Life can suck… When reality becomes overwhelming, seeking comfort in fictional fantasies keeps hope alive. And while this escape may be a little delusional, it’s also therapeutic. Sharing secrets is daunting, but virtual friends don’t often judge and they are always ready to share a glass of wine…or three…while typing out life’s latest endeavors. Brooke believes obstacles only add to romance, not detract. Rachael longs for a more intense relationship, or so she thinks. Lizzie misses the excitement in her life, but sometimes new situations find you when you’re not even looking. And Jess believes a tiger can change his stripes. It can’t. Bound by a shared passion for blogging about happily ever afters, these four young women use keyboard therapy to work through their expectations, anxieties, and inadequacies, all with the hopes of achieving the perfection found in romance novels. Completely blinded by what they think life should be, they navigate their unique paths in search of what they envision is right. But when reality taunts them with persistent curve balls, will they be strong enough to choose wisely? Or will their happy endings escape them?

Four women who have never met bond online over books, blogging, and men. Brooke begins a forbidden relationship with her new boss, Rachael wants to experiment with bondage like in the books she's been reading, Lizzie rekindles a relationship with an old boyfriend, and Jess thinks she can change the bad boy like they do in the books she loves to read. These four women start off just talking about books, but quickly turn to other topics, especially men. As these conversations become more intimate, the girls reveal more to each other than they do to anyone in their "real" lives.

Books, Blogs, & Reality is told in a mixture of online chats, narrative, and book reviews, and ends with a blog post by each woman on the lessons learned. Basically, they all discover that real life is not like it is in a novel. This is a compulsively readable book. It is very insightful and contains some wonderful lines. This is a book for the modern times, for the modern woman who spends a lot of time online. I'm sure my fellow book bloggers will see themselves in at least one of these women.

A light, humorous, and emotionally satisfying read.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2015/04/books-blogs-and-reality-by-ryan-ringbloom.html

This book tells the story of four online friends whose common love of romance and erotica novels are what brought them together. Rachel is in a relationship but wants to delve into the BDSM world. Brooke starts a new job, and has instant chemistry with her new boss. Lizzie lives in the UK, was married then had a baby at a young age, and feels her marriage is struggling and she is only 24. Jess is a firm believer in the bad boy with commitment issues turning himself around for the right woman.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have made online friendships in the same way and communicate via instant messenger just as they do. I seek advice from these friends, offer same if they want it, and we offer each other moral support in ALL things - life, children, love, book recommendations!

What I also liked about this book is the "reality" part - how each of these ladies think that the romance novels they read and the plot devices contained with work in connection with their own love lives - only to find, real men aren't like the guys in the books. Plus, you get to read "reviews of books" by these ladies which are pretty entertaining themselves.

Great, fun read when you have a few hours to spare and you also need a break from those romance novels where everything goes according to plan, where the man acts like no real life man can. I needed the break this book gave me.

Read the blog that inspired the book REMIX: Decorating with Culture, Objects and Soul by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason.