Review: Thornbird by E. Kennedy

 

The highly anticipated young adult thriller about a serial killer's daughter and her race to solve the crimes of her family's twisted past before it's too late—from E. Kennedy, aka New York Times bestselling romance author Elle Kennedy!

The world is hunting for answers—but what if the truth leads straight to you?

Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past.

But as fresh eyes dig deeper into the case, old secrets refuse to stay buried. Cryptic texts, eerie coincidences, and a chilling note leave everyone wondering—does Ryan know more than she’s letting on? As the truth unravels, one thing becomes in a town full of secrets, Ryan might be the biggest mystery of them all.

Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Jeneva Rose—get ready for a thriller packed with twists you won’t see coming. 

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What I thought about Thornbird

When a favorite romance author writes a YA thriller, this reader just had to check it out! Ryan Shipley is pretending to be a regular high school student.  If her friends found out she was related to the most notable serial killer from the town, she might be in big trouble. The killer's victims have never been found, and the town is obsessed about it the crime, thanks to a true crime podcast and a reward for finding the bodies.  

Ryan ends up with her cousin and others looking for the victims under the promise of a reward. When she starts receiving threatening messages regarding her true identity, things get serious and she finds herself in danger. 

This being YA, there are boys too.  Ryan is pursued by two young men in her class, one the "good boy" and the other the class "bad boy".  There are plenty of the typical class members here, as one might expect. I liked the little love triangle that developed here.

Overall, while the beginning is a bit slow, things pick up and there is a satisfying conclusion that you won't see from a mile away. This was a story that could appeal to both the YA and adult readers. The writing is good, the characters are nicely developed and you'll be holding your breath in all the right places!

4.5 stars

 

Review: Body Check by Elle Kennedy

 

New York Times bestselling author of the Briar U series Elle Kennedy’s first hockey romance, Body Check, is now released in an expanded version, with both new and enhanced scenes by the author! More story, more hockey—and more heat!

After a childhood spent being dragged around the country by her hockey coach father, Hayden Houston intends to take some time to figure out her future. Whether that future will include her currently off-again boyfriend remains to be seen. What it certainly won’t include is the for-one-night-only guy she just met at a bar.   

It seems hockey star Brody Croft did not get the memo about being temporary. Big, bold and driven, he’s dedicated in everything he does. Up till now, that’s been his team—the one owned by Hayden’s dad. But his night with Hayden has sparked something he didn’t expect. The two of them are good together. Really good. There’s a connection he’s never experienced before, one he knows they’d be wrong to ignore. Even with a game-fixing scandal testing both their loyalties—to teammates, to friends…to family. 

Part of Hayden wants to turn tail and run. A complicated relationship with a bad boy hockey player is exactly what she never wanted. But when it comes to Brody, Hayden is realizing that people can be so much more than what they seem.  

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What I thought about Body Check

This title was originally released in March 2009 and has been re-released with new and enhanced scenes.  

If you've ever read any hockey romance from Elle Kennedy, you know that she knows hockey and always gives the reader a good ride. In Body Check, Art History professor Hayden is looking for a distraction in her life, while Brody is looking for something that isn't a one-night-stand.  There's a boatload of chemistry between these characters and I liked the dynamic of Hayden being the one who wanted no strings.

This is a quick, easy read with plenty of steamy moments.  Things move along quickly which I like and while you probably won't find any surprises, it's a very satisfying and fun hockey romance. 

Release Week Review: The Summer Girl (Avalon Bay #3) by Elle Kennedy

Elle Kennedy's next spicy and emotional romance in the blockbuster Avalon Bay series.

College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday…and maybe find herself a summer fling.

On her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay’s fun-loving golden boy.

Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he’s always down for a good time. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she’s not the girl you play games with. Cassie is gorgeous, hilarious, and, frankly, the coolest person he’s ever met. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone…only to realize he made a huge mistake. Soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. He wants that fling now. Big-time.

And maybe even something more.

As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they’re about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets―and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.

---

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 What I thought about The Summer Girl

In this third return to Avalon Bay, virgin Cassie Soul is looking for a summer fling. She wants fun, sun and to get some experience in bed. She meets Tate Bartlett, a "player" who is more than happy to give Cassie the summer she is looking for. After Tate is warned away because Cassie is a nice girl and nice girls catch feelings, he decides to be Cassie's wingman as she looks for her summer fling. Yeah, right! You can see from a mile away that these two are going to fall for each other.

Tate is sweet and kind and amazing. He finds himself falling when he's never done that before, so he has a bit of a shock realizing the depth of his feelings. He's also very careful with Cassie's heart, I thought, and the family drama that plays out seemed realistic as well as heartbreaking. Cassie's mother is a piece of work, and she manages to tank a few lives (she thinks) as she visits Avalon Bay, causing major distress during the grand re-opening of The Beacon. I did like how the book revisits the couples in the first two books in the series.

Overall, this is a very pleasant romance, almost a rom-com in terms of the banter between the main characters. I kept reading because I really liked Tate and Cassie and I was rooting for them all the way. This book left me with a huge smile on my face. The Summer Girl is a fun read with plenty of flirting, romance and just a little drama to make everything interesting. A good addition to the series. 

About Elle

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Follow Elle Online: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

 

Release Day Review: Rogue (A Prep Novel) by Elle Kennedy

Available Now! 

Rogue

A Prep Novel

From New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy comes the return to Sandover Prep, where secrets lurk in the dark and no one is safe when they come into the light.

It’s been a long time since Casey Tresscott has felt like her life was her own. After the car accident that nearly cost her everything, she’s used to her family’s coddling and the relentless whispers at school, no matter how much they sting. After all, she’s found a safe harbor in her budding relationship with Sandover’s golden boy, Fenn Bishop…or so she thinks.

Beneath Fenn’s pretty, party-boy surface is a dangerous truth about the night Casey almost died. He thought lying to her was the right thing to do, but when the secret shakes loose, he just might lose her for good.

Because Casey is done being taken advantage of.

Grasping for the control she’s been missing, Casey finally snaps—telling off her bullies, gallivanting with rebels and playboys, and shirking her headmaster father’s strict curfews, despite the consequences. A desperate Fenn must ally with his stepbrother RJ and the other Sandover delinquents to uncover the full story of Casey’s accident and the ones responsible if he hopes to win her back.

But what happens if Casey is no longer the same girl he first fell for? Is there any hope for their future if she’s gone rogue for good?

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 What I thought about Rogue

Ah, the lifestyles of the young, rich and delinquent are front and center in Rogue, the second book in the Prep series. The headmaster's daughter Casey Trescott still doesn't remember what happened to her on prom night and Fenn is there to hold her hand (and more) when she needs someone. They develop a very sweet friendship that is just about to go to the next step when Casey finds out a secret that devastates her relationship with Fenn.

Eager to break out of the mold she thinks she's trapped in, she starts standing up for herself. I really liked this Casey, just as much as her softer side. She takes changes and takes care of her enemies, and in the process attracts Lawson, the school drug addict bad boy. I kinda liked them together.

The story is told from multiple points of view and I felt like I got to know all of the characters better. At first I was skeptical because there are more than two pov's, but it did keep the pace of the story moving forward and also helped with the preview of what may be going down with Lawson in the future. Can't wait to see what's going to happen there.

I'm a sucker for a good parent-child moment and Fenn and his father are a terrific part of the story. I really loved what happened there between them. I don't want to say more than that, but Fenn and his father are some of my most favorite moments in Rogue. I still have reservations about Casey and Fenn, and I could see some future bumps in the road for them. There are uncovered details from the prom accident that aren't accounted for and I'm hoping we find out more about Gabe's cryptic message and what really happened to Casey that night.

I enjoyed Rogue enough to read the ending twice, and the story left me thinking about these characters after I'd finished the story, which is what great stories do for me. However, I thought the first half of the story lacked something that I can't totally identify easily. The second half offered lots of drama and some deeply felt emotions from the Sandover guys that made it easy to connect with them, even at my way-past-high-school age.

So overall, I liked Rogue and the entire cast of characters. Casey's rebellious period and Fenn's anguish made for good drama, and some of the secondary characters like Lawson and Silas are getting interesting. There's still loose ends to wrap up so I'm looking forward to a bit more Sandover Prep.

4. 5 stars 

 

About Elle

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Follow Elle Online: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

ARC Review: 5 Big Stars for Bad Girl Reputation (Avalon Bay #2) by Elle Kennedy

Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can't stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion...which she’s trying desperately to forget.

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

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What I thought about Bad Girl Reputation

After her mom dies, Gen returns to the home she abruptly left behind a year ago. Leaving was the only way she could get away from her own bad habits and reputation to turn her life around.  But when her father asks her to stay and help out, she also has to deal with Evan Hartley, the man she left behind.

Evan Hartley is a proverbial bad boy, not afraid to mix it up when he feels like it.  But his soft spot for Gen could get them both in trouble.  He's still nursing wounds from her leaving the last time, but he can't stay away from her.  He loves her.  I just adored his character -- he has such a good heart, but he's not a pushover by any means. He loves his twin brother fiercely but they can get into it, and he's drawn to Gen like no other woman. He's a sexy beast in love, and that makes for swoony material for sure.

 

But Gen's put a lot of effort into ditching her bad girl reputation and she doesn't want to backslide.  I adored her for her resolve to grow up and put her bad ways behind her.She left at that proverbial moment when she knew if she didn't change now it was going to get ugly for her and she is committed to her new life. 

I loved these two together.  They are hot, hot, hot and it's not just sex.  There's a level of caring between them that is so natural, they almost miss what they have together. The back and forth between them as they figure out their relationship was portrayed in what I thought was a realistic manner. And Evan ripped out my heart perfectly for Gen to put back together as these lovebirds finally figure out what's important. This ending rocks for sure.

I did like what this story said about family, especially estranged family members.  The story of the twins and their mother was particularly touching and it didn't skirt the issue that it's just darn hard to get over these sorts of familial issues.  And when Gen gets information from her Dad about her mother that causes her to see her mom in a new light -- that was a truly beautiful moment in this book.

