Book Review: Finally Home by Ann Vaughn 5 STARS!

OMG. OK. I just finished Finally Home. I need an alcoholic beverage and its only 3pm right now. Firstly, anything Ann Vaughn writes is guaranteed to be freakin awesome. Or your money back. GUARANTEED. Out of all the guys, I thought Riley was my favorite. Really, I can have no favorites now. I love all the boys-ahem, I mean men. You can't help but love them all. Before I get ahead of myself let me tell you what the book is about. Mike Casiano-Italian, strong silent type, been through hell and back, selfless, has the self control of Jesus, determination like a bull chasing a red flag and a heart of gold. His nickname is the Commander and boy does it fit him perfectly. There is no way you can not love him. He was a Navy SEAL, was a POW and tortured beyond belief. Any Sherrilyn Kenyon fans in the house? He reminds me a bit of Acheron-except Acheron's suffering was for many years and Mike for 12 hours. Acheron is a freakin God and poor Mike is just a man.  Still, your heart will bleed for him. I haven't even started on Lainey! What a great match for "Mike. Freaking. Casiano."   

This review might not be coherent as I'm still a blubbering mess over this book. Talk about book hangover at it's finest!


Here are some of my favorite quotes:

• You're the one who sent a card to Riley addressed to Malibu Ken." Colt laughed and even Mike had to chuckle at that one.
• Call Colt up here. He was our medic." Her eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?" "You were so insistent on playing Florence Nightingale, who was I to stop you?" he said, deadpan.
• Everything about the huge space was masculine and sleek, tasteful yet Spartan...she decided it suited Mike to a T.     

• "It's fine. I've faced down Al Qaeda, right? I think I can handle one pissed off little blonde."
• "Consequences for disobedience will be immediate and severe." (A line from Mr. Anthony Rawlings if I do say so myself!)
• "If I tell you I'm going to do something, then I'm going to do it. Don't question me when I've already given you the answer, capisce?" (Capisce! made me giggle!)
• "You didn't notice Nick's hair?" "Um, was a little  preoccupied by the fact that he had your face," she grumbled. (No kidding! My thoughts exactly!)
• "You caroused?" Jenna asked Riley with a raised brow. "I was in my mid-twenties and a badass SEAL. Hell, yeah, I caroused," he replied...
• Riley walked up then, Colt and Coop just behind him. Lainey took just a moment to admire how they had recognized that their Commander was in a confrontation and they all came to stand behind him. (I love them all damn it! Sticking up for Mike. AHHH My poor heart!)
• Devil's Lair?" AM MADDEN ( I LOVE when authors do that! When they give a shout out to another awesome book!)
• Fine...but this would be a lot easier if you were with me and not hovering behind me like Kevin Costner."
• "Dio," he swore, then because he couldn't help it, wrapped his arm around her head and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't know if you're an angel or the devil."

• Not a quote but: OMG Mike teasing the stalker #priceless! #avengingangel #iceman
• "He's just Mike." (MAGIC MIKE LOL)

I did go a little hashtag crazy with this one. Here are some of my favorites:

#avengingangel

#iceman

#MagicMike

#thecommander

#MikeFreakingCasiano

#popeye

#bleedingheart

5 stars! All of the guys are book boyfriends, book husbands and favorites of all time! 

Blog Tour: A Home for Christmas by Ann Vaughn

**Please excuse the double post! I signed up for a blog tour for this book and I got so excited that I posted my review early! But hey, we can never have too much Riley! :)**

Ann Vaughn has quickly become one of my favorite authors-EVER! There's romance, hot service men, Channing Tatum!-just kidding, no Channing Tatum. He has nothing on her alpha men, especially Riley! He just melts your heart! I guess technically I have a thing for service men since my fiancee is a firefighter-maybe Ann should write an awesome story about us! I'm on a roll here, I know! Literally, I just love Riley! This is not just a Christmas story, rest assured. I will be selecting this book for my bookclub when the time comes-and my month isn't December. Just, wow. Loved this. Give yourself a present and check this book out! It is only 99 pennies! How can you resist! This picture of Channing Tatum reminds me of the initial description we get of Riley. OH! And wait until you read the part about Jenna's hot chocolate! It totally reminds me of Ned Flander's in The Simpson's Movie! :) 

Here are some of my favorite quotes-this was hard because the whole book is my favorite quote!!!!!

“One guy ran down three teenagers?” Jenna asked, surprised. “From what I understand, this guy is a former Navy SEAL…and he’s recently out, so he’s still in prime shape..."  (I like where this is going hehehhe)

“Well, at least give us your address,” the first lady insisted, “I’d like to bring you a casserole for your troubles.” (smart woman!)

He winked at her. “I got connections, sweetheart. You want it?” (hehehe too bad he was talking about playstation ahh!)

“Would you? My ladder isn’t quite tall enough.” (hhehhehhheheh)

"Well, if it isn't Malibu Ken," Colt Harris' amused voice answered.

He stopped her by pulling her to him and kissing the ever-living daylights out of her.

“You’d be surprised what I would do for you, Jenna,” he said, surprising himself with the admission. (KILL ME NOW! )

“I believe this activity requires a bit more of your, shall we say, arduous participation.”

"I'm dreaming tonight, of a place I love, even more than I usually do. And although I know, it's a long road back, I promise you...I'll be Home for Christmas... ahhh!

