ONCE LOVED

ONCE LOVED                                         CECY ROBSON
Posted:  Feb. 17, 2015

Once Loved by Cecy RobsonEvery memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.
 

MY REVIEW:
     I love this series and can’t wait to read the next installment.  This author knows how to really pull in her reader and make you get engulfed with the lives of the characters.
     This book revolves around Lety Tres Santos and her family Mateo and his wife Evie, Sofia the youngest sister who had been raped, her mother the abused spouse, and Carlos the sperm donor to all three children which I’m sure if you asked one of them they would stand in a new sperm donor line.  Carlos is not only Bi-polar but he is a drug abuser and a family abuser, mentally and physically.
     Once again he has shown up again at Lety’s campus at St. Jude’s college in Allentown.  As an RA she and the other RA’s are arriving back by bus from a field trip to police cars and Carlos battering several campus cops as well as police.  As all the bus shifts to the seats nearest the action to see better, Lety shrinks in her seat.  When she feels a hand thread hers and without looking she knows it’s her ex Brody Quaid the love of her life.  She had spent all last school year and summer trying to get over him to save him from this very thing.  It was bad enough that she had to go through it but she didn’t want him to have to be drug through the mud too.  Trying to forget him didn’t work though not at all, especially now when he knew she was dying inside.  He engulfed her in a hug and she just held on.  He was her savior in so many ways.
     This was the opening Brody needed.  He had been a wreck since Lety walked away from him.  He knew she was in love with him too but was embarrassed that he had seen her father in action as he beat her and her brother at a family party.  He was held back by the family members from helping her for in her culture it was not allowed.  He had to make this work.
     This is an intense story line and not for the weak at heart.  It deals with not only MMA fighting in the first story, abuse in this both these stories, but I’m sure in the next the youngest sister who had been raped and it had only referred to will be handling the fallout from that once and for all or at least trying.  Yet, this story has some humorous parts that will just make you roll.  I totally enjoyed.  I give it 5 stars.  Provided by Net Galley.
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FALLING FOR A SANTINI #7

FALLING FOR A SANTINI                      MELISSA SCHROEDER
Posted:  Feb. 17, 2015

Falling for a Santini by Melissa SchroederA crush that turned into love.

Being the only girl in a family with five Santini brothers was never easy on Elena Santini. She always tried to be faster and smarter to make sure they always took her seriously. They were always trying to tell her what to do, and worse, who she could date. That’s why falling for her oldest brother’s best friend wasn’t smart especially when he treats her like a sister. That is, until she gets him alone in her apartment one night.

One night in Heaven. 

NCIS agent Jethro Thomas, known to everyone as JT, has always played it smart. When his admiration turned to attraction a few years ago, he started avoiding Elena. A guy wasn’t supposed to have those kinds of thoughts about his best friend’s little sister. After returning from an undercover assignment, and about to go on another one, he can’t seem to resist the temptation. One night with her and he knows he’s lost, but he has a job to do.

A changed man.

JT returns from the assignment with a few more scars, both physical and emotional–but he survived for one reason. He’s ready to start a new life with Elena, but a dark cloud hangs over the new love. When small incidents evolve into near death accidents, JT realizes someone from his past is ready to destroy his happiness, even harm Elena to make him pay.

MY REVIEW:
     What do you do when you are the only girl in a family with 3 older brothers, one twin brother and a younger brother?  As if that alone isn’t bad enough add that 1.) They are all Alpha Male Marines.  2.) They all think they have a say in her love life (or lack of one.)  3.) That she is in love with her eldest brother’s best friend since she was a tweeny.  Yeah, I know it’s the last one that breaks the “Bro Code” (NOT TO DATE YOUR BEST FRIENDS LITTLE SISTER EVER!!!)  That gets her into trouble.  I’m sure that is if her plan to seduce NCIS agent Jethro Francis Thomas (JT to his her family, friends, and co-workers.) 
     You see to Elena Santini’s family JT was the sixth brother and to her parents their sixth son.  You see JT’s dad was military too.  The difference was unlike Elena’s father he was an alcoholic and an abuser.  To the point on JT’s 18th birthday when JT told his dad he was moving out his dad beat him with a 2x4 so bad it put JT into the hospital. 
     Watch as these two maneuver through their new relationship as adults out in the real world.  Once Elena makes her move and JT breaks by letting his guard down they realize it was magic.  Yet, duty calls for JT so they can’t really look beyond one night.  When he returns from undercover work Elena is so overwhelmed to know that JT wants to really see where they can go from that one night they had.  She is relieved to know that he really felt the way she did all along.  They press through the dynamics called family and friendships to see just how deep love and bonds go.
     I totally enjoyed this story of Elena and JT.  Elena is a spit fire for sure and I like how JT love her yet felt real loyalty to her brother.  Never taking her or them for granted.  I give this 5 stars.  Provided by Net Galley.
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HEATED (When SEALS Come Home #4)

HEATED                                                  ANNE MARSH
Posted:  Feb. 17, 2015

Heated by Anne MarshHe sets her world on fire… 

Mercedes Hernandez is a “nice” girl who follows the rules. As the new sheriff of Strong, California, she’s responsible for making sure everyone else follows those rules too. She’s also had more than her fair share of Mr. Wrongs in her life, so the big, rough, too handsome, always laughing smoke jumper who roars through her town going ninety in a thirty-five-mile-an-hour zone is a definite problem. Not only is he breaking the law, but he just might break her heart. Speeding tickets can’t make him behave…so it might be time to break out the handcuffs for a more personal lesson in misbehaving.

And tempts her to be so very, very bad… 

Former U.S. Navy SEAL, smoke jumper and unrepentant bad boy of summer, Joey Carter loves fast bikes, hot women, and a good time because speed and pleasure drown the ghosts from the past. He’s never met a woman he wanted to slow down for, however, until he literally runs into the good sheriff of Strong, California. She’s sweet and sexy…and the more he acts up, the more she notices him. And he really, really likes the way she looks at him.

Joey may be on his second chance with the law—but he wants a first chance at love…if he can convince Mercedes to let down her guard and let him show her that he’d be happy to play by her rules…in bed.
 
MY REVIEW:
     When you come from a past of loss and pain how do you trust enough to open up to someone new?  Well, maybe you don’t.  Maybe you keep on the QT and take them on a test drive.  Less risk of a broken heart and another loss of a great job.
     At least that’s the way Mercedes Hernandez saw it.  You see her long time high school sweetheart turned out to be all kinds of bad.  Effectively ending her career in law enforcement in the L. A. area before she really got started.  You know that “No consorting with convicted felons” it was ironclad rule.  Breaking it had given her and invitation to had in a letter of resignation with her badge and she turned a new leaf.  “NO BAD BOYS!”  Not worth the price tag.
     Then at her new job in Strong, California comes along ex-Navy SEAL and smoke jumper, Joey Carter.  A man who doesn’t like to take rules or follow them anymore.  His tours of duty had brought him back broken.  So, his insomnia was causing a need for speed.  A way to get an adrenaline rush.  Mercedes finds him sexy as hell but wanted no part of him since she had already given him 8+ speeding tickets.  You know she didn’t want history to repeat itself by having to leave a job over a guy who couldn’t follow the rules.
     She can’t seem to out run all his advances to go out with him.  She is attracted to him like bears to honey.  When her friends start to push her toward him she starts to consider him for real.  She doesn’t want to get hurt again so she goes into it as an on the fly and no strings attached.  Joey however agrees but is finding out fast that he is wanting a whole lot more but doesn’t want to scare her off.  He wants her to warm up to him and not just in his bed.  She had a risk taker like Joey knew she had a risk taker before who broke her heart, not going there again.  Or is she?  When ordered to stay away from him something opens up in Mercy.  Really confusing Joey completely.  What could that be?  Mercy’s heart?
     Totally enjoyed this book.  I did wish for more of an ending.  I think I wanted a twist like a baby I guess.  Anyway, still a good book.  I give it 5 stars.  Provided by Net Galley.

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