Completed Fic of the Week: 1/30/12

Endings & Beginnings by JadedLadies

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6636957/1/Endings_Beginnings

Review by AnonymouslySufferingFromOCD

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Some people say the third time's the charm. Can Edward and Bella find their way back to each other or does fate have other plans? AH **COMPLETE**

Endings and Beginnings is a collab piece. Jadsmama and ladyshark1 team up and really write an amazing story together. The story is similar to one we have all read before. Edward and Bella are high school sweethearts and break up when Edward heads off to college so he can spread his wings. While Bella is devastated, she doesn’t begrudge him his freedom and they remain friends. The difference with this one is that while they do find their way back to one another, there are mitigating circumstances that intervene and cause them to lose each other once again. The question remains, is the third time the charm?

I liked this story for a lot of reasons, it is dubbed a romance/drama, and it is true to form. There is sadness and I cried, but it wasn’t angsty, it wasn’t cold, and it wasn’t calculating in the way some stories can be.

JadedLadies did a great job of starting the story with Edward and Bella together in some sense of the word and keeping them that way. Even though they lose each other throughout the story, we don’t have to read about the long periods of time they are apart. Instead, we get well placed flashbacks and time jumps that make us not want to put the story down for any real amount of time. They keep us wanting more and as we all know, that makes for a great story.

After Bella and Edward go their separate ways when Edward heads off to college, Bella does her best to move on while Edward does his best to sew his wild oats with big brother Emmett encouraging him along the way. Bella meets Jacob while in college and they hit it off, Jacob learns to live with the fact that Edward will always be a part of Bella’s life. Jacob believes that Edward and Bella are completely over one another and that the love he has for Bella is a mutual and strong love. Edward and Jacob manage to become best friends and Edward is best man at Jacob and Bella’s wedding. Now don’t get discouraged, this story is a Bella/Edward story and while Jacob is mentioned we don’t have a whole lot of Jacob interactions.

My phone call with Jake had not gone as I had expected. He was not calling to threaten to kick my ass for sleeping with his wife or even to let me know that he knew about what had happened between us. He called to tell me that Charlie had been shot and wasn't doing so well. 

Jake needed me to pick Bella up and drive her to Forks as fast as I could, and that he knew I was the person Bella would want to comfort her. Not only was I sickened about Charlie's condition, but I was shocked that it had seemed Jake actually realized the comfort Bella and I gave each other, versus the comfort he knew Alice couldn't give her.

I did not have time to say much to him while we were on the phone. I felt uneasy from what lingered over our heads and he didn't even have a clue about it. I just promised to get to her there quickly and did just that. 

Bella was completely hysterical when I walked into their house. She was not dressed when I had arrived, still in her shirt and panties from the night before. I packed a bag for both her and Jake, and then helped her get dressed. It felt like such an intimate moment between us, I could feel how much she needed me. My touch alone was enough to calm her. 

As you can see from the above snippet, after Bella and Jacob are married for a few years Edward and Bella realize they can no longer fight their feelings for one another and give into temptation. Unfortunately, they have a major tragedy to deal with right after they betray Jacob. This is the catalyst that drives them apart once again. It isn’t for several years that they find one another again, but remember there are clever time jumps and flashbacks that explain everything so we don’t have a lot of time without them being together in once capacity or another.

Sometimes I find collab stories difficult to read or follow, but JadedLadies really worked out a great way to collaborate and build strong character dynamics that flow together seamlessly. I am thoroughly impressed with this story. It is written well and we hear a lot from both characters. We feel their emotions as they feel them and we fall in love with them and want to smack them all at the same time. I think this is one that everyone should read and review and I think I will be reading it again in the near future. Anyone that knows me, knows that if I am willing to re-read the story it has definitely wormed its way into my heart. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and don’t forget to review.

