A Sign of Love Series by Mia Sheridan
Posted: 01 Oct 2014, 02:51
I love, love, love, Mia Sheridan.
Now that my declaration of love is out of the way, I will carry on.
Gorgeous characters, heart-wrenching stories and characters so flawed that they are perfect for each other and to myself as a reader, are all the ingredients in Mia Sheridan's works. No heroes going full Alpha male here. Only men needing the women they love to love them back. This is somewhat new to me because I've been so used to Alpha males who don't realize that showing their significant other their weaknesses is strength itself. There's just something about the characters in Mia Sheridan's works that make them seem...human, for a lack of a better word. Relatable. It's like they could be anyone around us and yet, have the love of a lifetime. So far, four books have been published in this series with two more in the works. The series starts off with Leo, then followed by Leo's Chance, then Stinger and Archer's Voice.
Leo
All the world’s a circus. Sometimes you choose your act and sometimes it’s assigned to you. I had roamed the arena for far too long, roaring and bellowing, believing that I wasn’t brave enough to leap through fire. But all along, she had stood there, constant and calm. "I can't make the fire go away," she had seemed to say. "I can't guarantee you won't get burned. But I can hold this hoop for you, I can remain steady and strong, because I believe in you. Because you are mine."
And in the end, I had jumped. And the other side was just as glorious as her eyes had promised.
Synopsis: Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.
When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.
Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago? INSPIRED BY LEO
My review: This is the book that got me hooked on Mia Sheridan's works so of course I loved it. Both Evie and Leo had crappy childhoods and they became each other's pillar of strength. Friendship turns into young love and then they're separated but make a promise. Of course when Leo doesn't call or text or even write to her, Evie thinks that that's it and after leaving the system, she's gone on to become an independent young woman who makes ends meet by working in a luxurious hotel. She then feels like she's being stalked and due to her childhood, Evie confronts her stalker who introduces himself as Jake Madsen. He claims that Leo sent him to check on her and that her childhood sweetheart had died in an accident a year prior. Evie is, of course, shocked but she can tell that Jake's hiding something. Okay, so certain things might be pretty obvious in the book but the real story is how the truth is revealed and whatever is in between. This book is a tear-jerker from the get go but it balances it out with humour which Evie often dishes out. Reading it, you can just feel that something's up but when it's revealed, you're like 'WTH! Are you serious?'. I was. I loved the twist. You really do fall in love with Evie, Leo and Jake. With the twist, it makes you pause to ask yourself if you love the guy but just like Evie, we end up affirming our love for him. The hero and heroine are just perfect together. This is one of the best debut novels I've ever read.
Leo's Chance
“We all deserve a second chance, don’t we?”
Synopsis: Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even someone who lies and deceives to get it?
Do we all have a second chance coming? Even if we play a part in our own destruction?
How hard would you fight to have a second chance at love? A second chance at life? Another chance to tell your own story?
Every love story has two sides. Evie told hers. This time it's Leo's chance. INSPIRED BY LEO.
My review: This book is a follow-up to Leo and it's written in Leo's POV. Highly recommended to read Leo first. In this book, we get a look into Leo's mind throughout the events of Leo. It's refreshing and unique. It gives you more understanding with regards to Leo's actions and it's a good book to have. Fair warning, since this is written in his POV, even the sex is described through his eyes.
Stinger
“She took part of my pain and made it her own. I didn’t want her to hurt, but to share my scars with another human was a relief that I hadn’t even known I needed until I got it.”
Synopsis: Grace Hamilton was the girl with a plan. She knew exactly where her life was going and prided herself on always achieving her goals. It was who she was, and how she lived her life. She never stepped outside the lines, and never considered what she might desire and whom she was actually trying so hard to please. Until him…
Carson Stinger was a man who didn't play by any rules except his own. Working in the adult entertainment industry, he didn't care what others thought, and took each day as it came, no direction, no plan. He knew what women wanted from him and believed it was all he had to offer. Until her…
When circumstances forced them to spend several hours together, they walked away changed. But for two people who never should have meshed, overcoming the reality of their vastly different lives wasn't possible. At least not yet… INSPIRED BY SCORPIO.
My review: Another book with an unconventional hero. Carson is a porn star. Yeah, a porn star! Like I said, unconventional. And Grace? Yeah, well, she's a law student. Two people who can't be more different and yet, Mia Sheridan finds a way to bring them together perfectly. Carson and Grace are brought together in Las Vegas both attending separate conventions.When they first meet, they get off on the wrong foot but slowly and surely (and after being trapped in an elevator together), things get better between them. Trust me, you will not expect what happens. This is a real emotional ride. Your heart aches as theirs do and you really feel for their decisions. A must read. It's a surprise from the beginning to the end. Hell, hearing that Carson's a porn star is surprising already. Warning: there's a time gap between the story. A fairly long time gap. And I just have to add in another quote.
“If you really search your heart, I think you'll realize that we were never right for each other as more than friends."
Archer's Voice
“You brought the silence, The most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, Because it was where you were. And now you've taken it away. And all the noises, all the sounds in the world, Aren't loud enough to pierce my broken heart. I look up at the stars, endless and forever, and whisper, Come back to me, Come back to me, Come back to me.”
Synopsis: When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.
Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love. INSPIRED BY SAGITTARIUS.
My review: Now this story is darker than the previous works in that Archer and Bree have been through some pretty bad stuff. And I say this after reading Leo. This book like the ones before this will make you laugh, make you cry, make you rage and ultimately, make you fall in love. Mia Sheridan's gift of delivering strong, emotional and vivid stories reaches its highest peak so far in this book. Bree is the kind of good heroine you can never feel annoyed by. She's kind, gentle and loving but not annoyingly so because she's strong. This book is paced perfectly, taking the time to develop the love Archer and Bree have which is necessary considering how wounded the both of them are. It just feels more...real. Two damaged people don't just fall in love immediately and divulge everything to each other. It takes time and Mia Sheridan gives Archer and Bree just that. Archer is the town's loner. He lives in solitude. He's mute due to an accident when he was seven years old. Everyone stays away from him...until Bree. She's new to the town where she rents a cabin after her own accident and hopes to start afresh. Bree is the only one who approaches Archer and she's relentless about it, always stopping by his property. Bree is intrigued by Archer and the fact that he can't speak doesn't bother her one bit because she knows how to sign (you'll have to read to figure out why). Archer is much more innocent as compared to other heroes and it's because of that that he gets manipulated which leads to a couple of conflicts in the book. Now, Travis, Archer's cousin, is his opposite. Travis is sociable and flirtatious but Grace's affections clearly lie with Archer and then there's the whole 'past threatens to repeat itself' thing with Archer, Grace and Travis though Grace is very clear about her affections. Mia Sheridan is able to show how Grace changes Archer slowly and patiently without the story dragging. I think how Archer and Bree can communicate and heal each other even with his mutism makes this book a home run and a must have in your collection. And with that, I leave you two quotes from the book, showcasing its humour and love.
“I CAN SPEAK. I JUST LIKE TO SHOW OFF MY NICE PENMANSHIP.”
"I think love is a concept, and each person has an individual word for what sums it up for them. My word for love is Bree.”
Mia Sheridan has two more books coming out soon which will be released one after the other this month. The first one is Becoming Calder and the second is a follow-up called Finding Eden. Here's the synopsis for Becoming Calder:
There is a place in modern day America with no electricity, no plumbing, and no modern conveniences. In this place, there is no room for dreams, no space for self-expression, and no tolerance for ambition.
In this place, there is a boy with the body of a God and the heart of a warrior. He is strong and faithful and serves his family honorably. But he dares to dream of more.
In this place, there is a girl with the face of an angel and a heart full of courage. To her family, she is the vision of obedient perfection. But she dares to want that which she has been told can never be hers.
Becoming Calder is the story of good versus evil, fear versus bravery, and the truth that the light of love has always found its way into even the darkest of places... From the beginning of time, to the end of the world. INSPIRED BY AQUARIUS.
