Wonderful romantic story full of hope for a better tomorrow that put me in optimistic mood. With fantastic and strong message to everyone who needs little help in finding their sunshine. 

Love and Hope -  yeah I think we all need that in our life.

A great read with a tough of magic realism. Nikolai, for as far back as he can remember can sense peoples thoughts, feelings, moods. It was always a point of contention with his family, they of course thought he was crazy. As an adult he doesn't stay in one place, he is constantly roaming and moving from one small town to another hustling poker games to make money. Until he meets Fiona, a woman who finally calms his ken senses. These two are both running from their pasts selfs. Together can they find peace with themselves and each other?

Such a good read. I will definitely be going back to read this author's other works.

I loved this one!.. What am I saying? Anything this author writes is Sugar and Gold :-)

I was really really really looking forward to reading this, as I loved the Full Tilt duo. This one was just "Okay" to me. I think that what I liked about Full Tilt was the emotional impact that it had on me. For this one, not so much. I just felt that it was a little too much in that Nikolai was just a little too perfect of a gentleman to her. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the book-- I did. I plan on reading more by Emma Scott. I am not giving up!

I liked this book a lot. Unfortunately for me, one part of the storyline was similar to one in the book I read just before. Had I known that, I would probably have put another book in-between. Because I ended up comparing the two stories too much. Which took a lot away from the story. I can only guess that I might have given it more than 4 stars otherwise. Because the story is good! I loved the idea of it. I loved the people a lot. I wanted to read their story. I just can't say whether something was missing or whether I was distracted. Will never know because you just can't read a story for the first time ever again.

What an incredibly beautiful love story!

Wow, this one just had all the feels. There were times that I just couldn’t read it fast enough, I had to find out what was going to happen. And other times when I had to read it so very slowly so I could absorb every exquisite word.

Sugar & Gold is beautifully written and I never felt like it got bogged down or too wordy. The characters came to life immediately and I was swept up into their story, experiencing all of their pain, confusion, joy and love. This story took me in a direction I absolutely never saw coming and along with that detour the angst was bumped up exponentially. I loved it!

And as if the story itself was not enough, Ms. Scott adds two epilogues. The first was so heartwarming, but the second, the second epilogue is the one. It ranks as one of the top epilogues I’ve ever read.

ARC provided by Netgalley

Dual POV
Some OM drama and questionable safety issue (view spoiler)
Triggers (view spoiler)

Sugar & Gold

Emma Scott



OMG! Emma Scott has once again shredded my heart! I finished SUGAR & GOLD with tears in my eyes and a huge lump in my throat! SUGAR & GOLD took over my life for the day and it was the 4th of July! Needless to say, my husband was constantly yelling at me to stop reading! Obviously he has never read a Emma Scott novel because everyone knows once you start there is no way to stop. I devour her stories and everyone of them has crushed my heart and left me crying. SUGAR & GOLD does not disappoint. Emma Scott, you owe me a box of tissues! AGAIN!

Nikolai rides his motorcycle from town to town, never staying in one place for too long. He is a loaner and goes from poker game to poker game, winning every time he wants to. What he really wants though, is quiet which is something he can never achieve because he feels what is in people’s souls and hearts when ever he is near them. That is, until the night he meets Fiona. Fiona ran away from an abusive husband and is trying to save up enough money to find her happily ever after place in Costa Rica. Fiona and Nik are two lost souls, who find happiness in each other’s arms, but perfect doesn’t last forever does it? The things that happen to them once they are together are going to blow your mind and break your heart. That’s all I’m going to say except everyone needs to read SUGAR & GOLD to experience this beautiful story!

Once I started reading SUGAR & GOLD I discovered that there’s even more to this story than meets the eye. There’s an added layer to it that I absolutely loved but that I won’t mention because discovering it as you read is honestly the best. One of the things I love most about Emma Scott’s writing is how deeply she makes me care for her characters and how strongly she makes me feel for them. Deception and pain, love and loss, secrets and truths, hope and redemption—they all twist and tangle together creating another unforgettable novel from one of the freshest and most trusted voices in romance.

5 Stars

2 lost, broken souls finding and healing each other with love + Steamy sex scenes + A touch of paranormal = Book Perfection!

This story was so beautifully written!

Fiona is running from her past and her emotionally abusive husband. She meets Nikolai when he passes through her town. Nik is also running but he is running from himself. He has been given a gift that he refers to as the 'ken'. He can sense the emotions and feelings of others and even their thoughts sometimes. This 'gift' has only seemed to bring him trouble and he regards it rather as a curse.

Fiona and Nik were perfection together. Their love flowed so effortlessly. I loved them together.

The story comes to a point where Fiona gets into trouble and Nik has to use his gift to save her. He eventually comes to the realization that he can use his gift to help others.

I loved the cameo with Evan and Jo from How to Save a Life. It wa so good to see how they were doing.

The epilogue in this book was pure perfection! It gave me just what I needed. Absolutely fantastic!

5 Stars
Contemporary Romance
Dual POV
Standalone
HEA

I can't believe this is happening again! Why, oh why can't I love this book as much as everybody else seems to? Reading all those gushing reviews, I had huge expectations for this - and maybe that was exactly my mistake.

The romance was too freaking saccharine for my liking, my teeth are still aching from all the sweetness and I hated the insta-love. I couldn't connect one bit with the characters that were, despite all their alleged flaws, just too perfect to leave any lasting impression on me. The pacing was far too slow and had me on the verge of skimming and, eventually, giving up most of the time. But I made it through it, and that's worth something, I guess.

I did appreciate the unexpected twist and boy, Emma Scott can write, but unfortunately, neither was reason enough for me to up my rating to three stars.

I liked the coming together feeling that this book gives. With a little of intrigue and mystery with the abilities Nikolai has, I loved how it touches the subject of people feeling like they don't belong, like they don't have a place in the world, like even when they are surrounded by friends they could be lonely. But then on top of giving you an actual problem that occurs to many in the real world, it gives you the relieve of watching these characters be important and fundamental for the happiness of others. It is precious the way Nikolai shows Fiona how beautiful she is and how understanding he can be. And I loved the special part that Evan plays in everything coming together. Just exactly what was needed.

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full Tilt is still my favourite Emma Scott book but this comes a very close second.

I wasn't sure about Nik when I first started the book but soon became to love him. Fiona however really intrigued me. Fiona was a very troubled young woman who was haunted by her past and Nik is reluctant to get close to anyone due to his unique gift. After what started as a one night stand they find themselves unable to get the other out of their heads.

This book is set in many places and there is a real sense of adventure to this book. It has a lot of depth and a very intricate story. Non of the book feels unnecessary, it all flowed very well and kept me glued to the story.

I have now read several Emma Scott books and am keen to read the rest very soon.

This is a story about two very tortured souls. It’s about finding that special place to call home and that person who brings you peace and helps you take control of your life. This book brought all the emotions – some serious highs and lows. So, for me, it wasn’t a quick read. It was heavy and took me a while to get through. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it is different than the last few books I’ve read.

Nikolai can feel and see the emotions of others. The world is not a quiet place for him and is only silenced when he’s feeling pain – which he accomplishes through many tattoo sessions…so many that he’s running out of bare patches of skin. Fiona is running from a relationship that stole her confidence, from a man who used mental abuse to bring her down. But, when these two meet, the connection is instant and is very different than anything they’ve felt before. These two were sweet together. I liked that we learned a lot about Nik and Fiona’s back stories and that we were able to see their growth. Where I struggled a bit with this story was with the twist. It felt a bit random to me and the decisions that were made afterwards by Fiona also perplexed me. It doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book but the twist did take me away from the story for just a bit and affected my connection with it. On the other hand, this story had some great secondary characters and two sweet epilogues that I enjoyed.

Overall this was a good read with interesting characters. The writing was great and the plot was definitely unique. If you’re looking for a romance with a little complexity and lots of emotion, this may just be the book for you!

This was my first by Emma Scott, and I will try her writing again. I found this story to be really slow in the beginning however it did pick up for me. I'm glad I continued with it. I'm probably in the minority on this one, everyone seems to be loving it. I just found it to be an OK read, sweet, young, romance. I really liked Fiona's character, her attitude, independence. Nikolas character was the sexy stranger, and the two did mesh well together. Glad I gave the story a chance.

Phenomenal!

Nothing like I've ever read before. It has everything..... intriguing storyline, interesting characters, emotionally charged/ heartwarming and of course it contains one fantastic love story. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Don't hesitate...one-click this book now!

*Thank you so much to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

*** 5 Stars!!!***

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! This book was SPECTACULAR!! From start to finish I was hooked. The chemistry between the two main characters, Fiona and Nikolai, was A+ from the moment they laid eyes on each other! Emma Scott does a wonderful job at creating chemistry between her characters.

Nikolai, or Nik, has a special ability called ken which allows him to see and even taste people's emotions. Crowds are full of different colors and flavors, not always pleasant, and it makes being in public very difficult for him. He also has the ability to hear thoughts through touch.

Fiona is a girl who escaped an abusive relationship and has been saving money to go live in Costa Rica so she can finally feel free. She mostly stays to herself but she decides to go out and have a one night stand, where she meets Nik. The two hit it off right away, and what was supposed to be one night, eventually turns into something more.

I. LOVED. THESE. TWO. Nik was so dreamy and swoon worthy! He was a man of few words but he had a powerful presence. I fell completely in love with him! New book boyfriend alert!! Fiona was also a great character. I loved her back and forth banter with Nik, especially their first encounter in the club. Fiona was strong and inspiring. Although her ex never physically abused her, he tore her down with words, and she eventually started to believe him. She was able to escape him and start over and reach for her own goals.

This book gave me ALL THE FEEEELLLSSS!!! I fell in love, I was heartbroken, and even shocked at times. This novel had just the right amount of cheesiness. It never felt too over the top. I was basically swooning the entire time but never had that urge to roll my eyes. This novel will SUCK YOU IN!! It was absolutely magical and enchanting and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loves an outstanding love story with a beautifully satisfying ending. (Because that ending was perfect!)

*Scurries off to read more Emma Scott!!*

**abuse trigger**
This was a good follow up to the first in the series and while you can technically read them as a stand alone and out of order there are a few parts where you may be confused if you do so.

The story follows a fully tatted biker guy who has a unique gift, meet Nickolai, a traveling "salesman" who plays Poker from state to state across the country. At a bar he meets Fiona a gal with a past that is less than ideal and harder to escape than she thought. These two loners have a connection that isn't even worth denying, but Fiona is just looking for a one night stand before she takes off for good but can Nickolai convince her to stay if only to quiet his own demons?!

Okay, Ms. Emma Scott. Know this. I always have high expectations when I pick up one of your books, and as usual, YOU DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

This book contained such a beautiful love story! Nikolai has a special gift and it's hard to say if it is a good gift or a bad gift. He has been dealing with it his whole life, trying to escape the "noise" of it, and his family shunned him for it, which made things worse.

Then he meets Fiona.....I loved Fiona! Fiona gave Nik a "peace and quiet" he did not find anywhere else. And the two of them together.....sigh....beautiful. The agreed to short fling was not going to cut it. But, Fiona had dreams of her own which she was determined to fulfill. The events that happen between them was heartbreaking....and I was pulling for them the whole time! It was unbelievable the direction Fiona's life took....totally unexpected!

A special book from a special author.....and now I have to go read How to Save a Life (the only book I haven't read by Emma Scott and I don't know why)!!!!

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I went into this book a little apprehensive about what I might find:
1. because it is the second in a series and I haven't read the first
2. I haven't been super lucky with my New Adult Netgalley approvals

Honestly though, I got so much more than I bargained for.

This book is written really well. This isn't something I generally feel the need to point out, but in this case, I will because I became so wrapped up in this book-- in the characters that I didn't realize how fast I was reading it! I really came to love the characters, not just the main characters but the side characters with their quirks as well.
I also enjoyed the romance here as well (shocking!) It did not feel like a love a first sight because it really did lust at first sight and then they slowly (maybe a little quickly) got to know each other. I enjoyed the path they took, I guess.

My love for the book doesn't mean there weren't problems though :(
I still don't understand <b>Nik's magic</b>. I get that he doesn't understand, so we won't understand, but he says he can't read minds, yet sometimes does.... and memories??? I do wish it was just seeing emotions OR everything but have it explained.
Certain things that happen in the book also didn't make too much sense to me. I don't want to write them out and spoil them, so let's put this down to me being <b>confused in parts and not understanding why they were included in the book</b>--or not liking the sections as much because the book seemed to change.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I plan on going back and reading the first ^_^
If you like New Adult romance WITHOUT love triangles and silly drama, and with a hint of magic and whimsy, then you should totally check this out!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a sweet romance. The characters had believable and interesting backstories. I really liked the fact that our hero Nikolai - which by the way I have to say I'm IN LOVE with that name - wasn't the typical player who would be later "reformed" by the MC. He was very nice, he was sweet, even when he went all caveman on her, he was never that typical alpha. He admitted the connection he had with her and went for it. This was all SO REFRESHING.

