Recent Reads and both 5 stars

 

Travis by Mia Sheridan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in a series, the first being Archer’s Voice. Archer’s Voice is one of those special books that IS the reason we love romance. I reread it at least twice a year, sometimes more than that. The antagonist in Archer’s Voice is Travis, Archer’s cousin and rival for the fair Bree, our heroine. Of course Archer wins her hand, he is such an amazing, sweet, vulnerable, wounded, heck of a hero and so very well deserving of the HEA. Travis on the other hand, we aren’t crazy about him after what he does to our beloved Archer. So I’m sure those of us who adore Archer’s Voice are wondering how is she going to do it. How is Mia, the author of such a treasure as Archer, going to get us on board with Travis.

Quick answer – she does and she does so wonderfully. First off, Travis loves his nephews and nieces so that’s already points to him. Bree has forgiven him and so has Archer, so if they have, how can we, the reader, still hold on to our grudge. Then he walks in on his girlfriend in flagrante delicto with another fellow. Of course our sympathies are engaged with that uh, oh moment. Travis is very remorseful for what he has done to Archer in the past and we readers believe him. Plus there is a point made that I don’t think any of thought of before. I don’t want to say what it is, letting you ponder it yourself and go hmmmm, that’s true. So now most of us are probably ready to give Travis another chance now.
He meets Haven, our heroine, though she has eyes focused in a different direction. She and her younger brother work at the local prestigious golf club and while Travis lost everything – you have to read Archer’s Voice to find out why – he still frequents the club. He and Haven get along well and become friends. And the more she gets to know Travis, the more her feelings begin to change and grow deeper. And even though he’s well on his way, the better a person Travis becomes.

I’ve read enough books by Mia Sheridan to know she would be able to pull this book off and she does it so wonderfully well. Now, for absolute sure, the next time I read Archer’s Voice, I will be following it up with Travis.

All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve kind of had mixed results with Mariana Zapata. I wasn’t all that keen on The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. I gave it 3 stars. From Lukov with Love was a DNF though I’m going to give it another try. It was a number of years ago I tried so maybe my tastes have changed. I read Lingus and gave it 4 stars. I liked it but found we just didn’t get enough insight into why Tristan chose the career he did. It wasn’t like he decided to become a fireman or construction worker. No, his chose profession was much different. But Ms. Zapata is so well loved by so many, I didn’t want to give up.

Very, very smart move. Because next try was All Rhodes Roads Lead Here and for me, it’s a solid, well earned, and well deserved 5 star book. I love it. Aurora is our heroine. She lived a rather vagabond kind of life. They never stayed in one place for too long. When she was young it was just her and her adventurous mother. One day her mother had spent the day on one of her adventures and she never came home. She was never found and this devastated Aurora. But at the beginning of the book, she has come back to the small town where her mother disappeared and her goal is to recreate some of the same adventures.

She has rented an apartment over a garage during her stay, but it turns out the rentee was not who she thought it was. Instead it is Amos, the son of Tobias Rhodes who rents the garage apartment which is next door to Tobias and Amos. And Tobias or Rhodes as he is more commonly called is L.I.V.I.D and only agrees to let Aurora stay until she can find somewhere else to lay her head. This is a combination grumpy/sunshine and slow burn book and I adored it. Auora is a wonderful heroine and I love her to pieces. She had been involved in a long term relationship with a famous country artist and helped write some of his music. But she is literally thrown away by the jerk and his mama when they figure they don’t need her anymore, thus her quest to recreate a lot of her mother’s adventures. Considering everything she has gone through, she’s delightfully optimistic and warm and a wonderful and caring person. She bonds very well with teenage Amos and they both share a love of music.

Rhodes is a grump par excellence. He’s spent most of his life in the military but gave that up when he had the opportunity to be a full time father to Amos. And I’m not going to give anything away, but that’s a very unusual situation I’ve never seen before and it adds such a great layer to the book. He’s stern and tries his very best to ignore the funny and joyful Aurora but she manages to wear him down with her charm.

I adore everything about this book and I found it very difficult to put it down and go on with everyday life while I was reading it. All I wanted to do was find out what was going to happen next. This book is everything I love in a romance and I’m beyond grateful I kept going with Mariana Zapata. I got in on KU but I think I’m going to buy my own copy as this is a true comfort read and I know I’m going to want to read it again.

'til later

Recent Read

 

Once We Were Starlight by Mia Sheridan

While I was reading this book, I tweeted asking if anyone else has read a book that is painful to read.  And I meant in a good way.  It’s a book that is so well written that it’s as if you are there, a part of the story, like a silent observer.  Such is the case with this book.  It’s not an easy read in many ways but oh so well worth reading

 

The first part of the book takes place in a mid-east country in some kind of small city and the main characters are Karys and Zakai, two young people who have lived in this place since they were very young.  From the very beginning there was a very strong bond between them and as they got older, this strong bond turned physical.  Only this place wasn’t paradise, it was a place people came from all over the world to watch deviant sexual acts and once the owner was aware of what was going on between Karys and Zakai, they became part of the “entertainment” as brother and sister having sex with each other.  Thankfully, the book isn’t very descriptive in this area.

 

Karys is very naïve and doesn’t really understand what’s really going on and in order to protect her, Zakai makes almost a game of it.  All the other ‘prisoners’ also try and shield her so she doesn’t see how depraved it all is and sees everyone as almost family.  Eventually Karys and Zakai are rescued and Karys is sent to live with an uncle she has never met.  Zakai was a beggar and an orphan and has nowhere to go but he is also sent to New York.  Karys finds things very difficult as she has always had Kai with her and now her uncle tries to discourage their special bond.

 

Then for reasons Karys doesn’t understand, Zakai smashes the bond and they are estranged.  They are still in each other’s orbit in a way.  Zakai goes on to become a very successful model and she sees him on billboards and print adds.  Karys has become a successful author of YA fantasy books.

 

The story opens and then ends with a confrontation between the two and the story in between is their history.

This is just a very brief synopsis of this heartbreaking romance and I know I don’t have the words to adequately describe how very impactful it is.  Karys and Zakai are beautiful together and the love between them is intense and passionate.  It’s the kind of book that haunts you and stays with you even when you aren’t reading and long after you’ve finished  My heart broke for both of them.

It is told entirely from Karys’ point of view except for the final chapter which is from Zakai.  I know in the past the author has written duets from each POV and I’m really hoping this is the plan for this book too.  We can infer quite a bit what Zakai is going through but I’d love to see it directly through his eyes.

 

This is such a beautiful, haunting, painful, amazing book and I’m at risk of overdosing on superlatives.

 

Mia Sheridan can write such powerful and emotional books and in this book she is at her finest.

Grade: A+

One last thing just in case you aren't sure and wondering, this is a romance and the number one criteria for a romance is the HEA