I'd love to hear what anyone else who has read this series has to say about it!
Now that my declaration of love is out of the way, I will carry on.
Gorgeous characters, heart-wrenching stories and characters so flawed that they are perfect for each other and to myself as a reader, are all the ingredients in Mia Sheridan's works. No heroes going full Alpha male here. Only men needing the women they love to love them back. This is somewhat new to me because I've been so used to Alpha males who don't realize that showing their significant other their weaknesses is strength itself. There's just something about the characters in Mia Sheridan's works that make them seem...human, for a lack of a better word. Relatable. It's like they could be anyone around us and yet, have the love of a lifetime. So far, four books have been published in this series with two more in the works. The series starts off with Leo, then followed by Leo's Chance, then Stinger and Archer's Voice.
Leo
All the world’s a circus. Sometimes you choose your act and sometimes it’s assigned to you. I had roamed the arena for far too long, roaring and bellowing, believing that I wasn’t brave enough to leap through fire. But all along, she had stood there, constant and calm. "I can't make the fire go away," she had seemed to say. "I can't guarantee you won't get burned. But I can hold this hoop for you, I can remain steady and strong, because I believe in you. Because you are mine."
And in the end, I had jumped. And the other side was just as glorious as her eyes had promised.
Synopsis: Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.
When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.
Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago? INSPIRED BY LEO
My review: This is the book that got me hooked on Mia Sheridan's works so of course I loved it. Both Evie and Leo had crappy childhoods and they became each other's pillar of strength. Friendship turns into young love and then they're separated but make a promise. Of course when Leo doesn't call or text or even write to her, Evie thinks that that's it and after leaving the system, she's gone on to become an independent young woman who makes ends meet by working in a luxurious hotel. She then feels like she's being stalked and due to her childhood, Evie confronts her stalker who introduces himself as Jake Madsen. He claims that Leo sent him to check on her and that her childhood sweetheart had died in an accident a year prior. Evie is, of course, shocked but she can tell that Jake's hiding something. Okay, so certain things might be pretty obvious in the book but the real story is how the truth is revealed and whatever is in between. This book is a tear-jerker from the get go but it balances it out with humour which Evie often dishes out. Reading it, you can just feel that something's up but when it's revealed, you're like 'WTH! Are you serious?'. I was. I loved the twist. You really do fall in love with Evie, Leo and Jake. With the twist, it makes you pause to ask yourself if you love the guy but just like Evie, we end up affirming our love for him. The hero and heroine are just perfect together. This is one of the best debut novels I've ever read.
Leo's Chance
“We all deserve a second chance, don’t we?”
Synopsis: Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even someone who lies and deceives to get it?
Do we all have a second chance coming? Even if we play a part in our own destruction?
How hard would you fight to have a second chance at love? A second chance at life? Another chance to tell your own story?
Every love story has two sides. Evie told hers. This time it's Leo's chance. INSPIRED BY LEO.
My review: This book is a follow-up to Leo and it's written in Leo's POV. Highly recommended to read Leo first. In this book, we get a look into Leo's mind throughout the events of Leo. It's refreshing and unique. It gives you more understanding with regards to Leo's actions and it's a good book to have. Fair warning, since this is written in his POV, even the sex is described through his eyes.
Stinger
“She took part of my pain and made it her own. I didn’t want her to hurt, but to share my scars with another human was a relief that I hadn’t even known I needed until I got it.”
Synopsis: Grace Hamilton was the girl with a plan. She knew exactly where her life was going and prided herself on always achieving her goals. It was who she was, and how she lived her life. She never stepped outside the lines, and never considered what she might desire and whom she was actually trying so hard to please. Until him…
Carson Stinger was a man who didn't play by any rules except his own. Working in the adult entertainment industry, he didn't care what others thought, and took each day as it came, no direction, no plan. He knew what women wanted from him and believed it was all he had to offer. Until her…
When circumstances forced them to spend several hours together, they walked away changed. But for two people who never should have meshed, overcoming the reality of their vastly different lives wasn't possible. At least not yet… INSPIRED BY SCORPIO.
