Waiting on Wednesday (37)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where bloggers feature upcoming book releases that they're looking forward to.

This week I'm eagerly anticipating...

Another Little Piece of my Heart

by Tracey Martin

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: December 1, 2013

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

What if your devastating break-up became this summer’s hit single? In this rock-and-roll retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, music can either bring you together or tear you apart.

At her dying mother’s request, Claire dumps Jared, the only boy she’s ever loved. Left with a broken family and a broken heart, Claire is furious when she discovers that her biggest regret became Jared’s big break. While Jared is catapulted into rock-star status, another piece of Claire’s heart crumbles every time his song plays on the radio.

The summer after her senior year, it’s been months since the big break-up, and Claire is just trying to keep her head down and make it through a tense trip to the beach with her family. But when Jared shows up, and old feelings reignite, can Claire and Jared let go of the past? Or will they be stuck singing the same old refrain?

That cover!! Gorgeous! The very bare bones concept of this reminds me of Audrey, Wait!, which can only be a good thing, and while I haven't actually read any Jane Austen (I know :/), I do tend to love re-tellings of her novels.

Running Back by Allison Parr

Running Back by Allison Parr
Release Date: October 21, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Pages: 229
Series: New York Leopards #2 (Companion series)
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Natalie Sullivan is on the verge of a breakthrough most archaeology grad students only dream of: discovering a lost city. Her research points to a farm in Ireland, but to excavate she needs permission from the new owner: the Michael O'Connor, popular NFL running back.

On TV Mike seems so charming and good-natured that Natalie figures getting his cooperation will be a breeze. So she's not prepared to deal with the arrogant—and adamantly opposed—man she meets in person. Or the way one look from him sends shivers down her spine…

Determined to kick-start her career, Natalie travels across the Atlantic and finds herself sharing an inn with Mike, who has come to Ireland in search of his roots. She tells herself her interest is strictly professional, but the more she gets to know him, the harder it is to deny her personal attraction to the sexy sports star. And when Mike confides why he refuses to allow the dig, Natalie must decide if she can follow her heart without losing sight of her dreams.

My Thoughts:
I loved the first book in this series (Rush Me), and I liked Running Back almost as much. I love how Allison Parr brings family and friends and the whole lives of her characters into her books. So many times the leads of romance novels are quite solitary, even if there’s a few scenes here and there with their friends or at work. This isn’t the case here, with family issues being an incredibly important issue to the main story.

Another aspect of this book I enjoyed tremendously was the focus on Ireland and archaeology. It felt like the author knew what she was talking about with archaeology (turns out she has a degree in it!), and her passion for the subject transferred easily over to Natalie. Speaking of Natalie, I really enjoyed both her and Mike. They were interesting individually, and they were a good fit together. I liked how clear it was that they liked each other, and that they wanted to put aside work issues and be together, even when it was difficult.

I really enjoy Allison Parr’s writing, and I’m already excited for her next NA novel from Carina, which will feature another New York Leopard, Abe (see FAQ #3 for a few details).

The Cover:
Not a fan of the colours, but I like how it matches the first.

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Carina Press | Kobo

Cinderella Screwed Me Over by Cindi Madsen

Cinderella Screwed Me Over by Cindi Madsen
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 400
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Darby Quinn has a bone to pick with Cinderella. Burned one too many times by ex-boyfriends, Darby has lost all belief in the happily-ever-after that the fairy-tale princess promised her. She's sworn off love, Prince Charmings, and happy endings and she's happy about it. Really. Or at least she was…until she met Jake, her gorgeous neighbor and the manager of her favorite restaurant. But Darby has rules about dating, ones she's culled from her years spent with so-called “princes,” and starting something with Jake would break all of them.

Charming, fun, and unwilling to give up on her, Jake doesn’t fit any of the profiles Darby has created from her case studies of ex-princes-gone-bad. Finally presented with her own Prince Charming, can Darby take a chance on a happily-ever-after?

Full of wit and sarcastic humor, Cinderella Screwed Me Over proves that sometimes the perfect love, like a perfect pair of shoes, is just within your grasp.

My Thoughts:
I went into this book looking for something lighthearted and sweet, and that's exactly what I got. Upon reading the first few chapters there were numerous times I actually laughed out loud, a rare occurrence. This humour continued throughout the book, which I really appreciated. I also loved how swoony and romantic this book was while still being clean. I mean, I wouldn't have protested at more make out scenes, but I really do love clean romances because you get so much more of a focus on the actual romance. You get to experience the characters getting to know one another and all the reasons why they belong together, beyond just the physical attraction.

Our main character Darby is sweet, but she’s also practical to the point of cynicism. She's been burned so many times, that it's difficult for her to let herself fall in love, even when a real Prince Charming may have made his way into her life. Speaking of Prince Charming, I really loved Jake. He's funny and charming without coming off as sleazy, he's patient and caring, and he sees the good in Darby. I appreciated how we also got to see some of Jake’s faults, such as him getting too wrapped up in his work. This made him seem like a whole person, not just someone placed in the role of “perfect love interest”.

What I loved about this slow burn romance is that it didn't feel fake. Darby genuinely felt like someone with control and trust issues, and we see that with all her case study examples. She had real reasons to feel the way she did, and she wasn't over the top about it. Darby wasn't an insane man hating stereotype like you see in some books/movies, she's just someone who is hesitant and scared. She tries to keep her distance to keep herself from being hurt again. Speaking of Darby’s case studies, I loved how she laid out her past relationships in that format, especially in comparing them to the Disney princes.

The romance in this book is top notch, but so too are the friendship and family elements. Stephanie, Darby’s best friend, was a strong support for Darby. She was busy planning her own wedding, so she wasn’t always 100% focused on the friendship, but she was there for Darby when it counted most, and she wanted the best for her. Their friendship felt real, and Stephanie was a great character who stood as her own woman, and not just as a caricature of female friendship that so many books present. On the family front, Darby’s family plays a small but important role in the book. From the scenes that they are in, it’s so clear that they are real, developed people with their own personalities and backgrounds. To do that without “info dumping” takes talent, and that was definitely achieved here.

Be sure to check out Cinderella Screwed Me Over if you’re looking for a book that is fun and swoony, while still being practical about romance (eg. it fully acknowledges that relationships take work, that you need to have the same goals, that you need to support each other, etc). I absolutely enjoyed this book: it was one that I didn't want to set down because I felt like I was a part of Darby's world when I was reading it.

The Cover:
I'm kind of ambivalent towards it.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble