When he brings home Cherry to meet her she feels like something is quite not right
929439
I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I requested The Girlfriend. To be honest Im a cover whore and that was what drew me in. Once I started reading was a whole different reason all together.

Laura loves her son, David. Some would say a little too much. When he brings home Cherry to meet her she feels like something is quite not right. That doesnt stop her from inviting her to dinners. Trying to include her and not feel left out. When an accident happens, Laura takes this opportunity to spend all the time she can with David. But what progresses neither of them would guess in a million years would happen.

The Girlfriend is a great suspense thriller full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end. Lets talk about that ending?? Not! I never seen that coming!
869637
Miranda's life is turned upside down when she catches Brendan, a guy she dated for a little over week, reading her diary, and dumps him. Two weeks later, she discovers that he is now dating her sister, and soon they are engaged.

Of course, Brendan has told everyone that he dumped her and hoped there were no hard feelings. When the purchase of a new flat falls through, sister Kerry and Brendan show up on her doorstep asking for a place to stay for a week.  A week turns into many, and soon, she moves out of her own place because the comments that Brendan makes to her (which cannot be repeated) and his general behavior have her really creeped out, as he has completely invaded her life, destroying friendships and romances in his wake of psychosis.

After the suspicious suicide of her troubled teenage brother and the death of a close friend, Miranda goes over the edge trying to prove that there is something strange about Brendan, only to cast suspicion on herself.

The author manages to make you loathe and feel for Miranda at the same time, especially since everyone is charmed by Brendan and thinks that she is the one with the problem.

This one will keep you on the edge of your seat just wondering when Brendan will be caught. I had such a hard time putting it down because I had to know what happened next.
1341819
I had mixed feelings about this book.  As others have mentioned, it alternates between the past relationship between Charley and Jake in high school and when they meet up again during study abroad programs in college.  You know from the beginning that they had a traumatic breakup that Charley has not really recovered from after 3 years.  You know that Jake somehow hurt her terribly, but you are well into the book before you find out what happened to end their earlier romance.  You quickly figure out that Jake is in Edinburgh because he wanted to see Charley again, but, for me at least, it was very off-putting that he brought his current girl friend Melissa with him.  Plus, although he seemed to be clueless about it, he was flaunting his closeness with Melissa.  Their mutual friends certainly picked up on that.  **SPOILERS** I liked the intensity of the past relationship Charley and Jake had and felt very badly for her when he first shut her out and then dumped her.  I tried to remember that he was just a teenager when all this happened, but I felt his excuse for not contacting her when he finally came to his senses (he thought it was too late to make amends) was somewhat flimsy.  Plus I didn't like the fact that he kept giving her mixed signals in the present when he was with Melissa and that it took as long as it did for him to finally shape up.  The idea that it took her dad's reaction to Jake when he saw him at the airport when they were returning to the U.S. for spring break to realize that Charley must still have feelings for him seemed flimsy, too.  I agree with other reviewers that Jake needed to do a lot more groveling before he got Charley back after all he'd put her through in both the past and present.  In addition, I thought Jake went overboard worrying about Melissa and her feelings after they broke up.  That was on top of him having told Charley when he was still with Melissa that he loved her (Melissa).  This book was good, but also very angst-driven.  I was glad Charley and Jake finally got back together and that it was fair that, due to his past actions, she couldn't quite bring herself to say "I love you" back to him right away.  However, I also feel that their story should've been finished in this one book.  I'll probably read the sequel, but I know already that another ton of angst in their relationship will not sit well with me.
190644
This puts Myron into the position of a star crossed lover.  He just can't seem to get into a normal relationship that goes somewhere. In this story.  An old lover that disappeared from his life calls and implores him to join her in France.  He current lover has been pulling away from him and finally tells him she's decided to move and that they were never forever.  On the heels of that announcement he takes Terese up on her invitation and joins her.  There she tells him the story underlying her deep sadness - the death of her daughter many years ago.  She believes her daughter, is somehow alive after being contacted by her Ex husband who is murdered before she can reach him.  A complicated web is followed in an attempt to find out what the husband had discovered.  He runs into some heavy espionage groups and is disappears for a few weeks to suddenly turn up in a hospital in his hometown with no memory of what happened.  No one seems to know where Terese is and his sidekick, Win, is playing it cool and insisting Myron do the same - lay low, say little.  Myron has unexplained anxiety attacks and bad nightmares.  Finally he is released and Terese comes back into his life but he is warned to keep out of this mystery for both their sake.  Myron doesn't listen.  After many twists and turns he continues until he finds the truth and stumbles upon a terrorist nest that is wrapped up in this mystery and learns how it connects to Terese.
1190896
Summary:
It's the start of Christmas break and Brenna is looking forward to snuggling up to boyfriend Jake. However, her mother surprises her with a trip to Paris. Brenna feels torn because she would really love the trip, but doesn't want to leave Jake.

