Stylo Fantôme

Liam Edenhoff likes things to be simple. He runs his business, has a small group of friends, and he's left the drama behind him, or so he thinks. He thinks he's found the perfect companion for his casual sex plans, she's as cold as ice when it comes to feelings and is willing to play along with the secrecy. One romp turns into two, two turns into three, and three turns into a road trip adventure that reveals feelings neither of them wanted to have.

"She wasn't allowed to be out with his show more friends, looking sexy and fun and ... and ..."

I fell in love with Liam Edenhoff when we first had the pleasure of meeting him in Neighbors. He gives off this happy-go-lucky vibe, but knows how to be a good friend and good boyfriend. Readers of the Twin Estates series knows he has both taken advantage and been taken advantage of, so of course I want him to finally get the happiness he seeks. Block Party gives readers the chance to get to know the real Liam, to see what's really behind his party-boy facade. We get to see the Liam who isn't utilizing his own sex club and doesn't spend every evening with a margarita. Liam has depth and Stylo Fantome really showed us her skills with character development with this one. He's far more complex than I expected and the relationship he finds himself struggling to make work was such a perfect storyline.

"No, no, no, no. Bad idea.
Horrendous idea."

I really liked Ayumi, our heroine and unwitting apple of Liam's eye. She's a levelheaded, smart woman with a past that's left massive scars on her heart and confidence. Taking up with Liam was not on her list of things to do and it certainly wasn't something she prepared herself for. These two share chemistry, hilarious banter, extremely sweet dialogue, and super sexy moments. Together they make quite the pair, but it wouldn't be a good story if it all worked out so easily. Stylo Fantome takes readers on a vacation of sorts that leaves these two having to figure out their own personal dilemmas and try to decide if there really is something to the two of them becoming a couple. I didn't love that the story took place outside of the grounds of the neighborhood, but I do think it gave the characters a lot of opportunity to talk and discover. There is a lot of character development in this book and the focus on their emotional baggage was excellent. They shouldn't work, but they do, and that makes this book so much fun.

"That sucks, Liam. You like her. She should like you back. The world is a shitty place."

Block Party comes across like a standalone, but there is a significant amount of story that involves characters from the previous two novels and it is my recommendation that you read the entire Twin Estates series in order. The previous two novels really make this story, especially when some specific character interactions occur and reference previous events. It's the kind of book that will make you laugh and make you feel. It's an opposites attract romance with just the right amount of angst and a whole lot of sexy. show less

Mind blown. This book deserves more than five stars

Where oh where do I begin? Let me first start with my feelings about this author. I have a degree in Literature because I love the power of the written word. Therefore, when I discovered Stylo Fantôme I became obsessed(I promise not in a creepy stalker way!) She has a cadence and style that invokes feelings, makes you smile, laugh out loud, or yes even makes you cry over characters that seem real. She inspires me to write, to study and show more deconstruct her work in order to learn why she makes the stylistic choices she does. She is my interpretation of what the mellifluous sublime is. She is truly one of the best.

From the very first word of hers that I read in the Kane trilogy to now- I have been hooked. I knew I would not be disappointed. Sweet Katya trying to break out of a shell from being a good girl to one having to decide between Liam and Wulfric. Dear dear Liam, the handsome charmer lover and who is what every girl should want. Hell I even did at times. Then Wulfric! Controlling asshat but with moments of vulnerability that it saved me during those times that I wanted to reach through my kindle and smack him. I remembered how Ms. Fantôme works and knew there was another Jameson in the making. Jameson Kane is still my number one book boyfriend but Wulfric might be edging him out, but then so might Liam. Oh what a tangled web you weave Stylo.

We don't know who wins or if either of them do win Katya's heart, since the book will be continued after a pretty mind blowing secret is revealed ( like seriously where did that twist come from?!? TOOK ME TEN MINUTES AND A GLASS OF WINE TO COME BACK TO THE BOOK). What we do know is that we will not be disappointed because we will get the answers and the ending we deserve as well as more of the best and hottest sex scenes ever written.

Do yourself a favor, buy this book. Savor it. Have a book hangover with me (it is 4 am and I have to be up in a few hours) but I promise you it will be worth it. Then join me in stalking this amazing author. I really do need to find out how to have first dibs on her work so I can beat the release date - a date that I might have in my phone calendar so I don't make other plans.

