Booksniffer Book Reviews: April 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014

4.5 Sniffs Review: ORENDA by Ruth Silver

Title: Orenda

Series: Orenda #1

Author: Ruth Silver

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Patchwork Press

ASIN: B00JNTUNB0

Release Date: April 12, 2014

Source: Ruth Silver

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble ☆ Signed Copy

Join forces with a parallel universe.

Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can't exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her younger sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.

A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages. Orenda is the first novel in the Orenda series.

THE GIST: When Lil Porter woke up to start her day, she found herself in a completely different and strange world. There she meets someone who looks like her, but is different is small ways. This person send Lil back to her world and Lil believes it was all a dream until the boy who was with this other version of herself shows up outside her school. He claims that Willow is in danger and Lil is the only one who can help him rescue her. He takes Lil to a parallel world called Orenda. It's a dangerous place full of mangic and terrorized by a demon sorceress names Eilith. Willow Porter is the gatekeeper and protector and without her Earth is also in danger of being destroyed by Eilith.

WHAT I LIKED: I'm a huge fan of this kind of story. It's even better that the world our heroine travels to is a parallel world to Earth. I liked seeing the similarities and differences between the people and the worlds. There was a moment that completely broke my heart between Lil and Hudson. I really hope that it will eventually work itself out. ORENDA has a pretty clean ending, with no real cliffhanger. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next in the sequel, Elfinland.

WHAT I DISLIKED: I guess I would have liked the see more of Bray. His parts are kind of spread out and far between. He seemed more like a secondary character instead of a member of the team.

Lil: 16 years old. Transported to Orenda in her sleep. Meets Willow, who looks almost exactly like her. Doesn't get along with her sister, Jamey. Best friends with Bray. Shares some of the same abilities with Willow while in Orenda. Tries to help save Willow when she's kidnapped. Falls in love with Hudson. Gets healing ability from the Mystics that only works in Orenda.

Willow: Protects both worlds, a gatekeeper. Has a brother named Jamie who she raised after their parent's deaths. Kidnapped by Eilith. Rawlie's girlfriend. Destined to stop Eilith for good.

Rawlie: The protector. Hudson's cousin. From Australia. Willow's boyfriend. Helped Willow raise Jamie after her parent's deaths. Hasn't been able to go home since Eilith's takeover 5 years ago.

Bray: Lil's best friend. Has been in love with her for years. Kidnapped by Eilith ans taken to Orenda.

Jamey: Lil's younger sister. They are always fighting. Behind the fighting, Jamey really loves her sister.

Jamie: Willow's younger brother. They are extremely close. Barely remembers their parents. Is desperate to save his sister from Eilith. Comes to love Lil too during her time in Orenda.

Adrianna: Was rescued by Rawlie and Hudson. Lives in the Sanctuary with them. Has a surprising connection with Eilith.

Hudson: Rawlie's cousin. His family runs the Sanctuary. Feels animosity toward Lil when she first arrives in Orenda, but that quickly changes. Teaches her how to use a sword. Tech saavy.

Eilith was a sorceress who craved more power than she had. She caused the Scourge that destroyed Orenda by opening Pandora's Box. As she fed on flesh, blood, and souls, her power grew and she became more demon than human. Orenda is now devastated and now she wants to further her power by crossing the gateway to Earth.

Eilith is very powerful and her thirst for more power is endless. If she ever made it to Earth it would be the end of both worlds. Willow and Lil are both important to protecting the gateway and ultimately Eilith's destruction. They are the last line of defense.

The romance between Lil and Hudson was very sweet and had this kind of innocence to it. But it was also really heartbreaking. I loved these two together so much and to have it end the way it did really broke my heart and I really felt like crying for these two. I don't know if it's even possible, but I sincerely hope that Lil and Hudson can somehow find their way back to each other. The Fae really know how to take something precious away from you.

