Review: Hearts Made for Breaking

Hearts Made for Breaking by Jen Klein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lark Dayton strings along any boy that comes her way, and is the queen of breakups. When she ends things with a boy, there are never any hard feelings, because she deliberately says something for the guy to have doubts about their relationship. Lark does not want to hurt anyone, nor does she want to hurt herself over a boy. Her best friends, Cooper and Katie, though, dare her to have a bad breakup with someone that actually matters- meaning she has to have feelings for a guy and then she would be able to break up with him directly.

"I'm determined to make it happen. After all, Ardy might not be like the boys I usually date, but... I don't know how to say this... there was something about the way he almost smiled at me. That tiny tension around the corners of his mouth did something to me, To my insides. It's like I got tense, too. But in a good way..."

Lark chooses "undateable" Ardy Tate, a mysterious challenge that transferred to her high school for his senior year. He has a bad reputation when it comes to breakups, and soon Lark is drawn to him like she has never been with any other boy. Ardy is different from any guy she's ever dated, for this is the first guy who does not seem interested in Lark like her ex-boyfriends were.

"But with Ardy, I'm oddly shy, maybe because I feel more like myself. Like who I really am, way down deep. The girl who someday could have the courage to use her voice to express real opinions... Ardy makes me want to be that girl right now..."

Ardy first just wants to get to know Lark and take everything slow (contrary to Lark's usual relationships). Ardy takes her on a spontaneous trip to Lark's utter surprise, and by the end of the night, she finally gets her first kiss with Ardy. Cooper and Katie have heard rumors of Ardy's previous relationships, which sparks Lark's curiosity. Will her curiosity completely break their relationship? Or will it allow Lark to uncover the truth about herself and Ardy?

I really enjoyed this book, and it is a perfect short summer read! I love the characters and their relationships, and the dynamic of Ardy and Lark. I love how the end of the book ties in with the beginning and I am anticipating reading another of Jen Klein's novels!

View all my reviews

Review: Since We Last Spoke

Since We Last Spoke by Brenda Rufener
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"My sister Kate told me love was glue, a strong adhesive holding people together. She swore it worked as a protective layer of bulletproof glass, something shatter-free... But if unprotected, love will shatter, too."

It took Aggi Frank 17 years to fall in love with Max Granger, and when they finally admitted feelings for each other, the unthinkable happened. A fatal car accident involving both of their older siblings turns their lives upside down. And with a restraining order in place between the two families, Aggie and Max's seemingly endless love runs cold. Even though they share the same driveway, simply just talking to one another seems like a distant fantasy.

"[Aggi is] every time period of art mixed into one masterpiece. Sharp edges in one spot, rounded corner in another. Eyes I can't figure out..."

Both Max and Aggi cannot rid of the guilt they feel from their older siblings taking their last breaths as they were on the roof of the college science building, their bodies intertwined for the first time. Their guilt is insurmountable, as they are unable to help each other over this tremendous loss. But Aggie and Max eventually reunite at a lake-house party, but as they begin to rebuild their relationship, Aggie's little sister Grace flees from home after their father spirals into a fit of rage.

"When you want someone so bad every inch of your body aches, you'll stop at nothing to get them. You'll dive into freezing lake water, shovel already-shoveled snow, sit on the porch and watch for a shadow in the window, long for a wave..."

"My heart wants her. My brain wants her. Every cell in my goddamn body wants Aggi, and it's time for me to bulldoze through my fears and tell her exactly how I feel."

With the support of friends, Max and Aggie must confront each other and their families in the hopes to rekindle the beautiful love they share for one another. It takes grief and longing to finally reunite Aggie and Max, as well as their families. This book is an uplifting novel of teen love in the face of grief, and the beauty that it creates. This novel is a perfect read for anyone, I believe, because it is not a cliché romance novel- it is a story of how two people can come together again in the face of grief.

View all my reviews

Review: The Rescue

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For as long as the town of Edenton has remembered, Taylor McAden is driven to take terrifying and heroic risks to save lives. But the one thing he cannot bring himself to make; he cannot fall in love. Whenever he is in a serious relationship, he inevitably leaves them as soon as they dream of a future with him. A record-breaking storm hits a small town, and Taylor comes across Denise Holton, a single mother trying to find her missing son after a car accident. As a volunteer at the local fire department, Taylor finds Kyle within hours, and from that point on, they seem to have a connection. At almost 5 years old, Kyle suffers from a delayed speech disorder and so many people ignore him and do not interact with him like they do with other children. Taylor is different, however, and sees Kyle as an ordinary cute 5-year-old boy.

