For years, fans have watched Eva Trammel and Gideon Cross fall in lust, in love and fall out with one another. We’ve cried with them, loved with them and watched in anticipation of their next chapter–now, it’s time to say goodbye. One with You promises to be a lot of things: steamy and romantic, new and charming, dramatic.

In so many ways Sylvia Day crafts the perfect final chapter for our lovers and wraps up some story-lines from the past, as well as one final blockbuster mystery. They’re all changing and growing completely as the story wraps itself up nicely.

If you were to crack open the first novel and skim through it, even for a moment, before picking up this last one you’ll see quickly how much growth has happened. Whether you’re talking about Gideon, or Eva, or Cary–so much has changed and developed, it’s hard to believe the story takes place for only a small frame of time.

Hessa is facing more and more obstacles as outside forces threaten to keep them apart. And Anna Todd reminds us that sometimes... with friends like these, who needs enemies?

The adventure (see: train-wreck) that is Hessa continues! After We Collided was better than After. But is that really a compliment?

Grey by E.L. James | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Join me, she whispers, but she’s moving backward, getting fainter… disappearing before my eyes… vanishing… she’s gone. No! I shout. No! But I have no voice. I have nothing.

I went into Grey having no real expectations or hopes for the series because realistically, I’m not the biggest fan of the romance between Anastasia and Christian. I say that with the utmost respect to its fandom and the author; so please do not take my words as something of hatred.

I was curious enough to see where E.L. James went with this take on the series and it’s a rare thing for me to never finish a book series. Which is why I chose to read it and finish it in one final sweep. Curiosity fueled interest, s’all there is to it.

I was, admittedly, a bit unsure about stepping into the mind of Christian Grey, as he is perhaps one of my least favorite fictional characters ever and I’m not normally big on retellings of a story from another point of view. Let me put it this way, though: Christian is like a train wreck that I apparently couldn’t look away from at this point.

My expectations were low and perhaps this is what made reading Grey all the more bearable. Low expectations are hard to dash, plus the story is already familiar. How much worse could it get? This is perhaps the way I should have approached the series to begin with, because it made reading it simpler.

Captivated by You by Sylvia Day | Rating: ★★★★★

“He didn’t see in himself what I saw— a generous soul who wanted so much to belong to something greater than himself. He didn’t recognize what a miracle he was. When he didn’t know what to do in a given situation, he let instinct and his heart take over. Despite all he’d been through, he had such an amazing capacity to feel and to love. He’d saved me, in so many ways. I was going to do whatever needed to be done to save him, too.”

Knowing that I have to wait for the next installment, I went slow with the fourth book in the Crossfire series by Sylvia Day. There’s just something undeniably fun about reading this erotic romance and although it has its flaws, it has earned its place on my shelf and in my heart. It was a total bitch to not finish Captivated by You in one sitting, but I managed to stretch it out for a little while.

I’m a sucker for the romance of Gideon and Eva’s, in spite of its at times unhealthy nature, and I love that Sylvia makes it more than just a story of lust and love. I love the sarcasm and humour in it, I love the dynamic of the two and Eva’s friendship with Cary.

I love the themes of survival in all three of these characters who suffered abuse years and years ago. And I especially love that each of them have different ways of coping. I think the raw human emotion in it is beautifully crafted and it’s just an overall fun yet emotional read.

Losing Control by Jen Frederick | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

In book one of the Kerr Chronicles, Losing Control, we open with a promise of love scenes and passion to indulge in. And although the blurb of information is misleading, Losing Control is a fast paced, addictive, romance filled with some serious smutty goodness and will be tugging on your heartstrings in no time.

The plot contains much of the same for releases in new adult and erotic fiction: rich, pushy, brazen and attractive man pairs up with an otherwise ordinary, down on her luck woman. It’s in this that can make the story itself tiring and may convince you not to bother picking up a copy. And I get that.

Really, I do. And while I’m incredibly tired with the cliches in these so-called romance novels, Jen Frederick manages to keep readers interested purely on the likeability of our leading lady and man. She keeps characters relatable, realistic to their very core, and doesn’t let us walk away without at least sympathizing with one of them.

Victoria “Tiny” Corielli makes due with a job as a courier in the busy city; making just enough money to scrape by and spends a good deal of her time caring for her mother who’s sadly just been diagnosed as out of remission when it comes to the cancer they thought she beat once before. Times are tough for the Corielli women, who are obviously very close, and you can’t help but to hope for a small miracle for the both of them even if we know life isn’t always generous.

ANEW: Book One: Awakened by Josie Litton | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

“This idea you have that I’m a piece of p r o p e r t y is nothing short of repellant. You do not own me. No one can. Not ever.”

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Anew: Book One: Awakened provides us with a retelling of the much beloved children’s story Sleeping Beauty; set in the near future and pulled together in all its erotic glory. It promises intrigue, mystery and all kinds of tension tied together with vivid, unique writing by Josie Litton who put quite a lot of work into this vibrant and startling world of desire and discovery.

We open our story to find our leading lady, Amelia, awakening from her slumber and embracing her obvious freedom. Although she is able to function in her thoughts, her mind is filled with haziness when it comes down to her memories. These thoughts haunt her and beyond the knowledge of life and much of its meaning, her memories grow thinner when it comes down to her past.

Her past, we will soon learn, is… well… I can’t say without giving away the most massive piece of information in the plot. It’s frightening, actually. It’s unique and surely fits the plot. I have to admit I didn’t see it coming and was surprised in more ways than one. Amelia’s got questions and the answers may not come to her easily; in fact, they are very well devastating.