Elizabeth H.
This review was written by Marie for a guest review post on Ever After Book Reviews blog: 4.5 Stars I enjoyed this book. It had a nice pace, and the storyline was creative. I enjoyed the characters – Calix and Mimi. They had wonderful chemistry and their romance is fiery hot (like… intensely hot, if you catch my drift *wink wink*)! They both were written quite unlike the characters from the first two books in this series. They somehow seemed more relatable and real. Sadly, this lead to a whole lot of angst, which isn’t exactly my cup of tea in a romance, but it seemed to suit the characters and their personalities. Overall, I’d have to say that this was my favorite of the three books so far. It was a pleasant surprise and I’m looking forward to a whole lot more! ***I read and reviewed a paperback copy of the book gifted to the blog in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
A Google user
With the mouth of a sailor and a wide open heart, Mimi Romano lives life to the fullest. In a holding pattern while waiting for her father to come to his senses and hire her already, Mimi is content to be part of the Blue Fire family, taking care of her friends and helping her best friend plan her wedding. Calix Bourbon is a phenomenal musician, but, being closed off after suffering a tremendous loss, he's happy to live life on the periphery, protecting his heart from more pain. The two of them couldn't be more different, but it's their differences that will make them stronger. I have fallen in love with the Rock Star Romance series by author Erika Kelly, which just keeps getting better and better. Erika has won me over with her stories of the men of Blue Fire and the women that they love. TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT, the third book in the series, is full of emotion, rich with both the pain and the joy of life. Both Mimi and Calix are filled with passion, and, while Mimi is striving to fulfill hers, Calix is intent on tamping his down. It is both heartbreaking and frustrating to see him blame himself for things beyond his control, to opt out of living his own life because he feels that he doesn't deserve it. "You're stuck in that moment." God, she needed to get through. "And, to get unstuck, you have to forgive yourself." "I can't...I..." A shock of alertness had him straightening. "I can't get past it. I can't." "You can. Every time you go to that moment-the one you can't change-replace it with a good memory. Bask in the good...Let it go. That moment in time you can't take back. Let it go. There is no do-over. You can't fix it. But you're alive, and you're an amazing musician and the most loyal and devoted son and brother I've ever seen. So let it go. And live, dammit." Mimi knows that Calix is emotionally unavailable, but the attraction between these two is potent, and the heat fairly jumps off the page. Try as she might, she can't stay away from him, and the feeling is completely mutual. She struggled to get out of his hold. "Stop. Calix, God. We have to stop doing this." Stop? Yeah, he'd tried that. But he couldn't. He just couldn't get enough of her. "Date me." "What?" "Date me." "You don't date." "I want to date you." He pressed another hot kiss on her mouth. "I need more." She gazed up at him with a wary expression, but his resolve never wavered. Her hands slid into his hair, cupping the sides of his head. "Yes." One of the things that I love most about these books is the depth and complexity that Erika brings to her characters. There is always a past that makes them who they are, that motivates their actions and interactions, and makes for a completely compelling story. As well, the sense of family, the importance of belonging that is a recurrent theme brings a sweetness and realness to each of these books, and keeps me coming back each time. If you haven't gotten started with this series, you must. TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT is an easy 4.5-star read for me, joining my list of 2016 favorites. I loved it and look forward to the next book in the series, which can't come soon enough.
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