Blog Tour Book Review: Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: September 26th 2017
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Avon
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That's Colbie Albright's plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie's so over it that she's under it. She's also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she's pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won't be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence's commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn't have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot chemistry—he's got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she's gorgeous and a great listener just because she gets Spence immediately doesn't mean he won't be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock's ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I've been slowly but surely getting in the mood for seasonal books lately, and Chasing Christmas Eve fits the description perfectly. This was my very first Jill Shalvis book, and let me tell you, I really really liked it.

I really loved the characters in this book, not just the main ones, but all of them. Colbie is such a kind woman, a talented one, but one that doesn't really know how much power she has inside of her. I oftentimes felt as if she didn't really appreciate how strong she was, and how much she really deserved happiness, and I thought that taking a little vacation, a break from her day to day life is the first thing she ever truly did for herself, aside from writing. She slowly opens up to Spence, and once she does, it was easy to understand why she's not aware of herself as much as she should be. I was sad for her, especially towards the end of the book, when her mom dropped a pretty big shocking truth in her lap. And throughout the book I realized that while she's not so different from Spencer, she's seen by the people in her life as weak or someone who needs to be taken advantage of, which made me super mad for her.

Spencer is the hot nerd type, which is probably one of my favorite types of heroes. He's letting his family history rule how he lives his life, and unfortunately he doesn't know how to stop doing it. That is until he meets Colbie. As I said before, he's really similar with Colbie in how focused he can get, and how willing he is to help people, but unlike her, most people around him protect him instead of take advantage of him. And the people who do use him aren't don't pretend to care for him. It was interesting to see this play out throughout the book. I liked the relationship he has with Eddie, and I love to see how the history of that relationship unfolds as the story goes on. Spence is a guy that really doesn't give himself much credit, and I liked seeing how his friends stood up for him. He's a pretty loyal friend, and I liked him.

As I said, I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well, and it wasn't until I got to the end of the book that I figured out that this book was part of a series, which made me insanely happy.

The book is fast paced, and I managed to read this book pretty fast. As I said before, the fact that it's the 4th installment in a series wasn't an issue, because I was able to read it without having any previous knowledge of the other characters and their stories. There were tons of funny moments, let me tell you! There were a few big, climactic moments in this book that made me realize that sometimes people can be truly generous with others without realizing what drives them to do that. And I thought that was a really interesting thing.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book, and since it is part of a series, I'll definitely check the other books out. Also, for my first Jill Shalvis book, I'm in love and kind of kicking myself for not trying out her books earlier. Definitely check this book out, whether it's for the Christmas spirit, the romance, the humor, or the life lessons you'll find in it.

BUY LINKS for CHASING CHRISTMAS EVE:

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million | iBooks | GooglePlay

ABOUT JILL SHALVIS 

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill

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Wednesday Chatter #19: Things I Struggle With As A Blogger

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks


WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Today's post is a bit strange for me to write, not because it's too personal, but because I've never actually tried to put any of this into words. I've always assumed it was just me that has to deal with this, and just rolled with it, because that's what I've always done in situations in which I'm uncomfortable, just smiled through it all, hoping no one notices. I've decided however that it's in my best interest to admit these things, especially since I've been proven quite recently that in most of these cases, I've kind of... well, exaggerated is a too strong word, but let's just say it's in the vicinity of that. So, without further ado, here's stuff I struggle with as a blogger.

• Being the black sheep

This one I've talked about before, about how I hate writing negative reviews, ant it's still one of my biggest issues to date. In over 7 years of book blogging, this hasn't changed. And it's not just because of the fear of backlash from authors or their fans. It's also because I genuinely hate writing a review where I can't even give the book a 2.5/3 stars. I feel like that idiot that points out all the wrong stuff, without having actually tried to do the thing I'm criticizing. It gets especially difficult when the book in question has a huge fanbase, in which case I feel like I've either missed the point of the story completely, or I just didn't read the same book. 

