Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Book Review and Giveaway for A Little Too Late by Staci Hart


A LITTLE TOO LATE

For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I've been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.


REVIEW: 4+ STARS
"In the span of a few heartbeats, she'd knocked the rust off me, my gears creaking and groaning to life a the mere sight of her."

Just as the title suggests, some things are just a little too late, and it's hard to stomach when they are. But with this story, Staci has taken our little hearts and run them through a little wringer. I love the way Staci tells a story. I love the way she starts off easy and light, lets us fall in love with the characters, and then painfully tears us apart, only to put us back together again, seemingly whole. At least we hope, right?

We originally met Charlie in A Thousand Letters, but make no mistake, this can be read as a complete standalone. My review can be read HERE, but to say that I loved Charlie in that book, well....my heart broke for him at the hands of a very selfish and cruel wife then. And that isn't missed at all in this story either. We hate Mary just the same, if not more -- trust me. GRRR. She makes my blood boil, and I don't like the way she selfishly handles herself.

The moments precious and the looks innocent, but when they come to a head, they are sexy as can be. Hannah and Charlie clicked immediately. When you know, you know, and there was no question in my mind that these two knew. I was feeling giddy after reading their first few interactions, and the way it made them both feel. I couldn't help but smile at the anticipation of this new reality to make itself known to them both. A touch here, a smile there....it was all these little things that made up the big picture. But with two broken worlds colliding, there was an abundance of fear and trust issues that circled their hearts, and those issues reared their ugly head at the most inopportune time and it hurt my soul! I legit felt so sad when things came to a head, leaving me frantically turning pages to get more of their story.

"You don't have to be afraid."
"I wasn't -- until I had something to lose."

That line killed me. I'm telling you, you're missing out if you don't take this journey through Charlie and Hannah's love. I could feel the fears they both had, and one major one I felt wholeheartedly was the fear of projecting those wants onto someone else, and you weren't sure that they wanted it, and that fear held you back. I loved this journey. I loved this love. I loved this story. Once again, Staci did our hearts justice with a deep and eye-opening read. Make sure to read between the lines. Feel the emotions she is feeding you because the depth of the characters and their emotions are so well written. 

"Don't say you're bad for me, not when you've shown me everything good."
~BEE


PURCHASE LINKS:
A LITTLE TOO LATE

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2xDG7F9

MEET CHARLIE IN A THOUSAND LETTERS:

 AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2gPgwSp

 AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

EXCERPT

CHARLIE

The next morning, I was up and in my office before anyone was awake, attacking my work with newfound enthusiasm and a plan in mind. Because I wanted to feel like I’d felt the night before in the kitchen again, and there was only one way to get that back.

Today, I would take a few breaks and be present. Today, I would change, work be damned. Today would mark the first real attempt. Because change wouldn’t happen on its own. I had to make it happen. And to make it happen, I would have to put boundaries in place, starting with my weekends.

I checked the clock around eleven that morning and closed my laptop, pushing away from my desk and heading up the stairs in search of my children.

When I rounded the corner into the kitchen, I found them sitting at the table with their lunches. And when they saw me, their smiles validated my grand plans with unwavering certainty.

“Hey, guys,” I said, smiling back as I walked over to them, ruffling Sammy’s hair when I passed him.

“Hi, Daddy,” he said.

Maven’s mouth was full, so she just waved, and Hannah smiled at me from the island where she was setting up a spread for sandwiches.

I snagged a grape off Maven’s plate and popped it into my mouth. She handed me another, which I accepted.

“Thanks, pumpkin.”

“Are you done working?” Sammy asked hopefully.

“’Fraid not, bud. But I thought I’d come have lunch with you. Is that okay?”

“Yeah! Want a Nilla Wafer?”

“Psh, obviously. And I thought we could play for a little bit before I have to get back to work. What do you say?”

He nodded, grinning. “We can play trucks! You be the bulldozer and I’ll be the tractor and Maven can be the monster truck and Hannah can be the ambulance because she helps people.”

“Perfect,” I said on a chuckle.

A burst of color caught my eye. A vase on the windowsill behind the table held a spray of red and orange tulips.

“Those are beautiful,” I said, gesturing to them. “Where did they come from?”

“Oh, I picked them up this morning,” Hannah said with that ever-present smile.

“Feeling homesick?”

“Always a little. But I love having fresh flowers in the house, something bright and delicate and alive. Well, maybe not alive anymore, but it feels alive, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” I said as I moved to her side.

“Can I make you a sandwich?” Hannah asked.

“Nah, I think I can manage, thanks. How’s it going this morning?”

“It’s good. We went to the park this morning.”

“I rode my bike!” Sammy crowed.

“Did you? No bumps or scrapes?”

“Nope!”

“I’m impressed. Maybe next time I can come too,” I said, hoping it was something I could deliver as I reached into the bread bag for a stack.

Hannah turned to the cupboard, returning with a plate for me.

“Thank you.”

She was still smiling, standing at my side, assembling her sandwich. It was so mundane, something completely and utterly boring, but like the weirdo that I was, I found myself watching her hands as she folded cold cuts. We worked around each other—not that it was complicated, but there was a sort of rhythm between us, a natural pace wherein I used what she wasn’t and finished just as she needed what I had. I wasn’t sure why I noticed it, but I did, and I appreciated the simple synchronicity of the moment, a breath where things were easy.

I passed her the mustard as she handed me the ham. “So, I was thinking …” I paused.

“Oh, were you?” She glanced over at me with a hint of mirth at the corners of her lips.

“I know. I almost sprained something.”

Hannah laughed gently.

“If it’s okay, I think I’d like to try to handle bedtime tonight.”

“Of course it’s okay; they’re your children.” That time, her laughter was sweet.

“Do you … would you … do you think you could maybe …”

She shifted to face me, her eyes full of encouragement.

“Would you mind … helping me?”

Hannah nodded, her smile opening up. “That’s what I’m here for. Just let me know what you’d like me to do.”

I smiled back. “I’m sorry. I know it sounds stupid. I just … I haven’t done this much on my own, but I’d like to start.”

Her eyes softened, caught by slanting light, lighting up with sunshine. “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” she said simply.

I didn’t speak.

“There’s no right or wrong, and they don’t care about anything other than you being there. It’s simple enough; you only have to try.”

“Is it really that easy?”

“It really is. You’ll see.” She reached for my arm and gave it a squeeze that wasn’t meant to be anything but friendly but held something more, something in the pressure in her fingertips and the depths of her eyes.

It was something I did my very best to ignore. But I felt the heat of those
fingertips long after they were gone, even as we sat across the table from each
other eating lunch, the tulips in the vase behind her bowing their long heads as
the sunlight illuminated them, exposing what was hidden within their petals.


PURCHASE LINKS:


~MEET STACI HART~
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. 

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

~CONNECT WITH STACI~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER

ARC REVIEW
AFFILATE LINKS USED
Posted by at 5 comments:

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Book Review and Giveaway for Move the Stars by Jessica Hawkins


MOVE THE STARS
by JESSICA HAWKINS

Lake
It was a hot summer day when I met him on the construction site next to my parents' house. If I’d known then what I do now, would I have kept on walking? Manning was older, darker, experienced—and I’d trusted him when he said the story would only ever be about us. I’d held those words close and challenged fate, but I had lost.

A part of me is still that sixteen-year-old girl squinting up at Manning, but no matter how far I fall or high I soar, I’ll always be a bird without her bear and nothing without him.

Manning
When I close my eyes, I can no longer see her. The decisions I made were to push Lake in the right direction—away from me. But now that she’s gone, would I have made those same choices?

I’d walked away like I was supposed to. I’d kept my distance. I’d bent over backward to keep Lake pure, but she’s no longer that girl, and I don’t know if I can stay away anymore. I only know I don’t want to. She’s still everything I want and nothing I should ever have, but if anyone can move the stars, it’s her great bear in the sky.

REVIEW: 5 *SPOILER FREE* STARS
BUY THIS SERIES
READ THIS SERIES
LOVE THIS SERIES
~BEE 

Ok, for real. That's what I wish my review was able to say. Because, yeah. I cannot and will not spoil anything for you, and please go in to this book completely blind. A lot happens. A lot is discussed. A lot of emotions are had. And when I say that Jessica doesn't just give the love away, I really mean it. Go into this one with an open mind, an accepting heart, and a forgiving conscience. I just finished it and I am in shock still. I’m trying to come to terms with the multitude of emotions I felt while reading it.

"That was Manning's problem. He'd turned down real love because others would judge it. He refused to accept what he deserved unless it was bad."

To note: this story was NOT all champagne and roses. This wasn't an easy trip down merrily ever after lane. It was flawed and real, heartbreaking and maddening. The pain and the depth, the wait and the torture; it was all there. I want for everyone to see their suffering, the depth of their love, and then understand that neither time nor distance was enough to take away from their amazing love story. This, for me, was full-on heartbreak within the opening pages of this book. We have a super feisty Lake and a mouthy Manning, and to say I loved it would be a serious understatement.

I truly feel.....worn out.  After finally getting the conclusion to one of the angstiest, most intense trilogies I have read this year, I am honestly emotionally worn out. I don't know how else to put it. After I finished it, I just kinda sat there and pondered what I had read. I know a lot of people don't trust all the 5 star reviews they constantly see from "super fans" of an author, but I think this one is warranted. I like to think I'm a super fan, and Jessica is my favorite author, but I think I come with explanation and understanding, as well as discussion. I would honestly love to say this was told in a way that made me think. Made me ask questions. Made me try to put myself in their shoes to better understand the reactions. I loved that I was able to be mad at Lake for her decisions, but I could also empathize with her. Your first love is the hardest to reconcile all your feelings for, whether they are anger, happiness, sadness, jealousy, fear, or complete comfort. I wanted to see it through her eyes, and I got that. I also got a better understanding of Manning's motives, right or wrong. I am so glad we got closure on some of the serious items that were bugging me.

"I didn't know it would turn out this way, Lake. Your life, and mine, nothing is how I thought it would be."

I loved that we got to see them both grow, mature, mess up, fix things, try to move on, and then figure things out. I love that Manning challenges Lake to look within to feel out her happiness. It’s not surface scratching happiness he’s looking for. It’s the depth these two have that is beyond words. Unspoken and felt with their hearts, they challenge each other and nurture each other in ways beyond comprehension. It is such a beautiful thing to see. True love at it's finest.

I know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea and I’m ok with that. But for me, their story couldn’t have been any easier or harder than how she wrote it. It needed to be this messy, gritty and raw story that made you feel the gamut of emotions. There was NO way it could have played out easily. I honestly think Jessica did this story justice.

The book was the culmination of tempting fate, and fighting fate. What do you think is going to happen? The story is told with some mind-spinning wonder, in a way that you can't help but get caught up in emotionally and mentally!!! I hope you love this series as much as I did.

"You can't come back into my life and tell me it's a mess when you're the one who created it."
~BEE

You can read my review for Something in the Way HERE.

You can read my review for Somebody Else's Sky HERE.

You can purchase Something in the Way HERE.

You can purchase Somebody Else's Sky HERE.

You can purchase Move the Stars HERE.

 ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ECOPY


~MEET JESSICA HAWKINS~
Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California.

She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. To her, the most intriguing fiction is forbidden, and that's what you'll find in her stories. Currently, she resides wherever her head lands, which is often the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.

~CONNECT WITH JESSICA~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON       GOODREADS     TWITTER

ARC REVIEW
AFFILIATE LINKS USED
Posted by at 6 comments:

Friday, October 20, 2017

Book Review and Giveaway for Ruthless King by Meghan March


RUTHLESS KING
by MEGHAN MARCH

New Orleans belongs to me.

You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.

My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.

I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.

To have her in my debt.

She doesn’t know she caught my attention.

She should’ve been more careful.

I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.

It’s time to collect what I’m owed.

Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.


REVIEW: 4 STARS
"How such a cruel man can be so brutally beautiful, I have no idea."

For such a spoiler-free synopsis that we were just given, this book had SO MUCH MORE to it!! Wow. I haven't read many Meghan March books, but I have enjoyed the few I have read. This one was no different. I went in knowing it's a trilogy, so that also makes me super critical on some things because I feel like there is more to justify sometimes in the aspect of content to make the length worthy. Does that make sense? I hope so. I basically mean that I hope it's not a bunch of unnecessary drama, added riff-raff to fill pages. Thankfully, this one didn't have ANY of that. This first book was a great starter to this series. In fact, I would almost venture to say it went a little quicker than I thought it would for being a trilogy because if she covered that much in this one book, then I can only imagine what is in the next two.

I want to try and explain that I felt there was a fear driven curiosity in the heroine, Keira. She has a very "fiery" strength about her, but she also has some unexplored inhibitions. So contradictory to me, and really enjoyed seeing that side of her. I loved that she fought the very obvious desires she was having for Mount, and it was a legit crazy idea to her. For me too, but I'm on the outside looking in. She has some seriously different layers to her, and I don't think we have uncovered her true depth just yet. I want to explore her more, and being the first book in the series, that need to know was definitely procured by Meghan's writing. Her writing allowed me to go along on this journey, plausible or not, and actually get caught up in that. This is the kind of writing I enjoy....the kind that can make me believe in the storyline.

As for Lachlan Mount, for all the evil that he is, he is sexy. Yep, I said it....he's sexay. And let me tell you, the intrigue is all there. For all the things money can buy, the power that money can bring, this city, this life is Mount's playground. He has a new toy to do with as he pleases, and he will do exactly that. I loved the "no fucks given" attitude he displayed. For a man who fears no one, answers to no one, and gets everything he desires handed to him without question, what was the problem grabbing this new plaything and did as he wished? He has everything at his disposal and acts the part. But there is another side to him that we get to see and I think I am in love with it. I think. I'll get back to you on that. HA!!

"There's fucking with someone's head, and there's what Mount is doing to me."

These two characters are caught in the crosshairs of danger and lust. Between the both of them, there are some internal riotous behaviors making themselves known. I am super interested to see how this all plays out.

Was this a mind altering, amazingly busy, crazy action-packed book? Nope. It was more like a "dating show" meets the "situation room" in the aspect that we got to know each supporting character, their backgrounds and their lifestyle. March laid it out there and made it a very easy-to-turn-the-pages kind of book. I mean, to be honest, it read a lot quicker than I expected it to, and it flowed really well for me, which made enjoying it that much easier. It had some elements that felt a little awkward to me, but nothing that turned me off from the book. It wasn't a bad awkward at all, it was more of an intriguing awkward. It spawned questions in my mind, made me pay attention to the little details, and to start to form opinions about the side we don't get to see just yet.

Here's the way I see it, after a long week and some heavy reads, this one was a great read and for once, something that was a little out of the box for me, What I am about to say is ridiculous: I. Want. More. Ok? I want more. For the start of a head to head, wits to wits battle, this was a great beginning book. Meghan March's writing kept me IN the book the entire time. This really was a great introduction to a new series and I am thoroughly intrigued as to how it will all play out. I want more because I need to know how that cliffie happened!!! 

"It's humiliating that I find so much pleasure in what he does to me."
~BEE

PURCHASE:
~MEET MEGHAN MARCH~
Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

~CONNECT WITH MEGHAN~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON      GOODREADS      TWITTER

ARC REVIEW
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Excerpt for Trading Yesterday by Kahlen Aymes


EXCERPT

Chase

Six years since I left her. Six fucking years. 

It seemed like I had no choice at the time; like it was the start of a dream, not the beginning of a nightmare. It was the biggest mistake of my life.

The offer from the English Arsenal Football Club was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I couldn’t pass up, no matter how much it ripped me apart to leave Teagan behind. Our plan was for her to finish college then come over there, too. It never happened. 

Somehow, it all got fucked up. Royally fucked up. I spent years trying to figure out why it happened without finding any logical answers and then, I was determined to forget about her. I threw myself into the game, booze, and numerous women, but nothing helped most of the time. If I were honest, the pain never really went away and I felt the loss every goddamned day. I knew I never should have left, and that only made it worse. It was Teagan, and not soccer, who was my once-in-a-lifetime everything, but I thought we were madly in love and I completely trusted that we’d make it through it… I completely trusted her. We knew it would be a difficult couple of years, but I had no reason to doubt that things wouldn’t go as planned. I thought we were invincible. Yet, not six months after I left, she married my best friend behind my back. 

Some best friend. Anger cut through me like a red-hot knife and settled in to sear my gut and tighten my chest. There was no one I hated more.

My heart ached whenever I allowed myself to think about it. She called and tried to explain once, but I didn’t want to hear it. No words could justify it. I felt betrayed; too devastated to find the will to function, let alone listen. Looking at her would have sliced me open to bleed out right in front of her, and after a betrayal like that, I’d be damned if I’d let her see me suffer. 

Jensen tried to talk to me, too, but I was afraid if I saw him, one of us would die. What did it fucking matter anyway? There was no reason that could make it better, more believable, or easier to accept. I’d closed down, focused on the team, and stopped corresponding with either of them. It was the only way to breathe. 

My eyes burned and my throat tightened. After all this time, it was still killing me. So often, I ached to call her, my soul crying out for hers, my mind railing that it was all a bad dream and if I could only hear that sweet voice, my reality would be righted. Over time, I realized keeping as busy as possible was the only thing to keep the memories from eating me alive. I was lucky that most of the places I played, and in London, I had zero memories of Teagan to haunt me, but Arsenal and its world-class program wasn’t worth it. A huge career and being one of the top ten soccer players in the world meant nothing. Nothing was worth losing Teagan, but I’d made a life for myself despite her. In spite of her. 

Somehow, I moved on. I breathed in and out. I waited, prayed for, and crawled toward the day when it wouldn’t hurt. I was still crawling on the inside, but I’d learned how to camouflage it so no one could see it anymore. I was sure part of me was dead inside. 

My parents and siblings knew not to mention her after the first few attempts. The rage and drinking binges that resulted had finally kept them quiet. Kat looked at me with a sort of incredible sorrow, and even Kevin stopped badgering me. 

“Just leave it alone, Kev! I can’t fucking stand thinking about what she’s doing with Jensen. Nothing will justify it! If Jensen was bleeding out in the street, the reason still wouldn’t be good enough for her to be with him. It makes me fucking sick!” 

I’d flung my mother’s Ming vase at my brother and it barely missed his head; shattering in a million pieces against the wall behind him. He stood there stunned for a split second as my chest heaved and his image blurred behind a haze of fury and tears. Then, he rushed at me, tackling me to the ground. He beat the shit out of me, leaving me broken and crying her name, asking God why she wasn’t mine, begging for relief that never came, wishing I could die right there because I couldn’t see any other way to end the horrible pain. I didn’t know if I was hitting at Kevin or Teagan’s memory, but afterward, he dropped to his knees and held on to me as I fell apart. The whole family looked on in stunned shock, all of them powerless to help me. It was New Year’s Eve and I’d gotten drunk off my ass to try to forget. Everyone left me alone ever since. My mother never even mentioned that vase. She found it at a garage sale and it was probably fake, but she loved to pretend it was real, and I had destroyed it. One more thing I shouldn’t have done that piled on the guilt. I’d ruined my own fucking life by leaving and I had to live with it.

As time moved on the devastating pain eased little by little, and faded in to a dull, ever-present ache. I came home to the States less because being there surrounded me with Teagan’s essence, her memory, and people who knew her and might talk about her. Not knowing where she was, or anything about her, made it easier and possible to survive.

Now, I was in a plane on my way to Atlanta fucking Georgia, because of a few well-scripted words that came across my phone via text message.

Chase, Kat gave me your number. Don’t be mad. I need you. It’s an emergency. Please come ASAP. 

Teagan

I ran my hand through my hair. Kat. My mind screamed. My sister, Kathryn was tight lipped, telling me nothing beyond where I could find her. Apparently she’d kept in touch with Teagan all these years, and that enraged me. Goddamn traitor. 

“Hmmph!” I huffed in disgust. So much for blood being thicker than water. 

When I called Kathryn to confront her, all she’d say was that Teagan and Jensen had moved to Atlanta three years earlier when Jensen got a job with ESPN, and I’d have to wait for Teagan to explain the rest. He must not be very high on the ESPN food chain or I’d have known about his job there.

I didn’t understand why, but I was pissed at my sister. Why would Teagan leave her family…and mine, to live in a strange city with a man who was probably gone more than he was home? It made no sense. But then, none of her decisions made sense since I left. Not since she chose to marry someone else. 

The burning ache I’d thought I’d buried flared anew twenty-four hours earlier when her name appeared at the end of her message. I’d felt like a sledgehammer just flew at high velocity into my gut, and left me gasping as the air left my lungs. I could hear that voice saying the words on the screen, as if she were standing right next to me. My heart exploded and blood rushed to my face like liquid fire.

I’d thought nothing would separate us; not distance…not anyone, or anything. Ever. I was so in love I must have been blind to what was really going on behind my back. And yet, years later, all she had to do was crook her little finger and I was dragging my sorry ass halfway across the world without knowing why.

“Welcome to Atlanta, Georgia. We thank you for flying with us today. We know you have many choices for…” The mad rushing of blood in my ears muffled the flight attendant’s words. My skin vibrated as anticipation throbbed through me, and I mentally shook myself. I needed to get my shit together. I couldn’t allow Teagan to see how much this still mattered. I had to be cool, calm… blasé’. She couldn’t know how she’d destroyed me. I’d worked hard to build an aloof persona off the field, and a superstar one on it. When I started to stand out, the sports world shortened my name from Chase to Ace, and I embraced it.

As I gathered my carry on, I braced myself for what I would see in a few short minutes. Would Jensen be with her? Could I take that? I wasn’t sure. I rubbed my hand over the back of my neck in agitation and then held it out in front of me. I was visibly shaking, so I curled my fingers into a fist in an attempt to steady myself. I was a bad motherfucker, solid as a rock, on top of my game and in the best shape of my life, so why the hell was I shaking like a pussy? As I started to walk out of the plane, I willed myself to calm down. I settled a cold mask into place over my face, praying to God it would remain unmoved when I saw her.

The seconds pounded in my head as my footsteps closed the distance to the main terminal, heavy and suffocating. I struggled to fill my lungs with air; sure I’d lose my breath forever the minute I laid eyes on her. Would she be different? I wanted her to be unrecognizable… resistible… no longer the woman I fell in love with… no longer my Teagan. 

Please God… let me not give a shit. After everything I’d suffered, would that be so much to ask?

Somehow over the years, the bitterness and anger lessened and most of what I remembered was the intense love and longing. She haunted my dreams more times than I could count, and every time I woke up in a cold sweat missing her or wanting her, I wanted to scream.

I dug down deep for the anger I’d need to make it through the next couple of days. Two days was all I would subject myself to. Then I was gone and I’d put her in the past where she belonged. I had a game in Brasília on Saturday that I couldn’t miss and I was thankful for my contract.

What the hell am I doing here, anyway? I argued with myself. I should have used the game to skip it all together, but what if she was in trouble? My lips pressed together in anger. What the fuck did it matter to me? I shouldn’t care at all. I sighed heavily. Taking care of Teagan was Jensen’s fucking job now, not mine.

Against my will, I searched the countless faces, looking for those soft brown eyes that used to own my soul. I stopped in the middle of the terminal, as my phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Yeah?”

“Hey, lovie. I got your message,” Bronwyn said casually.

