Showing posts with label Ari Reavis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ari Reavis. Show all posts
The Rules of Royalty, Undeserved, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Whispers in the Dark
August 21, 2024
Hello and Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is off to a great start!
I'm sharing four books I read and quite enjoyed and maybe you'll find something here to read too!
The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich
Contemporary LGBT Romance, forced proximity, royals, dual pov
Jamie Johnson has never been the centre of attention, and he’s perfectly okay with that. His entire world unravels as a hidden truth emerges: he's the heir to the throne of Mitanor, a sun-drenched southern European country, and the press is ready to expose this secret to the world. An invitation to spend the summer in his father's palace arrives, giving Jamie a chance to get to know the man he never thought he’d meet.
Meanwhile, in a northern European kingdom known for its cold climate and stoic royals, Erik Von Rosenborg, the spare prince, grapples with the upcoming marriage of his golden-boy elder brother. With the country’s spotlight trained on his family more than ever, Erik feels sidelined and tightly controlled. So when he receives an offer to tutor the newly found American prince in the ways of royalty, he accepts without hesitation.
At a magnificent summer palace, Erik guides Jamie through the intricacies of royal etiquette, politics, and history. What neither prince anticipates is the connection that sparks between them—one that challenges both of their futures. Now each must make a choice: follow their hearts, or the time-honored royal path where crown and country reigns supreme, no matter the personal cost.
Rating - 
I definitely got The Princess Diaries vibes from this story and found it easy to become enamored with the lead characters — Jamie, the young man who discovered he was a prince on his 17th birthday, and Erik, the prince tasked with teaching him the ins and outs of being a royal.
I liked the easy chemistry between the characters and how their friendship grew into something more intimate and meaningful. It's a clean romance with sweet queer representation and the royal families who accept, praise, support and love them.
I definitely got The Princess Diaries vibes from this story and found it easy to become enamored with the lead characters — Jamie, the young man who discovered he was a prince on his 17th birthday, and Erik, the prince tasked with teaching him the ins and outs of being a royal.
I liked the easy chemistry between the characters and how their friendship grew into something more intimate and meaningful. It's a clean romance with sweet queer representation and the royal families who accept, praise, support and love them.
Undeserved by Ari Reavis
Contemporary Romance, instalust, descriptive heat, dual pov
Undeserved.
That’s what Bryce feels his one night with Maya is. But he knows it’s all he can allow himself to have with her because of the vow he’s made. No love, no feelings, no relationships, no commitments. Never again. Those promises work perfectly fine until he meets Maya, and realizes he’s unable to get her off of his mind, or stop wanting her in his bed.
Maya doesn’t want anything to do with love; something she’s only ever known to come with conditions and judgment. So it’s easy for her to agree to Bryce’s rules of not letting feelings get involved. But she can’t help what being around him does to her, or the way he has her wondering if broken rules are worth the cost.
A positive pregnancy test is something neither of them expects. It changes everything, and yet their apprehensions remain the same. His walls are too high to climb. She’s fighting to keep her walls from crumbling down. Throw a baby into the mix and things can get…interesting.
Rating - 1/2
I got why Bryce was hesitant to fall in love again. Being left at the altar without an explanation would drive the knife pretty deep into anyone's heart. But I loved how irresistible Maya was to him. The more distance he wanted to put between them, the tighter he held onto her. She had her own baggage, but I was impressed with how wholly she devoted herself to their relationship. I swear, Ari Reavis has such a way with describing the emotions her characters go through and I couldn't help but feel everything. I was frustrated and intrigued and delighted and if you're someone who loves the way angst pulls at your heart, you'll enjoy this book too.
1/2I got why Bryce was hesitant to fall in love again. Being left at the altar without an explanation would drive the knife pretty deep into anyone's heart. But I loved how irresistible Maya was to him. The more distance he wanted to put between them, the tighter he held onto her. She had her own baggage, but I was impressed with how wholly she devoted herself to their relationship. I swear, Ari Reavis has such a way with describing the emotions her characters go through and I couldn't help but feel everything. I was frustrated and intrigued and delighted and if you're someone who loves the way angst pulls at your heart, you'll enjoy this book too.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Fantasy Romance, enemies to lovers, vaguely descriptive heat, singular pov
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Rating -
I read and loved the Crescent City series and figured it was about time to find out where all the hype began. A few years ago I was gifted the entire hardcover set of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and thought it was about time I started it.
Did I read the same book as everyone else?
With over two million ratings on Goodreads and many of them five stars, I expected the same greatness I found with Crescent City. I expected to fall deeply in love with the world, the characters, and everything in between.
Not so much.
I was bored for most of this book. I think I'm just tired of these tropes. You know the ones, where the girl is basically plucked from obscurity and yet she's the greatest thing to behold since the creation of sliced bread. She can do no evil and the ones she actually wronged are the ones bending over backward to apologize, make her feel better, be accommodating to her whims.
Over it.
So Feyre's family had descended into poverty due to her father's poor decisions. They would all starve if she hadn't figured out how to hunt. When she intentionally kills a fae wolf, she happily skins it and parcels out the meat. When Tamlin comes for her, she can only hope her family will survive without her. And when she enters the faerie lands, she quickly finds that nothing is as blissful as it seems.
I definitely got the Beauty and the Beast vibes from this story and I wish that I could have read other perspectives, especially when most of the secrets were revealed. This ended on a great note so I'm not sure if I'll be continuing the series, but never say never.
I read and loved the Crescent City series and figured it was about time to find out where all the hype began. A few years ago I was gifted the entire hardcover set of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and thought it was about time I started it.
Did I read the same book as everyone else?
With over two million ratings on Goodreads and many of them five stars, I expected the same greatness I found with Crescent City. I expected to fall deeply in love with the world, the characters, and everything in between.
Not so much.
I was bored for most of this book. I think I'm just tired of these tropes. You know the ones, where the girl is basically plucked from obscurity and yet she's the greatest thing to behold since the creation of sliced bread. She can do no evil and the ones she actually wronged are the ones bending over backward to apologize, make her feel better, be accommodating to her whims.
Over it.
So Feyre's family had descended into poverty due to her father's poor decisions. They would all starve if she hadn't figured out how to hunt. When she intentionally kills a fae wolf, she happily skins it and parcels out the meat. When Tamlin comes for her, she can only hope her family will survive without her. And when she enters the faerie lands, she quickly finds that nothing is as blissful as it seems.
I definitely got the Beauty and the Beast vibes from this story and I wish that I could have read other perspectives, especially when most of the secrets were revealed. This ended on a great note so I'm not sure if I'll be continuing the series, but never say never.
Whispers in the Dark by Nikole Knight & Lily Mayne
Paranormal Monster Romance, instalove, single pov, filthy heat
At twenty-four, Cody has already lost hope of having a life of his own. All his time is spent playing nurse to a dying, spiteful step-father and maid to his bully half-brother. His only escapes are playing his favorite online fantasy game, Black Oasis, and talking to the strange, unearthly presence under his bed that may or may not actually exist.
But everything changes when his nightly visitor, who introduces himself as Nor, starts talking back.
As their connection deepens, Nor invites Cody into the surreal world existing just beyond his nightmares, filled with haughty demons, passion-killing pet bugs named Gef, and a dark landscape that is oddly familiar. With his sweet but monstrous companion by his side, Cody might finally gain the life of freedom and adventure that he’s always wanted.
Rating -
Cody had a rough home life, with no hope for escape on the horizon. He found out the man who hated him all his life is not really his father. His mother is apathetic. And his big brother is a perverted psycho who lives to torture him daily. And then something goes bump in the night, under his bed, and a life Cody couldn't have even hoped for is right there for the taking.
He only had to dream.
I loved that Nor was a nightmare demon and how protective he was over his sweet Cody. There isn't much substance in this story, not like I'm used to from Lily Mayne, but if you love sweet and spicy monster romance, you'll enjoy this book.
Cody had a rough home life, with no hope for escape on the horizon. He found out the man who hated him all his life is not really his father. His mother is apathetic. And his big brother is a perverted psycho who lives to torture him daily. And then something goes bump in the night, under his bed, and a life Cody couldn't have even hoped for is right there for the taking.
He only had to dream.
I loved that Nor was a nightmare demon and how protective he was over his sweet Cody. There isn't much substance in this story, not like I'm used to from Lily Mayne, but if you love sweet and spicy monster romance, you'll enjoy this book.
"We're forever. The unintended became a love I could never live without it."
"You'll never have to."
Available in Kindle Unlimited — https://amzn.to/4bVqBXF
"You'll never have to."
Available in Kindle Unlimited — https://amzn.to/4bVqBXF
Unintended by Ari Reavis
Rating -
Standalone - More Than One Night #2
Release - January 16, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / one night stand (instalove)
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 238 pages
Previous book in the series: Unexpected
Unintended.
That’s exactly what the first time Livia and Owen come face to face is. When she tases a guy she thinks is trying to break into her hotel room, she doesn’t expect that to somehow turn into a date. And that date certainly isn’t supposed to turn into a one night stand.
Owen may be curled into a ball on the floor, but even that doesn’t stop him from noticing the beauty before him. He’s not going to let the pain prevent him from using their electrifying beginning to get Livia to agree to go out with him. With each smile, laugh, and time that her eyes come to his, he realizes one night with her will never be enough.
Their one night stand is far from the end of their time together though. A pregnancy makes sure of that. There’s too much on the line now for either of them to leave, but Livia has secrets that could tear everything they’re building apart. They’ll have to fight to stay together, because something much more violent is going to try to rip them apart.
That’s exactly what the first time Livia and Owen come face to face is. When she tases a guy she thinks is trying to break into her hotel room, she doesn’t expect that to somehow turn into a date. And that date certainly isn’t supposed to turn into a one night stand.
Owen may be curled into a ball on the floor, but even that doesn’t stop him from noticing the beauty before him. He’s not going to let the pain prevent him from using their electrifying beginning to get Livia to agree to go out with him. With each smile, laugh, and time that her eyes come to his, he realizes one night with her will never be enough.
Their one night stand is far from the end of their time together though. A pregnancy makes sure of that. There’s too much on the line now for either of them to leave, but Livia has secrets that could tear everything they’re building apart. They’ll have to fight to stay together, because something much more violent is going to try to rip them apart.
Ari Reavis has this consistent ability to tug at my heartstrings. Her books are so unique, her stories are full of feels, and I'm in love with the way she writes.
Livia had escaped a traumatic relationship and was determined to never give her heart to anyone ever again. Then she met Owen, a man unlike any other and she couldn't help but give him all of herself and more. He deserved someone special because Owen was one heck of a guy and I was thrilled that Livia, despite her fear, stepped up to the plate. Their relationship was so special and while there was a ton of tension, angst, and absolute terror, their love shone through every moment.
This second book of the series was much darker than the first, but this difference was still tempered by the love story that developed between these characters. Livia's ex was a nightmare, and his antics were extremely dangerous, but it only added dimension to what Livia and Owen shared. That no matter what came at them, they would face it together.
I was so happy to see the first couple make appearances throughout the story and Livia's dad and Owen's uncle were such amazing father figures.. I've been getting teased with Bryce's story and I'm excited to get to that one next.
Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.
Find more about Ari and her books on her site: https://arireavis.wordpress.com
"You're much more interesting."
"Hmm. You should be careful, Elijah."
"Of?"
"Making me fall for you."
"Why would I want to avoid you doing for me what I'm doing for you?"
"Hmm. You should be careful, Elijah."
"Of?"
"Making me fall for you."
"Why would I want to avoid you doing for me what I'm doing for you?"
────── ♔ ──────
The Ones Left Behind by Ari Reavis
Standalone
Release - July 1, 2022
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several explicit scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 298 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - July 1, 2022
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several explicit scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 298 pages
Publisher - Indie
When Jolie lost her sister, she never thought she would smile again. It was hard enough to go on, let alone think about being happy. But then a stranger walks into the support group her parents force her to go to, and for the first time, in a long time, someone makes her want to know more about them.
Elijah’s been drowning in guilt since his best friend died. Not thinking the support group will actually help but not knowing where else to go, he walks into the room and silently takes a seat. When he looks at the woman a few seats down, something in her eyes makes him think maybe she’s the one person who can truly understand him.
They build a bond through their grief, but then very different emotions begin to come into play. Can they heal from their losses enough to discover what they could have together? Or are the scars caused by the ones who left them behind too deep?
