ARC Netgalley: Player vs Player by Amelia C. Gormley

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from GR:

Pushing for change can be dangerous when change starts pushing back.
Video game writer Niles River loves the work he does at Third Wave Studios: creating games with mass appeal that feature women, people of color, and LGBTQ characters. To make his job even better, his best friend is his boss, and his twin brother works beside him. And they mostly agree that being on the forefront of social change is worth dealing with trollish vitriol—Niles is more worried about his clingy ex and their closeted intern’s crush on his brother than he is about internet harassment.
But now the bodies on the ground are no longer virtual, and someone’s started hand-delivering threats to Niles’s door. The vendetta against Third Wave has escalated, and to make matters worse, the investigating detective is an old flame who left Niles heartbroken for a life in the closet.
No change happens without pain, but can Niles justify continuing on with Third Wave when the cost is the blood of others? If he does, the last scene he writes may be his own death.

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

Player vs Player is quite difficult to review for me: it has a non-fiction vibe - and that's not a genre I read often - since the romance or the mystery storylines are, in order of importance, way beyond the socio-political one.
As it was pointed out by other readers, I often got the impression reading this story of being lectured by the author and, while I get the importance of showing the wrongness about sexism, misogyny and homophobia, I also think the author went a little overboard in this case.
Rosie and Niles, most often than not, seemed Amelia C. Gormley's spokespersons rather than their own characters: I didn't get to really know them, as well as I didn't get to feel any attachment for Niles and Tim and to their relationship.

The reason I'll still give 3 stars to this book is the following: Player vs Player is different from most books I usually read and still I liked it enough to end it. It's not an easy read and if you're not into video games - and that's my case - it could be tedious at times, but if you enter it without too much expectations about the romance part it also could be an interesting experience.

At last, I'd like to thank the author for the chance to read her book through NetGalley; I hope she appreciates my honest review.

ARC Netgalley: Losing Heart by Donna Brown

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from GR:

 "I hate you. I hate you with all of Sylvia's heart."

 
Helen has waited for months for the heart that will save her life. After reaching out to the grieving mother of her donor heart, Helen realises that a second chance comes at a price. The price, she soon realises, is much steeper than she'd ever have chosen to pay. 
There's more than one way to break a heart. There's more than one way to destroy a life...
 


*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

Freaky
Creepy
Disturbing

That's the first thing that come to mind when I try to review this book.
Which is not the same as saying I didn't like it...I did! I liked it exactly for the emotions and feelings - even if negative - it aroused.
Helen, the main character, is not a likeable woman but in the long run it's impossible not to feel sympathy for her situation: she's pretty much alone in a war against a woman that apparently is "perfect" and that is way better than her in awakening compassion and pity. I sure took my time in taking her part.

Donna Brown's Losing Heart reminds me a little of Karin Slaughter's books and that's a style I like very much.
At last, I'd like to thank the author for the chance to read her story through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my honest review.

Release of the day: Blind Passion by Bonnie Dee

Today is the day: Bonnie Dee's Blind Passion is going to be available for sale!!

I've already read the book through NetGalley (here's my review) and I recommend it to those readers who like insta-love type of stories. I liked it even if usually I'm not a fan of those!

(Synopsis from GR)

Through personal darkness, two strangers find their way to each another.

Leah Schaeffer has come a long way since an accident took her sight. She’s finally ready for independence, but convincing her wealthy parents she’ll be safe on her own isn’t easy. The first night in her own place at last, she encounters her neighbor with the midnight velvet voice and her world shifts again.

Since finishing a military tour, J.D. Wyatt has struggled both financially and emotionally. When Leah’s parents hire him to act as her bodyguard, he seizes the opportunity. The catch—she can’t know she’s being followed. As he grows closer to the intriguing woman and begins to have feelings for her, the burden of this secret grows heavier.

Although Leah and J.D. have suffered different types of trauma, their mutual understanding of each other’s pain bonds them. But their relationship, dependent on absolute trust, is rooted in lies which will detonate like an IED when exposed.

Merry Christmas!

Transcendence by Shay Savage

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from GR:
It’s said that women and men are from two different planets when it comes to communication, but how can they overcome the obstacles of prehistoric times when one of them simply doesn’t have the ability to comprehend language?
Ehd’s a caveman living on his own in a harsh wilderness. He’s strong and intelligent, but completely alone. When he finds a beautiful young woman in his pit trap, it’s obvious to him that she is meant to be his mate. He doesn’t know where she came from; she’s wearing some pretty odd clothing, and she makes a lot of noises with her mouth that give him a headache. Still, he’s determined to fulfill his purpose in life – provide for her, protect her, and put a baby in her.
Elizabeth doesn’t know where she is or exactly how she got there. She’s confused and distressed by her predicament, and there’s a caveman hauling her back to his cavehome. She’s not at all interested in Ehd’s primitive advances, and she just can’t seem to get him to listen. No matter what she tries, getting her point across to this primitive, but beautiful, man is a constant – and often hilarious – struggle. 
With only each other for company, they must rely on one another to fight the dangers of the wild and prepare for the winter months. As they struggle to coexist, theirs becomes a love story that transcends language and time

I liked it so very much!!!!
Transcendence is different from every romance I ever read and that's exactly what made it so good to me. It put a smile on my face more than once and left me at the end with a happy feeling all around, definitively a book I'd recommend to all romance lovers

What made it so special?? The main characters! Mostly Ehd and his internal musings! :D
Ehd is a caveman, with caveman's worries and caveman's accommodations, and that also means he doesn't speak or understand human language...if that doesn't make an interesting spin to the whole man-woman relationship I don't know what it could!
And if you're worried the story could be boring with pretty much no dialogue at all, don't be: the author did an amazing job in making dialogues unnecessary while describing Ehd and Beh interactions and their growing relationship. Those two are such a cute and solid couple..I loved everything about their story!

ARC Netgalley: Blind Passion by Bonnie Dee

Wyatt Bros. Series, Book #1

My rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis from GR:

Through personal darkness, two strangers find their way to each another.

Leah Schaeffer has come a long way since an accident took her sight. She’s finally ready for independence, but convincing her wealthy parents she’ll be safe on her own isn’t easy. The first night in her own place at last, she encounters her neighbor with the midnight velvet voice and her world shifts again.

Since finishing a military tour, J.D. Wyatt has struggled both financially and emotionally. When Leah’s parents hire him to act as her bodyguard, he seizes the opportunity. The catch—she can’t know she’s being followed. As he grows closer to the intriguing woman and begins to have feelings for her, the burden of this secret grows heavier. 

Although Leah and J.D. have suffered different types of trauma, their mutual understanding of each other’s pain bonds them. But their relationship, dependent on absolute trust, is rooted in lies which will detonate like an IED when exposed.

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

Leah and J.D. are both damaged - Leah for an accident that left her blind, J.D. for his childhood and the war he had to take part into - and both are struggling with the hardships life put them through. Since the first meeting, they felt a connection to each other and that connection only deepened with each "casual" encounter...but is it really only fate's merit?!?

Well nope, it isn't! (But I won't spoil this for you, don't worry!)

Overall, I liked Blind Passion - even if Leah and J.D. relationship evolved quite rapidly for my tastes - but if there's a thing I could change that would be the way Leah and J.D. argument was resolved: it  felt quite rushed after all the times Leah told us how J.D.'s lies ruined irrevocably her trust in him. But then, since he almost died, *poof* he's forgiven...mmm not so fast pal!

What I liked most was instead the way the author focused on Leah's efforts for overcoming her disability, I was rooting for her all the way!!

Gina and Micah, as secondary characters, were perfect and I'm very curious about their story: the preview the author offers at the end of the book left me wanting more! I'll be waiting for their book ;)

At last, I'd like to thank Bonnie Dee for the chance to read an ARC of Blind Passion through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my honest review.

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-SALE AT 

Blind Passion will be released on December, 26th

ARC Natgalley: The Temp by Emily Benet

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsys from GR:
Amber is a twenty-something, out of university with a degree she’s not sure what to do with… so she temps in order to earn enough money to live in London.
One of her favourite life hacks is to attend modern art gallery openings for free wine. It is during one of these that she thinks ‘if they can do it, why not me?’, and meeting a handsome gallery promoter cements her ambition to become famous through her art.
With the help—and sometimes hindrance—of her friends Farrell, Bibiana, and Egg (short for Egbert), can Amber achieve her dream AND snag handsome Elliott?

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

While I liked the second half of the book, I had some problems with the beginning: it was slow and, for the most part, I didn't get where the story was going but, even more, I didn't get Amber!
Contrary to what the title would let you think, The Temp is not about a girl being a temp  - at least that's not what the book shows us - but it's about a girl who's bored of her life and, for a little white lie told to a handsome stranger, she decides to become an artist. As I said I didn't get Amber that much; she has no real motivation for her actions if not trying to prove something to a stranger, and she's very self-centered. I didn't get the impression she was a good friend to Egg or Farrell since, most often than not, she wasn't even listening to them! Moreover, Amber's revelation about her feelings for Farrell felt a little sudden: she doesn't try to understand or explain these new feelings she has for him, she just suddenly knows - thanks to a kiss and a dream - that she always loved Farrel more than a friend. I can't say that I knew it too!

Taken as a whole, The Temp is an enjoyable story but there are some aspects I didn't like that much, mostly Amber's indecisiveness! Still, I'd like to thank the author for the chance of reading her book through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my honest opinion.

ARC Netgalley: Road to Revenge by Mell Eight

Road to Series, Book #1

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from GR:
Rafi only wanted to spend a relaxing day in Tel Aviv with his lover, Mihi. When a bomb goes off outside the restaurant where they stopped for lunch, killing several people and leaving Mihi in critical condition, Rafi vows to catch the culprits and make them pay. Set on revenge, Rafi accepts an assignment to infiltrate a group of humanitarians to figure out which of them was responsible—and to stop whatever they're planning next. 

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

I liked it but I also felt that something was missing...
Going in, I was expecting a little more romance between Rafi and Mihi and probably that's why I was disappointed on this front. The story is focused more on Rafi and his mission than his relationship with his husband -yep, they're married -, moreover Rafi talks about Mihi as if the reader knows everything already (which he doesn't) and that left me quite disconnected to them.
However considering only the main storyline - the mystery about the terrorist attack that left Mihi injured - Road to Revenge has definitively nothing missing!! There's the right amount of intrigue, action and plot twist as any good spy story!
All things considered, I'm quite curious about the second book in the series  - Road to Home will be released on January 7th - and to find out where Rafi&Mihi's adventures will take them next time.

At last, I'd like to thank the author for the chance to read her book through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my review.

New ARCs + currently reading

Here's the newest ARCs I've received through NetGalley :D

	Losing Heart by Donna Brown The Temp by Emily Benet Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas Player vs Player by Amelia C. Gormley

Meanwhile I'm reading Road to Revenge by Mall Eight, the 1st book in the Road to.. Series

Synopsis from GR:

Rafi only wanted to spend a relaxing day in Tel Aviv with his lover, Mihi. When a bomb goes off outside the restaurant where they stopped for lunch, killing several people and leaving Mihi in critical condition, Rafi vows to catch the culprits and make them pay. Set on revenge, Rafi accepts an assignment to infiltrate a group of humanitarians to figure out which of them was responsible—and to stop whatever they're planning next.

Realease of the day: Want It by Jennifer Chance

Today's the day: Jennifer Chance's Want it - Book #3 in the Rule Breakers Series - is going to be available in stores!!! I read an ARC of Want It through NetGalley (see my review) and I liked it very much so I feel it's my duty to recommend it to you once more ;)

If you're a fan of Jennifer Chance, if you've already read the other books in the series or if you simply enjoy old-fashioned alpha males, what are you waiting for?! Go grab it!!

(Synopsis from GR)
In the latest tantalizing Rule Breakers novel from Jennifer Chance, an irresistible alpha male follows his ex into a deadly standoff—and reignites a heated affair.

For Erin Connelly, being a good girl isn’t such a bad thing. She’s working her dream job at a Boston art gallery and staying out of trouble, which is more than she can say for her deadbeat mom. Unfortunately, her mother’s latest misadventure lands her in the clutches of a Mexican drug lord. Now the only person who can save her is the one man Erin has no business asking for help: the sexy-as-sin army ranger who just so happens to be her former high school sweetheart.

Zander James is no gentleman—and no officer, either, thanks to Erin. Four years ago, she made a call that terminated his highest aspirations . . . and their relationship. He’s never forgiven her, but when he learns that Erin’s embarking on a half-baked rescue mission, he sure as hell can’t let her go alone. Now, with a treacherous enemy lying in wait, the electrifying tension between them may just be Zander’s undoing. Because while he may be able to keep Erin alive, he can’t promise to keep his hands off her.

ARC Netgalley: Loving You Is Easy by Wendy S. Marcus

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from GR:
She’s a survivor of the front lines of politics. He’s a wounded soldier returning home from the battlefield. Can they place their trust in the power of love?
Nobody plays the role of perfect politician’s daughter better than quiet, respectable math teacher Brooke Ellstein. But she won’t be caught swimming with the sharks again, not after the son of a wealthy donor sinks his teeth into her and gets away with it. Still, political connections have their perks, such as heading up the governor’s “Support Our Troops” pen-pal initiative—and getting first dibs on the smoking-hot sergeant whose picture shakes her right down to her goody-two-shoes.
When corresponding with sweet, classy Brooke, Shane Develen instinctively hides his commando tattoos and blue-collar roots—and he can tell that she’s hiding something, too. But Shane knows he’s gained her trust when Brooke gives him a blisteringly sexy photo. Then he’s injured in an ambush and a fellow soldier posts the snapshot online. Overnight, Brooke’s reputation turns to ashes. Even though he’s totally wrong for her, Shane shows up on Brooke’s doorstep, determined to set things right—and discovers that right or wrong has nothing on the chemistry they share.

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley*

Reading Loving You Is Easy was, I'm sorry to say, frustrating most of the time. Brooke and Shane are the least compatible couple ever!

To be honest, I didn't like Brooke or Shane that much even on their own. Shane, I didn't like at all, right from the start: he was an ass!! Brooke had her moments but mostly I wanted to shake her and slap her for all the time she forgave Shane when she shouldn't have. To make matters worse, there's a lot of senseless drama in the plot - Brooke's rape for example or all that mess with Charlotte's daughter - and a lot of useless characters that felt the need to say what they wanted even if not questioned about something. As I've already pointed out in other reviews, I'm not a fan of senseless drama in a book, most of all if all that drama won't be resolved in a satisfactory way. Unfortunately, that is the case in "Loving you is Easy" a book wherein nothing - nothing - is easy, definitively not Brooke & Shane's relationship.
Still, I'd like to thank the author for the chance of reading an arc of her book through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my honest review.


Loving you is Easy will be released tomorrow: December, 9th

DBML: Semper Fi by Keira Andrews

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from GR:
As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them would dull the yearning for his best friend.

But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim, even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories. Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?

[DBML Event: I received a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review]

Year 1942. Cal and Jim are marines and since they met they were pretty much inseparable. Cal is gay and knows it. Jim is married and doesn't even bring into question his sexuality. They are from very different backgrounds and even temperamentally they couldn't be more different; and yet they get each other like no one else ever did..

Reading about Cal and Jim is a struggle - it's both sad and frustrating at times - but as a reader you get to experience the same struggle they had to overcome to be finally together! Cal's pov was my favorite since I really took a liking to him; but it was also the saddest since, while he knew his feelings very well, he had to hide them away all the time. After the war, Cal forced himself to stay as far as possible from the person he loved in fear giving away what he felt for him. Only when he felt Jim needed him, Cal came back and even then - even when Jim finally get it - he had to hide and pretend and lie...I really don't want to be in his shoes!

As you may have noticed, Semper Fi is not a light romance but that is exactly the reason why Cal & Jim story is so captivating!
I strongly recommend this book even to those, like me, that don't often read historical romance since it would be a pity to let it slip away for that.
At last I'd like to thank the author for the chance she gave me to read her book for free, I hope she appreciates my review.

Jennifer Chance's Want It Blitz Event Day 1: Giveaway & Excerpt

I'm really happy for the chance to host the Jennifer Chance's Want It Blitz event here on my blog!!! 

Take the chance to participate at the Rafflecopter for Blitz Wide Giveaway: Jennifer is offering up two fabulous prizes during the Want It Blitz Event. 
One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive a Seasons Greetings Gift Basket and one Runner Up will receive a $25 Gift Card for Amazon or B&N (winner’s choice)! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter you'll find at the end of this post!

JENNIFER CHANCE RETURNS WITH ANOTHER NOVEL THAT'LL KEEP YOU HOOKED!

Erin Connelly meets alpha male Zander James in WANT IT, the third novel in Jennifer Chance's sizzling Rule Breakers series! This one is not to be missed by readers looking for their military romance fix!

About WANT IT:

In the latest tantalizing Rule Breakers novel from Jennifer Chance, an irresistible alpha male follows his ex into a deadly standoff—and reignites a heated affair.

