JillianLiota – A Take from Two Cities

Lennon Day is a problem

She was supposed to be a one-time diversion, a friend that temporarily soothed the desires raging under the surface. Now we can’t keep our hands to ourselves, playing a game that we’re both going to lose.

I thought I liked my life how it was. I wasn’t expecting for anything to change, for my priorities to ebb and flow like a wave. And now I’m worried everything is going to crash down around me.

And that she might be the one who gets lost in the storm.

Lucas Pearson is a problem

He’s handsome, charming, my childhood crush… and unfortunately, not completely available. When I moved back to Hermosa Beach to work for my family’s foundation, I wasn’t expecting anything to happen. But it did.

Now, we collide like magnets, finding each other in the night to satisfy the urges we can’t seem to escape. It’s supposed to be casual. No strings. Emotion-free. And definitely a secret. So what’s the problem?

I’ll be anything for him… even if I lose myself in the process.

Welcome to Hermosa Beach

***Note: This is the second book in the Hermosa Beach Series. It contains significant spoilers, and should be read after ‘Promise Me Nothing’.

Title : Be Your Anything
Author : Jillian Liota
Series : Hermosa Beach #2
Format : eARC
Page Count : 295
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publisher : Indie
Release Date : October 15, 2019

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 3 star review

It was a nice feeling to be back in Hermosa Beach for more of this cast of characters. They had the OC feeling, a young entitled crew that had some down to earth-ness about them.

This was a story of a purposeful love triangle (of sorts), where a couple had been in a long term relationship but an open one and were engaging in relationships with other partners; all parties were aware. BE YOUR ANYTHING focused on Lucas (the boyfriend) and Lennon (his girl on the side). It was definitely an unusual story from that perspective and I think a tricky one for readers to feel emotionally invested in for the above reasons.

I had problems connecting to both Lucas and Lennon. Lucas, because of the arrogance of the situation on the one hand. I must say, I would feel the same towards Remmy his girlfriend, she was no better, but in the background of this story. With Lennon I struggled with her passivity and willingness to be a bit of a doormat.

There was a good story in here, winding sometimes but it navigated the whole Hermosa Beach guys, catching up with Hannah and Wyatt which was definitely welcome. There was plenty more heat in this book and whilst I welcome that, I think because I didn’t feel that connected to Lennon and Lucas, I didn’t always feel in the moment reading these sections.

The story came together well and I was glad to get some of the drama behind me. I remain invested in the series as a whole even if this wasn’t my favourite.

Thank you to the author for providing the review copy.

I didn’t pick up my life and move to this urban beach city to spend my days swooning over a rich bad boy who rides a motorcycle and seems to always get his way with just a flash of that smile.

I’m here to get to know the brother I’ve never met. Try and create a family when I’ve gone so long without one. Maybe find a place where I belong.

But I can’t seem to get him off my mind.

Hannah Morrison isn’t a good idea.

I’m back in town just for the summer, and my priorities are to spend time with my little sister, check in with my family, and make sure things aren’t really as bad as they seem.

But somehow, the new girl becomes my focus. She’s got a ton of baggage, and she doesn’t understand why she’s really here. But I’ll do anything to make her feel like she belongs.

Even give her promises I’m not sure I can keep.

Welcome to Hermosa Beach

Title : Promise Me Nothing
Author : Jillian Liota
Series : Hermosa Beach #1
Format : eARC
Page Count : 339
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publisher : Indie
Release Date : 17 June 2019

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 4 star review

Hello new series by Jillian Liota, I’m happy to see you! Hermosa Beach #1 was a contemporary romance with something of a NA feel. By the end, I still wasn’t sure which genre I would categorise it as, but that didn’t really bother me because I enjoyed the vibe of the story and characters.

PROMISE ME NOTHING was unexpected in a few ways. Firstly, the lead protagonist, Hannah is a closed-off young woman with a rough life in her past. She was flung into the lifestyle of the rich and occasionally famous as she was reunited with a previously unknown family member. Hannah was endearing from the start, with little trust to bestow and yet a heart with a small crack open to those around her; she drew me in. Secondly, this story had unexpected twists, twists I’m going to tell you nothing about, so that you can find it all out for yourself.

Family was central to this tale and I really enjoyed Hannah opening herself slowly and carefully to family, friends and just a little bit of fun. The’just a little bit of fun’ came in the shape of Wyatt, ‘Pier Boy’. He was kind of scrumptious, a little moody, a lot entitled but with a down-to-earth nature (think The OC). There’s nothing simple about the connection between these two but the chemistry. I can say that of all Jillian Liota’s books I’ve read, this was the hottest and she wrote that aspect really well.

This read is a little bit angsty, a little bit twisty and a whole lot unputdownable. I’m looking forward to more from this context and characters. I highly recommend this read and considering it’s set in a beach town, this would be perfect as a beach or holiday read. Go get!

I voluntarily read an early copy from the author.

Tag: JillianLiota

BE YOUR ANYTHING by Jillian Liota

PROMISE ME NOTHING by Jillian Liota