Tuesday, September 6, 2011

TLS Fics of the Week 9/6 - 9/12/2011: Five Star Reviews of Four Sweet Fics


Fics of the Week 9/6 - 9/12/2011


All Nighters by CaraNo
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7300037/1/All_Nighters
Edward Cullen needs a new assistant for when he travels. When Charlie, close friend and business partner, suggests Bella, Edward doesn't hesitate. After all, he knows what a bright young woman Bella is. His ex wife even used to babysit her. Drabble fic. Twilight - Rated: M
Review by: Mina Rivera

I admit having a thing for older men, and it’s quite obvious that Cara No does too.

All Nighters is Cara’s first endeavor into drabble fics. In it, she tells the story of Edward, a man who, at some point in his life, had it all and even had plans to make even bigger plans in his life. Things changed when he divorced his wife of many years, in a way we are just barely able to start seeing, and we are already on chapter 52.

But what brought this on?

Why are we just starting to see what Edward went through?

Is going through?

All because of the recent presence of a young woman who, in Edward’s eyes, was just a girl a few weeks ago: Miss Bella Swan, daughter of his business partner and dear friend Charlie Swan.

"Edward, you still looking for a new assistant?"
I nod absentmindedly, eyes still glued on the plans before me. Mind spinning. Last minute changes before the presentation of the new buildings in New York and London. Hopefully, James Hunter of the Hunter Group will be satisfied.
"Well, my Bella's looking for a job," Charlie says pointedly. "She's finally coming home."
He has my attention.
"Ah yes, she's graduated now, hasn't she?"
The smile of a proud father. And he has every right to be proud. Bella graduated High School at seventeen, and college at twenty-one. She's worked hard in Los Angeles, rarely coming home for visits.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen her since she left Seattle four years ago.

So you see, for Edward, Bella is just the daughter of his best friend that even his ex-wife used to babysit at one time.

Oh boy…. He’s in for a surprise!

Bella is so much more than meets the eye, and I’m gonna be totally mean here and leave it at that so you can get your assess in gear and start reading this jewel!

Just know that our Bella has a secret and she had a crush for our Edward while growing up.

I hug my Dad hard. I've missed him. "Good to be home. Mom says hi, by the way." I release him. "She took me to brunch after she picked me up at the airport-"
I stop before I start rambling. Dad already knows all this. He also knows I'm nervous about meeting Edward, so he smiles reassuringly and tells me everything will be fine. I have no doubt about that, but… fuck, this is Edward. The man I crushed wildly on when I was a teenager. Hell, my first orgasm belonged to him. I was fourteen, I remember.
Hey, if other girls could fantasize about older rock stars, I sure as fuck could fantasize about older architects.

And don’t we all?

Especially when that hot architect comes in an Edward Cullen package?

Edward is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and who cares a lot about his friends; you can tell that as soon as he meets Bella he is going to put up a fight.

I'm momentarily stunned.
The woman standing in the doorway is just that; a woman. A stunning one.
What happened to the pretty girl?
"Edward, it's been so long." Soft voice but rich.
Snap out of it. 
I do and I clear my throat.
"It certainly has, Bella."

Edward tries to fight the attraction by reminding himself how he has thought of Bella for a long time.

I go through the 'interview' on autopilot while I remind myself of a few important things… by typing them down.
…You're 38 years old, Edward… She's your business partner's daughter… Your ex-wife babysat her… 38 years old… she's 21… Charlie's little girl…
At the end of the 'interview' I force myself to smile for her.
Playfully I tell her, "Well, Ms. Swan. Welcome to Cullen/Swan Architecture."

Yes, he hires her.

And let me tell, we are in for a ride!

This Bella won’t back down once she realizes that her crush has developed an attraction for her too. She will pursue him; he will try to fight it, and what will become of them in the end?

That’s for you to find out and for Cara No to dot dot dot…

Now, go to read this drabble fic and don’t you dare to feel intimidated by the number of chapters. Some are very short, others are a little bit longer, but you can certainly expect tons of entertainment and hot fuck lemons, this is Cara No we are talking about after all!

Till the next time.

~ Mina


Firefly in Summer by Primarycolors
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6672297/1/Firefly_in_Summer
Edward finds himself back in the little beach town of his childhood when he inherits the local bar from his uncle. The elusive, pretty girl next door has killer legs, a sketchbook and secrets that are slowly eating her alive. Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: LaMomo

How many fics have we read that start with either Bella or Edward going back somewhere after a shit-load of years because….because something happened?
How many times do they end up staying wherever they went back to because they find "so much more than they bargained for"?

