You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

I bought few paperbacks for my summer vacation and this was one of them. Read it really fast.

When I started to put this book as "read" in my Goodreads account I found out that I had already added this in my "want to read" shelf back in August 2019. I had no memory of it. That's how unorganized my tbr pile is. 🤣

Love is a mysterious thing. You never know what's going to happen when you let yourself fall in love. Most of the time you don't have a choice. You just fall in love with someone. My best friend just told me that loss is the price of the love. It sounds kind of sad, but I believe it's true. You can't have everything, you lost something and then you find something. 

Naomi hasn't many months before she's marrying the love of her life, expect that it doesn't feel like it. It doesn't feel that Nicholas is the love of her life. It feels like she's pretending. She's pretending to be perfect. She counts her love towards Nicholas on percentages. She believes that Nicholas is perfectly happy with the way things are in their relationship. It isn't until one day they're having a fight that she learns that Nicholas isn't happy either.

This book made me laugh out loud so many times. But then I got frustrated with characters too. Why they just don't talk with each other? Like I stated my previous post; it's important to learn to speak with your partner. Maybe this book is realistic in a way, because it sure isn't easy to start talking about hard topics. The book is told by Naomi's POV so we don't get to see inside of Nicholas' head. I think it would have made this book different. Now we only see things from Naomi's POV and that's kind of the whole point in this book. This book is all about troubles in relationship. We only know our POV in real life too, unless the other tells their POV to us. Now we get to see all Naomi's insecurities, hardships and all those good things. I could see a lot of myself in Naomi. 

What it's to like fall in love again with the person you're going to marry? How hard will it be? How does it feel to let other one see you as in whole? You're deciding to show all of you, not just good parts. How should you act towards your partner when you're feeling down? How you show them you're happy?

This book was a really good read. I enjoyed the funny moments, I felt anxious and happy. This is great summer read, but it sure got me thinking about my own relationship. I believe in true love. I think that there can be more than one true love. I believe in working to make your relationship better. My favorite line from the book was "Being in love is frantic. Fluttery. Falling. It's nervous sweats and pounding heartbeats and a feeling of tremendous rightness.". Because love is that and so many other things. What a great debut novel from Sarah Hogle!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

G.P. Putnam's Sons

2020

Repeat by Kylie Scott

Wow. I am speechless.

I found this book, because Natasha from Natasha Is a Book Junkie made a Instagram post about one day flash sale of this book. I one-clicked so fast, because hello, have you seen how gorgeous the cover is?! Swoon.

I didn't read the blurb, but it didn't matter. The book is so vividly written. It made my head spin with the best way possible. Just wow. I think this book messed with my head. I am totally in love with Ed. Tattooed guy, who's protective over his girl. What's there not to love?

It feels like I can't form any comprehensible thoughts, let alone type them in here. I am gonna try, though.

Clementine has no memory, because she was brutally attacked. She's trying to learn about her post, who she was, what she liked and all that. She has a tattoo and she's trying to find out who did it to her. She confronts Ed, the tattoo artist, and finds out that he have done more to her than the tattoo. They used to be in love. Ed isn't happy to see Clementine again. But many things have changed. Slowly they start to build their relationship again. Will they find a way to love each other again or will their relationship stay platonic?

The idea of this book is interesting. How much our wants, needs, likes, believes are absolute truths about us? Can we change, can our believes change? Can our favorite color change? How much all the changes we're going through in life are about us and how much they are because of those around us?

Clementine changed a lot after attack left her with permanent memory loss. How would you feel waking up with no memory? It's horrific. I have waken up without a memory. Luckily for me it wasn't permanent. I eventually remembered everything. This book manages to find some good things in memory loss. Like the fact that you get to see movies and read books again like it's your first time. I would love to read few books again for the first time.

Clementine and Ed talk lot about everything, some topics are harder, some easier. But like in every relationship, talking is essential. None of us can read minds, so speak up when you have something to say. That's the thing I'm trying to learn.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Repeat by Kylie Scott

2019

Hate Thy Neighbor by S.M. Soto

Thank you to S.M. Soto and Social Butterfly PR for giving me an ARC to review.

This was a first book by S.M. Soto that I've read. I am incredibly happy that I got a chance to read this book now. I fell in love with the cover when I saw it in Instagram.

Hate Thy Neighbor is an enemies-to-lovers romance. One of my favorite tropes! There's a bit of romcom in there, too. I wouldn't say it's angsty, bu there's some angst in mix. It was a fast read for me. 

I can't remember when was the last time I was so angry while reading. Both of the main characters made me so angry. I questioned the decisions they made almost as often as I swooned over Roman Banks. 

Olivia moves to a new house. It's a first time that she'll be living alone. It seems like she has all her ducks in a row. She is determined to fix all the small things that are wrong in the house by herself. She wants to be independent and at first I can not understand why she is so adamant of it. But as the story goes on and we learn more about her past it makes sense. Olivia makes a few really bad decisions, at least I think so. But don't we all? 

Roman is Olivia's new neighbor. She wants to be polite and have good relationship with him. He's an ass to her. One prank leads to another and soon they are on war. Roman works hard and is determined to reach his goals and this prank war isn't helping him to reach those goals. We all love these a**hole heroes, right?

Slowly and with many setbacks their relationship starts to evolve. What do you need in every relationship in your life? Loyalty, love, caring, kindness, determination, will to fight for each other. You can find those things in their relationship, too. 

I loved the writing. The book is very beautifully written. There were things in this book that I loved. I loved the passion and loyalty. I loved how protective Roman was over Olivia. I loved that S.M. Soto showed that it doesn't matter where you come from, you can always fight to be better; that your past don't define you. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hate Thy Neighbor by S.M. Soto

2020

I Don't Want You by V. McFarlane

I received an ARC for an exchange for honest review.

I Don't Want You is a debut novel by V. McFarlane. This second-change, enemies-to-lovers book is going to keep you on it's hold. 

Violet loves to write songs for local bands. She doesn't seek for fame and money, she just wants to write music. She doesn't believe in fate or destiny or love that's written on stars. She believes that you need to work for your happiness. I think she might be right. I definitely believe in fate, but that's not all, you still need to do work if you want to reach your goals. So, you go girl! 

Jared is aspiring musician. He has a good heart and I think that he believes in a love at first sight. At least it seems like it. Jared makes his own music, writes songs about true love, soulmates and all those wonderful things that most of us are hoping to find.

Jared and Violet meet, he actually almost hits her with his car. They're living in this small town, where everyone knows each other. Violet is perfectly happy in her hometown, she doesn't want to live. Jared wants it all, fame and fortune, until Violet comes along. They fell in love fast. I love the way how Jared calls Violet "her flower". Swoon. He is getting offered a contract to record an album. He is ready to throw it all away for her. And what does she say; I don't want you.

It's funny how sometimes four little words can make so big difference. It can make your once warm and open heart to cold and closed. It can make your home feel nothing like home. That's why you should always think what you're saying. There are reasons why Violet said what she did, but boy, neither one of them survived without scars.

After three long years they meet again. Jared is a big rock star. Violet works in her family's restaurant. They meet and sparks fly. Jared states multiple times that "I don't want to want her. But I do. I don't want to hurt her. But I do." They need to find a common ground, but what does it take to be happy again?

If you love rock star romance as much as I do; I'll absolutely recommend this book to you. If you love second-chance romance then I'll recommend this book to you. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I Don't Want You by V. McFarlane

Independently published

2020

Favorites

We all have those, favorites. We have a favorite brand of shampoo, we have a favorite food, we have a favorite drink, favorite shirt, shoes, movie, tv show. The list just goes on.

I have posted about few of my favorite books. But there's no way that I could name only one book. My favorite books depends on my mood, it depends of what kind of books I've read lately. If I am on a romance kick it's highly possible that my favorite books are from that genre. If I'm reading a dystopian book, I'll remember all the good books on that genre has.

I have read thousands of books since I learned how to read. Growing up in a small town almost in middle of nowhere has it's good sides, but it also had it's bad sides. The libraries where nothing like in the big cities. The book stores (there were those when I was a kid) didn't have all the same books as the stores in big cities had. But I always found something to read. 

These days we have so many possibilities. We have e-books, paperbacks, audiobooks. We have libraries, Kindles, stores, online stores. I have ordered books around the world and there hasn't been a time when I haven't been able to find a book. I think that we're living in a readers world. Books are everywhere! You will definitely find a book you like, even if you say you're not a reader. There is a book out there that you'll like, I promise!

Favorite authors. You have those, right? I have favorite authors. I have had favorite authors, whose books aren't so important to me anymore. I think it's part of growing up and changing as a human. Your opinions change, your life changes and the books you read change, too. For now my favorite authors are Rebecca Yarros and Emma Scott. I haven't read every book that Mrs. Yarros has written nor I have loved every book Mrs. Scott has written. I don't believe that there is an author out there whose every book is perfect. That's impossible. There is no way that an author publishes 20 books and I love every single one of those books. I don't think that's the point, even. The reasons why these two are my favorite authors now has as much to do with their way to interact with their readers as their ability write amazing books. 

I admire other authors, too. Some just because of their ability write awesome books. I don't belong to their reader groups or anything. I just love the books they have written. Some authors I admire, because they are not afraid to open their mouths when they face something unfair. I might have not liked their books, but that's okay. 

Leave a comment and tell me what book is your favorite. You can find a few of my favorites in here. I'll try to do a new favorite post soon, maybe something else than a romance.

p.s. here's my IG if you want to check it out.

Kick Push / Coast by Jay McLean

It's impossible to tell how much I love skate boarding books. Too bad that I don't know how to skate at all. 

I have read few books by Jay McLean before. I think that almost everyone has read More Than This and if they haven't they totally should. Just make sure you've tissues nearby. Someone recommended Kick Push and Coast to me, when I stated how much I loved skate boarding. 

Sometimes you have this tiny problem with sports romance books. The book states that the hero plays some sport, but the book doesn't actually show the hero doing anything related to that said sport. The guy plays ice hockey and goes to practice, but we don't get to see what happens there. Do you know what I mean? 

In this duet we got to see what it was to actually skate whether it was for a fun or something you got paid for. That's a huge plus! Well done Jay McLean!

There is Josh (my favorite male name ever, btw 😍), who became a single father at the age of 17. Quite young, right? He has so many good qualities. He's a loving father, who would do anything for his son. He's loyal, funny, good looking (yep, how would I know? Because his good human and that makes him stunning), hard working. It's hard for him to ask help and he rarely does so. 

Then there is Becca. She has most beautiful eyes that Josh has ever seen. Becca doesn't let people in, she has her reasons. She likes to photograph and sees the world in a different perspective thanks to the lens of her camera. 

Becca and Josh meet when Tommy, Josh's son, is 3 years old. They became friends and there is something more swirling under the surface. Something that they finally start to explore. The summer is a short time to get to know to each other and when the summer turns to fall their paths diverge. 

So much more happens, but I won't even talk about it. You have to read the books to find out. These books are a statement of how you can really connect with other person even if you're a young and others say that it isn't real to feel so much towards someone else. These books are about love, about understanding and giving space. These books are about family; kids, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. But above else, these books tell you a story of friendship. How the friendships changes during the years. 

There were so many good moments in these books.  I am still amazed how Jay McLean can write books that are so depressing and joyful at the same time. She breaks your heart, but fills the pieces with happiness. She's a very talented author. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kick Push by Jay McLean

2015

Coast by Jay McLean

2016