Always Yours. Kari March. 2014. Amazon Digital Publishing.  281 pages.  [Source: ARC provided courtesy of The Book Gurus.] I’m pretty excited to be taking part in a blog tour for Kari March’s latest release,  Always Yours,  her second release of 2014.  Always Yours is a standalone sequel to March’s debut novel, Promise Me Always.   I tend to prefer starting interrelated books with the first in the “series,” so I felt it was necessary to start with Promise Me Always.  I was extremely impressed at her ability to ensure that Always Yours could stand on its own merits as it interwove the characters and events from the first book. Always Yours centers on Cam and Cara, two young adults who’ve had their fair share of heartache at the hands of their family and romantic partners. For Cara, when the going gets tough, the people in her life leave. Cam, on the other hand, cannot keep genuine women in his life.  When they meet, neither is at a place in their life where they want to welcome any serious attachment. Too bad their bodies (and later hearts) don’t seem to understand that.  From the start, the two have undeniable chemistry, which leads to heated exchanges, both verbally and physically.

An April Bride. Lenora Worth. 2014. 102 pages. Zondervan. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] This was an emotional, yet inspiring book. Stella and Marshall have a love straight from a fairy tale. Everyone knows they should end up together … except Marshall. When he returns from combat, he’s lost his memory of those close to him, including his fiance Stella. The book follows their struggle to bring back Marshall’s memory, but also begs the question of if they can come back from his injuries to have the love they knew before. For anyone who’s come to a crossroads in their relationship, this book will hit close to home. Stella has unconditional love for Marshall, but facing a future with someone who’s willing to marry her because he thinks he should isn’t enough for her.

The Eternal Engagement. Mary B. Morrison. 2012. Dafina Books. 288 pages. [Source: personal copy.] I took a chance on The Eternal Engagement because I wanted to take advantage of it being on audio book.  So this review will reflect both the book itself as well as the audio production.  My experience with audio books has generally been positive.  It’s an easy way to get some “reading” done while you physically can’t put your nose in a book. I listen while I’m driving, grocery shopping, and walking around.  I thought this story would be a compelling read, but I was disappointed. The story itself focused on four characters whose lives and relationships are entwined disastrously. Lincoln somehow manages to propose to (with the same style ring) and impregnate both his girlfriend Katherine and his ex, Mona-Lisa literally moments before his high school graduation. The rest of the book follows Lincoln’s ten-year stint in the Army, Mona-Lisa’s impulsive and volatile marriage to long-time friend, Steven, and Katherine’s attempts to maintain her image while raising her son as a single mother under her judgmental mother’s eye.

The Other Side of the Pillow. Zane. 2014. Atria Books. 288 pages. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] Zane’s newest release is best described an exploration of common pitfalls of relationships. It’s part romance, part self-help, and all parts interesting.  Through its characters, Zane highlights the havoc caused by infidelity,  mistrust, poor communication, chance events, and myriad other problems that plague today’s relationships.  The book revolves around Tevin’s courtship if Jemistry.  This story is told from the perspectives of both Jemistry and Tevin, and the reader is introduced to their closest friends and family, all of whose relationships have varied impacts on how the two approach their own relationship.

Heat. Jamie K. Schmidt. 2014. 239 pages. Loveswept.  [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] When Mallory woke up from a drug-induced stupor that was forced upon her by an abusive fiancee, she went on the run. Two months later, she found herself in seeking refuge in her sister Colleen’s massive compound – part fashion school, part sex den. What Mallory thought would be a chance for her to hide out from a drug-addicted ex ends up turning into  a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her to explore her own identity , motivations, and sexuality.  In the process, she’s introduced to Max who doubles as an instructor and her bodyguard, much to her chagrin.