Andrea Bramhall

I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.

Whew. I've never been someone who wants to climb mountains (I'm good with simply hiking Eastern US 'Hills'), but, I've read a couple of other climbing books, and this was definitely one of the most intense one's I've read (the former number one would have to be Worth Every Step by KG MacGregor).

It's mostly the story of Jayden and Rhian. Rhian works for an advertisement firm that gets hired by a clothing/climbing company show more to put on a new reality show called 'The Amazing Climb'. Jayden winds up being the host/guide for the show while Rhian is the executive producer.

For Jayden being the guide is not an easy thing, because she previously lost her girlfriend in a horrible avalanche at the Everest Base Camp. Rhian also has her own big hang ups, not to mention the fact that her boss is also her stepmother. There are so many delightful strings in this novel that get pulled and tangled.

Here and there for a second I would wonder, are there too many misunderstandings/coincidences? Then, I would be like, 'shut up brain, this is fiction, and really good fiction, enjoy it'. And I definitely enjoyed it.

Between the story and the characters that popped off the page like Mel, Rachel, Fen, Kimi, Lui (oh my Lui) and even Brooke, it was a book I couldn't put down.

And then there was the character of Rhian. She as a character touched me in a way that very few fiction characters ever have. I also liked how we got to know the two main characters alone as themselves before they were thrown together (heh, literally).

And double heh, I also can say that it's most definitely fiction because I liked almost all of the reality contestants and usually with one of these real shows on TV I like almost none of the contestants. show less

I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.

This is the story of Sasha and Jac. Sash is a writer who writes scripts (I liked her reason that's revealed for why she does it). Her friend Bobbi enters her (without her knowledge) in a contest with Jac's production company. She wins and that brings she and Jac together as Jac is also the director. They work together although there's quite a few stumbling blocks, including an ex.

And then there's the Fleur subplot. She's show more Sasha's Mom. She had cancer, lost her leg, and both smokes and eats (in edibles) quite a lot of pot.

Fleur didn't start as my favorite character, but, by the end she most definitely was.

They were all great characters. Both the mains and secondary ones like Bobbi or Jac's friends/business partners, Mags and Sophia.

And then there was the Duster. I have no doubt that a Duster from my youth (a pink two door wannabe Plymouth muscle car), is not the car referred to by Mags in the book. But, it still took me back nicely to my youngest years (and it did have quite the trunk).

It was a wicked fun read and it was nice to see slightly older main characters and characters in general in the book too. show less

The one thing that has consistently distinguished BSB releases over others in this genre is their bold, attention-grabbing covers. And this one is no exception. Happily, the rest of the book doesn't disappoint either. :)

Hazaar is every man (and woman's) dream. She is beautiful, smart, talented, vivacious, and full of life. She is also gay. Her parents are devout Pakistani traditionalists, so the prospect of a marriage to a good, Muslim husband hangs over her future like damocles' sword. show more Higher education has so far been a successful excuse to delay the inevitable, and one day perhaps...fame and a doctorate degree might just allow her to fly free. But a cruel twist of Fate and some well-meaning but horrible decisions throw this poor nightingale into a brutal cage.

Hazaar's love Charlie refuses to give up, following her into hell in the hopes of someday reuniting them, however remote that possibility is. What are the odds that Fate would one day dangle that chance in front of her, yet be cruel enough to snatch it all away...again.

This is the author's third, and best book to date.

The timeline switches back and forth from the present to the past in alternate chapters, making for a fast-paced page-turner from start to finish. This style works well for the most part especially the first half of the book, when the good old times contrasted sharply with present. But the constant switching continues throughout the book, and I think it would have even been more tense and suspenseful had it gone linear at some point. There are a couple of times when the tension and build-up got diffused or completely fizzled out by switching back to the other timeline. This is just a minor issue though.

More importantly, I love how the author balances all the elements that make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Characters you can fall in love with, a plot that grips you from the first chapter and doesn't let you go till the last, supporting characters that aren't caricatures, realistic plotting and believable character development (e.g. Charlie). The horrors that Hazaar experiences mirror those that we read about in the news. But it is interesting that the author doesn't vilify the culture or the religion. Instead she shows how people actually bend and abuse these traditions to further their own interests and agendas. Her portrayal of the British embassy team that deals with these problems also show a deep understanding of the complex familial and legal issues involved.

I wished the book were a bit longer though--an additional 50-100 pages maybe. I would have loved to read more about Hazaar's POV. There were some important periods in her life that were skipped. Also the aftermath could have been mined for a bit more drama. These aren't issues--just a personal wishlist.

I'm still giving 5 stars! show less

I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.

That was Awesome.

I've read a lot of lesbian romances, probably way too many actually, but I don't think that I've read one exactly like this ever.

The very main character was Genna (and I loved her given name too, and laughed every time I saw it, yes, I know according to the book I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help it). She's a ginger with a family that is quite the unique experience. She's a woman who goes to work every show more day and has been in a relationship with Ruth for three years. Then, in one singular day she gets hit with both meanings of the words in the title. The sarcastic, 'Just My Luck', and the more positive and happy, 'Just My Luck'. And these two things totally change her life forever.

Abi is one of her friends that she's known for years. Abi is older than Genna and I thought that her journey in the book was the biggest and best from beginning to end. She's the other main character in the romance, and I liked that I was surprised by her twists and turns.

And then there's Rosie. She was Abi's daughter and Genna was also very close to her (don't want to spoil too much, because part of what I liked about the book was the pacing of what was revealed when). She had Down's Syndrome and in the book they call her high functioning with it. Her character is written so well that she brings a light and humor to parts of the novel that could have easily gotten mired in the dark.

If you can't tell, Rosie was my favorite character in the book. All the characters were awesome, but she rose to the top of the pile by about halfway through. Although, I would have also loved to see more of Michael, Genna's brother, and Genna's mother as well. We only got what felt like a tease of them.

All around I really, really liked the book. It pulled me in and kept me so interested that I read the book in one day too! show less