My Favorite Indie-Published Books

Happy Friday, bookworms! Today is another day in which I didn't feel like writing/posting a review, but did feel like posting something... so I'm doing another favorites post! You can check out my other favorites posts in a previous posts (for example). 

Here are some of my favorite indie-published books! I consider "indie-published" to be self-published or published by small press. There is a nice mix of YA, NA, and adult. 

I find that I don't really read as much indie-published books as I did in the past, but I still read a decent amount of them! It's always good to boost indie authors as they do not have a traditional publisher behind them. Let's spread some indie love - name some of your favorite indie novels!

Review: Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: March 26, 2018

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC provided by publicity company

Official Summary:

This unlikely getaway driver never expected to help the mayor escape…

After a six-year absence, Addison Potts is back in Charleston to stir things up. And what better place to make her villainous return than her estranged cousin’s wedding? Only, the nuptials hit a snag when the bride doesn’t show, leaving Addison to play getaway driver for the jilted groom. A groom whose heartbreaking smile and deep, southern drawl she should not be noticing…

Elijah Montgomery Du Pont is the future mayor of Charleston. From his military career to city hall, every detail of his life has been meticulously planned. Until now. His only respite from life’s sudden upheaval is Addison, his new, improbable best friend. She makes him happy. Grounds him. And public disapproval be damned, he’s not willing to give her up. But with an election on the line and public pressure rising, Addison—and the cruel hand of fate—might not give him a choice.

What I Liked:

Tessa Bailey's books and I go a long way back, starting with Officer Off Limits, which is still one of my favorites of hers and one of my favorite Entangled Brazen novels to date. Bailey's books always deliver the sexy, the sweet, the dirty, and the HEA. Getaway Girl is Bailey's second self-published novel and it is yet another hit for me!

Addison Potts is back in Charleston, after her grandmother died and left her a business to run. The book starts with Addison sneaking into her cousin's wedding - her prim, rich, golden-girl cousin is marrying the golden boy, mayor's son, future mayor himself. When Addison lays eyes on the groom, she knows there is something about this man. There is an instant heat, but that's her cousin's husband-to-be, right? Wrong. Naomi stands up Elijah, leaving Elijah alone in a church full of southerners who want to see a wedding. What's a guy to do? Leave. And what's a girl to do? Offer him a ride to get away, of course. Elijah and Addison strike up an unconventional friendship, with her offering him her home as a sanctuary, as friends. With Addison, Elijah feels comfort, home, and peace. With Elijah, Addison feels less adrift in Charleston. But friendship isn't what either of them want. With the election looming, Elijah can't afford another scandal, especially not the kind involving Addison Potts, who has a history of her own in Charleston. 

Addison is such a tough lady, and it was impossibly easy to like her. She is prickly at times, and she delivers honesty and bluntness with no games or sugar-coating. She has thick skin, especially with her family history in Charleston - she has to have thick skin. Addison also has a good heart; she opened her home to a stranger, seeing that he needed comfort and simplicity.

Elijah is such a southern gentleman, with the charm and the manners. He treats Addison like a proper lady, he doesn't curse (not aloud, anyway), he uses manners like "yes ma'am", and he thinks of everyone else first. He's the mayor's son and he is set to win the upcoming election and take his father's place. Elijah has always had a lot of expectations placed on him, and he handles them well, but sometimes expectations are overwhelming. Meeting Addison was the best thing for Elijah, because she showed him a much simpler and quiet life.

I love how the pair became friends, good friends, and learned to trust and be comfortable with each other. It's so rare that you see two characters grow as friends first, before becoming more. Usually they're already friends, or they meet and start dating soon after. This was cute because they drew the line on their first meeting - they were going to be friends and no more. With Elijah just having been jilted at his wedding, and with his spotless reputation, they couldn't afford to be seen as anything more than friends. I liked this development of the relationship - it's friends to lovers, but from the very beginning of the friendship.

When things finally cross over to the "more-than-friends" side... whew! It got hot really quickly. Don't get me wrong - Elijah and Addison were both attracted to each other from the start. But they didn't act on their attraction. But when they do, there are fireworks and thunder. They have great chemistry and all that bottled-up tension explodes on the page. Bailey always writes really hot romances and steamy sexy times. She has become more inventive and creative with each book. The heroine is a dirty talker, and the hero is a selfless guy who likes to please his lady. It's a good match!

There is much more to this story than the romance - in fact, the romance is on par with the "other" plot. Elijah's election is probably the biggest part of the story, as it dictates a lot of Elijah and Addison's relationship. With her history (which I won't talk about), and the fact that Elijah just got stood up at the altar, they have to be careful. Addison's family history comes up and that's another big part of the story. But everything comes together in the end, romance included.

The ending is a wonderful HEA! Addison gets resolution in terms of some personal things, Elijah finds balance in his life, and the pair figure out how to make things work for them. I love a good ending that involves both characters waking up. 

This is a fantastic self-published contemporary romance novel that is satisfying and engrossing from start to finish. With a unique plot and lush backdrop, Getaway Girl is a novel that I'll be rereading in the future. I'm always down for more Bailey romances!

What I Did Not Like:

Nothing specific comes to mind!

Would I Recommend It:

If you like steamy adult contemporary romance novels, this is definitely one for you. I'd recommend any of Bailey's books, but I will say that her books have gotten steamier and steamier, with each one she writes. Some may not work for everyone; this one involved a dirty-talking heroine, and a selfless hero who had minor alpha tendencies. It's a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn, high-tension, chemistry-filled romance that really delivers when the sexy times kick in. I recommend it!

Rating:

4 stars. I didn't really care for Naomi, BUT I think it would be so cool to read her story. Where did she go for two months? What was she doing? Better yet - let's see the aftermath of the two months, with her back in town and Elijah/Addison already together and squared away. It would be cool to see her find love, especially since there were no hard feelings between her and Elijah. Anyway, I also wouldn't mind this book being a complete standalone, so there's that!

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Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Release Week Promo: Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Good morning, book-loving fam! Today I'm promoting a brand-new publication by Tessa Bailey - Getaway Girl! This is a self-published standalone and I absolutely loved it. It's an opposites-attract, friends-to-lovers, fiery-hot romance novel that will make you swoon and fan yourself. Read all about it below!

About the Book:

Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: March 26, 2018

Official Summary:

This unlikely getaway driver never expected to help the mayor escape…

After a six-year absence, Addison Potts is back in Charleston to stir things up. And what better place to make her villainous return than her estranged cousin’s wedding? Only, the nuptials hit a snag when the bride doesn’t show, leaving Addison to play getaway driver for the jilted groom. A groom whose heartbreaking smile and deep, southern drawl she should not be noticing…

Elijah Montgomery Du Pont is the future mayor of Charleston. From his military career to city hall, every detail of his life has been meticulously planned. Until now. His only respite from life’s sudden upheaval is Addison, his new, improbable best friend. She makes him happy. Grounds him. And public disapproval be damned, he’s not willing to give her up. But with an election on the line and public pressure rising, Addison—and the cruel hand of fate—might not give him a choice.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

About the Author:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of ten years and six-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

“Well…” I stop to clear the rasp from my voice. “If there’s no picture of us together, we should take one.”

“Good idea.” He crooks his finger at me, unwittingly sealing his fate. “Come here.”

I put my jacket on downstairs when I thought we were leaving, but I take it off now, simply letting it fall. “I want you in the mayor’s chair.”

His eyes stray to my pooled jacket, then tick to mine. “You what?”

“In the picture. I want you sitting in the chair.”

“Oh. Right.” He slides out the brown leather, high-back executive chair and drops into it. “What about you?”

My bravery slips. Whose wouldn’t? This powerful, gorgeous man sits before me, outlined by the city he’s been elected to run. His thighs are thicker than my waist, his sleeves caught up around his elbows. A strong man. A man of conviction who will not be seduced unless he really wants to be.

Or is driven out of his mind and can’t resist.

Before I can second-guess myself, I move between his outstretched thighs and ease myself onto his lap. “Addison.”

I send him an innocent look over my shoulder. “Yes, Captain?”

His chest rises and falls. Once. Twice. “Take the picture.”

