ARC Review: Pull Me Close

I've enjoyed every single Sidney Halston book I've read so far, so when I saw she had a new release up for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. Check out my review below!

Title: Pull Me Close
Series: Panic, #1
Author: Sidney Halston
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Pages: 247
Buy Links: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo

Blurb:

Welcome to Panic, a sultry Miami nightclub where bodies and hearts move to a beat that doesn’t stop at sunrise—the setting for “a magnificent story full of deep emotion” (Sawyer Bennett).
 
Katherine: I thought I could enjoy a night out like a normal person. I thought I could handle the flashing lights, the pulsing music, the crowded dance floor. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After having an anxiety attack and passing out during my sister’s engagement party at Panic, I wake up in the arms of the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. Nick Moreno’s no gentleman. But he might just be the man I need to help me take control of my life.
 
Nick: When I hear there’s some random girl passed out in the back room of my family’s South Beach nightclub, I’m pissed. My dad’s already behind bars and we can’t afford any more bad press. But after giving her a lift—literally—back to her apartment, I stop seeing Katherine Wilson as some random girl. She’s gorgeous, vulnerable, and braver than she knows. And when we kiss, all I want to do is pull her close and promise that she’ll always be safe in my arms.

Emotionally charged from beginning to end!

This book literally started with a panic...attack. Right then, I knew this book was something I would love. Nico was such a jerk in the beginning that I wanted to smack him a hundred times over. He had a bad experience with drugs, and so he assumed everyone acting strange were high on some sort of illegal substance. 

Poor Katherine was just another junkie to Nico. I wanted to yell at him that she wasn't high. I empathized with her throughout the whole book...because I knew just what it was like to have anxiety. I might not have panic attacks like Katherine, but anxiety attacks could be just as exhausting. I knew what it was like to be afraid and to feel so weak because of a mental illness.

Katherine was such an admirable character because she fought for a life she used to have, where she went out with friends and had fun instead of holing up in her apartment in fear of dying if she left the safety of her home. Nico was a jerk, but when he opened his eyes, he was able to understand and even became supportive...up to a certain point. This book wouldn't be so interesting if there wasn't any conflict ;) I would say, however, that I was fangirling for most of the book, totally in love with the characters. And then, towards the end, I was literally crying for a while...

I was so thankful that the author wrote this book and I hope it would somehow educate people that anxiety and other mental disorders were not something people chose to have, just like cancer or any other disease. 

Anyway, I loved the irony that the club Nico co-owned with his brother Matt was named Panic. By the way, Matt was such a lovely character! He was so fun to read. Now I can't wait to read the rest of the series! Pull Me Close is a must-read, but be forewarned that this book was so emotional and might affect empaths more than others.

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ARC Review: Stacked Up

I wasn't able to read all the books in this series, but the ones that I have read, they were all amazing. Now, the final book of the series is Travis's book and I couldn't have asked for a better ending!

Title: Stacked Up
Series: Worth the Fight, #6
Author: Sidney Halston
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Pages: 263
Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:
Working two jobs to support her infant daughter is harder than anything Penny Richards has ever done, but it sure beats living under the rules of her stepfather, a television preacher who demands a picture-perfect family. And if Penny hadn’t struck out on her own, she never would have met Travis Calhoun. The intensely physical heavyweight brawler has a way of drawing out her wild side. But Travis lives fast, with no responsibilities—and that just isn’t for Penny.
 
Most of the women in Travis’s circle wear tight clothes, high heels, and tons of makeup—not pearls or plaid headbands. But once he works past Penny’s inhibitions, Travis discovers a kindred spirit who longs to trust someone with her body, and her secrets. Still, Travis can’t help but wonder if this rich girl is just slumming it before she returns to her privileged life. Now it’s up to Penny to prove that she wants her hard-edged, hard-loving fighter just the way he is.

This book gave me all the feels and them some!

Where do I even start? From the very beginning to the very end, this book was all kinds of amazing. There wasn't a dull moment, and I wanted to keep on turning the pages to see what happened next.

