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Quality Candy
Candace Brown had a past, one that she kept well hidden. Now that she had snagged a promotion at work, she was feeling pretty good about herself - that is until Ryan enters the pictures.
Ryan Gentry knows Candy's past. In fact, she's the one who took his virginity ten years ago. Only seeing her unexpectedly throws him off of his game, and he finds himself attracted to the girl he once knew.
Avoiding Ryan becomes Candace's goal, until he lands smack in her office. Can she continue to push him away when chemistry starts to brew? Accepting Ryan into her world means accepting her past, and that's one thing she's still running from.
How far would you run to escape your past, and what would you sacrifice to keep a firm grip on your future? Candace Brown is about to find out.
Ryan Gentry knows Candy's past. In fact, she's the one who took his virginity ten years ago. Only seeing her unexpectedly throws him off of his game, and he finds himself attracted to the girl he once knew.
Avoiding Ryan becomes Candace's goal, until he lands smack in her office. Can she continue to push him away when chemistry starts to brew? Accepting Ryan into her world means accepting her past, and that's one thing she's still running from.
How far would you run to escape your past, and what would you sacrifice to keep a firm grip on your future? Candace Brown is about to find out.
- GenresRomanceContemporary
99 pages, ebook
First published January 13, 2013
30 people want to read
About the author
Ava Catori
88 books105 followersI have a passion for storytelling. I write in a conversational tone that is often described as fun and easy. I love my characters to be easy to identify with and feel down to earth. Most of my characters have a girl-next-door feel.
This Jersey girl is happily married to a patient man who has the ability to sustain long hours of rambling thoughts spilling from me non-stop. With the company of my two dogs, I set my writing schedule around their inability to coordinate their potty breaks. :)
This Jersey girl is happily married to a patient man who has the ability to sustain long hours of rambling thoughts spilling from me non-stop. With the company of my two dogs, I set my writing schedule around their inability to coordinate their potty breaks. :)
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 27, 2013
My second read from Ava Catori turned out a little better than the first, but I'll admit that despite the potential in the story, the problem in this had more to do with the execution of the prose and backtracking in telling details than anything else.
The story revolves around Candice (Candy), a young woman moving up the real estate ladder and trying to hold onto the life she's built for herself. She's dealt a hard blow when Ryan, the boy who lost his virginity to her in high school, runs into her. Alongside citing her painful nickname, he rekindles frustrations about Candy's life that she rather would've left in the past. The narrative delves into her insecurities and explains not only her troubled home life, but her struggles to get to the place she eventually reached in her respective position. Ryan and Candy navigate a rough road of ups and downs in their relationship, and while the progression of the *ideas* of the story were sound, the way it was presented didn't really make the most of the characterizations, the flow of the story, or the intimacy with respect to the emotional resonance of the story. I really wanted to connect more with Candy, but it was difficult to do so when it felt like paragraph after paragraph dumped telling information rather than showing her actions, reactions, and history in dialogue among other measures.
I thought the story was okay, with some problematic turns (Candy's self "slut-shaming" was disheartening, as per example), but I think it could've been better if the narrative had brought out more development of the characters and emotional turns via a more intimate narrative.
Overall score: 2/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
The story revolves around Candice (Candy), a young woman moving up the real estate ladder and trying to hold onto the life she's built for herself. She's dealt a hard blow when Ryan, the boy who lost his virginity to her in high school, runs into her. Alongside citing her painful nickname, he rekindles frustrations about Candy's life that she rather would've left in the past. The narrative delves into her insecurities and explains not only her troubled home life, but her struggles to get to the place she eventually reached in her respective position. Ryan and Candy navigate a rough road of ups and downs in their relationship, and while the progression of the *ideas* of the story were sound, the way it was presented didn't really make the most of the characterizations, the flow of the story, or the intimacy with respect to the emotional resonance of the story. I really wanted to connect more with Candy, but it was difficult to do so when it felt like paragraph after paragraph dumped telling information rather than showing her actions, reactions, and history in dialogue among other measures.
I thought the story was okay, with some problematic turns (Candy's self "slut-shaming" was disheartening, as per example), but I think it could've been better if the narrative had brought out more development of the characters and emotional turns via a more intimate narrative.
Overall score: 2/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
May 5, 2013
I'm being generous and giving this book two stars. It is barely worth that.
Candace is a girl with a past and her past just caught up with her. On a casual date with a guy she has been seeing, a man from her past, Ryan, sees her at a bar and approaches her. Apparently, Candace (or Candy as she used to be called) used to sleep with all of the rich boys in her town as a teenager and Ryan reminds her of this fact. Candace had a horrible home life as a kid and turned to sex to feel more important. Candace is mortified by Ryan and runs out of the bar and hopes to never see him again. However, Ryan keeps entering her life in unexpected ways and she can't seem to get away from him. As her attraction to Ryan grows, Candace tries to figure out if she can let go of her past and see Ryan for what they could potentially have together.
I have to say, this book started out okay. I didn't care for the voice of the main character but I found the plot to be decently interesting. However, the book just got worse and worse as it progressed. My main issues with this book really have to do with the author's style; Her main character is an unlikeable woman and each scene is just brimming with negativity. On top of that, the author writes in a strangely detached manner. The scenes are just devoid of emotion and it makes the book feel very very flat. I felt no connection to anyone in the book whatsoever. It is sad, really, because the plot has potential. My final big gripe is the pacing. The book spans a very long time and it is done is a odd fashion; the last 1/3 is so rushed and forced.
I would pass on this one.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Candace is a girl with a past and her past just caught up with her. On a casual date with a guy she has been seeing, a man from her past, Ryan, sees her at a bar and approaches her. Apparently, Candace (or Candy as she used to be called) used to sleep with all of the rich boys in her town as a teenager and Ryan reminds her of this fact. Candace had a horrible home life as a kid and turned to sex to feel more important. Candace is mortified by Ryan and runs out of the bar and hopes to never see him again. However, Ryan keeps entering her life in unexpected ways and she can't seem to get away from him. As her attraction to Ryan grows, Candace tries to figure out if she can let go of her past and see Ryan for what they could potentially have together.
I have to say, this book started out okay. I didn't care for the voice of the main character but I found the plot to be decently interesting. However, the book just got worse and worse as it progressed. My main issues with this book really have to do with the author's style; Her main character is an unlikeable woman and each scene is just brimming with negativity. On top of that, the author writes in a strangely detached manner. The scenes are just devoid of emotion and it makes the book feel very very flat. I felt no connection to anyone in the book whatsoever. It is sad, really, because the plot has potential. My final big gripe is the pacing. The book spans a very long time and it is done is a odd fashion; the last 1/3 is so rushed and forced.
I would pass on this one.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
April 2, 2013
QUALITY CANDY is just like a box of chocolates; just when you think you know exactly what you are going to get… SURPRISE! It’s totally not what you had expected!
Candace Brown has worked extremely hard to put her past behind her, but as straight laced as her life is now, that trailer park whore she used to still lurks in the shadows waiting to jump out and turn her world upside down. She has done a fantastic job at keeping that part of her life hidden, but that was before Ryan Gentry enters the picture. You see, Ryan know exactly the kind of girl “Candy” used to be and that scares the shit out of her, but he is determined to integrate himself into her reinvented life.
There were lots of things I loved about this story. I loved that it was totally not what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised. Candy is ultra-stubborn, driven and broken. Ryan is ultra-rich, equally as driven and eager to show Candy that he has exactly what she needs to become whole again. Ryan is a rare breed of male… I don’t know many in his situation who would put up with all the bullshit Candy puts him through… He is definitely a keeper. Through a series of trials and tribulations, Ryan and Candy find their way through the winding road of life – sometimes together and sometimes miles apart. I did find myself wanting to slap Candy for being a dumbass at times, but everyone is entitled to a few missteps and I found myself easily forgiving her for her stupidity once I realized she was really just trying to be true to herself and to Ryan.
QUALITY CANDY is a wonderful story about acceptance, forgiveness and learning to live in the skin God gave you. Go into this one expecting some sweet romance that’s heavy with emotion and some life lessons and you come out with a smile on your face!
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
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Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
Candace Brown has worked extremely hard to put her past behind her, but as straight laced as her life is now, that trailer park whore she used to still lurks in the shadows waiting to jump out and turn her world upside down. She has done a fantastic job at keeping that part of her life hidden, but that was before Ryan Gentry enters the picture. You see, Ryan know exactly the kind of girl “Candy” used to be and that scares the shit out of her, but he is determined to integrate himself into her reinvented life.
