REVIEW + GIVEAWAY ~Tamed by Emma Chase~

Title: Tamed

Author: Emma Chase

Series: Tangled #3

Release Date: July 15, 2014

My Rating: 4 Stars

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: girl meets player, they fall in love, player changes his ways.

It’s a good story. But it’s not our story. Ours is a lot more colorful.

When I met Dee I knew right away that she was special. When she met me, she thought I was anything but special—I was exactly like every other guy who’d screwed her over and let her down. It took some time to convince her otherwise, but turns out I can make a convincing argument when sex is at stake.

You might know where this story’s headed. But the best part isn't where we ended up.

It’s how we got there.


TAMED goes back in time to the Tangled days. But this time around, it’s not Drew dishing out the advice and opinions—it’s his best friend Matthew, who of course is dealing with Dee Dee.

Emma Chase continues to write books that astound me. Her characters are hilarious and riveting. With Tamed, she returned back to her roots and wrote it in the male POV. Being inside Matthew's head was a lot like being in Drew's but I didn't want to throttle him as much :) Matthew is what I call good people. He fights and gives until he can't anymore. He's sexy as hell and funny to boot. Pair him along with a ballsy, yet romantically gun-shy woman and you've got an enthralling, lusty, and magnetic book.

Overview- Matthew is Drew's, from Tangled, best friend. The story of Tamed happens mostly parallel to Tangled's story line. We get a whole new view of what was happening across town. Which was Matthew falling head over heels and scaring the beejesus out of Dee. Yes, the same Dee who is Kate's best friend. So playboy turned devoted boyfriend, and genius, casual dater turned running for the hills. Matthew was attracted to Dee on the spot. Naturally he went after her. Being two attractive people, naturally she reciprocated, but called it quits after one night. Until Mr. Relentless came out to play. Matthew had a taste of heaven, he wasn't about to give it up. When Dee and Matthew decide to give their relationship a try, it's not an easy road. For as much of a calm and collected demeanor Dee shows on the outside, when someone gets too close she balks. And she continues to turn tail until Matthew's had enough. He'll either force her to reign her fears in, or give up the chance at a happily ever after. 

This book was fantastic. It was a quick read for me. I completely devoured it. Emma Chase does the male POV unlike any other author I know. She's crass, honest, and intelligent all rolled into one nice Matthew package. I'm going to be honest, I liked Tamed a little bit more than Tangled. Only because Matthew wasn't nearly as douchey as Drew. Of course, Drew won me over eventually, but Matthew had me from the get-go and never lost my affection. Who he was when we met him and who he continued to be as part of a duo with Dee made this story for me. Dee gave me a couple of headaches, but she came through when it was pertinent. All in all this was a fantastic read and once I will definitely be adding to my physical copy bookshelf. And I will ABSOLUTELY be adding the next installment to this witty series to my TBR list!

Happy Reading!
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Links to Buy:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Emma:

BLOG TOUR ~Twisted by Emma Chase~

Title: Twisted

Author: Emma Chase

Series: Tangled #2

Release Date: March 25, 2014

My Rating: 4 Stars

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is hard. In this heart-pounding follow-up to Tangled by New York Times bestseller Emma Chase, Kate reveals that there is trouble in paradise, when unexpected circumstances force her and Drew to "renegotiate" their relationship.

There are two kinds of people in the world. The ones who look first, and the ones who leap. I’ve always been more of a looker. Cautious. A planner. That changed after I met Drew Evans. He was so persistent. So sure of himself—and of me.

But not all love stories end happily ever after. Did you think Drew and I were going to ride off into the sunset? Join the club. Now I have to make a choice; the most important of my life. Drew already made his—in fact, he tried to decide for the both of us. But you know that’s just not my style. So I came back to Greenville, Ohio, alone. Well, sort of alone...

What I've come to realize is that old habits die hard, and sometimes you have to go back to where you began before you can move ahead.

 

It's that time again... time for the Liked, Disliked, and my overall opinion :)

LIKED

Twisted holds the same brash, quirky dynamic as Tangled. In my opinion, Twisted actually tugs at your heartstrings a little more. And while the major plot line is based on an absurd misunderstanding, the secondary characters lend the comedic relief that I love. Kate and Drew have quite a rough go of it in this book. They fight, argue, tears are shed, etc. However, I couldn't help but be draw into this crazy, off-kilter world of theirs. Kate has had a major overhaul as a character. I loved it. When we're introduced to her voice it's evident that she's brassy and ballsy on the inside, but she's softened a little on the outside. Drew, well his drunken stupor this time around was his own darn fault.  This couple holds a very awkward shaped piece of my heart. Which is fitting given their equally awkward relationship. It's almost hard to describe them and their world. I probably sound like a mad person when I'm explaining it to friends about how amazing it is. Especially after Twisted, where we get a glimpse of Kate's voice. I feel like I could sit down and chat for hours with these two. Truthfully, no, this book wasn't believable. That's why I love it though. Ms. Chase is an escape artist of reality and I have got a first class ticket for every crazy ride she takes her readers on.

DISLIKED

Here's where it gets a little rocky. Obviously, my overall feeling of this book is positive but, there were a few hiccups. One, I needed more couple time. Once you read the book you'll understand a little better but, the gist is I needed Kate and Drew to have more of a connection in Twisted. Two, the apartment scene. No explanation on that. Read it. You'll feel my pain. Three, I needed MORE! I feel like this is a common occurrence with me. I always want more. This time it's a little different. I actually needed more. There were a few things glossed over, and I felt there could have a been a chapter well spent on a little more explanation. In short, after the sprint Ms. Chase took me on, I needed more of a cool down period. 

OVERALL

In the grand scheme of things, my likes FAR outweigh my dislikes. I love all of these characters just as hard as I loved them in the first book. Honestly, the chain of events in this book just screams Kate and Drew. Every step they took from beginning to end was a testament to their true characters. I can't ever ask any more from a book or author than that. If you do right by the characters and the integrity of the story, huge thumbs up! That's exactly what Emma Chase did with Twisted. Sure, I had dislikes about it but, I'm not the one with characters screaming in my head about what happens next. What's right for the readers isn't always what is right for the characters and story. So, am I pleased with this book? Hell, yes! Was it what I was expecting? Absolutely not. Then again, I love surprises, so Twisted was right up my alley.

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Links to Buy:

Meet Emma:

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother of two who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

  Connect with Emma:

REVIEW ~Tangled by Emma Chase

Title: Tangled
Author: Emma Chase
Series: Tangles #1
Release Date: August 2, 2013

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything - or anyone - derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

Oh, Drew Evans. I'm not sure what to do with this hero. Drew is probably one of the most realistic heroes I have ever read. Tangled is told 100% in his POV, and he is extremely frank and open with his thoughts. Granted, some of his thoughts made me think he was a dirtbag. BUT, his explanations and development throughout the story garnered him forgiveness. Kate, on the other hand, is kind of an enigma. One of the reasons I can't wait to get a hold of Twisted is to get inside her head. I know her actions are probably an accurate portrayal of her feelings but, I just need that confirmation. Kate and Drew's story is energetic, fast-paced, hilarious and incredibly steamy. Tangled, is a story of two polar opposites that learn to take steps in the other's shoes. Drew is a very facetious, blase, playboy type, with his only drive being work. While Kate is a very driven individual in all things, and also uptight. These two come together in a meeting of chemistry, that turns full tilt into an emotional journey neither of them were prepared for. 

I loved that I didn't have to be inside Kate's head to connect with her. Yeah, I look forward to getting in her mind, and knowing her true thoughts, but given face-value I was able to connect with her throughout all of Tangled. Drew was more of a mystery. Ironic, since I was actually experiencing their story through his eyes alone. But, to an extent he was almost a contradiction. In the end though, I was left with absolutely no qualm about where his feelings, or loyalty lays. The beauty of this story comes in the last third. Drew Evans has forever redeemed himself, and earned men several brownie points in the process. His perseverance, and expert skills are quite a sight to behold. But, I won't ruin the plot for you :) I have to believe that these two met at the hand of fate, and I swear they tried everything within their powers to screw up her plans. They each take a few plays from each others playbooks and eventually meet in the middle. Kate and Drew learn to give and take with the best, and I can only hope that will be the building blocks when their relationship moves forward in Twisted.

This book is worthy of a slap to my head for waiting so long to read it. I enjoyed every bit of it. It was a refreshing break from the unrealistic books, that I obviously love, but Tangled had that bit of reality and hard work as its base. Obviously, as a whole this book is a work of fiction and most of it will likely never happen. HOWEVER, the characters in this book have a very real vibe to them. It is an extremely unique book. I have to say, as far as my read list is concerned, it is one of a kind. Ms. Chase has told a fun-loving story in an exemplary way. Even the secondary characters sucked me in, and I can't wait to read their stories either. The entire Tangled cast will fold you into their world and make you laugh, sigh with frustration, and wish you were a permanent part of their group. I will definitely be adding all of Emma's books to my TBR list and can't wait for Twisted to arrive!

Happy Reading!

Links to Buy:

Connect with Emma: