Here's to Yesterday by Teagan Hunter

Here’s to Yesterday by Teagan Hunter
Can Maura overcome her perfect image and finally be true to herself and her heart? 

You ever realize that what you're doing and where you are in life isn't where you're supposed to be? 
I did. 
My name is Maura Doughers. I'm perfect. I have the ideal soldier boyfriend and all the money a twenty-two year old girl could dream of. My life is just like it should be. But it's nothing close to what I want. 
I'm beginning to realize the person I am isn't who I'm meant to be....and maybe the person I'm with isn't the one for me. Is what I feel love or lust? I don't know... 

What I really want is forbidden and most certainly not something my parents would approve of. But what about me? What about what I want? 

Well, I'm about to get it. No matter the consequences. 

*While technically part of the Here's To series, this CAN be read as stand-alone as each book will follow a different couple.* 
**Recommended for 18+ audience for explicit language and sexual situations.**


MY REVIEW****

If you thought Here’s to Tomorrow was a great read, wait until you get your hands on this one!
I really enjoyed meeting the characters in the author’s first book, but whoa, when you dive into their story, you feel the chemistry explode off the page!

I felt these characters to be very real and relatable. I loved reading about the journey they went through to find themselves, as well as one another.

Maura's story is sweet and touching yet heartbreaking. Her journey is full of heart and leaves you feeling all warm inside.
I love that Teagan's writing gives me the warm fuzzies. <3

This book had me smiling a lot and the sparks between the couple had me on edge! --Without giving too much away just know it was an awesome read!

I also love the life that Teagan Hunter brings to the other side characters. The book and music references were also a great bonus!

and OH, the cover is gorgeous! 

This book! I LOVED IT!! I think even more than the first! 

You won’t regret this purchase ;-) 

5/5 stars!

Awkward girl + awkward boy = double cute awkwardness!

A-Kiss-Like-This

A note from the author: This novel, along with all others in this series, is a standalone with no cliffhanger. You're welcome.
                            
ABIGAIL DARLINGTON IS AWKWARD...
She will never be "that" girl. You know the one: that girl on campus, confident in her own skin. Always saying the right things. Putting herself out there. Knows how to talk to a guy without stammering.

Nope. 

Shy but clever, and easily embarrassed, Abby is fine being the wallflower in her circle of outgoing, beautiful friends; she would rather read about a sexy book boyfriend than actually have a live, breathing one.

...BUT CALEB LOCKHART IS WORSE.
Star goaltender for the University's hockey team, Caleb is quiet and broody, preferring the solitude of his orderly, regimented life. He doesn't like, or need people--and plans to keep it that way. One more year left of hockey and he'll be long gone.

AWKWARD NEVER FELT SO GOOD. 
Both their lives change the day that Abigail falls for Caleb. Well, falls directly on top of him, to be accurate. Because sometimes we don't settle into love.

We fall there.

WARNING: This book contains cursing, also has sex.

MY REVIEW ***


When sweet, quiet Abby meets Caleb, the cute, introverted hockey player their awkwardness instantly helps them connect.

This book is definitely a page-turner that kept me laughing out loud and up all night!

I loved reading about the brooding, swoon-worthy hockey player finding love when least expected.

The hilarious banter between the main characters and all their friends is also well done.

I also loved that although both characters were introverts, the sparks ignite between them when they were together.

Overall, Sara Ney delivered a cute, funny read. The only hangup I had was regarding a

disagreement the characters had and I personally thought it didn’t warrant so much drama.

This book is an awesome 4/5 read for me :) Definitely worth checking out

Making Face by Amy Harmon WOW!!

Making Faces by Amy Harmon
Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

"If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?” - Fern

I don't even know where to begin! A friend recommended this book to me! It was my first Amy Harmon book, and it definitely wont be my last!

This story is simply:
beautiful
but tragic.
Romantic
yet heart-breaking
and so full of faith!
It left me speechless and pondering for days.

It starts off with a sweet, caring girl, whose unrequited love, for the most popular boy in school, goes unnoticed until its too late.

Fern, Bailey and Ambrose.

Fern is the “plain-jane” girl (in her own eyes) who has been in love with the town wrestling hero, Ambrose Young. She’s a preacher’s daughter and her heart is just so innocent and pure. She’s lover of romance novels and an an aspiring writer.

She expressed her feelings well in this poem that touched my core!
“If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?
Does he make the legs that cannot walk and eyes that cannot see?
Does he curl the hair upon my head 'til it rebels in wild defiance?
Does he close the ears of the deaf man to make him more reliant?
Is the way I look coincidence or just a twist of fate?
If he made me this way, is it okay, to blame him for the things I hate?
For the flaws that seem to worsen every time I see a mirror,
For the ugliness I see in me, for the loathing and the fear.
Does he sculpt us for his pleasure, for a reason I can't see?
If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?” 

Long story short, at the end of their senior year, Fern finally seems to gain a little of Ambrose’s attention, but to her dismay, he, along with four other friends decide to join the military after graduation.

Tragedy strikes the five friends while away and only one returns and he is changed, both physically and emotionally.

“If God saved my life, why didn't he save their lives? Is my life so much more valuable? So I'm special... and they're not?” - Ambrose


Ambrose hides away and shuts everyone out, even Fern, who happens to work at his father’s bakery. Though Fern can see beyond his physical scars, he finds it hard to believe.

“You act like beauty is the only thing that makes us worthy of love,” -Fern


But as they slowly rebuild their friendship, somewhere along the way love shines through. It just goes to show that sometimes you just don’t realize the beauty that’s right in front of you. It takes looking past what’s on the outside to see what’s on the inside.


This is one of Fern’s quotes that I loved and could of written myself, because it describes me perfectly.

“Scripture comforts me, and romance novels give me hope." -Fern


and then there’s Bailey. Beautiful Bailey Sheen.
Make sure you guys dig deep and realize this story is not just about Fern and Ambrose.

It’s about love, loss, a little self discovery, true friendship and most definitely hope.

Bailey and Fern are cousins, and their relationship is the most precious thing I’ve read in such a long time!

Bailey is confined to a wheel chair, due to being diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Fern has somehow become his constant companion and help. Their relationship touched my heart so deeply, as we too have a young cousin who is wheelchair bound with MD. The storyline shows how Bailey lives his life knowing that tomorrow is not guaranteed.

It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that you aren't ever going to be loved the way you want to be loved. - Bailey


This was a very inspiring and emotional read that I highly recommend!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kismet by A.E. Woodward Emotionally heartbreaking.....

Katie’s world came crashing down in an instant.

Her husband, daughter, and unborn baby. . . all gone in a flash. The life that she’d come to know, gone before she ever really got to live it.

With a broken heart, she deals the only way she knows how, by shutting it all off. No communicating, no feelings, just pure nothingness.

Alone with nothing but her own thoughts and a well meaning family, she moves back to her childhood home, a horse farm. It’s there that she finds herself healing along with the horses her family rehabilitates. But when Parker McKenzie comes back into her life she’s reminded of all that went wrong, and all that she lost.

Will Katie ever begin to heal? Or will her secrets and loss be too much for her to overcome?

Perhaps, this is her kismet.


(Sigh.) Where to begin. What happens to a person when they lose their entire world? Katie lost them all in an instant and basically lost all hope.

When I first started reading this, I had a hard time continuing, but not because it was bad, but because it was raw and emotionally heartbreaking . I can’t fathom how one would be able to move forward if they endured what Katie did. The story kept me on edge, and I had to keep reading!


She shut down, like I possibly would and it touched me deeply. She felt her family’s death was her fault, her KISMET, that was punishing her for past mistakes, therefore making her believe she didn’t deserve to move on from her grief.


She moves back home to her parents farm and tries to gain some sort of normalcy after all that has happened. Enter Parker, childhood friend, protector, and lost love. He’s persistent and refuses to leave her alone to do it all on her own.

“You’re still in there Katie, and I refuse to give up on you.” -Parker

Learning to move on after tragedy, gives Katie and Parker a second chance to heal their past. This book made me smile, cry and want to scream! Oh the feels!!

“When he kissed me, I felt like I was finally coming alive, like I’d found my person.”-Katie

Sigh. Like seriously, She found her person.

I also loved, loved, LOVED her brother, Tommy. I’ve always dreamed of having a big brother just like him, so he totally had me sucked in the story. He was a rock for Katie.

The plot twist - gutted me and left me reeling. Gah. I wasn’t a huge fan of it.

But with all that said, this was an amazing story of love, loss, pain, redemption, hope...it’s all there.
I definitely recommend it.


**A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review**
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class. 

She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid. 

But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again. 

When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her. And Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.



Tell Me When (Lost in You) is a very heartbreaking, gut-wrenching yet powerful read.

The story is about two lost souls, Amber and Marcus, who find healing through one another.

Warning: lots of dark/heavy issues in here (Rape, Abuse, PTSD)
so if they are triggers be aware.

Amber is in college pursing her dream to become a veterinarian, struggling in her Pre-cal class, having nightmares and all the while dealing with PTSD from a horrific encounter in her past.

Mysterious bad boy plus engineering student, Marcus seems to be the only one who can help Amber with Pre-cal, though his reputation as a player totally puts her off.

As they spend time together in tutoring, Amber begins to trust Marcus enough to have them to pretend to be a couple to keep other guys away. Though Marcus doesn’t know why she wants to keep away other guys, he rolls with it. Before long their connection to one another is inevitable!

In time,they come to realize that their painful pasts can help them heal together.

But will they make it? will they allow each other in? gaaaaah!
Such an awesome page-turner. The end was like...whoa. I didn’t really see it coming.

I cried, I laughed, my heart ached for them both.

I’m also a big fan of alternating POV and the author did a great job in this novel!! I LOVED this book!! It’s a wonderful story about hope & healing.

Stina Lindenblatt is a very talented writer and did an awesome job on her debut novel!
Hopefully I didn’t give too much away! Go read it! and I recommend doing so with a box of tissues!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Therapy by Kathryn Perez took my breath away!! Emotionally beautiful read!

Sometimes you have to get lost in order to be found... 

I’m needy. 

I’m broken. 

Cutting breaks through my numbness, but only opens more wounds. 

Depression, self-harm, bullying....that's my reality. 

Sex and guys....that's my escape. 

The space between the truth and lies is blurred leaving me torn, lost and confused. And while the monsters that live in my head try to beat me-- the two men that I love try to save me. 

This is my story of friendship, love, heartache, and the grueling journey that is mental-illness. 

**THERAPY can be read as a standalone novel although the companion to the story, Jessica's Journal is a great addition to the read and is available now. THERAPY Ever After, a novella will provide a continuation of the story for THERAPY lovers in the summer of 2014. 

WARNING: Due to possible triggering descriptions of self-harm and some sexual situations this book is not recommended for anyone under the age of 17 years old.



Kathryn, Kathryn, Kathryn.
Oh where do I start?
Wow. Raw. Real.
Going in I knew what this book was about, the bullying and the cutting;
but as my friend Chelle, reminded me...everyone’s story is different.
The story begins with a young girl’s encounters with bullying, thus leading to cutting during high school.
It continues into life after high school and the journey she embarks on as well as others in her path.

Therapy was compelling and totally believable.I was hooked from the time I started reading, it was so hard to put down.
The book brought out lots of emotions in me and guarantees to do the same for you.

The story of Jessica, Jace & Kingsley can be described only as painfully beautiful (as described by another reviewer).
Mental illness is a real issue that many are living with in secret.
I applaud Kathryn for being able to write about it so well, with it being so close to her heart.

I have walked away with so much more than I bargained for.
Pain, healing, love, restoration and reconciliation to name a few.
I myself, have a past history with some issues that were addressed in this book
and it totally helped my heart to read about the healing and love of others for those with mental illness.

I can’t wait to read this book again, and all the other books connected to it.
I highly recommend it! 
5 STARS!

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover: Beat, beat pause. I think it’s MY heart you guys are hearing.

At twenty-two years old, Sydney has a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter's cheating on her--and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one...

Original music created for Maybe Someday by musician Griffin Peterson can be accessed through the website listed in the ebook and paperback.  

Beat, beat pause.
I think it’s MY heart you guys are hearing.
This book was such a dynamic, extraordinary reading experience!!!
Short version intro:
Sydney is betrayed by her roommate/BFF and her boyfriend and ends up homeless. But thanks to the stranger who lives in the courtyard across from her, she ends up with a place to stay. She’s been watching him from afar as he sits on his balcony playing his guitar, so he’s not totally unknown to her.
Without revealing spoilers...
The relationship that develops between Ridge & Sidney is one that I think will grip at anyone’s heart.
The chemistry between them was undeniable!
The story was so relatable and it pulled out so many emotions from me.
I laughed, swooned, cried and even became a little angry.
My heart smiled and ached all at the same time! The angst was definitely a plus!
I love how Colleen’s writing can evoke so many emotions out of me!
I really enjoyed all the secondary characters. They kept the story fresh and lively.
Of course my ABSOLUTE favorite part of this novel was being able to hear Ridge and Sydney’s songs through Griffin Peterson! What an original, intimate experience!
I THOROUGHLY LOVED IT!!
Buy it now! Share it with your friends!! and don’t forget the awesome soundtrack by Griffin Peterson! 
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin: Sweet read, with a Rockstar!

Book #1 of The Beaumont Series

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I've poured my soul into my music, but I've never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.

And now I'm going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.

Loved Liam & Josie's story. Without revealing too much, Liam left 10 years ago to pursue his dreams, leaving his high school sweetheart behind, without even an explanation.
Fast forward years later, their paths cross as Liam has come back to town and soon realizes what he has missed out on.
I really liked that Liam realized the errors of his ways and wanted to make things right with Josie. I laughed out loud sometimes at Josie trying to deny her feelings for him.
I thought the story flowed well, but thought the ending...ended a little too fast for me, although I wouldn't change anything. I will definitely read more from this author! :-) 4.95 stars