{Review} Streamline by Jennifer Lane

Streamline by Jennifer Lane
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Format: Paperback, 460 pages
Published March 27th 2012 by Omnific Publishing

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He's captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother's crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father's abuse, battered and alone.
Leo's girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida's top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there's an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter -- her father -- is in prison for murder.
Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything's on the line... streamline.

Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Drug abuse, Mental and physical abuse, Teen sex

I'm not even sure where to begin with this one. Streamline is such a heart tugging, sweet story with a bit of mystery.  Leo is a great kid but he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's constantly worried about his family and his girlfriend. There's this great need in him to fix things for everyone. It's hard to see him go through some of the stuff he does. Especially with his father.  Audrey is a sweet and supportive girlfriend. She definitely has way more stress in her life than a teenager should. Between worrying about Leo and her own family, plus her swimming career, phew it's a lot. Even though the story is about Leo and Audrey both, I feel like he is really the 'star' and that's ok with me. I don't normally connect with a teenage boy when I'm reading but I did with Leo. Streamline is not an easy read. When I say that the reason is because there is physical, mental, and drug abuse, teen pregnancy, suicide. It's a lot to take in and I had to read it in starts and stops until I made it to the middle of the book. At that point things started moving so fast I didn't want to stop. I had to know what would happen next. If I had to say there was one thing I didn't like about Streamline it would that at the end of the book I'd have liked a look at everyone in the future. But really, that is such a small thing in the grand scheme of things. Streamline hit all of my 'feels' and I loved every word of it. 
Just as a side note, it's on sale for $2.99 for kindle right now. I'm not sure how long it will last!
Purchase: Amazon - B&N

{Review} Her Sanctuary by P.Q. Glisson

Her Sanctuary by P.Q. Glisson
Published Date: Jan 20, 2010
Publisher: iUniverse
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My rating:

Synopsis: Shannon Mallory was a woman on the run....not from outside forces but from her own wounded heart. When she pulled up into the parking lot of "The Last Resort Cafe" in the town of "Sanctuary", little did she know she would find the one thing she never even knew she was searching for....true love.

Seth Proudfoot wasn't looking for anything, except an end to his miserable existence. Accused of a crime he couldn't remember committing, he was ostracized by a town that, ironically, bore the name of the one thing he could never find....Sanctuary.

When the two meet, neither can ignore the magnetic pull between them, but will Shannon allow her damaged spirit to trust a man...a man who may have murdered his own family?

Though Shannon is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, it is her spirit that breaks down the iron-clad shield around his heart. Their desire burns hotter than the Arizona desert, threatening to melt the very mountains that loom like silent Gods above their heads. But can their love survive a betrayal that could very well cost them both their lives? (SOURCE)

I hate writing a review that doesn't involve praise for an authors hard work. I had high hopes when I started Her Sanctuary. Unfortunately, it took me over a month to read it because I read just a few pages at a time. I just couldn't get into it, sadly. I felt like the story idea was a good concept but all things considered, it was too rushed.

There was too much tragedy packed into one book, in my opinion. Especially within the first one hundred pages. It felt like the lead female character would know sooner get over one event in her life and be hit with another. Surely one person can not have that much bad luck?

With that said, I liked the ending a little better than the beginning but it was a struggle to get to that point. I'm a huge angst fan but even this one was too much for me. I'd have liked to have seen some parts more fleshed out, and others probably done away with.

I hope P.Q. has a lot of success. She's a sweet heart and I know I'm just one opinion, others may love this book. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.