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4 Sniffs Review: INTOXICATING PASSION BOX SET by Felicia Tatum

Title: Intoxicating Passion Box Set
Series: Intoxicating Passion #1-5

Author: Felicia Tatum

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Felicia Tatum

ASIN: B00JMSE4QM

Release Date: April 11, 2014

Source: Girls Heart Books Tours

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble ☆ Kobo ☆ iTunes ☆ Facebook Event

Journey with Korah and Dane in the Intoxicating Passion box set, as they battle their individual demons on the way to finding a way to care for one another.

Korah Daniels is a nineteen-year-old college student dealing with the aftermath of leaving an abusive relationship. After letting down her guard, she meets a sexy guy at a Halloween party, but quickly realizes her past isn’t as far gone as she hoped. Will she be able to run from her abuser? Will she continue to hold her heart dearly or will the mysterious Zorro find a way through?

Dane Davidson is the ultimate playboy, never sticking around for more than one night. When he encounters Angel Eyes, he discovers his heart isn’t as locked up as he imagined. The more he learns of her, the greater he desires her, and wants to protect her. Will Dane be able to let go of his past so he can have a future? Will Korah be the one who makes him want to change?

The five Intoxicating Passion novelettes take you along with Dane and Korah, as they face the answers to life’s biggest questions.

INTOXICATING PASSION brings us the story of Dane and Korah. Both have had experiences in their pasts that caused them to protect their hearts from loving again. Korah protects hers by keeping to herself and not dating, while Dane protects his by living the playboy lifestyle, sleeping around with any woman willing, and not feeling a thing but the pleasure the act brings. But when these two meet, something is different. There is an undeniable attraction, luring them to each other. The big question is, as their feelings start growing stronger, will they open their hearts to the possibility of love or keep their hearts closed forever?

This box set has 5 novelettes and each one is a different stage in their building relationship. Masked Encounters is the story of how Dane and Korah met at a Halloween party hosted by his fraternity. Unveiled Ties happens months later and Dane has been searching for her ever since. It's his lucky day when she is assigned as his Biology lab partner, but she doesn't recognize him as her Zorro until he reveals the truth to her. In Daring Dane, when he tells Korah that he's not lying to her about caring for her, she dares him to prove it, to show her that he really cares. Actions speak louder than words. Pursuing Korah is perhaps the most pivotal novelette to their love story. All I'm going to say about this one is that Dane really proves himself and his feelings to Korah. And Unexpected Consequences brings the conclusion to their story. Will they make their relationship official and finally admit how they really feel, or will outside events ultimately keep them apart?

Domestic abuse is talked about in INTOXICATING PASSION with Korah being the victim of a previous abusive relationship, that is still haunting her now. Some of the scenes are really terrifying and made be feeling really sad and angry for Korah, but seeing her work through it and become a stronger and more confident person was great.

The Guy: Dane Davidson has immersed himself in the playboy lifestyle, only seeking the pleasure of release. After witnessing his mother's infidelity as a kid and then his girlfriend's in high school, he's sworn off opening his heart to anyone. But he knew the first time he saw Korah that she was different. The feelings has has for her confuse and terrify him, but he can't stop thinking about her, and sets out to prove to her that he's sincere and trying to change for her.

The Girl: Korah Daniels is a victim of an abusive relationship that has made her insecure and have low self-esteem. Ever since the incident that caused her to leave her abusive ex-boyfriend, she has closed herself off from feeling anything for another guy. She never goes on a date willingly, although her best friend, Leela, sets her up on blind dates regularly. It isn't until a masked Halloween party at one of the fraternities that Korah lets her inhibitions down and lets herself feel with the masked Zorro who helped her fix her cut up feet. Learning months later, that her new Biology lad partner, Dane, was Zorro angers her but she can't help feeling drawn to him.

Korah's ex-boyfriend Christopher is the villain of this story. He just won't leave Korah alone and insists, rather violently, that she return to him. He not only attacks her once, but twice, and the second time was a lot worse. He pays no heed to Korah's court-ordered protections, and keeps coming after her.

INTOXICATION PASSION is not your typical romance. Dane and Korah are both broken people who have been hurt by love in the past. Both are reluctant to ever love someone again and risk the pain to their hearts if something goes wrong. There is absolutely no insta-love in this book. They test the waters. The attraction is there and there are feelings emerging, but they take everything one step at a time. They both have their own demons to fight and conquer before they can open their hearts completely to each other. This romance was intense, passionate, heartbreaking at times, and even joyous. Just as Dane's best friend, Cale, said; I really believe that Dane and Korah are good for each other, exactly what they each needed.

The Intoxicating Passion Box Set is 99 cents for a Limited Time!

April 25-April 27

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4.5 Sniffs Review: PROTOSTAR by Braxton A. Cosby

Title: ProtoStar

Series: The Star-Crossed Saga #1

Author: Braxton A. Cosby

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance, Christian

Publisher: Winter Goose Publishing

ASIN: B00JPVQPKO

Release Date: April 15, 2014

Source: Braxton A. Cosby ☆ Booksniffer Review Tours ☆ Tour Schedule

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble

What Would You Choose, Love or Duty?

On the brink of civil war, the Torrian Alliance continues with its mission to obliterate Star-children across the universe in order to suppress an intergalactic evil. Following the recommendations of his council, King Gregorio Derry reluctantly agrees to send his only son William on a mission to restore honor to his family name.

William seeks to complete his assignment, the elimination of a Star-child named Sydney on planet Earth, but when the assassination is delayed he begins to realize an emotional connection with his target.

With conspiracy threatening his home planet, and a hidden menace on Earth seeking to secure a vested interest, William finds himself torn between irrevocable duty and sacrificing everything he stands for to defend Sydney.

As William and Sydney struggle to overcome their impossible circumstances, they start to wonder if the connection of two Star-Crossed lovers will be enough to save them from certain doom.

The people of the Torrian Alliance have an on-going mission to eliminate any and all Star Children born, in order to prevent the spread of an all-powerful evil from taking over the galaxy. William is sent on a mission to Earth to kill the Star Child that was detected there. But when he meets Sydney, gets to know her and falls in love with her, he can't believe that she could bring about such evil. While William struggles with choosing to honor his family and mission or following his heart, there are other forces waiting in the shadows to see if he will fail. And if he does, they have orders to take them both out. Hearts change and power struggles become deadly in this tale of star-crossed lovers.

I really liked this story. PROTOSTAR has Christian elements set in a science fiction background. Faith is tested and proved many times. I liked the mysterious happening going on behind the scenes on William's home world. And I really want to know more about the Star Children. This is stating the obvious, but I'm really looking forward to the next book in the Star-Crossed Saga to see what is revealed next.

William: A prince on his home world. He is tasked with traveling to Earth to eliminate the Star Child living there. Feeling are repressed where he is from, so what he starts feeling for Sydney confuse him at first, but once he realizes what's happening, he does all he can to protect her from others that would harm her. But before all that, he does struggle between choosing to honor his family and following his heart.

Sydney: She lives with her grandmother in a small town in the south. Her parents were killed in a car accident, and she was the only survivor. She feels an instant connection with William, although she's wary of him at first. When it is revealed to her who and what she is, she can't believe it, until it is proven to her to be true. Sydney's grandmother has taught her that she must have faith within every aspect of her life. As she grows into her powers as the Star Child, she knows that she's going to need all the help that she can get.

IMPI: He is the artificial intelligence of William's space craft. As he is connected to William, he is slowly evolving as he learns more about humanity and human feelings. Sydney gave him the nickname "Bill," since he is like a mini-William.

The villain for PROTOSTAR can be seen from two different perspectives. The people of William's home world would say that Sydney, being the Star Child, is the bad guy in this story. And William too, since he basically committed treason by falling in love with her and not killing her.

Whereas, William and Sydney's point of view, the Torrian Alliance and their agents are the bad guys trying to kill them.

Depending on what side of the story you want to put yourself on, the villain changes.

The romance between Sydney and William is kind of interesting. Sydney felt an instant connection to William when she first met him, but she also felt like she needed to be careful around him as well. It isn't common for strangers to just appear on your doorstep in her small town.

William, on the other hand, having repressed his feelings most of his life (as most on his home world do), didn't understand what Sydney was "doing" to him. He thought what he was feeling was some kind of attack from the Star Child.

But as they started to get to know each other, and Sydney told William about love and what it feels like, he realized that he was falling in love with her. It wasn't until Sydney almost died that William was willing to admit his feelings, though. But once he did, he committed himself completely to her and her protection.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what else happens between Sydney and William in future books.

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Release Day Blitz: EAST OF ECSTASY by Laura Kaye! #Giveaway #Excerpt

EAST OF ECSTASY

Hearts of the Anemoi #4

by Laura Kaye

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Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble ☆ Kobo ☆ iTunes

The final chapter in the award-winning and bestselling Hearts of the Anemoi series…

She’s the only one who can give him the strength to save them all…

Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she's been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don't speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.

Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father's plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he's been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.

But Devlin's love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever...or lost.

Catch up on the whole series with the Hearts of the Anemoi box set featuring the first three books: North of Need, West of Want, South of Surrender!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forcing the chaos in her mind away, Anna dipped her brush into the gray and stepped to the canvas. Motion captured her attention from the corner of her eye.

The Dark Man, the subject of her recent paintings, stood in the doorway and leaned against the jamb.

Anna jumped and her pulse raced, but this time, anger flooded in instead of fear. “I will deal with you on my own damn terms,” she said, taking a perverse amount of pleasure from putting a figment of her imagination in its place. Because that’s all he was.

He didn’t move or speak. Not that he could, since, you know. Figment. Of. Imagination.

Anna rolled her eyes, done with being scared and so pissed to have to do this again that she was nearly out of her mind. “I’m doing your damn painting already. So just leave me alone.” She cut her gaze back to the expanse of white, but the desire to see if his image would still be there if she looked again drove her to distraction.

Finally, she gave in and…he was still there.

Completely still. Blatantly scowling. Totally unfathomable.

Was this a vision? Another image she’d have to paint?

Her heart tripped into a sprint, and she couldn’t look away from him. Like the compulsion that forced her to paint these images, Anna couldn’t help but return his stare and memorize his masculine features. The sharp angles of his face, the harsh set of his mouth, the dark shadows around his even darker eyes. Black eyes. Blades of black hair hung low over his forehead and just touched the hooded shirt he wore under his short, scuffed leather jacket. He’d crossed his arms over his chest, and the position caused his biceps to bunch up under the worn leather. In fact, everything about him appeared worn—the coat, the threadbare jeans, the scuffed boots. None of it struck her as the kind of shabby chic you could buy in some upscale store for a small fortune, either. The whole effect was rough. Dangerous. Deprived.

Deprived? What a strange way of describing him. But as Anna’s gaze swept over him again, the thought stuck. For his height, he seemed thin, with his lean hips, clad in old black jeans, a trim waist, and pronounced cheekbones. Her fingers twitched around the nearly forgotten paintbrush. What would it feel like to cup that harsh face in her hand?

Anna gasped and tore her gaze away. She had to blink to pull herself out of the haze of thoughts. Frustration surged through her and tensed the muscles of her shoulders and neck. She didn’t want to be working on another of these paintings as it was, so the last thing she needed was to lose a bunch of time daydreaming. Or would it be daynightmaring?

As she stared at the blank canvas, the image of the shackled man behind the prison bars filled her mind’s eye.

Definitely the latter.

Curiosity pulled her eyes to the left again. The doorway was empty.

Release Day Blitz: MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE by Rachel Harris!

MY NOT SO SUPER SWEET LIFE

Super Sweet #3

by Rachel Harris

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$.99 for a Limited Time
Follow the Book Tour

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy. Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

Title: Wilde Riders

Series: Old Town Country Romance #1

Author: Savannah Young

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Rock Star/Musician

Publisher: Short On Time Books

ASIN: B00IDWDWJ8
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Source: Savannah Young ☆ Booksniffer Review Tours ☆ Tour Schedule
Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Smashwords

FOUR WILDE BROTHERS...ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND

WILDE RIDERS is the first novel in a spicy new contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. WILDE RIDERS can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES.

Cooper Wilde spent his entire adolescence counting the days until he could escape rural northwest New Jersey. Now at 26, he can't believe he's coming back. But his late father's bar, Haymakers, is in financial trouble and his older brother, Jake, has asked for Cooper's help.

Riley Smith, 25, is fresh out of her Ivy League MBA program and wants to make an impression on her employer, H & C Bank. Her first solo assignment is a fraud investigation on a business loan they made to Haymakers.

Even though Old Town is less than 90 minutes from New York City, Riley feels like she's stepped into another world in this remote, one-bar town. Riley can't wait to do her business and get back to the city as quickly as her sports car will take her...until she meets Cooper Wilde. He's not like the other guys in this rural town and Riley feels inexplicably attracted to him.

If you like your trucks loud, your beer cold and your men hot...you'll love WILDE RIDERS.

Cooper Wilde was a country boy in a country band from a small town in New Jersey. Then he went to an Ivy League school and now lives in Manhattan working on Wall Street. Now he's going back home to help his brother Jake clean up the mess he made of their family bar's financial books. They are being investigated for loan default and fraud.

Enter Riley Smith, the one investigating the fraud charges. She hates the country even more than Cooper does and just wants to get in, get the job done, and get out. But her stay in Old Town is prolonged when her car is crashed into by Cooper's younger brother Tucker. Now she's stuck in town while her car is being fixed and staying at the Wilde family's house. And as she gets to know Cooper, she's not so desperate to leave anymore.

Love isn't in either of their plans for the future, but their hearts have a different plan entirely.

WILDE RIDERS is a story about finding love in the least likely place and shows that family is important no matter what.

I liked the journey that Cooper and Riley went on in WILDE RIDERS. Cooper is brought to realize that where we come from is just as important was where we are and where we are going. And Riley is brought to realize that there is more to a person than what's on the outside.

It's also cool that the song "Summer" that the Wilde Riders perform is by an artist originally from Minnesota by the name Dan Patrick Fulton.

I also like how we are introduced to each of the Wilde boys - Jake, Tucker and Hunter, each of whom will have a book of their own after Cooper's.

Cooper: A country boy turned Wall Streeter. Plays guitar in the Wilde Riders band with his brothers. People see him as intense and hard to approach. Always felt like he was overshadowed by his brother Jake.

Riley: From a well-to-do family with strict parents. Works at the bank investigating the Wilde family. She's done with guys who are "Wall Street wannabes."

Cooper and Riley meet when she enters his family's bar, Haymakers. He's there to help Jake with the bar's books, and Riley's there to investigate the fraud charges against them. Her stay in Old Town is extended when Tucker crashes into her car. Cooper offers her a guest room in his family's house.

As Riley gets to know Cooper (the country boy side of him) she begins to fall for him, as he begins falling for her. But when she learns that Cooper is more than the country boy she thinks he is, she feels betrayed and runs back to the city. This leads Cooper to return as well and try to fix things.

I really liked the relationship between Cooper and Riley. Not only do they come to love each other, but it was also a learning experience for them both. They both learned important lessons that they needed to learn to become better people themselves.

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Title: Without You

Author: Julie Prestsater

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Rock Star/Musician

Publisher: Julie Prestsater

ASIN: B00IGVAFLO

Release Date: February 14, 2014

Source: Good Choice Reading

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble

When two people connect, they can make beautiful music together. But what happens when music is the thing that tears them apart?

Evan James had it all. Drop-dead sexy, brilliantly talented musician, a skyrocketing career and his high school sweetheart by his side. When he’s offered a golden opportunity to go on tour, he never imagined she wouldn’t go with him. Without her, he found his dream meant nothing. Three years later, bereft and alone, Evan stops at an open mic night and spots someone sitting in the audience, the beautiful face of a woman he’d never forget...Maddy, his one true love.