Travis was one heck of a guy. No one could say anything bad about him, but it wasn't because he was perfect. He had a troubled past, which shaped him into the amazing man that he became.

"What are you doing?" Travis asked, alarmed. He stood up and held his hands out. "Do not pull out your boob."

"Travis, I need to feed her," she said incredulously.

"No, no. I don't need to see my sister's boob in my niece's mouth. That shit can't be unseen." He walked out of the nursery, yelling over his shoulder, "I'll be in the living room having a beer, maybe bleaching my eyes."

Penny ran away from home with her daughter Belle. If I was being judgmental, I wouldn't have believed they could survive, given that Penny grew up very sheltered. But reading about her struggles and how she'd overcome them for her daughter; I was awed and inspired. She was such a great role model. I also enjoyed the moments when she would literally just spill her heart out to Travis, because that's what best friends do.

Travis: "Little girl, it's time you walked. Calhouns don't like lazy. Plus I saw a piece of cake in the bag. Come and get it."

Penny: "You do know that she's not a dog, cowboy?"

Travis: "I know, but let's give her some incentive, no?"

He started eating.

Penny: "You like the food, cowboy?"

Travis: "Oh, uh... hell yeah. It was great."

Penny: "Really? What was it?"

He looked down and licked his fork.

Travis: "Fucking great food is what it was."

Belle, oh my gosh, the cutest little girl I've ever read in a book. I lived for the moments when she said "My Twavis." Have I mentioned the feels in this book? I think I fell in love as much as the characters did in this book.

Of course, I loved the humor that I'd come to know from Sidney's books. I cannot wait to read more of them in the future. If you're looking for a new series, or even just a new book to get you out of a reading slump, this is the one. I promise you.

Chrissy: "Seriously, guys?"

Francesca: "You guys are afraid of a one-year-old kid?"

Tony: "No, we're afraid of crying females. Age is of little importance."

Below are some of my other favorite quotes from the book.

"I more than want to try. I'm not really a try kind of guy. I'm more of a go-all-in kind of guy." --Travis

He parked in front of a huge toy store.

"I know you're going to complain, so all I'm going to say is that it doesn't concern you. It's between me and Belle. Isn't that right, baby girl?"

"Twavis," she repeated with a giggle.

Read my reviews of the other books:

Below the Belt, #3

Laid Out, #4

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Review: Laid Out

Title: Laid Out
Series: Worth the Fight, #4
Author: Sidney Halston
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Pages: 277
Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | BN | Kobo

Blurb:

As an Army brat, Violet Channing could never meet her dad’s high expectations. But in the eyes of her best friend, she could do no wrong. He even insisted that he should be her first kiss. Now Cain Sorensen is all grown up, hardened by years in special ops and always looking for a good fight. Tall, with striking blue eyes and impossibly blond hair, he’s a modern-day Viking warrior. Of course, Violet’s all grown up, too, and she’s ready to surrender to his every command.
 
Cain knows he’s bad for Violet. His work is dangerous, and his hobbies are downright deadly. As a private mercenary and a mixed martial arts fighter, he could never let such an innocent soul into his world. And yet his most grueling combat training is no match for Violet’s killer curves, hot touch, and suggestive glances. Now all of Cain’s most explosive fantasies are coming true—but once they cross the line between friends and lovers, there’s no turning back.

I read this book in ONE day.

It was a peaceful Sunday and I found that I had free time. I had started reading this book, and when my photo shoot got cancelled, I thought, "Well, I have nothing else planned, and every end to a chapter makes me want to find out what happened next, so I guess I'll just read all day until I finish this book." That's exactly what I did, and it was WORTH IT (pun intended).

Wow. Cain Sorenson. Oh my gosh, that man was confusing as all hell. He couldn't decide what he wanted! Poor Violet was left trying to figure him out. I did like Violet's character, though. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She was the most forgiving person and she continued to forgive Cain repeatedly no matter how much of a jerk he was.