For Erin Connelly, being a good girl isn’t such a bad thing. She’s working her dream job at a Boston art gallery and staying out of trouble, which is more than she can say for her deadbeat mom. Unfortunately, her mother’s latest misadventure lands her in the clutches of a Mexican drug lord. Now the only person who can save her is the one man Erin has no business asking for help: the sexy-as-sin army ranger who just so happens to be her former high school sweetheart.

Zander James is no gentleman—and no officer, either, thanks to Erin. Four years ago, she made a call that terminated his highest aspirations ... and their relationship. He’s never forgiven her, but when he learns that Erin’s embarking on a half-baked rescue mission, he sure as hell can’t let her go alone. Now, with a treacherous enemy lying in wait, the electrifying tension between them may just be Zander’s undoing. Because while he may be able to keep Erin alive, he can’t promise to keep his hands off her.

Goodreads | Amazon| Barnes and Noble

Also in the Rule Breaker series: Rock It (Book #1) and Fake It (Book #2) by Jennifer Chance!

Read an Excerpt of Want it:

A note to readers from author Jennifer Chance:

As I prepared to write Erin’s first meeting with Zander, I knew there had to be a lot of anger between them. After all, she had been there the night his entire world had fallen apart, and he still blamed her for letting him down at such a critical juncture (even if he knew better, some old beliefs die hard). However, not all of their first meeting could be about anger and guilt and blame . . . there had to be a flare of attraction as well, that reminded both of them of everything they’d left behind, and everything they still felt about each other, even if they didn’t want to feel it. In this section of the scene, Erin has told Zander that she doesn’t need his help after all—she’ll get her ‘boyfriend’ to assist her. A suggestion that Zander is more than ready to challenge.

It's Just a Kiss

“Don’t you think we should get this thing between us out of our systems, then, Erin?” Zander murmured. “Before it becomes something you do need to explain to your boyfriend?”

“This . . . thing?” she asked, and honest to God, she meant to raise her hand and place it on his chest to push him back, to stop him, only when her fingers connected with the solidity of Zander’s abs through the thin cotton shirt, her eyes almost crossed. “We don’t even like each other anymore,” she said faintly.His words were so quiet she barely registered them. “Who said we needed to like each other? It’s just a kiss.” For some reason, that made infinite sense. 

Without saying another word, Erin stood on her tiptoes and it still wasn’t enough. Zander met her more than halfway, though, not reaching down, not forcing it, just leaning in close enough for her to feel his breath against her face. Then his lips came down on hers.The heat that blasted through Zander was so intense that he was glad for the grip he had on the bright-blue roller skate Erin called a car. He’d known this was coming the moment she’d put her hand in his and allowed him to drag her across the yard and out into the street where they could actually be alone, without the covert stares of everyone with an ounce of James blood in their veins. Some of the stares had been amused, some of them had been worried, some of them just curious. But none of them mattered now. 

The taste of Erin’s mouth made his pulse go apeshit as every muscle in his body clenched. She’d intended the kiss as a quick good-bye, he knew. She’d been a master of the quick exit four years ago, quivering with anger and outrage and shock. But this time, Erin was shaking in an entirely different way. This time her breathing was as ragged with need as his was. And this time Erin did make a sound, and it cut right to the core of him, her fingers gripping his shirt as she gave a low, almost desperate moan. 

Boyfriend, his lily-white ass.

Jennifer Chance is the award-winning author of the new adult Rule Breakers series, which feature sexy, wish-come-true romances that launched with ROCK IT and FAKE IT in 2014. A lover of books, romance, and happily-ever-afters, she lives and writes in Ohio.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Want to get to know Jennifer better? Check out this exclusive interview!

And now, here's your chance to win one of the two fabulous prizes during the Want It Blitz Event:And now, here's your chance to win one of the two fabulous prizes during the Want It Blitz Event: one lucky Grand Prize winner will receive a Seasons Greetings Gift Basket and one Runner Up will receive a $25 Gift Card for Amazon or B&N (winner’s choice)! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Natgalley: Until You Find Me by Amber Hart

Until You Find Me Series, Book #1

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from GR:
Raven has no idea what to expect when she travels to Africa in search of answers about her family’s past. A twenty-year-old college student from Michigan, she’s never seen anything like the beautiful, treacherous jungles of Cameroon. But nothing takes her breath away like Jospin. As soon as Raven meets the charismatic and intense young hunter, she’s instantly hooked.
Clever, rugged, and fearless, Jospin makes his living from the perils of the jungle. But falling in love with Raven could be the most dangerous thing he’s ever done. The heir to a powerful poaching empire, he holds the key to unlocking the secrets of Raven’s legacy. If she asks the wrong questions, his answers could get them both killed. And yet each and every moment spent holding Raven in his arms is worth the risk.
Raven’s getting closer to the truth. Jospin’s at the point of no return. Their chemistry is out of control, and when they forge a bond that goes beyond blood, desire will take them into uncharted territory.

