I'll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones

Book Description:
She’s the coach’s brilliant daughter, clueless about love. He’s the dethroned football star, ready to teach Romance 101. When dark secrets and sparks collide, there’s no playbook for what happens next. 

The day Andrew Levin arrives at Washington High, Harper O’Malley knows he’ll make the perfect starter boyfriend. The school’s newest band geek is totally in Harper’s league, yet completely out of this late-bloomer’s reach. Between fitting in with a new family, scoring the first chair in band, and rescuing dogs for the local animal shelter, Harper’s never had the opportunity to hone her dating skills. But even though Harper’s love life is far from perfect, she’s got the perfect plan. 

Harper knows she’s insane to agree to tutor Ridley Estes, a notorious heartbreaker and the star of her high school’s football team—but in exchange, he’s offered to school her in the game of love. Just when she sees promise with her crush, a football scandal rocks her family, her town, and Ridley’s entire future. Harper suddenly has everything to lose—her family, friends, and even her heart. When the dust of the scandal settles, nothing will be the same. Including the girl who asked the most popular jock to teach her about love. 

Award-winning author Jenny B. Jones returns to YA with a sweet, funny novel about first love and the power of letting go.

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Jenny B. Jones has hit a home run with this novel! I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely loved this novel. I"ll Be Yours is hard to put down and hard to stop thinking about, even long after you have turned the last page. This is a story I would absolutely read again and recommend.

Have you ever read a story that was just so compelling that you had to speed through it? Well, this is one of those novels for me. The situation with Harper's family and her past, not to mention her love life will have you all tangled up and it feeling all too real. Harper will steel your heart, along with Ridley and a few others.  There was a sweetness to their friendship and relationship. There were tingles too! Jones brought truths to life in a very organic way; making the themes of fear, overcoming, loving, forgiving all too real and relatable. I did not want this story to end!

A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund

Book Description:
In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

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Completely delightful! This spin on the Robin Hood fable brings us into the life of Juliana Wessex, a medieval maiden who moonlights as the Cloaked Bandit. Juliana is of the nobility but has been ousted by her cruel Uncle; fearing for her life she hides with others in the woods of her family's land. Much like Robin Hood she takes from the rich to feed the poor. Things take a turn when she runs into a wealthy and noble knight.

While there are aspects to the story that mimic the Robin Hood tale, Hedlund makes it her own and does a wonderful job of winnowing out truths, as well as a delightful tale. This story engaged me early on but really wowed me in the last half of the story. The romance was sweet and clean, and without giving too much away, a wonderful example of true love. There are a few kisses but nothing inappropriate for the age level. And while young adults will enjoy this story, I believe adults will be equally swept up into the tale.

This novel can be read as a stand alone, however, it does have characters from Hedlund's previous novel, An Uncertain Choice. My recommendation would be to read them in order, but as I said you do not have too! For those of you who did read the previous novel, you will be delighted to know that the noble night in this story is Collin or Lord Goodrich! Yay! Not only that but it looks like there is in the works a 3rd novel for Sir Bennet!

To wrap it all up, this one is definitely worth the read! It left me with some good truths to chew on, a grin on my face and a smile in my heart!

Remnants: Season of Glory (A Remnants Novel, Book 3) by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Book Description:
In the third and final volume of the Remnants series, the power of the Remnants and their people are growing, threatening Pacifica’s careful plans for domination. Among the Trading Union, village after village, outpost after outpost, and city after city are drawn to people of the Way, and agree to stand against those who hunt them. But Pacifica intends to ferret out and annihilate the Remnants—as well as everyone who hasn’t sworn allegiance to the empire—setting the stage for an epic showdown that will change the course of a world on the brink … forever.

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A sweeping, engaging and long awaited conclusion to the Remnants Series! I had to go back and skim through the end of Book 2 to refresh my memory. I have to say, this is a series I really wish I could have read the books back to back! Still, even without the previous novel fresh on my mind, I was quickly swept up into the continuing saga.

Bergren has not only managed to write an engaging story, filled with light and truth but one that gives you some deeper personal truths to linger upon. These characters struggle, fail and rise again, just as we all do. None of us, perfect; all of us sinners. And yet, we are called, chosen and when we surrender, supernaturally empowered to live beyond ourselves by our Maker. I love how organically Bergren wove these truths through out the story, as well as those of forgiveness, grace and true love.

The story, the characters, the action and suspense, and the romance were all top notch! A thrilling and delightful series, that will keep you on the edge of your seat and one not to be missed! Highly recommend this one!

The Goodbye Bride (A Summer Harbor Novel Book 2) by Denise Hunter

Book Description:

She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.

Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

Zac was just beginning to get his life back on track after Lucy left him with no explanation. And now she’s back—vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. Has he been given a second chance with the only woman who stirs his passion and haunts his dreams?

Lucy knows she must unlock those missing months and discover why she threw everything away. And Zac knows that if he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life—but if Lucy’s memory returns, his would-be bride might say goodbye forever.

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I have been eagerly anticipating the release of this novel, and couldn't wait to start it once it was downloaded! The Goodbye Bride, was everything I hoped it would be! I was glued to the story every time I had a chance to read it. The mystery of why Lucy left and in the way she did, not to mention what happened during the 7 months she was gone, had me guessing and anticipating the final reveal.

Zac and Lucy's story was overall wonderful! I felt for both of them as they were struggling with their feelings for each other. Hunter really did a wonderful job of showing the conflict from both points of view. She also had some nuggets of truth planted here and there, that felt organic to the story and hopefully, will hit home with readers.

Really looking forward to the next installment of this series - Just a Kiss (Due out on September 6, 2016)!