mignon mykel { reviews }: review || DELIVERANCE { blitz } by L.A. Cotton & Jenny Siegel

Friday, June 3, 2016

review || DELIVERANCE { blitz } by L.A. Cotton & Jenny Siegel

Delesty Books | March 1, 2016 | Military / Romantic Suspense
Maverick Defense, book 1
★★★1/2

SOURCE: INDIESAGE PR

Joy Mathers has spent the last three years numb. From her past, her present, and her inevitable future. She was supposed to escape the deadbeat town of Chancing, but now it’s her prison, and she couldn’t leave…even if she wanted to.

For the last two years, Dawson Spencer has been holed up in some of the worst corners of the world. He's seen things no man should ever see, and thought nothing could ever shock him. Until he returns to Chancing and discovers everything has changed in the town he once called home.

He thought Joy was away pursuing her dreams. She thought Dawson was never coming back. And while their connection might still be there, Joy isn't Dawson's anymore, and it would be better—safer—for everyone if he walked away. But walking away isn’t an option for Dawson, not this time.

He gave up everything to protect her once … and he’ll do it again.

Author’s Note: Contains adult content including references to domestic abuse and drug abuse. Recommended for readers 18 years and over.

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{ about the authors } .

L.A. Cotton

Contemporary romance and romantic suspense … written with feeling

L.A is author of contemporary romance novels ranging from sweet with just a hint of steam, to suspenseful reads full of angst, tension, twists and turns. Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time mum to two little people with writing. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L. A immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.

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Jenny Siegel

Jenny writes new adult romance. When she’s not writing (or entertaining two little terrors) Jenny is glued to her Kindle, or plotting or daydreaming about hot tattooed heroes that will sweep a girl off her feet.

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{ review } .

This was a book that at moments, I felt it couldn't get more than a 3 from me (but no less, because I was at least interested in finishing it). There were repetitious thoughts, thought processes and dialogue felt off at times, and then there was the ever-looming thought in my mind -- one of Joy's problems needed to be handled appropriately and it was hardly touched upon. I would like to see that as the series progresses, as the timeline of this book was fairly short.

But then there was Dawson's love for Joy, and his need to help her, protect her, guide her back to better and closer to the old Joy. When handling second chance romances, I feel it's important to keep the years in mind, as people do change. For Dawson and Joy, it's only been three years since he essentially left her behind so a change from rowdy eighteen year olds to where they are now... I could forgive that Dawson thought he still loved her and there was nearly no change (aside from Joy's current relationship).

Dawson, Donnie, and Joy were the best of friends growing up. Eventually, Dawson and Joy found they had a little more. They never excluded shy, quiet Donnie, but they did wait until he was gone for the day before the two of them did anything... more. One night, Dawson takes the fall for something the three of them were all pretty much involved in. He thought Joy would move out and on -- he never imagined the play of events that would happen. He was told the town, his family, would be better off if he stayed away, so he does. He never imagined the storm he'd walk into when he finally did come home.

Altogether, the romance line was great. I felt that it was important that Joy didn't just 'jump' relationships, and while she kind of did, Donnie is a huge presence throughout this book -- for multiple reasons. One of which includes a great suspense line that keeps the heart pumping right up until the very last chapter.

The epilogue... Not my favorite. One, because it's almost a retelling of EVERYTHING WE JUST READ in Lex's point of view -- from how he and Dawson met, what he and Dawson talked about, and the final events of the book. Unnecessary. But we also get to see him battling some thoughts and aches in his chest about a certain girl they've rescued, a girl nearly ten years his senior... I'm hoping (assuming, really) that their book is next. I'm going to keep tabs on this series...

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a quick note from { mignon } ...

I AM NO LONGER ACTIVE IN REVIEWING

The last two years has been incredibly rewarding, giving me the opportunity to pick up new-to-me authors, as well as new-to-the-world authors. I have enjoyed supporting publishing houses as well as the indie author, and in doing so, I learned a lot about the marketing aspect of writing a book and selling it as a self-published author.

I have re-focused my journey to more writing-minded. I still read and review! But not nearly at the rate I was; three books a day has turned to three books a month.

I will no longer be accepting individual review requests (unless it's specifically author-to-author, then it will be highly considered).

I will definitely be posting reviews for commitments I have already made, though.

Thank you for understanding, & thank you to all those I have worked with over the last year plus!

~ Mignon

http://mignonmykel.com

GOODREADS updates

Dirty Saint: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Vesper Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book almost failed to get my attention. Why?

The hero.

He is the exact public person I despise. You know the type -- all biblical with publicized praying and verses all over his public persona. Great. Good for you. Bet you're not like that behind closed doors...

Which is exactly what Esther thinks of him.

Saint and Esther attend the same super religious college. Esther is on the fast track to becoming a nun, and no I do not kid, and Saint, given name Francis, can do just about whatever he wants, because he is the star athlete and the school knows he has connections. What in the world can these two have in common? The actions of their parents.

But where Saint does what his father says, usually, because his father is pushing him toward a pro-football careers, Esther follows her parents (father) because if she didn't... Her life would literally be a living hell.

I really enjoyed these two, once we started to get to know Saint a little bit better. My only drawback with the book would be the last half goes by in super-fast time. While it helped to keep the story moving, I would have liked to see more of that time drawn out so the feelings and emotions of our two characters felt more genuine and real -- rather than simply a two month courting that their lives demanded.

I'm giving the book the full 5 stars because it came out of left-field for me. It was a book that I didn't expect to like, but the author wove it in a way that I fell hard for our characters both as individuals and as a couple. I liked watching Esther grow and find her voice in life, just as I liked watching playboy, always for the chase Saint, settle down and find a person to be terribly protective over. I loved him most in the last two chapters.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Everything by Erin Noelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here's something you may know about me if you've followed my reviews -- I'm an epilogue reader. I will almost always read the epilogue first. Call me a spoilsport or no fun, or whatever but that's how I've been reading books for years. It's no wonder that when I write books, I tend to have the epilogue all figured out before I even start with "Once upon a time...".

That said... I read this epilogue and while I liked it, I just couldn't get past the ages of our characters. Couldn't do it. So I read the beginning. Still... If anything, the age of our characters was even more pronounced. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to read this. You see, I have an issue with "Happily ever after" and the hardly-twenty crowd, let alone an eighteen year old.

But that's my hang-up.

Another thing you may know about me? I will sometimes read a book in what I call a inside-out fashion. I jump all over the place until I find a snippet of story that absolutely grips me. And people -- there are a few of those parts in Everything. So because I found those gripping parts, I put my faith in Erin Noelle, and I started from page one -- and I gave Everett and Belle a chance.

And I'm so glad I did.

Everett and his twin sister have been making music forever -- literally. They're the children of a rockstar; music has always been their life. When their father's group decides to get back together (dad always said he'd go back when the twins were done with school), Mason tells the label -- if you take me, you're taking my kids: thus, giving Everett and Ashlynn the opportunity to take their music to a larger level than they have before.

Along the way, with a local gig, Everett meets Belle -- and so begins their story.

This is a story about growing up. This is a story about following your heart -- be it for a person or a career, or even both. It is about learning to trust the person you are giving your heart to, and about taking the ever-looming jump into unknown feelings. When you put your life, your wants, your desires in someone else's hands, the world opens up -- and it certainly does for Everett and Belle.

The part I most appreciated was that the author made Everett true to his age and situation. Belle was too, yes, but it was Everett and his new lifestyle that had me wanting to see true characterization for. He's a guy; he's a musician; he's new to love. He makes mistakes. And for those mistakes, I truly got on board with this story.

Everett and his Tinker Bell were incredibly cute. I liked that there's a decent time jump at the end, further allowing -- you guessed it -- growth of our characters. I'm excited to watch more of them when (if?) Ashlynn's story comes out.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review

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