Married in Montana by Jane Porter

This story is about Ellie, who needs to marry a man soon to ensure her fathers ranch is safe. She is very headstrong and won't just choose any person to marry. She needs a strong, smart man who knows how to work hard. Eventually she propositions Thomas to marry her and in exchange he will be wealthy due to her inheritance. Sort of like The Proposal movie about two people who find love in an unexpected way. 

I enjoyed this book and did seem the resemblance to the movie The Proposal. It was interesting setting for the story that I haven't read many book there as of yet. I found the characters to be very basic book characters. Brooding, large man who doesn't want to fall in love with strong willed female who can take care of her self. It was a fast read and I finished in one sitting. 

The little bed & breakfast by the sea by Jennifer Joyce

A seaside town in England has a very special bed & breakfast. This story follows three unlikely friends: Mae, Willow, and Melody. The perspective changes every chapter and continues with each of their stories moving the entirety of the book. Each of the women have vary different lives and each one is dealing with a different personal issue.

This was a fun summer read set in a cozy English seaside village. In the beginning I did struggle to remember which story I was connecting with the next chapter but eventually I stayed up with the characters stories. It is a light summer read that you can finish in one sitting.

It was always you by Georgie Capron

This story follows Libby a 30 something year old who after the summer will begin her "grown up job". She decided that before she would settle down, she wold like an adventure. Working in a hostel in Positano, Italy and maybe having a summer fling. Although, a couple wrenches are thrown into the mix and she is left to figure out her life. 

I enjoyed this summer read for the most part. Although, I found it very strange to read in the third person. Usually I read books that are written in the first person and this just made it seem like I wasn't in the story. It felt more like someone was relaying the story back to me. I did think it was predictable, but for a light summer read it was good.

The Siren by Kiera Cass

So after reading The Selection series by Kiera Cass I knew I needed to read her first book. This book follows Kahlen who is a siren. Her duty is to lure people on the water to their death to feed the Ocean. She has 3 siren sisters that are also tasked with this job. Living with 2 of them on beach front homes in Miami she meets a nice guy Akinli. She knows it is dangerous to be around humans because one moment of laughter could send them straight into the water. But as love would have it, some things might be worth the risk. 

I enjoyed this book but I did feel The Selection series was better written. I found confused sometimes because the dialogue amongst the characters was not always said aloud and therefore would not be in quotes. It was a different type of read and I enjoyed its originality. All in all I would say it was a good summer read. 

Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae

This is a contemporary young adult novel about love in Italy. Pippa is a 17 year old who is traveling to Italy to study art, or so it starts out that way. It starts off with her mother sending her to Florence to learn about old art, but when Pippa arrives she realizes this is her time to make a break. This story has friends, food, family and love. 

This was a fun summer read, similar to Love & Gelato with his gorgeous scenery and love of food. I enjoyed the characters and for a young adult novel I felt it did a good job showing adventure while not being to outlandish. If you are looking for a light summer I highly suggest. Finished in about 4 hours and found it worth the read. 

The One, The Heir, and The Crown by Kiera Cass

SPOILER ALERT!:

This is the 3rd book in The Selection series and I thought it was better than the 2nd book. It was fast paced as the 2 previous ones had been, but I enjoyed the romance more in this book especially. This is a continuation of the same story line but at the end we find out who will become The One.

Although this is the fourth book in The Selection series it is no longer following America's story. Instead we get to follow Princess Eadlyn life. This is 20 years in the future and it is about Maxon and America's eldest daughter. We get glimpses of the past 20 years of marriage but nothing to substantial. Instead it is focusing on Eadlyn and her possible section. 

Finally is the fifth book in The Selection series. It continues on with Princess Eadlyn and her selection. It gives the same feel as the first 2 book s in the series but with the genders reversed. I liked this book for the most part but did feel like the love interest wasn't well thought out and was sort of rushed in the end. There was some sprinkling of possibility in the story but I don't feel there was enough to call it true love. But hey, I am not the expert and this just my opinion. 