Madison Grey had only ever loved one man. When Evan broke her heart she had no choice but to move on with her life, start a career of her own, and she even finds a new love. Still, thoughts of Evan were never put to rest. And on one fateful night, she unexpectedly hears him pour his heart out into a new song. A song about broken hearts, lost love, and second chances. A song about her.

With the help of their scheming friends, Maddy and Evan are thrown into each other’s lives once more. While learning to love and trust again, there is only one thing left on both of their minds... Is life better with or without you?

Three years ago, Evan James left his high school sweetheart, Madison Grey, to further his music career. Now he's back in town and determined to win her back. When his best friend, Luke, asks him to be the best man in his wedding, Evan sees it as the perfect opportunity to spend time with Maddy. But Maddy has moved on from her heartbreak and now has a boyfriend. Her best friend, Genna (Luke's fiancee), can see that Maddy doesn't really love her boyfriend, though, and still harbors feeling for Evan. Genna and Luke use their own wedding as a way to get their best friends back together.

WITHOUT YOU is a really emotional story about having to choose between the one you love and your dreams for the future. Both Evan and Maddy let go of each other to follow their dreams, unwilling to give them up. In a sense, they broke their own hearts, instead of staying together and finding a way to make it work.

I really enjoyed Genna and Luke's meddling. Using the wedding preparations as a way to push Evan and Maddy together and face each other. Genna was especially gung-ho in her efforts. I liked this story so much that I kind of wish that there was another story after this.

The Guy: Evan James has been a talented poet, song-writer, and musician since his high school days. He lives, breathes, and feels every word he writes and sings. He has a riveting voice and can play the piano, guitar, and saxophone. And he's been in love with Maddy for just as long. Music and Maddy are Evan's two loves in life. He has been three years without Maddy, but in all that time he has never stopped loving her. After his last tour, Evan went off-grid because he just wasn't feeling it anymore, so he headed back to his hometown. While driving by a piano bar, he suddenly has the urge to go in and play the song that he's been working on for years. It's Maddy's song, and little did he know that she was in the audience, listening.

The Girl: Madison Grey couldn't keep Evan from following his dreams when the opportunity was presented, but she couldn't go with him either, feeling that she would only drag him down. She loved him enough to let him go, no matter how much it hurt. Now she's a junior high school teacher and is in a relationship with a man that she doesn't love. When Evan comes back to town, old feelings resurface and she's scared of her heart being broken again.

Evan and Maddy met in high school. He was a Sophomore and she was a Freshman. One day in their creative writing class, he read a poem about a flower blooming and compared it to puppy love. He looked at her the entire time he was reciting the poem and his gaze never wavered. Maddy was hooked. After he sat back down he asked her if she liked it. That was the first time they spoke to each other, and Evan gave Maddy the nickname, Sunshine.

After high school, Evan would ask Maddy to marry him about once every week until the parted, but she never believed that he was serious. But he was completely serious, and loved her with his whole heart.

But as Evan's song-writing career gained momentum, he became more distant - he forgot important dates and phone calls. His career started taking precedence over their relationship to the point where Maddy felt like a single woman instead of someone in a loving relationship. Things hit the bricks when Evan was offered a recording contract and the chance to go touring. He asked Maddy to go with him and she loved him enough to let him go.

Now it's three years later, and Evan's back in town after taking a break from music. He had been working on a song for Maddy, called Without You, that is basically his apology for leaving, pouring out his own heartbreak, and asking for a second chance. It just so happened that Maddy was in the audience the night that he felt the need to play at a piano bar in town. Thus began their journey back to each other.

WITHOUT YOU is a very beautiful, and at times, heartbreaking love story. The love and heartache Evan and Maddy share really gripped my heart-strings. I so desperately wanted things to work out for them. And there was even a moment when I thought that Maddy was going to push Evan away again, this time for good. This love story really makes you wish that you had the same kind of love (minus all the heartbreak, of course). True love always finds a way.