Handcuffs chaining her to a sterile hospital bed. Weird occurrences that no one can explain. No memories of who she is or what came before.
They say she’s been a patient at the Blackbriar Institute since childhood, that she’s sick, alone, and nobody’s coming for her.
But someone’s already here—a mysterious man in her therapy group with unfathomable pain in his dark eyes—and she can’t deny her draw to him, no matter how much he tries to keep her away.
He doesn’t speak, but he seems to know something the others do not. Is she really sick, or might it be magic? What other dark secrets hide behind Blackbriar’s gates, and will she ever find a way to break free?
Equal parts puzzle and page-turner, Of Snow and Roses is a modern take on the classic fairy tale Snow White & Rose Red. We promise you’ve never read anything quite like it before.
When Neve wakes up in the Blackbriar Institute without her memory I suspected that there would be an evil doctor holding her against her will – and there was – but it was done a lot differently than other stories with similar tropes and themes. Neve will need to tread carefully to figure out who she can trust as a friend, and who is trying to hurt her.
While Neve was the main character, and I enjoyed her story, I found some of the side characters to be more intriguing and enjoyed their time on the pages a lot. Lily was one of my favorites, and the mysterious Tala is still a character I wonder about. Torbin, the strong silent one, had a somewhat predictable part of the story, but he was still fun.
The rest of the characters, including the bad guy and his friends, sort of blended into the background. I never got a real feeling for why they were the bad guys. I like my villains to have depth and backstory as well.
I like that while this featured some familiar characters from Snow White and Rose Red, it wasn’t an actual re-telling of their story (although I’m not super familiar with the original). There were a few spots that were a little repetitive or drawn out a little too much that I found myself skimming through.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
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Three Reasons You Should Read This Sweet Contemporary Romance:
The historical ranch in Rescuing Harmony Ranch by Jennie Marts is a beautiful setting, and has some great romantic moments.
The chemistry between Joss and Mack leaps off the page, and you can feel their long history in every interaction.
A cast of amazing side characters will bring the town to life, and their uniqueness only adds to the story of Joss and Mack, bringing it even more to life.
A bearded blacksmith and a marketing exec join forces…and sparks fly.
When Jocelyn’s grandmother calls her asking for help, she drops everything and heads back home to Harmony Creek, Colorado. Her grandmother runs a living history museum: a ranch and homestead where volunteers wear clothing from the early 1900s and demonstrate how things were done in the old West, from making soap to shearing sheep. The place is in financial trouble, and it needs the revenue from the annual festival to survive.
There’s just one thing that makes this a little awkward: Mack, who’s divorced, and who’s now the caretaker and blacksmith at the homestead. Jocelyn and Mack have their own shared history, which includes both stolen kisses and teenage rivalry.
Even as the past and present collide, they have to save Harmony Ranch. Matchmaking grannies, a meddling mutt, and a flood of fun festival activities might just be enough to overcome their differences and forge two broken hearts back together.
This heartwarming romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Turkey Sliders with Mac and Cheese.
Rescuing Harmony Ranch by Jennie Marts was a really sweet and fun second-chance romance. Joss and Mack were high school sweethearts, in love and perfect for each other, before Joss’ mom moved them both to the city – far away. When Joss returns to help her grandmother at the ranch, she finds Mack, a lot taller and lot more bearded, working on the ranch, and history floods back.
Their second romance was a slow build up. They both had some harsh feelings about the past to overcome, but their love for each other wouldn’t let that stand in the way. Along the way, they get to know each other again, and they remember what brought them together in the first place.
Harmony Ranch could be a character on its own. As a historical reenactment location, it lives in the past – before electricity and running water. Jennie Marts has a great way with setting a scene, I wish I could go to the pond, or have a picnic in the yard there. The characters surrounding her were larger than life and had some personalities that jumped off the page, but while they were incredible and memorable, they never outshone our couple. They do make me want to go back to visit and see what the town is up to though.
I hope Hallmark revisits this area. It was full of love, life, and charm.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Princess Corla was supposed to be my soulmate. But we were star crossed. Two ships passing in the dark. Meant to be together, but never able to be together. At least that’s what I thought.
But it turns out—my life is a lie, evil forces are out to get us, Harem Station is spinning chaos, and the soulmate bond won’t protect us. Sounds pretty bad, right? But here’s the best part. I can change it. I can change all of it. If I can just find a way to get myself uncrossed.
Uncrossed is the last book in the Harem Station Series and features a man chasing his star-crossed soulmate through time, a bazillion enemies at the gate, an entire station in chaos, and an explosive ending that proves, once and for all, that love WINS in the end.
We continue the kiss and she bites my lip. Hard enough to draw blood. I don’t care though. I am being a dick to her. I feel like twenty-one fucking years of frustration have finally caught up with me. I don’t know where I am or who she is, so I’m sorry she’s being forced to bear the brunt of my disappointment. If she wants to make a point with that bite, she can make her fucking point.
And when she realizes I’m not going to punish her for that little act of defiance, she relaxes underneath me. Becomes soft and compliant.
That’s the part I like best about sex. The way I can bully them into compliance.
And then her legs wrap around my hips and she begins to move with me.
That’s the signal I always wait for. That moment when they give in. Not give up. I don’t mistake her lust for defeat.
She’s just into it.
I lean down on top of her, acutely aware of how small she is compared to me. How little, and slight, and thin, and yeah… weak.
But I want her to come. She has to get something out of this, right?
I slip a hand underneath her and start playing with her ass. She’s so wet that her juices are practically spilling out of her pussy. And she must be into the ass play because the moment my finger enters her, she goes still and moans.
“You’re a sun-fucked asshole,” she pants. But it’s done. And she says nothing else after that. Because she’s too busy wailing in her climax.
Her body lights up. And it’s not just some random glow, either. It’s fucking spectacular. White light leaks through the pores of her skin and I know that if her eyes were open right now, she’d be aiming beams of light at me.
I come. I come hard. Grunting and pushing myself deeper and deeper inside her.
But in that moment I can see her clearly. Her glow illuminates her face and…
I let out a long breath. “Corla?”
Her eyes open. And I was right. She’s aiming her light at me. I have to close my eyes to avoid the sting of brightness.
She closes them again and the room darkens enough for me to look at her.
“Corla,” I pant, unable to believe my eyes.
“Fuck you,” she says, pushing me off her.
And I’m so stunned, I don’t resist. Just topple off to the side. She turns her back to me and I… I’m suddenly at a loss for words.
Where am I? On Harem?
“ALCOR?” I whisper out loud, hopeful. Please. Please, for the love of the sun, be here!
But there’s no answer.
I look at Corla’s back. She’s still glowing a little. The light she emits makes her whole body glisten in the returning hazy darkness.
“Fuck you. I’m going to sleep for a minute because I’m tired. Don’t wake me up.”
“Listen—”
“I said,” she growls, “I’m going to sleep for a minute. I’m fucking exhausted after that light show. I just told you I didn’t like it.”
“Oh.” I’m… a little bit speechless. And now I feel bad. Guilty, actually. Because if I had known it was Corla I’d have been… gentle.
Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe I’d have been even more of a brute?
Maybe I’d have wanted to punish her for leaving me alone to fight this war by myself twenty-one years ago.
Maybe I’d have fucked her unconscious. Or unleashed a real light show.
I know I’m not supposed to be here. I get it. I’m inside the fucking spin node. And maybe this isn’t real, but this moment feels real enough for me. It feels like a fucking gift.
She is sleeping in a bed next to me. And if I get a choice of staying here or going back… well, I’m fucking staying.
Twenty-one years ago I met my soulmate. We took each other’s virginity. And then we went our separate ways.
Star-crossed. For all eternity.
I didn’t like the idea back then but let me tell you, I like it a whole lot less now.
JA Huss is a New York Times Bestselling author and has been on the USA Today Bestseller’s list 21 times. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings.
Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world. Her book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.