TW: Both of the main characters have recently had a loved one commit suicide. This book deals heavily with this subject, as well as mental illness. The suicide does not take place on page, but is described.
My Two Cents
4 "The New Normal" stars
I've pretty much moved out of my contemporary romance phase, but there's something about the way this author writes that keeps making me come back!
I don't know how she made something that should have been incredibly sad into something that was incredibly sweet, but that's exactly what she did.
When you lose someone, especially in the ways that both Elijah and Jolie lost someone, how do you ever get past it? Through it? How does one accept that there will never be answers to their many questions and move on?
The Ones Left Behind told me there's no one answer on how to move through grief. It's different for all of us and not everyone will understand how you feel. And that's okay. Your feelings are valid and if you're really lucky, like Elijah and Jolie were, you'll find someone special who'll truly get it. Who'll stand by you through any and everything. Who will love you through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad.
So while this story could have been heartbreaking, it had too many happy and uplifting moments to really get me down. It was full of hope and honesty and when it feels so real, it's impossible not to love it!
About the Author
Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.
Visit https://arireavis.wordpress.com for more information
Isn't that all I ever wanted?
To be seen as something more,
someone more,
just... more.
To be seen as something more,
someone more,
just... more.
────── ♔ ──────
Trouble by Ari Reavis
Standalone - Unwavering Love #3
Release - December 6, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / bad boy meets good girl
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 215 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - December 6, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / bad boy meets good girl
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 215 pages
Publisher - Indie
Trouble.
People don’t understand how much power a name holds. Justin has been known as Trouble for as far back as he can remember. He’s never seen any other choice than to live up to his name so he can be able to take care of his younger brother. But then…he meets her, and his name begins to feel like a burden he no longer wants to bear.
The moment a handsome stranger walks into Lena’s office, she wants to know what story lays beneath his many tattoos and sexy grin. Putting a hard past behind her, she’s starting her future, but now she can’t help but wonder how Justin might fit into it. She couldn’t have imagined just how much he would change her life, how much he would change everything.
She only knows him as Justin. How long can Trouble stay hidden? When their worlds collide and the secrets between them are exposed, can they survive them?
Find your copy of Trouble here:
Goodreads * Amazon
My Two Cents
5 "Always love a bad boy" stars
"Trouble" was anything but.
Justin knew what it was to struggle and survive. Abandoned by those who were supposed to care the most, he took on the responsibility of raising his little brother. However, with no education and no marketable skills, there was only one job he was qualified for in the hood. And thriving? He would leave that for his brother.
Lena knew what it was to struggle and survive. Alone and abandoned, she grew up in the system. Instead of taking the hard road, she was determined to succeed.
So different and yet so compatible. When they meet, they recognize something in the other that was necessary in their lives. Their relationship blossomed organically and beautifully and I was in love with the way they loved each other.
"I will always be here to help you see the best parts of yourself, Justin." - Lena
So beautiful!
My heart hurt for all that Justin had to go through, for all that his brother had to go through, but I loved how they powered through everything. I loved their dynamic and found myself rooting for their success. And can someone find me a Miss Lydia and/or a Miss Lou to come save a chick?
Oh and let's not forget the ending of this book... If I wasn't already going to rate it highly, the lump in my throat at the end as I forced myself not to cry made its five-star-worthiness quite clear. I can't recommend this author enough. She writes such authentic characters and heartwarming stories and everyone who loves romance should be reading her.
About the Author
Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.
Visit https://arireavis.wordpress.com/ for more information
I've never done this before, but with the HUGE SALE Ari Reavis is having, I couldn't help but create a post to share the news!
So... what can I tell you about this author? She has to be one of the most underrated romance authors I've come across. I've read everything she's written. I mean EVER-Y-THANG and she never disappoints. Contemporary Romance? Nailed it. Fantasy? She crushed that too.
Her writing is beautiful. She creates stunning characters. And her intimate scenes... yeah, read those indoors lol.
And now she's got five books on sale. Five paperbacks and because I've already grabbed the two that I didn't already have, I'm giving you the chance to meet an author that may quickly become one of your favorites too!
Check out my review
Ebony's been trying to pull herself out of the darkness for longer than she cares to admit, but each day only seems to bring her deeper. Music is her only escape from a life that revolves around her siblings and getting through the next day. Then a ray of light is shining through, making her see she might not be as alone as she thought.
Marcus has his own story to tell and Ebony’s the only one he wants to share it with. He’s been waiting for her to notice him, hoping for the chance to prove he’s worthy of her letting him in. Now that he has her attention, he's ready to show her just how beautiful a life with them together could be.
Opening up her world to Marcus might be the hardest thing Ebony has ever done, and when her past threatens to drag her back under again, will he remain at her side? Can Ebony overcome, what has always seemed like, insurmountable odds and find her way to the light?
Check out my review
You are cordially invited to a wedding...
The date has been picked; the planning has begun. All that’s needed now is a groom. Angela never saw herself asking a complete stranger to marry her, but with her wedding drawing closer, she’s left with little choice. The arrangement is simple. Convince her parents they’re head over heels for each other, get married, and then go their separate ways. But she didn’t anticipate her heart having plans of its own.
Tristan thought he was meeting her for their first date, but ends up getting a marriage proposal instead. His past makes it easy to understand why Angela needs a fake fiancé. And how hard could it be to go along with her charade anyway? But his feelings never agreed to play by the rules. Neither of them considered what would happen when faking it stopped being enough. What do you do when you start falling for the person you’re marrying?
Check out my review
Girl meets boy, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. But what happens when, instead of meeting one boy, the girl meets two?
With Emily starting college, she figures it’s the perfect time to break out of her shell and have a new beginning. She doesn’t expect that in rewriting her story, it would include a love triangle.
First she meets Julian. She can’t help but notice his shirts with quotes on them, that match his quirky personality, his crooked smile and ruffled hair. He understands her in ways few others do. That’s what makes her afraid to let him get too close.
Then she meets Will. He’s from a different world, different crowd. When he goes out of his way to show her just how well she fits in his life, she finds herself getting swept up all too easily. Sometimes though, opposites really shouldn’t attract.
Girl meets boys and soon the choice isn’t which one of them is better, but who she’s better with.
Check out my review
The Unspoken One has been banished for many years, his very existence erased. Ameera must find his true name and summon him if she has any hope of saving her kingdom from war, and herself from marriage to a ruthless king.
The Kingdom of Nur has been suffering for years under Ameera’s father’s rule. She's bid her time, carefully keeping her secret hidden and waiting to become queen so she can repair what her father has broken. Then an unwanted marriage to the brutal king of Nur’s enemy threatens everything she’s worked towards.
With her wedding drawing near and the future of her kingdom in peril, she finds the forbidden name. She knows The Unspoken One is her last chance to save Nur, but she risks much in summoning him. His magic is not understood, the crime he was banished for is unknown, and speaking his name carries an unbearable punishment.
For Nur, for herself, she must risk it all. Or lose everything she holds dear.
She speaks the name too many have paid a painful price for uttering. Nothing, not the kingdom, their lives, or her heart, will ever be the same.
Check out my review
When a guy saves you from a horrible blind date, you don’t expect to end up dating him.
Mariah’s confusion over why a man is pretending to know her quickly fades once she realizes the handsome stranger winking at her is trying to save her. If she leaves with him, what might this night turn into?
Damir knows he can’t watch the beautiful woman across the restaurant cringe one more time without stepping in to help her. He promises he would take her on a much better date than the one she just left, but will she give him the chance to prove it?
He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget. She's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.
Can such an imperfect beginning turn into exactly what they both need?
I hope you grab one of these today and that you fall in love with the talent that is Ari Reavis as much as I did!
So... what can I tell you about this author? She has to be one of the most underrated romance authors I've come across. I've read everything she's written. I mean EVER-Y-THANG and she never disappoints. Contemporary Romance? Nailed it. Fantasy? She crushed that too.
Her writing is beautiful. She creates stunning characters. And her intimate scenes... yeah, read those indoors lol.
And now she's got five books on sale. Five paperbacks and because I've already grabbed the two that I didn't already have, I'm giving you the chance to meet an author that may quickly become one of your favorites too!
Be My Light is ONLY $6.99 ~ on Amazon
Check out my review
Ebony's been trying to pull herself out of the darkness for longer than she cares to admit, but each day only seems to bring her deeper. Music is her only escape from a life that revolves around her siblings and getting through the next day. Then a ray of light is shining through, making her see she might not be as alone as she thought.
Marcus has his own story to tell and Ebony’s the only one he wants to share it with. He’s been waiting for her to notice him, hoping for the chance to prove he’s worthy of her letting him in. Now that he has her attention, he's ready to show her just how beautiful a life with them together could be.
Opening up her world to Marcus might be the hardest thing Ebony has ever done, and when her past threatens to drag her back under again, will he remain at her side? Can Ebony overcome, what has always seemed like, insurmountable odds and find her way to the light?
────── ♔ ──────
Just Fake It is ONLY $5.99 ~ on Amazon
Check out my review
You are cordially invited to a wedding...
The date has been picked; the planning has begun. All that’s needed now is a groom. Angela never saw herself asking a complete stranger to marry her, but with her wedding drawing closer, she’s left with little choice. The arrangement is simple. Convince her parents they’re head over heels for each other, get married, and then go their separate ways. But she didn’t anticipate her heart having plans of its own.
Tristan thought he was meeting her for their first date, but ends up getting a marriage proposal instead. His past makes it easy to understand why Angela needs a fake fiancé. And how hard could it be to go along with her charade anyway? But his feelings never agreed to play by the rules. Neither of them considered what would happen when faking it stopped being enough. What do you do when you start falling for the person you’re marrying?
────── ♔ ──────
Girl Meets Boys is ONLY $5.99 ~ on Amazon
Check out my review
Girl meets boy, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. But what happens when, instead of meeting one boy, the girl meets two?
With Emily starting college, she figures it’s the perfect time to break out of her shell and have a new beginning. She doesn’t expect that in rewriting her story, it would include a love triangle.
First she meets Julian. She can’t help but notice his shirts with quotes on them, that match his quirky personality, his crooked smile and ruffled hair. He understands her in ways few others do. That’s what makes her afraid to let him get too close.
Then she meets Will. He’s from a different world, different crowd. When he goes out of his way to show her just how well she fits in his life, she finds herself getting swept up all too easily. Sometimes though, opposites really shouldn’t attract.
Girl meets boys and soon the choice isn’t which one of them is better, but who she’s better with.
────── ♔ ──────
Unspoken is ONLY $7.99 ~ on Amazon
Check out my review
The Unspoken One has been banished for many years, his very existence erased. Ameera must find his true name and summon him if she has any hope of saving her kingdom from war, and herself from marriage to a ruthless king.
The Kingdom of Nur has been suffering for years under Ameera’s father’s rule. She's bid her time, carefully keeping her secret hidden and waiting to become queen so she can repair what her father has broken. Then an unwanted marriage to the brutal king of Nur’s enemy threatens everything she’s worked towards.
With her wedding drawing near and the future of her kingdom in peril, she finds the forbidden name. She knows The Unspoken One is her last chance to save Nur, but she risks much in summoning him. His magic is not understood, the crime he was banished for is unknown, and speaking his name carries an unbearable punishment.
For Nur, for herself, she must risk it all. Or lose everything she holds dear.
She speaks the name too many have paid a painful price for uttering. Nothing, not the kingdom, their lives, or her heart, will ever be the same.
────── ♔ ──────
Imperfect is ONLY $5.99 ~ on Amazon
Check out my review
When a guy saves you from a horrible blind date, you don’t expect to end up dating him.
Mariah’s confusion over why a man is pretending to know her quickly fades once she realizes the handsome stranger winking at her is trying to save her. If she leaves with him, what might this night turn into?
Damir knows he can’t watch the beautiful woman across the restaurant cringe one more time without stepping in to help her. He promises he would take her on a much better date than the one she just left, but will she give him the chance to prove it?
He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget. She's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.
Can such an imperfect beginning turn into exactly what they both need?
I hope you grab one of these today and that you fall in love with the talent that is Ari Reavis as much as I did!
xo, Natalie
"Let yourself fall apart if you need to, and I'll be here to help put you back together when you're ready."
────── ♔ ──────
Scarred by Ari Reavis
Standalone
Release - October 20, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 202
Publisher - Indie
Release - October 20, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 202
Publisher - Indie
It’s the scars of the past that keep us from seeing what the future could hold.
Liam has scars that remind him daily why he refuses to allow love into his life. What good is it when it only leads to anger and hatred later on? But then he literally bumps into someone who makes him wonder if there is more to life than reliving the pain of what he’s been through.
Some scars are easier to bear than others.
Nia can’t look in the mirror without being reminded of what she’s endured. She carries the past with her like a living darkness wherever she goes. When she meets someone who looks beyond her scar, she dares to hope for a future she never thought possible.
But the past never stays dead for long.
When the ghosts of the past come back to haunt them both, can they make it through together? Or will the fear and uncertainty tear them apart before they can find happiness? The past and present collide and they’ll have to fight for each other if they want to have a future.
Find your copy of Scarred by Ari Reavis on Amazon
https://amzn.to/3B7NDrV
My Two Cents
I consider every book by Ari Reavis to be a comfort read. While no two stories are alike, and each one gives me a unique experience, they all read like I'm coming home.
After meeting Liam and then Nia in Imperfect, I didn't think I needed more. I was cool with what I knew. Then I picked up this book and realized how necessary their story was. How else was I going to fall in love with them?
Both characters had traumatic pasts, things done to them that affected how they went about their daily lives, and yet they thrived. Neither of them hid or fell apart. And together... they created something magical. Liam and Nia were such wonderful, kind, compassionate, patient, and understanding characters. I felt their pain, their confusion, their fears, their blossoming love, and all of their joy.
I love when an author can give us something so stunningly beautiful out of the ugliness that created deep emotional and physical scars.
About the Author
Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.
Visit https://arireavis.wordpress.com/ for more information
"I've never been in love," I whisper.
"Me neither, but I can't wait to see how it feels."
"With me?"
"With you. Only with you."
"Me neither, but I can't wait to see how it feels."
"With me?"
"With you. Only with you."
Add it to Goodreads / Find it on Amazon
Standalone
Release - July 5, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance/instant connection/interracial
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 263 pages
Publisher - Indie
When a guy saves you from a horrible blind date, you don’t expect to end up dating him.
Mariah’s confusion over why a man is pretending to know her quickly fades once she realizes the handsome stranger winking at her is trying to save her. If she leaves with him, what might this night turn into?
Damir knows he can’t watch the beautiful woman across the restaurant cringe one more time without stepping in to help her. He promises he would take her on a much better date than the one she just left, but will she give him the chance to prove it?
He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget. She's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.
Can such an imperfect beginning turn into exactly what they both need?
Abuse and neglect haunted Mariah's past and it was with the love of her big brother that she was able to love and thrive.
On one seriously terrible first date, Damir comes to Mariah's rescue and his white knight behavior doesn't stop there. They quickly fall in love, discovering they both want the fugture the other envisions.
One major problem: the cops who harass Damir and won't allow him to move on from his past.
I enjoyed many elements of this story, such as...
* the easy chemistry between the characters
* how simple and sweet the secondary characters were
* the way the author illustrated the harassment Damir suffered
While I didn't find this book to be as suspenseful as it purported to be, I did find it entertaining so recommending it comes easy.
Find more about Ari and her books on her site: https://arireavis.wordpress.com/
I feel myself losing control again. Feel the magic churning in my gut like it wants to completely overtake me and burn this palace to the ground. I have never felt so desperate, so reckless. And even with so much power, more than I've ever felt before, I have never flt more powerless. I have magic I cannot use. A title that offers me no protection here. And a father who is feeding me to a monster piece by piece, and all with a smile because he thinks it will save him from the very same fate.
Unspoken by Ari Reavis
Standalone - Nur Series #1
Release - April 12, 2021
Genre - Fantasy Romance
Single POV - Ameera (heroine)
Heat Level - 3.5 (a couple of scenes)
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 295 pages
Publisher - Indie
The Unspoken One has been banished for many years, his very existence erased. Ameera must find his true name and summon him if she has any hope of saving her kingdom from war, and herself from marriage to a ruthless king.
The Kingdom of Nur has been suffering for years under Ameera’s father’s rule. She's bid her time, carefully keeping her secret hidden and waiting to become queen so she can repair what her father has broken. Then an unwanted marriage to the brutal king of Nur’s enemy threatens everything she’s worked towards.
With her wedding drawing near and the future of her kingdom in peril, she finds the forbidden name. She knows The Unspoken One is her last chance to save Nur, but she risks much in summoning him. His magic is not understood, the crime he was banished for is unknown, and speaking his name carries an unbearable punishment.
For Nur, for herself, she must risk it all. Or lose everything she holds dear.
She speaks the name too many have paid a painful price for uttering. Nothing, not the kingdom, their lives, or her heart, will ever be the same.
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2PGWXAo
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2O7tnnc
Ameera is the last living child of a ruthless and tyrannical king. Desperate to save himself from impending war, he promises his daughter's hand to an equally devious, if not murderous, king to unite the kingdoms. Too bad Ameera has no intention of tying herself to man who cares only for himself, imposing death, conquering lands, and starving his people.
She has hopes that when it is her turn to rule, she can fix what her father has broken. She can begin to rebuild her once glorious home. But she cannot accomplish all she hopes for alone. She must invoke the name of the man who was banished from Nur. A man who is called upon to right wrongs, to fight for justice. A man who could bring about her end before she's even started.
I found it impossible not to want to join in on Ameera's fight. This woman, who has been beaten down by her father since her birth. This woman, who has been humiliated before the entire kingdom. This woman, who only wants to bring prosperity and success to her people. This woman, who is absolutely deserving of the greatest of loves... How could I not want her to triumph?
And the love story that developed? I couldn't have asked for more. So much can be said without saying a word and the author did an incredible job of capturing that. The tension between Ameera and Hamza... their chemistry... I lived for their every interaction!
With Unspoken, I was lost to the magic and the wonder that was created. I was easily able to picture the halls of Ameera's palace. I believed I could feel Nur's cool autumn breeze or the bitter cold of Sameer. From the downtrodden and the oppressed to a princess who was treated as a pauper, this story made the fantastical seem real.
Find more about Ari and her books on her site: https://arireavis.wordpress.com/
"I'm fighting for you, Emily. I don't even mind the fight because I know in the end that you'll see I'm the better man. But what I won't do is fight for someone who won't even be there in the end. Someone who'll fade away trying to be like everyone else. I won't fight for someone who won't even be the girl I want by the time she chooses me."
Girl Meets Boys by Ari Reavis
Standalone
Release - January 15, 2021
Genre - New Adult Contemporary Romance/love triangle
Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5/several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 249 pages
Publisher - Indie
Girl meets boy, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. But what happens when, instead of meeting one boy, the girl meets two?
With Emily starting college, she figures it’s the perfect time to break out of her shell and have a new beginning. She doesn’t expect that in rewriting her story, it would include a love triangle.
First she meets Julian. She can’t help but notice his shirts with quotes on them, that match his quirky personality, his crooked smile and ruffled hair. He understands her in ways few others do. That’s what makes her afraid to let him get too close.
Then she meets Will. He’s from a different world, different crowd. When he goes out of his way to show her just how well she fits in his life, she finds herself getting swept up all too easily. Sometimes though, opposites really shouldn’t attract.
Girl meets boys and soon the choice isn’t which one of them is better, but who she’s better with.
Emily was a young woman trying to find herself. Tired of being the shy one, the one hiding in the shadows, she decided that her first year of college was going to be different. New look, new day, new attitude... same girl. She immediately realizes that nothing was going according to plan, however, she did meet a charming boy named Julian. He was a lot like her, he made her feel free to be herself, and he seemed to adore her for just who she was. But she needed more.
Enter Will. He's the campus bad boy, he comes from money, people seem to flock to him like he's the new Messiah, and Emily is instantly captivated. No matter what he does, she can't seem to get enough. He's the one to pull her out of her shell, to get her to try new things, to become a different person. He offers something that Julian cannot provide. Which girl will Emily be in the end?
This story in no way swayed me to start enjoying love triangles, especially when they involve young people. I'm over teenage angst and drama. Growing up is hard and Emily had to take some hard knocks in order to see the light. I'm happy with who she chose, but dang, she made it hard for herself! The author didn't shy away from illustrating the hurdles and hormones and doubts and insecurities that young people face when she created Emily. She also showed how beautiful it is to find oneself and love oneself for all of one's faults and favors.
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” - Maya Angelou
Find your copy on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3qkz7re
Find more about Ari and her amazing books on her site: https://arireavis.wordpress.com/
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