My review: Another book with an unconventional hero. Carson is a porn star. Yeah, a porn star! Like I said, unconventional. And Grace? Yeah, well, she's a law student. Two people who can't be more different and yet, Mia Sheridan finds a way to bring them together perfectly. Carson and Grace are brought together in Las Vegas both attending separate conventions.When they first meet, they get off on the wrong foot but slowly and surely (and after being trapped in an elevator together), things get better between them. Trust me, you will not expect what happens. This is a real emotional ride. Your heart aches as theirs do and you really feel for their decisions. A must read. It's a surprise from the beginning to the end. Hell, hearing that Carson's a porn star is surprising already. Warning: there's a time gap between the story. A fairly long time gap. And I just have to add in another quote.
“If you really search your heart, I think you'll realize that we were never right for each other as more than friends."
Archer's Voice
“You brought the silence, The most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, Because it was where you were. And now you've taken it away. And all the noises, all the sounds in the world, Aren't loud enough to pierce my broken heart. I look up at the stars, endless and forever, and whisper, Come back to me, Come back to me, Come back to me.”
Synopsis: When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.
Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love. INSPIRED BY SAGITTARIUS.
My review: Now this story is darker than the previous works in that Archer and Bree have been through some pretty bad stuff. And I say this after reading Leo. This book like the ones before this will make you laugh, make you cry, make you rage and ultimately, make you fall in love. Mia Sheridan's gift of delivering strong, emotional and vivid stories reaches its highest peak so far in this book. Bree is the kind of good heroine you can never feel annoyed by. She's kind, gentle and loving but not annoyingly so because she's strong. This book is paced perfectly, taking the time to develop the love Archer and Bree have which is necessary considering how wounded the both of them are. It just feels more...real. Two damaged people don't just fall in love immediately and divulge everything to each other. It takes time and Mia Sheridan gives Archer and Bree just that. Archer is the town's loner. He lives in solitude. He's mute due to an accident when he was seven years old. Everyone stays away from him...until Bree. She's new to the town where she rents a cabin after her own accident and hopes to start afresh. Bree is the only one who approaches Archer and she's relentless about it, always stopping by his property. Bree is intrigued by Archer and the fact that he can't speak doesn't bother her one bit because she knows how to sign (you'll have to read to figure out why). Archer is much more innocent as compared to other heroes and it's because of that that he gets manipulated which leads to a couple of conflicts in the book. Now, Travis, Archer's cousin, is his opposite. Travis is sociable and flirtatious but Grace's affections clearly lie with Archer and then there's the whole 'past threatens to repeat itself' thing with Archer, Grace and Travis though Grace is very clear about her affections. Mia Sheridan is able to show how Grace changes Archer slowly and patiently without the story dragging. I think how Archer and Bree can communicate and heal each other even with his mutism makes this book a home run and a must have in your collection. And with that, I leave you two quotes from the book, showcasing its humour and love.
“I CAN SPEAK. I JUST LIKE TO SHOW OFF MY NICE PENMANSHIP.”
"I think love is a concept, and each person has an individual word for what sums it up for them. My word for love is Bree.”
Mia Sheridan has two more books coming out soon which will be released one after the other this month. The first one is Becoming Calder and the second is a follow-up called Finding Eden. Here's the synopsis for Becoming Calder:
There is a place in modern day America with no electricity, no plumbing, and no modern conveniences. In this place, there is no room for dreams, no space for self-expression, and no tolerance for ambition.
In this place, there is a boy with the body of a God and the heart of a warrior. He is strong and faithful and serves his family honorably. But he dares to dream of more.
In this place, there is a girl with the face of an angel and a heart full of courage. To her family, she is the vision of obedient perfection. But she dares to want that which she has been told can never be hers.
Becoming Calder is the story of good versus evil, fear versus bravery, and the truth that the light of love has always found its way into even the darkest of places... From the beginning of time, to the end of the world. INSPIRED BY AQUARIUS.
I'd love to hear what anyone else who has read this series has to say about it!