We're celebrating the release of SWEET INSANITY by Desireé Adele! Don't forget to one-click and add it to your TBR today!
NA Contemporary Romance/Sports Romance
Stand Alone
Designed by: Melissa Panio-Petersen
Book Description:
Old hurt runs deep…
After she left, I was given a second chance at life thanks to my savior and adoptive father. A chance I refused to waste. Determined to be invincible, I became a true fighter in every sense of the word. Nothing and no one would get in my way.
Not even the guy who sat behind me in class.
Zack Graves had the entire world in his hands. A promising hockey career and the confidence and gorgeous looks that had every girl throwing themselves at his feet.
Except me. I was only too happy to wipe the sexy smirk off his face while tossing him on his smug ass.
And he kept coming back for more.
I kept my scars hidden, until Zack managed to trace the lines straight to a place I fought to keep guarded.
Zack was fighting his own immortality, his own scars becoming visible the closer we got. He challenged my guard at every turn forcing me to fight harder, only to realize he would be my undoing.
But some wounds refuse to heal.
Buy Links:
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2N5Jta8
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Q6UIkO
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2MYCTCo
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2zrCHbr
Our Review:
Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars
***ARC received for an honest review***
“Don’t invest in someone who isn’t invested in you.”
When a PR friend of mine asked me to Beta Read this book by a debut author, I couldn’t say no, I knew nothing about the author, knew nothing about the book and just went in blind. I find that the best way. When I was reading it, it was truly shocking, to be honest, it was a mess, but underneath the jumbled words was a story that hit me hard, characters that I fell in love with and an authors voice that was an instant hit. I absolutely adored it. Despite everything, the potential this book had was exponential, I couldn’t believe it was a debut as the author had that air of confidence, the banter and dialogue were on point, and the emotion was there in spades. I gave my honest critique, suggested a few things and my parting words were ‘for a debut it was spectacular. ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! Even a seasoned author would have been proud of that.” Reading the final, polished, pretty version, my opinion hasn’t changed.
“People use words like fate or destiny as a crutch. Like it’s some magical fairy that sprinkles dust over their heads and all of a sudden—poof—everything straightens itself out. Our fates are contingent on our choices. It’s not about the big picture. It’s about the moments in between.”
The flow was perfect, this book moves along effortlessly, and the characters embed themselves into your heart and soul. Character connection is so tough, many authors miss the brief, but Desiree Adele hit the nail on the head with not only her primaries but her secondaries too. Set in college, this sports-themed romance is so much more, with some great life lessons interspersed with a romance that will shred and affect every single heartstring. I loved Dahlia with a passion and Zack was book boyfriend material personified. Both these characters had their issues, and the author dealt with them all with sympathy, honesty and heartfelt emotion. There were no eye-rolls, no clichés just an honest romance that knocked me on my hopeless romantic arse.
“Loneliness doesn’t mean safety, baby. It just means when shit goes down and times are tough, there’s no one there to help you through it.”
Dahlia has abandonment issues, and it is hard for her to put herself out there. Her life as a child was rough and tough, and like the brave, strong, woman she has turned out to be, she fought for everything. Her inner strength is admirable, but the hurt has left its scars, and they are her biggest demons. I loved the relationship she had with her adoptive father, Christos, he breathed life back into her and gave her that fierce determination that made her the woman she was today. Dahlia just needed to learn to love and trust, and Zack was the perfect man for the job.
“I’m ready to play. Zach is the puck and I’m the stick, about to sink him into the net. Game on, Puck Boy, game on.”
Zack was your typical ice hockey player, loved by all, looked up to and respected. The men wanted to be him, and the women wanted to bed him. Underneath the ice hockey persona though was a man with the hugest of hearts. Losing his mum was tough on him, but he loved his dad and brother with ferocity. Zach’s best friend, Keith, kept him on the straight and narrow and always had his back and the friendship that these two had would always stand the test of time. I adored both of them, and their banter was hilarious, but their closeness, like brothers radiated off every scene they were in.
“…in this case, I didn’t have a choice. I was yours the minute you drop-kicked me in the face.”
The chemistry between Zack and Dahlia was off the charts, it oozed off the pages, and that initial hate was a subtle mask for the undeniable attraction between these two. Dahlia knocked Zack on his arse literally and figuratively, and I was championing these two along the whole book. As I said above, this book was a spectacular debut, Desiree Adele is extremely talented, and if every book is like this one, she has a stellar career ahead of her. I for one cannot wait to see what comes next.
“All I’d ever wanted was your heart…It’s just a shame you don’t have one.”
About the Author:
Author Desireé Adele grew up with a passion for all things literature.
Upon discovering the world of indie romance, Desireé found her tribe and started her journey as a blogger and booktuber, eventually turning her attention to her lifelong aspiration of becoming an author.
Aside from losing herself in a good book, she enjoys listening to progressive metal, working out, and cooking.
Desireé currently resides in Connecticut with her husband and young son, who serve as her biggest inspirations in her writing journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment