Review: A is for Abstinence (V is for Virgin #2) by Kelly Oram

Source: Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: Already Released!
Number of Pages: 204


Description from Goodreads:

Six-time Grammy Award-winning musician Kyle Hamilton has it all—money, fame, talent, good looks, and a job he loves. His only regret in life: walking away from a certain notorious virgin because he was too prideful, stubborn, and even afraid to give her the only thing she asked of him—his abstinence.

Four years and a broken heart later, Kyle realizes that sex isn’t everything, and he suddenly can’t stop thinking about the girl that got away. Virgin Val Jensen got under his skin like no one else ever has. He wasn’t ready for her then, but things are different now. He’s grown up, he’s learned a few things, and he’s finally figured out exactly what he wants, or, rather, who he wants.

Kyle Hamilton wants a do-over, and this time he’s willing to do—or not do—whatever it takes.

**** I don't mention any spoilers in my review, but if you want to check out my review for V is for Virgin, which A is for Abstinence is the sequel of, you can find it, here: http://burningximpossiblyxbright.blogspot.ca/2013/03/review-v-is-for-virgin-by-kelly-oram.html. ****

MY REVIEW

I've been meaning to read A is for Abstinence for forever, but something always seemed to get in my way...classes, work, but I was looking through my kindle, saw it listed, and couldn't resist Kyle and Val any longer! Once I started reading, I absolutely couldn't put it down, and I definitely wish that I'd picked it up sooner!!! :D

I was a HUGE fan of Kyle and Val after reading V is for Virgin, and after reading excerpts before the release of A is for Abstinence, I was desperate for more! I'm so glad that Kelly continued Kyle and Val's story! A is for Abstinence was absolutely PERFECT, and I loved it! :D

At the start of A is for Abstinence, it's been four years since Val and Kyle have parted, and we get to see them have one heck of a reunion! I loved seeing Kyle and Val grow, and seeing them get to know each other was fantastic. They always had the best banter, and teased each other in such an entertaining way, but I really loved getting to see them connect in a more meaningful way. Their chemistry was intense, and I loved that they weren't just challenging each other in this one. They were communicating and working together to make a relationship work, and that was wonderful! I also loved getting to see Kyle's point of view!!! He definitely has a lot of layers! I'm also a big sucker for the musical aspect of his character; he's just so dreamy! :D

Overall, I absolutely loved A is for Abstinence! I think you could definitely read it as a standalone, but I think you'd enjoy it wayyyyy more if you read V is for Virgin first because Kyle and Val have some EPIC history. I'd recommend V is for Virgin and A is for Abstinence to readers who love contemporary romances that have wonderful characters with great banter and chemistry, and to those who love books that cover some topics that aren't always mentioned in young adult, like abstinence, virginity until marriage, and adoption. :)


Have you read V is for Virgin or A is for Abstinence yet?
Any Kyle Hamilton fans out there?
And if you haven't read it, or any of Kelly Oram's other books, does it sound like something you'd like?

Inside Game Blog Tour: EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY!

Inside Game
by Collette West
Publication Date: July 10, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks • Smashwords

Third baseman Drake Schultz is the undisputed bad boy of the New York Kings. So it's no surprise when Major League Baseball suspends him for taking performance-enhancing drugs. Furious with their superstar, the front office issues an ultimatum: either work with their sober companion or kiss the rest of his quarter-billion-dollar contract goodbye. Cocky and arrogant, Drake resists being saddled with a live-in babysitter—even one he's insanely attracted to.

Drake is Eva Sloane's first celebrity client as a substance abuse counselor, and she knows she's in trouble when he starts tempting her at every turn. The way he looks at her is as hot as sin, but she refuses to become his new drug of choice. Slowly, she helps him realize he has to face the demons from his past and heal his tortured spirit before he can even think about satisfying any craving he has for her.

About Collette West

Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.

Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com.

She is the author of NIGHT GAMES and GAME CHANGER.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

EXCERPT

"That doesn't make me a good man, Eva. You don't know all the things I've done, the kind of person I really am."

"All I know is the man you are now, and he's someone worth fighting for," she says ardently, latching on to my shirt. "That's why you're here today. To finally say goodbye to that person you once were and to let go of him forever. You're not defined by your past, Drake. Let the choices you make in the future show the world who you really are."

"Life is the sum of all choices, huh?" I quirk up the side of my mouth at her. "But I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than your Cracker Jack philosophy."

"It doesn't have to be," she challenges me. "You could commit to a new path—right here, right now. Tell your mother to go to hell. Be there for Willa and Coco when you get back to New York. Play the game the way it's meant to be played. Rely on your natural talent to carry you through."

"And what about you and me?" I ask.

She drops down off her tiptoes, easing her grip on my shirt. My heart constricts when she slowly backs away from me.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

She pushes her hair away from her face, agitated. "Now is not the time to talk about that."

"And who gets to decide that? You?" I mock her, wishing she had the courage to deal with me the way she deals with everyone else. "You kissed me in my bed back in Tampa, but I guess that means nothing to you, right? You'll just do whatever it takes to get me to go along with you, another ploy that you pull out of your bag of tricks, sacrificing yourself for the greater good."

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY WITH THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What do you think?
Did you enjoy that excerpt? I know, I sure did! :D
Does Inside Game sound like something you'd like to read?

Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Source: Purchased for myself.
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 306 (Paperback)


Description from Goodreads:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

And Colleen Hoover has done it again!!!! I had Confess preordered for months, but I ended up being in a bit of a reading slump when the release date finally rolled around, but I picked it up last night...started reading, stayed up way too late reading, forced myself to get to sleep, and promptly devoured it this morning!!!

I loved Confess! Owen and Auburn were amazing characters, and their story was so intricately woven, and so captivating that I just didn't want to stop reading...or for the book to end!!! It's still totally continuing on in my head, and I'm actually pretty sad that I finished because I really just want more and more of Auburn and Owen. I completely loved it though, but I definitely wouldn't pass up the chance to read more about these two. ;) I think that their story ended in a really sweet, remarkable way, and I just loved it so much!! :D This is how I'm tortured by standalones though because I love how the book ends and is summed up, but would also love more. :P haha

I completely and wholeheartedly recommend Confess! If you love Colleen Hoover already, you'll definitely love this one, and if you haven't had the extreme pleasure of reading her books yet, then I think this one would be an absolutely fabulous one to start with! It was breathtaking and wonderful, and made me feel every single amazing and awe-inspiring feeling while reading it. Seriously...read it! I hope you love it as much as I did! ;)

What do you think? 

Does Confess sound like a book you'd like?

Have you read Confess yet?

Have you read any of Colleen Hoover's books yet?

Cover Reveal: Inside Game by Collette West!

I'm always excited to see the covers for Collette West's New York Kings' books...and Inside Game was no different! I was privileged enough to get to beta read it for Collette, but I've been eagerly awaiting its cover, and today I'm able to share it with you. I think this is the sexiest cover for the series yet. ;D haha

And here it is!!! The cover for INSIDE GAME:

Inside Game
by Collette West
Release: July 10, 2015
Genres: Sports Romance, New Adult
Add to Goodreads

Third baseman Drake Schultz is the undisputed bad boy of the New York Kings. So it's no surprise when Major League Baseball suspends him for taking performance-enhancing drugs. Furious with their superstar, the front office issues an ultimatum: either work with their sober companion or kiss the rest of his quarter-billion-dollar contract goodbye. Cocky and arrogant, Drake resists being saddled with a live-in babysitter—even one he's insanely attracted to.

Drake is Eva Sloane's first celebrity client as a substance abuse counselor, and she knows she's in trouble when he starts tempting her at every turn. The way he looks at her is as hot as sin, but she refuses to become his new drug of choice. Slowly, she helps him realize he has to face the demons from his past and heal his tortured spirit before he can even think about satisfying any craving he has for her.

I absolutely love this cover, and it looks amazing with the other ones, too: 

What do you think?
Do you agree with me and think Inside Game is the sexiest cover in the series so far? ;) 

And is anyone else a big New York Kings' fan? :D

Release Day!!! The Offer by Karina Halle!!!

Back when it came out, I quickly devoured Karina Halle's contemporary romance, The Pact...and now The Offer, a companion novel to The Pact is out!!! Both books are standalones, but they do happen to star two lovely, hunky, Scottish brothers. :P

And today is the official release day for The Offer!!!!!

You can find it on Amazon, B&N (I'll post this link once it's live!),  iTunes, and Kobo!!! For a limited time it also happens to only be $0.99!!!!! :D

So...if you haven't already fallen in love with The Pact, and have no idea what The Offer is about, I've got some lovely teasers, and an excerpt for you all! ;)

First things first though, here's the book's description:

She thinks he's an arrogant playboy.
He thinks she's an uptight prude.
But he's about to make her an offer she can't refuse.

Nicola Price used to have it all – a great career, the perfect boyfriend, an excessive shoe collection and an apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods. But when she gets knocked up and her asshat boyfriend leaves her high and dry, Nicola’s perfectly crafted world comes tumbling down. And stays that way.