There were many lovely moments in Bad Girl Reputation.  I appreciated how Gen wasn't put down for wanting to have some fun, and that she recognized herself that her path wasn't a good one. 

Bad Girl Reputation is a sweet second-chance romance between two long time friends and lovers.  It left me feeling good.  This is what romance is about! 

 

 

 

About Elle

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Follow Elle Online: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Review: 5 Stars for Misfit (Prep #1) by Elle Kennedy

 

Misfit

Prep, Book 1

Welcome to Sandover Prep, where the delinquents roam…and you can’t trust a soul.

Finding out your mom is marrying some rich dude you’ve never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old guy’s head spin. But for RJ SHAW, it only gets worse: he’s being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there’s one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn’t belong, it’s an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents.

RJ knows his stay at Sandover will be temporary. Which means there’s no point making friends or trying to fit in. But the plan to remain antisocial goes awry when he meets a gorgeous girl in the woods on campus. SLOANE TRESSCOTT is pure temptation, with a sharp tongue and an ice princess attitude RJ’s determined to crack. Except there’s a catch. Sloane is the one girl he is forbidden from touching.

The headmaster’s daughter.

Good thing RJ doesn’t believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she’s swearing off guys this year, but their connection is impossible to deny. He wants her bad, and he’s going to win her over if it kills him.

Unless her ex-boyfriend kills him first.

The ruling king of Sandover will stop at nothing to get rid of his competition. Luckily, RJ’s unwittingly made some friends—his new stepbrother FENN, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak; LAWSON, self-proclaimed agent of chaos; and SILAS, the All-American Good Guy who can’t actually be as nice as he seems.

If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane’s heart, he’ll need to adapt—and fast.

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 Available now for Pre-Order

Rogue

Prep, Book 2

Details and more preorder links coming soon!

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What I thought about Misfit 

In this new series from Elle Kennedy, Sandover Prep is full of young men (aka bad boys) who know how to get into and out of trouble! And these young men are no ordinary high school students. With power and influence behind them, they see themselves as the misfits sent to Sandover as a delinquency punishment.

RJ and Fenn become stepbrothers in a moment's notice when their parents marry and both shipped to Sandover Prep for their senior year. While these two are standoffish with each other to start, there is a very nice friendship and even brotherhood building between RJ and Fenn. I really liked the interesting dynamics between these two step brothers and I think it's only going to get more interesting based on the last few pages of Misfit and the preview of the next book.

RJ has the misfortune to find one real friend at Sandover --  it's the headmaster's daughter who is off limits to the students at Sandover. Sloane has some of her own baggage she's trying to shake. Her sister was involved in a very suspicious situation and no one quite knows what happened. Sloane bears the responsibility for it too. I liked Sloane. She wasn't a pushover, even though she could have been. She also has sexual agency. She knows what she wants from RJ -- except she didn't know she would fall for him.

In Misfit, RJ and Sloane's relationship is tested and there are plenty of trust issues between these two that they have to work out. With RJ hacking into just about anything that will give him information and power, trust between Sloane and RJ easily gets bruised. 

I really enjoyed the reading experience here. The writing is smooth and carries the reader right along the story and I really didn't want to put this down until the end and even after I finished, I had to go back and re-read all my favorite parts. 

I love a good boys school story and Misfit satisfied my craving. I'm really looking forward to more of this world. I'm hoping that all the boys get a story, especially over-sexed Lawson who might just be heading toward depraved. The other secondary characters, Fenn and Silas are also interesting and hints are made as to what sent them to Sandover Prep. Can't wait for more of their stories.

So overall, a great start to this series. I'm hooked already.

 

About Elle

 

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Follow Elle Online: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

 

 

New Series Cover Reveal: Misfit by Elle Kennedy

 

MISFIT

A Prep Novel

Finding out your mom is marrying some rich dude you’ve never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old guy’s head spin. But for RJ SHAW, it only gets worse: he’s being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there’s one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn’t belong, it’s an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents.

RJ knows his stay at Sandover will be temporary. Which means there’s no point making friends or trying to fit in. But the plan to remain antisocial goes awry when he meets a gorgeous girl in the woods on campus. SLOANE TRESSCOTT is pure temptation, with a sharp tongue and an ice princess attitude RJ’s determined to crack. Except there’s a catch. Sloane is the one girl he is forbidden from touching.

The headmaster’s daughter.

Good thing RJ doesn’t believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she’s swearing off guys this year, but their connection is impossible to deny. He wants her bad, and he’s going to win her over if it kills him.

Unless her ex-boyfriend kills him first.

DUKE, the ruling king of Sandover, will stop at nothing to get rid of his competition. Luckily, RJ’s unwittingly made some friends—his new stepbrother FENN, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak; LAWSON, self-proclaimed agent of chaos; and SILAS, the All-American Good Guy who can’t actually be as nice as he seems.

If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane’s heart, he’ll need to adapt—and fast. 

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