A "Slam Dunk" for Noelle!
937793
This was an intriguing story line.  It went in one direction for a while, then shifted, then shifted again.  It was a fun read.  The romance didn't happen until late in the book, which made the book more exciting.  Noelle Adams did a great job developing the characters throughout and the ending was well done!  Kudos to her.
2823422
Perabo was definitely a prime time player,  sooner or later the studios were going to give her the spot she deserved.  that was a no brainer. actually a slam dunk seriously!!
2286230
Finished Amy Noelle's new novel The Hot Corner in one sitting.  I could not put it down.  Brad and Dani had a hot college romance that ended due to a great misunderstanding.  Seven years later both are successful-he as third baseman(the hot corner) for the LA Dodgers and she a author of sports biographies.  Their paths cross as Dani is hired to write his story.  Their reconnecting is the fire in the story and how they face the past and make a new future.
Ms. Noelle writes sports romance like no other.  Her interweaving of the sexiness of the sport and the intensity of professional athletes with the story line is amazing.  You root for Brad both on the field and in his relationships with Dani.  She also writes very strong women characters with great personality and a lot of spunk!  I laughed out loud at much of the banter between Dani and Brad and the other supporting characters.
So get a cold one and a box of cracer jacks sit back and enjoy this great summer read!  I look forward to more from Amy Noelle!
3849599
Shari Ryan can really write romcom! OMG I was up til 3am reading this and laughed so hard at one point, I woke my husband up--I had tears rolling down my face!

Hannah Pierce is not at first that likeable as a single mother, divorcee, with a huge chip on her shoulder while trying to do it all.  I really wanted her to pull herself together because gosh, I was tired "for her" and all the loneliness and heartache;  but not until she meets the handsome new, office temp, Logan, that her self-deprecating inner monologue really hits her stride--and some of the stuff she thinks and does is so awkwardly authentic that I couldn't help but adore her and cheer her on. Loved Logan--the ex-professional ball player that keeps coming to her rescue and is too good to be true...and her quirky, millennial assistant Brielle is fabulous. So many laugh out loud moments, and passion (good grief, the steam... Fans self!), and the sweet, tender moments--make ManFlu another homerun for Shari Ryan. Can't wait to read her next in her "Man" series.
4509125
Another solid slam dunk from David Simpson...

A bit of a back story, and if you're a fan of the first three books your brain will thank you for downloading this one.
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Loaded with the hypest streetballin' moves ever, this DVD is certainly one worth owning.  Whether you're a weekend warrior, hardcore baller, or just sit on you fat ... watching hoops all day, this DVD is an inspiration to get up and ball out!
I would've given this disk a straight "5", but the DVD mastering is a little weak... it coulda been done better with a PowerMac & iDVD in somebody' basement.  That notwithstanding, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this disk to hoops fans everywhere!  Stop reading... buy it.
PS- watch the chick break some dude's ankles... HARD!  Worth rewinding & watching twice!  :-)
2653740
I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley!

Shel: This story picks up right where the first one left us. We have Braden and Gabrielle engaged and wondering who is doing weird stalkery things and the gang is all here to entertain us through the hi-jinks that ensue. And with Gabrielle leading these friends on a mission to find her stalker, hilarious hi-jinks definitely happen. I love Gabrielle because she's just as clumsy as I am and about a million times funnier--between her interior monologues, the things she actually says, the clients she has to represent, and physical awkardness you have absolutely no chance to avoid laughing...outloud...and with tears rollling down your face. Even her friends (and Braden) have a hard time containing their snorts of laughter at her.

Court: I really love her character, and her awkwardness. Her mind is still blown that a great guy like Braden would want to be with her, but in our minds...why wouldn't he! She is hysterical, and really life is long so you have to have someone you can laugh with. That is what I loved most about this book...the sexy scenes are good, but I am golden if I am laughing...and this follow up provided many great laughs!

Shel: While the humor is one of my absolute favorite things about this story, there are lots of other great things too! The sweet love story of Braden and Gabrielle, their smexy love scenes, their court interactions, and of course the mysterious stalker keep this story moving quickly.

Court: :D See that big smile. Yes, this book and series in general just make me smile. This may seem like a short review, but really what can we say other than we had a lot of fun reading this book and it was pretty effortless to read. I sat down and was in the 20's...next thing I know I was already past 50%...where did the time go? That is the perfect thing for us...and we had a lot of fun. To be redundant, the insane court proceedings that they have to represent are seriously great. I guess atleast they have many laughs while having to deal with that sort of ridiculousness, right!

Shel: This book also give us more of a glimpse of Lily and Adam, Jess and Cam, Beth, Mark, and Drew. They are the perfect counterparts to Gabrielle and Braden and I hope to see more of them as this series continues with Lily and Adam's story. Court: That teaser! OMG I can't wait to see where the story goes with them. Even though I love all of their friends...the idea that Lily is a late night steamy romance author is fun! And I can't wait to find out more about them!

Shel: A fun and great HEA read to add to your Kindle collection! Court: Do it! You know you want to!

Shelley: 4 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars
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I fell under the spell of this book, and I must say I had lots of fun with the Tobin twins.  Willa and Slone could not be more different, but then it would not be so much fun to uncover the complicated layers of each sister's personality.

I adored the kooky Willa and her "animal whispering" talents. Willa sweet, friendly and romantic while her sister Slone is the polar opposite.
Slone is confident, career driven, and a no-nonsense girl - the anti-romantic of this world! Both sisters have a special bond, and they need/compliment each other, and when the world gets tough they will need to put some of their differences aside and join force to get their happy ever after! I really like both the sisters and instantly bonded with them and cheer them on as they battled daily life and the problems that come with love.

As in every romantic story there has to be a potential love interest, and here we have one for each sister. Sparks are flying between Willa and charming gardener Brody so hopefully she will have a chance to make her dreams a reality- finally, especially when Willa designs a plan for Brody to come around to have family hope and give advice on the roses that Gran planted years ago.

For the time being Slone focuses on her two important work assignments and does not have a time for anything more serious than a 'friend with benefit" but his little frolicking may be preventing Slone from any future happiness. I think Slone just needs a tiny push in the right directions to have a chance at happy ever.

Then there is Gav, a mutual friend of the twins. Both Willa nad Slone has a very different relationship with Gav, but he is a fantastic and supportive constant in their life.

I really enjoyed the main protagonists relationships growing and developing into something quite extraordinary. It made for a very entertaining read!

The format of this book is very up-to-day, fast-paced and engaging! Tracy is a great storyteller creating funny, warm and witty characters ( that you want to spend more time with) and using very descriptive way with words that make you feel a part of the story from the very beginning.

This book hit the spot for me! I loved it.
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Morgan Hannah McDonald knocks another one out of the ballpark with Kill the Griffin!  This book is the sequel to Code Name: Griffin and it too, is a wonderful, fun-filled read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading both books, but Kill the Griffin takes you on a magical journey into the life of a spy that is needed at home due to a family emergency.

This book had me not only, holding my breath while other times I found myself laughing out loud. The author's sense of humor shines through in this book. With her descriptive terms like "malignant narcissist" which fit the character or the situation exactly. I thought that the expression "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" nailed the sheer exasperation perfectly when you are beside yourself with frustration. (I heard that phrase uttered by one of my aunts and by my grandmother as a kid frequently. It was usually followed by my entire name {yep, as in double barreled so you knew you were in BIG trouble then!} so reading it in this book made me smile and laugh out loud at those memories.)

Anyway, this book had me literally and figuratively sitting on the edge of my recliner. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and I had to tune out my husband which is not an easy task because I didn't want to miss out on one written word. Just before the book ended, I wanted to shout "KISS her already, Shane!" I'm such a romantic that loves happily ever afters unless they're too mushy and have too many 'sappy, gag me with a spoon' moments. It does have a cliffhanger ending but that means there will be another Griffin book! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I cannot wait!
4833519
Kathleen Brooks has done it again! She captured the attention of this reader right off the bat. It was a touch of serious with a lot of funny moments. One word Aniyah!
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****I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.****

SALT is a book that I think is either going to be loved or not so much. I could see things about it that will work for some readers but not others. For me, the story worked for what I wanted from it, and I didn't want to put it down. There were a couple of reasons why I couldn't give SALT a five star rating, so first I'll explain what didn't work for me before moving on to what did.

Only two things bugged me about SALT - firstly, Penelope's likeness to Harry Potter (Penelope even mentions the series). Both Penelope and Harry both somehow survived when their parents were killed because they're different from everyone else. The second part is Penelope constantly saying she has to become an Enforcer so she can research the demon who killed her parents and took her powers. I felt like I wasn't trusted to remember her mission, but I remembered all of it, I promise! These issues are just mine personally and weren't to the point where I lost my fondness for this book.

What did work for me were Penelope and Carter's interactions - they were my favorite scenes in the book. The level of snark was so much fun to read! There was something about the two of them together that made me want to know more. When they were around each other, things could happen that only did when they were together. This was interesting to me and made me think they were like two halves that not only fit together but needed to be together.

Penelope's grandmother is a tough love kind of character. At times I wondered why she doesn't show Penelope the kind of love and affection Penelope must be craving after losing both of her parents. Plus, she seemed to favor Penelope's sister. Luckily, Penelope's grandfather and sister both seem warm, caring, and supportive. Maybe I'm being too harsh. She has most likely built up walls to protect herself from further pain after losing her daughter (Penelope's mother).

I felt like I was on the edge of my seat hoping the secret of Penelope's lack of magic wouldn't come out. Have you ever been so nervous while reading a book that something awful is going to happen to a character you like? That's how I felt while reading SALT. There are more secrets being kept by the people in her life besides her own secret, which also kept me glued to my Kindle.

Overall, SALT proved to be a fun read with the awesome interactions between Penelope and Carter. I could have read an entire book of just conversations between them!
4639330
I wasn't exactly sure what type of racing this book referred to when I signed on for the blog tour. It was a pleasant surprise as I started reading and discovered that it was BMX. There aren't near enough books out there that explore some of the lesser known sports. So yeah, I must say if you like all kinds of sports then you won't be disappointed by this one at all!

Molly West is a start in the sport. She's been on top of the Women's Motocross and can outrun the men as well. She's got spunk and determination. As a woman in a man's world she knows that she has to earn her way and Molly's had absolutely no problem doing that. I love that Molly stood up to the jerks that are always present. As for her and Carter...they made such a fantastic couple. Amy Gregory did a nice job showing the give and take of starting a relationship with careers that are so demanding in both safety and time. One of my favorite traits from Molly was that she didn't back down when her brother, Brody, tried to build a wedge between Carter and her. No matter what she stood true to what she wanted.

Carter is the nice guy. At least until Molly is in trouble, then the alpha male shows up and doesn't leave. He was such an easy guy to fall for. From the beginning Carter knows that he's going to fall for Molly and makes sure to tell her as well. It's not very often that you find the guy being first out of the gate to confess his feelings. It was such a refreshing thing to see in romance. My favorite thing about Carter was that he was always thinking of Molly and what would work best for her.

Overall I'd recommend this book. It was a fresh take on a sports story. But even if you aren't familiar with sports you're likely to enjoy reading Molly and Carter's story. I hope that we get the chance to read more about the secondary characters in the book!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*
4270918
If you love basketball, you will love Slam Dunk!

For volume 22, Takehiko Inoue has created is a breather volume after the long Prefectural Tournament, focusing on characters and team dynamics outside of competition.  As volume 23 will begin the National Tournament, for this volume, Inoue concentrates on the primary characters, Hanamichi, Takenori and Kaede.  Three talented basketball players but they are going to need to get better or push themselves to be better than their competition and with the National Tournament, many teams have fought their way to get into the tournament and these teams are the best in the country.

For Kaedes story, it was an interesting story of players who think they are very good in their country, that they need to move to the United States to be even better.  But Coach Anzai knows that Japan and America are in different leagues and to play in America, is difficult.  He experienced it once with another player of his and through this story, we learn the tragic tale of a dream to make it in America that doesnt go all that well.

While Takenori Akagis story is straight-forward, as he is being scouted by a university, in previous volumes, we already know his mind is only on the National Tournament for now.

Which leaves us to Hanamichi, the darkhorse of the team because no one knows what to expect from him.  While he is known for running his mouth and being cocky, Hanamichi has one advantage and that is his will-power but most importantly, what takes others months to learn, Hanamichi subjects himself to intense training, to the point that he learns very quickly.  And in this case, his latest challenge is to learn how to shoot far from the net.  No dunking, just shooting and learning about his form and practicing.