I know, LOTS. And I agree that sometimes it does get old. But what can you do, there's just so many plot bunnies you can come up with, right?
So how does this apparently common plot bunny get fleshed out and remodeled with a twist, and lose any kind of deja-vu feeling behind?
So does it happen that you get completely thrown for a loop, and are left there stranded, yearning for more?

The answer to these questions is in the 32 extant chapters of Firefly in Summer.
Summerside, Florida, is the backdrop to this gripping, heart-warming, drop-everything-to-read-the-update fic. Case in point, Edward travels back to Summerside where his uncle has just died, bequeathing him the bar he owned. Edward finds way more than he bargained for - his late uncle had a next-door neighbour who brought him cookies. Who talked to him. Who checked up on him. Who didn't let him die alone.
This neighbour is a shy, petite, early morning swimmer named Bella.
Edward is a cocky and consummated ladies' man, and his conquering instinct draw him towards her. His usual wiles have no luck. She pushes him away. He is a persistent son of a bitch, and keeps up his attempts. Until…
Until something clicks, and he gets that Bella has skeletons in her closet. That she's incredibly talented, sweet, quick-witted and caring, but also extremely lonely.
Each of them let their respective walls down a bit, and let each other in until their feelings get the best of them. Until they feel secure enough to share their pasts.
When everything looks perfect, reality sets in in a most brutal way.

Will they brave the storm? We are confident that they will. They will need to be brave, creative, open-minded and incredibly resourceful to get the better of the hand they've been dealt with.

And this is where the creative awesomeness starts. This is where everything starts to feel different. At one point, this story could have gone in a completely conventional way - the whole HEA standard package, complete with wedding bells. But no - PrimaryColors didn't go for that. She went for something actually unheard of. And, as outlandish as it might sound to you when you read it, you will be hooked. You will stay up at night. Miss your bus stop. Stop answering to people who talk to you.

I know I am being uncommonly and cruelly vague with this - but the plot twist can't really be given away without spoiling it all for you. I'll just say that Primarycolors has managed to take a fairly common plot bunny and has taken it for a wild spin. Brave choice. On top of that, she has given us two well-loved characters (our ever-present Edward and Bella) with a tinge of canon but a also something unique. We have a shy, bookish and socially awkward Bella, with a number of endearing quirks, but she carries this big painful secret with her that shakes her self-assurance from the ground up. Edward is a cocky latin-lover, but he rearranges his priorities when his uncle dies. He realises that he needs a change. A change from Chicago, a change from his former life. A cocky, infatuated, hard-working, protective and smooth hunk of a guy comes out to play. Who can resist him, right?

And he'll prove beyond measure that he's changed. He'll prove that he is willing to do whatever it takes to………..makes his dreams (and Bella's) come true.

This story will make you fall hook, line and sinker with its unconventional storyline, its adorably endearing characters, their banter, their gripping backstories, and you will be physically transported to Summerside by Primarycolor's vividly depicted scenes. Her beautifully written story is truly a gem.


Review by: les16

Boy meets girl.
Girl has secrets.
Boy flirts, annoys, and cajoles.
Girl resists until she can't any longer.
Boy and girl fall in love and live happily ever after.

If the above is what you're expecting when you begin to read Firefly in Summer by primarycolors, well, I suggest you throw all of that out the proverbial window and get rid of any preconceived notions you have because, I promise you, this story is like nothing you expect.

Sure, all of that is there, well except the last one - we don't know for sure because the story isn't done yet, (though we're all anxiously crossing fingers, toes, and eyes hoping) but there is SO much more to this story than that. If you like your stories with well developed characters, this one has it. If you like witty banter sprinkled with humor, you're in luck. If you're a believer in fate and second chances … oh boy, have you found your story. If you're one of those readers that love to put yourselves at the mercy of the author, trusting them to take you on a journey, knowing the reward at the end is worth every bit of heartfail and every scream of 'oh no you didn't!' - you must read this story. In Firefly in Summer, there is depth and pain and heartbreak and hope all interwoven with an Edward that is as endearing as he is an arrogant know-it-all and a Bella that is as quirky as she is adorable.

They meet in Summerside, a tiny beach town in Florida where Edward has spent his summers escaping Chicago when he was a kid, the memories of his dead mother, his distant father, and as he got older, the life he hated in New York, to spend them with his Uncle Peter. Edward is back because his beloved uncle and more often than not co-conspirator, confidante, and best friend has died suddenly, leaving Edward his bar/house. The first meeting between Edward and Bella leaves a little, well, a lot, to be desired. To say it doesn't go well is an understatement.

But our Edward, he is a charmer, and in no time, he and Bella become friends. Not exactly what he wants as far as his beautiful neighbor with the long legs, the sketchbook, and her silly rules about not eating chocolate for breakfast goes, but it's what she wants, so he agrees … sort of.

Bella, she has a mountain of secrets hidden behind the soft smile and the snark that only seems to come out when she talks to Edward.

"God, you're impossible. Edward, it's a simple answer. Yes or no."
"Let's do a little bartering. Negotiating," he said, watching her closely.
"Negotiate what exactly?"
"You know, the scoop. The lowdown. You want to know something about me… well, I want the same in return."
Bella stiffened, but made an effort to shrug her shoulders indifferently. She glanced toward the door out of the corner of her eye.
Edward chuckled. "No, no, no… you can't leave now." He lazed against the bar. "You promised you'd help with the decorations."
"Fine," she said, waving her hand for him to get on with it. "Since you inexplicably find me so interesting, by all means. Negotiate." The box of Christmas decorations suddenly needed her full attention. She stomped the four steps to the table so he would have no problem knowing exactly how much she hated being maneuvered. She faced him with arms crossed over her chest, her hip stuck out and a scowl on her face, the official posture of Fuck You and the Horse You Rode in On. "Just so you know," she said coldly, "you have no leverage. I could care less where or when you go or even if you go at all." She sat down with a huff.
Edward's eyebrows shot up, barely holding in a snort of laughter. "I love it when you get testy with me, Swan. You can pout all you want." He lurched in her direction with his arms out, a beach-dwelling Frankenstein. "There will be no escape," he droned.
Nothing. Not even a smile.

The secrets, of course, come out because, well, Edward is Edward and Bella is his Firefly … and, personal opinion here, which is the swooniest nickname- EVER!

What follows all that though, is a twist of EPIC proportions, one that comes so far out of left field, I swear, it will keep you reeling for days! primarycolors has a way of writing that reaches out and grabs you and won't let go. Beautifully vivid, artistic, a blend of words that create such a rich and evocative picture you swear you'll can see each and every scene play out as if you were watching it in IMAX, 100 foot screen and all. Each chapter will leave you breathless, wanting more and more. Lucky for you all, if you haven't read this amazing piece of work from one the fandom's most talented writers, you have a lot of chapters to read before you catch up to the rest of us. *Pssst, and a little bit of inside info to those of you who are reading, we still have quite a few chapters left until the end, too!

Win/win … yes?

If you haven't read this yet, you are really need to run to this one- don't walk!


Paradise Lost by B.Krumova
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6782536/1/Paradise_Lost#
A passionate night three years ago, leaves Bella Swan pregnant with her roommate's brother's child. Now she wants her child to know his father. He wants to crush her down for having it in the first place. Very OOC, AH; Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: Kitty Vuitton

Paradise Lost. A must read if you are looking for a angst filled story that will have you seething mad one minute and on the verge of tears the next. As an avid fan of angst and douchward, this story fulfills both of these categories beyond my expectations.

Bella is a college freshman heading to Harvard to live the college dream. Edward is a heartless, demanding, ruthless individual who doesn't mind hurting anyone to get what he wants. Bella soon finds herself in a situation that will change her life forever. She is intrigued when she meets her new roommate, Alice, who is everything that Bella has always shied away from; dark, angry and easy with the boys.

Alice was dressed in the shortest of skirts. It looked more like a belt than any type of clothing, and black fishnet stockings, whose garter was visible. The scary looking four or five inched boots she had on were making her look like a low-class hooker more than anything else.
But, the thing that grabbed Bella's attention the most was the fact that Alice only had a bra underneath her midriff-baring unbuttoned leather jacket.
The entire personality of this girl screamed, "I carry Sexually Transmitted Diseases!"
"Hi, I'm Bella— " Bella tried to introduce herself, but Alice cut her off.
"Looks like you made yourself comfortable? You didn't think to wait and see where I would like to sleep?" she hissed.
"Um…I— " Bella tried, but she was stopped again by Alice.
"You are lucky I'm planning on sleeping in a different bed every night. I'm telling you, I fucked every single…or in a relationship guy in high school, but this is college. Fresh meat and new dicks to suck," she said, like it was something completely natural. She tossed her purse on the available bed and went to the mirror to check her appearance.
Her hair was black, short and spiky, but it looked very damaged. It was completely immovable, and that made Bella think that it was probably covered in more hair products than Bella could name.
"Do you have a boyfriend or a fuck buddy? Actually, what was your name again?" she asked.
"Bella, and no, no boyfriend. Never really had one," Bella said. She was trying to make some sort of a bond with her new roommate even though Alice's intention clearly was to "fuck everything that moves."
"So what—you just fuck around?" Alice asked, making a face.
She is one to judge! Bella thought.
She shook her head. "No, I've never had sex,"
Alice's eyes nearly popped out from their sockets. "You're fucking with me, right?" she all but yelled.
"Um…no?" Bella suggested. Was it so bad that she was a virgin? She was not ashamed of it. In fact, she was pretty proud. 

After a fateful fraternity party where Edward & Bella hook up, Bella finds herself pregnant and alone. Edward has returned to his party life with no clue that he is about to become a father. Fortunately for Bella her good friends Jacob (who moved to Cambridge from Forks for Bella), Rose and Emmett, Bella is able to juggle both a newborn as well as graduating from Harvard. Of course, Bella never told Edward she was pregnant.

"Yes," Bella whispered.
"So, does that mean you're leaving Harvard?" Emmett asked.
Bella shook her head. "I made a silent promise to myself that I would never skip class again because of Edward Cullen. I 'm staying here and I'm having the baby,"
"You do know the word about your pregnancy will spread like a plague, right?" Rosalie asked.
Bella shook her head. "Nothing a baggy sweater and good friends can't hide."
Rosalie's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "You think you can hide this?"
"I know I can. Trust me Rose, I can do it!"
"You have us to watch your back, Shorty. You know that, right?" Emmett asked, stroking her cheek.
Bella smiled. "Yeah. Thanks guys!"
Rose jumped from the bed and walked to Emmett and Bella, giving both of them a hug. Emmett hugged Bella and Rose as Bella hugged them both. It was an awkward group hug, but it was also everything Bella wanted in that moment.

This story moves at a steady pace, giving us a chance to see Bella's day-to-day struggles but also moves us forward to 3 years later with just a few chapters. Over the past few years, Bella has also maintained a friendship with Mike, Edwards’s friend and old roommate. Throughout this friendship, Bella is able to learn more about Edward and his haunted past. When Mike, who now works for Edward in Seattle, convinces Bella that it is time to tell Edward about his son, DJ, Bella agrees with him and moves cross-country to Seattle, WA, leaving her friends behind.

She pressed the number five and with that the rest of the digits. She placed her phone next to her ear and listened to the dial signal.
"Cullen Internationals, Jane Morris speaking. How can I help you?"
"Um … hello. I'm calling for Edward Cullen."
"Mr. Cullen is not accepting calls at this hour," she said, accusingly. "Can I give him a message?"
"Please, it's urgent," Bella said, squeezing her eyes shut.
The woman on the line exhaled deep. "Name, please?"
"Isabella Swan."
"One moment," she said and put the call on hold.
"Mr. Cullen will accept your call. I'll put you through."
Bella took a deep breath and waited.
"Cullen," he hissed.
Bella's breath hitched. She hadn't heard his voice ever since she slapped him all those years ago. Unwanted memories flew through her mind. Words spat from his mouth, accusing, insulting.
For a moment she considered ending the call. The same photo of Danny and Edward on the playground showed behind her closed eyes again.
No more running.
"H-hello." Her voice was shaky and she beat herself up for losing her cool.
"Yes?"
"Hi, I-I'm … I …" she stuttered.
"You need a dictionary! What else?" he spat. Her small fists curled up in a ball.
"I think… I think we have to meet each other," she said, determinably.
"And why would we do that?" he asked.
"Because it's time for you to finally meet your son," Bella said, biting so hard on her bottom lip she pierced the skin.

What lays in story for both Bella and DJ? Will Edward even remember that night 3 years ago, accept that what Bella is telling him is true and change his ways and become the father that DJ needs or will he be the same asshole we saw in college?  Is it even possible for a person with so many hidden secrets and a dark past change to have a heart big enough to love more than just himself??
 

Love in My Box by CosmoandMarvar
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5782455/1/Love_in_My_Box
Bella's an intellectual free spirit and Edward is a reserved, slightly geeky med student. They have a brief, but intense encounter on Sp Brk in Miami. Can they find true love through emails? There will be lemons and laughs. Look who's writing this! Twilight - Rated: M

Review by: MzB

We don't own them. We just wanted to get them drunk and make them have sex.

