Review // Moonshot, Hell's Kitchen, and Undeniably You

One of the things I love about the bookish world is that one book can evoke different feelings in all sorts of readers. One book can be a five-star read for me and a DNF for someone else. We all see something different because we're all different and I love exploring those differences by reading reviews.

Full disclosure: I read these books years ago, but I do remember enjoying them. Have you read them? Are you interested?

Moonshot by Alessandra Torre

Contemporary Sports Romance / dual pov / second chance

I grew up in an major league baseball dugout. The daughter of a famous pitcher, I was a little sister to every man on the team. A little sister they would fight to protect.

Chase Stern was the hottest rookie the MLB had ever seen and had sex appeal as lethal as his swing. He played like a God, partied like a Devil, and was the magic ingredient our team needed.

Chase knew he should stay away from me. He didn’t.

I tried to resist him. I couldn't.

And my first fall into love was incredible, every moment of it, until it wasn’t.

Four years later, I’m no longer in the dugout. I’m in the owner’s box, with a ring on my finger. The last thing I need in my life is Chase’s return but our team is losing. We need his bat. We need his arm.

I don’t need him to look at me. Or say my name. Or reach for me.

Maybe he’s forgotten me. Maybe the love that still burns in my heart has faded from his.

Or maybe our implosion is just now beginning.

Rating - ★★★★

This book was as beautifully written as I have come to expect from this author. I was immediately drawn into the story, and despite not knowing much about baseball, I found it all interesting. My dad and best friend are baseball fanatics and got quite sick of me pretending I was knowledgeable all because I read this book lol. Yes, I did try to talk like I knew something!

I loved the earlier connection between Chase and Ty. I love when characters are shown to have a rich, deep history that solidifies the bond we're supposed to assume they share. The development of their friendship/relationship was slow and sweet. Thankfully I felt a strong connection to that part of story because I couldn't stand Ty all that much later on. I just couldn't believe her ass. I started to doubt her authenticity. I didn't really feel the love. So the last third of the book, for me, was a bit... meh.

I really liked the suspenseful undertone of the story but I wanted something more from it. I'm not sure what I was looking for but I felt like something was missing. I wanted more of the craziness I guess.

I loved Chase. I liked Ty. I liked their story.

Hell's Kitchen by Callie Hart and Lily St. Germain

Contemporary Romance with suspense / organized crime

Theo and Sal Barbieri are brothers, tasked by their Mafioso father Roberto with a very clear purpose: kidnap Kaitlin McLaughlin. The beautiful daughter of Roberto’s Irish enemy. It’s high time Kaitlin was punished for her father’s sins—not to mention, her own.

And Operation: Kidnap Kaitlin is a roaring success… until it isn’t. When Kaitlin escapes into the busy streets of New York City, it’s a race against the clock to find her before Sal and Theo become the hunted.

Zeth Mayfair has traded his life as a hitman for a quieter existence, but it isn’t long before the past catches up with him in the form of Roberto Barbieri. Will he succumb to the lure of power that Roberto is offering? Or will he retaliate by killing every last Barbieri in New York to get them off his back?

Jason Ross is running. Woken in the night by a tip that the Gypsy Brothers are coming for him, he packs a bag and gets his girlfriend the hell out of dodge. Arriving in New York City in the midst of a heatwave is one thing, but being tailed by an entire drug cartel is another.

Worlds collide in Hell’s Kitchen as secrets come to light and sins are punished. Because we might be different in the light of day, but in the darkness, we’re all connected somehow.

Rating - ★★★★1/2

Can you imagine how pissed I was when I got to the end of this book???

Ha ha... cute and creepy at the same time huh?

This book was so freaking AMAZING and book 2 still hasn't been released!! I'm angry!!

Honestly, I'm not sure what I imagined or expected when I saw that these two fantastic authors would be collaborating on a new series. I just assumed it would be great. THEY DELIVERED!!

I got to see Zeth and Sloane. I saw Jace and Julz. And how hot were the additions of Sal and Theo Barbieri??? Those two brothers brought the funny and had me laughing my ass off.

There was action, suspense, drama, sex, sarcasm, badassness, hilarity, and all the other good sh!t that can be found in the works of these writers.

I guess I'll just patiently wait for the next book in the series.

NOTE: I was never able to continue this series because it literally disappeared from the web. I couldn't and still can't purchase the other books :(

Undeniably You by Jewel E. Ann

Sydney Montgomery doesn't plan to make a career out of house-sitting.

It's just the means to an end. In a month, she’s off to visit the galleries of Europe and finish up the degree she needs to make her career as a museum curator. The life she's been working for is finally within reach.

In the meantime, she’s getting paid to sip margaritas and wrangle a naughty dog poolside in California.

When the pool guy shows up with his hot body, cool persona, and eyes like iridescent blue oceans, she’s mesmerized. Except Dr. Lautner Sullivan isn’t the pool guy at all. He’s a college wide receiver turned pediatric resident that fate delivered to the wrong house.

Lautner is every girl’s dream, but Sydney is not every girl. She’s immune to rainbows, fairytales, surf-side picnics, and the “L” word.

Thirty days is all she plans to give him, but fate wants to give them forever.

Rating - ★★★★1/2

Contemporary Romance / cheating / emotional

Jewel E. Ann has a remarkable gift in creating stories that evoke pretty strong emotions. While reading this I laughed, cried sadly and pathetically, screamed, scratched my head baffled, and cried tears of happiness. This story had me upside down and backwards. At one point I wasn't sure a HEA was guaranteed for Lautner and Sydney. I wondered if I'd be treated to one of those bittersweet endings that I can't stand and silently complain about. Thankfully that was not the case. Phew! Despite Claire, Rose, Emma and Dane, love truly conquered all and did it beautifully. I wasn't sure my heart could take any more of their heartache, but at least it was worth it.