Jake is the perfect boyfriend. So, why is Brenna having doubts about their relationship? She feels like things are moving quickly in their relationship and starts second guessing where things will go from here. Then, she gets even more confused when Saxon happens to be on the same trip.

While in Paris, Brenna is tempted by Saxon once again. She makes the decision to follow her feelings for Saxon and see what happens. However, she can't have both boys. Brenna must decide if she wants to follow her heart or her attraction. Now, she faces the consequences of that decision and it may not turn out the way she hoped.

My Take:
Where do I start? I truly loved Double Clutch and couldn't wait to read Junk Miles, but was also a little nervous about it. I'm such a Jake fan, so knowing she would be with Saxon in Paris made me nervous. Of course, I sucked it up and read on.

Junk Miles was a turbulent read for me. I finally sat back and discovered why it affected me so much. Here's what I came up with. I had a very intense high school relationship with a boy who I totally thought I would marry. He was so sweet, older than me, came from a somewhat troubled home, and I was his world. My home life was good, I was smart and had good grades. Basically, the opposite of what he had. He was an amazing athlete though and that was his out. I believe I had a strong influence over the decisions he made. My senior year of high school, while he was away at college, I started to doubt our relationship. At that point, we had been together for a few years and the next step was for me to go to college where he went. I remember my mom and I having conversations about not settling, having my own adventures, etc. Spring break of that year, a mutual friend of ours came home. My boyfriend and I were on a break as a result of my doubts and I ended up kissing that friend. The friend and I both felt horrible about it after the fact. My boyfriend and I got back together for a while longer after that, but things were never the same. Our paths went in different directions, but I always think of that relationship and of him fondly. He most definitely was the first man I was in love with. In fact, we ended up living in the same area again as adults and I considered the possibility that it was a sign. It wasn't meant to be, since I met my husband shortly after moving. So, what's my point??? I could totally understand and feel what Brenna felt and that made it so emotional for me.

Brenna really does love Jake and I think the fact that it's her first relationship and it's really intense starts to overwhelm her a bit. Her mother doesn't help matters either. As a mother, I understand the instinct to want the best for your child and not see them settle so young. I also understand not wanting to disappoint the parents. I always wanted to please my parents. Then, the fact that she has an attraction to Saxon just complicates matters more.

I loved seeing how Brenna works through all of these complicated feelings as much as I loved seeing her deal with the consequences of her actions. The ending left me wanting more. I wasn't ready for it to end. I got a sneak peak at the next novel and love what I see so far. I absolutely can not wait to see what happens next in Slow Twitch, which was recently released.

Liz Reinhardt makes you feel these characters to the core. I am so completely emotionally invested in this story and I feel that says a lot about the writing. If you haven't read this series yet, please go get it. It's brilliant!
[...]
485754
I had very mixed feelings about this book.

Marli is a single mother. She's capable at work,  a good mother to her daughter,  but her personal life is a mess. Her upbringing is partially to blame. Her parents have their own ways of belittling her, and its easy to see why Marli is not the confident woman she should be.

Without giving too much of the storyline away, I will say that I was put off by the way Marli treats
Chris.  It seems that she only accepts him because he was brought up in a black family.  I had the feeling she wouldn't have spoken to him at all otherwise. Later, Marli says she no longer "sees" Chris' color. I cringed a little.

As the story goes on, a crisis causes tension, and a reaction from Chris that is abusive at worst, selfish at best. But somehow, the author manages to deliver forgiveness and happily ever after.
3296642
Cherry has always been close to her dad. When her father gets cancer, her entire world gets turned upside down. Her mother is not only a person She barely knows any more, but she also remarries to some one who is cruel.

Having a past that no one should ever have, leaves her with nightmare every night. She left home at 17 and has been trying to make ends meet since then. When she is offered a high class job, she takes it.

Meeting Sawyer is not something She planned in doing, but they kinda fell into each other.

When secrets are finally let out, feelings are hurt, people are seen for who they really are, and hearts change their beats. You will definitely want to read this. I was very intrigued from the beginning and was sucked in the entire time. I think it was a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more by this author!

