Review: The Simple Life by @TaraSivec

THE SIMPLE LIFE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: October 19, 2018

*A standalone romantic comedy with a lot of heart*

Brooklyn Manning thought her life was perfect in every way, until it crumbled down around her and turned into a dumpster fire. With her pride wounded and her tail tucked between her legs, she leaves New York and goes back to her tiny hometown of White Timber, Montana.

No more twenty-four-hour taco trucks, no more shopping at the best designer stores within walking distance, no more giving taxi drivers the finger when they angrily honk at her. She didn’t think it could get any worse. But then Clint Hastings walked into the room and insulted her.

Her arch nemesis from high school is no longer a nerdy computer whiz, masturbating to pictures in PC World magazine in his free time (allegedly). He’s grown up to be a hot-as-hell cowboy, and she has no other choice but to be a smart ass right back to him. After all, it’s what they do. It’s what they’ve always done, and twelve years apart hasn’t changed anything.

Only this time, getting under each other’s skin is a hell of a lot more fun than it used to be.

AMAZON

Fighting with you every day for a month has made me happier than getting along with someone else all my life.”

The queen of RomComs strikes again with this golden nugget of a book! It combined some of my biggest reader catnips; enemies to lovers, sassy heroine, and a single dad. And yes, it IS as delicious as it sounds.

Brooklyn Manning couldn’t wait to escape the simple life of her small home town. Now she has it all; a great career, a great boyfriend, parties in Manhattan, and a rocking wardrobe to boot. Until her entire life turns on it’s stiletto heel when her boyfriend turns out to be a cheating bastard, her career is ruined, and while she keeps her rocking wardrobe, she now gets to rock it as she licks her wounds while crawling back to her home town with her tail tucked between her legs. But even through all that, she never loses her sense of humor.

Yes, I’m still holding a grudge about that shit. Grudges and I are old friends. We have wine together every Thursday and talk about old times and all the people we hate. It’s a very therapeutic relationship.

But not everything is bad. She gets to see her bestie who still lives there and she has a job set up by her grumpy father. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that her job is wrangling two little monsters who happen to be the adorable children of the man that she’s bumped horns with since she was a child.

And then there were sparks!

Clint Hastings is no longer the computer nerd that clashed with her in her youth. He’s now the uber sexy cowboy that clashes with her in her adulthood. If ever there was hate lust, these two have it. I mean GAH! So good!! I loved the sassy barbs that constantly flew between them. And when Clint finally pursues something between them? DELICIOUS.

Clint’s adorable little trouble makers of children were the perfect secondary characters. I loved watching Brooklyn unwilling bond with them. The romance was perfectly paced and so incredibly satisfying. The humor adding an added zest to it that took it from delicious to finger licking good.

If you’re looking for a sexy romcom that will keep you giggling from beginning to finish with perfectly flawed characters in a charming small town, look no further. This one is a must read!

Review: Just My Type by @TaraSivec

JUST MY TYPE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: April 25, 2019

A new standalone, romantic comedy from Tara Sivec!

Live in the best small town in the world? Check.
Have the greatest job ever working on my family’s pumpkin farm? Check.
Marry the town pharmacist and have a nice, quiet life with our son? Check-check.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you say you were happy? LOLOLOLOL!” ~ Life

Ember Hastings never thought she’d be dragged away from White Timber and everything she loved, thrust in the middle of a big city she hated, or have her husband of nine years say, “I can’t do this anymore,” all within the span of three months, yet here she is.

She misses her family, she misses the farm, and she misses having a backbone and caring whether or not the stain on her shirt is chocolate or shit. She works from home doing transcription. Does she really need to shower or leave the house?

Baker Matthews has been bringing everyone down lately with his grouchy attitude. His job is stressful, and sometimes depressing, but he wouldn’t change anything about it. When a glitch with the transcription company he’s using mistakenly sends him notes he wasn’t supposed to see, Baker finds himself laughing out loud for the first time in months.

He’s never met a woman who says whatever she’s thinking and doesn’t fawn all over him when she finds out what he does for a living. Until Ember Hastings comes barreling into his life, calling him Shit Mouth and asking if he has any balls.

But she wants to keep this professional. She made him pinky swear, and you don’t mess around with pinky swears. Baker will have to get creative if he wants to prove to Ember that he’s just her type.

AMAZON

Well, I’m sure if you let your boss stuff his sausage in your omelet, you’ll forget all your troubles,” Brooklyn tells me.
“There will be no sausage stuffing! Stop trying to make sex happen.”

Best. Email. Banter. Of. All. Time.

Seriously. I mean, SERIOUSLY. Y’all! This banter was EVERYTHING.

Whenever I’m in a funk and in need of a guaranteed laugh till I pee myself sort of romcom, I will always reach for a Tara Sivec book. What can I say? The woman always delivers on the raunchy humor, sassy heroines, perfect heroes, and some of the best female positive girlfriend friendships. I love it! And this book was no different.

Ember Hastings thought she had it all, until she lost it all. After a lackluster marriage for which she uproots from her family and beloved home town comes to a screeching end, Ember is left a little lost. She gave everything for the man she thought was the right type for her only to discover that even the seemingly “safe” guys can be a bad bet. Now she’s in a city that she hates, trying to make ends meet as she shares custody of their adorable son. Getting back into the workforce lands her with a transcription job. And then a huge (and most hilarious) tech glitch leads to some even more hilarious email exchanges with a client. And then those email exchanges lead to a meeting and realization that the man that gives her butterflies and makes her laugh over email is just as breath catching in person.

Baker Matthews was one of my absolutely favorite parts of this book. This man. *Swoon* He was perfection. He’s trying to get his gym the ground and gain more exposure. He should be insulted at the notes he sees his transcriptionist had unknowingly included in the file, but he’s only intrigued. A chance email leads to a planned encounter that soon leads to something so much more!

I loved and I mean loved the romance here. Baker is the epitome of a nice guy. This is the type of man you will want to root for. He’s not perfect and he definitely has his own scars, but he’s sweet and caring, and the way that he pursues Ember is sheer swoony perfection. I loved the relationship and banter between him and his sister. I loved the slow burn romance between him and Ember. And I especially loved the way that he develops the most charming relationship with Ember’s son.

There’s also an evil hedgehog, plenty of hilarious moments, and deliciously steamy romance. This book had everything and it had me grinning from beginning to finish. There’s no crazy drama. There’s no stupid misunderstandings. There’s no crazy angst. It was a light-hearted sort of romance with plenty of sizzle that will have you laughing until you cry and totally glued to the pages from cover to cover.

Review: Kiss The Girl by Tara Sivec

KISS THE GIRL
Series:
The Naughty Princess Club #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: September 4, 2018

A struggling antiques collector finds herself falling in love with a millionaire playboy; but can she ever be a part of his world?

Meet the Naughty Princess Club, a series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that brings readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that three women fall into once they decide to strut their stuff and bring on their own happily ever after.

While her friends have broken free of their insecurities, Ariel Waters is struggling to come out of her shell. Her ex-husband took away her voice and her self-confidence, and Ariel is drowning under a sea of debt to afford the alimony she has to pay him. She refuses to ever fall for a man’s charms again, and is determined to make her own way.

When her house and her beloved antiques are taken by the bank after too many missed payments, Ariel finds herself adrift until the infuriatingly charming Eric Sailor comes to her rescue. Although she can’t stand the millionaire playboy, Eric’s kindness and unconditional support reveal hidden depths and a love that Ariel never imagined she could find.

But there are outside influences who will stop at nothing to keep them apart; can Ariel and Eric weather the storm and find a way to be together?

AMAZON

One of these days, Ariel, you are going to get your own fairy tale and I’m going to point and laugh at you when it happens.”

This book should come with a warning: DO NOT READ IN PUBLIC for fear of people thinking you may be crazy. Why? Because it will cause you to laugh like a lunatic at every page. I’m talking full belly laugh, tears in your eyes, laugh so hard you may pee sort of hilarity here. It was my favorite book in this series. And I loved the rest of this series, people! Maybe it’s in part because I’m convinced that the foul-mouthed, sassy, snarky yet with a hidden vulnerable side, Ariel, is actually my spirit animal.

Ah-ha!” I shout, pointing at the smug little asshole across from me. “Now who looks like an idiot? I don’t use my phone for that. NO ONE USES THEIR PHONE FOR PHONE CALLS! WE USE THEM TO TEXT PEOPLE, TO GOOGLE RANDOM SHIT LIKE IF YOU CAN DIE FROM A RUNNY NOSE, AND TO FIND A FUNNY MEME ABOUT HERPES!”
“Oh, Jesus,” Cindy mutters.
“Please, don’t be difficult, ma’am,” the older deputy says with a sigh.
“Piss off. I’m not difficult. I’m a fucking delight,” I mutter in annoyance.

See what I mean? Spirit animal, people!

But she’s also the loudest and crudest of the three friends, and I loved her for it. The sexual tension between her and Eric was always sizzling. There’s just something about the hate/lust thing that they had going that just did it for me. Oh it did it for me so hard. Eric knows exactly how to handle Ariel, much to her annoyance. So when she finds herself evicted from her home and has to leave all her beloved antiques behind, he has no problem being her white knight. Even if she does threaten his life and his balls in the process.

Suddenly Ariel finds herself living on a neighboring yacht to Eric, who inherited his family yacht business and had one to spare. The sparring between them doesn’t decrease but the sexual tension only continues to mount. Add into that one evil looking hairless cat named Derrick Alfredo and all of the hilarity ensues.

Care to tell me why you’re holding a cat that’s inside out against your crotch?” my dad suddenly asks, pointing at Derrick Alfredo. “He . . . uh . . . likes the warmth. You know, since he doesn’t have any hair and he’s always cold. My dick warmth comforts him, sir,” Eric replies with a nervous clear of his throat. “And here I thought you were just covering up a boner. I like this guy, Ariel,” my dad states, clapping Eric on the shoulder before he walks over to the couch and makes himself comfortable.

I loved every single hilarious chapter. I adored the slow built sizzle between Ariel and Eric. I loved the way he just knows how to handle her and brings out the spot gooey side of this spitfire.

I also love the friendships between them all. The girls have a bond to put Sex And The City to shame. I adore their friendship and the way they care for each other. I also love the heck out of their banter.

This is such a good idea. You’re so pretty and smart. We should make out.”
“Jesus, Belle, stop trying to kiss me. We’ve got important smit to do. Slit to do. Shiffy do.”
“I think the words you’re looking for are ‘shit to do.’”
“STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO PJ! I’VE GOT SHIFFY DO!”
“My teeth feel funny. Do I still have teeth, Vincent?”
“You still have teeth, sweetheart.”

I loved every single page of this hilarious romcom. I never wanted it to end. I adore the devious comedic mind of Tara Sivec and the way her characters practically leap out of the pages at you. If you’re looking for a book to put a ridiculous smile on your face for days after you finish it, this is simply a must read. A. Must. Read.

Review: In Bed With The Beast by Tara Sivec


IN BED WITH THE BEAST
Series: The Naughty Princess Club #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: June 5, 2018

A tale as old as time: she needs a place to stay, he’s a grump with a secret and an extra room…can love find a way?

Meet the Naughty Princess Club, a series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that brings readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that three women fall into once they decide to strut their stuff and bring on their own happily ever after.

Living in her overprotective dad’s basement, shy Belle lives her life through books. Being a part of the Naughty Princess Club is the first adventure she’s ever had, plus she desperately needs the money to save one of her favorite places – the local library.

But when her new friends and new business gets her kicked out of her dad’s house, Belle is rescued by the surly Vincent “Beast” Adams who invites her to be his house guest until she gets back on her feet. Despite his attitude problem and long list of rules, Belle finds herself warming to the muscled man with a penchant for growling and starts seeing a gentle side to him that wasn’t there before.

Yet there’s a room that Beast keeps locked and Belle keeps getting hints that Beast is hiding something…can a nerdy librarian tame the beast or will their romance be over before it has a chance to blossom?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

“Oh, my God,” I whisper, my thighs clenching…
“My name’s Vincent. But you can yell whatever you want tonight.”


Oh beast. *heart eyes emoji*

Man do I love me those broody bearded types. And it just doesn’t get any broodier than beast aka Vincent. The silent and grumpy security guard at Charming. If you’ve already read At the Stroke of Midnight, then you’ve already seen the awkwardly hilarious first encounter between him and Belle. And if you haven’t, no worries, because you won’t have any trouble reading this as a standalone. However, I still highly recommend book one simply because it’s freaking AWESOME! But I digress.

Belle is the shy and awkward one of the three girlfriends. She has a tendency to sprout random weird facts when she feels awkward, and that’s quite common. I also couldn’t get enough of her adorably quirky personality. After living in her father’s basement for far too long, this shy librarian is finally ready to take life by the horns. First thing? Book her first stripper event so she can help save her financially struggling beloved library in which she works. Too bad her experience with men of the non fictional variety is entirely too limited. So what’s a girl to do? Enlist the help of the silent, broody one that seems to be hounding her every step lately.

One of my favorite things about this series is most definitely the banter and the friendship that Belle shares with Ariel and Cindy. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of Cindy’s loud mouth and balls to the wall personality. That girl brings each page she appears on to life. She’s truly my spirit animal.

I usually pair this dress with a colorful cardigan sweater and a pair of ballet flats in the same color as the sweater,” I complain, shifting from foot to foot in the heels she made me put on.
“If you ever put a cardigan on again I will punch you in the throat. Also, if you ever use a safety pin to close the neckline of one of your dresses again, I’ll stab you in the eye with it.”

Vincent was deliciously broody. With a painful history, he’s withdrawn completely into himself. But little does he know that a quirky librarian will help him see the light of things.

In Bed With The Beast was a delicious slow burn full of heart and humor. I absolutely adored Belle and Beast together. Watching his heart slowly melt and as he unwillingly falls harder and harder for Belle was entirely satisfying. I’m seriously hooked on this series, but I’m pretty sure I’d part with an ovary to get my hands on Ariel’s book. That set up screams awesome and I absolutely cannot wait to read her book!

#DGRFave & Review: At The Stroke Of Midnight by @TaraSivec @SMPRomance

AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT
Series: The Naughty Princess Club #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: February 27, 2018

Meet the Naughty Princess Club: a brand new series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that introduces readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that ensue when three women start a new business to make it rain.

Once upon a time Cynthia was the perfect housewife. Between being the President of the PTA and keeping her home spotless without a hair (or her pearls) out of place, her life was a dream come true. Her husband was once her knight in shining armor, but now he’s run off with all their money…and the babysitter.

Dressed as a princess at the annual Halloween block party on Fairytale Lane, she meets two other “princesses” also facing money troubles: antique store owner Ariel and librarian Isabelle. When the women are invited to wear their costumes to a party where they’re mistaken for strippers, Cindy, Ariel, and Belle realize that a career change could be the best way to make their money problems go bippity-boppity-boo.

But can structured Cindy approach a stripper pole without sanitizing wipes? And could the blue-eyed anti-prince that has been crossing her path become Cindy’s happily ever after? At the Stroke of Midnight is a hilarious, empowering story where princesses can save themselves while slaying in stilettos.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

“I don’t want anything to hit PJ. I don’t even like him,” I lie, picturing his gorgeous face and how nicely he can wear a pair of jeans.
“You don’t have to like him to get yourself some good dicking. You need a good dicking, Cindy. Brian was mediocre at best. You need mind-blowing, toe-curling, forget-your-own-name dicking. And while you’re busy getting fucked into next week, you can also use him for his business knowledge, so it’s a win-win.”


Sometimes all a girl needs is a hilarious, laugh till you pee while vibrating with complete and total book satisfaction glee sort of romcom. At The Stroke of Midnight was that perfect book for me. It was perfectly hilarious. Perfectly swoony. Perfectly written. Perfectly paced. Perfectly perfect perfection! Basically what I’m trying to tell you is that I freaking LOVED THIS BOOK. HARD.

I don’t know how to act, and for the love of God, where does one put her hands when she’s sitting on a guy’s lap in a postorgasmic haze? Do I clasp them behind my head, do I hold them up for a high five and an “’Atta boy!”? Are jazz hands appropriate? What about spirit fingers?

At first when I started reading and I thought, OMG this totally reminds me of First Wives Club! And I loved that movie. A woman that gave up her life and goals for her husband only for him to run away with their much younger babysitter, leaving her with nothing, and mailing the divorce papers. Woman meets her snarky and smart mouthed neighbor whose husband left her for a man, and along with a shy librarian that’s full of random facts that she likes to spew at even more random times, they concoct a plan to get their life back. Hello, winning plot!!!

But this book was so much more than that, too! It’s a deliciously brilliant twist on the classic fairytale, chock full of incredibly endearing characters, and a super fun girlfriend bond between three of the most unlikely people. Man, I absolutely devoured this book!

Can a prim and proper housewife turn herself into a sexy and enticing stripper for a business concocted between her and two other equally desperate friends? That’s the question of the hour for Cynthia. There’s just one thing she needs; some stripper training. Too bad the owner of the well known establishment that she’d like to use to get her stripper shoe in the door also happens to be frustratingly sexy and having none of it. Sparks flew right away between PJ and Cindy. Theirs was a slow burn sizzle to beat all slow burn sizzles. It was also full of hilarious banter and enough sexual tension to light up a 10 mile city block. GOD IT WAS GOOD!

What I enjoyed even more that the banter between Cindy and PJ was the banter between the three girlfriends. I loved the three of them. Ariel with her smart mouth and never ending insults, and Belle and her endearing and shy demeanor.

This is how I love my romcoms. I couldn’t put this book down for even a second. I’m already vibrating for my next fit and I can’t wait to see what hilarity Tara Sivec thinks up for Belle and her Beast. If there’s even a single doubt you have ringing in your head about this book, tell that hooker to STFU, and one-click immediately! This is an absolute no-brainer must read!

Review: Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec


WISH YOU WERE MINE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date:  November 14, 2017

Five years. I would’ve stayed away longer if I hadn’t received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about her, haven’t missed her smile, haven’t wished that things were different.

The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn’t be a part of their lives.

Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn’t stay and watch them together.

Cameron deserved better than me.

She deserved him.

But now that I am back, things are different. I’m not going to stand by and watch the woman I’ve always loved slip away again. I’m done living my life with regrets and I’m ready to tell her the truth. And I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine.

AMAZON

I hate that I’ve missed Everett so much, that a part of me wants to forgive him for everything. I hate that seeing him again gave me butterflies and made me remember all of the feelings I used to have for him. I hate that he’ll never understand how much his disappearance from my life broke my heart, because I can never tell him. I can never tell him that he always had my heart, and he took it with him when he left, because it will just make me look like a fool. A fool who waited around for years, hoping her best friend would someday fall in love with her.

After absolutely LOVING The Story of Us, I was thrilled that I’d be getting more of that world with this book. Cameron James is the daughter of Shelby and Eli, and I was beyond excited when I realized this. I’m a huge fan of Tara’s emotional second chance romances, and Wish You Were Mine certainly packed a good angsty punch.

Everett and Cameron grew up as best friends, and unbeknownst to each other, in love. But then life happened, teenage insecurities and family dynamics came into play and they drifted. Now Everett is back in the small town he grew up in, reeling from the death of his best friend and the letter he left him after his death, determined to finally make things right.

This was a slow paced, character driven story that was told in present and flash backs. And while I wanted to love both of these characters, I struggled. I simply couldn’t connect to them or their plight. I couldn’t even put my finger on what or why, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was just…missing for me. Because of that, I struggled to stay connected to the story. Everett and Cameron have a slow paved road to their HEA and I found myself getting easily distracted and disengaged from the story.

The writing was wonderful, the set up was there. I think this was just a case of me and not the book. I adore Tara Sivec and can’t wait for more of these stories from her, but sadly this one just didn’t blow me away like her others.

Review: The Story of Us by Tara Sivec

THE STORY OF US
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: June 13, 2017

From USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec comes an emotional, breathtakingly romantic new book about the power of first love and the promise of second chances.

How much can a man take before he breaks?

1,843 days. That’s how long I survived in that hellhole. They tried to break me, but I resisted. And I owe it all to the memory of warm summer nights, the scent of peaches, and the one woman who loved me more than I ever deserved to be loved. Now, I’ll do anything to get back to her.

Only Shelby Eubanks isn’t the girl I left behind all those years ago. She’s someone else, a stranger. My Shelby-my little green-eyed firecracker-would never give up her dreams, would never disappear into her mother’s ambitions. But I won’t give up on her. On us. I may be broken, and scarred, and not the man I used to be, but I will do whatever it takes to remind her of the story of us.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I wonder if she still thinks of me as much as I do her. I wonder if she knows she’s the only reason I’m still breathing, still fighting, and still holding on.

It’s been a while since Tara Sivec wreaked havoc on my emotions with Fisher’s Light. Now she’s completely destroyed me with The Story of Us. And no, these stories are not connected by anything other then the fact that they both equally broke me. I mean, God. GOD! This story. This incredibly poignant and powerful story of love and second chances. This gripping, emotional, utterly heart wrenching story. My heart will never be the same. I was a complete and utter mess at the end. I love a good second chance romance, but when that also comes wrapped in a story that’s as powerful as it is emotional, I’m putty. Total putty.

How much can a man take before he breaks? When do the dreams stop giving him comfort and he has to accept that he’ll never see her again, touch her again or hear her say “I love you” again?

Eli has lived through hell for the past five years. The only thing that kept him going through the daily beating and torture as a POW are thoughts of his one true love. When he’s rescued and returns home where everyone mourned him and thought him long dead, the only thing on his agenda is to make things right with the woman that he walked away from due to circumstances out of his control.

I’m broken and scarred and half the man I used to be, but if she’ll let me explain, I hope to God she can put me back together again.

But the girl that he fell head over heels in love with before he left for his overseas tour, is not the woman he comes back to. Shelby is now completely under her mother’s thumb of political ambitions and image. She’s buried her dreams of dancing and moving away from this town to live in New York. She’s engaged to a man who has political ambitions that may be grander than her mother and someone she feels no passion towards. She’s a pawn in a game she wants nothing to do with, mourning a man that she believes dead, walking around a shell of the woman that she used to be.

Eli may be scarred as much inside as he is outside, but nothing will stop him from bringing back the sunny, beautiful girl that whose dancing stole his heart almost as much as her smile.

I hug him tighter, one last touch of his warm body against mine, one last second of feeling his heart beating with mine. I take it all in and shove it into the compartment in my brain reserved just for him, where I can take it out whenever I want and remember this moment. This one moment where I could pretend, for just a few seconds, that this could be my life. Wrapped up in this man who went through hell and found his way back to me.

There is a lot of things that happen in the story outside of this couple. THere’s so much going on that happened to set the gears in motion for a lot that happened to them. As they try to navigate to the truth, they also find peace again in each other’s arms.

He makes me feel whole, he closes up wounds while at the same time ripping them wide open…and I never want it to stop. 

I loved the letters that Eli wrote to Shelby and the way she experiences reading them. I love the way he fought for her and my heart absolutely broke for everything he’s been through.

I would do anything for Eli, anything he asks, and that includes breaking myself wide open and letting him see all of my scars, inside and out.

Nothing is as it appears and soon the puzzle pieces begin to click together. But can Eli and Shelby survive the truth when it finally reveals itself?

This was such an emotional and gripping story. The only reason that held it back from being a full 5 stars for me was the amount of almost soap opera like intrigue and drama at the end. It was one thing after another and while it all does come a full circle, I felt like it didn’t have to get that crazy to be just as powerful. That certainly didn’t diminish my enjoyment much, because I truly did love it. Tara Sivec is such a versatile author; she can write romcoms that make you cry laughing and then turn around and write something that will punch you right in the feels. If you’re looking for a powerful second chance romance with plenty of feeling and steam, you seriously can’t go wrong with this one.

Review: ★Fisher’s Light★ by @TaraSivec

Fisher’s Light
Author: Tara Sivec
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Second Chance Romance)
Release Date: March 24, 2015

Fisher,I guess this is it, huh? After fourteen years together, starting a life of our own on this island, five deployments and countless letters I’ve written you through it all, I finally go out to the mailbox and see something I’ve always dreamed of: an envelope with your handwriting on it. For one moment, I actually thought you’d changed your mind, that all the awful things you said to me were just your way of coping after everything you’d been through. I was still here, Fisher. I was still here, holding my breath, waiting for you to come back even though you told me you never would. You always said you’d find your way back to me. Out of all the lies you’ve told me, this one hurts the most.
Enclosed you will find the signed divorce papers, as requested.
I hope you find what you’re looking for. I’m sorry it wasn’t me.
Lucy

To get the ending they want, Lucy and Fisher will have to go back to the beginning. Through the good and the bad, they’ll be reminded of why they always made their way back to each other, and why this time, one way or another, it will be the last time.

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Review5 stars

I’m going to fix this. I have to fix this… I hate every moment that I’m away from her, but I will do whatever it takes to find the man she once loved and bring him back to her.”

When I first read that blurb, I knew that this was going to be one of those books for me. The soul crushing, gut wrenching, make you hurt so good just to put you back together kind of books. And you know what? I wasn’t even a tiny bit wrong. Just 5 percent into this story, I was completely captivated and totally enraptured in the story of Fisher and Lucy. I think the only thing I love more than an amazing second chance romance, is a tortured hero and this book gave me both.

How do I get that back when the darkness is hell bent on taking over, holding me in its clutches and making sure I never see the sunshine again?

Fisher’s Light is told in alternating first person POV and flips back and forth between past and present in the form of Fisher’s journal entries in past and alternating POVs in the present. It’s done in such an incredible way that it read like two sides of a coin. It gave you the dark, ugly parts of their relationship only to turn around and through Fisher’s journal to give you that light at the end of the tunnel. Where one part you’ll find yourself hating him and the way he treats Lucy, in the other part your heart will break for him and his internal struggle. These two sides were balances out so well, that the story was made that much better.

Fisher and Lucy are high school sweethearts. Their love for each other flows right off of the pages and deep into your soul. It’s one of those couples that will really stay with me for years to come. Fisher is the son of the founding family of Fisher’s Island. He’s the popular rich boy that every boy wants to be and every girl wants to be with. But the second Fisher first lays eyes on Lucy, no one else exists for him.

Fisher joins the Marines when he’s 18. Their marriage of 14 years survives 5 of his tours overseas. Every time he comes back, he comes back a little more broken, a little more haunted, and a little more tortured.

Suffering from debilitating PTSD, Fisher begins to slowly lose touch between his reality and his memories but Lucy stands by him through it all

There might be a few cracks, but nothing is ever perfect. Anything that’s worth living for, worth dying for, has a few cracks

But unfortunately, no matter how hard she fights for him, with each and every day that passes, Fisher slips further and further away from her. Until the one day where he breaks her so completely that there is absolutely no coming back from it.

I don’t deserve her forgiveness. I never deserved her to begin with, so now she’ll be free to find security and happiness without having to worry about the broken man she married who can never be fixed.

This book hurt so good, I can’t even begin to describe to you the feels of it all. I was a slobbering, sniveling mess for a good chunk of it and I loved every tearful second of it. It was such a beautiful and emotional story.

Lucy is ones of those heroines that you will fall in love with from the very beginning. She’s strong but with insecurities, yet her love for Fisher is so fierce and unconditional. When he left her a year ago, she didn’t know if she could come back from it. But she picked up the scattered pieces of her life and she’s trying to move on.

To get to the good, sometimes you have to live through the bad.

Fisher never stopped loving Lucy. He knows that his actions hurt her immeasurably, but he’s determined to atone for his sins and get his wife back. There is no one else for him.

You’re my light, Lucy…
You are always the light in my darkness. You’re the reason I’m alive, you’re the reason I’m here and you’re the reason I breathe, every day.”

