Things Good Girls Don't Do by Codi Gary

Good girls don't steal.
Good girls don't visit sex shops.
Good girls don't have one-night stands.

For Katie Conners, being a good girl just isn't worth it anymore. It used to mean getting the life she always wanted. But that was before she got dumped and her ex got engaged to his rebound. So, after a bad day and one too many mojitos, Katie starts making a list of things a girl like her would never do, not in a million years . . .

As a tattoo artist with a monster motorcycle, Chase Trepasso isn't the kind of guy you bring home to mom and dad.

And when he finds Katie's list in a bar, he's more than happy to help her check off a few items. Especially the ones on the naughtier side . . .

Katie's more than tempted by Chase's offer, as long as they keep things uncomplicated. But as they spend more time together, she may just wind up breaking the most important rule of all: Good girls don't fall in love with bad boys. -Things Good Girls Don't Do summary on Goodreads

This was such a cute and fun story! I actually heard about this book just a few weeks before I met the author at Vegas Valley Book Festival. I had put it on my tbr list (that’s a mile long) to read eventually. Then I met Codi Gary and she was so nice and so fun to listen to that I decided to move it on up… I AM SO HAPPY THAT I DID. This book had a really great feel, and a good storyline with out being cheesy. I loved the character relationships, all of the big sweet romantic gestures and relatable and funny dialog.

Chase was sexy and the typical “bad boy”, but what set him apart for me is he was really smart and savy. He didn’t let the pain of his past dictate and lead him down a dark path, it actually made him a better person, even though he still let his past influence the type of women he dated. The only complaint I would have, is I would have liked more of his back round story before the end of the book. I fell like I didn’t get enough of him and I wanted to learn more.

I was also super shocked how much I liked Katie. I kept expecting her to have an this inner bitchiness that I found annoying, that she was naïve or she would make dumb relationship decisions.. and nothing! I normally don’t think people are so perfect and I find it unrealistic when some book character always makes the right choice but Katie was really well written and she came off authentic and genuinely a good person. I really wanted to commend Codi Gary for that, more often than not when I read about these “good” girls that always do the right and noble thing they feel fake and forced  or weak unable to stand up for their own opinions. Katie however walked that line between being a good person that doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and being strong and self assured with out tipping to far on one side.

This book was wonderful. I really only have good things to say about it. The only reason i didn't give it five stars is, i didn't find it addicting, i LOVED the story but i don't feel the need to read it over and over again. 4 Keos!

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Her Forbidden Hero By Laura Kaye

She’s always been off-limits…

Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend’s little sister, but her return home changes that…and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco’s not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he’s not about to let her see the mess he’s become.

…but now she’s all grown up.

When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings. How can he protect her when he can’t stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa’s not looking for protection—not anymore. Now that she’s back in his life, she’s determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time…Her Forbidden Hero summary on Goodreads

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, i added to my TBR list, thought about it, and decided that the little blurb on goodreads just sounded to awesome to wait on…..and I was really disappointed. The chapters and the story in general were just way to short. The character development was really non-exsistant, and I felt like just the relationships between the main characters was forced. The book could have been better if I got to read more about Marco and Alyssa’s past, I know they were friends but I cant form that bond in my head on just that alone. It would have made the book a little longer and I would have connected more with the characters. I thought the plot of the book was really great, and maybe if there had just been MORE to the story it would have been excellent.

Alyssa was sweet, I felt like had I been given more time with her and more time in her head I would have really liked her. Something I did appreciate, was that she didn’t really allow Marco to take out his frustrations on her. She realized (late in the book) that he was a different person and she still loved him, and she would do anything to help him cope with his PTSD, but her feelings still mattered and she wouldn't have them be treaded on.

Marco.. I liked him, I felt for him I really did and I think I would have LOVED him if we could have gotten a glimpse at his past a bit more, at the mission that destroyed him, the connection between him and his soldier brothers, and even the relationship between Alyssa and her brother. It would have made him feel more real and I would have been more emotionally invested in him and his issues. I feel like a soldier returning home is such a complex character but its easy to get readers to become interested in them. Mostly because of our own feelings of patriotism, gratitude and respect that just come naturally. I feel though that the opportunity to make him a really well developed and an interesting character just wasn’t taken. I also thought that for Marco supposedly being against their romantic feelings it didn’t take much to make him change his mind and again that really could have been avoided if the book was longer.

The book flow was a lacking and the ending was just sprung on me out of no where, LITERALLY out of no where and  it just didn’t work. The book had a really great plot line and so thats why i gave it two Keos.

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Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars by Codi Gary

Gemma Carlson didn't plan on waking up married.

She also didn't count on running into her old flame—and her son's father-turned-country rock star—Travis Bowers, followed by a night of drunken dares. Apparently one of those involved a ring on her finger and a vow … neither of which she intends to keep. Now with a hangover from hell, this good-girl-gone-bad knows there's just one thing to do: run.

Travis has been all over the world, but Gemma has never been far from his thoughts. So when they had the chance to catch up over a few drinks, he didn't hesitate. Of course, he didn't expect it would lead to marriage, or a runaway bride! Travis finally has a second chance and doesn't plan on losing Gemma again—or the son he didn't know he had. He proposes, albeit belatedly, a date. Or rather, a few. If they can make this marriage work by starting over, he stays. If not …

Gemma's not interested; she's got a son to protect and a heart to heal. But having Travis around could make both a little easier. Still, good girls don't date rock stars . . . right?  -Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars on Goodreads

Ok so the premise of this book didn’t really excite me, I was afraid that it was going to be cheesy or one of those lame “bad boy in a band wants to screw everything that moves until the right one comes along” books… it was nothing like that. It was super cute and sweet with all the big romantic gestures that I’ve come to expect from a Codi Gary novel.

Travis was a huge sweetheart, and he seemed like a great guy. I felt so bad for him when Gemma left him in the beginning of the book, it was an awful situation (and I would have probably done the same thing) but I just couldn’t help but feel for the guy. After he finds out about his son his reaction was written, so well and so realistic. Not something that would just satisfy the readers, some fairy tale reaction that would be bull crap in the real world. This made me happy. He was sexy, complex, romantic and so sweet. Travis is just so romance novel worthy.

Gemma.. boy, did I want to smack her across the face a couple or twenty times.. I had a hard time  identifying  with her, but I loved that she was a huge book nerd and worried about her figure (she wasn’t born with a size two waist and gorgeous like all the other romance girls). I liked that she was fiercely protective of her son and would do anything for him. All in all I liked her. I wanted to smack her, but I liked her.

This book was really cute and it had plenty of drama and oh no! moments to keep it entertaining. The only thing I wish I could change is, some more storyline with Charlie, their son. I would have liked to read some of the struggles Gemma had when Charlie was younger, and I would have liked the ending to show a little bit more of their future as a family, but that’s just being nit picky. I gave this book four Keos!

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Leo and Leo's Chance by Mia Sheridan

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?
 – “Leo” summary from Goodreads

                                    

MAN OH MAN! These books just about killed me. I think I might have become slightly obsessed with Mia Sheridan now. Leo and Leos Chance are the second and third books of hers that I have read. I loved, favorited, and had crazy feels all over all of them. The characters and storyline are written so well and you fall so completely under their spell, that once you’ve finished reading Leo, you instantly need to read Leo’s Chance, to fight the book hangover that’s for sure going to happen. This was the reason that I decided to review them together.

First off THANK YOU Mia Sheridan for doing the friends since childhood, who fall in love story correctly. I usually get so excited for books like these and they almost always disappoint, but not Leo.

Evie- Loved her, for all the reasons that Jake does. She is strong, but still a gentle soul, she is loyal and caring, but not a push over, I love that she isn't lazy or expects people or life to hand her things BUT MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE trait is, she isn't an idiot. I don’t want to totally spell out for you the plot twist in this review but its easily guessable, what I LOVED is yes I saw the twist coming, through hints from Jake and probably being raised on soap operas, BUT Evie wasn’t written like some oblivious idiot who couldn’t catch on, so thanks for that.

Jake- HOT, yeah I went there. Book crushed hard on him. He had all the great attributes that make for an amazingly awesome lead male character. Jake of course has the alpha complex, the strong personality, a guy that takes charge and makes you feel secure, but he was also so incredibly sweet and caring, not only to Evie, but really to everyone who deserved it. In Leo’s Chance, we hear the story in Jakes perspective, and all I can say is, swoon. He also gave me one of my most favorite quotes on love ever. “ I will prove to you that forever is not just a word, not just a measurement of unending time, but that forever is a place where I will treasure your heart.”

I gave this book 5 Keos because It’s the total package for a romance novel. One of my absolute favorites. I adored it and look forward to reading more of Mia Sheridan’s work.

                                                         -E

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