“I sent it twelve hours ago. Thanks for the prompt response.” Sarcasm dripped from my voice. She didn’t notice.

“So you’re in the U.S.? Ace, I mean… why?”

I was distracted as I kept searching for Teagan. “I thought you said you got my message. I told you that a friend needs me.”

“For what?” She sounded pissed, but then, “pissed” and “I don’t give a shit” were her two most prominent gears.

“I don’t know, Bronwyn. I’ll call you when I know more.”

“I’m going to bed, so don’t call until morning, hmm?” Her voice was bored and unconcerned; her whiny voice in her English accent was suddenly annoying as hell.

“The time difference is six hours, so hopefully I’ll be sleeping when you wake up. Remember, my body is on London time.”

“Oh, yeah. Well, then just call when you can. Good night, lovie.”

“Bye.” It annoyed the hell out of me when she called me that, and she knew it. I shoved the phone into my back pocket of my dark jeans, my mind immediately dismissing the woman on the phone. 

Where was Teagan? I scratched my stomach through the fine linen of my dark blue button down. I’d left it un-tucked, only taking time to change my pants and shove three changes of clothes and my running shoes into a small bag before rushing straight to the airport. I left the club immediately after speaking to Kat.

I was tired and impatient as I put my hands on my hips and turned, stopping dead when I saw her moving slowly in my direction, weaving through the crowds. She looked thinner and more fragile; her skin seemed more translucent against the darkness of her flowing hair, still as long and luxurious as I remembered. My breath caught in my throat at the sight, my heart thudding sickeningly in my chest as time rewound in an instant. I wanted it to stop beating. I didn’t care if it killed me or if I had to rip it from my chest; I just wanted it to fucking stop.

Her brown eyes were huge as she looked up into my face, still owning me as much as she ever had, as she closed the last few yards between us. The sadness surrounding her was so heavy I could almost taste it.

“Hello, Chase.” Her voice rocked through me. The same voice that still haunted my dreams on occasion.

My hand moved to my chest, seeking to ease the tightness that prevented me from speaking. I swallowed hard as I took in her smallness in jeans and summer top that left her shoulders and arms completely bare, except for the thin straps. The yellows and oranges in the floral print made her hair appear darker and emphasized the faint flush on her cheeks.

My arms ached to reach for her and drag her against my body. The pull was tangible and I could see the same battle flash across her beautiful features. She was still so goddamned beautiful.

“Teagan…” Her name fell from my lips unwillingly as emotions I’d tried to ignore, surfaced.

We stood there, staring at each other until finally, my left hand reached for her right one. Our fingers entwined as easily as if we’d never been apart, and her eyes filled with glistening tears and then two fat drops rolled down her cheeks. The years fell away as, unable to help myself; I pulled her to me, and gathering her close then turned my face into her hair. She still wore the same perfume… still felt perfect pressed close to me. My breath left my lungs. Her arms flew around my neck as I lifted her easily into my embrace as a deep sob broke from her chest. 

“Chase. Oh, God. Thank you. I honestly didn’t think you would come.”

My hand cupped the back of her head and protectiveness filled every cell in my body. No matter what happened, I couldn’t stand to see her in pain. “What is this about? Why now?” 


Something inside me snapped.

"Chase, I need you. Please, come."
Teagan's words screamed from the screen of my phone. My heart started pounding, I started to sweat and I felt like I might pass out as I was sucked into a vortex of emotions and memories I tried desperately to forget.

Teagan Tessler was the love of my life. My professional soccer career was a big part of the future we planned to have together, but an offer with Arsenal, one of England's premier soccer teams, sent me to London a year ahead of schedule. Just months after I left, Teagan betrayed me with my best friend without an explanation. I was completely and utterly destroyed.

Six years later, I can finally breathe again, and my professional and personal life is in a good place; now this. I have to be insane to even consider ripping open those old wounds, but whatever she needed, it had to be huge.

The truth of my feelings resonated: I should shut off the phone and forget her forever, but my traitorous heart told me to get on a plane, no questions asked.

One decision can ruin your life... Maybe another one can save it.

From USA Today bestselling author, Kahlen Aymes, Trading Yesterday is a sexy roller coaster or emotion, ultimate loss, desperate longing, betrayal and forgiveness that will restore your faith in unconditional love. You'll be left gasping for more! The Remembrance Trilogy readers will love this book.



PREORDER:





~MEET KAHLEN AYMES~
USA Today bestselling author, Kahlen Aymes, writes HOT romance in New Adult, Adult Contemporary, and Erotica genres. Her books bring to life strong and sassy heroines & swoon-worthy, panty dropping alpha males! She is a master at making her readers FEEL as if they are living within the pages.

Kahlen has been on several bestseller lists including Barnes & Noble, Amazon Top 100 Paid at #2, Smashwords, Publisher's Weekly, iBooks, and USA Today! She has won multiple awards for writing and has a BSBA in Marketing & Business Administration.

