Fumbled Hearts

I just got done with this book and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It's hard to believe this is Meagan Brandy's first book - watch for this name, she's going to take the book world by storm - having just read her third book and been blown away, I know this to be true. She makes her characters work darn hard for their HEA. Which, personally, I love. I'm a big fan of NA romances and this can be added to the list of must reads. It's raw, it's sweet, it's bloody sexy, it's real, and it's emotional. A wonderful mix that will keep you turning the page.

I didn't really like Kalani to begin with, but, as the book progressed and you could see and feel her change and open up, and feel, I changed my mind. I think it's easy to forget how young these characters really are, and what she was dealing with, well, it makes sense that she was so closed off. I ended up rooting and cheering for her. Even crying for her. The development of her character throughout the book was astounding. The side characters are something special - I want each of them to have a book, well, maybe not Liv. She can burn in hell. Jarrod? Hmm, maybe the right woman could redeem him...no? But, my boy, Parker has a book next and I already have it queued up. You may notice that I've failed to mention Nate so far, you know what they say, save the best till last, and this boy...man, he is the best. I just loved him so much. He's your typical playboy, but he's also not. I adored him. I wanted to slap him upside the head a couple of times, but overall, I just loved him. He was sweet and he not only understood Kalani, but in essence, he saved her. And it was beautiful.

Make sure you have a fan ready for the sexy times, because, hot doesn't even begin to describe those scenes. My Kindle might have scorch marks, I have to check. If it doesn't, it's a darn miracle. Who knew teenagers could be so sexy? The best part though? That they fit perfectly with the story and the characters, you believed it. It was very real.

I enjoyed CJ Bloom's performance, I think she nailed Kalani. You could feel the uncertainty of the character shine through in the performance. And I thought she performed the growth of the character really well. It was a joy to listen to. This was my first time listening to Alexander Cendese and I have to be honest, I wasn't a fan of his female voice...at all. I found myself wondering if I should switch to the book and read the parts he was narrating, but, I actually liked his voice for Nate and thought he did a great job of showing the different emotions the character was experiencing. I think had this been a duet, or even an MM book his voice would have been suited fine, but, I just couldn't get along with the female voice - it just doesn't suit his range. The production was fine with no issues of note.