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing*

pleasepleasepleaseplease tell me the sequel will be released tomorrow!!!!!!!! PLEASE!
I really can't wait for an unspecified time in 2015 to read more about Raven, Jospin, Clovis and Leahcim!!

As you could guess, I really loved Until You Find Me. This book is original, sweet, intriguing and its characters are really interesting! At the beginning Raven's motives to go to Cameroon aren't quite clear even to her - more so since she seemed to hate everything about it - but, in the second half of the book, we finally start to understand the plan Raven's dad put into motion asking his daughter to reach him in Africa. Still it's not like that in the meantime I was bored by the plotline: Raven's and Jospin's relationship was pretty engrossing after all! Those two really are something together...even when I couldn't think a way they could remain together if/when the truth came out, I was rooting for them!
The end was so bittersweet...have I already said that I can't really wait for the sequel?!?

I also loved the interactions between Raven and Leahcim, how could I not?! Leahcim felt so real in my mind, his expressions, his gestures...so sweet! I'm really curious of his story and of why he seemed so interested in only Raven, how that sums up to the main storyline. As for all the other unanswered questions and unresolved situations, I'll have to wait. I hate it! Still I'm really, really happy to have read Amber Hart's novel, even if it pain me to wait for the happy ending I want...there will be an happy ending, right? RIGHT??! Oooooookay, I get it: I'm starting to repeat myself.

At last I'd like to thank the author for the chance to read her book through NetGalley and I hope she appreciates my review and that'll be an incentive to write and release the sequel sooner ;D

ARC Netgalley: Swept Away 1-3 by J. Haymore

My rating: 2.5 stars

Synopsis from GR:
He is everywhere. He surrounds me, wends his way under my skin. I can’t escape his strength, his intensity, his presence.
I’m trapped.
There’s nowhere to run.
Nowhere to hide.
But even if I could escape... would I be strong enough to leave?

I needed something — something big — to get myself out of the rut I’d fallen into after the car accident that killed my sister. This sailing trip was meant only to mark a new chapter in my life. Until Ethan Williams stepped on board.
Ethan radiated confidence. His darkly handsome good looks and ocean-blue eyes mesmerized me. But it was the way he looked at me that drew me in. He wasn’t looking at my past or at my scars, but the real me behind all that baggage I was trying so hard to leave behind.
But Ethan had secrets—dark, dangerous secrets. I was trapped in the middle of the ocean in a tangle of lies, sex, and violence. The problem was, I was happy to be trapped forever...if it meant I could have him.

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley: I've received a a compilation of Volumes 1-3*

First things first: DO NOT read book #1 and #2 without book #3 at the ready...for you own sanity!!!
That said, the Swept Away series was an okay read to me. While I'm curious about how Tara and Ethan will resolve the mess that is their relationship, reading the 4th volume of the series is not exactly on the top position of my TBR list.
One of the reasons I couldn't enjoy more this series is the amount of drama in it. There's a lot of it...A LOT! Both Ethan's and Tara's lives - mostly Tara's - are full of it to the point of becoming ridiculous! As a consequence, I couldn't quite like Tara or Ethan as characters: Tara for her insecurities and dramatic soliloquies, Ethan for his paranoia and controlling manners (not that he wasn't justified for the first one). Even Kyle, who I like the most on the 1st book, became a caricature of a scorned man in the following books  - what a pity!. Not to mention Justine, she's definitively the queen of drama and bitchiness...in addition of being a sociopathic murderer!

In my opinion, Swept Away could have been way better if the author didn't put so many elements of angst in the plot or in her characters' lives. As some say, less is more! Still I'd like to thank J. Haymore for the chance to read an ARC of her books through NetGalley; I hope she appreciates my honest - even if not very positive - review.