She is an avid reader, baker, roller skater and karaoke singing single mother of one daughter and two golden retrievers. 

When she isn't writing she loves interacting with her readers! 

Count on Kahlen to deliver strong, relatable characters, deep and detailed plots, and emotion overflow!

~CONNECT WITH KAHLEN~
FACEBOOK     AMAZON      GOODREADS     TWITTER
Posted by at No comments:

Excerpt for A Little Too Late by Staci Hart


Excerpt
Hannah

The first time I saw Charlie Parker, I didn’t see one thing at a time; I saw all of him. It was an assault on my senses, an overwhelming tide of awareness, and for a moment, the details came to me in flashes over what was probably only a few seconds but felt so much longer.

His hair was blond and gently mussed, his face long and nose elegant. I could smell him, clean and fresh with just a touch of spice I couldn’t place. I tipped my chin up—he was tall, taller than me, and I hovered just at six feet—and met his eyes, earthy and brown and so deep. So very deep.

And then he smiled.

He was handsome when he wasn’t smiling. He was stunning when he was.

I was so lost in that smile, I didn’t register the flying gob until it whapped against my sweater. Tiny splatters of something cold speckled my neck.

This was the moment the clock started again, and the sweet serenity slipped directly into chaos.

A blond little boy looked up at me from his father’s side with a devilish gleam in his dark eyes. The spoon in his hand was covered in blood-red jam and aimed at me like an empty catapult.

Several things happened at once. Charlie’s face morphed into embarrassed frustration as he reached for who I presumed to be his son. The boy—Sam, I guessed from the names I’d been given by the agency—spun around lightning fast and took off down the hallway, giggling. Another child began to cry from somewhere back in the house, and a bowl clattered to the ground, followed by a hissed swear from what sounded like an older woman.

I glanced down at the sliding, sticky mess against my white sweater and started to laugh.

Charlie’s head swiveled back to me, his face first colored with confusion, then in horror as he looked at the Pollock painting on my sweater.

“Oh my God,” he breathed, his apologetic, wide eyes dragging down my body.

“Jesus, I am so sorry.”

I was still laughing, almost a little hysterical. I couldn’t even tell you why.

I waved a hand at Charlie, and he took my elbow, guiding me into the house as I caught my breath. Another crash came from the kitchen, and a little girl came toddling out into the entry, leaving powdery footprints on the hardwood.

Charlie’s face screwed up. “Sam!” he called, stretching the word, a drawn-out promise of consequences.

A riot of giggling broke out in the kitchen.

We both snapped into motion. I followed him as he scooped up his crying daughter and stormed toward the kitchen. The little girl watched me over his shoulder with big brown eyes, her breath hitching in little shudders and her small finger hooked in her mouth.

Charlie stopped so abruptly, I almost ran into him.

When I looked around him and into the kitchen, my mouth opened. I covered it with my fingers as laughter bubbled up my throat.

A bag of flour sat in the middle of the floor, the white powder thrown in bursts against the surrounding surfaces and hanging in the air like smoke. The floor next to the bag was the only clean spot, shaped like a small bottom—the little girl’s, I supposed. A bowl lay upside down, its contents oozing from under the rim and slung in a ring from ceiling to cabinet to floor, as if it had completed a masterful flip on its way to its demise. And in the center of the madness stood an older woman with flour in her dark hair and dusted down the front of her.

Clutched under her arm was a wriggling Sam, offending spoon still in hand.

Her face was kind but tight with exasperation. “Please tell me this is the new nanny,” she said flatly.

“I doubt we could convince her to stay at this point,” he said with equal flatness.


A LITTLE TOO LATE
by STACI HART

I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the nanny.

When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I've been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I've been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.



~MEET STACI HART~
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. 

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

~CONNECT WITH STACI~

FACEBOOK     AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER


Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Book Review and Giveaway for Crave Part 2 by Ek Blair

CRAVE
by EK BLAIR

Weeks became months, and months became years. Each day, nudged Kason deeper into his addiction. Each memory of the girl destroyed fed the craving for what he could never have again.

Leaving a life-altering first love behind, Adaline tried moving forward to find love and trust and happiness. Pain eventually faded, wounds slowly healed, yet scars were forever left behind.

But some scars feel like kisses.

When the shattered pieces of their hearts are forced to meet again, the two of them must decide how much pain their love is worth enduring.

This is what happens when one person loves beyond the craving and the other craves beyond the loving.


Review: 4.5 STARS
"Do you have any idea what it's like having to watch you slowly unlove me?"

This book seriously went full circle for me in the emotional department!!! If you read my REVIEW for CRAVE Part 1, you can see how messed up I was after waiting for the next installment. I was D-Y-I-N-G for the next book. This one did NOT fail to deliver on an epic tale of pain, fear, love and devotion. What an emotional rollercoaster!!! Heartbreaking, nerve-wracking, anxiety driven read....hold on tight.

I can probably count how many books have had me pacing while I was reading it, and now I have to add another one. Crave was already a different kind of read, but written with the same intensity and depth Ek Blair provided with her other books. I loved the pictures she painted with her words, and it made all the emotions jump off the page as if they were tangible. I was gasping as I read, covering my mouth in awe. I honestly couldn't wrap my mind around everything going on. Was the angst there? Yes? No? I'm not sure, but it was more of an anxiety inducing read to me, and it was definitely one that had me freaking out. I was an emotional basket-case while I read this one. Heartfelt emotion, intense drama, and questionable stability in the main characters had me turning the pages with a sense of urgency. One of my favorite parts was the the POV shift in this book. It was methodical, and led me to wonder about quite a few things as I took their journey through love and loss, fear and joy. But I have to say, this duet is my favorite from her. High praise, but most definitely warranted.

Sometimes we see in our head how we want a story to go. I do it -- I freely admit it. BUT, I don’t hold up my thoughts on the book if it takes a different route. After all, it's not my story to tell, right? It sure makes me pay closer attention to all the surrounding action and drama that is happening though. All in all, this book had me freaking out. I was on the edge of my seat or pacing as I read the entire thing. I was so anxious to get through it, but I couldn’t do it in one sitting!! I honestly couldn’t. Since the first book ended so abruptly with that cliffhanger that had me reeling, this one was the balm....after a lot of nail biting. This one picked up where that left off and we were in the deep dark recesses of Ady’s mind, and she was not doing too well.

"It's a pain so excruciating that you don't want to believe it exists. But it does, because I'm living within its cage." 

Oh my gosh, seriously. I have no idea how to explain the pain Ady was in, but I wanted to shake her out of it too. Ady was dragging herself down, and that made me so sad for her. She wallowed in such self pity, in the dankest pits of despair, and while I understood what Blair was doing with this....it almost grated on my nerves. But I couldn't allow that to affect my reading pleasure, because that was her pain, and I didn't have the right to quantify it. So, I sat by and read with a hurting heart while she tried to come to terms with her new reality.

I can appreciate when an author is willing to step outside of the box and go against the grain. That's exactly what Blair did with this duet; pushing the boundaries of a comfort level having to do with very young characters. Throughout the story, the characters were faced with an agonizing reality for decisions made in the past. I liked that this has the potential to rub some the wrong way, but there was always a reason for everything happening the way it did. I liked that it challenged me to see things from a different perspective and to think it through. I think this story played out rather well and Blair did this storyline some serious justice. I was a complete mess!! My anxiety was SO high while reading this, I kept messaging Ek while I was reading it, afraid to go on!! Again, it wasn't an angst that was gut-churning; it was more an anxiety that made me antsy and fidgety. I truly loved it!!!

The only part I didn't appreciate about this book was rectified by the time I got to the end. I know that is vague, but I can't tell you too much because of the epic twist she threw in there, but it made my heart DANCE!! I loved the twist so much, because it showed the heart's ability to switch course to detach and persevere. It is a rough one though....not for the faint of heart. I had to talk myself down a few times because again, what I saw happening and what actually happened were two totally different things, and I am so glad I got to take this journey. Such a wonderful love to witness. I loved this story and I cannot recommend it enough. With two shots of tequila.

"Maybe we were too perfect, an because of that, we were meant to be pierced by thorns."
~BEE

PURCHASE BOOK 1
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2wLz1gq
AMAZON CA: http://amzn.to/2vq44Pg
AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2vpPeZ7
B&N: http://bit.ly/2q8jzZo
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2qwEVjB
iBooks: http://apple.co/2oyrhyH

ADD IT TO GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2sYPEo1
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
PURCHASE BOOK 2
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2wRXIrv
AMAZON CA: http://amzn.to/2wDzFxo
AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2vYw7J5
B&N: http://bit.ly/2pntOeg
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2qRSEED
iBooks: http://apple.co/2p5NrXy

ADD IT TO GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2vPjboM



◆     ◆     ◆     ◆    ◆
~MEET EK BLAIR~
New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling author, E.K. Blair, takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her books. A former first grade teacher with an imagination that runs wild. Daydreaming and zoning out is how she was often found in high school. Blair tends to drift towards everything dark and moody and has been noted as 'The Queen of Dark and Twisted'. Give her a character and she will take pleasure in breaking them down, digging into their core to find what lies underneath.

Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace, and spending time with her friends. She's a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.

~CONNECT WITH EK~

FACEBOOK      AMAZON     GOODREADS     TWITTER
ARC review
AFFILIATE LINKS USED
Posted by at 4 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)