LIPSTICK
When I picked up With A Twist last year I was smitten with Staci Hart's words, by Chaser I was utterly hooked, the way every emotion bleeds into her stories, the way West and Lilly connected a connection that comes from years spent together while hiding behind the guise of friendship, to the raw and unyielding chemistry between Maggie and Cooper the kind you can try to run from but never escape, but what truly intrigued me was tenuous relationship between Rose and Tricky, this relationship that had once been so sweet that had soured and left a poisonous void between them, when friends become lovers and everything falls apart, what you're left with is a connection that won't let you breath, try as you might to move on, it holds you captive, the friendships you've built around it leave you held hostage inside your own grief, inside the torment of what was and what it could have been, while you wear a mask, one that shows the outside world you're okay, while you're still crumbling inside.
"So I stared in his direction, wondering how I'd gotten to where I was, lying across from the boy who I couldn't escape but couldn't have.
"
The second I opened Last Call I was mesmerised, Rose had always seemed like such a strong, infallible woman, and she was, but reading her thoughts, slipping into the story, and her words and thoughts invaded my mind like ink sinking into my skin, I saw all of her, her joy, her sadness, her grief, her strength, her tenacity and her strong will, it was impossible not to love her from the very first page, Rose had loved and lost, and it had hurt her, it tore her heart from her chest, but she refused to wallow in that soul crushing pain, she stood strong even when she felt weak, Rose embodied everything I look for in a heroine, she made me think, made me feel and had me in her corner, cheering her on, not just for Tricky but for Rose, from that very first page, I wanted Rose to find her happy regardless of what that might be, so often I find leading ladies happily ever afters tied up in the hero, but what I found here was that what I wanted most of all was for Rose to be okay, and not a shadow of her former self.
"I didn't know which was worse, The truth, or the lie we'd been telling ourselves, "
Tricky the inked up man of few words, everything about Tricky intrigued me from the very first mention of him in With A Twist, to say that I was desperate for more of him would be a gross understatement, from the smouldering glances he levelled at Rose, to the easy camaraderie he had with West and Cooper, everything about his outward appearance may have screamed back off, but those secret smiles.
. . gosh those secret smiles made me want to crawl inside his mind and know everything about him, Tricky seemed like that kind of man that was forever trying to do the right thing, even when it was to the detriment of himself, and I wanted to know why, what made him tick, what made him guard his heart so closely especially when it was clear that the Bad Habits crew loved him, that even Rose despite the pain of their past still cared for him deeply, but most of all I was desperate to know what happened that a man whose eyes tracked Rose's every movement, eyes that told the story of hurt and regret, of pain without a chance of absolution would willingly walk away from her.
"Rose doesn't love you for any reason other than she does, You didn't have to do anything, Don't you get it"
Last Call was a strange concept for romance novels, so often we start at the beginning hoping that the hero and heroine will find each other, will find their happily every after, instead Hart invites the reader to what could possibly be the end, Rose and Tricky have already had the passionate love affair, they tried and failed, where any romance reader salivates for the elusive HEA, the author begs you to leave your preconceived notions at the door and take a journey that is just as much moving forward as it is looking back, as two broken characters try to navigate what they were and who they are, as well as what they could be, whether together or alone.
When Rose and Tricky battled to just keep moving through the pain of their past, the fear of the unknown threatening to drown them, the waves of trepidation crashing angrily against them, the unfettered joy of second chances, of making up for lost time, I felt that, I felt it wash over me, I felt it chip away at my heart, knowing with certainly that like Rose and Tricky, whatever happened I would never be the same.
There are books that make you laugh when you desperately need it, books that leave you reading through blurry teary eyes, books that make you want to slam down your kindle, cursing the characters and the world, and there are books that make you forget time and space, that draw you in, make you feel something bigger than yourself, they hold you captive and demand your attention, they remind you why you love to read, they remind you what it feels like to truly become invested in someone else's words, they take your heart, and hold it, knowing it's precious while being unafraid to take you on the journey they need you to go on.
Staci Hart reminded me that sometimes we need to get through the pain and hurt to find what we truly need on the other side, that sometimes time and perspective is what we need despite how much we just want to forget and move on, but most of she reminded me that sometimes endings are really just the beginning of something new.
"Cheers to the end, because every story that ends begins another, Cheers to beginnings that they may be full of hope and love, . . "
To read more GPI reviews head to: sitelink blogspot FIVE EVEN WHEN IT HURTS STARS,
"She doesnt want to forgive me, She tolerates me at best, "
I have all the feelings from reading a book that I have fallen in love with, And not enough words to be able to tell you how I feel.
Not only have I found a series that has got me wrapped up in reading hours but I've also discovered an author that I quite honestly adore.
A romance addict like myself can't put a price on finding an author that writes stories that fit you perfectly, Staci Hart has got me so wrapped up in the characters of this series that I'm finding it equal parts deliriously exciting and sad to read this book.
Exciting because this is one of my favourite series and sad because I desperately don't want to say goodbye to characters that have burrowed their way into my heart.
What's it all about
Rose Fisher has made it her life mission to move on from the one man who has seemingly ruined her for all others.
Determined to not look back Rose is finally putting the lid on all those feelings that her moody, broody tattooed friend once made her feel.
Patrick 'Tricky' Evans doesn't 'do' real feelings, running away from his rough past is hard enough without having to deal with falling for the dark haired beauty who has won his heart.
But when he is faced with the possibility of loosing his only true love this hero has to make his final moves before its becomes to late.
But will this couple be able to move on from heartbreak of the past or is it really to late for tricky and his rose Follow the story of this love lost duo in the final book of the bad habits series.
What did I love
Quite honestly I can readily admit that I was already sold by these characters.
I knew from the very beginning of this series that this couple would be the twosome that sealed the romance deal for me.
From the very start we've had a sneak peek of what is to come for this couple and to say my expectations of this novel were high would be a gross understatement.
Book one With A Twist, and book two Chaser have given the readers the perfect build up and foresight in this couples history to really get the reader pumped and ready at the starting line for this book and for that alone I applaud the author.
Nothing gets me more in a tizzy than waiting it out for a favourite couple to arrive in a series and I can say with my hand firmly on my heart that Patrick Evans and Rose Fisher surpassed all that I could have imagined.
This book provided the perfect backdrop for a wild, tumultuous and heart clenching romance that had me gripped to my kindle pages till the very end.
Funny, sexy, quirky and emotional 'Last Call' wrapped up this series in a spectacular fashion and I really could not have asked for more.
I'll end my enthusiastic gushing with a note to the author Staci Hart, you own a piece of my reading heart with your golden talent, don't ever stop gifting your words to the romance world, I adore everything about you.
Final thoughts, . .
If you are a reader who lives for the perfect romance and is always desperate to fall in love with characters that are simply irresistible then you can end your search right here.
Staci Hart has pulled out all the stops with this series and I couldn't possibly recommend this author enough, My challenge to you is to go and try this authors work, you won't
take a look back, As for the characters in 'Last call' I don't think I'm capable of being able to tell you how much I fell into book love.
I attempted to savour my time with these pages but in the end nothing was able to keep me away from devouring this book like a romance addict who has been on a year long hiatus.
Full of sentiment and packed with heart achingly gorgeous dialogue I was able to jump into this plot with full enthusiasm and breathe a sigh of relief that a couple who had captured my attention from the start were more than able to blow my expectations sky high.
Readers this really is a book and series you don't want to be missing out on, Enjoy Kisses.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review, ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
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Before I begin my review, let me just say that I LOVED THE COVER.
The cover alone was so gorgeous that I instantly had to read the blurb, And once I read the blurb, I was sold and had to discover why my fellow coblogger is a fan of Staci Hart.
sitelink “Every day, always, She lived in my thoughts, in my heart, present in nearly every moment of my life, She was my ghost , haunting me, and I couldnt escape, I didnt know if I even wanted to, It was my penance. ”
Well it didn't take long to discover why my coblogger is a fan, I was instantly drawn to the flawed characters, I love reading and getting lost in a story that is layered with vulnerability, grit, raw emotions and second chances, When a story can evoke such emotions from it's readers, I consider that a winning book!! And Last Call clearly had that and so much more.
With her raw prose, Staci Hart allowed readers to understand that no is perfect, Each one of us has our own fears and flaws, And that makes us human, Real. Relatable.
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And Last Call was as real as it can get, The story of Rose and Patrick can be summed up in one word, Complicated. Complicated is just the tip of the ice berg to describe this couple, Patrick and Rose had a past, And their past relationship was constantly in the backdrop of the status quo of their current situation, It was at a standstill, It held them back emotionally and at the same time helped shaped them, The past is something that they both wish they could change, As much as they wished they could do things differently, the present is staring right at them, It's a neon light flashing before them, To move forward and try again, . one last call to get it right or the final last call for Rose and Patrick,
sitelink “I suspect if there is a chance for you here, its the last one, Last call. ”“Last call,” I echoed, knowing it was the truth, I had to step up and order or walk out, And I wasnt ready to leave, ”
Last Call was more of a slow burn kind of second chance romance, It is about experiencing the hurt, the loss, the hope, the love, the sadness, and the passion, With any kind of relationship, it is about experiencing and letting things take it course, It is about building that trust to let your guards down, Learning to communicate. To forgive. And most importantly, learning to let love take over,
sitelink “It was real, No more walking away. No more fighting him, fighting us, I saw the path behind us, saw the path that lay before us, and I knew we would survive, as long as we never gave up.
”
Staci Hart has definitely inked her way onto my list of authors to watch out for, She has weaved a story that will attract any romance book junkie, Ms. Hart will capture her readers attention as she etches a romance story that can leave you yearning and begging for more, Being this is the first book that I have read from this author, I can definitely say that it won't be my last.
So if you are looking for a story where your flaws are perfect for the heart that is meant to love you then get ready to fall in love with this imperfect love story that is perfect.
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can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: sitelink weebly sitelinkStaci Hart,