4 out of 5 stars!
121726
***3.5 Star Rating***
This book is ok. Love how Kai is getting bolder with his feelings towards Isa. I feel like the title of the book does not make sense as it does not show Isa falling in love. She is very conflicted with her feelings. At the end of the story I was left with the saying "that's it"
4615859
I could really feel for her, and how she put up with so much BS in that marriage, but when she got out of it to go back into a place that is going to ruin the life of her gay son, it made me feel not so compassionate for her.  I wish she would have brought more of her family's life into the end of the story, so we know how life was for them after her reconversion to Mormonism.  Her poor son will have to be celibate for the rest of his life, or marry a woman, and that don't usually work out to well.  I think she should write a sequel to this so we know what happened with the whole family, as I am sure the husband is not going to be around for some time.
587335
the second book in julie hammerle's north pole series, artificial sweethearts, introduces us to tinka foster, who quite frankly is kind of an emotional mess. her entire childhood has been overshadowed by her brother's accidental death when she was an infant. and she's spent all her time avoiding confrontation because she can't handle people being unhappy with her.

the problem with this approach is that people are still unhappy and this makes tinka even more unhappy. home for the summer after a year away from her parents, everything feels wrong. especially when her parents surprise her with a new hometown, her old best friend who she isn't currently speaking to, and a golf instructor/potential love interest that she isn't interested in. ever since she went away to boarding school she's felt out of control, and all these changes make that sensation feel worse. she expected to come home and settle back into the routine of making her parents happy. but now they seem capable of doing that for themselves.

the foster family is totally the poster family for what happens when you avoid conflict and talking things out in the open. tinka's parents have made strides to heal themselves and their relationship, but they have completely forgotten about tinka. and so even when tinka's behavior comes off as self-absorbed or selfish you kind of get it, she has no idea how to approach problems with emotional honesty. everything in her life has been about hiding her true feelings, and at some point all that bottling up with lead to an explosion.

sam anderson really gets it. the emotional avoidance. the bottling up of feelings. the making everyone else happy at your own expense thing. all of those things tinka does, he does too. the main difference is that sam is inherently selfless, so he does all these things at his own expense. while tinka is more into self-preservation. but this understanding is what draws them together.

sure there's also the whole fake relationship thing. but that's just an excuse. because the reality is that they are both totally into each other. it's just that emotional honesty isn't something they are used to, confronting things head on, not their thing. so you see how they are meant to be.

even though this is the second book in a series, it stands alone. we do still see some of the small town quirkiness and characters we loved in any boy but you, but if you haven't read the first book, you will still enjoy the second. one of the things i really enjoy about these books is that the characters aren't perfect. they are flawed, and things blow up in their face even when they have the best of intentions. but this also lets us see how they grow. and also how letting people into your life can change you for the better.

**artificial sweethearts will publish on july 10, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (entangled: crush) in exchange for my honest review.
1795323
Man I feel sorry for cat but I hope she gets her payback. Her family ain't s***. Maybe she can find true love with Avery . As for Yuri, she has so much going on, her sister is something else also. I'm still trying to figure out how her boss got the email with the pictures. As always you ladies are the greatest, I love your books!
896461
Sean Morrison is having a hard time coming to grips with a major personal lose when he first meets Serena Britten( a model trying to get a college education) he acts like a jerk. He tries to apologize and they find they have things in common and become friends. Serena wants to turn her love for books into a new career that she can actually love, but she is having trouble with one of her male professors and the pressures from her mother towards her career . What happens will she be able to continue at college ? Will her mother realize she has been pushing  her dreams not Serenas and let her do what she wants? Will Sean and Serena get a happy ending? I was gifted a copy for an honest review barwatts@telus.net
4120882
Charlie is an artist making vivid, full-of-life metal sculptures made of other people's discards.  Sebastian saw one of her magnificent creations and had to meet the artist to commission a sculpture for his new corporate headquarters.  They hit it off professionally and personally, but Sebastian's past weighs heavily on his present, skewing his view of himself and his talents.  Charlie is heavily invested in supporting her mother whose health is failing and Sebastian is pledged to make things better for her.  But he feels helpless to make things perfect and Charlie is committed to helping him as much as he has helped her.  Surely there is a HEA in store for two such worthy people, right?
1124057
Sophie feels pretty awful about things.  Actually, she's felt pretty awful for three years, ever since her younger brother Erhart died.  He was seven and she was twelve.  Since then, she has tried hard to keep his memory alive inside of her, specifically thinking of him a couple of times a day so he doesn't fade completely from her mind.

Making things even worse in Sophie's life is the fact that she can't seem to get along with her father, who had an affair shortly before Erhart's death and was thrown out of their house.

Then Sophie lost her best friend, Justin, who wanted to date her and stopped liking her when she refused to be his girlfriend.  Now he circulates with a group Sophie refers to as the Wolf Pack, mindless guys who only care about impressing frivolous girls.  Sophie feels pretty alone in the world.

