Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

Title: Love Unscripted
Author: Tina Reber
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 592
Acquired: Netgalley
Format: Electronic Copy
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

An A-List Movie Star…
Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine a life where fans would chase him, paparazzi would stalk him, and Hollywood studios would want to own him. While filming in Seaport, Rhode Island, Ryan ducks into a neighborhood bar for a quick escape from legions of screaming fans…and finds much more than he expected.

A Small Town Girl…
Nursing a recent heartbreak, Taryn Mitchell believes men are best kept at a safe distance. But when Ryan Christensen unexpectedly bursts through the front door of her pub, she can’t help but be drawn in by his humor, charm, and undeniable good looks. At six foot two, with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and an incredible body, Ryan has every girl in Seaport swooning. But Taryn isn’t every other girl.

A Relationship that Doesn’t Follow the Script…
Despite her better judgment, Taryn soon finds herself falling hard for Ryan. But is their bond strong enough to survive the tabloid headlines, the relentless paparazzi, and the jealous fans who seem determined to tear them apart?

This was my first DNF book of 2013, I believe. I can't give a very good review and I'm almost afraid of writing any type of review at all because this book just did not hold my attention.

I think I almost made it to page two hundred before I realized what a struggle this book was becoming. I was forcing myself into reading and liking this book as much as possible because it sounded like something I would like. I've read books like this before so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, but the story just dragged in ways that didn't interest me at all.

The characters were meh. The plot line was dragging. I just wasn't feeling it at all. Like I said, there's not much I can really say about it.

Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher

Title: Bonds of Trust
Author: Lynda Aicher
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 26th, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Pages: 280
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Netgalley; ARC
Interest: Series
Age Group: Very Adult

**DNF

After ending her passionless marriage, Cali Reynolds is eager to live out her forbidden fantasies. Her first step is attending new members' night at The Den, the most exclusive sex club in town. Perhaps here she can find a man who understands her desire to be dominated…

At first, Jake McCallister thinks Cali has come to his club for the wrong reasons. But when he discovers she is seeking fulfillment after years of denial, he's intrigued—and takes it upon himself to initiate her into the pleasures she's been missing.

Her first encounter with Jake is everything Cali has always craved, and more; she's not prepared for the feelings he inspires in her. And Jake is just as surprised by his overwhelming attraction to Cali. As their play intensifies, so does their bond. Now, Jake doesn't want anyone but Cali—but is he ready to officially claim her? And will she submit to being his forever

Sadly 2013 is ending up to be the year that I don't finish books because they are just that bad. Honestly, I don't want to trash this book too badly, because it wasn't too horrible, but I just couldn't get into it.

I tried, I really did. I figured by this point if I can finish Fifty Shades I might be able to go through it - not so much. I found the two characters were losing chemistry slowly and slowly. There wasn't any real climax in the story and I found that the romance between the two just went too fast...not to mention I'm not a big fan of threesomes so, I find myself turning away from this book the minute it started to turn that way.

I get it - Cali is just a woman who is looking for love after not having it for so long. Or at the very least looking for passion, but I felt she was at a point of desperation. I mean, I guess I'm only saying this because I'm not her age, and I'm still pretty young, but I felt what she was searching for wasn't what she needed. I'm not saying that her age she's not allowed to explore in her sexual fantasizes, because things like that can be explored at any age, but with the way Cali's personality mixed with her actions, I just wasn't feeling it.

There was no connection, I didn't see any steam between the two characters, and I pretty much stopped reading after I realized that things weren't going great. I knew the moment I started this book they would end up together; there was no real mystery in that, but other books at least keep me guessing. This book, I didn't even try to look to see if the characters would be okay with each other.

I'm giving it a rating of one, because like my last DNF book, I at least read enough to give me an idea. Actually, I only had about fifty pages to go before I gave up, so I think I did pretty well.

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Title: Taking Chances
Author: Molly McAdams
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 432
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

**DNF

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything

Now, I usually make an effort to finish a book. Especially books I bought, since that was my money and I am putting it to good use. But, for once, I am glad that I didn't pay full price for this book. I don't mean to be cruel, I don't want to be cruel; I try to find something good in every book I read, even books that I finish and I sit back and think to myself, "Why did I just read this?" But, I cannot find something good about this. Not. One. Thing.

Originally, Harper seemed like a pretty cool girl. Off on her own, finding herself - and slowly as Brandon and Chase came in the picture it all crashed and burned into unimaginable rumbles that no one can make heads or tales of.

First, I get it already, Harper is gorgeous! Fine! But does the reader need to be reminded of this on every single page? No! And fine, she has two guys who want her. I am a sucker for a good love triangle. I especially love it when the two guys (or two girls) are both equally amazing and who the main character ends up with is really a complete toss up. And for a moment I thought this was going to have a surprise. I mean, I was Team Chase, and I thought he was the best, and than I took myself off Team Chase and into Team-I-Can't-Believe-This-Garbage-Got-Published.

I don't want to insult the book, but this is the best way to describe it. Harper infuriated me. Okay, so the girls around campus who were after the same two guys she was into added a little drama, but it makes NO SENSE that she would take it so personal even AFTER being told that the women hated her. Does she have any brains? Any? And aren't there more guys on that campus or are they on a testosterone shortage? Are Chase and Brandon really the only guys that everyone wants? And can we see a little class in some of these ladies? I felt it extremely insulting of McAdams to show these girls in such a degrading manner.

And I don't even know what to say about this love triangle. It is such a mess that it just destroyed the story - like completely! It went up in flames, turned to ashes, swept away to half-way across the world, where it just vanished into little particles into the deepest depths of the world.

Could McAdams pick a team? No. Could Harper pick a team? Harper is a joke. No, you cannot be in love with two men. I am sorry, but you might think you love them both, but it just doesn't work that way with true love. Honestly, these men could have had better things to do with their lives then spend so much time fighting and drooling over Harper. I actually threw up a little in the end because it was sickening.

I don't want to give anything away, but if the men are as stupid as Harper than they deserve her. McAdams took Harper's stupidity to a whole new level that I never knew even existed.

Obviously I didn't finish this and I just skimmed to the end, and what I read made me wish I hadn't spent that $1.99 on the novel. Harper was cute, and then she became just as bad as the other women who were after Chase and Brandon. And I think McAdams showed reexamine a lot of things, because Harper was not a real college student. I could not think of anyone real who could connect with her. And the same goes for the supporting characters. This book was riddled with fake characters that everybody was just cardboard cut-outs.

This novel was so contrived. I mean, if these characters would have been all mannequins that would have been a better story. That way no one could see what a fail they were.

I realize that I am bashing this novel into high heaven, but I just don't know how else to express my frustration and the sick feeling I get when I think of it.

And I understand, especially for someone like Harper who was on a tight leash all her life. It feels good to be a little wild and reckless and to just find yourself. I mean, I would be a liar if I denied the fact that once I entered college I started to do things that I would never even think of doing when I lived at home. We are adults now and we are finding ourselves. What I don't understand is someone who enters college and completely throws away all their values. Which is what Harper did.

I give up and even though it is a DNF, I am going to rate this book. The cover of it should really have a ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO DARE TO READ THIS BOOK label.