"Taylor couldn't help but watch her. The lovely, almost mysterious face accented by high cheekbones and exotic eyes, long dark hair...a shapely figure... Taylor..wonder[ed] how he could have overlooked her beauty that night..."

As Taylor spends more and more time with Denise and Kyle, he realizes how adoring and caring and beautiful Denise is as a woman and a mother. Taylor is different from other men that Denise had known. The way Taylor looks at Denise is so romantic and endearing, and Denise cannot help but fall for Taylor too. Denise also realizes how patient and caring is to both herself and her son Kyle.

"His face was tan and lean... his waist was narrow, and his shoulders were heavily muscled... his arms looked as if he'd pounded thousands of nails..."

Taylor continues to battle with his demons from childhood, and he is left at a standstill when it comes to Denise. He truly and deeply wants to have a future with Denise, but is unable to express his desires, as his dark experiences hold him back. Taylor has a lot of guilt from his experiences and is not open to share his past with Denise. Once he acknowledges, though, that his hesitancy is tearing their relationship apart, he overcomes his past and decides to live a life where he can be content- and that life includes Denise and Kyle.

Fortunately, the Sparks novel has a happy ending, but that does not mean I did not cry... The characters in this novel have so much love and devotion for one another, it is hard not to fall with them. The storyline of this book is based on real events, which also adds a sense of realness to the novel and characters. This book is a must read!!

"She knew intuitively the meaning of Taylor's touch, the words he'd left unspoken. Not because she'd come to know him o well. She knew because she'd fallen in love with him at exactly the same time"



View all my reviews

Review: Lovely War

Lovely War by Julie Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This masterpiece of a book braids together two love stories set in WWI and the inseparable bonds that war can create on two passionate couples. Hazel Windicott, a pianist, and James, a builder-turned-soldier, are acquainted at a London dance in 1917, on the eve of James's departure to the trenches. Hazel is not fully aware of the glances James is throwing her way as she is immersed in playing the piano. But Aphrodite cannot help but give James a nudge to ask her to dance. This single dance sets in motion the beginning of their unacquitted love for one another...

"Hazel kept on playing, but she had seen straight through those brown eyes and into the depths behind them, and felt something of the thrill of being seen, truly seen..."

'She was so, so pretty. At first it was the music, and then her eyes, and her hair, but now he saw how entirely adorable she was..."

Aubrey, a Harlem ragtime musician, and Colette, a Belgian singer scarred by German atrocities, meet at a YMCA relief hut in Saint-Nazaire, France. Aubrey is a member of the Army Band of the National Guard 15th New York Infantry Regiment when Colette is first introduced to him. Colette has been scarred by the war, as her entire family and her Stephané were brutally killed by the German forces. Meeting Aubrey is a breath of fresh air for Colette, but she is not sure if she is ready to leave her guilt and past behind for a new lease on life for herself and Aubrey.

"She kissed him. Not a thank-you kiss. A kiss that said, there's more where that came from."

War, though, takes a toll on James & Hazel, as well as Colette & Aubrey. War is neither an easy nor lovely thing to endure, but the love experienced in this novel is something I have yet to read about, much less alone experience myself. The idea of the Greek gods retelling such a story is a bit awkward at first, but the insights that are accompanied with the story truly add to the love between the characters. This story of war and love is poignant and touching, as their love is inseparable, even when the worst happens as a result of the war. War can tear families and communities apart, but it can also bring scarred people together, in which they form unbreakable bonds. This novel tears your heart, but mends it up again- it is a MUST READ!

"If you think I can live without you, Miss Windicott... you don't know me at all..."


(me waiting for another novel as touching and heartfelt as this one...)

View all my reviews

Review: Safe Haven

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When you do not have any family to turn to and you think you are in this world alone, you have to muster the strength to continue thriving. A mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small town of Southport, and her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Katie is a beautiful yet self-effacing persona, she appears to remain focused on her job and nothing else, avoiding personal relationships at any costs. A series of events, however, tie her to her cheery neighbor, Jo, and another with Alex, a widowed store owner to two children. Katie begins to lower her guard and grows increasingly attached to Alex and his family. But Katie does not love him, nor will she ever, is her mindset...

Even as Katie begins to fall in love with both Alex and his children, she struggles with her dark secret that initially brought her to Southport (I will not spoil it). With Jo's support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose a life of safety or one that will make her content and feel loved. She comes to the conclusion that love is the only safe haven.

