Persepolis ( The Complete Persepolis ) by Marjane Satrapi.

 

Persepolis is the story of Satrapi’s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming–both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom–Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.

 

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My Thoughts:

“I wanted to be Justice, Love and the Wrath of God all in one.”

Persepolis was the first ever graphic novel I read and man what an introduction it was to the world of graphic novels.Persepolis is a terrific read, a masterpiece that I completed in one sitting because it was so captivating.

The book is a moving and insightful story of the author living in Iran when the Islamic movement was gaining momentum. It starts with her as a child, living in a modern and vibrant Iran, which seems to be so different from what we know and see about the country. She shows the transition beautifully and shows the struggles and horrors of living in a war torn country which is so different from the one her grandparents and parents lived in.

The author paints a vivid picture of what its like to be a woman living in Iran and is quite fearless in showing the brutal side and the struggles of being one when the sexism that is so omnipresent.

The book also showcases the history and the on goings of the beautiful country which I knew so little about. Despite the sad state of affairs the book is littered with humorist elements which just shows that at the end of the day you really have to get up and live your life the best way you can.

Also a disclaimer that I am not anti-Islamic in anyway but I definitely am anti-fundamentalist and extremes in any religion, in my opinion is not good.

I would love to know some of your recommendations of graphic novels because this really has opened a whole new world for me.

 

Let me know what you though of the book.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on it.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin by Charlotte Cho

 

 

 

The secrets behind the world’s most beautiful skin!

It all starts with your skin! In Korea, healthy, glowing skin is the ideal form of beauty, achievable by anyone—and this skin-first philosophy has taken the world by storm.

In The Little Book of Skin Care, Charlotte Cho of leading beauty and lifestyle website Soko Glam guides you through the celebrated Korean ten-step skin-care routine—and far beyond—for the clearest and most radiant skin of your life, with step-by-step tutorials, skin-care tips, advice on products at all price levels, and exclusive interviews with beauty experts around the world. You’ll love pampering your skin at home and learning the secrets behind the “no-makeup makeup” look we’ve seen and admired on women in the streets of Seoul.

With the knowledge of an expert and voice of a trusted friend, Charlotte’s personal tour through Korean beauty culture will help you find joy in the everyday beauty routines that will transform your skin.

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My Thoughts:

In this day and age everyone(almost!) is familiar with Korean beauty and skincare and if you like me have binged watched Korean dramas,  the sheet masks must have been an intriguing discovery. This is the exact reason I picked up this book.. also because it looks beautiful and yes I shamelessly admit that I do sometimes buy books because of the beautiful cover.

For me this was one of the books I referred to as a beginner to get a better understanding of the whole concept behind the skincare and specifically the different things that are existing in the skincare world which I had absolutely no clue about. And boy did this book help!

It gives you such an amazing understanding of the different steps that Korean women do to get that amazing dewy skin and yes although the book has a great 10 step routine (Image ⤵️ ) which you really don’t have to do everyday, it does gives you basic steps and explanations as to why that particular product is important.

(P.s – who knew sunblock was sooooo important!)

Take this book as a fun read, and as a first step to getting to know more about your skin and why its important to invest in it. I , by no means am promoting buying 10000 products but it important to figure out what works best for you and your skin. To say that this book has really changed the way I look at skincare would be an understatement.

Closing this up I really would recommend as you guys would have guessed.. this book because trust me, once you’ve figured out the products and steps that work you, your clean,  hydrated, dewy, ‘chok-chok’ glowing skin will thank you!!!

Please do let me know what are your thoughts about it!!!!

 

(P.S – It’s great to be back!!!)

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME BY ANDRE ACIMAN

 

 

 

 

Publisher- Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Released on – January 23rd 2007

Genre – Fiction/LGBT/ Romance

Rating- 4.7/5

 

Goodreads Description:

Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera. Unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, at first each feigns indifference. But during the restless summer weeks that follow, unrelenting buried currents of obsession and fear, fascination and desire, intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them. What grows from the depths of their spirits is a romance of scarcely six weeks’ duration and an experience that marks them for a lifetime. For what the two discover on the Riviera and during a sultry evening in Rome is the one thing both already fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.

The psychological maneuvers that accompany attraction have seldom been more shrewdly captured than in André Aciman’s frank, unsentimental, heartrending elegy to human passion. Call Me by Your Name is clear-eyed, bare-knuckled, and ultimately unforgettable.

 

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My Thoughts: ( May contain some spoilers..)

Let me start with confessing that I did watch the movie first. With the whole Oscar buzz around this film and the actors I really coudnt wait till the book was available in my country and yes up till this point I was unaware of the book but watching the movie first really did help me picturise the characters well becayuse Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet are just faboulous in the film..actually just not them, every charcter was perfect in the movie.

Now that out of the way can I just say that this book was really one of the best romance I’ve ever read. A perfect summer retreat, the author beautifully describes the 1980’s ‘forbidden’ romance. Forbidden in the sense of all the stigma that had or rather is still being attached to it but despite all that the author beautifully captures the real essence of the story..Love.

Elio and Oliver’s love was so pure and perfect that you coudnt help but wish that they would end up together. And not just them, the love and the relationship Elio and his father have is so refreshing and liberating. The unconditional love that is between them and his father’s trust in Elio is just astounding.

The story really resonates with the reader at a level that is so basic to all of us. One of my favorite quotes from the book..

““I suddenly realized that we were on borrowed time, that time is always borrowed, and that the lending agency exacts its premium precisely when we are least prepared to pay and need to borrow more…”

.. isnt it so true? and not just romantic love, any type of relationship one has, there is always a sense that we are on borrowed time and nothing lasts forever , so might as well enjoy and live out life to the fullest when we have a chance to do so.

Now coming on to what I dint like much about the book..it was a bit of a slow read and I took more time that I usually do to finish a book. The numerous references to greek mythology and poems and stories I havent even heard of really did put me off a bit but given the setting I do understand the author’s need to do so. The other thing that disappointed me was the point of view. The entire book was from Elio’s POV which the author captures perfectly but I would have loved to know what really was going on through Oliver’s mind. But that can be used to write another book..maybe?!

To sum it all up, the setting is mesmerising and captivating and the prose, evocative. The book will realllyyy make you introspect, it will break your heart but still will make you feel warm when you read the last sentence. I’m going to end this by another one of the quotes from the book..

“Zwischen Immer und Nie. Zwischen Immer und Nie. Between always and never.”

 

 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

REVIEW: ALWAYS AND FOREVER, LARA JEAN BY JENNY HAN

 

 

 

Publisher-Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Released on -May 2nd, 2017 

Genre – YA/ Romance

Rating-3/5

 

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next-door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

 

 

 

---

 

 

This series has really not turned out to be what I expected, and by that I mean it was better than what I expected it to be. I’ve always compared every guy I read about to Edward Cullen because he’s just so perfect (MY book boyfriend..mine!), it’s about time I get a reality check and that was Peter for me.

This book focussed more on Lara Jean and the end of something important in her life. There was so much going on, weddings, reunions, faceoffs that I finished the book in a day. Okay, less than a day!

We get a little more backstory about Peter, we get to know his insecurities and just him as a person which was really important for someone like me who really didn’t like him in the first place. I loved that he showed his vulnerable side in the story and maybe that made him a little more relatable and likable. And spoiler alert..my new ‘I really hate this character’ is Peter’s mom.

Lara Jean handled the conflicts like as good as a 17-18-year-old would and really there were so many changes happening in her life. Jenny Han makes them feel so real, her characterization is on point, she makes them not too mature for their age, confused and a little scared for what the future holds. This book also helps me understand a really important thing.. some relationships can never be mended and they are best left alone.

I’m really happy that Jenny Han wrote the third book otherwise Lara Jean’s story would have felt incomplete. You know there are some stories that leave you wanting for more and I don’t say it in a good way. These stories leave a reader feeling frustrated but this series gave me as a reader a proper closure. This was if not perfect but a near-perfect high school romance..and now I’ll get a chance to Netflix and chill with these characters!

 

What are your thoughts about this series?

 

 

 

#ThanksForReading!!

 

 

 

REVIEW: P.S I STILL LOVE YOU BY JENNY HAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

PUBLISHED ON:May 26th 2015

GENRE: Young Adult, Romance

RATING: 3.75/5

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

 

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My Thoughts: (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Okay so this book is where the real REAL drama begins..

 

Okay so Lara Jean and Peter are officially together..that’s just PERFECTTT..

No its not.

Because  Genevieve.

Ughh I hate this b***h.

Just when I started to warm up towards Peter he goes and does this.Okay so Lara Jean knows about your stupid past..lovely.. but seriously can you be a little sensitive to her feelings?

I really did think Peter was a bit insensitive to Lara Jean but after reading so many romance novels as a reader I forget that they are just teenagers.

Okay so enough of my rant..there were some new and awesome characters in this book.

Like Johnny for one, was a more prominent character in this book and I really really liked him. He was like those second lead characters in the drama that are so perfect, sweet, understanding and did I mention perfect that do not ever end up with the heroine..why? because shes still in love with the jerk main lead.

So in conclusion Peter features nowhere in my prospective book boyfriends last but that does not mean I did not like the book because I really did.

This book showed  different side of Lara Jean, it showed how people actually try to deal with emotions when they get too messy..because this book was real. I liked the fact that things were not moving too fast or too slow. The pace of the story is just perfect.And as much as I’ve said before that  hate when things get too real in the book because that’s just depressing.. I still very much enjoyed this journey..and then..of course there’s more to come..

 

Hang in there tight..

 

 

Thanks for reading..

 

 

#PeaceOut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE EVER LOVED BEFORE BY JENNY HAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLISHER: Penerbit Spring 

PUBLISHED ON: March 20th 2015

GENRE: Young Adult, Romance

RATING:4/5

GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

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My Thoughts:

This book.. this series.. oh my god!

I’ve read Jenny Han books before (specifically the Summer I Turned Pretty Series) and dint like it thattt much. That being said I loved absolutely loved this series.

Lara Jean’s character is amazing. She is the perfect girl next door, the sweet innocent girl the day dreamer. She’s so relatable (to me) and perfectly quirky that her inner monolgue often left me in splits.

The Song sisters are an amazing trio with the eldest moving away and that changes tehe dynamics of the household.. or rather her life where she is now in focus. Kitty too is the perfect depiction of a younger sibling..spoilt, nosy but still lovable. I loved the bond the sisters shared, each one so different from one another but perfect together.

Now the story is pretty clear so I wont go into what exactly happens but would comment on who is happens with..(is that a bit of a spoiler?!!)

Peter K.

He was..okay. I liked him but I dint love him exactly. Me being weird I dint like the angle of his girlfriend and their past out in the open. I want my heros to be more like Edward Cullen..no explanation further needed.

But I guess thats not how normal life works. Peter was  a good guy, but he still was a flawed character. The other charcters.. Chris, Lara Jean’s father, Josh perfectl complimented the story line.

All in all..I liked the book because of the writing style of the author..because of the funny little incidents that happen throughout the book and ofcourse Lara Jean..

Watch out for the reviews of the other 2 books coming right up..

 

 

 

Thanks for reading..

 

#PeaceOut

Bookish Book-Lover Tag

 

 

 

Hello my fellow nerdigans..I know I’ve been MIA for the longest time but now I’m back and hopefully will be posting more regularly..

Anyways I make my comeback with the most fun part of the book blogging- THE BOOK TAGS!!!!

Inspired by Cristina @ Tiny Obsessions and created by Shantelle Maryh, this book tag is too much fun!!!  big thank you to @PierinaReads for tagging me.

 

Rules:

1. Use the original banner
2. Answer the questions
3. Use lots of book covers
4. Tag your friends

 

        What books are you currently reading?

I’m a little confused as to what to read next since I’m not really reading anything so here are a few of the books from which I’m thinking of picking up my next read. (BTW If you have any suggestions or review regarding any of them please link/comment..It’ll be a huge help!)

 

 

 

                                   What is the last book you read?    

 

2 very diverse genres..

 

 

 

 

                                   Favourite Book/s you read this year?

 

 

 

 

                           What genre have you read the most this year?

Romance! Romance! and more Romance!!!

 

                      What genre have you read the least this year?

Crime/Thriller and Horror.

 

 

                 What genre do you want to read the most of?

Young Adult.. and just happy and positive books..

 

        

 

                 What is the last book you bought?

 

 

                    What book/s are you saving up to buy next?

 

 

 

                   How Many Books Did You Check Out Last Library Visit? 

5-10?

 

                              What’s A Book You Cannot Wait To Read?

 

 

 

                       What Series You Would Recommend To Everyone?

Do I need to say more?!

 

 

 

                       Who’s An Author/s You Hope Writes More?

JK Rowling (Harry Potter series), Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Michelle Reid, Twinkle Khanna,  Carole Mortimer, Trevor Noah, Benjamin Alire Saenz .. to name some!

 

Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                 A Few Books Your Heart Adores!

 

  

 

 

 

                           What Series Coming Conclusion Makes You Sad?

 

 

 

                           What Books Are On Your Wishlist?

They are the same as above (for which I have been saving but I’ll post the covers again..

 

 

I further tag:

1. @WhatsEmmaReading

2. @SuesReadingCorner

3. @I’veReadThis

4. @ReadItAndLeap

5. @HowUsefulItIs

6. @SheLatitude

7. @TeaAndPaperbacks

 

 

Thank you for reading..!!!

 

 

#Peace Out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published On: February 21st, 2012

Genre: Young Fiction, LGBT

Rating:5/5

Goodreads Description:

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

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This was the last book I read in 2016 and the first I finished in 2017 and let me just say this.. this book was the perfect au revoir to 2016 and an amazing kickstart to 2017.

Ari is angry, so angry and confused. His little words of wisdom are thrown between like this one

“In order to be wildly popular you had to make people believe that you were fun and interesting. I just wasn’t that much of a con artist.”

were so captivating. His moodiness reflected in his dialogues, his thoughts and the struggles of being a lost teenager was so well portrayed. Ari is a real and raw character that the author has shown. There are so many issues not just one which the boo focuses on..be it Ari’s want to now more about his brother, his want of connecting with his father or just craving to spend more time with Dante.

And Dante was just amazing. He brought so much love and happiness in Ari’s life. How their friendship develops really makes you giddy on the inside because you know that they are meant to be. Dante was the calming influence in Ari’s life, someone who challenged him intellectually and maybe the first person whom Ari really connected with.Other characters like Dante’s parents who make you feel welcomed, Ari’s father who is battling with his own demons were so well fitted in the story.

Bullying is one of the issues which is mentioned in this book, although it not in your face out there but it is such a big concern in today’s time and since we are on this topic I just want to say.. Nobody wants to have that fear but somewhere we all have faced one or some other sort of bullying, or a feeling of being on the outside..that we just don’t fit in and somehow that’s wrong. It isn’t. Our uniqueness makes us all special and when we accept ourselves for the way we are.. when we like ourselves, trust me all those comments and their opinions won’t even matter. Then you’ll realize that they can’t dictate how you want to look, who you want to like or who you want to be. We all have imperfections but it’s okay to work towards them and keep attainable goals. There’s more to life that just beating yourself up for what someone thinks of you. What matters the most is what you think about yourself and your happiness.

Okay now back to this gem of a book. This book delicately and so beautifully touches on the topic of homosexuality and especially during the time frame the story is placed. The narrative is refreshing, the characters are well written and the love story is simply adorable.

I would definitely recommend this book and genuinely hope you love this story as much as I did.

Now desperately waiting for the second one in this series..

 

Thanks for reading..

#PeaceOut

Review: Ten Years Later by Lisa Marie Latino

Publisher: Long Shot Publishing  

Published On: October 4th, 2016

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Women, Romance

Rating:4/5

Goodreads Description

When New Jersey-based sports radio producer Carla D’Agostino receives a save-the-date for her ten-year high school reunion, she’s thrown into a tailspin. She’s miserably single, living at home with her old-school Italian-American family, and miles away from her dream job as a sports talk radio host.

She voices her discontent to her closest friends, the stunning Andrea, cheerful Katie, and playboy Dante, and they encourage Carla to stand up and fight for the life she wants.

Inspired by their words, Carla sets her plans in motion. She enlists the help of a personal trainer, tapes a sports commentary demo with Dante for her unconventional WSPS boss Dan, and gets back into the dating game for the first time since her heart was broken by her first love.

But the universe has different ideas for Carla than she has for herself, and she suffers setback after setback: Dan gives the afternoon host position to a Los Angeles import, and, worse yet, offers Dante a gig, which he accepts, much to Carla’s hurt and dismay.

More determined than ever, Carla continues to throw herself at life with gusto, and a series of surprises, both good and bad, lead her straight into the arms of a love that never really left.

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My Thoughts…

Thanks a ton to the publisher who so kindly sent me an ARC of this book.

