-centered. Her dad, her best friend, her mom, her boyfriend, freaking Peter, and of course, HERSELF!

So... when I say this wasn't what I was expecting, I absolutely mean it. 

My lowest rating is 1/5, and I seriously considered giving it just that, but I'm giving an extra point because, at the end, the main character seemed to realize that her behavior wasn't right even though to me, she still sounded as if she was doing it for everyone else and not just for herself.

“I used to think that loving somebody meant sacrificing anything for them. I thought it meant writing them a blank cheque. I thought it meant that you would die without each other. But it turns out that death and a broken heart are not he same.

These days, I think that love is not so dramatic as all that. Maybe loving somebody means simply they bring out the best in you, and you bring out the best in them - so that together, you are always the best possible versions of yourselves.” 

Overall, and simply put, I would not recommend it.

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About the author

Leila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write. 

[Review] Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Published September 1st, 2015

Poppy

Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Premise:On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?
This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

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Review

My thoughts:

This is such a heartbreaking and heartwarming story at the same time that by the time I finished reading, I was left with both sad and happy tears. Damn you, Jennifer E. Smith! You always make me cry with your books. 

This books follows Clare and Aidan, a teenage couple on their last night of summer before they go away to collage at opposite sides of the country. They both know they have to make a decision about their relationship. Are they going to break up before they go, on their own terms? Or are they going to try the whole long-distance thing? And what if by staying together they end up missing out on all the new experiences of college? What if they end up breaking up anyway further down the line, because of something stupid and meaningless? 

The night goes by really quickly for them, while they visit all the significant places for their relationship, embark themselves in a few last adventures and say their last goodbyes to their few friends that are still in town. But before the clocks finally signals that it's time for them to say goodbye to each other, there are still a few secrets that need to come out. 

Clare is the rational one, the girl who always has a plan or a really long to-do list, the one who always think about the future. Aidan is the spontaneous one, the one who likes to talk about anything and everything just because he feels like it, the one who likes to live in the moment. And they were freaking perfect together. I'm usually not a fan of already consumed relationships in a YA book. I like to see the first moments of flirting and the whole journey of the couple coming together. Bu in this case, we meet the couple in their last night together and somehow it still worked for me. I got really invested in their relationship and I was pulling for them to stay together.

There still is a lot of remembering during the story. We get to see a few of the best moments of their relationship during their conversations and sometimes when Clare is reminded of them by a certain situation. The problem with this is that the present and the past are mixed together in the writing, like I would be reading this scene were they're at the beach at night and then suddenly, it was a year back and they were having a conversation about something ridiculous or whatever. I had trouble keeping things separate at first, especially with dialogues, but then I guess I got used to it. 

Overall, this was a really unique story and I enjoyed it greatly. I'm just such a huge fan of Jennifer E. Smith, that every book she publishes is an auto-buy for me. I go expecting cute contemporary romance, but it always gets me somehow and I end up sniffling and tearing up every time. This time it was no exception and I've never been so thankful for a prologue in my whole reading life. You'll know what I mean when you read this book, because you should, it's way to beautiful to miss out on.

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About the author

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her writing has been translated into 28 languages.

[Blog Tour] Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence (Review + Giveaway)

Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence

Published August 20th, 2015

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Premise:
He sings of suffering. His eyes hold the pain of living in sorrow.
The moment our gaze meets recognition flares within.
We are tortured souls drifting in a sea of darkness.
He knows I have secrets that I'll never tell.
I am numb
I am broken
I am dirty
I can never be the guiding light through the darkness he thinks I am.
I have forsaken my past, I rely on keeping myself shut off.
But he has secrets too, secrets that would destroy everything I have left.
I wish things were different, that maybe we could be each other's lifeline.
But destiny drags us down like an anchor.
The broken can only drift in the sea barely staying afloat.

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Review

My thoughts:

This is a beautiful story about two broken souls that recognize each other in the dark and together find their way to the light. The story is very gritty and powerful, it's a romance but it still has that darker quality of deep emotions that goes beyond the romantic relationship. 

The book is written in first person, from Nera's point of view. Nera is twenty three but has experienced enough horrors for two lifetimes, and that has left her broken and afraid of trusting people. She feels the need to hide from life and for a while, Durness, Scotland has been the perfect hiding spot.  There she works as a bartender in a pub called “Spurtle” which is own by Evan, and lives at a B&B owned by his wife, Aggie. Evan and Aggie are good people and have taken Nera in as a daughter. They really care for her and that warmth they bring to her life is exactly what Nera needs. I enjoyed their characters a lot and I think Nera deserved to have people like them in her life. 

The thing about Nera's dark past is that you don't know right away what happened to her. You know she went through something horrible and since the very first page her past becomes the mystery you want to solve. I really liked this aspect of the book, it added suspense and allowed for a lot of character development for Nera. 

One night, at the pub, a really handsome singer named Wolfe, takes the stage and bares his soul through his music. His voice and heart-felt lyrics strike a chord with Nera and she realizes she's found another broken soul. A little shaken up by his performance, Nera goes outside to regain her bearings and the singer goes after her to make sure she's okay. I really liked this first scene between them, it really showed the connection between since the very beginning. 

Wolfe is a mysterious character, he has this kind of bad-boy vibe but he's also incredibly sweet to Nora and I really enjoyed their relationship, especially at the beginning when they were at such ease with each other. The connection they shared was pretty much instantaneous, but their relationship grows little by little throughout the book. The secrets Wolfe withholds from Nora are intense and I understood why he had trouble sharing them, but it drove me insane that he took so long to come clean when he was clearly willing to do just about anything to get through to her. 

What I liked the most about Nera was that she was a bookworm. That made her more relatable to me and I giggled a lot when reading about her nerdy clothes and her fangirl-ish love for erotica authors. It was something I wouldn't have expected from her and that gave her a lot more dimension.

The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the accent. I get that it's supposed to be set in Scotland, but I think it would've been easier for me to get into the story if the dialogues weren't written with Scottish accent, it would've been enough if it just said the characters had an accent, but with everything written like that I had a really hard time trying to figure out what they were saying and that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the book. 

Overall, I think this is a powerful story about allowing yourself to be happy even when things have been rough. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a darker contemporary romance, especially to people who enjoy accents and books set in Scotland, because if you're into that I'd bet that you would fall head over heels for Wolfe! 

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About the author

Jessica Florence makes her home in Southwest Florida where she runs her own business, and of course writing! She one day after reading a book a day for a year just sat down and started writing, thus finding a new amazing hobby that she was looking for, for years, and that was also very therapeutic. 

She spends her days reading, writing, watching TV, working, playing with her cute as hell baby, and black German Shepherd Rogue aka Rogue-i-bear, and of course tormenting her husband ;)

She also enjoys taking naps, bubble baths, eating pickles like candy, and having Harry Potter marathons.

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Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops for more reviews and amazing content!

