Review: This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: February 2021

When Tallie sees Ernest on the bridge, about to jump, she knows she has to stop him. She is a therapist after all. She wonders why he is there and what has brought him to this point in his life. She isn't frightened by him but has a desperate need to help. Ernest asks for a sign not to jump, and here comes Tallie, taking him in and caring about what is going on with him. Tallie decides and Ernest agrees to go back to her house for just the weekend. After the weekend, they can each go back to living their lives. Little do they know that the short time they will spend together will change them both forever.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't get enough of these characters and I didn't want this story to end. I had so many emotions throughout this whole book and by the end, I was very disappointed. I will be honest, I didn't like the ending. I wanted more from these characters and I didn't get the outcome I wanted from the story I read.

Have you ever met someone and had an instant connection? You feel like you can talk to them about almost anything and they won't judge you for it but will be supportive or critical as necessary. This is what happened with Tallie and Ernest, they didn't do small talk and got to the serious questions. The only problem is that each of them is hiding something, as we all do when we first meet someone. But the secrets they are keeping could destroy the weekend in one swift blow.

Will this encounter last just the weekend, or the rest of their lives?

This book had a lot of music associated with it, so I made a playlist click here to listen.  

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Review: More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: July 2020
 

Vada and Luke are both music fiends. They both come from musical families and their father's were both in bands. Luke's father had a band that got international attention, while Vada's was just local. They associate everything in life with music. As high school seniors they aren't sure where life will take them, but Vada's dream is to be a writer for Rolling Stone. They both have secret feelings for each other, Vada listening to Luke's podcast and Luke reading Vada's music blog. When they have to work together for a school assignment they spend a lot more one on one time together. Will they be able to change their love for music into love for each other?

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I first started this book, I thought it was going to be another cute YA love story, but this story is a little deeper. Each one of these kids has issues with their father's that is as deep to them as the music. There is a lot of music in this book, it's how Vada and Luke commuicate. Most kids send each other emoji's over text, not Vada and Luke, they send each other YouTube music videos. With that in mind, I made a playlist of the songs in the book, you can find it HERE.

This was a great YA love story that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did.


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Audio Book Review: Let Me Love You By Alexandria House

Let Me Love You by Alexandria House
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: February 2018
 

Jo is pretty content in her life, but when she meets Big South, all of that changes. Working for Beju Park she is sent to his hotel room to deliver a piece of jewelry that he had commissioned. When Big South met Jo, there was something about her that he found irresistible. She was mean, but it didn't bother him at all, he had to have her. Jo wasn't sure if she wanted a life with Big South, but Everett McClain, was one good looking and thoughtful man. Will they be able to make it through his fame and her past in order to have a future together?

I read this book on recommendation from a Facebook group. It reminded me of Zane books that I read in my early 20's. It was ratchet and I was all for it. I loved the narrators of this novel. The male made me want to jump into the book and see him in real life.

Jo is just a single mother trying to make it after a crazy divorce. Everett "Big South" McClain has had his share of hurt as well, and finds love when he least expects it. I can say one thing, this book had me and my man doing a few more things in the bedroom after reading it. Got me all hot and bothered. I loved listening to this book. This is the first book I've read by Alexandria House and it won't be my last. This is a good author to read when you fall into a reading slump. She is sure to bring you right on out of it.

Recommended for those who like romance with a little ratchet!

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Review--If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mia is a typical 17 year old girl.  She has a great family, plays the cello, has good friends and an incredible boyfriend.   On a very non-typical day in her home of Oregon, a dusting of snow keeps the whole family home from work and school.  Her family decides to take a drive and visit some family and friends.  Unfortunately, on this journey, tragedy strikes.  Mia's family is involved in a car accident.  As Mia's life hangs in the balance, she reflects on all that has happened in her short time on earth and what would or could happen if she decided to stay.

I thought this was going to be a tear-jerker, but it wasn't so much.  The events that took place are sad for sure, but I didn't find myself crying like I thought I would.  Imagine if everyone in your immediate family is killed in a car accident and you are the only survivor.  What do you do?  You watch your whole family laying in pools of blood and then you watch yourself being operated on and see the looks in the eyes of your friends and family as they try to make sense of it all as well.  In the book, the movie Ghost is referenced, and this book does remind me a bit of that movie.  Patrick Swayze is dead though, and Mia is just trying to figure out if she should stay with the living, or go and be with her parents and her brother.   It's a hard decision to make and I'm not sure if it is one that I could make.  For me or for any other member of my family.  How can  you make the decision to let someone live or die?  How do you make that decision yourself?  Are we really able to make that decision?

My favorite part of this book, is looking back into Mia's life.   Getting an understanding of who she is and who her family was.  I love the fact that her family was so close and most of her life treated her like a little adult instead of a child.  They were encouraging and always there for her. Her boyfriend and her best friend were the same way.  They may not have always agreed on everything, but they were always understanding and willing to give a listening ear.   I'm not sure if the series follows Mia along the rest of her journey, but I would like to know what her decision was.


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