Adriana Locke

You are going to fall so much in love with Luke Marshall. Believe me, it’s true. We saw a little bit of Luke in the first amazing book in the Marshall Family Series, More Than I Could. He seemed to be the not-always-serious one, that brother that was a little too fun-loving, not really reliable, a good guy but kind of drifting. When you get the rest of the story in this book, This Much Is True, your heart will hurt for him and you will swoon.

The story opens with a runaway bride. Not quite as funny as it seems in the movies. First Laina’s singing career was managed by her parents, now they are managing her personal life, too, and have arranged the “perfect” wedding for her to a superstar. Except the prospective groom is self-centered, arrogant, demanding, demeaning and often very angry. Laina’s not comfortable around him and maybe she’s a little fearful of that anger. This can’t be love, and how can you agree to spend the rest of your life with someone you don’t love and who obviously doesn’t really care for you. So at the last possible minute Laina runs away. But to where?

Laina and Luke have history. They knew each other when they were young, they were together and thought they had a future until her career took off and the works-with-his-hands-in-the-barn farrier and the internationally famous singer didn’t seem like such a good mix anymore. But as Laina barely makes her escape, she realizes there is only one place she can go, one person she trusts completely; even if he’s mad, even if his memories are bitter, Laina is certain he will keep her safe.

Author Adriana Locke said she wanted to write a hug in book form, and oh my has she succeeded. From the first moment Luke and Laina are in the same room again to the very last scene, you will feel enveloped in warm love. When Laina first shows up and lets herself into his house and he discovers her there, it’s tense and uncertain and a lot of questions hang in the air. But Laina was right, Luke welcomes her into his home and vows to protect her without a moment’s hesitation. It’s right here we see the real Luke, the one we only got a glimpse of before. He hasn’t been drifting; he just hasn’t had anything to anchor to after the love of his life was gone. And Laina? She immediately feels safe and secure and sheltered – home. There is a lot of work out, to talk about. They have other lives now so how could this work? But how can something that feels so good, so right, not work? How could you not be with someone who says to you, “But I know that I will either be alone forever or I will be with you.”

Being back with the Marshall family is as much fun as Luke and Laina’s story. More Than I Could was Chase and Megan’s story and seeing them and everyone else again was coming home and heartwarming for the reader. What a wonderful, close family with the parents we all wish we had. And those Marshall boys have got good genes, because they are all oh-wow handsome!

This Much is True is wonderful: wonderful words, wonderful characters, perfect pace – just perfect. It’s fun watching Laina “hide out” and see again a life she thought she’d lost. It’s fun watching Luke work things over and over and over . . . and over in his mind as he tries to do the right thing. He finally turns to grumpy brother Chase for advice, because he’s the married one with the love of his life. Chase’s advice: “If Megan wanted to go to the moon, I’d buy the three of us tickets, and off we’d go,” he says. “Because there’s nothing more important to me than my wife.” What do you think, is this good advice that Luke should follow?

Thanks so, so much to Adriana Locke for allowing me to be a member of her ARC team and read an advance copy of This Much is True. I was thrilled to get it and absolutely loved it. Sweet, swoony, silly, sexy and 100% satisfying. I recommend it without hesitation and hope there will be another reunion with the Marshall family soon. Grab your tissues – for your eyes for the sweet moments, to pat your face for the steamy ones – and sit back and enjoy. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.… (mais)

Boone Mason was the best thing I have read in a while. He is the youngest of the Mason clan, but he is the sweetest, kindest, hilarious, gentleman ever. He likes to joke especially with his brothers and though he may come across as carefree and laid back he deeply cares about others. Jaxi is struggling with the decisions that have led her to where she is in life even if most of the events that have happened has been out of her control, she still carries the guilt. When she gets an opportunity to start fresh, she grabs a hold of it and is determined to make the best of it. Taking some much-needed time away until she starts her new adventure, she stays at her cousin’s house, but an innocent mistake has her coming face to face with the handsome Boone. These two have an instant chemistry and an amazing banter that comes naturally but so many things happen, and Boone can’t help but want to be the one Jaxi turns to. When it rains it pours and Jaxi is experiencing that firsthand, can she let her pride go for a second and allow others to help her or will she be too stubborn to realize it’s ok to let others in? Can Boone convince her that her past doesn’t define her, but he loves everything she is and comes with? Will these two find their peace with each other and help each other navigate these new waters or is pride too much of a thing to let others in? A cute and fun read that had me loving the family dynamics of the Mason clan while also falling head over heels in love with Boone. At times I wanted to shake Jaxi because she was too stubborn, but after all she’s endured, I could understand why she would feel the way she does.… (mais)

First, absolutely terrific narration! Second, I am so glad I discovered author Adriana Locke, and wish it had happened a long time ago. Every book is fresh and unique, but what every single book has in common is that while you will swoon and smile and laugh at what the wonderful characters are up to, you will also clutch your heart, sigh, sometimes sob and fervently hope that things will work out. Locke makes you feel what these characters are going through. Their pain, their insecurity, their hopelessness that they can make things right.

Elin and Ty were that perfect high school couple, the basketball star and the new girl. They just fit. They shared the same dreams, wanted the same things. They knew there was a lifetime of bliss ahead of them. But while high school can certainly be tough, real life after can be even tougher. That big family they wanted? Not happening yet, and it becomes harder and harder to not panic and believe it will happen, and their happiness starts to show a few cracks because of that pressure. That job in the coal mine? No one really wants to work in a coal mine, but it’s the main employment in their small town so there aren’t many choices. When Ty is injured and almost dies in a mining accident, the fear and stress heaped on their already fragile marriage proves to be too much. They are both frustrated, not communicating clearly, and when Elin blows up and tells Ty to just leave – he goes. And doesn’t come back right away like she expected.

Now their communication isn’t just unclear, it’s non-existent. The scars aren’t only on Ty’s body but in both their hearts, in their frustration, their lack of confidence, their inability to even know what the next, right, first move should be, much less make it.

Author Locke does a masterful job of taking what could have been a simple romance with some super sexy spicy bits and giving the reader a story with depth, with meaning, with heart. And with a lot of humor. Ty and Elin aren’t always on their best behavior; they’re human. But they are surrounded by friends and family who care for them and won’t hesitate to butt in to get these two stubborn people going, and their love and devotion run deep. They have cared for each other for a long time and even if their surface emotions are telling them just give up, it’s over, what’s under the surface is stronger.

Written in the Scars is well-written, well-plotted, perfectly paced. Narrators Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross do a superb job of bringing Ty and Elin and the rest of the cast to life. Clear, easy to understand, the full range of emotions shows through. This story will keep you completely engaged and leave you totally satisfied. It’s funny, steamy, sweet, with some truly horrible, dangerous characters and ever-present danger in the mine, full of action and unpredictability and tender moments that will make you catch your breath. Thanks to Home Cooked Books for providing an advance audio copy. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.… (mais)