Book Blitz & Review: Sweet Liar by Debra Doxer (The Candy Series)

Sweet Liar 

by 

Debra Doxer

(The Candy Series) 

Genres: 

Mystery, Romance, Young Adult
ARC For Review
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Synopsis 

Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth.

Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his eye.

That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back.

But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him.

When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again.

The Truth Is Never Easy and Almost Always Tinted With Gray

This is the second installment of the Candy Series dare I say it is the end. Doxer has a way of making the reader want to turn the pages for more. The first ended with a pretty shocking cliffhanger. I had no idea how these two would or could find their happy ending. I have to be honest I liked the first installment better than this one. Not to say I didn’t enjoy this read but I had a little bit of trouble connecting with Candy and Jonah. Not enough to really affect the story just enough for me to rate the first a bit higher. There was an open story line at the end of Sweet Liar so I could see it continuing. 

The Story, Candy’s whole life or should I say father is in trouble. She has to find a way to save him but she has no idea how. Jonah has betrayed her with lies more times than she can count but he seems to be the only one who can keep her safe. Candy really has to face her fears in this installment and she has to learn to trust again. Things are not as they seem and her father certainly isn’t talking. Uncovering secrets after secrets she learns more than she could ever have imagined. 

The Characters, Candy is still quite the little prankster and I enjoyed her character quite a bit although I have to admit Jonah was the star for me in this installment. I have to mention Candy’s unwavering love and commitment to her father and friends. Once Candy loves and lets someone in they unlock a treasure. Jonah has had a less than fun upbringing and all of his truths come to light. We learn why he is the way he is but he has a beautiful heart. The very delicate love these two share is put to the test. Definitely YA I enjoyed their stolen moments and when they finally forgave each other. The rest of the clan was there and my new fav side character is Heather. If we see another story I have a feeling she will be our main girl. I loved her honesty and her voice. 

The End, as I mentioned before there are several questions that are finally answered. We find out exactly who what when and where! I enjoyed every twist and turn the author gave us throughout the read. I wasn’t sure Jonah and Candy would find their happy ending but somehow things worked out. Jonah figures out a way to be with the one he loves against the odds. The reader gets a lot of closure but there is a friend or two who’s story lines are left a bit open. If this series continues I’d follow it to see how Candy and Jonah are fairing. 

My Rating

4.0 Gun, Cat, Garage, Enchiladas, Mom, Safe, Study, Neighbor, Creeper, Secrets, Bird Seed, Bowling, Christmas Trees, Phone, Video, Embrace, College, Assignment, Family, Love filled stars! 

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AUTHOR BIO

Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she’ll run out of words, her response always is, “When I run out of time.” 

Connect with Debra. She loves hearing from readers.

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Book Review: Falling for His Best Friend (Out of Uniform #2) by Katee Robert

Falling for His Best Friend

Out of Uniform #2

By:
Katee Robert

Published:
May 19, 2015

Publisher:
Entangled Brazen

Source:
Publisher for a honest review

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GR's Summary:

Avery Yeung’s biological clock just went off early. Thanks to her family’s medical history, she’s running out of time to get knocked up. And the only guy within donating distance? Her overprotective—and irritatingly hot—best friend. So clearly she needs an anonymous donor… 

Anonymous donor? Over Sheriff Drew Flannery’s dead body. While daddyhood will never be in the cards for a man with his past, Drew won’t let Avery shop for a “popsicle pop.” He’ll do what’s right for his best friend by doing his best friend. But only if they do it properly. 

But there’s nothing “proper” about it. Between the bed, the kitchen counter, and against his squad car, Avery and Drew are having the hottest sex ever. They can’t get enough of it—or each other. And without knowing it, they’ve crossed the one line that could ruin their friendship forever…

Out of Uniform Series:

Add this Series to Goodreads Here

My Thoughts:

Falling for His Best Friend is the first book that I've read by Katee Robert, and let me tell you it was one very hot Brazen Romance!  Even though this is a series, Falling for His Best Friend can be read as a standalone.

This steamy story is told from the dual perspectives of main characters, Avery Yeung, and sexy small town sheriff, Drew Flannery.  Avery and Drew are best friends and have a very special and unique bond.  Even though they both secretively share an attraction to one another, they have never acted on it, because they value their friendship too much to jeopardize it.

The women in Avery's family tend to have bad luck when they turn twenty eight.  Her mother got Cancer and died at age twenty eight, and her sister also got Cancer, and had to get a hysterectomy at age twenty eight.  Avery is twenty-seven years old.  She has been waiting for Mr. Right, but never met him, and with the clock ticking away, she has decided to have a baby on her own.  Her plan is to pick a donor, and get in-vitro fertile insemination.  

When she tells Drew her plan, he is not too happy, and instead offers his services to impregnate her.  However, while Avery is expecting to go though the clinic, Drew has other plans.  Before Avery and Drew know it, they are in over their heads.  One night of passion, leads to the best sex either of them have ever experienced, and change the dynamics of their relationship.  Will their sexual relationship ruin the friendship that they both value above anything else, or will it open their eyes to the fact that they are meant to be...

Falling for His Best Friend was such a fast-paced, exhilarating, and sexy read.  I love the friends to lovers trope!  It was wonderful seeing a couple that already had such a strong bond of friendship, and emotional connection to one another.  They really were perfect for each other, and I was rooting for them to take a chance on love from the very beginning of the story!  I enjoyed the secondary characters, and would like to go back and read their stories in the previous segments of the series!

My Rating:

This story was a delicious reading treat for the senses.  Seductive, Visceral, and Erotic are words that I would use to describe Avery and Drew's romance.  I give, Falling for His Best Friend, by Katee Robert, 4 Searing Sexy Fantasy, Forever Soulmate, Happily Ever After Filled Stars!

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About Katee Robert:

Katee Robert learned to tell stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her favorites then were the rather epic adventures of The Three Bears, but at age twelve she discovered romance novels and never looked back. 

Though she dabbled in writing, life got in the way—as it often does—and she spent a few years traveling, living in both Philadelphia and Germany. In between traveling and raising her two wee ones, she had the crazy idea that she’d like to write a book and try to get published. 

Her first novel was an epic fantasy that, God willing, will never see the light of day. From there, she dabbled in YA and horror, before finally finding speculative romance. Because, really, who wouldn’t want to write entire books about the smoking-hot relationships between two people? 

 She now spends her time—when not lost in Far Reach worlds—playing imaginary games with her wee ones, writing, ogling men, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

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Book Review: Walking on Trampolines by Frances Whiting

Walking on Trampolines

By::Frances Whiting

Published:
February 3, 2015

Publisher:
Gallery Books

Source: eArc from publisher for a honest review

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GR's Summary:

Praised as “a tender exploration of friendship, families, and first love” (Liane Moriarty, New York Times bestselling author of The Husband’s Secret), this coming-of-age novel from bestselling author Frances Whiting is equal parts heartwarming, accessible, and thought provoking.

“Tallulah de Longland,” she said slowly, letting all the Ls in my name loll about lazily in her mouth before passing judgment. “That,” she announced, “is a serious glamorgeous name.” 

From the day Annabelle Andrews sashays into her classroom, Tallulah ‘Lulu’ de Longland is bewitched: by Annabelle, by her family, and by their sprawling, crumbling house tumbling down to the river. 

Their unlikely friendship intensifies through a secret language where they share confidences about their unusual mothers, first loves, and growing up in the small coastal town of Juniper Bay. But the euphoria of youth rarely lasts, and the implosion that destroys their friendship leaves lasting scars and a legacy of self-doubt that haunts Lulu into adulthood. 

Years later, Lulu is presented with a choice: remain the perpetual good girl who misses out, or finally step out from the shadows and do something extraordinary. And possibly unforgivable… 

It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce.

My Thoughts:

Walking on Trampolines is the debut novel written by Australian author, Frances Whiting.  The story had an Australian flavor to it with vocabulary, and phrases that are native to Australia.  I found this charming, and loved learning the lingo, because I am a huge lover of learning about various cultures.

This is the story of Tallulah "Lulu" Longland.  It starts out in the present where Lulu has done something she is ashamed of.  It then goes back and forth between the present and the past as we are told about how Lulu came to be best friends with Annabelle Andrews.  These two girls became best friends at the age of twelve, and were inseparable from that time until the end of their high school years.  They were always at each others homes, and each of their parents became like second parents to the other girl.  They developed their own special way of communicating, were loyal to one another, knew each other's secrets, and understood one another better than anyone else. 

After high school graduation, Lulu makes a discovery that breaks her heart, and sends the girls lives off in two very different directions.  Things come full circle, and as life goes on, many years later, they find their way back to one another.

Walking on Trampolines was a coming of age story.  It dealt with family, friendships, betrayal, love, forgiveness, and healing.  There were a variety of unique characters in this story.  I loved Lulu.  She was a very giving and nurturing person, who had a way of healing others broken hearts.  Annabelle was difficult for me to like.  She had a bit of dysfunction in her family life, as did Lulu.  Yet, Annabelle came off as jealous, possessive, selfish, and use to getting her way.  She may have changed when she got older, but she never grew on me.  Lulu's first love Josh was flakey and made me very angry and frustrated in this story.  Even at the end, I wasn't a fan of his.  My favorite character was Duncan, Lulu's first boss and good friend.  He was hilarious, kept dialogue interesting, and had a fun wisdom about him despite his problem with monogamy.  I also loved Simone and Stella, two of Lulu's best friends, and Will, a very special man, who I fell for from the moment I met him.  He was patient, a great friend, and a very special person.

Walking on Trampolines was very realistic to life.  There were a lot of ups and downs, themes of growing up, discovering yourself, forgiving yourself and others, learning from your past mistakes, and what it means to be human.

My Rating:

I give, Walking on Trampolines, by Frances Whiting, 3.5 Important Friendships, Growing-Up, Healing, First Love & True Love Filled Stars!

My Favorite Quotes:

"It's the words we don't say, Lulu, not the ones we do, that linger longest."  (eARC, Loc. 1855)

~Duncan

"Anyone can get on a boat, Lulu, you just buy a ticket.  There're thousands of us out there flailing about in the ocean, but there's not that many of you.  You're the one standing on the shore and shinning the light, guiding us all in safely.  He picked up a newspaper and pretended to read it.  So fuck em', he said."  (eARC, Loc. 2017)

~Duncan

"They had both been my first loves, and that night I let them go, finally realizing that your first love, no matter how big it may have been, wasn't necessarily your true one."  (eARC, Loc. 4527)

~Lulu

Book Teaser:

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About Frances Whiting:

Frances Whiting is one of Australia's best known and favourite columnists. For more than fifteen years her Sunday Mail column has engaged readers in the highs, lows and the wonderful of the every day. She is also an award winning journalist and Senior Feauture writer for Q Weekend Magazine in the Courier Mail. She has published two collections of her columns: Oh To Be A Marching Girl, and That's A Home Run, Tiger! Walking on Trampolines is her first novel.

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Giveaway:

1 Paperback Copy of Walking on Trampolines 

By: Frances Whiting (U.S./Canada Only)

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