Book Review: Miss Understood

Happy Monday! I know, Mondays are gross, but we're going to go into today hoping for the best, alright? I have a really busy week and I'm half excited to have things to do, a set schedule, but also already overwhelmed and wanting to just cover my head with a pillow. So I'm going to get through the week, and I have a few book reviews for you this week and maybe some other fun posts, so stay tuned for those!

Miss Understood - Miranda Elaine and Amie Knight

I've waited my whole life to catch her. They call her a criminal. A con-woman. A thief and too wild for her own good. But me? I just call her mine. --Officer Nathan Trent.

He's one of the good guys. Honorable. Reliable. I’ve loved him since we were kids. But there's no way I’ll let my wild ways tarnish his squeaky clean reputation. No matter how badly I wish he was mine. --Tillie Coletrain

Full stop, this is book two in a duet and I really think you have to read the first book, Miss Apprehended. Just know that going in. Don't let that overwhelm you because both books are less than 100 pages each so you will fly through both of these in a day.

You also need to go into these knowing these are a bit over the top in an absurd way. Is it reasonable to get married to someone in a day? No, that's nuts. The absurdity of it is what makes it fun and its what makes you laugh, and frankly, that is the kind of book we need right now. 

The story revolves around Tillie, basically the town's white trash bouncing checks all over town. Nate is a police officer charged with bringing her to justice. Well, he does that and it's hot but also unrealistic at minimum. We find out why Tillie is the way she is, and like her sister, she's kind of an idiot who doesn't understand that other people can and will help you. 

Overall, this was fun, I laughed a few times, and I really liked Nate the most. If I had to give a critique, I kind of wish there was more between Nate and Tillie. I feel like there was more between our main characters in book one, but this isn't a deal breaker. Also? Hannah! I want more of Hannah, especially after this story, what the heck?! Haha! 

I gave book one a 5 star, but this one is only a 4 star for me, it didn't feel as strong as the first one. It was still fun, it helped get me through my crappy mood yesterday. If you need a solid pick me up, or you are trying to hit your Goodreads goal and need some shorter books, these would be a fun duo to get into. 

Thank you to Social Butterfly PR for having me on this tour and sending me ARC's of both books!

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Book Review: Miss Apprehended

Happy Thursday! The end of the week is near, you guys and I am so excited about it. I am absolutely exhausted and I was hoping we would be able to do nothing but instead... we've got stuff happening. We have Olivia's birthday (fifteen!!!), we have to move some stuff out of the garage, figure out a solution for heating the front porch over winter so it can remain usable space, and I really want to paint a basement wall so Matt can finally get a laundry sink put in. 

No relaxing for us. 

I do have plans to read though! If you are looking for something quick and fun, I've got one for you. 

Miss Apprehended - Amie Knight & Miranda Elaine

I’ve got ninety-nine problems and all of them begin and end with the Coletrain twins.

Especially Millie Coletrain.

I don’t know whether to kiss her or spank her.

Either way, she’s mine.

Warning: This is an erotic novella with laugh-out-loud ridiculousness, insta-love, a smart-mouthed heroine, and an over-the-top alpha bail bondsman.

Before I even get into this, let's just be upfront, OK? You will read this in an hour, maybe two if you're slow. It's a novella and if you get bored with long books or just have a hard time staying focused on them, I think you need to get yourself into the novella fan club. Seriously. Novellas are a great size, and I think we can all appreciate that feeling when you finish a book. So we know this is short, but with that, you have to know going in that the story line is ridiculous and over the top. 

That's the fun of it. 

I'm a big fan of Amie Knight's anyways, so I'm game for anything she has out and this was just fun. I've been in a funk the last few days and I decided I would just pick this one up to mark it off my calendar and an hour later I find myself smiling and wanting the next one! 

Millie and Tillie Coletrain are twins, and one of them is wanted by the law. The other one routinely gets mistaken for her sister so when she finds herself up against a wall, being placed under arrest by Jake, she knows the deal. Until she turns around and it soon becomes clear between the both of them that there is real chemistry here and that this might be a bigger problem than either bargained for. 

