The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center 

She's got his back. He's got her heart. They've got a secret. What could possibly go wrong?
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she's an elite bodyguard and she's just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.

Jack Stapleton's a Hollywood heartthrob - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.

When Jack's mom gets sick, he comes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah - against her will and her better judgment - finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover.

Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done...

*I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review*

I feel that Katherine Center has a way of pulling on my heart strings which puts her a class above many authors for me. I believe in her characters and plots because she makes them feel real to me. The Bodyguard added some silly rom com elements that had me laughing while along for the ride. Regardless of the laugh out loud moments I appreciated the elements of grief, family, and feminism. 

I loved that the main character was a bodyguard and could majorly kick butt. I think that sometimes authors will take a strong female character and make them almost machine like. Center was able to fully flesh out Hannah's character and make her vulnerable yet capable. She is told by other characters in the story that she has no emotions but she feels so much and is able to compartmentalize in order to function. 

I thought that grief was handled very well in the book. Readers are able to witness and journey with characters as they attempt to cope with their different losses. It was interesting to me to see how unique each was and how the family functioned in the aftermath. 

I have only one criticism regarding the story. I'm not sure how I felt about the "villain". The twist regarding that aspect of the book seemed a bit out of left field. It took me out of the story and then I felt that the ending was a bit rushed after the fact. 

If you are interested in reading a light hearted yet emotionally grounded story then you should definitely pick up The Bodyguard. 

Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire #2) by Jay Kristoff

4.75/5

Empire of the Damned (Empire of the Vampire  #2) by Jay Kristoff

Empire of the Damned continues right where Empire of the Vampire left off with our main characters in peril, trying to escape from enemies. Gabriel continues to tell the tale to the vampire historian. We also receive another point of view from a different prisoner that fills in the gaps of the story. 

Empire of the Damned improved upon Empire of the Vampire. It was a worthy sequel that was well worth the wait. I had a few issues with Empire of the Vampire, some of which were remedied in Empire of the Damned. The first entry of this series was somewhat slow and I found that I had some trouble relating to and even routing for some of the characters. I also found the old way of speaking hard to follow. I'm not one for classic literature which is why that may have been the case. 

I'm so happy that in reading through Empire of the Damned that the journey that many of the characters are on, as told by our main character, was much improved. I felt that I could understand Gabriel so much more as we are privy to more of his past which explains more about the man he is in the present. I also found that characters that I previously disliked became ones that I was excited to follow through the trials and bloodshed. They were far more intriguing than I previously thought. 

This installment in the series is much more thrilling and packed with battles. One of the things that I love about Jay Kristoff's writing is his ability to write action scenes in such a realistic yet fantastical way. He is able to strike that balance very well while still not letting his characters come out unscathed. Gabriel receives new scars to add to his collection on his body and there were times as a reader where I was unsure if he would live through the battles he found himself a part of. It is a testament to how much tension the author is capable of adding to the story as we know as readers that Gabriel is telling the story so he obviously lives. 

While the language that some of the characters use (the vampires) is still old world, I found that this particular piece didn't bother me quite as much. I feel this is due to the new characters being introduced and being intrigued by both their motivations and back stories.  There are of course twists and turns to this story just as in the first book. However, I found the twists in Empire of the Damned to be shocking and didn't see most of them coming. This added the the thrill as I was reading. I found that I had to take breaks because my heart would race and I would fear for the characters. There were so many events that took place that I would question where the story could possibly go next. This book may be over 700 pages long but it is so fast paced that it does not seem that length at all. I found myself flying through the pages anxious to know what would happen next. 

I can't wait for the next installment to come out! I have to know what happens next!

*I received an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126918599-empire-of-the-damned

https://jaykristoff.com/

Love At First Write Review

 

BLURB
 
I had a crush on my best friend’s older brother even before he joined the SEALs and became a hometown hero. I didn’t fall in love with him until I started sending him care packages and exchanging letters. The bond we’ve built over the past two years made me believe he was my soulmate.
 
But then the man I thought I was writing just returned from overseas with no recollection of our letters. Plus he’s brought home a fiancee!
 
Enter Ethan Fox, tough guy, loner, war hero. Liar.
 
He says he fell in love with me through our letters, but how am I supposed to trust the man who’s been lying to me for years?
 
 
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200840856-love-at-first-write

I lOVED this novella! The only draw back to this story is that it isn't longer. I wish I could have stayed in Kelsie and Ethan's story longer. It was a breath of fresh air and so cute. I appreciated how in touch with his feelings that Ethan was and how he excepted and loved Kelsie just the way she was. I also thought that Kelsie was a fun, sassy character. I enjoyed the side characters that we get to meet in this novella. Kelsie's friends are hilarious. I definitely laughed out loud at their antics and interactions with her. I was living for their banter. All in all this was a solid romance read and I look forward to reading more from the author. 

PURCHASE LINKS
 
US: https://amzn.to/3uQ7b6j
UK: https://amzn.to/3TgZMGL
CA: https://amzn.to/3IhylpT
AU: https://amzn.to/3IklpQ9

Free in Kindle Unlimited
 
 
AUTHOR BIO
 
USA Today Bestselling Author Kat Baxter writes fast-paced, sweet & STEAMY romantic comedies. Readers have dubbed her books “laugh-out-loud funny,” “hot enough to melt your kindle,” and “The Queen of Adorkable.” She lives in Texas with her family and a menagerie of animals. Kat is the pseudonym for a bestselling historical romance author.
 
Connect with Kat online.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: https://katbaxterauthor.com
Newsletter: https://katbaxterauthor.com/newsletter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kat.baxter.1848
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/455684435169876
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katbaxterauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katbaxterauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatBaxter9
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18936779.Kat_Baxter
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kat-baxter
 

Love At First Write Release

REVIEW TO FOLLOW!

Love at First Write
A SEAL Team Alpha Series Standalone
Author: Kat Baxter
Genre: Steamy Short Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Secret/Mistaken Identity, Military
Pen-Pal, Small Town, Forced Proximity
Release Date: February 26, 2024
 

BLURB
 
I had a crush on my best friend’s older brother even before he joined the SEALs and became a hometown hero. I didn’t fall in love with him until I started sending him care packages and exchanging letters. The bond we’ve built over the past two years made me believe he was my soulmate.
 
But then the man I thought I was writing just returned from overseas with no recollection of our letters. Plus he’s brought home a fiancee!
 
Enter Ethan Fox, tough guy, loner, war hero. Liar.
 
He says he fell in love with me through our letters, but how am I supposed to trust the man who’s been lying to me for years?
 
 
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200840856-love-at-first-write
 
 
PURCHASE LINKS
 
US: https://amzn.to/3uQ7b6j
UK: https://amzn.to/3TgZMGL
CA: https://amzn.to/3IhylpT
AU: https://amzn.to/3IklpQ9

Free in Kindle Unlimited
 
 
AUTHOR BIO
 
USA Today Bestselling Author Kat Baxter writes fast-paced, sweet & STEAMY romantic comedies. Readers have dubbed her books “laugh-out-loud funny,” “hot enough to melt your kindle,” and “The Queen of Adorkable.” She lives in Texas with her family and a menagerie of animals. Kat is the pseudonym for a bestselling historical romance author.
 
Connect with Kat online.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: https://katbaxterauthor.com
Newsletter: https://katbaxterauthor.com/newsletter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kat.baxter.1848
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/455684435169876
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katbaxterauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katbaxterauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatBaxter9
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18936779.Kat_Baxter
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kat-baxter
 
 

How I Met My Soulmate Vol. 1 by Anashin

 

💖💖💖💖💖

Yuuki is a 20-year-old college sophomore who has wished for one thing since moving to to find her soulmate. Growing a bit desperate after a long drought, she goes along with a friend to a club for the first time. Her friend thrives, but it's chaotic and loud...just not Yuuki's scene. Just when Yuuki begins to despair that she'll ever find a real, adult relationship, she meets Lori, a man with bleached hair and a slightly scary demeanor...but first impressions don't always tell the whole story. Could destiny still have more cards to play?

I was so excited to hear that Anashin was starting a new shojo manga series! The characters are just as loveable as they are in Waiting For Spring but with more maturity as the characters are all in their early twenties. We meet Yuuki who is struggling to deal with her loneliness and wanting someone to be in a relationship with. I found her to be endearing and felt for her as the story progressed. We are also introduced to her best friend who I'm not sure how I feel about as we don't get much time with her in the manga. There are a few potential soulmates who we meet in this volume and let's just say I already know who I'm rooting for. There were moments with tension, humor, and cuteness. If you enjoy reading shojo manga but are wanting something a bit more mature without smut then I would recommend this. 

(I received a free copy of this novel, but all opinions and statements are my own unbiased thoughts)

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

 

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his loud and boisterous family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister Gen is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just act normal so that he can concentrate on basketball. They aren’t friends -- at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find the missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

I would have liked to have seen more growth in Virgil, one of the main characters, in the book as well as more of a resolution in the end. I wanted there to have been consequences for a certain character that was a complete bully. I enjoyed the other characters in the story and how it represented how children are capable and that girls are strong and intelligent. 

My main issue with the book was that it felt unfinished to me. Don't misunderstand me. It had a beginning, middle, and end but I wanted there to be more to it than there was. Perhaps it felt like a more surface level story and I wanted the author to add more depth to the book than there was. I wanted more of a message represented in the story because it felt like there wasn't one. 

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

 

In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future.

When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.

I appreciated how the author didn't make this book overly angsty or dramatic. It was very straight forward with flawed characters that were believable people who didn't always say or do the right thing. I really loved Evvie because I felt like I understood her and her journey to feel like she was enough. I thought that the author did a good job of portraying abuse in a subtle way and I respected how she had the reader look at verbal and emotional abuse. It was interesting to me how each of the main characters were grieving things in their lives in different ways. There were different feelings to each and I thought that the author's take was an intriguing one. It seems to me that many people feel that they aren't grieving right because they don't cry or aren't sad enough so I appreciated the author's approach.