Release Day Book Review: Love by Lacey Weatherford

Love
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: Romance / New Adult / Suspense / Mystery / Contemporary

Ages: 15 and up

Sequel to Crush and Smitten.

I received an advance e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

Living happily ever after has always been part of the plan for Cami and Dylan, but when strange things begin happening around the Wilcock household, Cami simply believes she’s becoming forgetful.

However, when the incidents begin to escalate, both are left feeling vulnerable. Unable to figure out what’s going on, Dylan delves deeper into the mysterious happenings. But when the truth comes out, he finds himself faced with the biggest decision of his life—how far will he go to protect the one he loves?

My Thoughts:

Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness. This book is awesome. And awful. Joyful. Painful. Jaw-droppingly amazing. Seriously, I may not be able to sleep tonight. Are you trying to kill me, Lacey???

It started with the sweetest, most swoonworthy Valentine's Day ever, as celebrated by Cami and Dylan Wilcock. They were so happy, laughing over racy humor and reveling in their love for each other. I sighed and awwed, chortling a little at their antics, but underneath there was a sort of dreadful anticipation. In suspense stories, I've noticed that the happier the main characters are at the beginning, the worse it is going to be before the end. Never has that been more true.

I was glued to every page from beginning to end. I guessed the identity of the troublemaker pretty early on, but there were a couple of twists that I did not see coming. While the mystery wasn't all that mysterious, the suspense was...murderous. I swear, I didn't move at all during the latter two thirds of the book except to turn pages. If you are an angst weenie, this book is not for you. As for me, I loved it, even when it made me cry. Which it did. A lot.

Cami and Dylan were at their absolute best. I don't want to spoil anything, but you see new sides to them that made me love them even more. Especially Dylan. Russ, Dylan's best friend and fellow firefighter, played a large part in the story, and I think he could make a great hero in his own right. I can fall in love with two characters in one book, right?

Love is darker, more intense than Crush or Smitten and it is officially my new favorite Lacey Weatherford novel. The emotions are so powerfully conveyed that I felt each and every one of them along with the characters. Now that it's over, I find myself torn between my usual, selfish desire for a sequel and a wish that Cami and Dylan never experience enough trouble to warrant another novel again.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme). Ratings may contain spoilers.

Profanity:
I rate it a 5.10 for one f-word and some mild to mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:
I give it a 6.10 for a couple of mildly descriptive/fadeaway scenes, references to rape, the threat of rape, and multiple innuendos.

Violence:
I rate it a  7.10 for torture, murder and attempted murder.

                              Lieder Madchen

Book Review: Smitten by Lacey Weatherford

Smitten
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: New Adult / Mystery / Thriller / Romance

Ages: 15 and up

I received an advance e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you, Lacey, for listening to our pleas for a sequel to Crush!

Description:

Cami thinks life with her boyfriend, Hunter Wilder, is perfect. Then she finds out, not only is he wrapped up in a gang whose specialty is stealing cars, he’s with another girl as well.

Hunter knows the gang leader, Ripper, is suspected of murder and he’ll do anything to keep Cami safe—even faking a relationship with someone else. There’s only one problem—Ripper’s fallen hard for Cami, leaving Hunter to stand by and watch as he puts the moves on his girl.

Both Cami and Hunter quickly learn it’s hard to watch the one you love in the arms of another. Will the two of them make it through this together? Or will their hot stolen kisses destroy everything?

My Thoughts:

Oh, I had so much fun with this book! I laughed and cringed along with the characters at the embarrassing moments, sighed and swooned over the many, many, MANY romantic scenes while catching my breath and holding onto my metaphorical hat at the perils Cami and Hunter face during their second adventure.

Hunter is sent undercover with a dangerous car thief and suspected murderer who goes by the inauspicious name of 'Ripper' at the beginning of Smitten. He does his best to keep Cami out of his work, but with one careless (albeit very romantic) mistake, he inadvertently pulls her right into the middle of it. Hunter's protective nature is strained to the very limit. I won't say more except that it gets very, very messy and is highly entertaining.

The villains were nicely done; I found myself looking at Ripper and wondering, going back and forth in my mind whether to believe he had committed all of the crimes he was suspected of or not. By the end I had a pretty good idea, but I was still surprised by a couple of things.

For those who haven't read it, I will say this without spoilers. For those who have read it, you know what I'm talking about. Page 226 (page number may vary slightly depending on the format). Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness. Only Lacey Weatherford could have pulled that off, and it was AMAZING. Other than that, my lips are sealed.

While Smitten didn't replace Crush as my favorite Lacey Weatherford book, it was a wonderful sequel. While it appears to be the end of Cami and Hunter's story, maybe with some well-aimed and not at all subtle hints she could be talked into another one...? We can always hope.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for some mid-level swearing and name-calling.

Sexuality:
I give it a 5.10 for a vague scene of sexuality, many innuendos and references, as well as a lot of steamy kisses.

Violence:
I rate it a 5.10 for murder committed in the past, attempted murder and multiple injuries.

                              Lieder Madchen