Blog Tour Schedule

August 21

What Is That Book About - Guest Post

A Beautiful Book Blog - Excerpt

Books Unhinged - Review

August 22

For The Love of Fictional Worlds - Review

  The Dark Realm - Excerpt

Lostin Ever After  - Review

August 23

Coffee Books & Art - Excerpt

Textteaser - Review

August 24

The Divas Book Lounge Book Club - Review

Adventures in Writing - Excerpt

Works of Fiction - Review

August 25

flirty fiction blog - Review

Mischievous Reads - Playlist

Romance Obsessed Book Blog - Review

August 26

Greyland Reviews - Excerpt

Typical Distractions - Review

August 27

Roxy's Reviews - Excerpt

Sarah & Kirsty's Book Reviews - Excerpt

Evermore Books  - Playlist

Resch Reads and Reviews - Review

August 28

FMR Book Grind - Review

JordansBookReviews - Excerpt

This Literary Life  - Review

August 29

Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe - Review

Nicole's Book Musings  - Excerpt

A girl and her books - Review

August 30

Lita's Book Blog - Review

Book-Lover - Excerpt

deal sharing aunt  - Interview

The Book Hookup  - Review

August 31

Oh My Growing TBR - Excerpt

Kitty Kats Crazy About Books - Review

September 1

Pause Time Reviews - Review

Alpha Book Club - Excerpt

Word Forward  - Review

Love Us Some Books  - Review

September 2

Mama She's Crazy About Books  - Review

Pages Abound  - Review

G & T Indié Cafe  - Excerpt

Ashley Book Blog  - Review

September 3

Cosying Up With Books  - Excerpt

Between The Lines  - Review

Book Lovers Obsession - Review

Once Upon a Book Blog - Review

2 Girls Who Love Books  - Review

[Multi-Review] To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1 & #2 by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Published April 15th, 2014
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Premise:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

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Review

My thoughts:

This book was adorable, heart-warming and sweet. It's written in first person, from Lara Jean's point of view and the writing was truly compelling, it really drew me in to the main character in a way that made me feel like I was her best friend and I liked that. The pace wasn't too fast nor too slow, it was normal for a contemporary read. 

I really liked the main character. She was really especial and unique. She reminded me a bit of Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, because they both are so quirky in their own way. I liked that she wrote letters to say goodbye to people when she was ready to let go of them. I used to do something similar when I was in middle school and maybe even on my first years of high school. I would write letters to the boys I liked and then never send them, just keep them hidden. 

I liked the relationship she had with Josh, although I imagine it would have been very painful for her being in love with him for so many years and having to bottle up all those feelings while her sister dated him. 

The thing about Lara Jean (The name annoyed me so much for no real reason, I can't explain it to you, it sounded too weird, I don't even know) is that she pulls you into her mind and makes you side with her. I felt so drawn to her that I would take her side in every fight she got into, because I felt like I understood her so well. The only thing we didn't agree on was Margot. She admire her so much and I hated her for being always so patronizing and knocking off everything Lara Jean tried to do. Like: "Yeah, I know you can do that, but I'll always be better than you at  it". I hated her attitude and I truly admired Lara Jean for putting up with her. 

I didn't like Chriss either. She wasn't that good of a friend and I understood why everyone kept telling Lara Jean that they didn't get why she was friends with her, because I didn't feel like she contributed in any positive way to Lara Jean's life. 

I really liked Peter. He was kind of a complex character. I usually don't like his type. The type of guy who's too concerned with what other people think about him, to be himself. But he would always do or say something incredible sweet to Lara Jean and my heart would melt. I think they are really good for each other, he helps her come out of her shell while she helps him to be more of himself.

The character that truly stole my heart though, was Kitty. She was adorable! Such smart and mischievous little girl. She never failed to bring a smile to my face. I absolutely loved her.

The ending though... I hated it. It didn't give me closure I wish it had. It just stopped right before the point where it should have ended, and it made me feel cheated, like I had to go and read a whole other book just so I can get the ending that should've been there!

Overall this is a great contemporary read. It's a romance, but it's also about family and friendship and conquering your fears. I really enjoyed it and I'll be picking the next one right up.

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P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2

Published May 26th, 2015

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Premise:Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?
In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

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Review

My thoughts:

I liked this book too. Although I don't think I liked it as much as the first one. 

This book picks up just where the last one left off and Lara Jean and Peter make up and decide to give it a try at a real relationship. We get to see them on their first date and everything is just really cute at first, but then trouble comes knocking at their door when a video of them from that ski-trip that caused them to break up in the first book, goes viral on the Internet and they become the juiciest piece of gossip at school. 

With his happening we get to see the double standard that exists for this kind of situations. Everyone is saying Lara Jean is a slut, but Peter doesn't get any shame for being in the video, even though he's as much part of it as she is. That drove me insane, but also I know that's what actually happens in real life. It's always the girl who gets called names and shamed in public for taking part in these kind of videos, and the guy is barely even remembered and when he is, it's like he's a freaking hero for getting laid or whatever. It's freaking maddening!!

Breathe... Breathe... okay, moving on!

The truth is that there were a lot of moments in this book where I felt like everything was just dragging on and nothing important was happening. Like the scenes with Criss, who I still don't like. She never did anything of importance in the book and every time she appeared in a scene I could feel myself rolling my eyes at her.

Margot grew on me a little in this book, but mostly because she was out of the way. This book was truly about Lara Jean and her boys, which I realize sounds pretty bad but it's not like that, I promise!

I was sad that Josh was barely around in this book. The friendship he and Lara Jean had was really adorable and genuine that I was really disappointed that they couldn't work through their issued and stay friends.

I like that we got to know one of the other boys! I'm not saying who it is, so I won't spoil you. Let's call him boy #2. Boy #2 was a really great guy! He was fun and sweet and confident without falling into the cocky category. He treated Lara Jean really well and they made the perfect little couple in my eyes. 

I liked Peter in this book too, especially at the beginning. But around the middle I just grew tired of him and his antiques. He would keep running to Gen every time she would call him and I never felt like he would put Lara Jean before her in any situation. There was always some excuse for him to put Gen first and I resented him for that.

I don't really know if I liked the end to be honest. It was fairly predictable and I kind of knew it would happen like that, but I didn't think the excuses for all the fighting were good enough and I didn't feel like all the issues were actually resolved, just overlooked. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I thought it was quite good, not better than the first one, but still. I think this series is worth a try if you like unique main characters, nice family atmosphere and romantic drama in your contemporary reads, like I do. I'll be checking out more of Jenny Han in the future.

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 About the author

Jenny Han (Han like Han Solo, not Han like hand) was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and she went on to graduate school at the New School in New York City, where she received her MFA in Writing for Children. She lives in Brooklyn.

[Blog Tour] Discovering Delilah by Melissa Foster (Review + Giveaway)

Discovering Delilah by Melissa Foster
Harborside Nights #2
Published July 9th, 2015.
New Adult Contemporary GLBT Romance

Premise:
After the death of her parents on the day of her college graduation, Delilah Armstrong thought she could finally follow her heart and come out to her closest friends, but the guilt of going against her parents’ beliefs haunts her. The feelings she has for her best friend, Ashley, are stronger than anything she’s felt before, but Delilah has never even kissed a girl, and fear stops her at every turn.
Ashley Carver promised herself that she would never again date another girl who wasn’t out, but that was before she met intoxicatingly sweet and sexy Delilah.
When another girl offers to teach Delilah the ropes, it changes Delilah’s whole world and gives her the courage to go after the only girl she really wants. But coming out isn’t as easy as Delilah imagined, and moving past her parents’ death and the feelings of guilt she is left with is even harder. The intense passion between Ashley and Delilah is too strong to deny, but coming together means risking everything.
Discovering Delilah is an edgy, evocative, romantic story of friendship, family, and the courage to love.

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KINDLE | NOOK | KOBO | GPLAY | iBOOKS | SMASHWORDS | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU | Paperback

Check out the book trailer!

About Book #1: Catching Cassidy 

Wyatt Armstrong never imagined that instead of celebrating his college graduation, he and his twin sister would be dealing with the death of their parents. Then again, Wyatt had never been one to think past tomorrow. He heads to their summer home in Harborside, Massachusetts, with his best friend Cassidy Lowell in tow, to deal with his parents’ death and to try to figure out his next step.Six foot two, infuriatingly handsome, and flirtatious, Wyatt Armstrong has always been there for Cassidy, helping her pass her classes and fend off unwanted advances, while driving her insane with his one-night stands—but that’s what best friends are for, isn’t it? Having each other’s backs. There was never any doubt that she would accompany him to his family’s summer home—but she never expected to begin seeing Wyatt as more than a friend. Or has she been ignoring her feelings all along?It’s impossible to ignore the sizzling heat between them as Wyatt and Cassidy get even closer, but Cassidy knows Wyatt’s past, and she has a real job to begin in the fall. Wyatt may be a sure thing for the summer, but Cassidy needs more. For the first time in his life, Wyatt is forced to look toward the future if he doesn’t want to lose the one woman who’s shared his past and owns his heart.

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KINDLE | NOOK | KOBO  | GPLAY | iBOOKS | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU | Paperback

Check out the book trailer!

Review

My thoughts: 

Discovering Delilah is the second book in the Harborside Nights series, but it can be read as a stand-alone without feeling incomplete. It's a sweet story about love and friends but also about grief, overcoming guilt and allowing yourself to be happy even after something tragic happens. 

Even thought there are two points of view in this story (Delilah's and Ashley's), for me it felt like it was mostly Delilah's story. Her struggles about accepting who she really is and who she loves. After her parents death, she can't stop feeling guilty for having feelings towards girls. She keeps repeating the same scene over and over again in her mind: the look of disgust her parents gave her the day she told them she was a lesbian. Most families would've gone through the process of arguing and coming to terms in one way or another with that fact, but not Delilah's. Because on that very same day she finally revealed her sexuality to her parents, they died in a car accident, and the subject was left hanging. 

Now she's having strong feelings for Ashley, a girl who's been her friend for a few months and even though Ashley feels the same way towards her, Delilah can't let go of the guilt of going against her parents wishes and the fear of being shamed for loving another girl. 

You know that moment in a romance book when after the glancing, the flirting and everything in between you finally find out that the love interest of your main character actually likes her/him too? Since in this book we have both perspectives, Ashley's and Delilah's, we go through that moment way too soon, as in the first few pages, and that took a little excitement and build-up out of the relationship. The story still has a lot of sexy scenes and heart-warming moments of romance between the two girls, but I felt like they we started to witness their relationship from somewhere around the middle and not from the beginning. But even then, their relationship was kind of adorable. They had a lot to work through but they supported each other every step of the way and you could tell they were just right for each other and that was awesome. 

Delilah is not the type of character that I relate to the most. Not because she's a lesbian and I'm not, but because she's way too concerned with the way other people see her or think about her and let that dictate her life for most of this book. I understand that not all characters/people can be self-assured and not all gay people are comfortable with the way they feel and come out of the closet as soon as they know they're gay. But I always love the characters that are authentic and completely themselves no matter what. So, all the hiding and fearing that Delilah went through in this book prevented me from really connecting with her. I appreciate her growth though, and I hope to catch some glimpses of how she's doing with her new take on life when I pick up the next book in this series. 

That said, even though I didn't relate much to Delilah on the previous matter, I still understood where some of her feelings were coming from. I don't know what would I do if my parents suddenly died, much less what I'd do if they died in the middle of a huge argument, like Delilah's did. The guilt I imagine I'd feel for their deaths would be horrible, because our last moments together would have been filled with resentment and disappointment and I don't even know if I could handle that or if it would drive me completely insane. So, the grief side of the story I totally got and I felt for her and her loss.

Overall, I think this book was pretty good. It had a sweet romance, a full set of interesting characters (a few of them already have their own story told in some of the other books of this series), a compelling writing style and a great message about letting yourself be who you truly are and be happy. It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed it. It was refreshing to read a GLBT contemporary romance with a female protagonist, which I'd never done before. I'll be picking up the first book in this series soon and the third one when it comes out. 

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About the author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa also co-writes the Love on Rockwell Island series with New York Times bestselling author Bella Andre. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.

 Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

 Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website. Never miss a release! Follow Melissa here on Amazon and sign up for her newsletter: www.MelissaFoster.com/Newsletter

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