Book Review: Chasing the Wild Sparks by Ren Alexander

Chasing the Wild Sparks

by Ren Alexander

Paperback: 328 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 13, 2013)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1299 KB
Print Length: 328 pages
Publisher: Ren Alexander (January 15, 2014)
Publication Date: January 15, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

Hmm. Rating this one is pretty hard and confusing for me. I liked the story but often, I was annoyed with the immaturity of all the characters here. They were all in their 30's and yet they're acting as if they were teenagers experiencing life problems for the first time. 

Hadley and I didn't get along during the first half of the story. I was just too displeased with how she handled things with Finn. Past the last quarter, I began to like her. I was often moved to tears just thinking about her dreams and future which she knew too well they were different with Fin's.  

I'm downloading the second book, I want to see which Hadley would choose: love (stay with Fin but be unhappy forever) or dreams (leave Fin and wait for the right man to fulfill her dreams).


About the book:

What would you do if the love of your life doesn’t want the same life you do?

Hadley Beckett has failed in not only her career, but as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend. 

Hadley’s longtime boyfriend, Finn Wilder, who is Richmond, Virginia’s local daredevil and favorite sportscaster, isn’t afraid of anything…except for LASIK surgery, dancing, marriage, and kids—the last two being what Hadley desperately wants with him. Finn leads a very public life; however, he leaves Hadley in the dark about most of it. Despite his public persona, Finn is viciously protective of his private life. Excluding their families, his best friend and Hadley’s friends, nobody knows he has been dating her for three years. Finn loves Hadley and he knows she wants to get married. Nevertheless, he has his own reasons for not wanting to marry her.

Fearing at 33 that she will soon be too old to have kids, Hadley wants Finn to change his mind and marry her, yet her insecurities about his seemingly charismatic personality and his constant rebuffs have her questioning her aspirations. With conflicting advice from her friends, Hadley concludes she should take things into her own hands.

Would he change his mind then?

Finn pressures Hadley into moving in with him, but being traditional, she wants to be married first and she wants to stick to her beliefs, just as he clings to his own. Finn has tolerated Hadley’s stubbornness long enough and he’s reaching his breaking point. 

Finn Wilder has his own story to tell.

Book Review: Secrets of the Elusive Lover by Mike Wells

Secrets of the Elusive Lover

Book 1: The Personal Journal of a Playboy

by Mike Wells

File Size: 692 KB
Print Length: 79 pages
Publisher: For Readers of Paulo Coelho, H.M. Ward, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, Bella Andre, Charlotte Stein Publishing Co. (January 18, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Kindle Link


Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Mike Wells. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.


Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

I don't really have half stars here but considering I liked some parts of the book but disliked the main characters, I decided to push my rating up to 3.5 stars.  

Adam is a typical handsome "loverboy" (the term my friends and I use to refer to a player). He has his wonderful ways of luring beautiful women to making them his fuck buddies but I just couldn't accept that this "loverboy" is into astrology... I have guy friends who are much worse than Adam but I could never imagine them into astrology. As for Bethany, I don't really dislike her. It's just that I like Cassandra more (one of Adam's fuck buddies). Frequently I was skipping because I wanted to know more about Cassandra, and actually continued reading because of her. 

Oh the ending. . . You can't end the book without resolving the first and only major issue. I don't really know how to explain it, sorry. I love trilogies/book series, and often they have cliffhanger endings, this one just didn't work for me. 

Overall, it was still an entertaining read. A lot of readers loved the book, you may want to read them HERE (Amazon / Goodreads).

About the book:

Every woman knows an Adam. He's a "player," the type who professes true love, but with eyes that never stop wandering. He always has the perfect excuse when you find that long strand of blonde hair stuck to his collar, and fidgets whenever you get near his computer.

Adam can't fool Bethany, who, despite her better judgment, falls head over heels for him. Bethany is far more intelligent and strong-willed than Adam bargains for, and he finds himself smitten, too.


Hilarious at times and poignant at others, Secrets of the Elusive Lover explores the age old challenge of obtaining the unattainable man, and the paradoxical issues surrounding monogamous relationships.

About the author:

Mike Wells is an American bestselling author of over 20 "unputdownable" thriller and suspense novels, including Lust, Money & Murder and Passion, Power & Sin. He is also known for his young adult books, such as The Mysterious Disappearance of Kurt Kramer, The Wrong Side of the Tracks, and Wild Child, which are used by English teachers in high schools and colleges worldwide. Formerly a screenwriter, Wells has a fast-paced, cinematic writing style. His work is often compared to that of the late Sidney Sheldon, with strong and inspiring female heroes, tightly-written scenes, engaging action/dialogue, and numerous plot twists. He currently lives in Europe and has taught in the Creative Writing program at the University of Oxford. 

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