BOOK REVIEW ~ ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND (DREW + FABLE) BY MONICA MURPHY

Title: One Week Girlfriend (Drew + Fable) 

Author: Monica Murphy

Release Date: January 10, 2013

Reviewer purchased own copy of ebook

New Adult Contemporary Romance

**Mature situations and sexual content - recommended for ages 17+**

Temporary. That one single word best describes my life these last few years. I’m working at a temporary job until I can finally break free. I’m my little brother’s temporary mother since our mom doesn’t give a crap about either of us. And I’m that temporary girl all the guys want to get with because I give it up so easily. According to the rumors, at least.

But now I’m the temporary girlfriend of Drew Callahan, college football legend and all around golden guy. He’s beautiful, sweet—and he’s hiding way more secrets than I am. He’s brought me into this fake life where everyone seems to hate me. And everyone seems to want something from him. The only thing he seems to want though is…

Me.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is, I think Drew needs me. And I want to be there for him.

Forever.

BOOK REVIEW

MOTHER FLOWER--I freaking LURVED this book. 

**shout out and smooches to my on-line gal pal Francesca from Under The Covers Book Blog. This woman has not steered me wrong yet with awesome book rec's. 

One Week Girlfriend is gritty, real, heart-breakingly honest and very dark. Disturbing. Delicious. Addictive. 

SEXY AS HELL.

Drew is all the above and a bag of chips with dip on the side.

Okay...now that you know how I truly feel about One Week Girlfriend, let's chat, shall we?

Fable is the kind of heroine that you can stand behind and admire. She has lived a hard life--her mother is an alcoholic whose desire for beer outweighs her drive to be a good parent. She has a impressionable younger brother who is starving for attention and guidance. Fable will do anything to make sure her brother gets what he needs, emotionally, financially, whatever. She works in a bar serving drinks to the college crowd that thrive in the small town. She has a bit of a reputation as easy and neither denies or accedes to the rumors. That is not what is important in her life. Her focus is  on taking care of her brother and trying like hell not to end up just like her mother.

In walks Drew. He seems to have it all. Looks, charm, smarts, money, and athletic. All-American hero material, right? 

But he has a huge secret. He needs a girlfriend. Someone temporary for just one week while he visits his father and step mother over the Thanksgiving holidays. Someone who won't make any demands and will walk away when the time is up. Someone who won't ask too many questions. Someone like Fable. 

Fable accepts the role as his temporary girlfriend. Money exchanges hands and it's like a Pretty Woman moment. 

But these two individuals who seem so different and such an unlikely pair, can't help but gravitate towards each other. Their sexual chemistry is off the charts HAWT and I had to compose myself a few times before continuing reading. Seriously--Scorching. Flaming. HOT.

Drew and Fable struggle with secrets, pain, and false suppositions about the other. 

Drew is hardened and scarred almost beyond repair for what has happened to him in his past. 

There is no HEA at the end of Drew and Fable's story, but with one little word, you know that this is not the end for them. Thank you, Monica Murphy. Now I don't have to hunt you down to ask you what the hell were you thinking on leaving me hanging like that. It made me weep aloud with relief to know that there is a book two out there now. And it's already downloaded on my kindle. 

There are so many spectacular moments in this book. Favorite quotes. Swoon moments. Stellar sexy times. And more importantly, great characters that make your heart weep. 

I am now officially on the look out for future books by this extremely talented author. 

BOOK REVIEW ~ LOSING IT BY CORA CARMACK

Title: Losing It 

Author: Cora Carmack

Release Date: October 15, 2012

Reviewer bought own copy of eBook

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

Book Review

I love discovering new authors--and I loved Cora Carmack's Losing It. I have to be honest. When I first glanced at the cover, I thought this was a M/M romance---Cora's 'Bliss' on the cover has short hair and, oopsie, I thought it was a boy. My bad.

After I realized my mistake, I still found myself enjoying the book. A. Lot. The writing was humorous and had me snickering aloud. The book is written from Bliss's POV and her thoughts were quite hilarious at times. 

All the characters in Losing It were very likable and I wanted to hang out with these quirky characters. They seemed like a lot of fun. 

We get from the blurb that Bliss is ready to hand in her V card. And when her best friend, Kelsey, gives her hard time about it, the hilarity begins.

"Honey right now you look like someone's adorable little sister. No guy wants to screw his little sister. And if he does, you don't want to be near him." 

The two gals head to the local bar hang-out to scope out the possibilities and Bliss finds a very sexy guy reading...in a bar. And it's Shakespeare, no less. 

Garrick is sexy and charming, and sports a British accent which turns Bliss into a puddle of goo. There is an instant connection between the two--and Bliss thinks he could so be the one to help rectify her certain *AHEM* situation. And when they kiss, Bliss decides to let passion take the reins instead of being her usual practical self. 

However, panic sets in, and Bliss freaks out when things turn serious. And she retains her membership in the V-club at the end of the night. I don't want to give away too much, because the whole encounter is hilarious, awkward, and spoilers would weaken the humorous exchange. But I will give you a bit of a teaser:

I don't know what synapses misfired in my brain, but I wanted to kick myself. I wanted to punch myself in the face until I lost consciousness. Right about now, I could probably dive into a pool of hydrochloric acid without even a pep talk.

The writing at times does seem a bit elementary at times, especially when it comes from Bliss's inner thoughts, but you have to remember the fact that Losing It is a book with college-aged characters. Which makes the dialogue and the characterizations appropriate for the story. 

As a new fan of the New Adult genre, I enjoyed Bliss's jocularity and wit and Garrick's charming, yet sexy qualities. Losing It was a very entertaining read that provided a HAWT factor as Garrick and Bliss try to fight their exciting sexual attraction. 

BOOK REVIEW ~ THE OPPORTUNIST BY TARRYN FISHER

Title: The Opportunist (Love Me With Lies, Book One)

Author:  Tarryn Fisher

Release Date: November 14, 2011/ August 21, 2012

eBook

Reviewer purchased own copy of eBook

Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.

Buy Links: 

Amazon / B&N 

I'm not really sure how I found out about this book, but the reviews I have seen have been nothing but stellar. I had to add this to my collection after I read the blurb. This story promised to be dark and filled with harsh realities of the human psyche. I'm so glad that I discovered this author and her book. What an emotional ride--as Tarryn Fisher jumps from past to present and gives a gut-wrenching, highly-addicting read! 

The Opportunist is NOT a hearts-and-flowers romance. And if you are looking for a happy ending, you're not going to get it (at least in this book). This story is about the choices you make and its aftermath.  

Olivia is not looking for a boyfriend or a relationship. And when the star basketball player Caleb asks her out, she doesn't make it easy on him. Olivia cannot accept the fact that this gorgeous guy is actually interested in her. And her insecurities help destroy what could be a start of a really great relationship. Caleb walks away and says he will never bother her again.

Now that Caleb is no longer in Olivia's life, she wants him back. And it's a case of too-little-too-late, as Caleb is now dating someone else and their relationship seems to be pretty serious. 

How desperate would you be to get back the one person you loved and the one person you couldn't live without? This is what Olivia faces and brings her downfall in The Opportunist. 

And when Caleb returns to her life with no memory of her deceit, will she be able to come clean and tell him the truth? Or will she fall back on lies and omissions to get the one man she has ever loved? And is she the only one who is keeping secrets? 

Wow! Just--Un-Freakin-Believe-Able!! I want the next book like yesterday.