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Lights of Scotland #1
Guiding Lights
He sings of suffering. His eyes hold the pain of living in sorrow. The moment our gaze meets recognition flares within.We are tortured souls drifting in a sea of darkness. He knows I have secrets that I'll never tell. I am numb. I am broken.I can never be the guiding light through the darkness he thinks I am. I have forsaken my past, I rely on keeping myself shut off. I wish things were different, that maybe we could be each other's lifeline. But destiny drags us down like an anchor.He lives his life in the lime light of a famous rock star, and I live in shadows on the run. I wished I’d known that before I fell for him, but now it’s too late.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2015
4 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Florence
39 books619 followersJessica Florence writes the stories that her fellow nerds yearn for.
From Superheroes to Sexy Truckers, Jessica is known to give readers unique tales of hope where love conquers all. Stories that melt away reality and take you on a journey with the characters. If escapism is what you are looking for, then look no further. Jessica is the Queen of weaving the tales you may not normally pick up but find yourself not being able to put down.
Jessica’s always had a love of reading, and her love of books lead her to start writing in the 9th grade. She quickly learned that storytelling was her passion. Inspired by movies, music, and her personal life she writes like it’s the very air she breathes. Through her writing it’s evident that she lives for the stories she creates.
Jessica resides in North Carolina with her daughter, husband, and various animals. She loves to be outside, write in her hammock, and collect tea mugs.
CONNECT WITH J-FLO:
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/jessicaflorenceauthor
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/authorjessicaflorence
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/florencejess
➜ WEBSITE: www.Jessicaflorenceauthor.com
From Superheroes to Sexy Truckers, Jessica is known to give readers unique tales of hope where love conquers all. Stories that melt away reality and take you on a journey with the characters. If escapism is what you are looking for, then look no further. Jessica is the Queen of weaving the tales you may not normally pick up but find yourself not being able to put down.
Jessica’s always had a love of reading, and her love of books lead her to start writing in the 9th grade. She quickly learned that storytelling was her passion. Inspired by movies, music, and her personal life she writes like it’s the very air she breathes. Through her writing it’s evident that she lives for the stories she creates.
Jessica resides in North Carolina with her daughter, husband, and various animals. She loves to be outside, write in her hammock, and collect tea mugs.
CONNECT WITH J-FLO:
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/jessicaflorenceauthor
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/authorjessicaflorence
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/florencejess
➜ WEBSITE: www.Jessicaflorenceauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 20, 2015
I dig it ;)
November 26, 2015
“He embraced my darkness and loved me anyway. My hands moved and gripped him tightly. He held me like our very lives depended on it. We were both swimming in a sea of darkness together, but together we could be each other’s light.”
Guiding Lights is a beautifully written story about two broken souls. Guiding Lights is Nera and Wolfe’s story. Nera has been hiding from her past and moving around for the past 7 years. She lives kinda on autopilot, with her day consisting of work, reading and sleep. Just for once, she’d love to stick around, maybe fall in love and find some peace. Meeting Wolfe changed everything. From the moment she heard Wolfe sing, she was captivated by him. His voice pulling her in, seducing her, demanding to know him. However, Wolfe has his own secrets and demons plaguing him. But, that isn’t enough to stop himself from wanting to get close to Nera. The more time the two of them spend together, the more Wolfe starts to break down Nera’s walls. Just as Nera’s walls start to come down, Nera’s past and Wolfe’s secrets begin to catch up with them. Will Nera be able to get past all that Wolfe has kept to himself? Will Wolfe be able to save Nera before her past takes her for good?
One of the very first things that drew me into this story was the cover. I completely fell in love with it. Then I read the synopsis and knew I just had to read this book; the promise of broken characters and potential for angst, completely pulling me in.
Overall, I found this book to be a very quick read. I loved the setting for the story. It had me wishing quite a few times that I could hop on a plane and experience the places Nera was in Scotland. I thought the plot was interesting and unique. It did deal with some dark/tough issues. I felt like both Nera and Wolfe were very likable and easy to connect with. Their issues were real and their emotions felt very palpable. I loved that even though the two of them were broken, their souls called out to each other; both desperate for some peace and happiness.
I absolutely loved Wolfe and his Scottish voice. He intrigued me and had me wanting to know what secrets he hid. “Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight them with demons”. Wolfe did have some alpha tendencies, but he wasn’t over the top. I loved how determined he was. He wasn’t going to let Nera run from him and her feelings. I thought Nera was a very strong character. My heart went out to her. I couldn’t fathom having to deal with the demons that haunted her. Wolfe was exactly what she needed. He pulled her out of the darkness and showed her that there was always light.
Guiding Lights is beautifully written and the story will leave you spellbound. It will pull you and leave you wanting to know more with each page that you turn. This is a story that I have been hearing a lot about and I am so glad that I checked it out. It had the perfect blend of angst and romance, with a few good twists thrown in. Jessica Florence is a new author to me, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via InkSlinger PR, in exchange for an honest review*
Guiding Lights is a beautifully written story about two broken souls. Guiding Lights is Nera and Wolfe’s story. Nera has been hiding from her past and moving around for the past 7 years. She lives kinda on autopilot, with her day consisting of work, reading and sleep. Just for once, she’d love to stick around, maybe fall in love and find some peace. Meeting Wolfe changed everything. From the moment she heard Wolfe sing, she was captivated by him. His voice pulling her in, seducing her, demanding to know him. However, Wolfe has his own secrets and demons plaguing him. But, that isn’t enough to stop himself from wanting to get close to Nera. The more time the two of them spend together, the more Wolfe starts to break down Nera’s walls. Just as Nera’s walls start to come down, Nera’s past and Wolfe’s secrets begin to catch up with them. Will Nera be able to get past all that Wolfe has kept to himself? Will Wolfe be able to save Nera before her past takes her for good?
One of the very first things that drew me into this story was the cover. I completely fell in love with it. Then I read the synopsis and knew I just had to read this book; the promise of broken characters and potential for angst, completely pulling me in.
Overall, I found this book to be a very quick read. I loved the setting for the story. It had me wishing quite a few times that I could hop on a plane and experience the places Nera was in Scotland. I thought the plot was interesting and unique. It did deal with some dark/tough issues. I felt like both Nera and Wolfe were very likable and easy to connect with. Their issues were real and their emotions felt very palpable. I loved that even though the two of them were broken, their souls called out to each other; both desperate for some peace and happiness.
I absolutely loved Wolfe and his Scottish voice. He intrigued me and had me wanting to know what secrets he hid. “Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight them with demons”. Wolfe did have some alpha tendencies, but he wasn’t over the top. I loved how determined he was. He wasn’t going to let Nera run from him and her feelings. I thought Nera was a very strong character. My heart went out to her. I couldn’t fathom having to deal with the demons that haunted her. Wolfe was exactly what she needed. He pulled her out of the darkness and showed her that there was always light.
Guiding Lights is beautifully written and the story will leave you spellbound. It will pull you and leave you wanting to know more with each page that you turn. This is a story that I have been hearing a lot about and I am so glad that I checked it out. It had the perfect blend of angst and romance, with a few good twists thrown in. Jessica Florence is a new author to me, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via InkSlinger PR, in exchange for an honest review*
September 28, 2015
3.5 Stars!
The cover was what caught my interest from the very start, an amazing cover! The synopsis then made me want to read it, though I expected something a little darker.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I felt it took a bit to long for snippets of the h's past to be filtered through, we kept getting told how broken she was but no back story which was a little frustrating. Especially when the H told some of his secrets. The h's thought process was a little off putting and at times made it hard to really like her.
The H was a yummy Scott from the very beginning, man bun and beard included, once I got the hang of his speech it was better to follow him. He put up with a fair bit from the h and when we finally found out her reasoning it certainly helped clear the picture a bit.
Her part in her stepparents demise was a bit off putting and a bit rushed over, something like that was kind of huge. I know she did the whole therapy thing later but geez, not sure how I feel about that.
Liked the epilogue and it again showed how amazing the H was.
One of the secondary characters was interesting, Lachlan and it makes me hope his story gets told. Overall a good read a couple of minor editing issues also, missing words/wrong words etc.
The cover was what caught my interest from the very start, an amazing cover! The synopsis then made me want to read it, though I expected something a little darker.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I felt it took a bit to long for snippets of the h's past to be filtered through, we kept getting told how broken she was but no back story which was a little frustrating. Especially when the H told some of his secrets. The h's thought process was a little off putting and at times made it hard to really like her.
The H was a yummy Scott from the very beginning, man bun and beard included, once I got the hang of his speech it was better to follow him. He put up with a fair bit from the h and when we finally found out her reasoning it certainly helped clear the picture a bit.
Her part in her stepparents demise was a bit off putting and a bit rushed over, something like that was kind of huge. I know she did the whole therapy thing later but geez, not sure how I feel about that.
Liked the epilogue and it again showed how amazing the H was.
One of the secondary characters was interesting, Lachlan and it makes me hope his story gets told. Overall a good read a couple of minor editing issues also, missing words/wrong words etc.
February 3, 2018
Guiding Lights (Lights of Scotland #1) by Jessica Florence had a beautiful plot idea and a gorgeous cover but that’s it on the plus side of this book.
The story dragged on for 50% of the book without a real clue as to what was behind all the suffering – and then when the clues came it felt like that could have been a totally different plotline – it went into a direction that moved to far from the blurb and it is where I went into a DNF.
April 12, 2017
Loved Wolfe and Nera!!! Loved how their broken halves become whole together!!
September 1, 2015
I received a free copy of this book as part of the Blog Tour in exchange for my honest opinion
This is a beautiful story about two broken souls that recognize each other in the dark and together find their way to the light. The story is very gritty and powerful, it's a romance but it still has that darker quality of deep emotions that goes beyond the romantic relationship.
The book is written in first person, from Nera's point of view. Nera is twenty three but has experienced enough horrors for two lifetimes, and that has left her broken and afraid of trusting people. She feels the need to hide from life and for a while, Durness, Scotland has been the perfect hiding spot. There she works as a bartender in a pub called “Spurtle” which is own by Evan, and lives at a B&B owned by his wife, Aggie. Evan and Aggie are good people and have taken Nera in as a daughter. They really care for her and that warmth they bring to her life is exactly what Nera needs. I enjoyed their characters a lot and I think Nera deserved to have people like them in her life.
The thing about Nera's dark past is that you don't know right away what happened to her. You know she went through something horrible and since the very first page her past becomes the mystery you want to solve. I really liked this aspect of the book, it added suspense and allowed for a lot of character development for Nera.
One night, at the pub, a really handsome singer named Wolfe, takes the stage and bares his soul through his music. His voice and heart-felt lyrics strike a chord with Nera and she realizes she's found another broken soul. A little shaken up by his performance, Nera goes outside to regain her bearings and the singer goes after her to make sure she's okay. I really liked this first scene between them, it really showed the connection between since the very beginning.
Wolfe is a mysterious character, he has this kind of bad-boy vibe but he's also incredibly sweet to Nora and I really enjoyed their relationship, especially at the beginning when they were at such ease with each other. The connection they shared was pretty much instantaneous, but their relationship grows little by little throughout the book. The secrets Wolfe withholds from Nora are intense and I understood why he had trouble sharing them, but it drove me insane that he took so long to come clean when he was clearly willing to do just about anything to get through to her.
What I liked the most about Nera was that she was a bookworm. That made her more relatable to me and I giggled a lot when reading about her nerdy clothes and her fangirl-ish love for erotica authors. It was something I wouldn't have expected from her and that gave her a lot more dimension.
The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the accent. I get that it's supposed to be set in Scotland, but I think it would've been easier for me to get into the story if the dialogues weren't written with Scottish accent, it would've been enough if it just said the characters had an accent, but with everything written like that I had a really hard time trying to figure out what they were saying and that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the book.
Overall, I think this is a powerful story about allowing yourself to be happy even when things have been rough. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a darker contemporary romance, especially to people who enjoy accents and books set in Scotland, because if you're into that I'd bet that you would fall head over heels for Wolfe!
Read more reviews on my blog: Pause Time Reviews
This is a beautiful story about two broken souls that recognize each other in the dark and together find their way to the light. The story is very gritty and powerful, it's a romance but it still has that darker quality of deep emotions that goes beyond the romantic relationship.
The book is written in first person, from Nera's point of view. Nera is twenty three but has experienced enough horrors for two lifetimes, and that has left her broken and afraid of trusting people. She feels the need to hide from life and for a while, Durness, Scotland has been the perfect hiding spot. There she works as a bartender in a pub called “Spurtle” which is own by Evan, and lives at a B&B owned by his wife, Aggie. Evan and Aggie are good people and have taken Nera in as a daughter. They really care for her and that warmth they bring to her life is exactly what Nera needs. I enjoyed their characters a lot and I think Nera deserved to have people like them in her life.
The thing about Nera's dark past is that you don't know right away what happened to her. You know she went through something horrible and since the very first page her past becomes the mystery you want to solve. I really liked this aspect of the book, it added suspense and allowed for a lot of character development for Nera.
One night, at the pub, a really handsome singer named Wolfe, takes the stage and bares his soul through his music. His voice and heart-felt lyrics strike a chord with Nera and she realizes she's found another broken soul. A little shaken up by his performance, Nera goes outside to regain her bearings and the singer goes after her to make sure she's okay. I really liked this first scene between them, it really showed the connection between since the very beginning.
Wolfe is a mysterious character, he has this kind of bad-boy vibe but he's also incredibly sweet to Nora and I really enjoyed their relationship, especially at the beginning when they were at such ease with each other. The connection they shared was pretty much instantaneous, but their relationship grows little by little throughout the book. The secrets Wolfe withholds from Nora are intense and I understood why he had trouble sharing them, but it drove me insane that he took so long to come clean when he was clearly willing to do just about anything to get through to her.
What I liked the most about Nera was that she was a bookworm. That made her more relatable to me and I giggled a lot when reading about her nerdy clothes and her fangirl-ish love for erotica authors. It was something I wouldn't have expected from her and that gave her a lot more dimension.
The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the accent. I get that it's supposed to be set in Scotland, but I think it would've been easier for me to get into the story if the dialogues weren't written with Scottish accent, it would've been enough if it just said the characters had an accent, but with everything written like that I had a really hard time trying to figure out what they were saying and that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the book.
Overall, I think this is a powerful story about allowing yourself to be happy even when things have been rough. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a darker contemporary romance, especially to people who enjoy accents and books set in Scotland, because if you're into that I'd bet that you would fall head over heels for Wolfe!
Read more reviews on my blog: Pause Time Reviews
September 7, 2015
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book for the tour, but that did not influence the review**
I wanted to like this, I really did. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, so much mystery, right? And that cover, oh that cover is gorgeous. That’s exactly what hooked me.
As I began there was just as much mystery as with the synopsis, which was fine, but still by 25% I didn’t really have any clues and starting to get hungry for them. I was no father into why either character was broken. Nera says she was broken over and over again, and had nightmares. But there were no indications to why she was that way and I needed some small nugget to her past. I found that I needed to be fed more clues to keep it interesting.
Wolfe was supposedly sexy, brooding and very secretive. And, he had a man bun. I do dig those. A lot. And he sings from the soul. He sounded divine and is the type of book boyfriend that was right up my alley. But for some reason his accent came off as kind of fake and I couldn’t catch his proper vibe.
Nera was beautiful, she said so herself right away. I’ll admit I cringed when she said that, it made me have opinions of her pretty quickly. There was nothing humble about her thoughts…but apparently it was true and she was stunning. But her beauty only went skin deep as she was broken on the inside. I wasn’t sure what to make of her, but I continued reading.
The romance was a slow one even though there was insta-attraction and insta-best friends. But they didn’t act on it. I would have loved to feel the slow burn a bit more, with the sweet kisses it was oh-so-close!
By 30% the clues were tricking in, but it was too late and I just wasn’t feeling any connection to the characters, their chemistry or their story. I think it was the writing style that I struggled with…a lot of telling and not enough showing. I like to feel, not be told how to feel.
By the time I got to 50% I started to skim just to see where the plot went…and I didn’t care for it. It made me uncomfortable. While I do enjoy some darker reads this one just wasn’t for me, and that’s where we get the DNF.
This story has a lot of potential, it’s set in a beautiful country, in a small town where people can escape from the madness of the world and just be themselves. I wasn’t crazy about the heroine and the hero was only ok for me so that might be where I got lost. If you fall for these 2 right away you might walk away with a different opinion of the book.
Good luck!
**I received a copy of this book for the tour, but that did not influence the review**
I wanted to like this, I really did. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, so much mystery, right? And that cover, oh that cover is gorgeous. That’s exactly what hooked me.
As I began there was just as much mystery as with the synopsis, which was fine, but still by 25% I didn’t really have any clues and starting to get hungry for them. I was no father into why either character was broken. Nera says she was broken over and over again, and had nightmares. But there were no indications to why she was that way and I needed some small nugget to her past. I found that I needed to be fed more clues to keep it interesting.
Wolfe was supposedly sexy, brooding and very secretive. And, he had a man bun. I do dig those. A lot. And he sings from the soul. He sounded divine and is the type of book boyfriend that was right up my alley. But for some reason his accent came off as kind of fake and I couldn’t catch his proper vibe.
Nera was beautiful, she said so herself right away. I’ll admit I cringed when she said that, it made me have opinions of her pretty quickly. There was nothing humble about her thoughts…but apparently it was true and she was stunning. But her beauty only went skin deep as she was broken on the inside. I wasn’t sure what to make of her, but I continued reading.
The romance was a slow one even though there was insta-attraction and insta-best friends. But they didn’t act on it. I would have loved to feel the slow burn a bit more, with the sweet kisses it was oh-so-close!
By 30% the clues were tricking in, but it was too late and I just wasn’t feeling any connection to the characters, their chemistry or their story. I think it was the writing style that I struggled with…a lot of telling and not enough showing. I like to feel, not be told how to feel.
By the time I got to 50% I started to skim just to see where the plot went…and I didn’t care for it. It made me uncomfortable. While I do enjoy some darker reads this one just wasn’t for me, and that’s where we get the DNF.
This story has a lot of potential, it’s set in a beautiful country, in a small town where people can escape from the madness of the world and just be themselves. I wasn’t crazy about the heroine and the hero was only ok for me so that might be where I got lost. If you fall for these 2 right away you might walk away with a different opinion of the book.
Good luck!
August 27, 2015
This was my first read by author Jessica Florence and it will not be my last.
Guiding Lights is a standalone novel full of raw emotion, secrets, suspense and a connection between two characters from different worlds with chemistry that cannot be ignored. The blurb for this story really caught my attention and then THAT GORGEOUS COVER! It is so beautiful!
This story is set it Scotland, Nera is finding herself, her freedom and I found her character very endearing and sometimes a little frustrating. She has been travelling for the past seven years but after finding out what it is she is running from, it absolutely broke my heart.
Wolfe, the HOLY HOT AS HELL SCOTSMAN with the man-bun, beard and secrets of his own *fans self*! He is taking a break from life and finds himself staying at the B&B Nera is also accommodating. The author got Wolfe's accent just perfect. Some readers may struggle with this, but I found it completely unique and turned into a wee Scottish lassie whilst reading this myself. I loved everything about his character!!
The connection between these two characters blows off the pages as they meet for the first time in the pub Nera works at, which also becomes the exact same place she hears Wolfe sing for the first time. This scene in the story really stood out to me so much, I FELT THIS! I remember feeling goosebumps and my heart fluttering so fast. It was truly beautiful. I also loved the description the author used of the places visited in the book. It made me picture everything so vividly and I found myself on Google straight after swooning over the places and the scenes that took place there.
It would be a travesty for you readers if I spoil this book. I do not want to tell you a thing because it would ruin the experience that the author has worked so hard for. But just know that this gorgeous standalone will capture you from beginning to end. The author is very talented and I can't wait to experience for of her work.
4 STARS
Read and reviewed for FMR Book Grind
Guiding Lights is a standalone novel full of raw emotion, secrets, suspense and a connection between two characters from different worlds with chemistry that cannot be ignored. The blurb for this story really caught my attention and then THAT GORGEOUS COVER! It is so beautiful!
This story is set it Scotland, Nera is finding herself, her freedom and I found her character very endearing and sometimes a little frustrating. She has been travelling for the past seven years but after finding out what it is she is running from, it absolutely broke my heart.
Wolfe, the HOLY HOT AS HELL SCOTSMAN with the man-bun, beard and secrets of his own *fans self*! He is taking a break from life and finds himself staying at the B&B Nera is also accommodating. The author got Wolfe's accent just perfect. Some readers may struggle with this, but I found it completely unique and turned into a wee Scottish lassie whilst reading this myself. I loved everything about his character!!
The connection between these two characters blows off the pages as they meet for the first time in the pub Nera works at, which also becomes the exact same place she hears Wolfe sing for the first time. This scene in the story really stood out to me so much, I FELT THIS! I remember feeling goosebumps and my heart fluttering so fast. It was truly beautiful. I also loved the description the author used of the places visited in the book. It made me picture everything so vividly and I found myself on Google straight after swooning over the places and the scenes that took place there.
It would be a travesty for you readers if I spoil this book. I do not want to tell you a thing because it would ruin the experience that the author has worked so hard for. But just know that this gorgeous standalone will capture you from beginning to end. The author is very talented and I can't wait to experience for of her work.
4 STARS
Read and reviewed for FMR Book Grind
August 23, 2015
Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence is the first book by this author that I've read and it was pretty good. It took me a bit to get used to Wolfe's character's accent but once I did it was perfect! I'm not sure if this is how words are spelled in Scotland but holy hell I loved it! He had me swooning every time he talked. I cannot believe this is the first book that I've read that actually had an accent added into it like this. I must say, I may be on the lookout for some more Scottish broods. YUM!
In the story of Guiding Lights, you have two broken characters. One, Monera (Nera) who is on the run and is afraid no man will ever want her or love her knowing her past. Then, Wolfe Lennox the Scottish, man bun wearing, sexy as can be gentlemen who is also running from his past and present and just needs a breather from life.
"Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight with the demons." -Wolfe
When Wolfe walks into the Spurtle Pub to do a an open mic night their life's are forever changed. He sings a song that captures Nera's attention and has her in tears by the ending and I believe their fates were sealed at the particular moment.
"Never letting ye go, Nera. Yer mine, sad and all. Just ye and me." -Wolfe
Once they are able to put their pasts behind them after confiding in one another and look to their future, they may be able to save one another, but Wolfe may have to recapture her heart before they can go any further, if they can go any further.
"Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight with the demons." -Wolfe
"The rest of my soul left through my tears as they swirled down the drain." -Monera
Overall, I would give Guiding Lights 3.75 stars.
In the story of Guiding Lights, you have two broken characters. One, Monera (Nera) who is on the run and is afraid no man will ever want her or love her knowing her past. Then, Wolfe Lennox the Scottish, man bun wearing, sexy as can be gentlemen who is also running from his past and present and just needs a breather from life.
"Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight with the demons." -Wolfe
When Wolfe walks into the Spurtle Pub to do a an open mic night their life's are forever changed. He sings a song that captures Nera's attention and has her in tears by the ending and I believe their fates were sealed at the particular moment.
"Never letting ye go, Nera. Yer mine, sad and all. Just ye and me." -Wolfe
Once they are able to put their pasts behind them after confiding in one another and look to their future, they may be able to save one another, but Wolfe may have to recapture her heart before they can go any further, if they can go any further.
"Sometimes, the only way tae beat demons is tae fight with the demons." -Wolfe
"The rest of my soul left through my tears as they swirled down the drain." -Monera
Overall, I would give Guiding Lights 3.75 stars.
March 14, 2016
Clare's Mad About Books
This is a beautiful story of two broken souls who find each other and find a love that neither expected.
Nera has been on the run for so long that she lives her life on autopilot never staying in the same place for to long and never getting to know people well until the night Wolfe walked into the pub she works at and stirred something inside her she though she could never have.
It's a tale of learning to trust in someone after you have been used and abused for so long and for letting go of the past and taking a chance on happiness.
I really wish that there was a little bit more focus on Wolfe and his heartbreak that he went through instead of just the odd few details here and there but it was still an enjoyable read.
This is a beautiful story of two broken souls who find each other and find a love that neither expected.
Nera has been on the run for so long that she lives her life on autopilot never staying in the same place for to long and never getting to know people well until the night Wolfe walked into the pub she works at and stirred something inside her she though she could never have.
It's a tale of learning to trust in someone after you have been used and abused for so long and for letting go of the past and taking a chance on happiness.
I really wish that there was a little bit more focus on Wolfe and his heartbreak that he went through instead of just the odd few details here and there but it was still an enjoyable read.
October 8, 2015
From the cover and blurb I had a very different idea of what Guiding Lights was about than what I stepped into. At the core of the story there was something interesting there but I struggled with pretty much all of it. It felt really flip-floppy to me, I wished there had been a little more development between the characters, including learning about each other’s pasts. I had some suspicions about her past and was right but then it took a hard right and I suddenly felt like I was reading a whole other book from where it all started. Unfortunately, this one got away from me and I just wasn’t able to grab hold anywhere to really draw me in.
September 12, 2015
Review coming shortly to Ladies Living in Bookland
April 27, 2016
For full review see here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 23, 2015
Title: Guiding Lights
Author: Jessica Florence
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Suspense
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Rating: ★★★★★
Review
Guiding Lights is a standalone contemporary romance told from the eyes of the heroine, Nera as she attempts to escape the horrors that haunt her and meets hero, Wolfe.
From the moment this came in to the blog and I caught sight of the synopsis, I knew it was a book I needed to read. The fact that it was written by an author I had yet to experience didn’t deter me in the slightest (when often times with authors that are new to me it does). I knew based on what was there, that this story was going to move me by the time I reached the end and now, having finished it, I can say that it did that and then some.
People that have been through hardships in their lives, ones that are so debilitating that it’s a wonder they survived at all, believing themselves to be broken are almost always the most beautiful books to me. The circumstances in this book are in no way pretty, but what is born out of that darkness truly is. Wolfe said it best when he called Nera his light, but he was wrong because they were the light for each other.
It’s not an easy road for either of these characters. When they meet, there’s a connection, especially for Nera as she is gripped where she stands as she hears him sing for the first time. His voice speaking of loss and pain, something that she above anyone else can identify with. She feels things that she doesn’t believe she’s entitled to feel, things she swore she’d never feel again and this causes her to run from them. From Wolfe.
Wolfe though, what can I say about this guy? He wouldn’t give up. He knew there was something there, something about her that continuously drew him to her. He saw something in her…a brokenness that matched his own and he wouldn’t give up until he had her. I loved his character. Sure there were things that she should have known before they were dropped into her lap, things that had she known, she probably could have used to prevent what takes place later, but there was an understanding that both Nera and I had as to why he held back. It didn’t deter me away from him at all. He was such a tortured yet beautiful soul and quite frankly the perfect match for Nera.
The pacing of this story, how they meet, when they finally get together, give into what they both feel is taking place and what comes next, it was fluid. Solid even. There was no moment while I was reading where I felt it moved too fast or too slow and I never felt lost. In fact, the pacing was so well done here, things moving easily from point A to point B that I couldn’t put the book down for fear of missing something.
The only issue that I had with this while reading was in the very beginning. Coming into this story, not realizing at the time that they were going to be thick Scottish speaking people, well, it took a little getting used to, seeing the spoken dialect brought to life, but after a few pages, it was smooth sailing and didn’t hinder my love of this story or take anything away from it at all. In fact, now that I’m done, I have to say it was kind of refreshing to have it read that way. Made it more realistic than it would have been without it.
If you’re a fan of stories that aren’t all flowers and candy, prettied up and perfect. Stories where two lost souls find one another and in that also find the sweetest love story to share together than this book is for you. If you enjoy books that have just the right level of suspense at times that keeps you gripped to your seat wondering how it’s all going to play out, again, this book is for you.
My thanks to the author and all others involved in letting me read an ARC of this before release. It was a beautifully executed story of strength, trust, healing and love and a ride that I am so glad I took.
Author: Jessica Florence
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Suspense
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Rating: ★★★★★
Review
Guiding Lights is a standalone contemporary romance told from the eyes of the heroine, Nera as she attempts to escape the horrors that haunt her and meets hero, Wolfe.
From the moment this came in to the blog and I caught sight of the synopsis, I knew it was a book I needed to read. The fact that it was written by an author I had yet to experience didn’t deter me in the slightest (when often times with authors that are new to me it does). I knew based on what was there, that this story was going to move me by the time I reached the end and now, having finished it, I can say that it did that and then some.
People that have been through hardships in their lives, ones that are so debilitating that it’s a wonder they survived at all, believing themselves to be broken are almost always the most beautiful books to me. The circumstances in this book are in no way pretty, but what is born out of that darkness truly is. Wolfe said it best when he called Nera his light, but he was wrong because they were the light for each other.
It’s not an easy road for either of these characters. When they meet, there’s a connection, especially for Nera as she is gripped where she stands as she hears him sing for the first time. His voice speaking of loss and pain, something that she above anyone else can identify with. She feels things that she doesn’t believe she’s entitled to feel, things she swore she’d never feel again and this causes her to run from them. From Wolfe.
Wolfe though, what can I say about this guy? He wouldn’t give up. He knew there was something there, something about her that continuously drew him to her. He saw something in her…a brokenness that matched his own and he wouldn’t give up until he had her. I loved his character. Sure there were things that she should have known before they were dropped into her lap, things that had she known, she probably could have used to prevent what takes place later, but there was an understanding that both Nera and I had as to why he held back. It didn’t deter me away from him at all. He was such a tortured yet beautiful soul and quite frankly the perfect match for Nera.
The pacing of this story, how they meet, when they finally get together, give into what they both feel is taking place and what comes next, it was fluid. Solid even. There was no moment while I was reading where I felt it moved too fast or too slow and I never felt lost. In fact, the pacing was so well done here, things moving easily from point A to point B that I couldn’t put the book down for fear of missing something.
The only issue that I had with this while reading was in the very beginning. Coming into this story, not realizing at the time that they were going to be thick Scottish speaking people, well, it took a little getting used to, seeing the spoken dialect brought to life, but after a few pages, it was smooth sailing and didn’t hinder my love of this story or take anything away from it at all. In fact, now that I’m done, I have to say it was kind of refreshing to have it read that way. Made it more realistic than it would have been without it.
If you’re a fan of stories that aren’t all flowers and candy, prettied up and perfect. Stories where two lost souls find one another and in that also find the sweetest love story to share together than this book is for you. If you enjoy books that have just the right level of suspense at times that keeps you gripped to your seat wondering how it’s all going to play out, again, this book is for you.
My thanks to the author and all others involved in letting me read an ARC of this before release. It was a beautifully executed story of strength, trust, healing and love and a ride that I am so glad I took.
August 28, 2015
What first attracted me to this book was the cover. I mean look at it! It is gorgeous! I am easily drawn in by pretty things. I was intrigued by the synopsis (despite the vagueness of it all) and decided to take a chance on this book. I can say without a doubt that this book knocked it out of the park for me. It had so many things I love about books; different themes, character traits, and story lines that captured my mind and heart. Guiding Lights is a beautiful story of two broken souls finding one another and in the process learning to love, live, and cherish the moments they have.
First off, let’s talk characters. Nera is a strong woman who had lived through hell and made it out. She is fiercely independent and a woman who holds other at a distance. She is kind and hard-working but there is always a distracted silence beneath the surface of who she is. As the story progresses and the reader begins to understand where she came from and her past in Morocco, her attitude and reservations are understood. When she meets the mysterious hero of the story you know things are about to get good! My new book boyfriend (who knocked so many out of the park) is the intriguing Wolfe. When I read about him and watched Jessica develop his character, good Lord, I was hooked. He is kind, flirty, mysterious, and sexy. It is like Jessica stepped into my mind and pulled all the things I love about book boyfriends and men in general and she created Wolfe. He sings. He plays guitar. He pursues the girl relentlessly. And to top it off, he is a Scotsman with a sexy beard and man bun. *Insert swooning here* The secondary characters are fabulous. I loved Aggie, Evan, Nelson, Emma, and all the people we meet in this story. They add a spice to the tale and create a sense of family and home for Wolfe and Nera.
