Thursday 31 October 2013

DOUBLE REVIEW - MEANT FOR HER BY RAINE THOMAS

Expected Publication Date: 17th October 2013

BLURB from Goodreads
Photographer Sierra Stratton views the world through a lens all her own. She has an uncanny sense about people, something that often causes her trouble. When she meets the sexy and brooding Evan Dorsey, her intuition tells her he’s suffering, and she wants to be the one to help him.

Evan isn’t open to help from anyone, however. His focus is on his Major League career and making himself as marketable as possible for his upcoming free agency. He plans to ride out the season in Atlanta and then sign with another team, away from the painful memories that haunt him.

Someone’s eager to send him on his way, too. Between anonymous threats and equipment sabotage, it’s clear he’s earned himself an enemy along the way. To him, it’s one more sign that he’s right to move on.

But Sierra threatens his conviction. Her contagious smile proves hard to resist, as does her kiss. She tempts him in ways he never anticipated, making him question his plans for the first time. If he’s not careful, she might just convince him that he’s meant for her.


INITIAL THOUGHTS
Approaching this book I was exited to learn more about Cole and Everly as well as meeting the new characters too. My thoughts were Would I like this book as much as For Everly?
At 16%  done with Meant for Her: New characters of Sierran and Evan Dorsey an old friend of Cole's coming to play on the atlanta team immediately taken under Baseball Boss Caroline's protective wing. Also enjoying the catch up with Cole & Everly and their married life & pregnancy too.
Hmmm feeling the same "wrong feeling" that Sierra gets about Geoff. . . I mean the poor dogs have good intuition too don't they?

MY REVIEW
I received an e-arc copy of this book from the Author Raine Thomas free in exchange for my honest review. 
The cover I'd say depicts the two new main characters of Sierra (with the colourful streaks in her hair), Baseball Boss, Caroline's niece and Evan Dorsey a Baseball player. They are in a tender looking pose about to kiss, and there's the baseball glove also on the cover. The byline which pre-fixes the title "If he's not careful, she might just convince him that he's . . " and then the title Meant For Her. I love it!
So would the cover make me pick the book up in a book store? I think I would yes, though I admit to not buying many "romance-y" novels.
So the main characters in this book are Sierra, and Evan. Evan is in a dark place having recently lost his mother. He was extremely close to his mother being as she was his only loving parent. Her dream was to see Evan play baseball for Atlanta.
Evan first meets Sierra though he doesn't know her name or who she is at Cole & Everly's wedding reception.
Evan later goes to speak to Caroline wanting to play for Atlanta, which comes at perfect timing as third baseman Matthew Jensen has been injured so cannot play. 
Caroline organise's for Evan to view a flat in one of the rental properties she owns. That' how he meet's Sierra again as she works for her Aunt showing the rental homes to prospective tenants. Evan feels drawn to Sierra, but immediately shuts down as after losing his mother he doesn't want to ever go through losing someone he loves again. Sierra is very patient and loving with Evan even though at times he is openly rude and harsh in the things he says to her. I don't want to give anymore plot details as this really is a fantastic read that you should discover for yourselves. I will say I loved the parts where Evan tries to impress Sierra and when he lets his emotions free the things he say's and does for Sierra are so romantic, but he can be so dense and obtuse in his actions.
During his time playing for Atlanta Evan is being targeted by what seems to be an angry fan who has a vendetta against him. Evan doesn't take it too seriously until Sierra is threatened. . but will he be in time to save Sierra? So who is the "angry fan" with the vendetta against Evan? Do Evan and Sierra get together? Will Evan stay playing for Atlanta?
I really enjoyed the book, Raine Thomas writes so well and takes you through a whole range of feelings and emotions. You end up really routing for Evan, and his turbulent relationship with Sierra. I loved the ending.
I loved the pace of the book, the slower beginning, then the pace building up and up and flowing at a steady but reasonable pace to the very end.
So did I enjoy the book?  Yes, I really found it a pleasurable, totally enjoyable read.  Would I recommend the book? Yes, though you don't need to have read For Everly first, the sections on Everly & Cole will make more sense if you have done so. Would I read another book in this series? As I have mentioned before Meant For Her & For Everly are actually stand alone reads though they contain some of the same characters. Having said that I would love to read more about some of the other characters in the books too. Would I read other books by Raine Thomas? I already have and yes I'd love to read even more of Raine's books too.

QUOTE FROM THE BOOK
Here are a couple of quotes from fairly early in the book, to illustrate the humor and the girly friendship's Sierra has with her good friend's Zoe and Hannah. I think most of us ladies have had similar giggly conversations with our girlfriend teasing about a male we like!

"Ooo," Hannah giggled. "If you could get your neighbor to say, "No Worries, mate" that would be fun freaking-fantastic"

Poking Hannah in the side, Zoe said, "How cliché. Next you're going to want him to grill another shrimp on the barbie"



ENA'S REVIEW

So after reading For Everly and loving it so much I did ask Sandra if we had anymore books by this Author to read. We were offered Meant For Her specifically for us both to read and review. So my daughter received and e-arc copy of this one in exchange for both hers and my honest reviews.
The cover fits the book quite well, though kind of gives away that sierra and Evan at least kiss at some point in the book. In one way it was predictable that sierra and Evan get together but I think the book was more about their journey of their relationship and them getting together. I loved the characters. I liked getting an up date of what was happening in the lives of Cole and Everly.
To me the pace of the book was initially quite slow for my tastes, and I was left wondering if I was going to enjoy this book as much as Raine Thomas's other book For Everly. However the pace picked up and flowed at a then faster pace which I enjoyed. I do enjoy books written by Raine Thomas and this is the second book of hers that I have read and enjoyed. Definitely, easily a 5/5!

1 comment:

  1. Thank you, ladies, for taking the time to read and review MEANT FOR HER and for participating in the launch tour!

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