"It was suddenly easy for her to imagine that her fears were pointless. That he would love her no matter what she told him, and that he was the kind of man who loved her already and would love her forever..."

This novel by Nicholas Sparks has so many plot twists and emotional and heartfelt events that you can't help but feel like you are there with Katie and Alex. I love the dynamic of the characters and how much Alex was willing to give just to be with Katie, while also dealing with a loss of his own. Katie seems to be the missing piece in Alex's life, and once they were together, there is no separating them. What I also really enjoyed about this novel is that event though lex's wife had passed, she still plays a great role in Alex's and Katie's relationship. Even if you are hesitant about reading Nicholas Sparks book (which you shouldn't be), this novel is nothing like his other works!

“I’m in love with you. If you stay, I promise, there’s no safer place in the world than right here with me.”


Cheers to a beautful book!


View all my reviews

Review: In Another Time

In Another Time by Jillian Cantor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Another Time is a powerful and moving novel that emphasizes the power of love in the worst of times. In 1930s Berlin, Max Bessinger, a Christian bookshop owner, by chance hear the enchantment of Hanna Ginsberg and her violin. In an attempt to get her attention, he brings her what he loves most, a book. After his dedicated pursuit, he wins her over, and they fall in love. German life during the rise is not easy, and to make matters worse, because Max is not Jewish, Hanna's family is not supportive of their relationship. After Max disappears unexplained, Hanna becomes frustrated, angry, and heartbroken. Hanna takes a step back from their relationship, but the power of love eventually draws them back together.

"Her body was warm, and feeling her that close to him, he felt that same thrilling energy as when their fingers had touched...and that was the moment he realized that he was going to fall in love with Hanna Ginsberg"

So focused on her violin playing, she is unaware of the growing antisemitism around her, but Max constantly worries about Hanna and s friends. Hitler and the Nazi Regime are taking over and panic is starting to set in and his Jewish neighbors are in grave danger. Max's secret is the only thing that can save them from danger, but when his beloved Hanna is looking the Nazis in the eyes, can he bring her to safety as well?

"And it was strange, but Hanna almost didn't feel real to him when he wasn't with her. That someone so bright and beautiful and talented as her might want to be with him felt almost like a dream."

In 1946, Hanna finds herself in an open field with absolutely no recollection of the past 10 years. Hitler has died, the train station has been bombed, and she has no idea what has happened to Max. Hanna's sister brings her to her home in London where she begins to search for opportunities to play her violin in an orchestra. Her love for her violin and Max are the only things she can focus on to bring her peace, content, and joy. Will Hanna cross paths with Max?

This compelling novel is such a perfect piece of work. Told in alternating viewpoints, this novel is a beautiful novel about love and survival, passion and music, across time and countries. It is an absolute must read!

"If Hanna didn't want him, if Hanna wouldn't love him, then there was nothing for him here. he had nothing left"

View all my reviews

Review: The Longest Ride

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Longest Ride is one of the most beautiful and emotional romance novels I have read. As a Nicholas Sparks fan, I was NOT at all disappointed. The story gives two love stories- one just beginning and another ending- that eventually intersect. The old and new love stories compliment each other perfectly and you can't help but cry happy and sad tears (maybe I'm just emotional... ;))

The old love of Ira and Ruth Levinson is retold after he is left stranded and injured after a car crash, where he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image of his wife appears beside him, who passed away years ago. Ira continues to cling to her words and memories, even though he knows she isn't really there. Ruth and Ira reminisce about their marriage and love for one another as he is stranded in the car. Their love for one another is relentless and aspiring, as both Ira and Ruth would do anything for each other.

Miles down the road, college senior Sophia Danko is introduced to Luke Collins as her ex-boyfriend is stalking her. Through Luke, Sophia is confronted by an entirely new world in which the stakes are high- life or death. As a professional bull-rider, Luke is presented with life or death frequently, and by meeting Sophia, he learns what is truly important to him. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imaging a life far removed from her current plans- unless Luke's secret destroys their lives first.

"It wasn't long, it wasn't heated, but as soon as their lips came together, she knew with sudden certainty that nothing had ever felt so easy and so right..."

"He drew a deep breath, struggling to keep his emotions in check, knowing that he didn't love her simply in the here and now, but that he would never stop loving her..."

I would highly recommend this book who yearns for an innocent love story. The 398 pages flew by, as I finished this book in two days! This book has so much heart and emotion, you can't help but fall in love with them. I am proud to say this is one of my favorite books.


(My emotions as I finshed this book ;))

View all my reviews