I know that I've wrote a similar post where I said I planned on changing that, and try to write more negative reviews, or at least the ones with less stars, but it's truly hard, people. Even worse is trying to write a review for books I DNFed, because then I'm confused. What do I even say? "I stopped reading at page xxxx because I was bored"?? That sounds mature and accurate. This is especially hard when seeing all those convos on Twitter between other bloggers going on an on about not trusting reviewers that don't write negative reviews. Which, I kind of understand, but it still makes this difficult.

I am thinking about making mini-reviews for the negative ones. Maybe then I'll feel less guilty for not writing them and/or gain more trust since I have constructive criticism? I don't know.

• Starting the conversation

You might not realize this about me, but I wasn't always this shy, quiet creature I am now. I was actually a pretty outgoing kid, able to struck up a conversation with just about anyone, and that includes strangers. Then teenage years happened and with that came bullying and with that came...me not wanting to talk to strangers, basically avoiding situations in which I could stand out. Which makes me seem like I'm some kind of bitch, which is not always true.

I swear this is just my thinking face!

I'd like to think I'm more of an anxious puppy-faced human, but I may be biased.

Regardless of why I went from full-on extrovert to a strange case of social introvert, I get closed up when having to interact with strangers. Just to give you an example, it took me about 3 weeks after I started working before looking some of my coworkers in the eye and start up a conversation with them. Cut to a year after, and I'm the one pestering them all day long, making jokes and being "one of the group". It takes me a while to find my courage to interact with strangers, which gets me to blogging.

If you want to be noticed, not for all the ARCs, not for the review copies, not even for the mentions in the Advance Praise pages of a book, but just to be in that situation of "Oh hey, so you're this person" or "Oh, I just talked to x blogger", you have to talk to people. I think in my 7 years of blogging I've actively talked with less than 10 people. BECAUSE EVERYONE SEEMS COOLER THAN ME AND WHAT AM I DOING HERE? Twitter chats help a lot, because that's how I got to talk to most of the bloggers I'm having convos with, and, strangely enough, Instagram stories. 

Now don't think this is me trying to get sympathy pageviews or whatever, because it's not. I'm just trying to explain why, even after all this time, I'm still kind of one of the smallest bloggers out there. 

Also, I'm always kind of scared of bothering someone. So let's say I start up a conversation with someone. And then the second. And then the third. If I get to the fourth conversation that started because I was the first one to reach out, I'm thinking maybe this person doesn't want to talk to me. So I just don't insist.

Which brings me to my next point.

• Actually getting in touch with authors, publishing houses, editors, agents and the like

Sites like Netgalley and Edelweiss, PR companies that send out emails whenever they have new upcoming blog tours are amazing. They save my blog more than they realize, because that's how I get most of my review copies. It takes a lot of courage to actually get in touch with people that are in the industry, and I find it even more difficult than actually getting in touch with other bloggers. 

Most authors that I'm friendlier with are authors that have written to me, which is still exciting, because they wanted to have some kind of connection with my blog, which feels amazing. Only then do I feel comfortable enough to talk to them, because then I feel like I already know them in some way, shape or form, and it's not as awkward for me.

This doesn't mean I suffer from ARC envy, because it's not. Hell, I'm super happy when I see book reviewers receiving packages from publishing houses, because: 1) I get to learn about upcoming books, and 2) I get excited for those books because people that I trust are excited for them. Also, ARC envy is just stupid, the book is going to come out anyway, so come on people, priorities! But I do get a tad bit sad because that just means, in my tiny little brain, that they're cooler than me. Which, again, is debatable. 

PS: I never started my blog with hopes of getting free books, I started it as a way to practice English and because no one liked the books I did and I wanted to talk about those books, and blogging was the only way I could think of to do so.

• Not comparing my blog with others

And the above issue brings me to this one. I've been giving this advice to tons of people who want to start blogging, to do their thing and not compare themselves to others, and you know what they say, it's way easier said than done. And I'm not talking about page views, followers, signal boosts or how friendly they are with people in the publishing industry. I'm talking content here, guys. Namely, discussion posts.

Side-note: I remember one of the first blogs I saw about 8 years ago, it was on Wordpress, and I think it was called something similar to "Shut up I'm reading" or something catchy like that. That blog was all about reviewing books. No memes, no features, no tags, no nothing. Just reviews. Then, as the blogging community started growing, it seemed like it wasn't cool anymore to write as many reviews. I get it, because if I'm going to write a review a day, that means I'd have to read more than 300 books a year, which I could probably never pull off, so you have to pace yourself.

But back to discussion posts. Those are the worst for me to write, present post not included, because every subject seems to have been already talked about. And it's difficult to say "Oh yeah, so what, I'll just write about it because I feel strongly about this and I want my opinion to be known, even if it may be similar to what someone else said". And if it's not something that I've seen other bloggers talk about, the same tiny evil brain goes "well then it's not something fun or interesting or engaging", so I just let it go. Then there's the 1% of ideas that I have that make me sound like the meanest bitch on the planet, because it's about stuff I don't like, much like with my Parents & YA discussion post. 

I need to stop thinking about it so much, and just be me.

Okay, so maybe I won't start shouting I'M BLOODY RUBY, but you know, the sentiment counts

Okay. So here's the thing. It's almost therapeutic getting these things out. Doesn't mean I'm not scared of what you guys might think when you get to the end of the post and maybe think about commenting (*wink*nudge*nudge*), but it's nice to be honest about this. I have no clue if others are the same way as me, maybe they are, but it's nice to think that maybe somewhere on the planet of blogging there's at least one such confusing creature as me. These are basically the things I'm struggling with when it comes to me being a blogger.

Let's chat: What are you struggling with as a blogger? How do you deal with it? And if you don't have such issues, what is your secret and teach me your ways.

Book Review: Temporary by Sarina Bowen & Sarah Mayberry

Author: Sarina Bowen, Sarah Mayberry
Series: N/A
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Release Date: September 12th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The most beautiful man I've ever seen is the one who can ruin everything...

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants.

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful -- pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to.

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works--if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can't afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose.

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo...

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I read this book a few days ago and I have to say, it's probably one of the best contemporary books I've read in a while.

This book has a lot of pain and turmoil in it. I love that at its core, it's not just about two people falling in love, but about dysfunctional families and people who should be in your corner but aren't, just based on a tiny difference, that really is nobody's business but yours.

Callan is a very hurt individual, one that is trying really hard to get away from his family, but he seems stuck between parties, fancy yachts and hot, nameless women. It takes the death of his beloved uncle to wake him up and force him to try to do something more with his life, something meaningful. I was truly sad for him, that the only thing powerful enough to wake Callan up was the death of his uncle, and it truly shows just how lost he was. Because although he got away from his mother, who's just the most evil woman I've read about in a while, it seems like he's given up on everything that was important to him. It isn't until later in the book that we find out just why that is, why he's not even trying to do something important or useful, and why he's that lost. It really made me sad to read about his family.

On the other hand you have Grace, who's the sweetest woman I've read about in a while, one that struggles with being the best big sister and guardian for her little sister, one who is willing to give up her dreams in order to keep her sister in school, happy, fed, with a roof over her head. I really liked her dedication to her job, even if it was not the right job for her. Clearly she can do more, she deserves a better job, and it's sad that in today's economy, you have a lot of young people having to accept unfit jobs just to get by. I really respected Grace, because it takes a lot of courage and strength to take care of her little sister, to be a role model, at such a young age. I was angry for her when the shit hit the fan, so to say, because she clearly did not deserve to be treated the way she was.

The cool thing about this book is that, even though not physically present, I felt that Jack, the dead uncle, was written in such a way, that he felt like a true character, not just a plot device. I really enjoyed that, and I loved how he was portrayed. I felt like he was there the whole time, and that's something I truly enjoyed. I would love to learn more about him, if a sequel is at any point in the future in the works *makes puppy eyes*

The book is pretty fast paced, and I really enjoyed reading every single page of it. The ending was a bit surprising, and it made me hope for a sequel, because I need it in my life. But even without a sequel, this book was fantastic and I would recommend it to every contemporary romance fan out there.