That is the first line you read when you open chapter 1 of Love in My Box or LiMB as us fans call it. I don't know what to gush about more- the story or the amazing banter in the beginning of almost every chapter between the two very amazing people behind the story.

If you haven't read Cosmo and Marvar separately then you're in for a treat reading LiMB... It is a fantastically amazingly awesomely fabulous fic!

You get tidbits of what happened on a wonderful spring break trip between Bella and Edward... Along with inner thoughts from both E and B...

Edward is a geeky socially awkward sweetheart. Bella is a semi-carefree yet also socially awkward "freak".

Let's just say I'll never look at scotch the same again... Or think of emailing as a drab unemotional form of communication.

Not only is LiMB hilariously funny, but it is also very informative... Being that Edward is studying to be a surgeon.

As much as it pains me to hear that you are writing from bed, I am more than thrilled to receive a response from you. I have told you before that your emails are the highlight of my day. I can almost picture you talking to me, the way you whisper in my ear. . .yes, I'd love to hear that sound again – either ear is fine as I have perfect hearing in both per my physical exam on 2/26.

I am concerned about your posture, Bella. Have you seen the effects of curvature of the spine? It's not pretty. I can send you pictures. I am wondering if you have a desk or table since you seem to do everything in bed. Please tell me that you at least have adequate back support for these endeavors. Could you possibly invest in an ergonomic chair? I can send you a link for the place I bought mine.

I just worry about you, Bella.

Yes, I do know about the size variance in body parts – it is rather common. But reading about it in textbooks and doing a physical examination are two different things. (I wasn't speaking about doing an exam on you, Bella. That would be a conflict of interest and not to mention extremely distracting.) I cannot speak to the sensitivity issue as I have not had enough experience with the female areolae and nipples - except for yours of course, which are extraordinary and not the norm. If we're being honest, I believe all of your features are exceptional.


Of course being the Emmett lover that I am... I must include some amazingness of his:

I lift up my shirt to show him what I'm talking about. I run my hand over the muscles in question as I speak.

"See. Right here is where I need some more work."

Emmett guffaws, "Oh, Eddie. This is working like gangbusters. That girl on the treadmill is losing her shit over you."

I glance over at the girl who does look like she's taken a euphoria-inducing substance. Should I call the authorities?

"What did I do?"

"Well, you were fondling your sweaty abdomen and tracing the 'v' into your shorts."

"So?"

He talks to me like he's telling me a secret - lowering his voice and leaning toward me. "Edward, because I'm so secure in my manhood, I have no qualms in saying you are a fucking hot-looking guy. Chicks are going to want to hit that, hard, my friend. Who knew it would only take a haircut, contacts, and a few sit-ups?"

I scoff at his ridiculous comments. He can't be serious. No girls ever like me. I am always too young, too geeky, too reserved. That's why I was with Jessica - she was the only girl to ever pay attention to me.

"Be serious, Emmett."

"Dude, what's the one thing I know better than engineering? Women. She wants to take a bite out of your 'v' and lick the happy trail." I stare at him in disbelief. "Listen, pull off your shirt slowly and pour some of your water over your head. Let it run down your chest, and then wipe it with your shirt. Look at her while you do it. Give her a dose of those green eyes."

"I can't do that, Emmett," I answer, clearly embarrassed.

"Edward, it's an experiment. I formulated a hypothesis. I need to test it," he reassures me, clearly knowing how to manipulate me using my weakness for scientific studies.

Now, being that this is The Lemonade Stand, I know that all of you have read some amazing lemons... but trust me when I tell you that even if you're not a fan of humorous fic... the lemons alone are worth the read!

The other characters in the story are definitely worth mentioning, if only to entice you further into reading this fic.

Alice (Edward's little sister) meets Bella and already knows that this is the girl her older brother is head over heels for. She also ends up marrying jasper, a free loving hippee with hair that you should never comment on.

Rose (Bella's roommate) is turned into a FORMER man eater after spring break... Makes you wonder why. She also is responsible for making me laugh so hard I may have woken up my entire household.

Esme (Edward's mother) is an alcoholic. Plain and simple. Just wait until you read the conversations between her and Bella. PRICELESS.

I hope that my inadequate review of this amazing story has at least piqued enough interest for you to go check out LiMB :-D

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