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Book Review: Fighting For What’s His by Laura Kaye

Sep 10, 2018

Fighting For What’s His by Laura Kaye

Pages: 242
Publish date: September 10th, 2018
Publisher: –
ASIN: B07CYT37YG
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – iBooks

Resisting her only makes him want her more…

Private investigator Billy Parrish is good at three things—fighting, investigating, and sex. MMA training with the other vets in the Warrior Fight Club keeps his war-borne demons at bay—mostly, and one night stands ensure no one gets too close. But then his best friend from the Army Rangers calls in a favor.

Shayna Curtis is new to town and full of hope for the future. With a new job starting, she’s grateful when her brother arranges a place for her to stay while she apartment hunts. But she never expected her roommate to be so brooding. Or so sexy.

Billy can’t wait for Shay to leave—because the longer she’s there, the more he wants her in his bed. To stay. He can’t have her—that much he knows. But when fight club stops taking off the edge, Billy lets down his guard…and starts fighting for what’s his.

Fighting For What’s His:

I received an e-arc of Fighting for What’s His by Laura Kaye from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’ve read quite a few Laura Kaye books now and most I have really enjoyed. They are easy reads that I can just quickly pick up and just relax. Fighting for What’s His was just the same. While it does deal with heavier issues, it’s still a quick, fun, romantic read.

Fighting for What’s His follows protagonist Shayna as she moves into her brothers best friends place as she finds her place in a new city. But her new roommate also happens to be someone who she has crushed on for quite some time. Billy still haunted by his past is trying to move on with his life. It’s all about fighting, investigating, and sex, but when Shayna moves in, he is taken off guard. Starting off with a bang Shay and Billy are in for a ride, and things are about to get heated.

I really enjoyed Shayna as a protagonist in Fighting for What’s His. She was really easy to get along with and I was able to fall into her voice nicely. From the start, the reader is able to see that. Shay has been through a lot and this is her time to get away and really take time for herself. I really enjoyed how passionate Shay was about her career and doing what she loves. I liked that Laura Kaye shows the struggles that she had to go through, but also the highs that made it all worthwhile. It was a nice contrast and added more depth to the novel.

Shay also makes a range of friends throughout Fighting for What’s His and that was so great to see. Normally in romance novels the female protagonist already has friends, but as she has moved to another town, she has to start all over.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve loved reading more and more romance books with military-related characters. I don’t know why I love it so much, but it just adds another layer to the novels and makes it that more interesting. Billy is an ex-ranger. Still trying to find his footing in the ‘normal’ world, he becomes a private investigator while also attending the Warrior Fight Club. And while he has all these things to distract him, the war still haunts him and does play around with his life. Throughout most of Fighting for What’s His, I really enjoyed Billy, but there were times where I just wanted to scream at him. He has poor communication skills that really affected his relationship with Shay.

The romance in Fighting for What’s His was okay. I didn’t actually love it that much. I think that Shay and Billy are a great couple and had heaps of chemistry. But I think the novel lacked to show the progress. There was a big part of the middle of the novel, where not much happened. It was like they had heaps of chemistry at the start and then they were saying they loved each other. The connecting part for me lacked depth and substance.

One of my favourite things about this series so far is how it deals with mental illness. PTSD plays a huge role with people that have fought in a battle and I really enjoy about Laura Kaye represents it. Both novels so far, explore mental health in different ways and on different levels. But it’s done in a way where romance doesn’t ‘fix’ the mental illness, but helps assist with striving to be in a better place. In Fighting for What’s His we get to see two different ways that mental health has effect people. Billy because of the horrors of the life he leads as an ex-ranger and then Shay with the guilt of her brother’s death.

The notion of family was a huge theme in Fighting for What’s His. Although not in the book much, I really enjoyed Shya’s relationship with her brother. The reader is able to tell from the start that Shay really cares about him and what he thinks of her. His opinions matter and that she wants to make him proud. I do wish that Laura Kaye did focus more on Shay’s realtionship with other members of her family, but it was only really spoken off.

Overall I enjoyed Fighting for What’s His. Is it my favourite book? No, not even close. But it was a really enjoyable read. The romance is firey and was fun to read. Shay and Billy are both great characters that were able to capture me from the start. Fighting for What’s His explores the notion of believing in yourself, letting go and letting people in. It’s a novel that explores family, friendship and mental health. If you are looking for a quick, but impactful romance read then this one is for you.

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Blasphemy, Hard Ink, and Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. Laura also writes historical fiction as the NYT bestselling author, Laura Kamoie. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Have you read Fighting for What’s His by Laura Kaye? What did you think? Are you planning on reading it? Have you read anything else by Laura Kaye? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: The Chase by Elle Kennedy

Aug 28, 2018

The Chase by Elle Kennedy

Pages: 377
Publish date: August 6th, 2018
Publisher: Self-Published
ASIN: B07G6M9HDV
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother.

And that his best friend has a crush on me.

And that I just moved in with them.

Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing?

He knows where to find me.

The Chase:

I received an e-arc of The Chase by Elle Kennedy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series is one of my favourite NA sport-romances ever. So when I heard she was writing a spin-off series, I couldn’t hold my excitement. The Chase is the first book in the Briar U series follows new and old characters that we have seen before. Set in the same school, the same hockey team and the intense, steamy romances. Overall I really enjoyed The Chase, it’s not my favourite Elle Kennedy book out there, but I still really loved it.

The Chase follows Summer Di Laurentis as she begins her first semester at a new school. And a new school means new friends, new classes and a chance to start over. Things are bound to get out of control when Summer unexpectedly movies in with hockey boys. And one of them happens to be Fitzy, someone who Summer has had a crush on for quite some time. Fitzy knows that liking Summer is wrong, and he tries to keep this distance, but that just never works. When Fitzy and Summer break down their walls things have just started to get interesting.

For the most part, I really enjoyed Summer as a protagonist in The Chase. She wasn’t the typical characters that you see in an NA per say. She wasn’t this really smart characters and she was the classic college girl and I think I really enjoyed that. From the start, Summer doesn’t hide too much from the reader. We know that she likes to party, struggles in school and needs a little bit of extra help. But as the novel goes on we really get to see a side of Summer that I loved – her vulnerability.

It seeps in through the novel, but I just really enjoyed her exploring herself and why she struggles in school. Summer has ADHD and it really affects her schooling and does make her vulnerable. But it is also something that makes her strong and pushing her to be the best she can. I also loved that those around her; mainly her friends and family and trying to help her and support her.

If you have read Elle’s Off-Campus series then you would already know about Fitzy. But the reader gets to know him a whole lot more in The Chase. I was already intrigued by Fitzy when reading the previous novels, this tattooed, video-gaming ice hockey player. The reader gets to know more about Fitzy throughout the novel and while I didn’t exactly love him, I really enjoyed him as a love interest for Summer. Throughout the novel, Fitzy’s insecurities are brought to the forefront. I did feel at times that Fitzy’s character arc in The Chase fell short and just didn’t go anywhere at times. I did love that he was unapologetically so into video games and art.

The romance in The Chase was cute, and I loved seeing Summer and Fitzy together. However, I did feel that things could have gone differently. I hated the love triangle aspect of the novel and wish it wasn’t there. There was enough going on around these two that it wasn’t necessary for the plot, I think. I adored the way that Fitzy wanted to help Summer study and be the best she can. It was great seeing a young male really think about learning disabilities, understand and want to help. And I adored that Summer believed in Fitzy and his capabilities even when he didn’t. It was great seeing that they would both knock down everything in each other’s paths so they can do well.

Friendship was a massive theme in The Chase and I really liked the way it was handled at times. Summer and Brenna are perfect together and I cannot wait to see their friendship grow. It was also a great way to tie into the previous books. I did feel there was a strain on Fitzy and his friendships with teammates after the love triangle debacle – hence another reason why I wish it wasn’t included. The appearance of characters from the Off-Campus series also made for some great laughs, smiles and gave the reader some insight on what has happened.

The plot of The Chase was up and down for me. There were a lot of things that came out of the blue and created this line in the book that just took me away. It explored the boundaries that teachers in college break and not for good reasons and when women speak up – not many people listen. This is such an important topic, and it was rushed in the book which means that things came out of nowhere and did have no consequences. However, other than that the plot moved pretty smoothly for me.

Overall, I enjoyed The Chase. It was a great sports romance read that you all know I love. The romance was adorable and I loved how slow burning it was. Fitzy and Summer are adorable together and sometimes even sexy which was a nice combination. The Chase explores trusting in yourself and learning to love who you are. It’s about friendship and family and creating something new. If you are looking for a slow-burn college romance then this one is for you.

Have you read an Elle Kennedy book? Are you planning to pick this one up? Have you read it yet? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

Aug 20, 2018

Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

Pages: 400
Publish date: July 5th, 2018
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
ISBN: 9780552573764
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Haunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . . . and would he even want it?

Lada’s rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won’t rest until everyone knows that her country’s borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed’s peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.

But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister’s indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before–including her relationships–can Lada truly build the country she wants.

Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.

Bright We Burn:

This has to be one of my favourite series of all time. I love everything about it. It’s intense, brutal and keeps you on edge the whole time. Both Lada and Radu go against the norms of protagonists in YA and that just takes this trilogy to a whole different level.

After the events of Now I Rise, Lada is leading at Wallachia and will stop at nothing to make it crime free. She won’t stop until everyone knows that she is now ruling and it’s her land. Back in Constantinople, Mehmed is now ruling as Sultan and Ruda is called back to be with him. But Ruda is not only dealing with the downfall of Constantinople but the sacrifices that he had to make. When Lada sends back some of Mehmed’s men, dead, Mehmed knows he has to deal with her and who better than sending her own brother. Lada has spent years fighting for what she believes in and she won’t be easily stopped.

I don’t think I will ever stop talking about this trilogy. It’s just so fantastic, I can’t even begin to explain. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Bright We Burn. I know how things went down in history, but I wasn’t so sure how things would go in this book. death, destruction, and sacrifices I was prepared for, tearing me apart I was not.

Lada is such an interesting protagonist. The female version of Vlad the Impaler, she has no mercy and will stop at nothing to show that her gender doesn’t matter. Throughout the previous two books, we slowly get to see how horrific Lada could be, but everything went up ten notches in Bright We Burn. Lada is fierce and strong from the start, but as the novel goes on we do get to see that she is vulnerable and a lot of that comes down to both Mehmed and Ruda. They are both her downfall. While she isn’t fazed by killing, she lacks experience in other areas and that really shone through in Bright We Burn. I am just so fascinated by Lada as a character overall. Lada’s unique, brutal and is perfectly written.

There are a lot of things that happen in Bright We Burn involving Lada and it really made from an interesting book. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I think that Kiersten White’s characterisation and arc of Lada is so balance and just works so damn well.

Ruda, my sugar plum. He is just too precious that I can’t control it. Ruda has grown a lot from And I Darken, he has not only learned a lot of about himself, but also those that he loves. I think that Ruda gets to really shine in Bright We Burn. He not only gets to lead in a way but also gets to know himself a little more. In saying that, as much as a love Ruda, his blind love and devotion for Mehmed, is his downfall. He will do anything for him because Ruda believes that there is a small chance that Mehmed might love him too. And while we get to see things in the previous two books, it really takes a turn in Bright We Burn.

There is one scene between Ruda and Lada that broke my heart. She is one tough person, but I could feel all the pain she was going through because of Ruda and his loyally to Mehmed and not his blood.

Mehmed, all I can say is that I hate him. I don’t think I have disliked a character so much in a book that I love. He is deceiving, manipulative and just wants and needs to get his way. He’s like a small child, that throws a tantrum when their parents don’t buy them a toy. He can’t make up his mind and wants everything and anything, no matter who he hurts in the process.

Bright We Burn is fantastic. There were things that happened that just blew me the hell away. I didn’t know what to think or what to do. I kept second guessing everything that happened and didn’t know who to trust. Lada and Ruda have a lot of family struggles in Bright We Burn and it really did hurt me. One of Lada’s plot lines, gosh it was done so well and made me burst with excitement. I loved the way that Bright We Burn flowed. There were some seriously intense moments where your heart would be jumping. But then there were these beautiful moments that made me want to cry. In saying all this, there was also a lot of death in Bright We Burn and some really did hurt. Here is a photo of what I was like at the end of the book…

I just finished Bright We Burn. Holy F-. @kierstenwhite you are brilliant, but you killed me. It hurt so much that this happened… pic.twitter.com/m0kpIhGLAj

— Angel 😇 (@angel_reads) July 24, 2018

Overall, if you haven’t picked up this trilogy please do. Bright We Burn by Kiersten White is intense, brutal and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book left me a mess but in the best possible way. This gender twist, historical fiction explores family, finding yourself and war. It explores new life, being strong and finding your place. Lada and Radu and some of the most intriguing, captivating and alluring protagonist I have ever read and they will never leave me. It’s about war and betrayal, oh all the betrayal and will leave you gobsmacked right at the end. This books is dark, don’t forget that Lada is the female Vlad the Impaler. There is so much more to say, but this fierce and brutal novel is waiting for you.

Don’t forget to check out my reviews on And I Darken and Now I Rise. But I must warn you, that I love these two books, just as much.