When reading a vague synopsis, you never truly know what to expect. Sometimes that is really good and sometimes not so much. In this case it was perfect. The story progresses really well. We have two very closed off characters, both with valid reasons, who are wounded and living life minute by minute. The relationship between Nera and Wolfe is never rushed. These two spend so much time together, developing a friendship tinged with attraction that cannot be ignored. They spend time together, getting to know the inconsequential facts about each other, skirting the deep heart issues they both so obviously have. When their attraction hits a bursting point it is a sweet burn of affection and desire. Nera needs a slow pace and Wolfe is willing to walk that road with her. They are so wonderful together. Despite their obvious hang ups from their past, they find a kindred spirit in each other, learning to let loose and begin to break free from their pain.
The love story of healing and companionship between Nera and Wolfe is beautiful and healing for them both. But one of my favorite parts of this story was watching Nera break out and banish her demons, beginning to heal from her past trauma and growing into a beautiful, free young woman. Learning of her past is heart breaking. It was a wonder she isn’t more messed up than she is. Seeing her learn to open her heart and love to someone is powerful. The theme of healing is deep and beautiful in this story. All the pain both Nera and Wolfe feel is valid but they are able to find hope and purpose in each other.
The ups and downs of this story are spot on. I want to sing this books’ praises from the hill tops. Guiding Lights will tug at your heart strings and take you on a ride of passion, love, healing, and redemption. Prepare yourself for moments of chaos but know that it is worth the anxiety! Jessica Florence, I will be stalking your resume of books and cannot wait to see what you have in store for us next!
First off, let’s talk characters. Nera is a strong woman who had lived through hell and made it out. She is fiercely independent and a woman who holds other at a distance. She is kind and hard-working but there is always a distracted silence beneath the surface of who she is. As the story progresses and the reader begins to understand where she came from and her past in Morocco, her attitude and reservations are understood. When she meets the mysterious hero of the story you know things are about to get good! My new book boyfriend (who knocked so many out of the park) is the intriguing Wolfe. When I read about him and watched Jessica develop his character, good Lord, I was hooked. He is kind, flirty, mysterious, and sexy. It is like Jessica stepped into my mind and pulled all the things I love about book boyfriends and men in general and she created Wolfe. He sings. He plays guitar. He pursues the girl relentlessly. And to top it off, he is a Scotsman with a sexy beard and man bun. *Insert swooning here* The secondary characters are fabulous. I loved Aggie, Evan, Nelson, Emma, and all the people we meet in this story. They add a spice to the tale and create a sense of family and home for Wolfe and Nera.
When reading a vague synopsis, you never truly know what to expect. Sometimes that is really good and sometimes not so much. In this case it was perfect. The story progresses really well. We have two very closed off characters, both with valid reasons, who are wounded and living life minute by minute. The relationship between Nera and Wolfe is never rushed. These two spend so much time together, developing a friendship tinged with attraction that cannot be ignored. They spend time together, getting to know the inconsequential facts about each other, skirting the deep heart issues they both so obviously have. When their attraction hits a bursting point it is a sweet burn of affection and desire. Nera needs a slow pace and Wolfe is willing to walk that road with her. They are so wonderful together. Despite their obvious hang ups from their past, they find a kindred spirit in each other, learning to let loose and begin to break free from their pain.
The love story of healing and companionship between Nera and Wolfe is beautiful and healing for them both. But one of my favorite parts of this story was watching Nera break out and banish her demons, beginning to heal from her past trauma and growing into a beautiful, free young woman. Learning of her past is heart breaking. It was a wonder she isn’t more messed up than she is. Seeing her learn to open her heart and love to someone is powerful. The theme of healing is deep and beautiful in this story. All the pain both Nera and Wolfe feel is valid but they are able to find hope and purpose in each other.
The ups and downs of this story are spot on. I want to sing this books’ praises from the hill tops. Guiding Lights will tug at your heart strings and take you on a ride of passion, love, healing, and redemption. Prepare yourself for moments of chaos but know that it is worth the anxiety! Jessica Florence, I will be stalking your resume of books and cannot wait to see what you have in store for us next!
August 27, 2015
This was such a great read, that right from the first page the author had me hooked. The main female character, Monera (but Nera for short), was in my head as soon as I met her character, and the same went for the character of Wolfie – I found myself thinking of them often throughout my day, almost as if they were real people. One of the main attractions for me was that the book was set in Scotland. The pub in the story is called “Spurtle”, which is in Durness and owned by Evan. He and his wife also own a B&B, which Nera lives in.
Nera is originally from Morocco. She’s been on the move for the past 7 years and tries not to stay in the same place too long. The thing that stands out the most about Nera is that she��s broken – it made me wonder what had happened to make her that way. Through the course of the story we are told a lot of things that have happened in Nera’s past that have resulted in her not being able to trust people too easily.
At the start of the novel she worked as a barmaid in the “Spurtle” for 5 months, and has realized that Durness is an easy place to stay invisible if you want to hide from the world. It’s at this point the author makes you wonder why it is that she wants to stay invisible in the first place. One particular bit I enjoyed was when the author shows her struggling to adjust to the Scottish accent. Another humorous moment was when she first noticed Wolfie – her first thought was that he had a nice backside! She could tell he was attractive, and her body seemed to have a mind of its own when she first heard Wolfie sing. The lyrics in his first song are insightful and soul wrenching – “She stays in my bed, wanting to be hidden, begging has reached down into your soul.” The lyrics not only characterize Nera perfectly, they also foreshadow the events to come in an indirect manner -“Yesterday is minutes away, I’m sorry I can’t be what she needs, but I got her a new prescription to make sure her heart won’t bleed.’
He sings this song in the pub and stuns the audience. The meaning to his lyrics are clear – he manages to recognize Nera’s soul is broken as soon as he looks at her because his soul is also broken, and he feels he’s found a kindred spirit in Nera.
After he sings his song, Wolfie is aware that Nera is upset, as she goes outside on her break right after his song is finished. I thought it was particularly nice when he checked up on her to see if she was okay.
Emma, Evan’s daughter, gets along well with Nera. At times it seems like Nera is jealous of Emma, as she’s beautiful, flirty, comfortable, and knows how to handle men. Emma and Nera are close in the novel.
Evan’s wife, Aggie, is very sweet and is always there for Nera. She’s warm and has so much love for Nera, even though she didn’t know her. I really liked the way she treated her like a daughter. Evan and his wife were a large part of what made Nera stay in Durness – both Evan and Aggie had big smiles and big hearts. They both also knew Wolfie from a very young age.
One particular memorable scene was when Wolfie comes into the dining room of the B&B the morning after he sings his song. Nera is standing with her mouth full of food and was wearing a t-shirt with the caption “I like big books and I can’t lie”.
Nera is originally from Morocco. She’s been on the move for the past 7 years and tries not to stay in the same place too long. The thing that stands out the most about Nera is that she��s broken – it made me wonder what had happened to make her that way. Through the course of the story we are told a lot of things that have happened in Nera’s past that have resulted in her not being able to trust people too easily.
At the start of the novel she worked as a barmaid in the “Spurtle” for 5 months, and has realized that Durness is an easy place to stay invisible if you want to hide from the world. It’s at this point the author makes you wonder why it is that she wants to stay invisible in the first place. One particular bit I enjoyed was when the author shows her struggling to adjust to the Scottish accent. Another humorous moment was when she first noticed Wolfie – her first thought was that he had a nice backside! She could tell he was attractive, and her body seemed to have a mind of its own when she first heard Wolfie sing. The lyrics in his first song are insightful and soul wrenching – “She stays in my bed, wanting to be hidden, begging has reached down into your soul.” The lyrics not only characterize Nera perfectly, they also foreshadow the events to come in an indirect manner -“Yesterday is minutes away, I’m sorry I can’t be what she needs, but I got her a new prescription to make sure her heart won’t bleed.’
He sings this song in the pub and stuns the audience. The meaning to his lyrics are clear – he manages to recognize Nera’s soul is broken as soon as he looks at her because his soul is also broken, and he feels he’s found a kindred spirit in Nera.
After he sings his song, Wolfie is aware that Nera is upset, as she goes outside on her break right after his song is finished. I thought it was particularly nice when he checked up on her to see if she was okay.
Emma, Evan’s daughter, gets along well with Nera. At times it seems like Nera is jealous of Emma, as she’s beautiful, flirty, comfortable, and knows how to handle men. Emma and Nera are close in the novel.
Evan’s wife, Aggie, is very sweet and is always there for Nera. She’s warm and has so much love for Nera, even though she didn’t know her. I really liked the way she treated her like a daughter. Evan and his wife were a large part of what made Nera stay in Durness – both Evan and Aggie had big smiles and big hearts. They both also knew Wolfie from a very young age.
One particular memorable scene was when Wolfie comes into the dining room of the B&B the morning after he sings his song. Nera is standing with her mouth full of food and was wearing a t-shirt with the caption “I like big books and I can’t lie”.
September 7, 2015
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received a copy of this book for the tour, but that did not influence the review**
I wanted to like this, I really did. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, so much mystery, right? And that cover, oh that cover is gorgeous. That’s exactly what hooked me.
As I began there was just as much mystery as with the synopsis, which was fine, but still by 25% I didn’t really have any clues and starting to get hungry for them. I was no father into why either character was broken. Nera says she was broken over and over again, and had nightmares. But there were no indications to why she was that way and I needed some small nugget to her past. I found that I needed to be fed more clues to keep it interesting.
Wolfe was supposedly sexy, brooding and very secretive. And, he had a man bun. I do dig those. A lot. And he sings from the soul. He sounded divine and is the type of book boyfriend that was right up my alley. But for some reason his accent came off as kind of fake and I couldn’t catch his proper vibe.
Nera was beautiful, she said so herself right away. I’ll admit I cringed when she said that, it made me have opinions of her pretty quickly. There was nothing humble about her thoughts…but apparently it was true and she was stunning. But her beauty only went skin deep as she was broken on the inside. I wasn’t sure what to make of her, but I continued reading.
The romance was a slow one even though there was insta-attraction and insta-best friends. But they didn’t act on it. I would have loved to feel the slow burn a bit more, with the sweet kisses it was oh-so-close!
By 30% the clues were tricking in, but it was too late and I just wasn’t feeling any connection to the characters, their chemistry or their story. I think it was the writing style that I struggled with…a lot of telling and not enough showing. I like to feel, not be told how to feel.
By the time I got to 50% I started to skim just to see where the plot went…and I didn’t care for it. It made me uncomfortable. While I do enjoy some darker reads this one just wasn’t for me, and that’s where we get the DNF.
This story has a lot of potential, it’s set in a beautiful country, in a small town where people can escape from the madness of the world and just be themselves. I wasn’t crazy about the heroine and the hero was only ok for me so that might be where I got lost. If you fall for these 2 right away you might walk away with a different opinion of the book.
Good luck!
**I received a copy of this book for the tour, but that did not influence the review**
I wanted to like this, I really did. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, so much mystery, right? And that cover, oh that cover is gorgeous. That’s exactly what hooked me.
As I began there was just as much mystery as with the synopsis, which was fine, but still by 25% I didn’t really have any clues and starting to get hungry for them. I was no father into why either character was broken. Nera says she was broken over and over again, and had nightmares. But there were no indications to why she was that way and I needed some small nugget to her past. I found that I needed to be fed more clues to keep it interesting.
Wolfe was supposedly sexy, brooding and very secretive. And, he had a man bun. I do dig those. A lot. And he sings from the soul. He sounded divine and is the type of book boyfriend that was right up my alley. But for some reason his accent came off as kind of fake and I couldn’t catch his proper vibe.
Nera was beautiful, she said so herself right away. I’ll admit I cringed when she said that, it made me have opinions of her pretty quickly. There was nothing humble about her thoughts…but apparently it was true and she was stunning. But her beauty only went skin deep as she was broken on the inside. I wasn’t sure what to make of her, but I continued reading.
The romance was a slow one even though there was insta-attraction and insta-best friends. But they didn’t act on it. I would have loved to feel the slow burn a bit more, with the sweet kisses it was oh-so-close!
By 30% the clues were tricking in, but it was too late and I just wasn’t feeling any connection to the characters, their chemistry or their story. I think it was the writing style that I struggled with…a lot of telling and not enough showing. I like to feel, not be told how to feel.
By the time I got to 50% I started to skim just to see where the plot went…and I didn’t care for it. It made me uncomfortable. While I do enjoy some darker reads this one just wasn’t for me, and that’s where we get the DNF.
This story has a lot of potential, it’s set in a beautiful country, in a small town where people can escape from the madness of the world and just be themselves. I wasn’t crazy about the heroine and the hero was only ok for me so that might be where I got lost. If you fall for these 2 right away you might walk away with a different opinion of the book.
Good luck!
August 28, 2015
SAM'S REVIEW
4 STARS
This was my first read by author Jessica Florence and it will not be my last.
Guiding Lights is a standalone novel full of raw emotion, secrets, suspense and a connection between two characters from different worlds with chemistry that cannot be ignored. The blurb for this story really caught my attention and then THAT GORGEOUS COVER! It is so beautiful!
This story is set it Scotland, Nera is finding herself, her freedom and I found her character very endearing and sometimes a little frustrating. She has been travelling for the past seven years but after finding out what it is she is running from, it absolutely broke my heart.
Wolfe, the HOLY HOT AS HELL SCOTSMAN with the man-bun, beard and secrets of his own *fans self*! He is taking a break from life and finds himself staying at the B&B Nera is also accommodating. The author got Wolfe's accent just perfect. Some readers may struggle with this, but I found it completely unique and turned into a wee Scottish lassie whilst reading this myself. I loved everything about his character!!
The connection between these two characters blows off the pages as they meet for the first time in the pub Nera works at, which also becomes the exact same place she hears Wolfe sing for the first time. This scene in the story really stood out to me so much, I FELT THIS! I remember feeling goosebumps and my heart fluttering so fast. It was truly beautiful. I also loved the description the author used of the places visited in the book. It made me picture everything so vividly and I found myself on Google straight after swooning over the places and the scenes that took place there.
It would be a travesty for you readers if I spoil this book. I do not want to tell you a thing because it would ruin the experience that the author has worked so hard for. But just know that this gorgeous standalone will capture you from beginning to end. The author is very talented and I can't wait to experience for of her work.
4 STARS
This was my first read by author Jessica Florence and it will not be my last.
Guiding Lights is a standalone novel full of raw emotion, secrets, suspense and a connection between two characters from different worlds with chemistry that cannot be ignored. The blurb for this story really caught my attention and then THAT GORGEOUS COVER! It is so beautiful!
This story is set it Scotland, Nera is finding herself, her freedom and I found her character very endearing and sometimes a little frustrating. She has been travelling for the past seven years but after finding out what it is she is running from, it absolutely broke my heart.
Wolfe, the HOLY HOT AS HELL SCOTSMAN with the man-bun, beard and secrets of his own *fans self*! He is taking a break from life and finds himself staying at the B&B Nera is also accommodating. The author got Wolfe's accent just perfect. Some readers may struggle with this, but I found it completely unique and turned into a wee Scottish lassie whilst reading this myself. I loved everything about his character!!
The connection between these two characters blows off the pages as they meet for the first time in the pub Nera works at, which also becomes the exact same place she hears Wolfe sing for the first time. This scene in the story really stood out to me so much, I FELT THIS! I remember feeling goosebumps and my heart fluttering so fast. It was truly beautiful. I also loved the description the author used of the places visited in the book. It made me picture everything so vividly and I found myself on Google straight after swooning over the places and the scenes that took place there.
It would be a travesty for you readers if I spoil this book. I do not want to tell you a thing because it would ruin the experience that the author has worked so hard for. But just know that this gorgeous standalone will capture you from beginning to end. The author is very talented and I can't wait to experience for of her work.
September 3, 2015
Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence is a sweet book with tons of romance, suspense and laughter set in Durness, Scotland
.
I really enjoyed this book. Wolfe... He is just a holy HOT Scottish of a MAN. He's got secrets that land him at the B&B for some much needed time away. He visits a lot when he needs to get away from his everyday “life”. He keeps his secrets close and he has a few. He’s got broken pieces and so does Nera which sets up on heck of a story.
“I’ve lost sight of life. Everyday I’ve felt like I was just drifting in the ocean. Barely able tae stay above. “ ~ Wolfe
Nera is running from a horrible past which is still very much a possibility to return in her future. Seven years now and she finds herself working at a local pub and staying at the B&B. As soon as she met Wolfe, she is instantly attracted to him but with the fear she constantly lives in, she knows she can never stay in one place too long. Even with the attraction she feels to Wolfe she does her best to keep him at arms-length. One problem….Wolfe isn’t going to let that happen even if he had to chase her no matter where she went.
“This can’t be more than what it is now. I’m broken, and I won’t ever be anything more.” ~Nera
Ahhhhhh sweet Nera you can and will be so much more!!
I loved this story. It was sweet, sexy, and mysterious! A great read that I couldn't put it down. Watching Wolfe break through Nera’s walls made me melt. The man is so sweet, kind and caring.
“Maybe a broken soul could only be with another broken soul”
4 Stars for Guiding Lights…. Everyone needs a special light in their life to guide them, you are lucky if you find one. Hold on to it, don’t let it burn out. Let it shine the way to your happiness, your future, your forever. Copy provided for honest review- Shera
.
I really enjoyed this book. Wolfe... He is just a holy HOT Scottish of a MAN. He's got secrets that land him at the B&B for some much needed time away. He visits a lot when he needs to get away from his everyday “life”. He keeps his secrets close and he has a few. He’s got broken pieces and so does Nera which sets up on heck of a story.
“I’ve lost sight of life. Everyday I’ve felt like I was just drifting in the ocean. Barely able tae stay above. “ ~ Wolfe
Nera is running from a horrible past which is still very much a possibility to return in her future. Seven years now and she finds herself working at a local pub and staying at the B&B. As soon as she met Wolfe, she is instantly attracted to him but with the fear she constantly lives in, she knows she can never stay in one place too long. Even with the attraction she feels to Wolfe she does her best to keep him at arms-length. One problem….Wolfe isn’t going to let that happen even if he had to chase her no matter where she went.
“This can’t be more than what it is now. I’m broken, and I won’t ever be anything more.” ~Nera
Ahhhhhh sweet Nera you can and will be so much more!!
I loved this story. It was sweet, sexy, and mysterious! A great read that I couldn't put it down. Watching Wolfe break through Nera’s walls made me melt. The man is so sweet, kind and caring.
“Maybe a broken soul could only be with another broken soul”
4 Stars for Guiding Lights…. Everyone needs a special light in their life to guide them, you are lucky if you find one. Hold on to it, don’t let it burn out. Let it shine the way to your happiness, your future, your forever. Copy provided for honest review- Shera
March 1, 2016
Jessica Florence reached out to my blog to see if I'd read/review one of her books. This one is what I chose based only on the cover (the cover is amazing). I went back and skimmed the synopsis and a few of the reviews (which I normally don't do). Quite a few people mentioned Wolfe's accent. I will say that it took a few sentences before I was able to get a hang of it and then it was like I didn't even notice it.
"Love hurts, but not giving true love a shot when it's right in front of you? That hurts more. A life without love is no life."
This is Nera and Wolfe's story. She is on the run from a life that is a living nightmare. He is hiding from his past and taking a break from his present. But together.... they connect on a level that can't be stopped. At first, Nera tries to deny this attraction to Wolfe, but he is very persistent. As their love blooms, they'll have to deal with each other's skeletons in order to possibly build a future together.
The first quarter of the book moved steadily. We kept hearing about Nera and her pain, but nothing is revealed until later in the book. Pieces of information are slowly given as Nera's relationship with Wolfe gets stronger. We find out details about her darkness, the same time Wolfe does. They start as friends because Nera doesn't want to 'bother' Wolfe with her brokenness. Once she stops denying the bond they have, we really see her start to come into her own.
I was not at all expecting the degree of crazy that Nera came from. Even when she explains it, it's not until much later that you realize just how serious of a situation it is.
I do wish we were given more information about how Nera is saved. That's my only issue. That whole part was over so quickly. Other than that, I really liked Wolfe... man bun and all.
"Love hurts, but not giving true love a shot when it's right in front of you? That hurts more. A life without love is no life."
This is Nera and Wolfe's story. She is on the run from a life that is a living nightmare. He is hiding from his past and taking a break from his present. But together.... they connect on a level that can't be stopped. At first, Nera tries to deny this attraction to Wolfe, but he is very persistent. As their love blooms, they'll have to deal with each other's skeletons in order to possibly build a future together.
The first quarter of the book moved steadily. We kept hearing about Nera and her pain, but nothing is revealed until later in the book. Pieces of information are slowly given as Nera's relationship with Wolfe gets stronger. We find out details about her darkness, the same time Wolfe does. They start as friends because Nera doesn't want to 'bother' Wolfe with her brokenness. Once she stops denying the bond they have, we really see her start to come into her own.
I was not at all expecting the degree of crazy that Nera came from. Even when she explains it, it's not until much later that you realize just how serious of a situation it is.
I do wish we were given more information about how Nera is saved. That's my only issue. That whole part was over so quickly. Other than that, I really liked Wolfe... man bun and all.
August 30, 2015
Nera has been on the run for 7 years now. Running from her terrible past. She's finally found somewhere that she enjoys being. One night at the bar she works at, there's a new signing. He captures her attention immediately, not just him but the song he sings. The soon become fast friends, and feelings start to develop but Nera wont be staying around long, and she can't let anyone in. She's broken from her past.
The cover and blurb really caught my attention. I mean look at that cover, I could stare at it all day long. This is the first of Jessica's books that I have read and I really enjoyed it.
Wolfe, a hot bearded man with a bun. I'm not really into man buns but something about Wolfe grabbed my attention. Everything he said I was saying in my head in his Scottish accent, it was really strange but I couldn't help myself.
Nera is strong female character and I found her very relateable, if not frustrating at times. But I liked her, reading her past broke my heart.
I think the story was slow going at the beginning for me. It took me a while to connect with the characters but once I did I wanted them to have their HEA. There were some very unexpected twists in there, that shocked me.
I would love some more of Wolfe and Nera, maybe a few years into their life together, just for a catch up to see how they are getting on!!
4 Lightening Stars!
The cover and blurb really caught my attention. I mean look at that cover, I could stare at it all day long. This is the first of Jessica's books that I have read and I really enjoyed it.
Wolfe, a hot bearded man with a bun. I'm not really into man buns but something about Wolfe grabbed my attention. Everything he said I was saying in my head in his Scottish accent, it was really strange but I couldn't help myself.
Nera is strong female character and I found her very relateable, if not frustrating at times. But I liked her, reading her past broke my heart.
I think the story was slow going at the beginning for me. It took me a while to connect with the characters but once I did I wanted them to have their HEA. There were some very unexpected twists in there, that shocked me.
I would love some more of Wolfe and Nera, maybe a few years into their life together, just for a catch up to see how they are getting on!!
4 Lightening Stars!
September 16, 2015
Wow, that is where I am going to start. Just wow. This book was definitely more then just a beautiful cover. However that cover still is one of my favorite.
Must read for anyone who loves a good love story with some great suspense and twist.
I will not say I feel in love at page one or even page 5 but I did with out doubt fall in love with this book.
The accents in this book had me a bit confused at 1st. I was not sure I was going to like reading it and having to figure out what they where saying. Once I was in and was reading it all changed. It truly made the book. What at 1st thought would be a turn off truly changed my perspective. I felt more in touch with the characters and learned to love there accents.
I also want to say Author Florence did a great Job of keeping that steady during the book. At no point did I feel she dropped the characters accent and took the easier way out. She keep them true and in character. Which I imagine was no easy task.
This book was without question a easy read and page turner. It was full of story to keep me going, mystery to keep me hooked and sexiness to well... You know.
This was my 1st read by Author Florence but definitely will not be my last. I highly suggest this book.
Must read for anyone who loves a good love story with some great suspense and twist.
I will not say I feel in love at page one or even page 5 but I did with out doubt fall in love with this book.
The accents in this book had me a bit confused at 1st. I was not sure I was going to like reading it and having to figure out what they where saying. Once I was in and was reading it all changed. It truly made the book. What at 1st thought would be a turn off truly changed my perspective. I felt more in touch with the characters and learned to love there accents.
I also want to say Author Florence did a great Job of keeping that steady during the book. At no point did I feel she dropped the characters accent and took the easier way out. She keep them true and in character. Which I imagine was no easy task.
This book was without question a easy read and page turner. It was full of story to keep me going, mystery to keep me hooked and sexiness to well... You know.
This was my 1st read by Author Florence but definitely will not be my last. I highly suggest this book.
March 10, 2016
This was the first book that I've read from Jessica Florence and I absolutely loved it! She sucked me in from the very start with her captivating writing. This is a story revolving around the main characters Nera & Wolfe ( whom I instantly fell in love with), and it is filled with the perfect combination of romance and suspense.
Nera & Wolfe are both escaping their darkness trying to get away. I'm going to add a couple of my favorite quotes without giving too much away from this book. The first quote is from Wolfe ( in his sexy scottish accent) -----" Ye are a guiding light out of the darkness Nera. Ye are just stuck in the dark sea yerself, ye don't realize it yet."
Nera----- " I saw it there in his eyes, there was the broken man recognizing the broken woman in me." This was the quote that sucked me in and didn't spit me out until I had finished the book "their story", because I needed more, I needed answers.
I highly recommend this story, as it was definitely a page turner for me that I couldn't get enough of :)
Nera & Wolfe are both escaping their darkness trying to get away. I'm going to add a couple of my favorite quotes without giving too much away from this book. The first quote is from Wolfe ( in his sexy scottish accent) -----" Ye are a guiding light out of the darkness Nera. Ye are just stuck in the dark sea yerself, ye don't realize it yet."
Nera----- " I saw it there in his eyes, there was the broken man recognizing the broken woman in me." This was the quote that sucked me in and didn't spit me out until I had finished the book "their story", because I needed more, I needed answers.
I highly recommend this story, as it was definitely a page turner for me that I couldn't get enough of :)
December 2, 2018
The more books i read of Jessica Florence the more i fall in love with her words. I have never known an author to write such different types of books and absolutely make them amazing stories.
This story is about a hot rocker that’s a scot has a man bun a big beard and sounds like everyone’s cup of tea, i loved how he was Scottish and the way you read this book you were definitely reading it Scottish in my head, Jessica Florence did amazing with this.
Nera was a special character she had been through so much and i loved the distance she was trying to keep from Wolfe because she wasn’t being annoying or someone trying to be saved, she was just trying to survive and keep everyone else out of harms way. She has a terrible past and sometimes they just don’t stay in the past.
I don’t want to give to much away but i absolutely loved this story, i loved the writing, it was emotional it was just such a beautiful story if you have not read this one yet it is a must.
Massive 5 stars for this baby
This story is about a hot rocker that’s a scot has a man bun a big beard and sounds like everyone’s cup of tea, i loved how he was Scottish and the way you read this book you were definitely reading it Scottish in my head, Jessica Florence did amazing with this.
Nera was a special character she had been through so much and i loved the distance she was trying to keep from Wolfe because she wasn’t being annoying or someone trying to be saved, she was just trying to survive and keep everyone else out of harms way. She has a terrible past and sometimes they just don’t stay in the past.
I don’t want to give to much away but i absolutely loved this story, i loved the writing, it was emotional it was just such a beautiful story if you have not read this one yet it is a must.
Massive 5 stars for this baby
August 18, 2015
I wish they would let us give half stars.. Cause this book deserves 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I adored the setting. Loved the Scottish, man bun, and bearded man. Wolfe was just the exact replica of my every fantasy in the way I love my men to look.. But the stuff that came out of this man's month...SWOON...
This story was really heartbreaking, OMG. I almost wanted to shoot (you know who) my self. But I absolutely loved the sweet romance between Wolfe and Nera...there was so much passion, so much undeniable commitment. I just knew no matter what these two had each other's back, despite the circumstance. Believe me this book will take your stomach up and down. But it was totally worth getting to the end...HEA!!!. BTW... I love Lachlan... and I may need more of him..lol
Probably one of the things I loved the most in this book was Nera reading to Wolfe. That has got to be what in my mind made this story so enduring. So good!! Must Read!
This story was really heartbreaking, OMG. I almost wanted to shoot (you know who) my self. But I absolutely loved the sweet romance between Wolfe and Nera...there was so much passion, so much undeniable commitment. I just knew no matter what these two had each other's back, despite the circumstance. Believe me this book will take your stomach up and down. But it was totally worth getting to the end...HEA!!!. BTW... I love Lachlan... and I may need more of him..lol
Probably one of the things I loved the most in this book was Nera reading to Wolfe. That has got to be what in my mind made this story so enduring. So good!! Must Read!
August 20, 2015
After finishing this book I had no desire to read another book right away. I would like to erase it from my memory so I could read it again having no idea what the story was about so I could enjoy it again (I am probably just going read it again anyway!).
This book was absolutely fantastic. In my opinion, this is Jessica Florence’s best book yet. Anytime I was not reading it, I just wanted to get back to it (and I finished this in about a day and a half because I couldn’t put it down).
The characters were amazing and well developed. I fell in love with Wolfe and Nera. The side characters were great too and added more fun to the story. While reading this, I got so lost in it that I had to keep reminding myself that I don’t really know these characters.
I now have a book hangover and a new book boyfriend. Please, do yourself a favor and get this book. This is a MUST read!
This book was absolutely fantastic. In my opinion, this is Jessica Florence’s best book yet. Anytime I was not reading it, I just wanted to get back to it (and I finished this in about a day and a half because I couldn’t put it down).
The characters were amazing and well developed. I fell in love with Wolfe and Nera. The side characters were great too and added more fun to the story. While reading this, I got so lost in it that I had to keep reminding myself that I don’t really know these characters.
I now have a book hangover and a new book boyfriend. Please, do yourself a favor and get this book. This is a MUST read!
April 26, 2016
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC received for an honest Review
This was my first Jessica Florence book and I will be looking out for more from her. I would rate this book 3.5 ⭐️
This story is set in Scotland featuring Wolfe, a hot sexy Scots Rock God, and Nera a Moroccan Beauty. Nera is running from her past and has been on the move for the last 7 years, living on autopilot but meeting Wolfe turns her world upside down and changes everything.
Nera's past and Wolfe's secrets start catching up with them, will they be able to save each other?
This book was a great quick read, the plot was great, it dealt with some dark issues and did it very well. It was full of raw emotion, suspense and the chemistry between Wolfe and Nera was amazing.
Looking forward to reading Lachlan's story
This was my first Jessica Florence book and I will be looking out for more from her. I would rate this book 3.5 ⭐️
This story is set in Scotland featuring Wolfe, a hot sexy Scots Rock God, and Nera a Moroccan Beauty. Nera is running from her past and has been on the move for the last 7 years, living on autopilot but meeting Wolfe turns her world upside down and changes everything.
Nera's past and Wolfe's secrets start catching up with them, will they be able to save each other?
This book was a great quick read, the plot was great, it dealt with some dark issues and did it very well. It was full of raw emotion, suspense and the chemistry between Wolfe and Nera was amazing.
Looking forward to reading Lachlan's story
April 27, 2016
Wolfe is hiding from reality & Nera is on the run from her family. They both meet in a small Scottish town in a pub when Nera hears Wolfe’s voice on stage & is drawn to him. She has no idea that he is a rock star in hiding. They are both lost, damaged & are trying to seek comfort within one another. The story is slow to start & a couple of times I wanted to stop. Not a true fan of trying to decipher reading through the Brit/Scottish language. I’m glad I didn’t stop the storyline picked up & you start to understand the characters. Read & reviewed for an honest opionion by RazzReader with Pop Fizz Clink Read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2016
I discovered Jessica when I reviewed an ARC back in the fall. I vowed I would read her other books. I had discovered a new author that I liked very much. This was my chance and what an amazing journey it was.
Guiding light deserves a 5 star review.
This story was so intriguing, captivating and somewhat suspenseful that I couldn't stop myself from devouring it in one day. The words were like music to my hears. It's beautifully written with a great storyline. I highly recommend this story and the Final KO. I will get to the other ones pretty soon.
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