Three Heartbeats Away Review

Three Heartbeats Away (Book 3)

By C.C Hunter

YA Paranormal Romance

Goodreads Summary:
              The dead carry their secrets with them… 
              At least until they end up at Riley Smith’s door. Her latest spectral visitor is a murdered bride with a need for revenge, and not necessarily for the person who killed her. Never mind that killer is about to strike again. Riley’s determined to help, but is missing Hayden, the hot, ghostly boy who’s always had her back. 
             Living, breathing Hayden is awake, which means his spirit isn’t around to flirt with Riley anymore. Worse yet, the “real” Hayden doesn’t remember her. Their connection had been so strong. Did his feelings for Riley just disappear into the ether? 
             As Riley gets closer to finding the bride’s killer, other secrets are revealed: secrets that changes everything Riley thought she knew about her parents. But before she can completely unravel the mystery of her past, Riley will need to escape the murderer that threatens her future.

Gabrielle's Review:

           In the first two books, you follow Riley and Hayden's journey (I won't say what journey so I don't spoil anything). This book, Riley finds out her father has been keeping a HUGE secret from her with the help of an angry dead ghost bride. At first, this new ghost freaks her out. She throws knives and Riley starts to think she's dangerous BUT then she realizes the ghost is desperate for help because her murderer is about to strike AGAIN and she doesn't want another poor woman in her situation.
           The romance between Hayden and Riley slows to a stop when he wakes up and doesn't remember anything about her. But he slowly starts to remember and thinks he's going crazy because how could he have these memories when he didn't even know her?
            The more they get to know each other, he starts to help Riley with her ghost issue along with her best friend. On top of the murder, she has to deal with her alcoholic father, and her "family secret" (I'm not saying what it is so it isn't spoiled!).
            This book had a great mix of romance, paranormal ghosts, friendships, and family drama. Rarely do you see a girl dedicated to a best friend the way Riley is. Most of the time I read these books, the romance takes up all the protagonist's time and she puts her friends on the back burner but not in Three heartbeats Away!

IN ANOTHER LIFE REVIEW

IN ANOTHER LIFE

By C.C Hunter

YA Contemporary

Goodreads Summary:

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn’t scar her, and she’s had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents’ marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her.

When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he’s determined to figure out the truth.

As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don’t add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe’s adoption a secret that people would kill for?

Gabrielle's 4.5* Review:

The book starts out with Chloe driving back to her mom's with her dad. She's full of anger at her father and is pretty much mad at the world (I think every teen has felt this way at least once). She has a new life in a town she doesn't want to live in. She has to be a parent to her mother and has little time to be a teenager.

On the ride back into town, she bumps into a mysterious guy about her age. He's not very nice but she's still pulled to him (I felt like because she found him hot). As time goes on, he bumps into her more and more and neither of them can resist their attraction. After a little while, he tells her she looks like his foster parents' long lost child and at first she denies it could be her. But the more they look into it the more she starts to believe him.

The closer they get to the truth, the more danger they're in. Soon, they're on the run from a psycho and even the cops.

Chloe deals with her parents' crap so well for a teenager that I admire her for it. Yeah, sometimes she moans about it, but she takes care of her mother when she shouldn't have to and helps get her the help she needs. She also set her father straight. She had the maturity and balls to do something most kids (even adults) couldn't do.

Cash is intriguing. He's tossed around foster homes after his father's death (he blames himself). His father was the opposite of what a parent should be and he didn't have much luck in the system until he found his newest foster parents. They want to spoil him but he doesn't take advantage of them. He actually grows to love them, emotions I wasn't sure he could feel since at the beginning he seemed so hostile. 

What I enjoyed about the book:

I always LOVE C.C Hunter's romances! It sucks me in and I can't stop reading until it's over and then I WANT MORE. I also love how she perfectly blends romance and mystery into this story. I can't get over the fact how well she writes YA and it truly feels like she's in the mind of a teenager. I've felt every single emotion her characters do.

What I disliked: I didn't want Cash to enlighten her on why he seeked her out so early in the book. BUT that didn't destroy the story, instead, it added a different twist.

ANOTHER WELL DONE STORY FROM C.C HUNTER. SHE NEVER EVER DISAPPOINTS!