Sadie's Highlander by Maeve Greyson

Sadie's Highlander by Maeve Greyson is a historical fiction novel about Sadie and Alec. Alec is the brooding highlander we all have come to know in the vast highlander novels. While Sadie is the guarded assistant to her evil sister. She has secured the permission from Alec to film a movie on Alec's land. All that changes when she falls in love with the highlander.  This book was an ARC and will be out on 12 October 2017.


This highlander book isn't the typical story. Instead of the tradition woman following back in time to fall in love with a Highlander the roles are reversed. The male highlander is in present day time living in North Carolina. I felt this story was very fast paced. It needed to be slowed down and more developed, the main characters fell in love as quickly as someone finishing their dinner. I also lacked much knowledge of the main character which hinders my empathy towards them.

The Selection and The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass is like The Bachelor but royal edition. There are thirty-five girls selected in various caste levels, all fighting for Prince Maxon. All except America that is, she already found a secret love with a guy a caste below her. Then she meets Prince Maxon and realizes he is not as bad she thought he would be. 

This book was very good in my opinion. It was a fast paced story that I could finish in one day. I like the idea of The Selection but sometimes the book would gloss over key components such as the world building. All in all I highly suggest you read it!

                                             

Being left on a cliff hanger is never a good feeling. So right after work I stopped off at my library and grabbed the second book in The Selection series. Like I said, this book is like The Bachelor but royal edition. Well this book just felt like the middle of the show where everyone starts to get a little bored of watching people date. I would still say to read the book but it was not as great as the first one. 

Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed by Ally Condie is the second book in the Matched series. This is a continuation of Cassias adventures but I cannot say more without giving spoilers for Matched.  I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. There was way too much poetry that I didn't feel helped the story move along. The story felt drawn out like there hadn't been much planned for the story and so what was planned would need to last a couple hundred page book. When I read the Hunger Games triology I didn't feel this bored throughout an entire book. It is a shame because I can see how much potential this book has.

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie is a dystopian trilogy. It is about Cassia who is has always believed in the Society and never put a foot out of bounds. She is matched with a long time best friend Xander but the computer glitches and she sees another matched face. She sees Ky someone she has also known a long time but how could the system make a mistake? Her choice is tough Ky vs Xander.

This was a sort of tradition dystopian novel. It reminded me of Hunger Games or the Divergent Series. A strong female character who comes to the realization that not everything she sees is perfect. The book of course ends with cliffhangers to get readers to continue on with the next book in the series called Crossed.

Lovesick

Lovesick by Jean Flynn is a contemporary novel following Beth, a medical receptionist in Melbourne, Australia. The book is about the struggles of love in our day an age. She is a 26 year old who live with her seemingly perfect sister. She meets a not so put together driver named Shane and is in a happy relationship. Until one day Shane doesn't call back, weeks go by and Beth is feeling like there is no such thing a true love. 

I enjoyed this contemporary novel set in Australia; which is not a setting for many stories I have read before. Beth can resemble all of us in some way. She is awkward, clumsy, and for sure the underdog in the story. I like the not so typical Shane who is very different from her crush on Dr. Brendan. An easy, quick read that I suggest if you need a fast paced story. 

Love & Gelato

So this summer I have come back to my original blog. For the past 3 years I have been so lucky to get paid to blog for my school. Which is why there hasn't been a post here in such a long time. So I thought this summer I would read as per usual but I will also be writing my reviews on this blog. So the first book of the summer is done and it was pretty good.  

            Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch is an easy summer read. It is about a Washington native named Lina who gets to spend summer at her fathers house in Italy. The twist is, Lina never even knew her father was until her mom died. Her moms dying wish was for Lina to go to Tuscany for the summer to get to know Howard. She is given a journal written by her mom during her stay in Tuscany. It becomes an interesting past-future situation where we jump back and forth trying to figure things out. 

            This fun summer read was finished by my mother and me in only 2 days. We thoroughly enjoyed the new take on a growing up story. The talk of Italy's food, gelato, and scenery made us hungry for our own adventure. The story was somewhat predictable but did not take away from the fun fast paced nature. I wish I could forget the story and reread it all over again. I highly recommend if you need a light- young adult book that will have you craving your own Italian adventure. 

Keep an eye out for my next summer read and review.