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Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Hart Broken (Cale & Mickey #1) in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Genre: Contemporary
Goodreads Rating: 4.75/5 stars
My rating: 4/5 stars
Mickey Hart doesn’t do one-night stands. Until she wakes up in a luxury penthouse. With nothing but a t-shirt. And no idea who it belongs to.
Enter Cale Windermere. Driven. Ambitious. Successful. And so gorgeous he could’ve walked straight out of a romance novel…
Except he can’t walk. Not that it ever stops him from getting what he wants. And he wants Mickey. Even if she’s keeping secrets from him.
This book…
Where do I even begin? It has a strong start and it stays strong. Mickey is awkward and funny. She starts out at the perfect chick lit character.
“Cale Windermere,” he said, sticking out his hand.
“C-Cale?”
“Yeah. Like the leafy green, just take off the K and replace with a C.”
Oh. My. God.
“And you are?”
“Uh…”
Cale raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly.
Say something, Mickey.
“I-l’m, uh…”
Something intelligent. And preferably English.
With the help of a mental slap, Mickey willed herself to take his hand and shake it, a bit too eagerly. “I-I’m Mickey.”
It’s difficult not to like her. I like even more that she doesn’t really care Cale’s in a wheelchair and she doesn’t do anything stupid and awkward like kneel down so they’re eye level or act as if he’s an invalid. Even though she does notice the wheelchair, she is easily distracted by how attractive he is.
Carefully taking a sip, Mickey did a once over of the man sitting in front of her. Cale’s shirt was just fitted enough to show off the remarkably solid build of his upper torso. She jotted down a mental list of all his attractive attributes thus far.
Thick, unruly chocolate locks. Gorgeous emerald eyes. Award-winning smile.
And he had a long list of greats.
Great back. Great shoulders. Great chest. Great arms.
Really great arms.
She ran her nails over the hot ceramic.
You’d never think that something was wrong with him.
She wondered if he had great abs too.
So I love Mickey. And the farther I got into the book, the more complex she became. I found myself really wanting to know why she was so commitment shy and found it difficult to sleep in the same bed as someone.
I love Cale a lot too, although not as much as Mickey. He’s charismatic, sexy, and very much in love with Mickey. He’s everything you’d expect in a love interest. So much so, he’s a bit of a cliche. Just because he can’t walk doesn’t mean he’s not a stereotypical billionaire love interest.
Cale gets self-conscious about his disability at times, and he has a lot of emotional baggage from that and his ex wife. But he’s pretty easy to get, and I don’t feel the same complexity with him I do with Mickey. That being said, he does have flaws, and I love that. He gets mad at Mickey and fed up with her unwillingness to share.
“Essentially, you’re more than happy to fuck my brains out but you won’t stay by my side. How am I doing so far, Mickey?”
“Cale…”
“So I understand, okay? Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it understanding,” he corrected himself wryly. “But I get it. I get that you need your space. It didn’t take a fucking genius to figure that one out. And I’ve tried my best to respect that…”
True.
“And be patient…”
True.
“And understanding.”
All painfully true.
He suddenly looked exhausted. And he suddenly sounded exhausted, “But Jesus, Mickey.” Shaking his head slowly, Cale blew the hair out of his eyes and sighed, “You need to throw a guy a bone eventually.”
Gotta love that he’s human and isn’t an eternal patience machine. So Cale’s all right. However, the chapters from his point of view are really weird.
They’re short, in first person, and melodramatic. A lot of the time the reader doesn’t get to see where he is or what he’s doing. Instead, they just hear his internal thoughts about Mickey. That’s it. And they’re melodramatic and repetitive, especially in the beginning of the book. The farther into the book, the more fleshed out the chapters get. But a full star is knocked off for those earlier chapters.
Despite that, I definitely recommend reading this book. It’s darker than most contemporary romances, which is very refreshing, but it has plenty of light and hilarious moments. Definitely worth the read.
If you liked this review, or know someone who might like Hart Broken, then I’d definitely appreciate it if you shared this post with your friends. Thank you, and have a great day!
Goodreads Rating: 4.75/5 stars
My rating: 4/5 stars
Mickey Hart doesn’t do one-night stands. Until she wakes up in a luxury penthouse. With nothing but a t-shirt. And no idea who it belongs to.
Enter Cale Windermere. Driven. Ambitious. Successful. And so gorgeous he could’ve walked straight out of a romance novel…
Except he can’t walk. Not that it ever stops him from getting what he wants. And he wants Mickey. Even if she’s keeping secrets from him.
This book…
Where do I even begin? It has a strong start and it stays strong. Mickey is awkward and funny. She starts out at the perfect chick lit character.
“Cale Windermere,” he said, sticking out his hand.
“C-Cale?”
“Yeah. Like the leafy green, just take off the K and replace with a C.”
Oh. My. God.
“And you are?”
“Uh…”
Cale raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly.
Say something, Mickey.
“I-l’m, uh…”
Something intelligent. And preferably English.
With the help of a mental slap, Mickey willed herself to take his hand and shake it, a bit too eagerly. “I-I’m Mickey.”
It’s difficult not to like her. I like even more that she doesn’t really care Cale’s in a wheelchair and she doesn’t do anything stupid and awkward like kneel down so they’re eye level or act as if he’s an invalid. Even though she does notice the wheelchair, she is easily distracted by how attractive he is.
Carefully taking a sip, Mickey did a once over of the man sitting in front of her. Cale’s shirt was just fitted enough to show off the remarkably solid build of his upper torso. She jotted down a mental list of all his attractive attributes thus far.
Thick, unruly chocolate locks. Gorgeous emerald eyes. Award-winning smile.
And he had a long list of greats.
Great back. Great shoulders. Great chest. Great arms.
Really great arms.
She ran her nails over the hot ceramic.
You’d never think that something was wrong with him.
She wondered if he had great abs too.
So I love Mickey. And the farther I got into the book, the more complex she became. I found myself really wanting to know why she was so commitment shy and found it difficult to sleep in the same bed as someone.
I love Cale a lot too, although not as much as Mickey. He’s charismatic, sexy, and very much in love with Mickey. He’s everything you’d expect in a love interest. So much so, he’s a bit of a cliche. Just because he can’t walk doesn’t mean he’s not a stereotypical billionaire love interest.
Cale gets self-conscious about his disability at times, and he has a lot of emotional baggage from that and his ex wife. But he’s pretty easy to get, and I don’t feel the same complexity with him I do with Mickey. That being said, he does have flaws, and I love that. He gets mad at Mickey and fed up with her unwillingness to share.
“Essentially, you’re more than happy to fuck my brains out but you won’t stay by my side. How am I doing so far, Mickey?”
“Cale…”
“So I understand, okay? Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it understanding,” he corrected himself wryly. “But I get it. I get that you need your space. It didn’t take a fucking genius to figure that one out. And I’ve tried my best to respect that…”
True.
“And be patient…”
True.
“And understanding.”
All painfully true.
He suddenly looked exhausted. And he suddenly sounded exhausted, “But Jesus, Mickey.” Shaking his head slowly, Cale blew the hair out of his eyes and sighed, “You need to throw a guy a bone eventually.”
Gotta love that he’s human and isn’t an eternal patience machine. So Cale’s all right. However, the chapters from his point of view are really weird.
They’re short, in first person, and melodramatic. A lot of the time the reader doesn’t get to see where he is or what he’s doing. Instead, they just hear his internal thoughts about Mickey. That’s it. And they’re melodramatic and repetitive, especially in the beginning of the book. The farther into the book, the more fleshed out the chapters get. But a full star is knocked off for those earlier chapters.
Despite that, I definitely recommend reading this book. It’s darker than most contemporary romances, which is very refreshing, but it has plenty of light and hilarious moments. Definitely worth the read.
If you liked this review, or know someone who might like Hart Broken, then I’d definitely appreciate it if you shared this post with your friends. Thank you, and have a great day!
Lee (2222 KP) rated Daddy's Home 2 (2017) in Movies
Dec 8, 2017
Starts off great but soon veers off into not so great territory.
This year hasn't been good for the comedy movie genre. Will Ferrell in particular managed to star in one of the worst 'comedy' movies I've seen in a long time with 'The House' and even the anticipated sequel to one of the better comedies in recent years, Bad Moms, turned out to be a complete dud. So when a similar, Christmas themed sequel to what was essentially one of the more average movies in recent years came along, my hopes weren't exactly high. The original Daddys Home coasted along on the likeable pairing of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg but did feature a handful of funny elements, obviously enough to greenlight a sequel.
As mentioned previously, Daddys Home 2 is set at Christmas time. Brad and Dusty (Ferrell and Wahlberg) have worked out their differences from the first movie and are getting along just fine as 'co-dads' to the kids. When their own dads (Mel Gibson and John Lithgow) pay a visit, they decide to have a 'together' family Christmas, and Kurt (Gibson) even manages to book a luxury cabin in the snow for them to enjoy it all in. It's a bit of a whirlwind setup, but for a while it all works surprisingly well. I found myself really laughing at some scenes, it was like watching a classic Christmas family disaster along the lines of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
But sadly, the momentum soon drops. Scene after scene fails to hit home, and some scenes even leave you wondering what the hell they were thinking by including them in the movie in the first place. Mel Gibsons character becomes increasingly annoying and it's all just a bit of a shame really. Things manage to get back on track towards the end of the movie but it's disappointing that it doesn't retain the high level of laughs and entertainment that kicked off the first third or so.
As mentioned previously, Daddys Home 2 is set at Christmas time. Brad and Dusty (Ferrell and Wahlberg) have worked out their differences from the first movie and are getting along just fine as 'co-dads' to the kids. When their own dads (Mel Gibson and John Lithgow) pay a visit, they decide to have a 'together' family Christmas, and Kurt (Gibson) even manages to book a luxury cabin in the snow for them to enjoy it all in. It's a bit of a whirlwind setup, but for a while it all works surprisingly well. I found myself really laughing at some scenes, it was like watching a classic Christmas family disaster along the lines of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
But sadly, the momentum soon drops. Scene after scene fails to hit home, and some scenes even leave you wondering what the hell they were thinking by including them in the movie in the first place. Mel Gibsons character becomes increasingly annoying and it's all just a bit of a shame really. Things manage to get back on track towards the end of the movie but it's disappointing that it doesn't retain the high level of laughs and entertainment that kicked off the first third or so.
Alicia S (193 KP) rated The Real Deal: A Novel in Books
Sep 28, 2018
Lauren Blakely has done it again!
Lauren Blakely has done it again! What an incredibly sweet and charming love story about two people who find that pretending can sometimes be just as exciting as the real thing! Imagine a reversed Pretty Woman story...
In preparation of going home to see the family in Connecticut, April has decided that hiring a pretend boyfriend to keep the family off her back is the next best thing after her bestie stand-in has to bail for a job. Tired of being set-up with every guy her family comes across, all in hopes of leading her back to her hometown and everything she is not interested in... she heads to the family reunion with her Craigslist hired boyfriend on her arm and a great backstory.
Turns out, Theo is perfection from the moment they meet. Ready to create any story she requires, it's obvious the sparks fly immediately with these two. Creating fun backstories that feel all too real for a couple that met only a few days ago.
Can't forget the family aspect here... some people have family and never see how wonderful they are and never know how good they have it. Some have no family and only dream of being "harassed" by those who love you and it was beyond heartwarming to watch such a loving group of people together. April clearly has a wonderful family and they so lovingly welcome Theo and his family into theirs.
So heartwarming, this book brought a smile to my face over and over. Didn't want to put it down yet I didn't want it to end!? Such wonderful characters, I loved April's strength, and determination and listening to the two of them together was beyond adorable. Loved that she was so quick, funny and smart and he was just a sweetheart, afraid of his past, afraid of letting her down, afraid this would never be more than a fake weekend... boy was he wrong!? ;-) Highly recommended read and author!!
In preparation of going home to see the family in Connecticut, April has decided that hiring a pretend boyfriend to keep the family off her back is the next best thing after her bestie stand-in has to bail for a job. Tired of being set-up with every guy her family comes across, all in hopes of leading her back to her hometown and everything she is not interested in... she heads to the family reunion with her Craigslist hired boyfriend on her arm and a great backstory.
Turns out, Theo is perfection from the moment they meet. Ready to create any story she requires, it's obvious the sparks fly immediately with these two. Creating fun backstories that feel all too real for a couple that met only a few days ago.
Can't forget the family aspect here... some people have family and never see how wonderful they are and never know how good they have it. Some have no family and only dream of being "harassed" by those who love you and it was beyond heartwarming to watch such a loving group of people together. April clearly has a wonderful family and they so lovingly welcome Theo and his family into theirs.
So heartwarming, this book brought a smile to my face over and over. Didn't want to put it down yet I didn't want it to end!? Such wonderful characters, I loved April's strength, and determination and listening to the two of them together was beyond adorable. Loved that she was so quick, funny and smart and he was just a sweetheart, afraid of his past, afraid of letting her down, afraid this would never be more than a fake weekend... boy was he wrong!? ;-) Highly recommended read and author!!
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Tell Me It's Real (At First Sight, #1) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
Well, right from the start this had me laughing as Paul introduced himself. It was very frank and pretty much laugh-out-loud at times. He doesn't have the best opinion of himself, bless him, but he's so fun. And then he meets eyes with Vince while out at his friends drag queen performance at a bar/club and things go from there. Vince is not backing down about his intentions to date Paul, while Paul cannot believe that this younger, attractive, really nice if slightly dumb man, wants him and fights it tooth and nail.
