REVIEW: Fear of Falling by S.L. Jennings

I can’t remember the last time I felt completely safe. Security seemed more like a luxury to me, reserved for those who were fortunate enough to have picture perfect childhoods. For those who didn’t bear the ugly scars that keep me bound in constant, debilitating fear. I’ve run from that fear my entire life. But when I met him, for once, I couldn’t run anymore.

He scared the hell out of me in a way that excited every fiber of my being. It wasn’t the tattoos or the piercings. It wasn’t the warmth that seemed to radiate from his frame and blanket me whenever he was near. It was just…him. The scary beautiful man that threatened to alter 23 years of routine and rituals, and make me face my crippling fear.

My name is Kami and I am constantly afraid. And the thing that scares me the most is the very thing I want.

“Don’t worry,” he smiled, pulling me into the hard warmth of his chest. “I’ve got you. I’ll always catch you when you fall.”

And just like that, Blaine had staked his claim on the untouched part of me that no living soul had ever moved. He had captured every fear, every reservation, and crushed them in the palm of his inked hand.

Author Disclaimer: Abuse is real- verbal, emotional, physical and sexual. It takes place all around us; it doesn’t discriminate against race or gender, wealth or poverty. It affects us all- those of us who’ve had to live through it, or watch it happen, even those of us who’ve only heard about it. We are all affected. We are all forever changed.

This is not a story for the faint of heart; this is the story of one woman’s very real struggle through a world against her, the people who hurt her, her real life demons and the people who showed her that every gray sky, no matter how dark, has a sun waiting to break through.

***Inspired by true events***

ebook, 320 pages
Published July 18th 2013 (first published July 15th 2013)

Source: Purchased

OUR THOUGHTS: 

I'm still pondering this novel; this story of Blaine and Kami. This story of Kami running from her past, living in fear and of Blaine trying to save someone who doesn't feel salvageable. There are things that compelled me to read it to the end...like finding out if Blaine and Kami could get past fears and hurt and frustration to find their HEA..or getting a better of understanding of the root cause of the fear and if/how one overcomes those things...or even to get to know Angel and Dom and CJ (periphery characters) more. Some of those answers were provided by the end and some, I'm still wondering about. 

I guess where I struggle is that there were times that I wasn't as connected to this story as I wanted to be. Maybe there were times when I felt descriptions were redundant or there was more telling than showing? Maybe it was that I wanted more character development with Blaine and Angel and Dom? Maybe sometimes it either seemed a little too dramatic or too glossed over? Don't get me wrong..the story is one that needs to be told and heard. And, S.L. Jennings definitely has a writing voice that, in large parts of the text, I found myself wanting to read more of.  I know I'll definitely come back to her other works to see what she's doing...she definitely has that *something* that makes me want to explore more. Maybe this just wasn't the best book for me, but there are TONS of reviews that absolutely loved this book.

Court: I feel bad that I didn't like this one...and I know it is okay, and that the two of us shall not mesh, but gosh I hate it when this happens. I didn't connect with the characters in the beginning, and just how fast paced everything was happening. I couldn't get a feel for where the author wanted me to be, or where the characters had been. It was full throttle, and that can be a good thing, and this one didn't pull through for me. I admire what it was trying to do, and maybe it might have gotten there eventually if I had stuck with it...but unfortunately I was not in the mood at all to try. :( DNF for me. 

REVIEW: LOVE'S SECOND CHANCE BY L.P. DOVER (SECOND CHANCES #1)

Korinne Anders had it all. She had the perfect job, the perfect house, and the perfect husband. When tragedy strikes, her world takes a devastating turn. Six months After losing her husband to a car accident, Korinne vows it to herself never to love again. If she doesn’t allow another man in her heart, then there’s no reason for her to feel the pain of loss. This plan seems to work, but is put to the test when Korinne’s best friend can’t stand to see her suffering any longer.

Korinne’s long-time friend, Jenna Perry, has an idea and it involves helping her friend find the spark of life in her soul no matter what it takes. Korinne didn’t know that Jenna’s plan meant bringing back a past love, a second chance with the man that Korinne had to leave in college, but always kept a place for in her heart.

When Galen Matthews learns of Korinne’s loss and that she’s finally moved back home, he wants nothing more than to be there for her. The love he felt for Korinne years ago has never left him, and now he’s given a second chance to not only mend her heart of her loss, but to also continue the love they shared in the past. Will his love and determination make her strong enough to give fate a second chance, or will her fear of losing another love make her run away?

What will Korinne do when she’s faced with a love so powerful that no matter what she does there’s nowhere to run from it?

Kindle Edition, 249 pages
Published March 27th 2013 by Amazon Digital Services Inc.
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon

Our Review

This is a super sweet story. The angst is low and the ending is happy. Korinne and Galen were madly in love in their early college years and life happened. They ended up going their separate ways and having successful and happy lives. Tragedy strikes and Korinne ends up back in the same town as Galen. The first time they see each other again the sparks are re-ignited and things begin to happen very quickly. Very, very quickly. 

This novel isn't about darkness and despair; it's about being open to new opportunities. Korinne manages to be honest about her fears and yet okay to exploring something with Galen. Galen is willing to be patient and to give her the space she needs to figure things out. They work well together and it's just so dang sweet. No. It isn't about darkness or despair. It is (from what I have read...am now at 37%) about like Shel said, new opportunities...or maybe just re-evaluating old ones. All I can say though, is that this book is just not currently for me. I reached 37%...again had other life obligations and even blog ones, that got in the way of reading it...and have honestly no desire to revisit it. I think I could tell early on where things are going, and while the writing is good...I just am not as invested in the plot as I hoped I would be. 

This novel is very centered on Korinne and Galen but their friends and families make a few appearances to enhance the plot and pace of the novel. It does help. But...well, see above. 

If you need a break from the darker reads, this may just be the book for you. Indeed! 

Courtney: DNF at 37%

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.

Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.

L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

REVIEW: LIKE GRAVITY BY JULIE JOHNSON

Twenty year-old Brooklyn “Bee” Turner is no stranger to grief. After witnessing her mother’s brutal murder at age six, Brooklyn is guarded, damaged, and – by all accounts – a bitch. And that’s just the way she likes it, if it means keeping everyone at arm’s length.
When she stumbles, quite literally, into Finn Chambers – campus ladies’ man and the lead singer of a local band —she’s unprepared for his persistence in befriending her, and for the dangerous attraction she begins to feel for him.
Because with Finn, she knows it would be more than just sex.
More than just friendship.
And maybe even more than just love.
When a sinister presence from her past reemerges, Brooklyn will be pushed to her breaking point. For the first time in fifteen years, she will confront both her grief and her memories, as she plays a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with an unforeseen enemy.
Because sometimes, the demons we must confront aren’t only on the inside...
**Like Gravity is a new full-length standalone romantic suspense novel,intended for audiences ages 17+ **

Kindle Edition, 310 pages
Published August 26th 2013 by Julie Johnson

Source: Purchased

Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon

Our Review: 

I honestly don't recall where I heard about this book, but I seem to recall a reviewer I respected really loved this novel; the first pages showed me why--they were gripping. I can honestly say that first chapter, or prologue, scene, was intense. Just...wow. 

The rest of the novel had some similar moments..moments when I identified with the prickly nature of Brooklyn (our protagonist) and found myself rooting for Finn (her love interest) to make good things happen. ... because see, here's the thing... I'm a prickly bear myself and I kinda love it when main characters are too; somehow it seems to justify my behavior, or maybe I just relate to that sense of wanting to push people away for self-preservation. I mean, I see the flaw in that behavior but it feels comforting to read characters like me. Of course, I also love how Finn continues to push her boundaries and try to reach her..try to show her life with love in it. ..ahem. Anyway. Aww, Shel. I know how you feel. I can identify with Brooklyn wanting to have her self preservation above all else in the world...but...as story heroines go...I was just, gah. WHY! Let someone in. For the love of God, let someone in. 

As much as I enjoyed the push and pull of their relationship, I did have some problems. The time frame never seemed clear to me. I never had a good feel for when things were taking place or how much time had passed. I also felt that the *big reveal* of their stories was sorta obvious, but in retrospect maybe it wasn't supposed to be that surprising?  And the last few chapters seemed a bit..predictable and too neatly taken care of. I had some problems too. The premise, as we always say, was good...but it was just not, maybe, what we were hoping it would be. 

So it was a mixed bag for me--parts were so damned close to home and parts were just meh. I'd definitely try some of her other novels because I can see tons of potential in the writing. While this novel wasn't my favorite thing..didn't break any new ground, it definitely was one that I was willing to stick with and read all the way through. And I just couldn't. I reached 62%...had to stop reading due to other obligations in my life for a couplea days, and when I went to pick it back up...I just had this chest-squeezing-please-don't-make-me-do-it-anxiety...and decided, ya know what. I'm not. I gave it a try. I meh-kind-of-liked-it...but at the end of the day, I was ready to move on. By that point, the pace was not what I was hoping it would be to be ready for the hard drive to the finish, and I am officially crying uncle. I wouldn't say, gah, don't read this one...but I do suggest getting a sample of it first...which is an idea that I don't employ nearly enough! 

About the Author

Julie Johnson is a twenty-something Boston native suffering from an extreme case of Peter Pan Syndrome and an obsession with fictional characters. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found daydreaming, drinking too much coffee, striving to conquer her Netflix queue, and stalking Goodreads for new books to add to her ever-growing TBR list.

Nothing makes her happier than talking with her readers! So please, please, please feel free to add her as a friend on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or whatever form of social media floats your boat.