<b><I>5 - My Mended Heart Stars!!!</I></b>

A second chance love story with none other than Xander and his perpetual bad attitude and dark, brooding demeanor?!? <b>HELL YES!!!</b>

That's it, [a:Kim Karr|6644044|Kim Karr|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1367954198p2/6644044.jpg] has secured herself a spot as one of my very fave New Adult authors! Why didn't I pay more attention to Xander during the earlier books of the <i>Connections</i> series?!?!? Oh yeah, River was cock blocking him, and that just can't be helped but WOW!! His sexy older brother has stolen the show in this third installment of this delectable series!

<b>"With his first grin in my direction-I melted. When he first played his guitar for me -he scored my mind. When he first kissed me-he stole my heart." -Ivy</b>

I will be the first to admit, Xander was kind of a prick in the first two books and he was kind of non-existent in the ole personality department too! I could not figure him out. It just seemed like he was all business at the expense of pretty much everything else. It slowly became apparent why Xander was like this, and the fact that his heart has had a piece missing from it for a while.

<b>"She still looks like that eighteen-year-old girl I once knew, but now she has the body of a woman- lean and toned and full of curves. The sight of her is so familiar it doesn't seem like a day has passed since I last saw her- and everything I ever felt for her, it's all still inside me." - Xander</b>

Xander and Ivy were high school sweethearts, impossibly, head-over-heals in love with each other. When they were pulled apart abruptly, they continued existing but weren't really living. Although completely apart, they both proceeded with life in pretty much the same way; by pouring everything they had into their careers. One bitter and confused while the other was full of regret. Years later, when their lives collide unexpectedly, they slowly begin to mend the pieces back together.

This series just makes my heart happy! I devoured it in a day and a half. But talk about a slow burn!!! The sexual tension between Xander and Ivy was so impossibly high when they met again that I swear I was ready to jump into the book and give the guy a mercy bang myself! ;) I hated it but I loved it. I was screaming at Xander to tell Ivy the truth about things but then, at the same time, my heart was melting at getting to see this new found tender and protective side of him.

<b>"Look, we could play the game - pretend we both didn't feel what we felt the minute we saw each other at the pool, but I'd rather not. I loved you when I was fourteen. I loved you when I was eighteen and had to let you go. I've loved you for the last twelve years. And I love you now. Ivy- I love you." - Xander</b>

After that, an angst roller coaster follows as old family secrets, jealous exes, and life forces all compete to stand in Xander and Ivy's way to finally getting this right.

<b> My Xander:</b>
<a href="http://s996.photobucket.com/user/Vanessa_RB-Babe/media/Xander_zpsaa4341d3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/Vanessa_RB-Babe/Xander_zpsaa4341d3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Xander_zpsaa4341d3.jpg"/></a>

The second chance theme here didn't just apply to the love story, but at life in general for Xander. The transformation and growth of his character was an amazing thing to witness from watching him really deal with the death of his father to getting that second chance at his first love. We also got to check in and spend some time with the other beloved characters in the series like Dahlia, River, Aerie, and Jagger.

This book had everything that I need in my 5 star reads- great writing, lovably flawed characters, an engaging story-line, oh and plenty of hot sex to go around! I absolutely adore this series and applaud Kim Karr for keeping it fresh and adding another great installment to it!

And in the end...
<spoiler><b>"Xander Wilde the boy may have broken my heart once upon a time...but Xander Wilde the man, is the one who mended it." - Ivy</b></spoiler>

<a href="http://s996.photobucket.com/user/Vanessa_RB-Babe/media/1978621_270775163085309_969914017_n_zpsa59a92c5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/Vanessa_RB-Babe/1978621_270775163085309_969914017_n_zpsa59a92c5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1978621_270775163085309_969914017_n_zpsa59a92c5.jpg"/></a>

And (rubs hands together) I AM SO EXCITED FOR BEN'S STORY NEXT!!!!! Bring it, Kim!! BRING. IT!!!!!

<b><i>Blog tour date with Rebel Book Chicks ~ 5/29/14</i></b>

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I requested this one back in the day as I had every intention of reading it. However, its been years and I still haven't gotten around to it and while I feel guilty at not reviewing a book I think that I need to admit to myself that I won't be reading this one anytime soon....if at all.