Friends and Lovers Trilogy by Bethany Lopez

Title: Friends & Lovers Trilogy: Make it Last, I Choose You, Trust in Me.

Author: Bethany Lopez

Release date: ?

Genre: Contemporary Romance – novella series

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by:AToMR Tours

Book Description:

Make it Last:

In a small town, it’s hard to recover from being dumped by your high school sweetheart. That’s just what Briana has to do after Colin leaves her to follow his dreams. She focuses her energy into her friendships and the pursuit of her own goal of becoming a chef. Just when she finally feels like she’s on the right path, he comes back to town.

Colin knew breaking up with Briana before leaving for college was the right thing to do. He was determined to leave small-town life behind forever, and that included his high school girlfriend. But when a sports injury puts him on the sidelines, he’s forced to return home. Seeing Briana again brings back a lot of memories, and Colin wonders if he made the right decision. It doesn’t take long for him to realize he wants her back, and this time, he wants to make it last.

I Choose You:

Up until now, Nicole’s life has been mapped out for her. She’d go to college, marry Jake and become the upstanding minister’s wife. When she leaves that life to begin again in a small town in Texas, she finally has the freedom to live as she chooses. There, she meets Kent, a guy whose charm and passion make it hard to stick to her morals.

Dodging his father’s fists and protecting his twin sister made Kent into the man he is today. He learned by watching his mother stay by his father’s side that it’s better to keep relationships simple. Then he meets Nicole. Her sweet smile and genuine response to him land like punches to his resolve. After a lifetime of learning to protect his heart, can he finally let down his guard?

Trust in Me: Will send once it’s complete

Here is all of the information for Trust in Me, book 3 in the Friends & Lovers Trilogy:

 

Purchase Links:

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trust-in-me-bethany-lopez/1114511772?ean=2940016196398

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFFDEKW

Now I read all 3 of these novellas in 1 day, and I loved every second of them. Each relationship was different and you never really knew what was going to happen from one book to the next. Each book you learned more about the friends that were in the last book.

In Make It Last, we got to read about Bree and Colin’s relationship. How even after 5 years of not being together, they still wanted each other just as much as they did in high school. We also meet Kara and Pete, Roni and Kent, Nicole and Rich. Kara and Bree have been friends since high school right after Colin graduated and work together. I loved how you could see that no matter what happened Colin wanted her back in his life.

Of course something happens that blows them out of the water but apparently the ex of Colin’s didn’t care about the issue and just wanted to get it fixed ASAP. Which was a little sad but I guess better for them in the long run. The book was short, hence it being a novella but worth the read.

In I Choose You, you get to see the beginning of Nicole and Kent’s relationship. Which is very sweet except that Kent does not think he is good enough for her. Which was stupid, Kent was dating but not dating Bree in Make It Last and Nicole was the hostess at the same restaurant. Luckily Kent started to think better and realized he was a jerk to Nicole before they started dating.

This time around it was more about Kent realizing that he was an amazing man that did a ton of things for his sister growing up and continued to do so as an adult. Nicole just needed to let go so that they could be together. I thought their relationship was great because they grew together.

In Trust In Me, we finally get to find out what happened to Roni and why she treated Rich the way she does. After finding out what happened to her, I can completely understand why she did. I mean I probably would have done the same thing. Not even kidding. And Rich, he just never gave up. I loved that about him. You can’t dislike someone that knows what they want and works hard for it.

In this novella, we get to see everyone’s dreams come true, Bree’s cooking, Kent’s journalism, Rich’s place for kids to play sports, Roni’s dance studio. It was almost bittersweet at the end of this book. I was happy everyone got the happily ever after but I was sad to see them go.

I gave all 3 books 4 stars.

About the Author

Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult series. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her novels through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Author social media links:

IAN – http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/bethany-lopez.html

Webpage – www.bethanylopez.blogspot.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/BethanyLopez2

Facebook – http://on.fb.me/LypEaO

Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/bethanylopez2/

Bound by Erica O’Rourke (Torn Trilogy #3)

Mo Fitzgerald has made her choice: A life in Chicago. A future with Colin. To leave behind the enigmatic Luc and the world of the Arcs. But the more she struggles to keep her magic and mortal lives separate, the deadlier the consequences. In the end, Mo must risk everything–her life, her heart, her future–or lose it all.