WIP of the Week: 1/30/12

Snapdragon by Prettykittyartist

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7584562/1/Snapdragon

Review by Les16

Rating: M
Genre: Angst/Romance
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Once upon a time, a girl fell in love with a boy. He gave her a ring and promised her forever. No one told her there'd be an expiration date on her glass slippers. What's a girl to do when she stands to lose everything? She fights. Hard. EXB AH AU

Do you like stories where Edward and Bella are married-older, wiser, and have really lived? Do you like when they have kids? How about a strong, fierce Bella willing to fight for what she wants? Or an Edward that is so far from perfect he's in his own zip code? If real, raw, and honest is your cup of tea, then prettykittyartist's Snapdragon is definitely the story for you.

If you've read any of prettykittyartist's work before (and if you haven't, WHERE have you been?) you know she's an HEA girl, but by the time you reach the end of the first chapter, you'll likely be scratching your head trying to figure out which magic hat she has to be able to pull that off for this fic. Bella and Edward are married, and have been for almost 20 years. If you ask Edward, he'll tell you happily … ask Bella and you're going to get a much different answer.

He chuckled against my lips and pulled away after leaving several small pecks. "We're embarrassing the children again," he said without apology. 

I shrugged and pulled myself closer to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "That's the fun part." I hugged him close to me and soaked up the manly scent of his skin as I pressed my nose to his chest. 

"I'm going to miss you," I said softly. 

He stroked my back gently and hummed into my hair. "I'll miss you too, cookie," he said before kissing me again. I wasn't sure if it was more to piss off our gagging daughter, or for his benefit, but I had to admit I was dreading the trip he was about to take. 

I smiled against his lips. "You haven't called me cookie for a long time," I mused. The nickname always brought back so many memories and always brought me to my knees. 

"You'll always be my cookie," he promised. "I'm sorry I was an asshole earlier. I'm just tired." 

I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head against his chest. "Wake me up next time, okay? I don't like you sleeping somewhere else." 

The thing that gets me, and I know will get you, too, is how real this story is. Just because there are couples all over the world going through the same issues … kids, money, meddlesome parents, exes … does not mean this story is cliché. I promise you it's anything but. You'll root for Bella (and probably hope she practices Kung Fu on Edward's nether regions) and you're going to want to hold him down, shave his head, and tattoo asshole across his forehead. At the same time though, you're going to root for them both to work things out and be the couple they're supposed to be. Prettykittyartist has done an excellent job of using flashbacks to show us how much in love Edward and Bella used to be … and lets us know how they can be again. The words she uses are straight forward and in your face. There's no sugarcoating and there's no hiding. Edward and Bella's marriage is crumbling before their eyes and it's ugly and painful … and so very real, but there are glimpses of sunshine through the dark. The only question? Is Bella strong enough to stem the tide and put her family back together again or is she too late?

Read Snapdragon and find out. I guarantee you won't be sorry.

One Shot of the Week: 1/23/12

The Last Succubus by 4String

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6557632/1/The_Last_Succubus

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Supernatural
Characters: Mike & Tanya

Summary: Canon,post-BD.Not long after the confrontation w/the Volturi & feeling lonely, Tanya travels around Europe & visits Forks on her way back to Alaska to find the last thing she expects. A lonely succubus & a lonely college student find solace w/one another.

What Fills the Eyes Fills the Heart

What Fills the Eye Fills the Heart by TwoTwiMoms

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6956775/1/What_Fills_The_Eye_Fills_the_Heart

Review by AbbyCreations

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Humor
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella is an erotic romance novelist who finds herself in a pub to escape her roommate's animalistic "romps". While at the pub, she meets sexy, Irish Edward. On St. Patrick's Day will she end up having a romp of her own?

I say this all the time, angst is a tiresome seductress. I love to torture myself by reading angst and even though I don't make it a point to read it exclusively several authors have managed to suck me in and keep me doubled over in pain for weeks. It's all part of the fun. However, I do love a break from that and What Fills the Eye Fills the Heart is a delightful break from some of the heavier fics I am currently reading. That is not so say that this fic doesn't have it's heavy, poignant topics but at eleven chapters in there is enough there whereby you don't have to deal with pesky cliffies.

Bella writes erotic romance novels (that's right up our alley here, eh?) whose roommate's constant knocking of boots runs her out of her apartment on a regular basis. She ends up at an Irish Pub where she meets it's equally Irish proprietor Edward Cullen. The two hit it off pretty much right off the bat and we don't have to wait long at all for a juicy lemon. TwoTwiMoms even writes Edward's accent into the dialogue. Perhaps that's an incorrect description so here's a little bit of Irishward (as with all Wards I'm sure other Irishwards exist but for the sake of this review I will dub him as such ;-) )

The couch sank next to me, Edward's warm body close as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into his body relaxing just a bit. 

"Darlin', I'm sorry. Please don't be mad. I thought it sounded like fun." "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm overreacting it's just physical activity is not my thing." 

"What if I told ye I would never let anything happen to ye? Would ye go then?" 

"I don't know Edward." 

Edward kissed my temple and whispered only for my ears, "What if I made it up to ye later? Anything ye want." 

Because she's been burned before, Bella is a little hesitant to jump in with both feet but fortunately her hesitation seems to last only a second. Edward is more than willing to meet her half way even as her book deadline and subsequent tour loom in the horizon. At it's core this story seems to explore the everyday trivialities that make a relationship difficult to establish. How do we make do with whatever time we have to spend together? Edward's solutions seem promising.

In this story we have Alec starring as the bad guy. He's the crappy boyfriend that did a number on Bella. His actions are the definition of cowardice and I sensed a bit of foreshadowing that tells me that he will be back and it won't be pleasant.

Did I mention there are some generous lemons sprinkled throughout?

"Bella, ye are so damn sexy. Ye better get in before I take ye right here." 

A soft moan escaped my lips as he let me go. I dropped the robe and slowly lowered myself in the tub. It felt heavenly after all the running around I had done today. I looked up at Edward as he watched me with such lust in his eyes. 

"Are you going to join me?" 

"I thought ye'd never ask." Edward dropped his boxers and I sat up so he could lower himself behind me. I leaned back on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. A soft sigh left my lips. 

"Better, darlin'?" 

"Much." 

We soaked in the bath for a while relaxing and enjoying being in each other's arms. I started to doze off when I felt Edward's hands start to caress my sides gently up and down, his hands always stopping shy of the underside of my breasts. 

He continued teasing me with sensual strokes of his hands on my sides. I lowered my hands and started massaging his upper thighs while I heard a moan escape his lips. My hands became a little rougher as Edward's torturous hands still didn't move to where I wanted them most. 

As if reading my mind his hand finally moved to cup my breasts and pinch my nipples. I could feel the growing heat between my legs. I steadied myself holding Edward's knees as I shifted and turned to straddle his lap. 

I lowered my lips to his taking them in a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around me as I rubbed my pussy over his hard cock. I lowered my hand between our bodies, pumping his cock in my hand as my tongue stroked his. 

"Darlin', you're killing me." 

I will leave you to find the rest of it as you read...

I am seven chapters in and eager to read the next four. Aside from the two main characters, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett do feature quire prominently. Edward is a lovable guy and though I admit his speech took me some getting used to as I hadn't come across it before it works really well. Oh and the Gaelic he throws out every now and again is pretty cool too. So give it a shot and if you have some time please leave this story a nice review. I know writers love to hear from their readers. Oh and one more thing, if I could appeal to everybody that reads this and reviews not just this story, but any story at all- be nice. We often don't realize how much our words stay with people long after they've left us.

Happy reading!

New Fic of the Week: 1/23/12

Blind Spot by FictionFreak95

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7705638/1/Blind_Spot

Review by Obsmama

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: All her life, Bella Swan saw things before they happened, until him. He was her blind spot. How do you stay out of someone's life when you see it flashing before your eyes on a daily basis? AH,BxE

You have me. Forever. 

Those four words speak so much to me as a reader. Because as a reader, Fictionfreak95 does have me. Forever. I adore her writing style and she's a master storyteller. I have such a personal connection to this story because I was lucky enough to be there the day the idea came her. She mentioned in passing a tv show that she was losing interest in but had sparked the idea of a psychic Bella; not necessarily the fortune teller type psychic we are use to in canon Alice, but a more modern day version. One that feels peoples pasts and futures, one that struggles to fit in her small town with the knowledge that she has. I was hooked and begging for more. Jo was still writing Meet the Masen's, so she just kept saying we’ll see. Here we are and I can’t tell you how blown away I am already, only 5 chapters in. The reason this story is already so fascinating to me is how layered her characters are, how emotionally connected I am.

His voice was low and needy, rough and sultry as he teased, "You're mine, now." 

I always was. 

The illumination of a soft glow shimmered from one of the windows as we approached our new home. I felt the anticipation of what was about to take place when he opened the door for us, whisking me up into his arms to carry me across the threshold. 

His smile was disarming. His lips even more so as they traveled along my jaw, underneath the soft curls that dangled against the back of my neck, then finally, near the upward tilted corners of my mouth. He was everywhere. 

Soft fabrics surrounded us in the bedroom. In our bed. I couldn't quite make the colors out, but they felt like deep purples and reds and sheer curtains rippled from the breeze flowing into the room as though reaching out to me.. 

Gently scented candles flickered and danced, invading my senses, romanticizing the mood. As though it needed any help. 

"I want you." 

You have me. Forever. 

The dress I'd worn was gone and his black suit as well as he hovered above me, placing soft, tender, needy kisses, much like he was following a map of some sort to my lips. 

The backs of his fingers moved lightly against hardened nipples… down along the dip between my breasts, slowing against my belly, stopping only when he found the wetness that was a direct reaction to his touch. 

To everything about him. 

Slight wrinkles appeared at the edges of his eyes when he smiled down at me and my heart wanted to burst from the intensity of what he was conveying in that smile. 

I knew him. 

Better than he knew himself. 

"I'll always protect you." 

From what? I wondered, but not for long. 

As we meet these characters, they feel like friends already. I feel comfortable with them, their life so relatable. With Edward there is such sadness but you get these fantastic flashes of happiness from him in his past, how carefree he was and its so heartbreaking to see where his life is now. So as he sets off for a tiny Louisiana town full of crazy characters. We have hope that maybe he can find some of that carefree back. I’m so excited to watch the supporting characters plot lines, as well. I know she's got some superb things worked out for them. One of the biggest characters so far for Edward is his relationship with his dead brother, Garrett, and how much it tortures him even though we don’t know why yet. This story is so full of relationships and love in all forms and we see how family (blood and and chosen) work. Bella’s friendship with Emmett might be my very favorite thing in this entire story so far.

"Yo BELL!"
 

I pulled the door open again and smiled at him. "What are you doing? I thought you had to cover all of Rose's shifts for the week?" 

"On a break, wanted to come by and say hi to my favorite girl." 

Emmett winked and then picked me up to twirl me around just like he had my whole life as I squealed. 

"I'm telling Rose you said that," I teased, slapping his arm when he put me down. 

"You wouldn't." 

"I totally would." 

"Bella, no." He got down on one knee and pretended to beg, kissing my hand. "Please!" 

I just laughed at the buffoon. He was so terrible, that Emmett McCarty. 

"You want dinner, I'm guessing." 

"You offering?" 

I threw my hands up and turned to go to the kitchen. "I don't understand how you own a diner, and yet come to Gran's to eat." 

He closed the front door for me. "Too much of the same food over at the diner, and besides, Gran's a better cook then me any day of the year." Then he elbowed me as he made his way past me into the kitchen and helped himself to some of Gran's leftovers. 

I sat down across from him at the kitchen table and watched him eat like he hadn't been fed since Rose left. I just had to laugh at him as I picked from his plate of fried chicken legs and mashed potatoes. 

Come on down to Madisonville, Louisiana have some catfish, a cold beer and settle in with me while Jo tells us a tale.

Completed Fic of the Week: 1/23/12

Merry Textmas by DiamondHeart78

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6486529/1/Merry_Textmas

Review by AnonymouslySufferingFromOCD

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Humor
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella is forced to tackle the crowds on Black Friday with her best friend, Angela. Can a random text message from a wrong number change the course of her day and her life? Banter galore! AH. VOTER'S CHOICE WINNER for the Naughty & Nice Holiday Contest!

We’ve all done it, gotten that text from a random person that we have never met before. For most of us that means nothing. We ask who it is, they reply sorry wrong number, or something of the like and we move on never giving it another thought.

Imagine though, if you kept texting the random person, and said random person turns out to be Edward freaking Cullen…That would make all of our inner Bella Swan’s very happy indeed.

This story was a breath of fresh air for me. To be perfectly honest I have found myself sliding into that angsty place, that I really don’t like to go to, lately and I needed some good stories to pull me out of it.

The story begins with Bella and her best friend Angela out shopping on Black Friday much to Bella’s dismay, when she gets a text from a random unknown sender asking if she is meeting him out later that night.

I have a couple of co-workers, family members and friends to shop for, but something tells me I won't find anything here that my dad, Charlie, will like. I make a mental note to look for some lures for his fishing obsession online later. As I go rummaging through my black hole of a purse to find a pen to add a note next to my dad's name, my phone vibrates, signaling a text message. Strangely, it's from an unknown number. 

Hey. Just woke up. We still on for later? The Sleeping Beagle down on E 40th. 9pm. 

I look at it for a moment, running through the list of people I know who might be texting me this early in the morning. Did I make plans with someone without knowing? 

Angie briefly catches my expression, looking concerned. "What is it? Did something happen?" 

"No, no, nothing. But I just got a text from an unknown number, look," I say, extending my arm for her to read the phone's screen. 

"Hmm. Weird. Maybe you met someone, gave your number to them when you were drunk or something?" she remarks, grinning mischievously. 

"Ha ha. Not funny. I seriously don't know who this is." 

"Well, text them back, doofus." I widen my eyes at her and sigh. 

"Ok, then. Here goes." 

Who is this? 

Edward had just purchased a new phone and had accidentally superimposed Jasper’s number in his contacts, but becomes very intrigued by the random girl who received his text. The texting goes on for hours; random pictures are exchanged and they even get into the sexting department before Bella even leaves the mall.

This is the most unique form of twenty questions that I have read in a while. They really spend a lot of time getting to know each other with no preconceived notions, and they both feel that instant bond that we have all come to expect from Edward and Bella. The banter that goes on between them is hilarious and you can’t help but cheer for them right from the start.

Despite only being five chapters long, DiamondHeart78 really does a great job at bringing us an all around great story. There is the perfect amount of everything. From humor, to drama, to fluff and best of all for me no angst, this story has it all. Don’t get me wrong, there is some drama, things aren’t always perfect but that is okay, because we all know that life isn’t perfect. However we get to learn and grow with these characters and for me that makes a great story. I really hope you check it out, don’t let the title fool you it is a great year round story!

WIP of the Week: 1/23/12

Fated Love by twilover76

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7189026/1/Fated_Love

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella's life is a somewhat lonely existence, until one day she unexpectedly meets her soulmate. SexyBella and Doctorward fall head over heels quickly. Will their friends and family approve of their whirlwind romance? AH/M for a reason

Love at first sight is thought of often as mythological, not real. Not so for Bella and Edward, after seeing each other in different spots of New York City, getting stuck in an elevator is exactly what the pair needed to get them together to see if the pull they felt before was real in the flesh.

Tragedy struck when Bella was just eighteen, having her dad, her only living parent, killed in the line of duty. Being an adult already, she was able to stay in her home and finish her senior year. She had the help of her brother, Emmett and his girlfriend, Rosalie. They would come home from college when they could to check on her. After Emmett gets drafted to play for the Chicago Bears, they ask her to move with them too. She wants them to have their own lives, and she feels like she’s already burdened them too much.

In New York City, after her best friends Angela’s wedding, Bella is trying to check out of her hotel room and gets the strangest sensation and turns around, sees him, and her heart starts to race. She is instantly attracted to him. Knowing that she most likely won’t see him again, she pushes it out of her mind and heads to the airport. A thunderstorm grounds the flights until the next day, so she heads back to her hotel room that she was charged for already. On the elevator, Bella and Edward start their love story.

"My name is Edward Cullen. I figured we should introduce ourselves," I said, giving her a smile. 

"Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella." She smiled back. Her voice flowed over me like dark honey. Her smile alone made my heart pound. I had never felt anything like that before. I knew it was probably Lifetime movie network worthy, but I couldn't help it. I was smitten. 

"Bella. Beautiful. Very fitting." I nodded as I said her name out loud. I saw her blush, even in the dim glow of the emergency light. "It's nice to meet you, Bella." 

I couldn't resist leaning in a little closer and breathing in her potent and desirable scent. I inhaled sharply when her small hand reached up and brushed my cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch. She pulled back slightly, and I opened my eyes to see her biting her bottom lip. 

"Sorry. You….it's just….um…." she softly mumbled, as if embarrassed. 

"Shhh, beautiful. It's good. I liked it." I didn't want her to be embarrassed. I wanted her to touch me. Everywhere. That touch re-ignited my cock which was then painfully hard. I felt like an out-of-control teenager. 

"Really?" she asked, moving in closer. I held my breath in anticipation, thinking that she might initiate a kiss; I didn't want to do anything to scare her away. We were so close, I could feel her breath as she exhaled on my face. At the last second, instead of heading for my lips, she leaned into my neck and inhaled deeply. My hand that had been stroking her hair stopped on the back of her head, holding her close to me. 

"Can you feel this, too?" she whispered near my ear. 

"Yes, beautiful girl. I feel it. I don't know what it is, but I feel it, too," I said as she leaned back to bring us face to face again. Her hands moved around to the back of my neck, and she played with the ends of my hair. My eyes slid from hers down to her lips and back up again, silently asking permission. She smiled and nodded slightly; I slowly leaned forward, giving her plenty of opportunity to pull back if she wanted. Instead, she closed the gap herself, and our lips met halfway. 

That’s all it took, they spend the night together. Bella decides she can’t live without Edward and they talk about her moving to Chicago and living with him on a trial basis. If, once she gets there and they don’t mix well, no harm not foul, Emmett and Rose would be there and she could stay with them. To worry about this was ridiculous because they were two halves of a whole, soul mates. Things progress nicely and they fall in love even more daily.

"Bella." I said, grabbing her hands, and looking into her eyes. Please love me like I love you, beautiful girl. I dropped down to one knee in front of her, pulled out the small velvet box, opened it, and placed it in her hand. 

"Bella, my love. Every day I spend with you makes me fall in love with you even more. I can't thank God enough for bringing you into my life. I never believed in fate until I saw you crossing the lobby for that elevator and I knew with every cell in my body I had to get to you before those doors closed." She smiled at me through her tears. "I love you more than anything and I promise to love you and cherish you for the rest of my life. Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?" 

"Yes!" She sobbed. "Yes, my Edward, I will marry you. I love you so much." She was trembling with emotion as the tears ran down her face along with the rain. I slid the ring on her finger, her hand shaking, and she smiled at the perfect fit. The pixie strikes again. 

"It was my grandmother Masen's engagement ring. I hope you like it." I told her. 

Their whirlwind romance captures you from the start and you get caught up in the happiness they share. The author has that special something that makes you feel the butterflies of anticipation when the love birds are together. You must check out this beautiful story and show the author some love.