Crafting Corner: Book Folding Art inspired by JK Rowling's Harry Potter Series

I know I've written a few posts about Book Folding recently but I'm a little obsessed with it at the moment so I can't help sharing :o)

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Harry Potter, I've been obsessed with that series for years, the books have been read multiple times, the movies have been watched over and over and of course I can't get enough of the merchandise. One day I'm going to get another bookish tattoo and it'll definitely be Harry Potter related so it only made sense that I combined my new book folding hobby with HP.

I thought about just creating the Deathly Hallows symbol (the triangle and circle design with a line through it that represents the invisibility cloak, the resurrection stone and the elder wand) but since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is such a huge book (just over 600 pages) I figured I had enough space to write a whole word. Since ALWAYS has become such a popular quote from the Deathly Hallows (and it sums up my feelings about the whole series so well!) that was the logical word to choose, especially when I found this image using the Deathly Hallows symbol as the letter A making it part of the word.

In case you're not familiar with the quote it's taken from a conversation between Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, they're talking about Snape's feelings for Harry's mum Lily:

Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.

"After all this time?"

"Always," said Snape.

So here is my attempt at recreating that design using the book folding technique. This is only my 3rd attempt at book folding and I can't even tell you how thrilled I am with the results. It's quite a large piece though (it's about three times as wide as the wolf I created for the Red Rising trilogy) so it's been really difficult to get a good picture.

After all this time?

Always!

What do you think? It's actually much easier to read when you can see it in the flesh so to speak & I love it! I can't wait to reorganise my bookshelves and create a bit of a Harry Potter related display with all my books and some of my favourite merchandise :o)

Review: The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater

Blue has spent the majority of her sixteen years being told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. When Blue meets Gansey’s spirit on the corpse road she knows there is only one reason why – either he is her true love or she has killed him.

Determined to find out the truth, Blue becomes involved with the Raven Boys, four boys from the local private school (lead by Gansey) who are on a quest to discover Glendower – a lost ancient Welsh King who is buried somewhere along the Virginia ley line. Whoever finds him will be granted a supernatural favour.

Never before has Blue felt such magic around her. But is Gansey her true love? She can’t imagine a time she would feel like that, and she is adamant not to be the reason for his death. Where will fate lead them?

The Raven Cycle:
The Raven Boys
The Dream Thieves
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
The Raven King

Visit Maggie Stiefvater's website for more information

Review:
I'm a massive fan of Maggie Stiefvater but, for possibly the first time ever, I actually managed to hold off on starting a much anticipated series until just before the release of the final book. No year long wait between each new instalment can only be a bonus, especially when it means I can read the whole series over the space of a couple of months (I'm reading with a group of friends & we're reading one book every 2 weeks otherwise I'd probably have devoured the entire series in one massive long binge). I didn't have any doubts that I would love this story because I already know how beautifully Maggie writes but I went in knowing pretty much nothing about the story or what to expect from it.

The Raven Boys is very much a character driven story and it has such wonderful characters at the wheel that you'll be hooked in no time. Blue was my personal favourite, as the only non-psychic in her family she has been raised to believe in the paranormal but she's never seen it for herself. Blue is smart, independent and she follows her own path even if that means she never quite manages to fit in amongst her peers. She is also living with a dire prediction over her head, one that means if she ever kisses her true love he will die so that obviously makes even the idea of dating just a little bit difficult. While Blue never doubts the abilities her mother and the other women they share their home with she is desperate to experience some kind of magic for herself so it's no surprise that she's drawn to Gansey and his band of adventurers.

Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah are all Raven Boys, known as such because their school crest is a Raven. Aglionby is a boys school for the wealthy elite (as well as the occasional scholarship student) it's the kind of school that gives students the best education money can buy and almost guaranteed acceptance into the most prestigious colleges out there. Each of the boys is attending the school for different reasons and they all undoubtedly bring their own baggage to the party but Gansey is the central character that the other boys seem to revolve around. He is the glue that holds them all together and it is his obsession to find the Ley lines, along with something he believes has been hidden along them. The others aren't so interested in the Ley lines for themselves but want to help Gansey achieve his goals.

I loved all four of the boys in different ways, Gansey can be pretty hopeless in social situations because he is so stuck inside his own head that he is often oblivious to what is going on around him but he has a strange kind of magnetism and he's the kind of guy that people would follow anywhere. Adam is probably the most normal of the bunch but he is dealing with a very difficult situation at home that is quite heartbreaking to read about. He wants to deal with things on his own terms and I do respect him for that but at the same time it was frustrating to watch him constantly refuse the help he desperately needed and that his friends were willing to offer. He has a bit of a chip on his shoulder as far as money goes and even though I could understand where it was coming from it did get a bit irritating to read about. Ronan is the brooding mysterious one with an anger problem, at first glance he's the boy your parents warned you to stay away from but that's probably what makes him so fascinating. I want to dig deeper and uncover his secrets and we've already had a glimpse that he's not quite as tough as he pretends to be. Noah spends most of his time in the background but the others rely on him to help keep the peace. I don't want to say too much about him but he was the character who surprised me the most and I just want to climb into the book and hug him!

It's not surprising that Blue is drawn to the boys and their quest is something she is in a unique position to help them with thanks to her family abilities. She also knows things about them that they are completely unaware of and there are things she is determined to stop from happening. This isn't a fast paced story, instead it's one that takes time to fully develop the various characters, but that doesn't mean nothing happens. In fact there are some brilliantly vivid and creepy scenes and we're only just beginning to scratch the surface of the mystery surrounding the Ley lines. I can't wait to see where their investigation takes them next and events at the end of the story have definitely set things up for future instalments.

Source: Received from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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Review: Red-Headed Stepchild - Jaye Wells

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn't really fit in. And being an assassin - the only profession fit for an outcast - doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal . . .

Sabina Kane Series:
Fool's Gold (Novella)
Red-Headed Stepchild
The Mage in Black
Violet Tendencies (Novella)
Green-Eyed Demon
Silver-Tongued Devil
Blue-Blooded Vamp
Rusted Veins (Novella)

Visit Jaye Wells' website for more information

Review:
Sabina Kane has always been an outcast thanks to her mixed blood heritage, as a half-vampire/half-mage she is seen by most as an abomination. Abandoned by the mage side of her family as a baby she was raised by her grandmother, a member of the Dominae (the ruling council of the vampires). Sabina has never been able to fully live up to her grandmother's expectations of her, and the vampires are able to find fault in pretty much everything she does but they are the only family she has ever known and she is completely loyal to them.

Although Sabina usually works as an assassin her latest task is much more dangerous and it's not going to be an easy one to pull off. Sabina must convince the entire supernatural community that she has broken ties with the Dominae and go undercover with the enemy to try and uncover his plans. That would be hard enough if she wasn't being stalked by a mage who wants to train her to use her magic and introduce her to the other side of her family but Adam adds a whole new set of complications. Sabina has been raised to hate mages and she doesn't find it easy to trust but the more she uncovers about her past the more she starts to realise that the Dominae, and her grandmother, have been keeping a few too many secrets from her. She is forced to question everything she's ever been told but how can she decide which path she should take from now onwards?

I've seen mixed reviews for Red-Headed Stepchild but I thought it was a great introduction to the Sabina Kane series and it definitely left me wanting to know more. Sabina isn't always the easiest character to get along with, she's spent years being brainwashed by the vampires and even when certain things are staring her in the face she is very quick to try and justify her grandmother's actions. I can't say I blame her for that though, the vampires are the only family she has ever had and no matter how badly they treat her they are still the only ones who have ever been there for her. She may be stubborn but she's not stupid and even though it takes a while she does start to put all the pieces together later on in the story. Once she's made a decision about the right thing to do she is determined to see things through no matter what it costs her.

Although I liked Sabina I have to admit it was the side characters who really stole the show in this book. My favourite was her demon sidekick Giguhl who added a lot of humour to the story and constantly made me laugh while I was reading. I also really liked Adam, the mage who has come searching for Sabina. It took me a while to decide he could be trusted but I liked the chemistry between him and Sabina and I hope we get to see a lot more of them working alongside each other. The world building was done well and I enjoyed finding out about the history of vampires and mages, I still have a few questions but I'm sure it'll all come clear as the series continues. We have a good mix of supernatural characters, alongside the vamps and mages you also have demons, faeries and nymphs but I wouldn't be surprised if there are more species yet to be introduced. Yes this is a fairly standard urban fantasy world but I think the characters are strong enough to pull it through and I'm hooked enough to want to continue reading.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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Excerpt Reveal: Ride Hard - Laura Kaye

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Excerpt Reveal for Laura Kaye’s RIDE HARD! A sexy romantic suspense, RIDE HARD takes you on a new adventure and kicks it into overdrive! RIDE HARD is set to release Tuesday, April 26th! RIDE HARD is the first novel in Laura Kaye’s highly anticipated Raven Riders Series. Make sure you pre-order today and get your special bonus story-more info on that is below!

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Laura Kaye has something hot and fun and new to share with you today – a scene from her upcoming book, Ride Hard, the first in her Raven Riders Motorcycle Club series about a new kind of MC with a protective mission. You might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! So read on for a taste and see below for a free bonus story offer!

Excerpt from Ride Hard:

So much better out here,” Haven said, the night air cool against the tingling warmth of her skin. Although she was pretty sure that not all of the heat burning through her insides was from the alcohol—her unusual flirtatiousness and closeness to Dare over the past half hour had made her desperate with a heat that had nothing to do with her drinking game.

She walked to the railing and leaned against it, chuckling a little at herself for needing the support it offered. She felt so damn free, and it was a heady, exhilarating thing.

“What’s funny?” Dare asked, settling a hip against the railing right beside her. Arms crossed, jaw ticking with tension, dark eyes blazing, he was staring at her like he wanted to reprimand her or devour her. Oddly, neither alarmed her the way she would’ve expected it to.

Haven shook her head, leaning it back and letting her gaze float over the night sky. Blurry points of light swam in the moonlit heavens. It was beautiful and peaceful despite the pounding bass beat of music thumping from inside the clubhouse. “Not funny, just good. Happy, you know? Being able to do something a little . . . scary, but knowing I’d be safe doing it.” When Dare’s gaze narrowed, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”

A long moment passed before Dare finally spoke. “You are safe here, Haven. Never doubt it.”

Peering up at him, she nodded, all kinds of words sitting on the tip of her tongue, challenging her to let them fly. “It’s weird feeling safe—or at least safer—after a lifetime of not. It makes me want to try things I could never let myself try before. It makes me . . .” She shook her head and dipped her chin.

Dare stepped closer, his thighs coming up against her hip. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. The contact combined with the command in the gesture lanced white-hot desire through her veins. “Makes you what?”

“Want to feel alive,” she whispered, her heart suddenly racing in her chest.

Dare’s jaw ticked again as his gaze swept over her face. She didn’t think she was imagining the raw emotion pouring off of him and wrapping around her, but she wasn’t sure if she was reading that emotion right or projecting her own desire onto him.

“Do you feel alive, Dare?” she asked, the alcohol flowing through her and the night spinning around her like she was walking through a dream.

“Jesus,” he bit out.

The rough desperation in his voice made her wet between her legs. “Just once,” she whispered, not sure what she was asking him for.

But he seemed to know. Because his hand was suddenly tangled in her hair and his mouth was suddenly on hers, claiming, probing, tasting. Haven moaned and parted her lips, inviting him deeper.

Dare jerked back from her, his fingers rubbing roughly over his lips. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

On instinct, Haven’s body pursued his, pinning his back to the railing. “Please don’t stop,” she said as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had the strongest urge to climb him, to wrap her legs around him, to grind against the hard bulge pressing electrically against her belly.

“Please,” she whispered, tilting her mouth toward his. “I liked it.”

Dare’s hand cupped the back of her head. “You’re killing me.”

“Dare,” she said, her body restless against his.

