Review: All I Want

ALL I WANT
Animal Magnetism #7
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available October 6th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Pilot-for-hire Zoe Stone is happy to call Sunshine, Idaho, her home base. But her quiet life is thrown for a loop when her brother’s friend Parker comes to stay with her for a week. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife special agent is a handsome flirt with a gift for getting under her skin. And the situation only escalates when Parker hires her to fly him around the area while he collects evidence on a suspected smuggler.

Now she has to live and work with the guy. But when they’re in the air, she sees another side of him. He’s driven, focused, and sharp. And while he enjoys giving commentary on her blind dates, she quickly realizes with a shock that it’s Parker who gets her engines going…

MY THOUGHTS
All I Want is yet another fun, engaging romance from Ms. Shalvis, delighting us with a sweet couple and a standout supporting cast of animal characters. Like the relationships before them, Zoe and Parker’s romance is low on the drama and high on the charm, starting with a kiss meant for someone else and continuing with a series of moments that should have been awkward but are completely endearing instead.

Zoe is a woman adapting to an empty nest since her younger brother and sister moved out to be with their significant others, so used to being the responsible, reliable one that she doesn’t know what to do with herself when Parker enters the picture and offers her help in small ways. She’s humorously outraged when she attempts to fix things and ends up making them worse instead, only to wake up the next morning and find her plumbing mishaps and other household issues not-so mysteriously remedied by her new tenant. It takes some convincing to get her to take a chance on Parker knowing his time in Sunshine, Idaho is short-lived, but once she does decide to go all-in she stays honest with herself and Parker for the duration of their fling. She knows he’s leaving, and as much as she wants to tell herself not to get emotionally attached, she knows herself better than that and just admits the feelings to Parker as they come.

Parker is as amused by Zoe’s determination to handle of all aspects of her life herself as we are, adorably enduring her narrowed-eyed glances when she notices that he’s gone behind her and fixed what she couldn’t. He’s as open and honest as she is, never once pretending that a relationship between the two of them is possible long term, and their communication is as much a highlight as their chemistry and their shared love of animals.

While all the books in the Animal Magnetism series have show-stealing furry and feathered characters, none (aside from Peanut the foul-mouthed parrot who does make a brief appearance) is as endearing as Zoe’s dog Oreo. His continual surprise over the fact that he farts nearly every time he barks will have dog owners giggling throughout, completely understanding the look of utter bafflement he directs at his hind end when it happens. Overall, All I Want is one of the strongest installments in this series, Oreo’s prominent role and the honesty (and heat!) between Zoe and Parker ensuring that we breeze right through this romance in no time at all.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Jill:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Still the One

STILL THE ONE
Animal Magnetism #6
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
320 pages
Berkley
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Darcy Stone is game for anything — except sexy Navy veteran and physical therapist A.J. Colten, the guy who'd rejected her when she'd needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately, Darcy can't refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.

A.J. admits it — Darcy is irresistible. But he's already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he's not making the same mistake twice—until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they'd ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What's the real thing? And where does it go from here?

MY THOUGHTS
Still the One returns us to the crazy but lovable crew whose various romances drive the Animal Magnetism series, and while Darcy and AJ are perhaps not the strongest of the couples we’ve met thus far, Ms. Shalvis never fails to bring a smile to our faces. Darcy is still smarting from the flat-out rejection AJ handed her a few months back, creating a mountain of delicious tension between them whenever she finds herself in his presence, and what follows is a romantic roller coaster with an equal number of ups and downs as the two of them attempt to navigate the minefield their relationship has become.

It’s easy to instantly relate to Darcy despite her instinctual response to push everyone away, the mortification she still feels over AJ’s rejection something that draws us in as we recall any number of our own similar embarrassments. While she’s not altogether pleased with AJ for most of the book, she doesn’t hold his past actions over him to such a degree that we want to scream at her to move past it, but she does pull him close and then push him away (though to be fair, he does much the same) with frustrating frequency. Some push and pull is to be expected given both their individual and shared pasts, but the number of times the two of them allow the other close just to turn on their heel and flee moments later is enough to give us whiplash.