I honestly didn’t think this book could be any better then the last one. Boy, was I wrong. Mo had so many decisions that affected everyone’s lives, hers, Lucs, Colins, Constance, her mom, dad and uncle. I honestly was hoping  for Luc to be the guy she ends up with. I mean really I have managed to be Team Luc throughout the books, I wasn’t stopping now. I was really worried about how Erica was going to end the trilogy. She definitely didn’t disappoint me.

I don’t even know where to start on on how I felt about this book. Honestly, my emotions were everywhere. It has been a while since I read theses books, but I still remember hoping for a specific ending and for crying and laughing at certain points of the book. I won’t tell you what ending I hoped for, you already know who I wanted her to end up with. Which is more then enough information until you read these awesome books.

Everything comes to a head when Mo has to decide which life and which guy she wants with no uncertainty. She wanted to go to New York before everything started, could she go there? If so with what guy? She could stay in Chicago with Colin or go to New Orleans with Luc. She really had to work through what she wanted and it was great to see her become the person she was always meant to be. With no doubts, because honestly she has doubted herself since day 1.

I almost wished for a 4th book that was later down the road, but honestly Erica ended it perfectly I think. I couldn’t get enough of it.

RATING:

Tangled by Erica O’Rourke (Torn Trilogy #2)

Constance started to keen as the air around us began to thrash and twist, the caustic scent of ozone burning my nose. As I watched, her dark gold hair began to lift and kink into knots.

“I’m here. It’ll be okay.” It was the last thing I said before my best friend’s little sister went supernova in the second-floor girls’ bathroom, taking me with her.

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend’s murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic—and the Chicago Mob—have other plans.

Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help—and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she’s dreamed of and the one she’s destined for.

Oh wow what a sequel! Erica did a great job with this book. I loved the drama between Mo and Constance. I get why Constance was so angry, I mean who wouldn’t be angry about losing family members all over the place. I get why she treats Mo the way she does but I don’t think Mo deserves it at all.

Oh lord I am still Team Luc although Colin definitely had his moments that were sweet and had me wavering a little bit on whose side I would want Mo to be on. There was just something more between Mo and Luc then there was for Mo and Colin. Of course Colin seemed more good then bad even with his affiliation with her uncle. He definitely had his reasons for working for her uncle. Still I really didn’t think they were worth it too much. I mean they were admirable but I wouldn’t do a life debt with a man like that.

This time there was a lot of drama about the magic. Who knew that when trying to fix it, Mo and Luc would accidentally mess it up even more. I felt so bad for her because of the more guilt that she had on her because of everything. She never seemed to catch a break. This trilogy really surprised me so much. I am not going to give away anything but I definitely recommend reading these books by Erica.

RATING:

Torn by Erica O’Rourke (Torn Trilogy #1)

Everyone has secrets.
Even best friends.

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend’s murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she’ll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?

I had this book for a while before I decided to head into the trilogy to read. I don’t know why I waited so long. I absolutely loved Mo, Luc and Colin. They all had such complex relationships with each other and they all held their secrets close to their chest. I honestly loved the whole trilogy from start to end.

Mo, who was also nicknamed Mouse by her best friend and well everyone, was quite spunky. I loved how she didn’t just take everything lying down. I loved that she cared so much about what happened to her and her best friend. She worked diligently to get those answers even though when she first met Luc he asked her, almost begged her to not look into it. She harbors major guilt about it and I felt so bad for her. I know I would have felt the same way.

I loved the love triangle between her, Luc and Colin. At first I was for Colin because I really thought that Mo had the right impression about Luc. There was just something about Luc that I loved. I pretty much stayed Team Luc after that for the whole trilogy, which I am sure you will hear more about tomorrow when the other two books are reviewed. I loved the way he treated Mo, not like she was this precious commodity but like she mattered and could handle what was thrown to her.

Trust me a lot was thrown her way too. That twist at the end of the book! Oh My God!!! I didn’t see that coming at all which is rare, I read so much that I kinda have a good idea on what will happen throughout the book. But not these ones. I loved every second of this book, it was crazy and great all at the same time.

RATING: