Publication date: May 30 2017
Published by: Harlequin TEEN
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
Rating: 
Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.
Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of "normal." Under ordinary circumstances she'd never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn't have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley's team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley's a shallow, self-centered jerk? It's not like they're going to fall for each other in real life…right?
I am very disappointed. After drooling over Paper Princess and being relatively OK with Prince and Palace, I at least expected a decent read out of When It's Real. But that was not the case.
First off, I didn't like any of the characters, not a single reedeming quality in any of them. Hated Oakley, despised Vaughn.
Oakley was, to put it simply, an egotistical asshole who thought he is the best thing since sliced bread and everyone should get down on their knees and worship his godliness. He is the kind of guy who describes his biceps as "guns". 1. Gross and 2. who says that? Apart from major douchelords I mean. The very few glimpses we get of an actual heart and feelings are very forced and not believable at all. Every time I thought I would change my mind about him, I always ended up saying "No, he is actually a jerk."
I won't even get that deep with Vaughn, the girl had literally no depth. With the charisma and the personality of a napkin, Vaughn managed to get the hottest and most famous guy to fall in love with her in a period of less that 3 months. Uh huh. Below zero chemistry between them - the love they declared to each other was just words on a paper, didn't make me feel anything.
To me, Oakley appeared as a spoiled brat who constantly seeks admiration and adoration and gets it from Vaughn, who is so spineless and scared to be on her own (can't blame her, sounds terrifying!) that she just goes from on self-centered moron to another.
I am sorry, but this book was just silly. Pure ridiculousness.
Publication date: February 4 2014
Published by: Berkley
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Erotica
Rating:
Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness. He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily.
Gideon "knew." He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each others most private wounds and desires.
The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart.
Things that made me gag:
*Eva consenting to anal sex (didn't put up much of a fight, really) because having this guy she barely knows mark her there (!) would erase and heal her past. Her past being 4 years of sexual abuse.
The fact that a woman author could write something like that about a sexually abused woman is sickening.
*The number of times Gideon told Eva to shut up. Hell no.
*Eva's endless descriptions of Gideon's exquisite physical appearance. We get it girl, calm down.
*Gideon's obsession with his billions. Such a turn off.
*Cary's no reason of existence other than being a beautiful prop, a small break between all the sex.
*Their going crazy over each other before page 30. I am no stranger to insta love but she just took it to a whole other level.
*Gideon's extreme stalking. Again - new level.
For all these reasons and more.
Publication date: February 7 2013
Published by: Harvey Berrick Publishing
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Military
Rating: 
Ten years after their broken affair, Sebastian and Caroline meet again: this time in very different circumstances, against the background of the war in Afghanistan.
Now a successful journalist, Caroline meets Chief Sebastian Hunter, US Marine. Will this chance encounter rekindle the erotic madness of her passionate affair with a younger man?
Where do I even start with this...
I adored The Education of Sebastian. Sebastian and Caroline's love story is just one for the ages. I love how sweet and gentle Sebastian was in TEoS and even his pig headedness I contributed to his young age and inexperience. Caroline was a very strong female character, who despite her insecurities, sadness and misery, took the terrifying step towards changing her life, consequences be dammed, and simply started living again.
Fast forward 10 years, and we're at the beginning of TEoC. I will admit that I didn't care much for the 1st half. I was expecting the reunion to be quite different and way more emotional than it actually was. Long gone was Sebastian's sweetness and innocence, replaced by arrogance, and general assholeish behaviour. Additionally, Caroline who finally stood on her own two feet, not relying on any man to take care of her and having a kick ass job, was being bossed around by Sebastian. It's just something that didn't sit well with me. Granted, these 10 years and being a Marine hardened him but not that much as to justify his behaviour and victimise Caroline all over again, who bent over backwards to satisfy his every whim and fancy. So instead of feeling the romance and the love, Sebastian exuded anger and aggressiveness and Caroline fear and sadness, which was prominent on their multiple sex scenes as well. I must confess however that their journey through Geneva France and Italy was described masterfully.
Going into the 2nd half of the book I was feeling defeated and ready to accept the fact that it wasn't going to be as good as TEoS.
I was wrong.
Part 2 takes place in Afghanistan where all the emotion and anguish and immense love finally comes out. Sebastian left his ego aside and finally showed his vulnerable side, opening up to Caroline who was always there to take care of him. Even through the tearful ending, her selfless love for him is the book's primary focus, making her the ultimate romance heroine. And she damn well deserves it.
I honestly feel so empty and sad now that Sebastian and Caroline's story has come to an end, having being completely immersed in their world for the last couple of weeks.
I will always cherish and remember these books and all the beautiful emotions they evoked.
Read them!
Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.