They have a text conversation about a third of the way through the book that almost had me laughing like an idiot. The text faces that Vince was sending Paul were frigging hilarious. The Sex Face one is going to stick with me for a long time: >_<
And let's not forget Paul's parents. Oh. My. God! They are so funny it's not fair. I almost had tears streaming down my face at one point. They all go to nan's house for a meal and ignoring Johnny Depp, the homophobic parrot, they get into a conversation about how they met and it's stuff like this that has me crying with laughter at times. Vince, bless him. Not the smartest but he's a real sweetheart.
"He was choking to death in a restaurant," Vince explained
"I was not!" I said.
"On like a burrito or something."
"It was spinach."
"Anyway, he would have died had I not done the haemorrhoid manoeuvre."
"Heimlich. It's Heimlich."
There were so many conversations like this, with some crazy stuff being discussed and I LOVED it! They were such a cute couple and they gelled so well. It was so obvious they truly needed each other at the time that they found each other. Paul needed to let himself be loved and Vince needed someone to be there for him after a family issue. It was amazing!
I'm going to be keeping my eye out for other books in this series.
They have a text conversation about a third of the way through the book that almost had me laughing like an idiot. The text faces that Vince was sending Paul were frigging hilarious. The Sex Face one is going to stick with me for a long time: >_<
And let's not forget Paul's parents. Oh. My. God! They are so funny it's not fair. I almost had tears streaming down my face at one point. They all go to nan's house for a meal and ignoring Johnny Depp, the homophobic parrot, they get into a conversation about how they met and it's stuff like this that has me crying with laughter at times. Vince, bless him. Not the smartest but he's a real sweetheart.
"He was choking to death in a restaurant," Vince explained
"I was not!" I said.
"On like a burrito or something."
"It was spinach."
"Anyway, he would have died had I not done the haemorrhoid manoeuvre."
"Heimlich. It's Heimlich."
There were so many conversations like this, with some crazy stuff being discussed and I LOVED it! They were such a cute couple and they gelled so well. It was so obvious they truly needed each other at the time that they found each other. Paul needed to let himself be loved and Vince needed someone to be there for him after a family issue. It was amazing!
I'm going to be keeping my eye out for other books in this series.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Lion King (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2019
Lacking in heart
The Lion King is one of my all time favourite Disney films, so I approached this 'live action' remake with a lot of trepidation, and I'm afraid to say I was right to be worried.
Visually it looks stunning, which shouldn't really be a surprise as it has been brought to us by the same guys that did The Jungle Book. However I'm afraid the visuals are pretty much all this film has going for it. This film is virtually a carbon copy of the original animation but with all of the heart, soul and humour taken out of it. The problem with these Disney live action remakes is they're unnecessary and stuck in a difficult position - differ too much from the original and people hate it, but sticking too close to the original and it begs the question as to why not just watch the original? It's more difficult for The Lion King as it's gone from being cartoon animation to CGI animation and apart from looking more natural, that's the only real difference.
They've lost virtually all of the magic that made the original great in the first place. The humour either falls flat due to the poor execution, or has been removed and replaced with something much less witty and funny. I mean, where was dress in drag & do the hula?! I dont think the voice cast helps. Other than Chiwetel Ejiofor and of course James Earl Jones, the rest of the voice cast just seemed ridiculously out of place and ill fitting with the film. I cringed every time I heard Zazu as Jon Oliver is definitely no Rowan Atkinson! And dont even get me started on Beyonce. We really didnt need her horrific versions of songs thrown in too. Although the rest of the songs did at least make the rest of the film more bearable.
Altogether despite the stunning CGI, this is a very poor copy of the original and definitely one I wont be watching again - just stick to the original.
Visually it looks stunning, which shouldn't really be a surprise as it has been brought to us by the same guys that did The Jungle Book. However I'm afraid the visuals are pretty much all this film has going for it. This film is virtually a carbon copy of the original animation but with all of the heart, soul and humour taken out of it. The problem with these Disney live action remakes is they're unnecessary and stuck in a difficult position - differ too much from the original and people hate it, but sticking too close to the original and it begs the question as to why not just watch the original? It's more difficult for The Lion King as it's gone from being cartoon animation to CGI animation and apart from looking more natural, that's the only real difference.
They've lost virtually all of the magic that made the original great in the first place. The humour either falls flat due to the poor execution, or has been removed and replaced with something much less witty and funny. I mean, where was dress in drag & do the hula?! I dont think the voice cast helps. Other than Chiwetel Ejiofor and of course James Earl Jones, the rest of the voice cast just seemed ridiculously out of place and ill fitting with the film. I cringed every time I heard Zazu as Jon Oliver is definitely no Rowan Atkinson! And dont even get me started on Beyonce. We really didnt need her horrific versions of songs thrown in too. Although the rest of the songs did at least make the rest of the film more bearable.
Altogether despite the stunning CGI, this is a very poor copy of the original and definitely one I wont be watching again - just stick to the original.
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