Review: Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

How do you survive the internship from hell?

Don't fall in love.

Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy's boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.

But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it's been a while since he's shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy's rescue out of the blue, it's not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren's back. When they get caught, Ivy's journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.

Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.

Review:

In the past year, Faith has released four books, and her newest release Take Me Now has supported a thought I've had: with each book, her writing and storytelling becomes even better. Sexy and compelling, Take Me Now proved to be a great lazy day read, and more importantly, an excellent start to a new trilogy.

Take Me Now begins the story of Ivy and Eric, two young twenty-somethings in very different stages of life. Ivy, the younger of the two, is eager to start her internship at the Independent Gazette. It's the start to bigger and better things in her life such as moving to her college's main campus in the fall. However, with the introduction of the evil and manipulating Lauren, Ivy's boss, Ivy realizes that it's going to be one long summer. Eric, on the other hand, is still putting back the pieces after a tragic death rocked his world, but with his garden center business back in full string, he seems to be finally moving on. Everything changes for both of them, though, when Ivy's latest assignment throws them together....

One of the aspects I enjoyed the most about this book was the small town setting. Faith always seems to include one in every one of her books in some shape or form, and that was just the case with this one. The town Eric and Ivy lived in was quaint and tiny, perfect for drama and lies to develop in a heartbeat, which made the tension and twists in this book even better. However, what I loved most about the small town setting, though, was reading Faith's different descriptions of the town, especially Eric's business and house. It added a cute vibe to the story, one that I feel the story wouldn't be the same without.

Moving on, I also liked the characters in this one quite a bit as well. Ivy was a little naive at times, but she had a pretty pure heart. I loved seeing how far she'd go to help Eric as well as seeing how dedicated she was to her job at the same time. It caused some inner conflict at times when she seemed to have to pick between the two, but it made her character and situation all the more relatable, in my opinion. Eric was sweet and swoon worthy, and I enjoyed getting to know more about him through his POVs. My favorite trait of his was that he was an honest, trustworthy guy. He got himself in some bad situations at times, but he always did his best to fix everything. Lauren, the evil "queen" so to say, in this was a blast! I couldn't believe half the stuff she did throughout the novel....she always seemed to have a new trick up her sleeve, ready to deploy, and while I hated her for all the horrible stuff she threw Eric and Ivy's ways, I also loved seeing where she'd take everything next. It allowed for some pretty great twists and turns.

The plot in this was the standard "will they or won't they?" but as with Faith's books, I was never really sure if the characters were going to achieve their happy ending, especially with the addition of such a manipulating antagonist like Lauren. However, this all allowed for me to be hooked to the story, as I waited to see how everything would unfold.

Lastly, I enjoyed Faith's writing in this. I thought she did an excellent job of switching between Ivy and Eric's viewpoints as well as making sure they sounded different and realistic. Plus, I enjoyed the little surprise she threw in at the ending. It's made me even more excited to see what will happen next!

Enthralling and suspenseful, Take Me Now is yet another great book by Faith Sullivan, one that's perfect for fans of Jessica Sorensen and Abbi Glines.

Grade: B+

Take Me Now (Amazon, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: eBook provided by author for review 

Review: Unexpected by Faith Sullivan

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

One day forever changes the destiny of college overachiever, Michelle Rhodes.

Shattered, confused and alone, no one understands the trauma consuming her until she meets Connor Donnelly.

A native New Yorker, he believes he can aid in getting her life back on track. But what if he's even more broken inside?

Offering her a chance at a fresh start, Connor convinces Michelle to move in with him. Hiring her to waitress at his bar, their mutual attraction only complicates matters.

As more details surrounding Connor's past emerge, Michelle uncovers the full magnitude of the loss he's trying to hide. Refusing to let her feelings for him hinder his recovery, she makes a decision that winds up hurting them both.

By sacrificing her heart, Michelle thinks she is helping Connor come to terms with his grief. Little does she know, Connor is gambling everything for the sake of having a future with her.

What happens is truly unexpected.

Review:

As soon as read the summary for Unexpected by Faith Sullivan, I knew I had to read it. For one, I loved Faith's previous books. Plus, the subject of 9/11 and its effects isn't something too many books go into, surprisingly enough. Thankfully, Unexpected was everything I had hoped it would be, and much, much more!

Unexpected starts a couple of days before 9/11. Michelle, a student at NYU, is about to start her first year of college, and she's just starting to get settled into it all. However, everything changes for her the morning the Twin Towers come crashing down. Suddenly, Michelle is scared to be in a city that's transformed before her very own eyes. Michelle runs to her hometown, vowing to never return to the city. However, everything changes the moment Connor walks into her life. As a lifetime New Yorker, Connor has seen the tragedy that the attack has caused right in front of him, and he's not about to let it claim another victim in Michelle. Dragging her back to the city with him, he plans to get her back on track by having her face her fears while also helping her figure out what to do next. However, as Michelle and Connor are about to learn, not everything can be expected....

From the first page, I was instantly hooked by Michelle's story. She was an ordinary, everyday character, and that's what made her story so intriguing I think. She was just somebody who been affected by a terrible event and didn't know how to move on with her life. Faith made her fears and feelings about the event come right off the page and come to life while at the same time presenting it in a realistic way. It was always interesting to see Michelle transform as the story progressed into somebody strong and willing to stand up for what she believed in, no matter the price. One of the biggest reasons for this transformation was Connor, her hero in the form of a young bar owner. Sarcastic and blunt, Connor gave Michelle a run for her money more times than one, but at the same time, he helped her as she did him. What I liked most about him, though, was how Faith made his character so developed. There certainly was a lot more than meet the eye to say the least.

The plot in this was also well done. As mentioned before, I was first attracted to this story based on the 9/11 story line, and I have to say, Michelle did a great job in presenting it. I loved how easily she feel back into that era. She made the New York scenes jump of the page and come to life all while keeping them realistic, like any little character or part in this book could have happened in any New Yorkers post 9/11 life. I also enjoyed the addition of Connor's bar. It added some comic relief to a mostly serious story. Plus it introduced some of my favorite side characters. Lastly, the relationship between Connor and Michelle was great. I loved seeing how everything developed between them.

In all, Unexpected is yet another fantastic book by Faith! Oh, and the ending? ADORABLE!

Grade: B+

Unexpected (Amazon, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: eBook provided by author for review- thanks Faith!

Review: Come What May by Faith Sullivan

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

Adam is through with love.

He unravels blaming himself for what happened with Katie.

His final moments with her echo through his nightmares.

She owns him body and soul.

To dull the pain, Adam invites a string of women into his bed. Fueled by alcohol and desperation, his meaningless hook-ups provide little comfort. When he closes his eyes, it's Katie he sees.

The only one who helps to ease his guilt somewhat is Jada. But as his new ambulance partner, Adam considers her off limits. He doesn't want to get seriously involved with anyone, much less her. Yet he can't stop fantasizing about the feel of her caramel skin against his.

Despite his intentions, Adam's bond with Jada deepens as they respond to a series of emotional calls. Their mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But how can he give his heart to Jada when it still belongs to Katie?

Review: 

After reading Faith Sullivan's Heartbeat, the prequel to Come What May, and being completely flabbergasted by its conclusion, I couldn't wait to see what happened next to Adam and Katie. There were so many unanswered questions that I needed answered! Therefore, when Come What May finally ended up in my possession the other day, I jumped right in. Luckily, Come What May completely surpassed my sequel expectations, because not only did it introduce a enjoyable, heartfelt story that stood on its own, but it also took this story to new places with new people I couldn't have possibly imagined nor expected.

Come What May continues a couple of months after Heartbeat ended. Adam is still dealing with the pain of loosing Katie as well as the weirdness that has come into his life because of it. He dreams of her every night, and the dreams always end the same way her life did....with her saying his name. Feeling such a strong connection to a dead girl is something he wasn't prepared for, and because of it, he quickly falls into dangerous patters: drinking, fighting, and one night stands with girls he barley knows. However, when Jada enters his life, everything begins to change. Jada has had her own demons, and she's not about to let Adam fall to his. Will Jada be able to save him before it's too late? Or will something stand in their way? Only time and more pages can tell in this heartfelt and suspenseful read.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about Hearbeat was the characters and that rang true for this one as well. Jada, the new addition to the series, was probably my favorite. Sassy and full of life, Jada truly managed to make the story even better with her POVs as well as her friendship with Adam. One aspect I admired the most about her, though, was how she didn't let her past get her down. Instead, she managed to kept it bay while also helping others. The way she was with Adam was adorable, and I was continually rooting for them to end up together (even though I still wanted to the Katie angle to work, but I'll talk about that later!). Talking about Adam, he was a LOT different in this book. Gone was the sweet yet somewhat sullen boy that he once was, because in his place was the new Adam: equal parts anger, muscle, and sadness. I couldn't believe some of the choices he made in this, because not only did it made me miss the old Adam, but I also couldn't believe how much he was letting his life fall apart. However, it was all part of the journey, as you'll see if you give this one a try! The side characters in this one were also a ton of fun! I loved seeing more of Charlie and the other EMTs plus Jada's roommates added some laughs as well.

The story line in Come What May managed to always have me on the edge of my seat. I loved seeing the alternative to what happened in Heartbeat. Sometimes it was just insane to see just how one little thing could change everything, and that rang true in not just Katie's death but in other instances as well. The aspect I enjoyed most about this book, though, was seeing Jada and Adam's relationship bloom. It kept the plot moving at a fun speed. Plus they were just adorable together. However, at the same time, I felt like I was betraying Katie by liking Adam and Jada together so much.

Faith's writing was also great in this! She did a great job of switching between Adam and Jada's POVs. And the ending in this one? Absolutely, pure evilness! But I'm starting to expect that from Faith.

In all, Come What May was a great continuation to the story and world Faith introduced in Heartbeat. I simply can't wait to read book #3!

Grade: B+

Come What May (Amazon, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Kindle Freebie

Review: Heartbeat by Faith Sullivan

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

Katie and Adam are afraid of love.

She carries the scars of a first kiss gone terribly wrong.

He uproots his life to flee the stinging betrayal of an ex.

When trust is no longer an option, all romance is suspect.

As a young paramedic, Adam rescues people for a living but cannot save himself. Katie, just out of high school, struggles with a tortured home life she cannot escape.

Everything changes when Katie hops into the front seat of Adam's ambulance. Overwhelmed by what they are feeling, neither possess the confidence to make the first move. They walk away from each other, full of regret.

To find her, Adam risks his future. To be with him, Katie sacrifices her security.

Little do they know, what little time they do have, is being measured by a heartbeat that is slowly dying out. 

Review:  

Ever since I stumbled upon this book on Goodreads, I've been dying to read it, because not only did it sound amazing, but also as a huge fan of the ever-growing New Adult trend, I thought it would be a good way to feed my addiction. Thankfully, Faith Sullivan provided an amazing and heartwarming story within the pages of Heartbeat.

Heartbeat tells the story of Adam and Katie, two lonely and broken people brought together by faith on one snowy day. Shy and timid, Katie hasn't had the easiest of lives. Her father is controlling and mean, always quick to put in a jab or two. Plus, ever since a failed attempt at a fling, Katie has been terrified of starting something up with another boy. The only good thing in her life is her grandmother, but the problem is even she can't always save her. Adam, on the other hand, is on the run from his past and the girl who broke his heart into a million pieces. Living in small town wouldn't be his first choice, but he likes the solitude plus his job as an EMT, especially when it leads him to Katie. Katie and Adam have a lot to learn, but will it all be worth it in the end? Only time and more pages can tell in this shocking and addicting new addition to New Adult.

There were so many things I adored about Heartbeat but one of my absolute favorites was the characters. I adored Katie and Adam from the get go. Both were fragile and broken from their pasts, and this made me root for them all the more. At the start of the book, Katie was incredibly quiet, and all I wanted to do was push her in the right direction, and hope that she would see that there was good parts to life, amazing things. Therefore, I was so happy when she meet Adam. Together, Adam and Katie truly evolved as individuals. They grew stronger and more daring. More importantly, they begin to make a stand for the parts of their lives that meant the most. I also really enjoyed some of the side characters in this one, such as Katie's grandmother and Adam's EMT friends.

The plot in this was another high point. I always love a good romance, and Heartbeat provided just that and much more. I'm not going to lie: Katie and Adam's relationship reeked of insta-love. However, it worked with the book, and really, I could see the pull between them, and why they were destined for each other. Really, it wouldn't have worked another way. I also enjoyed seeing Adam's life as an EMT (one of my guy friends is one so I know a lot about that area) and the little twists and turns that came from that.

Faith Sullivan's writing was also up to par. As mentioned before, she did a great job with the characters. Plus, as a PA resident, her descriptions of small-town PA where spot on, and that made me enjoy the book even more.

Last but not least: the ending. Prior to reading this, I had heard a lot of mixed things about it. Some people hated. Others loved it. Some were even confused by it. As for me? I LOVED it. It wasn't what I was expecting that's for sure, but just like with the insta-love, it worked incredibly well in the story. Plus it's made me respect and like Faith as a writer even more, because she's not afraid to take risks when it comes to writing.

In all, Heartbeat is an emotional and well written tale of love and moving on. It blew me away, and I hope that occurs to you all as well. :)

Grade: A

Heartbeat (Amazon, Goodreads) is now out, and it's only 99 cents for the eBook. It can't get much better than that, now can it? :)

Source: purchased from Amazon

Side Note: I highly suggest you guys check out Faith's blog as well. She writes some pretty interesting posts, and it will give you a good feeling of what her book is like. :)