Lucy is no longer the insecure and meek little girl from their childhood or the quiet wife he left behind, and she definitely doesn’t make things easy for him. Watching him really work to get back into her life was one of my favorite parts of this book. Having only read Tara’s Chocolate Lovers series, I was honestly shocked at how she was able to flip from humorous and fluffy to something so emotional and poignant. It speaks volumes of her talent as an author.

I will ALWAYS fucking fight for you, Lucy,” I promise as I dig my fingers deeper into her hips and pull her body down a little more on my cock…
“It’s always been you. It will ALWAYS, only be you.” I whisper as I shift my hips and slide in and out of her as fast as I can in the water.

I adored this book from beginning to finish. It ripped my heart to shreds and then melded it all back together with a romance that I’ll compare all others to. It was just THAT good.

I recommend this book for any romance readers. This is simply a must read and it’s going straight to the very top of my all time favorites.

Review: Love and Lists by Tara Sivec

Love and Lists (Chocoholics, #1)Love and Lists by Tara Sivec

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Love and Lists is the first book in the Chocolate Lovers spinoff – Chocoholics: The foul-mouthed offspring tell their stories.
Twenty-five-year-old Gavin Ellis has always had the love and support of his family ever since he was a little boy and couldn’t stop talking about his penis. He’s also always had their unsolicited advice and uncanny knack of embarrassing him at all costs. Now that he’s an adult and trying to convince the love of his life to love him back, things haven’t changed very much from when he was younger.
When Gavin’s best friend Tyler suggests he make a to-do list of items that will ensure he wins the girl, Gavin is one-hundred-percent on board: after a few six packs.
After puking in the shrubs, a bad experience with Viagra, a Sex-Ed course gone wrong, and a slew of other mishaps courtesy of his family and friends, Gavin is pretty sure this list will be the death of him.
Sometimes, trying to make someone love you with a list isn’t always the best idea. Especially when “Show her your penis” is the first “to-do” item…

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She has no idea that every time I’m within three feet of her my penis perks up like a meerkat when it hears a noise. It’s fucking Meerkat Manor in my pants.

So have you ever sat there and thought to yourself, I wonder how many times the word penis can be used in a book? No? That’s just me? Really? Huh. Well I’ll bet you’re curious about it now. Let me appease your curiosity then. 83.

So remember the mouthy little shit, Gavin, from the Chocolate Lovers series? Well, he’s now a grown up mouthy little shit. He’s also secretly in love with his best friend, Charolette, who happens to be the daughter of his mother’s best friend. There’s just a few tiny problems with that. Biggest one being that every time Gaving gets near Charlotte

But not to worry, because he has plenty of help from his family and friends.

There’s his mom and her friend, Liz


“You should buy her flowers.”
“Or jewelry. Women love getting jewelry.”
“I never cared much for jewelry. I was happy if he just remembered to put the toilet seat down.”
“True. Put down the toilet seat. Ooooh, make her a mix tape! Those are always fun.”
“Nineteen-eighty-five called, they want their idea back.”
“Suck my dick.”

There was Gavin’s best friend, Tyler

I’m pretty sure I’ll never look at My Little Pony the same after him.

Then there was my favorite, Drew

 


Quick, what are the ten erogenous zones on a woman? GO!”
“GAAAAH! Fuck! Um, neck, lips, feet, inner thighs—”
“BZZZZZZZZZZ. WRONG, FUCKER!”
“What? Those were totally right. And I wasn’t done yet,” I argue. “Those are wrong. Want to know what the ten erogenous zones on a woman are? Number one: vagina. Number two: it doesn’t fucking matter if you’re touching her vagina right!” Uncle Drew shouts. “You are a disgrace. Your mother should have swallowed.”

And of course what would it be without Jenny


Gavin, you have a girlfriend?! Oh my gosh that’s so exciting! I have condoms in my purse if you need them. They’re the kind with insecticide so they totally work,”

I laughed like a crazy person throughout the entire book. But while I thought it was cute and funny read, I never really found myself connecting all that much with Gavin and Charlotte. I think maybe the two of them as a couple kind of got lost in the hilarity that was the rest of this book. That’s what ultimately made this less than 5 stars for me.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, hilarious read, you know you can never go wrong with a Tara Sivec book.

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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