One Small Thing by Erin Watt

A perfect summer read.

Did you know I am a huge Erin Watt fan?  If I haven't screamed it from the roof tops enough - hopefully this review will finally get my point across ;)  I almost pee my pants every time I open my kindle and see that I've received an ARC of one of their books.  EVERYTHING they write is amazing - I've never been disappointed!!  Without further ado... your next favorite book:

"One Small Thing" by Erin Watt is a quick read about loss, grief, love, family, control... it touches on a lot of heavy topics in a way that's both frustrating and eloquent.  Beth and her family are grieving the death of her older sister, Rachel, in very different ways.  Trying to control her every move to keep her safe, Beth's parents are suffocating her.

When Beth finally snaps and sneaks out to a party on the wrong side of town, she meets Chase... who has an even bigger secret than Beth's stifling home life.

Chase has demons and guilt by the bucket loads.  But, Beth gives him a second chance when no one else does... and Beth is the one person who has every reason not to give him a second chance.  The two embark on a secret and forbidden romance with everything working against them.

I LOVED Beth.  She's feisty and independent.  Reading her struggles with her parents was flustering and I felt like Erin Watt nailed the feelings of having overprotective parents.  The way EW wrote about grief was new and eye opening.  Everyone grieves differently, and some steps in the grieving process take longer than others.  Seeing how Beth and her family went through the process was eye-opening, sad and thought provoking.  Even though Rachel has been gone for three years, and one would assume their grieving process would be complete, they are still struggling and using all sorts of coping mechanisms to survive each day.

Chase -- what an epic male lead.  His story is heart breaking, from his part in Rachel's death to his current home life and bullying at school.  His need for atonement pulled at every single one of my heart strings.  His journey to finding his personal redemption was my favorite part of the book.

I felt a little cheated with the ending - it happened quickly, and I wanted MORE!!!!  I loved the story - every part to it.  And I'll be rereading One Small Thing many times.

It made me feel grateful and introspective about my life and finding the one small thing that makes every moment great.

Playlist: One Small Thing

Fallen Heir by Erin Watt

Momma scored an ARC of the newest Erin Watt book "Fallen Heir" - insert happy dance!!

Fallen Heir Playlist

Some spoilers ahead ;) 

First, let me start off by saying I'm not a fan of shoot off novels.  You know the ones I'm talking about? Where the storyline is CLEARLY over but the author keeps squeezing out mediocre novels while trying to ride the momentum of the original story? I'm looking at you Cassandra Clare!

I LOVED the first three books in the Royals series.  LOVED THEM! So, honestly, my expectations for this book were a mix of extremely high and depressingly low.  I mean, how can you compete with the first three books?

That being said - this book exceeded every expectation for me.  And I had a lot of them.  This wasn't what I was expecting at all!  If you would have told me that two women who write romantic novels wrote this book, I would have laughed in your face.  It's like Jen and Elle transported themselves into an eighteen year old boy's body.  I have four younger brothers, so I'm not saying I'm an expert on the teenage boy psyche... but I'm pretty much an expert ;) 

Easton is probably the most realist character I've ever read.  He's not cavalier.  He's not perfect.  He's freaking hilarious and endearing and flawed.  So flawed.  Have you met a teenage boy that's not messed up in some way?  No, you haven't.  And Erin Watt captured that perfectly.  Does Easton harbor feelings for Hartley?  Yes.  Would he jump into bed with another girl if the opportunity presented itself? Probably.  Because he's sexy and entitled and has no self control.  And he knows it.

Anyways - I'm getting ahead of myself!  I was so impressed with Easton's character.  Reading from his point of view was an absolute joy - especially after reading the first three books through Ella and Reed's eyes.  I expected Easton to be a somewhat watered down version of Reed.  Man, was I mistaken.  His voice is crystal clear and so different from Reed's in the previous books.  And this wasn't the romance I was expecting.  It was just completely out of left field and threw me off after every chapter.  I loved it!

I was just pleased as punch about the whole thing.  

Final Score: 10/10 - you saw that coming, didn't you? 

Fallen Heir

The story didn't coattail off the last three books.  Easton is an amazing character to read and this book will take you by surprise is the best ways possible!

Quick Rundown: 

Easton Royal has it all: looks, money, intelligence. His goal in life is to have as much fun as possible. He never thinks about the consequences because he doesn’t have to. 

Until Hartley Wright appears, shaking up his easy life. She’s the one girl who’s said no, despite being attracted to him. Easton can’t figure her out and that makes her all the more irresistible. 

Hartley doesn’t want him. She says he needs to grow up. 

She might be right. 

Rivals. Rules. Regrets. For the first time in Easton’s life, wearing a Royal crown isn’t enough. He’s about to learn that the higher you start, the harder you fall.

Heat Index: 2/5 - Nothing too saucy in the love department, but I can only imagine the future books - heavy sigh. 

Now - more of my thoughts, I know you're all dying to read.

Seriously - I'm stoked on this book.  I loved that this book went a little bit deeper than the previous ones.  Easton has issues.  Big ones.  Addiction - and not a fluffy, passing-by addiction added just for fun. His addiction issues run deep.. really deep.  We get a peek into just how deep seeded his problems are in this book.  It was so interesting to read.  If you've known anyone with addiction issues - EW pretty much nails it on the head.  I felt like I was reading a book by Tijan - which, in my humble opinion, is about the highest compliment ever :)  There was so much depth I wasn't expecting.

Hartley was an interesting character.  Do I like her?  The verdict is still out.  I want to, but I'm still not sure.  She has issues, too, of the familial variety.  She really is a twin soul to Easton - in ways that you don't really see coming.  

The whole gang makes appearances - Ella, Reed (via phone), Val, the Twins, Lauren, Gideon and Savannah.  Some of the new additions fill the holes that Wade and Jordan leave open.  And they're just as awesome as the originals!  Freakin' Felicity (shakes head and rolls eyes).  When you read this book PLEASE come back and tell me how much you want to bitch slap that girl.  I need moral support on this, so just do it.  One aspect I particularly enjoyed was Easton's take on the Twins' relationship with Lauren.  Oooooh - shit's brewing and it's going to be good!! 

SO! When all is said and done - Fallen Heir basically knocked my socks off.  I have four week old twins who are up literally all night -and I stayed up while they were sleeping so I could finish this book.  THAT'S HOW GOOD IT IS!! I can't wait for the next thing Erin Watt gives us! 

Twisted Palace by Erin Watt

**FANGIRLING OVER HERE**

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Twisted Palace (almost cried when it popped up on my kindle)... and let me tell you - my kindle didn't leave my hands for an entire day.  I am a HUGE Erin Watt fan.  Paper Princess and Broken Prince are two of the best books of 2016... and Twisted Palace had HIGH expectations.. it did not disappoint!!

If you haven't read Paper Princess - what the hell are you doing with your life? Go buy it right now, clear your schedule, grab that snuggie and get to work!! I can guarantee you'll buy Broken Prince immediately after you finish Paper Princess -- and, lucky you, Twisted Palace releases TODAY! So, you can read the Royal's story cover to cover!!  You'll be sucked in by the "who done it" plot of Twisted Palace, but you'll stick around for the romance of Reed and Ella, the family dynamic between the Royals, Ella and Steve, and the lingering questions you're going to have after reading the first two books.  I promise, you won't be disappointed.  You might be ruined for other contemporary romances... but you won't be mad about it ;)

Final Score:
Twisted Palace on Amazon
10/10: Ooh, baby. This twisty story is fantastic.  Murder, revenge, love.  You WILL be obsessed with the Royals. I can't recommend this book and series enough!

You can check out the Twisted Palace playlist curated by yours truly here: Twisted Palace on Spotify

Quick Rundown:
Reed, prime suspect in the murder of his father's girlfriend, is trying to clear his name.  Ella, who's father just miraculously returned from the dead, is trying to adjust to this new reality.  Can the Royal family stick together long enough to come out the other end of this mess in tact? Or will they all be ruined forever?

From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.
Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome. 
Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation.
No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all. 
They may be right.
With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace. 

Heat Index:

4/5: This is new adult, in my opinion.  There are sex scenes, but nothing crazy graphic.   JUST enough to make you very happy ;)



P.S. If you've been ruined by the Royals - you NEED to get in the Facebook group "The Royal Palace". The fandom for Erin Watt is already huge, and it's one of my favorite FB groups.  There will be TONS of discussion over the next few weeks about Twisted Palace!  It's a good time with some rad people.

Paper Princess AND Broken Prince by Erin Watt

Stop what you are doing - I MEAN IT! Stop what you're doing and go buy these books RIGHT NOW.  That is how much I loved Paper Princess and Broken Prince - I am literally counting down to Twisted Palace's release in October... I may or may not have a countdown calendar stuck on my wall. You'll never know and I'll never tell!

Now that I'm thoroughly embarrassed - Let me share my obsession with you.  If you've read my previous posts - I'm a paranormal girl through and through.  I need a vampire or shifter or some kind of magic in my books to really, truly become obsessed.  But, the world of Contemporary literature is so much more intriguing than I originally thought.  Exhibit A, my friends.  The Royals series is NOT something out of a fairy tale.  These Royals are dark, hot, secretive and filthy rich.  Not only will they suck you in, but they'll destroy you in the process.  IT'S DELICIOUS.  Just trust me and buy the first book - you'll be crawling back for more, I can guarantee... and you won't be laughing at my countdown calendar anymore!

Final Scores:

Paper Princess
10/10 - I loved it - manipulation, intimidation, romance.  It knocked my socks off. I'll recommend this book until I'm blue in the face.

Broken Prince
10/10 - No sophomore slump here.  It's just as good as the first book, with more twisty plots than you can count!

Check out our playlists for Paper Princess and Broken Prince on Spotify!!

Quick Rundown

PP: These Royals will ruin you…
Ella Harper is a survivor―a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 
Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.
Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.
He might be right.
Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.Ella comes into the Royal's household and changed everyone, including herself.

BP: From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.
Reed Royal has it all―looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.
What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely―keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.
Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.
She might be right.
Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.
Rundown Over

Heat Index

4/5: This is a new adult book, so it's not fully erotic but it's pretty descriptive.  In some other reviews, the question of consent comes up - but I didn't feel like there was anything CRAZY where I was like "oh my, he's forcing himself on her".  Nah.  It's good.  REALLY good.  Like, I reread a few scenes multiple times because they were smoldering hot, and I ain't mad about it.