Blog Tour Stop & Giveaway: Ripple by L.D. Cedergreen

 

Synopsis

Kendall Brooks has an impossible decision: Tell the truth or protect the lie?

She has buried herself in years of undergrad, medical school, and now her residency–hoping to leave behind what she is unable to face.

Her world is rocked to the core when she returns to her small hometown and runs smack dab into her first love, Adam McCoy.

Adam is the key. He stirs up old emotions that send Kendall spiraling back in time, remembering all the moments that led them to her ultimate deception.

Will revealing the truth of what transpired all those years ago provide her the self-forgiveness that she desperately craves or will her devastating secret destroy the only man she has ever truly loved, shattering her heart in its wake?

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Review

Kendi Brooks left her small town when she was 18 years old, and time and circumstances kept her from ever wanting to return to the place where she fell in love with Adam McCoy, only for them to also be separated as their lives take on different paths. It's been years since she's been back, but due to a death in the family, she finds herself back home, and runs into Adam on the very first day, and he claims to still be in love with her, wanting to be with her. When they spend time together, old feelings resurface, and a heartbreaking secret is finally revealed. Will Adam's feelings change when she breaks his heart one last time, or will time help heal the wounds that have been fresh for both of them for so long?

Ripple tore me apart. I was a mess reading this book, but in such a good way. I love when a book is so powerful and emotional that I can barely see my Kindle screen as tears falls on my cheeks, and Ripple did just that.

I'm usually not a huge fan of books that weave both past and present throughout the story, but it's absolutely necessary, and I love the way L.D. let the story unfold this way. It was essential for us to learn the whole story that led up to the secret, and it wouldn't have worked any other way. I fell in love with Adam pretty quickly, and while as a teenager he did some things that made me want to smack him, he was easy to forgive. Adam McCoy as a man? I couldn't get enough of him. My heart fell for him, broke for him, and I felt his pain radiating off the pages, and my heart broke all over again.

To be honest, I really wanted to hate Kendi at times. The things that she did, in my eyes, would be unforgivable for most people, and I had no clue how she would be able to redeem herself. At one point, I was ready to throw my Kindle at the wall and give up on her, but I couldn't. I was so emotionally invested in this story, and I had to know more. I needed the answers. Why? How? What were you thinking? So I kept going, and boy, am I glad I did. As we learn the answers to those questions, you can't help but love Kendi. Her fears were understandable, and her pain was palpable. In one very pivotal scene, I was sobbing to the point that I could barely breath.

I want to say so much more, but you need to go into this book blind so you can truly experience it for yourself. Let's just say, the ending was perfect, poignant, and beautiful-just like the rest of the book.

Ripple is an emotionally beautiful story that tugs at your heartstrings. It's so much more than your average romance novel. It's the incredibly moving story of Kendi's journey to self-forgiveness, and in finally seeking the same from Adam. The writing in Ripple is gripping, spellbinding, and it flows so effortlessly. L.D. makes you feel every emotion right along with her characters, and I felt like I was right there with them. I'm so impressed by this debut author and I can't wait to read more of her work!

Excerpt

I stood at the cold dark water’s edge, my reflection staring back at me from the glasslike surface. The reflection of a girl that I no longer knew. I breathed in the overwhelming scent of pine and recognized the tranquility that surrounded me. The soft hum of the city in the distance, the echo of an eagle’s cry overhead, the steady drum of my heart—the only sounds that could be heard in the quiet serenity that was present all around me. Inside an entirely different scene existed. Whirling thoughts, like hurricane-force winds, blew through my mind while a dark, thunderous storm was raging inside my soul, cutting the power to the central organ of my existence—my heart. I was destined to weather this storm on my own. After all, like Mother Nature, I was the controlling force behind these conditions. I threw a stone into the mirrored surface of the water before me and watched the small circular wave expand from the point where it broke through the stillness. It was hard not to think of the stone as the choice I had made, the choice that inevitably created waves in the smooth waters of my life. The first lie, like the first ripple in the water, seemed so small but quickly became more significant. Each wave growing in size and depth, impossible to stop. The effect from that one choice spread through my life like the ripple moving across the surface of the water. I longed for the stillness.

Meet the Author

Facebook / Goodreads

L.D. Cedergreen has always enjoyed writing. It started as short stories, and later developed into poetry–some of which has been published–and now her first full-length novel. She’s a vivid day dreamer, a passionate reader, and a fan of all music. She is a small town girl at heart. Originally from Washington State, she now resides in Southern California with her husband and two little ones. As much as she would like to call herself a beach girl, she is–without a doubt– grounded by her small town roots.   

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Release Blitz and Giveaway: Isaura by Ruth Silver

Title: Isaura (Aberrant 3) 

Author: Ruth Silver 

  Publisher: Patchwork Press/Lazy Day Publishing 

  Published On: December 4th, 2013 

  Cover Art: Erica Crouch (paperback), Lazy Day Publishing (eBook) 

  Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy   

  Synopsis

 With Joshua’s recent disappearance, Olivia has little choice but to head into the dangerous Gravelands as the new government wrestles with fixing the damage to society. Joining forces with her estranged father and a girl from Haven, they go on a search-and-rescue mission to find Joshua and bring him back alive. If traveling through outlaw territory isn’t frightening enough, Olivia learns she has exposed her secret and is hunted by her allies.  

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Excerpt

“I'm fine!” I pushed harder on the gas. “They can't be that far ahead of us.” I just hoped we were headed in the right direction.

We drove another twenty minutes north as I moved off the dirt road and onto grass. I glanced back at Rane. “Do you think Craynor could have found a place in Haven to keep Joshua?” “I don't know. Not much was left. There could have been a cellar or basement abandoned that didn't get struck. That's how I survived,” Rane admitted. It at least gave me hope. As we drove north, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. Cresting a hill, I slammed the brakes as we jolted to an abrupt halt. “What the hell?” Gavin's voice echoed as the seatbelt restrained him and his arm shot up on the dashboard to steady himself. A few feet away, I saw outlaws with weapons pointed in our direction. “Hurry up!” His voice threatened in my ear as I slammed on the gas, but our car wasn't going anywhere: the tires had blown from spikes in the road. Locking the doors hadn't helped. They busted the car window and flipped the lock, opening the door, dragging all three of us out.  

eBook Cover

Title: Moirai (Aberrant 2)

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: September 26, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis

Olivia has been on the run from the government of Cabal since the marriage ceremony. Finally settling in and finding herself a place to call home in Shadow, Olivia and Joshua prepare for the uprising that they and the rebel alliance have been planning for months. With new abilities and special talents from Mindonsiphan, Olivia learns she can do more than most ordinary eighteen year olds. Learning both to hide and perfect her skills will be one of the biggest challenges she’ll be forced to face.

A constant rollercoaster of emotion and adventure await Olivia and Joshua as they embark on a journey to the rebel city of Torv, and what was once home, Genesis.

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Title: Aberrant

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: April 28, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis

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.

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    About the Author Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005. 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, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing and Patchwork Press, ABERRANT, was released April 2013. The second novel in the series, MOIRAI, continues the saga. ISAURA, is the final installment in the ABERRANT trilogy. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

  Author Links 

  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page  

Author Top Ten

Top Ten Books On My Amazon Wish-List

1. After the End by Amy Plum

2. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

3. The One by Kiera Cass

4. Allegiant by Veronica Roth (I’m terrified of finishing the series)

5. Horde by Ann Aguirre

6. The Shadowhunter’s Codex

7. The Selection Stories: The Prince & The Guard

8. The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

9. Deception by C.J. Redwine

10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

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REVIEW: Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie

(Addicted series, book 1)

She’s addicted to sex. He’s addicted to booze…the only way out is rock bottom.

