Thursday 29 August 2013

Review: Love Waltzes In by Alana Albertson



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Buy it! Amazon| Kobo

"GET READY WHEN LOVE WALTZES IN!

To her millions of fans, ballroom champion Selena Marcil seems to have the perfect life: a great dance partner, a hit reality show, and celebrity perks. But underneath the glamorous ball gowns, Selena longs to find someone to share her life with when the stage lights dim.

Selena’s childhood sweetheart, Bret Lord, hung up his dance shoes after winning two national titles with her as a teenager, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He never saw his former fiancée again, except on television and on the cover of men’s magazines. Ten years and three deployments later, Bret gets an offer to audition for Selena’s dance show. When the Marine Corps gives him temporary leave to appear on the series, Bret can’t refuse the quick cash that will enable him to provide financially for the widow of his buddy, even if it does mean coming face to face with his past.

When Bret shows up at her national championship, Selena is shocked. For years she searched for him to no avail. After spending time with Bret, Selena realizes despite their past romance, they have no future. He has no desire to live under a spotlight and she has no desire to leave it. Can Selena and Bret recognize when Love Waltzes In?"


Excerpt

Staff Sergeant Bret Lord sat on the dirty floor of his tent, going through the day’s mail: the latest Men’s Fitness magazine from his sister, a care package from his mom. He ripped open the package—socks, lip balm, sunflower seeds, and a thin letter that contained an old magazine clipping.

Dear Bret,

I miss you very much. Benny asked me to send you this article. I really wish you would consider his offer. Please stay safe.

Love, Mom

He swallowed hard. A neon sticky pressed on the wrinkled page had a note scrawled on it from his former master dance coach.

Bret, m’boy,

We’ll make it worth your time.

Cheers, Benny.

Thumbing the edge of the article, Bret stared at the sixteen-year-old boy in the picture and could barely recognize himself. His shoulder length, wavy blond hair was slicked back, not shorn in a “high and tight” like his current haircut. No signs of the tattoos or muscles that currently defined his body. Golden skin stained from a bottle, not the harsh sun of Iraq. His arms were wrapped around a gorgeous, curvy young girl with long jet-black hair. The jade Latin gown she wore matched the color of her almond-shaped eyes.

Bret tossed the article aside and removed his nine-mil pistol from his holster to clean it.

Lance Corporal Hernandez walked by Bret and snatched the article off his cot. After staring at it, Hernandez’s face brightened.

“Hey, Staff Sergeant, this you?”

“No, it’s my clone who’s also named Bret Lord.” Bret slid the rail back on his weapon and began disassembling it.

“Staff Sergeant, you know Selena Marcil? Did you hit that?”

“Shut up, Hernandez, or the one getting hit will be you—with the butt stock of my rifle.” Bret grabbed the paper out of Hernandez’s hands, and smacked him on the side of the head. The kid didn’t flinch.

“Staff Sergeant Twinkle Toes. Hey—can you hook me up with Selena? I’ll be her boy toy. I love her. Man, she’s smoking. Has the nicest ass. Not like all those skinny, Russian chicks on that show.” He nodded to himself with an eyebrow dancing. “Selena’s on my list. She’s Latina, too. We’d be perfect together. What was she doing with a gringo like you?”

“Hernandez, you’re way out of line.” Bret reassembled his pistol.
 
“My bad, Staff Sergeant.”
Bret grabbed the article, his pack, and his rifle. It was impossible to get some privacy in the tent. His only option was to sit outside in a sandstorm but even that sounded like a welcome retreat from his immature men. He walked about five hundred feet, then plopped down in the hot sand.
The red sky hung above him, thick from smoke from the nearby town. Bret struggled to catch a glimpse of the distant mountains. Sand seemed to pelt down from the heavens, blinding him and settling into every crevice in his body. He closed his eyes against the sting of the sand, and turned his thoughts to Selena. Was she the diva the tabloids made her out to be? Even after ten years, he could almost smell her buttery-coconut scent. A welcome change from the overflowing shitters, toxic diesel, and stench of his fellow Marines who hadn’t bathed in three weeks.
The deep popping sound of shots from a nearby AK-47 roused his ears but Bret didn’t move.
As a marksmanship instructor, he could distinguish the sound of any weapon system. These shots weren’t the lighter, faster rounds of his men’s M16s. Looking past the palm trees that peppered the dismal scene of dilapidated shacks, he tried to get a location on the origin of the gunfire. Probably just some insurgents outside of base. The rules of engagement were clear—he couldn’t stop them from killing each other even if he wanted to. And he definitely wasn’t going to endanger the lives of his men.
The sandstorm let up, and he reached into his pack to grab dinner. Spaghetti with Meat and Sauce was his favorite Meal Ready to Eat, even if it did taste like chalk. He hoped it came with cinnamon apples for dessert. He opened the box and laid out his day’s bounty: cherry-blueberry cobbler, potato sticks, wheat snack bread, plain cheese spread, lemon-lime beverage powder, and accessory pack “A” – coffee, creamer, sugar, salt, Tabasco, a moist towelette, toilet paper, chewing gum, and matches. Bret opened the cooking bag, placed the spaghetti pouch in it, filled it with water, and then leaned it against a rock to cook.
He stared at the picture of himself and Selena winning the U.S. National Youth Amateur Latin Ballroom Championship. Selena was the star of the hit series Dancing under the Stars. His childhood sweetheart was now plastered on the cover of magazines, billboards, and advertisements. The details of his life back then had faded away from his memory. Being at war made everything a blur.
Bret took a swig of water from his camelbak and downed two anti-malaria pills: one blue, one pink. The Marine Corps assured the troops that it was safe but Bret couldn’t help but wonder if the pills caused his daily headaches. Then again, maybe the migraines were just from the hundred-degree heat.
Staff Sergeant Ray Wilson emerged from the tent, and sat beside him. Even though Bret had wanted to be alone, he was happy to have his friend’s company.
“Slim Jim?” Ray offered. As Bret ripped the plastic off the snack, Ray nodded at the magazine article lying in the sand. “What’s that all about?”
Bret grunted. “A month ago, my mom told me that the judge on Dancing asked her if I would consider doing the show. He just sent me a note.”
“For real?” Ray took a bite of his own Slim Jim. “You’d have to be stupid to give up this paradise of sand and gunfire for the mansions of Hollywood. Your mother does realize you’re a Marine right? You can’t just leave the Corps and go on reality television.”
“That’s what I told her. But she has this crazy idea that the Marine Corps would let me do it for one season—like a recruiting tool. I doubt that, but I could use my vacation leave. Remember that kid on American Pop Star?”
 
“Yeah. Didn’t he gain like thirty pounds and fail his PFT? Can you still dance, Patrick Swayze?”
“Good enough to teach some teen mom from MTV how to cha-cha. I’d be the laughing stock of the Corps.”
“Maybe not. I mean you are the only Devil Dawg who happens to be a ballroom champion. You could be that all-American hero. The pretty face that recruits a load more boys to come join the rest of us here, and get shot at.”
“If you think it sounds so great, I’ll tell her you’ll do it.” Bret hated the public’s obsession with the “celebrities” on these shows. Young kids who became millionaires for making a sex tape or wasting their days doing nothing but going to the gym, tanning and partying. Meanwhile, Bret and his buddies were out here in hell, dodging bullets.
Bret checked his spaghetti. He dug into the warm, gooey meal.
Ray shrugged. “The only dance I know is the ‘Harlem Shake,’ and something tells me I’d be more of a target for that than I am for being a Marine in Iraq.”
Bret had no desire to ever dance again. Once he’d joined the Corps, he had found his calling. “Nah, I’d rather stay here with my men. I wouldn’t even consider it—if it weren’t for Pierce.”
Ray blinked hard. “What does the show have to do with Pierce?”
“I promised him that I’d take care of his family if anything happened to him. If I did the show, I could earn enough money to buy them a house.”
“Dawg, you would do that for them? That would be crazy.”
“He’d have done it for me.” Bret knew that Pierce would’ve done anything for him. Pierce had already proved that.
They sat there in silence.
Ray nodded toward Bret. “Pierce was a good dude. You should do it.”
Bret’s hands became sticky with sweat. “I couldn’t. I’d make a fool out of myself.”
“Man, it wouldn’t be that bad.” Ray stretched out. “And you can go check out your ex-fiancée—she is Maxim’s Sexiest Girl Alive. Even if she is with that pretty-boy dancer.”
“Dima? That guy’s a jerk. He was one of our coaches. But I would never get back together with Selena.” Though she was sexier than ever, Bret had no desire to go there, despite the fact that he could still remember every inch of her body. A relationship between them could never work out. She was too focused on her career—always had been. He loved the Marines and wouldn’t allow himself to get tempted by the fame and money of Hollywood. But he still felt protective over her after all she had been through as a child and he hated seeing her all sexed up for the cameras. The thought of a bunch of Marines jerking off to pictures of his first love made him sick.
Ray rolled his eyes. “Well you never know. Maybe she’s changed.” Ray broke out a bag of Skittles. “I’ll go with you. Can you request Beyoncé as your partner?”

Bret laughed. “Not sure if Jay Z would like that. Or your wife.” Ray had one of the good ones. Ray’s wife was any Marine’s dream. Beautiful and faithful, Nia raised their four children while Ray was away. She was the head of the Key Wives’ Club, kept her body tight, and still had time to send Ray the best care packages, hence his endless supply of Slim Jims.

Bret had tried to have that family life once, but it didn’t work out. After that experience, Bret had vowed never to get close to anyone again, at least until he left the Corps. He needed to focus on guiding his men—not be distracted wondering if another man kept his girl’s bed warm while Bret fought a war thousands of miles away.

Ray stood up. “Nia’d be cool with it. She loves the show, man. Do it. Big shot reality star will need security. I got your back.”

If Bret did it, he’d want to have Ray by his side to handle the entertainment world. But it wouldn’t be to get back with Selena. Bret had no desire to live in the spotlight, and from what he could see, she had no desire to leave it. He stuffed the article back into his pocket containing his “If I should die” letter.

The roar of the rounds boomed through the sky. His cammies were soaked in sweat and felt heavy on his chest. He couldn’t see anything, but the rumbling of the helicopters overhead told him this was no training exercise.

Ray and Bret didn’t say a word; they knew what was about to go down. A fire built in Bret’s chest and adrenaline took over. Moments like this made all the sacrifices of war worth it—knowing that his life meant something and that he was responsible for not only protecting his men, but also ensuring the safety of Americans back home. Bret tossed the rest of the food into his pack and gathered his weapon. They raced into the tent.

Bret screamed at his men. “Grab your weapons and take cover!”

Review

Firstly, I absolutely adore these types of books. I love it when either one of the exes is a celebrity and then when they meet each other for first time in so many years they feel that chemistry. Is it only me??

So... from the blurb I was hooked and I was like, I have to read this!

It seriously didn't disappoint. The beginning didn't get dragged on and wasn't delayed at all. Usually when books do that......... bad idea. It just makes everything boring. Even though, you might want the book to be longer, so you make the beginning longer.... it doesn't help at all. It makes the book boring and the reader bored and yeah......

Bret was a nice guy. He is quite humble and very unselfish. The blurb never really says much about how they broke up. It kinda makes you assume that he left her to go to war and that makes him the bad guy but, when you read it- it is a very different story... very different. I mean him getting loads of money to do a dance show and giving it to the widow of his best friend who died is a pretty good damn thing to do. I know that there are very few people who would do that. They might have that intention in the beginning but, the temptation of money might be too much.

Selena.... for some reason, I didn't like as much as I thought I would. I think I just liked her because she was the main female protagonist and the love interest of Bret. I found her quite spoilt and annoying and yeahh.... I can't really describe it. I think I just don't like her for no apparent reason.

I found the plot quite original. I've never read a book circling around the ballroom dancing world. It probably is exaggerated but, I think it captured how competitive it is and how fierce you have to be to get to the top.

I really liked this book! And apparently, it is the first book of the series, so I'm excited for the next book.
Quite a quick read and so sweet and romantic! ^.^
 
 


 


Tuesday 27 August 2013

Cover Reveal: The Picture of Dulce Garcia by Alana Albertson!

The Picture of Dulce Garcia (The Coven #1)
Release Date: Fall 2013
 
Dulce Garcia, star of The Coven, would rather spend her days sketching dresses. Instead, she works to support her family and dreams of one day becoming a fashion designer. After Teen Vogue declares Dulce, “The Hottest Teen in America,” she is stunned by how amazing she looks in their photo.

At sixteen, Dulce feels the pressure to stay youthful in Hollywood. When Dulce’s prop Book of Shadows gets destroyed, she substitutes her favorite Victorian Anthology, opened to Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, and says her spell during the shoot over the anthology. Afterwards, in her trailer, she discovers that she has transformed into her Teen Vogue picture, and her real body is completely airbrushed. Can she break the curse or will she remain locked forever in a picture?

 
Finalist—Young Adult Category of the 2011 RWA Stiletto Contest!
Finalist—Young Adult Category of the 2011 RWA Launching A Star Contest!
Finalist—Young Adult Category of the 2011 RWA Heart of the Rockies Contest!
 






About the Author

Alana Albertson is the former President of both Romance Writers of Americas’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters and the founder of Academe Advantage, a college admissions & test preparation company. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time needlepointing, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes of House Hunters, Homeland, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

***Author Links***
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Book Bitz: Aberrant


Aberrant (Aberrant )
Release Date: 04/17/13
 
In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system.

With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.


Available from:
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About the Author

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.

She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.
***Author Links***
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***GIVEAWAY***
 
1 signed paperback of Aberrant (US only)
3 scrabble tile necklace charms & signed bookmark (INT)
3 bottlecap keychains & signed bookmark (INT)
 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Book Blitz Organized by:

Monday 26 August 2013

Cover Reveal: Without You by Brooklyn Skye


WITHOUT YOU
Release Date: 10/22/13

*A novella to the best-selling New Adult novel STRIPPED*
I’m the knight on the white horse in her eyes, the one who broke down her defenses after her sister’s death until she realized she was capable of love. To her—aside from my name, Torrin Kingsley—I’m perfect.
But there’s a sliver of my past I’ve never shared with her. One that is now haunting me with every breath I take. One she is starting to raise her brow to.
I’m not certain how much longer I can keep it from her. To be honest, I don’t know that it would make a difference anyway, because it seems no matter which path I choose, they all lead to the same end point. A place without Quinn.
My demons run bone deep. I guess burying them forever wasn’t possible.


Book One:


About the Author

Brooklyn Skye grew up in a small town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small town life. Really, she’s just your average awkward girl who’s obsessed with words. Her Best-Selling New Adult debut, STRIPPED, is out NOW! Represented by Bree Ogden of D4EO Literary Agency.


***Author Links***
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Wednesday 21 August 2013

Spotlight: Rosewood Falls Novellas by Melanie Macek + Giveaway


The Best Man's Honor (Book 1) Available Now on Amazon
Find It! Goodreads

Lily Foster married right out of college. After three wonderful years of marriage, her dreams are shattered by an impulsive decision. Unable to forgive, she immediately files for divorce and hasn’t seen her ex-husband since. Now her friend Flora Magnus is getting married, with Lily as her maid of honor. The privilege turns into a nightmare when she finds out her ex is the best man. Can she survive a week of wedding preparations with Joe’s presence as a constant reminder of what she lost?

Joe Foster accepts the duties of best man for his long-time friend Bryson Mitchell knowing it could cause the maid of honor to bolt. Joe hopes he can get Lily to at least talk to him during the week they’ll be together. For three years he’s longed for a change to just talk to her. When he finally discovers the full reason why she left, will he be able to convince her to give their relationship another shot? Or has his honor been tarnished beyond repair?


Finding Perfect Love (Book 2) Available Now on Amazon
Find It! Goodreads

Iris Sharpe is a Charleston born Southern belle filled with poise and grace now living in Denver. Her mother wants her to move home and marry into an established southern family. Iris only has eyes for Thorne, the man who causes her poise and grace to disappear whenever he comes within ten feet of her. The man who would fulfill all her dreams if she could just stop spilling her drinks on him and literally falling into his lap. Flora’s wedding might be her last chance to show him she really can be the woman of his dreams.

