Ola! Tori here with a few mini reviews of some books I felt needed some extra love this month.

Shatter (True Believers, #4) by Erin McCarthy
Contemporary Romance
Paperback/Novel
September 2, 2014
3.5 Stars

The fourth story in McCarthy’s NA Believers series brings us a sweet and humorous romantic opposites attract story. Fans will remember the slightly dingy Kylie, whose boyfriend slept with her best friend and former room mate,  destroying their friendship and Kylie’s trust in men. A need for a chemistry tutor introduces her to sexy geeky Jonathan and soon the sparks fly. When a one night stand turns into a possible life time commitment, Kylie and Jonathan both are forced to look towards the future. Dramatic and overflowing with conflict in the reveal, the storyline is more emotionally based then the last three. Engaging dialogue and realistic scenes and reactions gives the story a sense of depth and believeable resolution.

More Than Exes (Chasing the Dream, #0.5) by Elizabeth Briggs
Contemporary Romance
E book/Novella
October 28, 2014
3.5 Stars

Prequel to Briggs’s More Than Music, this novella focuses on the band’s keyboardist and the girl who broke his heart. Sexy with dashes of humor and angst, the book follows a predictable path as two young lovers reunite amidst the jealousy and insecurity of a new band struggling to make its way to the top. Definite chemistry is felt between our protagonists and I enjoyed the backstage look into the battle of the bands contest.

All I Want For Christmas Is You (Coming Home, #5.5) by Jessica Scott
Contemporary Romance/Military
E book/Novella/Holidays
October 22, 2014
4 Stars

I adore Jessica Scott’s romances. Her strong military knowledge provides a steady base on which she addresses multiple issues that are affecting the members of our armed forces. Love, loss, fear, and forgiveness follow a couple whose relationship is challenged when one comes home from war damaged and the lover who refuses to give up without a fight. Scott builds a bittersweet story that addresses PTSD and the toll it can take on the victim and those around them. The pain rolls off the pages as Scott gives both parties a chance to voice their thoughts and emotions as they struggle to find their way back to one another. Grab a box of tissues when reading this one because it’s a tear jerker.

Stripping Her Defense (Ex-Ops, #2) by Jessie Lane
Romance Suspense
E book, 200 pages
October 31, 2014
Self Published
4 Stars

Stripping Her Defense is the 2nd book in the Ex-Ops series that focuses on a black ops team whose career choices have wreaked havoc on their loves lives. In this installment, Lane addresses the serious topics of depression, death, and how to deal with being married to a military spouse. A deep emotional tidal wave ebbs and flows throughout the story as Lane flips back and forth to let us see the reasons behind a failed marriage and the steps one woman takes to reclaim her life and self worth. Steamy sex scenes spice things up the storyline while heart to heart dialogue keeps the story from becoming just another “trope.” Humor injects randomly to offset the somber tones while interesting new characters are introduced to announce a spin off series Lane is creating with fellow writer, Chelsea Cameron.