Recommendations from Peggy for July 2015.

In order to bring some more variety to my blog, I have asked some of my bookish friends to tell about the books they have in the past month, and to give us a recommendation. Today’s post is made by Peggy from Belgium.

Peggy:

I have read 9 novels in the past month, and the 3 books I enjoyed the most are:

1. Pucked – Helena Hunting



2. Play it safe – Kristen Ashley



3. Bound by honor – Cora Reilly



This month I have read some great books. What makes it really hard to choose only 3 books for this recommendation. The one thing that most of the books that I read this month had in common was that they weren’t what I expected. They took me by surprise and as a reader I really like that!

One of the books that took me by surprise was ‘Pucked’ from Helena Hunting.



With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn't interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet's misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match.
Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant - and quirky - gifts. Suddenly, he's too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like.
The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn't want to be part of the game.


Violet Hall is a little bit of a nerd. She loves reading books and playing games on the Xbox. Partying isn’t her thing and o yeah, she works for an account firm. Her mother is remarried and through her stepfather and –brother, she’s well acquainted with ice hockey and NHL players (seeing as her stepbrother is one!). So she’s well aware of the playboy reputation that many hockey stars have. So when she meets Alex Waters, who’s the team captain of her stepbrother’s team the Hawks, she knows that the best thing that she can do, is stay far away from him. But she didn’t count on the interest that Alex would have for her or the attraction she would feel for him. Especially when she discovers that Alex is more than just a hot body and a great player. But what started as a one-night stand becomes much more.

Alex found something special that night and he will not let Violet get away! He will woo her until she gives herself to him, body and heart. But there’s the outside world and family that will do anything to get to them. Will Violet and Alex be strong enough to fight for this relationship?

Being an ice hockey fan I love reading books about NHL players. This is the first book that I read from Helena Hunting and I didn’t know what to expect but whatever it was it wasn’t this! I read on the internet many great reviews about this book, so I was really curious about it. From the cover and the title, I thought that it would be another ‘dark’ new adult story, but was I wrong!! I found myself laughing and enjoying this book so much. I was so sorry when it was finished.

‘Play it safe’ was once again a great story from Kristen Ashley.
I really enjoyed it.


Another writer I discovered this month was Cora Reilly and her mafia series. ‘Bound by honor’ is the first book of the series.



Born into one of the leading Mob families in Chicago, Aria Scuderi struggles to find her own path in a world where no choices are given. Aria was only fifteen when her parents betrothed her to Luca – The Vice – Vitiello, the oldest son of the head of the New York Cosa Nostra to ensure peace between the two families.
Now at eighteen, the day Aria has been dreading for years is looming dangerously: her wedding to Luca.
Aria is terrified of marrying a man she hardly knows, especially someone like Luca who got his nickname ‘the Vice’ for crushing a man’s throat with his bare hands. Luca might be one of the most sought after men in New York thanks to his good looks, wealth and predator-like charisma that radiates power, but the society girls throwing themselves at him don’t know what Aria does: that the bad boy aura isn’t just a game; blood and death lurk beneath Luca’s striking gray eyes and arrogant smile.
In her world a handsome exterior often hides the monster within; a monster who can just as easily kill as kiss you.
The only way to escape the marriage to Luca would be to run away and leave everything she’s ever known behind but Aria can’t bear the thought of never seeing her family again.
Despite her fear, she decides to go through with the marriage; Aria has grown up among predators like Luca and knows that even most cold-hearted bastards have a heart and she has every intention of working her way into Luca’s.


It’s about Aria Scuderi who is born in the Mob family from Chicago and Luca – The Vice – Vitiello, who is the oldest of the head of the New York family. In order to bring peace between these two families, Aria must marry Luca, that is decided by the two families. A marriage of convenience is a ‘normal’ thing in this dangerous world. Here in this world women don’t have much to say, it’s a men’s world. When it comes to marriage, your father decides who you will marry and not your heart. So the only thing that Aria can hope for is that Luca will be a good husband to her and that if she’s lucky, she will find love in her marriage. But will that ever be possible in this dangerous world and with this dangerous man?

I think that this is one of those book or series that you either love or not. I know that this story isn’t for everyone but I can say for myself that I couldn’t stop reading this book. And as soon as I finished this book I started reading the next one of the series. I love reading about the mob and I liked this series very much.

These were my favourite books of this month. I hope you’re all having a beautiful summer and enjoying some great books.

Till next month.



Aurian: Thanks for the recommendation Peggy! I like reading about the mob as well, so I have added this one to my wishlist. Dear reader, have you read this author yet?

© 2015 Reviews by Aurian