The Kiss by Erica M. Christensen

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Rating: 4 STARS

The Kiss is the debut novella from Erica M. Christensen. It's a New Adult contemporary romance story that introduces us to Addison (Addi). This poor girl has the life she's grown accustomed to, ripped out from under her, her job, her home, her fiance. All gone. So, she heads home to Iowa from Los Angeles to live with her Mom. 

While home, she gets in touch with some of the friends she grew up with. Friendships are tested, relationships are strained, bombs are dropped. It feels like a rough go for dear Addi, and life just isn't ready to sort itself out for her yet. That is until she gets a beer dumped on her in a bar on New Year's Eve by Sexy Tattooed Man. 

I cannot wait to read more of this story. It ends on a fantastic note, and definitely leaves you wanting more. The only point that brought this down for me was during the reading. I felt like the relationship that was being explored needed more depth, deserved more depth. With that said, once I got to the end, I understood what was happening. As a result, it brought the book up from 3.5 stars, to 4. 

Keri

(ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.)

Havoc by Xavier Neal

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Rating: 4 STARS

We  are introduced to Clint (Grim) in the prologue, a sad back story of his mother passing, bringing to light Clint's feelings about his dad's absence growing up. And in the beginning we learn how serious and "Grim" he is, so he's aptly named. In the here and now of the book, Clint is on leave, counting down the days until his next deployment until he finds a bruised and battered Haven unconscious in his yard. His mission at that point becomes nothing other than keeping her safe. He falls for her. He feels so strongly that he needs to protect this young girl. He is immediately in tune with her feelings, and is overwhelmed by it, as is she. We follow them through the next intense 87 days, settling Haven into a different life, with a network of people to help, and preparing each other for life after his deployment. And we find out what they forgot to prepare for, as a result of concentrating solely on that time. 

I might be biased, I really love romance stories starring Marines, Army dudes, and other sorts of commandos, this is definitely a book up the same alley as "Corps Security." This is not a super smut read. But the romance is there. The "alpha" is there, quite literally.

Two things that "bothered" me with this book, and prevents me from giving it 5 STARS is; one- the relationship between Clint and his dad. I feel like he's holding on too tightly to something he should understand with the career choices that he made. And two- I think more back story on Haven would have been good, or sharing the POV between them.

-Keri 

(ARC provided in exchange for honest review.)