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie. Strangers and family begin to infiltrate their guarded lives, and with new challenges, they realize they may not just be addicted to alcohol and sex.

Their real vice may be each other. 

New Adult Romance recommended for readers 18+ for mature content

******

WOW. JUST…….WOW!!!!!!!

There are good books; there are great books; and then there are books like this one. The ones that suck you in and leave you hanging on every single word, page, chapter. The books that fully envelop you and drag you into their world completely. Those books are hard to come by, but Good God Almighty, Addicted to You is without a doubt one of them. I don’t know how it’s possible that I didn’t know about this series until a few weeks ago, but regardless, I am so fucking glad I found it.

Lily Calloway has a big secret. It’s one that nobody would ever expect from the shy, tiny girl that keeps to herself. It’s one that has her looking at porn on her laptop while in class, sneaking into bar bathrooms with random guys, and calling gigolo services. Lily Calloway is addicted to sex. She has managed to keep her secret from everyone, including her family, with the help of her best friend and roommate, Loren Hale. They create a faux relationship to parade around their families in an attempt to hide not only Lily’s secret, but Loren’s as well. But Loren isn’t addicted to sex. He prefers alcohol; lots…and lots…of alcohol.

They lean on each other to cover up their problems, but when their secrets both bring them crashing to the ground, they can’t hide the truth anymore; the truth that they’ve enabled and fueled each other’s addictions almost to the point of no return.

Y’all, I almost can’t even express to you how much I LOVE this book!!! The storyline was captivating, heartbreaking, jaw dropping, and so, so incredibly astounding. There are a lot of books out there that involve addiction, but this one stands above the rest. The absolute dependence that both Lily and Loren have on their own addictions is mind blowing. He can’t do anything without a drink in his hand…or flask…and she can’t go a day (sometimes less) without having sex. These could have easily been characters that were so far gone I didn’t feel anything for them. I mean, these are two college kids who come from shitloads of money, so it would have been easy to say “give me a fucking break.” But Krista and Becca made these characters real, vulnerable, and amidst all their destruction, they made these characters likable. I felt for them on so many levels.

The scene with Lily at the fashion show is the one that sticks out in my mind more than any other for some reason. I think maybe because that particular scene shows us just how much sex overrules everything else for her. Once the thought is in her mind, she can’t function until she satisfies her urge. That particular scene showed her addiction in the worst way and yet, it’s that scene that made me feel for her more than anything.

It wasn’t just Lily and Lo that made this book sensational. The secondary characters are some of the best I have ever had the experience of “meeting”. Between Rose, Connor, Ryke, and the small glimpses of Daisy that we get, there was not one person in this entire book that bored me. It didn’t matter who was in the scene, because I craved more of every single one of these characters. Honest to God, I can’t think of a book that has such phenomenal characters that each have so much depth!!

I could talk about this book for days and fucking days. I don’t know why more people aren’t reading this series or haven’t heard of it, but you can be damn sure I’m about to change that. This book changed reading for me. The bar has been raised. The Ritchie sisters know how to write, and I was blown away by just how immaculate this entire book was from start to finish. If you haven’t read this book yet, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY – READ IT AND READ IT NOW!!!!! If you’re anything like me, you’ll end up…well...addicted.  

MY RATING: 5 STARS

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Cover Reveal: Shelter You by Alice Montalvo-Tribue

Title: Shelter You

Author: Alice Montalvo-Tribue

Expected Release: January 2014

Cover Designer: Distorted Edge Design

Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets Promotions

Synopsis

She's mine.

That was my first thought when I held my baby in my arms at seventeen. I didn't care that I'd already promised to give her to a wealthy family.  

She is mine.

I ran away from that hospital, from that family, from the very life I knew. My plan was to start my life over with what little money I (have/had?), determined to make something of myself despite the odds.  

Then Logan Tate entered my life.Gorgeous and controlling, he claimed he was trying to help me, and that he didn't care that I was another teenage pregnancy story.  But I don't trust him. I don't trust anyone. And if Logan knew the real secrets and lies I was keeping inside, he wouldn't dare try to shelter me.

Excerpt

 I look up at her with tears in my eyes. If not for this kind woman, I’d be handing Lily over to her adoptive parents in a matter of hours. It may seem cruel of me to have promised to give my baby away to a couple who desperately wants one and then to just pick up and run away, but none of this was my choice. Four months before my high school graduation I found out that I was pregnant, as you could probably imagine for a seventeen year old to hear that she’s going to become a mother is shocking and scary. So I did what I thought would be the right thing, I went to my parents and asked for there help. Their solution? Hide my pregnancy until after graduation and then keep me a virtual prisoner in my own home until I gave birth. When I expressed to them my desire to keep my child they gave me an ultimatum, give the baby up for adoption, or keep the baby but leave their house with absolutely no financial help from them. What else could I have done? I had no choice but to agree to their demands and I thought I could do it. I thought I could go through with it until I held her, my Lily, and I knew that giving her away would literally kill me—would make it difficult to go on with the knowledge that she was out there in the world somewhere, living a life apart from mine. Because of this, I made her a promise and I’ll die before I break that promise.

About the Author 

Alice Montalvo-Tribue lives with her husband and daughter in New Jersey. She has a bachelors degree in communications and is currently working on her masters degree. She spends most of her free time reading, writing, and when the weather permits lounging out on a beach.

Connect with Alice

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Blog Tour Stop & Giveaway: Catch Me by Claire Contreras

Title: Catch Me

Author: Claire Contreras

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance.

Release Date: November 17th, 2013

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Synopsis

In the past, I've always been given everything I've wanted, but nothing that I truly needed. I've experienced a lot of things in my twenty-five years, everything except the one thing I want. It's the one thing that can’t be bought. It can't even be taken, it has to be given. And nobody has ever given it to me, not really anyway. 

Not until him.

Music is the center of both our lives, but as he found his place in it, I lost my way. He soared, while I spiraled down a destructive path.

I lost myself in more ways than I can count.

The ironic thing is that I didn’t realize how lost I was until he found me. 

And now that he has, I have to wonder if he'll stay around long enough to catch me.

Review

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Claire Contreras, so when I saw that she was writing Catch Me, I was thrilled. Her first duet, There is No Light in Darkness & Darkness Before Dawn, is on my favorites of 2013 list, and I was so excited to see what she was going to do with a new, stand alone novel. Well, let me tell you, Catch Me more than lived up to the hype.

No matter what Claire writes, her stories always pack a punch, and Catch Me is no different. I was already crying in the prologue, and I knew I was in for an intense ride by the first chapter, and I wasn't wrong. Twenty-five year old Brooklyn, the daughter of a music mogul and former fashion model, she's never wanted for a thing...except for maybe love and acceptance from her neglectful parents. Her father bullies her into working for him, and her mom is constantly throwing eligible men in her face, trying to get her to settle down with someone 'suitable.' All the while, Brooklyn just wants to run her own business, completely out of her parent's shadow, but despite how strong she seems, she just can't seem to tell her father no, so she soon finds herself living in New York with her brother, Hendrix, and near her cousin and good friend, Nina. 

Her best friend/former lover, Shea, comes back in the picture, but who knows, Brooklyn included, what he really wants. The interesting part of his reappearance is the sexy music producer, Nick Wilde, that he's working with. I loved both Brooklyn and Nick individually, but as a couple, they were on fire. Nick and Brooklyn have an immediate attraction, and it's not long before they're spending time together, exploring it. I have to say that I loved their chemistry from the very beginning. The sexual tension between them radiated off my Kindle and these two were certainly explosive when they finally came together. 

All the while, Brooklyn is still dealing with the fallout and depression from a tragedy that she experienced when she was a teenager, and the twists and turns that she weaves through the pages had my mind reeling. I thought I knew what was happening, but she proved me wrong time and time again-in a good way. 

Despite her issues, Brooklyn is a really strong heroine that I loved, but I have to say, Nick Wilde takes the freaking cake in this book. He's gorgeous, successful, and he goes after what he wants, no matter what. He also has a slightly possessive side that I found to be so freaking hot and I just couldn't get enough of him. He's completely perfect, and you simply must meet him. 

One thing that I love about Claire's books is that she always knows how to create an incredible world around her main characters. The secondary characters in this book are fantastic and I cannot wait to get more of Shea, Hendrix, Nina, and hopefully Nick's brothers. 

Catch Me is not a book to be missed. It's a beautifully touching, albeit, slightly tragic tale of one woman's struggle with overcoming obstacles so that she can find her true happiness, and the man who wants nothing more than to give it to her. I laughed, I cried, I swooned more times than I can count, and more than anything, my heart was full of complete joy when I read the end. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a beautiful story that tugs at your heartstrings. This one definitely delivers. 

About the Author

Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two little boys, and three dogs. 

Her favorite past times are: daydreaming, writing, and reading. 

She has been described as a random, sarcastic, crazy girl with no filter. 

Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones or ones that will scare the daylights out of her and have her looking over her shoulder at every turn. Like I said, she's very random. 

Connect with Claire

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Purchase Catch Me

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PROMO BLITZ, GIVEAWAY, REVIEW: Storm Warning (Broken Heartland #1) by E. Lee and C. Quinn

We are excited to be apart of the Promo Blitz gearing up for the December 12th release of "Storm Warning" book #1 in the Broken Heartland Series by E. Lee & C. Quinn. This is a mature YA series sure to set your hearts a flutter. Check out all the book & author info, links, exclusive teaser and early review below then enter the rafflecopter for your chance to win one of the following prizes: $200 Amazon Gift Card, A Kindle Paperwhite, $25 Amazon Gift Card, $20 Amazon Gift Card, E. Lee Prize Package including a Signed Book and Storm Warning Swag, C. Quinn Prize Package included a Signed Book and Storm Warning Swag, GTBC Prize Pack including Book Bag & Assorted Book Swag, or one of six (6) eBook copies of Storm Warning to be sent on release day. Good Luck & Happy Reading!

Title: Storm Warning (A Broken Heartland Novel)

Author: E. Lee & C. Quinn

Release: December 12, 2013

Genre: Young Adult

Broken Heartland Series:

Website: http://www.readbrokenheartland.com/

Find it on Facebook:

BH Page: https://www.facebook.com/BrokenHeartlandSeries

Blurb:

Sometimes you can’t see the storm coming until it’s too late...

Severe Storm Warning Tip #1:
Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #2:
If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #3:
They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.

Situated just outside of Oklahoma City, Calumet County is divided into two drastically different communities: Hope’s Grove and Summit Bluffs. One is the small backward town where dirt roads lead the way to field parties and railroad tracks. And the other, a sprawling suburb where paved drives lead to the landscaped lawns of the wealthy and over privileged.

For five teenagers smack in the middle of Tornado Alley, summer is heating up fast. The winds of change are blurring the invisible line that divides the rich and the rural.

One has a secret. 
One has a crush.
One has been lying. 
One will get caught.
And one might not make it out alive.

They’re from two different worlds…but one summer is about to change everything.


Review:

When you live in tornado alley, there’s always the risk of getting caught in a storm… add summer love and heartbreak to that and you get one explosive story. These two authors melded their writing styles together perfectly to create a story that kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s witty, it’s angsty, it’s tragic, and it’s addicting. I’m so excited to read more of this series. I’m expecting it to be a long time favorite.

I have something new to obsess over!! Like I need that… *sigh*. You know those girls that were so depressed when the TV series One Tree Hill OR Dawson’s Creek OR Gilmore Girls OR Everwood ended? Well, that was me. I love TV series with coming of age characters that just don’t know what they want from one day to the next. There’s falling in love, there’s heartbreak, there’s fights, there’s best friends, there’s tragedy, there’s those crazy, crazy characters that just need to stop messing everything up ALL THE TIME… and I love all of that!! And Storm Warning has ALL off that!!! It’s written so much like a TV series. I could see it all playing out in my head.

There are 5 main characters and 5 POV’s. At first I was thinking… Whoa. How’s that going to work? I thought it might be a little crowded, confusing, or disconnected, but it was none of that. The character’s lives intertwine, so even when you’re in one character’s head, the other characters are still present. It just works so well. There are two authors, but if no one had told me that I would have never known. The writing is smooth. Nothing about it is disjointed. The characters are full of personality. Luckily, all the books are going to be released approximately 3 months apart, so there’s no crazy wait to finish the series. You won’t have to re-read, because the releases are that close together. I think that rocks.

Go to readbrokenheartland.com to read more about all of the characters. Basically, the story follows 5 teenagers living in Oklahoma. Kyle and EJ are brother and sister. They own a landscaping company and live on a farm. Coop is Kyle’s best friend and EJ’s childhood crush. Cami and Hayden are from the other side of the tracks. They have money and have been raised completely different from the other three characters. In the book, for one summer, their lives collide. I’ve been asked whose team I’m on… For now, I have to say Hayden, but it’s hard. I LOVE all of the characters. I never expected to love them all. I expected to go into it and love Coop, which I did. A lot. I’m pretty sure he may turn into my long term favorite, but Hayden was just perfect in this story. He won me over and that was unexpected. I loved his attitude.

I want EJ to be my best friend. I’m dying for more. With that ending, you are going to want more and FAST.

Rating: 5 stars

The Cast:

Exclusive Teaser:

"He’d spent the rest of the evening thinking about kissing her. Judging from the way she watched his mouth as he told her goodnight, he was willing to bet she’d done the same."

About the Authors:

E. Lee 

Born and raised in the middle of a Midwestern cornfield (not literally, that would be weird), I’ve spent my entire life imagining stories. Stories where the right guy always gets the right girl, first kisses are as magical as they are on the big screen and anything is completely possible if you believe.

Although this journey began years ago, it recently took on a whole new life. After years of devouring hundreds of Romance, YA and New Adult novels, I had an epiphany... I should write a book. And I did it!

If I’m not reading, writing, enjoying drinks with my amazing group of girlfriends or chasing around a sarcastically funny kid, I’m probably watching television shows that were created for teenagers, while my husband teases that I’m too old to watch them.
Links:

On FB: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethleewrites
On the Web: http://www.elizabethleewrites.com/
On Twitter: @elwrites

  

 C. Quinn

I write New Adult books about country girls finding love in unexpected places. <3

Wearer of cowgirl boots, writer and avid reader of New Adult romance, lover of wine, addicted to chai tea lattes. Brand spanking new author of soon to be released books including Girl with Guitar and Keep Me Still (which may or may not include spanking).

Gemini, wife, mom, and former high school English teacher living in Birmingham, Alabama. I spend my days chasing a three year old and hiding away with my Macbook. I spend my nights writing because sleep is overrated.

I love hearing from readers and other writers, and those freaky hybrids like myself!

Links: 

On FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCaiseyQuinn?fref=ts
On the Web: http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com/
On Twitter: @CaiseyQuinn



Giveaway:

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Review: Ignite by Tessa Teevan

(Explosive series, book 1)

After nearly a year and a half of grieving the loss of her husband, twenty-seven year old Alexa Sullivan Tate is headed back to her hometown after a decade of being away. She has no idea her high school crush, Jace McAllister, the guy who stole her heart the same night that he broke it, is more than ready to pick up the pieces. 

Jace has spent the last ten years in the Army defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who ignited all his passions. Little does he know that the spark still exists. 

Ten years ago they had smoldering chemistry, but the spark between them now might light a fuse that leads to an explosion even Jace can't stop. Not that he wants to. If only Alexa can get past her guilt and trust her heart again. 

But how do you put it all on the line when you've already lost everything once before?

*Mature Audiences only, 18+. While this is a series, each book will be standalone.

******

Talk. About. A. Prologue. “I fucking hate you sometimes.” Those five little words have haunted Lexi every day since the accident. They are the last words she ever heard come out of her husband’s mouth; they are the five words that he never got to apologize for, and that she never thought she would hear, at least not from him. When a tragic car accident takes Ty’s life and leaves Lexi in the hospital, there’s nothing she can do but replay those five little words over and over again in her head.

You guys…that’s how you start a freaking book! Now, here’s a full disclosure: Tessa is part of the Gutter Girls Book Reviews blog along with me and Erica. She’s a good friend, we talk frequently, and our love of sports is almost unparalleled. (If you follow either of us on Twitter, you would know all of this anyway). I’m bringing it up because I don’t want y’all to discount this review simply because Tessa is my girl. I’m 100 percent honest about my reviews regardless of the author or the relationship I have with them. So please, just keep that in mind. Now, onward!

Ignite is a sweet, sweet story about a second chance romance between Jace and Lexi. They became best friends in high school and the night before Jaces leaves for the Army, he finally confesses to Lexi how he really feels about her, not knowing that she feels exactly the same way about him. With a wild night on the beach and a promise to return to her, he leaves the next day and Lexi is left to deal with her feeling and wait…and wait…for him to come home. After years of no contact from Jace, she moves on and eventually marries Ty. Cut to the tragic accident mentioned above, and Lexi is now a 27 year old widow. When her sister convinces her to accompany her to a 10 year reunion, she finds out that a run-in with Jace is inevitable. She never considered dating after the accident, but when she reconnects with Jace, all those thoughts fly out the window. Because some flames burn so strong that they can never truly be squelched.

Ignite gave me all the feels. This story takes you through the heartache of Lexi losing Ty, to the guilt she feels for moving forward with Jace, and eventually you’ll end up wrapped in a warm blanket of love as Lexi finally allows herself to let go of the past and look towards the future. (Look, I know that last line was cheesy as hell but let it slide this once…please?!) The relationship between Lexi and Jace is one of those that just seems inevitable. There’s no way these two characters couldn’t end up together. They go together like beer and baseball. Which brings me to my next point...

THE SPORTS REFERENCES!!! I’m a sports freak, and baseball is probably my favorite sport, just inching out football and college basketball. I love the baseball metaphors, and the tie-ins to the Cincinnati Reds; although it would have been even better if it involved the Kansas City Royals, but let’s face it, I’m a little biased ;) Tessa found ways to creatively weave baseball into this love story, which in turn give Jace and Lexi's relationship something unique. And in my opinion, she knocked it out of the park. (See what I did there? Yeah…you see what I did there.)

I was incredibly impressed with Tessa’s debut novel, and the fact that it didn’t read like a debut novel. Her writing is descriptive, penetrating, and almost flawless. She makes you feel the emotions that her characters are going through, and to me that’s the sure sign of a great author. Oh, and the fact that she can write smoking hot sex scenes is just the freaking cherry on top! I’ll never look at a baseball dugout the same way again. Excuse me while I daydream for a second….

Actually, this daydream involves my favorite baseball player and it might take a little longer than a second so let me just wrap this up ;)  Ignite wasn’t a walk. It wasn’t a bunt. It wasn’t a somewhat standard double. It wasn’t a pretty impressive triple. Get ready to round those bases, Tessa, because this was a goddamn homerun! 

MY RATING: 5 STARS

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