{Review + Release Day} Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry

Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

THEME: Second Chances

Rifts and Refrains (Hush Note, #2)

by Devney Perry

4.75 · 226 Ratings · 166 Reviews

BLURB

From the moment Quinn Montgomery sat behind her first snare and cymbal set, she was destined for fame and glory. As Hush Note’s infamous female drummer, she sets the rhythm for the band’s chart-toppings hits. When people tap their feet to their music, it’s to her pulse. Quinn is content to live in a world away from her family and the cage of her youth. Her only regret is leaving Graham Hayes behind without a goodbye. No matter how many sold-out stadiums she plays, no matter how many crowds sing her songs, his voice haunts her when the music stops .When a family tragedy forces her to return home to Montana, she plans to leave the second she’s paid her respects. But seeing Graham again turns her life upside down. As a boy, he wasn’t able to make her stay. As a man, he might be her future .If they can mend their rifts and find solace in the refrains.

REVIEW: I'm not one to read a series our of order but anything by Devney Perry I have to read asap. Luckily this is a great series that can be read out of order, this being the second book in the series. It heavily focuses on the main couple and you get a small glimpse and the first book.

As always Devney Perry knows her audience, there is always an emotional take on her stories that hits you right in the feels and the romance is always beautifully done. I do get emotional when I read books that really hit you but I do say this book just gutted me for the female lead. I wanted to hug her and tell her that she can get through it.

Rifts and Refrains follows Quinn the female drummer from the famous band Hush Notes. She is always on the go and always dedicated to her band and bandmates. She loses herself in the music and in playing for the fans. But when a death hits the family she is brought back home to everyone she left behind. Quinn is estranged from her family and left the love of her life back home, now she has to live a week with people who are now strangers and seeing the man who still holds her heart.

Quinn is a tough woman, she is musically talented instrumentally and vocally. She has always been this way but her father didn't agree with her life choices, in the end she left and never looked back. Following Quinn and feeling her disconnect from her family just gutted me, they were so darn harsh it made me tear up. I know she left and she broke all connection and it is her fault in part, but the family should of taken responsibility too. I felt for her it was so sad to see all that she had missed and you can feel that with her. Anywho I don't want to give anything else away. But Quinn really grows, she's not the average rock star, she is one of a kind and loves deeply.

The one that got away Graham, he moved on of course. He and Quinn have to face each do to their families being so close. These two have so much chemistry but there is a lot of hurt. I loved watching them try to find out what happened and if they could ever mend those broken pieces.

Overall this is a heavy story in the sense of loss, heartbreak and family drama. I loved every minute of it because it was so real and so beautifully done. Even though it was a romance the family holds a big part of this story and that added to the love that I had for it.

View all my reviews

Purchase Details: www.devneyperry.com/books/rifts-and-refrains

EXCERPT 

 “Remember when we used to lie in the back of my truck and count stars?” 

“You’d count one, then I’d count one. I think the highest we ever got was—” 

“Two hundred seventy-one.” She laughed. 

“We’d get bored and start making out.” I stepped away from the door, turning my head to the heavens so I wouldn’t stare at her lips. 

“One.” She moved closer. 

“Two.” 

“Three.” I dropped my gaze and found hers waiting.

 “Four,” she whispered. Five came when my lips brushed against hers, slow and soft at first, teasing and testing. But then her arms wound around my shoulders and all rational thought disappeared.

{Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt} The Player Next Door by K.A. Tucker

From the international bestselling author of The Simple Wild and Ten Tiny Breaths comes a new second-chance, hate-to-love romance.

The Player Next Door by, USA Today bestselling author, K.A. Tucker, is now live!

The Player Next Door by K.A. Tucker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
THEME: Second Chance

The Player Next Door by K.A. Tucker

3.81 · 782 Ratings · 275 Reviews

BLURB:

Scarlet Reed has returned to Polson Falls, convinced that twelve years away is long enough to shed her humiliating childhood identity as the town harlot's daughter. With a teaching job secured and an adorable fixer-upper to call home, things in her life are finally looking up.

That is, until she finds out that Shane Beckett lives next door.

Shane Beckett, the handsome and charismatic high school star quarterback who smashed her heart. The lying, cheating player who was supposed to be long gone, living the pro football dream and fooling women into thinking he's Prince Charming. Shane Beckett, who is as attractive as ever and flashing his dimples at her as if he has done no wrong.

Scarlet makes it abundantly clear that old wounds have not been forgotten. Neighbors they may be, but friends they most certainly are not. She won't allow herself to fall for the single father and firefighter again, no matter how many apologies he offers, how many times he rushes to her aid, or how hard he makes her heart pound

But as she spends more time with him, she begins to fear that maybe she's wrong. Maybe Shane has changed.

And maybe this time she's the one playing herself—out of a chance at true happiness

REVIEW:

This is a second chance romance story and I absolutely loved these, I'm such a sucker for high school past loves and this one took the cake.

The Player Next Door follows Scarlet who is moving back to her hometown after years away. She bought her dream house, it might not be in the best condition but its hers. She is starting her first real job as a teacher for the local district and she couldn't be more happy. The only issues are her mothers town history and that many people from high school are still in town. But one in particular is making it all that much harder for her to settle down, Shane, the boy she feel for and broke her heart, hes now her neighbor.

Scarlet is a character that grows on you, she is absolute loyal to her friends and loves her job as a teacher. However she has a lot of complications from her past, her mother has a bad reputation for sleeping around, her heart was broken by her high school boyfriend who went to her nemesis right after the broke up, and everyone in town made fun of her for her mothers drunk and man hungry ways. She wants to be seen in her own light but of course now living near her mother again, she has to see and deal with what happened and still happening. Luckily she has some awesome friends in Justine and Becca and they become her support system in dealing with Shane who wants to amend their history and her mother who actually does care what her daughter thinks of her. Its a real growth story for her and I enjoyed reading her journey.

Shane is a a man every girl would swoon over, a handyman and a firefighter, someone who loves his son and care about the towns people. However he broke Scarlet's heart and regrets in terribly, being a teen and doing stupid things was normal and that exactly what happened. But Scarlet inst an easy person to get to trust again and he does what he can to earn that again, while also battling his crazy mean ex who also has a disdain for Scarlet.

I really enjoyed this story, the romance was smoking hot of course and the chemistry is off the charts with a ton of sexual tension. I do wish that Scarlet was more open to trusting Shane, she drug him through the ringer for sure. I loved all the side characters especially Justine. Even the villain or Scarlet's nemesis actually had her reason for being as she was, I'm kind of curious about how she will grow in future books.

View all my reviews

Download today or read for free in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2B2QTuD
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ThePlayerNextDoorKAT
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2YJOXRC

Excerpt:

I sigh as I sip the last of my cold, burnt gas station coffee. This is a fresh start, even in an old world full of familiar faces. Besides, it’s been more than a decade since I last roamed the halls of any school here. Those painful years and cruel people are far behind me.
The peaceful midday calm is disrupted by the chug of a garage door crawling open, followed by the deep rumble of a car engine starting. A long, red vintage muscle car backs out of the garage next door and eases into the open space beside a blue Ford pickup. I can’t tell what kind of car it is, but it’s old and in pristine shape, the bright coat of paint glistening in the August sun.
I never asked Iris about the neighbors. The two times I’ve been here—once during the open house and once after I’d signed the paperwork for the offer—nobody was home on either side. Both properties look well maintained, though. The bungalow with the muscle car has new windows and a freshly built porch off the front. There isn’t much in the way of gardens—some shrubs and trees—but the lawn is manicured.
I watch curiously as the driver’s side door pops open and a tall man with wavy, chestnut-brown hair steps out, his back to me as he fusses with his windshield wiper. Coffee pools in my mouth as I stall on my swallow, too busy appreciating the way his black T-shirt clings to his body, showing off broad, sculpted shoulders, muscular arms, and a tapered waist. He’s wearing his dark-wash jeans perfectly—not so baggy that they hang unflatteringly off his ass, but not so tight that cowboy boots and a wide-brimmed hat come to mind.
Damn.
I hold my breath in anticipation, hoping my neighbor will show me a beautiful face to match that fitness-model body. What a stroke of luck that would be, to live next to a gorgeous man. A single, gorgeous man, I pray.
Finally, my silent pleading is answered as he turns and his gaze drifts my way.
I struggle not to spew coffee from my mouth as my keen interest turns to horror.
Oh my God.
Someone, please tell me this is a mistake.
Please tell me I’m not living next door to Shane Fucking Beckett.

About K.A. Tucker:

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 17 books, including the Causal Enchantment, Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, and The Simple Wild. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, First for Women, and Publisher's Weekly. She has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance 2013 for TEN TINY BREATHS and Best Romance 2018 for THE SIMPLE WILD. Her novels have been translated into 16 languages.

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her family.

Connect with K.A. Tucker:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2MYEDhK
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2MZEk6A
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2FqzR8K
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QPwJZs
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/36Ga0W8
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2MXBLSf
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2rZkYXP
Website: https://www.katuckerbooks.com/

{Blog Tour & Release Day: Review + Giveaway} Ruthless King by Maya Hughes

Ruthless King by Maya Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
THEME: Second Change / Sports

Ruthless King (Kings of Rittenhouse, #3)

by Maya Hughes

4.59 · 195 Ratings · 159 Reviews

BLURB:

My dick never got me in half as much trouble as my heart..

We were high school sweethearts. I was head over heels for
her and no one could tell me we weren’t going to last forever. College? Going
pro? My family’s money? None of it mattered. She was all I needed.

Then she ripped my heart out. But I’m not going to let that
happen again.

She’s back. Invading my life and acting like she was the
wronged one. The pain is still there, but I can’t keep my eyes off her. I can’t
stop thinking about her and how much was left unsaid between us. Being this
close is making me question everything I thought I knew about her.

This time everything will be on my terms. Everything…

REVIEW:

This was my first introduction to Maya Hughes and her Kings of Rittenhouse, I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed her writing and the emotional roller coaster she created for her characters that was both tear jerking and beautiful when it came down to how much these two people went through.

There is a lot of angst and anger in the beginning of this story, mostly coming from Emmett. His heart was broken by Avery who four years ago was his everything, until their relationship turn a bad turn. Now four years and Emmet is a professional hockey player and his relationship with his parents is starting to looking better with them actually putting in the effort of contacting him. Even with all the positives the past of what happened between Avery and him is still bitter inside him. Where Avery who is now happy to see her little sister graduate from high school is now at the point in her life where she can concentrate on what shes going to do. Her friends invite her on a trip that ends of bringing her face to face with her past and Emmett.

This story is all about second chances, about two people who needed to open about about what happened, but both kept things locked away that it hurt them both. I wanted to shake them both awake at times because if Avery would of just told Emmett about everything or if Emmett would of asked question, maybe these two would of had so much heartache. But as I got to know these characters I understood why, especially Emmett with his insecurities. Avery had so much strength especially with what she would do for her family.

Overall this was a great emotional story for me, I loved the side characters and really feel I need to read the first two to get more in depth with what happened in this book and to know more about how it all began. Other than that this was a great introduction to a new author and a series I'm definitely going to read more of.

View all my reviews

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

$2.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Playlist

Also Available

FREE prequel!!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

iBOOKS / GOOGLE PLAY

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio

Maya Hughes has always loved romance novels. One look at her Kindle is confirmation. She started writing her first romance novel while pregnant with her third child and she hasn’t looked back. Now, her romance writing addiction has replaced her romance reading addiction.

You can find her writing on her foldable keyboard and phone anytime inspiration strikes. Her sweet and steamy stories range from rockstars to small towns and everything in between. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her three kids, running errands or vegging on the couch with the love of her life and biggest fan, her husband.

Author Links

FACEBOOK

BOOK+MAIN

INSTAGRAM

BOOKBUB

FACEBOOK GROUP

TWITTER

NEWSLETTER

WEBSITE

Giveaway

{Review} Wild Card by Karina Halle

Wild Card by Karina Halle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary
THEME: Romance, Heartbreak, Second-Chances
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

Rough, raw & rugged.

As the man in charge at Ravenswood Ranch, Shane Nelson has never been afraid to get his hands dirty. His sculpted physique isn't the product of a gym, but of years of hard labor under a relentless sun. His straightforward, alpha tendencies come from a man who knows what he wants and goes after it.

And what he wants is Rachel Waters.

He's never stopped wanting her.

They were childhood best friends, then teenage lovers who evolved into soulmates. But on one fateful night, Shane made a grave mistake, breaking both their hearts in the process.

Now, after six years, Rachel is back in the small, wild mountain town of North Ridge, BC.

Ready to face her past.

Ready to face Shane.

Ready to face his dark secret.

But is a second-chance at a one true love in the cards? Or will their wild hearts be broken once again?

REVIEW:

I’m a huge fan of Karina Halle since her EIT series, she has a way of writing characters with such a great emotional depth that it hooks me as a reader until the very last page. Wild Card is the first in the North Ridge series, a small town romance with a ton of emotional tearjerker moments and smoking hot chemistry between the leads.

Wild Card follows Rachel Waters, who is going back home to her small town in North Ridge to help her mother through her cancer treatment. Rachel left town after her heart was broken by the love of her life, even though she always wanted to leave the small town, she wanted to leave with him, Shane. Now being back means brining up old wounds, Rachel and Shane have a lot of great memories but the last painful one is something Rachel cant let go. Both have a lot to forgive but with Rachel wanting to for back to her new life, Shane doesn’t have a lot of time to convince her to stay.

Shane is a hardworking a loving guy, he live with his brothers and father on their ranch, trying to forget how much he misses Rachel who left six years ago. Now with her back he can’t let her go, he pushed her away to protect her, to make sure he horrible father didn’t hurt her anymore. But Rachel doesn’t know everything Shane sacrificed. I adored Shane, he was honest, broken and seriously loved Rachel, I rooted for him so much.

Rachel was a tough character for me, her stubbornness was beyond what I normally like, she just had a cloud in her eyes the whole darn time not realizing this guy sacrificed so much for her. Anyways she goes through a lot of emotional ups and downs, not only with Shane but with her mother and her horrible father. I felt for her in a scene but it was tough for me to really care until almost half way through the book.

Overall, I really liked this new series, Halle’s heartbreaking/tear-jerking storyline really hits all the feels but the romance is off the charts hot and seriously Shane and his brothers are boys every girls wish they had grown up with in their towns, that’s for sure.

View all my reviews