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Sweet Nothing
Elliot Halloran is running away. Away from her privileged Manhattan upbringing and a promising future at business school. Away from her family, which plummeted from A-list to disgraced after her criminal father’s atrocities were exposed. Despite the guilt Elliot feels for abandoning her family, she has no choice. She is too recognizable to live life as the person she has always been. So when an old family friend offers her a position as an economics instructor at Miami’s elite Allford Academy, Elliot jumps at the chance to distance herself from her past. She cuts her hair, changes her name, and vows never to speak of her old life again.
Keeping her identity hidden is harder than Elliot expected, especially with a roommate who seems to be on the verge of uncovering her true identity. As she fumbles through the opening chapters of her new life, Elliot encounters an entirely unforeseen obstacle: photography instructor Luke Poulos. Luke is sensitive and spontaneous. An art lover. Smart. Everything Elliot has ever wanted. Luke and Elliot’s connection deepens when she learns that he lost his parents in a car accident when he was a teenager. Like Elliot, Luke understands that life can shatter in an instant.
Elliot knows that a relationship with Luke is impossible; that he would never love her if he knew the details of her past. But as she struggles with whether to open herself to love or keep her true self locked away, Elliot learns that she’s not the only one with dark secrets.
Keeping her identity hidden is harder than Elliot expected, especially with a roommate who seems to be on the verge of uncovering her true identity. As she fumbles through the opening chapters of her new life, Elliot encounters an entirely unforeseen obstacle: photography instructor Luke Poulos. Luke is sensitive and spontaneous. An art lover. Smart. Everything Elliot has ever wanted. Luke and Elliot’s connection deepens when she learns that he lost his parents in a car accident when he was a teenager. Like Elliot, Luke understands that life can shatter in an instant.
Elliot knows that a relationship with Luke is impossible; that he would never love her if he knew the details of her past. But as she struggles with whether to open herself to love or keep her true self locked away, Elliot learns that she’s not the only one with dark secrets.
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First published December 10, 2013
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December 9, 2013
For my 4 star review & more visit www.herjuicyreads.com
Excerpt:
.....Now let’s talk Luke Poulos. Yes, please. He was the perfect combination of sweet, and dominant. I enjoyed Elle’s internal battle with their relationship, which wasn’t much of a battle. I was relieved at Luke’s secrets, and the resolve in their conflicts was refreshing. Even the cliffhanger wasn’t a nightmare. There is no relationship cliffhanger per say, but the couple will have to overcome some huge hurdles in the second book of the series. This was 4colorful stars for me!.....
Excerpt:
.....Now let’s talk Luke Poulos. Yes, please. He was the perfect combination of sweet, and dominant. I enjoyed Elle’s internal battle with their relationship, which wasn’t much of a battle. I was relieved at Luke’s secrets, and the resolve in their conflicts was refreshing. Even the cliffhanger wasn’t a nightmare. There is no relationship cliffhanger per say, but the couple will have to overcome some huge hurdles in the second book of the series. This was 4colorful stars for me!.....
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November 14, 2013This sounds so good. Can't wait for it.
Blurb
Elliot Halloran is running away. Away from her privileged Manhattan upbringing and a promising future at business school. Away from her family, which plummeted from A-list to disgraced after her criminal father’s atrocities were exposed. Despite the guilt Elliot feels for abandoning her family, she has no choice. She is too recognizable to live life as the person she has always been. So when an old family friend offers her a position as an economics instructor at Miami’s elite Alford Academy, Elliot jumps at the chance to distance herself from her past. She cuts her hair, changes her name, and vows never to speak of her old life again.
Keeping her identity hidden is harder than Elliot expected, especially with a roommate who seems to be on the verge of uncovering her true identity. As she fumbles through the opening chapters of her new life, Elliot encounters an entirely unforeseen obstacle: photography instructor Luke Poulos. Luke is sensitive and spontaneous. An art lover. Smart. Everything Elliot has ever wanted. Luke and Elliot’s connection deepens when she learns that he lost his parents in a car accident when he was a teenager. Like Elliot, Luke understands that life can shatter in an instant.
Elliot knows that a relationship with Luke is impossible; that he would never love her if he knew the details of her past. But as she struggles with whether to open herself to love or keep her true self locked away, Elliot learns that she’s not the only one with secrets.
Blurb
Elliot Halloran is running away. Away from her privileged Manhattan upbringing and a promising future at business school. Away from her family, which plummeted from A-list to disgraced after her criminal father’s atrocities were exposed. Despite the guilt Elliot feels for abandoning her family, she has no choice. She is too recognizable to live life as the person she has always been. So when an old family friend offers her a position as an economics instructor at Miami’s elite Alford Academy, Elliot jumps at the chance to distance herself from her past. She cuts her hair, changes her name, and vows never to speak of her old life again.
Keeping her identity hidden is harder than Elliot expected, especially with a roommate who seems to be on the verge of uncovering her true identity. As she fumbles through the opening chapters of her new life, Elliot encounters an entirely unforeseen obstacle: photography instructor Luke Poulos. Luke is sensitive and spontaneous. An art lover. Smart. Everything Elliot has ever wanted. Luke and Elliot’s connection deepens when she learns that he lost his parents in a car accident when he was a teenager. Like Elliot, Luke understands that life can shatter in an instant.
Elliot knows that a relationship with Luke is impossible; that he would never love her if he knew the details of her past. But as she struggles with whether to open herself to love or keep her true self locked away, Elliot learns that she’s not the only one with secrets.
December 31, 2013
Sweet Nothing is a debut novel from Mia Henry and it is a really good one.
New job. New hair style. New name. New town. New life. New beginning. And him.
This is the story of Elliot Halloran, a girl who run away from her family and started a new life and Luke Poulos, a photography instructor, who she never thought would love her.
An absolute fantastic story you don´t want to miss.
I can´t wait for the second book to come out and see what will happen next.
≧◔◡◔≦ 5 ✰ read ≧◉◡◉≦
>>>ARC received in exchange for an honest review<<<
New job. New hair style. New name. New town. New life. New beginning. And him.
This is the story of Elliot Halloran, a girl who run away from her family and started a new life and Luke Poulos, a photography instructor, who she never thought would love her.
An absolute fantastic story you don´t want to miss.
I can´t wait for the second book to come out and see what will happen next.
≧◔◡◔≦ 5 ✰ read ≧◉◡◉≦
>>>ARC received in exchange for an honest review<<<
December 7, 2013
I really liked this one. A girl, running from a decision she made that broke her family, tries to rebuild her life as a teacher at an exclusive private school outside Miami. It's one of those books that's full angst and drama with characters that are beautifully flawed (and a few that are a bit over the top).
Elle Sloane is trying to rebuild her life after turning her father in and destroying her family. Forced to give up everything she knew and entrance into a prominent business school for her MBA, Elle takes a position as an Economics teacher at a high school. As Elle navigates her new world she drowns in the guilt she feels over breaking up her family and leaving her younger sister at home to deal with their somewhat abusive mother. At the same time, she meets her faculty mentor, Luke Poulus, who makes Elle feel safe, but she fights with herself about whether she should reveal her secrets.
Everything about the story is angsty. Elle beats herself up, daily, about what she did to her family. She misses her sister and struggles with what she feels about her father. You feel for Elle and want nothing more than for her to find a way to deal with all of this. She has a couple bright spots in her attempt to start over. Roommates and fellow teachers, Waverly and Gwen. They help Elle let loose and have some fun, but also are there to defend her when they think she's been wronged.
Then there is Luke. He may be her faculty mentor, but he is instantly intrigued with Elle and doesn't make it a secret that he's attracted to her. But he doesn't overwhelm her. They discuss things and he proves to Elle, that no matter what he always has her best interest in mind.
There is more to come from this series and I look forward to the continuation of Luke and Elle's story.
Elle Sloane is trying to rebuild her life after turning her father in and destroying her family. Forced to give up everything she knew and entrance into a prominent business school for her MBA, Elle takes a position as an Economics teacher at a high school. As Elle navigates her new world she drowns in the guilt she feels over breaking up her family and leaving her younger sister at home to deal with their somewhat abusive mother. At the same time, she meets her faculty mentor, Luke Poulus, who makes Elle feel safe, but she fights with herself about whether she should reveal her secrets.
Everything about the story is angsty. Elle beats herself up, daily, about what she did to her family. She misses her sister and struggles with what she feels about her father. You feel for Elle and want nothing more than for her to find a way to deal with all of this. She has a couple bright spots in her attempt to start over. Roommates and fellow teachers, Waverly and Gwen. They help Elle let loose and have some fun, but also are there to defend her when they think she's been wronged.
Then there is Luke. He may be her faculty mentor, but he is instantly intrigued with Elle and doesn't make it a secret that he's attracted to her. But he doesn't overwhelm her. They discuss things and he proves to Elle, that no matter what he always has her best interest in mind.
There is more to come from this series and I look forward to the continuation of Luke and Elle's story.
December 6, 2013
I had so much fun writing this book, and I hope you guys love it! Thank you so much for reading!
xoxo
Mia
xoxo
Mia
December 8, 2013
Thank you to InkSlinger PR and the author for allowing me to review an ARC of this novel.
Congrats to Mia Henry on writing a solid debut and a good start to the "Sweet Nothing" series. This book has relatable characters, a bit of mystery, a hot setting (literally - it's Miami!) and some real internal moral debates for our protagonist, Elliot.
I really liked how most chapters opened with an email to Elliot (or Elle, as we come to know her throughout most of the book) from her sister back in New York. This allows us a glimpse into the life that Elle has run away from. Elle's sister is struggling so much, dealing with an alcoholic mother, starting a new school year as a social pariah, and conflicted feelings over her father in prison. Even though Elle has her own struggles in the forefront of her life (starting a new job, living with new roommates, and trying not to fall in love with her coworker, Luke), she is also feeling tremendous guilt over leaving her sister to deal with all the problems back home by herself. Although these problems are all brought to light, I would have liked more information about the scandal or crime that Elle's father committed, and how exactly Elle betrayed him. There were snippets and flashbacks, but for the most part, I was pretty confused. Perhaps this is something the author will share more of in the rest of the series.
The characters, like I said earlier, are relatable. Elle is not perfect - she's quite often disheveled and frazzled, which makes me like her more than I might have. She's also smart and a bit adventurous, and she knows how to have a good time. Elle's roommates are a fun pair, and I actually had a laugh-out-loud moment at one part. But my favorite, of course, was Luke. He seems pretty great - thoughtful, caring, devoted, and talented. What more could you want in a man? Oh yeah, a handsome face and a great bod, which Luke also happens to have! One gripe I have is with the timeline - the whole book took place within a couple of weeks, which seems a really short amount of time for people to meet, fight, fall in love, reveal secrets, and become settled in a new city.
Congrats to Mia Henry on writing a solid debut and a good start to the "Sweet Nothing" series. This book has relatable characters, a bit of mystery, a hot setting (literally - it's Miami!) and some real internal moral debates for our protagonist, Elliot.
I really liked how most chapters opened with an email to Elliot (or Elle, as we come to know her throughout most of the book) from her sister back in New York. This allows us a glimpse into the life that Elle has run away from. Elle's sister is struggling so much, dealing with an alcoholic mother, starting a new school year as a social pariah, and conflicted feelings over her father in prison. Even though Elle has her own struggles in the forefront of her life (starting a new job, living with new roommates, and trying not to fall in love with her coworker, Luke), she is also feeling tremendous guilt over leaving her sister to deal with all the problems back home by herself. Although these problems are all brought to light, I would have liked more information about the scandal or crime that Elle's father committed, and how exactly Elle betrayed him. There were snippets and flashbacks, but for the most part, I was pretty confused. Perhaps this is something the author will share more of in the rest of the series.
The characters, like I said earlier, are relatable. Elle is not perfect - she's quite often disheveled and frazzled, which makes me like her more than I might have. She's also smart and a bit adventurous, and she knows how to have a good time. Elle's roommates are a fun pair, and I actually had a laugh-out-loud moment at one part. But my favorite, of course, was Luke. He seems pretty great - thoughtful, caring, devoted, and talented. What more could you want in a man? Oh yeah, a handsome face and a great bod, which Luke also happens to have! One gripe I have is with the timeline - the whole book took place within a couple of weeks, which seems a really short amount of time for people to meet, fight, fall in love, reveal secrets, and become settled in a new city.
December 20, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised by this debut novel by Mia Henry. The book is easy flowing and before you know it, you are at the end. I really loved the characters. Smart, sarcastic yet deeply troubled.
Elliott is escaping her family and its past. She is ready to start a life of her own away from the scandal that is her life. So reinventing herself as a ECON teacher at the prestigious and elite Allford Academy in Miami Florida. Far away from her life in Manhattan.
What she didn't plan on was meeting Luke Poulus. The heart-breakingly handsome Art Teacher and Facility Adviser, as her welcome wagon. There is something about Luke that Elle is drawn to. But he can't find out her secrets and lies.
I will say that this book does have a cliffhanger. Although not a heart stopping one, one none the less.
I can't wait to see what lies ahead for Elle and Luke in Book #2. 4 Good Start hearts for Mia.
Elliott is escaping her family and its past. She is ready to start a life of her own away from the scandal that is her life. So reinventing herself as a ECON teacher at the prestigious and elite Allford Academy in Miami Florida. Far away from her life in Manhattan.
What she didn't plan on was meeting Luke Poulus. The heart-breakingly handsome Art Teacher and Facility Adviser, as her welcome wagon. There is something about Luke that Elle is drawn to. But he can't find out her secrets and lies.
I will say that this book does have a cliffhanger. Although not a heart stopping one, one none the less.
I can't wait to see what lies ahead for Elle and Luke in Book #2. 4 Good Start hearts for Mia.
November 16, 2013
I am really excited about this book. I love the cover. It hints at good things to come.
December 29, 2013
3.5 Stars
You can read this and other reviews at Madison Says
Elliot Halloran has lived through an ordeal that no one should ever have to. She helped put her father behind bars – essentially breaking apart her family. Growing up in an upper class New York family should be the things dreams are made of. Lavish living quarters, tailored wardrobes; you name it, Elliot had it. It’s amazing how quickly your dream life can shatter. How hard it can be to make the right choice, especially when that choice can ruin the ones you love. Doing what’s right isn’t always easy and sometimes when the going gets tough, it’s just easier to run.
In Sweet Nothing, Elliot makes the tough choice to leave New York City and travel all the way down to Miami with the hopes of reinventing herself. She wants to leave Elliot Halloran behind. This is the moment that Elle Sloane is born.
I can trade my concrete jungle for white sandy beaches; can swap honking cabs for crashing waves. I can cut and dye my hair. Change my name. But the memories are the part of me that I will never be able to shed.
Family friends are pretty convenient. Thanks to one, Elle is handed a pretty good gig as an economics teacher at a prestigious Miami academy – Allford Academy. First off, I love that she took this job. It seems to be right up her alley. However, it is not that easy to teach. I know people say, “Those who can’t do, teach.”, but that’s just a load of shot. Teaching is NOT easy. Walking into a classroom full of kids and spouting off information when you’ve had no prior teaching experience is pretty impressive. Not to mention the certification she would be lacking. But I guess if you can just change your name and claim to graduate from a University you never attended; skipping over your credentials should be easy enough.
While at Allford, she acquires some pretty interesting roommates. Waverly is more of a girlie girl. Kind of annoying. Always slinging out some underhanded comment. She means well, but just seems to be a little bit of a mess. Gwen, on the other hand, is more down to earth. I envision her as a hipster. She has some history in New York and I could totally imagine her in The Village; maybe at a quaint little coffee shop, working on poetry or something. She seems so real, but just like Elle, she’s hiding something from her past.
Then there’s Luke…
Luke is the trifecta of male perfection. He plays guitar, (automatic brownie points) is into art/photography (deep thinker) and, well, the last part I can’t tell you because Luke is also hiding something.
As we leave the restaurant, I remind myself that one connected moment doesn’t change what I have to do here. I have to keep my guard up, have to carefully maintain the wall between me and the rest of the world. Because I know that the tiniest crack in my façade could cause everything to come tumbling down again.
When Elle first meets Luke, she assumes he’s hired to entertain the guests at a reception for Allford Academy teachers and faculty, through his music. He is incredibly talented. So much so that Elle has trouble looking away from him as he plays. It is later that she learns he works in the art department. As the two get to know one another, they fall down the slippery slope of love. Too bad they’re both holding back vital information about themselves. Alright, honestly, I can see why Luke doesn’t blurt out his secret. It made sense for him to wait and see where things went before dumping everything out on the table. Elle, however, just annoyed the crud out of me. Once she realized she could trust Luke, she should have told him. It’s like she’s constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop; for someone to disappoint her. Yes, her father let her down. He let the whole family down. I get it. I promise I do. That doesn’t mean that EVERYONE in your life is going to let you down. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith, and I just wish that Elle did that earlier in the story. The longer she waited to tell him, the more complicated the relationship became. You can’t hid yourself in a situation like that. That’s not how you build a relationship and because of her choices, she could have lost something real. It just irked me. There were so many opportunities for her to come clean. If I were Luke, I’d have been pissed. Especially after how she reacted when his secrets were finally spilled. I just wish she would have trusted him. She did the right thing. She needs to trust that people will see that.
“I don’t think you’re weak,” he whispers fiercely. “I think you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever wanted to know. Got it?”
“Got it,” I whisper back. And I let him hold my strong, broken self.
I did really enjoy the emails from her sister that we were privy to at the beginning of each chapter. They helped give a glimpse into what life in NYC must have been like for her and also kept us up to day on family happenings while Elle was “on the run”. It was easy to feel for Aria, Elle’s sister, and the issues she forced to face. It was obviously hard for Elle to sit back and watch her sister face some trying times without her, but at the same time it was necessary if she wanted to re-invent herself.
Mia Henry’s Debut novel doesn’t end with a HEA. It’s more of a HFN. We don’t get rainbows and butterflies. We get, ‘we’ll see what happens from here’ and declarations of dedication. Both very sweet, yet not overly fulfilling. I am interested to see what happens next. Especially with Aria. Oh, and of course where Luke and Elle’s relationship will take them. Luke’s life is in Miami, but right now, Elle needs to be in NYC. I’m sure there will be twists and turns I didn’t see coming.
You can read this and other reviews at Madison Says
Elliot Halloran has lived through an ordeal that no one should ever have to. She helped put her father behind bars – essentially breaking apart her family. Growing up in an upper class New York family should be the things dreams are made of. Lavish living quarters, tailored wardrobes; you name it, Elliot had it. It’s amazing how quickly your dream life can shatter. How hard it can be to make the right choice, especially when that choice can ruin the ones you love. Doing what’s right isn’t always easy and sometimes when the going gets tough, it’s just easier to run.
In Sweet Nothing, Elliot makes the tough choice to leave New York City and travel all the way down to Miami with the hopes of reinventing herself. She wants to leave Elliot Halloran behind. This is the moment that Elle Sloane is born.
I can trade my concrete jungle for white sandy beaches; can swap honking cabs for crashing waves. I can cut and dye my hair. Change my name. But the memories are the part of me that I will never be able to shed.
Family friends are pretty convenient. Thanks to one, Elle is handed a pretty good gig as an economics teacher at a prestigious Miami academy – Allford Academy. First off, I love that she took this job. It seems to be right up her alley. However, it is not that easy to teach. I know people say, “Those who can’t do, teach.”, but that’s just a load of shot. Teaching is NOT easy. Walking into a classroom full of kids and spouting off information when you’ve had no prior teaching experience is pretty impressive. Not to mention the certification she would be lacking. But I guess if you can just change your name and claim to graduate from a University you never attended; skipping over your credentials should be easy enough.
While at Allford, she acquires some pretty interesting roommates. Waverly is more of a girlie girl. Kind of annoying. Always slinging out some underhanded comment. She means well, but just seems to be a little bit of a mess. Gwen, on the other hand, is more down to earth. I envision her as a hipster. She has some history in New York and I could totally imagine her in The Village; maybe at a quaint little coffee shop, working on poetry or something. She seems so real, but just like Elle, she’s hiding something from her past.
Then there’s Luke…
Luke is the trifecta of male perfection. He plays guitar, (automatic brownie points) is into art/photography (deep thinker) and, well, the last part I can’t tell you because Luke is also hiding something.
As we leave the restaurant, I remind myself that one connected moment doesn’t change what I have to do here. I have to keep my guard up, have to carefully maintain the wall between me and the rest of the world. Because I know that the tiniest crack in my façade could cause everything to come tumbling down again.
When Elle first meets Luke, she assumes he’s hired to entertain the guests at a reception for Allford Academy teachers and faculty, through his music. He is incredibly talented. So much so that Elle has trouble looking away from him as he plays. It is later that she learns he works in the art department. As the two get to know one another, they fall down the slippery slope of love. Too bad they’re both holding back vital information about themselves. Alright, honestly, I can see why Luke doesn’t blurt out his secret. It made sense for him to wait and see where things went before dumping everything out on the table. Elle, however, just annoyed the crud out of me. Once she realized she could trust Luke, she should have told him. It’s like she’s constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop; for someone to disappoint her. Yes, her father let her down. He let the whole family down. I get it. I promise I do. That doesn’t mean that EVERYONE in your life is going to let you down. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith, and I just wish that Elle did that earlier in the story. The longer she waited to tell him, the more complicated the relationship became. You can’t hid yourself in a situation like that. That’s not how you build a relationship and because of her choices, she could have lost something real. It just irked me. There were so many opportunities for her to come clean. If I were Luke, I’d have been pissed. Especially after how she reacted when his secrets were finally spilled. I just wish she would have trusted him. She did the right thing. She needs to trust that people will see that.
“I don’t think you’re weak,” he whispers fiercely. “I think you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever wanted to know. Got it?”
“Got it,” I whisper back. And I let him hold my strong, broken self.
I did really enjoy the emails from her sister that we were privy to at the beginning of each chapter. They helped give a glimpse into what life in NYC must have been like for her and also kept us up to day on family happenings while Elle was “on the run”. It was easy to feel for Aria, Elle’s sister, and the issues she forced to face. It was obviously hard for Elle to sit back and watch her sister face some trying times without her, but at the same time it was necessary if she wanted to re-invent herself.
Mia Henry’s Debut novel doesn’t end with a HEA. It’s more of a HFN. We don’t get rainbows and butterflies. We get, ‘we’ll see what happens from here’ and declarations of dedication. Both very sweet, yet not overly fulfilling. I am interested to see what happens next. Especially with Aria. Oh, and of course where Luke and Elle’s relationship will take them. Luke’s life is in Miami, but right now, Elle needs to be in NYC. I’m sure there will be twists and turns I didn’t see coming.
December 23, 2013
Sweet Nothing by Mia Henry was such a sweet, sweet surprise. I found myself totally engrossed in Elliot’s story as she starts her new life in Miami and tries to forget all the trouble and hurt from her past in New York.
When we first meet Elliot, there is obviously something troubling that has happened in her past. At first it was what really grabbed my attention in this book because it was like this big mystery I was constantly trying to figure out. Little snippets would sneak out and I felt like I got a little closer to finding out what pushed her away from her life in New York but it was never quite enough to get the full story. While this is what initially stole my attention, it got a bit old after a while. The other characters we were introduced to and certain things going on with Elliot and the oh-so-swoon-worthy Mr. Luke Poulos, soon stole the limelight and I just wanted to know Elliot’s full story without all of the waiting and guessing. Despite this supersmall irritation, I fell in love with Elliot and just about every character in this book!
Elliot is obviously hurt and struggling when we are first introduced to her. Life is not going her way and hasn’t been for a long, long time but she is trying to make it better for herself. After basically dropping her old life at the New York borderline and picking up a new one before she reached Miami, Elliot is virtually unrecognizable. I found her move to be so very brave. She left her sister who happens to be her best friend, she left her safe and comfortable (for the most part) lifestyle and she moved to a place where she didn’t know anyone, had to get a new job, and was faced with some real-life struggles. I loved how she was this sweet, determined person but she was also this closed-off, scared person. She wasn’t totally perfect and she wasn’t totally broken, just somewhere in between and it was so refreshing. I loved that I got to see her at her worse and I also got to see her as she made it to her best.
Elliot’s plan is to just coast through her new life in Miami. Don’t get too attached, just make a living, get her act together and move on. She can’t afford for anyone to recognize her let alone find out about just what she left behind in New York. But as the case often goes in stories like this, her plans soon change. Elliot meets the gorgeous Luke at a work party and there is definitely an attraction there. Despite the physical attraction, these two connect on a deeper, very believable level. Luke lost a lot at a young age and Elliot lost a lot just recently. This commonality allows Elliot to connect with him despite her best efforts. She finds that it’s hard to stay away from someone so understanding (and also really hot because let’s face it, that doesn’t hurt!).
I LOVED Luke as a character. He was so sweet and attentive and also just there for Elliot whenever she needed him. There were many times during this book that Elliot would catch herself getting too caught up in Luke and would try to push herself away or build a wall between them but Luke knocked them all down. Someone please tell me how you don’t swoon over something like that? Perhaps what I loved even more about Luke was his honesty and humor. He was so believable as a character and these traits made him all the more believable.
While Elliot and Luke are obviously the two characters I became the most in love with, Elliot’s roommates were also quite awesome. Waverly and Gwen were hilarious roommates. At first I was kind of leery of both of them but as the story went on, I learned to love and appreciate each of them as they were; sort of flawed, a little bit mysterious, not entirely trustworthy but when it came down to it, they were exceptional new friends to Elliot.
This story ended really odd for me. The story was going good, then it was going great, and I was loving the twists and turns, the ups and downs, but then at the end it just stopped. It definitely leaves room for a sequel of some sort but I feel like it could have been rounded out just a bit more at the end of this one. A fan of cliff-hangers, Kate is not. Despite this minor setback at the end, I LOVED everything about this story. There were moments where I giggled and moments that made my heart hurt. There were characters I loved and characters that added a little something special to this story. But above all there was a great love story mixed in with a great real-life story in which Elliot comes to terms with her past and learns to embrace her future. I definitely, definitely recommend this book!
When we first meet Elliot, there is obviously something troubling that has happened in her past. At first it was what really grabbed my attention in this book because it was like this big mystery I was constantly trying to figure out. Little snippets would sneak out and I felt like I got a little closer to finding out what pushed her away from her life in New York but it was never quite enough to get the full story. While this is what initially stole my attention, it got a bit old after a while. The other characters we were introduced to and certain things going on with Elliot and the oh-so-swoon-worthy Mr. Luke Poulos, soon stole the limelight and I just wanted to know Elliot’s full story without all of the waiting and guessing. Despite this supersmall irritation, I fell in love with Elliot and just about every character in this book!
Elliot is obviously hurt and struggling when we are first introduced to her. Life is not going her way and hasn’t been for a long, long time but she is trying to make it better for herself. After basically dropping her old life at the New York borderline and picking up a new one before she reached Miami, Elliot is virtually unrecognizable. I found her move to be so very brave. She left her sister who happens to be her best friend, she left her safe and comfortable (for the most part) lifestyle and she moved to a place where she didn’t know anyone, had to get a new job, and was faced with some real-life struggles. I loved how she was this sweet, determined person but she was also this closed-off, scared person. She wasn’t totally perfect and she wasn’t totally broken, just somewhere in between and it was so refreshing. I loved that I got to see her at her worse and I also got to see her as she made it to her best.
Elliot’s plan is to just coast through her new life in Miami. Don’t get too attached, just make a living, get her act together and move on. She can’t afford for anyone to recognize her let alone find out about just what she left behind in New York. But as the case often goes in stories like this, her plans soon change. Elliot meets the gorgeous Luke at a work party and there is definitely an attraction there. Despite the physical attraction, these two connect on a deeper, very believable level. Luke lost a lot at a young age and Elliot lost a lot just recently. This commonality allows Elliot to connect with him despite her best efforts. She finds that it’s hard to stay away from someone so understanding (and also really hot because let’s face it, that doesn’t hurt!).
I LOVED Luke as a character. He was so sweet and attentive and also just there for Elliot whenever she needed him. There were many times during this book that Elliot would catch herself getting too caught up in Luke and would try to push herself away or build a wall between them but Luke knocked them all down. Someone please tell me how you don’t swoon over something like that? Perhaps what I loved even more about Luke was his honesty and humor. He was so believable as a character and these traits made him all the more believable.
While Elliot and Luke are obviously the two characters I became the most in love with, Elliot’s roommates were also quite awesome. Waverly and Gwen were hilarious roommates. At first I was kind of leery of both of them but as the story went on, I learned to love and appreciate each of them as they were; sort of flawed, a little bit mysterious, not entirely trustworthy but when it came down to it, they were exceptional new friends to Elliot.
This story ended really odd for me. The story was going good, then it was going great, and I was loving the twists and turns, the ups and downs, but then at the end it just stopped. It definitely leaves room for a sequel of some sort but I feel like it could have been rounded out just a bit more at the end of this one. A fan of cliff-hangers, Kate is not. Despite this minor setback at the end, I LOVED everything about this story. There were moments where I giggled and moments that made my heart hurt. There were characters I loved and characters that added a little something special to this story. But above all there was a great love story mixed in with a great real-life story in which Elliot comes to terms with her past and learns to embrace her future. I definitely, definitely recommend this book!
December 10, 2013
When InkSlingerPR first posted this review opportunity and I read the blurb, I was instantly curious. I really like the whole secret identity, running away from your past to make a new future storyline. However, if it's one thing Elliot (Elle) learns, it's that you can't outrun your past. It always seems to creep up on you, whether you want it to or not.
I felt bad for Elle's character. She made decisions that really affected her family and now she must live with the consequences. Instead of staying in NYC to help them pick up the pieces, she flees to Miami to start over. In starting over, Elle just wants to do her new job and keep under the radar. She has to be careful, as her family's story is a very public one. She knows that if word got out, she would lose her fragile hold on this new life. Elle's new job happens to be teaching economics at a privileged private school and one of my favorite parts was watching her interact on campus. As a teacher myself, I can't imagine going to a cocktail party to welcome to faculty back to school. That is where Elle sees just how elite this school is. She finds teaching to be a challenge- whether it be getting to class on time wearing the right clothes or dealing with spoiled rich kids.
She lives on campus with two fellow teachers, Gwen and Waverly. Gwen is the more logical of the two as well as the more practical. I liked her a lot more than the outgoing, feisty Waverly. She seemed like a better match for a friend than Waverly did. Waverly was ok, but she seemed quite superficial and definitely a wild child. Both were there for her when she was hurting and really ended up being good friends who cared about her.
My favorite character however would have to be Luke. Elle first meets him at the party and she thinks he is just the guitar playing musician. However, after running into him at school, it turns out he is actually a teacher as well. The last thing Elle should be thinking about while here is a relationship and she knows it. Yet, Luke is kind, sweet, and fun- AND he happens to be her faculty mentor. The two are attracted to one another, yet Elle has no intention of letting the cat out of the bag about her past and it seems Luke as a secret of his own.
Elle knows having any kind of relationship with him would be wrong, especially since it would be built on nothing but lies, but Elle starts to believe in her new identity and her new life. Why shouldn't she be able to start over and have this new Elle be the real one?
I really liked how the chapters opened with an email from Elle's younger sister, Aria, who has been left in NYC. I think Henry did a good job of showing you how Elle's absence really affected her family and how her sister puts on a brave face, but really feels anything but. I felt these emails played a pivotal role in the novel, showing us readers that while Elle may be in Miami assuming a new life, her past is constantly at the forefront of everything.
I found Sweet Nothing to be a cute read. I felt it was a bit lacking in depth and while the characters were likeable, they didn't really stand out or strike me in the way I would have wanted them to. I also felt Luke and Elle's relationship progressed faster than I would have liked, especially since the two have withheld quite a bit from one another. I do think Elle handled Luke's secret quite well after the initial drama of finding out the way she did. After Luke's secret was revealed, we really saw the internal battle Elle faced at opening up to him and coming clean about her own. Relationships wont last if they are built on lies and I think Elle must subconsciously know that the past will always come back to haunt you.
While Henry doesn't leave us with a cliffhanger, she does end the book with the intent of continuing Elle's story. I think Elle has a lot that she will need to face head on and she realizes that it's about more than just her and that she can't run from her problems anymore.
*Received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
I felt bad for Elle's character. She made decisions that really affected her family and now she must live with the consequences. Instead of staying in NYC to help them pick up the pieces, she flees to Miami to start over. In starting over, Elle just wants to do her new job and keep under the radar. She has to be careful, as her family's story is a very public one. She knows that if word got out, she would lose her fragile hold on this new life. Elle's new job happens to be teaching economics at a privileged private school and one of my favorite parts was watching her interact on campus. As a teacher myself, I can't imagine going to a cocktail party to welcome to faculty back to school. That is where Elle sees just how elite this school is. She finds teaching to be a challenge- whether it be getting to class on time wearing the right clothes or dealing with spoiled rich kids.
She lives on campus with two fellow teachers, Gwen and Waverly. Gwen is the more logical of the two as well as the more practical. I liked her a lot more than the outgoing, feisty Waverly. She seemed like a better match for a friend than Waverly did. Waverly was ok, but she seemed quite superficial and definitely a wild child. Both were there for her when she was hurting and really ended up being good friends who cared about her.
My favorite character however would have to be Luke. Elle first meets him at the party and she thinks he is just the guitar playing musician. However, after running into him at school, it turns out he is actually a teacher as well. The last thing Elle should be thinking about while here is a relationship and she knows it. Yet, Luke is kind, sweet, and fun- AND he happens to be her faculty mentor. The two are attracted to one another, yet Elle has no intention of letting the cat out of the bag about her past and it seems Luke as a secret of his own.
Elle knows having any kind of relationship with him would be wrong, especially since it would be built on nothing but lies, but Elle starts to believe in her new identity and her new life. Why shouldn't she be able to start over and have this new Elle be the real one?
I really liked how the chapters opened with an email from Elle's younger sister, Aria, who has been left in NYC. I think Henry did a good job of showing you how Elle's absence really affected her family and how her sister puts on a brave face, but really feels anything but. I felt these emails played a pivotal role in the novel, showing us readers that while Elle may be in Miami assuming a new life, her past is constantly at the forefront of everything.
I found Sweet Nothing to be a cute read. I felt it was a bit lacking in depth and while the characters were likeable, they didn't really stand out or strike me in the way I would have wanted them to. I also felt Luke and Elle's relationship progressed faster than I would have liked, especially since the two have withheld quite a bit from one another. I do think Elle handled Luke's secret quite well after the initial drama of finding out the way she did. After Luke's secret was revealed, we really saw the internal battle Elle faced at opening up to him and coming clean about her own. Relationships wont last if they are built on lies and I think Elle must subconsciously know that the past will always come back to haunt you.
While Henry doesn't leave us with a cliffhanger, she does end the book with the intent of continuing Elle's story. I think Elle has a lot that she will need to face head on and she realizes that it's about more than just her and that she can't run from her problems anymore.
*Received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
January 4, 2014
great debut novel, can't wait to see what Ms. Henry does next. Full review soon!
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars! What a great debut novel!
Plot, Pacing, and Style: Both Elle and Luke have secrets, big secrets. When Elle moves from New York to Miami to start her life over she never planned to fall in love, but sometimes love just happens. However, hiding the truth that can threaten any relationship, which is exactly what happened in Sweet Nothing. As the story progressed both Luke and Elle learned how to open up and trust each other, and I loved watching them fall in love and grow as a couple. The story was so easy to read and flowed so well…I read it in one day. :) The POV was first person only from Elle, so we never got a chance to be in Luke’s head.
Main Characters: Elle is a stunning, smart woman who needs to start over. Luke is a gorgeous, artsy teacher who was just going through the motions. The two of them together really were such a great fit and seemed meant to be. They never played any games, just withheld information from each other, and even when they did that they still seemed to truly complement each other so well.
I should probably also mention some secondary characters here. I loved, loved, loved Gwen and Waverly. They were funny and not annoying. I would love to hang out with them! One that is more mysterious is Aria, Elle’s sister. I don’t have an opinion on her either way…yet and hope I get to see her in the second installment.
Romance/Chemistry: Both Elle and Luke barely knew each other, but they got a such a sense of peace when they were together that they hadn’t found anywhere else. I was a little worried when they both dove in head first, but if you never take any chances you will never know what could happen. Their physical attraction was immediate, and I could feel the lust rippling off the pages. I love that they took it slow, and it really did make everything more meaningful.
Title/Cover: I’m not totally sure I get the title, but I do love the cover.
Twists, Turns, and Secrets: There were never any massive OMG! moments, but waiting for the secrets to be revealed was excitement enough.
Ending: While the story is not over, it was a fabulous place to end the first installment. I feel like certain relationships have been established, and I look forward to seeing where the truth takes Luke and Elle.
Gripes/suggestions: There was nothing massively glaring, but I just wanted a little bit more of everything. I felt like this novel just started to scratch the surface and I would have loved to seen all emotions and relationships go deeper. I’m also not sure why Ashley didn’t make another appearance (not that I wanted her to, but it seemed like she should have).
Final Thoughts/Rec it? YES! Sweet Nothing is a quick, easy, and really sweet read. If you love New Adult novels you should definitely add this one to your list.
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book,
but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars! What a great debut novel!
Plot, Pacing, and Style: Both Elle and Luke have secrets, big secrets. When Elle moves from New York to Miami to start her life over she never planned to fall in love, but sometimes love just happens. However, hiding the truth that can threaten any relationship, which is exactly what happened in Sweet Nothing. As the story progressed both Luke and Elle learned how to open up and trust each other, and I loved watching them fall in love and grow as a couple. The story was so easy to read and flowed so well…I read it in one day. :) The POV was first person only from Elle, so we never got a chance to be in Luke’s head.
Main Characters: Elle is a stunning, smart woman who needs to start over. Luke is a gorgeous, artsy teacher who was just going through the motions. The two of them together really were such a great fit and seemed meant to be. They never played any games, just withheld information from each other, and even when they did that they still seemed to truly complement each other so well.
I should probably also mention some secondary characters here. I loved, loved, loved Gwen and Waverly. They were funny and not annoying. I would love to hang out with them! One that is more mysterious is Aria, Elle’s sister. I don’t have an opinion on her either way…yet and hope I get to see her in the second installment.
Romance/Chemistry: Both Elle and Luke barely knew each other, but they got a such a sense of peace when they were together that they hadn’t found anywhere else. I was a little worried when they both dove in head first, but if you never take any chances you will never know what could happen. Their physical attraction was immediate, and I could feel the lust rippling off the pages. I love that they took it slow, and it really did make everything more meaningful.
Title/Cover: I’m not totally sure I get the title, but I do love the cover.
Twists, Turns, and Secrets: There were never any massive OMG! moments, but waiting for the secrets to be revealed was excitement enough.
Ending: While the story is not over, it was a fabulous place to end the first installment. I feel like certain relationships have been established, and I look forward to seeing where the truth takes Luke and Elle.
Gripes/suggestions: There was nothing massively glaring, but I just wanted a little bit more of everything. I felt like this novel just started to scratch the surface and I would have loved to seen all emotions and relationships go deeper. I’m also not sure why Ashley didn’t make another appearance (not that I wanted her to, but it seemed like she should have).
Final Thoughts/Rec it? YES! Sweet Nothing is a quick, easy, and really sweet read. If you love New Adult novels you should definitely add this one to your list.
December 28, 2013
I’m not going to lie, this book drove me absolutely crazy. Not in a bad way crazy, but curious crazy. I wanted to get to the bottom of Elle’s situation and figure out what had her running away from her family. I got that it was bad and I knew it was about her dad. But I never really got a feel for why her mom was so angry with her. Maybe for disturbing their happy home and not being dishonest in a court of law… I don’t know, but if anything I would be happy to know that my child was a good person and an honest person. But the self doubt that Elle has in her past has led her to meet Lucas, the amazingly hot art teacher.
When Elle abandoned her life in New York, she just wanted to get away. She didn’t want to be where everyone knew her, where she was easily identified. She wanted a fresh start to live her life outside of the prying eyes of the media and her social circle. She wanted to start again, to forget her past. She has the chance to make her life her own. To remove the public image of herself and learn to live again. Of course, when she meets the art teacher and her new mentor at the school she is going to be working at, suddenly that wall she swore she wouldn’t let down, crumbles and falls all around her.
But nothing of course is pefect, she is not being honest with the one person she knows she can trust. She just can’t find the way to tell him and keep him in her life. Instead she gets all over him for keeping his own secret. The problem is, his secret is just so fricken adorable.
These two are instant and fall quickly but will her past be the end of everything they can be together or will the future be enough to see them through?
I will say I kept reading and reading this book, wanting to know more and more just to answer the constant questions. But the truth is, I was waiting for Lucas’s reaction to Elle’s big secret. In all honesty, the reveal of the secret was better than the reaction. It was jaw dropping and I wanted to curl up and hide in the corner for Elle. It takes a strong person to move beyond her past, but she can’t fix it either.
Lucas was just a beautiful character with a heart of gold. He had true passion in his life for his job, his family and Elle. If an guy every did any of the things this guy did for Elle, a girl would certainally be swooning hard. He was just amazing and comforting.
I really liked this book, more so, I really liked Lucas’s character. He had seen such tragedy and he learned to grow up a lot faster than most, but he also held so much compassion and love. He truly stole my heart. The part of this book I was actually diappointed in was the end. I didn’t want it to be over. I wanted more of these characters. I wanted to know what the future was going to hold for them. I wanted to know about Elle’s sister and what happened with her mom. But it was a great read and I really enjoyed the characters. Though I thought the book ended too soon and there was a lot more of the story to be told, I was happy that it ended the way it did. It shows a lot of promise for future books and I cannot wait for them!
*I recieved a complimentary copy of Sweet Nothing in exchange for an honest review*
When Elle abandoned her life in New York, she just wanted to get away. She didn’t want to be where everyone knew her, where she was easily identified. She wanted a fresh start to live her life outside of the prying eyes of the media and her social circle. She wanted to start again, to forget her past. She has the chance to make her life her own. To remove the public image of herself and learn to live again. Of course, when she meets the art teacher and her new mentor at the school she is going to be working at, suddenly that wall she swore she wouldn’t let down, crumbles and falls all around her.
But nothing of course is pefect, she is not being honest with the one person she knows she can trust. She just can’t find the way to tell him and keep him in her life. Instead she gets all over him for keeping his own secret. The problem is, his secret is just so fricken adorable.
These two are instant and fall quickly but will her past be the end of everything they can be together or will the future be enough to see them through?
I will say I kept reading and reading this book, wanting to know more and more just to answer the constant questions. But the truth is, I was waiting for Lucas’s reaction to Elle’s big secret. In all honesty, the reveal of the secret was better than the reaction. It was jaw dropping and I wanted to curl up and hide in the corner for Elle. It takes a strong person to move beyond her past, but she can’t fix it either.
Lucas was just a beautiful character with a heart of gold. He had true passion in his life for his job, his family and Elle. If an guy every did any of the things this guy did for Elle, a girl would certainally be swooning hard. He was just amazing and comforting.
I really liked this book, more so, I really liked Lucas’s character. He had seen such tragedy and he learned to grow up a lot faster than most, but he also held so much compassion and love. He truly stole my heart. The part of this book I was actually diappointed in was the end. I didn’t want it to be over. I wanted more of these characters. I wanted to know what the future was going to hold for them. I wanted to know about Elle’s sister and what happened with her mom. But it was a great read and I really enjoyed the characters. Though I thought the book ended too soon and there was a lot more of the story to be told, I was happy that it ended the way it did. It shows a lot of promise for future books and I cannot wait for them!
*I recieved a complimentary copy of Sweet Nothing in exchange for an honest review*
January 4, 2014
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book, but that did not influence the review**
First Thoughts: 4 stars! What a great debut novel!
Plot, Pacing, and Style: Both Elle and Luke have secrets, big secrets. When Elle moves from New York to Miami to start her life over she never planned to fall in love, but sometimes love just happens. However, hiding the truth that can threaten any relationship, which is exactly what happened in Sweet Nothing. As the story progressed both Luke and Elle learned how to open up and trust each other, and I loved watching them fall in love and grow as a couple. The story was so easy to read and flowed so well…I read it in one day. :) The POV was first person only from Elle, so we never got a chance to be in Luke’s head.
Main Characters: Elle is a stunning, smart woman who needs to start over. Luke is a gorgeous, artsy teacher who was just going through the motions. The two of them together really were such a great fit and seemed meant to be. They never played any games, just withheld information from each other, and even when they did that they still seemed to truly complement each other so well.
I should probably also mention some secondary characters here. I loved, loved, loved Gwen and Waverly. They were funny and not annoying. I would love to hang out with them! One that is more mysterious is Aria, Elle’s sister. I don’t have an opinion on her either way…yet and hope I get to see her in the second installment.
Romance/Chemistry: Both Elle and Luke barely knew each other, but they got a such a sense of peace when they were together that they hadn’t found anywhere else. I was a little worried when they both dove in head first, but if you never take any chances you will never know what could happen. Their physical attraction was immediate, and I could feel the lust rippling off the pages. I love that they took it slow, and it really did make everything more meaningful.
Title/Cover: I’m not totally sure I get the title, but I do love the cover.
Twists, Turns, and Secrets: There were never any massive OMG! moments, but waiting for the secrets to be revealed was excitement enough.
Ending: While the story is not over, it was a fabulous place to end the first installment. I feel like certain relationships have been established, and I look forward to seeing where the truth takes Luke and Elle.
Gripes/suggestions: There was nothing massively glaring, but I just wanted a little bit more of everything. I felt like this novel just started to scratch the surface and I would have loved to seen all emotions and relationships go deeper. I’m also not sure why Ashley didn’t make another appearance (not that I wanted her to, but it seemed like she should have).
Final Thoughts/Rec it? YES! Sweet Nothing is a quick, easy, and really sweet read. If you love New Adult novels you should definitely add this one to your list.
December 6, 2013
My thoughts…
Source: Blog Tour
Format: eARC
Ratings: 1 Stars
Reviewer: Chyna
It's been a while since I've written a review for the past week, I've been busy with the tours I've been hosting plus my own personal life and may I remind you that it's Christmas already. I thought it would be a good chance to read a cute contemporary, but sadly there's always a twist when it comes to hoping. Sweet Nothing was a definite hate-trashy-story. I really did not like the way the author began and ended her story. All I could understand was she fell in love he fell in love they kiss they fought they made up they had sex blah blah blah. Did you understand the last sentence? Of course not, that's me making a point. The story was empty! It's like a cocoon without the caterpillar, and even if there was I'm sure the worm already died because of the gray story. I mean seriously! This was actually a very easy plot, but somehow it didn't workout. Maybe I'm too strict because as you all know I keep repeating in my contemporary reviews that I am very STRICT when it comes to contemporaries and chicklits.
Who the hell can mess up a storyline like this? I really don't want to spoil...it's rather difficult to write such a striking negative review without any spoil-spoil. Yay! Just made a new phrase. There will be no spoil-spoil in this review, I don't want you to NOT pick up this book because there are some good points to Sweet Nothing, it's sweet, yes, but it meant nothing to me, but that doesn't mean it will do the same to you. I wouldn't trust my opinion when it comes to contemps since I'm such a devil with easy stories. I'm more of the complicated and twisty type. And I'm also a fool when it comes to gorgeous covers, but when I signed up for the cover reveal for Sweet Nothing, Oh stars...I knew I was going to hate it and to add another hater there...I also joined the tour. It really wasn't going well for me...
The reason why I signed up for this was because of the alluring plot, but once I got to the top there were clouds covering the view like fluffy thoughts that carried me to another place. This book lacked solidity and confidence, the book seemed to be pushing back a few steps that it didn't show much of what I craved for. It kept the reader unsatisfied and disappointed...I really expected a bigger impact to Sweet Nothing, but sadly I did not. If you want to know more about this book then you should follow the tour hosted by InkSlinger PR.
Source: Blog Tour
Format: eARC
Ratings: 1 Stars
Reviewer: Chyna
It's been a while since I've written a review for the past week, I've been busy with the tours I've been hosting plus my own personal life and may I remind you that it's Christmas already. I thought it would be a good chance to read a cute contemporary, but sadly there's always a twist when it comes to hoping. Sweet Nothing was a definite hate-trashy-story. I really did not like the way the author began and ended her story. All I could understand was she fell in love he fell in love they kiss they fought they made up they had sex blah blah blah. Did you understand the last sentence? Of course not, that's me making a point. The story was empty! It's like a cocoon without the caterpillar, and even if there was I'm sure the worm already died because of the gray story. I mean seriously! This was actually a very easy plot, but somehow it didn't workout. Maybe I'm too strict because as you all know I keep repeating in my contemporary reviews that I am very STRICT when it comes to contemporaries and chicklits.
Who the hell can mess up a storyline like this? I really don't want to spoil...it's rather difficult to write such a striking negative review without any spoil-spoil. Yay! Just made a new phrase. There will be no spoil-spoil in this review, I don't want you to NOT pick up this book because there are some good points to Sweet Nothing, it's sweet, yes, but it meant nothing to me, but that doesn't mean it will do the same to you. I wouldn't trust my opinion when it comes to contemps since I'm such a devil with easy stories. I'm more of the complicated and twisty type. And I'm also a fool when it comes to gorgeous covers, but when I signed up for the cover reveal for Sweet Nothing, Oh stars...I knew I was going to hate it and to add another hater there...I also joined the tour. It really wasn't going well for me...
The reason why I signed up for this was because of the alluring plot, but once I got to the top there were clouds covering the view like fluffy thoughts that carried me to another place. This book lacked solidity and confidence, the book seemed to be pushing back a few steps that it didn't show much of what I craved for. It kept the reader unsatisfied and disappointed...I really expected a bigger impact to Sweet Nothing, but sadly I did not. If you want to know more about this book then you should follow the tour hosted by InkSlinger PR.
December 21, 2013
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie Halloran was living the privileged good life until a criminal act by her father caused her to run and completely change everything about her life- even her appearance.. Ellie runs to Miami where she meets Luke Poulos, an energetic, full of life, impulsive teaching instructor. This pair is the complete opposite of each other but there is an undeniable spark between them. A spark that Ellie fights with everything in her because she believes that once Luke knows the details of her past, that he will never want her. But Luke knows pain and how badly it hurts when you lose everything you hold dear.
I found sweet nothing to be a very emotional, dramatic read that pulled me in.from the minute I started reading. I really enjoyed the storyline. Ellie was sweet, smart and savvy. She had the fortitude to do what she had to do in order to survive. My heart broke for Ellie. The past just didn’t want to let her go. Luke was easy to fall in love with. He was sensitive, fun and sexy. I love Luke and Ellie as a couple. They were a sexy and intelligent duo who tried to deal with their problems in a mature matter. The author gave us some great secondary characters in this book including Henry and Aria.
I always love a gutsy, twist your stomach in knots read and this story did that for me. I really appreciated the fact that the author did gloss over Ellie’s feelings of guilt for leaving her family, This gave the story another layer of depth and richness. And when Luke found out about Ellie’s past, my heart broke. Sweet Nothing had the perfect combination of angst, romance, drama and sexiness. This book flowed very smoothly and was a very enjoyable read for me. Sweet Nothing is one of those subtle books that ends up totally surprising you and leave you wanting more.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Ellie Halloran was living the privileged good life until a criminal act by her father caused her to run and completely change everything about her life- even her appearance.. Ellie runs to Miami where she meets Luke Poulos, an energetic, full of life, impulsive teaching instructor. This pair is the complete opposite of each other but there is an undeniable spark between them. A spark that Ellie fights with everything in her because she believes that once Luke knows the details of her past, that he will never want her. But Luke knows pain and how badly it hurts when you lose everything you hold dear.
I found sweet nothing to be a very emotional, dramatic read that pulled me in.from the minute I started reading. I really enjoyed the storyline. Ellie was sweet, smart and savvy. She had the fortitude to do what she had to do in order to survive. My heart broke for Ellie. The past just didn’t want to let her go. Luke was easy to fall in love with. He was sensitive, fun and sexy. I love Luke and Ellie as a couple. They were a sexy and intelligent duo who tried to deal with their problems in a mature matter. The author gave us some great secondary characters in this book including Henry and Aria.
I always love a gutsy, twist your stomach in knots read and this story did that for me. I really appreciated the fact that the author did gloss over Ellie’s feelings of guilt for leaving her family, This gave the story another layer of depth and richness. And when Luke found out about Ellie’s past, my heart broke. Sweet Nothing had the perfect combination of angst, romance, drama and sexiness. This book flowed very smoothly and was a very enjoyable read for me. Sweet Nothing is one of those subtle books that ends up totally surprising you and leave you wanting more.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
December 29, 2013
2.5-3 stars.
Ok, I gotta start by saying that this is the first book of a series, I had no idea of this when I started reading. The ending is not a cliffy, but it is open, and it leaves a lot of unanswered questions that hopefully will be answered in the next book.
In general, I felt no connection between the characters. Yeah, they got along and all, but the entire story takes place in less than a month (maybe even two weeks?), so being super in love by then, just doesn’t do it for me. Especially when that entire time, Elle was holding back everything about her. I just don’t get how you can fall deeply in love, when all that time you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re not worthy of the guy, that he won’t like you and that he must never know the truth.
It just doesn’t add up for me. Yeah, love makes no sense sometimes, and that’s pretty much the only reason I’m believing their connection.
Luke was not a bad guy, by any mean, but again, I just didn’t ‘feel’ it with him.
Then we have Elle’s relationship with her sister. We knew she loved her, of course, but we didn’t get to see a real connection with her. Her sister wrote her an email every day (we were often shown that one at the beginning of each chapter), and called her a few times, but Elle ignored all of those. There was a mention that they actually wrote several emails to each other, but we never get to see those interactions (not that I would’ve liked to see all those emails), so we never really ‘see’ a sisterly connection. Elle just ignored her, by email and phone calls.
I don’t know, I felt this had a lot of potential, but it just didn’t do it for me. I might read the next book, just to see how this thing ends.
Ok, I gotta start by saying that this is the first book of a series, I had no idea of this when I started reading. The ending is not a cliffy, but it is open, and it leaves a lot of unanswered questions that hopefully will be answered in the next book.
In general, I felt no connection between the characters. Yeah, they got along and all, but the entire story takes place in less than a month (maybe even two weeks?), so being super in love by then, just doesn’t do it for me. Especially when that entire time, Elle was holding back everything about her. I just don’t get how you can fall deeply in love, when all that time you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re not worthy of the guy, that he won’t like you and that he must never know the truth.
It just doesn’t add up for me. Yeah, love makes no sense sometimes, and that’s pretty much the only reason I’m believing their connection.
Luke was not a bad guy, by any mean, but again, I just didn’t ‘feel’ it with him.
Then we have Elle’s relationship with her sister. We knew she loved her, of course, but we didn’t get to see a real connection with her. Her sister wrote her an email every day (we were often shown that one at the beginning of each chapter), and called her a few times, but Elle ignored all of those. There was a mention that they actually wrote several emails to each other, but we never get to see those interactions (not that I would’ve liked to see all those emails), so we never really ‘see’ a sisterly connection. Elle just ignored her, by email and phone calls.
I don’t know, I felt this had a lot of potential, but it just didn’t do it for me. I might read the next book, just to see how this thing ends.
December 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the follow up.
The characters were all really great. Elle was sweet, and even though she'd grown up in a wealthy Manhattan family, she seemed really down to earth; very real, warm and friendly. I particularly loved Gwen. She was fun and funky, and such an amazing friend to both Elle and Waverly. Waverly was great too, but I got the feeling she wasn't always genuine.
I loved the way in which Henry made Aria, Elle's baby sister, a part of the story. Her presense was felt at the beginning of each chapter with her emails to Elle and my heart went out to the poor girl. She was trapped in all the drama and she kept asking for a way out. I only wish things had turned out better for her, but I have hopes that I'll get to see more of her in the next book, and that she'll be just fine.
One thing that stood out for me in this story was that the characters were very real, and they dealt with MOST of their problems in a very mature way. Even though Elle flipped out when she met Ashley and Lilah - anyone would in that situation - once the air was cleared things moved forward. Elle made mature decisions and didn't make everything about her. Even Luke, he looked past his anger, when he found out the truth about Elle,to what really mattered to him. Instead of this book being filled with a cat and mouse game of constant misunderstandings, the characters sorted things out and moved on.
This really was a stunning debut, with a bit of mystery, a ton of romance, and fun characters that will have you wanting more. I know I certainly do.
The characters were all really great. Elle was sweet, and even though she'd grown up in a wealthy Manhattan family, she seemed really down to earth; very real, warm and friendly. I particularly loved Gwen. She was fun and funky, and such an amazing friend to both Elle and Waverly. Waverly was great too, but I got the feeling she wasn't always genuine.
I loved the way in which Henry made Aria, Elle's baby sister, a part of the story. Her presense was felt at the beginning of each chapter with her emails to Elle and my heart went out to the poor girl. She was trapped in all the drama and she kept asking for a way out. I only wish things had turned out better for her, but I have hopes that I'll get to see more of her in the next book, and that she'll be just fine.
One thing that stood out for me in this story was that the characters were very real, and they dealt with MOST of their problems in a very mature way. Even though Elle flipped out when she met Ashley and Lilah - anyone would in that situation - once the air was cleared things moved forward. Elle made mature decisions and didn't make everything about her. Even Luke, he looked past his anger, when he found out the truth about Elle,to what really mattered to him. Instead of this book being filled with a cat and mouse game of constant misunderstandings, the characters sorted things out and moved on.
This really was a stunning debut, with a bit of mystery, a ton of romance, and fun characters that will have you wanting more. I know I certainly do.
December 27, 2013
What a sweet story. Well, sweet with some hotness thrown in. What is a little sweet without a bit of spice anyway?
The story starts with Elliot running away from her past. We don’t know exactly what she is running from, but I had the thought that it wasn’t truly something she had done, but something someone in her life had done that she was ashamed of or felt guilty because of. She just needed to leave it all behind.
She takes a position as the econ teacher at Alford Academy. There is a cocktail party where she runs into a hot guitar player, and I thought he might resurface, he does.
He is her faculty mentor. He is Luke Poulos, a man that she connects with instantly, but who also has his own secret that he isn’t quite ready to reveal.
This is really truly a beautiful story about Elliot trying to come to terms with her past, with who she is now VS. who she was before, all while exploring this relationship that is fragile on her end.
I loved it.
It had everything I love I want in a romance, conflict, resolution, and most importantly, romance. I am excited to be a part of this release and tour for Mia Henry’s new book and would like to say thank you for the ARC I received. I cannot wait to see what comes next for Elle and Luke.
Speaking of that, while this didn’t have a huge cliffhanger, I still was left feeling “No! I need more!”. It was just that good. I was that invested in this couple. I want more.
I need the next book!
December 28, 2013
This book was VERY addicting. It starts out with Elliot, which I thought was a man, but turns out isn't, driving to Miami to start a new job as an Econ teacher at a private high school. She's running from something that has brought a lot of unwanted attention to her family. We get bits and pieces of what happened throughout the entire book. That's what kept me from putting this book down for long. I wanted, no, I needed to know exactly what it was the Elle (she changed her name when she left NYC to help her hide from her past) did that had her running. We are given bits and pieces throughout the story. That's what kept me reading... that and Luke.
What's not to like about Luke. He is absolutely perfect (OK, there was one thing that caused an issue for Elle, but I forgive him). He's sexy, romantic, talented, great with the kids, and totally attracted to Elle. Although his life hasn't been perfect, he's dealing with things the best he can.
And then there's Aria, Elle's sister, who we hear from as emails at the beginning of the chapters. She's still in high school and has to live with her mother. She's still in NYC dealing with all the things that Elle ran away from. Her emails are really great insights into what she is, and what Elle had been, going through. I hope to find out more about her in upcoming books.
I can't wait for the next book in the series to be released. I certainly don't want to miss it and once you read this one, you won't either.
I was provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
What's not to like about Luke. He is absolutely perfect (OK, there was one thing that caused an issue for Elle, but I forgive him). He's sexy, romantic, talented, great with the kids, and totally attracted to Elle. Although his life hasn't been perfect, he's dealing with things the best he can.
And then there's Aria, Elle's sister, who we hear from as emails at the beginning of the chapters. She's still in high school and has to live with her mother. She's still in NYC dealing with all the things that Elle ran away from. Her emails are really great insights into what she is, and what Elle had been, going through. I hope to find out more about her in upcoming books.
I can't wait for the next book in the series to be released. I certainly don't want to miss it and once you read this one, you won't either.
I was provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
December 30, 2013
***ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review***
3.5 Stars
Elle has made some decisions that broke her family apart. She leaves New York and moves to Miami. She is determined to start all over where nobody knows who she is and what she has done. With the help of an old family friend she gets a job as an economic teacher in a private school where she meets Luke Poulos.
Initially Elle meets Luke at the faculty party. There is an immediate attraction between them. She assumed he was the musician. The next day she finds out that he is not only a teacher by he is also assigned as her mentor. They seem to hit it off right away but Elle is hesitant and refuses to let him get too close. She is afraid he might find out who she really is. He never puts any pressure on her to divulge more that she is willing to give. He is patient, sweet, and very understanding while trying to break down the walls that she has put up. But Luke has secrets of his own. Unfortunately Elle gets a glimpse of it before he is able to explain it to her.
Sweet nothing is a short and easy read. I felt that the story was rushed. It made Elle and Luke’s relationship progress too fast making it hard to form any type of connection with their characters. I have to admit that Luke’s character has potential to become our next fictional boyfriend. I’m looking forward to what Mia has in store for her book since she sort of left us with a cliffhanger.
3.5 Stars
Elle has made some decisions that broke her family apart. She leaves New York and moves to Miami. She is determined to start all over where nobody knows who she is and what she has done. With the help of an old family friend she gets a job as an economic teacher in a private school where she meets Luke Poulos.
Initially Elle meets Luke at the faculty party. There is an immediate attraction between them. She assumed he was the musician. The next day she finds out that he is not only a teacher by he is also assigned as her mentor. They seem to hit it off right away but Elle is hesitant and refuses to let him get too close. She is afraid he might find out who she really is. He never puts any pressure on her to divulge more that she is willing to give. He is patient, sweet, and very understanding while trying to break down the walls that she has put up. But Luke has secrets of his own. Unfortunately Elle gets a glimpse of it before he is able to explain it to her.
Sweet nothing is a short and easy read. I felt that the story was rushed. It made Elle and Luke’s relationship progress too fast making it hard to form any type of connection with their characters. I have to admit that Luke’s character has potential to become our next fictional boyfriend. I’m looking forward to what Mia has in store for her book since she sort of left us with a cliffhanger.
December 27, 2013
**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**
I was definitely surprised when I started reading Mia Henry’s debut novel, Sweet Nothing. I did not expect the novel to be as intriguing and entertaining as it was. The storyline had a natural progression that made the drama, secrecy and romance all the more thrilling to read. I thought the characters were awesome. They not only held major secrets but where fun, sarcastic and witty. These characters only made the story more interesting and they held your attention from start to finish.
Elliot is running from her past and stumbles across a new life in Florida where she can restart all over again without anyone knowing who she is or the scandal that follows her. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Luke Poulus. Though Elliot now has a new name, a new look and a new life. No matter how hard she tries to hide herself from Luke, she falls more and more in love with him, and he has no true idea as to who she really is. Secrets lead to truths, and when all is said and done; can Luke look past the lies?
This book did end in a cliffhanger, though it was mild compared to those heartbreaking cliffhangers that tear you apart. But the certainty of a second novel for Elliot and Luke is extremely exciting. I cannot wait to see what happens next!
I was definitely surprised when I started reading Mia Henry’s debut novel, Sweet Nothing. I did not expect the novel to be as intriguing and entertaining as it was. The storyline had a natural progression that made the drama, secrecy and romance all the more thrilling to read. I thought the characters were awesome. They not only held major secrets but where fun, sarcastic and witty. These characters only made the story more interesting and they held your attention from start to finish.
Elliot is running from her past and stumbles across a new life in Florida where she can restart all over again without anyone knowing who she is or the scandal that follows her. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Luke Poulus. Though Elliot now has a new name, a new look and a new life. No matter how hard she tries to hide herself from Luke, she falls more and more in love with him, and he has no true idea as to who she really is. Secrets lead to truths, and when all is said and done; can Luke look past the lies?
This book did end in a cliffhanger, though it was mild compared to those heartbreaking cliffhangers that tear you apart. But the certainty of a second novel for Elliot and Luke is extremely exciting. I cannot wait to see what happens next!
July 20, 2016
3.5 Stars
Received an arc in exchange for an honest review
I enjoyed this book, it was well written, easy to read ..... Elle shared a house with fellow teachers so it added some extra banter and lol moments to the book.
The love interest... Luke, sweet, caring, romantic, not quite the big secret that i was expecting him to be hiding but, it added a little something different to the mix....both with secrets, Elle's eating away at her, wondering if she can trust Luke with it.......
Liked the little emails from her sister back home, although I would have liked to have seen a full reply just once.... Snippets of the crime were teasing, I hope we get more in the next book as I really wanted to know what happened.....I need to know....I am desperate...
A teaser of an ending....it is a hanging ending but you are not being dangled over the edge too much... Not with respect to certain things anyway...:-)
Received an arc in exchange for an honest review
I enjoyed this book, it was well written, easy to read ..... Elle shared a house with fellow teachers so it added some extra banter and lol moments to the book.
The love interest... Luke, sweet, caring, romantic, not quite the big secret that i was expecting him to be hiding but, it added a little something different to the mix....both with secrets, Elle's eating away at her, wondering if she can trust Luke with it.......
Liked the little emails from her sister back home, although I would have liked to have seen a full reply just once.... Snippets of the crime were teasing, I hope we get more in the next book as I really wanted to know what happened.....I need to know....I am desperate...
A teaser of an ending....it is a hanging ending but you are not being dangled over the edge too much... Not with respect to certain things anyway...:-)
December 14, 2013
Sweet Nothing by Mia Henry is a tale of tragedy, family betrayal, and fresh starts.
From the beginning you get snippets of what the scandal could possible have been... Financial, murder, I had no clue. But it must have been one heck of a scandal to uproot your life and start over 13 miles away from the only place you're ever known as home. That is excatly what Elle does.
What Elle doesn't expect is the gorgeous art teacher/musician/hottie to fall for her and her for him. How can she get close and still keep her secrets from him?
I enjoyed this story and can't wait to read what happens next.
Slight cliffhanger at the end of the tale that will leave you pleasantly wanting the next book in your hands kinda like right now!
From the beginning you get snippets of what the scandal could possible have been... Financial, murder, I had no clue. But it must have been one heck of a scandal to uproot your life and start over 13 miles away from the only place you're ever known as home. That is excatly what Elle does.
What Elle doesn't expect is the gorgeous art teacher/musician/hottie to fall for her and her for him. How can she get close and still keep her secrets from him?
I enjoyed this story and can't wait to read what happens next.
Slight cliffhanger at the end of the tale that will leave you pleasantly wanting the next book in your hands kinda like right now!
February 7, 2017
La historia es interesante.. Lo que Elliot tuvo que soportar porque quiso hacer lo correcto le hizo pagar un alto precio al tener que abandonar a su hermana. Casi logra estar bien pero la tragedia parece que la persigue. Afortunadamente encontró a Luke que, a pesar de los secretos de Elliot, le demostró que la amaba.
Es una pena que ya hayan pasado 3 años y la escritora no haya continuado la historia...
Es una pena que ya hayan pasado 3 años y la escritora no haya continuado la historia...
August 5, 2016
This book is impossible to put down! The characters are well developed and the nature of the story is incredibly engaging. Can't wait to see what other literary gems Mia Henry puts out into the world!
December 22, 2013
I thought this was a good story. I can see why she would want to hide, but I don't think she had anything to be guilty for.....
December 31, 2014
I just absolutely freaking love it!!! but I wish it was a 2nd part :(
March 10, 2014
I felt like parts of it were missing
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