The Artisan Heart by Dean Mayes | A Book Review

Happy New Year everyone! May the year 2020 bring in more blessings and adventures. May the new decade be filled with abundance and love. 

Christmas and New Year was a bit solemn for us because my brother-in-law had to be admitted to the hospital. What we suspected as just a spike in blood sugar and a slight stroke turned out to be a tumor in the brain which is blocking the fluids from draining and is growing near the brain stem. He had to undergo an operation immediately than risk a coma. Thankfully, we were able to borrow money for the operation. He was operated on the 26th to put a shant on his brain to drain the fluids and to lessen the building pressure. Another operation will be performed in a few days to remove the tumor which is benign and is just level one when tumors are concerned. Apparently, there are four levels or stages. At least, that's one thing we are thankful for and that we found it early, least he would just drop down into a coma while in the loo. That's how critical the situation would have been. We continue to pray that the next operation would be as smooth and there would be no complications and that he would make a faster full recovery. So, for those who will be reading this, please help pray for my brother-in-law. Thank you in advance.

When I chose this story as the first story to be reviewed for 2020, I did not have any conscious reason except that this should have been reviewed last year. After telling you about what our Christmas and New Year's celebration were like, I realized that this book has a lot of relevance to our experience mostly because the story is about a doctor. So, my telling you about my brother-in-law's case is actually a good introduction to this story or about the main character - Dr. Hayden Luschcombe.

Hayden is a very skilled pediatrician. He can easily spot things that most doctors would miss, thus is a very valuable asset to the hospital he works for. But after a very painful betrayal of his wife, he lost his cool while attending to a burned child at the emergency room and had an altercation with the child's father. He was suspended and might lose his license to practice. It was like Hayden's whole world came crushing down on him. His marriage is in shambles after he caught his wife cheating and now his career is lost as well. Worst, he had nowhere to go. No friends to find solace or comfort. His last and only resort was to go back to the one and only other place he knew - Walhalla. His hometown.

I had to reread the earlier parts of this story that led to Hayden's misfortunes. I had to make sure I had it right. What was imprinted in my consciousness was the part where Hayden spent in Walhalla after he lucked out, which is probably most of the story and the most amazing part. It turned out, life has a way of working out and for Hayden, it was Walhalla. Walhalla, along with its very kind-hearted people, had helped Hayden get back on his feet and rediscover his first love - woodworking. Aside from being a very good doctor, Hayden is a very skilled wood worker. It was in Walhalla where he found the strength and the inspiration to get his hands working again and create wooden masterpieces. It was also the place where he comes to terms with his past and his present and eventually, consider plans for his future.

Aside from Hayden, the two other inspiring characters in this story are the mother and daughter pair - Isabelle and Genevieve Sampi. Isabelle is a very talented baker. She could bake delicious and mouth-watering goodies. While reading this book, I could imagine the delicious aroma of bread baking and I can't help but miss the relaxing and uplifting mood baking brings to me. It's a very good form of stress relief which I have missed badly. I haven't done a lot of baking lately. But last New Year's eve, I got to relive the high of baking again because my sister asked me to make a banana cake when she saw that we had too many bananas that had gone too ripe. They were leftover from the hospital given by friends who visited. 

One very memorable scene in this story is how Hayden and Genevieve first met. It was a very hilarious one. The pint sized Genevieve packed a very mean kick and Hayden's unfortunate groin could attest to that. Also, Genevieve is deaf. She was so surprised that the doc is really good at sign language. These three souls (Isabelle, her daughter and the doc) turned out to find solace in each other and fix whatever is broken within themselves. As fate would have it, Walhalla is definitely the "Valley of the Gods" as it is called because these three people have found the healing they needed to start life over. 

This is a very touching story which tugged at my heart in so many different ways. I emphatized with Hayden. With him losing it and going ballistic with the parent was to me a very classic human reaction. I can understand his frustration and if I were in his place, I would have done the same thing. I would have creamed that abusive father till he admits to what he did to his own child. But then, society and values require us to be the bigger man, damn it! To be rational in a very frustrating situation. What the heck, right? But then, with the doc ending up in Walhalla, a place where he remembered he was loved, was a way for him to find hope once again.