Now, Nicola is the proud single mom to a five-year old daughter and living a giant lie. She can barely afford their ghetto apartment and all the men she dates run when they hear she comes with a child. She’s struggling and scared – and nowhere near where she thought she’d be at age thirty-one.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, handsome and wealthy Scotsman Bram McGregor, the older brother of her friend Linden. Bram understands a thing or two about pride, so when tragic circumstances place Nicola at rock bottom, he offers them a place to live in the apartment complex he owns. It’s pretty much the perfect deal, so as long as she doesn’t mind living beside Bram, a man that, despite his generosity, seems to antagonize her at every turn.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble...

EXCERPT

When reality starts to fade in a bit, I find myself being walked to the door of my apartment building, my arms draped over both Kayla and Steph. We go up the stairs and now I’m standing in front of my door, wobbling back and forth, trying my hardest to look as sober as possible.

Steph goes to knock on the door but it’s already open. I guess we are being loud, giggling, in the hallway.

Bram looks at the three of us and my God is he a sight for sore eyes.

“We brought her home,” Steph says, motioning with her hand for Bram to get out of the way, “your shift is over.”

“No,” I tell them as they shuffle me inside. “He can stay.”

I know the three of them are exchanging a look over my head.

“I’ll make sure she goes to bed,” Bram explains. “No funny business, I swear.”

“Pinky swear?” Steph says and I turn to see her holding out her pinky to him. “You know I don’t break those.”

Ugh, Steph and her damn pinky swears. She wouldn’t even be married to Linden if it weren’t for one.

But Bram does a pinky swear with her.

“No funny business,” Steph warns him.

“Good thing I’m not funny!” I yell as I flop down on the couch. The room is beginning to spin.

“Nic, that was, like, five minutes ago,” Steph says. She reaches over the couch and pats my head. “Do you want us to undress you because Bram’s not allowed.”

“No one undresses me but me!” I yell, throwing my fist up into the air.

“Have fun with her,” Steph says to Bram. “And remember, she’s untouchable. Don’t make me make your brother punch you in the junk or something.”

Bram makes a scoffing noise. “Last time he tried to do that, I got him back good. You just ask him what happened on January 16th, 2005 and why he’ll never eat pudding again.”

“I mean it,” Steph threatens and I hear her and Kayla leave and the door closing.

I close my eyes too. Drift away for a moment. The spinning has stopped and there’s a beautifully cool breeze wafting over my skin.

“I’m not supposed to touch you,” Bram’s gruff voice says and when I open my eyes, he’s crouched in front of me, a lock of dark hair over his forehead. His face is shadowy in the dark, the only light now being from my bedroom behind him.

“That’s okay,” I mumble into the couch. “You can touch me. I say it’s fine.”

“How about I bring you something to sleep in? Do you have a favorite nightshirt? I always see you in that top that your nipples try and poke right through.”

“No, not the nipple shirt.”

He goes to get up. With a lazy hand, I grip his shirt. “Don’t leave. I’m fine here.”

“I can’t imagine you being comfortable.”

“I’m drunk. Everything is comfortable. Except I wish I had a cheeseburger. I would eat it and use it as a pillow. Or maybe use it as a pillow and then eat it.”

“I see.”

I raise my brow at him. “You just want to go through my underwear.”

“Oh, I’ve already gone through your underwear.”

“Lies.”

“I wore them on my head and danced around your apartment.”

“Did you really?” I ask, totally serious.

“Come on,” he says grabbing my forearms. “If you want to sleep in your clothes, that’s fine. But I’m bringing you to your own bed and taking off your shoes.”

“Can you brush my teeth too? I need clean teeth.” I let him pull me to my feet and I pitch to the left, heading right for the coffee table. But I’m in his arms, his capable arms, and he’s holding me to him.

“You have capable arms.”

“You have an exquisite arse,” he responds and half leads me, half drags me out of the living area and into the bedroom.

“I like the way you say arse,” I say with a giggle, exaggerating his accent. “I like the way you say everything.”

“I’m glad, because I foresee a lot of arse talk in the future.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I try and swat him away. “All talk and no arse pinching.”

About Karina Halle

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible. 

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her husband and rescue pup.

 FACEBOOK | TWITTER |  GOODREADS |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 And here are some final teasers for you all! Be forewarned...some are pretty steamy! ;) 

What do you think?

Are you as excited to get your hands on a copy of The Offer as I am? 

I totally already got myself one, so hurry up and get yours, too! ;P 
That $0.99 deal won't last long!!! ;)