~ REVIEW: Stranded in Paradise by Sarah O’Rourke ~

 

Ethan Hudson is a man accustomed to being in control…of all situations in his life. Yet, much to his dismay, he finds himself at the mercy of cancelled flights that are determined to mess with his well-ordered plans. Added on to this dilemma is his unexplained attraction for his male colleague… 

David Malloy believes in going after what he wants…and fate appears to have given him the golden opportunity to make his move. His desire for Ethan has been brewing for months, and now is the time to let the other man know exactly how he feels. 

Stranded in Paradise is an erotic romp through anticipation, discovery, and excitement. With a strong m/m focus, hang on tightly because there is a surprise menage a trois ending that you don’t want to miss! 

Graphic erotica….menage a trois….m/m…m/f…m/m/f….graphic descriptions of sex…EIGHTEEN & ABOVE! 

You can buy this book at Amazon

Eyes widening as he lifted the glass back to his mouth for another fortifying sip of liquid courage, Ethan inhaled deeply. The liquor slid down his throat easier this time, and he took a deep breath. “You’re saying that you want to…” he trailed off, afraid to vocalize his suspicions about what he thought the younger man wanted. Jesus, if he was wrong, their friendship might be irreparably damaged, and that was the last thing he wanted. 

“I’m saying that I think you need some human contact, man. Some TLC. And I’m saying that I’m more than willing to provide you with it. If you’ll let me,” David explained slowly, remaining perfectly still in front of the polished dresser that he leaned against. He’d always been taught that honesty was the best policy. He hoped that lesson didn’t fail him now. 
“Dave…I’ve never…with a man…I’ve never…” Ethan faltered, mentally cursing his own ineptitude. For months, he’d wondered about this. His body screamed that this was the moment he had been waiting for, but now that it was here, he was suddenly unable to even string together a coherent sentence. 

“E.G., it’s okay,” David assured him softly, loving the way the lights bounced off Ethan’s ebony locks. “I’m not exactly an expert myself, but I’m attracted to you…and not in a conveniently platonic kind of way. I wanna be straight up with you about that. I want you, E.G. In every way there is.” 

“Call me Ethan,” Ethan demanded huskily, staring back into Dave’s chocolate eyes across the room as he avoided addressing what the other man had just said. “Everybody else calls me E.G. I want you to call me Ethan.” 

 

I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just wanted to say that I’m not normally into book that’s male on male. But hot damn! This book was HOT!

David and Ethan have been feeling someone intense chemistry between each other for months now, but not exactly sure how to make the fist move. Ethan has just recently gone through a divorce and hasn’t had any human contact in over a year. At least that’s why he claims he is having these feelings towards his partner. There’s no way he’s gay, he likes pussy just as much as the next guy, it’s just that there is something about David.

David swings both ways, and has been keeping an eye on Ethan, trying to figure out the best time to approach him about what’s between them. But when their flight gets canceled due to weather, he decides now’s the perfect time.

I’m not exactly sure what else to say without giving to much again. I will say again though that this book is HOT! The sex scenes will definitely warm you up and turn you on. I’ll definitely be looking forward to more from Sarah O’Rourke!

~ REVIEW: Tempting the Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto ~

After taking a job on a quiet Montana dude ranch, ex-cop Rylan Frederickson finds herself surrounded by unbelievably sexy cowboys. Too bad the one she wants is her boss…and the single dad of a four-year-old. It doesn’t matter anyway, because after a recent tragedy, there’s simply no more room in her heart.

Letting a new woman into their life is the last thing Cole Haywood wants for him and his daughter, Birdie. But as Rylan’s presence at Paint River Ranch breathes new life into his family he can’t ignore his growing attraction.

When the sparks between them turn into fireworks in bed, Rylan’s torn between the family she’s lost and the one she may have found. Now she must decide if something that feels this good is worth the risk.

You can purchase this book at Amazon and B & N

 

I received and ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. Is was a true testament that even though you have been majorly hurt in the past, you can still find happiness in the future.

Cole and Rylan have both had rough pasts that they don’t like to look back on. Rylan is trying to take her friends advice and start to actually live her life after everything she has gone through. What better way to do this, then to be a house keeper at Paint River Ranch in Montana? When she gets to the ranch, the first things she notices is the beauty of the place, and then of course Cole Haywood.

Cole had a messy divorce and isn’t ever interested in letting himself fall for another woman again. The only woman he needs in his life is his daughter Birdie, who is the sweetest little girl you’ve ever met. But when Rylan comes to the ranch, he is starting to see that he may be doing the one thing he swore never to do again, fall in love with another woman.

Rylan has started to fall for Cole, but she doesn’t know if she will be able to be the woman he needs her to be. Cole doesn’t know if he can take another chance of falling for someone and then being left in the dust again. He has his daughter to think about, and she always come first.

While Cole and Rylan dance around their feelings for each other, there is an incident with Birdie. When Birdie gets hurt, this may either bring them together or totally rip them apart.

I really liked this book! There were a couple of really steamy scenes, but nothing that took away from the story. I loved going on this journey with Cole, Rylan and even Birdie to their road of happily ever after!

~ Alluring Turmoil by Skye Turner Review ~

Alexia Sloane is the twenty-six year old owner of the highly successful Louisiana coffee shop/bakery, Java and Sweeties. The past couple of years have been all she’s dreamed of and her business takes all of her focus, all of her heart. 
Jude Delecroix is the lead singer of one of the most famous rock bands in the country, Bayou Stix, and the man who broke Lexi’s heart. 
Lexi and Jude have a past. 
When Jude comes back to town eight years after leaving to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a famous musician and comes face to face with Lexi, forces collide, old hurts are brought to the surface, and life as these two have been living it will never be the same. 
There are two sides to every story, and what happens when the things you believed to be concrete suddenly crumble like ash and fade away? 
What happens when two people afraid to face the past, become involved in the present? Can they hope for a future?
Welcome to Louisiana where humidity and passion are high and things are not always what they seem. 
***Contains graphic sex and language. Not for young readers.***

 

***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.***

 All I can say is WOW!!!! It’s been a while since I have read a book in which the two main characters have so much chemistry that they melt the pages of the book! Just wait until you get to the scene that takes place between Jude and Lexi in her bakery’s kitchen…HOLY COW!

 Lexi has finally realized her dream of having her own bakery/coffee shop, and it’s very successful!  She has carved out a good life in her hometown in Louisiana and has great friends, Bradi and Erik. But, her life is turned upside down when her first true love, the hot, sexy rock god, Jude Delecroix, returns. She left him eight years ago and thought she was over him. Jude has returned home to show Lexi he didn’t need her, and he thought he was over her. OH, OH, how very wrong both of them are. When they face each other for the first time, the sparks fly, and oh the sexual tension!!!! Will they give each other another chance and make it work? Or, will they allow their mistrust of each other tear them apart forever?

While there is A LOT AND I MEAN A LOT OF STEAMY SEX, the love these two share is really sweet too. The author takes you back when their love story first began in high school. It is also written from Lexi’s and Jude’s point of view which I like. I also loved the supporting characters, Bradi and Erik. Everybody needs a Bradi and Erik in their lives; they are true examples not only of best friends but also a family. I will have to say Lexi got on my nerves a little bit. She had such a mistrust of Jude. I just wanted to shake some sense into her and yell at her telling her what an awesome guy she had in Jude. She did redeem herself in the end. OMG, Jude might just be my favorite book boyfriend yet. He is right up there with Kellan from Thoughtless and Reggie from Scarred Love. When Lexi asks him why he got a tattoo right over the center of his heart that symbolized his love for her, he answers, “Why? Why…Because I had to have a piece of you with me, as a reminder…of what we had …of our love, Lex.” I mean what girl wouldn’t swoon after hearing that come from her guy’s lips???

If you are in the mood for a sexy read, give this one a try. I warn you though, you may need a cold shower afterward! Alluring Turmoil is the first in a series. The next book will be about Jude’s friend’s Jessie and Blue which will be available in early Spring 2014. I will be waiting….

~ The Conduit is FREE! ~

NOW FREE ON AMAZON AND OTHER SALE PLATFORMS!!!

Book
Info-

Title: The Conduit

Pages: 212

ISBN-10:
0985266368

ISBN-13:
978-0985266363

ASIN:
B007H7UMR0

Date
Published: November 2011 (rereleased November 13, 2013)

 Blurb-

All 18-year-old Celeste Garrett wants is to head off
to college and make those fun, yet ill-advised, choices college kids are known
for. And maybe to spend some time with the hot cameraman she just met. Instead,
because of a pact her ancestors made in the 17th century with a mythical
creature, she has to save the world. While normal kids are slamming energy
drinks and cramming for exams, Celeste will get her adrenaline rush fighting a
fire breathing dragon. She wants to meet friends in the quad to exchange
lecture notes, but first she must exchange blows with a shapeshifting demon on
the rooftop. Life isn’t always fair for a superhero, but at least she doesn’t
have to do it alone. With her brother and sister as sidekicks, they alternate
between saving lives and getting on each others’ nerves. Together the trio
encounters unspeakable odds, mystical forces and comes face-to-face with an
image that will haunt them forever—their grandmother in a leopard print bikini.

Book
Links-

 Amazon
/ Barnes and Noble / Smashwords /

~ REVIEW: Mirror (Luke Series #1) By Cassia Leo ~

At twenty-eight, Luke Maxwell is the hottest eligible bachelor in America and the billionaire CEO of Maxwell Computers. When Brina Kingston is hired by Luke’s competitor as a corporate spy, Brina successfully works her way into a position as Luke Maxwell’s new executive assistant. What Brina doesn’t expect is to find herself in a compromising position in his bed.

Brina thinks she has the savvy to see past Luke’s cunning intellect and extract the trade secrets she was hired to acquire. But she soon finds herself falling for his charms and risking the most important assignment of her career and, possibly, the greatest love of her life.

This is the first installment in the LUKE series.

Amazon | B & N | Kobo

 

Even though it’s a short read, Cassia Leo still does a fantastic job hooking you into the story. You have Brina who is trying to infiltrate information from the sexy Luke for the company she works for. The only thing is though, will she be able to go through it? She has some very hot sex with the man, and he seems to know her darkest secrets, and even though she has only known him for a short while, she’s decided she doesn’t want to betray him.
I can’t wait to read more from this mini-series.

~ REVIEW: Community Service by Dakota Madison ~

As Maggie Mitchell enters her final semester of college, the last thing she wants is a guy in her life, let alone two of them.

Her new lab partner, Sawyer Reed, is still the overconfident and sexy jock that made fun of her in high school. The only thing that has changed is that he now uses a wheelchair, the result of a skiing accident.

Jude Marino is a hot actor who all the girls want and would do anything to get. He works at a local theater where Maggie has been assigned to complete community services hours after rear-ending a police car.

Both Sawyer and Jude want Maggie but only one of them will be able to capture her heart.

This new adult romance contains mature language and content indented for adult readers (18+).

Add this to your Goodreads

 Amazon | B & N Paperback

 

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

 Community Service is one of those great books that leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling after you finish it. Maggie has just been appointed a coveted research internship in her college’s Paleolimnology lab. She is quite surprised when she discovers her lab partner is Sawyer Reed, the guy who was every girl’s dream in high school. A lot has changed since then. Sawyer was involved in a ski accident that left him paralyzed. But, the accident hasn’t changed Sawyer’s sex appeal at all…Maggie thinks he’s a sexy as he ever was. She doesn’t think he remembers her from high school when he called her “Freaky Four Eyes” on the bus all those years ago. She is in for a surprise; not only does he remember her, but he has always had feelings for her. They become closer as they spend more time together. At first, she isn’t sure about dating a guy in a wheelchair. Maggie is very honest with Sawyer about her misgivings, and he respects her for that and actually teaches her a great deal about people with spinal injuries. She soon finds herself wondering what it would be like to have his lips on her lips and his body next to her body. She soon forgets about the wheelchair. As they grow closer and begin to give their relationship a try, many things begin getting in the way to stop it before it even gets off the ground. Sawyer begins doubting himself especially when Maggie is assigned community service at a local community theater where she meets the incredibly yummy, sexy Jude. Jude and Sawyer share a long, complicated, and painful history.  Sawyer seems to be pushing Maggie towards Jude. It doesn’t help that Maggie has doubts about her appeal to Sawyer either. Will the two of them get rid of their doubts to give their relationship a chance, or will they allow their relationship to die before they even give it a fair shot?

I really had to think about was I was going to write in this review because Community Service is a very special book. While it is a great love story, it’s a book about changing people’s perceptions of stereotypes. The author completely changed the way I see a person who has suffered a spinal injury. I am going to be brutally honest…how many times have I seen a person in a wheelchair and thought how awful it must be do be confined in one. I thought most people who have suffered such an injury have no feeling below their spine and therefore can’t live a fulfilling life. Boy, was I wrong!!!! I learned that there are varying degrees of spinal injuries and just because someone is in a wheelchair they can live quite a fulfilling, whole life. Some even enjoy a great sex life like Sawyer! I liked that she included information at the end of the book to find out more about spinal injuries. I just love love a book that can change a person’s way of thinking through such a beautiful love story. Sawyer will stay with me long after finishing the last page.   

~ Falling for Alexander by Claire Robyns Reviews ~

Book 2 in the Corkscrew Bay Series

Synopsis 

Kate’s waited three years to meet the new owner of Darrock Castle. What she did not expect was her intense attraction to the sexy-as-sin recluse billionaire with dubious scruples that included—but was possibly not limited to—random threats, unreasonable firings, community snubbing and suspicious helicopter activity. But she’s falling, sinking to the bottom, and there she finds a vulnerability in the man she’d never have imagined.

When Alexander Gerardo decides to teach the local reporter a lesson, what he finds instead is a woman who fills spaces he’d never known were there. Who crashes over walls he would have sworn he’d never erected. His natural aversion to the media has deep roots, but when it comes to Kate, he’s never wanted anything or anyone else more. Even if it means he’s playing with fire and tempting disaster.

Add this to your Goodreads

You can purchase this book at Amazon 

***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

 Falling For Alexander is the second book in the Corkscrew Bay series and is the story of Kate and Alexander. I think the following quote from the author sums up the book nicely. “It’s a firework extravaganza of deceit, threats, and betrayal.” Kate is the owner of her small town newspaper. Alexander is the reclusive owner of Darrock Castle which has a long history in the town. Kate has been curious about the owner for three years especially when he puts a stop to the castle being used for the town’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. It is her crusade to see the annual event reinstated. Alexander has spent years keeping outsiders out, especially reporters. He detests them! When Kate and Alexander meet face to face, it’s a sizzling encounter filled with mistrust and lots of sexual attraction. When Kate discovers that the housekeeper has disappeared after talking to her about Alexander, she vows to uncover what happened to her. So, she lies to Alexander telling him that Mrs. Pinnings is her aunt. Alexander is no fool. He knows she is lying and is determined to teach her a lesson. However, neither one of them realize their lives are about to change as they spend more time together and begin falling in love.

There were several things I liked about the book. I loved both of the characters. I thought they complemented each other quite nicely. I enjoyed watching them fall in love. The love scenes were not very descriptive, but it worked. The author used her own writing skills to make the love scenes work without giving me every detail of what was happening between the sheets. For example, she writes, “This…this wasn’t sex. This wasn’t making love. This was a collision of body, mind and soul.” I thought that statement was more beautiful than any descriptive detail she could have used. I also liked her descriptive writing style. I like to feel like I am a part of the story, and I felt like I lived in Corkscrew Bay with all the other townspeople.

This wasn’t only a book about falling in love but about friendship and community. I loved that Kate loved her town and her fellow citizens and that she did so much to make her town better. Even though, the book is a part of a series, you don’t have to read the first one to enjoy this. The first book is Falling for the Guy Next Door which is the story about Kate’s friend, Megan. The third book will be about Kate’s friends, Izzy and Finn. It is a delightful series that allows you to escape from life even if just for a little while. 

** 3 1/2 Stars **

I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really sure how to rate this. This was a great story and I really liked the characters, but something seemed to be missing for me. I guess I would have liked a little more story on the relationship for Kate and Alexander, but hey, don’t get me wrong I still really enjoyed it.

First you meet Kate, she is a go get ’em type of person, and it’s hard for her to leave well enough alone (her own words). So when the owner of the castle in town shoots down the request to have the towns Easter egg hunt there AGAIN, she goes to try to change his mind. She gets in with telling a little lie, but she never expected what happens next.

Alexander is a very private person, with solid reasons for it. He also has a very poor outlook on reports. He’s got every reason for his hatred for them, they’ve spread out all the family’s struggles for the world to see and shammed them in the process. So when Kate comes barreling down his driveway he isn’t impressed. He starts to change his mind though after spending some time with her, he starts to realize she isn’t at all what he expected her to be.

These two play a very fragile game with their hearts, Kate is willing to give him everything, but he keeps holding back, he’s afraid to let her in all the way because of his past. I think this is the issue I had the most with the story, Kate was willing to let Alexander keep things from her, just so that they could stay together. She didn’t expect anything more from him. Granted they did have an instant connection and shared passion, I just wish he would give more. Even though Alexander claims he trusts Kate, as soon as she comes to tell him something, he assumes the worsts and throws her out before letting her explain.

Will Alexander be able to get his head out of his ass and realize how good he has it with Kate? Or will he keep letting his past rule how he is going to live his life in the present?

You could definitely feel the care and compassion that Kate shares with the town and the town feels the same towards Kate. I especially liked Finn (even though you don’t get to see him much) and the ending proves the next book should be interesting. I can’t wait to see what happens with the news Isobel left Kate with at the end.

 

~ Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt by SJ McCoy is FREE ~

Blurb:

The Summer Lake contemporary romance series follows a group of friends from a small lakeside town in the California hills. They have kept in touch over the years and now, in their early thirties, their lives are drawing them back to Summer Lake and to each other. 

Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt 

Emma Douglas came to Summer Lake as an orphan twenty three years ago. After losing her parents so young and later suffering a disastrous marriage, she believes that love only ever leads to pain and loss. 

When she meets Jack Benson, the business partner of her childhood friend Pete, she sees everything she used to long for in a man; tall, dark, and drop dead gorgeous! Despite their undeniable attraction, Emma is too scared to risk her heart, especially on a man so much like her ex – sexy, smart, funny, successful and no doubt the same kind of cheat! 

When events lead them both to Summer Lake for the summer, will Jack be able to persuade her that he’s nothing like her ex in all the ways that really matter? That the love she used to dream of isn’t a little girl’s fantasy, but a reality they can share if she can get past her fear and learn to trust?

Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt is FREE from 12/12 – 12/16! Make sure you get your copy!

You can get the book here: Amazon US and Amazon UK

~~ Here’s Michele’s Review ~~

** 4 stars **

I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good book. I think I fell in love with Jack myself reading this. 
When Emma and Jack first meet there are sparks immediately. Jack would do anything to spend more time with the self assured woman he sees goofing around and slamming doors in his friend’s face. Emma is a little me apprehensive however, she had a horrible marriage to a man who cheated on her and said it was normal and that she needed to grow up. So she has troubles trusting gorgeous men, thinking they are all put to use her and then dismiss her. Jack tries his hardest to prove her wrong. Will Emma finally realize that not all men are like her ex-husband, or will she throw away something that could be amazing because she’s to scared to take a chance? 

This was a good story that had a great plot and some well developed characters. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

~ REVIEW: What’s Left of Me By Amanda Maxlyn ~

Life works in mysterious ways.

Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.

I refuse to cry.

And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.

He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.

But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?

Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.

Love found me when I was twenty-one.

My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey

 

I received and ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. 

I really wish I could give this book 20 stars, because it definitely deserves it! This book is emotional and loving at the same time, it’s hard to distinguish if it’s the characters feelings, or yours, that you’re experiencing. You’re taken through the ringer as you go through Aundrea’s journey to happiness. This book has been added to my top 5 books for the year and I’m demanding all my friends read it as well!

Aundrea is 21 years old and she has just found out that she has cancer… again. This time around she decided (or I guess her family decides for her) to try an experimental treatment that the doctors feel will work best for her. In order to do this though, she needs to move in with her sister. This is where Aundrea’s life changes, for worse and for better. 

Shortly before one of her treatments, Aundrea and her best friend Jean go out dancing and drinking for one last hooray. While out partying, this is where Aundrea meets Parker (sigh), Aundrea and Parker first lock eyes in the men’s bathroom and Parker chases her from there. Aundrea breaks down after a talk with Jean, and ends up going home with Parker and they have a wild night of hot sex. However, Aundrea runs first thing in the morning, she doesn’t want to make things awkward saying goodbye. However, what happens next throws her world upside down.

Parker felt something when he first saw Aundrea that drew him to her, he couldn’t explain it, he just needed to be near her. So just imagine his surprise when he finds out that Aundrea is the sister in law of his new partner. After she walked out on him, he never thought he would see her again, but now is his chance to finally get to know her (and not just in the bed room). He isn’t going to let he go this time.

Aundrea and Parker, I don’t even know what to say except that they are PERFECT for each other. The only thing is, Parker doesn’t know everything about Aundrea. He doesn’t know the pain and agony she goes through after her treatments, or the reasons why she will go a few days without seeing him. That’s because, Aundrea hasn’t told he she has cancer. She is so afraid of how he will react and how he will see her after she tells him. After the walls finally fall and she tells him everything (this scene made me cry) she finally sees how good of a man Parker really is. 

After they are able to finally work on them as a couple, another bombshell is dropped on Aundrea. Will this be just to much for Parker, or will he and Aundrea be able to work and fight for what they have?

Throughout this entire book Amanda keeps you riveted and connected to all of the characters, whether they have large or small parts. I can’t count how many times either I smiled with what was happening or had tears in my eyes from what Aundrea was going through. Never once did she want anyone to feel sorry for her and I admire that about her. Some people let the cancer take over, but not Aundrea, she is a fighter and she was going to fight this. I was overjoyed when she met Parker and finally gave into what she was feeling, instead of being afraid and fighting it! This book is a huge emotional rollercoaster, but worth all the heartache, tears and laughter it gives you! I absolutely cannot wait to read more from Amanda Maxlyn!

~ The Reflections of Queen Snow White Reviews ~

What happens when “happily ever after” has come and gone? 

On the eve of her only daughter, Princess Raven’s wedding, an aging Snow White finds it impossible to share in the joyous spirit of the occasion. The ceremony itself promises to be the most glamorous social event of the decade. Snow White’s castle has been meticulously scrubbed, polished and opulently decorated for the celebration. It is already nearly bursting with jubilant guests and merry well-wishers. Prince Edel, Raven’s fiancé, is a fine man from a neighboring kingdom and Snow White’s own domain is prosperous and at peace. Things could not be better, in fact, except for one thing: 

The king is dead. 

The queen has been in a moribund state of hopeless depression for over a year with no end in sight. It is only when, in a fit of bitter despair, she seeks solitude in the vastness of her own sprawling castle and climbs a long disused and forgotten tower stair that she comes face to face with herself in the very same magic mirror used by her stepmother of old. 

It promises her respite in its shimmering depths, but can Snow White trust a device that was so precious to a woman who sought to cause her such irreparable harm? Can she confront the demons of her own difficult past to discover a better future for herself and her family? And finally, can she release her soul-crushing grief and suffocating loneliness to once again discover what “happily ever after” really means? 

Only time will tell as she wrestles with her past and is forced to confront The Reflections of Queen Snow White.

**** Now it’s time for Christie and Michele’s reviews ****

I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought I had a general idea of what I was going to be reading. Boy was I wrong. This book goes deeper than I expected, and you see more into what happens to Snow White throughout her life.

David Meredith does such a fantastic job of pulling you into the story, that you almost feel what Snow White goes through. You are there with her, dealing with everything that’s thrown her way.

When you first meet Snow White, she is deeply depressed and can’t even get excited about her own daughter’s wedding, something she should be elated about. Instead she hides away from people because she can’t seem to keep up the act that others expect of her. Then one day she does to the one place she knows no one will follow here, Queen Arglist’s quarters. There she finds the famous “magic mirror” and from there you are taken through a very emotional rollercoaster.

The mirror encourages Snow White to look into its depths to help her overcome the feelings she’s been having. At first, Snow White is reluctant, what can this mirror show her what she doesn’t already see. She soon realizes how wrong she was, and she’s taken back to her past and lives through each horrible experience and happy memory she’s had.  You are taken through Snow White’s journey of when she was a little girl, all the way to her marriage to Charming and her pregnancy.

Will Snow White be able to be there for her daughter on the happiest day of her life, or will she be wallowing in her own despair to show her daughter that she’s truly there for her?

Will Snow White be able to see how much happiness she could have if she would focus on what’s going on now instead of the past? Or will she continue on her path of despair and end up doing something she’ll forever regret?

 

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

I was hooked on this book when I saw the beautiful cover for it. It is a character study of one of my favorite princesses, Snow White. The book opens with a grieving Snow White. She has been devastated by the death of her husband, Charming, a year earlier. She should be rejoicing because her beautiful daughter, Raven, is getting married. However, she can’t seem to rejoin the living, and she shuns all those that love her, especially her daughter. One day she finds herself in the abandoned chambers of her evil stepmother, Queen Arglist, who has long been dead. While in the rooms, she finds the famed “magic mirror.” To her fascination, the spirit in the mirror addresses her and asks her if she would like to look in the mirror. At first, she refuses, but then relents. Instead of seeing all wonderful memories, she is bombarded with the horror of her childhood with Arglist. The mirror encourages her to face these memories so that she can heal. But, does she have the courage to confront the pain and horror and learn to live again, or will she allow them to destroy her forever?

I enjoyed this book for many reasons. I liked that it was short, and it took place over a very short period of time. Much of it takes place in the dark, cold room with her facing different parts of her past, both painful and joyous. The images were so descriptive. I was in that room with Snow White as her stepmother beat her until she was close to death, and I was with her when Charming sat by her bedside patiently taking care of her after eating the poisonous apple and falling in love with her. Readers get to see and feel the horror that she endured and what determination it took to escape and survive. I liked that the images illustrated the struggles she and Charming endured after their marriage. It wasn’t perfect, but they loved and supported each other throughout their union. It was a beautiful love story! You feel her pain as she mourns the love of her life. But, you also see the mirror encouraging her to dig deep in her soul to recapture her strength to get through this most difficult time. It is a book about love, loss, perseverance, and healing. That is why I love fairy tales…there is always a lesson to take from it. Pay special attention to the hawks at the beginning and ending of the story and how the author uses them as a beautiful example of forever love.