Love, hope and that dreams do come through if you work hard enough, are the main themes of this story. In spite of the very unlucky start of Hayden, with his marriage and career ending, he found comfort and hope in the welcoming and very kind arms of Walhalla. He then resolved to fix his messes, starting with his parents' cottage. I guess, for some of us, whose issues aren't as tangible or the damage can't be literally fixed or put back together, we have to start the healing with the things that we can manually do something about. With Hayden, it was the cottage, then his dad's last wood work and then when he felt better enough about himself, he started fixing his life. The story tells us to take one thing at a time because to take on everything at once is too overwhelming. Instead of making things better, we may end up doing more damage. No one came back from the ashes in one go. Even the phoenix requires time to build strength and start the embers before rising to its rebirth. One step at a time because healing is gradual. It doesn't take overnight. It's a slow process. For others, much slower, depending on the person's drive to make things better and how much the emotional, physical and mental damage is. And it doesn't hurt also to have people who believe in you. That no matter how much you messed up, they believe that you can pull through because they've seen you when you were at your best. They have faith that you are a lot bigger than your messes. You can be better. You can do a lot better.

I give this book 5/5 doctor's bag. It's a very good story of starting over and doing what we truly love. And it couldn't be just one thing, but we could be passionate about many things. Just like Hayden, he doesn't have to choose between being a wood craftsman and a doctor, he could be both. He could do well with a chisel and a stethoscope. He's skilled at those two things. He could heal people with compassion and create works of art with wood with a passion. He could be an artisan doctor. He only has to be reminded of the joy that woodworking brings to him and from there he could feel better. To learn to forgive himself and start over. With that in mind, I hope that whatever our misses in 2019, we leave it there. We start over this year just like Doc Hayden, Isabelle and Genevieve and make a better life than the one we had the previous year or the years before that. To just aim to be better. Cheers to new beginnings and to living life with a passion and living our passions. If you have not found your passion or anything that makes you feel so alive, then find it!

What we were as children doesn't necessarily translate to the people we are now.

- Dean Mayes, The Artisan Heart - 

Thank you again Dean Mayes and Netgalley for the review copy. Sorry, this review took a whole year to come out. Happy New Year!

Good On Paper by Jennifer Millikin | ARC | A Book Review

★★ AVAILABLE NOW! ★★

GOOD ON PAPER by Jennifer Millikin is live! 

𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 $𝟐.𝟗𝟗 (𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲!)  

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Natalie Shay never imagined a day like this would come. She did what she was supposed to do: graduate college and marry her handsome, popular college sweetheart. With the ink still drying on their divorce papers, Natalie tries to move on from an ending she thought would be happy. 

When she feels a spark with her stubborn, charming best friend Aidan Costa, Natalie's life becomes even more unrecognizable. Aidan has been her best friend for years, stood beside her when she got married, and has a notorious aversion to relationships. As confusion and denial overwhelm them, their spark grows. 

Held back by a secret he has been keeping his whole life, Aidan decides to ignore his feelings for Natalie. Natalie's discovery of his secret pushes them past the boundaries they've carefully constructed around their friendship. 

For Natalie, this could be a second chance at her happily ever after. But when a person from Aidan's past reappears, everything he has built with Natalie is threatened.

Of all the books of Jennifer  Millikin that I've read, this is probably the lightest. I've read two other books of the author which squeezed my heart dry. This one, started out sad but there were a lot of funny and sweet moments along the way. And true enough, Aidan is the epitome of a male  best friend. He would do anything for Nat. Everything. I ended up wishing Aidan were mine.

Natalie. I never felt sorry for her divorcing her husband. It's a relief that finally she's free of the situation that's slowly killing her. I think what broke her heart most was the fact that she chose the wrong person. A  person who's only good for the time being but not for the long haul. She was blinded by the physical and the superficial qualities of Henry that she  never  actually took a deep examination of what she really needs. She was too hang up on not ending up like her parents that she  forgot to see what's really important. That love is beyond the physical. It encompasses beyond what could be seen and touched. That love is far beyond physical chemistry or sexual compatibility. It's so much more. Love should be felt to the farthest nerve endings and to the deepest marrow of our bones. It should be able to transcend all the physical, emotional and mental barriers. If you really love the person, you  embrace all of him/her, including all the baggage and what else. 

Having a best friend is like having one soul in two bodies. That's why it's no wonder that a lot of best friends end up with each other. It's inevitable. It's like the most natural thing. The same thing with Nat and Aidan. No matter how they try to ignore their feelings for each other, it's going to manifest and takeover. And they were powerless to stop it. 

Aidan. When he said that he doesn't believe in love, I didn't believe him. I know deep down that he still does. He was just waiting for it to finally happen to him. He was waiting for someone or Nat to prove him wrong. To prove him that you don't  choose love, it chooses you. That's why you have to do even the impossible and the improbable just to heed it. And that's exactly what happened to both of them. More so with Aidan, because he was so confused on what to do about his feelings. He was in denial that he's capable of loving nor a love like he feels for Nat is possible. 

What I really love about the story is  Aidan  being the absolute example of a male best friend. He's always there for Nat. He knows Nat completely. He knows how Nat's mind works. He knows what could make Nat feel better and he's also honest when Nat needs a doze of reality. Their relationship or friendship should be everyone's relationship goal. 

On the flip side, I think Aidan's idea of love is a bit simplistic which I also get. To Aidan, love should be two-way. It shouldn't make one sacrifice for the other. There should be no compromise. It should be win-win, like one of the 7 Habits by  Stephen Covey says. Like what his mom said, "Because you love the person, you would do anything to make him happy. " But then again, at what expense? I think this is the part which Aidan did not get and why lie? To him, love shouldn't be complicated. But in reality, it's not always that simple. 

With that said, I was so happy and relieved that these two finally realized what they're missing and what they badly need - each other. Not just as best friends but partners for life. So, though I was expecting to have my heart broken and cry buckets, which did not happen, I still had a good time reading this. Like I've said, I was psyched to breakdown and then be put back up because that's usually how Jennifer Millikin's stories are like. But still, this is a really good story. It's a feel good story. A deviation from her usual but still very good. I just probably needed a good cry so I was hoping this one will make me. But no tears were shed but I'm still a happy camper. 

I give this 4/5 reams of paper. The lesson learned from this story is be wary of those people who appear perfect or good in paper, because that's just they are - good only in paper. When it comes to scrutiny and going beyond, they won't pass. No matter how perfect they look on the outside but if the inside is hollow, there's never going to be anything you can do to fill that or improve what's beyond repair.

I had a hard time deciding what quote to put here. I have highlighted a lot as there were so many nuggets of wisdom here. If I could put them all in here, I would. But these are the ones that really really speak to me: 

What I do know is every single person has a tapestry. And every tapestry looks different. Some tapestries will have four or even five marriages. Some will only have one, or none. Who's to say which one is better? Who's to say that either one of them is bad?

Sometimes, the very best in life is what's taking place in the background while we are busy focusing on what we think is right for us.

- Jennifer Millikin, Good On Paper - 

Thanks again, Jessica Estep  of InkslingerPR and Jennifer Millikin, for the ARC. 

Jennifer Millikin is a contemporary fiction author of five full-length novels and a contributor for Scottsdale Moms Blog. When she isn't writing she can be found cooking, hiking, or in downward dog.

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Moonlight Over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6) by Sarah Morgan | A Book Review

I always love movies and stories that are set in New York. I don't know, but New York for me is a melting pot of everything and there are a lot of places there that would be a good start for a very good story. It's like anything can happen there. The city is teeming with endless possibilities, more so with the most unexpected love stories. 

I think one of the reasons I signed up to review this book is because it was set in New York. The blurb is also curious and who can resist a story about a dog walker in New York, right? Sounds like an easy enough and fun job. That is, if you love dogs. 

Harriet Knight is a shy dog walker who owns half of the dog walking business with her sister which is based in Manhattan. To escape her creepy date she met online, she ended up with a sprained ankle. In the emergency room, she meet Dr. Ethan Black, which turned out to be not the last time that she will see him. 

This is one of those meet-cute stories. When Ethan met Harriet, Ethan had his own theories and questions about Harriet's sprained ankle. His mind was coming up with these possibilities about Harriet's situation. Some were bordering on hilarious and extreme. He was used to dealing with the chaos in the ER and the hoard of demanding patients but he was not prepared for a nice one like Harriet who seemed to have melted his heart with just her smile.

I think the cutest and the most important character here in this story is Madi. Yes, without her, Ethan and Harriet would not have meet again and became closer. It was all Madi's fault. I think dogs are just the most successful matchmakers. They often draw two people together. Even if sometimes, these two people may not have anything in common at first glance. Madi is one of the reasons why I really enjoyed this story. It's not only funny but also inspirational. 

This is an example of stories where at first, it seemed to be a disaster in the making but is actually sort of fate intervening. With Madi's antics, I don't think Ethan and Harriet would have been able to get to know each other. Also, the classic saying "The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is still very much applicable. Ethan was not immune to Harriet's culinary skills. He ended up wanting Harriet for keeps.

I give this book 5/5 very cute and cuddly dogs. I love that Harriet's character is very kind and very caring. Even though she's so shy, she more than made up for it for her ability to reach out and get close to people who really needed the attention and kindness. Just like the two old ladies here in the story whom Harriet helped. Even Ethan was so surprised that she knew more things about his old neighbor than him. I think that's one of the most endearing qualities that Harriet has that drew Ethan to her. 

This story really made my day. Anyone having a bad day will definitely feel better after reading this. It's not only cute but very sweet as well. And I really liked that both of the characters here became better versions of themselves because they complemented each other. Harriet was able to overcome her fears and was able to do things she was afraid to do before. Of course, like all relationships, there were conflicts too but then love wins at the end. What sets this apart from all other meet-cute and happy ever after stories, is of course, Madi. It was all because of Madi. The best performance in a supporting role award goes to---Madi! I may be partial because I love dogs but still I'd say, it was all Madi. 

No, because if you die in the night I don't want that on my conscience. I already have enough scars and baggage to deal with. Carrying any more will give me spinal problems. 

- Sarah Morgan, Moonlight Over Manhattan -

Thank you again Netgalley, Harlequin,  and Sarah Morgan for the review copy. 

Lightning Struck (Brothers Maledetti #3) by Nichole Van | A Book Review

I have good news. There will be a change in my work schedule starting August 1 and I'm so excited. I'm excited because it would allow me time to read and post reviews everyday. Unlike my current online job which takes up most of my time, this one, I will only work 9 hours a day and it's not anymore online. Anyway, I'm just so happy with this new development and I'm so looking forward to it. Aside from the schedule, it also pays more than what I'm doing right now. I can't wait for August 1. Yehey!

So, the book I'm reviewing today is Lightning Struck by Nichole Van. This is the third book in the Brothers Maledetti series. Oh, I so love this series. It's not only a romance story but with a lot of very interesting and surprising twists. It has historical fiction, supernatural, and mystery too. That's exactly why I love it. There's a lot of everything in it and it takes me to picturesque Italy too. Fantastic!

In this third installment, this one is about Chiara, the one and only sister of the D'Angelo triplets and Jack Knight-Snow. Chiara is a very feisty and very bubbly character. She's very adorable and her antics are very funny. In this book though, she finds Jack very irritating and gets to her nerves. Aside from that, she still gets this weird dream that keep haunting her about the death of their dad. Jack, on the other hand, is a very curious and interesting character as well. Jack first appeared in the second book Love's Shadow. On this book, more is revealed about the mystery surrounding Jack's character and how he is in anyway related to the D'Angelo's. If you love the first two books, you will definitely not get disappointed with this one. 

Wow! There are a lot happening in this book and it has more to do with supernatural things that have surrounded the D'Angelo's. And this time, Chiara, the only sibling purported to be not fortunate enough or maybe better off not gifted with The Sight is having this vivid and scary repetitive dream that had haunted her in her childhood. Now, the dream is coming back and it seems to be telling Chiara something and she won't rest until she gets to the bottom of that secret message and mystery.

This is such an enjoyable read especially when it comes to Jack and Chiara's scenes exchanging banter and trying to piss off or outwit the other. Obviously, Chiara is more often the one that gets irritated in the exchange. It's very cute and it's obvious that these two have a thing for each other. They are such a very lovely and adorable pair. Their exchanges always give me a laugh. 

On to a more serious note, a lot has been revealed about the gift of sight of the brothers because of the mystery surrounding Jack and Chiara's recurring dream. It's seems like there might just be hope for the cursed brothers. I really love that idea. I so root for them to master their abilities and not be turned into lunatics because of the strong pull of their gifts. I want them to live long and not follow after their ancestors who didn't have the chance to grow old because of this curse or this family gift. And most of all, I wouldn't have to worry about Ten. Ten is one of the triplets who is mostly susceptible to the effects of the curse. So, I'm pretty sure the next book would be about Ten and them finding more concrete information about their gifts and maybe win over the curse after all. I'm so stoked!

I just love this series. I give this book five scenes with lightning. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I am supercharged to know what's going to happen next and finally be able to hear about Ten's story. A lot of possibilities are presented in this book and I am so so eager to learn about them. This is probably one of the most enjoyable series I have ever read or the most enjoyable yet. It's incredibly addicting and this is one addiction I'd love to keep. I hope this series does not end on the next book. 

Hope...when you haven't had any for as long as you can remember...can be a dangerous thing. Hope leads to wants. And wants lead to disappointment. And disappointment, when you are already on shaky emotional ground, can be deadly.

- Nichole Van, Lightning Struck - 

Thank you again, Kathy of iamareader.com and Nichole Van for the review copy. 

Other books in the series:

Gladly Beyond (Brothers Maledetti #1)

Love's Shadow (Brothers Maledetti #2)

Not Your Match (No Match for Love #2) by Lindzee Armstrong | A Book Review

This is another book by Lindzee Armstrong. This is the second of the No Match for Love series.

I've read this last year and haven't gotten to write a review. Yes, I have all of the books in this series. They're all feel-good and inspirational love stories. After reading them, you'll definitely feel like it's so good to be in love and be loved. If you're single, like me, you'll be tempted to go out and find that man of yours too.

This is the story of Andi and Ben. Andi was the girl that Luke was fake-dating in the book Miss Match. This is Andi's side of the story and how she too had found the man for her. 

There are two things that stood out for me in the story. One is the hilarious divorce that Andi handled and how the couple also fought over the custody of the dog named Maurice. It's just so amusing that the couple hated each other so much that you wonder why they even got married in the first place. The woman obviously was some bimbo who just wanted money. The other thing is how Andi and Ben's story started with dancing. I love to dance. I used to dance in grade school, high school, and even in college programs at school. The last time I danced on a stage was when I worked for a contact center which was about 10 years ago. It was like another lifetime. This story just reminded me of that. 

It's a relief to have two people after a difficult relationship and break up find each other. A person who had a similar experience and feel a deep connection for that person. Andi and Ben were dancing partners in high school and their reconnection after each other's failed relationship was just great timing. Their friendship in high school somehow built a good foundation for their current relationship. Then, as life is always full of surprises, one of those people in their past resurfaces and wants to be a part of their lives again. How will that affect their relationship then? And what good is a love story without a villain trying to ruin it, right? That element just makes it all more complete and satisfying if the couple is able to dance through it successfully. 

I give this book 4/5 pairs of dancing shoes. I loved that the story ended with Andi finally getting the job she really wants and be able to help people. A job that could really make a difference which is just what everyone wants. Her dream job. I too would want to be able to do my dream job which is to travel around the world and get paid for it. I hope too that happens in this lifetime.

Ugly sweaters are a Christmas tradition.

- Lindzee Armstrong, Not Your Match - 

Thank you again Lindzee Armstrong for the copy.

Other Books in the series:

Meet Your Match (No Match for Love #0.5)

Miss Match (No Match for Love #1)

Mix N' Match (No Match for Love #3)

Mistletoe Match (No Match for Love #4)

Strike a Match (No Match for Love#5)

Perfectly Misunderstood (The Perfect Series #4) by Robin Daniels | ARC | A Book Review

I actually feel happy today because I did a good job last night. I set a goal for myself last week for my online job. I needed to reach a certain earning because I had a bill to be paid this week. I did not work on Monday and Tuesday, so that left me 5 days to work. These past few days, I've been sleeping really late or early in the morning actually. I also get up late, around noon. So, I reached my goal for the week by staying up very late for about 3 days. I am so happy that I decided that to make my life more challenging, I have to set short-term goals for myself for motivation. God knows, I've been trying to find inspiration in whatever or wherever I can. I know I'm not in the place where I want to be now and I just need to keep holding on. Hopefully, things will be better soon.

So, I set the happy tone for this post because the book I will feature today is a very inspirational and feel-good story. Like all inspirational stories, everything is not all peaches and roses for the main character. Like all of us, she had to undergo and experience emotional challenges, her beliefs had been questioned, and had to go through all other personal growth and transformation. What sets the character of Jayden Valdez apart from the other characters in other similar YA stories is the fact that she's Hispanic but is having a hard time in her Spanish class. It's a very frustrating situation that is even more made desperate by her Spanish teacher. The teacher offered to give her a tutor and the tutor is a jock who  speaks slang and appears as dumb as a rock. Jayden thinks that Mike McGinnes is never qualified to be a tutor, Spanish or otherwise. Little did Jayden know that Mike is not all that he seems. 

As I have said, this story is very easy to read and very light. Though the characters' backgrounds weren't all that perfect, they each had their own baggages and issues to deal with, but the combination is a really well thought out mix of quirky and very adorable people. Jayden and Mike's combination alone is a very unlikely one. At the onset, these two are opposites of the gene pool. A very smart and overachieving girl and a dumb jock. You would think that if there's any tutoring happening, it would be Jayden who would be doing it and not Mike. But as fate would have it, it was not the case. These two were unwillingly thrown into each other's company. Jayden's situation is desperate, so she had to accept Mike as a tutor if she wants to ace high school and get into the university that she wants to get into for college. As these two find a common ground, they realize that they are not exactly completely opposites. 

This story is just so hilarious. I really enjoyed Jayden and Mike's back and forth banter just to outsmart each other and to get to have the last say. Plus, add in Mike's pint size firecracker sister who is just so adorable. Joy perfectly fits her name because that is just what she is. Joy packed in a very small body who's very witty. I just love her. I actually want to adopt her. Her twin brother, Jackson, is the opposite of her dynamite personality but is very adorable also. I wanted to give Jackson all the hugs in the world to assure him that even if he's not as bubbly as his sister, he's just as lovable. Add in the bubbly friends of both Jayden and Mike who are also personalities on their own. They're like the really cool friends that you want to have in high school.

This is an absolutely swoon worthy story. I love Mike. I understand why he had to hide his true colors because he just wanted to fit in and not draw attention. I think, in a way, his half-brother's advise worked because it served its purpose but it has its downside. That lends to the saying, "The end does not justify the means." In this story, did it? Was it the best way to survive high school? I think the answer is subjective. As I see it, it worked but Mike has to try so hard to appear dumb so as not to give himself away. Well, it's high school. It's crazy and teens think and do all sorts of crazy things. So, this was not really out of the left field but it's still crazy. Actually, a very smart way to survive high school and avoid the bullies and I'm just glad that it worked so well with Mike.

Because this is a very delightful story, I give this 5/5 cross country running shoes. Though this is very delicious and entertaining, this also pointed out some harsh realities. The story mentions bullying, the plight of broken families, the daily life of single moms, and the various drama in a teenager's life from passing Spanish to other teen angsts. Even if the story was leaning more on the light side, it did not in any way brush aside or put less value on any of the issues mentioned. Instead, it somehow leaves its readers with a good feeling that in spite of all the cares in the world, there are still a few beautiful things to be thankful for and excited about. A teenager's life is full of confusion, chaos, and it feels like one is being pulled from different directions. This is the threshold where one is presented with a lot of choices but a person's circumstance can either prevent it or leave him with no other option. It's an exciting part of one's life but also challenging. For a parent, it's the most dreaded part of their kids' life. Dreaded because it presents a lot of possibilities and sometimes parents can only do so much to try to make their teenagers follow the right path. It's but natural to try new things and explore the unknown and how stupid and foolish and responsible your teenager could be spells the difference. In the end, teenagers have to learn to think for themselves and learn from the consequences of their actions. To learn the value of accountability and responsibility, which are great tools in adulting.

This is the fourth book in the series but it's a stand alone. Now, I want to read all the other stories before this. I want to find out if they are as amusing as this one. If you are having a very difficult day, read this. It's very satisfying that you'll momentarily forget all your worries. Thank you again Robin Daniels for the ARC. 

You ask them to clean up their toys, and it's like the end of the freaking world. You ask them to do a big kid chore that they won't be any good at, and it's like an early Christmas present.

She was like a Sour Patch Kid, tart on the outside, but sweet once you wore her down.

 - Robin Daniels, Perfectly Misunderstood -

93% Chance I Don't Hate You by L. Taylor and Amy H. Lynn | A Book Review

I got this from Library Thing a few months back and was unable to read it right away. Finally, I have finished the book. This is a sweet romantic comedy story.  An inspirational one.

Preston Ashton Lewis III is a carefree graduating college student. He realized that his hooking up with a different girl every night has gotten old. He wants to try something permanent, probably falling in love and having a girlfriend. Drunk and tried of his lifestyle, Ashton ended up mistakenly signing up for a blind date on an app called Blinder.

Carter Redford is a junior business student and the heir to Redford Entertainment. But if it was up to her, she would be taking up art and marry the person she loves. Not the guy her parents set up for her. With her best friend's suggestion, Carter signed up for a blind date on Blinder.

By some work of fate, these two ended up matching 93% on the Blinder app and agreed to meet in a coffee shop. And the rest of the story is a load of misunderstandings and fighting for what each one wants.

The circumstances how these two formally meet is not unique in any way. A lot of couples have meet through blind dates, texts and social media. Ashton and Carter are acquainted with each but have wrong impressions. When they finally ended up on that blind date, they found each other to be opposite of what they thought. The attraction was inevitable.

Ashton is a prime example of what a typical modern guy is. One who is not so into commitments and just wants to play the field. Until he realized that there has to be more to this happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Like what they say, the right girl changes a guy into a loyal and committed one. 

Carter. At first, her character is a bit annoying because she started as someone who is just saying yes to her parents. She seemed to lack a backbone. Someone who is a bit superficial because, just like her parents, she seemed to care a lot about their name and reputation and less about what she really wants and standing up for them. Thankfully, her character grew and finally found the courage to stand up for her own beliefs and make her parents see her perspective. I was standing and clapping Carter when she finally burst out and just said her piece. That's the girl I was looking for. 

But let's not forget that the transformation of these two main characters were also due to the incessant interference of their beloved best friends--Jackson and Sofia. These two are just the epitome of the best friends in the whole world. And let's not ever forget the main man of this story--Chad **ck** Winston. When I say main man, he's a total jerk. He is the worst example of an entitled jerk. Yes, don't ever name your child Chad Winston.

One of the funny references in the story was one about Chuck Bass. I think comparing Chad Winston to Chuck Bass was not really an insult because I think Chuck Bass is way better than Chad Winston (I'm a fan of the series). But still, it was funny if you got the reference. 

I give the book 4/5 pairs of bowling shoes. This was a fun read. A good break from all the tedious and heavy drama in real life. Thank you Library Thing, L. Taylor and Amy H. Lynn, for the copy. I am looking forward to the next book.

One person's perfection isn't another's perfection, and that's why striving for perfection is pointless and a waste of time.

Guess hindsight is really 20/20, huh?

- L. Taylor and Amy H. Lynn, 93% Chance I Don't Hate You - 

Unrequited Alice by Sarah Louise Smith | A Book Review

I got this book from Netgalley. Yes, the title got me curious. Aren't you? Unrequited? 

This story isn't like the adventures the more popular Alice had. This is a bit sad and you will find yourself empathizing with Alice, especially if you have had an unrequited love. Yes, this is about unrequited love. Have you had one? I think, once in our lifetime, each of us will have to go through this type of unnecessary yet unavoidable emotion. It is not unheard of nor is it a phenomenal occurrence. Every person will at least have this kind of heartache or a recipient of this unwanted or undeserved feeling.

Like Alice in Wonderland, Alice here did fall but not into a rabbit hole but fall or to be correct, fell in love with the fiance of her best friend. What is more tragic than that? There is. Here it comes. As it turned out, she fell again for another guy. This time a guy who had become her best friend yet does not want to fall in love with her. Ouch! This seemed like a hopeless case, right or is Alice the hopeless one?

In more ways than one, my heart bleeds as Alice's heart was broken, twice. I can relate to her experiences in some ways, though I have not specifically fallen in love with my best friend's boy friend. Honestly, I did fell in love with a guy who I had gotten very close to but when our friends started teasing us, he admitted that he was not ready for another relationship. Believable, because he just found out that his long-time girlfriend has found another love and she never even bothered to tell him. He told me that he will be ready in two years. I was not really hopeful and I did not wait around for two years to find out. I left and worked in another city for seven years. When I moved back, I bumped into him and it was just like the song says--"I remember the boy but I don't remember the feeling, anymore."

It is really difficult and excruciating moving on from an unrequited love. Keeping that feeling hidden alone is enough to induce a coronary, much less proclaiming it only to be rejected. That is way more than double jeopardy. More like double collateral damage. I am not sure if I would still have a heart left after that. Just like what happened to Alice. But then, just like they say, everything happens for a reason and for its own season. Timing. There is such a thing as perfect timing. There are people who come into our lives for a purpose and for a specific time. Some of them are not meant to stay. Or meant to be.

As sad as the title is, this isn't all a tear-jerker. This story will also make you hopeful and not scared to fall in love. Yes, fall in love again. Hopefully, not unrequited the next time. This is a true example that the best relationships often start with friendships. I would love to fall in love with my best friend. Sadly, no (male) one matches that designation currently or for the last ten years. Maybe, I will have to make one. After all, relationships are not all measured by the length of time you've known each other (like in the story) but by the depth and intensity of the experiences you have shared and battled through together. There is still hope, yet.

I give this book 5/5 stunning pictures of Niagara Falls. Everyone is powerless against love. It's like stopping a raging waterfall. Like the saying goes, better to have loved than to have not loved at all. Not being in a relationship doesn't mean, you won't have your heart broken. There are no guarantees, especially if you have an unrequited love. 

What I love about this book is that the author perfectly captured and described in detail the exact vulnerability and heartache anyone has to go through in an unrequited love. The pain, the what if's, the maybe's and the daydreams are all vividly rounded up that you can't help but relive the pain of your own exhausting, tormenting and harsh unrequited experience, making Alice a kindred-spirit. 

And you'll never know that being in unrequited love is a heart-breaking, soul-destroying thing.

- Sarah Louise Smith, Unrequited Alice -  

Thanks again, Netgalley for the copy. I am looking forward to reading more heartfelt stories from Miss Sarah Louise Smith.

Paper Love (A Chicago Christmas #2) by Audrey Wynne | A Book Review

This review was supposed to be due March 1st, but I was not feeling well so I asked for an extension. 

There are two things that hit me with this story. First, was Origami. Yes, the Japanese art of paper folding. I am not really into this art form but this book mentioned something about folding a thousand paper cranes and if you are able to do it then that means your patience will be rewarded. Whatever you wish for will come true. I was thinking of doing the thousand paper cranes because maybe, just maybe, the stroke of bad luck or feeling lost would finally leave me. Believe me, I have tried so hard. But I am also aware that I don't have the healthiest or the strongest self-esteem though I have also tried to love myself more. I blame it all on the bad experiences that I had when I was younger. I realize I don't have that strong foundation of self-confidence growing up. Anyway, I know that my past is not all that I am and I am not letting it dictate my life but I can't help that there are just days that are harder than others.

Enough of me, the other thing that I can relate to in this book is it being set in Chicago. Fortunately, I have been to Chicago once. Some of the places mentioned in this book like the Millennium Park and Navy Pier are places I can remember and etched in my memory. Being in Chicago was one of the most unforgettable times in my life.

All in all, aside from the two things I mentioned, the story did not strike me as very memorable. It was not a very unique story. The main characters are good enough but I wished they had something more to make them unforgettable. So, I am giving it 2/5 paper cranes. The story wasn't bad but it was also not that unique or it could be the characters. Although I admit the guy here, Ben was memorable enough because of the paper cranes but the rest of the cast I think did not have that strong or striking personalities that stand out that would give them enough to recall.  This is just OK.

According to Japanese tradition, the person with enough patience and commitment to create a thousand origami cranes will be granted his most coveted wish.

Thank you again, Kathy of ebooksforreview.com.