Author: Kristen Callihan

The Wednesday Post (19)

Posted October 16, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 10 Comments

Can’t Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tessa over at Wishful Endings and it was based on Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme that is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

I decided that I’m going to do a mashup of the Can’t Wait Wednesday and WWW Wednesday posts here on my blog. I’m bringing them together and calling it The Wednesday Post. Here’s what I’m up to this week.

WWW Wednesday

What did you recently finish reading?

The Bromance Book Club (The Bromance Book Club #1) by Lyssa Kay Adams

Monday was Grace’s birthday and Lauren from Bookmark Lit put together a beautiful way for everyone to honor out friend. Yesterday, everyone read a book from Grace’s TBR List, her Favorites List, any book that reminded us of Grace and for an entire day, we all #ReadforGrace. I read The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams for Grace and I enjoyed it a great deal. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would enjoy it and I know that Grace would have enjoyed it too.

Huge Deal (21 Wall Street #3) by Lauren Layne

I read this book when it first came out and loved it to pieces. This kind of romance, the unrequited love trope always hits different and with Lauren Layne writing this one, I just knew that I was going to love it. This time around though, I listened to the audiobook. This is our book discussion book for book club and book club meets on Monday so I had to get this read so that I can prepare to kick my book club friends butts at our monthly trivia game. I loved it all over again. This is seriously my kind of book.

What are you currently reading?

Marriage on Madison Avenue (The Central Park Pact #3) by Lauren Layne

It’s a Lauren Layne kind of week for me. I got this book for review last week and I don’t think I could wait to read it so I’m not going to bother. I’m reading this book next and I can’t wait to dig into a best friends to lovers book, especially when that book is Audrey’s book. Squee!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Blitzed (The Playbook #3) by Alexa Martin
Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally

Next up for me are these two books. More books from my review pile and more books that I’m much too anxious to wait to read. I can’t wait to jump into these two books and I won’t have to wait for too much longer. Soon, I’ll be saying, “Come to mama” to these.

Can’t Wait Wednesday
The Wednesday Post (19)Outmatched
by Kristen Callihan, Samantha Young
Published by Self-Published on November 19, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Format: eBook
Add It: Goodreads

What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek?

Parker Brown can’t believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.

Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym.

Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have?

They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.

I just barely came across this book over the weekend and already, I’m anxious to read it. A romance by two awesome authors that I enjoy a great deal? Yeah, count me in! Especially with a fake boyfriend trope. I’m trash for that kind of story. Bring it on! This book comes out on November 19th so mark your calendar, lovely readers. There isn’t much of a wait…yeah, there are only just under 3 months left in the year. Where has the time gone?

So, what are you reading this week? Anything good? Anything that you want to rant about?
Are you looking forward to Outmatched? What other books are you looking forward to releasing this year?

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Book Boyfriend: Jax Blackwood from Fall by Kristen Callihan

Posted January 4, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 6 Comments

Each week, I’ll be spotlighting a different book boyfriend from the books that I read. Some book boyfriends will be new to me book boyfriends and some will be oldie but goodie book boyfriends. I’ll be showing all of the love to these book boyfriends and you’ll read all about these guys here.

This week’s boyfriend is Jax Blackwood from Fall by Kristen Callihan. Jax is one of the founding members of the popular band, Kill John. He sings alongside the lead singer, Killian James. If you’ve read Idol and Managed then you’ll remember Jax as the band member that suffers from depression. I was super curious about how this book would turn out for me because it deals with something that I’ve dealt with in my personal life and I was low key scared going into it.

I’m happy to report that Kristen Callihan really nails the issue of depression and the toll it takes on the person suffering from depression but also the people in their lives. Jax was severely depressed and I thought Callihan did a really great job of making the readers understand and love Jax through the ups and the downs.

Book Boyfriend: Jax Blackwood from Fall by Kristen CallihanFall (VIP, #3)
by Kristen Callihan
Published by Kristen Callihan on October 23, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Point of View:Alternating First Person
Pages: 436
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Add It: Goodreads
four-stars

The first time I met Jax Blackwood things went a little sideways.

In my defense, I didn’t know he was Jax Blackwood—who expects a legendary rock star to be shopping for groceries? More importantly, a blizzard was coming and he was about to grab the last carton of mint-chocolate chip.

Still, I might have walked away, but then he smugly dared me to try and take the coveted ice cream. So I kissed him. And distracted that mint-chip right out of his hands.

Okay, it was a dirty move, but desperate times and all that. Besides, I never expected he’d be my new neighbor.

An annoying neighbor who takes great pleasure in reminding me that I owe him ice cream but would happily accept more kisses as payment. An irresistible neighbor who keeps me up while playing guitar naked–spectacularly naked–in his living room.

Clearly, avoidance is key. Except nothing about Jax is easy to ignore—not the way he makes me laugh, or that his particular brand of darkness matches mine, or how one look from him melts me faster than butter under a hot sun.

Neither of us believes in love or forever. Yet we’re quickly becoming each other’s addiction. But we could be more. We could be everything.

All we have to do is trust enough to fall.

From the very jump, I was rooting for Jax because he really goes through it and we only saw a tiny bit of it all in the previous books. We really see how Jax’s actions affect the other band members along with the band’s team of managers, publicists and what not. So going into Jax’s book, I was really excited to get what it’s like for him. Then when we meet his heroine and witness their meet cute, I was super pumped to get their story. I thought it was the cutest thing ever and when Stella lays one on Jax, taking him by surprise, I laughed out loud.

What I really liked about Jax was how far he comes from the beginning of this series until now. It was not easy for him and seeing him during his highs and his lows brought back memories of my friend David so yeah, I cried a lot while reading this book but it’s okay because it was really good. I loved seeing Jax come full circle and really heal from everything. I’m glad that he really fixes things with his bandmates, Killian in particular and this scene, right here. I really loved it.

“I don’t need you to fix me, Stella. I need you for everything else. I need your smiles, your laughter. I need you to be my best friend, my lover, my all. I need to take care of you, touch your skin, make you dinner, give you pleasure whenever you’re in need.”

I lean in, emotion clogging my throat. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I’d happily spend the rest of my life trying to be the best thing that has ever happened to you too.”

This book made me cry but Kristen Callihan does such a great job of putting the reader back together that I was not even mad that I looked like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson in the ring after I finished this one. Jax is sensitive and he really puts you through the wringer (as he does with Stella) but I really loved the support group that he had and that he made sure that he got better for himself but also for the people in his life. I loved that he didn’t need Stella to fix him in the end, that he was working on fixing himself and seriously, this book was a good one so if you’re a fan of the other books in this series and haven’t read this one yet. Fix that. It’s great, I promise!

Hero Casting

This guy really is the perfect casting for Jax. I pictured this guy every time Jax was on the scene so yeah, I didn’t need to re-cast him to a new celebrity or model. This guy is perfect.

Buy the Book

AMAZON || BARNES & NOBLE || GOOGLE BOOKS || THE RIPPED BODICE

VIP Series

Are you a fan of Jax Blackwood? What do you think about him and his book? Who is your favorite book boyfriend this week?

four-stars

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Buddy Review: Managed by Kristen Callihan

Posted January 5, 2017 by Rowena & Bookish Ames in Reviews | 0 Comments

Buddy Review: Managed by Kristen CallihanManaged
by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP Series #2
Published by Kristen Callihan on November 14th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Point of View:Alternating First Person
Pages: 348
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Buy It: Amazon|Barnes & Noble

It started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big...ego.

I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London.

That is until HE sat next to me. Gabriel Scott: handsome as sin, cold as ice. Nothing and no one gets to him. Ever. He’s a legend in his own right, the manager of the biggest rock band in the world, and an arrogant ass who looks down his nose at me.

I thought I’d give him hell for one, long flight. I didn’t expect to like him. I didn’t expect to want him. But the biggest surprise? He wants me too. Only in a way I didn’t see coming.

If I accept his proposal, I leave myself open to falling for the one man I can’t manage. But I’m tempted to say yes. Because the real man beneath those perfect suits and that cool façade just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I just might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.

Let the battle begin…

Rowena: Our second buddy review will feature Managed by Kristen Callihan, the second book in Callihan’s VIP series. Managed follows Kill John’s manager, Gabriel Scott as he fumbles his way to his happily ever after with the band’s new social media manager, Sophie Darling. The band is on tour and lots of things are popping off left and right, like people falling in love. Scottie is the band manager and he’s the details man. He takes care of everything the boys need so that they can focus their energies on the music.

Scottie has some issues that he works through in this book and Sophie Darling helps him with those issues. I thought it was kind of weird at first but their relationship was just so much fun that I was able to look past a lot of the weirdness that jumpstarted everything.

But first things first, what did you think?

Ames: I really enjoyed it. I like grumpy heroes and from Gabriel’s initial reaction to seeing Sophie in the seat beside his on the plane, I knew he was going to be a grumpus and Sophie was going to be just the woman to shake him up a bit. And she did!

What did you think was weird at first?

Rowena: I ended up really liking both Gabriel and Sophie but I thought it was weird…that Gabriel hired Sophie for that side job. I mean, I know that there are professionals that do that kind of stuff but it’s still pretty weird that hottie McHot Pants Scottie needed to hire someone to cuddle him so he can sleep in peace. But even with that weirdness, I still really enjoyed the romance and getting to know both Gabriel and Sophie.

Gabriel had some serious issues that he worked throughout this book and I didn’t understand some of them (like how he needed to get away from Sophie after she was attacked) but I still enjoyed him as a person. He was one of the good ones and it broke my heart a little at how he didn’t think he mattered as much to everyone around him. The way that he held himself apart from everyone, to protect himself emotionally was just…sigh. Sophie Darling did him a solid by making him realize that he was a lot more important to his loved ones than he thought and when he finally realizes that, I cheered.

Sophie was a fabulous heroine. She wasn’t perfect. She didn’t always do or say the right thing but always, her heart was in the right place. I loved her wit, her determination to do right after the wrong she pulled with Jax before. She was fun, caring and I hurt when Gabriel took off after she was hurt. Gabriel more than made up for all that when he got back. I loved their romance. I want to be the reason someone can sleep peacefully at night. Ha!

What did you think of the romance and both the hero and heroine?

Ames: Gabriel had to make it a business transaction to give himself some distance. That way it was about his need to sleep, not his craving for a connection with someone. He was afraid to let Sophie in. It was weird though. LOL

I loved Sophie. She was the right balance between having a carefree spirit but caring for others. When we find out her connection to Jax at first, I was definitely thrown by that whole thing. But it shows how great all the characters were that they could forgive…and then finding out the truth about that night led to more healing for everyone.

Gabriel. I know I said it but I love grumpy heroes. And he was that. Of course its all a front to keep people away. And you’re right, Sophie was great at showing him that his friends cared about them and that he could let them in. I like that he was willing to let her in. And I loved his loyalty. I could forgive him having a dumb moment at the end of the book. That’s actually a beef I have, that misunderstanding was so predictable. As soon as I read that what’s his name was asking about Sophie, I could see how it would play out and that’s the way it did.

Other than that, I really enjoyed how their relationship developed. That scene where he fed her? Right when she joined the tour? Awwww. He was paying attention.

​Rowena: Yeah, I understood as I kept reading but my initial thought was…weird.

Yeah, the whole misunderstanding was low key dumb. I mean, if he had just taken a moment to process, he would have known better but yeah, to immediately jump to that conclusion made me want to kick him. Still, I loved him. I loved Sophie and I loved everyone in their circle of friends. I can’t wait to read Brenna’s book. That one is going to be sizzling with sexual tension and I’m all about that.

I think what I loved most about both Sophie and Gabriel was the amount of attention they paid to each other. They really grew to know each other and they cared deeply about each other even before they got involved romantically and I liked seeing their relationship evolve in the proper way.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did the first book and it’s got me excited for more. Do we know who is getting their story told next? Whoever it is, I’m ready.

Grade: 4 out of 5​

Ames: I really liked that they paid attention to each other as well. They really meshed as a couple. And I like the rock band setting. All the things that bothered me were minor so I have to give this one a 4 out of 5 as well. I want more from this series! I can’t wait for whoever the next book is about – I like all the characters!

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