Sharing is Caring - Books: "To the Moon and Back" by Melissa Brayden

To the Moon and Back by Melissa Brayden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I'm sure many lovers of the Lesbian romance genre have come to know, Melissa Brayden is always a sure thing. You can count on her books to always be a hit, never a miss. Though I can admit that To the Moon and Back was not one of my favorites by Brayden, it still in no way disappointed and was the exact read I needed during this time of uncertainty while stuck in quarantine, keeping away from COVID-19.

Brayden seems to have upped the angst factor in many of her more recent novels. From First Position (which had a moment embedded in its pages where I, quite literally, threw the book across the room [an act I had not yet committed with a book ever in my life as a reader]) to the push and pull of the relationship between the characters in Back to September (one of my top 3 favorites by Brayden, hands down) - angst has had a spotlight and fueled many of her newer novels to the finish line. However, despite this feature being about the wonders of theater and stage work, the spotlight dimmed on the angst, and it made for a perfectly enjoyable yet easygoing read, making it the biggest selling point during the craziness of the world right now.

Following the story of Lauren and Carly was pleasant and completely elicited the warm, fuzzy feelings like that of coming home after a long time away. As a theater kid myself (but not having been on the stage in over 10 years), this felt like a return to a world I know fluently but haven't had the chance to spend time in for longer than I should have allowed. Brayden's depiction of the theater scene is spot on, and not just because she gets all of the technical jargon right (coming from the world of theater herself), but also in her descriptions of the emotions that fill every actor or crew member that works themselves to the bone for the beauty and synchronicity of a production. You can easily count on Brayden for a story that feels wrapped up in the theater with a warm, well-cared-for blanket, and you know you will enjoy its run because you're in good hands.

The story of Lauren and Carly's romance was easy to follow and felt comfortable, but it also felt as though it could have been more. Alas, I realize that may contradict my statement about the lack of angst and conflict being a welcome reprieve, but the romance almost felt as though it went through a checklist of good ol' fashioned "to-dos" without much creativity. Now don't get me wrong, Brayden still crafts a beautiful tale of love and the trials and tribulations that can still come after the "happily ever after," and To the Moon and Back is no exception. But it lacked a certain oomph, one that has me clamoring to turn the pages faster to read more of the story as soon as possible so I can find out if these two fated characters find their love blossoming to the heights of soulmates before I allow myself to go to sleep at night. And though I don't expect every novel to do this, I have come to expect this from Brayden.

With all that being said, I still give this 4 stars, bordering on 4.5 because - let's face it - Melissa Brayden is the queen of Lesbian romance, and I will go down with that ship for eternity.

P.S. Melissa!! Can we please discuss the absolute necessity of you writing the play into an actual novel?!?! I was hooked from the start! What petition must I sign to get this made into reality??

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Back to September" by Melissa Brayden

Back to September by Melissa Brayden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let's just start off with TL;DR of this whole review before getting into the nitty-gritty (I know, reverse and all, but bear with me):

Back to September is my new favorite by Melissa Brayden, hands down.

2019 was a bit of an interesting reading year for me. I made a New Year's resolution to read 52 books in 52 weeks. With two kids under the age of 10, working a job where my commute is 1.5 hours one way, and a loving family to devote to as much as possible - this actually turned out to be harder than I thought. But thanks to Audible and those long commutes, I still made it. With that being said though, I didn't read many that really hit me like a ton of bricks GOOD.

Please don't misunderstand. I still read some amazing books over 2019. Some notable ones being The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling, and even Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden as well. But I wasn't able to find a book that threw me back against my seat by G-forces so strong I didn't know how to recover from it ending. I've had moments like these only a few times in my life with books such as the Harry Potter Series Box Set by J.K. Rowling, Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, and the first book by Brayden that made me a devoted member of her fan club - Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden.

But I had not had this experience with a book recently and - frankly - I was desperate for one. I missed that feeling of wanting to race home to read, curl up for hours, and push myself through exhaustion to finish it. Then have the conflicting feeling of trying so desperately to slow down in order to enjoy each and every savory minute of reading its pages.

But here comes Melissa Brayden in all of her glory and 

SHE GAVE ME MY READING JOY BACK.

Back to September brings back Brayden in all her beautiful brilliance. I was always a huge fan of the Soho Series, but the Seven Shores series didn't quite grab me the same way. Her standalones have been solid in the last few years, but not what I remember when reading Heart Block or How Sweet It Is . Brayden is a remarkable writer, and I can always count on her for amazing reads without question. But I will admit I was missing the exact feelings I spoke of above that I used to - very often - get from reading her books.

But she came blazing back with Back to September.

I finished Back to September after a binge reading session, something of which I hadn't done in - quite honestly - years. I couldn’t put it down. I loved it, cover to cover. I do believe I can announce that she's written a novel that is likely going to have to share the number one spot on my Brayden Favorites, sharing the pedestal with Kiss the Girl.

I am in awe. This new novel was full of all of the usual pieces of Brayden's novels that I adore and look forward to each time a new one is released, but it was filled with so much more. New things even. Some very real topics with very real outcomes; some very real ways to work through very real problems. Characters that made mistakes - real mistakes - and acted like real people, not fictionalized “perfect” people (though those aren’t necessarily bad!). It was so refreshing to see that kind of representation seen within these pages, within a novel by an author I trust implicitly. A novel that still had the same wit, dialogue, and descriptors that always make me fly to Brayden's novels the moment they’re released.

Now that I have had a proper chance to ruminate in its aftermath and proper time to recover from having to put it down, I only wish I had the chance to go back to the beginning and read it all over again with new eyes.

Melissa - I loved it. It was amazing. Please never stop doing what you’re doing. My literary world is always a happy place to come back to over and over again because of exceptional authors like you. Thank you for another fantastic and beautiful reading experience.

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame" by Mara Wilson

Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame by Mara Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook of this piece, narrated by the author herself, Mara Wilson. If you have the means, listening to Mara read this out loud, knowing that it is her own life, was one-of-a-kind and such a unique experience. It brought such an important and vital role to the book that I didn't think was needed until I started to listen.

"That girl" from the critically-acclaimed Matilda movie from the 90s is no more. Mara Wilson is vibrant, fresh, downright honest, and captivating all on her own without the world of Hollywood. And she proves as such so effortlessly in her memoir Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame. In my mind's eye, they are no longer even the same person any more. There's the cute, expressive, bookworm young girl from the movies of my childhood - and then there's this sarcastic, hysterical, storytelling bad ass chick from New York that makes me roar with laughter and cry tears of sadness at her life's stories. I am in love with both, but for separate reasons.

Hearing Mara's stories about the trials and tribulations with Hollywood, it's "image-insisting" participants, and how she navigated in and out of that world as a young girl - these stories really resonated in a way that I still don't quite understand myself. Her words and experiences, spoken directly from her with the beauty that is an audiobook, were infused with emotion, and you could hear and feel and actually understand these without question due to Mara's words. I realized as I continued to listen to her stories that - Mara actually jumps around a lot - one minute she's talking about her show choir days at the beginning of high school, but then segues into discussing how her mother felt about the movie business and the time Mara spent on film sets; then a moment later, is back on the topic of show choir. But what amazed me was that none of it ever seemed out of place. Each story and each shift within the text made sense . Mara made it work, and kept you hypnotized with her words no matter where they took you. It was, for lack of a much better and all-encompassing word, FANTASTIC.

If you haven't already figured it out - I loved this book. I loved the stories Mara told, I loved the way Mara told them, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about things I never would have thought would interest me (show choirs of Southern California and their competitive streaks; Canada and all it has to offer with on-set educators and life-changing individuals; and - most importantly - the in-depth account of what it must be like to live with a seemingly "underrated" mental illness). In recent years, it has become apparent that Mara Wilson is a great storyteller - whether that be on the stages of New York City, behind the microphone of podcasts and voice-over acting work, or in her writings on her blog. But this endeavor - a whole book that opens up about her real life and leaves readers with the ability to listen to what really happened to that "cute little girl from Mrs. Doubtfire!" makes it's own mark in, what I hope, will be a long LONG career in writing for Mara.

Mara - if you ever get a chance to read this in some capacity - thank you for this book. I may be 30 years old, settled down with my family and my job in a very, very close suburb to Burbank in Southern California - but you taught me things about myself that I never thought other people experienced and helped me understand what those things were; you put voice to so many aspects of my own life that it gave me reminder of the one true thing we all must remember...

We are never alone.

If you have the means - pick up this book, preferably in audiobook if at all possible, but in whatever capacity suits you. It's funny, it's entertaining, it's emotional, but most of all, it's real. I have never listened to an audiobook so fast, and I already know I will be rereading this book in my future.

FIVE MOTHERFUCKING STARS

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Shaken to the Core" by Jae

Shaken to the Core by Jae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this novel for free from NetGalley and Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Jae's newest contribution to the lesbian historical fiction genre is remarkable. Centering around one of the most destructive natural disasters in recent history, Shaken to the Core is an adventure and whirlwind of emotions that I, truthfully, was not expecting. Following the lives of two very different women as the navigate through this disaster brick by brick is one that had me glued to the pages of this story from the moment I read page one.

Deriving from Jae's Hollywood series, Shaken to the Core is the corresponding story surrounding the screenplay and movie that Jill in Just Physical, along with her friend Grace, star in, all from a screenplay written by Grace's girlfriend, Lauren. I'm so glad Jae decided to write an associated novel to that tidbit in those books, as it is a wonderful reward for her historical fiction fans.

I was more than impressed with this novel, and only found some issues with how the story left me hanging for more. This is the reason for the 4-star review. I firmly believe that this novel is exceptional, and I also completely respect an author's decision on where to end a story and start fresh. But in this case, I did feel that there was something left to be desired, and it may have been just a quick remedy of a more well-rounded ending. Jae's novels have never left me feeling this way in the past, which I believe is the reason I felt it so much in this novel. It is fine to be left wanting more, but I more felt as if I was left with an unfinished tale.

All in all - a fantastic read though. A must-have for any Jae fan, and a beautiful novel to start off if your a first time reader of her work.

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "The Copper Egg" by Catherine Friend

The Copper Egg by Catherine Friend

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It seems that there are a good number of authors in the Les Fic genre that you can always count on for a good read. In my arsenal, these include Melissa Brayden, Gerri Hill, Jae, Lisa Moreau, and...the one and only Catherine Friend.

With The Copper Egg, Friend has once again delivered a rip-roaring adventure tale set against an amazing backdrop with that beautiful touch of lesbianism to boot. Escaping to Peru to follow looters, historians, archaeologists, government officials, and dangerous mad men, The Copper Egg is a great ride, and just as enjoyable as Friend's other adventure tales. With main character Claire Adams coming off as a cross between Indiana Jones and a lesbian Lara Croft, and her counterpart, ex Sochi Castillo, reminding me of a female version of Brendan Frasier's character in "The Mummy," each page turn brought about a new and exciting spin to the adventure unfolding.

Tomb raiding and dig diving, Claire has loved her life her love of archaeology, tombs, culture, and history as she lives the life as a director of a preserver of Peru's antiquities. She fulfills every aspect of her life serving as the operator for such endeavors, especially with the love of her life by her side throughout it all. But when a horrible unveiling in the news flies across Peru, Claire is left jobless, ridiculed, and heartbroken. She retreats to the United States, alone and unmotivated, for three years. When Claire receives a mysterious package from Peru at her current settled (and rather boring) life in the United States, she is whisked back to the land where her archaeologist heart never left. What she discovers, both in the dirt - and in her heart - is nothing short of a fantastic venture.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I have read other reviews, and have heard the complaints surrounding some pieces of this novel, especially compared to others written by the author. And I respect and, admittedly, see and experienced what those reviews were discussing. But the book was still so enjoyable. I had a fun time reading it, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each and every character (because even the minor characters played major roles and were fascinating to get to know), and I looked forward to getting a chance to sit down with the book every day that I was reading it. It was well written, it was a great adventure, it was touching and sweet and mysterious all at the same time - overall, it was a great story, and a novel in which I will come back to in my life.

Bravo, Catherine Friend - you've done it again :).

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "First Position" by Melissa Brayden

First Position by Melissa Brayden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Before getting into the nitty gritty of this review where I tell you all how amazing it was, I wanted to say that I actually got the insanely awesome pleasure of being able to sit down with the extraordinary Melissa Brayden herself, and though I was secretly telling myself consistently to "be cool" (and the verdict is still out on whether I succeeded or not)

... I can walk away saying that Ms. Brayden is simply amazing in person, end of story.

Which brings me to the point of saying, once again, that anything Melissa Brayden writes is simply amazing as well, end of story.

The love story Brayden has crafted between outgoing and enthusiastic Natalie Frederico (which is SUCH a fun name to say!) and level-headed, no-nonsense Anastasia (Ana) Mikhelson is art all on it's own...and not just because it is a book about dance! Art can be crafted in such meticulous ways, but Brayden has found a realm where, as a reader, you don't even realize how amazing the story is that is being presented to you because of the flawless effort that flows and snakes and weaves its way in and around you and your psyche while reading. These books, many of which (in my experience) have been penned by Brayden, are escapes and outlets all on their own that fulfill such a deep need for so many. And it is all in the name of literary art. First Position does just that.

First Position is another piece of Les Fic gold. Yet, it is very different than the usual fare we are presented with from Brayden. While reading, I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was that had this story stampeding in and out of my brain both while I was reading, as well as the times in between my reading sessions. For some reason, this book made me THINK. Please don't take that as meaning that Brayden's other novels left my mind searching for sustenance. This is not the case. But the levels that were presented with this novel - the deep-dives into emotions and relationships, interactions with the world around us, perspectives both internally and externally for the soul, and so much more - made this novel take up residence right in the center of my normal, everyday thought process and spend more time reflecting on this novel, its characters, and its subject matter, more than I have for any others in 2016.

So what's the big difference in this novel compared to Brayden's others? Well, as many reviews have already stated, there is one addition within these pages that we have not yet seen often from her previous novels.

In addition, there was more a slow-burn to the two characters and their developing relationship. This definitely added to the angst level, but made the encounters between them leading up to the "big moment" all the more sizzling and tantalizing for the reader. I completely endorse the Brayden Slow-Burn, and hope to see it again in future novels.

This review is minimal compared to others that I've written, but it is for a reason. You don't need a review to tell you this book is amazing. Incredible. Riveting.

The fact is, First Position is fantastic, and you should read it.

End of story.

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Fortunate Sum" by M. Ullrich

Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Note: I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich was a very, very pleasant surprise. Debut novel from a first-time published author in this genre provided some trepidation when I first set out to reading this novel. And though it had some slight needs for further development (in my opinion), those tiny flaws did not dissuade from my enjoyment of this from beginning to end.

I was captured pretty quickly into this story (after a few duds and attempts to read new books before acquiring this one, where the other did not go nearly as well), and bonded with the characters. I will admit that I didn't become attached to the two main characters as much as I have in other novels of the same genre, but spending some time with Catherine Carter and Imogene Harris did not disappoint in the least.

Following Catherine and Imogene as they stumble into a chance at love was an epic ride for the reader, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Again, despite some minor things that caused me to raise an eyebrow at the author's choice for the turn of the story, or the reaction of one character to another, I felt fulfilled in the end product, and would read M. Ullrich again to see what other stories she has up her sleeve to share with the world.

I look forward to reading more by this debut author, and can comfortably give this novel 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

You can purchase "Fortunate Sum" from Amazon or Bold Strokes Books, Available Now!

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Love on the Red Rocks" by Lisa Moreau

Love on the Red Rocks by Lisa Moreau

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I'm just going to go ahead and add Lisa Moreau to my "buy everything this author writes" list and leave that there as a start off to this review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, from beginning to end. Even the start of it seemed really well-paced, providing the necessary prologue to make the rest of the story really even out throughout. Debut author Lisa Moreau provided us a with a great first novel full of fantastic characters, a beautiful backdrop, mystical romances, secrets in love (the good kind), falling for our best friends, realizing our judgments are, often, incorrect, a fantastic lesbian retreat group (where can I find one of these in real life?!), and believable scenarios that may hit close to home with many of us.

Each character was one that stuck with me in different ways. Main character Malley reminds me of that great friend you have that needs to control every aspect of her life, but you still find adorable. She reminds me a lot of Mallory Spencer in Melissa Brayden's Soho Savvy series. But the character of Jessie was, by far, my favorite. I can't quite grasp what it was about her that made her seem like someone I would find myself being attracted to, just for the pure sake of wanting to know her and be friends with her, but a large part of it was because she was written in such a real and genuine way. Her struggles, her attitude, her approach to life and all in it, just came across as the most authentic I've read in a while. Not something extenuated by the perils of novel writing, but actually a complete character that made it seem like you could meet this woman in the street in any major city. I can't gush about the characters enough.

Moreau continues to fascinate the reader by painting a beautiful backdrop of the picturesque mountains and landscapes of Sedona, AZ, fully grasping the surroundings to make it sound like it was a character all its own. This book made me add Sedona, AZ to one of my next vacation destinations. I can't wait to see it all for myself.

I'm still not quite sure how to explain why I loved this book so much. The story was great, the characters were fantastic, the love story predictable yet charming, the side stories well embedded into the main plot - I don't know. It all just WORKED.

Moreau's writing style reminded me of a cross between Melissa Brayden and Gerri Hill, which may add to the reasons why I enjoyed the novel so much. Some things didn't sit so well with me, mostly just certain word choices. But those occurrences didn't take away the pure joy I still had while reading the novel. I thoroughly appreciated how Moreau conveyed the characters to not take themselves too seriously, how they came to grips with the fact that they had been wrong about a thing or two, and how Moreau was able to teach me the same lessons that her characters were learning through her descriptions and narratives. Again, only a few authors (i.e. Brayden and Hill, among others) have done that for me in the past, and I take those lessons to heart when an author helps me figure them out without pointing me in the exact direction I am supposed to take in the learning of the lesson.

This was a fun read, and a good one at that. The romance is strong, the sex scenes are glorious, and the pace is very close to being perfect for the novel. Bold Strokes Books has found another winning author in my opinion, and I anxiously look forward to Lisa Moreau's next novel with them.

Now, how do I start over and read it all again?

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

You can purchase "Love on the Red Rocks" from Amazon or Bold Strokes Books, Available Now!

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Sweet Hearts" by Melissa Brayden, Rachel Spangler, Karis Walsh

Sweet Hearts: Romantic Novellas by Melissa Brayden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First - the obligatory:

Note: This ARC was provided by NetGalley & Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

Now the review:

I was having trouble staying engaged with this series of short novellas from some of the best Lesbian Romance writers in the business, so I just spent the last few hours powering through in order to reach the end and move on to my next read. I know, not something that usually accompanies a 4-star review but, mostly, it was because my nightstand is starting to pile high with books, and I'm anxious to get to them :).

Another reason for the 4-star review was due to my very favoritest author and Goddess of the Heart, Melissa Brayden being the front-runner, along with the always well-written and spunky Rachel Spangler, and my intro into the thoughtful and poignant writings of Karis Walsh.

5 stars - I know there were some lack-of-research holes that were discovered in Brayden's short story, "Firework", but it still served as my favorite of the three. Melissa's always fun and delightful banter between her main characters, as well as those quick-wit descriptors, such as:

"I suppose I could leave you to your drink."

"It's an option," Kristen said with a smile.

Lucy raised her shoulder. "I mean, for all I know, you're waiting on someone. A hot date perhaps."

Kristen nodded. "Yep. The hottest. She'll be here any minute now."

I thoroughly enjoyed Lucy and Kristen's tumble story into love, and it was a nice reflection against Brayden's famous "Heart Block". It was such a treat to return to Emory, Sarah, and Grace (and Walter!), and I was completely satisfied with it's run. Although, let me just be honest too and say, whenever Melissa Brayden has a novel out - no matter the subject - I'll just buy it, no questions.

3 stars - Spangler's "Getting Serious" was a nice taste of the writings and stories that Rachel Spangler has become known for in her novels. Purposeful and powerful in it's own mind and right brought a different tale altogether separate from the other two. While still funny and having Spangler show of her own skills of witty banter between characters, it was fun to follow Lisa and Marty through their own tale of love. Unfortunately though, this story fell short in my eyes, and it was partially due to some difficulties keeping in line with what was going on every second. Now, that could have totally been my mistake and fault completely, but it still caused me to lose the enjoyment that I usually settle in to when reading a great LGBT romance.

4.5 stars - I have yet to read an entire novel by Karis Walsh, but reading "Risk Factor" made it become more of a need than a possibility. Walsh captured me with her story of Myra and Ainslee's turbulent and emotion-filled journey to loving one another left me wanting more, and the only story I wish had been made to last longer so that it could have explored deeper paths. My second favorite of the three, I am glad to have had this introduction to Karis Walsh, and look forward to devouring more of her novels in the near future.

Overall, this collection was a great read, and I had fun with all three novellas. It was a great addition to have a short story like this available until the next Melissa Brayden novel comes along (holy crap...end of this year...UGH), as well as a great way for me to get introduced to a new author I had yet to explore in Karis Walsh. 

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

You can purchase "Sweet Hearts" from or Amazon and Bold Strokes Books, Available Now!

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Sharing is Caring - Books: "Kiss the Girl" by Melissa Brayden

Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So it has taken me close to nine months to write this review. That's how LONG this book has been sitting with me on a daily basis; how long it has taken me to come down off of it's high; how long I have waited for my overwhelming feels for this novel to subside enough to put words to paper (screen?) about the wonderful joy and awesomeness that is Kiss the Girl. And yet - none of that has actually happened. It still sits with me constantly, and I find myself reflecting on it on a daily basis. I am still riding the "high" of the impact of the novel on my soul. I still have overwhelming feels and wondrous joy and an envelopment of mind-bending awesomeness in regards to this perfected novel from the Queen of Lesbian Romance, Melissa Brayden. I can't gush enough.

This novel was life-changing, and in such a feel-good, warm and fuzzy kind of way.

Outgoing Brooklyn Campbell and her fabulous friends run the cutest little boutique advertising agency this side of the Hudson River in New York City. The Soho Savvy company is finally starting to get some recognition, and finds itself fighting for an account against one of the biggest agencies in the city. Those that have the best ideas, the most clever marketing campaigns, the biggest hits across the market - that company will be the winner. Brooklyn's head is completely in the game, working hard with her friends to kick the big boys out of the competition with their unique ideas and killer designs. But one fateful day, Brooklyn finds herself stranded in a bar after a rather unfortunate series of incidents, and runs into the most beautiful woman she's ever seen. They talk, they flirt, they get to know one another, and Brooklyn finds herself on the receiving end of a "Cinderella" kiss at the end of the night, complete with a hasty exit by the brunette who completely derailed her focus from her current life. As the two women find themselves getting closer, Brooklyn discovers exactly who this woman is, and doesn't know how to proceed, if she even can.

This was not the first book by Melissa Brayden that I read. I actually read the Soho Savvy series out of order on my first experience, starting with the second novel in the series, Just Three Words. My first book by Melissa Brayden overall was Heart Block back in the summer of 2014, and didn't pick up one of her books (the above mentioned Just Three Words) until it's pre-release on NetGalley in March/April of 2015. After that, I was hooked, and bought all of Brayden's books, including this one. But the one thing that was different about this novel compared to the rest, is absolutely everything.

I think we can all agree that Melissa Brayden knows what she's doing when it comes to writing novels. She captures her characters, and in that, captures her readers. She provides descriptions and stories and connections within her novels that is basically literature crack for the Lesbian Romance reader! Kiss the Girl is no different in that capacity, but then it is so much more. The depictions of her characters are spot on - from Brooklyn herself to her friends at the Soho Savvy agency, to the illustrious Jessica Lennox - they are all perfection.

Let me segue here and state that Brayden has managed to create a character in Jessica Lennox that I have big-time crush-worthy feelings for, none that I've had so vehemently since my big crush of Hermione Granger sprouted when I was in my preteens.

Please understand how BIG of a statement that is in my world. Hermione Granger has forever been my "it" girl, and has never been in danger of losing her place from her pedestal for going-on 20 years (almost 18 at this time to be exact). Those are big shoes to fill, and Jessica Lennox has managed to shake the sturdy foundation that Hermione stands on. Let me reiterate - this is BIG NEWS. And let me reiterate as well - Melissa Brayden has managed to write a character that so beautifully captured my heart and made this occur. Her characters are THAT good.

But aside from the beauty of each and every character within this novel, the story has one of the best and most believable timelines and arcs that I've read. The beauty in the way the side stories line up with the main plot, and how those characters grow in succession with Brooklyn and Jessica - the whole thing amazes me to no end. Either Melissa Brayden was meticulous in the way this story would play it, and planned it down to each and every crossover detail, or her talent exceeds even beyond what I initially understood, and she is just a God of word and prose. You know what, let's just go with the latter - I'm pretty sure she's just a literature God.

I'm not even sure if I've given you anything of worthy note about this novel as a piece of literature, but instead just used my words to squee over and over about how amazing this book was to me instead. But if anything, take this away from this review:

Read it. Embrace it. Do yourself a favor and provide it to yourself as a reward for being awesome. There is nothing about this novel that won't delight any reader, I can guarantee this.

In fact, if you by some chance DO find something that just makes you hate this novel, I REALLY want to hear about it! Truly! I have yet to find someone that did not enjoy this novel, and always appreciate seeing both sides to every outcome. Please, personally contact me to tell me what you hated. I will actually be happy to receive your comments!

But seriously, read this book. And love Melissa Brayden. She is an amazing writer and more. I will fangirl over her until the end of time.

Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

You can purchase "Kiss the Girl" from Amazon or Bold Strokes Books, Available Now!

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Bucket Lists and Their Purpose

Over the years (and as I'm grown older), the concept of a "bucket list" has always eluded me.

What, exactly, IS a bucket list?

buck·et list

noun

informal 

a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. 

"making this trip is the first thing on my bucket list"

Until more recently, I felt as if bucket lists were used as a way for people to say "Wow, I wish I could do these things in my lifetime, but if it doesn't work out, that's okay too."  To me, that just doesn't make sense.  In addition, if there are items on someone's bucket list that rely on something or someone else accomplishing a particular item first (for instance, become a best-selling music artist would require one to be discovered and signed with a record label first, and then require people of the world to buy copious amounts of that record to throw one into the "bestselling" category), is difficult no matter WHAT the outcome might be in the end.  It would require means outside of yourself to accomplish this goal, and the only one you can really depend on to make your dreams come true at the end of the day is...well...yourself.

Now, I am pretty positive that not everyone views bucket lists this way.  In fact, I'm even more positive in thinking that I'm probably one of only a select few with that particular outlook.  But, due to this, I've never really been one to dwell on and then make a list of items that I don't believe in striving too hard to accomplish before I leave this Earth.

HOWEVER

I can see how a list, even a small one, of things I am adamant about accomplishing before I pass, especially if they are aspirations that solely depend on me to complete, is something worth thinking about and using to construct this said "bucket list" for myself.

So, with all that being said, the following list of items I am about to share with you shall henceforth be known as...



1. Finish My Novel

This one is rather self explanatory.  I want to finish my novel that I've been working on for the better part of two years now in order to have it ready to submit for publication consideration.  It may not seem like a monumental start to a bucket list of any nature, but to me, it would be one of the biggest accomplishments of my lifetime, even if I don't get published.

2. Visit Egypt

I would love to visit the country of Egypt in my lifetime.  I have always been fascinated with the ancient Egyptians and their way of life, as well as their history, philosophy, and growth as a nation over so many years.  The overall history embedded in the country, plus the mystery and enchanting unknown surrounding the entirety of the Egyptian pyramids and tombs, makes it one of the highest places on my list of such to visit, and also the one I plan to make a reality in my lifetime.

3. Visit Europe

Again, something pretty self explanatory, but also very important to me in accomplishing.  I have been to England once in my lifetime, when I was just 13 years old.  I went to visit family and celebrate two familial birthdays shared by two cousins - one from the US, and one from England.  It was a large family gathering from many different countries, and thankfully I remember most of it.  However, I know for a fact that I did not take advantage of the opportunity to be in a place I now long to go back and visit.  With that being said, I want to make sure I travel to as many European destinations in my lifetime as possible.  I won't make it a priority to hit a certain number of destinations to visit, but want to make sure that I make an attempt to see as many as I can, including England again.  The destinations above are some of the options I would always consider, London and Colmar being the two I most want to see, but any and all will be applicable to fulfilling this bucket list item.

This would also include using the rail as well to get to and from certain destinations.  European train travel is tied right up there with visiting Europe!

And last, but certainly NOT least...
4. Hike the Pacific Crest Trail

This...this is something I so desperately want to do in my lifetime, something I hold so dear to me that I can't help but think about it on a daily basis, almost every hour.  I know deep down that it will take a hell of a lot of planning, and I would need to be even more careful than most who complete this venture.  Being that I'm type 1 diabetic, it would be very detrimental to me, and to others for that matter, if something happened to me while I was on this trek.  Not to mention making sure I had enough supplies and treatment with me to make the expedition in the first place.  I would have to have care packages set up for me at each and every stop imaginable, make peace with the fact that my pack would be considerably weighed down by the supplies I would have to carry to treat myself for low and high blood sugars, and make sure I was under the strictest control of my life in order to eliminate as many possibilities of disaster as possible.

But with all of that being said, and all of that against me, this is still the one thing I want most to complete in my lifetime.  I don't care if I'm 32 or 62 when I do it, I just want to make it happen.  I don't want to do it alone either (mostly because of the diabetes thing again), but I do want to make sure I meet new people.

I blame a lot of this on Cheryl Strayed, the compelling and bestselling author of "Wild" - the book in which Cheryl does the same thing - hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  Recently, the movie based on the book hit theaters, starring Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, and that film just helped fuel my passion for this to be a reality.  Seeing the trail through the lens of a film camera was the closest I've ever been to doing the real thing, and I can only imagine what it would be like to take those steps myself.


One day, this will be my biggest accomplishment in life



And with that, you have my bucket list.

Peace out, world.




If you're interested in reading Cheryl Strayed's amazing memoir "Wild", you can order it from Amazon right here:

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