This book..this story.. oh my god.

The story starts with Carla having a nightmare which actually is her life in reality. Not having the perfect body, a job of her caliber, living with her parents..and basically everything else that can make you feel like a failure is what Carla is going through.

And then a high school reunion invitation makes her review her life and makes her push herself to achieve and be all she wanted to be.

This book I literally finished in a few hours because it was in the beginning so messed up that I guiltily laughed..key word: guilty.

I think everyone can relate to Carla at some point or another and that’s what makes this book so much fun to read. The additional characters were wacky and perfect in their own way and complemented the story really well. Her friends were just amazing and o supportive.They even showed her where she really stood and sometimes were direct about it which is what happens in real life. There is a limit to which they will take your whiny attitude and then will tell you to pull up your socks and work for whatever is making you go crazy. I really liked that. #SeriousSquadGoals

#SeriousSquadGoals

Carla slowly tries to sort out her life dealing at the same time with a bitchy coworker, overbearing mother and her own insecurities which she so courageously tries to overcome.

The story has a feel-good factor in it and is light hearted which was perfect for me to read at this particular time when I just got over with my exams.

The romantic angle is done so beautifully and at one point I was unconsciously expecting it but the subtlety of the whole plot was so sweet. I loved the characters..at least some, I loved the storyline and I most definitely loved the love story.

There’s a line towards the end “… I would have been pissed at all I would have missed out on. Myself.”  I connected so well to this because it was so inspiring. One does not need to have a so-called perfect life with a husband, a big house, and 2.5 kids to be happy. You need to find your aim in life to realize what makes you happy and in the end that will make you successful. The self-discovery, however, difficult that might be is so worth it in the end.

This is one of my favorite books in 2016 and definitely a #bookrecommendation.

 

 

#PeaceOut

Review: Good Girl by Christina Frank

Publisher: iUniverse  

Published On: June 17th 2016

Genre: Romance, Erotica, Fiction

Rating:3.25/5

Goodreads Description

Gabriella Rossi is done waiting for her life to begin. Although working at her family’s New Jersey pizzeria is fun, it is definitely not fulfilling. Even worse yet, it is torture watching her father grow more ill by the day. Unless they can find a buyer for the shop, it is only a matter of time before they’ll have to close the doors forever. But when a handsome billionaire arrives from New York City, everything changes.

Noah Bentley offers her a deal with a catch. For a million dollars that will guarantee financial security for her father and sisters for life, Gabby must do everything in her power to please him for six months. With nothing to lose, Gabby reluctantly agrees to the business arrangement. But as she is swept up into a world of luxury and excess, Gabby cannot help but be drawn to the sexy, mysterious Noah who pushes her at every turn. But if she is not careful, Gabby might end up losing the one thing that is more precious to her than anything else: her heart.

In this contemporary romance, a young woman desperate to help her family overcome their financial struggles is offered a tantalizing deal from a gorgeous billionaire that changes everything.

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My Thoughts..

I would like to start this by thanking the author/publisher for sending the ARC.

The blurb is quite interesting and that’s what got me hooked on the story. #BookwormConfession: I like Alpha males.. and Noah somewhat fit the description of one.

In the beginning, I frankly didn’t like Noah much since he was too rude to Gabriella for no rhyme or reason. I like a character that’s confident not one that’s a plain douchebag just for the sake of being one. I wanted Gabriella to have a backbone but the situation she was in I somehow understood her submissiveness.

The book picked up in the middle and that when it got so interesting that I literally couldn’t put it down.

The story had an interesting plot and the love story as it chapters progressed got more intense and I got my wish of Noah softening up a bit and Gabriella emerging as a strong character. There were some scenes that were so endearing in the book and the sweet moments between the couple made me go aww..

Noah as a character had a sudden transformation from (rude!)Christian Grey to a soft  Mills and Boon hero which was a little hard to digest. I wanted a little more back story of his character but since he became such a softie and a lovable hero towards the end I let go of the initial reluctance I had towards his character. He really does love Gabby so much, is possessive and protective of her and knows how to kick the ass of the ones who try to hurt her and that kind of makes you envious and fall for him a bit too..

All in all the story had a mixture of sweet and sexy moments and that’s what made me want to read it again..well of course except the happily ever after..

Till next time.

#PeaceOut