Cam looked up at Riley with a shy smile. "I always get her something that represents an event that took place sometime during the year. I thought she'd like to have you represented on our tree."

He looked up from his game. "Uh oh. Full name usage. Serious talk ensues," he said, making Riley chuckle and Jenna roll her eyes.

5 stars-or Christmas ornaments! :) 

Dear Ann, 

Thank you for writing such amazing stories! Could you melt my heart any more with Riley? Really. I was in tears in many places throughout this book! My heart was melted butter for 2 days! I can't even think of a flaw with Riley! 

xoxo, 

Jasmine

A Home For Christmas by Ann Vaughn

Ann Vaughn has quickly become one of my favorite authors-EVER! There's romance, hot service men, Channing Tatum!-just kidding, no Channing Tatum. He has nothing on her alpha men, especially Riley! He just melts your heart! I guess technically I have a thing for service men since my fiancee is a firefighter-maybe Ann should write an awesome story about us! I'm on a roll here, I know! Literally, I just love Riley! This is not just a Christmas story, rest assured. I will be selecting this book for my bookclub when the time comes-and my month isn't December. Just, wow. Loved this. Give yourself a present and check this book out! It is only 99 pennies! How can you resist! This picture of Channing Tatum reminds me of the initial description we get of Riley. OH! And wait until you read the part about Jenna's hot chocolate! It totally reminds me of Ned Flander's in The Simpson's Movie! :) 

Here are some of my favorite quotes-this was hard because the whole book is my favorite quote!!!!!

“One guy ran down three teenagers?” Jenna asked, surprised. “From what I understand, this guy is a former Navy SEAL…and he’s recently out, so he’s still in prime shape..."  (I like where this is going hehehhe)

“Well, at least give us your address,” the first lady insisted, “I’d like to bring you a casserole for your troubles.” (smart woman!)

He winked at her. “I got connections, sweetheart. You want it?” (hehehe too bad he was talking about playstation ahh!)

“Would you? My ladder isn’t quite tall enough.” (hhehhehhheheh)

"Well, if it isn't Malibu Ken," Colt Harris' amused voice answered.

He stopped her by pulling her to him and kissing the ever-living daylights out of her.

“You’d be surprised what I would do for you, Jenna,” he said, surprising himself with the admission. (KILL ME NOW! )

“I believe this activity requires a bit more of your, shall we say, arduous participation.”

"I'm dreaming tonight, of a place I love, even more than I usually do. And although I know, it's a long road back, I promise you...I'll be Home for Christmas... ahhh!

Cam looked up at Riley with a shy smile. "I always get her something that represents an event that took place sometime during the year. I thought she'd like to have you represented on our tree."

He looked up from his game. "Uh oh. Full name usage. Serious talk ensues," he said, making Riley chuckle and Jenna roll her eyes.

5 stars-or Christmas ornaments! :) 

Dear Ann, 

Thank you for writing such amazing stories! Could you melt my heart any more with Riley? Really. I was in tears in many places throughout this book! My heart was melted butter for 2 days! I can't even think of a flaw with Riley! 

xoxo, 

Jasmine

Finding Home by Ann Vaughn

I can easily say Ann Vaughn has become one of my new favorite authors! She just writes so well! First off, all of the men are awesome. Even their names are hot! Colton Harris. Just take me to Texas! Really, this guy is just too good to be true! How can he be so romantical! Colt meets Sarah while she is having lunch. Let the courting begin! He pays for their lunch and makes it his priority to find her and make her fall in love with him. These are just my words, he might not go that far but it is exactly what he did. He didn't know that Sarah's past would be so troublesome. She is such a sweet and wholesome woman. She did not realize that everything she thought her life was will turn out to be a lie.  

Some of my favorite quotes:

• He's like freakin' Rambo.
• "I didn't know you could play the guitar." "Chicks dig music," he told her, his face deadpan.
• "If a gorgeous drink of water like Colt tells you he's got it in the kitchen, give him a kiss and then get the heck outta Dodge!"
• "Is she hitting on you again?" "Nonstop." Sarah laughed. "That's because you're so hot!" AGREED!

Overall I think men should read these books so they can discover what makes women swoon! Colt is totally a book boyfriend husband!

Long Way Home by Ann Vaughn

I cant even think how to start this review off. I think I was expecting a romance story here-but I got so much more. This book is like The Notebook meets G.I. Jane combined. Once I started reading I did not stop-literally read it in 3 hours. Let's talk about all of the things I love about this book:  

• third person narration
• strong female character
• strong male character
• sick ba$tards trying to screw with main characters
• Love that is like the Notebook
• an awesome plot that made me literally slap my mouth shut with my hand because I was in shock 2 TIMES!

Tessa and Shane have loved each other since kindergarten pretty much.  You know how we always tell girls, "If a boy picks on you it means he likes you?' Well, in this book it's the opposite. Tessa is doing all the picking! It is too adorable. Their relationship blooms in high school and of course that always ruins relationships. I wont give the story away but Shane goes to college, Tessa joins the army-YEAH, talk about bada$$! She does well then works for the FBI. Shane does well too. They end up working together on a crazy undercover mission. Boy do these two have a tough road. Shane is definitely, no questions asked, a book boyfriend. Such a great read. I whole heartedly recommend this for anyone-but especially readers who like strong characters who overcome literally the impossible and stay true to themselves. And of course, to anyone who loves a good love story.