In a move that sent the world spinning, he flipped them around so that she was the one pinned against the railing. He pushed his legs between hers and leaned down over her, forcing her to arch her back, to yield, to open to him.“Tell me what you want from me. Say the words,” he said, his eyes absolutely on fire.

Her heart was a runaway train in her chest, frantic and picking up speed. The thought of giving voice to her desires was terrifying and thrilling and dizzying all at once.

“I want your mouth,” she said. The words sounded odder out loud than they had in her head, but they were more accurate than asking him to kiss her—because her mouth wasn’t the only place she wanted his.

“Jesus,” he rasped again, his mouth coming down on hers once more.

The whimper she released was part relief, part anticipation. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone that she felt a little uncertain, but Dare’s intensity barely allowed her the capacity to worry about it. He was like a dark storm bearing down on her, relentless, magnetic, all-consuming.

Rough callouses from his hands scratched against her cheeks as he guided her. Hard breaths spilled over her lips, and the wet slide of his tongue tasted like whiskey and desire and man. Her hands found the soft length of his hair, and her breasts pushed against the hard plane of his chest.

Then her lips were freed as his mouth slid over her skin—exploring her cheek, her jaw, her ear, her neck. He hiked her up to sit on the wide railing, the move surprising a gasp out of her, especially as he crowded the space between her legs, pushing himself closer, bringing his erection against the place between her legs craving friction, hardness, so much more of him. Maybe even all of him.

One strong arm wrapped around her back and held her steady, while the other hand stroked her hair, her face, her breast. The soft groans and breathy grunts spilling out of him were delicious and thrilling, and bolstered her confidence that she wasn’t the only one losing herself in this moment, in these touches. She almost couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her was certain she must be dreaming. Because Haven Randall didn’t have beautiful things in her life. At least, never before.

Get a FREE bonus story from Laura’s Hearts in Darkness world for buying RIDE HARD before April 30!

About Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1):

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

These are the Raven Riders…

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before . . .

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter Sign Up | RIDE HARD on Goodreads

Review: Beyond the Red - Ava Jae

Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide.

Visit Ava Jae's website for more information

Review:
I've been really struggling to write this review because I had such high hopes for Beyond the Red and it just didn't live up to my expectations. I really liked the arid desert setting and I actually quite liked both of the main characters when they were apart but the second the two were thrown together things went downhill quickly and unfortunately that happens very early on in the story. What I wanted was more world building, I wanted to know more about the nomadic life the humans lived and I would have liked to have seen Eros spending more time with his family before everything went so horribly wrong. It all happened so fast that I never really felt invested in what was going on so no matter how tragic it was I didn't have the emotional connection I needed to be left heartbroken.

I also wanted to know more about the alien race Kora comes from, we learn very little of their customs or their history and there was just nothing that made them stand out as different to humans apart from that they're taller, faster, stronger and have weird markings on their skin. Instead of building a rich and detailed culture we get random words thrown at us that were either totally made up and used with very little explanation or were weird amalgamations of words we already use that just looked ridiculous (I wanted to throw my kindle every time I saw kinduv and that was repeated no less than thirty-seven times throughout the story but there were quite a few sortuv's too & I rolled my eyes at every single one of them).

It wasn't the world building that killed the story though, that honor goes to the most ridiculous case of insta-love that I've ever come across. To fully explain how crazy it was I'm really going to have to veer into spoiler territory so be warned if you decide to continue reading this review.

****SPOILERS BELOW****
(I'm pretty sure all of this happens within the first 10 chapters of the book but look away now if you don't want to see spoilers)

Let's just imagine you're Eros, you're a half human/half alien who was abandoned at birth by your parents and you've always been treated by an outsider by the humans you live with. The aliens believe half-bloods should be killed at birth though so you're lucky to still be alive and at least you've always been loved and respected by your adopted human parents, their son and his family. Now try to imagine the aliens invading your camp and brutally murdering over 200 humans, including most of the family you adore, right in front of your eyes. All this before you are taken captive alongside over 60 women and children, you are all humiliated, beaten and abused, stripped of your clothing and completely dehumanised before being permanently branded as a slave. Everything that happened to you and your people was done under orders from the alien queen Kora, something she never denies and never really apologises for.

So now you're a slave with no rights and with no choices and Kora decides that her personal guard can't be trusted so of course it makes perfect sense for her to make a reviled half-blood - someone who knows that she was responsible for the slaughter of the family who loved and raised him! - her bodyguard. If you don't agree she will have you sentenced to death so I can't really blame you for going along with it, especially since it gives you the chance to help some of the survivors of the attack, but surely you'll never feel anything but hate for the woman who destroyed your entire life? Surely you won't spend your entire time trying not to notice her beauty or the sexy curves she reveals when she undresses in front of you? Surely you wouldn't climb into her bed to comfort her when she has a nightmare the very first night you are forced to stay in her room? Surely you'd be angry and bitter and resent every moment of time you spent with her? Well apparently not in this case because Eros does all of those things and more!

****END MAJOR SPOILERS****

I could have probably got on board with the romance if it had been done slowly, if we had seen Eros and Kora gradually get to know each other, if they had taken time to talk about what had happened to Eros's family and the entire tribe that raised him, if Kora had admitted making mistakes and had apologised and tried to find a way to make things right. If that had happened BEFORE Eros started mooning over her I might have believed it but it didn't. Okay it takes a lot longer to get to the kissy kissy stuff, and to be honest there isn't an epic romance between them yet but their thoughts around each other are just totally unbelievable and unrealistic from the minute they meet and that totally goes both ways.

Don't even get me started on the issue of Kora announcing that a half-blood is going to be her new bodyguard and nobody questioning it, I'm pretty damn sure that her court would make sure she was chaperoned around her male guards too and I don't think there's any way in hell that her brother (the captain of her guard) would let her spend time with Eros alone. She may be the queen but nobody listens to her when she makes any other kind of decision so I doubt she'd get her own way here and I can't really see why she'd want to. It just doesn't make sense.

This review is already pretty long but there are still a couple of things that I really feel I have to mention. There is a second completely unbelievable case of love at first sight when a prince arrives offering Kora a marriage contract, I mean why have one case of insta-love when you can have two and make it an insta-triangle? Because we all know how much readers love triangles! What about including attempted rape? Obviously the threat of being executed for treason isn't enough when you can remind girls everywhere that there are fates worse than death. I absolutely HATE the use of attempted rape as a way to add danger to a story, there are a million other ways you can go without using it as a cheap plot device as a way to raise tension, especially if it has no further impact on the plot or any of the characters.

I feel like I've really ripped this book to shreds which is awful because I hate writing negative reviews but this story had so much potential and it just could have been so much better. There must have been something going for it because I did keep reading until the end and I actually read the whole book relatively quickly because it was very fast paced and had plenty of action going on but the negatives far outweigh the positives and I have to be honest about that. I have to warn you that there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end too, it resolves a few things but it's quite a major cliffhanger considering we have no confirmation of a sequel. I can pretty much guess how things would play out so I'm not too bothered by the lack of resolution and to be honest I doubt I'd read a second book even if one is published but I think it's worth being aware of before you pick up the book.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
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Crafting Corner: Book Folding Art inspired by Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series

It was only a couple of days ago that I posted about my first attempt at Book Folding (read about my Red Rising inspired design here) but now that I've started I seem to have become a little obsessed with it so I thought I'd give you an update of my second piece which I finished yesterday:

I've been a huge fan of Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series for 7 or 8 years now, it was the first adult paranormal romance series that I started reading and I love it so much that it even inspired my first tattoo. So it only seemed logical that when I was thinking of ideas for Book Folding designs the Breedmate Mark was one of the first things that popped into my head.

I thought this would be a fairly simple design to create but it turns out that just as much work was involved for both this and my Red Rising wolf. I think the results are worth it though and now I just need to reorganise my shelves so I can display them properly!

Book Folding Art based on the Breedmate Mark from Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series
(the image in the corner shows my tattoo of the same design)

I'm not going to go through all the steps involved in book folding again (you can read about it in my previous post here) but I'm really pleased with the results and I already have loads of ideas about designs I'd like to have a go at making. In fact, I already finished book 3 today (a Harry Potter theme!) but I've been having trouble getting a good picture since it's a lot bigger than my first 2 so I'm going to make you wait a while before I share it with you.

Review: Sun Kissed - Amanda Abbott

Mallory Baldwin is a model who specializes in not taking herself too seriously. She’s sarcastic, crass, and loves a good joke. She’s been on the brink of making it since she was thirteen, and after learning that yet one more major brand has passed her up for another, good news arrives in the form of a gift. Her pal, Antonio Rafferty, a hotshot investor, has decided to send her to his elite private dating island for free. Fun in the sun, along with plenty of sexy distractions, are exactly what she needs to take her mind off her slumping career.

Patrick Conrad has been playing hockey since he could walk. After signing with Detroit, an injury lands him on the bench after the best season of his career. So when his college buddy, Antonio, enlists him to help out as a deep sea fishing guide in a new brand new business venture for a few weeks, Patrick accepts. A little break in his routine will do him good.

Sparks fly when Mallory jumps into Patrick's life unexpectedly. Things heat up quickly, but they both desperately try to keep their identity from the other.

That is, until the paparazzi arrive.

The beach never looked so good . . .

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
Mallory needs a break, she loves her career as a model but is disappointed that after 10 years of hard work she still hasn't reached the level of supermodel and with her birthday fast approaching she's feeling a little down about it all. When her friend offers her a week long all expenses paid trip to his remote island resort she jumps at the chance, especially since it's a dating resort designed to cater to every whim of the rich and famous singles it hopes to attract. Mallory is more than ready for a week of no strings fun and nothing is going to stop her from enjoying every minute of it.

It's funny because I wasn't Mallory's biggest fan when she was a side character in What Emma Craves but I really loved her here. She's such a down to earth girl and even though she's a beautiful and world famous model she doesn't act anything like you'd expect her to. Mallory doesn't take herself too seriously, she likes to have fun and in attitude she's more like the girl next door than someone you'd expect to find on a catwalk. I love how nice she is and how she seems to have time for anyone, she's just as happy chatting with the bartenders as she is talking to the elite clientele.

Patrick is hockey player who was in the middle of the best year of his career before he was injured, now he's at a loose end while he heals up enough to get back on the ice. His friend was in desperate need of staff to help out at his island resort's first week and Patrick was happy to help. He's supposed to be there to captain the island's pleasure fishing boat but when he realises how short staffed they are he's happy to help out behind the bar too.

When they first meet Mallory assumes that Patrick is just a normal bartender, she doesn't follow sport and has absolutely no idea that he's famous in his own right. That doesn't bother her in the slightest though and she quickly starts to fall for his charms. Patrick has been let down by women in the past and is sick of worrying that everyone he meets is only interested in him because of his money so it makes a refreshing change to be with someone who knows nothing about it. To be honest he's never heard of Mallory before either, even though his fellow bartender has let slip that she's a model, so they're in the same boat really. These two fit really well together, they have fantastic chemistry but they also have fun together. We get to see them spending time together just hanging out and having a laugh which is something that always makes romances feel so much more realistic and believable.

I would have loved for this story to be longer, it was satisfying as it was but I loved them both so much and would have happily spent more time with them. Their romance does move forward very quickly, they're only on the island together for a week after all, but I still found it completely believable and I was rooting for them to make it. There was a moment when I worried we were going to get some unnecessary drama but thankfully both Mallory and Patrick are adults and they immediately discussed a situation that wasn't at all what it looked and it didn't cause a single problem. I can't even tell you how happy that made me!

Sun Kissed is the first book in the Sexy Singles series, a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series, so I have to admit I was expecting it to be a little spicier than it was, we still get plenty of smut but it seemed a little toned down here. That's not a bad thing though and I think I'm going to end up loving this series just as much, we've already met Charlotte and Antonio who are going to be the main couple in the next book and I'm definitely looking forward to their story.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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