It’s clear early on as to why AJ turned Darcy down when she made her move, and though his reasons were admirable, we can’t help but wish he’d opened his mouth and explained those reasons to Darcy at any point during their tumultuous courtship. There are of course highlights to the two of them together though, and a review for this series simply wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Peanut the foul-mouthed Parrot who steals the show despite a single brief appearance, but overall Still the One didn’t sail quite as smoothly as its predecessors.

Rating: 3.5/5
 

Find Jill:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Still The One Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I'm absurdly excited today to welcome author Jill Shalvis (*flails*) to the blog as part of the promotional tour for Still the One, the latest in her Animal Magnetism series. I absolutely adore all Jill's romances, but animal lover that I am, this series has a special place in my heart. I was lucky enough to be able to ask Jill a few questions, so I hope you all enjoy the interview! Don't forget to check the bottom of the post for all the details on a fantastic giveaway.

To help inspire those who have yet to experience the Animal Magnetism series (what are you waiting for?) to pick it up immediately, what are three things about this world and its characters they should definitely know?

1.That there are funny, sassy animals, such as a parrot who swears like a sailor and a 100 pound St. Bernard with a drool and gas problem.  ;-) 

2. Sexy, hot guys … guaranteed.   

3. Funny, sassy animals interacting with aforementioned sexy, hot guys.

If Darcy and AJ were to find out their romance was shared with the world in a piece of fiction, what do you think each of their reactions would be?

Darcy would no doubt be pissy about it. She’s not much for sharing… 

AJ wouldn’t care, he has nothing to hide. :-) 

Darcy is exceedingly good at pairing the right dogs with the right people to create the perfect fit. If she showed up at your door claiming to have a dog that would suit your life to a T, what kind of personality traits would that dog possess? 

Laidback, easy going, calm. And the dog would be able to chase off bears and yet appreciate the fine art of eating cookies. 

Darcy and AJ, due to inclement weather, find themselves having to participate in a series of trust exercises at a company retreat. Had you been there with them, which of the exercises would have been easiest/hardest for you?     

I would have had a hard time directing a blindfolded Alpha Man through that maze.  I have zero sense of direction…

Peanut, a parrot with a delightfully foul mouth, is always a highlight for me. Darcy added a fun new phrase to Peanut’s repertoire in this book, but she can hardly be blamed for all the bird’s choice words. Who would you say is most responsible for Peanut’s impressive vocabulary? 

100% Jade from Animal Attraction.  :-)

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Jill!

• • • • • • • • • • • •

STILL THE ONE

Darcy Stone is game for anything—except sexy Navy vet and physical therapist AJ Colten, the guy who’d rejected her when she’d needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately Darcy can’t refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.

AJ admits it—Darcy is irresistible. But he’s already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he’s not making the same mistake twice—until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they’d ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What’s the real thing? And where does it go from here?

Amazon • B&N • iBooks • Kobo • Books A Million

• • • • • • • • • • •

JILL SHALVIS

ill Shalvis is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. She has written more than four dozen romance novels and lives in Nevada with her family.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

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Mini Reviews: Straddling the Line + Then Came You

STRADDLING THE LINE
Play by Play #8
Jaci Burton
Adult Contemporary Romance
320 pages
Berkley
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Trevor Shay has it all—a successful football and baseball career, and any woman he wants. But when he finds out his college mentor’s daughter is in trouble, he drops everything to come to her aid.

Haven Briscoe has finally landed a dream job as a sportscaster for a major network. But she hasn’t been able to move past the recent death of her beloved father, and it’s affecting her career. A plum assignment following the daily life of sports superstar Trevor Shay might be just the inspiration she needs…

Trevor will do anything to spark life back into Haven, including letting her into every aspect of his world. The chemistry between them flames higher than one of Trevor’s home runs and faster than his dashes to the end zone. But as they grow closer, Haven stumbles onto Trevor’s closely guarded secret, one he’s hidden his entire life. And despite his protests, now it’s Haven’s turn to put everything on hold to help Trevor. Will he let her in and trust her with a secret that could blow his professional and personal world apart?

