Review: Split Decisions by Carmen DeSousa

Split Decisions by Carmen DeSousa
Release Date: June 27, 2013
Format: eARC, 267 pages
Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing
Series: She Belongs to Me #2
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes

Description from Amazon:
Sometimes you want something so badly you are willing to abandon everything you've ever known--including yourself.

Eighteen years ago, Jaynee Monroe married the man of her dreams, became the mother of four, and fulfilled her career goals. About to turn forty, she senses something is missing from her idyllic life. While Googling her name in an attempt to find herself, she unearths something so impossible, she contemplates her own sanity. Seeking answers, she embarks on a journey to discover the truth, only to end up abducted by a deranged stranger who insists on calling her Caycee. 

Caycee took the road less traveled. Rejecting a marriage proposal from the only decent man she ever knew, she ventures to California to become famous. Eighteen years later, success has left her alone and miserable. Attempting to locate her lost love on Facebook, she discovers his infatuation with her. Not only does his presumed-dead wife have Caycee's uncommon middle name, it appears he has photo-shopped her face over hers.

Never could Caycee and Jaynee have imagined decisions they made years earlier would threaten not only their lives but also their loved ones. Caycee must now reunite with the southern gent she dismissed eighteen years ago and convince him to accompany her to New York to locate his wife, the most important person in both their lives.

She Belongs to Me was the first book I read by Carmen DeSousa (it was also her debut, but still), so I was super excited to hear that there was going to be a sequel featuring the characters of hers that are nearest to my heart. There's just something about that first couple, you know? So when I got this book...well, I flailed a little. Then I made time to read it and got to it right away.

I did not read this book in one sitting, but I DID read it in less than 24 hours. Because...goodness, things were HAPPENING and I needed to know what was going to happen next and AHHHHHHHH. Needless to say, I was exceedingly happy with this sequel. (I've been on a roll with nice sequels lately. This makes me so happy!)

Character Rundown:
Jaynee: I've come to realize that I like adult female characters so much more than YA female characters. (NA's kind of split down the middle.) So, of course, I liked Jaynee. She was intelligent and strong, but still had enough vulnerability to not make me angry about being OVER confident. She's still the same character I met in She Belongs to Me and I still 100% enjoyed reading about her and how her mind works.

Caycee: Oh, yeah. She's a whole other character, y'all. I have to say, she had a little attitude that I really liked. It was fun to see how she differentiated from Jaynee, but also to see how she and Jaynee were the same.

Jordan: Still the gentleman he always was. This guy just makes me SMILE. He says the greatest things, and he's so protective and caring. I'm so, so glad Carmen wrote this sequel and we got to see him again. Never will I ever not be happy to see this guy. <3

Plot. Well I must say, I was a bit confused at first. Admittedly, this this is mostly because I had all these predictions as to what the what was going on for there to be both a Jaynee AND a Caycee. But then I started the book and all those guesses were clearly wrong, and I didn't know what was going to happen. Once I got over that and into the book, it flowed well and was paced well and was wonderful. Highly mysterious, that's for sure.

Romance. Come on, guys. JORDAN is in this book. Of course there was romance. He's so sweet. I'd think something was very wrong in the world if there was no romance in those pages. And...well....I wanted to say something about ANOTHER character that I really liked and want to high five, but I'm not going to spoil who that not-bad character is. So...yeah. NO SPOILING HERE....

The ending. I will give you one word here. Or, well, a name: Tyler. That's it. That is all I'm giving you.

Overall, Split Decisions was a highly compelling sequel to She Belongs to Me filled with mystery and romance. I was swooning one second and asking myself just what was going ON the next and I loved every moment of it. Another wonderful story by Carmen DeSousa! Now I shall go eagerly await her next one...

♥Jessica(:

Review: Entangled Dreams by Carmen DeSousa

Entangled Dreams by Carmen DeSousa
Release Date: November 14, 2013
Format: Paperback, 266 pages
Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing
Source: Author

Description from Goodreads:
When Alexandra Nicole was eight, she thought she was a princess in a fairytale. But after a tragic accident shatters her magical life, she finds herself in a cold and heartless reality.

As an adult, she once again faces harsh truths and decides to take control of her life. Unfortunately, choices have a way of entangling her dreams and pushing her down a dark and dismal path.

Alexandra must trust her instincts to escape danger, but be able to surrender all to find her happily ever after. Knowing how to decipher the difference, will be her toughest challenge.

Carmen DeSousa is one of my favorite authors. So of course I was incredibly happy when I got this book in the mail. Having loved Carmen's first two books (they are truly terrific), I was so ecstatic to jump into this one. And I expected to love it. Which I did.

I love this book so much. It just may be my favorite book by Carmen DeSousa. I'm not sure. If it's not, then it's definitely tied with Land of the Noonday Sun. Either way, this book was great. It's different from Carmen's usual stories, but still portrays her wonderful writing style and loads of sweet moments that make me feel happy inside.

Character Rundown:
Alexandra: This girl knows what's up. She doesn't sit around and whine or look to others to solve her problem. No, sir. She handles them herself. This said, she also knows when to ask for help. When there truly is no better option. I admire this trait in her character.

Cameron: I love him! He does what he has to do, but doesn't go looking for trouble. He's strong and stable and such a great person. A complete sweetheart, this guy. <3 He's also not perfect. And he has secrets. I liked the fact that he was mysterious without being stereotypical mysterious. He comes across as such an open book at first. ;)

Romance. Cameron is so perfect for Alexandra, it only makes sense that they would be the adorable couple that they are. Goodness, they are not perfect people, but when all is said and done, they are perfect for each other. I was rooting for them from the moment they met!

Plot. Not a big twisted mystery like Carmen usually writes, but a darn great love story and I enjoyed every second of it. The surprise in this book lies more in the secrets we uncover than the who-done-it. Personally, I am okay with that. Heck, I am more than okay with that. Have I MENTIONED that I love this book?

The ending. Well, you see, first there was just a lot of ohmygosh ohmygsoh ohmygosh. Then were was a big, huge AWWWWWWWWWW! No cliffhanger or anything and everything wrapped up in a way that made me grin so wide.

Overall, yet another AMAZING book by Carmen DeSousa. A beautiful love story that I never wanted to end. I seriously cannot wait for Carmen's next book!!

♥Jessica(: