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Blackbird
A serious car accident leaves bad boy Nate Williams seriously injured and lucky to be alive. During his journey to learn to walk again, he meets Claire, a physiotherapist in the last year of university. He’s instantly attracted to her, but Claire is no ordinary girl. She’s resistant to his charms and good looks, which only intrigues him more.
Claire is reluctant, to say the least, when Nate comes back into her life again as one of her patients for her clinical placement. A self-absorbed, tattooed, womaniser, he is the last person on earth she wanted or expected to see again. Nate may not remember her, or the kiss they once shared, but she certainly does. The next five weeks would be anything but easy.
Blackbird is a story of self-discovery and the formation of an unexpected friendship between two people who learn that life and love are anything but planned.
Claire is reluctant, to say the least, when Nate comes back into her life again as one of her patients for her clinical placement. A self-absorbed, tattooed, womaniser, he is the last person on earth she wanted or expected to see again. Nate may not remember her, or the kiss they once shared, but she certainly does. The next five weeks would be anything but easy.
Blackbird is a story of self-discovery and the formation of an unexpected friendship between two people who learn that life and love are anything but planned.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2002
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March 16, 2013
SPOILER FREE REVIEW -mature content reader discretion is advised.
3.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
“So, sunshine, where do you want me first? On the floor? On the bed?” He smiled mischievously.
Claire rubbed her temple with her free hand.
“Look. It’s plain and simple. I’m here to get you to walk again. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
That comment only seemed to make Nate smile more.
“Hard does sound appealing. Hard. Rough. Thick.”
~Nate and Claire
My Casting
“Get out.”
She stood her ground. “I’m not leaving.”
Nate grabbed both of her shoulders and pulled her closer. Staring down at her he whispered harshly, “Stop trying to save me. I’m not yours to save.”
Nate Williams life was spinning out of control when a nearly fatal car crash leaves him in rehab to regain the use of his legs.
Claire is a physiotherapist she just picked up her last case before graduating. She is determined to get her new client walking in the next five weeks until she meets him and all thoughts vanish. She immediately recognizes him and is thrown through a loop. Her new client is a guy she once shared a kiss with not to long ago. Nate is oblivious to the connection Claire makes, he's to busy checking her out. And he definitely likes what he sees. Claire decides to keep the memory to her self since he seems to not remember.
Nate's charm has never failed him...until today.
Claire is not falling for his flirtatious ways or the the sexy tattoo's that run up and down his sexy forearms and biceps...OR..is she.
Well if she is, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY she can take it far with Nate because she has a boyfriend. Dave.
Nate and Claire bond over the next few weeks. When she turns down his advances they settle into a comfortable friendship. She learns that they share a few things in common. Both of them are very adventurous. Nate loves to travel and traveling is something she wants to do in the near future. She also learns that he loves to surf and he offers to teach her; she picks up surfing quick.
The attraction between them builds but Nate promised to keep it platonic so he doesn't make a move. Yet his feelings still surface and bubble up in to their friendship.
“Admit it. You think I’m not good enough.”
Claire felt her breathing hitch. “Where did this come from? Nate, I have a boyfriend.”
He let go of one of her wrists and held his hand up to her face. He stroked her cheek slowly, delicately. “Then explain to me what this is. This thing between you and me.”
Please don’t go there, Claire thought.
“There’s nothing going on between us,” she whispered. Breathe, Claire. Breathe!
“You sure about that?” his voice was raspy and filled with need. “You want me.”
“I don’t want you,” she said, not quite as firmly as she would have hoped.
Claire begins to question her relationship with Dave and her life as a whole.
Claire didn’t know what to think, what emotions to feel. Anxious? Nervous? Angry?
Nate had managed to push all her buttons and make her question her life. She’d never met anyone like him before. He infuriated her, yet excited her. She found a level of comfort with him that she’d yet to find with anyone else, including Dave.
When Nate gets stuck in a dark place Claire is there to pull him out in to the light. However Claire has not been completely honest with Nate.
Things go south between the two when he realizes Claire has withheld information from him. Information about how they first met prior to his accident.
My Thoughts
In three words I found this book to be FUN SEXY and IRRESISTIBLE! I loved the two main characters. Mainly I found Nate to be irresistible he was cocky and everything that came out of his mouth was pure entertainment.
While sex did not play a big role in this book it still had sexy moments.
Dear readers,
If you are looking for a witty yet sexy read then this book is for you! The book does have a minor love triangle however no cheating occurs.
My Ratings
Characters- Lovable and Witty
Writing Style- Good
Plot/Storyline- Fun, Sexy and completely irresistible
Steam Factor- Medium/Moderately Steamy
Overall- I enjoyed it! Read it!!!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews got to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**
3.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
“So, sunshine, where do you want me first? On the floor? On the bed?” He smiled mischievously.
Claire rubbed her temple with her free hand.
“Look. It’s plain and simple. I’m here to get you to walk again. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
That comment only seemed to make Nate smile more.
“Hard does sound appealing. Hard. Rough. Thick.”
~Nate and Claire
My Casting
“Get out.”
She stood her ground. “I’m not leaving.”
Nate grabbed both of her shoulders and pulled her closer. Staring down at her he whispered harshly, “Stop trying to save me. I’m not yours to save.”
Nate Williams life was spinning out of control when a nearly fatal car crash leaves him in rehab to regain the use of his legs.
Claire is a physiotherapist she just picked up her last case before graduating. She is determined to get her new client walking in the next five weeks until she meets him and all thoughts vanish. She immediately recognizes him and is thrown through a loop. Her new client is a guy she once shared a kiss with not to long ago. Nate is oblivious to the connection Claire makes, he's to busy checking her out. And he definitely likes what he sees. Claire decides to keep the memory to her self since he seems to not remember.
Nate's charm has never failed him...until today.
Claire is not falling for his flirtatious ways or the the sexy tattoo's that run up and down his sexy forearms and biceps...OR..is she.
Well if she is, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY she can take it far with Nate because she has a boyfriend. Dave.
Nate and Claire bond over the next few weeks. When she turns down his advances they settle into a comfortable friendship. She learns that they share a few things in common. Both of them are very adventurous. Nate loves to travel and traveling is something she wants to do in the near future. She also learns that he loves to surf and he offers to teach her; she picks up surfing quick.
The attraction between them builds but Nate promised to keep it platonic so he doesn't make a move. Yet his feelings still surface and bubble up in to their friendship.
“Admit it. You think I’m not good enough.”
Claire felt her breathing hitch. “Where did this come from? Nate, I have a boyfriend.”
He let go of one of her wrists and held his hand up to her face. He stroked her cheek slowly, delicately. “Then explain to me what this is. This thing between you and me.”
Please don’t go there, Claire thought.
“There’s nothing going on between us,” she whispered. Breathe, Claire. Breathe!
“You sure about that?” his voice was raspy and filled with need. “You want me.”
“I don’t want you,” she said, not quite as firmly as she would have hoped.
Claire begins to question her relationship with Dave and her life as a whole.
Claire didn’t know what to think, what emotions to feel. Anxious? Nervous? Angry?
Nate had managed to push all her buttons and make her question her life. She’d never met anyone like him before. He infuriated her, yet excited her. She found a level of comfort with him that she’d yet to find with anyone else, including Dave.
When Nate gets stuck in a dark place Claire is there to pull him out in to the light. However Claire has not been completely honest with Nate.
Things go south between the two when he realizes Claire has withheld information from him. Information about how they first met prior to his accident.
My Thoughts
In three words I found this book to be FUN SEXY and IRRESISTIBLE! I loved the two main characters. Mainly I found Nate to be irresistible he was cocky and everything that came out of his mouth was pure entertainment.
While sex did not play a big role in this book it still had sexy moments.
Dear readers,
If you are looking for a witty yet sexy read then this book is for you! The book does have a minor love triangle however no cheating occurs.
My Ratings
Characters- Lovable and Witty
Writing Style- Good
Plot/Storyline- Fun, Sexy and completely irresistible
Steam Factor- Medium/Moderately Steamy
Overall- I enjoyed it! Read it!!!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews got to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**
January 21, 2013
3.5 stars. - This was a quick, cute read with parts I liked and others I didn't. It was an enjoyable read though I felt the pacing was a bit choppy as I kept bouncing from liking the book and not liking the book. And I just wish there were some great lines that stayed with me, although the writing is not bad.
Nate is a tortured bad boy who can't forgive himself for this father's death. I liked that Salmond didn't make the book too emotionally heavy, especially since a lot of authors try to overdo it with the guy's point of view. Pretty quickly, you can tell that Nate and Claire has a history, and I'm glad that this wasn't one of those books where the author tries to drag out the secret of how they knew each other.
There were things that I did find a bit unrealistic though. Claire did some very non-therapist things that could cost her career (well, I guess her future license). And coming to a random guy's house and starting to clean up and cook for him. A little on the unreal side.
But the story moved along with Claire and Nate being friends, leading up to what you know would be the inevitable. Don't get me wrong, there were times that I was so frustrated with Claire - how she could be so blind, her denial about Dave. At the same time, I also understand where she's coming from. It's hard to leave a relationship with someone you care about, especially when it's with someone who's future is so uncertain. But I've read other books such as Thoughtless and Avoiding Commitment that just made me want to pull my hair out, and this book didn't because Salmond didn't try to overdo it.
Overall, it's not a bad read at all. Still, even though there were parts I didn't like, I enjoyed reading it.
Hmmm... Seems a little heavier than what I'm in the mood for, but I need a break with the angel books I am planning to read.
Nate is a tortured bad boy who can't forgive himself for this father's death. I liked that Salmond didn't make the book too emotionally heavy, especially since a lot of authors try to overdo it with the guy's point of view. Pretty quickly, you can tell that Nate and Claire has a history, and I'm glad that this wasn't one of those books where the author tries to drag out the secret of how they knew each other.
There were things that I did find a bit unrealistic though. Claire did some very non-therapist things that could cost her career (well, I guess her future license). And coming to a random guy's house and starting to clean up and cook for him. A little on the unreal side.
But the story moved along with Claire and Nate being friends, leading up to what you know would be the inevitable. Don't get me wrong, there were times that I was so frustrated with Claire - how she could be so blind, her denial about Dave. At the same time, I also understand where she's coming from. It's hard to leave a relationship with someone you care about, especially when it's with someone who's future is so uncertain. But I've read other books such as Thoughtless and Avoiding Commitment that just made me want to pull my hair out, and this book didn't because Salmond didn't try to overdo it.
Overall, it's not a bad read at all. Still, even though there were parts I didn't like, I enjoyed reading it.
January 21, 2013
This book was a kinda like a seesaw. Had quite a few ups and downs, mostly ups towards the end.
It started out pretty great. We get to meet Nate, how is pretty down on his luck and right in the edge of depression. Then we meet Claire who is a very driven, impulsive and stubborn girl. Loved their banter and how Claire kept helping Nate even when she didn't have to.
I really liked how their romance developed, how starts getting out and changing for the better, not only in regards to his leg, but his whole persona. Claire also grows a bit a realizes what she really wants in life and that she can get it if she really wants to. Claire's bf was a complete ass, he was the epitome of douche.
My problem was with the way they talked sometimes. It just didn't seem real. As nice as it would be that people could just talk like that and get out everything, but it's just not realistic.
So even though the story was going well, they would have a random talk and I would throw me off, then get back into it and so on. But even with it's issues I ended up liking this one.
It started out pretty great. We get to meet Nate, how is pretty down on his luck and right in the edge of depression. Then we meet Claire who is a very driven, impulsive and stubborn girl. Loved their banter and how Claire kept helping Nate even when she didn't have to.
I really liked how their romance developed, how starts getting out and changing for the better, not only in regards to his leg, but his whole persona. Claire also grows a bit a realizes what she really wants in life and that she can get it if she really wants to. Claire's bf was a complete ass, he was the epitome of douche.
My problem was with the way they talked sometimes. It just didn't seem real. As nice as it would be that people could just talk like that and get out everything, but it's just not realistic.
So even though the story was going well, they would have a random talk and I would throw me off, then get back into it and so on. But even with it's issues I ended up liking this one.
February 22, 2013
I liked this book a lot. I thought the story line was intriguing. I was a little nervous this was going to turn into a love triangle like Thoughtless, but luckily it didn't. Now that's not to say that Claire wasn't torn between 2 different guys....it just played out correctly. Nate was wonderful, he did start out as a douche but totally redeemed himself and ended up being a devoted friend. I liked his integrity. Yes, him and Claire had 2 small slip ups, but he was strong enough to not let it go any further. I appreciated that he wanted to give Claire the time and space to figure things out on her own, even if that meant they could only be friends. Claire annoyed me a little bit with her thought process with the situation, but I'm glad she realized that she needed to figure things out before moving on. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a drama free love story. What I mean by drama free is that there weren't any outside factors to get in the way.
January 25, 2013
Where to start, to begin with it took me a while to get into the book, I was even to the point where I was going to give up and start something else, but I'm glad I stayed with it, it's like a bottle of red wine, the longer you leave it the better it tastes,(well that's my opinion) same as this book, the further you read the better it gets as you go along..Loved it!!
March 18, 2013
There is a huge difference between what the people wanted you to be and what you wanted yourself to be. A story about Self-Discovery - that is what Blackbird is all about.
The blurb works its magic on me so to start reading this has been a very exciting thing for me but as I go on I discovered that some parts are not that thrilling as I expected it to be - but there are parts that certainly caught my interest. As I read, I also encountered things that I consider as pros and cons. Let’s start it off with the pros of the story for me:
This is a story about being yourself and finding you real self. Knowing the difference between what you really wanted to do and what other people wanted you to do. It's inspirational in every way you look because this is a problem I think a lot of people encounter.
Nate Williams had gone through a lot of rough things in life. He's your typical bad-boy-with-a-good-heart-deep-down plus he's cocky, arrogant, flirty but his respectful manner will surely get to you. He believes in taking chances and living life to the fullest. He didn’t give up - on his therapy, his family, his own self and his relationship with Claire. That's the thing I like most about him.
Claire was okay. She frustrates me with her uncertainty most of the time but I do like her determination and dedication in doing things designated to her. She treats what she does wholeheartedly.
The relationship between these two has a solid foundation. They didn’t kick off immediately but as they spend time with one another they become friends. They have fun and treat each other with utter respect and the love part didn’t happen immediately. It was not rushed and as I’ve said it has a foundation. One thing I know for sure is that their friendship is genuine.
Now for the part of the story that I didn’t like most or my con: the love triangle.
I’m not really a fan of love triangles so that is given but if that reason would be set aside the love triangle between Nate-Claire-Dave here is still very much unlikeable for my taste. Why? Because I always takes side with love triangles and the story involve cheating (you may not consider what happened between Claire and Nate as cheating but it does for me); A big No for the cheating part.
Clearly, Claire has to choose between these two and it would not be a very easy task because she would end up hurting one of them. As I’ve said I always take sides on love triangles and this time I’m with Nate. I really admire his patience and his thing with not giving up. Though on Dave’s part I understand his likeness for Claire to focus on her career, I know Dave has good intentions and is a good person but since he��s not the main here his attitude was made to be really hated by the readers.
Another things is that the transitions between the scenes on the story seems a bit off. It was no major problem for me so it was okay.
Live life to the fullest and with no regrets and Taking chances is always worth the risk when you’re doing it with someone you love - a very good message that this story encompasses; a simple yet inspirational read.
The blurb works its magic on me so to start reading this has been a very exciting thing for me but as I go on I discovered that some parts are not that thrilling as I expected it to be - but there are parts that certainly caught my interest. As I read, I also encountered things that I consider as pros and cons. Let’s start it off with the pros of the story for me:
This is a story about being yourself and finding you real self. Knowing the difference between what you really wanted to do and what other people wanted you to do. It's inspirational in every way you look because this is a problem I think a lot of people encounter.
Nate Williams had gone through a lot of rough things in life. He's your typical bad-boy-with-a-good-heart-deep-down plus he's cocky, arrogant, flirty but his respectful manner will surely get to you. He believes in taking chances and living life to the fullest. He didn’t give up - on his therapy, his family, his own self and his relationship with Claire. That's the thing I like most about him.
Claire was okay. She frustrates me with her uncertainty most of the time but I do like her determination and dedication in doing things designated to her. She treats what she does wholeheartedly.
The relationship between these two has a solid foundation. They didn’t kick off immediately but as they spend time with one another they become friends. They have fun and treat each other with utter respect and the love part didn’t happen immediately. It was not rushed and as I’ve said it has a foundation. One thing I know for sure is that their friendship is genuine.
Now for the part of the story that I didn’t like most or my con: the love triangle.
I’m not really a fan of love triangles so that is given but if that reason would be set aside the love triangle between Nate-Claire-Dave here is still very much unlikeable for my taste. Why? Because I always takes side with love triangles and the story involve cheating (you may not consider what happened between Claire and Nate as cheating but it does for me); A big No for the cheating part.
Clearly, Claire has to choose between these two and it would not be a very easy task because she would end up hurting one of them. As I’ve said I always take sides on love triangles and this time I’m with Nate. I really admire his patience and his thing with not giving up. Though on Dave’s part I understand his likeness for Claire to focus on her career, I know Dave has good intentions and is a good person but since he��s not the main here his attitude was made to be really hated by the readers.
Another things is that the transitions between the scenes on the story seems a bit off. It was no major problem for me so it was okay.
Live life to the fullest and with no regrets and Taking chances is always worth the risk when you’re doing it with someone you love - a very good message that this story encompasses; a simple yet inspirational read.
January 3, 2019
I finally finished this!!! Who knew I'd be so busy with college and work that I couldn't spend time with my precious friends (friends meaning books, I am not that popular, ya know)?
Anyways, lets get to the point!
I really like the way Nicole writes. She is a wonderful storyteller, the text is not abrupt but flows nicely and everything happens when it is supposed to happen. Lately, with some of the new authors, I feel like they want to get to the main twist in the plot so fast that they forget to pay attention to the little details in the story so there are a lot of mistakes and that just confuses the reader. I didn't feel like that with "Blackbird".
I liked how we were able to see Claire (and Nate) change and become the people they were in the end. I liked how it took Claire time to realize how she felt and what she wanted from her life. Claire was a strong character. She is an independent woman and enjoys taking risks. I felt like she is an easy character to relate to. Fun fact, it took me about 60 pages to realize that Claire, is in fact the sister of Stella from Nicole Salmond's other book "Forever Yours". I then started to pay more attention to her character and was happy to find more dept to her that she had in the other book.
So.....Nate. Can i just say - SWOOON. I don't know whats with good girls and bad boys but the way Nate was described, made me definitely develop a little crush on him.
Now, I must talk about what I didn't like as well. There weren't many, but I did stumble upon quite a few editing mistakes ( at least I think that's how you call them). I know that the author and her editor has to look through the book a million times and sometimes it just happens that in the final piece, there still are some mistakes but I just wanted to point that out (especially since The Beatles was spelled as The Beetles and since I worship them it caught my eye).
Other than that, I didn't find anything that I didn't like in this book. A really nice, enjoyable read.
Anyways, lets get to the point!
I really like the way Nicole writes. She is a wonderful storyteller, the text is not abrupt but flows nicely and everything happens when it is supposed to happen. Lately, with some of the new authors, I feel like they want to get to the main twist in the plot so fast that they forget to pay attention to the little details in the story so there are a lot of mistakes and that just confuses the reader. I didn't feel like that with "Blackbird".
I liked how we were able to see Claire (and Nate) change and become the people they were in the end. I liked how it took Claire time to realize how she felt and what she wanted from her life. Claire was a strong character. She is an independent woman and enjoys taking risks. I felt like she is an easy character to relate to. Fun fact, it took me about 60 pages to realize that Claire, is in fact the sister of Stella from Nicole Salmond's other book "Forever Yours". I then started to pay more attention to her character and was happy to find more dept to her that she had in the other book.
So.....Nate. Can i just say - SWOOON. I don't know whats with good girls and bad boys but the way Nate was described, made me definitely develop a little crush on him.
Now, I must talk about what I didn't like as well. There weren't many, but I did stumble upon quite a few editing mistakes ( at least I think that's how you call them). I know that the author and her editor has to look through the book a million times and sometimes it just happens that in the final piece, there still are some mistakes but I just wanted to point that out (especially since The Beatles was spelled as The Beetles and since I worship them it caught my eye).
Other than that, I didn't find anything that I didn't like in this book. A really nice, enjoyable read.
January 21, 2013
As the saying goes ‘when one door closes, another door opens’ and that’s what happened with Nate. Just as he thought all hope was lost and was giving up on himself and the people who cared for him, he met Claire and together they embarked on a journey of friendship, love, salvation and freedom.
I loved ‘Blackbird’ and after reading this book, the title fits perfectly – To be free, to make your own decisions and to live in the moment.
Claire and Nate… Wow talk about chemistry, you could feel it and sense it, Nicole explored their relationship through friendship and mutual respect and at times you wanted to help these two to get their acts together. I loved how they branded each other (Classic Nate, Cranky Nate, Feisty Claire, flirty Claire) it was kind of like the ‘shades of Nate and Claire’. These two brought out the best and the worst out of each other and together they learned how to fly again and take chances.
Not once did I want to put this book down and Nicole did a fantastic job in writing this book. I also loved her debut book ‘Forever Yours’ which Claire is part of as Stella’s sister. It was great to see that Claire had a voice and she wanted her story to be told. I cannot wait for other books from this talented Author.
I’ve added Nate to my list of book boyfriends and of course Nicole you are on my Favourite Author list. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. Congratulations.
I loved ‘Blackbird’ and after reading this book, the title fits perfectly – To be free, to make your own decisions and to live in the moment.
Claire and Nate… Wow talk about chemistry, you could feel it and sense it, Nicole explored their relationship through friendship and mutual respect and at times you wanted to help these two to get their acts together. I loved how they branded each other (Classic Nate, Cranky Nate, Feisty Claire, flirty Claire) it was kind of like the ‘shades of Nate and Claire’. These two brought out the best and the worst out of each other and together they learned how to fly again and take chances.
Not once did I want to put this book down and Nicole did a fantastic job in writing this book. I also loved her debut book ‘Forever Yours’ which Claire is part of as Stella’s sister. It was great to see that Claire had a voice and she wanted her story to be told. I cannot wait for other books from this talented Author.
I’ve added Nate to my list of book boyfriends and of course Nicole you are on my Favourite Author list. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. Congratulations.
January 22, 2013
I love Nate Williams! LOL wow what a thrilling book! Read this book in under 9 hours during my 10 hour shift at work. Every page was addicting as the last and just had me smiling from start to end. I found the vibe of this book very similar to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire but found the content in this book a lot more mature. So for all you lot who love Travis in BD you'll love Nate! Think I might stick to Nate than Travis in BD since Nate is only a year younger than me haha but in all honesty this story was a very emotional yet a beautiful read. The way both Claire & Nate developed from friendship to something more was very heartfelt to read. Just wished the book was longer or there's a second book *hint*hint*Nicole* lol Nate's humour and very flirty attitude will certain keep readers smiling & laughing till the end. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! You won't be disappointed! If there was more then 5 stars I'd gladly give more.. But a well deserved 5 STAR BOOK *****
January 13, 2013
Release Date: 20th January 2013
July 19, 2014
DNF - Second book by Ms Salmond I have given up with, just not for me.
February 22, 2013
Blackbird is a story about self-discovery, as the synopsis entitles. It’s about finding yourself in the world and being the person who YOU want to be, not what people want you to be or do. When I read the synopsis the other day, I instantly knew I had to download this book and read it immediately. I was not disappointed at all and Nicole Salmond takes you through a journey about yourself too and what you want in life, as well as going through Nate and Claire’s journey with them. I found this book to be refreshing and it really did have me indulged for the few hours I was reading it, finding it hard to put down even for a split second. I just had to finish it and see what happened!
Oh Nate Williams! He had gone through some tough times in his life. With his father’s death being the main reason he’s gone off the rails a bit. He blames himself for it and that’s why his life doesn’t seem important to him. He puts on a cocky, sexualised front, as to hide his true colours and he never stays with one girl, always jumping from one, one night stand, to the next. But when we see him with Claire at first, he’s, as I said, cocky and flirty and playful with her, trying to wind her up, but the more time they spend together, and become friends, the more Nate changes – for the best. His attitude changes. He’s never really had a girlfriend, let alone been interested enough to have one, but when he’s around Claire, and even when he’s not, shes all he thinks about and all he wants. But with her having a boyfriend, he’s going to have to stay being her friend. But he’s also determined to show her that they should be more. I liked that he didn’t give up on her.
Nate was Claire’s last patient before graduating and when she sees him, she’s angry. They have history but he doesn’t seem to remember. She pushes that aside and is determined to help him walk again. She is a strong character, shes a determined character but she’s also frustrating to read. She had a boyfriend of 6 months (Who was a total douchebag to her) but she has feelings for Nate. When she and Nate become friends, she began to annoy me over her thought process with Dave (her boyfriend) and Nate. It was blatantly obvious that Dave was not the guy for her, as he was still living in the ice ages and that Nate – who gave her time and space to sort her feelings out, hence being friends, was totally the guy for her. He was always there for her, he didn’t push her, he treated her as an equal, but I’m just glad she realized what she had to do to be happy in the end.
I did love their friendship. They had the perfect chemistry and although it was obvious to the reader that they both had feelings for each other, I respected Nate’s decision to not do anything, as she had a boyfriend and to just be her friend and be there for her through the tough times with Dave. They respected each other, had fun, flirted and seemed to spend so much time together, getting to know one another. They really did bring out the best in each other and I loved how they changed one another – to the person they were truly meant to be. They both taught one another how to be free.
The scene that got my gears turning was the dancing in the nightclub. Holy Hell was that steamy! The dirty dancing and the rhythm they both have together and the sexual chemistry just literally poured from the kindle. I want my own Nate to dirty dance with!
I love the book cover. It symbolises the point of this book. To be free to be yourself and to do whatever you want in life, not to be caged up and forced to live your life by what others want of you. You will see why this is, when you read Blackbird. The cover will make sense to you then.
There are a few grammatical issues and at one point Nicole write ‘Nick’ instead of Nate, but other than that, it didn’t particularly bother me. I’m not one to moan about these kinds of issues as the book really caught my attention and had me hooked from the start to finish.
I loved the message this book portrayed and I loved the friendship/relationship Nate and Claire developed and had. It was great to see these two characters change throughout the book with the help and influence they both had on each other. They both eventually learnt that taking a chance will be worth the risk, especially with love and life. If you want to read a quick story about freeing yourself, finding love and discovering yourself, then Blackbird is definitely the book for you. It’s a great read and will leave you thinking about your own life and how you fit in after you finish it!
Oh Nate Williams! He had gone through some tough times in his life. With his father’s death being the main reason he’s gone off the rails a bit. He blames himself for it and that’s why his life doesn’t seem important to him. He puts on a cocky, sexualised front, as to hide his true colours and he never stays with one girl, always jumping from one, one night stand, to the next. But when we see him with Claire at first, he’s, as I said, cocky and flirty and playful with her, trying to wind her up, but the more time they spend together, and become friends, the more Nate changes – for the best. His attitude changes. He’s never really had a girlfriend, let alone been interested enough to have one, but when he’s around Claire, and even when he’s not, shes all he thinks about and all he wants. But with her having a boyfriend, he’s going to have to stay being her friend. But he’s also determined to show her that they should be more. I liked that he didn’t give up on her.
Nate was Claire’s last patient before graduating and when she sees him, she’s angry. They have history but he doesn’t seem to remember. She pushes that aside and is determined to help him walk again. She is a strong character, shes a determined character but she’s also frustrating to read. She had a boyfriend of 6 months (Who was a total douchebag to her) but she has feelings for Nate. When she and Nate become friends, she began to annoy me over her thought process with Dave (her boyfriend) and Nate. It was blatantly obvious that Dave was not the guy for her, as he was still living in the ice ages and that Nate – who gave her time and space to sort her feelings out, hence being friends, was totally the guy for her. He was always there for her, he didn’t push her, he treated her as an equal, but I’m just glad she realized what she had to do to be happy in the end.
I did love their friendship. They had the perfect chemistry and although it was obvious to the reader that they both had feelings for each other, I respected Nate’s decision to not do anything, as she had a boyfriend and to just be her friend and be there for her through the tough times with Dave. They respected each other, had fun, flirted and seemed to spend so much time together, getting to know one another. They really did bring out the best in each other and I loved how they changed one another – to the person they were truly meant to be. They both taught one another how to be free.
The scene that got my gears turning was the dancing in the nightclub. Holy Hell was that steamy! The dirty dancing and the rhythm they both have together and the sexual chemistry just literally poured from the kindle. I want my own Nate to dirty dance with!
I love the book cover. It symbolises the point of this book. To be free to be yourself and to do whatever you want in life, not to be caged up and forced to live your life by what others want of you. You will see why this is, when you read Blackbird. The cover will make sense to you then.
There are a few grammatical issues and at one point Nicole write ‘Nick’ instead of Nate, but other than that, it didn’t particularly bother me. I’m not one to moan about these kinds of issues as the book really caught my attention and had me hooked from the start to finish.
I loved the message this book portrayed and I loved the friendship/relationship Nate and Claire developed and had. It was great to see these two characters change throughout the book with the help and influence they both had on each other. They both eventually learnt that taking a chance will be worth the risk, especially with love and life. If you want to read a quick story about freeing yourself, finding love and discovering yourself, then Blackbird is definitely the book for you. It’s a great read and will leave you thinking about your own life and how you fit in after you finish it!
April 9, 2013
I really wish I would have started this one at a different time, not right behind a book that I had just devoured and absolutely loved because then maybe I could say I loved this read but the fact is, as much as I wanted to absolutely love this read. To love Nate and all his bad boy self, I just didn't. I didn't love it but I did like it. And I did enjoy it.
I guess most of all, I was a little disappointed that I never felt a connection to any of the characters. Nate was great, he was everything a bad boy should be. He had the playboy personality, he was cocky and sarcastic, he had a smart mouth, a million tattoos but yet, I never felt the depth from him that I wanted to. I never knew why he was a bad boy and what exactly, beside the obvious, made him one and that made me a little sad. I guess I wanted more from him. I really wanted to know the impact of his Dad's death. Was that why he was the way he was now? Was he always this way?
Claire too was a nice character but again, I never found myself falling in love with her. With really caring about her like I wanted to, in fact, at times, I kind of didn't like her. Was she really that blind at times about Nate and her own feelings?
I will say this though. I did love the friendship that developed between Nate and Claire. I am a sucker for best friends falling in love even if it can be predictable, the hopeless romantic in me still loves it. And like I said, even though this lacked that connection and depth I was really craving and hoping for, I still liked the writing and enjoyed the storyline.
I don't think this is a bad story at all and I do think many will really enjoy it and should read it, especially if they, like me, love the whole friends falling in love thing.
I think the author has potential and I would pick up another of her books in the future because I think, with time, her writing will only get better.
I guess most of all, I was a little disappointed that I never felt a connection to any of the characters. Nate was great, he was everything a bad boy should be. He had the playboy personality, he was cocky and sarcastic, he had a smart mouth, a million tattoos but yet, I never felt the depth from him that I wanted to. I never knew why he was a bad boy and what exactly, beside the obvious, made him one and that made me a little sad. I guess I wanted more from him. I really wanted to know the impact of his Dad's death. Was that why he was the way he was now? Was he always this way?
Claire too was a nice character but again, I never found myself falling in love with her. With really caring about her like I wanted to, in fact, at times, I kind of didn't like her. Was she really that blind at times about Nate and her own feelings?
I will say this though. I did love the friendship that developed between Nate and Claire. I am a sucker for best friends falling in love even if it can be predictable, the hopeless romantic in me still loves it. And like I said, even though this lacked that connection and depth I was really craving and hoping for, I still liked the writing and enjoyed the storyline.
I don't think this is a bad story at all and I do think many will really enjoy it and should read it, especially if they, like me, love the whole friends falling in love thing.
I think the author has potential and I would pick up another of her books in the future because I think, with time, her writing will only get better.
February 6, 2013
The sweet and playful chemistry between the love interests in this book was its most redeeming characteristic. This is a story of a young woman meeting a rough, tattooed, wounded guy, and it turning her carefully planned world upside down. She's dating a nice guy, working hard at her career, but he comes along and inspires her to rethink everything.
The unfortunate aspect of this book is the writing. There are typos, and poorly written sentences. The story is extremely rushed, and so I didn't always understand where the female character was coming from.
I am all for being a little frustrated at times with character's choices, but this was too much for me, I had to skim over the last quarter of the book to finish. I just couldn't get inside the head of the female character, there wasn't enough information to really understand her, and therefore the book lost crediblity for me right during the big crescendo.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The unfortunate aspect of this book is the writing. There are typos, and poorly written sentences. The story is extremely rushed, and so I didn't always understand where the female character was coming from.
I am all for being a little frustrated at times with character's choices, but this was too much for me, I had to skim over the last quarter of the book to finish. I just couldn't get inside the head of the female character, there wasn't enough information to really understand her, and therefore the book lost crediblity for me right during the big crescendo.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2013
I loved the story of Nick and Claire. I was pulled in from the first chapter and at first was eager to know how they knew each other. Well I didn't have too long to find out which I liked. I lived how they developed a friendship while Nate let Claire figure out who she was.
I do love that there is an "OH!" moment during the story.
There were some parts that I felt we're rushed and would have liked a little more detail. Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I do love that there is an "OH!" moment during the story.
There were some parts that I felt we're rushed and would have liked a little more detail. Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2013
This was a great story about finding yourself. I really enjoyed the friendship between the 2 main characters. Nate had found his ever after and was determined no matter what to be in Claires life.
While you could have slapped Claire for taking so long to realise her true feelings for Nate - i think the way it played out was good. It wasnt a rushed romanace, they took their time to be friends first and it made Claire notice that Dave just wasnt for her and Nate was always there for her no matter what.
While you could have slapped Claire for taking so long to realise her true feelings for Nate - i think the way it played out was good. It wasnt a rushed romanace, they took their time to be friends first and it made Claire notice that Dave just wasnt for her and Nate was always there for her no matter what.
February 18, 2013
What first made me want to read this book was the fantastc cover, now I know you aren't meant to judge a book by is cover, but let's face it I think most people to. After reading this book I just have to say I loved it. Nate is the kind of guy I think many women wil admit they love...but don't always want to because they know he is bad bad bad. It was great to see how the autor developed each of the caracters personalities and you were able to relate and empathise with them. I look forward to seeing more by this author.
March 1, 2013
4.5!!!!! This is a really good read. It was truly a sweet romance without too much drama and overbearing sex. It has all the right elements, with bad boy finding redemption, good girl breaking out of her "shell of perfection," and real relationships that develop carefully. It also has great chemistry between the characters that has you so eager to have them take that step...I yelled C'mon alot!!! I mean who wouldnt want a smoking hot surfing, tatoo covered, smarta** who just happens to be doing and saying all the right things????
January 20, 2013
From the first chapter I was captivated by the story line and characters, Claire and Nate. I was anxious to read how the story developed. The story line was great and writing was just as good. I don’t like to give details of a story in a review because I find that it takes away from the reading experience, but I will say ‘Blackbird’ is a beautifully written story and a must read for anyone that loves a good love story.
February 15, 2013
3,5 stars
The first thing that caught my eye was the name of a book, the other thing was cover of the book - interesting and unique in its own way, the third thing was the content of the book and that's it a perfect package that catches my attention,the story was very nicely written, I cheered all time Nate and Claire stay together,they are beautiful couple :)
I enjoyed it while I was reading,very good book! :)
The first thing that caught my eye was the name of a book, the other thing was cover of the book - interesting and unique in its own way, the third thing was the content of the book and that's it a perfect package that catches my attention,the story was very nicely written, I cheered all time Nate and Claire stay together,they are beautiful couple :)
I enjoyed it while I was reading,very good book! :)
February 19, 2013
Any book that is being written while listening to Mr. Little Jeans and references the vampire diaries gets a thumbs up from me! It was a light read which I liked since I've been so busy lately. It's a quick and cute story and overall enjoyable. Thank you nicole for letting me review this!
January 11, 2013
I had the privilege too have a sneak peek at what's inside this book. All I can say is "swoooon" I want Nate all to myself!!!!
January 22, 2013
Another beautiful book by Nicole- IN LOVE WITH NATE!
March 1, 2013
How convenient that her boyfriend suddenly started acting like a chauvinistic dick when she started developing feelings for someone else. Argh! !
February 8, 2013
This had a good plot but it left me wanting something more.
February 4, 2013
This was short, quick, cute read, I enjoyed the story of two mains. Although I wasnt too thrilled about some parts, there were parts that stood out. certain lines gave it that lift. I feel that it felt like the transistions were off for some parts, the pacing felt a bit awkward too.
I usually tend to veer away from love triangle centric stories, there are the exceptions that it was done well. At sometimes I got frustrated, with Claire mostly and her uncertainty and how she acted sometimes. I got she was scared to leave her old safer choice and to something unknown to her, but yes those are parts that I didnt like. I felt more connected to Nate, in some parts, I can understand his frustrations too, I like how he didnt really push but waited for Claire to decide.
Overall, the story had a good message about life, that we should do what makes us happy, to live with no regrets and make the most of what we have. To go forward with things that may not be certain but take a chance it might be worth it. The symbolism of the Blackbird and how these two people learned that about life and themselves was a good touch. I enjoyed this quick read and the writing is a voice to look forward to in the future.
*** ARC provided by the author for a honest review
I usually tend to veer away from love triangle centric stories, there are the exceptions that it was done well. At sometimes I got frustrated, with Claire mostly and her uncertainty and how she acted sometimes. I got she was scared to leave her old safer choice and to something unknown to her, but yes those are parts that I didnt like. I felt more connected to Nate, in some parts, I can understand his frustrations too, I like how he didnt really push but waited for Claire to decide.
Overall, the story had a good message about life, that we should do what makes us happy, to live with no regrets and make the most of what we have. To go forward with things that may not be certain but take a chance it might be worth it. The symbolism of the Blackbird and how these two people learned that about life and themselves was a good touch. I enjoyed this quick read and the writing is a voice to look forward to in the future.
*** ARC provided by the author for a honest review
August 22, 2013
This book was okay. The romance was decent, and they become enamored with each other quickly, but some of the plot points irritated me because they just seemed too insignificant for the amount of drama they caused. Also, I did not really enjoy our heroine's handling of situations. It seems as if she always has our male lead on his knees begging, when I don't really feel like that is believable. It was still heavily entertaining, but the drama felt incredibly forced and stilted and obvious and not all that original or compelling.
January 21, 2013
I don't know what to say...I can't even......
He broke his leg and had a cast for only two months and had to learn how to walk again phlueese at least give the man a pelvic injury or something..
is this supposed to be a YA..he's 27 so it can't be..NA? shakes head... It's very juvenile and just meh
waste of time this one
He broke his leg and had a cast for only two months and had to learn how to walk again phlueese at least give the man a pelvic injury or something..
is this supposed to be a YA..he's 27 so it can't be..NA? shakes head... It's very juvenile and just meh
waste of time this one
June 23, 2013
I had such high hopes for this book. I thought I was going to be wowed. I was a little disappointed. At tomes I wasn't sure where it was going. I needed to step away from it a couple of times. It does have a lot of potential though. I wish it elaborated more on Claire's relationship with Dave and their issues.
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