There is also another storyline which many Western readers will understand and that is for athletes to keep up their GPA and in this case, what happens when a few of the basketball players of Shohoku are not doing so well and fail a class?

So, with Slam Dunk, this one will be a fascinating volume.  Plus a much longer read as this latest volume is focused more on story rather than competition.  So no pages of just graphics and a single word bubble, there are several storylines featured in vol. 22.

As for the manga series, Takehiko Inoues illustrations have always been a highlight for me and I was always amazed of how he captured movements of basketball.  With this volume, much more exploration of characters shopping, studying or training in basketball.  Character designs are well-done and its great to see the female characters featured in this volume as well.

Overall, Slam Dunk is an enjoyable manga series and if you are a basketball fan, Slam Dunk is a no-brainer Definitely recommended!
2281206
Great installment to the Heat Wave series! If you thought Callie was a prissy b*tch in Last Call, this book definitely redeems her! She is actually quite lovable and down to earth! And Wade is a man I would love to get my hands on!
426951
As expected of this amazing author, DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME didn't disappoint for the 11th book in our favorite series about our favorite New York rich kids!

Blair and Nate finally come back from their month out on the ocean. Nate knew that what he did wasn't so smart, so he avoided going home for as long as possible. But did you really think that he was going to get in a whole lot of trouble?  I mean, come on, it's Nate!

Blair is crazy in love with Nate and getting ready to go to college. She gets ready by going shopping for dorm room stuff and going to the Roman-themed party that her mother threw her to say good-bye.

Serena is going to "Breakfast At Fred" parties and just being her star-studded self.  How is she going to handle all of the autograph hounds?

Dan -- gay or straight is the question. Vanessa is only making that decision harder!

Ruby, Vanessa's crazy sister, is getting married to that Eurotrash loser that she has been going out with!  Let's see how Vanessa handles that!

This is another great addition to this fun, crazy series! A definite poolside must-read for this summer!

Reviewed by:  Taylor Rector
4855087
I really enjoyed this book! It's about a couple who has had a rocky start to their married life. The book starts with them being separated and sharing custody of their 6 yr daughter. Both are changing and growing throughout this separation. Misconceptions and insecurities got the better of them that neither knew how they truly felt about the other. They are determined to work through their demons but what do they discover about themselves and each other?? Can they open up their hearts and love each other again??
I love Noelle Adams and her writing style! She tells a story so well you can picture the setting and really connect with the characters. Both hero and heroine have their own set of demons to work through. Both are easily relatable since they are dealing with issues so many people face themselves! If you enjoy sweet romances and second chance love, then you must add this to your TBR shelf!!

I was gift a copy of this book for the express purpose of an honest review. The review and rating of this book are solely my opinions and in no way was I compensated.
3660131
Megan Hunter has come a long way since we last saw her in Unlawful Contact. She's holding a job, raising her little girl, and making the best out of a cruddy situation. When her ex pops up, demanding money and threatening her daughter, Nate sweeps in to help with spectacular results!

I loved this cast of characters! Megan has matured immensely in the past years and is making a concerted effort to lead a better life. She has a spine of steel after a lifetime of hardknocks, but has an innocent fragility that just made me want to give her a big hug!

Nathaniel West was a perfect match for Megan. He understood her needs and weaknesses and vice versa. Generous to a fault, honest, protective, and with a nice touch of vulnerability I can't resist, Nate is my favorite kind of hero! His dad, Jack West,  Is just as awesome! The apple really didn't fall far from the tree with the West men, lol!

Megan's daughter Emily was simply a jewel! Her cute manner and love of "horsies" inspired adorable awww moments. I loved how she called Julian Darcangelo "Uncle Julie" and had Jack West wrapped around her little finger in a hot minute with her sunny disposition!

I was thrilled to see Megan Hunter get an HEA! After reading her horrific story in Unlawful Contact, I was hoping she would find forgiveness and a fresh start with someone who could see past her youthful, destructive decisions. Nate and Megan were a well-matched pair; their situations allowed them be more sympathetic to the problems they each faced. The romance is tame compared to other books in the series, but just as satisfying. This is a great story of second chances and learning to move forward, and the cast..there's loads of personality to enjoy!