Seriously, he was a jerk, but I loved him, too! The complexity of his character was what endeared me to him. Nothing about this book was predictable, and I really appreciated that. I also enjoyed the comedic breaks provided by Violet's friend JL. She was hilarious! I can't wait to read her story (hopefully there is one). Violet was hilarious on her own merit. In one chapter, she exclaimed, "Ouch! I think I left a boob over by the door." You'll have to read the book to find out what inspired her to say that.

Here's a little spoiler for you: When Cain wanted to cheat on his diet, he went all out!

Cain: "I'll have a large double chocolate banana split with extra chocolate sauce and extra whip cream. Oh, and throw in some Reeses Pieces and chocolate chips." Then he turned to Violet. "What would you like, Sunshine?"She looked at him, stunned. "Vi?"

Violet: "When you cheat you go all out, don't you?" She laughed. "I'm not hungry. Can I just have some of yours?"

Cain: "Nope. I don't share."

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I think, so far, it was my favorite of the series. Do note that I've only read two books in the series, haha :)

Go get this book. It's as good as your absolute favorite dessert!

P.S.

Here are some more quotes to convince you to get this book:

"You still like a little coffee with your sugar, I see." << I can totally relate to this because I love a splash of coffee into my hot creamer :)

**********

"Damn, women must have orgasms just talking to you."

**********

JL: "Oh, hello Cain. Nice to see you. Was that thing you just did with your chin your formal hello?"

Cain chuckled. "Yo, J."

JL: "Wow, couldn't even be bothered to say the L."

Arianne

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Review: Below the Belt

Title: Below the Belt
Series: Worth the Fight, #3
Author: Sidney Halston
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Pages: 272
Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:


A former title contender turns the tables on his knockout trainer with a lesson in seduction. 

Once one of the most sought-after names on the mixed martial arts circuit, Antonio “Scarface” Marino watched his career go down for the count as he chased skirts and made tabloid headlines. Now he’s finally making a comeback, and it’s all thanks to Francesca Silva, a Brazilian bombshell as tough as any of her fighters. But who’s the real Francesca: the trash-talking trainer who rides him hard, or the vulnerable woman who blushes at his touch? 

Francesca went to the mat to sign Tony because she believes he still has the potential to bring big success to her gym—if she can keep his head in the cage and out of her personal life. After a short-lived marriage soured her on love, a one-night stand is all she can handle. Now Tony’s kisses are stirring up complicated feelings—especially when he agrees to face her ex in the ring. Francesca’s used to freezing guys out. But Tony’s tempting her to give in to the heat.

Review

I'm absolutely in love with this book! The first 20% was a bit slow for me, but as soon as the bickering started, I could not put the book down!

Tony and Francesca just did not get along. It was like they wanted to bite each other every chance they got. Tony was very persistent in wanting to date Francesca, while Francesca was the woman who needed no one.

I loved that Tony continued to push Francesca to let him in and he wore his heart on his sleeve. The honesty that Tony showed was really admirable. His temper, however, was hilarious! Being Cuban, I guess that meant he was passionate about everything, including being temperamental. Every time he and Francesca would get in a silly argument, I would literally laugh out loud... Read some of them below.

Tony: You're just making me crazy. My accent's all over the place, I can't even understand myself.

Tony: Francesca--
Francesca: Don't Francesca me!
Tony: That's jour fucking name!

Tony: When did you get a cat?
Francesca: I saw your kittens before I left and decided I wanted one too.
Tony: That's not a kitten. That's a baby tiger. It's fucking huge. I hope it doesn't eat my kittens.

Tony: 'S okay. I felt like shit before. Now I feel like death.
Francesca: Oh, stop whining.

Francesca: Anything specific you want me to bring you from the store other than what Chrissy suggested? Orange juice? Soup? Your balls, maybe?

I also loved that Francesca was a total badass! She was trained as a professional fighter and she could bring professional fighters on their knees without breaking a sweat. I totally wanted to be her!

Did I mention I completely fangirled over this book on Twitter?

Every other character were amazing! Slade was one of my other favorite characters. He had such a foul mouth and he was hilarious! I don't want to give anything else away, so you'll just have to read the book. It's only $2.99. Surely, the sheer enjoyment you will get from reading this book is worth that price!

Arianne

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