Friday 27 February 2015

Reviews - Unconditional by Cherie M Hudson



Title: Unconditional 
Series: Always #1
Author: Cherie M Hudson
Publisher: Momentum 
Release Date: February 12, 2015



She has a future she can't escape. He refuses to let her face it alone.
 
Twenty-one. The age when adult life begins. In my case, it's the age I learned my future sucked, big time, and there was nothing I could do about it. Every minute of every day I face the fact my life is only going to get worse. Why? Because I have early-onset Parkinson's disease. I'm not going to let it get me down, but I also can't let anyone close. That's not fair to them, or to me. Trust me. So that means my heart and my soul are off-limits.

But then I traveled to Australia on a college scholarship program and life royally screwed me over. Again.

Raphael Jones is an arrogant Australian celebrity, the hottest guy on campus and a pain in my ass. Worst of all, he makes me ache for a life I'll never be able to have. Especially when he takes me in his arms and does wicked things to my body.

How do I have a hope of surviving ten weeks in Australia when it's not just the paparazzi who have me in their sights, but Raph as well? Because Raphael Jones is a man who always gets what he wants. And no matter what I say or do, he refuses to accept what I so painfully know: a life and future with me is no life at all.









Stop what you're doing right now and go one-click this book! Okay, well maybe read my review if you're so inclined and then go one-click this book. Have you ever just picked up a book thinking it sounded good only to start reading it and be completely blown away? That's this book for me. Cherie Hudson has officially made me a fangirl!

Maci is a graduate student in Australia by way of Ohio. Totally out of her element, learning the ropes from her dorm-mates. Maci also has early onset Parkinson's, which she tries really hard to hide from her new friends. She doesn't want any special treatment, to be coddled, or even worse, to be pitied.

A random bathroom encounter in the airport puts her on the radar of Raphael. Raph is the Pippa Middleton of Australia. Famous because his sister married royalty. He's got paparazzi hounding him everywhere he goes. Maci and Raph have a ton of chemistry but also a ton of obstacles in their paths. And she's leaving at the end of the semester.

Told through Maci's first person POV, Unconditional is an insightful look into the life of someone living with Parkinson's while navigating graduate school, falling in love and living in a foreign country. Maci's inner dialogue is not only a bit heartbreaking but also witty and full of humor. The love story is sexy and beautiful. Plus this book has koala bears, and I freaking love koalas! This book deserves a massive round of applause. It's spectacular.

~ Review by Erin



This book takes one exchange student traveling to Australia, a hot “celebrity”, Parkinson’s disease, and a bit of humor, mixes them together and makes awesome-sauce!

Parkinson’s Disease is no laughing matter; it’s a serious and deadly disease and tends to be one of the few things authors tend to shy away from, because there is no long term HEA. Cherie takes the bull by the horns and runs with it. She adds humor to keep the book light but the message she delivers is one thatm no matter the outcome, people will always be there to love us and help us (even if we don’t always want it).
 
The two main characters are real, and are both closed off to wanting a relationship. One because of their disease, the other because of “fame”. When they finally realize they are falling, it is too late and the game changes again. They deal with them the same way most of us would, turn tail and run the other way. FAST!

“Okay, you’re right. I was doing my bit to protect the Australian-American relationship. Wouldn’t want your country going to war against ours over copulating koalas.”

The whole book is full of one liners and conversations that will have you giggling like at 13 year old boy.

“Maybe I should call you farmer Bruce from now on?”
 
“Maybe. What have you been calling me up until now?”
 
“A--hole,” I answered honestly. Raph laughed.
 
“Yeah, let’s go with farmer Bruce.”

I think this is a RomCom you won’t want to pass up. Oh, and did I mention the sexy bits? No? I guess you will have to see what I mean by reading it yourself. Your vagina, and the copulating koalas, will thank me!


~ Review by Devlynn



When I read the blurb for Unconditional, I. Knew. I. Had. To. Read. It and am I ever glad I did, because this story shocked me, in an awesome way!

Maci Rowling travels to Australia on a college scholarship program when, unbeknownst to her, she gets the kiss of her life in a bathroom airport from none other than Raphael Jones. What lead up to that scorching hot kiss was hilarious, yet that kiss would forever change Maci's life. As Maci gets settled she makes sure to be careful around everyone because she doesn't want anyone to know her secret and feel pity for her.

Rapahel Jones is thrown into "celebrity” status when his sister marries the future king of Delvania and from there, his life would be a nuisance. Ralph can't forget the American girl he shared a powerful kiss with in the airport and yet, what a surprise to find her attending the same college as him! Ralph doesn't trust easily so when he sees Maci at the same school as him, he puts his guard up.

Maci really tries her best to not be attracted to Ralph by avoiding him but it seems the universe is working against her, because they keep getting thrown into each other’s lives. And the chemistry between them is HOT! This book had it all humor (lots of it), drama, sexiness and my favorite LOVE!!

I have to say that I loved Maci's roommate, Heather; she reminded me of one of my BFs who has ADHD and just like Heather, she has no filter, yet I still love her dearly!! Oh, and Brendon just had my heart swooning because of everything he did for Maci and how he cared for her in brotherly way. I. Can't. Wait for his story!!
~ Review by Kara


This was a fun, steamy, enjoyable read that dealt with a real issue and real concerns. While it did deal with a real issue, it was told in such an amusing way, making it easy and pleasurable to read.

Maci is a twenty one year old college student studying the effect of global warming on koalas. Getting a scholarship to study in Australia, the homeland of her father, was a dream come true. Immediately meeting two sexy Australian men made it even better.

“Because I was messed up? Confused? Conflicted? A skanky ho currently falling in lust with two hot guys?”

Only there was one small problem: she suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Unconditional took us through Maci’s journey in Australia and her life living with early on-set Parkinson’s. Since her mother also suffered from Parkinson’s disease, she has first class knowledge of what her life will become.

“For ten years, I watched him look after her, watched him insist he do things for her when she could still do them, solely out of fear she was going to hurt herself.”

She didn’t want to drag anyone through what her father went through with her mother. What she didn’t expect was to meet Raphael Jones. Deciding a fling was in order, she embarked on a steamy adventure with him.

‘He moaned, his hands on my breasts growing fierce. “I want to be inside you, American girl. Tell me you want that too,” he ordered.’

This book was emotional, it made you think, and it sure as hell made me laugh. I loved how the author was able to treat Maci as a young adult as well as a sufferer of Parkinson’s disease. I adored the secondary characters, Brendon and Heather, and simply cannot wait to read Brendon’s book. I also really appreciated that the author took the time to explain Aussie terms that I would have normally had to look up since I’m not from Australia.

~ Review by Tiffany






Cherie M Hudson is happily married to the man of her dreams, is a busy mum of two little girls (one nine going on sixteen, the other five going on twenty), a proud cat owner (although she suspect the cat thinks she owns her) and an insanely manic writer. She has written over forty erotic romances under the pen name Lexxie Couper. Along time ago she gave up trying to suppress the stories in her head constantly trying to escape and has been blissfully happy since.


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