I loved the humor in this book. The Britney Spears references, the dynamic between the twins themselves, even Jake's alpha male thing that isn't over the top/caveman, all of it was fun. I finished the book wanting to know what happened with Tillie, but she has her own novella, Miss Understood, so I'm anxious to read that because she seems like a firecracker to say the least. Also? I loved the "three years later" at the end! I always want to know what happens with our characters and so often we get squat diddly, but our authors know what we want and they gave it to us. 

A huge thank you to Social Butterfly PR for having me on this tour, this was definitely far more fun than I anticipated and it got me out of my little funk. I can't wait to keep going with these authors. 

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Book Review: The First Score

If you're like me, the events in the world the last week or so (oh hell, this entire year, lets be honest) have been a lot to deal with. And they should be, because hard discussions need to happen and we need to see actual change happening in the country, not just lip service. As a mother, I try so hard to do the right thing and have these conversations with my kids, not just so they know and do better than I do, but I also want them to be able to have a tough conversation, and not back down from it no matter how uncomfortable it makes them.

I also know that my own mental health isn't in a great place. If we're being honest, and you know I always am, it hasn't bee in a great space in years. Even before my birth trauma. I try very hard to push past it and help others and do what I can to make this a less crappy world.

So when I say I'm mentally not capable right now, it means I'm not capable right now. It doesn't mean I'm putting blinders on and wishing you all luck. It doesn't mean I care for you any less. It doesn't mean if you show up at my house I'm not going to let you in and feed you and we can watch the dumb zombie show Matt is watching. It means I'm going to jump in and fight for you, for everyone, but I can't help anyone if I don't put my own mask on first. I'm trying really hard to keep myself going. You can see that in the amount of books I'm reading, the less frequent family posts (because honestly, we're doing nothing and I'm sleeping half the day away because I just can't keep going), and I'm not visiting all of you as often. I'm still here. Stick with me.

The First Score - Amie Knight

There was something about that first score, and not just on the football field.

I loved all of life's firsts, which was why I’d been saving mine for one girl, my older sister’s best friend—Hazel Jones.

She was tough and sarcastic with walls around her heart as tall as a football stadium, but I knew she was the one for me.

Desperate times called for desperate measures and I’d have done anything to make her mine.

Like create a fake online persona.

Lie about my age.

Pretend I wasn’t some naive virgin.

And catfish the hell out of the love of my life.

I am a huge fan of Amie Knight so I will read anything and everything she puts out there because they are always fast reads, with great characters, genuine feelings, and lovely stories. I will tell you that not only do I not own a lot of football romance, I have zero books on my shelf that involve our lead male character being a virgin.

I know, right? I can't even think of another book that I've read that the man has been a virgin, let alone him a virgin and the woman not. Then let's add in the fact that Oliver and Hazel have been best friends forever because Oliver's sister Scarlett has been Hazel's best friend forever. So we've got this like best friends trio, and while Oliver is totally OK with it, Hazel... well, she's got some commitment issues.

*Here is a great time to let you know that Hazel self harms. Well, she did as a kid because her childhood was traumatic and chaotic.If this is a trigger for you, please be aware of that. There is no text in the book describing her actually doing it, and I feel like that's important to mention because there are different levels and reactions to triggers.*

Oliver knows that Hazel is IT for him and he basically waits all of these years for her and he kind of catfishes her, which blows up (obviously) and that was the catalyst for things to move. Which... they do but at an alarmingly slow rate and you just want to shake Hazel and beg her to stop being stupid already.

I loved Oliver. I was a little afraid that he would be kind of wimpy emotionally for me but he was anything but, he's the epitome of a solidly great guy. Hazel says so many times that she doesn't deserve him (she totally does), and there were a few times that the sentimental sucker in me was doing the gasping clutch of my chest because UGH. If just once in my life I could get that I could die happy.

And you're right, I'm married and it hasn't happened and I know I'm going to likely die without that romance and it is what it is.

Sigh.

I really loved this book. I'm excited to read about Scarlett and Luk's story even though we get a bit of a head start on it in this one. Oliver is the swoon worthy guy we all need. Hazel reminds me so much of myself in a lot of ways and I'm just as awkward and uncomfortable as she is so I could really identify with those parts.

Just... you'll really like this.

Thank you to Social Butterfly PR for having me on this tour, I'm a super fan of Amie Knight, and I can't wait to read what comes next!

   

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