The stops feeling so alone when she meets Francis, a guy whose mother died years ago.  He seems to understand a little of what she feels about Erhart, and he is the first person in a long time she has enjoyed spending time with.  He even respects that she isn't interested in dating anyone.  But is she really not interested in dating anyone?  Or would she maybe like to date Francis?

I really liked Francis' character and the way he related to and respected Sophie, although I found it a bit unrealistic that he would have stuck around so long when Sophie gave him so little encouragement.  I liked that Sophie's family didn't completely break down after her brother died; she and her mother and sister were still pretty much okay.  The character of Justin was lousy--it was hard to believe someone would be so insensitive to drop his friendship with a girl so easily when she refused to date him.
565350
Laura is a woman who left town ten years ago because her fianc couldn't/wouldn't let her in. He wouldn't share his overwhelming grief over the murder of his parents. I did and didn't like Laura. I could see postponing the wedding. But canceling and then leaving the country?  Yes, she was young when she left. Now let's jump to ten years later. She's back in town after a tragedy in her life. Laura returns home to her mother along with her two children.  She's grown in some ways and not in others. I got aggravated with her continuing to call Taft out on being a player. Um, not for a while now and she was out of the country and married!  I'm not saying the failure of the engagement wasn't on both shoulders, just that she is the one who called it off and left.  I did sympathize with Laura. Taft is the love of her life and she felt left and rejected even before she left. The things she has to deal with after her return to the States wasn't easy and to deal with the past and past hurts didn't help. Laura tries to avoid Taft at all costs. Needless to say that doesn't work. She resists him and he keeps pursuing, until he figures there's no hope.

Taft is really a great guy that has been through hell in his life. His parents were murdered and he didn't know how to deal with it other than to act tough and pretend it didn't affect him. Of course that just ate him up from the inside out and changed who he was.  In the end he lost Laura before he found himself again. Taft goes through ten years without her or commitment to anyone else. When Laura returns home and he runs into her again he's poleaxed. It doesn't take him long to realize he still loves her and has fallen for her children. He does everything he can to convince her that he will never hurt her again. He shares himself/his feelings and admits what he did wrong in the past. Taft can't figure out how to convince Laura he isn't really a player. He puts himself out there until he thinks it'll never work.  This is when tragedy strikes again forcing Laura to rethink her views and face the fact that she still does and always has loved Taft. The question is what she will do about it.

This was a pretty good read. It's a romance that's paced a bit slow, but that wasn't a bad thing in this case. I liked that there wasn't someone in danger, being chased or on someone's "hit list".  I would recommend this for anyone looking for a sweet romance or easy/relaxing read.
2381780
I don't even know where to start with this one and I am torn on my exact feelings for this story as well.  My feelings towards the main character, Aubrey, changed many times during the unfolding of this tale and even now that I am finished.still not sure what to think.

  We first meet Aubrey five years after her husband, Joshs disappearance when he has just been declared dead.  I feel badly for her at this point because her mother-in-law, who never really liked her, told her about the declaration is a very rude and unfeeling way and is now trying to protest the life insurance policy pay out.

  As the story progresses we jump back and forth between Aubreys childhood, the beginnings of her relationship with Josh, and with what happened five years ago on the day he disappeared-from both of their perspectives.  The author did a very good job of separating all of this and I was never once confused by the time jumps.  That being said and without giving out any spoilers, my feelings for Aubrey began to change about halfway through because she wasn't as distraught or as innocent as I originally thought.  No one is as they seem except maybe the nasty mother-in-law.

  I finished the book about 24 hours ago and I am still ruminating on it and trying to figure out my feelings! It definitely got me thinking but I feel like the ending was rather confusing and I am not one hundred percent sure that I understand what happened.  I might have to go back a reread the last chapter just to make sure I didn't miss something.  I like a nice tidy ending so this is messing with my head a bit!

 3.5/5 stars
[...]
3616024
Chase does a good job of bringing back the feeling of being a child and become a young woman.  This is the part that most spoke to me.  Another strong component of the story is the tension and suspense.  You know bad things are going to happen, but you don't know what they are.  You can guess, and some of those guesses with be right; other parts won't turn out as expected and the surprises enhance the story.  If it was all easy to figure out, I would have been disappointed.  That said, the bad things that happen, though a common enough part of some lives, were not, fortunately, a part of my childhood.  So that brought a strange feeling to the story.  The feelings and emotions of a normal childhood and young adulthood were easy to relate to, combined with the bad parts made the story foreign to me as well.  This was both a pleasant and unpleasant reading experience.  I think most readers who think the basic storyline sounds appealing will enjoy this book.

Not quite a 5 star book as it doesnt leave me craving other books by the author.  Certainly, Im interested enough that I would look at her future work, but Im not going to be pre-ordering it.