One & Only by Viv Daniels (Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway!)

One & Only by Viv Daniels
Release Date: November 8, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 264
Series: Canton #1
Review Source: eARC from author

Synopsis:

One night they can't forget...

Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to keep: the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship -- Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.

One love they can't ignore...

Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one choice: break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time.

...And only one chance to get things right

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love how Viv Daniels writes New Adult -- it's exactly what I've been wanting from the category. This isn’t a huge surprise to me, because her alter-ego, Diana Peterfreund, wrote my favourite New Adult series, Secret Society Girl. One & Only is a romance, definitely, but it’s also about school, friends, and family. It’s about Tess as a whole person, and the book examines her problems and goals outside of her romantic life. Another bonus is that while there are definite family issues going on (I mean, just check out the synopsis!), they’re presented without this being another “tragic past” story.

I loved Dylan and Tess together right from the beginning with their summer together at Cornell, and it was great to see them come back together. They had such fabulous chemistry -- you could tell that their relationship was special. There’s a real love and acceptance between these two characters that Tess has been hungry for. It was awesome to see her explore a relationship where she was valued and accepted, something she hasn't really seen before. I enjoyed Dylan as a love interest, because he was so unique for the New Adult category. He’s hot stuff, sure, but he’s also unapologetic about how geeky he is, and he values honesty above everything. Three cheers for nice guy love interests!

Another special thing about this book is how Hannah isn't presented as this horrible other woman just because she’s with Dylan for part of the book. Hannah is definitely different from Tess, but you can see that she's a nice person. This is a refreshing change from a lot of other books where you think “If this guy is so awesome, why is his (ex)girlfriend such a bitch??”. I was really intrigued by Tess's reactions to Hannah. I definitely thought it spoke to Tess being hungry for acceptance and family. (Viv actually wrote a whole guest post about Hannah, which I didn't know when I wrote my review. You should definitely check it out!)

I had big expectations for One & Only, and the book definitely lived up to every one of them. Highly recommended for fans of New Adult who want some substance with their swoons.

The Cover:
Like!

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

About Viv:
Viv Daniels writes love stories for the young and young at heart. Like many of her characters, she met her husband in college, and knows all the ins and outs of navigating that kind of relationship — from how to date when you’re both flat broke to how to fit two people in narrow dorm room bed.

Her favorite new adult authors include Tammara Weber, J. Lynn, and Cora Carmack.

Viv can usually be found on her Facebook page or Twitter feed, chatting with readers about her favorite New Adult fiction, or sharing pictures of cute boys.

Where to find Viv:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Guest Post from Viv Daniels

College Love Stories

My new book, ONE & ONLY, is set at the fictional Canton College, a competitive private university in a mid-size town. I think there’s something so special about a college romance, especially one that takes place in a small school, with all the fishbowl attributes that go hand-in-hand with that.

Why do I love college love stories? Well, the first reason is obvious: I met my husband in college. I was a senior, he was a junior, we fell hard and fast and here we are, thirteen years later, married, with a house and a dog and a kid… I know for a fact it can and does happen—you can find the love of your life as an undergrad. Many of my friends are in the same boat. College is prime time for dating, and of course, for dating drama.

Oh, the drama! In the “real” world, when you break up with your boyfriend, the chances that you’ll ever see him again is slim to none. But in college, those guys are in your classes, your dorm, your dining hall every time you turn around.

When I was in college, I knew a guy who slept his way through an entire suite of girls. Talk about awkward! I was literally in a bathroom stall once when I heard a girl at the sink talking to her friend about hooking up with my very recent ex-boyfriend and all the trash he was talking about me.

Yeah.

Boy did I have fun strolling out of that stall, washing my hands, and not saying a single freaking word to that girl as she stared at me, open-mouthed.

I wanted to write a story like that. High emotion, first loves, people you can’t help but run into again and again —whether you want to or not. Dylan is dating Tess’s sister. Tess becomes friends with Dylan’s former lab partner, a young woman who also has quite the history with our hero. You can’t walk into a restaurant or a coffee shop or a frat party without seeing someone you know.

I love it. The intensity, the drama, the potential for gripping, once-in-a-lifetime stories… college romance is where it’s at. And that's what I hope readers find in One & Only.

Book Labyrinth Exclusive Giveaway

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Thanks so much for stopping by today, Viv! I thoroughly enjoyed One & Only, and I hope the buzz will continue to grow for it.

You can follow along with the rest of the tour HERE. Each stop will have their own exclusive giveaway, giving you even more chances to win!

A Matter of Truth by Heather Lyons (Tour Review + Giveaway)

A Matter of Truth by Heather Lyons
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Cerulean Books
Series: Fate #3
Review Source: eARC for review through InkSlinger PR

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Not long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away.

Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.

My Thoughts:
There's something about this series and about Heather Lyons' writing that is so compulsively readable. Even when I’m internally yelling at the character(s) for decisions they made, I can’t help but keep flipping through the pages.

A Matter of Truth is a great addition to this series. I loved the Alaska part in the beginning, even when I wanted to see what was happening with Jonah and Kellan in Annar. Even though Chloe was in pain, being away from her connections, I really think she needed that time away. I love how she branched out, making new friends (such as the amazing Will!), and beginning to make some mature decisions.

I liked how this book moved things forward in so many ways. There was discovery about getting rid of the Elders, even if the solution was problematic. There was also progress in Chloe’s romantic situation, with a real decision being made (one which I really liked!). I really think this is my favourite book of the series so far because it had that crazy addictive quality that the first two books had, but Chloe also matured a lot, making adult decisions and sticking to them, even when it was difficult.

If you’re looking for a fun upper Young Adult (the characters are in high school in the first book)/New Adult series that doesn’t have a contemporary setting, I’d definitely recommend checking these out.

The Cover:
Gorgeous!!

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

About Heather:
Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Where to find Heather:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

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Be sure to check out the full TOUR SCHEDULE for more
reviews, excerpts, guest posts, and interviews.

A Little Too Much by Lisa DesRochers

A Little Too Much by Lisa DesRochers
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Pages: 416
Series: A Little Too... #2
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
In the follow-up to Lisa Desrochers’ explosive New Adult novel A Little too Far, Alessandro Moretti must face the life he escaped and the girl he loved and left behind.

Twenty-two year old Hilary McIntyre would like nothing more than to forget her past. As a teenager abandoned to the system, she faced some pretty dark times. But now that’s all behind her. Hilary has her life on track, and there’s no way she’ll head back down that road again.

Until Alessandro Moretti—the one person who can make her remember—shows up on her doorstep. He’s even more devastatingly gorgeous than before, and he’s much too close for comfort. Worse, he sees right through the walls she’s built over these last eight years, right into her heart and the secrets she’s guarding.

As Hilary finds herself falling back into love with the man who, as a boy both saved and destroyed her, she must decide. Past or future? Truth or lies?

My Thoughts:
This review contains spoilers for A Little Too Far, so if you want to keep that book a total secret, don’t read on! But be sure to check out my review of the first book.

A Little Too Much is only the second book I've read from Lisa DesRochers, but I already know that I can count on her to write characters and situations that impact me emotionally. The tough past of these main characters seemed real. They had a shared history, being surrounded by a bad situation, and you could really see the effect that had on both main characters.

I loved reading about Hilary in the New York theatre world. I also loved seeing Alessandro again, this time dealing with his decision to leave the church. I loved the scenes with Hilary and Alessandro together getting to know New York City and rediscovering each other. While I guessed Hilary’s big secret right from the beginning it was still an emotional journey to see her admit it on the page and see her deal with it, which I think was kind of the point. You can figure out what happened, but you’re waiting to see the exact specifics, when it will actually be addressed, and what the repercussions will be.

While I didn't love this second book in the series *quite* as much as A Little Too Far (equaling that would be tough, because I completely adored it), I still really enjoyed it and I devoured it almost as quickly. Lisa DesRochers has such an easy writing style that envelops you in the story, making you a part of the characters and their world. If you’re looking for New Adult books which have that sexy romance that you might expect from the category, but are also looking for well developed characters with true emotional impact, and a life outside of their romantic partner, then be sure to check out this series.

The Cover:
The only thing I don't like about these books are the covers.

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Kobo