Bravo again on a suburb book. I am eagerly awaiting another book hangover when the next part is released. Please be good to my heart and make it soon! show less

5+ In Love We Trust Stars

Let me tell you a little bit about my love for this author. I first discovered her when I was taking 22 credits toward my literature degree, working two jobs, and trying to maintain my honor status. I had never had a kindle until my son purchased me one for my birthday. On it was Degradation because he said that I,"need[ed]" to read something other than the classics written by dead white guys" and that I needed "to release some tension and rediscover why I loved to show more read" ( his words not mine). After reading close to 15 books and a plethora of literary journal articles in addition to writing five essays in three days I finally took his advice because if I read another word written by Lord Byron I was most likely going to need bail money. It was hands down the best advice (and gift) I have ever been given because I fell in love with Stylo. I am pretty sure she's a unicorn. I read everything this woman writes. She is a literary genius. It doesn't matter the genre because she weaves her magic and before you know it you are are entwined in the mellifluous wonder that is her mind.

I digress but the purpose of my backstory was that in my world she is one of a kind. So when I found out this book was to be released on my birthday it was a Festivus Miracle. The universe was giving me the best gift ever. I sadly was sick and didn't get to read it on my birthday but I am making up for it now.

Where do I even begin? Was this book her normal style filled with edginess or alphaholes? Nope. Was there snark? Nope. Was there angst? Yes. Was there beautiful characterization ? Yes. Was there depth, feelings, and emotions? YEP!

Jon/Jayson was such a dream. My heart hurt for him imagining what it must be like to live in a perpetual fog of having everything be on the fringe of existing. To know but not know.

"His mind didn't remember her at all, but his body seemed to know every inch of her. All he knew was her skin felt like home and that when she breathed, he was the one taking in oxygen."

I cannot even imagine how that must have felt. Just thinking of what that must have felt like makes my anxiety go up. Delaney. Good lord that sweet girl. Never faltering in knowing that the love she experienced was the honest to goodness dual flame type of forever love. And then to know that it might not be enough. To then know that he felt the same way about her but question if muscle memory is enough. As he says to Sloan,

“It's like ... I don't know her, but I can feel her. Good god, Sloany, I can feel her. When I wake up, when I go to sleep. On top of me, around me, inside of me,” he explained, pressing his hands to his chest. “I don't know her, but she's in my blood and in my bones and in my body. I wake up reaching for her, but can't remember her ever being there. I turn around to look for her, then realize she was never with me. She's my ghost, she haunts me. I don't remember her, but I know her.”

The side characters were also fantastic. I adored Sloany. I vacillated in my love of Kitty. The motives between both of these women concerning Jon/Jayson were very well explained. And that Conclusion?!? Holy hell. Perfect.

I hope that if I ever have amnesia that I still have my muscle memory.

Kudos Stylo! You did it again. show less

Final Ride in an Awesome Rollercoaster
I love Stylo's manner of story telling and always feel like I have watched a movie rather than read a book when I finish. Sometimes with third person point of view books it can feel like the book is talking at you rather than to you but Stylo manages to tell the story in a way that the point of view is not a factor. I have read the majority of her books and have enjoyed every minute spent she is an absolute wordsmith. If you haven’t read book one I show more would suggest starting there. Even though the books can be read as stand-alone novels. I love this series; with each book it just gets better and I really don't want it to end. We've met Tori in the previous books yet we never really got to know her so I was glad to read her story and to get to better understand her character. Tori is the steadfast friend of everyone that has seen them all through their ups and downs but now she is left on the outskirts of coupledom. She deserves her own happily ever after, however her choice of partners makes that seem unlikely. She is a feisty firecracker who I could identify with.Landon is a douche and a proud one at that, he is the sofa dwelling twin of Liam, Tori's boss who she has an unrequited crush on. Landon should however come with a warning label. While he is a doctor and should be any woman’s dream, he lost the right to practice medicine in the USA due to his poor choices. When I first started reading Neighborhood Watch I wished He would stay away from Tori as I felt like she deserved better. You will go through a love hate relationship with Landon I promise I know I did. When Tori's plan to make a play for Liam backfire she finds herself in Landons sights. And when he makes a proposal for them both to get away from their issues with a holiday in Bali on him Tori throws caution to wind. However, London’s issues are too big to just run away from and soon escalate causing them both big problems and Tori soon realizes nothing is ever really free and the price might be their freedom.

This is a much darker story than the rest of the series and takes us on an emotional rollercoaster like no other. You will want to shake these two and the next minute hug them. Tori and Landon shouldn't work but their hidden vulnerabilities make them want to work and you will be fighting along with them. This is the couple that shouldn’t work yet works so beautifully. While I enjoyed the entire series this has to be my favorite because it’s dark, raw, and something you can really sink your teeth in. While I am sad that this is the last ride for these characters. I am excited to see what is next for Stylo Fantome. show less