MY THOUGHTS
Straddling the Line is a quick and sexy contemporary romp, perfect for those days when we crave nothing more than a little heat and a satisfied smile when we reach the last page. The Play by Play series never fails to deliver in the steam department, our newest couple Trevor and Haven exhibiting the same combustible chemistry we've come to expect from Ms. Burton, and thankfully that chemistry comes largely free of drama. There are obviously problems our lead pair must overcome before they find their happily ever after, but never do our scalps tingle from the weight of fingers in our hair tugging mercilessly in frustration.

Haven, for all that she's as sexually adventurous as the rest of the women in this series, comes across a touch more timid than expected when we first crack the spine, and at times it almost feels as though the wildlife around her might burst into song at any moment in celebration of her sweetness and understanding. Luckily as the story progresses though, Haven finds her footing a bit more, comfortable enough with Trevor to reveal a flaw here and there which then helps us relate to her in a way we didn't in the beginning. While both begin their fun with no intention of it ever turning serious, when the inevitable occurs they don't fight it overly hard, instead finding their way over the hurdles between them with an ease that perfectly suits a lazy afternoon of romance.

Rating: 3.5/5
 

Find Jaci:

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THEN CAME YOU
Animal Magnetism #5
Jill Shalvis
Adult Contemporary Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Veterinary intern Emily can’t believe she wound up in the small town of Sunshine, Idaho, instead of the Los Angeles clinic she had always imagined. Now she has to put her plans to move to L.A. on hold for a whole year while she fulfills the obligation of her vet school scholarship.

Then Wyatt, her gorgeous one-night stand from a Reno vet conference, introduces himself as her new boss. And Emily is just as drawn to his seductive looks and quiet strength as she was on that very steamy night. She soon learns that Wyatt isn’t just a laid-back doctor, but a delicious alpha male tempting her away from her carefully laid-out plans...

MY THOUGHTS
Then Came You is a story full of adorable characters and sweet romance, the type of novel we pick up knowing we’ll find something light–but with substance–between the pages and will be left with a smile on our faces when we close the back cover. Ms. Shalvis always writes characters who feel incredibly real–cute with being cutesy, and with problems that aren’t so blown out of proportion for dramatic effect that our blood pressure rises to an unhealthy degree. Instead, Emily and Wyatt (and the crazy group of people who work at Belle Haven veterinary clinic) are a joy to spend an afternoon with, delighting us when their smooth moves are often accompanied by a social ineptitude that grounds them in reality even amidst the fiction of a contemporary romance.

Emily is an absolute trip, honest in quite possibly the most endearing way possible as she continually owns up to the fact that she can’t get Wyatt out of her head. She blurts out the fact that she’s absurdly attracted to him whenever they're together, and we can’t help but smile at the fact that coy is something she will never be. Wyatt is equally charming, just as suave as we like our romance heroes to be, but not so shiny and perfect that it feels as though he could only exist in the imaginations of women. The two of them do have a standard lack of communication issue toward the end, but it’s not drawn out to an infuriating degree and their reunion is laced with the same humor found throughout the book to ensure we’re left giddy with satisfaction. Overall, Jill Shalvis has written yet another fun and flirty installment in this series, rich in character development and chock-full of animal sidekicks (complete with a parrot who likes to yell out “boner” at random times) who win us over the minute they appear on page.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Jill:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

These books were sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Rumor Has It Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

RUMOR HAS IT
Animal Magnetism #4
Jill Shalvis
Adult Contemporary Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Special Ops soldier Griffin Reid doesn’t exactly have happy memories of growing up in Sunshine, Idaho. He’s only come back to recover from a war injury, and while he refuses to admit he’s in a weakened state, he finds comfort in the last person he’d expect.

Kate Evans teaches fourth grade science in Sunshine, the place she’s always called home. Dreaming of graduate school and a happily-ever-after, she’s desperate to break out of the monotony of Sunshine. Luckily, a certain sexy man has just come back into her life.

To Griffin, Kate as always been his little sister’s friend, but now he’s finding her to be so much more. As both attempt to forge their paths, they must decide if their passionate connection can turn into something lasting…

MY THOUGHTS
Rumor Has It is an absolute gem of a contemporary romance, filled with sexual tension and romantic sparks galore in addition to humor and charm, starting us off with a smile that never once slips from our faces as Kate and Griffin find their happy ending. Those who haven’t read the first three books in this series (like myself) will have absolutely no trouble settling into the story, Kate and Griffin’s romance something that easily stands on its own, the only thought we have with regard to the books that came before it is the mistake we made in not trying them sooner.

Many times with romances of any genre it’s the hero who is the standout, the one we female readers swoon over and pine for, wishing against all the laws of physics and the universe that the heroine’s shoes might magically fit on our feet so we can slide into them for real in order to bask in the attention of the alpha, beta, nerd, warrior, or any other type of delicious hero. While Griffin is no doubt worthy of an increased heart rate and rapid breathing, it’s Kate who is the highlight of this story; a woman so adorably awkward when she’s nervous that we fall in love with her instantaneously. Where some of us freeze in the presence of a good-looking man or perhaps even run away with all haste, Kate blurts out random and little-known science facts that have us wincing in sympathy for her even as we can’t help but smile at how cute she is.

In addition to her nearly uncontrollable tendency to regurgitate factoids whenever in Griffin’s presence, she is also extraordinarily low key, something we are eternally grateful for as we know with her leading us through this story we’ll never have to worry about dramatic meltdowns or gross overreactions. She’s upfront about what she wants with Griffin and is the first to give voice to her feelings, never really expecting anything from him in return but rather just putting them out there so he knows where she stands. When he fails to communicate (which to his credit isn’t often) or hurts her, instead of trying to hurt him in return or covering her hurt with attitude, she simply states her case about why she thinks he’s making a mistake. She’s never argumentative or confrontational, which is not to say she’s a pushover or a saint in any way, she undeniably has her own flaws, but she handles the murky waters of emotional attachment with far more grace than she does situations that make her nervous.

Overall, Rumor Has It is funny and light-hearted, with enough chemistry between Griffin and Kate to keep us devouring chapter after chapter, ravenous for the addictive happiness we feel whenever they’re together.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Jill:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

• • • • • • • • • • 

Q+A

As part of the promotional tour for Rumor Has It, Jill answered a variety of questions about romance, writing and of course this newest Animal Magnetism book, but there was one question in particular that jumped out at me and I simply had to share it with all of you. Jill and her husband are eerily similar to Kevin and me if the below conversation between them is any indication. I think we're pretty much the exact same couple ;-)

The interactions shared between you and Alpha Man always entertain; what is a recent “He Said, She Said” between you and Alpha Man that we may not have heard yet?
 
Me: What are you eating?
 
Him (mouth full): Nothing
 
Me: It smells like Oreos.
 
Him: …
 
Me: Are you … eating Oreos? I thought we were out of cookies!!
 
Him: There’s only four left.
 
Me: I need two.
 
Him: I’ll give you one.
 
Me: No! You can’t eat just one cookie!!! There’s a rule!!!
 
Him: Show me the book where this rule lives.

Me: I’LL WRITE YOU THE $%#!#$!@ book, give me a second cookie and no one gets hurt!
 
Him: Is it possible that you need something to go with that cookie?
 
Me: Milk?
 
Him: I was thinking Midol…

• • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the extraordinarily generous team at Berkley, I have one copy of Rumor Has It to give away on the blog today. To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.


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