The fact that I’m playing with fire stops psyching me out…and begins to excite me. Maybe it’s the gravel in his tone…or the big fists that come to rest on the desk. No…it’s definitely the way he presses his nose to my hair and inhales. As if I’m not going to notice. But I do. I do and it makes me braver. Makes me throb between my legs.

“The picture, Addison.”

“Sorry.” I lean across the desk where I set my purse, taking my time digging through to find my cell before pulling it out, searching for the camera app. All the while, his muscles bunch beneath me, harder and harder…and that’s when I feel it. His erection lifts under my backside, so thick and glorious, I bite my lip to stop from crying out. I want to, though. I want to sob at the proof that he’s physically attracted to me and at least I have that much.

My hands are shaking as I lift the camera, my instincts screaming at me to grind down. Elijah’s breath is pelting the back of my neck. Other than that he’s completely still, though. But when I flip the camera around to selfie mode and get my first look at his face, there isn’t a jury on the planet that would rule him unaffected. His eyes are closed, nostrils flared, mouth open against my hair. “You’ve got five seconds,” he says. “Take it, or—”

“Or what?” Elijah stands up and takes me with him, my ass pressed to his lap, feet dangling off the ground. As if I weigh nothing more than a child. It only lasts for a couple mind-blowing seconds, though, before he settles me on the ground behind his desk. His heat begins to leave me and I sense my chance slipping away, so I twist around to face him. Still mere inches away from me, he pauses with his head tipped forward, hands flexing at his sides. “We could be more than friends.” After easing myself backwards onto the desk, I snag his necktie and tug him closer, guiding his hips between my open thighs. “Just for tonight.”

His laugh is more like a rough expulsion of air, the scent of bourbon hitting me. “That’s not how things work,” he says, his palms scraping up my thighs, twisting in the hem of my dress. “Goddammit, Addison. You’re not supposed to tempt me like this.”

Tempted. He’s tempted. My blood cells crash together. “I don’t always do what I’m supposed to,” I murmur, leaning up to bring our mouths close, a breath separating them. “If I wasn’t your friend, would you kiss me right now?”

His eyes fasten on my mouth, seeming darker than usual. Predatory. “You felt what you did to my cock, sugar. You know the answer to that.”

Read my review of Getaway Girl tomorrow! Spoiler alert: I loved the book. =)

Cover Reveal: Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Today is cover reveal day! I'm so excited to help share the cover of Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey. This is the latest self-published standalone by Bailey and it is bound to be excellent!

Ready to see the cover?

Here it is!

Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: March 26, 2018

Official Summary:

This unlikely getaway driver never expected to help the mayor escape… 

After a six-year absence, Addison Potts is back in Charleston to stir things up. And what better place to make her villainous return than her estranged cousin’s wedding? Only, the nuptials hit a snag when the bride doesn’t show, leaving Addison to play getaway driver for the jilted groom. A groom whose heartbreaking smile and deep, southern drawl she should not be noticing…

Elijah Montgomery Du Pont is the future mayor of Charleston. From his military career to city hall, every detail of his life has been meticulously planned. Until now. His only respite from life’s sudden upheaval is Addison, his new, improbable best friend. She makes him happy. Grounds him. And public disapproval be damned, he’s not willing to give her up. But with an election on the line and public pressure rising, Addison—and the cruel hand of fate—might not give him a choice. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

What do you think of the cover? Have you read any of Tessa Bailey's books? Does this friends-to-lovers contemporary romance novel appeal to you?

Review: Hidden Truths by Megan Erickson

Hidden Truths by Megan Erickson

Book One of the Boots series

Publication Date: December 3, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Newsletter serial

Summary (from Goodreads):

I meet him in the bar of a town where people run to get away from their past. That's why I'm here. His dark eyes promise a good time, and I take him up on it. Maybe I'm weak, or maybe I'm just lonely. Except it isn't only one night, because with one touch, we're addicted.

We're both in town for a different purpose. I want to save a life, and he wants to end one. The truth won't set us free--it will destroy us. Unless he keeps his promise, and I give up mine.

HIDDEN TRUTHS is a standalone romance that was originally published as a newsletter serial. It has since been revised and expanded. Enjoy the ride!

What I Liked:

Hidden Truths was originally a standalone newsletter serial, in which the author released one chapter every Friday, via her newsletter. I was hooked from the start and dying for more every Friday! In all honesty, this might sound dramatic but anticipating each chapter got me through some tough work weeks, believe it or not. I kept up with chapters 1-12, but then got crazy busy with work and missed chapters 13-15 and the epilogue. But as of last night, I am all caught up, so here is my review!

This is a story about a woman named Tara and a man named Lance, who meet under coincidental circumstances but are more connected than they think. How? You'll have to read the book to find out. (No, they aren't blood-related or anything creepy like that.) Lance and Tara can't stay away from each other, but their budding relationship might not be up to them. With Tara's past and Lance's thirst for revenge, they may not have had a chance from the start.

There is something simply addicting about Erickson's stories, but especially this one! It's suspense/thriller and every chapter had me captivated and ready for more. Releasing a chapter at a time was clever because the author always ended each chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger... basically ensuring that I (and many other eager readers) would be back for more. I'm not mad about it! Now that the book is available in a singular form, it would be a different reading experience, but I liked the newsletter serial (even if I did want to scream after some chapters' endings).

I adore Tara! She is a tough lady who does what she wants, says what she wants, and doesn't play games. I love her directness and lack of shyness - she went after what she wanted with no shame. I am this type of person so it was fun to see this type of woman in the story.

Lance is so complex and deep, and I loved the guy. He is complicated, with a complicated past and a complicated future (what he wants for his future, anyway). He is a good person despite his past, and he has a strong set of morals (despite his past). I liked his quiet brooding nature, and how straightforward he was. He and Tara got along well, with both of them being so direct and open.

The pair has some serious chemistry! There was sexual tension from the moment they saw each other, and that tension did not go away even long after the first sexy times. Erickson is really good at cooking up chemistry and keeping the tension going, and she always writes some good sexy times. 

She also writes really good romance in general - meaning the emotional side of things. Lance and Tara have great chemistry but they also click and begin to like each other more than physically. They start to trust each other and that trust becomes unbreakable as the story goes on. Both of them had reason to stop trusting and liking the other, but they both kept level heads and didn't jump 90 miles to some ridiculous conclusions. I loved how well they communicated with each other, even when they were so angry at and/or upset with the other.

Minimal romance drama (yay!), no love triangle (yay!), and a HEA. Also, super steamy sexy times. What more could you want? 

I don't want to give away the twists and turns so I won't say much about the story outside of the romance. It has to do with Tara's past including her brother and his shady dealings, and Lance's past as well as his own brother. The thriller/suspense part of the story gets super intense and you'll be wanting to scream at the author as that part of the story unfolds. But hang in there!

The climax of the story is intense but the ending is very satisfying! It's not a perfect rainbows-and-sunshine ending but it is a HEA and I loved it. Erickson always leaves readers happy no matter how intense the story gets, which is great. I loved the ending, and I'm glad this book is a standalone. But I'm excited for the next book (which features Tara's brother!). 

What I Did Not Like:

I can't think of anything specific! 

Would I Recommend It:

If you like romantic suspense/thrillers, this is one for you! It's longer than a novella but shorter than a full-length novel, but the story is very complete and well-written. It's a standalone but there will be a companion sequel that will follow Tara's brother Bryan. I find Erickson's romance novels very addicting, so prepare to be sucked into the story if you give it a chance!

Rating:

4 stars. This book was sexy, romantic, intense, nail-biting, and in the end, very satisfying. I was hooked and I never wanted to stop reading. This is a story worthy of rereading many times over, because it's that addicting. Do yourself a favor and check it out!

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Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Review: Follow by Tessa Bailey

Follow by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: October 30, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC sent by the author

Summary (from Goodreads):

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it. 

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior’s motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship…

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York’s financial scene…and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he’s exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane…and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They’re strong enough to overcome a little betrayal…aren’t they?

What I Liked:

Before I begin my review, just a small disclaimer... I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion. The review copy came from the author but the source of the review copy matters very little to me in terms of formulating an opinion. (In terms of legal issues... definitely. Please don't pirate. This book is so cheap!)

This is Tessa Bailey's first self-published novel, which might come as a surprise to some, because she has written and published so many adult romance novels, with small and big publishing houses. Nevertheless, Follow is her first foray into the self-publishing world. Self-published, traditionally published, it doesn't matter - her stories are so uniquely Tessa Bailey, with the hot, steamy romances, the intense romances, and the always-satisfying happily-ever-afters. Tessa Bailey is in a class all on her own when it comes to romance novels. Follow is one of her best yet.

There is Will Caruso, the son of a notorious crime boss in New York; the guy who has been vacationing for over a month, going to different places with his Great Dane; the guy who is filthy rich and has a successful company but wants nothing more to spend time with his dog - and away from his criminal father. And then there is Teresa Valentini, a young woman who loves her last family member - her brother - more than anything; a woman who is willing to make a deal with one of the most notorious crime bosses in New York in order to save her brother; a woman who didn't mean to fall for the crime boss's son - but did. She set out to seduce him and make him follow her back to New York, but instead she ended up falling for him - and he her. But what happens when the jig is up, and Will finds out who she really is?

One might think, on the surface, that this is a sexy romance novel with a lot of sex and not much else going on. But that person would be so wrong. Like any of Tessa's books, this story has so much depth, especially in terms of the characters. I'd say this book has even more depth, with the deception, the guilt, and the tumultuous and intense connection that Will and Teresa share. Both characters are so well-written and fleshed out; it was hard not to love them.

I especially loved Will, with his wicked and charming exterior and soft, warm interior. He is very smart, very driven, and very stubborn. He is so physical and male and a little bit aggressive, but not in an alphahole kind of way (though he is definitely an alpha). The respect and care he shows Teresa overshadows his protectiveness and occasional possessiveness. He's the type of alpha I like - dominating and commanding, yet sweet and caring without been forced.

And there is the fact that he basically went on hiatus with his dog, who he loves so much. His dog has a sickness and Will decided to throw caution out of the window and spend as much time as possible with his best friend. This was what inspired Follow, and there is a real Instagrammer that did this, and I think it's the sweetest thing.

I liked Teresa, with her bravery and strength and her determination to protect her family (in this case, Nicky, her brother and last surviving relative). She doesn't stop to think when he calls her and is in trouble - she just gets up and goes. Despite her deception (deceiving Will), she is a good person who was trying to save her brother. Falling for Will wasn't the plan and she definitely didn't plan on things going as far as they did.

This book. Is. HOT. Quite possibly Tessa's hottest book to date. This is the kind of book that is kinky without being hardcore "erotica", or BDSM, or anything like that. There is light dom-sub aspects to it, though not in a disciplined way. It takes some time before the steamy scenes really starts lighting up the pages, but the chemistry is always present from the moment Will and Teresa meet. I loved how Teresa grew more and more comfortable with her preferences and fantasies. I love how Will treated her so well, and how they seemed to fit together. There is no denying their physical connection. 

But there is no denying their emotional connection too. They fall for each other day after day, and not just because of the hot sex. Teresa sees how good of a man Will is, and Will sees how strong and fun of a person Teresa is. They bond and connect and it doesn't take much for them to fall in love. The timeline of this book is short, but you can feel them falling for each other

I wasn't worried about a HEA but I was slightly worried about the climax of the book, because of the obvious impending drama... clearly Will had to find out at some point, and of course he would be angry (justifiably so). But there was a lot less drama than I expected, in terms of the romance at the climax. Will and Teresa work things out fairly well, and I was on board with who did the apologizing (both of them), who did the chasing, who took the blame, who felt bad, etc.

All in all, this book was a fantastic read. It was classic Tessa Bailey, though it felt a little different. Maybe because it was hotter, maybe because it felt a little longer (that's a good thing), maybe because the concept of the story was a little different (crime/deception/underhand deals, etc.). But in any case, this is definitely a book I'll be thinking about in the future, and definitely in my top five favorite Tessa Bailey books.

What I Did Not Like:

I personally thought Tessa Bailey could have gone even further in terms of the sex in this book. There were so many potential scenes that seemed to set themselves up in this book, but they didn't happen. But then I suppose if the author wrote out every dirty scene between the hero and heroine, the book would be ten thousand pages long. BUT. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my head that the author could have gone a little further... or maybe a little more in terms of what she had.

Also, is it bad that I still don't know what Nicky was doing for Silas (Will's father)? Like what kind of crime ring Silas was running and how Nicky was involved? This could have been more explicit. It felt alluded to. Not a huge deal though.

Would I Recommend It:

Any Tessa Bailey fan should read this because it is one of her best, definitely not to be missed. I recommend this to people who haven't read any of her books and lot steamy hot adult romance novels - this is definitely a great place to start. You'll be hooked on Tessa Bailey's books in no time. This standalone is the type of book that is hotter than an "adult romance novel" but not quite "erotica" - but it's so hot and so enjoyable too, in terms of the story and the characters.

Rating:

4 stars. I know this is a standalone but I wouldn't mind reading another epilogue with the pair. I love their physical dynamic and I honestly wouldn't mind seeing more of it in adult romance. Tessa Bailey did a great job with this story and I hope she continues to self-publish!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Cover Reveal: Follow by Tessa Bailey

Hellooooo friends! Happy Sunday! Today I'm sharing the cover of Follow by Tessa Bailey, which was revealed on Friday. This is Tessa Bailey's first self-published novel, so please share the love! 

Get ready for Follow on October 30th! Let's give Tessa Bailey a warm welcome into self-publishing. But first, check out the cover!

(I LOVE IT. So much.)

Here it is!

Follow by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: October 30, 2017

Official Summary:

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it. 

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior’s motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship…

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York’s financial scene…and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he’s exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane…and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They’re strong enough to overcome a little betrayal…aren’t they?

About the Author:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

“Here we are.” 

My face heats over being caught even imagining such things. We’re at my door and I have no recollection of entering the motel. Come on, Teresa. Stop letting this guy get to you so bad. “Right.” I fish for the key card in my pocket, but cease all movement when Will brushes his fingertips down my arm, then trails them back up. Slow. And all the while, he invades my space, eliminating inches at such a leisurely pace that I’m panting by the time our mouths are a breath apart. 

“What are you going to do when I close this door behind you, Teresa?” He grazes my bottom lip with his teeth, making me gasp. “You going to get undressed in front of the air conditioner, thinking it might cool you down after teasing my cock for over an hour in the bar? It won’t. I give you five minutes before you’re face down in bed, riding your own fingers.”

My knees threaten to buckle. “That’s my business.”

“Make it mine.”

Mayday. Mayday. “Will—”

He stops my admonishment with a drugging kiss, his tongue stroking in and out of my mouth. His hands grip my elbows, lifting me up on my toes in desperate degrees, meshing our bodies, our lips, until I’m moaning, letting him have rough intercourse with my mouth. Just when I’m on the verge of giving in and begging him to take me up against the door, he steps back, eyes glittering, wiping away the moisture on his mouth with a wrist swipe. “I’ll be out on the balcony. If you’re going to finger yourself in my honor, I want to listen.” 

Don't forget to buy this book on October 30th! There will be no preorder options so please, support Tessa Bailey on that day. I'll be reading the book very soon, if you'd like to read my review to decide if this is a book for you. Chances are, if you love Tessa Bailey's previous books, it will be!

Review: The Body Electric by Beth Revis

The Body Electric by Beth Revis

Publication Date: October 6, 2014

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn't even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

What I Liked:

This is December's Pili-Pushed novel! To read all of my reviews of books recommended by Pili at In Love With Handmade, browse the "Pili-Pushed" tag of my blog! I've enjoyed the books she's recommended to me so far... to be honest, I expected to love this one, because I love Beth Revis's debut series.

First, let me state that I am a HUGE fan of Beth Revis. I loved her Across the Universe books - Across the Universe was my favorite book of 2011. When I heard about the self-publication of The Body Electric, I was thrilled! A new Revis book! More science fiction! We need more science fiction in the Young Adult age level. However, unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. 

Ella's father worked on a revolutionary creation - until he was killed. He was trying to create a human brain, but the problem with that is that you can create it, but you can't force it to think, like humans do. In a world of androids and bots and advanced technology, this creation would be revolutionary. As the government knew. Ella's mother created Reverie, in which one person could delve into another person's mind, while that person was in a dreamlike state. But Ella slowly realizes that something is wrong with her. Her memories are not complete, which she starts to understand when she meets someone from her past, a past that she doesn't remember.

What worked for me: the world-building, for one. I love how Revis constructs and builds the setting of this novel. It's very futuristic, with highly advanced technology, such as androids and robots and clones and things. Ella's parents are obviously scientific geniuses, but the whole planet is full of amazing science.

Revis did a good job of setting up the conflict and mystery. I wondered where she was going with certain things (like the bees, and Ella's hallucinations, and Jack), which is good... except in the end, it didn't really work for me. But initially, I liked the mystery of things. 

Read on for things I didn't like... unfortunately, there were a lot of them.

What I Did Not Like:

Blaaahhh. This makes me so sad. I didn't like Ella, I didn't like the science fiction aspect of this book (though the world-building was great), I didn't like the romance, I didn't like the mystery, and I was a bit confused (says the ENGINEERING major... keep in mind, I'm well-versed in things like statics and mechanics and physics and things like that).

I didn't like Ella. From the start, I had a feeling I wouldn't like her. I found her behavior, initially, very childlike, and in the end, she was still not as mature as I would have hoped. I can't put my finger on it, but something about her was so immature and childlike and naive and stupid. This persona dictated her decisions. I don't think she's very tough or smart at all - mostly, she's running and hiding or doing rash, stupid things.

I didn't like the science fiction of the book. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was cool at first... until I realized that not much made sense. It's hard to describe this without spoiling things. But like, the whole cyclone thing doesn't make sense. It's clones don't feel, then, how do, um, certain people, feel? Like, love and comfort and whatnot?

And why is Ella NOW seeing the hallucinations of her father? I'm not entirely sure what the trigger was. Why was she seeing her father NOW? I can *kind of* extrapolate why she's able to see him in general, but I'm not sure of the WHY NOW. Even the WHY is sketchy.

The hallucinations in general - the bees, for example - were not really explained either, as to why they were occurring now. It wasn't too frustrating at first, because I figured it would all be explained later, but as I kept reading I kept getting more frustrated, and I realized that I would get no real answers. And I never did. 

I didn't like the romance. I can't say much specifically about it, because that's some serious spoiler-ness, but I didn't like it. I didn't like the introduction, the progression, the backstory, nothing. Ella and the boy just did NOT work for me. I didn't think Ella liked him from the start, so when she magically started dancing to his tune, I wasn't really buying it. 

I liked Jack, but I found him to be very one-dimensional. I couldn't relate to him, I didn't find him heroic or swoonworthy or all that great. He just wasn't a developed enough character for me. 

I mentioned the mystery of things, as well as my confusion. Well, yeah, I was confused towards the end of this book. I LIKE science fiction. I have a head for it, and usually, I have no problems keeping up. I'm an engineering major - heavy on the math AND science - so it's my LIFE to keep up with these things. But I don't think Revis did the best job with the science. Like, the thing about the cyclones. I can't go into specifics, but if you really think about what Revis was trying to create, it doesn't quite make sense with what she set up in the world.

I didn't like the ending at all. Certain things were revealed, and I was all like, wtf? It felt like such a cop out, the easy way to explain things. Things that weren't even fully explained. The constant use of reveries in the end didn't seem right. The ending, in terms of Ella, and Jack, and Ms. White, and Ella's mother, just didn't sit well with me, and didn't make sense scientifically. Someone write a scientific paper on clones and these "cyclones" and then I'll be more open to the idea of these.

Obviously, a lot of my problems revolved around me not really buying the science of this book. But I also didn't like protagonist (which is a problem) or the love interest (that's really all he was, if so much), or the story. 

Would I Recommend It:

Not really. I mean, it's gotten good reviews so far, but I personally didn't like this new book by Revis. Her Across the Universe series is REALLY GOOD though. So. There's that.

Rating:

2 stars. Meh. I tried, okay? I love Beth Revis, and I'll give any of her books a shot!

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