The main character was strong and had a FANTASTIC journey of healing and seeing herself for what she really was. I liked her. All of her reactions were justified and understandable and I never was exasperated or annoyed by her - which was a first, and again: REFRESHING.

I will say, though: I did feel their romance falling a little into insta-love, which stopped me from absolutely adoring them.

I also felt the ending really lacking, and the "magic" of the book was a little disappointing.

I'm not sure if I'll read another book of hers, I guess depending on the plot, but for now I give Sugar and Gold 3 out of 5 stars.

It's hard to believe I've only been reading Emma Scott's books for a year now, but in that time I have discovered the of the beauty and grace of her writing. Her skill at easily drawing out my emotions for her characters has quickly made her one of my top auto-read authors. It doesn't matter what genre or subject matter she decides to explore, I'll be first to add it to my TBR.

That being said, sometimes I just can't shut off my inquisitive mind when reading, and in this case, that prevented it from being a big winner for me like they have been in the past. There were too many times I kept stopping to question the validity of different aspects of the plot. In other cases, I just wanted more of an explanation or closure. But judging my the overall excitement for this book, I know that I'm in the minority with my pickiness this time so please don't let me scare you off from checking this unique story out.

Fiona Starling is twenty-three, but only now is she getting her first taste of independence and freedom. After surviving childhood lacking in love, she reached adulthood vulnerable to the manipulative man who swept her into his web of lies. It took her years to escape the abuse at his hands, but his words still have the power to mark her every single day. His taunts and insults are a constant soundtrack to her psyche, tearing into her self-worth until she can forcibly turn down the noise.

Everyone has a dream. Hers is a simple one: finding peace. And Costa Rica is her plan to finally break free from the chains that still bind her.

Nikolai is a tortured man, struggling to just find some semblance of peace himself. Unlike Fiona, it isn't just one person who invades his head, it's him against the world. Every person he comes in contact with transmits emotions and sometimes even thoughts through a color and image aura he's named the ken, that only he can see. His unwanted ability to read people leads him to a lonely life on the road playing poker for a living and trying to limit human contact for his own sanity. Up until now, the only momentary escape he can find is the pain at the end of a tattoo needle. But his canvas is almost completely covered, and he's not sure how he can manage without that small comfort when it's gone.

Then he meets Fiona, and during their one night of passion something inexplicable falls into place.

Fiona is the first person he's met who radiates kindness, care, and compassion. The only ugliness surrounding her is the one that haunts her, and he wishes with everything he has that he can take it all away for her. When they're together, the buzz of their intense attraction is only a bonus. The real prize is the comfort and the quiet they both give each other. Though neither has any experience with a healthy relationship, and she doesn't want to alter her plans to leave the country they're both willing to try.

Until one devastating event knocks their lives off course in a way neither could have anticipated. I have to say, the direction that the story went took me completely off guard. To be 100% honest, I didn't love this twist. I felt as if there were too many details that didn't seem at all plausible.

The main characters were sweet together, the secondary characters endearing and supportive friends. I did enjoy this couple, and the PNR element was one that I was really interested to read about. But the nagging plot points were rearing their head.

Issues aside, what I loved most about this book was Fiona's journey to self-empowerment. Spousal emotional abuse is an important topic to be educated about, and I feel as if it was very delicately and respectfully addressed. Fiona came out stronger in the end, realizing that she alone was relinquishing her power to him, and she had to make the choice to own it and take it back.

While this wasn't a huge five star win for me, I know that many others loved it wholeheartedly, so I urge everyone to give this a chance if it sounds like something they would enjoy. It was an original story with a miraculous kind of love that had the strength to heal two very broken people.

Though Sugar & Gold is connected to How to Save a Life with recurring characters, this is a complete STANDALONE. I did not read HTSAL and had no issues whatsoever.