There were lots of things I loved about this story. I loved that it was totally not what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised. Candy is ultra-stubborn, driven and broken. Ryan is ultra-rich, equally as driven and eager to show Candy that he has exactly what she needs to become whole again. Ryan is a rare breed of male… I don’t know many in his situation who would put up with all the bullshit Candy puts him through… He is definitely a keeper. Through a series of trials and tribulations, Ryan and Candy find their way through the winding road of life – sometimes together and sometimes miles apart. I did find myself wanting to slap Candy for being a dumbass at times, but everyone is entitled to a few missteps and I found myself easily forgiving her for her stupidity once I realized she was really just trying to be true to herself and to Ryan.
QUALITY CANDY is a wonderful story about acceptance, forgiveness and learning to live in the skin God gave you. Go into this one expecting some sweet romance that’s heavy with emotion and some life lessons and you come out with a smile on your face!
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
March 26, 2013
Unfortunately, this book can be summed up with one word: boring. The heroine, the Hero, the romance, the sex and the entire plot was just plain and boring. It's a shame because the premis of the plot could have been very good, but was lost and overshadowed by the heroine's constant angsting about her insecurities.
Reading this book was like being trapped at a party by a drunk that is intent on telling you their life story. I just wanted to escape.
ARC provided by Netgalley.
Reading this book was like being trapped at a party by a drunk that is intent on telling you their life story. I just wanted to escape.
ARC provided by Netgalley.
Read
March 26, 2013I'm going to hold off rating this because so far it's a DNF for me. The author has a solid story idea and a decent foundation, but at 50% it's been almost entirely made up of the main characters inner thoughts regarding how she grew up and how hard she's worked to overcome it. Unfortunately those thoughts don't deviate a whole lot and I'm at the point where I'm just bored with it.
March 27, 2013
I got this from NetGalley. I was expecting a different type of story. It was not as romantic or light hearted as I thought it would be.
May 5, 2013
Full review ->http://zoelapeters.wordpress.com/2013...
Candace Brown had a past, one that she kept well hidden. Now that she had snagged a promotion at work, she was feeling pretty good about herself – that is until Ryan enters the pictures.
Ryan Gentry knows Candy’s past. In fact, she’s the one who took his virginity ten years ago. Only seeing her unexpectedly throws him off of his game, and he finds himself attracted to the girl he once knew.
Avoiding Ryan becomes Candace’s goal, until he lands smack in her office. Can she continue to push him away when chemistry starts to brew? Accepting Ryan into her world means accepting her past, and that’s one thing she’s still running from.
How far would you run to escape your past, and what would you sacrifice to keep a firm grip on your future? Candace Brown is about to find out
The potential. This book had so much potential with such an amazing premise……..but unfortunately it turned into a 3 hour torture read to get through. I hate saying I don’t like books or say that I was bored reading them but that’s exactly what happened with this one.
*Slight Spoilers in Review*
About the Characters
What can I say? Candace was just a mess. I didn’t like her character or enjoy her constantly monologue about her insecurities or her life. At first she started off a bit immature in my eyes with her refusal to talk to Ryan even though it was busy and in terms of immature don’t get me started on Autumn. From Page 1 onward I was just bombarded with her life and watch her constantly doubt her decisions and when she acts irrationally few pages later she’d regret them , then another few pages she’ll regret regretting it. i was so frustrated reading this, despite it being so short and I could have finished it in an hour. So the main character was a disappointment and the supporting characters were equally so. I didn’t care for Ryan, Autumn or any others mention. I think the only character I liked was Mac, he had some funny dialogue here and there but he was barely seen. Overall Candace besides the bickering disappointed me as a character in terms of the situation with her parents. Completely understanding her deal from the dad’s point of things and why’d she’d be hurt but at the end of the day. They are still your parents and the things she did didn’t make her a better person than they were. I think the author tried to make Candace’s attitude towards the donor thing easier by just her not ended up being a match as a way to excuse her from blame. The Mother situation could have been handled differently, Alot differently and even though I’ve never been in that situation per say and I would completely understand her hurt, but there was other ways of dealing with her mother that didn’t involve ousting her out of her life completely. Generations tend to repeat itself, sometimes hating your parents your kid might come back and hate you.
About the Plot/writing Style
It was boring. I wish I had more to say on that but that’s how it was to me. The author did alot of telling not showing which further added to the drag. While I did enjoy the writing style, It was ok. The story itself made it a torture device I couldn’t wait to get off my kindle. Would I read from this author again? Yes, There was nothing wrong with the writing style, It was descriptive and easy to follow but when the things to follow are draggy and uninteresting that’s where I had a problem with the Novel.
Overall i give this a
1 star
Candace Brown had a past, one that she kept well hidden. Now that she had snagged a promotion at work, she was feeling pretty good about herself – that is until Ryan enters the pictures.
Ryan Gentry knows Candy’s past. In fact, she’s the one who took his virginity ten years ago. Only seeing her unexpectedly throws him off of his game, and he finds himself attracted to the girl he once knew.
Avoiding Ryan becomes Candace’s goal, until he lands smack in her office. Can she continue to push him away when chemistry starts to brew? Accepting Ryan into her world means accepting her past, and that’s one thing she’s still running from.
How far would you run to escape your past, and what would you sacrifice to keep a firm grip on your future? Candace Brown is about to find out
The potential. This book had so much potential with such an amazing premise……..but unfortunately it turned into a 3 hour torture read to get through. I hate saying I don’t like books or say that I was bored reading them but that’s exactly what happened with this one.
*Slight Spoilers in Review*
About the Characters
What can I say? Candace was just a mess. I didn’t like her character or enjoy her constantly monologue about her insecurities or her life. At first she started off a bit immature in my eyes with her refusal to talk to Ryan even though it was busy and in terms of immature don’t get me started on Autumn. From Page 1 onward I was just bombarded with her life and watch her constantly doubt her decisions and when she acts irrationally few pages later she’d regret them , then another few pages she’ll regret regretting it. i was so frustrated reading this, despite it being so short and I could have finished it in an hour. So the main character was a disappointment and the supporting characters were equally so. I didn’t care for Ryan, Autumn or any others mention. I think the only character I liked was Mac, he had some funny dialogue here and there but he was barely seen. Overall Candace besides the bickering disappointed me as a character in terms of the situation with her parents. Completely understanding her deal from the dad’s point of things and why’d she’d be hurt but at the end of the day. They are still your parents and the things she did didn’t make her a better person than they were. I think the author tried to make Candace’s attitude towards the donor thing easier by just her not ended up being a match as a way to excuse her from blame. The Mother situation could have been handled differently, Alot differently and even though I’ve never been in that situation per say and I would completely understand her hurt, but there was other ways of dealing with her mother that didn’t involve ousting her out of her life completely. Generations tend to repeat itself, sometimes hating your parents your kid might come back and hate you.
About the Plot/writing Style
It was boring. I wish I had more to say on that but that’s how it was to me. The author did alot of telling not showing which further added to the drag. While I did enjoy the writing style, It was ok. The story itself made it a torture device I couldn’t wait to get off my kindle. Would I read from this author again? Yes, There was nothing wrong with the writing style, It was descriptive and easy to follow but when the things to follow are draggy and uninteresting that’s where I had a problem with the Novel.
Overall i give this a
1 star
May 27, 2013
See official review:http://www.bookscompletemeunlimited.c...
As a new member of Net Galley.com, this book caught my eye off the bat. The cover is beautiful and the story seemed strong. I knew I had to read it, so I was so excited to get the opportunity to read the ARC version of this book.
It was a pretty short read, it took me about a day to get through it. I enjoyed the book, but there were some negatives that made it harder to get through than it would have been if they weren't there. So I think that in my positive/negative review fashion, I will do the negatives first. That way I can focus on the positives more fully. Please don't stop reading at the negatives, the positives will make you want to read it!
The Negatives
The book was really predictible. Girl was wild in past, sees boy she used to be wild with, stays away "as long as possible," gets with boy, falls for boy, lives happily ever after. While there were a few twists along the way, I knew what was going to happen about chapter 4. Because of this, I was not very excited to get to the end because I already knew what was going to happen.
I understand that in fiction books when a character has a dark and difficult past that they tend to get in their own way from time to time. However, Catori took that concept to the next level in this book. It seems like whenever Candace gets ahead or some sort of stable ground that she would take not only a step back, but takes gigantic dinosaur leaps back. Like almost back to square one. I feel like she could have still had Candace sabatoge herself (that would be a necessary plot twist in this novel) without it being a constant every chapter thing.
This book rambles a lot. There are blocks of paragraphs where she just explains things, and sometimes really repetively. I learn way to much about Candance way too quick, and then later in the book Catori decides that she needs to repeat information that we learned in chapter 2 or 3. I think that it would have been better if she slowly introduced the reader to bits about Candance's life when that information is pertanient to what is happening in the future.
One more, I hate Ryan's nickname for her....Sticky Sweet Candy is just gross.
The Positives
While I didn't like how Candace's past influenced the decisions she made in the future, I did like Candace as a character. She is a strong female (my kind of chick) and she really exemplifies the idea of coming from nothing and making something of herself. I think that she is a character that people can relate to and that women that come from similar situations can aspire to. I really appreciate that about this novel.
I like Ryan too. Candace didn't make loving her easy, but he is loyal and stuck around even when it didn't benefit him. He could have been a dog like most men in books like this are, but he wasn't. He was tender and sweet, but he also stood his ground after Candace didn't come around. Who could blame him? He loved her, but a man can only take so much stringing along before he gives up. But even at that point, he didn't really give up. He just gave Candace the room that she needed to grow up and let go of the past.
The Verdict
Even though this book needed some polishing, I really did enjoy it over all and I do recommend this book to everyone that is a new adult fan. It was an enjoyable read and you guys should check it out!!
As a new member of Net Galley.com, this book caught my eye off the bat. The cover is beautiful and the story seemed strong. I knew I had to read it, so I was so excited to get the opportunity to read the ARC version of this book.
It was a pretty short read, it took me about a day to get through it. I enjoyed the book, but there were some negatives that made it harder to get through than it would have been if they weren't there. So I think that in my positive/negative review fashion, I will do the negatives first. That way I can focus on the positives more fully. Please don't stop reading at the negatives, the positives will make you want to read it!
The Negatives
The book was really predictible. Girl was wild in past, sees boy she used to be wild with, stays away "as long as possible," gets with boy, falls for boy, lives happily ever after. While there were a few twists along the way, I knew what was going to happen about chapter 4. Because of this, I was not very excited to get to the end because I already knew what was going to happen.
I understand that in fiction books when a character has a dark and difficult past that they tend to get in their own way from time to time. However, Catori took that concept to the next level in this book. It seems like whenever Candace gets ahead or some sort of stable ground that she would take not only a step back, but takes gigantic dinosaur leaps back. Like almost back to square one. I feel like she could have still had Candace sabatoge herself (that would be a necessary plot twist in this novel) without it being a constant every chapter thing.
This book rambles a lot. There are blocks of paragraphs where she just explains things, and sometimes really repetively. I learn way to much about Candance way too quick, and then later in the book Catori decides that she needs to repeat information that we learned in chapter 2 or 3. I think that it would have been better if she slowly introduced the reader to bits about Candance's life when that information is pertanient to what is happening in the future.
One more, I hate Ryan's nickname for her....Sticky Sweet Candy is just gross.
The Positives
While I didn't like how Candace's past influenced the decisions she made in the future, I did like Candace as a character. She is a strong female (my kind of chick) and she really exemplifies the idea of coming from nothing and making something of herself. I think that she is a character that people can relate to and that women that come from similar situations can aspire to. I really appreciate that about this novel.
I like Ryan too. Candace didn't make loving her easy, but he is loyal and stuck around even when it didn't benefit him. He could have been a dog like most men in books like this are, but he wasn't. He was tender and sweet, but he also stood his ground after Candace didn't come around. Who could blame him? He loved her, but a man can only take so much stringing along before he gives up. But even at that point, he didn't really give up. He just gave Candace the room that she needed to grow up and let go of the past.
The Verdict
Even though this book needed some polishing, I really did enjoy it over all and I do recommend this book to everyone that is a new adult fan. It was an enjoyable read and you guys should check it out!!
May 7, 2013
See more of my reviews at www.girlbooklove.wordpress.com!
Excuse me in advance; this review will most likely be all over the place, just like this book! *sigh*
Quality Candy is a story about a girl, Candy, who grew up outside a wealthy town. She, however, was not wealthy. Her mother was into all sorts of bad things, and Candy was looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places. (Especially with the rich boys for school) The beginning is really fast paced and perplexing and after a few pages I thought “this girl has got daddy issues!” …I was so right. Candy grows up to be an emotionally stunted, successful business women who likes to be called Candace. She has tried her hardest to separate herself from who she was growing up. But just when things seem to be going well (insert boy from her past.) Let me introduce Ryan by saying that he is a saint!
The story ensues…he likes her but she isn’t interested. They like each other, but there is no spark. She decides this won’t work. He still likes her. Then she realizes she loves him. He isn’t sure. They give it a try. There isn’t a spark. They can’t find the darn spark. She has a freak out and tries to end it. He still loves her. She finally realizes how much she loves him. She somehow gets over all her issues. And deep breath…they have their fairytale ending.
Now about this elusive spark…
“they hadn’t exactly sparked when it came to the bedroom”
“the spark was gone”
“hadn’t really found our spark again”
“whatever spark we’d found earlier had apparently up and left”
“His mouth never left mine, afraid that the spark, the magic that was happening would disappear”
“We were both anxious to have rekindled our spark”
That’s just a sample of the “hot and cold” attitude that came from Candy. And this whole time, Ryan wants her. He might be cautious because she can’t seem to commit, but that’s just him being smart.
In the end, there is a happy ending. I might have wanted to punch Candy and throw my reading tablet, but we got there. Perseverance, my friends!
**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Excuse me in advance; this review will most likely be all over the place, just like this book! *sigh*
Quality Candy is a story about a girl, Candy, who grew up outside a wealthy town. She, however, was not wealthy. Her mother was into all sorts of bad things, and Candy was looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places. (Especially with the rich boys for school) The beginning is really fast paced and perplexing and after a few pages I thought “this girl has got daddy issues!” …I was so right. Candy grows up to be an emotionally stunted, successful business women who likes to be called Candace. She has tried her hardest to separate herself from who she was growing up. But just when things seem to be going well (insert boy from her past.) Let me introduce Ryan by saying that he is a saint!
The story ensues…he likes her but she isn’t interested. They like each other, but there is no spark. She decides this won’t work. He still likes her. Then she realizes she loves him. He isn’t sure. They give it a try. There isn’t a spark. They can’t find the darn spark. She has a freak out and tries to end it. He still loves her. She finally realizes how much she loves him. She somehow gets over all her issues. And deep breath…they have their fairytale ending.
Now about this elusive spark…
“they hadn’t exactly sparked when it came to the bedroom”
“the spark was gone”
“hadn’t really found our spark again”
“whatever spark we’d found earlier had apparently up and left”
“His mouth never left mine, afraid that the spark, the magic that was happening would disappear”
“We were both anxious to have rekindled our spark”
That’s just a sample of the “hot and cold” attitude that came from Candy. And this whole time, Ryan wants her. He might be cautious because she can’t seem to commit, but that’s just him being smart.
In the end, there is a happy ending. I might have wanted to punch Candy and throw my reading tablet, but we got there. Perseverance, my friends!
**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2013
One thing is for sure. After reading this book, I am now a huge Ava Catori fan. I just can't find anything not to like about this book.
Candice has a bit of an unpleasant past that she would like to keep buried, but things don't go as she has planned. When a man from her past shows up in her present, it will be a test of her willpower to forget the trauma of her youth and move forward with her present.
This was just an excellent book all the way around. The character development is wonderful. Candy is amazing and dimensional. When you first meet her, she seems a bit guarded, but she is funny and they type of character that brings a lot of personality to a book. She has made her life exactly what she wants it to be and is ready to leave all her demons buried. I enjoyed reading her internal thoughts on the situations she found herself in and felt this gave me an opportunity to really understand where her character was coming from.
The relationship between the two main characters had a good amount of tension and although at the beginning I didn't like the male character very much, he grew to be someone a reader can respect and was supportive of the main character.
The sex scenes were steamy but not overly explicit and they never seemed too pushed.The pacing was natural and the pages turned quickly without me having to push myself to read.
What made me love this book more than anything else was the growth I saw in the characters by the end of the story. They all manage to learn something and transform into the type of people that make you happy you have read the book to begin with.
In the end, this was a great way to spend a couple of hours and I look forward to seeing what else this author has in store for her readers. I would recommend this to anyone that likes a romance with more depth than you can expect from most.
This review is based on a Digital ARC from Netgalley.
Candice has a bit of an unpleasant past that she would like to keep buried, but things don't go as she has planned. When a man from her past shows up in her present, it will be a test of her willpower to forget the trauma of her youth and move forward with her present.
This was just an excellent book all the way around. The character development is wonderful. Candy is amazing and dimensional. When you first meet her, she seems a bit guarded, but she is funny and they type of character that brings a lot of personality to a book. She has made her life exactly what she wants it to be and is ready to leave all her demons buried. I enjoyed reading her internal thoughts on the situations she found herself in and felt this gave me an opportunity to really understand where her character was coming from.
The relationship between the two main characters had a good amount of tension and although at the beginning I didn't like the male character very much, he grew to be someone a reader can respect and was supportive of the main character.
The sex scenes were steamy but not overly explicit and they never seemed too pushed.The pacing was natural and the pages turned quickly without me having to push myself to read.
What made me love this book more than anything else was the growth I saw in the characters by the end of the story. They all manage to learn something and transform into the type of people that make you happy you have read the book to begin with.
In the end, this was a great way to spend a couple of hours and I look forward to seeing what else this author has in store for her readers. I would recommend this to anyone that likes a romance with more depth than you can expect from most.
This review is based on a Digital ARC from Netgalley.
May 9, 2014
When I first started reading this book I was not sure I was going to enjoy it. The reviews rated it poor and whilst that is not always the best indicator, in my opinion, as to whether a book is any good or not so I did wonder if the book was going to be any good. I have to admit this book was not the best book I have read but it certainly was not as bad as some of the reviews have made it out to be. The book is slow in some places and you do sometimes get a sense of not knowing where the storyline is headed, but that in itself is not a bad thing.
Personally I did not really warm to Candace to start with, although I did warm to her love interest, Ryan. I spent the most part of the book feeling sorry for him, wondering how Candace could treat him so badly. As the story progressed I found I actually understood what Candace was going through and realised the reason I had felt animosity towards her was more to do with stuff in my own private life than to do with the character in this book.
Candace is very broken emotionally and the story charts her battle to gain some normalcy into her life. The story has a poignancy to it that makes you root for Candace and Ryan, hoping they get their happy ever after. It's wonderful when she realises that life can be good and life with a man isn't all hearts and flowers, nor is every man going to abandon you.
I found towards the end of this book that I did enjoy reading it after all. It wasn't the best I have ever read, but it certainly is not the worst either. I think sometimes readers do not want to delve into books that are all about struggles in a person's love life, it seems too messy or uncomfortable and maybe we might find something familiar in our own lives that we would much rather not confront. This book is most certainly geared towards those who are fans of the romantic fiction genre.
4 stars ****
January 18, 2015
I liked the "thought" of this book. The "plot" of it is quite interesting, but someone else needs to write it. When I started reading this book, I thought it was great. Candy had a bit of a reputation growing up. The way she pulled her self up from a less than advantaged life, and created a new one for herself, that was admirable. The fact that she now goes slow with guys instead of bed hopping, very admirable. The book started to get interesting.
But then, the author starts to get repetitive. It seemed as if they copied and pasted some of the same paragraphs everywhere to fill the book. (I hate filler when it's just being repeated over and over) Candy thinking about how she did all the rich boys in school because of daddy issues. Candy thinking about Ryan's sister. Candy thinking about her mom or her dad. Candy thinking about Mac. (Get the point?) Yea, as redundant as those last few sentences, that's how I started to feel this book was.
Candy also lost my respect, and I feel that's the author's fault. Ok, so she had an easy reputation in high school, but what man would stick around with no sex for years? Which brings me to another complaint. The timeline. It just hops all over the place, and you're like, wait, what just happened. We seem to jump over the span of years, in the same chapter. Back to my sex complaint, Candy drags poor Ryan along by the nose, then pushes him away, and he comes right back. How can you respect the main character who's just a poor pathetic weak guy? None of the characters are really relatable once you get past the first few pages.
But then, the author starts to get repetitive. It seemed as if they copied and pasted some of the same paragraphs everywhere to fill the book. (I hate filler when it's just being repeated over and over) Candy thinking about how she did all the rich boys in school because of daddy issues. Candy thinking about Ryan's sister. Candy thinking about her mom or her dad. Candy thinking about Mac. (Get the point?) Yea, as redundant as those last few sentences, that's how I started to feel this book was.
Candy also lost my respect, and I feel that's the author's fault. Ok, so she had an easy reputation in high school, but what man would stick around with no sex for years? Which brings me to another complaint. The timeline. It just hops all over the place, and you're like, wait, what just happened. We seem to jump over the span of years, in the same chapter. Back to my sex complaint, Candy drags poor Ryan along by the nose, then pushes him away, and he comes right back. How can you respect the main character who's just a poor pathetic weak guy? None of the characters are really relatable once you get past the first few pages.
May 31, 2015
This was not a long story which is why I decided to finally read it...now it was a bit annoying. I am not a fan of a woman who is so wishy washy when there is no reason for her to be committed to a man.
This one bothered me a little because the guy was mean to her in high school and for some reason she ends up liking him later... I know it happens people change and all that crap but I don't know I just didnt feel a strong connection with this story. and another thing was the cover... I actually really liked it. But I couldn't see how the cover went with this story.
Beside that the story was okay, it wasn't awesome but it wasn't completely blah. I didn't understand the connection though. I mean who wants to be with someone they don't love just because they feel like they "should" be. I was a bit confused on that part.
This one bothered me a little because the guy was mean to her in high school and for some reason she ends up liking him later... I know it happens people change and all that crap but I don't know I just didnt feel a strong connection with this story. and another thing was the cover... I actually really liked it. But I couldn't see how the cover went with this story.
Beside that the story was okay, it wasn't awesome but it wasn't completely blah. I didn't understand the connection though. I mean who wants to be with someone they don't love just because they feel like they "should" be. I was a bit confused on that part.
April 11, 2013
A solid 4 stars for me
This isn't erotica and it almost isn't romance!
But what it is, is a beautiful, well written story that broke my heart in places - yes, there were even tears at one point! It gave me tingles whilst I read it, not knowing where it was going and hoping for a HEA.
Loved Ryan and Candy, as it's written in the first person (almost like a diary)
I would really love to read Ryan's POV.
Quick mention for the cover art and font - gorgeous!
Kindly sent from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This isn't erotica and it almost isn't romance!
But what it is, is a beautiful, well written story that broke my heart in places - yes, there were even tears at one point! It gave me tingles whilst I read it, not knowing where it was going and hoping for a HEA.
Loved Ryan and Candy, as it's written in the first person (almost like a diary)
I would really love to read Ryan's POV.
Quick mention for the cover art and font - gorgeous!
Kindly sent from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2013
Quality Candy by Ava Catori
Quality Candy is a new adult romance by Ava Catori. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about this one folks. Sorry. I felt the premise was good but the delivery was bad.
The main character Candy was flawed beyond belief, and I just could not connect with this story. It also felt repetitive; the plot lagged and seemed detached. This book was mediocre at best. I did, however, love the cover. The best I can do on this one is 2 stars and one star is for the cover itself.
This review is also posted at www.BSreviewers.blogspot.com
Quality Candy is a new adult romance by Ava Catori. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about this one folks. Sorry. I felt the premise was good but the delivery was bad.
The main character Candy was flawed beyond belief, and I just could not connect with this story. It also felt repetitive; the plot lagged and seemed detached. This book was mediocre at best. I did, however, love the cover. The best I can do on this one is 2 stars and one star is for the cover itself.
This review is also posted at www.BSreviewers.blogspot.com
November 21, 2013
** I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for a review**
I could not get into this one. There was not much going on to keep me interested in wanting to read more. Sorry just not for me.
I could not get into this one. There was not much going on to keep me interested in wanting to read more. Sorry just not for me.
December 5, 2014
Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
I'm sorry the worst thing about this book that I found it boring and couldn't wait to be done with it. Skip it.
I'm sorry the worst thing about this book that I found it boring and couldn't wait to be done with it. Skip it.
October 18, 2015
I stareted this book this morning and finished it at work. It got on my nerves a little the way the girl was acting. Candace. I understand her screwed up past but goodness she made Ryan live hard. it was ok though.
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