Thorne Hamilton can’t wait to spend the week with his friends and enjoy their company and celebrate Bryson’s wedding. He’s also secretly anxious to see what Iris will do next. The guys constantly rib him about his cleaning bills, but truthfully he likes the attention Iris gives him even if is at the expense of his wardrobe. Immersed in wedding preparation, not only does Iris practically ignore him throughout the week, she doesn’t spill or drop anything on him. Thorne realizes he not only misses her attention, he wants more from her. He wants the whole package.



The One Who Said No (Book 3) Available Now
Find It! Goodreads

Finding a man has never been a problem for Heather Baker. Model thin, gorgeous with a brain to match, her friends tell her she should have been a lawyer instead of a Hollywood set designer. Determined to have fun at the wedding, she’s set her sights on Colum Murray. They’ve flirted for years, but one or the other never seemed available for a weekend fling. But what Heather expects and what she gets are two totally different things. She just might be in danger of falling for Colum.

Arriving for his friend Bryson’s wedding, Colum Murray knows he’ll be fending off the advances of Heather. Which is something any sane, single man would tell him was a stupid idea. Colum doesn’t want to be just another notch in Heather’s belt, he wants to be more. He thinks she deserves more from a relationship. When he decides to ramp up the heat between them without removing a stitch of clothing, Colum realizes she definitely worth the wait.




Whatever May Come (Book 4) Available September 24th

Flower girl and ring bearer duties bring Sam and Daisy's children together. Sam's had a thing for Daisy since they met. Can Daisy let go of her fears long enough to realize Sam just might be the one she's been looking for?












Never Again (Book 5) Available October 22nd

Family and frinds witnessed her devastating humiliation, including Evan, the man she secretly loved. After the debacle of her failed engagement, Aster decides she's done with men. Evan, however, has other plans. Will she take one more chance on love?












The Bride's Garden (Book 6) Available November 19th

Flora and Bryson's wedding is the perfect opportunity for Flora to help mend her friend's broken hearts. While she's busy working out their love lives, she feels hers is crumbling. Bryson is too perfect, too caring, too loving.
Everything a woman looks for but she's unable to fulfill all his dreams. Bryson has felt the underlying tension for months. Flora won't talk about it until he received information from an unlikely source.








About the Author

Melanie has been writing in some form or another as long as she can remember. From songs to plays (a bad one) to poetry (not her forte) to romance, the urge to write has always been there. She read her first romance book as the age of 13 and hasn't looked back. A voracious reader, thanks to forced college papers. Other genres have captured her imagination, but Romance will always hold her heart.
A native Californian desert rat, Melanie has lived over half of her life on the Texas Gulf Coast. Braving mosquitoes, humidity, and the occasional voluntary hurricane evacuation, she and her husband and their two 4-legged children- who have their own page on the blog- spend time with family, friends, and planning their next travel adventure. She writes in most of her spare time and always makes sure to take a pen and paper with her just about everywhere she goes.

Find Her!
Amazon| Goodreads| Pinterest| Facebook| Twitter| Blog| Barnes & Noble


Giveaway!!
Win 2 sets of the first two books (print or Kindle version) & a bracelet!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


  Enchantress of Books Blog Tours

Monday 19 August 2013

Review: If I Fall (Spotlight & Giveaway!!)


Title: If I Fall
Author: Anna Cruise
Publication Date: 6th April 2013
Publisher: Mission Bay Publishing
Genre: Young Adult
Find It! Goodreads| Amazon| Facebook Even Tour Page

 Meg Calloway is at the edge.

Reeling from her parents' sudden divorce, fifteen-year old Meg has never felt more alone. Her father is about to marry a woman she can't stand and her mother's only companion is an endless supply of alcohol. When Aidan Westwood, an older boy at school, shows interest in her, she grabs on and doesn't let go, thinking he's exactly what she needs to help stem her loneliness and despair. She quickly learns that Aidan lives a darker, more dangerous life than she does and the more isolated she feels from her family, the more willing she is to step into Aidan's world.

As Meg drifts further from her friends, she tries to find comfort with a boy who is opening her eyes up to new things, none of them good. Will she listen to those around her who are warning her that she's headed down a path of self-destruction?

Or will she fall too far...too fast...too deep


My Review

Wow.

I'm not sure I want to review this book at the time being. I'm still processing what happened in the book.

Okay.... maybe I over exaggerating a little bit but, this is a great book! Albeit, it is very different to other YA Romance books.

It starts off like some other teenage books when the dad leaves the mum and goes off into the sunset with his new beautiful woman who is a tad bit younger that he is... and the daughter (Meg) is absolutely furious. Her mother is not taking it well and is drinking herself to death. 15 year old Meg has to fend for herself most of the time when her mum is drunk and out of her mind in the bedroom. This results in Meg just feeling unwanted and alone even though she has a few friends.

Then, she meets Aidan. Older, bad boy... I seriously don't get why people like bad boys to be honest. I mean, obviously you don't want a guy who is totally good- then he'll just be a clingy puppy but bad boys... in real life they are just jerks and assholes because they are a bad boy. I think that loads of books kinda has influenced our minds to like bad boys because in nearly Every Single Story, the bad boy becomes good for the girl but he still has that edge. However, in reality... is that true?
The thing I liked about this book was that it was totally realistic. The bad boy doesn't turn good for the girl. He's just 100% pure jerk. Unfortunately, he's also a jerk with a brain, therefore he knows what to say to make Meg feel wanted. When she wants to be loved- he'll say that he loves her. When she feels ugly- he'll make feel sexy by making comments or something else.... That just leads to her depending on him for acceptance and compliments. Relying on him all the time also, makes her distance from her friends.

She falls into the world of partying, drinks and drugs.... Not good

What I've forgotten to mention is that there was a new boy that was introduced early in the book. Name was Case. I think that is short something but it didn't say.... Anyways, he's good friends with Meg and also Meg's "ex" friends. He doesn't judge her and seems to understand what she is going through. I think that he didn't have enough presence in her life until the end however, he was always watching from afar .... not in a stalker-ish way of course but like a guardian angel... yeah.

So, Meg's life is spiralling out of control. She hates her dad and stepmum. Aidan is like her drug who is definitely not good for her. Case is kind of like her rehab. There is also Sara, her aunt (her mum's sister) who the parent for Meg when no one else is there.
From the start to the middle, I was confused if I should like Aidan. If he was going to turn good for her like other books. Hating her dad was a definite for me until the middle/end. Very complex characters.

I absolutely loved this book. It was kind of dark but also sweet. I highly recommend it to other teenagers like me. It also raises awareness about the dangers drinking and drugs.

 





Excerpt
 
“All I'm saying is I think you deserve better,” Case said. “From my point of view, anyway. You deserve better.”
I threw my head back on the sofa and laughed. It was a harsh laugh with no mirth. “Most of the time, I don't think I deserve better.”
“Everyone deserves better.”
“Not me.” I didn't look at him. “No one else would want me. I've royally fucked up. Everything. There isn't anything better out there. Anything or anyone.”
“Yeah, there is.”
“Oh, really?” I brought my eyes back to him. “And where exactly would I find better?”
It was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “Well, you might start with me.”
My eyes widened. "With you?"
His cheeks flushed just a bit. “You don't have to sound so surprised.”
I immediately felt bad. “That's not what I meant. Sorry.”
He laughed. “It's fine. I'm kidding. About you being surprised. Not about being better.”
“Well how would I know you were better?” I said. “It's not like you've ever asked me out.”
He thought about this for a minute. “So if I asked you out, you'd go?”
I honestly had no idea where the conversation was headed. He was confusing me like crazy and I wasn't sure what to say to him. I thought maybe he was just screwing around with me.
“Yeah, I would,” I said, calling his bluff.
“What about Aidan?” he asked.
“What about him?” I said, shrugging. “You just pointed out all the reasons I shouldn't be with him. Maybe you're right and I've just been too dumb to see it.”
I didn't know if I believed what I was saying but it felt like the truth was on the wall, some message that everyone had deciphered but me. And I was going to try my hardest to translate it, however I could.
He stared at me for a long time. I didn't say anything, just stared into those eyes that were always friendly, always honest.



About the Author

Anna Cruise has been writing -- and drooling over boys -- since middle school. Lots of years have passed but some things never change...
Her books include the best-seller IT WAS YOU (New Adult), IF I FALL (Mature YA) and MAVERICK (New Adult). Additional titles releasing in 2013 will include a follow-up to Abby and West's story from IT WAS YOU.
Anna loves to hear from readers and authors. Email her at authorannacruise@gmail.com. You can also like her Facebook page, find her on Twitter @AnnaCruiseBooks or friend her on Goodreads.
 
Find Her!
 
 

Giveaway! Win a $20 Amazon GC and Anna Cruise E-book Library

Book Blitz: Remembering Joy by Jenni Moen +Excerpt+ Giveaway!!!



Remembering Joyby Jenni Moen
Release Date: 06/07/13

Alexis doesn’t believe in fairytales. She knows first hand that life can turn on a dime – that one stupid mistake can shatter dreams and irrevocably shape the future. Even though her memory of that day is hazy, she has spent the last ten years trying to put it behind her and focus on the future.

Armed with the knowledge that her career will be her only legacy, Alexis works night and day to prove that she is more than just her last name. It’s not only that she doesn’t have time for love – she doesn’t have the heart for it. After all, there’s no point in starting something that you can’t finish.

However, when she meets Adam, she’s drawn to him in a way even she can’t deny. He is dark and brooding and strangely charming. He’s the perfect distraction from the mundane life she’s created for herself. And, as if fate is pushing them together, he seems to be around every corner. It’s enough to almost make her entirely forget about her past and take a chance.

Unfortunately, Adam’s memory isn’t hazy . . . not in the least. And, what she doesn’t remember, he can’t forget.

*Mature New Adult/Adult novel – contains adult situations and sexuality and is suited for ages 18 and up*

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Excerpt
A comfortable silence fell over us as I sipped my coffee and watched him cook breakfast. I don’t know why, but I would have expected him to be worthless in the kitchen. He was the opposite of that. He cracked and whipped with complete ease. He dipped and flipped the bread like a pro. He, too, was full of surprises.
Finally, he put two plates down on the table and sat down in the chair across from mine. He pushed the butter and syrup toward me. “Uhhh, do you have any peanut butter and powdered sugar?” I asked.
He looked at me curiously. “Yes, to the peanut butter. No, to the sugar. I’m okay in the kitchen, but I’m no Martha Stewart.”  He rose from the table and returned shortly with a jar of peanut butter. His jaw dropped a little as I carefully slathered butter and then peanut butter on each slice of bread on my plate. It dropped a little further when I drizzled syrup over the entire mess.
“I’ve never seen anyone so totally ruin a plate of French toast,” he said, shaking his head at me.
I cut a bite out of a piece of toast and speared it with my fork. “Trust me,” I said as I leaned across the table and waved my fork enticingly in front of him. He opened his mouth and I slid the fork in. My heart rate quickened, and I held my breath as he curled his lips around the fork. I finally released my breath as I pulled the fork back out again. A flush of heat engulfed me. I had never imagined that feeding a man could be so erotic.
“Good God, woman. That is about the sexiest thing I have ever seen,” he said huskily, licking the syrup off his lips. “If my mother knew how you’d just desecrated her French toast ....” He shook his head.
I cut off a second bite. This one was for me. As I lifted it to my mouth, a pout formed on his perfect mouth.
His plate went untouched as I alternated between feeding him and feeding me. After I slid the last bite into his mouth, I laid my fork down on the empty plate. “Well, my job here is done,” I said with a smile.
“The hell it is,” he said, reaching for me. He took my hand and pulled me out of my chair and around the table. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me down so that I was straddling him on the kitchen chair.
I’ll be damned if I wasn’t still hungry, too.


About the Author

Jenni Moen lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three crazy, exuberant kids that have the potential to burn the house down at any moment. 
When she’s not chauffeuring kids around town, performing her mom duties as a short order cook and maid, or vacuuming for her fastidious husband, she hammers away at her keyboard at her big girl job as a patent attorney. While vodka and exercise have provided some relief from the daily grind, it is reading … and now writing … that are her true escapes.


Where to Jenni:
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